Chapter 12: Before The Arrival

A year ago, before Laurens came to Hazard. The world received news of a peculiar phenomenon that happened in a certain pharmaceutical building. The news uncovered a pink smoke coming out of the building, anyone who inhaled it would suddenly collapse on the spot.

At first, they thought it was terrorist attack and immediately dispatched professionals to deal with the issue. But the strange thing was, there was no such terrorists, thus the case was concluded of being just a lab accident.

A week later after the incident, the people who fainted from the smoke woke up only to have a massive craving for a certain red fruit. Strawberries to be exact, you see my point here?

Let's move on...

A month after that incident, the two most powerful and influential Drug Lords in the city went missing and another month has passed since then. A new and intriguing rumor appeared in the dark web, it was about a mysterious addictive drug that can let you experience 'heaven' for a short period of time, in exchange for your sanity.

And the creator of the rumored drug was known as the "Mad Lab Rat", he became a Legend in the underworld.

But unbeknownst to the masses, this "Mad Lab Rat" that became their center of attention was only a fifteen year old brat who stopped going to school after his parents died... His name is Laurens Alexander Chrome.

"Let me tell you, why don't you come with me and join my famiglia" said an eccentric looking old man in a heavy New Yorker accent.

Before Laurens entered Hazard Academy, he used to be pestered a lot by Jonathan everywhere. The old man even used dirty tricks to try to convince Laurens but no matter what, the boy just won't budge.

"Look, old man. I still need to finish at least high school, my parents already enrolled me to some stupid academy before they died and my goddamn middle school won't give me my certificate!" Laurens exclaimed annoyed with a bag of food on both hands as he tried to shoo away the old man.

Jonathan raised a brow while looking at the Laurens' shabby appearance and shitty house. For someone who became a Legend in the underworld his living environment was worse than a New York beggar.

"So, are you going to get rid of those two?" Jonathan asked solemnly as he pointed towards two large garbage bags, it looked quite hefty.

"None of your business! Now, buzz off" Laurence coldly ignored as he entered his house, leaving the old man outside.

But no matter how many times Laurens shooed the old man away, Jonathan would always appear out of nowhere and surprise him, for months this was his routine. And it was getting into his head, plus having five all nighters and over a hundred energy drinks was not helping.

"Tell you what, how about I take care everything concerning your education in exchange that you'll join my famiglia" Chirped Jonathan popping out of nowhere as usual.

Laurens flinched in surprise, the dark circles under his eyes worsened the longer he stared at Jonathan's stupid smirk. Then he sighed tiredly and let his body fall limp on the floor.

"You okay?" Jonathan asked but did nothing to help the young boy which annoyed Laurens quite a lot.

"You know what? Fine! I'll join your family but take care if me as your son and spoil me!" Laurens demanded shaking his hands like a selfish little boy.

"Great! Let's leave right away! Your classes will start tomorrow and if you don't get going now, you'll be late for school" Jonathan enthusiastically exclaimed as he carried Laurens in his shoulder as he walked out of the shabby house.

Laurens was dumfounded through and through. He could only watch as he was thrown in a helicopter while his house burn to death along with his research and dead parents..

"Killing your parents was a bold move, young man" Jonathan laughed across Laurens in the helicopter.

"They deserved it" was the boy's only reply.

~°~°~°~

"So that's what happened, you're one hell of a psycho, Laurens" Jace patted his friend's back, amused.

Laurens told his friends about his story as a way to pass the time on their way to the Hazard Island forest where their target herb lies. His friends were eagerly asking for the story where him and Jonathan met, so he complied, much to his discomfort.

"Guys, we're here!" Milliania, the girl in the black lab coat, exclaimed from the front seat of the van.

Their vehicle came to a stop as they got out one by one. They stared awestruck at scene outside, it could only be described as "giant".

Laurens and his team could only see enormous trees, they were at least eighty feet tall! That explains why their academy is surrounded by a wall hundreds of feet high.

"So this herb that you're looking for, what exactly is it?" Daniel asked out of curiosity.

"It's called a Millennia Floraison, it's about 30 feet tall and has a mouth. It's located at the Hazard Forest's left eye" Milliania replied pointing north.

"Eye?" Laurens asked in impulse.

"W-what do you mean by eye, is the forest a face of some giant monster?" Laurens nervously replied, the thought of walking on a giant monster's face unnerves him

"Relax, we just call it an eye because the forest looks like a skull from the up view. But it's not a face of a monster" Milliania quickly dismissed.

"That's a red flag isn't it" Rain whispered to Jace trying to be considerate towards his nervous friend.

Unbeknownst to him that Laurens could hear every word due to his heightened senses. Rain's words only added fuel to Laurens' worries.

"How dangerous is the forest?" Catherine questioned, gearing up as if she's about to go to war.

"It's like walking through a hurricane while wearing a ball gown or sky diving with only a pillow with no parachute" Milliania replied while also gearing up as if going to a dangerous battle.

"That's a huge red flag, we should just call this place, Death Forest" Rain once again whispered to Jace, trying to be a considerate friend but still not working due to Laurens' heightened senses.

"You do know that he can hear you right?" Jace smirked amused as he replied to Rain who definitely had no idea.

"Oops! Sorry, Daniel. I thought whispering would help" Rain nervously stated to the shaking Daniel behind Laurens.

None of them knew how scared Laurens was which made the boy think if he's good at poker face or his friends are just plain dumb. Nevertheless, Laurens was relieved that he wasn't the only one who feared the "Death Forest" of Hazard Island.

"Let's go guys!"