SPIRITBINDER: The Boy Without A Mark

"I was killed."

Medas froze at the words. His chest tightened as if the weight of the entire world had been dropped on him. He stared at Hiraya, his trembling hands clutching the arms of his chair.

"Who? Who killed you?" Medas's voice cracked, his usually composed demeanor breaking apart. "After all these years, I thought you did that to yourself. I blamed myself every single day. I thought I failed to protect you, Hiraya. I—I couldn't understand why I didn't wake up. How could I not have known?"

Hiraya gave a small, sad smile. "My memory of him isn't vivid anymore, but his voice... It didn't sound like he really wanted to do it to me." Hiraya's eyes glistened with the weight of his tale, but his voice stayed calm, as though recounting something distant.

"The night it happened..." Hiraya began, his gaze fixed somewhere beyond the walls of the room. "We were sleeping together. I remember loving that feeling, the warmth, the peace of being beside you. But then—there was a knock on the door. It was soft at first, then more insistent. I didn't want to wake you, so I got up to answer it."

Medas clenched his fists, his nails biting into his palms as Hiraya's words brought the memory to life.

"The moment I opened the door, there was someone—a boy, I think—hidden under a hooded cloak. It was so dark, I could barely see him. I asked who he was, but all he said was, 'I'm sorry.' Then... he blew something from his hand. Dust. It glittered in the moonlight before it hit me." Hiraya touched his chest as if he could still feel it. "That dust—it made me dizzy. I think it was why you didn't wake up, too. I tried to fight it, but the next thing I knew... I was hanging. A rope tightening around my neck. I couldn't breathe. I wanted to scream, to call for you, but I couldn't." Hiraya paused, taking a trembling breath. "And then... I died."

Medas covered his face with his hands. His shoulders heaved as sobs wracked his body. "So... you were killed all along," he choked out between tears. "And I was just there... sleeping?"

"Don't blame yourself," Hiraya said softly. He reached out as though to comfort Medas, but his hand hovered midair, unable to bridge the gap. "And one more thing... He was crying. When he left the cabin, I saw him wiping his tears. It was as if he regretted what he had done or didn't truly want to hurt me."

Medas lifted his tear-streaked face, his eyes filled with pain and fury. "Who is he, Hiraya? Regardless of whether he was crying or not, he still killed you!"

"I don't know," Hiraya whispered.

"Maybe he was a spirit?" Medas suggested, desperation creeping into his voice as he searched for any explanation that made sense.

"No." Hiraya shook his head firmly. "I can tell a spirit from a human. That man... He was human."

The room fell silent, the weight of Hiraya's revelation pressing down on both of them like an unrelenting storm cloud.

Medas clenched his jaw, determination igniting in his eyes through the tears. "Then I'll find him, Hiraya. Human or not, he took you from me. And I will make him pay."

Hiraya didn't respond immediately, his gaze distant. "Just... don't lose yourself, Medas. Not for me."

But Medas wasn't listening anymore. In his mind, there was only one goal now: uncover the truth and bring justice to the boy who had stolen Hiraya from him.

"As much as I wanted to go to the other side, I can't," Hiraya said, her voice laced with a quiet determination. "I need to know who my killer is. That's my unfinished business here."

Medas stared at her, his hands trembling as they reached for hers. He clasped them tightly, as though afraid she might disappear. "I will find him, Hiraya," he promised, his voice resolute. "But your death... it was a decade ago. What if he's not in this world anymore?"

Hiraya held his gaze, her expression unwavering. "Then why am I still here, Medas? If he were gone, I wouldn't still be trapped in this in-between state. He's alive—I can feel it. He's still living."

Medas ran a hand through his hair, his frustration palpable. "Where do I even start? How do I find him after all these years? How do I bring justice for you?"

Hiraya hesitated, as though weighing her next words carefully. Finally, she said, "As much as I don't want to involve other innocent people, I think Morvane might be the key."

Medas frowned, his confusion evident. "Morvane? Why him?"

