Vengeance Upon Fate - Chapter 37

It was now the night before his departure. Kurogane stood in his room, which was briefly lit up by the lantern against the wall, finishing his nightly stretches before heading to bed.

Through the cracked door, a luminous green glow emanated softly. The smell of the forests that he once explored with his mom long ago greeted his nose.

Kurogane unconsciously followed the viridescent radiance, the scent of his childhood growing stronger with each step.

Finally he stood before a wooden door of a small room that was left slightly open; the brilliance of the warm aura gave him a sense of unwavering calmness, something he was not used to.

Kurogane, curious about the source of this power, peeked slowly through the crack.

Inside was a library of old tattered books, organized neatly across the shelves that surrounded the walls.

The luminescent green originated from a small table in the corner facing away from Kurogane: on it was many flasks and tubes holding different colored substances, many of which he could not distinguish from each other.

Ayumi was sitting on a leather chair right in front of the table; her body outlined by the light.

Her hands were shining with a lighter green color, indicative of her element of nature; Kurogane watched in amazement as the different chemicals zipped past the flasks and tubes before falling gently into the delicately placed bowl at the bottom.

He knew that elemental attributes could be used in such a manner, though he never once saw it in action. All he ever did was use his shadow element for combat, while witnessing other adventurers use theirs in a similar manner, aside from healing and other similar effects.

“The nature element… it’s beautiful.”

Kurogane blurted the words out loud before his mind could process them.

He held still for a couple of moments, waiting for Ayumi to naturally turn around and notice him. To his surprise, she never did, since she was too engrossed in her work. Kurogane gently closed the door and slipped back quietly to his room to resume his stretches.

Some time later, Ayumi knocked at the door and wanted to come in for whatever reason, snapping Kurogane out of his trance. He could only assume that she pretended to not know of his whereabouts earlier, and that she was now going to question it – not that he cared anymore.

“Can I come in?”

“Yea, I don’t mind.”

Ayumi opened the door and walked quietly, closing it behind her.

“Still at it aren’t you? You should give yourself some time to breathe.” said Ayumi, who raised an eyebrow, put her arms in akimbo and smiled.

…

Kurogane sat on the bed and aimlessly looked out the window into the night sky.

Ayumi pulled a chair and sat down as well.

“Did you need something?”

“Not really. Just here to check on you if that’s not too much to ask.”

“I’m fine, no need to worry anymore.”

“You do seem fully recovered at this point. I’m glad.” Wuxiaworld for visiting.

“I appreciate your concern, though there is more you wanted to ask me about, correct?”

Ayumi shifted to a more serious look on her face, her back perking up from the spine of the chair.

“The day you woke up… You didn’t tell us the full truth, did you?”

Kurogane continued to look out the window, his expression and tone unchanged.

“No, I didn’t.”

“Though it didn’t seem like it, my father also knew something was up since the first day.”

“Yes, I know.”

“You’re not going to tell us, aren’t you..?

“No, I won’t.”

Ayumi looked at Kurogane, her eyebrows furrowed in Kuogane’s lack of answers.

“But we can help you if you open up!”

“Maybe you both could, but I’m sorry, I just can’t.”

“This isn’t fair.. after a-”

“This is for your own safety and well being..”

“What exactly do you mean by that?!”

Although Ayumi had become understandably upset, Kurogane started to get frustrated, as he did not know how to make Ayumi understand the circumstances and risks without giving away too much information. This caused him to raise his voice slightly, startling Ayumi.

“Look, I have major problems to deal with, and I refuse to let anyone get involved… it would only drag them down.”

The gruesome image of Taro and Hiroki’s mutilated corpses flashed through Kurogane’s mind, causing him to tightly grasp the bed sheets.

….

“I’m sorry… but please, it’s better you don’t know everything, as much as I appreciate the two of you.”

“..Okay then, I understand.”

Ayumi’s eyes watered a bit before she got up and proceeded to leave the room.

“Good night.”

Ayumi closed the door gently as she left.

“Was that the right thing to do..?”

Yukito sat near the table in the dining room, looking down and resting his chin on his hand, pondering on the conversation he overheard with the two.