The Disillusioned Land

Chapter 29 - Borrowed Knowledge

My meeting with Kasen was brief, as is our time to prepare for the oncoming battle. She suggested I hone my capabilities with my newly acquired knife, likely due to hearing I had a talent for using it. It is now 9 am, we are currently on the shrine's training grounds and have been going at it for around 2 hours now; my body is beginning to show its limitations. I stand drenched in sweat at a distance from Kasen, my muscles ache like hell and I'm out of breath while Kasen still looks in tip top shape. I catch my breath and force myself to speak.

"I still got enough in me huff for one more go" I say in a slightly raspy voice, Kasen's stern look intensifies.

"You clearly don't, we may not have much time to train but overdoing it will only sabotage us tomorrow."

"I promise huff this will be the last" I straighten my back and get back into a combat-ready stance. Kasen sighs and shakes her head.

"Oh fine then" she transitions into her usual fighting stance "prepare yourself." Her hands begin moving and danmaku starts to shoot out of them in my direction, I brace myself for incoming onslaught. As the projectiles near me the weight of the knife in my hand seemed to vanish and my body began to move on its own against the pain I felt all over. My blade danced effortlessly through each bullet Kasen shot my way, one clean slice after the next, and my body weaved around the ones I couldn't cut in time. Though this trance didn't last long, as I felt the blade in my hand grow heavier with each slash, my movements were becoming sluggish and my energy draining. It wasn't long before I was struck in the side, knocking me over and causing me to drop my weapon, the impact of hitting the hard floor of the training ground sending a shock of pain through my entire being. I laid there for a moment, only having enough energy left to try look up at Kasen, she stood away from me with a look of concern.

"Satisfied?" She asks me.

"huff...That'll do..." I drop my head back on the stone floor, I hear Kasen walk over to me. She kneels down beside me and lends her hand, I take it and she helps me back on my feet.

"You certainly have skill with that thing, yet you lack the physique that would result from such mastery you displayed. How?" I avert my gaze from her and look at the ground.

"How indeed..." Her question prompts a flood of memories to fill my mind, memories that aren't mine.

...

I slumped against a nearby bookshelf, exhausted from a recent battle. It's become very clear to me I've pushed myself far past my breaking point multiple times, yet I still stand up and continue this monotony I'm trapped in. How long have I been stuck in this hell? Doing nothing but luring people into this place and killing them for their knowledge and power, all because I continue to cling onto the faint hope I can fix everything, that I can save everyone. I heave a deep sigh, my green haired companion would hate to see me like this, I wish I never brought her into this mess in the first place.

My eyelids grow heavy and shut my eyes, but even sleep can't take me away from this godforsaken place. Visions flash in my mind, the way I cut down people without hesitation, their screams of pain and sorrow for their dead allies whose lives I ended. It all comes back every time, and then I wake up just to do it all over again. It's maddening, this place brings ruin to all who enter. A voice booms above me, I ignore it because I already know what it's talking about. I get up off the floor and trudge over to the entrance, ready to continue following the script fate has given me.

...

"Ryan?" Kasen's voice breaks me out of my daze.

"Huh? Ah sorry, I spaced out for a moment there."

"You've done enough for the time being, go rest up, we'll resume later." Kasen dismisses me and heads toward the main shrine building. I pick up my knife and sheath it, then make my way towards the dorms, and to my room. When I enter however an uneasy feeling fills me, but I don't quite know what it is. I pace around my room for a few minutes to no avail as I become increasingly drowsy from my training moments before. I decide to ignore the feeling for the time being and lie down in my bed, I gotta be rested up for whatever wringer Kasen is gonna put me through later. When I shut my eyes however, that uneasy feeling reaches its peak, and I sense a new presence in the room with me, my eyes shoot wide open and turn to look at who it was.

A figure sits on the side of my bed, humming and kicking their legs, they then turn to me and give me a warm smile. They begin to speak and a familiar voice from my false memories reaches my ears. It's that green haired girl from before.

"Hehe~ Hello again, Ryan."