Chapter 3: A meeting of spirits.
The stars were numerous around her. Space? She thought groggily. I'm dead I guess... She looked around this universe. She was floating, she realized. On what though. The same faceless man that had been in many of her dreams since her fathers death stood in the distance. The staff in his hand chimmed softly as he looked at the stars.
"I thought you couldn't hear things in space?" My mouth didn't move, but I knew he had heard my thoughts. He turned, the staff chimming louder.
"It is almost time, Yukari..." His voice was majestic with wisdom.
"You say that so often, what do you mean?" She asked, as he walked to her. He held up the staff and what happened next she didn't expect.
"The fire grows stronger..." He said as a flame ring started around her. You can't get hurt in dreams, she thought and touched the fire. It was hot to the touch and it burnt. She pulled her hand back, it was black with ash and burns. "You will see later, Yuka...Now I must return you to your realm for now..."
"Wait!" But the vision faded to the sky she felt her lungs burn as she took a deep breathe.
"Yukari! C'mon, wake up..." Rowen was shaking, holding her. She opened her eyes all the way, looking up at him.
"Rowen...?" She whispered.
"Shh...don't talk, just concentrate on breathing...Don't shut your eyes, sis...you hit your head hard..."
The burning in her hand caught her attention and she looked at it. Burns and ashes. How...? A hand touched her head and a rush of warmth entered her body, like a ray of light. The pain in her head eased and she looked to see Sage with his hand on her forehead.
"Sage?" She blinked but soon she felt drained, tired. Yukari welcomed it, knowing she would wake soon.
The stars were numerous around her. Space? She thought groggily. I'm dead I guess... She looked around this universe. She was floating, she realized. On what though. The same faceless man that had been in many of her dreams since her fathers death stood in the distance. The staff in his hand chimmed softly as he looked at the stars.
"I thought you couldn't hear things in space?" My mouth didn't move, but I knew he had heard my thoughts. He turned, the staff chimming louder.
"It is almost time, Yukari..." His voice was majestic with wisdom.
"You say that so often, what do you mean?" She asked, as he walked to her. He held up the staff and what happened next she didn't expect.
"The fire grows stronger..." He said as a flame ring started around her. You can't get hurt in dreams, she thought and touched the fire. It was hot to the touch and it burnt. She pulled her hand back, it was black with ash and burns. "You will see later, Yuka...Now I must return you to your realm for now..."
"Wait!" But the vision faded to the sky she felt her lungs burn as she took a deep breathe.
"Yukari! C'mon, wake up..." Rowen was shaking, holding her. She opened her eyes all the way, looking up at him.
"Rowen...?" She whispered.
"Shh...don't talk, just concentrate on breathing...Don't shut your eyes, sis...you hit your head hard..."
The burning in her hand caught her attention and she looked at it. Burns and ashes. How...? A hand touched her head and a rush of warmth entered her body, like a ray of light. The pain in her head eased and she looked to see Sage with his hand on her forehead.
"Sage?" She blinked but soon she felt drained, tired. Yukari welcomed it, knowing she would wake soon.