Write date: 10-26 ; 12-05
Inspiration for this chapter: A Life Divided - feel;
Falling in Reverse - I don't mind;
Diary of Dreams - the valley;
Well this is basically the finale, kind of happy with this chapter. So in the end, I'd like to thank the reviewers, who boosted my will to finish writing, my readers and of course Messy Bookshelf for helping me with this chapter and giving me inspiration, mainly talking about his "Ode to Sleep" fanfic in loveless fandom, that was one of the many inspirations...
Well, I'll see you tomorrow, for the epilogue...
-X-X-X-
Air whistled through his outstretched arms, as Soubi descended like a thrown out bag. At least it ended finally, when the man felt himself land in a flowerbed somewhere in a murky field. Even though he was falling from a great height, the blonde landed with ease and not a drop of pain pulsed through his body. It was as if these red irises had saved him.
Soubi looked around the crimson bloom doubtingly, as he sat up. That was not possible, flowers couldn't hold up such force.
Where was the man anyway? The grassy field, ending with a cliff wasn't anything he'd remember being in. Soubi hid his eyes from the sun, wracking his brain to recall something helpful. Despite that, his memories seemed to be locked from him.
The blonde rubbed his temples, that simple action, seemed to trigger some recollections, though they drowned to the bottom as swiftly, as they ascended. It was futile to remember, where he was, why he was there, or what happened before. Soubi didn't even had a fair idea, who he was.
The male refused to believe, that this was his first day in that area, because he felt something that wanted to breach out in his brain, but it was hitting a metaphorical wall. Was it his past perhaps?
Soon his ears picked up a loud melody, from apparently a few miles away. Soubi began running toward it. He didn't pause until the fog diminished to reveal, a figure near the piano.
Soubi heaved out. That simple reaction sparked a small déjà vu, though that felt unnecessary. The blonde didn't felt tired, didn't even felt the need to breathe.
A silver-haired man sat on the wooden rotting armchair. The soft decaying flesh would roll away from his form, scattering into million pieces before it reached the earth. Tall, leafless trees circled around the piano. Although one couldn't call them bare, due to the odd clammy people hanging on the branches. They seemed to be more like unfinished dolls, without faces. And as the wind would rise periodically so did their stiff fingers and limbs would start to sway.
"Sensei?" The blonde's mouth parted, to release a mutter. Though he quickly shut his trap with a palm. What was he saying, jumping to conclusions? He didn't knew this person, right?
Once that word echoed, the silverette peeked his fearful eyes backwards. His fingers paused in the middle of the melody soon, leaving gashes below his nails, from where dark liquid dripped down on the instrument. He held Soubi's gaze for a minute, before Ritsu's frame began to fade away.
"Wait!" Soubi reached out toward him, though not a sign had been left of Ritsu's whereabouts. He let out a disappointed sigh. Was it his fault, that 'Sensei' escaped? The light-haired man wondered.
He stepped closer to the piano, planning to inspect it, maybe there will be something left behind after all, something that would show the blonde, where the other man went.
Soubi didn't knew, why his subconsciousness called out the strange name... 'Sensei...' Did that meant, that the blonde had somehow met the silver-haired man before? And most importantly the other reacted. So they did knew one another somehow. Now if only Soubi recalled, who that 'Sensei' really was, what was their relationship.
One thing was clear though, the blonde had to find 'Sensei'. He needed to know more about this world and the figure out the unnerving feeling, that something had been blocked inside his mind.
The light-haired man glided his fingers on the keys surface, soon spotting the note sheets with burned edges. A name Sanae had been written in graceful lettering. For a minute he felt like he was stuck in a trance, just staring at the drawn notes. The ink slightly fluttered and bent according to the gust's liking.
Soubi blinked soon, shaking his head to concentrate on what he was staring at. It was growing darker now, the horizon was painted in a scarlet pallet, indicating that an evening was sure to come. For how long was he ogling the notes?
The blonde took a step backwards oddly then, however, his foot got stuck in mud. Soubi gave a frightened glimpse to his sinking leg. He couldn't pull it out, and was forced to sit on the other knee. And soon the same dark substance extended towards his other leg, tugging him down.
"No!" Soubi gasped, as his hand tried to grasp a tree, or a dangling figure laying on top of the branches for support. He couldn't reach neither of them. In so the panic spread further, as the lower part of his abdomen already sunk into the freezing earth. The blonde continued to shout as a last resort."No, no, no!"
It went black in front of his eyes. And noises took the place of occupying his psyche instead.
"That's beautiful, Sanae." A boy's voice echoed, once a quiet melody halted. And the girl giggled in response.
In the meantime noises of other people lessened, once Ritsu presumably shut the door. And the scene lit up into a music hall. A green-haired girl sat next to the grand piano, glancing at her sheets. Her smile grew wide, once she noted Ritsu's presence. She clapped her tiny hands in astonishment, letting out a gasp.
"You think so?! How about you try?"
"Don't want to..." Ritsu rejected the offer calmly. Yet Sanae persisted, leaning toward his side from her chair.
"Try. Please. I want to hear you play! I know you started taking lessons. Come here, I'll teach you more."
"No. I'll have to go to class soon."
"Ah... Come here! Don't be that stubborn." Sanae pleaded, and the boy blushed lightly, in truth he didn't wanted to be influenced by her. He was sure he could learn by himself, without her help. The boy shook his head, letting out a sigh. He tried to disoblige nicely.
"Childish as ever... Next time, alright, Sanae?"
"Pinky promise, that you will!" She rose her hand at Ritsu, and pouted her lips. Her eyes sparkled momentarily then, as the silver-haired boy let out a dry snicker, coming closer to her.
'Liar!'
Soubi shook, overhearing a manly voice coming from the corner. Though the children didn't seem to mind, as they looped their little fingers smiling kindly at one another. Ritsu suddenly picked up her note sheets to take a look. And Sanae wanted to get them back. Though the boy forbid it and began, chuckling once he spotted her silly drawings at the corners of each page.
'Guilty, guilty, guilty!' The voice shouted with a dry throat suddenly. And Soubi's mind finally revealed a man dressed in a long purple rag, hiding behind the stage's red curtain.
The children still giggled, as Sanae tip toed to reach Ritsu's hands, that held on to her sheets high above her.
'You are guilty.'
The silver-haired man with fallen in cheeks bore his eyes at them, letting out an inraged mutter. It seemed as if every second, being in their company granted him a wave of excruciating pain. His eyes looked gloomy and tired, the face was pale and sickly, as his mouth was tightly shut. A few fallen out silver hair were decorating the long, threadbare gown, which covered his legs. Suddenly his scarred lips made a parting for his throat to let out a wail.
'Stupid child... What a stupid child...'
"Sensei?" Soubi eventually recognized the old man.
