Chapter 28: — “YOU COULD'VE BEEN KILLED RIKU!" — (Season 1 Episode 12)

Riku’s fists clenched, veins glowing faintly with a streak of purple light that pulsed with every heartbeat. The shadows surged forward, dozens of them, twisting into monstrous shapes that clawed and lunged.

They came at him in waves, but he was ready.

With a single punch, he struck the first group of shadows squarely in the center. They exploded into black smoke, scattered meters back across the room. Another wave advanced, and he kicked a trio of them with all his force, the impact sent them crashing into the far wall, leaving a gaping dent and a trail of smoke.

Riku’s eyes narrowed. Fear and hesitation were gone. Every strike, every blow, was precise, unstoppable. His arms moved like lightning, fists and feet striking the shadows again and again. One hit, and they vanished. Another hit, and multiple shadows dissolved at once.

“You think you can stop me?” he shouted, voice ringing off the walls. “Pathetic!”

The shadows didn’t even touch him. He moved through them like a storm, relentless, crushing, tearing through every attack. A shadow lunged from the left, Riku pivoted, swung his elbow, and shattered it entirely. Another rushed him from behind; he twisted, planted a foot, and sent it flying meters into the wall, crumbling into nothing.

He barely even breathed. Every strike carried the weight of his rage, his panic, and the refusal to lose. One punch, and three shadows were gone. A kick, and five more dissipated instantly.

The air crackled faintly along his arms, purple veins throbbing as he powered through. The shadows weren’t dangerous anymore, they were obstacles, and he was unstoppable.

“Not one of you will stop me,” he growled. “Not now. Not ever!”

They surged forward again, but it didn’t matter. He moved faster than their attacks, stronger than their numbers. Each strike annihilated them, sending pieces of black smoke scattering like ash in the wind.

Riku’s chest heaved, sweat pouring down his face, but he didn’t slow. The shadows were relentless, but he was absolute chaos incarnate. His hands and feet struck with brutal precision, punches sending groups of them flying, kicks obliterating any that dared to approach.

He could feel the purple energy humming through him, fueling every move. This was no longer fear or desperation. This was pure power.

And the shadows weren’t even touching him anymore.

Riku’s lips curled into a grin, sharp, dangerous, like a predator savoring its prey. A low, rasping laugh slipped past his teeth, a sound that didn’t belong to the frightened boy from earlier. It echoed through the room, chilling the air.

“You think you can scare me? Hah! Pathetic!” he bellowed, his voice bouncing off the walls. Every word carried an edge of fury that seemed to make the shadows hesitate for a fraction of a second.

With a swift motion, he swung both arms in a wide arc. Three shadows collided midair and exploded into black smoke, fragments scattering like embers in the wind. The force of the strike sent the remnants flying against the far wall, leaving scorched marks on the floorboards. Riku’s laughter grew louder, harsher.

“Come on! Is that all you’ve got?” His voice rang like a warning. “I’ll crush every last one of you!”

A shadow surged toward him from above, its jagged form lunging with unnatural speed. Riku tilted his head, eyes narrowing, and swung upward with a violent punch. The shadow collided with his fist and shattered in midair. More shadows fell in unison, their forms disintegrating before they even touched him.

He took a step forward, and the room seemed to shrink under his presence. Shadows that had once loomed menacingly now recoiled instinctively. Riku’s grin widened as he cackled, loud and unrestrained. “You’re nothing! You’re all just… weak!”

A trio of shadows lunged from the right, clawing at him in desperation. Without hesitation, Riku kicked one into the other two, and they scattered like paper in a storm. He spun, laughing, the sound dark and unhinged, reveling in their helplessness.

“Is that all? Really? Pathetic!” he shouted, punching a wave of shadows head-on. They crumpled like smoke caught in a gust of wind. The more they came, the faster he struck. His arms moved with a terrifying precision, fists connecting with several shadows at once, obliterating them before they could regroup.

The purple veins along his forearms glowed brighter with every strike, pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat. The shadows recoiled instinctively from the light, as if sensing the unnatural energy flowing through him. Riku’s grin stretched wider. “You think you can hurt me? Hahaha… I’m just getting started!”

