Chapter 40: Facing Fears

"No, no, it wasn't my fault. It, it wasn't..." Kiro stammered, although he managed to say that the words choked him before coming out.

His parents both cackled. It was a wonder to him how they could remain seated without hearts keeping them alive. Having no hearts didn't seem to slow them down at all, they were as normal as Kiro with movements.

"Oh but it is, son. We should never have had you. At the end, our hard work didn't pay off. You were a failure until the end," said the mum, while the dad nodded in agreement.

Kiro was guilt ridden, he could barely hold the tears that made his whole face feel hot. "But, but, I'll change it this time, I-I-I'll succeed for sure." He said between sobs.

"There are no second chances. We are dead." The father said mockingly.

"I went back in time and —" a piercing laugh resounded before Kiro could say anything else. That stopped him dead on his tracks, he knew this wasn't real, but his feelings were.

He did feel like a failure, he did feel like he had let his parents and siblings down. He didn't feel worthy of their love. Ever since he came back, he had suppressed this feeling, this trauma to the back of his mind.

But this mere game, this, this thing was dragging all his skeletons into the light for all to see. He didn't want to feel this, he didn't want to deal with all of it. It was better when he pretended it didn't bother him.

"Time? Time can't be rewinded or forwarded. You were simply placed in another universe. We are dead and never coming back, this should rest on your conscience." The mum said cold, and sneering.

Kiro knew this wasn't real either. This was a theory he had, amongst many. He did suspect that he could've been plucked by a higher power and put in a different universe, for a second chance.

This is one he had hoped wasn't real, because then, that would mean his past deeds did happen, somewhere in another universe he did fail his parents.

"Kill yourself, kill yourself and atone for your sins, you unfilial son." Both voices sounded.

This depressed Kiro greatly, even though he knew this was a game, they still said what he felt.

"I know you're angry, but I promise to make our family part of high society this time around. I love you both. Wait for me a little longer." He said solemnly as if talking to his real parents.

Before his parents could say anything else, black liquid could be seen escaping their lips. Their words were incoherent and mangled. They just started laughing, a laugh that resembled a shrill.

Kiro was on the ground now, attempting to shield his ears from the loud shriek. He closed his eyes shut and waited. After a while, he let go of his ears, only to find out that, his ears still rang, he couldn't hear anything. He opened his eyes and found that he was in complete darkness.

He attempted to get up, but staggered and fell on his back. He stood up once again, and started walking whichever direction, he wasn't sure.

Kiro had a bitter look on his face, his heart dropped far into the pits of his stomach as several men jumped his sister.

He had his fair share of beatings in his life, he hated physical pain but at that moment he wished more than anything to switch places with her. He'd do it in a heartbeat given the chance.

But the gods didn't humour him this time. He was an invisible force watching from the outside. He couldn't interfere, he couldn't do anything to change their fate even though he knew it wasn't real, he wanted to do anything. What stumped him was the feeling of helplessness. He never wanted to feel this ever again.

As he helplessly watched, he noted each of their faces. He remembered them from a police file in his previous life, he wondered why he had suppressed this information. These people were now part of his revenge, he'd make them suffer in this life. They were clearly not good people.

He didn't care about being a hypocrite, he didn't care about the morality that you shouldn't play god, that you can't decide who lives or dies. Kiro knew that, with money, he will play god. He will have people dancing on his palms, and throw away anybody not worthy to live, by his standards!

He didn't care about anything else, he was livid. Hatred was consuming him, watching this was changing him bit by bit.

He watched as his brother got involved. He was begging for them to stop while they laughed at his face. Once he figured that they wouldn't listen to reason, he brandished his bat and went to a war he knew he couldn't win.

The men beat his siblings ground beef, their faces were beyond recognition. Kiro's eyes appeared icy and cold, something in him died that day. Humans were never to be trusted, they were vile and cruel, not unlike the monsters they fight in this game. They would always, always look out for number one.

He scoffed at how humans have managed to pretend their nature is a compassionate and empathetic one. But Kiro saw something today, he saw it with those loan sharks too.

Humans were animals, and at times the suppressed primal instincts rise to the surface and people witness the true nature of humanity. A monstrosity, capable of great calamities. Kiro wouldn't be surprised if he was told that, the earth of old ceased to exist because of humans.

He watched as his brother took his last breath.

"Brother, I'm sorry I couldn't protect our little Freckles. Please live on and be happy." He said coughing up blood.

Kiro almost cried at those words, Loki had always pretended he didn't care about anything but skateboarding but as it turns out. He loved his family, more than he let on.

The people gathered scoffed at his words. They spat at him.

"You should've just been a loyal dog."

"Your death was totally on you, Willy."

Kiro's head was all over the place, as he remembered that those were his gang members. His kid brother's nickname had been Willy back then with his friends. Their parents always called him Freddy though.

He had no idea why, but Freya and Sekani loved nicknames, he had always hated his. But grew to love it when he lived more than 7 years with nobody who would call him 'Ki.'