It was there I woke up to the origin plain. Tsukuyomi was there, only for me to be shocked for me to be laying my head on her lap. I jumped out to back away from her. "It's nice for you to be lively at least." She said.
I scratched my head and tried to maintain composure. But by doing so the moon goddess looked at me oddly. "You're really a piece of work, aren't you?" She commented. She snaps her fingers, as the image of me being in at the origin was an illusion. It ended up with me floating at thin air as I saw my own body laying in the car. "Am I dead?" I asked her. "No...You're just having an out of body experience due to the shock you had awhile ago." She told me.
The goddess pointed her finger in front of me to find my body laying down in the car. I wasn't conscious at all was barely breathing. It almost looked like as if I was dead. Everybody was quiet. Nobody was saying anything as a gloomy air entered the camp.
It was only there Richard was able to snap out of the melancholic aura given by the group. He had a skeptical look at his face and called for Sakuya. Sakuya couldn't hear the first few times. It was only when he tapped her shoulder that she managed to get out of the mood. She reacted in shock as if she just saw a ghost. But realizing her actions, Sakuya maintained a cool head. "So what were you doing when you were trying to getting a hold of Rin?" Richard asked.
"I figured maybe by getting a hold of a peaceful memory that maybe Rin might be able to calm down...but that turned out to be a bad idea." Sakuya replied rather down.
Mr. Williams then looked very serious. She went up to her, rather furious. "What did you see?" The man questioned my guildmaster in a serious matter. The man gave her a rather tense glare. A glare that can pierce through the facades of even most toughest of minds. You can really smell the bloodlust coming from him.
But soon Richard then comes between them. The man was rather curious on what was going on. "What's going on, old man? Why the curiosity?" He questioned him.
"What's it to you?" Mr. Williams questioned back.
"I don't know... how about the fact that the superpower of your group goes full on mental. Care to explain 'that'?"
"The guy's been through more than you guys even before this sick, floating wonderland even came to this world! How do you think he knows all this magic?"
Everybody else started to look at them. Something was up. Everybody was curious on what was going on. "What do you mean by 'before'?" Rebecca asks, "You seem to know a lot about Rin."
"Yeah, old man. I haven't seen your face like that since that riot at Rin's dojo." Tyrell added.
We then hear a beeping sound from the magitech Magna was holding. He looks at the device to find something odd. "Rin's clear of any corruption so far. It could be because of his anatomy of being a Tasogare. Buy if he ever goes berserk like that maybe it would be best to get some tranquilizers." Magna said.
"It won't help. If Rin has his healing factor then most likely his immune system would be eliminate any foreign agent coming into him. Binding him might be more efficient." Gram suggested.
"It's not gonna help us either way. The problem is in his mind." Sakuya told them.
"What did you see, Sakuya?" Richard asked her.
"It's a mess of memories, that's for sure. I felt I was drowning in a sea of blood the more I was in there." Sakuya replied.
"It's more complicated than that. Rin is way beyond what you call a special case." He told them.
"What do mean by that. Benedict?" Rebecca asks, "We've known about Rin not being right in the head for awhile but what part is more complicated than what Sakuya is saying?"
"I've known Rin since he was a kid and his life of bloodshed predated the existence of the HAPs and Laputa." Mr. Williams told them.
"Who are you to him then?" Richard questioned.
"I'm his godfather. I was taking care of him since he was little and even witnessed his first spells."
"Taking care of him...?" Rebecca asked.
"His mother died ad his father was busy most of the time, Rin would be with my family when I was still stationed at Seattle. After my shift I was stuck with him after school."
"Yet how did you know of his magic potential?" Gram asked.
"I caught him doing magic in the woods while I was sleeping at the porch. Saw him do his first spell when I was resting at the porch." He replied.
"Then if you know him then can you explain what just happened awhile ago?" Sakuya asked.
But the man didn't answer. It looked as if something was stopping him from answering. He could say something but he was thinking hat he was going to say. "That's the problem. I don't know." He told them in disappointment. "What do you mean?" Richard asked.
"Once I told his father of his magic potential, he took Rin to his family to Japan. He belonged to some special clan. He would email me weekly but they started to lessen once he was at his third year in Japan." Mr. Williams tells them, "When he came back he lost all his memories related to magic and of Japan. It was as if he was an entirely different person."
