The noise of the machine taking the reverend patient's vital signs was heard. She was submerged in blood once again as she heard that distinctive beeping sound. The warm blood covering her body was disturbed, with distant voices echoing endlessly.
She wished she hadn't seen that. She wished she hadn't felt what that kid felt.
Alek Gusev finally broke down and gave up his life to bring happiness to his mother. A child shouldn't think that way. Children should play and make friends, not give themselves over to such a torturous fate. But ironically, she was the same way. When she agreed to go with the Matō family, she never complained. She accepted a painful fate in exchange for someone else's happiness.
In that respect, Alek and Sakura are similar, only Alek, unlike this girl, was never saved by anyone. He was left alone, suffering in silence, and the result of that was the worst possible.
The machine continued to resonate, and someone's heavy breathing was heard near his ear. Suddenly, reality adjusted and the story continued. The second act, the rise of the Humanity Helper.
***
Alek opened his eyes and found himself lying on a hospital bed and four solid white walls. The machine next to his bed was making a lot of noise. That was probably what woke him up. A little further away from the bed, at the back of the room to the left, there was a door that was open, the place where the voices of the surgeon and Jasha came from.
Sakura opened her eyes and witnessed the boy lying on the bed. There were bandages covering his head. One of the boy's arms was in a cast as was one of his legs, and on the rest of his body there were bandages helping to support his broken bones.
She thought of only one thing after this.
...
Alek is alive.
...
'Why', she thought deeply. Anyone who fell from that height would die, and more so if it was a fall like Alek's, who fell to the ground hitting his head with the full force of gravity pushing him into the ground. It would take more than a miracle for Alek to survive that.
Then she remembered the girl she saw earlier and the strange things she said. That was no coincidence. Although Alek couldn't seem to hear or see her due to the shock of hitting the ground, Sakura could see her clearly.
Before she could think about it anymore, reality set in once again and the scenario changed. Alek was returning home in a wheelchair and Sakura was walking beside him. The one helping Alek with the wheelchair was Maria. She looked sad for some reason, though Sakura couldn't tell why.
'That's right...', she noticed something. 'Since a moment ago, I haven't seen Alek's face,' she was distracted thinking about what happened that she didn't look at the boy's face. All she had seen were the bandages and the cast.
When she saw him, she felt something familiar rise in the depths of her heart.
Alek had a completely expressionless face. His look was very dull and he even looked as if he had died in life.
One thing was certain. That day on top of that building, Alek Gusev definitely died, giving way to the being that would doom his own species.
-In a forest near the Towers of Iselma-
They approached the place where Trimmau sent the signal. But something strange was near there. Toru sniffed the air and his eyes glowed.
"Death...", he whispered loud enough for the girls to hear.
Reines had a bad feeling as did Gray. They both looked at each other and they all started running in that direction. As they arrived, they noticed a lake stretching all the way to the other side of the forest. In the water was a blood covered corpse floating and next to it was Trimmau.
"Carina..."
"This is not possible", Gray looked at Toru in search of a solution, but just at that moment a feeling exploded in the servant's heart.
At the same time, someone appeared through the trees.
"Why, wait a moment", the old woman said. Lord Valueleta. "Wait a little while. I'll have to ask you not to move. In cases like these the scene has to be preserved. Or would it be more like catching the culprit red-handed?"
As the old woman spoke, Gray felt that feeling in Toru grow. The servant's gaze began to grow darker and darker.
"Lord Valueleta, what are you doing here?", asked Reines. She felt cornered.
"The same thing I should ask you. I noticed a magical presence and came to make sure it wasn't something strange", Trimmau wanted to return to Reines' side, but Lord Valueleta shook her head. "I will not allow it," and threw a strange painted sand.
At the sight of that sand, Assassin opened his eyes and Gray felt that feeling intensify. She felt dizzy for a second.
"A trap", one could barely hear what Assassin said.
Gray understood what he was feeling.
The servant was very angry, so much so that the air around him seemed to heat up.
Just after being caught in the most incriminating situation possible, Reines watched as more people appeared through the trees. It was Byron and the other maid, Rejina.
"Care to explain this to me, Princess El-Melloi?", the man asked.
"A coincidence?", stammered Toru upon hearing Byron's words. "That might be the case", his voice whispering, he ducked his gaze thoughtfully. "But this is also more than just a coincidence."
Toru began to overthink as Reines tried to explain. It seemed that the boy had locked himself in his own world to think, as if he was trying to quell the anger growing inside him. However, what Byron said next interrupted that thought.
"From what I can see, it's pretty clear that the Maid of Mercury murdered Carina and tried to dispose of the corpse in this spring. Is that correct? How hell-bent are you on racking up crimes, princess?"
