"The sky is beautiful. A soft, vivid blue, streaked with wisps of white like a lotus drifting downstream. It's the one thing that connects everyone : aristocrats, peasants, murderers, lost souls all looking up, searching for an escape from their dull, fleeting lives.
…So why have I been stripped of it ?"
Exhausted gaze flickered skyward. The familiar blue, now tinged with an unsettling gray, stretched endlessly overhead unchanged since before humanity, and indifferent to its fate.
A soft face, filled with awkward pimples, cuts, and bruises, framed sharp eyes that resembled those of a cat rather than a young boy's. His gaze softened in confusion.
"Why is the sky so..." He trailed off, sitting up from his comfortable spot atop a small hill if you could call it that, a hump at the edge of the field, covered in the shade of a tall, sturdy sycamore tree. Its patchy bark protected him, and its green leaves provided cool shade on warm days, rustling softly in the breeze like a soothing whisper.
Usually, the tree offered perfect cover from the harsh sun, letting him relax and dream, lost in the beauty of nature. But today, that peaceful view had been replaced by a blank, oppressive sky, too harsh to bear.
Closing and rubbing his exhausted oculi, the boy started walking across the shortly cut grass of the field, the scent still lingering in the air. Looking ahead, he could see others with puzzled expressions not so different from his own a moment ago. Some had been sitting in similarly shaded areas of the school field, others out in the centre playing football, even in the hateful glares of the sun, with not a worry in their minds. Despite the uncertainty of the future, summer had started, with their school life soon approaching its climax. Some diligent students lost themselves in their academics, while others, resigned to their fate, had forgotten about the troubles of tomorrow, wanting to kick their fears away with a game of football.
Ignoring these lost baboons, the lad with his dark, sharp eyes moved toward the giant gates leading to the main area of the school. The nauseatingly sickly green gates were wide open, ensuring they didn't block or cram the rushing crowds of pupils entering the shabby lands that lay beyond.
Looking in the window of a classroom adjacent to the gates, a visage of a frail young boy stared back. He stood at a respectable height of around 177.8 centimetre's, with dishevelled droops of long, dark hair that reached his nose, braided in a few seemingly random parts at the front while the rest rested wildly. It had been pushed back in a neat, orderly manner that would give off an aura of a gentleman if not for the few strands dangling in front, resting alongside his braided hair.
The area around one of his oculi was bruised with a light lavenderish blue, stinging and throbbing with pain. Though not unbearable, it was still significantly noticeable. If one had to guess from the expression written across the young man's face.
Glancing slightly downward, one could see a small cyst on his nose not so big that it was overly noticeable, but enough that anyone at this age must have felt an irrational embarrassment from it, especially the boy. He had been wearing formal attire: a black dress shirt with a black tie, along with a fitted black suit, its ribs edged with a hint of lavender embroidery, matching the boy's studded earrings. Lastly, dress pants and shoes, as per the regulations of this formal institution.
Walking with slow, haggard steps, as if he had just awoken from a long dream, his legs seemed to struggle to support his weight. Despite this, he continued walking in measured steps, feeling a slight sense of numbness from his legs.
Taking his attention from his tired legs to the sight unfolding in front of him a small gathering of students he had expected as much, since the field was a luxury not given to all the student body, but only the oldest among them. Those who would soon leave the relative safety of the school for the harsh and callous world outside, seeking to make a name for themselves.
But what was strange was that the group of boys was from his very own year. In fact, the youth had interacted with them occasionally when necessary.
A young man, not dissimilar to himself, although more sturdy-looking, with his strong and well-built body that had been masked unskilfully by his uniform. A white dress shirt with a baggy fit, looking more like those Victorian blouses, with his loose black tie resting roughly on his neck, dangling downwards, fighting with the aura of calmness exuded by his clean and well-structured face almost like a statue carved from marble. His features were sharp, yet not harsh on the eyes, having a sense of harmony. His honey-toned skin shone radiantly in the daylight, with well-shaped almond eyes holding a pair of hazel orbs, his medium-length wavy brown hair swaying gently in the wind.
Along with a sticky tag plastered onto his shirt a consequence of an incomplete uniform. Despite the freedom of style, the academy took its necessity of formal wear seriously. Failing to wear the full uniform could get you marked as tardy.
"Oi, Eshan. What the hell's going on?" Xu-Er called out, his voice laced with fatigue
Eshan turns his head toward the youth, his calm yet astonished face waning, giving way to an uncomfortable grimace that is quickly masked with a gentle smile, exposing his perfect, pearl teeth.
"No clue, man. It was normal clearer than usual, even then suddenly, poof. Now it's just… that." Eshan gestured vaguely at the sky. "Like a ceiling or something... Anyway, Mr Otto's rounding everyone up at the sports hall." His voice carried both confusion and mild irritation.
