PART 13 :-
THE DAY HE BORN
[In someone's memory. At a hospital in Land of Aaru. ]
A man rushed down the corridor, desperate to see someone. Behind him, a thin five-year-old boy struggled to keep up.
"Where is she? Where is Latia, doctor?"
"She is alright, but—"
"What's the matter?"
"Congratulations. You have another son."
"Oh… thank God for blessing me with a boy. I'm so glad it's not a girl."
"Did you hear that, Orin? You have a brother now."
But the boy didn't listen. His attention was fixed on his mother. He sat beside her and asked softly,
"Mother, are you alright?"
"Thank you for thinking about me, my son. I'm alright," the woman replied, lying weakly on the bed.
"Where is my son? I'm dying to see him," the man said.
"Please, listen to me first, sir—"
But the man ignored him and walked toward the newborn child.
"Why are his eyes so dark?"
"Your child was born with a curse."
"What?! You must be mistaken. No one in my lineage has ever been born with a curse."
"I'm sorry, sir, but it's true. Because of your earlier instruction, we saved the child—but your wife can no longer bear another. Her health is also fragile."
After saying that, the doctor quietly left.
"You filthy, useless woman. Do you realize what you've done? Do you understand how society will look at me now?" he shouted angrily.
"I'm sorry…" she whispered.
"What are you sorry for? Destroying my life? You gave me a child this weak—he is the weakest kid I have ever seen. You told me the next child would be strong. I gave you every chance to prove yourself, and you still fell short. You can't even give birth to another child. Who is going to carry my lineage? This cursed child?!"
"I have to kill him…"
"Please wait… take my life, but spare our child."
"He's yours, not mine. If I don't kill him, people will look at me differently."
"I will cast a spell on him. No one will realize that he is cursed."
"Do you know the consequences of that spell?"
"Yes… and I will accept anything to save my child."
He leaves the place.
"Mother, what is happening??"
"It's going to be alright. Promise me, Orin, that you'll stay with your brother when I'm not around."
"Okay, Mother."
[ In the present time. At a food shop in Memphis. ]
"Hey, your food is ready."
"Huh?! Oh… thank you for your help."
"It looks like you're thinking about something deep. You should come earlier—then you can get food at a normal amount."
"Money isn't as important as my brother's life. I have to get back before Father comes."
"What are you talking about!?"
The boy leaves the shop.
...
Orin perspective :-
[In front of the house. On the ground.]
"What's going on?"
Father and his wife lie on the ground, wounded.
"Your brother has become a monster. Thank God my daughter isn't here—otherwise, he would have surely killed her."
"Ere did this to you?"
"A dark aura has consumed him. There's no way he can return to normal. If you want to save him from being killed by the warriors, you must stop him before he harms anyone from the upper clans. You're the only one who understands him better than anyone else. He only listens to you."
What?! My brother is in danger. What should I do, Mother?
...….
PART 14 :-
A MEMORY OF PAST
Dex perspective :-
In the end, we all lost. How was he able to recover from our attack so quickly? The guards are useless here—none of the real warriors are present to neutralize the threat.
He has fully recovered now. He looks at the guards, and a single dark slash is enough to send them flying. It knocks them all back—some of them collapse on the ground.
"Erebus, you need to stop now!"
Bright is still trying to reach him. His monstrous black form remains, but it looks like he still has some sense left inside him.
Why am I so useless right now? If I were just a little stronger, I could help him.
...….
Erebus perspective :-
"They will pay the price for what they did."
"Who!?"
"And now, those who left me behind—my group members—they're going to die. And after that, I will erase the existence of this society."
"There are still people who love you. You just need to see them."
"Love me? Those people are dead. There is nothing left here."
"Don't talk to them—just kill them."
That voice still echoes in my mind. But I can see the memories… why do I feel that pain again?
[ A memory inside Erebus's mind, ]
[At a small house]
"It's so tasty, Mother."
"Do you like it?"
"Of course! I love whatever you make for me. It's the most delicious."
"Hey, don't eat everything. If you do, Mother will have to go to sleep hungry again."
"Orin, don't stop him. Ere, eat until your stomach is full."
"Why don't you eat with me too, Mother?"
"Then who's going to feed you? And besides, I'm not hungry."
"Mother, you spoil Brother too much."
"Orin, don't say that. Do you want me to feed you as well?"
"I'm not a kid anymore." with embarrassment.
"Big Brother is jealous! Hehe!"
"Hey, I'm not jealous. At your age, I didn't even use my hands—Mother always fed me."
"Both of you, stop now. Oris, finish your meal before it gets cold."
"Big Brother, after this, promise you'll play with me."
[A man enters.]
"You disgusting people—what are you laughing for? My life is hell because of you, and you still enjoy it?"
He kicks Orin and moves to strike Erebus, but their mother steps in and shields him.
"Please… you can hit me as much as you want. But don't hurt Erebus."
He grabs her by the hair and says—
"How are you still alive? Did you really think that spell would work? You were supposed to die within a year or two, but you're still here. I can't even marry another woman because of you."
