《Eternity Split》 Rejoice Chapter 1: Rejoice Monday, November 13th 2023 6:25 am As the door closed, Gray thought to himself, Why did my sister even tell me to go out to buy milk at this hour, I didn''t sleep at all¡­ The orange light almost blinded the boy, making him squint to shield his eyes from the orange glow of the sun, while the cold, morning breeze made his long, jet-black hair ruffle in the air. The icy wind blew at him like a coiled snake, reaching every limb of his body, making him shiver incessantly. He checked his watch and yawned. "It''s early¡­ I could have slept for over thirty minutes. It''s also too cold. I should have really listened to my sister and worn my coat..." He stared at his clothes: A grey hoodie paired with some blue jeans he had found around his floor riddled with clothes, and a pair of black gloves to protect his hands from the cold. Just as soon as he stopped berating himself for being too dumb, he started walking. ¡­ While strolling, he saw the group of workers that were working on building an house next to his, gazing and pointing at the sky. The house was in its latter stages after many years of construction. It was a beautiful villa with two floors, a pool and a large garden, perfect for a family with many kids. It was also surrounded by a perfectly trimmed trail of trees going over their neighborhood. It still needed to be painted and to get the rebars removed, however. Nonetheless, even though the house was still unfinished, it had many pros but only one con. It was expensive! "Did you never see the sun or what?" Gray asked jokingly. He knew the workers well since they had worked on that particular house for over five years. The workers didn''t mind him. In fact, they actually enjoyed the presence of the young man. When they came to his city, Gray had used to bring snacks or the food his sister made in the summer days where the sun was too hot to bear, gaining their approval. After some moments, a middle-aged worker looked down and said to Gray, "Something strange is going on, you should go back home with your sister," his voice was hoarse and full of seriousness, but that was quite normal for him. "Huh? Casanova, what do you mean?" the boy replied. Mario Casanova was the construction manager and the one with the most experience amongst the people working in that house. He was a middle aged man with snow white short hair and a trimmed beard of the same color. His eyes were a profound green, as if he was looking inside the soul of everything he looked at. Even though Gray had known him for half a decade, he never felt comfortable enough to call him by his first name. "The Sun rose in the wrong direction," Casanova said abruptly. Gray was about to ask him to explain more clearly, when suddenly, one of the workers started to mumble incoherently under his breath,his voice slurred. "How is this possible? The other signs didn''t appear yet¡­" the worker seemed very distressed, seemingly at the edge of clawing his own face off. "Zakaria, calm down and tell us whats going on," Casanova turned his gaze towards him and said. "I''ve read about this! I''ve read it even though always believed it wasn''t true! The Quran was right! It was written that the Sun would rise from the west at the end times!" The man in his late twenties with tanned skin and brown eyes, wearing a yellow shirt, cargo pants and steel-toed boots like his colleagues started sobbing as he kept talking, "I''m not ready for the end times¡­ I''m not ready yet! I didn''t even marry the girl I love¡­ I beg of you, give me more time!" he cried out in the sky. As the man started sobbing, his words kept on being drowned by the river of his sadness. Gray didn''t try to cheer him up. Even though he had worked in that house for many years, they weren''t close enough to talk about each other personal matters. "Just go home." Casanova repeated. The young man nodded at him. However, he decided to go to the store first. ¡­ Gray, who still walking, took out his phone and felt a strong heat coming from the battery. Since it was something normal for his old phone, he brushed it off, deciding to search about the peculiar situation of the sun. Click! Just as he unlocked it, he noticed many text bubbles popping on the top of his screen. They belonged to his sister, his classmates and even of people he was unwilling to remember. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.Even though the messages were all from different people, they all said the same ominous phrase. "DON''T OPEN IT." Did I get hacked? When Gray tried to call his sister, wanting to tell her about the eerie words Casanova and Zakaria had said, the heat of his phone caused him to drop it on the floor. "Shit!" he couldn''t help but curse. His heart rate suddenly spiked up in fear of seeing his phone broken. Stuck from the anxiety, he choose to count down to prepare himself for the worst possible scenario. "Three, Two, One!" He flipped his phone, and luckily, he saw no issues with it, making him sigh with relief. That day, Gray was able to avoid being killed by his sister! He then unlocked his phone, noticing again the unchanging presence of the continuously appearing bubbles of texts. Annoyed, he tried to call his sister when suddenly, he heard a tremendously loud trumpet playing by seemingly nowhere. The abrubt and booming noise almost caused his phone to fall from his hands. Just as he was wondering what was going on, he heard a blood curdling scream coming from an unspecified place, hidden within the many stars of the universe. In sixteen years of his brief life, he had never heard someone seeming so desperate, so horrified. After that soul shaking shriek, a choir started to sing from seemingly nowhere once more. Their song was utterly terrifying. Even if he couldn''t understand anything, their so-called words¡ªmore similar to chaotic and a disorganized cacophony of shrieks ¡ªsounded like a blasphemy against the world that hoisted them, and again the same creation that birthed them. The sound was akin to someone scraping their awfully long nails over a chalkboard, with every single ''word'' feeling like a violation to the ears of the ones cursed to experience their ancient song. Abruptly, a tree next to him ignited in flames! Then another one did! Every single tree in his vision inexplicably engulfed in bright, orange flames. Gray felt pure terror as he walked backwards, stumbling on the sidewalk while hurting his head in the fall. He rapidly rose up and ran in the middle of the road, away from every material prone to ignition. Trembling uncontrollably, he watched the overwhelming inferno eat throughout the city like a ravaging beast. The choir sang more loudly, their hideous voices gripping his stomach, turning it inside out. The terrifying voices from the sky broke out in a repulsive laughter, as if they were mocking Gray and the universe itself. He couldn''t help but focus on what they were saying. "Therimpare¡­" "Shawashalah¡­" "Queribae Qhchulun¡­" "Daemonium Chrajnthuchtun¡­" They roared. Even though his head started to throb painfully, Gray kept on listening. "Quierium Kawalaeh¡­" "Quierium Kawalaeh¡­" "Quierium Kawalaeh¡­" The choir kept on repeating and repeating the maddening phrase. Once they ended their chant, Gray could feel that something followed it. It was as if the last content of their song was filled by a dense haze clouding his mind. He quickly noticed that every time they repeated that hellish phrase, he could hear more of the last ''word.'' "Quierium Kawalaeh S¡­" "Quierium Kawalaeh Sh¡­" "Quierium Kawalaeh Sha¡­" Amidst the crackling of the blazing inferno he heard something dripping from below. Confused, he slowly looked down, seeing a puddle of bright, red blood. Huh¡­? He instinctively wiped his nose, the thick liquid starting to trickle down his hand and arm. Is it the choir¡­? Seeing the correlation, Gray used all of his willpower to stop listening to the last word of the choir, as it made his nose bleed profusely. Feeling his head about to burst, he stopped to reflect on what was happening to avoid paying attention at their hellish wailing. I heard that a trumpet was going to be heard at the end of the world but who the hell is this choir for? Recalling the novels of Lovecraft, his jaw suddenly dropped as he connected the dots. Their ritualistic choir, their chanting, their continuing uttering of a word he wasn''t able to understand¡­ What he wasn''t able to comprehend without his head bursting wasn''t a cursenor a chant¡­it was a name. Their continuing wailing all pointed to someone¡ªor "something." And that ''being'' was the one they were trying to invoke. Destroyer of Worlds Chapter 2: Destroyer of Worlds. Shit! He decided to try calling his sister to forbid her from listening to the sky and to get away from their house, as his too, was surrounded by the trail of trees. He searched for his phone inside his pockets, but quickly found it was missing, probably when he fell from the sidewalk. After realizing his inability to warn his sister from the dangers posing before them, Gray was enraged. Nonetheless, he was lucky that his city was modernized and didn''t have many trees growing wildly. In fact, there was only a forest in the outskirts of the city; but luckily, nobody lived there. If he had been born in a rural city, then it was clear there wouldn''t have been any hope for survival. "I-I have to go home as fast as I can¡­" he muttered under his breath. He started to run like he never did before in his life, all with a thousand thoughts shooting like fireworks in his mind. How come everything is happening right now? Zakaria said that the signs of the end of the world didn''t happen yet! He should be a muslim, right? But if so, why did the Quran predict the sun rising in the west without any issues? And if I remember clearly, the Quran said the Antichrist would come before of the end¡­ But as far as i know, there shouldn''t be anyone like that in the world right now! Both Christianity and Quran have a trumpet sounding at the end times, but the former didn''t have the sun rise in the west. Ultimately, is it possible that both of those religions are right in some way? He gazed at the scarlet sky and saw a plane soaring amidst the red sky filled with dense clouds, dust, and smoke. He slowed his pace down to take a small break¡ªGray''s body wasn''t trained enough to run so much. "This heat¡­ is unbearable," he heaved, "Will Kathy be alright? She is stronger than me, but will it be¡­enough?" Gray gazed at the sky once more, quickly noticing that nothing he had experienced in this damned day couldn''t compare to the horrifying reality striking him. Thump! Thump! Thump! His heart pounded in his chest like it never did before; his breath became shallow while his eyes widened. The plane that once had flown unbothered had broken into pieces like paper. But that wasn''t the worst thing. Oh, how better it would have been if it were just that. He saw an uncountable amount of beings soaring wildly throughout the heavens¡ªone of them had crashed headfirst into the plane. That moment, nothing existed in Gray''s life. He was utterly dazed, his ears ringing while the choir was still singing. The only thing he could do was stare at the creatures blankly, his mind spinning with confusion and horror as he tried to understand their features. Those beings were simply horrifying. They were gigantic and extremely asymmetrical; they had a multitude of appendages and organs oozing red pus in every part of their disgusting body. They had bat-like wings consisted by unsightly flaps of skin stretched between the bones of their uncountable fingers and arms. Then there was their utterly grotesque faces: their head was split open, revealing a black organ full of large, nauseous insects feeding and reproducing continuously over their grotesque banquet. Their mouths eternally agape, as if they were calling upon their preys with the promise of a certain death. The red pus leaking down the revolting creatures rained upon the earth like a macabre cry from the heavens themselves. T-This is hell, and I''m stuck inside it. Crash! The booming sound brought Gray back to his senses. The debris coming from the plane had nearly crushed him, making the young man run once more. ¡­ Tap! Tap! Tap! Even though he was exhausted, Gray couldn''t stop running, afraid to see one of those creatures catch him. He was close to the street connecting to his house, luckily. He had to be careful, for the fire was still burning almost everything in his way. "Wh-What are those things?! What did we possibly do to deserve all of this¡­!" he cried out, clutching his tear-filled eyes. Gray sobbed and heaved multiple times before taking a difficult, yet needed, deep breath. If he wanted to survive¡ªand most especially, his sister to survive, he had to get his thoughts sorted out. T-There is too much fire, I think the firefighters won''t be able to come here. Too many houses are actively burning¡­ W-Wait¡­ I didn''t see anyone this whole day, excluding my sister and the workers, didn''t I? How is this possible? After everything that is happening there should at least be someone running away, right? He started walking amidst the fire ridden neighborhood, and once he reached the end of the street, Gray turned left. The view of the beautiful house where Zakaria and Casanova had worked quickly reflected into his dark eyes. It laid in ruins. The ravaging fire had consumed it, ruining the work they had spent so much time on. The rebars melted; the second floor was almost destroyed and the walls were covered by black ash. Even the most simple action a human was able to do was painful. The tremendously hot, burning air hurt his lungs with every breath. But thankfully, the house wasn''t on fire anymore. A tremendous doubt then formed inside his mind. Should I check if the people are alright or should I just rush back home? Thinking carefully for some moments, he made his mind up, deciding to venture inside the ruins where his so-called friends had worked. His heart was beating loudly as he tried to prepare for the worst outcome. The smoke made the air difficult to breathe and Gray was tempted to leave the house. However, due to his relationship with his friends, he decided to keep walking. The inside of the house was covered in dark spots; the windows were destroyed and the wooden doors had melted. The overwhelming and pungent smell permeated his nose. He brought his hand up and covered it, easing the horrid sensation. He was lucky there wasn''t too much smoke inside the house. Otherwise, he would have suffocated. Gray shouted nervously, his voice almost cracking, "Is anyone here¡­?" Silence. "Does someone need any help?" he repeated. Nobody replied once more. Someone might have fainted due to the high concentration of Co2. That means I have to keep checking¡­ Gray started looking inside the rooms, inspecting them thoroughly. ¡­ Nobody is here. I''ll check the last room and then I''ll go home, Gray thought, hoping to see his sister alive and well. He started walking towards the last corridor, noticing something strange in the meanwhile. This part of the house was filled with holes and cuts! And it wasn''t burnt! It looks like a bear fought here. D-Does this mean that one of those sky creatures was here?! If so, is it why nobody is inside? The young man had a bad feeling. He was at the end of the hallway when he noticed that the door hadn''t been damaged by the fire. Yet it was still filled with cuts, holes, and cracks all over its surface. Seeing that the handle wasn''t going to do much, Gray decided to kick it multiple times so he could search the last room. Just as he broke the door and was about to enter, an hideous smell permeated his nose. He did his best to brush it off and entered the room. It seemed that nobody except some flies were there, but then his gaze landed on his left. There, he saw an uncountable amount of¡­bodies? Some were charred, some had their limbs or their head missing from their bodies, while some were compact and fused with other corpses, resembling canned meat. No blood was there, however. An unfathomable amount of flies covered the bodies. The disgusting insects gnawed at their flesh, burrowing tunnels and desecrating them. The smell was extremely nauseating. The stench of death, burned flesh and decomposition permeated the whole room, worsening the putrid smell. Gray could recognize only the corpses that weren''t badly damaged. Zakaria was one of them. He died just like that, without ever telling his loved one what he felt about her. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Tears quickly welled up in his eyes; the dread mixed with the overwhelming effect this situation had on his mind made him run out the room to vomit. ¡­ Gray''s mind replayed the scene of their compacted corpses endlessly, making him fall to his knees. He did his best to stand up, but failed to do so. After two long and grueling minutes, he found the courage to stand up and walk. "I can''t stay here. I just¡­can''t," he repeated like a mantra, doing his best to ease the pressure on his mind. The young man turned around and slowly retraced his steps to exit out of the house, his heart still thumping. Just as soon as he exited the house, he heard a low, strained voice call for him. As he turned around to see who, or what had called him, he abruptly froze, paralyzed with fear. On the roof of the villa stood a dark, gigantic mantis. The beast was mangled, with dark wounds permeating its tough skin. The horrific insect was holding Casanova''s legs and arms with its front raptorial legs, tearing the flesh off his belly and eating his intestines. The animal antennae and eyes moved frantically, as if in great pleasure. With every bite, the man''s face contorted with pain. His once pure white hair now were unkempt and tinged in bright red blood. "Walk backwards slowly, don''t look inside its eyes¡­" Casanova said quietly, snapping Gray out of his dazed state. The strain on Casanova''s voice was clear, he wasn''t going to survive for more than some minutes. The boy walked backwards as slow as possible, avoiding the striking gaze of the creature posing before him. His breathing was shallow and quick. He was profoundly afraid, and the beast understood it. Its predatory instinct then activated. It jumped down the roof with unreal speeds and started running towards the boy. Casanova, still stuck between the beast maws and claws, glowed with a dim light as the muscles of his body expanded rapidly, making him yell before coughing heavily, "My lord¡­ I require your strength!" The sound of his booming voice stunned the animal, making it screech in horror before it slowly fell in the ground. Like the beast, Gray fell to his knees in pain, dark-red blood trickling down his ears. The sudden thundering of an another trumpet worsened the ringing inside his ears, making him feel like his head was about to explode. Slowly, his vision dimmed and everything turned black. ¡­ Gray jolted awake, his face riddled with beads of sweat. He quickly noticed Casanova''s figure sitting next to him. It seemed that the man had protected him during his unconsciousness. He saw that the man''s condition was too dire to be saved. His mouth was filled with blood, his vocal chords were torn from the strain, and his body''s intestine and stomach had been half-eaten by the beast. His unwillingness to die was truly remarkable. "I''m sorry¡­" Gray muttered, ashamed by his incompetence. Somehow, Casanova was still able to speak. "My fate was sealed as soon as that beast caught me. Your presence gave me the strength to at least end its pitiful existence, at least." Casanova coughed lightly before saying, "It was lucky I wasn''t 10 years younger, I would''ve killed it without breaking a darn sweat¡­" The man laughed weakly before breaking into a coughing fit. After seeing the man joke like that, Gray was shocked. He had never seen him act like this. Ever since he was young, he remembered Casanova as a grumpy old man. "Now go home." Casanova ordered, wiping the blood off his mouth. The young man nodded. He wanted to stay there with him, to at least stay until his last moments, but deep down, he knew he couldn''t. He slowly stood up and started walking. He couldn''t help but look behind him, noticing that Casanova was saying something. He wasn''t able to understand beginning of his speech because his hearing had mostly been impaired by the strain, allowing him to hear only from close-up. He, however, was able to understand the end by reading his lips. Strangely, the man was apologizing. "I''m the one who should should do that," he silently said, gritting his teeth. As the boy kept walking many different thoughts clouded his mind. Gray took a deep breath, trying to sort his thoughts out, failing miserably. The situation was just too unreal for him to stop thinking about it. How was Casanova able to kill the creature? Does he have some kind of power? Hell, it wouldn''t be that unrealistic after seeing everything that is happening right now¡­ But if Casanova isn''t able to kill one of those monsters without dying, does that mean that everyone will face the same fate, with no way to get out? I-I don''t want that to happen¡­ Even though his house was close to the one where Casanova and Zakaria had worked, because of his injuries, he had some difficulty in walking and balancing himself. ¡­ Once he reached his house and saw its condition being better than the others, he couldn''t help but feel overjoyed and less anxious. Gray started walking up the three small stairs. For every minute of that damned day, he had always been deeply worried for the safety of his sister. After all, she was the one who raised him when his mother passed. She was the one who used to read him stories when he was afraid to fall asleep. She had used to cry all night, but only when he was asleep. She couldn''t show that side to him, she had to be strong. And even though she wasn''t much older than his brother, she had to grow up to be the sister that his mother had wanted her to be. And she did way more than enough. She was the best sister he could have ever wished for. Gray gently opened the door, doing his best to avoid scaring her. But instead of his sister being inside of the living room, the image of a tall, dark monolith reflected before his eyes. In its surface there was a depiction resembling a tree lacking any leaves. At the end of every branch there was a sphere containing a name inside it. However, Gray was too far to see the details. On the top of the ''plant'' there were various branches pointing upwards, resembling a crown. An enormous halo covered it, resembling it a sun. The roots of tree were gigantic wings thaf burrowed deep inside the ground. As Gray''s gazed below the monolith, one supine being entered his line of sight. The figure was garbed in a mangled, brown hood. Its back was riddled with strange geometrical and pulsating shapes emitting strange colors he had never seen in his life. It was bowing down at the feet of the monolith, with its head on a trail of blood. Gray''s heart immediately dropped, and he slowly followed the trail with his sight, trying to pinpoint its original location. Once he saw its origin, he subconsciously grinded his teeth as the figure of his loved sister reflected in his eyes. She lay amidst a dark puddle of blackish blood. Her throat was slashed and her white shirt tainted red. She held her left hand on her chest while her right was still holding her phone. A pure scream of rage, rivaling the one before the choir was painfully emitted by Gray. After hearing it, the figure turned around to face the maddened boy. The young man didn''t waste a second. He started running towards it, unfazed from the 4 eyes and grey skin the being possessed. The figure stood up as fast at it could, brandishing a blue knife from its pocket. The being moved extremely fast, and before Gray noticed it, its dagger pierced him in the eye. At that moment however, he was an unstoppable force. The being had created a monster greater than himself. Instead of stopping for the pain, Gray grabbed the otherworldly creature by its neck and threw it against the monolith with every ounce of his strength, leaving the monster stunned, giving him the upper hand. Resembling a primal beast, Gray grabbed the figure''s head and smashed it on the monolith. He did so, again and again. The creature''s body went limp, but he didn''t stop. He kept going and going, until its head turned into a viscous amalgamation made by fragments of his skull, brain matter and blood. Gray''s own eye bled profusely. But luckily, the knife was blocking most of the blood, not letting him die of blood loss. The young man dropped the monster; its corpse fell like jelly. He slowly walked towards his sister, falling down to his knees. Tears resembling a waterfall came from his eyes. Every tear was like a burning needle worsening the condition of his left eye, but that pain couldn''t still compare to what he was feeling. He removed his bloody gloves and wiped his sister''s bloodied face. He tried to feel her pulse, but it wasn''t there. Close to her was her phone, still unlocked. When he saw that she had tried to call him multiple times, his face contorted with endless pain, and he crumbled into a fetal position. He screamed and clawed at his own face for hours, horrified of having abandoned his dear sister in the time of need. ¡­ Gray couldn''t let her body be defiled by the flies or the decomposition. He decided to bury her in their garden, as it once was their mother''s favorite place. He carried her body outside, away from the dead creature and the monolith. The sky was filled with the flying beings, their pus still raining upon the earth. Gray heard an another trumpet. It was the third one he had heard. He then saw an enormous star fall from heaven, blazing like a torch and as fast as a lightning. However, even faced with that reality, Gray couldn''t care less. He had already lost everything that mattered to him. He just hoped of being able to find his sister in the afterlife. And if his sin of murder led him to be locked inside the chambers of hell, he was determined to claw out of it with his own fingernails. An extremely bright flash almost blinded him, making him cover his eyes once more. Soon, a world-shattering earthquake followed. Once the flash of light subsided, he could see an enormous, mushroom-like shockwave making buildings crumble like paper. It was clear now. He was going to die. But at last, he was going to find his sister once again. Before Gray could feel any pain, his entire body had vaporized, leaving behind a dark shadow. Eternally etched into stone. HE. Chapter 3: HE The world was tinged in a dark-red hue. Every living thing had been wiped out from the face of the earth. Every building crumbled down. The pride of humanity, the beautiful works of art they created were all gone. Pyramid of Giza, gone. Mount Rushmore, gone. Taj Mahal, gone. Only some unrecognizable pieces of stone remained. The choir had long stopped playing, turning the world silent like all those years ago, before the living beings tainted it with their impurity. Only The Monolith stood proud. He, like a king, stood before the ashes of creation. This is not the first time He witnessed this, and it won''t be the last. Everything that happened had and will be wiped once more. All that remained was the radioactive material the humans had left, polluting the planet even after their demise. But even the radiation, given enough time would subside. ¡­ 13 November 20,023. 11:19 am. After 18,000 years, Gray''s shadow inexplicably became sentient. The black figure moved slowly on the surface of the earth. It slid like a snake, as if searching for something. The shadow moved with great uncertainty. After all, it didn''t have any eyes. ¡­ It slowly traveled amidst the ruins of the world, searching over the earth and under the sand, still not finding what it was looking for. 10 February 120,920. 8:01 pm. Following many years of searching, it finally found something worth looking for. The shadow touched the tall Monolith that stood unchanged, eternally pure. The shadow stirred and increased in size, fusing with The Monolith. Before touching it, the dark figure was only able to "see" what it had touched. But now, it could "see" and "feel" whatever was under its shade. It became as big as a country but unfortunately, it didn''t find what it was looking for. The figure stirred once more and encompassed under its shade a whole continent. It still wasn''t enough. The shadow expanded itself, reaching every spot of the earth. It felt every grain of sand; it could feel the tectonic plates smashing into each other, and could even sense the gravitational pull from the sun. For every passing seconds, its dark cloak increased in size. ¡­ It''s shade eventually reached the cosmos and encompassed the solar system. The figure, as it covered the sun, scorched Mercury and could feel itself being scorched. It could hear Venus suffocate from its dense and poisonous atmosphere; it could smell the rust that had turned the moon blood-red; it could feel the winds of the great red spot of Jupiter; it could sense the madness residing within the hexagon of Saturn and could feel the loneliness of the planets at the outer edge of the solar system. The dark figure formed a thought for the first time in ages. WHERE IS SHE?! This desperate thought endlessly roared throughout its being, torturing its infinite existence. ¡­ The shadow sometimes encountered horrific beings spouting hate over the universe, corrupting it with their abominable energy. Their bodies were a mass full of endlessly flaying tendrils that marked whatever came for them, whatever searched for them, whatever was disgustingly unlucky to ever see, hear, or smell them. The figure was relentless, however, and it still covered them with his shade. After 10,000 years, the shadow reached the closest solar system as the one it used to inhabit. It surrounded it, and kept moving. Every time his shadow covered something, it became faster. After 5,000 years, it covered the whole galaxy with his domain. After 2,500 years, it covered Andromeda. After 500 years, it encompassed the Laniakea supercluster, containing over 100,000 galaxies. And after 50 years, it surrounded everything that had ever existed. ¡­ Monday, November 13th 2023 6:25 a.mStolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. An horrified shriek echoed throughout the neighborhood. Tap! Tap! Tap! Boom! Suddenly, Gray''s door unhinged and shot across the room at impossible speeds, hitting his wardrobe. "Whats going on? Whats wrong with you?" screamed a young woman. The girl was really beautiful. Her jet-black hair were pulled into a ponytail with some strands covering her forehead. Her eyes were unnaturally dark, but that, mixed with a mole on the side of her eyes, plus her long eyelashes made her look unreal, like a fairy belonging to the night. Gray was holding his chest in pain, hyperventilating at the same time. His expression was riddled with fear. "Are you alright?" she asked, her worry as clear as day. Gray stared at his sister in disbelief, tears welling in his eyes. "Kathy¡­" Kathy was his older sister; she was a twenty-year old woman. She was the one who nurtured him when his mother passed away. After her death, they were able to survive with the money that their dad brought to them every month. But when Kathy became fifteen, the money stopped coming. They could have sued their dad for not paying child support, but then the government would have found out that they were living without the supervision of an adult. So, his sister decided to drop out of school to start working. She switched between multiple jobs, acquiring various experiences in the working field. Luckily, working as a waitress in a respectable restaurant made her income stable, making her think about enrolling in school once more. She''s alive? Was it just a dream? But it was so realistic! Gray thought, feeling an overwhelming amount of relief wash over him. He however, was still afraid. What if this too, was a dream? Seeing his distraught expression, Kathy decided to joke around to alleviate her brother''s anxiety. "Did your girlfriend break up with you?" "What? No, I don''t have one!" Gray replied with a tinge of embarrassment. It''s her, it''s truly her! What I''ve seen was just a dream! She chuckled. "Are you sure?" "Yes, I was just having a nightmare..." he mumbled under his breath. Kathy''s smile grew even more, having found an another way to mock his little brother. "That must''ve been really scary, you screamed like a little girl." Kathy had defeated him once more. The poor boy could never escape her mockery. "What about my door?" Gray asked. "What door?" Kathy replied, feigning ignorance. She then went out of his room, humming a melody in the meanwhile. While she had to get ready for work, Gray sat in the edge of his bed for some moments, unsure of what to think. He then got up to look at himself on the mirror, noticing the presence of a large amount of clothes on his floor. ¡°I really have to clean my room¡­¡± ¡±¡­¡± ¡±No, that doesn''t matter for now! What the hell was my dream about!