"Dammit! My skin feels like it's melting off-"
Scorching flames burned through collapsing buildings. Subaru scurried through rubble in hopes of finding survivors.
"What the hell? Where is everybody? Not even a single body…" He thought to himself, his surroundings completely occupied by burning buildings.
"But… I can't give up."
"I have to defeat it for Hoshiko… For my wife… For everybody."
Thoughts flowed through Subaru's mind as he scrambled around the mess that was once a city.
"Looking for someone?" A figure appeared out of pure darkness, speaking in an almost empty tone.
The person was seemingly a female, judging from how their voice sounded, and was covered head to toe in a large gray cloak.
"There you are!" Subaru yelled, quickly unsheathing his sword.
"Today is the day… Where I will finally uncover it's identity."
Subaru's eyebrows furrow, holding back his urge to cackle. He had waited for this day since he had gained it. Without hesitation, he charged toward the figure, sloppily swinging his sword around with no real aim or accuracy.
"You can't possibly expect to defeat me with that." The figure said, grabbing the sword and snapping it in half as if it were a toy made of plastic.
"What-" He said, being knocked to the ground, "No… I can't lose… Not this time. Hell knows when it will finally finish us all off…"
"I need to get stronger…. But how-?" Subaru ponders.
Suddenly, a dark aura began to surround the atmosphere, circling inwards towards Subaru.
"What the hell?!" Subaru yelled, his consciousness slowly leaving his body.
"So, this is the fabled transformation of his that I was told to be wary of, it seems." The mysterious being spoke, staring at Subaru in his new appearance.
Subaru charged toward the figure, dealing quick damage to it's cloak, ripping it off, revealing a familiar figure.
"Your total will be seven hundred and ninety-nine yen."
The beeping of the cash register rang through his ears along with the sounds of a plastic bag. Looking up, his eyes meet with the cashier's, who returns a smile to him.
"Say, can you add this to the items?"
He picked up a book, holding it in his palm–a popular manga series that had been in the mouths of many Japanese high schoolers. "It looks a bit cheesy, but I'll give volume one a shot" He thinks to himself, the cash register beeping once again.
Fishing for his wallet, he pries open the small pocket he kept his yen coins in. Grabbing the amount necessary, he places it on the light-green countertop.
"Enjoy the rest of your night sir." The cashier said. "Thanks, you too." He responds, grabbing his bag of items.
With that, Subaru Natsuki exited the convenience store. With it being about nine at night, he wouldn't have made the effort to go out for groceries this late if not for his boredom.
A light, cool breeze passes through him. He lets out a long breath. "Man, how I love nights like these."
The dark blue aura lit up the night sky, illuminating the usually pitch-black portions of the street. With a small smile of pleasure on his face, he continues his way home.
"―!"
Suddenly, a strange feeling courses through Subaru's body, his surroundings warping and distorting considerably for a split second. However, upon blinking, everything seemingly returns to normal.
"… What was that?" He spoke to himself, baffled by what he had just felt. Pulling out his phone, a notification laid on the main screen. "I guess that's what you get for hauling up in your room all day, gaming."
The notification read a text from his mother. "Come back home. It's getting late, and you have school tomorrow!" Subaru lets out a small sigh. His school life wasn't anything near exciting, considering that he barely communicates with anyone at his school.
Looking down at the ground, something catches his eye. A sewer lid that he had come to remember throughout his childhood. Looking up, he realizes he's already in his neighborhood. "Guess I went into autopilot mode." Subaru thought, fetching the key in his pocket to unlock his house door.
Upon entering, Subaru sees his mother and father on the couch watching television. Assuming they heard him enter, he went upstairs with his bagged items.
"At least tomorrow is Friday, thank god." He thought, stepping up the stairs.
Turning to the doorway of his room, he walked in.
"Hgh-!"
Falling to his knees, a large wave of fatigue suddenly hit Subaru. "Wh-what the hell…" His voice trails off, as he finds himself on the verge of passing out. "Why am I this tired?!"
Throwing his items to the side, he pulls himself up to his bed, covering himself with the sheets. "Guess this makes..it…easier…" His thoughts trailed off, as the world around him became black.
A cold breeze passed through Subaru. Although being unconscious, it felt as though he was awake. Feeling control over his body, he sits up, looking at his surroundings. Where his room usually would be upon awakening, was a pitch-black void. Darting his head around, he was met with nothing but more darkness.
"What... is this?"
Subaru's thoughts echo through his head, as he stands up. Oddly enough, he's able to see his own body, as though he were in a lit area. "Could this be some sort of sleep paralysis?" He could only think while looking around.
Another vibration passed through Subaru's body, much like the one he felt earlier. Suddenly, he saw a dark cloud with a glowing purple aura slowly inching toward him. The air he felt around him became colder the closer it got.
