Sunset Ghost

Overflow

サンセットゴースト
Sunset Ghost
__________________________第6章
オーバーフロー
__________________________

"There— there are too many," Kageyama panted, jumping back to avoid a lunging ghost. His white shirt was torn and dusted with dirt and dust, his silver staff flecked with bits of spirit matter and condensed water. His body was aching and covered in cuts and bruises, and his stamina was nearing its limits.

They had yet to find Yachi in the mess of the overflow, and the ghosts just kept coming. It seemed there was no end to them. Not to mention the fact that Hinata could be hurt by these things, too. Before, Kageyama had reacted and saved Hinata out of instinct, even though he knew ghosts couldn't get hurt—well, he'd thought, anyway. But no; these spirits could hurt Hinata just as much as Kageyama, so he had two people to worry about instead of one. Great.

"Kageyama, there's more coming!" Hinata cried in a panicked voice, pointing across the tracks to the edge of a forest—a very familiar forest. From within its tangled green depths, black forms crept, eyes of various colors shining sinisterly in the darkness. Kageyama cursed, stabbing another spirit through the chest as it got too close for comfort. "Dammit! We can't handle this on our own!"

"Ah!" Hinata yelped as a black tendril scraped across his left side, leaving a cut which steamed and oozed blood. Kageyama darted forward and took out the thing before it could strike again, gasping for air now. His lungs were strained and his muscles felt like they would give out any second, but Hinata had no way to defend himself if he went down. He had to keep fighting.

But there were so many. Black invaded every corner of Kageyama's vision, the only color difference the bright orange of Hinata's hair and the glimmering silver staff in his hand. He couldn't keep this up for long, and although he could hear her fighting off in the distance, he couldn't spot Yachi's tell-tale blonde hair anywhere among the mass of spiritual energy surrounding them.

They were completely alone unless they could clear a path to her.

"Kageyama, your right!" Hinata screamed out. Kageyama had just enough time to lunge into a kneel and slam the silver into the ghost's chest, vaporizing it before it could stick its hand through his chest. Drops of water sprayed his face and he gasped, falling to his knees as he felt his legs trembling. No... My body's giving out already?!

"Hinata," he rasped, glancing back at his companion hollowly. "I can't... stand up..."

"You..." Hinata's eyes shone with tears as his face crumpled. "You— you have to." He furiously scrubbed at his eyes, but the boy couldn't seem to stop crying. "This wasn't supposed to happen! It was supposed to be safe..." He gazed down at Kageyama, tears racing down his pale cheeks, face broken—hopeless. "Why?" His voice cracked. "Why did it have to be like this?"

"No..." You know, I'm glad I got to meet you. "No." You're a pretty good friend, Kageyama! "No!" Kageyama's fist smacked into the concrete so hard it cracked. Blood ran down his knuckles as he clenched his fist, but he didn't care. Red splattered against the ground. "I'm not giving up yet," he growled, pushing himself up with renewed strength.

Ripping a strip of fabric from his shirt, Kageyama used it to bind his bleeding hand, tying it in a tight knot and cinching it with his teeth. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he turned to the line of approaching ghosts with fire in his dark eyes. "Let's fight!"

He couldn't give up. He was strong and he could get through this. So what if he was a novice? So what if Yachi had been wrong about this? The only thing that mattered now was saving himself and Hinata. He wasn't going to die here. He had to live, if not to kick Yachi's blonde ass for dragging him into this.