Cold Blooded

Voices of the Past

 "Saya, is that you?" Saya turned to see who had asked the question, but the only thing there was the swirling darkness. It had consumed everything around her. She couldn't see anything at all, but she could hear the voice. She knew this voice.

"Gisei?" Saya tried to swat away the darkness. "Gesei!"

"Saya, oh, Hisaya!" Gisei called back. "It- it's me. I'm right here."

Saya chased after the voice, but it was too dark. She couldn't see him. He had to be there though. This was a place where souls gathered before crossing over. He could be here. That was his voice.

"I'm right here, Saya," Gisei's voice called out softly. "Why- why won't you come here?"

"I- I'm trying!" Saya cried back. Hot tears fell down her cheeks. Where was he?! She had to get to him. She just had to. This was her last chance. Her last chance to say good-bye.

She needed to find him.

-<>-

Ajax turned around in circles. Everyone had disappeared into the darkness, but a chorus of voices cried out to him. They came from every side and he knew each and every one. Every one of his comrades that had fallen in battle. When Aja hadn't been strong enough to keep them all alive.

"Lord Tartaglia, what's wrong?"

"Yeah, sir. Cheer up!"

"Have a drink with us, my lord!"

"I..." Ajax reached out in the darkness. They were right there. They were so close. "I want to."

"C'mon, my lord, we both know a bottle of firewater is best after a battle."

"But..." Tartaglia shook his head. "But we didn't fight anyone..."

"Sure ya did, comrade. You've been fighting the world this whole time."

"Yeah! Now it's time to join us at the banquet that awaits the warriors."

"No, I- I'm not done yet," Tartaglia turned around again, searching through the empty darkness. "I still have things I need to do."

"Aww, you've fought enough, sir."

"Just lay down your weapons and join us already."

"You don't need to keep fighting when you got a bottle in your hand and your friends by your side, comrade."

"Come on now, join us!"

"I-" Ajax whirled around again, reaching out towards his comrades. "I would really like that..."

-<>-

"Hehehe, Moraaax," Zhongli walked slowly towards Guizhong's voice. Her quiet giggles seemed to dance around him. "Come over here, you blockhead."

"I-" Zhongli slowly reached a hand out into the darkness, hoping to feel the brush of her hair or the softness of her skin just one last time.

"Rex Lapis!" A small choir of voices chirped up. The- the yakshas after all this time. Hearing their voices not torn apart with madness or pain.

Zhongli reached out again towards them. He could feel them nearby, but they were just out of reach. Everyone was so close, but just a bit too far. Just a bit out of reach.

In all of his years, the archon of geo had never felt more alone.

-<>-

Three made it through the passage to the other side by closely following after the trail of Yin and the others. It had been difficult, sure, but it would be worth it. Yin was just up ahead. He knew it.

He rounded the bend and found himself face to face with a walk of inky blackness. For once, all the voices were silent. None of them had even the faintest clue what this was.

The fatui behind Three had also stilled, awaiting orders. Three wasn't sure why, but he knew that he needed to do this alone.

He reached his hand towards the darkness, but hesitated. Once again, he wasn't sure as to why, but after this he was sure some things would change drastically.

Taking a quick breath, Three reached out towards the blackness and let the darkness swallow him whole.

It was actually very, very dark. Three hadn't expected much else, but the darkness was almost oppressive.

"Ahh, after all this time, here you are..." A voice sighed from somewhere in the darkness. Three turned towards it, but all he saw was darkness.

"Who are you?" Three called out, trying to muster his courage. "I demand that you tell me who you are!"

"Oh, my little broken thing," The voice whispered. "I guess you could say... I'm you. Or, actually, I am the Two before you, the Three."

"What... What do you mean?" Three stumbled a step backwards. He didn't like this one bit.

"I mean," The voice continued. "That I am the real brother of One."

-author's note-

Woo! Ghosts of the past! Ghosts for everyone! I hope you're enjoying the story if you've stuck with it this far. Thank you so much for reading! Leave a vote or a comment if you did and thank you again.

sadly, I do not know the creator of this chapter's art, but it makes me smile and I hope it does the same for you :D