And now...what the heck is that? Orion thought to himself, fear flashing across his face as he stared at the figure sprawled on the floor, dressed entirely in black.
He couldn't even tell if it was human or something else. The dim light of his room didn't help... shadows danced across the figure's body, concealing its features. But then, the figure suddenly turned its head toward the ceiling, panting heavily, strands of long black curls spilling over his face. That's when Orion realized it was a human, after all.
Who the hell is this? he thought, pulse racing. An assassin? Someone sent to kill me?
But then again, no assassin would enter in such a clumsy manner.
"W… wh… who are you?" Orion stammered, his voice trembling as he slowly backed away.
Silence.
A tense, thick silence filled the room, broken only by the sound of the stranger's ragged breathing.
"Get him!" a voice shouted from outside, followed by the thunderous pounding of boots against the floorboards.
Get him? Orion's mind raced. Are they talking about this guy? Is he a criminal?
He swallowed hard, his throat dry. There was nothing dangerous in his room... not a weapon, not even a sharp object. His eyes darted around in panic before landing on the wall clock hanging above his desk. Without wasting another second, he snatched it down.
"Okay, fine," he muttered under his breath, clutching it tightly. "This'll have to do."
But then his gaze shifted again and that's when he spotted something better... a long wooden stick resting against the wall. He immediately dropped the clock on the table and grabbed the stick instead, holding it in front of him like a sword.
"Perfect," he whispered.
Orion took a deep breath, trying to sound braver than he felt. "Are those people running after you?" he demanded, raising an eyebrow even though his voice quivered. "You'd better talk right now or I'll call them in here myself."
At first, there was no reaction. Then, with a sudden and almost inhuman speed, the stranger rose from the floor and faced him fully.
Orion froze.
His mouth hung open as his eyes locked on the man before him.
He was breathtaking no doubt about it. His long, silky black curls framed a sharp yet ethereal face. He had striking blue eyes. His lips were soft and full, tinged naturally pink, and even though his body was covered in dark clothing, the outline of lean muscle was impossible to miss.
Orion's thoughts tangled. He's… hot.
Just then, Louise's blue eyes began to glow faintly, and a radiant mark appeared on both of his hands, shaped like the letter S. The glowing intensified, casting a ghostly hue across the room sending waves of shock down Orion's spine.
"What the hell…" Orion whispered, his voice barely audible.
The once breathable air turned thick, heavy, almost suffocating. Orion coughed, quickly covering his nose and mouth with his hand, but it didn't help. His body started to weaken, his knees trembling.
"What… what's going on?" he gasped. His vision blurred as a strange pressure weighed down on him, squeezing the breath from his lungs.
Before he could collapse, Louise moved.
He blurred forward so fast Orion could barely track the motion and in the next instant, a hand wrapped tightly around his throat. Louise slammed him against the wall, pinning him there effortlessly.
Orion's hands shot up to claw at the stranger's grip, his fingers digging desperately into the other's arm, but it was useless. The strength holding him was inhuman.
But then the moment Orion's trembling hand landed on Louise's, something strange happened. The once blinding glow in Louise's eyes flickered and faded, returning to their usual piercing blue. The only light left was the shimmering S mark on his hand, still glowing brightly, a symbol of his rank and power.
The air crackled with residual energy, blue sparks flickering across Louise's arms as if his body was still deciding whether to attack or submit to the strange calm that Orion's touch brought.
"You better keep your mouth shut," Louise finally voiced out, his voice low and chilling. "Or I'll kill you right here and now."
The words sent cold shivers racing down Orion's spine. His fingers still clutched Louise's wrist desperately, trying and failing to pry it away from his neck.
Kill me? Orion thought as the realization hit him, his mind spinning. Did he just say kill me?
A bitter, almost hysterical laugh threatened to escape his lips. I was about to kill myself anyway, he thought, irony twisting in his chest. And now this handsome… no, this handsome devil decides to show up and do the job for me?
He smiled faintly, even as his breath came out in painful gasps. Should I call this mercy from heaven? The universe must've realized how pathetic I am at ending my own life and sent this beautiful monster to help me finish the task. Maybe this is its way of apologizing for sending me into another cruel world right after escaping the last one.
Louise froze for a moment when he noticed the expression spreading across Orion's face... a wide, almost serene smile blooming where terror should have been. His brows furrowed, confusion flickering across his sharp features.
"Go ahead and kill me then, handsome devil," Orion managed to croak out, still smiling. "Hurry up and choke me to death, daddy."
"What?"
Louise's grip loosened in shock, his eyes widening. The word daddy echoed in his mind in disbelief. But the surprise was short-lived; his anger returned. His hand clamped back around Orion's neck, harder this time.
"Are you that eager to die?" Louise growled, his voice dripping with venom. "You think I'm joking?"
A scoff escaped him, dark and bitter. "Well… you're going to die soon anyway, little man."
But just as he was about to tighten his grip again, a sharp realization hit him. His breath hitched.
Wait. His thoughts raced. Isn't it time for me to be destroyed already? I was at the brink of a rampage... completely gone. So how the hell am I still in control?