(A/N: Mild violence, darker themes and more swearing ahead.)

20th November 2019

NOAH

"JOHANNES!"

I screamed into the apartment, my eyes scanning around the empty living room and the pristine kitchen. Fresh flowers spilt from the porcelain vases, and the floor gleamed brighter than usual as if it had been polished.

"JOHANNES???"

I felt my voice tear at my throat, my head pounding in my ears, my heart ripping against my chest as the pain of her leaving quadrupled inside me.

And it was all his fault.

"JOHANNES! COME OUT YOU EVIL-"

I gasped at the end, my words getting lost in my mouth. Tears clouded my vision, my breathing heavy and ragged as I wondered if the evil bat was at home. He was, and the slight shuffling in his locked bedroom was enough to give me a lead.

"OPEN UP THE DOOR, YOU FOUL-" I slammed against the door, pausing abruptly as I heard a high pitched feminine laughter from the inside.

"-Claire, I think my son is here," Johannes spoke, his voice in a British accent and devoid of ultrasonic screeching.

Claire? Was he talking about my headmistress, Miss Claire?

He opened the door by a fraction, scowling at me as he adjusted the bathrobe slipping down his shoulder.

"Claire who?" I questioned, wondering why I was whispering too, "And what's with the bathrobe?"

"Why did you interrupt, Oliver?" He frowned, still retaining the accent. "Can't you see that I'm busy?"

"What are you..." My mouth fell open, as I pieced it together. "She's in there?"

"Yes, she's here," He urged, looking like he wanted me to disappear.

"And what is she, wait... You're... What the fuck?"

Normally, he would've chided me for swearing, but his mouth flattened into an evil smile.

"That's one way to describe my activity," He replied smoothly.

Oh my gosh.

"NOOO!" I screamed out, traumatised. "You can't, she's my headmistress-"

"That's not my concern," He gave me a malicious smile.

"Theodore? Are you still there?" Came out Miss Claire's voice, fainter than usual.

Like she was on a phone call.

Immediately, I opened the door wider, relieved to see that the bedroom was empty and that Johannes had simply been talking on the phone to her.

Ugh, could he be more annoying?

"Yes, Claire, love," He whispered back softly into the flat device. "I'll call you later, alright?"

And he cut the call, smirking at me all the while.

"Were you going to cry, Noah Stark?" He called out scathingly. "Does the idea of me sleeping with your headmistress traumatise you that much?"

I closed my eyes, cursing him in a billion ways, hating him more than I ever had.

Calm down, Noah.

Calm down.

Calm-

"You should get used to it, boy," He chuckled. "We're going on a date this week, and who knows, things may get a little... Saucy?"

I snapped at the mention of the possibility.

"Shut up, you evil bat! You're the reason my life is in ruins!" I screamed.

"What-"

"RENEE HATES ME!" I caught him by his fluffy collar and forced him against the wall. Johannes's eyes widened in fear, trembling as if he'd been cornered by a lion.

"SHE HATES ME BECAUSE I LISTENED TO YOU!" I shouted, my voice cracking in anguish.

Johannes flinched, his eyes shut tight as if he were paralysed. I released him, forcing my fingers away from his neck as I tried to control the waves of emotions erupting within me.

I collapsed into a heap, my limbs hitting the floor and aching acutely, much more painful than what I'd esteemed. Tears of rage and pain raced down my face, my heart nearly crumbling at the thought of all that had elapsed today.

Johannes readjusted his bathrobe, watching me warily as if I'd pounce on him again.

I curled into a ball, wiping at my wet face, knowing that nothing could convince her anymore.

Renee should've thanked me for taking such a huge risk. She should've admired me for being so brave enough to strike a deal with Johannes. She should've seen how desperately I'd wanted to be with her, how much I'd suffered for her, all out of love.

She should've welcomed me with open arms for everything that I had to go through to get to her.

Why didn't she?

"Boy, don't choke to death," Johannes muttered.

"Why the fuck is that your problem?" I questioned. "Why do you care? All I wanted was Renee, and she hates me!"

"I'm excusing the swear words for today," He muttered under his breath, handing me a bottle of water.

"You're excusing me?" I looked up in disbelief. "Who the fuck do you think you are?"

"I'm your guardian-"

"Did the ISA assign you? No? Shut up then, you evil guy!" I sat up, throwing him my scariest glare. "You don't tell me what I'm supposed to do!"

"I understand that you are worried-"

"Worried?" I snapped. "My heart has been split open by an axe, mutilated beyond cure, and you think I'm fucking worried?"

Johannes stepped away, snatching away his bottle of water, walking back into his closet.

