As Jilaal entered the room wearing an eerie smile, Tuziku felt a disturbing atmosphere as the air filled with malice.
"Helmon, could you kindly leave us now?" Jilaal said calmly.
Tuziku gasped.
"Father—wait!"
"I'm sorry, son," Helmon replied softly.
"Yes, Master Jilaal," he added, unable to meet Tuziku's eyes.
Helmon left the room in shame.
"Jiqu!" Jilaal called.
"Coming, Father."
Jiqu entered.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Tuziku," Jilaal said with a twisted grin.
"Please… I want to go home. I won't ever come back… please," Tuziku begged.
"But you're already here," Jilaal replied.
At that moment, Tuziku understood.
It's no use.
"Let's get this over with," Jiqu muttered.
As Tuziku endured the second day of the cruel purification, he told himself:
It'll all be over soon. I just have to endure it.
As he laid there, barely conscious, Jilaal spoke softly.
"I can't wait until your little sister comes to visit us, Tuziku."
Jiqu laughed, as he and Jilaal began walking towards the exit.
Those words pierced Tuziku deeper than anything else.
A cold emptiness spread through his chest.
Everything began to fade.
A green, slimy substance started leaking from Tuziku's body.
Drip… drip…
Sizzle…
Jilaal paused.
"Did you hear that, Jiqu?"
Crack!
Thud!
They turned—and froze.
Tuziku stood before them, his body covered in acid, melting everything around him.
"Ahhh!!" Tuziku screamed in agony.
"What the hell is happening?!" Jiqu yelled.
"He has powers?!" Jilaal shouted.
"It—hurts…!" Tuziku cried.
Sizzle… sizzle…
"Jiqu, we have to run! Call the Salvation Army!"
Jiqu couldn't move.
Tuziku stepped forward.
Thud… thud…
Sizzle…
The bloodlust emitting from him was so intense that Jiqu felt death looming.
"It hurts!"
"Jiqu, run!" Jilaal screamed as he began to flee.
Jiqu turned to escape.
"Help!"
Tuziku stretched out his arm.
A stream of unstable acid shot forth, engulfing Jiqu's upper body.
In an instant, it was gone.
Thud…
Jiqu's lower half collapsed to the floor.
"Arghhhhh!!" Tuziku screamed.
CHAPTER END