When Dion woke up, his body began trembling heavily. He had been putting up a tough front on the other side, but killing a person and sacrificing a group of people still messed up his head. Guilt filled his heart, threatening to eat him up. Especially the man with kids and a wife.
Dion couldn't forget the joy written on his face when he told him he was going to free him. The man even muttered, 'Honey, I'm coming.'
He just made a family fatherless.
He just had to numb himself with 'maybe he luckily escaped. Not all the people will die if the guards don't get them. It was the only choice. They would have still died regardless.'
Dion finally calmed down after his arms trembled intensely for two minutes. Now he was stable, he thought of the things that had happened.
The side of his lips slowly pulled upward in a smile as he couldn't hide his happiness — he finally escaped. However, something is bothering him.
But a sharp knock on his door made him flinch.
'Who the hell is knocking on my door like that?' Dion thought and got off the bed. He reached the door and unlocked it.
It was Ivy, dressed in her black black suit, looking ready for work.
"Good morning. What do you want?" Dion asked with a straight face.
He needs to think about what's bothering him.
"I'm ready for lectures," Ivy replied.
"And what does that have to do with me?" Dion arched an eyebrow.
"Because you're supposed to attend my class and here you are, just waking up from sleep like a non-academic student," Ivy snarled at him.
"Shit! Classes!" Dion jumped, finally remembering that he also had a life in this world.
'...and Ella,' he added in his thought.
"See you in school," Ivy said, a smile playing on her lips. But her warning followed, stern and somewhat playful, "You better come or you and I will have serious issues, okay?"
Dion couldn't help but shake his head as Ivy's departing figure disappeared. Her clicking heels echoed through the hallway, fading away with each step. He couldn't deny the lingering fragrance of her perfume that still saturated the air.
Sometimes he wonders who is the senior and who's the junior between them.
***
Despite the rushed hour and his frantic journey to catch the train, Dion managed to compose himself as he walked towards the door of his classroom. He was dressed in a quickly chosen outfit that reflected his style.
A denim jacket with a white hood graced his shoulders, worn over a crisp white shirt. He completed the ensemble with a pair of black pants and his white sneakers.
Although he wasn't rich, he always packaged himself so as not to look impoverished.
Luckily, it was Ivy who was teaching.
Dion knocked and asked politely, "Good morning, Professor Ivy. Sorry that I'm late. Can I come in?"
Ivy gave him an icy stare.
"Scramble in here!" She roared.
Dion played along and ran in fearfully. That's how it always happens when he's late for her class — she yells and he reacts fearfully.
When he entered, his eyes quickly roamed around and then he spotted a girl with pink hair smiling lively and talking.
"I hate talking to chatterboxes," Dion muttered.
Dion went to his usual position at the back and the lecture continued. But he was intermittently listening because of his split attention. Something kept tugging his mind. His paranoia was kicking in.
'What if I die at that side? I'm pretty much defenseless. What if Karen abandons my body in the forest and I get eaten by a beast? What if she sleeps off?'
Too many 'what ifs' sprang up in his head which distracted him from the lecture.
'Also, who hunts us on Earth? The government? She said supernatural, so are they vampire or werewolf hunters?'
Time kept ticking and soon the lecture was over. Ivy left after throwing Dion a glance but he was lost in his thoughts to notice.
Dion instantly stood up and walked towards Ella. Ella Cooper is one of the most lively girls in his class. She participates in almost every extracurricular activity and she's the best friend of Karen. Even he wouldn't believe she traveled to the other side.
'Can she deal with the torture I went through? What about killing a beast? Also, the sight of humans dying, which is normal in Aeon. Can she handle them? I guess looks are deceiving.'
But Dion thought of it — if he had information about Aeon, then that tragedy wouldn't have befallen him. He would have trod with caution.
'Wait! Karen had information and was still captured. Well, luck is also needed.'
Soon, he reached Ella's seat and his shadow stretched over.
"Demon!" She flinched in fear before turning and giving Dion a bright and playful smile.
'Another brain-dead individual who thinks everybody jokes unnecessarily,' he thought without smiling because she just attracted all the class's attention to them.
Dion always hated being the center of attention. He couldn't wait to leave.
So he squatted to her level — since she was sitting — to whisper.
Ella blushed hard.
Dion ignored her odd behavior and whispered, "Karen said you should tell me about the other side."
Although Dion didn't see her face, he felt her demeanor change. He retracted his head.
Ella squinted at Dion before standing up.
"Follow me," she walked out of the class.
Dion followed her obediently.
The class kept following their movement with their eyes.
'Popular girls' attention is a pain in the ass!' Dion thought as he couldn't wait to disappear.
She led him to her car in the parking lot.
Dion recognized the logo to be Audi, and it must be an expensive model.
'Rich,' he thought.
"Get in," Ella said sternly.
Dion didn't ask. He knows when to be silent and when to talk; he needs something, so he has to follow the other person's terms and conditions.
When the car drove out of the parking lot, Ivy stared at the car from the office with an unreadable expression. Her lips twisted.
"This boy…" she muttered.
***
Dion watched as Ella skillfully drove. The car was eerily quiet but Dion loved the silence. At least he wouldn't have to deal with her chatterbox mouth.
Being a naturally observant person and very perceptive to his surroundings, he began noticing fewer houses as she continued driving.
He turned and gave her a look.
"So. You are a Hexz?" Ella asked with her eyes focused on the road.
"Hexz again?" Dion arched an eyebrow in confusion.
"That's what they call us in both worlds — Hexz. According to them, Hexz are variables that disturb the normal functioning of the realms. This might lead to a dawn of apocalypse, so Hexzis are hunted. But we are Realm Wanderers," Ella explained.
"Who are 'them'? And you made mention of realms instead of planets. What is the difference between a realm and a planet?" Dion quickly picked up the unsaid details.
"Realms are places where living and mortal populace can survive. I only know of the Aeon realm and the Earth realm. But from the ancient records, there is more than one realm. All the realms hunt all Hexz. As for who 'them' are?" Ella focused on the road while speaking nonchalantly.
"Earth was a supernatural realm like Aeon, but the End War destroyed the magical energy. Just like how Aeon's mana is corrupted and contaminated, which makes a bloodline required to perform magic, Earthlings bypasses the restriction of no magical energy with its unique method. They are the 'them' I was talking about — Hexz hunters... and you are about to meet one." Ella threw Dion a sidelong glance.
"Why would I meet them if they hunt us?" Dion asked sharply.
Ella just gave him a sweet smile but Dion felt a chill slither down his spine. All the hair on his nape stood erect.
Dion looked around and discovered they had gone far from the residential area. He was too engrossed in the conversation.
'Loose guard! Loose guard!'
With a surge of panic, Dion reached for the car handle, desperately trying to escape the perilous situation. But his efforts were in vain; the door was locked, trapping him inside.
Fear coursed through his veins as he realized the severity of the predicament he had unwittingly fallen into.
As if the situation couldn't get any worse, Dion suddenly felt a cold object pressed against his neck, followed by a searing heat. He attempted to turn, to catch a glimpse of his captor, but a chilling voice pierced the air, commanding him to stay still.
"Don't move," the voice said, devoid of any emotion or empathy. "I don't know if my hands will remain steady and not cut your throat."
Dion's eyes darted to the rearview mirror, his gaze meeting the chilling reflection of a person wearing a black mask. It was a girl, that much he could discern from her body shape.
Dion was shocked he didn't see her when he first entered. She held a knife pressed against his neck.
'Damn you, Karen!'
'This is why I don't trust anybody.'
'Is this how I will meet my end after escaping those shackles?'