The Assassin of the Mist.

Chapter 6: Revitalization (2).

Chapter 6: Revitalization (2).

As the pressure finally waned, Kaizen cried. He cried for his parents, his brother, his friends, everyone he had before that day. He cried for the pain coursing through every inch of his body. In fact, the pain wasn't even pain anymore. It had overwhelmed Kaizen's senses so far Kaizen had reverted to feeling numb. He couldn't feel his certainly shattered limbs which had cracked far beyond repair. Although Kaizen wasn't any doctor, it would be a stretch by any angle to say Kaizen's injuries weren't at least severe, if not lethal. But Kaizen didn't cry solely out of pain. He cried because he couldn't understand.

It's a dream. That's all this is. I'm waking up right now. Any moment now. It'll be over.

And still, the nightmare didn't end. It just kept going, just like the blood oozing out of every opening in Kaizen's body. His ears had streams of red flowing down, the essence of humanity dripping onto the already lifeless and destroyed surroundings. His mouth had streaks of blood dripping down, with dried blood caking his cheeks, the blood rehydrating with Kaizen's tears. His eyes were crying streams of tears, tears of agony shown by not the normal tears of water, but the tears of bloody lifelessness. Kaizen coughed weakly, his entire body shuddering. Consciousness fading, Kaizen swooned, falling to his side. Just before Kaizen joined the ants in their slumber, Kaizen prayed.

Someone.

I don't want to go like this. I don't want to go.

{{30}} CLAUSE I:

ACTIVATING (TRANSCENDENT) CLEAR RATIONALITY.

NDP POLICY ACTIVATING...

CLEARANCE PASSED.

CURRENT STATE: CRITICAL.

CONDITION STABILIZING.

CURRENTLY ACTIVE ORDERS:

(TRANSCENDENT)CLEAR RATIONALITY.

(VASSAL)WORLD-STOP.

.

.

.

Kaizen woke up with a start. His hands sank into a plushy surface. Actually, his whole body was already enveloped in a familiar embrace of a blanket and bed. Kaizen pushed himself up, feeling his body. There wasn't a single hint of the horrid agonies he had gone through. Kaizen quickly threw off his blankets. His legs weren't the mangled mess they had been after the training. Kaizen leaned back, head leaning back against the frame of his bed. Looking around, Kaizen saw his laptop, the disheveled blanket he had left earlier that morning, and of course that calculator lying right on the night-stand.

"Wait."

Was it really all a dream? I...it didn't-

FEEL LIKE ONE, RIGHT? YOU REALLY ARE QUITE KEEN.

Kaizen opened his eyes to see himself staring back.

WE DO NOT HAVE TIME, SO I WILL HAVE TO IMPLORE YOU TO NOT SAY A WORD, AND SOLELY THINK YOUR QUESTIONS. NOW, LET'S BEGIN.

Kaizen's mouth dropped open, his mind going blank for more than a few moments before he composed himself, and confronted his doppelganger.

You're me.

WE ARE ONE.

Kaizen laughed. The absurdity of the situation was getting to Kaizen. Nothing made sense anymore. The doppelganger sighed and leaned back on the bed, sitting back down on Kaizen's bed.