Beyond the clouds lays light , but that very light causes lightning.

  The clouds held their wrath of darkness. A ray of light passed through them, bringing light to Kael.

  I turned toward the portal.

  Wind carried Tana’s tears as her hands pressed against her chest.

  “Thank you for everything,” she muttered.

  The wind pushed me back as I moved away from the ray of light. The abyss gave one final howl as I cut through the portal.

  The priest smiled.

  “You’ve sealed your fate.”

  “Look! Look! It’s a cool sword—cooler than Bill’s!” the children stared in awe.

  But they were left gazing at petals.

  My katana cut through the wind, barely reaching the priest as he dodged.

  “You’re fast for a kid. Where are my manners? My name is Jack. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kael.”

  Jack placed his shoulder over my neck.

  I sliced through it, but he was gone.

  His shoulder regenerated and grabbed my katana right before impact.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “Amara, I wonder why you chose this poor boy as your host. Or is he trying to replace your son?” Jack asked passively.

  The katana hummed a deep burning red. Jack stepped back.

  “You know this man?” I muttered to my katana.

  Jack raised his hand, and a dark rod formed within it. His eyes turned crimson like those of a wolf.

  “Since you have decided to be the Messiah, I’ll execute you like the Messiah,” his voice murmured deeply, silencing the wind.

  “KAEL, LET’S DESTROY HIM!” the katana erupted.

  “I was about to say the same thing.” I took a step forward.

  “Sis Tana, look! Kael disappeared again!” the children pointed.

  “And the priest too!”

  Tana remained frozen. “Why…?” she murmured.

  Sparks flared in rhythm with the lightning as we clashed.

  “It’s like fireworks!” the children giggled as the sparks reflected in their wide eyes.

  “…Why won’t you run?”

  Why can’t I change anything? I thought. There’s no such thing as fate!

  “Tell me, Kael, what makes you want to die here?” Jack laughed cynically.

  “If freedom means running away from circumstances, then it isn’t freedom at all,” I replied.

  Jack took a step back as he gazed into my eyes.

  “You have his eyes…” Jack trembled.

  He laughed, and the abyss echoed his life.

  “FREEDOM, you say! Do you know what that is? These children here—do you think they’re free?! They are outcasts from their own kind!”

  My blood ran cold as I remembered Tana showing me the mark on her back.

  Jack grabbed one of the children.

  “Uncle Jack, it hurts,” the child winced.

  “Let him go!” Tana cried.

  I blitzed toward him.

  “Let me remind you why freedom is a mere illusion,” Jack said as the marks on their backs burned crimson.

  The children screamed as their bones twisted, their small hands curling into claws.

  “They have the same mark as you, Kael, yet you remain different,” Jack hissed.

  Their eyes resembled those of Jack as they slowly mutated.

  “No…” Tana gave a broken whisper, her eyes resembling the clouds.

  I trembled as the cycle repeated itself.

  “Will you kill them as you killed those ones? Or will you free them as you freed Tracy? These ones aren’t harmful yet, but they are still monsters after all. Free them, Kael—become their messiah!” Jack said, his voice dripping with false concern.