Imagination Is My Weapon(Rising of the Shield Hero Fanfic)

Chapter 18: Forest of Hallucinations

Mirai Iwatani Level: 41

Kenta Level: 40

"Damn it," I curse as I try to find an exit, "Damn it, damn it, damn it!!" I pause for a moment as I cough up a storm as my gaze trails to the smoke-defiled forest, "Why," my hand slides as I fall to my knees, "Why can't I ever do anything right?" drops of crystal litter the leaves beneath me.

"The fifth hero, hah! there's no such thing," my eyes drift forward, landing on the assembled gazes.

"T-that's not true! I'm right here!" I step forward my fingers brushing against their clothes.

"You can't do anything yourself," Ren says from behind me, I glance over my shoulder "You should've just given up when I told you, a stump has more worth than you,"

"You're wrong! I'll prove it to you!"

"You'll prove yourself to us," Itsuki scoffs snapping my attention to the left, "That is the funniest thing I've ever heard,"

"It's not! I'm serious you'll see! I'll show all of you!"

"You already have," Motoyasu speaks from the right.

"See, Motoyasu agrees," I gesture to him.

"You're not the woman I thought you were," Motoyasu says.

"What? But you just-"

"Myne's strong than you'll ever be. You're just in the way, it's best that you leave the heroing to us," he turns his back on me as he and the other heroes walk away.

"Wait!" I crawl forwards, "You're all wrong! I've saved people, I've helped people! You're the ones who are walking disasters!" a branch snaps behind me, I look over my shoulder. "Kenta! You believe in me right?" I face him he says nothing as he studies me, "Right? You've seen what I'm capable of," his eyebrows narrow as fire appears in his hand, "Kenta?" he raises his hand, and I stumble backward falling into the dirt. "C-C'mon Kenta, this isn't a joke," I say, "You're scaring me,"

"You killed them," he comments.

"What're you-" I cry out as his flames lunge toward me, "Kenta?"

"I never should've gone with you," he states, his words burning more than his flames, "I wish we never met," he encloses his fist the flames following his command.

"Ken. . ta," I cry reaching my hand toward him, "D-don't leave me!" his mint hair fading into the dark, "Kenta!!! Come back, please!" I plead, my eyes closing as the fire consumes me, "I need you," fire cackles around me as I cover my hands over my ears.

"Why was I brought here?" my voice echoes around me, I open my eyes sitting up the fire all but extinguished.

"Where am I?" I ask.

"They were right," I stand up looking around for the source, "My being here is doing more harm than good. I'm as useful as the gum on my shoe."

"You're wrong!" I yell, "Come out!"

"I've always been in plain sight Mirai," I twirl around seeing a version of myself glowing in black and red, "you're just not seeing,"

"Who are you?"

"Isn't it obvious," she gestures, "I'm you,"

"No, you're not. You're nothing like me,"

"I'm the side of you that you refuse to acknowledge," I blink and she was gone, "Admit it, you're summoning was an accident," she whispers, I swing my arm in her direction she vanishes.

"Come back, you coward!"

"I'm not the coward, you are," she says appearing in front of me, the scenes of the battles I've participated in, Nagisa's death, and the burning forest play beside her, "Look around you. You can't defend yourself, your friend is dead, because of you," she gestures to the left, to then shift to the right as she opens her mouth, "A forest is burning. Because. Of. You,"