Bare This Curse

Prologue: One Death After Another

#1
*GUSH*
I gagged as I fell back onto the ground, a red glowing spear jammed through my stomach cavity. I reached for it, then coughed out blood when it disappeared. The same liquid spilled from my stomach and back.
"I'm sorry.~ But the fact of the matter is you were far too great a risk to us. I had no choice but to dispose of you. If you're looking for someone to blame, why not blame him? He gave you the Sacred Gear."
'What is she...?'
I coughed out a puddle of blood before crumbling to my back.
"Oh, and thanks again for the wonderful date. It was fun."
I saw Yuuma fly off as I laid there, slowly drenching myself in my own blood. I continued to gag and cough as I died slowly on the pavement. Right when my eyelids became heavy, everything faded away. I gasped as I could breathe again, and...
"I'm... home?"
I was back in my bed.
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#6
"So let's see, it appears as though your master and friends are nowhere to be seen, and you show no sign of deploying Magic Circles or disappearing. Therefore, I assume you are a Stray. Is that correct?"
I backed up from the man as he summoned a spear.
'That's... just like-'
"GAK!!!"
"Which means killing you won't be a problem."
He twisted the spear as it was in my body. He drew it, letting me collapse to my knees. I yelled in pain when he wiped the blood off on my shirt.
"Hurts? It should. Light is a deadly poison to your kind."
I fell to my stomach, coughing weakly.
"Weakling. You don't even have the right to lay there at my feet. Bleed here and die."
He turned and flew off, leaving me there to fall to the abyss. My eyes became heavy again... then I gasped for air, as I could breathe again. I leaned up quickly, then took in my surroundings.
"I'm home, again."
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#19
"The fact that you are a member of the Gremory Household makes you all the more important that you are destroyed!"
I yelled in pain as several Light Spears impaled my body. The woman scoffed at me, regaining her cool as she turned and flew away.
'Why...? Why does this keep happening...? Why?'
I coughed out my blood as I once again died on pavement... then I woke up, crying.
"Make it stop... Please, make it stop..."
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#34
"You wouldn't have been able to save her back then anyway! And you CAN'T save her now, so die already!"
I flew back to the alter as a Light Spear exploded in front of me. I was drilled into the alter and hung there as two Light Spears kept me up there. Raynare flew to my face as I cried for both me and Asia. She laughed as she summoned another spear and slowly slit my throat. I tried to breathe, and eventually could as I woke up in my bed. I breathed as more tears fell from my face.
"Why can't it end?! Why do I have to... Someone just end it all, please!"
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#90
"Rias doesn't belong to you, you d***!"
I rose my hand up, making a spire of stone stab Riser through his stomach. I shot my other hand forward, sending him away with a boulder. He came flying from the dust, engulfed in flames. I covered my fist in titanium and threw it forward, colliding it with the Hellfire attack. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. I roared in excessive agony as I was pushed to the statue at the end of the area. I fell off it and collapsed on the ground, a large, bleeding burn mark on my chest. I grunted when Riser pulled me up to his face.
"Well, it seems that someone's lost the match. Riser thinks it's time to end this charade..."
{Partner! Get up!}
He rose up his hand, summoning a collection of fire.
"And finish what I started!"
{PARTNER!!!}
He threw it down and I once again yelled out, though only briefly as I was quickly burned to nothing. I jumped from my bed this time when I woke up, nearly tripping to my desk. I panted as I leveled myself, then took a few more deeper breaths to calm myself.
"I'll try harder... I won't let him win..."
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#158
"Bas****! Take this!"
I threw one final punch at Riser's face, sending him barreling to the ground. I panted as the solid stone cracked and broke off my hand. I eventually smiled, as I felt great. I defeated an immortal.
"Yes! I did it!"
{Good job, partner. Now, let us return to Rias and the crew.}
I nodded and rushed back to the red Magic Circle. I came through it and saw my friends in the engagement party room.
"Guys!"
They all smiled and rushed over to me, hugging me and congratulating me.
"Neito."
I turned around, seeing Rias walking towards me. I smiled at her.
"Rias! You're free! I did it! I saved you!"
"Yes, and I am grateful for that."
She hugged me softly as I embraced her back.
"Thank you, for playing your part."
"Hey, it was no trouble, Rias. I'll always be here to help you guys. I'm your servant, after all. It kinda comes with the job."
"I'm afraid not."
"Afraid not? What do you mean?"
"What I meant by 'you played your part', I meant that I only needed you to save me from the engagement. That was our pact, and now that you've fulfilled your duty, I no longer need you and you are useless to the House of Gremory."
I pulled away, looking down at her as the others walked up beside me.
"W-What? But... You saved my life. I'm in debt to you!"
"Akeno? Kiba? Please hold him so I may get the pieces from him."
"Wait! Guys! No!"
They pushed me down to the ground, Koneko holding my legs as the others held my arms.
"No! Guys, please! I can still be useful! Please! Don't take my lifeline away! PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!!!"
"Thank you for lending me your power, Neito."
Rias pressed her hands against my chest and used her magic to forcefully rip the pieces from my body, leaving a giant gash on my body from where Raynare had stabbed me. I panted as I held it.
"H-How could you...?"
I looked down at the wound, then up at them. I closed my eyes, smiling sadly.
"I guess there will never be a happy end for me..."
I gave them a passive aggressive glare.
"See you all... in the next one..."
I fell back, hitting something soft when I landed. When I opened my eyes...
'Big surprise...'
I was back in my bed. I got up and went to my calendar.
"Yup. Still the same day as before."
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#3058
I looked to the clock, seeing it was almost time for school.
{Oh my gosh, partner... I'm... so sorry.}
"Heheheh... There's nothing you need to be sorry for, Tetra... In hindsight, I guess I should have seen that coming sooner or later."
{You can't keep expecting death around every-}
"Why not, Tetra?"
I turned to her transparent spirit as it stood behind me.
"Why shouldn't I? I've been hunted by Fallen Angels, then I get betrayed by Devils... What's next? The amount of bodies that have piled up are like ashes that fall like snow. There's always gonna be another one of my lives taken."
{Partner. Please, don't talk like that.}
She cupped my face, bringing my gaze up to hers.
{You know, as a mother, I worry about you.}
I made a small snicker at her attempt to humor. My snicker turned to sobs as I hugged the spirit.
"Why... I don't get it. Why do I have this curse?"
{I don't really know how you got your hands on Time Break, but rest assured, I will always be here and I will always remember. And hey, on the plus side to all this, you grow stronger each time. You've accomplished Balance Breaker on run #213, and you've only gotten stronger from there.}
"I guess... It's just... What kind of goals or dreams does one have when their lives keep getting taken and rewound like a song on loop?"
{I can give you one. You can continue to get farther and farther. Make new bonds. Have new friends. Don't worry about Rias Gremory or Raynare. With the level of power you possess, they are mere ants compared to you. Why don't you live your own life from here on out. I'm sure there are people from both worlds who would care for you. Now, come on, dear. Wipe the tears away.}
I looked down, then grinned. I wiped off the salty liquids that poured from my eyes and nodded.
"You're right. I can't let myself get down like that. I have to keep pushing forward, even if my emotions get the better of me or get me killed."
{That's the spirit, sweetie. Alright, let's go get some breakfast in you. School starts in 30 minutes.~}
I kept my grin as I rolled my eyes.

"Whatever, 'mom'."