World's End

Two men, wearing priestly outfits meet in a dark room. The slits of the room’s windows illuminating the small space they occupied, they sat at a single, small table. It was covered in scattered documents, the two men, both in their elder years, whitening hair and thinning hairlines; stare at each other in a tense silence.
“How is the progress, Brother Arkam?” The thinner of the men asked.
“Not very well, we have been unable to locate any of the targets. After Agent Ciel’s dismissal, we have not been able to locate her. The Tohno’s also elude us, we last tracked their whereabouts to upper Honshu but that was weeks ago.” The larger man replied.
“What of the Kiru’s daughter?” The man said, his face tensing.
“We haven’t been able to locate her since her father’s death. It is as though she has disappeared off the face of the Earth.” Arkam said, looking nervous.
The man stood up and put his hands together and smiled. “Do not worry, Brother Arkam. She is no longer a problem. You may discontinue your search for her.”
Arkam slowly nodded. “That is good news. But what happened to her?”
“She was betrayed…”
Ruro kept running, she leaped from rooftop to rooftop among the downtown buildings had been over a month since her father’s death, and the Church had labeled all involved as heretics, ordering the executions of all involved but Ciel.
‘Ciel will probably be dismissed then tortured, a pity.’ Ruro thought to herself as she fled.
Ruro then reminded herself of her task, she had to escape whoever was following her. She had sensed someone following her a while back and began to run; she knew they were probably Church assassins. But rather than just keep revealing herself, she chose to flee.
And she kept fleeing, ten minutes of hopping the rooftops when she stopped, she knew it was useless. There seemed to be many.
“Fine, this is enough. Show yourselves.” She announced loudly to the darkness around her.
She simply stood; wearing her cat suit-like outfit that she had wore for so many years. Her eyes darted around the darkness looking for movement.
But eventually she saw a shadow, then two, then four, then 10…
In all, 15 shadows emerged from the darkness.
Ruro smirked at one of them, as his face became clear.
“Gardo, you still yet live.”
“Yes, Ume, did you think the Church or your father could hold us back for so long?” the tall, thin man said.
His skin was pale white, his fangs were abnormally large, his head was shaven and adorned with numerous tattoos shaped like odd symbols. He was wearing what appeared to be leather pants and an open black shirt which seemed oversized for him. It carried numerous emblems in Chinese on it.
“I assume you lead this rabble of Soekis?” Ruro retorted.
Gardo walked slowly forward, his green eyes becoming clear to Ruro. With an arrogant smile and tone, he began.
“Ruro Ume, you are a threat to us. And to our Masters, you already unleashed that terror upon the entire Ancestor race when you unlocked that boy’s power. You have a choice to make, you either help us exterminate that boy, or we kill you here.”
One of the other Soeki, whose flesh dangled from his body, came forward. He looked similar to the Undead except his eye glowed pure red. He had a sick smile on his face as his discolored tongue licked what was left of his lips. He was covered in a tattered white button-up shirt and blue jeans; they were caked black and red with blood.
Ruro smiled wickedly, tensing her arms up. “You already know my answer.”
“Then you know the result.” Gardo says as he snaps his fingers.
At that instance, the other Soeki rushed forward and Ruro dropped into a defensive stance. The first to reach her was the rotting Soeki. Ruro swung her arm toward him and connected, with her forearm, against the side of his face.
A sick cracked filled the air as teeth went flying from the Soeki’s mouth, along with the Soeki itself. Several other Soeki reached hey and all were repelled in a similar fashion. Single devastating blows to their bodies, Ruro never even seemed to break a sweat during it.
The only Soeki who did not charge was Gardo, who stood by and watched, his head tilted and his smirk still intact.
Ruro relaxed her stance a bit and turned her head to Gardo.
“Is this all the Kiru have?” She said calmly.
“No, I’m still here.” As he finished he dashed at Ruro. Ruro simply fell back into stance and prepared for an attack.
Gardo’s punch was simply blocked by Ruro, Gardo tried another punch, moving forward, to which Ruro simply parried his movement with Ruro stepping aside as he went by her.
Gardo stumbled forward as Ruro simply watched him.
He gave out a low growl and turned around.
“Having a bit of trouble?” Ruro said emotionlessly.
Gardo responded with quick sidekick, which was blocked by Ruro’s wide open hand.
“You little bitch… Why can’t just die? Why do you just get stronger?!” He yelled, pulled his leg back and jumping away.
Ruro crossed her arms in front of her chest with an emotionless face.
“Your Kiru is dead! This shouldn’t be.” Gardo said to himself.
“I live by my own terms now, Gardo, rather than simply living off of someone more powerful than me. Like a parasite. I set my own limitations.” She replied, never breaking from her icy appearance.
Suddenly, Ruro turned to find the decomposing Soeki lunging at her, its fangs bearing out. Ruro stopped its lunge in an instant with a quick jab to the Soeki’s chest that sent it flying backwards onto the ground, blood spraying from its mouth.
But before she could turn and face Gardo again. She felt two chains wrap around her biceps, followed by a piercing pain.
Sickle blades on chains had wrapped around her biceps and dug their points deep into her arm. Blood was running down her arm as the pain rushed to her head.
She gasps quietly and attempted to pull free but it just made them dig ever deeper into her so she stopped.
“So, Ume, how does it feel to be at a disadvantage again?” Gardo said with a laugh.
The chains emanated from two holes in his forearms. They seemed to impossibly been stored there this whole time.
He wrapped the chains around his hands and pulled back, dragging the resisting Ruro toward him.
“I can see why your father loved you.” He said with a very low voice.
Ruro said nothing, simply trying to keep her ground as she kept getting pulled toward Gardo.
He stopped pulling the chains and pulled the woman down.
“Kneel, girl!” He commanded.
Ruro didn’t obey and Gardo yanked the chains several more times. They strike the ground several times from the force.
Ruro grits her teeth soon and falls to her knees.
“Good! But now,” He said as he approached Ruro’s back. “You must die.”
Gardo put his foot on Ruro’s back, pushing her forcefully as he yanked the chains back as hard as he could.
Ruro’s arms were spread wide open and back as Gardo continued to pull her arms back and push his foot forward.
“I’m going to break you, Ume, like you should have been long ago!” he shouted.
Ume growled, eventually slowly pulling her arms more and more forward. They both grunted as they strained against each other, the chains began to creak and rattle under the stress.
One of the links on one of the chains snapped and began to bend slowly apart.
“Nobody will ever break me!” Ruro yelled as she broke one of the chains. In a flash, she was standing and swung the loose chain still on her arm against the other chain, snapping the already stressed steel.
Gardo quickly stumbled back, falling onto the ground. He sat up; Ruro slowly started walking toward her enemy, the chains hanging from her arms dragging across the ground. Her eyes were glowing, her body was tense and she was bearing her teeth.
“Nobody will ever chain me again.” She growled.
Gardo’s arrogance was gone; it was replaced by fear and anxiety. He began to step backwards in an attempt to gain distance from Ruro.
“Stay away!” He shouted in an increasingly unsteady voice. “You monster, stay back!”
“You dare try to tame me, you idiot? You think you can stop me?!” She roared and the spirit that had been lying within her for so long, her anger, her impulse to kill, and her desire to destroy all that opposed her. It had returned with a terrible vengeance. Her eyes carried the terrible color of a Kiru, of one who had lost touch with their higher plane of thinking, of one who simply gives into base impulses.
Ruro has succumbed to that which she had feared the most for so long: The urge to feed and to kill.
Ruro laughed softly, noticing some of the other Soeki had begun to recover. Ruro turned her attention to the other Soeki, beating them mercilessly with the chains that were stuck to her arms and with her fists and feet. She beat them without mercy or regard.
And the laughter echoed through the night, Gardo watched as the Soeki’s were utterly beaten and some killed. One particular Soeki had the displeasure of having his entire head cut clean in two, along with his torso.
And after Ruro was finished with the other Soeki, after they had either been killed or beaten to a pulp. She turned her eyes to her original prey: Gardo.
Gardo, by now, had stood up. He was shaking visibly; he had just seen the systematic beating of 14 Soeki under his command.
There he stood, staring at the woman who had committed the violence. She began to approach him again, her menacing glare never leaving him as she walked. A twisted smile covered her lips as the only sounds that came from her were her footsteps and the screeching of the chains on the ground. She looked like a terrible demon from the bowels of Hell, her body was caked in blood, and her face was covered as well. And in the darkness, it seemed the chains glowed red from the sheer amount of blood on and dripping off of them.
Gardo felt nothing to lose at this point and rushed at her, his fist at the ready. But it never had a chance; it never had a chance to begin moving forward.
Ruro had shot a chain up from off the ground and into Gardo’s face. Slashing it terribly and sending him falling backwards. He tried to right himself into a suitable position but felt a chain slam into the side of his head with such force he lost consciousness. The hit left a spatter of blood on the ground beside him.
Ruro continued whipping and kicking Gardo without mercy or relent. Blood pools expanded under and around the limp body of the Soeki, blood flew all over Ruro’s body and on the ground around them.
Ruro simply could not stop beating him. She was panting heavily when she finally ceased. Most of Gardo’s body was covered in blood and cut deeply; the pool of blood was larger than Gardo’s whole body at this point.
Ruro collapsed onto her knees and stared at the blood intently.
“So... thirsty.” She muttered to herself as her face lowered toward the blood.
Ruro’s eye shot wide open when she heard the sound of something cutting through the air. Before she could gauge her surroundings she felt a terrible pain in her neck and fell to the side.
Her neck had been pierced by a flying sword; it went clean through her neck. She could hear the blood streaming from her neck onto the ground.
She heard someone land softly on the ground nearby and walk toward her.
“So, you have failed to restrict your own impulses...?” The voice sounded sad. But the voice was familiar.
Ruro managed to make out a fuzzy face stand over her as her vision began to fail her
Ruro realized who it was and hissed. “Ciel, I knew it was a matter of when.”
She swung a chain up and hit Ciel in the face. She let out a small cry and covered her now bloody face with her hand.
In her other hand she held a Black Key, staring at Ruro, whose vision began to go black.
“I’m sorry, Ruro… But you are too dangerous now.” Ciel said, her voice quivering as she thrust the sword through Ruro’s skull, piercing through the back.
Ruro’s eyes widened and glistened, the life from the finally draining out; she managed to give a slight pleading look at Ciel before her eyes slowly closed, for the final time.
Ciel slowly walked away from Ruro’s now lifeless body, but soon collapsed to her knees, blood still pouring from her face.
“Ruro, I’m so sorry.” She said, her voice not matching the words she spoke.. “All this time… You fought against him. And now you were finally free… Free to be yourself, but in the end you were still Kiru.”
Ciel slowly stood up, giving one last glance back at her body.
“You know it had to be done.”
As the dawn broke, a young girl was brushing her hair in nothing but her underwear in a bathroom. She had just finished taking a shower; she was in a rush to finish her morning rituals before heading off to school.
The girl was 5’8’’, weighing around 135 lbs.; her body was toned and quite attractive, at least to her classmates. Her body was toned, not out of nature but out of fitness, her mother ran a dojo where both of them lived as well. She hurriedly dressed in her red and white uniform and red skirt, dashing out of the bathroom.
The dojo was situated in the front of the house, while the living environment was in the back, along with the kitchen and bedrooms. It was a modest two-story home situated on Sado Island, in the recent years, the island’s population had dwindled a bit and the schools became less and less populated due to the younger people leaving for opportunities on the mainland as the old simply remains, tied to their homes. This girl, Ginoi Sasu, had decided to stay with her mother’s blessing.
Her long, black hair danced around her back as she ran around the dojo, attempting to gather her school things, her backpack, her small purse, as well as her cell phone.
“Oh, darn it!” She shouted, as she went through her backpack. Her unusual orange eyes darting through her now opened backpack. She had seemed to have misplaced something and was furiously searching for it.
“Sasu, is this the book you were looking for?” A voice called out from the door leading to the living area.
Sasu slowly raised her head and barely managed to talk, her face beginning to flush red.
“Yes, Okasan…” She said in an embarrassed tone.
