Echoes of Hollow

"What’s your name, kid?"

As he observes the lights, the vehicles on four and two wheels that he instinctively knows are called cars and motorcycles, and the countless people surrounding them—each carrying distinct scents, along with strange smells clinging to their clothes and skin, which he somehow knows come from something called perfume—he also takes in the towering buildings enclosing them on all sides. It feels like an enormous maze, one that, with its overwhelming sounds, lights, and smells, seems to scramble his senses.

"B...?"

The boy feels lost, yet somehow also captivated by everything he’s just discovered. So much so that, even though he’s walking right beside him, Hye’s voice couldn’t seem more distant.

"What?" exclaimed a woman passing by, causing him to step aside despite the sidewalk being quite wide. Her steps were as clumsy as her words, which occasionally became inaudible. "Go home?! You're going home? No! It’s still early! It’s only... 5... or 6 o’clock...!"

"Yes, yes," replied the man who was serving as her support, letting her lean on his arm. "So early that you can’t even read the time..."

"One more round, come on. This will be the second-to-last!"

"You mean the last, right?"

The boy’s gaze drifted away from the path he had been following with that strange duo, wandering to take in the surroundings and briefly track the pair.

"Kid," with the weight of a palm pressing down on his shoulder, he was abruptly pulled out of the world in which he had been so immersed, "what’s your name?"

"...Admetos..." the boy answered, discreetly swallowing hard.

"Hm..."

Passing silently through the glass door, Hye walked straight to what he was asked to retrieve, grabbing nothing but the pain medication. Meanwhile, Admetos remained frozen, his gaze locked on the surroundings. The shelves were packed with items he strangely knew the names of—and even the functions of some—but he couldn’t fathom the taste of those meant to be consumed. Under the long, white-hued lamps, it seemed as though it would take him hours to muster the will to take his next step.

"Here, take it."

"What? No, but... this..." Hesitant, the boy’s eyes drifted away, scanning the illuminated streets where lights from building lamps, street posts, and the headlights of cars and motorcycles mingled. Yet, as though magnetized, his gaze always returned to the same spot: the red-colored package in Hye’s hand. "...Thank you..."

At some point during their silent walk, the lights began to fade, mostly disappearing into the distance. The ones that remained cast faint shadows behind them as they made their way toward a desolate road. Turning back for a moment, Admetos silently observed the glowing city life. The spicy taste filled his mouth while the vibrant lights shimmered in his eyes.

To smile freely, to talk so casually, to walk wherever and whenever one pleases, and to eat strange yet delicious foods... is this what it means to be free? If so, what makes them so different, so incapable of the same, even now that everyone exists in the same world? Could it be the difference in scents...? Then, if that's the case: 'Is it because they don’t transform?'

Soon, the city lights vanished entirely, no longer casting even the faintest of shadows. The streetlights came to an end as their feet met the dirt road that led to his new... home.

"What do you want, boy?"

"Sorry...?" Admetos replied, fumbling with the languages and unintentionally answering in Mandarin instead of English.

"...What do you want?"

What could such a question mean? What was the correct answer supposed to be? Another bag of cookies? More of that strange food they ate for dinner, or perhaps something different? Hesitant, the boy directed his gaze toward Hye, only to be met with an empty stare. Indeed, Hye didn’t even seem genuinely interested in his answer. So, why ask?

"I..."

Clenching his fists around the empty part of the package in his hands, Admetos's expression shifted, immediately catching Hye’s attention.

"There it is again, that same look as before... Confidence? Determination? Willpower or perseverance? No... I can’t quite place it. No matter how much I try, I can’t understand."

"I want my mother and my sister to be free... truly free. Completely free."

"I see. And I believe she would say the same about you."

Looking away, Admetos slightly loosened his grip, for he knew those words to be undeniably true.

"And also... unlike her, what do you have to offer in exchange?"

"What...?"

"Value, boy. What is your value? Just like your usefulness, what makes you important enough for me to consider negotiating such a condition?"

"I..."

"Think about it, and when you find your answer, come back to me."

