The rain fell in sheets, drenching the streets of Kurogane as Riku hurried home from school. The sky was a bruised violet, heavy with clouds that mirrored the turmoil racing through his mind. He clutched the strap of his backpack, its weight a meager burden compared to the gnawing worry gnawing at his heart.
"Riku, wait up!" called his best friend, Kenji, splashing through the puddles in an attempt to keep pace. Riku slowed down, glancing back, but the unease settled deeper. "You okay, man? You seem kinda out of it."
"Yeah, just tired," Riku replied, forcing a smile. "It's been a long week."
Kenji raised an eyebrow, unconvinced, but before he could probe further, their shared laughter was drowned by a crack of thunder.
"Guess the weather's getting worse. You should hurry home, it's getting late," Kenji said, finally falling back.
With a quick nod, Riku turned down the familiar alley that led to his home. Each step felt heavier than the last, as if the very ground beneath him sensed the impending dread. The scent of rain mixed with something else—a metallic odor wafted through the air, hovering just out of reach, teasing the edges of his awareness as he drew closer.
The modest house loomed ahead, its silhouette shadowed by the tempest. Riku felt a strange craving for warmth and light, but the sight of the front door, slightly ajar, twisted the knot in his gut tighter. He called out, "Mom? Dad?" but his voice felt small, swallowed whole by the sound of the rain.
He pushed the door open with a creak, water trickling inside as he stepped over the threshold. The dim light from the living room flickered, and a chill surged down his spine. The air was thick with an acrid smell that made his stomach churn. As the door swung fully open, he was met with a scene that would haunt him forever.
His parents lay sprawled on the floor, eyes wide and unseeing, surrounded by dark pools that glimmered sinisterly on the hardwood. Riku's breath hitched, the world narrowing to the horrific image before him. The rain drummed louder against the roof, a chaotic symphony underscoring the silent scream lodged in his throat.
"No… No!" he gasped, rushing to their side, but his feet felt glued to the floor. Time froze as he knelt beside them, the reality of their lifeless forms crashing over him like an unforgiving wave. His mother's hand, still warm, lay limp in his grasp; his father's eyes were void of the warmth that had always guided him.
Memory flooded his mind—a laughter-filled evening, his mother's smile as she served dinner, his father's reassuring embrace. But those moments felt like echoes from a distant world, overshadowed by the grim tableau before him.
Suddenly, a noise cut through the suffocating silence—a low creak from somewhere deeper within the house. Riku's heart raced, dread clawing at his thoughts. Someone was still here.
He stood slowly, his instincts sharpening, adrenaline surging through him like fire. Riku reached for the baseball bat tucked behind the door, its familiar weight comforting in his trembling hands. With each step, the rain outside drummed a chaotic rhythm, mirroring the pounding of his heart.
"Who's there?" he called, voice steadying despite the fear gnawing at his insides. "Show yourself!"
A shadow shifted at the foot of the hallway, blending with the darkness. Riku's breath hitched again as he tightened his grip, his knuckles whitening. He felt the urge to run, to escape, but the rage boiling within him demanded he confront whatever horror had invaded his sanctuary.
"Come on!" he shouted, stepping forward. "I'm not afraid of you!"
The shadow flickered in the gloom, and for a moment, Riku thought he glimpsed a figure, tall and cloaked, features shrouded in darkness. Then, without warning, a flash of lightning illuminated the room, revealing a mask—cold and expressionless—before the shadow darted away, vanishing through the back door.
Riku's instincts screamed at him to follow, to confront this faceless agent of chaos. He ran, fueled by an unquenchable fire, grief intertwining with a newfound resolve. The rain pounded harder, but with each step, Riku felt the weight of his loss harden into something more.
He would find them. He would uncover the truth behind this betrayal.
And, as the echoes of thunder rumbled through the night, Riku vowed that he would not rest until the shadow that had taken everything from him lay vanquished at his feet. The storm outside mirrored the one brewing within him—a tempest of sorrow and vengeance, and it was only just beginning.