Love Beyond the Ashes

Validating Space

Sana pov: My body had practically shut down. I couldn't see or hear anything, or feel anything. I was also bleeding out rapidly when I fell. I hit my throat in a way that prohibited my speaking

I regained a little bit of feeling and managed to get on my hands and knees.

I heard muffled sounds I was barely able to pick out Mumei yelling my name.

"How are you alive?" She asked in astonishment as she glared at the gaping hole in my stomach.

I could barely hear her and I still couldn't answer, but my vision began to come back I still couldn't see much, though.

Ina was restrained by branches and Kronii slashed her chest, but the wound quickly regenerated.

"Sana kill?" Ina said liflessly.

"Ina, we won't let you touch Sana," Bae said.

"You can't fight..." Mumei told Bae.

She suddenly got an idea. She put her hand on Bae and transferred some power to Bae.

"I need you, Irys, Fauna, Kronii, Gura, and Ame to hold Ina off for five minutes." Mumei said

Bae ran at Ina and immediately had a tentacle slam into her, sending her hurdling into a wall. A nearby pillar then collapsed on top of her.

"Uh... Irys, you need to save her," Mumei stated.

"H-help Ina..." I barely managed to choke out.

"First I'll help you. I could use Bae and give her life for hers, but no one wants that..." Mumei said

Mumei began to tend to me She was trying to stabilize me before I could die from bleeding out. She has some medical herbs that Fauna grows that can instantly heal wounds, but it wasn't enough for all my damage to get me out of critical condition.

"I'm sorry, Ina!" Gura yelled as she threw her trident at her; it penetrated into her body and stuck out of her.

A tentacle went and pulled the weapon out, tossing it at Ame. Gura pushed her out of the way, immediately getting stabbed in the side by it.

"Five minutes, we can't even buy one..." Ame said, snarling a bit.

"If we go at her as if we were trying to kill her, we may stand a chance!" Kronii yelled.

Irys ran at Ina, hitting her with a powerful left hook, only to get wrapped in tentacles and be slammed around.

"Kill, Sana!" Ina screamed again.

"Not a chance!" Fauna screamed. She tossed pinecones at Ina that exploded, each fragment entering and exiting her body at high speeds. It didn't phase her though.

A tentacle flew at Fauna, who wasn't ready for it. However, Kronii got in the way, blocking the attack and holding her ground.

"Are you okay?" Kronii asked.

"S-sure!" Fauna shouted, blushing a bit.

A tentacle whipped towards us, but Ame changed its course.

"Don't let her attack me!" Mumei shouted.

"Easier said than done!" Irys shouted.

Bae stood back up, blood dripping down her face. She stepped forward as Irys was hit by another tentacle. She was sent flying back and slammed into Bae, sending them hurdling into the same wall as earlier.

"We can't hold her off anymore!" Gura screamed.

Mumei healed me enough so I could stand and move. My senses returned to me, but since it was only two minutes, she didn't manage to do as much as she wanted.

"You understand Ina's message, right?" Mumei asked.

"Yes, but I'm not going to kill Ina." I said

"Good, I'll back you up. Don't push your body." Mumei said, pulling her dagger out.

As tentacles flew in our direction Mumei sliced them into pieces and protected me with "Gura on your left!" Mumei yelled, pointing to Irys and Bae.

"Got it!" Gura yelled, going over to Bae and picking her up.

"I can move on my own..." Irys said, biting her lip.

"So can I..." Bae said, standing up.

"Watson, stand back!" Gura yelled, not wanting Ame to be on the front lines.

"Fauna, Kronii support Sana and I!" Mumei shouted.

Fauna wrapped a vine around me to help me stand, and I slowly made my way towards Ina as the others protected me.

"Ina, I will save you. I don't want to kill you!" I shouted

"Kill... kill... me," Ina ended up saying.

"No, if you die, I will die too. I won't let you die alone!" I shouted

I always wanted to be with her until the end of time. If we had to die to make that happen, so be it. I wasn't going to let her kill anyone.

If I knew she was going to go berserk, then I would have defused the situation before it got to this.

I wanted to protect Ina. Everyone understands that if she loses herself again, I'll be sure to stop her.

I didn't see her as a monster, none of us did. That damn book took control of her and wouldn't loosen its grasp.

All I had to do was get Ina in a big hug and never let go I didn't want to let go. I wanted to be by her side forever.

I wasn't going about this half-assed I knew what I had to do and was willing to do anything to stop Ina but kill her.

She validated space, gave me someone to love, gave me an identity and a place to call home. She is my safe haven.

I finally got closer to her, but there was a barrier type force trying to push me away, but I managed to plow through it and wrap my arms around her.

"Ina, I'm here for you. Please stop this!" I shouted, getting no reaction from her.

I could feel her trying to shake me off, but I clung onto her tightly, "I won't let go!" I screamed.

I put my face to her back and pressed it there. I was going to remind her that she is Ninomae Ina'nis, my friend and the girl I love and cherish most.