Orphan.
He was an orphan.
One word define Sharim's life in short. However, Sharim was happy and content with his life. The Izaeris; his adopted family member treated him well and pampered him just like he was their own child.
That is why- when Hibion betrayed him, for the first time, for someone like him who lives without fear nor feels lacking despite losing his parents at such a young age, Sharim felt a terrible pain in his chest for the first time.
It hurts.
Hurts by his friend's betrayal.
Confusion.
Sharim is sad.
He weeps.
But, now.
"Hibion."
Seeing Hibion treating Yuren's cold body similar to a puppet- their dead friend— there was also no hint of remorse behind those cold looks.
Using Yuren—
—in front of his own eyes.
"Release Yuren now or..."
Sharim just felt one emotion at that time.
"... I will kill you."
.
.
.
.
.
The scent was the first sense returning to Sharim— as the dubious aroma of antiseptic and food grease pierced his nasal cavity.
Hot.
He woke up to a crisp sheet covering his body and a soft pillow under his head now, wet with sweat running from his forehead.
Creak.
It sounds like a sliding door rail opened and closed. The smell of pine then penetrated- stabbing Sharim's already throbbing head.
'Where am I?'
Sharim wanted to flutter open his eyelid but failed miserably as he remained still- lying and breathing heavily for seconds. Fatigued enveloped him. Everything feels so heavy and he just wanted to be awake.
Ting-Ting-
He immediately grew stiff.
Tick. Tick.
The loud creak of dialing codes on the intercom keypad and the annoyed sigh from someone broke the silence. Sharim couldn't help but stiffen in an uncomfortable position.
"Hello."
The voice feels familiar.
Soft and ethereal, almost unreal.
< "Izaeris Faaz's students are quite amazing and... Durable." >
"Yes, room 459 is here. So-"
< "I didn't think you could survive until now." >
"Yes, yes. I would like to report-"
< "But, this game of tag shall over now." >
"- No— Huh? Oh. Yes-"
< "I don't have time to deal with you." >
"- A new comforter and-"
Sharim's stomach suddenly churning. Something burning inside.
Multiple voices and unfamiliar events pierced his head at once.
'What happened?'
Something unpleasant is spreading in his stomach. Pain and upsetting.
< Run. >
A voice.
Something rose to his chest.
It hurts.
He must escape... now.
Creak.
Sharim could only curse when the bed creaked noisily— distracting the woman with platinum hair in a diagonal braid on the intercom. The woman's cream-green nurse's cap becomes lopsided as lilac indigo eyes widen in surprise.
< "We only need the Synodic Incarnation... Aaah... With Izaeris Faaz finally gone— our plan no longer seems impossible—" >
A strange and mesmerizing voice rang in Sharim's ears as the women's eyes twinkled like jewels and gradually softened. She smiles in delight while meeting Sharim's gaze.
However, Sharim wasn't able to reciprocate her smile. Something doesn't feel right about this woman, adding turmoil to his chest.
"You're awake- wait, I-"
ÿ ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ-
A pleasant but still unpleasant sound vibrated through Sharim's ears.
<< Please wait... >>
Huh? Calen?
Sharim froze in transfixed when some letters, not too unfamiliar for him— appeared from the top of the woman's head now and holding a pen scribbling down on a piece of paper.
<< Loading data... >>
However, Sharim's confusion did not stop there.
Character to character. Syllable to syllable.
Scribbles and a blue familiar window pop up shamelessly in the air.
+
Name: Yanna
Titles:
*[Nine Personality]
*[Legendary Matron]
Occupation: Hospital's Matron
Apotalesma: Picio
Stigma: [4th Dimension] [10th Dimension] [5th Dimension]....?? (too much information)
Surmise: Overpowered but weak because of heart... Haigh... auntie. •᷄⌓•᷅
+
(T/N: Wait... what? Auntie?)
A cynical comment at the end of the window's summary feels familiar to Sharim.
Rude and apathetic.
'But... It can't be...'
Something is pressing his lungs.
'But how...?'
'They have destroyed Calen... So... How?'
As they destroyed Sharim's Stigma and his body, Calen— Sharim's Apotalesma, was also vanquished in the dawn of mist on 'that day'.
Effortlessly.
The graces and his gifts were snatched from under his nose on the same day.
Dap. Dap.
The Apotalesma in Sharim's memories is dead... Yet, here... Calen... Still alive and cynical as always...
Dap. Dap.
'Weird...'
Something strange and unreasonable flooded and jumble the young man's mind— now unraveling in front of his own eyes.
Dap.
'Impossible!'
'Is he... being held captive...?'
