Chapter 18: The Edge of Reason
Eiji was waking up in his bed. He didn't really remember much of what happened after the corpses attacked. He saw Hiro, and his parents.
"We're alive...? What happened?"
Hiro smiled sadly. "Well, I know you saved my life. You're really something, you know?"
He looked down. "No... I let them get a hit on you. I'm sorry..."
Chihiro stroked his hair from his face.
"Eiji... You can't beat yourself up for that. You did your best."
His face darkened. "But I need to do better than that. Wait... I was able to control those corpses with my hands... I've done it once before this."
He perked up. "If I could practice? I bet I'd be strong enough to-!"
"No, that's not possible." Said Haku.
Eiji froze.
"What are you talking about?"
Hiro looked at them. Her eyes widened.
"No way! You didn't, did you!?"
"What is she talking about!?" Eiji exclaimed.
"We blocked your powers Eiji." Said Chihiro. "It's too dangerous... It could kill you."
In that moment, something in Eiji broke.
How could they...?
I just wanted the strength to protect Hiro, and everyone else!
Why...?
Why!?
WHY!? WHY IS IT ALWAYS ME WHO HAS TO BE WEAK!?
Everyone... Always sheltering me, and treating me like I can't stand and fight.
What happened to bravery?
HUH!? WHAT HAPPENED DAD!? WEREN'T YOU PROUD OF ME!?
No... All lies.
All of them are LIARS!
...Not Hiro. Hiro never lies...
Hiro is an angel in a world of demons and liars!
"That's not fair." Said Hiro. "All he needed was training, but now you've all made that impossible! Why would you listen to Nina!? You KNOW she's up to something! You KNOW!"
"That's enough!" Chihiro yelled.
"I know she is, but I was considering it myself."
Hiro froze.
"Y-You... You monst-"
"It's fine." Said Eiji. "They're right."
Haku and Chihiro seemed relieved to hear this, they both hugged him, telling him he should rest for longer. They wanted to spend time with him later.
Eiji nodded, but inside he was cold.
"You don't honestly believe that! Do you!?" Hiro exclaimed.
Eiji laughed bitterly. "No, I believe I've been betrayed."
Hiro nodded slowly. "I know... Here."
She handed him a round pellet.
"I had to act like I didn't know, so they wouldn't catch on. Talin told me to give this to you, it'll break the seal, and free your powers."
Eiji looked at her in awe.
"You're like an angel in a universe of demons..."
He swallowed the pellet, and flinched as the seal broke.
"Just don't let the others know." She said.
"I found a book in Shisuta's library, it will tell you all about your powers. The Talin and Max said they'd help you practice."
He nodded. "Right. Thank you Hiro... You're my only friend now..."
A tear slipped.
She hugged him. "No. You have twenty more of them, and they all have your back. They protected youy from Nina. She's actually a demon named Ririsu, and she was going to hurt you."
Eiji stopped.
"Ririsu... Hold on. I read a book on her once... Hiro! That's LILITH, AND-!"
She covered his mouth. "Don't yell it!" She whispered.
"She's still sleeping! So we have a chance!"
She uncovered his mouth.
"A chance for what?" Eiji asked.
Hiro's expression darkened.
"Ririsu has won over too many people here. We need to disappear, and not come back."
"Are you serious about this?" He asked.
She nodded. "Dead. ...Talin told me that he knows how to stop Ririsu, and save Kahn and the others. If we go with them, and disappear. That's the only way it'll work."
Eiji held out his hand.
"I'm in."
They shook on it, and prepared to leave.
...
Linn and Kuhn were sitting in their office.
Linn sighed. "Hiro... This has probably been the worst day of her life, and it was supposed to be a special one for her."
"I know." Said Kuhn softly.
He looked at the augmented bat. "Maybe I should give this back."
His lower lip quivered. "I... I wanted to protect her from this. This world... Just a little longer... Please."
Linn sobbed, and hugged him.
"I know... I know, I wanted that too! Just to let her be a kid... Give her something I didn't have."
Kuhn breathed slowly. "We have to try... This is Hiro we're talking about. Our Hiro..."
He gave her a gentle kiss.
"I'll give her back the bat."
He stood, and walked over to Eiji's room. It was empty.
He sighed. "She went back to her room then..."
He figured she'd be mad, so he didn't expect her to be hanging out in the lobby.
He opened the door to her room. "Hiro, I.."
She wasn't in her room either.
Kuhn was starting to get nervous. Where else could she be!?
The Altar room.
He walked in. "Hey Shisuta, have you seen Hiro anywhere? Did she stop by here?"
She shook her head. "No, I am sorry I can't be of more help. Have you seen a book called, 'The Fundamentals of Blood Mastery'? I think it's been..."
They looked at each other.
"She didn't..." Said Kuhn.
"She wouldn't!" Shisuta exclaimed.
They thought about that.
"Wait, YES SHE WOULD!" They yelled.
They searched high and low for her, but found no one.
Haku and Chihiro ran up to them.
"Have you seen Eiji?" Haku asked frantically.
"We can't find him anywhere!"
...
Eiji and Hiro had left two hours ago.
The Leviathan's carried them with great speed to their home, the pit. It is where they'd be introduced as the Master and Mistress. Eiji was riding on Talin, Hiro on Max.
"HOW FAR ARE WE NOW!?" Yelled Hiro. The wind speeds were high, making communication difficult.
"NOT FAR A MISTRESS!" Yelled Max.
He stopped.
"IN FACT WE'RE HERE!"
Eiji stepped off of Talin, and at least two hundred Leviathan's surrounded them.
Talin stepped forward.
"THIS is MASTER!" He yelled.
"AND A MISTRESS!"
"A MIIIIISSSSTRESSSSS!" Max screamed.
They all cheered, welcoming their new friends.
When the crowd settled down, Talin took them both aside.
His expression was grave, but it always was when he got serious.
"There is a way to stop Lilith." He said.
Eiji nodded. "That's what Hiro was saying, but how?"
He smiled mischievously. "The wench wants the rock, we want it too... Because the wench wants the rock."
"What rock? Is it magical?" Hiro asked.
He was serious. "It is the dreamstone, and the power she seeks to overthrow the heavens. The heavens will be ruled, but not by her..."
"It'll be ruled by Kahn, right?" Eiji asked.
"The GUY! No..."
His expression went from wild to dark in a split second.
"He is not worthy for such a throne. No, not now. Master Eiji, and Mistress Hiro. You are our chosen Champion's!"
They both nodded "Right."
...
They would all train and work toward their separate goals for three more years.
There was a lot of progress made on both sides, and all motives were coming to a rise...
Hiro and Eiji had truly disappeared from the eyes of their opposer's.
That... Would be their upper hand.