A night filled with stars—they shone brighter than ever before. My back pressed against the cold wall of our house. It was a full moon, the breeze of the cold December biting my skin like two cruel daggers. Tonight was beautiful. The ring on my finger grew colder as the minutes ticked by.
It felt nice.
The door to our house opened, and a woman as stunning as the night stepped out.
"Honey, what are you doing?" my wife asked, pulling her blouse tighter.
"A-admiring t-the stars," my voice came in waves of stutters. I tried controlling it, but to no avail.
She sighed, her striking blue eyes practically glowing in the darkness. Her brunette hair was tied into a neat bun. She walked a couple of steps and sat next to me, her head resting on my shoulder.
"You will catch a cold, you know?"
A small giggle escaped through my sealed lips. Then my hand pressed against my face. I hadn't shaved for a while, and the stubble on my face gnawed at my skin.
How could someone like her love me? With my stuttering, my inability to have children? This was a question I had been unable to find an answer to, but it seemed there was no reason to keep thinking about it.
"L-let's go i-inside. I-I d-don't want you to b-be c-cold, Catherine."
She nodded and took my hand in hers. The warmth of her skin was a direct contrast to the coldness of my hand. We rose from our porch and walked inside.
Our house was nothing fancy, but it was enough for us. Catherine stretched lazily, then looked at me.
"Let's go to bed; today's been a long day."
I nodded in response.
We entered our bedroom. She lay down first on the bed, then I joined her. My arms closed around her waist, and she did the same. We held each other close.
I missed working at the orphanage. After Aureth's fall, the kingdom remained in ruin. The people who claimed the power now tore it down. Catherine and I were left without a job for a while; she now worked at a library, and I worked from job to job. But that didn't matter. What mattered was that the kids who were there were left without a home to call their own.
As I remained deep in thought, I didn't realize she had fallen asleep. I smiled, kissed her forehead, and then joined her in slumber.
The next day, I found myself wandering the streets of Maze City with a shopping list that had already been crossed out. Maze City, despite its name, was not really a maze in the traditional sense; its weird architectural design simply made the city feel like one. The town was just northeast of Graven Keep.
I brought the shopping list closer to my face and studied it to see if I had missed something, but I couldn't focus on it. Something caught my eye, and I turned my head.
A huge building that served as the city's theater came into view. But that wasn't what caught my attention. It was two white masks—one happy, and the other shedding tears. Next to them lay a black and red hat and a suit. They seemed to be from the theater, left there to rot on the cold pavement.
"T-they look f-fine. I-I will t-take them."
I put them in the bag that Catherine had given me for groceries, which was already filled.
"Mister... can you spare some food for us?"
I turned my head back toward the sound. In front of me, I found three children dressed in rags—two girls and a boy. They didn't look any older than ten.
"Y-yeah. W-what d-do you guys w-want to e-eat?"
"Anything," the little boy responded pleadingly.
"F-follow me." I turned around and began to walk back toward my house. I glanced back, and they followed me silently.
I knew what I was doing could be seen as dangerous, leading random children to my house. But I didn't have bad intentions; I would just ask Catherine to cook something with the groceries.
After a bit of walking, we arrived in front of my house. I opened the door and scanned the living room, searching for Catherine.
"C-catherine, come here."
A few footsteps were heard from the kitchen, and she arrived to greet me.
"Welcome back, honey..." She saw the children, and something in her changed. She walked over to them and squatted down. "Who are you three? A couple of cute little peaches, huh?"
"We are hungry, ma'am, please..."
Catherine stood back up, walked over to me, and took my bag, then she turned back to the children.
"I will make you the best dinner I can. Take a seat at the table while we go and cook."
The children nodded and took a seat at the dinner table. We walked into the kitchen.
"They seem so frail..."
I nodded in response. She opened the bag and saw the suit and masks, picking up the joyful one.
"Why do you have these?"
"F-found them n-near the theater. T-they look u-useful."
She nodded, then I started chopping vegetables for dinner while Catherine began to make the dough for an apple pie.
