30 Break the Pas (1/2)

Wisps of light flew before Rey's eyes as his vision changed. Vibrant trees and flowers lined his view. In front of him was Aizen, Riza, and princess Yu. Rey wished to call out to Riza and Aizen when Soma suddenly broke free.

\”Aizen!\” Rey cried out, but Soma took over his body in that instant. He teleported to Aizen and manipulated gravity just as Rey remembered. 'This isn't real, this isn't real!' Rey felt chills run down his spine as he watched in horror. He wanted to puke, but he couldn't even do that.

'I can't let Aizen die!' Rey's instinct to fight kicked in as he used his willpower and took his control back from Soma. After taking control and sending Soma back to his prison, Rey kicked the princess backward and fled with Aizen and Riza.

'I could have saved them and stopped all of this if I had more power back then.' Rey felt even worse. 'If only I was stronger… if only I could have protected them. It was possible.' Biting his lip until it bled, Rey thought he cleared the trial until time rewound and he was standing before Aizen and Riza again.

'I don't understand, I saved them! What else can I do?' Rey's back was drenched in a cold sweat. Looking at Aizen being pulled apart, his face paled and panic overwhelmed him. He pushed out of the prison and kicked Soma back into it, taking control. He killed princess Yu and kept everyone safe, but moments later, he found himself back at the beginning.

Each change he made seemed to be pointless. He killed Soma in one of them, yet that didn't stop the nightmare he faced. He suppressed princess Yu instead of killing her and stayed, but time kept rewinding. Rey knew within his heart that even if he tried to change what occurred that day tens of thousands of times, the result would still be the same. Aizen's death, king Sig'car's rage, the blood he had on his hands, he couldn't accept that reality.

After trying to change his nightmare several hundred times, Rey accepted it and stopped trying to change what couldn't be changed; he decided to focus and let it shape him. Rey gave way for Soma to do as he did in the past, and Aizen was killed before his eyes for the second time. Rey watched and wept, vowing to get his revenge tenfold.

The memory collapsed and Rey appeared back into priest Kioko's office. Tears continued to roll down his eyes.

\”Did you find your instinct to fight ye-\” Rey didn't give him time to finish that sentence and punched him in the stomach. Priest Kioko felt the air leave his body as he hunched over.

\”What the hell was that for‽\” Priest Kioko shouted, \”I'm helping you, brat!\”

\”You asked for my instinct to fight?\” Rey glanced up at him, \”there it is.\” Puzzled, priest Kioko stood blinking at Rey.

\”I see, very well then.\” he felt wronged, 'what kind of disciple punches their master after asking a question‽ Though he did ask and Rey gave him an answer…'

\”What's next in mental training?\”

Coughing once, priest Kioko continued. \”How have you been cultivating so far?\”

Rey felt uneasy, Hibari had told him not to tell anyone of that method otherwise it might bring harm to him. \”I can't tell you… It's a secret.\”