The reality shifted as green cubes disappeared, leaving the classroom hall as it was the second before, everyone was sitting over their place before the professor.
"A– Ahh.. Damn, you said it was light weight.."
Sara gave a light grunt, her whole body screaming in pain as she glanced at Misha to see her perfectly fine, sitting beside, surprised because while training she trained harder at her. Leon shook his head in disappointment, looking at her.
"Well.. It seems like your body isn't digesting your powers well, so you need to immerse yourself in.."
"Why am I the only one whose digestion isn't working well?. Why not them?."
Sara inquired, annoyed. Leon sighed, saying without a pause.
"It's obvious that you barely act according to your trame. Or have some connection with your inner voice. Remember your inner voice is the key to progress your story. Yeah, sometimes it yaps too much so just ignore it on those times, other than that, exposing yourself to conflicts will awaken abilities faster than just laying all day."
Hearing the statement, she was unamused. On the surface..
~ Just why!?. If they can do it, so I can to!.
She clenched her fist. Her voice echoed.
– First fix your hair..
As she brushed her hair over her ear.
"Now then, you all can go. Our next session will be next week."
Leon declared, offering a smile.
"I have a question."
Ruis raised his hand. As Leon instinctively nodded off for him.
"I feel light these days, my inner voice has become very calm, quiet. Now I'm not getting any ravings as before, it's like I'm drowning in a deep ocean. What does it mean?."
A faint smile appeared over Leon's cheek as he stated.
"Well.. Remember your first shift is easiest to move by leap and bounds, but as you progress the shifts become harder and longer, in the end well we'll talk about it later.."
Hearing this everyone looked at Ruis as they're surprised how fast he had digested the potion. For him, his puzzled face became more muddled. Questioning..
"So am I done?. My 7th shift is over?.."
"Almost, maybe yes, wait another week then we'll discuss other consequences."
Leon said without a pause as he tapped on the stand, signaling them to leave as he disappeared to thin air then the girls went first, then the idiots leaped like animals.
Somehow they all end up using the lift, the air was chummy as usual, as Zack's excitement couldn't hold itself, he snorted.
"No way, it's only been a month and you have digested it."
Ruis took it off with a chuckle.
"Just lucky.."
A thought flashed over Sara's mind as she asked, a usual grin curved over her cheek.
"So where are you taking us for a treat?."
"What treat?."
"Your advancing treat. Don't tell me you're broke.."
Everyone laughed, what a witty banter except Ender who was leaning, his arms crossed and his face unreadable. Zack noticed it.
"What's with you?."
He murmured amidst the banter.
"Headache.."
He spoke, scrubbing his eyes.
Moments Later...
The sun was going down, the spectrum of oranges, pearly pink and purples, the warm vibrant array of colors, a sky full of dreams and mysteries. The winds weave through, carrying the scent of warm bread and butter.
Now, they all were on the rooftop, even Lisa had joined them now, discussing what they had learned today and other stuff. All while this, Ender was leaning to the ceiling, looking at the sky which looked unreal, his arms and shoulders relaxed.
Zack noticed it, he couldn't stop himself from it. As he prepared his steps and was about to go to him. But.. Misha grabbed his arm. She was seeing it all, all along.
"Stay with us for a while."
She says, her cheeks were curved as wide, but her amber eyes, the sun beam gleaming over them. They were saying something.
Zack, as usual, was puzzled. But he didn't insist, and replied with an exaggerated smile.
Ender was seeing this, having a stoic face, he gave an audible sigh.
~ Don't destroy yourself like me..
While Zack's thoughts were absurd, deep down over that lively clear smile.
~ I.. I.. I want to.. Escape from them.. It's near.. But.. They really are chains, aren't they?. The more I try to free myself, the more I get entangled in..
Zack relaxes his arm, looking at Ender who has his face turned to the side. His expression softened, as he turned around over them.
Later, the moon was arising, some intended to leave while few stayed, Ender Ruis and Misha were gone. While Zack, Sara and Lisa were still here. They don't know why they were here either, none of them.
Zack thought, he should either move or talk as he does with them as his banter with Lisa was almost normal as usual, but Sara, she barely talk to him, up till now, all of them, even Ruis had lowered his guard towards him, but she was still, hesitating, or what?. He couldn't tell..
"I'll be going now.."
She muttered, before leaving, she glanced at him to see him leaning to the ceiling. Nevertheless, she departed, now silent. Which was covered like a dome, Lisa glanced at him, before sighing. She went towards him.
"You seemed quiet."
She placed her hands over the cold ceiling, leaning to it aside him, seeing Zack's lost expression. She flickered his forehead, a little harder than usual.
"Aouch!."
