Disclaimer: This is only a demo, so it is fine if you have not read Darkness yet. However, it is highly recommended that Senran Kagura Darkness (Volume 1) is read before attempting to read the full version of Senran Kagura Arkanum (Volume 2).
The entire area surrounding the cemetery and church is fenced in by a massive black iron gate. Outside of the fence is a thick, ominous, white fog that obscures whatever could potentially be out there. I try and look through the gates, but I can't see a thing.
The sound of my boots clicking across shattered cobblestone echoes throughout the silence. To my left, the path comes to an end, the right side continues and leads to a set of stairs going up to the church like structure.
Several tombstones with various colored goblets sitting in front of them cover both sides of the path. Some of the inscriptions are still legible while others are completely in symbols. Probably the language the Honored Elders spoke before it evolved into the hunter's tongue we speak now.
There're also several stone fountains that have these small white creatures living inside. Their mouths are constantly wide open, and they occasionally let out a distorted laugh as they wave various items around. None are dangerous from what I feel. Their aura's feel like they are here to help rather than fight. Which is unusual for something so ugly.
In front of the burnt doors leading inside the building stands a motionless humanoid object with light silver hair. It's wearing a unique looking red bonnet with gold flowers hanging off a draping black band.
A brown shawl with some kind of markings knitted into it rests over the object's shoulders and covers her leather colored coreset and black skirt. It's almost like something a toy from the nineteenth century would be wearing.
A black puddle forms right in front of me and several of the bizarre looking creatures immerge from the path. On the cobblestone, bright blue words, "Qui accipit donum Reginae (Accept the Queen's gift) etches itself into the rock.
Several of the creatures pull out three weapons ranging from a cane that looks a lot like the one Oliveria has, to an axe, and then a weapon with saw like teeth. Kind of like the one Gekko had on the train last night. Except this one isn't cleaver shaped. All the gifts look amazing, but I get the notion one is the limit.
I reach out towards the axe. The creatures holding the other weapons sink back into the ground, and the ones holding the axe hand me the weapon. The blade has faded gold decoration burned into the old, worn blade.
The handle has been wrapped in some kind of cloth. Probably strands of yoma leather. There's even a spike on top of the weapon that makes it more like a halberd rather than an axe. Despite being short and bulky, it's lightweight for the design.
As I examine the weapon, I see a small button about half way up the hand-held axe. My thumb pushes it in, and the weapon clicks. The handle feels like it's trying to slide forward. I use my hand to coast it, and the axe doubles in size and locks in place.
Now that it's fully extended, it feels a lot lighter because of the extra leverage. Another button firmly secures the weapon in place to keep it from collapsing on its own. To an extent, it's almost like my old scythe. Let's see what this thing is capable of.
I jump up in the air, twirl around and slam the axe down. A mixture of rock, sparks and dirt erupt from the ground as the black blade bites a huge chunk out of the ground. I slide back, dig my right hand into the ground and spin around three hundred sixty degrees. The axe leaves a faint white trace as the blade slices through the air.
I leap forward and thrust the tip of the spike downward into the ground. The tremor it creates is strong enough that it knocks over a nearby cairn that's suffered some significant structural damage. Oh well. It was already broken when I got here.
"Wow… this thing is cool." I state as I casually spin it around my body and collapse it back into the hatchet size equivalent.
Despite being a little heavier, it handles almost identically to my old scythe if it's extended. As for the folded-up version, I'd have to get used to the bulky and cumbersome design before swinging this thing around in a fight.
For some reason, this eerie feeling that I'm being watched comes over me. I snap around and throw my gaze on the thing standing by the door. It hasn't moved. Nor did I see its neck move in the slightest.
All the yoma senses in my body tell me there's something up with that thing, but I can't bring myself to believe it. Not only that, but it's guarding the only way into the building. The other entrance has been blocked off by burnt debris.
Each step I take that leads up to the thing standing in front of the building only adds to the tension I am feeling. It isn't moving, nor does it appear to be alive. Yet, it's so life like. Not only that, my senses are driving me crazy. It's like there is a soul within it, but it's being suppressed, or maybe it isn't a soul. Maybe it's something I've never encountered before.
The most disturbing feature of the thing is its eyes that pierce the atmosphere. It's just a blank stare that can not be broken. The sclera looks like they are entirely crafted out of polished porcelain and each iris has been carefully fitted with a gem that resembles tan moonstone. It looks more like a doll than an actual person.
I stand off to the side and wave my hand back and forth in front of the woman's head to try and get some kind of reaction. Nothing. I inch closer and lightly tap her shoulder. Still nothing. I hold up my index finger and carefully move it towards the corner of her right eye. The feeling of a smooth stone grazes the tip of my finger.
The feeling of a rolling marble drags against my finger. Her iris is now in the corner of her eye and staring directly at me. Fear carries throughout my entire body. I gasp and yank back to try and get away.
"Welcome friend. I am a doll, here to look after my precious hunter. Are you here to meet her?" The woman says in a calm voice.
The thing comes to life and begins to walk towards me. As scary as it is, I don't think she's harmful. Otherwise she would have probably attacked already.
