The last thing that I saw before closing my eyes was Natsu and Somin crying. Pleading for me to come back... to not go. When I fell into the water, a glass type of case surrounded me. The cursed mask covering my face in doing so.
It only covered my face, but the rest of my head was covered by some sort of fabric that the mask let out. My blonde hair being concealed so I was unrecognizable. I lost count on how long I'd been in the water.
I felt myself hit the ground and I relaxed my body. Even though I drowned to the bottom of the sea, I could still breathe. I knew so long as I am this island's vessel, I would never die as its life force is now connected to mine.
I could hear it, the island's way of communicating with me. I thought it would be terrible to hear. That I was listening to an entity that ruined me, but it was soothing. Giving me energy. Asking me what I wanted to do.
My eyes were closed and I couldn't speak... but I could still communicate to the island and tell it what I wanted. I realized that the island may have been the one to keep everyone captive... but it was the Ring Master that had it truly done.
"I don't want people to suffer in this death game anymore..."
If there was one thing I was sad about, it was the fact that the island couldn't grant me my wish. The island stayed in the water for years to prevent the game. Until the last Ring Master came and started the death game again.
However, it gave me one offer... to go back to my nakama. However, I had to go back... as the Ring Master.
I honestly didn't know how to respond. I know that if I go back as the Ring Master and news already spread about the incident, then it would end up pretty badly. But I wanted to see my nakama again.
I didn't seem to have enough time to think. I could feel the container that surrounded my body shift and turn. As if something was pushing it. I could hear muffled voices, rough and deep. I didn't like the feeling in my gut.
Whatever weight that I felt when I touched the ground, it disappeared all of a sudden and I could feel my body go upright. Something tapping the crystal-like glass in a pattern. One. Two. Three.
I could feel the island trying to keep me down here in the water. But whatever freed me had other plans. I could feel the container go up and the island cried out for me. Yet I was powerless to even act in my current state.
When the island realized it couldn't take me back, it sent itself to me. I could tell that the island didn't rise like I did like it was supposed to, so it decided to give its essence to me.
In doing so, I could feel the island itself degrading. I figured its essence is how the island was alive. After awhile of me not knowing what was going on or where I was, my hand twitched. And it hurt like hell.
How long have I been down at the bottom of the ocean? My body was stiff and just twitching my hand hurt, yet I tried my hardest to open my eyes to see where I was.
They may be behind the mask and no one would know who I am, but I still want to see. I need to see. The rest of my senses are taking a real long time in working again. I still can't hear properly but I could pretty much feel and smell.
That's when I finally opened my eyes. My vision was blurry, but I could make out where I was and who was with me based on the blurs.
My eyes moved about, taking in all the blurs. I figured that I was in a room, a cabin of some sort. The entire room was a brown blur, assuming that it's wood. People stood around me and judging from their build as my eyes began to adjust, they were men.
"Where... am I?" My voice suddenly spoke. It hurt to speak but that doesn't stop me either.
"It seems that instead of finding the fairy girl, we find the supposedly dead Ring Master." One of the men spoke up.
"What?" My voice suddenly changed, it sounded like the previous Ring Master's voice but more feminine.
"Well, either way... we have the one person that the fairies couldn't defeat." Another noted. "It's time we showed that guild that they're not that tough."
"So what do you say, 'Ring Master'?" The one that looked like the leader of the men. "Would you care to lead us in defeating the fairies you have yet to kill?"
My body began to move on it's own. I wanted to desperately refuse their intentions. I would never want to kill my nakama. However, it seems the mask had it's own desires. It made a jolt of pain go through my head and I was no longer in control.
I could feel the island's essence flow through me in a sad way. Almost like it was apologizing. Regretting. That's when it hit me. It was the mask. The mask did it all. It was no wonder that I couldn't break it.
But it wasn't the time for celebration. I was being pushed back. Paralyzed by the mask. It controlled me... and all I could do was struggle and try to get in control again. But to no avail. My body sat up and I could feel myself smirk.
"How I've waited to hear that."
