Requiem of Revolution

Chapter 11: Madness

She was floating, floating in an ocean of darkness and fog. Yet it didn't worry her, rather it calmed her. Here she felt safe, alone, and free. She couldn't remember how she got here, but she didn't want to leave, she had a vague idea that if she did, she wouldn't like it. She looked down at herself, her body wreathed in fog and darkness, but she could see something roiling under the surface. Something dark, something sinister, something she didn't want to see or know. She slowly turned herself over, gazing up at the infinite abyss above her, where a myriad of stars showed down.

Their light, so distant yet so warm, curled around her like an embrace. She closed her eyes, letting herself bask in their warmth and light. She could feel her body below her, felt what it felt, but it didn't feel right. Like she was there but not, a sensation she remembered experiencing before. She shrugged it aside, it wasn't important, not right now.

Her languishing was broken by a noise, far yet close, loud yet quiet. Then came the voice. Rippling across the fog, calling her.

"Ochako..." it said, beckoning her to it.

She turned her head towards the distant source and saw, on the horizon, a building light. Like the sun it slowly rose into the air, its light banishing the void and the fog.

"Ochako..." it called again.

She started to float towards it, she wanted to be nearer to it, every part of her craving the light.

"Wake up Ochako... Wake up..." it said, and then the world lurched around her.

The world flashed white, then became pitch black.

She opened her eyes, the world a dim blur, save for the one figure before her. He shone with an ethereal light, outlining his body, obscuring his face and form. Yet she knew this figure to be a friend. He was... a guiding light, within the darkness of her life... A life she didn't care to remember, all that mattered, was helping that light, helping... him.

"Good, you're awake, stand up now, come on." He said, his sweet voice filling her with strength.

He reached forward and slowly helped her to sit up, then, grabbing her arms helped her stand. She wobbled a bit, but he steadied her.

"There you go, you've done well. I'm so happy. Come, follow me, there is something I need your help with, something only you can do." He said kindly, gesturing for her to follow.

She took a step forward, unsteady at first, but with each step, she regained just a bit more strength in her body. As she followed him outside of the darkness, and into a corridor, light spilling in from a chamber beyond she smiled slightly.

She was free of the darkness, and now, she could help that light in all that it asked. She was a hero, and heroes helped people, and she knew that by helping this light, she would be helping not only those around her but the entire world.

But... there was something... strange. She knew she ought to help the light, knew it to be just and true. Yet... some deep part of her, hated that light. Some deep part of her told her to run, to flee, to find... something... someone... She couldn't remember who or what her deepest self wanted to find. So she shrugged it away, it wasn't important. If it was, she would have remembered.

So she followed the light, slowly down the corridor of shadow until she finally stepped out into the light. Within herself, she rejoiced.

The figure turned back to her, his radiant smile filling her with pleasure.

"Here we are, do you see the man against the wall?" He asked, stepping aside and gesturing to something ahead of him.

She slowly looked up and to her mild shock, she saw a red-eyed demon, chained to a wall. Its snarling visage trying to intimidate.