Chapter 1 - Reincarnation (1)

~1.1~

*****

Why did it have to happen this way?

The sound of clanging steel rang out in the streets. Two women fought in a high-speed battle as the city around them burned, filling the night with an unnatural light. With every clash, a shockwave rumbled through the ruined city. One was a black-haired young woman around age eighteen, and the other a brown-haired woman in her thirties.

How?

“Is this all Sayaka Sakaguchi is capable of?” said the younger woman as they exchanged blows.

“Please stop this!” the older woman, Sayaka, cried. “Suzuka, I don’t want to hurt you!”

“Look at all I’ve done. Do you really think simply asking me would convince me to stop?”

How did you become like this, Suzuka?

Sayaka said nothing, responding instead with her sword. Suzuka parried attack after attack and found herself having a harder time countering as they went. Sayaka was a legend who had only ever faced defeat at the hands of one person. Sayaka was also one of Suzuka’s mothers and could not bring herself to attack in any way that would cause harm. All she could do was pressure the girl in hopes she would give up, but the girl only grew more determined.

“Like the denizens of this city, you will die!” Suzuka screamed. “You, Shiori, and every other person in this world! Everyone dies!”

Sayaka only sighed as she prepared to continue her attack, a tear in each eye.

Suzuka... my daughter...

“But, since you’re so insistent I’ll give you one opportunity to convince me otherwise. Go on, mother, give me your argument.”

Sayaka sighed again and closed her eyes as she began to gather her thoughts, a mistake that cost her dearly. The instant Sayaka closed her eyes, Suzuka teleported behind her and shoved her sword through her heart. Sayaka’s eyes burst open and focused on the blade sticking out of her chest. She coughed up blood as she dropped to her knees.

“Suzu...ka.”

Suzuka pulled her blade from Sayaka’s chest and the older woman fell over. She was dead before she hit the ground. Suzuka knelt down and closed the dead woman’s eyes. As she stood up, another woman appeared before her, one with the same black hair as her and around the same age as Sayaka. “You’re a bit late.”

The older black-haired woman looked at Sayaka for a moment, then at Suzuka. A great sadness welled up in her chest as she faced her daughter. “Aside us, there are no living beings in the entire city or the surrounding area.”

“And soon, that number will drop to one!” Suzuka rushed at the black-haired woman, but her attack was useless. The older woman caught Suzuka’s sword with her bare hand and crushed it effortlessly.

“You’ve been given chance after chance,” the older woman said, her tone neither cold nor angry. “Suzuka, why? After all my patience, after all the protection I’ve given you… why is this city in ruins, why are the people dead, and why is Sayaka dead?”

The girl laughed. “You care about all of those things and claim to have protected me… but what was I being protected from? On this entire planet, only my parents were capable of hurting me, be it physical or mental. You may not have done the former, but what of the latter?” She laughed again. “I suppose I’ll answer your questions before I do to you what I did to her. This city and the people suffer now because I’ve suffered for years. You stand for the people, but you did not stand for your daughter. I grew up resenting these people. I wanted your attention, too. I wanted her attention. You rarely spoke to me or even looked at me. You spent all your time improving the world. But for what end? And don’t say it was for me!”

“But it was for you.”

“Let me guess. You wanted a perfect world for me to live in? You missed your mark by a long shot.”

A tear rolled down the older woman’s face. “Yes. I failed you.”

“Ha! Tears. I relish in those. More, mother. Give me more! Look at the great Shiori Sakaguchi. Look at the world’s greatest failure! She who defeated the mad tyrant twenty years ago and strove to improve the world. In the end, you created a monster and couldn’t protect anyone.”

“Sayaka…”

“So, what now? You broke my weapon. I’ll have to go find another one and I guess I’ll just move on to the next city. Will you follow me? I’ll destroy this world one city at a time. If you’re anything like her… you-”

She was cut short. An enormous surge of mana appeared from Shiori that engulfed everything in a silvery white light.

“What is this?”

Shiori coughed up blood, and staggered a bit, but managed to stay on her feat.

“What are you doing?!” For the briefest moment, Shiori saw a small hint of concern in Suzuka’s eyes.

He has you in his grasp. No matter. My power will take care of that.

Countless magic circles appeared in the sky, each with a silvery white glow.

“Shiori!”

