A Few Minutes Later

  Still in the Event's Underground Level

  Hark's Private Room

  Hark could be clearly seen sitting on a chair, tied up, while seated on the bed in front of him was none other than Mia herself, calmly reading through some documents she had found stored inside a box within a safe behind the room's minibar.

  Mia remained quietly serene, while it was noticeable that Hark was gradually regaining consciousness.

  At the same time, the open wounds on parts of his face and lightly on his arms began to exhale a faint, dense black smoke that dissipated seconds later into the room.

  [Hark — Whispering, Confused & Slow] What the hell happened? Why am I sitting? And why am I tied up?... Wait, why are you touching my documents, Miss Mia...? [Slightly faltering breath] —

  Right after whispering those three questions to himself in a deeply confused tone, still with his senses scrambled, Hark lifted his gaze forward and saw Mia herself less than four meters away.

  Mia did not feel compelled at any moment to look up, even though she knew he had awakened.

  She remained calm, reading the documents and looking at photos of several kidnapped individuals — along with their locations and where they had been sold as mere tools or, worse, for the use of their flesh by Oculi buyers.

  Hark abruptly regained full clarity of thought as his previously blurred vision normalized completely, along with the rest of his senses.

  Within seconds, his expression shifted into pure fury as he realized Mia was rummaging through his documents.

  Just as he considered shouting, he saw Mia calmly lift a single finger toward him, signaling for him to remain silent for a moment.

  [Hark — Whispering, Enraged & Incredulous] ...How dare you tell me to stay quiet, you damn brat! —

  In the blink of an eye, Mia's beautifully ordinary eyes turned completely white — no iris, no pupils, only a solid, shine-less white surface.

  This left Hark frozen. He realized she wasn't an Oculi like he had assumed, but something else entirely — an irregular, a being whose existence was still a deep enigma to the Oculi.

  [Hark — Whispering, Confused & Incredulous] You're Nox's niece, aren't you? [Deep breath]

  The moment he asked that question, a heavy pressure fell over Hark's entire body, forcing him to bare his teeth as he took in the scene around him.

  Visibly, the air around his body rippled with a faint, almost imperceptible distortion, but for Hark the sensation was excruciating.

  [Mia — Serene & Hollow Voice] At this moment I have only two questions for you, and both will be answered, whether you want it or not, Mister Hark... Or should I call you by your underworld name among the Oculi — Mister Tractatori? —

  Hearing his name from the black-market underbelly of the Oculi world, Hark formed a sadistic, sarcastic smile, amused by Mia's knowledge — a mere human, pathetic and insignificant in his eyes.

  The temper he had shown earlier — angry and disbelieving — shifted as he leaned back, adopting a more twisted and oddly pleased demeanor.

  Not in a sexual sense, but a visceral delight — seeing in Mia nothing more than a cluster of excellent organic materials that could make him an even more influential Oculi in the black market.

  [Hark — Sadistic & Ironic Tone] It seems I won't get to have much fun with you, since you already know I'm someone with various "entertaining" faces. Someone who likes to play with what, to me, is nothing but something pleasurable to sell in exchange for the most valuable resource today: information. [Diverse, cheerfully ironic laughter] —

  With a single movement of her fingers, Mia broke one of Hark's legs as the world around them seemed to slow down.

  [Mia — Serene & Hollow Voice] I spent an entire year of my life chasing every small and mid-level informant, all of whom insisted that... [Tired, ironic sigh] —

  Hark kept smiling and laughing as he watched Mia, who remained visibly serious — even bored — by his pathetic display of arrogance.

  [Mia — Serene & Hollow Voice] ...In the shadows, there was only one person at the top when it came to privileged information. And that "person" was almost like a ghost among every existing shadow — between the Oculi Nigri and the Oculi Albi alike. [Extremely hollow & deep sigh] —

  Hark's leg was simply snapped and twisted on its own axis by an invisible force, pulverizing muscle and bone.

  [Hark's Scream Of Pure, Agonizing Pain]

  Making Hark scream in pain, consumed by extreme agony—even as his body slowly regenerated back to its normal state—Mia looked to the side.

