Those almond-shaped hazel eyes squinted even further as they analysed hers, with whispy lashes, whilst blinking softly.
"It is red. Are you really okay? Should you go meet a doctor?"
The brunette girl with a black bow in her half-done hair spoke apprehensively, much to her concerns. She looked much younger than Ene, despite being the same age, thanks to her elegant, adorable appearance.
It was true that her irises had a hint of redness, as if she were wearing pinkish, rosy contact lenses. It may look intriguing, but it is primarily out of the ordinary.
"It's nothing. Don't worry, Jana. I'm always weird anyway; this is nothing new."
Ene brushes her bangs as they graze her eyelids, trying to hide those unnatural scarlet eyes that go unnoticed as days pass, growing in saturation.
"Oh, it's new, alright."
That voice irritates her again. Malum was carefreely sitting beside her on a supposedly empty seat. The cafeteria was yet bustling with students going around, eating, and chatting away. She glared at him with her wine-coloured eyes as the shade hues intensified, much to his chuckle.
"You really hate me, don't you? Seeing those colours, you've grown hatred much faster than most."
Ene rolled her eyes, slicing, without a single word. If she could have punched him right then, she would have. Yet, not to appear crazy in front of Jana, her best friend, or the people around, she tried to hold herself back.
Jana noticed her hostility, following her gaze, it was only toward the empty parking lot.
"Are you seeing ghosts again?"
Jana leaned in closer, whispering low to her, eyes darting around the space. That question made her squint hard at the man, who was shrugging his shoulders, annoyingly easygoing, leaning back against the chair with his arms and legs crossed.
"I would have preferred ghost at this point. Instead, I got a demon."
Again, she gave a death stare to him, much to his liking indeed, as her eyes gleamed. The brunette girl clasped her hands tight to her body, shrinking into herself, getting goosebumps running through her arms and neck from her statement alone. Her voice was noticeably shaky and quivering.
"Demon? Are you seeing a demon? What does it want?"
Somehow, seeing her reaction like that made her feel bad, as if she was distressing her. She should have kept it to herself. Ene offered a comforting smile, as if feigning playfulness.
"I was just messing with you. There's no demon. My eyes were just a bit hurt from the sunlight. I guess it has to do with that redness, perhaps."
She could see the relief in Jana's demeanour as her concerns evidently lingered. A chuckle tumbled from her lips, her eyes smiling softly at her so-called 'joke'.
"Don't joke around about that, but if the light is hurting your eyes, we can move to a much covered spot. What do you say?"
Her suggestion only met with a gentle shake from Ene.
"No need, it's fine. It's not too bad. I can manage it."
Jana didn't argue with her anymore as she nodded, then focusing once again on filling her mouth with spoons of rice they had brought earlier, and Ene with her packaged red bean bun, yet still sealed, untouched and laid on the table.
Whilst her friend indulged herself in the dish, another of Malum's insults came that made her ears burn, eyeing him with boiling fury. Mocking her friend was not on her list of things to hear, especially not from that vile mouth of his.
"This one is not so bright at all. It's Iblis's job to ensure whispers of corruption are within humans, so how can one be left unattended? Those demons are 24/7 with you humans. A daunting task, I might say."
Ene stomped his feet hard, yet it didn't bother him the slightest. Mere pain as such felt nothing to a being like him. She hissed under her breath, unheard by Jana.
"I ought to crucify you sooner or later, you demon."
Her words only humoured him. Malum leaned in to the rumoured direction. Resting his chin on his knuckle, supported on the table, with a coy smile as his hair falls slightly forward off his shoulder, his slanted posture.
"You know that won't work. You already tried it years ago when you tried to see if I'm a demon or not. I'm neither an angel nor a demon, silly."
"So how do you kill a deity? I'm on a hunt for a deity right now. As per Ezrael's words: 'Arbitrary; Deity of Calamity'."
Arms crossed as she settled into the cross-legged position, a contemptuous look on her face. Malum's gaze lingers, yet still a smile on his lips. Her intrigues on how to destroy him stir something within the cold-blooded heart of his. Raising his head slightly as he teased her.
"I've never heard of a mere human, more so my own vessel, wanting to go against me, a force of nature. But, be my guest. Even if you eliminated me, destruction, calamity, will never cease, as per His ordain. You do know that."
His words settled deep within her. As a lingering hopelessness flashes beneath her gaze, those crimson hues momentarily dulled. It made his features slightly hardened. He didn't want her radiant eyes to disappear just yet; he needed to do something.
With her knowledge of the futility of killing him, he needed another catalyst for her fury.
"You are talking to a ghost, aren't you, Ene?"
Jana's voice suddenly disrupted them. She had been observing her the whole time while she was feeding herself. It made Ene stammer slightly.
"N-No... It's nothing... don't mind it."
The shakiness in her tone and her eyes were evident to Jana's suspicion. She was still eyeing that girl with pressed lips. But she didn't want to pester her anymore, as Ene breathed a sigh of relief. She felt her shoulders loosening up from the tension.
Instantaneously, a concept shot through Malum's mind, with his sinister leer playing on his lips yet again. He needed to run his experiment right away. Raising his hand slightly as the dark miasma circles, much to her alarmed features.
"Malum, what are you doing?"
Her body went rigid, her posture instantly straightening, and her grip on the chair's armrest tightened simultaneously. A chill ran down her spine, cold sweat broke out on her brow, whilst her heart beat fast as panic surged in her. She didn't like where things were heading; a horrible feeling overcame her.
As the murky fog spread within the cafeteria, it was still swarming with students and professors alike. Ene sprang to her feet, grabbed Jana by the hand and evacuated in a flash with her, to his utter contentment.
"W-What?! What is happening, Ene? Why are we running?"
Jana's words were but a frantic tone, stammering and gasping for air as she asked, yet Ene completely ignored her as they fled the scene, much to others' confusion.
The ghastly mist persisted, spreading wider and closer to them. She knew they needed to leave that instant. At moments such as these, she truly despises her ability to see the unnatural. Ignorance is truly bliss, while she suffered knowing she might not be able to save those inside. At least... just one.
"Later! I'll explain later. We need to go now!"
Her words tumbled out in desperation to ensure that her friend was not affected by whatever it was that Malum was plotting.
Upon reaching the threshold of the entrance to the university. Jana yanked away her arm, much to Ene's surprise. They were still trying to catch their breath.
"I can't run anymore! What is wrong with you?! Tell me!"
Ene could see that Jana's distress was very understandable, yet they couldn't stay. It is too dangerous.
"No, not now. We need to leave this place. It's dangerous."
Ene's voice was desperate, but Jana wasn't being cooperative whatsoever.
"No. I don't want to. You're acting weird, Ene."
Her eyes flickered at her words. She knew she couldn't explain her situation well, but she needed to save Jana first.
Before she could continue even further to reason with her, the entire building shook violently. Pillar collapsed before Jana could react as Ene pulled her away, swapping places, causing the brunette girl to fall tumbling down to the ground outside.
The ceiling crushed the sacrificed girl beneath it all, as the thundering crashes filled the ear. Dust rose from the totality, irritating Jana's throat and making her cough as she staggered, eyes widening in terror and frozen in place.
Her legs trembled, yet she was still on the ground, with grazes on her knee, and her palm felt numb as she watched the sanguine liquid trail down, spreading across the ground.
The rusty stench filled her nose, as her eyes wavered. The beating of her heart was uncontrollable against her chest, trying to catch her breath at the scene before her.
"Ene...?"
It was the only word she could utter, as her whole world turned dark.