Reines tried to explain, but Byron stopped her by blaming her again.
"Ah...", Assassin sighed. From her mouth came a small cloud of steam, like hot air boiling inside his body.
Gray felt a shiver. The atmosphere became heavy, the temperature rose, and Toru's voice changed.
"You guys think this is a game?"
"Hm?"
"You guys are playing something here and I'm not hearing about it?"
"Princess, I'd like you to tell your butler to butt out."
Reines wanted to say something to Toru, but he didn't hear her. He took a step forward looking Byron in the eye and asked again.
"Is this a bad joke?"
Black particles began to rise around him and his clothes quickly changed. The cloak and hood billowed at the fluctuating mana and the glow in his eyes intensified like a flash. In his right hand a sharp dagger showed itself.
"If that's the case, I'd like to play as well."
Toru stomped heavily on the ground and the seal on his ankle activated. A cloud of smoke exploded and, propelled upwards, the puppet that attacked them earlier appeared. Byron's eyes widened at the sight of the automaton. This Assassin knew something, or at least understood something. After that he kicked the automaton making it crash into a tree. The tree withstood the force of the kick, but not the automaton, whose limbs broke into pieces.
"That's yours, isn't it? I find it curious..."
They appeared in the nick of time. Lord Valueleta's painted sand. The automaton whose mana trail came from Byron. They may not have killed the Golden Princess, let alone Carina, but they wanted to make something of it all by putting the blame on someone, and that was Reines.
As hypocritical as this sounds, Toru was angry at this injustice. It all reminded him of the time he had to flee Konoha for a similar situation. Gray could feel Toru's anger intensifying overshadowing his sadness.
"Right now I'm going to kill all of you", he said, causing those present to hold their breath. "I will leave nothing here. Everything will be reduced to ashes and the Iselma family will be wiped off the map along with your ridiculous towers."
"What are you saying? You..."
Too late, Byron realized who this guy was. It was about the servant of rumors.
Lord Valueleta in turn felt she had made a grave mistake. Her foolish student had warned her about him earlier. Although Touko did not reveal much to her in order not to get into trouble, Lord Valueleta felt a chill.
With the atmosphere heavy, the ground began to fill with blood and millions of deafening voices spoke into Byron's and the old woman's ears.
"No matter what they do, no matter where they flee to. Nothing they do can save them. If they run, if they hide, wherever they go I will find them. They will be cut down and burned, their existences will vanish into thin air. Even if their souls remain, they will become part of my blood collection."
"Assassin, stop. You're out of line", Reines looked at the ocean of blood that was forming. She remembered what she had heard from her older brother and how Assassin had the power to tear an entire city apart if he set his mind to it.
As Byron and Lord Valueleta prepared to defend themselves, before the Bounded Field was completed, someone spoke directly to Toru.
"Do you want to get your master in trouble, Assassin?"
A black shadow appeared walking through the blood. He was carrying a briefcase in one hand and that very old coat would be easily recognized by the three teenagers. The man who had interrupted the assassination attempt was Waver, who had arrived at just the right moment. He took a puff on his cigarette when he saw that the Bounded Field had been deactivated by his presence. Maybe Assassin obeyed him out of respect, or because he really wants to protect Sakura. The answer will remain uncertain.
"I leave them alone for a few days and watch what happens", the man spat.
Toru's gaze was glowing under the hood. He turned around and looked at the man.
"Waver-sensei. You came at just the right time. The situation got out of hand."
"Huh. When something gets out of hand the first thing you do is resort to violence? You're smart, but you're also very reckless."
"Without recklessness progress is impossible."
Waver stopped next to Reines. "Maybe you're right. And, Lady, what the hell are you doing?", he looked at Reines, who in response smiled in relief.
She had lost almost all her will in the face of adversity, but seeing her adored older brother, she regained her strength. Besides that Assassin almost mercilessly killed this pair of old men. The presence of an adult was urgently required.
So, this man was going to take the case.
Gray in the end was so quiet and confused that she couldn't help but sigh at the sight of her mentor. But leaving that aside, what happened with Toru had been a scene of near terror. She somehow understood why he had made that decision. Feeling Toru's emotions was a strange and mysterious journey. Each emotion is riddled with mystery, hiding a story behind the servant's actions.
'Another glimpse of the past', she touched her head painfully at the thought, as if someone had drilled into her skull and implanted the idea in her brain.
-???-
Maria led Alek through the mansion. The boy just stared straight ahead with opaque eyes. He didn't make a sound, he didn't even go back to look at the other maids who were spread throughout the mansion. All he did was to be silent, without changing the expressionlessness of his face.
When Mary led Alek to his room, he looked at her with those dull eyes.
"Should I help you in the kitchen when my wounds heal?"
