The sky was awash with an ominous crimson hue, and the ground sparkled with emerald specks of light. Everywhere I looked, there were strange shapes and forms, as if they had been pulled from the dreams of some far-off world. In the distance, mountains rose up like sentinels against the darkness.

 

I was trying to remember how I got here or even who I was. As I stumbled forward, my feet sinking into the soft red sand underfoot, I heard a voice whispering from the shadows.

 

"Ikazuchi..."

 

The voice was soft and sweet, like the tinkling of a music box. I turned towards it, my heart pounding in my chest.

 

The voice grew louder, more insistent.

 

"Ikazuchi, you have to come back to me."

 

I felt a sudden warmth spreading through my chest, and my memories came rushing back to me in a torrent. I remembered my sister, the bridge, and the chaos beasts. I remembered falling and Celestial Sonata holding me close.

 

"Mom?"

 

I turned towards the voice, and there she was, standing in a clearing just ahead of me. Her hair was the same raven black, and she had the same soft brown eyes.

 

She was dressed in a beautiful gown, like the dress of a princess, and she was bathed in a glimmering white light.

 

Tears came to my eyes as I ran towards her.

 

"Mom... I need you."

 

She opened her arms and wrapped them around me in a warm embrace, her sweet voice echoing in my ear.

 

"I always have been and always will be here for you, Ikazuchi. You know that."

 

A soft warmth and calm spread through my body.

 

"Everything will be alright."

 

I felt her hold me tighter.

 

"My little lightning. My little warrior."

 

"Mom," I mumbled into her shoulder. "I'm sorry I wasn't stronger."

 

She disintegrated in my arms, robbing me of her comfort. I fell to my knees as she faded away, and I could feel tears spilling out of my eyes and onto the soft red sand below me. I looked into the darkness, and there she was.

 

I felt the pain return tenfold, and I cried out, falling to the ground and bawling.

 

It hurt.

 

It hurt so much.

 

I wanted to run away.

 

I wanted to escape it all.

 

But I couldn't run.

 

I was a prisoner.

 

...

 

"So, shame about Izumi, huh?"

 

I looked up to see my mother — no, some that thing wearing her face perched on a boulder. It looked down at me and sneered.

 

"Looks like you're the only one left to carry on the legacy."

 

"No," I murmured. "No, she can't be dead."

 

It laughed.

 

"Well, no body no coffin, no coffin no funeral, no funeral no closure. But you know how it is, right?"

 

"Shut up," I hissed. "Just shut up. This really isn't a good time."

 

It laughed again, a cruel and cold sound that made me flinch.

 

I sank back down into the sand, pressing my face into the warm grains and wishing I could sleep forever.

 

I had died too.

 

I had died, and I couldn't get up.

 

It hopped down off the boulder and walked right up to me. Then, it lifted me up, tilting my head to look at it.

 

"Sorry kid, but you should've seen this one coming."

 

I growled at it, staring it in the eyes. "Stop wearing my mother's face. She's not here. She's not you. Don't you dare fucking talk to me right now."

 

"Oh, but are you so sure about that? That your mother is truly well and gone? Do you remember what happened the last few times you were here with me? She was here, and she didn't leave. Not until she was sure that you were going to be okay. And you know what? I'm here too. Don't you think that I'm gonna check up on you? You never know, I might just be me."

 

I felt a pang in my chest.

 

"Stop playing games with me," I said, my voice rising at the end of the sentence. The creature shook its head at me before tossing me to the ground.

 

"Come on, kid, but you're here for a reason. You and I both know that. You have work to do, and I've got some people waiting for you to show up. So get up, and get to work."

 

It kicked me in the side hard. I growled and turned over, pulling myself to my feet. I turned to look at it and saw that it had its arms crossed, its expression smug.

 

I glared at the creature wearing my mother's face. "What do you want from me?! Just let me grieve in peace, damn you."

 

The creature laughed again, "I want what I've always wanted. For you to self-actualize. You've inherited a legacy for grander than you can even comprehend. You have a power within you that can shape the world. But first, you need to be able to handle it."

 

I gritted my teeth, my fists clenching at my sides.

 

"I don't want any part of this. I just want my sister back," I said, my voice cracking as tears streamed down my face.

