'How much time has passed…'
The boy's eyes stared into the faint light that was reaching out from the surface as his mind had long faded away.
'Hours? Days? Why am I still alive… I do not have any strength left to even scream. I think— I might have lost my voice…'
He slowly opened his mouth yet nothing came out as if his throat had long given up and now no longer allowed him to even speak.
'It hurts so bad… Why am I still conscious… Just why?'
'No— I already know… I wonder if I could have passed out if it was not for the so-called blessing which I call a curse of mine…'
Any normal person would have lost their conscious long ago but this blessing which people praised him for was now the very thing that was torturing him.
He just kept on staring blankly at the faint light that reached out from the water surface in this darkness.
Nothing had changed after all this time. His mind had stopped thinking of it all and his lungs had collapsed from all the icy cold water that rinsed through them.
Yet instead of despairing he simply just smiled… the pain was no longer irritating him or maybe he was just too tired to even think of it. The only discomfort to him was that it was too dam cold.
He was just smiling… oddly as if he had lost his mind. A smile across his face and a peaceful look in his eyes like he was lost in his own world. Left all alone in his own thoughts as he ignored everything around him.
The distinct sound occurred telling the same lines "Give up now and I will ease your suffering"
But ever since that orb entered the boy's body, it dared not even move close to him.
Any normal person would have lost his sanity. Yet the voice kept on echoing, louder and louder.
The distinct voice echoed once more but this time annoyed "Give up! Just accept it and rest. It will become easier for both you and me. Stop being stubborn and give up. This is your last chance. I will not repeat myself"
The voice finally changed into something new, different from a broken recorder repeating the same thing.
…
But still silence from the boy, he just kept on smiling.
The kid's heart felt warmth from the hand that supported him which he could not even see. His skin felt as if it was absorbing something.
And now everything went silent.
The dark shadow slowly creeped towards the boy and touched his face like a worried child.
Odd enough, this shadow was not absorbed into the boy.
The shadow that said it would help him from afar and dared not to come close to him now deliberately came closer and touched the boy's face with no fear.
The voice echoed once more 'How long are you going to endure this madness for?'
The voice of shadow was no longer distorted or sounded like his own voice but deep and that of a curious newborn child poking around.
This time the Kid finally responded 'I still have to keep my promise. So maybe just a little longer…'
Their voices echoed throughout the land and sea.
The shadow figure of his responded, concerned and curious 'But you will suffer for eternity on that promise.' almost sounding like he pitied him.
The figure hand was removed from his cheek and the voice became distorted once again and said enraged "This is your last chance to give up, after this. I will never return—" but was cut off by the boy.
'Be it then' the boy paused and smiled peacefully 'I have a feeling the end is near… Be it this nightmare or my life.'
The shadow smiled back "Stubborn till the very end… haha let it be. After all, it`s only a matter of time before it all starts all over again"
And that figure slowly disappeared.
The kid noticed the water level had moved closer to his face as his back faced against the ground. His eyes slowly closed his eyes as if he was finally falling asleep and bright light took over his sight.
A scenery flashed before him of a sick red haired woman on her bed in a ruined building. Her body was weak yet dignified. Her face was blurred from light as she reached her hand out towards the boy's face like a motherly love.
The boy raised his arms as they escaped the grasp of water.
He faintly whispered 'Mother~' as he tried to hold onto the froggy memories of her just for him to fail once again as he woke up screaming.
Plob.
'AHHHHHHHH' The boy woke up on his bed, heavily breathing while tightly grabbing onto Rhina's hand.
Rhina next to him also woke up screaming out loud.
The wind blew in from the window and moments after Ananke ran from the room next door and broke open the door from its hinges making it fall down cleanly with a wooden sword, ready to strike as he looked around.
The only thing he found was the kid yawning, munching his dry lips like nothing happened while Rhina screaming at him 'THE DOOR WAS NOT EVEN LOCKED.'
Ananke apologized 'Sorry.. I will fix this up…' as he looked confused and asked 'So why were you screaming—' while rubbing his eyes.
Rhina 'Oh yea, he woke up.' as she looked towards the kid who was scratching his hair and yawning, looking away towards the window.
'5 more minutes' as he took over the blanket and went back to sleep.
Rhina instantly hits him saying 'Don`t just go back to sleeping after 3 whole dam days of not waking up.'