How I had found myself in my current situation, I couldn’t quite understand. I was sitting in Kora’s room, on the bed with Rachel and Kora both lounging on either side of me. Nakita was lying on a large body pillow on the ground. Each of us was in our pajamas, our Soulmates were in their respective holders either against the wall or on the small desk that was in the very femininely furnished room, and my long brown hair was being caressed and tugged by Rachel. Apparently, it was considered ‘fun’ to play with another woman’s hair when it was so long.

“Yoozooki. C’mon girl, you have got to stop holding out on us!” Kora was complaining. “You have to tell us about your snoozling with Leon!” Her statement made me raise a wary eyebrow at her.

“My what with Leon?” I asked, hearing Nakita snicker below.

“She is wondering what all the eligible girls be wondering, girl.” The dark-skinned woman chimed in and I sighed, frowning, casting a glance back at Rachel.

“What they mean is that you two are awfully close, Yuzuki. They want to know if you and Leon are an item. Dating.” She clarified for me as she tucked another clump of hair beyond another, her fingers braiding and twisting my hair into what was probably an updo that was far too extravagant for going to sleep in.

“Ah, dating? No. It’s not like that…” I began, suddenly feeling very self-conscious.

“Oh come on girl! Give us the details! You two are always hanging about each other, I swear attached at the hip!” Kora interrupted and I felt myself look at her.

“We are not!” I defended feebly - though they had a point and Nakita sat up, staring at us with an eerie stare.

“You love him.” She accused, and I shook my head almost violently - causing Rachel to let out a noise of protest before she grabbed the sides of my head to cease its motion.

“Stop that! Yuzuki, it’s okay if you do. I love Ivan, you know. Love shouldn’t be denied.” She told me, and I rolled my eyes helplessly.

“You girls are full of nonsense. He’s just a friend. None of us have time for love - these past few weeks have been horrible with the constant raids. We barely have time to make sure we are in good health ourselves, nonetheless, make time to be in love. Unless you’re Rachel…” I couldn’t help but feel as if I were trapped by a bunch of drooling, rabid hyenas.

“That would be true if you and Leon weren’t such patrol buddy buddies. You guys get to spend more time with each other than anyone. Even I don’t get as much time with Yoozooki as Leon does! So that’s bull honkey.” Kora said, her voice going into a long drawl, a wicked smile on her face as her emerald eyes shimmered with mischief. I vaguely realized then that she was enjoying teasing me.

“Besides, Ivan and I are doing just fine at being in love even with the time we can spend together being cut short.” Rachel sounded pleased with herself as she scooted to the edge of the bed, giving me a look over now that she was done fiddling with my hair.

“Because sometimes a girl just needs girl time. Kora, doesn’t her hair look beautiful like this?”

“It’s too girly. Yuzuki is no delicate updo chick. I’m surprised ‘er hair has managed to survive this long.” Nakita said, raising an eyebrow at me.

“I think it’s cute on you, Yoozooki. You ought to be more feminine, stop letting Nakita rub off on you so much. Next thing you know your hair will be a ratted mess like hers or she’ll have convinced you to shave it all off! We’re getting off topic.” Kora said, waving her hand dismissively. “Now, about -”

"Dey are called locks girl, it's intentional." Nikita grinned good-naturedly at  Kora who huffed. 

“Wait, how did I even get sucked into this girls' night anyway?” I demanded, desperately trying to change the embarrassing subject.

“Kora strong-armed you. And Nakita got dragged in because you clung to her, trying  to convince her to help you escape.” Rachel reminded me in a gentle voice.

“Which didn’t work because I am like the sky. I help no one...I simply observe and allow myself to be amused.” Nakita confirmed with a grin. I let out a loud groan as Rachel hopped off the bed and fetched a handheld mirror, holding it in front of my face. The updo was pretty. She’d created various braids and made them into a net to hold the mass of my hair, tucking and pinning them together to create a look in which several strands dangled from the net. Strands of hair framed my face and bangs hung down precariously, shadowing my features in a girlish way.

“It is pretty. But what good is a hairdo if I’m going to sleep soon?” I grouched, and Rachel laughed a bit.

“Yoozooki! Stop changing the subject!” Kora demanded, crossing her arms. “It’s only obvious there is something goin’ on -”

“Couldn’t we just be very good friends?” I huffed irritatedly and Kora shook her head.

“No. Not the way you two spark when you’re near each other. You’re in perfect sync. Good friends don’t have that kind of...synergy.” She told me, and I stared at her skeptically.

