Dark Light

Chapter 9: Awakening

Both bow and arrow dropped to the ground. A blur came to her vision for an instant, and as she looked at her weapons amidst the grass she saw a sudden flash of light that disappeared as quickly as it came, and then her sight blurred yet again. She couldn't really move anymore, her arms and legs heavier than the world. There were strange voices suddenly filling her head.

"Give me a decent reason."

- Mami? - the voice came to her among other sounds, echoes that were confusing her in the middle of that previously peaceful night. She could see Yomi's face as she came to her, hands cupping Mami's own face and making her look straight at her. - Are you finally going back?

- What are you talking about? - she managed to ask, but even her voice felt strange to her. She could barely see or hear anything with the sudden flashes and the echoes, the countless voices that felt like they were spinning around her.

- I'm sorry there wasn't enough time for you to cope with everything that happened, but you're finally going back and I can't stop it. - Yomi's voice sounded vaguer and vaguer to Mami, the same with the touch on her face. Mami had to shut her eyes, but not even that stopped the flashes from coming to her mind - I'll be watching over you, but the rest is up to you now. Do your best and survive.

"You know she's probably going to try and kill me..."

The next thing Mami knew, she was lying on the ground. She opened her eyes and there was daylight, there were clouds above her. As she tried to move, a bolt of pain passed through her entire body and she let out a soft groan. Every single movement burned through her flesh, but she turned on her side and sat up.

The scenery in front of her almost made her scream. Why was this happening to her again? Why were all those people there in front of her again? There were countless men and women fallen to the cold floor of those ruins she was in right now, men and women wearing black robes, white robes, men and women unmoving and covered in blood. The flashes started again, but not before she saw others still alive, coming at each other with fire, shadow and blades; the ones in black killing the ones in white, the ones in white killing the ones in black.

"We need to speak to her."

Once the strange flashes stopped again Mami saw herself back home, and her brain couldn't take it anymore. Her mind couldn't process what was happening to her right now, so she just let it happen and stopped questioning it. Everyone was standing in the middle of the cold and rainy cemetery grounds, including her. Her cousin Sano was there, kneeling in front of a large altar with his fists clenched by his father's side. Everyone was silent, and many people were crying.

"Just be prepared in case she does something"

When it changed again, she was yet again lying on a cold floor, but this time it was inside of a small room and her face was against the cold white tiles, all perfectly square. She moved slowly, catching a glimpse of the heavy soldier boots she would usually wear, all dirty beside the one-piece metallic frame of the door.

"In case she tries to kill us."

She thought maybe it would stop now. It made sense for the flashes to stop, but they didn't. The vague voices continued and it happened yet one more time. But she remembered.

This time she remembered everything.

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- Do you really understand all of this?

Rina shook her head negatively in response to Haruna's question. The shorter brunette was now by her side as she tried to figure out which commands could free the unknown girl from that gigantic tank full of that strange liquid.