Her mother, Ginoi Sakai, was a beautiful woman. She claimed to be in her late 30’s but her looks could easily be confused with that of a woman in her mid 20’s. Her blue eyes glowed at the sight of her daughter and her long black hair went nearly to her knees. She was a very tall woman herself, standing even taller than Sasu by a few inches. Her body was hidden under a blue and red kimono; she dressed in a very traditional manner, even in the morning and evening.
Her long slender fingers grasped a fairly large text book, she held her arm outwards toward Sasu.
“You are always so forgetful when you study.” Sakai said with a warm smile.
Sasu grinned slightly and rubbed her cheeks, getting even more embarrassed.
“Okasan, you’re embarrassing me!” She said, trying to hide her face behind her backpack now.
“Here,” Sakai said as she tossed the book at Sasu, it arced through the air slowly. “Catch it.”
Sasu’s eyes widened as she saw the book fly through the air in slow motion. It was a test.
Sakai had a peculiar way of testing Sasu’s martial training, with random tests of physical and mental agility and sometimes a combination of both, as was the case now.
“Nooo!” Sasu cried as she ran toward where the book was going, but she tripped over her backpack and felt to the ground. The book followed Sasu and landed with a soft thud on her back.
“Ow! Okasan! I can’t go to school now!” Sasu whimpered. “My back may be broken…”
Sakai sighed and slowly made her way to her fallen daughter.
“You’re such a lazy girl, how do you expect to be my apprentice for the upcoming students?” Sakai scolded.
“I don’t want to be, you made me.” Sasu mumbled into the ground.
Sakai gave a sweet smile and lightly kicked Sasu’s head with her geta.
“Get up and go to school.” She ordered with a stern, but with a sweet voice.
Sasu dramatically writhed on the ground holding her head.
“I definitely can’t go now!” She cried out. “I have a concussion!”
Sakai reached down, grabbed her daughter by the back of her uniform and lifted her up with abnormal strength, almost to eye level.
“Hey stop it!” Sasu whined, looking up pathetically at her mother. “You’ll rip the uniform!”
Sakai raised an eyebrow. “I thought you disliked school?”
“I just like the uniform…” she muttered.
Sasu put her feet on the ground and Sakai released her grip on her daughter’s uniform.
Sasu pouted, putting her backpack on, and dashing from the house without closing the door.
Sakai sighed and followed Sasu outside and saw her off, with her usual smile.
“That girl hasn’t changed a bit in 3 years… It’s amazing to think she’s 16 sometimes.” She muttered to herself as she returned into the house, shutting the door behind her.
I kept my legs pumping, Okasan’s stupid test made me later than I already was. I would have to take the short route.
Thinking that, I turned a corner into one of the alleys, climbing the large number of fences I encountered.
“Heh, piece of cake.” I boast to myself as I continue my hectic pace toward school. I turn out of the alley down the street my school was on, passing the other late students with ease.
‘They are so slow!’
I arrived at the school to see the gates had already been locked. They locked them a little earlier than usual today. I throw my backpack onto the ground in frustration and yell to the heavens.
“DAMMIT!”
I cross my arms and pout at the gate, hoping it will open. No such luck. The other late students see the gate closed and begin dispersing with grumbles and groans until I am alone outside the gate.
I refuse to give up as I try to look for a way to sneak in.
I hit myself in the head with my palm when I realize I can just climb over the gate. I throw my backpack over first as I approach the gate.
The gates horizontal bars were quite a distance apart but that wouldn’t stop me.
I grabbed onto the bars and steadied myself, then hoisted myself up and stand on one of the horizontal bars. I reached up to the highest horizontal bar and steadied myself again. With a small grunt of effort I pulled myself up to them, and then pushed myself upward with such force that I flew above the gate.
Instinctively I push my legs to try and land on the horizontal bar and succeed, but poorly. My balance was completely off, and I couldn’t stop myself from falling forward.
I was falling through the air before I knew it; I stuck my arms out to cushion my landing as I fell face-down against the ground.
I laid there for a few seconds, just letting my body absorb the pain and seeing if anything hurt too badly. After feeling just slight, dull pain on my front I slowly stood up and dusted myself off.
“Aww, I’m all dirty now.” I unconsciously blurt out.
“Hey, you have a nice ass, Sasu.” I heard a male voice say behind me and I knew immediately who it was.
I felt my face flush as I turned slowly to face the man who uttered those vulgar words:
Chitsu Fumo, a Third Year student, he is an outsider of sorts and rarely attends classes. He is tall, well built and good-looking, except he tends to drive the girls who find him attractive away with his stone-cold glares and attitude. In short, he’s an asshole. My feelings toward him are a bit neutral even though he teases me a lot. He brushes his somewhat long, red bangs from his face and behind his ears then stared at the ground.
“Your boyfriend is a lucky man, I wonder how many times he-“
“Shut up!” I interrupt him; I wasn’t going to let him continue on his perverted fantasies. But I could feel my face getting even hotter. Fumo was the local pervert; he always said this kind of crap.
“Strong girl, this pack is pretty heavy. “ Fumo eyes fixed onto me and held out my backpack. “Here, I think you may need it.”
I hesitate for a second then snatch the backpack from him, quickly turning toward the school building and walking away.
“You’re an ass.” I give him a parting shot.
“At your service.” He quips back as I walk away.
I made my way into the school and to class. The teacher reprimanded me when I entered then I took my seat.
The lesson was pretty boring so I just sat and stared out of the window at the city and gardens on the school lawns.
The campus was pretty small, but it was beautiful, it was covered with flowerbeds and cherry blossom trees. When school is out for the day and in the summer, it frequently doubles as a park. It’s a pretty popular place for picnics and tourists for some reason. I think it may be famous, but I wouldn’t know.
My thoughts drifted to my boyfriend.
Okake Wata… I’ve been dating him ever since the start of school three months ago. He’s a Second Year student and the goalie of the soccer team. He’s been pretty heavily scouted by the J-League teams and a lot of people think he may skip out on his third year to go play in the J-League. He hasn’t talked to me much about it much, other than pointing out when the scouts were at his matches.
His laugh and smile are just so charming, his beautiful brown eyes, and his short, spiked black hair. And, of course, very fit and athletic. The only thing awkward is that I am taller than him but he doesn’t seem to mind.
Our relationship wasn’t terribly serious. He admitted that he asked me out to our first date on a dare from one his teammates and I’d had a crush on him for some time, so I accepted. We hadn’t gone much passed kissing, holding hands and going to dinner and such. Normal stuff, I guess.
The rest of the day until lunch passes without me paying much attention. It was a very slow day and it seems even the teachers didn’t want to be teaching today.
I made my way to the soccer field and stand just outside the door just across from the field; usually the team practice ends at lunch so they can mingle with the other students since most of the day they are in class or on the field.
I saw Wata approaching with a group of his teammates. They seemed to be having a pretty lively conversation. I can’t help but smile when he notices me.
He walks up to me, breaking from his friends as they entered the school.
“Hey Sasi.” He says with a smile. Sasi was the nickname he and others had given me for some reason.
“Hey, Wata.” I reply as our lips meet for a quick kiss, even such a small thing it felt like it sent electricity through me.
“Hey, Sasi, can we go somewhere private, I have something I want to discuss.” He said calmly as he opened the door.
“Sure.”
He gestures for me to enter first; I bow quickly to him and enter ahead of him.
We talked a bit while walking side by side. We talked about the usual: Grades, practice, how his friends were doing.
Eventually, he stops, looking at the door leading to the art room.
“Let’s talk in here.” He quickly says.
I tilt my head for a second then follow him.
As I entered, I was immediately overcome by the smell of paint, dust and the smell of stale brushes. Wata sat on one of the tables and gestured me to sit next to him, so I do.
“What was it, Wata?” I ask.
“This.” He says as he moves in, pressing his lips against mine.
My eyes widen as he kisses me, but I slowly give in to him. His kisses always did this to me, and I certainly wasn’t going to complain.
When his tongue entered my mouth, I felt like I had lost all control and met his tongue with mine.
Our tongues danced and intertwined, the saliva from our mouths mingled and it felt so good…
“Wata…” I gasp out.
“Sasi… I want you...” He mutters breathlessly, his hand running up my stomach and onto my breasts.
I gasp slightly, my face turning extremely hot very fast.
“W-Wata…” I gasp again, he had never been this frisky before and it surprised me. But I didn’t turn him away.
He hands skillfully massaged my breasts, pinching and caressing.
“Wata…” I moan out as I rub his chest with my hand. I was feeling so hot…
“Sasi… I want you body, your nice breasts, I want them right now…” He said in a whisper.
His words simply made me feel hotter as I subconsciously spread my legs a little wider and stuck my chest out a little.
“.. You can have them anytime.” I say in between gasps. He began to unbutton my uniform with his hands, soon my chest was only clad in a bra. His ambitious hands didn’t both with the bra as he slid them under it and began to massage my bare skin.
“Oh, God... Wata…” I moan out, I’ve never been touched this way before and it felt utterly incredible. Every movement of his hand sent shockwaves of pleasure through my head and spine.
He began pinching me and I cried out softly with every one.
“Your breasts are so soft, Sasi…” He said as he had begun panting.
“It feels so good…” I sigh. I didn’t care anymore, I just wanted him to touch me now…
But before we could go any further the door opened.
In a flash, Wata had pulled his hands from under my bra and seemingly shot across the room. I just sat there and blushed, closing my uniform with my hand and crossing my arms.
We were busted.
The teacher scolded us as I buttoned up my uniform and ordered us to the principal’s office. We walked down the hall, both incredibly embarrassed; both our faces must have been beet red.
“I’m sorry.” Wata muttered to me.
I just hung my head as we continued on to meet our punishment.
I stared straight ahead, the head of the school stood before us.
We had been escorted in a small office, and been forced to sit in two small, hard, wooden chairs. He was reprimanding us with his loud, booming voice over the etiquette at school. He was wearing a grey suit with a brown tie, he had fierce brown eyes and his hair was beginning to grey as well, matching his suit. His face was becoming red with rage as he continued preaching.
“We will not tolerate this kind of behavior at this institution! This is a center for learning, not hormones!” He bellowed.
I simply stared at the ground, unable to look at either him or Wata. I was so ashamed, so embarrassed.
I heard Wata speak up. “I’m sorry... But Sasu couldn’t stop! I wanted her to! I didn’t want to get into trouble and I knew we would.”
I jerked my head to face Wata, he was in tears. And he was shaking.
“Wata, what the hell?!” I screamed at him.
The principal roared. “Sasu! Be QUIET!”
“No, this is bullshit!” I yelled again, this time at the principal. I could feel the heat building in my face and tightness in my chest. I balled my hands up into fists and sternly glared at Wata.
“Why are you lying?! Why?! You know you started it, you little horny son of a bitch!” I didn’t care anymore, he had betrayed me. Just to save him, after all this. He took the cowardly route.
Wata glared at me and yelled back. “You are the one who always wants to have sex! You wanted to do so many terrible things at school!”
The principal shook his head as Wata talked, I knew he believed him. I knew it.
“You little motherfucker!” I lost control of my body as well as my mouth as I stood up. The Principal finally acted and put his hand on my shoulder.
“Sit down!” He bellowed once more.
I snapped, I felt the tightness in my chest give way. And the feeling that poured through was hatred, malice. I wanted to make him pay for taking his side and I wanted Wata to die for betraying me, breaking my heart and making me feel dirty.
I grabbed the principal’s wrist, twisting it as I stepped to the side, putting my knee on his shoulder and forcing him to bend forward.
I felt remarkably calm for what I was doing, knowing I would be thrown out of school, that I’d never see my friends again if I did this. Losing Wata, losing my education, losing my mind, which was all irrelevant now. I wanted them to suffer…
The principal let out a groan of pain as I applied more pressure by twisting his wrist and forcing my knee harder against his shoulder.
“Who has the power now? You are weak, you are both weak! I’m going to kill you both; I’m going to kill everyone in this school! This is going to be great! I’ll show you the meaning of having strength, authority and power!” I screamed, with every word I felt more hatred and anger. And the more pressure I applied.
Wata by now had stood up and was gazing in awe. He was speechless and shaking.
The principal managed to whimper. “Sasu… You’re going to break my arm. Stop… I beg of you…”
His pleads disgusted me.
“It hurts, doesn’t it?! It feels like your arm is going to rip off doesn’t it! Huh!?” I yelled again, tightening my grip even more, I could feel his wrist and shoulder approach their limit.
