Seven Nights

A pale, gloomy light envelops the dead Kerberos" body. Just like what happened to the dragon. The remains turn into cl.u.s.ters of tiny lights, scattering into the night sky. Nothing remains of the behemoth ---

(... ... ... ?)

No, wait. "Traces" do remain. I didn"t notice it last time as the Valkyrie picked me up, but with the Kerberos" defeat, a small dark ma.s.s remains. Just what is that, I wonder? I can"t see it well ...

(... I can"t see it well?)

Impossible. Even in the dead of the night, I"m in the main street. Street lights line up here. And they"re even on with neon lights. But in spite of that, why is it getting dark?

(... I give up ... ...)

Which reminds me, my left foot"s been eaten, my left shoulder"s dislocated ... despite these fatal injuries, I strangely feel no pain at this time. My senses ... my consciousness ... they"re fading.

My vision sinks into the darkness ---

... At this rate ... I"m going to ... die ...

As I open my eyelids, I"m back at my own room. I"m lying down at the top of my bed, the Siamese cat Mi-ko sleeping soundly beside me. Somehow, it appears that I"m not in heaven.

"... I"m alive and back ..."

I can feel my left foot as before. My left shoulder feels no pain. With my left hand I touch Mi-ko. As she loudly yawned, she purred and jumped from the bed, swishing her lovely tail she went out through the already open door.

"Well, time to get up ... hm?"

My awake eyes stop on some unfamiliar objects. "Why is the saw, shiai, and golf club scattered on my bedside?", I thought for an instant. Ah I see, I placed them here myself.

"In the end, you alone was useful ..."

I pick up the laser blade placed by the bedside floor. Within the grey plastic tube, the blade that was broken in the dream appeared unbroken.

"Thanks, you saved me back there."

Giving my grat.i.tude to this treasured item, I a.s.sure my feelings to the handle wrapped in my hands. With this I was able to defeat it. That three-headed monster. With only one attack ... !!

As I recall that time when I was at my utmost limit, I tightly grasped the toy"s handle.