The next day Ran found himself returning to the monastery. He was still in as much awe as he was yesterday.
Familiar sounds greeted his ears. The faint toll of the monastery bell echoed through the hall.
He sat in front of Master Sei, the spiritual leader, his breath shallow as anticipation gnawed inside him.
The distant sound of chanting monks hummed softly in the background, like a pulse beneath the quiet air.
Master Sei, the Supreme Spiritualist, began speaking. "So, you believe you can save your father from Naraku?"
The monk's deep voice resonated in the vast chamber. His gaze was fixed on Ran, who sat kneeling in front of him, head lowered, as if awaiting judgment.
"I know it's impossible to change fate... but I have to try. I can't just leave him there to suffer for eternity!" The young boy responded, pleadingly, but in determination.
His voice cracked slightly as he spoke, the weight of his emotions hanging in the air. Outside, the rain began to pick up, a low rumble of thunder accompanying his desperation.
Master Sei paused, then sighed deeply. "It is not about trying. It is about accepting what cannot be undone."
There was a rustle from the man's robes as he stood. His movements were slow and deliberate, as though every step was considered, every action filled with meaning.
"Your father... he lived a life that led him to Naraku. No mortal can change the course of fate, not even you," the man said, calm but resolute.
He stepped toward the altar, the low murmur of chanting growing quieter, as if even the monks knew the weight of what was about to be said.
Ran raised his head to meet his eyes. Desperate, voice rose as he proclaimed his disbelief: "That can't be true! There must be something I can do, some way to bring him back!"
The storm outside that had been raging for days grew louder, wind rattling the old wooden windows.
Ran's breath came quicker now, his heart pounding in his chest.
What was he to do now? It's just as he'd feared. Disappointment seemed frightfully imminent at the moment. He felt severe hopelessness permeate through him.
Master Sei sternly, almost sorrowful, tried to appease him. "Naraku is where the wicked are condemned. You are but a child, Kaito Ran. You do not understand the forces you wish to tamper with. You do not have the power to change his fate, nor should you. What is done is done."
The sound of old scrolls rustling came as Master Sei picked one up from the altar, the parchment soft and delicate in his hands.
"Your father made his choices. He reaped what he sowed," the Monk continued.
Ran stood, his fists clenched. His footsteps echoed loudly on the stone floor as he took a few steps toward the monk, his voice trembling with emotion.
"You don't understand! He wasn't a bad man! He made mistakes, but he doesn't deserve this!" He said, angrily, his voice thick with emotion.
The wind howled through the cracks in the walls, as if amplifying his frustration. The storm outside mirrored the storm within him.
"It is not for you to decide. His path led him to Naraku, and it is there he will remain," Master Sei said, his voice heavy with finality.
The monk placed the scroll back down on the altar with a soft thud, turning his back to Ran, as if the conversation was over.
Ran's voice broke, becoming quieter. "Please… you have to help me."
The soft crackle of the incense burning on the altar filled the silence that followed. Ran's plea lingered in the air, fragile and desperate.
"You are young, and your heart is clouded by grief. It is not my place to undo what fate has written," Master Sei said, his voice gentler, but unyielding, expressing his resolute stand.
There was a long silence as Ran stood right there, his shoulders slumped, staring at the monk's back. His heart felt heavy, sinking deeper into despair.
'He won't help me.' He thought, numbly. 'It's over.'
The storm outside grew fiercer again, thunder rumbling ominously as Ran's hopes crumbled. His hands fell to his sides, limp.
Master Sei turned slightly, his face unreadable, but there was a softness to his voice as he spoke one last time.
"Go home, Kaito Ran. Find peace in the life you have left. Do not chase the dead into Naraku, for you may not return," the monk said in finality, with a touch of sympathy.
Ran's breath caught in his throat, the finality of the words hitting him like a blow. The storm outside howled, rattling the windows with force, matching the inner turmoil swirling inside him.
'He's gone... My father... he's really gone.' He thought, defeated.
The soft chanting of monks resumed in the background, almost indifferent to his despair. The familiar toll of the monastery bell rang out once more, echoing faintly through the chamber.
"May you find peace, child. That is all I can offer you," Master Sei said, solemnly and with a note of closure.
The sound of the monk's slow, deliberate footsteps faded as he exited the hall, leaving Ran standing alone in the vast, empty space. The silence was deafening, save for the soft hiss of rain against the stone windows.
Ran's fists clenched tighter, his knuckles white, but he bit his lip hard, saying nothing.
His breathing became shallow, unsteady. He turned slowly, the weight of rejection settling into his bones, and began to walk toward the door.
"There's nothing more I can do here." He thought, feeling shattered. "I... failed."
The heavy doors creaked open as he stepped outside into the rain once more. The storm raged around him, wind howling and rain slashing against his face. But he barely felt it, his mind numb with defeat.
'Is this really the end? Is my father's fate sealed?' He thought to himself, feeling completely broken.
His eyes were not dry, be it from sorrow or the rain, he was not sure. But what he was sure of was the despair in his heart.
What was he going to do now?
The wind and rain became a chorus, drowning out all other sounds as he walked away from the monastery, the toll of the bell fading into the storm.