SHAMAN PROTOCOL-Chapter 116: Perfect Puzzle Piece

"Everest!!"

The young Mister Nocty made his way to the floor where he and Everest were sharing a room. His arm pressed against his nose, unfazed by the thickening smoke in the building.

"Everest!" He took a step forward, only to skid back as the pipeline attached overhead snapped and fell inches from him.

He jolted as the metal pipe clanged sharply in his ear. It had almost struck him if he hadn’t stopped in time. Yet, he quickly regained composure and jumped over the broken pipe. Thanks to it, water splashed from it and slightly cooled the surroundings.

"Everest!" Mister Nocty shouted as he closed in on their room. "Everest! It’s me!"

The second he reached their hallway, his pace quickened despite seeing flames roaring from other rooms.

He had been thinking about this incident every single day of his life.

The "what ifs" that crossed his mind every morning and night.

What if he hadn’t cowered? What if he’d just insisted on going with the others? Would he have had to attend his friends’ burial?

He may not have started the fire, but the reason they got trapped here was because of him. Had Mister Nocty—at this time—just mustered the courage, they would all be alive. But no.

This world was twisted and cruel for letting everyone else die except the one at fault. As if this world were telling him to bear this burden for the rest of his life. So, even if this was all not real, even if he knew it was futile, he couldn’t control his heart’s desire.

His desire to save and rescue his friends, just to see if there was ever a chance.

BAM!

"Everest!" Mister Nocty kicked the door open, only to be welcomed by thick smoke from inside. He waved a hand in front of him and marched in, looking around in search of Everest.

After a breath, he caught a figure in the corner of the room.

"Everest!" He jumped and almost leapt with each step, immediately reaching the person in the corner of the room. With all the smoke and darkness, he simply assumed it was Everest.

"Hey!" He grabbed the student’s shoulder and shook him awake. "Evere—"

The student, who had passed out in the corner, grunted and coughed as soon as he regained consciousness. He intuitively covered his nose as he gazed at the guy squatting near him.

"Natnat?"

Mister Nocty furrowed his brows. "Jake?"

Confusion quickly filled his mind because Jake wasn’t supposed to be here. Jake, Maris, and Lara had gone to the trial. Everest, Mister Nocty, and Sabel stayed behind—although Sabel was in a different building. However, Mister Nocty was aware that Sabel’s life would be taken tonight because she would try to save her friends—him and Everest.

Suddenly, Jake grabbed Mister Nocty’s chest as he coughed out, "Ever—Everest!"

"Right!" Mister Nocty nodded, grabbing Jake’s shoulder to help him up. "I’ll look for him as well, but I have to get you out of here first."

As he pulled Jake’s arm across his shoulder and rose to his feet, he looked around once more to make sure Everest wasn’t in there. But then, Jake grunted.

"Ugh—!!"

Mister Nocty tensed as he turned to face Jake. The latter had his teeth clenched, his face twisted in deep pain.

"Jake, are you hurt..." His question didn’t even form as his eyes fell, only to catch a leg lying on the floor.

The severed leg was still covered by slacks, still wearing socks and shoes. It was like a doll’s leg, only this one was lying in thick blood.

Then, his eyes shifted to Jake’s body, catching something dripping from what was left of his leg.

Mister Nocty froze, his face paling, wide-eyed. Slowly, he lifted his dilated eyes to Jake.

What the hell is this? Why is he...

"Everest..." Jake panted under his breath, his complexion as white as a sheet as he barely clung to consciousness. He coughed, mustering the remaining strength he had left as he said, "He did this."

He did this.

Those three words sounded like a gong in Mister Nocty’s ears, temporarily deafening him.

Jake clutched Mister Nocty’s chest with his other hand, as he uttered through his gritted teeth. "Everest..." His face twisted as tears welled in his eyes. "...did all of this! He killed Sabel!"

This time, his words echoed louder in Mister Nocty’s ears. His body froze on the spot, trying to process what Jake had just shouted in his ears.

Everest did all of this?

No, Everest wouldn’t—how could he? Also, Jake isn’t supposed to be here. This is not what happened that night. This—

His thoughts stopped as he blinked, and somehow, the smoke that had been smothering him was gone. Even Jake’s weight on his shoulder was gone.

Lifting his eyes, all that was left was the same dormitory room. No fire, no chaos, no smoke. Just two empty beds, silence, and... him.

His eyes, which had been cloudy, slowly cleared, and his mind felt like it was being doused with clarity. His memory flashed before him, taking him back to this very incident... showing him a memory that was different from what he could remember all these years.

A memory of what truly happened that night.

Mister Nocty held his breath as his mouth parted a bit. "Everest," he whispered to himself, his breath hitching as he paled even more.

"I left that day," he whispered, stunned at the memories that were slowly overlapping with his first memory of this incident. And like a perfect piece of a puzzle, this new memory fit so perfectly.

He blinked, and again, Mister Nocty was back in that burning dormitory, Jake’s arm sprawled across his shoulder, the smoke smothering both of them, and the fire that was crawling and engulfing their way out.

Mister Nocty turned to Jake and clenched his teeth, no longer frozen in place or confused about the situation.

"Let’s get out of here," he huffed, carrying Jake’s weight on his shoulder, and took him out of the building. Something Mister Nocty failed to do in the past... but succeeded in this cursed zone.