Ryoiki: Return to The Beyond (6)

CHAPTER 11: Shifting trajectories.

Ita stirred silently.

They felt heavy, and fuzzy.

It took them a lot of struggle to get their eyes open...but once they did, confusion hit them.

Around them, was their cabin on Ryoiki...an empty fireplace surrounded by books, and a display of Ita's katana...which wasn't broken.

The lights were off, however, meaning Ita couldn't see well...

"...Hello?" Ita called out.

Their voice echoed in the dark cabin.

Ita, after a second or two, stood up.

They were wearing a long white dress...which was out of the ordinary for them.

"That's...odd." Ita mumbled, walking about the dark cabin.

Everything seemed in place...yet something about it all felt so wrong.

Ita walked to the exit...and tried to open the door.

It was locked...and somehow, Ita couldn't open it.

"...That's no way to treat your guests, young hunter." Called a disembodied voice.

"Who- what the-?" Ita said, turning around.

The cabin had vanished, Ita was standing in an endless black abyss...with thousands of red eyes watching them.

"...You..." Ita mumbled.

"Me indeed, young hunter."

Ita watched as the area in front of them began to bubble...and a body began to rise from it.

It was bulky, but tall, and far from smooth...covered in roughly cut armor, mouths, and eyes.

Ita stepped back, putting their hands up to fight.

"No need to fight hunter, not yet." The person said.

"Who- what- are you?"

All the mouths smiled.

"I am the Void Core."

"The-" Ita started, but then froze.

"Oh yes. I know...so strange, huh?" The Void Core said, starting to walk around the frozen Ita...

"Oanki has given you to me...stabbed you with Void...injected me into your system!!!"

The Void Core circled back in front of Ita.

"...And I will take personal enjoyment in breaking you...piece. By piece."

"Y-you-" Ita was able to sputter out.

"But not without an audience!!!"

The Void Core spread his arms...as two more pools of bubbles appears.

Out of the bubbles, two figures rose.

One as fat and bulky, and covered in spikes and horns.

The other was lean and feminine, with long hair and antlers...

Oanki and Aria had been summoned.

"...Oh, I get to watch-?" Oanki asked, looking at The Void Core.

"Oh course, it is your wife after all-" The Void Core began.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS!!!" Aria shouted, grabbing The Void Core's shoulder.

The angle got Ita a view at Aria's eyes...black with red pupils...she was normal.