The next couple of days we trained and hung out at Ezree's place. With the competition coming up. I was specifically not paying any mind to the debt I was in to Ezree, neither was anyone else. Then it was the night before the competition.
"Are you ready for tomorrow?" Herika sat down on the couch next to me and asked.
"I am, it's just Stella I'm worried about."
"Why? She has been training just as much."
"The disappearances are getting to me. I'm just really worried for her."
My phone vibrated then continued to vibrate.
"Oh, it's Rex. I'll be a sec." I answered the phone and walked out to the back. "How's it?"
"Heo, are you and Stella alright?"
"Yup. Been cooped up at a friend's house for the last few days training."
"Are you still going into the competition?"
"Yeah."
"I'm going to say no. You can't go."
"Why?" My freedom.
"Heo, tommorow is going to be a bad day for Fayha. If you are able to, slip out the city and I'll get you once you're out."
"If you need me to leave so quickly why don't you come and get me now?"
"I'm tied up with how I'm allowed to interfere. Just get Stella and get out."
"I'm not leaving."
"..."
"If it's so important that I need to leave, then come prevent it."
"Heo, it's not that simple."
"Is it the disappearances? Come do something about it. Or is it people drowning while they're walking nowhere near water? Come do something about it. Better yet if I leave, everyone else in the city should know to leave!"
"Heo! I can't…" Rex took a long pause before speaking again. "There's a group of people out there in the world, I'm one of them. A sort of hero syndrome prevention squad."
"Hero syndrome?"
"Yes, specifically strong cases of it."
"So what you're saying is someone in Fayha is going crazy right now?"
"Yes."
"Their power has to be low now, it's been a week like this."
"This person, she might be the strongest case of hero syndrome so I can't tell what phase she's in but yes, she should be weaker than before."
"Let me fight her, whoever she is."
"You'll lose Heo."
"I won't, let me try."
"She'll drown the city in water, killing a lot of people… If you're able to, I'll tell you who she is."
"I am."
"You'll murder someone."
"It'll save way more, plus there is no cure for hero syndrome."
"Heo."
"You must have gotten the information from the president right?"
"Theres a problem with that too. The president of Mila, Yeal, her power isn't working."
"The King of Time's power doesn't work, then how do you know that this is happening?"
"We knew for a few years, actually before you were born. So the information isn't too reliable."
"But you know who it is and that it's happening?"
"We do."
"Then what do they look like, who are they?"
Rex took a longer pause. My body shook then quivered then panicked. I ended the call and walked back inside sitting down and back on the couch.
"Heo, what did Rex say? Stella asked.
"You alright?" Herika asked.
"You don't look good." Ezree said.
It's not safe for us. I can see Ezree being fine being a full dragon with her brother. Herika will probably squeak out fine. But Stella?
"Stella, I think you should stay here tomorrow."
"So we aren't competing? Better start getting home soon then." Stella laughed.
"No, Stella, you're staying far away from the competition. It's not safe for you." The room looked at me and darkened red.
"...What?"
"Just stay safe tomorrow away from the competition."
"What do you mean? Just me? I thought we were doing this together?"
"That was before these disappearances…"
"Heo, we went through all of that riddle. Met the Queen, and the old King. We stayed overnight in a cave nonstop fighting. Why now?! Why… Sis?"
"Because I don't want you to die here with me!"
Ezree and Herika uncomfortably split us apart. Ezree hugging Stella and pul- ling her towards Ezree's room. She shot a tear filled glance at me right as they disappeared behind the other side of the wall.
Herika's face was stressed, maybe confused, but she doesn't know what I'll have to fight tomorrow. Going to the competition will just let me find them quicker, they'll show up there at a certain time. The strongest Hero syndrome case, Hero of the Sea and Horror.
…
In the morning Ezree and Herika pulled us out of another fight, ultimately Stella was seated down in Ezree's house and shouldn't come back out till I'm back.
We were able to dodge the great masses of water and get to the competition arena. It was near the castle. Monster's howls of all sizes and ranks echoed out in the morning. It was about ten am, in twelve hours the great flooding will begin if I can't stop it.
We walked into the area and checked in. A lot of the people fighting were low ranking, not too scary for competition.
"Looks like all the high ranking people are helping deal with this. St-" Ezree was cut off.
"No. Stella shouldn't come."
"You acting really weird, Heo." Herika said.
"I just know a few more things about what's happening right now than you all do. She shouldn't be seen or she might be targeted."
Rex told me to not let her be seen at all today. If I'm with her when I have to fight the lord of horror, the future that's been seen can still happen.
"..."