*RING RING RING
"Sigh..."
I glanced over at my phone to check who's call disturbed my slumber, upon seeing the caller ID, I put my phone down, ignoring the call.
However.... the caller did not stop!
Again and again and again she called, preventing me from getting any sleep.
Upon her eleventh call, I finally decided....was forced to pick up.
"IT'S YOUR FAVORIT—"
"It's way too early for this Sara"
"It's 9:30"
"My point exactly, who calls repeatedly like this at the buttcrack of dawn?"
"I wouldn't have had to if you just picked up the first time, ignoring a lady is quite rude, y'know"
"I.... didn't see your first call, you woke me up around the sixth"
"No....you saw that call"
"What even makes you think I did?"
"The tracer I placed in your phone moved during my first call, which suggests you picked it up to check the caller ID"
"No one likes a showoff"
"Fufufufu"
I totally forgot she's still got a bug in my phone.
Well, I'm not all that attached to it so I think I'll get a new one. Anyway,
"So, what do you want?"
"The malefis is today, you sure you don't want to come watch?"
"And watch you traumatize the poor lady? I think I'll pass"
"So basically what you're saying is 'I don't like seeing you causing others pain, but since I won't be there, feel free to traumatize her to your heart's content', Right?"
"WRONG!"
"Fufufufuhahahaha.... yeah, I feel much better now"
"Huh?"
"Never mind, I'll hang up now..."
Seriously, what was that about?
".....Oh, and Adam?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks.... for telling me about Katie"
She said, so softly you'd almost think she was some kinda angel....
Just what kind of expression am I making right now? Good thing I'm alone.
"T-Thanking me repeatedly isn't like you, it's creeping me out"
"Fufufu, I guess you're right. Well, bye"
She cut the call immediately after that. Everything about that conversation was weird, but I decided not to dwell too much on it.
"More importantly, I'm wide awake now. Sigh, what to do"
I stared at my phone with two thoughts still at the back of my mind— one from my conversation with Eleanor and the other, Sara.
"While I was wrong, my line of reasoning was still halfway correct"— Perfectly describes how I feel right now, I've been thinking about that for some days now and I've still not reached a different conclusion.
"Sigh... maybe I should've asked Liz after all"
I stopped myself on Tuesday in the moment but now the anticipation is killing me!
Well, if I'm right, they'll both fall flat on their faces—Sara and Eleanor.
The other thing on my mind was Sara's advice to "be myself", simple as it sounds, it's quite nerve wracking
"Sighhhh..... Well, every journey always begins with a single step"
And with that, I made a call
______________
★Eleanor Clarke's POV★
If I had to describe my life story in one word, it's shitty.
My first memory was red, as far as the eyes could see— red walls, red furniture, red clothes, both on me and everyone else.
I grew up in an regular orphanage— well, that was their cover story anyway, it was actually a research facility engaged in something known as "project Maya".
I don't know all the details, or their true objectives, but what I do know was that we were guinea pigs who's sole purpose was to become the new vessel for the witch of sloth.
When I say vessel, I don't mean anything cool like what you see in the movies. Basically, we were supposed to be new, disposable bodies for her to transfer her soul into in her quest for eternal youth—conduits, we were called.
From what I heard, the original aim of the project was supposed to be supposed to be something entirely different. However, when the original spearhead of the project— the witch of pride, went missing , the place turned into her own personal "immortality" factory.
As conduits, we were required to have the capacity to use spells and curses if we were to become her new body, those who didn't make the cut were eliminated.
But that was only the start, we were put through brutal experiments, painful torture and excruciating "conditioning", several kids even died mid-proceedure and even surviving was not a guarantee you'll live— if your results fail to meet their calculated expectations, you're eliminated on the spot
Barry, Shelly, Carla, Ross, Brian, Levi and others.... As I watched more and more of my friends die, I realized...
The reason everything's painted red is to reduce the hassle of having to clean up all that blood.
The day I was saved felt like a miracle, and my saviors seemed like superheroes back then— The organization that specializes in dealing witches and other supernatural bodies, X.
I convinced them to let me join their ranks that day, after proving my usefulness— as a conduit, I not just have the capacity to use spells but also the potential to inherit a witch's power, that's a no-brainer, considering my potential to become the witch of sloth's next host.
Which is precisely why I killed her and took her powers, becoming the new witch of sloth and an agent of X.