  Her white eyes steady and her beautiful blond hair brushed aside with her free hand. Her other hand still held the document she had been reading calmly.

  [Trembling, Agonized Breathing From Hark]

  Before those serene yet utterly inhuman words, Hark realized that the regeneration of his leg—broken with nothing but a snap of Mia's fingers—was slower than usual.

  It was clear that a faint, dense smoke rose from the exposed parts of his skin; it wasn't red, but black on the inside, with no liquid at all escaping from his open, raw wounds.

  [Mia — Serene & Hollow Voice] I had to break more bones this past year than I even have in my own body. Five hundred Oculi to reach the top of the pyramid, where you hid, untouched by my hands, Mister Hark... —

  Mia then took one of the photos from the document and showed it to Hark, who, writhing in agony, screamed for help, calling desperately for his guards.

  However, the focus of the scene now shifted to the hallway, revealing nothing less than Kalin—now in full control of Salin's body—calmly snapping his fingers and yawning as he looked straight ahead.

  At the Same Time

  In the Hallway Outside Hark's Room

  Along the walls and across the floor, several dismembered Oculi could be seen, pinned in place by multiple bent iron pipes that had been ripped straight from the walls.

  Some of those pipes had been driven through the Oculi, leaving their bodies stuck against the wall, lifeless, suspended by the very metal that pierced their heads or chests.

  [Kalin — Tedious & Bored Voice] Such inexperienced guards. That idiot Hark is lucky to still be alive. A bunch of fools who don't even know how to fight properly... [Tedious & ironic yawn]

  The perspective then reveals Kalin looking toward the far end of the hallway after the elevator doors echoed open once again.

  It was a new wave of guards responsible for watching over the floor just above the event's basement level.

  That reserved area existed for important people who preferred being in a more private space with their companions.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  [Kalin — Cheerful & Playful Voice] Since Mia is in there, why shouldn't I have a little fun with these disgusting insects...? [Playful & delighted laugh] —

  The guards, who had been talking among themselves as they stepped out of the elevator, looked toward the end of the hallway and saw Kalin calmly staring back at them with a cheerful smile.

  As they approached him, each of the guards was confronted with the massacre of the many dismembered Oculi.

  Even in death, a faint, dense smoke rose from their wounds and severed parts. Kalin dashed forward, clenching his fists tightly.

  At the same time, the guards did the same, emanating from their fists a faint, wavering, invisible force. Before the fight could begin, both Kalin and the guards.

  Displayed not only anger but mutual hatred, standing just a few meters away from finally striking their fists into each other's bodies.

  Simultaneously

  Inside Hark's Room

  The perspective shifts again to inside the room where Mia and Hark are talking. Hark can be seen smiling at the photo Mia shows him. Even in pain, he maintains an expression of sadism and sarcasm on his face.

  [Hark — Sadistic Voice, Slightly Trembling] What about this pathetic girl? [A soft, ironic laugh] Don't tell me she was your "best friend" or some relative of yours, Miss Mia? —

  [Mia — Serene & Empty Voice] ...Where is this girl now, you idiot? —

  Mia forms a clearly empty smile on her lips, shifting her gaze toward Hark's eyes, which at that moment were fixed directly on hers.

  Both of them smile, knowing that for Hark, this is a deadly and amusing game, while for Mia it is a test of sanity — where, with a snap of her fingers, Hark's head could explode into pieces.

  [Hark — Sadistic Voice, Slightly Trembling] Should I tell you what she became, or... should I let you enjoy finding out on your own once you meet her, Miss Mia? —

  [Mia — Serene & Empty Voice] ...Stop the games, Mister Hark. Answer me! —

  [Hark — Cheerful & Ironic Voice] I don't know exactly where she is right now. I sold her to a disturbed Oculi who liked to play with things so repugnant that even I found them appalling. —

  Upon hearing that word, Hark realizes Mia has a strong bond with the girl she's searching for — and this realization becomes not only a way for him to try freeing himself.

  But also an opportunity to break Mia's mind even further right before his eyes, those empty eyes devoid of any humanity.

