I found myself in a classroom, a familiar setting that had been etched into my mind since it became part of my daily routine. Everyone was smiling: Mei, Hitomi, Akari, and Koki, alongside our homeroom teacher, Tsukiko, and our gym teacher, Akimitsu, all gathered around Kenzo. He had just returned from a trip overseas with his parents, having missed most of the semester. He should have been behind in our curriculum, but knowing Kenzo, I doubted that would be the case. Even if he was, he'd easily find a way to catch up.
"Hey, Kenzo, did you bring back any souvenirs from Italy?" Koki asked, playfully slapping him on the back.
"No luck," Kenzo replied with a slight frown. "I wish I could've brought something back, especially for the ladies, but my dad is really strict. We only focused on the family business while we were there. I barely had time for sightseeing myself."
"Man, that must have been rough. But hey, why especially for the ladies?" Koki said, a hint of disappointment creeping into his expression.
"That attitude is exactly why you're not so popular with girls," Hitomi teased, chiming in with a smirk.
"Hey, you never know what damsels are out there waiting for me. Not every girl has to be as unattractive as you," Koki shot back.
"Don't get cocky. Even you can't joke like that and expect to be taken seriously. I'm well aware of my charms, thank you very much," Hitomi retorted fiercely, puffing out her chest.
"Tch… this is why I can't stand hot chicks. Isn't that right, Ryo?"
"Uh, me? I dunno. Pretty girls are just… you know, pretty, I guess," I said half-heartedly.
"Ha! See? Even the emo boy can't agree with your depressing and downright pitiful outlook," Hitomi said with a cocky grin.
"Why… you…"
"Alright, guys, that's enough," Tsukiko interjected, clapping her hands to grab their attention. "Kenzo just got back, and you're all ignoring him. Why don't you welcome him properly so we can finally start homeroom?"
"Y-yes, Ms. Ito," both Koki and Hitomi replied, looking sheepish under her admonishment.
"Pfft! Hahaha…" Mei burst into laughter, followed by Akari, and soon the whole class joined in, their smiles contagious—even mine. In that moment, I wished things could stay like this forever. I was genuinely content.
However, a pang of unease settled in my chest, an unsettling feeling that something was wrong. I scanned the faces of my classmates, but everything seemed perfectly ordinary. Then I noticed them looking at me, concern creeping into their expressions.
"Hey, Kobayashi, what's wrong?" A classmate asked, his face blurring in my vision.
I began to sweat, a rising panic constricting my chest. Something didn't add up. What was going on here?
"Ryo, you don't look so good. Why don't you lie down in the nurse's office?" Akimitsu suggested, his tone shifting to concern.
-O
"No, no, I'm fine!" I protested, though my head throbbed, and everything felt surreal. I knew deep down that something was off this wasn't right. But how could that be?
-YO
I Have Never, Not Once In My Life, Been Content.
RYO!
†
"Ryo!"
Tadashi and Mei called out to him, their voices urgent as they approached. Ryo stood there, lost in a trance, his expression vacant.
"Wh… what?" he stammered, his breath quickening, his heartbeat pounding in his ears. The world around him, once muffled, began to resurface with alarming clarity. He buried his hands in his hair, struggling to maintain his grip on reality as chaos swirled around him.
The frantic screams of people echoed through the streets as they sought shelter from an unseen threat.
"This city is now at the mercy of the Order of Thorns," a chilling voice declared.
Ryo's mind raced. What exactly was the Order of Thorns? Was this merely a surprise training drill? He instinctively dismissed the thought, knowing in his gut that something far more sinister was at play. It felt like an invasion inside his mind, unlike anything he had experienced since the dark forest of Calignia, only this time, it was even more spine-chilling.
"Ryo, are you okay?" Tadashi leaned closer, concern etched on his face. "You seem panicked. I know it's understandable given our situation, but I need you to snap out of it." He gestured toward the panicking citizens frantically running for safety. "We're all at a loss here, but we can't have you breaking down on us."
"Ryo, did something happen?" Mei asked, her voice soft but anxious.
"I'm not sure," Ryo admitted, trying to make sense of the onslaught of emotions. "It's as if someone or something, got inside my head."
"Got in your head? Like an illusion or something?" Tadashi probed, still trying to wrap his mind around Ryo's experience.
As Ryo slowly caught his breath and regained his composure, he reflected on the strange sensations he'd just endured. "It didn't feel right. I was in… a strange place."
"So it was an illusion," Tadashi said, his confusion lingering.
"Never mind that, let's just get out of here and hide or something," Koki interjected, panic evident in his expression. "Whatever this situation is, I have a feeling it's about to get really bad." His hands trembled, drawing the others' attention.
"This man is right," Svetlana said, her usual joyful demeanor replaced by a serious expression. "I will not allow any harm to come to myself or my dear Mei. This world is unprepared for that kind of tragedy, and it must never have to face it. It's clear these people have never dealt with a crisis like this before; their expressions tell me it's a serious predicament."
"Sigh… they're right, but I didn't plan for this," Ryo admitted, placing his hands on his forehead in frustration. "Weapons… that's right, we didn't bring any. This just got worse."
"I'm sure we can handle ourselves to a degree, but it doesn't sound like a Kardia beast made that announcement, so I'm hesitant about what we're dealing with here," Mei said thoughtfully, weighing their options.
"Meaning, depending on how this turns out, it could be Zhranknar and Calignia all over—"
Before Ryo could finish his sentence, a voice interrupted him.
