Prelude
Silent branches swayed from the looming trees. Whipping leaves and rustling stones were suffocating. Small houses throughout the village were frozen. The stone streets were barren, giving way to small bursts of dust to prance through the worn edges. His footsteps were slow and dull with the soles of his shoes scratching lightly against the path. Windows were sealed shut with makeshift metal coverings, wool curtains...anything they could find. The strategy was to stay out of sight. Perhaps the demon would pass through without incident. Maybe they would all survive if they stayed hidden. The villagers were already aware of what happened at the prison, and those men were trained. Even many who were considered brave knew revealing themselves now would be a death sentence.
No, the demon would pass and they would all survive. That was the only thing they could hope for now.
His pace slowed. They could hear longer pauses between steps. An elderly man pulled back a portion of his curtain for a glimpse of the demon, but his sons quickly pulled him away. The wool fluttered at the corner a few moments and was eventually pulled back again. Curiosity outweighed their fear for only a moment; the three of them found themselves staring out of the window.
Their investigation went unnoticed. He was either unaware of them or simply ignored the movement. Thick, auburn hair covered his face and shoulders, and they were unable to see his eyes. His bloodstained shirt was lightly tattered and tugged against his torso, outlining his thin and muscular form. He held no weapon in his hands; they were limp at his sides, lightly slapping against the fabric of his pants as he walked.
"He'll pass," the younger son whispered. "He doesn't even see us."
"Get away from the window! He's coming!"
Yoh slowly lifted his head and stopped walking. He was staring straight ahead but now standing directly in front of the window. The men inside were frozen on the inside wall beneath it; any attempt to move away from the window now would get them killed. For an eternity he didn't move. They didn't move. The pause was torturous and terrifying.
They're hiding from you. Pathetic.
He closed his eyes and smiled. "Not really."
This is...boring, Yoh.
A playful snicker escaped as he reopened his eyes. "Yeah."
Startled screaming filled the street as the earth violently ruptured. The stone walls cracked under the pressure. Some houses collapsed; others exploded from the force. Random men were thrown from safety into the street as large pieces of stone broke away from the various structures. The elderly man sat in the middle of his destroyed house with his two sons huddled on either side to vainly shied him. He glanced at the demon, who was unharmed by the sudden blast, and quickly looked away.
Many who were well enough to move attempted to run, but there were several who couldn't. Some of the men were trapped beneath large boulders; others were critically wounded from the blast and bled into the street. Yoh allowed twelve of the the mobile men to flee, but just before disappearing from his line of sight they were pulled back into the area. The wounded were screaming as they observed these men hovering over them. It was an impossible feat they had never seen. They landed near the elderly man and his sons, and the fall was hard enough to break some of their bones.
His sons looked away. The younger held his father as tightly as he could and buried his face into his bosom.
He's frightened.
Yoh tilted his head and watched the three men with a blank stare. His eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. The elder brother had a small sword attached to his waist with a leather belt. He didn't reach for it but looked down at his thigh as if contemplating an attack. Yoh offered him a warm smile, one he was too confused to return, but quickly rescinded it. As he tightened his right hand into a firm fist, the elder brother was ripped away from his father and thrown several feet away. His brother called out to him but was silenced by his father, who wrapped both of his arms around him. The twelve who failed to escape slid over the stone like headless snakes, but Yoh walked passed them. The elder brother knew he was coming toward him and out of fear he drew his sword. Yoh stopped a few feet away, not close enough to touch him but far enough to outreach his blade. He clenched his teeth as he held the sword with both hands and quickly rose to his feet.
"Are you gonna fight me?" Yoh asked with a polite smile.
The man didn't answer. He couldn't. His blade was unsteady and his frightened stance was unconvincing.
Don't tease him. That's cruel, isn't it?
He sighed. "I guess."
An intentional pause increased his nerves as he stared at the demon with a mixture of disarray and terror. The sword flew out of his grasp; he swung his arms a few times to recapture it. Yoh held out his hand, and the sword stuck to it like a magnet. He lowered the blade, dropping his arm to freely rest at his hip, and took a shallow breath.
"You still want to?"
