Fragments of Self
The clearing remained in tense silence, the air still charged with Zyon's energy. Akari trembled slightly—not from the cold or her wounds, but from the wave of emotions coursing through her.
Gotier (approaching cautiously):
"Akari… are you okay?"
She didn't answer immediately. Her hands still gripped her sword tightly, her eyes fixed on the emptiness where Zyon had vanished.
Zeke (murmuring):
"A Kugutsu… that powerful? How can something like that exist? I've seen Amok's human traits, but this was entirely human."
Kaien (folding his arms):
"It's not just power. He had… consciousness."
Yuzuki (staring intently at Akari):
"He was part of her. An extension of Akari's soul."
Yuzuki's words made Akari raise her eyes. Her breathing was heavy, but she found the strength to speak:
Akari (whispering):
"He… was always there. Always."
She fell to her knees as if the weight of truth had finally caught up with her. Gotier immediately rushed to help, but Akari raised a hand, asking for space.
Akari:
"Don't touch me."
Gotier (hesitant):
"You need rest, Akari. You're wounded…"
Akari (interrupting):
"This isn't about wounds. Not right now."
She looked around at everyone, her voice growing firmer:
Akari:
"I need to understand what this means. He wasn't just a protector. He was my pain, my anger… everything I repressed for years."
Kaien (raising an eyebrow):
"And now that you know this, what do you intend to do?"
Akari was silent for a moment, thinking.
Akari:
"I'm going to face him."
Zeke (confused):
"What do you mean 'face him'? He's gone!"
Yuzuki (intervening):
"No. He didn't completely disappear. Zyon is inside her. He always was. But now that she's acknowledged him, there's a balance to be found."
Gotier (shaking his head):
"That sounds like… madness. She's already exhausted!"
Akari (rising slowly, leaning on her sword):
"Whether it's madness or not doesn't matter. Zyon is part of me. If I don't understand what he means, I'll never be able to move forward."
Yuzuki stepped forward and placed a hand on Akari's shoulder.
Yuzuki:
"If that's what you need to do, then we'll help you."
Akari (shaking her head):
"No. This is my fight. Zyon is my burden… and my strength."
The group hesitated, but the determination in Akari's eyes made them step back.
Kaien (with a sigh):
"You're stubborn. Always have been."
Gotier:
"But that doesn't mean we'll abandon you."
Zeke (forcing a nervous smile):
"If anything goes wrong, we'll be here."
Akari gave a brief nod of thanks, her eyes still fixed on the void.
Akari (thinking):
"Zyon… I don't know what you really are, but I will find out."
While the group broke camp to rest, Akari slipped away to a secluded spot. She sat beneath a tree, closed her eyes, and tried to organize her thoughts.
Memories of her childhood began to surface again: the loneliness, the contemptuous gazes, the cold… and then, Zyon.
He was there when no one else was. When she thought she could not survive, he appeared—silent, yet present. Now, she understood why.
Akari (murmuring):
"You were the only thing I had left."
A breeze drifted through the clearing, and for a moment she felt as though she were being watched.
The First Encounter with Zyon
In that instant, the world around her shifted. The dark forest vanished, replaced by a misty, empty landscape. Akari looked around, confused.
Akari (shouting):
"Where am I?"
Zyon (emerging from the fog):
"Inside yourself."
She took a step back as he reappeared. This time, he held no chainsaw‑sword. He seemed calmer, almost human.
Akari:
"Why have you returned?"
Zyon:
"I never left. You just weren't ready to see me fully."
Akari:
"You… are part of me?"
Zyon (nodding):
"I am everything you have repressed. Your scars, your anger, your pain… but also your strength."
Akari swallowed hard, her mind racing to comprehend it all.
Akari:
"And why now? Why reveal yourself?"
Zyon:
"Because you are finally ready to accept who you truly are."
Their conversation continued as Akari delved deeper into her own psyche to understand the connection they shared. Outside, the group sensed something was happening. Akari's aura began to shift—more stable, yet still intense.