¡± Gray went towards his mirror and immediately, a clear reflection appeared. As he expected, he wasn''t injured in any way. His long, jet-black hair were unkempt, his eyelashes were wet by his tears, and his eyes were swollen and had deep eye-bags. It was clear that, if he looked after himself a bit more, he''d be able to make any girl fall from him. Seeing just how bad he looked in that moment, Gray sighed. ¡°I look like shit¡­" He searched everywhere in his room to find some slippers, all while thinking to himself of how badly he needed to clean it. After he found them, he went to the bathroom stretching and yawning in the meanwhile. Gray then took his toothbrush and squeezed the toothpaste. Nothing came out. "We need to buy some toothpaste!" Gray was relieved of being able to talk with his dear sister. "I''ll buy it later!" Kathy shouted back. That moment, Gray Montoya had to use every single ounce of his power to squeeze as hard as he could to get some toothpaste. Even the minimum amount was enough. The young man¡¯s forehead vein throbbed as he squeezed with all his might. And at last, some toothpaste came out of the tube. Heh¡­ When he started brushing his teeth, he couldn''t help but think about the content of his strange dream. So, to summarize: 1. A trumpet boomed in the sky, making every single tree ignite. 2. My phone received cryptic texts. 3. A terrifying choir started singing. 4. Some otherworldly beings appeared in the world. 5. Something killed my friends, their injuries were extremely unnatural. Maybe it was the mantis? 6. Casanova had superpowers? 7. A second trumpet boomed in the sky, but I don''t know what happened later. 8. Someone attacked my sister and prayed in front of a monolith with a strange tree carved on it. 9. The third trumpet sounded, making a meteor fall from the sky? It resembled a nuclear bomb though¡­ I think that something else had happened after that¡­ I can''t remember clearly, but I''m pretty sure I was inside a dark place without feeling anything for a very long time. Could that be what comes after death? But what kind of dream was this? Am I actually crazy? Once he was done brushing his teeth, Gray spat in the sink and rinsed his mouth with some water. After that, he took out a cup and filled it with mouthwash. He rinsed his mouth for one minute and then spat the bluish liquid out, rinsing his mouth with water once again. He then took out an hair tie and lazily tied his hair up. The young man washed his face thoroughly with cold water so he could avoid feeling tired in the middle of the day. Afterwards, he went back to his room. Gray looked at the clothes on the floor and decided to avoid wearing the same clothes he had inside his dream. I can''t risk it¡­ He then walked towards his wardrobe and opened its shutter. Gray¡¯s jaw suddenly dropped as the handle broke off, remaining in his hand. Oh. He dropped it on the floor and started looking for some clothes. Gray decided to wear a black t-shirt beneath an hoodie with the same color. For the pants, he decided to put some black, baggy jeans. He also decided to wear gloves since it was a cold morning. Obviously, he didn''t wear the same pair of gloves that he had in his dream. Once Gray was done with getting dressed, he went out of his room. Looking at the other rooms, he felt as if he hadn''t seen them for many years. Back when his mother lived with them, the house seemed more lively, but now it looked empty. Luckily, Kathy''s personality was extremely large, capable to fill every corner of the house. Still reminiscing about his mother, Gray walked into the kitchen with an insatiable hunger. He then took a pan and turned the stove on. He reached upwards to open the cupboard, grabbing some sliced bread. He put the slices of bread on the pan before going towards the fridge and reaching for 2 eggs. He took a different pan and turned the stove on low heat. He cracked the eggs on the pan before stirring them with a large, wooden fork. At that moment, his sister Kathy came to the kitchen. Gray glanced at her multiple times, trying not to get caught, for he felt a bizarre sensation of sorrow overwhelm him. I get that I had a bad dream and that I was deeply afraid of what happened to her, but is this feeling normal? I just hope she won''t think that I''m weird¡­ I can''t tell her that I missed her this much. She would mock me until I''m at my deathbed! "What are you looking at," Kathy glanced at him with her piercing eyes. Shit. Gray''s neurons ran at unprecedented speeds as he tried to formulate a lie capable to convince the devil itself. "Uh, did you change something about your hair?" Why did I say that! Her eyes widened in surprise as she inquired for more information, her voice sounding more lively than before. "You noticed? Does my hair look that good?" Oh. "Yes, it does," he nodded seriously. Kathy glanced behind him, frowned slightly, and said, "Your bread is burning. I can see the smoke coming from the pan.¡± Kathy then sniffed the air. "I also can smell it very clearly." Gray couldn''t help but curse loudly. He turned around and ran towards both pans, turning the stoves off. He quickly noticed that the slices of bread had been burnt, the same fate following the eggs. He sighed exasperatedly, annoyed of having wasted his sister''s groceries. Kathy walked towards him, and after she saw the contents of the pans, she slapped the back of his head lightly. Unfortunately, his sister greatly underestimated her strength. Ow¡­ "Don''t go to school hungry, you should eat some cookies," she advised before going towards the fridge. She looked inside it for some time and sighed slightly. "Go to the store to buy some milk." ¡°Oh and by the way, you should wear a coat; it''s really cold outside." Hearing those seemingly harmless phrases, Gray''s face slowly contorted in horror. Preparation Chapter 4: Preparation Gray''s stomach turned upside down. Because of the request she made, he had ventured outside, losing his sister and his friends. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. A lump quickly grew in his throat, turning the words impossible to speak. Please tell me that it was just a fucking dream. Please tell me that it''s just a bad coincidence. Will I ever wake up from this nightmare? But since I''ve already went through this before, does this mean I have the knowledge of what to do? I-I need to fix everything. I have to. If I don''t go outside, my sister will be alright. At most, that strange creature is going to attack both of us. His knife wasn¡¯t large, so, if I were able to get a weapon with more range than his, we should be alright. I''ll try to find a weapon for my sister too. We can break and sharpen some brooms. Yes, that could work. In the dream my house was safe from the fire, so I don''t think I''ll have to worry about th¡ª "Gray! Are you listening to me?" Kathy asked, annoyed. H-huh? "I-I''m sorry. I was thinking of other things¡­" he replied, distressed. The worry on her voice was clear as she inquired for more information, "You seem awfully pale, is everything alright?" Kathy looked at him for some seconds and frowned. "Does this have to do something with the screaming fit you''ve had before waking up? You know very well that, even when i joke about something, if it''s important, then deep down I''ll worry about you." Gray couldn''t let his sister get worried for him even more, so once again, he had to think about an excuse that would let him get off the hook. "I couldn''t sleep at all because of that nightmare. I''m just tired. I''m just really tired." This was an half-true story since the dream made him sleep awfully. But, once he saw the possibility of his dream being a prediction of the future, he lost every feeling of tiredness, replacing it with an insurmountable fear of what could happen in the immediate future. Gray had to plan everything. For the first time in his life, he had to follow the advice of a character of a famous novel, with his favorite quote by him being as it follows: A magician never preforms unprepared! Her beautiful eyes narrowed. "You can''t fool me. You''re sick, aren''t you? Do you want to skip school to sleep? Usually I wouldn''t let you, but this time you really look like shit." ¡°Your grades aren''t good enough right now, but I prefer that you don''t make them even worse by showing up to school like this. Go in your room and rest, I''ll look for the thermometer." Gray''s looked at his sister and smiled weakly. Even now, I''m still a kid in her eyes¡­ "Thank you, Kathy, but I''ll go buy what we need first. I can''t let you do everything for me, I''m too old for that." Her lips curled upwards as she nodded her head, "I''m literally the best sister you could ever have." "Yes, you are." Gray''s heart stirred with sorrow, knowing what would happen if he were to mess up in any way. Her smile grew even more, satisfied with his response. She then walked out of the kitchen, eager to help her brother. Gray''s face instantly fell as he started to plan for a way to survive. Let''s revise once more. Since my phone is working right now, I can search on the internet for informations about the trumpets and the sun rising in the west. When I''m outside, I''ll tell Casanova and the others to get away from the house they''re working on. And if I can bribe Casanova into coming to our house, we''ll have way more chances of winning against the four-eyed monster. He could probably kill him rather easily; he is much more stronger than me and my sister. Still, I would try to help. I need to repay him from saving my life in the dream. "¡ªhere''s your thermometer¡­" Now, I need to prepare the weapons for the two of us. Casanova probably doesn''t need one, since he was able to injure the giant mantis with his bare hands and thundering shout. And as I was thinking earlier, our house should be safe from the fire. But to be sure, I should cover most of the windows, so the fire won''t get inside the house. But there''s one issue. Would the Co2 still enter in my house by the vents or something else? I get if it was only one house burning close to us, but I saw the whole city being engulfed in flames. For the beginning, I think we can survive with a 90% chance. To be sure though, I should lock every door, so that nobody would be able to enter. But how did that monolith enter in my house? It was too tall to be brought inside it, did it teleport in some way?This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. It doesn''t seem too unrealistic, after everything I''ve seen. "Gray!" At that moment, before the eyes of Gray Montoya, a thermometer roared throughout the air at unimaginable speeds, leaving after-images behind it. Boom! "AW!" "Did you really have to do that?" Gray replied, massaging his aching forehead. Kathy hissed. ¡°You''re the one who didn''t listen to me!" He looked at her, sighed in defeat and bent down to pick the thermometer. He then went inside his room and locked the door. Once he was there, he threw the thermometer on his bed before grabbing his phone and unplugging it from the charger. The biggest issue is after the third trumpet. If we don¡¯t find shelter, we will die. The mushroom-like explosion was so powerful that it made buildings crumble like paper. If it were a nuclear bomb, we are as good as dead. Even if we survived the blast, the fallout would kill us. Luckily, I don''t think that it is. Why would those creatures use something as crude as that? They already were able to affect the whole city with the effects of the first trumpet and The Choir. He shook his head. No, they definitely affected the whole world. In the Book of Revelation, no country was spared. Nonetheless, the explosion resembled a mushroom, so it''s better to take that into consideration. Hm, do all explosions look like that or is it something special for nuclear bombs? Gray sat at the edge of his bed, still massaging his wound. Time for the important questions now. What is that Choir, and why did it have trumpets like the Bible? He unlocked his phone and started searching the internet for more info about the Holy Book. Taking some time, he found the important verses for his survival and started to read them. "When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in Heaven for about half an hour." "And then I saw the 7 Angels who stand before God, to them were given 7 trumpets." I have to skip some things; I have to prepare for what¡¯s to come. "And the First blew the trumpet, and there was hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was thrown to the Earth, burning up a third of the trees on the planet, and all green grass." So that''s why my house was safe¡­ I''m glad we don''t have to worry about that. "And the Second Angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze was cast into the sea. A third part of the sea turned into blood, So that''s what happened¡­ "and the third part of the creatures which were in sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed." It¡¯s dangerous, but only if you are in the sea or inside a body of water¡­ We aren''t planning on doing that any sooner¡ªwe should be alright. "The Third Angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water¡ªthe name of the star is Wormwood." The notes say that Wormwood could be an Angel too¡­ "A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter." In my dream it was a great explosion, though. Could this happen in real life too? For now, this is the greatest issue. If the water becomes bitter, it''s going to become detrimental for our situation. It''s only a third, though, so there''s still hope. Once I''m done meeting Casanova, I¡¯ll fill bottles with tap water. "The Fourth Angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night." That doesn''t seem to harm anyone¡­ "As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying in midair call out in a loud voice: "Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!" "Shit!" he cursed out loud. "Then the fifth Angel sounded. And I saw a star fall from Heaven to Earth: and the key of the abyss was given to Him. And He opened the bottomless pit; And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the Earth: And it was commanded that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. But they shall not kill men, only torment them. In these days they shall seek Death, but Death shall flee from them." So we won¡¯t die? That must be a blessing in disguise! "And the Sixth Angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God, saying to the sixth Angel, "Loose the Four Angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates." And the Four Angels were loosed, which they were prepared to slay the third part of men." Gray''s heart dropped, for this was the most adverse danger for his hope of survival. Even if he was able to survive the other trumpets by preparing himself, he had to be lucky to survive this one. We already have to survive the third trumpet and now this? The only way to survive this is by pure chance. We are only two people, so, if we are lucky, we might survive. But if Casanova comes with us, the chances say that one of us is destined to die. Even then¡­as long as my sister is fine, everything will be alright. I don''t mind if I were to die. I trust Casanova, and I know he''ll save her. "And the Seventh Angel sounded; and there were great voices in Heaven, saying "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord; and He shall reign forever and ever." A wry smile slowly etched upon the corner of his lips. I feared the last one would be the worse of them all. I''m glad I was wrong. Now, I have to fulfill my plans. I''m will ask for Casanova''s help. I have to tell him everything. Gray went inside every room, closing the windows and locking every door leading to outside. When Kathy saw him, she chuckled a little, calling him overly paranoid. Gray stayed silent, for he knew something that she could never begin to fathom. Reaching the door, he informed his sister of his departure, his voice deadpan, "I''m going out." Kathy yelled, "Don''t take too long, you have to rest!" As the door closed, Gray thought to himself, I won''t let that happen again. The cold wind ruffled his jet-black hair once more, making them move wildly in the air. Since Gray couldn''t waste any seconds, he started running. The memories of his dream flashed into his head. He could see the beings soaring throughout the air, he could smell the awful odor of death and could hear The Choir mocking the world with their horrid hymns. Strangely, he felt surrounded by an heart shattering feeling of loneliness. It was awfully nostalgic. ¡­ Tap! Tap! Tap! While running, he noticed the presence of people and cars in the street. In his dream, they were missing. Gray then finally saw his so-called friends. They were still working, and he noticed their equipment being louder than usual. "Casanova!" Gray yelled at the top of his lungs, uncaring if the pedestrians thought he was a madman. The shame was temporary, his death was going to be eternal! Casanova signaled to his subordinates to turn off their equipment, and when they did, he replied while still being on the villa''s roof. "What''s wrong?" Gray asked with a polite, yet serious tone, "Can you come down? We have to talk in private." Casanova told his subordinates to keep working without him, and after a minute, he went down on the sidewalk. "Please follow me, it''s important," Gray added. Casanova nodded and went with him. The two walked for some minutes, following an old road lacking the presence of any pedestrians. The surrounding buildings had been abandoned years ago. The mayor of the city had suggested to demolish them to build a new park. However, nothing had happened since his announcement. Gray started talking without turning around, his tone evoking a deep sense of seriousness. "This may sound weird and borderline absurd¡ªI''m aware.¡± ¡°The world is about to end. Zakaria noticed it and told you, right? He said that the sun rose from the west. Not all the signs appeared and yet it happened." "In some minutes, a trumpet is going to sound from the sky, and a bizarre and disturbing choir is going to follow it.¡± ¡±After the trumpet, the city''s trees are going to burn, bringing terrifying, otherworldly creatures.¡± ¡±They will kill many people, more than you can imagine." Gray continued while gritting his teeth, his voice strained. "Your subordinates won''t survive, not even my sister, not even you. I was only lucky because you decided to protect me with your strange powers, even though you were about to die from your injuries." "Yet, you were still able to kill creature while being half-dead. As you said: "That beast was truly lucky you hadn''t fought it ten years earlier." Gray turned around and was about to plead for his assistance, so they too now, could survive. In his mind, he expected Casanova to be either in disbelief, or just sheerly confused about the matters he was talking about. But what he couldn''t have imagined was his face morphing into a beastly, primal expression, seemingly ready to rip him apart. Within the Abyss Chapter 5: Within the Abyss "I advise you¡ªchoose your next words carefully." Casanova glared at him, his thoughts indecipherable. ¡°Who told you about me. What''s his name, and most especially, how does he look like." He continued, "Don''t bother running, for you are aware that I possess abilities some people may regard as¡­unnatural. And most of all, if I needed to, I could catch without any struggles." Gray felt the air grow colder; his face broke out in a cold sweat as he tried to speak, ¡±W-What do you mean?" The response made Casanova frown lightly. ¡°You know what I mean," his voice was unnaturally calm, and that made it scarier. Seeing the man''s unwillingness to aid him in his and Kathy''s survival, Gray started to plead, "Casanova, please just listen to me. We don''t have enough time. Everyone is going to die! You heard Zakaria talk about it this morning, didn''t you?" "He didn''t tell me anything. Now, answer my question," Casanova replied, narrowing his deep, green eyes. "How is that possible¡­?" Gray murmured under his breath. Did something change the future? Did I do something to cause it? Could it be because of the butterfly effect? Does it really exist? "Didn''t you guys see the sun rising in the west this morning?" Gray asked, growing increasingly frustrated. Casanova replied sternly, "We didn''t see anything. You better tell me who gave you the information about me. The only reason I haven''t attacked yet is because I have known you for many years." He took a step forward. "This is your last chance. Make things easier. Answer to what I''ve asked you." Gray gritted his teeth and started speaking, "I had a dream¡ªit showed me all of the things I told you about." He continued, "When i woke up, the events began to follow the script belonging to my dream.¡± ¡±Casanova, please. I beg of you, let¡¯s have this conversation later,¡± he clenched his fist, recalling his sister¡¯s corpse. ¡±We don''t have much time; we need to prepare for what''s to come!" Gray checked the time and cursed, "Fuck! It''s going to sound at any minute!" In turn, Casanova''s coughed lightly. "The sun rose from the east, like every normal day,¡± he simply said. The boy''s eyes widened; he began to rebuke the man¡¯s words, pointing at the sky. "What? Look!" Gray''s confusion then began to grow. The place he pointed at, lacked the presence of the sun. It appeared that, while being preoccupied about his plan of saving his sister, he had forgotten to check if the sun had actually rose from the west. "W-What? How¡­?" "Did you really dream about me having supernatural abilities? Tell me what I''ve done¡ªand be specific," Casanova asked, interrupting his chaotic thoughts. Still shocked, Gray began to explain of how Casanova had defeated the giant mantis, all without omitting any gruesome detail. The man stared at the boy intently throughout his whole story. Gray could swear of having seen a faint, orange light flicker in his right eye while he was talking. Once he was done, Casanova opened his mouth for the first time in minutes. "Don''t tell anyone about the content of your dream. Nobody shall hear it other than me. I know that you don''t want to have me as an enemy, and neither do I.¡± ¡±However, you must make a vow of silence." Just as Gray was about to promise, the man produced a yellowish piece of old paper from his back pocket and handed it to him. Gray, with a tinge of confusion evident in his voice asked, "What do I have to do with it?" Casanova took a small knife from the same pocket and handed to him. The knife was pitch black and extremely thin, reminding Gray of a material similar or akin to obsidian. "Make a small cut on your thumb. If the dried blood was to disappear within the paper, it''d mean you told someone about the contents of your dream." Casanova explained sternly. The man reminded to be quick. After all, his subordinates needed his help. The realization of having wasted the man''s time made Gray apologize profusely. As soon as he did, he cut his thumb, letting a few drops of blood stain the paper. Then, he handed it out with the knife. Casanova rolled up the paper, making it resemble an ancient scroll and put both of the items in his back pocket.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. The man then reassured him. "You don''t have to apologize. Telling me about your dream was a good choice. Had you decided to tell someone about my abilities, then the situation wouldn''t have been this simple." His words made Gray shiver. "You know where to find me if you need any help." He continued, "Do the same thing if you ever were to get an another bizarre dream." Gray was a bit confused about the dream part, but still agreed. He was extremely happy about the outcome of this bizarre event. He had gotten himself a bodyguard! With supernatural abilities on top of it! Following the strange conversation, Casanova went back to the house he was working at, while Gray went to the store. "That was strange¡­" the boy scratched his head. "Now that I think of it, I forgot to omit the part where I encountered that weird monolith¡­ Well, it doesn''t matter now, does it? Or should I tell him to be sure? " He checked his phone, yawning in the meantime. He noticed that his sister had sent him a text, reminding him to buy toothpaste since they didn''t have any. I was about to forget, Thanks Kathy. Gray replied that he had just gone inside the store and that he was about to buy what he needed. The young man went into the home necessities aisle and looked at the many brands of toothpastes, trying to find the cheapest one. "5 euros? How is that legal? That''s a robbery!" he shouted in the middle of the store. Im glad that there are other cheaper versions¡­ Gray took the toothpaste costing 1.50 euros and went towards the fridges where they stored the food and drinks that needed refrigeration. He decided to buy a gallon of milk costing 2.49 euros. While he walked towards the checkout, he felt as if an horrifying, putrid, and utterly evil creature was looming behind him. He felt as if this ''being'' was inspecting every inch of his soul, turning it upside down. Terrified, he turned around immediately, but nobody was there. Am I that sleep deprived? he asked himself, slightly worried. He gave five euros to the lady working at the checkout, receiving one euro as change. He thanked her, soon going out of the store. Gray checked the time and noticed it was 8:12 am. He then went back home as fast as he could, for the exhaustion had taken a big toll on his body, making him yearn for some sleep. ¡­ "I''m home!" Gray shouted. "You took too much time!" Kathy hissed from her room. She''s not at work yet? he wondered. He shrugged his shoulders, going back to his room. Once he was there, he removed his clothes and threw them on the floor of his room, preparing himself for the best sleep of his life. Now I can really stop worrying about everything¡­ He opened one eye, and after seeing the condition of his room, he couldn''t help but take back his past words. ¡­Never mind, I really need to clean this place. His thoughts turned gradually sluggish, and he drifted off to sleep. ¡­ Monday, 13th November 2023 19:22 pm After many hours, Gray finally woke up. Getting out of the bed, he yawned incessantly in his way to the bathroom, like always. Following his answer to the call of nature, he washed his hands and brushed his teeth. The young man then went back to his room and started to watch a horror movie. The name was Terrifier two. ¡­ Once he was done with it, he wanted to make some pasta with rag¨², but once he noticed the lack of ground beef, he settled on making some risotto with sausages. He took a pot and filled it with water, putting it on the stove. Then, he took a pan and did the same thing. Using a lighter, he lit the stoves on. He opened the fridge, taking two sausages. He then removed the inedible film and put them on the pan. He also broke the sausages into small pieces so his risotto wouldn''t have any big lumps of meat. After some minutes, the water started to boil, making him drop two bouillon cubes in the water. He stirred it with a wooden spoon, so that the cubes would dissolve. And just like that, the broth for the risotto was ready. Once the sausages were cooked, he added the rice on the pan and poured the broth on the rice by using a ladle. He waited until the rice had absorbed the broth before adding some more with the ladle, repeating the cycle until the rice was fully cooked. Satisfied with his work of art, Gray called his sister. "Dinner is ready!" After a brief moment, he heard the thunderous stomping noises that came from that behemot of Kathy. He was always amazed of how a girl that skinny could make such loud sounds just by walking. ¡­ Gray stared at his sister while she ravaged on the food like a starving lion. He couldn''t help but do that every time he wanted someone to rate his food. He had to scrutinize every fleeting emotion of the people that feasted on his creation. "Rate it." he asked. Kathy thought for some moments. "The other times you cooked were tastier. But it''s still good, so I give you a seven." she gave him the thumbs-up. W-What? his lips quivered. That day, Gray Montoya felt the indescribable urge to jump off a bridge. He stayed motionless for over twenty minutes, his thoughts chaotic, resembling an ancient statue riddled in cogito. That''s impossible, It can''t be only a seven¡­ This has to be a conspiracy! Big-Foods payed her to say so! After he ate his food with a defeated expression, he sighed, going back to his room. Tomorrow I have to go to school¡­ I really want to sleep all day. I can''t help it, though. I have to go even if I don''t want to. I can''t even remember what subjects I have to bring. I''ll check right now¡­ Gray went towards his black school bag and checked the notebook where he stored his timetables. "On Tuesday, we have english on the 1st and 2nd hour, on the 3rd we have physics, on the 4th we have philosophy, while on the last 2 hours we have p.e¡­" I''m glad we have physical education, at-least. He then put the books and the notebooks inside his bag, yawning multiple times. After doing that, he went inside the bathroom and took an hot bath, risking to fall asleep multiple times. Luckily, he never faltered to the temptation. He then dried himself and got dressed without bothering to match his garments. When he was finally done, he went towards his room and decided to lay on his bed. The young man stayed some minutes on his phone before falling asleep. ¡­ Gray found himself inside a boundless void, devoid of any smell and sounds. He, however, wasn''t afraid, for he felt as if he had been there for an eternity. Al thought there wasn''t any earth below him, he was still able to walk in the sea of nothingness surrounding him. At some point, he got bored of walking. With a thought, he started floating around the place. This sensation was beautiful, as he truly felt as if he could do anything inside this domain. Yet, he felt lonely. He traveled within the dark realm, seeking for solace. Nobody was there, however. Thinking of the realm as a prison, he decided to move large clumps of shadows to ''see'' whatever was hiding behind of them, but he only found other darkness. He traveled and traveled for an infinitely long period of time, but the void had become the only neighbor he was able to perceive. "Is anyone here?" he asked. An ephemeral voice resounded across the shadows, its illusory words almost indecipherable. "¡ªI¡­" When the boy heard a faint response, he rushed with all the speed he could muster. Realizing that the sound came from a large, pulsating amalgamation of shadows, Gray used all of his strength to move them. At last, he saw something that wasn''t darkness. Behind the cluster, he could see a massive statue, depicting a man. The statue was naked and had an enormous hole in the place where the face was supposed to be, while his head sported a beautiful crown. The statue was showing his palms; they were producing a faint white light. He was amazed, for it had been long time since he had seen something that wasn''t the endless amalgamations of darkness in this word. Then, his amazement turned into confusion as he heard something call his name from the void inside the statue''s face. "Gray¡­" ¡°Gray¡­¡± Suddenly, he started floating slowly towards it, as if gravity was ordering him to move. The call was getting louder and more inpatient; the once gentle push had turned into a forceful pull, directing him towards the unknown. When Gray was close enough, he could almost see what was inside the statue. He gazed at the hole in a daze, trying to comprehend what was pulling him. ¡®What¡­?¡¯ Inside the unknown there was a figure with tremendously long, jet-black hair and pitch black, abyssal-like irises. Its expression was filled with pain and anger; its eyes were bloodshot, possessing an endless amount of hate contained within them. His eyes immediately widened as he recognized the figure who had called him this whole time. That being was¡­himself? School Days Chapter 6: School Days Tuesday, 14th November 2023. 