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Chapter 8 - Chapter-7

We took shelter in one of the ruined buildings. Neither of us had any appetite to eat, we just stayed there in company of the other, all the recent events were starting to deteriorate my mind, combined with what we saw today was too much for me.

"We should stay here for a day before moving forward", I insisted and Zei nodded in agreement. It seemed like she wasn't doing well either.

Sitting together in a tranquil silence, absorbed in our thoughts. The moonlight softly illuminated our faces, casting a gentle glow in our eyes, while the stars shined above, adding to the serene beauty of the night sky, the only sound that could be heard was the gentle whispering of the wind

Countless thoughts ravaging my mind, where will we go now, will we ever make it out of this silent hell, how did we receive such strange powers, how did we travel 600 years into the future. The thoughts raced endlessly, an unrelenting storm.

Suddenly I hear Zei's voice breaking the silence.

"Is everything alright, Rayne?" she asked softly, worry etched on her face.

I smiled weakly, trying my best to reassure her "Yeah…I'm fine. Everythings just has been a lot lately, but I am holding up. What about you? Are you okay Zei?"

Seeming not satisfied with my answer she sighed "I am managing,you should get some rest. I'll take the guard".

I accepted her offer laying down on the ground, closing my eyes and drifting into sleep.

I stopped having nightmares a long time ago…until today.

Once again, I found myself in a familiar black space with nothing in sight. Then through the darkness I see a child with two hollow eyes, his body covered in blood, his left hand missing from his body. It was my little brother.

"Why didn't you come to save me?" he asked bitterly.

"Was that wretch more important to you than me" his voice trembled with anger.

"You are the reason mom died, you are the reason dad was killed, you are the reason for my death, never forget that"

"YOU DON'T DESERVE TO LIVE!!!! WHY YOU!!!!! WHY ARE YOU ALIVE!!!!!!! WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY

His screams were endless.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEFT TO LIVE!! THAT WENCH WILL DIE SOON YOU CAN'T PROTECT HER, YOU WILL FAIL AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.

YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED IN THAT FOREST. EATEN ALIVE. BY THAT CREATURE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A MERCIFUL DEATH FOR YOU!

Suddenly two familiar faces appeared beside Seiren. One was a man with a gunshot wound on his head, the other was a woman covered in blood. My parents.

The woman spoke, her voice trembling with tears.

"I should have killed you that day along with myself, then you wouldn't have suffered so much"

"I should have gauged your eyes out, chopped of your limbs and stabbed you until your last breath"

The man who just stood there watching in silence finally opened his mouth and spoke.

"I see how much you're suffering, just end it all Rafe. Come back to us, it feels empty and lonely without you"

"….My name is not Rafe, it's not who I am," I muttered, my voice trembling.

"You can't run away from the past, Rafe. It will continue to haunt you until the end of your life forever, so just end it all, death will give you peace."

JUST END IT ALL RAFE, JUST END IT ALL RAFE JUST END IT ALL RAFE

"I AM NOT RAFE!!" I yelled angrily

All three of them said in unison…who are you then?

"I-I am…" I clutched my head as pain erupted in my head. "Ahh!! Aaaaaaaaaaahh!!"

Searing agony surged through my skull.

WHO ARE YOU WHO ARE YOU WHO ARE YOU WHO ARE YOU WHO ARE YOU WHO ARE YOU WHO ARE YOU...…It never stopped, It kept repeating.

I firmly pressed my hands against my ears hoping for it to stop but to no avail

"Rayne"

A soothing voice entered my ears, calming me down. I opened my eyes to see Zei crouched beside me, her face full of concern.I was drenched in sweat, trembling, tears streaking down my face.

She didn't say anything and simply pulled me into her arms, pressing my head against her chest. Her hands around my back while the other caressed my hair.

"It's okay, Rayne I am here it's fine don't worry"

"It's okay" she whispered "I'm here. You're not alone. It's okay…" staying there enveloped by the warmth of her embrace in silence calmed me. The nightmare began to fade.

"I'm fine now you can let me go" finally managing to voice my words out, but she didn't, instead she snapped.

"Stop pretending that you are fine!" her voice cracked with emotion.

"Why do you always bottle up everything, and suffer all alone"

"Don't shut me out, Rayne. You are all I have left, I can't bear seeing you like that" her voice softened as she held me tighter.

"You opened up to me when I needed you, you were there for me when I needed you. You held me and told me everything will be alright"

"So please—let me do the same for you"

"Let me there for you, just like you were there for me"

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