Ethan
Her white-silver hair shimmered under the sunlight, glinting like polished silk. Large pupils, as vibrant and orange as a sunset. Dressed in the same uniform as mine, she stood there with a dark shadow under her feet.
It was Rubielle with her dazzling features so unique they seemed to enchant anyone who laid eyes on her. Her presence was almost surreal, like she didn't belong in this ordinary world.
All the thoughts that had been troubling me all day vanished in an instant, leaving me frozen in place.
"H-hey..." I stammered, my voice barely breaking the awkward silence.
"What a coincidence," she replied in a casual, friendly tone, as if the tension I felt didn't exist at all.
For a moment, time seemed to stand still. A long, heavy pause hung in the air between us.
"Then I'll go now." she said simply after a moment.
Her tone light and carefree, as though this encounter meant nothing. she gave a small wave and turned to leave, taking the black shadow creature with her.
"Ah-..." I tried to say something, anything, but the words wouldn't come. I just stood there, rooted to the spot, watching her figure fade into the distance.
I went home feeling lost. Was that it? Should I move on now?
"Maybe it's better this way. No more danger, no more chaos…no more fun I guess... Haha... Haa..."
I sigh heavily staring at the sky turning into night.
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The days that followed felt slow and uneventful. My life returned to its usual, monotonous rhythm— I'd wake up with the same loud alarm, eat the same toast and coffee breakfast, go to school and come home with the same path I always take, and repeat the cycle, yet my mind was elsewhere.
I spent the first day convincing myself that she would show up again. Maybe tomorrow, another 'coincidence' come by. 'What should I say if I see her again? Should I talk casually like a friend?' I thought.
Or maybe the next day, or may be the day after the next..
By the third day, I found myself searching every corner of the school: by the gate, behind the building, maybe on the rooftop, or even in the garden, looking for any sign of her. Every sound, every flicker of movement made my heart race, only to be followed by disappointment.
But as the days passed, hope started to fade. By the fifth day, I began to feel foolish. Why was I clinging to the idea of seeing her again? She had made it clear that it was just a coincidence.
I tried to focus on other things—homework, hanging out with classmates, even cleaning my room. But no matter what I did, my thoughts always drifted back to her.
And just like that, a week pass by like a breeze. Those days I spent with her felt longer and more vivid than this entire week. Everything else seemed dull in comparison. She hadn't shown up, not even once. I guess it really was just a coincidence...
As I sat in class, staring out the window in a daze, a tap on my shoulder startled me.
"Ethan, it's your turn to manage the garden," my classmate notified me.
"Oh... right," I mumbled, barely paying attention. Maybe keeping busy would help clear my head, even if just for a moment.
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I head to the garden and grabbed a watering can. It was a quiet place, tucked away behind the school. The garden was a strange mix of flowers, plants, and for some reason vegetables.
"Why does the school even have a garden? And why are there vegetables here?" I muttered to myself.
"Ugh, and this grass is growing so fast..."
"...growing.. fast..."
I paused, staring at the grass. Something about it seemed... odd.
The blades of grass were visibly taller. At first, I thought I was imagining things. I crouched down for a closer look.
And then it hit me. The grass wasn't just growing, it was accelerating.
First, it grew by the minute. Then, every 30 seconds. And soon, every single second.
"TOO FAST!" I yelled as the grass shot up around me, wild and uncontrollable.
It didn't take long for the garden to transform into a dense, overgrown jungle.
"WHAT IS THISSS?!"
I screamed, stumbling back as the dense field of plants surged forward, swallowing the once peaceful garden whole.
"WAAAHH!!"
I quickly turn around and ran as fast as I can but my foot caught on a stray pot, sending me crashing to the ground. Before I could stand up, the plants surged over me, wrapping me in a thick, leafy embrace and then, suddenly, everything stopped.
"Waaah..." I gasped, caught between confusion and amazement.
"I can't see anything... How do I get out?" I muttered, pushing at the walls of greenery around me. The plants weren't dangerous, just overwhelmingly dense.
"I think I went this way?"
I crawled aimlessly through the tangled maze, dirt smearing my uniform.
"Ugh, this is going to be a nightmare to clean..."
As I pressed onward, my hand bumped against something hard and smooth.
"Ow! What's this?"
I frowned, picking up a glowing marble with a transparent pink-green hue. Its light faded after a few seconds, leaving me staring at it in bewilderment.
The moment the glow vanished, the plants began retreating, slowly returning to their original positions. I stood up, brushing dirt off my uniform as I look the now-ruined garden.
"The garden's a mess... and I'm a mess. But... that's not important right now," I mumbled, eyes narrowing at the mysterious marble.
"This... has to be connected somehow. Should I find Rubielle? This feels like her kind of weirdness."
Determined, I took the marble and started tidying up the scattered plants. Just then, Mia walked by, her eyes widening at the sight of me.
"Wait- what happened to you?!" she exclaimed.
I let out a nervous laugh, waving her off.
"Haha, long story..."
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Rubielle
"K-Ke...keke... Y-you wi... will not... not... e-escape..." the man's hoarse, stuttering voice echoed with malice as darkness twisted around him.
Without wasting a second, I thrust my palm into his stomach, releasing a surge of magic to purge the darkness within him. With a strangled gasp vomiting the darkness, he collapsed.
"Damn it... That's the eighth one," I muttered, frustration tightening my chest. I'd found them in the store, at school, in some homes, and even near Ethan.
Now, I was in the narrow street between human houses. No matter how many I found, more kept appearing. It felt like every effort I made was meaningless.
I found seventeen man-made darkness so far. But how many more were out there? How many more would fall victim before I could stop this?
My magic was gradually returning but too slow. This world had no natural mana, forcing me to rely on what little magic I could recover.
And the Hearts... I still couldn't find a single one. Did they claim them already? Were they watching, waiting to strike?
I clenched my fists. I couldn't let fear paralyze me. If I delayed any longer, more innocent people would be affected. I know that lunatic was behind this but I can't act carelessly. I don't know how many people followed me here, I can't fight them all with my current mana.
If I wait any longer, more people will get hurt. I can't let that happen. But if he's working alone, I might still have a chance to take him down!
Determined, I turned, ready to start searching—
*SHHNK!*
The cold press of a sharp blade is pointed at my neck. I froze.
In front of me, a long-haired girl in the same uniform with piercing, unyielding eyes. Recognition struck me instantly—she was the only one unaffected by my magic back in that room.
Her blade inched closer, its edge grazing my skin.
"You," her voice low and dangerous.
"Who are you?"