Chapter 17: Old Memories And Old World
2115 Words
“It all started like this...”
Ivy left the academy, wearing his jacket. He glanced at Iris, who was watching him from behind with worry painted on her face. He waved goodbye then jumped over his bike. He checked his watch, which displayed a location for him.
“Wait, Ivy.” Marissa stopped him. “Are you sure you’re okay with going?”
Ivy nodded. “Only I can do this.” He clenched his fists. “If a space anomaly appeared in that building, I must close it. If I don’t, people might get hurt. Only time can counter space, so I must go.”
She frowned. “Then, I’ll send someone with you.”
“Only I have an affinity for this element...” He started the engine. “No matter what, I will be sure to close it. Why are you so worried? The data came from the chairman.”
She nodded slowly. “Be careful then. If anything unexpected happens, retreat immediately.”
He drove towards the location. It was an abandoned factory in the middle of the industrial zone. He entered the factory and sensed his way to the portal. He frowned, seeing a boy his age sleeping on the stairs. The boy had bright red hair and long red eyelashes, but his clothes were dirty and torn. Ivy walked towards him. “Who are you? Wake up.”
He touched the boy, and the red-haired screamed before hiding behind a box, crying. “I’m... so... sorry!”
Ivy knelt in front of him. “What’s your name?”
“M-My... name...” The boy stared at him with teary eyes. “I... I’m... Yuu...”
“Yuu?”
“Yuma!”
Ivy’s gaze softened as he watched him. “What are you doing in a place like this? It’s dangerous.”
“I j-just graduated... from high school a year ago... so... my classmates were trying to bully me...” He started crying again. “So I hid here.”
Ivy wiped his tears. “Where are your parents?”
“I... live by myself... I have... nobody.”
Ivy nodded. “Then, want me to take you somewhere safe?”
Yuma’s eyes lit up as he hugged Ivy tightly. “Yes! I will... go with you!”
Ivy helped him stand, and they walked down the stairs. Ivy suddenly pushed Yuma behind him and blocked a blade with his bare hand. He gazed at the faceless man coldly. “I see... The portal is close.”
He pulled out a sword and cut the man in two. “I’m sorry you have to see this, Yuma. I can’t leave you here. It’s dangerous. Come with me. I’ll protect you.”
Yuma nodded several times, clinging to Ivy’s shirt. They ventured deeper into the factory and stopped at a portal underground. Ivy stared at it. “It’s bigger than I expected.”
He turned to Yuma and gave him his sword. “If anyone tries to hurt you, attack. Don’t hold back.”
He walked towards the portal and spread his arms to the side. Blue light condensed in his hands, and he brought his palms together gradually, closing the gate. He turned to Yuma with a smile. “I’m done here. Let’s go b–”
His eyes widened, seeing a monster appearing from the darkness behind Yuma. He screamed his name, running towards him. He gasped and watched in horror as the monster slapped Yuma to the wall, crushing him. He glanced at his target, panting. He aimed an arrow of fire at it and shot, burning away its body within seconds.
Ivy ran to Yuma and held him in his arms, calling his name. Yuma gazed at him with half-closed eyes. He touched his face, his gaze saddening. “I’m... s-sorry...”
Ivy held his hand, shaking his head. “It’s... I will take you... I will.”
His eyes widened, feeling Yuma’s hand sinking into his chest. He gasped, throwing up blood. Yuma stood up and threw Ivy on the ground, his lips parting with a wide smile. “Don’t worry about saving me. I can handle these scratches. Better worry about yourself.”
Ivy then appeared in front of Yuma and pushed him against the wall. The hole in his chest was regenerating by then. Ivy grabbed Yuma by his neck. “Leave the body of this man, now.”
His gaze darkened. “I will deal with you after that.”
Yuma sighed. “All right. Whatever you say... But, I must warn you.”
Ivy’s eyes widened as tentacles started dragging Yuma into a portal. He pulled him, stepping on the tentacles to push them back. A white light shortly covered him, and he shared half of his points with Yuma. The tentacles then disappeared. Ivy hugged Yuma protectively, panting. He gasped as Yuma bit his neck and pushed him down against the floor. Yuma drug his fangs into his veins. Ivy pressed his hands against his chest, attempting to push him back. He gasped softly as his world turned around. He titled his head to the side, hearing heavy footsteps. He watched more monsters approaching with glazed eyes. He pointed a hand at them and shot another fireball; however, more monsters appeared. Ivy kicked Yuma back and walked towards the source of the mobs. Finding a second portal, he sealed it. He heard Yuma screaming for help. “What’s going on here?” he whispered.
Ivy ran back to him and found Yuma crying as the monsters bit different parts of his body, about to gobble him up. Ivy pushed him back with a gust of wind that burst their heads open. He grabbed Yuma’s hand and ran towards the exit of the factory. He stopped as a man stood in his path. Ivy’s eyes widened slowly, staring at him. “You’re...”
