The Impactful Night

The scene unfolded with an ominous atmosphere as dark clouds rumbled overhead, casting an eerie shadow over the lost city. A yellow halo ominously encircled the entire area, creating an unsettling ambiance. Amidst this setting, a ship hovered just a few meters away from the shoreline, and Leah, having sustained a few scratches and cuts, was being assisted by the crew.

Despite her blood-soaked clothes, nobody dared to inquire about her condition. There was a palpable sense of caution among the sailors and everyone else, fearing the possibility that Leah might have been under some form of manipulation. She seemed lost in her own world, fixated on the city before her, oblivious to the unfolding events around her.

Unexpectedly, while Leah was lost in her thoughts, one of the staff members discreetly reached for a drawer, retrieving a pair of silver handcuffs. Observing Leah's suspicious demeanor upon her arrival, the staff made a deliberate, slow move to cuff her left hand to the chair she was seated in. The abrupt clanking sound shattered Leah's trance, prompting her to gaze incredulously at the staff member.

"Open the cuffs," she demanded sharply, her tone edged with urgency and disbelief.

"Leah, please, let's take a moment to talk things through. We're concerned that you might not be feeling like yourself right now." The sailor spoke gently, trying to maintain a sense of composure despite the anxiety building up inside him. The expression on Leah's face was troubling. Her eyes blazed with anger, her fists clenched tightly. 

"There's a need for us to discuss this," the sailor continued. "We're worried that there might be a risk to everyone's safety."

Leah couldn't help but scoff in disbelief at the suggestion. She was taken aback by the implication that she could pose a threat to those around her.

"Not everything you see is as it appears, sir. You're unaware of the full story," Leah said calmly, her tone composed yet insistent. "Believe me, I pose no threat, but there might be danger ahead of us." She gestured toward the city looming in the distance, the intended destination for their landing.

"Regardless of what it might be, at the moment, we must keep you confined. Please, cooperate," the sailor reiterated.

"Cooperate? That's a laugh," Leah retorted. Her frustration was evident, she lashed out, delivering a forceful kick to the table before her. The loud reverberation caused everyone in the room to flinch, startled by the sudden outburst.

Leah, clearly agitated and seemingly aware of something ominous, attempted to warn the others, but her efforts were met with skepticism and resistance, leading to a moment of tension and defiance.

"Leah..." Aiden's voice reverberated with deep concern as he and Neo rushed in, their urgency evident. It was clear they had hurried to reach this place. However, what met Aiden's expectations was a jarring sight—Leah, her hands cuffed, sat on a chair, her form marked by blood. This unexpected scene immediately prompted Aiden to take a few brisk steps toward her, dropping down to crouch before her and pulling her into an embracing hold filled with reassurance.

Leah, overwhelmed by the sudden comfort, dissolved into the embrace, releasing the pent-up cries she had been containing with soft, intermittent sniffles. Aiden, after a moment, pulled away to inspect Leah, scanning for any visible major injuries, his worry palpable in his voice as he inquired, "Are you okay? How did this happen?"

"I'm alright, just a few scratches, nothing to worry about," she reassured with a soft voice, a stark contrast to the firm tone she had used moments earlier when speaking to the sailor. Yet, despite her attempt to downplay her injuries, she couldn't hide the distress in her voice. "But the book, Aiden..." Leah's voice quivered as she spoke through gentle sobs. "He burnt the book, Aiden." Tears streamed down her face as she rested her head on Aiden's shoulder, seeking solace as he tenderly stroked her head.

The significance of the book, 'Vastaus,' was profound; it held the only clues they had to find the key, and now it was lost to the flames. Aiden struggled to maintain composure in the face of such a devastating setback.

"Stop crying," Aiden urged gently, using his hands to wipe away Leah's tears. Concern etched on his face, he couldn't comprehend why Leah was covered in blood or where the man was. The situation was perplexing, and he needed to understand what had unfolded.

Aiden, concerned and seeking to grasp the disturbing series of events, gently prompted Leah to recount the unsettling occurrence. With regained composure, Leah began to narrate the distressing incident that followed after the man locked Aiden in the basement and diverted her towards the open deck instead of the sailors' cabin.