"So whatever happened to him at Japan...it turned him into this?" Tyrell summed up.
"Rin used to be afraid of people touching him before he was your roommate. I've managed to help Haphephobia but not at his left arm." He replied.
"Then what about that time when you bind him at the bed with Rebecca?" Sakuya asked.
"Rin did his left arm on his own. Tyrell finished the right arm by himself." He told her.
"So if anybody touches that arm, he would go into a panic attack...That could explain when we held him and he didn't react. I put him at a master lock hold when we put the mark on him. I wasn't even close to touching his forearm." Magna added.
"To be specific...women. He would tremble a little if a guy held it but somehow when it came to women then he would go on something like this. Heck...that's the main reason why he wasn't able to talk to women at his first year back at the States." Mr. Williams explained further.
"That can explain why he wasn't that much of a talker when he offered me a job...to be honest...I thought he was avoiding me...." Rebecca recalled.
"Yet that can also explain why he only trained the guys whenever he was teaching his classes." Tyrell added.
"I tried to even contact his family in Japan on what happened but that's where things became sketchy." Mr. Williams said.
"What's the problem?" Sakuya asked.
"Rin's uncle told me his father died due to some unknown circumstances while the other side of his family refused to talk to me about the entire situation and left me to help him." Mr. Williams said.
"Why didn't you bring him to psychological help then?" Tyrell asked.
"If we did then we would be risking the secrets of magic being leaked into the world. They only trusted me for so long because I already exposed to magic and raised him for most of his life...that along with his uncle and with his past lives." Mr. Williams shared.
"Wait...you knew of his past lives?!" Tyrell explained.
"Yeah...at one point. At a young age he even managed to summon them so he would get his regular hands on training with magic. I supervised every once in awhile to make sure things didn't go too far."
"By too far being...?" Magna asked.
"He blew up an entire landfill with just one regular spell...mouthed them both of them off too..." The man recalled as the nostalgic memory filled his head.
Everybody was surprised on what they have heard. The veterans looked at each other, not believing on what the man said. "I've heard of mortal kids with great potential in the mystic arts but...to blow up something that big is rather shocking for his age..." Gram commented based on insight.
"If Rin manage to blow up an entire area like that when he was a kid...then we're practically standing next to a nuke.." Magna added with a sudden chill.
"So in the end, with all the potential he had...something must have happened in Japan to make him like this way..." Sakuya summarized.
"Whatever that is...Rin must have has a hell of a time. He has all the marks to prove it." Gram pointed out.
Everybody then looks at Gram. The sound of it made everybody wondered what could that even mean. Gram was rather shocked himself to notice the reaction. Mr. Williams's eyes became blank. They were as dead as a corpse. "So you saw them...didn't you?" He questioned in a depressed matter. The lizardman looked down and sighed. I can feel his breath. Gram felt regret. "There were six of them. Six scars at his wrist...I didn't know...Sorry..." Gram apologized with a faint voice.
My three closest friends had their heads down. They were in shock. Tyrell fell on his butt at the floor, as the gravity of the situation got even heavier. He couldn't believe his ears. Rebecca on the other hand was shocked to even her as such. "I knew Rin was uncomfortable about his arm... But Rin carrying all that baggage..." Rebecca mumbled.
"Speak to yourself. I was his roommate and didn't bother to ask." Tyrell tells him, "Come to think of it...the guy's always been secretive about his life."
"That's the problem. The reason why he doesn't even tell was because he doesn't even remember." Mr. Williams said.
Just my luck. Something that I didn't want out of the bag. It was one thing I rather keep a secret to. The whole group was breathless. "Wait...What do you mean by that?" Rebecca questions, "Are you telling us that Rin has amnesia?"
The man sighed. His arms remained folded. But All he could do was look down with a dead stare. "When he came to me after a decade and barely recognized me. Rin was a shell of his previous self." Mr. Williams tells them, "Whatever happened at Japan, it must have messed him up good. Heck I was surprised that he even knew magic after what happened."
"Are you some kind of mage or something?" Sakuya asked.
"No...but with the help of one of his past lives I was able to train Rin's body to be sturdier in endurance."
"One of his past lives? How were you able to get into his head?" Tyrell asked.
"Rin was able to summon them with his magic, sometimes to let them aid him for a short period of time. But in order for him to use them, he needed both mind and soul. I did the physical while the his past lives did the rest." Mr. Williams told them.