On that day, I swore three oaths— One, protect all humans from the supernatural and keep them from suffering like I did. Two, Live my life with no regrets, and don't forget the people who sacrificed themselves for me to stand here today....
And three, Witches are too cruel to be considered human, so erase every last one from the face of the Earth.
...
"Sigh.... Still though, life after that was still shit— paperwork, overtime, false leads, not to mention prejudice for being a witch myself and having to balance all that crap with an actual job.... I'M TWENTY FOUR FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, I JUST WANT A BOYFRIEND OR SOMETHING!"
"I can arrange that for you"
"Eek!"
I nearly jumped seeing that girl behind me, is she a ninja or something? I didn't even notice her.
"How long were you standing there?"
"Hmm? I just got here"
She replied, smiling sweetly....that said, it was obvious she was lying. Just how much did she hear? How much did I say out loud?
Crap! Why was I reminiscing at a time like this? Is it because I'm finally going to catch a witch? How careless of me.
"Your name is Sara, right?"
"Wooow, you actually remember my name? I'm so honored! It's a dream come true to meet a real life witch!"
She grabbed my hands, shaking with great force. Has this girl ever heard of personal space?
Still though.... The last part of her sentence bothers me.
She implied this was her first time meeting a witch, but if that's the case? How does she even know about something like a malefis? It's not exactly common knowledge.
My guess is... She's working for the witch at Stone Valley's High school, but if that's the case, just what's her angle?
Is she trying to take me down for her mistress? No, that would be stupid, perhaps things are unfavorable in her current position and she's looking to switch sides? Well, either way, I can still use her.
While it's true that losing a malefis costs one their life, that's only because their life is the only thing valuable enough to serve as equivalent exchange for a wish.
However, in this case it's different— due to special circumstances, there's something I need from her, something that I deem equivalent exchange.
This 'something' has to do with a little lie I told the blondie— well, not really a lie but a half truth, that being that I can't set foot in stone high due to the barrier.
That was a set-up to my strategy(the orb I handed to him). If a collaborator holding that orb safely passes through the barrier, I could just teleport in using that orb as a marker.
Basically, to enter the high school, I need someone on the inside. Ofcourse, since these kids are complete strangers, who knows their affiliations— I need someone who won't sell me out or tip off the witch, the best way to achieve that is wishing that upon this girl after winning the malefis.
Ofcourse, I won't let her know till I'm about to win, the agreement can be changed later on if we both agree to it, so I'll change my payment from her dying to her helping me catch the witch—after all, no one wants to die, right?
"—ening, Hey!"
"Huh?"
"Are you listening?"
The girl asked with an innocent expression, she seemed worried.
"Oh sorry, I was spacing out. What were you saying?"
"Huuhh?" She pouted. So cute!
She took a deep breath then reiterated what I didn't hear later.
"I'm not really good with athletic stuff, so I was thinking we'll do something more... intellectual. Ofcourse, having fun is a must.."
I can see two big reasons why she's not athletic. She's just a teenager, so unfair! Just what's she eating for them to grow so big?!
Sigh...
"I don't mind, but will you be okay?"
"Fufu, don't worry about me, I've been told I'm smarter than I look"
"Okay then"
"On that note, I propose we play a game of Chess"
"Chess?"
"Yup, I've been getting into it lately and it's really fun. Do you know how to play?"
"A little bit"
"Fufufu, I'll have you know I've remained undefeated since I started playing 2 weeks ago"
She boasted, puffing up her chest and raising 2 fingers
"Haha, Please go easy on me"
Psych!!! The game's as good as mine. In addition to the experiments in project Maya, we also underwent physical and intelligence tests, one of them being weekly chess games against instructors.
Sure, I might not be a grandmaster, but I can hold my own.
The girl continued explaining.
"That said, I'll like to add a couple special rules to make things more exciting, is that okay?"
"Go ahead"
"First, let's get rid of the stop clock, don't want time getting in the way of our fun"
So we'll be focusing on strategy rather than speed, huh?
"Fine by me"
"Ofcourse, taking too long will also be boring so let's say if a player spends longer than a minute on a move they receive a penalty"
"What kind of penalty?"
"The player passes their turn and the other player earns a point"
"Point?"
