Brynhildr Aria

Chapter Ten: Astral Dogma

Chapter Ten: Astral Dogma

When I returned to the real world, I returned hard. I woke up screaming and flailing like a pig about to be slaughtered. Seishirou's hands clamped around my shoulders, pinning me in place. "Yuki, stop it! It's okay, calm down!" I froze, ending my thrashing fit, and stared up at the Kamui, gazing into his evergreen eyes. "I...I don't know...what happened...I saw things...bad things...it was all in your memory...not just your memories...but mine too..."

I sat up, rubbing my aching head, and Seishirou lightly drew me into his embrace. "Yes. I know." I felt his arms wrap around my small form, but there was more than that. Several arms, dozens of writhing appendages coiling their ghostly grip around me. They were all vectors emerging from his back, at least 50 of them. I had never seen them like that before. Usually he only brought them out to fight, and even then they were only visible for a split-second. He may have held me gently, but when I looked into his eyes, all I saw was intense, burning rage.

"Yuki, are you alright?" Kosagi asked. "You were...kind of dead for a while there." I glanced down at my chest. The bloody hole had been sealed up completely by clean, new skin, as though it had never been there to begin with. The only traces left were the blood stains on my dress and the massive tear down the middle. "It...it's totally healed. What happened?"

"I had to eject you in order to keep your spirit protected," Seishirou explained. "In your state, you were practically dead, and you would have stayed dead if I hadn't tucked you away. Separating the soul from the body speeds up the regeneration process and keeps you from dying completely. I know you saw a lot of things you didn't want to see...and I'm sorry. But it was the only choice I had." I shook my head. "N-no, it's not that...I just...I know I came from you, but still...I'm just a Brynhildr...I'm not even your real daughter. I don't understand...why would you go through so much...for me?"

Seishirou sighed. "Because you were the only person I ever loved. I loved my daughter, and I wanted to see her grow up, but I couldn't. I let her die, and there is nothing I can do to bring her back. I will never forgive myself for that. But you...you were different. Yuki...to me, you were a like lovely dream in a life that's been nothing more than a nightmare. Those days that I spent with you on the Admirabilis...they were the only happy days I have ever known, and I cherish them. I wish I never had to wipe them away."

"You're not like me. Brynhildr are weak. You wither and you die. You can spend the rest of your life with me...but I can't spend the rest of my life with you. I...I just couldn't accept that. All this time, I've wanted to tell you how sorry I am for leaving you behind. I traveled the universe and fought armies just to have that chance...but now...I don't know what to say. I wanted you to forget everything, so nothing could ever come between us. For all the sadness I've caused you...I'm sorry...I'm so sorry."

I frowned. Tears welled up in my eyes, and my lips quivered. My voice became low and choppy. "It...it's okay...it's not your fault...this whole time, you were only trying to protect me, and I never knew...I feel so stupid. I know what happened to you...and I know life's been hard for you. You didn't deserve that...any of it. I wish I could have done something. Seishirou...I...I love you..."

I threw my arms around him and dragged myself up, pressing my lips against his. I kissed him like I would never feel the touch of his lips again. I didn't care about what happened back then. None of it mattered anymore. All that mattered now was getting through this together.

After I broke away, Seishirou stood up and helped me to my feet. "You two finished?" Elijah muttered. "Come on, we gotta keep moving. Loki's not just gonna give up. Next time we see him...we're ending this."

"It's going to be a long way to reach Asgard," Kuina added. "We should get a head start now. The Yggdrasil...it seems to be humming."

I didn't know what she meant by that, but Seishirou gave no response other than a sour look and a raised eyebrow, so we opted to get a move on before the Overlord and his Hellhounds returned.