Intermission: Sakura’s Freedom

Between chapter 11 to 13 Sakura’s Point of View Pain. That was all I knew. That was all I had felt since being abandoned. That was all I fel

Between chapter 11 to 13

Sakura’s Point of View

Pain. That was all I knew. That was all I had felt since being abandoned. That was all I felt as the worms that surrounded me, burrowed into my flesh. The moment I closed my eyes, I was there again.

In that cold, suffocating basement. I could feel them. Countless slimy, crawling worms digging into my skin, slithering. They squirmed, pulsed, and burrowed deeper, feeding off of me, twisting my body into something unnatural.

I wanted to scream, but I had already learned that it didn’t matter. No one would come. No one would help her. Not Father. Not Mother. Not even her big sister.

A slow, measured chuckle echoed through the darkness. I forced myself to look up, even though I already knew who it was. The disgusting old man that called himself my grandfather stood above me, watching with calm amusement. His wrinkled, corpse-like hand stroked his chin as he observed the scene like I was some toy. "This is training, little one," he said, his voice a slow, cruel rasp. "You should be grateful. I am making you into a proper magus.” This is wrong.  This was hell.

Why? Why me? I ask as I could feel myself slipping away. The pain. The darkness. The suffocating, inescapable agony. Father. Mother.  Why did you leave me? 

Why did you give me to this monster? Big sister, save me!  Anyone! I didn’t know how long I had been here. I didn’t know if there was even a way out.

Once, I remembered a man who said he would save me. A man who promised that my suffering would end. So why? Why hasn’t he come? Why do I still suffer? Why am I still here?

Boooom!!!

The world shook. A deafening explosion ripped through the suffocating darkness, sending shockwaves through the basement walls. The ceiling cracked. The ground trembled.

The worms twitched. They shifted, writhing in confusion, Suddenly the worms started to shift in place.  I felt it. A slow, dreadful pull. I wasn’t rising. I wasn’t being freed. I  was being dragged deeper. The earth beneath her shifted, swallowing me whole. The wriggling mass of wretched creatures moved in sync, pulling my body further into the abyss. A cage that had once been open air was now becoming a tomb.

When I noticed I saw we were going further down as if the ground had swallowed me whole. My fingers clawed at the dirt, desperately trying to find something—anything—to hold onto. I couldn’t be taken deeper. She would never get out. She would never see the sky again.

I would never be free. "No…" my voice trembled, growing louder. The darkness did not listen. My body sank further. Now I'll never be able to leave.

Suddenly more of the ground continued to shake. From the distance I heard explosions. Until through the crumbling debris, through the chaos, through the hopeless abyss.  

A voice reached out to me. "Hold on, Sakura!" Strong. Warm. Unshaken. A voice, clear and determined, cut through the suffocating nightmare.

I tried to move, but the worms resisted, pulling me deeper as if they refused to let me go. I wanted to reach for that voice. I wanted to believe that it was real and not another cruel trick of my mind. But the darkness did not want to release me.

Through the suffocating weight of despair, light poured in.

A shadow broke through the debris above, descending into the pit of horrors. The worms shrieked in fury, writhing in resistance, but they were cast aside as if they were nothing. A crimson gleam, like fire, cut through the blackness.

Two strong hands gripped me—one warm and human, the other clad in red armor with a jewel embedded in its center. They held firm, grounding me, anchoring me to something real.

"I’ve got you!" The brown haired boy said. For the first time in so long, I felt something other than pain. I felt hope.

But the worms would not relent, continuing to keep their hold, was it impossible for me to be free. But the boy would give in as i felt power flowing wildly from the boy. 

Explosion

“Dragon Shot!”

Soon from the red gauntlet a red beam flew directly to the center of the pit and the worms exploded forcing us out. My vision was blurry but i could finally see a face. They were so kind filled with determination and anger. So cool.

“Who?” I was able to ask.

The boy looked down at me, his grip still steady, and offered the smallest, reassuring grin. "Just some idiot who hates seeing a girl suffer."

My breath hitched. Someone had come for me. Not to use me. Not to punish me. But to save me. A stranger… who had no reason to care… was here.

My chest tightened. A warmth I had long forgotten flickered faintly inside me. My vision blurred again—not from exhaustion this time—but from the tears falling from my eyes.

