She had been the first to approach him. Julie. Mioray had always struggled to connect with new people when he started university. At the beginning he stuck to Juju, though their friendship had grown strained already.

  Julie, however, was different. Smart and kind, she was deeply invested in her studies and always willing to lend a hand to anyone in need. She loved traveling, exploring quaint coffee shops, sampling their desserts, and savoring unique coffee blends. Like Mioray, she lived with her parents. She owned a beagle named Leyla, named after the infamous exiled princess of Yeland. Julie often shared photos of herself with Leyla, her joy radiating through every snapshot.

  But now Julie was dead. Her head lay on the floor, her glassy, unseeing eyes turned toward Mioray, brimming with questions he couldn’t answer. Why did she have to die? Why did her story end here, before it had even begun? Life had been so promising, her future so bright. Now, it was smeared with blood, and no amount of rain falling outside could wash away the sorrow. Her life was obliterated, just like the cafeteria. The difference was that the cafeteria could one day be rebuilt. Julie could not.

  The giant man before him bore a closer resemblance to the wreckage of the cafeteria than to a human being. Mangled and battered, his arm and legs were destroyed, but for him, it was only a temporary setback. Even now, his body was regenerating, rebuilding itself in defiance of logic. There was no denying it; Mioray saw the impossible happen with his own eyes. The monster’s focus shifted back to him, utterly ignoring Julie, whom he had just killed moments before. Did he even realize what he had done?

  The giant said nothing now, but his actions spoke volumes. Leaning toward Mioray with slow, deliberate menace, he panted heavily, like a dying beast driven by relentless purpose. The self-inflicted damage clearly took a toll on him, but it didn’t stop him. What was his motive? Why had he attacked the university? Why was he after Mioray?

  Mioray didn’t intend to find out. This towering figure was death incarnate. Wherever he went, bodies were left in his wake. And there were plenty more people in the cafeteria for him to claim. Would his rampage cease if Mioray surrendered, offering himself as a sacrifice? It was a noble thought, but there was no guarantee it would work. And Mioray didn’t want to die.

  Desperately, his mind raced for an escape route, one that wouldn’t cost more lives. Behind him stood a group of terrified people. If he ran toward them, he would only lead the madman straight to them. Not all of them would escape in time; hesitation would mean death. The risk was too great.

  Ahead of him, however, the madman blocked the path. And Juju and Angelika were there, too. If Mioray attempted to slip past the monster, he could lose his remaining friends. He had already lost two. How could he bear losing more?

  Angelika, with her broken leg, was utterly defenseless. She sat huddled on the floor, her hands covering her face, her eyes shut tightly as though willing the nightmare to end. Juju wasn’t much better off, flattened to the floor as if trying to merge with it. He would need to get up and move before the giant reached him, but that seemed unlikely in his paralyzed state.

  Mioray’s options were grim: wait to die, flee toward the group and risk leading the madman to them, or attempt to save Juju and Angelika and gamble on their survival. His heart thundered in his chest as he made his decision.

  “Juju, can you move?” Mioray shouted, stepping back to keep distance from the encroaching monster.

  “What?” Juju stammered, dazed and unsure. But Mioray had already turned to the group behind him.

  “Run! Get out of here!” he yelled. He knew it would be hard to regain composure after witnessing the horrors in the cafeteria, but their survival depended on it. “Go! Call for help! The police, the army, anyone, it doesn’t matter! This monster can’t be stopped by conventional means!”

  As if to punctuate Mioray’s warning, the giant lunged forward, his remaining arm reaching for him. The hand was enormous, terrifyingly so, but Mioray barely dodged, slipping behind the creature. Now, nothing stood between the madman and the group. Only then did they fully grasp the danger they were in. Screaming, they bolted for the ruined outer wall, scrambling to escape.

  But, as Mioray had suspected, the monster of a man was fixated on him. Ignoring the fleeing crowd, the giant turned his blood-red gaze back to him, and Mioray felt his courage waver under the weight of that piercing stare. But he didn’t falter. He couldn’t. He had to stay strong if he wanted to survive.

  There was still a chance to outsmart this beast. He didn’t look intelligent. His movements were erratic, driven by feral rage. Even now, as his legs continued to regenerate, he struggled to adapt his balance. Then, like a rabid hound, he dropped to all fours, using his remaining arm to stabilize himself, his gait becoming even more animalistic.

