Injured

"Asuna...? What's wrong?" Raizo asked a little way ahead.

"Huh?"

Only when Raizo questioned his inquiry did I notice that I had stopped in my tracks. Perhaps being in thought earlier slowed down my steps.

"Oh, uh, nothing!"

I tried to plaster a decent smile so he wouldn't get more suspicious. Raizo had turned back from the reaper a long time ago and now he looked like the Raizo I know well which, I must add, alleviated my remaining pent-up tension. I then resumed walking up to the gushy whirl hole which still seemed a bit formidable to me, so I took one last deep breath as we dived in with Raizo holding my arm.

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A few minutes later...

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"Mmm... Hmm?"

I slowly opened my drowsy eyelids to be greeted by an unusual scenery.

(What......? Green leaves...?)

As soon as I tried sitting up, I suddenly lost balance from the slim ground - or so I thought until I was dangling from a long tree branch!

"H-H-How did I end up here?!"

I held the branch with my life while I tried wrapping my mind around this surreal situation, almost as if I was still dreaming. Glancing down to do a quick scan of the area, I realized that the tree was pretty tall, I mean REALLY, REALLY tall! If I were to fall from it, I would be squashed like a pancake flat!

"Asuna--!"

I heard a voice from above. I looked up to see Raizo holding out his hand in front of me.

"Raizo! What happened?!" I became frantic as the branch started bending slowly.

"I'll tell you later! Just give me your hand!" I tried reaching out to him, but his reach was too far away.

"I... I can't!"

Just as I carefully and steadily tried moving closer, the branch made a cracking noise and snapped.

(Ahhhh! I'm going to fall!!!)

Thankfully, Raizo was quick enough to grab my arm, gripping it tight, though that alone was still not enough. Raizo, too, nearly lost his balance and slowly veered closer my way.

"No-- you're going to fall as well!"

The moment I shifted my vision below me, the ground somehow distorted for a fraction of a second, as if we were stuck in an illusion. But it soon went back to its normal colors, giving me a pensive feeling.

(Wait, what was that?)

At the same time, I felt another jerk on my arm - Raizo's grip was loosening from the summer moisture.

"You can't hold on much longer...! Seriously, just let me go! I'll think of something!"

Even though I pleaded for him to release my arm, Raizo insistingly shook his head as he finally tipped forward and fell with me. It really seemed like we were falling from a 12-story building or something. In an instant, Raizo pulled me tightly in his arms, trying to protect me. I closed my eyes in fear as the wind whipped my cheeks and hair.

"It's okay, I won't let you get hurt! No matter what!"

"...You really shouldn't be doing this...! You didn't have to..." I whispered through the sound of our ruffling clothes, but he grinned in return.

"It's okay, I'm older than you, so I want to."

(Is... that the only reason...? Or...)

"But that also doesn't mean that I plan on---!"

Just like at the lake, the same dark light engulfed Raizo's body as he began his transformation. But this time...

The result wasn't as expected when the light dimmed and dissipated.

"Wha--?! Why didn't I transform?!" Raizo's baffled voice hinted that something went horribly wrong.

"Weren't you trying to take on your reaper form just now?! Why didn't it work?!" His worry began to loom out my concealed panic as well.

Raizo then tried to summon only his scythe to cushion our fall, but that also failed like his transformation. It was as if some unseen force was scrambling with his powers, I mean, it's not like Raizo to have such difficulty with it considering he was able to breathlessly not so long ago. It just didn't add up.

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It felt like forever that we were falling in slow motion, both of us bracing for the worst. Just then, we collided with the ground hard, or rather, Raizo's back did while I only caught a slight shock running through my arms.

"Uaaghhh...!" Raizo coughed a mouthful of blood as his grip loosened around me.

His eyes were slowly closing and his whole body unmoving, not even a muscle. Large cracks could be seen under him - it looked painfully bone-breaking.

*gasp* Raizo!!!"