"Father, please don't hit Mother."
"You cursed child—stay away from me."
"Orin, go to the other room with your brother."
"But Mother…"
"Do what I said."
[In the other room.]
"Big Brother, why does Father hate me so much?"
"Because you possess a curse."
"What is a curse?"
"You'll understand when you grow up."
[ In the present time, ]
"Don't think too much. Just go and kill everyone—make a statement."
The voice comes back again.
"Go for the girl first. If she dies, they won't be able to harm you. She's a princess—if you hurt her, your fear will reach the heavens."
I grab her waist; she doesn't have the strength to fight back.
"Leave her, Erebus. You can still come back."
"I warned you before—this is what you wanted from the start. Anyone who stands in my way is going to die."
"Please, Erebus, don't let your darkness win."
"Too late for that."
I start tightening my grip. She begins to cry out in pain.
"I said stoooopp hurting her!" he shouts, full of rage.
...
PART 15 :-
THE FAMILY WITH DARKNESS
[ The time when Orin in search of food. ]
[In front of the house.]
"Darling, where are your useless sons? Look—we've come back after days of work, and Orin isn't even here to greet us."
"I'm sorry, honey. It looks like I'll have to teach them a lesson. And don't call them my sons—it feels like an insult to me."
"Hello, Father. You've been working hard for days, and I didn't even greet you. I'm sorry."
"I don't want greetings from a cursed child. Don't speak to me.
What happened, honey? Why are you looking so scared?"
He turns around.
"What?! Who are you?!"
"It's a shame you can't recognize me, Father. Do I look that bad? Or is it because you haven't seen me for months?"
"Erebus… is that you?"
"Oh, Father, I'm glad you remember my name."
"What have you become? You look like a monster. A dark aura has consumed you."
"You don't like it? I thought this was what you always imagined me to be. Isn't that why you gave me that name? The darkness you always saw inside me."
"Relax, son… we can talk—"
"Ha… hahaha… I'm so happy you want to talk to me now."
He comes closer.
"Oh, sorry, madam… I'm so sorry. I scared you. Where is your daughter? Is she alright?"
"You've been working hard, haven't you, Father? I'll erase all your worries—by killing you."
"Ere, try to understand me! I am your father."
"Don't call me that," he says, his voice filled with rage.
"Only Mother and Big Brother have the right to call me that. You don't have that authority."
"I am your father! I always cared for you, my boy. You need to understand the pressure I was under at that time—it was all because of them."
"You cared for me? After Mother died, you gave us food only once a day. We slept hungry for days, and you never came to see us. Brother was sick, and you still didn't care—even though he wasn't cursed. We were just laborers to you, doing all the housework, living in that ruined house."
"I'm sorry… I was forced by my clan."
"I'm sorry for what I did to Latia."
Erebus grabs his father by the throat.
"Don't you dare say her name. You don't deserve to call her after the torture and trauma you gave her."
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry for your mother as well. Please, let me go."
The woman tries to escape, but a black arrow stops her.
"Where are you going, madam? You also owe me something—and I intend to return it."
They are wounded and on the edge of death.
"I'm not going to kill you, Father. Nor you, madam. I want you to watch me destroy this society. You're going to witness the monster you created.
And madam… I will kill you after I kill your daughter in front of you."
"That's going to be very satisfying."
...
Orin perspective :-
"You have to kill your brother. He can't come back to his normal form again."
"Who the hell are you to decide his fate? He's my brother, and I'm not letting him die—not because of a promise to Mother, but because I love him. He's the only family I have."
"You're weak. You can't win against him."
"He became a monster not because he's cursed, but because he had a cursed family like us. All he ever wanted was your attention and love."
"He is cursed, and your mother is the reason for that. Because of her, both of your lives suffered."
"Don't you dare say anything bad about Mother, or I'll do what he couldn't finish here. You used her like a tool. You hated her, yet whenever you had desires, you went to her at night. You slept with so many women even though you were married. You hit her whenever you were angry. The only thing that kept you alive was the morality Mother gave us—otherwise, I would have killed you long ago."
"Now you're going to tell me—where is he?"
"I don't know… he said he needs to repay everyone who treated him badly."
The market… he must have gone there. I have to reach him before he does something unforgivable.
[ In the memories of Orin. ]
[On a bed where Latia lies.]
"Mom, you'll be alright… won't you?"
"Yeah… what could possibly happen to me, silly?"
"I know you're lying. I heard Father talking to someone. Because of the spell you used on Brother, you're getting weaker every day… you're going to die soon. What will I do without you?"
"I know you'll be okay without me. But don't forget your promise. Your brother needs someone—otherwise, his darkness will emerge, and he'll lose himself."
"You worry about him too much. He doesn't even care about you."
"You're wrong, Orin. He loves me very much."
"How do you know?"
"A mother always knows her child's feelings. He loves you too. When I told him you were weaker than the others, he said, 'When I grow up, I'll protect my brother.'
So, Orin… please support his dream when he needs your help."
...