Ayumi willed her eyes to open, just to realize to her horror that they were already open, wide and alert yet still, there was nothing. Darkness was not something you see, because you are seeing nothing, she could not even outline her hand or feel her body. Wait a moment… was she dead?!
She thought frantically as she bid her arms to come toward her chest, swapping aimlessly across her breast until she could feel her heart; it was still beating. There was no sound aside from her frightened breathing but these two things were proof enough that she was still alive. Besides, according to Laila, the sword was left hanging between the worlds of the dead and the living so no one should be dead, they were not in the afterlife whatever that was.
"Reiha… Chiyasu!"
Ayumi intended to scream but due to her fear her voice faded into a whisper barely leaving her throat. In another desperate try, she cleared her throat and yelled again:
"Reiha… Chiyasu… Noriko!!"
Ayumi called the priestess's name without much hope; Noriko was dead… she was beyond this place, if she'd been able to pass then she would have completed destroying the sword herself in the first place. Ayumi tried to move around, her body was floating somehow, no path to lay foot on. She imitated swimming movements, but still failed to proceed forward or whatever direction she tried to navigate. She never stopped calling, at this point, seized frighteningly by utter blindness and deafness, she was prepared to call even for Laila but how pathetic would that sound? Honestly speaking, she did not care much about her image at this terrifying situation.
"Oh gods, I want to live!"
Ayumi shrieked in fear, still waving her hands in every direction praying to catch anything, but after this beseech, she remembered the one who did not want to live, and by this brought them to this place, on the border between where the living and the dead resided.
"Chiyasu…"
Ayumi muttered in worry, if she would be worried about anyone passing away, it was not herself, but the princess of the earth. Ayumi was afraid beyond reason, still she closed her eyes and tried to calm down her racing breaths and heartbeats, the only sounds ringing in her ears to hear.
Presumably, she was in Amaterasu's place, seeking to assume her status, how could she cower and leave her friends behind? She will get out, and get them out too and then beat the crap out of Chiyasu for her witless wish. As she started to regain her composure; clasping her hands in front of her heart, she felt something inside her clothes; when she reached to it, it was nothing else but the scepter she had forgotten about in her bout of panic. Holding to it as if holding for dear life, she dared to open her eyes once more, and this time a light greeted her sight. It was faint, vaguely waxing but never waning completely and had no clear shape. It was distant but visible. Ayumi believed that as long as that light was there, she can navigate her surroundings safely now that she had a return point. She tested her theory, pulling her body under great heaviness to move forward, further from the light then looked back. It did not disappear.
Sighing in relief, she focused on her mission and priority to find the other two princesses, the specter's power easing her movement a little. She started calling more confidently but still heard no reply. She was about to go back to her previous state of panic but after a short while, she felt familiar but weak breeze blowing her way, gently and reassuringly, and she did not need to guess twice who was sending the signal.
"Reiha!!"
Ayumi screamed with all her lung capacity, and not a moment longer, a firm yet soft hand grasped tightly to her, guided by the aura of the specter.
"I am relieved to see you are fine."
"You can say that…"
Ayumi replied turning her face away in embarrassment. Reiha blew her wind a bit stronger after getting a hold of Ayumi who wondered:
"Can't you make the wind stronger to clear this fog, then we can find Chiyasu easier!"
"I cannot bid my wind to go stronger, it might destroy the place…"
"What is there to destroy!!"
Ayumi said, almost pleading but Reiha shook her head.
"This is a sacred place, it is a passage of souls, I do not know what it is made of as I can catch no scents in here, but I will not take the risk. Also, this is no fog… it is just.. the passage…"
"So what should we do?"
"I asked for a wish; to create a path for us, but I think that box only grants dreadful wishes, nothing beneficial."
Reiha said gritting her teeth, and Ayumi could not tell if she was furious or concerned about Chiyasu's fate.
"It will be alright, once we find Chiyasu there is a light we can head to!"
