The sound of disco was heard long before people got there. The party was happening in Central dormitory on the university grounds. One whole floor taken up all the way from rooms 301 to 340.

  Most people were already there bopping to the beats, drinking to their hearts contents and giggling with their friends. Men and women mingled about getting to know each better, but all this was just starting.

  The night was young with the clock yet to turn for the twenty third time.

  An elevator at one end of the corridor arrived with a ting. More people joined the crowds as they got to finding a room to their liking. Katie and April were amidst those new arrivals.

  "Are you sure this is a good idea, April?"

  April pushed on through the crowd doing a job of a bulldozer as she was looking for a somewhat quiet place.

  "April?" Katie followed behind her.

  "Yeah, yeah? I can't hear you!" April shouted, but just like Katie most of her words got drowned out by the upbeat music.

  "Are you sure this was a good idea?" Katie shouted.

  "Yes!"

  They got through and into a room with a large balcony with glass panels as windows. Outside was a small plaza that was encircled from three sides by the U shape of the Central dormitory.

  The plaza was all dark, like covered with a blanket.

  Inside the apartment was what could be described as a peak of modern luxury. Every bit of furniture streamlined, be it the couch, the kitchen island or the shelves and the nearby bedrooms.

  On the couch was a serious looking man with two women by his sides. They were leaning on his broad chest and giving him delicacies from the coffee table. The seriousness came from his expression, he was clearly enjoying this. It was clear how he pinched them from time to time which elicited either a moan or a giggle, a Casanova through and through. His expression remained stoic.

  "Are we in the right place?" Kathrin asked quietly.

  "Yes." April answered and they moved over to the kitchen where there were eleven people each with their own drink. Many more drinks were on nearly every surface visible.

  There were some voices heard from the nearby rooms, but when Kathrin looked she saw a buff man clothed in a tuxedo standing in between the two bedroom doors.

  "Are you sure we're supposed to be here? It looks strange in here."

  "It's better than being in other rooms, it's like hell in there with the speakers and people on top of each other. Ignore those two guys and we're fine." April came behind the kitchen island opened some drawers and produced a pair of glasses. She opened another drawer and now they had wine.

  "But what're we going to do here?"

  "Do you want to be in those mosh pits?"

  "No. There's too much people. I can't." Kathrin said.

  "Let's be here and maybe chat around with people."

  "But I have to find Adrian. He said he'll be here."

  "Then call him or text him."

  "But will he hear it through all this?"

  "Just call him and if he doesn't answer give him a text that you're in room 314."

  Kathrin called him... It rung once, twice, thrice...no answer. She texted him.

  "In the meanwhile, let's do something fun. You know, it's not everyday that there's a party."

  "I don't know. Must we?"

  "Yes." April said and turned her head before saying something to herself. Her plan was on.

  "April?"

  "Let's go Cat." April took her by her arm and took her back into the party.

  Kathrin called as she was being pulled away. "Don't call me Cat!"

  "All right Cat!"

  "Don’t! Ape!" And they got lost in the music and crowds.

  Their danced around from group to group and at first slowly getting drinks then faster and faster as the music tempo increased so did the people. They were moving as did the music, rising and falling with it, breathing with the words, hearts beating per the beat. Now was now and that mattered. Nothing else.

  ---

  Somewhere else in a back alley where people don't go a breathing was heard. Uneven and wheezing like a burst tire.

  If someone were to walk past and hear it they wouldn't see much as darkness covered the whole alley, moonshine as if stopped at the entrance to the alley. Precisely there, blood started, first a trickle and it was expanding the closer to the breathing.

  A pool of blood with a body up top. The body writhed, torn bloody clothes moving and making way for the movements. It got up from its side and grasped the rocks underneath. Blood droplets fell down its chin. A clear ting as if of a bell was heard. Blood awoke it. The eyes opened and saw for the first time.

  It was like it was birthed once more. It saw itself, it knew its face. Saw it before, yet now so familiar and obsolete felt so different. So strange.

  But that wasn't it. Far from it.

  It finally saw it, what was always fleeting from it. Now it laid here before it. Written in its own blood.

  [Adrain Greyhound]

  [Physical prowess: 80

  Intelligence: 120

  Charisma: 80

  Looks: 78 (type: Twink)

  Skills: Animal Instinct (new)

  Comment: A new world stretches before you, now it depends on you and your choices for the first time.]