"The rest meaning...?" Richard questioned.
"Paper amulets and talismans to cast powerful spells, freerunning, even to learn multiple languages. All I did was help toughen his body and help him use weapons." Mr. Williams told them.
"That can explain why he's so powerful. Being able to summon artificial spirits like that are high tier spells. It's a miracle that he was even able cast so many." Magna mentioned.
"Are Rin's spells that powerful?"
"From what I can tell from my Intel and from subordinates, the Omnyouji are able to summon spirits and function like a support mage...but that spell with the dark blade was something else." Richard said.
"What do you mean by that?" Sakuya asked.
"Rin uses his own spells as if they were offensive spells. The omnyoji are only are able to use offensive magic when ever threatened." Richard tells them, "And there are a few spells that the omnyouji that fit that criteria. The rest are either healing, defense, and exorcism."
"Then that would mean that Rin's expertise in magic is somewhat of a different breed...did Rin mention anything to you about what he was doing in Japan?" Gram asked Mr. Williams.
The man looked at them in a tense matter. It was as if he saw the devil or something. "I'm afraid I can't mention that." Mr. Williams told him.
"Why not?" Sakuya asked.
"It has to come out of his mouth, not mine. I can't talk anymore of this." Mr. Williams said.
"But we need to know, Ben." Tyrell told him.
"Then what? What happens if what I said was mentioned in front of Rin? He gets panic attacks just by mentioning these kinds of things!" Mr. Williams told them.
"But we need to know either way." Richard said.
"It has to come from Rin's mouth." The military veteran explains, "He needs to learn how to accept them. As his godfather I want this to come at his own terms."
"Accept what?" Magna asked.
"His memories...there must be a reason why he forgot. But now it's as if he wants to forget." Mr. Williams mentioned.
"Then we have to get him back to Cletus. He needs help." Rebecca suggested.
"I'm afraid we can't do that." Richard said.
"What do you mean? The guy needs help!" Tyrell reacted.
"I know that but that isn't considered an option." Sakuya answered.
"What do you mean by that?" Rebecca questioned.
"We need to take Rin somewhere. It's necessary for our mission." Magna said.
"What mission? This was just supposed to be an easy expedition." Mr. Williams put out.
"The Norns sent me a message. If we don't get Rin at the location by tomorrow then our efforts will be for not." Sakuya told her.
Rebecca then gets a hold of Sakuya at the shirt. She was filled with rage. Her grip tightened and slammed her against the car. Her two subordinates jumped foreword towards Rebecca and let out their weapons. But they stopped by an inch close to touching Rebecca's hair as Sakuya raised her hand. Yet all around everybody was pointing their weapons towards the two of them. Gram had his heavy crossbow ready and Mr. Williams had his sidearm pistol pointing at them. It was a Mexican standoff. But despite all of that, Rebecca lets out a punch that hits the car.
"How dare you!" She shouts in rage, "Screw your gods! Have you seen him?! He's barely holding up and you expect him to move on?! What kind of person are you!"
Sakuya then turns the tables and throws her at the ground with a knife near Rebecca's neck. Sakuya's real face shows. Tears landed on Sakuya's face. It was full of sorrow. "Do you think I want this?! I was in his head just to see it AGAIN!" Sakuya growls back, "He never deserved any of it! All of it! Now I have to watch him fall again!"
Sakuya then stabs her knife on the ground. She brawls and cries even harder. "My light! My precious onii-san!" She weeps in Japanese, "I watched him fly and here I am again to watch him fall again! I don't want to see him like that!"
She then wipes her tears and takes a good look at Rebecca. "Even if I have to be the devil himself, I'll do it just for the sake for him to stay!" She told her. My guildmaster gets up and retracts her knife. "The Norns instructed follow the demands of Rin's goddess in order for him to get stronger. Whoever wants to come with the scouting party then set up." She tells them, "Whoever choses to stay at camp, Magna will keep you company."
I watch her walk away with the rest of the group. But just as she goes, static appears in my head. It was a vision at the sidewalk and I just finished a job. It was night and cold. There I saw a girl at the other side of the window, alone and all dressed up at the other side of the street. She looked lonely at that family restaurant.
For a brief moment my body paused. I could feel feelings of concern and worry at the time. My body started to move on its own. I leaped over the divider and rushed across the street. The horns were beeping and screeching but I didn't care.
