Capítulo 28: Weight of sorrow
"You see, warrior.The reckoning of your hope. The light has turned to darkness. No matter how much sacrifice you make, you will end up losing everything! Hahaha," the demon replied, its demonic voice echoing through the dungeon.
The old woman, filled with fury, plunged a dagger into the demon's neck. Blood splattered through the air as the creature slowly withered away into black ash. The little girl screamed and ran toward the opening where the cage had fallen. Lisa rushed to her and held her firmly in her arms.
The little girl's mother cried out in agony as the flames devoured her flesh, burning until only her skeleton remained visible.
"Boy! It's too late to save her!" the old woman bellowed as she held onto Hiraku's arm.
"You all have to leave now! Hold each other's arms before it's too late!" her voice crackled.
The dungeon began to collapse around them, the walls caving in. Hiraku held Shin firmly, while Lisa and Mira, still in shock over Misaki's death, clung to each other. The little girl had already passed out from exhaustion and the terror of seeing her mother burned alive.
The great pentagon appeared beneath them. Hiraku motioned for the old woman to step into the portal, but she shook her head indignantly.
"I told you, boy, I'm an old woman. I don't fear death!"
"No!" Hiraku yelled as the ground gave way, sending her plummeting into the churning flames. The great pentagon brightened with a yellowish radiance, teleporting them to the physical plane.
Hiraku's shoulders slumped in dismay, his eyes wide with anguish at the loss of the old woman and Misaki. Nearby, Lisa and Mira sat on the floor, holding the unconscious little girl in their arms as they wept uncontrollably.
Why didn't I save her? Why? Why? Hiraku thought, clutching his head with both hands, the weight of his sorrow threatening to consume him.
"Hira..." Shin muttered under his breath as he lay on the front row pew of the church. Hiraku rushed to him and hugged him tightly where he lay.
Hirakus body trembled uncontrollably, deep, guttural sobs tearing from his chest, each one echoing with raw pain. Tears streamed down Hiraku's face in an unending torrent, soaking his cheeks. His breaths came in ragged gasps, caught between choking sobs, as though the weight of his sorrow was too much for his lungs to bear. He hugged Shin tighter, as though trying to hold himself together against the storm of grief threatening to overwhelm him completely. The sound of his weeping filled the church.
Shin wrapped an arm around him, comforting him as best he could.
*
"I remember everything," Shin said, sitting on the front pew with his head in his hands. "The screams of Misaki, the thunderous march of the demon armies... I remember being held captive by the alpha demon. It still lingers in my mind, like a recurring nightmare."
"You don't have to suffer from those memories," Hiraku replied, placing a hand on Shin's shoulder. "I can erase them so you can live peacefully."
"Is that possible?" Shin asked, looking hopefully at Hiraku.
"Yes, it is," Hiraku responded, glancing at his palm.
"Will this take away my memory of ever knowing you?" Shin asked, holding Hiraku's hand, which rested on his shoulder. Tears slowly streamed down his face.
"No, of course not. You'll remember me, Lisa, and Mira. You won't forget us," Hiraku replied through his own tears.
Shin nodded in approval and closed his eyes. Hiraku touched his forehead with his index and third finger, and a glimmer of light shone on Shin's head. Shin fell unconscious.
Hiraku hesitated for a moment, then decided to cast one more spell—a protection spell. It was meant to shield Shin from his father if he ever tried to harm him. The spell would protect the host from any evil intentions.
Two weeks had passed since Misaki's death. Hiraku, Lisa, Mira, and Misaki's daughter stood at the edge of the lake. Hiraku wore a black-and-white suit, while Mira, Lisa, and the little girl wore black gowns. They all stared at the lake, their gazes heavy with sorrow, reflecting on the depths of pain the human heart must bear.
The little girl wiped her face and slowly lifted a small, worn-out chair, punctured in many places. She flung it into the lake, where it plummeted before drifting slowly on the surface.
"Mother used to come here to relax," the little girl said. "She would sit here and stare into the lake, thinking. I always wondered what was on her mind. And the strangest part was why she always chose that old, worn-out chair. She told me it was from Father, and that it gave her a sense of peace. It gave her the assurance that she would live and stay by my side as long as possible to take care of me."
Hiraku listened to her words, both perplexed and heartbroken by how mature the little girl sounded. He remembered the feeling of losing his brother—how deeply it had hurt him and how that pain had stolen away his childhood. He knew it would be the same for her.
He had the power to erase memories of demons, but he lacked the ability to heal the human heart. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he watched as tears streamed slowly down her face.
Her ponytail stretched down to her waist, and her grief-stricken eyes reflected the pain she carried as she spoke.
"Mother told me once that a friend saved her—that she was lucky to be given a second chance to protect me and watch me grow up. But... but..."
The little girl dropped to her knees, clutching her chest as tears welled in her eyes. She couldn't bear the weight of her sorrow.
"Mother! Mother! Can you hear me from the other side? Mother!" she screamed.
Lisa knelt beside her, wrapping her arms around the trembling child. Hiraku and Mira quickly joined, embracing her as they all wept together.
Misaki's chair drifted on the lake for a moment longer before sinking into its depths, disappearing beneath the water.
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