“You need to stay away from the romance fiction section in the library, I got trapped in that aisle once, and I was as delusional as you are for almost a whole day.” I said firmly to her, causing Nakita to burst into laughter as she lay back down. Kora glared at me, letting out a frustrated huff.

“I wasn't aware you could read! Rachel, will you explain to this girl what she’s too dense to understand?” She grumbled and the older girl shook her head and smiled as we all snorted in laughter at her remark at me.

“Kora… sometimes things need to happen in their own time. Love is not an entity that can be forced,“ Rachel stated in a consoling voice, going to Kora and wrapping her arms around the girl’s shoulders. She giggled a little as she rested her head on Kora’s, her sparkling eyes on me. “Besides, I don’t think Yuzuki would know what love is, even if it slapped her in the face with a smelly fish. When they figure it out and get married, we should do her hair like this again,” Kora sighed and gave a dissatisfied look. I sighed and shook my head, looking at the mirror at the hairdo Rachel had given me. Love was such a strong word, and I severely wished it had not been used.

“Fine. So, what were all the Chiefs in a tizzy about earlier today?” Kora said, finally changing the subject - though, now that she asked the question I’d almost preferred talking about my non-existent love life.

“Some new information on the Spiderbeast, I would guess.” Nakita had taken to calling the giant Tisin by a new name. Quickly it had caught on and now most everyone referred to it as the Spiderbeast. I thought it was unimaginative. For a world that had an ever-changing environment based on dreams, full of dead people, and spirits that had taken the form of jumbled animal parts, no one here had much creativity when it came to naming things.

“Yuzuki, do you know about it?” Rachel asked curiously, and I let out a soft sigh, nodding warily.

“‘Course she knows. But don’t forget, she’s totally not dating Leon,” Kora sniped and I rolled my eyes as Rachel nudged her warningly.

“Recon teams have reported what they believe is a gathering location of Tisin. Not much is known, the recon team did not stick around to find out what they were doing there yet - they came back reporting that hordes of Tisin are lurking in the area though. CiCi is working on putting together a team to go to the location to find out what is really going on - the way the recon team described it… it’s going to take quite a few higher caliber warriors to snoop about the place in case something goes wrong.”

“Dat is very disturbing indeed,” Nakita said gravely. “I think it best we all get some good shut-eye then. I have a feeling there will be a few of us chosen for this mission.” She suggested. The rest of us agreed, and we made our way back to our own rooms with heavy and worried thoughts of what tomorrow might bring.

The next morning passed quickly and I found myself on a recon mission with Leon.  It had been decided that only the two of us needed to go as we were both experienced in being stealthy. The meetings had passed quickly - as there was little actual information. But he and I were making our way deep within the woods to the coordinates that the scouts had given CiCi. And by the fifth yawn I failed to stifle, Leon had looked back at me with the smile that caused lines to crinkle his beautifully dark eyes.

“Did you not sleep well, Yuzuki?” He asked as he slowed his horse to trot next to mine.

“I’m sorry… I did not.” I admitted sheepishly, in a rather defeated voice.

“Why?” There had been a time when I could count on Leon to not ask me questions, but as of late, he’d become bolder in asking me things. Everything I said was a source of curiosity for him  - and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. Back when it was just physical actions, the sparring, training, and fighting… it was simpler. I didn’t have to worry about what I was saying. The girls teasing me last night didn’t do much to ease my discomfort at the evolution in Leon’s and my relationship. At this point in time though, I was simply too distracted to care. Or perhaps it was the nerves that made me talk.

“My thoughts were too loud,” I said vaguely - then shook my head. He wouldn’t let that rest. “I was thinking about the Tisin and how they are acting strange. Then my thoughts somehow connected to how… when I died…” It was hard to go further than that. Thinking of my father, and the way he’d acted, how he’d betrayed the Empress after decades of loyalty. I had always thought it was strange. But I hardly ever had the time to dwell on it since I’d arrived in Limbo. Luckily for me, I’d told Leon exactly how I’d died and the events surrounding the death of my entire family one night over warm sake - so he understood exactly what I was talking about.

“I see. I’m sorry. I understand what you mean. Have I ever told you of my transcendence?” He asked, and I shook my head, looking over at him. It was quiet for a moment, the tranquil forest setting muting the footsteps of our horses as he looked forward solemnly. I thought for a moment he’d lost himself in his thoughts, but he spoke very softly at first. “I was a warrior. It was so long ago I can’t remember what tribe I was… or the name of my Chieftain, Elders, or Medicine Man. I can’t even remember the name of the maiden I was in love with. I only remember how I died, and what had led up to it.”