'Again...?'
Sharim clung to his chest. It becomes harder and harder to breathe. His heart was beating wild. He was drenched in sweat.
Dap. Dap.
Sharim has never been through any cold like this. He froze and stiffened from the stinging sensation throbbing his entire body.
Dap. Dap. Dap.
Something crawled to his throat. Slowly yet, painful and sticky.
Dap.
The woman in nurse attire turned back toward him.
"-How-?!"
She stopped and her eyes widened in surprise.
Tick.
The rays of light from the outside shone in Sharim's eyes. A viscous fluid, drenched his pajamas until it was pitch black. The smell of metallic tangs and flesh mingled and wafted through the air.
Blood.
A thick pitch-black blood pooled together forming a puddle.
He vomited blood.
"Oh! God-!"
The woman in the tunic dress uniform gasped.
"You-!"
< Run. >
The voice inside Sharim's head echoed.
< Now. >
"Wait- I'll-"
The moment she turned back toward the intercom— Sharim immediately acted.
Tang!
Something fell over.
"Ah!"
Staggering, the woman clung to the corner of the closet.
And.
He bolted toward the exit.
"Huh? Eh- Sharim-! Wait!"
He needs to escape.
They want to hurt him!
Clack.
The automatic sliding door opens and a pair of ruby-red eyes shone from behind the door.
"Huh? Sharim?"
Sharim flinched.
The image of the boy interspersed with 'Hibion' in his nightmare— the 'Hibion' that treated Yuren's whitened body with disregard.
+
Name: Hibion Izan
Titles:
*[Synodic]
*[Synodic Incarnation]
Occupation: Hunter
Apotalesma: Yugen
Stigmas: [Heal] [Healing Circle] [Reverse] [Nullify]
Surmise: Not bad. Heh. You should feel grateful to be in his presence, amateur. ╭( ･ㅂ･)و ̑̑
+
'Something... Incomplete- not right with Hibion's [Status Window]...'
But.
'… What is it?'
Hibion's ruby eyes dilated in horror as Sharim stood covered in pitch-black blood from top to bottom behind the sliding door, almost as pale as a living corpse.
"Hibion! Stop him!"
Sharim acted faster. He crashed into Hibion.
"Ack!"
The albino teenager collapsed helplessly to the floor. Bracing himself with elbows and arms stretching out.
< Enemy. >
"Huh? Wha- Sharim- Wait!"
"Sound the alarm! Someone, please catch him! His condition-"
Sharim no longer pretends to care about the commotion he leaves behind. He did not dare to look back. They wanted to capture him again as they had done to him once.
He would not allow such a thing to happen again!
He won't get caught!
"Ugh."
His sight began to spin- as if his head was about to split open.
"Cough."
A light cough once again distracted him.
Something trickled down from between his fingers, he looked down.
Huh. Blood.
"Cough."
More blood trickled between his fingers.
"Hey, be careful boy!"
"What the-"
"That boy-"
Sharim didn't even try to dart his surroundings. He just rammed through anyone blocking his path.
Dusk was breaking and, the crowd of visitors and patients increased before night fell.
Too many.
'Why are there so many people-?!'
Sharim had to squeeze himself between people crowding the corridor.
"Ha-?!"
"Bl-Blood!"
"O-oi! A-There's a bloody boy here!"
Crowd after crowd.
'Why are there so many people-! Or! Have- 'they' succeeded in enslaving the civilians too-?!'
Red glassy eyes pierced Sharim's mind for a moment.
'No... Focus Sharim... You... At least you can't-'
But.
Why it feel like he has forgotten something?
Something.
Something significant and precious to him.
What it is? What he has forgotten?
< Run. >
Weird.
Sharim could recall every turn and junction- as if, he had been here multiple times.
'Something... Something is wrong...'
< Enemy. >
< Danger. >
His head throbs excruciatingly the moment those voices hammered him inside.
"THAT HIM!"
Someone shrieked. A fluttering red gown caught his sight.
ÿÿÿÿ •ÿ• ÿÿÿÿ ÿÿÿÿ: sÿÿÿÿÿ ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ ÿÿÿÿÿÿ:
* [sÿÿÿÿÿs sÿÿÿÿÿ ÿÿÿÿÿ]
ÿÿÿÿÿÿ
The glitch once again appeared before a bright light joined after.
+
Name: Solana Vandana
Titles:
*[ 1,000 Years Scientist]
Occupation: Hunter
Apotalesma: Nia
Stigmas: [Cyclone] [Tempest]
Surmise: Weh! An Amateur received her title earlier than you wahahaha!⁽⁽٩(๑˃̶͈̀ ᗨ ˂̶͈́) و⁾⁾
+
[Window Status] not so foreign to Sharim once again appears in the air.
