(Midnight, a week and a half ago)
Voice: Tark... I'm sorry... but you have to do it—for our sake.
Tark: Dad?..
Tark's Father: You're the one who will save our house, Tark... Tark... Tark... Go and learn techniques. Bring us money.
Tark: What?!
Tark's Father: I'm sorry... You'll hate me later for my weakness and failure... But the future of our house lies in your hands... You must go... and learn the techniques no matter what it takes! And bring us money from them.
Tark: Why? I—
Tark's Father (crying): I'm sorry... it's all my fault... im such a bad guy..you will hate me..but..
(His expression suddenly changes)
Tark's Father: But you must go, Tark! Even if it costs your life! Go!
-- Midnight (Day 7 since the Techniques Lecture) --
Tark: I always wondered... what happened to my older brother? Why did my father want me to come here? I never understood... But after arriving here... I think I've begun to see things more clearly...
Tark: Mom... Dad said she went on a trip... but the trip was too long... I think I understand now... Mom is dead... But I still don't know how... I remember nothing... except my father's face at that time.
Tark: I saw him carrying Mom. He said she was sleeping...
Tark: But I never saw her wake up... not since that day.
(Tark places his hand on his head)
Tark: Just thinking about it drives me insane... What is this? Why am I realizing all this only now?
(Tears fall onto his hand)
Tark: Mom... is dead? How? Why?
Tark: Why were my father's words so contradictory? Why?... And why didn't I notice it before? Was I stupid, or what?
Tark: Dad... why?
Tark: My mom died three years ago... and just a few days later, my older brother—three years older than me—disappeared.
Tark: What happened?
(He grabs his head, pulls his hair, slams his forehead on the table)
Tark: What happened?! Why didn't I ever think about it this way before?
(A memory resurfaces)
His mother lies sleeping on the floor. His father sits beside her...
Blood. A knife.
Tark: Dad... was holding a knife. Dad... was holding a knife.
(Shock hits Tark. He loses it and starts screaming)
Tark's face pale, full of hate... and grief: Did... my dad... kill my mom?
Tark: No! Impossible! No!
Tark: But why was he holding a knife, and why were his hands stained with blood?
Tark: No! Impossible! No!
Tark: Why would he think of killing her? What kind of madman kills his wife?! But then... why was he holding a knife while she was dead in front of him? I don't understand... why? WHY?
(Sits on the bed, hands over his head. His face is pale with confusion)
Tark: Did he really kill her? Did Dad... kill Mom? But... life was happy before that...
-- Three Years Ago, in the Outskirts of levalim--
Tark's Mother: But we need money! Move yourself instead of sitting like an idiot! Don't be trash! You have three kids!
Tark's Father: Shut up! I can't work because I'm exhausted!
Tark's Mother: Exhausted? Is sitting and doing nothing exhausting, or what?! Stop making excuses and fulfill your duty as a father! You're just—trash! That's what you are.
Tark's Father: Shut up, Meritha! Get away from me!
(Meritha steps away and starts walking out)
Meritha: It's sad that the woman in this house is the one working... while you're just selfish, worthless trash. When the kids grow up a little... you'll be nothing to them. Unless you fix yourself... Go get money. Not for the family... but for your own sake.
(She walks away and leaves the room)
(Nirkos, Tark's father, is enraged. He leaves the house)
Nirkos: That wretched woman... I wish she were dead!
Person: Hey Nirkos, how are you?
Nirkos: Leave me alone.
(He continues walking through the area, leaves the city, and walks into a forest at night)
(While walking, he hears twigs snapping... and grass being stepped on)
Nirkos (nervous): Who's there?
(No reply)
(The sound continues... movement all around him)
Nirkos: Come out! I know someone is here!
-- Loud sound. Echo. Tremor --
(Suddenly, a beam of energy strikes near him, but misses)
Nirkos (terrified): What is this? Is that... a technique user?
(A figure emerges from the darkness—fully covered, wearing a mask labeled "P.H", dressed in full red with white stripes)
Mysterious Person: Do you hate death? Do you hate fire? Do you love the blue?
(Nirkos steps back in fear)
Nirkos: What? What are you talking about?! No!
Mysterious Person: Do you love death? Do you love fire? Do you... love the red?
Nirkos (panicking): What are you talking about?! What is this?! Do you want something?!
-- Loud sound. Echo. Tremor. Fear --
(Nirkos covers his ears): What is this noise?!
Mysterious Person: Do you... love money? Do you want money?
(Nirkos: No one hates money!)
(The figure gets closer)
-- Loud sound. Echo. Tremor --
(He opens his hand—revealing 50 gold coins)
Mysterious Person: Do you want it?
Nirkos (nervous): Of course!
Mysterious Person: Bring me... a dead body... and I'll give you this.
Nirkos: What?! Impossible! That's insane! Where would I get a corpse?
(The figure grabs Nirkos by the neck and lifts him into the air)
Mysterious Person: You have two choices. Take the money and bring a corpse—or become one yourself.
Mysterious Person: I was going to kill you anyway... but I missed. So I decided to give you a chance... and the money is my gift. I could threaten you without paying... but what do you say? Mutual benefit.
Nirkos (terrified): O-Okay... I'll bring a corpse. Let me down!
Mysterious Person: Bring it tomorrow at this time, or I'll kill you. Try to run... or be late... I will find you anywhere, anytime.
(He lets him go)
Mysterious Person: Bring me the corpse. I'll give you the money.
(Nirkos, terrified, runs off)
(Mysterious Person—inhale, exhale)
(Nirkos's terrified face): W-What... what just happened? What was that... who was that? How do I find a corpse?
(He collapses to his knees on the road, hands on head, losing his mind)
Nirkos: What did I get into?! How do I get a body?!!
