Chapter 7

Kyle sat quietly in the back of his classroom, absorbed in his comic book.

**Tod**

Suddenly, a large piece of wrapped paper fell on his head.

Startled, Kyle paused his reading and picked up the paper.

"Did someone drop this?" he asked, lifting his gaze to address his classmates, only to be greeted with a chorus of laughter.

"What a loser!" a student at the front chuckled, amplifying the mockery.

Realizing he was the target of their amusement, Kyle quickly lowered his head, attempting to immerse himself back into his comic as laughter echoed around him. Feeling sad and frustrated, he remained silent, enduring their ridicule.

However, without warning, the laughter abruptly ceased, plunging the room into an eerie silence.

Baffled by the sudden change, Kyle slowly lifted his head above the comic book to investigate.

To his horror, he found the classroom walls splattered with blood and internal organs, while fragments of his classmates' bodies lay strewn across the floor.

Panic gripped him as he processed the gruesome scene, and he raced towards the classroom door. But as he swung it open, a horned creature startled him.

"Found you," it growled, landing a massive fist into Kyle's stomach.

"Noooo!" Kyle screamed, jolting awake on his knees, his heart racing incessantly.

Gasping for breath, he realized it had all just been a dream, and he began to chuckle softly.

"Hahaha," he laughed, "I think I might be losing my mind."

"It was just a dream," he reassured himself with a chuckle.

"That felt so vivid; it looked incredibly real," he admitted, acknowledging the fear it evoked.

"Thank goodness it was all in my head," he said, attempting to rise to his feet.

"Huh?" Kyle murmured in confusion.

In that moment, a chilling realization struck him: his hands were shackled behind his back, and a thick metal collar encircled his neck, tethered by six long chains leading to enormous pillars that towered over him, trapping him at the center.

The space was a vast, dimly lit cave adorned with glowing rocks.

The chains held him firmly in place, restricting any movement beyond standing or sitting.

"What's happening? Where am I? What is this?" a terrified Kyle wondered aloud as confusion overwhelmed him.

And then it dawned on him.

"Wait, could everything that transpired actually be real?"

Kyle thought to himself, his eyes wide with the dawning realization of the truth. His heart raced rapidly, and beads of hot sweat began to bead on his forehead.

He then recalled the woman dressed in black he had seen during the attack on him and the other children by the creatures. From this, he deduced something crucial.

The only explanation for his survival had to be that the woman had saved him. If one of those creatures had caught him, he would surely have met his end long ago.

"Hey, let me go!"

Kyle shouted, his voice reverberating throughout the cave.

"Hey, you can't just leave me here!"

He raised his voice even louder.

"Hey!"

Kyle yelled at the top of his lungs.

Suddenly, a massive stone shifted away from before him, allowing a brilliant light from the outside to flood into the dark cave, forcing Kyle to avert his gaze from the harsh brightness.

As the sound of footsteps drew nearer, Kyle squinted to diminish the intensity of the light so he could identify who approached.

Moments later, the mysterious figure emerged from the blinding glow, and Kyle finally recognized her.

"You?!"

he exclaimed, astonished.

It was the blindfolded woman, clad in an all-black outfit with twin blades strapped to her back, gazing down at him coldly.

"Come with me,"

she commanded in a frigid tone, turning away as she began to walk.

Instantaneously, the chains and shackles binding Kyle shattered, crumbling to sand.

Seeing this, he rose to his feet and began to follow the woman in black.

"Hey, who are you and what do you want with me?"

Kyle inquired as he approached her, but she continued walking towards the exit without answering.

At last, Kyle stepped out of the cave and was greeted by an astonishing sight.

They stood atop a vast mountain, and below him lay a landscape teeming with vibrant and flourishing trees, dotted with various types of houses that stretched to the horizon. A gentle and fragrant breeze, reminiscent of roses, drifted peacefully across the land.

The entire area was filled with houses and greenery of all varieties. It was so stunning that it seemed almost unreal for such a place to exist.

"What is this place? Where am I exactly?"

Kyle questioned in amazement, taking a moment to truly absorb his surroundings.

In the distance, Kyle spotted a massive structure unlike any other; it resembled a grand castle, its beauty giving the impression that it was crafted by celestial beings.

Quickly, he shook off his awe and remembered he shouldn't be there. He hurried towards the blindfolded woman, who had moved far ahead while he was distracted by his surroundings.

"Why am I here?" Kyle inquired as he dashed after her, but once more, he was met with silence.

"Please, ma'am, enlighten me about what's happening," he pleaded again, finally approaching her and attempting to grip her dress for attention.

Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, the woman brandished a blade at Kyle's throat, halting just inches away.

This left him in a state of utter shock and fear; although he wasn't struck by the weapon, a small cut appeared on his neck, drawing blood.

"Do not address me so casually. If it weren't for the orders to avoid harming you, I would have ripped you to shreds at the moment I found you in that cave," she said, her tone icy as she kept the blade poised at his neck.

Feeling a mix of dread and disbelief, Kyle raised both arms in surrender, signaling that he meant her no harm.

"Nova, lower your weapon; there's no need for aggression," a calm male voice interjected from nearby.

Turning his gaze, Kyle saw a middle-aged man with white hair and a thick beard, approaching gracefully with a gentle smile adorning his face.

"Welcome to Veilwatch," the man greeted Kyle in a soothing, relaxed tone.