Shishima awoke in a comfortable armchair, the warmth around making him feel rather lazy. As he adjusted his sight, he found himself back into an all-too-familiar cabin. In front of him was a desk filled with papers and two cups of tea, the one sitting on the other side in a similar armchair being none other than The Writer.
"I have been waiting for you to join me, Shishima," the old man spoke in his deep voice with a hint of excitement.
"What kind of cheap trick are you pulling now, you geezer?" the demon aggressively replied.
"Trick? Oh, but I would never do such a thing to my own creations! Regardless, I only wanted to invite you over for some tea. Shall I presume that I've caught you in a wrong time?"
"Yes, you did. I don't have time for this!" the fiend exclaimed and got up, spreading his wings. "Tell me, are you the reason why Hajime got away and why that girl had such a familiar scent?"
A suspicious smirk grew on The Writer's face as he calmly responded, "Why was that scent so familiar to you?" Shishima had no answer, he merely stared at him, glowing red pupils fixated on the human. "I suggest you start reflecting on the past you have struggled so much to bury away. I know that over a thousand years have passed, but you cannot keep running forever."
"No!" The demon slapped his clawed hand on the table. "I won't play your silly little games! I have questions and I want them answered!"
Unfazed, The Writer simply picked up his own cup and calmly sipped his tea, then he spoke in a more serious tone, "If you want to become a God, first you must come to terms with who you really are."
"What is that supposed to mean?!"
"How many times must I repeat myself? Know yourself, then and only then will you be on the right path to true godhood!"
Shishima roared out his frustration and spread his claws, lashing at the old man. Before he could even land a hit, he was surrounded by a bright light which blinded him.
Demon Subaru woke up back in the thrashed office. All this time he had been sleeping on the uncomfortable desk, facing the ceiling. No, he had been sent back. Getting up, he gave a loud yawn as he stretched his limbs and adjusted his back, then he looked into the mirror. Staring right back at him was the sharp face of a horned lion demon, his true reflection as Shishima. Much to his surprise, the image spoke back to him in the same hissed voice, "He's right, you know. How long will you keep running from yourself?"
"Shut up, it all happened a long time ago, I've already forgotten most of it!"
"That's an excuse and you know it all too well! You willingly chose to forget it all, no, you buried it away, as that damned geezer said!"
"Of course I chose to forget the past, what good will it do me now?!"
"That fear you're feeling, it's related to the past. If you're afraid of something, that means you're weak. If you're weak, you will never become a God!"
"I am the mighty Shishima, I am not afraid of anything!"
"Stop lying to yourself! The only way you can overcome this fear is by facing it. To do that, you will have to remember everything."
"I don't want to!"
"You have to! What are you going to do if you will be facing Hajime and that priestess comes to his aid again? Are you going to let them escape once more? This is a weakness, and you have to deal with it!"
"Fine, I guess I have no other choice, do I?" Demon Subaru sighed and closed his eyes. "I come from a dimension connected to human spirituality, one where Heaven, Purgatory and Hell indeed existed. But I am not from any of them. For you see, between Hell and Purgatory lies a world that bridges these realms of torment. A desolate land where the sun never shows its face and the blood red moon only shines when the clouds of day decide to finally free the sky and allow night to begin her reign of shadows. A vast realm of many countries ruled by demons who shared a single goal: independence. A haven for the fallen and the damned, known simply as the Twilight Kingdom."
A storm was brewing on that fateful night. Through thick black clouds, a pair of glowing crimson rays shyly made their way, falling upon a large palace in the middle of a seemingly endless gray desert in which no life could attempt to grow. And yet, there inside that little oasis which was protected by a jungle of sharp and deadly plants, life bloomed plenty. The building was the size what humans would later consider to be a continent, and its high towers threatened to rip the sky open and pierce through the orifices of Purgatory's gates. Right here was the capital of the Twilight Kingdom, where all the political power was gathered and which the demons all across the land obeyed unquestioningly. Free of Satan's tyrannical rule, these evil spirits who escaped Hell came to be known as the youkai, and the majority of them chose to live their eternities guided by their primal instincts of hunting and fighting. But at the founding of their world, a part of them had risen above the others, overpowering them and organizing their home, thus becoming the ruling class known as the daiyoukai. Their bloodlines were considered highly precious and so it was anything but uncommon that inbreeding was their preferred method of reproduction.
Koushishi pondered on this glorious history as she relaxed on the grassy field of her vast gardens. It was rare that the majestic lioness youkai sat on her back, for her wings were not the most comfortable when they were folded and pressed upon by the weight of her body. But it was an inconvenience she had to endure. She reached a clawed hand and gently rubbed her belly, a neutral expression on her face. A new heir was on the verge of coming to the world, and she could hardly keep her excitement.
"Your Highness, I have arrived," spoke a calm yet firm voice from behind.
