"I lose?" Raja asked asking if he's really thinking that he lose. Raja chuckled incredulously. Tales lips formed into a thin line as he refuse to yield at him. The dagger is pressed firmly against Raja’s neck. Yet, despite the dangerous situation, Raja didn’t flinch. Instead, his amused eyes locked onto Tales’, as if daring him to strike. 'Gosh! What did you do?! Did you just seriously kiss this pervert and lunatic?! Have you gone insane too?!' he shouted on his mind upon realizing what he did. He's just influence by the desire to win and wipe his smirk off. Being desperate really let you do stupid things. But there's no point in crying over spilled milk. “Do it,” Raja murmured, his voice is low and taunting. “Go ahead.” Tales’ brow furrowed, frustration was seen across his face. He tightened his grip on the dagger, so much that his knuckles became white. He's already beyond piss but now that Raja is waging war, he felt like he might explode any second now. "You think I can't?!"
Tales slammed the first aid kit on the table, the sound is sharp and echoed in the quiet room. His lips are pressed together and his brows are slightly furrowed as if he's controlling something. He is indeed controlling his emotions. 'Just why did I do that earlier? My body react so much, I feel disgusted.' He know he shouldn't felt anything from that kind of act, yet there he is, arching his back that seems like he's begging for more. 'Damnit. What a whore.' he cursed in his mind. The last thing he needed was to let Raja see how deeply he was affected. That's why he's doing his best to hide his emotions. Raja who's sitting and leaning leisurely against the wall, didn’t seem discompose in the slightest. His smirk widened as he sluggishly extended his injured hand toward Tales. Blood still dripped from his fingers, the red liquid staining the floor indicating how deep his wounds are. “Taking your time, huh?” Raja drawled, his tone is taunting Tales. “Or are you too busy thinking a
The days leading up to the ambush were slowly approaching and each day were filled with relentless preparation. Raja insisted on keeping the rigorous training, ensuring Tales knew his role to perfection. The two trained in the training room, its walls echoing with the sound of clashing weapons, hurried footsteps, and Raja’s barked orders. Tales, despite his obvious disdain, threw himself into the drills. He absorbed everything Raja taught him about combat training with a sharp focus that even Raja couldn’t mock—much. “Your stance is too rigid,” Raja remarked during a sparring session, deflecting Tales’ blade with his own with ease. Tales scowled, stepping back to reassess. “Maybe if my trainer wasn’t so insufferable, I’d improve faster,” he bit out, his tone is sharp as his strikes. Raja chuckled, parrying another attack. “Oh, I think you’re doing just fine. Anger suits you.” Tales gritted his teeth, attacking again. Despite his irritation, he couldn’t deny that Raja’s instructio
The ambush was supposed to end cleanly. The team had scattered after the granary flooded, regrouping in pairs. Tales and Raja moved through the complex tunnels, the walls are damp and cold. Their path was lit by the faint glow of a single flashlight coming from Raja's watch, they can barely hear their footsteps because of the sounds of rushing water. Tales walked ahead, still gripping his dagger tightly. His thoughts are a mess and tangled. “You should’ve planned better,” he muttered, his voice echoing faintly. “Complaining again, Tales?” Raja’s voice came from behind, still frustratingly calm despite the danger they barely escaped. “You’re welcome, by the way, for saving your ass back there.” “I didn’t need your help,” Tales snapped, though the memory of Dante’s bullet nearly put him to sleep forever was still fresh in his mind. Raja chuckled, a low sound that aggravated Tales. “Sure you didn’t.” Before Tales could retort, a faint sound caught his attention—too faint that even Ra
As the group emerged from the granary, the night air greeted them with an icy chill. Tales let go of Raja the moment they were outside, letting the man stagger. For all he cares. The men who's fine without any injuries immediately positioned themselves in the periphery to guard and observe the surroundings incase an ambush will happen again. “See? Still standing,” Raja said, spitting BS despite the blood seeping through his side. “Barely,” Tales retorted, brushing dirt off his hands. Raja side eyed him for doing that but didn't say anything. “You should’ve dropped back there and saved me the trouble.” “Oh, don’t pretend you didn’t enjoy holding me up,” Raja teased, his smirk widening. "You're worried about me, that's why you came back." Tales stiffened, his eyes narrowing. “Enjoy? You’re lucky I didn’t just leave you to bleed out.” Tales didn’t even turn around. “ And come again? Worried?" He ask as if trying to make it clear that Raja really did say that. " Maybe I am... Worri
Father’s hand cruelly wrapped around Tales’ throat, lifting him without much effort off the ground. Tales gasped, his fingers burrow at Father’s strong grip as his legs kicked frantically in the air. “You should’ve learned your place,” Father hissed, his tone is frighteningly mad and full of monstrosity. “But I suppose fools like you only understand pain.” Without waiting for a response, he slammed Tales against the wall. The thud echoed through the room as Tales let out a strangled cry, his face screams pain, a bead of tear fall from the end of his eyes, and blood trickling down from the fresh wound on his temple. Raja's men closed their eyes as their brows furrowed. They don't like how it is going but they can't do anything. They're afraid of 'father.' Raja stood sternly, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. His expression remained cold and emotionless, but his eyes and jaw betrayed him. “Nothing to say, Raja?” Father’s voice was taunting, his grip tightened more on Tales’
