At the End of the Hallway

  A Few Moments Later

  Still on the First Floor

  The world around the entire school had its temporal flow transformed from seconds into microseconds for the students, staff, and teachers inside the classrooms.

  Only the humanoid creature and Harry retained the temporal flow of their bodies and clothing in normal seconds, unlike everyone else there.

  [(Humanoid Creature – Confused & Fearful Voice) What is this rising sensation I'm feeling?]

  Immediately, the echo of footsteps is heard coming from the end of the hallway, which connects to another equally long hallway in the school.

  The sound reaches not only Harry but also the humanoid creature, which instinctively assumes a defensive stance solely because of the approaching presence.

  [Echoing Sound of Something Being Quietly Eaten]

  Before the humanoid creature—standing still—can focus its attention in the direction of that sound, the atmosphere falls into complete silence as whoever is approaching draws nearer, still calm, still unrevealed at the end of the hallway.

  [(Humanoid Creature – Confused & Fearful Voice) Who dares to disturb me?]

  As the humanoid creature decides to take action, it is immediately halted by the sensation that the previously dense air has become even heavier due to the presence of the person at the end of the hallway.

  Now finally stepping into view and entering the same corridor where Harry and the creature currently are.

  It is revealed that the one who changed the atmosphere so drastically is nothing more than a simple student of the same school.

  His short black hair seems to sway gently with a breeze that enters from nowhere in the hallway—because it is emitted from his own body, flowing outward in all directions, subtly lifting his school uniform.

  This same young boy walks calmly toward Harry, who still has his back turned to him. The boy is revealed to be Kalik, Téo's older brother.

  Meanwhile, Harry remains frozen, unable to react to everything that is happening around him in such a short span of time.

  Kalik, a fifth-year student at eleven years old, is at that moment eating some type of candy from a small bag he holds in one hand.

  He brings the candy to his mouth casually, still keeping his penetrating, completely black eyes—without pupils or irises—fixed ahead.

  [(Humanoid Creature – Confused & Fearful Voice) What is a young Oculi Nigri doing here in this area?]

  Even as Kalik walks forward and stops a few meters away from Harry—who kneels silently in tears, fearing for his own life—it is clear Harry is older, being thirteen years old compared to Kalik's eleven.

  [Echoing Sound of Something Being Quietly Eaten by the Young Child]

  [(Humanoid Creature – Confused & Fearful Voice) I do not recognize him... Could he be a singular one?]

  The creature cannot understand how such calmness and overwhelming pressure can come from a single young child who has not spoken a single word while eating.

  Even though the humanoid creature is blind in its three heads—each attached to its torso by separate necks.

  [(Humanoid Creature – Confused & Fearful Voice) If he is, then I will destroy him for standing beside those three foolish sisters who oppose our beloved Begeneri!]

  The creature can "see" the entire environment through an echo-location system generated by the clicking of the teeth of the central head on its torso.

  Through the subtle frequency of these clicks reverberating through the corridor, it maps everything and everyone there in surreal detail.

  [Young Boy – Deep, Tedious Sigh]

  At the exact moment the humanoid creature considers speaking again, offended by the heavy sigh released by young Kalik before it, something interrupts it.

  A piece of twisted metal floats into the hallway, wrapped in an invisible force, coming from the corridor Kalik had emerged from—previously outside the creature's field of perception.

  [(Humanoid Creature – Incredulous & Astonished Voice) What is that... lightly shimmering thing?]

  (Kalik – Sadistic & Serene Sigh)

  Immediately the world seems to slow down as an iron bar passes a few centimeters from the side of the young Kalik's face, ruffling his hair gently while he continues to advance, cutting through the air at high speed.

  The young Kalik keeps his gaze fixed on the humanoid creature in front of him, which does not move a single inch.

  [(Humanoid Creature — Disbelieving & Confused Voice) What is that damned boy trying to do with that?]

  The same iron bar continues to float forward, passing beside Harry's face, who reopens his eyes at the subtle breeze he feels on the left side of his face coming from behind him at high speed.