  It was floating next to his reflection.

  Adrian laughed. He smiled as sweet as anyone with a bloodied face could.

  Like this day could get any better.

  [First step: Defeat a person

  Reward: based on completion

  Failure: Death

  Time remaining: 24 hours

  Accept/Decline]

  As if I care. I might as well be dead. I Accept.

  [Quest Accepted]

  [System unlock package being delivered]

  [Starter package open?]

  Open, he thought.

  [Boxing level 1]

  That's all huh? Some fancy text and a load of nothing. What was I expecting anyway?

  His pupils constricted. It hit him; his mind started operating in full force. He was thinking, dreaming and going through the basic movements in his mind. His perception of time warped and faltered, it felt like too much has passed, but with a final breath he was back.

  "I know boxing." And it got followed with maniacal laughter.

  He shakily stood up and threw a jab and a straight punch. A basic combo. He now knew it and much more.

  Yes. Yes. YES.

  He looked down at his reflection. A grimace of pain and laughter looked back. There was no clear distinction which was greater.

  [Time remaining: 23:59:08]

  Yes.

  He made his way out, but further into the city.

  ---

  Back at the party it was still hot for everyone involved. For some more than for others.

  Meanwhile Ollie was walking through the party. A group of people following behind her. People in the corridor were giving them place as they saw how coordinated they were and how they looked. Every one of them had a blue band or cloth visible.

  Ollie had one such cloth tied around her neck like a bandit.

  "Hi, Olivia. It's a pleasure meeting you here." Casanova called from his room, still sitting on that couch enjoying the two beauties.

  It seemed enjoying they were as redness was evident in their cheeks, their movements sloppy and clothes hastily arranged somewhat properly.

  "Hi, Fabian." Responded the Casanova.

  "Why the cold face?"

  "It's none of your business." A man from behind her answered.

  Fabian turned his head to him and just stared at him, but there was something in it that made the man freeze and feel as if at death's door. Fabian turned away and playfully bit into his partner's neck. She in turn reached her hand below his shirt and went down and down.

  A cough sounded.

  "Later, sweetie. Now daddy's going to work."

  The woman clicked her tongue and withdrew her hand. She hatefully turned around and gave Olivia a look that said 'What a bitch you are.'

  Olivia couldn't care less.

  "You should train your dogs better."

  "The only training he's missing is biting your balls off." Ollie managed to hold in the following retort. They aren’t here to go to war, but a smile still etched its way onto her face. The same could be said about these bitches.

  He laughed which only served to dampen Ollie’s good mood and strengthen her conviction that she made a good choice not aggravating the issue.

  "Let's be civil and amiable for this one evening and then we can play friends, enemies or whatever. It doesn't matter, does it?" He said.

  Olivia stepped inside. "Pray tell. Why wouldn't it matter?"

  "Because I'm the best there can be. Those tricks will crumble like ash before me."

  "As I see humbleness became even smaller than since we last met."

  "Why be humble when you're fully capable? Why not tell the truth and let the truth speak for itself?"

  "Nutjob." She sat down right across from him, mirroring him in kicking her legs up on the table.

  "You praise me."

  The rest of her gang went and stood behind her guarding her from all sides like a queen.

  "How is your new leader role? You like it?"

  "Don't act like you care."

  "And can't I care? You know it's always so n-no-no... I can’t seem to get the, help me here."

  "Novel."

  "No, nostalgic to see another new gang leader. An upcoming lass like you. Tsk. That's going to be rough, you'll need a lot of friends to balance, to manage."

  "Don't tell me that after what you told a moment ago, you suddenly want to be friends."

  "No, no, no. Oh god no. You got it all wrong, I've matured from all that playing. I'm no longer that theatre kid. It's too exhausting." He stood up. The clock was minutes away from being at midnight and walked over to the balcony. "I'm just saying you all will need to band together to hold us. Me."

  Before Ollie could retort back the clock hit midnight and bells sang their ceremony. It was heard all throughout the city, all in applause of one single event called First Bloodletting.

  As in on cue a microphone was thrown to Fabian that caught it and tapped it thrice. The music stopped and a smile appeared on his face.