"Oh, Xu-er, could you help out? Go get Yue from the drama building; apparently, the speakers are broken. I'd really appreciate it."
"Yeah, nah, no problem, lad, but you owe me something to eat. I am starving after the mock test, and my sleep got ruined 'cause of the sky..."
The previously apathetic boy suddenly spoke in a cheerful and obnoxious way, letting go of his cold attitude and acting like a fool.
The youth named Xu-er or rather, Zixu Qian a name given by his late mother. Zixu, meaning "illusory child," and his surname Qian, meaning "money" or "coins." Xu-er is an adamantly easier and softer pronunciation of his name used by many, not out of endearment, but from their lack of care or effort in learning his true name.
Though the name inherently carried a melancholic undertone, Zixu was grateful for it. Unlike the rest, he wasn't disillusioned; he knew what he was and where he stood. Life is an unforgiving and cruel mistress, but he knew that from the moment of his birth.
His mother had been taken, not allowed a minute with her own blood, her child. She might have felt a profound sorrow and uncertainty about the future for her child, reflected in his name.
His thoughts drowned out by his rhythmic steps as he headed to the drama facility on Hallowmere Academy's campus, located on the left hand side of the main building the home of English, Literature, and Linguistics. Flanking it were the Maths department on the right and the Drama and Media department on the left. Parallel to the main building stood the Science and Engineering department facilities, next to the entrance to the field a large, 120 meter long and 45 meter wide, mostly flat area with shrubbery and trees lining its edge. Xu er's most cherished resting spot took space in the rightmost corner, marked by a large sycamore tree.
"Attention all students and faculty. This is an emergency announcement. We ask that everyone students and staff immediately proceed to the Sports Hall. Please remain calm and head there without delay.
This is a mandatory assembly, and your cooperation is critical. Please follow all instructions and make your way to the Sports Hall right now.
Once again, everyone must go to the Sports Hall at this time. Thank you for your immediate attention."
A loud robotic voice invaded Xu-er's senses, filled with a sense of urgency despite its inhuman origins. Xu-er's pondering was cut short by his arrival at his destination a large, modern building with a flat roof atop a set of tall, grey walls. It contrasted with the luminous wall that seemingly connected to the similarly void like sky, keeping the residents of the campus trapped. The building's automatic glass doors began sliding apart, the green flash from the black box atop the door frame bearing down on him as if scrutinizing him his lacklustre appearance, his inability to stand steadily due to the troubling pains from every inch of his body. Yet, this guardian swung open its doors, allowing the young man standing before it inside.
Xu-er entered the large central hall of the building and quickly glanced around. His perception wandered from the clean and slick stairs leading to the media classrooms to the staff office, which would be empty due to the weekly staff meeting occurring during the allocated lunchtime. His gaze then landed on the tall, sturdy wooden doors sanded and polished, seemingly made with genuine care. Or so it seemed. He knew nothing like a loving craftsman pouring their heart into their craft existed, or rather, had their hand in making these doors.
Pushing them open, Xu-er entered a long hallway lined with similarly sized doors. He walked a little, letting his steps echo off the eerily silent walls, each reverberation like a new pair of ethereal, transient eyes watching him. Xu-er's hair stood on end, his stomach churning, twisting, and writhing in unrecognizable sensations enveloping him. Though these phantom gazes weren't unfamiliar to him, they were no less unsettling.
Breaking and shattering this indescribably horrid silence, a soft hum slowly blossomed across these empty halls, giving Xu-er some remnant of comfort. Despite this, his core still moved restlessly, like a smouldering flame rising within him though its heat was absent, replaced by coldness.
Tracking the source of that divine melody, he found a wooden door seemingly the only sight Xu-er could recall from the moment he entered. However, unlike before, when those disingenuous doors radiated nothing but artificial presence, this one emanated a sense of true, harmonious joy. It wasn't from the carpentry of the wooden doorway, but from a soft voice soothing, smooth yet firm, carrying gentle reverberations as it changed notes, transitioning from one melody to the next.
A sound so profound, it was hard to believe its origin was mortal.
Xu-er approached slowly, his steps now soft, steady composed. A stark contrast to the frantic, uncertain pace he had carried before. His feline optical, heavy with exhaustion, flicked toward the stage.
Xu-er's gaze drifted around the room, the air filled with the gentle hum of Nerissa Yue Carter's voice. It was soft, almost ethereal, the melody flowing like a gentle stream through the space. As he turned his gaze to her, she sat at the edge of the stage, her long blonde hair glowing with a smooth, glamorous sheen almost like threads of silk in the light.
