Upon entering Chihiro's office, Hajime saw Makoto lying down on the sofa.

"Makoto, are you okay?" Hajime asked.

"Ugh… so much pressure," Makoto moaned.

"He was like this when we found him," Chihiro explained. "Although it seems he's suffering from extreme fatigue and not an actual injury."

'So he really did run all the way here,' Cain echoed in Hajime's mind.

"Hajime…," Makoto spoke up.

"What is it?" Hajime asked.

"You have to go…," Makoto said," everyone in the village has to leave."

"What for?" Chihiro asked.

"Shades!" Makoto said. "So many shades!"

That was all Hajime had to hear for him to bolt for the door.

"Hajime wait!" Chihiro yelled.

His plea fell on deaf ears as Hajime kept running.

By the time he ran outside he could already hear the chaos up ahead. The main gate was broken and the shades responsible were wreaking havoc in the market. Despite this Hajime was more focused on his home on the east side. Seeing as it was an emergency, Cain leapt out.

"Damn it why now?!" Hajime shouted.

"Stay calm," Cain said. "It won't do the girl any favors if her father foolishly charges into a horde of shades mindlessly."

"Hajime, look out!" A familair voice shouted.

Cain narrowly dodged an axe aimed at his head. The wielder was Fuyuhiko.

"Don't worry, Cain isn't a shade," Hajime said. "He's on our side."

"Okay I guess," Fuyuhiko said. "But how did a bunch of shades break through the gate?"

"I don't know," Hajime said. "Just tell the other villagers to evacuate to the town hall."

"What about your little girl?" Fuyuhiko asked.

"She's suck in bed with Usami watching over her," Hajime said.

"Say no more, I'll get them both to safety," Fuyuhiko said.

"Are you sure?" Hajime asked.

"I never break a promise," Fuyuhiko said. "Now you stay safe even though you're gonna fight those shades."

"Yeah, I will," Hajime nodded. "Thank you."

After their agreement, Fuyuhiko ran off to Hajime's house leaving him and Cain to head to the market. There two of the gatekeepers, Akane and Nekomaru were trying to fight a peacock shade while the rest of the villagers ran for town hall.

"Why- won't- you- stay- STILL!" Akane yelled trying to stab the peacock shade with her sword.

The peacock shade responded with a screech and slapped Akane with its fan on tailfeathers. Nekomaru pinned it down with his massive body causing it to squirm and peck and him. In retaliation he grabbed the peacock shade's scrawny neck and held tight.

"Cut it here!" Nekomaru ordered.

Akane picked herself up and sliced off the peacock's head with her sword. The headless body squirmed out of reflex before fading away.

"Not so tough now," Akane grinned.

"Akane!" Nekomaru shouted.

Suddenly Nekomaru pushed Akane out of the way just as a big hyena shade charged out from the alley. The hyena shade locked its jaws around Nekomaru's neck causing his blood to spill out. Cain leapt in and bit the beast's neck forcing it to drop the guard. Just as the shade shook Cain off, Hajime jumped in and sliced its head off. By then though the damage had been done as Akane cradled a lifeless Nekomaru in her arms.

"He's dead," Cain said.

"No… he can't be dead…," Akane was in complete shock.

"Akane you're in no condition to fight, take Nekomaru to townhall," Hajime said. "They might heal him there."

"Okay," Akane nodded and carried the body.

"Why lie?" Cain asked.

"We don't need more casualties," Hajime explained.

Once the last villager had escaped to townhall things seemed to return to quiet. Just as Hajime was about to sigh with relief a loud distorted squeal echoed through the market. A boar shade the size of a rhino charged through the blacksmith's store. Hot on its heals was Natsumi, her shadow claws, legs, and tail completely formed.

"Chasing shades again I see," Cain said.

"Yeah," Natsumi huffed. "This is the bastard responsible for busting the gate and letting those other two shades in."

"Then it's the last one we need to kill," Hajime lifted his sword.

Hajime and Natsumi charged forward causing the boar shade to turn and run. Cain summoned his fists, pulling the shade by its tail before swinging it back onto the stone pavement. Natsumi ran right through it's legs slicing its underbelly with her claws. The boar shade squealed in agony almost deafening the three before Hajime stabbed his sword straight through its meaty head.

"Too bad we can't eat this fat bastard," Natsumi grinned. "Pork was always my favorite."

"You're in luck then," Hajime said. "Kana made pork buns."

"Nice, let's go-," Natsumi was saying until the ocean started to stir violently.

From the waters, a gigantic serpent shade with two heads shot out. Once surfaced, the two heads looked down at the village and roared.

"You have got to be shitting me!" Natsumi shouted.

Before Natsumi could curse the shade more, it looked over to the town hall and started to swim towards it.

"No!" Hajime shouted and ran towards the town hall. "Kana!"