"This brings me to my second rule. For each piece you take, you earn a point— 1 for a pawn, 2 for rook, bishop or knight and 3 for the queen. By using up points, you can also bring back a piece that has been captured by your opponent"
I see... If used wisely, it could change the flow of the game. Also, the strategic opportunities increases since you can sacrifice a piece for your strategy and still bring them back later.
"Sounds good"
"Hmmm..."
"What is it?"
I asked her as she appeared to be thinking intently.
"Something's missing"
"Huh?"
"I feel something's missing, like the game's a 99 right now but there's something that'll take it to 100"
"What's wrong with a 99?"
"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me, I'm betting my life so i want it to be perfect"
" I... See?"
Is that how it works?
She kept thinking but couldn't come up with anything, so she suggested we chat for a bit while she ponders.
We made pointless small talk for a bit during which she discreetly tried casually probing me, but I dodged them expertly. As for my questions, she answered some truthfully and some with lies.
She's quite easy to read
"I got it!"
She exclaimed. After which she started giggling creepily. I caught a hint in her eyes and her next statement confirmed it.
"What we need is an element of danger"
"Huh?"
"I'm betting my life, but it still doesn't feel real, I need that ecstasy, that feeling I'm about to die, inching step by step to my grave with each move..."
Could this girl be..... crazy?! She looked over at me with a smile and spouted words I didn't expect
"For each point your opponent earns, the player gets a random body part cut off"
"WHAT?!"
"Well, aside from pawns though, they exist to be sacrificed. Also, the pain won't be anything big, just about the size of your hand each time."
"That's absurd!"
"With your magic, you can make it so we don't die no matter how many parts we lose at least until the game is over, right? So what's the problem?"
"That may be true but—"
"But what? Don't tell me you're scared of a little pain? I'm betting my life here so get real, I bet you've never had to toil a day in your life."
She retorted, glaring at me with cold, provocative eyes. Furthermore, her statement opened up an old wound— the painful memories of my time at project Maya
Bitch you don't know what pain is!
"Alright, I accept"
"Yayy"
She celebrated, clasping her hands in a good mood. Irritated, I moved the conversation along
"As for your wish"
"Oh, we can hash it out after the game's over"
"No! We'll hash it out now!"
She stared at me, noticing my irritation, then her expression changed to a more serious one.
"Alright then, first let me confirm...can you undo a curse placed by another witch?"
" No"
"Thought so. Well, can you heal someone in a coma?"
"Hmm... Yeah, I can do that"
"Well, that's my wish. If I lose, I die. You win only through checkmate or if your opponent passes out, agreed?"
"Agreed"
Her wish threw me for a loop, almost made me feel guilty about how much the rules of the game were in my favor.
My Sloth Factor protects me from external mental interference, including fatigue as a result of an external stimulus like pain.
No matter how much pain I experience, I won't pass out and I'm more experienced in the game, victory will surely be mine.
"Still though, why do I feel a little uneasy?"
I muttered. Looking back on it, I must've vaguely sensed the monster's presence...the demonic spider who already had me in her web
______
★★★Adam's pov★★★
"huff...hufff....huffff..."
It's a well known fact that no anime is complete without a beach episode. Sun on your backs, the beautiful ocean view and most importantly, girls in swimsuits.
The beach really is the best.
It's also been said that a long time rival of the beach is the mountains— infact, oceans vs mountains has been a pretty hot debate ever since people found out oceans and mountains even existed.
If you asked me yesterday which was better— Ocean or mountains, I would've probably picked mountains. The beach gets crowded after all, it'd be way too much "noise" to process. On the other hand, the mountains tend to be relatively quiet on the best days, serene and peaceful
Switching topics, a researcher once asked
"if you could go back in time to any time period once, where will you go, and what will you do?"
Right now, my answer is simple. I'll go back to yesterday and dropkick my past self so hard he'd start seeing stars— I'll prefer noise filtering any day to whatever the hell this is!
*Plop.
My wobbling legs was about to give out as I almost fell to my knees. I tried my best to keep my fall discrete, but my partner noticed it anyway.
"You okay? Wanna take a break?"
Rachel asked, worried she'd overdone it.
Overdoing it would be an understatement, we've been trekking uphill for over 15 kilometers!
That's right, a couple hours ago I made a call to Rachel, asking if she wanted to hang out. I forgot today's Saturday which meant she'd be going mountaineering. Silly me ended up blurting out that I wanted to go too and now, I'm in hell!