“Yes!” He cried out, his body shaking now.
“I’m done with you, you stupid old man!” I yell out as I give one last forceful twist to his wrist and jam my knee into his shoulder one last time.
Two snaps… The principal let out a terrible howl as he fell to the ground, his hand and shoulder bending and jagging at unnatural angles.
Wata held his hands over his mouth, as though he was going to get sick. I turned my attention to him.
I walked over the crying and whimpering principal, calm as I ever was.
“Wata, why did you lie?” I ask in a very cool voice.
“I-I... Sasu... I-I’m...” He stammered, his legs shaking quite badly.
I came even closer to him, he grabbed his chair and put in front of him to block me from approaching any closer.
“Stay back! Stay back you crazy bitch!” He yelled as he picked up the chair, pointing the legs at me and tried to use it as a weapon. He tried to jab me with the chair legs in a futile effort, as I grabbed one of them tightly.
I felt a smirk grow on my face as I bent the leg with ease. Wata’s eyes widened as he watched the scene.
“You... You’re a monster.” He whispered.
“No, you’re the monster, and this is where you die.” I growl.
I let go of the chair and kicked the dull edge of chair into his chest, two cracks followed in quick succession as Wata began to breathe oddly. The chair shot back with the recoil, to which I kicked it again, this time the chair found its mark on Wata’s mouth.
Pieces of tooth erupted from it and blood poured from his mouth as he collapsed onto his knees, holding his hands over his extremely bloody mouth.
I grab the befallen chair and pull it behind me, ready to destroy the rest of this little bastard.
But when I went to swing the chair, it refused to move.
I turned behind me to see Okasan restraining the chair with her hand.
“Sasu, this is enough.” She said in a low voice, her blue eyes giving me a cold and serious glare.
I felt my face twist in rage as I let go of the chair, turning toward Sakai. She wasn’t my Okasan anymore; she was another obstacle who wanted to get in my way…
“Sakai… You just made the biggest mistake of your pathetic life.” I growled.
Sakai’s expression didn’t change as she lightly tossed the chair aside.
“Sasu, don’t lose yourself to your rage. You’ll end up dead.” She warned.
I just laughed at her. “How? You think you can kill me, you old woman?”
Sakai relaxed her arms and kept her firm stare on Sasu.
“Don’t do this, just come back home and we’ll resolve this.”
I snarled at her once and leaped at her with punch, she nimbly dodged by ducking down and to the left.
My fist hit the wall; it caved under my fist and caused a large webbing of cracks to form all around it. Sakai rose up quickly, grabbing wrist from underneath as she did so.
She raised my arm up and held it tightly.
I must kill her… I can’t let her beat me... she is strong... So I must kill her…
I kept hearing these things in my mind, these voiceless commands, these impulses as I gave her a fiery stare, gritting my teeth.
“Sasu, enough.” She ordered.
“You can’t order me around; who the hell do you think you are!” I screamed at her as I raised my leg up to kick her.
She blocked it with her free hand, pushing her palm against my incoming kick.
“You bitch…” I growled.
She just shot me a narrow eyed glare, quickly releasing my wrist and in one smooth motion swung her arm down at my sternum and hit me with her fist.
The pain was amazing; it was so powerful that it sent me stumbling out into the hallway through the open door.
I cried out, holding where had just previously stuck me.
I gave her another fierce stare, but she just returned it with an icy stare.
I felt another emotion: Fear. Fear that I cannot beat her, and it just made me hate her more.
I took as best a stance I could with my aching body as she approached.
“Sasu… Fight it, fight that anger. I’m not your enemy, you have no enemies.” She said coolly.
“Liar!” I shot back as I lunged at her with another kick, which she blocked with her forearm, as I expected.
I pushed myself into the air with my other leg and shifted my other leg around her arm, and then I had her. I had locked my legs around her arm. I then brought up my arms and locked them around her forearm and prepared to flip her.
When she was down, I could easily kill her…
I grin as I pull back, trying to flip her to the ground.
But something happened, or rather, didn’t happen.
She didn’t move at all. Her arm, her body, she didn’t budge. No matter how hard I pulled, or how much I tried to break her arm, it seemed impossible.
“Sasu…” Her voice sounded much softer than before. “I’m sorry for what I am about to do.”
Before I could respond, she had slammed me into the nearby row of lockers; they caved instantly as pain shot through my whole body. But I didn’t let go. I couldn’t, I feared for my life.
Sakai suddenly swung her arm upwards, I couldn’t hold on anymore and I lifted off into the air. I hid the ceiling hard, more pain went through my already damaged body, I was numb all over but I had to keep fighting.
As I prepared myself to go on the attack, Sakai raised her leg up nearly 90 degrees and caught me right in the jaw.
I blacked out momentarily; I couldn’t feel anything until I hit the ceiling again from the impact.
I could barely see, my vision blurred. I couldn’t move my body at all, I felt like a stringless puppet. My breathing slowed as I tried to turn my head to face Sakai, her face had faded from emotionlessly cold to one of concern.
“Okasan…” I managed to whimper before I became dislodged from the ceiling and hit the ground hard, blacking out as I hit.
…
….
In the blackness, I suddenly felt a lot of jostling, and my legs being held…
My eyes slowly opened to reveal that my head was lying on the back of a kimono…
Okasan…
I raised my head to look around and found myself being carried on Okasan’s back, we had just arrived at the front of our home when she unexpectedly let go of me, causing me to fall onto my back.
“Ow!” I cried out.
I couldn’t move, my body utterly ached, even breathing hurt. My head felt like it had been split in two with the pain in my jaw and my headache.
Okasan made no attempt to help me as she slid open the door. After that, she turned to me with a cold look.
“Get in the house.” She commanded in an ominous voice.
Using all of my strength I managed to crawl into the house, making it as far as the training mat before my arms gave out and I collapsed.
I was panting, completely exhausted simply from that.
I could hear Okasan approaching, she stopped next to my befallen body. All I heard for a few seconds was simply my panting breath.
The familiar feeling of Okasan grabbing the back of my uniform suddenly dominated my mind, as I was lifted and carried away from the mat.
I didn’t look up, nor put up a struggle. I simply dangled like a ragdoll as Okasan went into my room and dropped me onto my bed.
I turned my head slightly to look at her. Her face betrayed her concern and worry and for that I gave her a weak smile.
“Thank you… Okasan.” I say weakly.
Okasan just gave a slight nod and walked to the door, but before exiting she stopped.
“We will talk about this tomorrow if you are feeling better. But for today, it will be best if you stay in your bed and rest.”
She walked from the room and quietly shut the door behind her.
I just stared at the door, wondering what exactly happened today.
Why did I get so angry? Why and how was I able to use such power? And where did it come from? And where did Okasan’s power come from?
All these thoughts drifted through my mind as I closed my eyes and began to drift into slumber…
I awoke with a start; I looked at the clock next to my small bed. Well, everything in the room was small and plain, the color of the wall was a bright shade of blue. In fact, most of the room was blue, even the sheets on my bed, all that wasn’t blue was the door, dresser, desk and a chair, which were dark amber.
I rolled, still feeling a dull pain from all over my body, onto my back. Staring at the plain blue ceiling, I tried to recall what happened yesterday.
It was so fuzzy, I remember so little.
I heard Okasan’s voice in my head, warning me… Warning me about something that I can’t remember…
Her eyes were so cold, her gaze so emotionless, even now it haunted me.
I jump when I hear the door open.
Okasan appeared in the doorway, holding a tray with two cups of tea on it. She was wearing an abbreviated kimono today, simply a red kimono with no elaborate designs on it like she usually wore.
She pulled the chair up to the side of the bed, sitting the tray on the desk and stared at me. Her eyes were warm and filled with concern but she wore a frown. A sharp contrast to what I saw the other day.
“Are you alright, Sasu?” She said quietly.
“Yeah… I’m feeling better.” I lied, I was still feeling terrible, and my body felt like it had been broken then put back together. My back screamed in pain whenever I tried to move, my hands ached terribly when I tried to move them.
“Do not move too much, you were hurt rather badly the other day.” Okasan tried to soothe me, but the very fact she caused these pains did little to comfort me.
I just stared above Okasan’s gaze; her eyes scared me now, knowing what they could do. Their emotion could simply vanish in an instant and betray a darker element.
Okasan sensed my discomfort and reached for a cup of tea.
“The beating you put on Wata and that foolish principal was quite a show.” She said nonchalantly, as she sipped the tea.
My eyes widened at her, she was so calm talking about something that would normally get me killed.
“I… Don’t remember it too much.” I answered her honestly this time, I remember very little after I grabbed the principal. But the image of Wata’s terrified face was burned into my memory; he looked as though he was staring at some terrible beast or demon and not me.
Okasan smiled at me. “Sit up and have tea with me, Sasu. Don’t just lie there like a weak girl.”
I mumbled, she was provoking me, but I was in no position to argue. My body wouldn’t allow it, every time I breathed or spoke my chest felt like it was about to collapse.
I reached over to the cup and slowly brought it to myself, but my hand was shaking terribly and tea spilled out over the rim of the cup.
I gritted my teeth to steady my hand but to no avail, that’s when Okasan reached over and grabbed my wrist. My grip steadied with her help and I brought the warm tea to my lips and sipped it slightly.
Okasan gave me another warm smile. “That wasn’t so hard, now was it?”
I smiled for the first time that day. “Thank you, Okasan.”
…..
I was adopted by Ginoi Sakai 3 years ago; my original parents abandon me when I was 13. I don’t remember much about them other than they were very quiet and tended to my every need; they spoiled me quite a bit. They never scolded me, showed any discipline or emotion. They simply cared for me and little else.
One day, they just disappeared. I was left alone. I became homeless and wandered the streets for over a month, my clothes became rags, I felt so alone and helpless.
Then she came, my Okasan. She found me living in an alley and took me into her home.
I was so shy with her at first, so unused to her attention. I never cared for the affection she showed at first but I opened up.
After a while, she truly became my Okasan, she taught me martial arts in the dojo and helped me get the education I never really had before. I owe her everything.
But Okasan was peculiar at times. She became paranoid of visitors, the usual non-student visitors were the ones who had nowhere else to go and needed a room for the night. She would commonly enforce a very early curfew for me when such visitors came and she always had such a serious look.
But when they left, she went back to her normal kind self.
She also was chronically sick, once or twice a month she would confine herself to her room and refuse to be seen. That is when she at her worst, she never talked, never made any noise or requested anything. I would be left to run the class by myself, usually in just routine exercises and overlooking sparring.
I was so worried that one day she would never come out, but after a day or two of isolating herself at night, she would come out as though nothing had happened.
But yesterday, I saw a side of Okasan I had never seen. I had seen her perform moves with a speed I had never seen from her in sparring. Her blows were utterly vicious and accurate. And she showed me no mercy until the end; she was truly skilled and unafraid under any circumstance.
Who is my Okasan? My Okasan is Ginoi Sakai but Sakai is still a mystery to me…
“Okasan… How old are you?” Such a silly question, but thinking about all of this made me realize how little I knew about Sakai.
Okasan shot me a grin. “Old enough to be your mother.”
I frowned. “Seriously, Okasan.”
Okasan gave a sigh of resignation. “38, are you happy?”
“No way.” I blurted out.
Okasan looked barely over 25, being 38 seemed impossible.
“Do you use that much make-up?” I teased her.
She replied by lightly smacking my nose. I cried out softly and rubbed my nose.
Well, there was my answer, which was an emphatic no.
“Okasan, where were you born?” I continue my questions.
“Tokyo, my parents were immigrants from China and my grandparents were in turn from Europe. So I guess you can say my blood is rather worldly.” She said with a smile.
She was lying, I don’t know why I thought so, but I did. I didn’t question it though, because I knew she would probably just dismiss my question outright.
“What was your childhood like?” I asked yet another question as she sipped her tea.
Okasan became quiet, her face stiffened and she put her tea down slowly.
“Sasu, why are you asking so many questions?” She said sternly.
“I’m just curious; I don’t really know that much about you…” I said quietly, taken aback by her sudden change in disposition.
Okasan’s soft warmth returned as she ruffled my hair with her hand.
