Allan was still shaking.
Even though the blood had stopped falling and the grotesque bodies had disappeared beneath the darkness, his body hadn't gotten the message.
His breathing remained quick and shallow.
"I can't..." He said as he pressed a hand against his chest.
"I can't breathe." His voice weak.
The figure stood several meters away, watching him. For once, it didn't make a sarcastic comment.
Instead, it walked toward him.
"Allan." It said.
Allan looked up.
"Look at me."
Allan tried, but his vision kept shifting.
"You're breathing too quickly," the figure continued.
"I know."
"Then slow down."
"Wow, thanks. Really helpful."
"There he is," the figure said; its voice sounded a bit more joyful, and it crouched in front of him.
"Now breathe with me." It inhaled slowly.
Allan followed.
Then the figure exhaled.
"Again."
Allan did the same.
The first attempt was shaky, but the second was better.
After several breaths, the pressure in his chest finally began to ease. His heartbeat was still racing, but it no longer felt like it was trying to escape his body.
"Better?" the figure asked, while still crouched.
"A little." Allan faintly nodded head.
"Good." The figure stood.
Allan looked around the lake. The endless black sky remained above them.
"What was that?" He asked as he forced himself not to look up.
"The result of a damaged mental barrier."
Allan's expression changed. "My mental barrier?"
"Yes."
"I don't know what that is…but why was it damaged?"
The figure looked at him. "You were attacked, kid."
Allan froze at that, then whispered. "At school..."
The memory returned instantly: the courtyard, the voranth, its hand around his throat, and those crimson eyes. At the time, he felt as if something was trying to reach inside his head.
His breathing began to quicken again, but the figure noticed.
"Don't," it said as it turned to look at Allan.
Allan clenched his fists.
"I remember."
"Then don't think about it too much."
"It almost—"
"I know." The figure's voice became firm. "It almost pierced your mental barrier," it continued.
Allan stared at him and asked. "What would've happened if it did?"
"It would've reached your mind." The figure paused. "Eventually, your soul."
"So that's why I'm here?" Allan said as he looked down at the water.
"Partially."
"Partially?"
"Your mental barrier was damaged. That created a connection between your consciousness and this place." The figure explained.
Allan frowned.
"What place?"
The figure looked around. "You really haven't figured it out?"
"No."
"You're inside your own soul, kid." The figure said with a sigh.
Allan stared at him. "...What?"
"Your soul."
Allan looked around again, at the endless lake, the empty sky, the darkness.
"So this is my soul?"
"Yes."
"Then why is it a lake?"
"Apparently, you like lakes," the figure said with a shrug.
"I don't remember telling you that."
"You didn't."
"Then how do you know?"
"I don't."
Allan stared at him.
The figure shrugged. "Your soul isn't exactly something I designed."
"Fine. What about the blood?" Allan sighed and rubbed his forehead.
"It wasn't real."
"It felt real."
"I know."
"It was warm."
"I know."
"It was falling from the sky."
"I was standing here."
Allan looked upward. "And those things?"
"They were manifestations." The figure followed his gaze.
"Of what?"
"Your fear. Your memories. Your instincts."
Allan's expression darkened at that.
"Humans. Animals. Voranths..." It paused for a few seconds to let Allan process the information. "Your mind was trying to process what happened."
"And it came up with that?"
The figure looked at him. "Apparently your subconscious has terrible taste."
Allan stared at him, and despite himself, a weak laugh escaped his mouth.
"Better." The figure nodded.
"What?"
"You laughed."
"I didn't mean to."
"Still counts," said with a shrug.
Allan sat down in the shallow water.
"So the Voranth really almost broke through."
"Yes."
"How close?" Allan asked.
The figure was silent.
"How close?"
"Very."
Allan's expression tightened.
"But it didn't."
"No."
"Because of you?"
"Partially."
"What does that mean?" Allan narrowed his eyes.
"I reinforced the damaged sections of your mental shield."
"You can do that?"
"Yes."
"Then why didn't you stop it completely?"
The figure gave him an annoyed look. "Because I wasn't interested in exposing myself."
"To the Voranth?"
"To everything."
Allan frowned, and the figure continued.
"That creature was stronger than you realized. If I had fully manifested, it would've noticed me."
"And you didn't want to fight it?"
"Correct."
"You've fought things before."
"Yes."
"So why not this one?"
The figure looked at him.
"Because I had another priority."
"What?"
"You."
Allan went quiet.
"Keeping you alive was more important than killing it."
Allan looked away. For some reason, the answer made him uncomfortable.
"Don't make that face." The figure said with a sigh.
"What face?"
"That sentimental one."
"I'm not being sentimental."
"You absolutely are."
Allan shook his head.
"So what happens now?"
"You wake up."
"That's it?"
"For now."
"And the Voranth?"
"It escaped."
Allan's expression hardened.
"But Principal Garrick—"
"I know."
"You saw?"
"I saw enough."
Allan looked down as he remembered Principal Garrick standing between him and the Voranth.
Then darkness.
"Am I still in danger?" Allan asked.
"Not at the moment," it said.
Allan swallowed.
The figure turned away as it continued. "Besides, you still owe me."
"I do?" Allan's smile vanished.
"Our contract."
"Right."
The figure began walking across the surface of the lake.
Allan watched him.
"Hey."
The figure stopped.
"Thank you."
Silence…Then the figure raised one hand. "Don't mention it, kid"
The darkness above them slowly began to fade, and the blackness disappeared, revealing the empty blue sky beneath it. No blood, no bodies, no monsters.
Just clouds slowly drifting across an endless horizon.
Allan's eyelids grew heavy as he stared upward. The lake beneath him became warm, and the sound of water slowly faded.
The last thing he heard was the figure's voice.
"Next time, try not to let something nearly tear your soul apart."
"I'll keep that in mind." Allan managed a tired laugh.
Then everything went black.