Natsumi and Cain ran swiftly behind him. Once they made it to the dock the serpent shade had already raised its tail out of the water and started to coil it around the dock.

"Don't tell me Makoto's in town hall too," Natsumi said.

"Yes," Hajime said.

"Fuck," Natsumi growled.

"If we don't slice this beast into segments it will destroy this dock along with town hall," Cain explained.

"Not while I'm here!" Hajime growled before charging in again.

Heading toward the closest segment, Hajime slashed clean through. The serpent screeched and it's detached tale squirmed like a worm as it slid into the water. Cain quickly followed the attack by stabbing several lances into the next segment of the serpent and ripped it apart. Natsumi was about to jump in as well for an attack, until both heads roared and it's cut segment frantically squirmed about. From the severed segment, several shadowy tentacles shot out, intertwining, and forming a new longer tail.

"Great, this thing can heal itself too?!" Hajime shouted.

"We'll just have to slice it up faster than it can regenerate," Natsumi growled before leaping towards the tail.

"No, you fool, that will never work!" Cain shouted.

"Well what else can we do?" Hajime asked.

"I…," Cain struggled to think.

Amidst the chaos, Makot burst out of the town hall.

"Natsumi! Hajime! Cain!" Makoto shouted.

"Makoto! It's too dangerous out here!" Hajime shouted.

"No! I'm going to help you!" Makoto shouted back as he blindly ran towards them.

One of the serpent heads took notice of the boy and swiftly lowered its head to see him. Just when the head was mere feet away, Natsumi pounced on its face and clawed its eyes out. Makoto stumbled and fell over, prompting Natsumi to leave the blinded beast and pick the boy up to safety in her shadow claws.

"Thank…," Makoto said.

"Don't mention it," Natsumi said. "Now why the fuck are you running on a battlefield?!"

"I want to help you, just like you helped me!" Makoto said. "If we work together we can kill this shit snake."

"Guess I can't argue with that," Natsumi smiled a bit.

Once Natsumi ran back to Hajime, she set Makoto back on his feet. By then the right head began to screech as the left head's eyes quickly healed.

"So who has a fucking clue what we should do?" Natsumi asked.

"The left head seemed oddly fascinated by Makoto…," Cain said. "Perhaps we could use that to our advantage."

"You want to use a blind kid as bait?!" Hajime asked.

"We won't feed him to it!" Cain defended himself. "If we cut off that head and Makoto petrifies it-"

"It can't regenerate!" Hajime finished his sentence.

"I can do that," Makoto said.

"What about the other head?" Natsumi asked. "Let me guess, I'll distract it."

"You read my mind," Cain said.

"Fine, Makoto be careful," Natsumi said.

"I will," Makoto nodded.

With the plan in all of their minds, the group spread out. Natsumi climbed up onto the serpent's body using her shadow claws, legs, and tail then leapt for the neck. There she sprung up and sunk her claws into the right serpent head. After it screeched and Natsumi ran around it's face like a nat, Makoto ran halfway to the townhall and yelled.

"Come and get me you piece of goldfish poo!" Makoto shouted at the left head.

The serpent extended its left head down to Makoto. Just when the serpent was close enough where Makoto could feel it's warm salty breath, Hajime and Cain leapt in. Yet somehow the right head managed to notice them amidst Natsumi's pestering. The right head projected itself forward, knocking the left head out of the trio's trap and falling prey to it instead. Despite the switched target, Hajime and Cain sliced off the head leaving it to drop down before Makoto. Natsumi leapt out of the way. Makoto lifted his cloth and stared at the severed head petrifying it. Once it was completely frozen, Natsumi wasted no time enlarging her claws and cutting the head clean in two. Just for good measure she aimed the last bit of strength in her shadow claws to throw at the left head and remove it from its neck. Slowly it fell, giving Makoto just enough time to petrify it mid fall. The petrified head landed in the water with a great splash and at the same time the rest of its massive body faded away including the right head. Hajime dropped to his knees and took several deep breaths before running towards the town hall.

"Kana! I'm coming!" Hajime yelled.

The others followed Hajime into the town hall. There the room was deathly silent. All the evacuees were upstairs hiding. Before Hajime could call out Kana's name the left serpent head burstead through the doors soaking wet and held up by tentacles.

"Damn you!" Hajime growled.

The serpent took the few seconds of surprise to flick Makoto into the bookshelves, rendering him unconscious.

"You piece of shit!" Natsumi roared and lunged and the head.

The head however had become much more agile with its new tentacles. It easily squirmed out of the way causing Natsumi to land and pierce the floor with her claws. Cain summoned and aimed several small lances at the head only for it to dodge every one.

"Damn it this fuckface is too slippery!" Natsumi cursed.