'Ugh.'
His head was now pounding in pain.
Futhermore.
<< €ÿ#%^! >>
Calen going crazy wasn't helping him a little bit- as if, the Apotalesma was commanding him to give up now.
Sharim feels iffy all of a sudden.
What did he forget?
"Sharim Ihsraq! Surrender now! You have nowhere to run!"
"... Miss Solana please don't make it like we trying to capture an enemy."
Solana.
A girl in crimson lehenga, fluttering in a swirling orange mist— draped over a dark blue pashmina on her shoulders, trailing down below her arms.
Flip.
Braids of hair as dark as charcoal quivered gently- as Solana flipped open her folded batik fan- pointed toward Sharim.
"There's no need to run away. We're not your enemies. Your situation is so-"
The frown on her face softened, observing the blood smears still dripping from Sharim's pajamas with sympathy.
"-Now, take it easy— you need to get treatment right away-"
"... You sounded more threatening that way miss."
"Shut up!"
Solana Vandana.
The image of a woman wearing the same lehenga in a deep purple ahmar was etched in Sharim's mind.
Something red trickled down to the bottom of the girl's dress. Thick with a tang and nauseating.
< RUN. >
A foreign voice clashed back. This time, louder and clearer.
And-
"Huh?"
-Sharim obeyed.
Solana's expression immediately changed— able to read Sharim's thoughts out loud.
'I'm not paid enough for this,' spread across the fan wielder's face before she flapped her folding fan once again.
"[Cyclone]!"
Whoosh-
The wave from the fan shakes the air, creating a rough vortex.
Whoosh-
'Weird.'
Sharim immediately defended his eyes and face with his arms.
'So strange.'
The wind from the cyclone restrained Sharim's movements but it was too weak for a cyclone— as if she didn't want to hurt him.
'Why?'
Sharim was puzzled.
'Why didn't she use the [Tempest] like 'last time'?'
< "[Tempest]" >
A cold thundering voice echoed through Sharim's ears.
Whoosh-
That woman— was the same woman who used the [Tempest] Stigma without bother hesitation while battling him and demolishing their homes; Temenos.
ÿhÿrÿÿ-
<< ... Sharim. >>
Whoosh-
'Huh?'
'Calen?'
However, Calen's voice sounded strange.
Sharim's Apotalesma— Calen; he considers him as a companion throughout his ups and downs despite the Apotalesma apathetic side— but he sounds monotonous than usual.
ÿÿr-ÿÿrhÿntÿ-ÿ
<< S-Sto-Stop. >>
... What do you mean stop?
Sharim wanted to ask but-
Swoosh-
Another typhoon almost swept him away.
Sharim was frustrated.
'Why are you defending her, Calen?'
'She is the reason for your destruction and-'
Swoosh-
'I don't understand- what is happening?'
He couldn't.
'They are our enemies!'
<< Sharim. >>
Whoosh- wooo-
At the same time-
< "Sharim!" >
Huh?
Someone's voice overlapped with Calen's.
A young and desperate voice. Feels familliar to him.
< "Please... I beg of you." >
(T/N: He spoke in Sarawakian but as I'm not familiar how to translate it- so I will just do it normally.)
< "She's not Solana." >
< "Please save her." >
Sharim spontaneously covered his both ears.
Someone-
-Someone is trying to take control of his mind!
Whoosh-
"H-Huh? Eṉṉa atircciyil¿?"
Solana almost dropped her fan when Sharim suddenly slammed through the whirlwind and rushed— rushed— towards HER!
In a split second, Solana suddenly remembered Her Mahasitua words.
(T/N: Mahasitua means senior in English but also has a different role in Malay so I'm going to keep it in the original word.)
< "Junior Baqir's stigma involves his physical strength, so using physical capabilities against him is useless.">
Solana flashed with realization.
'He plans to crush us!'
"Hiiiieeekkk!"
She— without any single shame anymore— jumped behind the back of the security divisions, who happened to be there— seeking protection.
"WAAHH! Eṉakku utavuṅkaḷ~!!"
There is no more confidence or charisma she kept a once second ago now— she just wants to cling to anyone and save her life or anything to cling to— arm, leg— SHE DOESN'T CARE!
"H-Huh? W-Eh?"
However.
Dap.
Her rhodochrosite eyes widened in confusion as— Sharim suddenly turned to the corner juntion of the corridor instead of running into them.
"...."
"Er... Ahem..."
Solana's Caramel's olive face reddened.
