With the pulse connected to soul, the conciousness was regained. Somehow, the sense of death was present in the artery, swimming along with other creatures of the night. The girl opened her eyes to see if the world still exists, as if that was enough to tell if someone is still alive. Unaware of what happened recently, she noticed that her clothes are loosely hanging from her body. She had to retie her obi in order for them to not fall off. It was a very light made inner wear used mostly indoors so it was not complicated, although Renko was still a little bit confused about what was the proper way to fasten it. A simple knot would work for her, but since she was not a enthusiast of Japanese styled clothing, she also did not know much about their maintenance. Somehow she managed to keep their composure in place, after trying several times. The most difficult subject was that she did have little feeling in the fingers that forced her to concentrate in order to succeed. With that out of her problems, Renko started wondering where is she or what she was doing before she got here. A couple of ideas came to mind, like how her body was sore, how her head kept on telling to move forward and not look back. Where was she anyway, this appeared to be some kind of underground complex of enormous magnitude. There was a few scorched rock formations along with rivers and waterfalls of lava. Just from this sight anyone would instantly burn but the girl was left unharmed from the flames. Not that she particularly wanted to submerge her into torrid liquid, but then again she might be needing to swim in order to get out of place. To escape, despite not seeing an exit, was her current goal to fulfil with only using the pair of both her feet and eyes. Is this how a person walking on a bed of hot embers feels like, did I achieved a higher divination, she was pondering half serious. It was that she did not feel a difference between walking here or on any other ground that made her think so, even though she did not realise why. The direction-less stride ahead seemed like a good decision. As she advanced further into the unknown, she suddenly felt a presence of something ominous. A light floating in the air that gave out a chilly sensation when looked at. For some reason its attention was not attached to anything happening around it, as Renko approached with ease. Was there a purpose of why it would be here, or why it appeared to be alive and yet motionless, the girl was contemplating while trying to touch it. From the information she could read inside her mind, the answer was that the entity there was waiting for something that would never happened as it lost all hope. It was a sorrowful sight for the girl, even though she simply emphasised using only her heart without knowing. But then the ray of light burst ablaze right in front of her which caused Renko nearly to jump from surprise. It creepily turned towards her in a slow motion, facing her with directly and filling the girl's pupils with burning images. Then it spoke in a calm inviting voice that was both lifeless and terrifying. It wanted to know if the person in front of it was here for the same reason, or that if she knows the cause of why is she here. Even if that question sounded somewhat familiar, the girl couldn't know and shrugged in response. The next sound that filled the air was a request for the girl to wait along with the fiery entity, as it was lonely and did not see another being in forever. What happened after, before Renko could reply as she was rather interested in knowing what was the purpose of waiting here, other spirits gathered from far away forming a circle around her. They all had their wishes to converse with newly acquire partner. Everyone wanted different things from her, and everyone seemed to be eager to get their response as fast as possible. Therefore it was quite a chaos Renko had to deal with now, as she was not likely to resist this situation for much longer. The girl ignited her legs and started running away, as the transparent things were not a blockage for her. In few moments it was already over, the pursuers given up without even trying to tail her. As strange as it might sound, it was a little underwhelming that she escaped so easily. In any case, with the new information she managed to gather, she started to realise that this place might not be very pleasant for its visitors. But it was not the time to lose hope, she had to find a solution to this problem herself.
