HEO 51

On a deep night when it was hard to tell whether it was winter or spring. The smell of cheap liquor wafted through an inn room. The shadows from the stove fire flickered.

Black Weasel managed not to pass out and emptied the last bottle. He smiled and raised his glass in a toast toward the window (there was probably a beautiful woman visible only to his eyes), then drained the glass in one before setting it down. Then, out of nowhere, he said.

“Silver. I’m your biological father.”

Under normal circumstances, that statement would have made him pause for a moment. But right now, Silver was slumped in his chair like a towel on a clothesline. It took him a long while just to untangle his twisted tongue enough to say a single word.

“Uh, I know. So?”

Even to Silver, his tone sounded as indifferent as if he were discussing the weather. Black Weasel blinked. He looked like someone who had stumbled down the stairs.

“You know?”

“Of course I do, bastard. Do you think I’m you?”

Silver shut his mouth and glared at Black Weasel. The man who had just confessed to being his biological father had since passed out. The sound of his snoring pierced Silver’s ears. Anyway, he was just a guy who only knew how to chop wood. A bastard who couldn’t even light the fire and quit halfway through.

Damn it. Is he spitting in my face?

Shadows danced along the flickering hearth fire. Silver’s eyes closed. His consciousness faded…

***

Princess…

Someone kept calling. Princess. Princess…

Silver slowly opened his eyes. His head felt like it would split open, and his body was heavy as a boulder. He’d never experienced a worse hangover in his life. All he remembered was seeing Black Weasel in his dream. But a princess? What part of Bingapsu looked like a princess?

How much did I drink……. Ugh!

He came back to his senses. He saw Red Eagle slumped beside him. The latter was gesturing toward the empty air. His eyes were unfocused while he repeated the same word.

“Princess… Princess…”

Silver stared at Red Eagle for a moment. He never imagined that crybaby would survive the rock pillars. Why didn’t he just die? Even if he lucked out and made it back to Levenon, it was obvious the princess would kick his ass.

Silver started to rise but froze. The scene unfolded hazily before his eyes… His breath hitched. It felt like he’d fallen into a nightmare.

Endless rows of rock pillars stretched into the distance. From the sky, fireballs the size of a baby’s head rained down.

Flames. Black smoke. The smell of blood.

Screams erupted everywhere. Everything was a mess.

He could only think of one thing. What about Bingapsu? What about Wolf?

Silver looked at Red Eagle. The latter was mumbling while his hands groped at the air. It was pointless to try talking to him; he wouldn’t give a clear answer.

[Hey, Prince. Have you seen Bingapsu or the servant? Well, you probably haven’t…]

Silver muttered to himself, resigned. Suddenly, focus returned to Red Eagle’s eyes.

[Silver? Silver!]

Red Eagle jumped up and embraced Silver. Hot tears soaked the back of Silver’s neck.

[I thought I was left alone! I thought I was the only one left! Just me, useless and cowardly…! Wolf…!]

Silver couldn’t say a word. The tone in Red Eagle’s words were ominous. Could it be this guy…

Silver shook off the conflict and spoke up.

[You saw Bingapsu and Wolf dying?]

[No. I didn’t see it.]

[What?!]

Silver’s expression distorted slightly.

[You…! How can you say that without even seeing it? I thought they were both dead…!]

[I… I’m sorry, Silver! I was rash!]

Red Eagle hunched his shoulders and took a step back.

[But, Silver… I didn’t see it myself… don’t you think they might be dead?  Even if they survived, how could they have made it this far…]

Red Eagle’s voice cracked again. Silver looked down below. Between the rock pillars, only darkness filled the air.

If someone fell down there, how would they die?

Most would succumb to terror. Even if they fought on, dehydration or starvation would claim them within hours… Then, their minds would break. They’d fall and fall, unable to tell if they were plunging into darkness or dancing with women at a tribal festival. And then, starvation.

[Um, Silver……. There’s something I need to tell you.]

Red Eagle approached hesitantly. Silver glanced at him from the corner of his eye.

[What do you need to talk about? That we should hold hands and jump together? I’d love to hear that.]

[Behind you……. Can you turn around?]

[Huh?]

Silver turned around absentmindedly and froze.

There was a door. Right where this rock pillar met the ground.

Up close, it was as tall as a sailing ship. No handle was visible. It looked like two massive iron plates joined together, like a bell tower.

[The voice told me while you were unconscious that this was the final destination.]

Final destination. Meaning it wouldn’t change location anymore.

Red Eagle rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand.

[But the door won’t open. It said it would open automatically once we reached it… It was all a lie. Damn evil spirit…]

Silver’s mind raced. When the ground quaked, Wolf slammed his head into Black Weasel’s waist. The direction their voices came from matched.

I’ll make you pay dearly for that meal. Damn skeleton bastard.

[Silver! You wouldn’t dare…?]

Red Eagle rushed forward to block his path. He seemed to have caught on to Silver’s scheme.

[No, not that! Call me cowardly if you want! Please, just think rationally! It might seem like foolish hope, but if we wait, the door might open. We made it here miraculously. Thinking of Wolf makes me sad too, but…]

[Just count the sheep. One hundred. If the door opens in the meantime, you go out alone.]

[How are you supposed to find them! You don’t even know where they are!]

[I know they’re together.]

Silver flung off his robe. The moment the fabric hit the floor, a sound like iron balls colliding echoed. Twenty-seven daggers were sheathed inside the robe. So that sound was only natural. Silver didn’t particularly pay attention, but Red Eagle’s face paled.

His body felt lighter. Silver looked at the rock pillar across from him. The distance was easily over six paces. It required an acceleration run before the jump. But the pillar he stood on was only as wide as a four-person dining table. It was too narrow to allow him to jump as far as he could.

An ordinary human would be afraid.

[Silver… Don’t go… I’m scared to be alone…]

Red Eagle cried while blocking his path again. Silver shoved him aside and crouched down. He put all his strength into his soles. He took a deep breath.

[Silver! No!]

He didn’t think about the consequences.

He only looked ahead.

He jumped.

***

Every muscle in his body contracted. Power surged from his ankles. It coursed through his thighs and spread throughout his entire body. Silver kicked off the rock pillar and launched himself into the air. He sliced through the fierce wind and landed.

Thud. The stone beneath his feet shattered, sending dust flying. However, he didn’t stop and immediately jumped again. This time the distance was too great. His toes caught on the rock pillar. He flailed his arms to regain balance and jumped once more. The cold wind slapped his cheeks. He landed. Rolled. Fourth, fifth. With each landing, stone dust swirled and the ground shook beneath him.

Seventh. Silver stopped jumping and surveyed his surroundings.

“Bingapsu! Wolf!”

No answer.

“Bingapsu! Wolf! Where are you?!”

He shouted until his voice cracked, but no reply came. Just as he was about to curse,

〔Amazing!〕

The sudden exclamation made Silver flinch. What the hell, you bastard?

〔Such unbelievable movement! You are no ordinary person!〕

The voice continued to chatter. It sounded excited like an audience clapping at a traveling troupe’s performance.

〔Master is clapping with delight! He promises you a special reward!〕

〔Provided you survive to the end, of course. Ah, Master says he’ll stop throwing candy at you since he’s watching you!〕

Candy? You mean the fireballs?

〔Master seems to want to observe your performance without interference! Keep it up! I’m rooting for you!〕

“……Are you kidding me?”

Silver jumped into the air as he flipped off the sky with his middle finger. He landed.

〔The clown begins its eighth rotation.〕

Huh? What is that supposed to mean?

Silver hesitated and looked around.