“It was rough, dear, but I overcame it.”
“How was it rough?”
“I’ll tell you when you’re older; you’ll understand it better then.” She said, pulling her hand away.
One question suddenly popped into my head.
“Did you ever have a natural child?”
“Okasan’s face suddenly faulted, she stared deeply at me and was silent for a long time.
After a while, I speak up. “Okasan..?”
“Yes, I did. She would be about your age right now; she died shortly after I gave birth to her.” Her eyes lowered to the floor, she seemed so sad and out of it, like she was trying to forget something but couldn’t.
“I’m so sorry…” I felt awful, I never knew. I regretted bringing up all these questions.
Okasan shook her head. “It’s ok; I guess that is why I was so drawn to you when I saw you. You reminded me of the daughter I had for such a short time so long ago. I figured maybe I could still have a child of my own, if nothing else, to apologize to my daughter for her mother’s body not being strong enough.”
Tears were rolling down her cheeks. I saw my vision blur as well as she wiped her tears away.
“I’m sorry, Sasu, I shouldn’t be so emotional.” She apologized.
I simply sat up and hugged her, ignoring the pain in my body. My brain was protesting the move as much as it could but I didn’t care.
I hugged my warm Okasan, the woman who had given me everything I have now. The woman who took me in when no else could or would.
“Okasan… It’s ok; I’m still your daughter.”
“I know… And I thank the Heavens everyday that you are…” I heard her say quietly.
I had managed to make my way out of bed into the living room across from my room. I had been watching the television for over an hour when it suddenly flashed over to a News Bulletin.
The sole news anchor was reading off a report, while numerous images of soldier and military officers walking the streets of a city flashed by on the screen.
“Today, the prefecture of Wakayama was put under a state of emergency due to the sudden outbreak of a highly contagious and lethal illness. This morning the Diet were in an emergency session to determine whether or not earlier reports of the sick or dying in the streets, as reported by several agencies in Wakayama, were grave enough to warrant action. This sudden and surprisingly large-scale reaction to it seems to confirm those reports. We will have more information as it comes.”
I turned my attention to Okasan as she had just walked in and stood at the door watching the report. The feed had changed from the anchor to a woman reporter in the field who was in an ad hoc evacuation zone set up by the military.
“There is extremely little info being given to us and we have been restricted from visiting the decontamination zones as well as well as the exits leading to the zones of evacuation from Wakayama. The Entire prefecture has essentially gone into lockdown; no civilian personnel are allowed to enter the prefecture at this time.”
The camera panned as a military officer began talking to the reporter; many people were talking at the same time so it was impossible to make out the conversation until the officer left.
“Apparently, all members of the media are being forced even further back from the zone. We will resume our report when we have reached the border of the n- Wait! I’m getting a report that a reporter has been attacked! Do we have the footage? Yes, I believe we do!”
The shot changes to one of chaos, one of the evacuated civilians seems to have gone mad and it attack, beating and biting a member of the media. The soldiers pull the madman away and shoot him mercilessly. The reporter is escorted into the evacuation zone.
The shot changes back to reporter in the field, her face is pale as she is at a loss for words for a moment.
“It seems that this virus may induce madness within the infected or cause some sort of nerve damage. But we cannot be sure. We have also received word that the World Health Organization has specialists in-route to the zones to give whatever assistance they can provide.”
Okasan’s face turned very grim after she saw the attack, she picked her cell phone up off the table beside her and left the room.
I continued watching for a few minutes, then turned the TV off and exited the room.
I came into the main dojo area as Okasan closed her phone and turned to me.
This made me very nervous, Okasan never used her cell phone and never liked to. She only had it in case of emergencies or in case I had to reach her for something.
“Okasan…” I called out quietly.
“Sasu, call all of students and tell them that classes are suspended until further notice.” She gave an emotionless order.
“What? Why?” I was shocked; she’d never canceled class before.
“Do it, Sasu.” She ordered again.
I nod, bow then walk to my room and pick up my phone. I called all of the students, they seemed as shocked as I was and disappointed.
After I called the last one, I put my phone in my pocket and went back to the dojo.
Okasan had one of her katanas and was swinging it around, it seemed like she was doing some Iaido forms as well as simply exercising herself. She seemed very focus and intent on whatever her invisible target was; she soon stopped and turned to me, the blade still in hand.
“Sasu, I want you to increase your training regiment, as well as practice your sword forms.”
“But why?” I whined, I already worked hard with my forms and she wanted more.
“I said so, now do it!” She yelled.
I flinched a bit, I was scared, Okasan seemed really on edge and nervous about something.
Oka san put the sword back onto the weapon rack, which was decorated with many instruments of combat, and undid her obi and threw it across the room. She kicked her geta off and opened her kimono.
Amazingly, she was wearing a sleeveless red shirt it that was relatively baggy. She began stretching her arms and legs, getting ready for the upcoming bout.
I was still standing, dumbstruck, I mean, my school uniform would work nicely but I wouldn’t want to rip it. But as I was about the leave to go to my room to get some better clothes…
“Stop, we’re going to do this now. No waiting or changing.” She commanded.
“But… My uniform...” I pleaded.
Okasan answered with a sudden charge at me…
Me and Okasan trained and sparred for hours. My body protested immediately, still having not recovered from the weird fight before. But Okasan pushed me and pushed me, hard and harder over hours.
By the end, I was bleeding from my nose from after Okasan had kicked me on it earlier. And she had a large purple bruise on her left forearm from a mistimed elbow I had hit her with that probably hurt me as much as her.
I simply collapsed onto the mat, panting, and completely drained again. Panting and sweating like I never thought I could, my body was felt completely destroyed as an equally sweaty Okasan simply came out of her ready stance and walked toward the hallway.
“I’ll be in the shower.” She said, completely ignoring the fact I felt like I was dying.
I just stared at the mat, smelling the odor of sweat and feeling the humidity of my body. I simply closed my eyes, my body unable to exist in a conscious state…
It had been a week. A week of this horrible training, grueling training with Okasan and I could barely move as I simply lay on the mat. I stared off the side, watching the clock slowly tick, unable to even think about doing anything else because of the shock my system seemed to be in.
I heard to door to the living area slide open, followed by some footsteps. I figured it was Okasan checking in on me. I raised my head slightly and confirmed my suspicions.
Okasan looked barely winded even after these insane regiments she put both of us on. The only sign of battle she had on her was a small cut on her forehead from when I pushed off her while she had a hold on me and she cut herself on the weapon rack.
She was holding her cell phone in her hand; she had been using it more frequently as the time progressed. More than I’d ever seen her use it. The look she wore was one of concern, no, great concern as she sat on her knees beside me.
She began to speak to me in a calm slow tone.
“Sasu, we must prepare to leave.”
I was bewildered but managed to weakly answer back.
“Leave where?”
“Sado. It may no longer be safe for us to be here.”
I felt a sudden rush of energy and sat up.
“What do you mean?!” I inadvertently shouted.
“Sasu…” She whispered as she put her hand on shoulder. “Everything is in disheveled right now, and we must prepare for the worst.”
I stood up quickly, glaring at Okasan.
“What can the worst possibly be?” I screamed at her.
“The end of Japan.” She said in a dead tone, her gaze averting toward the front door.
I just silently stared at Okasan as she made her way over to the door and slid it open.
“How is that possible? Are you talking about that plague?”
The plague that had been sweeping across southern and central Honshu, its paced increased with each passing day, Tokyo right now was in a state of panic and the Diet had been forced into emergency evacuation. Sado, up until now had been isolated from it, but as I looked outside I could see more and more refugees, more and more soldiers lining the street. Sado was becoming a booming island of the unfortunate.
I looked outside and saw the streets cluttered with military personnel and civilians in near chaos as they shouted, attempting to find their own way in the mess. It was a depressing sight, watching all the hopeless and even the soldiers seemed on edge and worried.
Okasan closed the door and turned back to me.
“The island will not be safe for long; I already have booked passage to Shanghai for this afternoon.” She announced.
I shook my head, still in disbelief.
“But why, the people are screened, chec-“
Okasan cut me off before I could finish
“You think this is some sort of disease, or just a virus? They can screen and check a million times and they can never catch it. It’s not possible until the infected are ordered, this is no common plague or disease. It’s an assault on humanity and we need to leave, regroup and create a strategy.”
Silence.
A long silence.
I now had no idea what was going on, I know knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Okasan knew all along what was happening. And better yet, why this was happening and how to stop it.
“Regroup...” I whispered. “With who?”
Okasan shook her head.
“You will see. Talking about it now is meaningless as our transporter will be upon us shortly.”
Transporter? The one who will take us to Shanghai?
I was so confused, worried and unsure. I had no idea what to expect now, whether or not I could even trust Okasan.
“Why are you hiding so much…?” I whimpered. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes.
“I’m your daughter, why can’t you just tell me?!” I screamed.
“Because you are not ready for such information, and I am your mother! I expect you to respect my judgment!” She yelled back.
The tears began falling, Okasan’s words and my own confusion blended. I couldn’t take it and began crying softly as first, then slowly progressing ever louder.
Okasan slowly made her way over to me and wrapped her gentle arms around me; I buried my face in her chest and sobbed.
“Sasu… Trust in me, you will be ok, I won’t let any harm come onto you. I can’t tell you everything but I can tell you that you will be protected.” She said in her soothing, soft tone.
Over the next few hours, Okasan packed up a backpack for me. She also armed herself with her katana and kodachi, she told me not to bother with the wakizashi since we may be forced into a sudden defensive situation, something the kodachi offers over the wakizashi.
I was still attempting to comprehend the gravity of the situation. I was sitting across from Okasan on the mat in the dojo the clamoring of the outside world disturbed me. The sound of yelling, numerous shouts and rushed footsteps unnerved me. I had been too used to the serene, placid life Sado had given me.
The door slid open slowly, breaking the sound of the chaos. Someone approached through the door
There was a very small woman in army fatigues, her head lowered toward the ground; she said nothing standing just inside the doorway. I couldn’t see her face due her cap obscuring her features. She was carrying a remarkably large gun for a woman her size, I could see it peeking from behind her shoulder as she held its strap in place with her hand.
Okasan stood up then smiled at the woman.
“Is everything in order?” Okasan asked.
“Yes, Sakai-san.” The woman replied, devoid of emotion.
Okasan turned to me with a stern look.
“It’s time to go, Sasu.”
I stood up quickly, nearly falling over in my haste. I blush slightly and follow Okasan and the soldier outside.
The soldier led on, with Okasan right behind her.
I looked around as we made our way through the crowds, so many looking so terrible, worried and terrified. I felt a terrible sadness over come me as I forced myself to push the thoughts of them aside and continue forward.
Eventually we all stopped at an intersection of dirt pathways, we all seemed to be getting our bearings in this mess when we heard a scream.
I turned to see a woman rush and slam into me; I was knocked onto my back. I felt my head snap back and hit the dirt, a sharp pain followed.
“Shit!” I yelled in pain
I sat up, my head throbbing and my backside sore. I growled quietly when I heard a load moan from behind me. I turned my head quickly to notice this pale man with white eyes lurching at me, his hand roughly grasped my shoulder.
Before I, or anybody else for that matter, could do anything, I heard the sound of something quickly cutting the air near me.
The man’s hand lost its grip on me, and from the elbow down, disconnected from his arm. Another cutting sound and the man’s head fell back, severed from its neck.
Before the head could hit the ground, both the body and the head vanished into dust and all that remained was a pile of clothes.
I turned, my face twisted in both disgust and shock to Okasan, her face was that of a cold, serious woman. I saw her katana unsheathed and held down to her side.
Before I could say anything I forcefully pulled to my feet by Okasan and pulled along until we were back with the soldier.
“We must hurry.” Okasan said, with a hint of worry in her voice.
The soldier swung the machine gun around and held it in her hands.
“As you wish, Sakai-san, please make your way to the evacuation area. I shall follow shortly.” She replied mechanically.
By now I had noticed there were many more like that man that seemed to have suddenly appeared, many people were panicking and scrabbling to find a path away from them. Many were unfortunate and did not, being attacked and swarmed.
Many other of the creatures took notice of me and Okasan and began slowly approaching. Okasan ran down one of the paths as I stared in awe as the soldier began firing the machine gun.