The ground continued to shake, when I turned my head to look, I saw a beautiful fox woman fighting a scary black knight. Behind them I also saw a man that looked very hurt looking at me with anger.

"Tamamo! I got her. Do it!" the boy shouted. The moment the fox woman heard him, something happened.

Power erupted. A force unlike anything I had ever felt before. The world around us exploded into a kaleidoscope of colors. Flames sprouted everywhere, destroying everything in their path—but they did not harm us.

Instead, something strange happened.

A sensation spread through me, unfamiliar yet soothing. The pain that had been my constant companion slowly began to fade. The nightmare around me burned. The remaining worms screamed as they were reduced to nothing but ash.

Everything... everything was gone.

I looked up. The burning remains of the basement stretched endlessly beneath me. The horrors, the filth, the darkness—it was all incinerated beyond recognition. And beyond it all... I saw the sky.

Morning light spilled into the ruins, illuminating everything with a golden glow. I was free. For the first time in so long... I was free.

I quickly clung tightly to the warmth of my rescuer, my small fingers grasping at the fabric of his shirt as I tried to process everything that had happened. The suffocating darkness, the endless torment, the pain—it was gone. The underground chamber, once my prison, was now nothing more than scorched earth. But even in destruction, there was a strange sense of peace.

My body still trembled, the lingering terror refusing to fade so easily. I buried my face against the warmth that held me, unwilling to look at the ruins of the nightmare I had lived in for so long. But as my rescuer shifted me gently in his arms, my gaze was drawn to something in the rubble.

A body.

Charred beyond recognition, blackened and broken. A part of my mind tried to understand what I was seeing, but something deep inside told me it was better not to know.

He lowered me onto the ground with care before stepping toward the corpse. His expression was solemn but not unkind. There was no fear in his eyes, no revulsion—only quiet understanding.

My breath hitched as I watched him kneel beside the body. I didn’t understand. Why would he kneel before something so… horrifying? Why would he lower his head and press his hands together in prayer?

His words were soft, barely above a whisper.

"You weren’t a hero," He murmured. "But you tried."

Something about those words sent a pang through Sakura’s chest.

"Rest easy. I’ll take care of her. You don’t have to worry anymore."

My breath caught. Her? He was talking about me.

I glanced at the body again, my heart pounding. Who…?

My mind tried to piece it together, but the answer hovered just beyond reach, shrouded by the haze of fear and exhaustion. Perhaps it was better this way. Some things were too painful to remember.

The moment passed, and the boy rose to his feet once more. He turned to the other woman—Tamamo, he had called her. She was swaying slightly, clearly exhausted, but she still offered him a small nod.

"Ready to get out of here?" he asked.

"Absolutely," Tamamo huffed, flicking a stray lock of hair from her face. "This place was a dump anyway."

Issei chuckled, a sound so casual it felt almost out of place in the ruins of my past. But when he turned back to me, his expression was nothing but gentle.

And then, they left.

The ascent from the ruins felt like a dream—one moment, they were surrounded by darkness, and the next, the rising sun washed over us. The warmth of the sun kissed my skin, unfamiliar yet comforting.

I blinked, as my eyes adjusted to the light. The mansion—my prison—was nothing more than ruins now. Smoke curled into the sky, carrying away the remnants of a nightmare I never wanted to return to.

They walked, the early morning silence wrapping around them like a fragile cocoon. As they moved farther from the ruins, the distant wail of sirens echoed in the air.

I fidgeted, glancing up at the two strangers who had saved me. Tamamo had changed into casual clothes, her fox-like ears and tail hidden from sight. Issei, though still wearing the same outfit, somehow looked less imposing in the daylight.

I hesitated before speaking, her voice barely above a whisper. "Oni-chan."

Issei looked down at her, his smile warm and reassuring. "Yeah?"

I swallowed, gripping the hem of my sleeves. "Wh-why did you save me? Who are you?"

The boy smile softened. "Because you needed saving. And who am I? I’m Issei, and the beautiful onee-chan next to me is named Tamamo-no-Mae. We’re just people who couldn’t stand by and do nothing while you suffered."

I lowered my gaze as I couldn't believe such kind words. "…But I don’t even know you."

"You don’t have to," Tamamo said, her voice gentle yet firm. "A child shouldn’t have to endure such suffering. That alone is reason enough to help."

My fingers clenched. Doubt and hope warred within me. "But…what happens now?"

