"Mehmet?" I utter, my voice barely a whisper. The surprise in my tone is palpable as I approach him. My hands find his shoulders, pulling him into a hug. "I've missed you so much," I confess, the words catching in my throat as I fight back tears.
He gently pushes me away, a look of confusion etched on his face. "Do I know you?" he asks. His words hit me like a freight train. We've shared classrooms, laughter, and secrets for over five years. How could he erase all those memories within a month? This has to be one of his pranks. I stare at him, my mind racing, but words fail me.
"Why are you looking at me like that? I don't know who you are," he says. His words pierce through me, shattering something deep within. The realization dawns on me - this isn't a prank. But I cling to a shred of hope.
"Stop this, Mehmet," I plead, locking eyes with him. "We've been inseparable since middle school."
"I'm sorry, but I don't remember anything before this tournament," he admits, his voice laced with a hint of sorrow. "Whatever bond we had… it doesn't exist for me anymore. All that matters now is here, in this moment." His words are a gut punch. First, I lose a match against a friend, and now, the other doesn't even remember me. The world around me seems to crumble, the pain in my heart intensifying. This nightmare just keeps getting worse.
"Enough with the melancholy, both of you. Let's focus," Lucca interrupts, bringing us back to reality. "We should be expecting company any moment now. They'll know our location after the kill."
My gaze falls on the bracelet. Four dots indicate our location - mine, Lucca's, Mehmet's, and 'Jack'? I spring to my feet, ready for a fight. "Guys, there's someone here named 'Jack'. He could strike at any moment." I feel Lucca's hand on my shoulder, pulling me back down onto the bed. "Relax, Jack is one of us," he reassures me, a hint of amusement in his voice. His words bring a sense of calm over me. A thought strikes me, "Wait, you took down the hammer guy? HOW?" I ask, surprise evident in my voice.
"He was nothing special, probably the weakest we've faced so far," Mehmet replies, a grin spreading across his face. "You should have seen how far he ran when I set his privates on fire." He chuckles, collapsing onto the bed in laughter.
Their strength is undeniable, a level I'm yet to reach. I make a mental note to train harder, to match their prowess and increase my chances of survival.
An insistent beep emanates from the bracelet, its shrill alarm demanding our attention. We instinctively glance down at the device. It displays a map of the island, a circle ominously marking the center. "Enter the circle within 30 minutes or face disqualification and subsequent consequences," a voice from the bracelet warns.
"Why are they rushing this by shrinking the circle so drastically?" I question, turning to Lucca. "We were given two weeks, and it's only been a few hours, right?"
"Actually... it's been a week and a half," he corrects me, concern etched on his face. "You've been unconscious for quite some time. Your body started attacking everyone randomly. It was useful in one instance, but mostly you were attacking us. That's why I had to restrain you. Didn't you wonder why?"
I had found it odd to be restrained, but I hadn't questioned it since I was eventually freed. But a week and a half? I'd been out for an alarmingly long time, and now we were running out of time. I can't help but wonder how many survivors are left. From here on out, it's going to be a bloodbath. The circle is dangerously small.
Lucca rises to his feet, declaring, "Let's move. I'll fetch Jack. Wait for me outside," before disappearing into another room. I follow Mehmet outside, a question burning in my mind. "Can't you recall anything at all? Your family, your parents, your sister, your friends… no one?"
"No. I don't remember anything from before this tournament, unfortunately."
"And what will you do when all this is over? You can't return to your old life, not without any memories."
"I plan to start anew. After this tournament, I'll move to another country, perhaps Germany or France."
Germany? France? His memory might be fragmented, but he does recall some things. He seems to only remember their old names, but at least he remembers something.
A history lesson is in order. Ten years ago, in 2114, World War 3 erupted, leading to significant upheavals and the extinction of many nations. France was one such casualty, its territory mostly claimed by Germany, which soon rebranded itself as Droavania and swiftly ascended to become one of the top five global powers.
Another significant anomaly was Russia's fate. It went from freezing cold to scorching hot in an instant, courtesy of four atomic bombs from the USA. Its population plummeted from hundreds of millions to less than a million, marking the end of Russia as we knew it.
Italy, too, emerged victorious, annexing most of Austria and rising in power. It rebranded itself as Tebrana in the new world.
