Capítulo 62: Away from the Forgotten
Asahi's vision quickly returned. He found himself located among a bizarre, cob-web-infested area.
"I can't believe it..."
He turned his head to the right and saw Kali crawl toward him. Just by looking at her face, he could see a look of nervousness and fear in her. With a soft voice, she lightly asked.
"A-Are you okay? What happened?"
Asahi's heart jumped. He was startled by Kali's abrupt arrival. But soon after, he calmed down and took a deep breath. As he felt the cold ground of the cavern touch his bottom, Asahi responded to Kali in a quiet tone.
"Yes, I'm fine. It was just a bad memory, that's all. So, anyway, did you take us here?"
Kali shrugged her shoulders and sighed. She was just as lost as Asahi.
"No, unfortunately."
They began to analyze their surroundings. They saw hot pink crystals bestrew around a gray crevice; stalagmites hung from the ceiling, cobwebs scattered from left to right, and a stream flowed behind them.
To no surprise, Asahi and Kali were still inside the cavern.
As Kali was about to tell Asahi, her cyan eyes gasped, her heart jumped, and she swiftly slid away from him. There was a genuine look of horror in her eyes.
"Asahi!"
"What?" He replied as he brushed the dust off from his attire.
"The fur thing on your shoulder, it's missing!"
He slowly tipped his head to his shoulder and caught nothing but his shoulder and the remains of his arm brace on him.
At that brink of a moment, his heart raced, his body trembled, and his palm started to sweat. He thought that he had lost something valuable. As he pushed himself up, Asahi worriedly asked.
"Where did it go?"
Kali shrugged her shoulders, turned her head behind, then felt a warm furry texture brush against her foot. The sensation almost caught herself to giggle and move.
"Haha! Stop it! It... t-tickles!"
Asahi scratched his head and squinted at Kali. As she tried to move away, Asahi grabbed her hand and faintly whispered with a careful tone.
"Don't move..."
Kali Leila nodded her head and sat there paralyzed. Asahi turned his head toward Kali's foot, and then, from the disbelieving look on reflection on his crystal gray eyes, a beautiful celestial black cat emerged from the darkness.
The kitten had dark fluffy fur and a star-like pattern. Its eyes were crystal blue and black, its size was tiny, it had round pointy ears, and its body was slim.
The appearance on its fur was black and white, just like the pattern on Asahi's attire.
As the kitten slowly walked toward him, Asahi bent his head down to it a bit his lip. The look on his face couldn't have been happier. He saw the kitten's tail move back and forth, with a smile in between its tiny whiskers.
Asahi whispered to it with a trembling voice.
"Ames... is that.... really you?"
Without hesitation, the kitten rubbed its head against Asahi's face, purred, and smiled. After all these years, Ames was still alive.
Asahi slowly grabbed Ames and lifted it up. The size of him was small enough to fit on Asahi's hand. He smiled and lightly chuckled while he saw Ames' black and blue eyes stare back at him. His dark fluffy fur rubbed against Asahi's palm like a soft cotton ball.
As the tiny Ames wagged its tail, Asahi gently whispered to him.
"It's been such a long time since you were awake. You don't know how lonely it was without you. I... can't believe that you're alive. I thought you lost your life when our powers were gone."
It smiled and purred. Then Ames carefully hopped off of Asahi's hand, and his soft dark paws lightly tapped the floor. Suddenly his body gradually glowed white.
Ames' bright silhouette then grew from its tiny size to its normal size.
Yet the adorable factor within Ames still remains. Kali's eyes couldn't do anything but stare in awe seeing the cute kitten lying near Asahi.
She couldn't believe that the soft object wrapped around Asahi's neck was the celestial cat she sees now.
Despite the location they were in, Asahi felt comfortable here. He felt warm and cozy, with Ames resting on his lap. It's as if it wasn't long before they met. He always wondered why Ames couldn't come out.
As Asahi gently petted Ames' soft black fur, he calmly said in a soft voice.
"This is your original form, isn't it? I understand... it's been a while since you were with me. I guess you're in this form because of the duration you have been in slumber, isn't it Ames?"