5:30 a.m The sound of broken glass echoed across Gray''s mind for what felt like an eternity. The eardrum shattering noise reflected and shot within every fragment of glass, creating an hellish echo composed by an ethereal and horrifying cacophony of sharp sounds. Horrified, Gray jolted awake, his eyes bloodshot and his hair unkempt. He stayed on the side of his bed without blinking, as if an unseen enemy would strike. After a minute, the young man stood up from his bed. "Ah!" Gray suddenly felt a sharp pain on the sole of his foot. He checked it and found a shard of glass sticking inside it, a drop of blood slowly flowing down his foot. What the¡­? He carefully removed it with great pain and reached for the slippers hidden under his bed, wanting to avoid getting stabbed once more. Once he found them, he finally stood up and turned the light on, seeing the cause of his problems. The mirror inside his room had completely shattered, the reasons behind it were unclear, however. What the fuck? Gray shivered. Is my house haunted? Was I awake when I heard the strange sound? Or did my half-asleep mind hallucinate the scary part of it? And why¡ªjust why do I keep on having these damned dreams¡­? What did the statue mean¡ªwhy was I hidden inside it? I have to speak with Casanova as soon as possible. Otherwise, I might lose my sanity. I should have also asked for his number¡­ What if something happens and I''m unable to contact him? Gray took the clothes on his floor and threw them on the side of his room. He then took a broom and started swiping the floor. ¡­ ¡°It''s still early, I''ll make some breakfast for me and Kathy.¡± He quickly went inside the bathroom and started to brush his teeth, taking five minutes. Satisfied, Gray went to the kitchen and started preparing some toasts filled with scrambled eggs and some bacon for his sister. He poured some orange juice for Kathy, while he poured himself some milk to pair with cookies. After some minutes, his sister finally woke up. He called her and mentioned about their breakfast being ready. In turn, she was surprised¡ªGray was never someone who enjoyed waking up early. In fact, he was a person who preferred sleep over anything. Kathy ate quickly, rating his breakfast a nine out of ten. Seeing the pleasurable result, Gray smiled and kept on eating his food, staying on social media in the meantime. As soon as he was done, he began searching for clothes in his wardrobe. He chose to wear a white t-shirt and a grey hoodie matched with sweatpants of the same color. He didn''t forget about wearing a coat, this time. And since he still had some time before going out for school, he decided to revise a bit of physics. As he was doing that, he was strangely unable of remembering the contents of his book, as if he hadn''t opened it for years. He swiped the pages, but it was as if his brain was trapped inside a maze filled with endless shadows that covered his memories. Thinking that it was a one-time thing, he grabbed his biology book, but experienced the same outcome. After some moments, Gray''s library became a mess as he trashed the books and notebooks, trying to find something he remembered. His confusion turned into worry, and his worry turned into fear. Everything inside the books that wasn''t general knowledge or something that had influenced him deeply, had been erased from his mind. ¡°How is this possible¡­?¡± he started to tremble with fear. Kathy said she was going out, but he was too dazed even think of replying. Gray immediately took his phone and searched for answers on the internet, writing down his symptoms with his shaky hands. Upon further investigation, he read that his symptoms were temporary and possibly caused by stress and sleep issues. Gray was very prone to them, especially now, considering all the bad dreams and experiences he was having. Regardless, he still decided to tell Casanova about his symptoms, not wanting to risk anything. Once his anxiety subsided, he checked his watch and noticed the time¡ª7:30 am. He was completely unaware of just much time he had spent in ''reading'' or rather, ''thrashing'' the books. Gray took his things and hastily stepped out. ¡­ While walking, he felt the same eerie sensation of having his soul inspected by an unknown creature. But with every time he turned around, nobody was there. This feeling kept on irritating him. Ever since he had those bizarre dreams, he never had a moment of peace. Even his dear sleep was starting to turn him down. These events made Gray question his own sanity. "This situation is too strange¡ªjust too strange¡­!¡± he bit his nails. He walked even faster, and after some minutes, he found Casanova, who was still working with his subordinates. Gray called him and said, "We have to talk." Casanova frowned lightly. Like the day before, he immediately told his subordinates to work without him, going down the roof once more. As the two started walking, Gray began to ramble almost incoherently, "I had a strange dream once more."Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. "I was inside a void filled with an overwhelming, infinite amount of darkness. There, I traveled for what felt like an eternity. I felt freedom, but I soon found myself to be lonely." "I asked if someone was there, hidden in the shadows with me." "And then, a voice heeded my call." "So I started to seek it out, and soon found the point of origin." "It came from behind a place darker than the void itself." "I used all my strength, and somehow, I was able to move the pulsing, amalgamation of shadows." "As soon as they unraveled away from my sight, I saw a gigantic statue. It sported a crown on its head. His face was cracked, and an endless hole was inside it.¡± "The bottomless void was calling me and slowly, I found myself be attracted by it. At first it was a gentle tug, but then it turned aggressive, calling me with a growing impatience." ¡°The desire to seek the unknown¡ªthe desire to understand the impossible became too much for me, and so, I decided to look inside the hole. And there, I saw myself." "We looked the same, but he had a strange expression etched upon his face. When I looked inside his eyes I felt a profound, incomprehensible sense of hate hidden within them." Gray continued, "I then heard a noise similar yet different to the shattering of glass. The noise kept on repeating and repeating, as if it was looped on multiple, damned speakers. And when I woke up, the mirror inside of my room was completely shattered." "These days, I keep on feeling as if someone is watching me. But when I turn around, I don''t see anyone behind me." "And lastly, this morning when I woke up, I noticed I couldn''t remember anything that wasn''t general knowledge, but that could probably be just from the stress of this situation¡­right?" "I just¡­I just don''t know what is happening to me¡­" he gritted his teeth. While he was hearing his story, Casanova wore a complicated expression. The man stayed in silence for a long time before finally speaking. "Are you busy in the evening, just as soon as you finish with school?" "No, why is that important?" Gray replied, his voice etched with confusion. The man continued, "As soon as you finish school, turn left and right with random patterns. Don''t bother thinking too much about where you''re going.¡± ¡±Gray, whenever you end up, you will find the answer." ¡°This is my promise to you.¡± What does that even mean? "A-Alright...?¡± Casanova turned around and started walking away without saying anything else. Hoping to be in time, Gray checked his watch and noticed that it was 8:25 am. He was late, so he started running. While doing so, he remembered two important facts. He had forgotten to speak both about the monolith that stood in his living room, and to ask for Casanova¡¯s number. ¡­ After seeing his school''s building, he noticed that the gates were locked. Doing his best to be as sneaky, Gray checked if there was someone walking around him. Seeing that nobody was there, he climbed them. Gray preferred doing that instead of ringing the doorbell because the school secretaries were going to mark him as late. And if his sister were to find that out, the consequences would be unimaginable. As soon as he climbed the gates, he went up the emergency stairs. Gray wasn''t afraid to be caught by a teacher since he was aware that nobody used those stairs. Except the people that smoked obviously. Whenever he needed some time to think, or free his mind from the constant noises of the bustling city, he used to go there, listening to music on his earphones. Finally, he was inside the building. He had to walk in the empty hallways for some time, because his class was far from the emergency stairs. Nobody caught him, and he was able reach his class without any issue. Knock! Knock! Knock! "Come in." a female voice responded, clearly annoyed. Once Gray opened the door, over twenty-five students placed their piercing gates upon him. "I can''t get used to this¡­" he silently thought. Wanting to be polite, he decided to greet the teacher. "Good morning, mrs¡­ Uh¡­mrs..." he stuttered, unable to remember her name. "What''s your reason for being late this time?" she inquired passive-aggressively. Gray scratched his hair and started lying shamelessly. "I was stuck inside the school bathroom¡­I ate chinese food last night." The poor boy had to use some self-deprecation to improve his teacher''s mood, so she would let him get off the hook. Their english teacher was known to be what could only be described as an asshole, and this was the only method he knew. She loved to annoy and bother students for the smallest things, finding a great pleasure in doing that. Knowing his teacher''s ''hobby'', he formulated a lie that would make her feel good by seeing a student embarrass himself in front of her class. A few students chuckled, embarrassing him even more. "Montoya, I didn''t ask you for such precise details." she said. Her poker face could fool the other students, but it couldn''t fool Gray, for he noticed the slight smirk she sported on her wrinkled face upon hearing his words. His english teacher''s face had a slight deformity; one side of her face was droopier than the other¡ªand that was why he could see the smile on her lips with great clarity. Gray immediately formulated a theory. Did she suffer a stroke? Maybe I''m wrong, but wasn''t there also a syndrome that left one side of the face paralyzed? Had his memory not been wiped out, he would''ve been able to know the syndrome he was thinking of. She spoke once more, the side of her lips still smirking, "Sit down, stop interrupting the lesson." After nodding, he walked towards an empty seat on the third row, close to one of his only friends. Just as he sat down, he heard him chuckle. "Chinese food? Are you for real?" The voice was from his best friend Rowan Vellore. Gray had known him since childhood, and he was the first friend he ever had. Gray never was an extroverted person. He never liked talking to new people, choosing to instead immerse himself into novels or any form of entertainment. His mother''s death strengthened the ¡®shell¡¯ he had, turning into a full blown fortress, causing him to avoid the little interactions he had. Luckily, his friend helped Gray in dealing with her passing. Rowan''s yellow hair were buzzed, while his eyes were a light blue. His face was chiseled and that, plus his short hair made his facial features stand out even more, allowing him to be seen as handsome by his female peers. Since Rowan was way better than Gray at talking and joking with people, he always included him in his conversations, freeing him from the fate of being considered as a social outcast by the whole class. Sometimes, he also hung out with Rowan¡¯s friend group. He never them as his own friends, but he was still thankful they weren''t against his presence when they were together. Rowan asked why he missed school the past day, but Gray dismissed his question, saying that was sick. He wanted to tell him about his strange dreams, but when he remembered Casanova''s warning and his strange object, he feared of what would happen if Casanova were to find out. ¡­ In the aftermath of two long, boring hours, the bell finally rang. Gray stretched his back, and since he had nothing better to do, he followed Rowan outdoors. Rowan met with his group of friends and began talking with them, leaving Gray to stand awkwardly while they joked and laughed together. Rowan occasionally asked him questions, wanting to include his friend in their conversation. But even then, Gray didn''t have much to say. Before he noticed it, the bell rang once more, causing the students to go inside their classes. ¡­ After an hour, a different class started. As the door opened, Gray got called by the teacher. The man sported a 70-30 parted haircut and wore a plain brown coat matched by pants of the same color¡ªand was completely unrecognizable by Gray. While most of his english teacher''s information was missing, this one was a blank slate. Is he a substitute teacher? "What''s going on?" Gray looked around, confused. "You have to take your philosophy test; you were missing last week." the teacher replied. He joined last week, and he already did a test? Why did nobody tell me that there was a new teacher? The boy tried to think about the old philosophy teacher, but after seeing that nothing came up, he nodded, going towards the man, taking the paper he gave him. Just as he sat on his seat, he looked at the first question. 1. Who was Ren¨¦ Descartes? (there are many options) A. A mathematician. B. A musician. C. A king. D. A philosopher. E. An homeless person. I''m sure he was a philosopher, but I can''t remember well if he was a mathematician. I''ll just choose both. Gray chose the answers A and B, moving forwards with the test. When was he born? A. 25th December 0 d.c B. 16th November 1551 d.c C. 31st March 1596 d.c D. 3rd February 1492 d.c I can''t remember it¡­ I''ll choose one at random. He chose the 2nd answer and began to look at the other question. Explain what Descartes had meant from his famous quote "Cogito ergo sum". Gray thought for a moment and started writing, pleased to see that he could remember the most important points in the topic. "Descartes'' objective is finding the indubitable truth. So, like the famous quote by Socrates: "I know that I know nothing." He starts doubting everything that he can''t be certain about, so that he can find the fundamental things about everything that surrounds him. He doubts whatever can''t be determined by science or by his senses." "But after some time, he starts to doubt them too." "When you''re dreaming, you aren''t aware that everything you see is just a product of your mind. For example, like the famous chinese philosopher who dreamed of being a butterfly, and asked himself if he could have been a butterfly that dreamt of being a man." "He then starts doubting even math itself. He asks himself if there''s an evil demon, a trickster that wants him see reality as he sees fit.¡± ¡±Just then, he starts to acknowledge his inability of being sure about anything, for the evil demon might trick him into thinking that 2+2 equals five and so on." "Ultimately, he realizes that the only thing he can be sure about is that he''s doubting, and the fact that he''s doubting makes him conclude that ''someone'' or ''something'' is doubting.¡± ¡±Therefore, this act proves that he is thinking. To be deceived by the evil demon, he has to think. If there''s no thought, then there it means that there is nothing to be deceived.¡± "If I doubt then I think." "Cogito ergo sum, I think, therefore I am." This is all I can remember¡­ I''m surprised that I could write this much. Still, I did well by studying this topic from mother''s library. I really wanted to impress Kathy those days... Gray was pleased by his performance. ¡­ When break started, Gray handed his paper to the teacher. Instead of going out, he choose to stay in class without following Rowan, instead deciding to wait for the bell to ring. When he heard the sound, he went into the gym. And after having physical education with his class, he packed his stuff and left school. "Let''s see where I''m going to end up!" The Silence of a Dying Lamb Chapter 7: The Silence of a Dying Lamb Gray started walking, unsure of what his journey would bring. He began turning left and right in random patterns, just like Casanova had told him. He lived inside a pretty big city, so he never had the time to explore it. He also preferred staying inside his home for most of the day, making him unaware of many interesting places. When he reached those spaces he couldn''t help but think of being inside a whole different country. Gray lived inside an Italian city called Rosano. The city had over 150,000 inhabitants, and was situated in the region called Lombardy. In the past, it used to be the only greek polis in northern Italy, famous in the ages for their rich history and culture. It''s still unclear of why the ancient greeks had decided to conquer a city that was so far from the sea, however. Some historians tried to explain the location by saying that prisoners and politicians who were thought to be potential tyrants or enemies of the state were to be exiled inside Rosano. However, there''s not any proof of this. Because of complex city history, it was obvious that their culture had been deeply influenced by their past governors. In the middle ages, the town was a popular destination for the soldiers in need of aid and refreshments. This was because the civilians had kept the greek practice of hospitality; where they used to let foreigners live in their house for a temporary period. The owner of the house offered them a bath, food, drinks and even gifts. Most of the times, the guests were courteous to their hosts and tried to avoid being a burden for the owner of the house. The host didn''t expect nothing material in return, they just wanted to be reciprocated by their guests in case they traveled and needed a place to stay. Although their city was a greek polis, they didn''t follow Hellenism and they didn''t write. Unfortunately, their religion is completely unknown. Nobody knows who or what they were worshipping. The only things that remained were the oral traditions that survived inside of the river of time. Their homes were very peculiar, for it was customary for every building to have a bell inside their rooftops. They were used in various traditions, now mostly unknown. Only two of them survived until today, but they aren''t being practiced anymore. One of them happened in those times where a guest proved to be a threat for the hosts. When a guest tried to injure or murder them, the owner of the house would ring the bell three times. When their neighbors heard the sound, they would come out of their houses to get the threat away from their community. No official records talk about what happened to the guests after their crimes. However, due to the archeological evidence left until today, it''s known they lacked prisons. The only remaining things are the old legends that the oldest, almost demented grandmas used to tell their grandchildren to make them fall asleep. They sang incoherently, their raspy voices echoed that, after three days of the sin being committed, the community would sound their bells from sunset to dusk. The community continued to accommodate the foreigners until the year 1544 AD. In that year, there was a war between the French army, commanded by Francis De Bourbon, Count of Enghien against the combined forces of The Holy Roman Empire and Spain, commanded by Alfonso d''Avalos d''Aquino, Marquin del Vasto. The battle was fought near Ceresole D''Alba; in the southeast of Turin in the present days. The French army consisted of around 11,000-13,000 soldiers, 600 light cavalry troops and 900-1200 heavy cavalry troops. While D''Avalos force was formed by 12,500-18,000 infantry troops, some of which were perhaps 4,000 musketeers. Additionally, he was only able to gather from 800 to 1,000 cavalries. The count of Enghien intended to march towards Milan to conquer it, but D''Avalos didn''t want France to gain such an important city.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. In the end, the French army won against the combined armies of the Holy Roman Empire and Spain. It was a bloody battle, and it''s estimated that 30% of all the troops had died. The count of Enghien then moved towards Milan, encountering the city of Rosano in his way. The townsfolk accommodated the soldiers, aiding the injured ones. Yet, the troops decided to turn their backs on their saviors. The soldiers came inside the townsfolk houses, demanding 70% of their food for ''protection.'' The community gave their food without a fight. They were a city with fertile soil and abundant natural resources, so it wasn''t a big deal for them. The soldiers mocked them for their stupidity, growing more confident with each passing day. Then, they demanded their houses, and the community gave them without a fight. This was because, before becoming a greek polis, they stemmed from various villages formed by nomad hunters, so they knew how to live comfortably whilst being amongst nature. The townsfolk went deep inside the forest, building tents all around the biggest tree. After weeks, the stolen food started to dwindle, making the soldier grow more frustrated as time passed. Moreover, the wounds of the injured started to become infected, leaking a foul smelling, yellowish pus. This was one of the prices for kicking out the inhabitant of Rosano out of the city. They gave them a place to stay and healed their wounds without requiring a price, yet the greed of the soldiers overcame their thankfulness. As soon the grueling month passed, the Count of Enghien came inside the forest and proposed an offer to the townsfolk. He offered to give their houses and food back, but only if they left their women, so they could ''treat the wounded.'' The troops saw how the people were living without a struggle, so they thought they could take their forest and live like they did. The community, understanding the hidden meaning of their words, rejected their offer and planned to leave the city of Rosano. They were used to being nomad, but they were melancholic, for they had leave the hard work belonging to their ancestors. They weren''t aware that a lone soldier, a spy sent by the Count of Enghien had heard everything, however. That night, the soldiers came into the forest, deciding to kidnap the women from the embrace of their husbands and the sisters from the love of their parents. A brave and special woman named Althea Louvis, realizing their intent to harm her family, decided to sacrifice herself for the safety of every girl in the village. While the women ran away with their families, Althea, like the tail of a lizard, stayed behind and made all of the soldier pay attention to her. She danced with an otherworldly allure. Her swaying figure moved gently and slowly, grabbing the attention of all the ''warriors.'' When she saw that they were about to break free from her spell, she removed one of her garments, and when it fell to the ground, the soldiers stopped in their tracks and gazed at her, like a bunch of statues. When she removed the last piece of her garments, her spell broke. But by then, all of the women were safe, away from the disgusting hands of these beasts who posed as men. These monsters, frustrated of having lost the women, took her into the city to ''relieve their stress'' as they said. And after 24 hours, her body failed, and she passed away. But as soon as she took her last breath, every single troop vanished. It''s still unknown of where they went or what caused them to leave the city. The old legends say that, after 3 days, every bell belonging from Rosano started to ring. The melody was heard by many cities, but the only ones who knew the meaning were the townsfolk. After 2 days, they returned to the city, finding it free from their enemies, their savior''s corpse gone like her kidnappers. They noticed that river who passed next to the city was dyed blood-red. That day, when the high-priestess saw it, she proclaimed, "Drink its water! This is clearly the work of the lamb that sacrificed herself for us!" And they drank until their bellies were full. The bells rang continuously for 5 weeks, without stopping for even a second. From that day on, the townsfolk never practiced hospitality anymore. Althea was hailed as the protector of Rosano. The followers of the old priestess believed that she underwent under the mystical process of apotheosis. The city that was once loved by many foreigners became just one of many cities inside the Italian peninsula. This was one of the old legends that the grandmas sang for their kids. It had some true historical facts, but for obvious reasons nobody believes them anymore. ¡­ While walking, Gray saw many people strolling through the city. Even though it was something normal, he was amazed of how they all had their own lives and issues. And yet, they didn''t show it on their faces. He stopped and looked at a couple of pedestrians. One was a young woman, while the other was a child who looked no older than four. Gray noticed that the woman''s face was as tired as it could get. Her eyeliner was smudged, and it was clear she had cried not so long ago. Her thin face was covered with freckles while her almond-shaped blue eyes were still covered in tears, ready to burst out of her eyes. The kid was crying, but even though the mother was tearing up herself, she held the kid to make him calm down. And then, she started singing a lullaby. Her voice was soft, yet strained; the poor woman didn''t want her child to hear her cries. But luckily, the child fell asleep before it could hear her pain. The young woman emitted a couple of silent sobs, but when she saw her child sleeping peacefully, she smiled, squeezing his chubby cheeks. When Gray saw this event, his gaze froze. Slowly, his lips curled into a wry smile; he couldn''t help but be a bit jealous. Deep down, all he wanted was to have his mother by his side. He could only remember the times where she used to read stories and when she used to teach him how to count, but even then, his memories were hazy. Even though he didn''t know her very well, he wanted to see her again. Talking for 5 minutes would have been enough. He knew that she might scold him for the kind of man he had become, but that would''ve been alright. He wanted to tell her that his sister had done such a good job in raising him. He wanted to ask her about what she wanted him to be in the future, just so he could make his mother as proud as he could. Unfortunately, that was impossible. "Did my mother ever do that for me?" Gray couldn''t help but squeeze his own cheek, turning it red. And once he noticed that the young mother had long walked away, he resumed walking towards the unknown location once more. ¡­ Gray found himself into an abandoned neighborhood. The empty buildings were uncanny, but strangely, fear didn''t possess him. Towards the end of the road he was following, there was an empty warehouse. It held an orange color from the rust covering it; It lacked a door and had busted up windows. When he stepped inside it, he felt a strange miasma covering the inside of the warehouse, as if he was walking inside a giant gelatin. Gray quickly noted of having a slight difficulty in walking around the place, showing that the bizarre feeling wasn''t inside his mind. "Is this the right place?" he asked himself. Just as he was thinking of what to do, he heard Casanova''s voice. Nephilim Chapter 8: Nephilim "You were wondering on what was happening with you, right?" The man''s voice echoed endlessly across the warehouse and the strange miasma. Gray couldn''t see where Casanova was situated, yet he trusted the man and knew he wasn''t going to hurt him. Meanwhile, he couldn''t help but marvel at the way the sound of his voice reverberated across the room. "Yes." Gray tersely said. He had to know what damned thing was happening to him. Casanova began to speak, his tone solemn, ¡°As you might have found out by now, this world is not what it seems. There are many events that only be considered as supernatural. Your experience belongs to such a category." Casanova''s booming voice continued, "We had countless names. We were called shamans, warlocks, and even demons." "The first name humanity gave us was Nephilim, and that''s how we prefer to be called." "We possess unique abilities transcending the threshold of humanity. Some of us can control thousands with just a swipe of their hands, some can shatter buildings with just a punch, and the strongest can change aspects of reality as they wish!" I theorized that Casanova wasn''t the only one with powers, but changing reality? This is too much! Gray hesitated before asking, his voice slightly shaking, "Why are you telling me this? Isn''t it better to stay quiet about other people having supernatural abilities?" Casanova stopped for a second before talking, "Your worries are understandable, but how could I turn my back on you, one of us?" "As you might know, your first dream made gave you access to hidden knowledge, impossible for you to find out." "Gray Montoya, you have been blessed with an ability that allows you to predict the future through the symbolisms belonging to your dreams." "Since they won''t get fulfilled down to their minute details, you will have to find the meaning on your own, and with it, you will predict the future!¡± What the fuck?! Seeing Gray''s confused face, Casanova couldn''t help but smile weakly¡ªreturning to his usual, stern demeanor after a brief moment. "Never show your abilities to the public.¡± ¡±The world of the Nephilim is full of predators and uncountable dangers." "You can use your ability freely, but avoid using it to become rich or in ways that would make you gain attention." "Your ability is not combat related. Therefore, if you were to be found by someone with bad intentions, they would kill you without any difficulty¡ªor worse." "In this world, death is a mercy that cannot be obtained by many. There are a countless of different, incomprehensible outcomes that''ll make even the toughest ones wish for a sweet demise." "Hide from the other Nephilim and improve your ability until it becomes powerful enough to predict the incoming attacks." "Today, I promise it to you. If you don''t pay enough attention, there will be many." "Is Kathy going to be in danger?" Gray asked, his voice shaking. "Not if you become powerful enough." Casanova answered sternly. The young man gritted his teeth and asked, "How can I do that?" "Maintain a lucid state inside a dream. To access this special state, you''ll have to create a reality-check through the aid of visual cues." "There are many methods: you can check a clock, you can count your fingers or you can think of what you did the past hour and so on." "With their help, you''ll build an awareness towards the real world." "If you were to be inside one, you would be unable to read or count at all.¡± ¡±Your hands, the numbers you see on the clock, and the words you read would become warped, without any meaning.¡± ¡±Your memories of the past would have the same effects." "This method is not made just to see if you are dreaming. Its primary purpose is to build an habit." "If you repeat this action across the day, eventually you''re going to do it whilst dreaming. And thanks to it, you will understand that the world you''re inside is a fictitious, abstract reality!¡± "That night, once you reach lucidity, explore your dreams thoroughly and find the answers you seek." "Do you have any other questions?" Gray was shaken. But knowing that knowledge would help a great deal, he thought for a moment and asked, ¡°How many of these ''Nephilim'' are in the world? Is there a way I can recognize them from normal people?" Casanova acknowledged his worries and started talking, "Our species population is notably smaller than humans, and most of them look the same as the people you see every day.¡± ¡±Therefore, for now, you have no way of recognizing us. However, when your ability becomes more powerful, you might receive constant revelations about who''s a Nephilim." "After all, your dream revealed my identity." The man''s tone then turned eerily serious. "Listen clearly." "Our species isn''t the only thing you should be afraid of." "There are countless beings lurking in the shadows, awaiting for someone who doesn''t have enough knowledge and experience to protect themselves." "If you ever see or hear something not belonging to this world, run as fast as you can¡ªand do not look back.¡± "Since your powers are awakening, it''s possible you may get targeted or seen by unknown creatures.¡± ¡±And remember that, although we are inherently stronger and better than other living organisms, we aren''t the predators of this world, ''they'' are." C-Could that be what was watching me? But if so, shouldn¡¯t he tell me to be careful? Is there something else he knows, but can¡¯t tell me? Gray clenched his fist with every word Casanova uttered. He couldn''t help but feel as if everything was going as bad it could. "They are known for having inhabited this planet before we started walking upright.¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡±There are countless species of them, and the most dreadful possess terrifying abilities beyond every rule of nature, time, space, and everything bound to your comprehension. "Just knowing their names would twist your soul. What would happen to your body if you ever came into contact with one of them is horrifyingly unpredictable." "But thankfully, these creatures don''t reside inside our dimension. Many come from different planets and possibly different universes.¡± ¡°Therefore, it makes the chances of finding a creature with such abilities minuscule. Had it been common, everyone would have been wiped out long ago." Now that Gray had more knowledge in this field, he was afflicted by unshakable sense of dread. He felt as if every dark corner in his field of view was a portal ready to bring an uncountable amount of rotten creatures, ready to drag him inside their ungodly house. "I-I see¡­" he now understood that his planet was a dark forest full of unseen perils. If someone wanted to survive, he''d have to be as quiet as possible. He felt that, if he even dared to make a sound, the unutterable and unimaginable creatures would become aware of his presence. And if those ''beings'' were in some way able to find him, he hoped that death would be merciful enough to accept him immediately. Once Casanova saw his distraught expression, he started speaking once more. "You''re lucky." "Your ability can predict the unseen dangers." he sighed, "Many powerful Nephilim have been killed by many entities who were weaker than them¡ªall because they got attacked whilst not expecting it." "As long as you prepare enough to divert their attacks, you''ll be fine." His lips slowly curled into a self-deprecating smile. "A Nephilim never performs unprepared, huh¡­?" he muttered, quoting a certain character. To think that I might really need to follow his words. "Gray," The air suddenly shifted. The shadows in the warehouse became darker, while the atmosphere itself grew overwhelming. "When you gain lucidity, DON''T gaze inside a mirror.¡± ¡±If the voices of loved ones try to attract you with tender words, DON''T listen to them.¡± ¡±If they keep on talking, DON''T pay attention to them¡ªNEVER respond.¡± ¡±If they try to give or offer something, DON''T accept." "Their purpose is to get out." "DON''T help them. DON''T ever think of doing so.¡± ¡±They can exploit your mind in ways you can''t even begin to understand. And if you even dare to desire one of their gifts of offers, they WILL gain control of you." "W-what¡­?" Gray¡¯s lips quivered with pure fear; beads of cold sweat dripping from his forehead. Then, Casanova told the young man to go back to his home, reminding him on how to gain lucidity. Gray nodded, slowly leaving the warehouse, his head pounding with force against his skull. After going outside, he started pondering about what the man had said. Once I heard of my supposedly supernatural ability, I couldn''t help but feel happy¡ªalmost ecstatic, even. Who wouldn''t want superpowers, after all? But after knowing what stands beyond this world, I just wish of being a normal person, although I know it¡¯s impossible. Although I¡¯m adamant to say it, I have changed. And if I want to survive, I will have to do so¡ªagain and again. Casanova said I could access the future with the meanings hidden inside my dreams¡­ Could they help me in this situation? On the first, it may have been only to inform me about Casanova''s ability, right? But what about the second one? What does that statue mean¡ªwhy was I inside it? And why¡ªjust why did I have that expression marked in my face? As he noticed the setting sun, he increased his pace. After hearing Casanova''s explanations, he wanted to avoid staying outside while it was dark. If he met an unknown creature, his end was going to be certain. He theorized that some species were so weak that they were capable of dying at the hands by a normal human, yet he didn''t want to take his chances and risk finding an unimaginable creature before him. Although the chances were extremely slim, he was afraid. When I''m stronger, will I be able to predict the movements my opponent will make? Am I going to be able to fight like that? He shook his head. ¡°I can only predict the future through my dreams, though¡­¡± Maybe when I get powerful enough I''ll be able to ''bring'' my revelations in the real world? If I can do it, I should be able to stand my ground against the weaker entities and Nephilim. My body is really frail, though. Even if I could dodge the attacks of my opponents, I wouldn¡¯t have enough stamina to keep doing so. Therefore, I must train. Gray walked away from the abandoned neighborhood and started jogging towards his home, his hair bouncing with every step he took. When he went in the domain of the sun, his hair was caressed by its beautiful light, acquiring an orange tint. The young man stopped every once in a while to gain some of his energies back. Gray was fully aware that his enemies weren''t going to let him rest as he wished. He had to remove every weakness. "For now, I have to focus on training my stamina¡­ There''s no point in training on how fight. Running away from the encounters is my priority." ¡­ After thirty minutes, Gray finally came home. He rushed to his room, collapsing as soon as his body touched his bed. His body was utterly exhausted, his limbs screaming for a moment of rest. He was ashamed and surprised that his body''s situation was so horrid. He had known for a long time about his body being on the weaker side, but this? He felt as if his limbs had been atrophied for a long time! "It hurts! If only I had Kathy''s physique!" he lamented. Even though his sister looked skinny, her strength was tremendously high, resembling a gorilla. If he hadn''t known her since his birth, he would have thought she was a Nephilim! Thinking of Kathy being dressed inside a gorilla''s costume, he chuckled, starting to reminisce about the times when she used to fight his bullies. He was glad of being able to remember those days clearly. The fragments of memories inside his head quickly composed a canvas of rapidly moving images, blurring his eyes. Gray was leaving school with some kids he met the hours earlier. It was raining heavily, but he wanted to make his sister proud by making some friends; this led him to start following them inside the park. Earlier, he lent his umbrella to one of the kids who wanted it, causing Gray to get wet. Since he wasn''t good at making friends, he thought that giving gifts to other kids would make them want to become his friends. But once they entered inside the park, the kids started making fun of him for the clothes he wore. When his mother passed, Gray and his sister didn''t have many, so they relied on the money their dad gave them to buy secondhand clothes. He could feel his cheeks redden and tears well up from his eyes, so he asked the kid with his umbrella to give it back. And since the boy didn''t want to return it, he kept on asking. Annoyed from his continuous pestering, the boy with his umbrella became furious. He pushed Gray away, causing him to fall into the mud. Still angered, the boy started to kick him, and soon after, his goons followed him. They kicked him multiple times, tossing waves of mud on his clothes, causing Gray to burst into tears. "I used to cry so loudly when I was little¡­" he chuckled briefly. He begged them to leave him alone multiple times, but they didn''t care at all. And although they were hurting him, he never raised his fists against them. If he did, then the situation was just going to get worse, so he just kept getting hit, hoping that eventually they were going to stop. Luckily, they got tired after some minutes. Gray''s body lay on the muddy floor, aching everywhere. As he quietly sobbed, he started to hear a loud, thumping sound. Following that, there were multiple screams. He slowly raised his head, his gaze landimg on his sister''s figure. She was surrounded by the kids who bullied him¡ªthey were trying to fight her, but the girl was too strong for them. She bobbed and weaved in multiple directions, avoiding their attacks effortlessly. With quick strikes, she incapacitated them, and the kids slowly fell to the ground. After most of them had been defeated by her, the remaining group of kids ran away in tears. Cleaning the dust off her clothes, she ran towards Gray. When his sister saw him, she was utterly worried by his brother''s condition. She hastily checked his bruises, and with fear etched upon her voice, she asked him to explain what happened. Gray, amidst tears, started speaking, "I just wanted to make friends¡­" ¡°Kathy, why do I have to be like this? Why do I have to be left alone? Why does everyone always have to talk badly about me while I''m always nice to them?" In turn, his sister hugged him tightly, caressing his head. "You are way smarter that these stupid kids, did you know? If you can''t make them your friends, it just means they aren''t worthy of being with you.¡± She looked straight into his pitch-black eyes. "Gray, you just have to find someone who fully understands you.¡± ¡±You have to find someone who will see beyond your possessions and beyond the thoughts of other people." She smiled, pointing at herself. "I know that someone like that exists, after all I''m one of them!" She cleaned the mud off Gray''s body and said, ¡°When we go home, I''ll order pizza. I''ll also let you watch the television until it''s midnight!" He looked at her, his eyes still tearing up. ¡±But it costs too much. We don''t have enough money¡­" Kathy hissed and yelled, "Don''t worry! I''ll buy only one pizza so it doesn''t cost too much!" The little Gray apologized to his sister for ruining his clothes, sobbing a couple times. She wiped his tears with her sleeves and smiled tenderly. She then brought her index finger over his mouth and shushed him. "I told you, you don''t have to apologize for anything." Kathy then stood up and said, "Let''s go home now. Can you walk?" He was about to say that he could when she cut him off. "No, you can''t." After saying that, she knelt down. ¡°Come here, I¡¯ll carry you. Today, you deserve special treatment!¡± Once he climbed on Kathy''s shoulders, the young girl carried him without any efforts; she even skipped joyfully with him on her shoulders. "After that day they never bothered me anymore," "I wonder if Kathy remembers about that.¡± he sighed. ¡±I would ask her, but she''s definitely going to comment about my incessant crying¡­" Gray''s brows slowly furrowed. "Although much time has passed since then, I''m still weak." "I really can''t waste any more seconds. Even though Casanova has said that the chances of encountering one of those creatures are low, I just can''t stay here, not doing anything." "This world won''t wait for until I become stronger. And most of all, she won''t be here to protect me." ¡°Instead¡­¡± "This time, I''ll be the one who''s protecting you, Kathy." Gray''s lips slowly curled into a slight smile. "Yeah, that''s a good pay-back." Gray then yawned loudly, signaling that his body had ran out of energy. Slowly, his eyes closed. And right then, while his mind was clouded by the hazy blanket of sleep, he couldn''t help but notice the error he made. ¡®Did I-Did I forget to speak with Casanova about the monolith again¡­?¡¯ ¡®How could I forget once more¡­?¡¯ The exhaustion then took ahold of him, and his mind quickly drifted into a deep, relaxing sleep. Now, had to explore what hid beyond his dreams! He had to find the truth! Nekare Chapter 9: Nekare Wednesday, November 15th 7:14 a.m Gray jolted awake abruptly, his body sweating profusely, "Huh, what hour is it¡­" he mumbled, his speech slurred. He grabbed his phone and unlocked it, checking the time as he squinted his eyes. It was 7:15 am "I''m late¡­ I don''t feel like going to school¡­" he groaned. With great difficulty, he removed the blankets from his body. The cold temperature made him shiver incessantly, and like always, he yawned multiple times in his way to the bathroom. The tired Gray did all of the steps in his morning routine before going to the living room. Inside it, he saw his sister. Kathy immediately started to scold him, "You slept so much yesterday. You didn''t even eat anything!" "Sorry, I was too tired¡­" His sister stopped eating her breakfast and checked her watch. Without gazing back at him, she said, "If you want, there''s some leftovers of yesterday''s dinner." Curious, he asked what food she made. "Nothing special, I just made some carbonara." Kathy replied. During his whole morning, Gray felt as if he had forgotten something. And just as he wondered if he was going to eat her food for breakfast, he finally got his answer. I didn''t have any dreams today. Or rather, I had them, but I can''t remember it. Wait, what if I''m dreaming right here, right now!? He immediately raised his palm in front of his face, counting his fingers multiple times. Nothing seemed off, signaling his presence inside the real world. Had he been inside a dream, his hand would¡¯ve looked warped, almost alien-like. I''m awake, he heaved a sigh of relief. Taken aback by his brother''s sudden gesture, Kathy looked at him with suspicion, "Uh, are you alright?" she asked. "What do you mean?" Gray was confused. "Why were you looking at your palm like that? Do you think you''re a palm reader or something?" Oh. A drop of sweat started rolling down Gray''s forehead as he began thinking on for an plausible and rational explanation. "I had a sharp pain coming from it," he nervously said. "Alright.." It was obvious; Kathy was wondering on what was wrong with her little brother. Additionally, Gray was aware that her neurons were firing at unreal speeds to find more ways to mock him. The air of the room grew increasingly awkward, causing both of them go inside their respective rooms. ¡­ After Gray Montoya closed the door, he grabbed his bag and checked his diary for the subjects of the day. "On the first hour we have latin, on the second one we have math, on the third we have music, on the fourth we have grammar, on the fifth we have literature and on the sixth we have biology¡­" "This day is going to be rough," he complained. He went towards his library and started taking the books of the corresponding subjects. After he was done, he noticed that the bag was awfully heavy, causing him to curse loudly. Since he had time, he also decided to bring his attention over more important matters. Earlier, Kathy mocked me about being a palm reader. I wonder if there are Nephilim with that ability. I''ve heard many people claim of having that ability, but it''s obvious¡ªmost are just scammers. Since people with no abilities can make bank with their lies, could use my dreams to gain some money? As long as I don''t exaggerate, I could stay hidden from the Nephilim world¡­ Gray shook his head. Never mind, I don''t think I can get revelations for something so unimportant. Still, I only had two prophetic dreams, of which I''m not even aware of their meanings, so I really can''t be sure, he scratched his head, recognizing the many cons and little pros within his ability. My power is tremendously limited. If I can bring it outside of my dreams, however, I might be able to achieve great success¡­ I have to name it too. It''s annoying to call it ''ability'' or ''power'' every time. Hm¡­ Let''s brainstorm. Should I call it Book of Revelation? You know, since I had a dream based on the biblical apocalypse. It sounds really cool¡ªbut my power isn''t centered about books. I would just sound really stupid¡­ Melange? I think I¡¯ve read it inside a book. I want something original, though¡­This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Maybe Starsight? It''s kinda cool, but not what I''m looking for. Could it be¡­Genesis? Didn''t the Bible say something in the lines of, "In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth, and the Earth was a formless void." What I''d seen after getting blasted by the Third Trumpet was only a formless void¡­ And even in my second dream, the one with the statue, was like that. His eyes narrowed. ¡°Could those dreams be connected¡­?" It does make sense, Gray thought. Glad that the Bible helped him to understand more about his dreams, to honor it, he decided to ''borrow'' the name of the first book. Worried about the time, Gray took his phone and after he checked the time, he sprinted away from his house. He was late! ¡­ While running, he couldn''t help but ponder about every minimum thing that had happened in these days. "Nephilim, huh¡­" he muttered under his breath. The name sounds kinda familiar¡­ I may have read it somewhere. Regardless, I should look it up when I can. Gray thought, wanting to increase his knowledge. He ran amidst the city, narrowly avoiding the passersby who went towards their destination. The heavy bag he carried made him get exhausted much faster, but at least it could be considered as a nice workout. Like always, he had to stop in his tracks to rest for a few seconds. He couldn''t dare to be late to school, because, if Kathy were to find out, she would surely make him wish for death. "Everything hurts so bad¡­" Gray wiped the sweat away from his forehead. Some pedestrians looked at him with weird expressions, judging the tired young man. A middle-aged woman started speaking to her friend, pointing at him, not bothering to be a civil person. "If you''re that exhausted, just take a break. What''s the point of running that much if you''re going to pass out once you reached where you wanted to go." Growing increasingly frustrated, Gray had to restrain himself from throwing her in the middle of the road. "If you have to talk badly about me then try not to be such an asshole about it! Whisper it instead!" he mumbled under his breath. I don''t have time to deal with this¡­ The young man started moving once more, his speed clearly slower than how it was at the start of his ''workout.'' He looked at the cars passing on the road, jealous that the people who drove them didn''t have to rest every once in a while like him. He and Kathy never had something as expensive as a car. The money she received when they were young was barely enough to get a bike. They had thought about selling their house, but since it contained all the memories they made with their mom, and the fact that nobody would sell an apartment to two young kids, made them abandon the idea fairly quickly. Luckily, his sister''s income increased once she got older. They still didn''t have enough to buy a car, but they could live comfortably without having the fear of sleeping with an empty stomach. Gray had thought about abandoning school so he could help Kathy by starting to work, yet he didn''t dare to ask. If his sister were to find that out, she would murder him, without a doubt. He also didn''t want to throw away all the sacrifices she made for him. After all, she had given up on school just to sustain him. ¡­ He now could finally see his school. The gates were open, therefore, it meant he had made it in time. Gray entered from the main gate, ignoring the gazes of some students. He didn''t have the best reputation in class. If he hadn''t met his friend Rowan, the situation would''ve been way worse. "He wasn''t late, you need to give me five euros!" a student whispered to his friend. "Shit!" the other students reached for his pockets, giving the green bill to his friend. Gray''s eyes widened in surprise and disbelief. You can''t be serious¡­Did they bet on me being late!? He groaned and continued speaking to himself. First that woman and now this? I knew that this day was going to be rough. Had I not made a reality check like Casanova had taught me, I would''ve probably thought of being inside a dream¡ªthis situation is just too unrealistic! Gray brought his right hand to his face and checked it all over, inspecting every finger. I wonder what its aspect would be whilst dreaming. Well, once I make the habit, I''ll come to find out, he thought with great expectations as he started moving towards his class. He walked slowly through the almost empty hallways, tired from his past exercise. He was walking up the stairs, when suddenly, he felt that wretched feeling of having his soul scrutinized by an ancient, malevolent being, harboring intentions he couldn''t dare to think of. The feeling wasn''t as strong as the last times, but he still couldn''t help but look back, his forehead producing beads of cold sweat. In his eyes, beyond all his expectations, the figure of a girl was reflected within them. She had short, black hair with bangs that almost covered her left, blue eye. Her face was pale, covered with small freckles; while her attire was composed by a purple sweater paired with black, cargo pants. Completely taken aback, Gray emitted a sharp yelping sound. Following his not-so manly behavior, he began to apologize profusely. "Please forgive me, I didn''t see you¡­" Why does everything have to happen today? he silently asked himself. This isn''t the first time that I get this bizarre feeling, but it is the first time I actually see someone behind me. Does this mean¡­? No, that''s not possible¡­ Could she have been the one who was watching me? Is she a Nephilim? Did they already find me¡­? Doing his best to let his rationality take ahold of him, he began to think of different explanations regarding his encounter. I could be wrong¡ªI have to be! I stood on edge this whole time¡ªit has to be just a coincidence! The stress is making me imagine things that aren''t there. Yes, that has to be right. The girl then started talking, her voice as docile as the wings of a butterfly, "Don''t worry, Gray." When the last letter of his name came out of that girl''s lips, his expression turned awry. She knows my name? How much does she know? D-Did they tail me¡­? If they did, does that mean that they know where I live¡­? Is Kathie going to be alright? Fuck! I should''ve been more careful! Gray clenched his teeth and asked, his voice grave, "How do you know my name?" The girl''s eyes dimmed down. "We are on the same class, I sit on the last row.¡± His eyes narrowed, analyzing if the girl in front of him was lying. "What''s your name?" Gray asked. "Nekare," she said quietly. Gray''s eyes narrowed slightly once more. Is she a normal person? Did my shitty brain forget about her too? Regardless, I still have to get away from her. "It was nice knowing you, Nekare. I have to go to class now, you know how our professors are. Sorry again for how I acted after seeing you." Gray quickly said, trying to find any excuse to distance himself from the mysterious girl. He then went up the stairs as fast as he could, still shaken by his encounter. The chances of her being a Nephilim were slim, yet he couldn''t dare letting his guard down. After all, he felt a similar, inexplicable feeling as he did with every time he felt ''observed.'' "This stress is not good for me.¡± ¡±With every event happening to me in these days, my thoughts keep on pointing towards the worst thing I can imagine," he silently thought, hoping that his fears wouldn''t come to life. Gray speed-walked towards his class, noticing some classmates still entering it. Seeing them, he exhaled deeply. He was glad to be in time. Before entering the room, he turned around, expecting to see the mysterious girl go inside the class after him. However, she wasn''t there. "That''s strange, maybe she went inside the bathroom?" Gray asked himself. He then went inside the class, sitting next to Rowan. As they talked about trivial things, Gray asked if his friend knew a girl named Nekare, "What do you mean if I know a girl named Nekare? Gray, she''s literally in our class." Rowan snickered. Gray breathed a sigh of relief, stretching on his chair. That''s good, she wasn''t lying¡­ She does seem like a normal girl, but I can''t shake the terrifying feeling I''ve felt... To be sure, I''ll be careful from now on. The fact that someone could have tailed me all day is horrifying. I also have to inform Casanova about this. "Tell me more about her." Gray replied. Rowan''s mouth slowly widened. "Do you like her or something?" "No, I''m just curious. I never interacted with her." Hell, I even forgot about her entire existence. Rowan ignored his friend and started grinning from ear to ear, "You finally found someone! Dude, I used to think that you swung the other way! You always avoided the girls that I tried to set you up with; some were interested in you too!" What is he talking about? Not interested about his senseless words, he shushed Rowan up, telling him to keep talking about Nekare. No point in saying he''s wrong. He made his mind up already. His friend scratched his buzzed hair, "From what I know, you aren''t the only one who never spoke with her. I think I never saw her speak with someone who wasn''t a professor¡­" Rowan grinned once more, "You could say that the both of you are the same species." If she''s really a Nephilim, his remarks are going to be right¡­ After a minute, the professor of latin entered the class. Gray''s eyes narrowed once he realized he hadn''t seen Nekare enter inside the class. Slightly worried, he decided to turn his head to search for the mysterious girl. And there she was, sitting on the last row with an indecipherable smile etched upon her face, gazing straight into his eyes. Doubts Chapter 10: Doubts As soon as Nekare saw that his gaze was focused upon her figure, she immediately stopped smiling, her face turning deadpan. "What the fuck? Is she actually a Nephilim?" Gray silently thought, a cold, bead of sweat dripping from his lower back. I have to calm down. He went back to his original position and took a deep breath, easing his anxiety. If i learn how to lucid dream, I might get a prophetic dreams that''ll give me insight about her true identity. For now, she doesn''t seem threatening. In fact, if she''s a Nephilim, it''s plausible she refrained from attacking because I''m inside a school; a place filled with people. To be sure, I''ll take the routes packed with people. After i''m done with that, I''ll meet Casanova. I''ll go to my house once I''m done talking to him. And I can''t forget to text Kathy too. He immediately took his phone from his pocket, sneakily texting his sister, asking if she was alright. The latin professor looked at him with suspicion, but wasn''t able to catch him red-handed ¡­ Before he noticed, the hour ended. It appeared that amidst his great worries, he had lost the sense of time. Glad that the fear of having his phone taken was gone for the moment, he checked his phone again, noticing that Kathy had texted him back. His heartbeat increased slightly, afraid that someone had taken his sister''s phone to text him. As soon as he opened the text, however, he received his needed reassurance. Gray: Is everything alright at work? Kathy: Yes, why do you ask? Kathy: If you try to fake being sick again, I swear I''ll $&$@&&@*€? It''s her¡­ Gray''s tense muscles finally eased after seeing his sister joke like she always did. He quickly replied with a dumb excuse, putting his phone away. He couldn''t risk getting it taken once the professor entered into the class. He needed it to stay contact with his sister, in case something happened either to him, or to her. As he remembered what happened inside his first revelation, he subconsciously gritted his teeth. Even though it wasn''t real, he felt that Kathy''s death was his fault. She had tried to call him, but he was unable to respond, leaving her to die alone. If only I went there earlier. If only I didn''t try to help Casanova''s subordinates. Then maybe¡ªmaybe she wouldn''t have suffered. "Montoya, is everything alright?" the professor asked. "Uh? Y-Yes, I''m alright," he replied, utterly confused by an another professor he couldn''t recognize. This is getting annoying, Gray ranted silently. If I start to forget the most important people in my life, I will talk with Casanova about this again. He didn''t give me a response, so maybe¡ªjust maybe, it isn''t anything serious. Just then, he heard his friend Rowan whisper, "What''s wrong with you?" "What do you mean?" Gray replied, even more confused than before. His friend''s eyes narrowed as he continued his talk. "Why were you looking at the professor like that? Is it because he failed your exams last year?" "N-no, I was just zoning out.¡± he said, stuttering. I really need to calm down. Rowan raised his brow, inspecting him for a few moments before brushing his answer off. After the embarrassing incident, the two kept listening to the boring class, acting as if nothing had happened. During the lesson, Gray dozed off multiple times, almost catching the attention of the professor. ¡­ Once break started, he decided to go outside with everyone. He knew that, if Nekare truly were a Nephilim, she wouldn''t dare to perform an assault with so many people around him. From what Casanova disclosed, he figured they prioritized secrecy. Needless to say, he barely knew about Nephilim and such. He couldn''t dare to try to predict their most minute behaviors. He could only speculate based on Casanova''s descriptions. Recognizing his lack of information, he intended to inquire for more details about their species. Nonetheless, he predicted that the man wouldn''t give him all the answers he sought. Since I''m aware of the true reality hidden between the shadows, I can''t tape my eyes shut. I have already seen the truth, I might as well bask in its light. Gray looked at the students talking, unaware of what was hidden beyond their grasps. They reminded him of the people who stayed inside a particular cave, belonging to a person whose name he couldn''t remember well. They were only worried about the shadows inside their cave, unable to go outside without getting blinded by the light of the sun. Yet, they were happy. And that happiness based upon ignorance was something Gray couldn''t hope to reach anymore. How could he feel safe when there were Nephilim and unknown creatures lurking in the shadows, pretending to be humans?This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡­ Gray walked towards his class, accompanied by Rowan''s friend group. His plan was to surround himself with as many people as he could, forming a kind of human shield. He was sure; Nekare wasn''t dumb enough to blow her cover by attacking many students just to get to him. In the midst of his overarching worries, he realized that his behavior greatly resembled that of someone with an obsessive compulsive disorder. He then reassured himself, thinking that nobody wouldn''t act like this if their lives were in danger. Regardless, he still acknowledged the fact of not possessing a true incriminating evidence proving Nekare''s identity. Once he had the first prophetic dream, Gray found his behavior turn gradually more erratic. He also noticed that the words Casanova had said the last time only worsened his condition, turning him into an overly paranoid person. Worried about losing his dearest memories, he pondered about his past, reflecting on the oldest events¡ªwhen he was with his mother. ¡­ He was pleased to see that his memory hadn''t worsened. For now, Gray hypothesized that his symptoms weren''t going to worsen in any way. He still couldn''t dare rely too much on these hypotheses, however, for he still lacked the multiple pieces of the puzzle. While walking, Rowan''s friend group dispersed in smaller groups, with everyone reaching their classes. Gray had music class. Music was one of his favorite things; it had always accompanied him throughout every single bad period in his life. But regardless of his relationship with it, he always thought it wasn''t a subject fit for school. In his country, if a student passed in every class other than music, he had to take a music exam at the end of the year. And if he failed that exam, he would need to retake the whole school year. As soon as the professor entered, Gray was pleased to see that he was able to recognize him. His name was Aldo Marchisella. His most recognizable features were his grey hair and his aquiline nose. He could also remember his personality very clearly, recalling of of how he was a man who loved joking about everything. There were multiple instances where he pulled various pranks on the class and the teachers. With these acts, Aldo was regarded as one of the most liked professors in the school¡ªand he was proud of it. Had it not been for his antics, Gray would have surely hated music class. Even though he didn''t enjoy the subject as a whole¡ªinstead preferring to just listening to it¡ªwhat he liked about his teaching was that the professor didn''t think of being superior to his students. He was an humble man who treated them as if they were his friends. Gray went on with the lesson, listening carefully to the words of the teacher¡ªhe didn''t want to be one of the people who had to study all summer for a music test. ¡­ After the hour ended, Gray was stretching on his chair, when strangely, he heard his name be called by the music professor. When he turned his head towards the sound, he saw the teacher signaling with his fingers to leave the class. Did I do something wrong? he pondered. Of course, he couldn''t help but think of the worst possible outcomes. One of them was that Aldo Marchisella was a Nephilim collaborating with Nekare on a mission to harm him. But by being aware of his baseless paranoia, he brushed away these fleeting thoughts and began to follow him. The two walked for a pair of minutes, and when they reached the teacher''s office, Aldo said to take a seat. The man immediately saw Gray''s slight anxiety, reassuring him. "Calm down, Montoya. You can relax." "My colleagues are saying that these days you weren''t paying attention in any of their classes," he couldn''t help but chuckle. "One of them even thought you were high, can you believe it?