“Rebecca!” Jason called, shaking Rebecca by her shoulders.
“Hmm?” Rebecca Hummed, opening one eye. She saw Jason looming above her with an uncharacteristically upset expression.
“Are you alive?” He asked with a slight smile.
“Would you cry if I wasn’t?”
“No, I might’ve gotten a good partner this time.” Jason sighed, relaxing his shoulders.
“Yeah right! If they stuck you with someone else it’d be obvious you can’t pull your own weight! Then they’d kick you for real this time! ...How long have I been out for?”
“Not sure exactly, But no longer than fifteen minutes.”
“Oh good.” Rebecca said, sitting up and looking behind her. Laying there was Tensuke whose face she had smashed in. I Didn’t even know his name and I killed him. I should have at least asked that and if he had any last words… She thought with a frown. “Well what about Kanashi?”
“He’s fine.”
“Oh good, where is he right now?”
Jason bit his bottom lips and raised his brows, the telltale sign that he was either lying or thinking really hard. Rebecca knew this expression very well.
“He should be going to get that Griffon if I remember correctly.” He said while looking behind him.
“Griffon? Oh, yeah he did talk about something like that! Well he’s strong enough to handle that part by himself but criminals are like roaches. One you see one that means there’s more hiding. We should go help him-”
No.” Jason said, cutting Rebecca off.
“Excuse me?” Rebecca snorted as a vein grew on her forehead. “I don't remember you being appointed as my boss.” She said with narrowed eyes.
“It’s our job to make sure the civilians are able to evacuate safely. Kanashi is fine by himself. He’s a member of the Venator Society, remember?”
Rebecca closed her eyes and scrunched up her face. Jason knew this expression very well. She was either lying or in deep thought.
“Fine, I guess you're right.” She sighed, opening her eyes.
# # #
The Cymba was split in half with a flash of orange light. Satoshi who had taken the attack head on had his chest carved open and was thrown out to sea. He was strong enough to survive the emission itself but was incapacitated as a result. What happened to him after the water pulled him down into the depths was anyone's guess.
Kanashi, like Satoshi, was unconscious; however he was still cognizant. The strange place he found himself in was not the Cymba but another reality. He was surrounded by a white and empty void absent of any definite thing. Those which did exist in the void were hazy and vague outlines like they were covered by a thick fog. In the middle of this white space stood a figure of roughly man shape. He had two perfectly round glowing eyes and a wide inhuman smile. These two features were the only thing he had across his entire wisp-like body.
“You’re awake.” The figure said, looking at Kanashi.
“What the hell are you?” Kanahis asked with a frown.
“Wow, rude!” The figure gasped, putting his hand over his heart like he’d been offended. “If I tell you, will you promise not to run away?”
“Sure.” Kanashi shrugged.
“You promise?”
“I already said yes!”
“Okay okay fine, well if you really wanna know I guess I’d say that I’m what most people would call God.”
“Alright I’ve heard enough, let me out of here.” Kanashi said, turning around and plugging his ears.
“Hey! See this is why I didn’t want to tell you who I was! You have pre existing prejudice against those who look like me!”
“Of course I do! If an all white figure appears in an all white dimension calling himself God I know that nothing good is going to-... Hey wait, why can I still hear you!?”
“First off I’m not who or what you think I am, second of all we’re talking through our souls so of course our mouths and ears don't matter. I mean you don't even have those in the first place so why would you be able to block them?”
“What do you mean I don't have any-!” As Kanashi reached for his ear he felt nothing. In a panic he looked down at his hand and saw nothing there either. No, he couldn’t look down. He had no eyes to down with. He didn’t exist, it was like playing a video game in 3rd person except there was no avatar to follow.
“See what I mean?” Asked the figure.
“Did I… die?” Kanashi asked with a trembling voice.
“What? No, of course not! You just entered the [Abyssal Zone] which linked your soul to mine.”
