In the silence of the king, which took everyone's breath away, the words that would change everything were spoken... and the moment became the point of no return.
~~~~
His eyes slowly scanned the faces of the workers, each of whom seemed to be carrying a question they dared not ask.
Then, in a steady voice that pierced the silence, he said:
"What was the last thing you extracted from the heart of this land? Did you see anything unusual? A strange metal, or a stone unfamiliar to your eyes?"
A hesitant whisper spread among the workers, their voices intertwined with anxiety and questioning.
Yuri approached Akainu and whispered cautiously:
"Strange metal? Is there something we don't know about?"
Silence reigned for a few moments before one of the workers replied in a low but firm voice:
"No, my lord, nothing strange has appeared in the recent excavations. All we have extracted is gold and known metals."
The king slowly clenched his fist.
At that moment, one of the soldiers approached with steady steps and handed the king a folded piece of paper. Raiden took it without saying a word, opened it quietly, and studied its contents for a moment before turning his gaze to one of the workers.
He held out the paper to the worker and said in a stern tone:
"So, you haven't seen the thing in this paper?" The workman took the paper hesitantly, beads of sweat beginning to form on his forehead. He looked at its contents with trembling eyes, then raised his head and said in a shaky voice:
"No, my lord... I have never seen this thing before." The king nodded calmly, motioning for the workman to pass the paper on to the others. The workman hesitated for a moment, then slowly pushed it toward his colleague.
The king nodded calmly, signaling the workman to pass the paper to the others. The workman hesitated for a moment, then slowly pushed it to his colleague next to him.
The paper began to move from one workman to another, and whenever it reached one of them, the answer was repeated:
"We have never seen this thing before."
Until the paper finally reached Akainu. He took it and looked at the picture
He stared at the dark crystal drawn on it, surrounded by an inscription that looked like a snake coiled around it as if strangling it.
His brow furrowed slightly, then he raised his head and said in a calm but uncertain voice:
"No, I've never seen this thing before."
He handed the paper to Yuri, but at that moment
suddenly
he felt a sharp prick in his shoulder, as if a rusty blade was slowly tearing through his flesh. His body trembled, and his heartbeat turned into rapid stabs. He pressed his hand against his shoulder, feeling as if something was boiling inside his skin.
He fell to his knees, gasping as if he had just been suffocated. His eyes widened, and cold sweat poured from his forehead. Yuri was looking at him, his voice hesitant:
"Akainu... What's going on?"
But Akainu didn't hear. The world around him shattered, as if a nightmare had settled on his chest.
Confused...
A flash...
Blood scattered on the ground...
Bodies lying chaotically, as if a storm had ripped the life out of
everything...
Distant screams mixed with muffled moans.
Chaos.
A devastated area.
Scattered stones, cracked buildings, smoke rising from every corner.
The ground is stained with dark blood, flowing like rivers on the road.
A cold wind carries the smell of decay and destruction, piercing his bones and chilling his soul.
Chaos...
Two shadows on the horizon...
Two people standing amid the destruction, one slowly raising his sword.
The other bows before him, his chest exposed, breathing heavily.
The sword blade brutally pierces the chest, sinking in up to the hilt, and the sound of the stab shatters the silence.
Chaos...
A muffled scream...
Blood flows onto the ground like a hellish fountain.
Akainu's eyes widen, he moves toward the image, but he cannot move.
The person who was stabbed falls to his knees, his face unclear...
But... the sword is held by someone who looks exactly like him...
Same features, same gaze, but his eyes bleed black blood.
Chaos...
π212
A muffled sound...
The person holding the sword moves closer, his features becoming more distorted...
A terrifying smile, his eyes like an endless void.
He gets closer, reaching out his bloodstained hand toward Akainu's face...
He whispers in a cracked voice, as if breathing through the cracks of time:
"You... Why... Why...?"
