Overcast Memoria ( Yuki's Point of View Part 10 )
I began to walk in the direction that Kurai went. Once I finally found her, she turned around to look at me.
"They're gone."
"What?" I asked in hopes she'd clarify so I don't misunderstand.
"The demons. Their presence all just vanished. I could sense a little left but... It was too sudden for them to just be killed." She said, worry evident in her pink eyes.
"Maybe they got scared. I mean, us all together probably killed a good amount, right?"
"I..." Kurai stopped herself from speaking her thoughts. "Let's head back to the clearing. We should wait for anyone left to show up." Her words felt empty as she began to quickly walk to the clearing. I watched her silently before starting to follow her as fast as I could.
As we navigated our way through the trees, just as the clearing was starting to come into view I noticed Kurai slowly turn her head to the side before quickly looking forward once more.
When I followed where her gaze went, I noticed something small standing in the trees watching us. It was hard to make out in the darkness besides its bright yellow eyes.
Was it a cat?
I ignored the meaningless curiosity and continued walking behind Kurai. I grew full of concern once she froze in place, her eyes wide in horror.
Without hesitation, I moved past her quickly into the clearing.
"Please... Yuki, Keiko is in danger... Please..." Hiro's words rang in my head like a painful taunt as the horrific sight brought me to a realization I didn't want to believe.
I watched as Natsumi walked to Keiko's detached torso and pried a katana from her hands.
I felt sick from regret. I wanted to throw up.
I tried to cover my mouth and hold down the vomit moving up my throat. I fell to my knees and let it out onto the grass.
"You killed him. For nothing." The voice in my head laughed. "You couldn't protect anyone."
I tried to ignore the voice as tears brimmed in my eyes. My throat was burning, the thought of what I did clenching at my heart. I felt as if just now I gained clarity on everything.
Why was it like this? Why am I like this?
It doesn't make sense.
Why Natsumi? How could Natsumi even do this?
She was born human wasn't she?
So why are there demons here?
I looked up when I heard fast footsteps charging at me. Before Natsumi could strike, Kurai quickly stood in front of me and blocked the attack with her sword.
Natsumi pressured hard against Kurai to break her defense. But Kurai was more skilled in swordplay. She moved her sword quickly and it cut the side of Natsumi's head. As her hair fell from where the cut was, white smoke pooled around the wound.
Just like my black smoke, it stitched the wound shut, except she healed at an insane speed.
Why was it like mine? Was this a part of her magic?
But it wouldn't make sense.
Different gods give different powers. Don't they?
Kurai pulled her sword back to prepare for another piercing strike, but before it could land a large white tentacle quickly grew from her side and shielded her from the attack.
Kurai kept putting pressure trying to pierce through it to no avail.
Once I realized the fight wasn't in her favor I quickly pulled out my katana. I had to help her.
I know I'll never be able to make it up to Hiro for what I did. But I can at least try to end whatever goal Natsumi was trying to achieve.
I quickly moved to Natsumi's side as fast as my legs could take me. I positioned myself to strike, but right before my blade made contact, the white tentacle swung from Kurai's blade.
Its fast motion simultaneously knocked Kurai's sword from her hand and slapped me harshly across the face. As I went hurdling down I heard Kurai scream in fear.
"Yuki!" Kurai yelled in a panic as all her focus immediately fell on me. The moment she got distracted with my safety, Natsumi wasted no time to strike. She swiftly brought her sword down and connected it with the nook of Kurai's neck.
Kurai's eyes opened wide once Natsumi's blade made contact.
I immediately pushed myself off the dirt ground and grabbed my sword. This time I succeeded in piercing her leg.
Natsumi fought back a scream and tore her sword from Kurai's neck, allowing Kurai to fall to her knees. Her hands covered the wound on her neck as she kneeled over, her forehead pressing against the grass.
I ripped my blade from her leg and used it to shield myself when she tried to strike me again. I pushed against her sword to stand up before breaking off our bind. She winced from the pain in her leg as she attempted to sidestep to avoid another attack from me.
But she was a second too late and my blade was able to leave a small cut into her shoulder. When I took another strike, she blocked the attack with her sword. Natsumi attempted to mimic the movement I did to her, but she was still lacking in her swordsmanship.
She failed to properly break our bind in a way to benefitted her, and instead, I was the one who was able to make a swift and easy strike into the space between her shoulder and collarbone. I began to push the sword deeper into her wound as she screamed in pain.
The white tentacle formed a hand-like shape and gripped onto my neck. It felt warm, yet it was getting harder to breathe. As if touching it took away the feeling of pain, but not its capabilities to kill.
I pushed past my need for air as I stared her in the eyes while driving my blade deeper. Tears were flowing down her cheeks as she slowly fell to her knees. The white hand on my throat slowly grew dimmer with each passing second as we stared into each other's eyes.
When she put her hand on my blade I roughly pulled it out of her.
"Yuki... Please... Just die,"
I took a deep breath as my only response to her desperate plea. I slowly aimed my sword at her neck, silence lingering between us.
