"Brother... I'm scared."
Ryan looked at his little sister, Ara. Her eyes held the same innocence they always did. But today... today something was different. Beads of sweat glistened on her forehead, and her breathing was rapid.
"Nothing will happen, Ara. I'm here." Ryan stroked her head. But there was no conviction in his own voice.
He looked out the window of the room; the sky was an eerie red. As if it had been stained with blood. There was a strange smell in the air... like burnt ashes.
"Brother... this mark..." Ara showed him her wrist.
Ryan's heart stopped.
On his sister's wrist... a black mark was appearing. Slowly spreading. Like something alive. Ash-black... but red smoke was rising from it.
"Ashen Mark..." Ryan's breath hitched.
He had heard that name in stories. Old people said that whoever had this mark on their body... wouldn't live for more than three days.
"No... no no no!" Ryan hugged Ara tightly. "You'll be alright. I... I'll call someone. A doctor... or... or someone!"
But who? Who in this city knew about curses?
Then—
BOOOOM!
A massive explosion rocked the center of the city. The walls of the house shook. The windowpanes shattered.
"Brother!" Ara screamed.
Ryan shielded her against the wall. His own shoulder was cut by the glass, blood flowing. But he didn't care.
He looked out the window—
And the sight that greeted him was like a nightmare.
In the center of the city... a colossal creature stood. As tall as a ten-story building. Its body was made of black smoke, but bones were visible within... human bones... thousands of bones intertwined.
Its eyes... red... burning...
"Curse..." Ryan's voice trembled.
People were running in the streets. Screams... cries... and the monster... was walking slowly... buildings crumbling with every step.
"Brother... I'm cold..."
Ryan turned around.
Ara... had collapsed to the ground.
Her entire arm was now black. The mark was spreading to her neck.
"No! Ara! Ara, look at me!" Ryan ran to her. He lifted her into his arms. "Just a little longer... we'll get out of here... then you'll be alright... Please, Ara... listen to me..."
Ara tried to smile faintly.
"Brother... please... forgive me... I... I was weak..."
"No! You're not weak! You—"
His voice choked.
Ara's eyes... were slowly closing.
Ashes began to rise from her body.
"Ara? Ara!"
But there was no answer.
His sister... in his arms... was slowly... turning to ash.
Ryan screamed. A scream that tore from his soul. He held onto Ara tightly... but she slipped through his fingers... turning to ash... and blowing away in the wind...
And then...
Nothing was left.
Only her red ribbon... the one she always wore.
Ryan picked it up and stared at it.
No tears fell from his eyes.
Something inside him had broken. Something that could perhaps never be mended.
"Why...?"
His voice was hollow.
"Why her? She... she never hurt anyone... She was just... she was just..."
Then—
Another explosion from outside.
The Curse roared again. And now it was coming this way.
Ryan went to the window.
The monster... was getting closer.
And then he saw—
On his left palm.
There... a mark was appearing.
Black. Like ash. But a red light emanated from it.
The Ashen Mark.
The same one... that Ara had.
But this one... was different. Stronger. Sharper. It hurt... but at the same time... it gave him strength.
Ryan clenched his fist.
The mark glowed brighter.
Black flames erupted from his hand.
"If this is a curse..." his voice turned cold. "Then I will use it."
He jumped out of the window.
He landed on the ground... but wasn't hurt.
A sphere of black flames formed beneath his feet... absorbing the impact.
In front of him... stood the colossal Curse.
Ryan looked up at the sky.
The red sky... the burning city... and the mark glowing on his hand.
"You took everything from me..."
There was fire in his eyes.
"Now I will burn you all."
And at that moment—
A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky.
But it wasn't lightning. A man... was descending from the sky.
Yellow hair. A red coat. With a strange glint in his eyes.
And he... was smiling.
"Hmm... so it's you."
His voice was calm... yet dangerous.
Ryan looked at him. "Who are you?"
The man took a cigarette from his pocket. (But didn't light it... just put it in his mouth.)
"My name is Kai. And you... were about to die."
"What?"
Kai gestured behind him.
Ryan turned around—
The giant hand of the Curse... was lunging towards him.
Fast... incredibly fast...
Ryan couldn't move.
But—
"I'm bored of waiting."
Kai raised one hand.
And—
BOOM!
A beam of white light... pierced through Curse's chest.
The giant monster... paused for a second...
Then... its entire body exploded.
It disintegrated into ash.
The whole city... fell silent once more.
Rayan was speechless.
How... how is this possible?
Kai looked at him.
"You're alive... that means the time has come."
"What... do you mean?"
Kai took his hand, where the Ashen Mark was.
"It means... your true story begins now, Rayan."
And that night...
The night Rayan lost everything...
That was also the night... his new life began.
Chapter 1 - END
Next Chapter 2: "The Man Who Walked Through Fire"