[Completed] Legend of the Five Knights III: Song of Divine Wrath

Episode 33: Flower of Memory

After the meeting between the Pillars of Darkness, I headed back to my pod in Aster's lab. She had offered me a bed, but I'd grown accustomed to my pod. It was comfortable in there and felt safe, like a cocoon.

"Are you okay, Nightshade?" Aster asked as she stood by the doorway. "Did you prefer going with your brother?"

I laid a hand on the white glass of the pod.

I stared at the red-eyes in my reflection. "I'm not sure." I put my other hand over my purple core. I couldn't decide, so I just fled. I guess that in the end I did decide, after all.

She took a deep breath. "I see. Well, how about we open up your pod so that you can get some rest? Maybe that'll help you feel better," she said as she stepped into the room.

I turned around slightly and smiled. "Thanks, grandma."

Aster gasped but then quickly smiled. "No problem, little one."

She clicked the buttons on the panel and opened up the pod.

I glanced around at the other pods. No one else had awakened but me.

"Uh, what happened to that man, the one who was with Serra."

"You mean your uncle Takeshi? Your grandfather put him on time out. He should no longer be an issue to us. Our biggest obstacle right now are the Sekai Hashira."

My uncle Takeshi? I could faintly recall that he had died before I was even born... but then again, I had also died at one point and here I was.

I let go of my core and rubbed my head. How had I died?

The pod sliding open snapped me out of my thoughts.

I sat my back against the pod.

"Rest well, grandson," Aster said before closing the pod.

I smiled. "You too, grandma. You look like you could use it," I said before the pod fully closed.

Aster swept her hair behind her ear and nodded. She turned her back and walked toward the door.

As soon as she was gone, I closed my heavy eyes. I hadn't felt this exhausted since I was on the train en route to meet up with Mei and Mai.

I gasped as some kind of energy suddenly struck my core. I tried to open my eyes to see what had hit me, but they wouldn't budge.

***

I found myself in the same dark place as before, back when I met the 'other me'. My red eyes scanned the cascade of darkness.

"Looking for me?" a voice asked.

"Huh?" I spun around and saw my reflection flying in the sky. He had his single black wing spread out. "Why am I here? Are you the cause of that strange sensation?"