VERSE I
A heavy breath, short and quick. Audible over him.
His sister, is it his sister?.
A sudden sharp ringing disrupted his hearing, overwhelming him in sound paralysis.
The ringing continued in his ears and rolled his head to slow down the agony seating through him.
Slowly the ringing subsided, and a drifting echo of his name penetrated through his ears.
Where is he?. Silhouettes of different lighting casted upon his closed eyes.
He could configure the environment he was in, by the light being penetrated through his eyelids.
The gods, the dead, the angels , devils, now him.
He had somehow become involved into the mess of creation, all because he just went to buy wood from a store at age five.
A sharp ripple swam through him, etching into his bones, sharp electrification.
Images and visions, of the dead he hath killed, casting upon his face like the call of a mother- whom lost her son.
His name being echoed in the distance, he hath no necessity to arise—not now at least.
it was all too vivid— a realm where the judge God hath given him the taste of his sins, demonstrating the great price he shall pay to completely alleviate it.
He hath done wrong, and cream of the crop, is he — being a servant to the Enemy of Existence...
How?.
A sudden vision came to mind, jarred and blurry but he could still see it.
Yonikaharu's brother, of whom he hath killed when he had chosen to escape the torture hall.
A few years ago, the silver haired kid hath no wrong.
An innocent kid, whom had no say or basic speech.
But according to the rules inculcated and learnt, a witness is a witness... Leave none alive, despite their state of being.
A disastrous decision and probably the most difficult he had to make at a single moment in a spur.
A devilish day for the servants of the house of Omi.
Now in the realm of judgement, at which this kid was latched onto him.
He could see the image... This very baby, tearing apart his flesh and licking his bones.
This very innocent kid had been soaked in his sins, now amongst the dead.
This quiet reflection, he slid a hot tear. Not out of mere pain, but sorrow and distress.
He had now, been placed in the midst of a brewing war...
A war surely destined to come, not now but will be the end — the end of the world.
Executioner? ... Placed amongst highest ranking angels...
No!. The gods aren't foolish, they are wise..
They most probably know his actions and his inept behavior, they know his purpose of accepting their quests and mission, the purpose of accepting their one sided offer to be a slave.
But what are they holding him with, he couldn't comprehend this!.
There is only one main factor, but even that is too shallow of a reason to prolong the death of a mortal- a mortal whom hath desecrated the gods.
Main factor wasn't even a plausible reason, - why would the gods main purpose be to make him stand beside his sister , or to see the inexplicable eternal damnation of a young mortal..
No! There are calculated reasons, reasons that he needs to piece together- these reasons would only be found ....
If he continues to tread on as their slave.
...
" Kato!!" The shrill broken voice jolted him awake.
With a sudden jerk, he opened his eyes sitting upright immediately.
He couldn't decipher his environment right away , but before him ... Was his sister's broken face...
Eyes red, hair filthy, a swollen face with bloody scars.
She looked scared, battered and tired.
" I'm sorry ". She held his hands.
She held his hands!. Kato immediately got out of her grasp, giving Yuki a little scare.
Kato looked at his arms, ... There it lay, across the tattoos, were the scars of the bites and torture he had received in the realm.
It latched onto his skin, with different eccentric patterns.
His focus remained on arms, of which he couldn't move at all.
He wiggled it, feeling the pain sear through his body.
He looked around, his gaze met with gray lifeless rocks- meeting at an opening that seemed like an entrance.
He looked at his sister, who was taken back..
He was just about to ask her, what happened and how did she find this cave?
He stared into her eyes, and she turned away as soon as her eyes met his.
Something was wrong, and he instantly had to take caution.
He slowly observed his surroundings, nothing unnatural except his sister's sudden movements.
He opened his mouth to voice out a word, but it was followed with agony.
He threw up blood instantly, realizing his throat is yet to heal.
Observing the blood, he realized it was still black but now sticky like goo in the realm of judgement.
" You're sorry?" He decided to use that question. He has to endure the pain he received from speech.
He still has questions about this new development inside of him, but it doesn't concern the strange behavior of Yuki now at all.
This question, though risky, was to lure out a sudden type of body charisma or characteristics to affirm something was wrong.
It was risky if, someone hath kidnapped them and is right in this cave with them or Yuki has done something she is not supposed to.
The goal here is to know what!.
She couldn't reply, she just kept her head still not gazing upon her brother.
He glanced at his legs, they were covered in his black blood with markings of fingers and bites.
Ofcourse, she would be scared. Kato concluded her sudden behavior to his looks.
Right now, he has changed- and this seemed permanent.
Even he, doesn't know what he hath done to himself .
All in a bid to protect his sister's innocent sense of justice, he has signed a one way deal with the gods.
He knows the cost, he is aware that he would be used.
But he is ready to embody it, besides — redemption might save him whilst he is still alive.
