Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. Most of the story is based on a manga called Superior/Superior Cross
Superior
Chapter thirteen
- Burn the witch part 3 -
She should really say something. They'd been walking for two hours straight now and no one had said a word. Everyone just silently let Setsuna lead the way towards her village. Her hands were still tied behind her back and Michiru made sure to stay as close as possible to Setsuna. Haruka and Ami stayed in the back, neither of them said anything either.
Michiru had confessed her love last night and Haruka hadn't given the proper response. Was that why she was so angry today? No, if she'd been that angry Michiru wouldn't have gone out of her way to find some food for her and Ami. Something was off today and Haruka didn't like it one bit. Why hadn't she told Michiru some lie to ease the rejection? Michiru lied to her all the time, obviously. Why wouldn't she return the favor?
'Minako. Hitomi. My parents. Everyone's dead. I can't deal with this anymore. I can't deal with that again.' She wasn't going to deny that Michiru was important to her now but it was just easier keeping the beautiful demon on a distance. When the queen was dead and all other demons... 'Wait, if those rumors are true, wouldn't I be killing Michiru as well?' Had she thought of that before? Had it been discussed already? Why couldn't she remember?
''Here it is.'' Setsuna's voice broke Haruka's train of thoughts and questions. ''Michiru and I can't get any closer than this.'' She eyed towards a small town hidden away between the trees. Then she eyed a couple of amulets that hung in a couple of them. ''Whenever a demon passes these things make an awful noise only demons can hear.''
''People have such things? I've never heard of such amulets.'' Ami said, touching one of them with her index. ''They look so harmless.''
Setsuna smiled slightly. ''People don't. I created them. I put them there to protect this village.''
Haruka noticed how Michiru turned her face a little. She obviously still didn't trust Setsuna. The thought of the green haired woman creating such amulets or talismans probably alarmed her. 'It bothers me as well. Setsuna is really powerful. Maybe a little too powerful.'
''Before Ami and I go down there, there's something I want to ask you first,'' Haruka started. Everyone was looking at her now. Except Michiru who just sighed and turned away again, looking down at the village. ''We're helping you. You're a demon. And you know what our goal is...''
''And you're a human.'' Setsuna replied. ''My hands are tied. Literally. Oh and my hair color is green.'' She rolled her eyes obviously impatient. ''Sorry, I thought we were stating the obvious.''
''Very funny.'' Haruka spat. ''If we help you, how do I know you're not going to turn on us. We're out to kill your queen after all.''
Setsuna's expression changed again. It was scary how many faces that woman had. ''You're not going to kill the queen.''
''Because she's too powerful?'' Haruka wanted to know. Maybe this demon knew something about the queen that could be helpful. All Haruka knew was that the queen had to die and she was going to do it. But the truth was she knew nothing about the queen. Nothing.
''Haruka. Drop it.'' Michiru hissed, interrupting the conversation. ''Let's just get the kid and move on.''
''But,''
''I said drop it. You and Ami go down there and hurry. The sooner we can continue our mission...'' Michiru paused. What the hell was she doing? Continue our mission? When she first met Haruka she joined for fun. Now she actually felt like helping the blonde achieve her goal. She wanted to help so bad she forgot all about the one thing that was standing in their way. She was the damn queen. Was she really going to let Haruka kill her? Would it really kill all the demons?
No, Michiru had to forget about that right now. It wasn't her main goal at the moment. She had to find out why rumor had it Michiru was killing off all the half breeds like Minako. She had to ask her high priest about that. 'I've seen the suffering my kind has dealt this world. This was not what my father would've wanted for them. For us.' This wasn't about her anymore. Or Haruka. Or her feelings for that annoying selfless blonde. It was about everyone else.
''Well they cast me out when the word spread around. That I never sang in the church. And it took one night for the town to decide. I'm afflicted by the curse.'' Hotaru sung softly as some guy bound her to the gallows pole in the middle of town. ''So they marched me down to the center of town, With their pitchforks high in the air. I was chained and bound with a blindfold around. So the judge wouldn't catch my stare.''