Akainu tries to back away, but the ground clings to his feet as if it were iron shackles embedded in his body. The distorted copy comes closer, its dark face sticking to his, breathing the smell of death and decay, as if the air itself were turning into poison seeping into his lungs.
"Traitor..."
The sound echoes in Akainu's head like a hammer smashing his skull. He feels his skin tearing and the sound of his bones breaking as if crushed under an unbearable weight. Blood flows from his eyes like a dark waterfall, falling to the ground, and the burning sensation consumes his soul.
"Murderer..."
The sound explodes in his head like a storm, scattering human remains before his eyes. He sees his hands stained with blood, his fingers slowly corroding as if they were devouring each other. Blood pours from his fingernails, smelling of rust and death, and the screams of his victims pierce his ears like daggers piercing his mind.
"Death..."
The last scream tears his mind apart. He sees his body mutilated, his skin torn to reveal black, rotting flesh, his eyes popping out of their sockets, hanging from his cheeks like bloody lumps of flesh, oozing sticky black liquid, and the deformed version digging its fingers into his skull, pushing his head to the ground, blood bursting from his mouth like a hot waterfall.
Akainu screams loudly, a desperate voice tearing through the silence of the darkness, as if it were his last attempt to survive. But the pain does not end, as if his entire body has turned into an inescapable torture chamber. The feeling of suffocation intensifies, and life slowly fades from his eyes, while the distorted copy
whispers in a deep voice
"This is fate..."
And then....
A warm touch on his shoulder.
Everything stopped. He opened his eyes suddenly, breathing heavily.
Yuri whispered anxiously,
"Akainu... Are you okay?"
Whispers spread among the workers standing around them, their eyes meeting in fear and confusion, unaware of what was happening. Some whispered, others exchanged glances.
The king, Raiden, watched Akainu with a sharp gaze, not blinking, as if his eyes were piercing his soul. Akainu's stance arouses suspicion, and the silence increases the tension in the room.
Yuri turns to the workers with a scrutinizing gaze, then laughs softly, with a hint of sarcasm:
"What are you looking at? He's just tired from digging... Let me see."
He reached out to take the paper from Akainu, who was still lost in thought. He gently took it, slowly opened it, looked at it for a few seconds, then raised his head toward the king again, avoiding the tension:
"No, my lord... We have never seen anything like this before."
The king shakes his head slowly, a glint of suspicion in his eyes, but does not respond.
Yuri pats Akainu lightly on the shoulder, whispering in a low voice:
"Hey, pull yourself together... This is no time to be a statue, you fool."
King Raiden watches Akainu silently, but his mind is in turmoil.
"That boy... I remember him well."
A flash from the past pierces his mind, a quick moment like a fragment of time, in which he sees a young man standing in front of a group of soldiers, his slender body defying the storm. His dark hair blows in the wind, and his fierce features carry an unexpected strength. He shouts in a strong, defiant voice:
" Anyone who approaches him... I will kill them!"
The image returns to the present, and Akainu is still holding his head, while Yuri whispers something to him. Raiden narrows his eyes, his heart beating slowly as if something frightening is approaching.
"That day... the black mark... he should have been killed... But because of him, everything changed. Why do I feel that dark aura now?"
His eyes focus on Akainu, but suddenly, he sees what others cannot see. Above Akainu, a giant, deformed monster takes shape, a mass of darkness, its limbs twisted and its face blurred, exuding a suffocating feeling. The monster stares at Raiden with a hollow gaze, as if its very existence is a curse.
"That boy... He's not what he seems. There's something inside him... Something I've never seen before. Darkness... But not just any darkness."
Raiden looks away slightly, trying to banish the image from his mind. But the monster is still there, lingering behind Akainu, silent, watching.
"Could it be... him?"
"My lord!"
In his distraction, he hears a sharp voice piercing his thoughts.
"My lord, it is a great honor to have you visit us... Your presence graces this place..."
