"No, no, no, no," he stammered, backing away from the mirror. "It's not true! It's not true!"
Fullfire, who was still standing at a distance, stared at the child and the open box. Empty.
"You idiot, you fool! You should never have opened that shitty box. Never! What were you thinking?"
His voice trembled, choked with fear. His flames darkened slightly, which never happened before.
"Nothing. I swear. I just wanted to see what was in the box. I didn't do anything," he said, his eyes watering.
"So, Sōgiya, you don't seem to understand what's going on. We're in deep trouble."
"What's happening to my eye!?"
"It's not about your eye anymore."
Sōgiya looked up at him with wide eyes and a face that showed complete incomprehension.
"No... I... It can't be true..."
Fullfire clenched his teeth, looking hesitant and angry. Then he looked away.
"You've got us in a bloody mess!"
Sōgiya felt his legs weaken. The weight of those words crushed his heart. His only wish had always been to find his place and be loved by his family. But at that moment, he realized that dream was farther away than ever before, and he couldn't stop the tears from flowing.
Sōgiya trembled, pressing one hand against his new eye.
"Fullfire, tell me what I should do! How can I remove it!?"
The will-o'-the-wisp moved closer but kept his distance as if the child still frightened him. His voice, usually mocking, was no longer derisive.
"Listen to me carefully, you little brat. That eye in the box is cursed. It's a relic, a remnant that was thought to be lost forever."
Sōgiya frowned, confused.
"A relic?"
"One of the Seven Eyes of the Devil."
He traced a few nervous circles in the air, and his flames cast distorted shadows on the walls of the hut.
"In Tartarus, even in the most forgotten corners on the surface, this legend is told. The Holy Kings, the Archangels, the sons and daughters of the gods, they all know. Bounty hunters and mercenary guilds know, as do witches and sylphs. Even among the Damned, some demons would sell their souls to possess one of those eyes. If it's true that this unique demon defeated the gods, possessing its power would be like holding the strength of a god in your hands."
Sōgiya took a step back, breathless.
"You mean what I saw in the tomb yesterday was real, and you knew it?"
"Until today, I had no proof that it was true. This legend has become an old tale, forgotten over the years. Many have searched for these eyes and never found them..."
"...Until I found that sealed tomb."
"Sōgiya, if anyone ever finds out you have one of the devil's eyes, and the rumor spreads, you'll be hunted down and killed."
Fullfire stared at him for a moment, looking serious and worried.
"Believe me, whether they're saints or damned, they all want that power. You've given them proof that it isn't just a legend. They'll all set out in search of the other eyes."
"I'm scared. I'm really scared, Fullfire," he said, sobbing.
He paused, his flame flickering slightly like a racing heart. Then he said gravely,
"You can't stay here any longer. Not with that eye. It's too obvious. It's too dangerous. We have to leave."
Sōgiya's eyes widened.
"Leave? But where?"
"I don't know yet," he replied. "Far away from here, where no one knows your face. It's the only way to protect you...for now."
A heavy silence fell. The child lowered his head and clenched his fists. He was leaving Tartarus, the only home he had ever known, even if it had never been a happy one.
He looked up at Fullfire.
"But that's not what I wanted."
The flame crackled softly, as if sighing.
"I know, you little brat. But sometimes, you have to accept that you can't be loved by everyone. You're alive, and you're going to have to fight to stay that way from now on. Grab your things; we're leaving now!"
Sōgiya tied a final knot in his bag's rope. Inside, there was almost nothing: stale bread, fruit, a dented water bottle, 4 golden coins, and the book Karube had given him. Before leaving the hut, he leaned over the latrine hole and threw the box of silver into it, his heart pounding.
"I should have left you where I found you," he whispered.
Then he placed a coarse black patch over his right eye. The leather scratched his skin, but it was better than revealing his scary, yellow, moving eye.
