Shadow Realm

Chapter 10 Shadow Realm Part 3.

Our journey to this never-ending darkness isn't done yet. Our mission now is to find Euclece.

"Mikael, do you know what kind of place is this? Why's the scenery changing all of a sudden?" As I asked, Mikael gazed at me and smiled. "This space is made by one of my colleagues. For him, this may be a joke."

After hearing that from him, I puffed my cheek in anger.

"Joke?!"

Mikael is still carrying me and Ruru is just following us obediently. He's not even making any ruckus like he always does around this guy who's carrying me.

I wonder if he's alright.

Although, it's true that he hurt me before. I don't think he really means that.

"Mikael, if ever we see Euclece here. Is she going to remember me?"

Like what happened to Ruru before, he clearly remembered me but he doesn't remember Euclece.

"Well, this space is really powerful for spirits like your friends. If she can't remember you, then it's all the 'Space' fault. Space is controlling them, bringing them back to their past wherein they don't have shared memories on you. To be specific, what we're looking right now is a fragment of their past where you didn't exist in their lives yet." As Mikael explained, I realized something before. So, I ask him once again. "How about Ruru? Why did he remember me and he doesn't seem to remember Euclece?"

Mikael suddenly sneered at me like he's doubting what I've just said.

"How is that possible?" He sounds like he doesn't believe me so I seriously looked Ruru and asked him.

"Isn't Ruru? You remembered me but you don't remember Euclece at all." Ruru looked at me and nodded without any words.

"If you say so. Then you are probably connected to him, somehow." The conclusion that Mikael think of is kinda impossible. If I'm connected to Ruru then I should remember him from the first time I saw him.

Although when Ruru said before 'He's been waiting for me' that is probably from his past. I don't understand that part though. It may probably another person in my stead. Am I just filling the place of the person he was longed for?

I can't accept the fact that I'm connected to Ruru somehow when I don't even remember him in the past.

"This is…" Mikael suddenly stopped walking. When I looked at the place we're on. We are in front of a Torii, a shrine gate. The shrine looks really worn out like it is about to collapse due to some cracks and moss. I wonder how it looked like when it was still being taken care of by the people? I bet its really beautiful.

We're still outside the shrine's gate but there is a terrifying feeling slowly approaching me. I tightly gripped Mikael's sleeve.

"I guess, your friend is here huh?"

"A-are we going inside?" My voice is trembling nearly like I'm going to lose it. "If that's the only way to save your friend."

I buried my whole face to Mikael's shirt. "Ah, if you are that scared. You can just do that until we rescued your friend." The concerned tone of Mikael, "Latrice-chan! Don't do that!" But Ruru is awfully against it. Maybe because he can't do the same?

"Hey, put her down! I said, put her---" Before any more words come out to Ruru's mouth. Mikael let out an annoyed sigh, "If you are that jealous. Here, take her." Unexpectedly, Mikael tossed me away to Ruru's grasp!?

"Uwah?!" I thought I'm going to fall honestly, but that didn't happen. Ruru can able to touch me again without any problem. Ruru's the one who's carrying me now.

"H-how?" I confusedly asked.

"I gave him a little essence so he can carry you without any problem. Besides, you are so heavy." Mikael said while turning his back to us.

Damn you, I'm giving you a chance to rephrase that!

When I looked at Ruru, his face is blushing as he reverted his eyes to the other side. "This is much better. I-I can secure your safety." He nervously said.

I'm a bit shocked actually, he really does care of me that much. Well, in our position right now. Ruru seems like he's is my older brother while carrying me like his little sister.

I hugged him tightly when we come back to the real world. I'm sure I won't able to do this for you again.

Then he patted my back gently. This is much of my likings.

"I don't want to interrupt your moments but we should get going. I don't want to stay here forever." Mikael blurted out, his face turned slightly while glancing us annoyingly. "Gee! We know!" After that complaining answer of Ruru, we started to get going.

We entered the crumbling shrine where we think Euclece is.

As we walk to the shrine's ground. I noticed the black shadow is trying to reach Ruru's legs. Ruru is just walking because he's carrying me.

