This chapter takes place far in the past. It is not directly connected to Chapter 4 and 14.

  ???: “I told you five minutes ago to put the pencils away and help me clean up. Are you listening to me, Ino?”

  Ino: “Yes, Mom, I’m coming.”

  Little Ino immediately hurries into the kitchen and helps his mother wash the dishes. Next, he vacuums the entire floor. After that, he wipes all the tables and picks up all the things from the floor and puts them back in their proper places. As an eight-year-old, Ino does more than perfectly trained service staff. He has to do this because it is his role in life. He believes that his role is to help his mother and to die as a small sacrifice for his family.

  Ino: “Mom, why is my brother never allowed to leave his room and help us clean?”

  Ino’s mother: “Your brother has a different role than you. He has different tasks and a different future than you or me.”

  Ino: “Who decides our roles?”

  Ino’s mother: “Your father. My husband. The head of the family.”

  Ino: “What happens if I can’t fulfill my role or don’t want to?”

  Ino’s mother: “That must never happen. Do you hear me? Fulfill your role so that you can have a good life.”

  After this short conversation, the two of them continue working. They finish quickly and then eat together. Ino’s mother has made mochi for him, in all kinds of flavors. Ino eats all of them by himself, but he is kind enough to give his mother at least one.

  ???: “Did you pick up the sealing scripts?”

  A voice asks from the hallway. It is Ino’s father, who comes into the kitchen. He looks tired and in a bad mood, but he greets the two of them with a forced smile.

  Ino’s mother: “Yes. I put them in the refrigerator so the scripts wouldn’t melt.”

  She quickly stuffs her mochi into her mouth and goes to get them. It is an elongated wooden box. When she opens it, there are three stacks of square papers inside. On them are written: Restriction, Limitation, and Closure.

  Ino’s father: “Thank you, my dear. It’s that time again today.”

  Ino’s mother: “I know. I’ll help you set up the sealing scripts.”

  Ino’s mother: “Ino, we’re finishing earlier today. Please go to your room and play there by yourself. I’ll come later, but only if you don’t leave your room.”

  Ino does as he is told and goes to his room. He plays with his action figures, building blocks, and wooden swords. He exhausts himself so much that he falls onto his bed, sweaty.

  Ino: “[Mom should have come a long time ago. She never needs this long to fulfill her role at the end of the month. Should I go check?]”

  Ino thinks about whether he should go. He knows that he is not allowed to, but he wants to play with his mother. Besides, he has been wondering for a long time what his parents always do when they pick up that strange box. Eventually, he goes. He takes his wooden sword with him for defense. He sneaks through the halls of the temple. He has to be careful not to be seen by the staff, because they also know that he should be in his room right now.

  Ino: “[Should I visit my brother on the way? But I don’t know where his room is. It is often changed because it doesn’t suit his special role, Mom says.]”

  Ino manages to reach the area where he believes his parents are. It is a part of the temple he has never been in before. An area that should actually be closed to him, but curiosity wins and he goes inside. It is very dark. There are no windows or lamps here. There is only a corridor. Ino walks and walks. It is much longer than he thought. He even takes a few breaks in between before he finally reaches the end. In front of him is a huge steel door. It is locked. Ino strikes it with his small wooden sword, but it does nothing. He takes a few steps back and takes a running start.

  Birth Ability: Whirlwind

  Ino’s newly discovered birth ability allows him to create small whirlwind blades made of wind. He only needs some kind of “extension” of his arm for this. Something like a weapon, such as his wooden sword. With a swing through the air, a small but fairly strong whirlwind is created that hits the steel door. It has no effect, but it makes a sound. He tries again. This time with more strength and momentum. The whirlwind is much larger, but still without any real effect.

  Ino: “This door should have been completely swept away.”

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  Ino has a small outburst and throws his sword to the ground when the door suddenly opens. He picks up his wooden sword and hides behind one of the wall pillars.

  Ino’s mother: “I told you there is no one here. I told everyone they are not allowed to enter this area.”

  Ino’s father: “I thought I heard something. Forget it, let’s continue.”

  They close the door again, but Ino manages to slip inside just in time. He enters a huge playroom. Much larger than Ino’s room. He sees his mother hanging the square papers in the air. In the middle is a child. It looks older than Ino, but it is still a child. It seems to be in pain. It holds its head and screams for it to stop. It threatens to slaughter everyone and run away. Ino is frightened by the child’s behavior and takes a few steps back. Several seconds later, he finally notices his father standing in front of the boy. For some reason, Ino believes that his father is responsible for the boy’s pain. Instinctively, Ino runs into the middle. Even though he is afraid of this boy, he places himself between him and his father. His soul tells him that he has to do this, even though his mind tells him that this is not part of his role.