Hotaru sincerely hated that song. That demon who'd taken away her real family a long time ago and made her call him 'daddy' sung it all the time after drinking too much. He'd always been so incredibly proud that he'd never got caught for killing humans. But somehow the song just started coming out the moment she reached the center of town.
''The witch is singing her devil song!'' One of the old ladies yelled. The other people nodded and started yelling bad names at the little child.
The guy who just finished tying Hotaru up to the gallows pole smirked and spit on the ground right in front of the child's feet. ''Dirty witch. Only witches talk to demons. And where's your demon now you little bitch? She's not here to save you. She's not here to even watch you burn. Even though you're about to die because of her. Filth.''
Hotaru just looked the man dead in his eyes and just continued her song, looking right through him. ''And the angels sing: let it shine, let it shine, Dry the teardrops from my eyes. And the bells will ring when the blind lead the blind, 'Cause the dead can't testify.''
Embarrassed the guy gritted his teeth before slapping the black haired girl across the face. ''Don't you mock me, witch!'' He then took a deep breath to calm himself down. ''It doesn't matter. Doesn't matter. You're going to burn anyway. Hell will welcome you in.'' He then turned around to walk back towards the angry crowd. He noticed how two more people he hadn't seen before joined the angry mob. A tall blonde guy and a small blue haired girl. No, the blonde was female as well. He couldn't tell before but now that he had taken a second look it was clear as day. They were probably from another village, here to see how a real witch got burned. Atleast they weren't demons or else they would've been screaming in pain already. No demon could get past the amulets that surrounded this town.
''Looks like we're too late.'' Ami whispered, pulling herself closer to Haruka. ''I thought Setsuna said the girl would be save for atleast a week.''
''I guess she lied. No surprise there. We still need to get Hitomi out of here.''
Ami looked up. ''Hitomi?''
''What?'' Haruka looked crushed all of a sudden. ''Why would you..? Did I say that? I meant the girl. We have to get that girl out of here.''
The blue haired girl nodded. ''But how? Without super powers we're not going to get her out of here without a fight.''
''I know.'' Haruka scanned the area. It sickened her to see what the world looked like. It had always been bad, Haruka had never known the freedom of a free world her parents had known. But in the past few years the world looked like it went back in time a couple of hundred years. Everyone looked so grey, so destroyed.
''Maybe we should just,'' Ami wanted to say 'leave' but after seeing the determined look on the blonde's face she decided against it. ''I can create a diversion and you can grab Hotaru.''
''That'll be too risky. These people are obviously out of their right minds. If they catch you they'll probably kill you.'' Haruka put a hand on Ami's shoulder. ''I have a better idea. When you see an opening, grab the child and make a run for it.''
''But...''
''What did Setsuna say about those amulets again? The made some kind of deafening noise. Right?''
''Yes but what are you going to,'' Ami was cut off when suddenly Haruka pushed her back a little and stepped forward, pushing through the crowd. When she reached the middle she started screaming hysterically in pain. First Ami had no idea what was happening. Had someone hurt Haruka? Stabbed her when she wasn't looking. But then she saw Haruka glare at her. ''Oh god.'' Ami whispered and nodded in response.
By now everyone had gathered around the screaming blonde, pointing at her. ''Demon! Demon! Demon!'' Even the man who'd been too busy with Hotaru turned away from the small child to look at Haruka. Suddenly he didn't look so brave anymore. He looked scared. Afraid.
''Quickly, capture that thing before it escapes! And then burn the witch. She brings nothing but bad news to this place. She must be...'' He turned around again but Hotaru was long gone. All that was left were the ropes used to tie her up. ''She escaped! The witch escaped!''
Michiru was sitting against one of the trees near the entrance of the village, tapping her foot impatiently. She hated this. Haruka could be in danger and there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it. Ami could die for all she cared. She hated that stupid girl with her stupid blue hair and and stupid voice with her stupid humanity. Why the hell were they trusting Ami anyway? Why were they helping Setsuna?
''They'll be back soon. Don't worry.'' Setsuna spoke. She'd been standing the whole time but finally sat down next to the aqua haired demon.
''Shut up.''
''Have you already thought about it?''
Michiru raised an eyebrow. ''About what?''
''Ira. The demon who touched Haruka. I mean, she admitted she got angry for no reason. And how she had the same feeling after Luxuria touched her.''