  "Friends we have gathered here again after one year. To welcome new friends. Brothers and sisters among ourselves. Our new family. It's a joyous occasion to be able to get to know interesting people from all walks of life." He stood up gradually letting go of his woman's hand and walked over to the balcony. "Share their perceptions. Talk about life. Discuss anything and everything, but now… I think it's time."

  He took a deep breath in and shouted: "It's time to show them how we live here!"

  A cheer followed. Massive stadium lights lit up the plaza below and now everyone saw it. In the middle was no fountain, no statue. There stood an octagon cage.

  "This year there has been a decision agreed by most of the important leaders to do something a bit special. You can say performative even."

  The cheers quietened, people listening to his voice with respect he deserved as a leader.

  "There's no prepared fight. Instead, I would like to invite Eidar the leader of Valhalla to step forward as he'll be one of the fighters."

  On the right wing of the building, there were some crashing sounds and curses being hurled before a burly bearded man got to the nearby balcony. Some forty meters away from Fabian.

  "What do you want oh the big leader of Batheroes?" The Valhalla leader shouted while Nicolaus stood behind him together with two of his deputies.

  "There's this news that reached me. I for one wouldn't care, but there are rules in place and your deputies together with their goons broke them. And we can't have that for that shows disrespect and you know how that's handled here, don't you?"

  "I do."

  "So, you take responsibility for your incompetent subordinates."

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  "If getting a headstart is considered incompetence then yes. If we're going to fight let's go. Stop wasting time! I still have booze to drink and I don't think you'll be so kind now to serve me some. We'll see after the fight though!" A loud laughter was heard from the room.

  Fabian turned off his mic and glanced back into the room. "It seems he's more impatient than I am." He said with a small smile on his face.

  Eidar meanwhile looked back at his deputies and questioned them, like he had done before. "I said to do it quietly. Without any blood spilt, no bruises nothing and only with a few promising people. So, who was it?"

  "It was my people, lord."

  "Nicolaus don't." A soft trembling female voice was heard from within this apartment. It was Becky that rushed and hugged him by his arm.

  Nicolaus stepped before him with his head lowered. "I'm prepared to accept any punishment for them."

  "He didn't do it. He shouldn't be blamed it was them Kalgar, Ivan and Jacob that did it. They were the ones that were going flat to-"

  "Don't put your nose where you shouldn't, little lass." Eidar said. "Nicolaus has a responsibility for his people as do I. I'm going to fight in his stead and in the stead of his people."

  "But-"

  "Becky!" Nicolaus shouted. "I'm willing to accept any punishment."

  "Good. The punishment will be done on our turf." Eidar leaned in and then whispered into his ear. "You have a good girl. You should take a good care of her and be kind to her. She means well to you."

  "I will... leader."

  "I know. You have a good heart."

  Eidar turned around and couldn't see the crooked expression Nicolaus had on.

  It's going to be a tough fight that's for sure, but to lose? Not a chance, it’ll be a draw. He’s good, better than good, but so am I. He thought and jumped down the balcony. Who knows what the bastard’s been up to since anyone had seen him?

  It was twelve meters up, the pavement was rapidly enlarging in his vision, for a moment it seemed he’ll become a big stain on the pavement. Thar wasn’t possible, such a funny way to die, he wouldn’t let that happen even if he’d have to walk it off with a split head. He touched the ground he rolled three meters and dispersed the impact.

  "So, who's going to fight me?" Eidar asked as he looked to the different apartments. In each balcony a shadowy figure stood, each a leader there was thirteen of them.

  He knew it was just an act, a circus to be exact. His opponent was already chosen for him long before he jumped down and who other would it be.

  "It is I, Fabian Bathereon that will take you on." Fabian threw the mic behind and said to himself. "There's people that don't know my strength and..."

  "That's INTOLERABLE!" He leapt down the balcony and struck the ground. A big cloud of dust shrouded his figure for a moment. It dispersed with one motion of Fabian's as he threw back his smoking jacket and revealed a plain shirt beneath. Below him were two craters each twenty centimetres in depth and reaching out the same length in radius.

  A moment later they were both in the cage. There was a clear disparity between them in their statures. Eidar was well over two meters reaching a graceful 240 cm dwarfing Fabian and his 210 cm. The weight was the same thing except Eidar looked like a proper Viking with his muscles combined with fat. It can be said he embodied a Nordic God with all his tattoos and numerous scars of variable sizes that were crawling on him like centipedes.

