Fury of the sun chapter 7
Rumi found herself on a desert. The wind kicking up her hair and the sand. Looking around she could see only the dunes. Shifting like the tides of the ocean. Upon turning around, she noticed someone in the distance. Squinting her eyes she noticed it was Izuku. As she laid her eyes on him he spoke.
"Come."
Only the words echoed on her mind. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words would come. At that moment he turned and started to walk in another direction. So she sprinted after. She noticed soon though that the faster she ran, the further he got. In no time at all Izuku disappeared from her sight. Swallowed by the endless desert. But she kept running, hoping to catch him.
After running for an amount of time she couldn't measure, she glimpsed something in the distance. It seemed to be a city of some sort. The only real defining feature was how old it looked. From here everything seemed to be made from stone. As she kept running the city slowly came closer to her. And she was astonished at what the city actually was. Surrounded by a wall about 50 feet high, the architecture reminded her of the cities she saw in her history books.
As she approached the front gate she was surprised to see it open for her. She hadn't announced her presence, and she didn't see anyone manning the wall. Upon entering, Rumi was surprised to find people bustling about. Only, there was something wrong about it. The people walked too orderly, too silently. Almost like children being herded by an adult.
As she opened her mouth to speak to someone she was interrupted from behind. "They cannot hear you." She spun around to be met with someone in a cloak. Their voice sounded flat. Hollow. As if she wasn't talking to a person. "Your voice will not reach here. In this plane of existence, it's as of you don't exist." Rumi looked at her puzzled. She tried to respond, but words would not escape her lips. "He has brought you here for a reason. I shall be a guide. Whatever he has planned for you to learn, will not be pleasant. In this place of truths, only pain can be found."
They then proceeded to turn and walk, motioning for her to follow. So she did. As they walked, Rumi took in all that was around her. The buildings were made of some smooth sort of stone. People came and went, but they moved like machines. They seemed to do normal things like eat, except it seemed more like a motion, instead of an act. These people carried on more like machines.
"These people are no longer alive. That is why they ate like that. If it helps, think of this place as a final stop before they meet their judgement."
The stopped in front of a building. The door covered in glowing symbols. It gave off an old feeling. As if what was inside had existed far longer than anything she knew of. "Inside you will find your answers. But be warned. Not all answers are ones we wish to receive. When you step inside you will not be able to unsee." She nodded then faced to door. Inhaling, she steeled herself and stepped inside. She was met with only darkness. So she pressed on.
But it carried on like a never ending tunnel. After walking what felt like forever, Rumi saw a light. Approaching closer, she realized it was an opening to a room. She entered the room, but was not prepared for laid inside. It was a cage. A giant birdcage. It must have been over a hundred feet tall. And inside was a fire. It sat at the center of the cage, burning with an intensity she had never seen before.
"Why have you come here, Rumi Usagiyama."
A voice spoke to her, deep and guttural. A tone to it that did not belong in this world. She opened her mouth, and unlike previously, her voice did not fail her. "I have come for answers. I'm not sure why, or for what. But that doesn't matter." At that moment the fire moved. It grew and then spread. Started to take shape. And the final form it took astonished her.
There in the cage it stood. A being made of pure fire. Its eyes piercing into her, looking into her soul. After a moment of what she assumed was it regarding her, it took a bow. " I am Helios. An ancient being imprisoned here long ago. But for all intents and purposes, I am a god." Rumi's eyes widened in astonishment. "Like bible, holier than thou god?" Even though it didn't have a mouth, she felt his smirk. Then a laugh escaped his form.
"Hahaha! No, the bible got it wrong. As did the Quran. There is no one absolute god. Everyone else though, they got it right for the most part. You see, there exists multiple gods. Me, Ameterasu, Ra, Quetzalcoatl, All of them in between. We exist. We always have and always will. The reason humans even knew of us was because we interfered in their affairs for a while. Then it was forbidden."
"Is that why you are imprisoned here."
"No I am imprisoned here because I fell in love with another god. Unfortunately she was already wed to another, even though she hated him. Well one 'day' I guess you would call it, they were in an argument. When he struck her in anger I retaliated and took his life. It is forbidden for a god to take a gods life. It is the ultimate taboo. So I was imprisoned here."
Rumi stood quietly moment before continuing. "If you are a god then who imprisoned you. Unless, you know, you're weak even among them." When she finished her sentence the being flared. She had pissed him off.
"Make no mistake, Rumi Usagiyama, I am NOT weak, even amongst the gods I am considered one of, if not the strongest. Even from my cell, I could kill you without a thought." After seething he seemed to calm down. "But even then, gods have those they answer to. And they have beings they answer to, and so on and so on."
She let out a breath. She knew this being was not joking. She didn't know why, but she knew. But she still needed answers. "My apologies. But can you tell me why I'm here. That person in the cloak told me I'd find my answers in here. So far I have found only you. And I doubt that the answer I seek is an imprisoned god."
"You would be correct. Your answer is not me. And your answer also depends on your question. You see, in here things are different. There are rules that must be followed. You may ask me three questions. But decide carefully. Make sure that the questions you ask are ones you want the answer to."
At this she fell quiet. She had a million questions. Where has Izuku been? Who was that man in the alley all those years ago? What was Izuku's connection with this god? But she was only limited to three. So the question she had to ask herself was, what three questions were most important to her. As she pondered, she came across the ones she wanted to ask.
