Abandoned Building
The structure stood tall in eerie silence, rising like an unfinished skeleton against the dull sky. The concrete of the building was fully exposed, rough and unpolished, as if construction had been abandoned without warning. There were no windows yet, only empty rectangular gaps that allowed the wind to pass freely through the hollow interior. The air moved through those openings with a low, whispering sound, echoing faintly across the empty floors.
There were no doors installed either—except for a single main entrance at the ground level.
Seven floors of incomplete structure.
Seven floors of emptiness.
And yet, it wasn't empty.
Four figures dressed entirely in black stood outside the entrance, positioned like silent guards. Their faces were partially hidden, their posture still and disciplined. They didn't speak to each other, nor did they react to anything around them. Their presence alone suggested that this place, despite its abandoned appearance, was very much in use.
Inside, the atmosphere changed immediately.
The air felt heavier, colder—not in temperature, but in presence. Every step echoed more than it should have, as if the building itself carried the memory of everything that had happened within it.
Five men dragged Nel and the remaining members of his squad through a long, dim hallway. Their footsteps created sharp, hollow echoes against the exposed concrete walls. The metallic clinking of chains added to the sound, creating a rhythm that felt almost deliberate.
Nel's arms were bound tightly behind him with thick chains, the metal digging into his wrists. His breathing was uneven, his face pale from both blood loss and fear. The crude bandaging around his severed arm was already soaked through, dark stains spreading across the cloth.
The others weren't much better.
Their injuries varied, but their expressions were the same.
Fear had stripped them of everything else.
As they reached the end of the hallway, a heavy metal door stood in front of them. One of the guards stepped forward and knocked twice.
A brief silence followed.
Then a voice came from inside.
It was calm, low, and controlled—but there was something in it that made the air feel even heavier.
"Come in."
The door opened.
Nel and his squad were pushed inside, forced onto their knees as soon as they crossed the threshold. The guards stepped out immediately, shutting the door behind them with a dull, final sound.
The room fell into silence.
At the far end, elevated slightly above the rest of the floor, a figure sat where a short staircase ended. The positioning alone made it feel intentional, as if the room had been designed to place him above anyone who entered.
His face remained hidden in shadow.
His body barely moved.
But his presence filled the entire room.
"So, Nel," he began, his voice echoing softly in the quiet space. "I thought I could trust you with the mission I gave you."
A pause followed, long enough to make every second feel stretched.
"But you disappointed me."
Nel's body trembled slightly. His throat felt dry as he forced himself to speak.
"N-no boss… it's not like that. That guy… the one you told us to deal with… he wasn't what the intel said. He was—"
"Nel."
The interruption was quiet, but it carried absolute authority.
"I never said you were strong enough to face him head on. Did I?"
Nel froze.
"…No, boss."
He lowered his head immediately, his voice barely above a whisper.
The man leaned forward slightly, resting his elbow on the armrest and his knuckles against his temple.
"You know what happens to people I don't need anymore, right?"
The question wasn't loud, but it cut through the room like a blade.
Nel slowly looked up.
So did the others behind him.
Every single one of them understood what that meant.
Fear tightened around their chests.
"P-please…" Nel's voice cracked. "Give me another chance. I'll fix it. I swear I will."
The man didn't respond immediately.
Instead, he watched them.
Calmly.
Coldly.
"I don't care about the mission anymore," he said at last. "I've decided to delay it."
A faint shift in the air followed.
"Besides," he continued, "I believe someone else is more suited to handle the next target."
Nel's expression changed, confusion briefly mixing with his fear.
"Farewell, Nel."
The words came without emotion.
And then—
Gunshots echoed through the room.
---
Outside the building, the sound rang out into the open air before fading into silence.
Moments later, the door opened again.
Several men stepped inside, dragging out the lifeless bodies without hesitation. Blood trailed across the floor, only to be swallowed by shadow as they disappeared down the hallway.
Inside the room, the man placed the gun back onto the table beside him with a quiet, deliberate motion.
He leaned back into his seat, resting his head lightly against his knuckles once more.
Nothing in his posture suggested urgency.
Nothing suggested regret.
"I will conquer this city," he said softly, as if stating something inevitable.
---
Ironfall Academy
The next day felt ordinary to everyone else.
Students moved through the hallways in clusters, talking, laughing, arguing about trivial things. The noise filled the building in a way that felt almost comforting.
