9 Fragmented Memory

THUD!!

Acyuta could vaguely see the pink texture of pulped flesh, blisters covered multiple places and blood pured out like a waterfall. That pulp of flesh could be mistaken for a head and connected to it was a long body, however, it was not a snake. This long body was attached to another body, notice of it was registered merely after a 'thud' was heard. The body seemed to have fallen from atop the ruins wall and Acyuta could finally make out shape with his vague vision, he saw something that looked like a lizard. It struggled to get back on it's feet, at the same time it looked like it was swallowing the snake-like body that was previously mentioned. 'That not a snake. That's a tongue, really long one', figured Acyuta as he made heads and tales of the situation.

'Seems to be a chameleon ', Acyuta guessed. He was pretty surprised, not at the fact that he discovered an animal that specializes in camouflage but the fact that animal was gigantic. 'That's not right, that's impossible, right', Acyuta found it hard to believe. Already many things were getting processed by him and now more got added to the list.

As the chameleon got to it's feet while sucking in its tongue, the giant forearm of ghostly power dissapated at that moment as well. Acyuta's eyes had gone pitch-black, in it, crimson orbs shone in those sockets. He still couldn't move his body, the only thing that was under his control was his own ego. Whether or not the others had heard the commotion was the last thing in Acyuta's mind, the chameleon was flicking it's pupils to all kinds of direction. 'Was it looking to escape ', Acyuta felt that may be the case.

[ ENEMY MUST DIE ]

A phrase invaded Acyuta's mind, an urge to kill radiated on his being. Like that, he shot forward at the huge lizard beast. Waiting for the reptile's movement was not an option. In quick strides Acyuta ran, in no time he came next to the chameleon. The reptile didn't wait either, it jumped onto the vertical wall. Was it escaping? No chance. Acyuta's silhouette disappeared instantly and appeared again at a height above the scaled creature. A fist ignited in a crimson aura, it was launched like a fire ball.

BANG!

'Puchi' could be heard right after, the chameleon fell to the ground. It rolled over in pain. From the looks of it, it's eye had been busted open.

GROOOWWWLLL!!!

Acyuta's felt pained seeing the seen, it was just a hungry animal that was pitifully crying. Unfortunately it picked the wrong target. Before Acyuta could even try to will himself to stop, the entire forearm of his own lit in crimson glow. He saw in front of his eyes, his own flesh become transparent. The literal skeletal structure of his hand could be seen. Acyuta came and stood next to the chameleon. He plunged his hand into the body, an entire arm got absorbed into the reptile like sinking oneself into water. All of a sudden Acyuta could feel a beating heart. It was bigger than his hand.

SMASH!!!!

Acyuta mangled the organ he felt, cold sweat was felt on his person. His action frightened himself to the extreme. The chameleon's body also shivered uncontrollably for what felt like forever then it stopped. Acyuta pulled his hand back, unexpectedly his arm was pulled back by his own command. The sudden suprize of regaining control of his body caused him to jerk back and fall to the ground.

Acyuta: Oh shit! What was that now?

????: What was that now? Big brother is the best.

Acyuta: WWAAAHH!!!

????: AAAAAHHGH!!!

Acyuta: B..BOYA.. It's you

Boya: Of course it's me.

Acyuta: You scared me.

Boya: You scared me tooo.

????: What are you two doing? We just felt the earth shake.

Boya: Haha... Big sis, you missed the show.

Tasha: What show? Huh!! T..Th..That's.... A.. Assassin dragon

Acyuta: Assassin dragon? This is a giant ass chameleon.

Boya: What's a chameleon?

Acyuta: That thing there.

Tasha: You don't know anything. That's an Assassin dragon.

Acyuta: No!

Tasha: Yes, it may not be like other dragons but it's called an assassin for a reason. I can't believe that we were sleeping right next to one. This creature doesn't have much combat ability but it can move unseen, any target it comes across will get killed without a corpse.... Hey! What's with your eyes?

Acyuta: Huh! My eyes?

Boya: Yeah, It looks so cool.

Acyuta: Don't know.

Tasha: Don't tell me you don't know how you killed this.

Acyuta: ....Heart... Attack.

Boya: Hahaha

Tasha: .....

Acyuta: What do we do now?

Tasha: This thing is priceless. I'm going to keep it away.

In the next instant Tasha slipped her hand into the upper portion of her kimono, again her hand slipped out with a smartphone in hand. Her movements appeared natural. 'She must have practiced this a number of times', thought Acyuta, 'Does she keep her phone tucked in her bra?'

