Jin Valter (2)

A few minutes had passed since my mother disappeared past the doors of my hospital ward. Rather than following my mother, my father stayed right by my side as he peeled an orange for my afternoon snack. Typically, as a twenty-five-year-old man, I shouldn't burden my father with such a mundane task. Alas, my motor skills weren't exactly in their peak form.

Fortunately, my father wasn't one to complain about such a menial task. Placing the peeled oranges into a bowl, he put them on the bowl and handed them over on the tray.

"Sorry, Dad…"

"It's nothing," the hulk of a man shook his head with an affable smile. "How are you feeling?"

"A little weak… Maybe it's the weather…"

Sighing as I looked out at the brewing snowstorm, I didn't hide my discomfort. Not that I was able to anyway. Before he retired, my father was a renowned Hunter who specialised in holding the frontline. His martial skills and sensory abilities are among the top one per cent of all Hunters. Hiding my current state from him was virtually impossible.

My condition was an odd one. On most days, I functioned normally like a regular adult, albeit a weak one. However, there were days when my body would simply cease to cooperate. It didn't matter if it was sunny, snowy or rainy. My weak constitution would force me to be bedridden for weeks, if not months.

"... Is it serious?"

"No, nothing of that sort." I shook my head in denial of his assumption. "I just feel a little faint. Perhaps a good night's sleep would help."

"Do you need me to look after you?"

"No, I'm good! Besides, isn't today your wedding anniversary? If you spent your night here, there would be no hope of me getting a younger sibling!!!"

"You little chap… Your mother and I are reaching fifty."

"That's the golden age, Dad! Besides, no one would guess that both of you are older than thirty!"

"You and your sweet talk…"

My dad snorted, though I could see the edges of his lips rising. That's right. Today was a special day for my parents. If they had a normal son, the two of them would have taken off on vacation or even booked a day off at a fancy diner.

Alas, they were burdened with me.

Truth be told, I knew I was the cause of much of their discomfort. They had given up their successful careers to raise me. They had spent much of their hard-earned cash on my hospital bills. And they wouldn't admit it, but…

I knew that they weren't trying to make another child because of the financial and emotional burden it would put on our family.

They had made so many sacrifices for me, and yet…

"Jin?"

"Hmmm? Ah, sorry. I spaced out. Did you say something?"

"No, I was just telling you that we won't be able to come in early tomorrow. Your mom and I are visiting some friends for our anniversary."

"Ah, that's fine! In fact, why don't you take the day off tomorrow? The nurses here are superb, you know? Even if you don't visit for an entire week, I'll manage just fine."

"I know that, but…"

"No buts!" I wiggled my index finger in front of my blundering father. "Take your time with Mom! And make sure you make me a younger sibling! Isn't the house boring without me around? If possible, make me a younger sister! That way, I would have someone to play with when you guys aren't around!"

"You little…"

If I was a little healthier, I was confident that Dad would wrap me in his arms and nudge my forehead. Too bad! Being handicapped does have its benefits!

"What are you guys talking about?"

Before my father could lay his hands on me, a youthful voice broke the jovial atmosphere. My mother, who had just finished seeing Professor Cain off, returned with a beaming smile.

"The prospect of me having a younger sister."

"Goodness, this again?" My mother slapped her forehead. "I told you many times, Jin! You're the only child that I need. Or what, do you not like us as parents?!"

"Mom… I'm twenty-five…"

And just like that, the visiting time I had with my parents passed by with jokes and laughter.

❖❖❖

Nightfall.

I laid down comfortably on the hospital bed, browsing through the selection of books my father had brought for me. Most of them were research papers and other published books from renowned scientists, while a select few were just simple books to heal my mind when reading became too mundane.

As someone who was forced to spend a fraction of his life a cripple, reading was my only solace in life. It helped broaden my horizons, learn things that I would have never encountered, and finally… It gave me some control.

Many things were beyond my command. I couldn't move too much, I had to rely on others to go to the bathroom, and jobs accessible to the average person… were beyond my reach.

So reading books was my method of taking back some control over my life.

With books, I could advance my knowledge to scientific standards and, with that knowledge, research the mysteries of the universe and magic. And who knows? Maybe I might be able to figure out how the Outer Demons started to invade our planet and possibly figure out a method of stopping them.

Alas, for now, those were pipe dreams for a young cripple like me, but that was the least that I could do.

My parents had spent the large majority of their lives tending for me. If I could become someone big in the scientific sphere… I could finally repay them and rid them of their burden. Getting nominated for that award was just the first step. If I could deepen my understanding just a little more…

"Mister Valter, you should get to bed soon."

"Hmmm?"

I raised my eyes off the thick book in my hands and peered towards the open door of my ward. An affable nurse, who seemed to be no older than fifty, walked in with a set of wet towels.

"Ah, was it already this late?" I grimaced and peeked up at the clock. "I'm sorry, I lost track of time."

