The Disillusioned Land

Chapter 7 - Twofold Volition

When I opened my eyes I was met with a sight I had wished to never see again, the picturesque forest I was sent to earlier must have been nothing more than an opening act. This is the hell I was bound to for countless years, where man and youkai alike were slaughtered for the sake of a single minded goal, yet as if missing a part of my own soul, I am incapable of recalling the entirety of what transpired in this warped prison, 'Was I tampered with? I wouldn't put it past that woman to do something like that... but I can't picture her doing it in the hour-like minute we spent in our so called reunion'. I try to think of something, anything at all in an attempt to distract my mind of this sight I thought myself free of, 'But I wonder, have I truly come back? The facility looks exactly the same as it did [][][] years ago but I fail to see any tortured souls running amok... I suppose there is only one way to find out'.

Haphazardly I open the unlocked door in front of me and look at my surroundings, the facility seems to be deserted, the lifeless bodies that laid inside the prison cells were no more and the faceless guards that seemed to lack a soul have disappeared as well, making my way towards the central building I gaze at the malefic, twisted spire that stood at the core of this machiavellian jail, The Tower of Anamnesis. 'Gotta be here no matter how you look at it, I'm no spire slayer but this shouldn't be too difficult' I cluelessly think.

...In another place, minutes after [][][][] was sent to Hell

"...So you came."

"Of course I did! Do you really think you can mess with someone's possession like that?"

"Hmph, you claim to hold the right of his life yet still shy from meeting your oh so beloved R[][]n, the current state of the world... our world, needs a fixer to put it in it's right track, and even if I must put him through the ordeal we both wish to never see again, then I must." said Yukari in a tone unlike her, without a sliver of deceit.

The girl's lightless eyes fade, and her stitched, closed third eye squints "Blah Blah Blah, how many more times will you make him dance to your play if it means 'fixing' this world of yours, acting all high and mighty but still incapable of doing anything on your own, how pitiful" .

Yukari looks at the girl with a disappointed expression "I would never expect someone like you to understand, after all, you lack the ability to care about others in the first place. Alas the time has called for me to act once again, if it's to save her world then I would do everything in my power to protect it".

The grim look on her face disappears and an unnerving smile masks her intentions once more "Alright alright, if I caused too much trouble big sis would be mad so for now I won't disrupt your little play, but don't forget" she turns away "If you dare break him I would see your world broken as well." she says before grabbing a fried shrimp out of her skirt pocket and disappearing just like she came.

"...How troublesome, I knew messing with him would make things turn this way, yet I was incapable of creating a plan that ensures the happiness of all" she cuts through reality with her fan, opening a gap to see our protagonist and observes him with a grim expression "I truly wished for our reunion to be heartfelt, but I fear the world is progressing in a direction where my meddling won't be enough to stop it on it's own... Good luck"

Meanwhile, at the deserted facility.

'Man how big is this damned spire, I've been walking for hours and have yet to reach the top, guess there's no use complaining now that I'm already here' I think to myself eating the leftover lobster I had in the victorian forest, fortunately however, my efforts paid off for in front of me is a door of immaculate design, my objective lies beyond it, that I know for sure. "Seems like I reached the top eh? Whatever lies beyond will surely help me learn of what transpired in this vile prison" *I for reach the comically sized knife I put in my bag and the deadly concoction I made with miscellaneous substances I found while exploring the gaol* "Never bad to be over prepared, well here goes nothing" The door opens...