A/N:
i. I hereby present to you the final chapter of this story! It feels a little strange to have a completed story under 20k words. Oh well.
ii. Thank you for all your lovely reviews and support for this story! Now then, please enjoy~
Ten days later, Akashi was relaxing into a sofa when Riko came tearing through the resting rooms at terrifying speed.
Upon noticing Akashi, she made a sharp turn and stopped right in front of him. She grabbed hold of his shirt, panting hard.
"What is it?" Akashi asked, a little shocked.
"…found it." Riko coughed out.
"Found? Did you lose something?"
"I found it." Riko's eyes glowed with excitement. "I found a way."
Akashi stared at Riko.
With frantic motions, Riko gestured to his wrists.
Akashi's eyes widened with a soft gasp. And then he smiled.
"Finally." Akashi stood up, gently supporting a still out-of-breath Riko. A simple tilt of his head had their spectators snapping to attention. Their wings began trembling in anticipation.
Riko pulled out a tiny microchip, and one by one, she began to slide it into a little slot on the bracelets. A soft beep accompanied every successfully deactivated bracelet. After all the bracelets from those Akashi had made into his allies had been deactivated, Riko handed the microchip to Akashi.
"Go remove the barrier around the building and the rooftop. You should make use of your ability to fly; you would be much faster than humans." Riko murmured softly.
Akashi nodded.
"And what about the facility's weaponry section?" Akashi asked.
Riko winked. "All done. Fly confidently and without worries."
Akashi smiled.
"And you?"
Riko blinked. "What about me?"
"Will you be leaving?"
Riko frowned a little.
"Riko." Kagami suddenly appeared behind Riko, scaring her.
"Don't do that!" Riko hissed.
Kagami smiled sheepishly. "Come with us. You see, we plan to destroy this entire place. You would not survive."
Riko's mouth fell open. "Are you serious?"
Akashi chuckled.
"Yes. So make your decision quickly." Akashi turned away. "Give me an answer once I return."
Akashi quickly made his way to the empty roof, finding the hidden slot controlling the barrier around the roof. He slid the microchip in. A muffled whirring told him that it was successful.
After taking down the main barrier surrounding the building, Akashi flew pass the rooms heading back to the main resting room.
When he passed by a certain, very familiar room, he paused. There were Aves who refused to cooperate with Akashi, but they swore that they would not betray Akashi and tell anyone of his plans. Those Aves were simply tired. Knowing that after escaping from this place, they would have to constantly be on the run from the government, they decided that they would rather die along with the building.
They were not naïve enough to believe that the government would treat them as anything more than specimens to be studied even if they sold out their own friends.
But the person in the room was different.
Akashi had not told him of anything, and no one would approach him. He would end up dying while unaware of the situation. Akashi frowned.
He turned around and entered the room.
He had to squint his eyes a little to differentiate the black wings from the darkness.
As he headed in, there was a soft rustle of feathers. A pair of blue eyes met Akashi's gaze.
Akashi stopped.
"We are leaving." He informed.
An eyebrow rose.
"Then why are you still here? Shouldn't you be preparing?" Kuroko returned.
"I came to inform you. I would not want you to end up dying because you were completely unaware."
"I will not die."
Akashi blinked.
"This entire facility will be turned to ash."
A little smile pulled at Kuroko's lips.
"Yes, but I will not die."
Akashi frowned, but nodded his head. He turned around and headed back to the resting rooms.
Kuroko stared as Akashi flew away, leading a large group of Aves.
Half of the building behind him was already blown to pieces. Kuroko flapped his wings, scattering dust and rocks with an abnormally strong breeze. He smiled up at the retreating group.
"I'll see you soon." Kuroko whispered.
Turning around, Kuroko headed back inside the wrecked building. He slowly flew past the dead scientists, observing their injuries. A gaping hole through the stomach of one, and the headless body of another.
It seems like Akashi had fulfilled his desire to hurt the scientists. He had gone on a killing spree, wielding a large knife stolen from the lab below ground. And he was not the only one; the Miracles and all of Akashi's accomplices had ruthlessly stabbed and sliced any scientist that had stood in their way.
Instead of using the advanced weapons capable of killing in one hit, they had chosen to use knives and the like to inflict pain onto the scientists. And they even left them alive to suffer, unable to escape, waiting for their deaths. With every explosion, more and more scientists died.
But some were still alive, stretching out their bloodied hands to Kuroko in desperation when they noticed him.
Kuroko flew a little higher, avoiding them. Humans were not his responsibility.
He lightly landed in front of the half dead Aves gathered in the dining hall which had yet to be destroyed.
