Another day. Ki entered the classroom and sat in his usual chair beside the window. Shortly after, Zephyr came in and took the seat in front of him. "Morning," he greeted Ki.
"Hey, there's an ongoing festival at the center square, right? Wanna go?" Zephyr asked eagerly.
Ki glanced at Zephyr and answered, "Well, I'm not doing anything this afternoon, so sure. What about Septh?"
"Well, she's busy with school guidance. She's clearing all the tasks that need to be done so she can come with us," Zephyr replied.
"Must be exhausting to be a council officer," Ki mused.
Zephyr glanced at the window and answered, "Yeah."
The bell rang, and the teacher entered as the students settled down in their chairs. As the lesson began, Ki glanced at the window beside him. The edge of the glass was slightly cracked. His gaze drifted to the distance, where dark clouds were forming over the tall mountain.
The class ended, and Ki, Zephyr, and Septh walked out of the school gate together, heading towards the center square of the city. When they reached the festival, Zephyr sighed in awe as he glanced around. They were surrounded by street performers, food stalls, and bustling people.
"You seem excited," Septh observed, smiling at Zephyr.
"Don't mind him. He's been like that since morning," Ki replied. Zephyr, like a child, excitedly moved from stall to stall, buying every type of food. Meanwhile, Septh and Ki walked towards the center of the road. There was a street performer that caught Zephyr's eye, and the three of them stopped to watch.
Ki noticed one of the performers wearing a mask staring straight at him, giving him a bad feeling. He ignored it and continued walking. "This is fun," Septh said to Ki, smiling.
"Yeah," Ki replied.
Zephyr continued exploring the stalls with childlike enthusiasm. The three of them played games, watched street performers, and enjoyed the festive atmosphere. While ordering squid, Ki glanced to his right and saw the masked performer staring at him again. He stared back, but the man disappeared as a passerby walked between them. Feeling uneasy, Ki dismissed it when the fireworks in the sky caught his attention. They stayed at the festival until midnight.
As they walked down the middle of the street, Zephyr told jokes, making Septh laugh. Ki stopped when he saw the same masked man standing under a street light. The others stopped too. "What's wrong, Ki?" Zephyr asked, looking in the direction Ki was staring.
They saw the masked man. He removed his mask, and the street light flickered off. The man dropped the mask on the ground, his face hidden in the dark. There was an awkward silence. Ki extended his right arm, shielding Septh behind him. "Hello!" Zephyr shouted. "Are you okay?" he shouted again.
Septh, sensing something was wrong, grabbed Ki's arm. Suddenly, the light turned on, revealing a dark creature with a face that looked like a void. The creature started running towards them. Zephyr got in front, preparing to defend them. Before the shadow reached them, it scattered like dark water, swallowing them. In Ki's eyes, a sheet of dark matter slowly covered them.