Red drops touch the ground. The woman's hands lose strength, falling beside her leg. Her mouth reddened. Her eyes return to a brown color, the pupils dilated and the eye sockets filling with tears.
"Slady...."
He stood in front of her. His hand inside her chest. His face covered in blood, hiding the eye that had lost the eyepatch. An empty expression.
Her body slid against his chest, her hands gripping his shoulders, her face burying itself in his neck.
"Slady... what have I done?"
"Nothing... you did nothing."
He held her, lifting her face so he could look at her. A faint smile formed on the woman's lips, breaking into a sob.
"Tell me the truth. I... I was taken over, wasn't I?"
"... Yes. You attacked your husband. Almost killed him. I pushed him away. He's fine... I hope."
"God..."
She pressed her face into his chest, the sound from her throat echoing in the man's ears. His shirt becoming stained.
"I'm sorry. I... I didn't mean to..."
"Don't apologize. I... I condemned you. I was late."
"No, I... I was weak. I should have fought more. Done more... what... what happened to them? The siblings?"
"..."
"No... why...?"
Her grip tightened against his skin, but within seconds, it loosened.
"I'm sorry, Slady... for everything."
She fell beside him. Silence. A silence that seemed to last for hours.
...
...
"Impressive!"
Clapping echoed. Loud and clear.
He turned and saw her: a naked woman, covered by shadows in her most intimate areas. A wide smile, showing sharp teeth. Beside her rested a male figure, armor made of pure darkness, white eyes within the shadows fixed on him, not looking away even once.
"You know, that woman resisted very well! But it's a shame! Like those two siblings, so cute, holding hands, as if they knew their fate! And you, are you ready for what awaits you too, handsome little man?"
Slady clenched his fists and advanced at supernatural speed. Mid-movement, shadows rose from the ground and wrapped around his body, locking his arms. The woman approached freely, touching his face, her lips nearly brushing his.
"I am... holding back. This body, this presence... you are far too interesting to be wasted. But... go ahead, brother."
She turned her body to the side, and then the male figure pressed the handle of the blade against his chest. The impact came hard. Slady's eyes widened, and blood burst from his mouth. The shadows released him, and he fell to his knees before collapsing face-first onto the ground. He tried to lift his head, but the armored foot pressed his face against the floor. The figure leaned down, whispered low, yet it felt as if the voice was inside his mind.
"Live with this truth, human."
The last thing he saw was that being's leg lifting and coming down, before everything went dark.
***
The news reported it plainly and with melancholy: Raintalya was dead. A man was found unconscious near her. The siblings, Natasha and Jonhye, were dead. And the Hunter of Complexity, the last one alive, Raizer Fainer, was alive, but in critical condition.
And this same news was heard by Raizer, who lay in a hospital bed, unmoving, breathing in pauses. Tears streamed from his eyes, he tried to surrender to grief, but every expression made a groan escape.
Suddenly, the door opened. A nurse with a warm smile. She leaned slightly, hands in front of her waist.
"Good morning, sir. Someone would like to visit you. May I let them in?"
He nodded slowly.
The woman stepped out. Then he entered, Slady. One of his eyes covered by a white bandage. He sat beside the bed, in silence. He opened his mouth, breathed, and spoke:
"I... I can't... I'm sorry, I mean, I'm so sorry, Raizer. I was late, I was in another hell... no, I don't have the right... I can't apologize..."
But there was a squeeze. He looked at his normal hand, Raizer's hand gripping it. The older-looking man nodded, his eyes filling more and more with tears, his hand trembling against his. The other hand pulled him by the arm, even groaning, he embraced him. Slady froze, his eyes half widened, his body trembling. But gradually, he relaxed, slowly... yet never fully losing the tension.
***
In front of a mansion, Slady looked for a moment at the vineyard beside it, swaying with the wind before knocking on the wooden door. A maid opened it, and upon recognizing him, hugged him instantly.
"Slady! Thank God you're alive!"
Her nails dug into him, her breath coming out against him.
"You have no idea how terrible it was! Elisa cried so much and demons flew across the sky! I didn't know if I would survive!"
"You're alive. That's what matters."
He placed his hand on her head. The girl stepped back after a while, holding the man's hands firmly.
"I saw the news... I can't imagine how Raizer must be. Raintalya, those two... they were good, they didn't deserve this."
Slady said nothing, listening to every word. But his gaze drifted into nothingness, and her voice seemed quieter and quieter. At some point, he shook his head and said abruptly:
"Take a shower and go home. Your parents must be waiting for you."
"Right... how do you know my parents are okay?"
"I didn't, I just... just said it."
"Okay... I'll go then."
She slowly walked toward the bathroom, her legs dragging across the mansion. Slady crossed the corridors and went to a room. Elisa slept peacefully, her body covered by a small blanket. He gently rocked the cradle, one eye fixed on her.
Time passed quickly. The maid looked at him, now dressed in regular clothes. She leaned against the doorframe.
"Do you need help?"
"No. Actually... I want to tell you something."
"What would that be?"
Slady turned, his arms behind his back. He walked toward her, his face close to hers.
"Do not return here. Ever again."
"What...? How can you...?"
"I won't repeat it. Go live your life, get a good job. But don't come back here. Do not get involved with people... like me, or Raizer."
"You..."
She looked for a moment at Elisa. Her chest tightening.
"I gave my blood for that girl that day. I had to be afraid my parents wouldn't survive that day, and you come back here, barely injured, just with that damn eye you never reveal, and you want to send me away?"
Slady did not respond. He turned his back, walking toward the cradle. The girl gritted her teeth and said:
"You... you damn sick man. You probably didn't even care about their deaths. You... you... you're a monster."
She left the mansion, her shoes striking loudly. From afar, her crying could be heard. Slady squeezed the wood of the cradle with his mechanical hand, crushing it.
***
"Slady, did you hear what I said?"
He snapped out of his daze. He looked at his lap, Elisa asleep against his chest. In front of him, Raizer, hands clasped in front of his knee. His voice hoarse.
"Can you repeat it one more time?"
"I was told that... they found Renkai Energy in my heart. It won't turn me into a Destroyer, but it will corrupt it... no, weaken it. At some point, any effort will cause my death. I only ask you one thing: that you adopt Elisa when I die."
"Ah... yes... yes... I can."
***
A slap brought him back to reality. Elisa was still lying against him. Only now older. Raizer, smiling, asked calmly:
"Wow, it looks like you just shut down, Slady. What happened?"
"Nothing... it was nothing."