Hey guys! I just wanna make a short announcement! Remember when I said in the Extra Chapter that the Murakumo Units will be separate individuals? Honestly, I was beating my head over how they would come to be. Also, I really was trying to figure out who to pair Mu with. Well because of one of my reviewers, RandomGirl2k5, had just reminded me of the new character Izayoi in Chrono Phantasma, I finally have a complete pairing! Now, who will I pair Nu with...?
Well, whatever! Thanks agian, RandomGirl2k5! You're awesome, along with all the reviewers of this fanfic!
Oh yeah, an important warning: There WILL be BLOOD, GORE, and RAPE in this chapter. For those who would not wish to read this, skip past the flashback.
Thanks again! Here we go!
-CHAPTER THREE-
Tsubaki gently cradled Noel in her arms, still trying to make sense of the situation they were both in. Her heart was pounding, and so was her head. She had to calm herself and gather her thoughts.
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Okay, Yayoi. What the hell is happening?"
First, a number of men in black come in and start massacring people. Then they talk about how they need ten-thousand souls for the "Cauldron" to work and to "smelt" the "Sword". Then they mention a certain "Lord Terumi"...
Terumi… Who was that? Judging from how they called him "Lord" they obviously are more than just a terrorist group.
So…a cult? That's a huge possibility. So then, what are they after?
"Cauldron…Sword…" she muttered as she wracked her brain for any knowledge of them. "I feel like I've heard them somewhere…"
Her brainstorming proved difficult with the numerous yells and gunshots echoing in the distance. While she knew Jin was a very capable fighter, she could not help but feel a twinge of worry well up in her. He was just one man, and there are a whole lot of those assholes.
"Stop…stop please…"
Looking down she saw that Noel had calmed down a bit. She was still mumbling to herself, but she wasn't frantically shaking and hyperventilating like before. Tsubaki could only feel helpless to comfort her friend when she doesn't even know what had bothered her.
The moment the name "Terumi" is mentioned this girl goes off into a state of panic. And she thought she heard her silently call out her mother and father. It was then another piece of the puzzle was solved.
This Terumi had something to do with the death of Noel's parents…
"Noel…" the redhead whispered, resting her head on top of hers. "What happened?"
Jin leaped into the air and swung his sword. "KUCHU HISHOGEKI!"
One huge ice blade plummets down onto three armed men, ultimately freezing them. Landing, the young Kisaragi surveyed his surroundings. At least ten more charged at him.
"Damn, they just keep coming!" he muttered and shook his hand. "And I'm running low on Heat, too…"
Just then…
"DEAD SPIKE!"
I huge, red head of a beast rose from the ground and rammed the charging men from behind. They were sent flying and scattered around the area. Startled, the blonde looked ahead to spot the source of the attack.
"Geez, man," the man ahead sighed, irritated. "You clearly abused your Heat too much, dumbass. At least try and conserve it unless you really need it."
Chuckling, he walked towards him. "Why, I didn't think you cared brother."
"I'm not here for you, dipshit. I'm here to save these people."
"What "people", brother? I'm pretty sure these men have killed every civilian in the premises."
"Doesn't hurt to check." He then looks ahead of Jin with a glare. "Heads up! More are coming!"
The younger sibling spun around and drew his Yukianesa, while Ragna in turn cracked his knuckles and gripped his Blood Scythe sheathed on his back. The two brothers slowly walked toward the incoming hostiles. This time, none of the men had firearms.
But they had swords and knives.
"Why do they insist on taking us on with those puny weapons?"
The silverhead shrugged. "Probably just a bunch of cocky shitheads. Doesn't matter, we can take 'em."
Jin chuckled. "We?"
"Yes, "we". But don't get me wrong, Jin. I'm only helping ya because we both know we can't take all of them on our own."
"I see."
"Also…I want answers."
"Same here. But I may already know who's behind all this."
"Who?"
With a grin, the blonde began to charge his Heat. "Oh, you and I know him very well.
They both stopped and stared down at the approaching men. They were getting closer, but still far enough to hit them with a projectile.
"Yuuki Terumi," he muttered as he threw multiple ice swords at the men.
"…baki…" Noel mumbled, causing the woman to look down.
"Noel?" she whispered back.
"I'm sorry…"
Sighing, the redhead kissed the top of her head. "Silly. You're apologizing for nothing, again."
"No…I mean…"
"Hm?"
"I'm broken. I'm so broken…"
"No, you're not! Noel, you've made so much progress over the past months. You've almost completely come out of your shell."
"But you still don't know anything about me."
"Does it matter?"
"It does!"
This startled the teacher more than it should. This was one of the few times when she would hear Noel yell. It wasn't too loud, but it wasn't exactly a whisper either.
