The Mansion of Time

Chapter 10: Key of Chrono

Hana looked me in the eyes finally and repeated what she had said. "I love you Joshu! I don't want to do this! I don't want to hurt you! I can't kill you!" She put my hand on her chest. I could feel her heart beating fast. I had forgotten that sort of feeling within my own. "Do you feel that..Joshu?" "You don't need to be like this anymore. I want you back Joshu. You haven't been you anymore.." "I am me what are you talking about?" "I've just obtained the ability to survive is all." "No! That's not right! You said we were all going to make it out of here together! Now it's like you don't even care.." "Im sorry for making you take on this burden for so long on your own. You don't have take all this sin and guilt on by yourself. What you did to those people was for all of us! So let all of us help you!" "What i did can't be-" "I know Joshu..but let me help you. I'll do whatever it takes." "Thanks for caring but- " Hana kissed me on the lips. I dropped my sword and a tear shed. The first sign of emotion finally crawled out from my pathetic being in forever. I finally felt emotion again. It hurt but felt relieving. I was human again. "Hana..what the hell have i been doing?.." "What the hell have i been saying?" "I've killed..i can't go back! What am i supposed to do with myself?" "Im hopeless!.." Hana hugged me, pressing her soft chest against my own. I could feel her warmth, her beating heart. "Joshu." She held my hand with her fingers coming through the gaps of my fingers grasping the back of my hand. "You don't have to change the past. Focus on making a better future!" Those words were possibly the best thing i could ever be told in that situation, or maybe my entire life. It was like the very notion of redemption or motivation itself. I began to shed tears and hugged Hana back. She became a bit flustered but embraced it. Hana put her hand on my head as i let out all the built up hell i had to intake over the last year and a half. Kentoreru smiled with relief in the seating for the audience. The mastermind began thinking to himself "Hmm.. what a rather breath taking display. The mastermind began speaking aloud "Alright then. It would appear to me you two are forcing my hand like the last match." "Hey, stop this sick shit already!" I shouted at the mastermind. "Too bad Joshu. Oh by the way, I'll be taking away your Chrono Glass ability." "My what?" All of sudden my body was in excruciating pain. I could feel the pain from every death i had within the mansion. There was also the same orange aura i saw from the time i was in the bathroom at 'school', only it was leaving my body now. "No more time travel for you! Now kill!" Me and Hana's bodies began moving out of our control. We both picked up our swords off the floor and posed. "Hana!.." "Joshu!.." Kentoreru was looking in terror as his last two friends were about to engage in a death battle. Me and Hana's bodies began running towards each others and we cried until we finally reached each other. My sword ran through her chest. The very chest that returned my humanity. What gave me warmth. At the same time though, she ran her bladd through mine. We gained control of our bodies again the swords fell out from each others impaled hearts. Our blood splattered on the floor as we dropped to our knees. I hugged Hana to comfort her to her own death. "Hana, I love you too. More than anything and everything. I've been wanting to say that before we got in this whole mansion of time thing." "Joshu.." She blushed and more tears came out. We both bled out hugging each other until we died in our little pool of blood. Kentoreru could finally speak again and shouted out our names. We were dead though.  "Well well well! Kentoreru you are the last one left! By default you have earned the last key part! You may exit the mansion of time-" Kentoreru interrupted "Wait. Let me trade my life for theirs. All of them!" "Ooh what a splendid request! Are you sure? Only the ones present before me can be revived though in exchange for your life!" "Just do it." "As you wish champion!" Kentoreru closed his eyes and began thinking to himself. "Joshu, Ran, Mashu, and Hana. Thank you for the time we spent together. I wish you only the best futures." Kentoreru began turning into particles they dispersed in the air. I came back to life and so did my friends. I looked at Hana and she looked at me. We both shed a tear and smiled. Mashu walked over to us and asked where's Kentoreru. "Oh that kid? He sacrificed himself to revive all of you here. Quite the move." When i heard that from the mastermind i couldn't accept it. "Guys don't worry about it. He wouldn't want us to beat ourselves uo over this. Plus we should honor his sacrifice by spending the lives he gave us back to the fullest." We all looked at the ground and shut our eyes and tears fell from each of our faces. It was a bitter pill to swallow. But we had to accept and honor our friends resolve. Suddenly we all heard something drop on the floor. It was a key. It had the ruby and golden rod built into it so it had to be the Key of Chrono. "You three have cleared the Mansion of Time!" "Congratulations!" I picked up the Key of Chrono and we were all teleported back to the mansion. I looked at the key in my hand and then at the door. I stepped forward and took a deep breath. I inserted the key into the front door and the door opened...