The girl kept wondering both in her mind and in this place. Whichever was to come first, the answers to her questions or the exit, was certainty something that would enable her to move forward, as this was what she really wanted. No time loss was important, neither was the cost, it had to be simply done. She wanted to achieve something, even though her mind could not produce a single clue that would steer her trail of thoughts. There was also nothing inspiring in this dull place, so either way her goal was to escape, as she took into the opposite direction from the gathering of glowing entities. That destination was at least more calming for her tired soul, as she disliked their presence. There was someone else than the previously mentioned actors at the scene. A person not known to the girl, even though it knew about her existence pretty well. It suddenly approached Renko to her surprise, and howled at her. The relief from seeing another soul that was not all pleasant and was rather strange. It was a mix of calmness and the stench of decaying after death, both inviting and repulsing. The girl did not know what would be the correct way to respond, so she simply stood still and took a glance at the other person. The sight was rather amazing as the stranger resembled somewhat a person in a green dress with ornaments along with strange cat-like ears and two tails, something you could see in a antique shop mixed with a poor taste for accessories. Perhaps in this dream it was possible that the other person was simply a strange nightmarish creature and those were real living attachments. Despite that unsure examination, there was also two more things that accompanied her. It was a few of the earlier met fiery spirits and a cart that was seemingly empty. What was inside was not clear, because the girl was too far to check. However, as her curiosity led her towards the item in question, and as she started walking, the other person called for her to cease action. Perhaps it wanted to say something, Renko thought, and asked if that person knew more about this place while still moving. There was no reaction other than the unreasonable plead that was repeated once again. The girl figured that this fellow surely was knowledgeable, and perhaps replying to her calls would be slightly more beneficial. The stranger, seeing that its interest stopped, decided to approach her closer for a certain reason. Both of individuals meet eye to eye each reflecting their shallow facade in each others pupils. The girl was unsure what would happen next, as she tried to continue to question the green cloth figure in order to extinguish the fire between then. But something was clearly wrong, deep in her mind something was getting redder, burning with the adrenaline. It was soon clear that the stranger wanted to introduce her to a transport machine, the ominous looking and uninviting wheelbarrow. Suddenly the girl was grabbed by her shoulder and forced her inside of it. The captured Renko, who could not react in time, was now inside of something with unknown and repulsing structure, which resembled decaying remains of humans bathing in something horrible. The liquid of morbid odour painted her clothes and skin in carmine, as she desperately tried to swim herself out of it. There were also pieces of lamb Amirstan and skeleton hands that grabbed onto her, pulling her further inside which also accounted for her demise. She did not have time to deliberate and find the best possible way to breakout from these clutches, as suddenly the cart started to move. The pieces inside were grossly touching her body, along with the fluid being forced into her nostrils and mouth. She had to hold her breath to prevent further incontinences happening to her lungs, while the inside of the cart kept on rocking at a high speed. Her wish of getting out was soon to be realised, but only to a more darker fate. The stranger stopped, and with a flip, Renko found herself flying towards the reservoir of red hot boiling magma. That surely marked the end for her existence, as in the air she could not steer her motion. With her mind being not able to think anything in this rapid moment, and just in matter of milliseconds, her body submerged into the substance a whole, leaving no doubts that she was no longer on the surface.
The fires that gently rippled in the land of darkness, cradling the victimized girl into deep sleep. If in this moment she would accept their last mercy and realised something terrifying, surely she would not see the ending. Because there was something she still needed to do in her life, she risen her conciousness above the surface again. It was painful, and without that light of hope it would extinguish, but with the strength of not yielding to fate Renko was once again in state of being. Moments later the girl realised that she was at the same place just a while ago. It was this mysterious cave that was ablaze and in which a person who threw her into the manga. The said entity was standing not far from the girl's position and wore a strange expression of both excitement and surprise. Additionally it wanted to express those feelings, along with ensuring that the kidnapping won't happen again. That was because the wheelbarrow affair was a misunderstanding, the figure was continuing proclaiming to the not persuaded girl. Soon after it noticed her facial expression, it decided to gain her trust with introducing itself. Apparently the stranger was a member of a group that manages this place and its flames, and the specific job of the person with the wheelbarrow was to keep the spirits and the dead locked here. However the girl protested, as she was neither of them. Renko was simply someone that was currently dreaming and wanted to find the end for this nightmare. She also articulated on what ground was she considered someone not alive, as she was clearly capable of convincing that she is not dead. But this was a troubling statement she soon realised, as the stranger inquired if the girl knew anything about her past before she got here. She casually shrugged without giving a straight answer, saying that she is currently working on an explanation so the other individual should not worry about it. However this was exactly what the mysterious person wanted to hear, as it was the key to solving a mystery. The elucidation proceeded, but was not fully understood by Renko who had her own idea about which state she was in. From the stranger perspective, it was that her lost soul that wondered into this place in a mistake, which has to be fixed. But the girl denied the accusation, proclaiming that she is surely aware of the fact that this current conciousness is inside of a dream. It was something similar to what other wondering souls would say, according to the figure. However, it did not press the subject because it also knew that it was useless to convince spirits otherwise. Instead it proposed that in the end they would not resolve this matter without a judge. Although for that sake they needed to leave this place behind, it was not a problem for the girl as she wanted to do that anyway. Still her minuscule condition was that she wanted to go on her own two feet, not but a mean of transportation. It was accepted by the stranger, with a faint smile that was seen below its orbs for eyes. With this temporary treaty, both of the individuals marched towards the promised exit to see who was right. For Renko it looked more and more strange how this dream was developing, but as she remained herself of how twisted and mind-shaking they can become she calmed a little. In order to put things together she started recalling what happened so far. Starting from the beginning, she was put into a cave underground that she supposedly fallen into. Next, she took for a bridge that she needed to answer questions in order not to suffer, although she did not recall what they were or how did she respond. Afterwards, she remembered that something happened that was fun, but it did not last for very long, as this memory prompted the feeling of her body being extremely sore. And in the end she found herself carried away by the very same stranger she was walking with and then forcefully taken for a bath in something she would rather forget. All those horrible things happened in this cave, with the darkness chasing her, trying to constrain her into madness. The only sane part of her soul told her that this is still a dream, not a nightmare.