"It does, Tsubaki," the girl said in a quieter tone.
"You blindly take care of me even when I've been so secretive. This morning you were willing to listen to me about my parents, yet I buried it back in. I dodged the topic and just wanted to get on with the day.
"But now look where we are. Of only we'd stayed home, we wouldn't…"
"Are you seriously trying to find a fault you have in this? Noel, do you enjoy tormenting yourself?"
"But it is my fault."
"What are you talking about?!"
"My family…they…"
"What about them?"
"…My family made a deal with the devil."
"HELL'S FANG!" Ragna roared as he sent a guy flying towards his comrades, sending all of them flying towards the hard concrete of the wall.
Jin had cut down several foes with such fluidity you could still see the streaks linger for a few milliseconds. One by one, the men have fallen. And pretty soon their numbers were decreasing. The younger sibling was getting very exhausted, but Ragna still had a lot of fight left in him.
They heard more footsteps coming from behind and spun around. The silverhead glared at the approaching men and readied his Blood Scythe.
"Dammit, how many of them are there?!" he growled.
"Their numbers are thinning, though," Jin stated. "I do hope this is the final wave."
"Hah! I can take way more!"
"Perhaps you can, brother. But I can't. I admit I am worn out."
"Leave this to me then! CARNAGE…" He dashed towards them and swung his sword, hitting all of them and sent them bouncing. He swung his blade upwards, knocking them far away. "…SCISSORS!"
Most of them had disintegrated, yet one remained. He was badly scorched, and it was a morbid sight. Half of his torso had lost flesh, baring his ribs. Ragna could see the man's heart beating rapidly. The adrenaline was keeping him conscious, but he didn't have long to live.
Sheathing his sword he stalked over to the wounded man, followed by Jin. He knelt down to his level and glared down at him. He felt no sympathy for him and pulled him by the collar.
"Listen buddy, I want answers and you got 'em. So you're gonna tell me everything, starting with who you're working for."
The man spat blood on his face, smirking weakly at him. "And what…makes you think…I'd talk…?"
Wiping the blood on his face, he snarled and shoved his hand between the gaps of his ribcage. The man screamed out in pain and his body arched and legs kicked. Ragna then pulled his bloodstained hand back out.
"You WILL answer my questions. After that, you have my permission to die. I will ask again: Who are you working for?"
Hyperventilating, he gritted his teeth and spoke. "Yuuki…Terumi…"
"I told you, brother," Jin said.
Nodding, Ragna continued. "There, that wasn't so hard. Okay, second question: What are your intentions?"
The man coughed. "To gather…ten-thousand souls…to create…the Sword…"
"The Sword?"
"The harbinger…of death…"
"I see… Okay, last question: Would you like a painless death? Or shall I just leave you here to rot?"
"…Painless…"
"Alright." He then stood up and began to walk away. "Lie there and suffer."
"W-wait…please kill me…!"
As he stomped away, Jin joined him. "Are you sure you want to leave him like that, brother?"
"Scum like him don't deserve mercy. So I won't give him any."
"Hah, that is just like you."
"Tch, whatever. Have you seen Tsubaki and Noel?"
"They're by the clothes store by the fountain. I'll lead the way."
Tsubaki stared at Noel with furrowed brows. "Your family…what?"
"Tsubaki! Noel!" a voice called out to them.
She turned her head to the entrance and saw both Jin and Ragna walking up to them. She smiled in relief at the two brothers' sight. She hadn't noticed it earlier, but judging from the silence it's plainly obvious that they took care of all the terrorists.
"Jin! And Ragna too!"
"You guys okay?" the silverhead asked.
"We're fine. We're not hurt."
Jin sheathed Yukianesa. "We've confirmed who the men are working for."
"Yuuki Terumi…" Noel whispered.
"I see you know."
Ragna kneeled down and nudged the girl. "You're gonna be fine. I'm gonna inform Rachel about this. She would like to know about this."
"Mm."
He looked over to Tsubaki. "Tsu, take her home. We'll take it from here."
The woman nodded. "Got it."
Later…
Tsubaki sat down on her bed with a sigh. Today was a seriously tiring day, not to mention dangerous. She couldn't believe she had witnessed an actual massacre in person. The event had scarred a part of her and she wished to not relive it ever.
The sound of the shower can be heard behind the bathroom door. Noel had wanted to cool herself off, so she grabbed a towel as soon as they entered the apartment and went in. This left the redhead alone to her thoughts.
So much has happened today, she thought to herself. So much death in just under an hour. Those poor people. I only hope they experienced a quick death.