"Haha, you're always so engrossed in your studies, Mister Valter. While that's a good thing, you shouldn't push yourself too hard! Your body can't take extreme exposure to stress."

"Yeah, you're right…"

Begrudgingly, I closed the book and placed it on the adjacent chair. Following my steps, the nurse handed me the warm, wet towels and replaced my water as she did a thousand times before.

"And here I'd thought you were staying up to watch the spectacle tonight."

"Spectacle?"

"Hmmm? You didn't know?" The nurse looked at me with a genuine look of confusion. "Tonight is the Night of the Blood Moon!"

"Oh, was it today?"

I gradually tilted my head towards the window obscured by the thick hospital curtains. Seeing my intention, the nurse quickly drew them, revealing a stunning full moon that hung brilliantly over the sky. Its white luminescence shone down from the heavens and illuminated my dull hospital bed.

Unlike my crippled self, the moon glistened with such majesty that it was almost blinding. Fortunately, my ward was directly facing the moon's position in the sky; otherwise, I wouldn't have such a good view of the biannual event.

"Wow, you'll have quite the view when it turns red!"

"Yeah," I nodded in silence.

The Blood Moon was a phenomenon that happened twice a year. When the moon was brightest in its orbit, and the clock struck midnight, a reverse flow in the magic streams would dye the white moon in a brilliant crimson hue.

During that phenomenon, any creatures who dwelled in the dark and whose power closely resonated with the magic streams would reach their peak potential. While the Blood Moon was only an illusion created by magic, its effects were most definitely real.

Vampires, Werewolves and other mythical creatures would become infinitely stronger. The magic that they held within their bodies would reach a level that no human could ever hope to compare with, and their absolute position as the predators of the realm became unquestionable.

And the race that benefitted the most… were the apex predators of the planet. The Vampires.

There had been many instances where Vampires took advantage of the Blood Moon to wage war against humans in the past. Those creatures would burn down entire towns in revenge for all the prosecution they faced, while the humans would lead Divine Crusades back in hopes of wiping out all of the Vampires.

And on and on, that cycle went.

If not for the Outer Demons' invasion, I'm afraid that Vampires and Humans might have continued this bloody war.

"There's still a few minutes left! Maybe you can fall asleep to the beauty of the Blood Moon."

"Haha, thank you."

After ensuring that I had the best view in the house, the nurse smiled happily, left my room and switched off my lights, closing the door behind her.

I stalled for a minute there before finally letting go of my body, allowing it to tumble down onto the bed beneath me. With the lights off and the hospital gradually grinding to a halt, there wasn't much I could do but sleep. Still, since the Night of the Blood Moon was a biannual event, watching the phenomenon before I fell into the Garden of Hypnos didn't hurt.

"Hmmm… The moon really is beautiful tonight…"

I marvelled in awe. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, giving everyone beneath a breathtaking view of the empyreans above. The bright, white full moon was more prominent than it ever was on any other day. The river of stars that made up the milky way sparkled with intense liveliness. Even if it wasn't the Night of the Blood Moon, there would be countless astronomers looking up at the night sky just to get a glimpse of this perfect sky.

"How dazzling… Humans are really inconsequential compared to the marvels of the universe."

During times like this, I would remember how small I really was.

Compared to the mysteries of the universe, I was merely a speck of dust, nay, a molecule that wasn't worth consideration. Heck, even compared to other humans, I was a mere nobody. In our reality, where magic and the arcane ran rampant, countless beings could affect change on a scale that I could only dream of.

Hunters that master their crafts to fight off the Outer Demons that consistently invade our worlds. Vampires that could harness magic in ways that no other existence ever could. Werewolves that had the strength to move mountains with their physical prowess… The list went on and on.

Even my father and mother, who seemed like a suburban couple, were once a powerhouse that could spark fear when others just muttered their names.

And then… There was me.

A cripple who had no control over his life.

All my life, I lived as an inferior person. I watched as my peers used magic with ease. I watched them become powerful beings that could fight toe-to-toe with any Outer Demon. I watched as my friends went on to lead lives that I could only dream of.

Was I jealous?

I would be lying if I said no.

But well… I wasn't going to live my life as a miserable cripple.

One day, I swear I will make others remember my name. I will show the world that I, Jin Valter, am not just an invalid that will fall behind the rest of the world.

So what if the world has forsaken me? So what if I could never use magic in my life? So what if I had to live most of my life in the hospital?

I will show them! I will show that I am a being worth their reverence! I will prove to the world that I'm not just a nobody that will be forgotten by the annals of history.

As my feverish mental rant reached its peak, I realised that the luminescent moon above had started to change. Its noble and gallant image had turned sinisterly red. The cloudless sky had seemingly brought forth a crimson mist and with it, an ominous glow.

And before I knew it, the moon that I had fervently watched… Had begun to bleed.

And with that…

Came my suffering.