Endless Rain
Part 83: The dying light
19th of May, 2009
© Kitty Ocean

The lightning cracked through the sky, as rain poured down. Tebok rushed into the tent, after his midnight ‘excursion’, hoping he’d be still dry…somewhere. But alas, the valley knew no mercy and the man was simply soaked.
He quickly changed clothes and then moved at a curtain. Behind the curtain, the Lady of the Sendo was still fast asleep. “If I was certain you wouldn’t hear me, I’d speak freely…” Tebok mumbled. He didn’t even allow himself to think! What if his mistress could pick up his real thoughts? No, they were no real thoughts. They were options. Tebok was a strategist at heart and strategists always have their options open. Always looking for a way to gain more than intended, this man would not hesitate to kill this sleeping young woman, if he was certain it gained him Lordship, as well as safety. Yes, he would be Lord, blaming it on the Mikomi, or an innocent farmer who was nearby, but what would guarantee him Lana would not haunt him, or worse?
No, unless he had that certainty, killing was not an option. There were other ways for him to get more power.
All of a sudden, Tebok heard something faint. He walked towards the sound and discovered soft humming. A faint glow was coming from the side and… wait, those were the four Hikari Crystals! They were all locked within their glass prisons, put there by Alika, but they had been silent and dark ever since Tebok gained them. How was it possible they started to glow dimly and hum? Was it because Tebok was near them? Was it because he had become The Key, by gathering them and owning them? Would that mean he could touch them?
“What in Afrian’s name is going on…?” Tebok whispered uneasy.

‘Good, good.’ Lana thought. ‘Lose your confidence. The Key only wants to be with strong people; if you lose your confidence, the Crystals become lost and un-united. The first who unites them then, being dark or light, can use them… Layou will be free then!’
‘Hitori, don’t be sad!’ One of the Siren Fairies tried to comfort her. ‘Hitori is smart!’
‘Hitori will win!’ A cheerleading Fairy jumped up and down. “Come on girls!”
Seven gathered together, all wearing cheerleading uniforms. “Hitori! Hitori! You can do it, Lana will see! Kick her hard, kick her fast, Lana will be the last!” Six of them cheered energetically and at the same time.
“… will be the last…” A seventh fairy, who couldn’t keep up with the other ones ended.
Lana observed the Lady of the Mikomi. Her eyes were far away, but Lana could see them clearly. “You want to get out, don’t you?” She whispered to herself. “You regret the day you took the throne, you regret your quest for the Crystals. If it was up to you, you’d end it all and join your pathetic beloved right now… let’s see if I can push you over that edge!”
“I can’t be The Key…” Hitori whispered. “The Key needs a strong host and I am a mere weak girl. I can’t fight it’s pressure any longer!”
“Don’t fight it!” A Siren Fairy patted on her shoulder. “Become one with it!”
“I don’t want to become The Key.” Hitori admitted. “I want to be Hitori, just Hitori. Not Lady of the Mikomi, not The Key, not the one all depend on… I just want to be Hitori…”
“Then why don’t you pick that fate then?” Lana grinned. “You know how to end this all. All that is needed, is a little jump. Then it will all be over. No more Lady, no more Crystals, just Hitori.”

‘… fate…’

Hitori looked up. “Isn’t that what you want? Everyone is being so selfish; they all want you to be someone else. That old idiot wants you to be a Lady, that blond twit wants you to be some sort of key, that kid wants you to be his wife… And don’t get me started on those three copies!”
“No, don’t listen!” Two Siren Fairies tried to plug Hitori’s ears with their little hands. “Lana is being mean again!”
“Yeah, you have to have faith in yourself!” Another Fairy fluttered before her.

‘… faith…’

“Is that piece of glowing rock worth it? I think not!” Lana laughed. “It can open up a rainbow; woohoo! Nobody can walk on rainbows, not even the gods! It’s just light, coming through raindrops, nothing magical. You’ll only be disappointed.”
Hitori didn’t look at Lana. She looked at the ground. Was this all worth it? What if the Crystals didn’t do a thing? Then all the tests, the losses… it would not be worth it. Everyone would be angry with her, having lost all will to live.
And Shuhan… He’d turn away from her, never visiting her again in her dreams. His disappointment in her; she’d never be able to face it. If she lost his love…
And Hana… Hana… why did she think about her all of a sudden? She expected to see Hana’s sad, disappointed face… but all Hitori could remember, was Hana’s smile. Her long blond hair, dancing around her cheerful face.
Hana was younger in her memory and Hitori felt like this was not really a memory, but that she was actually there.

“Hitori, don’t be sad!” The little Hana smiled at the grown Hitori. “You always look so serious!”
“But I have to help Lord Shuhan.” Hitori replied, flickering in both her adult and child form. “I have to protect him from the Sendo!”
“Hitori, smile!” Hane laughed and stretched out her hand. “Lord Shuhan doesn’t like sad girls.”
“But…” The hand that took Hana’s hand went from big to small and big again.
The little Hana pulled Hitori along. “You can help Lord Shuhan by being happy.” Hana laughed. “Lord Shuhan likes happy girls!”
“I have to protect him; I have to protect the village.” Hitori wanted to let go, but couldn’t. “I have to…”
Hana stopped and turned around, flickering in both her adult form and her child form. “Smile, Hitori.” Hana said with two different voices. “You can’t help anyone if you’re sad. Believe in yourself. Believe in your heart. Have faith in fate…”

“The only way out, is down there.” Lana pointed into the ravine below. “You know that! Just end your misery, I know you have the strength to make that choice.”
Hitori snapped up from her vision; what just happened? Was it a memory? Yes, that conversation actually happened… both in her far away past and in her recent past. Hana… she always managed to cheer Hitori up; she always knew what to do.
Hana was always right.

The Siren Fairies huddled together, worried about what would happen. ‘That’s it, leave her!’ Lana smiled. ‘Leave her all alone! Just one more push and…’
“You poor little child.” Lana had a low dark voice. “You actually thought that Lord Shuhan loved you? He was so much older than you were…  He prefers women of his age, he told me that himself. His fingers on my skin, his lips…”
Hitori snapped up, looking at Lana with tears in her eyes. ‘Yes!’ Lana grinned. ‘This is it! Jump, little twit, jump!’
Hitori did one step back.
Her eyes, locked on the woman that claimed Shuhan and she had an intimate relationship.
Hitori had made her choice.

The blue haired girl ran towards the ravin, taking a jump, spreading her arms and… plunged into the darkness below.
“YES!” Lana cheered. “She’s DEAD! I KILLED her! I killed the Lady of the Mikomi; I killed The Key! The Hikari Crystals are mine, MINE!”
All of a sudden, an earthquake went through the valley, rumbling like a raging herd of elephants, letting the Lady of the Sendo lose her balance. She screamed, protecting herself from the flying stones, noticing the reality was crumbling apart.
From the centre of the ravine, a small crystal started glowing like never before. Blinding the rotten Lady, Lana could barely see any more.
Yet, she vaguely saw a figuring; tall, with blond hair and a pink gown. She couldn’t see it, but the smile was there.

“Thank you.” Lana could vaguely hear. “For showing her the way out…”