The Hero's Hymn

Chapter 12

The darkness surrounds you, it's cold, pinched black, and there's nothing you can orientate with. It's so dark that you can't even understand if you're blinking or not... Where are you?

"A new dream?" <<Guys, is this your work?>> your beasts don't reply, even if you turn again and again, there's no lights or signs that they show up. "Where am I? I can't see anything..." when you start to feel disorientated, a faint sound reaches your ears. "A flute?" you begin to walk following that weak sound, "...Wait, I know this melody..."

Following the weak symphony, a flame illuminates your path. It's colored with a vivid red, redder than a normal fire.

"Astraroth...? No, it's not him." <<Who are you?>> your voice echoes inside that darkness, and suddenly...

<<When the fire will blaze up from the ashes of the past, and it will rise again from the shadow, with desire, I invoke the holy and right light blast.>> a powerful voice scares you and forces you to turn a deaf for its power.

"The Ryuhi's legend? And this song..." <<You're not Astraroth, who are you? Why there's the hero's hymn here?>>

<<Your will has been broken, but have no fear, it will be forged again, and the crownless King, his humanity abandons. But... don't forget; always, somewhere, someone is fighting for you. As long as you remember him, you are not alone.>>

"Huh?" the huge fire blinds you, and when you regain your sight, you're in the Ryuhi's island, facing the main staircase, <<Why did you bring me he...re....>> when you face the sea, your body paralyzes in front of the revelation: the moon is dominating the sky, lending its silver light to all the cherry blossom trees all over the way to reach the beach, the sea became a white chart, and on its surface, there are tons of flaming torii placed in line until where the sky and the sea become one thing, "When the hero's hymn will be sung, with Kafka's praises, a brave warrior will be hung..." <<S-say, for who is this f-funeral...?>>

In the distance, a colossal dragon rises from the sea and shows itself in front of you. Its fire is way stronger than yours, and burns more aggressively than Astraroth's; which beast is this? Is not yours... Wait, it's Seatiel's or Kafka's? Nah, it's impossible, but if it's true, why their beast would come to you and show this... nightmare?

<<The world of darkness isn't scary, that person either. It's from the dark side, but that's why it's isn't scary. It's beautiful... I'm not afraid. There aren't wars, nor humans painted of red...>> a young woman voice, who's now? What's going on? You can't even hear what she's saying very well, it's like someone is trying to stop her to speak, <<That being, whose shadows are his home... I'm not afraid of him.>>

"The melody is fading away..." the sound of the flute is disappearing little by little, like someone is making their last breath, <<Hey, I'll help you to avoid this future if it's this what you want! What's your name?>>

<<My na...>> the dragon moves its giant wings and roars as loud as it can, forcing you to turn a deaf again.

"I can't hear it..." <<Say it once again!!>> you scream trying to suppress that roar, <<Please!!>>

<<The.... so.... B....a...ha....>>

Opening slowly your eyes, you see your night table, the lamp, the alarm, the water and your glasses.

"5am... Great, now I don't want to sleep anymore..." you try to move but you can do it only for a few inches, you always forget that Shouto falls asleep holding you close to him, if you need the bathroom or to move, you must wake him up because his grip is strong as shit even when he's sleeping, "Waking him at this hour is not my intention... Maybe I can get out from his arms..."