Last Breath in the Darkness

The forest was silent.

Too silent.

Akira’s brow furrowed, his eyes scanning the shadows, hoping something would step out of the trees.

“Rei should’ve been back by now,” he muttered, voice tight, uneven.

Itsuki’s hands stayed buried deep in his pockets. He didn’t look up.

“He has the most fairies. He’s fine,” he said, calm as still water.

Akira’s shoulders stayed tense, his eyes locked on the darkness.

Itsuki sighed quietly and went on.

“Besides, it’s Rei we’re talking about. Don’t worry. He always has something up his sleeve.”

Akira hesitated, then gave a small nod, jaw tight. He wanted to believe it, but every instinct screamed otherwise.

Then—

A figure stepped out of the shadows, holding a lantern. Rei’s lantern.

Akira’s breath caught in his throat, chest tightening.

“That’s…”

Itsuki moved before he could finish.

A card flashed between his fingers. In an instant, a square barrier shot up beneath Enma’s feet, snapping shut with a sharp crack, trapping him in place.

Enma glanced down at his feet, eyebrows raised,

“What the hell?”

Itsuki’s eyes ignited, sharp and dark, cutting through the shadows.

“You,” he growled. “Why do you have Rei’s lantern?”

Akira stepped forward, body tense, voice trembling.

“What did you do to him?”

Enma tilted his head, smile crooked, flames flickering along his sleeves like teasing fingers.

“This magician? So arrogant… I taught him a lesson.” he said, mocking, effortless.

Akira’s blade was at the fire mage’s throat, tension crackling in the air.

“Where is he?”

Enma shrugged, completely unconcerned.

“Who care? Without fairies, he’s probably dead by now.”

The air shifted violently.

Itsuki’s eyes darkened, sharp as knives.

A second barrier shot up around Enma, locking him in place. His smile vanished. He froze, then gasped, hands clawing at his throat, eyes wide with panic.

No air.

Itsuki crouched slightly, voice low and dangerous.

“Where … is … Rei? he whispered

Enma choked, panic flooding his eyes.

“Stop! I—I will tell you”

The pressure eased. He collapsed to his knees, wheezing, gasping for air. His arm trembled as he pointed into the darkness.

“Th— that way…” he wheezed.

Akira snatched the lantern from Enma’s grasp, chest still hammering. Itsuki gently lifted the small, unconscious fairy, holding her carefully as if she were the most fragile thing in the world.

Then they turned toward the darkness, jaws clenched, eyes burning with determination.

“Wait for us,” Itsuki muttered, voice low, tense.

“Just hold on,” Akira whispered, breath ragged, heart hammering.

Behind them, Enma laughed weakly, a cruel, ragged sound.

“Even if you save him,” he sneered, “that clown is finished.”

They ran straight into the dark, chasing their friend, every step swallowed by shadows.

“Where… where is he?” Akira muttered, breath ragged, eyes darting through the shadows.

Itsuki’s jaw tightened, teeth clenched.

“How are we supposed to find him in this darkness?”

Then the fairy in Itsuki’s hand stirred, trembling like a flicker of dying light.

“Rei…” she whispered, voice small, fragile.

Her tiny eyes opened, weak but shining.

Akira blinked.

“Oh… the fairy woke up. Maybe she knows where he is.”

They leaned closer, hope flaring in their chests.

“I… I don’t remember,” Lumi whispered. Weak.

Both sighed, a little disappointed.

“But… I can feel the medallion,” she added, voice trembling.

“If Rei still has it…”

They exchanged a quick glance, eyes wide, tension crackling between them.

“Can you guide us?” they asked, almost at the same time.

Lumi nodded. Her tiny glow pulsed, steadying, then she lifted slightly, hovering ahead to lead the way through the darkness.

Their hearts pounded in unison, thought echoing together:

“Rei… hold on. We’re coming.”

Somewhere, deep in the black, Rei’s body slumped, empty of strength, empty of hope.

I will die here…

Then a whisper reached him fragile, yet clear, steady in a way nothing else was.

Hold on. Your friends are coming.

Friends.

A small light flickered in the darkness, warm and fragile, like a candle shaking in the wind.

For a brief moment it felt real.

Then doubt crept in and the light wavered, sinking, almost swallowed.

What if it’s already too late?

What if he’s blind?

Or deaf?

Or both?

Alive, but not really living.

Panic surged.

His chest tightened hard, breath catching as the darkness pressed closer.

I-I can’t. I’m sorry.

His heart slowed, each beat weaker than the last.

Thump.

Thump

Every pulse felt farther away, like it was drifting from him.

Rei was fading, little by little, sinking into the dark.

Silence

Then a sound reached him.

Faint.

Distant.

Echoing through the dark.

“Rei… Rei!”

