Nightmare of a Broken Brain

By the time Rio came in, it was already late evening and after washing up he decided to have dinner early today.

He had called for Amelia but she was busy playing around and would probably eat later when Artemis came to force feed her.

The original Rio might have gone to talk to her but the new Rio, he didn't care.

Though he would probably kill anyone to protect her, just because of that one doubt, that maybe she's Ria. But never in his heart is he ever planning to give Ria's place to someone else if he isn't sure.

Ria for shiva was someone that always supported him. Someone who held him together, someone who kept her family together and that's why after she was gone, everything else was gone too. Her death started a chain of events that destroyed everything he had built. She was irreplaceable to him.

So even if Amelia had the same face and habits as her, he still couldn't bring himself to accept her as his sister. Not until he knows everything.

( who are you? At one thought I just want to be free of my burdens , my mistakes just like when I was in the darkness. While the other part of me is probably trying hard to hold onto those memories.

I have lost everything I cared about in my past life, I don't want to go through the same feelings. And that's why I was happy in the darkness cuz there was no chance of me messing up or feeling anything.) Rio thought as he walked towards his room after finishing his meal.

_

Artemis didn't show up during Myra's fight with Chiron, so she is probably still busy with solving everything. She did find 3 people who have been lying to everyone for years, she must be blaming herself for everything.

Agnus is probably doing the same. Being the Duke and owner of Shade - it did bring lots of profits but it also required his utmost focus. He couldn't take time off to live with his family. He would have to lead troops in towers, against monsters whom no one has even seen, fight in unknown territories inside dungeons - he's always risking his life outside. And when he did come home this time, just to find that his son nearly died due to his negligence - that's why he's out there. He knows he won't be able to stay here for long, even if he wants to. So he wants to kill every single Evil Scion's members before he has to leave again.

_

Though Rio didn't show it on his face, he was feeling tired. It's been years since he did anything so heartily. Ages since he had to think this much before doing anything. A lazy nobody like him literally had to plan and do stuff that required his utmost attention.

It's just been one day but he had already changed so many things in the story. All 3 traitors in the Blake family who played a role in Rio's downfall had been dealt with. He had stolen the key to the protagonist's sword legacy. He had changed the fate of Asher and damage of the emergence phase 2.

He had made a recipe for a cleansing potion which the world wouldn't have noticed for the next 10 years. He who was supposed to be a villain had planned to even kill the child blessed by Goddess who made the prophecy about him being the devil. All in just one day - since he woke up in this world.

_

As Rio lay on his bed and closed his eyes thinking about how long of a day it has been, hoping for a peaceful sleep.

'Since it's a new world and been so long in the darkness, I shouldn't have those nightmares again.'

But little did he know that his real nightmares were only going to start now.

The memories that he hid so deep in his brain for so long that even he had forgotten them, were out in the open between the cracks of his mind.

And now there was no subconscious fog or a ghost of Riya left, that was stopping them.

_

The nightmare

As soon as Rio closed his eyes he found himself in the familiar darkness. He took a deep breath, glad that he was here and prepared to sleep, but just then the sound of footsteps started echoing in the darkness and soon he could see a silhouette of someone walking towards him.

[what do we have here]

[look who decided to show up]

Rio heard a voice, an arrogant tone he was all too familiar with, the person whom he hated the most in the world, even more so then himself - Nashi.

Shiva looked at the silhouette. but he couldn't see any facial features. It was made of pure black darkness - like a clone or shadow.

'damn it'

Instead of talking back to Nashi, Rio decided to turn back and leave. He looked around but he couldn't find anything else, so he turned and started walking away.

But his steps came to a halt as the darkness in front of him started morphing into Nashi's shadow. As Rio looked back there was one more of him. and soon enough everywhere he looked there were these shadows standing.

[Did you think you'll be free, if you just ignore us]×5

[SHIVA]

"I'm Rio. Rio Blake."

" Shiva is gone. I'm Rio _ "

[hehehe are you sure]

Rio looked in horror as in front of his eyes, all 5 Nashi turned into smoke and turned into a mirror. Rio saw as his body changed back into his old one. The one where he was Shiva.

[see, it's you right. It's you on the day of her birthday] the reflection from the mirror spoke and walked out. But as soon as his feet touched the murky darkness, he turned back into Nashi.

Shiva couldn't take it anymore and he slapped himself hard- hoping it would be enough to wake him up from whatever the hell this was.

"puchh"

But it wasn't. he was still there. so he slapped himself again but still nothing and then again.