"No, I'm fine. I'm not tired at all"
"You sure? You look like you're about to pass out"
"What about you? How're you feeling?"
She took a moment to think up her answer
"I admit, I am feeling a little tired"
She's lying.
After she agreed to take me along, she switched to a target she thought was more "beginner friendly". Not to mention, she's usually climbing mountains not hiking.
This was nothing more than a light stroll for her.
And yet she lied for my sake, because she thought if she claimed she was tired too, I'll have no choice but to rest.
I don't want her to worry about me.
I don't want to drag her down.
I want her to see me as more than just a junior.
"I'm fine, really. You don't have to stop on my account...."
I faked a smile as I continued.
".... Let's keep going, the top's not that far after all, right"
I have to persevere till the end, to steele my resolve.
"Well... We're almost halfway there so I guess.."
My resolve shattered like a block of tofu. We're not even halfway yet?!
Nevertheless, I won't back down now.
"Yeah, I'll be fine. Let's go"
I slapped my cheeks to psyche myself up and continued trailing behind her.
1 step, 2 steo, 3 step.... With each step I felt strength leaving my body, the thin air straining my already irregular breathing, the incline sucking up my energy like it was some kinda succubus...
"huff...huff.... I can't....give up...yet. I.... Have...to..—"
*Plop
.
.
.
I don't remember when, but my eyes closed at some point.
Before my eyes pried open again, I got a faint whiff of shampoo, peach flavored, forcing my eyes open. First I saw black— her shoulder-lenght jet-black hair, lifting my head up, I saw her slender arms holding on to me, her small back carrying me piggyback up the mountain.
I tried to find something to say— perhaps a snide remark or a lame joke, but I ended up drawing a blank, only managing to let out one word...
"Why..."
She noticed I'd woken up, and felt relieved from the bottom of her heart. She forced a smile to hide her worry and said
"You really should've listened to me instead of acting tough. Didn't think you'd actually pass out though"
I messed up, this is embarrassing....
"How long was I out?"
"Not long"
40 minutes..... She's been carrying me for 40 minutes. My guilt just kept piling up.
"I'm fine now, you can put me down"
She stared at me blankly but I managed to convince her I really was alright now. Eventually she set me down, then I bent down motioning her to get on my back.
"It's my turn to carry you now"
"You don't have t—"
"Quit being stubborn, I insist"
She's been carrying me and our bags for over 40 minutes on a mountain slope. That'll take a toll on anyone, even Rachel with her near limitless stamina.
Not to mention, she seemed to have injured her leg a bit while carrying me but chose to persevere anyway. She really is too kind...
Reluctantly, she climbed onto my back, cheeks a little red and I lifted her up, carrying her up the mountain.
"Thank you" She whispered softly.
"I don't see why you're thanking me though, I'm the one who passed out and forced you into such a predicament"
"Hihi, Learn to take a compliment, dummy"
She retorted, laughing with the same volume as her previous statement. She rested her head on my shoulder and we made pointless small talk as we ascended the mountain.
Time seemed to fly by as we chatted, and we made it to the top without incident. I found a good place to set her down then checked her foot.
Immediately, I performed a little first aid
"There, all done"
She didn't reply, and her thoughts didn't register them either, I glanced up at her smiling side profile, then followed her gaze and witnessed something so breathtaking words could hardly describe.
"This is...."
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
The view from the summit, blowing my tensions away. It almost eliminated most of my misgivings about mountains.
"You're still more beautiful though"
Her reaction only confirmed my statement, a light blush, followed by a hearty laugh, so beautiful it'd even make Ayanokoji Kiyo*a*a's heart skip a beat.
She's a third year graduating soon, you can pretty much count down the days till seeing her wouldn't be as easy as walking down a couple classes away.
It hasn't been long since we met— at the music room, then at the station, Sure, it was a byproduct of Sara's plan, but it's one I didn't mind. Infact,
The only good thing that came out of Sara's plan was meeting you, Rachel
Every one I've met in Stone Valley has been their fair share of trouble, but with you it's different. Your brand of trouble is one I can look back and laugh about in the years to come, one I don't mind, one I actually look forward to.
I want to spend more time with you, to see more of your expressions, more of your smile, more of the faces you keep hidden, I want to see every side of you.
You might just see me as a junior you have fun with, but I want to be more.... What I'm trying to say is
"RACHEL, I....."