Theme: [Mao Hamamoto - Torture (Extended)] / Corpse Party: Book of Shadows (OST)

Distorted darkness continued shifting and bending the classroom shadows. Death incarnate glowing in its putrid bleached sockets as the countless pitch-black crooked limbs were marking and scratching various parts of the room. Getting ready to strike at me with one of its many scythes for hands. By the sheer length and size of the blade-like autonomy, I already knew one swipe will be fatal enough to kill. Dismemberment to crushing my body and organs until I turned into a pile of unidentifiable mesh on the floor.

(Naomi): "A-Ahhh...!"

It was hopeless. There was nothing I could do to escape from this. And undoubtedly, the unrecognizable monster knew this well enough that it brought a few more of its limbs towards me, slowly adjusting them at a distance, like if... it was studying me. Or perhaps, enjoying the sight of me being paralyzed by the fear it has over my shrieking heart.

-THUD- -THUD- -THUD-

-THUD- -THUD-

But worse. The undead on the other side of the barricades were close to barging through. Glass shattering and shards being crunched. Desks toppling over and the doors snapping as the wooden chunks slid across the battered floor. Now, it was just a matter of what will kill me first. And all I could do then was just close my eyes and hopelessly beg.

WAKE UP! Please! Wake up!

Please get me out of here!

PLEASE! Make this all go away!

And it really seemed like it was the end for me. Until...I felt sudden warmth on all places of my body.

(Naomi): "...?!"

Before my very eyes, a magical glow formed around my feet. Shaping into a circle of light. An array formed into a translucent cylinder wall from floor to ceiling that it blocked an upcoming attack of the monster. Nullifying the collision in its entirety that the wall remained completely intact.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGHH!"

In demonic rage, the monster used various other limbs and began devastatingly hacking and slashing at the magical barrier. Rapid crazy speed. In all possible directions, trying to shatter the shield while the room violently shook by every forceful impact. My ears being pierced by the ultrasonic sound of its blood curdling scream, making me hold my head as I was unable to think or do anything... only to be left in pure shock as the magical shield remained perfectly unscathed, while the infinite limbs of the monster continuously peeled and corroded off. Like if the monster was inflicting damage upon itself.

(Naomi): "Wha-Wha-Wha...?!"

"Nakashima! Don't move!"

- Theme: END - Next Song: [Asami Ima - Keshin] / Corpse Party: Blood Drive (OST)

(Naomi): "...?!"

"Stay inside the mark until I instruct you to!"

No way!

Turning to the other end of the room and it was...Naho. She had her hand out towards me. Unquestionably being the one holding up the magical shield with her own mysterious power. Powerful as she is, she seemed to struggle at keeping it up. As I could only clasp my hands together and tremble to the thought of something going dreadfully wrong.

(Naho): "MOVE!"

Naho's other hand, came out a bright blinding arrow that shot into the monster and released a huge flash. Stunning it while giving me temporary blindness as I had sprinted across the room, squinting my eyes and covering them before I got behind Naho. Holding onto her body as I shivered and shouted.

(Naomi): "What do we do?!"

(Naho): "...?"

-THUD- -THUD-

-SNAP-

Suddenly, one of the doors broke down entirely. Revealing the mob of the undead. Large numbers slowly squeezing through together. But they were no longer dangerous, once Naho used her other hand which instantly culminated this pure white energy. Shooting straight out a beam of light from her palm. Directed and impacting the zombies. Sending them flying into the wall behind them. As they slammed and toppled and piled up on one another, clearing the way for us as Naho pulled me out of the classroom. Guiding me through the halls as she glided barely above the floor, using one hand to project a force shove to any incoming undead while I tried my best at keeping up with her speed.

(Naho): "Don't let go."

(Naomi): "Y-Yeah! So, uh... W-What the hell is going on...?!"

(Naho): "The Nirvana has become severely unstable."

(Naomi): "Huh?!"

(Naho): "Control of the nexus has been...lost. The entire realm is...breaking down. Fast."

I didn't understand a single thing Naho was saying, but I was just glad to even hear her spout this gibberish. However, looking behind us had my heart instantly burst. Full on fear suffocating my windpipe.

(Naomi): "N-Naho!? It's... It's COMING!"

The same monster was now clawing the walls, using them as transport to get across the hall. But it wasn't just how ginormous and unnaturally serpent-like its movements were. The ancient corroding hallway itself was also shaking violently, that Naho had to stop us. Right before... some of the walls ahead of us on each side collapsed inwards. Drawing out tentacle like blades that sped towards us.

(Naho): "Get down!"

(Naomi): "...!"

Right in time, I ducked down to the floor while Naho side stepped as we both avoided the unexpected catastrophe. Quickly, I was then back on my feet, seeing Naho's hand create another translucent shield of pure radiating light. Stretching out and being placed right up and touching all surrounding walls to hold back the monster. Keeping it contained on the other side of the magical barrier while she used the other hand to incinerate the wall tentacles. Beaming them to nothingness in seconds.

(Naomi): "Wh-Wha...?!"

(Naho): "Run ahead!"

(Naomi): "Huh?!"

Naho then got into position. Putting her back and all hands into the shield while the monster on the other side started using its whole amalgamated tar-like body, slamming up and down and every other direction, like if it's trying to bring down the whole school.

