The Unwavering Sun

"Dad."

"Hm? Yes, Cyrus?"

"You know, I've always wondered what my name means?"

"Your name? It stands for 'Sun'. When we brought you into this world, your mere presence illuminated both your mother's and my life. You shone so brightly that it was blinding. To us, you were 'The star that shone brighter than any other'."

"Wow, I never knew that. And what does our family name, Strangeman, mean?"

"Hahaha! You mean 'Strongmen', Cyrus. Our name reflects the strength and resilience of our family. We've been through tough times and challenges, but we always come out stronger. It's a name we should be proud of. A unwavering name."

"Amazing! Then what does it mean when we combine everything together? Cyrus Strongmen?"

"That's right, Cyrus Strongmen would mean-"

"DAD!"

"WHOA!"

"Ughr!"

"Damnit kid, you've scared the shit out of me. Don't move too much, you've been hurt quite badly."

"You? YOU BASTARD! WHERE'S MY FATHER AND MOTHER!"

"..."

"SPEAK! Cough"

"Hey kid, calm down. I told you not to move, you'll worsen your wounds."

"I DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT THIS, TELL ME WHERE MY PARENTS ARE!"

"I-I'm sorry... they did not make it out of there alive..."

"N-No... You're lying... Y-you can still save them! it hasn't been that long since we left, we can still make it back in time."

"Kid, I wish it wasn't true, but it is. They didn't make it. I tried my best to get them out, but it was too late."

"I... I can't believe it. This can't be happening."

"I know it's hard to accept, but you have to be strong. it's been over a week since that incident."

"A-A week? Are you telling me I've been unconscious for a whole week?"

"That's right... Since I was the one that brought you out of there, I felt a certain responsibility to look out for you until you woke up."

"D-D-Dad... M-Mom..."

Cyrus's sobs grew louder and more desperate, his hands shaking as he clutched at his hospital gown. His body was wracked with pain, but the agony in his heart was worse. The hunter beside him felt a pang of guilt and regret, knowing that he had failed to protect Cyrus's parents. He wanted to reach out and comfort him, but he knew that words would be useless in this situation.

But when Cyrus turned to him with fury in his eyes, the hunter felt his heart skip a beat. He had never seen such raw anger before, and he knew that it was directed squarely at him. As Cyrus lashed out at him, the hunter could feel his cheeks growing hot with shame.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I wish I could have done more. But I'm not a hero. I'm just a hunter trying to survive in this world. I know it's not enough, but it's the best I can do."

Cyrus glared at him, his eyes red with tears. "I don't care," he spat. "You should have saved them. You had a duty to protect them, and you failed."

The hunter's hands clenched into fists. He could feel his anger rising, fueled by his own guilt and frustration. "You think I don't know that?" he snarled. "You think I don't wake up every night with their screams ringing in my ears? I did everything I could, but it wasn't enough. I'm not invincible, and neither were they. We were all just human beings trying to fight monsters that were beyond our comprehension. And we lost."

Cyrus flinched at his words, his anger draining away to be replaced by a hollow emptiness. He looked down at his hands, unable to meet the hunter's gaze. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I didn't mean to... I just..."

The hunter sighed and knelt down beside him. "I know," he said gently. "It's okay. We're all hurting right now. But we can't let our pain consume us. We have to keep moving forward, no matter how hard it is."

Cyrus nodded silently, his tears still flowing freely. The hunter reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder, offering what little comfort he could. It was a small gesture, but it was all he could do to try and ease the pain of a grieving young man.

After the departure of the hunter, Cyrus struggled to lift himself off the ground and slowly made his way to the washroom near his bed. With great difficulty, he managed to reach the mirror and began to remove the bandages covering his face. As he looked at himself, he was met with a disfigured and charred face that was unrecognizable.

"F*CK!" Cyrus screamed in agony as he touched his burnt skin, feeling an intense pain that overwhelmed him.

The unbearable pain mixed with his deep grief and anger towards the monsters, caused Cyrus to lash out uncontrollably. He trashed his room and destroyed everything in sight, screaming his parent's names in anguish. The doctor and nurses rushed in to calm him down, but he fought back and resisted their touch.

"Get your hands off me!" Cyrus yelled as he pushed away the nurse who tried to calm him down.

In his frenzy, he continued to scream until the tranquilizing drug took effect. Cyrus slowly began to calm down as the drug took over his body and he drifted into a deep sleep.

"Haaaa~"

"..."

"Amazing! Then what does it mean when we combine everything together? Cyrus Strongmen?" said Cyrus to his father.

"That's right, Cyrus Strongmen would mean "The Unwavering Sun". So make sure you honor the name we gave you. You most stand strong before all adversary and shine brightly as you do so. "

"The Unwavering Sun... I love it Father!"

"Hahaha! I knew you would, you're my son after all!"

"The Unwavering Sun! The Unwavering Sun! The Unwaver... The Unwa... Un...."

As the memory faded, a deep sense of longing overtook him. He wished with all his heart that he could hold onto that moment for just a little while longer, that he could keep the memory of his loved ones close and alive. But it was not to be. The world around him began to blur and fade, like an old photograph that had been left out in the sun for too long. His eyes grew heavy, and he felt himself slipping away, until he completely passed out.

***