Deals Made with the Light

My mouth tastes like iron.

I can’t see. I can’t breathe.

I can’t think.

Where’s Evi? Where’s everyone? Ayano, Akira?

What was that?

As my senses return. There is only pain.

Lying in the dirt and grass, I can feel the wind scraping at my cuts and bruises. Searing away at the exposed flesh.

My clothes are torn. My glasses are gone. My backpack is gone.

I gasp and I gasp and it still isn't enough.

Air can leak into my lungs but it won’t flow smoothly.

The sound… all sound.

It’s muffled. Dampened. My head is encased in concrete and a hammer is bashing down on it. There’s a ringing in my ears. Tinny and piercing. Sharp.

My eyes struggle to open.

A haze of shadows, blurry, indistinct shapes wreathed in darkness engulf my field of vision. There is a splash of dark red not far from my body. I think it’s a liquid.

I try and force my limbs to move.

Barely.

Just barely…

Even slightly.

Even a little.

Everything is heavy.

I begin to crawl.

“E-e… E-evi… F-f-fuji— Aya-ano… A-Akir…a…”

Where are you?

“…w-where… are… y-you…”

I feel a rumbling in the earth.

A roaring.

Dense, resounding hits.

Quiet.

“You are not one of the chosen. Why are you here?”

A voice. A voice comprised of decadent whispers.

It reaches out to me from all around. Trickling in past the deafening walls of muted noise. I hear it in my brain. I hear it in all of me.

I see light.

“…m-my fr-iends… pl-eas…e…”

“No affinity for magic. Appalling strength. Barely any brain.”

“...who… ar…e you…?”

“There is no need to speak.”

(Please help them.)

“Who?”

(My friends. Evi. Ayano. Akira. I don’t even know if they’re still alive… please tell me that they’re alive…)

“Tears. Interesting.”

(Please!)

“The horned one. That is why I am here.”

(Evi! That thing hit her… what’s going on?)

“She is fighting. Your friends, they are in danger.”

(Save them! Help them! Please, I don’t care if I die but they need to live! Why are you talking to me!?)

“The horned one is dying. But she will not die. The other two likely will. A shame. They have potential. High levels of innate magic are rare amongst you.”

(I can’t lose them.)

“Lose them? So you wish to live.”

(As long as they live too.)

“You are weak. But your connection to her. That is notable. I may gift you power. With power you can fight. Do you wish to fight?”

(I don’t want power to fight. I need it to protect them.)

“A matter of words. Meaningless distinction.”

(If it lets everyone stay alive then I’m willing to take whatever you can give me. Please… any help at all.)

“My strongest sword.”

(Thank you.)

“The deal is set.”

My breathing began to steady.

“But know this, child…”

The voice faded.

“My gifts are not free.”

And it was gone.

The pain remained. But I did seem to be regaining strength. Slowly, I managed to push myself off the ground to a seated position. I wiped the tears from my eyes, then reached around to try and find my glasses. No luck.

I stared off into the dark. Straining to see anything at all.

I broke down sobbing.