While he said so, the boy’s finger lightly rubbed against the arm he held.

Wherever his finger touched, Burt’s skin tore open like a fabric being ripped apart, not a drop of blood dripping out of the wound.

Burt wanted to scream, but not a hint of a voice came out of his throat. In front of him, instead of seeing a kid of a little over nine aevis, he saw a bloodthirsty demon out to devour him whole. His throat bobbed up and down, giving him a parched feeling.

However, it wasn’t over. The bloody light spread to Burt’s arm, turning into countless ants before digging in through the torn skin.

Burt’s eyes widened. The ants tore at his muscles, drank his flesh and devoured his bones, while the feeling of pain only intensified, not diminishing in the slightest.

His lips opened and closed countless times, however, his bodily instincts forced him into not making a noise. To him, each passing second felt like an eternity of endless suffering.

“Still not answering? I don’t mind asking again. But remember that it’s the last time I’m asking. What’s the best way to torture someone?”

While speaking, his hand moved again at a lightning speed, cutting open Burt’s remaining three limbs before a swarm of ants began their feast.

Burt opened his mouth, but before he could speak anything, a small hand grabbed his neck. His neck felt hot as a sharp pain flashed through his neck. His eyes widened as he saw red sparks flying around before realising that he could not make a sound.

In desperation, he tried to push the boy away. However, what he met with was an endless pain through all his limbs, strong enough to make him black out.

Never in his life he wanted to black out more than at this moment. However, the next moment, his eyes widened as a voice which felt clear as a sunny sky landed in his ears.

“You’re not thinking of fainting, are you? Not that it matters. You won’t be able to faint, anyway. Hahahaha!”

The boy’s laughter filled with a mixture of an endless madness and bleakness resounded through the forest.

The next instant, boy’s eerie voice whispered in his ears, “You know, it’s then the target of torture can’t vent out their agony.”

Finishing the words, the Boy moved forward, touching Burt’s chest. Burt’s head drooped down, following the boy’s actions.

Similar to his limbs, his chest tore open. The boy’s hands moved nimbly, as one after another like a mechanic, crushing organs left and right, as all sorts of bodily fluids mixed with blood gushed out. However, the moment they came out of the body, sparks of red lightning would devour them, wiping them out of existence.

With each of his organs crushed, Burt’s will to live diminished. He felt something he hadn’t ever felt before — despair. Burt’s lips parted a little as a mouthful of blood gushed out.

A sigh rang out as the boy’s voice echoed, “Sigh… You didn’t even struggle. What a shame. I imagined it to be fun. Now it feels like I was forced to do another chore, and I chose to do it on my own makes me feel worse. Just disappear already. Still, I guess it wasn’t all waste as that kid seemed to like how it went. Well, for the most part, at least.“

He shook his head as he grabbed Burt by his chest before tossing him aside like garbage. Red sparks crackled. Before Burt’s body could touch the ground, the red lightning wiped it out of existence, leaving no traces.

At the side, the fact that someone else used the lightning he commanded, and more than that, the kid who did it, left William tongue-tied.

He couldn’t help but ask, “You’re not Zack, right? W-who are you? And where’s Zack? How did you—”

The kid smiled at him, causing goosebumps to rise on his skin as he cut his words, “That you should be aware of, no? More like, have a guess of your own. All the same thing. And you know, that beast core you’re using is almost empty. You should sit down or your legs will give out again. Still, I gotta say, those types of beast cores were rare since I last checked. It’s amazing you have one. And to be able to use it like this, I’m impressed.”

William wanted to say something, but held himself back. He sat down on the ground before pulling out the broken blade jutting out of his abdomen, his eyes not leaving the kid for even half-a-second.

Looking at William, the kid shook his head. The smile on his face vanished as he sighed before saying, “The boy you’re so concerned about is still here. He was here from the start. Don’t worry. Still, what a pity that his vessel is already falling apart. Even if I want to, I can’t stay here for much longer. Well, I guess I shouldn’t burden it anymore. Till next time, kid! Remember that if you’re strong, no one can do anything. Remember the feeling you felt, alright! And remember to get stronger!”

Following the echoing voice dissipating from the surroundings, the mask crumbled, disappearing.

William’s hand reached out as he said, “Z-Zack?”

However, the boy only turned away as if he hadn’t heard it before taking a seat under a tree, his lonesome back facing William.

His body shook occasionally, while other times he clawed at the ground or stared at his palms.

William couldn’t help but feel distant.

Moments passed like hours as winds blew, carrying a moist smell.

The kid’s head raised, staring up at the clouds as it started to rain, washing away any traces like everflowing tides of time. Yet the kid was there, watching everything happen. And the man was there as well, watching over the kid he sought to take care of. A curtain of silence hung over both, filled with the sounds of water hitting the ground.

A sound of rushed footsteps broke the silence as Aria rushed out of the woods, a cold light flashing through her eyes.

However, a moment later, her expression turned to that of a shock as she went forward and bent down to check on William. Ensuring that he was alright, she hesitated before walking forward and checking on Zack.

“Zack… Are you… alright?” The woman asked, her voice filled with hesitation yet still carrying a tinge of warmth.

The kid’s cold expression crumbled, revealing a soft yet weak smile as he said, “Yes, I am, Aunt. Don’t worry. I just… need some time alone.”

Saying so, the boy hugged his knees, curling into a ball as he stared at the sky crying, filling in for the kid’s dried eye.

Before long, clouds melted in the night sky as the sun climbed up from between the mountains, showering the world with its light.

Amelia’s Perspective

My eyelids twitched as a warmth I hadn’t felt in a long time seeped through. A faint scent of greenery tickled my nose. Surprise flashed through my mind.

However, my head felt heavy. Fighting the desire to sleep for just a moment more, I opened my eyes like there was no tomorrow.

A wooden ceiling I longed to see for over a millenia met my sight as my eyes moistened. Never in my life had I wanted to move my arms and pinch my cheeks to make sure I wasn’t dreaming again.

However, the sensation of sweat on my body, my frail arms and legs, my uneven breath which made me want to puke my stomach out; all these made my heart race.

“Amelia, are you okay?”

My brother’s voice was the final trigger, snapping me back to reality. My body trembled as my clear thoughts turned into a mush. A shaky smile spread across my face as the thoughts of all this being just another wishful dream flashed through my mind. I dared not accept the reality. Yet the pain flooding my head was not a lie.

An endless joy filled my heart as my tears couldn’t help but flow down my face unceasingly.

I-I… I’m actually… I… I’m back. No, it was supposed to be ‘I’m home!’