I Hate Being The Protagonist

I was confused and terrified. Evy screamed just like the other kids, grabbing my arm in a desperate attempt to shield herself from this gruesome sight.

I knew who did this...

There was no one else connected to Oliver but my killer from the past life. If he did this it can mean only one thing... He retained his memories in this life.

"H-how?" I ask myself outloud.

"Move away!" Guille orders, swimming through the thick wall of kids.

Lucidel and Guille quickly handled the situation, moving everyone inside the school while they called the authorities.

While we waited inside, forensics were operating an investigation along with the police.

I could hear one of the kids ask "Who is that?"

Evy was crying, sobbing from Death making its appearance in her life once again. It was weird, as soon as she came into my life again someone died. This might be a coincidence, but the last time I met her I died in a period of two months.

"It's not your fault," Dorian consoles her.

"I can't escape it, " she sobs.

Thoughts were rushing through my head while hugging Evy. I petted her head while she cried, but I was deep in thought. Why now? If my killer knows about me, why make a move now?

"Damn it!" I curse, standing up.

"What is it Adam?!" Dorian asks.

I rush away without a single word, straight into Lucidel's office.

"Did I do something wrong?" Evy asks Dorian.

"No, you didn't. Don't worry about him, I'll talk to him later," he responds.

-

I asked Lucidel to tell me everything he knew, but there was nothing he could inform me of.

"They found nothing. No one saw how it got there, even though many people were around. Until it is solved, everyone will be sent home for security reasons. This is the second time someone infiltrated the school property after that incident with your desk."

Was that him? Did my killer write those messages? No, it can't be the case. The messages were of good nature, one of them saving Lucidel from potential danger.

What does he want from me? This is an obvious provocation, a sickly reference to my previous life. He killed Oliver two times already, for what reason? What does he have to do with this?

Until I can find out more, I'm going back home to take my mind off of this.

"You seem particularly troubled by this. What is the reason for that, kid?" Lucidel observes, squinting his eyes while glaring coldly. His gaze is menacing when he interrogates someone. His analytic brain always searches for an answer, and quickly spots anomalies in someone's change of emotions or way of talking.

"I'm afraid, that's all," I lie.

"You? Afraid? You've already killed a man in a life-or-death situation. You carry an unforeseen strength for a human, let alone a 13 year old. The strongest student isn't easily frightened, I've seen that already. If there is something you need to tell me, I'm here. You know that, don't you Adam?"

"Thank you for that... but there's nothing else going on. I've just been reminded of the intrusion in my room when that carving in my desk was made. This probably isn't connected, but who knows? Neither has been caught yet..."

Lucidel raises one eyebrow. He could read that I was telling lies, and that I was hiding something. He knows me too well and has too much experience. Although that is the case, he still lets me go, saying everything will be fine as long as he works here.

-

I returned to the Capital, to my mansion and favorite butler.

"How's it going Rache?"

"Splendid as always, Lord Adam."

I beat Rache at Evil A. a few times in the last year, finally reaching this man's incredible strategic mind. My win rate is still nowhere close to 50% though, more like 5-6%. That said, I still won from time to time, showing my progress.

"What troubles you, Lord Adam?" Rache asks, observant just as Lucidel.

"There was an incident at our school. One kid died, which is why we were sent home at this time. It was a homicide, one that is still under investigation."

Rache puts a hand on his mouth, hiding his horrified expression.

"Oh dear! How did that happen!?"

"I don't know..."

"In Obiwon? Do you want to switch schools?" Rache offers.

"No, I'm good. I'll stay in Obiwon, but this definitely isn't something I expected to happen. I've gained so much strength there, but still shiver at the sight of such evil..."

"It is a normal reaction, Lord Adam. Our bodies and minds can grow, but only experience can dull the horrors one will witness in a single lifetime."

If only he knew...

After talking to Rache and sleeping it off, I decided to follow my instincts instead of my brain. My normal dreams were filled with nightmares of my death and Oliver. I woke up multiple times throughout the night, my body covered in sweat.

Following my intrusively pounding thoughts, I walked towards the haunted house where I was killed last time. I will blow the place up with a simple spell...