"You don't have to do this. Please just let him go."
Junichi's voice, although faint, was immediately recognizable. He clutched his tunic with one hand as he slowly advanced. Yoh didn't turn around.
"Master Junichi," the man said. "You can't be here."
"Please Asakura." Junichi took another step toward him, staring at his back with tear filled eyes. "If you leave, no one else has to die. We just want peace."
Yoh dropped the sword, sending a loud clanking noise through the area. He turned around and faced the boy, who took a step back.
"It doesn't have to be this way," he said. "If you leave, no one will follow you. This can be over."
Junichi was staring at the sword out of some involuntary compulsion. As he blinked his eyes, he caught a glimpse of the frightened father clinging to his younger son.
It's a trap. Just kill them.
Yoh's expression twisted into an irritated scowl.
"I'll go with you!" He raised his hands in the air. "No one will bother you if we go together. Please?"
"So..." Ren scratched his head with his finger. "Yoh manipulates metal...and you people decided to hold him in a building...made of metal?"
They were standing a few feet away from the entrance of the large edifice, surrounded by a grass-less field. Tamao took a step forward and observed the massive doors but didn't approach. Manta and Lyserg were standing behind her with bewildered looks on their faces. Ryu stood beside Ren and glanced at him with an expression of mixed annoyance and agreement.
Kiyomi never answered the question. She placed her hand against the heavy steel and closed her eyes.
"That makes perfect sense." He didn't intend to say it aloud but Ryu heard him.
Tamao surveyed the area with her arms tightly folded as if waiting for an ambush. "Is it locked?"
"It's open," Kiyomi said, leaning her forehead against the door.
Everyone sensed her hesitation. Manta took a deep breath and swallowed. Tamao held her hand as Ren and Ryu approached the door.
"You should stand back," she said.
After a few labored tugs they were able to force one of the doors ajar. Ren squeezed into the opening and pushed the door from the inside; Ryu pulled from the outside. Lyserg jogged over to assist once aware of the struggle, and Ren stumbled when the door finally gave way.
"What do you see?" Tamao asked, her voice fragile and afraid.
Ryu and Lyserg remained outside the door momentarily. Ren was hidden beneath the shadow of the dark space.
"Lyserg, I need a light."
He slowly disappeared into the darkness, and Ryu immediately followed.
"Tamao," he said, "Stay out here with her. Come on, Manta."
Manta took a few steps back but Tamao grabbed his arm and lunged him forward. He stumbled into the door but quickly caught his balance.
"They're dead," Kiyomi said with a whisper.
Tamao tightened her jaw and closed her eyes.
Once inside, Lyserg used his hand to steady a medium sized fireball that filled the space with an orange hue. The light could be seen through the opening, and Kiyomi stared at it with bitterness. Manta was first to run out of the building, his hands shaking as he bent over to catch his breath.
"What happened?" Tamao asked.
"Bodies," he said between breaths. "Bodies...everywhere!"
"There...has to be an explanation for this," Lyserg said as he exited the building. Ryu and Ren were behind him but neither spoke.
"Yoh killed them!" Manta stood upright and shook his fists. "That's how he escaped!"
"That doesn't make sense," Ryu said with a frown. "It wouldn't have been necessary to—"
"Rip them apart," Ren mumbled. "It's just body parts and guts."
Tamao covered her mouth with her hand and gasped.
"For you people to be his friends, you seem to know nothing about him." Kiyomi glared at Tamao with disapproval, pausing to bite her lip.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ryu replied.
Tamao darted her eyes to the ground.
"The demon Asakura's power is far more complicated than moving metal around," she sighed. "If that's all you've seen...you haven't experienced more than a glimpse of it. For that you should be grateful."
Manta knelt on the dirt with both knees and rubbed his thighs. Ryu clenched his teeth as his breathing elevated, but Lyserg and Ren didn't share his defensive stance.
"Why don't you explain it, Tamao?" Kiyomi smiled at her briefly, but her voice lightly wavered with repelled emotion.
Tamao took a deep breath and scratched her neck. The men were staring at her, which increased her anxiety.
"If you know something we don't, now's the time to say it." Ren spoke with concern instead of anger. He relaxed his posture while watching her face.