As soon as I made it across the other side of the street I rushed into the family restaurant and ran like a bat out of hell. I appear in front of the girl, out of breath. "Oh...you're here...what are you doing here?" She asked me. I them mumbled out a name, "Sakuya." My lungs lacked air and I could barely grasp for it. The mosaic is soon fades and reveals a younger version of Sakuya. "As you can see I'm transferring and I just need some space." She says, "You were right. I shouldn't have to be involved. I should have listened to you."
I could sense the sorrow in her words. She looked down. My lungs weren't working as I can grasp a few words. But there I punched myself at the face and shouted, "I'll make sure you will stay with me!"
Everybody started to look at us. Sakuya couldn't believe her ears. She covered my mouth. "What are you doing?! Not so loud, idiot!" She whispered loudly to me. By that time I managed to breathe normally. I then removed her hand and gave her a piece of my mind. "But I need you! You're the best I know!" I mouth off, "You taught me to be a better and helped me a lot! At least quit!"
Sakuya then turns red and covers her face. "At least watch what you're saying! People are gonna read the situation wrong!" She shouted, flustered. "Shut up and let me finish!" I talked back.
There I sat down at the table and try to calm myself down. After a bit of thought collecting I managed to get a grip. "I'll take you to the movies, bring you to a fancy dinner, anything!." I tell her, "Even if I have to become the devil himself, I'll do it so you can stay!"
The vision was over. I was out of breath and felt my chest tighten. Tsukuyomi then looks at me. She was rather unease but somehow satisfied. "It looks like you can actually remember 'one' person from your past at least." She says, "I feel bad for Sakuya. She's been holding out this whole time and she did it all for you."
"So...you knew?" I questioned the goddess.
"Lilith told me to keep your past a secret when you lost your memories. She was always the manipulative type."
"But I need answers. Why is Lilith keeping secrets?"
"Isn't it obvious? Maybe deep down you just don't want to know."
"How would you know that?"
"Gods have a link to their disciples and sense what they feel. You never wanted to see those visions of people dying. Didn't you?"
"Why do I see those visions anyway? What do they mean?"
The goddess looked emotionless. I can see disappointment in her eyes. She then takes her hand and puts it on my shoulder. "You should stop dodging questions with your own." The goddess advised me. Tsukuyomi walks towards my body. She feels my body's cheek. Eventually she holds the hand of my left arm and feel the scars of my wrist. It sent chills up my spine. "The reason why you were hiding them so much all this time was the fact that you saw more of them didn't you?" She asked me. I didn't answer. All I could do was look away. "Don't look away from me, boy. Kenshin raised you well enough to give eye contact when somebody is talking to you." Tsukuyomi reprimanded me.
"I just wanted to stop the bleeding..." I hesitantly replied.
"Yet you weren't. I can sense the fear in you." She tells me, "But it's about time."
"What time?" I asked.
"Your friends will take you up north. There will be the beginning of your real journey."
"My journey?"
"This world needs you with the many other heroes. The continent's citizens maybe lost but they aren't fallen. Find your path so they can find theirs."
The goddess then disappeared. I was left out of my body for a little while. I was floating above my body and kept on staring at my scars. Six scars were there. I could recall I was at my room in Japan. I was on the floor with my katana on my lap. My mind was in sorrow. All I could hear were screams and anguish in my head. The screams of everybody at the school building. All I wanted was the screams to stop.
It was there that I did it. I flipped the edge upward and put my left wrist against my blade. Without a care in the world I slid my hand against the edge and starting slitting my wrist. My arm moved on its own and kept on going one cut after another. But when I was gonna go for the seventh one, I laid at my side and was about to pass out due to blood loss.
A faint chuckle went through my throat as my eyes met the cuts at my wrist. "You can execute without question yet you cannot even finish this last one...how pathetic..." I mumbled.
Soon I can hear the door open, only for there to be a scream. It was Sakuya, shocked and on the floor. Lilith then grabs her and shouts to call an ambulance. My companion then grabs my blanket and covers the wound. But I soon pass out and that was the end of the vision.
I couldn't help but to kneel at the floor and scream. If it were only a dream. But it wasn't. This was real. Why did I do this? How did things go to this? But all I knew was the tightness in my chest. My heart was getting heavy. Red threads can be seen around me, pulling me down at the floor. Is this my fate? What did I do?