The Only Choice - Boboiboy Halilintar

Chapter 14 - Lights Out

. Hali, who had been standing stiffly, his chest still aching, let out a long breath of relief. He didn't say anything, but the tightness in his posture eased. Seeing Gempa awake brought him some much-needed peace, even though he had barely held himself together moments before.

After making sure Gempa was stable, Hali excused himself and headed to their shared room, where he thought of distracting himself with a sparring session. He needed something to clear his head. Thoughts still swirled in his mind about his declining health and everything that weighed him down, but fighting always brought him clarity.

He found Solar in the hallway, and his usual tsundere attitude kicked in. "Oi, Solar! Spar with me," Hali called out, crossing his arms as if the challenge were non-negotiable.

Solar looked at him with raised eyebrows, a bit skeptical. "Are you sure you want to do that, Hali? You just had a scare with Gempa, and you're not exactly at full strength yourself," Solar remarked, his concern masked by a teasing grin.

Hali scowled, rolling his eyes. "What, are you scared of me? Or just lazy?"

That got under Solar's skin, as intended. "Scared? You wish! Alright, fine," Solar replied, rolling his shoulders. "But don't come crying when I beat you."

They made their way to the training room, the other brothers either resting or taking care of Gempa. Hali and Solar squared off, their eyes locking in mutual challenge.

The sparring match started slow, with Hali testing Solar's defenses. Solar, quick as ever, dodged and blocked with practiced ease. "You've gotten slow, Hali. I think I've got this," Solar teased, landing a few light hits to annoy him.

Hali growled, his temper rising. "Tch, don't get cocky," he snapped, charging forward with more force. His fists crackled with barely-contained lightning, but he held back just enough not to actually injure Solar.

The sparring grew more intense, both of them focused. Hali was relentless, his eyes sharp with determination, while Solar relied on his agility and speed, slipping past Hali's heavier blows. Just as Hali was about to make a serious strike, the room was plunged into sudden darkness.

The lights went out, leaving the room in pitch blackness.

Hali stopped dead in his tracks, startled. "What the—" He could hear the confusion in his voice as he scanned the now-dark room, though he couldn't see a thing. "Solar, stop. Something's wrong."

But there was no answer.

Hali's heart skipped a beat. "Solar?" His voice was louder this time, a bit sharper. He waited for a response, but the silence felt wrong. He couldn't even hear Solar's usual smug retorts.

He heard movement near him and quickly regrouped with the rest of his brothers, who had been in the training room, watching the spar. Taufan, Blaze, Duri, and Ice were all there, whispering amongst themselves, confused.

"Where's Solar?" Blaze asked, sounding a bit worried.

"I don't know. He was right there," Hali answered, his tone tense. His eyes, though useless in the dark, were searching frantically.

Just as Hali was about to call out again, Solar's voice came from the front of the room, startling them all. "I'm right here."

The brothers jumped, startled. Even Hali tensed, though he tried to play it off. But as soon as Solar stepped into view—barely illuminated by the faint emergency lighting—Hali could see the fear in his eyes. Solar was trying to hide it behind his usual bravado, but his hands were trembling. Hali knew better. Solar had always had a deep-seated fear of the dark—nyctophobia—and he couldn't be this calm in a completely dark room. Not without showing signs of that fear.