68~ Stranger to Myself

Inside a ruined castle standing amid a vast expanse of land, Vale sat at its highest point alongside another man. Whatever the man had told him seemed to have amused him greatly.

Vale burst into laughter.

"Good. Things are going exactly as they should."

The other man looked at him in disbelief.

"What? Are you saying you wanted Bahaa to die?"

"I was going to kill him anyway, Kyle..."

Kyle wore a black cloak, and two scars stretched from his forehead to his head. He smiled confidently before asking,

"What now? Are you goinna kill me next?"

Vale turned toward him, narrowing his eyes.

"You know well that I'm just using you, don't you, Kyle?"

"I'm spending my time with you to find someone worth fighting, too."

Vale laughed again.

"Is that really your only goal?"

Kyle's smile vanished, replaced by a cold expression.

"Do you remember the state I was in when you found me? Everyone abandoned me because of the power I possessed. I spent my childhood being treated like trash."

He scratched his head before adding,

"I think I would've ended up killing myself if you hadn't found me."

Vale turned his gaze back toward the horizon.

"I did nothing for your sake. I saw a power I needed in you. That's all. And if you want to thank me, go kill my little brother."

Kyle's eyes widened.

"Seriously?!"

"Yes. I really don't want to kill him with my own hands, so spare me the trouble, Kyle."

A broad smile spread across Kyle's face. Vale then added,

"And preferably, wait for him here."

"What makes you think he'll come?"

Vale turned toward him, his Bloody Eyes glowing.

"Are you seriously asking me that question?"

...

Bahaa's final moments flashed through Wail's mind. He remembered the innocent smile on his friend's face as he said,

"Finish the journey for me, my friend."

Then he fell from the cliff.

Wail walked alongside Evelyn, his expression cold and distant. At last, he murmured in a barely audible voice,

"I... killed him."

He clenched his fists tightly.

Evelyn turned toward him hesitantly.

"D-Did you say something?"

Wail shot her a sharp look but didn't answer. He simply continued walking.

After a moment, she spoke again.

"You seem to regret your decision to kill him. I don't know whether he was your friend or not, but I think you did the right thing."

Wail stopped and turned toward her.

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"Your tone has changed. What happened to you?"

Evelyn answered,

"Bahaa's presence was terrifying. There was something strange about him that made me feel uneasy whenever I was near him. Now, I finally feel relieved that he's gone."

Wail grabbed her by the neck and lifted her off the ground, then began choking her in anger.

"Relieved?! I just killed my childhood friend, and you're telling me you feel relieved?!"

Evelyn struggled to speak.

"I... I wanted to he-help!"

Wail stopped and released her.

She dropped to her knees, coughing violently before speaking.

"I want to change, all right? But I don't know how to earn your trust..."

Wail turned away and resumed walking.

"Just keep quiet and show me where the other members are until we reach Vale. After that, I'll send you back to your planet."

He glanced at her with a frightening look before adding coldly,

"That is, if I don't kill you first."

He continued walking, leaving Evelyn staring after him in intense anxiety.

---

The two arrived at an isolated house in the afternoon.

As Wail approached the door to open it, it swung open from the inside.

"I'll come out, and the kitchen had better be clean, underst..."

Amira stopped speaking when she saw Wail standing before her. She stared at him in shock, and a smile slowly began to form on her face, only to fade moments later.

Wail walked past her and entered the house without saying a word. Then he turned toward Evelyn.

"Come inside. We'll rest here for a while before continuing."

As he walked farther in, Elyes came from the kitchen and leaned against the wall.

"Do you just show up whenever you feel like it, without even asking permission to enter? And on top of that, you bring guests with you?"

Wail looked at him seriously.

"This is far more important than this nonsense."

Elyes straightened up and approached him, his expression growing angry.

"Nonsense?! I've spent all this time trying to comfort her while she's been waiting for you to come back!"

He reached out, attempting to grab Wail by the neck.

"And now you just ignore her, you bastard!"

Wail caught his arm and lowered it.

"Why don't you use your strength to help me with what's coming next instead of living peacefully here with your girlfriend?"

Elyes replied angrily,

"Didn't we already talk about this?"

The two exchanged fierce glares until Amira approached and placed a hand on each of their shoulders.

"Come outside, both of you. The weather is clear, and I'll make some tea."

She spoke while looking down in disappointment. She couldn't even bring herself to look Wail in the face.

As for Wail, he headed off to take a shower.

---

The four sat outside beneath a tree. Silence hung over them for a while, until Elyes finally broke it with a question.

"So... who are you?"

Evelyn grew tense and began looking at Wail. He turned toward her and said,

"Why are you looking at me? He asked you."

"Ah... Y-Yes. My name is Evelyn, and I'm..."

Elyes interrupted her.

"You're one of the Valis?"

She fell silent for a moment before answering quietly,

"Yeah..."

Elyes sighed.