I was immediately interested. Though I had shared a bit of myself with Leon, he’d yet to share with me, and I’d learned quickly that the Transcended ones were the only ones who told their stories, and they did it when they were damn well ready to.

“Men came in things that floated on the never-ending bitter water. Ships from lands far across the sea. We had known nothing of this at the time. Their skin was white like clouds, and they wore the fur of strange creatures on their heads - and their language seemed to sound like they were constantly spitting out bitter leaves. We watched them and learned they were here to hunt - but not for meat. For the fur of the animals on our lands. It was strange to us that they had brought no women. So we gave them some of our maidens. To take as wives you see. No man should be alone, for behind every good man is a strong woman. Time went on and the maidens were dying. Of disease, we assumed, they’d always burned their bodies before we saw them. And we gave them new wives. One of the women my Elder picked was my maiden. We were childhood friends and they had no idea I was going to ask her father for her hand. But the decision was made while I was out of the village. I came back and she was gone. So I tracked her down. When I found her he was...just finishing. I watched as the man raped her. Then he put his gun inside of the area he had violated and pulled the trigger. It took… much restraint. But I watched as he pulled out the organs that hold a child he decorated his gun with them, scalped her like she was a war kill, and began to prepare a pyre for her. I stepped out… made sure he saw me and my arrow before the stone tip embedded itself in his brain. I took my maiden's body back to my tribe. And then my tribe started a war. I died in that war. I was lucky I didn’t become a Tisin you see. I was so full of rage…” He trailed off and I looked up at him.

I could feel it, my eyes were big in horror and sadness. I could feel the pity bubbling within me. So I quickly looked away, the moisture around my eyes was probably the most embarrassing bit.

“It was a very, very, long time ago for me. Remember, time is warped here. Even if it is along the same period in the living world for us, I have been here for over five centuries in Limbo time. I am at peace.”

“I see.” It was all I could manage. I was never very good at these emotional sorts of conversations. “I bet her spirit was put to rest when she saw you put her murderer to death.”

“I like to believe so.” His simple reply did not sound as peaceful as he claimed to be. I looked back towards him now and saw he was giving me a gentle, kind smile. “But I remember thinking at the time… how? How could a man do that? For all the violence the tribes had with one another, because we did have wars.. we had always taken mercy on women. Women were… precious. For someone to treat a woman like… that. I thought it was strange then too. But I have come to have more understanding of living human nature since I have been here and learned of the Tisin.”

“The Tisin seems a rather negative way to base your understanding…” I commented frowning.

“Well… people are negative,” Leon said back quietly and I sighed. I really couldn’t argue with that. For a person to become a Tisin they had to have been tainted with an inner ugliness that couldn’t be purified by death. People were born in Limbo, and even if they were not turned into Tisin, there was a huge population here. It made me wonder how many people transcend directly and after thinking about it there couldn’t have been that many pure enough to do so immediately.

“But we can be beautiful too. Look at CiCi and what she’s done with the Warriors. Sometimes people just need a strong guiding force to remember we are good.” I told him, though it took me a few minutes to come up with the conclusion.

He smiled at me and opened his mouth to respond but at that moment the sky darkened and the scenery changed. The sky became a brilliant red as if someone had filled it with thick fresh blood. The trees withered and the smell of decaying forest and fungus reached my nose as everything around us became much darker. Even the shadows became something of a strangulation on my senses. We got off of our horses and tied them to a tree.

“We’re almost at the coordinates. Stick close.” Leon said to me in a hushed voice. The blood-red sky still filled me with dread as we made our way with muted footsteps. I felt as if the strange silence was loud in my ears, the air around us felt heavy and thick. Where were the eerie cries that we usually heard during these Dark Hours?

Along we went through the darkness and it was by a stroke of luck we didn’t stumble right into the demon's den so to speak. Thick brush had barred our way forward on our path and, with a bit of shifting of the dying plant to try and see through, our eyes saw something that made our breath catch in our throats.

What had to be hundreds of Tisin were gathered in the large clearing. From small to large there was a varied range in strength. We had a coding system for them, a color for the levels of strength that a Tisin had depended on how many and the quality of souls it had devoured.

Tisin at their weakest start out small. The smallest of them are generally no higher than half the height of an average-sized person, like an oversized dog. But they also carry the most animal parts, between six to eight different species of animalistic attributes covering their frame that didn’t include the typical human head feature. The Tisin changes the stronger they become, shedding animal parts and becoming more structurally stable. Unfortunately, the weakest Tisin were among the rarest or they might not have been a problem.