  Ino: “Father, stop immediately…”

  Before he can finish his cry, he is interrupted by a gray cloud. He is no longer in the huge playroom, but in a much darker place. A path lies before him, and his father is at the end of this path. He sits on a chair and smiles at him. But on both sides of the path, many creatures are lined up. They all look the same. They have humanoid bodies. They are swollen and gray, just like the sky. Their heads are massive and spherical. They have huge mouths with crooked, ugly teeth. All of them have a large gap between their front teeth. Their heads wobble like bobbleheads, and they whisper things to Ino. Terrible things. They show him the worst things imaginable, even though half of them are not even true. They exaggerate and tell him about his supposedly terrible future and everything he will do wrong. If he loses, what pain he will feel, and the despair that awaits him. These are only the first creatures. The further he goes in, the worse and harsher the words become. They have an ever greater effect on Ino until he falls to the ground. He cannot even manage three steps, and to reach his father he would have to take an estimated hundred steps.

  Ino: “I want to die. I want to die. I want to die. I want…”

  Suddenly, he is pulled out of this world. He wakes up on the floor of the playroom. Covered in tears and with both hands on his head. His father is trying to wake him up.

  Ino’s father: “My son! Wake up! Go back!”

  The father notices that Ino is back, but Ino does not want his father to touch him. His mother rushes to him and hugs him tightly. Neither of them lets go of the other.

  Ino: “Why are you doing this to me, Father? Why are you such a monster?”

  Ino starts crying again. His mother tries to calm him down, but it does not work. He is having a mental breakdown.

  Ino’s father: “You walked into the range of my ability, so you became its target. I’m sorry, my son, but you should not have been here at all.”

  His words do not reach Ino. He only screams and is carried away by his mother. She hurries and lays him in his bed. She covers him up while hugging him tightly. She does not let go of him for a single moment.

  Ino’s mother: “Everything will be fine. That was just an evil vision and nothing more. You shouldn’t have been there. Why didn’t you listen to me and stay in your room?”

  After many more sentences, hugs, and kisses on his cheek and forehead, Ino finally calms down. He is now completely quiet and just lies there.

  Ino: “What kind of nightmare was that?”

  Ino’s mother: “That was your father’s birth ability. You know it, don’t you? It’s like your whirlwind ability. He is able to bring someone, in their thoughts, to a terrible place. A single path surrounded by ugly creatures that shout the worst things at you. He calls this ability: Walk of Shame. One feels shame for all past and future deeds until one simply gives up or ends one’s life.”

  Ino: “Why did he do that to that boy?”

  Ino’s mother: “Um, that boy… well, you see…”

  Ino: “Mom, please tell me. Did he not fulfill his role and get punished?”

  Ino’s mother: “No, that’s not it… This treatment is part of his role. That boy is your older br-brother.”

  Ino looks at his mother in shock. That parents could do something like this to their child terrifies him deeply. He pulls away from his mother a little.

  Ino’s mother: “No, don’t misunderstand. This treatment has to happen, otherwise something very bad will happen.”

  Her words do not convince Ino.

  Ino’s mother: “He agrees with it. Your brother has accepted his role and accepts the treatment from us.”

  Ino: “Prove it.”

  Ino’s mother: “What do you mean…?”

  Ino: “Let me talk to him. I want to check for myself whether what you’re saying is true. Otherwise, you can forget that I’m your son.”

  Ino’s mother is desperate about the situation and does not know what to do. On one hand, she is not allowed to do this, but on the other hand, she does not want to lose her son. She hears in his voice that he is serious. But there is also another feeling inside her. A feeling telling her that she should take him there. It is her instinctive motherly feeling that does not allow her two children to be so isolated from each other. She finally gives in and leads Ino back into the closed area. Ino finds it difficult to go back into this area. He associates it with the terrible experience he had because of his father’s ability.

  Ino’s mother: “Here. You have to pay attention to who you are talking to and how you react to him.”

  Ino’s mother explains his brother’s exact situation to him, and she opens the steel door. Inside sits Ino’s alleged brother. He sits on the floor, surrounded by all the sealing scripts. Ino sits down on the floor outside the sealing circle. His mother stays at the door, watching out in case someone comes.

  Ino: “Hello, I’m your brother Ino. And who are you?”

  ???: “Your brother too, I think. My name is Shark.”

  Ino: “That’s a strange name. Why do you always have to stay in your room? Is it okay for you that our parents treat you like this?”

  Shark: “Because I can be dangerous. My mere existence is unpredictable. They have to do this, otherwise something bad will happen, I think.”

  Ino: “What would happen if I stepped into the circle?”

  Shark: “Then I might kill you or hurt you.”

  Ino: “But we can talk, right?”

  Shark: “Yes, I think so.”

  Ino: “I always wanted an older brother. I mean, I technically always had one, but only now do I actually feel like it.”

  Ino looks at Shark with a radiant smile. For the first time, Shark feels a warm sensation. A feeling of love and protection. He wants to protect Ino. Play with him. Talk to him. Have fun with him.

  Shark: “I think I’m your real big brother now.”