“The [Abyssal Zone]? Is there a reason for this happening then?”
“That depends on your personal beliefs, I can’t say there’s a reason for anything that’s happening. It can all mean nothing to you and everything to someone else.
“So why am I here then?”
“To confront me and answer my question!” The figure said, spreading his arms out wide.
“I dunno man that sounds pretty evil.”
“It does?”
“Yeah, any kind of confrontation sounds bad, especially coming from someone who looks like you.”
“Okay then just ignore the confrontation part. *Ahem- You’re here to answer my question.”
“What the question?” Kanashi asked with an irritated tone.
“The question is, Why do you exist?”
“Hm?”
“That’s the question.” The figure shrugged.
“Why do I exist?”
“Yep.”
“Hmmmmm.” Kanashi hummed. Shit that IS a good question. Is the answer supposed to be philosophical or literal? If it’s the former then I’m really screwed here. I regret not reading more of the philosophy books in dads library.
“The answer is neither of those.”
“Hey don't read my mind that’s cheating!”
“I’m not reading your mind, you're just saying everything out in the open as far as I’m concerned.”
“Tch, fine…” Why do I exist? Well… I guess because I was born?
“WRONG!” The figure yelled, making an “X” with his arms.
“Hey, wait a minute I wasn't finished!”
“Well you don't need to finish it because it’s wrong.”
“All right then what’s the right answer!?”
“I dont know.” The figure said with a shrug.
“Huh What'd Ya mean you dont know?!”
“I don't know, I won't know the right answer until you say it.”
“HOW THE HELL ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO BE GOD IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO YOUR OWN QUESTION!?”
“Okay, okay, okay! maybe God wasn't the right term for your definition of that word. So how about this, you can call me the [Author].”
“That's just tacky.”
“Alright we’re running out of time here! Just Hurry up and answer the question so we can both leave!”
“Okay, calm down!” Kanashi argued. Why do I exist? Hmmmm….. I guess I exist because my parents made me?
“Why did they make you?” Asked the Author with a more serious tone.
His tone! Am I on the right track then!? “Because they wanted kids?”
“Sigh… Nope, still not the right one. You almost had it though! Maybe next time.”
“Wait what do you mean next time I still haven't answered-”
“See ya later then!” The author's laughter echoed as Kanashi felt himself being sucked out of the void.
“Disgusting.” Kanashi muttered saying the only thing that came to mind.
# # #
When Kanashi opened his eyes he felt himself being softly slapped by something wet and the taste of metal in his mouth. As his vision adjusted, what he saw in front of him made his breath grow ragged and heart pound.
“Gaaaah!” He screamed, throwing himself backwards.
In front of him was a horde of dead bodies. There was a good six inches or so of rust colored water filling the hallways which were full of corpses who flowed with the current.
I!KL($KGFND%OIG5UDML481^4GH!!!!
Kanashis thoughts were scrambled, like static from a tv he heard a loud buzzing in his head and the urge to vomit growing in his stomach. The spot where
Satoshi had stabbed him throbbed with pain and his body ached. However, what hurt most of all was his soul.
I did this, they died because of me, I ran away, I fled, I escaped, I - I -I -I - Kanashi grabbed his hair and pulled on it as he hunched forwards. His knees smashed into his cheeks as his teeth chattered.
“Disgusting.”
He said the only thing that came to mind. His throat burned like he’d not had a drink in days and the words came out more like a frogs croak than human speech.
Just then he heard the sound of a gasp coming from his right.
Normally he would have recognized the voice's owner but in his panic it might as well have been the devil himself. Kanashi threw his arms up to shield his face but only covered himself further in blood.
“Kanashi there you are… Oh my god…” Rebecca burst into the hallway with a wide grin but her mouth flipped upside down as she saw Kanashis wide horrified eyes and the mass of bodies around him.
“Blegh!” Rebecca gagged, leaning over and vomiting.