"Wait!" Hajime realized, looked at the doors of the basement nestled between the stairs. "We can throw it into the basement! It's solid concrete down there."

"Excellent idea!" Cain grinned. "Hussie keep it distracted while I summon my fists!"

"Sure," Natsumi huffed and ran at the serpent head on. "I hope you're claustrophobic, you slithering dick!"

Natsumi rapidly swiped at the beast, keeping it backed against the right side of the library. When it tried to slip past her, Hajime ran in and stabbed it in the nose. The head shook side to side till Hajime withdrew his sword. By then Cain had summoned his fist and punched the ugly head down into the basement. Natsumi ran ahead and pushed the doors shut just as the serpent head bashed into them.

"Great now where's the key?!" Natsumi asked.

"Shit!" Hajime said. "I thought there was a lock on the door."

"You idiot!" Natsumi screamed amidst the serpent head continually bashing the doors. "How did you not know that?!"

"It's okay, I'll help you keep it closed and we can figure it out," Hajime said.

"You better," Natsumi growled.

"I'll just-," Hajime ran towards her until something stabbed him from behind.

He could see a black spike had pierced clean through his shoulder. When he turned his head the source of the sphere, a pool of shadows, was growing. Natsumi and Cain watched in complete shock as the spike retracted, dropping Hajime onto the floor and a figure crawled out from the pool of shadows. It was unlike any shade they had ever seen, as it had a human form with long ebony hair of shadows that extended to the floor. When the humanoid shade completely surfaced from the shadows, it revealed it had a pair of wings like a cloak. Most disturbing of all was it's familiar face and empty crimson eyes.

"It can't be…," Cain said, lowering his ears and tail. "What is this power?"

The humanoid shade made no sound as it just stared down at Hajime. Then another shadowy figure bolted through the town hall doors and landed beside the humanoid shade. It was a fox spirit just like Cain but with jet black fur and deep magnolia eyes. Laying on its back was Kana, still unconscious. Realizing this, Cain and Hajime's eyes both widened.

"Bastard!" Hajime yelled and pushed himself onto his feet.

The black fox spirit responded by extending its tail into a fist and smacking Hajime back down. As it did, the humanoid shade lifted Kana from the fox's back and cradled her in its arms.

"Don't you touch her!" Cain snarled and lunged at the humanoid shade.

The black fox huffed before tackling Cain down to the ground. Meanwhile the humanoid shade walked towards the entrance and waited.

"Silence!" The black fox shouted in a masculine voice as it it pinned its paw on Cain's face.

"Wh...at?!" Cain suddenly became weak and dazed.

"It's been a long time Cain," the black fox said. "Did you forget about me?"

"You… you're the other fox spirit!" Cain tried to speak.

"Abel," the black fox answered. "One of the three guardians of the resurrection seed and now you will be the last to join us."

"Never!" Cain snarled. "I would never… betray my friends!"

"I'm offering you mercy if you surrender," Abel said. "Together we can return the resurrection seed to its rightful place with the king of shades and free shades onto the world."

"You must be mad if you think I would… gah," Cain said.

"So your lost memories have really changed you, you've completely forgotten your sins and your purpose," Abel said.

"My… purpose…," Cain said.

"To guard the resurrection seed with our lives!" Abel said. "Without it you and I would not exist as we do. It is only by the grace of the resurrection seed that we live and hold these powers."

"What… is this… sensation?" Cain breathed. "Why can't I recall what you say?"

"Your memory loss seems to have conveniently been done by the will of the resurrection seed as was your suspension," Abel said. "Unlike Johanna and I, you are filled with the most sins. Sins so unspeakable the resurrection seed decided to purge them from your mind as a mercy."

"Ugh…," Cain groaned, his body becoming weaker by the second.

"I'll ask you again," Abel said. "Will you join us or be our enemy."

"You gotta be fucking kidding me, Cain!" A voice interrupted.

All eyes turned to Natsumi still holding the door.

"Snap out of it you dumbass!" Natsumi shouted. "You better get up and rip that furry fuckers face off or I will go over there and skin you both alive myself and where your mangy pelts as a fucking coat! How can someone with enough pride and smarts to choke a man get hypnotized like a little bitch, huh?! 'Oh, Abel! I love you Abel! Come down here and give Cain a big sloppy kiss, Abel!' Now pull your head out of your bleached asshole and start fucking helping us!"

Natsumi panted furiously, but her words did not fall completely on depth ears as it managed to make Cain flinch.

"I must…," Cain struggled to speak.

"Surrender yourself!" Abel growled in his ear.

"Shut up!" Hajime interrupted as well.

Abel turned his head just in time for Hajime to punch him in the face. The punch struck Abel down and off of Cain.

"I do not recall this fairytale you speak of...," Cain said as he got back onto his paws. "One where I am filled with sin and serving savage shades. Yet I do remember my friends who have stayed by my side and helped me grow strong."

