Chapter 316: The Road in the Dark (3)

Words : 1670 Updated : Oct 5th, 2025

Chapter 316: The Road in the Dark (3) Rudger opened his closed eyes. He looked up and saw his surroundings where reference books, papers, open exercise books and pencils appeared. ‘This place.’ The scene was familiar, and Rudger was about to say something was wrong. “Are you awake? You must be tired.” The voice behind him turned his head. In his own small room there was someone sitting on his bed, a man in his mid-thirties, with a frail appearance, but with an aura of kindness. As soon as the boy saw him, he muttered under his breath. “Father.” “Father? Gee, my son’s all grown up. He doesn’t even call me Dad anymore. How’s your studying going?” The boy looked at the reference books on his desk and realized what was going on. He’d fallen asleep while studying. “Uh, yeah. I’m just trying to do my best.” “I see. My son wants to be a doctor or a scientist, and as a family, we should be supportive, but you need to take it easy. I’m worried you’re overdoing it and damaging your health.” “No, I just fell asleep.” With that lame excuse, I put my pencil back in my hand. I had no intention of taking a weekend off to study for the upcoming exam. As I stared at the problem book and tried to solve it, I realized something was wrong. Why was I studying? A small question suddenly popped into his mind. He shouldn’t have had to think about it, but he found himself strangely searching for the answer. Yes, there was. There was something he wanted to achieve. The reason he was studying so hard was because of his dream. ‘But how did I come to have that dream.......’ The pencil fell from the boy’s hand and rolled across the desk. He didn’t think to catch it as it tumbled to the floor. “I see.” The boy rose from his chair and looked back at his father. “It was a dream.” “.......” The father nodded, smiling kindly while the boy looked at his father and pursed his lips to say something but in the end, the words failed to materialize and dissipated like smoke in his mouth. The boy bit his lip and slowly made his way to the door and the moment he put his hand on the doorknob, his father asked. “Are you going?” “Yes.” The boy replied, his eyes fixed on the doorknob. “There’s a kid I need to help, so I have to go.” “I see.” The boy said the words, but he didn’t open the door. Maybe this is where he wanted his father to tell him to stay with him a little longer. A little bit would be nice, so let’s talk. It’s a dream, so it’s worth it, right? His grip on the doorknob loosened. “Dad, I.......” “Go.” The boy’s eyes widened at the words and looked back at his father with trembling pupils. His father was looking at him with a look of pride and with that the boy realized that the story was finished. There was no need to start over. His grip on the doorknob tightened again. “Okay. Let’s go.” The boy opened the doorway wide. There was nothing to see, but he didn’t hesitate to step through. He didn’t need a goodbye, he had heard enough. His childhood self had been replaced by that of Rudger Chelici. * * * A pitch-black darkness where nothing can be seen. An endless abyss of unconsciousness. The bottom of the black void was filled with crimson flowers. The red flowers were beautiful, but they were also eerie, as if they were steeped in blood. Flora lay in a field of them. “Mmm.” Flora opened her eyes and pushed herself up, she looked around. “Where am I......?” Her bleary eyes snapped open and realizing what had just happened, Flora put one hand to her forehead. “Yes. I must have been there.......’ A black mist oozed from the cracks in the ground. It was about to strike at Rene with a will of its own, but she stepped in front of it and blocked the attack. She was swallowed by the fog and her vision went black and when she opened her eyes, she was here. “No one’s here!” Flora scrambled to her feet and shouted but no voice answered so she began to walk. She wanted to get away from this monotonous, creepy world of red and black as soon as possible. “Don’t say my name in that voice!” As Flora shouted, the world began to vibrate. Immediately afterward, from behind Flora’s back, a black shadow rose up. [Yeah. Flora hates it]. A paper doll-like figure with an elongated upper body appeared. The shadow’s face flickered, revealing pure white eyes and a mouth. Rudger’s eyes narrowed as he realized the creature’s identity. “Basara.” [Surprised? I didn’t know