Making a small effort to push her body up, she turned to see a white owl youkai clad in battle armor that had little signs of damage. Like any bird creature, his eyes fixated her and the scenery around, yet he was anything but hostile. Usually he would have kneeled in front of his queen, but on this occasion, he had another role to serve.
"Ah, Fukurokuju, my most trusted advisor!" she greeted him in her usual polite manner that hid a sign of authority. "Do come closer, I have called you because I have great news!"
"I know," he replied and did as asked. "It won't be long until you deliver your new heir."
"And when I do, all the worlds above and below us will cower in fear! I have seen the signs in the upcoming storm, this time I will give birth to a devil who will unleash a hell not even our ancestors would have ever dreamed of!" With that said, she picked up a glass of wine she had left on the grass and raised it to toast for that glorious moment. "Do you want a drink too?"
"I'll pass for now." Fukurokuju shook his head and stood straight next to her in his stoic manner.
If there was a thing the owl youkai was sure of, it was that Koushishi was very proud of her heritage. And just as she looked at their long and bloody past with an overly idealistic perspective, she too wished to make history. But he was different, he was the oldest living youkai in the Twilight Kingdom, he had lived alongside their ancestors as they fell from Heaven, as they commonly suffered eternal damnation in Hell, as they rebelled in their civil war and sought freedom in the new home they had founded. For him, their history was just a constant struggle of survival and maintaining order, and he found nothing honorable or admirable in that. If there was something he admired, that was how far they had gotten from their beginnings, and it was all thanks to him educating and advising each generation of the royal family.
This current generation was different. The king had grown a sense of honor at an early age and he was easy to work with. But his sister, the queen, was his exact opposite. She was ambitious, stubborn and dangerously conniving. Since Fukurokuju was the youkai of knowledge and wisdom, his mind's powers were bordering omniscience. But said powers were put to test when one day he discovered that he could no longer read Koushishi's fate. She had found a way to block herself completely from him, something he had believed to be impossible for the longest time. As such, he was sure of one thing – she had hidden intentions, and that was why he had to keep being closer to her, serving as her royal advisor.
A strong wind rustled the trees around them, small raindrops slowly falling. A rumbling thunder echoed from high above, threatening to unleash the sky's wrath upon them. As Fukurokuju was on the verge of rushing his queen inside, her body twitched and one of her clawed hands caught his wing in a tight grip.
"At last, it's coming!" she screeched in delight. "Arrogant rulers of Heaven and Hell, tonight the one who will rise to oppose you has finally come!"
She gave one strong push, screaming out her pain, and then she collapsed on her back once more, catching her breath. Her advisor rushed and picked up the little cub, using his soft white feathers to clean it up as gently as he could. It cried, like any newborn suddenly thrown out into the cold and hostile world, beyond its mother's warm and protective womb. Fukurokuju gave it a little cradle and the crying soon stopped. His fur was of a dark purple tone and deep, just like his parents. It looked up at him, its shining crimson eyes focusing on his visage, another trait of his parents, and then it smiled at him and giggled as it felt the care coming from him. That's not good.
"Bring me my little hell spawn," the queen weakly demanded, still unable to contain her excitement.
"As you wish," Fukurokuju replied, trying to hide his worry. He got up and walked to her, presenting the newborn cub. "It's a male," he informed her, deep down inside hoping that at least this one would touch something inside her black heart.
"What is this mongrel you bring before me?" Koushishi spoke in disgust at the sight of her son. "I planned for him to be the monster who will turn the spirit world upside down and he's anything but!" Then she growled, exposing her sharp fangs, "Just like the others…"
"My queen!" called a voice from the skies and the two of them turned to see a youkai, tall, lion-shaped and brandishing wings of leather, land in front of them, his black mane so long that it looked more like a beard. A crown floating between his horns signaled his status. "How are you feeling?"
The king had most of his time occupied with wars. The need of the Twilight Kingdom to extend its territory had had them trying to break their borders with Purgatory over the past few millennia in an attempt to overtake it. As such, he had never been there to witness his mate give birth to any of their offspring… until then. In a way, Koushishi was taken by surprise, but she was quick to put on her usual disguise of a sensitive and caring female, it was the only way she could get around him and have him do her bidding.
"Akushishi, it's a male!" she exclaimed as he grabbed her hand and squeezed it tight. "We've got a little prince."
"Here he is, Your Highness." Fukurokuju offered the cub to his king and Akushishi could do nothing but smile as he held him in his hands.
"My son…" He admired him with a loving gaze that should have been in his mate's eyes as well. "Your name will be Shishima," he spoke in a lower voice as he moved his finger in circles above the infant's head. "Shi-shi-ma."
"Gigima?" the cub tried imitating him, earning a little laugh from his father.
"You take good care of him," Akushishi instructed as he left his heir back in the protective wings of the royal advisor. "I must be off now, our troops need me." He leaned down to the resting Koushishi and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "I love you, my queen." Then he spread his wings and he was gone as swiftly as he arrived.
