The sky stretched wide and crystal-clear blue, cool winds carrying away dust and leaves, while the rising sun painted the college campus in gold. The building stood about 15 meters tall, its structure simple. A black-haired boy with a compact build, in his late teenage years and only slightly above average height, sprinted across the courtyard in his college uniform. He entered the college, breathing heavily.
"Damn it—I'm late again!" Adil muttered, pushing himself harder. As always, he was late, but this time he couldn't be late. Becuase he would be suspended from college for a week.
He slipped into class just before the bell rang. "Oh, thank God," he sighed in relief. But it only lasted a second before a sharp smack landed on the back of his head.
"Always late, huh? What takes you so long, Adil?"
Adil rubbed his head and turned around to see his friend Jake, a tall, muscular, blue-haired guy who was also the same age as Adil, maybe a year older. His sky-blue eye was glinting.
"Don't tell me you're trying to dodge our challenge," Jake said, grinning on his face.
"Nah, you think I'm a coward?" Adil responded with a smirk.
"Then, let's see who will win the fight," Jake replied in excitement while cracking his knuckles.
Nearby, a boy sighs in annoyance, who is of average height and a lean build, the same age as them. "Seriously, you two ever think of anything besides fighting ?"
"Oh, what's up, Garu?" Adil said while waving his hand.
Then Garu stood from his seat and came near to both of them in a lean and lazy position, rubbing his messy black hair. "Have you forgotten today is a Math test?"
Both boys froze.
"What!" they shouted in unison.
"I'm doomed. My mom will kill me if I fail again." Jake's face paled.
"Relax, I'll bring flowers to your funeral." Adil chuckled.
"Shut it!" Jake smacked Adil's shoulder.
"Take this!" Adil jabbed back—suddenly, the air snapped with tension.
Jake's front kick snapped toward Adil's chest like a battering ram. Adil braced with his forearms, but the sheer force hurled him backwards into a desk. Wood splintered, dust exploding into the air as the classroom shuddered. Students leapt from their seats, shouting over each other:
"Kyokushin karate!" "Bet five bucks on Jake!" "Adil's too cunning, he'll win!"
"Called it. You two never stop." Garu facepalmed, but despite his annoyance, he was curious to see who would win this time. He recalled the first fight where Adil had defeated Jake, a loss Jake had taken to heart. Then he looked outside the window and noticed strange dark clouds gathering in the sky. He didn't recall the podcast mentioning bad weather.
Adil rose from the wreckage, smirking through the pain. "No warm-up? Fine, let's fight."
Jake surged forward, fist aimed at Adil's face. Adil weaved side to side, slipping past the barrage. "Too slow," he taunted—until Jake's roundhouse smashed into his cheek, snapping his head sideways. Adil dropped to one knee, blood streaking his lip, yet his grin never faded.
"Why so serious?" he whispered, before his cross punch cracked into Jake's solar plexus. Jake staggered, gasping, eyes wide. Adil unleashed a flurry of jabs so fast they peppered Jake's guard.
Jake roared, lunging in desperation. His tackle drove Adil down onto the floor, raining wild punches. Adil covered, absorbing the blows, waiting. Then—he let one strike slip through, seized Jake's wrist, and twisted sharply. The joint lock snapped into place like a trap.
Jake howled, thrashing, but Adil's grip only tightened. With a pivot, Adil locked him in amber. The classroom erupted—students pounding desks, shouting bets, the air thick with dust and adrenaline.
Then suddenly the door slammed open. Their stern teacher stood there, eyes blazing. "You brats! Fighting again?"
"I started it!" Adil said, pointing a finger at himself. "No, I did!" Jake said, jabbing a finger at his own chest.
"Silence!" the teacher barked. "All three of you—out! You'll clean the classroom today."
"Wait, why me? I didn't even move!" Garu said, lifting his head in horror.
"This isn't over—call it a draw," Jake said, narrowing his eyes. "Still angry over your defeat?" Adil said, shrugging with a sly grin.
Evening Punishment
The three boys dragged mops across the dusty classroom floor, grumbling.
"All you did was use your stupid technique to defeat me," Jake muttered. "Oh, so you admit that I won," Adil scoffed. "Wake me up when we're done, because it's both your fault," Garu said, leaning on his broom.
The classroom felt eerie in the evening. Faded portraits of past headmasters lined the walls, their painted eyes seeming to follow every move. A cracked plaque above the blackboard read: Founded 1899 – Knowledge is Power.
Jake bent to scrub beneath a desk when his fingers brushed against something cold. He tugged, and a small, rusted key came free, taped to the underside of the wood.
"Uh… guys?" Jake whispered, holding it up. "What is it? Did you find a way to escape punishment?" Adil said, leaning closer, eyes widening. "No, look! This feels like… a secret basement key," Jake said, rubbing his head. "There is no basement in this college," Garu said, cracking one eye open from the corner.
Then, suddenly, Adil paused, frowning. The portraits of old headmasters along the wall seemed… different. Their painted eyes glimmered faintly, following his every move.
A mop clattered to the floor. "Garu?" Adil called, voice cracking.
No sound of footsteps, no mutters—just absence.
Another mop fell. Jake vanished.
Adil's chest tightened. Then a strong wind entered the classroom through the window, pressing against his whole body. The fluorescent lights flickered, buzzing like dying insects. Shadows crawled across the walls, stretching long fingers toward him. Adil felt goosebumps crawl across his skin, wondering what was actually happening. Outside, thunder clashed.
Then the portraits began to change. Their smiles widened, distorted and unnatural. Crimson tears welled in their painted eyes, dripping down the canvas in slow rivulets.
Adil staggered back, heart hammering. "Okay… that's not funny anymore."
The cracked plaque above the blackboard rattled violently, the words Knowledge is Power glowing faintly. The entire room trembled, dust raining from the ceiling.
A blinding light erupted from nowhere, swallowing desks, walls, and portraits alike. Adil threw up his arms, but the light consumed everything.
Then silence. The classroom was empty. All three had vanished. The headmaster's portrait was smiling eerily. Outside the college, bright lights shone from the cities.