Sota felt like he was floating in the air.
A cold breeze brushed against his face.
Slowly, he opened his eyes.
Everything in front of him was blurry.
He blinked a few times and finally saw clearly.
He realized… he was on someone's shoulder.
He suddenly struggled and said in fear,
"W-who are you…? Let me go!"
The man didn't say anything.
He quietly put Sota down on the ground.
Sota quickly sat straight.
His hands were shaking.
His body felt stiff.
He looked around.
He was in a huge open field.
The man went and sat on a stone nearby.
Sota swallowed nervously and said,
"S-sir… where am I…?"
The man replied in a cold voice,
"You can call me… Medusa."
There was no emotion in his voice.
Sota lowered his head and said,
"Sir… Medusa… where am I…?"
Tears formed in his eyes.
Medusa looked at him and understood that he was scared.
"What is your name?" he asked.
"S-Sota…"
Medusa wondered why he was so afraid.
"I won't hurt you," he said calmly.
Hearing that, Sota took a deep breath.
Silence spread across the field.
The cold wind touched his face again.
"I must not do anything wrong…" he thought.
His hands were still shaking.
Even though the weather was cold, he was sweating.
Medusa noticed this.
Breaking the silence, he asked,
"Sota… what were you doing on that mountain?"
His voice was calm but slightly sharp.
Sota's heart started beating faster.
"I-I… I just went there to see what was on the mountain…"
Medusa looked at him deeply,
as if he could see through him.
Sota got even more scared.
"Why is he looking at me like this…? Did I do something wrong…?"
He lowered his head and said,
"S-sorry… I went there to die…"
A cold breeze passed as Medusa spoke softly,
"…Die?"
He paused for a moment, then asked,
"Why?"
Sota hesitated but then thought,
"I shouldn't lie…"
Taking a deep breath, he said,
"I… I went there to die…"
Medusa watched him carefully.
His trembling hands… his fearful voice…
He wasn't lying.
Medusa placed his hand on his sword.
A gentle wind moved his long hair.
Looking at the sky, he said,
"Do you think dying is easier than living?"
Sota slowly raised his head.
"What kind of life is this…?"
His voice was heavy.
"A life with no freedom…
no food…
no one to love…
no peace…"
"This world… is just a lie…"
Suddenly, he stopped.
Tears rolled down his face.
"S-sorry… I talked too much…"
"Please forgive me…"
Medusa took a deep breath and said,
"You don't need to apologize… Sota."
He placed his hand on Sota's head.
At that moment,
Sota felt something strange.
His heart started to calm down.
The fear inside him slowly disappeared.
Silence filled the field again.
Then Medusa said,
"Dying… is not the answer."
Sota slowly looked up.
For the first time,
a small smile appeared on his face,
even though tears were still in his eyes.
"Forgive me…"
He said it from his heart.
Medusa replied calmly,
"There is nothing to forgive."
"And you can call me… Medusa."
The field became quiet again.
Only the sound of Sota crying could be heard.
Even the sun, hidden behind clouds, slowly came out.
Medusa looked at the sky and thought,
"The time is about to change…"