Beyond darkness

Chapter 34 - JP ARC

Curse...

"One Less problem we have to fight through..."

Izumi clutched Wrath's power core in his hand and surveyed the aftermath of the battle. The wailing sirens of ambulances and police cars echoed in the distance, signaling the destruction and chaos that had been wrought. He consumed the power core with a mixture of hesitation and desperation, feeling an overwhelming surge of energy and hatred coursing through his body. Instantly, he regretted his decision and a sense of fear crept into his mind as he realized the potential consequences of his actions.

Izumi fell to the ground, his left hand clutching his face as searing pain coursed through his body. His skin burst into cuts, blood pouring from the wounds. He cried out in a mix of agony and frustration, pounding the ground with his other fist.

The paramedics rushed over to help Izumi, but he angrily pushed them away. "I'm fine!" he shouted, his eyes burning with rage. He stumbled away, refusing any help, his mind consumed with thoughts of Lilith and the power he had consumed.

He approached a window and gazed at his reflection, his face contorted in pain. Red lines marked the left side of his face, but he couldn't make out what was causing them

He walked with a slow gait, and as he did, time seemed to slow down around him. Suddenly, Proserpine appeared out of nowhere, seemingly materializing into the daytime.

She stared at Izumi in shock and disbelief, shouting out what he had just done and feeling the pain he was experiencing as if it were her own.

Prosperpine's voice was filled with concern as she looked at Izumi. "Did you consume the power of Wrath? You do realize the consequences of your actions, don't you? By doing so, you have been infected with the Curse of Wrath... not many can endure it."

Izumi looked at her with a blank expression, not fully comprehending the gravity of the situation. "What do you mean? What curse?"

Prosperpine's voice became more urgent. "The Curse of Wrath is one of the most dangerous and destructive curses. It will make you feel uncontrollable anger and hatred toward everything and everyone around you. If you're not careful, it could consume you completely."

Izumi's eyes widened in horror as the reality of what he had done set in. He had thought that consuming the power of Wrath would help him in his quest, but now he realized his terrible mistake.

"I'm heading home... I'll find a way to deal with this," he muttered, as he walked away.

At the Sohzen village.

As Keira arrived at the Sohzen village, the first person she saw was her brother Kagira. He was standing near the entrance, looking around nervously. When he saw Keira, he was shocked, and his eyes filled with tears.

"Keira? Is it you?" Kagira asked, tears streaming down his face.

Keira ran towards her brother, tears of joy filling her own eyes. She hugged him tightly, feeling the warmth of his embrace. It had been years since they had last seen each other, and Keira had missed her brother terribly.

"Yes, it's me, Kagira. I'm back," Keira said, her voice choked with emotion.

Kagira pulled away from the embrace, looking at Keira with a mix of happiness and sadness. "I can't believe you're here. I missed you so much," he said, wiping his tears away.