Issei and Tamamo exchanged a glance before Issei knelt down, placing a hand on my head. The gesture was foreign, yet it made my chest feel strangely warm.

"That’s up to you, Sakura," he said. "We won’t force you to do anything, but if you want, you can come with us."

I hesitated, my lip trembling. I had spent so long trapped, so long with no choice at all. Now, for the first time, I was being given one. "…I don’t want to go back."

Tamamo smiled softly. "Then you don’t have to."

—------------------------

I pressed closer to Issei as they walked, seeking comfort in his presence. The weight of everything still loomed over me, but for the first time in forever, I felt… lighter.

Then, suddenly—

"Move!"

The voice rang out in Issei’s mind, sharp and urgent. Without hesitation, he grabbed both Tamamo and me, pushing us away just as a barrage of swords rained down from above.

I yelped as Tamamo caught me, shielding me from the impact. The ground trembled, dust and debris filling the air. I coughed, my wide violet eyes darting toward the source of the attack.

A golden glow illuminated the morning sky.

A man stepped forward, clad in ornate golden armor, his crimson eyes burning with disdain. He radiated an overwhelming presence, his gaze piercing as he regarded Issei like an insect beneath his feet.

He smirked, amusement and condescension dripping from his tone. "I finally found you, clown."

The golden portals shimmered into existence, forming perfect circles in the sky. Weapons, too many to count, glowed ominously within them, each radiating power beyond comprehension. And above them all, standing like an untouchable deity, was Gilgamesh. Draped in golden armor, his crimson eyes glowed with amusement, a king gazing down at an insignificant fool.

I barely registered Issei’s sharp intake of breath. My heart pounded violently in my chest as I stared up at the man above. He wasn’t normal—he couldn’t be. His presence alone was suffocating, pressing down on me like a force of nature. Every fiber in me screamed to run, to hide, to make myself small like I always had before.

But I couldn’t move. I was trapped, rooted in place by invisible chains of fear.

Gilgamesh’s sneer was almost lazy as he spoke. “Hmph, I wonder how you were able to notice? No matter. Soon, your death is inevitable.”

Issei didn’t waver. He stood tall, defiance burning in his eyes. Gilgamesh’s gaze flickered, just for a second, as if recalling something unpleasant. “You truly believe yourself capable of standing before me, Clown?” He mocked before raising his hand. The golden portals responded instantly, whirring to life, their deadly payload locking onto a single target.

Issei.

The moment the first projectile fired, everything blurred. One second, I was standing in the open, staring at my doom—the next, a strong hand yanked me forward. The world spun violently as Issei pulled me and Tamamo away from the oncoming attack.

I stumbled, my body unsteady, but Issei kept my upright, pushing forward. His grip on my wrist was tight—protective, desperate. I could barely register Tamamo’s frantic voice beside me, or the way her normally proud tails drooped with exhaustion. The only thing that burned itself into my mind was the sheer destruction around them. Explosions tore through the air, shattering stone and steel alike. Fire raged. The scent of smoke filled her lungs.

Screams.

Distant, terrified screams. People were still out there. People were suffering, caught in the crossfire of something they couldn’t hope to understand.

And then I saw it. The moment everything froze.

A golden portal opened—right behind me.

Time slowed. My breath caught. I could feel it before I even turned. The weight of impending death pressing against my skin. A spear, gleaming with the light of the setting sun, shot forward with terrifying speed, aimed straight for my heart.

Move.

I have to move. I have to run. I have to do something. But I couldn’t. My body refused to listen. Just like before. Just like when I had been left to rot in the Matou estate. Just like when the worms crawled under my skin, consuming me from the inside out. Just like when I realized that no one was coming to save her.

I was going to die.

But a warm hand grabbed me.

A voice, desperate and raw, roared my name.

Issei.

In a blur of red and gold, I was ripped away from the spear’s path. A sharp gust of wind cut across my cheek as the weapon grazed Issei’s shoulder instead, slicing deep into his flesh. He twisted midair, his body absorbing the impact as they crashed into the rubble-strewn ground, dust exploding around them.

The world was chaos. Noise. Fire. Destruction. But all I could hear was the sound of Issei’s ragged breathing beside me.

“Are you okay?!” He asked, urgency lacing his voice.