Nestled between them was Switzerland, which managed to claim parts of Austria and France, expanding its territory. This led to a population boom, with numbers soaring from 20 million to 70 million in just a decade. The country underwent a rebranding as well, now known as Dragtora, the place I call home.
Lucca emerges from the building with Jack in tow. I study Jack's face, a sense of familiarity washing over me. I've seen him before, interacted with him perhaps, but I can't quite place him.
"Let's get moving. We need to reach the circle, and time is not on our side," Lucca instructs, leading the way. We fall in step behind him.
As we traverse the terrain, I strike up a conversation. "I'm familiar with Lucca's power, but what about you two?" I ask, turning to Jack and Mehmet.
"Well, I can incinerate anything I set my eyes on," Mehmet replies.
"I can become intangible for a few moments," Jack adds, then looks at me expectantly. "What's your power?"
"I can create illusions. It's not as exciting as yours, I know," I admit, aware that my ability pales in comparison to theirs.
"What does your evolution do, if you've achieved it?" Mehmet asks, his gaze fixed on me.
Evolution? What is that? Our powers can evolve? "HOW?" I blurt out, taken aback.
Mehmet chuckles. "Well, it can be triggered by a state of calmness or a surge of anger. There could be other ways too, but I'm not entirely sure."
So, there are different ways to achieve this 'evolution'. I want to ask more about it, but I decide to keep my questions to myself for now. I have a feeling I'll learn more about it in due time, provided I survive this ordeal.
We make it to the circle just in the nick of time. A battle is unfolding before our eyes. A burly, bald man has a pale-skinned girl in a chokehold, while a dark-skinned boy holds a knife to a blonde girl who is kneeling before him.
"Release her, and I'll let your friend go. Let's settle this man-to-man, without involving the women," the bald man proposes.
"That seems fair," the boy agrees, nudging the blonde girl towards the bald man.
"You're a fool if you thought I'd honor that," the bald man retorts. He continues to choke the girl until her pupils roll back, leaving only the whites of her eyes visible.
He releases the girl, and she crumples to the ground, lifeless. The bald man turns to face the boy, a triumphant smile playing on his lips.
The bald man's stride morphs into a sprint, culminating in a high kick. But his attack is abruptly halted as his foot ignites in a blaze of blue fire. The flames consume him rapidly, causing him to collapse in agony. His groans fill the air as the fire spreads, eventually engulfing his torso.
Mehmet chuckles at the sight, a satisfied grin on his face. "Didn't I do a great job?" he asks, turning to Lucca and me. "I'd say that was one of my best performances. Wouldn't you agree, Lucca? Jack?" But his question is met with silence.
"Stand back. Let me handle this," Mehmet instructs, placing a hand on our stomachs as a signal for us to retreat. He charges towards the adversaries, leaping into the air. As he descends onto the bald man, he sets him ablaze. The man's body disintegrates into ash under Mehmet's feet. The boy, witnessing this, looks terrified. He scrambles backward, his hand landing on a rock. With a flicker of his power, the rock transforms, sprouting limbs, eyes, legs, and arms.
"HELP ME!" the boy screams at the rock, pointing at Mehmet. The rock creature lumbers in front of him, shielding him from view.
Undeterred, Mehmet leaps over the rock creature, repeating his fiery attack on the boy. Just like the bald man, the boy too crumbles into ashes.
"You killed my master!" the rock creature exclaims. It seems to forgive Mehmet, declaring, "I shall retreat to the mountains," before lumbering away.
The blonde girl's eyes widen in terror as she scrambles to her feet and attempts to flee. But Mehmet is quicker. He sets her legs on fire, reducing them to ashes in an instant. She falls to the ground, legless, and he advances towards her. She retreats slowly, dragging herself backward with her hands, her gaze locked on him.
"You're a monster," she accuses, her voice trembling as tears stream down her face. "No, you're worse than a monster. You're a psychopath."
Mehmet chuckles, a chilling sound accompanied by the crack of his neck. "That's a bold statement from someone on the brink of death. But you're not wrong," he admits, his laughter echoing in the silence. He looks away for a moment, his gaze lost in the distance, before returning his attention to her. "You can thank The Light for that," he says, a wicked smile revealing his teeth. With that, he sets her body aflame. The blue fire consumes her in seconds, leaving nothing but ashes.