“Did you like my little gift?” The man smiled. “It’s my gift for your graduation from the academy.”
He took a step forward, and Ivy heard Yuma screaming.
Glancing behind him, he saw two golden spears stabbing the red-haired. Ivy glanced back at the man. “Why... are you doing this?”
He healed Yuma meanwhile but yelped as two spears stabbed him. He collapsed on the ground, hyperventilating. The man waved goodbye and left before the building began burning and collapsing.
“After that, I arrived. It was too late. Ivy had already spent his last energy reserves to cast a shield around Yuma. The tentacles were dragging him into the portal. I transferred my own energy into his body, and it caused him great pain for days.” Marissa caressed Ivy’s hair. “He has been through so much. Though, for some reason, Yuma wasn’t in pain after Ivy gave him his points. We never understood the reason for that. Perhaps they’re very compatible, or maybe Yuma’s senses were numbed. We are yet to figure that out.”
She sighed, sitting on the couch opposite to his. “Ivy recovered after that. He started a new course within less than a month, but Yuma didn’t. He fell into a very long coma that lasted for fifteen years. Ivy took it upon himself to pay for his hospital bills and visit him daily. He never missed a single day. Gradually, Ivy died more and more. I saw him transform into a cold and unfriendly young man. As he grew older, he loathed everyone and everything, including himself. He attempted suicide so many times and nearly succeeded several times. When he gave up on it, things grew worse. He became in a world of his own, and nobody could communicate with him any longer.”
She looked at the window. “That’s around the time he too fell in a coma after mortal injuries from a mission. He slept for five entire years. Nobody expected him to open his eyes again, but he did just recently. The first thing he did was travel back to the past to achieve an unlicensed mission. He then brought back a slightly older Yuma. I actually didn’t recognize Yuma at first since he was in his twenties, no longer a teenager. I assume spending so much time asleep slowed the ageing process but still affected him physically. Ivy acts as if nothing happened, but I think he’s simply trying to cope with the changes around him. He’s... struggling in silence, without asking for help. So, I’m glad Yuma is with him. At least they can have each other’s back.”
Orpheus lowered his head. “I consider it negligence on my part, not knowing these details.”
“Don’t say that, this is classified information. Very few know who Ivy really is. That’s how he wants things to be.” She huffed. “Power brings misfortune. That’s what he always says.”
Ivy whined in pain suddenly. He gasped a few times, his body tensing. He tilted his head back, crying in his sleep. Orpheus noticed blood coming out of his side. He rested a hand against his belly. “What is... this?”
“Ch...” He heard Ivy muttering things he couldn’t hear. “D... A-Ah... Do... Don’t...”
Orpheus healed his wounds and raised his eyebrows as they opened again. Ivy screamed as a wound opened in his chest and neck suddenly. Orpheus carried on healing him with Marissa, who narrowed her eyes. “This type of injury can only happen in case Ivy linked himself to somebody else physically. If the other end is receiving damage, Ivy will take it instead. Either that or he has a condition I’m not aware of.”
Orpheus frowned. “Who... Who would Ivy do this for?”
Elena joined them. “The nurse is taking care of Yuma.”
Orpheus glanced at her. “So nobody is trying to hurt him?”
Elena nodded. “He’s safe.”
“If it’s not Yuma, who is it?” Marissa scowled.
Ivy opened his eyes again. He grabbed Orpheus’s collar. “He’s... hu... ah...” Blood ran from his forehead as his hands fell to the side. Orpheus wiped the blood on his chin. “Talk to me. What’s happening?”
He frowned, feeling blood covering his knees. He glanced at the couch and saw blood coming from between Ivy’s legs. Ivy’s eyelids started closing. Orpheus’s eyes widened as he took him in his arms carefully. “Ivy...” He rested a hand against his belly and supported his back. “Where? Tell me a place. I will go. I will protect it.”
Ivy gasped silently, throwing up more blood. His body was covered in bruises and injuries.
“Old... world,” he whispered, “Under... ground...”
Orpheus raised his eyebrows. “A-Are you sure?!”
Ivy gasped in pain, gripping his heart. Orpheus rested a hand on his and healed him, looking down in silence. “I got it...” He laid Ivy back on the couch. “I will go. I promise I will save it. You must rest.”
“I don’t think you going there by yourself will change a thing.”
They saw a tall man with short black hair and turquoise eyes standing at the door, accompanied by Jibreel. They both entered the room. “I will take you there. However, I get to choose who goes.”
Mawt pointed at Orpheus, Ivy, Jibreel and himself. “This should be enough.”
Orpheus shook his head. “Ivy is injured. He can’t go... His life will be in danger! And who are you? How can I trust you?”
“Your opinion matters little to me.” Mawt carried Ivy in his arms. “I will take him anyway. Are you coming or not?”
Orpheus nodded. “I will come.”
Jibreel teleported them into a wasteland of sand and ash. “This is the old world, Kadema.”
- Writer