¡± It was definitely the english teacher¡­ ¡°I know you don''t partake in such activities, but as a teacher I have to ask regardless. Is everything alright at home?" Gray rubbed his eyes unconsciously, telling Aldo about his difficulty in falling asleep. The professor looked at him and sighed. "I completely get you. My back is killing me these days, making it borderline impossible to fall asleep. You should take some melatonin, I heard it helps with sleep. And if it doesn''t work, you should see a doctor." Aldo stood up from his chair, stretched his back and groaned loudly before continuing to speak, "I''ll tell my colleagues about your situation¡ªI''m sure they won''t bother us about it anymore. Gosh, they always tell me to talk with every student." He thanked him wholeheartedly and went out of his office, glad that nothing bad had happened. He wanted to stroll around the school like he always did, but then he remembered the risks of being alone. Gray looked at his hand, eager to build the habit that''ll follow him across dimensions. He decided not to waste time and speed-walked to his classroom, not seeing anything amiss in his journey. As he reached the room, he prepared to be stared by everyone. He knocked, and once the professor told him to enter, he opened the door. In front of him, the piercing glare of over twenty-five students was posed before him. Nekare was one of them. Gray''s heart dropped after seeing the mysterious girl, but reciprocated her gaze subconsciously, standing motionless in front of the open door, as if they were the only ones who existed inside the classroom. During their brief exchange, he noticed that her gaze didn''t exude any particular emotion¡ªand it reassured him. Gray then regained his clarity, going back to his seat. Rowan immediately began on his banters, like he always did. "You were watching Nekare, right? You should ask her to hang out." His friend sobbed exaggeratedly and wiped his non-existent tears and said, while sighing multiple times, "I''m proud of you¡­" How can the english teacher think I''m the druggy¡­ Look at him! Gray judged him silently. He quickly shushed his friend and the two started listening to the lesson once more. Glancing at the professor for some moments, Gray quickly noticed he was able to recognize the grammar professor. His name was Marco Cazzognolo; he was one of the youngest teachers in his school. His black hair was styled in a pompadour and his beard was short. He was wearing a dark-blue cardigan paired with pants of the same color. "I''m pretty sure that I can recognize him because of his surname¡­" he chuckled briefly, asking himself of how his parents could be so heartless. (Aliveuntilmidnight notes for your understanding: Cazzo literally means dick.) Now that Gray found that the other teachers were talking badly about him, he had to do his best to listen in class. He didn''t want them to tell his sister about his issues, for that would be too dangerous for his wellbeing. While he was focused on the lesson, Rowan suddenly asked, "Do you want to hang out later?" "I''m busy today, for real this time," he replied truthfully. His friend snorted and taunted him, "Like those times you said the same and read books and web novels all day?" Gray shrugged his shoulders and said with a smile, "It was Lord of the Mysteries, what was I supposed to do?" Lord of the Mysteries was his favorite webnovel. He started reading it during a difficult period in his life, and it accompanied him for two whole years. He loved it because it incorporated his favorite elements in fiction¡ªLovecraft''s novels, Bloodborne and multiple myths and mythologies. He had always been a fan of theology. Even when he was little, he scrolled past countless sites speaking about the beliefs of mankind. Although he was a great fan of the topic, he didn''t follow any particular religion¡ªbut still believed in the existence of a rational, higher power. Rowan pinched the bridge of his nose and spoke with annoyance, "It''s been a long time since you started it, when are you going to finish it? I mean, I always see you reading, how come you didn''t reach the end?" "Oh, I forgot to tell you. I finished it some months ago." Gray replied as he wrote the things that the professor had written on the blackboard. The lesson wasn''t too complicated; however, he preferred writing in case he was going to forget anything. "For real?!" Rowan blurted out, attracting everyone''s attention. When Marco Cazzognolo heard him, he scolded the young man, telling him to stay focused on the lesson. Rowan quickly apologized and he began on listening to him. After the lesson ended, Rowan turned to face his friend, wondering about what he was reading now, since he had finished his favorite novel. He also confessed of being ecstatic about it, since it meant that now he was able to hang out with him. Hearing his confession, Gray couldn''t help but start snickering aloud. Rowan, clearly confused, asked what was going on. Amidst his laughter, Gray couldn''t hear what his friend was saying at all. Every time he ignored Rowan''s question, the young man grew increasingly frustrated. "Just tell me!" Rowan yelled angrily. Gray, still laughing, said, stopping multiple times to breathe, "Dude, I''m reading the sequel." Once he saw his friend''s face drop and anger flow through him, Gray laughed even more. After his rage subsided, Gray reassured him, promising that he would hang out the next day. The rest of the school day flowed quickly and without any issues. Montoya checked his hands multiple times, doing his best to follow Casanova''s instructions. He also glanced at Nekare a couple of times during the last hours, expecting to see her do that bizarre many other times. However, the only thing he saw was her focusing on the lessons¡­ Once the bell rang, he left the class, following the mass of people who were walking in the hallways. Just as he was out of school, he only walked in the places where multiple pedestrians were gathered. When there weren''t many people, he followed random couples and third wheeled them. He stalked them like their own shadows, only switching groups when they reached the roads where he wasn''t supposed to go. Finally, after thirty minutes, he reached the villa where Casanova worked. Revelation Chapter 11: Revelation "Casanova." Gray said, bringing his gaze towards the man. "I''m here," he replied. Realizing of how many times he met Casanova in the last days, Gray couldn''t help but feel bad for the man. "This perhaps is the fourth time I''m interrupting his job. I can''t forget to ask for his phone number¡­" he thought, ashamed. Casanova, knowing that the young man had something important to tell him, brought a bag and immediately went out of the villa, following Gray in silence. Unconsciously, the two went on the same neighborhood where Gray had embarrassed himself by mistaking where the sun rose. He immediately cringed at the sight of it, wishing to forget about the event. And just as he was thinking of what to say, Casanova broke the silence. "Did you get an another dream?" he asked, his tone stern yet calm. His voice took him by surprise, scaring him for a brief second. "No,¡± he shook his head. ¡°Not this time.¡± "I think that¡ª" he stammered. "I think I''ve met a Nephilim," The air grew increasingly tense, the shadows in the warehouse seemed to have grown in size, as if a monster was lurking inside them, ready to strike. Gray started to feel a weight on his chest, as if someone, or ''something else'' was standing on it. Some crows that were on the abandoned buildings close to them started flying erratically, almost bumping among their own, their cries echoing across the street. "Are you sure, Gray?" Casanova''s voice was extremely low, as it came from the pits of hell. The man looked around him, inspecting the place thoroughly. During this act, Gray noticed that his once deep, green eyes had an orange tint, like the last time. Casanova stayed silent for some moments before telling him to continue speaking. Afraid of the consequences of being late, Gray started talking immediately, ¡±I''m not sure. This morning, when I was walking up the stairs, I felt the same horrifying feeling of being watched like I told you the last times." "I initially thought there wasn''t anyone like always, but when I turned around, I saw a girl behind me. I thought that maybe¡ªshe could be the one who was watching me all along.¡± ¡±The girl knew my name, and when I came to class she was staring back at me, an indecipherable smile etched upon her face." "I wasn''t able to remember the girl at first because of my memory issues, but I later found out that she''s my classmate, her name is Nekare." Casanova then looked visibly less tense than before. "I will help you. However, I must warn you¡ªcover your eyes." "What do you mean?" he asked, but the man didn¡¯t reply. Casanova slowly brought his hand to his face, situating his thumb near his right eye. He applied a slight pressure to its corner, increasing it with every passing second. "H-huh?" Gray was confused. Casanova took a deep breath, grabbed the protruding eye with his index finger, ripping it out. It made a ''plop'' sound. "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING!" Gray dry heaved, almost puking at the sight of it. Taking a few seconds, Casanova took a tissue from his pocket and rubbed his eye socket in a gentle manner. Then, he took an another tissue and put the eye inside it, staining it pink. A streak of blood quickly rushed out of his socket, causing him get a tissue again. "WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?" Without saying anything, he walked towards Gray, and brought the hand holding his right eye forward, as if he was showing it to him. Thankfully, it was inside the tissue. If it hadn''t been inside, he would¡¯ve fainted. ¡°This eye has the ability to foresee any danger supposed befall on its user.¡± ¡±Tomorrow, point it at the girl. If the eye turns blood-red red, it means she''s dangerous and actively planning on harming you.¡± ¡±It has an activation period lasting 3 seconds, you''ll know that the process has activated once the eye changes color, acquiring an orange tint.¡± ¡°If she''s not dangerous, the iris will turn a milky white.¡± Gray stared at the pink tissue for some moments, an expression of disgust locked in his face. "I told you it wouldn''t be nice to watch," Casanova shook his head, "Take it." The young man broke free from his daze and brought his shaking arm forward, regretting the choice of not covering his eyes. Gray felt his body cringe in extreme repulsion as he caught the pinkish tissue. The man, still bleeding from his eye socket, said with a slight smile, "Its name is Dusk Catcher, treat it well." So I''m not the only one who names his ability¡­ Gray put the tissue inside his pocket, not wanting to lose it. His left pocket became slightly wet, making him wish for death. Doing his best to stop thinking of the horrid sensation, Gray started speaking, "Can I get your phone number? If I were to be inside a dangerous situation, I wouldn''t have the means to contact you." "I can''t bother you while you''re working too¡­" he scratched his nose, embarrassed. Casanova thought for a moment and nodded, telling him to wait a few seconds. "You''re not going to pluck your other eye out¡­ right?" Gray shivered as he thought of it. The man shook his head and started to check inside his bag.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. The young man could see it was filled with wires and strange instruments he couldn''t recognize. Nonetheless, he theorized they were related to his job. He then took out what looked like a dark brick. After he handed it over, Gray inspected it, realizing it was an old walkie talkie. The man explained how it worked, reassuring that it worked no matter the distance. He nodded, relieved of being able to contact Casanova no matter the time or place where he was situated. And noticing that it was the right moment, he decided to inquire for more information about his new world, "C-Casanova, how do the other Nephilim get their abilities? Do they just wake up and they gain them? Or are they born like that?" ¡®If a Nephilim can be born, it''d mean they would have a tremendous amount of experience with their abilities, and an advantage against those like me, who have just manifested them¡­¡¯ he thought inwardly. The more he knew, the more likely he was to survive¡ªalthough he was afraid the poles would invert once he knew too much. Casanova stared at him for some moments with a complicated expression marked in his face. Gray Montoya could never figure out fully what went on his mind, only some hunches, but in this moment, it was like he had ventured into a completely unknown realm. His head spun into various directions, trying to figure if he had said something wrong. The grumpy, old man broke out of his daze, and with his slightly raspy voice said, "If you ever were to speak with an another Nephilim, don''t do the mistake of asking them how they acquired their abilities. For some, it may be considered as an extreme offense, even worthy of death." Utterly confused and demoralized, the young man nodded and started thinking of what was the reason behind this ''offense.'' But no matter of how much he thought about it, he just couldn''t find the meaning behind it. Casanova then broke his stream of thoughts by beginning to speak. "There are uncountable ways for someone to become a Nephilim. However, most if not all of them have a pattern." "And the pattern is the contact with the otherworldly." "Some may discover their abilities once they see an entity who doesn''t belong to Earth; others may become a Nephilim after stepping into an unknown realm; while some just from reading an ancient book." "It''s as if the ''arcane'' corrupts us after being in contact with it¡ªchanging us, molding our cells and souls to become gradually closer to it, resembling a virus whose only purpose is replicating itself eternally." Gray was quite shaken by his comparison. "If there are many ways, why is the Nephilim population so scarce?" Casanova slowly nodded. "Paranormal events don''t occur often¡ªand if they do, most of the times nobody is there." "Not many people know this, but humanity has a kind of sixth sense that makes them avoid the places where something supernatural has happened, or will happen." "However, if they ignore their gut feeling and see the unfathomable; it''s highly likely they won''t survive the encounter¡ªand if they do, the chances of gaining an ability are extremely still extremely slim." "I understand." Gray said, hoping that his sister wouldn''t have an experience with the otherworldly. The thought of her being in danger shook him to the core. "So, if one of them shows their abilities to a normal person, does it mean they''re going to gain an ability themselves?" he continued. "It''s possible, but the chances are almost nonexistent." ¡®I''m glad. I won''t harm Kathy just by being close to her.¡¯ he thought, relieved. Gray then stopped for a moment, doing the best to rephrase his following question in a way that Casanova wouldn''t find threatening. He rehearsed and rehearsed, but couldn''t find the right words. Defeated, he decided to tell things as they were. "Casanova," The man brought his gaze back at him, his brow slightly raised. "What''s the most efficient method to slay a Nephilim?" The man''s green eye widened, his mouth slightly agape. He stayed in silence for a brief moment. And then, he began walking towards him, slowly. Gray stepped back unconsciously, worried about the man''s successive actions. But when he reached him, he simply put his left hand on Gray''s shoulder. Somehow, he felt that the man understood his worries, as if he himself had faced in his long life. "Such methods do not exist.¡± ¡±There¡¯s not a way to kill every Nephilim with the same modus operandi. The ways different from every being, for you have to take account of your abilities and theirs." "If you had the ability to control fire, you could slay the Nephilim who doesn''t have an ability protecting them from the attack.¡± ¡±But if you were to find someone who counters fire, you would die.¡± "There are simply way too many variables." Gray smiled wryly. He was aware that his question was ridiculous; however, he wanted to rely on the small glimmer of hope that they possessed a kind of kryptonite. He hoped they had one, so he, the weakest of the weaker Nephilim, would be able to face against the strongest, all to protect his dear sister. Now, he was sure. He simply was unable to defeat any enemy. And if one were to encounter Kathy¡ªto subject her to any sinister dangers, she would die. Casanova looked at him, aware of the new responsibilities the boy had to carry. The man smiled softly at Gray, reminiscing of his own childhood. "I will watch over you. Once you''re done with the girl, come to the same warehouse where we met." He chuckled, "I unfortunately cannot let you keep Dusk Catcher. It''s already hard to watch over you with only one eye," the man joked around, and it was the second time Gray had ever seen it happen. Casanova removed his hand from his shoulder and told him to go back home to relax. "Yes." Gray felt subject to the pressure of fear. He turned around and started making his way towards home when after more than four minutes, he stopped in his tracks. He forgot to tell him about the monolith! Gray Montoya turned around abruptly. Since Casanova''s figure had already started to walk away a long time ago, he yelled as hard as he could, ¡±WAIT, I FORGOT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING IMPORTANT!¡± Even though the man was extremely far, his innately good hearing made him feel the boy''s voice as if he was right next to him. Because of this, Casanova turned around and calmly walked towards the young man. Once he saw that Casanova had actually heard his, he was amazed from the man''s capabilities. He couldn''t help but feel a bit jealous; his desire to attain enough strength to protect Kathy was clear. When the two met, he immediately started talking, afraid to forget again. "When I was inside my first dream, I saw this bizarre Monolith that loomed in the middle of my living room, do you kn¡ª" In the middle of his sentence, Gray felt a prickling sensation at his nape. He brushed it off, thinking that some insect had bitten him. Just there, he felt observed¡ªseen my an unknown, malicious being. His breath quickened, and soon after, a cold, freezing hand grabbed the back of his neck, carving unknown symbols and other esoteric sigils with its disgustingly sharp nails. He slowly turned his head, fearing of what ungodly abomination was going to reciprocate his gaze. His mind spun, conceiving a thousand of horrid characteristics that shook him to the core. Thump! Thump! Thump! Once he turned around, however, he only saw the worn buildings of the abandoned neighborhood he was in. He exhaled deeply, ready to tell Casanova what he had just felt. Still covered in cold sweat, he turned around to face the man once more, relieved that nothing had happened. And once he saw ''Him,'' he screamed with fear. In the place of Casanova, stood the ancient Monolith, his stature holy and imposing. Gray immediately felt as if earth''s gravity had increased immensely, making his body bend forcefully, evoking an extreme pain from his scrawny body. He couldn''t move his body freely and was stuck in a kneeling position, barely able to move his head. He shrieked with pain, his bones cracking and his muscles tearing. The pressure kept on increasing and increasing, forcing his head on the ground. To his shock, he saw Casanova''s ''body'' lay on the floor. He lacked any organs and it lacked any blood; it lacked anything that would make someone refer to him as ''human'', bearing no resemblance to the man he had known. The skin was saggy and tremendously old, as if he had lived for hundreds, if not thousand years. Fuming with rage, he roared at the top of his lungs, slowly raising his head in defiance. He stared down at His Majesty when all of a sudden, a long streak of blood started to cover The Monolith''s figure, rendering him unable to see the patterns marking Him. The gravity increased again, cracking and shattering the bones in his body. But due to his unwavering will, he raised his head even more, staring above The King in protest. Gray Montoya gazed at the sky, becoming a witness of the sublime, incoherent and chaotic end of the world. Faced with pure divinity, his mind started to break. He laughed maniacally, tears of blood flowing through his face. 2,345,819,009,641 galaxies had started to fuse with each-other. They unraveled their mighty spirals, forming long, dangly arms made of an unfathomable amount of stars to connect with the galaxies closer to them. Every single galaxy did as He commanded. The sky darkened. All of the matter existing within the universe had all joined a growing singularity, creating a pulsing, gargantuan eye staring back at him, uttering sibilant curses at his rebellion towards The Monolith. Near the nucleus of the eternal eye, swirling flashes of light orbited theirselves perpetually, creating enormous waves that carved and eroded the fabric of reality, tearing it down. They danced as the universe shook and bled from every corner, eternally grateful for the return of Their Majesty. A voice that seemed to belong to a countless amount of men and women then started to chant ethereally, permeating the universe with its holiness. This is not the first time He witnessed this¡ªand it won''t be the last. Everything that happened had and will be wiped once more. This is His will, the will of The Monolith. Just then, Gray¡¯s neck shattered into a thousand pieces, his torn and twisted bones shooting right through his flesh, waves upon waves of blood pouring out. ¡­ Gray stared at Casanova''s moving figure, his eyes devoid of any minute emotion. As the man got out of his view, he collapsed. Genesis Chapter 12: Genesis Thursday, 16th 2023 3:30 a.m "Wh¡­at¡­?" Gray sluggishly rose from the ground, his head aching tremendously. He raised his hand to his forehead, dyeing the tips of fingers blood-red, causing to him wipe it clumsily with his sleeve. After dirtying the fabric, he slowly made his way forward with the support of the neighboring, abandoned buildings, almost tumbling multiple times. Suddenly, he heard a low buzzing sound. He looked around for the location of the noise, noticing it came from his pocket quickly after. He unlocked his phone with great difficulty, and after thr brief moment of struggle, he noticed what was happening. Kathy was calling him. Gray quickly answered and immediately, he heard her yell, her voice strained. "What the hell were you doing? Do you know just how many times I called you?¡± Freed from his previous state of stupor, he was about to apologize, but Kathy interrupted him, ¡°Do you know how worried I was? Do you know how scared I was when Rowan told me he didn''t know where you were? Can you even understand how I felt with every call, thinking that you were going to reply, but you never did?" her voice completely broke, rendering unable to continue speaking. "I-I''m sorry¡­" Gray weakly answered. Kathy took a deep breath, and after a brief moment, she spoke with all the authority she could muster. "I told you to say what were you doing." Gray stopped in his tracks, his vision turning hazy. Just then, he remembered what he had seen in his revelation. ¡®I-I saw It. I-I''m sure I saw it. I became witness of a view that even the most mad and fervent devotees of old, apocalyptic religions wouldn''t dare to think¡ªa view that would eradicate everything that had ever existed, or was about to exist¡ªa view that if watched in real life, would bring countless people to suicide.¡¯ ¡®S-Seeing that their gods can''t even compare to His greatness would make the people of all countries despair. Their gods aren''t high up in the sky, H-He is¡­!¡¯ ¡®This accused sight was a threat¡ªa threat oozing sickly stains of madness, death and torture.¡¯ ¡®H-He showed what would happen if I even dared to utter a word in His ungodly, blasphemous name.¡¯ "Listen to me!" she cried in desperation. She cycled between many emotions¡ªsometimes yelling, sometimes quietly sobbing, and sometimes doing her best to remain calm, failing relentlessly. "I-I was with some friends, I lost the sense of time..." Gray said, his heart aching with every lie he had to tell Kathy. Since he became a Nephilim, he feared of having to lie incessantly, shielding Kathy from the truth. She stayed in silence for a moment as she bit her tongue. "Come back as fast as you can, you have school tomorrow." "And be careful." Kathy said in a toneless voice before hanging up, her voice almost inaudible. After sobbing quietly for a few moments, the young woman placed her phone on the table and went towards the living room''s window, staring at the dark and empty neighborhood. ¡­ ¡®I''m sorry, Kathy. This is the only way I can help. I do not have the ability to shatter a mountain with a punch, nor do I have an invulnerable body strong enough cover you from all harm.¡¯ ¡®You don''t know how much I wish to let you know about what bothers me, and you truly don''t know how much I wish for you to know what worries me.¡¯ ¡®But ''they'' exist, and I can''t let their sacrilegious selves be aware of your existence.¡¯ ¡®The only thing I can do is lie, especially now, for He has threatened me.¡¯ Walking with the aid of his phone''s flashlight, he stopped in the middle of the road, his eyes twitching. ¡®What I''ve seen¡ªWhat I''ve seen was prediction of the future, and most importantly, I had it in real life.¡¯ ¡®Somehow, I can bring Genesis in the real world.¡¯ Gray smiled bitterly, forcing himself to see the good in the horrible situation he was in. ¡®What I¡¯ve seen wasn¡¯t hidden behind any kind of symbolism to be deciphered.¡¯ ¡®If I were to utter His name, I fear that what I''ve seen would occur.¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t know how or why, but somehow, I just know.¡¯ ¡®But what is The Monolith planning? What did I do to bring His attention upon me? I''m just a normal person with an ability¡ªI can''t even be considered as a full fledged Nephilim.¡¯ ¡®Even a normal people could beat me up without any struggles.¡¯ ¡®And because of this¡­how can I talk about protecting Kathy when I''m not even able to do anything? But how can I become a fighter strong enough to stand against the Nephilim?¡¯ Just as he berated himself about his weaknesses, he remembered the eye and the communication device Casanova had given him. He checked his pockets hurriedly, his heart racing in his chest. After finding the tissue covering Dusk Catcher and the walkie talkie, he heaved a sigh of relief. "I didn''t lose the eye¡­ I don''t know what would''ve happened if I had. At last, I''ll finally be able to know her intentions."The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. He kept walking, doing his best to ignore the eerie silence following the moonless night. He moved fast, afraid of meeting an unknown creature. Sometimes, he could see some small, dark figures running through the road, making him grow increasingly anxious. But when he moved closer to them, he could clearly see them¡ªand they just were a group of cats playing with each other. He would''ve stopped to pet them, but it was too late at night; his sister was waiting for him. He couldn''t dare to waste a second of her time, for had already done more than enough. He couldn''t let Kathy be afraid again. Gray didn''t forget to check his hand, pointing his phone''s flashlight on it. He was slightly afraid of seeing a warped, alien hand with no resemblance to his. But even then, no matter his fear, he felt that being inside a dream was better than being stuck inside his new reality. The hand looked the same, causing him to smile bitterly once again. ¡®I could have a Nephilim in my class, and now, an unfathomable being¡ªa creature whose name cannot be spoken, has threatened me, exposing their all-ending, aeon old glory¡­¡¯ ¡®There was also¡ªThere also was a creature carving unreachable sigils on my neck, wasn''t there?¡¯ ¡®Is that creature the one who had been watching me all along?¡¯ ¡¯While I feel in the pits of my consciousness that the treat by Him is bound to happen lest I don¡¯t follow his warnings, I do not feel the same for what happened before. If so, since Genesis shows me the future in an abstract, fictitious manner, could the Carver of Sigils be a symbolic representation of Nekare? ¡®Is Genesis telling me that she''s a threat?¡¯ Gray shook his head. ¡®No, the feeling was vastly different than when I met Nekare¡­¡¯ ¡®Thus, could it someone be else whom I should be careful about?¡¯ ¡®But even then, why me? What did I do to deserve all of this?¡¯ ¡®And what''s the link between The Monolith and Genesis? Why do my predictions have a sort of connection between them?¡¯ ¡®The first dream was like the Apocalypse spoken about inside The Book Of Revelation¡ªwhile the second may have a correlation with the first, perhaps by being a continuation of it after my death.¡¯ ¡®Then, the prediction I''ve just had contained The Monolith inside it¡ªlike the first.¡¯ ¡®Could He have been the arcane that corrupted me, turning me into a Nephilim?¡¯ ¡®If only I could tell Casanova about this¡­ Maybe¡ªjust maybe, he would possess the answers.¡¯ ¡®But I can''t.¡¯ ¡®He would punish me in ways I can''t even begin to comprehend.¡¯ "No, not only me," he quickly corrected himself. "An immeasurable amount of lives pends from my lips," ¡®Not even a week ago, I was just having a normal life.¡¯ ¡®Now, everything is happening all at once.¡¯ ¡®I''m afraid¡ªI''m extremely afraid. I''m afraid of the future that might unravel before us, especially now that He has seen me.¡¯ ¡®But if he was able to see me¡­¡¯ Gray''s face turned ashen. ¡®Could it be that¡­ N-no¡­¡¯ ¡®Is he going to seek Kathy too¡­?¡¯ ¡®Is my own existence going to hurt her?¡¯ ¡®Should I run away?¡¯ ¡®Should I disappear from her life?¡¯ Gray''s clutched his face, hunching over. The burden of responsibility was becoming heavier and heavier¡ªto the extent of almost crushing him. "No¡­I can''t do that. I can''t let her be alone. She lived for me her whole life. She gave up on everything¡­just for me," ¡®And what if a Nephilim or an inexplicable creature attacks her?¡¯ ¡®I''m the only one who has the ability to foresee it.¡¯ ¡®I can''t leave Kathy.¡¯ ¡®I''ll stay with her, improving Genesis and learning its secrets¡ªall while I''m training my body.¡¯ ¡®Then, I''ll do my best to find ways of strengthening my fighting abilities beyond humanity, transcending them as a whole, just like a true Nephilim is supposed to.¡¯ ¡®It''s the only thing I can do.¡¯ ¡¯It¡¯s the only thing I have to do.