"I hate it, that you're so tall!" Sanae waved her hands frantically in the meantime. She gave up on trying to reach her note sheets. In so Ritsu took her hand, while the girl kicked at the dust on the ground." I hate it. I hate it. All the girls in my class are taller than me. It's so not fair!"
"Don't worry you'll pass them someday. You will grow up too, it's just a matter of time..." He assured. Though Sanae was still fixated on the ground. Ritsu narrowed his eyes at her. What was he trying to fool? It wasn't worth caring for her that much... What was Sanae to him anyway? Just a friend, who lived with him during the summer. So why was the boy caring? When those thoughts finally convinced him, Ritsu changed the subject."How about we have lunch?"
"Yeah! Lunch!" The greenette pumped her fist in the air. She quickly followed the silver-haired boy's lead, keeping their hands clasped together. As they exited through the door, the room went dim, leaving the older Ritsu standing motionlessly behind the stage...
Soubi's eyes tore open, as he woke up from the dream. The light-haired man noticed, that he wasn't enclosed by the soil, even though he imagined himself being swallowed by the mud. Instead his surroundings changed.
Now he was laying in a cut meadow field, the cut grass prickling at his back, like metal pointers. What was eerie though, was the sky, which looked like the grassy cliff from where he came from. So was the blonde laying upside down then? How was he not falling off?
Those questions remained unanswered. Pointless. After a while Soubi stood up and saw the late wheat field around him. It seemed ready for harvest, the grains were bright yellow and big enough. The whole area outbursted with bright warm colors and a weird sweet smell penetrated Soubi's nostrils, as the ocean of wheat shivered and pulsated from the wind in complete harmony.
He still had to find 'Sensei' some way or another. In so the man gazed around and grinned soon as he found a narrow route separating the wheat field. It's entrance was guarded with chopped tree branches. Soubi just shrugged, striding closer, he could move them away easily. Although a loud bark, made the blonde pause and think again. A huge grey dog met his vision, while howling angrily. It seemed that beast won't let Soubi go any further. Guess the walkway was well protected after all.
In so the blonde chose another path, through the middle of the wheat away from the dog. It still barked loudly, as the blonde strayed. He attempted to ignore it, as his mind seemed scared of the unseen beast for some reason. He gulped down his fright and spread his arms to feel the wheat tickle his palms. It felt odd doing it, alas the sensation was remarkable. It calmed him down, allowing Soubi to concentrate only on the breeze, on the smell of hay and the natural caress.
This walk continued for what seemed ages. The field never ended, coloring the horizon with their golden beauty, as the sun set.
And because of the monotonic activity, Soubi's mind began to wander, while the man closed his eyes, masking them from the dying sun. He left a trail of dead wheat in his wake. Though the blonde hadn't seen that, instead he saw a vision in the back of his eyes. Was it his memory?
A man's figure emerged, sitting on a sofa near a wooden coffee table in a shadowy living room. It was mostly occupied with bookshelves at every turn.
Soon another person showed up from the corner of Soubi's eye, unfortunately not taking a step forward to the center of the dimmed room.
"Again?" The blonde man, finally made his way toward the couch. Soubi cocked an eyebrow, watching the younger light-haired man, who seemed very similar for some reason...
"Ritsu-sensei, you took another one didn't you?"
The silver-haired headmaster continued to stare into distance with gloomy eyes, while pressing a ball of cotton to his inner elbow. Syringes and bandages were tossed aside, decorating the small table. He murmured drowsily after a moment, with an audible exhale.
"It doesn't work anymore... It's broken..."
"What's broken?" The blonde man frowned, taking sight of the mess, while sitting next to the teacher. He massaged his temples , before turning to Ritsu."How much Morphine did you took already?"
"Three..."
"In a span of..."
"An hour... I think... B-but it..." Ritsu slowly buried his head on the table." Still doesn't work..."
"Damn it. You know this is getting out of hand. You have to stop injecting, cut down on the doses." The blonde man shook his head, seeming disgusted at his teacher's actions. Ritsu ignored him, gently fidgeting with the crimson crusted cotton in his palm. In so after a few quiet minutes of staring at the older man, the blonde got up and strode away. A sharp closing of the door was manifested, though the sound was swiftly engulfed by the eerie solitude.
Ritsu didn't took notice of the other's absence. As the man continued to lay his head in defeat.
'But I can't stop, can I now?'
Soubi shivered from the hoarse voice. It was the same tone, that he heard before... He glanced around the dark space, desperately searching for the companion dressed in a rag. 'Sensei', that was him, right? The second person who shouldn't be watching this picture unfold, along with Soubi, they both seemed out of place here.
The small light lit up, bringing a gloomy illumination to the guest room. The bulb began to flicker before finally shattering. Soubi flinched away, as he thought he saw a pile of soil on the sofa in that short instance.
'Why should I stop? That's the only thing that brings me life. And you are telling me to abandon it? You must be stupid, that's the same as if I would have asked you to stop consuming food, while you had been alive.'
The room went into a complete blackout, only Ritsu's motionless frame was apparent, surrounded by the shinning syringes and needles, it seemed as if they had been floating in the darkness now.
'It's beyond now... It's worthless now. It took me in and I'm not ready to let it go... I don't want to let it go... You'll think I'm stupid, I can tell. I see that distaste boiling inside of you. You're disgusted. You can blame me all you want, I know my mistakes, I'll swallow it. But will it do anything good to you?'
He heard more light bulbs or windows breaking in the distance. He couldn't tell which, because he was blind as a bat. Soubi squinted his eyes all of a sudden, turning around to search for a way out. He used his hands to find any curves on the surrounding walls. There had been a door somewhere behind him. That blonde male exited this menacing room. So there must be.
A blockade, a closure... Everywhere he turned, his fingers touched a solid cement. No there had to be a way out... Soubi's ears picked up more glass shattering, as the sound approached him. He turned around at the half laying body on the sofa suddenly... Soubi's eyes shot open... When did the silverette's skin became clammy?
Soubi scanned the weird scene, feeling a bit dazed. Unfortunately he didn't notice a shinning crystal flying toward his eye. The man wavered at the hit, hissing lightly. In reaction his hands shot up to the wound, though the light burn diminished as soon as it started. But he couldn't see with his eye either. The man exhaled with a shiver. All, that his fingers felt was the shallow eye hole. Did his eyeball just disappeared, how was that even possible?
There was no physical pain, though it felt as if something wanted to rupture his mind and erase it just like it did with his unfortunate eye.
Soubi rose his head, still debating if it really happened, though the illuminating snowflakes, that flooded the room, answered his doubts rather quickly.
He had to get out and soon, if he wanted to have a chance of finding 'Sensei', while not disappearing completely. The mere thought of fading terrified him. His eyes unreasonably darted back to check the silver-haired man.
