Thel's eyes suddenly shot open.
He was still lying on the ground, leaned against the wall, but his gaze was instantly sharp, full of rage and furious hatred at having been taken down so "easily."
He saw Noen and Saevin standing a short distance ahead.
They were talking, not paying attention to him.
Completely unaware that he had woken up again.
Thel narrowed his eyes.
There was still a single tear on his cheek.
Only one.
Just enough.
It condensed… pulled itself together… and became a single knife.
He jumped up.
So fast it looked like a brief flicker in the air.
In one fluid, brutal motion he grabbed Saevin from behind by the shoulder, yanked him around, and pressed the knife to Saevin's throat.
So close that the blade brushed his skin.
Noen couldn't keep up.
"Saevin!!" he shouted.
Thel pushed the knife harder, ready to strike.
But Saevin moved.
Just one simple, precise motion:
He grabbed Thel's wrist and twisted it in one controlled snap.
Not slow.
Not fast.
Just… efficient.
Thel's body was pulled along, twisted, forced forward.
"A—AAAH!!" he screamed as pain shot through his arm.
The knife dropped from his hand.
Saevin bent down immediately, picked it up, and slipped it into his oversized pocket.
Then he turned Thel into a hold with the same calm movement, a hold with no chance of escape.
No unnecessary force.
No exaggerated strength.
Just firm.
Unshakable.
Thel struggled against the grip.
He kicked, writhed, tried to shove — all in vain.
"Quick, Noen! Rip his head off!"
Noen froze.
"What?"
"I said you should finally kill him!"
Thel writhed in the hold.
He loosened himself slowly, millimeter by millimeter, his muscles trembling with fury and exertion.
Saevin clenched his teeth.
"DO IT NOW!!"
But Noen…
Noen did nothing.
He stood there like he was nailed to the ground, his body shaking, his breathing shallow.
He just stared.
— Kill… kill him? Thel? M–my best friend? —
"I…"
Thel yanked at Saevin's hold.
Another pull, and he was seconds away from breaking free.
"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!"
Saevin's face — moments ago loose, neutral — turned suddenly dark.
Ice cold.
Noen barely managed to breathe.
"I…"
He closed his eyes.
One second.
An eternity.
Then he screamed:
"I CAN'T DO THAT!!"
He yelled it with squeezed eyes, trembling voice, as if it tore him open from inside.
Saevin… went silent.
His grip loosened, just a fraction — but it was enough.
Thel felt the opening.
He tore his arm free.
A wild, distorted sound erupted from his throat — not a word, just pure hatred.
And in the next breath Thel charged at Noen.
His footsteps thundered through the narrow alley.
Dust swirled up.
The world seemed to narrow, to focus on this single moment.
Thel leapt…