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Another long night though that’s to be expected. It was Halloween after all. Saya, for how long the night was grateful to go home. Don't get her wrong, work as a bartender actually was enjoyable. Especially for the amount of secrets she heard and the chaos she witnessed on a nightly basis. It was meant to be a normal night, alive with the bustle of people flooding the streets of Shibuya to celebrate. She was meant to home, to take the train, walk and collapse in bed as every night before.
Except not tonight. This night was different. Shibuya station was crowded and everything went to shit. Abominations. Unnatural. A slaughter Saya had no warning to as a thing, whatever it was, dug its claws into her body. It tore through and across her torso. The sheer force launched her into the wall cracking the tile and stone. Normally that would kill a person but not Saya. She was unfortunately too stubborn to die.
Blood pooled around her as she dragged herself into a sitting position against the very wall that perforated her ribs. She clutched her stomach desperate to hold herself together. Pain radiated practically drowning her thoughts. It was meant to be another night. Not tonight. How unfortunate.
Breathing was difficult as she struggled for every breath as one of her lungs filled with blood. She watched the carnage unfold before her, as abominations tore across screaming civilians. They ran for their lives the abominations giving chase leaving bloodied corpses and torn off limbs. Time seemed to slow. Saya figured it was a hallucination as she closer to death. She wasn't wrong as she knew with certainty she was dying. Pain clouded her mind and all she could really think about was the pain.
Then time stopped. She gazed into the carnage, particularly at a figure that wasn't there before. It was utter stillness as the figure gazed at her in complete apathy. She knew this person. Why wouldn’t she? It was looking in a reflection. She knew those molten gold eyes even if her own were now a dull brown. She knew the gold streaked hair despite her no longer having them. The long black coat flared in the still light casting a long shadow. Under that coat she knew her reflection wore a white dress shirt with hardy brown pants. The past stood over her. A mirror making a mockery of Saya’s final moments.
“You look like shit.” The reflection muttered. Saya said nothing too much pain as she wheezed.
“What, nothing? Quite the predicament you’ve caught yourself in. You know very well things could be different.” Saya continued to say nothing.
“You were always a coward weren't you? You ran from your power and here we are dying. Dying in a ridiculous place. No dignity.” Her voice started to raise in volume and still Saya said nothing.
“Well?! Say something!” She half roared, half snarled at Saya’s silence.
“What do you want me to say?” Saya wheezed, struggling to get the words out.
“Why? Why aren't you fighting back? Why are you just lying there and taking it?” She snarled, “You know you can do more!”
“Hard to do anything when I am trying to keep myself together” Saya rasped out coughing out flecks of blood.
“ You know something is wrong right?” She sighed as she crouched in front of Saya, “The noose of Fate tightens”
Saya grimaced at those words.
“Something is going to irrevocably change the world unless you do something.” She stated
“Like what?” Saya wheezed sarcastically, “ Can’t exactly move.”
“I don't know something. Anything!” She pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. “ We have to” Silence echoed ominously. A tension so thick it could be cut by a knife.
“I'm scared.” Saya whispered. Fear rang in her voice.
The Reflection sighed, “We always were too stubborn for our own good. Once we had a goal it was hard to turn back. But you need to call it. We need to do something. We need to stop running.” She gently coaxed. ”Please”
Saya coughed before looking into the eyes of herself. Her Reflection. Her past and she knew she had to stop. She gave a grin filled with bloody teeth. Her Reflection grinned right back.
“Atta girl. You're me after all.”
Time resumed and carnage tore through once again. Taking one of her hands she moved it to spot untouched by blood, hers or another’s. She began to inscribe something using her own blood. The inscription was a circle wreathed in symbols and shapes unknown to anyone be her. It was old, ancient. Something forgotten by everything else.
Looking away from her creation she spotted a white haired man fighting. He cut down the abominations, a look of almost pity and resignation on his face. She could see the tiredness in his cold ice blue eyes. The noose was tightening. She put her hand near the circle and for the first time in almost a decade she called.
The whispers greeted her like an old friend. Excitable, eager, overwhelming. The Shadows chattered at the return of their mistress. The carnage stilled as everything around him was unconscious or dead. Something was thrown at him, a box. Unnatural, she thought. The pain was secondary at this point as she focused on the whispers.
He stared at it briefly before he attempted to get away. It lunged, deforming into a mass of teeth and void.
The Hum of the The Abyss echoed in Saya’s ears.
Another man made himself known. A monk. A Mockery. The Dead’s voices raged. She knew now why fate’s noose was tightening. She knew why she needed to stop it. This would shatter everything. She called. The Shadows answered.
Power filled her veins, familiar in every way. It was intoxicating and oh so very addicting. She could feel as her eyes burned a molten gold and the streaks came to life. The circle blazed to life. A sacrifice made manifest for the power to form. A barrier made of crackling green and Shadows encased the white haired man. The box shrieked as it BURNED. The whispers got louder as The Shadows surrounded their lady, hiding her from sight. The box recoiled, going inert before dropping at the monk's feet.
“Well that’s unexpected” He frowned. Confusion emanated from both parties as another two abominations appeared beside the man.
“ It seems we have an interloper.” The monk hissed in anger.
The white haired man only frowned as he stared at the shifting barrier. They gave a cursory glance around, only for a brief moment. But it was enough. Saya ordered the Shadows to hide and retrieve the box. Eager to please, they did as ordered and the box appeared in the bloodied waiting hand of Saya. The monk looked back at the box where it was supposed to be. He paled.
The barrier held firm, even as the white haired man touched it. It did nothing but wisp around his hand. Saya however turned to what The Dead raged at. She eyed the patch faced abomination. It looked almost human. But the dead never lie. Their rage echoed in Saya’s ear. So with her other hand she raised it at the thing. She called for power. The Dead eagerly went to provide it, however something else answered her call. The tinkle of bells laughed and light emitted, brightly, blindingly.
The Stars ever so fickle gave power. With the force of the Cosmos a blast of pure energy pierce directly into the patch face’s chest. Without mercy The Stars tore him to pieces leaving nothing but ash. Unable to hold The Shadows, the barrier fell. Her location revealed itself. Both parties whirled to face her half dead self.
Saya smiled.
The white haired man’s blue eyes widened and immediately he teleported himself blocking her from view of his enemies. The monk scowled but Saya could see it. She didn’t need the whispers to tell her. There was fear in those eyes. It made Saya giddy inside. With a glance at his volcano companion they ran. Cowards the lot of them, Saya thought to herself but she was a tiny bit relieved. She barely had anything left in her reserves.
The white haired man made to follow but stopped and hurriedly crouched before Saya. She held out the box to him. He looked at it in bewilderment before looking back at her. She gave him a reassuring smile because she could see the indecision and worry in his eyes.
“Take it and go.” She coughed. His eyes hardened in resolved and nodded. He took the box from her bloodied hand. He stood and turned to chase to his quarry. Looking over his shoulder he gave a tentative grin.
“I’ll be back. I promise.” He ran.
Saya appreciated the sentiment, but sighed internally. There wasn’t any surviving this. Silence overtook the station. She could faintly hear the sounds of fighting and explosions above on the surface. Saya looked over the remnants of the slaughter and laughed. Fate’s noose had shattered. So many people had died today but she knew The World would survive. She gasped for each breath as time marched on. The power she had called today had long since faded and the whispers disappeared. For a last hurrah it wasn’t so bad. Saya closed her eyes.