Slowly and almost tearfully torturous without an inch of charisma and pride anymore— she went down from the security division's back, hunched over in shame.
"Maṉṉikkavum," muttered Solana, arranging her fingers.
.
.
.
.
.
.
'I must escape.'
Huff.
'This place is dangerous.'
Huff. Huff.
They are using psychological means to manipulate me!
Huff. Huff.
'Calen... Zarul... They're all dead!'
He is the only on that survives!
Huff.
'Hibion enemy... Solana...'
Sharim almost choked through the air— hitting realization he hadn't breath from a while ago.
Ha.
His earthly brown eyes narrowed down, towards the pale fingers clasping his knee. His hands were white. Blue and white knitted pajamas now soaked with dark black blood.
"Ha... Ha..."
Sharim gasped and winced, almost blacking out again.
Hurt.
His throat excruciating painfully.
He clenched to his chest.
"Sharim."
Sharim tried to ignore the foreboding but failed not to wince when his name rang through the corridor— from behind his back.
Dap. Dap.
Someone is walking toward him.
"I... I don't know what happened to you- but-"
No.
Before the owner of the voice could come closer- before someone could betray him again-
"GET LOST!"
Zwwoosh!
Sharim whipped his pale hand through the air and-
[Taurus's Wrath]
Hiiiiissss- Bbbzzzuuushhh.
A blue flame raged, towering high and-
"?!"
Sharim briefly notices the change in facial expression on the owner's voice.
He knows him.
Bzzzsssh.
Eyes almost as dark as rubies glittered in the twilight and widened in suprise— as Hibion dodged from the wall of blue flames burning between them.
Dap. Dap.
Again— something crawled inside Sharim's chest and throat, sending shivers to his entire body.
Crawling.
"W-Whekk."
"Sharim!"
He glanced up from the floor.
Tick. Tick.
Something dripping.
From his chin to the floor tiles, a lot of red puddles pooled and spread to Sharim's white pants.
He vomited blood.
Once again.
However, that's not all.
Psssshhhhhh.
The blue flames fortress between Hibion and Sharim also extinguished to nothing.
"H-Huh?"
Sharim was stunned. He was bewildered.
[Taurus's Wrath].
The stigma he was most proud of being— extinguished?
'... What is going on?'
ÿnÿ dÿÿÿ ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿn ÿngÿÿÿ...
A static shooke through the air.
<<... This is for your own good. >>
Sharim's eyes widened.
'Calen... !'
<< Warning! >>
An entirely different voice suddenly echoed through his head.
<< An Apotalesma from channel system 55EG13-15 had transgress through clause system code 1 by interfering in Hunter policy. >>
<< A measure shall be used against system Apotalesma 55EG13-15. >>
<< Temporarily shut down Apotalesma 55EG13-15 and shall be rebooted again in... ⌛︎⌛︎⌛︎ >>
'What the...?'
Before Sharim could grow furious and stupified on Calen interfering— something clawed back toward his throat and burning his stomach-
Dap. Dap.
"Whakkkk."
Red turns to black.
"Sharim!"
Someone is shouting desperately for his name.
But.
'Who?'
He couldn't remember.
< "Sharim!" >
This voice. This octave and intonation.
< "Sharim." >
Where had he heard this voice?
'What did I forget?'
Sharim head throbbed in agony. He staggered forward.
Fwoop.
Someone stretched out their pale and skeletal hand towards Sharim.
It was Hibion.
He looked at the Hibion's hand stretched out to him and started to think deeply-
'... He should eat more.'
However, before the albino hand could reach him—
He fell first.
"Ugh."
Nonetheless, the pain of bashing his head to the ground never came. Instead, the sensation of fluff in one's embrace diverted his attention.
"Sharim..."
A feathery and mellifluous voice.
Yet.
Sharim didn't feel a little bit threatened despite being held in the stranger's arms— different from his previous encounters.
No.
'Not just because of that.'
He-
"I do respect your diligence to train but..."
The stranger is exuding an air of tranquility— it feels like he was tucked through the harmonious sound of a botanical garden fluttering with a flock of Monarch butterflies.
Shine.
In difficulty, Sharim glanced up, and streaked with orange and red was the first thing he caught sight of but as he diverted his attention a little-
Swoosh.
An azure blue hair wave in the mellow sun enter his frame of view.
He looks at the stranger.
'… He.'
Friendly and elusive.
Enigma, however, doesn't feel unfamiliar to him.
Khair Naqiyyah, however, does not befitting and acts upon it.
Pure amber eyes— comparable to peaches and pearls stared back at him. The stranger eyes were spiral akin to webbing black feathers, forming a mysteriously orderly circle around the diamond-dark pupil.
