The Other Side of Darkness

Dark Whispers

Episode 3: Chapter 29~31

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In Octavinelle, things weren't going very well for Azul. Without Jade and Floyd, a group of rowdy customers were managing to make a scene. 

Tiredly, Azul went out to confront the problem, bumping into several students along the way, including a sandy-haired hyena.

"Apologies," he muttered quickly before walking off.

"Don't worry about it," Ruggie assured him, laughing his strange laugh.

Two Octavinelle students approached Azul. 

"Dorm Head, we've had an extraordinary amount of orders and we've completely run out of food for today!" one student exclaimed.

"Yeah, drinks are also close to running dry!" another reported.

Azul straightened his glasses. "Already? Alright, I'll go get money out of the vault. When I come back I'd like you two to go to the student store to buy some..." He dug around his pockets and gasped. "I-it's gone! The key is gone! How...where?" 

He ran back through the ground, searching crazily for the key. Eventually, he made it back to the VIP Room, where he found a surprise guest.

"Kingscholar," Azul hissed.

"Hey, octo-punk," Leona greeted with a smirk. "What's wrong? You look pretty freaked out for someone usually so in control."

"It's none of your business. More importantly, why are you here?"

Leona held up his hand. In which a silver key dangled from a pearl chain. "Found this on the floor and came to return it. Isn't it yours?"

Azul snatched the key out of Leona's hand. "That is mine! Theft is a terrible crime, you know." 

"Thief?" Leona laughed. "I just found it and came to return it out of the kindness of my heart. How is that a crime?" Azul just narrowed his eyes. "Anyway, I'm gonna go find a spot to nap. See ya." He strode out of the room, a confident smirk still on his face.

As soon as he left, Azul returned to his frantic state. "M-my contracts!" he muttered. "Are they safe?" He fumbled opening the vault, only to find it empty. "Gone...no, no, no, no! Kingscholar!" He chased after the Savanaclaw dorm leader. As he did, the strange feeling of being watched followed him.

He found the male lion with Ruggie just outside the dorm, shifting through a large pile of golden contracts. As he approached them, he could see light start to dance around Leona's hand. 

"I am hunger, I am thirst," Leona muttered. "I am that which steals your tomorrow..."

"Stop it right there!" Azul ordered. 

Leona smirked. "Oh, here already?" He held up the pile of paper. "Don't take another step closer if you care about what happens to your contracts."

Azul flinched. "Give them back...Please! Please give them back!" 

"Woah, what happened to your mask of control?" Leona chuckled. "Now that I see you like this, it seems Kitten's little hunch was right on the money."

"Kitten...?" Azul repeated disbelievingly. 

"Yes, the Ramshackle Prefect who you so graciously left in my care," Leona explained. "She had a hunch that you're contracts weren't really invincible, and that we only needed to get them out of your vault and into our hands to prove it. She also suspected that everything that you've done to 'prove' that your contracts were invincible was just good planning and luck on your part. Again, it seems she was right. Looks like we've both underestimated her."