He spread his wings wide, to their full length.
Terrified faces slowly morphed to one of understanding. Helpless and embarrassed laughs echoed around the large room. For the first time, they smiled at Kuroko.
And Kuroko returned their smiles with a gentle smile of his own.
"Come, it is time."
They nodded and closed their eyes.
Akashi settled himself onto a large branch, eyes closed as he enjoyed the cool breeze.
It's almost been a month since their escape from the laboratory, and with Akashi's ever accurate predictions, they have all remained safe.
They had flown many miles, stopping every now and then for a few days to rest.
Eventually, Akashi found a perfect haven for them.
It was a rare, untouched forest. The trees were enormous which provided for perfect cover. Somehow, this forest had managed to grow high up in the mountains. They were so high up in the sky that touching the clouds was possible even without them flying.
The air was so thin, that everyone had trouble breathing at first. Perhaps it was because of their unique genetics, but they soon adjusted and the thin air no longer bothered them.
At first, they had cautiously stayed in this place for a week, always keeping a watchful eye out. But the humans were unable to find them. It was as though just the sight of these mountains horrified them, and they all stayed away.
It was such a contradiction really. Technology had improved so much that at least half of a city would be in the skies, and yet those humans were afraid of some mountains. But it was good for the Aves. With the humans so afraid, they were able to hide safely and comfortably in the forest.
With their safety assured, many of the Aves relaxed and had already built large tree houses to stay in. The houses were built with the materials from the forest. From wood to soft vines. They hunted down mountain goats and bears within the forest for food.
Even though they did not have the aid of advanced technology, they had no problems keeping themselves alive. Starting from scratch, they lived a life where there was no one controlling their actions. They dictated their own lives.
They were happy, and Akashi felt immensely pleased with himself. A commotion below had Akashi glancing down. He was met with the amusing scene of Riko hitting Kagami on the head with a thin plank of wood. Laughter rose from the Aves as they watched.
Akashi smiled.
Just like this, living peacefully, a month passed.
Kuroko flew high, hiding himself within the clouds.
Akashi had really travelled far. In this form, Kuroko had no choice except to fly like any other Ave. If he was in his real form, a single thought would bring him beside the person he seeks. Frowning, Kuroko flapped his wings, speeding up. He could not afford to be late.
A dozen white flames suddenly appeared around him, creating a tight circle with Kuroko trapped inside.
Kuroko snarled.
Annoyed, Kuroko bended his wings, pulling them close to his back and dived straight to a tree. Right before he collided with the tree, Kuroko snapped his wings open and his descend was instantly stopped.
He landed gracefully on a large tree branch.
With an agitated huff, Kuroko sat on the sturdy tree branch, leaning against the tree trunk. Kuroko crossed his arms and waited impatiently.
The white circle of flames surrounding him did not disappear.
A few moments later, an elegant foot lightly swayed the tree branch Kuroko was on. Kuroko tilted his head up and stared at the person before him.
The person was dressed in all white. The soft silk-like robes wrapped around a body that was equally fair. Shimmering long white hair fluttered beautifully in the soft breeze. There were soft, enticing chimes of bells with every movement made by the person before him. This person had no wings.
Pale grey eyes silently observed Kuroko.
Brows furrowed, Kuroko asked, "What is it? I'm in a hurry."
"Surely you know why I am here."
Kuroko sighed. "Is this about the deaths of the humans? I'll have you know that I was not the one who killed them."
"I know. But there are too many deaths this time. Over a hundred humans had perished."
"I can't do anything about that." Kuroko frowned.
"You can. You have to reset the balance. Do not hesitate and destroy what should be destroyed." The loud ringing of a bell accompanied those words.
Kuroko raised an eyebrow.
"I plan to. I was on my way, but you stopped me."
A gentle, elegant smile. "I had to make sure to remind you. You may very conveniently 'forget' about your job due to unnecessary emotions after all."
Kuroko snorted. "I will not."
"With you in this form, you are susceptible to emotions. You can do whatever you want, but I will not ignore even the slightest hint of you faltering and succumbing to those emotions."
Kuroko's eyes narrowed. And air suddenly picked up, the trees and plants rustling loudly in response.
"Calm yourself." A soft order. "You can't win against me with you hiding in that little rock."
With difficulty, Kuroko blinked his eyes multiple times. The air settled.
Kuroko stood up, and the little flames around him finally disappeared.
"I'm leaving." Kuroko stated curtly. He spread his wings, but turned his head around.
"Don't follow me, Death God of the Humans." Kuroko glared at the still smiling face.
Without waiting for a reply, Kuroko jumped off the tree branch and flew away.
