PeakWEST 𝙎1 - 5 : Vessel

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 𝟺𝟸 - 𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝'𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚏𝚊𝚒𝚛?

Sasaki stood at the entrance of his house, his hand trembling as he reached for the doorknob.

He could feel his heartbeat slowing, each beat echoing like a warning in his chest. An unsettling silence hung around him, almost daring him to enter.

He hesitated, closing his eyes and bracing himself, but eventually, he pushed the door open with a forceful shove.

As he stepped inside, his heart sank further.

The house he once filled with laughter and love was in shambles.

Furniture lay overturned, shards of glass were scattered across the floor, and a sickening dread settled over him.

With each step, he felt the weight of dread growing heavier, pressing down on him.

It was as if the walls themselves were closing in, suffocating him in despair.

He made his way to their bedroom, but nothing could prepare him for what he found.

There, on the bed, lay his wife—her body cold, vulnerable, and lifeless.

Her face, once full of warmth, was now devoid of life.

Sasaki’s heart clenched painfully, his vision blurring as tears threatened to spill.

But it was only the beginning.

A sense of urgency gripped him, and he stumbled out of the room, heart pounding faster with each step.

In a daze, he moved toward the room where his two young daughters slept. He pushed the door open, hoping against hope for a miracle.

But as he stepped inside, his eyes fell upon a sight that shattered him entirely.

His daughters, his precious little girls, hung motionless, suspended from ropes attached to the ceiling.

Their small, innocent faces were frozen, their bodies swaying slightly in the stillness of the room.

“God…no,”

he choked, voice breaking as he rushed forward.

With shaking hands, he struggled to pull them down, gently laying their fragile bodies on the floor.

He sank to his knees, gathering them into his arms, his entire being consumed by a grief too vast to contain.

Memories flooded his mind—memories of their laughter, their tiny voices calling him

“Daddy,”

and their small hands reaching for his as they told him they loved him.

He clutched them close, pressing soft kisses to their foreheads, his tears soaking into their cold skin.

“My babies…my sweet girls…”

he whispered, his voice breaking into a hoarse sob.

The weight of his loss bore down on him, and he felt like he was drowning, suffocating in a sea of pain.

After what felt like an eternity, he forced himself to his feet, gently lifting each of his daughters onto his shoulders.

He walked slowly, a man broken beyond repair, back to the room where his wife lay.

Placing them beside her, he sat down, cradling her body in his lap, his fingers brushing against her hair as he wept openly.

The once-strong man was now reduced to a shell, clenching his fists as his cries echoed through the empty house.

The memories, the love, the laughter—all of it was gone in an instant, leaving only an unbearable emptiness.

And as he sat there, holding his family, he knew that his life had been forever shattered.

Master: Come inside, Samuel.

Samuel: Yes, Master.

Master: I’ve called you here for something important.

Samuel: Tell me, Master.

Master: I’ve found the death-bringer's vessel.

Samuel: What?!

Master: He has completely possessed and taken over a person’s body—someone named Alan.

Samuel's heart stops.

Master: And he has now swapped his heart with that of his hallucinated version. If you know someone by the name of Alan, bring him here. We’ll seal him back again.

Samuel: I have to go.

He starts to rush.

Master: What?

Samuel: I have to go…

Master: Do you know who Alan is, then?

Samuel: HE'S MY FRIEND! I LEFT HIM ALONE WITH MY FRIENDS! BEFORE SOMETHING HAPPENS TO THEM, I HAVE TO GET THERE!

Master: Before you go—

Samuel turns back.

Master: Eat this stone.

Samuel takes the stone in his hand.

Master: This will grant you the power of gravity. When you focus on someone, you’ll be able to crush them. It’s an SSS+ grade technique.

Samuel nods, swallows the stone, and without a moment's hesitation, rushes to reach the beach.

Back at the beach, Alan, Wasime, Marlene, San, Deep, and Deepika were all laughing and splashing around in the water.

The sun cast a warm glow over the sand, while the cool waves lapped at their feet, adding a refreshing chill to the afternoon.

Alan and Wasime were trying to see who could withstand the waves the longest, bracing themselves as each wave crashed over them.

Nearby, Marlene and San had teamed up to sneak up on Deep and Deepika, who were engaged in a playful splash fight.

San grinned mischievously, crouching down and whispering to Marlene,

“Alright, on the count of three, we’re going to give them the biggest splash they’ve ever seen.”

Marlene nodded eagerly.

“Got it! One… two… three!”

They both sprang up, sending a tidal wave of water toward Deep and Deepika, who squealed and quickly retaliated, adding to the joyful chaos.

The laughter was infectious, and for a moment, everyone forgot about everything else, lost in the simple fun of friends at the beach.

Alan took a moment to catch his breath, looking around at his friends with a broad smile.

He hadn’t felt this lighthearted in a long time.

Watching Deepika laugh and enjoy herself, he felt a surge of gratitude for these moments of peace.

Deepika caught his gaze and smiled back, her eyes twinkling with warmth and happiness.

Deep, noticing the quiet exchange between Alan and Deepika, smirked and called out,

“Hey, lovebirds! Enough staring—come join us!”

Alan blushed but couldn’t help laughing as he ran over, splashing water toward Deep, who quickly ducked behind San to shield himself.

Wasime leaned back, grinning as he watched the scene unfold.

“I think we could stay here forever, don’t you guys?”

he said with a sigh.

Deepika smiled,

“I think so, too. Days like this feel rare but… worth it. Don't worry baka, we're going to live for 100 years together, and I'm only yours.”

Just then, Marlene spotted something out of the corner of her eye.

Her smile faded slightly as she tried to make out who it was.

“Guys… who’s that?”

she asked, pointing toward the shore.

𝘛𝘰 𝘉𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦𝘥...