Extra's Descent

85  Sorrow [1]

They didn't see the visions, but they watched the entire scene unfold.

They heard the screams.

The plea.

The children.

But…

They've also seen the look on Brandon's face.

They could all tell.

Even an idiot could tell.

'He didn't want to do it.'

He took it upon himself.

To deal with it alone.

To place the burden on himself.

It became apparent to them that whatever Brandon did was what he secretly talked about with Oliver.

But Sarah…

She heard her little sister's scream.

All of a sudden, Sarah stepped forward.

The atmosphere around her shifted, and an immense amount of mana gathered around her.

With tears dripping down her eyes, she opened her mouth,

And screamed.

"Nooooo!"

Her scream echoed like waves, reverberating throughout the entire forest. The others covered their ears, yet it felt like their ear drums were about to burst.

Then…

Woooosh—!

The screams rang out loud, creating a large trail-like crater.

The waves pierced through the air and hit Brandon—who was down on his knees like a tidal wave.

Crash—!

Brandon was immediately hurled away, crashing on the ground.

Drip. Drip…!

His ears started to bleed.

Yet it seemed like he felt no pain as his expressions were nothing but blank.

He looked exhausted, and it seemed like he was done with everything.

Brandon laid on the ground, not even sparing a single glance at everyone.

He continued to stare at the ground with a blank look.

"Why, why, anyone, but Emma!"

Once again, the waves echoed and rang throughout the entire forest.

Brandon's ears continued to bleed, while the others covered their ears.

It was then when Vanessa intervened. Clenching her hands together, a sudden pressure bore down on Sarah.

Thud!

She fell face flat as the weight around her atmosphere shifted.

Yet she persisted. Lifting her head, she turned to look at Brandon—who still laid on the ground.

"Why!"

And yet again, the waves echoed.

Truth be told, Sarah didn't know what to do anymore.

She knew she was doing the wrong thing. But she had been keeping everything bottled up inside ever since she found out the truth.

But hearing her little sister's scream was her breaking point.

And Brandon was her only outlet.

After all, she watched him burn the doll in which her little sister was in.

For some reason, the doll was there. She had left it back in her home, and yet it appeared before Brandon.

As if Emma was asking for her soul to be set free.

But Sarah couldn't control herself.

"Why!"

She continued to scream.

And Brandon's ears kept bleeding profusely.

"Why!"

Step—

Until a figure stepped forward.

With pitch-black hair and dark-crimson eyes, her arms were spread out and her ears had started to bleed as well.

"Rachel!"

"What are you doing?!"

The others called out to her, and yet it all went to deaf ears.

With her arms spread out wide, Rachel stood before Sarah.

Realizing the figure standing before her, Sarah screamed.

"Move!"

Rachel staggered back from the waves, but she persevered.

Just like Brandon, her ears continued to bleed.

Yet she stood in front of Sarah.

"Please!" Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Wooosh–!

"Get out of the way!"

Wooosh–!

Rachel continued to skid backwards. Before she knew it, Brandon was already behind her.

"Emma!"

Wooosh–!

"Hold her head down!"

At Vanessa's call, everyone followed suit.

Raven immediately made his way towards Sarah. Holding her head down, the others did the same.

But yet again, Sarah's muffled voice continued to echo.

"Nmmm!"

Boom–!

"Nmmm..! Nm!"

Booom—!

The ground continued to shake intensely at each of her screams.

Yet the other persisted and continued to hold her head down.

"Sarah, it's not his fault."

Breaking the others silence, Rachel spoke up.

"Brandon never wanted this to happen. No one wanted this to happen."

"Nmmm!"

Booom—!

"If there's anyone to blame, then it's the Wraiths."

"Nmmm…"

Booom—!

"Sarah, please. Don't take it out on him. Like Rachel said, no one wanted this to happen."

Holding her head down, Liam's voice followed.

"Nmmmm!"

Booom–!

The ground continued shaking. Despite her voice being muffled, it was still loud enough as the others' ears had started to bleed.

Everyone except Vanessa.

"Sarah, please."

Liam pleaded.

"Hmf…"

A strange sound came from Sarah.

"Hmfff…."

Her shoulders started to tremble.

Sob. Sob.

But everyone realized what was happening.

At that, they slowly removed their hands from her head.

"Hmff… Hmfff…"

Sarah's shoulders continued to tremble, but the shaking had already stopped.

The others looked down on her with a sad expression.

Everyone had the same thoughts.

'Wraiths… They should all be wiped out from existence.'

Turning around and looking down at Brandon, Rachel pursed her lips.

"...Can you get up?"

22:20

But she was met with silence.

Brandon continued to stare at nothing with a blank expression.

Rachel couldn't find the right words to say to him. Before she could speak, Raven was already behind her.

"I'll take him."

Lifting him up, Raven offered his shoulder, placing Brandon's arms around it.

"..."

Brandon continued to stay silent. But they all understood his silence.

No one blamed him.

In fact, they respected him even more.

It was a task that none of them would have ever done.

Yet Brandon decided to take the heavy burden all alone.

***

Oliver and David's body was nowhere to be found. But from the abundance of lingering mana that was left behind, Vanessa had a rough idea of what transpired.

She knew Oliver was a mage of the curse affinity.

That was all that needed to be said.

Sarah decided to stay with her mother for the meantime, while Brandon had isolated himself inside the hotel room.

No matter how much the door was knocked, Brandon wouldn't answer.

A blanket all around him, Brandon continued to ponder about the visions he saw.

Drip. Drip.

And tears continued to flow down his cheek.

This trip…

It had traumatized him deeply.

Drip. Drip...!

No matter how much he tried to forget, his heart kept squeezing tightly.

But he then recalled something.

"...Ah, right. I leveled up."

With a pained and hoarse voice, Brandon muttered to himself,

"...System."

—---------------------------

[Name: Brandon Locke]

[Level: 5]

[EXP: 250/1500

[Class: Anomaly]

 ∟ You are an entity that does not belong to this world, an anomaly.

[Passive]

∟ Skill Weaver:

∟ Create any skill possible within the user's capabilities.

∟ Increase your Skill Weaver capacity by +1 per level.

∟ Total Skills: 4/5

[Skill Tab]

[Stats]

[Stat Points Available: 5]

∟ STR: F+ [●○○○○]

∟ MP: E [○○○○○]

∟ DEF: F+ [○○○○○]

∟ AGI: F [●●○○○]

∟ INT: E [○○○○○]

∟ CHA: E [●○○○○]

[System Shop]

[System Coins: 20]

[Quests Available: 0]

—---------------------------

After leveling up, Brandon had unlocked the [Earth] affinity.

Opening his skill tab, a new menu popped up under the Elemental Manipulation tab.

—---------------------------

[Special Affinities]

∟[Curse]

∟ [Cursed Threads]: 1%

∟ [Cursed Flames]: Locked

∟ [Mark of Despair]: Locked

∟ [Abyssal Chains]: Locked

∟ [Soul Drain]: Locked

∟ [Binding Vow ]: Locked

—---------------------------

"Haha."

He weakly laughed.

"...Curse, what a sick joke."

*

The trip that was supposed to last for three days had only spanned for a single day.

The other students were confused as to why. The section B student's started questioning where Professor Oliver was.

But Vanessa had already informed the Academy on what transpired during their trip.

It was then announced that a statement would be made.

All of the other sections were called to return from their trips to avoid another disaster like what ensued in Everglade.