there was magic that could reach the depths of the subconscious, but it’s too bad Flora doesn’t want to go out.] Rudger didn’t respond to Basara’s words. Instead, he turned to Flora. “Flora, are you sure you don’t want to leave?” “If I do, what difference does it make? It’s all the same anyway. Jealous siblings, disdainful stares, a family that doesn’t approve.......There’s no difference.” “There is.” “What did you say?” “I said there is a difference.” Flora pursed her lips at Rudger’s near-assertion. “What the hell do you mean?” “You’re the one who decides that.” “I’m not the one who decides.......” Flora’s voice trailed off. She was desperate for someone to save her. Maybe she even expected it. She wanted Rudger to tell her that he would help her, that he would protect her when she was out there. But Rudger didn’t seem to have any intention of saving her. “Flora, you wanted to be saved. You wanted someone to reach out and take you by the hand and lift you up. I understand that feeling.” “Knowing that, why on earth would you.......?” “Because, Flora, in the end, it is you who must change.” “.......” “Even if I help you, if you are not willing to walk on your own, my help will be of no use. It will only ease your mind for a moment. It’s not a fundamental solution.” “.......” “And yet, if I try to change you, it is my will, not yours. You will end up living a life of being kept alive by others again. Is that really what you want?” Rudger stared at Flora with an unwavering gaze that contained not even an ounce of falsehood. He spoke the cold, hard truth, without any consideration. “Salvation is not something you can ask for; it is something you must earn. No one can live your life for you. No one can fully understand your despair. And, of course, no one can help you overcome that despair.......” Rudger never spoke of saving others because that would be too arrogant. He could only save himself. “So I ask you, Flora. Do you want to change?” It’s unreasonable to expect salvation from others, something like that will never come, no matter how hard you try. At least that’s what Rudger thought. Therefore, salvation, even the salvation of others, was never an option for Rudger. Salvation done by someone else is no salvation at all. It’s just another form of captivity in the name of salvation. In the end, man had to rise of his own free will. She had to fight for herself and all he can offer is a little help, a little push, on the back of someone who wanted to move forward. “If you want to change, I’ll help you. As long as you don’t give up on yourself, I’ll cheer you on.” That was Rudger’s conviction. It was his path and belief. “.......” Flora didn’t know what to say. To be honest, she wanted to get out of here and go back outside. But the outside was so scary. All the things that had hurt her were still out there. It would be a terrible thing to have to face it again. Still, if anyone can help her, even just one person that would be great........ [Too bad.] Then a voice interrupted them. [I can’t believe you’re talking about something so funny without me.] Basara, who had been bouncing around on Flora’s back, began to grow in stature. At first, it was only about three meters tall, but then it grew to the point where Flora had to lift her head quite a bit. [Flora, have you forgotten that the outside world is full of pain? This place, on the other hand, is different, and if you’re here, you won’t be hurt by anyone, because I’ll make sure of that]. Basara leaned his massive frame down and whispered in Flora’s ear. [I can understand you, because we are one, and only I can fully empathize with your pain.] “Ah.......” [Don’t believe that man. You know he’s never acknowledged you, even after all that talk. He’s a liar.] Basara’s whisper threw Flora into confusion but then Rudger spoke up. “I’ve felt it before when we fought.” Basara lifted his head and stared at Rudger. His jet-black face and pure white eyes were so monotonous, yet they held an indescribable, inorganic fear. “You talk too much.” [Ouch. To say that to me in this situation]. Basara completely unfolded his bowed body. It felt as if a giant mountain had risen from the ground. [This is my world, my domain, not the outside world, and you think a mere mortal weak mind can stand against it?] Rudger glanced at the cowering Flora, then up at Basara. “We’ll see.” That’s why he came here.

Chapter 316: The Road in the Dark (3)

Comments (0)