The metallic, bloody smell stabbed my nose, mixed with the scent of floor cleaner from this bathroom. I stared at Aisyah lying on the floor, her face so pale, and guilt immediately filled my chest. I had been too slow getting here, I shouldn't have wasted any time, I should've come straight away after getting that disgusting package of a heart.
I lifted Aisyah's body; she felt light in my arms, and I gently rested her against my shoulder. On her clean neck a dark purple bruise from a circular choke mark was clearly visible, horrifying, and it made my blood race to my head. Whoever did this wasn't a normal human, he was a savage bastard who deserved to die by my hands.
"Why you, Aisyah," I whispered hoarsely, holding back all the sobs and the flood of anger, "Why did you have to get involved in this rotten mess, why didn't you tell me!" I felt a faint vibration in my right palm again, the strange pattern on my skin began to warm, but I didn't care. The fear of losing Aisyah was stronger than this odd sensation in my body. I hugged her tight, her coldness spread through me, cutting deep.
Suddenly, the sound of heavy, measured footsteps came clearly from Aisyah's main hallway, approaching. I froze, clutching Aisyah tighter. He hadn't left yet. My heart pounded so hard, I was terrified. I hid behind the slightly open bathroom door, holding my breath, trying to steady my scattered thoughts.
A large black silhouette appeared in the bathroom doorway, its shape cut by the streetlight seeping through the broken window outside. Then a man stepped in, he wore a plain black mask that covered his whole face, leaving only holes for cold eyes that stared straight at me. In his right hand he held a long surgical knife that gleamed in the dim light, its tip looking razor-sharp and terrifying.
I pressed my back to the wall, my body instantly braced to defend. "Crazy bastard, what do you want here?!" I shouted, my voice hoarse and threatening. I wouldn't run from a fight, not now. The masked man didn't answer; he only gave a slight, sneering smile behind his mask, a smile that felt deeply insulting and cruel. He obviously knew I was cornered and enjoyed my state.
He lunged at me without warning, fast and precise, catching me off guard and making me feel threatened. I shoved Aisyah into a farther, safer corner, then charged forward to fight the bastard empty handed. The brutal fight happened in one quick motion. He swung the knife with deadly skill, aiming right for my throat and stomach.
I barely dodged, feeling the cold of the blade pass just a few centimeters from my skin, I trembled with fear. "Who do you think you are, dog, coming to touch what's mine?! You'll die rotting here, I'll make sure of it!" I yelled, trying to throw him off his focus. He replied with a low grunt; his movements became faster and wilder, slashing the air around me with brutal force.
I managed to grab his wrist and twisted it hard, hoping he'd drop the lethal knife. But the man was very strong—his muscles like rock, and he kicked my knee with full force. "Shit!" I screamed in pain, lost my balance, and collapsed onto the floor littered with broken tiles and glass. The long surgical knife slipped from his hand, spun once, and plunged into the floor right beside my head.
He didn't give me a chance; he pinned me under his heavy weight. His grip on my neck was iron strong, cutting off my airway. "Trash! Release your grip, you bastard!" I struggled wildly, pushing with all I had, but my strength couldn't match his savage force. My vision started to blur, and my ears rang from lack of air.
Then, mid struggle, he leaned his masked face close to my ear. His cold, hoarse whisper cut deeper than a blade. "You'll never win, loser. You've always been weak, always living in your brother's shadow. You'll die here on this floor like a rat, just like the one you left behind."
I grabbed the collar of his shirt tight; fury surged through me, humiliation filling every inch of my body. "Don't you ever talk about Andaru, you stinking bastard! You don't know anything about him or me! All of you will pay dearly for this! Hear me, I will kill you!" I choked out, my voice tight. He just smiled again, a smile now clearly visible behind the black mask a disgusting, arrogant smile of victory.
He tightened his hold on my neck, and darkness began to close in on my vision, my lungs ached for air. Suddenly he pulled his head back a little, his cold eyes fixed on me as if savoring every second of my suffering. Then he said something that hit me like a blow, shattering everything I believed about Andaru.
"Your brother opened a problem he shouldn't have. He chose the wrong path. And now you and your little boyfriend must bear the consequences of his rotten deeds. He's a traitor, Gamali. Just like you. Both of you belong in the trash." Those words stabbed my gut. So Andaru wasn't just a victim he was involved much deeper than I'd imagined? This betrayal felt real and it hurt.
Suddenly his grip on my neck loosened. He stood up quickly, then kicked me hard in the stomach, sending me rolling in pain as I gasped for breath. "Consider this a small warning," he said, voice hoarse and threatening again, "Don't ever try to block my way."
Before I could get up, before I could respond, the masked man pivoted and leapt out of the bathroom, running down the dark corridor. I could only hear his footsteps fading, followed by a cold, sharp laughter that seemed to mock all my despair. The laughter disappeared into the night.
I tried to rise, but the pain in my gut and neck left me sprawled on the cold, filthy floor. Who was Rio, really? Was he the one who pulled the Shadow into our lives? That question shredded my thoughts. I crawled over to Aisyah, hugged her again, feeling the strange vibration in my right hand grow stronger, the pattern on my skin looked clearer. The pendant Aisyah wore felt scorchingly hot in my grip.
I stared down the dark corridor where that bastard had fled, my eyes filled with rage, vengeance, and a tremendous sense of loss. They had taken Aisyah from my side. They humiliated me completely. They lied to me and betrayed me through Rio. I swore, hard. I didn't care who this 'Shadow' was, or what filthy secrets Rio hid. Only one thing filled my mind now: revenge.
I had to get Aisyah out of here and secure her. I had to find out what the snake symbol meant, and why this pendant suddenly burned so hot. But most of all, I had to gather every bit of information and power to destroy everyone involved. Starting with Rio, and that filthy Shadow bastard. I would hunt them down and kill them all.