woke with a gasp. My eyes fluttered open, vision hazy, as if I were still half trapped in that void. Slowly, I flexed my fingers—remembering the agony they had endured before. But there was no pain. Nothing at all.
That person… whoever he was… he had done more than just save my life.
After a few breaths, my sight cleared. I pushed myself upright, testing my body. Every limb obeyed me. No fractures. No blood. No weakness. My body felt… whole. Too whole. It was unnatural at first, like wearing skin that wasn't mine. But slowly, it began to feel like it belonged to me again.
Then the smell hit me.
The copper tang of blood clawed at my throat. I turned, scanning my surroundings—and froze.
Corpses. Dozens of them.
The cloaked figures who had tortured me now lay scattered across the cave floor. Some were slashed clean in half, others carved into pieces—two, three, even four times. The stones were painted in red, blood still dripping from severed flesh.
A violent shiver crawled down my spine. My stomach churned. I couldn't keep staring. My gaze fell to my hands instead—hands that should've been broken, but weren't. Hands that trembled despite being healed.
That's when I noticed the cold.
I looked down and realized I was bare-chested. Right above my heart, etched into my skin, was a glowing mark.
A symbol.
It resembled a moon—but not a full one. Only two-thirds of its arc shone on my chest.
I touched it, tracing its edges, but I couldn't understand what it meant. All I knew was that it wasn't natural. It was the curse he had spoken of.
The chill grew stronger, urging me onward. I forced myself to walk the single path deeper into the cave. Eventually, the trail ended at what seemed like a solid wall.
But as I stepped closer, the rock shimmered and split, forming a portal.
I hesitated, took a deep breath, and stepped through—hoping it would lead me back to Yosuke.
Darkness engulfed me for a moment. Then—
"Sai! Wake up. It's time to go."
Relief washed over me instantly. Even before my eyes opened, I knew that voice.
Yosuke.
I blinked into daylight. The sun's brightness stung my eyes, but I didn't care. I was back. Alive.
We packed quickly and left the forest behind. Nearly the entire day was spent traveling, and though the world around me kept moving, my mind remained locked on what had happened.
At first, I tried to convince myself it was a dream. But it wasn't. It couldn't be. The pain, the mark, the smell of blood—it was all too real.
By the time we reached a village, night had fallen. Yosuke rented a small house, saying we'd stay here for a long while. I agreed. The place was comfortable, and that was enough for me.
Exhausted, Yosuke fell asleep almost immediately. He had every right—he'd stayed awake through the night, keeping me safe.
But I couldn't rest.
The events of yesterday clawed at my mind. Should I tell him? Should I reveal what I saw, what I endured, the mark carved onto my chest? Or keep it buried?
I was too tired to decide.
I left my bed and stepped onto the balcony. The night air was crisp, the silence soothing. I tilted my head upward—and froze.
The full moon blazed overhead, brighter than ever. Its light spilled across the village, serene and eternal.
I stared at it, and memories of those I'd lost came rushing back. Their faces. Their voices. The weight of their absence.
It was because of them that I had to grow stronger. But it was also because of them that I needed… to find my dream. To give meaning to this cursed life.
I shook my head, pushing away the spiral of thoughts. My body was far too tired to keep me awake any longer.
Inside, Yosuke slept peacefully, like a newborn. I lay down again, the moonlight lingering in my mind.
And at last… I drifted into sleep.