Rhys hasn't really felt anything from all the corpses he had seen and literally stepped over since the chaos started. Those deaths were out of his control, after all—he knew that.
But this—their limbs were torn, necks mangled, and lives lost—This is his fault.
4 people. 4 people that could have still been alive if Rhys had only left Rob and his friends for dead back on the construction site. In the first place, why would he even ask Katarina to save them?
Rhys already knew they were… evil people. If it wasn't him they were targeting and bullying, it would have been someone else—that is the kind of people they were. He already managed to get rid of Lex, three more shouldn't have been a problem.
"..." And even as Rob and the others ran and passed by him, the only thing that Rhys could do was watch and stare at them.
"...Rhys!?"
And finally, as he heard Chloe's voice screaming into his ear, he finally woke up from his stupor and turned around. This wasn't the time to be thinking of anything else; the only thing that matters now was to survive.
"They're… they're starting to chase us!" Chloe could really only tighten her grip on Rhys as she watched as the arachnes stopped fighting over the 4 students; most of them, turning their sharp legs to the next free prey—them.
"Where do we go!? There's fucking spiders everywhere!"
"The canteen! I heard people gathered at the canteen!"
"Fuck… fuck! The canteen is at the end of the hall! What if we get trapped!?"
"We're fucked either way. Just fucking run!"
Perhaps even more drowning than the sound of the arachnes' legs chasing them was the sound of everyone's worried breaths. But while everyone feared the wave of monsters chasing them, Rhys was more worried about what was in front—even making sure to keep his distance from the others.
After all, the arachnes were too busy stepping trapping themselves on the narrow hallways; busy stepping on each other into a stampede than actually chasing them. Instead, Rhys had his eyes on Rob and his friends; waiting for them to try and push someone else.
Unbeknownst to Rhys, however, Rob and his friends were also cautious of him; instinctively glancing at him from time to time.
"We…we're near the canteen!"
Contrary to both parties' worries, however, everyone just focused on running to salvation as their group finally reached the end of the hall…
…only to find the door to the canteen was barred from the other side.
"F… fuck! Why is it locked!?" Rob and the others tried forcing the door open, violently knocking on the door as they screamed to let them in.
"We can hear you! Please, let us in! We… we're going to die!"
"Please, help us!"
"Open the fucking doo—"
"Go… go away! You're leading the monsters here!" And finally, after a few more knocks, they heard a voice coming from the other side, "Just go away!"
"W…what!? You're leaving us to die out here!?"
"Please… please open the door! They're getting closer!"
"Go away!"
"..." And while the others frenziedly knocked on the door, Rhys finally let Chloe go, gently helping her to stand on her own.
"What… what do we do now, Rhys?" Chloe said; her breaths stuttering as she heard the wave of monsters getting closer and closer.
"...We're probably going to die," Rhys could really only sigh as he scanned the hall, and the guy that said they'll be trapped was right… there was no way for them to go.
"..." Chloe could really only hold in her breath as she looked at Rhys, "We're… going to be eaten like the others…?"
"I'm planning to fight," Rhys shook his head as he grabbed the scalpel, gripping it tight as he faced the hallway, "But as I said, we're probably going to die."
"...No, I… I don't want to die yet!" Chloe also shook her head, before hurriedly limping toward the door of the canteen and joining the others, "Please… please let us in!"
"Chloe!? Is… is that you!?"
"Anne!? It… It's me! Please, please help us!"
And as soon as the others heard someone recognizing Chloe, they quickly stopped knocking on the door and made way for her; their eyes, seemingly relieved.
"Don't open the door!"
"She's my friend!"
But alas, they could still hear the people inside arguing loudly.
"Have… have you guys no heart!?" And once again, Rob and the others started screaming, "Are you really going to let us fucking die here!?"
"Shut the fuck up! There are more than 50 of us here! Just go away!"
"..." Rhys took one final glance at the people—thinking if this is what 'Knocking at Death's Door' actually means. And then, with a sigh, he once again focused on the hallway, only to finally realize why they call it a wave of monsters… because it truly looked like a tidal wave, threatening to crush him in pieces.
Rhys then took in a very slow and deep breath, before he started walking toward the wave.
"Rhys!"
But before Rhys could even take 3 steps, however, he heard Chloe calling for him. He turned to look, only to see the door to the canteen now open and the group hastily stepping inside it.
And so, without any hesitation, Rhys turned around and ran to the canteen. But once again, before he could take 3 steps…
…the door started closing.
"W…what are you doing!?" Chloe immediately grabbed the door as her friend suddenly started shutting the door closed.
"We need someone to distract the monsters or they'll know we're here!"
And as soon as Rhys heard that, he hastened his steps and rushed to the door.
"He saved my life! Rhys! Hurry!"
Rhys reached the door, ramming his body on it—but as soon as he did so, Rob and the others joined to close it.
"What are you guys doing!?" Chloe said as she helped Rhys keep the door open.
"He's just a Lowborn! If you want him inside then go out there and distract the monsters yourself!"
"Forget this! Just throw her out too!"
"..." Chloe stared at her friend for a few seconds, before looking Rhys straight in the eyes.
Rhys also returned Chloe's gaze. Chloe whispered something to him, but he couldn't really hear it from all the voices screaming and crying. What he did understand, however, was Chloe letting go of the door…
…and pushing him away.
"...What?" And for the first time, Rhys whispered out his thoughts as he watched as Chloe's eyes very slowly disappeared; perhaps forever blocked by the door that separates them.
"..." And then once again, for the first time, Rhys's mind was completely quiet. He just stared at the door; his silver eyes, completely blank and empty. He then turned to look at the hallway, before once again stepping toward the wave that was only meters away from him.
And as he marched toward his death, he whispered.
"This isn't my fault…This isn't my fault at all...
…It's theirs."
Some people are just… evil.
And evil must be eradicated. Is that why the gods kept him alive?
…To kill everyone inside that room?
"Gods - Lord Eros..." Rhys tightened his grip on the scalpel as his blank eyes reflected the waves of monsters rushing in front of him, "If I survive here…
…then I will do as you ask and enact justice."