The person laying near, seemed like a doll. His face was melted and running down on the table like paint, while rusted screws held his limp neck in place. Soubi frowned not adoring the sight. However the existent threat, didn't gave much time for inspecting. Soubi nearly evaded a few glowing flakes, before he began running to the opposite direction. Another light robbed a side of his ankle suddenly. Even though he dodged them as best as he could, he lost his left palm and his right ear shell in the process.
Finally his right hand's fingers found a knob in their desperate search. The man jiggled it barely as his right hand's fingers shuddered, before they turned it with force. Right at that time a curious crystal chased him down, taking a bite off his forearm. He didn't gave the same opportunity to the others, as Soubi tripped inside the barely colored place. Once he fell, the blonde scrambled to close the door, even though the bright flakes began to diminish, as they had lost their target.
He leaned his head at the door after.
'Could you tell me why are you here? You shouldn't be in this place.' A cold tone echoed and rendered goosebumps to scurry on the light-haired man's back. 'Sensei' stood opposite to him, holding a senile metal lantern.
It was the only light source, that revealed the shadows of the room. The floor was covered with plastic bags and glass, broken drawers and a ripped apart mattress. The walls didn't look any better. The silver-haired apparition was standing at the other end, near an entrance to a cave.
'This is not the place for you Soubi-kun, go home, or wherever you came from.'
"Soubi... Kun?" The blonde recounted, slowly standing up. He narrowed his eyes from the pathetic glow of the bulb just after.
'That's your name...' Ritsu nodded. He reeled around at the built in cave, eager to step in. Though hesitated for a second and glanced back to Soubi. As was expected, the other hadn't moved an inch from his standing point as if dreading, that the floor boards had been on fire. Or perhaps he needed something...
"C-could... you tell me more... About myself?" Soubi finally stammered out." I'm begging you. You're the only person in here, who responded to me. This hurt in my mind is driving me crazy. Please. You know my name. I know yours, Sensei, Right?"
'No. My name is not Sensei...' Ritsu remarked dryly.
"Then what is it?"
The silverette remained silent, as his eyes broke the contact. Meanwhile Soubi stared at him with a bloodshot pupil. And suddenly it seemed his eye blackened the scenery for a short moment. Soubi flinched back, palming his head, as incoherent noises flooded his mind.
'You're starting to remember?' The silver-haired apparition raised an eyebrow, at the other's struggle. He ordered coldly soon enough.' You better don't... Leave it be, Soubi-kun...'
The blonde frowned, rubbing his forehead.
'I said stop, didn't I? It's not worth it. Some memories are better left forgotten... Yours especially, what's the point, if they'll just grant you pain.' Ritsu smirked weakly, entering the giant hole next to him. Soubi followed inside, bending his back a little to fit in.
"You know something about me." The blonde stated, trying to find a steady rock to place his foot. The small light from the lantern irradiated the mud and stones around them. It flickered lightly and Soubi gulped then. He was afraid that it would pass out like all those other lights in the previous room. Being trapped in the below the earth again didn't seem promising to him.
'Soubi-kun...If I do, I won't tell you. You can be sure of that...'
The blonde scowled at the utterance, while nearing Ritsu's arched back. Just then he noticed the spinal column clear through the piece of clothing. He was enclosed in watching the other's careful and quiet movements along with the clear backbone. It seemed like something new to him. The blonde even wondered, if he had the same prominence on his back. In so Ritsu's sudden words took the man by surprise.
'It will just bring agony... For both of us. You suffered enough, believe me...'
"I was in pain?"
'And I caused it...' Ritsu nodded.' You better stay away from me. It's not like I deserve your company... You wouldn't want to be with me, Soubi-kun. I'm the one, who caused all of this...'
Soubi blinked in confusion, as the silverette inhaled deeply. After that he continued to shift his feet through the mud in silence. And oddly enough, Soubi looked unsure, if he should prolong the conversation, it seemed his companion wouldn't appreciate the questioning, but damn it, the blonde needed answers. He suddenly felt, that his form sunk in deeper. He gasped in fear abruptly, when the dark liquid splashed around his torso. He glanced up, after adjusting his composure.
Ritsu on the other hand didn't seemed effected by the sudden flood. He staggered a few steps away, seemingly ignoring the cold water, that overtook his lower body. Although he extended his arm at the stone wall suddenly and laid his side at it.
"Why would you say that?"
'Because I know... This place was created for me. To enslave me...' The silver-haired man sighed, closing his eyes, while his head searched for comfort, gliding from one side to the other, until it settled on the right shoulder. His hands clutched the shoulders at first glance gently, until their touch lost the caring mask, strengthening the grip to the point of trembling.
' And now, that it has done it's part, it's my turn to destroy this world like acting on an impulsive revenge. Simple human irrationality, repulsive, isn't it? Yet we're full of it, and we dare to call ourselves smartest beings... This world and me are sucking each others sanity, not backing down, fighting for our disgusting egos, for our survival. We're slowly killing each other in the process. And everything in between.' Ritsu rasped out, turning his head to face his former student. He gently leaned his back at the wall, with a sneer, even though his slightly twitching eyes portrayed suffering.
' Now isn't that pretty? The only thing, that doesn't fit in this tale is this guilty beast... Maybe that's what I deserve. This eternal struggle that reminds me of my... Mistakes...'
"I don't understand..."
'That's because you shouldn't.' Ritsu released a snicker, beginning to move from the wall. Soubi frowned upon another scrutinizing look at 'Sensei'. He pointed at his outstretched limb, which held the lantern.
"Is your arm suppose to be like that? Is that normal?"
The silverette's eyes traveled to the blackened bark underneath the ripped skin. He shrugged after.
'Depends on what you define as normal.' Ritsu's hands dove into the water to glide on a stepping stone, before his body rose up on the higher platform away from the water. Once in the higher view, Ritsu waited for his companion, sneering at his orying.' You're worries are granted in the wrong direction... You should rather be thinking, how to get out of here, Soubi-kun. You don't belong in this world.'
The silver-haired man hesitantly extended his arm for Soubi to take.
'Oh? Wrong hand?' Ritsu's eyes darted at Soubi's missing left palm, before scanning the rest of the damage. It was just for a small instance, though Soubi's mind engraved that odd feeling for much longer. When the blonde finally took Sensei's hand, drawing himself up, he felt no touch, he felt nothing, numbness... Previously Soubi's fingers were tickled by the wheat, so why no sense sparked up now?
Fresh gust of wind greeted them both, as he joined the other man. The exit of the cave was right in front of them, unveiling the night sky in the far horizon. It seemed, that the tunnel had led them near a drop-off.
Soubi bit his lip, as the weird sentence wanted to breach out. In so he cleared his throat, turning to 'Sensei'.
"Um... Thanks."
Ritsu gave him a dissatisfied glimpse from the corner of his eyes. Soubi got a little lost soon, thinking what he wanted to say to the other.
