Obviously, the first thing I do is gasp for air as much as I can, while my eyes widen in confusion. Out of nowhere, the same young man who haunts my nightmares is sitting on the wooden chair, just in front of me, staring at me with an expressionless face. The ground trembles and the wall crumble bit by bit, revealing a vast empty black void on the other side. I grab the edge of my seat and wait as the ground settle in again.
I'm pretty sure this place was not where I was before.
“Where am I?” An obvious question, I asked.
There was no answer, but in the faint distance, I can hear a whisper, “Let loose…”
“Let loose…” I heard it again, coming from both sides of my ears.
“Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…”
It’s becoming louder by the second.
“Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…”
I CAN’T HEAR MY THOUGHTS
“Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…” “Let loose…”
STOP!
...
Finally, I was granted the sweet silence.
...
From sitting on the chair, my leg buckled during the madness and now both my knees are on the floor while my back slouch. My forehead is dripping with sweat, my eyes bulge out, both my trembling palms are pressing against my ears. I can’t see clearly, everything's so blurry, and there’s a throbbing headache inside my skull.
Is this a part of the nightmare or am I going insane?
Looking up, there he is, and with cold eyes, he looks at me with no sign of emotion whatsoever. He rests his chin against his hands, and keep on staring at me. He didn't do anything wrong, but why am I so scared of him? He leans back against the chair and says, “What are you waiting for?”
“Let loose.”
***
“My body can't handle any more damage, and I can't hold The Darkness much longer.” The samurai said through his gritted teeth as he slashes his naginata against the beast’s belly, while a few trickles of blood drip through the gaps of his armor.
“Three more minutes, I need to regain my strength so I can fire another blast.” The archer concentrates on her shot while waiting for her energy to come back.
“Make it a minute!”
Out of nowhere, a spider appendage went through his shoulder, pinning him down to the ground, and cracking the earth. The Darkness pushes the spider appendage deeper into his shoulder causing him to yell out in pain, then make its way to the archer while dragging the samurai with it. The monster opened its large maw and what’s waiting inside was a set of jagged and sharp teeth. However, just as the monster about to swallow the archer whole, a harpies swoop in and carry her away from it.
“Thank you,” The archer keeps firing her energy arrows at the Darkness while being carried by Agnes.
“Andre?!” Agnes turned her sight on the blood-soaked woman that limping toward the monster.
“That’s not her…” Ophre said as she examines the limping woman.
“What do you mean? That is her!”
“Look at her carefully.”
Dirt filled brunette hair drapes in front of my face, covering half of it. My left arm dangles while blood dripped down from it and onto the dirt. The Darkness turns its body to face me while dragging Tadao across the ground, I lift my cold gaze at the monster. Then without looking, I extend my bloody hand in the air, the hatchet fly back into my hand and I begin my sprint toward it. The monster let go of Tadao and gallops toward me with its spider appendages extend outward, and its mouth opens wide, ready to impale and chew my body to bits.
The spider appendages stab the ground, missing me entirely, or to put it more precisely, I avoid it with a few steps and turns like in a ballroom dancing. However, for the last spider appendage, I catch it with my left arm, the force from that action cause a shockwave to expand and dissipate the dust around us, but it isn't as easy as it seems, as the muscle inside my arm tear causing massive pain to shoot up. Yet, at that moment I just ignore the pain because at the moment it wasn't me who is in control. Using the hatchet in my other hand, I cut the spider appendage and the Darkness let out a shrieking roar.
The Darkness pummels the ground that I am standing on, repeatedly, with its appendage causing dust to rise and block any vision. Somehow, I manage to avoid every attack and grab one of the appendages with ease. It lifts me up in the air and gives me the opportunity to jump on top of the monster’s back. The Darkness shakes its body, trying to get me off it, but I didn't give it the satisfaction of going easy. I raise the hatchet up high and repeatedly hack away at one specific spot.
For the last effort, It rolls its body on the dirt, trying to squash me using its weight, but I was relentless as I hold on with all my might despite the broken ribs inside of me, stabbing my organs further and further. The roll causes me to dangle off its back and lost my hatchet, but that didn't stop me as I swing back up, and using that momentum to punch through the exoskeleton and grab its spine.
