Chapter 1: Another normal day?

*ring ring ring* the sound of an alarm clock buzzing through the morning. Although, Malaysia is a hot and temperate country the morning was still a bit chilly. Kim tried to throw his pillow to set off the alarm but missed. It was too dark for him to aim properly at 5 am in the morning. He snuck into his blanket and tried to plug his ear to sleep but suddenly a louder noise calling him straight from the kitchen.

"Kim wake up and get ready to school!"

"…"

"Answer me, young man. I heard your alarm just now!"

"…"

"3…2.."

"Okay, mum!"

One can stand against anything if he tried except against one's mum. Feeling groggy, he set his alarm clock off, grab his towel and had a shower. It's common to shower 2 to 3 times a day in Malaysia due to its high humidity. If you don't shower in the morning before you go out, people going to notice your bad smell.

After putting on his school uniform, he went to the kitchen for breakfast. While munching his roti canai he had a little conversation with his parents.

"Did you finish your homework, Kim?"

"Yes mum"

"Good, UPSR is coming soon and you need to be ready. Get excellent results like your two brothers okay?"

"Okay"

"Haha, don't pressure yourself too much son. Anything, dad will always support you. Just try your best okay?"

"Thanks, dad"

Although both of Kim's parent is strict with their child studies, they would never neglect all their 3 children needs. They provided enough so that Kim and his two brothers can live comfortably. Even though they are not rich, with care and love from his parent Kim felt happy. He always thinking of how to repay his parents someday. One day, he told his parents about it, but they just laugh it off. Who won't laugh when your 12-years old child suddenly talk about repaying debts?

However, as a child, Kim has always seemed to be a bit off when compared to other children. He seems to be a bit mature. Both his parents noticed this but it didn't change how they treat him. To them, a kid is a kid and a kid should do what they should do as a child. To learn and play! So off he went to his school. Meeting with his friends who are in the same class.

"Yo Kim did you watch the anime last weekend, the dude finally able to unleash his Super Yanyan. So cool!"

"Yeah, Nas! I wish I could fly, shoot energy and teleport everywhere I want. And that spiky yellow hair! I'm going to do that hair after UPSR hehe"

"Lol you kids are too late, look at my hair"

"Wow, Rin!" Both Kim and Nas had their eyes wide open looking at Rin spiky hair.

"You finally reach your Super Yanyan Rin?! Teach me Sifu!"

"Hahhh are boys always like that?"

Kim turns his head towards the voice of a girl near him.

"Ohh hey Tata, I didn't know you were- Woahh! What happened to your hair? When were you blonde?!"

The 3 boys look at Tata with full admiration. Rin combs his spiky hair down and both him and Nas kneel to Tata.

"And that length.. it's... it's Super Yanyan 3! Woahhh!!!!"

The 3 boys exclaimed with their jaws dropping to the floor

"You 3 keep quiet its time for class. And you Tata come to the office after class. I really need to see your parents after this"

The 4 friends just giggled at each other and get back to their sits. They have been friends for so many years now. The school is situated in a rural village. The class is very small, numbering less than twenty students in each grade. And there is only 6 class in total, which amount to less than hundred of kids attending the school. All of them come from the same village making everyone an acquaintance with each other. As to how it is in every school there are always some who are closer than another. And the 4 kids, have been close since they were a baby. They are all in 6th Grade and preparing to face the National Exam for elementary school. UPSR.

'Hahhh, another boring class, another normal day. These kids they really like to play. Don't they think about the future at all?'

Kim was thinking to himself while looking at his friends. Although he seems playful when he is talking to others, inside he was more mature. He thinks rationally, and act rationally. He always dreamed of becoming a researcher one day and win the Nobel Prize. He had a brilliant mind which was trapped in the wrong body, in the wrong era. If only he was somewhere else different, maybe people would become more open to him and give him chances. Every single time he displayed his geniuses no one seems to bother because none did understand.

Despite the setbacks, he doesn't really hate his life. He always has his lovely family and most trusted friends with him. They are the one who made his life interesting. Even if others didn't believe him, his family and friends always give moral support when he mentioned his dream. Regardless of whether they understand him or not, because of them he never gave hope with his ambition.

He muttered to himself again,

"Hahhh can't some interesting things happen to stimulate my brain. I'm dying here. The teacher just read his notebooks. I don't even know if he understands the content. If only a comet come smashing in or an earthqua-"

Suddenly, he felt a slight tremor. He thought he was imagining things, but the class seems to be quiet. Too quiet! Again, a tremor with higher magnitude shakes the ground.

"What is this? Earthquake? Weird?"

Although other kids were scared Kim was brimming with hope and excitement. Hoping that something interesting is happening. The teacher tried to calm down the crowd as some of the kids are crying and pushing around. During that hectic time, Kim slowly tried to slip through the back door when suddenly a hand caught his arm.

"Where do you think you are going on your own genius?"

It was Nas and his two other friends. They knew each other too well to know how they would respond in this kind of situation. Kim smiled and went outside.

