Reawakened To The Physical Reality

His so-called best friend, Kally, betrayed him.

His girlfriend, Len Len, betrayed him.

The two of them did it together.

Still, Jax found it hard to believe it.

He closed his eyes, forcing his mind to focus, yet the echoes of distant voices kept repeating in his mind. So, instead of clarity, he was greeted by a disorienting cascade of imaginary images and sensations that tormented him nonstop.

Those weird noises he heard... He really wished that he was just hearing things. Or it was just a nightmare that he could wake up from.

But would that still be the case, if the pain was just too compelling?

How could they do this to him?!

He trusted them both, but now they were thrusting each other?

Unacceptable!

Jax felt like tears were threatening to fall from his spectral eyes, but as he was now nothing but a mere ghost, not even a single drop came out. In the end, Jax opened his eyes and forced out a smile.

It couldn't be helped. He was now dead. There was no point getting angry about it. Perhaps, it was even a good thing. After all, he would leave this world with his girlfriend who wouldn't mourn of his death anymore.

Thinking about it, Jax turned around with his hands both down, his gloomy expression trying to recover. He decided to go back instead and wait for the Grim Reaper to deliver him to the other side.

Before, he wanted to see them desperately.

But now, he didn't even want to hear their voices.

He better leave that place before he lost his composure and did something that an evil spirit shouldn't have.

''By the way, how is Jax? Did you give him more work to strain his body? I hope you did, so he will be too busy to get suspicious of us, and we can have more time together with each other.''

But as if fate was trying to fan the flame of his suppressed rage, he heard the two of them talking with each other again. He paused without knowing, his spectral heart tightened. Their words this time, laced with deceit and malign, were difficult for him to ignore.

''Haha, of course, of course. I even planted some annoying people to deal with him daily.'' Kally then replied.

''If he is being bullied, I bet he won't fight back as I told him to behave properly. He is quite obedient to me, after all. And that obedience will soon kill him, haha.'' Len Len replied, her chuckles soft, yet mischievous.

''Haha, adding the fact that I added more work for him, he will definitely die from overwork sooner or later.''

''Poor Jax, he can only blame his own incompetence. Did he really think that I would marry him? Ugh, just thinking about how my life will become once we really end up marrying each other, I feel like I'll live a hellish life.''

''Spot on! You're only wasted under his care. Don't worry, I plan to hasten his death sooner or later. I'll send my man to dispatch him quietly.''

''Just don't let me see him begging for mercy, okay?''

''Hehe, fine, fine. Anyway, do you want another round?''

''Can you even do it?''

''Who do you think I am? Of course, I can!''

Smooch! Smooch!

Chuckle. Chuckle.

More strange noises...

Plok! Plok! Plok!

''...''

Jax finally lost it. His entire ghostly body darkened in an ugly manner. He couldn't hold it in anymore. The anger, the pain, the sorrows... All those burning emotions had completely devoured his very entity.

Right now, he didn't even feel a slight trace of fear anymore.

To hell was being a ghost. He didn't care anymore.

''I will kill you...'' Jax muttered, his voice utterly cold and threatening. Right now, he was exuding a cold energy that even the living were able to feel.

''What?! Who goes there?!'' Suddenly, a voice of a man, wary and annoyed, yelled out from inside the room.

Jax could tell that it was his traitorous best friend, Kally. And he could tell that he was soon to come out of his room after noticing something outside.

Good thing he noticed. Jax was prepared to make him suffer. Then his girlfriend. This rage in his heart — it would never cease to exist as long as those two were not ghosts just as he was.

Creak!

The door creaked open. Jax readied himself for an attempt to harm the living. His spectral eyes narrowed with a sharp fierceness, flashing with a faint cold glint that threatened to kill.

Kally, his traitorous best friend, appeared standing at the door. His lower part was only covered with a blanket, heated sweat still covered his face. Looking at him, Jax could see frustration etched deeply on his face, clearly disturbed by the sudden feeling that someone might be outside.

Jax gritted his teeth, his eyes flashed with a cold killing intent. The traitor was right there in front of him, and his growing sense of rage was urging him to kill.

But to his shock, when he was about to make a move, an invisible suction force suddenly pulled him away at the speed terrifying and nerve-wracking. Jax's eyes widened uncontrollably. He clenched his teeth to resist, but the suction force only seemed to get stronger.

''NOOO!!!'' Jax screamed desperately, his hands trying to reach his friend's neck. ''I still want to kill him. Please, don't take me away!''

But too bad, his desperate plea wasn't heard. He was pulled away by the invisible force, departing at an increasing speed that only brought terror.

''NOOOOO!!!'' Jax could only let out a relentless bellow before he finally disappeared into the darkness.

Meanwhile...

''Hmm??? Was that just my imagination?'' Kally muttered, many question marks floated over his head. He also raised his hand to caress his neck, couldn't shake the feeling that someone was aiming at it.

But seeing that he was just hearing things and he found no one outside, a grin, wide and naughty, etched brightly on his lips. He hurried his way back to bed, and savored the body he desired to satiate himself.

Plok! Plok! Plok! And another big PLOK!

More and more strange noises.

***

''I failed this time...''

An eerie voice, full of malicious intent, echoed in the dark. And with an unwavering determination that seemed to get stronger, the voice went on.

''But we will meet in person someday. When that time comes, I will consume not only your fear, but also your very entity. I will devour you and that body of yours shall be mine.''

''Pwaaahhhh!''

Gasp! Gasp! Gasp!

Jax had his eyes fluttered open, gulping down several mouthfuls of breath upon waking up. His vision blurred as he struggled to make sense of his surroundings.

He didn't even notice that it was now early in the morning and the sun was ready to rise.

In any case, the familiar strange voice still sounding freshly in his mind. And he felt a chill creeping up to his spine. Just who on earth was that entity that kept talking to him so mysteriously? He couldn't shake the feeling of unease, especially, now that he felt like that entity was just nearby and was keeping its watch on him like a lion eyeing for prey.

Jax took a deep breath, forcing his mind to focus. Still, his eyes hinting a trace of pain, a grimace of rage and hatred that didn't seem to fade away.

He looked around, and found himself lying on the cold ground. Only then did he notice the faint rays of the sun, illuminating all darkness around.

"Damn, was that all just a mere dream?" A sudden thought appeared in his mind. But the compelling experience made it hard for him to believe it.

Was this the afterlife, then? No, it didn't seem like it too.

And this familiar feeling... Wasn't this what he could feel when he was still alive? Jax narrowed his eyes. Only then did he realize too that he wasn't in soul form anymore, but with a physical body that held many limitations.

Then, suddenly, fragments of memories flashed back into his mind. Voices of deceit and betrayal echoed repeatedly in his ear like a gnawing dread that seemed to take his sanity away.

Jax clenched his jaw, the anger and pain swelling within him. Those two traitors... He would definitely make them suffer in this life. He would make them regret trying to play with his feelings.

But before that...

Twigs and leaves crunched beneath him as Jax pushed himself up. He rose to his feet, his gaze scanning the eerie landscape.

''What happened? I was clearly...'' Jax uttered, his eyes blinking in confusion. He didn't know how much time had already past, but he still recalled clearly what had just happened to him. That he was pulled away by a terrifying and invisible suction force.

But why was he in that place now? Did his soul just return to his body?

Jax contemplated hard. But while he was confused about his current situation, he suddenly noticed something floating in front of him. Then three question marks floated over his head.

Jax blinked thrice, distrusting his own vision. Then, with this doubt growing stronger, he asked with a barely audible murmur, ''Is that... A scroll?''