I'm concerned about Noel. Sure even I was scared, but I could only imagine how she felt that time. And her panic attack earlier…
What was that? It obviously had something to do with that Terumi guy. Ragna and Jin seem to know something about him. I'll have to ask them for answers later.
But right now, I need to tend to Noel. Poor girl had to witness such a horrific event. Yet, she says that her family had something to do with this. "Made a deal with the devil", what's that supposed to mean?
She groaned and massaged her temples. This is getting me nowhere. The only ones who can answer these questions are either Jin, Ragna…or Noel herself.
Should I ask her? No, I can't. It must be very hard for her to talk about it.
I can't prod her for answers. She's been through so much. Do I really want her to remember such painful memories?
I'd be the scum of the universe to do so…
She then heard the shower turn off. She straightened herself as the door opened, revealing a towel-clad Noel. Her hair was dripping wet, and she had a blank look on her face.
"Noel, honey?" Tsubaki softly called out. "Are you alright?"
She nodded. "Yes…"
"Hm… Come sit, I'll dry your hair."
Without a word, she did as she was told. Sitting in front of Tsubaki, back turned, she waited for the woman to start drying her hair. The redhead quickly took out a spare towel and placed it over of her damp hair. She patted it for a bit before she gently massaged the girls head over the cloth.
"Too rough?"
She shook her head. "No. Feels good…"
The woman smiled. "I'm glad. Just relax and lean on me. No need to slouch."
And she did. She let herself lean on Tsubaki's front, taking care not to make it hard for her to dry her. The woman continued her massage, and she sniffed.
"You used the new shampoo I bought, huh?"
"Yes. Papaya Extract, right?"
"Yep. Glad you like it."
They then fell silent. The small talk had helped a bit, but right now felt right to just bathe in silence. What else can be said?
She's been through way too much. I feel so useless since I can't help her. I want to rid her of the pain, but how? I barely know anything about her past.
The death of her parents and history of being bullied does not count. There's more to what happened, like how they died. Was it an accident? Or…
…or did that Terumi have a hand in it?
It looks that way. Like I said before, she had mentioned her parents during the panic attack. So he has to be the one responsible.
Oh Noel, how can I ever bring back your smile again…?
"…I have to tell you…everything…"
Tsubaki stopped her massage. "Pardon?"
"I'll tell you…everything."
"Everything?"
"My past. My parents. Everything…"
"You don't need to force yourself—"
"I'm not," the girl cut her off and turned to face her. "I'm not…"
"Oh. So then…"
She took a deep breath. "I know you've been wanting to ask about my parents for a long time, Tsubaki. And I thank you for giving me time to muster up the will to do so…"
"If you're still not comfortable about—"
"It's okay. I…kind of need to talk about this. With you. You deserve that much."
"Deserve…huh? Why do you say that?"
"You've taken care of me, despite not knowing a whole lot about me. And I've already accepted letting you help me, so I should make things easier for you if you know what happened."
This is it. This is the moment she'll finally learn what had happened. What made her the insecure fragile girl she is right now?
But…
But this may also very well be painful for her. She will be recalling, no, reliving the traumatic experience of her family's demise.
Is this alright? Will shebe alright? Worry does not elude the woman.
But Noel is willing to share this painful memory with her. And rejecting her any further would most likely make her think that she doesn't care. And that is the last thing she wanted to make her feel.
Sighing, she pulled her close and let her head rest on her bosom. The girl let out her own sigh and gripped the woman's shirt sleeve. She fingered it for a few moments, trying to calm herself.
She then spoke.
"Remember when I said us Vermillions were humble people?"
She nodded. "Yeah?"
"Well…that is only partially true."
"Partially?"
"…My grandparents to be exact, along with Vermillions before them, all studied Ars Magus, and had endless curiosity. The research they worked on was vast, yet it spawned a dark legacy. They experimented on all living beings, humans included. It was cruel.
"The research had been passed down from generation to generation. It became a tradition for all Vermillions to carry out the research, and would probably someday create the ultimate Nox Nyctores. It had gone on for years.
"But then…the chain broke. My parents refused to continue the research."
"They did?" she asked.
"They saw the inhumanity in it and decided to burn all the papers. My grandparents were furious, and they basically disowned my father. He only had mama left in the world."
So that was it, she thought. When she said the Vermillions were humble…she had only meant her parents.
"They then started a business in medicine, dedicated to help the world. The Vermillion bloodline had done enough evil, so they decided to make up for that. Their decision cost them their place in the family, but they had started anew and had done well for several years.
"Then I came into the world. They loved me so much, even when they spent all their expenses taking care of me. They had a lot of money, yet they mainly focused on my needs.
