Artemia: Journey To The Thirtieth Floor

46. The Shapeshifter

Yuki sighed as she made little shapes made of snow on the palm of her hand. "We're getting close to that point..."

"Oh..." I trailed off, dejected upon hearing what she said. "How much longer?"

"Two months or so."

"Are you ready?"

She laughed a little. "I'm not quite ready for it, Ivory. However, it makes little difference since it is inevitable at this time."

Because I knew it wouldn't make a difference, I couldn't say anything at all. We remained there for a bit before deciding that we needed to go back to the camp. Everyone's heads seem to have cooled down a little, so it's fair to think that I can finally go and ask around. Even though I'd have to avoid the elderly since it's a little uncomfortable after we both cast glares at each other before.

Yuki told me that she was meeting with Kasai, so I went around the area looking for the kids in an unobtrusive manner. They seem to be more approachable than the adults, so I think it is appropriate to ask them about it. After all, they've been playing around with our warriors lately. I'm not sure how or why, but they seem to be a lot more open-minded than the adults around them. Crazy and pretty amusing, isn't it?

"Hi!" I greeted the boy with curly hair in a friendly manner. As he waved to me, he had a kind grin on his face. "Hi, I'm Fuyumi. And you are?"

He cracked a kind smile. "Hiraya. Are you planning to inquire about the crystals?"

As I looked at him with my brows furrowed in confusion. I don't recall showing off the crystals, so how in the world did he know about them? And...his name was also one that I am somewhat familiar with! For some reason, I had the impression that I knew him even though I can't recall where I heard it. This is my first encounter with him here in Artemia...so, is he also from the present time, then? I mean, like how I am from the future?

"How...the hell did you know about that?"

"All the events that are bound to happen have been laid bare within my mind. I'm also aware that you aren't Fuyumi, so please take your mask off even just for now."

"Is that your power?"

He smiled as he finished the loaf of bread that he was eating just now. "Yes! I'm also well aware that in two months, we'll all be extinct on this planet's surface."

My jaw dropped open as I stared at him, puzzled. Who in the world could this young boy be, and why does he seem to know everything? I understand that he has a special skill, but what precisely is it? This has me bewildered, and I'm not sure how to ask him about it! The only thing I'm certain of right now is that he's not a typical young man like the rest of the people around us. Oh, gosh.

"Come with me," I murmured as I took a few steps back and glanced around. "What happened to your parents? We'll have to sneak away since they're likely to become upset."

"Parents? I'm afraid I don't have one."

"Huh...?"

Hiraya laughed a little while pulling me by the hand. Even though we seemed to be traveling beyond the camp, I simply went ahead and believed him. I don't really think that he's trying to hurt me. Furthermore, if he had any malicious intentions, he would not have been able to gain entry into the camp. If it had been the case, Yuki would have ejected him out of the base.

On the surface of the water, a familiar sea monster emerged, beckoning us to ride on its back. Despite the confusion it caused me, I still went on with everything. I clung to the sea monster's scales for my dear life, afraid that I would be swept into the water. Hiraya tried to stifle a laugh as he saw my reaction but failed. This kid...

"Fuyu Island...?" I inquired.

Hiraya nodded at me as he walked towards a...house. It's been burned to smithereens, and all that's left are a few metals and other items that were spared the flames. Even though I felt awful about it, Hiraya strolled across the place with a casual demeanor. It didn't seem like he was really worried about it. That's quite strange, I must admit...

"Follow me," he says.

"What? Where?"

"Here," he said as he kicked something on the ground.

A stairwell leading to a dimly lit basement appeared with that one kick. I was a little nervous, possibly because of the horror films I had seen in the past. I mean, the stairwell seemed to be a little...eerie. I will not go inside such a place, especially now that I am accompanied by a kid. If the worst-case scenario occurs, I might actually end up leaving Hiraya behind. Yes, I've met more creatures than I can count, but basements...? No, seriously.

When I witnessed Hiraya transform into a grown man, I had to double-check to be sure my vision wasn't blurred. He seemed to be around the same age as the twins, which left me speechless and unable to say anything further. Who the heck is her? Is he...some kind of shapeshifter? I inclined my head to the side as if I were asking him to explain himself. I think I need to know who he really is because I'm not walking down that stairway otherwise.

Hiraya cracked a grin as he saw my reaction. "I'm Hiraya, the person Shirayuki assigned to keep watch over Fuyu Island and the princess."

"What...?"

He let out a sigh. "As Shirayuki passed away, she brought me into being. Fuyu Island and Princess Yuki were entrusted to me as a responsibility, but unfortunately, I failed to fulfill it."

"Damn, she really accomplished a lot of stuff before she passed..." I whispered.

"Indeed. Shirayuki...was a woman of determination. Upon discovering that she would die following the birth of Princess Yuki, she made the crystals. More than everything, she wanted to ensure that the eternity she dreamed of would not be shattered. It dawned on her that she would not be there to care for her most prized possessions and loved ones, Fuyu Island, the people of Artemia, and her beloved daughter..." he trailed off as he looked at me with a forlorn expression.

"Is there anything more you'd want to say...?" I managed to ask because he seemed like he wanted to say more.