  Fabian on the other hand looked like a newborn baby. Unblemished and without a scar in sight except one on his cheek reaching for his eyebrow, but not quite touching it.

  Even with all this disparity it was Eidar that looked more serious in this instance. Meanwhile Fabian was waving to his two women.

  "Don't be arrogant. That's a short road that leads nowhere. Trust me I know it firsthand." Eidar said.

  "Then you should listen to your own words more. Maybe you'll learn something."

  Eidar only shook his head and started stretching his muscles. He knew it was going to be a tough fight. Against one of the leaders of the Central dormitory no less.

  "Do you hear it?" Fabian asked as he basked in the cheers of the audience.

  "Do I hear what?"

  "The tension, the hunger in their gazes, the bloodlust. Do you feel it? The new students don't get it yet these feelings. Can you believe it only a few years ago we stood there ourselves?"

  "Yes, I can believe it."

  "But the hearts not there you know. The new ones, they don't get it none of them do. They want to remain civil, cheer but in reservation, shout but are afraid to be heard. It's maddening."

  "We're going without referee, right? First to concede."

  Fabian completely ignored him. "But when they wake up and confront the new reality before them or run - although there's no running is there? No. So they'll fight and do as we do."

  "Not everyone fights. Not everything has to be resolved by fighting. An agreement comes a long way if both sides get what they want."

  "You're not wrong, not one bit." Fabian turned to face him. "But for two sides to do so, there's the inherit power that has to be in the equation for the cooperation to work. The power be in whatever form. Those two sides are afraid, afraid of mutual destruction. Such is the trouble of the weak."

  "That's how the balance is born. An intricate web of interests navigated to the best of abilities."

  "With enough power it can be simply shattered. You take what you want and no one's going to stop you for the fear of destruction." Fabian bowed having decided to put an end to the conversation. “Say no more lest your flowery language runs dry and you’ll be forced to accept the truth.”

  Eidar assumed a fighting stance. A classical boxing stance of guarding his chin with one hand while utilizing the length of his hands and using the other hand for keeping distance. "You speak as if you're above all."

  "I am and here I'm going to show it." Fabian cracked his neck and let his hands on his sides before muttering: "I finally understood it. You won't… but I. I'm beyond human."

  Eidar frowned. This was a clear disrespect for him. Defeat is nothing, every scar spoke a story saying just that, but not being taken seriously that's dishonourable.

  Eidar spoke, not out of appreciation his opponent’s character, but of the road that took him here. "I'm honoured to fight you."

  "You should be."

  And with that they rushed at each other.

  A few minutes earlier. Just when the bells were rung. In Apartment 309.

  "What's this, April?"

  "Remember what I told you when you were sending in your letter. This is it. And no matter how many times I warned you we still are here."

  "I thought -"

  "That I was joking. And I wasn't… I wish I was."

  "What's going to happen?"

  "There's going to be a fight. They call it a welcoming ceremony. Here they'll separate the people to groups and let the people that don't want to be a part go back. Resign and live their lives."

  "So, I can go back."

  "Yes, if that weren't the case I would have done everything I could to make it so you won't be here."

  Kathrin was about to hug April and take her to leave, but was ruthlessly pushed by her. "Look at it."

  "I don't want to."

  "Do it for me. Please."

  Kathrin hesitantly nodded and looked back down. She was oblivious to the faces April was making even less aware of how tightly her fists were clutched.

  It's the right thing. She must see it. After all, if she doesn't understand it and this guy, Adrian, will stay then she'll stay too. And she won't even know into what hell pit she threw herself. April though, releasing her fists.

  Kathrin meanwhile unsurely joined the applause as both the fighters got into the cage.

  Yes. She doesn't belong here. Staying here would only cause her more and more heartache. I can't do it to you Katie. You might hate me for it, but this is all for your wellbeing. April held Kathrin's hand and looked at her, tears at the corners of her eyes but smiling.

  Kathrin didn’t see that, her pupils were the size of pins as shivers went down her spine. The fight below had started.

  Both fighters did one and the same move. A straight punch to the face. it seemed to be an equal exchange, but an acute observer would note that Fabian's fist had much less power behind it.

  Yet it was what happened afterwards that disturbed Kathrin. Both fighters regained safe distance and started circling each other. On the third steps Eidar vomited blood.

