Decisions

“???” Elyan's expression darkened.

“...”

“Hey, stop for a second. What do you mean?” Elyan’s face turned pale, he was in no way able to maintain his calm.

“What do you mean by the world? Are you referring to Peace City or what?”

“Is it the reason of my mother’s death..?” Elyan couldn’t comprehend the matter and asked many questions at once. He began to suspect that everything he had experienced up until this moment was a big lie.

In fact, it was common knowledge for the city’s inhabitants that except inside ‘Peace’ there were no other humans and that life outside was impossible. These facts, or at least what they have been so far, came from ancient books and what ancestors told in the past. No one doubted the veracity of this. They believed that those giant walls were built to prevent corruption from outside from reaching the city, so what people usually referred to as the world was Peace City.

“Hmph, you really don’t know anything.” Alexander sighed, seeming to have expected this.

“Listen well, from now on, I will tell you everything, the truth behind Isabella’s death, as well as what the world is!”

Elyan calmed down and allowed himself to pay attention.

While Alexander pulled the pipe from his jacket pocket, with a matchstick he lit the hole, then without asking the owner of the house he opened the window.

He gently inhaled the smoke and began to speak: “This city is only a small part of a great world outside. A world in which many people still live and inhabited by many cities and tribes.”

“Haah!!” Elyan’s mouth formed a large opening, and he could barely resist the urge to ask Alexander.

He swallowed thickly and arched his back, continuing to listen.

“Right now, you don’t have to know why this truth was hidden from the people of ‘Peace’ and yet it was definitely for their benefit. Because even though there were no natural abnormalities, the world outside was still worse and more dangerous.”

“And if we talk about corruption, there is already one, the Kurayami.” At this moment Elyan felt Alexander’s look change and the hostile intent in his words.

“As for the current countries, outer cities and all parts of the continent, you will always find Kurayami’s hand behind every one of them, and it would not be an exaggeration to admit that it is the power that now rules the outer world!”

“And the Kurayami is the one that assassinated your mother!”

“...”

‘ ‘hah!..’ Elyan’s right eyebrow arched as his hands trembled.

His heartbeat quickened and his eyes darkened, as his face turned like a volcano that wanted to explode.

“Tk..” The quill shattered under his fist.

“Haaaaa.” He suddenly screamed, he screamed because it was the only thing he could do now.

“Huff,.. huff, huff..” He sighed heavily before quickly returning to normal again. No matter how angry and unable to bear it, it was not as if his mother’s killer was here now. It was useless.

“Good, being able to control your anger even in this situation proves your potential.” Alexander smiled as he exhaled smoke and then pulled out again.

Elyan did not understand what Alexander meant, yet after calming down he asked again: “I don’t understand, I don’t think there are people like my mother, right?” Elyan was referring to the possibility of someone else facing the same fate as his mother. He didn’t hear any news from the police, but he wanted to confirm from the gentleman in front of him, and then for some reason he had the feeling that the matter was special.

“No!” Alexander said clearly, yet he was able to notice the slight change in Elyan’s expression, and could easily read his thoughts.

What Alexander had just said confirmed one thing, that his mother was indeed been targeted before, it was not an ordinary crime!

Elyan became nervous and hurriedly asked: “Why my mother specifically then?”

He actually became aware that his mother had some hidden past that she had not revealed to him. So most likely expect the issue to be related to a previous incident.

But Alexander actually had another answer: “One of the reasons is the Gervano family.”

“You may ask what your family name has anything to do with it, however, all I can tell you now is that the Kurayami consider the existence of the Gervano family a threat to them.” Alexander continued, watching Elyan become more and more confused.

Elyan’s expression hardened, remembering what Alexander said a minute ago about his father protecting him and his mother of this world and only now he realized what he meant.

“Sir, understanding all this, you are saying that I am now the enemy of this world!” As if it had nothing to do with him at all, Elyan said calmly. He could almost understand the gist of the matter.

“Exactly.” Alexander raised his chin and shook his head.

The room was suddenly silent. Alexander stared at Elyan, checking the latter’s reaction. Even if he got up screaming and started calling him a liar, Alexander wouldn’t be surprised. Even though they were just words, he was aware of the amount of things he had shared today and how difficult it was for a kid like Elyan to bear all at once.

“Huff..” Alexander couldn’t help but sigh, it was fate.