He opened the creaking door. Before him lay the city of Tartarus, lit by a thousand torches and rivers of lava. He heard the cries of merchants, the laughter of children, and the arguments of demons. All of this bustling, noisy, disorderly life had rejected him, yet he cherished it nonetheless.
He took a deep breath and left.
On the road leading out of town, he bumped into Karube, who was limping and carrying a bag full of vials.
"Oh, well, well! Sōgiya? What are you doing on the road at this hour, lad?"
The merchant narrowed his eyes, noticing the bag, especially the patch over his eye.
"And what's that, eh?"
Before Sōgiya could answer, Fullfire sprang forward and said confidently,
"Polio imp. Contagious. Very contagious."
Karube turned pale, took three steps back, and raised his hands as if he had seen the plague.
"What?! You could have warned us!" Ah, damn kids! Get out of here! Get out!"
He put his bag of groceries at his feet.
"Wait! Here, take this and keep your germs away from me!"
Then, he trotted off, swearing under his breath. Fullfire snickered.
Fullfire chuckled.
"It works every time."
Sōgiya looked down at the supplies and sighed.
"Thank you, Uncle Karube..."
They set off again, the lava crackling behind them like a farewell melody. Sōgiya remained silent, his gaze fixed on the darkness of the tunnels. After a moment, he ventured,
"Fullfire, what if the Devil's Eyes could really change things?"
The flame suddenly stopped moving and turned its single red glow toward him.
"Change things? Don't be silly, you brat. Those eyes are a worse curse than yours. Do you think we're playing games?"
"No, but if I found the other eyes, maybe I could free everyone from Tartarus. We wouldn't have to hide or live like prisoners anymore. Maybe I could..."
Fullfire interrupted him with a roar, sending sparks flying onto the rock with his flame.
"Enough! What do you want, to die?! Do you think this is a fairy tale? Those eyes have been sought after for centuries by people who are a thousand times stronger, smarter, and crueler than you. Do you think you, a kid, are going to succeed?"
Sōgiya took a step back, his throat tightening. But deep in his pupils, a stubborn spark shone.
"I don't know if I can do it, but I want to see the surface at least. My people deserve it. If I can't free us, maybe the devil can.
"Let me remind you that he's dead, you idiot!
"Yes, but the writings in the tomb said that if we gathered the seven eyes, we could bring him back to life."
"I hope for your sake you're joking because I'm starting to lose patience."
"You know what? Forget it. I won't say another word."
Fullfire fell silent, his flame flickering like a sigh.
"You're just a kid, Sōgiya. A stupid kid."
He resumed walking, morose. But the child was already staring at him with a plan in mind, his little fists clenched.
"I haven't said my last word."
Two hours later, they arrived at a huge ditch. The Lost Souls Market buzzed like a feverish anthill. Hundreds of demons crowded together, trading forbidden items: bottled spells, souls sealed in stones, and even shreds of memory. The air was thick with shrill voices and the smell of sulfur and burnt metal.
Fullfire floated near Sōgiya, anxious, his flames retracting as if to be more discreet.
"Stay back," he whispered. "Keep away from people, and keep your hands to yourself. If they notice your curse here, they'll sell you to Lucifer before I can breathe a spark. Wait for me. I'll go find out."
The boy nodded obediently. But his eyes had already begun to linger on the teeming crowd and the countless alleys leading to dark corners. His heart pounded. This was his chance.
When Fullfire walked away to question a peddler, Sōgiya tightened the straps of his bag, pushed his way into the crowd, and disappeared. The vendors' cries drowned out his footsteps. His plan, which he had prepared in silence on the way, was set in motion. In the book Karube had given him, there was a map of Tartarus. He had seen that not far from the market flowed the famous River of Pain, on which the souls of the dead were transported. The river was a bridge between the world of the living and the dead; it had nothing to do with Tartarus or demons. Still, he hoped to speak with the ferryman and ask if there was a way to leave Tartarus.
He climbed a rock staircase and reached the black banks of an underground river. The thick mist escaping from it bit into his skin. He wasn't supposed to be there; he shouldn't have come near. But he needed answers.
There, leaning on an obsidian boat, was a man covered in an old, dark, dirty cloak. He held a blue lantern in his thin, pale, wrinkled hand. Souls in torment were behind him. His eyes shone beneath the hood.
"Wait!" Sōgiya shouted.
"Are you a wandering spirit?"
"Er, no... I'm not dead, at least not yet."
"So, what do you want?"
"I'd like to know if there's a way to leave Tartarus by going up this river or by some other ways."
"You want to get back to the surface?" he asked in a hoarse, dark voice.
The boy jumped.
"Yes, please tell me how to get back."
"It's impossible. You'll drown if you try to go up the river. A curse prevents demons from crossing it. You are forever trapped in Tartarus..."
"Really!?" he said, looking disappointed.
"However, young demon.....a strange energy emanates from you. It seems alive, but above all, it's chaotic."
Sōgiya touched his eye patch, understanding that the transporter was referring to it, but he didn't know whether he should be worried.
"How did you..."
"The chaos in that eye is powerful enough to disrupt the curse and allow you to pass without drowning."
"Really?" Can I go back up to the surface?
"Yes, but not by going up the river. You'll end up in the Underworld, where a god lives. You'll be killed."
"A god!? But I thought the gods had disappeared."
"I'll take you to a diving spot where you'll find the gate to the world above for two gold coins."
Sōgiya took out his only savings and handed them over without arguing. The old man nodded and helped him into the boat. The water parted around them with an ominous murmur.
The silence lasted a long time, punctuated only by the steady sound of the oar in the black water. Finally, Sōgiya ventured,
"Why aren't you surprised by my request?"
The old man smiled, revealing his yellowed teeth.
"Because others have tried it before. I rowed for them in exchange for gold coins. But the river drowned them."
Sōgiya felt a shiver run through him.
"Then why help me?"
"Because you have something they didn't."
His eyes lit up with an enigmatic gleam.
They finally stopped near a crevice. The old man took a translucent fruit with bluish reflections out of his bag. It resembled a petrified water bubble.
"Eat it. It's a fruit from the depths of the sea. You will breathe as long as its sap flows within you."
Sōgiya bit into it. Its salty, bitter taste made him grimace, but soon, he felt his lungs expand like never before.
"Dive to the bottom," the old man continued. "Follow the stone angels, then the crosses. Straight ahead to the cave. Go forward into the darkness; don't turn away. When you see the light, come back up."
He then placed an icy hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Don't forget: Chaos now resides within you. Once you're up there, death will follow you everywhere. Trust no one."
Sōgiya swallowed hard but nodded. Without hesitating, he jumped into the water.
Darkness engulfed him immediately. The icy water squeezed his chest, but the fruit was working, he could breathe easily. He sank, his little arms paddling bravely.
Very quickly, he could make out tall, submerged statues, stone angels with folded wings, their faces eroded by centuries of weathering. Leaning crosses between them marked an invisible path.
The further he went, however, the thicker the darkness became. His heart raced. He could hardly see anything. He brought his hand to his patch. His right eye burned as if demanding to be opened.
With trembling hands, he tore off the leather.
The next moment, the water around him turned golden light. His eye lit up with a supernatural glow that pierced the darkness. Every detail of the seabed was clearly visible: the stones, the statues, and the cracks.
Sōgiya gasped in astonishment.
"I can see..." he thought.
He continued, moving with more confidence. But behind him, the angel statues slowly shattered in the shadow he left behind, their faces crumbling. The crosses blackened and cracked as if a buried presence were awakening in his wake.
Focused on his goal, Sōgiya saw nothing.
In the Lost Souls Market, Fullfire turned around, floating feverishly above the crowd. His flames flickered more than usual. When he turned around, Sōgiya was gone, even though Fullfire had only looked away for a few minutes.
"Sōgiya?! Sōgiya? Where are you?!
He rushed through the aisles, asking everyone he passed where Sōgiya was. He described the little boy with tousled hair, white dungarees, and an eye patch over his right eye. Some shrugged and others snickered at Fullfire's appearance, but no one had seen the child. His anxiety grew.
In Tartarus, in the damp corridors of the general infirmary, Karube arrived out of breath to collect some vials and medicines.
"These are for little Sōgiya," he said, holding out a purse. "He has a contagious eye disease."
But he suddenly froze, remembering that Sōgiya had told him he was leaving town for a few days. He clutched the medicines in his palm.
"He's away, so I'll give them to him when he returns."
"Okay, I'll wrap it up for you right away!"
"Thank you, Shena. That's very..."
"What's happening at Sōgiya?"
A deep voice interrupted her.
"Lord Beelzebub, is that you? Hum the little one? He's suffering from an eye disease."
"Poor kid. He has no one to look after him, and his curse doesn't help," Shena whispered.
Karube stiffened. King Beelzebub himself was standing there, accompanied by his daughter, whom he had come to treat. The king observed the merchant demon for a moment, then looked away, lost in thought. It had been so long since he had heard from the boy.
Seeing his own child surrounded by care and attention, he thought the little outcast deserved better.
"In his absence," he said to his right-hand man, "rebuild his home. Let him have a decent roof over his head, a warm home, and a place to live like a normal child. Let us finally take care of him."
His advisor bowed and immediately went to fetch builders and craftsmen.
Meanwhile, deep in the river, Sōgiya finally broke the surface. The icy water parted beneath his arms as he emerged into a cave. The air was cool and saturated with mist. A wall of water crashed down before him: a waterfall.
Through the curtain of water, he could make out colors. Splashes he had never imagined. The bright green of the trees, the clear blue of the sky, and the pure white of the clouds. And above all of this, he heard the light, melodious song of birds.
His heart leapt. He swam to the curtain, paused for a moment, and then pushed off, crossing the torrent.
On the other side, he stood frozen.
The warm, gentle sun touched his completely pitch-black skin. A light breeze caressed his wet hair. Hills rolled as far as the eye could see, covered in flowers and forests. Rivers sparkled in the distance.
Sōgiya burst out laughing with a clear, uncontrollable laugh. Tears welled up in his eyes. He raised his head and gazed at the vast sky.
"It's...beautiful..."
His smile trembled but remained on his lips. Light and life, everything his people had never had.
He was still laughing and splashing around in the clear water when he suddenly felt dizzy. His legs trembled, and his breathing became labored. A strange coldness crept into his veins. His vision blurred.
"What's happening to me?"
He tried to stay upright, but his weakening body gave way. He fell backward, his cry muffled by the water engulfing him. Like a stone, he sank into the river, his arms slowly stretching out. Darkness surrounded him once more.
Not far away, a broad-shouldered Black man dressed in simple clothes was walking along the path, carrying a bundle of wood on his back. He froze when he heard an unusual splash. Looking up, he saw a figure struggling beneath the waterfall. His heart leapt.
"Good heavens! A child!"
He dropped his load, dove in without hesitation, and cut through the icy water. His arms soon found the small, sinking body. When his eyes met Sōgiya's pitch-black skin, his own eyes widened.
"What the...?"
But he didn't have time to wonder. He clutched the child and rose powerfully to the surface.
Out of breath, he pulled Sōgiya out of the water, laid him on the grass, and rubbed his wet body with his tunic. He tried to wake the child, but there was still no sign of life. However, he was relieved to see that he was still breathing. The child looked frail yet strangely peaceful.
The man stared at him for a long time. His heart sank as he thought of his own child, his little boy.
"If he had survived, he would be this age today," he whispered.
He carried the boy on his back and headed back to his secluded cabin on the edge of a green field.
When he walked through the door, his wife looked up abruptly. Her light blue hair cascaded over her shoulders.
