The Redo of a Novel's Villain: Moira - Chapter 34: Chapter 34

Kayson sat on a makeshift bench, leg jumping up and down. He felt restless (only staying still for the person bandaging his arm). He hissed when a wrap put too much pressure on the injury.
The person dipped her head, apologizing meekly. "Sorry, endure for a couple more minutes. The medicine should kick in soon." She explained and quickly finished treating him. Kayson barely had time to mutter thanks before she went off to help others.
Nicholas appeared beside him, his usual radiant locks now dusted and dirty from debris. He, just like everyone else, looked haggard. Minor cuts littered his body; fortunately, nothing major (as the blonde did not engage in much combat). He looked at worried blue eyes, then at the scene in front.
The courtyard was filled with people––students, staff, and healers. The shine of healing magic appeared frequently. Many students huddled in small groups to comfort each other while others cried for their friends and family. Healers ran around, ingesting mana-refill potion after potion as they dragged the worse of the casualties out of danger. Behind it was the central building. Thanks to being fortified by magic, it miraculously did not collapse and crush everything in its vicinity. However, some bits that took the brunt of the explosions were beginning to crumble.
Kayson felt a low tremor flow through the ground, wondering which part broke off this time.
And despite this horrid scene, the air only carried the melancholy feelings of the humans present. No demonic bodies were amongst the wreckage. For some reason, all the beasts suddenly retreated, and those killed disintegrated into fine dust, then nothingness. It was all like an elaborate joke—a sick one.
There were so many casualties, not just death but the pain inflicted on those present. Be it physical or psychological; the event will go down in infamy. And yet, despite it all, the perpetrators leave no trace except for the destruction in their wake. It felt cruel, mocking.
He did have doubts about the plan. Try as they might, things were unpredictable––chaotic. What's to say what they did would do anything? What's to say if what they did kill more people than originally? What's to say they'd survive? His eyes throbbed looking at the quiet mourns, the bodies covered by white cloth, and the destruction.
This outcome should've been obvious.
They should've considered it.
Why didn't they?
Scared. That's why.
Despite having experienced death, the idea of a massacre––carnage-–was too much for his mind. How could he? He's never taken or seen someone's life be taken outside of fictional media! This was too real; it was real. He squeezed his eyes shut. God, how he wished to be back on Earth and not Evendale. God, how he wanted to be Kayden and not take over Kayson. He hoped this was all a cruel nightmare, and when he woke up, he'd be at home planning to go to the concert with Elijah.
He hates this. He hates this so much. He hates being stuck in this predicament, dying from a bus accident, unable to say goodbye to his real family, replacing someone who should be alive and happy right now, and pretending to be the son of a loving family.
Kayden didn't want to be here. He didn't belong here. He never did.
And this was just the beginning of this god-forsaken world.
Kayden clenched his fists until his palm squeezed ivory pale. How cruel fate was, a random novel in one and his future the next. He's so, so angry––at everything! At chance, life, this novel, the demons, himself, but most of all, he's scared. He's terrified. Only when he tastes iron on his tongue does he realize he gnawed at his lips hard enough to draw beads of blood.
He opened his eyes to clouded vision and a weight on his hand. Nicholas's palm squeezed his. Kayson noticed the blonde's faint tremor in his fingers. He pursed his lips, opened, closed, opened, closed, opened, then closed––his throat too dry for words.
So Nicholas spoke for both of them. "He's okay." He said as an answer to a question and a reassurance to himself. "He's okay."
Kayson felt someone stand behind him. He whipped around to see red eyes and black hair.
"Oh," He breathed out a gasp. "Sorry, I thought you were––"
"Where is Huey?" Neil crossed his arms. As much as he didn't like his cousin, the possibility a family member got killed is still unnerving. He glanced at his brother, who was helping carry medical supplies.
"That... I don't know." Kayson looked back at the crumbling building, and suddenly all sorts of horrible outcomes flashed in his brain. Killed by a demon, hurt by debris, exploded, trapped in the building, injured and all alone. "Sorry I––" His breath hitched, and he stood up.
He began moving, unsure if Nicholas' voice was too quiet or if he had already progressed too far. Kayson charged forwards, moving between the hordes of bodies until the building was so close. Immediately two staff moved to block him, and he bumped into their arms.
"Stop! This area is off-limits!" They pushed him back, forbidding him from moving onward.
"Go back, kid. Whatever it is you want isn't worth the danger." One man declared, effectively making his struggle worse.
"No... no." Kayson pushed, ignoring their shouts. He outstretched an arm flailing in the direction of the entrance. "Let go of me! I have to go in!" He screamed, thrashing violently in their hold. The commotion drew attention from the other guards, and they hurriedly began to pry him off.
