Prologue

The sun, setting the sky ablaze with a fire of colors, shined relentlessly through Yelan Academy's landscape windows. A teenage boy dressed in a pair of old, faded grey jeans and a cotton sweater walked slowly down the hallway. He seemed to be breathing heavily, one hand pressed to his forehead and the other grabbing the walls to steady himself. His large, thick glasses fogged with sweat and perspiration...

A fever?

Again?

The boy headed for his classroom, which was on the furthest wing from the rest of the school, where he had forgotten his backpack. The sun temporarily blinded him, and raising an arm to block the light, the boy clumsily tripped on a few desks left outside a door. His glasses were knocked several feet away from where he landed, and the boy struggled to find his sight. He patted the floor tentatively around him, afraid that he might break his glasses if he swiped too hard, or worse, his glasses have already broken from the impact. He just doesn't have the money to go fix it. Maybe he might have to use duct tape again to fix minor damages.

His cellphone suddenly rang, breaking the boy's concentration and making him jump. He scrambled to reach his pocket.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Adren? It's mom."

"Oh, hello mom. I'm sorry for being late."

A cross but weak voice came from the other line.

"Adren, what are you doing? I baked-"

The voice suddenly coughed violently, and the boy holding the phone bit his lip. When it seemed like the coughing wouldn't stop, he bit hard enough that blood soon dripped from his wound.

"Mom, please. Save your voice. I'll-I'll get home as soon as possible, alright?"

More coughing on the line.

"I'll hang up now, okay? Mom, please drink some water and eat your medicine-"

"No! Wait!" came the weak, raspy voice, "I wanted to tell you. I baked a cake for you, Adren. Don't go to your job today. It's your 16th birthday, at least- at least spend it with your mother."

Adren paused, but replied softly, "Okay. I'll phone my boss about it. Go get some rest, mom."

"You sound sick, Adren. Do you have a fever again?"

"It's alright, mom. I'm fine. I forgot my backpack so I need to go get it. I'll be back home soon-"

Adren just noticed footsteps nearing him and stopped talking. From his blurry vision, he could make out a fellow student walking towards him. Today was Friday. No one stayed after school on a Friday. So who was this?

Suddenly, Adren felt his chest tense and his heart skipped a beat.

He couldn't breath.

Hand clawing at his chest, his throat choked for air. He dropped the phone as his body started erupting with a volcanic flame starting from his feet to his head. His limbs fluttered helplessly, trying to get the attention of the person walking towards him. Laughs came. Soft at first. Was someone laughing at him?

"Adren? Adren?" came the worried voice of his mother still on the line.

Adren clicked the 'end' button before his eyes blacked out. The laughter was louder now. Someone was laughing at him.

Now Adren felt a burst of anger that wasn't his. Pure, raw, uncontrollable anger. The new madness was directed to the whole world, and he was suddenly enveloped in darkness. The laughter of madness erupted. Adren couldn't focus. The laughter of evil. Why was someone laughing at him? Why was it getting louder, loud enough to blast off his eardrums? The constant laughter ripped a hole in his mind. The laughter of bloodshed and war cries.

Shrieks of absolute terror arose, but this time, not from his mind.

Hahaha! Yes, scream. Scream as loud as you can.

Adren's forehead was burning. He couldn't see nor feel. Somebody call the ambulance.

Shrieks turned to gasps of breath.

Pain. Suffering. Delicious.

Between the laughing chaotic embodiments, words and phrases hissed in between like an evil spell. Adren tried to block his ears, but to no avail. Make it stop! Make it stop! He was surrounded by darkness. He couldn't get out.

Gasps faded away to complete silence.

Adren was close to giving in to the laughter. Let it take him. Anything to stop the noise! His body was too hot. On fire. His mouth was fuming, breathing out puffs of smoke.

Brinnggg! Brinnnggg!

Adren suddenly opened his eyes.

His cellphone was ringing. The darkness faded away just enough for Adren to see his cellphone, then further for him to see his surroundings. The laughter was still there though, but softer. The never stopping, mad laughter.

What was left of a student lied on the ground, with a thick, red liquid sprayed everywhere around the room. The windows were splattered with it. The head was ripped off, body torn apart with cruel teeth marks. Was that, the actual intestines?

Adren felt sick. Its okay. He's seen worse in battle simulations. Its okay. He will be strong. He's in Yelan Academy. He should be calm.

Its okay.

Its not okay.

Its definitely not okay.

Fire burned into his eyes. Adren roared with pain, an inhuman, bestial roar. The darkness threatened to take over his vision again. He could still faintly hear his cellphone ringing, his mother was probably worried to death, but it was fading. The laughter was once again in control. Before his sight completely disappeared, he saw his claws had been completely dyed red.

Claws?

Blood. Old friend. How long has it been?

Blackness enveloped the world in a smothering embrace.