  "A...pril." Kathrin clutched April's hand subconsciously.

  April only clutched her hand in response.

  What was that? Eidar thought. How could he have caused so much damage? In one hit. It wasn't brute strength.

  "You wanted me to take you seriously so there you have it. Do you regret it?"

  "No." Eidar upturned his head and said with his mouth dripping with blood. "This is exactly what I wanted."

  Fabian nodded in appreciation.

  What followed was a flurry of punches and kicks. Each time Fabian managed to trade a hit. Though it was Eidar's situation that was worsening. Purplish spots were appearing on each part he was hit. Meanwhile Fabian receiving Eidar's full brute force only had skin injuries and muscle bruises.

  In the end, on one exchange, with a loud roar Eidar turned his punch into a grab. He had him and was going for a leg sweep and a takedown when his leg stilled.

  A sudden rush of pain assaulted his mind as he withdrew his leg and prepared for a counterattack. But it never came.

  "You know what I'm doing."

  "Yes. You're attacking my weak points."

  "Yes I am."

  "And you're drilling by some technique an internal force instead of external into my body."

  "That's it."

  "But it ends here." A faint aura like mirage appeared around Eidar's body. It made his hair lift off a few millimeters from his body. His eyes reddened and breathing became heavier. That aura was the excess heat that he was emitting.

  In the next instant Eidar lunged forward, his fist leaving a sonic boom behind as he threw a right hook. Fabian on the other hand took a step back and leaned backward. The fist travelled in front of his face, brushing his hair and then disappearing.

  A straight punch followed with a sure intent to hit this time. There was the wall of the octagon behind. In that small instant as the punch was about to connect Fabian disappeared. The punch connected with the solid wire and made a dent about the size of Fabian's head.

  Fabian was beside his fist staring straight at Eidar.

  "That's good, very good. One small issue. You think I'm not underestimating you." Fabian struck with a palm strike. It sent him crashing on the opposite wall.

  Eidar regained his bearing and saw a fist going for him.

  Too quick.

  His pupils widened and body prepared for a strike.

  The punch landed next to him. He felt a blow of cold wind, he frowned and glanced back.

  His pupils dilated.

  Behind him was a hole, about his torso in diameter with bent sharp edges. A sole thought ran through his mind.

  Is this possible?

  "See the gap between us and despair." Fabian said while withdrawing his hand.

  Instead of answering Eidar kicked a quick low kick. It connected and made Fabian frown.

  It was the night sky that Eidar saw next. His head upturned, body in flight together with a trail of blood following him. The moon was shining bright, it seemed massive in the sky like a big spotlight. It sure is bad Eidar had no chance to bask in its glory.

  "This is barbaric. How can these people cheer it on?"

  April didn't answer.

  "But at least it's the end." Kathrin said, her hands were shaking through the whole ordeal.

  When Kathrin didn't get an answer a second time she turned to April. But all April did was point with her hand down.

  There was Fabian bowing and presenting himself to the audience while behind him lied Eidar. Ge was slowly getting back up on his feet.

  "I'm... not done... yet."

  Fabian smiled and turned. It was a smile full of understanding. He was glad that they aren’t ending.

  That only made Eidar angrier. It did nothing though against Fabian.

  The result didn't change though for Fabian. For him the result remained the same only the amount of effort changed that's all.

  "He's going to kill him..."

  Each time Eidar was put down he stood up. And the cycle continued in Kathrin's horrified eyes.

  "There must be something we can do."

  "There isn't."

  "There is."

  "..."

  Kathrin steeled herself and turned away, April continued holding her though.

  "Where do you want to go?"

  "Down to stop it."

  "There's no stopping it."

  "Let go."

  April pushed her to herself and hugged her from behind making it impossible for Kathrin to get out. No matter how much she struggled April was immovable.

  I'm doing it for your wellbeing.

  "Let go!"

  "I can't."

  "Let go!"

  "..."

  A while passed of her shouting and hitting April before the shouts changed.

  "Please April. I can't watch it." Kathrin said two clear trails of tears streaming down her cheeks.

  April dodged her gaze and held on a bit longer, that’s what she said to herself a bit longer else she’ll think about staying. If you let go she won’t. It soon became irrelevant as the match had ended. Fabian won. April let go.