“Rebecca!” Jason yelled coming out from behind her. “Kanashi what happened!? Why was the boat suddenly cut in half?”
The memories of his battle with Satoshi flooded through Kanashis mind and he gulped loudly. “Is anyone hurt?” He asked.
“From the boat being cut in half? Well…. Nothing I couldn't heal ….”
“Thank god.” Kanashi muttered. He clutched his arms tightly letting his nails dig into his skin. He’d lost himself in that third round. If I killed someone… I don't think I Could handle it. He thought, biting his lip.
Kanashis mind was hazy, like he was forgetting something important but for the life of him he could not remember what it was. Was it that thing he dreamed about?
Wait, what did I dream about? He wondered, squinting his eyes in thought. It felt like something worth mentioning but the only thing he could remember was that it felt important.
“Thanks Jason.” Rebecca sighed, sitting up and wiping her mouth with a handkerchief. “Kanashi what exactly happened?” She asked.
“The Yakuza.” Kanshi said snapping out his thoughts, “I fought and took out two of them but then I got into a fight with the third one and… No he wasn't a member of the Yakuza, he was just pretending to be one for some reason. He said he wanted to kill me because of how I looked and we got into a big fight. Then all this happened.”
“What do you mean this happened?” Jason asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I tried to run away so I could find you guys and get some help to fight him. He started to kill the people who ran into the hallway so I came to fight him but it was already too late by the time I got back. Then he stabbed me and everything afterwards goes fuzzy.”
“He stabbed you?” Rebecca asked.
Kanashi lifted his shirt showing Rebecca and Jason the massive oozing cut in his stomach.
“!?” The pair gasped seeing the nasty wound.
“I think the adrenaline made me not realize how bad it is. But now that it’s wearing off it hurts really bad.” Kanashi grunted leaning against the wall and breathing deeply.
“Let me try and heal that for you.” Jason said crouching down and applying his Advanced Enhancement to the wound which began to close.
“!”
Jason raised his eyebrow seeing the wound re open as he tried to heal it. Why is it fighting against me? It’s like his own aura is attacking itself to prevent healing. I’ve never seen anything like this before!
“...”
“...”
“Alright, I couldn’t heal it completely but I applied a [Sealing] technique to stop it from getting worse. I’m not that great at sealing magic though so try to avoid over exerting yourself. It should be good enough for now, it won't bleed anymore or get infected so you should survive until we arrive at shore.” Jason said, helping Kanashi to his feet.
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
“So the ship being cut in half was from your fight but what about the fire?” Asked Rebecca.
“The fire was from our fight, no… it’s more correct to say it was me who started it. The ship getting cut in half was probably me ass well-”
Jason's fist smashed into Kanashis jaw and sent him flying across the hallway. Kanashi slammed into the wall with a crack splitting it open.
“Jason!” Rebecca screamed, slapping him.
“You killed people!” Jason yelled, his face bright red.
“Huh, but you said-” Kanashi groaned looking up at Jason with narrowed eyes.
“The fire did it! The fire killed five people who were trapped above the basement and suffocated!”
Kanashi felt something rise up into his throat from the pits of stomach. He hunched forward and vomited thick chunks of congealed blood and stomach acid which splashed into the ship's watery hallway.
“He didn’t know better! This is his first time fighting someone!” Rebecca yelled, grabbing Jason by the collar and slamming him into the wall.
“He’s a member of the venator Society! This kind of thing is their job! Why the hell is a member if he didn’t-”
Kanashi zoned out the rest of their conversation. He looked down at his hands which were covered in fresh scars and blood.
He’s right, I'm a member of the Venator Society, and I killed people under their name… Kanashi hugged his knees and grit his teeth.
They didn’t train me to fight in a confined space full of civilians right? I didn’t know there was going to be a Yakuza on the ship. I’m not even supposed to be fighting anyone in the first place! This isn't my fault! I didn't do this! It- it- it….It… It was me. Those are just excuses. If I can't even justify my actions to myself what right do I have to use them on others?
