The light in the room was raging and fiery as the outline of the portal came alive. Tako and Akira had put their finishing touches on the gateway and now, through Akira and Tako's combined energy, it was ready to be activated.
The group of humans backed away from the supernatural event before them. Their hearts raced and their eyes were spread attentively, watching the bizarre and hellish display before them.
"Yo, wait how is this supposed to work exactly!?" Gabi hollered out.
"Is it even safe?" Wamu added.
Akira continued to stare into the flames as if meditating on the weight of his decisions. Soon enough, however, that deeper thought left him, as he, at last, came to his conclusion. He turned to the group with a stern brow and gentle eyes.
"What we are about to attempt here is experimental. I cannot promise a favorable outcome for all of you…" his eyes strayed to Hie. Taking a breath he soon abandoned the targeted individual and instead turned his attention to the whole of the group again. "But, if you truly what to be of service like you claim, you can choose to aid us in this way. We need Devilmen, and you humans will not survive the world that will be left for you, as much as I hate to acknowledge it."
A tense swarm filled the chests of the young men as did a sharp piercing sensation. It was difficult to ignore the truth that had been unfolding for some time now but to hear even the commander say it, was all the more disheartening.
"This new age will be a battle between, devilmen and demon. Humans will be a minority in the world that comes," Akira's eyes turned to the floor sullenly.
"I'll do it!" Kukun's voice spoke out over the others. He was sturdy and sure as he planted himself ahead of the gang with his hand raised. "I'm ready to help in any way I can."
Akira seemed a tad bit surprised at how ready he was, and after him, it seemed all the others fell into place. Within only a few moments the other members of the gang rose their hands, some with more vigor than others, but all still rising up to the challenge. That was, all except the smallest of the group. Hie lastly rose his hand but with much reluctance and skepticism.
The leader glanced over them with a pleased expression, he particularly locked onto Hie. Even he was willing to go ahead, disinclined or not, even after every time before when he helped them, those traitors. Akira couldn't get that harrowing vision out of his mind. The sickening recollection of him celebrating his closest friend's death in their time of desperation. Any pride the devilman had now depleted into a lust for vengeance. He knew then and there he would go first; it was the best way to go about it in his mind. If he were to die, the army would gain valuable information on what to avoid, while never losing anything of value in the process. A nasty smile cracked the commander's lips.
"Alright, I thank you all for your compliance, we'll begin immediately."
With his word, Tako opened the gates allowing a dark and ominous atmosphere to cloak the small group. Akira felt his devilish instincts lurch at the sudden presence. He remained in tune with it and yet simultaneously aware of his own control. He heard Amon's voice call from deep within himself. It was a good sign. He knew he couldn't accomplish this without his help.
"Akira, the boy you wish to slaughter has no business here…" the low voice omitted from within his head. The leader couldn't help but feel a slight pit form in his gut upon hearing that. A cold sweat lurked up to his knitted brow.
"What do you mean?" he murmured to himself.
"There is no suitable counterpart for him. He is not meant to live…"
A raise of relief preemptively washed over the young man. He feared his test drive would never come to pass, but now he could see no reason for it not to.
"Then what's the big deal? We can just use him to get things started," Akira questioned the demon from within.
There was a break in conversation for some unnerving moments as the commander waited with a pulsing heart for some kind of reply.
"Be cautious young one, a blackness grows in your prized heart. It may be in your best interest not to nurture such things…"
Akira felt a jolt from deep inside, a pang in his heart. A chill coiled up his spine, listening to the echo of Amon. He wanted to dismiss it, but there was no way for him to tune it out. Ignoring it, was a challenge of its own, Miki could see through him, and now even his own demon called him out on it.
"That boy was never meant to live, either way, he will die soon enough. If you so wish to end him now or wait for nature to take its course, it's all up to you and what you can stand. Perhaps killing him now will save trouble for later, or alternatively killing him now will only cause more troubles later. It's your decision, this matter has no bearing on myself, and I will speak no further on it."
The hybrid somehow felt more lost than before. His guts tangled up as he weighed his choices. He hated each and everyone, he hated being put in this situation, and he hated feeling as though he was losing control. A blackness growing in his heart? It couldn't possibly be true. Perhaps he had taken undesirable matters into his own hands, but everything he had ever done was to save mankind and the people he loved. Why should he be made to feel bad for making the difficult choices? He knew, much like that sickening photographer, Koji Nagasaki, Hie was guilty of all his past transgressions. Why would either of them ever change? They wouldn't, and Akira knew it. He could feel the heat on his face just thinking of all the horrible things these people had done.
