Echo of Guilt

Faithless slowly stood up, and his clothes returned to their normal shape, away from the Victorian attire… but the rest of his face was still smeared with red and yellow.

His body ached, as if it were being torn apart a thousand times. Before he could reach the mayor's portrait, he collapsed to the ground, coughing up large amounts of black blood.

He got up again, laughing sarcastically at the state he was in… Faithless spoke, looking in a specific direction, as if speaking to something unseen in a weary tone:

"My body, my soul, even my fist… are not what they used to be. I'm tired. I just want to rest… even for a few seconds, that would be enough."

He paused for a moment, resting his head on the wall, then continued:

"But I must get those children out of the hell they're living in… Pain has many meanings, but the pain of conscience… that's something else entirely."

Faithless wanted to destroy the portrait, but his strength was at its lowest. He knocked three times, just like the maid had done. A gate opened for him.

Before he could step into the basement, he heard a voice behind him, speaking in a mocking tone:

"Those who witness your madness, your sarcasm, and your power… would think you're someone unbeatable. But it seems that everyone has their limits."

Faithless turned and found the maid leaning against the wall, holding her stomach and wearing a faint smile… Faithless wanted to return the smile, but the one on his face was forced, not of his own will.

"I'd rather be someone with limits… than someone dancing on another man's strings." Faithless spoke with a provoking voice, leaning against the wall.

That sentence was like a slap to her face… she clenched her teeth and spoke harshly to him:

"What does a crazy clown like you understand about life and its cruelty, huh? What do—"

She didn't finish her sentence before Faithless screamed at her in a voice that made her step back slightly… his scream was heavy, sorrowful, and furious.

"Enough, you filthy thing… What do you people think you are, huh? Using the past as justification for your foolish acts… And when someone tries to guide you to the right path, you either laugh at him or kill him."

He continued in the same tone:

"I don't like killing… but I was forced into it. When I kill someone, even if he's a son of a whore, it feels like something inside me shatters like stone."

Faithless spat more blood from his mouth. The maid was shocked by his intense reaction… yet deep inside, she agreed with every word he said.

Out of shame, she lowered her head… Faithless stepped partway into the basement and spoke to her in a cold voice:

"I saw my mother's head hanging in front of my eyes… and yet I didn't become a butcher who kills randomly. I became a man with a principle, different from this wretched world."

Faithless entered the basement. The maid remained still, thinking of her actions and the things that led her off the right path—toward the darkness and death. She took a guard's sword and cut her own cheek.

Faithless, as he walked, leaned against the wall to avoid collapsing from exhaustion. The humidity inside the basement was suffocating, and water dripped onto his head from the ceiling.

After walking for about two minutes, he reached a cell and found the children playing with the flower, laughing quietly. As for the maid, she was in the same position as before, but she was pretending to sleep.

Faithless grabbed the bars of the cell. The children noticed him, and before he could step inside… they ran up to him and hugged him happily, overjoyed by his presence.

A small boy spoke in a sweet, heartbreaking tone:

"Clown… you're a beautiful clown."

"I want a flower like that, Mister Clown," said a little girl shyly.

"You're kind, Mister Clown," said another boy, touching his trousers.

The maid was watching him, and how the children loved him… despite his terrifying appearance. But appearances are always deceiving… the devil wears the clothes of beauty to lure his victims, while the angel wears wrath as a mask to ward off the devil.

Faithless gently patted their heads and smiled at them kindly, but inside… he was suffocating for their sake. As if he were trying to pull something out from within him—something that might bring him peace.

Faithless walked toward the maid and withdrew the chain that had pierced his hand, which disappeared. The Hermes dagger followed. He didn't look at or speak to the maid at all. Instead, he told the children in a warm voice:

"Freedom awaits you."

Faithless led the ten children out of the cell… and before he could walk far, the maid grabbed his hand and said to him while crying:

"I admit… I'm despicable beyond words. But you let me live instead of killing me—why? Even after all the vile things I've done?"

Faithless pulled his hand away from her and replied in a cold tone as he continued walking:

"Killing isn't the first option… it's better to let someone suffer from their own actions until they end themselves."

Faithless walked with his hand on the wall, leaving the maid in a state of despair. She didn't move an inch from her place, as if she were a statue haunted by her mistakes.

Before Faithless opened the basement door, he spoke to the children in a calm tone:

"Little ones, close your eyes tightly."

They all placed their ten fingers over their eyes. Faithless opened the basement door… and as he walked toward the exit, he saw the maid soaked in her own blood.

Faithless whispered to himself:

"Suicide… what a cowardly idea."

Faithless opened the palace door and led the children outside. The weather was a little cold, and the first rays of the sun began to appear, burning away the threads of darkness.

He told the children to open their eyes… they slowly opened them and looked toward the outside world, which had been forbidden to them by people who knew only the name of mercy, not its meaning.

The children hugged Faithless again, and he returned the gesture… then he told them in a warm voice, pointing ahead:

"Spread across the city… tell the people what happens in the palace. And don't ever be afraid, because the curse has been broken."

The children ran toward freedom. They had finally been freed from the hell they lived in, within the cold, dark basements. And before they all left, he called out to a little girl. She looked back, and Faithless gave her a golden flower with a tired smile.

The girl took the flower with a smile and said to him sweetly:

"Thank you, beautiful clown."

Faithless was shocked at first, but then he smiled from the depths of his heart… people began to emerge into the street, staring at the large number of children.

And their eyes were fixed specifically on Faithless, who walked soullessly toward the palace… the children began speaking with the townspeople and telling them about the crimes happening inside.

Some city residents found their children among them, as if they had found their lost treasure… Faithless walked toward the forest to see the two girls and Lady Marianne.

He entered the Lost Emerald Forest, walking while tracking Marianne through her aura. He found her sitting on a tree stump with the two girls asleep on her lap.

Before Faithless could reach her, she raised her head and looked at him… as if her heart had told her someone dear had arrived.

"Faithless." She simply said his name, which even caused the two girls to wake from their sleep and look toward him… the yellow and red were almost gone from his face.

The two girls ran to him and hugged him, and Faithless bent down to hug them as well… both of them began to cry loudly as they looked at his pitiful condition.

"Thank God you're okay, brother… I thought I'd never see you again." Lulia sobbed heavily as she spoke.

"You're the best brother I could ever have… please don't ever go far from us again." Lily hugged him tightly, and he did the same, as if he truly were their brother—and he was, in every way.

"I love all of you… and I don't want to lose a single one of you," Faithless spoke with a sorrowful tone.

Lady Marianne stood in front of him. He looked at her and stood up… she embraced him without hesitation, and he did the same.

"Lost from fate… and finally, you've returned home," she whispered near his ear warmly.

"What a warm home I've been blessed with," he replied softly.

Faithless took out three golden flowers and gave each one of them a flower… the two girls were overjoyed, and Lily spoke with a sweet voice:

"I didn't know you were a magician, brother."

"Can you summon a rabbit? Can you?" Lulia asked as she admired the flower's beauty.

As for Marianne, she was smelling hers while looking at Faithless… he moved his lips, but he started to lose the ability to stand, and he collapsed straight to the ground.

All three of them gathered around him, shouting his name in fear… he could hear their voices, but he couldn't respond.

"I'm fine… don't worry about me… I just need to rest," Faithless whispered to himself and sank into his dreams.

Faithless slowly opened his eyes. Darkness was the only thing his eyes could see. He tried to make sense of his surroundings, but then he heard a mysterious voice—a narrator—say to him:

"Welcome… Phainon."