Chapter 99: A tear
With his mother’s heart-wrenching cry ringing in his ears, Kael’s indifferent expression faltered completely.
And he began to run through the heavy rain toward the bamboo forest that stood proudly toward the sky like spears.
As he moved forward, his steps became faster and faster. In the reflection of the stagnant water puddles, his body appeared distorted. And at the same time, all kinds of thoughts crossed his mind, imagining the worst possible scenario.
As he made his way through the bamboo, his expression, which had initially wavered, hardened, and his eyes grew darker and darker.
He accepted that this scream was the last he would ever hear from her.
Not long after, deep in the bamboo forest, Kael came upon an old shed, half rotted away from the damp. His long black hair fell messily over his face, completely hiding his expression.
Despite the constant pounding of the rain, a sound managed to filter through the murmur of the water: faint, irregular gasps.
He advanced steadily, though his boots sinking into the mud made a dull, heavy noise. The closer he got, the more a thick, pungent metallic smell filled the air. Blood. The scent was unmistakable. And with it, something inside Kael died.
The darkness in his eyes grew denser. More empty.
With each step in the rain, memories tangled in his mind. Images of his mother, warm and distant, began to mix with fragments of his former life. Faces, scenes, decisions. Everything superimposed. Everything distorted.
And this time, if Alessia was still alive... or if she was already dead, it was his fault.
No one else’s.