  In a matter of moments, in the still-slowed world, the creature is pierced by the iron that Kalik hurled toward it in a surreal way.

  [(Humanoid Creature — Incredulous & Furious Voice) How dare you, you damned boy!!!]

  It is revealed that the twisted iron belonged to one of the thin protective rails of the second staircase on that floor where they are currently located.

  That second staircase is on the other side of the school — an absurd distance from where the iron came floating at high speed.

  [Kalik — Amused & Satisfied Sigh]

  The iron passes like a bullet through the middle head of that creature, which is caught in total surprise and disbelief, and the bar continues on to lodge at the end of the corridor, stuck in a wall.

  The wall cracks for several meters around the point of impact from the high-speed blow, the iron prevented from completely demolishing the wall by the will of the young Kalik, who stops it from doing so.

  [(Harry — Trembling & Disbelieving Whisper) What was that that just happened?]

  Harry immediately looks ahead again toward the humanoid creature; the slowed world shows it toppling backward as pieces of the central head shatter and fly through the air, ejecting a black fluid while organic fragments emit a faint smoke.

  [(Harry — Trembling & Disbelieving Whisper) My God, the creature didn't even manage to dodge, damn...]

  As the creature's body falls backward, its remaining two heads — the left and the right — display nothing less than an expression of sheer disbelief that, over the following seconds, transforms into pure hatred toward Kalik for daring to attack with such audacity.

  [Humanoid Creature — Echoing Scream Consumed by Hatred & Thirst for Vengeance]

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  But before it collapses completely, the humanoid creature throws its two bizarre arms back; before its back hits the ground, it manages to launch itself forward with its body in an impulsive surge.

  Immediately the creature advances, consumed by hatred, and an invisible force emanates from its body, distorting the environment in the few centimeters around it.

  [Humanoid Creature — Voice Consumed by Hatred & Thirst for Vengeance] HOW DARE YOU ATTACK ME, YOU DAMN OCULI NIGRI!!! —

  Instinctively, Harry throws himself to the side toward one of the corridor walls, but something bizarre happens: the corridor's physics invert for Harry alone.

  He spins in the air and the perspective flips before him — where he once had his feet on the floor.

  Is body is now sent upward as if the ceiling had become his floor, and the ground where the humanoid creature and young Kalik stand becomes the corridor's ceiling in an instant.

  [(Harry — Disbelieving & Startled Whisper) This boy actually inverted the corridor's physics just for me — who is this young boy? (Trembling & Afraid Sigh)]

  Meanwhile, the humanoid creature, after only a few moments of advancing, is now only a few meters away from crushing with one of its fists — that fist cutting the air.

  Still moving forward while an invisible force, condensed in its fingers and knuckles, drives toward the young Kalik, who remains completely calm.

  [(Harry — whispering, incredulous & surprised) If he stays there, he'll be smashed to bits. Why doesn't he move forward or run? (Trembling & frightened sigh)]

  Harry now lies on the ceiling, looking upward at the inverted perspective of the scene: the humanoid creature screaming in an animalistic.

  Terrifying way in a strange language that sends a chill down Harry's spine because it is a tongue he recognizes immediately.

  [Kalik — serene & ironic voice] It seems that the amateur agent who was here failing to produce results was already eliminated by you, wasn't he? [Slightly sarcastic sigh] —

  Kalik, previously standing there watching the creature advance toward him completely calm, simply steps forward toward the humanoid after gently launching himself with smooth movement from his feet.

  [Kalik — serene & ironic voice] That agent's file was definitely the sort of thing that made him inexperienced and useless to Inanis's plans and, above all, to the Begeneri twins' objectives. [Long, hollow sigh] —

  Before the eyes of the humanoid, it perceives nothing more than, in less than the blink of an eye, young Kalik now less than two meters in front of it.

  Still confronting this surreal, calmly fast advance, Kalik casually holds a bag of sweets in one closed hand.