"I don't know for certain," Hiraya admitted, "but I feel a strong connection to him. Back then, when I used to see spirits, I helped them cross to the other side. I helped them with their unfinished business. Now, I believe Morvane can do the same for me. He'll help me, Medas."

A sharp pang of pain crossed Medas's face, and he pulled his hands away. "So... you want to leave me too?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Hiraya's eyes softened, filled with both regret and resolve. "I must, Medas. This isn't just about me anymore. My presence here... it's not natural. And if Morvane can help me find closure, then I have to try."

Medas stood abruptly, turning his back to her. His shoulders were rigid, his fists clenched at his sides. "You don't understand, Hiraya. Losing you once nearly destroyed me. Now you're asking me to let you go again?"

"I understand more than you think," Hiraya said gently. She stood, stepping closer to him, though the space between them felt vast. "But this isn't just about what you want or what I want. It's about what has to be done."

Medas turned to face her, his expression a mixture of anger, grief, and desperation. "Then promise me, Hiraya. Promise me you won't disappear without saying goodbye."

Hiraya smiled faintly, her eyes glistening. "I promise."

For a moment, the two stood in silence, the weight of their unspoken emotions hanging heavily in the air. Then, slowly, Medas nodded.

"I'll help you find him," he said quietly. "But when this is over, I'm coming to find you—on whatever side you're on."

Hiraya didn't respond. Instead, she reached out, her fingers brushing against his cheek in a fleeting, ghostly touch. And in that moment, Medas knew that no matter how strong his resolve, letting her go would be the hardest thing he'd ever do.

Hiraya stood in front of Medas, her expression solemn yet resolute. "Well then," she said, her voice carrying an air of finality. "Let Morvane rest. I've been in his body for too long."

Before Medas could respond, a faint glow enveloped Hiraya. Slowly, her spirit began to separate from Morvane's body. The ethereal form of Hiraya floated before them, translucent but radiant, while Morvane's body, now fully his own, began to collapse.

Medas moved swiftly, catching Morvane before he hit the ground. Cradling him carefully, Medas looked at the unconscious figure in his arms. Morvane's features had fully returned, the familiar presence that Medas hadn't seen in what felt like ages.

Hiraya's spirit lingered nearby, watching them with a bittersweet expression. "I drained too much energy from him," she murmured softly, her voice carrying a tinge of guilt. But Medas couldn't hear her anymore.

Hours passed, yet Morvane remained unresponsive. Medas sat beside him, never leaving his side, his worry growing with each passing moment. As the hours turned into days, then into weeks, his anxiety became almost unbearable.

Despite his best efforts, Morvane showed no signs of waking. Medas, now desperate, hired healers from across the land, each offering remedies and solutions, yet none could bring Morvane back. Frustration and fear gnawed at him, but he kept going.

Eventually, Medas confided in his grandmother, though he carefully omitted the truth about Hiraya and her possession of Morvane. "He's been unconscious for weeks now," Medas said, his voice heavy with worry. "I don't know what to do anymore."

His grandmother, wise but limited in her knowledge of the supernatural, did what she could to comfort him, yet it wasn't enough.

Word spread quickly, and it wasn't long before Luna and Esmael arrived in a flurry of urgency.

"What happened?" Luna demanded, rushing to Morvane's bedside. Her hands glowed faintly with healing energy as she placed them over his chest.

Esmael stood beside her, his usual fiery demeanor subdued by concern. "Why didn't you call us sooner?" he asked Medas, though there was no malice in his tone, only worry.

Medas didn't respond immediately. His eyes were fixed on Morvane, his thoughts consumed by the haunting image of Hiraya's spirit leaving. "I didn't know what to do," he finally admitted, his voice barely audible. "I thought I could handle it, but... I can't lose him too."

Luna glanced at Esmael, her expression grim. "We'll do everything we can," she said firmly, though even she couldn't hide the uncertainty in her voice.

As the days dragged on, the room became a hub of effort and hope, each of them trying to bring Morvane back. And though Medas remained silent, a quiet voice echoed in his mind—the unspoken promise he made to Hiraya to carry on, no matter what.