I briskly got up and called out his name over and over, but he was unresponsive. Just then, I caught an unusual phenomenon occurring before me. Raizo's 'reaper' state began surfacing as it kept clashing and overlapping with his usual appearance successively, almost like it wanted to be the front. As speedily as it started, the switching abruptly came to a halt and that just surged up a feeling of despair. I couldn't comprehend it, which only added to the pile of unanswered issues. Tears welled up in my eyes unwillingly and ironically behind the now wrapped blindfold...

I didn't know what to do or where to start...

"Raizo... why...? Please, wake up...! *sniff* *sob*"

(We had only just become a proper family, and Raizo is already doing THIS much for me. In return, I just made him be--!)

No... Now's not the time. I shouldn't be having negative thoughts right now! I need to take action; the rest can come later. The first thing I knew was to get help. I surveyed my surroundings - it all looked pretty familiar.

(Wait, are we in... the academy?!)

Now it all made sense. We got teleported to a tree in one of the academy grounds from that portal in the lake. But the location felt really secluded from usual, and I had never seen a tree this big anywhere before.

I knew now more than ever that this had to be some sort of sorcery. Call it a hunch or whatever, but I felt an illness from this current predicament now that I'd calmed down. Seemed like someone or something was behind this after all......

(Never mind that! I've got to find the others!)

I lightly grabbed Raizo from his arms and dragged him towards the clinic.

"Hang in there Raizo...! I will save you just like you saved me."

(Yes, there's still hope!)

One thing I did learn right now is that crying won't solve anything. I should be the first to take action to make things right.

With full determination, I headed inside the main building.

Despite being utterly exhausted from hauling Raizo, my legs kept pushing forward without break. I just had to save him! I finally reached the academy clinic, all hot and sweaty. Opening the door, I carefully placed Raizo on one of the beds. He was breathing with short breaths and timely grunting in discomfort. I dashed out the room for help. I wasn't good at medicine, so this wasn't my field either...

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I spotted Mizore in a hallway looking about her in unease.

"Mizore!" I waved my hand in the air to get her attention.

"Asuna?! Where were you?! We all got so worried after you two disappeared into the portal and didn't arrive at the designated spot. You're not hurt, are you?"

I shook my head frantically sideways before grabbing her hand to continue, "Not me, but Raizo's hurt! Just come!"

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Moments later...

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Mizore had already called a nurse working overtime after looking at Raizo's state. The others also heard the news and joined us outside the room. I talked over the whole incident that happened: about us falling from a suspiciously tall tree, how Raizo wasn't able to transform, that unusual occurrence of his body, and how I felt ill afterward.

Everyone wore agitated expressions on their faces as they restlessly waited for the news, unable to explain the reasoning behind it all. Natsuno was holding Nikki who was the most perturbed. Yuichi was pacing back and forth in front of the door while I clutched my hands to my chest in worry. Mizore was the only one in the room with the nurse.

"...What don't I get is... what prevented Raizo from taking on his reaper form...? ...Perplexing."

"I was also wondering about that! It's not like our powers have ever gone haywire before... And also, of Asu-nee's unpleasant feeling..." Natsuno pondered over Yuichi's words.

That had us all wondering, including the now calm Nikki.

(Is it THAT weird for Raizo not transforming this once...? Ooooh... I really wish I knew what's going on inside!)

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.......

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I couldn't take it anymore. I had to go in, I just had to! Just as I was going to turn the doorknob, someone's hand dropped on my shoulder.

"...Just wait a bit more."

"B-But! I can't anymore! I just want to make sure if-"

Yuichi just stared back at me with a serious expression.

"Just tell me he'll be alright, please!"

Once again, my eyes moistened with tears as I gripped Yuichi's arm, slightly wrinkling his sleeve.

"...You're thinking this is all your fault, right?"

(!!!)

He was right. Even if some mysterious force was really at play, a part of me somewhere deep inside couldn't help taking some blame. A notion of uselessness from being the only simple human around here far outweighed any sort of logical justification one would say. My hold on his arm slackened slowly.