Due to her current partner's recent affair involving a wheelbarrow, the girl was trusting it from a safe distance. Secretly her plan was to escape and run away at the best occasion because of the grief she felt. In actuality, the right moment would happen soon, but not exactly as she schemed. The stranger lead her into an entrance of a building that was overwhelming from this perspective. It said that inside she would find the person who would know what to do next. Even though the girl did not trust that statement, somehow she was feeling that this direction was correct for her goal as well. That made her decide to step in through the large open door. Inside the atmosphere reminded the girl of a cathedral, huge empty spaces with pillars on each side, colourful mosaics of rainbow variety illuminated the floor, multiple branching paths leading to even more mystery. If this really was the place I needed to go it would surely take me some time, Renko thought while strolling through. Since she was accompanied by someone it would be possible for the stranger she meet to know the way. However, there was no longer anyone beside the girl, as she could not find said person. Would the figure suddenly disappear, she wondered now being alone again. That was what she wanted after all, so there was no one else but herself to blame. Despite that, she was concentrated on the current case which was finding something she was searching for. Simply any direction would do, as she started with a pathway to her left. If this structure is indeed a maze, I will find the exit using this ancient technique, she was jokingly thinking to herself. Soon she would find herself in a long corridor with entrances to rooms that gave the impression of being endless. It was certainty just the matter of checking every door until she would find the right one. The shape of them was a little eye attracting, because there was a small shutter on each that one could open, allowing them to see the inside. Renko could not help her curiosity but to look right away into each one. She opened the closest and there was nothing inside, just a empty room with a window and without inhabitants. However the door itself was locked, her interest in exploring further turned away from it. The girl decided to check another area close by, which was interestingly different. Inside there was an empty bed along with some straps on it, presumably to keep whoever on it secured. Among other trifling things, like a cabinet or screens, nothing brought a concern in the girl's mind. However, all those instruments put together made her think that this place, or at least this room, was meant to be a hospital wing that served to keep the patients inside. Perhaps she would use an examination, out of curiosity, but intelligibly the image of the leather straps on the top of the hospital bed was not an inviting sight. She was interested in finding a door which she could open, and the last one was not what she was looking for. Still, she continued her travel keeping her hopes up. Unfortunately, this process continued for a while until she found something out of this world.