¡¯ ¡­ After 20 minutes, he reached his home, worried about what Kathy would say. He was about to open the door when his sister opened it. Her eyes blood-shot, with dark circles marking them. She wore her messy hair down multiple strands covering her face. Her face was red, especially the sides of her eyes and mouth. Faced with her condition, a condition of which he caused, Gray gritted his teeth, and with great difficulty, he apologized. "I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± "Come in," she said, her expression deadpan. Even though she was facing him, it was as if her eyes were looking beyond his figure. She turned around and made space, letting him enter their house. Gray immediately noticed an empty pack of cigarettes placed on the table. He wanted to ask her to quit, but felt it wasn''t the right moment. "Go to sleep, you have school tomorrow," she said without facing him. "Y-Yeah¡­" Gray pulled his hoodie over head, wanting to cover the wound he received after passing out. Although it wasn''t deep nor too painful, he felt that if Kathy were to discover it, she would get worried for him. He knew she would inquire on how did he get hurt¡ªand that, paired with him having gone home that late, would make her think he had gotten beaten up by someone. Kathy then went inside her room and locked it, all without uttering a word. While it wasn''t Gray''s fault for going home that late, he still felt guilty¡ªhe just hated seeing his dear sister in those conditions. Afterwards, he silently went inside the bathroom. The wound on his forehead had already stopped bleeding¡ªand luckily, his long hair was placed in way that covered it, rendering his sister unable to see it. He checked his nape with a different mirror, and apart from the injury on his forehead, nothing else was amiss. He touched his neck with his fingers, almost caressing it, he heaving a sigh of relief. Gray placed his hand inside his right pocket, taking Casanova''s eye with great difficulty, his body cringing the whole time. He carefully removed the pink tissue from it, discovering that the eye had been looking at him the whole time. He inspected the eye for some moments, trying to familiarize himself with it. He wanted to avoid puking just as soon as he pointed it at Nekare. "What if gets infected? Should I wear gloves?" he turned the eye around, and from the optical nerve, a pair of blood drops fell into the sink. "¡­I really should. At least I''ll be able to avoid the sliminess.." Gray took a new tissue and placed Casanova''s eye inside it. He started to wash his hands thoroughly, repeating the cycle multiple times. After that, he washed his face, cleaning the dried blood off his forehead. Once he was done, he answered the call of nature and prepared himself to sleep. "I''ll shower tomorrow morning. I can''t risk waking Kathy up." He went inside his room and locked it before taking his phone out and seeing every call he didn''t reply to. ¡®This is just like the Apocalypse I''ve dreamed of.¡¯ his heart dropped. ¡¯If she had been in danger while I was unconscious, does it mean she would have died alone, again?¡¯ Gray bit his lip, a drop of blood dripping slowly. He sat at the edge of the bed, rubbing his eyes, reminding himself to find a way to bring Genesis inside the real world. He brought his hand to his face and silently checked it, wishing to speed up his progress. He unlocked his phone, searching ''Nephilim'' on the internet, clicking on the first link. "The Nephilim are mysterious beings or people in the Bible traditionally imagined as being of great size and strength. The origins of the Nephilim are disputed. Some, including the author of the Book of Enoch, view them as the offspring of fallen angels and humans. Others view them as descendants of Seth and Cain." Gray''s eyes widened in surprise. "So that''s why it seemed slightly familiar¡­ I''ve read it from the Bible!" However, after thinking for a moment, his brow furrowed. "Since the Bible knows about the Nephilim, is the church aware of their existence here, in the real world?" "This Book of Enoch talks about them being the offspring of fallen angels and humans¡­ " he muttered under his breath. "Fascinating, though untrue." "Casanova said that a human can become a Nephilim by becoming witnesses of the unexplainable.¡± ¡±Nonetheless, I must read his book, it might have important information hidden inside it.¡± ¡±On the next line, it also says that others view them as descendants of Seth and Cain¡­" ¡®Cain was the one who killed Abel, but who''s Seth?¡¯ He searched his name, and after a brief moment, he got his answer. Seth was the third son of Adam and Eve. "I''m aware of the truth, but from an outsider''s perspective, how come Cain and Seth''s descendants have supernatural abilities?" "It doesn''t make much sense, aren''t they normal humans? Humans mating with angels sounds more realistic¡­" He began to reflect on the issue, hoping to find some hidden insight. "Although Cain was a normal human, he is the first who committed the sin of murder. And after it, God gave him the mark signaling that, if someone harmed Cain, they would get harmed sevenfold¡­" His eyes widened. "Could that be considered as a Nephilim''s ability¡­? Naturally, if Cain was a Nephilim, perhaps his son would have a kind of power too¡­ And his son''s sons too, thus, forming a new species!" He now completely understood of why people thought that the Nephilim were borne from Cain and Seth¡¯s genealogy. "While it''s hidden, The Bible still has some knowledge I seek!" Gray yawned, his eyelids turning heavier and heavier. He checked the time¡ª4:20 a.m. After seeing it, he deeply regretted ever trying to inform Casanova about The Monolith. "I can''t do anything about it now, can''t I?" he sighed, hiding Dusk Catcher and the communication device below a pile of his clothes. He then turned the lights off, hoping to fall asleep as fast as possible. He drifted off to sleep fairly quick, turning his world jet-black. Kathy Chapter 13: Kathy After showering, Gray stood motionless in front of the mirror, greeted with the familiar sight of having his eyes marked by deep eye bags. He held his toothbrush with his right hand, while the new tub of toothpaste was in the other. He poured all of his remaining and dwindling strength to squeeze the toothpaste, almost making a mess. He brushed his teeth with his eyes closed, wishing of being able to sleep for over ten hours straight. If sleeping were sport, he would be the world champion! If Gray didn''t know what to do, his answer was sleeping! If he was bored, his answer was sleeping! If he was mad, his answer was sleeping! The events happening in these past days troubled him deeply, causing him to be afraid of losing his precious hours of sleep, especially due to his special need for a good night''s rest. He was particularly worried that one day, once he was strong enough, Genesis would activate inside every dream, bringing a countless amount of revelations with it. Regardless, he felt as if it was a worthy sacrifice for his sister''s sake. He washed his hands with warm water, letting it flow on his fingers while he swayed half-asleep, fighting the urge to take a nap. His state of pleasant relief was broken once he heard a knock on the door. "One moment please. I''ll go out in like 2 minutes¡­" he said. His word were slurred, resembling those of a drunken man. A cold silence permeated the house for some moments, and then, Kathy finally spoke. "Alright." she nodded. Gray could notice that she seemed still hurt by earlier. Yet he couldn''t help but think that it sounded less pained. Since Kathy nurtured him for his whole childhood, she had grown extremely attached to him. If he didn''t respond to her texts, she would grow increasingly worried with every passing hour. Most of the times she was only overly concerned, of course, afraid of her little brother being in any kind of danger. And because of this simple fact, Gray was sure that, had Kathy been in his position, she would have done the same by doing her best to protect him. Even though he never had much in life¡ªbe it money or clothes, he felt lucky of having a sister who cared for him during his entire life. He had never seen someone care for one another like how Kathy did with him. The only one who could compare was his mother, of course. Gray washed his face while thinking of her, reminiscing about his past mistakes and issues. "Kathy is making you extremely happy, I''m sure of it. But is it the same for me? Is my intent of protecting her from all harm enough? Is there something else I have to do?" His life was always ridden by uncertainty. He was always unsure of what to do¡ªeven on the smallest things, making him avoid them altogether. ¡­ After wiping his face with the bathroom''s towel, Gray tidied the bathroom, putting the items he had used in order. Then, he went outside, informing Kathy. While his sister was inside the bathroom, he went inside his room to see the subjects of the day. He searched for his bag, and when he found it, he opened the notebook, seeing the subjects. 1st hour: Greek. 2nd hour: Greek. 3rd hour: Science. 4th hour: History. 5th hour: English. 6th hour: Maths. Gray cursed silently, annoyed of how he had to deal with two whole hours of greek. Ancient greek was one of the subjects he hated the most. He couldn''t help but loathe on how every word had strange accents and diacritic signs which morphed the pronunciation of the words. And since his teacher was especially strict on them¡ªcalling out every mistake the students did when reading, made Gray hate it even more. He quickly grabbed the books he needed from his messy library and began to put them inside the school-bag, pondering of how he was going to point a plucked, bloodied eye at Nekare without getting caught by anyone else at school. "I can''t do it in the middle of class, I would get caught instantly," he silently noted. "If i were to be caught, I would get suspended¡­" Recognizing his mistake, he sighed. "No, it would be worse. Who brings an human eye at school?¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡±They would clearly call the police. Therefore, I must find a place where it''s just me and her." "The only time should be during break¡­¡± "Casanova said he would watch over me, but even then, is being alone with her the only option?¡± Is there a way to use Dusk Catcher while nobody can see me? It''s not that I don''t trust him to protect me, it''s just that I don''t know anything about her abilities¡­" he shivered, recalling his past encounter with her. ¡°And that malevolent feeling I perceived¡­" Gray chuckled quietly, rubbing his eyes with his trembling hands. "It''s painfully obvious; I''m still afraid," He let out a shuddering breath, closing his fist with force. ¡°I just¡ªI just don''t want to leave Kathy alone. I''m afraid of what would happen if I were to be in danger because of Nekare.¡± He went towards his bed, sitting on its edge. He tapped his right leg on the floor anxiously, and as he took a deep breath, he started on preparing himself mentally. "I have to stop being like this." "There''s no time to grumble, I have to think about this thoroughly." "I can''t follow Nekare too closely¡ªit would be akin to walking inside a lion''s den. Regardless, I must to tail her in some way.¡± ¡±In theory, as long as I find her rough location, I should be able to point Dusk Catcher at her, maybe blending amidst the people who are close? But even then, I might get caught." "The risk is too high, I can''t let anyone to see the eye." ¡°Let''s think of two possibilities:¡± "If she''s inside the school''s building during break, it means I have to tail her until we are in a place devoid of any people. Only then I''ll use Dusk Catcher. I have to take in mind the startup process too¡­" "Now, time for the second option." "If she''s outside with everyone, I''ll have to find an empty class facing the schoolyard. Only then I could stay hidden from both Nekare, and the other people." "I must watch her at all times, though. If I lose her, my plan will fail." Gray exhaled deeply and stood up, facing the light that shot and reflected through his windows. The golden sunlight caressed his face, exorcising his gloomy air. After finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, he stared at the gleaming sun before smiling. The plan is ready. Basking in its light for some moments, he took Casanova''s communication device and Dusk Catcher from under his pile of clothes. He took his bag, making his way towards the living room, noticing that his sister Kathy was sitting on the table, using her phone. Since he felt it wasn''t the right moment to talk, he avoided speaking entirely to evade a possible confrontation. Gray moved the chair in front of her and left his school-bag on top of it before going to the kitchen. He swiftly opened the fridge and took out the milk before opening the cupboard and taking a cup. Then, he took a spoon and grabbed a pack of cookies. Satisfied, he returned to the living room, moved his school bag and sat on the chair. He ate his cookies silently, glancing upwards a couple of times. His sister''s face didn''t seem nor too hostile and nor too melancholic. Regardless, she seemed a little down, like a student after seeing a bad grade. From his discovery, Gray could predict that his sister was going to return into her peak condition in no less than two days. While reading Lord of The Mysteries 2: Circle of Inevitability on his phone, he savored the chocolate cookies he dipped into the milk, letting the chocolate chips melt in his mouth before chewing on the soft biscuit. Gray had been eating many cookies when suddenly, Kathy slammed her phone into the table. He was about to ask if she was alright when immediately, she muttered quietly, "I''m sorry¡­" Kathy''s gaze was locked on the table, embarrassed. "What do you mean?" he asked, confused by the unexpected turn of events. Since his sister stayed in silence for some moments, he started pondering on what she had done. Why is she apologizing? Gray silently thought. Kathy then slammed both of her hands on the table. "Fuck! I''ll just say it!" Kathy yelled, posing her piercing gaze upon her brother. "I''m sorry for yesterday!" she bowed her head. "Eh?" Gray looked at her, dumbfounded. She didn''t do anything wrong though! he mused. Kathy then started rambling, looking around the room. Sometimes she looked at the table, while on the others, she looked at the floor, the kitchen, and so on. "Yester¡ªNo, I mean tod¡ªYes, this morning! I was too angry!" Kathy gestured with her hands as she continued, "My behavior was too exaggerated¡­ You are a teenager, so it''s normal for you to come home that late!" "¡­I think," she scratched her nose. "I''m not too sure about it, I never had the chance to do those things..." Kathy¡­ "I promise, I was just worried. I''m still the coolest sister you could ever have!" Gray stayed in silence for some seconds before chuckling lightly, amused from the bizarre situation. He pointed at her and half-jokingly asked, "Is that how you say sorry to someone?" "Hey!" Kathy yelled, surprised at how the tables had turned. The mocked became the mocker! Gray snickered as he slowly shook his head. "Kathy, you don''t have anything to apologize for, I''m serious. I did the mistake of not answering your calls. For that, I have to bear the consequences. You did the right thing, believe me." He scratched his hair and continued talking, unsure of how to put his thoughts into words. "Also, would it be alright for you if I started working part-time? I''ll keep going to school, of course¡ªI just want to help you." He smiled. "You know, I really want you to enroll back into school. You had to give up on your dreams for me, so it seems fair that I should help you in turning them into a reality." "Also, I think that Casanova would accept if I were to ask of working with him for some hours¡­¡± ¡®I feel bad for him. He''s going to have to deal with me so much¡­¡± Kathy looked down in embarrassment before smiling wholeheartedly. She looked at Gray, her eyes glimmering from the morning sun and spoke. ¡±You grew up so much, you know? I can still remember the days where you cried on the way to school, hoping that I could follow you inside class." Kathy chuckled lightly¡ªnot mockingly. Gray almost choked on his food and started to cough intensely. "U-Unfortunately, yes, I do remember that." "So¡­ Can I start working part-time?" Gray repeated. "Yes." Kathy gave a firm nod. "But only if Casanova accepts your offer." Excited to start helping his dear sister, he thanked her intensely before continuing to ravage his cookies, not savoring their taste anymore. After resolving their conflict, he felt even more compelled to unravel the mysteries that surrounded Nekare. There was no room for failure¡ªhe had to return home. Kathy watched him while he devoured his food, a dumb-looking smile plastered on her face. Although her thoughts were indecipherable, they were surely as sweet as honey. Once Gray was done, Kathy rolled up the sleeves of her black shirt and checked her watch, making a "tsk" sound with her mouth. "It''s late, I have to go to work," she sighed. She worked as a waitress for one of the most cherished restaurants by the Rosano''s inhabitants, its name was "Rose Rosse". While it was still extremely far from the most renowned restaurants, it was considered as one of the places with the best food in the city. But unfortunately, due to Rosano''s lack of tourism, the owners found great difficulty in popularizing it outside the borders. Thanks to Kathy''s excellent experience in the working field, she was able to land the position rather quickly, bringing home a stable income that ranged from 1100 euros to 1350 euros if she decided to work overtime. Normally, she would work full time¡ª8 hours on average. But when the staff was short handed, she had to work overtime¡ªsometimes reaching over 11 hours. Working overtime made her gain more money, all thanks to the tips gained from the sympathy of the customers who saw her hard work and from the increase in that day''s salary from the owners. Kathy had to pay for the groceries, taxes, various bills like the wifi, cellular service et cetera, which in total amounted to 600 euros per month, leaving them with a comfortable budget for their necessities. Because of their past, they didn''t spend much money in trivial matters. They preferred saving up, doing their best to be prepared for every situation. "I guess I''ll go too then." Gray grabbed his bag, attempting to keep his anxiety in check. The two went outside together¡ªKathy took her bike while Gray started walking. Subconsciously, he touched Dusk Catcher. ¡®There is no going back.¡¯ Chase Chapter 14: Chase Gray walked amidst a group of people, unsure of what his day would bring. His heart quivered with every step, with him worrying about any possible complications of his plan. The sun was high in the sky, shining on Rosano with its full glory. ¡®What am I going to do if Nekare skips school? What if I can''t find her? What if she actually attacks me? Will Casanova be inside my school to protect me?¡¯ He took a deep breath to settle his anxiety, starting to address his issues one by one. ¡®If she skips school, then it''d mean the plan would have to be postponed. The same goes if I''m unable to find her. And if she were to attack me, I''d have to rely on Casanova, doing my best to trust him with my life. It''s not the first time it happens, anyway.¡¯ ¡®If everything goes alright, I''ll finally be able to stop worrying about Nekare. But if it goes wrong...¡¯ he gritted his teeth. ¡®I don''t even want to think about it.¡¯ ¡®And if she gets regarded as a threat by Dusk Catcher, what should I do? Is Casanova going to handle it for me? If so, how?¡¯ His eyes widened. ¡®Is he going to kill her¡­? But she''s my age, he wouldn¡¯t do such a thing¡­¡± ¡¯¡­Right?¡¯ ¡®Regardless, why do I care? If she seeks to kill me, it''s fair she should be prepared for the same outcome!¡¯ ¡¯But still¡­ Is it right for people to kill each-other so easily?¡¯ Gray sighed, shaking his head. ¡®I couldn''t be more wrong.¡¯ ¡®I have to stop to think of us as similar. For me, killing may be something wrong. But for them it''s something normal, akin to swatting a fly.¡¯ ¡¯It''s clear; I''m still too unfamiliar with this world I''ve been thrown into.¡¯ ¡®After a lion is born, he doesn''t care about the gazelle he''s slaughtering, tearing its flesh bite by bite; he just eats, for that''s his nature¡ªhis only way of survival.¡¯ ¡®Therefore, since the Nephilim have to be incredibly careful to avoid being killed¡ªbe it by the unutterable and unimaginable creatures or other Nephilims; it''s not too strange for them to turn against their own species for survival.¡¯ As he walked, he checked his hand, seeing nothing amiss; he wasn''t dreaming. The continued presence of this normalcy almost made him doubt about Casanova''s method, making him feel vaguely worried. ¡®I''m still unable to find out if I''m still dreaming¡­How this possible?¡¯ He slapped his face lightly, punishing himself for his impatience. ¡¯I really have to stop complaining.¡¯ ¡®Casanova said, ''The main objective of his method is to build an habit.'' ¡®Although it''s displeasing, I have to deal with it.¡¯ ¡®I have no choice.¡¯ The cold breeze blew at him, whistling in the air; his hair swaying slowly. Gray emptied his mind of all unnecessary thoughts, only focusing on his plan, reciting the steps like a mantra. ¡®Observe Nekare, follow her from a distance, find the right spot, use Dusk Catcher.¡¯ ¡®Observe, follow her, position yourself, finish the plan.¡¯ ¡®Observe, follow her, position yourself, succeed.¡¯ ¡­ After some minutes, he stood before his school, a pit slowly forming inside his stomach. The building also looked more imposing than usual. Next to him, an horde of students stormed inside it, occupied with many topics of chatter within their groups of friends. He tailed them closely, using their massive numbers as a means to make a possible attacker consider their position. Gray and the other students walked in the hallway. Each person joining their corresponding classrooms, turning the once massive group into a smaller version, decreasing with every time they passed next to a class. After climbing the stairs, he entered inside his class. He immediately scanned every angle of the room to look for his objective, subconsciously touching the tissue containing Dusk Catcher. Quickly after, he noted the lack of Nekare''s presence. Since he was on time, it was normal for not all the students to be inside the room, causing him feel at ease. Suddenly, he heard Rowan call for him. Gray turned around and noticed that his friend was gesturing for him to come to sit next him. He silently nodded, making his way towards his friend. He placed his bag next to his desk and sat on his chair, stretching his back to alleviate the anxiety. The two chatted idly about the most trivial topics, causing Gray to momentarily forget about his worries. "Dude, have you heard the latest piece of news?" Rowan exclaimed. "I literally have no idea," he replied. "Veronica broke up with Franco¡ªand she did it right after he gifted her a new phone too!" Rowan whispered, a grin marked in his face. "¡­Who are they again?" Gray asked, puzzled. Rowan''s lips twitched. He turned around and sneakily pointed his finger at a girl sitting on the third row of the desks. She had long, black hair cascading down to her chest, a pair of black eyes able to entice every man she wanted, and pink lips capable of alluring even people of the same gender.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. She was sitting alone casually, one hand holding her head, while she mindlessly scrolled on her phone with the other. After seeing her beauty, Gray could understand of why her boyfriend had decided to buy her a new phone¡ªeven though they were still in high school. "Do you think I have a chance?" Rowan turned around and asked, infringing the bro-code prohibiting men to go after a woman who had just broken up with one of their friends. Gray thought for a moment. ¡±You probably could, but are you really sure you want a girl like her? She''s like a mosquito; she''s just going to drain you before leaving, not to return ever again." Rowan looked around, and with a grin marked across his face, he whispered, "I wouldn''t mind being sucked by her¡­" "¡­" The two started laughing uncontrollably, attracting the attention of various classmates¡ªincluding Veronica. Once they calmed down, Rowan turned around and remarked, "Franco isn''t here, was the break up too rough?" Gray said with a smile, "Who wouldn''t feel like shit if their girlfriend left them just after giving her a brand new phone." "You''re right." Rowan nodded approvingly. Gray checked the palm of his hand, doing the reality-check Casanova taught him, and after trying to build the habit, he searched for Nekare. Nekare was sitting on the last row like always. It appeared that he didn''t notice her presence due to his chatter with Rowan. "Alright, the plan can commence." he noted silently. Right then, the bell rung, and with it class started. Quickly after, the teacher entered the classroom, bringing his computer with him. Costantino Perbellin was a man in his late fifties who lacked any hair on his head but possessed a pair of bright blue eyes, allowing him to be considered as attractive by his middle-aged peers. He wore a green sweater, black trousers and a pair of brown loafers. The man greeted the students and connected his computer to the interactive blackboard, taking quite a bit of time struggling over the simple task. Once he was done, he began informing his students about a new project the class had to partake in. "Guys and girls, in the next week, me and your philosophy professor are going to collaborate for 4 or 5 lessons¡ªwe still have to choose on the precise details." "Anyways, the topic you''ll have to study will be about the many Greek philosophies and philosophers who shaped this world and the ancient one." "On the first two lessons, you''ll have to study what I''m about to show you, while on the last two, we are going to make groups and assign a Greek philosopher to every single group. You¡¯ll explain your corresponding philosopher together on the next weeks." "Understood?" "Yes." The students said together. "Perfect. Today, I''ll teach you about the first European philosopher; his name is Thales." "I''m glad we are going to skip Greek today." Gray thought, relieved that the teacher wouldn''t check his missing homework. The teacher sat up, walking across the room. "Thales, considered by Aristotle as the first European philosopher, was born in a date between the year 626 BC and 623 BC, in Miletus, Asia. ¡±Due to his place of birth being in the middle of the east and the west, it became a melting pot between various cultures, bringing together multiple ways of thought from the east, influencing the culture of their ancient world, and influencing his own philosophy." "Like every philosopher in the pre-Socratic era, he tries to explain the cosmology and the substance of the universe, seeking a rational explanation, not based upon the dogmas of Greek society." "Thus, Thales tries to discover the Arkh¨¦. The Arkh¨¦ comes from the Greek word ?¦Ñ¦Ö?¡ªwhich means beginning." "From the meaning, you can understand that it refers to the origin of all things and phenomena. This way of thought is also called Monism¡ªwhich comes from the greek word ¦Ì¦Ï¦Í??, meaning alone." "Monism is a doctrine¡ªit denies the existence of a duality within existence, such as the one between good and evil, the one between body and mind and et cetera." "For Thales, the origin of everything¡ªthis so called Arkh¨¦¡ªis water." "After recognizing that water is the most fundamental factor for life¡ªbe it because of our extreme need for it, or its presence in all lifeforms¡ªlater discovering that water is the only thing that can change its form into solid, liquid and gas without changing its essence, he theorized of water being the beginning of everything." "Our dear Aristotle explains, ''Thales, the founder of this school of philosophy, says that the permanent entity is water. Presumably, he derived this assumption from seeing that the nutriment of everything is moist, and that heat itself is generated by moisture and depends on it for its existence. He derived his assumptions from this: And also, from the fact that the seeds of everything have a moist nature, whereas water is the first principle of the nature of moist things." "It''s fascinating to think of how Thales¡ªa man from the over 2000 years ago, was able to predict the presence of water inside our own cells. From his discoveries, we can conclude his sheer genius." "In spite of that, however, his mind was still rooted and shackled to the ancient Greek dogmas, making him theorize about things that seem silly to us.¡± ¡±For example, he thought that the earth was flat and floating amidst an immense ocean of water. "Thales," says the Roman orator Cicero, "Assures that water is the principle of all things; and that God is the Mind which shaped and created all things from water." The teacher then smiled. "Ironically, Diogenes Laerti¨¹s quotes Apollodorus, saying that Thales died at the age of 78 years old during the 58th Olympiad happening in the years 548-545 BC, attributing his death to an heath stroke and dehydration." "I didn''t expect this ending." Gray was dumbfounded. The professor then continued to talk about Thales, explaining his life, his theories and studies, adding some fun facts in the midst of his research. Gray listened intently, yearning to acquire as much knowledge as possible, writing inside his notebook if necessary. He enjoyed the lesson, deciding to immerse inside the ocean of knowledge, so his worries could be washed away. Finally, the bell rang, and with it, the two hours of greek had ended. This meant his plan had to be performed! Gray turned around to face Nekare, seeing that she was writing something inside her notebook. He stared at her for some moments, doing his best to not be spotted, using the students who stood up after hearing the bell''s ringing as a cover. "Yo, are you going to follow me on the courtyard?" Rowan said, breaking his focus. Gray, without turning around, shook his head, preferring not to speak in case Nekare possessed an ability able to greatly improve her hearing like Casanova''s. Rowan shrugged his shoulders, took a snack from his pocket, and left their class. Gray stood up to get closer to the same group of people, blending amidst them. While the students engaged in a conversation, he shot some glances at Nekare, noticing that she was still writing inside her notebook. "Stand up please! I can''t use Dusk Catcher if you are here with everyone!" he silently begged. Just then, his heart suddenly dropped. "What if she has the ability to read my mind?!¡± After realizing this terrible complication, he did his best to block all the memories and thoughts about The Monolith and his predictions. He was downright terrified of the consequences that would''ve came if he even dared to think His name while someone was reading his thoughts. Although his worries were unfounded, he felt that being too careful wasn''t going to harm anyone. After some moments of mental struggle, Nekare closed her notebook, organized her desk, and walked out of the class at a normal pace. Gray''s eyes narrowed, and immediately, he began to follow her. The hallways were packed with people, allowing him to tail her from a small distance, blending amidst the students rather easily. He couldn''t try to take out Dusk Catcher without the risk of being caught by someone, however. Since its activation period lasted three whole seconds, it made the situation more tedious. He kept a distance of about seven meters. And fearing that her ability increased her hearing, he switched his stepping patterns many times¡ªsometimes loudly, sometimes quietly, and sometimes erratic, so Nekare couldn''t recognize that the same person had been following her all along. The girl, after reaching the end of the hallway, turned left and went down the stairs. A chance! Gray increased his pace, going down the same stairs where their first meeting had commenced. When he reached the staircase, Nekare was already close to the lower floor, causing him to take Dusk Catcher out of his pocket in an haste. Since they were alone, he quickly unwrapped the eye, pointing at the girl. 1! Nekare was almost at the end of the staircase; and now, she two directions to turn. Either right or forward! If she turned right, Gray''s plan would have to be restarted due to Dusk Catcher not activating in time, but if she turned forward, he could stay on the stairs, pointing Dusk Catcher without being caught by anyone! 2! She turned her body right, preparing to move towards that direction, causing Gray to move downstairs as fast as he could, not wanting to be haunted by the mystery of her intentions anymore. 3! Nekare completely disappeared from Dusk Catcher''s view. ¡®I-I think I got her!¡¯ Gray stopped in his tracks and turned Dusk Catcher around, his heart still thumping out of his chest. However, the eye was still jade-green, staring silently at Gray. Its process of foreseeing didn''t activate fully, making it return to its original state. "Shit!" he silently cursed, not daring to voice his thoughts out, lest she were to see or hear him. Defeated, Gray ran downstairs and decided to keep tailing her, not wanting to waste his efforts. The long hallway was completely empty¡ªNekare was completely gone, as if she had never existed. The emptiness within that place¡ªone that''s supposed to be filled with people of all ages, backgrounds, and genders made the atmosphere feel haunting, almost unsettling. Connection Chapter 15; Connection Gray''s pupils immediately constricted. He had to find a plausible explanation for Nekare''s disappearance! ¡®Teleportation¡­? Invisibility¡­?