Mikage didn't recognise where he resided, the sky was the first thing that stood out to him. Unlike the heavens where the atmosphere was always white, this place had a multi-coloured sunset and a denseness that filled its atmosphere. Further, in the distance, he saw what looked like shrines and temples, all clearly abandoned and dilapidated.
There was a strange feeling he couldn't identify. He looked up at the largest temple closest to him, he was supposed to go there he knew instinctively but his body didn't allow him to. He wasn't sure he wanted to either.
He turned to walk elsewhere and eventually found himself at a fountain, of mist. It reached so high he couldn't see where it began to fall from. He placed out his hand curious about the scattering mist that would sink to the floor. It darkened as he touched it, Mikage retracted his hand and turned away. He knew it was pointless when he felt a weight halt his steps. He wasn't able to move, he then felt the entire domain became hostile.
"Want to leave, so soon after returning?" said a voice that seemed to surround him.
Mikage didn't answer nor look back, there was something about the echoed whisper of the voice that was between dreamlike and nightmarish.
"Are you angry child? It had to be done. And your mission was done well," continued the voice.
Mikage felt his hands tremble a little, despite what he perceived as the voice's attempt to portray its affections. Mikage's confusion and foreboding forced his silence. Sensing something wrong he attempted to speak up.
"Tha-"
when he tried he was unable to exalt any air, he felt his entire body crush as it was moved before the entity. He was actually being held. its hand had covered Mikage's entire torso.
Even when he was placed right before it, he didn't dare look up. With no idea what it was or who he was. Mikage relied on a screaming instinct that told him there was something dangerous about it; especially its eyes. What he noticed instead, was its hair that was pale like his own and so long it couldn't be measured by his vision at all.
"Do you wish to leave too? There's nowhere you can go," the entity smiled as he spoke and his grip loosened. "Although it was he who created you, I can also reforge you"
Mikage shook quietly as if habit, his actions were weak and appeared amiable. Not a habit he was particularly accustomed to but one that seemed to plant itself in his subconsciousness.
The entity studied him carefully, "Good."
The entity opened his hand. The abrupt shift caused Mikage to fall backwards. He inadvertently relaxed just when he was released. He shifted his body so that he'd at least sit in the entity's palm, as he lacked the strength to stand.
"My child you have enforced my will adequately. I'll grant you a gift. what is it you want?" The entity that Mikage was unable to observe properly had all his attention concentrated on him. His lips twisted with what he saw to be a vague amusement.
Mikage is entirely aware of who is where he came from, how he came to be, who he loves, who he has hurt and those he has lost. Which makes things extremely difficult. As Mikage understood very few things at this moment, although one glaring thing was that whoever he currently had possessed - or at least what the entity saw himself as - wasn't Mikage
The intense power radiating from the entity gave no doubt to Mikage's conclusions, that this entity was undoubtedly the master of this domain.
He needed to know how and why he was here. But this entity who appears to know him couldn't allow him even the space to breathe nor think. It was a fast realisation he knew deep down in his soul, that he truly feared this entity.
Mikage tested, "I would like to stay here alone"
There was a silence stuck in the air, Mikage felt his world shake as he was brought higher till he was directly opposite the entity's face.
"Your form clumsy, your composure cowardly, you refuse to look up, yet you recline on me with such oblivious leisure. I would say your behaviour is wayward. You'd only be foolish to disagree. Now that there's an understanding, I'll allow you a single chance at reprieve. You know what you must do."
The entity had ambushed Mikage with one shortcoming after the other not at all giving him a chance to see where exactly he failed so plainly. However, he still didn't seem to see that Mikage was a different person.
However whatever it was Mikage was supposed to do, he didn't understand. Therefore, understandably couldn't carry it out. Presumably, because he didn't, the domain had become hostile again, this time however it was different.