He had to find him. He can't just sit there like a fawn that lost its mother when his best friend is possibly in danger! He can't wait for the rescue team to go inside. But by then, it might be too late! He already lost his family on earth; he can't lose his best friend, someone as close as a brother too!
"My friend! My friend's still inside. Elijah's still inside! He––he!" He paused, the abrupt stop giving whiplash to the guards. Confused, they looked in the direction Kayson stared dumbstruck at.
From within the darkness of the building, using the little light seeping through the entrance gate, they could make out something moving. Wary, two of them readied an attack just in case it was a demonic straggler. But as it approached closer, they realized it wasn't an 'it' and definitely not a demon.
"S-student... It's a student! Someone call the healers!" One of the guards ordered and loosened his hold on Kayson. The youth used that chance to run forwards.
Huey emerged from the shadows, battered and stumbling into the open. Blood soaked through his clothes in copious amounts. The makeshift bandage on his thigh was nearly useless, and the wound reopened. One arm held the other covered in crimson roots dripping down and leaving its seeds on the ground, blooming red with bits of black mixed in. His face was pale white from blood loss, his hair dirty, his skin covered in wounds, and walking with a limp.
"Elijah!" He ran towards him, unsure of what to do.
The other huffed weakly. "...You're alive."
"And you better be." Kayden scanned him up and down. Relieved yet worried at the same time. He eyed the dark viscous fluid dripping down. Just what happened to him?
Elijah drooped his head, swaying on his feet. "I'm... glad."
He fell.
✦ ✧
Muffled voices rippled in his ears, obscured by a layer of haze. He couldn't make out who or what they were saying. Elijah floated aimlessly in the dark, feeling like his senses were blocked. His head felt too light yet too heavy, and any energy to move his limbs escape between his fingers. He grasped at nothing.
Where am I?
He opened his eyes to find a faintly glowing orb above him. Distant, like the silhouette of a boat, while he sunk deeper into the open sea. He tried to swim upwards, bubbles spilling out of his throat and stealing away his air. The dark ocean filled his lungs and weighed him down, but he persists.
His arms burned, he swam, he moved, and then he heard it.
A woman's voice.
"...m––
"Mom..."
Huey blinked away the fog in his vision. The corner of his eyes felt uncomfortably warm and wet. The first thing he felt was a warmth spreading all over him. Then he opened his eyes in a squint. Cozy sunlight filtered through the open window, casting a thin blanket over him. Huey turned his head to shield his eyes from the sunlight and finally took in his surroundings.
He's inside a quaint sterile room smelling of medicinal herbs and old books. Three narrow beds were spaced evenly throughout, each accompanied by a curtain and shelf. His sight lingered on the cabinet that housed a multitude of jars. Clarity came to mind––this was an infirmary (one of the smaller ones) of the academy.
Taking a deep breath, Huey wiggled his limbs to regain mobility and sat up from the creaking bed. Rubbing away at the dried tear marks, Huey noted how his arm and thigh were numb. Then, thinking back on how it felt before, he promised to thank whoever treated him. The boy looked around the empty room, devoid of people except him. The place was so tranquil it almost made the incident feel like a nightmare.
Huey thought back to Firion. Just why did he vanish like that? That was the perfect moment to finish the kill, and if it were a trap, he wouldn't be here patched up and asleep up until a moment ago. The whole situation was weird. From the fragment to the disappearance, it's all so strange. Sure, the butterfly effect and chaos theory suggest differences in initial conditions can cause drastic changes but seeing it like this... it's still awry.
Huey dipped his head, staring at his patched-up hand. He felt like a mummy, and he snickered. The action was cut short by movement at the door. Again, muffled voices, except this time, he could make out the words, and it sounded like... arguing? Huey hurriedly draped his bed's curtain in front of him.
"Wait I––"
"I can't believe you!"
"I was just––"
"Why are you like this?!"
"Let me––"
The sound of the door sliding open made Huey jump. Judging from the voices, he could already guess who it was.
Kade shoved Sorin towards a bed and chucked a hospital gown at him. He huffed, "If I catch you outside while injured again, I'll never forgive you!"
"But I'm fine!"
"You." Kade glared. "Shut up."
Sorin zipped his mouth and then gulped at his raging friend. He knew just how cold Kade's cold shoulder could be when he's upset. Begrudgingly, he complied.
"If you insist." He sighed. Kade just shot a pointed finger at the youth before backing slowly out the door. Once it slid shut, Sorin stared at the hospital gown in his hands and slipped it on. Huey looked away, sitting motionless behind the curtain as he processed what just happened.
It seems like Sorin, despite being injured, tried to help with repairs and rescue but was caught by Kade. That sounds just like him! Huey pursed his lips to prevent a laugh from slipping out. When finally Sorin seemed to be done (judging from the lack of clothes rustling) did he slide open the curtains.
