The Chronicles of Sorataki: Lucid Wish

Chapter 23: Keyholes abyss

Natalie

Natalie writhed within sparks of purple electricity and rage. She'd already been pent up with anger since coming here, being stuck in a place where her powers had no lasting effect on the things that prevented Clare's lingering will from finding peace had her feeling a bit like when she was struggling to learn to use her knight's armor. Almost useless.

Having all the knowledge, will, and skill to pass but still being unable to do what others can, wanting nothing more than to have the strength to deal with her own problems but still having to rely on others to get anything done.

So when Orba came walking up the steps with a knowing smirk she was somewhat relieved. Betrayal aside, she had someone who she could vent all her stress on without holding back. with her thunder punch was caught with his bare hand Natalie kicked his grip off with his elbow before flipping back onto her feet a few meters away.

He'd hardly flinched to her strike. In fact, it was almost like he was immune to her electric-coated attack.

Stupid! If he is the cause of all of this then why would he be the only one I'm able to kill in this place?

Orba just shook his wrist lightly as he looked at Natalie bemused. Her grip meanwhile shook. It took her now to realize that he'd been crushing her fist when he caught it and it was a powerful grip indeed. His fingers felt brittle, And what is this weight she'd suddenly felt? Although her fast healing was numbing the fractured bones it left her reconsidering her take on Orba as a whole. It was like an invisible hand had ever so slightly taken a hold of her body, restricting it just a little. She needed time to build her chi and-

"When did you start suspecting me?" he said.

"There was never a moment where I did not suspect you," Natalie replied coldly, she glanced over to Alisa. She was still stunned by all of this, between the truth of Clare and what she planned to do to solve it there's been a lot for her to process. Not good.

Just need a little time...

"Right. You never did warm up to me, even after everything we've been through." Orba said. "You know too well how cruel reality is to place all your bets on a stranger."

That's right, she'd expected him from the get-go. Though given how he first showed up to them, it was a given considering the circumstance. She was suspicious, but that was not what made her sure that he was in league with the stars. If anything after their encounter with Orphan she'd started to regard him as a genuine person trapped in this lucid dream.

It was not until the tendril of cloud that Allisa cut free went for him that all that changed. That tendril of cloud was her younger self. She knew this because she'd spoken to her right then. She did not say much because of the hectic situation, but her younger self did blame Orba for preventing them from communicating.

That meant that he'd had them in the palm of his hand since their loss against Dullahan. He'd been there watching. And when the chance came he took away their only source of knowledge in this world and slotted himself in her place when the nearest opportunity arose.

"And I suppose that strip of cloud attacking made it too obvious that I was not to be trusted. Shame I did not account for that," Orba chuckled to himself as he palmed his forehead.

"There was a brief moment where I felt I was off about you and truly thought you'd been on our side all along," Natalie said.

"Really? And what moment was that?"

"The moment you was blown to ash,"

Despite all the commotion going around Clare did not stop to look up at what was happening, ironically it was as if she was already dead to the world. Orba shook his head with an amused sigh.