Real voices or just his mind breaking apart. He couldn’t tell anymore.

The sound faded.

And Rei let go.

The darkness closed in, complete and silent.

Akira’s voice broke the silence.

“We found him!”

Relief died instantly the moment Itsuki touched Rei.

His brows frowned, eyes darkening, a shiver ran through him.

“His pulse… it’s barely there…”

Without a second thought, Itsuki drew his card and a glowing heart blossomed around Rei, wrapping him in a fragile, protective cocoon.

The light stretched outward, small but defiant, pushing back the darkness.

Itsuki lifted Rei into his arms, careful, precise.

“Hold on… don’t you dare give up now.”

The fairy hovered just ahead, flickering like a trembling lantern, guiding the way through the black.

Akira ran beside them, breath ragged, heart hammering in his chest.

“Rei… stay with us. Please… just a little longer.”

Step by step, they pressed through the oppressive darkness, every second counting.

The forest seemed endless, but they could not stop.

Could not slow.

Rei’s life hung by a thread.

The exit was somewhere ahead, invisible yet growing closer with every trembling step.

“The crystal… it’s there!” the fairy shouted, voice sharp, trembling with urgency.

They sped up, hearts hammering like drums.

“Hold on… almost there,” Itsuki muttered, gripping Rei tighter.

The crystal flared, a burst of light shattering the darkness before them.

Akira blinked, eyes widening.

At the front, Sarutobi stood with the other examiners. Every candidate already there, safe and waiting.

“Please… someone help us!” Akira shouted, voice cracking with panic.

The Examiners rushed forward, alarm spreading across their faces, dark and sinister.

Black veins crawled across Rei’s skin, like shadows trapped under his flesh.

“W-What happened?” Sarutobi demanded, eyes wide, voice sharp.

Itsuki didn’t answer. He just glared them, jaw tight, a storm barely contained in his gaze.

Akira stepped in, forcing himself to breathe.

“He… he lost his fairies for a moment,” he said, voice low, tense.

Sarutobi stiffened.

“How long?”

Akira lowered his head, eyes falling to the ground.

“We… we don’t know.”

Itsuki’s grip tightened.

“Enough talking, and do something.” he growled.

A healer pushed through the crowd, staff glowing bright.

“I can heal him! Let me try”

She hit the ground with her staff. Light spread out in a wide circle, warm and strong.

Rei’s breathing steadied , color slowly returned to his face.

Akira’s eyes opened wide, relief written all over him.

“It’s working…He’s breathing better,” he said, almost breathless.

For the first time, Itsuki relaxed a little. But after a moment he leaned closer, and his smile disappeared.

“Why isn’t he waking up?”

No answer.

Sarutobi stepped forward, hand reaching toward Rei’s face.

Itsuki reacted instantly. His arm shot out, knocking Sarutobi’s hand away. Then he pulled Rei closer, turning his body to shield him.

“Don’t touch him,” he growled, grip tight, body shaking with barely restrained rage.

“I won’t hurt him,” Sarutobi said, calm and steady.

“I just need to check his eyes, please”

A long second passed. Itsuki’s jaw trembled then, slowly, he let him.

Sarutobi opened Rei’s eyelids.

Black.

Completely black.

The mountain fell silent, like it was holding its breath.

Sarutobi swallowed.

“…It’s too late.”

The words barely left his mouth.

Itsuki froze.

“…Too late?” he asked voice was low. Strained. “What do you mean… too late?”

“He was exposed to the darkness too long. The corruption went too deep.” Sarutobi answer, voice heavy with sadness.

“Even if he wakes up—”

He stopped, as if the words were stuck in his throat.

Akira stepped forward, fists clenched.

“There has to be something. I use light maybe I can fight darkness. I—”

But Itsuki wasn’t listening anymore.

The world around him faded even the sound drowned. Then a pressure exploded outward.

Killing intent.

Akira grabbed his arm.

“Itsuki. Calm down.”

But he didn’t stop. On the contrary, he turned slowly, eyes burning.

“Don’t tell me to calm down,” he growled, teeth clenched

“You useless exorcists … I should—”

Before he could finished , a sharp strike hit the back of his neck. And Itsuki’s body went limp.

Akira caught him before he fell.

“What—?! Why would you—?!”

One of the observers lowered his hand.

“If I didn’t, he would’ve killed someone.” he said quietly

Akira clenched his teeth.

“…We’re just worried for our friend.”

No one answered.

Sarutobi stepped forward again. This time, no one stopped him.

“Let’s move. Infirmary. Now.”

He lifted Rei carefully. While another observer picked up Itsuki onto his back.

The crystal began to glow once more. 

Wind howled around them , they vanished , leaving the mountain behind,

And Rei’s fate uncertain.