Chapter 2: Within Their Hearts
The later articles in this occult magazine were ridiculous, easier to dismiss as sham reporting. But skimming over that first article gave Chiaki the chills. Maybe it was being in the hospital that made the difference. In that case, she really wanted to leave. Getting back to normal surroundings would make it easier to find the ridiculous things here. Maybe it was even written as subscription bait like Isamu suggested.
Where were they? Isamu had gone to the annex, for some reason certain that Ms. Takao would be there. It didn't make sense to Chiaki since the annex was locked off from the main building and patients had been moved out of there first. However, the basement where Naoki had gone didn't make much sense either. According to the signs here, that's where the operating rooms were. They wouldn't allow visiting hours if a patient was there. But Ms. Takao had not arrived here.
Maybe she should just leave. She'd have to apologize to them later, but she couldn't stand this place. Besides, she could be using this time to study. Sometimes it felt like a pain, especially this early in the year. But hard work now would pay off dividends later. Her parents insisted on that.
It was an excuse, but she was fine with that. Chiaki got up, her heels breaking the unnatural quiet in here again. While she should start feeling relieved, she started feeling more apprehensive. A feeling filled her body like she was in danger and her mind had not comprehended it yet. Thunder cracked the air outside, causing her to stop. There wasn't supposed to be a storm today. Right?
She hurried on the last few feet even though a strange black fog appeared when it had once been a clear day. She put her hand on the door right as the earth shook. Without thinking, she gripped the handle tighter to brace herself. But no, being next to a glass door in an earthquake couldn't be good. Chiaki backed up as the ground just outside cracked upwards. That shouldn't be happening, it couldn't be happening. Yet against all sensibility, the doors were crushed with a mass of dirt and debris.
Would the whole building crash down on her? Chiaki looked up and saw something strange: a whitish-blue light filling the air. The light moved, then reached down to grab her. Trying not to scream like she was a weak girl, she waved her arm to throw it off and run. It would not be cast away and wrapped around her, surrounding her in white.
"You who have been chosen, let me examine the state of your heart."
"What?" She pulled her arms close and tried to step back. However, there was nothing below her feet.
The white light, pulsing like a heartbeat. Looking into it was almost calming; she could fall into that light. What was happening? Her mind went blank, then filled with memories important and mundane: her mother lecturing about her future, tales of her grandfather's glory days, getting teased for crying over a broken toy, disappointment over a birthday gift because it'd been bought in the wrong color, the stupidity of other girls gossiping. She hated gossips, especially when they'd been obsessed about her and Naoki being a possible couple, or her and Isamu as terrible as that was. Apparently girls couldn't be just friends with guys their age. She wished the world wasn't like that. She wished the world wasn't like it was in many ways.
"You have seeds for several possible Reasons. But if you wish to create a world of your own, you must nurture one to its fullest potential."
"A world of my own?" Chiaki asked, stunned. She wanted to protest that it was ridiculous, but when faced with a strange entity of light and power, it seemed all too possible.
"Choose. Is duty to family most important to you? Or a longing for one's own strength to be acknowledged, without molds and duties? You have the right the choose the guiding principle of the new world. Go into the world and examine your ideals. A servant of mine will accompany you for your protection and care. The Vortex World is a dangerous place; do not take it lightly."
The light then faded away and left her back in the hospital lobby. "Master Chiaki?" an elegant woman's voice called from nearby.
Really, what was going on here? The card he'd found unlocked the annex door on the second floor, but it was just as empty as the main building. Doors were barred and outside of papers scattered about, the area was perfectly clean. Maybe Ms. Takao was in trouble and she had to send an innocent sounding message to get help? It probably wasn't true, but it was fun to imagine. He could sweep in, take her by the hand, and…
Well, probably run for it if he had to be honest. Isamu tried to be manly with his look, from the American-styled belt buckle to his stylish hat. But he wouldn't be good in an actual fight. Maybe he was a secret crackshot with a gun? But that would get him in so much trouble even if it was for a rescue. Isamu was worried if this did turn violent, like if criminals were involved. He couldn't show fear though, that wasn't like a man.
He was standing near the elevator when unexpected thunder broke the silence. An earthquake followed as if that unearthly sound shattered the Earth itself. Worried about Ms. Takao, Isamu ran for a hall he hadn't checked yet. A strange blue light shimmered on the floor. Was it a chemical spill? He stopped with the intention to turn around, but his eyes came to the windows, the buildings beyond… the land rising up into the sky beyond that.