“...”
“...”
“...”
“Kanashi!” Rebecca yelled, tapping her foot on the ground loudly.
“Huh?” Kanashi muttered looking up.
“I’ve been calling your name for the past few minutes, hurry up and snap out of it before I punch you!”
“Please don't…”
“Then get up off your ass so we can go save that Griffon! Jason will behave himself from now on and all the passengers are on lifeboats already so we have free reign!”
“What about the other Yakuza?”
“I used sealing chains on them.” Jason grunted rubbing his now swollen eye.
“See? It’s all clear now, come on let’s go!” Said Rebecca. She grabbed Kanashis by the wrist and jerked him upwards to his feet.
“Alright then… let’s go.” Kanashi said with a strained smile. That’s right, I can still save someone, I can cry all I want once that Griffon is safe! “It should be down in the basement-” Kanashis eyes widened and his nostrils flared.
“What's up?” Rebecca asked, cocking her head to the side.
“If the water up here in the hallway is already ankle deep then the basement must be…”
“!” Rebecca and Jason, realizing the situation followed Kanashi who had already started to run ahead.
# # #
Kanashi ran into the guest room which he’d been thrown into by Satoshi, knocking him through the roof. Looking through the hole in the floor it was clear that the basement was completely submerged in water.
“Shit!” Kanashi growled, focusing all of his aura into his hands. I need to freeze this and then burn my way to the griffon but- As Kanashi tried to freeze the water he felt his mana circuits burn as if someone had poured lava through them.
“Agh, Damnit!” Kanashi yelped, clutching the hole in his stomach which throbbed. “Why now!?”
“Because you fried your mana circuits. You won't be able to use them for a few days and that’s if you're lucky. If you keep using them they’ll be permanently damaged.” Jason sighed, rubbing the space between his eyes.
“Jason!” Rebecca said, smacking him on the back.
“What!?”
“Create a barrier around the lower level!”
“What? Why!?”
“Because I can only burn so much water!”
“But- Ah, alright give me a second.” Jason sighed, placing his hands on the floor.
[Barrier projection - Encase the basement] There was a loud clicking noise and a flash of light which engulfed the basement.
“Done.” Jason said, wiping the sweat from his brow. “But I can only hold it for so long because of how tough the pressure is so make it quick.”
“Gotcha!” Rebecca said with a smile. “Don't worry Kanashi, I got this!” She said turning to Kanashi and dipping her hand into the water.
“!”
The water in the basement began to boil and then steam, alot of steam which Jason trapped with a small barrier constructed in the shape of a box.
“It’s a Liminal Realm.” Jason grunted at Kanashi who was staring at with wide eyes.
“There we go.” Rebecca said, gasping for air. “I used up way more aura than I thought I would but it looks like I got it all!”
“I didn’t know you could use [Elementalist] magic.” Kanashi frowned.
“Because I can’t use anything other than [Fire]. I think it’s because I burnt my hand really badly as a kid so I know that hot burning feeling real well. Whenever I imagine that sensation I’m able to create this real hot flame that can do what you just saw. But enough talk, let's go get the Griffon!”
“Yeah!” Kanashi said with a forced grin.
“Alright come here then!” Rebecca grabbed Kanashi and threw him over her knees princes style.
“Wow!” Kanashi argued trying to fight back but the pain in his stomach stopped him.
“Hold on!” Rebecca laughed jumping down through the hole in the floor and into the basement with a thud. “You got it from here Jason?” She asked looking up at Jason who nodded. “Alright then let's do this.”
Rebecca helped Kanashi to the ground and he quickly paced around the basement looking for the Griffon. He knew it was down here his observation sensed another soul somewhere inside the basement but not exactly where. Running hurt too much but if he walked at a brisk pace he could tolerate the throbbing in his stomach.
