FALLEN part 1: Desperation and Devastation [ An OHSHC fanfiction ]

Chapter 6: Liberation

[ Thanks for continuing the read! Now, let's see where the last chapter of book no. one takes us! ] 

9/27/2015-- 

There was a flash.

Centuries trailed by before Kaoru found his consciousness crawling back together piece by piece.

...

Kaoru breathed, slow and steady.

"Wha...."

With every breath he felt the cold air rush through his lungs and steal from him what little heat his being had. Vitality residing within him had become nonexistent at this time. It all seemed slowed to him in contrast to the boisterous atmosphere he was last awake in, that of rushing adrenaline and intense feeling which was now dispersed into calmness. It was evident this wasn't the same place as before.

Slowly, his eyelids rose halfway in correspondence to the little energy he had. He was lying flimsily in a dark, chilly place he never before could fathom. A mysterious abode in which there was no end; a concept which the human mind cannot comprehend. His head lying sideways in the black, he could see a strange faint-blue illumination swirling in a circular dance on the black floor before him. A small spiral of light in the ground, maybe a foot or two big. It wasn't uncomfortably bright, as he could stare into its inexplicable entity for eternity. Around him, small blue lights floated in an elegant waltz endlessly, reflecting its light off of nothing because here, nothing physical existed.

Staring into the divine beauty of the curious setting he found himself in, he took a moment to regain his normal thought processes and strived to move himself. He found that he had no control over his being as if he were paralyzed or trapped inside a body shell he couldn't break out of. He was so weak... So cold... And so alone. There seemed to be no one save himself in this palace of telestic abstrusity.

Where was he anyway? This place seemed so surreal, so mystical and mind-blowing. He felt so spirited and lost, but why?

For some time he lied on his side, staring into the eye of the circle of light. He attempted to lift his arm, but couldn't even manage such a simple task in his state and gave in. As human beings we believe progression can only be made if one is learning or doing. When one can't do either, they feel stuck and grieve. This was one of those situations, it seemed like, where nothing was being learned or achieved, and nothing could be learned or achieved. Stuck in this strange world without the ability to move, he lied helplessly and in quite a daze.

It wasn't until he realized he wasn't alone when he felt like progression was once more rolling forth.

"H-...." He hiccupped as tears instantly formed in his eyes, recognizing the person sitting calmly beside him. The figure stared into the circle of light with a sleepy look on his face. "Hikaru...!"

Astonished, he looked up and formed a great big smile with bright pink cheeks.

"Kaoru!" he cried, enlivened with inexplicable joy.

"...Huh... Wh.... Where..." he was still weak and had trouble forming words. "Where are we...? I can't move.."

Hikaru laughed and pulled his dear brother's hand close, comforted by the warmth given off by his living being. "You sound just like the boss when he woke up here," he giggled. "I'm so happy to see you! I didn't expect you to wake up... not here, anyway." He rubbed the palm of Kaoru's hand gently, staring with pure joy into his tearful eyes. "It's... it's so nice to finally see you again. Kaoru, it's so nice to see you!"