  "I hate you!" Kathrin ran through the crowd of people. Stumbling her way forward as tears clouded her vision. She reached the room's bathroom door, but it was locked. A clapping sound was heard from within.

  She ran out into the corridor and made her way through the few people that were still there until she found the toilets. Kathrin burst in like a tornado, inside she right away took paper tissues and wiped her tears incidentally wiping away at her light makeup.

  Throwing away the last of the tissues, Katherine saw what she got herself into. There were people here with her, sunken eyed, pale skinned. In their hands syringes. They were looking at her and she at them.

  "W-what do we have here?" One of them stood up and motioned with his head for others to follow his lead, there was five of them here. Another junkie understood and blocked the door behind her.

  There was now no escape. She was trapped here, a white rabbit in a cage.

  "Please..."

  "W-what do you want?"

  "You don't have to do this... Please don't..."

  Only a jittery smile answered her as he took a step towards her.

  Back in the cage. It was all over.

  "Thank you. Thank you. And once again thank you all." Fabian said and departed from the cage. It wasn’t obvious, but he was somewhat limping with his left leg.

  Meanwhile Eidar or at least what was of his body, an unmoving and a bloody mess, was hoisted up and dragged away by his deputies to the side building - on the first floor. Where Becky was already waiting around with a makeshift bed, three tables were put together to hold his massive body. Around, on other table, she had an opened medkit, some other medical supplies and a few other small bottles of seemingly homemade type without any label.

  "Put him here."

  They did.

  "Fabian got you good." That was an evaluation without even a need to properly examine his wounds.

  "...yeah."

  Becky got to working while the three deputies stood about guarding them. "Did you have to fight to the last ounce of your power?"

  "...if I didn't then what's the point in fighting?"

  Becky smiled.

  The deputies without a command did their job and forced everyone that was on this floor up or away. It was just them on this floor.

  "...use what the... Witch doctor made for us... I can feel this is going to heal… a good while..." He said with a drawn breath. With each breath he was leaking like a torn tire.

  "I will. You just be silent and rest." She took one of the bottles and shook it.

  Some time passed spent in the silence of the swishing and tying of the bandages.

  "Right... with this I should be done. The basic treatment I mean." Becky said as she fastened the last oily gauze. "Now take this." She handed him a bottle.

  "What's this?"

  "That's the Cell activation serum. This one can be ingested."

  "...so we finally got it. That took some time... can't believe the Witch doctor..." He started chugging down the bottle, gulp after... He threw it up.

  "The taste doesn't suit you?" She asked and stepped to the wall.

  Eidar looked at the bottle, inquiry in his eyes, then anger and then determination got mixed in as the situation started clicking in for him. He shook the bottle again and looked on as the viscous liquid flushed around.

  "It's supposed to taste bad. Don't waste anymore it was expensive."

  Eidar sat up. "I know how it's supposed to taste like."

  He saw them tense.

  And he knew. They weren't guarding the entrances so there wouldn't be anyone getting in, but so he wouldn't get out.

  "Why?"

  "I wonder why? Maybe because... you're not a good leader."

  "Becky!" Nicolaus said.

  "Why Nickie? It was you who-"

  "Yes." He gave her a hard look and she retreated behind. He returned his sight to Eidar. "She …does have truth to her words." He started walking towards him. "You gathered the biggest group of people, of us Vikings." Each sentence was a step forward. "We trained. We bettered ourselves. We fought against each other and learned. And for what? So, we can stay in one place. Stagnate? Decay?"

  "But it seems... the bettering of yourself... did nothing..." Eidar said dragging the words and making them as clear as possible.

  "As if."

  Eidar eyed him and slid of the table onto his legs.

  "This, all you see." Nicolaus opened his arms and motioned. "This is all of your making. This is where your morals, your meagre aspirations and your honour led us."

  Eidar saw them positioned around him in a triangle. Every one of them a hair's breath away from his striking distance. It was natural for them, the years of sparring engraving it into their bones, every move of his.

  "It led you to your downfall. Upon which fulfilment Valhalla can rise to what it should have been." Nicolas said. "Don't worry, your sacrifice won't be forgotten. In your name we'll rise, that's what I can promise you."

  Eidar was supporting himself up by holding the table. His blood was seeping through the bandages. Blood and oil mixing. Blood and Funeral medicine mixing.

  They didn't want to give me a chance.

