Kaoru Tenjou's alarm clock roared. It was like a furious siren. The noise yanked him from sleep. He groaned. His hand hit the snooze button hard. He sat up. The dim morning light slipped through the curtains. It painted his room in shades of gray. His legs hanged over bed's edge. Heavy memories clouded his head from the night before.
A creature. A girl. A stranger with a living blade. It all seemed like a fever dream. The faint scent of ash in the room suggested otherwise. Kaoru shook his head. He attempted to brush away the thoughts. School was his next destination. Nightmares had no choice but to wait.
By morning he stood in the kitchen. His mother had already left for work. A half-empty coffee cup remained. A plate covered in cling wrap. They were the only signs of her presence. Typical of her. Cold breakfast was quickly consumed by Kaoru. His schoolbag was grabbed hastily. His mind continued to be clouded by unease.
The walk to school. It was uneventful. The city felt different though. Kurohama's streets usually teemed with early-morning activity. Today they felt quiet. Shadows in the alleys. They clung almost too tightly. There was a strange weight to the air. Kaoru's gaze was quick to every corner. Half-expecting another monster to leap out. Finally, he reached school gates. Familiar student chatter eased his nerves. Only slightly however.
"Yo, Kaoru!"
A hand slapped his back. He almost dropped his bag. He turned, saw his best friend Riku. Riku was grinning. Messy hair and crooked tie were trademarks. Boundless energy in those motions.
"You look like you didn't sleep," Riku said. He stared at Kaoru. "Let me guess—late-night gaming marathon?"
Forced chuckle from Kaoru. "Yeah, something like that."
"Man you're gonna flunk out at this rate" Riku teased. He threw an arm around the boy's shoulder. "Good thing you've got me to keep you on track." Kaoru smiled faintly. The distraction was welcome. For one brief instant, it almost felt like a normal day. Almost.
Classes dragged on as they always did. There was a dull hum of lectures and scribbled notes. Kaoru found it hard to focus. His mind wandered back to the creature and the stranger. He could feel the weight of the rebar in his hands. He heard the inhuman roar. It was as the monster turned its attention to him.
"Mr. Tenjou, care to share your thoughts with the class?" snapped the teacher.
Kaoru's head shot up. The wiry man in front of the class spoke. He wore glasses precariously perched on his nose. His glare was trained on Kaoru. The entire class had turned to stare. Some students snickered under their breath.
"Uh, sorry sir," mumbled Kaoru. "I… wasn't paying attention."
"Clearly," said the teacher with a sigh. "Try to stay with us, will you? I'd hate to see you repeat this year."
Kaoru nodded. He sank lower into his seat. The rest of the lesson passed in a blur. His thoughts were far from the classroom when the final bell rang.
Kaoru was eager to leave. He packed his things quickly. Riku invited him to hang out but Kaoru waved him off. A heavy weight sat on his chest. It urged him to go back. Back to where it all began. The street where he'd seen that peculiar creature.
It was beginning to get dark when Kaoru retraced his steps. The city seemed silent. It was as if the city life was muffled by the advancing shadows. His heart sank at the place. There was no sign of the girl, the creature, or the stranger. A faint scorch mark stayed on the pavement. It was as though the battle had been wiped.
"Why am I back?" Kaoru muttered. He ran a hand through his hair. Coming back here seemed foolish. As if he'd find answers to unknown questions.
"Looking for something?"
The voice startled him. Kaoru spun around his heart pounding. A girl stood few feet away. She was in school uniform. Her expression was calm, her eyes sharp. She had short dark hair. Her confidence seemed out of place for someone so young.
"You were here last night weren't you? You saw the Hollowed."
"The... what?" Kaoru asked. His voice caught in his throat.
"The creature," the girl clarified. "It's Hollowed. And you're lucky to be alive. Most people don't walk away from them."
Kaoru stared at her. He tried to process these words. "Who are you?"
"Rei Hanekawa," she said. "And you're coming with me. There are many things you need to know."
"Wait! Hold on—" Kaoru started. But Rei grabbed his arm. She pulled him into alley nearby. Before he could further protest she raised her other hand. A faint blue light began to glow from palm. The air shimmered around them. Kaoru felt a pull, a shift in the world.
After the light was gone, they were somewhere else. The alley was gone. It was replaced with a vast field. Field was empty field, under a sky that was unusually dark. In distance, Kaoru could see shapes. Twisted monstrous forms were there. They were prowling through shadows.
"Welcome to Veil" Rei spoke. Tone was serious and calm now. She released his arm. "This is world between worlds. There's much you need to learn. There's something coming. If you want to make it through you've got to learn fast."
Kaoru's legs felt weak. The surreal landscape left him in a daze. Past twenty-four hours had been strange. But this was a new level of strange. This was beyond his wildest imagination.
"What's happening?" he asked. Voice barely audible.
Rei turned to him. Her expression was steely.
"Your known world is surface. Under it resides the Veil. This is where creatures like Hollowed roam. Whether you want it or not you are part of this war."
Heart pounding Kaoru swallowed hard. His mind raced. He didn't know what he had gotten himself into. One thing was clear.
His life would never be the same.
To be continued...