I trembled. My lips parted, but the words wouldn’t come. I forced myself to nod, barely managing to whisper, “I… I think so…” Again this man saved me.

Above them, laughter rang out.

“How unsightly,” Gilgamesh scoffed. “You grovel in the dirt for an insignificant mongrel. What a waste of effort.”

I flinched, my fingers curling into fists. Insignificant. That word—it echoed in my mind, reverberating through my chest, fueling something dark and bitter inside me. A lifetime of being unwanted. A lifetime of being nothing.

But Issei wasn’t like that. He had thrown himself in front of danger without hesitation. He had shielded me, bled for me.

For me. Why couldn't my father fight for me like him?

“Shut the hell up,” Issei snarled, his voice steady despite the pain. “If you think I’m gonna let you do whatever you want, you’re dead wrong.”

Gilgamesh smirked, entertained. “Oh? Then entertain me, clown. Show me if you are anything more than an insect struggling against the inevitable.”

The golden portals flared to life once more, ready to unleash another storm of devastation. Issei braced himself, ready to fight, even as blood dripped from his wound. Even as the odds stacked against him.

And then—

“That is enough, my king.”

The voice cut through the chaos like a blade. Commanding. Cold.

My blood ran cold.

No.

Slowly, I turned my head, my breath hitching in my throat as I laid eyes upon the one man I never wanted to see again.

Father.

My father stood at the edge of the battlefield, his elegant coat barely ruffled despite the destruction around him. His expression was unreadable, but his gaze was fixed solely on me.

“I will be taking my daughter back now.”

A hollow silence followed.

Issei narrowed his eyes. “And who the hell are you?”

Tokiomi barely acknowledged him, his focus locked onto me. “Sakura. Come. It is time to return home.”

My entire body shook. Not from fear, but from something deeper, something festering inside me for years.

“No.”

Tokiomi blinked, his expression betraying the first crack in his mask. “Excuse me?”

I sucked in a sharp breath, then clenched my fists, meeting his gaze head-on. “I said no. I will not go back to you. Not to the man who gave me away—to suffer.”

For the first time, something in Tokiomi’s eyes flickered. Guilt. Regret. But it wasn’t enough. It would never be enough.

He had abandoned me. He had left me to be broken.

“Sakura, this is not up for debate. You belong with your family.”

"Family?" I let out a bitter laugh, tears welling in my eyes. "You’re not my family. You never were. I will not go back! Not to you!" I shouts, voice shaking. "You gave me away! You let them—let them—!"

The air between them grew thick with unspoken words, with wounds too deep to mend.

Everything was happening too fast. One moment, I was standing beside Issei, watching the chaos unfold, and the next, he was telling Tamamo to take me away.

"Tamamo, take Sakura to the Hana’s residence. Tell them to start packing. By tomorrow, Sherri can activate the Dimensional Watch and get us out of here," Issei said, his voice firm, leaving no room for argument.

My stomach twisted. No… No, no, no! I turned to Tamamo, expecting her to agree, but the fox-eared woman bristled, golden eyes flashing with defiance.

"Absolutely not!" Tamamo snapped. "You think I’ll abandon you to fight Archer alone? That I’ll leave you to that golden nuisance? No way!"

My heart pounded. I didn’t want to leave either. I couldn’t leave. Not when Issei was about to throw himself into danger.

Issei’s jaw tightened. "This isn’t up for debate, Tamamo. I need you to do this."

Tamamo’s arms crossed over her chest, her tails flicking wildly behind her. "And I need you alive. So unless you have some miracle plan that guarantees you won't get skewered, I'm staying right here!"

I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms. Please, just run with us.

Issei let out a slow exhale, rubbing his temple. "Tamamo…"

But Tamamo stepped closer, pressing her hand against his chest. "No. I’m not leaving you behind.”

My breath hitched when Issei suddenly cupped Tamamo’s cheek, tilting her face up toward his. Before I could process what was happening, he leaned down and pressed his lips to Tamamo’s.

Tamamo stiffened at first, eyes wide in shock, but then she melted into the kiss, her ears drooping slightly.

I looked away. How embarrassing. Aren't we in danger?

When Issei pulled back, his voice softened. "Please, trust me."

Something shifted in Tamamo’s gaze, hesitation flickering there before she let out a long, frustrated sigh.

"You better come back to me, Issei." She murmured.

Then, before I could react, Tamamo scooped me into her arms.