"Now Wail is hanging around with the Valis, too. What the hell is going on?"

Wail ignored his comment.

"She was with Heda. I fought them both."

Elyes straightened up.

"Has Heda returned?"

"Yes. And I killed her anyway."

Amira's eyes widened, horror spreading across her face. She clenched her hands, so as Evelyn.

Wail continued,

"As for Evelyn, I've kept her alive to help us uncover the locations of her companions."

Elyes looked at him coldly.

"Did you really kill Heda?"

"Yes. After everything she did, she killed my mother right in front of me. Did you expect me to let her live?"

Amira looked at him in shock.

"What happened to you?!"

Wail continued without dwelling on her reaction.

"It doesn't matter. What most important is that Evelyn will help us find my brother and the rest of his followers. We also need to..."

He stopped when he noticed the bewildered expressions on Elyes and Amira's faces.

"Your brother? What are you talking about?"

Wail sighed.

"Right... I haven't told you anything."

---

Several hours passed as Wail explained what he knew about Vale and the secrets of his group, which they had named the Bloody Eyes. He also told them about his recent battle against Heda and explained the abilities of the Bloody Eyes.

"By the way, where's Amin?" Wail asked indifferently.

Elyes answered,

"I don't know. Since our last meeting, he hasn't asked me for help or shown any interest in coming back with us."

"I told you. If he shows up again, I'll kill him."

Amira felt frightened and worried by his words. A moment later, her eyes widened when Evelyn placed a hand over hers.

"I'm scared too..."

Elyes interrupted them confidently.

"Don't bother yourself. Amin isn't the same person anymore."

Wail looked away, showing no interest in his words, then stood up.

Afterward, Elyes asked Evelyn,

"Do you know where all of them are?"

"I'll take you to the place where they used to gather. You might find them there."

Hatred and anger appeared on Elyes's face.

"Good... It's finally time."

Wail walked away from them as he spoke.

"I see you're hiding some feelings of your own, too."

Elyes replied,

"We're not alike. I don't let what's inside me control me."

Wail paused for a moment before answering sharply,

"You're right. We're not alike... I use what's inside me to become stronger."

Elyes smiled.

"Are you going to train for tomorrow?"

"There's no time left to train."

Wail vanished in a flash of electricity, while Amira continued staring sorrowfully at the spot where he had stood.

Elyes approached her and wrapped his arms around her from behind, speaking in a reassuring voice.

"He'll come back once all of this is over. Don't worry..."

---

Sunset arrived.

Outside the city walls, where people had gathered, a nearby hill rose above the surrounding area. Dua sat atop it, watching the sun sink toward the horizon, its golden colors reflected in her hair.

She quietly admired the view until Wail arrived and stood beside her.

She was startled for a moment, but relaxed when she realized who it was.

"You scared me!"

Then she smiled and added,

"I'm fine, don't worry."

"I didn't even ask."

She tilted her head slightly.

"You come here to check on me, don't you?"

Wail didn't answer. Instead, he sat beside her.

"I was passing by and happened to see you. That's all."

Dua laughed and turned her gaze back toward the sunset.

"The best thing about watching the sunset is being able to admire it without saying a word and forget everything that's happened... But there's something I really want to ask you. Are you okay, Wail?"

Wail sighed and answered this time.

"I don't know... I really don't know."

She looked at him for a moment before speaking.

"Ever since we first met, I've always seen you like this. It seems the path you've taken in this world hasn't been a happy one."

"I thought I'd just become stronger and protect everyone... But it's not that simple. I keep losing everyone I try to protect."

Dua moved closer to him.

"You did everything you could. I know that. And you would've done so much more if you'd been able to."

"I was weak. I couldn't protect them."

Wail buried his face in his hands.

"And now I'm stronger, but I'm still unable to protect those who remain."

Dua continued looking at him as he went on.

"Because I've become stronger, no one sees me as an ordinary person anymore. No one can stay by my side, and I can't..."

Dua interrupted him with a smile.

"You think that if people see the person inside you, they'll become afraid and leave. But look at me! I'm right here beside you, Wail."

Wail was taken aback by her words and couldn't respond.

Dua continued,

"You may seem cold, as though you've lost the joy of living, but all I see is a person who wants to protect the people he loves. I see your humanity, Wail. No matter how much you change, I'll keep seeing the same person."

Wail's eyes widened.

Even the people closest to me have never said that to me...

He looked at her as the wind stirred her hair.

"It's..."

He paused for a moment before speaking again.

"I was just a boy who knew nothing. Maybe I didn't smile much, but I... was happy and innocent."

Dua finally asked him,

"Where is that boy now? Where are you now, Wail?"

Wail turned his gaze toward the sun as it disappeared beyond the horizon.

"I'm somewhere between who I was and who I'm becoming to... And it's the strangest place to live in..."

The sun disappeared behind the distant mountains.