"It's a form of telekinesis," she said. "That's the best way to describe it."
"We know that." Ryu rolled his eyes. "That's how he manipulates metal."
"No..." She rubbed her stomach with both hands. "Hao controls the elements, but his physical power is limited. Yoh's...isn't."
"He killed two hundred and eighty five people of my village in less than two hours," Kiyomi added. "Do you think he was able to do that from pushing a few pieces of metal around?"
Ryu stepped forward. "Just because you people keep saying it doesn't mean it's true."
"You should be honest with your friends," she said, tensing her shoulders and gritting her teeth. "They have no idea what mess you've put them in."
Tamao said nothing, which was noticeably uncomfortable.
"Either his memories have returned..." she glanced into the sky and shook her head. "Or he's back in control. Neither path is safe, Tamao."
"What is she talking about?" Lyserg asked.
"Yoh and Anna are separated," Tamao mumbled. "And...Hao is a stronger telepath than her."
"Repeat that in language we understand," Ren replied.
"As long as they're separated she has no control." She sighed. "We...have no control."
"Lady Kiyomi!" A young man wearing a tattered tunic and ripped pants stumbled through the clearing and fell to his knees at her feet. His leg was bleeding, but he ignored the injury, touching his face weakly to the ground. "The demon has attacked! He took Master Junichi!"
She gasped, clutching her chest with one hand, and dropped her eyes to the ground. "Where?"
"I...don't know." He took a moment to catch his breath and wiped a tear from his face. "Probably into the woods. He...plans to kill him!"
"No way," Ryu said.
"No," Kiyomi waved her hand. "He won't leave the village without a confrontation. Is he being pursued?"
"Yes, my lady. The remaining solders went when they couldn't find Captain Shumei."
"Then he'll lead them to the training field."
"What's that?" Manta asked.
She closed her eyes. "It's an open field where the soldiers prepare for combat. The area is vast enough for a large scale battle...and an open spectacle."
Tamao swallowed hard and scratched her neck. "We have to get there before they do. We..can't allow them to attack."
"You still don't get it, do you?" Kiyomi stomped her foot and pulled at her dress. "Asakura doesn't want or need you to fight, Tamao. He wants an audience."
Ren turned away and glanced at the steel doors with a vague expression. Lyserg's eyes widened but he remained silent. Manta grabbed his stomach and mumbled something fearful under his breath. Ryu's anger intensified but he found himself unable to respond.
"Take us there, Satoshi," Kiyomi said with great reluctance. "He's waiting."
"Are you...okay?"
Pino leaned forward in his chair as he eyed her with worry. Anna leaned her back against the wall with her knees bent and feet flat against the mattress. She was staring at the floor with blank eyes, and the silence was unsettling.
"Is there...something I should do?"
"Can you get me out of this room?" she asked.
He stood abruptly from the chair and rubbed his face with his middle finger and thumb.
"I'm not attempting to escape, Pino." She raised both hands in the air. "Hao put me here to limit my range."
"Range?" He tilted his head.
"I need to get out of here, preferably outside."
"No way!" He swung his fists and lightly kicked the chair. "If anyone catches us they'll kill me!"
"In a few days you'll be dead anyway."
Pino glared at her with a puffed chest, but it quickly deflated when she didn't elaborate. Her eyes were stern and unwavering, forcing him to blink.
"What does that mean?"
"Do you really think Hao intends to keep any of you alive once he executes his plan?" She slid to the edge of the bed and planted her feet onto the floor. "Every single one of you is an acceptable loss."
"We're here because he needs us." He sighed. "...whether we like it or not."
She clasped her hands in her lap. "You're mistaken. Whatever he told you is a lie."
His stomach churned, forcing a hard swallow. Somehow he knew she was right. Anna took a deep breath and glanced at the door.
"If you help me, I'll tell you the truth," she said, so soft he barely heard her.
"What truth?"
"You want to know what Hao's plans are for Hana, why he hasn't killed me..." She pushed her hair behind one ear and slumped forward. "...and why he's waiting for Yoh."
"Tell me what you know, and I'll consider helping you. I won't budge until you start talking."
