As Jilaal entered the room wearing an eerie smile, Tuziku felt a disturbing atmosphere as the air filled with malice.
"Helmon, could you kindly leave us now?"
Jilaal said calmly.
Tuziku gasped.
"Father—wait!"
"Yes, Master Jilaal," he replied, unable to meet Tuziku's eyes.
"I'm sorry, son," Helmon mumbled softly.
Helmon left the room in a state of utter disgrace.
"Jiqu!" Jilaal called.
"Coming, Father."
Jiqu entered.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Tuziku," Jilaal said with a twisted grin.
"Please… I want to go home. I won't ever come back, so please, let me go!" Tuziku begged.
"But you're already here," Jilaal replied with an ominous smile.
At that moment, Tuziku understood.
This is my fate.
"Let's get this over with," Jiqu muttered.
As Tuziku endured the second day of the cruel purification, he repeated one thought to himself:
It'll all be over soon. I just have to endure it.
As he lay there, barely conscious, Jilaal spoke softly.
"I can't wait until your little sister comes to visit us, Tuziku."
Jiqu laughed as he and Jilaal began walking toward the exit.
Those words pierced Tuziku deeper than anything else.
Something inside him broke.
A cold emptiness spread through his chest.
Everything began to fade.
A green, slimy substance began to secrete from Tuziku's body.
Drip... drip...
Sizzle...
Jilaal paused
"Hmm?"
"Did you hear that, Jiqu?"
Crack!
Thud!
They turned—and froze.
Tuziku stood before them, his body covered in acid that melted everything it touched.
"Ahhh!!" Tuziku screamed in agony.
"What the hell is happening?!" Jiqu yelled.
"He has powers?!" Jilaal shouted.
"It burns...!" Tuziku cried.
Sizzle... sizzle...
"Jiqu, we have to run! Call the Salvation Army!" Jilaal shouted.
Jiqu couldn't move.
Tuziku stepped forward.
Thud...
Thud...
Sizzle...
The bloodlust radiating from him was so intense that Jiqu felt death looming over him.
"It hurts!"
"Jiqu, run!" Jilaal screamed as he turned and fled.
Jiqu finally snapped out of his fear and turned to escape.
"Father, wait!"
Tuziku stretched out his arm.
Suddenly—
An unstable stream of acid shot forth from his hand, engulfing Jiqu's upper body.
In an instant, it was gone.
Thud...
Jiqu's lower half collapsed to the floor.
"ARGHHHHHHH!!" Tuziku screamed.
CHAPTER END