Artemia: Journey To The Thirtieth Floor

51. Fuyumi's Soul

When I opened my eyes, I was already back to the present. Even though I seemed to have slept for a long time already, I felt like I hadn't gotten any rest at all based on the moon. My whole body still felt heavy, and it was as if someone hammered my head.

I could remember everything that happened in the dream. Maybe that wasn't really a dream, and I was merely brought to the past. That dream was something I think I really needed to see. It revealed something about Fuyumi and something that would probably concern Freya as well.

A sigh escaped from my mouth when I began to think about it. She might experience difficulty after using Fuyumi's body, like what happened to me, so I'm really glad that I got to see such a thing. Although, I would have to admit that seeing all that was a bit painful. That young girl had to go through all of that, and I feel so bad for her.

"Fuyumi..." I murmured as I looked at her portrait.

I couldn't get up at all. Even if I wanted to stand up to get myself cleaned, I couldn't do it. I was hungry as heck, but there's no way I can cook for myself right now. I sighed and remained on where I was, feeling like a whole mess. No one will save me right now except me. And now, I'm nothing without my friends...

When I realized that no one would really come for me, I laughed at how pathetic I was. Of course, I knew that they were my friends and that they would always be, but they wouldn't know that I was suffering right now. That was something that I learned after staying here for some time.

"Freya, I need you..." I murmured as I began to sob. "Can I go back...?"

My cries echoed across the summit, and I'm pretty sure that the monsters that are residing here heard me. On a normal day, I would have been scared to death, but now...I couldn't care less. I need to cry out loud after bearing it all this time. My heart needed to let loose.

As I cried, the faces of my teammates from the present time flashed inside my head. I really want to go back to them right now and end this. I wanted to run into their arms for an embrace and receive their comfort, but it's not possible at the moment. How long do I have to bear this..?

But there are still plenty of things to find out, and I can't afford to just leave. I have to find out if there's something I can do to defeat the kings. Maybe I'm just exhausting myself by trying, but I've made too many promises by now. I won't go down without fulfilling them.

For now...please, just let me cry like a child. Right now, I'm at my most vulnerable state, probably caused by shock, grief, and homesickness. There are plenty of things happening inside my head, and there isn't any way for me to sort them out. I need help, at least that's what I think, but I can't ask anybody.

"Ah, what the hell..." I murmured as I covered my face with my hands.

I remained this way for as long as I know. All I did was cry my heart out without a care in the world. The kings could have assassinated me here, but surprisingly, I have been spared. But I don't think the monsters in this mountain will. Ah, what the hell? Maybe I should get up, after all.

Just as I was about to do that, I heard familiar voices coming from somewhere. "Ivory!" they called.

I quickly dried my tears up and tried to stand up despite the pain that I felt in my body. There was a pain in every part of my body, but I didn't let it get to me. If I had to be honest, the pain was killing me. This has been going on since last night! However, I have been enduring for god knows how long. I was fine...

At least, until I saw blood dripping from my legs. My hands began to tremble as I stared at it, bewildered by how it seemed a bit too enticing than it should. Everything that I saw in my dream began to get to me. It was annoying how it kept replaying inside my head, especially the part where Fuyumi transformed.

No...

I'm not Fuyumi. I don't want this. No, no. This is dangerous! Some people are coming here, and I don't want them to see me like this! What if they repulse me? It's bad enough that they saw me back when we were fighting in the sea. The way Kasai reacted kept replaying inside my head, almost making me feel like I was a monster.

I fell on my knees as I felt horns growing out of my head. When my paws turned into hands that looked like that of a demon's. The scales on my red skin looked hella strange to me for some reason. I am in Fuyumi's body, which made it a lot weirder than it already was. Oh, no. How would Freya react if she saw this? I wonder if she would hate it or love it.

But now isn't the time to let my homesickness get to me. Right now, I have to turn back to normal and make sure that one else would see this. Sure, they were Fuyumi's friends, but I feel like they don't have to see this. Maybe I am...ashamed. I don't know why, but there are certain feelings that are holding me back.

"Ivory!"

My life flashed before my eyes when I realized that the voice had come from behind. They're literally standing there, and the only thing that they can see right now is my back. But my heart was pounding so hard as I held onto my things, refusing to look back to let them see my current form. I looked at Fuyumi's portrait in front of me, horrified that she was reflecting the way I am right now.

"Fuyumi..." they called, almost sounding like a whisper.

"Leave."

"Fuyu-"

"No!" I shouted.

Maybe I was overreacting, or perhaps someone within me was pushing me to act like this, but there's one thing that I'm sure of. I'm not the one that's speaking right now. I wasn't the one who told them to leave, nor was I the one who shouted at them. And if I had to guess, it was the person in the portrait right now.

"Fuyumi...please..." I managed to say even though I couldn't find my voice.

"How...?" I heard Yuki asking, but I refused to look at her.

"Leave this place," that familiar voice echoed through the summit.

"No! What are you doing to Ivory?!"

"You think you're one to talk? Allow me to ask you a question...what exactly did you do to Ivory? Scylla? Charybdis?"

My breathing hitched because of what she said. There are plenty of things that I couldn't explain right now, and all I could do was stare at her portrait. It seemed like she was the one speaking, even though it wasn't actually moving. But how the hell...? Was I with a ghost all this time? Did she keep me company? Was she the one who showed me that dream? If she did it on purpose, why...?

"I did not do anything wrong! It was all for Artemia's sake!" Yuki replied.