After some time, the kids came to check on us. They tasted the apple pie filling and approved happily. Another hour or so passed with some small talk between Catherine and me while the kids talked at the table. Then, we were finished.
Catherine and I left the kitchen with five plates and a pie dish.
"Here you go, kids. Seasoned meat with vegetables and a hot apple pie, made with love." She smiled brightly at them. Their faces lit up; by the looks of it, this was one of the best meals they had ever had.
Catherine set the table, and we started to eat.
"W-we never g-got your names."
"I'm Adam." He was the boy with brown hair, blue eyes, and a missing tooth. He looked like Catherine.
"I'm Ella." She was the girl with green eyes and long blond hair. She looked like me.
"I'm Emylia." She was the girl with green eyes and short brown hair. She looked like both of us.
"What wonderful names you three have. I'm Catherine, and this man is my husband."
We kept talking, and laughter—actual laughter—filled the rooms of the house.
After we finished eating, Adam and Emylia started fighting with pillows while Ella tried to break it up. Adam and Emylia stopped fighting each other and switched their target to Ella. She got mad and picked up a pillow of her own. The kids started having a small pillowy brawl right in our living room. Catherine tried to tell them to be careful, but that only made her the next target. She started running through the living room with the three of them chasing behind her. Catherine tried to act scared, but she couldn't help but laugh alongside them.
I didn't want this to end.
The next day, Catherine had an idea. While the kids ate breakfast, we would surprise them. I had no clue what she was talking about, but I agreed.
While Adam, Ella, and Emylia were eating their eggs and bacon, we sneaked into the bedroom.
"Come, be quick, the kids are almost finished with breakfast."
"I'm t-trying," I said, hopping around the bedroom on a single leg so my other foot could enter the clown pants. After a while, I managed to succeed. Next was the shirt, which slid on more smoothly.
"Which one do you want?" Catherine asked me while holding the two masks.
I took the grieving mask and put it on. Catherine put on the joyous mask, and we went out to the living room. We sneaked up behind them, and Catherine started laughing. The kids turned their heads to look at her.
"Muahaha! You three peaches will get to experience a show fit only for kings!"
The kids looked bewildered at her.
"Behold, the personal buffoon of Aureth has come to entertain you! Hit the show, fool!"
The kids turned toward me, and for a few seconds, I remained frozen.
What the hell am I supposed to do?
Then my body started to move on its own, and I began doing a silly dance. A bit after I started, I "accidentally" fell to the ground.
The kids started laughing, which only fueled me to continue doing the most random things I could think of. After a while, I was beat. The kids and Catherine were almost on the ground laughing from how bizarre the whole thing was. But it was pleasant; no, it was pure happiness for a family that had formed under abnormal circumstances.
The next day, the buffoon act was put into practice again. Then again and again—it became a ritual. One would think that this family was formed the moment the kids entered the house, and I believed that too, somewhat. But I think we actually became a real family when the masks were put on our faces. We became part of the act, but this act was something that defined us.
Far off in the capital, a recruit burst into the office.
"Sire! We have a lead on the Cult of the Goddess!"
The captain turned to the man. "Are you sure? Where did you get the information?"
"I'm very sure, sir. The neighbors of the cultist think for certain that the cult kidnaps children and brainwashes them!"
"I see. We must act at once. Reward the neighbors handsomely for their contribution to the church."
The following day, Catherine and her husband performed for the children. The house was, as always, filled with laughter.
Until the door burst open.
"Capture the cultists and protect the children!" the captain shouted to his men, and guards flooded the house.
Catherine turned toward the guards and shouted back at them, her mask almost slipping. "What is this? Leave this house! We are not cultists, we are a fami—" Before she could finish, she was pushed to the floor and restrained by one of the guards.
"C-Catherine!" Before I could register what was happening, I was on the floor too.
What is going on? We are not cultists...
Before my train of thought could finish, I heard Adam crying as he was lifted off the floor by one of the guards.
"Leave Daddy and Mommy alone!"
