"What… is happening?"
I looked around, scanning the horrific area we had been transported to. Fear crept over my body, making my heartbeat skyrocket. I was barely keeping my composure. I turned to Shizu, only to see her body frozen in place. Fear had consumed us both, leaving us like helpless lambs in a lion's den.
A voice rang out from the shadows—deep, rumbling, and tainted with something alien.
"Two children?" it asked, in a voice that bore an unfamiliar cadence. It wasn't Japanese; it had an odd, otherworldly drawl to it, something foreign that made the hair on my arms stand on end.
I didn't know where the voice came from or who the being was, but I could feel its presence behind me and Shizu, glaring at us with suffocating intensity. I couldn't move. I couldn't even think about what to do next. I could only stand there, paralyzed and thoughtless. Sweat began to drip down my body as if I had just walked through a storm. The presence crept closer. Every step it took echoed like a drumbeat of terror in our ears, the pressure growing heavier with each one. Both Shizu and I dropped to our knees, clutching our chests as though our hearts might explode if we didn't.
My mind went blank, everything around me forgotten—until a vision struck me.
Black flames.
A mysterious figure stood in the fire, holding my face in its hands, staring directly into my eyes. I couldn't see its face, nor could I tell its gender. All I could see were red eyes—eyes like mine. Or were they just a reflection of my own?
"Huh?"
I blinked and looked around again, still in the same horrifying place. But something was different. The fear that had nearly paralyzed me was gone. I could still feel it in the air, but it no longer held control over me.
"Was it because of that vision?" I muttered, trying to recall what I had seen—but the memory was already gone, erased from my mind.
I could no longer see or feel the figure approaching us, but that didn't stop me. I immediately carried Shizu, who had fainted, in my arms and ran as fast as I could—anywhere but here. I didn't know where I was going. I just needed to get away from that exact spot.
Running aimlessly, I began to notice the stiff air around us easing. Maybe I was heading the right way. Still holding Shizu in my arms, I spotted a place we could take cover. Somewhere I could put her down and try to wake her up. If we were going to survive this place, we'd need to work together at our best.
I gently placed Shizu on the ground, catching my breath.
"Shizu. Shizu," I whispered her name, careful not to alert whatever entity might be following us. But she remained unconscious. Frustrated, I slapped her face—not caring that she was a girl. I needed her awake. If she didn't wake up soon, I might have to leave her behind. But I wasn't heartless—I wouldn't abandon a teammate like that.
"Shizuuuu!! Wake the f*** up!" I kept whispering harshly, slapping her cheeks lightly, repeating her name until she suddenly grabbed my hand.
"Ouch!" she screamed.
I quickly covered her mouth. "Sheesh!" I hissed. "Be quiet! Do you want to alert that thing chasing us?"
"What? What entity? Where are we?" she asked, dazed. Then, as if someone had flipped a switch, a headache hit her hard. Her memories came rushing back.
Shizu clutched her head and vomited. "What was that?" Her voice trembled.
"Calm down, Shizu. For now, the being's pressure isn't around here," I said, trying to comfort her.
She looked at me, stunned by my calm tone and ability to assess the situation. "How can you be okay?"
"I don't know," I answered. "I just know we have to get out of here. Or maybe… we can call for help."
I remembered we had our phones. I reached into my pocket, quickly pulling mine out to call Freed—or anyone from Izana who could help us. But my phone had no signal. The screen wouldn't even turn on.
"I can't turn on my phone. Why won't it turn on?!" I growled.
Shizu tried hers, her hands trembling. "No! Why isn't it working?!" Her panic returned in full force.
"Shizu, calm down." I held her arms firmly and looked her in the eyes. "We'll be fine. Knowing Freed, he would've sensed something was wrong from the beginning. I'm sure they'll come to save us."
"It's my fault. It's my fault we're going to die," Shizu muttered. Her expression turned hollow, miserable—something I wasn't used to seeing on her. I'd seen her throw tantrums before. I'd seen her sad. But this—this was different. Her face was filled with pure despair. The kind that could make others want to comfort her, protect her. But me? I couldn't feel any pity.
Honestly, I blamed her for dragging me into this mess. But I was also an idiot for not convincing her to stay put.
"Do you know why I'm always on edge? Why I push myself so hard not to fall behind?" Shizu asked, staring into my eyes. Strands of her hair hung loosely over her face.
"The Izana incident—everyone keeps talking about it. It was my elder brother who caused it. The heir of our family branch."
My eyes widened in shock. I hadn't known Izana had branches. And Shizu had a brother?
"Wait, branch family?" I asked, my confusion showing.
Shizu chuckled softly. "My family is just a low branch of the main house, which is far, far bigger than any company in the entire multiverse. The Izanas hold one of the top spots among the strongest spearheads in all companies. After my brother committed his crime, the main house exiled my branch. But it was Freed, who held a strong position in the main family, who convinced them to spare us."
She paused, her voice dropping.
"He promised to redeem his brother—my father—the owner of our branch, from the ruin and humiliation it caused the main house. Everyone—my uncles, aunts, friends, even my parents—they all died because of my brother. I was the only one who survived."
She let out a broken laugh. "Roger always tells me not to blame myself. That it was my brother's fault. But in truth, it was because of me. If I had been competent, if I had been strong—I could have stopped him."
She curled her arms around her legs and rested her head on her knees, tears slipping down her cheeks. "I never wanted to be awakened."
I knew I should feel pity. I knew I should feel remorse. What Shizu told me was shocking. It explained her desperation. And yet, I felt cold. Detached. Something inside me refused to feel sympathy.
"You sound like a baby who can't accept the reality of life," I muttered, glaring at her.
"Huh?" Shizu flinched at my words. She grabbed my collar, her tear-streaked eyes filled with fury. "What did you just say?"
"I meant what I said." My voice remained cold; my eyes unwavering.
"I told you about my past—and this is all you can say?" she snapped; her earlier fear replaced by anger.
"I've always been curious about your desperation. About the Izana incident. But your story—it sounds like a baby's cry for help," I said coldly.
"Baby's cry?!"
Her shout echoed through the strange, warped world we were trapped in.