The other boy was sitting on the edge of the bed, playing with his fingers. The youth was restless, never the kind to sit still and properly rest despite needing it. And that fact was evident when Sorin didn't even detect him until Huey pulled open the curtains.
Sorin flinched at the sound. He turned around unmistakably uptight.
"Sorry," Huey muttered. Sorin merely shook it off.
"I'm glad you're awake."
"I'm glad I'm awake too." They both chuckled a bit. Huey placed his chin on his palm. "His Highness seemed mad."
Sorin groaned, "He's worrying too much. Honestly, I'm fine, just a bit sore. I wish he'd stop being so protective."
"Don't blame him too much. Just means he cares about you." Huey ignored the woeful look when he didn't reciprocate his thoughts.
"Mm," Sorin hummed lightly and turned away. "Kayson and Nicholas are both alright, by the way. Kayson did get a pretty bad cut, but it's been treated already."
"Thanks for telling me. Where are they anyways?"
"Nicholas is helping out with repairs while Kayson got forcibly dragged out by his family. You know how the Nevoids are."
Huey nodded, and Sorin continued speaking in a mellow whisper just loud enough to be heard in the quiet clinic.
"Most of the students have already gone home; the ones that remain are those gravely injured, unable to go back, or for other reasons. My family did try to convince me to go back, but I wanted to stay and offer aid." He glanced in the direction of the door. "It's not going as intended."
"You are injured." Sorin frowned, and Huey rolled his eyes. "Were injured––and I'm sure the academy has more than enough hands. A student doesn't need to help with the repairs, you know? Your family's worried. Go back."
The silver-haired youth rubbed his fingers together, offering no response. But Huey could already tell the outcome just by his expression. Sorin always did have a habit of frowning in more of a pout when he was struggling.
Before he could gouge out more details, Sorin piped up and faced him again. He let out a slight sound of recollection.
"I saw your cousins lingering by this clinic this morning too. Neither of them was injured, maybe a bit scruffed, but that's everyone. They wanted me to tell you Duke Astaseul ordered them to go back first and would send someone to pick you up when you awoke."
Figures... Huey adjusted his sitting position. "Did healers say I could leave yet?"
Sorin shook his head. "I'm not sure, but seeing how you're up and making conversation, I think yes." He smiled, to which Huey tried returning.
But naturally, despite the light-hearted talk, nothing could fix the overall mood of the place. Huey grasped the bed sheets as he exhaled shakily. The question weighing on the back of his mind was finally relieved.
"By the way, was there... any...." He gulped. "Casualties?"
His heart plummeted into his stomach when Sorin's expression fell into an iffy somberness. His shoulders slumped, and it was like a drought seeped all words away, leaving the protagonist as a gaping fish.
"Oh."
Huey didn't need to push Sorin into telling the obvious truth to know.
"..."
His lips felt dry, his throat parch, his fingers fidgety, and his heart thumped. A pure, vitriol sensation enveloped him. People died, and he couldn't do anything. He tried so hard––not hard enough––to save lives, but it was all for naught! Huey's chest heaved, guiltily thankful Sorin seemed to be lost in his own reverie to notice.
He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what to say!
"...I'm sorry." His voice wobbled. Just how many died? Who died? He feels so useless.
Sorin shut his eyes. "It's alright. I'm not the one you should say sorry to, but the victims' loved ones. I just... sorry, I just feel like such, such...."
'A failure.' Huey veered his sight to the window. Neither boys willing to let the other see their state. The nice weather from before now felt like a slap to the face.
Moments passed before any more words were exchanged between them. Sorin didn't dare to look him directly in the eyes.
"In there, what happened? To you, I mean. I overheard the healers claiming there was venom in your blood. Said your insides were corroding, and it was a miracle you made it out in time to get immediate treatment." His breath hitched.
Was he that close to dying? Huey scratched his cheek; he'll tell a half-truth. "I met a demonic beast inside while trying to get out. It ended up running away, but not without injuring me. I guess it was venomous? But I got unlucky and got caught up in an explosion. I did avoid the brunt of the damage. The debris still got me, though."
"Why didn't you evacuate with the others?"
"I remember leaving something in the library, bad timing huh."
Sorin narrowed his eyes. Something didn't sit right with him. The library was still in the same story as the auditorium and not that far away. There were also multiple exits along the way––there shouldn't have been much trouble getting out and convening with the masses. Plus, Sorin knew Huey could put up a fight. A demonic beast strong enough to gravely injure him and have venom would've attacked someone else. Something was amiss, but the Astaseul must have a reason to hide it.
He collapsed into the bed.
Sorin was just glad he made it out in one piece.