Out

"I see that you understand quite well," Aseko said, looking at Eclipse thinking. "You are not slow, kid and I appreciate that."

"Thank you." Eclipse said as he continued thinking.

If they are gang members … that would explain some of the things around here. But … why do I feel like what I am seeing is not something I am familiar with?

Well, perhaps it is because this is another world.

Wait, what? Eclipse stopped in his tracks, making Aseko stop as well, turning to look at him with slight concern on his face.

"Kid?" He called as Eclipse suddenly saw the entire world he is in start to glitch out, his legs unable to move as everything around him start to shake and glitch back and forth.

W-what is going on? What is happening? He thought, frowning while trying to move but his body would not allow him to move. What- What?

"Hey! Kid!" Aseko's face suddenly appeared in front of Eclipse, bringing him back to where he is.

"A-Aseko?"

"What happened?" he asked, looking him over. "You suddenly froze in your steps and your body started shaking, are you alright?"

"Aseko, I thin-" Eclipse paused, a burning sensation building up in his chest, mouth open as nothing came out before he finally collapsed to the ground, completely passed out.

_________________________________

Opening his eyes, Eclipse took a second to look around himself before realizing that he is in someone's arms, hearing their heartbeat before he looked up to see Aseko staring at him.

"Awake? That was quick." Aseko said, stopping in front of one of the buildings and walked inside as all the men and women inside the building immediately got to their feet.

The place looks to be quite warm, a table in the middle with so many paintings and books all around it as well as vases with all kinds of flowers on it.

"Boss!"

"Get me a glass of warm water and call the doctor." He said, walking past them and into a door, walking up the stairs, he entered a room full of even more people.

"Boss, what are you doing here?"

"Who is this?"

"Never mind that, all of you get out." He said, covering Eclipse so that none of his features is made out as everyone is out of the room in seconds.

Placing the man on the bed, Aseko carefully tucked him in the covers. "Are you feeling cold, kid?"

"No," Eclipse said as he is swaddled in even more blankets. He may not show that he is concerned but his actions tell otherwise and Eclipse can see it.

"Boss. Your water." A woman full of tattoos up to her neck and even on her face said, walking into the room, wearing a full suit as she handed the glass to Aseko who handed the glass to Eclipse.

The red head had to wriggle out of the cocoon he is buried in to get his hands free before he reached out and took the glass from him.

"Thank you." Eclipse said, drowning the water in one big gulp. "Wow, that was hot."

"It was boiling hot water." She said, hand resting on her hips as she stare at Eclipse with slight concern. "Why did you just drink it?"

"I don't know." Eclipse said giving her a sheepish smile. "Maybe I was more tired than I thought I was."

She just looked at the man for a couple of seconds before turning to Aseko. "Who is this, boss?"

"He is someone who is going to be important to us in the future," Aseko said, turning to the woman. "Do you have something to do here, Rail?"

Holding her hands up in a surrender motion the woman turned around and walked out of the room, "I know when I am not wanted, boss. Call me if you need me."

The two watch her go before Aseko turned to Eclipse, looking at his eyes, "What happened back there?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing." Eclipse said, handing his empty glass to Ash who took it and placed it on the table. "I remember walking with you and then the next thing I knew, I am in your arms. Did I faint or something?"

"You … you don't remember?" he asked, frowning ever so slightly.

"Remember what?"

"We were talking about my group and-"

"Oh, I remember that, we talked about your family and how some of them were living somewhere else and you praised me for not being slow."

"And then?"

"There's an 'and then'?"

Ash looked at Eclipse's eyes before leaning back on his chair and sighing, "So … you don't remember anymore, huh?"

"Remember what?" Eclipse asked, completely clueless at what he is saying but is growing anxious nonetheless. "What happened, Aseko?"

"After we talked that, you suddenly stopped moving, I think you were thinking something and were about to remember something important because your eyes widened considerably.

"But your body started trembling so I walked to you to see if anything is wrong. You looked me in the eyes and called my name, opening your mouth like you are almost desperate to tell me something but then you passed out.

"I could not wake you up as I thought of taking you back to the house to get Hler to look at you. But, two seconds after I picked you up and started walking, you opened your eyes."

Eclipse and Aseko stared at each other for a couple of seconds, the two studying each other for some kind of truth in their words. Once satisfied that they know the other is not lying … they both just turned away from each other.

"So I was remembering something important, huh?" Eclipse said, gripping the blankets. "I had a feeling that it is not going to be easy to get back my memories. Every time I try to remember something, it feels like there is a wall, keeping my memories out."

"It must be the curse on your body," Aseko said, pointing to the man. "Unless you take the curse out, I think it will be futile if you even remember anything at all."

Touching his chest, Eclipse sucked in a breath, trying to think just as a knock came on the door.

"Yes?"

"Boss." Rail said, peaking in. "It is the doctor. Should I call him inside?"

"Yes."

"Alright." She closed the door again before the door opened and in walks a man in a coat and a suitcase, his eyes immediately falling on Eclipse as he broke into a grin.

"Hello." Eclipse said, attempting to be friendly as he waved at the man.

"Hello." He said, turning to Ash. "Boss, this is the person you sent ten people for me to check? I was so surprised, I thought that the Big Boss was dying or something but to think it is a puny boy."

"I am not a boy." Eclipse said, raising his eyebrow at him.

"Who is this? A prostitute you started favouring?" He asked, walking to Eclipse as he placed his briefcase down and began looking at the red haired man's face. "I never knew you were interested in your ones."

"I am not interested here, Karr," Aseko said, frowning at the man. "This man is someone special, I cannot have him injured otherwise he will lose his use."

"Ouch." Eclipse chuckled. "Well, at least you are honest."

"There does not seem to be anything wrong with him." The man said, looking Eclipse up and down. "Did he hit his head or something? What happened?"

Eclipse turned to look at Aseko who sucked in a breath and walked to Karr, "On your oath, promise me you will not tell anyone what happens in this room."

"Oh? This is strange." The man said, his sharp eyes scanning Ash before he agreed. "Sure. I want to see what this will play out."

"Alright, take your shirt off for the doctor, kid."

"I am not interested, boss," Karr said quickly as Eclipse started taking his shirt off. "He looks far too young for my taste."

"I am not trying to do anything here, Karr." Ash sighed as Karr turned to look at Eclipse, eyes widening the moment he saw the mark on his body. "That is the thing I want you to take a look at."

"No way. Is this a curse?" The man asked, immediately a little too close to Eclipse for his comfort.

Seeming to sense the boy's distress, Ash walked to the man and pulled him away, "Not too close. I don't want him to accidentally freak out."

"Ok. Ok." The man said, looking at the mark at an arm's distance. "This is incredible, boss. I have never seen one this powerful on someone alive before."

"Excuse me?" Eclipse asked, brows furrowing as he looked at the man, confusion written all over his face. "Alive?"

"Yes, alive." He said, not looking up from Eclipse's chest. "This is the strongest and deadliest curse a deity can put on … anyone. Humans or other deities too … and it has killed both."