Koji's head hung limply forward, his breath slow and regular. Most of the straps across his body had been undone, leaving only the leather around his wrists and ankles to bind him. Not that he intended to go anywhere. His mind was swimming, bobbing in an endless expanse of cold, black water. It had been eons since he'd stopped imagining otherwise, and an eternity since he'd stopped caring. Actually, just now, he found it really hard to care about anything. For the hundredth time he sank beneath the waves.
"Koji? Koji, can you hear me? Merde, Koji!"
Lethargically, he lifted his eyes, struggling to focus matted pupils on the speaker. Dorian's face visibly tightened as he took in their dull grey hue, his tongue running over his front teeth as he tried to process what had happened.
"Damn it," he whispered. "Damn it! What have they done to you?"
"Don't act like you don't know," spat Koji, a flame of anger lashing out against the cold apathy.
"I didn't think they'd actually do it," Dorian shot back, defensive. "Not so soon… I never would've brought you here if I thought they'd… Damn…"
"Like you give a shit. Anything for your girlfriend, right?"
"Ysault is trapped because of me, because I pushed her past the breaking point. What happened to her is my responsibility. You should understand that, especially now. How long ago did they inject you? If we move fast we can probably get you out of range. Give you some time to just flush them out before your body-"
"What makes you think I even want to go anywhere!" He had the presence of mind to keep his voice down; still, the words came out with the force of a scream. Koji lurched forward, tugging against his restraints. "Least of all with you. Traitor."
"Yes, I betrayed you. I sold you out to get closer to my own objectives; I will admit that. But this isn't the time. Let me get you out of here, then I will explain myself."
"There's nothing to explain. You bastard, you played us from the start. You don't care about me or my brother or anything except getting Ysault's body back. As if she'd forgive you."
"I'm not asking for forgiveness! I am asking for the chance to make it right! I never meant for it to go this far."
"Whatever. It doesn't matter."
"I got my instructions and information from Tache, yes. But I wasn't just playing my part, I was also trying to prepare you- prepare Koichi. That first night I wasn't supposed to intervene but I did. I gave him the advice I wished I'd gotten. I thought he'd be stronger alone, but when he decided otherwise I did nothing. He was vulnerable, I could've isolated him. I could've made sure his first encounter with the Dark Ocean would be his last, but instead I used the PCP so the connection would only be temporary. There was so much damage I could've done, so much I wanted to do…
"Can't you see I've been drawing this out, giving your brother time to adjust at every step? Everything- Tache wants your brother exposed but Koichi had to become stronger. If the Ocean had hit him all at once he would've been overwhelmed, just like they all are, but, I thought, if he experienced it in small doses-"
"Stop trying to justify yourself and just be honest for once. All you care about is getting Ysault back."
"Of course I want Ysault back! But there's more to it! Koichi has to face the Ocean. The only way he can overcome this mess is to take it head on. There was never any avoiding this, so I did what I had to do."
"Is that how you sleep at night? You still let it happen, nothing changes that. You hate Koichi and want to see him fail, always have."
"At first. I hated him for what he'd done- for what he represented. I admit it. I wanted him to suffer and he has. Now I just want it to end."
"Oh it's going to end alright. Tache will take over Koichi and then the Ocean will take over everything. Anything else is a lie."
"No. No I believe in your brother. I believe he can overcome his demons and set things right. That's the truth," Dorian said, squatting down to undo Koji's restraints. His fingers worked quickly, his gaze focused intently on the task. "Especially now."
"The hell is that supposed to mean?"
"Bahar. When Tache and I left the Digital World we… left her behind. She wouldn't give into the taint so Tache wanted her out of the way. But I set up my equipment to bring her to this world as soon as I left, when someone not me worked the computer. I know she's here. You'll have to get in line behind her if you still want to kill me, but if there's someone who can teach your brother how to defeat the Ocean, it's Bahar."
"Wow, you're something else. If she's so wonderful why wait? Why make Koichi wait?"
"Because… I promised Ysault I would bring her back. I have to focus on that first. But Bahar cares more about the world. You're all better than me like that."
"I'm not."
Dorian froze as the last strap fell, fully releasing Koji. Without hesitation the Chosen of Light drove his fist into Loyalty's gut, sending him stumbling back. He choked, falling to his knees and hunching over as if sick. Koji advanced on him, smiling just a little as the undeniable black of his eyes ate the light. Wordlessly, he spun around, delivering another painful blow as his heel collided with Doran's rib cage. A scream tore through the air, causing Koji's grin to widen.
"You have no idea how good it felt to do that," he said casually, as if the topic had turned to weather. "You have no idea how freeing it is to just give up and be what you are. To finally understand."
"Koji," Dorian gasped, all but groveling before him. "What are you-"
"Quiet! You don't get to talk anymore. Everything that comes out of you is a lie and I'm done listening. I actually wanted you to be real. I disliked you right off the bat and still I wanted to believe you could somehow help. The big irony is you did. It sickens me to think that you're the reason I finally opened my eyes and saw the world for what it is."
"That's the Ocean, don't let it control you! Get away from here! Go back to your brother!"
"I'm not going anywhere until I'm ready. Then I will go find Koichi. You were right about one thing: he does need to get stronger. Not the way you were thinking though. He doesn't need to fight the Ocean he needs to embrace it! Koichi's the only one who can truly open the world by becoming what he's destined to be. Only then will his suffering be over."
"The Ocean doesn't end suffering," Dorian hissed, staring up at Koji through disheveled hair. "It breeds it."
"What would you know. Your plan involved my brother trying to hold back an inevitable storm. I understand now how much that hurts him… I never imagined what he must've endured. What it took for him to find me… He's the strongest person I know, stronger than I am. He'll fight it."
Koji gasped, one hand reaching up to cradle his head. Needles made of ice were being driven through his eyes and into his brain. Inside his mind the waves swelled, forcing salt water up his nose and into his lungs. For one brief, terrifying moment he saw himself standing knee deep in cold water. Roots twisted around his body and… no… there was one burrowed into the back of his neck. He squirmed, trying to pull away from it, trying to free his hands and tear it out, but the roots held fast. Black mist evaporated from their surface, encasing him and a cloud of pitch. A cloud he couldn't avoid.
His hand dropped and his gaze locked with Dorian's. Chasm black against icy blue. He watched as hope died in those cold eyes.
"He'll fight it," he repeated in a flat tone. "But he'll loose. The Ocean is inevitable and it will swallow this world. Doesn't matter how much I hate it, I have to thank you. Because you're a spineless worm, because you betrayed us, I can now help Koichi through the transition. I'll help him understand. I will bring him to Tache and make sure he finally covers the world in Darkness. All thanks to you."