✔ | At Least We Have Forever

Chapter 28 - The Courage To Choose

Riya and Keiko reached the mall's rooftop just after the team and the wielders' battle. The two girls heaved sighs of relief upon seeing their beloved and their friends alive and alright. Filled with worries and happiness, Riya ran towards Kurama and jumped into his arms.

"I'm glad you're alright," Riya said as she tightly hugged Kurama, her body trembling slightly.

Kurama eyed his girlfriend with soft eyes before hugging her in return. "I'm alright so don't worry," he gently said to her ear.

When Riya released herself from his embrace, she looked at Kurama and touched the cut on his right cheek. "Don't move," she gently commanded before her hand that was touching his cheek emitted a silver glow. She closed her eyes after that.

To everyone's surprise, it wasn't just Kurama who was being healed when they felt a gentle soothing breeze blow forth, healing everyone's injuries in the process.

"You'll be alright after this?" Kurama asked with concern after Riya healed every one.

Riya nodded and smiled. "Healing spells won't affect me that much, unlike offensive and defensive spells." And then she faced the others. "Are you alright?"

"We're fine now, thanks to you!" Yusuke said happily after looking at Botan warning her not to let Riya and Keiko see the book. Botan complied with that.

"But how did you manage to escape the demon shinobis that cornered you and Keiko-chan?" Kuwabara asked curiously.

But Riya just smiled before glancing at Keiko who was just standing beside Yusuke now. "Let's just say something unexpected happened. Right, Keiko-chan?" Riya said as she winked at the said girl.

Keiko just answered it with a smile that puzzled everyone upon looking at it. They knew that something happened that Riya and Keiko were hiding. Keiko talked to Kazemi before they reached the rooftop about helping her seal her spirit energy to prevent detection from Yusuke and the others, especially the other wielders. The said Crystal Spirit obliged to that.

Not long after, Riya heard repeating beeps from her watch. She opened its lid and it materialized as a virtual screen the size of a small TV monitor. She then saw Koenma on the screen with a strained look on his face. That alone made her figure out the toddler prince's business with them.

"Don't tell me..."

"Riya, the fateful battle is about to happen," Koenma said gravely. "My closest estimate would be 7 days from now..."

"When the two blue moons from different times align..." Riya murmured that part of the prophecy before looking up to the sky. "The battle will not happen seven days from now, Koenma—" she paused. "—instead, it will happen during the full moon... which will be three days from now."

"THREE DAYS FROM NOW? Are you insane?!" Yusuke yelled but Riya didn't even flinch. When he saw that, he then figured out that Riya was serious about it. All he could do was sigh. "How did you figure that one out?"

"I can't tell you the full details now, Yusuke. There's no way I could," Riya answered, her hand began to quiver because of so many thoughts and emotions engulfing her.

Yumi sighed and approached Riya before looking at the screen. "We'll do everything we can to end this as soon as we could, Koenma-sama."

Koenma nodded. "Just don't die." And with that, the virtual screen vanished and Riya slowly put her hand down to her side.

'Just don't die... That's impossible now, Koenma. Between me and Kurama... One of us is destined to die in this battle...' Riya sadly thought as she looked at the clear blue sky. She overheard the conversation about the full passage of the prophecy and somehow, she understood the reason why Kazemi decided to skip a part of it.