Silhouette of a Wilted Flower

Boss Rush

Omori was tired.

No, he wasn't just tired. He was exhausted, drained, spent, enervated.

He hoped the feeling would fade after resting on the cold Library floor, but if anything, it made his muscles stiff, his bones creaky, and his mind horribly sluggish.

It was a battle just to get up, one that Stranger insisted on making harder.

"It's only been 5 minutes, Omori. A few more wouldn't hurt, would it?" Stranger waved the words in front of his face like a treat for a dog. Omori readied his blood to boil, but only felt a prickling irritation. God damnit, he didn't even have the energy to get properly angry anymore.

Omori forced himself up on two shaky legs. The sudden movement made the room spin like a carousel. He fought not to throw up.

His legs wobbled like a newborn's. Stranger eyed them in amusement, and the effort Omori exerted to make himself stand straight was ridiculous.

You're a king—a ruler of everything—and you're on a mission. Your rule is being threatened, and every second is valuable time wasted while you're here, considering rest.

You can rest when you're dead, damn it! Secure your throne!

"Back to self-damaging thoughts again, are we?" Stranger said, sitting on a step behind Omori. White eyes gliding over his chain, he looped it around his finger. Omori watched the action, thankful he still had the strength to push aside the thought of how oddly entrancing it was. "How long do you want to remain stuck in such a draining loop?"

Omori let the words flow in one ear and out the next. He needed to get back to his friends. He needed to train Basil at Boss Rush. This...loop of problems would be solved once the shadows were gone.

He forced his legs to move, yanking the chain out of Stranger's hand when trudging past in a fluid motion. The shade let out a hissing, irritated sigh when forced to his feet.

The stairs proved an enemy as Omori gathered the strength to climb them. He just needed to pick his feet up and put them down. The king would not struggle. Omori was fine. Weakness was a hindrance, a thing to be banished. And, at the very least, all the water had drained after he slew that Something.

Would he be able to find the energy to slay any more shadows if he came across them? If he was struggling even to climb stairs...

"Is that an admittance of struggle, Omori? Looks like we might be getting somewhere."

Omori tightened his grip on the chain and pushed his legs to go faster, forcing Stranger to pick up the pace. The shade plucked up an egret orchid, limp and dead after being drowned in water, from the floor when they reached the top of the Library.

He ground his teeth and tried to ignore how dead silent the Library felt. Mournful and melancholy. An absence of that strange ambiance of quiet, bittersweet nostalgia...

He stared past it all, zooming in only on the portal that was still there. His ticket back. His only ticket back since his juice was empty. A light smile touched his lips. He would be back with his friends soon. He stepped forward, but resistance from the chain stopped him midstep.

The smile fell. He turned a glare on Stranger, who glared right back.

"Keep moving," Omori said.

"How long are you going to ignore me?" Stranger answered.

Omori nearly let his surprise show. He didn't expect to hear those words from him.

"How long are you going to ignore what I say?"