He dove toward a cluster of shadows, tackling them to the ground and slamming them into the floor. They dissolved instantly under his hands, the black smoke curling into the air before vanishing. He scrambled to his feet, only to spin and send another wave flying across the room with a single punch.

His laughter became a roar, almost inhuman, echoing through the walls, filling every corner with the sound of sheer domination. “You can’t stop me! Not one of you!”

A shadow tried to circle behind him, hoping to catch him off-guard, but Riku turned just in time. His fist collided with it midair, obliterating it, sending its fragments skittering across the floor. He stomped, another shadow colliding with the ground and scattering.

Riku’s chest heaved from the exertion, but there was no fear left in him. Only exhilaration, the thrill of power, and the dark joy of seeing his enemies destroyed before they could even touch him. He crouched slightly, cackling again, and launched into another flurry of attacks, fists and feet moving so fast the shadows didn’t even have time to react.

“Pathetic! Weak! Worthless!” he shouted over and over, each word punctuated with a strike that sent multiple shadows flying meters back. Each punch dissolved one, two, sometimes three at a time. He laughed as he kicked a particularly large shadow into the far wall, it crumpled into nothing as if it had never existed.

Even as more shadows continued to emerge from the darkness, Riku didn’t hesitate. He danced between them, laughing, slamming, kicking, punching, unstoppable, unrelenting, a whirlwind of fury and dark energy.

The room itself seemed to bend under his presence. Shadows that once crowded him now avoided his path instinctively. The very air hummed with the energy that pulsed from his veins. He crouched for a second, letting out a guttural, almost animalistic laugh. “I… will… NOT… be stopped!”

A massive shadow lunged at him from above, claws extended, but Riku met it head-on. His fist collided with the creature, sending it flying across the room and disintegrating it midair. He landed lightly, crouched, and let the next wave come, his grin wide, teeth bared, eyes glowing faintly with the purple light that ran along his veins.

“You’re… nothing… to me!” he shouted, spinning through another wave of shadows, destroying them in midair, sending fragments flying in every direction. His cackles filled the space, dark and menacing, carrying a sense of danger that even the room seemed to recognize.

Time blurred. Shadows came. Shadows fell. And Riku… Riku was unstoppable.

Riku’s chest heaved, his fists still trembling slightly from the battle in the room. The purple energy along his veins dimmed almost instantly as he forced himself to calm down, swallowing back the surge of strength he had been relying on. He didn’t want Mika, or anyone else to see. Not now. Not ever.

The room was quiet, the shadows completely gone, leaving only scraps of paper scattered across the floor. Riku took a slow breath, feeling the residual panic clinging to his mind. He forced himself to step toward the door, ears straining for any sign of movement.

As he opened the door, a sudden roar of black smoke and twisted forms assaulted his senses. Shadows surged from the hallway, and in the center of it all stood Akari, her hands moving in swift, precise motions. Magical glyphs glowed faintly around her palms, casting a soft light in the otherwise dark room. Every time she shouted an incantation, bursts of light shot toward the shadows, holding some at bay, destroying others.

Riku’s eyes scanned frantically, and he saw Mika crouched behind a counter, trembling violently. Her small frame shook as sobs escaped her throat, and she clutched the edge of the countertop like it was the only thing keeping her grounded. Her eyes were wide, terrified, glued to her sister fighting off the monstrous forms.

“Riku…!” Akari’s voice cut sharply through the chaos. “Take her! Now! Go!”

Mika’s sobs grew louder as she buried her face in her hands. “No! I won’t leave her! She’s my sister! Akari! Don’t get hurt!”

Riku stepped forward quickly, crouching down beside her. “Mika,” he said firmly, though his own heart was hammering in his chest, “we have to go now. Akari’s strong. She’s not going to be hurt, okay? Trust me.”

Mika shook her head violently, tears streaming freely. “But… but what if something happens?!”

Riku reached out gently, gripping her shoulders to steady her. “You’re panicking. I know it’s scary, but we need to get out of here. Akari can handle herself. She’s the strongest person I know, and she won’t let anything touch her. Now come on.”

Hesitating only a moment longer, Mika finally nodded, still trembling but moving with Riku as he took her hand. Her sobs were muffled against his side as they crouched and ran along the hallway, trying to avoid the shadows that still roamed the outer edges.

