Everything feels so…dark…heavy. Why does everything feel so dark? The archer slowly cracks his eyes open and saw nothing but pitch black.
What happened? "Oboro? Hinata?" He groggily lifted up his head and looked around to see if there was anyone. "Sakura? Hinoka-nee? …Ryouma-nii san?" Only to find nothing, which scared him to his wits. Takumi tried to recall what happened before he became unconscious. He remembers the splitting pain that was constantly throbbing in his head, how he kept demanding for that pain to go away, to go away forever. He remembers fighting, screaming, shouting, and someone trying to call out his name. It felt familiar, yet it had a painful, more sorrowful kind of feeling. And then it hit him like a ton of bricks and he stood up.
No.
No.
He suddenly felt nauseous and dizzy.
No no no no nonono. Am I really…? This can't be.
He whipped his head left and right, frantically searching for something, someone. Anyone. He started running and kept searching for some source of light. "Sakura! Hinoka! Nii-san! Someone! Anyone?!" His throat felt dry from all the constant running, he felt really lightheaded, and desperately wanted to hear a voice. Realizing that he's running to nowhere, he slowed into a complete stop. He stared at pitch black for how long and then he felt empty. Alone.
I am alone. There is no one. I am truly alone.
He crouched down to his knees and just broke. A rush of tears came down as he went down on his knees and bowed his head to the invisible ground. Scared. That was all he felt at the moment. He wanted to think that this is just another one of his nightmares, that someone will wake him up and soothe his worries away.
But there was no one. He cannot wake up.
I am truly alone.
He sobbed and mumbled a string of apologies. Sakura, Hinoka-nee, Ryouma-nii san…I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I failed you, that I failed you as a brother. I'm so weak, so useless. If only I can be stronger…If only I can be more…more like Kamui.
Kamui…
Takumi wanted to loathe her. He really did. He wanted to hate how she betrayed him and his siblings, how she killed Mother right in front of his family, how she easily went back to her so-called siblings in Nohr, how he was never able to succeed in defeating her, how she invaded his home country, and most of all, how he hated for breaking his heart. Takumi really wanted to hate her, for all the pain and suffering she has caused.
But he couldn't.
Deep down, he wanted to be like them. Like her siblings back in Nohr. In the end, he's just like his other siblings, the longing for their long-lost sister. He wanted to bond with her, talk to her, laugh with her, practice archery with her, and genuinely love her. It hurt him how he didn't take the chance in reaching out to her, and the feeling became worse all because he can never reach out to her.
He didn't want to believe that he was dead. He still wanted to believe that this is just a nightmare. Maybe if he hit himself on the head, or pinch his arm to wake himself up.
Instead, reality hit him hard on the head.
I'm sorry Kamui, if only I was stronger, if I didn't have all this hatred then maybe…
Then he blacked out.
The next time he woke up, he expected complete darkness, but found himself in a field of flowers and a sunset sky. Blinking a few times, he slowly sat up and looked around, confused. Where am I…?
"Takumi," He gasped at the familiar voice. I-it can't be…
He slowly turned his head at the source of the sound and almost cried out when he landed on the figure standing right beside him. "M-mother…" A wave of feelings crashed upon him in one viewing. Overjoyed. Sadness. Yearning. Elated. Takumi got up on his feet and wrapped his arms tightly around his mother. "Mother…" He sobbed.
Mikoto reciprocated with the same gesture and rubbed his back. "I'm so proud of you, my dear child. You have been working so diligently and I could not be any happier."
"I…You shouldn't be proud of me. I wasn't strong enough to protect everyone. I let everyone down, if I just-"
"Shhh. Dear, you may not realize this, but you are strong. You have always been. I've seen it with my own two eyes; how you would sneak out into the forest during sunrise to practice your archery. I noticed how much you care for your siblings, especially Sakura during those harsh thunderstorms. When you took up Fujin Yumi, I-" she paused, "your father and I could not been any more proud."
Takumi still looked unconvinced and she chuckled. "If that doesn't convince you, I think there's someone else who can otherwise."
Before Takumi can even ask who, he felt a warm hand on his shoulder. He looked around and his eyes widened in shock. "N-nii-san?!"
Ryouma smiled. "Hello, Takumi."
"But..but how-" Then his brother silenced him with his hand.
"Takumi, there is something I should tell you before I died." He paused and took a deep breath and exhaled. "I met up Kamui and her army in the place I stationed myself at. Let's just say…it was a very bittersweet reunion."
Ryouma explained the whole story about how he fought between him and Kamui, about how she lied about killing Hinoka by showing the spear she used, how she tried to explain him the truth, witnessing the arising conflict with her and the King of Nohr, and how he committed suicide for his dear sister, leaving her in good hands. Needless to say, Takumi tried to reel in everything; it was all so overwhelming that he didn't know how to process this fully. In the midst of soaking in everything, Ryouma interrupted his thoughts. "Now Takumi, tell me, how did you get here?"
The younger prince only answered with a solemn, regretful face. "I take it that Kamui also tried to reason with you?"
His eyes crinkled in remorse. "I…remember…when she fought against me, all I could think of was defeating her, once and for all. At least once, I wanted to be on the winning side; after all, she was on enemy territory, I was so sure that she wouldn't be successful in infiltrating the castle, but…" He pondered, "When I was defeated by her again, she gave me that look. That same look when she tried to talk with me back at Port Dia. The look of guilt and longing. Just by staring at that face, I knew she didn't want any of this to happen, but at that time I couldn't think of it. I was still hurt by her betrayal.
