Daughter.

I heard a crackle under my feet. It was not that of leaves. I am sure leaves won't do it in such a damp atmosphere. I looked below my shoes.

It was the skeleton of someone. It was a real one at that.

"The... heck. What is happening??"

I ran through the forest. It was not much time till I noticed all the other skulls, some are hanging from trees, some below. The trees were weird too. They were twisted and turned in unusual manner. Even bonsai doesn't twist so hard like that. Their branches intertwine each other like a maze.

I looked back, I have lost the path I came from. Dang it...

But those cries of pain ached my heart. It isn't good to hear those who died from my foolishness. I don't care if I get lost. If I can get only one person that I can save, even if their limbs are amputated, I would be happy with that.

But Airi-chan is also a priority. I had no choice but to move foreward.

The screams and cries got clearer as I moved closer to the center of the island. Now, I could see the blood moon slowly revealing herself from the mist. It red-shifted all the green leaves that my eyes could behold, as if, the trees had a bloodbath.

It also shone on the thick long plank at the middle of an empty space, the torture log, red-shifting it too. But it also red-shifted another thing on it.

On the long plank in the middle of a sudden empty space, which I think would be the middle of the island, hanged the beautiful body of her...

Her hands tied to the log along with her legs, her white hair hanging down. Her white eyelashes were closed from the world in front of her, but her beautiful body was not. There wasn't a single strand of fabric on her.

My eyes couldn't believe it... is she... alive? Who did this? Did that Tsurihito do something to her?? Why is she naked and hanging like that??? Where are the others??

"She is alive.", an eerie, deep voice called out from the shadows behind me. It was strange to hear such a fimiliar yet so unfamiliar voice. Who was he, or should I say, it? I looked back, trying to find the answer.

'It' was something I didn't recognise. It's flesh hanged out like clay, it's skin wrinkled under the influence of water, some parts of it's flesh fell off, revealing the inner skeleton. Half of its face is missing, while the other half felt like it's going to fall off any moment. He was wearing suits and coats, like the people in the medieval ages. But the left sleeve of his pants was torn off. "I reckon I didn't introduce myself, did I? I am Tsurihito, the agony of the fishes, also known as, the Fish King."

It was him. How can I not recognise him? This was the thing that took my heart, took my friends and killed them and hanged my heart on that log like it's nothing. I wanted to punch him so badly, but I somehow couldn't. My body denied my orders. I wanted to knock down the log and save her, but I couldn't do it either. My body stayed in place no matter how hard I tried.

"I understand your reason in making such a face.", he said like a gentleman, as if he were a human. "But fear not, she hasn't been touched. Or, she doesn't allow anyone to touch her other than you. And I wouldn't let anyone touch my daughter either without her consent."

I found that I could only use my voice as usual. "What the heck do you mean?? Who are you?? Explain yourself you son of a fish!"

"Haha. I don't mind your humour. You are still a funny man standing in front of me." This was the first time I was able to see his eyes...

His eyes were perfectly circular, like that of a fishes, but something about that was wrong... it was scary... it felt odd.

Those eyes contracted at my sight, that I couldn't see previously. I felt my body numbing as I looked at those eyes, which was angry. I fell down on the damp ground, wetting my trousers, but I couldn't care less given that the situation I was facing.

He looked down on me like a monster finding its prey. It looked hungry for food. It looked away from me and stared at her, like she was something that is left on display at an exhibition.

"Airi is my daughter by her mother's relation with me..."