"If you want a deal, then on different terms. You want freedom? Then let your candidate prove himself—become one of the best. If he earns the right to be called a personal bodyguard, even Holivan won't be able to interfere. But if he fails—you will obey us without question. And him…"
Silius Senior's voice echoed in my head.
Cold.
Crushing.
"I'll buy him from the academy and sell him to Marcus—if he wants him. And if not… with his looks, I won't have trouble finding a buyer."
I froze.
That was the deal.
The terms I had agreed to.
I gave Clyde my word.
I wouldn't disgrace him.
I became one of the best.
That's a win.
…Right?
"What is that?" the girl whispered behind me, her voice breaking.
Shadows moved.
From the direction we came.
I couldn't see their faces—
but I knew.
Possessed.
If I didn't act—
my brother—
No.
Steven.
And the girl—
would die.
"One of the best," the guard said calmly, like he was delivering a sentence, "is someone who completes this trial."
They didn't move.
Didn't react.
Even as the shapes drew closer.
The girl broke completely.
Steven stepped in front of her.
Shielding her.
I knew he could fight.
But not this.
Not against them.
Five.
Six.
More.
"Fuck—!"
Something snapped.
Strands of force tore free—
and I lunged.
I couldn't leave.
I couldn't—
Not like this.
No time to check.
No time to think.
I hit hard.
No restraint.
No control.
The fire inside me surged—
too close—
too unstable.
I pulled back for half a second—
just enough to breathe—
just enough to not lose myself—
when one of them lunged.
Everything slowed.
The growl—
wet.
Wrong.
Steven moved.
Took a stance.
Blocked one strike—
then another—
until teeth sank into his arm.
I moved.
Didn't think.
The strand snapped out—
wrapped—
yanked—
Steven screamed—
the sound of flesh tearing free—
I lost balance—
hit the ground—
rolled—
barely avoiding the body crashing down on me.
Another one hit me from behind.
Teeth sank into my shoulder.
Pain exploded.
Sharp.
Blinding.
I drove my elbow back—
not enough.
The strand lashed out—
wrapped—
tightened—
Bones cracked.
Neck snapped.
I threw the corpse aside—
forced myself up—
breathing hard—
ready.
More.
Too many.
They kept coming.
Steven was still standing.
Still.
Even now—
his arm mangled—
he stood in front of her.
Shielding her.
Like he always did.
"Five minutes remaining."
"Please…" I turned to the guards.
My voice broke.
I didn't care.
"Help me."
They didn't move.
Didn't even look at me.
"Please!" the girl screamed. "I don't want to die!"
My left arm barely worked.
I ignored it.
Forced another strand into shape with my right—
turned toward the oncoming wave.
"Two minutes remaining."
She was sobbing now.
Breaking apart.
Steven tried to calm her.
"It's okay… he'll handle it…"
He believed that.
Even now—
he believed it.
"One minute remaining."
I closed my eyes.
Breathed.
Once.
Twice.
Didn't help.
Tears slipped out anyway.
Faces flashed.
All of them.
Friends.
The elite.
People trying to change everything.
Connie—
who couldn't even read.
The academy.
The rules.
Fire.
Burned bodies.
Andrew—
who would walk into hell without hesitation.
What happens if Clyde loses?
What happens to all of them?
Hundreds.
How many more live like chained dogs—
instead of choosing their own path?
I opened my eyes.
Looked forward.
Then—
turned.
Steven.
My vision blurred.
White.
My chest tightened—
crushing—
My scream tore out of me—
raw—
broken—
drowning everything—
even the guard's voice:
"Thirty seconds."
I turned—
and ran.
I ran.
Behind me—
their voices—
their screams—
"Please! Don't leave us!"
"Don't let us die!"
I didn't stop.
Couldn't.
I shoved the gates open—
stumbled through—
collapsed to my knees outside the barrier.
Their screams—
their pain—
their last attempts to fight—
rang in my ears—
until—
nothing.
Silence.
My chest felt like it was being torn open.
Like something inside me—
whatever was left—
was being ripped out.
I broke.
Collapsed forward.
Sobbing.
Didn't care who saw.
Didn't care who was there.
I slammed my fists into the ground—
again—
again—
skin split—
blood—
I didn't stop.
Couldn't stop.
"Hey…"
A quiet voice.
A cold hand on my shoulder.
"You did well. You made it."
That—
made it worse.
I didn't fight when they pulled me up.
Didn't resist.
Didn't care where they took me.
The crying stopped.
Not because it ended—
because there was nothing left.
I just sat there.
While cold hands cleaned blood from my knuckles.
While voices blurred together around me.
Empty.
Completely empty.
"Alan… look at me."
Clyde.
His hand under my chin—
forcing me to look at him.
"It's over. Do you hear me?"
"Over…?" My voice sounded чужим. Hollow. "It's… over?"
"Yes. It's done. You can relax now."
"Relax…?"
A laugh tore out of me.
Broken.
Wrong.
Not even human.
I had just—
ripped my own heart out—
torn my soul apart—
left it behind—
and he was telling me to relax.
For him.
For Silius Clyde.
This—
this is what I get?
"Hey—calm down. Alan!"
"Calm down?!" I shoved him back and stood.
The fire roared.
Out of control.
Right there—
on the edge—
just a little more—
and everything would burn.
Everything.
Let it.
Let them see.
"Who did you see in there?" he asked.
Calm.
Too calm.
That—
snapped something.
"You were watching!" I shouted. "All of you! You saw them die! You just stood there and did nothing!"
My voice cracked.
"You want to change something? Then why didn't you move?! Why didn't you do anything?!"
The slap came out of nowhere.
Sharp.
Clean.
For a second—
nothing.
Then—
heat.
I looked at him.
Didn't understand.
"There was no one there!" Clyde snapped. "Just you—and the possessed! No one else!"
He dropped into a chair.
Exhausted.
Only then—
I noticed.
The tent.
The monitors.
Four screens.
Three of them—
showing the clearing.
Empty.
I stepped closer.
Slow.
The place—
covered in bodies.
But only Specials.
No civilians.
No girl.
No Steven.
Nothing.
"…Where…"
The word died.
My legs gave out.
I sank into the chair.
And everything—
collapsed.