Prologue

Darkness danced throughout the vacant streets of the small village as the only sounds detectable belonged to the cicadas. It was another warm, summer night leaving many villagers sleeping with opened windows. If it were in the city, due to fears of crime this would probably be less likely, yet the village our setting takes place in far far from any city life. It was the humble village of Hinamizawa, the village of demons, and the village of that traps the fates of all of its misfortunate residents.

One resident in particular was watching above the residents from the second story of the empty home. Again… a tragedy had unfolded, though more painful than ever before. This time… the tragedy was brought about by an inhuman ideal, one that challenged the authority of Oyashira, or God, altogether, one that questioned the everlasting role of the dead; and one… that stole everyone from her.

"How… pitiful.." Her voice trembled as Rika Furude tried her best to hide the tears welling up in her eyes. It was just so frustrating, thinking that this time, just as all the ones before, this world would end a disaster.

"Again… Again we couldn't break the fate.. Like a crippled lamb trying to outrun the wolf, they were destined to fail.."

The young Furude child, and sacrifice to all of Hinamizawa's tragedies stared aimlessly out the window of her home. Leaning against the window sill with a cup of wine in her hand the girl figured she'd at least spend the remaining hours of her live relaxing in the solitude.

From afar she could see the distant lights and smoke of a fire far out within the forests. With what she knew now, what that little light was, just broke her heart even further. It was another sympolic reminder of her failure in this world, of her failure to her friends. Tomorrow… yes, tomorrow it would end once more as it'd be the calling of her death, but for now, even just the loneliness that hung around her made it at least a little more bearable.

"Hauau…"

However, even this was shortlived.

"Finally you arrive, Hanyuu?" The Furude girl sadly laughed as she turned and looked at her friend. The transparent god frowned upon seeing she was already too late, as she'd apologize as she always did. Yes, even the presence of Hanyuu and her small apologies were enough to taunt this world.

"I.. I'm sorry Rika, I was having troubles with… hau.." Hanyuu wimpered while tugging at her hair; she could tell that something had gone terribly wrong… it was all on Rika's face. "What happened?"

Rika didn't say anything at first. She just looked down at her empty cup of wine. Her hands began to tremble with anger as she bean to squeeze the little clay cup. It was all so frustrating! She didn't even have a chance to save them all, in this world she was… she was useless!

She wasn't even strong enough to crack the cup despite how tightly she held it.

"I was too late.. Hanyuu, everyone….. everyone's gone now."

The small god stared at her friend in empathy. This world seemed to be one of the worst yet… especially with how Rika was dealing with it. Not only had she given up… but she looked like she was on the verge of tears. Hanyuu hadn't seen Rika this emotionally vulnerable for ages, it was like a knife to her own chest. And yet… somehow, she wanted to be able to help… somehow, she wanted Rika to relief herself of these pains.

"Rika…. Wha… What happened in this world?"

"I honestly didn't know until last night." Rika shortly answered, redirecting her attention to the smoke residing deep in the forest. She paused for another moment before continuing. "It all… just felt like one big nightmare, right till the end." A small, broken smile could be seen on her face as she read confusion in Hanyuu's. With a sigh, Rika knew this would need details.

"Just promise that no matter how ridiculous this sounds, that you'll believe me." The god nodded as Rika closed her eyes, finding it easy to visualize every single bit from the horrifying past weeks in this world.

"Yesterday… no, last night… I was walking home with some groceries… I thought that if I am to die tomorrow I might as well have something nice to eat the two days before… but…. As I was walking home I saw…"

-x-

"Keiichi!" The shrill cry escaped her lips as the bag of groceries fell to the floor. Without a single care in the world, she bolted into the direction of the telephone booth. The same chilling one that she'd remembered from the worlds before. And just like those ones, the chilling scene of the brunette boy leaning against the glass wall existed.

Scarlet blood was smeared against the glass as his hair hid his face. Rika was by his side in a matter of seconds, frantic to try to help him before it was too late. His chest was still moving up and down… he was still alive. Again it was his fingertips that were the culprit in this case, clawing their way into his throat. He needed help… and fast!

Rika glanced around hurrying to find a way to help him. Surely it'd take too long for a doctor to arrive.. And poor Keiichi had already suffered so much throughout this world. She had to find a way to save him.. to prevent him from suffering the fate that so many others had known. But, before she had a chance to even do that..

"R-Rika chan.." the coughed up words of the boy stopped Rika dead in her tracks as she glanced down at him. He was conscious.. Well of course, his wound was bad but it wasn't so bad that he'd already be gone, but if she didn't do something he'd be sure to die.

"We.. we have to hurry Keiichi, if we don't do something soon you-"

"I'll die?"

There was a smile on the brunette's face as he looked at the wide eyed little girl.

"I'm already dead Rika… with everything that's happened, how could one call me living?"

"Keiichi that's not tru-"

"-I know what I'm saying Rika! I'm the reason everything went wrong!" His eyes went from a defeated look to a completely serious one, tears welling equally within both. "You don't get it, I have nothing to live for anymore." He could see the girl scowling at him.

"But…"

"This wound is already too deep." He interrupted her once more. "I'm going to die… Rika, I'm sorry but it's the truth." By now tears were beginning to well up in her eyes. The poor girl had already lost so much.. at his hands no less. She didn't know how to help him, it was killing her.

"Tell me Rika, do you feel helpless?" He said, a sad smile returning to his once cheerful face. Rika silently nodded as she was now down on her knees beside the boy. Her hands clenching his bloody one, the tighter his hand was squeezed, the more upset he could tell she was getting. Hell, he couldn't blame her, not after everything they'd gone through.

"Rika.. there's one thing you can do to help me." He confessed. She simply looked at him wide eyed while trying to contain her own tears. It just made his fall even sooner.

"Let me tell you my story… I'm too late to save, but that doesn't mean that you are, perhaps you can still be saved by.. the monster."

"Monster?" The girl managed to repeat, both distress and confusion consumed her face as she looked at him. She knew that what he said, about him being too late to save, it was true, but that didn't mean that she couldn't at least help her friend who faced his most heartbreaking world yet, at least end it at peace. She'd do what she could, even if it meant sitting there helplessly.

Despite this conclusion, she had no idea what he was saying. What monster? Monsters weren't real.. did he mean Oyashiro?

"Yes. The monster… that I created.." he began, forcing out an even more broken smile. "He's…. he's the reason that they're all gone." He began to choke up in even more tears as he shamelessly let them fall. Rika gave him a more calming look.

"Keiichi… Please… tell me your story."