Ames continued to purr and wag its long dark tail; He was delighted to finally be in this form, thus showing that he enjoys being with Asahi.
As Asahi and Ames peacefully rested and fibbed against the natural wall, Kali slowly approached them and glared at the kitten. She then politely asked as she reached for Ames.
"Is it okay... if I can pet him?"
Asahi unhurriedly lifted his hand from Ames then replied to Kali with a gentle tone and warm smile.
"Yes, you're safe to pet him. He will not do anything terrible; Ames is friendly."
Kali lightly giggled, smiled, and then gently placed her warm hands against Ames' soft dark fur. Ames' ears pointed up, his eyes lightly shut, and he purred as Kali's fingers rubbed against his back.
As the droplets fell down on Asahi's face, he lightly whispered while he saw Ames smile.
"Haha, you like that, don't you, Ames?"
Ames' purrs grew louder, and his tail continued to smoothly wag.
Kali slowly rubbed Ames' chin. She turned to Asahi and asked as the cavern continued to hum and whistle.
"So, that fur object that was on your shoulder was actually this cat? I do have to say, he's pretty... just like you, Asahi."
Asahi's face warmed up and turned to a bright red. He thought that was an attempt to flatter him, but in truth, Kali just wanted Asahi to feel better and forget what happened previously. He scratched the back of his head and unceasingly reacted.
"Yeah, Ames had many forms. The only reason he is in this form is that this was Ames' origin identity. Just like me and everyone else, Ames was small in the beginning."
Kali smiled and shut her eyes.
"Aww, that's cute. Why couldn't Ames always be in this form?"
Asahi shook his head and sighed. He couldn't believe he had to say this, yet he responded.
"Because currently he is weak, and so am I. A long time ago, I heard my father say that Ames has two forms. The Fur and The Cat. The Fur is when Ames is at its lowest and used for traveling, while The Cat is his true identity. I don't really notice it because no matter what form Ames is in, he would mostly stay near me."
Kali nodded and smiled. She was too stunned to even realize that Asahi ever had this specimen on his shoulder. She couldn't believe that Asahi could act like this, especially after the village.
While their voices resound over the hallow walls of the cavern, suddenly Ames leaped off of Asahi's lap and stared at something behind them.
"Asahi, behind you!" Kali screamed.
He swiftly tilted his head and saw large dark creatures with eight legs slowly creeping on the floor and the ground. The monsters never had eyes, only their bodies.
Kali pivoted her feet away from its path and pulled out her mask from her pocket. Asahi prepared and summoned his sword out from the luminance of his side, then turned his vision toward Ames.
"Ames, where are you going?!"
Just as the spiders could reach Asahi and Kali, Ames swiftly scratched and struck its sharp claws through the spiders' legs and pushed it into the air.
Kali's eyes widened in awe.
"Your pet can do that?"
Asahi formed a slight grin on his face and nodded.
"Of course. There's no need to use our blades."
Then, as they unsheathed their weapons, Ames jolted toward the ground and unleashed a large beam of white through the creatures' bodies. Immediately, all of them vanished and blasted into dust.
Asahi quiveringly mumbled.
"Ames, I can't believe it... you have a smidge of your power."
Ames nodded his head and waggled its long black tail side to side. He knew he could use this power; however, it would tire Ames if he continued to abuse it. Even he had intelligence.
As Asahi and Kali sped across the halls of the cavern, Ames' eyes swiftly transformed into white. The radiant glow pushed through the darkness and illuminated their path.
"Thanks, Ames!" Asahi yelled with an exuberant tone.
Ames precipitously hopped on Asahi's shoulder and clung its paws onto his body. They sensed a tremor from within the cavern as they flew toward the left. Asahi tightly seized Kali's hand, accelerated their pace, and hollered to her.
"Just hold my hand!"
Kali's face heated up as she felt Asahi's hand touch against her palm. Even she couldn't control her attraction to herself. As they leaped over a ruined wall, Kali yelled back.
"Okay!"
