Chapter 75: The Blooming Truth
The sky bled orange and crimson over the cliffs of Hoshiyama as Riku stood at the edge, the Bloom pendant glowing faintly at his chest. The wind was sharp, laced with salt and sorrow, whispering echoes of battles past and futures uncertain. Behind him, the remnants of their fractured group gathered—Airi, Yuto, Kai, Haruka, and now Himari, whose sudden reappearance sent shockwaves through his already unstable world.
Riku's thoughts tangled with questions. Why now? Why did Himari return only after the truth about the ancient Bloom relics began surfacing? And why was his brother's voice—lost in time—suddenly guiding him again through the Bloom?
"I remember this cliff," Himari said quietly, stepping beside him. Her voice was like a haunting memory. "We used to play here. Before everything changed."
Riku nodded. The ache in his heart deepened. "Before my brother vanished."
She looked away, her fingers curling. "I never wanted to lie to you, Riku. But the truth was too dangerous. Too deep. Your brother... he didn't vanish. He became something the world wasn't ready for."
"What do you mean?" Riku turned sharply.
Airi and the others approached, tense. "She's been hiding things," Airi said, eyeing Himari. "We all have questions."
Himari exhaled. "The Bloom isn't just a power source. It's a gate. A door between the present and a long-buried past. Your brother found the truth—that the relics are echoes of lost souls. He merged with the Bloom to protect the balance. But he knew you'd follow one day."
Riku's knees nearly buckled. "So he's... alive?"
"In a way. But not as you remember. He's become part of the Bloom. A guardian."
Yuto stepped forward. "Then what happens now?"
"Now," Himari said, "we finish what he started."
---
Flashback: The Day of the Disappearance
Rain lashed against the walls of the orphanage. Riku's older brother, Rei, knelt before the pendant, whispering to it. Himari stood nearby, barely thirteen, fear in her eyes.
"You can't do this, Rei," she said. "It'll tear you apart."
Rei smiled sadly. "It'll tear the world apart if I don't. Look after Riku. He's stronger than he knows."
"He's just a kid!"
"So was I. But the Bloom chose me. And someday, it'll choose him."
---
Present
A deep rumble shook the cliffside. Below, the sea churned unnaturally. Tendrils of violet energy cracked the surface.
"It's starting," Kai muttered.
"Then we go," Riku said, steeling his heart. "We go into the Bloom. We end this."
---
Inside the Bloom Realm
The world inside the Bloom was vast, a kaleidoscope of memories, light, and broken timelines. Voices whispered from every corner, some familiar, others ancient.
"Stay close!" Riku shouted.
Himari took his hand. "This is where time folds. Every choice made and unmade is here. Don't lose yourself."
As they journeyed deeper, they saw visions—Riku's past, his childhood laughter with Rei, his first steps, his mother's lullaby. Pain pierced him like knives.
Then he saw it: Rei, standing atop a pillar of fractured light, his body radiating unstable energy.
"Rei!" Riku cried.
Rei turned. His eyes were no longer human, but filled with stars. "You came."
"I need answers!"
Rei smiled. "You already have them. You're not just my brother. You're the next Guardian."
"I don't want this! I want you back!"
Rei stepped closer. "You can't bring back the past. But you can protect the future."
The realm began to collapse.
"Take my place," Rei said, offering his hand. "Or everything burns."
---
Riku hesitated. Tears streamed down his face. Himari's voice echoed behind him.
"You have to let go, Riku. Or we lose everything."
"But he's my brother..."
Rei's voice was soft. "You'll always be my brother. But now, you must become more."
Riku stepped forward.
Their hands touched.
Light exploded.
---
Outside, the cliffs of Hoshiyama calmed. The sky cleared. And the Bloom pendant—now resting in Himari's hand—glowed with quiet warmth.
Riku was gone.
But the world was safe.
For now.
---