He turns quickly to find Kazuma standing nearby, and behind him the mine official bowing obsequiously, his head bowed in exaggerated respect, his trembling voice pleading.
But Raiden shows no interest, casting a cold glance at the official, then ignoring him completely and continuing on his way. In a calm voice, but with the force of a command, he says:
"Bring him here, Kazuma."
"Yes, sir."
Kazuma bows lightly and replies quickly.
Raiden gestures to the soldiers, and they begin to line up behind him, marching in unison, their footsteps echoing in the dark tunnels. Kazuma walks calmly forward, glancing at Akainu for a moment, then continues on his way to carry out the order.
The soldiers follow behind the king, leaving the mine one by one, leaving behind a silence that weighs heavily on the workers' hearts.
Yuri looks at Akainu, raising his eyebrows in surprise:
"What was that? It looked like a royal interrogation."
He shakes his head in wonder: "It was a strange presence... I still don't understand it. Why is the king looking for this particular metal? What could it contain? Could it be a huge fortune? " He looks at Akainu, who is still lost in thought: "Are you with me?''
Akainu remembers the confused words he heard:
"Traitor... murderer... fate..."
Yuri approaches him and taps him hard on the shoulder:
"Hey, statue! Can you hear me?"
Akainu suddenly snaps out of it and looks at Yuri hesitantly:
"Yes... yes."
Yuri raises his eyebrows in disbelief:
"What's wrong? You look like you just woke up from a nightmare."
Akainu takes a deep breath, trying to regain his composure:
"Nothing... I think I'm just a little tired."
He lowers his gaze to his hand, his eyes narrowing in thought:
"What does he really mean? And what was that vision? I don't understand anything... Was it just an illusion? Or was it something else?"
Outside the mine, the sun casts broken shadows on the rocky ground. In a large tent made of heavy fabric, Raiden sits on a wide wooden chair behind a simple desk, covered with papers and mine reports. The cigarette between his lips glows a dull orange, and smoke slowly rises into the stifling air.
The mine manager stands before him, sweating despite the cool air, his eyes tense, his hands nervously clasped.
Raiden's gaze moves between the papers, never looking up at the official. A heavy moment passes before the man dares to break the silence:
"My lord... is there something wrong?"
Raiden does not respond, picking up one of the papers, slowly scanning it, then setting it aside and picking up another. He continues to flip through the papers calmly, while smoke rises steadily from his cigar.
The mine official becomes increasingly nervous, swallows hard, then dares to speak again:
"My lord... If there is a problem with the mine or the workers, please let me know. I can help solve it..."
Raiden slowly puts down the papers, looking at the manager with a cold, steady gaze, as if his words have not moved him. Silence falls between them, heavy as a rock, while the manager freezes in place, not daring to utter another word.
He picks up his cigar, exhales slowly, its heavy scent seeping into the air. In a calm but sharp voice, he says:
"How long have you been mining here?"
The official replies immediately, trying to sound confident:
"Five years, my lord."
Raiden puts the cigar back in his mouth, exhales another puff, then says in a steady tone that is not without veiled threat:
"And you haven't found what I ordered you to find, have you?"
The official hesitates, sweat pouring from his forehead, as thoughts battle in his head:
"What do I do now? Since this mine opened, he has been looking for something specific... We have extracted precious gold and gemstones, but he rejects them all... For a damn crystal! If I say I haven't found it... I will be killed without mercy... No, I can't say that... If I do, I'll see something worse than death itself..."
He swallows hard, then replies in a shaky voice, trying to remain calm:
"Actually, my lord... we are working hard to find what you ordered me to find. I promise you, we will find it."
Raiden puts his hand on his chin, ponders for a moment, then says in a calm tone:
"Kazuma, remind me... That time, Kam?"
Kazuma replies immediately, his voice steady:
"It's the first one, my lord."
A cold smile appears on Raiden's lips:
"Good."