"Are we really skipping class? It's my first time!" Tata said nervously

"Tata, who cares, we can just tell the teachers we were so scared we just want to go home. And if anything goes wrong Tata can just cry like whenever she did something wrong, so no one blamed- OWWW!!! WHAT WAS THAT?" Tata smacked Rin's head.

"Hmpph! I cried because I feel sorry, and it was not my fault!"

Kim chuckled as he observed his friends. Nas suddenly came up to him and asked, "So what are we going to do genius?"

"Well, first let's observe what happened outside. It's weird that there's an earthquake in Malaysia. We are not within the ring of fire to have one. Something else must have happened"

"Of course, something has happened einstein. Well, what are you waiting for? Don't you always hope for this kind of things to happen? We are all here for you."

Kim felt touched as he saw the smiling face of his peers. He was truly blessed with great companions. Unknowingly to himself, Kim grinned listening to his friend statement. Suddenly, BOOOMM!! A big explosion can be heard near their class just now. They all stop moving and when they turn around to their shocked everything was obliterated. Gone to ash. They can only see smoke, and flame scorching the area. Other than that, it was just rubbles.

They went closer, and Tata just screamed her lungs out. Rin almost fainted and Nas just kneeled to the ground. Kim was trembling all over his body as he saw everyone dead body. Corpses were everywhere. The kids, the teachers, their classmates were all gone. Even the 1st Grade.

Suddenly a loud howl can be heard. It sounded like a dog with a vile feeling coming from it. It wasn't just one. There were three different voices resonating with one another.

"W-W-What was that? It seems huge.."

"What happened.. our classmate are they really.." Rin couldn't even finish his word before he started vomiting. The event that is happening in front of them was too shocking for them to bear. Only Nas and Kim were standing.

"Kim, take care of Rin and Tata, I will go check it out first."

"No, it's dangerous! We should stay together"

"It's okay Kim, I'm just going to look a bit. Anything I'll run okay? Besides we at least need to call for some help... I'm really scared now, and my situation is as worst as all of you. Only you could think of what's really happening now. You should rest first and think well, I'm always the vanguard. I'll go look for help."

"No. You are raising a death flag. Don't we always comment about this when we read all that manga and novels? Those who try to act as heroes always die first. I'm coming with you. I'm sure nothing will happen if they just sit here. Let's just come back after we find out what is happening."

Nas looks at Rin and Tata. Rin gives him a thumbs up hinting he's okay and will take care of Tata for a while. Although he looked cool just now, his smug face becomes paler as he started to vomit again.

"Let's go!"

Kim and Nas walked carefully since they suspected the howl might come from a large ferocious beast. It seems to be a pack of dogs, but the sounds were too loud for a mere dog. There couldn't be a dog that can howl that loud in this world.

The howl they heard just now feels like it was dragging their soul deep to the abyss. The fear that struct their heart won't leave them causing their legs to tremble while walking. Even after several steps, they need to rest for tens of minutes just to be able to walk again. For the sake of their friends, they continue to move forward since they need to find a way to get help.

"How do you know where to go Kim?"

"It's the heat. Earthquake, flame, sounds, explosion. I can only think of a volcano suddenly erupted from the ground. Although its nearly impossible to have volcanoes in Malaysia but that's the only thing I can possibly think of. Besides, there's no plane or sound of helicopter coming"

"Planes and helicopter? Why is that?"

"An airstrike. Malaysia might be under attack by a terrorist or other country or something. A flock of military aircraft might come to supervise the place. Thank goodness it was not. At least, we know it's happening here only. So other people than us should be safe… Should be… I hope"

Nas just looked at Kim with a worried face. Even though what he said may seem logical, it still just a speculation without ground evidence. Even a genius like him would get wrong sometimes. He was always the closest to Kim and he knows that even Kim would sway in this kind of situation.

All he could do is to pray. They continue to move through the suffocating heat that is getting harsher as they get closer. Then another howl which is louder than the first one could be heard.

Both Kim and Nas close their ear tightly. Unable to bear the despair that resounds within the howl they fell to their knees. The howl now sounds more like a shriek. As if there were people screaming for their lives trying to escape whatever it is that tormented them.

"It's close"

Kim nodded, and they decided to push forwards.

Finally, they reached their destinations. They both could only stand still after seeing what was standing in front of them. They continue to rub their eyes as they could not believe what they were seeing.

There were cracks everywhere, and a huge crater was formed as if the earth was sucking in. Some places were spurting with lava. Hot and toxic gas was spraying everywhere. No human could last even a minute near there. They still don't know how they were still alive till now.

The most shocking and terrifying part was in the middle of the crater, a huge beast with demonic eyes and three head standing with its four feet. It looks like a dog but has more characteristic of a wolf. The skin was pitch black, and the flame is engulfing all over its body as if it was its fur. It was standing as tall as a 5-storey building.

"No way.. this is a dream right Kim? Tell me it is. It's too hot and I'm just imagining things right Kim? Hey, tell me Kim, no way I'm seeing a-"

"Cerberus"