Kato glared at the back of his hand, wishing it was nothing more than a dream. The obsidian sword was now marked on the back of his hand, a sign that the Deadman had truly decided his price.

First it was the mark of the scorned, and now the Deadman marks me. I admit that I have become lucky, but I don’t like it. It might as well be a collar.

Kato sat on the side of the bed and went out of the room. He looked to the living room of the cabin and found Katey watching television.

“You actually get signals here?”

“To pass time.”

Kato slid on the couch and leaned forward. Katey placed her legs on his lap and then used the side of the couch to lean over.

“And here I thought you’d be away by now.”

Katey stared at the ceiling. I think I've found a way to open the gates of hell."

He raised an eyebrow in surprise. That was one way to start it. "Really? And what makes you think that's a good idea?"

"I know it sounds crazy," the wife replied, "but I believe our family can still be connected through there. I have to try and contact them, even if it means risking everything."

Kato let out a sigh and leaned back on the couch. "I understand how you feel, but opening it again is not something to be taken lightly. Are you sure there isn't another way?"

She shook her head determinedly. "I've looked into every other possibility, and this is the only way. I have the ritual, and all the resources to do it.”

"Are you sure you should be doing this? Maybe we should rethink this idea."

Katey’s expression faltered for a moment before she replied, "I know it's risky, but I truly believe this is the only way to see them again. We've researched and prepared for this, and in a way that machine was our plan to close the gates once we've found them."

Kato shook his head, "What if something goes wrong? What if we can't close the gates in time or something escapes? You tried to contact the demon Marbas already and looked at how that ended up? I admit I had caused an error, but the consequences could be disastrous. And even if we do manage to meet our family again, meet them and live with them, is it worth risking the lives of so many others?"

Katey's expression hardened, "I understand your concerns, but I can't just stand by and do nothing. I have to at least try. We'll be careful and make sure we're prepared for any contingency."

Kato sighed, "I understand how you feel, but I can't help but feel like we're playing with fire here. We're talking about opening the goddamn gates of hell, it's not something to be taken lightly. Maybe we should look for alternative options."

Katey looked at her husband with determination. "I know it's risky, but I'm willing to take that risk for my family. I'll understand if you don't want to help me, but I'm going to do this with or without you."

Kato looked at his partner, and thought for a moment before he replied, "I can't believe you're still insisting on going through with this. Don't you see how dangerous this is? Again, we should be looking for alternative options."

Katey’s expression hardened, "I've already told you, I've looked into every other possibility and this is the only way. I can't just sit here and do nothing while they are trapped in that hell. We have a chance. Our presence here implies that we can do this. If we can be here, then there is a chance they can be here as well."

Kato shook his head, repeating. "But what if something goes wrong? What if we can't close the gates in time or something escapes? The consequences could be disastrous. And even if we do manage to get them here, is it worth risking the lives of so many others?"

Katey’s voice rose in anger, "You're not the one who's family is trapped down there.! You're not the one who has to live with the guilt of not trying! I have to at least try, even if it means taking a risk."

She lowered her head, but still determined. "I know it's risky, but I've come too far to turn back now. I've already lost so much, done so much, and I can't bear the thought of losing my family as well. It is an insult to those who have been sacrificed. I have to try, even if it means risking everything."

He turned to her with a heavy face and said, "Are you sure you want to do this? Are you sure I'm not enough for you?"

Katey was caught off guard by his question and looked at him with confusion. "What do you mean? Of course, you're enough for me. I love you more than anything in this world."

Kato’s voice was filled with emotion, "Then why are you doing this? Why are you risking everything for your family? Oh, I understand. I really do. But this is about the fact that what you do may cause so much damage. The chances are slim and I just can’t believe that we are still lucky enough to get our wishes. Don't you think I could ever be enough for you?"

Katey’s heart ached at the thought of hurting him, she sat up right, took his hand and said, "You are more than enough for me. I love you and I always will. But this isn't about you not being enough, this is about my family. They are a part of me and I can't just abandon them. I have to try and save them, even if it means risking everything."

Katey's hands held him by the side of his head. “Kato. Never, ever, think that you are not enough for me. Don’t you dare think that ever again.”

Katey looked away. She quietly left the room and entered the bedroom for privacy.

After she left, Kato sat alone in a dark room, the thought of becoming a vessel for a powerful being, filled him with dread.

