Chapter 26———DEUS EX AKINA [1/2]
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//Akina//
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I don't know where I am. How should I know?
The last thing I remember was how I wanted to help my teammates win it; how can
Everything is so black right now, so black that I could see how lonely it can be in space. How astronauts felt when they stared in their space stations: Now I know how lonely it can be...
There were no stars, planets, no asteroids: Just a single strand of pink hair.
My hair.
If this was space——then the concept of gravity wouldn't exist here. This is gravity: my weight pushed me on the ground instead of floating like a rock.
"So, this place has gravity." I said to myself.
Good.
It's good because I can find out where I am. If I'm alone, why am I gonna yell "Hello" in a place where I don't know anything about? I watched "Alien" before——I know the cliches that came along with it.
The air was heavy here——That means this isn't outer space...Even better. Maybe I can breathe normal here..
"Breathe in....Breathe out....." I told myself before closing my eyes, yet it grew worser and worse for me to breathe. Something was constricting my
My teammates need me——I wanted to prove that I can do good—that I can help them.
Says the girl who was on a team with a chloromancer (I think Su-Jin is one), a Heart-Bond and a kid who has an ancient demon that caused the 2006 Incident.
They need me?
I'm nothing more than a benchwarmer anyway. If I was on Team A with the prince of Somnus, then I'm definitely wasted space. The critics are saying that the Class of the Salamanders is a joke compared to the Griffons, have they seen this class?
We look like bonafide heroes——like an army of Teen Titans! People love the Teen Titans!
And just like that——the feeling of being alone was so strong right now, even defeating the positivity.
Woah.....Is that....A Spirit?
Oh no——Am I in a cruel joke of Heaven? I thought according to the Bible, it's so beautiful and filled with light, yet here I'm experiencing a low-life crisis.
The spirit didn't have a form but the shape of it reminded me of Beyoncé's curves——I do love me some Queen Bey... It was also pink: Who would've thought?
Hello there... Akina Willoby. The spirit spoke to me, it was a female since the voice felt so calming to me. You seem incredibly lost here.....She could fool me right now, but I trust her.
"Hey...." I greeted back, my stutter wasn't there as I forgot that the air was a difficult to breathe in. It was getting hard to shallow now and my lungs were also feeling small
Do you wish to breathe here in the metaphysical world? She asked me kindly. It seem like she didn't have a mouth, which was really weird.
Yes please! I begged in my thoughts. I can't breathe in here for some reason and I really can't shallow! Help?!
But you can——You simply have to believe in yourself. She reassured me as she circled around, waiting for me. Do you believe in yourself: Akina Willoby? The spirit asked.
Do I believe in myself? Hard to explain since I'm your average girl-next-door, except I have natural pink hair, a stuttering problem, and eyes that are too crazy for the people: I'm different enough for people to know about....
For all I know, we probably lost already, thanks to me. The guilt of my team potentially losing because of me is too much, I can't be the one who causes it.
I can't have it that way!
Wait...Can I breathe here? How do I breathe here? Is it slowly? Or do I need to hyperventilate and then gather the air back to myself? I kept asking, trying to hurry up so I can give a helping hand out.
Do you believe in yourself? She asked me again this time, more slowly.
Time was running quicker than ever, my mind didn't have time to give a quick answer to that question. It was obvious that I didn't have myself in high regards since I fainted in the middle of it. "PLEASE!!" I yelled to her. "I have to know what is going on here? Can I have that at least?" I just want to get out of here. I have to I know I keep on repeating myself, but I will keep repeating on what I need right now. What I need is to win this; to prove that I can study here in Surwick.
And I'm going for six years so I can explore the other realms. That's a promise.
If she was smiling, then she was smiling currently at me. You're breathing beautifully here.
"Oh snickers and almond joys: I'm talking now and feels like Earth here." I gasped and I was amazed here. The darkness was now very comfortable
Congratulations, Akina: You are now surviving. The spirit congratulated me, her tone was so polite——Was I supposed to attend to a fancy tea party or something?
To be an "apparition" or spirit——she does have curves for days! I could tell I was blushing, since my poker face was not the best.
The spirit was now mad at me, she folded her arms and mean mugging me. I can hear your thoughts, you know....You shouldn't be thinking like that: You are still a child.
Getting scolded by a spirit, that's one off the bucket list.
"Oh....Oopsy." I apologized to her quickly, I didn't know she can read my thoughts. I didn't assume that she could do that.
But thank you for the generous compliment. I try really hard to be in shape yet there are a few things I can grab ahold of. She said. Do you wish to get back to why you are here?
I answered politely to return of how she was treating me. "Yes ma'am."
Let us start over.
The first thing that came to me is what am I doing here. "Why am I here? And where am I?"
We're in your subconscious——You have fainted as your team is on the verge of losing the training exercise, anger is a powerful weapon and you let it go through your head: Causing confusion and setbacks to your team and your enemies. The spirit explained, that answered some of my questions...
What does anger have to do with me? I'm hardly angry. "Righttt....Better question: What do you mean by 'anger is a powerful weapon'?"
Do you recollect the night where your bed was destroyed by that lightning bolt.
