1Chapter 8: Playing with the Dead

Kazahaya followed Leon without a word or complaint. Of course, Leon went the long way and turned every wrong corner the whole entire way, just to spend more time with Kazahaya and play with his eagerness to see Rikuo.

"Here we are." Leon finally said as he came to a stopping point. They were standing in front of a church. Kazahaya recognized it as the church that was burnt down not too long ago. Some of the wooden walls still remained but the entire roof was burnt away. The only statue that remained was a stone-graven image inside of the chapel.

Kudo quickly broke out into a hurried scampered up the steps that lead to the church. "Rikuo!" he called to him several times without a single word from his partner. He heard an acerbic groan and up ahead and knew right away it was Rikuo. He picked up his pace and didn't stop until he reached Rikuo's bloodstained body.

"Kazahaya . . . ?" he heard Rikuo's harsh voice ask. He turned his head to look at him but the wire like string held him back from doing so.

"Shut up. I'm getting you out of here." Kazahaya told him forcefully. He started to tug at the Demon's String but it cut deep gashes into his fingers. Regardless to that, he kept pulling.

"You idiot . . . it's a trap . . . " Rikuo whispered.

"No, really?" the sarcasm in his voice came out loud and clear as he spoke. He finally got the string loose enough for Rikuo's hands and feet to slip out of it. He caught his large body into his arms and laid him down on the ground, unable to support his weight.

"Well, well. You made it this far . . . " Leon said, clapping his hands for them. He walked into the sanctuary of the church where he kept Rikuo and stood in front of them both. "But, it all ends here."

"It ends for you but it's just getting started for me." Kazahaya growled. He picked up his feet and they carried him as fast as they could. He held up his fists, ready to launch it at him when he got close enough. Like Rikuo though, he out did him in everything. Leon dodged his arm then caught him by the wrist, forcing his body down to the ground.

"You know the pendants second ability, right?" Leon asked in a frightful tone that sent chills down Kazahaya's spine. He nodded.

"It can raise people from the dead."

"Exactly. And do you know why I picked a church to hide Rikuo?" he chortled.

Kazahaya thought about it for a second. If this is a church then there could be . . . his eyes shot open. He knew what Leon was up to and knew it very well. "There's a graveyard somewhere nearby . . . "

"Bingo." He said with a growing smirk. A gruesome hand popped from the black wooden bark. It's gray and baggy skin was covered with dirt and rotting flesh. Little blood still remained and dripped lightly in small waterfalls down the skin. Their fingers curled and popped as they stretched themselves out from a long year's worth of rest. It smelt of nothing but death. A few more hands popped up afterward. One by one, hands grew from the ground like newly born grass.

"What the Hell are those?" Kazahaya cried. He struggled in Leon's grip. Knowing Leon, he would probably not let him loose until the hands grabbed him. He managed to get one hand free from Leon's grip. He reached up and clenched the pendant in his hand. This was like a horror movie he once saw. Only he was in it.

"They're the things that will write your ending." Leon said. He pushed Kazahaya's body toward the open hands. His emotionless yellow eyes peered down upon the horrified boy. Staring down at his opponent like a hungry cat was used to frighten his enemies and lower their self-esteem to make them think that they have no chance at winning and losing is their only choice.

"Rikuo- listen to me!" Kazahaya cried to his nearly unconscious friend. He heard him groan in response to show him he was listening to any thoughts that Kazahaya had. "Break the chain!"

Rikuo rolled onto his side with a deep groan. Blood dripped from every open wound as he sat up. He used his arm to hold up his body weight. He wasn't sure if he had enough energy to break the thick chain holding the pendant. The psychic gave it a try anyway. His eyes went to focus on the side of the chain Kazahaya was pulling at. At first, there was nothing, so he tried a little harder. The chain did nothing. His muscles suddenly stopped and gave out underneath him. He collapsed to the floor with a tired whimper.

"Try as you like but it's no use!" Leon laughed. He rose to his feet to get Kazahaya loose from the chain. Kudo continued to cling onto the pendant with all his might. The dead arms tugged at his clothing and tore the rough jeans.

"Not true!" Kazahaya shrieked. His weight shifted down to the ground. Something in his mind was telling him that Rikuo's efforts didn't go to waste. As he began to put more and more weight, the chain finally snapped. Rikuo might not have had enough energy to blow it into two completely but he sure hallowed off the insides in a smaller explosion enough for Kazahaya to finish off his job.

"What?" Leon shouted. How could he have broken it? The question shot through his mind more than one hundred times but he couldn't generate an answer. His hand reached down to grab the pendant. Strong dead fingers wrapped around his wrist and stopped him from going any further. The dead were turned against their master because they had acquired a new one.

"What are you doing? Kill him not me!" he screamed at the hands. They didn't seem to understand them because they all took their sights from Kazahaya and focused them on Leon.

Kazahaya moved away from the gathering hands. The empath walked sluggishly over to his sleeping partner to help him up. He kneeled down to him and picked up his hand. He laid it over his shoulders and stood up, slowly so that he didn't injure him any further. Rikuo's body stood up with him. His free hand went around his waist to press their hips together for support on both their bodies. "You're going to be all right." Kazahaya whispered reassuringly. He walked with Rikuo out of the church, taking one last look at Leon as he was covered by the dead. They both heard terrifying screams produced from the chapel but ignored them. The two of them continued on side by side down the eerie streets, ready to go back home.

Back at the church, the screams had died off and the arms had retreated back to the ground. Leon's form was fine as was his clothing. Just some dirt rubbed off by the hands and that was it. Not a scratch had been laid on his skin. He sat up and dusted off his dirt-covered clothing. "Kakei is paying me way too little to fake all this crap . . . "