Cycles of Eternity

"Why is Eriri taking so long?" Shirogami asked, with a mix of confusion and impatience while glancing at the clock. His figure had become more refined, standing at 1.8 meters tall. Although his features still retained some of his childish essence, adolescence had begun to shape his expression and posture.

His mother, with an understanding smile, commented, "Fufu, that's just how girls are, Shirogami. They need to look perfect before going out."

At that moment, Eriri's cheerful voice rang out from upstairs. "I'm ready!" She came down the stairs confidently, wearing a casual outfit. Although she hadn't grown much in height, barely reaching 1.5 meters, her beauty was evident, accentuated by her golden hair styled in her usual twin tails.

"Come on, Shirogami, the trip isn't going to wait for us!" she said with a smile. Then, turning to her mother with a playful wave, she added, "Bye, Mom!"

"Goodbye, Mom," Shirogami repeated, bidding farewell before heading out with Eriri. His mother, watching them leave, waved with a motherly smile. "Take care, alright?"

At school, they joined their friends, where they found Raku, who seemed particularly downcast.

"Is something wrong, Raku?" Shirogami asked, noticing the gloomy expression on his friend's face.

Kaori, who was also there, smiled and replied for him, "He's been like this since he found out that Onodera won't be coming on the trip… because she got sick."

Raku, hearing his name, visibly tensed up, searching for an excuse. "N-no, that's not it, it's because… you know…"

"Oh? That's not it?" Kaori teased, amused, as Raku tried to evade the conversation.

Laughter filled the group at his embarrassed reaction. Eriri, Kaori, and Shizuku exchanged knowing glances, joking as they continued chatting.

Just then, the school bus announced its departure. They quickly boarded, sitting together. The friends' conversation continued without pause, the joy and excitement palpable in the air.

"So, Raku," Shizuku asked playfully as the bus set off, "when are you going to confess your feelings to Onodera?"

"W-well, I…" Raku stammered, his face completely red.

"You know, once we graduate, you might not see her again," Eriri added with a mischievous smile, giving him a little push.

"I was planning to do it today," Raku finally admitted, his voice low and a bit sad, "but… she's not here."

Kaori patted his shoulder, smiling. "Cheer up, Raku! You'll have another chance, won't he, Shirogami?"

Shirogami, still struggling to grasp the concept of love, could only nod, awkwardly saying, "I'm sure it'll work out, Raku."

With a renewed smile, Raku relaxed, and the group continued laughing as the bus headed toward the mountains. Joy and calmness filled the air as they gazed at the landscape, admiring the hills and trees that looked like something out of a postcard. Upon arrival, they headed to the resort where they would spend the night, planning to dress in yukatas and enjoy a bonfire under the stars.

Later…

As night fell, the group, along with the rest of the class, gathered around a bonfire, illuminated by the warm glow of the flames. Amid laughter and jokes, Shirogami sensed something special in the air. When Shizuku sat beside him, Shirogami's heart seemed to skip a beat. The fire cast glimmers in her eyes, giving her a soft, mysterious aura. Without a word, they shared a smile that seemed to speak more than they could ever express. In those moments, Shirogami felt there might be something within him he didn't yet understand.

Meanwhile, far away, deep in the mountain, something unexpected was stirring in the darkness.

A crimson light spread through cracks in the ground, illuminating rocks and trees with an unnatural glow. Like a growing pulse, the mountain seemed to vibrate, its energy slowly expanding, invisible to those enjoying the bonfire.

A few hours later…

In the early morning, on one of the patrol routes, a guard yawned, tired of the quietness that prevailed on his shift. With a flashlight, he inspected the area, his steps echoing in the darkness. "Another boring shift…," he muttered, wishing for dawn to arrive.

But as he stopped at one point, he noticed something that made him freeze: small cracks glowed on the ground. He bent down, inspecting them closely.

"W-what… what is this?" he murmured, alarmed as he saw the cracks slowly spreading.

He was about to back away to report it when a figure emerged from the darkness. A bone sword appeared from the shadows and pierced his chest. Unable to comprehend what was happening, the guard tried to scream, but his voice was choked in a gasp of pain. Before him, a creature with red eyes and a deformed jaw looked at him, and, with an inhuman roar, pulled out the sword and beheaded him with a swift strike.

A monstrous scream filled the air, and at the resort, Shirogami woke up with a jolt, startled and drenched in cold sweat. His breathing was labored, his heart racing wildly. A sense of imminent danger overwhelmed him.