"Y-you led me out of there... So thank's for that, Sensei."
'Hm?' The silver-haired man jabbed at him. 'Do me a favor if you're that grateful then. Go home.'
"Ah? I... Don't know, where this 'Home' is..."
'It's where you came from, surely you remember.' Soubi shook his head, that caused an annoyed snort to leave Ritsu's lips, as he peeked down the cliff into the waves below. 'Sensei' muttered to himself. 'How troublesome you are...'
"I don't want to leave you... I'm afraid for you. You seem unwell, you're different than me."
'Kukuku...'
"No. I'm serious. I'm worried about you. Even though I don't know you, you do... And you're the first one, who talked to me like this... I... Like the feeling of it..."
'So you need company. Are you scared to be all by yourself? That's why you need me? So I could be your dog, following you around happily and barking back to you in conversation?!' Ritsu rose his voice.
At the same time the blonde heard a loud creaking, as metal scraped against one another. Soubi grunted suddenly, covering his ear. Ritsu's eyes went wide with anxiousness in reaction. He scratched his chin, with a sad face. His eyes flew downwards soon, spotting the rusting cogwheels, that held the cliff in place. He saw the worned material drip into the ocean... It won't hold the mountain for long.
Actually it was remarkable, what kind of an effect his emotions had on the world. No doubt, the silver-haired man will destroy it soon. That was the only thing he had been good at, wasn't it? Until the guilt will plague Ritsu, his desire to quash the made up territory will grow hungrily.
'Believe me, Soubi-kun, I already have 'her' on my belt, that's far enough for me... Such a disgusting creature she is. If she wouldn't have been this world's creation, she would have been already dead by my hands... Though no matter how much blood I spill, she's still laughing...'
"Now that I think about it..." Soubi interrupted Ritsu carelessly. The teacher seemed displeased by the other's lack of manners, though his lips just pinched into a straight line." That vision... The sitting grey heard man. He looked familiar. That had been you, hadn't it Sensei?"
Ritsu's eyes flickered with rage and hurt at those words. It seemed he wished to devour Soubi right then and there. Though the blonde didn't notice his threatening glare, gazing at the darkened horizon and listening to the periodical turnings of the iron wheels.
"Then... What changed you. Why do you look so different from back then?"
'Shut up!'
"Did something bad happened?"
'I told you to be quiet, Soubi-kun!'
A sickly hand crept closer to the younger one. In that split second, when the blonde turned around, he noticed a sudden push down the cliff.
He continued to hear the cogwheels crack, as he fell. Soubi wanted to scream, to find a bump to hold on to, to climb back up and come back to 'Sensei'... He didn't want to leave, didn't wish to be alone. So why? Why did 'Sensei' got angry at him? Had Soubi done something wrong?
Though soon the mountain's top was engulfed with a thick layer of fog. It completely disappeared from his sight. And the blonde felt black long hands snake toward him from an opening of the gears,as they melted and mingled slightly and a few nails fell off. The onyx hands pulled him in to the rusted blades, before the man's body could hit the ground. He closed his eyes shut, once the ice cold touch slowly wrapped around his throat.
A menacing giggle evoke from the cogs, as the light-haired man went through the iron as if the mass was nothing more than feathers.
"How unfortunate..." A girly voice snickered, as Soubi fought to open his tired eyes.
A green-haired girl no older than thirteen, dressed in a white fluttered dress, stood in front of him - Sagan Sanae. She looped her hands around her back, placing a smirk on her face, while patiently waiting for him to awaken. Once Soubi's eyes began to part with difficulty, the blonde noticed, that he was hanging in the air. His arms were binded high above him with wires. While liquid dribbled onto him from the sky. The fluid twirled into spirals, gushing around his form, then gently deforming into gusts of smoke.
"What a bad child you are..." A whine echoed from Sanae. She suddenly rose her voice, which lost it's calmness, turning desperate and menacing." What do you think you were doing?!"
"Let me go!"
"No way! You must be joking." Sanae faked her expression like she was insulted by those words. The girl placed her hand on her chest in a form of defense.
Sanae gathered herself to come to the blonde, through the puddles and lines of burnt trees, that were illuminated by the moon. Once she got close to him, the girl tugged at the wires, bringing the man downwards a little. The edges of the pointing metal tore at Sanae's skin, deleting a few delicate parts of flesh, like the shinning lights had done to Soubi previously.
"What you attempted to do is unforgivable." She hissed in front of his face only a few inches separated them. She jerked the wires harder, bringing Soubi's face lower than hers.
"I... I don't understand..." The blonde blurted out. shaking his head. Honestly, what was he being blamed for?
"You're damaging my biotope. You're trying to change Ritsu."
"Sensei?" The blonde widened his eyes, whispering... so that was his name. Ritsu Mi...
"Ritsu..." Sanae repeated. Then swiftly yanked on the restraints, making Soubi emit a grunt.
" You are destroying what was built with so much grace..." She closed her eyes then, adoring the feeling of wind knotting her hair, for a moment. Despite her appearance of a child, she didn't act like one." I am a mere piece in this world, a tool to be used for Ritsu's eternal process of redemption. Much like all these memories scattered around... And you, weirdo, are in the way. I can already imagine, what poison you splashed onto Ritsu's face."
Soubi glanced up, noting how his restrictions were crumbling upon Sanae's pulls. In so, as the man's toes were starting to touch the ground now, he gave the wires one last yank suddenly. It loosened to his fortune. And Sanae receded from the freed man.
"Tie the imposter. Useless to move, he will perish by the name of wrath!" Her voice reigned a command. And not even a split second had passed, until the trees began falling. They stretched their wooden limbs at Soubi, attempting to entwine around him.
The blonde stood in shock, while watching the upcoming dread. The branches slammed against the man abruptly, setting their claw like edges into his skin. Soubi fell a few steps away. Then spears shot out, abruptly piercing his limbs and making the man cough and fall on to the protruding gear wheels. They gnawed at his clothing, soon exposing his back and grating it fiercely.
The panic was set loose, as Soubi tried to roll away, however his body seemed stuck. Fortunately, he was elevated by the tree branches, that wrapped around his elbows.
The blonde heaved out, still gazing at the spinning cogs below him. He was thankful for being saved, but he was curious, what kind of damage had those sharp points done. Numbness was sprawling up and down his back, so he couldn't tell.
"Hadn't you ever wondered, that you are a nuisance here? Why do you wish to disrupt this peace, tell me?" Sanae snarled, as the water puddles ascended, turning into crystals of ice. The freezing steps were quickly formed for the green-haired girl to climb to the top of the tree next to Soubi. She elegantly pinched the sides of her long dress, while stepping closer to him.
"I didn't want to..."
