'Everything was black.'
'There was so much pain surging through my body, so overwhelming, so absolute, that my nerves simply gave up. My senses had shut down, as if the agony had burned them out. I couldn't even feel it anymore.'
'And yet, I knew—I was dying.'
'A glowing screen hovered in front of me, flickering like a fading ember in the darkness. It was the last fragile thread of hope, slipping through my fingers while I fell into the abyss.'
'And in those final moments… I thought of him.'
'My father.'
'A distant, innocent memory flashed through my fading consciousness.'
'A small child—me—sat proudly on top of a dragon's head, legs dangling freely in the air. From the small wooden house nearby, a man burst out in a panic, still wearing a stained apron.'
"Oh my goodness—Ray! Get down this instant!" my father shouted, eyes wide.
"Dada! But it was Lili who told me to climb up here!" I called out, lying flat across the dragon's massive head, grinning with mischief.
My father frowned. "Ray, how many times do I have to tell you? Lying is a bad habit. Dragons don't talk!"
'But the dragon, as if responding to his accusation, gently lowered her head, allowing me to slide down safely. I landed with a bounce and stood proudly, placing both hands on my tiny hips.'
"I'm not lying! Lili can talk. She talks to me," I insisted, chin raised.
'My father let out a deep sigh, then chuckled and facepalmed. He walked over, scooping me up into his arms.'
"Alright, alright, I get it," he said, laughing softly as he hugged me close.
'The dragon—Lili—leaned in and nuzzled us both, joining the embrace. My father gave her a few affectionate pats on the head. My mother soon stepped out of the house, smiling warmly as she joined our little cuddle pile.'
'It was a moment of pure joy, pure peace.'
"One day…" I said proudly, "One day I'm going to be a great Beast Tamer just like y—"
GLITCH.
"One day I—"
GLITCH.
"On—one… one… one… one…"
"HYY!!"
A violent sound tore through the memory like a blade through silk.
Ray's eyes snapped open.
He sat bolt upright, gasping, one hand already shooting out in defense, braced to fight the nightmare of a creature he had seen before death took him.
But what he saw… made his breath hitch.
He was on a ship.
A real, solid wooden deck beneath his fingers. The sky above was a stormy black, thick clouds swirling without a moon or star in sight. He blinked in disbelief.
"The hell…?" Ray muttered, clutching his throbbing head.
A surge of pain stabbed through his skull like a blade. As he slowly looked around, his eyes widened in terror. Towering figures stood all around him, arms crossed, their expressions unreadable in the dim light.
His face went pale.
'No way... Don't tell me—'
'Even after death, I've ended up in hell?'
Just as panic settled in, a faint flicker of relief danced through his dazed thoughts.
"Wait. I've already died once. What do I even have left to be afraid of—?"
"Well, is that so?" a familiar voice replied, calm and unimpressed.
Ray's heart stilled.
He turned his head slowly, cautiously—and there she was. Sicilia. Standing tall, arms crossed, golden eyes narrowed.
And behind her were the others—Robin, Jack, even the sleepy Rabbit
"I can't believe you actually jumped into the Void Sea," Sicilia said with narrowed eyes, looking down at him. "More unbelievable is that you somehow still alive."
Robin exhaled in disbelief as he turned toward the helm. "I thought he was dead… or poisoned, or something. But he's upright. Looks like he's fine."
"Yeah. Pretty fine," Jack muttered dryly in his gravelly tone, flopping down beside Rabbit without much interest.
Sicilia walked over and sat down next to Ray, shaking her head. "I still can't believe my eyes. You're alive."
Ray didn't respond.
He was silent.
Too silent.
Then, without warning, a tear slid down his cheek and tapped against his clenched fist.
Sicilia's expression shifted. Her eyes widened. "Wait… Ray? Are you crying?"
Robin chuckled from the helm, not bothering to turn around. "He's still just a kid."
"You… You're all dead," Ray choked out, voice cracking. His lips trembled as tears flowed faster. "You all died… sob Why did you go into the Void Sea if you couldn't fight?! Why?!"
He broke down completely, sobbing into his arms, the weight of it all crashing down.
The crew collectively groaned and covered their ears.
"I was starting to think he was kinda impressive, surviving the Void Sea and all," Sicilia muttered, pressing her fingers into her ears. "But now? That image is totally ruined."
Everyone slowly wandered back to their duties, leaving Ray to cry it all out. He sobbed until his tears dried up and sleep pulled him under like a tide.
When Ray awoke, it was already night again.
The sky hadn't changed—it was still heavy and starless, the darkness endless and suffocating. He found himself lying on the deck beneath the open sky, wrapped in a worn-out blanket that smelled faintly of sea salt and wood.
He shivered.
The wind had turned colder.
Ray sat up and rubbed his eyes, which were swollen and tender from all the crying. A sting burned across his skin, and he winced with a quiet hiss.
Blink.
Blink.
His gaze drifted—and there, by the helm, was Robin, still standing, silent as a statue, eyes fixed on the endless sea.
Ray stood up quietly and tiptoed toward him.
"Um… hi," he mumbled.
No response.
"Are you okay?" Ray asked again, softly.
Still no answer. Just Robin's broad, cold back, unmoving.
Ray hesitated—then nearly jumped out of his skin when a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder.
"Aaah! Momma!!" he yelped, leaping on one foot.
Sicilia chuckled gently behind him. "Relax, it's just me. You're awake."
Ray blinked up at her, then back at Robin. "Are we going to… hell now?"
Sicilia gave him a quiet smile. It didn't quite reach her eyes. She looked back at Robin and then down at Ray.
"Yeah, why not," she said softly. "But it's going to be a long journey. You should eat something first."
Ray made a face. "I shouldn't feel hungry as a ghost, but why am I starving?." he said, scratching his head.
His thoughts wandered to Jack's cooking, and his stomach growled. "Alright then. I'll go see what I can find to eat!"
He turned and trotted off toward the ship's kitchen, eyes still puffy but spirits slowly lifting.
As the door swung closed behind him, Sicilia's smile faded.
She turned back to Robin.
"Staring at the sea won't help. None of us have eaten in a day. You need to eat too," she said softly.
"I don't want to," Robin replied sharply, his voice cold and blade-like.
Sicilia sighed, long and weary. She didn't press the point. She knew pushing would only lead to conflict.
"There's no point in punishing yourself," she said gently. "We still have time. I believe we'll find it—"
Before she could finish, Robin spun around with a sudden, sharp motion and grabbed her shoulders tightly.
His grip was iron.
"How?!" he snapped. "How am I supposed to find it when we don't even know if we're heading in the right direction?"
His voice cracked with raw desperation.
Sicilia didn't flinch. Her gaze remained calm, her posture unshaken even though his grip could've crushed bone. She simply looked into his face—at the storm of emotion buried beneath his fury.
"It's been over a day," Robin shouted, stomping the deck. "A full day in this damned sea—"
He turned back toward the endless black waves, his voice rising with every word.
"—and it's not ending! It's not changing! It's just darkness and cold and silence! THIS DAMN SEA IS NEVER-ENDING!"
Then he turned on her again, anguish blazing in his eyes.
"I shouldn't have brought any of you with me. If I fail… if I mess this up… we're all dead. Everyone will die—and it'll be my fault."
He clenched his fists, trembling.
"Damn it... Damn it all…"