Chapter 14: The Tower
"I would like to welcome all of you disgusting concentration of energies to my very exclusive and immersive show! It's called Infinity Void!"
Nanami didn't look back. Gojo narrating his every move was good enough to reassure him that things would be fine. Now his only job was to get to the Sacred Ground.
Each root and stone left a stabbing pang that traveled through his aching muscles, culminating in a cluster of head pains that made his vision unstable. His skin burned despite the unabating cool mantle surrounding him as he ran. Nanami held the jar closer to his chest. He pressed his fingers firmly against the glass, maintaining the grip until his extremities registered the object.
It took longer this time.
There wasn't much time left before his fingers went completely numb.
The sorcerer breathed in, triggering a sharp discomfort in his chest.
Slowly, his body had begun deteriorating.
But his soul…
His soul felt at ease.
The plan that led to this moment was carved selfishly within himself, where his heart's cravings drowned out the noise of outside influences. For the first time, he confidently listened to his gut. He listened to what felt good, not just what looked most achievable. Nanami had poured his very essence into this decision. Every muscle in his body was performing to the best of its abilities. This is all he could give, and he did it with pride.
He would welcome death's embrace should it be offered to him tonight.
The sorcerer stopped for a moment and breathed in the fresh air.
The path didn't seem to change as he moved forward. Nanami felt as if he were running through a freezing maze of thick mud and trees. But little currents of ethereal energy that tickled his skin drove him in this direction. Yet again, he had to trust that which he couldn't see.
He felt a shiver and held the jar to his chest again.
Another wind rippled through his tattered clothes. This one felt purposeful, and Nanami tensed up. He didn't hesitate to turn. From the moment he walked into this forest, he had already agreed that death was a suitable consequence. With any and all restrictions gone, he could fight whatever waited behind him.
His next breath felt like a healing wave.
Just a few steps away, beyond the thick cluster of trees, he could see the perfect corner of a window.
His legs felt heavy, and he allowed himself the grace to acknowledge that. The night wasn't over, but it would soon be. And what awaited tomorrow would be entirely determined by what greeted him in that meadow.
Nothing.
He placed the jar on the floor and did his best to undo the lid, but his fingers followed the same erratic pattern as his heart.
The sorcerer breathed out.
If any curses had passed them, they would be here by now. But his nose hadn't been assaulted by the vile, putrid scent of death that those beasts carried. In fact, the air that filled his lungs held pieces of the flower bushes peppered across the lush grass. And the stone cottage, where the Keeper of the Forest lived, hadn't been touched. The overgrown vines wrapped around the wooden window frames, undisturbed.
No one was coming for them. Gojo and Rubi would make sure of that.
He tried the lid again.
Carefully he scooped out the sleeping fairy and dried her off with what was left of his shirt. He placed the torn garment over her and closed his eyes.
He was safe. They were safe. He let the warmth of the meadow caress his skin.
The delicate aroma of vanilla weaved itself through the flowery veil. Nanami kept his eyes closed while her confusion settled.
It didn't take long. "Where's the weird white-haired guy?"
"Gojo-san can be overwhelming, so I thought you might feel more comfortable if I brought you here."
She didn't. Not by much, anyways.
Rainy didn't understand why she needed to be imprisoned in the jar. The holy water would have healed her with a simple sprinkle if that were the purpose. And now he gives her the freedom to simply be? He takes the shirt off his back to clothe her while looking out for her emotional well-being.
"What now?"
Her soul wanted to trust him… But her mind… Her mind was ready to kill him.
"I don't know where the flower blooms, but I feel it's somewhere near the house."
Nanami fought the urge to look at her directly. In their final moments together, he wanted to soak in her image one last time, but what was left of his shirt wouldn't offer her much coverage.
"Humans do not need the Blue Lotus, so they can't see it…."
It was the reason they needed an ethereal guide to enter Limbo during the opening of the Ethereal Gates.
"But curses can see it."
"Curses are created by humans, and humans have a common ancestor with ethereal creatures." She Shrugged. "Or it could be because Mother Capricorn presides over the Broken Lair, where curses are born. I'm not exactly sure."
They were quiet.
"Nanami…"
"Hmm?"
"I don't want to have to kill you."
He smiled. "Sorry." The sorcerer reached for the jar and emptied the remaining water before closing the lid. "I need this for something. But you're free to consume the flower. I promise I won't stop you."
Rainy stood up. Her legs still felt heavy and awkward despite the healing properties of the holy water. Limping the short distance to the pond was the best method.
The fae looked back at her companion, who remained quietly seated. He folded his hands over his lap after moving the fairy jar a safe distance away.
She scooped the flower out of the pond. Droplets of water slid from the slender blue petals to the yellow center that radiated with Source's pure energy. It didn't taste like anything but felt uncomfortably cold all the way to her stomach.
Rainy's fingers glided over the grass, sending a ticklish shiver up her arms. The softness of the present. The warmth of the moment. The future didn't seem inviting anymore to the fae. She wanted to stay here forever.
Silence settled between the two as Rainy planted the seeds of her powers into the soil. Much like eating the flower, Source's energy left a cool trail through her veins as it left to bond with the earth beneath her. Tomorrow she would wake up to millions of names whispering in her mind.
The fae stood up. Nanami remained seated.
"A team will meet you outside," he told her. "They'll take you somewhere secure, and then you can choose what to do from there. I'll be here, making sure you're safe wherever you may go-"
"From who?"
Her brain hadn't fully processed that night, and already dawn signaled its arrival as the dark clouds shifted into an ashen grey.
Nanami hesitated. "I guess we can call them a necessary evil." He rummaged through his brain, putting together the thoughts he had purposely neglected these past few days. As the adrenaline wore off, the sorcerer needed to acknowledge the new life that awaited beyond the forest.
"I'll be joining them again to keep the evil side of their purpose at bay." He smiled, finally meeting her eyes. The broken garment covered her just enough. Another miracle. He wouldn't dare remove his eyes again. "Everything about this night felt right. I like protecting those I care about, and I will dedicate my life to doing just that."
"Your soul must feel happy…"
"It does."
"I'm happy to hear that."
The flowers withered with the breaking of the first rays of the sun. Their wispy scent danced around the dying meadow as it rode the cooling wind.
Rainy bowed. "Thank you."
Her steps felt light as she moved. It didn't feel like her body.
"Nanami K-"
"Keep it."
Rainy pressed her thumb into her other palm until the nail stung. She didn't want it to be real.
"But in exchange, if I'm still alive by the time you return to the Ether, please stop by for a visit. No matter how brief, I'd really appreciate it."
A droplet of blood slid down her palm. This was real. "Will do."
"Thank you."
Author's Note: Thank you for reading!
