Burning Bright | Keigo Takami x Male Reader

Chapter 21

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(M/N) had plenty of bad moments in his life, but nothing as bad as this. He ran as fast as he could through the unfamiliar landscape. He didn't know where he was, or how he was even still alive.

He remembered every detail from that planet. Watching Denki barely clinging to life as corruption spread across his body, Kyoka shouting for help. (M/N) remembered feeling so unbelievably useless as he laid in an ever growing pool of his own blood. Toga had instilled some kind of corruption into his body. He knew his chances of survival were low, but Keigo and Nemuri were still fighting. Kyoka and Denki needed his help. But he was scared. He hadn't ever felt that scared before in his entire life. Not even when he nearly died when first unlocking his powers. That felt like nothing compared to this. He didn't want to die. Not here. Not to Toga. He passed out for some time and when he came to, the first thing he saw was Keigo and Nemuri. Leaving. He watched, heartbroken as his friends left him behind. Toga was standing over Denki and Kyoka's bodies, her hand held out as purple auras surrounded them. Tears streamed down (M/N)'s cheeks as he realised no one was going to save him.

So he ran.

He used the remainder of his power to create a clone of himself in his exact position. He used those precious seconds to run away, the momentary invisibility wearing off just as he rounded a large rock, but he didn't stop. His vision was completely blurred as he left his team there. The clone wouldn't last long, and Toga would realise he escaped, so he ran as fast as he could in his severely injured state.

He held out in some hidden alcove. Slowly healing himself over the days. He had lost the gem on his chest, so his power was reduced by a lot. It regenerated a lot slower, and he could tell it was slowly but surely weakening with time.

His peace was short-lived. Toga had found him and before he could escape, pulled him into a different realm. One he quickly came to realise was her realm. But it was vast and seemingly endless, so all he needed was one moment to slip away from her. She never stopped chasing him though, and she wasn't alone. Denki and Kyoka had been brought back to life and now they were chasing after him with Toga. Their skin was pale, and their Star Guardian outfits now donned much darker purples and greens, taking after Toga's corruption. She had killed them and then resurrected their corpses to do her bidding. Whatever she had done to their minds, they now wanted him dead. That was when he truly realised he was alone in the universe. He hadn't seen Keigo and Nemuri since they left him behind and he didn't think he would ever see them again. His other friends were now turned against him.

Days turned into weeks, weeks into months. Whatever this realm was, it seemed to have different laws to that of their universe. (M/N) didn't eat or drink, yet wasn't starving. Time became meaningless. Everything narrowed down to his one instinct to survive. That tiny sliver of hope he had that someday his remaining friends would come back and find him.

There were many times where he thought it would just be easier to give up. But if he did, he would become like Denki and Kyoka. Toga's puppets, filled with nothing but corruption and evil.

He could already feel the corruption in his body. It was only a small amount, but it was growing. That along with his weakening powers meant no matter how hard he ran, he wouldn't be able to run forever. They would catch him eventually and kill him.

These times were where he thanked the First Star for his powers the most, because they were perfect for running away. Though he wondered what that said about him. His powers were based around a cowardly move. During the small moments of sleep he got when he slipped away from his pursuers, he was plagued by nightmares of anything and everything. Toga killing Kyoka and Denki. Keigo and Nemuri leaving him behind. His eventual death. Everything brought fear and despair, speeding up his corruption. He would have thoughts of anger directed towards Keigo and Nemuri. Angry at them for leaving him behind. Wanting revenge. Then he would snap out of it, crushing his head in his arms to try and fend off the evil thoughts invading his mind. He tried searching for Keigo or Nemuri in his dreams, but he never could find them. He did find someone else, though. That green-haired boy, Izuku. He was a Star Guardian now. This only made (M/N) feel even more doomed. The First Star had already replaced him and his friends. He had become what he feared in the beginning. Just another Guardian who was easily forgotten, replaced with the next generation. He tried his best to talk to Izuku. Only managing to talk to him once during a time of need. Giving Izuku the confidence he needed to pick himself up and help his team. (M/N) never saw him again after that.