As the horrifying scene unfolds before me, my heart hammers in my chest, each beat echoing like a drum in my ears. It's a rhythm of fear, a staccato symphony of dread that drowns out all other sounds. My breaths come in short, ragged gasps, each one a desperate attempt to draw in air.
Then, a sensation begins to stir in the pit of my stomach. It starts as a faint flutter, like the wings of a trapped bird, but it quickly morphs into something more sinister. It's a gnawing, twisting feeling, as if a vile creature is writhing within me, clawing at the walls of my stomach. The taste of bile rises in my throat, a bitter reminder of the horror I've just witnessed.
The world around me starts to spin, a nauseating carousel that blurs the line between reality and nightmare. My skin breaks out in a cold sweat, each droplet a chilling testament to the terror coursing through my veins. My knees buckle, threatening to give way under the weight of the dread that consumes me.
And then, it happens. The convulsion starts deep within me, a violent upheaval that forces its way up my esophagus. I double over, my body wracked with spasms as I retch. A torrent of vomit erupts from my mouth, splattering the ground with a sickening mixture of green and orange.
I straighten up slowly, the taste of acid lingering in my mouth. I glance at Lucca, who had maintained a stoic expression throughout the ordeal. But at the sight of the vomit, his face contorts in disgust. He quickly turns away, unable to bear the sight of the aftermath of my distress.
I wipe the remnants of vomit from my mouth, distancing myself from the sickening sight. I approach Lucca, my voice shaking with disbelief. "What the hell was that? I was expecting a fight, not a massacre. Has Mehmet lost his mind?" I manage to say, a burp interrupting my words, the acrid taste of bile still lingering in my mouth.
Lucca nods solemnly. "A lot has changed while you were unconscious. I'll fill you in later. Now isn't the time."
My mind races, trying to comprehend the transformation in Mehmet. What could have driven him to such extremes? I'm at a loss, knowing little about his actions during the tournament. He's a far cry from the friend I once knew. I'm left to speculate, but my thoughts are interrupted by a chilling sound.
Mehmet's scream pierces the air, his body enveloped in a dark aura. We rush towards him. "Are you okay?" I ask, shaking him, but the aura persists. He rises, silent and unresponsive.
Suddenly, an intense heat engulfs me, unlike anything I've ever experienced. I glance down to see blue flames dancing around me. I scream as the world fades to gray and time begins to rewind. We're back to the moment before Mehmet's scream. Lucca turns to me. "Something's wrong. He attacked us!"
Confusion sets in as I look at Lucca. "You can rewind time this far? I thought it was only five seconds?"
Lucca nods. "Our powers have enhanced with training and usage. Now, I can turn back time by 20 seconds."
This revelation is startling yet intriguing. I wonder if my own power has enhanced without my noticing. I realize that was the reason I can now create larger illusions without suffering from migraines.
But my introspection is cut short by Mehmet's scream, echoing for the second time. This time, we have no time to react. Mehmet whirls around to face me, and I feel the same searing heat. The world loses its color as time rewinds once more. This time, there's no room for conversation. We spring into action immediately.
With every ounce of strength, I sprint towards Mehmet, his form shrouded in a menacing dark aura. As his gaze locks onto me, I'm engulfed in flames, the world fading to a monochrome hue as time reverses yet again.
This time, I opt for concealment. Lucca turns to Jack, who has been relatively inactive, and urges him to engage. Jack charges at Mehmet, who rekindles his dark aura and fixes his gaze on Jack. But before the flames can touch him, Jack activates his power, rendering himself intangible. Mehmet's fire passes harmlessly through him. But his intangibility is fleeting, and as it fades, he is instantly consumed by the flames. Lucca rewinds time to its furthest extent.
I notice a peculiar change in Lucca. He appears younger than usual, but before I can voice my observation, Mehmet incinerates us, prompting Lucca to rewind time once more.
Hours seem to pass in our minds as we remain trapped in this relentless cycle. We've tried everything - fleeing in different directions, splitting up - but to no avail. Each attempt ends the same way.