It was the next type of Tisin that became dangerous to face, even for a Spirit Warrior. Ranging from the size of a house or slightly bigger, these creatures are less clumsy with only three to five different species of animal parts. They are more in control, are more intelligent, and overall are a lot stronger. This level of Tisin was the most common. Tisins are even bigger, with only two different animalistic parts, and are less common.

But the rarest of them all would be those in the class of the Spiderbeast. Only one animalistic body part. These monstrosities were the strongest and said to have the most control over themselves. Claus even speculated they had cognitive thought processes.  And the Spiderbeast was only the second one to have ever been spotted since the formation of the Spirit Warriors.

Now here in this clearing, I couldn't help but fight back tears. In my time here in Limbo I’d grown to have sympathy for these miserable creatures. Claus had told me they were in pain and that’s why their instincts told them to devour other souls, so they could get the energy to heal the pain of their bodies. The strongest ones were the beasts in the least amount of pain. And here in this clearing, I saw hundreds of Tisin each ranging from various sizes subdued as if they’d all been punished like naughty dogs stealing tidbits from the table.

Some were curled up in little balls, others were writhing on the ground, eerie noises of desperate pain echoing from within them quietly. My hand was gripping the hilt of my Soulmate, and he felt warm to the touch as if he too were longing to go and set these creatures free of their pain. But Leon was firmly gripping my arm, his head jerking upwards for me to follow his gaze with my eyes.

There above the trees, above the clearing resting comfortably was the Spiderbeast, looking down upon his den of prey. Though the features on his distinctly male face were warped grotesquely into eight human eyes and long pincers coming from the sides of his human mouth, it would be hard to describe his expression as anything but smug. For whatever reason my sympathy for this creature dwindled into nothing.

A long tendril of energy that was purple tainted with a sickly neon green hue was being pulled in, the Spiderbeast’s legs pulling it as if it were pulling a cocooned insect for feeding. We silently watched - both making our own individual observations of the nest to take back to the city.

Long minutes passed before finally, from the area of which the length of energy had disappeared into the dark forest, rumbling clumsily into the clearing was mid-leveled Tisin. This creature was almost centaurian in appearance, a horse’s body and a man’s torso, give or take a few features such as the crab claws for arms and a bird’s tail, ram horns on its head, and the rabbit ears poking out above them.

I was disgusted when I realized that the Spider was pulling him in with the energy, the tendril of sickly purple-green attached to the horse Tisin’s heart. I watched as the Spiderbeast descended and seemed to use strange hums to communicate. It seemed to be an argument, the centaurian Tisin tried to back away, trying to lunge for the trees which resulted in the Spiderbeast pulling on his heart cruelly with the energy. In the end, the domination ritual proceeded as the Spiderbeast mauled the Tisin - and he too ended up on the ground subdued, and its body went lifeless as the Spiderbeast sucked the life out of the horse Tisin with the strand of energy.

It was hard for me to breathe, I felt one hand gripping Leon for balance and support, my teeth were biting my bottom lip so hard I could taste blood flooding my mouth, and Estrakulius was feeling hot in my palm. This Tisin had complete control over every one of these poor things in the clearing. And I was willing to bet he was the one behind the attacks - and the leaving of souls behind to be devoured by the Tisin. They were all in pain… an effect I realized was most likely from being starved.

They had to devour to become stronger, to feel less pain - then continue to devour to upkeep it. Their very existence from the beginning was a painful one I learned, physically. It was cruel, and I felt Leon grab me and pull me down as I had started to move instinctively. I could feel Estrakulius pulsing in my iron-tight grip, the sadness and empathy rising up to choke me in my throat.

The Spiderbeast moved upwards once again into its nest above the others. I wanted to turn away but I couldn’t. More sickly purple strands of energy began to shower down and connect with all the Tisin in the clearing, and I watched with horror as the Spiderbeast used its human arms and hands to reach forward and grasp into the air. I could see the area around his fist begin to shimmer, then glow, and slowly this effect began to grow. That same sickly purple and green color began to infect the shimmering area and it spread until a large window opened above him.

“Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhooooooow mmmmmeeeeee.”

 A gravelly voice echoed throughout the clearing and I felt Leon stiffen beside me.

“Did that… that thing just talk?” He hissed into my ear and all I could manage to do was shake my head. Was that possible? No one had ever mentioned whether or not they could talk - but with Leon's reaction, I assumed it wasn't a common thing. I was terrified now, shaking. I’d never been this frightened in my life - not even the moment of my death. I was paralyzed, watching as shapes and colors began to try and differentiate themselves in the space above the Tisin. If I wanted to run away now, I would not have been able to.