"N-no way!" he stammered, almost certain now that something funny had broke in this earthquake. That seemed more likely when the light rose up and surrounded him. Closing his eyes, he thought that maybe the light couldn't hurt if he couldn't see it.
"You who have been chosen, let me examine the state of your heart."
Chosen? Isamu risked opening his eyes and gasped at the sight. A… what did you call that? A tiny blue sun was before him, surrounded by halos of white cubes. The light soon filled his mind, blinding out all worry and disbelief. While it was mostly light, it reminded him of odd things: making friends with Naoki by biking after classes in grade school, the thrill of beating his favorite video game the first time (it really made you feel like you were saving the world), the look of exasperation on Ms. Takao's face when he tried to impress her with a plan for the school culture festival. And there was that time he sang his heart out at a karaoke bar to a near dead response; a kid following him melted the iciness of the crowd despite messing up a few times.
There were so many things in the world that you either had it or you didn't. And if you didn't have it, you weren't getting anywhere. It was stupidly unfair of the world; at least they should make it clearer what your talents were rather than making you study everything in hopes that something stuck.
"You have a strong seed for Reason, but little definition to it. If you wish to make your own world, you must be certain of what core ideals your heart holds."
If he wished to make his own world? That seemed like it could solve everything. He could make it so that he was the ideal for everyone else, and then he would be the best in the world and all women would swoon over him alone.
"Do not raise your Reason as something so mundane; the new world would falter swiftly, if it could survive the competition between Reasons with more depth. The truth lies within you. You merely need to find it. Go see the world and reflect upon what could be. A servant of mine will accompany you for your protection and care. The Vortex World is a dangerous place; do not take it lightly."
The light faded into fog. When that cleared up, he was back near the elevator in the hospital annex. "Master Isamu!" a voice around waist high said. "Glad to meet you!" It barked.
He looked down and found that a doberman-like dog wearing steel armor was by his side. Or was that a cyborg dog? It had some patches of fur, but its eyes glowed blue. "Whoa, was that you talking?" he asked.
Wagging its tail, the dog replied, "Yup! I am Pascal of the Kagutsuchi clan, ready to protect you! There are demons around, master, we must be careful."
"Demons? What the heck is going on?" He rubbed his head, then wondered about the others. "Oh crap, I don't know what happened with Ms. Takao and the others with that earthquake! Chiaki was staying in the other lobby, we can meet up with her for certain."
"Yes, we can explain with people together," Pascal said. "Where do we go?"
Fortunately, they were close to the hallway between buildings. "Over this way, we can take the elevator down."
They got to the main building, but the elevator wasn't on the second floor. When it arrived, Chiaki was there along with a strange girl. She wore a lavender maid's outfit with stunning high heel shoes, although something didn't seem right with her red eyes. "Oh, Isamu!" Chiaki said, looking and sounding frazzled.
"You okay Chiaki?" he asked. "That was, ah, some weird shit."
"No kidding," she said, calming herself down. "I'm all right, but the front door got filled up with debris. We can't go out that way. What about Ms. Takao and Naoki?"
He shrugged. "Haven't seen either of them since we split up the search. He might still be in the basement."
"Well there's no one in the offices down there," she said. "Except, well, this is Persephone."
The maid bowed upon being introduced. "Pleased to meet my master's friend."
"She's supposed to protect me, because of some," she trailed off as if she didn't want to accept it.
"Because that weird blue star said so?" Isamu asked. "It gave me Pascal here."
"That was Kagutsuchi, master!" Pascal said, wagging his tail again.
"Kagutsuchi is the arbitrator that illuminates the Vortex World and judges the Reasons for the one that will create the new world," Persephone added.
Why did I get the dog and she get the hot maid? Isamu wondered that, but knew that question would make Chiaki mad. Although, the dog was pretty cool. "Okay, whatever that means. But we gotta find Ms. Takao and Naoki first, make sure they're all right. He should be in the basement still."
"I'll go with you this time," Chiaki said. "This is getting too weird."
He'd explicitly told her to keep the children from disrupting him. Why did others continually fail such simple commands? It was said that a good business should run like a smooth machine; Hikawa certainly felt that was true. But there was that excuse they called 'the human factor' that caused problems. As usual, reality could not match ideal.
At least, not in this troublesome world. The thunder that announced the death of the world pierced through even to this basement room. For the moment, Hikawa let himself smile and relax. He was freed from the shackles of the chaotic world. Things would be much simpler from here on out. After all, his competition this time was merely a depressed woman and three undereducated children.
