Chapter 6
Flashback – (15 years ago)
On a quiet night, the warm lights of the city reflected off the sidewalks as Sbyam walked beside Risa. Both were seventeen, wandering through the still alleys of the city. Risa glanced at Sbyam with a mischievous smile before speaking in a teasing tone mixed with shy playfulness:
"Brylo won't be angry with me, right?"
Sbyam paused for a moment, looking at her with surprised eyes as if he hadn't expected her to mention that. He then responded:
"Why would he be angry?"
Risa took a deep breath, then chuckled softly, adding with a smile that was half playful, half mysterious:
"Because I stole you from him!"
A look of astonishment appeared on Sbyam's lips, and a quiet laugh escaped him as he looked at Risa with a neutral expression before turning his gaze forward, almost as if he were escaping from the emotions that began to mix with his words.
Risa continued, her voice warm, gazing at him with tenderness:
"So... you did hear my feelings earlier, didn't you? Won't you tell me your feelings too?"
Sbyam walked slowly, trying to hold back a smile, and replied in a low voice:
"Let me... I don't want to rush my answer."
Risa looked at him with a hint of longing before smiling gently and saying:
"But you're walking with me now; doesn't that mean you've accepted my feelings?"
Their laughter lingered in the air as Risa gently placed her hand in Sbyam's. They walked in harmony, as though the warmth of the city embraced them, and their intertwined laughter echoed through the alleys of that night like an eternal whisper from the past.
---
Present Time – (15 years later)
Under the faint moonlight, amidst the eerie silence that enveloped the devastated area after a fierce battle between Sbyam and Smart, the townspeople stood at a distance, staring at the destruction around them with faces full of awe and shock. Murmurs broke out from their lips.
A man spoke in a tense tone:
"What happened here, I wonder?"
A girl answered, trembling:
"He killed him in a terrifying way... I've never seen anything like it before!"
Amidst the scattered whispers, Sbyam appeared, his features worn, his eyes heavy with deep sorrow, carrying Risa's lifeless body in his arms as if he were holding a part of his own burdened soul. His steps were slow, barely touching the ground, while he stared at her silent face, as though searching for one last moment of life.
At that moment, the townspeople's eyes were drawn to him in fear. The power that had been evident in the battle was gone, and all that remained was an aching silence that felt like death itself.
---
In a Dense Forest, With a Stone Castle at Its Center
Spailo stood silently behind Raizo, who was gazing out of a large window, letting the cold moonlight slip into the vast stone room. After a few moments of stillness, Spailo broke the silence with a firm voice, filled with determination:
"I'll do it."
Raizo slowly turned around, studying Spailo's features as though reading his thoughts before responding in a calm voice with a hidden warning:
"You're not obligated to do this, you know that, right?"
Spailo replied in a blunt, dry tone, his eyes blazing with resolve:
"I'll do it... and I won't back down."
Raizo's response was cold, yet charged with concealed wisdom:
"You know that Suero hates you, right? If he finds out what you intend to do, he'll never forgive you. You've told me time and again how stubborn he is."
A moment of silence followed, and Spailo's features seemed to fade for a second, as if absorbing Raizo's words, before he looked at him resolutely and said in a calm, confident voice:
"It doesn't matter... The day will come when he'll realize the truth of the world, the full truth of Kaisima."
A faint smile appeared on Raizo's lips, a mix of satisfaction and indifference, before he answered dryly:
"Do as you please."
---
In Front of the Apartment Door
Sbyam stood before the door, his tired eyes staring at it, burdened by a heavy weight as he carried Risa's lifeless body in his arms. His features were a mix of confusion and pain before he gently knocked on the door, as if afraid of the echo of his knocks.
After a moment, an elderly woman opened the door and stared at him for a moment, as if unable to believe what she was seeing. Their eyes met, exchanging a gaze full of indescribable sorrow, before her gaze shifted to Risa's body in his arms.
Sbyam whispered in a trembling voice, barely audible:
"She's... she's gone."
The old woman's eyes filled with shock as she stared at Risa again, as if refusing to believe what she had just heard. Sbyam slowly stepped inside, gently placing Risa's body on the couch, as if saying goodbye for the last time. For a moment, he stared at her peaceful face before turning and leaving, leaving the elderly woman stunned before Risa's body, as though her world had collapsed in an instant.
---
At Dawn
Mother Salma quietly stepped out of her home, walking cautiously, her features weighed down with worry. She paused for a moment in the street, taking a deep breath of the cold air, then muttered in a trembling voice:
"Spailo... I want an explanation for everything you're doing."
She turned away from the house, flagged down a taxi, and left, leaving everything behind in her search for the truth.
---
Back at School
With the rising sun, Sbyam returned to school, his steps slow, carrying the fatigue of a long night. He crossed through the school gate quietly, where the students waited for him, their faces filled with astonishment and concern. His silence spoke louder than any words, but he didn't want to say anything.