Soft chuckling rang in the air.
Pale grey eyes stared after the rapidly fading figure.
"Let's meet again. This time, in your real form." An affectionate smile. "Playing around for so long, I have missed you. Come have tea with me, okay?"
The tree to the left was suddenly blown apart.
Grey eyes blinked at the debris of the tree. And then there was amused laughter.
"You're as cute as ever."
The person vanished in a burst of white flames right before the tree exploded.
Scowling, Kuroko flew fast and high.
His irritation was channelled through his wings, causing Kuroko's already fast speed to increase even more.
He came to a screeching halt as he flew over a large group of mountains. He had seen a very familiar flash of red. He quickly descended, landing not so gracefully onto the ground.
Cries of shock and terror greeted him.
Kuroko straightened up, looking around. Where was he?
"Y-y-you! What are you doing here?!" Someone to his left pointed accusingly at him. Kuroko stared. Who was he again? Kuroko couldn't quite remember. It didn't matter anyway. When the time came, Kuroko would know. For now, he had to find Akashi.
Kuroko ignored everyone else, walking quickly through them.
The sound of twigs snapping had Kuroko turning his head. Akashi stepped out from between the trees calmly. He did not seem surprised to see Kuroko.
"So you really did not die." Akashi smirked. "How impressive of you to be able to find this place."
Kuroko smiled.
"And? What are you here for?" Akashi questioned.
Kuroko raised his palm up to his chest, and his blue flame appeared. He shifted it to float in the space between himself and Akashi.
Kuroko silently watched Akashi who was staring at the little flame in fascination. The flame flickered and wavered.
A '10' was formed.
Kuroko and Akashi just stared at the flame quietly as it began to countdown.
Kuroko blinked, a tiny perpetual smile on his face.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
With a loud bang, the flame exploded. Akashi flinched minutely.
"Akashi Seijuurou," Kuroko very nearly sang, "It is time."
Akashi's eyes narrowed.
"Time? What are you talking about?"
Kuroko's smile widened.
"Time to leave. I'm here to collect you."
Akashi stared at Kuroko incredulously. "Collect me?"
Kuroko nodded.
"Your soul. I'm here to retrieve it."
"Just what are you going on about?" Akashi frowned.
Kuroko tilted his head. "Is it too hard for you to understand? How unexpected. Alright then, wait a moment."
Kuroko turned his head to the right, staring into the distance. Abruptly, Kuroko took off from the ground and floated above Akashi.
The sound of beating wings had Akashi looking away from Kuroko. Only to stare at another Kuroko.
"What…?" Akashi gasped.
The other Kuroko stopped beside the Kuroko already present. They were completely identical, from the blue hair to the black wings.
The newly arrived Kuroko held out his hand and the present Kuroko took it.
The next instant, the skies became overcast and filled with dark clouds, blocking out every inch of light. Darkness settled over the mountains. Lightning cracked across the skies, brilliantly lighting up the darkness. The booming roar of thunder accompanied each flash of lightning.
A wayward lightning shot down from the sky, landing close to where Akashi was standing. He quickly flew backwards, averting his eyes from the bright light.
"Akashi Seijuurou."
Akashi blinked, looking up at Kuroko. Except that Kuroko was not exactly Kuroko anymore.
The person floating in the sky had long blue hair, blown wildly about due to the harsh wind. He had two pairs of black wings, both spread out wide. Silken black robes lined with blue fluttered about in the wind, yet was somehow able to remain in place. The robes were adorned with white elegant patterns. But they were not just simple patterns, not with how they were pulsing, moving about.
And the eyes. The eyes of the person were completely black, no pupil or sclera. Little bright blue stars appeared in both eyes, shining from the deep black. Every now and then, some of the little stars would blinked out, only to reappear a couple of seconds later.
They were beautiful.
Akashi stared, unable to find his voice.
"This is what I am, my true form." A soft, melodic voice. It sounded similar to Kuroko's voice, yet not. Something caught Akashi's eye then, and he stared.
Kuroko Tetsuya was dangling from the left hand of the person (was he still Kuroko?) in the sky.
Upon noticing Akashi's gaze, the person dropped Kuroko to the ground. Akashi found himself moving forward to catch the falling body, but he never made it more than two steps.
Not because he was intercepted, but because when Kuroko had hit the floor, he – it – suddenly changed into a rock.
Akashi's mouth fell open in shock.
"Surprised? 'Kuroko Tetsuya' does not exist. Or more like his existence has been gone for a very long time." The person – just who, or what was he? – answered Akashi's unspoken questions.
