{Chapter Twenty} Vision in the Darkness
Time:«The moment of the Owl and Edward's encounter.»
The sky was strangely clear today.
Amidst the ruins, a boy stood at the sewer entrance, closing his right eye.
It had been closed for some time.
After a while, he bent toward the grate and slowly opened it, then descended in quick, careful steps, closing the grate firmly behind him.
A sharp, acrid smell pierced his nose. The air felt different from the surface, though both were polluted to some degree.
His vision darkened—but as soon as he opened his right eye, the space lit up as if illuminated just for him.
"Good, seems that what pirates do with eye patches is more practical than decorative," Anas muttered.
He drew a deep breath, then exhaled evenly, frowning slightly at the smell.
Splash.
As he took his first step, he heard the sound of wetness on the floor.
He lowered his gaze—and his eyes widened.
Dirty water mixed with something sticky and red flowed across the pavement.
Winding, unstable, it moved forward in irregular patterns.
Was there some kind of intoxication here? But the water came from the garbage river. I doubt someone who can't die could swim… Strange. Wait, wait, wait—could a monster have come through here?
Anas' mind burned with thoughts, but he pressed forward at a relatively fast pace, hiding in the shadows and stopping at the slightest sound—rats or insects alike.
His mind raced with possibilities, yet one thought consumed him: the enemy might be injured. He began imagining ways to exploit this weakness.
After several cautious meters, he heard distant footsteps. He surged forward, dagger drawn in reverse grip, arm muscles taut like coiled springs, ready to strike.
After a few moments of running, he spotted a human-like figure—but its gait was strange.
He slowed his steps, matching the figure's pace, studying it, confirming it resembled a human.
He approached slowly, thrusting the dagger toward the carotid—but…
The dagger passed through with no effect.
Anas braced for the creature's reaction, but nothing happened. It continued moving as if untouched.
He tilted his head to the right.
"What?"
He stepped closer, walking alongside it, and saw—it was human.
The same man he had killed earlier.
"Oh. That explains why my attack didn't affect you—you were already hit before. But how are you still alive?"
The man said nothing, deepening Anas' confusion.
Without warning, Anas saw something strange—or rather, began to see something he had never noticed before.
A thin blue thread extended from the man's head, stretching deep into the sewers. It was delicate, yet visible, as if Anas' vision in the darkness had become daylight.
But as his vision shifted, his right eye began to ache intensely, accompanied by extreme weakness.
Anas staggered, bracing against the wall to stay upright.
His hand rose, instinctively touching his eye.
Hmm, ah, ah.
He clenched his teeth, trying to suppress a groan, but the pain pierced his mind violently—so violently he feared losing consciousness.
Time passed. Anas continued struggling to breathe, resisting the pain.
Seconds… minutes… yet it felt like years of torment.
Then…
A warm sensation flowed from his heart through every part of his body.
As if he were in a comforting embrace.
Anas lost himself in this warmth, the pain fading.
"Do not be afraid. I am with you, I have always been and will always be with you."
A soft voice penetrated his mind, unleashing a torrent of memories:
He was in that hellish place from his dreams, a white-haired girl fighting beside him.
When he opened his eyes, he was gasping heavily, as if sprinting a long race.
He began slow, deep breaths to steady himself.
After several attempts, his breathing normalized.
"Priscilla… that was your doing, wasn't it? What was that?" Anas asked.
A hoarse feminine voice replied: "Anas… I'm sorry. Sorry for causing you that pain. Please forgive me. Don't hate me."
Priscilla seemed on the verge of tears.
Anas exhaled, placing his hand on his face: "What are you talking about? I don't blame anyone for pain I brought upon myself. You warned me about the consequences of gaining an ability from the monster's eye—I accepted. So I endure my pain alone, without blaming anyone."
Priscilla gasped, perhaps surprised—or perhaps this was what she hoped to hear.
"So… you won't hate me?" she asked, already knowing the answer but wanting to hear it.
"Yes. I won't hate you," Anas said simply.
At that moment, warmth flooded his body, as if Priscilla were smiling from within him.
"I thought you'd curse me and hate me… but you don't… (light chuckle) my dear… you are truly the best!!!"
She paused, then continued: "So you meant what you saw earlier when you asked? Hmm… I cannot tell you everything due to certain limitations, but I'm confident you'll understand with a small hint."
For a moment, it seemed Priscilla bore some pain, which Anas felt in his head as well.
"Everything… that happened… in that… nightmare… was real."
When she fell silent, the pain in his head abruptly subsided.
"Oh? That pain just from saying one sentence? (His eyes widened as he realized.) Priscilla… you felt my pain too?"
Priscilla replied: "Y-Yes. (Sigh of relief.) But any pain for you… is nothing."
Anas finally stood upright, stretching his muscles.
"And you cry and apologize for causing me pain? I should be the one apologizing and thanking you for—"
Priscilla interrupted: "For the embrace? No need to thank me. And whenever you feel alone, just remember… I am with you. Even if the whole world stands against you, whether you are evil or heroic, rich or poor, whether you caused my pain or not, I will remain by your side."
Anas smiled faintly for a moment.
"Priscilla, I might have been foolish if I hadn't chosen you."
"And I'm lucky you chose me."
Anas finished stretching despite the lingering fatigue, then opened his right eye.
His vision had improved drastically; he could see things he had never noticed before.
Without hesitation, he searched for that blue thread.
He found it again and began walking, following it.
"I'm eager to discover the source of this thread."