She exhaled. "I want you to help me willingly, but if you force me to compel you I will."
He paced in front of the bed, hesitantly rubbing his hands together. "Don't threaten me. I'll walk out that door and never come back."
"My son is in danger."
His movement stopped abruptly, nearly disrupting his balance. "Explain."
"Get me out of here first." She pointed at him. "I'll protect you."
"What is your power?" Pino rubbed his neck and frowned. "At least tell me that much."
"Help me and I'll show you."
Raised headstones lined the large field as far as the skyline. For the first time in remembrance there were more makeshift nameplates than the village had inhabitants. Shumei sat on the grass, resting most of his weight on his knees, and stared at the large block a touchable distance away. He paused a moment to pick away the fallen leaves and grass strands accumulated around the base then placed a single red rose in front of it.
"I want you to be proud of me, Akane," he said aloud. "This day came sooner than expected."
He closed his eyes and lowered his head. Tamotsu approached slowly from behind, but he didn't turn around.
"Shumei—"
"I know."
"Junichi is with him."
Shumei stood in front of the stone and rested his hand on the sword sheathed at his waist. "Then I have no choice."
"Brother..." Tamotsu's pause was filled with hesitance and perceived fear. "I can't ask you to do that."
"You didn't."
He cleared his throat and looked away. "Some of the men have pursued him without permission. He's not leaving the village."
"How many?" Shumei lowered his head and stared at the headstone.
"Eighty, I believe."
Another pause filled the air as Shumei deeply inhaled and squeezed his sword.
"They'll be dead before we get there," he added.
"We can't allow their deaths to be in vain, Brother." Shumei slowly turned and offered a pained smile, one his elder couldn't return.
"There has to be another way." Tamotsu said it under his breath, his voice riddled with anger and partial defeat.
"There isn't."
He drew his sword and eyed the blade with narrowed eyes. Shumei weakly waved his hand in the air.
"He'll kill you."
"Shumei—"
"Junichi's visions are never false," he said. "You know what he said."
"He was delirious! He couldn't have meant that!"
"I'll get Junichi back, and I'll do it alone."
Shumei walked away but paused after taking a few steps without turning around. Tamotsu's frightened expression was too difficult to see again. The wind increased its pace, skipping the leaves over his feet.
"Tamotsu..." he squeezed his sword until his knuckles were white. "I have to."
His brother's words were painful. He briefly closed his eyes.
"I'm the only one left who can fight him. He'll wait for me."
"Why aren't we leaving?" Junichi asked with a whisper. His voice carried lightly in the wind and fell against Yoh's back. The field they stood in was quiet, and since he stood behind him there was no way to gauge his mood. He struggled to steady his shaking hands and lowered his head when Yoh slowly turned around.
He said nothing. Instead he stared at the boy with blankness that ripped through his chest. Approaching footsteps filled their ears but neither of them moved. A vast number of armed men poured into the area, creating three layers of circling flanks separated by several feet.
"Release him!" one of them shouted. The innermost circle of men had their swords drawn with the ones behind them waiting at the ready.
Yoh's silence was both irritating and terrifying. Junichi closed his eyes briefly and blinked away a few tears.
"I said release him at once!" the man repeated, his jaw tight and posture stiff.
"Please," Junichi said with enough volume for only Yoh to hear. "Don't do this."
Yoh tilted his head to the left and studied his face.
"Please don't hurt them."
Break them to pieces. Grind them...to dust.
"Please..." The boy dropped to his knees close enough to touch his feet. "Please let them go."
An unexpected pause fell over the clearing as the men were spooked by the odd sound of a giggle. The small outburst was uncomfortably playful but grew quickly into a frightening chuckle. They stood there, petrified as Yoh laughed at them with both disdain and amusement. Junichi's tears increased; large drops fell from his face into the grass as he squeezed his knees tightly with hands. As quickly as it began he ceased it, and his face deteriorated into a brooding frown. His next statement was expected, although the soldiers around him were baffled by it. Junichi heard it first. The boy's body trembled uncontrollably when the phrase rolled from his tongue and entered the air as a venomous threat.
"So small."
