Parallel (A Virtual Gamer's Story) [Vol.1 - Vol.4 Complete]

Chapter 26: Darkness

Alure's Crypt.

8:20 p.m. 16th Peniel 1091.

Since time immemorial, darkness had been associated with evil and misfortune. As such, it had many forms. There was its base nature, an area devoid of light. Then there were other forms, like despair, fear, torture, sorrow, pain, and many others.

Humans hated all forms of darkness by nature. When cast into sudden darkness, they crawled their way to the light, no matter how painful it might have been. In times when they realized there was no light to run to, they went crazy with terror and descended into utter despair. It was quite common for them to take their own lives, even if they had food with them.

However, there were exceptions to this. There existed humans who were born in darkness, or were subjected to so much darkness that they evolved and adapted to it rather than give up.

Syèl was an amalgamation of both types. Not only had he been born into darkness, he had also been subjected to so much of it in his short lifetime that he could not be any friendlier with the silent beast. The halben released a sigh as he placed a hand on the head resting on his legs. Fear had a way of tiring people out, and Shokō had given in to that fatigue. She had fallen asleep on his shoulder and then her head fell onto his lap a few minutes later.

Immersed in the darkness, Syèl accidentally slipped into thoughts of his past. Of his very first memory...

???

Covered in darkness, a dense mass pressed down on him, cutting off his supply of air and paralyzing his body. His sole companions were voices drifting in from beyond whatever pressed down on him. He tried to call for help, but the mass on him stifled all his cries, and a thick, metallic-tasting liquid seeped into his open mouth, blocking both his windpipe and esophagus. He could not push the mass away because his hands were trapped by his sides.

Oblivious to his struggle, a couple of people were having a hearty discussion somewhere close enough for him to hear.

"Hahaha, the fool should have just paid up."

"Did you hear him beg for his son's life?"

"Fat blobs like him are a waste of time. Where's the kid?"

"Dunno. He must have run away and left his old man."

"Che. This is why I hate these pricks. How does someone even get this fat living in a place like this?"

"Who knows? Come on, Wes, the cops will be here soon."

The sound of something being crushed was followed by one of the men sighing. "Sure, sure. Let's beat it. Find the kid!"

"Sure thing, boss."

The trapped child was losing his battle, his lungs hurting more and more as they begged for air. Typically, he should have lost consciousness by then, but the young boy possessed extraordinary willpower that kept his body in the fight just a bit longer. Whenever he drifted off, he would will himself awake, pushing himself to live.