Lucca rewinds time yet again. I've lost count of how many times we've been through this. He turns back the clock by precisely ten minutes. We've been stuck in this loop for so long that his power has gradually enhanced.
With each repetition, Lucca's youthful appearance becomes more pronounced. He now resembles an average 13-year-old, but he seems oblivious to the transformation.
This time, we decide to split up again. I run, praying that this will be the last repetition. As I stumble on the trembling ground, I begin to dig.
I dig relentlessly, my fingers scraping against the earth until they bleed. Finally, my efforts reveal a casket. Inside, a living person.
I pry open the casket to reveal a red-haired boy wearing a necklace adorned with a human skull. He convulses as if in the throes of a seizure, a dark aura swirling around him - the same aura that Mehmet possessed. I slap him, jolting him awake.
He looks at me, fear evident in his rapidly darting pupils. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he stammers, his voice trembling.
"Sorry for what?" I ask, puzzled. I have no idea what he's apologizing for. Perhaps he mistook me for someone else.
I see Jack and Mehmet rush towards me, their faces etched with worry. "Mehmet seems to have regained his senses, but Lucca…" Jack begins, only to be cut off by Mehmet.
"You! This is all your fault!" Mehmet accuses the figure in the casket. "You were controlling me, using my body to harm my friends over and over again!" His anger boils over as he lands punch after punch on the man's face.
Blood splatters with each hit, a gruesome sight that ends only when Mehmet sets the man's face ablaze, reducing his head to ashes.
"We need to check on Lucca, something's not right," Jack says, his face contorted in disgust at the sight of the charred remains.
We sprint towards Lucca's location. As we arrive, I see Lucca standing, a bright white light emanating from his open mouth, his eyes flashing different colors. His body begins to levitate, encased in a white orb, yet still visible.
His eyes return to normal as he closes his mouth, but something is terribly wrong. His body starts to age rapidly, transforming from an old man to a baby and back again in a continuous cycle. The white orb expands until Lucca is no longer visible, then disappears, taking Lucca with it.
I turn to look at Jack and Mehmet, their expressions mirroring my own - a mix of sadness and confusion.
A heavy silence descends upon us, the weight of our loss pressing down on our hearts. Lucca, our ally, is gone. The reality of it hits me like a punch to the gut, leaving me breathless. The world around us seems to blur as grief washes over me, a tidal wave of sorrow that threatens to pull me under.
I can see the same pain reflected in Jack and Mehmet's eyes. We stand there, lost in our shared grief, each of us grappling with the harsh reality of our loss. The air around us is thick with unspoken words, heavy with the sorrow that clings to us like a shroud.
In the midst of our despair, I find myself clinging to a sliver of hope. Lucca may be gone, but his memory lives on in each of us. And as long as we remember him, he is never truly gone. We will honor his memory, carry on his legacy, and continue to fight, for him and for each other. Because that's what he would have wanted. And that's what we owe him.
The silence is shattered by the sound of applause. We turn to see two men approaching us. One is a blond man in a purple suit, his hands coming together in a steady rhythm. The other is a brown-haired man in a black suit and sunglasses.
"Congratulations!" the blond man exclaims, his voice echoing in the stillness. "You three are the surviving contenders of this island. That's no small feat, I must say."
We remain silent as he continues. "Cheer up! You've survived. Out of all the people who could have won, it was you."
He retrieves a letter from the left pocket of his suit. "Now, let's see where each of you stands," he says, unfolding the letter.
"1st place: Mehmet Muja with 8 kills and 4 assists."
"2nd place: Jack Shade with 2 kills and 1 assist."
"3rd place: Valdrin Musaj with 0 kills and 3 assists."
"Each of you will also receive points based on your kills and assists - 2 points for each kill and 1 point for each assist. I'll explain how these points can be used once we're on the plane," he elaborates, gesturing for us to follow him onto the aircraft. What was once a full plane now holds only five occupants.
We take our seats, each lost in our own thoughts. We exchange silent glances, the sadness for Lucca palpable in our eyes. The weight of his absence hangs heavy in the air, a silent testament to the ally we've lost. The plane takes off, carrying us away from the island and towards an uncertain future, leaving behind a piece of our hearts with Lucca. His absence is a void that can never be filled, a wound that time may never heal.