Ayumi tried to cheer the air a little, pointing at the mysterious light beckoning their supposed way home. Reiha glanced thoughtfully at it, not sure if she recognized what it was but seeing the light, it seemed that Reiha's resolve had strengthened though Ayumi was not able to tell if it had faltered at all to begin with, looking unfazed and keeping her nonchalant and composed appearance throughout. Floating their way through the darkness, hands clasped tightly together, Ayumi finally felt at ease, and once this feeling hit her, she sensed something beneath her feet. Reiha was used to floating around in her obeying wind, but she on the other hand was not comfortable at all so once she felt something solid beneath her, she pulled Reiha down in without a warning, like a drowning victim grasping at any rope thrown at him. The two landed safely as the light from the specter revealed a ragged narrow path leading in one direction; far from the light they had spotted at their way back.
"It looks like it all depends on our will to live…"
Reiha commented, amazed by this turn of event and attributing the path appearance to this fact. Ayumi hesitated a little before she asked carefully.
"Then… you are willing to live, Reiha?"
Reiha looked at her as if she was asked the stupidest question, but still her expression was unchanged as she answered as a matter of fact.
"Of course."
"And it is not because of your duty toward the previous queen or me…"
Ayumi asked again, seeking to remove the load of guilt she felt at the moment Chyasu made her wish, the latter's words of having no choice resonating in her ears stronger than ever. Reiha paused for a second before replying:
"It is true that I have sworn an oath to the light, and it is my duty to protect you and finish Amaterasu's battle but I don't live solely for this duty. I have many others."
Ayumi was relieved by the answer, and without paying attention she was smiling gratefully and pressing tighter on Reiha's hand. Noticing this, the princess of the wind said:
"There is a path we can walk on now, you can let go of my hand…"
"Yeah… sure! Sorry…"
Ayumi withdraw her hand in embarrassment, oh how she wished to keep clinging to this hand and feel safe, but she was not shy to jump at Reiha at any given dire moment.
The two headed as the path took them, no turns or curves. Toward nothingness. As they were walking, little balls of light appeared floating in the same direction the steep way was taking them. Ayumi looked at them; they resembled little lanterns or fireflies, not powerful enough to lighten the darkness yet their presence provided some tranquility, different from the utter silence of the place, they carried a sense of serenity.
"They are beautiful…"
Ayumi whispered, her sight taken completely by the round balls of different sizes but unifying shape. Their light differed slightly as well, some more powerful than the others. She had a temptation to reach to one of them but Reiha quickly snapped her hand away.
"Do not. They are souls passing through to their resting place."
"Souls?"
Ayumi questioned in awe. How can one's soul provide such comfort to a strange passenger, trespassing their way to their new home? Ayumi bowed her head to the passing souls respectively for the guidance they offered, praying for them to find peace. Then the more horrific part of the serene scenery dawned on her.
"Souls?! Does that mean we are heading to the afterlife!!"
"Naturally."
Reiha responded calmly, while Ayumi went on with her new found realization.
"Does not that mean we heading to where the dead are? That we will be dead as them?!"
"Do not worry I don't intend to die here and now, or even after this."
Reiha spoke without changing her tone, but her gaze intensified reminding Ayumi of this simple idea the girl seemed to be struggling with; if death was to befall her, even while ruling over her supernatural power, her command over a nature element cannot stop such fate.
"Also, if Chiyasu's wish is to cross to the other side, then we have to find her before she reaches the gate and these souls are our only reliable guidance at the moment. Right?"
"Sure…"
Ayumi replied halfheartedly. The entire situation was eerie and uncomfortable, even scary but at the same time she was not keen on handing Chiyasu to death that easily without figuring out her reasons, without proving herself to her and demonstrating to her that she can be a worthy friend if she ever needed one. As her thoughts kept returning to this matter while walking by Reiha's side through the seemingly endless route, she finally gathered the courage to ask:
"Do you know why Chiyasu would wish death…?"
"I might know."
The princess of the wind replied in a tone meant to convey that she doesn't wish to discuss the matter or divulge any reasons, but Ayumi was growing more insistent as they kept moving toward no obvious destination through a darkness only illuminated by floating passing souls and the light from the scepter, in a surreal yet scary imagery at the same time but Reiha kept her lips tight.