That single punch manages to break and crack the bone inside my hand.
Using my other hand, I separate the Darkness’s spine with its own body and throw it away. After tossing the spine, the monster lies flat on its belly, still breathing and alive, but unable to move. After sliding off its back, I call upon my hatchet, then walk back to its head while black tar drip of my arms and hatchet. With colds empty eyes, I stared into its raging eyes, it still wanted me dead, but I could care less as I plant the blade into its eyes repeatedly.
Swing.
Brain matters and black tar splatter onto my face as I hit deeper and manage to crack its skull. I didn't flinch or even disgust at the sight as I keep planting my hatchet into its head, using my injured and broken hands.
Swing.
The head was a bloody mess because no one can tell what it looks like after I kept hitting it with my hatchet. Ophre and Tadao watch from afar, afraid to get close. As Agnes make his way toward me slowly, a pearl pops out from its head, but I didn't care and kept burrowing the blade into it. The monster body begins to slowly dissipate into ashes, leaving nothing behind.
Swing.
However, I kept swinging the hatchet at the empty air, almost like I was possessed.
“Andre…” Agnes called out to me from behind and I quickly swung the hatchet behind me, but quickly stop as the blade gently touched his neck.
I was terrified at what almost happened, a tear drip down leaving a trail amongst the black tar and blood on my cheek. I whimper out his name, “Agnes….”
“I’m scared! Please help me…”
“Of course, Andre,” he immediately moves passed the blade and embraces me with his soft and warm wings despite dirtying himself.
I gained my senses back, but it comes with the depletion of my entire stamina and energy, causing me to let go of the hatchet and dropped onto my knees. However, Agnes manages to hold me together and make sure that I didn't fall.
“I-It’s so cold...and the rage...I’m so scared.” At this point, I was just mumbling out words.
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“It’s okay, I'm here.” Agnes tried his best to comfort me, he stroked the back of my head and let my head rest against his chest.
“Please don't leave me.”
“I won’t.”
Drowsy and tired, against the warm and tender embraces, I fall asleep at that very moment without any care of the world.
...
..
.
A fiery background in a dark void space enclosed me, as I float in this never-ending oblivion. However, as I turn my body, I see Daisie, hovering above me, and her slender body is draped carefully with ever-flowing white fabrics in a very mystical manner.
In the far off distance, I can hear a faint high-pitched strum of an instrument with a long pause between notes. I believe that the very same instrument is called a shamisen, a Japanese Benjo of sorts.
It appears that she is cradling something in her soft arm while holding a sword in another. I extend my hand to her, wanting to hold her, but I can't reach her, so close yet so far. Her gazes were worried and in distressed as she reveals the baby in her right arm, swaddled in white cloth.
"Seek Hypnos, seek your past..." She said as her body slowly floats away from me.
"Wait! Don't leave me!" I struggle as I try to reach her.
"Find him..."
Thousand of hands, belonging to no one, grabs hold of every part of my body, then they pull me down and away from Daisie. I try to get the hands off me, but it was in vain, there's no point to it because there were thousands of them.
Darkness then comes light.
I open my eyes while inhaling as much air as I can. Sweat drips from my forehead down to my ear. The softness sensation behind me and on top of me, telling me that I am laying on a bed with a soft blanket over me. The ceiling above me is somewhat familiar, I think I'm back at Lulu's village.
The sound of the shamisen playing background caught my attention, I turn and look for the source. I'm surprised to see the samurai is playing it with ease, it's like he had an abundance of experience of playing it. However that was not the most intriguing thing in this situation, what puzzles me is the small adorable girl hiding behind the samurai.
She has a very cute blonde twin pigtails and very gothic looking blindfold, I doubt she can see through that. I like her overall dress, the red and white striped sleeves, the black fabric choker and bracelets, the gothic simple dress and skirt. Very somber style, but it looks quite nice on her.
"To Fos," the girl said before fidgeting behind the samurai to hide.
"The Light?"
The instrument pause and the samurai says while bowing his head, "Thank you from both us."
"For what?" Flashes of what happened during the battle flooded in, causing me a headache.
