Servamp: In Our Next Life

The Field of Sloth

The boy woke up to find himself lying on some grass. Orange crystal pieces lay strewn around him a foot still caught by a larger piece. He could feel small cuts on his knuckles and arms and legs, some still bleeding.

He looked back at the broken ball. The side he'd fell through was completely gone and through that he could see a wall of orange crystal, still cracked.

...huh?

The boy remembered he'd been trying to break the wall. He remembered being inside, observing before realizing he needed to get out. He remembered screaming for someone to wait. He remembered banging his fists and ramming his body against the crystal. But now that he was actually out...

Who was waiting for him...?

"Well," he muttered to himself. "Thinking simply... I should look around and see if there're any clues lying around here."

So he looked.

He was in a wide open field. There was nothing noticeable for miles aside from a small group of trees.

So he went towards them.

The small group was surrounding a clear pond of light blue water. There was nothing remarkable here... the boy was about to leave when he heard a whisper close at hand.

"Hello? Is someone there?" he called.

No one.

"Excuse me!" he called again. "I'm looking for someone- someone's waiting for me! I was trapped, but I got out! I need to get to him but I don't know where he is- I don't know where I am! Hello?! Can you hear me?!"

A whisper replied this time.

The boy turned but he saw no one. He frowned and asked, "Excuse me- I can't see you! Who are you?"

Look into the water.

The boy complied.

He was staring at his own reflection.

"Hello?" he asked. "Is anyone in there? I'm looking for... someone... someone..."

Someone.

Just who was this someone?

Why was he so important the boy had injured himself trying to get out, to break through to this someone? If this someone was so important why couldm't the boy remember his name? Why was all he could think of a tall shadow framed by moonlight, the cat ears of his hood and crimson eyes?

Who was this someone to him?

The boy frowned, trying to think of something anything that'd help him remember who this someone was but then he realized there was a more basic question he needed to answer before he could think of that.

Who am I?

The question pounded and filled the boy's head. He frowned, trying to think of an answer- it sounded like such a simple question, it should have such a simple obvious answer...

So why?

...why couldn't he answer it?

He stared into the water- his reflection. The honey colored eyes... why were the eyes the only thing he could really see? Why was the rest of him a blur, a dark outline that trembled in the water?

The boy reached into the water, where his forehead was in the reflection.

Immediately memories flooded his brain. Voices he knew but hadn't heard in ages, years upon years.

"Mahiru~ rise and shine! Okaa-san and Uncle Toru promised to take you to the festival today remember~?"

"Mahiru. You need for life to be simple so from now on I'll take care of you."

"Shirota Mahiru! You still don't have a weapon right? Do you plan on fighting vampires empty-handed?"

"Seriously Mahiru? You're such a mess."

"Yeah way to go Mahiru-aniki. You got so much stuff done while Chibi here was relaxing out in the hot springs."

"Well... I guess I should thank you... Shirota Mahiru."

"A- ah- Mahiru!! Calm... calm down- I- I'm sure... Ill didn't... mean that..."

"Now we can be real friends Mahiru! No lies between us ever again... yeah?"

"Mahiru... you're such a pain..."

"Well... as troublesome as it is... I'm willing. We are partners... Mahiru."

Mahiru.

Mahiru.

That's who he was.

A glow behind him caught his attention. He shielded his eyes and looked behind him.

A white light was shining over the grassy horizon.

The boy stood up. He walked towards the light in the middle of the field. He watched as the light grew brighter and brighter as if it was a ball rolling towards him. Soon the white light was all the boy could see.

I know who I am now.

The boy smiled and closed his eyes letting the light claim him.

I am Shirota Mahiru.