I found myself enveloped in a surreal dance within the depths of darkness, my body weightless as if disconnected from reality, my senses swimming in a sea of confusion. My gaze wandered aimlessly through the void, shifting between undefined shadows, a dance of left and right…
"Amai?"
Her ethereal form floated before me, an apparition in the abyss.
Navigating through this enigmatic plane, I drew closer to Amai, her tearful visage a beacon amidst the obscurity.
"Amai? Where are we?" I inquired, my voice laced with bewilderment.
Her response was wordless, a tender embrace that almost left me breathless, as if she intended to shield me from some unseen peril.
"I'm sorry, Yami... I..." Her voice quivered with a hint of sorrow.
A wave of sadness emanated from her, palpable even in this abstract realm.
"I've accessed your memories... I had no idea about your past, the pain you endured," she sobbed.
My heartache seemed to disperse with her confession. Gently, I patted her head and spoke softly.
"It's okay, Amai. I've already let go of those memories."
"No... you haven't. I saw everything," she retorted, her words echoing the haunting truth.
Silence lingered, burdened by the weight of my past that I had desperately tried to bury.
Screams of agony, flames devouring, the stench of death, the agony of countless lives sacrificed to Taikens...
Taiken...
Taiken...
Taiken...
My existence had been consumed by a quest for vengeance against these cosmic terrors. My father, my guiding light, my reason for existing, was taken from me in that blaze. And where was my mother during this tragedy?
She could have saved...
No, it was my irresponsibility, my inertia, that led to his demise.
I was the one who ended his life.
Amai's gaze bore into my anguished expression, witnessing the turmoil that swirled within me.
In response, she held me tenderly, attempting to quell the surge of malice within me.
I was responsible...
My recklessness had cost him his life.
If only we had left home sooner...
If only I hadn't been so complacent...
If only I weren't the way I am...
He might still be alive...
The image of his dying moments seared across my mind, an indelible scar.
Agony throbbed through my being, a physical manifestation of my torment. In my despair, I pushed Amai away, a dark pulse of malice lashing out uncontrollably.
"Yami, it's your fault! You killed him!" The voice reverberated, echoing in this unearthly plane.
Amai recoiled, her form shrinking in response to the accusation.
"No... it wasn't..." I groaned, my voice strained with anguish.
"His death was your doing!" The voice taunted, a sardonic edge twisting its tone.
"Yami..." She stood there, a helpless witness to my inner turmoil.
"Remember what you've done!" The voice thundered, and the memory materialized before me...
"Daddy! Daddy!"
The memory clawed at me, the agony of that day freshly rekindled. I could still feel the heat of the flames, smell the acrid scent of burning wood and plaster. Often, I awoke to the suffocating weight of carbon in the air, a never-ending nightmare.
"Wake up, Daddy!"
His face, pallid and lifeless, his final smile amid the inferno that consumed our home.
"Dad! Please... don't leave me..."
A younger Amai stood beside me, her pained gaze mirrored my own.
Her hand reached toward my back, a gesture of comfort cut short by the overwhelming cries of others, the relentless flames, and the carnage that ensued.
A guttural scream tore from my throat, a torrent of mana bursting forth, obliterating the very memory I had been trapped within. Amai was ripped from that harrowing scene, and transported back to the cold, dark plane.
In this place, she saw me once more. Hanging from a ceiling fan, my wrists slashed, my lifeless form sprawled across the pavement.
Her gaze met mine...
And she couldn't contain her anguish any longer. The memories I had harbored were wounding her soul, tearing at her heart.
This wasn't the first time she had witnessed my self-inflicted pain, my acts of violence towards myself and others.
My true self...
My dark reality...
I had ended my own life countless times...
Yet, here I was, still trapped in this cycle of despair.
I had tried to forget...
I had tried to escape...
But I couldn't...
"Wake up, you idiot."
Death could not absolve me of my sins...
"Wake up, Yami!"
And I would... do it...
"Wake up!"
Once more...
Laughter, sinister and mocking, reverberated through the abyss. An entity, vile and malevolent, materialized before me, its grin oozing with a nauseating sense of amusement.
"Embrace it. Embrace the darkness within you. You will take lives, and there's no escaping it. You cannot hide from me, from your own malice."
A surge of mana surged through me, my senses snapping back into focus, my surroundings regaining color. Amid the swirling vortex of energy, I glimpsed a familiar figure...
"Idiot..." A voice rang out, proud yet breathless.
"You could've killed us!" An elegant voice chimed in, dripping with irritation.
"What just happened?" Monotone tones mixed with confusion.
"Yami..."
My vision cleared, and I found myself lying in an infirmary bed, a chorus of voices filling the room. Girls surrounded me, their faces etched with concern and relief.
A throbbing headache pulsed within me, and I clutched my head in agony.
