"What did you do to her!?"
"What does it look like?"
"You...Murdered my priestess!"
"Not Murdered. Saved."
"You call piercing her heart, saving!?"
"Brother...Humans caused this war. Our father died for nothing. They start all conflict even between gods."
"He died with honor-"
"HE DIED CAUSE YOU DEEMED WEAK HUMANS MORE IMPORTANT THAN FAMILY!"
"Without them, who will give us faith to exist!?"
"WITHOUT US THEY WOULDN'T EVEN BREATH! THEY ARE USELESS TO US!"
"A Nightmare..." The first words out of Nahumar's mouth as he slowly opened his eyes while lying in bed. "Deimos. Where are you right now?" but as he tried to move, a weight prevented his legs from moving. For upon him a pile of his Nighthares all huddled around Nahumar. Like a big mountain of purple fur with black puffy tails. They felt the nightmare that Nahumar had and rushed to comfort in his sleep. All he could do was chuckle.
"Alright everyone, get up!" with one mighty fan of the covers, the Nighthares flew through the air and scattered around the room. Then they proceeded to scurry out the bedroom to let Nahumar fix it up for the day. Folding the sheets and rearranging the pillows to accommodate his style. His black gaze soon caught the calendar on the wall and a bit of writing that Marisa had left him to remind Nahumar-
"Right, The festival is in a few weeks. Perhaps I should talk about it with Rinnosuke?" He would need an appropriate attire for the occasion after all. One quick breakfast and a handful of carrots on the lawn set the God of Fear off to Kourindou's. For his quest to find a Yukata appropriate for Gensokyo's celebrations...
Meanwhile at the Hakurei Shrine...
"So that's how it is?" Marisa was filled in on most of the information that Reimu got from Hecatia while leaving out Nahumar's real name for his sake. The two relaxing on the front patio of the shrine to enjoy simple cookies.
"Right. Nahumar has a brother out there and no doubt he could be looking to get revenge on something that he didn't even do."
"...That's stupid!" Marisa shouted back with an annoyed groan. "So we're going to have an incident then." she mentioned while taking a stand from the porch to grab her broom and prepare to take off. "I'll check in now and then. Don't do anything without me, alright?" once more smiling to Reimu as she took off into the sky. Reimu waved to her departure before looking back onto the grounds...
Empty and alone. This feeling she had felt before was nothing like the past. Since meeting Marisa and solving incidents, Reimu had a plethora of people she could call friends. Even some Yokai and fairies she enjoyed having around though the priestess wouldn't openly admit that. Today was going to be quiet. Reimu had finished up most of her chores already. She took the snacks inside to store away and took a look in the bucket of rice-
"Hm?" She felt an aura. A familiar one. The faint aura of fear and dread accustomed to Nahumar that she could tell from anywhere close by. So she walked back outside to find not Nahumar but a hooded figure walking along the pathway. His face obscured by the cover and shade.
So Reimu called out to him. "Pardon, do you need my aid today? I'm kind of busy." keeping the fact she could feel his god-like power hidden. The hooded figure approached the priestess where he was just arms length from her. Reimu remained stoic. Such tactics won't intimidate her these days.
"Yes. I am looking for an individual. Could you perhaps do some divination to find them?" He asked.
Reimu shook her head. "Sorry, I'm not a psychic. However if you want to help out the shrine, there's a donation box behind me-" Reimu blocked the sudden arm that tried to grab at her throat. Now her fighting instinct kicked in. Eyes glaring at the man when his hood fell off. That shade of dark purple hair. Shorter than usual. The black Sclera and the white solid eyes. His teeth serrated like a shark.
"Impressive strength for a priestess." Breaking from her melee presence, the man took a fighting stance as a spear was drawn from under the robes. Reimu had her Gohei at the ready along with a few talismans between her fingers. "Instigating a fight directly with me? Not sure if you are bold or dumb like an ice fairy I know..." she wanted a moment to talk before the match began. "You're...Deimos I take it?"
"So you do know my brother!" Deimos replied. Anger behind the tone that Reimu felt was unnecessary. "Yes I do. And you're being a child clinging to a grudge. Get over it."
Provoking Deimos to fight as he lunged forward with his spear, leaving a trail of Danmaku bullets to scatter behind of the same type Nahumar had. What he had learned from Satori and Yamame on Danmaku would make fights interesting, as was law. But his goal was not to kill anyone but his brother.
