Chereads / Fallen Paradise / Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: Greatest Gift

Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: Greatest Gift

Before the incident began near the busy street of Paradise Mainland

A young boy at around twelve years of age with black hair and green eyes as green as an emerald wearing a gray short sleeves and dark brown knickers along with a brown cover shoe on his feet and a dark brown cap on his head

Is found walking through various shops with a lady seemingly in her early thirties with blonde hair and green eyes similar to the little boys eyes, her face was slightly thin and feminine as she wore a red dress along with brown leather boots and a lady's hat

It was his mother and they were going shopping to surprise the boy's father as his dad birthday was drawing near

"I love birthdays".... The boy said cheerful as he walked sides with his mom who was searching through her black bag if she forgot the money to buy the presents and go shopping with her son,

hearing her son she glanced at him as she smiles and responded "me too"..... She said as both of her hands clasped together extending to the left side of her face as she rest her head on the clasped hand like a child awaiting an ice cream while walking with her son and she looked up as her eyes sparkled with a hint of anticipation, she continued

"I love birthdays, most especially one with lots of present and fun stuffs to do, celebrating with family and friends, playing games with them, cutting cakes, taking pictures and heh heh! So much more".... After saying this they both continued walking and the young boy couldn't help but ask his mom as they just walked passed a boutique

"mum, what do you think we should get for dad?"... He asked as his eyes shone happily

he always wanted to surprise his dad on his birthday and he is also secretly planning for his mother's birthday as his mom and dad birthday were just a month apart, he didn't want his mom to notice his plan so he just tagged along with his mother to know the place they will buy his father's present as he plans to buy for her also in secret

"your dad".....She said as a playful smile crawled slightly on her face as she continued....." Would you like to know?"

he nodded as he thought inwardly

this is my time to also know her's too....Having this thought he opened his mouth..... "yes I would love to know and also you can tell me what you also love for your birthday gift".... He said as he puffed his chest and tapped it with his right hand as if showing how manly and trustworthy he could be

Hearing the last words he said, she couldn't help but laugh as she spoke

"oh-ho you want to know mine too?".... She said as she looked at him nodding so she continued as if in thoughts

"hmmm, let's see"... She laughs as she said with a wink "I'll tell once it's time"... As if in reply that he should find out what she loves to get for her birthday by himself as she knows he is trying to indirectly ask for hers because he already knows what to get for his father,

so it's a checkmate

aww! my plan failed, I wanted to know what she liked,

well then, I'll find another chance... He consoled himself inwardly, not knowing that this might be the only chance he may ever get

and it was in that moment the shivers of silence began

Hell Let Loose!

•••A blinding flash, a tremor that shook the ground beneath , and then a sound like thunder as chaos erupted around and the mysteriously strange voice before the Invasion•••

.….....

In the sea, somewhere in the wuthering storms far from the archipelago of Paradise

The waves of the salty sea moved to and fro as lighting storms could be heard in the dullness of the clouds as the sky was covered in misty cold darkness as rain drops could be heard pitter-pattering on the surface of the sea followed by hallowed winds that could freeze the spine itself

It was treacherously stormy in the sea and a lone fleet that seems to be one with the misty darkness, could be seen sailing through in the far shore from paradise archipelago

the ship was densely quiet as they wasn't a single soul to be seen loitering or chattering around, it was like a ghost fleet as it seems to control itself

inside the ship in one of the rooms, was a densely quiet humming as a figure wearing a hood that was completely shrouded in darkness and in front of the figure was a wooden table filled with a few pieces of fresh white paper that has not been stained and beside the papers was a dimly lit white candle and a few essences surrounding the table namely --> flower of the night essence, squid blood essence, red moon essence <---

these essence rounded the table as the three of the essences was spread out sixty degrees apart from each other like in a form of a triangle

Creak! Creak!

