An unknown strength came to his body as he picked up the girl by her neck collar and jumped from the window,
while, with a creak, the gate opened, and then, like a flash,
the world shattered before Noen's eyes, as if the dark had consumed the void, and reality had vanished.
The shadows engulfed the ground like a black plague, and before he could think of anything, a soft voice echoed, breaking the silence.
"Mister… w-what's happening?"
Her voice stuttered, as if scared by the endless sea of dark. Yet Noen remained calm, still somewhat wary of his surroundings. Then, like a single stroke of a note, a voice followed.
"You should ask why it's happening to you, little miss."
"Who's there?" Noen shouted, as a voice followed, replying to his curiosity.
"I'm no mere… the darkness that followed you on your path."
"What do you mean by that, and what do you want?"
"Well, the question should not be why I am here.
The question should be why you are here."
"Would you stop twisting the question I'm asking?"
"Ohh well, you still don't understand how twisted you are.
But what if I'm here… for that little miss standing behind yours?"
Sera stuttered, hiding further behind Noen's back, as he growled at the unknown voice.
"Hey, what do you want from her?"
"Ohh well well, such hostility. Not quite your nature, Noen Vale."
"How do you know my name?"
"You should ask what I know more… about you."
"Can you shut your mouth? You are getting annoying."
"Uhh… I'm getting annoying? Hehehe."
"Well, I'm also tired. That's what you always say."
Noen frowned slightly at the comment, but suddenly…
The world stopped in silence as something stuttered.
A rumbling occurred beneath his feet as the ground crumbled, and before he could realise, tentacle-like arms flung out with striking speed. Their piercing tips shone in the dark like a burning eclipse, as the man's maniacal laughter filled the void.
"I'm done playing."
The whip-like tentacles moved like whips, slashing the air with the sound of speed. Each strike crushed the space like shattering glass.
In that moment, Noen jumped toward Sera, who was crouching in fear, holding her head, and without thinking, he grabbed her in a carry princess, shielding her with his own body, as he moved forward with that unknown strength running through his body.
"How far can you run? There's no escape to this darkness."
"Hah ha." He huffed, as Noen growled in a mocking tone.
"Shut your mouth. If you dare, show yourself."
"My appearance isn't worth mentioning here, as you already know who I am."
"…What does he mean by that?" Noen muttered to himself.
Taking his breath in, he dashed forward, somehow dodging incoming attacks, as if his instincts could see them.
The ground crumbled further as demonic, hand-like creatures crawled out from the darkness below, turning the solid ground into devouring mud, but before they could reach him, he jumped into the air, trying to reach the other side.
But then a worm-like creature tore through the ground, almost swallowing him along with the girl. Unable to escape, he threw Sera away.
"Ahhhh!"
She screamed through her lungs, landing hard on her hips, shifting her focus toward him, about to call him, but what she saw froze her breath.
Noen was stuck in the endless path of teeth inside, worms mouth, his guts stuck out like limping flesh. His gaze became lifeless. Blood gushed out like showering water, filling the dark with the taste of blood. With each passing second, the worm bit through his every flesh before it swallowed him whole.
Her face went dark as she looked at the monster eating Noen. Her hands trembled, her voice stuttered, trying to force something out of her mouth. Tears flowed endlessly down her cheeks as her breath turned shallow.
"M-Mister…?"
She almost collapsed from the sight, but then Noen, like a zombie, tore out from the worm's stomach. Looking at the dark with his dissolved face covered in crimson blood,
his eyes were cold, yet inside, he was shocked by the monstrous strength in his body.
Then that same voice resonated again.
"That was quite a show."
"But…"
It's just the beginning.
"What do you want?" Noen screamed at him through his lungs.
"Oh well, I just want to see you in despair."
"Bullshit."
Those tentacles closed up the distance in an instant. His surroundings tremored from the aura as Noen's cold-like eyes looked at the sky with a piercing gaze.
He didn't flinch, nor did he take a step back, looking at the tentacle with no fear in his eyes.
And with a splurt, it pierced his head. Blood poured out like a never-ending stream, and in the distance, Sera, unable to bear seeing it more, vomited before collapsing on the ground. Noen sensed she collapsed, and as if worried about her.
His hand moved on its own as it grabbed the tentacle with a choking grip. With a swing, he pushed through it all, trying to pull something. His muscle tore, bones shattered, and blood gushed out from all over his body before it all regenerated. As if his strength had increased, he pulled all of it in one go, tearing the tentacle into two bits before throwing it onto the ground, and behind that, a shadow cheered for him from the unknown.
"Pleasant job, Noen. I'm impressed by your peer determination."
"But, it's not like you."
"Heh."
"I was never like this. The world made me the monster who I am."
Just as he said that, he rushed toward Sera to pick her up. Seeing a safe place, he laid her on the ground again, turning back toward the hollow darkness.
"So what's really you want? I have asked this question already many times."
"Quite confidence you have gained after merely falling into despair. I love the reality show of yours."
"But Noen, remember…"
his voice suddenly shifted into a deep tone. Its every breath sounded like piercing needles.
"I'm the darkness that follows you. I'm your fate. I'm the burning cause your parents died, and I'll be the one who will make you remember that despair again."
"Hahaha."
As if dumbstruck by hearing him mention his parents, he stood motionless. Those bad memories, suppressed by his inner self, came out like someone had opened the inner valve.
His face became darker the more he fell into despair. Time itself had stopped for him.
As the smiling-like entity appeared in front of him, descending upon the ground, his smile stretched across his face with an uncanny look as he smiled "more", as its hand transformed into sharp claws, moving closer.
"Despair is the silent scream that gave birth to me.
Your fear is the key that shaped me.
I'm the looming shadow of your own self…"
"I'm you, Noen Vale."
As he said that, he pierced something more than the heart, a soul that remained burning till the end. Darkness vanished as that entity stood, seeing Noen's own demise.
Only one voice echoed like whispering voices inside Noen's head.
Is this the end?
***