"I'll take that as a no." Reimu countered, tossing talismans ahead of her then sweeping a kick in the confusion into a somersault kick where her heel smacked Deimos' chin. Forcing him to stagger back and retaliate with a swing of his spear to toss a curtain of bullets left and right within an arc. Reimu grazing and dashing through the gaps with much precision. At first it felt like Nahumar's method of attacks until she got close enough for Deimos to catch her where he wanted!
A hand open palm shot a six hexagonal formation strike at point blank that threw Reimu back, tearing a bit of her dress. Though she managed to slap one talisman on his arm he would rip it off in a display of force and pain denial. A twirl of his spear followed with a spellcard held up initiated his attack:
"Nightmare Sign: 'Perpetual Vertigo'!"
On Reimu's left and right side, lazers formed the shape of buildings at a wide angle, giving Deimos more room and her less. These lazers moved in such a way to simulate falling from high up top. The bullets he threw scattered towards the left or right. When they hit the lazer wall it ricocheted and bounced until it passed Reimu or hit her. The frequency of the gap closing was more difficult to avoid. Each shot grazed and close to impacting her position. Only two managed to strike her arms during this spellcard. Yet the priestess remained focused. The very instant the card had to recharge, that was her green light to rush on in, slam her Gohei upon Deimos to stop his spell. The sound of steel striking. Deimos was hit hard by it and sent to the ground. Just before hitting the stone path he extend a hand to catch his fall, spin back around and land on his feet with a light wobble.
"Never have I met someone so proficient at combat like that!" He gave Reimu praise
"It's bad luck to talk in the middle of battle!" Reimu replied as she pulled a card out. "Spirit Sign 'Fantasy Seal'!" and upon her words the five multi-colored spheres flew towards Deimos...then he sidestepped them. "HA! That's your spellcar-" but the spheres came right back striking the unaware Deimos in the head, back and shoulders. Passing around they struck from the front and with an unrelenting assault it was made clear.
"You can't dodge this attack. It will seek you out until either you fall or it ends, like now!" Just her timing alone was on perfect point as the very instant all five spheres collided onto Deimos, a large explosion followed over the shrine...The dust settled...but Deimos remained standing. His clothes in tatters and various bruises on his body but despite the panted breaths his stance remained solid. Spear aimed at her.
"Of course it won't be that easy..." Reimu had a big fight on her hand...
That explosion was heard by Marisa at her home. She hurried out to get a view from above, noticing the explosion happening over the Hakurei Shrine. "Shit. Reimu started without me."
...It felt like hours as this fight continued to stalemate each time they struck at one another. Neither side was relenting yet and while Reimu didn't show her exhaustion, it was taking a toll much how Deimos was panting and forcing his body up. The wars he must of took part in definitely showed. Reimu wanted to compliment his veteran skills of battle but that might boost his ego. It was time to end this now and hopefully make peace with the two-
"REIMU! I'm coming!" Marisa had returned to the shrine. To Reimu, this was checkmate if her opponent didn't yield now...except the split second distraction for Reimu let Deimos figure fast that the priestess knew the witch on the broom. So with a charged sphere of purple and black energy, he shot with a curve aiming for the speeding Witch! Turning for Marisa was difficult at the pace she was going and the angle that bullet was curving.
"Marisa!" In her own act, Reimu flew head long to intercept that strange attack. Using herself to block the strike. Yet it did not explode or impact, instead It opened like a cage before enveloping Reimu in it's purple and black field. Shocking her body all over with silent screams before it was absorbed into her body, causing the priestess to plummet to the ground. Halfway through the free-fall Marisa caught Reimu with her own fast thinking, crashing through a couple branches and landing in a bush off to the side.
Deimos too this moment to run and recover from the fight. He was not stupid enough to engage more than one opponent without his brother around...especially after such a lengthy brawl.
"Reimu!? Hey wake up!" Marisa shook Reimu violently, tapped her cheeks and feared the worse...but her heart still beat. "Oi! Don't do this now! Who was that? Answer me!"
"REIMU!"
Waking up in the Shrine home, Reimu sat there with tea before her on a table and a pillow underneath. The door wide open...and nothing but silence.
"Was that a dream?" she asked herself before looking all around. No Marisa, No Suika, Not even Nahumar or Alice. Getting up to walk outside it was...white as snow. Everything was gone. A void of nothingness except her shrine. The echo of her steps upon the void was all she could hear. Not even a cicada or songbird nor wind.
"Where the hell am I!?"
It was Reimu's most potent fear brought to reality for her
A Night-Terror of old
The Fear of no one knowing you are okay
The Fear of no one aware of your existence
The Fear of Silence
A fear she had only felt before meeting Marisa and shortly after becoming the Priestess of Hakurei
The Fear of Loneliness and Isolation.