''AAAAAAAAAAA!!!!''.
Max woke up in the real world, screaming deeply. His hands frantically swept across his body, he thoroughly examined his eyes, ears, head, and every single part of his body. He checked multiple times to the point of almost harming himself.
His body shivered at just the slight thought of the indescribable agony of experiencing what he considered death. The feeling was deeply entrenched in his brain; he could still feel every moment of it.
After a while of incisive checking, finding no missing body parts, he clenched his heart and took many calming breaths.
He thought of many moments in his life, like his mom playing with him, his happiest and funniest moments, his sad and embarrassed moments, the time he was silly and overly stupid, and his favorite meal to feel human again, to feel what the normal was like before the chaos and to push the thought of agonizing pain deep into his psyche.
After doing it a few times, it worked like wonders, the shivers were gone and the mental pain lingered no more, he let out a sigh of relief with a look of comfort before grabbing a chair and taking a seat for his weakened body.
'' Just some few words from a divinity caused all the pain I would ever experience in my entire life to be experienced in a single moment.... What a pain in the ass'' his mouth shut as he let out a sigh of discomfort.
The Feeling of hopelessness was about to wash over his soul and mind when there was a sudden scream, it came from Alice
Confusion, paranoia, terra, fear, and agony of pain were deeply etched onto her face. She staggered onto the floor with pools of tears rolling down her horrified face. Her hands moved without reason in an aloof manner to her scalp, she grabbed her hair about to pull it in a crazed fit.
Max quickly rushed to her, he knew perfectly well what she was going through, there was no doubt in his mind about it. He grabbed her hands preventing her from pulling her hair out like a madman.
''Alice!!, breathe'' he said in a comforting tone, she was still unresponsive, absorbed in her world of madness and disorder.
"Alice!!, breathe," he said again this time in a commanding tone. Her eyes which were almost at the back of her skull, shot out to focus on Max.
'' breathe…. just breathe''. She began cooperating, coming back to her senses and regaining her luster in a few minutes.
Max helped her gain a seat as he sat next to her, she kept focusing on her breathing, composing herself little by little.
Max watched on, making sure she was ok.
'' that… was so horrifying '' She had regained her cognitive function quicker than Max expected, she also seemed unconcerned, smiling as if nothing had happened.
Max curiously looked at her smile, about to ask a question relating to it when he noticed something that had evaded his gaze due to the issue from before.
"Your hair and eyes... the colors look different than before."
Her radiant amber eyes were frost blue, and her slick blond hair was now a light blue-gold mixture.
She found Max's description to be unbelievable until she pulled her hair close to her eyes; indeed, they were as described.
'' Blue…. blue, my hair is blue now'' Alice with a puzzled look complained as she stared at her hair. She looked up to complain more about her dislike of blue hair when she noticed Max had also received the same treatment as hers.
His greyish-green eyes were now a soulless white color and his thick black hair was now a crimson red with some white strands. Since Max couldn't see his hair or eyes he just went along with Alice's description. Max secretly liked that he had red hair and white eyes, he thought it made him look cool and subconsciously let out a smirk.
Alice smirked noticing Max looking happy, she was about to comment on his happy-looking face when James woke in a scream, reacting the same way as Max and Alice did as they woke up, crazed and manic.
But they also got to see an interesting transformation right before their eyes, James' light brown hair quickly changed into a fiery orange color, and from the base to the end of his hair was completely orange. His deep brown eyes were now a golden yellow which shined like the bright sun.
After witnessing his changes, the two got up to help him calm down from his crazed mental state with great success.
The three now sat in silence, waiting for some sort of new message from the hovering display screen while eyeing their new looks. After some minutes with no message on the screen, they began chatting amongst themselves.
''All it said was ''I choose you'' and we felt that…. That pain'' James had his hand over his face, thinking of the pain he felt was still weighing over his mind. ''it's like those manga's I read, where the main character meets a god and bleeds out but worse'' James added with a sigh.
Max and Alice silently nodded in agreement. The three exchanged a glance of curiosity, they all wanted to know what the other saw when meeting their so-called divinity.
'' I woke in a room of nothingness, there was absolutely nothing there, not even sound or light. I couldn't see or hear… until a giant red eye appeared before me, illuminating the black room and giving it sound''.
James ended with terra in his eyes. '' who wants to go next'' he yelled with enthusiasm as if he wasn't moopy just a moment ago.
"I also woke up in a dark room with the only sources of light being 14 knights with shining and long swords. A throne was hung in the air, with a knight in black armor holding a diamond-plated book seated on it."
After Max gave his account, the three let out a heavy sigh in contempt.
'' so now what'' James asked, causing the three to let out another heavy sigh.
''Ting!!, ting!!''
< Reward for meeting a divinity: DIVINITIES BLESSING>
''Ting!!, Ting!!''
''A status screen''
James, Max, and Alice had their gaze transfixed on a mini screen in front of them, they each had their own, which the other couldn't see, it followed their every move and gave off a blue hue.
Currently, there was nothing on it, it was just a floating invisible screen.
''Ting!!, Ting!!''
As soon as the message was displayed the green translucent door blocking the exit disappeared and promptly the large screen followed suit.
The three about to exit the classroom quickly, with a mix of emotions, to leave the room filled with dead bodies they ignored throughout their stay, were given a last surprise before they did so.
The corpses of the dead, their blood which was splatted on the floor, and bits of organs lying warmly on the floor, like rising fire, turned into sparks that ignited before rising like dust to the skies above.
All the corpses even that of the creature were gone, just like dust in the air there were none to be found all around. The only reminder that something bad happened was the damage the classroom sustained.
Once again the right emotion to express was impossible for the three, they had lost the empathy they felt for the dead as they went through an immense agonizing experience that made them wish for death, they secretly thought of the dead as lucky as they didn't experience what they did.
Their hearts were not cold or made of ice rather it was just too overloaded with many emotions that caused a form of blockage. They promised each other that once they got better, they would grieve and avenge them.
Finally, like a refreshing dip in the water on a hot summer day, the three, Max, Alice, and James made the triumphant exit out of the school building.
They stood on the sandy ground amiss the cries, whales, and joy of others.
''What a Monday'' James looked at Max and Alice hoping to get some reaction, he did but not from his joke.
The two had their heads up high looking at A magnificent giant castle that almost blanketed the sky. It cast no shadow on the ground and had giant light pillars on all four corners. Above the castle was an ethereal, rainbow-glowing pyramid that kept spinning in a triangular manner across the majestic structure. Once James took notice he was awestruck, the castle was the only good thing to come out of this chaotic day.
'' home, I guess we go home now'' Max began walking out of the school premises, he was too impatient to find out about the condition of his mom.
James and Alice nodded in agreement as they followed Max out of the school.
Max's home wasn't far from the school, took about 15-20 to reach on foot. Eager to find her mom Max ran like never before, he ran with such force his bones began to ache.
Panting like a dog, he finally arrived at a 10-floor apartment complex, he quickly got in and arrived on the 5th floor. He stopped before a door numbered 49, and took in a deep breath before gently knocking on the door.
One, two, three seconds later Max heard footsteps rapidly nearing the door, he clenched his heart in relief and without realizing it he began to cry. His blocked emotion was opened as sorrow and joy burst out.
'' Max, why are you crying''
His mom said with a wet face, her eyes producing more water work than a running river.