Nights Laminate

Waking up disoriented, I sat up on a plush bed as I found myself chained to a lock on the center of the room. Removing the sheet, I sat up and tried to remove the locos on my knee. Attempting to use my power, I inevitably shocked myself as I collapsed to the ground. 

Looking up, the vaguely familiar red door opened and from the familiar room on the other side, Pira walked inside wearing some sort of crimson ceremonial gown. 

"P-Pira...! W-why?! " Struggling, I sat up against the frame of the bed ss she stopped and looked down at my teary gaze. 

"Oh... Don't feel so sad. Xie. I am simply taking what is rightly mine. I gave you power, knowledge, and even a relationship between a goddess and-... Well, I take it you see the picture. "Walking around, I looked at her with a fire in my eyes. 

"This isn't like you, Pira... Let me go. "Talking to her to try to convince her to let me go, she gave a slight smile. "Pira...! "

"Now, now. There is no need for yelling. "Releasing the restraint on my leg, I quickly threw it over into the corner of the room as I sat still. "Happy? "

"What is all this... Why are you wearing that and what happened? How did I get here? "

"Oh, you mean... You don't remember? "Putting her hand to her mouth, she then stopped and looked at me right in my eyes. "Believe it or not... You are dead. "

Gulping, I felt a rush of fear sweeping through my entire body as a pit fell into my stomach worse than ever before. 

"W-what do you mean, "I'm dead"? "Sitting up on the bed, I looked at Pira as her gaze and expression were unlike her. "Pira...! What do you mean-explain it to me so I can understand! "

"Ugh... When I brought here for the first time, You had already died. "

"W-what... "

"Must I spell it out for you... You always were the most dense under pressure. Well, if you hadn't pieced it together by now, I'll tell you. Hmm. I'm not actually, Pira. That person perished long ago at my hand-err... Sorry claw. "

Shaking my head in fear as I felt her presence much more hostile than before. 

"You really don't understand do you? "

"Y-You lied... To me? "

"Actually, Everything I told you was true to some extent. I did give you your own power and let you come and go from my domain as you pleased. I taught you alp there is to know for one day, I truly do believe you I'll take over as my successor. However, that girl. Rin? Was it-"

Snapping a whip of light beside her face and scraping her smooth pale cheek, I stood trembling in fear as I no longer knew what to think. 

"You touch Rin or the others, I will kill you! "

"Oh... My, my, Xie. You and I truly are a lot alike. "Smiling with her eyes fixed on my hands, I turned and freaked out as dark flames were escaping with the light ones. 

"W-what did you do to me! T-this can't... "Collapsing backwards and shaking my hand as the flames died down, I looked at Pira. "Why-... "

"Now you are starting to see the big picture... Ill save you the trouble of hurting your brain. You see, I was not lying when I spoke of creations and mighty powers... But what I didn't tell you is what happens when the one who creates those monsters doesn't feed them. "

"F-feed...? "

"Yes. You see. You and I emit a sort of love that our creations must eat in order to survive as themselves. However, should one of these creations, no matter how big or small, goes without feeding, they devolve into darkness. "

"That can't... But if that's true... All my creations! "

"Indeed! They turned and are one with darkness! I even sent a few to your world to find you. Must say, that was an unexpected outcome with that friend of yours. "

Remembering how Mia gave her life fighting that monster abruptly flashed in my head. 

"No... Your lying! I didn't-"Walking slowly towards me, she spoke. 

"Oh, but it's true... Haven't you found it odd that... Only those around you have been targeted by the big bad monsters? Hmm? You see, when we give birth to our creations, we fill them with memories, live, and those closest to us. In your case, your sister, your friends, or even yourself. Think long and hard and remember. Why only target you if not for your power? "

Grasping at reality as it all seeker to fit perfectly, the strangers appearance of monsters and why Rin and Mia were taken. If the monsters wanted, they could have killed them and ate them... Yet-

"Right you are! You figured it out! "

"No... No, that can't be true!? I love them. Why would my creations attack innocent people?! "

"As I said... Creations have a deep NEED to eat. You humans are essential to their life as what is it you call it, "Life ". The creations find those unimportant to their master, to their mother in a better sense, are meaningless and so, edible. "

"What!? T-take your power back! Take it! "Extending my hands, Pira composed herself ss she then crouched a few feet in front of me to meet my sobbing gaze. 

"Why do you think... Your powers have been growing stronger ever since we met? Hmm? "

"What...? "

"This power... Is in reality, a pesky and annoying curse. There is no end, no right or wrong. You simply exist and exist and... essentially, there is no escape... Unless you find a pool of vessels to take your place. I must say, I traveled hundreds, if not billions of worlds and not a single one could survive even a fraction of my powers... 

But you, your spices ability to adapt is unimaginable. You nearly have more than a third of my power flowing through you and yet, here you are. Alive, kicking and growing ever stronger. "

"W-why me? "

"To be frank, you struck me as the type of girl with morals. With you inheriting my power, I can fade away knowing you are taking my place... "

"S-stop it! Take it back! "

"Mmm! No. In just a few more days here, you will have all of my light and I can finally rest after an endless eternal nightmare. Its a pity, I really did enjoy our time together, Xie. Truly, but I won't lie to you and tell you I had no choice... "

"Argh! "Snapping and stopping inches from her face, I was now changed to the wall behind me as Pira had cleverly pushed me into a trap. "You liar! I'll kill you! "

"Keep that warm heart of your Xie... In time, it will break and fall as everything around you crumbles and dies. "Turning, she bowed and left the room as I cursed and yelled at her. 

The sound of the creaking red door came to a close and in that moment, I finally understood what was waiting for me behind that ominous red door. 

~

Sitting in discontent and having tired myself out, I remained shattered as everything was just turned completely upside down. My head fell as I simply inhaled and exhaled my every breath with a sort of listless sorrow. No matter what I would do, I would never force my own selfish interests onto someone else like Pira. 

I would become immortal and all powerful. Yet, all those close to me will age in the blink of an eye and die. Closing my eyes, I raised my head onto the hard wall and thought about how I was going to explain all of this to my family and friends. 

Forgetting for a split second what was important to me, I then suddenly felt a gentle  set of hands hold my face. Opening my eyes, I left a low gaze onto a radiant soul of light as she kissed me ever so gently while floating in the air. Covering my eyes, I remained still as the ghost or creation of Mia rested right beside me. 

"You must be hungry... You aren't her. "As a single smile formed in her beautiful face, I knew the way she tasted wasn't anything at all like the Mia I once knew was like. 

Broken and torn between such tragedy, I remained silent, unspoken and listless as the Mia hanging around me was only visible for a few hours until dissolving yet again into thin air as she appeared. 

It was more overwhelming than I could have ever imagined. I even had thoughts of wanting to disappear. That is, until a soft pounding nose behind the walls caught my attention. 

In a series of hours, the noise grew and out of nowhere, the red closed door came flying off its hinges as a bright show walked inside. Blinded, I couldn't make out if it was Pira... Until I heard a chillingly familiar voice. 

"Xie!? "Rushing over to me, she crouched as the radiant mixture of bright colors and lights illuminate the entire room. "Xie! Xie! Look at me, say something! "

"M... Mia...? " Meeting my gaze as my vision shaprly cleared, I met the radiant gaze of Mia and almost instantly kissed her and froze as tears rushed down my face as my entire body shook... 

"Sorry I took so long... Xie. "

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