Artemia: Journey To The Thirtieth Floor

56. The Old Yuki

"Hey..." I greeted Enkai, who was seated in front of the mound of ashes.

I didn't get a response, but I was certain that he could hear me. All he did was stare at the ground in front of him with wrinkled brows, clearly troubled by what just unfolded in front of him. Well, I am also furious with Yuki for what she did, but we need to get this entire predicament straightened up before our enemies come and assault us. As a result of losing everyone, including our camp, we are in the most vulnerable situation possible. If the kings really wanted to murder us, they could simply toss a spear at us, and we'd be dead in an instant.

As I sat next to Enkai, I let out a sigh. I'm fully aware that regaining his trust after what Yuki did would be tough, but he's the only one I can depend on at this point in time. Kasai has left, and I have no idea where I am meant to look for him. Yuki has also gone away, although I am aware of her whereabouts. But for the time being, I'll leave the two on their own. If they can find their way back into each other's arms, it means that we still have a chance of escaping our current plight.

Enkai gave me a tired expression just as I was ready to say anything more. It was his way of telling me that he is unable to cope with any crap at the present time. I instantly sealed my lips, fearing that I might offend him if I said anything. I'm well aware that this isn't the best course of action. Yuki was at the heart of this battle, and it should be her responsibility to bring it to a close. For the time being, I should probably just sit back and watch as things unfold before me.

I got to my feet to leave Enkai alone, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me in for an embrace. He buried his face in my breast as he began to sob silently. I was taken aback, but I tried to console him by touching his hair and making him laugh. I couldn't do anything to comfort him, so I simply sat there and listened to his cries. Perhaps this is exactly what he was looking for. I mean, he was in desperate need of a hug more than anything.

"Ivory..." he cried out to me as he wept softly. "We're on the verge of falling apart..."

His words shattered my heart, but we both knew he was just telling the truth. We will eventually lose this battle if things continue as they now are. Yuki is the only one who has a vision of what the future holds, which is exactly why I find her behavior so bizarre. This made her seem as though she were starring in a horrible soap opera in which she was the antagonist.

As I struggled to keep my tears from streaming down my face, my lips started to shake. It seemed as though nothing was going right anymore and that none of us could do anything to stop the war. As I stood there seeing Enkai sob like a kid who had been abandoned by his mother, I couldn't help but shed a tear or two myself. When he finally encountered his mother, she seemed to have been transformed into something that was not her original self. And, to top it all off, the person he cherished was aware of it but chose to keep silent.

"Yuki isn't the same person she used to be anymore..." he mumbled as he looked up at me with tears streaming down his cheeks. "Please save her. Ivory, you're our only hope..."

I smiled at him as if to reassure him. "I'm going to save her."

He flashed a pained smile. "Thank you. I knew I could rely on you..."

"Yes, without a doubt. Yuki has a special place in my heart as well. It is my responsibility to rescue her."

But who will come to my rescue...?

Because he had been sobbing for quite some time, Kai instantly fell asleep on my lap. I sighed as I caressed his hair, hoping to encourage him to sleep better. I also needed to sleep, but I don't believe I should put my personal needs ahead of those of others at this time. I can't let these folks down since they depend on me. Apart from that, they are the ones who have suffered the most as a result of this catastrophe, more than anybody else. I'm also hurting, but not quite as much as they are right now.

When Kai eventually fell asleep, I began to carefully back away. So that he wouldn't wake up due to any form of pain, I made him some flowers to use as a cushion. I also built a barrier around him to conceal his existence. It would be difficult for me to leave him here alone, so I must take precautions to keep him safe from any potential assassins. I won't let her perish right here.

At the very moment, I was about to put up a sturdy barrier, I heard something rustling behind me. I quietly gripped my katana, ready to attack whatever it was that I was. And then I saw it was Kasai standing there, and I instantly felt at ease. He had a disgruntled expression on his face as I turned around to look at him. I sighed and walked up to him, pulling him into a tight embrace. But before I could do it, I was seized with a piercing agony in my stomach.

I sank to the ground as I coughed up blood and began to feel dizzy. Kasai continued calling my name, but I couldn't respond to him since I couldn't see him. The only thing I could do was cling to his arms in an effort to beg for help from him. Because of the pain that I was experiencing, I couldn't stop coughing and nearly vomited. It was excruciating, and I didn't know what I could do to alleviate it.

"Ivory, hold on a minute! I'll call for Yuki's help!"

Kasai was mumbling something incomprehensible as he attempted to leave, but I quickly grabbed his hand and held onto it tightly. I cried as I begged him to remain with me because the anguish was too great for me to handle on my own. He was also sobbing while he attempted to heal me, even though he was inexperienced with recovery magic. With another bloody cough, I realized I was going to undergo the transformation. Kasai continued to curse as he pled with the universe for my recovery.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry..." Kasai reiterated as he pulled me in for an embrace. "I'm sorry for having you put up with all of this. Please, Ivory, don't go..."

"Ivory!"

I recognized Enkai's voice, and I had a strong sense that he was attempting to heal me as well. However, I was no longer able to feel anything. I was simply fighting to take a breath, and I had the distinct impression that everything was about to come to an end. The anguish only increased in intensity with each passing minute, and I was on the verge of going insane. It seemed as if my insides were churning that I yelled at the top of my voice.