"Why would she wish for that? Please tell me!"
"It is not my place to tell you of what Chiyasu might not want to share. Also, I am not completely in the full picture regarding the incident therefore I cannot judge or say."
"Incident?"
Ayumi wanted to keep pestering Reiha until she speaks, a feat she knew she could not accomplish, and given such a logical and sentimental reason by the princess, she did not want to be the insensitive one. If Ayumi wanted to grow closer to the princess of the earth, she had to gain her trust first.
The two kept treading on the ongoing path, Reiha seemed to be growing restless and Ayumi did not take long to figure out why, Laila and her unnamed "companion" were here as well, and they could assault them at any moment. The air in this place was stale and stifling, and the more they continued going, the heavier it grew and became more difficult to breathe in. Reiha probably could not control such air easily. Ayumi turned back to check on the mysterious light marking their starting point, it was still there, fluttering like a signal, only now it was further away. Ayumi found herself stumbling as Reiha suddenly stopped walking, looking the most alert since they reunited.
"Something vile is nearby!"
Reiha uttered these words as she tried to adjust her senses and locate where that dreadful aura was coming from. Two steps taken carefully forward, and the scepter began to shake violently in Ayumi's hand, its light glowed stronger, as if provoked.
"What's happening?!"
Ayumi shouted as it became more difficult to control the scepter and keep it in her hold. Finally able to spot something floating in the air to their right, far from the drifting souls, Reiha exclaimed:
"It is there, the sword!"
"Noboru's sword?!"
Ayumi followed Reiha's line of sight, through the barely illuminated darkness beyond the soul passage. In the murky blackness, there was no shape to discern but the scepter did not cease to shake violently, as if expressing his wish to jump right there. Ayumi was growing annoyed with the will of the scepter, she announced her worry:
"Will we be able to destroy it before something happens to Chiyasu?"
"I don't know."
Reiha replied, clearly sharing Ayumi's concern, but at the same not willing to waste the chance. Realizing this, Ayumi asked:
"How long will take us to destroy it? At least we can confine it with us, find Chiyasu then destroy it."
"Oh, I see we have arrived at the same time, what a lucky coincidence!"
That annoying voice trying to pass as childish always came at the worst time, this time it was accompanied by a clap of excitement.
"Laila, we don't have time to for you!"
Ayumi exclaimed as if this will stop the princess of the darkness who answered with taunting expression.
"Neither do I. I am merely here to retrieve the sword. You can go save your friend if you don't respect her wish that much. Her wish is the most powerful here, she is certainly way ahead of us, nearing the gate leading to where she longs to be."
Laila had the boldness to propose this plan, knowing that her opponents were foolish enough to hold destroying the demonic sword that killed a symbol of light and hope with the same importance as saving a suicidal friend.
"That is a tempting proposal, is it not?"
Reiha sneered at the princess of darkness who for now, was standing on the same path as them. Reiha turned at Ayumi, ordering:
"You go find Chiyasu and bring her back, and I will stall this devilish woman!"
Laila's face reflected pure dissatisfaction, unhappy with the description but nonetheless, she offered her opinion.
"That is not a wise idea, Princess Reiha."
"Don't concern yourself with me, I have no intentions of passing to the other world!"
"Oh, that is not what I am concerned about!"
Laila waved her black ax, jumping fearlessly into the dark void, easily floating and navigating it. In a moment of unusual miscalculation; Reiha followed her suit, only to realize how thick and heavy the atmosphere outside the path was. There was no wind to control and she was barely able to move around, seeming stranded in the void. It was clear at this point who will reach the cursed weapon first as Laila smoothly dashed forward. Ayumi realized the peril, deciding to satisfy her adamant of fighting specter, she waved it sending a large beam of light that interrupted Laila's progress. The latter retaliated by a counter attack that shook the bridge they were walking earlier, sending Ayumi to the void alongside Reiha, floating with dreadful difficulty. But the scepter was not satisfied yet, as if having a will of its own, it shone brighter than ever, steering Ayumi toward the enemy's weapon, not caring for her safety as she was bombarded with Laila's halos of dark spiritual power.