He didn’t know if the process would be painful, but he knew it would change him forever. Maybe he would have to give up his humanity and his free will to become a weapon in the fight against this creature the Deadman needs to subdue. The thought of losing himself, of becoming something else even for a moment, was unbearable. Then it came to him, maybe Robert Oswald had a bit of consciousness left? Did he feel it? Being possessed by someone, his will and self crushed by Kato.

He couldn't bring himself to tell Katey about this, knowing that he would have to tell her about the price he needed to pay for the chances given to him. He knew that she would be devastated.

With the only sound in the room the television was playing ads and showing shows that are going to be broadcasted. Kato sat, lost in his thoughts, feeling the weight and the responsibility and the possible consequences of letting the Deadman takeover. He would have to face a powerful being, to fight the creature that threatened to consume the magic in the world. He only hoped that it wouldn't be in vain, and that he would be able to protect the folks around him.

He knew that he had been chosen to be a vessel because he was unlucky enough to be around. But the thought of losing himself, of becoming something else, was unbearable.

This is the price I need to pay. Yes, this is the price. To be collared, to be used, and then thrown away after being used.

He couldn’t believe the Deadman. Trust him enough to believe that might survive the fight. If a powerful being like the Deadman needed to do this. How can he even fight unscathed?

Will I be able to walk away alive? I don’t know. He might as well have saved my life so he can control me without guilt. 

But that was not Kato’s concern.

Katey will be angry. She’s not going to stop isn’t she? She’ll try to do that, and then find out if she can pull Auntie and the others here, give them a better life. I wonder if this determination is something she learned? Or was she always like this? For fuck’s sake, I’m a damn merc, not some all-loving Samaritan. 

He threw his hands up in frustration.

Things were simple. All I had to do back then was find a job with the boys, do the job right, go back home, and then repeat. Repeat that. Wish she’d welcome me back home. And now this insanity, all of this. I don’t understand. I’m so tired of this.

Kato held his emotions back as if a switch was triggered inside. But that face held a certain gloom. As if something just snapped inside Kato.

Like a twig it snapped.

It just did.

He thought it would when faced with the Deadman talking about being a vessel. He thought it would when Katey was talking about how she’d try again.

And yet here he was feeling like something just got cut. Like the mask he was trying to protect just gave in.

He knew that the powerful being, clearly ancient and perhaps, a malevolent entity, would soon possess him, forcing him to do its bidding. The creature it sought to destroy was a monstrosity, a being of pure magic that fed on the very essence of the world itself.

He knew that he would be no match for such a creature on his own, but he also knew that he had no choice in the matter. The Deadman had chosen him, and he would be compelled to serve it, no matter the cost.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. The being would take complete control of his body and mind. But he also knew that it was the way to save the world from this monster.

Kato could feel it on the back of his hand. That obsidian sword mark on the back of his hand was pulsing. Like a warning sight created solely for him.

It will be summoned when the time comes. He had no instructions. He didn’t say anything at all. What should I do? What can I do? Accept this? No, is there any escape from this?

His head turned to the bedroom. Then he recalled the previous conversation that he had with Katey.

Ah, I don’t know this woman at all. She’d changed. Maybe she had.

Despite all the conversation and assurance. It still broke.

Like an overwhelming spiral of emotions to the post of near insanity. As if he’s trying to preserve that bit of sanity in him that keeps saying he’s better than this. The professional, the stoic mercenary scolded, and yet that didn’t work. As if the light switch on his head was turned off. His emotions shutting down.

Kato couldn’t cry. He felt empty. Like he was just an empty and hollow vassal for something else. As if he was a computer experiencing a black screen, with its operating system unable to function properly.

The motivations that he had.

The hopes.

The dreams.

It all got turned off.

Just nothing.

He felt like he was in this dark hole that he couldn't get out of. He can’t see anything other than the day the sword comes out and he’d lose himself.

He couldn’t hear properly.

He could only nod at Katey who came out and then decided it was time to leave.

Maintaining the stoic mask that was dropped the moment she tunneled them out of that cabin and left him in the  streets of Lux City.

Despite the noises around him.

He found himself walking automatically. Laying on his bed. Not wanting to work, eat, and even take a bath. He found himself running out of excuses to live, a cold voice saying ‘what’s the point’ when in the end, a being would just use him to fight a creature he can’t possibly survive with this flesh.

Even if he did.

He would just owe the Deadman.

He was self-destructing.