Chapter 11: Ruler, The Guardian Of Eden

Riku's POV:

"Where am I?"

I look around my surroundings, trying to make some sense at the strange place that I'm in. All I could see was a massive grassy plain with some beautiful lavender flowers and trees all around the area while the amazing crescent moon is shining down upon it.

"Welcome, young boy." An unknown female voice suddenly spoke up.

"Huh?" I look around, my head darting all around the place.

The voice chuckled... Whoever that is, I feel like she's starting to make fun of me.

"You're really trying hard, aren't you?... You'll get dizzy if you keep spinning like that." The voice chuckles.

"Then would you mind showing yourself?!" I demanded.

"As you wish." She replied.

I covered my eyes when a blinding light suddenly illuminate in front of me. When it died down, a woman taller than Kotori appeared. She has pink long hair, and an eye color of intense pink, almost red. She's wearing a purple cloak with a veil that's covering her whole face, much like those of a wedding dress.

I stared at her, and I can see through the transparent cover that she's wearing a friendly smile.

"Nice to meet you, Riku." She said with a motherly tone.

"Uhh? H-How do you know my name?" I said, feeling a little shock.

"I've been watching you; I can tell that you're really a good man... Like the man that I've met in the past." She replied.

"So, you're spying at me?" I said while raising an eyebrow.

"Of course not! ... I'm guiding you and trying to see if you're really are the one." She claims.

"The one?" I cocked my head.

"You'll soon find out yourself."

She pointed her right hand's index finger in the ground. Suddenly, two tree stumps emerged.

She walks and sat on one of the stumps before gesturing to me.

"Riku, come sit with me."

My feet carried me towards her, I sat on the other stump before hearing her say...

"Beautiful isn't it? It's been a long time since I've created this sanctuary."

"What is this place anyway?" I look at her majestic figure.

"This world is called Eden, a safe haven of where your desires can come true."

"Tell me, how did I end up here?"

I heard her sigh before saying... "Remember when you get caught? He placed his scythe on your forehead, I think he was trying to enter your mind to take over your body, but instead, you're the one who entered his. This is the deepest part of his memories, thus transporting your consciousness in the world of Eden."

"Huh? I'm expecting something gruesome than this peaceful scenery... And about my consciousness? Will I ever wake up."

"Yes, but not for now. You've arrived here for a reason." She replied.

My mind came racing, I have so many unanswered questions inside my head. Also, here by my side is the creator of this world, so she must be a goddess or something.

I stayed silent while keeping my ears open to not miss any important info of how I ended up here. Not only that though, maybe she has some ideas on how to stop the angel from bringing my world into oblivion.

"That angel that you were all facing... We've made this world together, and maintain its balance until... something really bad have happened to him." She looks down and close her eyes.

"What happened to him?"

"DEM have built a machine that can let them travel into different dimensions."

"Why would they build something so impossible?"

"Nothing is impossible, especially when their technologies are really advance."

"Advance or not, they still wasted so much money on that thing... Do they even have any reasons for building it? Or they just built it to show off?"

I caught a glimpse of sadness on her eyes. She sighs before speaking...

"They're trying to find the Qliphoth tree to destroy it. Once they find it, they can finally end the existence of the spirits, and use their sephirah crystals for their own benefits."

"Wh-Why would they do that?! What did the spirits even do?! ...Well yes, they can cause some destructive accident sometimes, but they just wanna live a peaceful life!" I fumed.

"For power, and peace with the spirits was never an option for DEM I'm afraid... They're trying to prevent the disaster that happened 30 years ago."

Getting intrigued, I asked her... "What happened 30 years ago? Would you mind telling me?"

"Always the curious one since you were just a boy... Oh, how nothing has changed." She shakes her and chuckled a bit.

"Wa-Wait? ... You're really not kidding when you said you were watching me aren't you?" I scratch my face, shot her a nervous smile.

"Nope!" She chuckled again before continuing...

"Hmmm, where was I?... Oh yes, 30 years ago... It's the most horrible year that happened in that world -- It was when the first spatial quake happened. That spatial quake is the largest and most dangerous throughout mankind. It leaves a massive scar on the face of the earth, killing over 150 million people. A death toll surpasses even your world's World War 2."

I felt my skin crawl, I never knew a disaster like that is even possible. There are tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcano eruption. But all those things turned into small calamities compared to the spatial quake that this spirit is telling me.

What confused me is, how did she know all of this? Even what happened in my world in the past, she knows it.

She continued... "It was also the first appearance of the first spirit known as Mio Takamiya."

"Sorry for interrupting, but how do you know all of this?... I mean, you're living in a different dimension."

She stands up, and use her hands to summon multiple spheres around her.

"My power let me see through different worlds. Also, this place that I've created is the root of all dimensions."

I look around the place, observing this majestic strange world. The night sky has a combination of dark purple, dark blue, and black with an aurora adding in the mix... Honestly, it's a paradise untouched by man.