His inner seething was put to a stop as the present reminded him of itself.
"Yo Akira? So what's gonna happen now?" Wamu broke the devilman's inner conflict as the male in question turned to face them.
He mulled over them again feeling a great disturbance when he once again spotted the once traitor. Tako could see the intensity he felt and was the only one that knew of its true source. The devilcat, wouldn't interfere. It was not his battle, and he wanted no trouble from it, even if the thought of it made him just as unnerved as the rest.
With the red fiery light at his back, Akira stepped forward. His brow was low and his eyes unwavering. The gang members shared an uncomfortable union as they crowded in closer together. The actions of the leader were unusual for him and even more than that, they were foreign to the humans. It was the first time in a long while Wamu looked upon one of them and truly understood the difference between humans and devilmen.
When Akira, at last, hovered just above the anxious teens he stalled there for a moment staring down at Hie with harsh eyes. The boy felt small as he tried to hide amongst the rest of his friends to failed results. Not a breath was taken by anyone in the room for all those seconds before at last Akira broke his eye contact and spoke.
"You need to leave; you won't be needed here. The rest of you stay," he spoke flatly as he turned away.
It was like the sound of his voice and what he had spoken were two different things. The command hung in the air with not a soul moving until finally, it sunk into them what he wanted.
"Wait you want Hie to leave?" Gabi mustered the courage to ask.
"Yes," Akira answered sharply. His attention suddenly became much more occupied with assessing the flicker of the flames as if he were looking for some kind of distraction.
"Wait, but why?" Wamu now took over.
"Because he serves no purpose to me. It takes a certain type of individual to become a devilman, and he doesn't have it. If he were to step into that ring he'll be pulled into Hell," he responded with little interest.
"Woah, you can just sense that?" Kukun wondered. He curiously started to step closer to the mysterious fire that captivated the devilman leader. He had made it nearly to Akira's side when the hybrid's arm extended, halting the human from going any further.
"Stay back, you can't just step into it. You have to be under some kind of influence first," he explained. With this Akira once again gestured to the devilish familiar who in turn acted without hesitation. Tako flew down as the light of his tail began to flash in a way the gang had not witnessed before. They all became instantly captivated. It was a mesmerizing spectacle that put all who gazed upon it into a numbing daze.
The young devilman remained unaffected by the vision. He could feel the air in the room become stifled as the gust of heat lapped at his face. It was an unusual heat, it burned deeper than the skin. He sensed it caress his soul, or at the very least attempt to. It was instances such as this he felt Amon the most. The demon he had given his soul too was used to these flames, the fires of Hell, and thus in an ironic way, the great beast protected his spirit from this pain. It was the same as when he was in Hell, his soul could only remain unscathed the further he regressed into the demon's defensive hold. Amon's presence was with him again, becoming stronger as the fires grew, he encouraged this though. For one of the very rare moments, he coaxed the devil onward.
"Hie get out of here now! There is no time left!" he yelled breaking the teen's attention on Tako's hypnotic show. The boy breathed as his head swiveled from side to side, trying to make sense of his surroundings. The racking of his heart overrode whatever confusion he may have had. He didn't turn around, but his feet stumbled back, making his way for the door as swiftly as his quivering legs could.
The aged door slammed behind him holding all the energy within the room where it was needed. Mimicking a flood gate Akira felt Amon come through now with no hindrance at all. The beastly devil assessed the situation and once he was sure, he shared his instructions.
"Akira, each of these humans have the capacity to merge with a specific demon. Much like you and I, there is a compatibility that must exist between human and devil for a successful merging to occur. There must also be the right circumstances and thus far this environment will suffice."
"Good, how should we summon these demons?" Akira replied.
The devilman could feel his physical body shift, being heavily influenced by the energy around him. The heat was becoming greater than a human hide could handle. However, his form was not changing to his usual devilish shape, but that of a larger much more imposing being. It was a shrouded change, hidden behind a fluid veil, it was the precipice between human and devil, and Amon was becoming stronger.