  It was clear now that the giant would move faster. If Mioray was going to act, it had to be now. He reached Juju, grabbing him by the hand and hauling him to his feet. Surprisingly, it wasn’t difficult. His adrenaline was through the roof with everything that had unfolded. Without releasing Juju, Mioray sprinted toward the cafeteria exit that led into the long corridor.

  “It’s me you want, isn’t it?” Mioray shouted, pausing briefly to check if the giant was still following him. “Then come and get me, you monster!”

  Juju yanked his hand free, his face contorted with panic and anger.

  “Are you crazy?! Why would you taunt him like that?!” he screamed, spit flying from his mouth.

  The answer was simple, even if Juju wouldn’t understand it. Angelika was still in danger. The man was clearly targeting Mioray, but that didn’t mean others were safe. Perhaps Chris’s and others’ death had been collateral damage in the chaos of the explosion, but Julie’s death was deliberate. The madman had killed her without hesitation, and that meant he could kill others too. If he turned his twisted gaze toward Angelika, it would be over for her. If that happened – holy Mirabelle forbid that happened – Mioray would do whatever it took to prevent that, even if it meant risking his own life.

  But the monster had already passed Angelika, showing no interest in her. Maybe he had to be directly provoked to notice anyone besides Mioray. Julie’s death had proven that much. If only she hadn’t drawn his attention…

  “You stupid excuse for a hero! What are you standing there for?!” Juju bellowed from the exit. “Run, for fuck’s sake!”

  For now, Angelika seemed safe. Mioray had done all he could for her. Their eyes met – her face finally uncovered, tears streaming down. Please don’t die, her gaze pleaded silently. Mioray nodded briefly, hoping someone would help her escape or that she could muster the strength to flee, despite her broken leg. He couldn’t do more for her now. The giant was closing the distance, and Mioray turned and resumed running.

  Hesitation meant death. And dead, he was no good to anyone. It wasn’t his job to deal with this monster; there had to be people trained for situations like this. At least, he hoped there were. Then again, he doubted there was a manual on how to handle a regenerating, muscle-bound juggernaut hell-bent on destruction. All Mioray could do was hang on until the authorities arrived. If they arrived in time.

  The corridor stretched ahead, with classroom doors lining the east wall and rain-slicked windows running along the west. Hiding in a classroom was out of the question; that would only trap them. Midway down the hall, Juju grabbed the handle of one of the windows and twisted it open. Without hesitation, he climbed onto the windowsill, ready to jump outside.

  Whatever Juju’s faults – his selfishness, his focus on self-preservation above all – his will to survive was enviable.

  But the monster’s intent to hunt them down seemed stronger.

  It wasn’t clear if the giant could distinguish which of them was Mioray. He barreled into the corridor, smashing through the entrance doors and the surrounding wall as his legs fully regenerated. When his gaze fell on Juju, perched on the windowsill, his lips twisted into what might have been a grin. Was Mioray imagining it? It was hard to tell at this distance.

  Mioray hadn’t reached Juju when the monster swung his remaining fist at the window. The glass shattered in a deafening explosion, sending a blast wave through the corridor. All the windows along the west wall burst simultaneously, the rain-streaked shards scattering like glinting snowflakes in the air. The floor was soon littered with jagged fragments, and some shards embedded themselves in Mioray. He felt no pain. Just cold terror.

  He watched in horror as Juju was flung from the windowsill by the force of the blast, hurled deeper into the corridor like a ragdoll. He landed hard on the floor, glass raining down on him.

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  The west side of the corridor was obliterated in an instant. Part of the ceiling collapsed, and rain poured in from the open ruin. Outside, bystanders in the university courtyard began gathering, their curiosity piqued despite the downpour. Don’t come closer! Mioray thought desperately. Shouldn’t everyone have evacuated the campus by now? Why were there still people around? Where were the rescue teams? If it was this easy for the giant to unleash such devastation, how could Mioray possibly divert the monster, lead him away from the others? It would all be for nothing if the madman decided to turn his wrath on the courtyard full of onlookers.

  “He broke my fingers!” Mioray suddenly heard. He turned to see Juju lying sprawled on the floor. “He broke my fingers! I’m gonna fucking kill him!”

