The Illusion of Warmth
Chapter 36
...
"Good morning... my little monster."
A soft voice echoed through the darkness.
Warm.
Gentle.
Familiar.
"Come on, Eidolon... it's morning."
Silence lingered.
Then-
Eidolon's eyes slowly opened.
His vision was blurry.
Heavy.
Like he had just woken from a deep, endless sleep.
The first thing he saw-
Was a dim lamp.
Its faint light flickered quietly in the stillness.
Eidolon blinked.
Once.
Twice.
His vision cleared.
And then-
He saw a face.
A face he could never forget.
A face carved deep into his soul.
"...Mom...?"
His voice didn't come out.
But his lips moved.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
It was her.
The one person he cherished more than anything.
Standing right in front of him.
Just as he remembered.
Warm.
Gentle.
Smiling.
Tears filled his eyes instantly, but he couldn't release them.
His body trembled.
His mouth opened-
But no words came out.
Slowly...
Hesitantly...
Eidolon raised his hand toward her face.
As if afraid she would disappear the moment he touched her.
"You've grown... my love."
Her voice was soft.
Soothing.
"You're a man now."
His heart-
Started pounding violently.
Thump.
Thump.
THUMP.
Eidolon stared into her eyes.
And in that moment-
Everything broke.
All the emotions he had buried...
All the pain he had locked away...
All the loneliness...
Came rushing back like a flood.
"Haa... ha..."
His breathing became uneven.
Shaking.
"My..."
His voice cracked.
"I'm in pain..."
Tears finally spilled down his face.
"I'm in so much pain..."
His body collapsed forward-
Into her arms.
And for the first time in years-
Eidolon cried.
Not in anger.
Not in madness.
But like a child who had finally found somewhere safe.
"I didn't want this..."
His voice trembled.
"I didn't want any of this..."
Her hand gently rested on his head.
Soft.
Comforting.
Like nothing had ever changed.
Like the world had never broken him.
Like he was still just a boy.
"It's okay..."
she whispered.
"I'm here now."
Eidolon held onto her tightly.
As if letting go would destroy him completely.
His cries echoed into the silence.
And for a moment-
Just a moment-
The world felt warm again.
...