Kanashi didn’t understand the exact mechanics of [Sealing] since Jin only briefly mentioned it. It might have been possible for Jason to [Seal] his nerves and the pain that he experienced but he probably wasn’t skilled enough to do so. Even if he was, it would only be more dangerous since Kanashi would push himself without knowing when to hold back. The [Seal] can’t be infinitely durable. At some point it would break from being strained.
The pain was indescribable, it made his entire body want to fall over but he pushed forwards. If he gave up on the Griffon then it’d only be another thing dead.
I’m… not really sad or upset about those people dying really, I feel bad about it and… it really sucks and I wish they didn't but It’s more like I feel bad that I was the one to do it. Not that it happened. If Jason said they died because Satoshi killed them I would be angry at Satoshi but they’d just be another tally on the board. Is that wrong of me? To be angry when others do something that I wouldn't be angry at myself doing? Is it hypocritical? Does that make me a bad person? It’s like when people say you’re not sorry for doing the crime you’re sorry you got caught. But isn’t that how most people feel about things? Self preservation is a fundamental human instinct. At that point you’re just arguing with nature. No, these are just more excuses. I’m a bad person, I don't feel guilty because I did it, I feel guilty because I was caught. I’m not any better than Satoshi. So I need to make up for it all by saving this Griffon! Kanashi thought while pushing forwards.
“Here!” Rebecca called out suddenly punching a hole in the wall.
Kanashi spun around and looked inside the hole Rebecca had just punched in the wall. From inside it came an ear rattling screech which shook the entire basement.
“Don't go punching holes in the wall damnit!” Yelled Jason.
“Oh woops!” Rebecca flinched.
Kanashi walked through the hole in the wall and looked at the Griffon up close. It was huge, you never realize how big an animal is until you see them in person. It could probably eat him if it wanted to.
As for how it looked overall it was a Griffon alright. The head, wings and front limbs were that of an eagle but the back half was a lion, atop of its head were two floppy wolf like ears.
The Griffons feathers were a nice golden brown with Raven blue highlights spread throughout.
“Kaw!” The griffon screeched, shaking the entire basement. It stared at Kanashi with pure hatred and flexed its back muscles.
“Wow.” Rebcca muttered walking up behind Kanashi. “It really is a Griffon.”
“What, you didn't believe me?”
“I thought maybe you were coping with your family by making up a Griffon you had to save or something.”
“Why would you help me if there wasn’t a real Griffon?”
“I figured that you’d get over your trauma once you saw there was no Griffon.”
“You know what, never mind.” Kanashi growled, giving Rebecca a side eye. He looked at the cage which the Griffon was trapped inside of and inspected its structure. He wanted to reach in and see if it was something he could break with enhancement but the Griffon's beak and talons made it clear this wasn't a petting zoo.
How do I get you out here then…. He wondered.
“What’s up”? Rebecca whispered in Kanashis ear.
“Wow, don’t do that!?” He barked jumping back. “Well… I don't know how to get it out of the cage safely.”
“Don't we need to just beat it up and then force feed it food to tame it?”
“What do you think this is!?” Kanashi argued, throwing his hands in the air. “Well we can't try to knock it out and then drag it upstairs but…” Kanashi looked at Rebecca who was still panting with trembling hands. Clearing a basement of water was no small feat. “But it looks like that’s not an option.” He sighed.
“Yeah, I don't think we can manage that even if we were all at 100%. The Yakuza must have used some kind of drug to get it down here, but I don't see anything of the sort.” Rebecca said, scanning the room. “We can try to haul the whole thing up the stairs.” She suggested.
“What’d ya mean?”
“You know, like how they built the pyramids. We just need to get a ramp and some wheels going. You’re from Saharis after all, you should know all about building pyramids.
“I wasn’t born 5000 years ago! And besides I’m not even full Sharian anyways, only a quarter.”
“Oh?”
“My moms side is from Vulracious while my Grandpa on my dads is from Iboria.”
“No wonder you’re so pale...”