Subaru attempted to step back, only making it two steps back before coming to a full stop. His entire body came to a frozen state, being unable to move an inch. "What the hell is going on?!" He screams in his head, staring at the strange, dark cloud inching closer to him.
Being a mere couple of inches from his face now, Subaru accepted whatever would happen to him at that moment. As the cloud grazed upon his face, his vision became obscured by a light that was almost blinding.
"…me."
"…use me"
"…..'Scuse me!"
Subaru heard a muffled rough voice of what sounded like a man. Rubbing his eyes, he is met with a middle-aged man, wearing a brown bandana around his neck. He wore a dirtied white t-shirt, along with khaki shorts.
"Hey! You're in my way, move over!"
Subaru was forcefully pushed to the side, falling onto the ground. Looking around, the man that was in front of him moments ago entered a small wooden shack, which Subaru supposedly was standing in front of. On top of that, the area he was in seemed to be a very rural and small town–the type hobos would crash at. There were no roads in sight, no streetlights, cars, or any regular looking houses. Most if not all of the houses looked abandoned and dirty, trash littered all over their porches.
Feeling his hand laying on something, Subaru grabbed it unconsciously and brought it up to his face. A plastic bag hung in his grasp. Looking at the items inside, he notices it's the items he bought at the convenient store.
"What is this?" Subaru sits up, looking around. The place reeked of garbage, and buildings sat around in dire condition. "Have I been transported somewhere somehow? I've seen this kind of stuff in anime, but I'm sure it can't happen in real life…"
Quickly standing up and brushing his pants, he pats the pocket of his jacket. "I still have my phone…" he thinks, pulling it out and opening it. "Fifty percent…" Scrolling through his contacts, he sees everything remaining intact.
He dials in his mother's number, waiting for a ringing tone.
"We're sorry, the phone you're trying to reach is unavailable." The line spoke. Subaru yanked the phone away from his ear, staring at the screen. Noticing the symbol at the top right of his screen, he realizes. "No service…" He gives himself a mental facepalm. "Of course there wouldn't be any service in a rural area! I don't even know where the hell I am! Am I even on Earth?!"
Shaking his head, he hears a door screech open. "Fuck off my porch." The man made a return, this time with some sort of tool in his hand. Subaru quickly nods, hastily backing away from the "house" the man lived in. Stepping onto the main dirt path going downhill, he looks at the view below. Subaru's eyes widened, staring down the hill.
Whatever rural area he was in, viewed a vastly large city ahead of it. The buildings were not modern in any shape or form, more… "Medieval, yeah." He thinks to himself. Wanting to grab a picture of this for his parents, he opens the camera on his phone, snapping a picture. "What a view." He puts his hand above his eyes, shielding them from the sun.
"If i can find my way into that city, I might have mobile service then!" He thinks through how he'll be able to get service on his phone in order to contact his parents. He begins to walk downhill and toward the large city until he stops in his tracks.
"Does service even exist here? I mean, considering how it looks, it seems pretty foreign.." He blinks, looking down at his phone, then back up to the city ahead. He flips his phone closed. "Guess I'll ask around since I'm already here."
The sky began to give off the orange aura that came with the sun setting. Subaru turned around, walking uphill through the dirt path. Looking around at the houses, people peered through their windows, giving odd stares. Some were sitting next to their doorways. All of them wore dirtied clothes. Although the stares made Subaru uncomfortable, he continued his pace uphill.
Reaching the top of the uphill section of the town, Subaru was met with a large, wooden building. "Well, it's in better condition than all the other houses here…" Taking time to observe it more, it looked like some sort of lodge. It had dirty windows, but nonetheless intact, unlike most of the other houses.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" A high pitched voice came from his right. Turning to see who it was, a small girl stood a good distance away from him. Her golden short hair made her stand out immediately. She had a black top covering her chest, along with black leggings, one side of the leggings being torn off up to thigh level. A dark red scarf wrapped around her neck, matching her bright red eyes.
"She kinda looks like a cat-girl…" Subaru thought. "Quit staring at me like that! Look, just tell me, are you here to negotiate or not?" She spoke with a more aggravated tone. Blinking a few times, he shakes his head. "Negotiating? What are you talking about?" He speaks to the girl, confused.
"Negotiating for this little badge I stole! I heard it represents high class, I should be keeping this piece of crap for myself!" With a cheeky smile, she holds the badge in her hand. It was in the shape of a guitar pick, although being larger. A red gem laid in the middle of the gold royal-like design on the badge. The gem glowed, giving the badge an aura.
"Woah! That thing looks cool!" Subaru said enthusiastically. "But… I don't―" The sound of heavy pounding and a door opening interrupted Subaru. Looking back at the lodge, the door was wide open. A large, bulky man stood looking at the two. His hunching posture made the white strains ―his eyebrows― hang about. Considering how large he is, Subaru became baffled on how the man was able to find a vest that was the perfect size for himself. Observing the large club he was holding, he noticed that there were strange red marks on his hands.
