Exorcism

Naoya managed five more rifts, until Aki led him through a portal light, which made them end up inside HQ, directly next to a group of plush seats, onto which he put Naoya immediately—not without protest.

“I can still—”

“Naoya. Your right eye is gone.”

“But it’ll come back.”

“…eventually. Probably.”

Naoya coughed. “Well, that’s reassuring. Give me a few minutes, then… ugh…”

“Do you want to recruit him by force?”

They looked up to see Bai Rong approaching, holding an old-fashioned apothecary’s chest in her hands.

“You’re just jealous,” Aki said, but his words had no heat behind them.

Bai Rong made a derisive noise, set the chest down on the low table beside them and kneeled in front of Naoya. She didn’t even need to say anything. Her expression said it all. And yet.

“You’ll be losing more than just your eye if you continue without a break to recuperate. How many fingers am I holding up?”

“More than I have left.”

“Okay, lie down.”

“What about the people downstairs?”

Aki pushed Naoya down until he was lying on the sofa. Naoya didn’t protest.

“They can wait. You’ve done more in the last two hours than many of us during their whole service. I know it hurts, but open your eyes… we’ll, what’s left of them.”

Naoya did. As he looked up, he could see the shining outlines of the map still floating in the room. But…

“I can’t see the map clearly. How many rifts are left?”

“Still about ten.” Aki said.

“Then I need… ouch!”

Naoya flinched as Bai Rong put something into his eyes, which stung as if they’d been burnt. He sat up reflexively, but Aki held him down. Bai Rong reached for another bottle and poured it unceremoniously down Naoya’s throat. It was sickly sweet and made him retch. But the nausea only persisted for a few moments, after which an unnatural warmth radiated from his body. Naoya put a hand on his stomach and realised it was his right hand.

“Bai Rong!” he shouted. “You’re a magician.”

“I’m a hack, who boiled some talismans into this vile concoction, masked the stench with sugar and poured it into you as an experiment.”

“If it works.”

“We’ll see.”

“Can you go again?” This time it was Ruri, who spoke. “You’re buying us the time we need.”

“How is the upload plan coming along?” Naoya asked.

“Slowly but surely. We put some of our living agents on the task. It’s not something we have much experience with. Don’t worry, our people are part of many large organisations and even the government. They will know what to do.”

“I hope so,” Naoya said. “Bai Rong, when can I go again?”

“Theoretically right now. You won’t get better if you rest just for a bit. You’d need to sleep a few weeks for that.”

“Okay, then let’s go.”

Naoya didn’t look at Aki to know he disapproved. He also didn’t need to ask him to follow. Aki supported him as he stood up and accompanied him back to the teleporter light.

“Wait.”

The floor glowed and the Judges appeared from it, floating up into the dome like well-dressed jellyfish. Naoya turned around to look at them in wonder. He still couldn’t believe most of this. But he was also too tired to care.

“You’ve sacrificed enough. We will separate you now.”

“What?”

A sudden jolt propelled Naoya forward, directly in between the three Judges, who circled around him, watching with their featureless faces. Three pairs of hands touched his body, and for a moment the air smelled of incense. And then gravity claimed him once more and he fell down, leaving behind a second body in his place. Aki caught him from the air, clutching him to his body. Up above them, a woman floated, curled up.

“We deem your restraint and support sufficient. Will you choose service or release?”

“Service,” Hinako said clearly.

They watched her descend until she stood next to Naoya and Aki. Aki started crying.

“Mom… It… it is really you…”

Hinako was much older than the picture Aki had in mind, but he still recognised her despite the grey hair, smaller build and the lines on her face. And she recognised her son. They fell into each other’s arms. Naoya took a respectful step backwards.

And when he looked at Aki, his heart hurt, his head swam.

Oh. Right.

His love had only been an illusion.

He took a few more steps to put more distance between them. Aki only had eyes for his mother. Of course. His love was probably also just induced by the possession.

No, he couldn’t think about that now. He had to help… wait. Did he? He looked down at his body, battered, bruised, bound. His right eye… still missing. What had he done? Why had he done it? How had he mustered the courage?

Naoya looked at Hinako, who had clung to life so desperately that she had managed to curse him and create impossible power. Had it been her? All that determination and sacrifice?

As he examined his feelings and the rising fear that gripped his heart, he realised that nothing had been his own. No courage, no action, no…

“Naoya?”

Aki’s arms were around him and Naoya suddenly realised he was kneeling on the floor, breathing fast and…

“Why?”

“What?”

“Why do you still care? You can’t. Nothing that happened was me. Everything was your mother. Every decision, every feeling.”

He tried to push him away, but Aki held him close. “That’s not right. Sure, the possession muddled the waters, but it can only enhance what’s already there. You can only show such courage if you’re already brave. You could only act like this, because you’re already a good person.”

Naoya sobbed, clinging to Aki’s body.

“The accord between you two. The forgiveness after the horrors you experienced—that was all you.”

“I don’t know.”

“But I do,” Aki said. “And I still love you.”

“Uh,” Naoya said eloquently.

“Aki, I need to take your mother to stabilise her,” Bai Rong said. “With the other exorcised souls.”

Aki nodded and smiled at his mother, who walked with Bai Rong as instructed. The soul was always slightly confused, being put back in a temporary body after living as a mindless ghost. Aki knew he would have to wait a few days or weeks until he could have a proper conversation with her, but he knew she was in good hands.

Naoya watched Hinako disappear through one of the many doors. Then he raised his gaze and looked into Aki’s eyes. Maybe he was right. It wasn’t the all-encompassing, desperate love he felt before, but his chest was still tight and his stomach fluttered.

“Wait. If Hinako is gone, then I won’t be able to use my eye anymore!” Naoya blurted out. “It’s just a broken eyeball now.”

“But you can still help us seal the rifts. Chant the proper way without harming your body.”

“Alright. I will try.”