Darkness, that's all he could see, mist and then more darkness. His breath as loud as a speaker but collected.
Dark dodged an incoming punch from an unknown entity, this was all his reflex could do, he would dodge and dodge again until he was pulled back by someone else, deep into the darkness.
Dark jumped up from his bed, realizing it was just a dream he sighed in frustration.
"You sleep too quick, that isn't good for you. Anything can happen" Shade was all up on his face, a lot more than Dark would prefer and he skipped back into his bed startled.
"What do you want?" Dark rubbed his eyes.
"Get up we're getting you a soul weapon. Get dressed" Shade said but Dark's uninterested expression told him so much.
"We're going to a midnight party, everyone could go crazy it's the last night of freedom they're going to experience in months. Fights are going to start and you need to defend yourself at least" Shade explained putting on his customized school watch personalized and given to every student.
"What midnight party?.. "Dark asked as he laid back comfortably on his mattress.
"C'mon don't be like that, it's going to be fun" Shade cheered.
"That would be a perfect place to take me out" Dark scoffed within him.
"I'm not going" Dark's answer vibrated through the foam, but Shade didn't give up.
"You can't- not go, it'll be rude to miss out on a party organized just for you don't you think?" Shade relayed like a messenger, getting closer to his roommate who still didn't change his expression.
"The party's not just for me, it's for more than a hundred students. Besides you no one would even notice my absence" Dark snuggled his pillow, really into sleep right now.
"We both know your little confrontation with the Sapphire must have gained you some popularity, I'm sure all year one elites are looking forward to meeting you" Shade protested, still not giving up.
"And that concerns me how?" Dark couldn't be more brutal to his roommate's face.
"I said all- elites, including the dark empress which you seem to love for some reason. It'll be a shame to disappoint her, it would surely cost you any serious relationship you both could ever have..yep" Shade preached thinking he had finally done it but that wasn't the case at all.
"I'm over her, but a weapon sounds good" Dark relayed point blank.
It wasn't a win but it definitely wasn't a loss either.
"But you said that those kind of weapons are made from within. I- don't have much within" Dark sai finally sitting up on his bed.
"That's why we're going to an illegal underground sales center spanning across regions in this verse, it's concealed by crazy magic but still have exclusive gateways strategically placed to reach potential customers of all kind. It's very convenient since we can't leave academy grounds anymore, I found one within.
You'll have a synthetic weapon linked to your life energy in no time!" Shade lamented like he has just won an award.
I'm surprised someone like him could have such connections, there's definitely more to him than he lets on. Though I could use the beacon" Dark thought still seated.
"We better leave now if we want to make it there on time. Put on your uniform, your tattoo is hideous" Shade said them threw Dark his customized school watch which he barely caught.
"Don't you dare say that again!!"
"Put on your clothes" Shade's eyes were fiery and Dark kept mute like a reasonable person.
**********************
Dark and Shade were walking quietly through an old and abandoned parking lot, Dark already locked his sights on shade, it was dark and lonely, the ceiling was cracked and old, it was the perfect place to get rid of someone.
Shade halted after coming face to face with an old and dusty wall decorated with graffiti arts.
"Are you ready?" He asked looking back at Dark, all excited but Dark didn't follow.
Shade reached for his pocket and brought out his school ID, he placed two of his fingers on the red eyes of the dragon painting, a red light flashed at them like that if a camera then the dragon's mouth moved down, the moving painting surprised Dark and he stumbled back a little.
Shade held his ID card close to the dragon's mouth, just a few inches away. Little red lights projected from the dragon's eyes surfaced and scanned the card and then the red eyes flashed green.
Immediately the wall pushed back and shifted left revealing the illegal site known as the black bone.
The place was like a semi modern underground supermarket. The air was toxic enough to endanger a little kid, it was no place for a student but everyone they passed by didn't seem to mind, all blowing cigarette and grunting as their muscles flexed. The women were a pleasure to look at at least, dressed in formal clothing and quite, purchasing one thing or another from the one of the million shops present.