“Stay low!” Riku instructed, gesturing to duck behind a wall as a shadow surged toward them. Mika obeyed instinctively, pressing herself against him. “Keep moving… we need to find the exit,” he whispered.

Mika’s soft sobs filled the air as they navigated the dark corridors. Every step was cautious, every shadow that flitted across the walls making her panic anew. “Riku… I’m so scared! What if… what if she... what if Akari—”

“I said she’ll be fine!” Riku interrupted gently but firmly, gripping her hand tighter. “She’s not going to be hurt. I promise. We just have to get out first, okay? That’s all we need to do.”

The hallway twisted ahead, darkness pooling in corners, shadows occasionally skittering along the walls like hungry insects. Riku’s ears strained for any sound, any hint of danger, while Mika held onto him like her life depended on it.

A sudden noise, a shadow lunging from the floor, made Mika scream, clutching him desperately. Riku swore under his breath and swerved, dragging her behind a large crate just in time. He crouched low, feeling his pulse racing as he tried to gauge the safest path forward.

“Riku… I… I can’t…” Mika whispered, her voice cracking. “I don’t want her to get hurt… I can’t leave her!”

“You’re not leaving her!” Riku said sharply, leaning closer. “You’re leaving with me. That’s the only way she’s going to be okay. Akari knows what she’s doing. She can fight. She can handle these shadows. We don’t have to prove anything. We just have to survive.”

Mika hesitated, her tears flowing freely, but she nodded slowly. “Okay… okay…” she said, burying her face against his shoulder. “Just… just don’t let anything happen to her… or me…”

Riku nodded, heart pounding, and gestured toward a narrow stairwell that led upward. “This way. Stay close, don’t let go of me, and don’t look back.”

They ran, ducked, and leapt over obstacles, shadows occasionally snapping at their heels. Each near-miss made Mika whimper and cling tighter, but Riku’s steady presence calmed her just enough to keep moving.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they reached a wider corridor where the sounds of Akari’s spells echoed more clearly. Riku peeked around a corner and saw Akari holding her ground, magical sigils spinning around her hands, deterring shadows from advancing. Sparks of light flashed as some forms dissolved into nothing, leaving her standing firm amid the chaos.

Riku exhaled, letting himself relax just slightly. “See? I told you. She’s fine,” he said softly, almost to himself. Then he crouched lower to Mika’s level. “We’re almost there. One more stretch, okay? You can do this.”

Mika nodded again, leaning against him as they crept forward, the tension still heavy in the air. Every shadow was a potential threat, but she clung to Riku’s reassurance, feeling a fragile sense of hope amidst the fear.

As they continued running, the path became clearer. Riku guided her, whispering instructions, keeping her close and moving as quietly as possible. Every moment was a mix of fear, tension, and urgency, until finally, the faint outline of the hut’s exit came into view.

The shadows surged behind them, writhing and twisting like black smoke with teeth. Akari’s hands glowed with faint light as she continued her spells, keeping them at bay.

Riku’s heart was pounding, guiding Mika through the maze of debris, shadows flaring at every corner. He barely had time to breathe.

Then—

Out of nowhere, a shadow lunged from a crack in the wall, faster than Riku could anticipate.

It slammed into him with brutal force, knocking him to the ground. Pain shot up his arm, his shoulder screaming in protest, but there was no time to dwell. The shadow’s jagged form loomed over him, teeth gnashing, claws reaching to shred him alive.

“RIKUUUUUUUUUU!”

Mika’s scream pierced the night, raw and unfiltered. Her voice cracked with pure terror, reverberating off the walls of the hut. She pressed her hands to her face, tears streaking down freely, soaking her cheeks, running into her hair. Every sob tore through her chest like a knife.

“Riku! Please! Don’t… don’t die! You can’t… you can’t leave me! Not you! I can’t… I can’t live without you!” Her voice wavered uncontrollably, her words fragmented as she stumbled forward, her small frame shaking violently. “I... We’ve been friends forever! Since… since elementary school! I… I can’t lose you! Not you! Please! PLEASE!”

Akari’s eyes widened at the sound, her protective instincts flaring. She raised her hands, chanting quickly, intricate symbols lighting up the air between her and the shadow. A beam of golden light shot from her palm, piercing the creature’s chest. It froze mid-motion, claws suspended inches from Riku’s face.