"Attention all Lilies! Please remain calm. We have dispatched the gardeners and the highest-ranked Lilies and Lotuses available to the city. For now, assist the citizens and guide them toward the shelter at the rear gate."
The voice paused before repeating, sounding almost automated.
"What's that? It's coming from our sigils," Koki asked, a hint of confusion in her tone.
"They're finally reaching out. We should help the nearby citizens and ask them where the rear gate is," Tsukiko quickly organized.
"That sounds marvelous! But I hope this crisis blows over soon. Are the Order of Thorns like terrorists or bandits in this world?" Svetlana chimed in, her brow furrowing with concern.
"Whatever they are, they mean business. Enough talking; let's get to safety already. I'm not mentally prepared to face another life-threatening situation right now," Ryo said flatly, his frustration clear.
"They got into my head somehow. Who knows how many others they've infiltrated or what tricks they still have up their sleeves?" Ryo cleared his throat and straightened his posture.
"Let's just follow orders. Something about all this seems too convenient. By the way, has anyone seen Vallia?" Ryo pressed, urgency creeping into his voice.
"That's right, the energetic girl. Should we look for her?"
"No, Svetlana. It's not worth it. She probably has something to do with all of this. I've never really trusted her anyway," Ryo said nonchalantly, dismissing her concern.
"Do you have any proof? Weren't you the one she was closest to?" Svetlana shot back, her mood swiftly shifting.
"I don't need proof. She's not a child; she wouldn't wander off like that if she didn't know what she was doing." Ryo stood firm in his conviction.
"You… want to abandon the girl without confirming anything? Are you that untrusting? That's not a normal reaction. You're acting like everything is set in stone, and you refuse to look beyond that," Svetlana said, annoyance creeping into her voice.
"Lana, I think you should calm down," Mei interjected, trying to diffuse the situation.
"We don't have time to worry about this. We could risk everything by looking for her. I know how this goes. If we search for her and something unexpected happens, I'll regret every decision I've ever made. We can't risk everyone else for one person," Ryo replied, confronting Svetlana's rising anger with ease.
"It's a matter of priorities, not morals or emotions, that's how I see it. But feel free to go look for her. I just don't think it's a good idea."
"I understand what you're saying, but there's no need to phrase it that way," Svetlana said, calming her nerves as she walked away from Ryo, her face turned toward him yet glaring slightly from the side. "You're right—what you say is rationally correct. However, I doubt I'll ever come to like you. Those hopeless eyes tell me everything I need to know. Rational people can be the most dangerous, after all." With that, she fell silent on the matter.
The group pressed on, reaching out to nearby civilians who were running in fear, asking for directions to the rear gate. They managed to assist a few before continuing on their way.
Upon arriving at the shelter, they were hit with the sharp smell of iron. Before them lay the horrific sight of one… two… tens—no, hundreds of civilians brutally murdered. The entire clearing in front of the shelter was painted in crimson.
"Why? Why would anyone do this?" Tadashi stammered, his voice shaking with fear as his eyes widened at the scene before him. The others were equally stunned, but Ryo and his former companions, despite the shock etched on their faces, remained relatively calm compared to Svetlana, whose legs buckled beneath her, and Tadashi, who was rightfully terrified.
"This is madness! Those people—" Todd started to speak but was cut off as he gagged and vomited, unable to stomach the gruesome sight.
The civilians they'd been with screamed in terror, a completely normal reaction. Ryo turned to check on Akari, and to his surprise, she wasn't reacting in the way he expected. She stood there, staring into the chaos, barely blinking, her expression frozen in a deep contemplation. It was clear that many thoughts were racing through her mind.
"I knew it wouldn't be easy, but our luck really sucks," Ryo said, trying to calm the group. Though he felt shaken himself, he understood that if they let fear overtake them in this moment, it could mean their doom.
"Let's get out of here for now—" Mei quickly added, eager to leave the scene before anything else could unfold.
"Hey, hey, hey! Why are you all leaving so soon?" a voice called out, freezing them in place.
"I'll admit, your reactions are justified. You probably haven't witnessed anything like this before, limbs scattered about, stomachs carved open, innards strewn everywhere, the entire environment transformed by crimson," he continued, as if describing a fairy tale. They turned towards the figure, hidden in shadows.
"That kind of malicious genocide should make anyone uncomfortable. I'm so sorry—I just get carried away. I tell myself I should present this more civilly, but I end up feeling hungrier and hungrier, and before I know it, I'm tearing everything to shreds. It's intoxicating."
Hitomi summoned Ryu, her familiar, and everyone took firm defensive stances. Ryo struggled to catch a glimpse of the fool assaulting their senses.
"Who are you?" Tsukiko asked, signaling Ryo and the others to surround the stranger slowly, their caution evident.
"Whoa, there's no need for violence. Put your fists away; I'm just doing my job. Where you come from, is it normal to attack someone for performing their duties? It's absurd. You can't just start swinging at everyone," he said, trying to lighten the mood.
"Enough with your nonsense, fiend. You're delusional if you think anyone will take you seriously. I'll ask again: who are you?" Tsukiko replied, fury simmering beneath her calm exterior.
"My, aren't you feisty? Well, if you insist…" He bowed slightly, hand on his belly in a courteous gesture. "Bloodroot of the Order of Thorns. We haven't been given permission to reveal our true names yet; you'll have to make do with aliases."
His figure remained a mysterious silhouette.