It was abrupt like an invasion on his mind. All his negative senses heightened, his anxiety, unease, misery, doom, and anguish all interspersed into a vague accumulation of mental torment. It was like a deafening scream; he couldn't shut it out, no matter of his desperate efforts. He felt he was trapped in and outside of his mind. Where for a few seconds he was reminded of his sanity, which only amplified the disarray.
This pure malevolence was the entity's power. Mikage curled up in a ball. slowly an emotion began to eclipse all the others that had threatened to overwhelm him, successfully negating them. Clearing his mind of the foreign noises. It was his anguish; its noiselessness was all the more transcendent. Mikage sat up once again, his entire poise and face held a chilling apathy that had possessed him entirely.
"Will you kill me then?" he asked longingly.
The entity's mouth tightened, "Are you mocking me child?" but even the entity doubted its own words. As he sighed the domain released its coercion on Mikage's mind, causing him to sag weakly.
"You are allowing your emotions to possess you, like a mere human; they are destroying you and making you weak. Your pointless memories and designs of pain are burdening you. You are my spear; you have no need for grief. I'll spare your pain and dispose you of impurities."
"No," Mikage knew the extent of the entity's abilities exceeded anything he could imagine. And judging from his words he intended to erase his pain, therefore the cause of his pain which were his memories.
He couldn't allow that; his memories were the only proof that they lived. Proof his children lived. It would destroy what little he had left of them. Without that nothing would be left.
Mikage's frantic movement stopped, the entity prevented his escape purely with his power.
"Please don't, I'll do anything," Mikage begged
"Raise your head, and peer into my eyes." He ordered with false pleasantness.
"No" Mikage lowered his head further and closed his eyes in protest.
"Look upwards."
"Please"
"Your defiant attitude proves the necessity. I'd given you many chances," the entity sighed as if dealing with a difficult child.
Mikage felt the hands movement until he felt himself slide onto what he knew was solid ground.
"You'll stand before me and look into my eyes,"
Mikage could now feel the entity's voice was more restrained, less loud and still close.
His body moved on its own standing up and forcing his eyes open against his wishes. As much as he resisted, his head levelled with the entity. who had now shrunk to a size more bearable than his gigantic beginning. Mikage's hopeless resistance endlessly breathed him sorrow.
When their gazes finally locked, his tear-filled eyes flowed, and Mikage's gaze remained on the third eye In particular.
"You are rid of useless flaws now."
Mikage touched his face strangely, why was it he was just crying? He looked for answers facing the entity across from him. He was certain that it was this person's fault. He observed the entity, it was terribly beautiful but his three cold eyes broke the illusion. They contained a callous depth that rejected beauty but inspired a subconscious fear from the beholder.
While two of his eyes appeared to remain in deep thought the third suddenly locked sights on him.
"You! who are you?" he teleported right before Mikage, its hand caught his neck lifting him off his feet.
"You trespass and possess my child's body," the words didn't hold any anger as he knew it, but in its place was a morose fascination.
The entity's third eyes burned brighter and his hand froze no longer squeezing at his throat. For the first time, a genuine emotion crossed the entity's face, it was truly scarier than his lack of it. He'd placed Mikage down with consideration, he stroked the place he'd previously held, so gently it tickled.
"Welcome home, Mikage. My most wilful child"
'Home?'
"It's a shame you're possessing him, he's always wanted to meet you. No matter, we have eternity to sort it out,". Though at times the entity portrays consideration in his words there was a casual tone, which made his words feel redundant and untrue.
Mikage couldn't properly piece together the entity's broken riddles.
"Who am I possessing?" he asked.
The being's mouth moved but Mikage couldn't hear the words. But he heard his name get called by an extremely distant voice. He felt his control over his body collapse like a marionette separated from its strings.
The entity's face twisted as it held his body. Mikage could recognise deep and hidden within its eyes was this unhinged obsession that he couldn't acknowledge for too long, as it felt as dangerous as sinking in a sea. The last thing he saw was the space around the entity distorting.