Chapter 57 - The Voice Within

When she regained her conscious, all that she could is nothing but endless darkness. Everything surrounding her is all pitched black; she couldn't even see her own hands. She keeps on looking around, perhaps looking for a way to exit this dark world. But there's nothing to be found.

"Where am I? The last thing I remember was... Am I being possessed right now?"

"Ah, damn it. I didn't expect to get so done just like that. I should have prepared myself a bit more, such as buying skills that would protect me against this kind of attack."

But regretting is one thing, right now, she should be trying to find a way to escape from this place instead. But how? Everything in her sight is nothing but endless darkness. She also tried touching her body and was relieved that it connected, she wonder does one can touch their soul if they are in a place like this? If only she knows where she is.

She didn't know how long she had been here. All she did was flying around in her soul form in this endless world of darkness. She didn't know how long she had spent doing it, but before long, she came across something or rather heard something.

[ Do you remember the time when Ria introduce you to a friend? ]

The voice is like a whisper; it was a familiar yet unfamiliar voice. It has a smooth and feminine tone to its voice that would make others feel calm and relaxed when they listen to. But Sheila feels more crept out than being calm and relax right now. She didn't know how or where it came from, but she could hear it as if someone was whispering next to her ears. If a soul can get scared, right now, she could be the proof.

"Where did the voice came from? And what is it talking about?"

Who is it? And why did it mentioned Ria? She didn't know why, but she feels very uncomfortable right now.

[ That was the first time that you feel happy about making a new friend, isn't it? ]

Again, it came whispering to her ears, and if Sheila wasn't imagined it, she could tell that the tone feels more like it was laughing at her. 

"Who is it?!"

Sheila couldn't help but get alarmed by the content of what was a whisper to her. It wasn't a secret or anything but something that she wants it to be forgotten instead. 

[ You had a good time with her and Ria. You were really enjoying yourself a lot at that time; it was like what a naive kid like you would do. ]

Slowly, she started to remember the memory of the past. It was the time before she gets to know about anime, games, and stuff. She was like any other kid at her age at the time, playing with toys and all. Anyway, she remembers that one day, Ria was introducing a new friend to her. Like any other kids, she was happy at gaining a new friend. She was really a happy kid who had fun playing around. 

[ But it ends the moment the girl asked for your help. ]

Yes, apparently, the girl's parent is also working in the same business as my mother. The girl said something about her parent telling her that maybe partner up or something. Sheila, at that time, didn't know anything, and so, she ended up discussing it with her mother. As a good kid, when someone depended on her, she feels like she has to do it. That's why the small Sheila tried her best to pull up complete nonsense to her mother. But Sara listened to everything and didn't say anything until the end before nodding her head as she smiled at Sheila before patting her head. 

[ She agreed to your unreasonable demand, and the girl was happy to hear that from you. ]

[ But that was the last day you ever see the girl again. ]

The small Sheila didn't know anything as she wonders why she never saw the girl anymore. She asked Ria, but even Ria didn't know the reason, so they ended up just playing together like always. But it wasn't long until she saw something that the small her didn't expect to see.

[ It was the news of the girl and her parents passing away in a car accident. ]

At that time, she had already known what passing away means. Of course, she cried her heart out at such news. But she didn't remember what happened afterward and were told that she caught terrible flu. 

[ And while you were bedridden, you wonder how such a thing happens. ]

She wonders why the whispering voice feels familiar, but now she knows. It was her voice all along. She didn't know how or why she was hearing her voice speaking to her about the past. She didn't even know how long she had spent the entire time reminiscent of it. She should have been thinking of a way to escape this endless world of darkness. When such thought passed through her mind, she feels like her mind is feeling refresh. But the voice spoke once again.

[ it was your fault, isn't it? ]

"...what is it talking about this time?"

[ The car accident. You remember, right? The truth. ]

"I don't know what you're talking about."

[ You knew about it all along, yet you act as if not knowing anything and stay ignorance. ]

Sheila was about to say something but was interpreted by the voice.

[ The car accident was not a real accident, but it was something that was made by someone else. ]

[ it was your mother's rival company. ]

[ That's what you overhear when you try to look for Ria and accidentally came across her talking to her mother about the topic, isn't? ]

It was then, the memory that she wished it would be sealed away forever deep inside her mind resurfaced. One by one, piece by piece, it all started to come together. 

"No, it was not my fault."

[ It was all your fault. ]

"No."