She had shown some strength there, true. Maybe it was the presence of a student bringing out the role of a teacher. And Baphomet seemed oddly curious about the boy who had just been here; he'd hesitated to attack, giving Yuko just enough time to intervene. Normally that demon was as obedient at the rest. Though he had been the one to manipulate the hearts of the Knights Templar. He'd have to be questioned later, once enough things were in motion.
White light surrounded him; Hikawa did not let it bother him.
"You who have triggered the Conception, let me examine the state of your heart."
Not just anyone should be allowed to recreate a world. The powers that be were smart enough to realize that, obviously. The rituals he'd already conducted were mere preludes. In the coming times, he would prove his devotion to his task while undermining the possibilities of his rivals. Hikawa wanted to start by thinking over his plans. Kagutsuchi would surely reward such insight.
Instead, he found himself thinking over the past. Early school days where he learned how cutthroat competition could be (such ridicule, but he'd shown them in time), college days where he was ruthless with his fellow students (his professors would praise his brilliance and yet chide him for being poor at working with others. If they just followed his word, he worked with others just fine). There were reporters who went to great lengths to make his business practices look bad when he'd thoroughly studied the laws to see what exactly was legal. Holes that others made for their convenience could be used for his convenience as well.
And there was that woman's face… it just about destroyed his good mood for this. But no, she was ruined by his works and now she was certainly dead. She'd presented herself as a submissive ideal that would serve her husband when she was in truth a leech who wanted luxury without the work that made it possible. She even had the vanity to try beguiling him into someone she could control. Hikawa would not let anyone control him. Her two-faced soul was one of the worst aspects of the world he reviled.
"You Reason struggles to bloom, as clear as it may seem. Are you willing to let go of all but that ideal? Thoughts alone do not prove devotion. Intentions may be misinterpreted even by one's self. Go and see the world; let it clarify your soul. As the Lord of Conception, you have sufficient preparations to thrive in the Vortex World. Do not get overconfident and falter before you fulfill your dreams."
So even Kagutsuchi could be mistaken. Not that it mattered what was said now, it would agree with him in the end. "As the Lord of Conception, send the Maiden and I to the Obelisk," Hikawa ordered.
"You who have triggered the Conception, let me examine the state of your heart."
People could lie even to their expressions. It wasn't always malicious. When she lied with her expressions, it was to avoid showing her weakness. Yuko knew she wasn't the only one who felt the way she did. Every time she saw someone smile, she wondered what sadness might lay behind it. The world wasn't right in that way. You could go to a social network and see pictures of everyone smiling. It made her feel how little she wanted to smile and wonder how many of them felt the same.
Although she felt full of light, she recalled darker things. She consoled a student whose boyfriend had died, but she hadn't told her parents about him and was desperately trying to keep her grades up to not make them angry when she couldn't work on anything. That student was hardly the only one like that. Yuko's own mother suffered mentally for years, inconsolable: her husband gave up on trying, yet they both would show off how unified and contented they supposedly were. She'd learned from them to do that well. But, why did things have to be that way?
A more rational side of herself wondered why instructions for how to end and remake the world were left around in a form that could be deciphered. It was a supernatural instrument, the Amala drums, that had the actual instructions. But the method of summoning the drums and plans for how the process went were right there in written prophetic form. While most people who dismiss such prophecy, the Gaean cult accepted all philosophies and summoning the drums was easier than summoning a demon.
But, did the answers really matter? It was impossible to change the old world's norms. But it was possible to make a new world, one where people did not have to be as constrained as they were. A world where suffering was not seen as a horrible thing to be ignored, but as an illness of the soul that should be tended to and treated. That way, people could find true happiness at last.
"You have a strong possibility of Reason, but a narrow outlook on it. Solving a problem in the passed away world is not enough of a foundation for a new world. Look within to find the ideal that can bring about the world you desire. Although you are the Maiden of Conception, you lack sufficient preparations to survive in the Vortex World. A servant of mine will accompany you for your care and protection. Take care in your journey."
When the light cleared, Yuko found herself in a strange place. There was little in this room of dark stone, just a small pillar with a pointed top. Ethereal blue light drifted in from tall windows; from here near the center, she could only see beige for background. And Hikawa was there, already examining the pillar in the center.
There was also a strange little creature hovering close to her. Eerie and beautiful, it was little more than iridescent butterfly wings attached to a shrunken brown skull. "I am Bitterfly of the Kagutsuchi clan," it said in a soft voice. Its body nearly faded from sight. "I think we will get along." Then it was visible again.