The bodies of the creatures began exploding in blood as the bullets impacted. Blood sprayed every which way, covering the ground and bodies of the already fallen in the crimson shower.
The shells from the gun clattered against the ground in a disturbing symphony of chaos as the look on her face never changed, her small frame seemed to handle the large gun with ease.
I stepped back, fearful and unable to cope with what I was witnessing.
Such death, such horror around me… I had trouble thinking.
The machine gun let out a quiet click as it spent its final shell. The solider quickly dropped the gun, reaching to her side and pulling up a handgun and began taking quick, accurate shots at the creature’s heads.
More blood and flesh flew through the air with every shot. She seemed un-phased by all of it, taking shot after shot.
I suddenly was pulled by arm with great force. Okasan had returned and grabbed my arm.
“We need to leave; you do not need to see this!” She yelled.
I ran as hard as I could, trying to keep up with Okasan’s pace, my legs felt wobbly and tired soon. We had been dodging dozens, perhaps hundreds of people at a pace I thought impossible.
I bumped, brushed and outright rammed into many people as we ran our way through the clusters of panicking people. But Okasan continued on unabated, eventually we found our way in the front of an old warehouse.
Okasan kicked the door down with incredible force and pulled me in, the warehouse was dark and musty. It seems to have fallen into disrepair over many years.
Unfortunately, some of the creatures had already found their way in here.
“… They used this place as quarantine.” Okasan muttered.
Okasan unsheathed her sword and in one quickly motion cut one of the creatures in half.
“We can’t escape…” I whimpered. I was feeling hopeless with so many of them appearing so suddenly.
Okasan changed her grip from my arm to my wrist and looked at me.
“Get ready!” She demanded.
Before I could get a word out, I felt my feet leaving the ground and my body cutting through the air.
Okasan had tossed me into the air; I was heading toward one of the catwalks on the top of the warehouse.
I reached my hand out to catch the railing, when I caught the railing I felt a pain shoot through my shoulder as I quickly flipped downward and hit the catwalk hard with my back.
I cried out in pain, it felt like my back had been broken.
But mustering my wits and strength, I grabbed the railing with my other hand and pulled myself to my feet.
I saw Okasan cutting down more of the creatures, she looked up at me and flashed a quickly smile as she leaped onto the shoulders of one of the creatures and jumped onto a nearby staircase and ran up onto the catwalk.
I just watched her as she stopped at the end of the catwalk, staring back at me.
“Sasu, come on.” She called out.
I nodded slowly and made my way to her, my shoulder still in a great deal of pain.
We ran up some more stairs until we came to a door, Okasan kicked this door down too and pulled me onto the roof of the warehouse.
There was a large helicopter here; the one I guessed was our escape.
We walked toward it, leaning my head on the side of it, trying to catch my breath. My legs quivered, my heart raced and I could feel the sweat pouring down my face.
I turned to Okasan, and gasped out my words.
“What the hell is going on?”
“I’ll tell you when conditions are better.”
I growled softly, she continued to hide everything from me.
I heard the sound of something the ground nearby and turned toward the noise. I saw a pair of hands on the ledge of the warehouse. I felt nervous, wondering if it was one of the creatures.
The person hoisted themselves onto the ledge and stood up.
To my relief, it was the soldier. But she had lost her cap somehow and her pink hair no longer hidden.
Okasan slide the hatch on the side of the Helicopter open, climbing in and extending her hand to me.
I reluctantly take her hand and get pulled in. I simply collapse onto the floor of the aircraft, unable to stand any longer, just completely exhausted as Okasan slides the hatch closed.
The soldier takes her place in the pilot’s seat and begins working on starting the helicopter.
“Ciel has a flair for the dramatic, doesn’t she?” Okasan said, breaking the sound of the helicopter blades beginning to rotate.
“It seems that way.” The soldier replies.
Okasan stared at the pilot for a bit as we took off.
“It’s been about a year or two, hasn’t it?”
“Yes, Sakai-san.”
“It’s good to see you again, Hisui.”
I was standing within a field. Feeling the wind against my body as the endless ocean of flowers grazed against my skin, the bright sun reflecting off the pink and white flowers, making them appear to shine as brightly as the source of their piercing light. I gazed skyward, the winds twisting around me and the petals becoming caught in the updraft, spinning uncontrollably upwards toward the clear, crystal blue sky. I smelled the air, and the scent of cinnamon glided into my nose ever so faintly. It was on the edge of smelling, but there enough to give a pleasant and distinct aroma.
I turned to see a person standing several yards away from me, shrouded by a cloak, face and body obscured.
“There is no need to be hidden in this place of light and warmth.” I said as I smiled, running my fingers through my hair to remove them from blowing in my face. Following that motion I slowly stretched out my arm and gave an inviting hand.
“Please, accept this place.” I insisted softly.
The cloak fell off the person, revealing a horror: a living corpse, green from rotting, teeth missing and full of decay, muscle which had been tone straight from the bone. This horror took me aback; I began to walk slowly backwards.
“You are here to destroy…” I whispered to myself.
“No,” The beast gasped in a terrible, gravelly voice. “I am here to obtain you, Weapon.”
His sentence finished with him seemingly appearing next to me and thrusting his arm through my right side and out the other.
I fell limp onto my knees, the strength having been taken from me. The flowers seemed indifferent as they continued to swirl, oblivious or uncaring to the horror that had taken place, I mentally cursed them for being unable to care or help.
“”You are Weapon, the end of resistance.” The fading voice of the horror said. “And the beginning of chaos.”
My senses came back; I shot upward with a loud gasp. Okasan alertly opened her eyes and looked at me concerned.
“Sasu, are you ok?” She said in a voice that immediately made me feel slightly better. She walked to me and crouched down, petting my head. “It's ok, I’m here, nothing happened.”
I sat completely still; simply breathing to make sure what I had witnessed was not reality. My shaking hand found its way to my side and felt around, not pain, no hole, nothing. I heaved a heavy sigh of relief and gave Okasan a smile.
“I’m fine, Okasan, just a bad dream.” I informed her. It felt like a dream yet at the same time I wanted to believe it was something more. I shook my head, of all the crazy things so far, believing in dreams of peaceful fields and silly whims of beauty seemed to be pretty wishful.
Okasan, sensing my regain composure stood back up and hr expression changed back to one of stone.
“We are heading toward Pusan, in South Korea to refuel then make the final leg to China; from there we rendezvous with Ciel.” She explained.
“You’ve mentioned Ciel, but who is she.” I finally manage to ask.
Okasan seemed to ignore me for a second, then taking a deep breath, then sighing, began to speak.
“Ciel is an old comrade of mine; we’ve known each other for years. We first met in Italy, when I was training to join the Church, she was already of much senior rank and authority but for some reason she took a liking to me. She is both a friend and a mentor.”
I leaped at the change to subject to one I have never truly had answered and one she brushed off before.
“You lied to me Okasan, about who you are.” I accused, my anger growing slightly. “I want the truth; I want to know who you are.” The words simply got angrier and before I knew it I was standing up.
Okasan looked me over, her expression never changing. “Yes, I have lied to you. But for good reason.”
“Are you my mother?”
“Yes and no.”
“I want a straight answer!” I shouted.
“She is your adopted mother, Sasu-san.” I heard a quiet voice say from the cockpit. “But she loves you very much, like you are her daughter from birth. So the difference is pointless.”
My anger turned to sadness; I felt the emotion and warmth drain from both my mind and body. My eyes drooped slightly; I could not pass off this chance no matter how bad I felt.
“Who is my biological mother?” I ask.
“A woman named Ruro.” Sakai said, staring me in the eyes. “Your biological mother was one of evil and terrible deeds. She died shortly before you came under my care.”
“Why was she evil?” I continued pressing.
“She was a murderer, manipulator and selfish.” Sakai responded.
My heart sank, my mother was dead, and then what family did I have?
“How did she die?”
“Ciel killed her.” Sakai responded, not change in her voice of body language.
My fists balled tightly as my eyes became more and more watered.
“Why?” I said my voice trailing.
“Because Ruro would have killed her if she did not kill Ruro.”
“Do I have any other family?”
“No, your father died a year before your mother and you had no relatives other than those two.”
I shook my head, my life has been rocked utterly and complete by this but I continued to ask questions.
“Tell me everything about yourself then.”
Sakai looked uncomfortable for a second then after looking at the ceiling of the helicopter for a while, began to explain.
“I was born in Osaka, my father was an engineer, and my mother was an affluent student of martial arts. She passed that onto me, my father passed onto me my emotions. My father was an alcoholic and beat both me and my mother, even though my mother could have easily killed or brushed him away, she let him beat her. I never knew why, nor did I find out. As I got older, I was not as facilitating as my mother and fended him off one day when I was fifteen; my mother beat me when I did.”
Sakai shook her head.
“She kept saying to me ‘Respect your father, respect him, if he beats you, you take it. You dishonor yourself by trying to hurt him’, I moved out that night. I lived homeless for years, continually sharpening my skills through the training my mother had given me and from whatever dojo would allow me to sit in and watch.”
Sakai smiled.
“It was through on such Master of a Dojo, that I got a job. Master Biyu, a Chinese immigrant who had started one of the most renowned and respected dojos in Honshu. He taught a variety of styles, arts and philosophies and I say with no doubt he was equally masterful in all of them. I became his prized pupil, and when the day came years later when he was too old to properly teach the class, I took over instructor while he still served as master and trainer. When he died, I was left with the dojo and continued it for years.”
I spoke up. “Then how did you meet Ciel in Italy?”
Sakai smiled softly.
“After years, the dojo was simply unprofitable, and I sold it in order to begin a new life for myself. So I traveled the world, starting in Italy. I met Ciel while I was gathering at a mass on Sunday. Ciel, who was wearing a nun’s habit, approached me and pulled me off to the side.”
Sakai’s face turned serious.
“She made her swords appear and told me sensed I was not human. I told her I had no ill intentions and was looking for purpose in my life at the time. From that, I went on to repent and become Catholic and served in a secret arm of the Church.”
“Huh?” Was honestly the only thing I could say.
“The Burial Agency, an arm of the Vatican which deals with blasphemous practices and entities. I was drafted into this agency and served with it until recently, when both I and Ciel resigned from it due to moral reasoning.”
She turned away and shook her head again, then turned back.
“Three years ago, there was an incident exactly like the one happening now, except it was localized to a single city. Ciel was heavily involves, as was Hisui as well as others you will meet. We managed to eradicate the infection.”
“What is causing this?”
“The Kiru, an ancient race of supernatural beings, comparable to vampires, they feed on blood and suck the life out of the world around it. They are a corruption of nature. This may become a pandemic, which makes me believe that since all of the factors that kept the Kiru in check are all but gone, they are starting a concentrated war against humanity.”
“What does it mean then?”
“It means the end of the world.”
We had landed in a derelict landing area near the ocean just outside of Pusan. It was great to have my legs on the ground again as I watched the waves in the ocean crash against the sands of the beach.
“Why does everything look so peaceful when there is so much chaos?” I whispered to myself, almost expecting the ocean to answer.
Sakai was still sitting in the helicopter, I noticed as I looked over to her.
Sakai, my ‘Okasan’, a woman who has taken care of me for years after my mother died. A woman who has hidden my entire past from me because it was odd? It didn’t make sense, painful but it didn’t make sense to wait until a worldwide crisis to tell me.
Hisui called out as I approached the helicopter.
“We’re ready to take off, Sasu-san.”
I smiled at her and boarded the helicopter and with a small bit of effort slid the doors shut just as the blades of the helicopter began to rotate. Just then, I heard a quiet thud overhead, but I dismissed that it was simply the metal groaning from the helicopter blades.
We took off without a problem, I felt us tilt forward as I took my seat. I closed my eyes and began to think of what would happen when we finally arrived in China and met Ciel.
Would I hate her? Would I want to seek revenge? I didn’t know, my emotions were so confused and jumbled I did not want to bother thinking, just rest and try to take everything as slowly as possible without having to add more strain to my mentality.
The metal overhead groaned again, this time louder. I noticed Hisui heard it too, her headed tilted up slight. She flipped a switch on the panel and very slowly leaned back and to her side then tapped Sakai’s shoulder.
