Chapter 2 – Arrogance over Greed
Kaios kept his eyes fixed on Cath. Silence dominated the room for a few seconds.
His appearance showed no surprise at all with the information he had just received. Kaios did not display any emotional shock or anything like it.
He remained standing, holding the vodka bottle. The smell of alcohol spread throughout the entire room. Cath's tears, marked by loss, could no longer be contained.
Ping!
The drops fell and stained the white couch where she sat, phone in hand.
With short steps, Kaios approached his sister and spoke with a sarcastic voice, completely devoid of feeling:
"So what if she's gone? No matter how much you cry, the dead don't come back just because someone decided to cry for them!"
Said Kaios, still holding the bottle, taking a big gulp of the drink. He turned his back, his eyes set on the stairs that led to the upper floor, where his room was. Before he could take a step, Cath stared at him, shocked by his attitude.
"Why do you always say that?"
Cath spoke as tears streamed down her face, her voice hoarse from so much crying.
"When Uncle Ben died, when Dad died, and even Sara, our own sister… you said the same thing. You didn't shed a single tear for them!"
She lowered her head, sobbing in pain.
Hearing those words, Kaios did not look back. He placed the bottle on the minibar counter. His eyebrows furrowed, fists clenched, but he said nothing. He simply climbed the stairs. His steps echoed loudly with each step until he finally reached his room.
He sat on the bed and turned on the 150-inch screen. But on every channel, journalists repeated the same thing:
"Kaios Dervios should be wiped off the planet! Nobody loves him, the whole world hates him!"
Kaios turned off the TV without hesitation and lay down on the soft bed. Hours passed. Night came and he fell asleep.
In deep sleep, he tossed from side to side, as if suffocating in a nightmare. Heat consumed his body, his breathing was heavy. Inside his mind, a forgotten memory returned.
A simple house, with no luxury at all. The faded green walls. Shouts echoed through the rooms. In the small bedroom, a mirror on the wall reflected the worn-out bed where Kaios lay, covered by a sheet. He looked almost the same as in the present, but still a child.
Suddenly, a voice echoed from the hallway:
"Have a good night, son!"
It was the cheerful voice of a man. Kaios knew who it was. He lifted his head from the pillow and answered, impatiently, as if forced:
"Thanks, Dad… have a good night too!"
He lay back down again. Then, a red glow, like burning embers, lit up the entire room.
With his eyes closed, Kaios noticed nothing, until a deep voice whispered his name:
"Kaios… KAIOS…"
Frightened, he opened his eyes. The glow had vanished. He looked around the room, searching for who had called him.
"Dad, is that you?"
He asked, raising his head, convinced it was his father. But at that instant, small red dots shone on the wall. Trembling, Kaios stared at the mirror. The reflection had vanished. The glass burned red, as if made of lava.
All of Kaios's muscles tensed. He stood up, overcome by fear.
The deep voice echoed again, this time loud and powerful:
"KAIOS! KAIOS!"
[✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓]
Back to reality, Kaios awoke from sleep, panting, holding his black hair with his left hand. He breathed deeply, trying to recover his breath. He threw the sheets on the pillow and raised his arms upward.
TIC! TIC!
The alarm clock rang loudly as always. Before it could sound once more, Kaios struck it with such force that it silenced immediately.
He got up and went to the bathroom. After the shower, he exuded the smell of soap, his hair impeccably arranged. He dressed, putting a black jacket over a white shirt.
Then, he opened his right hand. The red coin appeared. He held it between his fingers and tossed it into the air. His eyes followed each spin, like a hunter watching its prey. Before it could fall, Kaios caught it with precision. He took a deep breath and looked:
Tails.
His face relaxed in slight relief. The coin disappeared. He opened the door and went downstairs. The golden watch on his wrist read [8:58].
In the silent living room, among the expensive furniture, a piece of paper lay on the table. Kaios approached and read:
"I woke up very early and didn't want to bother you. I went to our cousin's funeral. If you want to attend, you know where to find me. [Cath]"
After reading, Kaios put the letter back in its place. He left through the main door. The scent of freshly watered flowers filled the air.
He got into a black car of an extremely expensive brand. He sped down the road at insane speed, reaching the city in less than [15 minutes].
His arrival drove the crowd crazy. People shouted his name, said they adored him, stretched out their hands to touch him. It was as if yesterday's hatred had vanished.
Kaios parked in front of a busy building. A shining sign read:
"Bar: we're waiting for you, Kaios Dervios"
Ignoring the crowd's shouts, he entered. The loud music dominated the environment. The smell of alcohol lingered in the air. There was no huge crowd, but everyone whispered:
"It's him, Mr. Kaios… so handsome!"
Kaios said nothing. He walked up to the terrace. The air was fresh, the street below full of life. He pulled a cigarette from his pocket, put it in his mouth, and grabbed the lighter. Before he could light it, a male voice echoed, full of excitement:
"Hey, you flip the coin too, right? Man, that's so cool!"
Kaios turned to the right. A thin man with dyed red hair and black clothes stared at him closely.
"Who are you?"
Kaios asked, arrogant and suspicious.
The man smiled faintly and replied, excited:
"Ahh, my name's Neik. You know when you flip the coin and it lands on tails? What's the thing you can do?"
Neik moved even closer, his back now to the edge of the terrace. He climbed onto the ledge and said:
"I can do this. Wanna see?"
Without hesitation, Neik threw himself from the building. In free fall, the wind slashed his face. Kaios watched from above. Before hitting the ground, black wings sprouted from his back. He flapped them and flew, moving away from the terrace. He raised his arms and waved at Kaios, as if saying goodbye.
Kaios's face tightened in frustration. He went down to the bar hall, pushing through the crowd that made way for him but still tried to touch him. Ignoring everyone, he entered the bathroom.
On the wall was a large mirror. Approaching it, he shouted in a firm, authoritarian voice:
"Show yourself!"
The mirror glowed red, like fire from hell. The reflection vanished. Kaios, irritated, thundered:
"Why didn't he adore me? Why didn't he beg to touch me? I said it was supposed to be for everyone, no matter who, all of them should see me as a god! Do you understand?!"
Silence ruled the place for a few seconds.
Then, a d
eep and calm voice echoed from the mirror:
"WHENEVER YOU COME TO SPEAK TO ME, REDUCE THIS ARROGANCE AND GREED, KAIOS DERVIOS!"