Her beauty was striking her pale skin like polished jade, her blue eyes shimmering with a calm, quiet depth, reflecting the world in a way that was both mesmerizing and unreachable. The warmth of her voice filled the room, making the space feel alive, as if her very presence had breathed life into it. The hum of her song wrapped around him like a comforting blanket. But it was her quiet poise the effortless grace in the way she carried herself that truly caught his attention.
In that moment, it felt as if the room belonged to her, and Xu-er, unknowingly, was merely a quiet observer in her world.
Unwilling to interrupt her reign over this shared space, he stood there minutes passing. But he knew he had to. Time was an impatient beast, unwilling to wait for one's own intentions.
His voice harshly cut through Yue's soft melodies.
"Nerissa, there's an assembly. We need to get going. The Sports Hall, that is."
Xu-er's voice was cold and sharp, albeit a bit raspy. The air in the room turned stale, unmoving. Yue moved her head with a smooth, gentle motion, her light blue eyes reflecting the visage of a calm sea. Her soft, pink lips curved into a mellow smile.
"Oh? That so?" Yue stretched lazily before hopping off the stage. "Guess we better not keep them waiting."
Her ethereal voice was a soft caress against Xu-er's ears, but in contrast to Yue's comforting presence, his face distorted from that of solemn peace to one of utter discomfort and contemplation .
"What does that mean? What are you a third rate romcom protag .You know what never mind. I don't want to know. Keep those lame lines to yourself ." Xu-er responded with a soft, defeated sigh.
"Let's go."
Yue hopped off the performance stage roughly four meters from the floor her delicate legs bracing the force before walking with giddy steps toward Xu-er. The pair made their way out through the silent hall and back into the school's open campus an area filled with pathways and peach-colored facilities.
As they moved toward the Sports Hall on the other side of the campus, Yue seemingly wished to take a calm, slow stroll. Xu-er, however, had lost his patience, speeding up his pace toward his destination.
"W-Wait for me! Why are you rushing, you dick?" Yue whined, quickening her stroll to a light jog.
Xu-er's face, plastered with annoyance, shot a glare her way, but he didn't slow down.
As they neared the hall a massive structure shaped like a brick or a loaf of bread, its emerald-green, semi-circular roof towering above them they finally stepped through the gate and into the main room.
The Sports Hall, which would normally be filled with youthful energy students sweating, running, skilfully manoeuvring the ball, outpacing each other in an endless effort to sink even one basket was now filled with an entirely different atmosphere.
All four groups of students two course-based Q-levels, qualifications specialized in particular industries, and the two years of overall education levels stood lined up in an orderly fashion. The students ranged from the youngest at 15 years old to the oldest at 19.
A total of 2,000 students, all present in one space.
Xu-er shifted his attention to the main platform at the left-hand side of the hall.
A tall wooden stage, similar to those in the drama facilities, stood at the front of the hall. A large projection screen loomed above, once meant for some mundane lecture no one ever paid attention to. But this time, the screen was blank. Instead, the headmaster of Hallowmere Academy stood alone, adjusting the microphone with a stern expression. Taking this opportunity, the duo moved to their respective classes xu-er to Class 4B and Yue to 4A.
"Ahem. You all must be very confused and lost due to the mysterious captivity we are currently experiencing," the headmaster's voice boomed. "We have been trying to reach the outside world, but our attempts have borne no fruit. However, we must not despair. Keeping calm is the only way to achieve success. The outside authorities must be taking action as we speak. At the very least, we must wait a few hours at most, a day or two. So keep your chins up as pupils of Hallowmere Academy."
His speech ended as abruptly as it had begun, and with a quick dismissal, he walked off the stage.
As Class 4B, the last to leave the hall, filed out in an orderly manner, they bore witness to the despair-ridden faces of their fellow students. xu-er separated from his class, wandering towards a quiet spot, wishing to clear his mind.
"Oy, wanna go see the wall?" A loud voice cut through the dull atmosphere. The crude abruptness seemed impossible coming from someone with such an ethereal tone. Skipping toward xu-er was Yue, accompanied by Eshan Vaidya, his tall, firm stature contrasting with Yue's small, delicate frame.
"Why should I…?" Xu-er trailed off, his words weighed down by confusion.
"Please, man. It'll be more troublesome if you refuse. You know she's persistent, and I highly doubt you want to stay in this depressing place with all those sour faces, huh?" Eshan's voice carried a snarky tone that, on another day, might have irritated xu-er. But he wasn't wrong. There was no point in lingering here. It made more sense to take a look at the cage keeping them trapped though he hated to admit it.
Xu-er started walking without another word, heading towards the science block. The other two followed, their footsteps mixing with his own.
"So , Xu-er, you goanna start crying once we get there?"
"Hah?" His glare was sharp enough to cut steel. "What kind of stupid question is that?"
"Just wondering. You're always acting all moody, like some tragic anti-hero. I figured you'd get all existential staring at the wall, y'know? Maybe start monologuing about fate or something."
