The Hidden World

Yuki watched with satisfaction as Ember went to work. Every hit of Ember’s fist and every kick brought a grim smile to Yuki’s face. Even though the Fiddler never resisted and accepted every blow, it didn’t matter one bit to Yuki. It was what the Fiddler stood for that she was watching get beaten down. 

Ember’s expression reflected hers. A face full of cruel anger and joy as she let herself go. Her emotions began washing over her, getting stronger and stronger with every punch. A ghostly red aura surrounded her as she battered the man. It flickered and flared with every spike of her emotions. 

The Fiddler never let a sound of pain or anger out. Any other time, Yuki would have been impressed with his will, but she could see past his facade. No one could escape pain. It showed in his eyes, and that was enough for Yuki. 

Magic flared in the area, distracting Yuki for a moment. It was coming from Ember who was holding her hands up into the sky. A giant ball of flames was gathering within them as she glowered down at the man limp on the ground who looked back with an expression of acceptance.

In a flash, Yuki was at Ember’s side. She wrapped an arm around Ember and gently took her arm. Ember’s anger funneled into Yuki, rampaging about. Yuki accepted it wholeheartedly, using it to fuel herself as her own emotions responded in kind.

“I’ll be finishing this,” she whispered into Ember’s ear.

With a bit of hesitation, Ember lowered her hands and gave Yuki a small nod before stepping back. Yuki turned her head to look at the Fiddler who was on his knees. He looked up at Yuki, his face red and beginning to swell. It was a complexion that Yuki found quite nice on him.

Flipping her daggers in her hand, she knelt down in front of the man and gave him a cold smile. 

“You can cry. There’s no need to hold it in,” Yuki said softly. “Either way, it wouldn’t change a thing.”

“I don’t deserve it,” the Fiddler replied, his voice wheezy. “I earned this. But I don’t regret this.”

“You angels are quite honorable, aren’t you,” Yuki said. “Isn’t that just wonderful.”

“No,” he said. “I wish angels were honorable.”

“Hmph. Any last words?” Yuki asked nonchalantly as she spun a dagger. “Requests?”

“Leave my wings,” the Fiddler whispered. “That is all.”

“Granted. And it’s more than you deserve,” Yuki growled. 

She stabbed out, piercing right through the man’s throat. The dagger sunk into the flesh like a knife through butter. The Fiddler never got a chance to even gasp as his windpipe was skewered. Yuki’s next dagger went through his heart. She twisted it until the Fiddler’s teeth gritted. 

With a small nudge on the forehead, Yuki pushed the Fiddler’s dying body to the ground and stood. Ember went to stand next to her and together, they stared down at the man as he died. Not a drop of empathy or pity were in their eyes. 

When the man took his last breath, Yuki reclaimed her daggers, wiping the blood on the man’s shirt before putting them away. Then with a wave of her hand, she carried the Fiddler’s body with the wind and hung it on a tree. 

“Well, that’s that,” Ember said.

“Mhm. Feeling better?” Yuki asked. 

“I do,” she smiled. “What are we going to do now?”

“Wait a bit,” Yuki said. “Akira will be coming here. In the meantime, let’s see if we can help some people.”

The spell that made the Fiddler’s domain died with him. That meant the people trapped within it had been set free, and their bodies were laying around somewhere. The Fiddler probably brought them to a place before moving them around in his domain.

“Let’s check the building,” Yuki said. 

They went to the box shaped structure and opened the door slowly. Flicking her wrist, she held a dagger in one hand before stepping into the building. She blinked, her eyes switching to her dragon eyes, and looked around the room. There was no light source, but she could see just fine. The inside resembled the many rooms of the arena. It had the same bed, the same bookshelves, the same toilet, though this one also had a sink which was absent from much of Yuki’s time in the Coliseum. 

‘This must be what his spectator box looked like when he needed to sleep,’ Yuki thought. 

Scanning the room once more, she found a set of stairs that led below ground past the box structure. Motioning to Ember who was peeking at the bookshelves to follow, she began going down the stairs. What she found at the bottom was a room like the one she saw past the double doors of the hallway.

‘Speaking of which. Those spirits must be free now,’ Yuki thought. ‘Or, at least, I hope. I need to make sure. After this.’

She went to the metal door that she ignored her first time in the room and pushed the button beside it. The doors opened and revealed another room, a room filled with what looked to be beds. There were people on them, some of them sleeping and others sitting up with looks of confusion on their faces. 

‘He must have put them all asleep before coming out.’

