Darkness did not just fall. It pressed in from every side.
"Kova, we have to hurry," a voice whispered.
"Once we're finished here, we'll come back for the rest."
"But we can't just leave them," another voice replied, smaller and younger.
A cold laugh cut through the dark. "Who cares? They'll follow us whether they want to or not. Let's go."
The voices faded.
Kota sat in the estate library across from his father. He felt small here. His feet didn't even touch the floor.
"Now remember, son," Kalamity said. "There are four forbidden acts. The first is Forbidden Blood. The second is Forbidden Demon. The third is the Forbidden Act of Eyes."
Kota frowned. "Dad, this is too much. I thought we were going to train."
Kalamity placed a heavy hand on his shoulder. "There's time for training. Be patient."
He leaned back. "The last one is the Forbidden Void. You already know what it does."
Kota answered without thinking. "It erases people. Sends their souls into the Void."
"Yes," Kalamity nodded. "But it can also be used for travel… if you don't lose yourself to what's inside."
Kota gripped the edge of his seat. "I want to learn about the Eyes."
"There are three," Kalamity said, voice dropping. "All belonging to the Three-Eyed Horseman. The first is the Future Seeker. The second is the Death Eye. The third…"
A scream tore through the library.
"Sound the alarm!" a guard shouted from the halls. "The secret scrolls have been stolen!"
Kalamity stood instantly. The warmth in his voice vanished. "Hide. Now."
A low laugh came from the shadows behind him.
"I know what you're thinking, Father," the voice said. "It's already too late."
The air split open. A figure stepped out of the Void like he was walking through a door.
Kalamity's breath caught. "How did you—"
The figure pulled off his mask.
"Hello, Father."
Koma's fist went through Kalamity's chest.
Blood sprayed across the books.
For a second, Koma's hand trembled as he pulled it back. Just slightly. Then it steadied.
Kalamity choked on his own blood. "Your eyes… Koma… what happened to you?"
Koma looked into the dark and spoke calmly.
"Kova… I've marked him. Open the portal."
Kota's scream tore out of him.
"Father!"
Lightning swallowed everything.
Kota woke up gasping.
"Tch. Same old dream."
He sat up slowly and rubbed his face with both hands. For a moment, he stayed like that, breathing through the weight sitting on his chest.
Even after everything… I still think about him.
The thought came bitter and quiet.
He kept me locked away like some kind of weapon. Treated me like I was already broken. And I still miss that old bastard.
His hands tightened into fists against his knees.
But they killed him.
The bitterness shifted into something colder.
They killed him… and I'm going to make sure every last one of them pays for it.
He stayed there in the dark, letting the thought settle. Revenge wasn't loud. It was quiet. Heavy. Something he carried with him every single day.
Footsteps echoed from the cave entrance.
"Kota, I'm back," Leiya called as she stepped inside. She dropped a bundle of supplies and immediately wrinkled her nose. "You reek of Yen again. I told you to mask it. There are people nearby."
She stopped when she saw his face.
Her hand lifted half an inch toward him then dropped. She swallowed instead.
"…It's getting worse," she said quietly. "Your pupils. Your hair."
She took a slow breath. "Your Yen is leaking again. You're coming apart."
Kota didn't look at her. "Stop talking like I don't already know."
Leiya didn't back down. She stood there, watching him the same way she always did when he tried to push her away.
"I promised I'd take care of you," she said. "If something happened to your father."
Kota was quiet for a long moment.
Then he finally answered, voice low.
"…I know."
The Yen in the cave pressed against the walls, heavy and restless.
Leiya sat down across from him without another word.
For now, that was enough.