"Your soul is rather similar to hers" A voice echoed through Katsumi's very being.
"My soul?" Katsumi asked, perplexed by everything around him, the blinding light that surrounded him, the voice talking to him and the warmth that filled him. "I died didn't?" His words trailed off. "I'm dead" pained by the realization.
"No..." The voice said in curiosity almost. With that, a figure stepped out of the light, her hair was long and black and her face was as pale and clean as porcelain, however, some things were definitely off. Almost mystical. A sigil or some form of emblem floated just off of her head, It was almost shaped like a trident or some holy crown made of flames. It emitted a comforting warmth and golden glow, nothing like an ordinary blaze, it wasn't unbearably hot and its appearance seemed to calm Katsumi down at every glance. A scarf also seemed to linger just around her head attaching from the sleeves of a red and gold kimono. Katsumi looked at her in awe. Fascinated by her beautiful and other worldly appearance, his mouth was open as he looked the deity up and down in disbelief. "You merely almost died, well you should have died", the woman said and a soft hand gently closed his mouth. Her presence was mystical and almost motherly. Giggling a little at Katsumi's dumbfounded expression.
"Who are you? What are you in fact, that thing on your head?" The boy pointed his bony finger at her head with his eyes open. A mixture of fear and wonder seemed to fill him as he watched the fire dance on her head, it reflected on the gold leaf pattern of her clothing and even that seemed to float, only representing her elegance further. It was almost like she was in water.
"That doesn't matter little one, however, I have chosen to be a part of you as both an act of selfishness on my behalf and simply answering your prayers." The woman's face changed into a soft, pained smile of guilt, "I've decided to let you live, that fall would have definitely killed you. In return for your life I am in need of your assistance." The unnamed woman sat down in traditional Japanese fashion and patted the air for Katsumi to do the same.
Katsumi tugged at his sleeves nervously and fell to the floor. He could safely say the wounds, the broken bones and everything else was completely healed, he didn't feel tired either, in fact he felt brand new. "A favour? if you can bring me back from the brink of death what is your need for someone as weak as me?" With that Katsumi looked down and clenched his fists, "surely there's someone more capable, is there not? I mean I'm nothing I can't even decide whether I want to live or not" He looked back up at her and placed his hand on his head, his eyes glassy. He was reminded of what just occurred, the roof top, the attack, the bastard that pushed him...Everything. Panic consumed him once more. He wasn't in pain but the images of the years of abuse from everyone simply pushed him over the edge and drowned him in a sense of terror and anxiety. Suddenly, something pulled him out of from the dark thoughts, a pair of arms wrapped around him and the panic washed away like a passing storm. He had never been hugged before, it was warm and it felt like his very soul took solace in the gesture. His once tense body relaxed and he was miraculously calmed once more.
"I know you have suffered Katsumi, I've seen, but you are stronger now than ever" Her hand pulled his head into her shoulder. "Now you can be so much more that I am finally with you", she pulled away and gently rested her hands on his shoulders "You're waking up now and there's somewhere you need to be, there is a shrine on the outskirts of Tokyo, go and tell them 'The flame has rekindled."
With that Katsumi opened his eyes, he seemed to be laid comfortably in bed with the sound of beeping coming from the right. It was a heart monitor and some form of drip which flowed into his wrist. He looked down confused at the dream or whatever that was but something felt different, he felt refreshed and healthy for the first time in a while. His hunger was gone and his bruises seemed to of disappeared, however, scars still remained as clear as day. He sat for a good 5 minutes looking up at the ceiling , he knew where he was, a hospital, but he couldn't grasp why his body felt the way it did. It felt stronger and lighter, not by much but better nonetheless.
Katsumi sat him and remembered once again what happened and looked down at his supposed to be broken body. Confusion. That's all it was, he just couldn't believe that woman was a real woman. It was either that or that attack didn't even happen and he simply collapsed
The door swung open and someone who appeared to be a doctor walked in with an equally surprised expression with a clipboard in hand, the reports he received described a boy, 17 years of age and clinging to life. Yet here a 17 year old boy laid, healthy and well. Not a wound in sight. He raised an eyebrow, "You are Kuse Katsumi, right?", Katsumi gripped his cover and nodded shyly. "Well, there appears to be a mistake in your report", he set the clip on the desk beside him and pulled out some apparatus. Katsumi had never seen this tool before but followed the doctors' orders. "You're well", the man walked to the sink and placed his tools in the sink, "You can be released tomorrow , just don't be jumping off those roofs again", the man pointed a finger at Katsumi and smiled.
Two days later Katsumi left the house early, as usual, his main mission on a morning was to avoid the wrath of his mother, she had more things to throw at the poor boy during this time so Katsumi left early. His bags were packed and hasn't been to school lately, instead he spent his hours wandering the outskirts of the city in search of the place the woman mentioned, he even asked around yet no one seemed to really know where most shrines were.
Katsumi walked into a store buying his usual chunk of bread to eat for dinner and water if he could afford it. "Excuse me, I know this is random, but...", Katsumi gulped, feeling his mouth get dry again. The lady at the register looked at him in evident interest, he has been here many times over the years and never once tried to instigate a conversation. "You wouldn't happen to know where a shrine was near hear", the cashier laughed a little.
"Strange question indeed", she grinned at him and handed him the bread. The woman explained where to go and mentioned a long road through a passage which lead to the mountain sides. Katsumi smiled in relief and stuffed the bread into his pockets. The lady then grabbed a can of soda from the fridge after her explanation and handed it to him. "On me", she smiled and nodded at him, looking at him as if proud. Katsumi's face lit up with joy as he grabbed the can of soda and put it into his back pocket.
"Thank you, Miss!", the lady has never seen him like that but she was happy that she did. Katsumi rushed out of the store and followed the directions as well as he could recall.
He finally reached the passage the woman mentioned and ran up the road as fast as his stamina would allow it. He passed trees, animals, lakes and small rock pools, he had no idea that this place even existed and enjoyed the sightseeing on the way up. He felt excitement, he didn't know why but the words 'you are stronger now than ever' seemed to fuel him with motivation and a sense of fearlessness.