CHAPTER:15 [Abyssal Whispers]
Kai and Feng returned to the dorm. The building was a beautiful dome-shaped structure that resembled a massive luxurious bunker. Intricate runes covered its surface, and each of the twelve rooms was constructed from the bones of dangerous monsters.
Kai entered his room at the very end of the hallway. It was clean and tidy but had no windows. A large luxurious bed made of wood dominated the space. He changed his clothes and lay down on the soft foam mattress wrapped in silky sheets, resting his head on the most comfortable pillow he had ever felt.
As he was about to fall asleep, his thoughts drifted.
(Man, today was exhausting…)
.......
In his deep sleep, he was pulled into an illusory black space so dark it seemed capable of devouring light itself if brought into the real world.
Kai woke up inside it. He slowly opened his eyes, but all he saw was complete, utter darkness. Confused, he quickly straightened himself into a battle stance. Yet he couldn't feel his connection to Nia or his mana, meaning he couldn't even control his paralyzed right arm.
(What is going on?)
He was deprived of almost all his senses, reduced to nothing more than a doll in the void.
"Hellooo…"
There was nothing to see, so he moved purely on instinct. After some time, he noticed a faded humanoid figure. The darkness around it convulsed, twisted, and generated wildly.
He ran toward the figure, desperate for answers.
"Um, hello, can you tel—"
The moment he got close, the words died in his throat. The creature was wrapped in dark, ragged silk like a mummy.
(RUN!)
He tried to flee, but the creature opened its eyes. Their gazes met, and Kai's body froze completely. The silk on the creature began unfolding, revealing its true form — a muddy, jelly-like mass thick with dark blood and malice. Its enormous red eyes contained nothing but pure corruption.
The creature manifested a bony hand and pointed a finger at Kai. The ragged silk slithered forward like living veins and started wrapping around his body, slowly mummifying him.
All he could do was scream as the creature closed its eyes.
"No! Nooooo!"
Kai jolted awake to loud banging on the door, huffing and drenched in cold sweat. He noticed he could faintly sense his paralyzed arm again.
"Coming! Coming! Stop banging on the door, Verda!"
He got up and opened the door. Standing there was a beautiful woman in her thirties with a pale face and long black silky hair.
"Good morning. Breakfast is ready, so come out."
Verda noticed he looked far more exhausted and sweaty than usual.
"Were you exercising or something?"
Kai gave her a baffled look.
"No… just had a nightmare, probably."
Verda smirked.
"Well then, what are you waiting for? Get ready."
...….
Kai changed his clothes and left his windowless room. Breakfast was laid out on a long wooden table fit for royalty. At the head of the table sat Dona — beautiful white silky hair, plump red lips, and ocean-blue eyes. No matter how stunning she looked, her obsessive need for control made her insufferable.
Everyone started eating, but Dona noticed Kai wasn't touching his food. He was lost in thought, wondering why his arm was suddenly acting up again.
"Is everything okay?" Dona asked. "Why aren't you eating? The food is going to get cold."
Startled by the sudden question, Kai stammered.
"N-no, I'm fine. I was just thinking."
Dona looked at him suspiciously but continued eating. Kai forced himself to eat as well, trying to convince himself that the strange sensation in his hand was just his imagination.
After breakfast, they headed to the academy. The triangular building led up to a towering white spire that seemed to look down on everyone. Golden runes covered its walls.
Kai entered his huge classroom and sat at his desk. The teacher began the lesson, but he already knew everything being taught, so he paid no attention. When class finally ended and recess arrived, he finished eating and began roaming the halls.
Suddenly he bumped into a girl running with a box. She had curly pink hair, dark crimson eyes, and a petite frame. She looked up at him with big red eyes that held a strange charm.
"Oh… you're Kai, right? I'm Tina. I'm in your class."
Kai remained expressionless.
"Yeah, I know."
Tina started picking up the scattered items and putting them back in the box. She seemed in a hurry, so Kai bent down to help.
"Why were you running? Didn't they tell you not to run in the hallway?"
Tina smiled and sighed.
"Y'know, you don't seem as bad as people say. What are you doing in the hallway anyway?"
"I was just roaming around."
As they picked up the items, Tina's finger scraped against a blade.
"Ouch!"
A drop of crimson blood appeared. The moment Kai saw it, his hand started acting up again. A horrifying, distorted voice echoed inside his mind.
"Bl..o.o.ddd…."
END OF CHAPTER:15