  [(Humanoid Creature) This must be a joke! That damn kid's really full of himself in front of me... (Slightly trembling & defeated sigh)]

  Now floating before the world so slowly that, to the creature, it feels as if time itself has stopped, it initiates a gentle movement with one leg — a motion the humanoid does not initially understand, but its body instinctively warns it that this is extremely dangerous.

  [Kalik — serene & ironic voice] But did you really think that just because you were ordered to kill that idiot who's useless to our plans, you'd— in this period of transitioning agents... [Long, hollow sigh] —

  [Humanoid Creature — disbelieving & frightened voice] Don't tell me... that kid is the replacement for that idiot agent I killed? (Trembling, defeated sigh)]

  [Kalik — serene & ironic voice] ...A little moment of your life to have fun at this school, while that idiot's replacement hadn't arrived yet? [Long, hollow sigh] —

  The humanoid remains suspended in the air, trying to crush Kalik with one of its fists at the spot where Kalik had been just moments before, his feet still on the corridor floor.

  The perspective immediately shifts to focus on Harry, lying on the ceiling, watching that surreal moment.

  Harry's eyes widen at the astonishing sight, seeing from above while his body is inverted. He watches nothing less than the completion of Kalik's leg movement aiming at the humanoid — a merciless sidekick delivered straight to its stomach.

  [Kalik — serene & cheerful voice] I thought I had made it very clear that... [Long, hollow sigh] —

  The slowed world shows Harry watching the scene in total disbelief, his eyes bulging. The continuation of Kalik's final movement is reflected in him.

  [(Humanoid Creature — disbelieving & frightened voice) That reaction speed and strength... this... this damn one is an irregular — but... WHAT THE HELL!!!]

  Beholds that single, gentle kick to the stomach of the humanoid creature by the young Kalik — it generates a pulse of wind that runs through every corridor of the school in a matter of shelves.

  It transmits an intense sensation of dominance, without causing any damage to the school's structure beyond a very strong gust that blows outward from the building.

  [Kalik — Whispering, Serene & Empty] That with his death, his prototype Oculi is useless. [Deep, Empty Sigh] —

  [THE HUMANOID CREATURE SCREAMS IN EXTREME PAIN & THE DEAFENING ECHO OF THE WIND PULSE]

  [Kalik — Whispering, Serene & Empty] Everyone nearby understood, once and for all, that this area from now on is under my command. [Deep, Empty Sigh] —

  Refocusing on the humanoid creature, the world that had previously stood still before his eyes returns abruptly to the normal flow of time in his perception.

  Showing his body immediately and being brutally hurled backward, cutting through the air at an almost supersonic speed.

  [Kalik — Whispering, Serene & Empty] And I am the one who grants permission to feed or not! To feast on these humans — "Primates." [Subtle, Sadistic Sigh] —

  Visible as the humanoid slices through the air toward the end of the corridor, its body simultaneously splits into two pieces from the force of Kalik's gentle kick to its stomach.

  [EXTREME SCREAMS OF PAIN & RAGE FROM THE AGONIZED CREATURE]

  After a few seconds, that brutal scene finishes successfully: the once-imposing humanoid is reduced to nothing less than numerous small fragments, and two somewhat larger parts of its previously whole and now disfigured body.

  [(Kalik — Whispering, Serene & Empty) No one will interfere with my plans, nor with the integrity of any student inside this irritating school. (Subtle, Sadistic Sigh)]

  When what remained of its body finally came to the end of the corridor, it left along that path a large amount of black liquid — its blood — and several pieces of its flesh stuck to the walls, ceiling, and floor.

  [(Harry — Whispering, Trembling & Disbelieving) My God, that single, very young boy annihilated that bizarre creature like it was nothing with a single kick... (Slightly Tremulous, Astonished Breathing)]

  The world seemed to slow down before the entire combat scene that Harry had just witnessed seconds earlier in that corridor.