Sakai opened her eyes, turned her head to Hisui and nodded. Grasping the hilt of her sword she slowly stood up and approached the door.
‘She’s going to open it.’ I immediately though and grabbed onto one of the handles protruding from the side of the helicopter.
Sakai, with amazing speed, pulled the door open and a whip snapped down at her from the top of the helicopter. The crack was so loud it rang my ears but Sakai simply stepped aside and grabbed the whip.
A struggled ensued over the whip, after a few minutes of struggling, Sakai gave a small grunt and yanked hard on the whip and suddenly the owner came tumbling off the top of the helicopter, going passed the opening of the helicopter too fast for me to make out.
But apparently the owner was still holding on and possibly climbing the whip as Sakai unsheathed her katana and easily cut it.
But it was too late; the owner flew into the helicopter and tackled Sakai. The owner, who was a terribly ragged looking woman, whose hair was blue, eyes were red and nails were claws, raised the claws up and prepared to strike at Sakai’s neck.
‘No!’ I yelled to myself mentally, too scared and shocked to speak.
A loud bang filled my ears, and blood spattered all over the beast-woman, Sakai and the innards of the helicopter.
The woman recoiled backward in horror, emitting a horrible howl; there was a hole in her hand.
She had been shot in the hand. I quickly turned to the cockpit of the helicopter to see Hisui, calmly turned and leaning out of the pilots seat, the barrel of the pistol still smoking and the odor of burnt gunpowder and flesh made me feel a little sick.
The beast let out an unearthly high pitched growl and leaped at Hisui, I instinctively threw myself against the back of the helicopter to avoid the rampaging monster. I felt my wrist pop as my head slammed against the steel.
My consciousness nearly left me, but I managed to make out a blurred image of Hisui shooting the woman again which sent her sprawling against the back of pilot seat.
Raising my head further, and gathering myself. I saw Hisui with a panicked look on her face as the beast went to strike her with its undamaged hand.
“You will die servant of the Church!” She yelled.
By this time, Sakai had stood back up and charged the beast, running her katana through its back and out its belly. The woman froze, not moving nor uttering a sound.
“A beast such as you has no right to call anyone a servant.” Sakai declared quietly, as she removed her blade.
Then, chuckling, the sound of deep laughter. It was from the woman; she simply lowered her hand to her side and spoke.
“I am one of many; my death is a beacon.”
Without warning, the woman turned, her claw drawn back to strike the still near Sakai.
But Sakai was prepared, without hesitation and with a motion I almost couldn’t make out, cut the woman’s hand off at the wrist.
The woman’s hand tumbled harmlessly away from Sakai; she emitted another terrible howl as the hand exited through the still opened side of the helicopter.
Sakai, with no mercy on her face or hesitation in her movements, cut both the legs of the beast away at the thigh, sending blood everywhere in the helicopter and the torso of the beast crashing to the floor.
I was nauseous, the smell of the blood as well as the already foul smell of the woman made me gag. Sakai positioned herself over the helpless beast, and again, with no sign of restraint, sent the blade through the forehead of the beast. Penetration of the skull was signaled by a sharp metal-on-metal ‘cling’, which made pushed me over the edge. I vomited, uncontrollably, I could no longer physically withstand the sight and horrors before me and my body gave out under the stress.
I watched the pool of my vomit begin to mingle with the blood and gore on the floor. And the stench simply worsened, but I could no longer vomit anything up, I had given everything already. So I simply cried.
I hadn’t noticed the body had disappeared. But the horrors painted in the helicopter remained.
I managed to stand up, barely and with great effort. My knees were shaking so tremendously I had to hold onto the side of the helicopter to keep myself standing.
Sakai sheathed her blade while looking at me; concern was all over her face.
“Sasu…” She quietly whispered.
Without thinking, without a rational thought in my mind, I ran and embraced her. My legs collapsing as I embraced her, as I had many times when I was scared. She quickly put her arms around me, grasping me tightly and holding me against her.
And I simply sobbed on her, completely. Unable to contain myself anymore, everything came out, everything she had told me, the anger the sadness, it all unleashed itself in this terrible, loud sobbing that seemed to go on for hours. Finally, my voice unable to cry anymore, and my eyes burning from the crying, I managed to tell Sakai one thing I’ve been wanting to say ever since Hisui led us out of the dojo:
“Okasan… I want to go home.”
I was standing on top of a building, a very tall building to be exact; I looked down over the ruined cityscape. The world looked grey, smoke poured endlessly from all around me and I saw lights. Nearly endless rows of lights in between the buildings, in the streets, faint yet distinguishable. They seemed to be heading toward this pillar of near blinding light in the center of the city. They were drawn by an unseen force, hypnotized I’d go as far to say.
And the masses never stopped.
…
I was awakened by the jarring of the helicopter, followed by the sound of the hatch opening. Light poured over my closed eyes and lit up my darkened world. I slowly opened them.
The world was fuzzy; I could barely make out Sakai stepping down out of the helicopter. The sound of the blades beginning to fall silent as a second hatch opened.
I slowly crawled, making my way over the floor of the helicopter and falling out of the opened hatch.
I rolled forward and hit the ground with my back. The sensation woke me up immediately.
“Ow!” I cried out.
Sakai drew her attention to me and gave a small smile as she approached. I propped myself up on my elbows as Sakai reached her hand out.
“Come on, Sasu, we’re almost there. When we get there, we’ll have something to eat and somewhere to truly rest.” Sakai said, optimism ringing in her voice.
I hesitated, for some reason I still felt this urge to call her Okasan.
I wondered to myself, about earlier, why I was surprised when I was told she was my adopted mother. I inwardly sigh, ‘Maybe I am that attached to her, even after all this, she is still my Okasan.’
I stared over Sakai’s face, her eyes were warm, her arm stretched out, she was as kind as she ever had been. Like nothing changed. But that scared me more than anything else, even in this situation, if she was not afraid, I became even more frightened of the possibly of her being worried.
I shake off my inner doubt and worry and take her hand and she pulls me to my feet.
Sakai keeps hold of my hand and just looks me over.
“What is it?” I reply meekly.
“I’m just thinking about how much you’ve grown since I started taking care of you.” She answers.
Of all the times to have nostalgia, she chooses now. It gives me an uneasy feeling.
“Why now?” I reply.
“Because defending you back there, makes me realize how much you’ve meant to me, as a daughter.” She says her smile widening.
I can’t help but smile.
Even if part of me wants to deny it, she is still my Okasan. She is still the person who took me in when I was alone and gave me everything I ever wanted.
And even if she isn’t telling me everything and even if she isn’t my biological mother, she is still my mother.
I suddenly embrace her, still smiling.
“Okasan, thank you.” I say quietly, the words unfitting how I actually felt.
I felt Okasan’s grip on me tighten as we embraced.
“And thank you for being such a good daughter” She replies.
The moment is interrupted by Hisui who spoke up.
“I apologize for the intrusion, Sakai-san, but we should hurry.”
Sakai slowly let go of me and shot me a look of warmth that raised my hope then turned to Hisui.
“You can sense her too, Hisui?”
“… Yes, it has been quite some time since I’ve felt her presence but it has grown greatly over the last time.” Hisui replies.
Sakai walked passed Hisui and stopped. She was quiet for a moment then spoke up.
“It’s not too far from here and the walk will do us some good after the long flights.”
And with that we began to walk, following Okasan.
For the first time since we left, I was able to begin to try to grasp my surroundings. I looked around the city. I had no idea where I was, but it looked like a medium sized city, the backdrop of the skyline looked larger than Sado. The air was thick and humid, and I began sweating quite a bit after a short distance.
I watched Hisui, who had her hands clasps in front of her as she walked, she stared straight ahead, he face and eyes devoid of emotion.
Hisui scared me, she seemed ruthless, no emotion, simply carrying out her duties and able to strike at a moment’s notice. She seemed to me like a trained assassin, her military garb certainly did not help. I eyed her pistol; the inner chamber was exposed through the end of the gun. Which meant she was out of bullets, this added little comfort in me.
I turned my gaze to Okasan, her stride was relentless, full of purpose as her hair swayed with every step and the dusty ground under her feet was kicked up as though she was walking with the utmost purpose. Her scabbard flowed with her movements, swaying slightly with every movement of her hips and legs, it was almost melodic.
It was adorned with symbols I did not understand, as far as I could tell, they were not Asian in origin, nor English. I never asked her about this as it seemed be rude.
I still wondered what it stood for, what they could mean or if they meant anything.
As I studied Okasan’s scabbard, I remember I had left my own sword behind, simply out of forgetfulness. Okasan had not remembered and I do not know if Hisui noticed or not.
But I told myself that it was probably pointless worry, as the enemies we were probably going to face would be so far out of my class that it would be futile for me to fight.
We rounded several corners of seemingly desolate streets; this made me concerned, as it seemed such a place would have more people around. I felt the muscles in my chest tense, remember what happened in Sado as we were leaving and tried to calm myself down.
I took another glance at Hisui, her expression was the same, but her eyes seemed distant and off in thought.
“It’s amazing, isn’t it Hisui?” Okasan suddenly spoke up in a serious voice.
Hisui closed her eyes and simply nodded while speaking.
“Yes, I never imagined she would have focused herself so intensely.”
My curiosity was piqued.
“What are you talking about?”
“You will soon see.” Okasan said in an almost frightening voice.
We walked for nearly an hour more, I was exhausted and sweat had poured through my uniform, darkening the colors. The white lining of the uniform turned a light grey, as the dominate red stained darker, it almost looked like blood.
Okasan suddenly stopped in front of small, metal fence gate, with the surrounding fence appearing to be a very traditional spiked metal fence.
The house beyond it was Western-styled, two stories and decorated elaborately, it was white, with a tan brown roof, it had spindle top roofs, it looked almost like a castle, but much smaller.
Okasan turned to me and Hisui.
“We have arrived, please follow me.” She ordered as she opened the gate and walked toward the porch steps of the home.
The porch was beautiful as well; pillar supports came down and connected to the railing surrounding the porch area. It was a darkened wood, that as I approached it, the scent became more and more pleasant, as though it had been well cared for.
We climbed the steps, following Okasan; she did not hesitate and opened the door without a knock or sign we had arrived.
We walked into a grand lobby, a pair of staircases ran down the sides of the hallway leading toward what appeared to be a luxurious living room, the banister at the top had a very elaborate set of small pane windows running up the wall that filled the area with light.
I noticed someone standing on the banister, their face and the front of their body was obscured by the contrast with the brilliant light pouring in.
“I’m relieved to see you have arrived.” She said, with the voice of an obvious woman.
My eyes adjusted to the contrast slightly, I could see the woman was wearing a white dress, there looked to be a black ribbon tied around the top of the outfit, around her collarbone, as well as two black ribbons tied around her wrists. Her hair shone a brilliant blue due to the sunlight but her face was still difficult to make out.
Okasan smiled.
“Yes, we encountered a bit of trouble, but nothing that we could not handle.”
The woman turned her body toward the stairs, thus revealing her face. I gasped slightly; she was beautiful, her blue hair flowed elegantly and matched her blue eyes, but for all this beauty, she had one flaw: Her left eye, it was covered by a large, deep looking scar. It looked to be permanently closed from what I saw.
The woman made her way slowly down one of the sets of stairs; she spoke as she did this.
“Sakai, it has been far too long since I’ve seen you. I’m glad we could come back together.”
Okasan smiled and nodded.
The woman then turned her head to Hisui, who had closed her eyes and was smiling. The first truly positive emotion I’d seen out of her.
The woman smiled as she addressed her.
“I have a surprise for you especially, Hisui. But I have a feeling you already know what it is.”
“Yes, Ciel-san.”
I suddenly stared at the woman, this was Ciel…
Ciel looked to me as she made it to the bottom of the stairs.
Her face turned serious as she approached me, she was within two feet of me before she stopped.
I felt dread, fear, and worry. I was terrified of this woman.
I could feel something about her; the air was so thick around her. It felt almost hostile right now, the look she was giving me made me feel like she was sizing up some sort of small prey.
Even though I was taller than her, she made me feel a foot shorter than her simply with her stare.
She closed her eye and reached up and ran her hand across my cheek.
“You look just like your mother, Sasu, and it hurts me in more ways than I can explain.” She said in a faint voice.