Cold yet, peaceful.
"... I don't remember instructing this kind of training?"
< "Sorry. Looks like my time is up. I will have to entrust everything from now on to you, Sharim." >
< "I will put my hope on you, Sharim." >
< "I trust you." >
< "If Temenos fall, we can rebuild it again, but the dead will never come back... I'm grateful you're safe and sound." >
"... Teacher... You're... fine?"
".... Now I'm starting to worry... Did you bump your head anywhere before coming here?"
There is a clear expression of, 'What was this kid is rambling about?' stood out while he stared at Sharim in wonder.
However, Sharim couldn't help but feeling interesting at such a ridiculous sight.
The blue coat draped from both the stranger shoulders and falls to the floor.
Sharim heaves a sigh of relief while glancing at the [Status Window] shimmering from above the stranger head.
+
Name: Izaeris Faaz
Titles:
*Khair Naqiyyah
*Khairan Incarnation
*The Definition of Khairan
*Baluarti Akhirulkalam [too much information]
(T/N: Yes. All his titles are in Arabic because the author loves Arabic.)
Occupation: Hunter
Apotalesma: -
Stigmas: [Versatile] [Waad] [Destruct] [Waad Termansuh] [Inventory]... ?? [too much information]
(T/N: 'Termansuh' actually means nullify in English but I would like to keep this Malayan version because it sounds cool.)
Surmise: If you already saw this kind of status- Why wait? JUST RUN! ͟͟͞͞(꒪ᗜ꒪ ‧̣̥̇)
+
This is not a dream.
Izaeris Faaz is alive and breathing and he could see him again.
"... Alhamdulillah."
He couldn't help but once again be grateful to God Almighty, the owner of the universe- waking him up from those terrible nightmares.
'Wait... Nightmares...?'
< "Save Izaeris Faaz." >
Sharim's eyes suddenly stretch open.
"Cough."
"Huh? Sharim?"
Sharim feels choked. He clutched his head, not caring a red fluid started to flow between his fingers to his palm, staining the nails.
Dap.
Sharim's heart is beating wild and his ears fall to deaf agony. Sinking all the voices and sounds.
The world starts to change color.
A foreign memory, yet, not so unfamiliar pierced and flooded through Sharim's mind all at once— like he was suddenly splashed by a bucket of cold water.
He gasped for air.
ÿÿÿÿ: sÿÿÿÿÿ ÿÿsÿÿÿ ÿÿÿÿÿÿ: ÿÿÿÿ
A deafening sound and-
ÿÿÿÿ ÿÿÿ ÿ'ÿ'ÿ
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿsÿÿ: ÿÿÿÿÿ
— a status window.
sÿÿÿÿÿ: [ÿÿÿÿÿÿ ÿÿÿÿÿs] [sÿÿÿÿs ÿÿÿÿÿÿ] [ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ].... ÿÿÿÿ •ÿ•
+
Name: Sharim Ihsraq
Titles: -
Occupation: Hunter
Apotalesma: Calen [Inactive]
Stigmas: [Taurus' Wrath] [Status Window] [Regress]...
+
[Regress]
A strange stigma— previously blank from Sharim's data— stretched across his [Status Window].
'Huh?'
< "This is a bet, no, this is my trust to the lord of the world- 'Kun Fayakun' as The Almighty God's will." >
< "I believe in God, you and I worship. May The Almighty answer your dua." >
< "This Dimensions and world timeline couldn't be saved anymore and already lost all meanings but..." >
< "But, not in another world." >
"Gah!"
"Sharim!"
Someone is shaking him but Sharim slowly loses his vision- all he can hear is multiple mishap voices shouting his name- stiffly.
"— happened?!—"
"Hurry up— He—"
"— Lot— Blood—"
He... He...
He went back in time!
Allahu Akbar!
"[Waad]"
A moment later something cold, flicked his forehead with tenderness.
The bubbling burning hot sensation in his stomach a second ago suddenly subsided. He no longer feels overwhelmed with intense heat.
'Huh?'
Oh no.
The sudden drowsiness almost once again drowned Sharim into darkness.
No.
He must restrain himself. He can't sleep yet— not until— until—
"Rest."
Someone commanded him and Sharim was suddenly struck with a honeyed sensation- killing his desire to wake instantly.
So peaceful...
So beautiful...
Maybe... The owner of the voice is telling the truth... He really... needs... wants... to... rest...
So this time...
... Just for this time.
Sharim allowed himself to descend into the darkness- no longer traumatized by pitch-black surroundings.