Chapter Two

Shun could not remember how he fell asleep or when it happened. But when he awoke he found that he was no longer in the cellar, neither was he chained to the wall. He was free, resting on solid ground, feeling the grass against his rough hands. The tree he was lying underneath provided a comforting shade, the sunlight creating patterns in the grass.

He sat up and looked around.

Flowers, greenery, which covered the land as far as he could see, were everywhere, along with the plentiful trees. But far in the east he saw a dark area, depressing, isolated, with a cloud of gray smoke rising in the air. Shun knew the telltale signs of a fire.

Quick on his feet, he stood, and at once he felt his exhaustion impact him. He fell to the ground and pushed himself to rise again. This time, he noticed, Hades standing to a side, with his hand pressed against the trunk of the tree. He eyed the fire in the distance, a smile present on his face.

"Do you love my world? It's calm, peaceful, well aside from that dark area over there." He gestured toward the fire in the distance, contrasting against the lively greenery with its dark clouds and rising smoke.

Shun held his stomach, the pain of where the sword stabbed him bothered him. Back hunched, eyes toward the ground, he felt the vile sensation of vomit creeping up his throat, ready to burst out of his mouth. But it never happened; it stayed as a feeling.

Then he heard him. Voice faint, sounding far away, he whispered in his ear, "You can overtake him."

Shun glanced over his shoulder. No one was behind him. He only acknowledged the voice by saying in his head, "No, I can't."

Hades crossed his view. He walked toward the descending slope, staring afar, and instantly relaxing.

"If only the Saints could appreciate my world," he said. He did not mean what he said; he was boasting. "Pity that they are so stubborn, well, some of them."

Perplexed, Shun asked, "Some?"

He feared his answer.

"Not all Saints are loyal to the end—like you." He pointed at him, his index-finger hovering through the air for a second. He closed the gap between them, squatting to his level. Shun had fallen to the ground when he felt his stomach heave.

"Who?"

He had to know who betrayed them.

Hades gave a short laugh. "You can't possibly ask me the names of the traitors. You should worry about yourself. They don't matter. You'll never cross paths with them."

Shun rose his head. Eyes narrowed, he gritted his teeth, his stomach jumping around violently.

"What do you want?"

Hades tucked a dagger under his chin, as Shun noticed, for once, his black gloves contrasting against his pale skin. "All I want is your attention. Is that too much to ask?"

Confused, Shun said, "I don't see the point in this."

He removed the dagger and gestured his hands to a side, the dagger held loosely in his palm, to show his bafflement. Any second that dagger would fall and land on his left hand. "Should there be a point? All I want is for you to listen. Is that so hard?"

"Whatever it is you're planning, just do it already!" He grew tired of these games.

The dagger returned under his chin; the sharpness of the blade pressed against his neck. He moved it slowly across his throat and stopped when beads of blood ran down the column of his throat.

"Don't speak. Just listen. Surely you can do that."

Even with the threat against his throat, Shun denied his request. "You're wasting your time."

With the flick of his wrist the dagger moved against his throat. Blood slipped down his open shirt, coloring his chest red. He saw, in the sunlight, the dagger shining with his blood. It was then he realized that he was meeting death once again.

"Hopefully, on your next awakening, you will listen…"

His voice threatened him in the darkness but Shun noted the glee the man held for killing him again.