Ben had nothing to do at home, so he accepted Dilan's invitation to visit his place.
On the way there, Ben felt a tingling sensation on the back of his neck. A small shiver ran down his spine, making him stop.
Without really knowing why... he looked up at the sky.
In the distance, he noticed a small black dot that disappeared shortly after.
"What's wrong?" Becca asked, noticing his strange behavior.
"I saw something in the sky," Ben muttered, still unsure why he had looked in that direction.
"A plane?" Dilan asked, intrigued.
"No." Ben shook his head, his gaze still distant. "It was something else."
"Maybe it's Hellshaven?" Dilan guessed.
Hellshaven.
Ben's thoughts drifted at the mention of that name. Hellshaven was the reason he had always been so cautious, ensuring he didn't do anything that could land him in prison.
In a world where wizards wielded unimaginable power, there had to be a way to control dangerous criminals and psychopaths.
Hellshaven was the solution.
Prisons existed, of course, but Hellshaven was known as the most secure facility, housing the most dangerous criminals.
And yes... it was in the sky.
---
At Dilan's house, the three of them relaxed and chatted about various topics.
"Have you heard about that killer?" Dilan asked.
"Which one?" Ben replied, holding the controller in his hand. His attention was on the screen, where his character ran with a weapon.
"The wizard killer." Dilan showed him his phone, which displayed a picture of a skinny, pale man being handcuffed and escorted by numerous police officers. "Apparently, he was caught trying to kill another advanced wizard."
"Killing an advanced wizard..." Ben shook his head, not fully grasping the implications. "He must be incredibly strong to have killed multiple advanced wizards."
"Apparently, he has a rare element that makes him deadly," Dilan shrugged. "The good thing is they caught him."
"You didn't need to worry anyway," Ben laughed. "The wizard killer only targets strong wizards he deems worthy."
Becca seemed uninterested in the topic and was scrolling through her phone in boredom.
Unfortunately, Dilan's mom was at work, so Ben didn't get the chance to see her again.
Dilan's sister appeared to attend a full-day girls' school, so he didn't meet her either.
"What are you planning for the school festival?" Becca asked, trying to start a new conversation.
"I don't know," Ben shrugged, not particularly interested. "Something that doesn't require much effort."
"I know a bit of drumming," Dilan said, looking thoughtful. "Maybe I'll join the talent competition or help someone with their band."
"I have no idea what to do," Becca said, sounding downcast. "I don't have any talent, and everyone avoids me."
Neither Ben nor Dilan knew what to say, and even if they did, Dilan was too introverted, and Ben didn't know how to express his feelings.
---
In a dark alley, the shadow of a figure approached an old metal door and knocked four times in a slow rhythm.
"No one's here."
"No one knocks."
The door opened, and an arm shot out, grabbing the person outside and dragging them in forcefully.
Red lights illuminated the interior. A tattooed man scrutinized the visitor from head to toe before asking:
"What are you doing here?"
"I want to talk to my brother."
The man stared at him, making him uncomfortable, but after a few seconds, he led him inside.
As he followed, Darnell saw many people locked in cages. There was even a room where human bodies hung on hooks, like slabs of pork or beef.
The man guided him through the hallways as people occasionally appeared, stopping to stare at them for a moment before moving on.
They arrived at an old wooden door. The man knocked and entered without waiting for a response.
Inside, a meeting was underway.
On one side was his brother and his trusted men—heavily armed and exuding an intimidating presence.
On the other side sat a man in a suit and tie, radiating confidence even as he faced Darnell's brother and his men.
He was an ordinary-looking man, slightly overweight, with prominent cheeks and receding hair that threatened baldness.
A fake, almost mocking smile adorned his face. One leg crossed over the other, and his hands rested on the armrests, giving the impression of someone in complete control.
"And who's this?" the man in the suit asked with a smirk.
Darnell turned to find that the man who had brought him there had disappeared.
"Looks like he's lost!" one of the men joked, pointing and laughing at him.
"Are you lost, kid?" One of his brother's men approached, holding a knife.
"Enough." The man in charge—a towering figure over two meters tall, muscular, and covered in tattoos—let out a low chuckle and spoke. "He's my idiot little brother."
"What do you want?" he asked impatiently, gesturing dismissively. "I'm busy, and I don't have any drugs for your stupid games."
After Marcus's words, everyone ignored them, but Darnell looked at his brother with determination and malice.
"I'm joining your gang."
Silence filled the room as Marcus studied him curiously.
"And what made you change your mind, Mr. 'I'm going to be a champion'?"
Darnell clenched his fists in anger at Marcus's mockery of his dreams. But right now, that didn't matter as much as the humiliation Ben had inflicted on him.
He was willing to abandon his dreams and goals if it meant seeing Ben suffer and writhe in his own blood.
He wanted revenge.
And he would get it, no matter what it took.
"I only want one thing from you." Darnell met his brother's eyes for the first time in years. "I want you to kill someone."