“My mother… You mean Ruro?” I replied so quietly I was afraid she didn’t hear me.
She nodded, her eyes becoming incredibly soft, her hand was warm against my cheek. I felt the hostile air and ill feeling slowly fading away.
“Your face is almost exactly like hers, it’s amazing.” She continues.
I give out a small smile, I don’t know why, but it makes me feel better. Even though I never met my biological mother, that at least I carry some part of her with me.
Ciel walked up to Sakai and they suddenly embraced, and laughed.
“How have you been Sakai?” Ciel said happily.
Okasan laughed. “As good as I can be, given the situation.”
I turned my focus toward Hisui, who was climbing the stairs rather anxiously.
My curiosity got the better of me and I followed her.
She turned suddenly into one of the rooms in the vast corridor and suddenly I heard quick footsteps and then laughter.
I walk up to the room and peeked in.
I saw Hisui embracing a woman who was only slightly taller than she was. The woman had black hair, and very blue eyes, they embraced wordlessly for quite some time before they let go.
The outfit the woman was wearing was a long red skirt, with a red vested shirt with sleeves that ended at her elbows. She was also wearing a long red scarf around her neck, which was extremely unusual given the weather.
Seemingly detecting my presence, the woman looked straight at me, I almost let out a yell as I was spotted and drew myself back out of sight. I felt stupid, like a little kid hiding from a stranger.
I hear the woman give out a small chuckle.
“She’s a shy one, isn’t she?”
I felt my face get hot, I don’t know why, but when I didn’t get the same feeling from her I got from Ciel. She feels more like an older sister than some sort of threatening force.
“Come on in, don’t be shy, I don’t attack the young ones.” She adds with another laugh.
I slowly crept my way into the room and stared at the floor, my face still burning up.
“H-hello.” I stutter, I inwardly yell at myself for being such a kid.
The woman walked toward me, I saw her shadow get closer and closed my eyes like a child about to be scolded.
I heard her footsteps stop just in front of me; I could see her feet and legs. She was wearing black slip on shoes and almost knee high red socks.
“For a moment, I thought you were Ruro.” She says quietly, in an almost soothing manner.
I raised my head at the name and looked at her eyes, she smiled.
“My name is Tohno Akiha; it’s a pleasure to meet you.” She said with a polite bow.
“M-my name is Ginoi Sasu… Thank you.” I reply oddly with a bow.
I could see Hisui gain a slight smile on her face and felt even more embarrassed.
I heard footsteps coming to the door of the room and everybody looked there. Okasan was at the door with a placid look.
“Ciel wants us to have a meeting to discuss our options, now that we are all together, it will be in the living room down the hall from the lobby.”
Hisui nodded as Akiha replied.
“Alright, we’ll be on our way there then.”
Sakai smiled and motioned for me to follow her, Hisui and Akiha followed both of us.
We walked down the stairs leading to the lobby and turned down the hallway, it was a long and somewhat narrow hallway that made me uneasy for a few seconds.
We emerge in the room to see Ciel sitting on a long, ornate gold and silver sofa. She stands as we enter and greets us.
I’m glad everyone is here, now if you’ll all be seated, I’ll tell everyone the situation we are facing.”
In the room, there were two sofas across from each other, one identical to the other, as well as a coffee table in between them; on it were a pitcher as well as several small cups and what seemed to be a collection of papers in front of Ciel. The room was brilliant, the blue carpeting and the white walls, as well as several clocks were scattered about the room and a bright chandelier helped illuminate the room further as well as a large picture window on one of the walls.
I sat on the sofa across from Ciel, next to Okasan, while Hisui and Akiha sat next to each other on the sofa occupied by Ciel.
I stared at Ciel, her serious face and closed eye made me nervous about what she had to say.
“But before I begin,” She began, “where is Shiki?”
Akiha gave an almost wicked smile.
“He will be here when we need him; right now he is finishing up some business elsewhere.”
Ciel opened her eye; giving Akiha a small glance, then gathered the papers on table and picked them up.
“Well, onto business,” Ciel resumed, “as you may know, right now, we are in the beginning phase of a concentrated effort by the Kiru to start another Plague War. Although start is a meaningless term as it has already begun, currently Japan has been overrun and outlying areas, including China as well as Mongolia and costal Russia are being infected at an alarming rate.”
Okasan spoke up.
“How many Undead are we looking at?”
“Between three to five million, although this number can only be trusted so much, many Burial Agency operatives have already been killed just trying to get the numbers. The numbers may be much smaller or much larger. In either case, we are dealing with a pandemic, one that already trumps the previous Plague War in terms of numbers and it will continue to grow.”
Okasan speaks again.
“What kind of numbers could we be seeing at this rate of growth?”
“Between four hundred to seven hundred million at this rate, but it will accelerate as they expand into China and India.” Ciel replies.
The room went silent.
Hundreds of millions of those creatures… I feel the color and heat drain out of my face and everyone’s face turns deadly serious as soon as Ciel speaks of the number.
Akiha shakes her head.
“We cannot deal with those numbers, not even Shiki can help us eradicate hundreds of millions.” Akiha says, her voice quieter than before.
Ciel nods “Taking hundreds of millions on is impossible, so we must eliminate the Soeki and focus solely on them.”
Okasan leans forward, her face shows obvious worry. “We could try to go after the Kiru.”
Ciel shakes her head. “Unwise, as the power they would be receiving from the Undead is beyond anything in this world that we can defeat. Only the Soekis can be challenged. If we eliminate them, we can sever the Mana gathering and destroy the Kiru.”
Akiha closes her eyes after grabbing a cup of tea she just poured; Hisui turns to Ciel and speaks.
“Ciel-san, how would we find them?”
Ciel turned to Hisui and smiled slightly.
“We let them find us.”
I tilt my head slightly in confusion.
Ciel then turned to me, her smile fading back into that serious look.
“We will use the daughter of Ruro as bait.”
“What?!” I and Okasan said at the same time.
Okasan stood up immediately and began shouting.
“That’s ridiculous! It’s too dangerous! “
Ciel stared at Okasan, her expression unchanging, while Okasan was gritting her teeth, her face flustered incredibly.
“We have no choice, Sakai; this is the only effective way of bringing them to us.” Ciel replied calmly.
Okasan let out a small growl and walked with harsh footsteps to the lobby.
I simply sat there, shocked, unable to believe what I was just told.
I was going to be used as bait to lure these creatures…
I felt sick, my legs were shaking and Okasan had left out of disgust.
Ciel smiled a small smile, as if trying to comfort me.
“Do not worry; we will be more than enough to protect you.”
That didn’t help at all; I averted my gaze from Ciel’s and stared at the ground. I couldn’t speak and my mouth was horribly dry.
I felt like I had been given a death sentence.
After a few minutes of silence, Ciel stood up.
“I guess that will be all for now, tomorrow, we will begin our hunt for Soeki. So I expect everybody to be prepared.” She said confidently.
She made her way toward the lobby, but before she entered the hallway I finally managed to find words to say.
“Ciel-san,”
She stopped.
“I am Sakai’s daughter, not Ruro’s.”
I saw out of the corner of my eye that she gave a small nod then resumed walking.
I sat staring at the ground for some time, trying to regroup my thoughts. The haste of movement, the haste of the developing situation seemed beyond me, infinitely complex to my mind and thus I cannot react mentally in any meaningful way.
The silence was broken when Akiha spoke.
“Hisui, please wait for me in our room. I shall be up shortly.”
I look up, to see Hisui stand.
“As you wish, Akiha-sama.” Hisui replied with a bow and departed the room slowly.
The fading echo of her footsteps proof of her distance growing, Akiha looked to me, grabbing her cup of tea.
“Pay no heed to Ciel’s untactful words, she has good intentions but she is unable to word them correctly. When Nii-san arrives, there will be no need to fear for your safety.”
“Nii-san?” Her brother… I could reasonably imagine she was talking about the man named Shiki that was mentioned earlier.
“Shiki, he is my Nii-san, as well as my lover. It is... A difficult thing to explain to someone new to this group.” She hesitates. “He will be our most valuable asset.”
Akiha seemed to be looking beyond me and smiles.
“He can be difficult to talk to around people he does not know, but he will warm up to you.”
The tightness in my chest increases and my face betrays my discomfort, as Akiha seemed to notice it.
“Ah, so you can sense it.” She says quietly, in between sips of her tea.
“What?” I can only reply.
“Ciel said you were untrained, but even untrained, you have latent abilities. I assume you wonder why you are feeling an almost painful sensation.”
I simply nod slowly.
“Your body is capable of detecting those who exude abnormal amounts of Mana. What is interesting is it seems your body is naturally capable of detecting the ‘presence’ of inactive Mana within an individual, very rare, indeed and very impressive.”
“I don’t understand.” I truly didn’t, I hadn’t even heard of Mana up until recently, at least in the context of being an actual energy force.
“There are people in this world capable of utilizing magical energies, Mana, in layman terms, to claim abilities and powers beyond that of normal individuals. These same people also gain the gift of being able to detect either the passive or active Mana of other beings. Most only gain the ability to detect active Mana; passive Mana comes with many years of training and is not always possible. The fact you can unconsciously detect mine shows the kind of potential you possess.”
“If that is the case, why does it hurt? I doubt someone would train only to have something that hinders their judgment with pain.”
“It usually does not hurt. It only hurts you because your mind is not conditioned for detecting it. Since you cannot consciously ‘see’ it, your mind finds another way of alerting you to it, in this case pain. It should go away with both time and training.”
Akiha sips her tea again and sighs.
“This may be a problem when Nii-san arrives, as his passive energies are many times greater than mine. I fear for the pain he may cause you if he does not actively suppress his energies.”
“’Many times greater’?” I repeat her words.
“Yes, Nii-san is easily the most powerful out of the entire assembled group. His energies, even passively, are overwhelming; you should begin your conditioning to understand what you are feeling rather than relying on your instinctual process. Otherwise, should he ever need to be called upon in a battle, the pain he may unwillingly cause to you may be unbearable.”
I shiver slightly at the prospect as Akiha stands up.
“We shall talk more tomorrow,” She said as she adjusted her skirt. “Until then, it would be wise for you to consult Sakai about obtaining a grasp on your natural abilities.”
Akiha politely bows and leaves the room, as I simply stare at her.
I felt like my head was going to cave in, I could feel little cracks in my head. My head seemingly swelling with all sorts of emotions and I did not have the ability to process this or the last few days at all.
I stood up, shaking and trying to keep my balance. I made my way over to the picture window that dominated one of the walls of the room and stared into the black night.
For what seemed like minutes, I simply shut down my mind and stared unimpeded into the night. Gazing at nothing but unobstructed stares as they flickered in the sky, I felt my face become damp.
Tears.
Tears from nothing, I could not feel any particular emotion as the tears ran down my face and dripped onto my dirty, torn and rustled uniform. The final piece of my memories from Sado, this uniform, bound me to that place and time like an invisible chain.
I grasped the cloth of the uniform and held it tightly. I lowered my head and gritted my teeth and the tears continued. I finally let my emotional barrier collapse and I began sobbing.
I slapped my hand against the window to steady myself as the torrent of tears and emotions exited my body. Everything I should have felt before, everything I should have reacted to in the past hours, if not days, caught up with me.
In between sobs, I spoke to myself, my desire I had been suppressing ever since we boarded that helicopter.
“Okasan, I want to go home.” Is all I could say, I knew she was not there, I felt no one around me and that is why I could say it.
After long, quiet sobs I looked up into the girl in the window. I knew it was me, but I certainly did not feel like myself.
Those orange eyes.
That black hair.
It was mine, but I no longer felt like they were. They felt like a stranger, staring back at me through that flawless glass.
“Who are you?” I muttered. “And why do you look like me?”
“Because it is you.” A voice from behind me said.
I was shocked, turning so quickly I slammed my back into the window due to the inertia.
It was Okasan, standing there in a new; pitch black Kimono with a deep blue sash.
“No matter how confused or unsure you are, it is you and always will be.” She continued.
“I wanted to hide your nature from you. Because it could have been extremely dangerous to you in peaceful times, but I see now I may have been incorrect.”
Okasan looked into my eyes and faintly smiled, barely able to be recognized.