"Welcome to the black bone!" Shade said as he faces Dark with his two hands spread out.
"All this behind one wall?" Dark said amazed as they turned a corner. .
"Actually that wall was just a door of many others placed for easy access" Shade replied.
"Is it always this busy? Dark asked taking details of everything.
"Yh but just you wait, where we're going you won't imagine" Shade said while they cornered through an alley to a dead end.
But there was another graffiti painting of a green snake with red fangs which entailed there was something behind.
"Let's go!" Shade said in a low voice and fell backwards going through the wall as Dark had expected.
"I really should get another friend" Dark thought as he too went through the wall cautiously.
It was a gambling site, unlike the main area, most people here stared at the year one students as they passed by, turning their heads turn my turn, the entire room went mostly quiet and Dark really felt uncomfortable but Shade still had his smile from ear to ear.
They went through a wooden door and entered into a passage where they met a man dressed formally in a black suit, arms crossed and bald.
"What's up Marco, it's nice to see you buddy!" Shade yelled at he clearly forced an embrace through the guard's dismay.
"Who's your friend?" Marco asked staring kinly at Dark.
"He just needs a badass soul weapon, I'm sure you can help with that?" Shade answered still smiling sheepishly.
Marco started at Dark in silence before turning back to Shade.
"Boss wants to see you" Shade's smile flattened out, his demeanour changed.
"Then I guess you're gonna have to do this alone buddy, don't worry just follow Marco he'll guide you, he's very friendly you know," Shade patted Dark on the shoulder, the smile back on though vague and Marco let out a grunt.
"You got this" Shade cheered going back through the door they just came through.
"I'm screwed" Dark thought.
He turned back to Marco only to meet a pair of red bloodshot stares, peeled solely at him.
They stayed like that before for a very short while after which Marco growled like an animal.
"You teenagers and weapons, it's beginning to get on my nerves" he grizzled, leading Dark to a nearby elevator.
Marco did some typing on the screen within the elevator then he put his fingerprint and it beeped after a quick scan.
The elevator smoothly took them down to a floor labelled '-6A'.
The elevator doors opened and they ended up yet in another hallway.
"Reaper or Leacher" Marco asked without turning to Dark and he turne quiet, unsure of his answer. It may be an illegal site but some rules are just above anything and he wasn't sure if leachers were acceptable here.
"Leacher" Dark finally answered, ready for at least an ugly reply but instead Marco chuckled softly for the first time since their encounter.
"Nice try kid, no sane leacher would go near anyone with that uniform, talk less of putting it on. You must be on a suicide mission then" he retorted sarcastically.
" You're no killer" he added and a smirk crept onto Dark's lips, silently he observed the guard in delight.
"You have no idea" he said to himself.
"Over here" Marco grunted and Dark cleaned the smirk right off.
Marco pushed open a huge metal door which seemed to be at least 2 inches thick.
"Finally" Dark sighed in relief.
It was a large storage room, with weapons aligned accordingly on shelves. It was like a special armory and Dark loved it.
"Go over there, they'll lead you on, when you're done he'll give you a passcode for the elevator which you would take back to floor zero. You're friend will be waiting for you where you both split up" Marco explained pointing to a small kiosk labelled registration center then took his leave.
Dark did a instructed and went up to the kiosk where he met a man probably in his late 20's putting on a white apron, Dark didn't miss the lion tattoo stretched across his left neck side.
"What do you want?" He said in a somewhat agitated voice, shallow and spooky.
"A weapon" Dark quickly replied.
"Are you registered?" He asked immediately.
"I guess not"
The man let out a grunt before deeply inhaling.
"Tom-tom get out here!!" He yelled looking back into the dark kiosk.
"I'm busy!!" Dark was shocked that someone else could fit into such a small four conner kiosk. It was a female voice, a girl either at Dark's age or lower but it was a girl for sure.
"I know that you're doing, leave that junk and come make yourself useful, you wanna eat right?!!" The enraged man shouted back but didn't get an uproar this time.
Dark stood puzzled...
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