Justice

Escaping the security of his rich father's mansion, Arindom ran toward the forbidden forest, where nobody ever returned from. Documentary devices malfunctioned or exploded when they neared the edge. Despite the danger, Arindom was determined. His poor but kind friend had vanished there, and the official story was that he committed suicide. But Arindom refused to believe it. That's why he was headed to the forest, through the mist that clung to the ground like a curse.

---

**In the hospital**

Akib somehow survived. His body was ravaged by deep wounds, yet his heart, miraculously, was untouched. He struggled to his feet, blood seeping from him as he staggered out of the room, only to be met by an old man. Without warning, the old man closed the distance in an instant, grabbing Akib's face and slamming him to the ground with a force that knocked the wind out of him.

Akib felt the same sensation as before—the feeling of being torn from reality. He blinked and suddenly found himself lying on the cold floor of a dim underground basement, his wounds bleeding profusely. He knew something wasn't right, but he was too weak to stand.

---

Arindom reached a towering tree deep within the forest. A noose dangled from one of its thick branches, the other end tied to a heavy rock perched on a stool. The scene was eerily deliberate. Arindom kicked the stool, sending the rock tumbling to the ground. Instantly, vines shot from the tree, wrapping around him with terrifying speed. Before he could even scream, they pierced his skin, draining the blood from his body. He felt his life slipping away as the forest claimed another victim.

---

Akib, barely conscious, struggled to hold on. His mind swam in and out of focus, and everything felt like a fever dream. He was bleeding out, and he knew it was only a matter of time before his body gave out. Suddenly, he heard a loud crash. A hole in the huge tree tore open, and a boy, covered in blood, fell through and landed on top of him.

Before he could process what was happening, a group of people entered the room. Akib's vision blurred, but he recognized one of them—the older brother of a rich classmate. What was he doing here?

The man sneered. "Huh? Take them to the rooms. Give them blood."

Akib and the boy were placed on stretchers and wheeled away, their bodies limp. They were taken to a secret underground basement beneath the hospital. The rooms were built in a circular pattern around an ancient tree, hidden far from prying eyes.

-----

Akib had regained consciousness a while ago, his mind swirling in confusion and pain. His body, battered and bruised, was healing slowly. His heart pounded in his chest, reminding him of the agony he'd endured. As he lay there, Akib debated whether to fight back. He had an ability, one he barely understood, but something deep inside told him he could fight. And yet, that very thought dredged up the horrifying memory of that night.

It was the night his mother had been tortured by his father and kicked out of the house. The reason behind the violence still haunted him—his mother had been late coming home. That was all it took to trigger the violent outburst that destroyed their family. The night everyone had gone to bed, Akib's older sister, unable to sleep, snuck out of the house. She found their mother at a nearby apartment, where she had sought refuge.

Tears streaming down her face, Akib's sister had embraced their mother, asking, "Why, Mom? Why?"

Their mother, with eyes without any regret, revealed the truth she had hidden from them. The reason she was late that night was because she had helped a beggar who had been hit by a truck, taking him to the hospital and ensuring he was cared for. She had kept it a secret to avoid further conflict with their father. "The love you spread can never disappear," she had said softly, comforting her daughter.

Akib only learned this truth years later, when he promised his sister he would keep it a secret. But he had broken that promise, telling Shayaan about the incident when the guilt became too much to bear.

Now, as he lay bleeding and broken, Akib thought back to that night. The pain of it—the helplessness—was enough to ignite a fire deep inside him. He made a decision: he would fight back. No matter how little he understood about his powers, he was going to use them.

He reached up and grabbed the bag of blood they had attached him to, praying with every fiber of his being that his ability would respond. It was a wild, desperate hope, but he focused on it with all his might. Suddenly, he felt the blood inside the bag shifting, transforming from liquid into a hard, sharp harpoon. His heart raced with shock and exhilaration as he realized he had done it—he had turned the blood into a weapon.

Without hesitation, Akib kicked open the door and stormed out, his voice echoing through the halls. "Behind the darkest clouds remains the brightest light!" he shouted, his voice filled with rage and determination.

-----

**The Next Day**

Shayaan sat by the window during class, his thoughts drifting as he stared outside. His mind kept wandering back to Akib. He hadn't seen him in days, and something felt off.

"Shayaan, now summarize the text," the teacher called out, snapping him from his reverie.

Shayaan blinked, uncomprehending. "Yes, sir!" he said, standing quickly.

"I said summarize the text," the teacher repeated.

Leaning over, Shayaan whispered to the guy next to him, "What text?"

"The *Spectral War Chronicles*," the boy whispered back.

Shayaan took a deep breath and began. "In 1995, a group of alien species attacked Bangladesh. They had technology powerful enough to nearly wipe out humanity. But we devised a strategy called *Spectral Extinction.* We offered them whatever they wanted, as long as they left Earth. They agreed."

He paused, then continued. "But when their leader entered the conference room, we assassinated him. With the help of other countries, we wiped out most of the alien species. But some survived. They're still out there, seeking revenge."

The teacher nodded. "Good. Sit down."

But Shayaan couldn't focus. His mind was still on Akib. Where was he? Something was wrong. He just knew it.