Chapter 2
In that corner of his mind, Kurayami sat on the same chair where he used to be tortured. He wept inconsolably, his gaze fixed on the ground, now covered in blue flowers as pure as the clear sky. About twenty meters ahead stretched a vast crystal lake, reflecting the heavens with almost unreal perfection.
As his soul wandered silently, lost in dark thoughts, a voice called to him.
"Kurayami… why do you keep struggling?"
There was no telling where it came from or to whom it belonged. One could not even tell if it was a man or a woman. It sounded distant, hazy… almost nonexistent.
Kurayami slowly lifted his head, whispering in a trembling voice:
"Mother? Is that you? Did you finally come?"
The voice spoke again, clearer this time, sweeter… almost maternal.
"Kurayami… lift your eyes from the ground."
Obediently, he raised his gaze. As he did, he felt a hand softly caress his hair, with the tenderness of a long-forgotten embrace.
"Mother… I missed you so mu—"
But before he could finish, his face twisted in horror. The one before him was not his mother.
"No, Kurayami… I am not your mother."
A cruel silence stretched between them.
"I am your father."
That silhouette before him… that look, that smile, those dark eyes… all of it was unmistakable. All of it belonged to him. To that man.
Just as he tried to comprehend what he was seeing, a loud bang at the door pulled him violently from the vision.
It had only been a dream… a confusing, unsettling dream.
"It's time to continue where we left off yesterday, Kurayami," the woman said with a macabre smile.
She seemed to be in good spirits, eager to begin another round of torture.
This time, she took pliers, forced his mouth open, and began tearing out his teeth one by one, until none remained. Then she moved on to his nails, his fingers, his ears… and finally, his eyes.
And whenever Kurayami finished regenerating, she would begin again. Over and over.
But this time, they were not alone.
His father was there as well.
"Are you having fun with your friend, Kurayami?"
"No! I'm not having fun! This is cruel… this is too painful!"
Kurayami could no longer bear it. He only wanted it all to end.
"Why don't you just untie yourself and escape this place…? Just like you did once, a long time ago," his father whispered with venom.
Kurayami remained silent.
"Well? Won't you do it?"
The woman, after ripping off his last finger, casually wiped the blood away and headed for the exit.
"Today's torture was short… Tomorrow, perhaps, will be more interesting. What do you think, Kurayami?"
"I don't know… I just… I just want to go home."
His father leaned closer, bringing his lips to Kurayami's ear as his wounds slowly closed.
"You would rather be the one wounded than hurt others… isn't that right?"
"I… I…"
"But that time… you didn't save her. Because you were weak. Because you never had the courage to kill anyone."
"That's not true! I tried to save her!"
Again, a loud bang interrupted their conversation.
"Kurayami… who are you talking to? Are you going insane from all the hunger and thirst after I left you without food yesterday?"
"No! That's not true! I'm fine! I'm fine!"
"Why are you lying to me? I told you, if you're hungry… just say so. I can feed you…"
The woman tore off another finger, shoved it into his mouth, and forced him to chew. Kurayami resisted, but she only laughed louder.
Then another piece… and another… and another.
But this time, the laughter echoing in the room was not hers… it was Kurayami's.
"How does the flesh taste, Kurayami?" his father asked, watching him with cold eyes.
Kurayami looked back at him, blood dripping down his chin… and replied with a dim, broken smile.
"It tastes… like mother's cooking."