Forbidden Knowledge Vol.1 (Marisa Kirisame X Male Reader)

Chapter 26 - Apparitions Stalk the Night

I found myself standing in a place where nothing existed. An endless void stretched in every direction, swallowing me in an oppressive darkness. There was no ground beneath my feet, no sky above my head—only a black abyss that felt suffocatingly close, like a cold breath against my skin. I was lost, completely and utterly alone.

Then, the voices began.

They screamed at me from all directions, their cacophony tearing into my mind. Each voice was distinct, yet all of them bled together into a maddening, dissonant symphony. I couldn't block them out—couldn't shut my ears to the barrage. It was unbearable, an onslaught of suffering, anger, and despair.

Through the chaos, one voice suddenly rang out above the others, cutting through the darkness like a blade.

"Leave! Never come back! You're no daughter of ours!"

The voice was filled with rage, but it echoed with the kind of hurt that lingered even after the shouting had stopped. It was raw and violent, shoving me deeper into this nightmare. More voices joined in, layering on top of one another in a twisted symphony. They moved closer, surrounding me, tightening around me like a noose.

But amid the madness, a voice broke through that I recognized instantly.

"I'm all alone."

It was Marisa. I could feel her sorrow, hear it in the trembling tone of her words. Her voice carried a quiet desperation, a longing that tore at my chest.

"Stars... I don't ask for much," she whispered, her voice fragile. "Just show me a sign. Please, anything. I need... I wish for power. Magic."

I reached out for her, desperately clawing at the darkness to get to the sound of her voice. It was like reaching for an anchor in the midst of a storm, something to hold on to as I spiralled into insanity. But every time I got close, I was blasted back, shoved away by an unseen force.

"I'm all alone," Marisa's voice echoed again, this time trembling with frustration and confusion. "Why couldn't they understand? Why didn't they support me? Is everyone so afraid of magic? I don't understand..."

Her voice began to fade, and as it did, the other voices surged in with renewed intensity. Laughter, cruel and mocking, filled the air around me. It was as if the Tome itself was enjoying my suffering.

And then, as if someone had flicked a switch, everything stopped.

The voices cut off abruptly, leaving an eerie silence behind. I gasped for breath, feeling relief wash over me like a cool breeze. The quiet was almost a comfort—a fleeting moment of normalcy amid the chaos. But it didn't last.

Before me, the Hakurei Miko appeared, her figure solidifying from the darkness. She stood with an air of quiet authority, almost taunting me with her calm demeanour.

"Isn't this all too much to bear?" she asked, tilting her head with a faint smile. "You just want it all to fizzle away, don't you? I can take that pain from you. Let you live the life you love—the life you want. You can have your allies back; everything will be perfect."

I tried to stand, but my legs trembled beneath me, the weight of everything pushing me back down. I grunted, my voice hoarse as I whispered, "And let you ruin the lives of others? Force a dream on them they don't want? No way. I refuse to let that be the case."

She scoffed, shaking her head as she adjusted the mask she wore. "You don't get it, do you?" she said, her tone condescending. "If you stand against me—against our gift—if you take it for yourself..." She stopped, and at that moment, the voices from Joy surged back in with crushing force.