The leader of the Hybrids.
Yiran forced himself to drink from the bottle, and the cool water seemed to calm him. If he was going down in a den of Hybrid Revenants, unarmed and magic-less, at least it would be a respectable demise, unlike cowering in a safe house while others fought and died in his stead to protect him, if and when the Hybrids stormed the city.
Besides, he was curious about the one who had bested the Exorcists for so long. “I’ll forgive you when you let me out of here unharmed—now,” he said steadily.
“I’m afraid that’s not possible,” the leader said. “But the extent to which you will be harmed depends solely on you.”
Yiran played along. “In that case, pray tell, why did you bring me here?” As he spoke, he scanned the hall again. The drop-off from the stage to the wooden boards below wasn’t too high. More importantly, he saw a clear path to a door.
The exit.
“You fascinate me,” the Hybrid leader said. “So I thought, why not invite him for a chat?”
“As flattered as I am by your interest, you brought me here by force and deception,” Yiran rebutted. “That’s hardly an invitation. And if you think I’m still able to cast magic, you’re deeply mistaken.”
“You might discover thatyouare the one who is mistaken.” There was an arrogance in the leader’s tone that grated on Yiran’s nerves.
A movement by the bleachers caught his attention.Yuki.Their eyesmet for a brief second, then Yuki blinked away. Yiran couldn’t read his expression. But the sting of his betrayal never came.
Instead, Yiran felt a release. It had been a farce all along. An act that led to a trap. Yuki had drawn a line between them like the river dividing the city in two. He had chosen a side—the one opposite Yiran—and that made it easier for Yiran to forget about whatever they might have shared. What theycouldhave shared.
Mustering as much contempt as he could, Yiran said, “I’m still unclear as to why my presence is needed here in this dump,boss. If you’re holding me for ransom, it’ll get you nowhere. The Guild doesn’t give two shits about me.”
“I’m sure at least one person cares. Nevertheless, you are here for a different reason.” The leader snapped his fingers, and the hall plunged into darkness.
Gogogo.
Hybrids couldn’t see better in the dark than normies; there was no advantage here. Slim as it was, Yiran had a chance. He ran to the edge of the stage and leaped. His feet found the ground, but it was soft and uneven. His fingers reached down, sinking into a mound of grit.Sand?
The lights came back on.
Yiran blinked. Nothing made sense. The ceiling was blue sky, the ground beige sand, and there were rock formations around him. It was all too familiar. But how did the Hybrids have the resources and know-how to build aSimulator? Fear gripped him. If he was now in a simulated program, it could only mean two things. One, even though he couldn’t see the Hybrids, they were watching him.
Two, a fight was coming.
As if on cue, the boulder to his right shimmered and the air tore like the edge of a curtain being drawn.
A boy stepped through. He was wearing an old tank top with an indie band’s logo printed on it. A deep scowl was carved between his thick eyebrows, and his head was freshly shaven. He was a few years younger thanYiran—a child, really, but his eyes were already hardened by life, and his right arm was sleeved with tattoos, the ink covering old scars crisscrossing down his forearm.
The boy shook himself like a dog and scratched at his back, like something at the base of his spine was bothering him. He bared his teeth. It would’ve been funny if he didn’t look so rabid.
There was a whirring sound. Two dummy swords flickered into being between them.
Sensing that the boy would thrive on his fear, Yiran tried his best to keep his composure. “What’s the meaning of this?”
The boy rolled his shoulders back, cracking his neck. “We fight.”
“Why?”
“I’m new.”
“Not one for words, are you?”
The boy’s eyes narrowed. “Gotta prove myself if I want to stay.”
Yiran looked up at where he thought the rafters might be. “I’m not fighting a kid. I’ve got nothing to prove to you.”
The Hybrid leader’s voice boomed overhead. “It’s interesting how you think you have a say in this, Yiran.”
