Chapter 14
Islyl sits in class, trying to pay attention to the lesson. He fidgets in his seat, his mind wandering. He can't shake the feeling that something is wrong, that something has happened to Max. He glances at the empty seat next to him, feeling a pang of guilt for what he's done.
A week has passed since Max disappeared. Islyl has been on edge the whole time, his guilt eating him up inside. He can't shake the feeling that he's terrible, that he's responsible for Max's disappearance.
Islyl sighs, running a hand through his hair. He looks around the classroom, noticing the other students chatting and laughing. He feels out of place, like he doesn't belong here. Islyl peeks over at Liam, sneakily taking in his depressed appearance.
Liam is sitting at his desk, staring blankly at the teacher. He's been avoiding Islyl and the others, not wanting to talk about what happened. His anger is boiling, and he just can't seem to like Islyl. At first he just wanted to be friends, but…"
Liam's anger towards Islyl intensifies with each passing minute. He sees Islyl as a manipulative, selfish person who would do anything to get what he wants. The thought of Islyl's smile and charm makes him sick to his stomach.
Liam's mind is filled with images of Islyl's smug face, his manipulative words echoing in his head. He clenches his fists, his knuckles turning white. He can feel his anger bubbling up inside him, threatening to explode.
Liam grits his teeth, his body tense with effort. He used all of his energy on keeping his anger contained, but it's like trying to hold back a raging river with his bare hands. He can feel the pressure building up inside him.
Liam tries to completely suppress his energy, but it's not easy. It takes all of his concentration to keep it under control, and he can feel a headache starting to form.
The teacher notices Liam's tense energy and calls his name, but Liam is too lost in his thoughts to respond, his mind still consumed by his anger towards Islyl.
The teacher watches Liam struggle to control his energy, a concerned look on his face. He's seen students with uncontrolled powers before, and he knows how dangerous it can be.
"Liam, you need to calm down. You're going to hurt yourself if you keep this up."
Liam's body trembles as he tries to hold on, but it's no use. His energy bursts out of him in a wave of raw power, knocking over desks and sending students scattering for cover.
The teacher stares at Liam in shock, his eyes widening as he realizes that Liam just advanced, his own power whipping through the room
The students start to murmur amongst themselves, some of them looking at Liam with a mix of fear and others are annoyed. How could a worthless person like Liam advance before then?
The bell rings, signaling the end of class. The students rush out of the room, still talking about Liam's advancement. The teacher approaches Liam, knocking him out before he can cause any more trouble.
The bell rings, signaling the end of class. The students rush out of the room, still talking about Liam's advancement. The teacher approaches Liam, knocking him out before he causes more trouble.
—-
Liam wakes up in the nurse's office, his head throbbing. He looks around, confused and disoriented. His aunt is standing over him, a worried look on her face.
"That's another thing, Liam. You can't get along with everyone- it's impossible. It's okay to have friends, and it's okay to have acquaintances. Don't focus on trying to please everyone and be liked by everyone."
Liam looks down, feeling a bit guilty. He knows that he's been trying too hard to please everyone and get along with people who don't want to get along with him.
"I guess I just want to be accepted, you know? I don't want to be the weird kid who no one likes."
"And everybody already hates me and I don't know why…" Liam says
Aunt Sarah frowns, her heart going out to Liam.
"Oh, Liam. I'm sorry you feel that way. It's not fair that people are treating you like that. But you have to remember that you're a good person, and that's what matters most. Don't let other people's opinions define you."
His aunt smiles at him, a hint of mischief in her eyes.
"Well, sometimes you have to fight fire with fire, Liam. If they're going to treat you badly, you should show them that you're not someone to be messed with."
Liam looks up at his aunt, a small smile on his face.
"You want me to beat them up?"
Aunt Sarah squeezes his hand, her expression softening.
"I understand, Liam. But sometimes people won't stop until you stand up for yourself. You need to find a balance between standing up for yourself and standing for what you believe in."
