Well, Chapter 10 is here.
Sorry for it being short, I didn’t have enough time to write it and some of my friends were giving me tension to quickly post it.
Well, enjoy.

Fallen within the darkness…
Unable to see… Unable to know…
Unable to help… Hated upon…
Unforgiven… Useless… Thrown away…
That’s what you are, Lex… That’s… what you are…
They hate you… They said it themselves… Or at least… Expressed it…

“LEX!!!! YOU COULDN’T HAVE LEFT!!! NOT YET!!! Not yet… “
Sierra looked over the side of the ship where I have fallen. She looked down into the darkness hoping I would come out and appear somewhere.

”Onii-chan!!! Please, come back!!!”
”Lex!!! Kyuu… Lex…”
”Lex, man, come on out… You’re making Haruki sad…”
Everyone looked overboard and saw nothing but darkness. Everyone kept looking and looking in hopes I would turn up, but nothing changed. The darkness stayed dark, the rail stayed broken, and the blood spilled stayed stained upon the ship of whence I have once laid.

”Attention, everyone please report inside the ship into their cabin rooms. The ship isn’t secure and safe, so please, go to your cabin rooms and rest.”
The ship captain said it loud and clear twice through the microphone and everyone heard through the speakers. They all went inside the ship slowly, all but Aaru.
”Lex… Do not leave… not yet…”
She looked at the moon that shone and then slowly looked down and made her way slowly to the ship door. Looking down, she stopped.
”What’s this…?”
She picked up what she found on the floor and looked at it for a while.
”Aaru… come inside…” A male voice said slowly.
She went inside and no one was left outside. Haruki was walking with Tai while hugging Milkshake as they walked to their cabin rooms.
”I… I didn’t… get to forgive him… I…–“
”Haruki… Please… don’t be sad… Maybe he’ll show up…”
”Oh, tai…”
Tai hugged Haruki and made their way. Everyone went to their cabin rooms and all was silent in the halls and the outer rooms.

“What… was… that… What happened to Lex…”
”Sierra… Get some rest…”
”I cannot sleep… After seeing that… I… can’t…”
”I know, I know… but… try and sleep… you look tired…”
”I know I am… My body wants to, but I can’t seem to sleep… His face… His body… I can’t…”
”Derr, Sierra, come on and sleep, it may be a big day tomorrow…”
Silver walked over to Derr as he said that and whispered in Derr’s ear.
”…Alright… alright…” Derr said, agreeing to what Silver said in her ear.
”Sierra! Try and sleep, we’ll be by your side until you do…”
”… Thanks…”

Meanwhile, in Aaru’s room…

“I can’t believe… He kept this…”
Aaru looked at what she found while sitting in her bed alone in her cabin room. The moonlight shone upon where she was sitting as she continued to stare.
”I hope you’re alright… Lex…”
She weakly smiled at what was in her hand and then looked out the window. She took a deep sigh and closed her eyes.
”I’ll… keep this for you… Lex…”
The item in her hand was a small picture, a picture of Aaru and Lex together infront of a tree.

“Hehe… Hey Honey, let’s take a picture~!”
“Sure, Sweetheart! But… do you have a camera?”
“I have one here in my pocket~”
“Oh, alright, let’s go… infront of that tree upon the hill there!”
“Alrighty, let me find… ah, here’s a rock. Go stand infront of the tree, I’ll set a timer… if I can… Alright, I got it, the manual says it’ll make a ‘eee’ sound then I’ll need to press it again and it’ll beep 10 times and take the picture.”
“Okay, hun, I’m ready, set the timer and come here.”
“Ahh, it’s beeping, ahh, I’m coming”
“Hehe, you’re silly, well, how should we pose?”
“Hmm… I haven’t really… Oh no, 5 beeps already?!?!”
“Let’s try this!”
*click* *beep beep beep* *Clink*
“Hmm… the camera disappeared… I better see where it went…”
“Hehe, you’re silly.”
“Hmm, the camera disappeared and left two pictures.”
“Hehe, that’s nice. Let’s both hold on to one.”
“Okay.”
“Wow, the picture looks nice.”
“I’ll keep this for as long as I can… Aaru…”

“I… remember that day…”
Aaru held the picture closely to her and looked out the window to the moon that shone. Putting the picture away, she laid in her bed taking a soft sigh a she closed her eyes.

“Lex… Lex… Wake… up…”
“Wake your soul and come back…”
“Ah… Ugh… Ahh… Huh… Where am I… Who and where are you…”
“Open your eyes and bring back life… Look in the mirror that lays infront of you… “

I opened my eyes and darkness was around me. I looked around then looked infront of me. A finely crafted body mirror was infront of me. I stared into it and saw my reflection. The Red China I wore was covered mostly in blood. My body fatigued with tiredness and pain as the wounds on my body slowly laughing with blood. I looked at my face and saw I had no pilfer. My hair covered my face so I moved it over. My face was pale and the wound upon my cheek was red with bloody flesh.

Leeeeexxx…..

I looked at my face and saw it change. Darkness filled my eye sockets as they disappeared and my face became even more pale.

Lex… It is I who… saved you…
“Who are you…?”
I am the one that hangs from your neck… and the one whose blood you drank…
I looked at the necklace and saw it completely clear. No light and dark loop was in it.
”Why did you save me…?”
You are the only one who… can bring me there…
Help me… I’ve helped you…
”You shouldn’t have… no one… cares anymore… You might’ve heard what everyone said to me…”
You must… You taken this quest… so… complete it… I will say no more… But… I will stop you from bleeding, though…
”What…?”
I looked at my flesh and saw it slowly heal to scars. The blood upon me disappeared and all that was there was my scarred flesh and slashed china.
Looking back at the mirror, I saw only my own reflection as moonlight filled the room. I looked around and then saw that the mirror disappeared. With confusion, I went to the bed and laid there. My eyes slowly closed and I fell asleep in the cold, moonlit room.
Sleep well… Who knows what could happen next…