Broken & Shattered

"The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist."

An old man with a high-pitched voice said from the half-Shattered veil of endless, boundless darkness that was about to be fully shattered and did so a moment later. 

 And as it did, a boy with pale skin, black hair, and a pair of dark hollow eyes jolted in surprise as his momentary, half-painted canvas full of thoughts shattered into a million pieces like broken glasses.

He saw, from his dark and hollow eyes a vaguely vivid figure of an old man looking at him with his eye brows slightly stretched.

After blinking a few times, The old man continued without receiving a reply from the pale-looking boy.

"You see, I believe that the Devil exists, and so do demons and fairies. They are very much alive, breathing the same air as us, and probably lingering nearby without us even noticing."

The old man said after a slight pause, "Indeed, they are. Why, you ask, do I know such things? Well, I'll satisfy your curiosity. It's simple, really. When thinking about the existence of entities like them, you can't think like a mundane person. It requires a more sophisticated mind like mine to think outside the box and see from an outer perspective."

Stark, was still dazed, seemingly confused by a thousand different questions that yearned for answers.

But the old man showed no sign of stopping.

"Now, look here, boy. Think of a person who doesn't believe in what he hasn't seen with his own eyes. Suppose he claims that demons and fairies do not exist. Simply because he hasn't seen them. Wouldn't that be truly hypocritical? Indeed, it would, without a doubt."

He looked at Stark and then said, "Just because you don't see something doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Would you say that the air you breathe doesn't exist just because you can't see it? There are things that must be felt and perceived passively to truly understand their existence."

The old man looked at Stark knowingly, as if he had more nonsense to spout, but was abruptly interrupted.

Stark was confused after hearing the old man's nonsensical rambling. Whoever It was.

Stark rubbed his eyes and pressed his temples before saying, "Wh-where am I?"

"Ahh... Ohh... Your in one of the supply carriages of a Traveling Circus, The Big-heart Circus. We found you bruised and Battered near the dark forest. Your body was really badly burnt and had a lot scars. Miss. Sia gave medical Treatment to you. That is probably why you are still alive." the old man said after sizing him up. 

Then not stooping for a moment the old man said again, "But who cares about that listen... "

The old man then went on explaining some other thing that stark did not hear because, He looked the Old man even more confused and then said, interrupting him, "what are you talking ab-- ?"

However, before he could finish his sentence, suddenly, his head felt like it was spinning, As a nauseating wave crashed over him, and bile rose in his throat.

He lurched forward, vomiting a mouthful onto the wooden floor.

'What? What is happening?'

After a while a calm and collected voice resounded from his back, full of concern, "Are you okey? Please don't move much."

He moved his head and saw a girl with silky black hair and brown eyes, looking at him with concern.

After a while, Stark rubbed his mouth with the back of his left hand and looked at the space where he in.

He realized he was inside a wooden carriage which was moving at a moderate pace, shaking slightly from time to time.

He let his thoughts flow out like water.

'Where am I? Traveling circus, he said? What is that?"

As he was pondering, All of a sudden, His thoughts scattered like startled birds as a sudden burst of laughing sound crashed into his ears, shaking him out from his reverie.

He moved his head side ways And saw an old man with rainbow-colored hair, paper-white skin, and a nose as red as blood. He was looking at stark with a joyous smile.

"You're one of them, aren't you? A Researcher. You are, surely! It all makes sense now. You're one of those scholars under Madam Isabella, aren't you?

After learning about my greatness and wisdom, Madam Isabella simply couldn't help but want to hire me as her research partner, could she? Oh... she just couldn't~ isn't that right? It probably is! Highly probable. So she sent you to recruit me! That must be it, 

Oh, oh gods… when Have I become so well-known? And even without me noticing? oh, who cares, at last! At last! Of course, I knew it, It was inevitable! I knew It from the very start!!"

The old man laughed in mad delight and continued rambling on and on.

"Stop it! Mr. Solomon. Your nonsense is making my head hurt!! And Madam Isabella would never chose someone as dumb as you to be her research partner, Never." The Girl from before, spat.

"Hah... But why? I am probably the most intellectual person among us. then, Why? Why? Does she not want to learn about the abyss? I am sure she does. She Surely does. Then why? Hah... why? Ahh... Soo Absurd. Really Absurd. Such Absurdity!!"

The old man shot his head backwards and started smiling violently. 

Stark who was a silent listener until now, moved his head, thinking of asking the girl, If She could specify anything about his situation.

He thought of asking something. But much to his surprise, he was interpreted.

He jolted in surprise, as he felt a pair of eyes fell on him like a mid-night thunder clap. He moved his head sideways...

In the left corner of the carriage, there was a man sitting atop a wooden crate.

He had a top hat, a black coat over a white shirt, a yellow scarf wrapped around his neck, black trousers, and a pair of white gloves, worn fingers crossed.

Stark, who was shocked by a thousand different things, let out a shaky breath and composed himself with all his willpower.

But, just as he did, he jolting again, As the girl from before opened her mouth to say something,

"Whatever... Are you okey? You shouldn't move too much. You... "

But, Before she could finish her sentence, Stark realized, from the corner of his eyes, the Mysterious man atop the wooden crate suddenly moved his top hat and a face was reveled.

He had abnormally pale skin, black hair, a pair of dark crimson-red eyes, and silky, alluring blood-red lips that suddenly parted.

"Agro~ Viatra~ Infentios~

Agro~ Viatra~ Infentios~

Agro~ Viatra~ Infentios~"

And, just as the mysterious man atop the wooden crate, recited the following for the third time, Stark's eyes and every single part of his attention, deliberately or not—fell upon him.

It was as if the whole world itself was nothing but a fleeting illusion, and the figure atop the wooden crate, full of mystery, was the only true reality.

'W-What is happening?'

He felt, as if the mysterious man was looking, looking at every single details of Stark, Every single thing that defied him, who he was.

He felt like he was not in the same he was a moment ago, It felt like the concept of time itself was leaving his system. 

After, what felt like an eternity or maybe just a split second, The mysterious Man atop the Wooden crate retracted his everlasting yet fleeting gaze and put his hat back on And asked in a solemn tone, "who are you?"

Only Three words was said, but the effect it had on Stark's mind was vast and unfathomable.

Because those words, Those particular three words, suddenly made him realize something, something really, really important:

"Who am I?"