"Artemia, Artemia, Artemia, Artemia, Your whole conversation is devoted to this topic. That means you may sacrifice your pals for the greater good of your cherished world?! All you have to do is accept that you want to be the one in charge. That is exactly why you are battling for it! Like your father, you're an avaricious swine!"

She's probably gritting her teeth so hard right now, starting to get mad at Fuyumi. This is not something that I expected. I thought she would apologize and even go down on her knees instead of shouting. My mouth went agape, afraid that Fuyumi would get mad as well. I gripped the hem of the dress I was wearing as I shut my eyes tightly.

"Fuyumi, are you...alive?" Enkai dared to ask.

"My life power is contained inside this mountain. It was most likely the reason why Ivory sought refuge in this place when the blood of my demonic tribe was revived," she replied, her tone was dripping with sarcasm.

"Reactivated...?"

"Yuki's barrier turned her away. Oh, allow me to restate it. Yuki, your oh-so-amazing barrier turned down both me and my blood."

I heard a gasp from behind, but I could no longer pay attention to that. Something was boiling within me, and I could feel my head throbbing like mad. A groan escaped from my mouth as I held onto it, gripping my hair as if it was going to reduce the pain that I was feeling. There were a few voices around me, but I couldn't comprehend what they were saying.

A pang of pain struck my heart, making me scream at the top of my lungs. It was as if something within me was being released, and it was killing me. An unfamiliar feeling of lust for something overwhelmed me. I kept shouting, crying for help, but I didn't know what I was supposed to do for the pain to disappear.

"Please...!" I shouted as tears continuously ran down my cheeks.

"Shh..." Fuyumi hushed me. She was hugging me from behind, holding my chin while trying to stop me from screaming. "Ivory, pay attention to what I am saying. Do not cry, and refrain from resisting. Continue to reject that droplet of blood, and it will devour you from inside. Accept it, and it will submit to your authority. Now, take a deep breath..."

I tried to do what she said. Tears were still falling, but I was trying to breathe properly. My head was still spinning, but it didn't hurt that much anymore. I paid attention to my breathing first, and I could hear Fuyumi whispering words to help me. I couldn't hear Yuki, nor could I comprehend what the twins were trying to tell me. The only person that I understood was Fuyumi.

"Now, embrace it..." she whispered after I got my breathing under control.

I gulped as I tried to stop myself from rejecting the demon that was residing within her. Now, I fully understand why it reawakened. It was because I expressed how displeased I am with the appearance that I took. But it's not that I was disgusted with it. I merely thought that it wasn't something that I would like to see every day.

A mirror appeared in front of me, showing me what I looked like. My mouth went agape when I realized that I didn't really look like a demon. Instead, I looked like Maleficent with red eyes. That was a bit unexpected! I take it back! This is something I would like to look at every single day. Heck, Fuyumi looks so pretty! So this is what Freya would look like if, by any chance, the Nekomata blood reawakens within her as well.

Suddenly, everything turned back to normal. It was as if nothing happened, making me feel like that was nothing but a dream. All I could do was stare in front of me, waiting for someone to wake me up from my reverie. I had to check my appearance to see if it returned to normal. And I did! The scales and claws were gone, and even the horns were nowhere to be found!

I heard a chuckle from behind after I finished checking. I looked back to try and see if Fuyumi was still there, but I couldn't find anything aside from a cold breeze. Oh, she actually left. And...did she appear just so she can help me? Even after I betrayed her beloved friends, Scylla and Charybdis. I thought she would have treated me with spite instead.

"Are you okay?" Yuki asked, checking my body to see my injuries. She began to panic when she saw lots of blood gushing out of my wounds, trying to heal them one by one.

"Yes, I am-"

"Why didn't you call for my name?" Enkai asked, looking upset. He sounded so betrayed, almost like he was about to cry. It goes without saying that you understand that I would never forsake you, right...?"

I looked down instead of answering him. Honestly, I don't know how to respond to his question. Maybe it was my ego that pushed me to run away instead of asking for help. I didn't want them to see me in my vulnerable state because it was something that I couldn't just let everyone see. That was...the real me.

They didn't force me to answer, but I am sure that Yuki knew my answer. Yuki didn't tell him, though. Instead, she remained quiet while healing me. It seemed like she wanted to say something to me, too...but she was cowering in fear. There was something going on with Yuki, and I don't think she's willing to tell me what it is. If she refuses to say, then so be it.

I sighed and stood up when I had finally recovered. Maybe it wasn't a good way to meet, but I was happy that I got to talk to her for a while. It seemed like she heard all of my apologies, and I don't think there are any hard feelings between us. In fact, she talked as if I were a friend that she had been with for a long time.

A smile escaped from my lips when I saw that the portrait was back to normal. She looked pretty either way, but she looked innocent when she didn't transform. Freya looks exactly like this when she plays dumb, but she often wears an expression that looks like that of Fuyumi's demon form.

Mm-hmm! Fuyumi's forms have two different expressions, which Freya can do on a normal day. Oh. Maybe I really miss Freya. That's a given considering how we've been together for years, and now we're suddenly apart...but this made me feel a bit more emotional.

I sighed and created a flower that was made out of snow. "Thank you. And goodbye," I said as I placed the flower on her memorial.

As I was about to leave, I heard her speak once again. "Ivory, don't let the sight of blood cause you to lose your bearings. You should avoid transforming in front of other people since it will raise a commotion and create chaos. Last but not least, you will be supported by Yuki's life power. Do not attempt to consume any living creature, or you will find yourself yearning for it all of the time. My mother...killed herself before she had the opportunity to transform into a monster."

My mouth went agape, and I looked back. "What..."