  [Hark — Cheerful & Ironic Voice] And from what I remember, I sold her to that person a few months ago. I also sold him other girls, but they all died after three years of "games" with him, unable to endure the mental and physical tortures he inflicted on their pathetic, human bodies. —

  [Mia — Serene & Empty Voice] Tell me his name, and I swear I'll give you a painless death, but... if you refuse to give me that person's name, I will go beyond breaking your body into pieces — I'll do it in the most painful way possible, Mister Hark. —

  [Hark — Sadistic & Ironic Voice] I am as fragile as a "feather" in the face of your strength, Miss Mia, but... —

  [Mia — Serene & Empty Voice] "But"? —

  [Hark — Cheerfully Sadistic & Ironic Voice] ...But my mind holds so much information that, if I gave it all to you — in front of the Oculi and the humans — you would become the most influential person in the entire world. —

  [Mia — Serene & Empty Voice] What do you mean by that? —

  Mia finds herself standing at the edge of her own mental abyss in the face of Hark's ironic and sarcastic replies.

  She was anxious to find the girl she still does not know is her best friend Emily, kidnapped three years ago by the Oculi after a human harvest classified as Divine Messis.

  [Hark — Cheerfully Sadistic & Ironic Voice] Among the many pieces of information I possess, I... could even know that they are watching your beloved daughter, Emi, at this very moment, while she is under the care of her loving godmother, Sasha. [Soft Ironic & Pleasured Laugh] —

  Mia was visibly on the verge of losing her mind upon hearing her daughter's name spoken by the last person she wished to hear it from in her entire life.

  Instantly, clenching her fists tightly, she unleashed an invisible wave that expanded in all directions.

  [Mia — Whispering, Slightly Incredulous & Empty] ...What did you just say, you... you bastard? [Trembling & Faltering Breath] —

  This wave tinged the entire area around her — nearly a one-kilometer radius — with negative hues. At the same time, every light within that radius seemed to lose power.

  Causing fluctuations in all lights and electronic devices, with no one around understanding what was happening.

  [Hark — Slightly Sadistic & Ironic Voice] Exactly what you heard. Did I hit your "weak spot"? Even though she's only 3 years old, kept locked away under seven keys at the top of the building near downtown London, Miss Mia? —

  Hark's simple question made Mia look at him — and with that single look, his body was thrown brutally against the wall, held suspended by an invisible force that created waves rippling around him.

  [Hark — Sarcastic & Amused Screaming] IS YOUR BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER EMI RIGHT NOW ALREADY ASLEEP NEXT TO HER GODMOTHER SASHA, MISS MIA? [Amused Laugh & Harsh Coughing] —

  [Echoing Laughter of Emi Coming from Mia's Joyful Memories]

  Hark screamed in delight, celebrating that he had broken Mia's psychological defenses so easily, even though she appeared to be such an imposing and seemingly indestructible person on the outside.

  [Hark — Sarcastic & Amused Screaming] OR MAYBE GODMOTHER SASHA, SISTER OF YOUR LITTLE BOYFRIEND SALIN, IS STILL PLAYING WITH HER IN HER ROOM, MISS MIA? [Amused Laugh & Harsh Coughing] —

  [Echoing Laughter of Emi Coming from Mia's Joyful Memories]

  Before that surreal scene, the floor beneath Mia's feet seemed slightly malleable, her power distorting the environment as if affecting everything around her.

  She kept Hark pinned against the wall with a force that destroyed nothing, yet immobilized him completely.

  Hark felt not only his body being brutally crushed with every passing second, but also his very existence being compressed at the same time.

  [Hark — Sarcastic & Amused Scream] JUST LIKE YOUR DAUGHTER ALWAYS DOES AT THIS HOUR WITH HER CUTE LITTLE BEAR, TOBY! [Amused laugh & harsh coughing] —

  [Echoing Scream Of Emi, Frightened, Inside Mia's Mind]

  The world seemed to slow down before Mia's eyes. She noticed the corners of her vision growing darker as she began walking toward Hark, who bled from his mouth a thick, black liquid.

