We'll See About That

It was the early hours of the morning when Esvor was jolted from his sleep by screams of terror slicing through the night. The sun had not yet risen, and no one in their right mind would be outside at this hour, especially with The Topple prowling. He grabbed his coat without hesitation and threw open the door, racing down the boys' dormitory stairs.

He heard the scream again as he reached the garden, where the charred remains of a cabin stood. Through the open doorway, he saw two cats – one was a mother, and the other her kitten. It seemed that someone had been leaving food and water for them.

The scream suddenly stopped, its abrupt silence sending a chill down Esvor's spine. A flock of crows took flight and swooped down toward the spot where the scream had come from.

"King!" Hughan called out from behind, gripping a staff in his hand. "Did you hear that?"

"Yes," Esvor replied. "I think it came from the girls' dormitory."

"Yes… Do you think – could it be The Topple?"

"I hope not," Esvor said, a bit of concern in his voice. "Let's spread out. You go to the main building, wake up the other teachers. I'll head to the dormitory."

"Okay."

Esvor sprinted across the courtyard, his coat flapping in the chilly pre-dawn air. The ground was uneven, still slick with dew, and the stones beneath his boots seemed to mock his urgency with every awkward slip and stumble. His heart raced as he approached the girls' dormitory, a large brick building surrounded by dense hedges and tall trees that cast ghostly shadows in the dim moonlight.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. A teacher who had been on guard duty for several hours saw Esvor and greeted him as she approached.

"Hello, King," she said as she approached, her staff in hand. "What brings you here at this hour?"

"I heard a scream. I think it came from here." He was still catching his breath, each word laced with urgency.

"A scream? No, sir, there was no scream," she replied, her expression calm but curious. "Are you sure? Maybe you had a nightmare and thought –"

"I'm pretty sure," he interrupted.

"Okay, let me check the area," she said, her tone shifting to a more serious register.

Ms. Brenton raised her staff, tapping it against the ground with a strong thud. A shockwave of bright golden light rippled outward, spreading across the courtyard. It was a spell designed to detect any male presence within its range, a useful security measure to ensure safety in the girls' dormitory. The light danced across the area, revealing nothing out of the ordinary. No hidden threats, no unexpected visitors.

She turned back to Esvor, her expression softening a little. "Nothing. All clear," she said. "If you'd like, I can check again just to be sure."

Esvor shook his head in disbelief. "But Mr. Hughan said he heard it, too."

"Oh gods –" Professor Yuu and other teachers came running, their expressions a mix of concern and confusion. "Esvor? What's happening?"

"Yuu? Have you heard a scream? Has any of you heard a scream?" Esvor asked, glancing around at the gathering teachers.

They all shook their heads, their eyes meeting one another's with uncertainty.

"Where's Mr. Hughan?" the Rebel-King asked, looking around. "Wasn't he –"

But then his eyes widened in sudden realization.

"It was him," he said. "He used an illusion spell to trick me." His fists clenched in anger. "Fuck! The Topple is attacking the boys' dormitory! You are all here, no one is on guard there!"

"Calm down, Esvor," Professor Yuu interjected, his tone steady and calming. "The Topple only targets girls. He's never gone after boys."

"Follow me!" the Rebel-King snapped, disregarding Professor Yuu's attempt to calm him. "Quickly!"

He took off at a sprint, heading toward the boys' dormitory. If Hughan had deceived him with an illusion spell, then the whole situation was definitely a setup. He wholeheartedly wished that Professor Yuu was right, and he was just being paranoid.

The Rebel-King didn't slow as he crossed the courtyard, his steps long and powerful. He didn't care if the other teachers followed him; he had to get to the boys' dormitory and see what was happening.

As he neared the dormitory building, he heard the sound of women's voices screaming in terror. The noise sent a surge of adrenaline through his veins, and he pushed harder.

"Is that…" said a young teacher who was able to catch up with him. "A girl? In the boys' dormitory?"

"Bastard!" Esvor yelled, knowing The Topple could hear him. "I'll fucking torture you with my own hands, perverted shit!"

The Rebel-King took the stairs two at a time, his legs straining with each rapid step. The sounds from the upper floors grew louder – shouts, thuds, and the muffled cries of panic. The commotion pushed him to move faster, his grip tightening on the hilt of his weapon as he climbed the stairs.

Students began to peek out from their doors with fear and curiosity. They watched Esvor as he raced past. From the intensity of his speed, they knew that something serious was happening. Some whispered to each other, their voices hushed, while others simply stared, too frightened to speak.

"Help!" A woman cried from upstairs. "Ruby, no! Let her go, you sick!"

"Melissa! Help! Please, help!"

"Get inside!" yelled the teacher running behind Esvor. "Everyone, lock your doors and get inside!"

A loud crash erupted from the room at the end of the corridor. Suddenly, a woman, likely 18 or 19 years old, was flung out of the room with tremendous force, breaking through the door and hitting her head on the window across the hallway. The impact shattered the glass, sending cracks across the surface but not fully breaking it.

The woman's body fell down to the floor, her head slumping against the wall as blood began to trickle from a gash on her forehead. Shards of glass stuck to her skin, while splintered pieces of wood from the shattered door scattered around her.

"Ah, shit. Shit, shit." Esvor said as he tried to run faster. "Fuck! Topple! Topple, I'll kill you!"

"Rub-Ruby –" The woman said, before passing out.

When he reached the room, Esvor kicked the door with all his strength, snapping it from its latches.

But to his surprise, no one was inside.

The room was a mess, as if a storm had torn through it. The bed was flipped over, its mattress halfway across the floor. The wardrobe door was torn off its hinges, and the contents spilled out, with clothes and shoes strewn about haphazardly.

A chair lay on its side, one of its legs broken and splintered. The necklaces and bracelets were flung across the room, the beads scattered among the wreckage.

"Shit! He teleported?"

When he saw the broken window in the room, he rushed toward it. Outside, he saw The Topple and a girl on his back, running away from the scene.

"Oh, no, you won't!"

The Rebel-King threw his sword into the air and then jumped out of the window, his cloak billowing behind him as he fell. When he reached the ground, he rolled to absorb the impact, barely breaking his stride. As he sprinted toward the pervert, he looked up, timing his movements precisely. The sword came spinning down, catching a nearby street lamp's light as it descended. Without missing a beat, the Rebel-King reached up, grabbed the hilt, and spun it into a ready position.

"Stop!" yelled Esvor. "Stop!"

"Please, help me!" cried the girl on his shoulders. "Fuck you, you pervert ass!"

"Shut it, whore!"

The girl managed to slip away and ran to the opposite side, toward the Rebel-King.

"You are so annoying." The Topple said, stopping his tracks. "I'll be sure to show you some manners."

Ruby reached Esvor, breathing heavily. "Thank you," she said, relieved.

"Go back." The Rebel-King ordered. "Let the teachers know where to find us."

"O-okay. Please be safe."

The man clapped mockingly and bowed, as if honoring royalty. "Ah, the mighty King himself! What can I do for you?"

Esvor stared him down, his voice icy. "You can start by surrendering. Otherwise, this gets messy."

"Oh, Heh-heh." The Topple licked his lips. "We'll see about that."