But to Lily, it all sounded distant.
Muted.
As if she were separated from it by something invisible.
She walked slowly through the corridor, holding her books close to her chest. Her gaze was unfocused, her mind occupied with thoughts she couldn't shake off.
That night.
That school.
Jin.
The memory replayed again and again in her head.
He had walked into a place she was told was dangerous—filled with fighters stronger than most students—and returned without a single injury.
That didn't make sense.
It shouldn't be possible.
Her fingers tightened slightly around her books.
"Should I ask Alan…?" she murmured under her breath.
She paused.
Then shook her head.
"No… he already has too much going on."
And even if I ask… will he tell me the truth?
Her thoughts shifted.
Jin.
The name alone made her uneasy.
"…Then maybe him."
She slowed her pace.
"If I get closer to him… maybe I can find out what's really happening."
For the first time since that night, her thoughts began to form a direction.
She needed answers.
And she wasn't going to get them by staying quiet.
"Hey."
The voice came from behind her.
Before she could react, a sharp hit landed on the back of her head.
Her body jolted forward slightly.
Laughter followed.
Lily froze.
She didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
Samantha stood behind her with a lazy smirk, her arms loosely crossed as if she had nothing better to do. Beside her stood Kelly and Mina.
Kelly had a neat bowl cut, her posture straight and composed. She looked almost studious at first glance, but her eyes carried a sharp, calculating edge that gave her away.
Mina stood beside her with her hair tied into a ponytail, her figure slightly curved, her expression relaxed but amused.
They were all looking at Lily.
Like she was something to play with.
Samantha stepped closer and grabbed a fistful of Lily's hair, pulling her head back slightly.
"Where are you wandering off to, huh?" she asked, her tone light but mocking.
"I—I wasn't—"
"Thinking?" Samantha interrupted, laughing softly. "That's new."
Kelly chuckled under her breath.
Mina tilted her head, watching Lily's reaction.
Samantha tightened her grip slightly.
"Come on," she said. "Let's go."
---
Bathroom
The door shut behind them with a loud bang.
The sound echoed sharply against the tiled walls.
Lily's heartbeat quickened instantly.
She already knew what was coming.
Samantha pushed her forward toward the sinks, forcing her to stumble slightly.
"Look at you," Samantha said, circling around her. "Walking around like you actually belong here."
Lily kept her gaze down.
Silence.
That only seemed to irritate Samantha more.
"Answer me."
"I'm sorry…"
The response came automatically.
Samantha grabbed her hair again and forced her forward, pressing her head down toward the sink.
"Sorry for what?"
"I—"
Before she could finish, the faucet was turned on.
Cold water rushed out.
Samantha shoved Lily's head under the stream.
Water splashed across her face and hair instantly. The shock made her gasp, but she couldn't pull away. Samantha held her there for a few seconds before yanking her back.
Lily coughed, water dripping down her face.
Kelly leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed.
"She looks better like this," she said with a faint smile.
Mina laughed.
"Yeah. At least now she doesn't look so annoying."
Samantha tilted her head slightly, studying Lily's soaked appearance.
"You think you're better than us because you study all the time?"
Lily shook her head weakly.
"No…"
"Because you get better grades?"
"I don't think that—"
Samantha shoved her again, splashing water across the sink.
"Then why do you act like it?"
"I'm not…"
Her voice trembled.
But she still didn't cry.
That annoyed Samantha even more.
She leaned closer, her expression sharpening.
"You're boring," she said.
Then she smiled slightly.
"Let's go somewhere more interesting."
---
Park
The sky had begun to shift toward evening when they arrived.
The park wasn't crowded, but it wasn't empty either. A few people sat on benches, some walked along the paths, and others gathered in small groups.
Just enough presence to make everything seem normal.
Samantha stopped and turned toward Lily.
"Stay here," she said casually. "We're going to get something to eat."
Lily's stomach tightened.
"C-can I just go home—"
"No."
The answer came instantly.
"Stay."
Without another word, Samantha and the others walked away.
Lily stood there, alone.
At least, that's what it felt like.
Then she noticed them.
A group of boys sitting nearby.
They had been talking before—but now they weren't.
They were looking at her.
Lily lowered her gaze quickly, her grip tightening around her sleeves.
Don't look at them.
Don't react.
Just wait.
Footsteps approached.
"Hey."
Her body stiffened.