Since my failure at Port Dia, I've been having these massive headaches that wouldn't just go away. It kept throbbing and it wouldn't just stop. I thought…if I just sleep it away or clear my head in archery practice, it would go away…but it didn't."
"Takumi…"
"When I met her again at Cheve, the pain in my head became worse. Then I concluded that she was the one. She and her siblings were the source of pain, and I had to get rid of them. I had to run away from Cheve before she and her damned lackeys would ravage the town. Since then, that's all I could think about."
"But what about that time when we met up with her in Izumo? Surely, her actions were merely justified after killing off that sorcerer."
"Sure, her actions were justified, but that didn't mean she was gonna pull that kind of thing off again. But, if I had to be honest, despite the huge tension in the ballroom, it was a bit nice sitting down as a family, even if they were considered enemies. Sakura even worked up the courage to say hello to her, much to my shock."
"Yes, so you saw that too? Sakura looked relieved after Kamui responded with the same amount of contentment. I agree, it was rather refreshing; very strange, but refreshing."
Takumi relished at the thought. "Heh, who knew even at the climax of war, we would all sit down and have a meal together. It is truly such a small world. Makes me sorta glad that Lord Izana kept up that temporary truce." It was silent for a moment, before he spoke up again. "Throughout all those fights and mishaps, I didn't feel like myself at all. There was always a voice engulfing my thoughts, that killing was the only way. Deep down, I knew I never wanted this, all this madness raging through me. I've been noticing all of these pessimistic thoughts, and yet," He bowed his head in shame, "It took me until now to realize this. I just wish Kamui would forgive me."
The swordsman gently placed his hand on his shoulder. "I am certain that Kamui would definitely forgive you. After all, you are her precious little brother and I'm sure she would be pleased to know you truly feel that way."
He looked at his older brother with hope. "You really think so?" Ryouma nodded. Takumi pursed his lips into a thin line as he wiped his misty eyes with incoming tears. "Ahh, if only she was here one more time; one more time so I can properly tell her everything." My true feelings.
It was truly heartbreaking to watch what was happening back down there, where that damned soul that resides in his body was shooting like wildfire. The archer watched from the heavens as Kamui barely missed the shot by a hair and looked up to see his imposter. He wanted to yell at his sister that it wasn't him as she used herself as a scapegoat to atone for her mistakes and regrets. He screamed "NO!" and wanted to drag himself back to earth when his imposter shot Kamui dead-on, rendering her unconscious and shattering the legendary Shadow Yato into pieces.
Even after witnessing what happened, his body stiffened at the familiar figure lying on the grassy field. His feet were implanted to the ground that he couldn't budge at all. The archer stopped breathing and his throat felt dry. He felt infuriated, powerless even, at himself for allowing this to happen. When his brother and mother walked up to the figure, he just stared at them, not ready to show his presence yet. He watches as she cracked her eyes open and complained how she didn't want to get up for sword practice. How typical of Kamui. Takumi almost laughed at the thought.
He watches how she slowly realizes that she's standing between life and death, and how she contorts her face in pain. Upon hearing his brother and mother's words, he steels himself ready as Kamui turns around to see him. He gazed upon her presence as she ran up to him, perplexed. "Takumi! How are you here?! Why are you here?! I thought your body is down there-"
"That's the thing, Kamui. My body is there, but not my soul. My soul has been long even before any of us could realize."
"…"
"Kamui, I just wanted to say, I'm sorry." He pondered for a moment. "If fate brought us together, I'm sure we could have been as close as with your Nohrian siblings. I admit, I truly envied the bonds you have with them, it hurt me so much, I couldn't bear the thought of it." Pour it out, Takumi. Pour out everything you need to say before she leaves. "I've also wanted to bond with you, talk to you, laugh alongside with you, practice archery with you, and genuinely love you as a sister. I wanted to experience that with you so much." He gazed into her crimson eyes. "I know we can never have these moments, and I'm so sorry that I brushed away those chances."
Kamui smiled. "I am also sorry, for causing you all that pain and suffering. In truth, I have also wanted to bond with you, like a sibling should do. I dreamed of doing all those things as soon as the war ended, but…" She bowed her head in regret. "We can never be together like we wanted to. I'm so sorry, I hope you can forgive me."
Ahh, so this is what it feels like to be forgiven. Takumi shook his head. "You have already been forgiven. Just hearing you say that already makes my heart at peace. You've done more than enough. Now," he held out his Fujin Yumi for the last time. "Please, Kamui, my body's been corrupted far long enough and I ask of you, put my body to rest."
"But Takumi, I can't-"
"Please, my heart may be at peace, but my body will not be unless it's free from its evil corruption. I'll lend you my Fujin Yumi in compensation for your Yato. I know it'll be in greater use with you at its side."
"…Okay." When Takumi passed on his legendary bow to Kamui, he felt light and a bit saddened, knowing that it's not in his possession anymore, but gladdened nonetheless. "I swear to you, Takumi, I'll set you free. I'll set you free so you can finally be at peace."
Takumi closed his eyes relishing her promises. I was already at peace the moment you forgave my whole being. He opened his eyes and nodded as he walked to his brother and mother, who were waiting for them. He stood alongside with them and stared at Kamui, for one last time.
As they exchanged their goodbyes, Takumi and the rest of them felt light all of a sudden. He gave Kamui a warm smile as she watches them fade into existence. Till we meet again, my dear sister. I love you…
As he felt the presence of his body returning to him, Takumi felt even lighter. "Thank…you...my...sister…"