  Under different circumstances, Mioray might have laughed. The sheer absurdity of Juju’s indignation in the middle of this chaos was almost comical. Still, Mioray was just relieved that his friend had escaped with relatively minor injuries. If Juju had the energy to complain, it meant he wasn’t too badly hurt. That’s Juju for you, in all his selfish glory. People had died, friends had been crushed, and another friend had lost an arm – though Juju didn’t yet know Mioray had already lost it two weeks ago – yet here he was, outraged about his broken fingers, threatening to kill the madman and all, forgetting how dangerous he was.

  Mioray ran to Juju’s side and helped him to his feet. Juju groaned in pain but managed to stand. His right hand hung limp, the fingers twisted at impossible angles, while cuts crisscrossed his body from the shattered glass. Mioray also bore bleeding wounds, but he ignored them. They weren’t hindering him.

  “Are you sure it’s just your fingers?” Mioray asked.

  “What? What do you mean?” Juju’s voice wavered, his disorientation clear.

  Mioray decided not to press further. He was just thankful Juju was alive. His friend didn’t realize how lucky he was, having survived the blast that had flung him like a ragdoll and showered him with glass shards.

  A loud crash came from the classroom where the giant had landed.

  “Come on, Juju. We need to move,” Mioray said, scanning what remained of the corridor. “It’s not over yet.”

  “You don’t need to tell me twice. Let’s get outside!” Juju snapped.

  “We can’t! There are people out there. If we run outside, we’ll put them in danger!”

  “What are you even talking about?” Juju scoffed. “Do I look stupid to you? I just want to get as far away from that psycho as possible! Besides, he’s after you, not me. Don’t drag me into your problems! You think you’re some hero, keeping him distracted so others can get away and patting yourself on the back for it. Well, guess what? You’re no better than me! There might still be people in the building, maybe even in the classroom where that psycho is right now. You want to run around and risk them too? Be my guest. I’m out of here.”

  Mioray bit back a reply. Arguing was pointless. Juju’s priorities were clear: save himself at all costs. But Mioray couldn’t leave, not with bystanders still outside. And he had another reason to believe staying inside was safer. In the open courtyard, the giant would have an easier time closing the distance. A single explosive leap, and it would all be over.

  The thought crystallized just as the nightmare unfolded.

  The hulking mass of muscle and rage hurtled through the air toward them like a cannonball. Mioray grabbed Juju and yanked him back into the corridor just in time. The monstrous body slammed into the ground where Juju had been standing, sending up a cloud of dust and debris.

  Pebbles rained down as the beast stood amid the wreckage, his freshly regenerated leg torn apart again in a gruesome fountain of blood. He turned his head toward Mioray and Juju, a wide, deranged grin stretching across his face. His arm, blown apart earlier, was regenerating before their eyes. Mioray’s heart sank. The madman could blow himself up indefinitely.

  “Stairs, now!” Mioray shouted, bolting toward the staircase at the end of the corridor. Juju, for once, didn’t argue and followed close behind.

  The sound of wet, heavy footsteps echoed behind them, distinct even over Juju’s frantic panting. It was the beast chasing them. Mioray didn’t dare look back, but he could picture it vividly: the giant charging on all fours like a rabid animal, his bloodied, twisted limbs scrambling for purchase.

  In his mind, he could still hear the man’s deranged voice screaming, “I found you! I found you!”

  Mioray and Juju reached the second floor, bursting into a corridor similar to the one below, though less damaged. The floor bore holes from the previous explosion, but it was otherwise intact. The hallway was eerily empty. Despite Juju’s earlier doubts, it seemed most people had managed to evacuate.

  “Keep going,” Mioray urged, sprinting toward the other end of the building, where another set of stairs were.

  In the distance, sirens wailed. Relief washed over Mioray. Finally! Help was on the way. Maybe his struggle hadn’t been in vain after all. Soon, the monster would no longer be his problem.

  The worst seemed behind them. The maddening sound of pursuit had stopped. The giant must have been struggling to ascend the stairs in his crippled state. But that wasn’t reason enough to relax. Mioray and Juju pushed forward, the faint sound of sirens spurring them on. If they could just reach the other set of stairs, they could descend to the exit.

  No more screams. No more explosions. No more “I found you!”

  Could it really be over?

  That would have been too good to be true.