This time Renko was rather reluctant at manipulating the shutter, because she felt something dangerous inside of the room. But as soon as her hand moved without her consent, something hit with a huge force that was felt on the other side as well. The girl did not lose her balance but was really curious just what is in there, as she slowly operated the visor. What she saw, deeply glued into the window, was a sight of a frightening humanoid monster caught in a straitjacket, furiously shaking its overgrow hair. The sound it made was something incomprehensible for even someone from its kin. Whatever was Renko doing, it was well aware of her presence, as it appeared to be looking directly at the door. With its pair of spider-like legs for libs, that were sticking out the bottom of the suit, it rushed towards the girl. It was the signal for her to stop looking as she quickly shut close the window between them two and turned away. Luckily for her heart the door repelled the force, and she was safe from the harm. After the sound of the impact echoed through the hallway, something else was also to be heard. There was a set of footsteps repeating along with something rolling on a wheel, Renko thought as she tried to analyse them. As it was clear for her that something was heading her way, hence she decided that it would be smart to run directly away from it. However, she suddenly felt a strange sensation at the back of her ankle. There was no time to study what it was. It resembled something like a needle injection, but it might have been a just cramp of the muscle. In her haste, and in matter of few moments later, she realised that it was not as unimportant as she first thought. The loss of energy she felt caused her to slow down and face another problem further ahead. There was a wall now in front of her, instead of the corridor, as perhaps she reached the end of it. At that time, the sound of an unknown pursuer was getting louder. She had to think of something quick. The only other escape was to hide inside one of the rooms that she passed while running. There was no time to lose, she was thinking as she bolted towards the closest door. Unfortunately, neither that one or several others were openable by hand. The fate she soon had to meet was perhaps not a more cruel one that being put in a room with the monster she saw. Not giving up on trying all the doors, Renko was feeling as she had a fewer with a high temperature, and was losing energy in legs. She suddenly tripped and was on the ground looking at someone pushing a hospital bed towards where she was laying. Just before her conciousness was to fade out of exhaustion, she felt something lifting her body onto top of the bed. Where would I end up next, were her last words spoken before closing her tired eyes.
In dreams often you can see a pattern in which you suddenly find yourself in a different place after something happened. It is similar to how movies skip a certain part of the story by using transitions. The next scene usually happens after the previous one, although the difference in the dream is that they are almost not related at all. It is rare for one story to go on for a long time while sleeping, however surely those kinds are greatly enjoyed by everyone. Renko's head, who did already experienced much in the current dream of hers, was to be forcefully put inside a water basket in order for her to wake up. She regained her conciousness after choking a little liquid outside and opened her senses. This time she was no longer in hold of her own freedom, as her limbs felt something binding them. It was a specially crafted suit that covered her entire body but the head, which gave the impression of cold dampen blanked that covered her skin directly. Her body was positioned in a standing orientation, although her foot were not on the ground but being suspended in air, with having something soft that resembled a bed supporting her from behind. With this in mind, Renko realised her current status was rather hopeless and inundated with restrains. As she tried to struggle and twitch there was no change in how loose her binding were, until she stumbled upon the fact that escape is not possible. She noticed that she was inside of a room that she saw earlier, where the doors were locked from both sides. Therefore, even if she released herself from this tether it would not help with the exit, but at least it would allow her to change into something more dry. A few droplets of water gently fallen off her face down towards the ground, as her head was still damp from the waking up procedure. With convenience, the girl felt that someone was wiping her head with a towel. But since she was not aware of anyone but herself inside room, it staggered her unexpectedly. Just who was with me at this moment, she wondered while looking around again. There was indeed someone else, at the corner of her eye she could sight a presence. It was a person she could swear she remembers from somewhere, just from where was it, the girl pondered. For Renko it was rather uncomfortable to stay much longer in this position, hence she decided to start a conversation. She asked if it would be possible for her to have a change of clothes and be stationed differently, most desirable position would be outside. But the person denied with only one word, and manipulated a lever. That altered the position of the girl, along with the bed, into a horizontal one. This way she could clearly see a face leaning towards her from above. Although she wanted to examine it further, she was interrupted by the lips who spoke. Firstly they apologized for the inconveniences the girl suffered on her way here, and that they are happy since the girl finally reached the destination they wanted. But there was something off for Renko, as she replied that she did felt that this is not the place where she wanted to go, and asked why would she be in such secure position. Because it was for your own safety, the stranger assured, even if it seems extreme. All those measures are because from your perspective it would be impossible to realise the sickness you are carrying, the voice continued explaining. However, the girl hearing that was rather unimpressed by the lack in detail of the exposition. What she only wanted was to be released, not examined, as she suddenly reminded herself of her joke in irony. However, despite her protest the figure proceeded with its plans. There was a flash of blinding ray from a source that resembled a eye shaped flashlight. It directly impacted Renko through her sockets and into the brain. Even if she immediately closed them, she could still see the radiance. Soon, she left like her own body was about to give out, as if her soul was disconnected from it. But this was just the beginning of her journey in this dream world.