"All the necessary pieces will be scattered as part of this trial," Hikawa said to himself, touching the pillar like it could give him some insight. "But this will eventually be the start of the path to Kagutsuchi. It must be claimed first."
"Shall we leave?" Bitterfly whispered, flying closer to her.
"No, not yet," Yuko whispered back. They were working together to make the best world possible. If she couldn't fully imagine a good foundation for the new world, he could and she could make sure kindness was a part of it.
Hikawa brought his left wrist up and flicked the paper charm he had. She wasn't sure how many demons he commanded; these three were certainly new to her. While they were beautiful ladies, they weren't human and so something as off with them. The scissors that one of them twirled around her fingers seemed particularly ominous.
"Moirae, I will leave defense of this Obelisk up to you," Hikawa said. "I need to make some of my own additions, but you're free to do with the rest as you like."
"Certainly, we will find some fun things to add for defense," the one in the white dress said, smiling like a cruel child hoping their trick was good.
Then he turned to her, giving a momentary look over the demon with her. "Hmm, I see Kagutsuchi has some interesting servants. Yuko, I'd like you to look out into the world and find the pieces required for the final ritual: Yahirono Himorogi, the key to the Amala Temple, and the stone keys. Oh yes, and the Divine Messenger, that will be required soonest."
"What about a key to Masakado?" she asked. When he raised an eyebrow at that, she had to swallow down her nervousness. He treated her well, but he would not hold back his sharp tongue. "It was mentioned in the scriptures, at least that objects related to local deities may become more active. And since we're in Tokyo, it'd make sense that the guardian's soul may be awakened."
Fortunately, he rubbed his chin and considered it seriously. "Hmm, that would be advantageous to be aware of. Very well, if that interests you, you may look into that. This place should be ideal to your visions, don't you think?"
Yuko walked over to the pillar as well; there was great potential here, the soul of a world losing its identity to be remolded. "Yes, especially towards finding the artifacts for the ritual." She put her hands on the cool polished stone and closed her eyes. She heard a clatter from Bitterfly's teeth as it was staying close.
The world was so small now, a portion of Tokyo wrapped inside an egg. So much was gone, perhaps never to be seen again… no, she couldn't dwell on what had passed. She needed to look towards what could be.
In the blur of seeing beyond, she saw what was: a column of arctic ice encased Bitterfly, shattering and hurting it. It did not yet fight back, instead putting a blessing over them both to protect them. It was alone up against three clever demons. Were they acting without their master's orders?
No, Hikawa was there, coldly watching on. Yuko tried to break out of her vision. She didn't know much about demon summoning, so she wasn't sure how to help Bitterfly. But she had to be able to do something.
That is, if she could wake up.
Many buildings in Tokyo had been turned to sand, spread all across the shell of the deceased world. A few remained intact, clustered in tiny towns. As ghosts and demons both awakened within the Vortex World, they were drawn to these oases of civilization. Ghosts searched for familiar places to try comprehending what had just happened while the demons gleefully took what had once been the properties of humans.
And one tall human tower stood out over the rest. The skyscraper kept bits of its neighborhood around it, even an impressive stretch of highway still standing on its concrete legs. For a human building to retain not only itself but its accompaniments, it looked proud and powerful. Even inanimate power can be attractive.
He choose that place. Clasping the skyscraper with his soul, he empowered it to ensure it would stay together. It changed, given new life by its new master. Stark lines and brawny features, painted with a passionate heat to enhance what power it had. Pillars of fire sprouted at important passages, mixing primal and modern in intimidating ways. As he enhanced the place so, demons who favored power were instinctively drawn to it.
When it was complete, he manifested there. The skyscraper was far too narrow to be useable for his majesty, but it was a limitation of human architecture that he was used to. He ripped out a number of floors to make a space grand enough for his throne and form. Should any dare enter, they would understand his power simply by seeing how he filled a space vast to them.
His eyes glowed red as he examined the demons who had already gathered. No one was with him, so he spoke at full volume. "To those who have been drawn to the power of this place, I am Gozu-Tennoh. Welcome to the founding of my new kingdom."
Those who felt his voice down on the ground stopped in awe. They knew he was far overhead, that he was out of sight. They should know just how powerful he was now.
"We should celebrate, for the old world that we struggled to manifest in is dead! The new world seeks a form, not limited by what was. I wish to build a world of true strength, where we demons will be acknowledged for our merits. Should you wish for this as well, join me as the Mantra to take control of creation. We will gather magatsuhi and reserve it for the human who best matches our philosophy and will create a world where we will be welcomed. Join me so that power will once again rule a world!"