He raises his hand slightly and closes it slowly. Suddenly, there is a sharp cracking sound, followed by a painful scream. The mine official collapses to the ground, clutching his left leg, which is bent at an unnatural angle, and screams in panic:
"What's happening?! What's happening?!"
Raiden calmly rises from his chair and slowly approaches the manager. He bends slightly in front of him, pats him on the shoulder with a mixture of cruelty and false sympathy, and says in a calm, sarcastic tone:
"What a pity... It's okay, it's okay."
Raiden bows further, leaning close to the official's ear, whispering in a soft voice, but his words pulsing with hidden terror:
"The first time... I can overlook it. But the second? Number two disgusts me, don't go there."
"
- "Yes... yes, please, Mo
Lay... just give me one chance... I'll find her... I promise!"
Under the scorching sun, Akainu and Yuri emerge from the mine, carrying heavy loads on their shoulders. Sweat pours down their foreheads, and shadows dance on the ground beneath their footsteps.
Yuri sighs audibly, then turns to Akainu:
"Akainu, I want to ask you..."
Akainu replies without looking at him:
"Huh?"
They put the load in its place, Yuri wipes the sweat from his forehead with a worn cloth, while Akainu picks up another cloth and silently wipes his face with it.
Yuri leans against the wall and raises his eyebrow:
"Do you really think the king is looking for treasure? I mean... why all this interest in that strange metal?"
Akainu puts the cloth on his shoulder and replies thoughtfully:
"I don't know... but that metal could hold a fortune, and he wants it."
Yuri shakes his head in denial:
"I don't think so."
Akainu turns to him in surprise:
"Why?"
Yuri crosses his arms and looks up at the sky:
"... Do you really think Raiden needs wealth? Have you seen the kingdom around you? It's awash in gold and money, while people are starving to death. What would he do with wealth in the midst of this curse we live in?"
Akainu narrows his eyes thoughtfully:
"Then... what does he want?"
Yuri clenches his fist around the piece of cloth, staring at the ground as if searching for an answer:
"Raiden isn't looking for treasure... He's looking for something different, something bigger than just wealth. If he wanted gold, he wouldn't have ignored everything we mined. There's a secret behind that metal... A secret he doesn't want anyone else to know."
Akainu falls silent for a moment, staring at Yuri with a suspicious look:
"And you... what are you trying to say, Yuri?"
A mysterious expression appears on Yuri's face, but it does not hide the sharpness of his words:
"Hmm... simply... that we get to this metal before him."
Akainu pauses for a moment, trying to comprehend what Yuri has said, but before he can utter a word, they notice Raiden and Kazuma coming out of the tent, heading towards the horse. Raiden stands majestically, while Kazuma carefully prepares the horse. Yuri watches the situation closely, his eyes flashing with suppressed tension:
"If what I think is true... we have an irreplaceable opportunity."
Akainu frowns and says in a tense tone:
"Are you listening to what he's saying?! Something else? And what will you gain if you get it?"
Yuri smiles slightly, then pats Akainu on the shoulder:
"Calm down, man... I'll explain."
He turns to Raiden and Kazuma, making sure they are a little further away, then lowers his voice and says:
"Think about it... This metal is not just treasure or wealth. If it were, there wouldn't be all this madness and frantic searching. The king Raiden doesn't care about gold or money... This thing holds a secret, perhaps a power, or something that changes the whole equation. And if we get it first... we can bargain. We can save our necks... and maybe more."
Akainu stares at Yuri in disbelief:
"How so? How are you going to bargain with someone like Raiden?"
Yuri smiles confidently:
"You don't understand... If we get this metal first, we will have the power. Raiden isn't looking for wealth, but for something bigger. If this metal is that important to him, he'll do anything to get it back. We'll make him negotiate... on our terms."
Akainu narrows his eyes:
"And you think he'll let us live?"