“That’s a different story! But anyways no, I don't think It’ll work out because they had like a dozen or so people hauling the carts. Not only that but they used stone ramps to support the massive weight. I might be able to conjure some stone wheels if I try real hard but right now a ramp is out of the question. It wouldn’t just be one ramp either but like four until we reach the roof.”
“You're right, my bad.”
“Yeah…”
“Well maybe Jason could do something then.”
“What’d ya mean?”
“He could create a Liminal Realm like he did for the steam but the issue would be opening it back up. His Liminal Realms are typically something that cancels out after he’s done with it as a restriction.”
“So what would happen to whatever is inside of it?”
“Destroyed I guess, but neither of us are sure since he has the restriction of not being able to put his enemies inside it.”
“So if there was a way for the Griffon to cause a Liminal Division we'd be able to get it out of here?”
“Yeah, but I’m not sure how we could get that to work exactly. Griffons are imaginary animals so they already exist outside of logic. But I think a Liminal Division might be too high of a degree for them…”
Imaginary animal? I’ll have to ask Jin about that when we meet up again. Kanashi thought. “Well I have a way to create a Liminal Division.”
“Oh really?”
“Yeah, it’s a ring Jin gave me that can cause one.”
“Jinen… Are you sure it works?”
“Positive!”
“Where is it?”
“Inside my suitcase! But I’d have to go back into my room to get it.”
“Jason how much longer!?” Rebecca called out.
“I should be asking you that! But I can maybe do another few minutes, four at max!” Jason yelled back.
Rebecca looked at Kanashi with a smile. “Run like hell!”
“Gotcha!” Kanashi grinned. He sprinted as fast as he could out of the room they were in and into the greater basement. It hurt like hell but he pushed through the pain.
There should be a staircase in the middle of this level right where I first met Satoshi… Kanashi turned the corner and found the staircase he was looking for but…
Shit it’s partially collapsed! He thought while jumping up onto the one the pieces of rubble and climbing up the staircase. He tried to move as fast as he could but it was still slow, every movement felt like it took 100x as long as it would if he was healthy.
Move, move, move, move, move! He thought while gritting his teeth.
Kanashi reached the top of the stairs and fell down to the floor below. It was the room where he’d just fought Gemuji, it must have been at most an hour ago but it felt like forever. Gemuji of course was nowhere to be seen already in a lifeboat and probably with the ship's law enforcers out in the ocean.
“Even if he escapes he’ll be easily dealt with. He’s no different than a scrawny gamer kid without magic.” Kanashu grumbled clutching his stomach. Moving forwards Kanashi stumbled out of the room and down the hallway passing where he’d fought the bald Yakuza Mugiwagi who was also missing.
“As long as they dont take the sealing chains off of him he’ll be fine…” Kanashi muttered, limping down the hallways to the next set of stairs.
This was the final stretch, just beyond the next corner was his room. He’d already been walking around for three or so minutes so he didn’t have much time left.
“Go!” He cried, biting his lip and forcing himself to move further. His legs tried to buckle but he forced his mana circuits to enhance them. “Ow!” He yelped feeling his legs burn like they were dipped in a fire.
Kanashi made it to his room's door which he shoved open with his full strength. He collapsed to the floor with a wheeze and forced himself to his desk, ripping the hair out of the carpet as he moved.
Finally reaching his desk he pulled himself upwards and ripped open the suitcase. He threw his clothes and other things behind him until finding the secret compartment. Pulling that open he shoved his entire arm in the suitcase feeling around for a moment until finding the rings under the other random clutter.
“Got it!” He laughed pulling them out. In his hand were four different rings each with a different effect. He put the [White Water: Space Cutter] ring on his middle finger and threw the others in his pocket. He would still need those for his mission in Edoland.
“Blegh!” Kanashi gagged, falling over behind him. He was out of Aura again. His aura nodes throbbed in sync with the hole in his stomach.
“Guess I’ve got no other choice then?” He laughed with tears in his eyes.