 

"I know, kid. I know. But we don't always get what we want. Sometimes we have to make sacrifices for the greater good. And your sister...well, maybe she's not gone forever. Maybe there's a way to bring her back. Maybe she washed ashore somewhere. Who knows? You didn't see her aura break, after all. It's just as likely she's still alive out there as she is to be at the bottom of the bay. But you need to be strong. You need to be willing to do what it takes until then."

 

I narrowed my eyes at it, trying to understand what it was saying. "What do you mean?"

 

"I mean, kid, that you have a choice to make. You can either wallow in your pain and let it consume you, or you can harness it. Use it to become stronger. Use it to become the person you were always meant to be."

 

I stared at the creature, the words sinking in. It was right, but now that I was here again, I had so many questions.

 

"...Who are you, really? None of that vague spirit guide bullshit. Last time you tried to make me remember what happened the day my mother died, and now you're trying to get me to embrace my destiny and the usual cliches. What does that even mean?"

 

The creature chuckled darkly, its eyes glinting with mirth.

 

"That's the million dollar question, isn't it? Who am I? What do I want? What do I gain from all of this?"

 

It leaned in close, its breath hot on my face.

 

"Isn't it a little convenient that a Duke-class Chaos Beast manifested so close to where your mother perished? Like it was almost waiting for you and your friends to arrive. That it was chasing after you and your cousin Midori even as it tore up the rest of the city?"

 

I took a step back, my eyes narrowing. "What are you getting at?"

 

The creature shrugged. "Look, you wouldn't be able to wrap your head around what I am even if I explained it to you. But what you need to know is that I have a vested interest in your success, and in the success of those who came before you. Your mother was only part of that briefly, and now it's your turn. I will tell you that I represent the will of humanity in a sense, and your late mother was the latest, faintest reflection of it to record itself on me."

 

I rubbed my temples, trying to make sense of what the creature was saying.

 

"The will of humanity?" I repeated. "What does that even mean?"

 

"A terrible power was tamed with the sacrifice of many lives, Ikazuchi. Your hallucinations, your visions, they're all a result of us reaching out to you. But it's up to you to control it, to use it for good."

 

I stared at the creature, feeling a weight settle on my shoulders.

 

"What do I even have to do? How did I get this power in the first place? I don't know if I can do this," I whispered, feeling overwhelmed.

 

The creature scratched its chin, staring down at me with gleeful fascination.

 

Then, it spoke, "You must remember what happened the the day your mother died. When the previous wielder of the power died alongside her, it was passed on to you. So long as you subconsciously reject and deny the events of that day, your power will remain dormant. But you have to face it, Ikazuchi. You have to remember, and you must accept it."

 

My mind raced as I tried to remember the day my mother died. It was a blur, and I couldn't piece together the events. But the creature's words made sense, and I knew I had to try.

 

"You've called yourself my spirit guide," I stated, my voice shaking. "What's next? What do I have to do to remember that day?"

 

The creature grinned, its eyes glinting with something I couldn't quite place. "Ah, that's the tricky part. You'll have to figure that out on your own. But I have faith in you, Ikazuchi. I know that you can do it."

 

Its face shifted before suddenly turning into the man who had appeared before me during my calculus exam. A man with a curly mane of dark hair, green eyes, and a red scarf. He wore thick boots, combat fatigues, and a leather jacket, and his demeanor was serious. It sharply contrasted with the persona the creature had just displayed to me.

 

"Seek out Dr. Rachel Feynman and uncover the fate of Dr. Alexei Zamir," he stated in a deep, authoritative voice. "They both possess knowledge that will help you on your journey. The answers you seek lie with the Second and Third Imperatore."

 

I stared at him, unsure of what to say. "Wait, what? The Rachel Feynman? And who's Doctor Alexei Zamir?"

 

The man smirked at me, his eyes glinting with amusement. "You'll figure it out, Ikazuchi. Once you do, everything will fall into place."

 

And then, just like that, he was gone. I was left alone with my thoughts in this surreal, dreamlike state. The weight on my shoulders grew heavier as I tried to process everything the creature had said.

 

I needed to remember the day my mother died. That much was clear. But how? And what did it have to do with Dr. Zamir and Dr. Feynman? My mind raced with questions, but I had no answers.

 

The world around me swirled and slowly faded and collapsed back into darkness.