In the shadowed heart of the ruined cathedral, lit only by flickering green flames, the Death Stalkers gathered. Hooded figures stood in a circle etched with forbidden runes, their cloaks whispering against the cracked stone floor as a cold wind crept through the broken, dirt-stained glass windows.
At the center of the circle, a spectral map hovered—glowing faintly, pulsing with dark energy. And at its center… the name burned:
Sai.
"His ability will be of great use in our noble cause," uttered a tall hooded figure, standing ominously at the center of the circle. Shadows from his hood covered most of his face, leaving only his lips visible in the dim light emanating from the spectrum.
"But to gain his aid, we must first earn his trust… or…"
"We could make him doubt who he is," Varn's mischievous smirk widened. He turned toward the shadows. "Send Wraith. Start with whispers, dreams. Make him question who he is. Make him doubt everything."
The runes flared brighter, the green flames rising. "The world has slept long enough," Varn hissed. "It's time we woke it—with fire and blood!" His voice cracked into a menacing cackle that filled the cathedral as darkness began to curl outward.
. . .
"Aaaaaaaahhhh!"
Leah shrieked, her voice tense. She clutched at her short mini skirt, which only accentuated her curves, and guarded her chest, desperately holding her cropped white t-shirt as if to protect it from being touched.
"S… Suguru?!"
"What do you think you're doing?!" Leah stepped back, lifting her left arm to shield her friend, Maya. Both girls, dressed identically, shivered in fear, their bodies trembling.
The door slammed shut with a finality that sent a tremor through the room. Leah clutched Maya's hand, her breath shallow, heart pounding like a war drum. The once-safe space—dimly lit, walls covered in posters and fairy lights—had become a cage.
She lifted her wand, pointing it straight at the three men. Her hand quivered, shaking with fear, but her eyes burned with defiance.
"S… Stay back! N… Not one step closer! Or I'll… I'll blast you to bits!"
The tension in the room was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. The smiles of the men who cornered them twisted into something monstrous. Their casual, cruel laughter sliced through the air like knives.
"You really think you could do anything to us?!" Suguru said, his grin widening with each moment. "That's some tough talk coming from someone with weak mana. Hell, you can't even hold your wand properly."
"I WARNED YOU!" Leah shouted, desperately pointing her wand at the unphased Suguru. Violet sparks shot from its tip.
"W… whaaa?!" Leah muttered in utter confusion. The men chuckled wildly.
"W… WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Leah yelled, frantically trying to recast her spell. The sparks re-emerged but weakened with each attempt.
"A spell-casting barrier I set up myself. Impressive, riiiiight?" The man's tone was boastful as he brushed his blonde bangs from his left eye, smirking.
"You… you went through all this just to satisfy your sexual urges?! Men are disgusting!" Maya finally shouted, her lips quivering, legs shaking with every word.
"Call it what you want, sweetheart," the man said. "The fact is, you two gorgeous ladies get to have a good time with us."
"YES! I HAVEN'T BEEN LAID IN AGES!" the last man shouted, drool streaming from his lower lip as he glared at Maya, imagining her inappropriately.
"NO!" Maya screamed.
"DON'T TOUCH US!" Leah yelled.
"HELP! SOMEONE, ANYONE, PLEASE HELP US!"
"No one's going to hear you," one of them sneered, stepping forward.
"No, this can't be the end… we can't be defiled… not like this!" Maya thought as fear gripped her shoulders.
Leah backed up, step by step, until her right foot thudded against a bedframe. Maya trembled beside her, eyes wide, scanning the room for anything that could help. But the walls seemed to close in, suffocating and silent.
. . .
CRASH!!!
Glass shattered into a thousand shards as the window burst open. A shadow flew in—lean, fast, merciless. The room spun in chaos as the figure landed in a crouch, eyes blazing.
"Get away from them," the stranger growled, his voice low and cold.
The men froze.
"Who the hell are you?" Suguru laughed nervously.
The figure straightened slowly. His face streaked with dust and wind, yet his stance remained steady—hands clenched, ready.
"Hmmmm…" Suguru squinted, trying to make sense of the intruder.
"Impossible!" the second man whispered.
The blonde-haired one widened his eyes further.
Finally, they burst into laughter.
"YOU DON'T HAVE ANY MANA!" Suguru shouted amid their laughter.
"I didn't think anyone could be despised by mana this badly. This is a first," the blonde-haired guy said, hands on his hips like a diva.
"YOU'RE PATHETIC! In a world where magic is everything, you'd be better off if you never existed!" yelled the third man, slamming his palm to his face, laughter echoing on the edge of insanity.
The stranger sighed, right hand brushing his forehead as he snorted lazily.
"Then I hope you can handle the shame when this manaless good-for-nothing beats the crap outta you losers," he said, voice indifferent, eyes unwavering—eyes of a man who saw nothing but victory.
His face darkened with deadly seriousness, a killer's intent. The men's laughter ended abruptly.
The first attacker lunged with his wand—but the spell never hit. The stranger sidestepped, driving his elbow into the attacker's ribs. A sickening thud followed by a gasp. Another attacked—swept away by precision and speed.
"Dark Magic, the Devil's Armor!" Suguru shouted as dark mana cloaked him like plated armor.
"So powerful," Maya muttered, eyes wide in disbelief.
Before he could react, a powerful fist struck Suguru's face. He slammed headfirst into the wall, blood streaming, dark mana disintegrating.
"Wha… what is this?!" Suguru spat, his body failing him.
"Is this guy really manaless?" he thought. "Why can't I use my magic?!"
Leah and Maya stood frozen, mouths agape.
"WHO IS THIS GUY!" Suguru shouted inwardly, glaring at the dark figure.
The last man rushed, fists ready, only to be swept off his feet, crashing into a nightstand. The others hesitated.
"Try me," the stranger said, voice like steel. None moved.
Cowardice exposed, they fled—falling over furniture, scrambling for the door.
Silence returned. Broken glass crunched beneath his boots as he stepped forward.
"You're safe now," he said gently. "It's over."
Leah and Maya, eyes brimming with tears, watched him approach the broken window.
"T… thank you," Leah managed, still in shock.
"Don't worry. Try to take care of yourselves from now on," he said, nodding slightly.
"Well, time to go."
"W… wait! At least tell us your name!"
The young man sighed.
A slight smirk crept across his lips. "Name's Sai," he said, cool and bare. In a blink, he vanished through the broken window, glass shards sprinkling across the floor.
"Waaaw…" Leah said in awe.
"What a strange guy. Well, it's not our place to complain since he saved us, right?" Maya mumbled.
"Maya…?"
Leah stared as Maya, completely silent, gazed at the shattered window, cheeks flushed red, breath growing heavy.
A groan escaped Leah's lips. "Perve."