"Wait—!" I gasped, reaching toward Issei, but the world blurred around me as Tamamo took off, running in the opposite direction.

"Issei!!" I screamed, reaching desperately for him as tears fell from my eyes.

But the distance between them only grew, and soon, he was nothing but a figure disappearing into the chaos behind them. Please come back. Don’t get hurt. 

—-----------------

I desperately tried searching for the brown haired boy. Hoping that he was safe.

“Don't worry little one.” Miss Tamamo says trying to make me feel better as she continues carrying me.

But I can't. Not if the man who saves me gets hurt. “But Miss Tamamo, what if he gets hurt? What if he doesn’t come back?”

“My husband is many things but a liar is not one of them. You’ll see he will be with us before you know it.” She said with full confidence.

As Tamamo carried me away. I noticed shadows following close behind us as I tried to search for Issei.

Figures wrapped in black, their movements eerily silent. At first, I thought there were only a few, but as my eyes adjusted and I realized—there were more. Too many.

A chill ran down my spine.

“Miss Tamamo.” I say with a cry.

Before I could even gasp, Tamamo’s ears twitched, her body tensing.

“I know, Sweetie.”

Then the first dagger flew.

Tamamo moved. One moment she was holding me close, the next, she was twisting midair, narrowly dodging the deadly projectile. The blade struck the cracked pavement with a sharp thunk.

I desperately clung to Tamamo’s kimono, my fingers trembling. "T-Tamamo!"

"Hold on, little one!" Tamamo’s voice was light, almost playful, but I could feel the tension in her grip, see the way her golden eyes darted between the approaching figures.

At least six had already stepped into the dim light, their masked faces emotionless. More still lurked in the shadows, waiting. Watching.

Tamamo clicked her tongue. "Tsk. Cockroaches, the lot of you."

I didn’t understand everything that was happening, but I knew we were in danger.

One of the Assassins lunged.

Tamamo spun, barely dodging, but another was already behind her.

Fire burst from Tamamo’s free hand, a pinkish glow illuminating the darkness. The nearest Assassin jumped back, but another took his place.

They didn’t stop.

They just kept coming.

My breath hitched. Tamamo was fast, graceful, but even she couldn’t fight properly while holding her. And then—

A blade sliced through the air.

Tamamo twisted away, but not fast enough. A thin line of red bloomed on her sleeve.

My stomach twisted. "Tamamo, you’re hurt!"

Tamamo huffed, forcing a smirk. "Oh, this? It’s just a scratch, dearie. Barely stings~"

But I wasn’t fooled.

The Assassins circled closer, their movements smooth, unhurried. Like wolves surrounding their prey.

Then—one of them raised his hand.

Everything stilled.

Even Tamamo tensed.

A voice, smooth and empty, spoke. "We have orders to retrieve the girl. Hand her over. This does not concern you, Caster."

My heart pounded in her chest. They want me?

Tamamo scoffed. "Oh, really? See, I find that hard to believe, considering you’re all so enthusiastic about stabbing me."

"You are an obstacle," the Assassin replied, devoid of emotion. "Nothing more."

Tamamo’s smile sharpened. "Flattery will get you nowhere, you know."

The Assassin exhaled softly. "Kill her."

The moment the word left his lips, the Assassins moved.

Tamamo leaped back just as daggers tore through the air where she had been standing. One nicked her cheek. Another slashed her sleeve.

Tamamo flicked her wrist. Golden talismans shimmered between her fingers.

"Try this, you sneaky little—Fire Seal!"

Explosions of shimmering blue flames erupted around them. Several Assassins flinched back, but others pushed through, unfazed.

I swallowed hard. They’re too fast. Too many. Tamamo couldn’t fight them all—not like this.

Her grip on me tightened.

Then, she whispered, "Alright, little one. Don’t scream, okay?"

Before I could respond, Tamamo threw me into the air.

I barely had time to gasp before Tamamo’s hands glowed with golden light.

"Illusion Arts: Mirror Mirage!"

A thick smokescreen burst around them. Then—dozens of identical figures scattered in every direction. Dozens of me, dozens of Tamamos.

The Assassins hesitated.

Tamamo snatched the real me mid-fall.

Then, in a blur of motion, she ran.

I clung to her, heart hammering in my chest as the figures behind us faded into the distance. This woman was so cool.