"Are you going to say anything, you dumb piece of shit?" I frowned, snatching the bottle from his hand, and gulping down the water.

"Your insults are pathetic," He responded.

"You are pathetic!" I shouted, noticing that I'd emptied the bottle. The water did nothing to make me feel better, nothing like the alcohol Shay had given me.

Alcohol.

The only thing that was capable of numbing my emotions.

"Goodbye," I told Johannes, walking out of the room almost immediately.

"Where are you going?" Johannes looked alarmed all of a sudden.

"Why the fuck do you care?" I swore at the top of my voice.

"Noah, I cannot see you endanger yourself due to your rage..."

"Well, I'm sorry, but," I inhaled deeply, and then exhaled. There was no use.

We were just running around in circles, with Johannes's concern almost sickening.

And without ending my sentence, I walked out through the door, going wherever my heart led me to.

*****

I'm not Shay.

I didn't want to be one of those drunk teenagers who had no control over their actions. I realised that as traumatised as I'd felt, I had to curb my emotions from going overboard.

Maybe food could numb my emotions.

Three cheeseburgers, five fries and seven sodas later, I found myself puking in the washroom, feeling a wave of nausea and tiredness wash over me. I stared at myself in the mirror, heartbroken and dirty, my hoodie soaked in vomit.

The very hoodie Renee's tiny fingers had been holding on as if she never wanted to let go.

I peeled it off myself, noticing that it was drenched in my sweat as well, and I tossed it into the bin, now stuck in a thin black t-shirt, that did nothing to protect me against the freezing cold.

I left the fast-food restaurant, trying to conserve the little warmth I had, and hating myself for making the worst choices.

How was Renee so foolish? She usually had the patience to listen to the whole story before responding, it was one of her amazing qualities.

And yet, today, she'd exploded like a firecracker, completely ditching her brain as she ascended into a whole realm of madness. Couldn't she see that no bot of Johannes could make her feel the way I did? That only my lips could make her melt?

It wasn't entirely my fault.

It was her fault too.

Shops zoomed past me as I walked by, my world a blur of lights and people. I went where my legs carried, my head still pounding with a million questions.

Was it worth it to escape the Pit just for Renee?

Or should I have stayed inside, trying to resist Melody with all the patience in the world?

I sighed. I couldn't resist Melody, the spell was way too powerful for me to overcome.

"Dude, you want one?" I looked up, seeing a slightly older guy smoking a cigarette. I hadn't even seen where I was walking, now standing in a cramped up alley with people smoking in packs. It was late in the evening, way past dinner time at Johannes's. He would lose his temper if I returned home at this time.

I nodded, taking the cigarette from the guy, but didn't put it to my mouth. He clapped me on the back and walked away cheerfully, and I stared at the cigarette in my hands.

The ring of red fire gleamed against my icy fingers, devouring the cigarette and releasing curls of smoke that spiralled into the cold November air. I craved the warmth it released, wanting to hold on a little longer, savouring the sensation. However, I saw it crumble before my very eyes, leaving behind grey ashes. The only reminder of what it had once been, before the fire of rage had burned everything away.

Grey ashes were what was left with me and Renee, the fragility of our trust and hopelessness for the future.

"It's a crime to waste a cigarette like that, boy," Came a familiar voice.

I looked up to see Johannes standing in front of me, wearing a brown coat and blending perfectly with the raucous crowd.

"What are you-"

"Shh," He cut me off, handing me a black hoodie. "You'll get hypothermia if you shout unnecessarily."

I frowned at him, wondering how he had a hoodie with him. Had he been following me this entire time, wanting to step up in case I did something drastic?

The thought left me insecure, like a child being supervised by his parent, sucking away the little freedom that I had.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, slipping the hoodie over my head and relishing the warmth.

"I had to buy wine for my date with Claire, and I found you here," He answered swiftly, now heading into the bar we had been standing in front of.

"Really?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Of course, boy... Do you think I care about you?" He scoffed at the idea.

I pressed my lips together, trying to suppress my smile. We'd never admit it out loud, but Johannes did care about me. Why else would he have my hoodie?

"That's what I thought," I smirked back. "It's so unlike you."

"Precisely," He answered, now peering up at the bottles, and ordering something so distinctly French, I couldn't even pronounce it.

"Why?" I asked him curiously. "When you can pronounce some French name, and put on a fake British accent, why do you act like the biggest idiot in the world?"

He merely blinked.

"You want a drink?" He asked instead.

"I'm underage," I narrowed my eyes.

He responded by pulling out a fake ID for me.