As he sat on the ground, Hiraya let out a sigh. "I was nothing more than a shapeshifter who stood by and watched as the queen cradled her daughter in her dying arms with a regretful smile on her face..."

Oh, he's a shapeshifter! He's Hiraya, the same person that we fought in Khrysheira! When I realized that I was the one who had stabbed him in the chest, my eyes widened. Didn't I murder him, didn't I? The agony I felt when I murdered him may be explained in this way. Why, exactly...? How come he, of all others, was chosen? I couldn't say anything as I sat there listening to him tell me his tale.

"She must have sensed my urgency to save Artemia from...you know. Because of this, she granted me the power that allowed me to protect her daughter. You know, I was the one who put Shirayuki to sleep in order to save Yuki's life. I used every ounce of power I had to prevent Leon from absorbing the core. Now, I've turned to this."

"I'm really sorry..." I murmured under my breath as I clenched my fists.

When I apologized, Hiraya offered me a knowing grin as if he understood what I meant. I bit my lower lip out of frustration as the scenario played over and over in my head like a broken plaque. When I realized what I had done, tears started to pour down my cheeks. I could feel Hiraya ruffling my hair as he muttered words of consolation to me. And suddenly, I felt as though something cleared the mist inside my head. It turns out that he used a charm to prevent me from thinking about it anymore.

I felt terrible for having done such a cruel thing to him, but all of those negative emotions vanished the instant he placed his hand on my forehead. He cast a spell to make me stop thinking. I didn't like it since it made me feel as if I was letting go of my feelings of guilt. But I don't believe I should continue to behave in this manner in front of the Hiraya from the present time, who is still alive.

"I am grateful to you for putting a halt to the future me's misery at that moment. Although it was not the end, with you being the first person to kill me after I had gone mad, I was able to release myself from the shackles," he told me with a grin on my face.

I shook my head profusely. "It's not something...pleasant to do."

"Shh. Now, do you want to come in with me?" Hiraya suggested while pointing to the stairwell.

I strolled inside the building softly, feeling a little queasy. I anticipated it to be incredibly dark, given how frightening the stairwell appeared. I was wrong because I saw something gleaming from a distance! I approached it cautiously, curious as to what may be inside. When I looked around, there was a ton of crystals that seemed familiar, reflecting a little source of light from the ceiling.

When I looked at the sack of crystals, my mouth dropped open. There are a ton of them in this place! It's no surprise that Leon wants to take the island in order to get his hands on these gems. I took my time examining them, sliding my fingertips across the surface crystals in awe of their beauty. When I touched them, I discovered that they weren't quite so dangerous after all. It's only that attacking them would almost certainly result in your death.

"Have you been collecting them?" I asked Hiraya.

He smiled and nodded. "Yes. I'd been storing these for a while. Unfortunately, my crystal stash began to dwindle as soon as I knew that Leon had begun working on the warrior prototypes. Even though it seems that he discovered the most of them, I was able to retain a few of them."

"When you first saw the robots, what did you do?" I inquired as I squinted my eyes.

"I tried all I could to save them. Ah, now that you mention it...I remember being on the verge of death at the time. As soon as Leon learned of this, he launched an assassination attempt on me, but I managed to escape!"

"I see..." I whispered as I heaved a sigh of relief. "I'm glad."

"Uhm, this may be too much to ask...but did you get any more information on how he makes the robots?"

Hiraya squinted his eyes as if he were attempting to recall whether or not he had seen anything. "It seemed to be something complex. Therefore I was unable to decipher it. However, I've seen the metals they've been working."

"Where do you find them?"

"Towards the bottom of the ocean. It's conceivable that they're no longer abundant in that area, but as far as I'm aware, they can still be found down there."

As I turned my attention to the gems, I nodded. "Do you think we will be able to conceal this in Fuyumi mountain? Leon wouldn't be able to reach that place thanks to Fuyumi's spell."

When Hiraya nodded, I moved to the side. He tossed a tiny bag on the ground, which would probably be used to carry the crystals back. To my astonishment, the crystals began to go toward it on their own. I blinked again when I saw that the bag still seemed to be empty despite the large number of stones contained inside it. Damn, magic's really fascinating if you were to ask me...

I turned to look at Hiraya, who was grinning as he carried the bag in his arms. It was impossible not to smile when I saw how pleased he seemed to be with what he had accomplished. We took it slow as we went out of the cave. No one was saying anything, but I had the feeling that I should ask him about something. When we stepped out of the dark stairway, I stared up at the sky, trying to figure out what it was.

"You're doing great, milady..."

My eyes widened as I turned to face him, tears starting to fill the side of my eyes. But even though I was aware that it wasn't actually Blake, looking at Hiraya in his current form caused me to experience an array of feelings I couldn't comprehend. I couldn't keep myself from pulling him into a tight hug with my arms.

"Ah, what the hell?" I whispered as I chuckled when I realized that it feels like I really am...with Blake right now. "How do you smell and feel like him?"

The chuckles slowly turned into sobs as I buried my face into his chest. I cherished the familiar feeling of euphoria that Blake always manages to instill in me when he caresses my hair. I had been yearning for this feeling for quite some time, and I couldn't help but cry my heart out because of that. When I realized how vulnerable I was without them, especially without Blake, I felt like...I wanted to go back.

"We're waiting for you, Ivory..."