"Oh? You didn't now, boy? Then your actions are not aligning with your words, what is all this you are doing? Why are you searching for Ritsu? Why had you spoke to him?" She gripped his chin then, staring at the man's healthy eye. "I felt the crumbling of gears somewhere in the distance... No doubt those were Ritsu's emotions leaking out...If he'll keep showing his feelings, this territory will be destroyed. I don't want that, see? I live here, I'm a creation of this world. This is my home, my biotope, the place where I can keep Ritsu for myself..."
"But... Is that okay with him?"
"Who cares what's okay for him?!" She snorted at Soubi's puny attempt." This world wasn't created for his happiness... This is his eternal trial of redemption. He's suppose to stay quiet, don't talk, don't think... That's all that he is worth."
"Hadn't he suffered enough already?" Soubi spat out, recalling this visions of the silver-haired man's past and the state of old male himself.
"Kukuku. What a fool... You don't understand anything. Why do you keep on fighting for someone, who obviously doesn't want your help?"
Soubi felt something click in his mind right after her voice faded. Sentences seemed to pulse right through his brain, like imitating the blood flow, that he was lacking... However those thoughts weren't his.
'Don't you understand?! I don't need your help, or anyone else's at that matter. There's nothing you can do. So leave me be, Soubi-kun.'(Ch. 13)
'Leave me alone, Soubi-kun... I'm tired...' (Ch 26)
The blonde tilted his head down, overwhelmed by the couple of memories, that intruded his mind.
Sanae released a hum, whilst watching his reaction. It would be nice to ponder along with him, she didn't met any other people here... However the girl's logical mind momentarily opposed her wish, he was a threat, it reminded... And a nasty one at that. She exhaled sadly. Guess there was no escape from the fate.
"Enough of this! Slumbering roots, I ask of your assistance. Conclude this tale, thus pull the final curtain. I command you to swallow him, for the safety of this world."
Soubi felt the wooden branches climb up his throat easily. He couldn't even break them apart. Sanae turned away from him in the meantime, as she tapped down the stairs with a grin full of pride. Her form began to mingle in his vision soon, and it took a lot of strength for Soubi to concentrate...
"Cut... O-off. The life support. Burn those, that hold me."
"Oh?" The girl turned around on her heel. A flicker in her eyes, revealed the slight irritation, but also deep interest. The roots wilted, and faded with whirls of black smoke rising from them, leaving Soubi to fall to the ground. She seemed quite dissatisfied, once the girl understood, that the blonde used a spell.
"Why don't you just stay put? Fine then... Lightning show us your anger."
That moment a loud rumble evoke near, illuminating the horizon for a short minute. That was enough for the menacing eye contact to be made, while the storm began to tickle their bodies and nearly ripped out the burnt and shaking trees from the soil. Sanae's eyes flickered with triumph at the awakening storm and due to Soubi's startled reaction. She knew well, that the merciless thunderbolt was seeking it's prey.
"Exterminate this piece of existence, leave only the dust."
"N-no. Rebound." Soubi conjured up stammering answer. Though that just granted a mocking sneer to drown out from Sanae.
"Pathetic..."
The indigo radiance flashed again, swirling like a snake in the sky for a second, until it shot straight to Soubi's eye. The greedy lightning missed him just for a millimeter, sending the man to the nearest tree upon the impact. When Soubi barely opened his eyes, he felt himself sink into the ground. He yelped, once the drowning stopped and the blonde's lower half was buried in the mud.
"What?" Sanae's uncaring tone rang, it seemed as if her form glided toward him. Soubi rose his head at her, pausing in his clawing for a minute." You are the one to blame for disrupting this harmony. Don't you jab at me. Ritsu deserve's this. And there is nothing you can do to change it..."
"You're lying!"
"Heh?" The greenette's finger shot up to grace her lower lip in surprise.
"Previously you told me, that I shouldn't meddle with Ritsu's feelings, and that they destroy this world... Your going against your own words."
"Well...You can never trust anyone other than yourself. What exactly gives you proof, that what I told previously was a definite truth?"
"If that's so, I'll have to check Ritsu for myself..." The blonde allowed a smirk to creep in. It seemed that sentence angered the green-haired girl. So it was just a cheap lie. Nevertheless he called forth with more confidence." Rain trickle in appearance of endless needles."
Sanae groaned, as her body got pinned to the tree.
"You bastard, stop this, don't you see your killing everything? Have you no shame?!" She wailed at him, trembling all over. The blonde just waved his hand in a motion for the spell to continue."You. You're Heartless... Just like him. You are no different from Ritsu. He was an egoistical idiot, only caring about himself. He never saw me as anything worth his time. Even though we were bonded and shared a name, he ignored me and ran after Sugou-sensei, completely forgetting my presence. That's his sin. Do you know what it's like to be all alone? You don't! You have no right to do this!"
"Restrict the movements, with piercing needles, let them fracture the limbs." The blonde's face remained neutral, as he disregarded her. Tears dripped down one after one from Sanae's cheeks.
"Don't do this!... Please stop... I have nothing else beside this life. You don't belong here, so why did you came in the first place? Why did you have to kill my peace?"
"Final needle separate the air flow from ever reaching the lungs."
"Damn you to hell!" The teenager shrieked in agony, while her eyes watered. The pointer neared it's destination.
Although Soubi hadn't seen Sanae's final moments, because the earth swallowed him whole pretty quickly. It closed after a tasty bite, like a mouth. That had been Sanae's last trap it seemed.
Once the man's mind registered what happened, he began to scratch at the soil, searching for the lucky ray of light, which could prove that he wasn't that deep into the unknown. The darkness and the caress of the earth all around him, was certainly not a pleasure.
His scratching built up speed, once Soubi felt that instead of pushing the blonde upwards, something was dragging him down. And that hunch sent adrenaline to pulse through his body. Eventually his leg got stuck, and the man had to pause in his digging, trying to free it. Though no matter how many times he twisted his ankle, nor how hard he pulled, it didn't budge, as if someone placed iron weights on his feet.
Soubi exhaled, attempting to calm down and assess the situation at hand. After a few impatient minutes of listening to a distant buzz in his brain, the blonde continued to force his leg out of the hole.
A sickening crack sounded all of a sudden, bringing Soubi to a dreary halt. The man's eyes went bloodshot. Though he didn't had the time to fully comprehend, what had he done to his lower body, as water began flooding from the side opening. The new formed mud rose upwards, leaving Soubi bare and missing his left leg. The sludge ascended Soubi a couple of meters into the air, before it disappeared completely.
Once the obstacle was cleared the blonde fell straight down. The tiles greeted his face, as he literally kissed them, falling head first.
"Calm down..." He heaved out, while his panicky hands searched the empty spot below his groin. Not only had he lost an eye, his left palm, an ear shell, scrapped his back and had a penetrated a shoulder, now Soubi couldn't even walk...