This boy had been in a coma for over six months. He attempted suicide and she knew why Alek made that decision. Everyone in this mansion knows, but no one can say a word about it. What happens in this mansion is always going to stay inside these walls.
Maria then took a breath of air to calm herself. "That's my job, I can't-"
"But I can help..."
Alek insisted. Unlike the last time he asked this of Maria, the expression on his face was totally different. That kind smile was erased forever.
Alek Gusev is broken....
In the end, Maria had no choice but to agree.
***
He was looking at himself in the mirror. Then he looked at his hand and clenched his fist. Alek sighed closing his eyes. He was in front of the mirror in his room. Maria had left him alone for a moment because she had to prepare some things to take care of him from now on, at least until the boy could walk again.
The fall affected his whole body. In itself it was a miracle that he was not a paraplegic, no, more than that, it was a miracle that Alek was still alive. The doctors did not know how this could have happened. The only thing they understood is that this boy's body has a beastly regenerative capacity. In terms of health, he is the epitome of humanity. And although the hospital wanted to further investigate Alek, Jasha wouldn't allow it. He simply paid for nothing that happened that day to come to light, not caring why his only son tried to take his own life.
"I should study a bit", though with a body like that, moving would be quite a challenge.
Sakura tried to hold Alek's chair to help him move, but her hands went through the object.
"Yes... This is nothing more than an illusion", but such a detailed illusion would be more than just an illusion. This was a memory buried deep in someone specific's mind.
From here until Alek's recovery, it was always the same. Alek could do nothing without the help of the maids. Sometimes he tried to get out of the wheelchair, but ended up falling to the floor. The maids helped him every time that happened. They could not understand how this child possessed so much willpower. Even if his mind was broken, deep down he was still the same.
Until that night...
It had been a long time since he had seen his mother. Biserka was drunk again. Not caring if her son was in a wheelchair, she swooped in to beat and hang him. This time, however, it was different. Alek never again screamed at the blows, never again cried at the pain, or apologized for the insults he himself was receiving. As he was being strangled by the woman, Alek's gaze remained subdued, his emotions were muffled. His breathing choked, his gaze became blurred, but he felt no pain, sadness or anger.
He no longer felt anything...
Perhaps it was that very thing that made Biserka turn away. Perhaps she found it amusing to see Alek suffer, but noticing that he was no longer suffering, that he had finally broken, mistreating him had lost its humor. It was probably the reason why Biserka, from that night on, never hit Alek again.
From then on it was the same as with his father. Father and mother, neither of them went near their son again for a long time.
"What would be the point of living like this?", wondered Sakura as she watched time pass in front of her eyes.
The bandages fell off, the cast was removed and Alek was able to stand up again.
As in the past, he walked the corridors of the mansion again, but always with that expressionless face.
And Maria, as she had promised long ago, allowed Alek to help her cook. It was a moment much like that time. When it was all over, Maria tasted the food. She frowned in confusion and whispered:
"It has no flavor...", she had made sure to season all the food. That the dishes had no flavor made no sense. Even if she added more salt, the food still acquired no flavor.
Everything had become tasteless. Seeing Alek's face, he somehow surmised something. A tasteless meal that came from the hands of someone who, having suffered so much until he broke, had become tasteless himself.
Alek's life had been painted in dull gray colors.
***
There was also something that changed in him. After he had recovered, he began to study relentlessly.
'I used to listen to her thoughts', of course she could. She was living someone else's story. However, this time she could not hear Alek's thoughts. It was as if the boy's mind was empty. Though maybe Alek stopped thinking and started to be guided by his instinct.
Alek had lost his ability to feel emotions. That was the reality. That meant that what that golden girl said came true. She took away this boy's emotions, and he now lives a bland life guided by his instinct. But what is instinct in a human being?
Sakura deduced it easily after seeing everything Alek studied. It all had to do with evolution, that is, the progress of humanity as a species on earth. He researched too much, studying every aspect of chemistry, physics and biology. Every book he read turned into valuable knowledge that was transformed into experience.
Alek, in that respect, is a genius.
Reading some more chemistry, Alek discovered something. It had to do with a certain drug that stimulates a chemical reaction in the brain. More specifically, when a person feels happy, the brain releases dopamine. With that information, Alek did his first experiment.
He went into his mother's room and took half of the bottles with antidepressants. Once he got them, he opened one of the bottles and swallowed about four pills.
Sakura wanted to stop him, but Alek simply continued back to his room.
It took a few minutes before the drug began to take effect.
Alek sighed calmly for the first time in a long time. He looked at the sunlight reflecting off the window and somehow, in his mind, endless ideas began to pop up. The thoughts returned and Sakura could hear Alek's thoughts again.
The monologue of this boy began....
To be continued...