I didn't get all this strength for nothing.

When I reached the unsacred place of my murder, I was taken aback to see that the haunted house was gone. The place where the wooden rot was last time was only empty space.

I frantically jumped the fence, searching for any remnant of my tomb. The ground was filled with grass, but there was a distinct anomaly. I touched the ground where I felt the oddity, sticking my fingers into the grass.

The ground cracked, and I pried a wooden hatch open, revealing a rotting staircase leading downwards.

"This..."

It might've been the basement, but who knows? The part of the house it sat under couldn't be identified.

"Curiosity kills, but I'm left with no choice," I mumble to myself, deciding to trample over my ideals because of the information I need.

"I'm strong enough," I tell myself, treading down the decaying stairs.

When I reach the dark room at the bottom, I'm hit with an earthy and moldy smell.

I summon a small light sphere to illuminate the basement while I explore. There were no horrors to be found in this small room.

A desk with books sat by the side, with unlit candles sprayed across. The dripped wax indicated someone spending a lot of time here.

Another ball of light popped from my hand, so that no shadows obscure my vision. I pick up a book sitting in the center of the desk, brushing the thick layer of dust on it.

"Diary of Jones Okossu'

I read through the pages, seeing the everyday life of this Jones guy. He had a wife that left him after a tough financial situation. He was left homeless and roamed the streets with nothing but this book and a pen.

As I flipped through the pages, my eyes widened. Stopping on a specific sheet of paper, my stomach dropped. The same mark I had on my chest was drawn here.

The mark I got from the incident with my mother and Julie. I got that mark when the demon finished killing everyone.

I had to find out more, because this might be the only information I can gather on the source of that demon. Even Gabriel didn't know the source of my mark, so I had to investigate further.

Are the demon and my murderer connected?

I continued reading, brushing my finger through the sentences written by this man. There was a specific phrase written after the mark.

'The Dreamer'

"The Dreamer wishes for the mark, so I'll have to obey his command..."

I was sure of it. This Dreamer manipulated Jones just like he did Oliver. He wants my mark which is why he stalks me. At least that's my working theory.

The Dreamer... That's it!!

The dream magic which Lucidel and I found many times has to be connected to this entity! Who is he? What can the mark be used for and how does he know I possess it?

I've never shown it to anyone, not taking my shirt off during school in the Capital. The only ones that have seen my mark are Lucidel and Rache. Also Evy one time when I took my clothes off before putting on my pyjamas, but she isn't connected to this. A 13 year old girl doesn't work with my killer, I'm sure of it.

I'll leave the questions for some other time. A lot of valuable information was gathered today. I went through the other books, spending almost 2 hours reading through them. When I finished, I took the diary along with a book titled 'Unordinary Dream' which had dream magic principles written in it.

-

Lucidel called me the next day, Rache answering in my stead.

"Hello, is this Adam's residency?" Lucidel asks over the device.

"Who is asking?" Rache questions.

"Lucidel, the general of Eviansis and teacher in Obiwon."

"Ah, it's you. Pleasure to talk to you. I've heard a lot about you from Adam."

"This must be Rache then? I've heard about you too. The one that Adam considers his father," Lucidel remarks.

A tear forms on Rache's face, but he wipes it off.

"Has the issue been solved?" Rache asks.

"That's what I'm calling about. The issue hasn't been solved yet, as it might take a week or two. I need Adam to join me on a mission."

Rache asks about the safety of the mission, to which Lucidel reassures him.

"Don't worry, he's in the hands of a general. I won't let the kid be harmed, even if my life has to be compromised to accomplish his protection."

"Adam, you have a caller!" Rache shouts across the house.

I quickly burst into the living room, rubbing my eyes from sleep still lingering in them.

"Yes, who is it?" I ask.

"Kid, who would be calling at this early hour?" Lucidel quips.

"General Lucidel," I acknowledge.

"I need you for a mission. We have red-eyes again in the southern forest Telenete. Many of them have been reported, maybe the source of their 'clan'. You up for it?" he asks.

"Y-yes absolutely!" I yell into the device.

This is my chance to find out more about the Dreamer.