So much seething rage, I don't believe that came from me or was me. I never thought I could feel that much pain in a short amount of time. Then something ticks inside my mind, I lift my arm to check on my broken knuckle, but there were no injuries except for a few new scars, my broken ribs also were fixed.
"Iris healed you after you passed out, and your harpy friend carried you all the way here. Your carriage has also been brought here by Ophre."
"Carriage? Ah, you mean my bike. Wait, Harpy?! Where's Agnes?"
"On your left."
I look to my left and there he is, laying beside me like a baby, drifted into a deep sleep. I didn't even realize that he was beside me the entire time. Guilt cloud my heart as the thought of making him worried surfaces in my mind, I remember making him promise to never leave me. He did good, he kept the promise, but I shouldn't make him do that. What if I never wake up again; because at that moment, I wasn't in control of my body, and I was afraid that I never will.
The pain was so unbearable; I thought I was healed, but I push through it and turn my body so I could gently stroke his cheek. After that, I peck my lips against his forehead causing his nose to twitch slightly.
"Thank you for always being there for me, and I'm sorry."
His adorable snoring makes me smile, I place my arm over him and snuggle closer to him. He scrunches his nose and opens his eyes widen when he sees me, “W-What?”
I quickly press my cheek against his soft cheek, Agnes begins to fluster his speech while his cheeks heat up, “G-Get away from me!”
“Too late…”
Agnes tries to wiggle out, but couldn't, so he just give up and plant his head closer to my chest, “You were scary… I-I can't even see the real you under that thing that holds control over you...and yet, I know that you were inside all that rage and in pain. I couldn't leave you alone, even without the promise.”
“To tell you the truth, I have been having nightmares that I couldn't remember, pain that came out of nowhere, voices that whisper from the void, and emotions that don't belong to me. I’m scared...and I think it got to do with my past.”
“W-Why don't you say something?”
I let out a small laugh at his question, then Agnes finally realizes, “We’re alike, aren't we? Always keeping our emotion a secret from each other.”
After a short sigh, I brush the back of his head, “We all have our own obstacles to overcome.”
Lulu enters the tent with a tray of warm foods, interrupting us, and causing Agnes to move away from me. Her eyes swing back and forth as she wonders, did she interrupt something. I look at her and back at Agnes, worry at the situation, “Uhm…”
Lulu interrupts me, “It’s okay, Lady Ophre already explains it to me...The harpy thing is still new to me, but I’m trying. Yet, I would advise staying in the house, since most villagers are scared of him.”
A sense of relief wash over me, “I understand.”
“Is that why you left so sudden?” With a saddened look, she rested her gaze on me.
“Uhhh…” I was stunned by that question.
“I’m sorry, this is not a good time for me to ask this… I’m going to leave now, also I brought you some food,” She placed the tray on the end table near her and left the treehouse.
Lulu left before I could stop her, I should talk to her. I groan as I try to raise my torso and sit, the pain is so intense that I couldn't believe it was real, “Why am I in pain? I thought I was healed.”
“You are, it’s the remnants of that injury, your mind still thinks that your body is damaged, but it isn't. Iris called it phantom pain, it should subside in a couple of hours.” The samurai answered with ease.
“Glad to know, thank you. I don't think we had the chance to meet and greet properly.”
“That is true, My name is Tadao of Ares, It’s a pleasure meeting you.” He bows slightly as he introduces himself.
I turn my gaze on the little girl, she fidgets away from the samurai, “My name is Iris of Apollo, I’m Tadao’s tracker.”
“And she is a good tracker.” Tadao places his hand on the little girl head and causes her to let out a small smile while her fingers fiddle with each other with joy.
“How? If you don't mind me asking…”
“It’s the blindfold that baffles you, isn’t it? A tracker without sight.” A woman steps out of the darkness, and reveal herself. It’s the same woman who was using the bow earlier, she walks toward Iris and sits beside her, almost too close. She put her arm around Iris and press her cheek against her while keeping her serious face on.
“This adorable little candidate can see the future, a curse from Apollo himself.”
Iris squirms away from the woman and hides beside Tadao, “It’s not a curse, it’s a gift,” She muttered quietly.