"Yuto? Who is this?"
He laid the child on a futon.
"I found him near the waterfall. He was drowning. Look how small and frail he is, and how different..."
Hinari approached, her eyes widening at the boy's extremely dark skin and fragile appearance. But instead of fear, her gaze softened. She knelt down, wiped the child's face, changed his wet clothes, and tucked him in under warm sheets.
"Poor darling. He needs warmth and rest," she said softly.
"What kind of parent leaves a child unattended near the waterfall?"
An hour passed. The smell of a hot meal filled the room. Sōgiya stirred under the blankets, opening his heavy eyelids with difficulty. His body was still numb.
"...Where am I?"
He sat up carefully and placed his feet on the floor. His hesitant steps led him to the door. He gently opened it a crack.
The light of a fire and the aroma of stew reached him. The man and woman were sitting around the table, talking in low voices. When they saw him, they stopped talking and their faces lit up.
"You're awake!" Yuto said with a sincere smile.
"Finally," Hinari sighed, relieved.
Sōgiya stood frozen, watching them as if he had discovered a new species....
The man's afro, the woman's azure long hair, their glowing skin of different colors, and their warm smiles...
So, this is what people from the surface are like?
His heart beat fast.
Humans...
"Come on, sit down" Yuto said with a calm smile.
Hinari immediately stood up, pulled out a chair for him, and placed a steaming bowl in front of him with a natural gesture.
"You must be hungry. Eat slowly, it's still hot."
Sōgiya hesitated, then sat down. His eyes wandered around the room, taking in the light wood paneling on the walls, the neatly arranged tools, and the vase of wildflowers by the window. Everything seemed strange and wonderful to him. Even the couple's faces were nothing like the greyness and shadows of Tartarus. He lowered his head, suddenly feeling out of place, like a dark stain amid so much color.
Yuto handed him a piece of bread light as foam.
"Try it. You'll see. Hinari makes the best bread in the village."
The child timidly brought the food to his lips. His eyes widened at the first bite, and then a discreet blush rose to his cheeks. Yuto burst out laughing when he saw him devour it. Hinari raised her hand to her mouth, amused. The atmosphere softened. For a few minutes, they ate together as if it had always been that way.
Sōgiya allowed himself to smile for the first time in a long time.
Then, gently, Yuto asked the question that changed everything.
"Tell me, little one, what's your name?"
"Sōgiya!"
"And where are you from, Sōgiya?" Where are your parents? They must be worried."
Hinari added, her voice maternal.
"Yes, perhaps we could let them know. You seem to have walked a long way to get here."
Sōgiya's smile faded immediately. His fingers clenched on the wooden table. His breathing became short. A shadow passed over his eyes.
"I...I don't have any parents anymore," he whispered, his voice breaking. "And I'm not from here."
The couple exchanged a discreet glance. Yuto frowned slightly, but Hinari placed her hand on his, as if to tell him to wait. The child was trembling. A chilling thought had just entered his mind: his curse. He had touched these two people, and in a few minutes, they would die.
His heart raced. Suddenly, he pushed back his chair and stood up, causing the table to shake.
"Oh, no! Forgive me! I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't mean to hurt you!"
Hinari jumped.
"Sōgiya? What's wrong?"
Yuto raised his hands in a gesture of appeasement.
"Calm down, kid. We just want to understand."
Tears rolled down Sōgiya's ashen cheeks. His voice rose, broken.
"Don't come near me! I'm cursed! Everyone i touch die within seven minutes. You're going to die because of me, like the others..."
He sobbed and curled up against the wall. His small body seemed ready to dissolve in fear. Distraught, Hinari put a hand to her mouth and took a step toward him. He screamed louder, his voice hoarse:
"No, don't come near me!"
A heavy silence fell. Yuto stood, watching the boy intently. Suddenly, an idea clicked into place in his mind. His eyes widened slightly.
"Wait," he said softly. "Listen to me, Sōgiya. You said your contact kills within seven minutes. Then why am I still here?"