I couldn't take my eyes away from hers.
The pure dismay and heartbreak that shined in her tear-filled black eyes felt oddly good to see. I wasn't sure if I felt this way because this meant this torment was finally over.
Or because I enjoyed seeing her suffer after betraying all of us.
But either way, the silence didn't last much longer once I took my final strike.
Once I watched Natsumi's body fall to the ground, I quickly walked over to Kurai and squatted down beside her. I put my hand on her shoulder and sighed in relief when I noticed the white smoke swirling around her wound and stitching it back together.
It was odd that she had the same thing as Natsumi, that white smoke.
But I just wanted to be glad she was okay, to focus on that instead. I can ask her questions about it another time.
I stayed by her side for a few seconds as I waited for her to recover. "I'll be ok." She says softly.
"Are you sure?" She stayed quiet and nodded in response, she probably just needed to rest her head while she healed. "Ok. I'll be back." I said softly as I stood up and began walking to the trees.
Nyoko and Den still haven't returned.
They could be scared out there. Kurai said the demons all vanished, so it'll be safe for me to go find them.
As I passed a few trees I heard the goddess call for me from the clearing.
"My child? Where are you heading to?" She called out.
"I need to find the others."
"My child. Your friends are here." She said loudly with a sweet tone in her voice to make sure I could hear her.
Did she bring them here? Like a teleport or something, gods can do that. Right?
"Oh," I said softly under my breath, a small smile of relief spreading to my face. So Nyoko and Den are safe. Good.
At least I have them, right?
As I turned back to return to the clearing once more I heard Kurai yell out.
"Yuki! Don't look!" She screamed in fear. But she was too late.
They were already in sight.
All of them.
All of my friends were lying together in the clearing.
Dead.
"I would've brought Ryuji too, but... Well... His corpse was, unfortunately, unsalvagable. Demons of Gluttony are awfully hungry." The goddess said, a faint giggle in her tone as he put her hand against her cheek.
My eyes flashed to each of their corpses as I felt my body shake. Some were more brutal than others, but each one was painfully carved in my mind.
I slowly walked over to them. Slowly falling to my knees at their feet.
I saw some of their corpses earlier, but now that everything is done. Now it felt as if the reality of it all finally kicked in. It felt hard to breathe, yet I felt as if my breathing was picking up at the same time.
All my friends were dead. Each day I was thankful for them, and yet as I sit here, crying lifelessly at their corpses.
I can't help but feel like I took them all for granted.
Why did this have to happen?
Why to them? What did they do to deserve this?
Just a few days ago we were hanging out and talking about university. Now we're here.
I felt so lost, so hurt. Like my mind is running in agonizing circles.
I did as I was told and went with the flow of the situation. Without questions I did what I had to do. But now as everything was all coming together, as every sight, every feeling, every emotion that I neglected for who knows how long was flooding every ounce of my body.
My body was crushing under the pressure of everything. I felt as if I could die here, by their side.
"Aw, my child." The goddess cooed as she slowly squatted down next to me. She rubbed my back softly with a sad smile on her face. "I truly hate to see you so sad. I'm sure everything will be perfectly fine."
"No. No, it won't." I gritted my teeth as my nails dug into the dirt under me. My fast paced breathing didn't falter. I felt sick to my stomach, my chest was tight and aching.
I let everything that happened, happen. Never once did I really question what would happen at the end of it.
What I'd do next.
"Oh?" She asked amusement in her soft voice. "I see, maybe I misunderstood. Well then... How about this," I looked at her curiously, tears burning my eyes and staining my cheeks.
"I can give you your friends back."
"Is there a price?" I asked cautiously with a shakey breath.
"Oh my child, of course there is. But it won't be horrible, I promise."
"Then, what is it?" I was hesitant, but even if it was horrible, I think I'd go through with it either way. I just want my friends back. I just want a normal life.
If I can't have that, at least they could.
"I want you to forever do my bidding without question. To aid me, stay by me. Train under me for four years, as not only my apprentice. But my child." Her words sounded a bit ominous, yet caught me off guard.
I carefully wiped the tears from my eyes and looked at the goddess in disbelief. "What?"
She giggled softly and smiled at me warmly. "Must I repeat myself?"
I shook my head slightly. "No, no. I just... Didn't expect that. So you'll really just give my friends back to me if I work for you? No strings attached?" My voice was soft and frail, I felt so weak but with this hope peering through, I need to calm myself down.
"Indeed. I'll return them to you in four years' time."
I stared at the goddess silently. It was a long time from now.
But it'll be worth it.
I slowly steadied my breathing stood up and held my shaking hand out to the goddess to shake her hand as a way to confirm our deal.
"Your guardian will come with you as well. Is that alright with you?" The goddess asked as she looked over at Kurai.
"Yeah." Kurai responded reluctantly, she seemed fearful of the goddess, as if refusing her was impossible to do.
"Good. Now then," The goddess turned back to me with a bright smile and gently shook my hand. "The deal is set, my child."
And that was it.
This incident wasn't the end of our lives.
But rather, it was the start.