“A gift that allows you to see your own deaths in multiple ways and times, I can hardly call it a gift,” Ophre seem to be bitter about something.
“Now, why don't you leave Tadao, and stay with me? I can treat you like a princess,” She opens her arms for an embrace, but Iris stays at the samurai side.
“No!” Iris pouted her lips.
“Why…? Your cuteness is wasted on him.”
“Because I like Tadao, and I don't like you.” Ophre shocked and heartbroken face is so exaggerated that I let out a couple of giggles.
Tadao laughs, “It seems our conversation went off track. The woman that been bothering Iris is Ophre of Artemis.”
“Ophre...Ohh, what a nice name.”
“Yeah, whatever.” Her response was cold as ice, I think she really doesn't like me.
“Both of you, focus,” The samurai said and I quickly turn my gaze at the man.
“Doesn’t it seem weird to you, the behaviors that the Darkness has shown today? Completely abnormal to what they used to do.”
“I don't really know anything about that, this is my first time fighting them.”
“I agree with Tadao, The Darkness usually follow their instinct, they always head to the most populated area and lay waste to that place. Their behaviors seem to be directed… could be they are following orders? However, that doesn't make sense. if they were controlled by an entity, the gods would have known, but could it be...” Ophre bites her finger as her eyebrows scrunched together.
“That something changed?” Agnes resume Ophre’s words.
“Yes…” Ophre agreed.
“Yet, that is not all,” Tadao slide his hand between his armor and take out a pearl, “This pearl was left after Andre destroyed The Darkness…”
“That seems impossible, The Darkness never left any anything after death, because everything turns to dust after they die.”
“Impossible, maybe not, look at this. This single pearl could help us understand more about The Darkness, and where they came from, or even… how to wipe them out.”
“Agreed, I’m intrigued on your next move, Tadao.”
“We are going to find someone from Athena’s Candidates to examines this lead before we bring it to the gods.” Tadao nods his head toward Ophre.
“What are we waiting for? We should head there as soon as possible.” Ophre stands up excitedly and ready to leave.
“Wait! I can’t go…”
“What?” Ophre glared at me with intense anger and confusion.
All the attention went to me as soon as I said those words, “I need to find Hypnos, I need to… I just need to do something first, okay? You should go without me.”
“Are you crazy? You find this clue, this thing could save the entire 12 worlds and you’re throwing it away because you got something to do first?”
I stare into Tadao’s eyes, and somehow we both understand each other, “Ophre, it’s okay…”
“What? You know what, whatever! I don't care, I'm going without you,” Ophre storms out of the treehouse.
Tadao stands up and slings his shamisen over his back. Using Agnes help, I stand up before him, and I shake his hand tightly, “Can I ask you an awkward question?”
“Go on ahead?”
“If someone is in love with your old-self and want to marry you for the same person that she once loved, but you didn't know that person, and that person isn't you. Goddamn it. It so complicated, what I meant was, If you had the chance to recover that past-self, would you do it?”
“Absolutely, it’s better to know the past rather than not knowing at all, even if that past is an ugly one.”
“I was hoping you would pick the other option… Ignorance is bliss,” I catch a small laugh from Tadao with my joke.
“Yes, Ignorance is bliss, but it’s ultimately your choice. If you do not enter the tiger's cave, you will not catch its cub.”
“What?” My eyebrow raised.
“It’s a saying, nothing ventured, nothing gained.”
“Ohh, why don’t you just said that…You know what, I’m focusing on the wrong things.”
“Peace be with you,” He let go of my hand and back away.
Then two soft arm embraces my waist out of nowhere, both of my arms are raised as the girl with blindfold hugs me tightly and whisper, “I’m sorry…” A tear slip through her blindfold as she backed away and run.
“That was weird..” I turn at Agnes and found him pouting in slight jealousy.
“Goodbye, Andre.” Tadao turns and about to leave when I stop him.
“Wait, do you know where can I find Hypnos?”
“Follow Lethe, at the end of the river you’ll find a cave, he will be there, sleeping. I hope you’ll find what you want.”
“Thank you, Tadao.” He nods his head and walks out, leaving me and Agnes behind.