Yuzuki watched from afar, worry and hope etched on his face.
Yuzuki (thinking):
"If she can conquer this, perhaps we will finally understand the true power she holds."
The Truth Within Me
The misty landscape surrounding Akari seemed to vibrate as she stared at Zyon. His presence was overwhelming, yet there was something familiar and comforting about him.
Akari (with courage):
"If you are part of me, why did you always act as if you were someone separate?"
Zyon (calmly):
"Because you were not ready to accept the weight of what we carried together. I was your shield, Akari. Your protection against everything you could not bear."
Akari clenched her fists, feeling anger and sorrow surge simultaneously.
Akari:
"You hid me from myself. You decided for me!"
Zyon (stepping forward):
"I did what was necessary for you to survive. You had no strength back then. But now… you do."
Akari (shouting):
"And why do you think you had the right to decide that?!"
The mist around them swirled in response to her fury. Zyon remained unshaken, his crystalline eyes fixed on her.
Zyon:
"I'm not here to fight with you, Akari. I'm here to help you understand."
Akari (challenging):
"Then show me!"
Zyon extended his hand, and the surroundings shifted again. Now Akari stood in her old home within the Alcali clan—her injury-ridden sanctuary of herbs, the creaking wooden floors, memories of tranquil nights…
Akari (looking around):
"Why have you brought me here?"
Zyon:
"Because this is where you began to build your strength. This is the place where you chose to survive, even when the whole world abandoned you."
She saw her ten‑year‑old self sitting at a table, watching Zyon prepare a simple meal. The scene was both painful and comforting.
Akari (whispering):
"I was so… weak."
Zyon (turning to her):
"You were a child. And yet, you never gave up."
Suddenly, the scene changed again. She found herself in a narrow alley, merchants screaming as young Akari was beaten for stealing food. Zyon was absent, but the memory's pain was intense.
Akari (closing her eyes):
"I hate this. I hate all of it!"
Zyon (approaching):
"And it was in that hatred that you found a reason to fight. Not for vengeance. But to survive."
The visions continued to shift, replaying moments of her life she had long forgotten or repressed. Each scene highlighted how Zyon had quietly protected her as she grew.
Finally, Akari faced Zyon once more, her hands trembling as she gripped her sword.
Akari:
"I understand. You protected me because I couldn't. But now… I must take control."
Zyon (smiling gently):
"That's what I wanted to hear."
He then began to dissolve into particles of light, his form drifting away.
Zyon (his voice echoing):
"I was never truly separate from you, Akari. I am part of who you are. And now, you are ready to be whole."
The light particles coalesced around Akari, and she felt a surge of energy coursing through her—every emotion, memory, and pain merging into something greater.
Outside, the group watched anxiously as Akari remained motionless, surrounded by a radiant aura.
Gotier:
"What's happening to her?"
Zeke (nervously):
"This looks dangerous."
Yuzuki (calm but vigilant):
"She's facing herself. And winning."
The light around Akari gradually faded, and she opened her eyes. Something within her had changed—her stance was unwavering, her expression resolute.
Akari (in a firm voice):
"I understand."
Kaien (curiously):
"Understand what?"
Akari:
"Zyon was part of me. He always was. And now, I accept it."
She turned to Yuzuki, new fire in her eyes.
Akari:
"Thank you for taking me to my limit. Now I know what I must do."
Yuzuki (with a small smile):
"That's exactly what I hoped to hear."
Preparing for the Future
With Zyon fully integrated into her being, Akari felt more powerful and at peace than ever—yet new questions arose: Why was Zyon such a unique Kugutsu? And what did this mean for the battles still to come?
As the group packed up to continue their journey toward the City of Chagas, Akari gazed at the horizon, knowing that true challenges were only just beginning.
Akari (thinking):
"No matter what comes, I am no longer running away."
Despite the weight of Zyon's revelation, their path was clear: uncover Mr. Kitty's whereabouts and confront the Church of Faith responsible for Gotier's family's murder.