Chapter III

Where is my mind?

The light sword came like a lightning, cutting him and his guardian spirit in half.

What was the revelation he had in the last second?

In the first past life he thought about the fact that he MUST change the world, or it will destroy itself.

In the second one he thought about Matamune and forgave his best friend's betrayal.

This time it happened too fast. His head was empty and all he got left with was the bitter taste of death.

Purgatory. He was standing there and the demons were trying to enter his mind. Some of them would call it the holy judgment: but it wasn't like that at all. There were only Oni's who were trying to affect his subconscious. Make him go mad and hate himself for what he did.

But Hao went here before. He instinctively emptied his head. Hiding himself, wrap the Neocortex in a hibernating state of mind. Forgetting…

About everything which you had done to stain your heart, because they will make you slaughter your chest.

About your purpose in life, because they will make you shoot your head.

About the people you've met, because they will make you hang yourself so they could see your dead body.

They will make you wish to stay in hell forever.

Like a little child, home alone, with the criminals heavily knocking on the door. They smell your fear and they grow even stronger. You cry, waiting for them to break in… and your thoughts are unlocking the door like a key.

But for Hao, there was always something that would destroy them, standing by his side. Always ready to appear.

It was fire. He hides the skeletons in the closet and holds his hands tight on the matches. Only one thing he knows: when he lights them up, it is all over.

He can come back to normal again. It will all come back to him.

Only this time….

Some flashing light came like a train and smashed over them. Only their arms would come from underneath the rail and would desperately try to grab him.

Then, everything was black. After that it became blurred…except a palpable hand on his chest. For only one second. Then he got flooded with furyoku. The unusual flowing chi was taking his soberness and he fell asleep again.

He woke up in an empty room. Hao sensed the presence of someone in the house. He or she was being silent, probably sleeping, because that is the only time he couldn't read any thoughts.

The room was next o a large open balcony. He sat there waiting for the other person to wake up. He couldn't remember anything but only vague things about himself.

It was futile trying to answer to questions that he didn't even know how to conceive.

The only thing that interested him right know was "the sleeping beauty". But for that he had to wait.

Thinking and trying to remember different things from his life. He vaguely remembered having a friend when he was young. He taught him how to fish, how to write, count, the names of hina dolls, birds… He ate the very first sweets. He learnt how to make an oversoul.

But he doesn't know who could be his guardian spirit.

Then it was a cat. A pure living thing. He raised it and gave it a part from his power. But somehow there was a fight…

There was also another one who raised his sword against him and it really was disappointing.

But why would they do that?

"You stupid birds! That's how you repay me after feeding you all winter!?"

She shut the window.

That was weird. So she woke up. It would be a shame if something else bothered her. Hao laughed a bit inside. Too bad he needed his clothes

What could go wrong after all? Everyone can be a rational person when it comes to strangers…

It didn't go as planned...A pair of green eyes with a lot of mixed-up emotions were looking at him. There was a gleam in her gaze, something that made him look elsewhere. After all he wasn't in such a comfortable situation.

But at least she seemed to be a nice person. And also interesting. Hao remembers meeting other plain people with nothing to share because of being concerned with their own lives.

This girl seemed to be more interested in Hao than herself. But if so then why doesn't she try controlling her reactions in order to make a good impression? Well, maybe she is the type who speaks out her mind.

And now she's hiding in the house. Recently she would be capable of beating him up for being half naked and now she doesn't want to see him dressed…?

After a talk, Hao was able to read a big part of her thoughts. She was just contradicting herself and it seemed like she talked in her mind more than in the actual discussion.

"Should I lie?"

"No, why would you hide yourself?"

"You're right, lying is also bad"

"Aww, now be a good girl and tell your mommy that you broke the vase"

"Oh, come on, stop being sarcastic! I am a horrible person"

"Maybe I should just tell the truth."

"Smoking may be a reason of prejudice"

"He already thinks you're a weirdo. Maybe you should just avoid the answer. How about your mother? She would be proud of this bad habit"

"Great idea! Saved by my mom's coolness. Again…"

She seems like a lonely person. Maybe she never had a friend before…

Hao could easily leave and search for answers. But firstly he wanted to see the power this girl had. She was after all able to resurrect him, so a demonstration of her powers would be interesting to watch.

And before that, they even fished together, even if she had that strange mercy. Surprisingly, Hao didn't even feel a slight remorse doing this. After all, she was being quite silly, but she still had a wonderful imagination about the dreams of a fish, which was…so small…

Maybe spending more time with her wouldn't be a waste of time. Perhaps they would even get along together.

Rilury's spirit isn't in this world. She indeed uses its power and even seems to make sort of an incomplete OS… The technique is eluding. Maybe after he'll remember more about shamans history he'll be able to understand where the source of those power is…

And he did. Hao Asakura understood everything…but this time, he wasn't in hell. His subconscious took over and revealed his five-pointed star. He was standing in the middle of a burning pentagram. He smirked.

When you light the matches, the carpet takes fire…and the childish game is over.