# # #
“Damnit Rebecca, where is he!?” Jason cried, pouring sweat. He’d used up a majority of his mana pool and what little was left would be gone in another minute if kept this up. Holding millions of Gallons of water from breaking through his barrier was straining. He felt his hands cramping and legs shaking.
“Just a little longer please!” Rebecca called up. She looked behind her at the Griffon whose eyes reflected in hers. Rebecca wasn't much of an animal person. She liked dogs and cats like most people did but everything else was too alien for her to find cute. She didn’t hate them but they were just ugly.
However this Griffon was different, it was majestic. It smelled bad and was filthy but was still stunning. When people used to call snakes, birds and rats cute I never understood how. They were too different, they’re dirty just like Nana said… so why am I finding it so gorgeous?
“Crash!”
The sound of wood cracking and the floor shattering rang throughout the entire ship. Rebecca flinched thinking Jason's barrier had collapsed but his voice stopped her worries.
“Took you long enough!” Jason said between grit teeth.
“Sorry!” Kanashi wheezed, kneeling on a pile of rubble as blood dripped from his nose. “I had to break a promise for the second time today!” He laughed, wiping the blood off his face.
“Did you get it?” Rebecca asked with a nervous grin.
“Got it!” Kanashi said, showing his fist.
“Alright I already explained it to Jason so are you ready?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be!”
“Jason, do it!”
“Quit yelling at me!” Jason screamed out as he clapped his hands.
# # #
“So this is where it goes to then…” Rebecca muttered looking into the void around them. It was pitch black and completely empty. True darkness.
“I guess it doesn’t delete things but sends them here?” Kanashi muttered, raising his eyebrow. Interesting! I always wondered how Liminal Realms would work, are you creating a new reality or using ours as a base and stacking a smaller one on top of it! But maybe it’s neither! Maybe we’re the second reality and when you use a Liminal Realm you’re reverting back to the base level?
“Yeah… but what exactly is here then?”
“You probably have a better idea than I do. But if I had to guess I’d assume this an [Abyss?]” Kanashi turned and looked at the Griffon who was cowering in its cage.
I get the feeling if I used observation that I’d be doing the same thing… He thought with a frown. “Hey Rebecca dont use use observation here.” He muttered softly, nudging her with his elbow.
“Wasn’t planning on it.” She said, looking into the swirling darkness around them in awe.
Kanashi rubbed his chin and stared into the Abyss for a bit longer as well. This place felt primordial, like something they weren’t supposed to see. Maybe they’d see what exactly lived here if they used Observation.
“Well it’s about time.” Kanashi said with a cough.
“Hm? Oh, yeah I guess so.” Rebecca said, snapping to attention.
“Alright then don't mind me.” Kanashi joked while imbuing the ring on his middle finger with mana.
Sorry Jin, I’ve broken your promise twice but there was no other way. No, there probably was. If you were here you could have figured something out. I just took the easy way like always… I’m sorry.
[WHITE WATER: SPACE CUTTER!]
Kanashi roared, the space around them shattered like it was made of glass and they were thrust forwards through a blinding light and into their reality once again.
“You survived!” Jason laughed while laying on the ship's deck.
“Yeah!” Rebecca laughed, slapping Kanashi on the back who joined in their laughter. “Well now what about you?” She said turning to the Griffon who was once again standing tall and proud with hateful eyes.
“Should we just set it free here?” Asked Jason.
“I don't know if Kanashi would let us…” Rebecaa muttered, turning to Kanashi who nodded.
“It’s fine! I trust my friend to find it. I told him I’d let it go so he should be out here to get in pretty soon.” Kanashi beamed. Although I’m not sure how exactly. But I know that he will! Thinking otherwise won’t do any good.
“Oh, well that actually wraps everything up real nicely then.” Rebecca said with a smile. She grabbed the bar of the Griffons Cage and in response the Griffon hissed and tried to stand on its back legs but was stopped by the roof which blocked its full height. If it stood up completely it might have been 3 or so meters tall, maybe even larger.