The fleet creaked silently while the room became more densely quiet like time itself was put to a stop and all that was heard was whispers echoing around the dark silent room as the hooded figure shrouded in darkness slowly clasped it's hand as it muttered a silent chant

< In The Mystic Shadows And Lingering Might

Where Fate Echoes And Future Fights

The Story Tells But Shakes In Fright

So The Moon Tells The Complete Blight >

" Domain Weaver: Crimsoned Sight "

Immediately after chanting, the room turned darker as a malevolent wind emanated furiously as it covers the very tip of the silent dark room

moments later a hallowed screech was heard as the hooded figure shrouded in darkness face could be dimly seen when the malevolent wind brushed a little of the hooded dark figure

It was a female but her appearance wasn't see as it clearly didn't show more than that,

the hooded figure started gasping for breath as her eyes became the darkness of the night as it turned pitch black like the endless abyss of the forsaken night

and then the room became blank like nothing ever happened, it became so dark that even the abyss will shudder in fear....

...

The hooded lady vision was blurred but moments later it became clear

checking her surroundings as it seems she is in a pitch black void that seeps from the endless abyss,

noticing the emptiness she decides to take a step forward but just before she took a step by moving her foot, her vision came clear as the void seemed to warp another world

the void hued red and the hooded lady felt her head tinged in an immeasurable fear, she looked up and she saw....

A bloody red misty sky and an endless bloodshot eyes piercing through the sky as the endless eyes looked down with an intensity that couldn't be know as it seems like it can eat the entire world,

looking down on her feet she saw a dark bloodied river that seems to have no end in sight

then silently she heard a mysteriously strange voice

Vroom!

The darkness ate her whole...

....

Waking up from the vision she finds herself back in the pitch dark room, as she looked around, everything seems fine but the clean white papers was mangled in red inking substance, as only one of the few papers was there a word written in an ancient language unknown to mankind,

she picks it up and scans the word, then the hooded lady who is shrouded in darkness muttered in a silent serene voice, a voice that seems to be a whisper as all that was heard was like a deep deep abyss, as what she said was whispered in an ancient language which says ...

" רעב בלתי ניתן לכיבוי "...

But if translated it means a two letter word that carries the world

It Means.....

"Unquenchable Hunger"...

.....

Somewhere in Paradise Mainland, After The Incident

In the blooming darkness of the red moon light, in the misty red fog and echoing screams in an aftermath of a neverending night, in the once busy streets of paradise mainland which is now a desolate waste and a neverending sight, as the buildings crumbles and the ground rumbles, as the street lights flickers and figures loomed as they roamed like lingering beasts awaiting a prey to arise,

a figure in the shadows like that of a young boy inside a collapsed building, with black hair and green eyes as green as an emerald but has now lost it's lustre, wearing a gray short sleeves and dark brown knickers, along with a brown cover shoe and a dark brown cap on his head, is kneeling close to a figure shrouded in shadows but moving closer it was a figure like that of a lady seemingly in her early thirties with blonde hair and green eyes similar to the little boys eyes but has also lost it's lustre, as her eyes were bloodshot as it was filled with blood, her face which was slightly thin and feminine with a beauty of a lady of utmost respect but is now slowly losing it's lustre to an eternal slumber, wearing a red dress along with brown leather boots and a lady's hat which is nowhere to be seen

Its the young boy's mother who is laying on the floor almost lifeless as blood endlessly flows at the back of her head,

she protected him, risking her life as she covered him from the unexpected collapse of a building they were hiding in as massive stones came crashing down like a thundering storm as it mercilessly battered her head and shattered her bones making her unable to move or even twitch, leaving her completely wasted

and now here she is, laying on the floor unable to move and looking at her paled faced son who's face streams down tears like that of falling fountain endlessly flowing down from his eyes as he holds her lifeless battered hands

" mu..m...mum! ".... He called out as his voice resounded as if it carries the weight of a thousand unending burdens

" son "... She called out with a seemingly lifeless voice as she knows, as time continues to tick by, her life flows along, but nevertheless she continued not holding back as she looked straight to his eye.....

"do you know what I wanted for my birthday present?".... She said as the young boy sobs even harder, making her to continue as the world around them seems to be in a standstill as they wasn't a single noise heard around them

" am sure you don't know, hoho ".... She continued as a slight Cough! could be heard when she chuckled, making blood to spew out of her mouth from both sides, pale and unmoving, she forced a smile, a smile meant only for him, a calming lifeless smile that seemed to brighten her appearance as she said in a silent serene voice that carries the hint of longing as it echoed in the darkness of the forsaken night...