I was vaguely aware of Leon’s hands gripping me about my hips, keeping me firmly in place as he hovered over me, my sharp intake of breath as he watched the scene unfold before us, his body pressed close to me as if he were trying to shield me from whatever it was we were seeing.

But that wasn't even the worst of the information I was to gain on this recon trip. Leon and I watched with a terrified fascination as pictures began to form within the space. A dark-haired woman with chin-length hair watched as a more elegant-looking older girl fell, blood spurting in a crimson waterfall from her throat, then drifted to the sight of a young man lunging, a blade aimed for the holder of the vision as he was swiftly cut down by whomever it was behind the sight.

I didn’t need to watch more to know what I was seeing and both of my hands clapped to my mouth, the agony swirling within my heart. Yuske! Tomoya! I could feel my body shaking violently, my vision blurring with tears as I watched my mother once again be impaled by an already bloodied blade.

And then… it was my turn. As I watched myself be killed from a first-person perspective I was almost relieved… I didn’t have a defeated expression on my face like I thought I would have had. I’d almost looked smug - triumphant.

When the vision of it faded from first person the spider Tisin had been fidgeting… almost as if it were most anxious to see what was next. The pictured space did not disappoint. I watched as my father fell, and my old self stumbled away leaving a thick trail of blood in my wake. I watched as my father's spirit left his body. His soul was tainted with black and I watched as my father writhed and screamed in the spiritual realm somewhere between Limbo and Death and Life as his spirit body contorted, and grew and mutated in a disgusting manner. Eight legs spread along his torso and his human legs disappeared, feathers sprouted along his face, and a large dark gray dorsal fin grew from his back.

The vision turned back to me, a dying woman in the arms of a silken-clad woman-child. Yuki in the vision looked exactly as I remembered her. I watched as I died in her arms again, and as my spirit left my body I ran out of the house and into the open. I hadn’t even known I was being chased by my Tisin father. Swirling energy of gold and black was developing outside as if the universe could not decide which path it should throw me on and then the truth was revealed.

Sea-green glittery scales passed the vision, completely blocking everything out but for a second until it showed Yuki’s Spirit-Sister grasping my spirit within her talons, flying me upwards towards the sky.

The spider Tisin screamed in rage as the vision faded out and I could see the Tisin below visibly quaking. Out of what appeared to be rage, the Spiderbeast, no, my father descended and attacked a small Tisin, webbing him up viciously as the Tisin screamed and flailed.

 the same horrible, heart-wrenching voice howled as he ascended with his victim into the space bubble that he’d created above them, and like that, the Tisin were up and moving. They were fleeing as fast as they could towards any manner of exit. I felt Leon grab me and pull me down to the ground and we lay there as giant Tisin broke through the thick brush we’d been hiding in.

We waited in silence, looking back up as the scenery changed from that horrible, dead, blood-filled sky to that of a crystal clear blue, and the trees began to regain their color and life. We both lay there shaking, staring fearfully at the empty space where the strange energy had disappeared, seemingly taking the Tisin with it. Birds began to eventually sing and we sat up quietly.

“Yuzuki?” Leon’s voice was hesitant, soft. Frightened almost. I couldn’t stand to look at him, so I kept my eyes firmly on the ground as I tried very hard to stop the violent shudders that continued to wrack my body. “Yuzu? You okay?” 

No, I was not okay. This recon mission had given us vital information - but I felt as if my world was crumbling away. Nothing I’d been in, either stage of my life or the afterlife, had taught me how to handle this.

“Not only is my father a Tisin... but he’s an evil tyrant Spiderbeast who can control hundreds of Tisin at a time and hurt them. And he can make a weird portal vision of seeing things. No. No, Leon… I really don’t feel like I’m okay...”

My voice was soft and quiet, and by the end of my stuttering weak words, I was dissolved into helpless tears.

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Memoirs Of The In-Between - Chapter 9

A Secret Is Revealed 

How I had found myself in my current situation, I couldn’t quite understand. I was sitting in Kora’s room, on the bed with Rachel and Kora both lounging on either side of me. Nakita was lying on a large body pillow on the ground. Each of us was in our pajamas, our Soulmates were in their respective holders either against the wall or on the small desk that was in the very femininely furnished room, and my long brown hair was being caressed and tugged by Rachel. Apparently, it was considered ‘fun’ to play with another woman’s hair when it was so long.



Memoirs Of The In-Between - Chapter 9

A Secret Is Revealed

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Memoirs Of The In-Between - Chapter 9

A Secret Is Revealed

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