Moved To The ICU

As the final bell rang, echoing through the halls of Sacred Heights High, Atrixus gathered his belongings with a singular focus.

His mind was a whirlwind of plans and calculations, set against his recent adventures in Shunri Paradise and the impending tasks that lay ahead.

The mundane end-of-day chatter of his classmates faded into the background as he stepped out of the school, his steps quick and purposeful.

'Visit mum. Change into a normal outfit. Head to Rexil Dishes Restaurant. Sell Tunril Frogs. Return to hospital.'

This mental checklist was his mantra, keeping his objectives clear as he navigated the streets towards the hospital. It had been days since he last visited, days during which he had been battling Evos and securing his future opportunities.

The guilt of not seeing his mother sooner weighed on him, adding a heavy undertone to his brisk walk.

The hospital, a stark structure at the edge of the slums, stood as a beacon of both hope and despair for the community it served.

Its walls, once white, were now tinged with the grey of the city's exhaust and the hardships of the patients it housed. As Atrixus entered, the sterile smell of antiseptics mixed with the underlying scent of despair filled his nostrils.

Unnoticed, Atrixus slipped past the reception, his familiarity with the hospital's layout allowing him to avoid the usual formalities.

His heart thumped with a mix of anticipation and dread as he made his way to his mother's ward. The corridor leading to her room was poorly lit, the flickering lights casting long shadows that seemed to dance along the dingy walls.

In his preoccupied state, Atrixus failed to notice the figures lurking in the periphery.

Upon reaching the room, Atrixus pushed the door open, expecting to see his mother resting, perhaps even to surprise her with his visit.

However, the sight that met his eyes stopped him cold—an empty bed. The sheets were neatly made, the pillow perfectly fluffed, but no sign of his mother. His heart sank, a rush of fear and confusion flooding his senses.

"Mom?" His voice cracked as he stepped into the room, his eyes darting around, searching for any clue that might explain her absence. He approached the bed, half-expecting to find a note or some indication of where she might have gone.

A nurse, noticing the bewildered look on Atrixus's face, hurried into the room. "Can I help you?" she asked, her tone professional yet tinged with concern.

"My mom, she's supposed to be here. Where is she?" Atrixus's voice was tense, demanding. His usual calm demeanor was shattered by the shock of the empty room.

The nurse checked her clipboard, her brow furrowing as she read the details. "You must be Atrixus. I'm sorry, there's been a situation. Your mother was moved to the ICU earlier today. Her condition took a turn for the worse. I can take you to her if you'd like."

Atrixus felt his knees weaken at the news. The ICU. The very name evoked a sense of seriousness that he wasn't prepared for.

Nodding mutely, he followed the nurse through the winding corridors, each step heavier than the last. His mind raced with questions and fears.

The heavy doors to the ICU swung open abruptly as Atrixus, fueled by a desperate need to see his mother, rushed into the room. The sight that greeted him was one of stark contrasts.

His mother lay frail and still on the hospital bed, her breathing labored under the groaning of medical machinery.

But it wasn't just the sight of his ailing mother that captured his attention; the sudden and cold touch of a metallic blade pressed against the side of his neck, halted him mid-stride.

"Don't move," a harsh whisper grazed his ear, sending a chill down his spine.

The room was suddenly smaller, the air thicker, as Atrixus realized they were not alone. Shadows detached from the corners of the room, forming into distinct figures, each one clad in nondescript dark clothing that screamed danger.

At the center of this orchestrated threat was a man seated casually beside his mother's bed, legs crossed, an air of menace cloaked around him as effectively as the shades hiding his eyes.

His face was a template of intricate tattoos, each line and curve possibly telling tales of deeds as dark as the ink used to etch them into his skin.

"Welcome, Atrixus," the tattooed man's voice was cool, edged with a danger that made his words all the more chilling. "Make one wrong move, and I'll have your head from your shoulders before you can blink. And after you, your dear mother here will follow. So, I'd behave if I were you."

Atrixus's heart hammered against his ribs, fear, and rage warring within him as he fought to keep his composure. "What do you want?" he managed to ask, his voice steady despite the fear surging through him.

The man chuckled darkly, a sound devoid of any humor. "Straight to the point, I like that. You took something that wasn't yours to take, kid. I'm here to take it back."

Confusion flickered across Atrixus's face, his mind racing. "I haven't stolen anything."

"Not intentionally, perhaps. But you interfered with something much bigger than you. The Sacred Revilcorn Evo, remember that? It was no coincidence that your little group was sent to that particular location in Shunri Paradise. You've meddled with forces beyond your understanding, kid," the man explained, his tone laced with a threat that was as clear as the blade at Atrixus's neck.

Before Atrixus could respond, he was roughly grabbed by two of the man's associates.

His protests were silenced with a sharp shove as he was forced out of the room and down the corridor. The sterile hospital environment gave way to the chill of the evening air as they approached the outskirts of the hospital grounds.

Parked there, like predators awaiting their moment, were two black cars, their designs smooth and ominous, floating inches above the ground. Without ceremony, Atrixus was thrown into one of the vehicles. The door slammed shut with a finality that echoed his sinking heart.

Inside the car, the interior was stark, the only light coming from the dashboard, casting eerie shadows across the faces of his captors. The car roared to life, floating away from the hospital with a smoothness that contrasted the chaotic violence of his abduction.

As the vehicle sped through the city, Atrixus's mind whirled. The implications of what the tattooed man had said were terrifying.

Somehow, without knowing it, he had become entangled in a plot that stretched far beyond the accidental occurrence in Shunri Paradise. The Sacred Revilcorn Evo, a creature he had defeated by sheer luck and necessity, was apparently a pivotal piece in a game played by powers he hadn't even known existed until now.

Sitting in the dim light of the moving car, surrounded by men who clearly meant business, Atrixus realized that his journey as a System Bearer was about to take a turn into realms more dangerous and complex than he had ever imagined.