He looked at them with a calm gaze, as if silently asking, "What is it?" But Suero approached him with worry and gently asked:
"Master Sbyam! Are you okay?"
Kamyo looked at him curiously, noticing his exhaustion, and asked:
"What happened to you?"
Sbyam lifted his gaze to them for a moment, then slowly exhaled, responding in a calm, cold voice:
"Leave me alone, that's all I want."
He walked to his room, closed the door behind him, leaving the silence to reclaim control of the space.
Baysal stared at the ground in shock before whispering with a choked, sorrowful voice:
"Sbyam's friend... she's gone."
Moryo turned to her in surprise, asking in disbelief:
"How did you know?"
Baysal looked at him with a troubled face and answered:
"Didn't you hear the news yesterday? Risa... she passed away."
Moryo whispered to himself in shock:
"Risa?"
Baysal continued, as if recalling a painful memory:
"Do you remember, Moryo?... Risa was his friend!"
---
Inside the Room
Sbyam sat on the edge of the bed, holding an old photo of himself with Risa. He stared at the picture with distant eyes, lost between memories and pain. A faint smile appeared on his lips, but the tears choked it before the sound of a knock on the door broke the silence, pulling him back to the present. He hesitated for a moment, then regained his composure and said in a hoarse voice:
"What do you want?"
A voice came from behind the door:
"Master Sbyam, may I come in?"
Sbyam responded with hesitation:
"Moryo?... Come in."
Moryo slowly opened the door, entered, and closed it behind him. He then sat beside Sbyam on the bed, staring at him silently. His gaze carried worry and care before he spoke in a calm tone:
"Are you alright?"
Sbyam looked at him with a pained smile, then slowly responded:
"Of course... I didn't expect this... to live through this moment."
Moryo hesitated for a moment before gently asking:
"How... how did she die?"
Sbyam furrowed his brows, his fingers fidgeting as if he were trying to escape the truth. Words hung on his lips, a harsh reality he didn't want to share:
"I won't tell him that his father is still alive, and I won't reveal his crimes."
After a moment of silence, Sbyam turned to Moryo and answered cautiously:
"Nothing... She was killed by someone."
Moryo stared at Sbyam in disbelief and asked softly:
"Someone...?"
Sbyam lowered his head, burdened with sorrow, then whispered:
"They say I'm strong... but does strength alone really suffice?" He raised his gaze slightly, as if searching for an answer in the void.
Moryo's face showed confusion as he looked at Sbyam with a mixture of sympathy and respect. He felt a desire to comfort him and, after a pause, said:
"I don't know... but that won't stop you from continuing our training, will it?"
Sbyam slowly smiled in the mirror, as if trying to regain his confidence, then replied in a weary tone, though with false certainty:
"Yes... that's what keeps me going. You all are with me, and that's enough."
He then turned to Moryo with a wry smile and placed his hand on his shoulder, saying in a livelier tone:
"Let's go to the movies! I need to watch a great film."
Moryo looked at him in surprise, shocked by the sudden change in his mood, and muttered to himself in disbelief:
"What's with this sudden shift?"
Sbyam laughed and patted Moryo's shoulder jokingly, saying:
"Don't worry, you'll enjoy it! Don't be so serious, Moryo."
Moryo sighed in surrender, a small smile appearing on his lips, then replied in a mock grumble:
"Damn... I hate this side of you!"
Sbyam looked at him with feigned surprise and asked:
"This side? What do you mean?"
Moryo exhaled in embarrassment, stepping away slightly as he said:
"Never mind, no need for an explanation."
Suddenly, a massive explosion sounded, shaking the ground, causing both of them to jump in alarm. They exchanged looks before quickly rushing to the window.
Sbyam looked out the window and saw smoke rising from the city center, saying with concern:
"What happened there?"
He turned to Moryo, making a quick decision:
"Let's go check it out."
Sbyam jumped out of the window, followed closely by Moryo. They both flew toward the source of the smoke, determined to uncover what was happening.
Suddenly, they heard a familiar voice calling from behind:
"Master Sbyam!"
Sbyam turned around to find Suero arriving with the rest of the team.
He asked with concern:
"What are you doing here?"
Kamyo responded enthusiastically:
"We heard the explosion. We came to see what's going on."
Suero said firmly:
"And we're here to help."
Sbyam nodded in agreement and said firmly:
"Alright, let's continue."
They moved together toward the explosion site. Upon arrival, they hovered above a crowd gathered around a burning taxi. They exchanged tense glances before Moryo's voice broke the silence:
"Is this the cause of the explosion?"
Sbyam answered, his eyes fixed on the flames:
"Looks like it."
Then Baysal looked toward the car and saw something horrific. She muttered with a trembling voice:
"There... there are people inside the car."
Suero focused his gaze, shocked to see a woman's lifeless body inside. He stared at the scene in disbelief, his voice trembling as if detached from reality:
"Mom?!..."
End of Chapter.