"tachhhh"

[hmm haa haha haahahaha]

Soon there was only the sound of slaps and a crazy laughter echoing in the darkness.

[You cannot escape the past Shiva. you can change everything- your name, your world, your SISTER but you can't change yourself. My dear friend.]

"Shut up, WE are not friends. And don't you dare mention her ever again."

[Or what, what can you do to me now. You're powerless, just like back then]

"It's different. you're just a thought, a memory. I have erased you before, I can forget about you again" - Shiva said in a snarky tone, trying to scare him or maybe just trying to calm himself.

[And yet here we are , chatting just like the old times]

[what did I always tell you Shiva]

[learn to let go, to forget, but as always you didn't listen]

"what are you talking about" - Shiva asked.

[The memories Shiva, the memories. You're not supposed to have them after the darkness. But you held on to them. And now, here we are.]

[I was just a fragment of your imagination back then, but now I'm a part of you, part of your soul and a part of your story]

[Tell me, do you still miss her. what was her name again. Sh_ ]

Shiva finally couldn't take his chattering and tried to punch his face. but his fist just went through the darkness while the laughter echoed from behind him.

[ha aahahaaha]

"you're not real. you're dead"

[Yes. but you're dead too. Aren't you] this time the voice turned a little playful but just near his ears. Shiva turned back but as soon as that happened, his body was flung back in the air as a punch connected to his face.

Shiva landed on the ground , wiping the blood from his lips and said - "It's different"

[No it isn't. We both killed each other remember.] Nashi's voice came , as Shiva felt a kick to his face and rolled on the ground.

"No, I survived. I lived. I moved on" Shiva said as he tried standing up. 

[Congratulations you survived. Now live through the trauma]

One of Nashi's clones came forward and stepped on his head. [Tell me, how did that feel]

[were you happy after killing me]

"You destroyed everything. You deserved to die"

[ohhh is that what you tell yourself these days]

[What I did was a MISTAKE. while what you did was a massacre]

Nashi's voice filled with anger roared in Shiva's ears, as a knife covered in blood appeared in his hands. Shiva looked at his hands covered in blood.He tried to remember anything but his head started hurting and then -

[Tell me which one of us is the monster]

"Shut up" - Shiva said as he dropped the knife on the darkness.

Just for it to appear in Nashi's hand, as he stabbed him in the back.

"Ughhhh" Shiva bent forward and pulled the knife out and threw it far into the darkness, this time with all his strength.

He was taking deep breathes as blood continued leaking from his back. Shiva touched the wound on his back and when he looked at his bloody hand the knife appeared there again.

Shiva dropped the knife and backed away 3-4 steps, horror written all over his face. As a foggy memory appeared in his head.

Watching his pale face, drained of colors all of Nashi's clones started laughing loudly.

[hahaha haha hahaha hahah] × 4

[Do you remember now Shiva]

[Even she left you back then]

[What did you used to call her, Queency was it. Now tell me where is your queen ]

[haha hahaha] × 3

As the crazed laughter echoed in the darkness, with the memories starting to shift in front of his eyes, Shiva held his head and bent down.

"it's not real

" you're not real

" it's just a dream. just a dream

" I just have to wake up. it's a dream"

Shiva started muttering to himself as the voices of different memories started echoing in the darkness , while the clones of Nashi continued laughing at his misery.

[hahaha is that your peace mantra nowadays]

"Ignore him. ignore him. ignore him"

[but you can't. you never can. you see as long as you live, I'll live too.]

[she made sure of it.]

At this point all the noise and crazed laughter of all his clones stopped for a moment and then they all spoke together -

[before you killed her that is] × 4

Shiva was surprised to hear those words, as he held his head as a massive headache started again just like back when he first had Rio's memories.

"Akhhhh"

"what_ are you talking about." - Shiva asked as his voice breaking. Tears were trickling down his eyes but he didn't know the reason for it. The memories he hid so deep were still foggy , so he ignoring the pain he still asked Nashi.

All of his clones started bursting out in laughter again. [hehehe hahaha haaha]

and then all of his clones surrounded him and pushed him down. As the solid darkness beneath his feet turned soft and he fell.

As he kept falling into what seemed like the abyss, Shiva heard the voices of Nashi and his clones - [you'll see soon enough]

[after all it's gonna be a long long night]

[my dear devil]

....

A/N - I'll try to post d 2nd part of his nightmare later tonight.

Plus join the discord server. Link's in d synopsis