The chirps of the nocturnal insects and the faint sound of waves were all they could hear from outside. The small room felt like a cage made to trap animals; its walls were cold and bare, the air is stuffy and suffocating. In the corner, a child sat curled up, his shoulders are shaking as tears streamed down his face. His sobs broke the silence—sharp, irregular and the only noise in the cramped room. Near the door, an older boy sat with his brows furrowed and fists clenched tight. His eyes were filled with annoyance, and his patience was running thin as he looked at the boy who was crying. Clearly, the crybaby was from a privileged background. Judging by his clothes, he might be the son of a wealthy businessman. “Stop crying,” he snapped, his voice sending a warning. “It’s not going to help.” He looked out the small window and saw that they were far from urban areas. This place was most likely isolated. Outside, gunmen patrolled, keeping watch for any signs of rebellion. The younge
Tales' heart fastly beats as Jake's words sank in. The room seemed to close in around him and the air became heavy with suffocating tension. He scooted back into the bed, trying to distance himself with the crazy person."Do you have a screw loose?" Tales muttered, his voice filled with disdain.Jake’s grin widened, his eyes sparkle with a strange, unpredictable light. He settle himself casually on the edge of the bed, as if this was just a friendly chat. "Insane? Oh, Tales, what a harsh word. Can’t we just call it... eccentricity? It’s charming, don’t you think?" He leaned closer, lowering his voice creepily . "I mean, who wouldn’t fall for you after that feisty glare you shot at Father? It was mesmerizing, like watching a handsome storm roll in."Tales feel abhorrence towards him, his expression is twisting in disgust. "Don’t you dare—"Jake laughed by Tales reaction, throwing his head back, the sound is sharp and nettle.'How amusing.' "Dare? Oh, Tales, I don’t need to dare. I jus
"Don't forget me, Tales."Tales slowly regained consciousness. His head throbbed like a gong, each beat connecting painfully through his skull. He groaned softly, the sound escaping before he could stop it. His vision was blurry at first, but as the world began to come into focus, he realized he was on a soft bed in the infirmary. Again. There was an IV in his arm.He stared at the ceiling for a long time, embracing the silence the room offered. Unknowingly, a tear fell from the corner of his eye. The dream he had wasn’t just a dream. It was his long-forgotten memory. He bit his lower lip to suppress his emotions, yet his heart felt like it was being squeezed because of how painful it was.He couldn’t believe he forgot Raja. He had promised him freedom, yet he forgot about him and that hellhole!A low sob escaped from his lips as his eyes began to water again. He looked like a child wailing over his first love, yet he didn’t care. He was disappointed with himself but felt hypocritical
The oppressive silence of the compound shattered as the monthly wipeout began. Children, some trembling, some eerily composed, were gathered into the arena. The blood-stained floor of the ring loomed over them, a bitter reminder of the fates that had befallen those who stood here before."Huh! They didn't even clean it for us to see," Tales scowled internally.Tales clenched his fists, his heart pounding in his chest as he glanced to both sides for Raja and Jake."Stay alive," he whispered to himself like a mantra, though it seemed the other two thought those words were meant for them."Of course I will," Raja exclaimed, even raising his fists."Basic," Jake snorted, making Tales look at him with a disapproving glare.The rules were simple: survive. The opponents? Determined by chance—or at least, that’s what Father wanted them to believe. Tales knew better. The system wasn’t random; it was designed to weed out the weak and pit the strong against each other. They want us to die!And w
A year had passed, and Tales had not remained idle. Every day after their training, he would sneak out and take careful note of the compound’s layout—the heavy doors, the creaking floorboards, and the blind corners where the guards were too lazy to patrol. Anywhere they could escape without anyone noticing. It was for their survival; there was no grand reason. If he was going to get out of here, he needed to know every inch of this godforsaken place. He didn’t have beautiful memories outside this place. He was always hungry, yet he also couldn’t stomach what they were doing there. They were killing each other because FATHER ordered it. They were like puppets that shouldn’t have their own awareness. When he was alone or with Raja and everyone else was asleep, Tales would sketch maps, though calling them “maps” was generous. They were chaotic, messy doodles of squares and lines, barely resembling the compound. But they made sense to him. And he was proud of them, as if they were the be