The two watched him go and Fukurokuju found himself gently cradling the little one. As silence befell upon them, he hoped with all his heart that at least this time things would be different. Maybe the king's visit might have changed something about the queen's attitude. However small that hope was, he was still clinging to it, for he did not wish to do the same thing again.
"Throw him into the Abyss," she ordered in her typical calm and cold demeanor, shattering the last speck of hope he had in an instant.
The owl youkai lowered his head, sighed and asked, "Again?"
"You know the rules. If he's not strong enough to escape the endless pit of the Abyss, then he is no son of mine," the queen said, no signs of remorse or pity in her demeanor. "Now go and do as you're told, one way or another I will get my rightful heir!"
As much as it pained him, he had no choice. The king was always out on the frontlines, leading the charge, leaving her to govern in his absence. In truth, she was the one who actually ruled the Twilight Kingdom in everything but name. If he dared go against her word, the advisor knew that there would be grave consequences, so he conceded and went for a walk deep in the woods. Unbeknownst to Akushishi, the queen had always given birth to perfectly healthy cubs which were immediately thrown into the pits of the Abyss as she ordered. So far out of the six who fell, none had managed to return over the last three millennia. Every time the king came back from war, Koushishi put on her tearful act and lied to him that the newborn fell unbelievably ill and died. At least this time around he was there to see one of his cubs. At least this one received a name…
Rain began to pour down, the garden's plants sheltering them from the sky's hasty tears. The little one kept giggling and sucking on one of his feathers, oblivious to his impeding fate. The owl youkai tried ignoring him as much as he could, that way what he was going to do would have been a little easier on his conscience. Soon they found themselves in a grove, its floor covered in palm leaves. With a wave from his wing, Fukurokuju dispersed the foliage, exposing a hole. There were no sounds, no winds and no smells coming from it. It looked as if it was endless.
"Forgive me…" he whispered as he brought the unsuspecting cub above the pit and suddenly let go of him.
And then Shishima knew only darkness...
Loud knocking disturbed Demon Subaru from his thoughts. He turned to the office door and shouted, "Whoever it is, come in!"
Bochiborof and Shinobu entered, the latter holding a bloodied knife in her right hand.
"Milord, I regret to say this, but we have searched the entire city these past few hours and there is no sign of Hajime or the priestess," the plushie reported.
The hooded one groaned, annoyed that they interrupted him merely to bring bad news. The purple wolf took a step back, unnerved by his master's anger.
"Bochiborof, take Demon Edo and Demon Sora, go outside the barrier and pursue them. I will create an opening for you three once I sense you're near the city outskirts."
"Yes, sire, it will be done!" And with that said, the Funky Knightmare took off.
"As for you, Shinobu?" Demon Subaru turned his attention to the raven haired girl.
"Master, I am pleased to inform you that I have freed the rest of the Spawns from prison. While doing so, I have also converted some convicts to the true faith. To make matters better, I have personally tortured a few entranced guards until one of them gave me the codes to the police's vault of confiscated weapons. Now the Spawns of Shishima will reign over Sagakin in your name!"
A pleased fanged smile grew on the devilish one's face. "Good. What I want you to do now is hold daily rituals in my name. Do you remember the Gothic cathedral in the middle of the city?"
"The one that was turned into a museum? Yes, I do."
"I want you to deface it and rededicate it as a temple to me! It will be the first of many; soon enough, every city on this planet will have a temple of Shishima!"
"As you wish. But how will I hold ceremonies in your name? Shall I keep inventing prayers while we sacrifice a mortal to you?"
"Yes, and while praying, think of me with all of your intent. I will guide you in the rituals, when you will be opening your mouth, you will speak my words."
Shinobu nodded to her master, a psychotic smile of pure bliss on her face. It was clear that she was pleased with her position as Demon Subaru's personal mouthpiece among mortals, and none of them would have had it any other way. Indeed, those were the first steps towards his inevitable godhood.
Sayo sat down in front of the small campfire she had lit inside the cave. Hajime slept beside her, his suitcase being used as a pillow. At least he now finally looked calm and at peace. She opened her travel bag and fetched a pelt, covering him so he would not catch a cold when the fire went out. In the morning they would need food and drinks, but luckily she had packed a few snacks in her bag and she knew that a river was close by, so there was no need to worry about breakfast.
As she was about to doze off into a well-deserved sleep, she suddenly snapped back awake when felt the dreaded presence of evil drawing closer and closer. Not wasting any time, she fetched a pair of binoculars from her bag and ran outside, down the footpath, until the reached the mountain's edge. Looking ahead, she found Bochiborof, Demon Edo and Demon Sora climbing the hills, approaching them. Most likely they had followed her scent. Although she had been right in her assessment that Shishima's forces would pursue them, she found no pleasure in it. Looking around the dark forest, she tried to think of a way to greet the unwelcome guests.