"The Vermillion family had a history of disciplining their children to the extreme, and mama and papa never wished that upon me. They loved me so much…"
"Noel…"
"Terumi…" the girl muttered.
"Pardon?"
"Terumi…that name…those men mentioned his name…"
"Yes they did."
"He…is the reason for everything."
The girl started to sniffle.
"Noel…?"
"I'm fine. I'm fine…" She took a deep breath and exhaled. "Yuuki Terumi. He was an old acquaintance of the Vermillion family. He was the one who had influenced them to research on Ars Magus.
"And…he was the one who killed my parents."
So I was right, she thought.
"Noel…what happened?"
"It…it was six years ago…"
February 14, 2023…
"Mama! Papa!" ten-year-old Noel Vermillion cried out with joy as her parents walked through the front door of their home. "Welcome home!"
James and Samantha Vermillion. Both run the ever thriving Vermillion Pharmaceutical Industry and huge names in the business world. Individually they are intellectually powerful, but together they are unstoppable.
They both run different divisions in the industry. Samantha handles the gathering of herbal resources, stocking them and shipping them to the clients that buy them. James handles the manufacturing of the drugs made from the herbs and measuring the dosage needed per box.
It's a simple industry, really. It creates new types of medicine and is sold to those who either need it or willing to pay good money for it. Simple, yet promising.
What makes it so successful are the resources they get. They are the first to discover the new herbs found in Arizona: Dicteliaus, an herb with the ability to quicken the rate of cell regeneration; and Seervetine, an herb which cures the former world's deadliest ailment: cancer.
They have claimed rights to own and grow these herbs upon discovery. And so every big time pharmaceutical company wanted their products. They can give the medicine, but never the herbs.
They aren't selfish and greedy. It's their way of staying in necessary control. But it has its disadvantages.
Some shady corporations have also taken interest in the herbs, so they have sent numerous spies to pose as employees in the industry to try and sneak a pack into their bags and deliver it to them. Fortunately none have succeeded due to the herbs' inability to withstand a change in environment completely.
If they were to be extracted from their own soil, they would wither away in a matter of hours. Which is why they still grow them in Arizona, and the soil there is not so easy to extract. Not without poisoning themselves in the process.
Which is why so far, none have been able to steal their resources. They managed to have a fail-safe plan in the form of nature's work. And needless to say the other companies were displeased.
In another note, while security and rules were rather tight in the Vermillion workplace, people were given enough freedom to choose their schedules and work clothes. The simple logic of being comfortable with whatever and whenever has been practiced among the employees here. Which is why they remain faithful.
Which is why the two Vermillions were wearing rather casual clothing.
Samantha sported a simple white button-up shirt, denim jeans, and white running shoes. Her short blonde hair even had a cute handmade panda hairclip, complements to her sweet innocent daughter.
James wore a blue polo shirt, slacks, and grey sneakers. He had a lighter shade of blonde hair, which was a tad bit spiky. Again, courtesy of Noel Vermillion's handiwork.
She ran up to them and hugged them both, each returning the gesture in kind. They were busy people, but they would devote all their time at home loving their little girl. Well…little in a sense when…
…yeah.
"Hello, Noel," James greeted as he kissed her head. "How was school?"
She grinned. "It was okay. Our class had to do a project in science, but it was fun."
"Good to hear."
Samantha took off her shoes and put them in the side. "Noel, dear, what would you like for dinner?"
"Anything mama makes is delicious!"
She giggled and kissed her forehead. "Chicken Cordon Bleu it is."
"But aren't you tired, though? I can always cook thi—"
"NO!" the two parents cried in unison, startling the girl.
"Uh, we mean…" James stuttered.
"I enjoy cooking, Noel," Samantha said. "Cooking helps me relax, so I have no reason to pass up on doing it. So no worries, Noel, mama can handle it."
"Uh…okay…?"
"Good, now go and finish up any homework you have. Dinner will be ready in two hours."
"Alright!"
And so she went on her merry way up to her room. After that, James wrapped his arms around his wife and kissed her temple. They both laughed softly.
"Nice side-step, honey," he whispered.
"Thanks. We don't need another repeat of what happened."
"Fourth of July…that was quite a pie…"
"The girl is sweet, but her kindness can bring about…explosive outcomes."
Ding! Dong!
The couple turned to the door. The man of the house walked up to it and opened. It took him a few moments before smiling.
"Kazuma!" he cried out with pleasant surprise.
Before him stood a young man, about as tall as 5'10, in a purple long-sleeved button-up shirt, shacks and black dress shoes. He had green hair with long bangs covering his eyes, fair skin, and a skinny build. He had a cute blush on his cheeks and an awkward smile.