“Go! Go to him, Mika! Now!” Akari shouted, moving quickly to shield the space around Riku.

Mika didn’t hesitate. She sprinted toward him, tears streaming freely, gasping between sobs. She fell to her knees beside Riku, clutching him tightly, arms wrapped around his chest and shoulders as though holding him could keep him alive. Her face buried against him, hot tears soaking his shirt.

“Oh… oh Riku… you idiot… why… why did you have to go there? I... don’t scare me like that! I can’t… I can’t… live if I lose you…” Mika’s voice cracked, broken and raw, full of fear and heartbreak. She sobbed harder than she had ever sobbed in her life, shaking with desperation. “I’ve known you forever… I’ve trusted you… I’ve cared about you… I can’t… I can’t let anything happen to you… PLEASE, Riku…”

Riku’s chest tightened. He wanted to say something, anything, to calm her, but the words stuck in his throat. He felt the weight of her fear and love all at once, and guilt twisted in his gut. He had nearly put her through the worst nightmare of her life.

Akari moved beside them, her expression unreadable at first, but her eyes glimmered with tears as she glanced at Mika clinging to Riku. “Are you hurt?” she asked softly, voice steady but urgent.

“I… I’m fine,” Riku panted, trying to sound calm. “I’m okay. Nothing… nothing happened.”

Mika shook her head, clinging tighter. “No! You could’ve been... You could’ve been... dead! You idiot! I… I… I can’t… I can’t…” Her voice cracked again, muffled into his chest. “If anything ever happens to you… I… I don’t think I could survive it… I just… I just… can’t…”

Akari gently nudged Mika back, giving Riku space while keeping her shield up. “Breathe, Mika. He’s okay. He’s right here. Focus on getting out safely. The shadows aren’t done yet.”

Mika nodded reluctantly, still trembling violently, wiping some of her tears but clutching him as if letting go could make him vanish. Her voice was barely a whisper now, broken, desperate:

“Please… please don’t scare me like that ever again… I… I don’t think I could handle it… not you… not you…”

Riku swallowed hard, feeling every ounce of her pain, guilt, and love in one searing wave. He pressed a hand lightly on her shoulder, trying to offer her reassurance he didn’t fully feel he deserved yet.

“We’re getting out… together,” he said, voice low but firm. “You, me… Akari. Everyone will be fine. Trust me.”

Mika sobbed softly, leaning her forehead against his chest. “I… I… I just… I… love you… Riku… you... you're my f-friend...”

Akari’s eyes flickered toward them for a brief moment, hiding her own pain. She focused back on the broom waiting outside, already planning their escape, though inside she felt the weight of every tear, every sob, every heartbeat of fear Mika had for Riku.

The hut trembled around them as more shadows writhed in the distance, but for now, the three of them clung together in a fragile moment of relief, hearts pounding, preparing to make their final dash to safety.

The hallway shook with the sound of shadows slithering along the walls, hissing and snarling as they pursued the trio. Riku’s hand gripped Mika’s tightly, forcing her to keep pace while he darted around debris and low-hanging beams. Her sobs punctuated each step, a mix of fear and desperation, and Riku’s chest tightened with guilt every time she nearly tripped over her own feet.

“Keep moving! Almost there!” Riku shouted, glancing over his shoulder. Dark shapes skittered closer, claws scraping against the stone floor.

Mika whimpered, clutching him even tighter. “R-Riku… they’re… they’re everywhere!”

“They won’t catch us,” Riku said, though his own heart raced. “Just… trust Akari. She’s got this.”

Up ahead, Akari's hands glowed as she cast spell after spell. A wall of golden light erupted from her palms, forcing the nearest shadow to twist backward and vanish in a burst of dark smoke. Another she sent flying with a small, sharp pulse, crashing into a wall with a sickening thud.

“Riku! Mika! This way!” she yelled, pointing toward a faint outline of light, the exit.

The shadows snarled and lunged, but Akari’s fingers danced through the air, leaving a trail of glowing runes that flared violently, blocking several of them in midair. Every moment felt like eternity, every second a brush with death.

Mika’s tears streamed down her face as she stumbled over a pile of rubble. “I… I don’t… I can’t… I’m scared!”

“You’re doing fine!” Riku said, yanking her up just in time as a shadow swiped at her shoulder. “Keep running! Don’t look back!”