Boulders collapsed, stalagmites flew, and crystals busted. Their footsteps echoed over the entirety of the cavern. Asahi and Kali pant heavily. But then, just as they thought they were done for, they saw a natural arch-shaped passage filled with light behind it.
"I see it! Come on, Kali, this way!"
Kali gradually increased her pace and sprinted across the cavern as fast as she could. She and Asahi sidestepped numerous flying debris.
As they stepped on the worn rock, they hurriedly lunged themselves over the falling stone and tumbled onto the grass.
They turned toward the cavern's entrance and saw the boulders all piling up in front of the opening like a massive trash heap.
As the dust settled, they heard birds sing and the faint howls of the wind.
The moment was over; at last, they were back outside. As the wind blew on their faces, Asahi asked while he panted heavily.
"Are you alright?"
Kali slowly nodded her head, grabbed her mask, and replied while she slid it back to her pocket.
"Y-Yeah... I'm fine. I-Is Ames safe?"
Just as they were about to panic, they saw Ames lying against the grass near a tree trunk. His tail was down, and his paws were touching a small stone. Asahi and Kali released a sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness..."
Then, they fainted in exhaustion and fell to the ground; then seized the control of their arms and legs to the grass.
After time passed by, Asahi's eyelids parted. He tilted his head toward his shoulder and felt a fluffy sensation rub against his skin. He slowly lifted his head and saw a celestial kitten snooze against his shoulder.
"Ames?"
He purred and wagged his tail from side to side. Ames' paws gently pressed against Asahi's chest. He felt a warmth linger in his heart when he saw Ames resting. It almost made him forget what had happened before.
As Ames continued to purr, Asahi slowly leaned to him and whispered to himself.
"Ames, I forgot that you could be so adorable. I suppose you really never abandoned me after all."
Ames' pointy ears lifted up; a small smile formed on his face with his gray whiskers dangled down. The motion on its tail wagged faster and smoother.
As Kali awakened, Asahi quickly told her.
"Shhh..."
Kali shook her head and didn't bother to question why. She quietly leaned her head above Ames and gave a wide grin.
While they saw the cute cat rest, delight sprung up their hearts. Ames was just too adorable to ignore.
While they stared at Ames, suddenly Asahi remembered.
"Aletha. She's still missing! We have to go find her!"
Kali nodded her head and began sprinting down a hill toward the forest. As Asahi followed her with Ames on his shoulder, they heard a loud yell from behind.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Ths voice sounded robotic and human. Asahi and Kali refused to turn back, but then they heard...
"Is Aletha who you want?! If so, turn around and look at me!"
Asahi and Kali tremblingly turned their heads behind and saw a tall figure covered in black armor, gears, switches, and a purple visor slowly approach them with a strange-shaped weapon held in his hand.
With them knowing who this was, Asahi and Kali quiveringly mumbled.
"Tear."
Asahi swiftly grabbed Kali's hand and pulled her out from Tear's path. Just before they could flee, a faint lavender luminance shone on Asahi's face, then a massive purple laser struck Asahi on the chest.
He ruthlessly got knocked into the air, then slammed near a tree. Kali's eyes shrunk, and there was no other reaction but…
"ASAHI!"
Tear quickly snapped his fingers and levitated Kali as if she was just a thin sheet of paper. Then, he spoke.
"This forest has been corrupted, and so have you. Was your actions at the fault of something, or perhaps it was only from out of the blue?"
Asahi's eyes trembled in fear. For the first time, he felt like he should flee. He had memories of Tear's actions; Blatantly demolishing the one thing that this nation cherished. As Ames hissed behind his neck, Asahi slowly tried to back away from Tear and muttered.
"Y-You stalked… me?"
Tear nodded and pierced his blade through the ground.
"Well, of course. I am an individual, a descendant from a corruption far from beyond. Your precious sister is hopeless now."
Despite the negative flags that rose from Tear, Kali had the bravery to support Asahi in a confident, loud voice.
"I'm sure that white-haired girl is strong enough to fend for herself. If Asahi is strong, brave, and confident in front of me and others… then I know that his twin sibling can do the same!"