As Hye walked past him, Admetos felt his mind overrun by a whirlwind of thoughts, leaving him frozen. Obedience? No, everyone would surely say the same. Absolute submission? But what good would that do? If he held no value now, how would it change anything? Among all the things his mother could offer that he lacked, apart from her body, only one possible answer remained—power.

"I..."

Clenching his fists, his fingers tore through the package in his hands as the tips of his claws punctured his palms.

"I can be strong!"

"That's your answer?"

Swallowing hard, the boy nodded, his gaze now sharper and more determined.

"How strong? No matter how much I think about it, your mother is still leagues above you."

"Strong enough to be your shield—no, your claws! I’ll take down anyone who stands against you, and I’ll never betray you. So..."

"Even if you have to choose between me and your mother?"

Speechless, the boy froze, staring at Hye's unchanging, lifeless expression. Those words, devoid of emotion yet sharp as blades, rendered him unable to respond. Blood trickled from his punctured palms, dripping onto the dirt below as his mind wandered. He knew what Hye likely wanted to hear but couldn’t bring himself to say it—even as a false promise.

"Very well. Then do it."

"What...?"

"Start with your mother, and then surpass everyone else. When you’ve done that, come back and propose this to me again. But be quick—I don’t think you’ll have much time."

"What...? No, but... Wait! How..."

"You’ll have to figure it out yourself. Wasn’t it you who said you would? ...Good luck, Admetos."

As Hye walked away along the dirt road, Admetos opened his palm, watching as the wounds on his hand quickly closed. Clenching his fists once more, though there were no claws left to pierce his flesh, the fire in his resolve burned brighter—no, it was greater than ever.

***************

"Arf! Arf! Arf!"

Some clung to trees, while others dug their claws into the nearest rocks. Despite their varied positions, one thing was the same for all of them—even those being held back by others to prevent being swept away by the spatial rift—the expressions of sheer terror on their faces and the uncontrollable tremors shaking their bodies.

"I-Is it over...?"

Apart from the heavy breathing, silence was the only answer for the one brave enough to voice the question.

"It’s... so..." Lacking the strength to stand, the woman collapsed to her knees as her claws retreated. "Those who left before he decided to help us again, they..."

Even though she didn’t finish her sentence, everyone knew how it would end. Some shrank away, while others, hiding their faces, broke into tears. A few, jolted by the harsh reality, were the first to realize what else was missing from their sides.

"Sop..." Trembling, her eyes scanned the area, though she didn’t have the strength to stand. "Sophia!"

The scream echoed through the forest, startling some and rousing others. Chaos broke out as the wolves finally realized their children were missing.

Anxious and distrustful of their newfound safety, they glanced around frantically, calling out the names of their young. Yet, with their legs too weak to carry them, they couldn’t venture into the forest to search for them, no matter how desperately they wanted to.

Tears soaked the ground from every side as claws raked the earth—the only way the anguished parents could release their despair.

"Mommy!"

"Daddy!"

Hearing the voices echo toward them, everyone turned to face the direction they came from. Biting her lip, a woman with trembling eyes observed silently, following the sound of the approaching footsteps. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't hear the voice of her own child.

Sniffling, she watched as a boy burst out from between the trees. Then came a girl, opening the way for many other children—even the youngest ones who had just learned to walk... but not hers.

"Helena!!"

As her claws tore into her palms, her blood mixed with the soil. She closed her eyes, and while joy and relief lit up the faces around her, her chest tightened, and her mind drifted, blurring her senses to the point that she couldn’t hear what was happening nearby.

"Thali..."

Indifferent to everything surrounding her, she wept as she brought one hand to her neck and pressed her claws against her skin.

"Hey, Thal...!"

Warm blood began to drip through her fingers as her claws slowly pierced her flesh, allowing her to feel the sharp sting of her decision and the gradual reunion with her family. For some reason, despite the pain, a strange warmth in her chest made her smile.

"What are you doing?!"

As her hand slammed against the tree trunk behind her, the sound of her bones cracking echoed through the air, forcing her to open her eyes. Arche stood before her, holding her back and stopping her from going any further.

Silently, she struggled, attempting to continue, but when her gaze wandered and caught sight of those light brown locks and a child who could barely stand without assistance... her daughter... Arche couldn’t hold back his tears, nor could he maintain his grip on her arm. Freed, she immediately used it to pull the trembling, tearful little girl into her arms.