[ If you didn't become her friend, she would have been safe and perhaps, grow up and become a healthy teen. ]

[ That's what you thought isn't? ]

Silence crept in before the voice speaks once again, but this time with a scary tone.

[ You killed the girl. ]

"No!"

Sheila shouted to the voice. She desperately looked around, in search of a way to escape this place. 

[ That's a fact, and you know it. ]

"No!"

Desperately, Sheila flew around and everywhere from one place to another in the darkness, still looking for a door to exit. But it was in vain.

[ You keep denying it, but deep down, you know it's true. ]

[ The fact that you are the reason that the girl and her family died. ]

"I SAID, NO!"

"...it wasn't my fault. I-I didn't do anything wrong. I didn't..do anything...wrong."

Like a broken recording, Sheila keeps on repeating the same words over and over. If someone were looking at the current Sheila, one would notice that there's a shadow behind her, slowly crept around her. It was slow but surely, trying to envelop Sheila as a whole. Sheila did nothing to stop it as she was unable to do so with her current state of mind. As the shadow slowly doing it, the voice also said.

[ You're a murderer. ]

[ How can you live happily while forgetting the fact that you have killed someone? ]

[ You're a murderer. ]

[ The girl died at such a young age while here you are, having fun wasting your time in the game world. ]

[ You're a murderer. ]

[ You're such a cruel person, to completely forget your second friend. ]

The voice went on regardless when Sheila was only muttering the same words to herself, again and again. The shadow has already consumed all her body except the head. It was then; a light flickered in front of her. The dead and lifeless eyes began to regain their light. Sheila looked at the flickering light in her sight as she tried to move her body, especially her hands, to hold onto that light. But she couldn't do anything since her whole body was already enveloped with shadow, that didn't mean she had given up though. 

She put all her strength into her body as she willed it to break through the shadow binding. But it was useless as the shadow slowly rise until it reaches her jaw. Sheila was about to give up when she saw that everything she did could do nothing to stop it, but a voice resounds from within the flickering light. It was yet another familiar voice, but this time, it was a voice that she feels most comfortable with as it called out her name. 

Slowly, the flickering light starts to grow in size and eventually turned into one small sun in the endless world of darkness. And the sunlight coming from the sun caused the shadow that was consuming Sheila to slowly dispersed until her whole body was removed from the binding.

[ In the end, it was she who saved you once again. ]

The voice spoke once again, but this time in a calm and relaxed manner.

[ Even that time, she was the reason that you're still here isn't? ]

"Yes, that's why I love her."

Yes, just like that time when she was depressed when knowing the truth, If it were not for Ria, she would have probably been worse than the current her or possibly given up on life. Ria's very existence is like the star that shines upon the darkness of night. She's the most important person to me, and I would do anything for her.

[ You do, very much. If not, you would not have told her your secret and give the key to her. ] 

The voice halt for a few moments before it spoke once again.

[ That's why you need to become stronger. Stronger than anything that ever exists. That is the only way for you to protect her and your loved one. Protect them by only depending solely on your strength. ]

"Sigh, I know. You don't need to tell me that."

The voice didn't respond for a while, but she somehow could tell that if it ever has a face, then it would definitely be smiling right now.

[ Until then, I'll be watching over you. ]

"What? Wait, who—"

[ I'll see you again next time. ]

Before she could do or say anything back, her eyes darkened, and her figure disappeared from the world of darkness. The endless world of darkness slowly melts away until none exists. But before anything could melt away, a feminine figure with identical look to Sheila appears out of thin air and muttered something to herself before vanishing once again.

When Sheila opened her eyes for real this time, she saw Ria worriedly watching over her. She looked relieved when she saw Sheila finally opening her eyes.

"Are you okay?"

She smiled at Ria before opening her mouth and said. 

"Yeah."

"Are you sure?"

"Really, I'm fine. I wanted to know what happened after I assumedly fainted."

"I don't know; you suddenly fall head-on the floor. I tried using healing magic on you too a couple of times until you finally opened your eyes."

Sheila looked around her surroundings and notice that the evil spirit has long gone. She didn't know why, but she feels like she's forgetting something important somewhere but didn't know what exactly is. The last thing she remembers was alerting Ria before her eyes turned dark, and when she opened her eyes once again, everything already ends. Sheila shook her head from the uncomfortable feeling she had before opening her mouth and said.

"I see, I only remember that much too. Seeing that no evil spirit around, I guess you must have exorcist it ultimately."

"I guess so?"