Somewhere in the normal world, Apanirun sat on a high…backed chair, the shadows of the room stretching long behind him.
A slow, sinister smile crept across his face.
He had been watching Israel… every move, every breath, every battle.
"Can't wait to fight you," he murmured to himself.
A crooked, wicked grin spread across his lips, sharp and almost predatory.
Back in the crimson world…
"Apanirun?" Israel's voice trembled with confusion.
"Why would he turn humans into monsters like this?
Why can't he just face me himself?"
"He's preparing you," Femi replied calmly, his eyes cold yet full of reassurance.
"Preparing me? For what?" Israel asked, his mind racing.
Femi walked toward the three injured beasts. Slowly, deliberately, he placed his hand on each of them.
A brilliant white light ignited from his palm, spreading like molten silk over their bodies.
The air shimmered and warped around them.
The beasts' grotesque forms began to waver…
Muscles contracted, limbs reshaped…
Fur, claws, wings, exoskeletons… everything melted away.
Within moments, they were… human.
Israel's mouth fell open.
"Woah… they're really humans!" he breathed.
"What… what can't you do?" His eyes glowed with amazement.
Femi's lips curled into a quiet, proud smile.
"There's nothing I can't do," he said softly, almost humbly, yet with undeniable power radiating from him.
Israel's gaze locked on Femi, a mix of awe and admiration in his eyes.
Then, realization struck him.
"Let's go… meet Abdul and Ben. You can fix them now."
"Right," Femi nodded, his aura shimmering as he prepared to move.
In an instant, they vanished.
Moments later, they appeared before Abdul and Ben… in the normal world.
Abdul's eyes were wide, filled with worry.
"Have you… defeated them?" he asked, voice shaking.
Israel gave a confident grin and a thumbs-up.
"Yep. Easy peasy," he said, his tone light but filled with determination.
Relief washed over Abdul, and a small, grateful smile appeared on his face.
Femi knelt beside Ben, laying a gentle hand on his forehead.
A soft, radiant light enveloped him, stitching torn flesh and mending injuries with a quiet hum of energy.
Ben's eyes fluttered open, pupils adjusting to the light.
"He's… okay!" Abdul exclaimed, a mix of joy and disbelief in his voice.
Israel let out a deep breath, looking at his friends restored and safe.
For the first time since the chaos began, a moment of calm settled over the battlefield…
…but deep in Israel's mind, a spark of tension remained.
Apanirun was still out there.
And the real challenge… was yet to come.
Some minutes later…
Femi moved calmly through the ruins, restoring everything Israel and his friends had destroyed during the fight. Walls reformed. Cracks sealed. Burned structures returned to normal as if time itself was reversing.
Israel watched in silence.
Will I ever be able to do something like that someday? he thought, staring as Femi effortlessly put everything back in place.
After a while, Femi stepped back.
"All done," he said.
Israel looked around in disbelief.
"It looks like nothing ever happened," he said.
"And by tomorrow," Abdul added, "none of the students or teachers will even notice that something this evil ever happened."
"If you want, I can erase your memories," Femi said calmly, turning to Abdul.
Abdul shook his head quickly.
"No, I'm good."
Israel suddenly cut in.
"How did Apanirun turn humans into beasts like that?" he asked.
Abdul's eyes widened.
"Wait… Apanirun is behind all this?" he asked in shock.
"Yes," Israel and Femi replied at the same time.
Suddenly…
A heavy pressure filled the air.
Israel felt his chest tighten.
Then Apanirun appeared above them, floating casually, wearing a white lab coat. A twisted smile spread across his face as he began to laugh…slow, sickening, and amused.
"Well, well," Apanirun said.
"That was fun to watch."
He looked directly at Israel.
"You did good out there, kiddo."
In an instant, Israel leapt toward him.
"You evil bastard!" Israel shouted.
Apanirun laughed louder.
"You still haven't learned anything yet, huh?"
Before Israel could reach him, Femi appeared in front of Israel, stopping him with one hand.
"You can't take him yet," Femi said firmly.
"You're not strong enough."
"Then you take him down!" Israel shouted.
Femi stayed silent.
"Say something!" Israel demanded.
After a moment, Femi spoke.
"It's not my fight."
"…Seriously?" Israel said in disbelief.
Apanirun chuckled.
"Till next time," he said calmly.
Then he vanished.
Israel clenched his fists, furious.
"Why didn't you fight him?!" Israel asked.
Femi sighed.
"Alright," he said.
"If you really want to know… Apanirun can't be killed by me. Or by the MALAIKA."
Israel froze.
"…Only you can kill him."
"Really?" Israel said.
"But Tari killed the first beast when I pulled out the sword."
"That thing was nothing," Femi replied.
"The weakest of the weak."
"What about the mutations?" Israel asked.
Femi frowned.
"That… is new. Even to me."
"Then how did you know Apanirun was behind all this?" Abdul asked.
Femi didn't answer.
Instead….
He vanished.
"That guy is acting suspicious," Abdul said quietly.
"Yeah," Israel replied.
"Anyway, let's take Ben home so he can rest."
They dropped Ben off at his house, then each returned to their own homes.
The next day…
School continued like nothing ever happened.
Israel, Abdul, and Ben walked through the halls as if the destruction had never existed.
Three days later…
"We haven't heard from Femi or Tari," Israel said quietly.
"I hope everything's okay."
"I'm sure they're fine," Ben replied.
"It's been a long time since things were this quiet."
"Hey," Abdul whispered,
"you two need to be quiet. The teacher's coming."
They all smiled and went silent.
Some weeks later…
Inside the classroom, everyone sat quietly as the teacher walked in.
"Good morning, class," he said.
"Good morning, Mr. Princewill," the students replied.
"Today," the teacher continued,
"we have a new student."
The class immediately burst into whispers.
Israel and his friends sat at the back, watching the door.
"I hope it's just an ordinary student," Ben muttered.
TO BE CONTINUED…..