"He-hey, James," the man greeted shyly. "Long time no see."
The married man immediately hugged him, startling the green-haired individual. After a few pats on the back, he pulled back and turned back to his wife.
"Honey, look who it is! It's Kazuma!"
"I can see that, dear," she replied with a giggle as she walked up to them. She hugged him as well, though not as abruptly as her husband. "It's good to see you again, Kazu. I hope you're doing well."
He chuckled nervously as she pulled away. "I-I am, thank you. I do hope you're faring the same."
James roared with laughter as he gave him a VERY hard pat on the back. "Look at you! You haven't changed a bit! You can barely say something without a stutter!"
"Be nice, dear. We are who we are."
Kazuma bowed his head. "I apologize."
"Don't. There is no need to. Come in, please!
"Sorry for intruding."
After stepping inside, James closed the door behind them and led their friend over to the living room. As young Kazuma sat on one chair, the couple sat on the couch opposite of him. He seemed to have shrunk in place, feeling a tad bit uncomfortable.
"Hey, relax!" James urged with a laugh. "You're way too stiff!"
He sat up straight. "S-sorry!"
"Heh…made it worse…"
Samantha rolled her eyes and leaned forward. "He's right, though. No need to be so formal."
"Forgive me. I-it's just that I haven't seen you two in so long."
She nodded. "True. It has been eight years. Last time we saw each other was in our college reunion, right?"
"Yes, it was."
James leaned back with a chuckle. "You're as skinny as ever, though. You really need to put more meat on your bones."
"I…guess I'm just not a heavy eater…"
"Well, you'll have plenty to eat later," Samantha said with a smile. "We have a lot of catching up to do! And oh! We would also like to introduce you to our daughter Noel!"
He blinked twice. "Oh…y-you have a daughter?"
"Why, of course. I had thought we had posted it in our college newsletter."
"W-well, I r-rarely visit that site, s-so…"
The man of the house quirked a brow. "Why not?"
"People…a-ask questions…" he replied shyly.
Once again, the man roared with laughter. "Come on! What is it that they ask that's so embarrassing?!"
"W-well…they've been asking about Trinity…"
"Ah… Still haven't hooked up with her, huh?"
His face turned bright red and he flailed his hands around. "H-h-h-h-h-h-hooked up?! W-w-w-we d-didn't even go o-on any d-d-d-d-dates yet…s-so i-it's impossible to hook up right a-away!"
"Yeah…thought so."
Samantha elbowed her husband. "Shush, dear! You shouldn't tease him so much!"
"Haha! Sorry." He looked back at his old friend. "But really, Kazu. You should try taking the initiative and ask her out already. You've been pretty close for years. Hell, since freshman year!
"And I can tell she's into ya too! Come on man, just try it out. You still keep in touch with her right?"
"I do…"
"Then don't hold back! If you like her then you should at least try to go on a date with her! And I promise you, the chance of her declining is quite slim."
"Have a little confidence in yourself, Kazuma," his wife gently comforted him. "We're all still young, and you have all the time in the world to build up your relationship if ever. We have faith in you, and I promise that thing can go well if you try."
He twiddled his thumbs as his blush deepened. But he was actually contemplating on their advice and words of encouragement. These two old friends have always looked out for him since day one. He was thankful to have such wonderful people taking care of him.
He loved them to death.
Managing a small smile, he nodded. "Thank you. I will do my best."
The couple clapped happily. Suddenly, they heard approaching footsteps. Looking over to the stairs, they saw Noel curiously staring at the green-haired man.
"H-hello," she greeted with a timid wave.
"Oh, hello," he returned the greeting with a wave just as timid as hers.
Standing up, James walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Kazuma, this is our little girl Noel. Noel, this is Kazuma. He's our old classmate and friend back in college."
Nodding, she bowed deeply. "A pleasure to meet you, Mister Kazuma."
He stood up and bowed as well. "Pleasure is all mine."
Samantha got up and headed for the kitchen. "I'll prepare dinner. Noel, can you help me lay out the dishes please?"
"Kays!" she happily replied.
As the two girls entered the kitchen, Kazuma turned to James with a small smile. "You have a beautiful daughter."
James in turn smiled as well. "Thank you, Kazu. That means a lot. She doesn't have many friends, so it would be nice if you would get to know her and spend time with her in your free time. You can even bring Trinity if you want."
"P-perhaps I will…"
Ding! Dong!
Turning to the door, James walked up to open it. "Who could that be?"
"Honey, who is it?" Samantha called out as she re-entered the hallway.
He turned the knob and opened it. Before he could utter a word, a flash of silver cut right in front of him. He gripped his throat and felt something leaking. Pain sunk in, and he was now staggering backwards.