  It was a parasitic agent, one which slowed his reaction speed, weakened his senses, loosened his muscles.

  He threw up again, this time on top of the table. His hands brushed along the edges and in the corner of his eyes he saw them coming closer.

  Come, just you come. If this is to be my last stand so be it, he thought. But for my brother's to be swept up. Furious about my death and starting a bloodbath... THAT CAN'T HAPPEN!

  Eidar took the table and with a turn threw it at Nicolaus.

  "Ni-"

  He got hit, most of the impact taken by his arms. The table was shattered.

  Meanwhile the two deputies ran at him from two sides. Eidar pushed the second table at the first one and pushed him back, but got hit by a kick in his back afterwards.

  He turned around, blocked another incoming attack and kicked back throwing the second deputy into the nearby wall.

  Eidar walked to the last table, he felt it. His control, his muscles weakening, failing him. The cold as it was biting deeper into him. Yet he took hold of the table legs and ripped them out.

  He spun them around and felt an unwilling smile grow. He looked the part like a mad Berserker, covered in blood and facing any enemy that dares to stand in his path with his axes.

  "Bring it on you traitors. I won't let you ruin my home."

  "Join us. You won't regret it."

  "No." Kathrin pulled away, but couldn't. He was holding her wrist. Clasping it like a spring trap just waiting to tear her head off. "I-I-"

  "Hey, don't be afraid." Another junkie, a woman, said and took a hold of shoulder.

  "Shhh, that's right. You'll feel great. The greatest you ever felt, I promise." He put a finger to her mouth so she wouldn't say no more. They pushed her back, closer to the various substances they had on the sink.

  "That right there "

  She didn't hear no more. Her breath was quick and her heartbeat was ringing in her head. thump-thump. The closer she got the more the world before her caved in and the larger, more intimidating. Their faces nothing but macabre mascaras of theatrical expressions as they were about to put one on her.

  All she had to do was choose which it will be.

  But even that seemed to be taken away from her as these masks reached out and chose for her. A mask of ecstasy.

  That's when it all crumpled. A crack in the sky and she was set free. The masks, no these people were kicked and punched away. A hand reached out for her in her fall and pulled her up.

  She closed her eyes and grasped it. It felt warm, protective, safe. She was safe she knew it and this party, this nightmare was coming to an end.

  She felt herself running and being pulled forward, but it was all so cold, distant. She didn't know for how long she ran, but that wasn't important.

  It all ended when they stopped. And it had to end. Thankfully you were here… Adrian. Else I don't know what would have happened to me. Kathrin knew it deep in her mind, it would be ruin and things she would regret for the rest of her life. Those people would ruin her and she doesn't know, can't know... what she would do.

  She opened her eyes.

  "It's okay Cat. You're safe now."

  Kathrin frowned. Those were the words she wanted to hear, but it wasn't Adrian.

  "You wanted me to see that too, April? Get some of that medicine?"

  "No I-"

  "You want me gone. Is that-"

  "Yes!" April shouted.

  Kathrin started at her, words caught in her mouth.

  "Yes, I want you gone. Is it that difficult for you to see that you don't belong here.” April looked straight at her. “And it's my wish you never will."

  "That isn't for you to decide."

  "Some of it is. I'm your friend and I can't bear to see you break before my eyes."

  "Then why did you do this to me?"

  April remained silent. The thoughts only now hitting her, maybe she did go a bit overboard. Maybe she should've let her see a while and the crowd and they could've been already home. Talking it through while she was signing the resignation letter and the next day she'd be gone.

  No …yes. God, April it doesn't matter anymore, you already fucked it up just see to it that it has a good ending.

  "It doesn't matter now."

  April listened.

  "I'm going away. Leaving the school and all. That's what you wanted right. Me gone from your life."

  "No that's not it."

  "Then what?"

  "You aren't thinking straight."

  "It doesn't matter I'll be happier that way. Me and Andy... That's it. I'm your next catch you want to break us apart. That's what this is about! But it won't be like that I'll be with him someplace away from you..." She continued on there was no stopping her rambling.

  April saw it, she was delving into hysteria. Though April was shorter she reached out and pressed her against herself. There was a struggle, but she could bear it. It would be different if Kathrin had trained...

  Soon they went back into their dormitory. A semblance of home at last even if only for the last instance of time.