Grey found himself plummeting into the abyss. It was a place devoid of light, sound, or any sense of direction—just an endless, consuming void. There was no wind rushing past, no ground to orient himself, only the sensation of falling. In this absolute darkness, Grey couldn't feel anything, and the only certainty was the sensation of descent.
Surprisingly, he wasn't angry or shocked. Confusion was the dominant feeling.
First, there was no reason to be angry with her. He had never trusted her from the beginning. Second, if she truly intended to kill him, why go through such an elaborate ruse? And third, even if her goal was to throw him into this abyss, she could have done so without all the theatrics. With her strength, she could have lifted him up like a stray kitten and tossed him in without breaking a sweat. So why the charade? Why put in so much effort just to make him trust her?
There was only one possible explanation that made sense.
"She's a psychopath,"
Grey muttered, his voice echoing faintly in the void. The kind that enjoys toying with people's lives for fun.
He let out a long, resigned sigh, still falling. Grey knew better than to stare too long into the darkness. He'd read countless books that warned about what happened if you gazed into the abyss for too long—something about it starting to stare back. And frankly, he didn't want to add 'gaining the abyss's attention' to his growing list of problems. So, he closed his eyes, deciding to ignore the unnerving sensation of falling. Of course, this wasn't because he was scared.
Ahem!
Coughing into his hand, Grey spread his arms wide as if embracing the nonexistent wind. He imagined it whipping around him, even though there was nothing but the eerie silence. Falling felt oddly freeing, almost peaceful in a way. Not that he was afraid of death or anything like that—he'd already experienced it once, after all. He'd achieved everything he wanted in his previous life, and in this one, all he wanted was a peaceful, happy existence. That was why he aimed to go to the academy, to live without the constant need for vigilance.
WHOOSH!
His thoughts were abruptly interrupted as his descent came to an unexpected halt, his fall turning into a sudden drop.
THUD!
His butt hit the ground, but instead of the expected pain, he landed on something soft, almost cushion-like.
"Did I...reach the bottom?"
he muttered, looking around, but the darkness remained impenetrable. He blinked a few times, but there was still nothing to see.
A cold chill ran down his spine, a primal sense of danger. It felt as if something—or someone—was right behind him, and he could feel the bloodlust washing over him. How had he not noticed before?
Tap, tap.
A light tap on his shoulder made his heart leap into his throat. "GYAAAHHH!" he screamed, jumping up with a start. His sword flashed out of its sheath with a metallic SCHWING!,
slashing through the air toward whatever was behind him. But instead of the resistance of flesh or bone, his blade was caught—mid-swing.
"GAH!"
Grey gasped, his eyes wide with fear. If he hadn't been scared before, he certainly was now.
A faint light flickered in front of him.
CLICK! FZZZ!
The flame from a lighter illuminated a familiar face, casting eerie shadows that made his heart skip a beat. Red hair framed her face as she smirked at him. In one hand, she held the tiny flame aloft, while the other gripped his sword effortlessly. Her mouth twitched before she burst into laughter.
PFFFT! HAHAHAHAHAHA!
"Look at you! Acting all tough before, and now—hahahaha—now it looks like you pissed your pants!" she cackled, her laughter echoing in the void like a haunting melody.
"..."
Grey stared at her, utterly speechless. His eyebrow twitched involuntarily.
She tried to stifle her giggles with a hand over her mouth, but it was futile. She broke into laughter again, doubling over.
"I can't—pfft—stop it! That was so fun! Hahaha!"
His eyes narrowed, a cold fury building within him as he glared at her. In that moment, Grey made a solemn vow.
'That bitch. No matter what it takes, I'm going to kill that bitch.'
But for now, all he could do was stand there, his sword held uselessly in her grip, while she continued to laugh at his expense.