"Raku, wake up," Shirogami whispered, shaking him slightly.

"Mmm? What's going on?" Raku murmured, drowsy.

"I don't know, but something's wrong," Shirogami said with a tense tone. "Let's go find the girls, quickly."

They stood up, and as they left the room, a terrifying roar echoed from the mountain, followed by the screams of students and teachers.

They ran to the girls' room, finding them at the door, trembling with wide, frightened eyes.

"What's happening?" Eriri whispered, her voice shaking with panic.

"I don't know," Shirogami replied, trying to stay calm, "but we need to get out of here. Quickly!"

They nodded, and the group moved swiftly toward the exit. But upon reaching it, they were paralyzed by what they found: the entrance was littered with mutilated bodies, covered in blood. Horrified screams echoed as some students saw the brutal scene. Kaori and Shizuku couldn't contain their nausea, vomiting instantly.

Shirogami took a deep breath and whispered urgently, "We need to find another way out… Now!"

Gripped by fear, the students followed Shirogami's group toward another exit from the resort. However, as they advanced, they encountered a horde of monstrous creatures on the other side of the door. They looked like something out of a nightmare: twisted orcs and goblins stared at them with bloodthirsty eyes.

"Run!" shouted Shirogami, grabbing Eriri's and Kaori's hands as they nearly lost control from fear, and, along with Raku and Shizuku, they began to run as fast as their trembling legs allowed.

The monsters charged after them, reaching some students and mercilessly tearing them apart. Blood and the screams of others filled the air as Shirogami and his group pressed forward, not daring to look back. They fled the resort and entered the forest, stumbling over roots and branches, while the creatures continued to hunt them, playing with them as if they were prey.

At the edge of a clearing, the group found themselves before a glowing portal, a deep red that pulsed like a giant, living heart. They were trapped, with the creatures getting closer. Their only choices were to face death… or cross the portal.

Shirogami felt Eriri squeeze his hand tightly, fear evident in her gaze. Kaori and Raku were panting, their bodies shaking from exhaustion and terror. Shizuku, though scared, seemed determined not to give in.

"Shirogami… what do we do?" Eriri asked, her voice breaking with panic and desperation.

"We have no choice… we have to go through it," he replied with determination, feeling that despite the uncertainty, the portal was their only escape.

Raku looked at the portal and swallowed hard, his eyes full of doubt. "Are you sure? Who knows where it leads…"

"It's that… or die here," Shirogami replied firmly. The creatures were drawing closer, their footsteps thundering and their growls deafening. They couldn't stay a second longer.

Without another thought, Shirogami took the first step toward the portal, taking Eriri and Kaori with him. Raku and Shizuku immediately followed. As soon as they crossed the threshold, an overwhelming energy surrounded them, as if something were pulling them in all directions at once. It felt like falling into an endless void, being dragged by a current they couldn't control.

For what seemed like an instant and an eternity at the same time, their bodies floated in darkness, with no reference or sound. Then, suddenly, they were thrown to the ground with a force that knocked the breath out of them.

When Shirogami opened his eyes, what he saw left him speechless. The world around them was completely different. The sky was dark, tinged with shades of red and orange like an eternal sunset. The mountains, twisted and covered with strange plants that seemed alive, rose around them. A heavy atmosphere filled the air, laden with a metallic and dense scent.

"Where... where are we?" whispered Kaori, barely able to speak as she looked at the sinister landscape surrounding them.

Raku looked around, his face pale. "This isn't... the world we know."

A chill ran through them all. Shirogami, feeling something dark stirring inside him, slowly stood up. Though this place was terrifying, there was something strangely familiar about it to him.

Eriri, still trembling, moved closer to him, her expression full of fear. "Shirogami, what are we going to do? How... how are we going to get out of here?"

He looked toward the horizon, where something shimmered in the distance—a glimmer that seemed to guide them toward some uncertain destination. Gritting his teeth, he replied, "I don't know... but we'll find a way out, together."

The group gathered, holding onto one another, in the middle of that unknown land.

Hope and terror intertwined in each of their hearts as they began to walk into the unknown, knowing that, from this moment on, their lives would never be the same.

What awaits them in this unfamiliar world? What trials will they have to face? Will they survive the challenges ahead... or fall trying?

Such is life... relentless and unforgiving, a beauty as captivating as it is dangerous... like a splendid rose, yet surrounded by sharp thorns.