"Johannes, what the actual fuck?" I gaped at him. "Are you possessed or some shit?"

"I'm feeling a bit too lenient today," He shrugged, before replying. "Claire thinks I'm handsome."

"I designed your face," I pointed out.

"And I'm grateful that you did," He gave me a hint of a smile.

Johannes got us the same drink, again something fancy that I didn't have the energy to pronounce. I wasn't planning to consume it, just keep him company, and watch him curiously.

Why was he here?

Why was he so nice?

Did he want something from me?

"Are you going to answer my question?" I snapped, busy playing with my fingers. I wasn't an alcohol addict like Shay, but the drink looked so tempting, deep amber colour with the icecubes glinting in the moonlight.

"Boy, I have been around for two hundred years," He explained. "I do know many things, and yet I find it hard to keep up with the world of technology."

He sipped on his drink, sighing appreciatively, and giving a thumbs up to the bartender.

"How many times have you been to earth as a human?" I asked.

"Why are you interrogating me?" He glared. "I want to know why I am being blamed for your fight with Renee."

Immediately, I turned away, feeling the pain resurface. Something about the Pit had quietened my void of pain, and yet I found it raging today.

"She thinks I'm some possessed guy you sent to disillusion her for your evil scheme. She doesn't know that it's me, no matter what I tell her," I pouted, suddenly feeling like a child.

"You should've brought back her memories," Johannes replied casually, stirring his drink. "You are the only one who can remove the Shield you've placed."

That was... Genius.

Why was Johannes so smart? It wasn't fair, seeing that he used his abilities only for evil.

"Can I remove it?" I asked. "I'm a human now, will I be able to perform my magic and telepathy the same way?"

"Of course, boy. Higher Spirits are made of magic: no matter what form they take, they can channel it to perfection," Johannes now took my drink, downing it without a second thought.

Well, at least I hadn't touched the alcohol.

Johannes and I chatted for a while longer, with him going on about the types of magic I could use in the Earthly Realm, and the magic that I couldn't, because the ISA was constantly on the lookout for them.

"Why are you drinking this much?" I noticed as he slurped down his fifth drink. I'd ordered a coke, knowing that I couldn't sit idle as I listened to him.

"I'm worried, Noah Stark," He admitted, his dark eyes downcast.

"I thought you were happy about Miss Claire?" I questioned.

"I am," He sighed. "But the tragedy that is going to happen tonight is far worse than anything I've ever imagined."

"What do you mean?" I sat up straighter.

"There's a ploy hatched to possess hundreds of humans tonight. Something that would give the people an instant death, and immediately render them to be possessed by a power-hungry Spirits."

"What?" I gasped. "How are you sitting here, helpless and drunk, when you have the power to stop them?"

"I'm an old man, Noah Stark," He moaned, and just for a second, his form flickered, and I saw the shrivelled up body he previously had. "I do not have the energy to carry out what I intend to do..."

"Quit the act, Johannes," I told him sternly. "Get your ass up, and try to stop this from happening."

"My ex-comrades are too powerful," He sounded weary. "Plus, they are on a lookout for me, waiting to avenge me for my evil deeds of the past."

"Your ex-comrades are behind this?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, Madame Victoria, Sir Stephen and Madame Delilah," He told me. "The ones currently heading LOLtube."

"What are they doing?" I urged.

Johannes explained every minute detail of the plan, what the impact would be, how hundreds of possessed teenagers would walk on the face of the Earthly Realm, a dangerous threat to civilization itself.

I swallowed.

"I'm in if you're in," I told him.

"I don't want you to be a part of this, Noah Stark-"

"Really? Really, old guy?" I snapped. "Do you think I can't see the fact that you've been manipulating me for the past three hours?"

"I have not-"

"Shut up, Johannes. This is exactly why you brought me to the Earthly Realm! Not for Renee, not for freedom, but this," I gave him a steely look.

"I was not aware that this was happening-"

"Bullshit. I'm the perfect person to carry this out, you literally handpicked me for the job..."

He looked at me, and his facade of tiredness disappeared, instantly replaced with an appreciative smile.

"You are smart, Noah Stark. I'm glad you saw right through me," He held out a hand. "I'm in if you're in."

I smiled back, grasping his palm.

"Let's save the world, Evil Guy."

*****

(A/N: Ahhhh! I'm so excited to have this chapter out here! It's the longest one in this book so far.

Do you think it was wise for Noah to listen to Johannes?

What do you think are the LOLtube up to?
And how would Noah stop them?

Thank you so much, I appreciate each one of you here for taking some time off your schedule to be here!!! )