Prologue
Slowly, tiredly, he opened his eyes. The vibration of his mobile phone had interrupted his sleep.
All but automatically, he reached for the device on the nightstand next to him, absentmindedly pressing it to his ear.
"Yes?"
Heavy silence on the other end of the line caused the fog in his mind to dissolve slowly, but surely.
He sat up.
"Hello?"
"Listen carefully. This is your last order", the voice said.
No other voice had ever been as familiar to him as this one.
He loved it. As much as he loved the one it belonged to.
Even if all he ever got in return was rejection.
"I'm listening", he said, trying not to let his agitation transpire.
His last order? Why last order? What was he supposed to do?
Almost getting lost in the uncomfortable silence, he wasn't prepared for the two words that were going to change everything.
"Leave, Nisei."
His eyes went wide. All of a sudden, he was wide awake.
"What did you just-", he blurted out, but the phone call had already been ended by the other party.
He stared at the small screen that threw its cold white light upon his face.
He should leave?
For one moment he considered the possibility of calling back - until he thought better of it.
There was no use. If Seimei didn't want to talk to him, he didn't stand a chance.
Lethargy had taken hold of his body just a few moments later. He was still staring at the screen that had been showing the name of his Sacrifice, his beloved, his god only minutes ago, turning dark and drowning the entire world around him in blackness.
His eyes lost focus.
Not a chance.