" Ah, daring today, aren't we? Well, if that is what you want…."
Just before Kali could realize it, she got tossed into the air and pummeled by Tear's strong metal gauntlets. Though she felt pressure pushing down to her skull, it was her determination that made her get up.
"Get off of me!"
Kali pulled out her two daggers and forcefully kicked Tear away from Kali. She then struck the robotic individual, starting with his arms, toward his torso. Though she was dependent on Asahi, Kali still had the strength to fend for herself.
As the luminescent glow from Kali's daggers shone and scratched the steel surface of Tear, Asahi hopelessly watched and realized.
"Perhaps, I should start to depend on others from now on? I… don't seem to have my powers, and it feels strange to not use them. But if I ever want to survive in my own world, I need to protect and learn about individuals. I need to look through the eyes of mortals and learn their ways. Or else… I would have no one to defend my sister and me."
He knew he realized, and he accepted.
Ames swiftly leaped away from Asahi's shoulder and struck Tear with his bear claws as he was getting up. A large silhouette of a much larger 'cat' was seen, pushing and getting shoved from Tear.
There were visible claw marks stained in the air behind each movement he made.
However, as Ames' claws were near Tear's helmet, Tear formed a magical purple light beam and struck the wild cat through their stomach.
It whined and fell to the floor, limping and mewling with a gaping hole within the center of their stomach. Asahi's eyes widened; he dreadfully screamed with tears flying in his eyes.
"NO!"
He quickly stood back up and sprinted toward Ames. Asahi was about to pick him up; Kali ran toward it and hovered her hand over Ames' wound. Tear stepped and pushed Asahi's face to the ground and prepared to blast him with a laser.
As Tear inflicted pain on Asahi, he began speaking.
"There was a sole purpose on why I annihilated your 'precious' fountain. No object is worthy of being praised, regardless of its history. Only the person should, and that's what you should realize. Drowning in greed leaves no good."
He kicked Asahi out of the crater and punched him with a heavy metal gauntlet. Though the attacks were strong, Asahi didn't split into crimson just from the hits alone. Perhaps there was more protection to Asahi than meets the eye.
After all, he was… a god.
The air was poisoned with black fumes, the forest was drowned with surreal noises of roars of a wild cat and the screams of a girl. The faint rays of the sunlight were blocked by an intoxicating dark mist and drew concern to the others in the distance.
He crawled, wept, and questioned. Asahi tremblingly cried as his face got covered in dirt.
"Ames, Kali… where…. Where are you?"
He was lost, afraid, and terrified. Though he presented himself as a rugged individual in front of everyone, his true self was nothing like that. Asahi knew that act wasn't by him. It oddly reminded him of someone he met a long time ago. However, he couldn't take a proper grasp of it.
"Help… help… help…."
Asahi never realized how hard it was to be like a mortal. With no powers, no magic, no followers, no blessings, he felt like a soulless and helpless husk. As he was on the ground, Asahi depended on what he loved the most. He cried.
"Ames… please…"
Ames was the one who truly understood Asahi. He was a gift. He followed Asahi from birth all the way to the present, who always loved to protect his master. Ames was just like any other person; it had feelings.
As the dust filled the air, a small silhouette of an animal swiftly approached Asahi's fatigued hand.
He faintly formed a smile as he felt the softness of Ames' fur rest on his hand. Asahi then placed his face against the dirt and shut his eyes. It was time for his needed rest.
While the faint sounds of the smoke and the whines of Ames filled Asahi's ear, he felt himself get dragged then felt his face rub onto someone's back.
"H…Huh?"
He heard grunts, struggles, and humming from below. Though he couldn't see who it was, just by the calm singing alone, Asahi knew that the one carrying them was...
PENSAMENTOS DOS CRIADORES 
Sunny_Shad0w
Sunny_Shad0w With 2021 coming to an end, 2022 begins. A New Year.
With loneliness vanishing, a new partner arrives.
17 chapters left...
(Arc II)
Presentes
-- Presente
recebido Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder