Tap! Tap! Tap!
A rhythmic tapping struck the windows. Rain, like a storm started pouring dagger-sharp drops of water that drowned out every sound when colliding with the cobblestone, walls and windows.
A young boy walked through the Corridors, looking at the courtyard outside occasionally, his jade eyes reflected and complimented his tired face, in them they scanned for any humanoid monster.
Fiend had been repeating this action for a few days, ever since Cale told him to. Occasionally he would circle back and go back to Cale to see what he was doing.
He was exercising, barely any rest and drenched completely by sweat, his ragged breathing was heard as he continuously took In deep steady breaths while doing weird exercises. Fiend found himself Imitating Cale's breathing, he stared Intently at him.
'Is it possible?'
Fiend didn't care much about what Cale asked for, he simply wanted to be around him. Of course It didn't mean that he didn't take the task seriously, he did. It was just that there was genuinely no one In the courtyard that matched Cale's description these past few days.
In Fiend's perspective, this was a golden opportunity for him. Because just a few days ago he had befriended Cale.
Fiend was someone who yearned for friendship, however he never had one throughout the 15 years, he lived as someone Ignored and insignificant, he never was someone worth remembering. If he had dropped dead tomorrow no one would care, they wouldn't weep for him, they wouldn't spare him a single tear as even that was too precious to give to someone like him, not even his own family would care for him if he suddenly died.
That kind of neglect would make anyone yearn for someone's warmth
However, it wasn't that Fiend coveted friendship in order for him to be comforted by the warm embrace of someone, it wasn't that in the slightest.
He coveted it for different, trivial reasons. Reasons that bordered on obsession. Being comforted by someone was simply a bonus, an extra reward he didn't expect.
'I have to make it happen, no matter what'
His breath quickened in a electrifying manner, his heart followed the rhythm of his breath
"..."
His eyes lingered at the tank-top wearing Cale for a little while longer before he started moving his legs swiftly towards the staircase, that looked so clean you could see one's reflection clearly In it. Gardenia as a whole was after all truly beautiful and visually pleasing.
As he started walking the stairs, he thought of his parents. Fiend had grown up alone. And that fact remained unchanging, but why? What would make someone want nothing to do with their child? A perfect one at that, what gear in their minds avoided him like he was the plague?
His family had ignored him unless he served some useful purpose and even then they would still hesitate and try another way, they dismissed his thoughts even though they were right and correct, his opinions which were forged through his knowledge, even his hard won achievements didn't matter to them.
And even the education he received was half-assed, instead of enrolling him into the best school this remote town had to offer, they sent him to the only other high school that was in there because his sister and brothers didn't want him in the same school, and it was the most trashy school ever, stubborn bastards flooded the populated building completely, from spraying on the walls to desecrating the school library and even harassing the teachers
There were only two high schools in this remote town, only two not more
One was the top school by default, named 'Baltan High-School'
The other which wasn't even a competition to beat was called 'Mio High-School'
There was a simple reason why there were only two schools, because high schools weren't 'necessary' and if they had to go to high school, then they would just go to another country
Studying here and growing up for the rest of your life here was simply not worth it
However Fiend was the sole exception, his family not only tricked and forced him out, they also made sure he would never leave and make it big, even taking away his surname from his ID
In all of this, the only one who truly cared for him like a son and like family was his Uncle, who was the only one that never Ignored him and saw his feeble existence.
To Fiend, his uncle was the only person whom he could call his rightful father. No one else was fit for that spot but him.
He soon reached the next floor, steps melancholically heavy, the clean marble floor he stepped Into, subtly reminded him of the Hospital he went to a few days ago.
'It had been that clean there as well...'
His uncle had been hit by a drunk driver on the road who swerved the car after which he claimed 'he was on the middle of theroad!' even though his uncle wasn't and was on the side of the road leisurely walking back home without a care in the world.
He was sent to the hospital and is still in a coma till this day.
"Haaah"
He raised a hand and reached for his front pocket, a silver-pale blue necklace rested at his hand, It was a gift from his uncle on his birthday and perhaps the last he'll ever get.
Fiend led a seemingly normal and ordinary life with his energetic uncle before coming to Gardenia, This of course entailed that he took the Trial.
"It wasn't that hard..."
He passed the trial with almost no difficulty, 'this type of trial would only work on toddlers...' He made such thoughts while turning his head to look outside the Courtyard, doing his usual checkup
"Still nothing"
Nobody could be seen out in the courtyard, not only that but the heavy rain had also obscured the surrounding field almost completely.
"...?"
His steps stopped echoing through the corridor as he made a realization.
'Wait.... can't I just?'
"Ask the teachers about the Humanoid monsters location?"
It wouldn't hurt to ask and even if they didn't know, Fiend could still ask the teacher about them and get Information that way.
"Let's go to the Cafeteria then"
He mumbled under his breath, wanting to improvise with the festering desire to help Cale.
***
"Phew~"
Cale finished what he was doing and walked lightly to the window.
"It's raining?"
A ferocious downpour met his eyes in an instant. It had been a few days since Cale started exercising and trying his best to get fit as fast as possible.
He knew that not much could be gained from exercising, but it was better to gain something rather than not gain anything at all.
"Sometimes even small gains can save you or something along those lines?"
If he didn't do these exercises, the body would only grow duller and most likely die to something he should have been able to easily avoid by simply staying fit.
"I wonder what Fiend Is doing right now..."
Almost two weeks have passed with Fiend still not finding anything about what was asked of him to do.
"This isn't going to be one of those things that take a long time to do, right?"
He stood closer to the window, even raising himself up and putting on his shirt
'It had been so hot these past few days and it's all of a sudden raining'
The cold bit into his skin, sweat trickled down the cold cheek which caused a shiver down the spine.
A difference in temperature could be sensed, a day and night comparison could be made. Cale brought his hands close to his mouth and exhaled to warm them.
"The water is not warm either..."
This place essentially did not produce any heat, the water was also colder in Gardenia than the tap water in his house and School, which was good at first but as the days got colder and colder he started hating it just as quickly.
"It's more surprising that this place has water though"
He didn't drink any, he only used it to clean his hands and freshen himself up
Cocking his head upwards into the ceiling and closing his eyes, body shivering in the cold.
'I am...not okay'
Pretending in front of others that he was fine was easy, terrifyingly so
You could lie to everyone around you, but in the end you can never try to lie to yourself, you could never swallow a lie when no one is around
'My resolve to survive...'
Will
Shatter
That much was obvious, trying to say something optimistic like everything will be fine would not work
Not in the slightest was Cale okay, how could he stay calm? composed and of sound mind when seeing multiple scenes that were straight from Hell itself back to back?
How could he not have nightmares when a damned monster was enjoying making him suffer by crushing his left arm?
Or tearing away the right arm so quickly he couldn't even realize It had been torn off, shoving Its hand straight through his stomach and out of it, body becoming paralyzed before Cale could even tell it was.
An utter hopelessness and despair was felt, and he had some delusion that something like this could actually just be walked off like it were nothing?
That was not just arrogance. It was genuine stupidity and a soaring delusion that'd make even the gods gasp at the sheer ridiculousness that a human being could house such thoughts as stupid as this.
'Not a single god would blame me for being scared and a coward, or at least that's what I want to believe dearly In my heart'
He clutched at the area of his heart, vision turned hazy but returned solemnly back to normal
"Should I go to the Cafeteria?"
When feeling scared or traumatized, doing something like eating can serve as a good distraction.
"Well maybe that was a lie since I found that article on the Internet~"
He made a joke to himself to try and cheer up, but it served to be a fruitless endeavor.
***
Beep.. Beep.. Beep..
A faint rhythmic beeping was heard, It was ringing Inside Fiend's mind constantly, not a single second passed without it being heard at least once. It felt more like an episode
The cold metal of the necklace turned warm as Fiend held it fiercely In his hand, refusing to let go of it.
'Has it been...10 months since then?'
The doctors specifically said that chances were slim of his uncle fully and truly recovering even if he somehow by miracle woke up from the coma
He soon reached the cafeteria, and looking ahead, spotting a teacher just about to leave the cafeteria.
'That's'
It was Bringam
Bringam stopped walking and tilted his head to the student blocking his way
[What's this?]
He wasted no time
"I want to ask something"
[Oh? and what that might be?]
"Do you know where those humanoid monsters are?"
He stopped, the words pricked him in the wrong place
[It's rude to call them that, they are much more than that]
Brows furrowed in confusion and genuine curiosity
"So? what should I call them?"
[Geniuses]
The answer came instantaneously
Fiend's eyes slightly widened and shook, clutching onto the necklace harder than before.
"Those things...?"
'That thing? A genius?
[Yes, but do refrain from calling something as primitive as that]
Fiend took note of this
"So where are these so called 'geniuses'?"
He asked the question once again, growing impatient
[That I do not know]
"..."
It was alright, he hadn't expected it to be so easy after all.
"Then what do you know about them?"
This was the question he really wanted to ask, which was sure would land an answer.
[I can't tell you]
"..?"
'He couldn't tellhim' also indirectly meant that he knew but wouldn't tell him.
His eyes turned cold at the indifference shown to him.
"Why?"
[I would have loved to tell you, but if I recklessly tell you, chances are, you might drop dead or even worse, become an 'echo']
"What's an echo then?"
Bringam's lips curled into a smile.
[That I definitely can't tell you]
He chuckled slowly, his smile growing wider and wider. Wide enough to reach his scaly small pointy ears.
"...Fine, I'm sorry for disturbing you"
Fiend knew there was nothing he could do to make the teacher tell him forcibly, he couldn't simply fight him after all since he would die before he did anything.
Of course for all he knew, they could just be masters at bluffing and were really weak
Bringam breezed past him, his tail fluidly swerving to right and left, while Fiend stood at his spot, he clenched his jaw hard before walking in to the cafeteria, recess would end soon anyway so it wouldn't matter if he walked aimlessly now.
"...?"
But it was there that he saw him, a monster deprived of all color from his body, Cale Dice. Sitting all alone in the cafeteria.
Munching on a square slice of pizza?