[Oka POV]
Running through the base of the Makai Council, I quickly sought out to find out where Shiori had gone. I could no longer feel her aura, which only meant one thing. During the time I was trying to find her, I stumbled across Shuichi, who was blankly staring in a specific area of the base. I stopped beside him and he turned to me. "Do you feel that ?", he asked me, his voice full of concern and uneasiness. I nodded my head. "It's-" Somewhere nearby, there was the sound of a large explosion. We both turned in that direction to look for a source. That was when I noticed a sudden a white beam of light, which had shot up into the dark sky of Makai. Shuichi and I looked at each other and immediately went towards the light. If I was right, it was..
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[Shiori POV]
My mothers duplicate struggled to break away from my grasp but I didn't allow it. It amused me to see that her composure and confidence from before was completely gone. "What.. what is this !?", she shouted in a panic as she looked at the white circle that was underneath the both of us. "My body.. it won't move !! What is this light !??" "It's a seal", I tiredly replied. "This'll also be what will send you back to your final resting place.. Do you understand what fear is now ?" "Impossible !", she snapped, "How is this possible !? How do you manage to remain so calm in a situation like this !??" I broke out into a grin. "Because", I replied, almost in a chuckle, "Unlike you, I already know what death really feels like."
The white light underneath us grew stronger and everything in my line of vision began to disappear. This is it, I thought with a weary smile. The seal has broken. I closed my eyes and sighed in relief. It's all up to you now.
~~~~~
When I opened them, I noticed Kana standing in front of me with a worrisome expression on her face. "You fool", she said as she shook her head with a reluctant smile. "You stupid fool.." I walked up to her and smiled. "You knew it as well, didn't you ?", I asked her, "That the moment that the barrier allowed us to talk and switch places with each other, you knew that it was already beginning to weaken." She didn't respond. I reached over and hugged her. There was a feeling of warmth that surrounded her. It was soothing.
"Nee..", I mumbled softly, "Can you.. promise me something Kana ?"
"And that is ?", she asked, her voice calm but at the same time, unsteady.
"Can you promise me that if something were to happen to me after this, that you would watch over them in my place ? If I were to disappear, will you.. watch over them for me?"
"You make it sound as if that was already decided. How can you be so sure ?"
"I'm not quite sure of it myself, but the white light that surrounded us feels promising enough to feel this way. Although, I doubt that this will be the last time we meet."
"If you plan to leave me alone in this dreadful world, then you must make a promise to me as well."
"A promise for a promise", I chuckled. "Anything for you."
"If what you say is true.. and you really disappear, then you must promise me that you'll do what ever you can to find your way back to me."
"Of course I will. I made that promise to you didn't I ? Another one won't hurt. I won't leave you alone until that other promise has finally been fulfilled. Besides, we've been together for the majority of my life. I'm sure that our connection is much stronger than the connection that is trying to break us apart. In other words, I have a feeling that I won't disappear from you completely."
I took a step back and smiled at Kana. Our hands intertwined and we gently pressed our foreheads together as the light around us began to fade away.
"Then I promise to you, Shiori", she said in a soft, quiet tone. "I'll wait for the day that you can finally come back to me. No matter how long it takes me, I'll keep waiting."
I chuckled and slowly closed my eyes."I promise", I said with a smile.
"And.. thank you." Because surely, this won't be the end.
We wouldn't let it. Not at all.
~~~~~
Somewhere nearby, something crashed open. I, who was staring at the ground, took a deep breath and wearily sighed. "Oka !!", I heard someone cry. I slowly looked up to see a horrified expression on the duplicates face. I smirked and watched the color of her face disappear. "What's the matter ?", I asked, "Still willing to stay standing now are we ?" She coughed and blood appeared. I pitied her as she fell to the ground. I reached for the handle of the knife and pulled it out of me. Blood dripped onto the floor as if it were only rain. I dropped the knife beside her and stared as the duplicate began to change back into its original form. It was definitely a Rank A demon, one who aimed for recognition most likely.
"You who was only a pawn to the plans of the council", I began to say, "Do you realize what your role was in this now ?" The demon clung onto its chest and stared in the direction of Luurè, who was watching from behind me. "Please..", it begged. "Help me.. Master.. Luu..rè.." I looked over my shoulder at stared at the smile on his face. "As if I would help someone like you", he replied with a carefree shrug. "It's just as she says. You were just a pawn. Now that you have been defeated, you are no longer of any use." The look in Luurè's eyes changed. "Die", he said. And just like that, the demon, who realized it was abandoned, died.
"How.. how cruel !", I hear someone shout. I didn't turn to the direction of that voice but instead turned to face Luurè. As I had remembered, there was that content smile on his face as he watched me. "Must I fight you as well ?", I asked him. He laughed. "So soon ?", he replied, taking a step towards me. "Cut to the chase", I snapped, "I don't have time for this." "How does it feel to return to the world that you abandoned ?", he asked. I smirked and waved my hand. "I wonder about that", I responded, "It's just the same as the last time I remember it. It's filthy." I turned away from him and turned to the three standing on the other side of the room. Oka was staring at me with a blank yet sympathetic expression on her face. The other two, on the other hand, stared at me with uncertainty. It wasn't a surprise. No, not at all.
After all, I was not the girl that they were frantically looking for. I was not Shiori.
In the end, it was just as they said. You keep moving forward and eventually start over again.
Shiori was no longer here. Instead, it was me.
The one who abandoned Makai.