"Man, this guy is huge..." Subaru wore a panicked face, seeing how the man had an agitated face. Looking back at the girl, she was facing the man with a small smile on her face. "You comin' in, Felt? The customer's gonna be here any minute now." the man spoke.
"Felt? That's an odd name." Subaru thought. "I'll be right there!" the girl - Felt responded. She turned to face Subaru once again. "Well, c'mon!" She said, motioning Subaru inside the building. "Guess this either means my way of help, or death…" A chill ran down Subaru's spine while taking another look at the man holding the club.
Following Felt inside the lodge, Subaru observed the area. Several small, circular tables were arranged around the lodge. The shelves on the wall held different bottles of what Subaru could only assume was alcohol. Going up to the long table, Felt took a seat at the chairs rowed in front of it. Notioning Subaru to come, Felt patted the seat next to her, glancing at him.
He sits down, as the door closes. The man walks behind the table to face Subaru and Felt. "So Felt… that's an interesting name!" Subaru said with a hint of awkwardness in his voice. "Eh, I kinda don't care about my name all that much. What's yours?" She responds. "My name's Subaru Natsuki! A shut-in otaku with no social life at all!" Subaru claims proudly.
Felt's eyebrows furrow slightly. "Half of what you just said confused me, but it's nice to meetcha, Subaru!" She gives him a small smile.
"This the customer?" The man said, looking at Subaru. "Yah got some strange clothes… Are you from Kararagi?" He continued.
"Kara-what now? I have no idea what you're talking about. I just woke up here, and I have no idea where I even am." Subaru responded, waving his hands about.
The old man raised his eyebrow. "So you're lost?" He asks, to which Subaru nodded in response.
"Well let's get the price right now and here so you can get back to finding your way home." Felt interrupted, placing the badge down onto the counter.
"A-ah, I don't think I have any money on me though…" Subaru responds, trailing off in slight embarrassment.
"So.. What's going on here?"
A voice of a woman coming from the distance interrupts. Subaru and Felt turn their heads to face the source of the voice, when strange muffled cracking rings through Subaru's ears. A long, purple curved blade pierced through Felt's skull, her eyes rolling back with blood gushing out of her as she collapsed to the ground in a pool of blood.
Subaru's mouth drops in shock as he falls back from his seat. The heavy stomping of the man quickened, his screaming being barely audible to Subaru.
"Wh-What the hell?!" Subaru screams in terror.
The man ran up to the unknown presence with his large club, before he began to choke. A blade pierced through his neck, blood spewing throughout the entire building
Subaru backs up, falling over the table and hiding underneath it. He slowly looks up to the killer in fear. Stuck in between being flush or fearful, Subaru saw a tall woman in provocative clothing. She wore black leather-thigh short clothing, revealing more skin than necessary.
"How unfortunate…" She says, looking down at the two corpses she was responsible for. She brought the blade that she killed the man with up to her mouth, licking it. "I've never had the honor of killing a giant before either! My, how lovely that was!"
"Is she able to see me?" Subaru put his hand over his mouth to mask his breathing, being present in the stale quietness of the building.
"And you, what are you doing sitting there? You were too powerless and weak to save them, how selfish of you."
Subaru's blood ran cold, as his entire body began to tremble. "Quick! Look around, think of a way to get out of this!" Subaru noticed the bloodied blade that had killed Felt across the floor, not too far from his reach. "Got it!"
With quick movement, Subaru lifted the table he was underneath, launching it toward the woman.
"I'm sorry, Felt…" He jumped back over the table, pulling the blade out of her skull, and ran toward her. "You BITCH!" he shut his eyes and began to swing the blade around aimlessly before feeling a warm feeling around his stomach. Quickly opening his eyes, he notices the woman is nowhere near him.
"And now you too…" Her voice spoke in a smug manner. Looking down at his stomach, Subaru's eyes widened. His intestines strung out and about from the open wound on his stomach, pouring blood rapidly and creating a pool of blood. His body gave out, falling to the bloodied ground with a wet thump.
Unable to even comprehend the pain, Subaru's eyes roll back. His senses start to leave him, only being able to faintly hear the wooden door opening, and a high pitched scream.
Heat beamed down on Subaru. Opening his shut eyes, he looks up at a blue sky with clouds. His hand laid on a familiar feeling of a plastic bag. Lifting it up to his face, he notices it's the bag with his belongings from the convenient store.
"..." He quickly stands, looking at the building him and Felt were in moments ago, resting up the long hill. "What the hell just happened? That pain I felt was so… real."
He quickly shakes his head. "Shoot, the killer!" Subaru tightened his grip on his bag and ran up the hill. As he ran, he turned his head to look back at the overview of the large city. At the corner of his eye, he saw a person in white. Stopping in his tracks, he blinks, turning around to observe them.