¡¯ He quietly walked deeper into the hallway, scanning it to find the girl''s position. The beige hallway was packed with locked doors, leading to rooms where students couldn''t enter, making him doubt about her being there. Regardless, he kept on moving forward, focusing his senses as much as he possibly could, doing his best to avert any possible attack. He tightly held the communication device inside his pocket, preparing to call Casanova in case she struck. His heartbeat was off the roof, his forehead produced cold beads of sweat that slowly dripped through his face. He diverted from calling Casanova instantly and decided to call only once she exposed herself. Avoiding it momentarily was the best option; he didn''t want to blow Casanova''s cover and possible surprise attack. Furthermore, Gray wasn''t sure if Nekare was watching him at this moment. For as much as he knew, if she were truly invisible, she could have been standing next to him the whole time. He was extremely tempted to bring out Dusk Catcher, using it as a make-shift radar. If it activated randomly, it would mean she was still inside the hallway. However, such act would mean exposing the eye and the whole operation. It was also possible she might''ve regarded the torn, bloody eye as a threat, ambushing Gray to divert his ''attack.'' "I have to act as normal as possible¡­" he thought, not daring to voice his thoughts out. While walking, he started to focus his senses, trying to hear Nekare''s steps. He silently hoped that Genesis would activate lest he be inside a deadly situation, causing him narrowly avoid the phantom threat. Nonetheless, he didn''t make the mistake of relying upon it, as it could prove to be a death sentence. Seeing that the hallway completely, utterly empty, with no sounds coming from it, he decided to walk over a place containing a large amount of people. Gray retraced his steps and went on the same stairs where he and Nekare met. He decided to keep going downstairs until he reached the ground floor. In the midst of going on the courtyard, he noticed many students engaged in various activities in the hallways. Some were talking to each-other, some were arguing, and some were doing pushups. Unfortunately, Nekare wasn''t one of them. She truly disappeared as if she had never existed all along. If Gray hadn''t gotten the proof of her existence by Rowan, he would have felt like the main character of a C-tier movie, one that would''ve had as an ending the famous, ''It was a dream all along.'' He then reached the courtyard. Many people were spread out in many groups, some ranging to a minimum of two people, to a maximum of five. As soon as he found the biggest group, he went there, staying amidst the students who engaged into a conversation while they sat on the school-benches. He couldn''t care less about their discussions, he just wanted a place where he could be protected by any attacker. He felt a little guilty for using his peers as a cover¡ªalthough he only considered them as a way for an attacker to consider their assault on him, not as a literal meat shield. Of course, if he ever was to be attacked, he wouldn''t dare to drag a student into the course of the assault. This situation reminded him of the selfish herd theory he had read in one of the books belonging to his mother''s library. He couldn¡¯t remember the author''s name, but he could faintly remember the theory itself. It stated that animals within a population attempted to reduce their predation risk by putting other individuals between themselves and predators, making the outer regions more susceptible to attacks by their enemies. Since the center of the group was the safest one, animals strived constantly to gain one of those spots. The dominant and strongest animals were usually the ones to gain such low-risk positions, using the weaker animals as meat shields, without caring of their responsibility as the strongest of the herd. Gray thought of how this situation could be used for humans too¡ªbe it how throughout all history when kings and queens commanded soldiers to fight in meaningless wars while they stayed on their castles, without the risk of losing their lives. Bringing his attention towards more important matters, he swept every student with his gaze, hoping to find the girl. Even though he was aware that break was about to finish, signaling that the plan had to be redone, he still did his best to find Nekare, wanting to have the confirmation of her presence inside the school-grounds. If she were missing, the plan would fail. The bell then rang. Gray sighed, following the herd of students back to their classes. As he walked inside the white, pristine floor made of marble, he felt a strange feeling in his heart. It was beating irregularly¡ªsometimes fast while extremely slow on the others, as if afflicted by bradycardia. The inexplicable sensation stemming from his chest made his cheeks flush in a slightly red tone. ¡®W-What?¡­¡¯ he felt dazed. Gray''s mind spun in multiple directions, flashes of intermittent memories appearing inside his mind, causing him to recall the memories of his oldest past. He remembered of when Kathy fought with his bullies; he remembered about how he and Kathy shared a pizza with the last money they had; he remembered his mother''s funeral and remembered the stories she wrote to make him fall asleep. Just then, he saw other events¡ªother events he had never experienced. He saw a girl, but her face was hazy, too warped for him to figure her identity. She and Gray sat in front of each-other, and somehow, he was able to tell that she was laughing. Hell, from the hazy image, he could see that her eyes were full of tears. Her clouded mouth was agape, as if he had told her the funniest joke ever uttered by man. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The image changed, and with it, he could see more of the girl once again, but was still unable to recognize her. This time, her face was ashen, yet, her eyes had a strange determination. She said something, but he was unable to decipher her words. Gray was just about to speak, to ask her what she meant, when the image changed once more. This time, from his clouded point of view reflecting an unfamiliar bed, he understood he wasn''t laying inside his room. He focused his eyes and saw the girl. She was standing on the ledge of the unfamiliar balcony, her back facing him. Behind her, the enormous full-moon lit up the star-less night, accentuating her figure. She wore a velvet, patterned dress, making her look like a scarlet, transcendental figure. The girl slowly turned around. And with it, could finally see her expression and just who she had been all along. The girl¡ªthe same girl he was doing his best to find her identity and understand if she truly meant to harm him, had tears in her eyes. There, while he was still bedridden, he felt a strange emotion. It was an heart shattering feeling of nostalgia. ¡­ Gray lagged behind his fellow classmates as he held his throbbing head. He felt a compulsion to turn towards his left, as if gravity itself was gently calling for his attention. As he did, the view of a girl with black hair with bangs that almost covered her left eye was glimpsed inside his pitch-black eyes, seemingly even darker than usual. She had smile marked on her face. The smile wasn''t threatening nor evil in any way; she just seemed genuinely happy. Gray''s pupils constricted. ¡®Nekare!¡¯ He quickly noticed, however, something different about her. The girl seemed familiar to him in somewhat, but in a way he wasn''t able to decipher, as if he had known her eons earlier. He couldn''t help but slow down subconsciously, his thoughts rushing through his head. ¡®There''s something to you of which I can recognize¡ªbut what is it? Why do I feel a strange that a connection existed between the two of us? Is it because of what I''ve just seen?¡¯ he painstakingly reflected. He blankly stared at Nekare''s moving figure, his heart still beating irregularly. Taking some moments to regain his clarity, he broke out of his daze and continued walking towards his class. Once he reached it, he sat on the desk next to Rowan like always. He swiftly glanced at Nekare, seeing that she was still writing on her notebook. Gray massaged his forehead, trying to figure what had just happened. ¡®Does she have an ability that can evoke memories and emotions? Or an ability that allows her to influence the emotions and memories of people? But if so, how did she disappear?¡¯ His eyes narrowed, and his lips slowly curled upwards. ¡®How could I make such a foolish assumption¡­?¡¯ ¡®The influence I felt wasn''t because of Nekare''s ability; it came from my own! The images I''ve seen and feelings I felt weren''t coming from the past, they were coming from the future!¡¯ He did the reality-check Casanova had taught him, and then he closed his hand into a fist. ¡®Genesis is getting stronger,¡¯ ¡®I''m at the point where it''s finally manifesting upon real life. Now, I just have to find the right method to use it consciously.¡¯ ¡®Once I''ll reach that path, nobody would be able to plot anything against me and Kathy.¡¯ ¡®How could they defeat an enemy who''s two¡ªNo, it''s even more than only two steps ahead. The potential of my ability is immeasurable!¡¯ his hands began to tremble with excitement. To know his power even further, he decided to rank its statistics of Genesis from one to five. Attack: 0 Speed: 0 Defense: 5 Durability: 0 Endurance: 0 Fighting Capabilities: 0-5 ¡®The other stats may be poor since it only focuses on revealing the future; however, with my ability, if I were to fight someone, I could win by predicting every single possible attack that''ll come from them.¡¯ He sighed. ¡®¡­In the future of course.¡¯ ¡®Right now I''m practically useless¡­¡¯ ¡®But realistically, what would be Casanova''s statistics?¡¯ ¡®From what I''ve seen in my Apocalyptic dream, he had fought with the giant mantis, possibly destroying a room of the house where they worked.¡¯ ¡¯Then he also said something in the lines of "I require your strength¡­¡¯ ¡®His voice then boomed in my eardrums, almost shattering them.¡¯ ¡¯Judging from how the room was destroyed and his words, his power should be based upon strength.¡¯ ¡®So, his strength should be rated 5.¡¯ ¡®¡­That''s all I know.¡¯ ¡®I doubt he would tell me his ability¡ªit would mean revealing his trump cards¡­¡¯ ¡®Oh, I almost forgot about Dusk Catcher too; our abilities are somewhat similar.¡¯ Suddenly, the door opened and an old man entered. Gray couldn''t recognize him; however, he could figure from his timetable that he was the history professor. "So, what are we going to do today? Are you down to going to my house?" Rowan asked curiously, breaking Gray''s stream of thoughts. "What do you mean?" he answered in confusion. Just then he remembering about his agreement to Rowan''s request of hanging out. ¡®Oh.¡¯ "Today I can''t, I''m busy¡­" While saying that, sweat slowly dripped down from Gray''s forehead. Rowan lips quivered¡ªhe was ready to fight in the middle of the classroom! "Are you serious," he asked. "We''ll hang out tomorrow; I promise." Gray said seriously, knowing that he couldn''t avoid it this time. In turn, Rowan sighed heavily. ¡±You''ll come to my house when school ends tomorrow, then. We''ll watch an horror movie. I heard from some reviews that it''s considered as one of the best and scariest movies of this year, although not many people know about it." Pleased to see that his friend''s anger subsided, Gray thought for a moment before remarking, "If I had a cent for every time someone had said those specific phrases, I would be rich. Take Terrifier 2 as an example; some said that it was so¡ªheh, "terrifying" and disgusting, and added that some people ran out of the cinema to throw up." "But in the end, it was just a slasher among slashers; it wasn''t original in any way." "I''m serious this time. I''ve never seen people talking about a movie like that." Rowan tersely said. His expression expressed a feeling of seriousness, as if he were scared himself. "What''s the title?" Gray inquired, raising an eyebrow. "You''ll see tomorrow; I don''t want to spoil the fun." Rowan said, grinning once more. "Alright then¡­" They two intended to talk once more, but when they saw the history professor growing increasingly furious, they decided to stop entirely. The history professor then kept talking about the 2nd World War, occasionally asking questions to the students. Gray wasn''t too worried about them; the war had always been something that he was interested with¡ªespecially since many of the books in his mother''s library talked about it. Most information had been wiped, but he still retained most of the superficial and important details. "Montoya, when did the attack on Pearl Harbor commence? What did the Unites States do to retaliate?" the professor suddenly asked, trying to catch him by surprise. ¡®I can''t remember the precise date¡­ Was it in the 1942? 1941? I know what had happened next but I can''t choose between the dates¡­¡¯ After some moments, Gray stood up and started explaining, "If I''m not wrong, the Japanese Air Force attacked Pear Harbor in 1942 after tensions between them and the United States had escalated throughout the years.¡± ¡±Since the United States wanted to stop Japan''s expansion, they enacted economic sanctions on trade embargoes on aircraft exports, especially oil." "Since oil was extremely important for expansionism, the United States hoped that Japan would stop its expansion. However, the Americans were wrong. They should have known that the Japanese people were going to stand their ground." "I mean¡ªJapanese people literally used suicide as a means to attack their enemies." "At that point, Japan knew that the war was inevitable, so they chose to attack first. In the end, the Unites States retaliated against them¡ªand we all know how it ended." Gray sighed, pondering about himself with amusement. ¡®How is it possible that I can remember these things, but not the names of my own classmates and teacher? Are they really not that important for me?¡¯ The professor smiled, nodding earnestly. "You mistook the date. It was in 1941, not 1942. Overall you did a great explanation; however, be more concise and formal, next time." He seemed happy; apparently, people didn''t listen to his classes much. ¡®Hey, it could have gone worse,¡¯ Gray mused silently. "Yes, sir." he said, satisfied with his explanation. Moments after the professor''s judgment, the bell rang, making him go to his next lesson. Gray''s heart rate started to rise, pounding against his chest. He realized he only had ten minutes to use Dusk Catcher on Nekare. He simply couldn''t fail. His uncertainty on her intentions was detrimental to his life and Kathy''s. If Nekare even dared to lay an hand on his sister, Gray would surely be ready to destroy her¡ªeven though he didn''t know the method for the execution. Regardless, he knew he was ready to act upon it. This time however, he grew more vigilant, for she had possibly manifested her ability. ¡®How could I possibly catch someone who''s able to teleport or become invisible? If Genesis helps me, I may predict the place where Nekare is going to teleport to¡­¡¯ he silently noted. ¡®If she has the ability of invisibility, Genesis might reveal the location where she''s hidden. But even then, I can''t rely on its activation on the real world.¡¯ Nobody would rely on a faulty parachute on purpose, after all. ¡®I must call Casanova¡ªhe has to know how she disappeared. Nekare can¡¯t follow me; she has to stay inside class.¡¯ ¡¯Luckily, the professors avoid letting two students with a different gender to go inside the bathroom at the same time¡­¡¯ Immediately after Gray thought that, the old science professor entered the classroom. ¡®Perfect! Thank you, kind sir I don''t recognize!¡¯ "Sir, can I go to the bathroom? It''s urgent!" Gray held his hand up. His actions caused Rowan and a bunch of students to shoot him some glances; he brushed them off, for the situation was too important for him to care! "Oh, Montoya, come on¡­ You should have asked when the last professor was going away," the science professor said weakly. "It''s urgent. It''s ''really'' urgent." Gray said, uncaring of the laughter that echoed throughout the classroom. "Alright, you can go¡­" the professor nodded. "Thank you!" he left classroom in an haste. He ran through the hallways, and once he reached the bathroom, he entered a stall, locking the door. He quickly took the black communication device from his pocket, pressing the red button instantly. The sound of static noise resonated through his ear. Click! "Casanova?" Dusk Catcher Chapter 16; Dusk Catcher "I''m here." Canova said, his voice static from the communication device¡¯s radio interference. Gray decided to inform the man about Nekare''s supposed abilities, sure that Casanova''s experience would make him find a better theory than his. Immediately, he spoke. "I have some information you must know." "I started to tail Nekare from a distance as soon as break started. Since the hallways where I was following her were full of people, I had to follow her until we entered inside a place without any disturbances." "Once I found that place¡ªwhich was the same stairs where we met¡ªI decided to use Dusk Catcher. She got away at the last second of the activation period, though. But the strangest thing came after it! When I ran out of the staircase to follow her, she disappeared completely!" "Could it be the work of an ability that allows her to turn invisible, or maybe even teleport?" "Then, worrying that she was still inside the hallway in a way I couldn¡¯t perceive with my senses, I avoided to call you, not wanting to expose our connection.¡± ¡±I was tempted to use Dusk Catcher to find her position, knowing that, if it activated, it would''ve meant she was there.¡± "But even then I was still worried about being caught¡ªor attacked, so I digressed." "And since teachers don''t allow students who are of a different gender to go into the bathrooms at the same time, I used this as a fool-proof, non-dangerous way to inform you," After some seconds of delay, Casanova finally replied. "Your first guess was correct." Just like his past feeling dictated, she was a Nephilim. Thus, he had been right all along. Although one of his goals was finding her identity, he didn¡¯t feel any kind of happiness from its fulfillment. Since there were no basis for doubt anymore, her species became a major threat. "Nekare disappeared in thin air. If she were still looming next to you, however, is unknown, even to me." "Refraining from exposing me was an excellent decision, and the same can be said from using the teacher''s rules to benefit your goal.¡± ¡±Next time, however, you must fulfill your duty." "Yes," Gray whispered, not wanting to be heard by someone who was inside the bathroom. He was afraid that someone might decide to confiscate his walkie-talkie. Recalling the strange images he had seen before, he continued his speech. "Earlier, Genesis activated while I was still awake, giving me a prediction about a strange connection between me and Nekare.¡± ¡±From what I''ve understood, the symbolism was that we will become closer.¡± ¡±However, since my dreams don''t show me the future as it is, the connection we might have isn''t necessarily something good." ¡®I''ve thankfully gotten a new revelation in the real world. I can use it as a loophole to tell him about the improvement of my ability while avoiding to talk about The Monolith¡­¡¯ Casanova suddenly blurted out with shock and disbelief¡ªemotions he had never seen coming from him. "Are you certain? Did your ability truly activate outside of a dream?" Gray confirmed his statement, confused and slightly afraid about his reaction. "¡­Is there something wrong with it?" he asked in a low voice, afraid of what Casanova would say. "No¡­" the man murmured. "It''s just¡­unusual." ¡®Your reaction makes it seem worse than unusual!¡¯ he silently complained. "Young man," Casanova spoke, his voice exuding a tone of seriousness. "Y-Yeah?" "Are you religious?¡± ¡±Did you seek guidance from the divine?¡± Gray Montoya thought for a moment and started reply to Casanova''s question, "Although I do believe in the existence of a superior existence, dictating the rules of life and nature, I don''t follow any particular belief.¡± "I haven''t prayed because of this¡ªwhy do you ask?" "¡­" "It''s better to avoid trivial matters. You still have to use Dusk Catcher on Nekare; direct your attention towards her." Casanova swiftly ignored Gray¡¯s question. ¡®How am I supposed to not worry about it if you''re acting all secretive?¡¯ The man then continued, "Did you formulate a strategy capable of aiding you with discovering Nekare''s intentions?¡± Gray agreed. ¡±I''ve made two, but one of them failed. The first plan was made incase she was still inside of school. The strategy was focused on tailing her until she was inside a place devoid of any people.¡± ¡±If only she hadn''t activated her ability, I would¡¯ve have finally unraveled the mystery between her identity. He coughed lightly before continuing his speech, "¡­We." "It''s your eye after all.¡± ¡±As I was saying, the second can only work if she''s outside. I was planning on entering inside an empty classroom facing the courtyard to use Dusk Catcher." "There is one issue, though. From what I know, Nekare doesn''t like talking to people, thus making the chances of her going outside¡ªa place packed with guys and girls, very slim." After Gray realized of having ignored an extremely important piece of the puzzle, he blurted out, "But Casanova, why would she use her ability in such a way? From what you''ve said, the Nephilim regard secrecy as an essential tool for their survival. Did she discover my intentions? Did she use her invisibility as a means to get away from me?" Casanova acknowledged his worries. "From what I''ve seen so far, this girl doesn''t seem to harbor any sort of issue with you.¡± ¡±Her ability is perfect for assassinations. Therefore, if she really had wanted to murder you, she would''ve done it long ago." "That is¡ªunless she''s not proficient with her ability, of course. Nekare might be avoiding to kill you because she still can''t ''turn'' other people invisible." "If she were to eliminate you, she wouldn''t have the necessary skill to hide your corpse." "Schools are filled with people. Dragging a bloodied corpse around it is nigh-impossible. The trails she would leave are immeasurable." "And since she doesn''t ask an another Nephilim to do that, it''s plausible that she''s not in contact with any ¡®groups¡¯." "Nonetheless, while I was watching over you, I''ve noticed that her ability was proficient enough to conceal the objects making direct contact with her skin.¡± ¡°If she hadn''t been good enough, she would have had to remove her clothes to become invisible." ¡±Therefore, it means that her ability improved!¡± "If you''re unable to find her intentions before her power gets stronger, she might eliminate you, dispose of your corpse, and eliminate every trail she left with her new-found powers." He sighed. "The chances are low, but not null. Hence, you shouldn''t regard my opinions too much; let Dusk Catcher do all the job." I understand. Gray was about to ask about what he meant by, ''contact with other groups'' when Casanova interrupted him,This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "Don''t make a sound!" After a few seconds, he heard the door open. Worried of the consequences lest he dared to disregard Casanova''s orders, he stayed as quiet he could. In his mind, he was afraid that Nekare entered inside the men''s bathroom, possibly looking for him. But when he heard the bathroom stall next to his open, and a manly voice groan from pleasure with the sound of rushing water in the background, his worries faded. ¡®Turns out it''s just a random person¡­¡¯ he heaved a sigh of relief. He then heard the person exit out of the bathroom¡ªall without washing his hands. Casanova ordered in an authoritative voice, "Now, go to class, calm your nerves, and when break starts, find Nekare." "Your plan is more than good enough," the man smiled, although Gray wasn''t able to see it. "Forgive me for underestimating you." "N-No, don''t worry. I''m practically a normal person¡­¡± Gray replied ashamedly. The man then ended the call; the communication device emitting a "tsk" sound. ¡­ Inside a room filled with cables and wires; two kilometers away from Gray''s school, resided Casanova, lying on the floor facing a small window. On its ledge, a dark sniper rifle with complicated patters, hieroglyphical-like markings was positioned. The man silently looked at Gray''s moving figure through the scope that magically saw through the walls of the school, his finger resting close to the trigger. "He still thinks of himself as a normal person¡­" Casanova said under his breath. "No Onironaut capable of predicting the outcome of events without entering ''that place'' can be considered as such¡­" ¡­ Knock! Knock! Knock! "Come in¡­" an older man said weakly. Gray slowly opened the door and entered his classroom, catching the attention of every student. Slightly embarrassed, he silently sat close to Rowan¡ªwho was glancing at him suspiciously. After noticing his friend''s gaze still posed before him, he turned around. "What''s wrong?" he said, slightly annoyed. Rowan then interjected. ¡°I''m the one who''s supposed to ask you that. You''re acting weird these days¡ªwhat''s up with it." "What are you even talking about?" Gray asked, feigning ignorance, wondering if his behavioral changes were obvious. "Come on, you know what I''m talking about. You try to mask it, but your work is sloppy; it''s as if you always have something in the back of your mind." "You know, you can tell me anything, man." Rowan said worriedly. You''re wrong. I can''t¡ªnot this time. "You''re just focusing too much on the details." Gray sighed, "I''m serious." "I could always notice when something bothered you; we both know it.¡± ¡±Are you and Kathy having issues?" he then moved closed to his friend, so nobody could hear. "Are you two having issues with money?" "You know about my family''s finances, and you''re aware that we can support both of you without any issues. So please, if you need help I would be more than glad to help." Rowan whispered, furrowing his brows. "No, it''s not because of that..." Gray whispered back, seeing his point. Just as soon as he heard his his dear friend''s mistake, Rowan couldn''t resist blurting out, "So you do admit it!" ¡®Shit,¡¯ When the professor heard Rowan, he started to scold the young man, remarking of having him sent inside the principal office if he dared to talk again during his lesson. Some students, after hearing his ''sentence'' snickered, attracting the teacher''s anger like a magnet. ¡°IF YOU UNGRATEFUL #%&! DON¡¯T LISTEN TO THE LESSON, I SWEAR I¡¯LL %#£¤€!!!!!¡± When the elder was satisfied, he started to talk about his lesson once more. ¡­ Finally, after thirty minutes, the bell rang. Gray slowly sat up, knowing what had to be done. ¡®This time my plan will work¡ªit has to¡­!¡¯ he thought. Like the last recess, he immediately turned around to face Nekare. She was drawing something inside her notebook, but he was too far to see the contents. Worried that she might draw during the whole break, he couldn''t help but feel a little scared. But luckily, after some moments of staring, or rather ''stalking,'' the girl closed her notebook and left the class. His face darkened, and like a hunter, he started to follow her. After a couple of steps, however, a hand was suddenly placed on his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. Annoyed, Gray turned around. As he expected, the hand belonged to his friend, Rowan. "Not now." he tersely said, looking at the door anxiously. He couldn''t dare to waste a second. If he were to lose Nekare, his chances of his¡ªand Kathy''s survival might decrease exponentially. He had to protect Kathy, for this is what his mother would''ve wanted! "Yes, now. Just tell me what''s wrong so we can get this shit over with." Rowan stared at him, brows furrowed. "I''m telling you that nothing is wrong." Gray remarked as he clenching his teeth, still looking a the door. Rowan then asked, "Is it about Kathy?" "No!" Gray shot back, attracting the attention of some students. Seeing Rowan''s face drop with shock, he recognized the error he made¡ªespecially to the one he regarded as his best friend. Trying to calm himself down, he slowly shook his head. ¡±It''s not about her¡ªwe¡¯ll talk about this later." He then left the classroom. Rowan stood unmoving like a statue, an indecipherable expression marked on his face. Inside of the hallway packed with people, he tried to search for the girl, quickly noticing the lack of her presence amidst them. Knowing the girl''s behavior, he decided to avoid the places with an high influx of students. He ran inside the hallway, only slowing down when a professor was near¡ªhis actions attracting the attention of some students. ¡®She¡¯s a silent person, therefore, the only place I think she would like should be a library.¡¯ Perhaps the girl would enjoy the type of silence it brought. In fact, it would be what he himself would have done in the times of need. After a minute, he finally reached the class. He slowly walked near the book shelves, carefully avoiding to be spotted. Since the room was completely empty, he felt that chances of Nekare being there were becoming higher and higher. He checked and checked, but the girl wasn''t there. In his mind, Gray hoped the girl hadn¡¯t been invisible the whole time. Nonetheless, he knew that, to be sure, he had to search thoroughly. ¡®Shit¡­¡¯ he silently cursed. ¡¯Where could she be¡­What does she enjoy¡­?¡¯ Recalling her fondness for drawing, he suddenly realized that the girl could be an artist of some kind, causing him to start running towards the art room. He swiftly turned around the corners of the hallways, and since the clock was ticking down, he even stopped slowing down when the teachers were near. He even heard their shouting voices; they ordered for him to stop, threatening to call his family. Was he going to listen to them? Had he came this far just to comply with them? ¡®No.¡¯ he shook his head. ¡®This is the last chance.¡¯ As he reached the art room, he slowly opened the door. Paint was splattered all over the walls, while various canvases were placed in front of the teacher''s desk. And yet, the girl still wasn''t there. "T-This is not possible¡­ Where is she¡­?" he was utterly shaken. Kathy already died once because of him, he simply couldn¡¯t let that happen again! What would he say to his mother, knowing that he failed in his mission? ¡°W-What can I do¡­?¡± His eyes widened. ¡°G-Genesis¡­ maybe today it will work.¡± He chanted, mimicking Casanova''s ''prayer'' he had heard in his dream. This was his last option. Although nobody would rely solely on a flawed plan, it was the only thing he had! "Genesis," he clasped his hands. "I require your help." A cold silence permeated the classroom. "Please, work. I beg of you¡­" he said under gritted teeth. There were no flashing lights, no images, and no signs of the future, however. No matter how fervent his prayer seemed, no signals from the otherworldly were felt. As he expected, nothing happened¡ªhis ability didn''t bring any revelation about Nekare''s whereabouts. "I knew it," he mumbled under his breath, his expression ashen. ¡°I can''t rely upon you." Since the bell was about to ring once more, he exited the classroom, deciding to wander aimlessly through the school, hoping to find the girl. With no other option left, he decided to go on the courtyard, thinking that maybe¡ªjust maybe there was a spot far away from any people. After a moment to gain his breath back, he started to run once more. ¡­ Just as soon as he was done running down the staircase, he opened the school''s gate and went inside the courtyard. He walked for some moments, when suddenly, he saw her. Nekare was sitting on a bench away from all the other students¡ªwho she avoided like the plague. He subconsciously froze in tracks. ¡®She''s there!¡¯ He was tempted to take out Dusk Catcher, but after seeing the sheer mass of students in the courtyard, he reconsidered it. Some had seen his past behavior, so they were looking at him with suspicion, making his situation even worse. ¡®Please, don''t move from there.¡¯ Gray silently pleaded. He retraced his steps, deciding to find an empty class facing the courtyard. Luckily, his class and the one next to his were one of them! ¡­ To his dismay, after slamming his door''s class open, he noticed two students¡ªVeronica Sacramento and one he couldn''t recognize, kissing passionately. ¡®Did you really have to do that now?!