Elric woke up to the blinding light of the morning sun burning through his window. His head pounded as if someone was beating a drum inside his skull. His mouth felt dry and bitter. For a moment, he didn't know where he was.
He sat up slowly, his clothes still sticky from sweat and the smell of alcohol. He glanced around his room. Empty bottles sat on his table, and pieces of party confetti stuck to his bedsheets.
His phone lay next to him with the Bible app still open. The message on the screen glowed softly, almost like it was breathing. It read, "Your choices shape your soul."
Elric shut his eyes tightly, trying to escape the words. But he couldn't. They stuck to his mind like glue.
He rubbed his face with his palms, trying to wipe away the memories of the night before. He saw flashes of Mabel's laugh, Verde's wild eyes, and the cold rooftop air as he jumped between the ledges. He remembered the loud music that filled his veins and the rush of being cheered on by everyone. In those moments, he felt like a king. But now, sitting alone in his messy room, he felt like nothing.
He pulled up the Sin Slayer System screen in his mind. The numbers stabbed at him.
Sin Points: 10,143
Virtue Points: 0
Temptations Record: Critical
He felt sick just looking at it. He thought about how he used to be. There was a time when he actually cared about his grades, his future, and even helping his mother with chores. He remembered the small smiles she gave him when he helped her in the kitchen, and how proud she looked when he once scored high on a test.
But that version of him felt like a different person now, someone he had lost somewhere along the way.
His phone buzzed suddenly. A message from Verde popped up.
"Bro, you killed it last night! Everyone's talking about you. We need to go even crazier next weekend. Don't disappear on us again."
Elric stared at the message. His fingers hovered over the keyboard. For a moment, he thought about saying no. He thought about telling them he was done, that he needed to fix himself, that he was afraid of who he was becoming.
But his hand dropped to his side. He couldn't do it.
Later that day at school, he tried to avoid the boys. He kept his head down, moving quickly through the halls. But they found him anyway. Verde threw an arm around his shoulder.
"There he is! The legend himself," Verde said, laughing loudly.
Josiah slapped him on the back. "Man, you were on fire last night. We need you every time."
Elric forced a weak smile. Inside, he felt as though his heart was turning to stone. He wanted to pull away from them, but their energy was too strong, too loud. It wrapped around him and dragged him back into their world.
During lunch, they started planning the next party. Verde talked about new dares. Josiah bragged about the girls who would come. Mabel winked at Elric from across the table, making his stomach twist.
The Sin Slayer System appeared again, hovering silently in his mind like a ghost he couldn't chase away. Every lie, every laugh at a cruel joke, every selfish thought ticked the Sin Points higher and higher.
Elric felt his chest tighten. He could barely eat. He just sat there, staring at his tray. His friends kept talking, unaware that he was sinking further with every second.
After school, he walked home alone. His feet felt heavy, as if he was dragging invisible chains. Every step echoed in his mind.
When he got to his room, he locked the door and sank to the floor. He pressed his back against the wall and hugged his knees, trying to make himself as small as possible.
His phone screen lit up again. Another message from the Bible app.
"It is not too late to rise."
Elric felt tears slip down his cheeks. His body trembled. He wanted to believe it. But the darkness inside him felt too big, too strong.
He thought about the parties, the laughs, the attention. They had felt so good in the moment, but now they left nothing but emptiness.
He whispered to himself, "I don't want this anymore."
But even as he said it, he knew the next invitation would come. And deep down, he feared he wouldn't be strong enough to say no.
That night, Elric lay awake for hours, staring at the ceiling. His mind kept replaying every choice, every moment he could have stopped but didn't.
He wished for a second chance, a restart button. But there was no magic reset. There was only the growing weight of his sins and the fading glow of his remaining virtue.
In the silence, one question echoed inside him over and over again.
Can I really change?
And as the stars outside blinked quietly, Elric felt smaller than ever, unsure if he could ever find the light again.