It was only then that everything turned completely dark...

"Oh, she's finally arrived."

I took a few steps back and saw nothing but darkness. It seemed like I was in space, although there wasn't a single star in sight. Oh, wait a minute. The individual in front of me is someone I'm familiar with, and I know who they are. I looked down as I clenched my hands, desperately attempting to keep my rage under control. My lips were trembling because I was doing all I could to keep myself from saying anything that would make her feel bad about herself.

When I had finally regained my composure, I turned to face Yuki, who was beaming at me. It took a while for the fog to clear out of my thoughts, but I eventually recognized that it wasn't the Yuki who was the source of all of this strife. Because she was different from the present Yuki, I'm very certain that this is her from a long time ago. This is the Yuki that everyone adored, and it seems as if she has been sequestered away.

"What happened?" I asked as I fixed my gaze on her.

Her cheeks were flushed with a single tear, which she swiftly wiped away. "Yuki felt certain that this was the best course of action for her. She attempted to sacrifice the humanity she once had, and as a result, she has alienated herself from everyone...including herself."

"Yes, I am completely aware of that. But, what exactly am I doing in this place? I need to go back! There are plenty of things that I need to do! I need to assist Yuki in returning to her natural state."

"What about yourself? You are beginning to lose your identity as well, Ivory."

When I heard her remark, I felt my body tense. She was correct, but I have the option of going back if everything goes well. This is exactly why I'm attempting to lead us to triumph against the three kings. If we win, I will be able to return to Earth. And if that happens, I will be able to return to my original self. That is the only way I can see to bring this entire situation to a close. But, if I don't succeed, then so be it. Screw everything...

I tightened my fists and stared down at my hands. "It makes no difference right now. All I have to do now is go back there, and everything will be fine."

"Yuki can no longer reclaim what she has lost. Everything has gone awry since Yuki no longer has control over the course of the future."

"What...?" I asked as I fixed my gaze on her.

She remained deafeningly silent. She didn't say anything but gazed at me with a blank face. Due to her being a part of Yuki's awareness, I'm very certain she isn't making light of the situation. Even though I have no idea why she has been permitted to communicate with me, I am certain that this is not a dream. But I'm at a loss as to what I'm expected to do...

I collapsed to my knees, exhausted after everything that happened throughout my arrival in this timeline. As I continued asking myself what I was meant to do, tears flowed down my cheeks. I'm completely disoriented, and I'm unable to keep up with anything. To be really honest, all I want right now is to get away from this place and return to the present. After all of those experiences, I'm on the verge of feeling numb. It's ironic how I was so eager to find out what happened to Artemia, but now that I can finally find out...I'm wishing that I hadn't found out in the first place.

This is very different from what I was expecting. I never imagined that I would find myself in a situation where I would have to stand by and see many catastrophes occur in front of my eyes. And, above all, I didn't anticipate being harmed to such an extent. I would never have wanted to know what occurred if I had realized what was going on.

Because of the absurdity of the whole scenario, I burst out laughing at myself. Oh, that's right. It was my assertion that Yuki was the one who was playing the antagonist in a lousy soap drama. But as it turns out, it was I who was in that drama. In the absence of my presence, Yuki would not have seen the light of hope that ultimately caused her to lose all she held dear. If none of this had occurred, none of us would have felt as if we were losing our identities.

"It's already happened, Ivory," the Yuki in front of me told me. "You can't undo anything at this point, but you can correct what you've done."

I burst out laughing. "I can't even repair myself, and yet here you are, depending on me every time something goes wrong!"

"Did you forget about it? You are the only one who has the ability to accomplish such a feat."

"Fine..." I said, gritting my teeth as if nothing had happened. "What should I do now that I am at this point?"

She got to her feet and walked over to me. I raised my eyes to her, anticipating what she was going to say. She kissed me on the forehead, which took me completely by surprise. Within that split second, the sentiments of anger and despair that had been building up within me vanished as if they had never been. Although I'm very certain this was nothing more than a temporary feeling of relief, I still felt at ease. It felt as if a weight had been removed off my shoulders, and now I'm surprisingly fine...

"Why...?" I asked as I fixed my gaze on her.

With a smile on her face, she told me that I needed to first get myself together before attempting to help everyone else. "I'd want to apologize for placing all of these obligations on your shoulders, but I can't stand by and watch you all further demolish yourself. I promise you that you will be rid of your sorrow in the near future."

As soon as she spoke those words, I felt a sense of security. If that is what she thinks, then maybe I should put my faith in her. I'm a little hesitant about this, but I must return to the present. I don't want to die in this place. If I'm going to die anyhow, I'd rather die in the arms of the people I care about the most in the world. That is not the case here.

"Ivory! Please, I beg of you, please! Wake up!"

The moment I gently opened my eyes, I was welcomed by three people who were both crying. When I witnessed Yuki trying to heal me with all she had, my mouth dropped open in surprise. The twins were also doing the same thing as her, but they were holding my hands and hoping for me to wake up. What I saw before me was something I didn't expect to see when I woke up, but it...made me feel pleasantly joyful, which was a pleasant surprise. As I struggled to rise to my feet, a faint grin emerged on my lips. Three of them looked at me as though they couldn't believe it when they saw that I was still alive.

"Ivory!" they yelled as they jumped on me for a hug.

I burst out laughing. "I'm still here..."