"You are supposed to protect me!"
The girl yelled as if scolding a rampant pet. Laila watched in a mixture of pity and sneering explaining:
"The scepter does not carry your will, it carries the previous queen's will for revenge! Such a tenacious woman, even after her death!"
Reiha could not stand still but every gust or stormy wind she tried to send were heavy and slow, and she was strapped in her place, making slow progress toward the battling princesses, unable to move in their direction and unable to move back to the passage. Ayumi yelled as she was pushed toward the unclear hovering weapon:
"Can you send a storm and blow that woman away or bring the sword closer!"
"The air here is so heavy and stale, it is not for the living to breathe nor for the dead to rot! I cannot command what does not exist…"
Reiha shook her head in heated desperation. Ayumi understood; this was a battle she had to fight on her own, her desire to live was the only thing keeping her from being consumed by the power of death hovering over and waiting beyond this place. But she did not have any control over her weapon right now, she could only trust in the specter and the deceased queen's will. The race toward the cursed weapon was approaching its end, Laila and Ayumi reaching almost simultaneously to the sword. Sensing this, the scepter moved even faster as the girl held to its handle tighter, and at last, it clashed with the floating article. Reiha arched her neck in anticipation and fear; will the scepter destroy to cursed sword that killed its mistress, will Ayumi survive the clash of two ancient powerful weapons? Her helplessness left her angry but there was nothing she could contribute at the moment. The impact of the two weapons radiated a light that blinded everyone. Laila was sent flying uncontrollably miles away along Ayumi, the two agreeing for the first time, though not by their own request, on wailing in a painful yet comical sight.
It was not only the scepter that held a deep grudge, the sword finally revealing itself by that light, was no less hateful for that rod. It was a battle between the two wills of the queen and her murderer, passed through centuries into their respective weapons without dwindling or vanishing. The hatred and enmity was mutual and unwavering. Ayumi opened her eyes barely through the light and glimpsed at the murderous weapon; it was a long beautifully carved sword, with lithe delicate blade transcribed upon it by some ancient language at the darker third of it. The helm was twisted craftily in the shape of a calamitous dragon, its fangs blending seamlessly into the white crystal blade, casting the shade of its Stygian color unto the jade blade, like a gown of night taking over the shine of the moon. The dragon had its mouth open, as if it was supposed to be holding something, but space of its venomous mouth was empty. Both weapons resonated powerfully through the silent atmosphere, leaving a new dent on each other, adding more to the scars each bared from their previous battle. Laila was still taken by the push, trying to float properly and balance herself, but her gaze were focused on the clash, her eyes narrowing as if she was trying to analyze what secrets that sword held. For a moment, she seemed to have no more desire to go after it. Ayumi touched this feeling on her face and realized this was her chance. She tried to give herself a kick – jump in the air to float toward both weapons, and as she grasped the scepter preparing to guide the attack herself this time, but the feel of something putrefied yet still slippery, going through the process of coagulation. It was blood, and it horrified her. The scepter was traced in stale blood and she did not need to wonder to whom it belonged. But how come she had never noticed it before? Was it always there and she failed to see it? Or was it revealed by the contact with its foe that spilled this blood? Was it reminiscing bitterly about that defeat? Could the queen's blood only be revealed in this darkness, as if her soul was still crying for revenge? Not only the scepter, the other blade, Noboru's, was also covered in blood seeping vibrantly onto the two upper jade parts of the blade, then trickling onto the third dim part, loosing their tracks as they blended with the dark steel color. Her hand shook for a moment but she could not afford to lose the opportunity. She reached her other hand to the sword's handle but what she touched was not cold steel, or a marble dragon. It was a human hand.
"Chiyasu?!"
She thought hopefully, but that hand was larger than a woman's though no less smooth and comforting despite feeling cold like a corpse's hand. In shock, she quickly retracted her hand as the sword was claimed by its previous original owner.