Chapter 11- The Mark Of Death 

Stepping inside cautiously, Malice was immediately overwhelmed by the sights and sounds assaulting his senses. The sterile white walls gleamed under the harsh fluorescent lights, contrasting starkly with the dimly lit streets he was accustomed to. The air hummed with the whirring of machinery and the soft beeping of monitors.

Rows of sleek, metallic workstations lined the room, each one equipped with state-of-the-art equipment that the boy had never seen before. Massive computer screens displayed complex graphs and diagrams, their colors dancing in hypnotic patterns that seemed to defy logic.

'What in god's name is this place?' Looking around him curiously, Malice felt like he had entered a whole new world. It felt completely different from the rest of the suite even when the other part had its fair share of technologically advanced features.

"Here, sit down," Cipher said as he pushed a chair toward Malice. The latter looked at it and then slowly sat down. Cipher then walked to one of the computer screens and tapped on the holographic keyboard for a few moments.

"Hey, ZO-4." After that, he spoke in a calm tone.

A robotic voice replied a few seconds later. "How can I help you today?"

"Lock every door and window in the complex." He ordered.

"Understood."

A second later, Malice heard the sounds of some gears moving outside with a loud click following each one.

"That should suffice for now." Murmuring those words, Cipher turned around and approached Malice.

"Why did you close the doors and windows, Cipher?" Malice asked, getting rather wary. He thought that the man had other intentions in mind.

"Some people might've followed us. My enemies have eyes everywhere and I can't let them know what I'm doing." He said as he sat down on the chair. "Do you want food?"

"... No, I'm not feeling hungry," Malice replied with a blink.

"Well, let's begin then. Show me the Mark on your hand. I want to see it." He said as he extended his arm.

Malice thought about it for a moment. He didn't know what this man could discern from the Mark on his hand. The skull could indicate that he had acquired one of the divine shards and that could lead to a lot of problems.

But then again, Cipher had already seen the Mark before. Trying to hide it now will only rouse suspicion and more trouble. So, with some hesitation, Malice extended his hand and let Cipher grab it.

Then, he flipped it around and started inspecting the skull Mark on Malice's hand. The two remained silent for a while, a subtle tension rose in the air as Malice waited to hear what the man could say.

Cipher's face seemed to frown harder with each passing second which made Malice even more nervous.

'Did he discover something?' He thought to himself.

"Ar-"

"Shhh…"

Before Malice could even say a word, Cipher shushed him immediately and continued staring at the skull. Another minute passed before he finally pulled away and sighed. "When I saw the Mark earlier, I thought that I had never seen it before. Now, I'm 100% certain of one thing." He said as he stared at Malice with a serious look.

"W-What is it?" Trying not to show nervousness, Malice asked.

"I definitely have never seen it before."

Malice was stunned for a second before he blinked. 'What the hell?! I thought he realized something!! What's up with this suspense?!'

Feeling all the tension in his muscles vanish, he said. "So, you have no idea what this Mark is? Wait, what does a Mark even indicate in the first place?"

"No, I don't, it's completely foreign to me. As for what a Mark is, it has two definitive roles. It works as the connection line between you and the World Beyond. That way, you can go in and out of that place with ease. The second definition is the one most people forget about and the one I find more interesting." He said.

"..."

"A Mark is the manifestation of one's true self in this world." He said.

"... What?" Malice squinted. "What does that mean?"

"When someone is bestowed with a Mark, the World Beyond in one way or another will recognize that individual, analyze them as a whole, from the moment they were born to the moment they will die, knowing well what the future has in hold for them. Think of the World Beyond like a deity rather than a different realm."

The more Malice listened to him, the more surprised he was. This was all news to him that he had never heard anyone mention before, not even Avatar.

"So, when the Mark appears, it is an indication of what that person's life is all about. For example, my Mark is that of a snake coiling around my arm. A snake is known for being patient, stealthy, and has a keen sense of survival which fits me. Some marks could indicate what a person's true personality is, some indicate one's fears, hopes, and perhaps even dreams. Some others go a different way and focus on their past traumas or the future awaiting them." Cipher explained.

The man's expression seemed to shift a little as he continued speaking. "It is all a part of being Marked and to show that no matter what you do, where you go, or what you consider yourself. The World Beyond will always be looking and will always know things you would never know."

Malcie felt a chill run down his spine when he heard that last part. Something about what Cipher had told him was terrifying. If the World Beyond was indeed a deity of sorts, then that means it has control of what happened, happen currently, and will happen in the future. It can toy with people and do whatever it wants. 

That made him feel… Uneasy. Something about the notion of the World Beyond staring at him constantly, knowing him fully well was not fun at all. It was like knowing a stranger was watching your every movement day and night and you can do nothing about it.

"But, how does a world have such powers? Where did it come from?" Malice asked as he shook his head. He knew that if he let that idea nest itself in his head, he would never be able to sleep ever again.

"As far as we know, the World Beyond existed way before this world formed. It was filled with ancient beings and terrifying creatures that would easily snap this world out of existence if they wished. Luckily, with time, most of them died and those who are still alive are weakened, or dormant, or both." Cipher explained.

"..."

"I know that you are perhaps confused. But, don't even try to understand the World Beyond at your current level. Your Soul Core is still forming as we're speaking and you are as weak as a tree branch. Even someone as knowledgeable as me with tens of years of research under my belt, and I only scratched the surface of what that realm is all about."

Tilting his head down, Malice took all that information in as he sucked in a deep breath. 'Yeah, this feels like it's something I shouldn't even concern myself with at the moment.'

He was a mere child, one who received a special blessing that no one else had ever gotten before him, but still a mere child. He had no business trying to research the World Beyond when he still didn't even go there in the first place.

What he needed to focus on now was getting stronger, learning how to fight, and perhaps figuring out why he was chosen by the Shard Of Hatred in the first place. Then, if Malice had the choice, he wanted to retire somewhere calm, live his life as he wished, and stay away from danger.

That was his dream.

'I wish it would go smoothly, though. Knowing my luck, it will probably turn south really quickly.' He thought to himself. The Shard Of Hatred had definitely chosen him for a reason, and that reason most likely has nothing to do with retiring and living a peaceful life somewhere far away.

Seeing the complicated expression on the boy's face, Cipher pursed his lips before he continued. "Well, back to the Mark topic. I have seen and memorized the shapes and meanings of thousands of Marks. I have even seen the Marks of the greatest figures of our race. But… Yours is a weird one. A skull with an open mouth…"

'There are also the subtle mental attacks it does whenever I stare at it. Like a cursed object of sorts.' He thought to himself.

"... Mm, do you have any suspicion as to what it could mean?"

Crossing his arms, Cipher thought for a moment. "A skull usually means a few things. It could have some kind of religious significance, which in this case I doubt it is since you don't seem to have any links to any religious groups in the World Beyond or outside it. It could also indicate a focus on anatomy and forensics in medicine which also doesn't seem to make much sense in this context." 

"... Then, what could it mean?" Malice frowned, feeling something off.

Cipher thought for a moment before he finally spoke. "Well, the obvious and most logical answer is that this skull simply indicates death… The demise of someone, in this case…" Lifting his finger, he pointed it at Malice. "It could be you."