Liam nods again, taking in his aunt's words. He knows that she's right, but it's still hard for him to reconcile his desire to be a good person with the need to defend himself.
"I'll try, Aunt Sarah. I'll try to find that balance."
—-
It's a dark and stormy night, as a young child, huddled in a corner of a dimly lit room. He can hear the sound of breaking glass and an angry voice yelling his name.
I sit in the corner of the room, my small body shaking with fear. Yulli is mad at me again. I can hear the sound of breaking glass and Yulli's screams. I cover my ears with my hands, trying to block out the noise.
The room is dark and cold, and I feel so alone. I didn't pass training today, and because I'm human, the shadows taunted me.
I can't breathe, I'm scared. The door opens, and Yulli walks in.
"Did I make a mistake saving you?" He says. "As a human, do you have any shame in being weaker than every shadow creature here?"
"What use will you be to me?"
I can feel tears welling up in my eyes. I don't know what to say. I'm not weak, but I'm not strong enough to please Yulli. I feel so worthless.
"I'm sorry, Yulli," I whisper, my voice shaking. "I'll try harder."
Yulli sneers at me, his eyes cold and unforgiving.
"You're sorry? Sorry isn't good enough. You need to be punished for your failure."
He grabs my arm and drags me out of the room. I try to struggle, but his grip is too strong.
We enter a dark, dank cellar. Yulli throws me to the ground, and I land with a thud.
"You'll stay here until you learn your lesson," he says coldly. "And maybe then you'll finally become useful."
I look around the cellar, my heart racing. It's dark and musty, and I can hear the sound of rats scurrying around in the shadows. I feel a shiver run down my spine as I realize that I'm completely alone.
I curl up into a ball, trying to make myself as small as possible. I'm scared and lonely, and I just want to go home.
I don't know how long I've been in this dark space. It feels like an eternity. I can hear the sound of the wind howling outside, and I can feel the cold seeping into my bones. I try to distract myself, but all I can think about is Yulli's cruel words and the feeling of being trapped in this dark, lonely place.
Suddenly, I hear footsteps coming down the stairs. I sit up, my heart pounding in my chest. Is it Yulli? Or someone else?
***
Islyl gasps, sitting up in bed. His heart is racing, and he's covered in sweat. It takes him a moment to realize that he was just having a nightmare.
He looks around the room, trying to shake off the feeling of fear and loneliness that lingered from his dream.
Islyl takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He knows that it was just a dream, but the memories of his time with Yulli still haunt him. He gets out of bed and walks over to the window, looking out at the dark night sky.
As he stands there, lost in thought, he hears a noise outside. He turns towards the window, trying to see what's happening. At first, he thinks it's just the wind, but then he sees a figure moving in the night.
Islyl's heart starts to race again. He doesn't know who the figure is, but he has a feeling that he should. He moves closer to the window, trying to get a better look.
As he looks out the window, he sees the figure getting closer. It's a man, dressed in black clothes. He's moving quickly and quietly, like a predator stalking its prey. Islyl feels a shiver run down his spine.
He has sharp features and piercing grey eyes that seem to stare into your soul. His black hair is slicked back, and he has a burn running down the side of his neck, He's dressed in black leather, moving with a deadly grace that makes him seem even more dangerous.
He grins, his eyes shining.. He taps on the window once more, a silent message.
"Let me in," he mouths.
"Yulli," he whispers
Yulli raises an eyebrow, amused by Islyl's fear. He taps on the window again, more insistently this time.
"Open the window," he mouths again, his voice barely audible.
Islyl hesitates, torn between fear and curiosity. He knows that letting Yulli in is a bad idea, but he can't go out of character and the original would have let him in.
Yulli, on the other hand, seems to sense his hesitation and decides to take matters into his own hands. He pulls out a small knife and taps it against the window, the sharp blade glinting in the moonlight.
Islyl's heart races even faster. He knows that Yulli is serious now, and he doesn't want to find out what he's capable of. He takes a deep breath and slowly opens the window.