(Suddenly, memories and thoughts flood his mind)
"Is sitting and doing nothing exhausting, or what?"
"You're just selfish, worthless trash. When the kids grow up... you'll be nothing to them."
"That wretched woman... I wish she were dead!"
Nirkos: No! No! What's wrong with me?! What am I thinking?!
(Words echo in his mind)
Trash...-..Worthless...-Selfish...--No value--...I wish you'd die!
(Nirkos can't breathe... overwhelmed)
Nirkos: Should... I do it?
(Inhale... exhale... inhale... exhale...)
Nirkos: What should I do?!
(Holds his chest) Nirkos (in pain): My heart... it hurts
--- Trash... ---
(Nirkos snaps from the pressure and screams into the void on his knees)
---
(Nirkos returns home)
(Thoughts racing in his head)
It's now nighttime
(He goes to the kitchen)
Nirkos (breathing heavily): Should I do it? She hates me and I hate her... why not? Should I do it?... No...
-- Trash --
(Clenches his teeth in rage and confusion): I want money!
(He grabs a kitchen knife)
His eyes dark... lifeless... soulless
Nirkos: I-I'll do it!... It's night... I'll do it!... I hate her anyway... Why am I even thinking?... I'll do it... The kids are asleep... I'll do it
(Holding the knife)
(He searches for his wife in the house)
Eyes full of hatred and rage: I don't want to die!... and I want you to die.
(He smiles maniacally): Then why not profit from you and get the money that made me lose my mind?! I'll do it.
(He searches the house)
Nirkos (inside): Meritha... enough of what you've done to me!
(Searches room after room... until finally, he finds her)
(He approaches from behind, knife trembling in his hand)
(Inhale... exhale... inhale... exhale)
Nirkos touches her shoulder. Nirkos: Hey...
(She hears him and turns around)
Meritha: Nirkos... I was thinking I should apologize for— --Moment of silence--
(Before she could finish, Nirkos stabs her)
(As she turns—he didn't hear her words—he thrusts the knife into her neck)
(The place fills with blood... his hand, the knife, Meritha... all soaked in it)
Nirkos (shocked): W-What?... Apolo—... What?!
(Heavy breathing... What? What? What are you going to do?!)
(Nirkos stabbed her in the neck)
(Meritha, bleeding and stabbed): .... you.
(She collapses, knife lodged in her neck, blood flowing everywhere)
(Nirkos is frozen in horror): What... were... you going to say?
(She twitches, struggles, but can't move. Nirkos stands before her)
Nirkos: Wh... what? What... just happened?
(Blood pouring out... the knife in her neck)
(Suddenly, she stops moving)
(Nirkos drops to his knees in front of her): Wh-... why?... why did I do this?
(Heavy breathing... breathing... why?)
(He touches her... shakes her)
Nirkos: Meritha! Meritha... what's wrong? What happened?
(Heavy breathing...)
(Tears begin falling from his eyes)
Nirkos: She's... dead!
(Breathing and tears...): She's dead!
(He pulls the knife out... more blood gushes... the floor drenched... Nirkos's hands soaked in blood)
Nirkos: I-I killed... I killed her.
(Breathing... breathing... breathing)
(Nirkos starts screaming... screaming... screaming)
Nirkos: And now... I have to deliver her... to that man... or I'll die too
Nirkos: W-Wh-What did I... do?!
(He goes insane... grabs his head... WHAT DID I DO?!)
(A sound from behind him)
---
Mom?...
(Nirkos freezes from the voice): D-Did I...?
(He turns... and finds Tark standing behind him)
Tark: Mom?...
(Nirkos picks up Meritha's body and walks away from Tark)
Nirkos: What have I done?! What do I do?! I must give her body away
(Looks at her... soaked in blood... cold... lifeless)
(Heavy breathing... heavy breathing)
(Tears fall from his eyes)
Nirkos: Why... why did I...?
Nirkos: But... I would've died
(His eyes wide, full of horror): What did I do...
(He screams again): What did I do?!
-- The next night in the awaited forest --
(The mysterious man is there, waiting for Nirkos with the body)
(Suddenly, Nirkos appears... carrying the body)
(Nirkos thinks): I killed her... and now... I hand her over... to a stranger... and she... is my wife
(Nirkos arrives, eyes full of hatred and fear)
Nirkos: Here's... the body
(The man inspects it)
Man: Well, well... a fresh corpse
(Moment of silence)
Man (angrily): Did you kill her?
(Nirkos loses his mind again. The murder scene replays in his mind)
-- Did you kill her? -- Killed her? -- Did you kill her?... -- Breathing --
(Nirkos collapses)
Man: I told you to bring a body. I didn't say to kill someone.
Man: What a shame... I didn't clarify. I hate killing. But you entered my special zone... So I sentenced you to death. I fired at you but missed. So I gave you a second chance. That's my mistake.
(He sits beside him, lifts his head)
Man: I collect corpses for a good reason... but you... you killed for money.
(Too much for Nirkos. He screams.)
(Nirkos grabs his head): I'm despicable... Why did I even think of killing?! I... I... I... I'm despicable!
(Memories and thoughts—)
Trash--Selfish--Trash--Selfish--I hope you die--
(Inhale... exhale... breathing)
-- Screams --
Man: Alright then... hand over the body
(Nirkos hesitates... looks at Meritha): Give you... the body? Her body? Give it to you?
Man: No worries... I'll take it myself
(He takes Meritha's body)
Man: Here is your money... which will benefit you in no way
(The man disappears)
Nirkos: Money... money... money
(Nirkos screams like mad in the forest): WHAT HAVE I DONE?!
Elsewhere
---
-How's the mission, Red-3? Is it done?
Mysterious man: Yes... sir.
(Present day – Tark's room)
Tark: My dad... is the killer of my mom... but why?...