Chapter Four
Information Paragraph
When Kaith was seven years old, he saved four children who were the same age as him. Among them:
Arnk: Later became the commander of the Salvation Legion.
Rick: Became one of the "Catastrophes."
Anrk: His status is unknown, but he holds deep hatred toward Kaith for undisclosed reasons.
Art: Not much is known about him now.
End of the Information Paragraph
The place was a ruined house. The smell of smoke groaned through its corners, and the walls bore witness to ancient battles. Kaith sat across from Ari, his black eyes reflecting nothing but cold calmness.
Kaith said with fabricated coldness,
"Ari, do you think you could have interfered? Do you think they were capable of eliminating Iris?"
Ari replied in a broken voice,
"Imagine yourself in my place, Kaith. Who knew you were alive? I only met you by coincidence, and Iris was all I had. Even if he was a monster, his existence was hope to me. He was the last thing I had left to live for."
Kaith exhaled and said,
"You're right, Ari… but don't let this happen again."
Ari asked softly,
"Where were you during the past seven years?"
Kaith gave a deceptive smile and said,
"Honestly… I can't tell you where I was."
Ari frowned,
"What? Even though I'm happy you're back… why won't you tell me?"
Kaith replied directly,
"Because it's not something you would accept easily."
Ari responded in shock,
"Why wouldn't I accept it? I've lived this life and accepted it. Is there something I wouldn't accept?!"
Kaith said firmly,
"Accepted? What have you accepted, Ari? Since you were young, you never accepted anything missing even the slightest fraction, and now you say you would accept this? Impossible. Do you think I spent seven years like that without meaning? I did something no one in our family would accept. Do you want to know it now?!"
Ari fell silent and did not answer.
Kaith added,
"I'm leaving now for a mission. I have to bring someone specific with me."
Ari looked at him for a moment, mixed with hope, and said,
"Alright."
After a few hours, Kaith entered an area covered with dense fog. The atmosphere devoured sounds, and the path twisted between ghost-like burned tree trunks.
His gaze locked onto a moving shadow—then a person stepped out. He had gray hair, golden eyes, and wore elegant clothes. The man stepped toward Kaith and said in astonishment:
"Who are you?!"
Kaith replied sharply,
"So you're still alive, you bastard, Art!"
In a fleeting moment, Art jumped toward Kaith and hugged him with exaggerated enthusiasm.
"I missed you, Kaaaith!"
Kaith said,
"If I had known I was saving a catastrophe, I might have killed you. You're such a bastard, Art."
Art laughed mockingly,
"You know that, don't you?"
Kaith replied,
"Of course I know… But Art, I have to go back now. Ari is weak, and I didn't completely eliminate the Salvation Legion."
Art said sarcastically,
"That's fine. I heard you crushed the Salvation Legion. Why are you afraid of them now?"
Kaith replied,
"Yes, that's true… But it's not fear of them. It's fear of their betrayal."
Art replied mockingly,
"Expected from the trainer of catastrophes. You never miss even the smallest detail."
Kaith answered coldly,
"Shut up, bastard. If I had known you would become catastrophes in the future, I would have crushed you back then."
Art burst out laughing.
After several hours, the two returned to the ruined house where Ari had been waiting for them. The sight that greeted Kaith was enough to make him collapse to the ground in shock.
Ari was lying on the ground, her blood surrounding her body.
Art shouted in surprise,
"Kaith… What is this?!"
Kaith said, exhausted,
"What happened? I only left her for four hours, and now I find her dead!"
Art hesitated,
"What will you do now?"
Kaith replied with a broken voice,
"If I die now, time will return to before this moment."
Art looked at him in disbelief,
"What are you saying?"
Kaith replied with certainty,
"I know this because I tested it before."
Art hesitated for a moment, then said,
"And how do I know you're not lying?"
Kaith stepped closer and said very calmly,
"Wait… I will cast a spell on you that will return your memory to what happened before my death."
Kaith cast the spell on Art. A fleeting cloud of pale light wrapped around Art's mind.
Kaith grabbed his sword, then…
Kaith's head fell to the ground, and blood spread across the floor.
It was a scene where the bodies of the brother and sister lay… and Art stood between them.
Art waited while staring at Kaith's headless body, then said in disbelief,
"I thought he was lying… How did I believe him so easily?"
Then—as if the hands of time were pulled back once again—the scene returned to the day before Art met Kaith. (24 hours earlier)
End of Chapter Four