Although Merik tried so hard not to show any weaknesses, the grazing pain didn’t let him put up his usual strong front.

  He was severely pale as if he was just discharged from the hospital with a serious disease and moreover, his already pale enough skin tone wasn’t helping him as well.

  The sun was shining sarcastically above his head, blazing selfishly just as it was supposed to.

  On the way back, all kinds of thoughts wandered inside his head.

  If Stella were to wrap the bandages around me, she must have known. Why didn’t she say anything about it?

  Light’s Envoys, the timing was too perfect. Just as I left for the case that was unknowingly dangerous, they immediately came as backups?

  Even though he warned me of such matters, Landon was saying half-lies, half-truths as well. I don’t know if he knows about me or not.

  What happened to the creature after I shot it? Was it finally gone and did they manage to take it back to the headquarters?

  If they did so, it wasn’t in vain that I decided to take it back because it will further help me in digging my own past.

  What was that existence under the well? Did the envoys manage to destroy it?

  Seemed that I could invade other people’s dreams now? Is this the power Elis gave me?

  Saying invading is a little bit much, I’ll just say wandering into their dreams.

  As much as it was very powerful, it was dangerously addictive and at the same time; pulling me to stay in that dream forever.

  If not for that faint, helpful voice, I would have forever trapped inside that dream or even worse, worse fate than being trapped could happen.

  It was all powerful, sure but what did I even do? I just rewatched the memories of that monster... Mallory and learnt the truth, is all. I need to further learn about this power or ask Elis herself.

  Worst, what is going to happen to me now that I can no longer use my mysterious blackish flames as before?

  The last shot was the strongest move I have ever conjured and yet, because of that, it seems I might have to suffer, forever.

  I cannot learn nor get close to any other affinities – these pestering flames would just devour them.

  Or they will end up devouring me.

  What should I do, starting from now?

  Light’s Envoys, Dreams, Blackish Flames, The Faint Voice, The Mysterious Existence under the well, Devouring, Stella Green, Albert, Crows.

  Merik felt that he was helplessly starting to drown in the never-ending spirals of puzzling thoughts and conspiracies.

  Everything was simple before Albert left.

  Uncovering his past while solving dreadful, paranormal cases didn’t sound as awful as being a helpless pawn in these twisted events that he himself couldn’t fathom of.

  If he no longer could use those mysterious blackish flames in dealing with such creatures, he would only have his sole companion left.

  An ordinary black revolver from his father.

  And oh, the unceasing pain from his body.

  Merik clenched his teeth to endure the sudden assault of the devouring flames on his body.

  It felt like constantly being gnawed by formless razor-sharp fangs of deadly predators.

  However, he didn’t fall onto his knees as before – he was slowly getting used to it.

  It was funny that from now on, he had to live his life while slowly getting devoured by these flames, which once he thought as his blessings.

  With his brain and brawn, he thought that he could easily solve these cases, and unravelling his past didn’t seem much of a hurdle with the way he was progressing.

  Unfortunately, starting from the dream monster, he felt that this overly assertive self-confidence of his was slowly but steadily crumbling down to nothing.

  His arrogance was all but built on easy lies but now, the truth was painfully glaring at him, rendered him unable to even move.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  The irony was funny.

  As funny as it was, despite the heartrending pain, Merik loudly laughed to himself to the point that his back was bent over.

  Never once he had felt this much despair from any kinds of situations but this hit the new record for him.

  If it wasn’t for the dream’s powers at the end, he would have met his demise whether it be his powers or the monster’s powers and even worse, dragging Cora along with him.

  If not for his dream powers, he would have been defeated in that monster’s last attack.

  If not for the voice, he would be lost in the dreams forever.

  If not for... if not for... if not for...

  He felt like he was at wit’s end with all his struggles crumbling down to nothing.

  If they could even be called struggles.

  His hat fell off from his hat and rolled on the ground but the dry laughter didn’t stop resounding throughout the street.

  He attracted several curious gazes from all kinds of people on the street but he didn’t mind nor he didn’t care.

  He no longer cared.

  With every beat of his laughs, the flames pulsated and further made the agony unbearable for him.

  But he didn’t care anymore. It’s just “pain.”

  Because the worst that could happen to him had already happened anyway.