The demonic entity looked into the bellowing fire below, the licks of Hell daring to reach out to him. In turn, he hovered his hand over the open pit as if gesturing for something to arise out of it.
Tako could hear the devil murmur incoherent words and with each utterance the flames became excited. Jumping up to him, as if obediently wanting to please its master. All was going accordingly, there was but one thing left needed for such a ritual to be completed.
Repositioning his body Amon steadily started to walk forth, getting closer to the humans. With his large and bulking hand, the beast of legend took hold of Wamu's wrist and pulled it over the hellish fire. The human was so out of sorts from the devilcat's hypnosis he never once protested. Taking the claw of his thumb, Amon made a cut to the gang leader's arm allowing a light stream of blood to drip out of his system and into the craving flames. He repeated this process with each and every one of them, every time the orange whisps would leap in an exhilarated fever. The energy was hitting its climax and Amon knew the demons on the other side of the barrier were desiring their escape. How badly they wanted to overtake the humans and claim their souls. How badly they wanted to fight and accomplish such a victory, and to walk the Earth once again. Amon knew this all too well, and also knew as strong as the human's hearts may have been, they would be no match for the wrong demon.
Under his breath, the demon called upon a name that rang all the way to Hell's very core. Following this, a short series of various other names came after. It was these names that drew out the exact devils Amon knew would create the best possible outcomes. In a frenzy these shapeless entities spang from the damned flames, merging with their chosen humans in what all felt like mere seconds.
Amon watched motionlessly as the humans' bodies broke from their entranced states, they began to shake, scream, and panic. Their senses may have returned but now there was nothing else they could do but endure. In turn, the great devil continued to watch on, his interest spiking with every moment that passed.
Finally, the screams of anguish became mighty roars as their bodies shed their outer skin, revealing a new monstrous hide that lay just beneath.
The first to come forth was Wamu, his human body broke away as instead, a chilling figure within took his place. The demon meshed with his features, as well as its own, the result being a tall yet lean frame cloaked in an icy flesh. An identifiable snowflake-like structure hooded his head and shoulders, creating an intimidating feature.
The wings atop Amon's head lifted as did his brow. An unknown gentleness appeared on a face that had not housed such an emotion in countless centuries. Even the semblance of a distant smile crept its way up his lips. The same sense of familiarity seemed to dash across the newcomer as well. However, his was much more hesitant for he was not the only one inhabiting his own mind anymore.
"Amon?" the frozen devil questioned.
The present smile on the crimson beast's face only grew that much more apparent, signifying the answer to the new demon's question. Thus the light blue aquarian mirrored the same expression.
"Yes Nix, it is I, though I no longer go by that name alone anymore, and the same will be for you," the demon said.
It was upon this declaration did something seem to come back up for the chilly demon. His euphoria to see his old commander and friend had muted it initially, but now this feeling, this human's heart was overwhelming him. A new personality would come from this, and Amon awaited this along with the rest. Each of the chosen gang members grew and evolved into new beings. The rush of their new states intoxicated them, they wanted to fight, to run wild and without bounds. They caused an uproar within the confined space. The ancient devil knew he needed to whittle them down and retake the order.
His lips cracked open revealing his eager fangs. He would exhaust their energy while simultaneously displaying his greater might to them. With no more hesitance, the beastia leaped into the chaos. He wrestled and wrangled them in an attempt to subdue their feral episodes. He took delight in overpowering the gang but never allowed himself to really harm them. They were new and naturally scrappy but even through this and all their combined efforts they were no match for their commander. Steadily the high was beginning to die down and with it, their bodies began to relax, as did Amon.
Akira's mind was foggy when he began to come too, but he was aware enough to know his mission had been completed. Wamu and the rest were all still asleep where they lay, being freshly tuckered out by the good-faith tussle. The commander rubbed his head attempting to clear all the fuzz in his mind. Steadily he began to recall the events that transpired. Amon's voice, and the summoning of the demons, for whatever reason their names felt familiar in the devilman's mouth despite his conscious having no relation to them. He could see the form of Wamu and how it had changed into something so foreign and yet deep in Akira's heart a sense of comradery existed even for this strange demon. He shook himself of this thought, being simply glad the deed had been done.
