Meric rushed into the room when he noticed Ryan had woken up, wearing the worried expression of a concerned father.
Meric: A nightmare again?
Ryan was speechless.
Meric: This is the tenth day. You're going to have nightmares just ten days into Degriss High School? You've been having nightmare after nightmare since your first day. What's wrong, Ryan? This is unlike you.
He stood beside Ryan's bed.
Ryan listened to him while still shivering.
Then one sentence caught his attention.
"Tenth day of going to Degriss High School."
Ryan's ears tingled.
Ryan: So... you mean this is my tenth day in Degriss High School, and I've been having nightmares since my first day?
He said it as though he had just discovered something impossible.
Meric gave him a surprised look.
Meric: What's wrong, Ryan? Did the nightmares make you lose your memories?
Ryan quickly caught himself.
Ryan: No. I was just asking.
He paused.
Ryan: So this is my tenth day in Degriss High School, and I've been having nightmares every night?
Meric: Yes.
Ryan looked down.
Ryan: That must be because of the new school. I'm just trying to blend in.
He tried to convince himself, even though the situation was becoming more confusing by the second.
Meric looked slightly relieved.
Meric: I hope that's it. Just be okay, alright? Now get washed and get ready for school.
Meric walked out.
The moment Ryan realized he was gone, he rushed out of bed.
He searched everywhere for his digital time-and-date device.
Finally, he found it on his bookshelf beside his alarm clock.
He picked it up.
The date displayed on the screen was:
30th March, 2030.
Ryan froze.
A huge wave of shock hit him.
Ryan: Oh, crap! What the hell happened?
He stared at the device.
Ryan: It was 21st March...
He struggled to process what he was seeing.
Ryan: Then what happened?
Meric: Be fast, Ryan!
Ryan: I'm on my way!
He hurried into the washroom.
Ryan splashed water onto his face and ran his wet hands through his hair.
Then he looked up.
His reflection froze him in place.
The left side of his entire body was covered in blue flames.
His hair had become whitish.
His eyeballs had turned blue.
The blue flames covered the left side of his face and continued down his body.
Ryan slowly straightened himself.
Fear overwhelmed him.
He began to tremble.
Then he noticed something else.
His right hand felt strangely heavy.
He looked down.
His eyes widened.
From his wrist downward, his right hand had transformed into a large black-steel weapon with a sharp edge resembling a massive sword.
Ryan stepped backward in horror.
Ryan: What the hell...
Suddenly, the weapon moved on its own.
His arm rose violently.
SLASH!
The weapon struck the ceiling of the washroom.
Ryan tried to control it.
But the weapon moved again.
It stabbed into the wall.
Ryan desperately tried to pull it free.
Instead, the blue flames around his body grew stronger.
A powerful force erupted from him.
Ryan was thrown backward into the mirror.
CRASH!
He shattered the mirror and fell onto the floor.
Pain spread through his body as he landed among the broken pieces.
A severe headache suddenly struck him.
Images flashed through his mind.
The library.
The red orb.
Marthardon.
The cave.
The coffin.
The undead creature.
Ryan screamed.
Then the blue flames suddenly disappeared.
The wounds on his body began healing before his eyes.
The black-steel weapon vanished.
In its place, an M-shaped mark made by what looked like claws appeared on the right side of his chest.
Ryan stared at his body.
Ryan: What the heck is happening to me?
His voice was quiet, carrying nothing but fear.
TEN DAYS LATER
Ryan walked into Degriss High School as though nothing had happened.
Physically, he looked normal.
But inside, he felt completely different.
His body felt like it was burning.
He couldn't shake the feeling that he had two personalities fighting for control inside him.
As he walked through the hallway, someone called out to him.
Bobby: Hi, Ryan!
Ryan stopped.
He was shocked that the boy even knew his name.
Before Ryan could respond, Bobby continued.
Bobby: Mr. Tony said he admired your graph. You've got to teach me how you plotted it.
He grinned.
Ryan was even more confused.
Ryan: Yes.
He nodded.
Bobby walked away.
Ryan stood there, feeling as though he had been thrown onto another planet.
He continued walking.
Then he saw something that shocked him again.
A locker with his name printed on it.
Ryan approached it.
His hands trembled as he opened it.
Inside were his textbooks.
Then he saw something that made his heart stop.
His favorite novel, "Arrow to Destiny," was inside the locker.
Ryan immediately checked his bag.
It wasn't there.
He looked back at the locker.
Ryan: Holy crap...
Time had changed.
Something was different.
As Ryan was about to close the locker, someone tapped him on the shoulder.
He turned around.
It was Iriel.
