Kai Nakamura jolted awake, gasping for breath as he felt his heart racing in his chest. His body was covered in a thin layer of sweat, his clothes clinging to his skin. He blinked rapidly, trying to shake off the remnants of the dream that clung to his consciousness like cobwebs. The room was dimly lit by the soft light of dawn filtering through a cracked window, the shadows still thick in the corners.
He sat up, his head spinning slightly, and tried to steady his breath. The memory of Seraphina's face—her eyes filled with urgency and fear—still lingered in his mind. For a moment, he could almost feel her hand gripping his, pulling him forward through the darkness. But it had only been a dream… or was it something more? A warning? A message from beyond?
Kai ran a hand through his damp hair, exhaling slowly. "Just a dream," he muttered to himself, though doubt gnawed at the edges of his thoughts. He glanced around the small, shabby room, his eyes finally settling on a piece of paper resting on a wooden chair beside his bed. It hadn't been there when he fell asleep.
A letter.
His eyes narrowed, and a sense of unease crept over him. He reached out with his left hand—the only arm that still felt functional—grabbing the letter with a mixture of caution and curiosity. The paper was crumpled, as if hastily handled, and the handwriting was sloppy, almost childlike in its messiness. He slowly unfolded it, revealing a few hastily scribbled lines.
"Dear Kai,
So… funny story. You might be looking for your dear Seraphina, right? Well, let's just say she won't be around for much longer. Oops! My bad. She got caught up in my new experiment—let's call it 'Void Nexus Surprise'. It was supposed to be a harmless little test, but well… you know how these things go. Boom! And no more Seraphina. Sorry about that!
P.S. If you're planning to come after me, I hope you're ready for another surprise. 😉
With love,
Joseph.
Kai stared at the letter, his expression hardening with each passing second. His hands trembled, not from fear, but from the growing anger surging through his veins. Joseph. That name, that careless, mocking tone. His mind replayed the last moments he had seen Seraphina, the urgency in her eyes, the sound of her voice. Was she really gone?
"No… that can't be true," Kai whispered, his voice barely audible in the quiet room. "Joseph wouldn't… he wouldn't kill her. Not like that. Not for a joke."
But the letter in his hand was real, tangible. He could feel the weight of it, the slight trembling of his fingers against the rough paper. His breath quickened, the reality of Joseph's words settling in like a cold weight in his stomach. What kind of person would write something like this if it wasn't true?
He threw the letter down, a surge of anger flaring up. "Joseph, you idiot," he muttered, a growl slipping into his voice. "You think this is some kind of game? You think you can just… play with lives like this?"
Kai stood up abruptly, ignoring the pain that shot through his arm and shoulder. He needed answers. He needed to know if this was another one of Joseph's twisted pranks or if it was something much darker. Seraphina had always been a fighter, but if Joseph had truly sent her to that void…
He paced the room, his mind racing. "What does he want?" Kai muttered under his breath. "Is this some kind of sick challenge? A test?"
A small, almost imperceptible chuckle broke the silence, echoing from the far corner of the room. Kai froze, his senses sharpening. He turned his head slowly, searching the shadows for any sign of movement.
"Come on, Kai, you know Joseph better than that," a voice spoke, laced with a teasing mockery. "He's not the kind to write letters without some kind of… dramatic flair."
Kai's eyes narrowed as he stepped closer to the shadows. "Show yourself," he demanded, his voice low but steady.
The figure in the shadows shifted slightly, stepping forward just enough for the light to catch their features. A man, tall and thin, with wild, curly hair and a grin that spread from ear to ear. His eyes sparkled with mischief, and he gave a small, mocking bow.
"Did you miss me?" Joseph asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "I came all the way here just to deliver that letter. Personally."
Kai's jaw clenched. "You think this is funny?" he snapped. "You think killing Seraphina is some kind of joke?"
Joseph's grin widened, his eyes twinkling. "Well, you always said she was too serious, didn't you? Thought maybe I'd help lighten her up a bit. But… guess I overdid it."
Kai felt his blood boil, his fists clenching at his sides. "If you hurt her, Joseph, I swear—"
Joseph raised his hands defensively, though the grin never left his face. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, easy there, big guy. No need to get all dramatic. She's in a better place now… or maybe just a different place. Who knows? The Void's a bit unpredictable that way."
Kai took a step closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Why, Joseph? Why did you do it?"
Joseph's grin faltered just a fraction, a shadow passing over his face. "Why?" he echoed. "Because, Kai, everything's changing. You're changing. I needed to see what would push you. To see if you still had that fire in you."
"You're insane," Kai hissed, his heart pounding with fury and disbelief. "You took an innocent life just to test me?"
Joseph shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. You always look at things so black and white. Sometimes you need a little chaos to see the bigger picture."
Kai's breath came fast, his vision blurring with rage. "I'm done with your games, Joseph," he said through gritted teeth. "This ends now."
Joseph's grin returned, wider than ever. "Oh, I'm counting on it, Kai. I'm counting on it."
And with that, he took a step back, fading into the shadows, his laughter echoing in the room long after he had vanished.
Kai stood there, his chest heaving, the letter still clutched tightly in his hand. He knew he couldn't trust a word Joseph said, but he also knew he couldn't ignore it. If there was even the slightest chance that Seraphina was gone…
He felt a storm brewing within him, his powers flickering at the edges, just out of reach.
"Joseph," he muttered, his voice low and filled with resolve. "You've crossed a line… and now, I'm coming for you."