  His laughter turned heavy and cold towards the end, under the glaring sun, he looked like a pitiful maniac – his mind completely lost.

  “Me... Merik?”

  Merik while grinning, looked back towards the voice.

  It was Cora in her usual outfit but her eyes were dreadfully unusual.

  Though it was understandable with the spectacle that was unfolding in front of her.

  “Merik, are you okay?”

  Merik’s laughter slowly died down towards the end and his whole body turned still like a statue.

  Then his head gently tilted back at Cora – the maniac from before was long gone and was now replaced by the same old Merik who had deep, cold and imposing crimson eyes.

  But this time, they seemed to be a lot sharper and carried several traces of madness in them. And sadness.

  Cora’s heart skipped a beat when she saw that Merik was staring at her.

  “Why, isn’t it Cora...”

  “Ah, yes. Merik, I’m... just wondering that...”

  Cora muttered some words in panic, while not meeting Merik’s somewhat odd gaze.

  “Ahem, I’m just wondering that if you would like to go to the funeral together?”

  “Funeral, whose?”

  “Mallory.”

  Certain thoughts flashed over Merik’s eyes and after a while, he walked up to Cora in a steady step.

  Cora couldn’t understand why but she tensed up at the sight of her senior approaching her.

  She saw that Merik was struggling against his injuries to the point of dragging his legs but now, he seemed good as new and more, he looked better even.

  Though, Cora closed her eyes out of instinct, all she heard was a gentle voice that resembled a whisper.

  “Then, let’s go.”

  He was smiling. A sincere smile, attractive and same as always.

  But she didn’t like it.

  Despite all of it, she called out to him

  “Merik...”

  The man in black glanced back at her but she could no longer muster up the courage to say what she had been practicing all day.

  Instead, she bit her lips and slowly muttered dejectedly,

  “Never mind.”

  ________________________________________________________________________

  They had a tradition called “Funeral”, a ritual meant to ease the pain and suffering of the bereaved.

  When people of Eurona Empire met their inevitable demise, their remnants would be carried away by the government officials and in return, give certain memorials for the left behind to mourn them.

  In certain cases where people didn’t turn into abominations or pulsating weird blobs, the deceased looked like they just fell into eternal slumber – their features retained their former appearances though they could no longer move nor act in any way and slowly deteriorated until only an unsightly husk of their former self was left.

  In such cases, it could be excruciatingly hard for the people to part away with them; their beloveds who were long gone from the existence.

  Though, there was no such thing as an easy farewell, after all.

  It was the same for that man, Jackman, too, seeing that he was bawling his eyes out over his wife and the children’s tragedy.

  Several people, including Merik and Cora, were on a small, green hill that overlooked a peaceful lake with several tall trees surrounding them as if they were in an embrace of mother nature itself.

  The sun wasn’t glaring like before as it was enjoying itself hiding behind the ivory clouds that resembled giant cotton balls.

  Even more, the breezes gently brushing against their cheeks gave them a sense of serenity, in this small ceremony of a person’s ending.

  The man was sitting near the three small memorials, with respective names written on them. He didn’t utter a single word but instead, was dazedly staring at those beautifully carved grey memorials and softly sobbing.

  Cora, who was standing near Jackman, glanced back at Merik with sorrowful gazes that carried deep regrets and guilt.

  His love for his wife and children was, in fact, apparent, after all.

  Cora wiped her tears off and slowly got past the people to stand beside Merik, who seemed unbothered by the tragic scene.

  Cora took a long, deep breath and apologized to Merik, while keeping her firm gaze towards the memorials and the beautiful scenery.

  “I apologize for the mess that I caused towards the end but I will not apologize for wanting to save them.”

  “I understand.”

  Merik replied instantly.

  Cora met Merik’s eyes but was visibly unsatisfied the moment she laid her eyes on those emotionless crimson eyes.

  She wanted something from him – blame, hatred, disappointment – anything. Instead, all she got was an indifferent gaze that seemed to be forgiving.

  Or he just didn’t care enough.

  She couldn’t help but clench her teeth a little. Nonetheless, she decided to just believe in her own doubts that Merik was holding a facade all along.

  She dazedly looked back at the funeral once more before slowly leaving the people and her tragic scar behind – never to look back, again.

  Thus, she would never learn of the fact that after she had left, Merik caringly put some flowers near the memorials and left indifferently.