Tales could smell the faint scent of saltiness in the breeze as they marched toward the opposite flat building, accompanied by their armed men. They hadn’t changed their clothes or washed their stained body parts. When the door opened, Tales immediately noticed the long table with the leader sitting at the end of it. Dishes were already served, including a watery soup. Tales didn’t know what this was all about. The dishes ranged from shimmering, luxurious ones to simple, peasant-like fare. "Sit." The children immediately obeyed, still scared and walking on eggshells. The only sound they could hear was the dragging of chairs. Tales and Raja sat beside each other, but Tales felt even more irked when Jake, all smiley, sat beside him. Their seating arrangement: Jake - Tales - Raja. "Congratulations on staying alive." Although the man was congratulating them, his tone was indifferent and monotonous. He didn’t care about them at all. "Though the number of survivors is a bit lower than e
The air Jake was giving creeped Tales out so much that he couldn’t help but scowl at the other child, who seemed younger than him. "I'm Raja," Raja stated with a beaming smile, as if he had found another playmate. Tales' brows furrowed. "Hey!" His reprimanding tone made Raja blink twice, as if asking what he had done wrong. This naive child, Tales sighed and just shook his head. Jake smiled more when he saw Tales' reaction. Though he was smiling widely, his eyes seemed unaffected. His eyes were bland, dull, and plainly colorless. "Now that you know who your teammates are," the man stated, grabbing Tales' and the others' attention again. Jake also walked to his side and turned around to face the man. "There's a weapon on the table. Choose anything that fits your hands and that you think you can wield with ease," the boss stated. Tales stared at the man for a moment, cursing him in his mind as he clenched his teeth. What did this man think he was doing? Clearly, he was not human. Ta
Tales was just wandering around the streets, trying to find a signage that offers a job. His both hands were in his pockets, and he shivered because of the cold. It was winter, and he, who's wearing thin clothes, shivered every time the breeze hit him. He felt like his now red nose and ears could fall off anytime. Every time he breathed using his mouth, smoke would form.On top of that, his stomach was growling loudly like he was hosting some kind of monster that had been deprived of food for about thousands of years. He hadn’t eaten for 2 days now."Ahh," just when he saw a signage wanting a dishwasher, a van maneuvered beside him, making him turn around to see what kind of dumbass almost hit him. But to his surprise, masked men bolted out of the van and captured him.His eyes widened in horror as the two unknown persons yanked down a fabric forcefully, shrouding his face in darkness. He gasped when strong hands gripped his arms, leaving no chance for escape. His body trembled, muscl
The dim light seeped through the window blinds of the headquarters infirmary. It was already morning, but Raja hadn’t slept a wink as he sat near Tales, who was still unconscious. He couldn’t sleep, nor could he leave Tales behind. His face showed exhaustion—not from work, but from the thoughts that kept lingering in his mind. He looked at Tales, who was peacefully sleeping, and winced when his chest throbbed. He cupped his face and gritted his teeth. Truth be told, he had really intended for Tales to disappear the moment the Scorpions threatened him, saying they had Tales. It was like a consequence that Tales should face for disobeying him. Yet, the moment he discarded Tales, he felt a pang in his chest. He couldn’t breathe as his ears rang for reasons unknown. Just the mere thought of Tales' death made the pain unbearable. It was even more torturous than when he had been in training. He couldn’t breathe, and his eyes began to water. “Kill him, feed him to rabid dogs. It’s your ca
“Kill him, feed him to rabid dogs. It's your call. You don't have to call me unless you want me to pick up his corpse."The room fell silent. Tales burst out laughing, his voice cutting through the tension. “Told you! He doesn’t give a fuck about me!” he managed between chuckles. “You’re wasting your time!”'What do I expect from that bastard?' Tales muttered in his head. ''I'm all alone now and I needs to survive. I'm not gonna die here.'Scarface’s face turned tomato red with rage. He slammed the phone onto the table and turned to Tales, his fists clenching. “You think this is funny?” he lash out.“Absolutely,” Tales agreed, his laughter slowly change into a deriding grin. “You guys went through all this trouble, and for what?" No one answered that he once again chuckled. "Raja’s not coming. You’re stuck with me, and honestly, I’m a terrible hostage.”Scarface’s fist landed on Tales’ jaw, the force flicking his head to the side. Pain surface through his face, but he gritted his teet
The once neat living room of Raja's estate became an utter chaos. His trusted men—Claren, Raoul, Michael, and several others—lie down across the floor, unconscious. Empty mugs of coffee and tea were scattered across the tables. Raja stood in the center of the room, his hands immediately clenched into fists, his jaw tight and his temple shows veins when he tried to control his emotions. 'No sign of forced entry. Whoever did this knew their way around.'Raja’s jaw tightened as his pulse quickened. He stand beside Claren, kicking him moderately. “Wake up,” he barked. “What happened here?”Claren groaned faintly but didn’t open his eyes. Raja's mind immediately play different scenarios of what could possibly happened here. When he's focusing on his work, this happened? His men was drugged and incapacitated? Then the realization struck him like a bolt of lightning. Tales.He turned sharply, his eyes flaring as he strode rapidly toward Tales’ quarters. The room was empty. The sheets were