  Hark let out an amused laugh upon realizing that Mia was about to enter the next stage, walking toward her complete mental collapse.

  [(Hark — Heavy & Trembling Thought) It seems she really is an "Eve." Deep in my heart, I want to shatter her mind into pieces and use her body... (Trembling, delighted sigh)]

  [(Hark — Heavy & Trembling Thought) ...But within a one-kilometer radius around us, with this resonance increasing its level of danger... (Trembling, delighted sigh)]

  With every step Mia took toward Hark pinned to the bedroom wall, more and more strands of her previously blonde hair began to change color, gradually turning completely white and faintly shimmering.

  [(Hark — Heavy & Trembling Thought) ...It would most certainly result in the mental annihilation of the existence of any living thing. (Trembling, delighted sigh)]

  As Mia advanced, an invisible force subtly emanated from her body, making her clothes and long hair sway as if a wind were flowing outward from her in all directions.

  This emission of invisible force slightly distorted the environment inside the room.

  [Kalin — Desperate & Terrified Scream] MIAAAA!!! [Accelerated & gasping breath] —

  Immediately, Kalin—who had been in the hallway outside the room, eliminating a few enemy Oculi—burst into the room, shattering the door into pieces with a single punch.

  Kalin was breathless and walking with difficulty, because the increasing mental pressure was not only crushing Hark's mind as he hung on the wall in smiling agony staring at him.

  The truth was that the pressure filled the entire room and the hallway outside. Because of that, Kalin walked using all the strength he had and nearly fell to his knees.

  His body was beginning to form open wounds as if his skin were burning—burning his existence and essence in the process.

  [Kalin — Desperate & Terrified Scream] THAT BASTARD IS JUST PLAYING WITH YOUR SANITY, HE'S AN EXCELLENT MANIPULATOR, DID YOU FORGET? MIA!!! [Accelerated & gasping breath] —

  Salin, faced with the situation, decided to try calming Mia, who was being dragged into Hark's mental games.

  At that exact moment, Hark was bleeding profusely from multiple cuts, and his skin was burning, emitting thick, black smoke from his wounds.

  Hark looked at Salin, recognizing him immediately due to his sharpened perception for identifying people who interested him.

  Behind the body that belonged to Salin—Mia's boyfriend—two personalities shared the same body and mind.

  Salin, the owner of the body, was an ordinary human, while Kalin was a legitimate Oculi who had been implanted into Salin's subconscious for reasons Hark could not understand, nor how it had even been possible.

  To Hark, the existence of Kalin, even in this state of "voluntary symbiosis," was something that should not exist—not since the day Kalin's original body had been destroyed after being killed a few years ago.

  [(Hark — Ironic & Sarcastic Thought) So, you're still alive, Kalin... That girl should have killed you, and she failed even at that. Even though she wanted your head for what you did to her family in the past. (Joyful & amused sigh)]

  [(Hark — Ironic & Sarcastic Thought) Interesting... I can use that in the future, if I get out of here alive—which I highly doubt, considering my current state. (Joyful & amused sigh)]

  Upon hearing the shout, Mia abruptly stopped her steps and turned toward Salin, who was almost reaching her with one of his hands.

  From the depths of her heart, it was clear on Mia's face that, if Salin hadn't entered the scene at that exact moment, the gesture she was about to complete with one of her hands.

  [(Kalin's Echoing Voice Inside Salin's Mind) SALIN, STOP MIA IMMEDIATELY! SHE IS ABOUT TO TRIGGER A CATASTROPHIC RESONANCE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY! MILLIONS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE WILL DIE IF THIS CONTINUES FOR EVEN ONE MORE MINUTE!!!]

  Would result in nothing less than Hark's entire body being torn apart into multiple pieces—as if it were nothing—and, right after that, Mia's mental collapse would end up killing the minds of everyone within the city in mere seconds.

  [Salin — Desperate & Terrified Shout] MY LOVE!! DON'T FALL INTO THIS BASTARD'S MIND GAMES!!!! —

  ------------------------------------------------

  – (Act 10) – Opaque Reflections