"I suppose."
The woman reaches out with her hand and carefully holds my face, "Yes. You are the one. Come. The Queen is waiting for your arrival."
What does she mean I'm "the one?" I guess I'll find out soon enough. The doll stands off to the side of the entrance. My knuckles rap on the blackened door, and the door frame of the building falls forward. It rips the fragile door down with it and everything breaks like an expensive vase.
"Was that my fault, or was that supposed to happen?" I ask the doll.
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing. Nothing."
Something tells me that in order to talk to this thing, you have to speak to her in a specific manner. Otherwise she has no idea what is being said. A thought comes across my mind. When she said doll, does she mean like the ones Haruka makes? Or something far more advanced? I mean, Haruka has created things similar to this, but not of this caliber. Not even close.
"Sorry about the door! I'll fix it!" I state as I poke my head into the ruined building.
What's left of the walls are scored black. Vintage paintings encrusted with gold are heavily stained with years of heavy smoke damage. Books that managed to survive the raging inferno lay scattered all over the floor as I step inside.
At the other end of the building sits an old man in a wheelchair. Part of his right leg has been replaced with a stilt. He props himself up with a cane to try and prevent from slouching over. The old man's clothes are all raggedy and holes line his burgundy slacks. Scars inflicted by yoma and possibly other people mark his black duster and worn white shirt.
Behind him is a small set of stairs leading up to an elevated platform. Shattered stained glass sparkle under the brightness of the sky despite the cloud of smoke lingering above. Mixtures of green, red, blue and the glow of the celestial moon paint abstract images on the walls.
Upon closer examination, the colors line up and form a mural of some children playing in a field of flowers. Several other scenes follow, but I can't make those out yet because I'm standing at the wrong angle.
"It's called illusionary refraction. My precious hunter's favorite artform." The doll says.
"Certainly. An artform that takes a lot skill and patience. I can barely stay within the lines of a coloring book."
The old man's raspy voice lets out a trapped chuckle as he sits his cane across his lap and rolls up beside me, "This very scene with the girls are the Queen's favorite. She spent nearly two centuries making this story but invested the most time on this particular scene. She said it was the only memory she still had that wasn't riddled with sorrow and agony. Yet she would never tell us why."
"Well sometimes the most treasured memories are also the most painful. When the time comes, I reckon she will tell you. Name's Alan by the way." I state as I reach out.
"Gehrman." He replies as his wrinkly hands shake mine. "The Queen is waiting for you." Gehrman points towards the elevated platform.
The woman that was inside the mirror earlier is sitting down in a makeshift throne that's been carved out of a scorched desk. The way the light from above shines on her long debonair blue hair gives it a lustrous appearance brighter than platinum. Her gold irises radiate with majestic strength despite her frayed clothing.
Sitting in her lap is a weapon similar to what Gekko had on the train. The folding cleaver with saw-like teeth. On her hip is nothing more than a claymore hilt. Her hand tilts her head at an angle and her legs are crossed in a comfortable manner. Her feet have numerous faded scars and callouses that form all along her soles. Probably from walking around this place without shoes if she's been here a couple centuries.
"My Queen, this is Alan." Gehrman says.
She remains silent. However, I can tell she is examining me. Like she's looking for something specific. A lot of her attention is drawn to my armor, and the palm I have Kagura's marking in.
"Tell me boy, who are you?" The Queen asks.
"My name is Alan. I was born in an evil clan of shinobi, corrupted at the age of ten, trained to be a hunter and accepted by a family of good shinobi."
"Hold out your marked hand."
I take my gauntlet off and open my hand. Kagura's etching within my palm folds out along with Jonathan's clan marking.
"Gehrman, Maria, I request a private audience with Alan."
The old man, and the doll both nod in compliance. The doll takes hold of Gehrman's wheelchair and rolls him out the front door and down a ramp that leads back around to the cemetery I woke up in. Now it's just the two of us.
How many beasts have you slain?"
"Excuse me?"
"Beasts, monsters, nightmares, the scourge."
"Well back where I'm from, we call them yoma. Personally, I have no idea. I've killed so many, I lost count around two hundred. Nightmares, maybe seven."
"So the terminology has changed from beast to yoma. Tell me, what made you Kagura's favorite?"
"I think it had to do with defeating the horseman Plague, or it could have been for killing one of Shen's brothers. I personally don't know."
"You are the one then." The Queen states.
I have no idea what is going on, but whatever it is, I don't like it. The Queen mounts her saw cleaver to the back of her belt as she stands up and makes her way down the stairs.
"Tell me Alan. What do you think of Kagura?" The Queen asks as she looks out a nearby window.
"I've never really met her, but she saved me from corruption, and I know she's the one that helped the Honored Elders overthrow the yoma, or beasts as you call them."
"That's about all she's ever done. That fool Kagura spends most of her days in ignorant bliss, and she thinks she can keep me under her thumb? We'll see about that." She scoffs…
The full release of Senran Kagura Arkanum: End of Spring, sometime in the Summer of 2019 (Will be a weekly release)