(“What the...?”) Jenyx opened his eyes.

The road was gone. Instead, what lay in front of him was a familiar grassy plain resting underneath a brilliant blue sky. He was inside his dreams once more.

("What just happened...?") The aching sensation in his head was gone now, but he couldn't stop thinking about it.

For the first time in his life, Jenyx came down with a headache—a rather severe one, at that. But the weirdest thing was that it came out of nowhere.

As a child, his father often told him that he didn't get as sick as the other kids. Once or twice a year at most, he'd catch minor illnesses, only to fully recover the following day. His parents never questioned it—and neither did he. But perhaps that was the earliest sign that his body was unlike the others.

("Right, and there was that time too...")

One of the rare few times he did fall ill was when he got bitten by a snake while playing in the forest as a child. What made it particularly memorable to him was the fact that it was a life-threatening situation. 

According to the priest who provided first-aid to him, the snake was a magical beast that carried a dangerous and powerful venom in its fangs—one that the priest could not purge by himself. Upon being brought to the church, nearly the entire left side of his upper body was said to have succumbed to the venom. Through the efforts of the Bishop and the Clergy, the venom was slowed down, but not removed—a testament to how powerful the venom was.

However, a miracle occurred. 

In the dead of night, while the assigned clergymen were combatting the venom's spread, Jenyx suddenly screamed in his sleep, awakening Maya who had fallen asleep at his bedside. His body was covered in sweat, and his breathing grew heavier and heavier. Maya burst into tears as she believed Jenyx was suffering gravely. But then, one of the clergymen noticed that the color was gradually returning to his face and the blackened vessels weren't as prominent as before. When they lifted the blanket, they discovered that the venom was being rapidly purged from his body for some unknown reason. Recognizing the opportunity, the bishop immediately ordered all clergymen present at the room to focus their strength on purifying Jenyx's body. In just a few minutes, the venom's affliction had disappeared from Jenyx entirely and his body had returned to normal.

Almost immediately after, Jenyx opened his eyes and was greeted by a still-crying Maya who embraced him tightly. Soon, Jullsariah returned to the church—apparently having gone out to bring a more powerful practitioner of holy magic to heal Jenyx—and was surprised to see that his son was up and about. Jullsariah's friend examined Jenyx after the treatment and concluded that he had fully recovered. Given that neither the church nor Jullsariah's friend could grasp the sudden, rapid destruction of the venom in Jenyx's body, the incident was instead declared a miracle performed by the God of Light for his devoted followers.

Thinking back on it, perhaps it wasn't so much a miracle as his body's natural healing process growing and outpacing the venom at an unnatural rate.

Nevertheless, during that time, he gradually felt his body worsen, up until he had to be placed on bed rest. Each time he got sick, symptoms naturally followed, but they all took time to develop. It may have been his first time experiencing a headache, but from what he learned, the pain comes in waves. They can be strong enough to make someone feel faint, but it doesn't knock people out in an instant—not even the most debilitating ones.

"Oh, you're here." While lost in his thoughts, he felt something land on his shoulder. Just as he expected, it was the figure who regularly accompanied him in this dream. Once it made its presence known, the figure silently looked towards the horizon—just like every other time.

But then, something strange happened. 

("Hm? Leaving already?")

Jenyx noticed that the figure had turned towards him. It's only been a few seconds, but it seemed as if the figure was already going to leave. Slowly, the figure extended its hand towards him.

"Huh?" It was the first time the figure had offered its hand instead of just walking towards the group behind them.

Intrigued, Jenyx slowly reached out.

“Not yet…”

!!

As soon as they touched, a voice resounded from across the plains.

Suddenly, tendrils of darkness emerged from the figure’s chest. The darkness slowly spread throughout its body like a slime seeking to envelop its victim. Jenyx desperately sought to break free, but its hand tightly held on to him like a vise. 

(“Come on! Move!”)

Soon, the darkness began to swallow both the sky and the plains. 

When it finally reached them, Jenyx felt the ground vanish under his feet. His body plunged into the depths of the void as he watched the sky be replaced by the encroaching shadows that surrounded him on all sides. If this were a dream—or, more likely, a nightmare—he should’ve woken up by now. But instead, he kept falling in the darkness, all alone. 

(“Huh?”) Although he couldn't see, he knew he was standing on something. Slowly, mist began to rise up from below, eventually surrounding him. 

"Finally...” Beyond the mist, a voice spoke to him.

(“That voice!”)  Jenyx remembered. It was the voice he heard before passing out.

“Who’s there!?” Jenyx spun his body towards the voice’s direction, but the mist obscured nearly everything around him.

“Hahaha… are you afraid?” From behind, the voice continued.

“Says the one who won’t show his face. Aren’t you the one who’s afraid?” Jenyx replied. 

“Oh? Acting tough?" The voice emerged from an entirely different direction.

“Why bother? When you don't even have the courage to fight.” 

“What...? What are y--"

“You can’t fool me..." The voice whispered behind him. Before he could turn around, the voice faded away.

"You see, I’ve been watching you. All this time..." Whenever he tried to catch a glimpse, the voice would immediately disappear.

Everything you see, everything you feel, I know as well…”

“...I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Really? Then, shall I jog your memory?” 

“Guh!?” In an instant, Jenyx's mind overflowed with memories.

Unpleasant memories that haunt him still.

Memories of men, women, and children—whose eyes spoke what they didn’t put into words. Memories of people who reminded him of what he was. Memories that have made him the person he is ever since.

“Despite the way they treat you. You act as if nothing is wrong.”

"Have you no dignity?"  The voice whispered beside his ear.

“...So what? Are you telling me to fight back? When it'll only make things worse...?” Though his breathing was ragged, he mustered to respond

“Did you even try?”

"I told you already, there's no point!” His pained yell echoed across the darkness. 

“Of course I want to fight back! Of course I want to prove them wrong! You have no idea just how much I...” Jenyx's voice thundered in the empty space. 

“Nobody curses my powerlessness more than I do! If I could help it, then I wouldn't be living like this...” His voice trailed away, much like his anger. There was no point in saying these things. Not when he had already accepted his fate.

“You're a coward.” 

“You're nothing but a spineless coward!”

Jenyx grit his teeth upon hearing the voice's reply. But he knew better than to just lash out again.  

“Say whatever you like. There's no point in fighting when the outcome's already determined."

The voice made a sound akin to a derisive snort in response.

“I've heard enough. To be awoken by the likes of you. What rotten luck…”

“...You make no sense. I don’t remember doing anything of the sort.”

“Know this, boy... nothing will change if you simply let something like 'fate' take over the reigns of your life.”

The mist surrounding Jenyx suddenly spun around in a turbulent fashion, drawing closer and closer. Unable to move, Jenyx could only watch as the mist devoured him.

Jenyx's eyes opened forcefully. He could finally move his body. The first thing he checked was his heartbeat. It was still beating, albeit rather quickly.

He was still alive.

However, he was in an unfamiliar room. It was a little bigger than his own room, and it was quite messy as well. His body felt oddly weak as he struggled to get up.

(“W-Where… am I?”) As he left the bed, the door slammed open, revealing a young man. “Oh? Hey! You're awake, man!"