Chapter 19
Night had come over them quickly with the wind blowing into the area. They were huddled with the rest in the rest houses, standing rather than sleeping with the talks about the crazy theories floating around. Ayumu assumed it was the worse although the plan was simply close to his heart. He had stepped out into the middle with the fire blazing as he saw the people, face by face, etching it deep into his mind.
Ayumu was glad to see people for everything they were but it was them to have been accelerating the effects. Acknowledging it was one thing, accepting it was another when he had started with the movement north and now ending into the brisk weather around him. He had smiled towards them like a clown, knowing that these people were going to be sacrificed to the elements or possibly saved from the problems.
His feet took him away from the group into the clearing out of the camp where the hint of the sea air had tickled his lungs. Ayumu felt a whole life lived upon earth and now the fight was still present. He closed his fist before glancing up at the moon as the star fell in front of his eyes before rushing towards him like a torpedo and dropped to the dirt below when it rushed past him before turning onto his backside with his fists up. The being stood with a pole above him and used a hook-like item to bring his body up from under his chin, barely digging into the skin.
“For one… I have an ally.” The soft voice escaped.
“Ally?” Ayumu questioned.
“Yeah… the gods surely would like an ally.” It spoke a little louder, grunting after the thought. “The name is Kanako.”
“Ayumu… what exactly are you?” He asked.
“The god where people worship for a great catch.” It reported when the moonlight shined upon the body in a blue pastel shade. “This monster surely hates the humans.”
“The question is why.” Ayumu pondered.
“Okaro had told me about you and wanted you to allow us to fight.” Kanako instructed. “We need assistance but Okaro was ignorant.”
“I’m not sure if I would be of great help.” Ayumu informed the god. “The best thing is to…”
“Without a fight? Not a great way honestly. However, as I see fishermen go out and travel. They forget who their rock is.” Kanako sighed when the eyes swayed away. “My conscious say to give her a clue into your intent.”
“She’ll be forgetting me.” Ayumu spat.
“I don’t think so but I’ve seen stranger things when they pray for their wives.” Kanako drew a smile as the hands touched the body. “Tell her.”
The camp was somber upon the return as he proceeded into the rest house as many had been lounging in whichever space was needed, tiptoeing through the crowd when he stopped to view her curled in a ball. Echoing Kanako’s words in his mind, he crouched down to brush the dark hair away. The eyes were towards him before he mouthed the words, “I’ll miss you.”
The last thought of her was to see her in a peaceful stance. Marching back with the back of his hand upon the cheek, Ayumu knew the final stanza had approached when he felt a hand upon his shoulder. The beady eyes stared back at him when he felt something in his hands that burned the skin deeply. It had been gifted what many had sought upon earth, hope. Then, another had gripped his shoulder before the final one had braced his chest before wrapping the arms around him.
“Yuu… it was an honor.” Ayumu whispered.
“I’ll see you soon.” Yuu replied as he marched off.
“Why aren’t you stopping him?” The voice asked, watching Ayumu run off.
“How?” Yuu pondered. “He had been the key to saving the world. The last time was partial forgiven and now it may be the final time to ask for such desperate needs.”
“Yuu… I felt a tear upon my cheek.” Emika breathed.
“Sorry…”
The words were enough to not state what he had thought from before but what had been in the plans. Yuu walked into the forest nearby with the weapon in one pocket and a vial in the other. One swig of the vial before stabbing into the warm body and sweeping up into the throat as he fell upon the cold ground. The light escaped from the body from the dark area when he followed behind Ayumu to the cliff. Hiding behind the tree, he felt a cold sensation run through his spirit.
“Minami.” Yuu spat.
“Hmm… took you a while. You venture around the world and now you finally get your ghost partner.” Minami growled.
“Settle down. We are going to be witnesses to the greatest fight ever seen.” Yuu breathed as the two jumped off the cliff and followed to the edge as they saw the rocks below.
Yuu and Minami leapt before floating down to the ledge as they landed with the shadow in the distance. The moment had overwhelmed him that the sight had been what generations ago, upon the lands he had dedicated himself to fight. The beings were part of the world as a whole and the monster was the dark side they had faced before the humans had adjusted to the life. Minami gazed out and shook the head.
“Something wrong?” Yuu asked.
“For me, as your twin, I hate to assist you in this battle. This one though… we can end this right away.” Minami thought as the eyes closed and leaned over with the body being a torpedo with Yuu following behind into the cold, salty water below.
The bodies had been like fish up to the shadow when the small red bulbs appeared. Yuu swam up when he felt a force driving him back. The bubble grew large around one when the silhouette had become its orb. Yuu sensed it to be beyond what he had produced in the last fight as he almost would have to be sent back to the other world as the shadow struck towards it and the loud crashing of a shield meeting with its head caused a loud boom in the ears of the group.
The rest stood in awe while Minami and Yuu had creeped up for a better view of the match. The pair grew interested in Ayumu for the possession he had in his body. All the people before him had much less but their will carried them through but the power would be an equal matchup while Ayumu was a factor in how long to continue the battle. They observed the shadow retreating before launching a fireball towards Ayumu, deflecting back as another strike would be shot in return.
The lights had lit up the ocean above and below with the people seeing it for themselves for the days to continue. Above the surface, the group noticed the halt but the hearts racing from the battle in the depths of the ocean with one settling upon the rest house as an option. For her, it began to sink what Ayumu had done wasn’t just for himself but for the others. The selfish act consumed her but understood with little bits of information that if it had worked, he would return.
Days had turned into weeks and suddenly it was a few months where neither side had budged. Ayumu knew the test was now the spectacle around him. The last thought before entering the ocean had haunted him but wiped it away when he charged and broke through a wall in the shadow. The darkness surrounded him when he saw two figures pop up in the water. He swam closer before they scurried off in the opposite direction. Ayumu closed his eyes and saw a bright light from the afar.
The particles had slowly encompassed the body and suddenly the eyes caught it in the reality of the event. He caught a glimpse of a large item, floating towards it, and smiled. Ayumu inhaled the used air and speared towards it. He felt the warmth upon the cheek as the strike had blasted him into depths but the roar from the echoes knew the job was done. The last image was darkness and what had been the dream for them, the moment where fear had escaped the humans about Ayumu and the rest.