Parallel (A Virtual Gamer's Story) [Vol.1 - Vol.4 Complete]

Chapter 60: Family

Kashi watched his companions sleep through the torrential downpour. He could not help but smile at their peaceful faces, especially considering how twisted their expressions had been moments ago.

To dodge the rain, they had descended to the top floor. But even then, the windows were really only gaps in the wall, so the rain got in regardless. To combat this, Kira and Hektor took up positions just to the side of a window. Hektor in his shining armor sat against the wall, head rested against the handle of his war ax, while Kira, darker than night, lay on the other side of the window, head turned away from the rain.

Kashi found it intriguing how they seemed to be divided by the rain coming in through the window. He was suddenly beset with a huge desire to draw, so he took out his sketchpad. Using only a charcoal pencil, he drew out the scene in front of him. his hands moving much faster and delicately than humanly possible.

Rather than a sketch, it turned out to be a black and white picture. Unknowingly, Kashi added every bit of detail he could, capturing both subjects perfectly. He also noticed just how much emphasis he had put on the incoming rain. It seemed alive like it had a will of its own. The shadows beneath the raindrops encroached on both parties, seemingly pushing them apart.

The daeben was not so sure why he interpreted the scene that way, but he found it interesting nonetheless. He looked up to see Hektor fall to the side, but he jerked back when hit by the raindrops. Even Kira, who turned her head during her sleep, was repelled by the rain.

Kashi found the unfolding events so impressive, he put them all to paper, drawing each reaction with frenzied enthusiasm. His hands got even darker from constant shading and manual cleaning as he finished page after page.

"When it rains, it pours," Kashi remarked after close to two hours of constant heavy rainfall. Well, it made sense as the rainy season was upon them.

Having drawn every reaction he could possibly think of, Kashi closed his eyes to rest.

However, as if mocking him, the weather chose that very moment to calm and allowed the sun to sneak a peek through the clouds. The daeben was roused awake by a new wave of inspiration. He watched, fascinated as a little ray of sunlight broke through the midst of the rain pouring through the window. It cut right through the middle, then slowly began to expand drowning out the shadows.

Kashi's fingers moved before his mind did. He took out a set of colored pencils and started drawing the scene unfolding in front of him. The new pictures captured the moments the shadows were overtaken by light, to the rain ceasing, and finally, Hektor falling to the side, so his face was directly opposite Kira's.

The daeben was not sure if it was because of Hektor's curled frame, but something about the scene reminded him of the Yin-Yang symbol. Even the sunlight that had broken through was not sufficiently bright as some of it was still hidden behind gradually dissipating clouds.