But then, I saw a floating sphere of what looks like my world. I saw Kotori, Kurumi, and myself lying unconscious inside a cage.

"The others! Fuck, how could I forget?!" my eyes widened; I slap my forehead before turning to face her.

"H-How can I leave this place?! The others are in a lot of trouble; I need to help them!"

"Riku please calm down! ... It wouldn't do any good if you keep panicking like that." She puts a hand over my shoulder.

"How can I stay calm when I'm stuck in this damn place!"

"I'll help you leave this place, but first I need to tell you something important."

"Then tell me?!"

"It's about the angel you and the others are facing... He's not a spirit Riku, the angel took over the host's body after he died."

"I... What?"

I was lost for words when I heard that statement. What does she mean by that?

My thoughts were interrupted from the sound of an unsteady breathing and sniffling.

"Hey... A-Are you crying?"

"N-No, of course not... D-Don't fret, I'm fine."

I can hardly see her expression from behind her veil, but I can tell she's crying when one drop of tear drips down into her lap. My mind was all over the place, an almost god like being crying in front of me.

Thankfully, she finally calmed herself down a bit.

"I'm... I'm sorry for your lost." I carefully said, realizing she must have a close bond with that angel.

She just smiled politely at me before continuing.

"Remember when I said that DEM built a machine that let them travel to different dimensions?"

Something inside my mind suddenly clicked.

"Yeah... So that means..."

"Yes, the machine took them here on their first test. They thought this is the place where spirits are born, so they begin to deploy those robots they called Bandersnatch."

I never thought there are some people in Kotori's world similar to some people back home. I guess no matter where you go, a human is still a human.

"With those robots invading this world, Tsukiya, tries to defend this place... I wasn't there when the invasion started."

"Why? Where were you?"

She sighed before speaking up... "I was with Shido that time... I returned here in Eden when he sealed off my powers. When I came back, all I see is chaos and ruin..."

"For Tsukiya, he had been kidnapped by the DEM... I tried desperately to track him down, but with my powers are sealed inside Shido, my abilities turned useless." She added.

There's a long pause between us, I couldn't make up any words from the tight feeling inside my chest. But then, I suddenly heard her spoke up.

"Tsukiya... I took him and raised him as my very own child after his parents abandoned him when he was just a baby, they left him under one of the trees in Celestial park that night."

That's it, my emotions got the best of me, especially when my mind darted back from my dark past. My own parents almost abandoned me too, they always thought I was a failure, an embarrassment, and they even compare me to my cousins. They didn't even care when my classmates' bully me during my elementary days, I'm always coming home with dark patches on my shoulder and face, and my parents keeps yelling at me for having them.

"What kind of parents are they?!" I roared out. "Parents are supposed to protect their own child damn it!"

"They left him because he was accused of being a cursed child that brings misfortune to people after his parents' guests died one by one."

Inside my mind, I ask myself... "Why would they accuse a child of being curse without any proof?! Even his very own parents blamed him for the death of their guests?!"

I felt the spirit hold my hand; her warm touch feels soothing.

"I know you've been neglected by your parents too, but you need to learn to forgive your past sometimes... Especially when you have Kotori in your life now."

"Yeah, I know..."

I sighed before asking... "Is there a way to stop him? Please I need to know!"

Looking at her with my pleading eyes.

"For being a normal human being, why are you so determined on stopping him?"

Showing frustration because she doesn't answer my question.

"Do you know why?! ... Because he wants to take away my friends' powers and use it to destroy humanity!"

She let go of my hand and sighed. I immediately become aware of what I was doing.

"I-I didn't mean to- "

She cut me off by raising her hand. She closed her eyes trying to think of a right word to say.

"Firstly, the angel's name is Azrael... For being an angel who symbolizes death, he took over Tsukiya's body and use it to avenge him." She grimly said.

"Before answering your question, would you answer mine first?" She looks at me seriously.

"Ye-Yeah, what is it?"

"If you have to choose... Would you choose the left path, where nothing is right or would you choose the right path, where nothing is left?"

"I... I don't understand what you're saying... Stop talking in riddles!" I demanded.

She sighed heavily; it feels like there's something she doesn't want me to know or better yet, trying to avoid telling me.

"Are you protecting him?" I glared, feeling suspicious on her.

"I'm not trying to protect him! ... I'm trying to protect you and Kotori!" She immediately defended.

"..."

"It's just... Are you sure you wanna know this?"

"Of course, I wanna know this! People are dying because of him!"

She looks down at the grass beneath her feet while playing with her fingers. She bit her lip before opening her mouth.

"I'm sorry Kotori-chan..." She mumbled something that I can hardly hear.

Me, thinking she doesn't want me to know, I held her left hand and kneeled in front of her.

"R-Riku?! Don't... Why are you?!"

"Please, I'm begging you! The spirits are in trouble!"

