[Completed] Legend of the Five Knights II: The Shadow of Justice

Episode 63: Intertwined Lives

*Calamity*

"Nightshade," Aster called out to me. Nightshade was the name she had chosen to give me during my stay in this world. She also didn't seem to like calling me 'Calamity', saying it made me seem like a bad omen.

I opened my tired eyes as the train sped eastward. We were to meet with Mai and Mei in a town called 'Yozora'. From there, we would plan our next step in regards to freeing Etsuo, Roa, Man-kin, and retrieving Dine from the enemy.

"Sorry," I said, sitting upright.

"If you're tired, then rest. I know it has been a long ride without much for you to do. I'll let you know when we arrive," Aster said, smiling warmly.

I leaned against her shoulder and smiled. "Thanks, grandma." I closed my eyes and returned to sleep. Sleep... an odd concept for abyssmals based on the information Kaguya gave me before my awakening. Most of us didn't need it, with a small exception every set number of years. Yet, I got tired very quickly. Why was that?

***

I opened my eyes and found myself in a dark pit, wandering. "Where am I? Grandma! Where you? Grandma Aster?" I shouted.

"No one is coming," a voice called out. I turned around and saw a white-haired boy with red eyes. I gasped. "W-why do you look like me?"

The boy who was dressed in what looked like rags smiled. "It's because I am you, Calamity."

"You're me?" I asked, walking over to him. Suddenly, he vanished into the mist.

"Yes. The old you. The one who is no more," his voice rang from behind me.

"No more?" I asked, turning around. He vanished once again.

"Yes... like a cherry blossom in spring. One who comes one day and is gone soon after," he said, reappearing in front of me. He placed a hand on the gem in the center of my chest and smiled. I gasped as he vanished.

I touched my head and collapsed to the liquid-like floor. The darkness wrapped itself around me, sinking me into its shadowy embrace.

What's going?

***

[Years Ago- Unknown Location]

The bars of the cell that was once a wine cellar taunted me. It'd been two lunar cycles since I'd last stepped outside and a quarter of that time since I previously ate. My thoughts of the girl who I shared my last meal with filled my dreams. She looked as bad as me. Had her parents abandoned her or had she ran away?

If only I could run away, away from this prison I once considered home. If I could then I would have found that girl and helped her out. If only I had that chance...

My stomach grumbled for nourishment.

I bit at my nails to keep it calm. Sadly, it was useless. I had already bit a great deal of my fingernails away. Any additional chewing of them would draw blood, well more blood, that is.

I pulled my fingers away from my mouth and laid my back against the stiff bed. Sleep wanted to take over. My eyes twitched as they struggled to resist it.

I couldn't help but wonder...was the girl whom I shared that meal with still alive? Or was she on the brink of death's door too?

Then... sleep had finally won.

*Piedad*

[Past-Meanwhile in Kaguya, Kuroriku]

I glanced at the broken sidewalk littered with glass bottles, cigarette buds, and even the occasional needle. Looking down at my bare-feet, I turned around and walked back where I had come from. It was getting late, I had to find a place to sleep. I thought of the albino boy who shared his loaf of bread with me. He seemed like he was also starving so at first, I had hesitated to accept. In the end, I took half of what was probably his only meal in weeks.