The bell's third strike faded into silence. Then came the footsteps.

  They were deliberate, slow — each one heavier than the last, as though reality was bending beneath them. The horizon rippled like disturbed water, and the masked figure from before emerged, its robes now dripping ink-black liquid that dissolved the glass beneath.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  [System Interference: 89%]

  "Why are you following me?" Je asked, his voice too quiet even for himself.

  The figure stopped a few paces away.

  > "Because you will follow me… eventually."

  Its words tasted like rust in his mouth. The mask shifted — not physically, but in meaning — and for a heartbeat Je saw a hollow void where a face should be.

  > "…and when you do, there will be no System left to save you."

  ---