"Who are you?" Akashi whispered; he could not seem to speak any louder.
"I am the God of Death." The person smiled.
"…Kuroko? Kuroko is the God of Death?" Akashi asked weakly.
The person shook his head. "No, he is not. Kuroko Tetsuya was a normal Ave. Kuroko Tetsuya was my name before I died. After my death, I was tasked with the role of the Death God for the Aves. Now, Kuroko Tetsuya is dead. I am the God of Death, and I have no other name."
"So you did die when we blew up the facility after all?" Akashi's head spun. He could not understand what was happening.
"No. If you are asking about Kuroko Tetsuya, he died many, many years ago. Back when the Ave population was only a couple hundred, Kuroko Tetsuya was the first Ave to die."
"…how did he die?"
Kuroko – no, the God of Death – tilted his head to the side, and appeared to be thinking. With a loud crack, a large black book materialised in the air beside the God of Death. He flipped the book open, to the very first page. He then turned the book around, facing it in Akashi's direction.
Akashi automatically read what was written on the book.
Name: Kuroko Tetsuya.
Age: 21
Time of Death: 04:52:16
Cause of Death: Murdered by his father after he survived being fed poison by his mother.
Special Remarks: First Ave to die. Soul had been destroyed, unable to reincarnate.
"Does that answer all your questions, Akashi Seijuurou?" The God of Death asked.
"Soul… If the soul was destroyed, then how are you able to become the God of Death?"
"I do not have a soul. Unlike you, my existence does not centre around a soul. That is why I am able to handle souls. If I had one of my own, there would be a conflict between the soul within me and the one I am to handle."
Akashi finally looked away, and stared blankly at the ground.
"Then why did you approach me using 'Kuroko Tetsuya'?"
"You interest me. I have always been watching you. When I knew that it was about time you were to enter a facility, I went ahead and split myself into two. One half of me continues to collect souls from dead Aves all over the world, giving the other half of me the freedom to play around. I sent my free half into a rock, using it as a container to create the illusion of me being an average Ave. Using the fake body I created, I entered the facility and waited for you."
"Why? Why would you do something like that?"
"To test you. To see if you were worthy of being reincarnated during the next cycle. And at the same time, you could help me achieve my goal. If you had disappointed me, I would have kept your soul with me for a thousand years or so before releasing you to be reincarnated."
The God of Death smiled, and gestured to his robes.
"Can you see them? Those white moving patterns on my clothes."
Akashi nodded.
"Those are souls. They are trapped in a little pocket of space that I made. A little punishment of mine, see. Because these are souls that have disappointed me. In that space, they are all suffering in endless pain. They move about, unable to escape, for only I can pull them out. I will do so eventually, when it is time for them to reincarnate. But for now, they will remain in there."
He turned the book back, flipping through the pages. Stopping at a page, he flipped the book around.
Akashi stared.
On the left was a picture of himself. Akashi blinked, and the picture mirrored his action. He lifted a hand, and the result was the same.
"What is that?" Akashi asked.
"Hm, what should I call it? A live picture, perhaps?" The God of Death mumbled. "It is always with you, from the moment you were born. It reflects every single movement you make, acting as a camera of sorts. Even if I'm far away, at the other side of the world, I am able to see everything you do.
"You may regard it as a recorder that you cannot see and have no control over. This helps me to identify the appearance of the Aves that have reached the end of their lifespan so it makes it simpler for me to collect their souls."
Akashi's eyes flicked to the right side of the book, where words written in the ancient Aveian language was being written out endlessly. When it reached the end of the page, the page suddenly turned blank before writings appeared once more.
Akashi recognised the writing, but because he had never found the need to study the ancient language, Akashi was now unable to read the elegant scrolls of writing.
"Is that recording me as well? Only this time, it's with words?" Akashi questioned.
The God of Death nodded his head, smiling.
The God of Death raised his hand, and a massive scythe appeared. The blade of the scythe was mostly black, save for the red tip and the intricate carvings decorating the blade. Upon closer inspection, Akashi realised that those carvings were actually ancient scripts of the Aveian language.
Even though he was not able to understand it, Akashi still stared at the scythe, mesmerised.
Akashi did not move even when the God of Death suddenly swung the scythe, the ice cold tip resting against his forehead.
Akashi chuckled.
"I understand now. The reason why no one is able to carry the colour 'black' in their wings is because it belongs to you, right? Not Kuroko Tetsuya, but you, the God of Death."
The God of Death nodded.