  Suddenly, the floor in front of them erupted, as if a volcano had awakened, spewing debris instead of lava in every direction. At the center of the chaos, a grotesque figure emerged, rock-hard muscles slick with blood and rainwater. The madman was back, this time missing both legs from the knees down. He collapsed onto the floor but instantly propped himself up with his mangled arms, his inhuman resilience on full display.

  “Found you!” he roared, his voice shaking the ruined corridor.

  Mioray was ready to howl. Was there anything that could stop this man?! The monster had blasted through the ceiling below, creating a shortcut to intercept them. He had cut off their escape, leaving no path to safety.

  Mioray and Juju could turn back, but it was futile. The madman still had one arm intact, and it was swelling ominously. His entire body seemed primed to detonate on impact. There was no time for new plans.

  The giant's gaze locked on Juju. He shifted his weight and raised his fist, the grotesquely overdeveloped muscles bulging. Mioray recognized the signs. The madman was preparing to unleash another devastating explosion. Juju, oblivious, was still trying to charge past him, letting out a half-hearted war cry.

  “Juju, don’t!” Mioray shouted, extending a desperate hand.

  But he was too far away. There was no way he could reach Juju in time. He watched, helpless, as the madman’s fist moved with terrifying speed toward Juju’s face. If it connected, there would be nothing left, just blood, bone fragments, and silence.

  None of this made sense, neither the man’s abilities nor the sheer madness of the situation, but Mioray had no choice but to accept this twisted reality. Clinging to logic or conventional thinking would get them killed. He had to adapt, to think beyond the confines of reason.

  And then, his hand reached Juju.

  His actual arm had detached from his body, launching forward like a harpoon. It slammed into Juju with enough force to push him aside, just as the madman’s fist hit empty air. No explosion followed. Mioray’s theory was correct. The devastating blasts required contact with solid objects.

  Mioray blinked, horrified. But how had he done that thing with his arm?

  He looked down at where his right arm should have been. It was… gone. The sleeve of his sweatshirt dangled empty and from inside the thick black threads extended like tendrils, connecting his body to the detached arm now lying on the floor. The arm was severed right around where stitches were sewn and weirdly, there was no blood at the cut. Moreso, he could still sense his detached arm. He tried to move his fingers and – his eyes didn’t betray him – they actually moved, as if nothing had changed.

  Yet everything had changed.

  He was fully armless now. Though he could feel the detached limb, he couldn’t control it, except the fingers, or return it to his body. Worse, the monster was still active. Juju, sprawled against the wall, cursed in a voice that had gone shrill with fear. But the madman didn’t care. His glowing red eyes focused solely on Mioray. That grin, impossibly wide and disturbingly gleeful, stretched across his bloodied face.

  “Finally, I found you!”

  Mioray barely had time to process the words before the monster lunged.

  The fist that had been aimed at Juju now struck Mioray instead. The impact was immediate, cataclysmic. A deafening blast tore through the air, hurling Mioray backward like a ragdoll. His severed arm followed, still connected by the black threads, flailing uselessly in front of him.

  Mioray landed hard, skidding across the debris-littered floor. He quickly got up, but something felt wrong.

  He looked down.

  Half his torso was gone.

  Blood cascaded from the massive wound like a crimson waterfall. Through the ragged hole in his side, he could see his ribs or what remained of them and the faint, erratic beating of his exposed heart.

  Yet there was no pain.

  The world around him felt distant, surreal. His mind remained sharp, his vision unnervingly clear, but his body refused to obey him. His legs trembled and buckled, sending him crumpling to the ground.

  “Run,” Mioray tried to say, but his lips felt wooden, his voice a mere whisper.

  He turned his head, searching for Juju. His friend was still against the wall, too terrified to move, his curses reduced to incoherent mutterings.

  The madman, however, had forgotten Juju entirely. His focus was solely on Mioray.

  The beast crawled toward him on bloody stumps. His body was a twisted mass of regenerating flesh and exposed bone. One arm was already beginning to grow back, twitching disturbingly as new muscle and sinew knit together. It was just too much.

  Mioray closed his eyes. Well, he had done all he could. He had kept the monster occupied, given the police enough time to arrive. The sirens in the distance promised that help was near. It’s their turn now to handle this.

  He was no hero. He never had been.

  In his final moments, Mioray thought of Erinel.

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