  Kalik's presence was evident, hovering a few centimeters above the ground, while a rippling force appeared to emanate from his body, slightly distorting the environment for a few centimeters around him.

  Kalik began to float gently down to the ground, and the force that had been so visible to Harry vanished the instant Kalik's feet touched the floor, giving the impression that it had never existed in the first place.

  When he tried to speak, Harry felt his body return to normal physics, making the ceiling—which had moments ago been the "floor" under his body—become the ceiling once again. He screamed, trying to shield himself from the fall toward the ground, raising his arms to protect his face.

  Kalik, hearing the faint thud of Harry hitting the floor behind him, suddenly remembered the boy's presence — an observer who had the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time only minutes earlier.

  Harry lay on the ground, slightly shaken by the abrupt fall caused by his body returning to normal physical laws. He quickly glanced at Kalik, his expression a mixture of mild confusion and relief at being on solid ground again.

  At the same time, he noticed Kalik standing calmly, holding the empty candy bag he had been eating from moments earlier, now finally finished.

  Harry realized his body was slightly numb from the fall, and his previously relieved gaze toward Kalik shifted into fear — fear of what Kalik had done to the bizarre humanoid creature as though it had been nothing noteworthy at all.

  He had witnessed Kalik's power against the humanoid — a boy from his school who looked no older than eleven — and with a simple, gentle kick, Kalik had shattered the bizarre creature in a brutal manner.

  [(Kalik – Ironic & Curious Tone) ...I had forgotten you were even here, kid. From what I can see, you're older than me — about thirteen, right? (Light, cheerfully ironic breath)]

  [(Harry – Whispering, Completely Horrified) Crap... (Shaky sigh) Crap... (Failed breath)]

  Kalik turned toward Harry, his eyes pitch-black, revealing his true nature as an Oculi Nigri, despite his otherwise clearly human appearance — his eyes being the only visibly abnormal trait if someone were to examine him at that moment.

  [Kalik – Ironic & Curious Tone] But, putting aside that trivial little detail of our age difference... [Cheerfully ironic breath] -

  [(Harry – Whispering, Completely Horrified) I'm so screwed... (Trembling breath)]

  [Kalik – Ironic & Curious Tone] ...You shouldn't be free from the temporal suspension I placed over the entire school, yet it's quite clear to me... [Cheerfully ironic breath] -

  [(Harry – Whispering, Completely Horrified) I'm going to die... (Trembling breath)]

  [Kalik – Ironic & Curious Tone] ...that you must be someone very important to someone in the upper ranks of the Inanis faction — or perhaps to those idiots from the Reginae faction. [Cheerfully ironic breath] -

  Harry, instinctively, begins trying to put some distance between them, moving backward while still keeping his gaze fixed on Kalik. Even while kneeling on the floor a few meters away, he watches Kalik observing him with such an unsettling air of nonchalance.

  [Kalik – Ironic & Curious Tone] For you to be here trembling before me, with such an intense scent of fear. [Soft Sarcastic Laugh] —

  [(Harry – Whispering, Completely Horrified) I have to run, but he will definitely kill me if I do that... (Shaky, Fearful Breathing)]

  [Kalik – Ironic & Curious Tone] I assume you were chosen to be an Oculi's food quite some time ago, wasn't that it? [Deep Exhale] —

  The sentence echoes through the corridor, which is completely silent, as if death itself were speaking to Harry. He feels his body gradually becoming numb while Kalik remains motionless.

  Kalik watches him with his completely black eyes, his school uniform swaying softly with the subtle release of his invisible force.

  [Kalik – Sincere & Curious Tone] Answer me, you coward! I promise I will only erase your memory—I'm not going to kill you. [Long, Tedious Sigh] —

  Harry tries to scream immediately, but before he can, Kalik snaps his fingers, forcing his mouth to open slightly at the beginning of his terrified cry—only to shut it abruptly.

  [Kalik – Sincere & Curious Tone] Even though I might want to, deep down... because of the delightful scent your body releases when your fear reaches such a high level. [Amused Exhale] —