(Naho): "Hnngh... Downstairs! Now! I'll...catch up!"

(Naomi): "O-Okay!"

Doing as instructed, I ran and climbed over the countless debris. Climbing and sliding. Jumping and dashing over and over. Only for me to reach the end of the rubble, and stumble upon a large number of the undead blocking the way to the stairs. Wandering the hallway aimlessly.

(Naomi): "N-No! Damn it!"

"Raaaaaargh!"

"Galh! Galh! Galh!"

No... I can't give up now!

I made it this far!

Yeah, I can do this! I can run past them!

They're too slow and stupid!

After one deep breath, I then ran towards the horde, dodging their grabs by evading side-to-side, then pushing myself against the wall. Though, one individual zombie ahead lunged from the front.

(Naomi): "...!"

Being quick on my feet, I successfully dodged to the side and then dodged another lunge by dropping down and sliding across the floor. Getting up quickly before they surrounded. Though, the halls shook too violently that I fumbled and fell on my knees and hands. Which ended up having me... trapped. Right in the middle of the undead sea. Zombies scattered at every possible direction.

(Naomi): "No, no, no...!"

I looked around for an opening, but no luck. The zombies were only getting closer and closer as they were getting louder and louder. Crying for help is all I could do.

(Naomi): "Naho!"

"Leave that girl alone!"

A familiar voice shouted near my side.

(Naomi): "...?!"

Before my eyes, a large cluster of blue and red radiating flames appeared right out of thin air. A group of a dozen individual flames circled around where I stood. As if... they were spirits of the deceased. One vocally speaking out while the others began casting fireballs from the air. Propelling them into the undead and burning right through their carcasses. Some of the zombies being physically melted with their bones making sounds of crunching and flesh popping. It was like momentous battle between restless spirts and black magic. Fires of the blue and red spreading everywhere with a path cleared up for me.

"Nakashima. Run for the exit! Go downstairs! We can hold them off!"

(Naomi): "Y-You know my name...?!"

"There's no time for questions! RUN!"

What the hell is this?!

I shook my head, and then booked it for the stairs. Taking only a few steps down before I saw more of the undead appearing in between the path.

(Naomi): "...!"

Though, the entire stairwell shook. Another earthquake? Or was it the monster's attacks? Regardless, I held onto the fragile rail as the middle steps started to abruptly collapse, creating a massive void at the center while also bringing down the last of the zombies into the endless pit. Which left a huge gaping crater with no other way around but jumping across.

(Naomi): "Oh God...!"

I didn't want to jump but turning back was NOT an option. As the large fires casted by the spirits were rapidly being fed. Not to mention more zombies were crawling out of those broken walls. Endless amounts of them that I couldn't be able to retreat or call for backup. It was now or be burned and eaten seconds after.

(Naomi): "Okay! Okay, okay... Okay!"

I gave myself some distance, took one deep...final breath and then ran forward and leaped across the never-ending void.

(Naomi): "A-Ahhh!"

Barely making it over onto the other side as I latched onto the rail while sliding all the way down with my body being bruised up by each hard step.

(Naomi): "Ah! Ow! Ow!"

Not very long, I crashed to the first floor. Running up to the nearest corner and seeing more of the undead piling up the next hallway, with the entire school rumbling and shaking that I kept fumbling against the walls.

(Naomi): "Hnngh! Where... Where is the exit...?!"

When I thought things couldn't have gotten any worse, a loud slam of ceiling debris shattered the floorboards ahead. Breaking the wood as I stumbled inward the gaping hole.

NO!

(Naomi): "AH!"

Though, I didn't fall in. I managed to catch the edges of the crumbling floorboards just on time. Pulling myself up while more of the floorboards started collapsing in.

GET UP!

I grappled back up quickly, crawling steadily before the floorboards stopped dropping. Sitting myself right by a classroom door. Already too exhausted that I felt dizzy and lightheaded.

(Naomi): "*Pant* *Pant* *Coughing*"

- Theme: END -

This place was all coming down. More rubble kept falling from the ceiling. Which attracted the horde of the undead towards my direction.

No! That's where I need to go!

But looking back, the section to the stairs was long gone. Only smoke and fires. And the way I needed to go was completely impassable. I needed Naho or the spirits to guide me. But then, I started to hear... a very faint voice.

"Naomi."

(Naomi): "...?!"

That voice. It couldn't be. But my whole body just ached to the painful yet sad unforgettable delight. It just couldn't be true, but reality gripped my heart with that wondrous sound, yet again.

"Are you out there?"

(Naomi): "Seiko?!"

Her voice came straight from the door by me. The musical classroom. I didn't waste a second as I went inside and locked the door. Finding myself a room of smashed and broken instruments. Trumpets, trombones, violins... all littered across various parts. Musical sheet stands and chairs tipped and demolished. But most of all, at the end of the classroom, an untouched piano on a stage. With a girl who I thought I'd never see again.


By far the shortest chapter I've ever published! But hey. I'm sure my lovely readers love to have something short and sweet once a while xD And of course, it's another cliffhanger lol. But DON'T worry, this time around I have recovered well enough to be able to pick up the keyboard and start hammering my keys just like good 'ol times! I appreciate every one of you! I hope you all are having an amazing day! Thank you for reading :)