After a few seconds, he got up and said: “I’m leaving now, think carefully about what I told you and you are free to believe me, or forget everything I said. I won’t try to convince you.”

“I will come back tomorrow and we can continue talking if you want.. Goodbye.”

As soon as he finished, Alexander jumped out the window and disappeared without a trace, leaving behind facts that may change Elyan’s life completely.

Elyan came to his bed and lay on his back. He felt his shoulders grow a little heavy as he stared at the bright moon for a long time and began to think deeply.

As darkness filled the world, he stood up and left the house.

He walked all the way to the cemetery. The place was scary and isolated, there were no lights except those coming from the pillars of the nearby street.

He entered quietly and arrived in front of his mother’s grave.

“Hello Mom!” This time he spoke and his voice was better.

“Today, I learned many things, that ‘Peace’ was never the world, that my father is alive and he is somewhere in this world, and also... I knew the culprits who brought you to this state.” Elyan was able to maintain his calm.

“I know you lied for me, like in the past you would always do anything to make me happy.”

“So I have no right to be upset with you.”

“Thank you, mom.” At this time, teardrops began to form, Elyan could no longer resist his sadness.

“Thank you for taking care of me.”

“Thank you for giving birth to me.”

“Thanks for everything.”

In the land of the dead, that orphan child kept crying.

***

The sun rose quickly, and so the next morning came.

Alexander returns to Elyan’s house again.

“Hi, I see that you woke up early.” After taking off his hat, Alexander smiled.

“Yes.” Elyan called him and they sat in the kitchen while eating breakfast. He had gone shopping just before Alexander came and bought some milk and loaves of bread with cheese.

“Are you not worried if I’m deceiving you?” Alexander started the talk.

“This possibility occurred to me as well, however, thinking about it a little, if you really wanted to hurt me, I don’t think I would be able to do anything. I have seen it myself how you entered my room without even sensing anything, and killing a child like me? I don’t think it will be more difficult.” Elyan replied gently, he nibbled a part of the loaf of bread and continued taking a sip of milk.

“Haha, looks like I’m really not fooling you.” Alexander was making fun of himself with his good mood, he raised his hand and started scratching his short beard.

However, at this moment, his expressions changed, he put his palms under his chin and looked seriously at Elyan: “I want to ask you, do you want revenge?”

His question was clear as it entered Elyan’s ears. The latter stopped eating, and thought for a moment... Revenge! This word had been on his mind ever since he knew that his mother had been killed... and how much he had longed to achieve it. But he was aware of his weakness. According to Alexander’s words, he was now an enemy to the entire world. How could a young child like him stand in the face of such an obstacle? It wouldn’t be a lie if someone said he was afraid, but now that he was stimulated, how could he not take the risk? Originally, he had nothing left to lose, and it was also clear that this gentleman in front of him had a way to help him, otherwise he would not have mentioned the matter just like that.

Without wasting any time, he made up his mind and said strongly his answer: “Yes.”

“Yes, I want that.” He said again, emphasizing.

Taking a long look into Elyan’s eyes, Alexander was able to see a burning flame.

He got up and he said: “Can you bear the pain?”

Elyan nodded.

“Can you handle being alone?” Alexander asked again.

“Yes!” Elyan stood up and shouted.

“Will you be able to crush the Kurayami and destroy their corruption?”

This so-called organization robbed him of the most precious person in his life. He could no longer eat breakfast in the morning with his mother, he won’t anymore hear her greetings and her prayers for his safe return when he left the house, or lie in her arms during his times of illness and sadness.

If the Kurayami controlled the world, then he would stand above the world itself.

“Yes.” With his raging voice, Elyan’s spirit soared. He felt his blood boil suddenly.

“Then, you will have to go through hell first.” At this time Alexander smiled deceitfully.

Elyan did not understand completely Alexander’s thoughts, but he shook his head and decided to trust him.

“We will leave ‘Peace’ in two days. Say goodbye to whoever you want and make all your preparations. It will not be a short trip.” Alexander touched his hat, speaking.

‘Leaving ‘Peace’?’ Elyan was stunned, but he didn’t ask further.

After Alexander left, he started thinking. Although he was just a child who had not yet reached adulthood, in recent days, the series of events he had experienced had forced him to mature quickly. From now on, at every step his path will be surrounded by the thorns of an unknown fate, and he alone will be responsible for his future.