The demons below cheered this manifesto, eager to make it so. Above them, Gozu-Tennoh was proud. There was much to do, much that demons could not do. But they would do what they could for the human who would accept them.
"The game begins now."
The battered fragments of the city weren't completely desolate. Moving shadows and arcane passages appeared. With normalcy destroyed, the demons were creeping forth to stake new claims. Some he saw were so much weaker than what he thought of as demons. But others were far stronger; he'd already dealt with at least one of those.
There was no need for illusions now. His scarf was back to its ancient tattered self. What few humans had survived would be seeing things like himself shortly. While he didn't need to deal with them, he was curious what these humans would do. He was even more curious about the pair who'd done this. Their world had been a peaceful paradise compared to his own.
"I'm not sure this would help," he said to himself. "At least this hunt will be different."
Whatever was to come, he wasn't needed right away. He headed out to survey this strange land.
They searched the hospital from top to bottom, through every room they could get into. They called names and looked under things. But even when they'd scoured the hospital twice, there was no sign of their teacher or friend.
There were demons, just like Persephone warned her about. In nearly every hall, there were purple-skinned pretas that laughed and watched from afar. Pascal had barked a few times to scare away the larger origami creatures; the smaller ones seemed childish and harmless, playing with other papers or making fog doodles on the windows. There were ghosts too. While some muttered incomprehensibly and didn't notice them, others tried to attack them directly. Persephone and Pascal could dispatch those easily.
Worn out from the search and everything else, Chiaki and Isamu stopped in the annex lobby. Light still spilled in from outside; Chiaki felt like it should be night by now. "I hate doing this, but we should get back home," she said. "Our parents are going to be worried, especially since we can't get cell service here."
"I'm sorry, but you can't do that," Persephone said. "Your homes do not exist any more."
"Aw come on, the earthquake wasn't that bad," Isamu said. "There hasn't been a crack in this place, except for the other door being filled in."
"The Vortex World is much different than the world you knew," the maid said. "If we go outside, you will see."
"This place has been creepy, but we didn't really walk over into another world," Chiaki said, heading towards the annex lobby doors. Hopefully, they could open them from the inside.
Unfortunately, Isamu had to be an idiot. "Hey, but we've been seeing demons all over the place, even if these two are on our side. Maybe we really have wandered over into a demon world? Though Naoki would be the one who'd know anything about that."
Chiaki rolled her eyes even though he wouldn't see. "It's some staged stunt, more than likely. Can't believe that Ms. Takao would be involved; maybe someone stole her phone."
"This isn't a demon world," the dog said. "It is a world where demons can be, but it's an Amala world now."
"What do you mean by that, an Amala world?" Isamu asked. Chiaki pushed the handicap access button by the doors. Thankfully, they slid aside.
"The Amala universe is where dead worlds come to be reborn," Persephone said.
"But that can't be real," Chiaki said.
"Yeah, our world can't really be dead, uh, right?" Isamu asked.
"It died in an instant," Persephone said in a matter-of-fact way.
When they got outside, the street was completely different. The sidewalks and road were coated in sand. Many buildings that had neighbored the hospital were just gone. What few remained were cracked and crumbling; Shinjuku Medical Center was oddly enough the safest shelter here. That was more than a simple earthquake could do. And when they looked past that, off to the now clear horizon… it wasn't that far because the land rose up into the sky, with other clusters of buildings above them. Concentric ripples of sand surrounded what pieces of the city remained, on the inside of a globe instead of outside. And right in the center of it all, there was that whitish-blue star that had spoken to them both.
And while the streets should be busy, no one else was out there with them. Absolute desolation… did it mean absolute destruction?
Everything, everyone, gone like that. Why, how? Why were they gone, why did she survive? Was it real? Had she been knocked out in the earthquake without realizing it? It was all empty, yet too much for her to accept.
There were no words, just despair.
Notes on Kagutsuchi guardians
One of the things with writing for this game is making sense of things that are great for Nocturne's atmosphere, but don't make sense. One of these is how Isamu and Chiaki make their way through the Vortex World as ordinary humans when you're told that your transformation was necessary for survival. Well, obviously that's a lie. Kagutsuchi needs these humans to survive to create Reasons, so it made sense for it to give them guardians.
Bitterfly and Persephone are both taken from the Castlevania series (which is why the latter is a martial artist maid and not a freaky lady cut in half). Pascal's name was taken from SMT 1, but was turned into a cyborg dog because, well, sometimes Rule of Cool decides things. Although in the end, Bitterfly and the guardian assigned to Naoki don't matter because they die off quickly.