Yuri looks at him seriously:
"If we play our cards right, he'll have no choice. We'll be in a position of power for the first time... Don't you want a chance to get out of this hell?"
Akainu falls silent, his thoughts tangled in his head. Yuri's words make sense, but the risk is clear. One wrong move could lead them to a fate worse than they could imagine.
Yuri notices Akainu's hesitation and smiles slightly:
"I know it's risky, but when has our life here ever been safe? If we want to change our situation, we have to take a chance... or remain slaves forever."
Akainu exhales deeply:
"I understand what you mean... But how are we going to find the metal before him?"
Yuri:
"I have some tools that might help us... but there's no guarantee. We have to move quickly. It's clear that Raiden has been searching for a long time, not only here but also in the neighboring mines, and he hasn't found anything."
Akainu:
"So we might be looking in the wrong place too?"
Yuri shakes his head:
"Exactly, and that's the tricky part. We don't know which mine the metal might be in... or under which land. But if we find it before they do... it might be our only chance of survival."
Yuri smiles confidently and puts his hand on Akainu's shoulder:
"Don't worry, I'll do my calculations. I'll take all possibilities into account... Just
trust me."
Akainu slowly nods his head, as if silently agreeing.
"Let me think about it for a bit."
Yuri exhales quietly and nods his head:
"Akainu... That's the only solution. But it's okay, I'll let you think about it. I won't pressure you... Just take your time, but think carefully."
Yuri smiles lightly, patting Akainu on the shoulder:
"Okay... I'll wait for your decision."
Then he walks away to continue his work, leaving Akainu deep in thought.
~~~~
Several hours later...
The sky glows with the warm colors of sunset, the orange rays of the sun intertwining with the shadows of the mountains.
The kingdom's bell rings loudly, its sound piercing the evening silence, announcing the end of the day.
The workmen breathe a sigh of relief, wiping the sweat from their foreheads, their faces tired but relaxed.
Everyone moves slowly toward the exits.
Yuri approaches him, smiling wearily:
"Come on, Akainu, let's get our pay. The day is finally over, man."
Akainu replies calmly, glancing one last time toward the horizon, then continues walking alongside Yuri, lost in thought.
They stand in a long line, silently waiting for their turn to get paid.
In the middle of the line, Yuri notices something unusual about the mine manager's behavior. The man is tense, silent, avoiding talking to anyone.
Yuri whispers to Akainu:
"What's wrong with him today? He seems out of sorts."
Akainu whispers quietly to Yuri:
"It seems that Raiden threatened him... That's why he's so anxious."
It's his turn to receive his wages...
He waits patiently until the official slowly takes out only two coins and places them on the desk as if they were two pieces of orphan bread. The silence lasts for a few seconds.
He looks at them angrily and asks:
"What is this? Where is my wages?"
The official replies coldly:
"This is the pay available. Will you take it or not?"
He hesitates a little, then picks up the two coins and says in a low voice:
"I'll take it."
~~~~
Akainu comes out at the mine gate where Yuri is waiting for him. Yuri notices the change in Akainu's expression and says with a sarcastic smile:
Yuri:
"What's the matter, sourpuss?"
Akainu (tired and congested):
"He only gave me two coins! What am I supposed to do with them?"
Yuri (laughing, putting his hand behind his head):
"Make a wish with them, maybe your situation will improve!"
Akainu glares at him, but doesn't respond.
Yuri mimics him sarcastically:
"Let me think about it...
You really love poverty!"
Then he adds with a light laugh:
"I told you the solution, but you refuse to listen."
The evening air gently caresses their faces, and the sky takes on a coppery hue tinged with red, while light clouds drift by like pale specters retreating from an exhausting day.
The streets of the kingdom are filled with the faint sounds of life: the clatter of wooden carts, the distant cries of children, and the slow footsteps of weary passersby.
Akainu and Yuri walk side by side, the former carrying his bag carelessly, the latter walking lightly as if he were not tired at all.
