The Next Element

-- 10 years ago --

Lian's POV:

My battle against rzoiyou was a success and I was fortunate enough to defeat him...as a reward, Master hereward himself has given me permission to travel back to earth.

The portal was just in front of me... The portal that will take me back on earth, I feel excited.. Yet nervous, I don't think I'm ready... But I have to do this for Charlotte.

Taking a deep breath, I took a step closer as I let myself be engulfed by the portal itself.

Once I entered, I was blinded by the bright light that the portal holds, I had no choice but to close my eyes, I could feel myself ascending... I just hope that nothing has changed.

When I opened my eyes again... I was back, on earth, the sun was shining, I can see both beastmen and human kind living peacefully and no harm can be seen within them.

"Nothing changed... Thank goodness"

I then proceeded onward on to my journey of looking for Charlotte.

Fearing that someone might notice and recognize me, I surrounded myself with a mystical cloak to cover myself from anyone, I can't let them make a fuss about me.

Then again... My curiosity is getting the best of me... What's going on back in alphaline high?

I must find out.

I jumped from roof to roof until eventually I had reached my destination, there it is... It's the same as ever!

But... Something's wrong... I sense little presence.

Are there still any students here? Being curious enough, I decided to check it out.

Standing on the main door of the school, I gently pushed it open, once I've entered the hallways, it was empty, there were not a single student present not even a teacher.

"Where is everybody?" I thought.

Checking every classroom that the school holds, no students were there, no teachers, nothing was there, it's like this whole place was turned into a ghost town.

Was this school condemned when I died? It's not barricaded or locked so there must be another reason.

I checked the second floor and just as the same as the rooms from below... No one was there, I checked the third floor until I soon reached the last floor...

Nothing but the sound of silence.

Everyone is gone...

Something tells me this is my fault.

Feeling quite devastated, I made my way out of the school by jumping down the school balcony.

Before I hopped down I heard some distant chattering, just a few feet away from me.

I stepped away for a minute and decided to check it out.

"Then what is the "proper" plan if you're such a smart guy huh?"

"Why are you so pissed about this? I just said that your explanation was wrong"

"Exactly! That's why you should show me your smart ass idea first before you start on judging other people!"

"What? I'm not judging you! I'm correcting you!"

"That's not correcting! You're meddling with my plans! Just shut up max"

"Fine! If that's how you want to look at it then fucking shove that plan of yours in your face! You talk to me like I was never your leader!"

"Leader?! Oh right! How can I forget, you were the reason lian died so yeah, that makes you a "leader" a good one too some might say"

I heard some objects being aggressively thrown on the walls and being smashed into bits.

This is not good, this is not good at all!

"Enough you two!"

"Max! Blizzard! Stop!"

Shadow and zeus... I can't be mistaken.

"If you still want max to be the leader then count me out! I will never obey the person who killed my beloved! You ruined my chance in confessing my love to him!"

I didn't hear max reply anymore... I guess he just realized that this argument of them is going too far.

If only I have the guts to show myself to the four of you again... Then everything in your life will be the same again... I hope you can forgive me.

Taking a final glance at the room where their huge fight is currently happening, I then jumped off the balcony not leaving even the slightest of my traces...

I have to take care of Charlotte first.

As I left the school, I frowned... I couldn't stop them... If only they knew how much I wanted to let them know that I'm alive and well... But I'm being overwhelmed by my anxiety... I don't know how they'll react.

My head started to ache, my heart beated fast...

"U...rrhhg" I tried to leave the school as fast as I can but my body won't let me.. I slowly fell on to my knees and dropped on the ground.

I was slowly losing consciousness...

---------------------------------------------------------

"Gah!" I suddenly woke up inside a closed up tent.

The zipper wasn't fully closed letting a hint of light inside.

Checking next to me, I saw blizzard, zeus and max, peacefully sleeping.. How odd that none of them are heavily snoring...

Usually I'd expect that to blizzard but I guess that I'm wrong all this time.

But wait... Where's shadow?

"He's probably outside", I thought.

Slowly unzipping the tent... There he was, his back was facing me.

He seemed to have noticed me but he didn't bother in saying anything..

Is he still waiting for my answer? gently crawling outside the tent to avoid waking up the red beastman, I then made my way and approached shadow.

"Shadow?" I called.

"Hm? Lian? You're already awake?" He replied to me, but he kept his eyes averted away from me.

"Yeah... Well no, but... Anyways, what are you still up? It's already midnight, you should rest along with us" I responded.

"No thanks... I'm good" He said, his eyes kept its gaze at the bonfire.

He seems rather sad... I soon took a seat next to him, I tried in placing my hand to his shoulder but he still ignored me.

I wonder what's going on with him... There must be something else troubling him...

But what could it be?

-- End --