" Your Smile "

It was his smile that she wanted...

"your smile as you hold out any present you bring out, anything you buy for me as my birthday present"

" my greatest gift that no other gift can overthrow is.... ".... She continued as her serene voice becames lower and lower as it fades, chiming down as her life shortens to an everlasting deep slumber

and then she whispered, her voice barely above a breath

" Having You As My Son.... Tuddi "..... It was her last

her last voice before her ∆∆∆

....

The young boy who is now devastated as he kneels close to a figure of a lifeless lady who is his mother as she breathes her last, unexpectedly leaving the young boy all alone in this forsaken world

" Mum.."..... He called out in a seemingly low tone as if his voice have been wounded by an unpredictable present situation as he was unable to comprehend what was happening as the darkness of the night seems to tell him that this was all a dream, an eternal nightmare that he hopes to wake up from

"Mum, Mum Mum"... He kept calling out hoping to get an answer but as if talking to a wall, there was no answer, only a deep bitter silence that made him want to believe that this is a bad dream as he couldn't accept it, his mother, his cheerful caring and kindhearted mother who always stays by his side, cares for him even if he needed it or not,

whom he sees always anytime he's back from school, who he admired more than himself,

that person can no longer be with him, not even to talk to him, not even a whisper..

"Noooo!"... He screams in agony unable to bear the pain of losing a loved one, unable to bear the days of not ever seeing his mother, not being able to feel her presence, he was like a broken vessel full of an unending despair

"It's all my fault"..... He concluded feeling the weight of sin and despair on his battered soul as an endless flow of tears drips down from his swollen eyes as he has been crying ever since

"I don't deserve to live"..... He shouted as a strong grip of pain and despair filled his heart as an intense rumble erupted as if the ground is about to open up, making the collapsed building to shake more almost completely losing it's hold

Let me die with her.... He screamed inwardly as his eyes could no longer decipher between real or fake

Let me be consumed... He muttered as he leaned close to the corpse of his beloved mother as he placed his right hand on her pale lifeless face, caressing it he said in a silent serene voice like it was his last as the building shooked ready to fully collapse at any moments from now as he was already seeing his beloved mother ready to embrace him again and this time for eternity

" I don't deserve to live, without you around, am just an empty vessel that will be consumed by loneliness"... And the building began collapsing

The building loses it's hold as it collapsed in the darkness of the night as it slowly falling straight to the lifeless figure who was his mother and Tuddi who was looking up as he slowly closes his swollen eyes ready to embrace the abyss that will be his resting place

when suddenly a figure emerged from the darkness as it instantly grabbed the unconscious young boy, escaping from the collapsing building as it destroyed, becoming an absolute desolation...

.....

Outside the newly collapsed building in the misty red fog as the crimson moon light blooms as if tainted with blood of a neverending madness,

a figure emerged from the dust as it was carrying the unconscious Tuddi

Walking few meters away from the collapsed building the figure could be clearly seen, wearing a white long sleeve with a short black knot tie and a black trench coat along with a black long skirt and hose, with cover shoes and a black half top hat

It was Jian, she was around the vicinity helping people who could be saved, but she wasn't the only one

Yona, Viola and some other survivors was with her doing the same

Seeing that everything was taken care of there , she decided to go further, making her to hear a scream of someone crying in a building about to collapse

And that's how everything came to play

Here she is carrying the unconscious young boy on her arm as she walks to a nearby wall, laying the boy, with his back resting against the wall as she squats with one knee examining the young boy if he's alright

du! du! du!

In a blink of an eye the young boy starts convulsing as his body began moving in a sinisterly strange way as black veins protrudes from it's body changing him from a young boy to a being corroded by emotions as if losing his sense of reasoning, making Jian to step back as she didn't expect this sudden outcome

What's happening.... She thought to herself as the young boy opens his eyes which is now pitch black like the eternal darkness of the night

" I don't deserve to live, let me be with her "... He said with streams of black tears dripping from his eyes as his skin became dullish pale like that of a dead person

Rumble!

