Void • Memoria [1]

23. Shooting Star

( Starlit Memoria Isao's Point of View Part 2 )

I held Yuki's hand as tight as I could. Her hands were cut up, The feeling of her blood on my hands made me feel sick, but I still didn't want to let go. I wanted to be there for her, even if it was too late.

No matter how hard I tried, after my mom died, and Chie almost died. I never thought things could get better, I was scared everyone I loved was going to die on me. I thought I had to live in a box with the people I cared about so I could hold onto them before I lost them.

But then I met Yuki, the girl who didn't talk to anyone, and who always seemed like her head was elsewhere. We became best friends, and she showed me that you can't really cherish things if you hold them all in a box.

Life is best when you live recklessly in the moment when you try new things and go along with whatever out-of-the-world event happens.

When I first spoke to her, I thought I was helping an outcasted kid. But it became the other way around.

But now I lost her, and I can't fix it.

I thought, that meeting her, meeting all of my friends, was the world finally being nice to me. But now it's taking them away too.

The sound of everyone crying just made me feel worse. I didn't know what to say to them, I couldn't cheer anyone up this time.

I couldn't help Yuki, and I can't help them. But I have to, I have to find a way.

If Yuki isn't here to yank us off the ground in a time like this, I'll force myself to find a solution.

As I began to think back to the tarot readings, the signs they sent, and the feelings each card gave me to tell. I felt my body begin to feel light as if I was entering a dream. When I closed my eyes, I felt as if I was drifting.

Once I felt a floor beneath me I opened my eyes to see a strange room. The room was dark blue filled with small lights and gold drawings of constellations on the walls.

It was cold. Really cold. The only thing I could make out about my whereabouts was the night sky shining through the glass ceiling.

But I had never seen these stars before.

Did I faint?

Is this a demon trick?

Am I dead?

Where is everyone else? Where's Yuki?

Worry and panic flooded me as I remembered what happened.

I can't lose any more of my friends.

I can't.

I have to be there to help them.

"Uhm... Are you ok? You're crying a lot, you're gonna need some water." A small voice called out. I spun around quickly to see a small girl dressed in ancient Greek robes. She looked so nervous, so scared.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Oh! Right, uhm. My name is Astria, I'm the goddess of the stars and moon. I uh- I know who you are. So I want to help you, and your friends. Uhm..." She fiddled with her fingers awkwardly and looked away.

"You... ok?" I asked.

"I'm just... Not used to talking to new people, I only talk to my familiar, and only one other god talks to me... But even that's rare..." She sounded so sad as she spoke.

"But! That's not important!" She nearly yelled in a panic. "You really, really have to sign this. Please, uh- If you do you can use my magic, and I can tell you what to do when you fight to help and you can save your friends and the town and...Yeah." She spoke quickly, it was almost hard to understand. She pulled out a rolled-up sheet of paper and an old-fashioned pen from a small bag on her waist and handed it to me quickly. 

"You don't have to read it if you don't want to. Just sign and you can fight." 

I read through the contract carefully, memorizing every word. It didn't seem dangerous, or against me in any way.

If this god chose me for some reason, and after everything we saw. It's hard to say no.

So I'll use this life to fight.

I don't wanna lose anyone, and I don't want to make others suffer if I run away from this.

Yuki.

You better be ok. I can't do this alone.