¡¯ he asked inwardly, his eyes blood-shot. He immediately slammed the door shut and entered the class next to his, noticing the presence of some girls who gossiped with each other, making him switch to the last one. His brows furrowed. ¡°This is the last class that faces the courtyard. If it''s not empty¡­it means that my mission will be over." He slowly opened the door, faced with the sight of twenty or so students inside the classroom. They were playing hangman. With great difficulty, he slowly closed the room, almost falling to his knees. For as much as he knew, Nekare was a time bomb. If he didn''t know her intentions for long, the likelihood of his death would increase dramatically. She was a Nephilim. He clutched his face in desperation, clenching his teeth, stifling a scream. ¡®T-This can''t be possible, dammit!¡¯ ¡®There has to an empty place that faces the courtyard. Think, Gray, think! It''s our last chance! What would happen to Kathy if we were to fail?!" As no options came in his mind, he cursed loudly, his eyes bloodshot. "FUCK!" Just then, he suddenly froze in his tracks, a new idea slowly emerging within the confines of his mind. His eyes slowly widened, and with it, his jaw dropped. ¡°Can it be¡­?" The roof! It was the only place high enough for nobody to see him as he used Dusk Catcher, and the only place where nobody would go! Immediately after his realization, he started to run, moving faster than earlier. Knowing there weren''t any ways for him to go on the roof, he had to go behind his school; near the parking spots, where the emergency stairs were located! He kept on running, all while he thought of having two or less minutes left¡ªgave him the motivation to go even faster. ¡­ Gray then slammed the door leading the parking spots open, jumped over the three small steps, and started to climb the stairs in a hurry. However, while climbing, he noticed the presence of three students. They sat on the stairs with cigarettes in their hands. Refusing to back down from his mission, he suddenly shouted, "The teachers are coming!" Once they heard his voice, their faces turned ashen. After looking at themselves, they immediately threw their cigarettes down the emergency stairs. They then proceeded to climb down, thanking him. ¡­ Gray had finally reached the end of the emergency stairs. Seeing that there wasn''t any way to reach the roof, he decided to climb on the stair rails while he used the wall to support himself. Since roof was too high, he had to jump to grab its edge! Mustering his remaining strength, he jumped, grabbing its border. Gray slowly raised his body upwards, his hands trembling. He then stood up, his jet-black hair flowing thanks to the cold, aggressive wind. As he moved towards the other roof''s edge, he could see every student with clarity. ¡­ Once Casanova saw Gray''s performance, he chuckled. "Forgive me again. I really did underestimate you." ¡®It''s now or never.¡¯ He retrieved Dusk Catcher from his right pocket, his hands shaking and shivering from the cold. Slowly, he unraveled the tissue covering it. After that, he pointed it at Nekare''s figure. 1. 2. 3. The work was done; he was sure it activated. Worried about Dusk Catcher''s response, Gray prepared for the worst outcome. Once he felt ready, he slowly turned the eye around. Its iris was milky white, signaling that Nekare wasn''t planning on harming him. His knees¡ªafter all the anxiety and wear they felt, couldn''t help but fail him, making Gray fall on his back. There, greeted by the same sun that gave him hope, Gray couldn''t help but laugh. Tranquil Chapter 17; Tranquil "Mother, did you see this¡­?" he brought his hand towards the sky, hoping that maybe, his mother was grasping it. ¡°For once, I wasn''t a burden to Kathy; for once, I did what you would''ve wanted¡­" Gray lay motionless for some moments, enjoying the pleasant sensation of having his skin be warmed by the light of the sun. After the shaking of his legs diminished, he slowly stood up, noticing that most of the students in the courtyard had already started to walk inside the school''s building. "I didn''t hear the bell¡­" ¡°Well,¡± he smiled. "It doesn''t matter.¡± He then walked towards the roof''s edge, sat in a position where his legs were hanging, took a deep breath, and jumped down. When he landed onto the emergency staircase, it made a loud, metallic noise, making Gray run inside the school''s building. He was worried that someone would¡¯ve found out about his little secret venture. Recalling of how the teachers had yelled at him, his lips quivered as he figured they would call Kathy. ¡®I''m so fucked¡­¡¯ Gray sighed. ¡®But hey, at least everything went alright. Nekare won''t kill nor harm neither me or Kathy.¡¯ ¡®I wish I could tell her about this, though. If she knew, she definitely wouldn''t get mad at me¡­¡¯ ¡®Now, the only things I should worry about are The Monolith, the Carver of Sigils who accompanied Him, and honing my abilities.¡¯ ¡®It should be only these things right?¡¯ He shook his head. ¡®Never mind, I still have my issues with memory.¡¯ ¡®But as long as it doesn''t get worse, I can forget about it for now.¡¯ Gray snickered. "Heh, ''forget.''" He walked in the midst of the empty hallways while still being a little bit worried of being alone due to Nekare''s invisibility. ¡®Dusk Catcher showed you the proof.¡¯ he slapped himself lightly. ¡®Calm down¡­¡¯ A minute later, Gray reached the door of his classroom. He stood motionless before it, tempted to leave the school building, all to avoid the piercing stares and the teacher''s scolding. "What teacher do I have right now?" he asked himself. He then coughed lightly. "I have english; she''s going to be mad." He prepared himself to hear the teacher''s nagging for some moments, and then, he opened the door. Just as soon as his feet entered the class, he heard the teacher shriek like a banshee, "GO TO THE PRINCIPAL''S OFFICE!!!!!!!" Gray sighed, immediately closed the door, and went to the bathroom, deciding to wander around school for a bit¡ªespecially since the dangers were greatly reduced. ¡­ He went inside one of the stalls and decided to inform Casanova about the success of their mission. Gray took the communication device the man had given him, pressing the call button. He heard some static for some moments, and then, he heard Casanova''s voice. "Good job." Casanova said. "Your commitment to the plan and your quick-thinking are worthy of praise." "Thanks," Gray smiled. "Truth be told, I was afraid to follow her, but I had no choice. From what I had known before¡ªthe plan didn''t depend on only my life. I simply couldn''t let Kathy be in danger because of my fears." "By the way, Dusk Catcher said that she wasn''t dangerous. I can''t help but feel like an idiot for treating her like an enemy for all of this time¡­" Gray was ashamed. "You did the right thing," Casanova interrupted him. "In the Nephilim''s world, everyone in our kind starts out as an enemy. Albeit we look the same as humans, our lives are completely different." "Normally, if a person asks a stranger for directions, they''ll answer without hesitation, lacking the slightest fear of being harmed." "But for us it''s different." "There are Nephilim who are able to shed their skins and mold their appearance in a tremendously realistic manner, so they could pose as a postman, as a bus driver, as a child, or, if they know about you and your family, as the people you love and cherish." "They''ll strike when you won''t expect it. And since your guard is down, they won''t miss." ¡¯I see¡­¡¯ "That is one of the reasons of why your ability to have revelations about the identity of a Nephilim is so esteemed¡ªAnd it''s why you would make an high-value target.¡± ¡±Since you lack the sufficient strength to protect yourself, you are like a candy, begging to be devoured." "It goes without saying; this has to change." Casanova remarked, instilling the determination in the his heart. "Yes." Gray was now even more worried than before. But at-least, he was glad that Nekare wasn¡¯t one of these kind of Nephilim. Recalling his agreement with Kathy, he thought about asking for a job opportunity.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Although it wasn''t the right time, he decided to get it out of his system. "Casanova, I know that this might sound out of place, but is it possible for me to work with you and your guys for some time? You know, I want Kathy to go back to school.¡± ¡±The only issue is the lack of money. Kathy will have to cut down her hours and work part-time once she enrolls, so I want to help her as much as I can." The man thought for a moment, and Gray, with the company of the static sound, couldn''t help but think he was going to refuse, causing him grow increasingly embarrassed. He always hated asking things to people, thus, it made his situation even worse. "It''s not an issue." Casanova smiled, "I''ll have to think about the specific details, but you''re in." "Thank you!" Gray exclaimed. He was glad that the man had decided to help him once more¡ªeven though he knew of the many issues troubling him. "It''s better to keep him close¡­" Casanova thought, slowly removing his finger from the sniper rifle''s trigger. "What did you mean by groups earlier, before the man had entered inside the bathroom?" Gray was curious. "Like humans, despite the fact that¡ªas I already said, we regard ourselves as enemies¡ªsome Nephilim groups, ideally with the same ideals or beliefs, decide to form factions, amassing their abilities towards a common goal." "I understand," Gray nodded his head earnestly. "So, judging from your opinion, Nekare is a Nephilim who acts alone?" he asked, trying to figure out more about this mysterious girl. She didn''t want to attack him, but it was smart to know more about her. Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies even closer! "From her actions, I can deduce that she became a Nephilim not so long ago; it makes sense for her not to be in contact with others belonging to our species." Casanova replied after some moments of delay. Gray''s eyes widened. He immediately asked him to specify. ¡®It may prove useful if I were to find a Nephilim on my own¡­¡¯ "Nekare decided to use her ability carelessly. When you were following her, she became invisible without surveying the room for unwanted spectators." "Could she have done it because she knew I was following her?" Gray remarked. "That is a fair concern. However, whilst she may have noticed the presence of someone, she wasn''t aware of your identity a Nephilim. Therefore, for as much as she knew, she revealed her ability to a human, breaking the timeless concept of secrecy between the Nephilim of every generation," the man added insightfully, addressing the young man''s worries. "Could she have known about my true identity, though?" "Since you''ve just awakened as a Nephilim. The amount of power emanating from you is minuscule, rendering it nigh-impossible for someone to detect it, much less by someone as weak as her." "Amount of power emanating from me?" Gray echoed confusedly. He had an hunch that the man wasn''t going to reply, but decided to ask regardless. "Everything has its own time and place, and a bathroom isn''t one of those locations." ¡®He''s willing to tell me? I''m looking forward to it.¡¯ "I have to go to the principal''s office now, the teachers are mad at me for running all over the school," Gray sighed. Casanova''s lips slowly curled upwards. "Earlier, you¡¯ve spoken about Genesis¡­ Is that the name of your ability? Why that specific name?" ¡®Now I look like a chuunibyou!¡¯ "Yeah¡­¡± Gray smiled bitterly. ¡°I initially wanted to call it Book of Revelation, but my ability doesn''t focus on books, so I thought it would¡¯ve have sounded really dumb.¡± ¡±It was a fitting name because of my first prediction, though. You know, the one with the trumpets and all." "I opted for a different name, however. The second dream made me recall of how in Genesis the earth was a formless void, prompting me to choose that name." "Interesting¡­ " The man muttered under his breath. "Genesis is a better option. If you had chosen the previous title, any Nephilim aware of that book could have understood its whole purpose of being a ''revelation'' just from figuring the name out." "I-I see¡­¡± "You can go now." Casanova closed the call. Gray left the bathroom''s stall and started to wash his face with cold water, preparing himself of what was to come. ¡®Kathy is going to be so mad¡­¡¯ he silently complained, starting to make his way to the principal''s office. ¡­ Knock! Knock! Knock! "Come in." a man said, his voice sounding strangely familiar. ¡®What¡­?¡¯ Gray stopped in his tracks. "I surely can¡¯t remember the principal, so why do I feel as if I know him?¡¯ He held the communication device in his right pocket, prepared to call Casanova. After a brief moment, he slowly opened the door. "What''s up, Montoya." Aldo Marchisella, the music teacher, said. He sat on a chair padded with cushions, looking relaxed. "Eh? What are you doing inside the principal''s office?" he was confused. He had one theory¡ªhe was afraid that this may have been a figure who posed as his real music teacher! He feared this was one of the Nephilim Casanova had talked about¡ªthe kind specializing in shapeshifting! "Heh, I got promoted to vice-principal." Aldo grinned. "You?" Gray blurted out. "After every prank you did?" ¡®Is the principal stupid?¡¯ he sneered inwardly. "I know, right?" Aldo chuckled, pointing at the chair situated in front of the table facing him. His expression became tense. "What happened earlier? Why did your run through the school''s hallways?" Gray sat, took a deep breath and said, "Would you believe me if I told you that my left leg fell asleep, and I had to wake it up forcefully?" Aldo''s brows furrowed. "At that speed? Wouldn''t you fall due to the imbalance your stiff leg caused?¡± ¡®He''s good¡­¡¯ Gray''s eyes narrowed before he replied with a tense voice, "I''m really good at balancing my body weight." "I see how it is¡­" Aldo smiled. "You have a good reason for not telling me this." Aldo stood up, circled the office and sighed. "Today is a good day. I got promoted, I gained a quiet, nice office, a comfortable chair and new paid holidays." ¡®But isn''t the principal''s office only for¡ªwell, the principal?¡¯ Gray couldn''t help but notice. "It would be somewhat annoying if I were to call your sister. We both know how she is; she would surely shatter my eardrums after hearing your little Odyssey.¡± "So, let''s say: I, Aldo Marchisella, due to my new position, felt pity upon this young man, for his straightforward pathway had been lost." ¡®Is he citing Dante Alighieri?!¡¯ "Thus, I decided to pardon him, deciding that his offense wasn''t worth the attention of his dear sister." "Truth be told," Aldo whispered before adding, "I really don''t feel like doing this today¡­are you going to run in the hallways again?" "No, sir." Gray replied sternly, thankful for the man''s kindness. Aldo stretched his back. "Now go away, I need to enjoy my new chair." Gray stood up and went towards the door. As he opened it, he looked at the door insignia. ¡°Principal¡¯s Office.¡± Without turning around, he spoke. "This place is named Principal¡¯s Office.¡± ¡±They should write ¡®Vice Principal¡¯s Office too, am I right?¡± he craned his head, grinning. Aldo''s face darkened. Gray had understood his secret¡ªthe vice principal wasn¡¯t supposed to stay there! "Uhm, don''t worry about it, but keep this between us. Don''t tell the principal I was here¡­" "Sure," Gray closed the door behind him. ¡®Now, Kathy won''t be mad¡­¡¯ He then went inside his classroom, apologized profusely to Rowan for his past behavior, made up an excuse of why he was acting erratically, and listened to the english teacher''s lesson. After thirty minutes, the bell rang. And as the english teacher left their class, the two guys started chatting. Gray turned to face Rowan. "Do you know what I''ve seen in my small marathon?" "Nah, what''s up with it," his best friend replied with interest. "I''ll tell you, but as long as you keep your voice down..." In turn, Rowan nodded earnestly. "Veronica Sacramento was all over a guy, french-kissing him inside our empty classroom¡ªit''s not even been two days ever since she left her boyfriend!" he whispered, not wanting to be heard by anyone. Rowan''s face dropped in shock; he awfully resembled a soldier facing the harrowing effects of PTSD. "You have to be kidding me¡­" Rowan mumbled under his breath. "I was¡ªI was the first one who called dibs on her¡­" He then cupped his hands in prayer. ¡±Please, you have to show me who¡¯s the guy she kissed¡ªI''ll fight him for Veronica''s hand!" "Are you dumb?" Gray chuckled. "We aren''t in elementary school anymore. Plus, even if I wanted to show you who she was kissing, I simply can''t.¡± ¡±Once I''d seen them, I closed the door immediately, I was only able to recognize her." "Please, you have to help me¡­ We have to find him!¡± Rowan begged. Gray, remembering to form his habit, did his reality-check. As he saw that his hand looked normal, he agreed to his friend''s request. "Thank you!" Rowan blurted out. "Don''t worry about that." Gray smiled bitterly. He had to repay Rowan for the disrespect he had given him. After a couple of seconds, the bell rang, signaling the start of math''s lesson. "Did you do your homework?" Rowan asked. "FUCK!¡± ¡®I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT THEM!¡¯ Once the teacher entered, he called some students to do the math problems he had written on the board. Like always, Gray embarrassed himself in front of the class with his poor math''s skills. But luckily, the lesson soon ended, and once school was over, he made his way to Casanova''s warehouse. Quintessence Chapter 18: Quintessence Gray, after reaching the warehouse, stepped inside it, feeling the sticky sensation that came from the miasma. ''I wonder on what its purpose might be¡­'' he pondered with great interest. ''Could it be a Nephilim''s ability?'' He saw Casanova, seeing that the man was wearing an eyepatch on his missing eye. He subconsciously touched his right pocket, feeling the presence of Dusk Catcher inside it. "Good evening," Gray waved his hand. "Good evening," replied Casanova, his aloofness as eternal as time immemorial. He went towards the man and gave him Dusk Catcher. Casanova thanked him, repeating what he had said the last time they met. "You should turn around¡ªI''m sure you wouldn''t enjoy this." Gray immediately followed his orders. Now that he knew what was coming, he had to avoid seeing that disgusting action again! After a brief moment, he started hearing bizarre squelching sounds that made his body cringe repulsively. He did his best to immerse himself in his own thoughts, not wanting to pay attention to them. ''I thought he severed the optical nerve¡ªhow will he be able to see from his eye?¡¯ Could it be one of his other Nephilim abilities? But how many does he have?'' ''From what I know, he has an increased strength, Dusk Catcher, and a way to regenerate his injuries, maybe?'' ''N-no, I''m wrong¡­'' ''In my Apocalyptic dream, when he was fighting the mantis, his body was falling apart¡ªI didn''t see it regenerate in any way.¡¯ ¡¯However, since he could survive for an extended amount of time, it could be the sign of a different ability.'' ''¡­Unless his ability of strength is instead caused by a general improvement of his body''s abilities, thus allowing him to survive off injuries that might otherwise kill a normal human, thanks to the improvement of his vitality¡­'' His eyes widened. The improvement of his bodily functions was something he had seen in action! ''His hearing! Before I''ve had the revelation depicting The Monolith, he could hear me from an incredible distance! My theory might be correct!'' "You can turn around," Casanova said. The man wasn''t wearing his eyepatch anymore. Furthermore, his eye looked normal, as if he had never removed it. Gray was tempted to ask on how he could remove his eye and reattach it like it was nothing, but diverted from it. No Nephilim would expose his cards, after all. And just as Gray was wondering on what to say, Casanova suddenly commanded, "Do thirty pushups." ''Uh?'' "S-sure¡­?" he replied. The young man tried to do his best to follow Casanova''s orders, but failed. He was only able to do ten pushups, albeit they had a terrible form. "Now, do a plank that lasts three minutes," his lips slowly curved upwards. "A-Alright¡­" This exercise was the one Gray hated the most. The burning sensation he felt inside his abs was hellish, and the fact that not even thirty seconds had passed made it even worse. His arms and legs kept on trembling while his face became extremely red; his vision gradually turning dark. He then collapsed on the floor. In total, his plank lasted fifty-seven seconds. "Wh-What''s the point of this?" Gray panted. "I have made my decision," Casanova glanced at him. "I will train you." Gray gazed at him wordlessly, unsure of what to say. Seeing his reaction, the man raised an eyebrow, his green eyes gleaming inside the miasma-ridden warehouse. ¡±You want to protect Kathy, am I mistaken?" Quickly after, the man bent down, extending his hand towards Gray. Gray took his hand, and with great anguish, he replied. "If it''s for her, I''ll do anything. I just¡­" he stammered. ¡°I just can''t live without her." Even now, thinking of Kathy being in danger due to his failures, filled his heart and mind with sorrow. ¡­ Time stood still. Drops of rain were suspended in the air, not to touch the ground ever again. There were no sounds and no colors other than the never-changing, greyish tint. The sky was a cacophony of stars, far-away planets, and other heavenly bodies, all drained from their previous state of glory. They all formed an eternal, cyclopean eye. Although it died countless eons ago, it wordlessly stared at the ground below. From an hidden, concealed amalgamation of shadows within the lifeless world, an illusory voice resounded, freeing the world from its previous state of suspension. Was it worth it, taking his hand on that day now so far away? Was it the only option I had? All of this was unavoidable, wasn''t it? Ever since that day, I''ve regretted many things¡ªbut the things I now regret the most are those peaceful days. Oh, you who hail from the past, please cherish them all. Cherish those memories¡ªcherish all those people whose names I''ve long forgotten. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. And maybe¡­Just maybe, you''ll be able to shatter this future of yours. ¡­ "It''s settled, then." Casanova smiled. "Now, run around the warehouse until you vomit blood," "Alright¡­" Gray wiped the dust away from his clothes. He then took off running. "Do I have to sprint with my maximum effort? Or do I have to keep my stamina?" he yelled while panting. He never was the athlete-kind. He never hated exercise, he just preferred avoiding it. Especially because he and Kathy never had the funds to practice an hobby. As long as Gray had a book or any form of entertainment, he was happy. Since his mother had an extremely large collection of books, Kathy didn''t have the need to buy them. After she died, her library soon became a way for him to know her more. For months, he hadn''t been able to open any of the books that belonged to the library without shedding tears, but now that he was older, he was able to enjoy the books with a smile on his face. ¡­ Rosano, years ago. The small Gray sat on his mother''s chair, his legs dangling over the edge. With a book in his hands, he couldn''t help but think about her. "Did mom ever read this book, Did she like it?" ¡­ He did so again and again; it was a second-nature to him, by then. "Mom, this page is so interesting! I hope you''ve read this!" ¡­ Now, Gray was a little older. He was at the point where his legs didn''t dangle off the edge anymore. "This book is really sad. I can''t help but wonder, did she feel the same emotions I feel right now?" ¡­ Rosano, five months ago. He closed the book, putting a bookmark inside the last page he had read. "This book about mankind''s belief is incredibly entertaining! It''s as if¡ªIt''s as if you knew that I would read it one day." He smiled, lowering his head. "Thank you, mother. Thank you for all the books you gave me." ¡±Thank you for allowing me to understand you even more.¡± ¡­ "I''m teaching you how to run from an enemy you cannot possibly defeat." Casanova chuckled. "Who would run for their lives at a moderate pace?" Since the miasma was already slowing him down, Gray had to focus even more. Just then, he realized of how today he had ran more than he did in months, causing him to mock himself inwardly. When he was tired, he slowed down to gain more stamina, and when he felt more energized, he augmented his pace once more. He did his best to run as fast as possible, and after 5 minutes of repeating this cycle, he collapsed on the ground again. "Do I have to do something¡­ else." Gray asked, panting on the floor. Casanova shook his head. "You can rest now." He was satisfied that the young man was determined enough to keep training¡ªalthough his body was screaming at him for a moment of rest. "Thank you." Gray replied, assuming a sitting position. After he regained his energies, he coughed dryly. "So, what did you mean by Emanation of Power?" Casanova slowly nodded, beginning his speech. "This world is¡­all connected and intertwined.¡± ¡±All of its phenomena are related, constructed by the one eternal, purest form of matter.¡± ¡±The oxygen you breathe, the food you eat, and the people you love are all formed by those same bricks of creation." "But in those cases, it has molded into a new form, facing the price of losing the ability to revert to its most primal state, cursed to change its form eternally¡ªunable to regain the blessing of that original purity¡ªthat limitless potential." "Its name is Quintessence, and every single one of our species has been endowed by it, allowing us to utilize it for our means." ''Is this the true Arkh¨¨ that all those philosophers were trying to find?'' he thought, recalling the words of Thales and his professor. "Every Nephilim¡ªeven those with the weakest abilities¡ªpossess a unique fragment of pure quintessence attached to their souls that aliments their abilities and emanates over reality." Since Gray looked awfully confused, Casanova decided to help him further. "I''ll make an example so you can visualize it:" "Those who can shoot lightning from their hands emit pure quintessence from their Fragment, and subconsciously, they utilize its limitless potential to transmute the quintessence into the form of their ability¡ªa lighting, in that case.¡± "However, while the quintessence is the base for anything, they can only transmute it into the form of their unique ability." "Like the name implies, the ''engine'' of our abilities is broken, incomplete." "A long time ago, some believed that our Fragments were the product of one endless and eternal mass of quintessence that split for reasons beyond to our measly selves, creating the reality we live in." Gray, resembling a student who listened to his teacher''s lesson with extreme attention, couldn''t help but be amazed at the knowledge he was hearing. When he found out about his identity as a Nephilim, he thought that the abilities resembled the mutant gene like in X-men. Now he truly understood the idiocracy in his way of thinking. Faced with that amount of knowledge, he couldn''t help but fall in deep thought. ''Th-this is amazing. How many things exist of which I''m unaware of? What else is this world hiding?'' "Is it possible for me to know of how my Fragment operates? I can''t understand what form would the quintessence morph into¡­" Gray scratched his hair. "Those with the ability of dream divination are called Onironauts. They can encase a small part of their souls with the quintessence, allowing it to leave their bodies.¡± ¡°Once the quintessence links their souls with the dimension encasing every dreams that belongs to the collective consciousness of all living things, they are able to navigate a part of it¡ªthe part they need the most at the time." "In this infinite space, the past, the present and the future dreams of all creation are united, causing it to become unimaginably dangerous, unsafe, and unpredictable." "If you were to enter inside one of the incomprehensible and completely alien dreams belonging to the oldest, most terrifying, and eerilie intelligent creatures, nobody would be capable of helping you." Gray was horrified. What if it happened to him?! "It won''t happen, don''t worry." "You can only navigate a part of it; you are locked inside your dream, not capable of accessing the ones belonging to the others." ''For now, at least,'' Casanova mused silently, interested by the young man''s bizarre ability. After some moments, Gray suddenly remembered about his search for information about the Nephilim. "I searched for the word ''Nephilim'' on the internet and found out that the word originally came from The Bible, does this mean that the Vatican and the Church are aware of our existence?¡± ¡±Should I avoid going inside those places?" ''I already don''t go there, but it''s better to be careful¡­'' he sighed. "You shouldn''t worry; their knowledge is regarded with the highest degree of secrecy. A normal church in Rosano wouldn''t know anything of the truth," Casanova shook his head. "Phew¡­¡± "Speaking of Bible, more specifically the Book of Genesis, I''ve read in the past about Cain and the mark he''d been given by God¡ªthe one where it would increase the damage he took by sevenfold¡ªare you familiar with it?¡± ¡±Could it be considered as a Nephilim''s ability?" This wouldn''t help him in any way, but he couldn''t help but ask regardless. "It could. But remember¡ªyou can make the same point for every legend depicting people achieving superhuman feats." "Only because it was written that a man could defeat one hundred enemies with his bare hands, it doesn''t mean that all of those legends belonging to folklore were right." "While some could be true, it''s nigh-impossible for us to know of which one depicted real facts." "I understand¡­" Gray replied with shame, not aware of just how dumb his question sounded. "Do you have any more questions?" Casanova inquired. "No, I don''t think so," said Gray. "Start running, then," he commanded. "Y-Yes, sir," replied the young man, knowing he had to train even if every ounce of his body screamed for rest. Nobody would wait for him to regain his energies. Since he never trained, never having to care about his survival, the gap between him and the other Nephilim was immense. And because his ability wasn''t combat related, it made his condition even worse. Whilst running, his phone buzzed inside of his pocket, causing him to slow down. As he unlocked it, he noticed that his sister was calling him. "It''s Kathy¡ªcan I reply?¡± he asked. Casanova silently nodded. Gray proceeded to respond her call. "Hi, Kathy, is everything alright?" "Yeah. I just wanted to warn you about a small thing. Today I''m going to come home late.¡± ¡±There aren¡¯t enough staff, I have to work overtime. Take some money from my room and order a pizza, I''ll eat something quick here." She seemed slightly annoyed. "Alright, I''ll leave some slices for you," Gray then added, "And remember to be careful." Albeit his sister was inhumanly strong, he still felt the need to advise her. "Where are you right now? Why is there an echo?" Kathy inquired. ''I guess it¡¯s time to lie again¡­'' he smiled bitterly. "I''m in the villa next to us¡ªthe one where Casanova works. He¡¯s showing me how the job is done." ¡°You got the job?!" Kathy blurted out. Once Gray confirmed her question, she immediately started talking about every work injury involved with building houses. "Wear an helmet, always!¡± ¡±It doesn''t matter if you aren''t inside a dangerous place. Everything could fall down as soon as you aren''t paying attention! And ask Casanova to lend you reinforced boots!!!!!" Casanova couldn''t help but chuckle lightly. Once his sister was finally done with her banters, she said her goodbyes, ending the call. ¡­ Inside the red painted break-room of Rose Rosse, Kathy, while wearing her pizza-patterned apron, couldn''t help but smile wholeheartedly She tried to calm down multiple times, but that smile of hers was unable to stop. "You''ve grown up so much¡­Mom would be proud of you!" she murmured softly. ¡­ After working out with Casanova, Gray lay down on his sofa, his body aching everywhere. ''I''m tired¡­'' He then called the pizza place and waited thirty minutes. After eating most of his pizza, he left two slices for Kathy and then, once it was late at night, he went on his bed. ''Doesn''t eating a pizza after a workout make all the exercise you''ve made useless¡­?!¡¯ he suddenly realized. ''N-no, wait, I''m skinny. I have to put some meat on my bones¡­'' Gray then fell asleep, his snoring echoing through Rosano.