"Ok. For my first question, I want to know what happened to Izuku the day of the fire."
The being regarded her. Then sighed. "He died. You see, Izuku Midoriya was quirkless. Technically, he still is. You see our 'ruler', decided that the world had finally reached a point where it needed to be saved. From those you call villains and heroes. Remnants of a system that does not work. So he gifted him the power to do so. After watching what Enji Todoroki had done was when he made his decision. But the cost of this gift was his life. The fire was the excess energy left after the transfer of this gift. It is also what killed him. Afterwards, though, he was brought back. Modeled into a form that can withstand his gifts power. That is what happened to him."
She was stunned into silence. Izuku had died? What did he do to deserve that? Sure he said that it was done by his ruler, but even then, why him? Why did it have to be him? She dried the tears eyes budding in her eyes. She had to focus on the questions she needed answers to.
"Alright. For my second question, I need to know what Izuku is planning. What his goal is."
He laughed. "Now that is a simple answer. He's going to save the world. You see, quirks were a gift from the gods to stimulate the stagnating population of the earth. Where wars and pollution had taken its toll, quirks helped to breathe new life. Well now what happened then is happening now. The way you police and govern quirks has caused more problems than it has solved. So he is going to wipe the slate clean. No more villains, no more heroes."
"Then for my final question, why did Izuku never come home to me." His answer came quick, with a slight snarl.
"When you awake, that is a question best left for your parents."
Wait, wha-.
Rumi shot awake. She was in a room she hadn't used in years. Her room. In her parents house. Why would she be here? She was in that park with Izuku, until he had done whatever he had done. But if she was here, who brought her? How much time had passed? But most important of all, what had that being meant? A question better left for her parents. Why would they have the answer to that? Her musings were interrupted by a voice she instantly recognized as her mother's.
"Rumi! I have dinner ready. Come down here."
As she pulled herself from her bed, she noticed a note on her nightstand. She proceeded to read it.
Rumi, I know this is not the way you wanted our reunion to go, but I am truly sorry. You see, I had never intended to meet you today. But after All Might and Nezu had visited you, I knew I should. I had hoped for our reunion to be one of true happiness. But alas, that was not the cards. I leave this note to you so I can first tell you, that I love you Rumi. I wish you could stay by my side, but you can't. Because you are a hero, it would only hurt you, and I can't allow that to happen. I value your happiness above all else. Second, is to tell you that conflict is brewing. War has been declared, and as is war, people are going to die. Some of them good. Some of them bad. And I will live with that blood on my hands. My only hope is that you can forgive me, and rule beside as my queen.
Love, Izuku.
As she finished the note she could only cry. He was committed to this. He was going to do something unthinkable. And yet he says he values her happiness. But doesn't he realize that this upset her more than anything. People were going to die. Good innocent people. How could he do this. There was no return from he planned to do. And she didn't know if she'd be able to forgive him.
But enough of that. She had to find out what he meant. Why would her parents know? Rumi made her way downstairs. There she found her parents at the dining table, food in front of them. When her mother saw her she smiled at her while her father just stared at his plate. She hated seeing him like that. Dementia had sadly gotten the best of him.
"Rumi, my dear. I wish you had called before you showed up. You almost gave me a fright when I came home and you were asleep on the couch. I had to carry you up to your room."
Rumi ignored her statement. What he had said weighed heavy on her mind. So she steeled herself to get this over with. She was Miruko. She could not falter now.
"Mom, I need to know something. And don't lie to me. I know when you're lying."
"Okay, dear. I don't know why you think I would lie to you, but I won't. So ask away.
"After the fire, the big one about ten years ago. Did Izuku ever come here."
Rumi Instantly saw her mother's smile drop. The look on her face shifted to one of indifference.
"He did. And what about it."
That look and her tone pissed Rumi off.
"What exactly did he want."
"He wanted to stay here. But I told him he couldn't. Last I heard he had stayed at that place down the street belonging to Mr. Hidioyoshi."
Rumi Instantly felt her blood run cold. This was what he meant. Her mother had refused Izuku when he came here. Left him on the streets. Not only that, but he had stayed at Mr. Hidioyoshi's house. He was a convicted child molester. And her mother knew. Knew what that man was probably doing to him. But she didn't care. And Izuku. He would have been too young to know. He just knew that Mr. Hidioyoshi would take him in. And she didn't care. Slowly, the ice in her veins turned to magma. She started in a low tone that slowly crept into a yell.
"How could you. You knew I love him. Love him more than anything. Yet in his time of need, you turned him away. And sat back as a sick fuck did unspeakable things to him! Why!? How could you just sit back why that happened!? As I suffered, you just sat there quiet in your seat! How could you!?" Great. She was crying now. But her mother's next word stopped her tears in their tracks.
"Because I was not going to let my daughter jeopardize everything she worked for, just to be with a quirkless nobody ten years younger than her."
That's when she felt it snap. She glared at her mother. Eyes full of hate and rage. "You are not my mother. And I am NOT your daughter. You disgust me. That 'quirkless nobody', as you put it, has more kindness in pinky toe than you do your whole being." She paused. Her mother seemed taken aback at her words. Good. "I will not be coming back. And you will never see me again. If my father needs anything, leave a note my secretary."
After that she left. Then she ran. Ran as far as she could. Until her legs and lungs burned. When she stopped she found herself in a forest. That's when she noticed it was dark out. That night, Rumi cried herself to sleep while watching the stars.