"Nah, he's too lazy for that. He'll just sigh dramatically, cross his arms, and act like he's above it all."
"You two do realize I can hear you, right?"
"Yeah."
"Of course."
He exhaled sharply. "And yet, you're still talking like I'm not here."
"If the shoe fits."
"Ahuh I see how it is . If we ever find a way out of this mess, I'm making sure you two are the first to get sacrificed."
"Oh nooo, whatever shall I do? The brooding goblin wants to sacrifice me."
"Brooding what now?"
"Goblin's kind of fitting, though. You do skulk around in the dark and mutter to yourself a lot."
"Says the guy who wears those baggy shirts like some budget Victorian noble. Should I start calling you Lord Eshan?"
"I wouldn't mind. Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"
"Oh, absolutely. Lord Eshan, the Esteemed Duke of Elegance"
"More like Lord of Pretentiousness."
"And yet, I still pull it off better than you do with that half-braided disaster you call hair."
Clicks tongue. "Alright, I take it back. You're dying first."
"Joke's on you, you're stuck with us, Xu-er. No escape."
Muttering, "I must've done something horrible in my past life."
After a minute of awkward silence, they reached the outermost corner of the science facility, where an enormous, foreboding wall loomed, stretching from the earth to the heavens.
"So, what do we do now?" Eshan asked, glancing between his companions, curiosity laced in his tone.
"I don't know. Maybe Sleepy Eyes has an idea," Yue teased, nudging Eshan with an amused smirk.
Xu-er didn't dignify her with a response. Instead, he absently twisted the loose braids framing his face, his expression distant, as if contemplating the mysteries of the universe or rather just debating whether it was worth acknowledging the two buffoons in front of him.
Then, with an air of practiced indifference, he let go of his hair and reached for a discarded cigarette butt lying nearby some other student's bad habit left behind. Without a word, he flicked it at the wall.
The moment it touched the surface, ripples spread outward, distorting the rigid structure like a pond disturbed by a pebble. The solid mass wavered and bent, logic unravelling before their eyes.
Yue's brows shot up, her usual mischief replaced by awe. "Well, that's new." She stretched out a hand, pressing her fingertips against the shifting surface. At her touch, a soft glow pulsed beneath her skin. Tiny, resin-like droplets formed in the air before settling onto her hand, seeping into her flesh.
Then, symbols emerged, strange, glowing inscriptions crawling up her fingers like living ink. Foreign yet familiar, reminiscent of ancient Greek yet utterly unreadable.
Eshan took a cautious step forward. "Yue, are you okay? Does it hurt? Burn? Feel weird?"
She tilted her head, golden strands swaying like a lazy sunrise. "No, actually… it's kind of nice? Warm, but not in a bad way. Like… like the heat moves into you. Starts at your fingertips, spreads through your palm, then up the back of your hand." She flexed her fingers, eyes filled with wonder.
"Guys, you have to try this," she urged, practically vibrating with excitement. "Trust me, it's…"
Before she could finish, Eshan had already pressed his palm against the wall. The reaction was instant. Light shimmered, droplets floated, and a second symbol etched itself onto his skin. Different from Yue's, but just as indecipherable. He studied it, lips pressing together in thought.
Xu-er remained unmoved.
He should've walked away. Should've ignored them like usual. But something about the shifting wall the unnatural way it seemed to bend reality itself made his stomach churn.
Still, he extended his hand, fingers grazing the surface.
At first, warmth greeted him. A pleasant, comforting heat, like fresh tea cupped between cold hands. But then It turned.
The warmth recoiled. Yanked itself away.
And in its absence, a suffocating, unnatural cold crashed through him like a tidal wave. It sank its jagged teeth into his flesh, racing up his arm like a frostbitten curse. Then, without warning, the wall moved.
White, liquid-like tendrils surged forward, latching onto his skin and dragging him in.
The agony.
A sharp, searing pain exploded through him as something inside the wall twisted wrenched tore.
His hand—gone.
Blood spurted from the fresh wound, splattering the ground in wild arcs. His vision blurred. The pain it was too much. Too raw.
A scream ripped from his throat, ragged and guttural.
"Xu-er!" Eshan lunged, tearing off his tie and looping it around the stump in one swift motion. He yanked it tight, pressing down hard, his own breath coming in short, frantic gasps. "Shit shit, hold on!"
But it wouldn't be enough.
The pain was unbearable, sinking its claws into every nerve in his body. Xu-er's knees buckled, darkness crowding the edges of his vision. His mind wavered, teetering on the edge of unconsciousness.
Somewhere, he distantly registered Yue shouting. Eshan cursing under his breath.
The last thing he saw before the world went black was the shifting wall, rippling in eerie silence indifferent to the suffering it had caused.