"No...I summoned the lightning bolt....I caused it to break my bed?" I was curious on what she was going with this. I jumped the shark too fast! How did I get there like that?! Am I supposed to be a Meister too, now?
You were it, Akina: Your were the lightning bolt. Your blood flow was so fast—-your blood began to electrify the air around you, your entire physiology underwent a transformation that night. As if, you wanted to have your powers yet you didn't exactly been given your birthright...Have you felt anything different over the past few days?
Everything was getting clear now, my eyes widen in realizing that I did feel different. "Three days before today, I remember now. I was feeling like I had a fever, goosebumps from all over, I drank some Tea to soothe my throat a bit. It didn't work, the next day I was feeling alright again. That night——I was breathing my superpower out of my blood?"
All of it came rushing through and all of a sudden——you were made anew. She clarified, pushing my hair out to my eyesight. "The lightning bolt came from my heart and shattered my bed like that?"
So, I did all of that for why exactly?
"Ma'am," I was trying to be nice. "Am I a Heart-Bond? I don't mean to be rude like this, where's the contract that I need to sign? What is my birthright?"
Suddenly, the spirit was angry because of my question, transforming into a large pillar of fire. I didn't know my question was going to receive that amount of backlash!
A contract? A CONTRACT? You are no Heart-Bond: You are no Parasite, you are no scourge from Corheim! You dare to bring yourself to their level? She calmed down as she returned to normal, patting all over her as if she was a human. No. You, Akina Willoby, are the ultimate being... You are an Ultiman.....A Homo Novus Ultima. You are beyond human. You transcend them.
An Ultiman? Is that like a Saiyan?
Can I fly?
Or Am I super-strong?
I wanted to know what superpowers I had now that I'm an official Ultiman, which ones that came with the "job description".
"I never heard of them before."
The Ulitmen, once billions of them, were protectors of humanity when conquerors wished to conquer Mid-World, none of them were successful, the last time although successful...The cost was heavy. 98% of the Ultimen population died out in a month. Nowadays, they cling to the shadows, becoming urban legends when they can gain glory.
Oh man...That is horrible.. I thought to myself, I felt sick to my stomach, I can't hear about people dying.
"When was this?" I asked, afraid to know the truth.
Approximately 47,000 years ago. The Late Stone Age, if you will. She clarified.
Gosh....That's before the Principal's time. Way before his time, and that dog is not a dog.
The spirit went on further.
The Ultimen were also former sworn enemies of Heart-Bonds. That was a lifetime ago, it means you can still be good friends with the Heart-Bond that saved you. If you thought the Heart-Bonds were strong and all mighty. No, You have the potential to surpass them——Those false deities have nothing on you. You are above them. She was praising of how powerful Ultimen were back then.
Above them? I guess being an Ultiman is amazing. Now I'm motivated!
"Are you my mom?" It was unlikely that this spirit was my mother. I just needed to be sure.
I am no mother..... And I could be a mother. The spirit answered back to my clear question. A rather vague statement, to be sure. I am only here to assist you in dire times...
I hate Deux Ex Machina: especially in this case! I don't want to win in a random way! I want to win this with my power and not where I can't explain!
I complained to myself.
Silly child: This is not a "Deux Ex Machina" solution. The spirit said, poking me in the forehead. Her finger felt cloudy and smooth. The poke caught me off guard, I stumbled back.
This is your "birthright" solution. She placed something in my hand. I was giggling a bit. Woahhh.....It feels like cotton candy.
Now—rub your hands against each other tightly and quickly at the same time and do it for sixty seconds. She instructed me, and I started to go what she said.
"How do I know when those sixty seconds are up?"
You'll know.
Sixty seconds passed on by. Still nothing.
Then I dropped to the ground in pain, I felt power in my body. This is power. Power that can bring down a person like that. My bones were feeling stronger than ever. I was thinking yet it was hard to, the pain is unbearable.
It stopped. "So, I'm going to win this with your power—" I wanted to
Your power, Akina. Not mine: Yours. She interjected while making her words clear with me, ringing in my ears. I didn't feel the tension in my body anymore, I feel like a new car.
This power is extremely difficult to use. However; I have a feeling you'll get the hang of it. The spirit liked me for some reason, I didn't mind it.
Will you use this power to become a defender of humanity? Another question, this time was more mature than the others.
If I could help just one person before...before I retire: I'll do what I can to reassure people in need. I want to bring them hope. It's a nice feeling and I can't stop feeling optimistic about my "birthright".
"Yes." I said. I smiled and repeated my reply. "Yes. I will use this power to help others in need."
Good. Now awaken from your sweet slumber. Goodbye, sweet willow. She said her goodbyes and I was thrown away from my subconscious. Like falling upwards, gravity was doing the opposite of what the laws of physics say.
I will be better.
A Deux Ex Machina is something teachers will be raving about me? Wouldn't be the first time.....
Let them say what they want to say.
I'm not going to let that bother me.
What bothers me is how I don't know on what my powers are.
One thing I know is that I'm apparently super-strong.
I never knew I had powers....But I won't let them go to waste now.
Now is my time to shine. The time to shine brighter than I ever could in my life.
I'm going to win this. I will win.
And I will win with my "birthright".
———Track 26 Ended———