Giving a stare in return, a woman stood in front of Subaru. She had violet eyes with emerald pupils, and silver hair. She wore white and purple clothing with a somewhat royal design. She gave Subaru an intense glare, making him blush.
"Hey, do you know anyone who steals in this area?" She asks.
Snapping Subaru out of his trance, he responded. "Uh- stealing? I don't know…"
"I had my insignia stolen from me, it's about this big, and has a glowing red gem in the middle of it. Have you seen it?" She brings up her two fingers to represent how large the insignia was.
Subaru immediately remembers the item that Felt had presented him with. "W-well I might, but…" He remembers the corpses of the two in the building. He gulps. "If this is the only person I can tell about these murders, then so be it…"
"Come with me." Subaru says, signaling the girl to follow him. She nods and begins to follow the boy up the large hill. "I-in that building." He points up to the large building he had just been in. "I'll go in with you and I'll talk to them about what you had stolen from you."
Reaching the top of the hill, the girl walks up to the door and knocks loudly. Subaru forces his eyes shut. "Listen, there was a killer here and everything, an-" His voice trails off when he hears the pounding of familiar footsteps. The man that Subaru had just seen dead moments ago stood before the two.
"Whaddya want?" a voice comes from behind the door. The girl swings the door open, looking up at the large man.
Subaru stood in shock looking at the man. "Oh, that must be the customer!" Felt's voice yelled across the building. "Felt is alive too?!"
The girl walks past the large man, Rom. "Hey!" He shouts.
Suddenly, the girl gave a cold stare in the direction of Felt.
"There you are! I've finally found you! Now, if you would be so kind as to return what you stole from me." She spoke
"Egh-?!" Felt gags at the sight of the girl, "Now what in the hell are you doing here?!" She says.
Subaru took a small step inside, looking at the three. "They know each other?" He stands in silence and awe as the scene continues.
"For my insignia. Return it now, and I won't hurt you." The girl spoke with a stern tone in her voice.
"Listen lady, I don't know what your problem is, but just let it go already!" Felt responded.
"What you stole is very important to me, I cannot simply give it up. Now, do as I say and no one will get hurt." The girl opened her hand and lifted it in front of herself. A faint, baby blue glow emitted from thin air around her hand. With the air suddenly becoming cold, Subaru noticed several glowing shards appearing around her.
"M-Magic?!" Subaru yelled in disbelief, backing up into a table in the room.
Rom's eyes widen. "Felt, this magic user could spell trouble. She looks pretty advanced to me, using a spell like that." He says in worry.
Felt and the girl stare at each other for a moment in complete silence. Footsteps on wood are heard once more.
"Now, what could be happening here~?"
The voice of a familiar woman brought a cold sweat to Subaru's face. "Oh no… Not her again! Why's she here even earlier than last time?!" He looks at the door, then back at the group inside the building. "Guys! Run!" Subaru yelled. The girl looked at Subaru, then at the doorway.
There stood the person who had killed Rom and Felt the instant she walked in. However, this time, she stood at the doorway observing the scene in front of her.
"You see? That's the customer!" Felt said in anger toward the girl.
"Ah, I see… What an unfortunate turn of events." The woman spoke. She slowly reaches for her back, grabbing a hold of something.
"Shit!" Subaru looks around for a weapon of defense, seeing a wall of clubs and bats behind him. He quickly grabs one as he notices the woman facing toward the girl, blade in hand.
"I seem to take it that you're here to take back your precious lost item." The woman spoke.
"If you're involved in this too, I won't hesitate to harm you either." The girl spoke coldly.
Heavy footsteps from Rom pounded on the floor, as he ran toward the woman with his club raised. "Rom, no!" Subaru yelled. The girl quickly ran past Subaru, deflecting the blade that was launched toward Rom. Lowering her hand, the shards flew toward the woman.
In a blink of an eye, the woman dodged and blocked each shard with another blade she had equipped. Grabbing another blade from her back, she throws it in the air. Subaru observes it, noticing it flying back toward the silver haired girl.
"Look out!" Subaru jumped in front of the girl, holding the bat up to block the incoming blade.
"Al Goa~!"
An unknown voice echoed through the room, as heat roared. A massive explosion rocked the building, with smoke obscuring Subaru's vision.
As the smoke slowly cleared up, Subaru was on his knees in front of the girl, who had her hands over her mouth in shock. The bat Subaru had used to defend the girl was ripped in half, the blade stuck deep within Subaru's stomach.
"Hck!" Subaru's face trembled in pain, his vision becoming hazy as he collapsed. Looking up, he was able to get a glimpse of a man with a large cloak and white, clownish makeup on, smirking.
"What the hell is going… on…"
To be Continued...