Fren slouched in his chair at the school canteen, his tray holding an untouched sandwich. Across from him, Kai was devouring his meal with the enthusiasm of someone oblivious to their surroundings.
Kai: (mouth half-full) "So, about that monster we fought in domain..."
Fren: (grimacing) "Not this again. Can we not talk about it? I'm trying to enjoy what's left of my normal life."
Kai: (grinning) "Normal? Dude, we fought a monster! Got tied up! Met a magician! You can't tell me you're not curious!"
Fren sighed and glanced out the window. His eyes widened as he caught a glimpse of a blurry figure outside—a human-like form, hunched and unnervingly still, with a faint blue aura radiating around it.
Fren: (shaking his head) "Nope. Imagination. That's all it is."
Kai: (leaning closer) "You okay? You've got that 'I saw something weird but don't wanna admit it' look."
Fren hesitated before muttering: "It's probably nothing... Just some fog outside."
Kai: (perking up) "A fog?
Fren: "I couldn't see much—it was humanoid, holding something, but everything was too blurred."
Kai: (excited, yet wary) "Sounds like a Ghoulom. A monster with a human body. Blue threat level. Strong. And usually bad news."
Fren: (raising an eyebrow) "How do you know that?"
Kai smirked, pulling out a small book from his bag.
Kai: "Ress gave me this. Told me I'd need it to control my Stigma energy and some info of monster. See? Benefits of having an awakened Stigma!"
Fren: (mocking tone) "Oh, great. Why didn't I get one?"
Kai: (grinning) "Because Ress doesn't even know if you have a Stigma. Guess I'm just the chosen one."
Before Fren could retort, a piercing scream echoed from outside the canteen. The two shot up from their seats and ran towards the source.
In the hallway, a girl—a classmate—was frozen in fear as a Ghoulom loomed over her, its sharp, jagged claws twitching with anticipation.
Kai: (gritting his teeth) "Stay here, Fren!"
Fren: "Like hell I will—"
Kai didn't wait. He accelerated, his body glowing faintly with energy as he unleashed his Stigma. He slammed into the monster with a burst of force, sending it stumbling back.
Kai: (grinning) "See? I've got this!"
As Kai fought, Fren pulled the girl to safety, shouting at her to run. But the Ghoulom roared, releasing a thick, dark smoke that began engulfing the school.
Fren: (coughing) "What's happening?!"
Kai: (grimacing) "It's his domain! The monster's powering up!"
Kai gritted his teeth as the Ghoulom's claws slashed through the air, narrowly missing his chest. He leapt back, summoning the last of his Stigma energy to form a shield, but his strength was fading fast.
"Okay, this is bad," he muttered, glancing toward Fren, who was just barely standing nearby. Fren was clutching his head, a pained expression etched across his face.
"Fren!" Kai called out. "Snap out of it! I need backup!"
But Fren didn't respond. His breathing was labored, his vision unfocused as an overwhelming pressure bore down on his mind. A faint, familiar voice echoed in his head, whispering words he couldn't quite make out.
"You can't run from it… You'll have to face it eventually… Accept it…"
The voice was haunting yet compelling, like an ancient force clawing its way into his consciousness.
"No… not again," Fren mumbled, gripping his head tighter. His knees buckled as an invisible weight pressed down on him. Images flashed in his mind—unfamiliar places, people he didn't recognize, and a looming shadow that seemed to consume everything it touched.
The pressure became unbearable. Fren's legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious, just as the Ghoulom's domain surged with energy.
Kai's eyes widened as he watched Fren fall. "Fren! Hey!"
But Fren was unresponsive, his body twitching slightly as a faint black mist began to seep from his skin.
Kai cursed under his breath, turning back to face the Ghoulom. "Guess it's just me for now."
The monster roared, its jagged blue swords hovering ominously in the air before launching toward Kai. He dodged most of them, but one clipped his shoulder, sending him spinning into the ground. Blood seeped through his torn sleeve, but he forced himself to his feet.
"Fren, wake up!" Kai shouted, his voice raw.
But Fren didn't stir.
The Ghoulom loomed over Kai, its glowing blue eyes narrowing as it prepared to strike the final blow.
Kai's heart pounded. His legs felt like lead, and his vision blurred. This was it. He braced himself for the end—
—and then it happened.
A low, sinister hum filled the air, deep and resonant like the growl of an ancient beast. The temperature plummeted, and an oppressive, malevolent force swept through the hallway.
The Ghoulom froze, its claws inches from Kai. It turned, its glowing eyes narrowing with something resembling fear.
"What…?" Kai muttered, his voice trembling.
Fren's body began to tremble, his head tilting forward as the black mist seeped from his skin. His hands twitched, then clenched into fists as the mist coiled around him, forming writhing tendrils that flickered like living shadows.
Fren's eyes snapped open, but they were no longer his. They were a deep, consuming black with crimson slits, burning with an unnatural rage.
"Fren?" Kai whispered, stepping back. "What the hell is this…?"
The Ghoulom screeched, sensing the shift in power. It lunged at Fren, but he didn't move. Instead, the dark tendrils surrounding him lashed out, wrapping around the Ghoulom's body like chains. The monster howled, struggling, but the shadows only tightened, crushing it with terrifying force.
Fren—or whatever was controlling him—tilted his head, his expression void of emotion. He raised a hand, and the mist surged forward, forming a massive claw-like projection that struck the Ghoulom, ripping it apart.
The pieces of the monster disintegrated into ash, but Fren didn't stop. The shadows continued to lash out at the surroundings, tearing through walls and floors.
"Fren!" Kai yelled, but his voice didn't reach him.
The oppressive aura grew heavier, and the tendrils began to spiral out of control. Kai staggered backward, his body trembling under the weight of the dark energy.
Just as it seemed Fren—or the thing controlling him—would destroy everything, a crack of light appeared in the air. From it stepped Ress, his face unusually serious.
"Damn it, kid," Ress muttered, surveying the destruction. "You couldn't keep it together for five minutes?"
Ress raised his hand, conjuring a barrier of shimmering light to contain Fren's rampage. The shadows clashed against the barrier, howling in defiance.
"Ress!" Kai shouted, relief washing over him. "You've gotta stop him!"
Ress smirked. "Oh, I will. But this? This is gonna be messy."
He stepped forward, his energy flaring as he faced Fren's rampaging form. The battle that followed was a blinding clash of light and shadow, each blow shaking the air and rattling the ground. Ress struck with precision, forcing Fren back, but the shadows only grew more ferocious, as if feeding off the resistance.
The fight raged on, the hallway barely holding together under the strain. Finally, Ress managed to break through Fren's defenses, slamming a burst of light directly into his chest.
Fren staggered, the dark mist beginning to dissipate. His body slumped to the ground, the crimson glow in his eyes fading.
Ress sighed, wiping sweat from his brow. "And that's why we don't let kids play with ancient curses."
To be continued..