The exit drew closer, a sliver of moonlight reflecting off the old wooden door. Akari cast another spell, a shimmering wall of energy that slammed into the pursuing shadows, sending them tumbling backward.

Riku gritted his teeth. “Almost there… come on…”

Mika clung to him, sobbing softly now, muffled against his chest. “I don’t… I don’t want to lose you… I can’t…”

“You won’t,” Riku whispered fiercely, keeping his pace steady. “I’m not letting anything happen to you. To either of you.”

Finally, they burst through the doorway. Cold night air hit them as they scrambled out of the hut. The shadows shrieked from inside, but Akari’s spells held them at bay just long enough.

Riku’s eyes immediately spotted the broom leaning against the wall nearby, the magical aura faint but unmistakable. Akari sprinted toward it, gestures already forming in the air.

“Quick! Get on!” she yelled, her voice sharp with urgency but controlled.

Mika barely hesitated, Riku’s arm wrapped securely around her. “I’m right here… come on!” he urged, lifting her slightly to help her onto the broom.

Akari’s hands glowed brighter as she steadied the broom, motioning Riku to jump on behind Mika. Riku grabbed Mika tightly, keeping her close as they mounted the broom.

“Hold on!” Akari shouted, her eyes scanning the hut behind them. Shadows lunged toward the edge of the doorway, claws scraping against the floor as they hissed and screeched.

With a sudden surge, the broom lifted into the night sky, a gust of wind rushing past them. Riku pressed Mika closer, feeling her soft sobs against his chest, her tiny hands clutching his shirt like she was afraid he would vanish if she let go.

As the broom lifted into the night, carrying them away from the shadows, Mika’s sobs caught in her throat. Her small hands gripped Riku’s shirt, and her voice cracked as she yelled, piercing through the wind:

“YOU IDIOTS! WHY DID YOU GO THERE? YOU COULD’VE BEEN KILLED!”

Riku flinched, guilt immediately tightening his chest. He opened his mouth, unsure what to say, feeling every ounce of her fear and anger pressed into him.

Mika’s tears streamed freely, running down her cheeks and soaking his shirt as she buried her face against his chest. “I… I don’t… I can’t… I could’ve lost you… both of you…”

Riku wrapped his arm around her, holding her close, unsure what to say, only knowing he couldn’t let go. Akari, behind them, kept her focus on controlling the broom, hiding the tightness in her own chest as she sensed Mika’s pain.

“Don’t… don’t ever scare me like that again,” Mika whispered, voice muffled against Riku’s chest, shaking with the remnants of her panic. “I… I don’t think I could survive it… not without you… not you…”

Riku swallowed hard, guilt and sorrow mingling in his chest. He pressed a hand gently against her back, trying to steady her. “I… I’ll be careful. I promise… I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Akari’s eyes flicked briefly toward them, then back to the path ahead. She hid her own pain behind a mask of focus, though her knuckles whitened as she gripped the broom. Every instinct screamed to comfort Mika, but she knew the only way to keep them alive was to remain steady, to remain strong.

The wind roared past them, carrying the faint scent of the night, of burned wood, of danger lingering below. For a moment, they floated in a fragile calm, the three of them together, their breaths ragged, hearts pounding, but alive.

Riku closed his eyes briefly, holding Mika closer. “We’ll make it… we’ll get through this… together,” he whispered, almost to himself.

Mika sniffled, soft tears still running down her cheeks, her voice barely audible. “I… I just… I don’t want to lose you… ever… not you… not you…”

Akari’s hand tightened on the broom’s handle, hiding the quiver in her chest. She couldn’t let Mika see, couldn’t let her see the pain she carried for both of them. But inside, she felt it, every tear Mika shed, every heartbeat racing in fear, every ounce of terror, and it burned her with helpless guilt.

The three of them flew on into the night, shadows shrinking behind them, the wind carrying away the echoes of danger. For now, the immediate threat was gone, but the night was long, and the storm was far from over.

And high above, in the quiet darkness, the moonlight reflected off the broom’s surface, illuminating the small, fragile group: Mika clinging to Riku, tears staining his shirt; Riku holding her as best he could, silent and heavy with guilt; Akari steering them through the night, strong and resolute, hiding her own pain while feeling theirs.