He diverted his attention towards her. Seeing her inquisitive look, he got more mixed up. But then coming to his senses, he let out a sigh.
"Sorry. Just got worked up.."
But no reply came from her, he got more nervous, until she said something which shook him, his eyes widening.
"Is it because of her?."
He stayed silent, turning his head down and placing it over his arms. Her expression cushioned, placing her palm over his shoulder. Zack's lips twitched, as he gasped.
"I didn't intend to do that, to say those words, I hate it, I hate it and I can't do anything but watch, my creation and destruction."
She stayed silent, as if she knew he'd murmur more.
"I deserved it, all of it. Even hell isn't enough for me to pay for atonement of my sins."
This caught her startled, she didn't think that he thought himself this low. Turning around, she took a deep breath.
"Why?. Why Zack?."
She said with an unreadable expression. His fingers twitched, his lips started twitching, he could feel as if something was crushing him from inside.
"Aragh!."
He let out a scream, before backing a few steps off and falling to his knees in agony. Looking at his palms, he realized how open yet close he was, how chummy yet cursed he was, how loving he acts yet how much he hates it.
It was all clear now, he wanted to escape. Or die.. But he thought.. If he dies.. He'll judge..
"Tell me.."
He muttered, looking at his palms.
"For what we are judged for, our deeds, our true nature or.. Our soul?.."
Lisa wasn't looking at him, her head was turned over the buildings and structures while the winds breezed through her hairs, she strolled towards him, kneeling down gently and quietly.
She knows that she can see through the curtain of his mind, yet she didn't want to, because she now understands what he needs the most, at least in her point of view.
"We don't have to judge, why will we judge?. It's a sin to judge others, even yourself."
She put her hand over his shoulder. His dead eyes, seeing his dead eyes widening for only a millimeter. She gasped.
"Zack.."
He looked at her, straight to her crimson curtains. She looked at his hazel baze, it felt like they're both exposed to each other. She put her palm over his palm.
"Don't ever change yourself for who you are. Even if the world forces you, it's better to kill yourself then to bow to it, never change yourself.."
She placed her palm over his chest, his heart.
"Here.."
She gave a warm smile, a truly warm smile, but in this moment she felt something, his heart.. His heart wasn't beating. She was taken aback immediately but gently relaxed her arm not to show him. Her widened eyes, he couldn't see it because she had tilted her head down.
A Few Moments later...
They're still in exact position, barely moved. Zack couldn't understand why she had gone quite so to start a conversation which was his usual habit, he whispered.
"Do you want to know a secret about me?."
He said, glancing at her, she was surprised.
"But let's make it fair, you'll have to tell it to me too."
This time he spoke it in his usual clumsy tone, which made her giggled.
"Fine.."
As Zack looked at the sky, the sky-blue moon shimmering like crystal, as a gentle breeze passed, a faint smile appeared over his face.
"You know, the reason why I act childish.. It is because I imagined myself to believe that this is the first time I'm seeing this world, every act, everything for the first time. When you believe this is the first time you're seeing anything which you have seen. Life gets better in imagination."
Lisa nodded with his words, but then truth found her and she couldn't bear to hold it.
"But this is like covering yourself with a blanket in a barren field, rolling all over within the blanket and believing that you're in a warmth.. Is this the truth?."
She looked at his faint hazel eyes, he went silent for a moment, then his lips started twitching as if it hurt him to say those words.
"I– I know.. This is a lie but with no one to notice by and only yourself, believing it many times makes it a truth, in the end that lie becomes your truth and your reason to.. Survive.."
She was speechless, he acted dumb but was wise enough at the same time. Thought flashed on her mind as she turned over her head. A slight smile curved over her cheek.
"When I watched humans from above, I always wondered if we're all the same, we followed the system made by our elites. Just the difference was, you people live only a hundred years while we live forever, witnessing every harsh truth worlds could give us and move on, it hurts and we can't do anything. Despite all these cosmic powers, we are as hopeless as you are."
Zack was astounded, hearing it. He turned his head towards her to see her expression, she had control over herself, quite a lot more than him. She turned him over. A faint smile over her cheeks.
"But I'm glad, next time when the world will give me the truth. I'll cover myself in a blanket, rolling all over to feel the warmth."
She gave an exaggerated smile, a warm smile.
THUD!
THUD!
Hearing someone's footsteps approaching here, the door opens with light scattering as it was Azon who had entered, closing the door subconsciously, his gaze went towards Zack who was on one side while Lisa was on another side.
Confused, he scratches his hair, he doesn't bother to think about it as he takes out a package of cigarettes, pulling one out as fire lit on the edge by its own, as he sips a deep breath. Before exhaling smoke..