"That's ridiculous!" Abel snarled.

"Less so than you trying to seduce me with your power and words," Cain said. "You must be the dimwit of the three guardians even when the other one didn't speak at all."

Natsumi cracked a smile at Cain's diss of Abel.

"And yet you are the one that will suffer most. All because of your misplaced loyalty," Abel snarled.

"You're the one serving the shades," Cain growled back. "That makes you my enemy!"

"Good to have you back," Hajime said.

"Quit," Cain nodded. "Now let us put this lying mongrel in its place!"

Hajime raised his sword in agreement just as the humanoid shade leapt onto the second floor to watch. Together the man and fox charged at Abel. While Hajime slashed to distract the fox, Cain went right for the neck. Abel swiftly shook him off.

"Your memories are still there Cain!" Abel barked. "If you remember your powers you will remember your sins!"

"Shut up!" Cain fired a lance at him.

Abel dodged it along with another swing from Hajime.

"Kyousuke…," Abel growled. "You idiot."

Baring his fangs, Abel stomped his front paws on the ground. From there solid blue ice formed swiftly into spikes all aimed at Cain. In the blink of an eye, Hajime jumped in between Cain and the ice spikes.

"Gagh!" Hajime screamed.

Three ice spikes pierced clean through his chest. Blood splattered everywhere staining the blue ice red until Abel retracted it. Cain rushed over to Hajime, shielding his wounded body with his own. Meanwhile Natsumi could do nothing but watch as she kept holding back the serpent shade in the basement.

"Stay back!" Cain snapped at Abel while standing over Hajime's body.

The humanoid shade watched from above before descending down to the main doors. Abel turned to him and nodded.

"We're done here," Abel said.

"No…!" Hajime growled. "Kana!"

Summoning all of his strength, Hajime tried to stand and reach out for Kana.

"I won't… let you…," Hajime growled, "take… my daughter!"

Despite his determination, the pain from his wounds overtook him and forced him down to the floor. Both the humanoid shade and Abel looked down at him with stoic faces before turning to leave. Using his wings, the humanoid shade flew off with Abel running swiftly behind him.

"Cain! Go after them!" Hajime shouted.

"I can't…," Cain said. "You're gravely injured."

"Kana…," Hajime's eyes widened. "Kana!"

"What… happened…," Makoto started to regain consciousness.

"We fucking lost," Natsumi growled before realizing the shadows from her claws were starting to grow around her torso. "Shit."

"Hajime!" Makoto ran over to him. "Are you bleeding?"

"Looks like it's over for the both of us…," Natsumi said.

"Both?" Makoto asked.

"The shadows!" Cain noticed them. "They're…"

"I went too far…," Natsumi said. "Now she's going to consume me."

"No!" Makoto shouted. "You have to fight it!"

"I'm sorry…," Natsumi struggled to speak, "but this is the end."

"Natsumi!" Makoto cried.

"Turn off the water works," Natsumi said. "Look Makoto, before I go we need to take care of this shade bastard."

"What do you mean?" Makoto asked.

"Use your eyes on me!" Natsumi shouted. "Let my death be one last fuck you to the shades."

"No! I won't!" Makoto said as he ran towards Natsumi.

"Natsumi… stop it…," Hajime forced himself to speak.

"Listen Makoto, your powers exist to protect others right?" Natsumi spoke. "Well that's what I'm asking you to do! Petrify me and protect this whole village!"

"Natsumi…," Makoto's eyes filled with tears.

"Just do it," Natsumi said, the shadows completely consuming her torso and forming crimson stripes around her shadow limbs. "It's going to break down the fucking door! "

"I… I don't know what to do…" Makoto cried.

"Makoto," Hajime spoke. "This is… her dying wish…"

"Exactly," Natsumi said. "Now Makoto, let me see your eyes."

"Fine…," Makoto cried and ripped off the cloth.

"So, brown eyes huh," Natsumi smiled as her legs began to turn to stone. "I knew they were beautiful. Now, don't blur them with tears."

"Okay," Makoto weakly nodded.

"Grow strong, never lose hope," Natsumi said, the petrification growing up her chest. "Makoto… Cain… Hajime…"

"Spare us the goodbyes hussie," Cain said. "I imagine it will take more than this to kill you."

Natsumi laughed softly.

"I… doubt… it…," Natsumi said before the petrification crawled up her neck and consumed her head.

Once the petrification was complete, a slab of stone with Natsumi's body encased inside blocked the doors. Her statue showed her shadow claws and tail, but her face was still hers. It was the last thing Hajime saw before his vision faded out. Despite this he could feel Makoto and Cain by his side.

"Wait for me. Kana…," Hajime struggled to speak, "Wait for me. Natsumi… I promise…"

With those final words, Hajime fell unconscious.