"JAMES!" he heard his wife and old friend cry out.
He then felt himself getting kicked in the gut, knocking him down to the ground. He coughed and winced as the pain on his wounded throat worsened. His vision started to blur, and his strength began to escape him.
He sensed someone kneeling down, lifting his head gently. Something wet dropped down on his cheek, and for a moment his vision cleared. He saw his wife, eyes leaking tears and brimming with sadness. As he weakly reached his hand out to cup her cheek, he muttered one word…
"Sam…"
Then, blackness…
Eyes widening, Samantha frantically shook her lifeless husband. "James? JAMES?!"
"Daddy…?"
Turning around Kazuma saw Noel holding a pan, a look of shock embedded in her face. She dropped what she was holding and rushed over to her mother's side. She too started to shake her father's corpse, helplessly hoping he was okay.
It proved futile…
"Daddy… DADDY!"
"Oh my, I meant to do a wave but…I didn't take into account that I was holding a knife."
That voice…
Looking up, her entire being trembled. There, by the doorway, a man stood. He was clad in an open shirt, cargo pants and boots. His long overcoat had a hood that covered most of his face, save for the eyes that looked upon her with sadistic desire.
Kazama took a step backward. "Y-Yuuki…Terumi!"
He took a mock bow. "The one and only."
Samantha's look of shock soon turned into a harsh glare. "Why?!"
"Why? Well, it's because of a lot of things." He took a few steps forward. "Ignorance, stupidity, and above all…betrayal."
"Betrayal…?"
"You see, the Vermillion family had long studied Ars Magus. It was a tradition that needed to be passed down from generation to generation. A legacy that needed to continue.
"But then you and your numbskull of a husband just so happen to break that chain. You rejected power, and that my dear is foolish. You never embraced the more fun side of life.
"So, I and the other Vermillion folk had decided to…eliminate you. I mean, after all, you are of no use to us."
"You son of a bitch!" she screamed out. "There was nothing wrong with wanting a normal life!"
"You and your husband were blindly hoping for a "peaceful" future. But guess what, Samantha, you don't get one. So it's either you play your part…or die."
Standing up, she held out her hand. "MURASAME!"
With a blinding light, a long katana materialized in her hand. She grabbed the hilt and went into her stance. Fire burned behind her once kind eyes.
A smug grin formed on Terumi's lips. "Death it is.
"Kazuma!"
"Y-yes?!" he replied.
"I'll deal with him! You take Noel upstairs and hide!"
"But—"
She spun her head to him. "NOW!"
With a slight jump, he recovered and knelt down to the little girl. "Noel, let's go."
She stared down at her father, tears dampening her cheeks. "Daddy…"
He put a hand on her shoulder. "Come on, Noel. There's nothing we can do here."
He picked her up bridal style and ran up the stairs. Meanwhile Samantha still held her stance, Murasame at the ready. She gripped the hilt tight, eyes narrowing at the man before her.
"Do not take me lightly," she said in a low voice.
He laughed. "Hard not to! I can tell you're out of practice. See, you're trembling!"
Yes, she was indeed shaking. And he was right; she hadn't used her blade in a long while. This would prove to be quite difficult.
Or, to be realistic, impossible…
He pulled out a second knife from his belt and twirled it around his finger. "Ready to join your husband?"
With a cry of fury, she swung her blade at him.
Upon opening the door to the parents' room, Kazuma frantically looked around. Noel was still secured in his arms. He was struggling to find a good enough hiding spot for the both of them.
"Oh God, where…?" he muttered. Then his eyes landed on a closet. "There!"
He ran up to it and put Noel down before opening it. Even with all the clothes it was still big enough for the both of them. He got the girl once more and went inside, closing the door afterwards.
He struggled to calm his breathing. He held Noel close and rocked her gently. By now she was quietly sobbing.
"Don't worry, Noel. You're safe now."
"B-but…mama…" she whimpered.
"Your mom's strong. She'll be okay."
They were then startled by a cry of pain sounded throughout the house. They held onto each other tight. Kazuma fear for the worst.
He heard footsteps rapidly coming up the stairs, and decided to open the closet door just a bit for him to peak. His eyes widened as he saw a wounded Samantha stumbling into the room. She had two large gashes on her back, blood staining her white dress shirt.
She groaned in pain as she watched Terumi entered the room. He stalked towards her, a very evil and sadistic smirk written across his features. He licked the blood of his knife and moaned in delight.
"You really are a feisty one, my dear," he chuckled darkly. "I can see what James saw in you."
With a grunt, she charged in to slash at him. But he caught her hand and squeezed, causing her to yelp and drop her sword. He backhanded her and kicked her towards the wall. She hit it with her back hard, coughing out a bit of blood.