"Where... is Amai?" My words hissed through the pain.
"A-Amai?" The voices of those around me echoed in unison, their concern palpable.
"O-oracle…" I managed to respond, the pain within me reverberating like an echo.
"O-oh... she's lying beneath the sheets," Shizue gestured toward my legs, and there she lay, tears streaming down her face, her body contorting in distress as crimson lightning crackled through her.
I gently lifted Amai into my arms, enfolding her in a tender embrace. "I'm sorry... you didn't need to witness my memories..."
Her tears flowed more freely, her grip on me tightening as if she feared letting go.
Of all the memories she had witnessed, it was the depth of my own that truly shattered her. It fractured her heart and wounded her soul...
My mother stood there, taken aback by the revelation. Amai had seen my memories, my torment. The questions stirred within her, a curiosity tinged with worry.
"I'm never leaving your side again! I won't let you do it again!" Amai's voice cracked as she declared, her tears mingling with her words.
A collective gasp swept through the room. Shock painted the faces of those present.
"A-Amai... what did you see?" My mother's inquiry was gentle, laced with a mixture of concern and anticipation.
I shot a glare at my mother, willing her to understand the gravity of the situation we both found ourselves in.
"You don't deserve to know..." My response dripped with anger, a faint pulse of darkness emanating from within me.
A pang of pain pulsed through my chest, a reminder of the torment that clung to me.
My mother's silence hung heavily in the air, her expression clouded by an undertow of sorrow.
Another surge of darkness rippled within me, a voice within me whispering its insidious encouragement.
Amai's gaze, laden with disappointment and tears, fell upon my mother, a silent reproach that spoke volumes.
"W-what's wrong, Orac-Amai?" My mother's curiosity was tinged with sympathy.
Amai, still silent, turned her gaze away from my mother, seeking solace as she nestled her head against my chest.
Amidst the tension, Hotaru, positioned to my left, approached with concern etched across her face.
"Master, are you okay? You appear to be in pain..."
"I-Isn't that obvious?" I attempted to muster a jest, a feeble attempt to alleviate the weight of the malice that clung to me.
"I can make you feel better, I was trained to be of service." Her monotone voice remained constant, but her statement sent ripples of shock through the room. Even my mother was at a loss for words.
"W-what do you mean by that?" My curiosity got the better of me, a hint of fascination in my voice.
Shizue, however, expressed her irritation with an angry pout. 'Why did this fool have to ask now?'
"Massages, motivational speeches, and cute poses," she proclaimed without missing a beat.
The room fell into an awkward silence, the weight of Hotaru's words hanging heavy in the air.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
Everyone remained speechless, a mixture of disbelief and uncertainty coloring their expressions.
Then, unexpectedly, a burst of genuine laughter erupted from within me. Laughter seemed to resonate with the strange turn of events.
"Go on, then! Show me your best pose!" I playfully encouraged Hotaru, a grin forming on my lips as the tension in the room lightened.
Hotaru, seemingly unaffected by the awkward atmosphere she had inadvertently created, paused for a moment. Then, with an almost mechanical precision, she shifted her posture. Her demeanor transformed as she struck a pose that could only be described as a blend of elegance and absurdity. It was a combination of grace and forced cuteness that defied explanation.
"Behold, Master, the Cute Charm Pose!" Hotaru declared, her monotone voice contrasting amusingly with her pose.
The room burst into a mix of laughter, chuckles, and baffled exclamations. Shizue was laughing so hard that tears welled up in her eyes, while even Mother couldn't help but crack a small smile.
"Oh, Hotaru, you're something else!" I managed to say amid my laughter, genuinely entertained by her unexpected display.
Hotaru remained in her pose for a moment longer before relaxing, her usual composed demeanor returning. "I'm glad I could contribute to lightening the mood," she stated matter-of-factly.
Amai's tears seemed to subside as she too chuckled softly, lifting her head from my chest. "You're such a dork, Hotaru," she teased gently, her voice carrying a touch of warmth.
The tension that had hung in the room dissipated, replaced by an air of camaraderie and shared amusement. It was a fleeting moment of relief from the weight of our circumstances, a reminder that even in the midst of darkness, moments of lightheartedness could find their way to us.
Mother spoke, her voice infused with a hint of amusement. "It's good to see you all finding some solace in each other's company."
Hotaru returned to her usual calm state, her pose a distant memory. "Indeed, my Queen. The bonds between us are crucial in times like these."
Shizue nodded in agreement. "Hotaru's right. We're a team, and we need to be there for each other."
Amai wiped away her tears, her expression softening. "Thank you, everyone. Yami... I'm never going to let go of you."
I smiled at her, grateful for the support and understanding I found in these unlikely companions. "Yeah, thanks, everyone."
As we shared a moment of unity, the weight of our burdens felt a little lighter, if only for a brief respite.