She detailed the sequence of events, recalling the man's erratic behavior, potentially influenced by some form of mental manipulation. The man had brandished a lighter, identical to the one typically carried by the chief, and callously tossed a book into flames. Despite Leah's attempts to intervene and salvage the book, a struggle ensued. Overpowered by the man, she was thrown onto the deck, sustaining scratches in the scuffle.

Leah's voice trembled with emotion. She described her desperate efforts to save the book, provoking the man's fury. In the ensuing altercation, she managed to gain the upper hand, seizing a knife in a sudden surge of intense emotion. In an act driven by a mix of fear and adrenaline, she plunged the knife deep into the man's chest. The air was filled with the man's pained groans until eventually, his movements ceased.

As Leah recollected the sequence of events, a wave of emotion overcame her, causing her hands to tremble. Aiden, attentive to her distress, noticed this and instinctively reached out, gently grasping her hands for reassurance and support.

"Is this...?" Aiden's voice trailed off, his concern evident as he gestured towards the bloodstains on Leah's clothes. In response, Leah simply nodded, her agreement confirming what Aiden feared.

"I... I killed him, Aiden," Leah confessed, her voice choked with tears, overwhelmed by the weight of her admission. She continued to sob, burdened by the gravity of her actions. 

"No, you didn't; it was an act of defense," Aiden reassured her. "We'll manage through this, okay?" he said with a comforting tone, and Leah nodded in agreement. "Now, please open the handcuffs," he directed his attention to the staff member holding the key. However, the staff hesitated, glancing at a sailor who shook his head. "I said, give me the k—" Aiden's sentence was abruptly cut off as he was tackled to the floor. The suddenness of this action caught both Neo and Leah off guard, as they hadn't seen the man entering.

In a moment that caught everyone off guard, Leah, startled, immediately sought to aid Aiden in any way she could. As she moved to assist, Neo stepped forward to disentangle the man's arm from Aiden's neck. However, a sudden surge of strength coursed through the man, and with a forceful kick, he thwarted Neo's attempt, striking him hard in the stomach.

Leah, her heart racing with fear, remembered the knife she had dropped near the door, now back in the man's possession. Despite her dread, the man didn't wield the knife initially. Instead, he mercilessly slammed Aiden's head against the floor until Aiden lost consciousness. This brutal scene only heightened Leah's sense of terror.

Once Neo regained his composure and rose to confront the man, he charged forward in an attempt to overpower him. Regrettably, it was too late. The man, seemingly aware of Neo's approach, swiftly pivoted and plunged the knife straight into Neo's neck, penetrating deeply in the middle of his throat. The grim outcome unfolded too swiftly to be averted.

The sudden turn of events left everyone stunned, realizing the dire consequences of their attempt to intervene. The chilling and swift actions of the assailant painted a haunting picture of helplessness and danger in the unfolding situation.

The man stood before Leah, a chilling laugh escaping his lips, devoid of any trace of emotion in his eyes. It was at that moment Leah recognized the gravity of the situation. This was no ordinary mind manipulation; it was something far more sinister, triggering a memory from a passage in a book she had read. The Supreme's method of mind manipulation was likened to a parasitic invasion, a complete possession where the mind became a battleground. The original owner fought against this mental intruder, a parasite, resulting in a gradual erosion of consciousness. Eventually, the parasite would overpower the individual, consuming their essence and taking control of their body. However, this possession was unsustainable, leading to the eventual demise of both the possessor and the host.

Leah observed the man with a quick glance and noticed a striking contradiction in his appearance. Despite outwardly displaying strength, he seemed physically feeble, and his breathing was irregular. Even as she drove the knife into his chest, the man did not immediately succumb to death, though he had lost a significant amount of blood and appeared visibly pale. 

However, Leah realized that although the indomitable spirit within him might still be fighting, his body was inevitably nearing its end. Despite his determined stance, his physical form was fading, and it was apparent to her that this man's life would likely slip away within a few hours.