"...I knew it... You already know that Raizo isn't even human. ...It will take more than THIS to end him. ...He'll make it, just see." Yuichi resumed as he hesitantly patted my back.

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*Swoosh*

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The door swung open with Mizore being the first to speak as she walked out.

"Asuna, I think you should come in." I looked at her in surprise.

(Why does she want me?! Is Raizo awake or is he still...?)

Nikki jogged towards Mizore as she mumbled, "Can I come too? I also want to see Rai-nii!"

"No, you must stay here, please Nikki."

"But I want to go as well!" Nikki was about to push through, but Natsuno seized her arm and kept her from going any further.

"Yuichi, please keep an eye on them."

Yuichi nodded as I went into the room with Mizore only to be greeted by the unconscious Raizo and the concerned looking nurse.

"Huh...?"

The door gradually closed behind me.

"Umm... Asuna..." Mizore stopped mid-sentence.

"I'm afraid that your brother here might not wake up for a while. His back and spinal cord are severely injured... The tests also showed that his powers have been temporarily locked. I must admit, I've never come across such a peculiar incident, but I'll do what I can in my ability."

I couldn't believe my ears. The nurse sauntered away after muttering something about 'The Institute of Medicine' while rubbing her temple.

"Wait... Hold up! The nurse knows about you all being--"

"Non-humans? Of course, the entire academy staff knows about us including the headmaster himself. Oh, but the student body isn't aware yet, so you still have to be careful with your classmates Asuna." Mizore cut me off in a steady tone.

"Right... but about Raizo... Is he really..."

(...going to...?)

No, I didn't want to continue further.

"I don't think there will be any permanent damage considering Raizo isn't even human, but... after what the nurse said, it might take at least a week, maybe even longer, until Raizo will wake up... As for his powers, I'm not really sure..."

"O-Okay, I see..." I hurried over to Raizo's side and rested my palm on his forehead. It was chillingly cold.

(Can he really get his powers back...?)

"Miss Asuna, I must ask you to come here so I can do a proper checkup. After all, you were in the same predicament as him." The nurse motioned me to lie down on the adjacent bed and did as I was told.

She checked to make sure I wasn't experiencing any side effects, and thankfully, I came out clean apart from slight elbow bruising to which the nurse insisted I rest here as well. Mizore nodded once before turning to leave with the nurse closely in tow. Once the door shut, I was alone with my daunting thoughts about today.

Turning my head sideways to eye Raizo now exhaling peacefully, I whispered, as if to myself, "Raizo... Was today really just a coincidence, or was someone really after us...? Will your powers return when you'll awake? Or... *sigh* I just hope everything ends okay, and tomorrow you wake up with that classic grin of yours..."

The last bit faded in the still silence and to no one in particular as I was being sucked into the world of dreams and darkness...

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Meanwhile...

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Mizore and Yuichi were outside class 3-1 where they all decided to wait until tomorrow for any news. With Nikki and Natsuno slumbering inside, the two finally had time to go over Asuna's information regarding Raizo's injury.

"Well? What do you think Yuichi?"

"...It indeed seems like someone was purposely trying to seal Raizo's powers... ...If you said you sensed faint magic which even the nurse didn't pick up lingering around him..."

"Mhmm... That does seem probable."

Mizore glanced at Yuichi who was about to open his mouth but paused on letting anything out. She urged him to speak whatever was coming to mind. After all, they had to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible, but of course without letting the young ones know.

Yuichi inhaled quietly, continuing even lower than a whisper, "...I think... it was some sort of warning is all. ...Perhaps--"

"You think so too? Same here, it must be him. Although, it's still way too early for him to return... But I can't think of anyone else we know of that can target them in such a manner." Mizore dropped her gaze.

"...No doubt. ...Let's keep an eye out in case." Yuichi confirmed.

"Yeah. Especially on Raizo."

The two nodded with grave expressions.

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