She was wearing a pink hoodie.
Iriel: You remember me?
Ryan stared at her.
Iriel: Why wouldn't I? You're Ryan Vins. That guy I went into that crazy place with, right?
Ryan: You remember?
Iriel: Of course.
Ryan: Then does that mean you weren't affected by the timeline?
Iriel: Yeah. I was.
Ryan: Everything changed.
Iriel: Ten days ahead.
Ryan: Yes. My uncle...
Iriel interrupted him.
Iriel: We can't talk here. Come with me.
She led him away.
Ryan followed.
Iriel took him to the washroom.
Inside, Alicia was waiting.
Iriel closed the door.
Iriel: I found him. He was affected too.
Alicia: You also found yourself ten days ahead?
Ryan: Not only that. It seems like I'm burning from the inside.
Iriel: We're feeling the same thing.
Alicia rested her arms on the basin.
Alicia: What the hell is happening to us?
Iriel: I don't know.
Ryan: It isn't only the three of us. What about Ely?
Iriel: Yeah. Where is he?
Alicia: I don't know.
Suddenly, Patrick walked in.
Patrick: What the hell are you guys doing here? This is the boys' restroom, you know.
He adjusted his earphones and touched his earrings.
Alicia: Hey, Pat. Have you seen Ely?
Patrick: Yeah. He's in the attic.
Alicia: Thanks, Pat. Come on.
The three of them ran out.
Patrick shouted after them.
Patrick: Why are you two just ditching me? Try me as well!
He shook his head.
Patrick: I'm more interesting than that ice wizard anyway.
Meanwhile, the others rushed toward the old attic.
The attic was a neglected room filled with darkness, rough field tools, and old, unused school equipment.
Dust covered almost everything, emphasizing how long the room had been abandoned.
Ryan looked around.
Ryan: So your school has an attic?
Alicia: More like a room for discipline.
Iriel: I'm really learning new things about this school.
Suddenly, they heard a sound.
Iriel: Ely must be here. Let's go.
They continued through the piles of old school materials.
After a while, they finally found him.
Ely was standing in front of a dusty standing mirror.
He wore a green shirt.
His shirt was slightly unbuttoned, revealing the M-shaped scar on the right side of his chest.
He stared at the scar.
When he heard their footsteps, he immediately adjusted his shirt and turned toward them nervously.
Ely: What are you guys doing here?
Ryan beckoned toward him.
Ryan: We know you were affected by what happened yesterday—or, to be precise, ten days ago. That's why you've been hiding here alone.
A glimpse of joy appeared on Ely's face.
Ely: Crap. I thought I was the only one affected. You guys were affected too?
Iriel nodded.
Iriel: Mhm.
Ely: Do you guys have this scar too?
He began unbuttoning his shirt.
Alicia and Iriel immediately looked away.
Ryan: Yeah.
Alicia: Pervert.
She and Iriel chuckled.
Ely quickly adjusted his shirt.
Ely: I was just trying to show you guys.
Ryan: We know.
Alicia: But you didn't have to go that far.
Iriel: Guys, let's forget about this and focus on the problem. What is happening to us?
Ryan: Yeah. What's happening to me?
He hugged himself.
Iriel: I can firmly say that we're all feeling different. It feels as if we're only half ourselves.
Ely: You're right.
Ryan: We have to find a solution to this because we don't know what the end result will be.
Ely: Should we tell the principal?
Alicia: About what? Are you crazy? He's definitely going to kill us.
Ely: Then what do we do?
Ryan suddenly noticed something behind Ely.
A strange portal was opening.
Ryan: What's this?
The others turned.
Iriel: What?
Ryan pointed toward the strange opening.
Ryan: That.
They all stared.
A teleportation portal had appeared in the attic.
Alicia: What the heck is this?
Ryan: I think it's a teleportation portal.
Ely: A portal?
Ryan noticed the portal widening.
The yellowish aura surrounding it intensified.
Ryan immediately recognized the danger.
Ryan: Guys, run!
Alicia: What?
The portal released a powerful force.
A magnetic field spread throughout the room, pulling everything toward it.
The four of them struggled to hold onto anything they could find.
Ely: What's happening?!
Ryan: It's the magnetic force of the portal!
Alicia: How do you know about this?
Ryan: Does that matter?!
Iriel: Guys! The force is increasing!
She screamed as they were dragged closer to the portal.
Alicia: Oh no!
They struggled desperately.
But the force became too powerful.
Ryan, Iriel, Alicia, and Ely were pulled into the portal.
They screamed as they disappeared.
The portal immediately closed.
Silence returned to the attic.