“Your parents were extremely powerful supernatural beings. So it’s only natural for you to inherit these traits, but they are extremely hard to control. I saw what you were capable of back in the principal’s office but that is simply instinctual and had no control nor training, so anybody with honed skills could stand up to you in that state. With the proper instruction, you could easily harness those abilities and become very powerful.”
I remember it, the attacks on both the principal and Wata.
Wata…
I wondered if he was still alive. I had totally forgotten about him in all this chaos, I felt a small sadness well up within me as I looked back at Okasan.
“Why would I need to learn?” I asked, my voice wavering a bit.
“Because we about to wage a war.” She replied swiftly, her face stiffening slightly.
“We can only offer so much protection at a time and be in only so many places. Our enemy vastly outnumbers us and we cannot say for certain how effective our protection will be.”
My head sunk down, I stared at the carpet. I felt depressed, as though I was going to die and it was only a matter of time, this feeling of despair was becoming a very familiar companion.
I heard the soft footsteps of Okasan as she began walking away.
“We don’t have much time, so I will begin training you now.”
I followed Okasan, in a slight slouch as we ascended the stairs, turning into the long corridor of the second story.
Okasan turned the latch handle to a room and entered, she held the door ajar from inside, inviting me in. I complied and she slowly shut the door behind us. The room was bland, simple yellow vanilla walls, a bed, two floor lamps on either side of the room, a table and chair set as well as a brown, hardwood floor.
“Sit down.” She commanded.
I nod and comply, sitting on my knees. Okasan does the same, across from me, about a meter away.
“I will have to abbreviate some things due to time constraints, but you will figure out the less critical matters in time. First,” Okasan stared hard at me. “You must call your weapon.”
My expression of confusion urged her to continue.
“Your katana, the one you left in Sado, you must call it to you. I will proceed no further until you can.”
“How am I supposed to do that?” I almost yell, angered at her impossible suggestion.
“It is inherently ingrained into the species you belong to; each of them has the ability to bind a weapon to their being. Both your mother and father used this ability extensively, so it should come to you with little trouble.”
“I have no idea where to start!” My voice betrayed my angry this time, but Okasan simply remained quiet, closing her eyes and waiting.
I turn my head to the side and click my tongue. “This is a waste of time.”
Minutes pass, I never even made an attempt to call the sword.
Okasan’s eyes opened and she looked at the ceiling.
“You’re right, I’ll go tell Ciel you will be a liability. We’ll have to restructure our plan accordingly.”
Okasan stood and left, leaving the door open.
I sat, storing at the opened doorway, both frustrated and angry, I hit the floor with my fist.
“You want me to do something totally impossible with no instruction at all, what the hell kind of training is that?” I mutter.
Soon, a pair of footfalls approached the opened door; Ciel and Okasan enter the room.
Ciel looked at me but seemed to be talking to Okasan. “She cannot call her weapon?”
“She refuses; we cannot afford to have her jeopardize our goals if she cannot perform a basic weapon summoning.” Okasan replied.
Ciel closed her eye and stretched out her hand. “I apologize then Sakai, for what I am going to do.”
Okasan turned around and lowered her head. “I understand… Forgive me Sasu.”
I bolted to my feet, a feeling of dread swept over me.
A hilt, then the blade of it, formed in Ciel’s hand.
“We must be as efficient as possible; there is no margin for error. And as such, we must destroy the weakest link that may break the chain.”
I stepped backwards. “This isn’t right! Just because I can’t do something impossible I have to die?”
Ciel stepped forward as I stepped back. “That attitude is a further liability, we mustn’t let you fall into the hands of our enemies and if you cannot defend yourself properly, it will be easy. So the wisest course of action is destruction.”
I couldn’t believe this; they were supposed to protect me. Now they’re going to kill me and my own Okasan simply won’t watch.
“I’m not going to let you do this!” I yell, balling my fists up.
I could feel this incredible rush of heat coursing through my hands, arms, chest, legs and head. I felt so hot I thought I was going to melt, my muscles screamed out to my brain, telling me how much pain they were in from sheer tension.
Quickly, I grabbed one of the floor lamps that lit the room and threw it at the approaching Ciel. And without breaking her stride, she cut the lamp into two pieces as a small spark erupted from the lamp.
“At least you will take your punishment fighting.” Ciel remarked.
I closed my eyes and imagined my past. My life with Okasan, her brilliant smile, my friends that were long gone, even Wata for the short period we had, was wonderful. The world had already changed, left me behind as a simple refugee.
These people were not normal, and they were ruthless. I had to adapt or die.
Fight or die.
Do the impossible or die.
Become like them or die.
And I will never choose death, even if Okasan betrays me. Even if I have to fight and lose, I will never let anyone take this gift of life away from me, one that I have been forced to endure yet found it as a blessing. Finding a second chance with Sakai, leading a normal life, I will not let them take that from me!
My right hand felt like it was on fire, instinctively, even knowing I had no weapon, no right to in a logical sense. I closed my eyes and I swung it.
… And I heard metal hit metal.
I opened my eyes slowly; my body shook uncontrollably as I glanced at the source of the sound.
My katana… was in my hand and it had connected with Ciel’s sword.
Ciel was giving a knowing smirk and Okasan had turned her head to face us, a smile developing across her lips.
“You passed, and have done me proud, Sasu.” Okasan said, her usual warmness flowing through her voice. “Now, I believe I can continue with you in good faith.”
The ticking on the clock filled my otherwise hollow, empty room as I lay on my bed, unable to sleep. Okasan had insisted she guard my room as well as the interior of the mansion, while Ciel had decided to patrol the outside. It had been hours since I had 'learned' to summon my katana.
It doesn't feel real or as though I truly learned anything, I just felt heat and the air warping, I never actively did anything. I wasn't confident I could even repeat summoning it if I wanted to.
Curious, I held my arm toward the ceiling. I thought of the katana, concentrating hard.
The katana from Sado my Okasan gave me.
The katana from Sado.
The katana.
Katana.
Katana.
… Katana.
After what seemed like ages of trying, I developed a slight headache and my arm began to shake from tiredness.
“Why won't it...” I hiss under my breath.
I close my eyes and feel a warmth move up my arm similar to before.
“The katana from Sado. The katana from Sado... Come on.” I mutter my mantra aloud.
The warmth intensified into almost a burning sensation, from my forearm up to my fingertips, it felt like my skin was on fire, that my bones were becoming molten.
My body seizes in pain and I bite my lip to stop myself from screaming out but I continue.
Katana, katana, katana.
You have to appear because I am calling you. You must obey, because I am your owner, your master, you are bound to me.
My hand numbs, I feel heat all over my body as well as convulsions.
But I cannot stop, I have to protect myself. I can't be weak, I must defend myself, I can't die.
I mustn't die.
I will not.
I feel tears streaming down my cheeks, the warm wetness coats my cheeks and sticks to my hair.
Had I been crying since the beginning? The pain was so irrationally intense I barely recognized my own reactions to it, my legs and arms were shivering controllably, my face covered by tears of pain, sweat staining most of my body as I continued this ritual.
I feel an indescribably sharp pain in my hand, as though it had been stabbed by a hundred cold knives and with it, the last vestiges of my self-control vanish.
I let out a primal cry of pain, unable to hide nor bear the agony anymore.
I roll out of bed, I hid objects hidden by the dark and a loud crash, including a few metallic noises follow.
Pain, pain, pain. So much pain.
It hurts everywhere and everything. My body is on fire, my body is melting under the stress, my hand is gone, I can no longer feel it. I'm blinded by the pain and darkness.
I sob and scream, I am no longer in control, my body is responding simply on instinct.
Everything is gone, everything is dead.
There is nothing left, my body is disappearing.
My mind is going with it, I can't comprehend anything.
I can't feel anything.
I can't see anything.
I can only hear my own screams.
I can only taste the dryness of my mouth.
The door flies open, but I am vaguely aware of anything after that. My senses fade but I never lose consciousness.
I simply feel pain, the degree of it defies all the pain I suffered over my entire life at the same time.
I no longer feel dullness or sharpness.
Intensity or specific area.
I just feel constant, unbearable pain.
My screams seem never ending, as though my lungs are trying to escape my body.
Eventually, I begin to regain some of my senses, the pain is still everywhere and my limbs are sore.
My throat feels like it is on fire.
My vision is barely discernible, I can see light outside the window and very little else.
My legs continue to convulse, thrashing around simply trying to escape the pain. I can't move my arms, and my hand still feels as if it is gone.
…. Sasu
It doesn't end, the onslaught of this pain feels like it has already been here most of my life. I can't speak, I can barely move.
My thrashing begins to subside, reducing itself into near-constant twitching.
My face is dry, but I am still sobbing.
I'm so thirsty, I'm dehydrated. How long have I been crying?
.. Sasu
My clothes are sticky and hot, they are still drenched in sweat. My body feels as though someone was trying to cook me alive, I can only imagine my entire body covered in terrible burns.
I doubt I have any flesh left, it must have burned off when my hand melted.
“... Sasu”
A voice, I hear a voice. It's saying my name, but I don't know where it is from.
I try to move my head around to find the source of the voice, but I can't. My neck feels like it is made out of steel and refuses to move.
“Sasu, it'll be over. It takes time but it'll be over, just stay with me.” The voice says, reassuringly.
I feel myself tilting backward.
Softness, a feeling outside of pain for what feels like the longest time.
Familiarity, this feeling is familiar.
“You shouldn't have tried that by yourself.” The voice says, sadness tainting its sound.
My broken eyes only can make out vague shapes, as one takes up the majority of my sight.
The source of the voice.
What is the source?
“Okasan...” I say in an incredibly raspy voice, the single word causing a shot of terrible pain through my throat.
It was Okasan, the one I knew it would be. The one it would always be.
I feel something small and wet hit my face.
“Sasu...” Okasan says, her voice becoming more soft and cracking. “Welcome back.”
She stifles a sob, as she clings tightly to me.
“Okasan... Can you turn out the light, I need to sleep...” I mutter.
“Of course.” Okasan says, sniffling during her words.
I finally lose consciousness, against my Okasan.
…
….
…..
I can hear voices, far away voices. My senses are still incredibly dull, but I try to focus on regaining them, waking up.
The near empty sound of people moving, of fabric being moved. I can feel a sudden waft of cooler air over my abdomen, then a warm sensation.
“She... I... know...” I hear a soft voice, but it doesn't sound like Okasan.
“Didn't... understand...” Another voice, that is Okasan.
“Dangerous... move...” The serious voice comes from Ciel.
“Then... now...” Another voice again, one I don't recognize.
“Shiki-sama... stay” Hisui's voice.
My eyes open, I see the fuzzy outlines of numerous people, but I cannot make out who or how many.
One of them quickly steps toward me and puts its hand on my head, a familiar sensation.
“Okasan...” I mutter.
“Don't talk, Akiha is still checking to see if you're hurt.” She whispers.
I try to nod but I do so barely.
The warm sensation moves to my lower chest, the hand moves slowly and reassuringly while looking for an obvious objective.
“There seems to be no permanent damage.” The fuzzy image of Akiha says, as she pulls her hand off of my exposed abdomen and puts a blanket back on me.
“She is not dying either.” A male voice says, as he puts something on his face.
“Why can't I see very well?” I weakly ask.
“That is a side-effect of what occurred, just rest for now Sasu, it'll correct itself in time.” Okasan reassures.
A short silence, then Ciel speaks up.
“This changes the plans, Tohno-kun, Akiha-san, we should speak in private.”
The man nods.
“As you wish.” Akiha replies as she stands up.
…
….
…...
It feels like it has been hours, my vision has improved beyond fuzziness but I cannot make out fine details yet.
Okasan has yet to leave my room, she watches on and occasionally touches my forehead and adjusts my pillow and blanket.
I can't keep in this bed forever, my body feels fine, but as long as Okasan is here I doubt she'll let me try and stand up.
“Okasan,” I begin slowly. “I need some water.”
“Okay, I'll be right back then.” Her voice remains as gentle as ever, I watch her exit the room.
I feel a slight guilt over deceiving her, but I have to try and stand up, I'll be driven crazy by staying in bed much longer.
Very slowly, I shift myself, sliding my legs out from under the blankets.
Them over the edge of the bed.
I feel sluggish, my movements are very slow, but I don't feel the pain of before.