Rebecca paid no mind to this and ripped the bars from the cage one by one until an entire side was wide open. She slowly walked backwards and stood next to Kanashi and the still sitting Jason.
The Griffon walked out onto the ships deck and stomped its feet on the ground a few times. It paid no mind to the three people just a few meters away and continued checking itself over. After a few moments it spread its wings out fully which were both equal to the length of its body. In a single movement it leapt into the sky shattering the deck's wooden paneling from the force of its muscles. It soared through the air and then shattered the sound barrier as it changed direction and blasted into the unseen distance without even so much as a nod or “Thank you.”
“Ungrateful Bastard.” Jason sighed looking up at Kanashi who nodded in agreement.
“Maybe I grew up watching too many Walton Princess movies but I was really hoping it would at least look at me or something before leaving…” Kanashi sighed, rubbing the still aching wound on his stomach.
“Well I left a single boat for us so let's hop on that bad boy and get outta here!” Rebecca said, grabbing Jason by the hand and throwing him over her shoulder.
Being 2 meters tall Jason slumped over both her front and back side, his hands and feet both nearly touching the ground. As if used to the situation he only sighed and let it happen while Rebecca slapped his butt.
“Yeah.” Kanashi smiled, giving the Cymba’s deck one last look over.
I’m sorry I couldn’t save everyone, I really am. If you hate me that’s fine, haunt me, curse me, do as you will. But I’ll keep pushing forwards to make sure your death wasn't in vain. I'll make sure your life had meaning.
# # #
“Ugh, you again.” Satoshi hissed seeing the white man shaped silhouette in front of him.
“What's with that reaction? It’s been a while since we last spoke so you could at least offer a greeting…” The Author sighed. “But at least you’ve got a vague physical form now so that's a step in the right direction.”
“Tch, I hoped I’d never have to see you again but I guess this means I’m still alive then huh?”
“Yep, totally alive and kicking! Well maybe not kicking but yeah you’re still alive.”
“Ha, real funny asshole.”
“Oh jeez, did losing to that kid really piss you off that much?” The Author asked with a snort.
“Shut up!” Satoshi roared, slamming his fist onto the ground.
“Oh wow it really did! Well I’m not the kind to peel open healing wounds so I’ll let you do as you like with that situation.”
“Then what the hell did you call me here for?”
“The same reason I called you here last time.”
“You think I remember everything some jackass says to me?”
“Well then let me remind you then, the question is Why do you exist?”
“And I’ll remind you of my answer, It’s the same as last time. I exist because I havent been killed yet.”
“不正解: Fuseikai!” (Incorrect!) The Author said crossing his arms to make an “X.”
“Tch, didn’t know you spoke Edogo.” Satoshi smirked.
“Of course I do! I created it after all.”
“Yeah, sure you did 偽神: Nisegami .” (False God) said Satoshi rolling his eyes.
“Hey, I never said I was the real God. That’s just what some people perceive me as. If you wanna call me Truth, Existence, Knowledge, the Universe or anything of the sort I’m fine with it just please don't call me anything rude!”
“Whatever, just send me back already.” Satoshi grumbled sitting on the floor and crossing his legs.
“You know you’ll never move forward in life if you keep acting like this Kosei.”The Author said, shaking his head.
“Don't call me by that name!” Satoshi roared, jumping up and throwing a punch at the Author with such speed it was like a flicker.
“Sorry, Sorry you go by Satoshi now don't you?” The Author hummed teleporting behind Satoshi before his punch could land. “Because you “Perceived Death!” Hahaha! How comical and truly ignorant!” The author roared with laughter while Satoshis vision blurred.
He would forget about this dream again. Just like he did the last time he had. When his clan was massacred by the Yakuza.
“Stupid Bastard.” Satoshi muttered before waking.