[89.2] As Long As You Wait For Me

I crashed onto hard concrete feeling a bit lightheaded as I tried to process what was going on. Flower petals slowly drifted down beside me and landed on the ground.

I forced myself back on my feet, "Zephyr."

By the looks of my surroundings, I'm close to the Academy.

But what time is it? What day?

As long as it's not the future then I don't care.

My ice dragon solidified under my feet and tossed me toward the place where Zephyr was. As I flew, I realized my exact location.

Why am I so far away?!

This can't be any worse-

A bright white light exploded, knocking me off of the ice dragon and sent me flailing through the air. As the ground approached, I quickly created a snow pile to break my fall. Crashing into the soft snow was certainly nostalgic, but luckily the cold reminded me not to waste precious time.

I crawled out of the snow, slipping a few times before sprinting over to the Academy. A large pile of rubble kept me from getting closer to Zephyr, but when I started climbing up, I only heard silence on the other side.

No.

Not again.

My heart paused for a beat but quickly resumed as I forced myself forward despite the prickling in my heart.

I stood on top of the rubble and watched as Zephyr's lifeless body slipped off the sword and landed on Hazel.

It's…

It's already too late?

But I was so close!

My fists trembled as tears stung my eyes, "One more time. I need to time loop one more time. Please. This time… This time I can save him."

The scent of flowers filled the air before plunging me into another dark square.

I held my breath until I made it out on the other side and used my ice dragon to catch me. Unfortunately, this time I landed a further distance away.

UGH! Just how does this stupid time travel work?!

With a frustrated shake of my head, I flew towards the Academy at the fastest speed I could muster, but I could already tell the second loop was taking a toll on my body. The ice dragon wasn't as fast and was already struggling to stay in one piece.

My hand suddenly went through the ice dragon and broke my concentration. The rest of the dragon broke apart and dropped me to the ground.

I scrambled to make a snow pile, but I wasn't quick enough.

My head hit a rock, rendering me unconscious.

In the darkness, I heard a voice calling for me.

"...a…"

"...ka…"

"…Rei…"

"REIKA!"

I sat up in a panic to see Cyrus holding me. His expression was distraught, "Reika! Are you okay?"

My head was fuzzy but I struggled to speak, "...Zephyr."

"He's… He's…"

Ah… it's too late again.

A pounding headache thudded in my ears, silencing the world around me.

I slowly reached out to the sun and found my charred skin visible.

As I moved my hand, I could see the clouds and sunlight through it.

Am I…

Disappearing?

I clenched my jaw and forced myself to sit up. With another quick glance, I could see my hand whole and charred.

No…

It's just the delirium from hitting my head.

Cyrus quickly supported me, "You need to see a doctor-"

"-Zephyr." I croaked out through my tears, "I need to save him…"

The ground opened up just like before.

I expected Cyrus to try to stop me, but instead, he only smiled in support. "Then go save him."

This time I was dropped on solid concrete. The broken bricks cut into my charred skin, but I could barely feel the pain. All I could feel was the intense motivation to keep moving forward. The rubble pile was in front of me so this time I knew I at least landed closer.

Cyrus believes in me.

For some reason… I feel like I can do anything.

This time I will be able to save Zephyr.

I sprinted up to the rubble pile but heard a pained scream on the other side before I even tried to climb up.

I was… I was so close this time.

I slammed my fist against the ground, "I'M NOT GIVING UP!"

Again.

Another dead body.

Again.

I'm too far back in time now.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Again.

I struggled to pull myself up and over that rubble pile.

It's still…

No use…

I took a labored breath, "...Again."

The dark hole plunged me back below, once again dropping me further back in time, but not by much.

No matter how exhausted my body was, or how painful my muscles felt, I rushed up and over the rubble. However, all I could see was Zephyr falling down with an arc of blood. 

Dead again.

My scream ripped through my throat as everything decayed at my feet.

It still isn't enough?

Why can't I change the future!?

I was either too far away, or not far back enough in time.

I slammed my fist on the ground, "WHY!? WHY CAN'T I GET IT RIGHT!?"

Is this world really THAT against me saving them!? If so, then why would it let me save Cyrus-

I sucked in my breath, "...Cyrus."

The time I saved Cyrus, I was there. I was a child, but I was there.

Then I need to try finding myself.

But how?

When I saved Cyrus, that had already happened… And I can't let this event happen.

There was a faint buzzing in my ears as a small trickle of blood rolled down my nose.

I need to figure out how to change the future.

I have to…

My eyes were bloodshot as I stared at the corpse, "...There has to be a way."

"-I was never really good at coming up with plans." A voice answered behind me, sounding familiar yet uncomfortable to hear, just like listening to my voice on a recording, "But I was always good at executing them."

I slowly turned to face the person speaking. As soon as our eyes met, there was a hectic buzzing in my ear that made me want to scream.

Just like when I met myself when I saved Cyrus, I now had a similar reaction.

It's… Me.

However, this me didn't look like me…

Her eyes were unnaturally colored, while the outside was black like Reika Kang, there were slivers of green like Reika Marlow. Her hair was a soft brown at the roots, but a coarse black at the tips. Yet, her voice was the same as mine.

"Together we can save him."

I gulped and asked in a hoarse tone, "How?"

"We need to create a red thread."

I realized it as soon as the words were spoken. "Can this save them?"

She paused for a moment before smiling, "If we succeed, the only one we could save is Zephyr. We can't save the rest of our children… And we can't help anyone like this ever again."

A dim sense of hope came to me, "As long as… I can save Zephyr… Then-"

She quickly interrupted, "-There is a hefty price to pay."

I felt a deep, dark sense of foreboding settle into my chest. My voice was weak, "What is it?"

"We can trigger another time loop together and create a red thread, but the laws of this world won't allow it willingly. Just like saving Cyrus, this will have consequences."

I grimaced from my unsettled heart, "What will it be?"

"To give a life, one must give up something in return. Our body will be changed to one that can interact with the world, but cannot belong. We will be frozen like we are. We will be unable to age and unable to have children."

My eyes dimmed, "...Cyrus will be disappointed."

"That's not all."

I slowly looked at myself who was wearing a despondent look, "One of us, or even both of us, will cease to exist… A timeline can't contain two Reika's. Only one will be allowed to exist."

I pressed my lips together.

Even before she already said this, I already knew it to be true. I don't understand where the answer came from, but I knew it to be the truth. Even if I looked fearful, she appeared confident. It was as if she had already decided the future and made peace with it.

"...So? What will your choice be? Should we do it?"

I glanced back at her and met that familiar gaze, "Let's both say the answer on three."

"One…"

"Two…"

"Three-"