The man then took one throwing knife out of his belt and threw it at her. It penetrated her arm and caused her to cry out. She swiftly pulled it out and threw it down. She was about to charge at him again when she felt herself grow stiff.
"W-what…?"
He walked towards her. "That was not meant to kill you. Ya see, that blade is coated with a special toxin that when it flows into the bloodstream, the person will be rendered paralyzed in a matter of seconds."
Her breathing grew ragged as she hit her back against the wall and slowly slid down. He knelt down in front of her and grinned widely.
"Thing is though…you can still feel everything. Like a simple touch…" He poked her cheek, and then ran the tip of his knife across her cheek, cutting her. "…to excruciating pain."
He licked the blood before it can trickle down her face. She shut her eyes at the contact, clearly disgusted by the man's tongue running across her cheek. Her pulled back a bit and smacked his lips.
"You're delicious… Perhaps I shall play with you for a bit before I kill you."
Taking a hold of her ankle, he pulled her until she was lying on her back. She grunted and glared up at him. This only fueled his pleasure even more.
"You know, for someone who gave birth…you're still smokin' hot."
He buried the tip of his blade under the hem of her shirt, just under the button. In one swift motion, he slashed upwards. He pushed her shirt to the side and bared her midriff. The only button that remained was on her chest, her breasts remaining covered.
A faint blush spread across her cheeks as she felt the cool air hit her sweat-coated skin. Without wasting any time, he ran his tongue up her stomach, causing her to shiver, and stopped right at the button. He bit it and pulled, revealing the woman's full breasts.
"Seriously…such a waste to kill you…"
He grabbed both breasts and roughly squeezed them. The woman sobbed silently as he continued to touch her. She gasped as she felt his mouth envelope one of her nipples.
Meanwhile, inside the closet, Noel watched in horror as her mother was being raped by this despicable man. She wanted to rush out there and save her, yet fear prevented her from doing so. And what can she do to help?
Suddenly, her eyes were covered by Kazuma's hand. "Noel, look away."
"But mama—"
"There's nothing we can do."
While the man was trying to be strong, he can't help but tear up himself. Not only had he watch James die, he has to witness the bastard defiling his wife. He shut his eyes and turned away.
The two were such good friends to him. He too wanted to save Samantha, but he hasn't practiced his magic in a long while. But he had to try…for the sake of her last remaining friend.
He held his hand up in front of his face, eyes focused as he tried to summon enough energy. After a few seconds, only a spark appeared. He silently cursed as he tried again.
Samantha gritted her teeth as Terumi nibbled on her neck. He was clearly enjoying this. Her soft sobs, whimpers, her trembling body, the feel and taste of her skin… This woman is definitely divine.
But as much as he reveled in feeling her up…it was time to end this.
"How badly do you want to rejoin your husband?" he whispered with an evil grin.
He took his knife and placed the tip onto her shallow navel. She gasped and sucked in, and he pressed harder.
"You needn't worry about your daughter. I'll take good care of her."
With a maniacal laugh, he plunged the blade into her. She screamed loudly and struggled to squirm, but it proved to be useless. He then proceeded to pull the blade further up, lengthening the cut.
Her cries echoed throughout the house, shaking Kazuma and Noel's very core. The green-haired man frantically continued his attempts to get his spell to work. He was making progress, but it still wasn't enough.
The blade then stopped at her ribs. He pulled it out and licked it clean. He smiled down at the now hyperventilating woman, her stomach now cut open. Samantha's sobs became louder between breaths and her eyes were wide open.
Bile dripped out of her mouth, and her chest heaved up and down rapidly. The pain was excruciating, and her adrenaline added more to her senses. It was unbearable.
She wanted to die.
Terumi then unzipped his pants, pulling out his hardened dick. He pulled down her jeans and panties, baring her womanhood to him. The woman squealed as he violently thrust two fingers into her.
It was inhumane. The man was actually finding sexual pleasure upon seeing her morbid state. And he continued to defile her even when she's leaking out blood.
Pulling his fingers out, he widened her nether-lips and forced his penis in. She would have screamed if not for the pain of her being cut open overwhelming the pain of being penetrated. The man continued to press on, until he finally could go no further.
"I'll send you to heaven, my dear," he chuckled darkly. "It'll all be over soon."
He then began to move. Her body rocked back and forth with his, making the pain worsen. He grunted as he continued to grind her, gradually increasing speed.
"Seriously woman…the moment I saw you…I nearly creamed my pants…!"
Noel was quietly sobbing and covering her ears. Her mother's screams and cries of agony are forever carved into her memory. She silently prayed to God for this to end. To make it all go away.
