❝In the tale of fate, the red string connects us all, but not every thread leads to a soulmate.❞
In a world where love is entwined with fate, an abandoned conductor escapes the confines of an unnatural train into a universe he's forgotten.
As he nav...
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The nights were turning shorter as August approached.
The nightmare was different this time—darker, more vivid. Hotaru had grown used to the constant shadows lurking at the edges of his mind, the silhouettes of the Bound Line's conductors that haunted him. But this was something else, something that felt far too real. As his body jerked awake, his breath ragged, Emi stirred beside him, her eyes flickering open.
Before either of them could say a word, the room was filled with a suffocating presence. Dark shapes moved along the walls, twisting and writhing as if they were alive. The temperature dropped, and a low, metallic clinking echoed through the space.
Hotaru's pulse quickened, his heart pounding in his chest as he bolted upright. His gaze snapped to the corner of the room, where shadows solidified into monstrous figures. They wore chains, dragging them like anchors, and their faces—gaunt, emotionless, remnants of what they once were—resembled the other conductors.
Emi's voice broke through the horror. "What's this?"
He couldn't respond. Panic surged through him, overriding his ability to form words. These were no longer just in his head. The creatures were real, clawing their way toward them, chains clattering on the floor. He had never seen them this close before, never felt their malice so tangibly.
Without thinking, Hotaru grabbed Emi's hand and pulled her out of bed. "We have to go."
They burst through the door, the man glancing over his shoulder to see the creatures tearing through the room, ripping apart the walls and furniture in their pursuit. The narrow hallway seemed to stretch on forever, but Hotaru didn't stop. He could feel the cold breath of the monsters at his back, their presence sending chills down his spine.
"Faster," he yelled, pulling Emi closer to him as they darted down the stairs of her apartment building and into the night. They ran through the empty streets of Tokyo, the city lights casting ghostly shadows as the monsters followed close behind.
Emi struggled to keep pace with him, her mind reeling. "What are those things?!" she gasped, barely able to speak.
"They're from the Bound Line," Hotaru panted. "They want to take me back."
The creatures howled as they gained ground, their chains scraping across the pavement like nails on a chalkboard. Hotaru could feel their weight dragging him down, trying to pull him back into the world he had escaped. His lungs burned as he ran, but he couldn't stop—not yet.
They crossed a bridge over a narrow river, the water below reflecting the glowing city lights like shards of broken glass. Hotaru could hear the clinking of the chains growing louder, and closer, and he knew they couldn't outrun them forever. He skidded to a halt on the other side of the bridge, turning to face the monsters.
Emi tugged on his arm. "What are you doing? We have to keep moving."
"I can't. Not without stopping them first." Hotaru's eyes narrowed as he raised his hand. He hadn't used hexes since he escaped the Bound Line, but some remnants of his power still wavered in him. With a flick of his wrist, he sent a wave of energy surging toward the creatures. They shrieked as the magic hit them, their forms momentarily flickering like static on a broken TV screen.
It wasn't enough to destroy them, but it bought them a few precious seconds. Hotaru grabbed Emi's hand again, pulling her down the nearest alleyway.
The woman stood speechless. A realization that everything Hotaru said all these months was actually real. It wasn't like she did not believe him. She knew the train was real. But now, everything was real real.
They zigzagged through the streets, the chase was relentless. The monsters regrouped, their chains whipping through the air, reaching for him.
They didn't stop running until they reached the top of a hill overlooking the city. The monsters were still behind them, but Hotaru could feel his strength fading. Emi's hand gripped his tightly, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
"I'm tired," she whispered, terror etched into her face.
Hotaru wiped the sweat from his brow and glanced at the monsters approaching from the distance.
They sprinted toward a nearby train station, dashing past shuttered stores and sleeping houses. Hotaru's legs felt like lead, his breath shallow. He knew he couldn't keep this up for much longer. But just as they reached the platform, the monsters were on them again.
Hotaru pulled Emi behind him, their hands intertwined. "Let's go," he said softly.
With one final burst of energy, they leaped onto the nearest train. The doors slid shut just as the creatures lunged forward, their claws scraping the sides of the carriage as it pulled away.
The empty train sped through the city, carrying them away from the monsters, from the Bound Line's reach—at least for now.
Emi sank into her seat, her chest heaving, her heart still pounding. "What just happened?" she asked, her voice trembling.
Hotaru didn't answer. His mind was still reeling, his body aching from the fight. But one thing was clear: the otherworld wasn't done with him yet.