''Haruka told you about Luxuria?''
Setsuna nodded, obviously amused. ''Most of it. The rest I guessed. I must say I'm surprised though. For someone with your status to fall in love with a human. A female one. Although it's not uncommon for a human and demon to fall for each other.''
''We've not in love. Atleast, she's not in love. I don't know what I feel right now.''
''That feeling you're experiencing right now is called being worried. A very humane trait.''
''You could've just broke the spell on those amulets.'' Michiru said, changing the subject. ''I could've gotten that girl out of there before they could blink.''
''I know.'' Came the reply.
''Care to elaborate on that?'' The aqua haired demon was getting impatient again. Was it that hard to answer a question?
''She's lost a lot of people in this war. A war you personally started when you released on on this world. What do you think will happen if she finds out you're the queen? That you're the reason her family died?''
Michiru opened her mouth to tell the green haired woman to shut up. Instead she just looked at the ground with a pained look on her face. ''I just...''
The sound of footsteps behind them caused both of them to jump up and turn around. Michiru had already prepared herself to attack whoever it was that had sneaked up on them. She calmed down a little when she saw Ami together with a small girl in her arms.
''Oh thank the gods.'' Setsuna sighed in relieve. But then she got worried again when she noticed how there was someone missing.
The demon queen beat her to it. ''Where's Haruka?''
''They got her. She pretended to be a demon so I could get Hotaru out of there but she let herself get caught. I'm so sorry Michi...'' Ami was cut off by a stinging pain on her left cheek. Michiru had hit her across the face hard.
''Next time I'll break your neck!'' Michiru snapped. ''She'd better still be alive!'' She had no idea what had gotten over her. She suddenly had lost all control she had left. Without a second thought Michiru stormed past the invisible barriers that kept her from entering town. She could hear the noise that was burning through her brain but it didn't hurt as much as she thought it would. She just kept walking into a straight line, right to the middle of town.
She was going to tear them to pieces.
''Michiru!'' Setsuna yelled after the aqua haired girl. She groaned and closed her eyes, a few seconds later the ropes around her wrists started to burn away. Quickly she aimed her free hands at the talisman in front of her. ''Abata Abattis abduco ateo flamma fultus!'' Immidiately after the incantation the talisman started glowing and dropped from the tree.
Ami held onto Hotaru tightly with a fearful look on her face. Setsuna could've easily gotten free from her bounds earlier but hadn't to gain their trust. And now she just chanted a few words and the talisman just dropped to the ground. ''W-what did you just do?''
''She's going to kill them all.'' Setsuna muttered. ''I have to stop her.''
Ami swallowed hard. 'Stop her? Kill her, you mean?'
Setsuna took a deep breath and turned back to face the blue haired girl who was still holding Hotaru. She slowly walked over to her, noticing Ami take a few steps back. She just ignored the girl's fear and just reached out her arms to grab Hotaru. First Ami wasn't about to let go of the child but after Setsuna send her a warning look she finally released Hotaru.
Setsuna quickly wrapped her arms around Hotaru who had been quiet ever since they'd broken free. ''Are you okay? Are you hurt?''
It amazed Ami how motherly Setsuna sounded just now. Especially after hearing the devilish tone of voice she used while using that incantation. There was no doubt in Ami's mind that she was scared of this demon. Setsuna was probably the most scariest of them all and she had met a lot of that kind.
''Do you know how the song ends?'' Hotaru whispered almost inaudibly.
''What song sweety?'' Setsuna pulled the child closer as she put a hand through her hair. ''What are you talking about?''
''And because I can't take an eye for an eye, in the afterlife I'll haunt you until you die.'' Hotaru sang. She didn't sound like a little girl anymore, she sounded possessed.
''She's going to kill them all. Let her.''
To Be Continued
I try so hard not to make a coward out of Ami but I can't help myself. I don't like her! The song Hotaru sings is an actual song by Billy Talent called 'the dead can't testify'. I don't own it! Anyway, it's been a year since I last updated this story. Hopefully I still have some readers left. Anyway, let me know what you think. I'll try to pull myself away from gears of war 3 and update as soon as possible!