There was an unnerving anxiousness that in recent times had grown heavy on the teen's shoulders. The thought that he and Amon were not two separate beings but truly merged beyond just body but also in emotion and mind. Akira wasn't fond of this thought, as a matter of fact, it haunted him, and any reminder of such sent a shiver down his spine. He was the one in control, not that demon, Amon was simply useful nothing more. Akira would not lose himself to it, after all this time, he just couldn't allow it.
"Akira, it worked!" Tako exclaimed as his tiny wings fluttered down to the devilman's level.
His emotions were subdued, but his relief for their outcome was still visible.
"Yeah, now all that's left is to wait and see how they turned out," he replied as he looked back upon the gang. They looked torn up and worn out but at the very least intact. The leader couldn't see any apparent details, but he figured those would reveal themselves in time.
Suddenly the sound of hurried steps began to echo down the corridor. Akira was well aware of who it was long before they ever set foot in the room and thus, he knew just how to brace himself.
The door wooshed open with the figures of Miki and Miko standing in the doorway, looking on in shock at their friends strewn about the floor.
"What's going on here? Hie looked all freaked out and told us you were doing some kind of ritual!" Miki announced.
Miko tensed beside her and was especially interested in Kukun who lay amidst the newly changed beings.
"Mayuta!" she gasped as she came to his side. She didn't even need to hear a word from his mouth or see his face to sense he had in fact changed.
"You merged them?" the devillady snapped her head up to face her commander. There was a bewildering storm brewing on her face, while Akira's remained ever still.
Miki who had been slowly assessing the situation for herself began to understand the reality of the situation. She too could sense something was off about them all, but it wasn't until she heard Miko say it out loud did she finally begin to grasp the reality of it.
"You did this without even consulting anybody else! How could you! What if they can't control themselves, all the humans are here!" Miko stood up and began marching up to the motionless male. They were inches from one another, and Akira could feel every bit of fury firing off her. Her fangs were bared and her eyes as sharp and deadly as daggers. Even facing all of this Akira stayed relatively calm, a strange, relaxed stoicism gleamed in his own eyes, one that was powerful in its silence. Wordlessly he commanded her to relent, which in some part she felt the instinct to do so, but her anger was more than she could rationalize in that moment. A growl of frustration seeped through her clasped teeth before asking again.
"Why?" she asked in a low tone.
"Because it had to be done. You weren't around long enough to see what I have, what the world will become. Believe me, they're being spared…" he paused for a second. It was as if he stopped to stare right through her, reading her every thought. "Your boyfriend will be a devilman and alive rather than a human and dead," he finally turned away and began walking past her. She on the other hand continued to watch his every move with a deeply etched grimace.
"I know you're mad at me now, but you'll thank me later, you'll see," Akira assured gently. He was walking up to Miki which only made Miko's frustration all the more apparent. Her burning eyes dimmed at him as she absorbed his words. She hated how she couldn't argue against him, no matter how much she may have wanted to. She wasn't even sure why she was so upset, Kukun was not dead. In truth, this may have been a better outcome, and yet still she couldn't help but feel robbed in some way. She was robbed of a truly human heart, one that was being shared so graciously with her alone, this now stolen away, just like her own. No matter how much sense it may have made, her madness was fresh and still hot on her tongue.
"Oh Yeah? Well if that's so true how come she still gets to be human huh!?"
Akira could feel a shiver run up his back and stand at his hairs. He stopped where he was and glanced over to Miki, who seemed just as startled by the outburst.
"What about Koda and his boyfriend? Are you gonna change him too without Koda knowing? You think he'd like that!?"
The leader flipped around to face her, he knew much of her aggression came from the displeasing situation, but he still felt his guard raise.
"Miko, you know why I had to do this-"
"Yeah, so are you going to change her now too, or what? You won't do it because she's yours, right? It's not the same when it's the person you care about! You want her to stay perfectly human and innocent because it makes you feel better and less like the monster you are," her voice was beginning to tremble, leaving the devilman without words. "Yeah, I know I'm right, aren't I? I know I am because that's how I felt."
Suddenly the young female turned away her whole body was strained especially her eyes, trying with all her might to hold in tears. Her face was flushed red; she was embarrassed of her behavior and wanted to escape from that room. She wanted to disappear from that moment that was until the slightest voice began to sound. A groan was beginning to raise up from the ground. A new life was stirring, and they all were frozen in place. Any thoughts or words that were present before had all dissipated then as the occupants awaited their friends' awakening.