Koryu, Queen of 1,000 Rivers

Chapter〔5〕- After the Incident

"You."

"Huh?"

"You."

"Wha... me?"

"Indeed. You."

Koryu looked around, unknowing of who's voice that was. It sounded like it echoed from the skies and pressed deep onto Koryu's head, making her shudder at the voice's utterance.

"Who are you?"

"I am but a voice. You already know me but my time is over."

"What are you talking about... I hardly know what is going on." Koryu looked left and right, there was nothing but endless fields of light staring back at her.

She remembered her bloodied hand and gazed at her palm, expecting to be bathed in it. It was not, the red was not there anymore and her hand was glowing like an azure gemstone. She was not a statue right? It could not be, she could move her hand flexibly like normal.

In fact, her whole self was glowing. Her body looked like the encasement of a fragile, translucent crystal. She was even shocked of how she see through her own self.

"Your friend did not tell you about my august being?"

"???"

"I will grant your healing this time, however, please be cautious in the future. Erring brings great downfall." The voice said.

Immediately, Koryu could feel the pain of all her wounds, scars and burns. It was momentary for the pain vanished as soon as it came, leaving a lingering numbness behind. Koryu checked her hands but she only saw more shiny diamonds, she could just see the reflection of herself projecting from her crystallised forearm skin.

"If you would wish to return to your world, your normal self - blink once, whole-heartedly, without a shadow of doubt, mind and soul carved to your thought of existence, a pinch in the nose will do the work quick." The voice seemed to be noticing her fear of herself.

"Blink... whole hearted... nose?" She placed a had over her chest, just where her heart was supposed to be.

It was not beating, Koryu was just a mindless walking stone. Or was she not? Nevertheless, she as the voice told, clinging onto her solid nose and thinking about home. All she had to do was blink once, not twice nor thrice.

"W-wait! Who are you?" Her voice cracked as the crystals in her mouth scraped over one another.

Before receiving a reply, if ever, she naturally blinked.

When her eyes opened, she saw her friends all looking at her. She had a hunch of oddness when staring into their faces. No, it was not the awkwardness that lasted in the atmosphere around her - it was the way her body was fixed after she blinked.

She was lying on a soft bed, it was not as solid as a rock anymore.

"Thank goodness, you are awake!"

"Koryu-san's alive. I thought you were leaving me, wa~~~" Mizu hugged her by the stomach, laying her head on top and making Koryu wince inwardly as she was sensitive to the touch.

Wait, the soft feeling of warmth from another human. She... was not a stone anymore. As to check for the truth, she placed her hand by her heart again. It was beating.

"You are healing surprisingly well, the doctors said you do not have to be admitted to the hospital." Sera said. "Though you are advised to stay at home for today."

"Where, is this place?" Koryu asked, turning her head from the pillow to looking around the incredibly white room.

Just like the field of light just now but not as bright.