Infinity: Rising of the Soul Weavers

"I- *cough* I have finally *cough* found you, Maya…" Although she looked extremely miserable, her face showed extreme satisfaction and calmness. "You know, the *cough* the torture I endured was worth it!"

Yes, she had chosen to endure most of the torture because she knew that she would get to meet Maya eventually.

She had some skills she could use as a last resort, and maybe if a miracle happened, she could have escaped.

However, with Uriel's unfathomable strength, there was no way of getting closer to Maya if she had tried to run away. 

That's why she endured...

Slowly, Raven lifted her fragile pale palm up and touched Raphael's face that had frozen, as if in a trance, the moment she heard the name 'Maya' from Raven's mouth.

The moment Raven's palm touched Raphael's pale cheek that was covered in milky white blood, she shivered, as if a violent electric current had just passed through her.

"Maya… my name…" she muttered with some difficulty. 

Slowly, she could feel a thin dark veil being peeled off of her eyes.

It was akin to a new feeling that she has never experienced… or rather hasn't experienced in a long while that she had almost forgotten about it.

"Raven… your name…" she continued in a surprised expression. It was as if she herself didn't expect the words coming out of her mouth. 

*Cough*

"Uhm," Raven managed to nod after a cough. She tried her best to smile through bloodied lips. "Your name is Maya… *cough* Mine is Raven… I finally found you…"

With each word she muttered, Raphael could feel that a barrier that was trapping her inside a dark dream, was being slowly broken to pieces and discarded.

However, what gave her an extremely unpleasant feeling was the fact that the reality she was waking up to was more cruel than her dream...

"Raven…" Raphael, no, Maya muttered as more tears poured down. 

Her eyes that seemed cold before suddenly warmed up and she quickly released her holy aura to support Raven. 

Her bright silver eyes looked like two suns that have finally been relieved of the rainy clouds. She could finally see the reality that has always been hidden from her.

And although this reality was worse than a nightmare for her, after seeing the injured Raven, it was a thousand times better than being trapped in that dream without her most beloved person by her side.

"I'm finally back, Rave," Maya said in between soft sobs as she hugged Raven tighter, causing her to cough once more.

"I'm sorry!" She quickly apologized, but Raven shook her head with a big pure smile.

She was extremely happy right now that she'd allow nothing to ruin this moment of reunion.

"I missed you, *cough* you know," Raven struggled but still spoke in a clear voice. "Maria missed you too!"

Maya didn't speak, but her face showed a look of pain and guilt. How did she allow herself to forget her family? 

Even though it was one of Michael's special skills that ultimately resulted in this, she could not forgive herself.

However, although she was not quite aware yet, she is extremely lucky to remember any of the memories that Michael tried to erase.

Under normal circumstances, his actions would have completely erased those memories. However, back then, Maya had felt that Michael had some evil intentions.

And based on her intuition, she chose to voluntarily seal those most precious memories behind a veil that she created herself. That way, she managed to salvage and protect them.

Most importantly, that veil was set up in a way that it won't activate unless she was able to see one of two people; Raven or Maria.

Although that decision was solely based on trust, she never doubted that one of those two people would unlock the seal for her; that's her family, a family that would never allow her to be lonely!

Now that she thinks about it, if she had not set up that veil to protect those memories, then right now, she would not have been holding Raven between her arms like this, but instead fighting with her and causing her injuries and pain…

Just the thought of it made her feel extremely uneasy and troubled.

She was so thankful to herself for allowing herself to follow her intuition. Additionally, she was so thankful for Raven for handing her what she cherished the most: herself!

'Uhm, I must protect her with everything I have…' Maya thought to herself as she focused back at Raven.

"I missed you too, Rave," Maya finally replied while trying to recompose herself and stop her tears from flowing down like rivers.

Looking at Raven, her heart could not help but ache. This pain that was generated from her heart was many times more unbearable than all of Michael's attacks combined.

"Your eye…" Maya cried and sniffed as she became clear of Raven's awful condition. 

*Cough*

"It's okay," the latter answered after a cough. A big smile appeared on her face. "One eye is enough for me to see you!"

Her smile was so genuine and so happy that it didn't help Maya's pain, but rather made it worse.

'What did I do to ever deserve such a person working so hard just to see me?' She asked herself.

The moment that thought surfaced, she suddenly remembered Lady Luck and the nightmares she spent with her. 

At that time, she used to think of herself as an insignificant doll that had no emotions whatsoever, only by doing that could she survive the years under her.

However, the moment a certain azure haired boy appeared there, her colourless days suddenly exploded with all sorts of beautiful colours that were filled with warmth. 

Although she started looking forward to being with that boy each day, he himself was not satisfied with being trapped and used like a tool.

'Sorry little girl, I am not strong enough, I can't help you…' the azure haired boy had said with a look of guilt.