“Suzuka, I swear I will make this right. Someday your soul will be delivered to me in a future life. I will not fail you a second time. Sayaka and I will meet again, you will be born again, and we will be your parents again. I swear upon my true name, Elysia, that I will show you a good childhood, that you will grow up not wanting for attention. You are my daughter and I love you. I will not allow you to walk this dark path. Now go! The goddess will take care of you until we meet again.”

Suzuka’s eyes widened and she fell to her knees. She felt her body become numb and her mana fading away. Her eyes glazed over and she looked up. “M-mom... I...”

Shiori coughed up more blood and stumbled again, but caught herself. Hardening her expression, she dropped her sword and held her hands close together as if holding a sports ball. A small light appeared between them that soon transformed into a ring, then several rings, then much more complex shapes.

“<<Reorigination>>!”

The light intensified, and Suzuka felt weak. As the light grew, they could see less of each other. Before it was too much, Shiori smiled at her daughter. “I love you.”

*****

When she woke, she stood before the very goddess she had sent her daughter to see.

“Hello, Elysia.”

“Greetings, Eve,” she said with a fake smile. “I have died again.”

Eve sat upon a throne of pure white stone. She was leaning to one side with her head propped up on one hand and her legs crossed. The immediate area was an empty circular arena made of the same material. Beyond the area was an expanse of stars in all directions.

“Indeed, you have.” Eve’s eyes narrowed as she glared at Elysia. “I do not approve of your suicide, even if it was by casting Reorigination. Why go so far?”

Elysia looked away, her long white hair hiding her eyes from the rainbow haired and rainbow eyed woman. “Is it really suicide if I am standing here alive and well?”

Eve sighed. “That’s a long philosophical conversation.”

“Yeah... Well... I wasn’t about to stay in that world after what happened.” Elysia turned her head just enough to meet Eve’s eyes. “...what of Suzuka?”

“She is taken care of.” Eve paused for a moment and stood up. She walked up to Elysia, her rainbow eyes showing nothing but warmth. She dressed as if she ruled a nation. Her lavish silver dress clung to her skin, but she had a lack of jewelry. “Elysia, will you not abandon this course? Come home. You could-”

“No.” Elysia was still looking away. She was dressed in a white and gold form-fitting outfit that one would normally expect a king to wear. “I must keep going. I...” She fell to her knees, tears in her eyes.

Eve kneeled down and placed a hand on the blonde’s back. “My dear, please. Come home, even if only for a while. You deserve a break.”

Elysia hesitantly nodded her head. “Maybe a short vacation is in order.” She shook her head and clapped both her cheeks. “That life was more difficult than most. I met Maya there. Where is she now? I want to see her.”

Eve shook her head. “She’s already moved on to the next life. She left you a message, if you’d like to hear it.” Elysia nodded. “She said, ‘Shi-chan, I’m so sorry. I couldn’t stop Suzuka. I failed you and her. Elysia my love, please don’t wait for me. I... I’m sorry. I can’t bring myself to face you. I love you!’ and then asked to be placed into her next life.”

“Sayaka... Maya...” Elysia shook her head. “I...” She felt a hand wiping away the tears in her eyes.

“Elysia, please don’t go back into another mortal life. Stay here. If you stay, the others will stay.”

Elysia closed her eyes and grimaced. “How many of them are transmigrating now?”

“All of them. All of your peers have begun to live mortal lives.”

“I see.” Her eyes were full of sadness. “Will you not stop them?”

Eve shook her head. “Elysia, it’s their choice.” As Eve placed her hand on Elysia’s shoulder, the expanse of stars changed to an expanse of white stone architecture - a sprawling metropolis as far as the eyes could see. “Come, let’s return home for a while.”

Eve reached for Elysia’s hand and began to lead her away, but Elysia stopped and shook her head. “Send me away.”

“Elysia...?”

“Send me into the next life. I don’t care what kind of life it is, so long as I don’t remember who or what I am.”

Eve sighed. “This is not healthy for you. The burden on your soul will only grow heavier.”

“I don’t care!” Elysia cried. “I want to forget it all... at least for a while. It hurts too much.”

“Elysia...”

“I’m sorry. This is my choice.” Elysia crumpled to the floor and looked down. A few stray tears feel to the ground. “Just... please... send me away.”

*****

Revision: 11-30-2023