46 A second chance (1/2)

”Isn't this right before the finals match!?” Seraphina exclaimed, her voice carrying throughout Riyku's mind which caught his attention. ”Hm...? Is something wrong, Sera?” Riyku inquired through their mental connection. ”It's...” It would seem Seraphina was struggling on whether or not to tell him. ”Do you remember anything?” Seraphina inquired which caused Riyku to give a puzzled expression. ”Are you talking about Iris? Well yeah, I recall all of it.” Riyku would reply as he motioned towards the elevator door. ”I see... Be sure not to lose her this time. Okay?” Seraphina's voice was soft and sorrowful, this didn't slip past Riyku though. ”This time?” Riyku inquired with a serious expression. ”Are you implying that Iris' is here?” He added which caused Seraphina to fall silent for a moment, but only for a moment. ”She is. She is the Leader of Team IVR.” Seraphina would speak up. ”I...” Riyku would mull over the thought as he stood before the elevator door. A soft sigh would part his lips. ”I see. We'll I'll be sure to keep her alive this time.” Riyku would speak once more; however... the events were the same. The reunion would occur just as previously, the battle all four teams, and even the struggle Riyku went through along with the moment Iris came to her Father's aid. All of it was the same, up until that point...

With the pressure of attacks coming at him unlike previous where Seraphina had used her life force to draw them out. Riyku would unleash a blood-curdling scream which shattered the froze-time space. The pressure of attacks collided with one another kicking up dust and all the like; however, unlike previously. Iris did not lose consciousness, she stood against her father's back feeling the aura of wraith stem from him. It wasn't just her though, the beauty that she was, was Seraphina with shadows wrapped around her body like a second-skin for clothing. Sitting on the ground as she looked up at Riyku. On the other side of Riyku was someone she knew well, Harvester in the flesh. ”You've got to be kidding me!? There is no fucking way! I erased all traces of it!” Harvester shouted which caused Seraphina to look back up taking notice of the misty black figure with inky red orbs.

Before anyone on the battlefield could react, the shadows would corrode over the ground and black spikes would skyrocket. Piercing the bodies of both Team Reaper and Team Phantom. Team IVS were kept safe for now, but something wasn't right. This feeling that Seraphina was getting. ”You... you aren't...”

'Defeat the Shadow King.'

A cybernetic screen appears along with another one that appeared before Seraphina.

'Quest: Return to the past.'

'Accept?'

'Yes/No'

”Again?” Seraphina would reach out for the yes button and again a light would illuminate brightly, this time she arrived somewhere further back. It was right before she had been awoken. Watching from the essence around her beloved, she saw him surrounded by the students yet again. She struggled to break free to come to his aid, to prevent his suffering. However, she was unable to. The connection had not been fully completed yet and the same thing happened once more. However, unlike previously, chains would bind her down. Forcing her to watch something distorted. The shadows would spread once more, and spikes would rupture again, the being known as the supposed Shadow King had arrived once more with the cybernetic screens and once more a screen appeared before her. The same one, the same quest, to venture even further in the past. But how far was she going? Just how far did she need to go to prevent this tragedy? To prevent his suffering...

”Please... I don't care how far back we need to go. I don't care if we forget all of our bonds, all of our memories together. Please... just let me save him. I need to save him!” Seraphin exclaimed as she smashed the yes button. The screen would expunge into tiny particles revealing several of her memories with him. Like a fast-rolling tape through her life with him, it ventured further, never seeming to stop. She watched all of it, the good, the bad, all of it. Until it stopped at a certain point.

'Do you wish to continue?'

A cybernetic screen appeared before her. ”Yes...” She muttered softly.

”Are you sure?”

A voice echoed as the screen changed.

”Yes...” She replied again.

”All of the memories will be erased. Your time with him will only be known to you. From all forms of his life. Is that okay with you?”