He grumbled, failing to get up again, and finally settling in a sitting position. Although his gloominess didn't last long, as he spotted a stick laying a few steps away.
While on his slow crawling journey to reach that piece of wood, the man had the time to take in the view of the ivory shinning hall. Wooden stairs led to other floors and glass ornamented chandeliers hung just a few meters above Soubi.
Papers? The blonde shot his head up in a sudden realization of something falling, whilst he stood up, using the stick as a crutch. The small torn out pieces poured gently, leaving the man in awe. He thought something was written on them in messy lettering too. He wished to read it.
However, before the man could catch a piece of paper, they burnt with a flare, scattering in form of ashes. Once the dust and smoke from the fire were cleared, a new sight emerged before his eyes. But that seemed to leave more questions than answers.
"Ritsu?" He cocked an eyebrow, seeing the man upside down on the ceiling. How did he got there?
Soubi squinted his healthy eye to see better.
The teacher sat on his knees. Cotton threads were oozing out of his lower abdomen, penetrating huge holes in the rag, that 'Sensei' was wearing. Burnt and decaying pieces of bark shone through the gaps.
The dark threads continued their journey by coming out of Ritsu's body and tying around metal stakes, that were set deep into the tiles, a few steps away.
What got the blonde to flinch away, were the flock of ravens, that sat on every stake as if guarding the man.
He climbed the stairs in a pitiful attempt, falling down every few steps. Finally after a lot of effort, he made it to the ceiling, still questioning himself if he was upside down, or not. Once in the perimeter, Soubi launched toward his teacher, intending to scare the birds away.
They screeched, angered by the unneeded presence. Then they left their spots, beginning to violently draw circles around Ritsu instead. The silver-haired man fearfully closed his eyes, while the ravens scrapped and gnawed at his skin.
Ritsu seemed obviously displeased by the commotion, right next to his ears. However he showed no effort of wanting to defend, his body swayed according to the dark feathered birds liking.
"Leave him alone." Soubi hissed instead of his teacher. He drew up his palm less arm, conducting a spell, that formed on the tip of his tongue." Wind carry them away, to a place they could rest. They are forbidden to disturb."
With the command a fresh flock arose right next to the blonde's feet, making the man to fall on his back.
The ravens flew right out of the tiles, that seemed to turn into a black sticky fluid right then. The huge flock was covered in the weird substance, that slowed their movements just a bit. In return their helpless squawking increased, to a level, that Soubi thought of running away. If only it stopped.
It seemed unbearable and his whole insides pulsated with the sound, while the blonde covered his one ear in a panic. At that moment he spotted Ritsu bending down and shaking.
"C-carry them... Carry. Away... Make them disappear!" Soubi yelled with a piercing feeling of dread.
Luckily, after a few more spins around their prey, the ravens suddenly pitched their cries, before flying away. Soubi removed his palm less arm, releasing a sigh at the sight. Then he continued to stagger to his former teacher.
The mass, from where the giant ravens manifested began to overflow, making the earth beneath the tiles rise up into mire.
The blonde ignored it, patting Ritsu's shoulder.
"Are you alright?" The silver-haired man in question gazed ahead with gloomy eyes. Soubi enquired again." Ritsu-sensei, can you speak?"
'What have you done...' The former headmaster's voice came out hoarse, while his face regained a noticeable frown.
"Heh? What?"
'Look behind me.'
The blonde complied, peering further at the hall. He let out a gasp and Ritsu timidly motioned his head back at the view as if hopping to see something different from what he had imagined.
The sea of ravens were laying on the ground, covering the tiles. A dark sticky substance was pooling beneath them. Their cries were growing weaker, coming out of their throats in appearance of horrid wheezes. Yet the birds desperately swat their mucky wings against the surface, wishing to lift off the ground. Their loud thumping proved to be of no avail.
"No... I-I didn't mean to... I." The blonde's voice got stuck in his throat, while he left Ritsu's side and hobbled with his crutch toward the giant flooding mass. His face turned nauseated rather quickly . He bit his lip, before crouching down to one of the fallen raven. He tried to sooth it's stiff and wet feathers only to get the bubbling liquid on himself. It rose in a fume, twirling into a grey shouting face. It's mouth remained open, while the crystallized liquid eventually fell from Soubi's reach, cracking like a piece of porcelain. The blonde flinched away, startled.
At that time more faces emanated. Their oral cavities widened as if they were ready to swallow a lion. The odd holes instead of eyes and bony cheeks didn't brought the man comfort. He gulped down his fear suddenly, before whirling his head to face his teacher.
'You're angry at me, aren't you? To your misfortune I can't do anything... I can't, Soubi-kun.' Ritsu shook his head, while his fingers rolled up the sleeve, to reveal the bark underneath. His voice turned into a hushed wail. 'Pathetic, is it not? I could control this scenario, make this a better place, yet... I'm so worthless...'
"Ritsu-sensei..." He took a step toward the older man. Though had to stop in his tracks, when the slabs in front of him cracked open threateningly and revealed the pointing cogwheels underneath. And after a moment branches extended from the ground next to his teacher as if covering the man.
'Don't come any closer!'
"Sensei, I'm just trying to help you. I recall, what happened any other time I tried to persuade you... You pushed off my help, ignored me. Every god damn time. Any instant, that anyone wanted to make it better for you, you shoved them off... Why, Sensei? Was it pride? Or did you wanted to make it worse for yourself on purpose?"
Through the gaps he saw his teacher slowly begin to scratch his black forearm. Small pieces dripped from the burnt bark according to the ongoing scraping. Regardless, Soubi continued, albeit a little flustered by Ritsu's sudden actions.
"I'm begging you this time, Ritsu-sensei, let me help you, let me stay by your side and listen to you... That's all that I'm asking... Please... Sensei..."
'So worthless... This isn't what I deserve. If I was unable to help a single person, how can I demand for others aid? I will not, I don't need it... No! No more humiliation. no more suffering... No more. I'd rather rot in here than bring people pain again. Yet, I am unable to fix my mistakes, nor to turn back time... This world was created for me. Yet I'm king only by name, I'm useless here... I can't take it anymore. I'm so filthy... Why? Why I am I like this? Why is there only dirt in me?...' Ritsu's voice broke down, as his long nails grated his own flesh. There was no light, coming out of the rotten wooden flesh. Just ash and maggots, that crawled out hastily from their hiding spots. Everything piled a small pile on the ground right in front of Soubi.
The blonde tried taking another timid step to the silver-haired man, only for a branch to spurt out. He dodged it. However, at that time thick lines of trees began looming in front of him, faking the scenery as if there was nothing beneath them. Though the weakly emitted voice, proved, that Ritsu hadn't gone away. This made up forest was a disguise.
'Get out of here, Soubi-kun... I don't want you to see me like this...'