Yuri (suddenly looking at him with a light tone):
"Hey, Akainu..."
Akainu (without turning around):
"What?"
Yuri (with a mischievous tone):
"I want to ask you something else."
Akainu (puts his hand on his face, then sighs):
"I know I'll regret listening to you."
Yuri lightly hits him on the shoulder and laughs.
Akainu (with a half-exhausted smile):
"What do you want to ask?"
Yuri (simply):
"Did you go to Mora and Brezelius?"
Akainu (responding without thinking):
"Yes, I went to them in the morning."
Yuri slaps him lightly again, and Akainu turns to him in annoyance:
"Hey! What's the matter?"
Yuri (in a loud voice):
"Didn't I tell you yesterday that we would go together? Why didn't you wait for me, you deceitful fool?"
Akainu (responds calmly):
"I waited for you... but you were too late. Brezelius was angry at my delay."
He pauses for a moment... then asks Yuri, this time in a low voice and with an unusual look:
"Did you... see Mora?"
Akainu (surprised):
"Yes, I saw her. Why?"
Yuri (looking up at the sky, as if avoiding his friend's gaze):
"Nothing... I just wanted to make sure. Isn't she your coach? Why don't you book me an appointment with her? I have something important to tell her."
Akainu (looking at him with a half-smile and a displeased expression):
"And you think that's appropriate at a time like this? We barely have enough to eat, and you want to make an appointment with the elite trainer?"
Yuri (responding sarcastically, clasping his hands behind his head):
"Oh, right, I forgot that we're in a time of disaster, where just thinking about something different is considered a crime... Forgive me, Mr. Wisdom!"
Then he laughs and adds:
"At least let me live a little illusion... You live only in reality, and your heart will soon die from too much seriousness!"
Akainu (with a deep sigh as he continues walking):
"If only illusions could feed a hungry mouth..."
Then he looks at him out of the corner of his eye:
"But if Mora is the illusion... then it's okay to make an appointment for you, provided that you succeed in the first sentence you say without running away in shame."
Yuri (responding with a hearty laugh):
"Shy? Of Mora? She's the one who should be shy when she sees me!"
The two exchange glances, then laugh together, the tension of the world retreating from around them, if only temporarily, as they continue walking through the dark alleys...
A cold breeze ruffles Akainu's tired hair, and Yuri turns to him with a sly smile and says:
Yuri (sarcastically):
"By the way, congratulations, old man! You're finally seventeen! I'm afraid we'll soon need a cane to keep you from falling down from exhaustion."
Akainu (glancing at him indifferently, but his tone carrying a sarcastic threat):
"If you don't shut up... you'll be the first one I use that cane on."
Yuri (putting his hands up in the air as if to protect himself):
"Ah, we're starting with the threats! It seems that old age has brought with it a bad temper!"
Then he winks and says slyly:
"But wait... Are you going to celebrate? Or are celebrations forbidden in the dictionary of sadness you carry?"
Akainu (in a calm tone, his eyes looking straight ahead):
"If I'm still alive tomorrow... I might consider an extra piece of bread as a celebration."
Yuri (laughing):
"Wow... a legendary party! I'll bring salt from the market, and we'll draw a star on the clay and dance around it!"
As their footsteps echoed through the alleys and dim lamplight, Yuri broke the silence with a tone devoid of his usual sarcasm, a note of curiosity tinged with concern creeping into his voice:
"I wanted to ask you something else... something that's been on my mind since
this morning."
"Huh? You're asking a lot of questions today."
"Don't be sarcastic... This time it's different."
Yuri stares at him, his voice becoming more serious, as if something has been on his mind ever since:
"When you grabbed the paper... you froze. You were like a statue, your features changed, and your eyes were distant, as if you saw something we didn't."
Akainu's features gradually change. His footsteps slow, and he falls silent for a few seconds, as if words betray him. His gaze flees to the ground, and his eyes shine with that glint that only betrays those who carry an unspeakable burden.