Looking around, she couldn’t find a light source. She made one with a snap of her fingers, conjuring a ball of bright flames in the palm of her hand before letting it float to the center of the room. The ones in the room that had already roused squinted at the ball.

“You’re all free,” Yuki announced, her voice echoing in the room. “The exit is right here. Enjoy your day.” 

With that, she turned on her heel and walked out of the room, the ball of light disappearing with her. Ember followed behind her. 

“So we’re just going to wait now?” Ember asked. Yuki nodded.

“She’ll be here soon,” she replied. “It’s been a busy day, so it’ll be a good time for a rest.”

She waved her hand and formed two chairs from the earth and sat down a bit away from the box structure. The dirt of the chair molded itself to let Yuki sit as comfortably as she could. Ember sat beside her, and they watched the building. 

Soon, people began to wander out from it, their faces ranging from confused to joyous. Most paid no attention to Yuki and Ember. Their attentions were dragged to the body of the Fiddler which hung next to the building. 

One person conjured a fireball in their hands and prepared to throw it at the body. With a curl of her fingers, Yuki sent out a chain of air and grabbed the man’s arm. The man whirled around and glared. 

“Do not desecrate the dead,” Yuki said calmly. “Else, you’ll find yourself among them.”

The man grunted and dispelled the fire before marching off. After Yuki’s intervention, the people that gathered around the body dispersed and began to leave. Yuki wondered how they would find their way out and whether or not they had anything to go to anymore. 

“Why don’t you want people messing with the Fiddler’s body?” Ember asked.

“I read that spirits are still attached to their bodies,” Yuki replied. “If you mess with their bodies, you can incur their wrath. The newer the body, the stronger the spirit and so the more the spirit can do to you.”

“Ah. I see. Do you think the Fiddler would do something like that?”

“I don’t know. I just don’t like seeing dead people treated like they’re still alive. It’s illogical and rude.”

“Fair.”

They quieted and continued to watch the building as more and more people streamed out. Yuki searched the crowds for two people in particular. She locked onto them the moment they stepped out and waved. They waved back and jogged over to where Yuki sat. 

“Yuki!” Karie said. “Ember too. You two did all of this?”

“Mhm,” Yuki smiled. “I’m glad we got to see each other again outside of that arena.”

“Me too,” Alex said. 

“How are you two feeling?”

“A bit tired,” Alex replied. “When you two did what you did, the Fiddler did something that put us to sleep, I think. Then when we woke up, we were in that dark room.”

“I see.”

“But other than that, we’re fine.”

“What are you guys going to do now?” Ember asked. 

“Live our lives,” Alex grinned. She turned to the woman beside her and took her hand. “Right, Karie?”

“Yup,” Karie replied, smiling back. 

“I want to say thank you, Yuki. Ember as well,” Alex said. “You two gave us this chance. I hope we can keep in touch in the future.”

“I hope so too,” Yuki said. “Where will you two be going?”

“Home, of course,” Karie laughed. “We both live in Faerie, though our cities are a bit apart.”

“If you come by to visit, just go the registry and ask for us,” Alex said. “They’ll tell you where to go.”

“I see. Well, good luck then,” Yuki said. “Maybe I could be at your wedding.”

“Maybe,” Alex grinned. Karie just blushed, repeating the word wedding under her breath. “See you around.”

“Bye.”

The couple left, leaving Yuki as she watched them. A bit of longing flared within her as her thoughts turned to Akira. She tugged at the thread between them and felt Akira getting closer and closer. It’ll only be a little while before she arrived.

“Is she close?” Ember asked. 

“She is. Just a small wait, then she’ll be here.” 

“I hope everything turns out okay,” Ember said. “She’ll accept me, right?”

“Once she gets to know you, I’m sure everything will be alright,” Yuki replied. “Don’t worry about it. I know you and I know Akira. You two will get along. I’m sure of it.”

Yuki’s nervousness increased with every second the ticked by. Then she felt her close enough to sense her location. Jumping her feet, she looked in the direction Akira was coming from and began to run, all thoughts getting pushed aside. 

Like two magnets, they collided with each other, grabbing a hold of one another in a tight embrace. Everything about Akira she remembered so well. The way their bodies melded with each other felt right. It was like a hole had been filled up with Akira’s presence.

“I’m back,” Yuki whispered, tears threatening to leak out. “I’m back.”

Akira responded by squeezing tighter. They looked at each other, teary eyed but smiling. Then in a blink of an eye, they kissed, Yuki letting out a sigh as Akira’s soft lips touched hers. It was a while before they broke apart.