"What's wrong with seeing you in this state?! Stop hiding!" Soubi barked in response. He suddenly motioned his palm less arm at the outstretching coating. While the branches reached toward the sky and little buds began to thrive next to the blonde's feet. Another branch shot out, penetrating the blonde's lower abdomen and another scrapped a side of his arm.
"If... Y-you won't show yourself, I'll make you, Ritsu. That girl of yours reminded me of a few things. Drought will overtake the soil. This earth will become an endless dessert, not a single drop of water will ease it's agony."
Upon that command, the trees began to wilt, albeit slowly and resentfully. Nevertheless the gloomy woods concealed Soubi, ignoring the lack of nutrition they had.
"Where are you, sensei?!" He shouted, pushing the branches away from his view. No one answered, the only thing, that accompanied the blonde was the black bark all around him. After a few silent seconds, he conjured up another spell.
And as if on cue, a light ignition sparked up, illuminating a circle around him. He saw the shimmering, mirrors guiding his path through the forest. Though that was too late... He couldn't take back the spell.
The forest lit up at once.
In so Soubi was left to stare at his reflection, in the middle of the arising flames...
'Don't look that way!' A hoarse voice warned him.
'Turn away, Soubi-kun! That's not you.'
The blonde's head began to spin from the ascending thick smoke. Soubi couldn't concentrate, so he narrowed his eyes, at the little boy showing in the foggy mirror... Why was he weeping?
He took a step closer and right at that time the fire shot out right in front of him, licking his hair pridefully. The wind increased it's gust as well, sending the fire to attack Soubi, to destroy his vision from ever seeing the reflection. The blonde abruptly covered his face with his arm then, willing the fire away with a spell. Though the playful blaze barely listened to him.
'Soubi-kun!'
The golden-haired boy rubbed his little eyes, shaking slightly. He didn't cease to cry, nor moved away from the mirror. And soon enough another apparition loomed from behind. Though Soubi's vision was too blurry to make out the other man.
'Soubi-kun! Leave it!'
A silver-haired man took the boy by the hand. The little earless kid didn't budge, didn't respond to the man's calling. He continued to shed tears. Displeased with the other's disobedience, the silverette yanked him away with force. The kid wanted to shout at the mirror in fear, though his form faded before the scream could have been let loose.
Once the image had ended, the fire had already used up most of the wood in the already weakened forest. It began to abate, leaving the twirling smoke.
"Why... D-did. You?..." The blonde stammered eventually. He whirled his head around all of a sudden, finally spotting his former teacher. The older man looked back at him grief-stricken."Why had you done that to me?!"
'I'm... Sorry. I'm so sorry, Soubi-kun. If I could. I-I shouldn't have done that to you...'
Soubi's eyes shot open...
Ritsu was regretting his actions. Why did the blonde's mind portrayed a different reaction from the teacher. Was this the first time, that he apologised for something?
A moment of solitude overtook them. Soubi stared at Ritsu with peeled eyes, still contemplating and trying to analyse his words. The teacher on the other hand exhaled after what seemed to be ages.
'Get out of here... You remember, who took your ears now. You know who I am, and all the shameful things I have done. What else do you want?' Ritsu tilted his head sideways, ignoring his student's presence.
Instead his eyes thought it was more fitting to gaze at the pooling black mass, that coated more and more of the floor. After a few minutes it even buried the teacher's feet with the mucky, thick fluid. It dragged him down on his knees. Though it seemed the man hadn't minded that fact, he preserved to gaze at nothingness.
To the silverette's surprise, he soon felt arms enveloping him. Ritsu's body shook, once the same limbs pulled him closer against another body. The silverette eventually looked up to see Soubi crouching beside him and embracing him. Those hands weren't cold, like he thought... Ritsu felt radiating warmth. And that affection, glued the man's hands tight in place. He couldn't move, thus push away. In the meantime the blonde set his head on the older man's shoulder, while whispering.
"You're horrible... Every disgusting thing, that you've done... But... I'm not letting you wallow in this pity forever. This is not redemption, Ritsu-sensei..."
The headmaster's glazed eyes ogled the endless horizon. He felt Soubi nuzzling at his shoulder.
"Let it go. You have to let that guilt go. Whatever that happened, happened and if you can't change the consequences, what's the point of mulling over them for eternity. You felt remorse for the actions, that you have committed, you regretted, sensei. And... You certainly repayed them..." Soubi seemed uncertain of the last sentence, while he took a gentle hold of the threads emerging from Ritsu's abdomen. The other just rose his hands to caress Soubi's hair.
"Dont be a slave to guilt... Don't let those demons inside of you take control of your rational mind..." The blonde paused, seeing the tiles beneath them start to tear apart. He then nudged Ritsu's shoulder." We should probably get going. Is there a way to get out of here?"
'There is...'
"Why hadn't you used it?"
'Because this world won't let me.'
"Ah. The guilt. I got it. Still we should try again." The blonde smiled at him, finally letting Ritsu go from his grasp. The teacher seemed rather sad, due to the loss of warmth. Then the blonde carefully separated the threads, that had been tying the silver-haired man to the stakes...
They slowly limped down the stairs, Ritsu holding Soubi slightly. It appeared, that the teacher himself was in pain likewise, though that could only be spotted by the short grimaces, his face made.
"I hadn't seen that before." The former student admitted, once they were halfway through the stairs to the lower level. In their sight a river was flowing in a long cavity. The water stream was in a middle of the room, surrounded by the same ivory tiles.
'This place is constantly changing. I wouldn't worry about it, if I were you...'
"We should hurry up." Soubi interrupted his teacher, as he heard some pebbles pattering. He could bet, that those were remains of the stairs.
Once they reached the floor, a wooden boat was waiting for them. Soubi seemed confused at it's sudden appearance. Still his eyes began to feist at the weird gondola in front of them.
Chains were draped on it's sides. And a few boards seemed long passed their use date. They were overgrown with moss and looked as if they could crumble down and decay in the water any second. Although the remarkable golden years of the boat were far from what truly interested the blonde.
In the gondola sat a lonely plank. And it seemed, that all of the chains were tied to it. Besides that, a weird figure stood on the other side of the boat. The being had a head of a crow, which was neatly covered with a grey cloth. So only the bloody beak shown through. His lower body seemed human, yet had a long white feathery tail.
The figure was holding a senile wooden box, which had been decorated with paper probably long time ago. And a scythe laid next to him.
"What is this?" Soubi pointed at the messy lettering on the sitting plank. He turned to his teacher a little spooked, and pointed at the strange finding."Why are our names written on it?"
'Oh?' Ritsu hadn't seemed to be amazed at the discovery. He shrugged, coming close to stand next to the blonde.
' It shows the two souls, that are in this world... In order for them to be taken to the afterlife...' He halted, biting his lower lip soon. Then the silver-haired apparition emitted a sigh. He stated bluntly with no regret.
'That means, you've died.'
"What?"
'You are a soul, Soubi-kun... You are not this world's creation like that troublesome Sanae for example. You were a living being once.'
He poked at Soubi's chest, then placed his palm fully. Yes, just like before, that warmth was emitted, sending goosebumps to Ritsu. The silverette closed his eyes. He tried to preserve the unfamiliar feeling and trap it in his soul.
'That's why you remembered parts of your earlier life... How come I didn't notice that?'
"Probably because you were too sucked in to stop me from recalling?"
'...Yes... I suppose.' The silverette mused a little frown clear on his face.' Ridiculous, isn't it?'
"I still don't understand those images. And the fact that I died, as you say... What does that mean?"
Ritsu didn't answer. Instead he leaned in to gently caress Soubi's cheek with his lips. The warmth of another being was something that he began to crave.
'That means I can feel you. And I can kiss you.' The silverette's eyes lit up, once he pulled away for an inch. His hands stayed looped around Soubi's throat loosely. He smiled genuinely at his student then, only to spot uneasiness written in the latter's eyes. 'Is something wrong?'
"You're... Giving me the wrong idea..."
'Oh, you're talking about my flaws again. Should've expected that... I'm sorry, Soubi-kun.' Ritsu pulled away slowly and unwillingly untangled his hands from the other. He felt addicted to the touch and didn't wanted to let go.'I get it that it's something unforgivable, I shouldn't hope for forgiveness... Or that I could somehow fix the situation...'
Soubi waited for him to elaborate, though Ritsu's face seemed in pain with a slightly parted mouth. He hadn't transmitted a single word, that could relate to the previous subject. The silver-haired man's incoherent mutter sounded similar to this.
'Get into the boat.'
The blonde complied, seeing the tiles crack, and cogwheels poke out, rupturing the floor. The chandeliers also began to fall to the ground, widening the river with every crack that they made. His sensei was right, it was time to go. Still he felt anxious for some reason. Maybe it was, because of the oddness, that his former teacher uttered.
When Soubi eventually settled in the slightly swaying gondola, he turned back to his teacher. His eyes shot open.
"Sensei? What's happening to you?" His voice became frightened quickly. And Soubi abruptly leaned his body toward the shore."Sensei!"
Ritsu hadn't even placed his foot in the boat, before he coughed up dark sticky liquid, falling to his knees.
"Ritsu-sensei! Are you alright!? Damn it. Stop this thing! Can you hear me, we have to take him in!" He yelled at the oblivious being, who began to row. Then Soubi started to swat the water from his side in desperation. He harbored the hope of bringing the gondola closer to the shore.
'Sou... Soubi-ku... Tha-That won't be... Necessary. I can't... I can't.'
"Shut up! Give me your hand!" The blonde extended his arm, leaning over the gondola. Unfortunately it tied him with the chains, upon his obvious struggles. So that was as much as he could reach. Ritsu vomited some bugs, while hiding his mouth. And they unwillingly slid through his fingers. He nearly fell on the ground from the threatening convulsion, that wrecked his body.
'No...'
"Hurry!" Soubi out cried, seeing the boat build more distance between them."I won't leave you here, sensei! I won't allow you to suffer this nonsense any longer. Forgive yourself and give me your hand!"
The silver-haired teacher weakly put up his arm for Soubi to reach, which the other hastily scratched with his fingers, until the blonde finally clasped their hands together. Although soon Soubi's joyful face deteriorated. Ritsu's arm began to rot right in front of him, turning into a squishy mass, filled with worms. The blonde looked bewildered at the falling sludge. After a minute, he grasped sensei's other hand.
'Soubi... S-stop... Please, it's not worth it.'
"What are you talking about?! Just hold on, okay? I'll get you out of here! I promise!" Soubi yelled out in fright. And Ritsu looked back at him with glassy pupils and a lost look on his face. He was abandoning faith... Any fiber, that the blonde had created in those short hours was now completely demolished. The only being, that stared back at the blonde was an epitome of numbness.
"Ritsu, look at me! Don't give up!" Soubi stammered, attempting to hide his anxiousness beneath a facade. He willed himself to stay strong, for himself and for his teacher. He couldn't give up and fall to misery.
However the scythe's keeper seemed to have enough of the ongoing commotion. The boatman with a beak rose the weapon behind Soubi. And before everything, Ritsu wailed out.
'It's too late Soubi-kun... I can't let go of my guilt...'
Soubi's eyes were locked into one place, as the blade went through Ritsu's elbow separating them forever.
In that split second, that seemed to last for years, the current tossed the gondola away from the breaking tiled floor, away from the small river into the ocean and away from the man who was left.
Ritsu's final words kept echoing in Soubi's head, repeating like a mantra. The blonde seemed to be stuck in a trance, still firmly holding onto his sensei's lifeless forearm. After a few silent minutes the view of the ivory room disappeared completely and was replaced with an endless ocean, the slow swaying of the gondola and the monotonic splashing of water... Then Soubi woke up...
"Ritsu... No! No, no, no! Ritsu! Aaaaagh! You... Bastard." He turned into a yelling and shivering mass, until the blonde set his enraged eyes onto the rower again." Stop this thing, do you hear me?! Go back there! Go back there! Go back!... Please... Ritsu..."
The rower paused in his motion for a short while, the being with a crow's beak slowly turned his head at the blonde then.
"The God of Guilt will not welcome you back. Thus we can not return."
X X X
The sun finally rose from her deep sleep... The light gently seeped through the endless night and ripped through the curtain, that had enfolded the sky for far too long... It colored the world anew, bringing a fresh new palette of shades.
Ritsu sat armless in the middle of a grassy field. And a few rusted, empty swings swayed next to him, creaking loudly every time they turned. He didn't minded the noise, the monotonic melody even calmed him down. Instead he slowly took in the scent of a pure fresh morning, the serenity and peace it brought along so caringly. That was something that he had clearly forgotten. The mornings here used to be rainy and dark most of the time, so the man hadn't had the privilege to witness the warm beam of light. The silver-haired man hadn't thought, that he needed it before, now he wondered how he managed to survive in this world without it's radiance.
The ravens finally lifted off from their suffering in the black flood. Ritsu's eyes now followed their journey, while they screeched enthusiastically, flying away as a flock.
It still ached though, that he had to remind himself. Even though the nature around him nearly made the man forget the menacing guilt, that nested in his ill soul. It will take some time, before the man will forgive himself completely.
Despite the obvious sting from his abdomen, he forced his lips to curve into a smile and looked up at the crystal clear sky. He finally reached the long awaited morning. This was his meeting with the sun. If only he could have seen this sparkling hope earlier. If only he could've seen it coming, before the dawn hit...
'We'll meet again, Soubi-kun...'