Surprise

Nia entered the room with a towel wrapped around her head. Soul was engrossed in a book about Ur-blessed individuals and how they use their powers. Despite Nia's arrival, he remained focused on the twelfth page, not bothering to look up. Nia didn't seem to mind, or perhaps she anticipated his lack of reaction, as she quietly settled at the edge of the bed. The rain continued to pour heavily outside.

She looked around the room as if searching for something or someone.

"Where's Lore?"

"In the kitchen," Soul replied, still reading his book.

"Mm, I'll go check on her," Nia said before rising from her seat.

Soul nodded absentmindedly as he turned to the thirteenth page of the book. A flash of lightning illuminated the room as Nia exited, the storm raging outside, the wind growing stronger with each passing moment.

He closed the book's cover on the fourteenth page and returned it to the shelf.

'I should go. This rain won't stop anytime soon.'

He quietly left the bedroom and stepped out into the corridor, putting on his shoes and soggy jacket. With each step, his patience wore thinner. He had to see his sister Ruby and deal with The Topple. Permanently.

"Hey!" Nia came behind. "Where are you going?"

"Out."

"Out where?"

"What's this all of a sudden?" Soul asked with his half-open eyes and dull voice. "You and Lore, stop trying to act like you care where I go or do. I don't pry into your personal affairs, so please do the same."

Nia bristled to his tone. "The fuck? I just asked where you were going, moron. Go die in a ditch, I don't care."

"That's better." Soul noticed Lore watching them from the kitchen doorway, her eyes red. "Hmm."

As he opened the door to leave, he found Ruby standing outside, her hand raised as if she were about to knock. They shared a silent moment before Ruby flashed a smile at Soul. His dead-looking eyes stayed on Ruby for a while, then he turned back his attention to Nia and Lore. Nia appeared surprised, but Lore seemed unfazed, as if she had been expecting Ruby.

"Soul?" Ruby asked. "I didn't think you'd be here?" She glanced over his shoulder and smirked. "And with two hot chicks. You dirty devil!"

"What are you doing here?"

"Me and Lore were going to meet up at her house," Ruby explained, her eyes bright with excitement. "We actually ran into each other after that pervert attacked us in the boys' dormitory."

"Hmm," Soul murmured, his gaze lingering on Ruby for a moment before returning to Nia and Lore.

"She was so sweet, too! She helped me find my missing bracelets I made. I was going to sell them in the market," Ruby continued, her smile spreading joyfully.

Soul's back remained turned to Lore, his stance relaxed. "I was about to check on you. Are you okay? I heard the Topple –"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm good. But forget about me – winning against a champion?" She said, "Wow."

"Luck was on our side."

"I guess… By the way, what are you doing here, though? Are you friends with Lore?"

"No," he replied. "You go in. I was about to head out."

"Head out where? Come, hang out with us," Ruby insisted, stepping closer to him.

"I just gotta take care of some stuff." Soul patted her head awkwardly, then slipped his hands into his coat pockets. "Don't be late, okay?"

"Oookay, dad," Ruby teased, giving him a playful nudge.

"Hmm," Soul muttered, his expression unreadable as he turned to leave. "Don't be late."

Soul exited the hotel and he continued walking, his senses on high alert. There was an uneasy feeling gnawing at him, a sense of being watched, followed. He looked over his shoulder, but there was no one there. Yet, the sensation persisted, like a shadow lurking just beyond his vision. It was unsettling.

'Hmm…'

Ruby removed her shoes and hung her jacket on the peg by the door. When she turned to greet Lore with a warm smile, her expression faltered. Despite Lore's attempt at a smile, the redness in her eyes gave away that she had been crying not too long ago.

"Are you okay?" She asked. "Were you crying?"

"Huh? Ah, no." She wiped her tears. "Just… onion. Cutting some onions."

"Oh, want me to help you in the kitchen?"

"No onions. She's lying." Nia joined in. "Soul, that idiot, made her cry."

"What?" yelled Ruby, walking toward the kitchen. "Why, what did he do?"

"It's okay, really." Lore said. "Let's just talk about something else. Please?"

"S-sure," Ruby scratched the back of her head, attempting to find a distraction for Lore. "How about – um, how about we bake some cookies? I got this really delicious recipe from Melissa. It's awesome."

"Yes, sure." Lore replied. "We don't have any chocolate, though. We might have to buy it."

"Hey, is it true that Soul is your older brother?" Nia asked. "I'm Nia, by the way."

"Ugh – no. That idiot says I'm her sister, but I'm not. We're not related."

Someone knocked on the door twice.

"Oh, I think it's Soul," said Ruby. "I guess he –"

Before Ruby could finish, the door blew open, slamming into her face and propelling her backward. Lore and Nia, lined up behind her, were also caught in the impact. The force was so strong that it sent them all tumbling backward, crashing through the kitchen wall and onto the street below.

People scattered, fleeing into nearby alleyways as the chaos unfolded. Nia was the first to get up, followed by Lore and Ruby. Blood streaked their faces, they were in bad shape.

"What in the fuck!" Nia wiped the blood off her face. "What was that!"

"Watch out!" Ruby yelled.

The Topple stood in the wreckage of Lore's kitchen, his eyes filled with hunger, his tongue flicking out to lick his lips. His creepy smile could wither every flower and yellow every leaf.

"Surprise!" He leaped down. "Now, where's my pink-haired whore? Oh, there she is! And that cursed bitch. One stone, two birds. You really make my job easier, Ruby."

"Stop!" pleaded Ruby. "Why are you trying to harm us?"

"Harm? I'm just trying to have some fun. Where's the harm in that?"

Two guards rushed to the scene and stood beside the group. "Stop, Topple. Yield!"

A dagger with a whisper grazed past Topple's head, opening a small cut on his cheek. Following the trajectory of the dagger, he turned his head to see where it had been thrown from.

There stood a masked man, his mask crafted from pure blood. It seemed to have a life of its own, swirling around constantly. He was wearing – or rather, made himself a blood armor that hid his real attire beneath. The stranger also had long and crimson hair, though it was also a part of his mask. His true hair color and his face remained hidden.

"Soul?" whispered Ruby.

"Wait, is that..." The Topple's smile vanished instantly. "Is that a blood mage?"