Lost One

Epilogue

Six months ago, a funeral for Ninomae Ina'nis was held from her untimely passing. Everyone from all walks of life attends the funeral. These people have various attributes, though, some are well known, I'm only referring to people who have personal connections to her. Some of them humans and some of them non-humans with different backgrounds. To the non-ordinary group, they had no humanity in sight. Those include: Calli, Gura, Kiara and her recent co-workers in this world.

At said funeral, everyone shed tears of sadness. Not only that, they wore expressions that gloomed the atmosphere with its thick intangible presence. Everybody was dressed in black, carrying an umbrella. Some believed it was the weather for their reason, and others believed that this day was going to be the same as the past. And it was. They all open their umbrellas, watching the rain droplets fall, getting heavier with each strike to the ground.

"It was raining the day she died."

Someone said with knowledge of the past. Those who knew this only sucked deep in thought, while those who weren't present that day were confused by the random statement. But they accept it as the truth. It was the only thing they could do as the atmosphere began to tense in darkness. Not only because it was the evening time the funeral was being kept, but from other people around them.

"I will say the final prayer."

The pastor said, standing around the grave with close friends and relatives. He began the final ceremonial words while everyone took a bow, closing their eyes in agreement. He preached. Words about the holy father and how he will not forsake any lost soul. Beings with a soul or not, their body needs to rest in peace. He prayed with vigor, encapsulating the people with his voice. Emphasizing the word "Christ, Our Lord" with intent neither vague nor direct. Such was his prayer.

As the clouds were pouring rain harder than before, his voice sounded even higher. Not long after the show of appreciation to the almighty, the conclusion to his prayer came soon after the climax.

"Have a blessed day everyone."

Reaching the end of his prayer, he was the first to leave. Leaving everybody else behind as their grieving wasn't over.

***

As time flew by, person's left in order or importance.

So, one left.

And another.

Three left.

Five left.

Ten left.

And everybody left.

Except for only one.

There was a girl with blue hair and a shark tail standing in front of the grave. Though something changes about her within. A few days after her death, some maturity appeared in her subconscious. She, too, was dressed in black. The only difference was from the rest that she didn't have an umbrella. She matured, not letting any tears come out of her eyes. She said one last prayer, as she tried to achieve what the pastor could.

In the graveyard stood a single grave away from the others. It had a tall cross, almost symmetrical. They all had equal sides as it was portraying she belonged neither to heaven nor hell. This was the grave of the passing of this girl's sister. Was she going to meet the demons or the angels? Is she not welcome to either? Time will tell.

But even time itself took a long time to answer.

The "living embodiment of hope" incarnation, came, and died to a world that was covered in a sheet of darkness. How it came to be is not known by a living person. For they've all died in the chaos. The world itself didn't know the demise of life living upon it. They've all died from ignorance.

How did it happen? It was overlooked by humans. Back at the crime scene of her death, there was a book that her mother gave to as a present. It was black, not having a glow after Enma picked it up from her mother's corpse. Heading to see Ina to save her, she was overcome by a presence within it. It began to glow as in the book was her mother.

The mother of Ninomae Ina'nis.

She took control of her body and killed her daughter as a punishment for betraying her. Once the book fell, she was no longer overwritten with the intent of killing her, but with regret of the act she, herself, committed. After Enma's arrest, the detectives took that book as part of the evidence to the crime. But the difference was that they didn't touch it with their bare hands but wore protective gloves as they did the act. Long after their departure, and after the discussion about her funeral, they all agreed to bury the book with her. So, they dropped it off at the funeral home where Ina's body lies, and so the treatment of the book was the same as before by the detective.

Gura was the first one to die. After her prayer, black mud came from underground where Ina's body was. The black mud was like a living organism, petrifying it with its touch before consuming the body whole. That was Gura's death. She ran not knowing what it truly was. Either way, it was too late. She was riddled with despair as it was written bold on her face, sinking into the black mud.

It continued its path in every direction, to the living and the dead.

Everything was consumed no matter the shape or existence it had in this world. It continued, stretching its way around the globe and consuming it whole.

Then, and only then, six months later, Ina's body emerged from the grave. It visually looked like Ina, but it wasn't. Something was controlling her body for her sole purpose.

Why did she kill this world? Nobody knows. But what it did know is that there are multiple existences beyond the observable universe, and the universe as a whole. Parallel worlds exist. It doesn't matter if it is this one or the next, they are all the same. The only thing separate from the rest was that there was only one Ina and that Ina's body was being controlled by her mother. She laughed with amusement at the fun she was having knowing this fact.

This world and other parallel worlds weren't going to be the same. It was all thanks to the new body she received.

Life and Death will soon become a concept. It was all thanks to the time traveller who died without knowing the fate of this world nor the next.

"What a time to be alive once again. Ahhh. Such a lovely body. Thank you, my dearest Ina."

Her mouth sounded with the lustful pleasure of her new vessel. While speaking, Ina's voice and her mother's voice spoke in unison. Her past self and her present self layered on top of one another. Floating in the sky with tentacles wiggling around with menace, her arms were stretched out as if hugging the world. Looking up without reason, she eyed the stars in the sky.

Afterwards, like reaching a conclusion to a deceptive character in a movie, she slowly smiled with a sense of achievement.