The Light That Follows Darkness

Ever since Ryuji had delivered the news, I had been in a state of turmoil.

I felt a burning fury inside me, and the only outlets I had were reading and training.

Eve was back by my side, and I was granted full control over her.

She was my partner and mine alone, and her fate was bound to mine. I was stunned when Ryuji returned that day and handed her to me with a smile, saying: “Take good care of her, she really respects and admires you.” But I could only nod silently, as I had no words to say.

…I devoured countless books in those days, covering topics from human anatomy to meditation and martial arts techniques.

I followed my regular martial arts and bodybuilding routines, based on Eve’s advice, to keep and improve my physical condition and skills.

Even when I felt like my body was falling apart and blood was still dripping from my wounds, I did not stop. Even when the pain was unbearable and made me lose consciousness, I did not quit.

That was because I had two goals in mind: escape and revenge.

…I was lying in my bed, trying to forget the pain from training, when the door slammed open with a loud bang.

Rick barged in, dragging two twin girls behind him. They had delicate Korean features, but their faces were marred by bruises and scars. They couldn’t have been older than 14, and they looked exactly alike, except for their hair color. One had silver strands that shimmered in the dim light, and the other had honey-colored locks that framed her pale face. They were both skinny and frail as if they had been starved for a long time. I noticed the cigarette burns on their skin and wondered what horrors they had endured.

I felt a surge of pity and anger for them.

Rick interrupted my thoughts with his smug grin. He sneered at me and said, “Looks like the chief gave you a good beating, you little bastard. You deserve it. I wish I could stay and play with you some more, but I have a mission to do.” He licked his lips while looking at me.

I spat at him and said, “Why don’t you shut your filthy mouth, you scum? Or do you want me to smash your face in like I did before?”

Rick’s eyes flashed with rage, and he lunged at me, but Carlo stopped him.

 “Calm down, Rick. We don’t have time to waste on this worm. We have a job to do. We’ll come back later and make him pay for what he did.”

He looked at me with a cold smile and said, “Don’t worry, we’ll be back soon, and then you’ll wish you were dead.”

Leaving those words behind they slammed the door shut and twisted the lock, blocking out the way to the outside for us.

The twins were still there lying motionless on the floor, their faces pale and bloodied. So, I lifted them gently and carried them to the beds, tucking them under the blankets.

I told Eve, the tiny gadget in my ear, to send nanomachines into their bloodstream to heal their injuries. I also asked her to do her best to fix the old cigarette burns that marred their flesh.

You might wonder how I got Eve past Rick and Carlo’s watchful eyes. Well, I had a simple trick. I put a bandage over my ear, making it look like it was hurt, and they never gave it a second glance.

Eve was my secret weapon, one of the few allies in this nightmare. She had a backup plan for when they would drag me to the lab for more torture. She told me to hide her in my mouth, where she could still operate and shield me from the worst pain. I wouldn’t be able to see her virtual screen, but that was fine. As long as she was with me, I had a sliver of hope.

I returned to the twins’ side, dabbing their faces and arms, which were covered with blood and muck, with a damp cloth.

They slept soundly, like angels. I wished I could keep them safe forever. I wanted to shield them from this horror, but I didn’t know how far I could go.

Maybe I could bargain with the chief, take their place, and spare them from his cruelty. He would love that, the twisted bastard.

I shook my head and went back to my own bed, keeping an eye on them.

After what seemed like an hour, they began to stir and moan, slowly waking up.

They opened their eyes and looked around, fear gripping their hearts. Then they saw me. A bandaged and bloody man, sitting on the opposite bed, staring at them.

They screamed like banshees. I couldn’t blame them. I would have done the same.

I waited for them to quiet down, then I spoke to them: “How are you feeling? Are you alright? Do your wounds hurt? Do you need anything?”

They looked at me with panic and confusion and asked: “Who are you? Where are we?”

I gave them a gentle smile, which probably looked more terrifying than comforting with the bloody bandages, and said: “Oh, I’m sorry! My name is Xeno. Xeno Leonhart. As for where you are, well, you need to calm down and listen carefully. Yet first, why don’t you eat some food and drink some water? You look hungry. This food may not look appetizing, but it’s all we have here. You have to eat it or you won’t survive in this hellhole.”

The twins were still scared of me, and they hesitated to reach for the food.

I got up from the bed and moved the tray closer to them. Then I went back to my spot and stayed silent. The silver-haired twin gathered her courage and grabbed the tray. She brought it back to her sister and they both began to eat.

The food was awful, but they devoured it without a word. When they finished, I heard them sobbing.