She looks at me with pity. I don't care if I lost my pride and dignity now, the only thing that's going through my thick skull of mine is how to finally end the apocalyptic disaster that's happening in my world.

"Then let me be clear with my question... If you had to choose, would you choose death? Or be alive, but with no memories of who you are and the people you've met including Kotori?"

The impact of her words feels like getting hit by a truck. I tried to answer, but nothing came out of my mouth.

"Either decisions you choose will have a terrible consequence. So, what will it be Riku?"

"I-Is there another way?" I stuttered.

"No, I'm afraid not." She shakes her head.

"Then... Then whatever happens, as long as I can protect her and my world... I'll do it."

"Even if it means breaking your promise that the two of you will be together? That you won't leave her?"

A sharp breath escape from my mouth, the weight of the world suddenly came crashing down on me. I forgot, I made a promise to Kotori that I won't leave her, but sometimes promises are meant to be broken, not only for us, but for our two worlds.

"Y-Yeah... It's not like I have any other choices."

I can feel her eyeing me, she can see through me especially my body language is giving some signal that I'm not very confident about my decision. Well, I must take responsibility to the decision I made, there's no turning back now.

She's quite surprise that I'd agree to stop Azrael though. She's probably thinking... "What's gotten inside this man's head? Is he crazy or something?" ...Well, probably, who even in their right mind dares to stood up against a supernatural being?

"The only way to stop him is by making you as his new host. By doing so, you'll need to make a contract with him for it to work." She suddenly spoke up, explaining to me what I needed to do.

"It's like making a deal with the devil huh? Where do I start?"

She looks at me with a dark grimy expression. It feels like she really doesn't want me to do this.

She sighed before continuing... "First, you'll need to mark your palm with a symbol using his scythe."

"What kind of symbol?"

She held out her right hand in the air. With a blinding flash, a glowing dark purple six-pointed star appeared in thin air.

"After marking yourself with this, get close to him and touch him with your palm. That's when the sealing happens."

"..."

I look at my right palm and stare at it for a few seconds before clenching it to a fist. Those two scenarios that this spirit told me keeps repeating inside my head. The weight that I'm feeling is crushing me, which makes my mind go all over the place.

"I want to give you something before you face him." She suddenly spoke up.

I look at her and raise an eyebrow.

"Come closer." She gestured.

Keeping my guard up, I slowly walk towards her direction, feeling a little bit suspicious. I just met her a few minutes ago, so I don't know what her intentions will be. As I got closer, I got startled when I felt her warm hand pressed against my face.

"I wasn't disappointed, you're really are the one."

"I... What's going on?!" I felt my heart quickens.

A voice inside my head said... "Oh boy, if Kotori finds out, you're a dead man!"

"I forgot to introduce myself... My name is Rinne Sonogami. You can just call me Rinne."

"O-Okay Rinne... But can you move away from me? Please?"

She chuckled and said... "Always feeling nervous, you haven't even received my gift yet."

"Wh-What is—" I was cut off when something soft pressed against my lips.

"What is this girl thinking?! ... I'm dead! Kotori is going to kill me!" My eyes widened.

Suddenly, a bright light engulfed both of our bodies. Slowly, her body is starting to disintegrate into tiny particles of light.

"H-Hey?! Wh-What's happening to you?!" I pulled out from the kiss, and watch her slowly disappear.

"I sealed off my powers to you, it will help you on your fight with Azrael." She said with a sad smile on her face, her eyes begin to water.

"But why?! Why you?!" I cried out.

With a last smile and a last drop of a single tear, she said... "Thank you Riku."

"Rinne!"

I run to her as quickly as my feet can carry me. But before I can reach her, she vanished with a blink of an eye. With my hands held out, I fall to the ground face first at the grassy earth.

I lift myself up on my knees, and I look all around my surroundings with my eyes start to tear up.

"Rinne?! ... Rinne?! Where are you?!" I called out, but no one answered.

Fighting off the tears that wants to escape, I punched the grassy ground as hard as I could, not caring about the medium sized crater that I created underneath me.

*Rumble! Rumble! *

Suddenly, I felt the ground shaking. I thought it was only my imagination until...

*RUMBLE!!! RUMBLE!!!*

My head darted all around, I lift myself up off the ground, but only to lose my balance.

"What's happening now?!"

*CRASH!!!*

A loud sound of shattering was heard all around the grassy plains. I look up the sky and saw it shattered into pieces like glass, the pieces of the sky are slowly dropping down like paper.

"Riku?!"

Out of nowhere, a familiar cute voice was heard.

"K-Kotori?! ... Kotori!" I called out her name in desperation.

I run towards the direction of her voice, not caring where I'm going.

"Riku! Please wake up!"

"Kotori! I'm here!"

The sound is growing faint, I run even faster, trying to catch up. Suddenly, a crack underneath me open up.

"N-Nooooo!!!"

I came plummeting with the dirt and trees into the abyss. I keep falling and falling until everything turns black.