Poor Samantha then became unusually quiet. Her eyelids were narrowing, and she can barely keep her vision focused. She could feel the pain slowly decrease as if it was all being washed away.
This was it…
Terumi growled as his pace quickened. "I'm gonna cum!"
After a few more seconds of grinding, he released his load into her. He threw his head back and grunted. He breathed in and out and smiled as he finally let out the last of his sperm.
Pulling out of her, he stared down at the still woman. Her face wore a blank expression, eyes devoid of life. Her chest did not heave, and she had stopped trembling.
She was dead.
Sighing, he stood and zipped his pants back up. "Wow, she lasted longer than I expected. That bitch was relentless. Nonetheless, a good lay."
He looked around and scratched the back of his head. "Now, for the other two…"
Without warning, the closet doors came bursting open and a huge fireball had flown straight to Terumi. He was caught off guard and felt himself going through the wall.
Soon after, Kazuma and Noel quickly exited the closet. Upon spotting the mutilated corpse of her mother, the kind-hearted man swiftly covered her eyes and carried her bridal style. He secured her carefully.
"I'm gonna get you out of here, Noel," he whispered.
He cast one final pained look over to Samantha's lifeless body before running out of the room with the girl.
He hurried down the stairs, hopping down a few steps before he reached the bottom, and made a break for the door. Upon reaching it he let Noel down and quickly opened it. She went through first and was followed by him.
But before they could get across the yard, a chain had launched itself out of the house and coiled around Kazuma. He tripped and fell to the ground. Noel spun around and began to run to him.
"No! Just go, Noel!" he yelled out.
She stopped in her tracks. "But—!"
"GO!"
After a moment of hesitation, she ran the other way. Looking back, the last thing she ever saw was Kazuma being dragged back into the house…
Noel sobbed in Tsubaki's chest, clenching the fabric of her shirt tight. The redhead just sat there, taking in everything she had heard. The story had rattled her to the soul.
She didn't know what to feel. A thousand emotions flooded within. Pity. Fear.
Anger.
This poor…poor girl had experienced such a traumatic event so early in her life. The memory has haunted her to this day, never letting her go. Even with the slightest mention of her parents can feel like a dagger through the heart.
What's more…she had to endure the abuse of her classmates for being without a family.
Noel… she thought. My God…how could this…?
"I was…the only one…who escaped…" the girl whispered in between sobs as she nuzzled her face on the woman's chest. "I wandered around…for a while until…an acquaintance of my parents found me…
She sniffled and shut her eyes. "When they went to the house the bodies were gone… All that's left were their bloodstains. Nothing more…"
Tsubaki felt herself crying as she wrapped her arms around Noel. "I'm so sorry, Noel…"
"Mama…and Papa…why…?" She looked up at her, face damped with tears and eyes bloodshot. "Why did they have to die, Tsubaki?!"
The woman shook her head. "I don't know, Noel. They obviously did not deserve to die."
"I miss them…"
"I know you do." She kissed the top of her head. "I'll tell you one thing, though…"
"Hm?"
"That man…Terumi…will not get away with what he's done."
"What…? No! Tsubaki, you can't fight him!"
"I can and I will. I must."
"But he'll kill you!"
In a blink of an eye, she had grabbed her cheeks and pulled her face close to hers. A slight blush filled their cheeks, but Tsubaki did not lose focus on what she had to do.
"Noel, I swore to you that I would protect you with my life. And I will not break that promise. So I will continue to live and fight for you for as long as you are alive.
"Besides, you have nothing to fear. We have Ragna, Rachel, and Jin to help us out. In fact, there are others we know who can help. So have faith in me, Noel. I promise I'll stay alive. For you."
The girl stared at her wide-eyed. She HAD promised to protect her back at the hospital. To follow her to the depths of Hell itself if she must.
This was then she remembered this was Tsubaki Yayoi. A woman true to her word. And there is nothing that can rid her of her resolve.
She felt assured. Secure. Safe.
She can trust this woman with her life. She could feel it. She could feel that everything will be alright.
With Tsubaki by her side, nothing can go wrong.
With a sob, she once again buried her face in the redhead's bosom. She could feel arms pull her close. She felt a weight on her head, indicating the woman was resting hers on top of her.
"I will protect you, Noel. I promise."
The truth is out. The man, Yuuki Terumi, is responsible for all the pain Noel bears. And he is still at large.
He took away her family. Her home. And she could tell he's still looking for her.
But he will not get to her easily. She will see to it that he doesn't. He needed to be stopped.
Even if she has to hunt him down…and drive Izayoi through his heart.
To be continued...