Just like that, Tasha brought out her phone, she aimed the camera at the device's back and activated her magic. A magic circle constructed itself right under the corpes of the Chameleon, with a flash the reptile's dead body disappeared.

Tasha: I want to get some sleep, so lets go. Then when we get back to the academy we can sell this and make a fortune.

Acyuta: No problem. Before that lets go down here, since we here anyway.

Tasha: What's down there?

Acyuta: Can't say for sure. ( Not going to tell her that this is the residents of the ruins founder. )

Acyuta went on, he lead the way down to the underground room. Originally he planned to come here in the morning with Tasha because of the danger that might surprise him but she's here now. Better to get it over with. He took a cautious approach to room down. Acyuta's body was still on alert, the power of his was still active in him.

Tasha followed behind him in a more cautious manner, she left a barrier spell active at the top of the stairs. You wouldn't want something attacking from the back, it could also prevent someone from escaping. Boya had already left for the transportation Shell, he was like, "It's scary down there so not coming."

When the duo came down, what had met them first was a corridor. Acyuta remembered the structure of this underground section. He turned to head for the main room, the room of the founder of these ruins. If he wanted to take the other path then that would lead to the bathroom.

....

Both Tasha and Acyuta came to the room, here was practically nothing. The female magician used her magic to lighten the room. One can say that anything that was of importance had already been removed a long time ago. Acyuta could remember this place very well, though it was empty now he envisioned everything as how it once was. He noticed an error in his memory, a doorway that lead to another room was there. Acyuta couldn't recall anything regarding this new doorway.

Tasha: There's nothing here. Why don't we go back?

Acyuta: Sure, let me check this out first.

Tasha: There's nothi-

Right before her eyes, Tasha witnessed Acyuta disappear. He didn't disappear per say, more like he walked right through the wall. "Acyuta... Acyuta... You're there right?" Tasha called out, she came to the wall where Acyuta went through and discovered that she couldn't do the same as him.

Not realising the situation Acyuta moved forward. He came to a new room, with the glow of the crimson pupils he discovered he is able to see well in the darkness. The room inside was neat and tidy, not even a spec of dust was visible. Acyuta turned back his head, "Tasha didn't follow? "

Acyuta thought that Tasha must be really tired, 'she must've went back to the car.' He let his gaze sweep through the room. The objects in the room looked untouched, everything appeared to be much older than from the generation of Acyuta's time. 'Is someone living here? How can this place exist in a ruin', pondered Acyuta.

[ BARRIER PROTECTION ]

Another thought came to mind. He didn't think much of it.

Acyuta saw an altar at the back of the room, it wasn't big at all and at it's centre was a little deity.

With anything regarding deities, Acyuta knew them well. Once you start anything with them even by mistake, one shouldn't stop. It is almost like a subtle contract, If you have to stop abruptly not following the appropriate procedure then you have to face the result of your offence.

Acyuta knew this well and avoided it naturally, not because he didn't want to rather he would want to get his life in order first. Next to the deity was what looked like a rolled up page, it was very old and yellowish in color. A ring kelp the page in it's state at the middle. Acyuta thought it may be something of importance. He placed his fingers in the ring.

Acyuta: Ouch!

A finger was pricked and blood dripped onto the page. "Oh no", exclaimed Acyuta but unforeseen the blood got absorbed by the page without leaving a stain. In the next instant, the page freed intself from Acyuta's hand and started to float in the air. It unrolled, the page appeared to be a little longer than A4. Acyuta then saw words manifesting on it in black ink.

"SPIRIT SCROLL SHIKIGAMI"

Those were the words written on it. Before Acyuta could make a reaction, the scroll disappeared. Not only that but the environment around him changed as well. "This place?" Acyuta recognized the area he was in, it was the very same desolate valley that started his illogical journey. But this place wasn't empty, on the contrary, hundreds of ghostly figures were present. Acyuta could even hear them speak

????: WE CAN FINALLY HAVE A COMPETITION

????: WE WILL THROW UP THE HEAVENS DEVOURERS AND WIN

???? HAHAHA

????: DO YOU THINK THAT THE HEAVENS DEVOURERS WILL LOSE

????: HAHAHA

As Acyuta viewed these ghostly beings, he saw as well that they were surrounding a man. No, it was a monk, that monk was floating in the air and was giving off an odd lightning blue aura, not only that, beside him was a page that gave off the same glowing aura.

Acyuta: Whats going on here?

[ MEMORIES]

Acyuta asked a question and an answer infiltrated his psyche.