The city felt heavy, wrapped in a thick blanket of oppressive clouds that seemed to swallow any hint of sunlight. Orion took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the air pressing down as he crossed another street packed with hurried strangers, his own steps lost in the ceaseless rhythm of the city.
Despite his years here, he'd never fully adapted to its relentless pace.
He preferred quiet corners, empty spaces.
But he needed the city, needed its pulse, its anonymity. Besides, his cooking skills barely extended beyond instant noodles. Living alone meant takeout had become a necessity, and that kept him tethered to this loud, bustling place. A solitary figure forced to blend in with crowds just to make it through the day.
As he approached the main gate of Atlas University, he spotted the small snack vendor he always passed by. He grabbed something wrapped in greasy paper, chewing slowly as he looked around, watching the other students trickling through campus. Some wore sleek designer clothes that stood out sharply against his own worn jacket and jeans. Luxurious clothing, confidence that was almost rehearsed—it was like they lived in a different world entirely.
Orion pulled his hood up, instinctively slouching, aiming to disappear among the well-dressed crowd. He was the kind of person others looked past, and he liked it that way. Few dared approach him. He'd honed his "keep your distance" aura, a quiet shield that suited him fine.
Or so he told himself.
"Hey, man, late as always, huh?"
A familiar voice jolted him from his thoughts, and an arm draped over his shoulder, warm and casual. He didn't have to turn to know who it was. Kai, the transfer student who'd somehow wormed his way into Orion's solitary orbit over the past month, grinned up at him, clearly unconcerned by Orion's usual reluctance for company.
"I was here early," Orion replied flatly, taking a half-step to shake off Kai's arm. "You're late. As always."
Kai only laughed, his carefree voice cutting through the dreary morning.
"Ah, details," he said, easily brushing it off. With an almost practiced move, he snagged a piece of Orion's snack without asking. "Besides, it's nice to have someone to walk with. Beats being alone, right?"
Orion gave him a sideways glance. "For someone who's been here a month, you're still late pretty much every day."
Kai shrugged, grinning. "Why rush? Not like life's going anywhere fast."
Orion sighed, though he couldn't fully hide his amusement. Somehow, despite himself, he'd found himself caught up in the responsibility of keeping Kai on track, a task he hadn't exactly volunteered for. The university had "conveniently" matched him with Kai during the new student orientation, and Kai's persistence had done the rest. He'd stuck around, ignoring all of Orion's nonverbal cues to stay away.
He watched as Kai chattered on, plucking another piece from his snack like they'd been friends for years instead of recent acquaintances. Kai wasn't oblivious to social cues, exactly. He just chose to ignore them.
"So," Kai said, mid-chew, "hear anything about that urban legend? The one floating around about the 'Faceless Death God'?"
Orion froze, the words hitting him like a shock of cold water.
"What did you just say?"
Kai blinked at him, a little taken aback by the sudden sharpness in Orion's tone.
"The Faceless Death God," he repeated, leaning in conspiratorially. "You know, this shady thing people are talking about online. Apparently, it's this big game on the dark web where people with massive debts compete for some huge cash prize."
Orion's stomach twisted. Just an hour earlier, he'd received the email from The Faceless One, inviting him to join a mysterious "game."
He tightened his grip on the wrapper, feeling his pulse quicken.
"Where did you see this?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.
Kai raised an eyebrow, clearly noticing the tension. "I think it was on some conspiracy forum. You know, one of those where people talk about secret societies and, like, underground government experiments." He shrugged, not catching the intensity in Orion's gaze. "Didn't think you'd be interested in that kind of stuff."
Orion's thoughts raced, the world around him blurring into static. If there was chatter online about this so-called game, it meant people were already whispering about something he'd only just been invited into. Which could only mean one of two things: either Kai had stumbled onto something huge—or he was connected to The Faceless One in some way Orion couldn't yet understand.
"Why are you asking?" Orion pressed, keeping his voice low.
Kai looked at him curiously. "I don't know. It's just one of those things that people pass around for kicks. Urban legend or not, it's a little spooky, don't you think?" He grinned. "Besides, it's just the right amount of weird for me to actually remember it."
Orion nodded absently, his mind spinning with questions. Could this game really be out there, known enough to be shared casually on forums? And if so, what did that mean about the invitation he'd received? Was it some kind of twisted joke, or was The Faceless One watching him already?
A thought crossed his mind, one that chilled him despite the warmth of Kai's easy grin.
What if this wasn't coincidence?
What if his association with Kai, someone so newly embedded in his life, was deliberate?
"Orion? You alright?" Kai's voice broke through his thoughts.
Orion blinked, realizing he'd been staring, his mind trapped in a tangle of thoughts. "Yeah," he replied, voice hollow. "I'm fine."
Kai gave him a strange look but shrugged it off, and they continued their walk to class in silence, the chatter of other students filling the air around them.
As they reached the lecture hall, Kai turned back to him, looking almost playful.
"Hey, don't go all grim just 'cause I mentioned a creepy urban legend," he teased. "Not everyone believes in that kind of thing."
Orion forced a smirk, though his thoughts were miles away. "Who said I believe in it?"
Kai laughed, punching his arm lightly. "Then forget about it! We've got enough boring stuff to think about with this lecture anyway."
They settled into their seats as the professor's voice droned on, the lecture beginning in a blur of slides and equations. But Orion's mind stayed locked on Kai's words, replaying them over and over.
The Faceless Death God.
Kai had mentioned it like it was just a story, a vague rumor on some obscure forum, but for Orion, it felt like something else entirely—a name he wasn't meant to hear, a game he wasn't meant to join.
He watched Kai, who seemed completely at ease, scribbling something down on his notebook, the edges of his smile soft.
And then, as if sensing Orion's gaze, Kai looked over, a question flickering in his eyes.
For a moment, Orion wondered if Kai knew more than he was letting on. But just as quickly, the thought dissolved. This was Kai—easygoing, oblivious, a recent transfer with zero ties to Orion's world of shadows and secrets.
Or at least, that's what he'd always thought.
Orion's eyes drifted back to the window, the sky outside thick with clouds, shrouding the city in a strange, unnatural darkness.
A darkness that felt almost alive.
And as the professor's voice faded into a low hum, Orion found himself wondering how much of it was real and how much was only the beginning.