The ground began rumbling viscously as if it's about to swallow them whole

" It's all my fault, if she hadn't protected me, none of this will have happened".... He continued as his voice became eternally deep as if possessed by the madness of the forsaken night making the misty red fog to thicken in the surrounding area as he continued as his voice slowly faded blending to the misty fog and the densely quiet forsaken night

" I don't deserve to live "..... Saying this word the surroundings became ghostly quiet as if time itself was still as they seemed to have entered another space entirely, making Jian shudder in fear

and in that moment of the densely silent night, an instant Thumping! sound like that of a drum was heard as it sounded three times before coming to a halt as everywhere became mysteriously quite as only Jian breath was heard,

Whoosh!

a lingering calm wind began blowing as whispers of unknown origin was being heard as it came closer and closer to Jian making her stiff as the hair on her skin raised in fear as she looked at the young boy who is transforming into a monster as his trauma has reached its peak

I need to do something.... She said as she took a step forward ignoring the piercing whispers and lingering wind as she mustered her courage, walking closer to the boy as each steps she takes echoes in the densely quiet space

" You're wrong "..... She said in a silent soothing voice as all strange occurrence in the surrounding space seemed to come to a stop and the young boy at the brink of madness slowly calms down as he listens to the strange lady's voice as she continued

" I might not know what is means to lose a parent, but I know what it means to lose someone you dearly love ".... Getting closer to the young boy, she kneels down with both legs, looking straight at the paled faced boy who is staring at the eternal abyss as black tears flows down from his eyes

" Actually I might say I've experienced it three or more times ".... She said chuckling as she leans closer, holding the boy who is resting at a place where they seemed to be a wall but in this space there is nothing there, she held onto his shoulders as she hugs him and continued...

" But it all seemed like it happened yesterday, as I always see them in my dreams ".....

" So I asked myself, why live in this world when you are always the cause of their deaths, why don't you just end it all and rest for the pain is too much to bear and it can't be conquered"..... She said as she undo the hug and lifts her head, placing both of her palms on the young boy's face as she caressed it

" Do you know the answer I got? ".... She asked as she let out a deep Sigh! as a drop of tears fell from her eyes as she said in a deep and serene voice

"Pain isn't meant to be conquered. It's a part of us, an echo of the battles we've survived. Only by embracing it can we truly be free."... She said those words as it came deep from her heart as she remembers all she have went through ever since she was a little

seeing what she said the young boy couldn't help but cry as he begins coming to his senses as the madness of the forsaken night grips were slowly fading off. Jian saw this but she continued anyway ignoring the positive changes in the boy

" Your mother wouldn't want you to die with her you know, she wants you to live, that's why she risked her life to protect you. If you die now, her sacrifice will be in vein. Do you want that?"..... She said as she looks at the young boy who shakes his head agreeing that he doesn't want that as his tear slowly turns transparent like normal tears, so she continued with a smile on her face as her deep yellow eyes like that of a miniature sun seemed to brighten her appearance

" and besides you are not alone "... She paused for a moment before continuing.... "She's with you" ... She said as she removes her palms from the young boy's face, raising her right hand and tapping his chest signifying what she meant as she continued with just three last words that echoed throughout the mysteriously confined space

" In Your Heart ".....

Moments later they returned to the real world, leaving the mysteriously confined space in total blackness as if they never existed....

A while later a malevolent wind begins emanating as slowly but steadily deep dark ash like that of a burning paper began accumulating on air through the malevolent wind in the mysteriously confined space, forming a little piece of ash paper as it seems mingled in dark reddish substance, falling from above nothing could be seen, but as it landed in the mysteriously confined space floor,

a strange blurry symbol drawn on the ash paper could be seen as it has the sketch of numerous numbers of eyes with a piercing gaze crying out blood as they seemed to come to life.....

.....

Paradise Mainland, someone near the desolate building

Coming back to the real world as Jian was still in her knees and the young boy was still resting against the wall, they both were silent as they stared at each other before Jian ask " What's your name ".... She asked as the young boy wipes the tears from his eyes before answering with a voice still sounding like that of someone that screamed for a long time making his voice to be rough.... " A-am Tuddi "..... He said as he expression seems to calm down slightly

" Mind if I call You Tud ? "..... She asked as a slightly warm smile showed on her face,

" No "... He answered as he didn't see anything bad with it.

