"No!" A young soul is violently roused from bed, their sweat drenching their shirt as it drips down their face. They hop out of bed, running out the pitch-black room and into the small, dimly lit bathroom. In seconds, the inside of the toilet bowl is covered in vomit, as it's harshly ejected from the child's mouth. "No more. Please, no more!" They clutch their head as they plead for it to stop, but the screams only grow louder, and the visions become more vivid.
Blood, violence, slaughter; all the things that infiltrate the child's mind, tormenting them to the core. They can hardly stand it, as they feel the all too familiar pull towards…something. They have yet to discover what "it" is, but they can feel that it's an inescapable destiny that has no way out. However, as things are now, they may never realize it, nor do they truly want to.
"Ouran!" A sweet voice echoes against the tiles of the tiny bathroom, but there's an anger contained in it that causes the child to tremble. "What's all this racket so late in the night? Hm?!"
"Mama, the visions; they've returned! I don't know what to do! Please, Mama, help me!" The child pleads to the blonde beauty, tall and slender, hair so fine and radiant, that it sparkles even in the dark. Her eyes are a gentle blue, but they hold no warmth. They are empty pools.
"I told you I don't want to hear of those wicked things! God will not look kindly on those who speak freely of the devil's lies. You will repent! To the cupboard you go!" She grabs them by the arms and drags them down the hall. "You must ask god for forgiveness for your wickedness!"
"No, Mama please! Not there, please don't put me there! I'll be good, I won't talk of the visions anymore! I'll go right to bed and be a good child from now on! Please Mama, please!" Not caring to acknowledge the child's plea, she tosses them into a small cupboard, filled with cobwebs and the excrement of rodents. In a matter of seconds, the claustrophobia kicks in.
Ignoring their pleas, the woman locks the child away in the cupboard, and her only parting words are, "You are the bastard I should've never had. You are god's curse to me. My only child, born as a freak and no matter how I've tried, cannot die. I therefore cannot die, as to leave a burden such as yourself to another innocent soul would be blasphemy. I will purge you of your evil and sins and maybe then, god will allow me entry through his holy gates. As for your fate, may you burn in hell with your father. If I fail, that is to be the only future you'll see."
The child can hear her walking away and with each step, their dread increases. "I'll be good, I swear I'll be good Mama. I swear it! So, please come back. Please don't leave me here…."
Naturally, there is no response, and the child is alone, left with the dark, their visions and the terrible ache of knowing there are souls dying in a place far away. Places Ouran has never been but can describe with precision due to the visions. It's as though those fading souls are calling to Ouran, willing them to come and free them from damnation. However, all Ouran can do now is wait. Wait for the day they're given freedom, each coming later than the last. Last time it was a month, without food, water or light. Ouran can feel the pain of the deprivation, but even still, the child cannot die. They have finally come to terms that they will never die, but continue to suffer endlessly, as they have the twelve years they've lived on this earth. That is their only destiny.
~
There's a loud bang, followed by the distinct splitting of wood, and soon light creeps through the cupboard door. Ouran's eyes sting momentarily, but quickly adjust. They see a young man with lavender hair before them, smirking like they have the best news ever. They seem dangerous too.
"I'd say it's time for you to come out now, don't you agree?" He speaks with bold confidence.
Ouran weakly steps out, bracing themselves on the wall as they look at the stranger suspiciously. "Who are you? How did you get in the house? Surely Mama would've denied you entry here."
"Mama?" He seems to think for a moment and then taps his head like he had an epiphany. "Oh!" He steps out of the kitchen momentarily and returns within seconds holding something in his hand. "Is this the Mama you speak of?" He holds up the severed head of Ouran's mother. "She's dead." They smirk with a twisted grin of glee. The boy before them seems rather unhinged.
Ouran's eyes widen in shock, but they don't scream or cry. They honestly don't have much reaction at all. It's as though they are looking at a stranger, a poor pitiful soul. "Oh, I see. Kay."
The stranger laughs. "Ah ha, I knew I'd like you!" He tosses her head away carelessly. "I mean, she can't be that good of a mother if she kept you locked up for two whole years, now can she?"
"Two years?" They sigh. "I see, so I'm 14 now." They look at the boy. "Who are you Sir?"
"I'm not old enough to be a Sir, that's for certain. I'm only 14 myself. You may call me Judas."
"I see." Ouran smiles, suddenly feeling camaraderie with him. "So Judas, where will we go next? If you're open to suggestions, there's some boys I'd like to find and hopefully my Papa as well."
"Oh? What boys may those be? I happen to be looking for a few myself. What are their names?"
"Helios, Silas, Demetrius," he repeats the names spoken to him by his mother all those years ago.
Judas' eyebrow raises while he wears a tickled expression but maintains his poise. "Interesting. May I ask what these people have done to you? You seem to harbor quite the grudge for them."
"They took my Papa away from me. He chose them over me, even though he promised to always stay with Mama and me. So I figure if I find them and kill them, Papa will come back to me."
"Ah, I see. Would your Papa be Mikael by chance?" Ouran's eyes widen, giving their answer.
"You know my Papa? How do you know him? Do you know where he is now by chance?"
"No…not quite. However, it would seem we are destined to team up after all. You see, Helios and Demetrius are both in a place called Wakaba, and I'm looking for them myself. My grudge is a bit more personal with them rather than their father, but we desire the same fate for them."
"Oh, so you also want them dead?" He nods. "That's perfect then. Let's team up and bring them down. If I could have your help with two of them, then taking out the last one would be a breeze. Do you happen to know where Silas is at least? It'll help a lot when I seek him out afterwards."
"Well, I'm not sure honestly, but I suspect that if you find two together, the third won't be too far behind…. But let's not concern ourselves with him for now. Let's focus on the two in our sight."
"Right…you're totally right. One step at a time." Ouran holds out his hand to him. "Let's do it!"
Judas grins with amusement but smiles politely and shakes their hand. "Looking forward to it." Judas steps outside and exits the small wooden shack, Ouran following just behind. A beautiful, but cruel looking woman waiting there, looking bored. "About time. I take it our detours are over now? I'm getting grey hairs going along with your selfish wiles. Hello, the name's Magdalena."
"Introductions later Mag. Let's go to Wakaba." They set off, destiny beckoning them forward.