Although most were smiling and relieved at this moment, a few others were not so fortunate. Some stood frozen, unable to believe that their partner would never return. Others, who hadn’t lost everything, clung desperately to what remained—whether their partners or their children—holding them tightly and letting their emotions flow freely in the form of tears.

"P... Please!" a cry echoed from the direction of the gate. "Someone help me...! Please... someone...!"

Leaving Eudora and Hilary in Arche's care without the need for any exchange of words, Lykos quickly sprinted toward the source of the voice—it was one he recognized instantly.

"Andreas..."

In despair, the man clung tightly to his beloved’s body, desperately trying to keep her conscious in any way he could.

"Lykos, please..." he pleaded as their eyes met, "Help me, please... help me!"

As Lykos approached, he couldn’t help but glance at those around them, holding onto each other and carrying in their expressions the same bittersweet relief he now felt in his tightly constrained heart—that it wasn’t him in such a dire situation.

No deep analysis was needed. A single look was enough to reveal that something strange was happening. A severe injury? Yes, perhaps, but nothing fatal. Some would recover lost limbs in a matter of hours, while others would heal from such wounds within moments. Yet, for some reason, neither option was true here. The bleeding wouldn’t stop, and slowly, before his eyes, her body seemed to continue fading away.

"Andreas, I..." Even with the words formed clearly in his mind, he couldn’t bring himself to say them. That desperate gaze wouldn’t allow it. "...How did this happen?"

"The portal, she... he...! What do I do, Lykos?"

"..."

‘So, even if not entirely, she was caught, and this is the result?’

Kneeling beside Andreas, Lykos placed a hand on his shoulder and silently shook his head in denial.

‘He may not have realized it due to the shock... I wouldn’t have either. But this isn’t a simple wound; there’s not even blood. The portal might have vanished, but that doesn’t mean she’s safe. Slowly, her leg continues disappearing, and her groans of pain grow quieter. The others were taken immediately, but she… because she tried to resist and still got caught, this feels more like a punish-!’

"Huh? What’s going on?"

The voice came from the gate, interrupting Lykos’s train of thought as it creaked open. Hye stepped in.

"I thought you had some super regeneration. Shouldn’t this have been resolved already?"

"Please!" Andreas pleaded, desperation thick in his voice. "I’ll do anything you want, just save her… please..."

*"Anything I want...? Could that mean... an arm?"*

Without hesitation, Andreas grabbed the top of his arm, ready to tear it off, ignoring the pain. Concerned, Lykos glanced at Hye, who gave a slight nod, signaling him to intervene.

"What are you doing?! Move, Lykos! Why are you stopping me?! I need to—"

"And what use would you be without an arm? If you do this, you lose part of your utility."

Hye approached the couple, stopping just before kneeling down. He turned briefly to glance toward Admetos’s direction before focusing back on Andreas.

"I don’t know what you thought you’d achieve with that, but willingness to do something like this doesn’t show loyalty. It just shows desperation and need. The same thing everyone did in the dungeon, remember? Look how that ended. At most, it means you care about her. Nothing more. But how does that serve me?"

*‘I might be wrong, but…’* releasing Andreas, Lykos glanced at Admetos briefly. *‘That didn’t feel like it was meant just for Andreas.’*

"No! I didn’t do that before! I wasn’t one of them! I—"

"So you’re asking me to help someone who was about to abandon me after getting what they wanted?"

"No, I—"

"Not for her," Admetos interrupted, his voice wavering but firm enough to be heard. "But for him. While the others left, he stayed. Doesn’t that deserve a reward?"

"A reward...?" Hye looked to the side, his gaze locking onto Admetos’s trembling yet determined eyes. "Yeah, you’re right. It seems fair to give them something for that."

*‘Hmm... Said like that,’* Samael’s voice echoed, *‘it almost makes it sound like you hadn’t planned to do this already.’

"Is that what you want? Saving her? That will be your reward?"

"Yes, please, I want nothing else. Just… please, heal her..."

[Waring!]

[Under penalty for contract breach: slowed erasure detected.]

[Do you wish to renegotiate and cancel the penalty?]

[Yes] [No]