One of them stepped closer.
"Why are you standing here alone?"
She didn't respond.
Another one stood up, moving slightly to the side, as if cutting off the path behind her.
"You lost or something?"
Lily took a small step back.
"I—I'm waiting for someone…"
They exchanged glances.
"Relax," one of them said with a smirk. "We're just talking."
A hand brushed lightly against her arm.
Then other behind her waist.
She flinched immediately.
That reaction only seemed to encourage them.
"See? She's scared."
"Cute."
Lily's breathing became uneven.
Her eyes darted around, searching for an exit.
This is bad…
Before things could go any further—
Samantha's voice cut in from behind.
"Wow. That was fast."
The boys stepped back slightly, their expressions shifting into something more casual.
"We were just talking," one of them said.
"I can see that," Samantha replied, her tone calm but edged with something sharper.
The boys didn't push it.
They walked away.
Just like that.
As if nothing had happened.
Samantha turned back to Lily with a small shrug.
Completely normal as if what just happened was not unexpected.
"You're fine," she said. "Stop overreacting."
Kelly smirked.
Mina laughed quietly.
"Let's go."
---
Lily's House – Night
The moment Lily closed the door behind her, the silence hit harder than anything else that day.
No laughter.
No footsteps.
No voices watching her, judging her, waiting for her to slip.
Just quiet.
She stood there for a moment, her hand still resting on the door, as if making sure it was really closed… as if the world outside wouldn't follow her in.
Then slowly, she walked to her room.
Each step felt heavier than the last.
The moment she reached her bed, her body gave in. She collapsed onto it, burying her face deep into the pillow, as if trying to disappear into it.
For a few seconds—
Nothing.
Then it came.
Her shoulders trembled.
A small, broken sound escaped her throat, quickly swallowed by the fabric beneath her face.
"Why…" she whispered, her voice barely holding together.
Her fingers clenched tightly into the blanket.
"Why does this keep happening to me…?"
Her breathing started to shake, uneven and uncontrollable as the emotions she had been holding in all day finally broke through.
"I didn't do anything…"
Her voice cracked.
"I just wanted to study… I just wanted to stay out of everything…"
Tears soaked into the pillow as her grip tightened further.
"Why am I always the one they choose…?"
Her body curled slightly, as if trying to protect itself from something that wasn't even there anymore.
"I stay quiet… I don't fight back… I don't even look at them…"
A pause—short, but heavy.
"…Is that why?"
Her voice trembled even more.
"Because I don't fight back…?"
She bit down slightly, trying to stop the sob that escaped anyway.
Her thoughts spiraled, words forming faster than she could control them.
"Maybe if I was stronger… this wouldn't happen…"
"Maybe if I wasn't like this… they would leave me alone…"
"Maybe… I'm just easy to break…"
Her fingers tightened again.
"…I hate this…"
Her voice grew louder now, no longer fully muffled.
"I hate them…"
"I hate this school…"
"I hate… feeling like this every single day…"
Her breathing became sharp, uneven.
"I hate waking up and wondering if today will be worse than yesterday…"
Her grip trembled.
"I hate pretending everything is fine when it's not…"
Tears kept falling, one after another, refusing to stop.
For a long moment, the room was filled with nothing but the quiet, broken sound of her crying.
And then—
Slowly—
It started to fade.
Her breathing steadied.
Her grip loosened.
The storm inside her didn't disappear.
But it settled.
Just enough.
"…No," she whispered, her voice weak—but clearer.
She turned her head slightly, her eyes still wet, staring blankly at nothing.
"I can't keep staying like this…"
A pause.
Longer this time.
"I can't just keep crying and doing nothing…"
Her fingers curled again—not in pain this time, but in something firmer.
"I already started this…"
Her voice, though quiet, carried something new.
"If something is happening… if there's something behind all of this…"
Her gaze hardened slightly.
"Then I need to know."
Another pause.
"…Even if it's scary."
She slowly pushed herself up just a little, enough to breathe properly again.
"I'm tired of being the one who doesn't understand anything…"
"I'm tired of being the one everyone thinks is weak…"
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"…I'm tired of being afraid all the time."
Silence filled the room again.
But this time—
It wasn't empty.
It felt like something was forming.
Something steady.
Something dangerous in its own quiet way.
Lily closed her eyes for a moment, taking a slow breath.
"…I'll find the truth."
TO BE CONTINUED!