The man moved methodically and deliberately toward the control system that governed the ship. He calmly requested the sailor to step aside, who, in response, along with his crew, huddled together in a corner, paralyzed by fear, like a group of frightened pigs. Their collective terror rendered them incapable of offering any assistance.

Leah, who still had her hands bound, let out a disapproving sound, a sort of 'tsk.' She addressed the man, her voice carrying a hint of exasperation. "I can sense your curiosity, my dear princess, wondering how I've managed to survive and stand before you." As he spoke, his fingers gracefully danced over the buttons and controls on the system's desk. "But fear not, for all your inquiries will soon find their answers."

With that statement, he decisively shifted the ship's steering system to the right, directing it toward the edge of the cliff. Despite the ship's considerable size, it would take a few, or perhaps even several, minutes to execute the maneuver. Nevertheless, the sailor and the rest of the crew remained immobilized, incapable of taking any action in their terrified state. 

"What are you doing?" Leah's voice trembled with fear as she shouted at the top of her lungs. The situation had taken a terrifying turn, and she couldn't contain her distress. Before her stood a man, menacingly armed with a rope and a chilling intent.

Leah watched in horror as the man methodically tied the hands and feet of the sailors and the staff, binding them tightly and then sealing their fates by placing plastic bags over their heads, securing them around their necks with a sinister lightness that hinted at a slow, agonizing death. It was a gruesome scene that sent shivers down her spine.

"Stop, are you crazy? They'll die," Leah implored, her anger growing with every passing second. Her frustration wasn't solely directed at the man's heinous actions but also at the sailors and staff who appeared shockingly passive in the face of such imminent danger. Leah couldn't help but draw a disheartening comparison; even chickens fight when threatened, yet these people seemed to have surrendered without a fight.

The man's chilling response sent chills through Leah's already terrified body. "Exactly, that's what I want. Remember I had told everyone when I killed Damien that I'll kill every single one of you," he sneered, his words dripping with malevolence. His intentions were clear, and the atmosphere grew even more sinister.

With deliberate cruelty, the man began to approach Aiden, who lay defenseless on the floor. Leah's heart sank as she realized the man's sinister plan. "But, I'll take him first," he declared, his grip on Aiden's ankles tightening as he began to drag him away from the cabin.

Leah felt utterly helpless, reduced to shouting and tears, her cries echoing in the locked cabin. The door had been sealed from the outside, leaving her with a dreadful sense of impending tragedy, as the man continued to carry out his dark intentions.

Leah desperately attempted to free her wrist from the unyielding cuffs, her heart pounding with fear as the people around her gasped for breath. She strained, attempting to move the chair, only to discover its unmovable nature, designed to withstand even the strongest forces like heavy tides and ship inclinations. As the sailors and staff succumbed to the lack of air, their struggles turning into stillness, Leah felt a surge of helplessness, dropping to her knees in a flood of tears.

Her cries for help reverberated within the cabin, echoing back at her, unanswered. For what seemed like an eternity, she fought against the restraints, attempting to free herself, but her efforts proved futile. Desperation led her to steal glances out the window, witnessing the looming collision of the ship with the edge of the cliff.

In that moment, with her eyes closed, Leah resigned herself to the inevitable. The acceptance of her fate washed over her; this was the culmination, the end of her journey.

Leah found herself in a harrowing situation. She had closed her eyes, rendering her sightless, but her heightened senses were acutely aware of her surroundings. The audible sounds of the ship, along with the impending collision with the edge, filled her ears, foreboding an imminent disaster. Her heart raced as she braced for the impending impact.

Within a few agonizing minutes, the inevitable happened. The collision was not just any ordinary bump; it was a cataclysmic force that reverberated throughout the entire vessel. It felt as if the world had turned topsy-turvy, and Leah's surroundings were in a state of chaotic upheaval. The deafening roar of the collision gave way to an eerie, disconcerting silence as the cabin began to fill with cold, unforgiving seawater.

Amid the turmoil, Leah could sense the ship being gradually crushed, as if in the merciless grip of an unrelenting, ever-moving propeller. As the water level continued to rise, her body felt weightless, suspended in the disorienting chaos. Her consciousness began to wane, plunging her into a realm of darkness and uncertainty.