A Voice In The Dark

He had been stabbed? What? How? This can't be happening!

Reality started to hit him. Touma tried to feel the wound. It felt soft, and hot. He turned his head down to look at his stomach.

Suddenly all the strength left from his legs, he couldn't stand up. The knife was dug deep into his stomach. It hurt, his breath became heavier. He wanted to shout for help, but no sound came from his throat.
Clang!! Something hit his head, it was the man. He had gotten up. 

Touma tried to have a look at the man to see what he hit him with. He turned his head– and another hit landed– straight to his head. 

This time he fell on the pavement, his vision started blurring. It began to hurt now, even more than before. The man had taken out his knife from Touma's stomach. 

Touma felt more and more blood leaving from his stomach. He was starting to lose his breath, his consciousness was starting to fade. 

"You shouldn't have done this." The man spoke up. He had a metal pipe in his hands. Touma's fading consciousness returned. "I had different plans for you kid." 

"What does that mean?" Touma thought. He was still trying to process what was happening, until the man got up again and started walking towards the woman, she tried to run– but failed. 

The man caught her by the hair and stabbed her in chest.

She tried to scream, but the man covered her mouth.

 Her muffled screams started to get calmer and calmer, until they finally stopped.The woman was dead, Touma couldn't save her. He heard a metal sound again. It was probably the man, he threw the pipe away.

He heard footsteps approaching. The man was standing right in front of him — on the blood red pavement.

"Ahh— I didn't want to do this to you." The man crouched next to him. "I wanted to take my time with you. But you had to jump in — right in the middle of it. Can't you wait for your turn... Look what you've done now." 

"What... is he saying?" Touma wondered as he lay on the pavement in pain. 

"Ever since I saw you. You are all that's been on my mind. How I've wanted to see you suffer.

But you had to ruin it."

He sighed.    

"You took the fun away from me. Who's going to pay for it now?" His gaze started to drift around in the alley, "You know how hard it is to get to see someone with a physique like yours."

He stood. Well, who cares anymore? Guess I'll just leave you like this. Whew, time to clean up, I guess."

Touma was losing consciousness now. He couldn't feel anything, except the numbing pain. Only one thought came to mind—

"What does that man mean? He had eyes on me from the start? Was I never even meant to live? 

But... who cares anymore? Who the hell even does?! 

I was bullied, beaten and always looked down upon. I pretended to be strong. But I can't anymore. I've already reached my limits.I hate this all. I just.... hate it.

I didn't want to die like this. Not when I couldn't even save a single person. 

When I tried to finally stand up for someone else, I failed – I wasn't strong enough. I am just... a weakling. Just like those people who never stood up for me. 

No– they were strong, they could have easily helped me. But they didn't. 

No one saved me, and I wasn't able to save someone else. 

What was I even trying to live for? If I was going to die like this... why did I suffer so much? Why me? 

In the end too, I am suffering alone — with death waiting for me in this cold night.

...No. The night isn't cold. My body is

. 

So this is what death feels like.

This is how the death of a weakling feels like. 

I feel empty. Mom... Dad... I wish I could have seen you one last time."

His eyes were teary, Touma was dying, he could not hear anything, not anymore. But just as his consciousness was fading into nothing, Touma heard a voice.

“You tried to become the person no one was for you... And for that, you died. You carried your hopes like a candle in the storm — but even that has vanished here, in this alley.

                                                                  Tragic, isn’t it?”

"What was that?" is what Touma tried to say, but no words came.

It seemed as if time had stopped, the atmosphere around him felt oddly calming as well as chilling. Touma felt constricted— as well as free. The cold feeling was gone.
It was quiet. There were no footsteps, and no one beside him there. The only thing he could hear in this silence was – this strangely odd but comforting voice.

"You don't need to be so on guard, for you are already at the gate that separates life from death. 

I am nothing but an escort that helps people pass this gate. 

I've always watched you. 

And that has made one thing clear. That you — have had a really unfair life. You had to go through all this, but still wanted to save someone. I commend you for that.

But what has that brought for you? Nothing but pain. Look at you — dying here, alone."

"What does this mean? Escort… What does that imply? What is going on? How does he know me? I can't feel anything? Am I dreaming?"

"You ask so many questions. Even in the situation you are in. And if you think this is a dream.It would have been the best thing if it was. But that is not the case, this is all real. You ask what is going on. There is only one answer to it. You will die the moment I go away.”

“What does this mean?” Touma thought.
“That is not the concern for now. You didn't have the power to save anyone, as a result — you died.I am here to fulfill that desire you have. Yes, I can give you the power you need to save others.”

“Does that mean I will live again? That I would be able to go back to my home? What will happen if I accept his offer? He seems fake, but this situation makes me believe otherwise.”

“You sure are doubtful. Well, I can't blame you for that. Everyone acts the same as you.  

                                                                              And as for the fact that what will happen if you accept my offer. You will simply gain power, and be able to save other people. However, the thing right now is that your body is about to die.

Meaning it cannot be restored. So you cannot live here anymore.

This is why if you accept my offer, I'll send you to another place. A place where people need you. A place where you will be able to become the one you couldn't be here. 

In a place that needs help. 

....So Kisaragi Touma, what is the decision you will make?” he said.


Touma was confused. He could not clearly make sense of what was happening to him anymore. This all seemed unbelievable to him. But this voice seemed too real to be unreal.

He had to make a choice.

“Will I really be able to live if I accept this offer? Will I be able to be strong enough to save others?” His mind was full of queries. 

“Don't worry, this all is true. It is actually happening to you. All you need to say is yes or no, and that will decide your future-”

“I accept the offer." Cutting in between him, Touma replied "I can't even live here. You said I'm going to die the moment you leave. And if that is the case. Then there is no point in me rejecting the offer. That's why I accept your offer. Give me the strength… and in return – I'll fulfill your conditions.” 

Touma had made his decision without any hesitation.

“I'm actually glad that you decided to accept the offer. So now, it's finally about time then. You accepted the offer. Now it's my turn to fulfill the promise.

Take this strength – and go save Sereneth, the world that awaits you. For your real destiny lies there.

I'll be going now, and you'll be dying. But that's how your new life will begin. 

May we meet again. Let the light shine upon the path that you take.”
The voice disappeared. Touma felt his consciousness fading. He felt something pulling him away. 

His eyes closed and his breath stopped.

Kisaragi Touma was dead.