The air was heavy with smoke and the stench of blood.
Makoto sat in the middle of the ruined circus camp, his hands trembling as he stared at Mana's lifeless body. Around him, the surviving performers moved silently, their faces pale and hollow as they worked to salvage what little they could. The once-vibrant circus, full of life and laughter, was now a graveyard.
Lily knelt beside Makoto, her hand resting lightly on his shoulder. She didn't speak—there were no words that could ease the pain in his heart. Her own cheeks were streaked with tears, but her focus remained on the boy beside her, who looked as if his entire world had collapsed.
"We have to bury him," she said softly, her voice barely audible over the crackling of dying flames.
Makoto flinched, his chest tightening. "No," he whispered, his voice raw. "He's not gone. He can't be gone."
Lily's grip on his shoulder tightened. "Makoto... I'm sorry."
"No!" Makoto shouted, his voice breaking. He clutched at Mana's hand, as if holding onto it could bring him back. "I should've done something. I should've—"
"Stop," Lily interrupted, her voice trembling but firm. "This isn't your fault."
Makoto shook his head, his tears falling freely. Deep down, he knew she was right, but the guilt refused to let go. If he had been stronger, if he had been faster, maybe Mana would still be alive.
But he wasn't. And Mana was gone.
The surviving performers gathered what they could to honor their fallen. There was no time for proper graves, no time for ceremonies. The forest clearing where the circus had once stood became a makeshift burial ground, marked only by wooden stakes and bits of cloth tied to the trees.
Makoto stayed silent as they dug Mana's grave. Every scrape of the shovel against the earth felt like a knife to his heart. He stood motionless as they lowered Mana into the ground, his mind a blur of pain and disbelief.
When it was done, Lily handed him a small bouquet of wildflowers she had hastily gathered. "For him," she said quietly.
Makoto stared at the flowers for a long moment before stepping forward. He knelt by the grave, placing the bouquet gently on the mound of earth.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "I couldn't save you."
As night fell, the survivors gathered around a small, hastily built fire. There were only a handful of them left—Lily, Lila, a few acrobats, and Makoto. The others were gone, either lost to the Akuma or scattered in the chaos.
Makoto sat apart from the group, his knees drawn to his chest as he stared into the darkness. The firelight flickered across his face, casting shadows under his hollow eyes.
"You look lost, little one."
Makoto froze. The voice was soft and lilting, almost musical, but there was something deeply unsettling about it. He turned slowly, his breath catching as he saw the figure standing just beyond the firelight.
The Millennium Earl.
He was tall and grotesque, his wide grin stretching impossibly across his face. His eyes gleamed with a sinister light as he stepped closer, his oversized hat casting a shadow over his features.
"Such sadness," the Earl said, his tone dripping with mock sympathy. "You've lost someone precious to you, haven't you?"
Makoto scrambled to his feet, his heart pounding. "Who... who are you?"
The Earl bowed deeply, his grin never wavering. "Oh, just a friend. Someone who knows the pain of loss all too well."
Makoto backed away, his instincts screaming at him to run, but his legs felt rooted to the ground.
"It's cruel, isn't it?" the Earl continued, his voice soothing yet sinister. "To love someone so deeply, only to have them ripped away? But it doesn't have to be this way."
Makoto's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"
The Earl extended a gloved hand, his smile growing even wider. "I can bring him back, you know. Mana. I can give him back to you."
Makoto stared at him, his breath coming in short, shallow gasps. The offer was impossible, and yet... a flicker of hope sparked in his chest.
"How?" he whispered, his voice trembling.
The Earl's grin widened, revealing rows of sharp teeth. "It's simple. All you have to do is call his name. Call him back, and he will return to you."
Makoto's mind raced. The pain in his chest felt unbearable, the thought of life without Mana like a gaping void. But something about the Earl's words—about his presence—set off alarm bells in Makoto's head.
"What's the catch?" Makoto asked, his voice shaking.
The Earl chuckled softly, tilting his head. "Oh, there's no catch. All I ask is that you trust me. After all, wouldn't Mana want to see you again?"
Makoto's hands clenched into fists. He wanted to believe the Earl, wanted to accept the offer and erase the pain that was tearing him apart. But then he remembered Mana's words: "No matter what happens, you have to keep moving forward."
"No," Makoto said, his voice firmer than he expected. "I won't do it."
The Earl's grin faltered for the briefest moment before returning, sharper and more menacing. "Are you sure? You're turning down the chance to have your father back."
"He wouldn't want this," Makoto said, his tears streaming down his face. "Mana wouldn't want me to do something like this."
The Earl's eyes narrowed, his tone losing its feigned kindness. "You'll regret this, boy. You'll regret it every day for the rest of your life."
And with that, he vanished into the shadows, leaving Makoto trembling and alone.
When Makoto returned to the campfire, Lily was waiting for him. Her face was pale, her eyes red from crying, but she managed a small smile when she saw him.
"Where did you go?" she asked.
Makoto hesitated, his mind still reeling from the encounter. "Nowhere," he said quietly. "Just needed some air."
Lily studied him for a moment before nodding. "We're leaving tomorrow. Lila thinks we should head for the next town, see if we can find help."
Makoto nodded, though he wasn't sure he cared where they went. Without Mana, the world felt cold and empty.
As he lay down that night, staring up at the stars, Makoto made a silent promise to himself: he would honor Mana's memory. He would keep moving forward, no matter how hard it was.
And he would find out the truth about the Akuma, the Innocence, and the world he had been thrust into.
To Be Continued...