Velvet Abyss

The fresh air filled my lungs, the terrain surrounding me was vast and full of lush meadows. Dark brown foliage littered the ground which told me that it was the fall.

My eyes darted around scanning the horizon for signs of human life.
To my disappointment, all I found was an array of woodland creatures they were different to the ones back in Japan they were most definitely squirrels but they were several times larger, like the size of a large cat.

“Just my luck! Dropped in the middle of god damn nowhere, You could have put me in a town or something. You stupid goddess.”

I sighed shrugging my shoulders in dismay at my dismal situation, I bet she dumped me here with no food or clothing for her twisted sense of amusement.

I’ll make her pay someday I swear, just you wait and see.

I started walking aimlessly through the meadows which seemed to be endless my feet were hurting and my breaths became laboured, it had only been fifteen minutes and I was already exhausted.

I had no stamina in my previous life, but I seemed to be more exasperated in this world. Finally, I saw some different terrain it was a forest deep, green and sprawling with thick canopies that hung down like giant spiders.

Shade and the prospect of food were enough to convince me to enter the forest, plus my aching muscles and creaking bones told me that I needed to rest and I wasn’t going to refuse lest I end up dying for a second time.

I found a nice resting place out of the way against an old oak tree I felt my eyes grow heavy and before I realized I had drifted off into a smooth slumber. I awoke to a burning pain in my left leg it felt like a serrated set of knives carving away at my flesh.

A wolf-like beast had its teeth sunk deep into my leg and blood was gushing from the open wound.

I had no weapons on me, so I brought my fist down hard against the beasts head but it didn’t so much as flinch. “Shit,” I screamed my body writhing in agony, at this rate my entire leg would be torn apart.

I caught movement within my peripheral vision, it was more of those slobbering mongrels five…no six of them were creeping slowly towards me, it felt like a noose tightening around my neck.

Was I seriously going to die again after just reincarnating? No way in hell I thought as I searched desperately for something anything to use as a weapon.

Screw it if I can’t find a weapon I’ll just make one myself improvising I snapped the end of a large stick that was within reaching distance. The end had formed into a sharp point not as good as a blade or an arrow but it was better than nothing.

I plunged the sharpened stick deep into the beasts eye skewering it the beast howled in pain as thick dark blood oozed from the wound I tore the stick free and shoved it in over and over again and eventually the beast let go and darted away into the forest choosing its life over a meal.

Or maybe it would return as a scavenger and pick apart the little meat on my bones that would remain after the other five rip me limb from limb.
.
I braced myself against the tree and tried to stand, if I was going to die this time I’d go out fighting, I’d die on my feet like a badass hero from a movie.

“You hungry boys? Well come and get me.”

The beasts assailed me from every direction I could feel my flesh being cut open all over my body, the pain was unbearable to the point that I couldn’t even scream all I could do was lie there and wait for this nightmare to be over.

“Oh Lord of Flame, I am your emissary, Make knives of fire fall like rain upon my enemies, Coltello.”

A girl spoke and the shrill shriek of wounded beasts followed as a dozen knives of fire rained from above slaughtering the beasts in a single stroke.

As I started to lose consciousness I could see the faint outline of the girl rushing towards me.

“At least I didn’t die alone…again,” I thought as everything turned black.

I awoke with the worst migraine of my life, and my vision was still slightly blurred I was lying in a bed under warm sheets with a fireplace burning. It was night time, so I knew I had been out for a while the only question was for how long.

I checked my legs and arms, but all my wounds were miraculously healed like something right out of a video game. This is getting ridiculous I thought.

Wincing through the pain I stumbled my way out of bed and made it two steps when the door slowly opened and the woman from earlier greeted me she was short with raven hair, arresting amber eyes and wore a saccharine smile.

“You’re finally awake, thought we lost you for real back there.”
“I'm still in one piece because of you, Thank you,” I said

“What kind of a nun would I be if I let you get devoured like the poor little lost lamb you are?"

"You're mocking me aren't you?"
"Oh me, I wouldn't dare"
" Just like that smug goddess."
"Goddess? What Goddess"
"Shit...i shouldn't have said that"
“Oh well never mind that. I’m Shinobu."
"What’s your name? Miss No Legs”
“ "Atsu…..” Wait I’m not that person anymore, am I?"
“Great the hounds must have devoured your brains too.”

There was only one name that I wanted now that I was a woman it was the name I had always wanted to give to my daughter but my wife wouldn’t have it she had her heart set on Azusa.

“My name is…Mari.”

“Well Mari, Welcome to Shikishima. Now that you’re finally awake dinners downstairs, so let’s eat.”

I didn’t trust this Shinobu not even slightly, she was way too nice and who dresses like a nun these days anyway?

At the very least I couldn’t turn down food, after all, who knew when I’d get the chance to eat again.

“Seriously girl will you hurry up, I might die of starvation, no really I could eat like twenty hell-hounds right now.”

“Yeah, I could eat. Let’s go, Shinobu”