Being curious he ask for her's too, so she answered him with a smile..... " Call me Jian "

After the small introduction, Jian saw that Tuddi was shivering as the wind of the forsaken night emanated a serene cold wind, making the surroundings cold,

Feeling somewhat unhappy she said

" Here, wear this "... As she took off her trench coat and used it to cover Tuddi to warm him from the cold.... "Thank you".... He said as she replied him with only a smile before carrying him up since he can't walk for the moment as he is weak from passing through the almost successful transformation under the crimson moon light in the forsaken night

" I'll be taking you to safety, so hang on tight".... She said as he answered her with a Mmm! sound as he was already falling asleep from the tiredness he's feeling...

So she begins her journey back to the safe zone

...

Upon arriving there she met two familiar faces as they walked up to her,

a young man who seems to be in his early twenties wearing a white long sleeve and black trouser like that of an average office worker, with short dark blue hair and light blue eyes like that of a shimmering pearl, his figure is sturdy, yet he wears a nerdy eyeglasses which doesn't affect his appearance as it made him even more handsome,

a young lady who seems to be in her early to middle twenties wearing a dark blue long sleeves with a long black skirt and hose, with cover black boots that firmly matches her slender legs and her slender yet exquisite figure like that of a popular model with blonde hair, gorgeous blue eyes and a star face like that of an actress

It was Yona and along side him was Viola as they both walked closer to Jian, seeing she carrying a young boy on her hands

Upon getting closer, Viola asked

" Is he alright ? "..... Jian didn't answer as she only nodded in response while walking closer to Yona with a stern expression on her face she said

" Please take him to the camp where the others are, and see if you can find any doctor or nurse among them and ask them to find out if he's doing alright "..... She said as she handed the sleeping Tuddi whom she carried in her arms to Yona to take him inside the camp,

" Alright ".... Yona answered as he carried the young Tuddi to the building leaving Jian and Viola alone and making the air around them seem awkward,

....

The mist hung thick and silent between Jian and Viola, their breaths almost visible in the eerie red glow cast by the moon. Jian took a step away, intending to leave, but Viola's voice pulled her back.

"Jian…" Viola's voice was soft, almost dissolving in the quiet emptiness of the night. Jian stopped, her body still as she listened, though she didn't turn around.

"Can we talk?" Viola asked, her tone carrying a slight tremor, as if her words were fragile things she was afraid might shatter. Her voice drifted through the thick night, swallowed up by the mist, leaving only the blood-red glow that washed over them, tinting the landscape a haunting crimson.

Jian hesitated, lowering her head, trying to decide what to say. Before she could respond, another voice steady, familiar called to her.

"Jian."

She turned, catching sight of a man with sharp features, black hair, and deep grey eyes that seemed indiscernible. He wore a white shirt, the sleeves rolled to his elbows, a black tie knotted carefully at his throat, and dark trousers. A half-top hat sat atop his head, casting a slight shadow over his face.

It was Jack, her colleague, and his expression was as serious as always.

Jian glanced back at Viola, meeting her gaze with a look of apology. "Could you give me a few minutes? If you wouldn't mind" she asked. "This seems urgent."

Viola's gaze dropped slightly, her expression flickering with something like disappointment before she nodded. "Alright… I'll wait in the camp," she murmured, pausing before adding quietly, "I hope you'll come back soon."

As Viola turned and walked slowly to the entrance of the underground camp, her figure grew faint, merging with the shadows. Watching her retreating form, Jian felt a strange weight settle over her, but she brushed it aside and turned to join Jack. Together, they walked in silence under the red moon's gaze, their silhouettes merging into the mist. The night around them seemed alive with the shifting fog, as if it held its breath, listening.

In the distance, a quiet, rhythmic sound, like the slow beating of a drum, echoed in the forsaken night, each beat growing louder, closer as if purging the very essence of the soul,

Bang!

It stopped abruptly, plunging the world back into a silence so dense it felt as though it might swallow them whole.