Void • Memoria

45. Share Your Soul

Starlit Memoria ( Isao's Point of View Part 5 )

I took a deep breath as I leaned against a tree. I was instructed by the goddess to return to the clearing to see the others and recover.

I was still in bad shape, and I don't think forcing myself to continue moving was any help. But I needed to heal, and I wanted to see the others.

My arm managed to stop bleeding, but I still struggled to move it properly.

I'm not sure how long I was there as I eventually fell asleep. But once I woke up to the feeling of someone gently shaking me, I couldn't help but hope we all fell asleep in the clearing. That this was just a sick dream.

But as I saw Natsumi squatting down beside me wearing the clothing her god gave her, I realized it was just a stupid and childish wish to have.

 "Isao? Are you ok?" Natsumi asked worriedly as she put a hand on my wound.

I took a deep breath and nodded. I didn't want to worry her, but I could tell it was too late for that.

"Are you?" I asked in return as I noticed the large blood stain on her clothes. It wasn't her blood. There was no sign of any damage being done to her.

She stayed silent for a few seconds before responding to me.

"I'm ok. But... There are a few things I want to talk about." She said hesitantly as if she was making a hard decision. 

Concern quickly clouded over me. "What is it?" I felt a pit in my stomach as I saw the look of regret and fear in her eyes.

She took a deep shaky breath. "Please be patient with what I have to say. I'll explain everything." Her tone was soft yet serious.

"Everything?" I asked in utter confusion. "What do you mean everything?"

"I mean this, this entire situation. Everything."

I felt taken aback by her words, staring at her in disbelief. "Did you hide things from us Natsumi?"

"Yes. I did, and I'm sorry. But I did it for a reason." She pleaded as if she was scared, but I couldn't be concerned about that now. Our friends were fighting, were hurting, were dying.

And all she's concerned about was me getting upset at her? Of course, I'd be upset.

"And what reason was that? You should've said something, Copper died Natsumi. The others could have too," I said sternly. Even if the contract had a benefit, I'd rather none of us had to experience death.

Not to mention the innocent people who were killed and traumatized by the horrors they saw in such a short time period.

When she stayed silent I spoke up once more. "Did you cause this?"

"No." She said quickly.

"Then who? Who caused it?" I tried to keep my calm but it was hard. This situation made so much anxiety and anger build in me, and hearing that there was a possibility to prevent this all from the start only made it worse.

If she had spoken up sooner, there could have been a chance to stop it all at its source. How much does she know?

"Yuki." She said softly.

"What?" I asked, wanting her to repeat herself.

Either this was a sick joke or I was mishearing things.

"It's Yuki, she's the problem. She's the reason this is all happening." Natsumi's voice was serious, though the pain was in her eyes as she looked at me.

"What are you talking about? Yuki would never do something like this. She'd never hurt us."

"But she did, we'd be better off without her Isao. We have to get rid of her. Please, help me. Lives are at stake with her around, I don't want to kill her. But we have to. So please Isao, trust me." She begged, as she gently grabbed hold of my hands.

Get rid of her?

I felt like I was about to break. To scream at her.

I'd never harm the ones I love, but she expects me to believe my best friend is a monster? That Yuki caused all of this? That she's putting lives at stake?

She wants me to help kill my best friend?

I felt my anger boiling over. I've known Yuki the longest, she's my best friend, someone who's like a sister to me.

She'd never harm anyone, she always put others first. Especially us, she wants to protect everyone as much as I do.

Yet Natsumi is here telling me Yuki was causing the possible deaths of not only her own friends but the whole town.

"Tell me, you're joking," I said sternly. Although it wouldn't help my anger I so desperately wanted to hear it was all a sick joke.

"I'm sorry Isao." She said softly, a look of painful regret on her face. "I wanted to trust you. I... I really did... But if you're choosing Yuki, then I have to do what's for the best."

I quickly tried to stand up after hearing her ominous words. But I couldn't move.

I was paralyzed.

She stabbed her needles into my legs without my knowledge. I must've been asleep when she did it.

"Natsumi. Let me go," I said as if to warn her.

"I can't. I'm sorry." She said softly, my eyes widened as white smoke came from her back to form a large tentacle shape.

"I didn't want to do this. But I have to put you on the sidelines. I'm sorry Isao. Please understand. I just want to save you." Once she finished speaking, within a split second the large white tentacle impaled my chest.

Yet, for some odd reason, as I was impaled, I felt no pain.

Just warmth, it felt as if my body was floating, as if I was in blissful peace.

It felt just like when the goddess called for me as my consciousness faded away.