Yuri continues in a softer but more intense voice:
"Raiden was looking at you then with a look... I don't know how to describe it. I've never seen him stare like that before. Something about you caught his attention, and your reaction... made me even more suspicious."
Akainu stops walking without realizing it, his lips moving silently, as if words fail him for a moment.
"Why did you do that? What was on the paper, Akainu?"
Akainu turned his face away, held his breath for a moment, then replied in a low voice:
"That's none of your business, Yuri."
But Yuri didn't back down, taking a step closer and staring directly into his eyes:
"It is my business, if you're really my friend."
A heavy silence hung in the air.
Akainu's breathing was more audible than any words.
But he didn't answer.
Yuri kept watching him, his eyes never leaving him, knowing that his friend was hiding something, and that this time... silence was no longer enough.
Akainu remained silent for seconds that felt like hours, then finally, he slowly moved his head, and his voice came out confused, as if the words were heavy on his tongue:
"I don't know what's happening to me... Two days ago, everything changed."
He looked at Yuri, his eyes half-closed, carrying something strange... as if part of him was no longer there.
"I sleep... or at least I try to. But my body moves on its own. It's as if I'm fighting something in the dark."
His breath was trembling, and his tone was more fragile than Yuri was used to.
...
It was
a quiet night, and the walls were gray and silent. Akainu's body tossed and turned on the bed as if trying to escape from something invisible.
His breathing quickened, his hand rose and clenched the air violently, his face contorted as if screaming silently.
His eyes opened in the darkness... wide, pale, devoid of life.
A whisper crept into his mind, like a fire wrapping around his thoughts:
"... The time is near..."
Words that were not spoken, but planted inside him like a thorn in his brain.
...
Akainu stares at the ground, his hand trembling slightly as he mutters in a weak voice:
"At first I thought it was just dreams... but there are moments when I am fully conscious. I see... things."
He slowly raises his hand, revealing his shoulder.
A black mark has spread, no longer just a symbol. It was like a living pulse, with tiny branches extending from it, piercing the skin like the roots of something growing beneath it, creeping toward his chest and arm.
Yuri gasped without realizing it, his eyes widening, and his words came out slowly:
"My God... Akainu, this..."
Akainu covered his shoulder again, his gaze still fixed on the ground.
"The mark is no longer silent. It hurts, it burns... and every night, the voices grow louder."
He sighed slowly, his voice becoming rougher:
"It whispers to me... it opens doors I don't want to open. Memories... but they're not mine."
He raised his head slightly and looked at Yuri with a heavy gaze:
"Blood... screams... faces dying inside me. It's as if I'm living someone else's life. And every time I wake up, I find the mark bigger... as if something in it wakes up with me."
Then, in a hoarse voice, he concluded:
"I... don't understand. And I don't think I want to understand."
Silence returned, heavier than before.
But it wasn't just silence...
It was the beginning of something bigger, something yet to be revealed.
As Yuri stared at Akainu's face, searching his features for an unspoken answer... He didn't know that something else was staring at them from afar.
Among the piles of stones scattered in the corner of the alley, where the moonlight reached only as a whisper, a long shadow slowly crept out, as if the night itself had suddenly breathed.
A creeping body, sliding silently over the stones, shiny skin writhing under the dim light, and eyes... not like any other eyes.
Red eyes that never blinked.
They did not shine, but burned quietly.
Two holes of embers watched the scene as a predator watches its prey's last breath.
Its forked tongue came out for a moment, tasting the air, as if feeding on the whispers between Akainu and Yuri.
The snake stopped at the edge of the wall, its head slowly rising, bowing as if prostrating itself before something unseen, then turned without haste and slipped into the darkness between the cracks and connected alleys...
As if it had completed its mission... or as if it had received a signal.
It left behind only heavier air and a deep feeling...
that they had never been alone.
To be continued...
---