"YOU FUCKING BASTARDS, UNHAND MY SON RIGHT NOW!" Catherine screamed at them. She managed to free herself and started running toward Adam. But before she could get to him, a sword was thrust through her abdomen, then pulled back. Her wound started to drip and drip with blood. Her body fell to the floor with a thud right in front of me. Catherine's gaze fell on my face one last time.
"K-keep them safe..."
The life was sucked out of her eyes; she was no longer the woman I loved. Catherine was only a corpse on the floor.
"Mommy—"
I couldn't even register whose voice that came from before something heavy hit my head.
Then, blackness.
When my eyes opened again, all I saw was grayness. I felt the grieving mask on my face; the clothes itched against my skin.
I was in a cell.
"Do you know why people worship the Goddess of Hell?" I overheard a guard talking.
"No, why?" the other one responded.
"Because it is said that her sword, the one with the weird eye on it, can grant a wish."
"Nah, you gotta be shitting me. No chance."
"I'm telling you the truth."
The guards kept talking for a while, then they entered.
"Come on, fool, we are moving you to the Colosseum. At least you can entertain the people there." I saw the guard raise his fist, ready to punch me.
Then, blackness.
I awoke in another cell, this one even filthier.
Catherine? Adam? Emylia? Ella? Where are you four? What happened?
Then the memories of what had happened started to flood my mind. Catherine was dead, the kids were taken away, and I was imprisoned.
I didn't even notice it, but behind this fool's mask, my tears fell like a river.
Why did this have to happen? We were happy, we were a family... we could have... if I had been stronger, I could have saved them.
Days, then months passed, and I remained trapped in this cell with only my thoughts and the last moments of our happiness.
One of the guards came to my cell. "Wrists."
I walked up to the bars and put my wrists through the holes. He locked them tight, then he entered the cell and began to push me out.
"Make sure to put on a good show, fool. Your weapons are inside the arena. But you are probably not going to use them since your opponent is dangerous." The man began to cackle as he opened the door and pushed me inside the arena.
I saw "my" daggers on the ground, and I picked them up in a single hand.
How do I hold them? I'm not a fighter. How can I even try to kill someone?
I raised my vision and saw my opponent. A woman with short blond hair and blue eyes.
"In the left corner, we have Eve, the cursed child, one of the most wanted criminals in our history! How did we capture her? We didn't; Eve came here like she owned the place," the announcer told the crowd. Some people even started laughing. "In the right corner, we have Galbert the clown—the former..."
I didn't understand what the announcer shouted after that.
Why? Why did I have to kill someone?
"Great, my first opponent is a clown," the woman muttered while scoffing.
Then I saw it—in her hand, a sword with an eye. My eyes widened beneath the mask.
The sword, the one that the guard had talked about. I could bring them back. I could do it. I just had to kill her, then maybe... maybe we could be a family again.
"Y-you have s-something that's not y-yours," my voice came out raspy and quiet.
"Oh, you mean Nightfall? Well, guess what? It's mine. Your precious Goddess of Hell didn't need it..."
What was I even doing? I couldn't kill someone; it wasn't fair to kill just to bring someone back. But wait, no, she was one of the scum of this earth. No one would miss her, I hoped. I was sorry...
My body began to jerk from side to side because I hadn't made much movement since being thrown in that cell. Then, I broke into a run. I closed the distance. I raised my daggers to strike her.
Come on, COME ON. I WILL TAKE HER SWOR—
Suddenly, I was flung across the arena, my left leg breaking upon impact.
W-what happened? Come on, I have to get back up.
I managed to raise myself slightly on my right leg; my daggers were scattered somewhere around here. But then, I stopped trying to get back up.
My wedding ring! Where was it?
I began to scan the arena, but I couldn't find it. I didn't even realize when my opponent got behind me. I turned to look at her, and she stood with her sword raised high above her head.
"May you find rest in your Goddess's embrace."
Behind the mask, my gaze wasn't even on her face. Instead, it was on the dark sky.
There were no stars in the sky... Catherine, wait for me, dear. We will see each other soon. I just hope the three of you won't join us so soon.
Then, blackness.