"Yes. Because I am the embodiment of darkness itself. Only I am capable to bear such a colour that brings about negativity and fear. You have asked me before, right? About why I am only filled with darkness. You see, every time my scythe cuts through a person, all their sins that they have collected throughout their lives are given to me. I do not have a soul, therefore, there is no limit to how much darkness I can hold."
Akashi merely stared at the God of Death, and did not reply.
"Akashi Seijuurou. You exceeded my expectations. You have successfully managed to destroy an entire facility, and free a large group of Aves in the process. Your actions have set off a sleeping bomb. Soon, as Aves trapped in the other facilities hear of this, they would also regain their thirst for freedom and attempt to break out. Aves were never meant to be caged birds, their wings and unique bodies are not just for show."
The God of Death giggled.
"A war will once again consume this land. You, who have granted me this much enjoyment, I will allow you to make your choice. Die, and reincarnate in the next cycle, which would mean that you would be caught up in the war. Or would you rather choose to die and reincarnate only after the war has ceased?"
A wry smile pulled at Akashi's lips.
"So no matter what I do or how hard I try, I would not be able to win against you? And I will still die?"
"Of course. Like this, in my real form, I am a similar to an illusion. Your powers that you are so proud of, are all useless against me. And you cannot touch me either. Would you like to try it? Your hand will simply pass through me. You are in the living world, and I am in the land of the dead. We are on completely different planes.
"As for your death, it's because your life has already reached its course. The reason why you have yet to drop dead is because of my presence. Even if I leave without killing you, your body will kill itself to call me back. Why would a God of Death appear before a person who still has a lot of time to live?"
Akashi laughed. "Yes, that's right."
"Then, God of Death, kill me now. Talking with you disgusts me. You used me for your enjoyment. No matter how noble your goals may be, I will not tolerate anyone using me."
The God of Death frowned.
"Then, your choice?"
"I don't care about that. Do what you will. Throw me into a life of war or a time of peace, I do not care. Choose on your own. Hurry and kill me, damned God of Death."
Akashi smiled satisfactorily as he saw a very slight twitch of the God of Death's hand.
The tip of the scythe drew back, and came back down, stabbing through Akashi.
"How rare for you to come find me instead of the other way around." A figure clad in pure white elegantly leaned back against the pale cream sofa, drinking from a white and gold teacup.
"Didn't you say that you wanted to have tea with me?" Another figure, this time dressed in black, slouched against the sofa opposite the pure white figure.
"But you have not even touched your tea, my dear Death God of the Aves."
"I will drink it later. Tell me, Death God of the Humans, what should I do about that soul?"
Said Death God of the Humans chuckled.
"Why are you thinking so hard about it? Just reincarnate him. He was useful, so according to the rules, he should be born once more in the next cycle."
"But there will be a war then." The Death God of the Aves pouted.
"And when he dies once more, you can meet him again." The Death God of the Humans smiled.
"But he does not want to see me."
"That matters not. He would not remember his past life, so why avoid him?"
The Death God of the Aves hummed.
"Am I a terrible God of Death?" He asked.
"You are not. You are a God of Death, there's no need for you to apply human logic to yourself. You can never be 'terrible' but neither can you be 'good'. 'Good' and 'bad' only applies to humans, you are different."
The Death God of the Aves frowned.
"Do not concern yourself with such meaningless things, Death God of the Aves."
A sigh.
"Alright."
The Death God of the Aves stared at the soul floating in front of him.
Pulling out his scythe, he lightly lifted the soul onto the blade.
With a strong swing, he sent the soul back to the human world to be reborn.
"Be reborn and live once more."
The God of Death tilted his head up, watching as his book recorded the birth of Akashi Seijuurou.
He turned around, leaving the desolate garden. Black, withered trees surrounded the place. An eerie quiet filled the atmosphere. Everywhere was black; the ruined paths, the trees and even the skies. Dried up leaves and twigs littering the path snapped with every step he took. He paused halfway across.
Turning his head, he stared at the pool of shimmering water in the middle of the garden. This was the only thing that was brightly coloured in such a place – a small lake. The water in the lake was abundant, a stark contrast to the surroundings. Gentle ripples ran along the surface of the water even though there was no wind. The lake was reflecting what was happening on Earth.
The cry of a newborn baby pierced the thick silence.
His feathers rustled as his wings spread themselves out partially. He started walking again, taking large strides out of the garden.
"Let us meet again," he whispered.
"Akashi Seijuurou."
.
Across distant lands
The ancient rhyme rings once more
Run, run pitiful soul
He who rules over death arises from the depths
Run from the claws stained with blood
Run, run pitiful soul
Hide within the chaos
Fight your descend into madness
Or lose your soul
Run, run
Pitiful soul
End.