Pulsation [Taboo]

Chapter 12: The Price of Weakness



Seiya sat quietly in the endless white void, his body settled on the cold floor. 

From time to time, his hand would rise to his chest, pressing gently to feel the rhythmic beating of his heart.

{Why are you even doing that?} a familiar voice questioned—his heart speaking to him once again.

Seiya hesitated before responding. "...Nothing" he replied with a faintly amused expression.

{I'll have you know I'm real!} his heart exclaimed.

"Mn" Seiya nodded, a soft smile playing on his lips. "I'm just happy" he admitted, his hand instinctively returning to his chest to savor the steady thump.

{Well, I'm glad you can finally hear me} The heart murmured, its tone warm

Seiya heard it clearly and smiled, but his joy was fleeting. A shadow of sadness passed over him as reality seeped in.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered, lowering his gaze. "I'm too weak. Once I leave this place, I won't be able to hear you anymore."

It was a bitter truth—one he couldn't deny. At his current level, he lacked the strength to communicate with his heart outside this space.

{It's alright. I'm not lonely—I hear everything, including you and your surroundings} His heart chuckled, its tone exaggerated in an effort to cheer him up.

Seiya managed a small smile, recognizing the attempt. "I'll get stronger," he vowed. "Strong enough that we can talk whenever we want—and have fun together"

{Thank you} it said softly. {But you should go back now, or we'll both be in real trouble}

"Alright," Seiya agreed, his voice resolute.

Just lie down and close your eyes, his heart instructed.

Seiya obeyed, his body relaxing as his consciousness began to shift.

When he opened his eyes again, he was greeted by the familiar sight of the lab. His vision was blurred, but he could make out the figure of the man standing beside him.

Seiya blinked slowly, struggling to shake off the haze. His entire body felt numb, like his veins had run dry. He exhaled softly, his mind drifting back to the encounter in his consciousness.

I forgot to ask for its name. He thought, regret washing over him.

Are you still there? He asked silently.

At first, there was no response. Then, a single, forceful pulsation echoed through his chest.

A beat that resonated differently.

Seiya's eyes widened in surprise.

Are you there? he asked again.

Thump!

This time, the pulse came stronger.

You're really there!

Though his body refused to move, joy flooded him as his heart pulsed, responding to his words.

But as the euphoria faded, sadness crept in. He knew his heart was trying to speak with every beat—but he was too weak to hear its words.

"You're full of surprises, my dear Seiya" a voice broke through his thoughts.

Seiya's gaze shifted to his father, who stood beside him with a smile.

"You've survived the hardest trial yet again" his father said, pride evident in his tone. "I must say, I'm impressed!"

His father's expression softened as he continued. "Don't worry, Mr. Renju will heal you completely. These are mere physical wounds—no magic or awakened skills involved—so rest assured, there will be no lasting marks."

His gaze lingered on the parts of Seiya's body that were decomposing and melting away.

"And congratulations—you passed the test. Starting today, you'll be allowed to interact with the other children here. You'll even get to eat with them." His father smiled warmly. "You must be excited to make new friends"

Seiya remained silent, too fatigued to respond.

"Just rest for now," his father instructed. "Not that you could do anything in your state" he added with a mocking chuckle.

"Mr Renju will be with you shortly"

With that, his father left the room.

---

Mr. Renju arrived a while later and healed Seiya, if not to perfection, then to the best of his ability.

He was sent back to his room, where he immediately requested to be left alone to sleep. His father agreed, allowing him the rest he needed.

The following morning, Seiya woke just in time for breakfast. But as he scanned the room, something felt off—there was no tray of food beside his bed, as there usually was.

Before his concerns could grow, his father entered the room with a playful grin.

"Oh, Seiya, have you already forgotten?" he teased. "You're eating with the other children now. That's what we discussed yesterday!"

Seiya blinked, realization dawning on him. The fatigue of the previous day had made him forget.

Despite having mixed feelings about meeting the others—guilt mingling with cautious hope—a small part of him was curious.

"I know you're eager, but you need to get changed first" his father said, gesturing to a worker who entered with a set of clothes.

Seiya was dressed in the lab's uniform—a gray, off-shoulder shirt with black patches. The new clothes were much too decent compared to the uniform but he didn't protest.

"You're ready. Go on now" his father said with a smile.

Seiya was led through the halls by a worker until they reached a large dining hall. The worker opened the door, motioning for Seiya to enter.

The dining hall was packed with children of varying ages, their chatter filling the air.

But the moment Seiya stepped inside, the lively chatter came to an abrupt halt.

Every eye turned to him, the room falling into an oppressive silence.

Seiya froze, his nerves unraveling under the weight of their stares.

"You should grab a tray and get your food," the worker whispered.

Nodding hesitantly, Seiya shuffled toward the stack of trays, painfully aware of every gaze fixed on him. Memories of school bullying resurfaced, making his steps falter.

He avoided looking at anyone, keeping his head down as he reached the counter where two chubby women served food.

His tray full and in hand, Seiya turned, scanning the room for an empty table. But there were none.

His grip on the tray tightened as panic set in. Sitting among the others felt impossible.

He stood frozen, his eyes glued to his food, cold sweat forming on his face.

Before he could muster the courage to move, a harsh shove sent his tray flying, its contents splattering across his face.

Seiya stood there, trembling with wide eyes and humiliation, the erupted laughter of the children ringing in his ears.


Tip: You can use left, right, A and D keyboard keys to browse between chapters.