The child looked up, confused.
Yuto continued relentlessly yet gently:
"I carried you on my back earlier. Hinari changed you; she covered you." We touched you. That was over an hour ago, little one. Look at us. We're still alive.
The words echoed like a bell in Sōgiya's chest. He stood frozen, unable to breathe. His mind grappled with a contradiction he had never considered: He had touched them, and yet nothing had happened.
His world had just been shaken.
Yuto slowly knelt down in front of the trembling child and placed his open hands flat on the ground to show he meant no harm. His voice was as soft as the breeze blowing through the fields.
"Look, Sōgiya... I'm not dead. Neither Hinari.
Hinari nodded, his blue eyes shining with an almost maternal tenderness.
"My boy, you haven't hurt us. On the contrary, you seem to have suffered the most. Perhaps what you've been told about your curse isn't the whole truth."
Sōgiya shook his head, tears blurring his vision.
"But my curse... I've never been allowed to get close to anyone. Even the other demons rejected me..."
"Demons!?"
His small, clenched fists trembled against his knees. But a crack was forming in his certainty. Why were Yuto and Hinari still alive when they should have been dead by now? Was it because they were human? Or had he changed?
Hinari took a cautious step forward and placed a light hand on his shoulder. Sōgiya flinched, but nothing happened. Her hand remained warm and reassuring.
"See?" she whispered. "Nothing happens..."
A sob shook the boy. He no longer understood. Could his entire existence, his fear, his isolation, have been based on a lie? He had killed people in the past, even his own family, so why wasn't it working anymore?
Suddenly, his right eye began to move on its own, surprising Hinari and Yuto. Its yellow pupil seemed to analyze the area while Sōgiya's scarlet eye anxiously looked at the couple.
At the same time, in the depths of Tartarus...
Fullfire floated restlessly, his flames crackling nervously in the heavy air of the Market of Lost Souls. He had turned over every stall and questioned every passerby, describing the little boy: pitch-black skin, black hair, and a patch over his right eye. No one had seen the boy for hours. Worry gnawed at him.
He made his way back to Tartarus, his thoughts swirling.
"Little fool...you don't understand the danger. You could get yourself killed."
In the city, Sōgiya's small, dilapidated hut was nothing more than a pile of overturned planks. Builders were busy around it, carrying beams and mixing mortar. The site was buzzing with activity.
An elegant man dressed in a long, dark tunic watched them with cold, methodical eyes. Mr. Sakurada, the king's right-hand man. He held a stone tablet on which he recorded every detail, ensuring that the royal orders were being carried out precisely.
"Drain the pipes, too," he said curtly. "You can't rebuild a home on rotten foundations."
Two workers busied themselves near the hole that had once been a toilet. At first, the sewage drained without difficulty, sliding down into the dark pipes. Suddenly, however, the flow slowed, then stopped. One of the workers swore as he hit the pipe with his tool.
"It's stuck, boss! There's something in the pipe..."
Mr. Sakurada narrowed his eyes in annoyance.
"Then get it out."
In the shadows, Fullfire, who had just arrived in a hurry, felt his essence contract. Invisible sweat ran down his back. His flames dimmed. He moved closer, his fiery eyes fixed on the blocked pipe.
"No," he whispered, terrified. "Don't tell me it's..."
His breath became hot.
"I have to find Sōgiya quickly!"
Fullfire stiffened in front of the blocked duct. His flame flickered like a candle in the wind. If the silver box is discovered, the builders will bring it to Sakurada, and eventually, to the king himself. That will be the end. It would be irrefutable proof that Sōgiya possessed one of the devil's eyes.
The little flame realized there was no time to lose. He had to find the child before the forces of Tartarus, the Surface, or any other realm could get to him first. With a fiery burst of energy, he shot out of the city, his flames stretching behind him like a comet's tail.
"Hang in there, Sōgiya. Don't do anything stupid."