"Shoo shoo—" I'm trying to oust the black shadow but it only surrounded Ruru.

"It's alright. Those things won't hurt me, so will you stop doing that?" I'm just worried that he might end up like me.

Oh yeah? While thinking back, I wonder what happened to the black shadow that entered my body?

"So, your friend is from…I'm guessing, Edo era? This Japanese shrine looks so old." Mikael amusingly commented. I can see that his face is filled with excitement.

A minute later on, we saw a young shrine girl stepping outside the shrine building.

"Euri, please purify the sacred tree. We will have our visitors for later's festival." The voice ordered it came inside the building. The girl named Euri answered, "Alright."

The girl named Euri seems to resembled Euclece though. "Let's hide." But instead of walking toward the girl, Mikael ordered us to hide. "Wait why?" I confusedly asked.

While we were hiding, Mikael explained to us why we need to hide instead of talking to the girl.

"If we interrupt their past now. We will get hurt. Like what you did to that brat. The shadows here are called Ayakashi that eats energy and aura."

Eats energy and aura? Then when I vomited blood, it's because of these things called Ayakashi?

"Then how are going to approach her?" Ruru asked.

"We need to wait and kill the Ayakashi that's creating this field." I don't get it. "Mikael, did you killed the Ayakashi on the school field??" Out of my concern, I asked.

Mikael looked at me with confusion as he twitches his left eyebrow. "Now that you mentioned it, I didn't see any ayakashi in that area. Although, we successfully escaped in that field."

Really? I'm very confused about it but as long we're safe then it'll be alright I guess.

With a little time passed, the whole area was enveloped by crowds. It's like magic, a lot of people are starting to gather in the shrine. There were men and women wearing kimonos and hakama. Like a traditional festival, the street was filled with different lights. There are also lanterns that spark beautifully. Loud noises coming from the people. It is not annoying though because you can see that the noises were made because they're enjoying the festival. The children are cheerfully playing in the store booths.

I've never seen such a scene like this, whenever there's a festival like this, I'm always missing out, I always think that I don't fit in because I'm shy. I haven't even tried wearing kimono myself.

"I want to go…" I mumbled.

I thought Ruru heard me, he suddenly held my hand as he cheerfully said, "Then let's go!"

He dragged me towards the festival without any hesitation.

"ehhhh???"

"H-hey! Where the hell are you going! Gosh, these brats!" With Mikael shouting at us, we found ourselves in the middle of the crowds.

"Ohhh! This is cool!" I said with excitement all over my face. I saw something like they are catching fish in a tub. "Wanna try?" The vendor of the fish store approached.

"Eh? But I'm not good at it." With a sole voice, I uttered. Then here is Ruru trying to look cool as he bravely said, "I'll do it." And he gets the tiny net to the vendor.

"Aren't you too old for that? Besides, you won't able to bring that thing in our world." Mikael said with a cold tone.

"Who cares? As long we're enjoying. That's all the matters." For the first time, Ruru said something cool in front of me.

We sat in front of the tub, Ruru readies himself as he points the net to one of the fish that swims around.

"Are you sure you can do it?" I'm kind of nervous in his gesture. It feels like he's going to dive instead of catching fish.

"Don't worry. I remembered when I was a human, I'm good at everything that everyone thinks of me highly." Ruru boastfully uttered.

"okayy.." But the truth is, I doubt that.

All of a sudden, Ruru made an extreme force just to catch a fish. "Huhaa—" but when he did, the whole water splashed in our face.

"Wahahaha!" Mikael burst out laughing.

"You're good at everything huh?" I'd philosophized as I sneered at him gradually.

Now my whole face was soaked in fishy water.

"Hehe, I'm just practicing. Let me do it one more time." My eyes were widened when he decided to do it once again, "Huhaa—" but it failed and he splashed the water again to our face.

"Hahaha! You are bad at it brat!" Mikael didn't stop mocking Ruru, even his laugher don't have any plan to cease.

"Urghh!" Ruru seems to get annoyed but a sudden giggle made us stop.

"Let me try for you kids." When we look at the source of the voice, it was Euclece standing behind us!