...
"Why is that mark upon you?" A question that would jeopardize his relationship with his sister forever.
What mark?. He has to answer quick, to make it seem like he doesn't know, but yet has to answer not too fast and with a little pause in his speech.
To place confidence in her heart, that he knows not what she is rambling about.
But that question hit him like an arrow.
He has to erupt a confused tone, though he hath already concluded it was the bite and finger marks.
" Mark? What type?.. " He opened his arms, gesturing her to gaze upon him. He revealed the mark of his rotten core, the black- now- thick scar upon him, covered in purple markings as well as his left cheek.
With a lot of scars and bite marks, he shoo his head.
" What mark?".
And his sister turned towards him suddenly, with an action he had never seen before.
He was shook instantly, and could feel something.
Something that threatened his existence..
His mind jarred instantly, causing him extreme pain. His vision began to fade, waning out like a flame caught by the wind.
He began to see images, images of himself being before a being- a divine being whilst the dead feasted on his flesh.
He let out a groan, a quick expression of pain.
He seethed , gritting his teeth and panting.
That sudden push into the vision must have jumbled his mind.
He has to remain calm, his best hope is that..
T'is should not be his sister, please.
" You always try to win a conversation z even with your own sibling, a strange behavior always exhumed by you to twist the previous intentions of your own family?!" Her voice as cracked and broken.
He couldn't see anything anymore, his mind still causing a strain on his body.
He was confused, what is this sudden happening? What is this sudden confrontation and just what is going on right now?.
"Kato, do not lie to me!". Her tone instantly made Kato fear. What sort of domineering tone is this?. Did something happen whilst he was in the realm of judgement?
He began to simulate worst scenarios in his mind, and he formulated three.
One, this is not his sister and he is thrown to another realm.
Two, he is in back to his world but a devil a simulating an illusion.
Three, it is his sister. Thus, if she hath used her new supernaturalilty to try reviving him and glanced at his memories and his soul ...he is finished.
Shit! Never had he thought about the extent his sister can take justice than now.
He is a family member right?. Damn it!. The gods clearly know what they are doing.
If he is correct, they literally aided and spoke to her to touch him and read his memories and glance at his sins.
Damn it! Ofcourse, they know why he choose to come back.
They wish to take it away from him by soiling their relationship here.
They can literally manipulate her right here!.
To remove the only distraction from the slave deal he hath signed with them, and it was his sister, Yuki.
Wait! Was this why Yuki said she was sorry?.
That means....
Damn it!. They have already forced her to do this .
He couldn't see now, meaning there was divinity before him and hath restored his supernatural blindness.
That means, she too must have been backed in a corner .
No, they shouldn't have anything to do with her!. They would corrupt her, then his main reason for coming back would be useless.
He would be a pawn in their game, he doesn't just know the game.
Never has he ever wished that the last possibility mustn't come to pass than now.
This was his worst fear, he would prefer even the two other options.
He couldn't see, he couldn't speak.
He has to show a sign of surrender to Yuki, and gods watching through her eyes.
He doesn't want her to be entagled in this mess.
Yes, he is aware that she is a gifted which makes it impossible not be in relationship with the gods.
But he prefers that relationship limited.
If the gods take hold of her justice charisma, their bond would be severed here and now.
The symbol of surrender. He knelt down, his palms on his face.
And the next question affirmed his worst fear, the possibility he wishes never happened.
" Why is the mark of Condemnation upon you?"
He could hear her voice bold, and it sent a shiver down his spine.
Mark of Condemnation?. This was even worse than the possibility.
Shit!. The gods!. They used him!.
The mark of Condemnation is only given upon those that hath defied existence, given up on the path of redemption and life and has fully acknowledged the path of death.
He breathing was quicker!. Even if he chose to kill himself, he would be punished to eternal damnation.
Now even redemption has deserted him.
They entrapped him, they ....
They got him good.
Using his sister to do this, a masterful plan.
Now permanently enslaved to the godsz
He hath no choice but to slave away in their bidding. He can't defy them at all, as they can instantly take his life and send him to eternal damnation.
Damn it, and he hath already had a good plan to redeem himself and go back to living a good life.
Now he is shackled, his freedom stripped from him, now in the hands of those with power once again, but now it was damnation.
Damnation, Damnation!.
He bent his head to the side. Everywhere was too calm, it seemed the devils had been killed or they hath retreated.
" Kato", her voice broken and he could tell she doesn't want this choice, but from his immediate experience with the gods.. she is shackled by them too.
Though not like him, more like persuasive shackle of using her beliefs against her.
" Why?" She broke into tears, and he could hear her soft sob.
Yeah... The gods hath finally entrapped the two of them now.
Killing two birds with one stone,
Perhaps a question he would ask the gods once he is strong enough...
Why?