Author's note: I do not own anything from Tsukihime.
The air tensed considerably. The man in front of us crumpled onto the ground in a heap, and melded with the ground.
Ciel noted, "The Magic in the area is condensing around him. If I'm not wrong, this density of Magic could very easily cripple us all, even you, Merem."
Merem conceded, "So she says."
I took a step forward. I said, "I don't want to sound like a hero or something, but I think my Eyes should be able to handle this."
The others agreed and retreated into the safety of a distance. I focused my sight on the foreground, trying to visualize the life of the whirlpool of Magic.
You need my help, Shiki. A malicious voice spoke up inside me. You can't do this alone.
"I'll prove you wrong!" I muttered as I rushed forward and readied my knife. A dozen roots flew out of the ground and hurtled towards me, and I swung with as much speed as I could muster. But to all the ability I could possess, I only managed to cut down five. I was forced to roll to the side to evade the rest. A couple more made sure I retreated far enough to be unable to inflict significant damage.
I'm not making progress, I thought. Must I really rely on him again?
My grip on my blade tightened. I am so incredibly helpless it's not even funny. But I have to do it, or they will be in danger...
Night seemed to fall. I gazed at my target with emotionless eyes. I smirked. Roots swept down on me like a curtain signifying the end of a play. How unapt... For the show has just begun. I lifted my head, revealing a wide grin and dashed off, slicing all the plant appendages with unnatural ease. Flicking the knife as though it was an extension of my arm, the movements that I made when I danced through the onslaught of vines could only be described as... art in its purest form.
Enshrouded by the moonlight, the whispering of the wind muttered its disapproval at me moving faster than it could. I closed the distance between me and the fruit, preparing to stab it when an effigy burst out of the ground. I backflipped in primevalistic instinct and waited for any sign of movement from it. At a second glance, it appeared that the effigy was a normal human being, disgorged after being consumed in the materialization of the Forest. I gave in to the urges to kill, sidestepped an attack from the effigy with blinding speed and hacked off its head with a horizontal crescent swing of my arm. It was a normal human being, after all, judging from the spray of blood that stemmed from the neck.
"Shiki!" Ciel screamed. "Do not give in!"
What? Who's that... calling my name?
"Be quiet," I warned softly. "I do not discriminate against targets."
I stared at Ciel's eyes directly, and she flinched in fear. In this Magic-suppressed situation, she was definitely no match for me.
Before I could make another move, a horde of effigies rose from the ground. Ciel pleaded weakly, "Don't do it."
I couldn't stop now. The thrill of killing has consumed my senses completely. Even as the effigies rose, several fell, limbs detached from their bodies. I did not bother to stab their points, but decided on tracing the lines instead, since they wouldn't die from just that. I was already soaked in blood, but even that wasn't enough.
I finished the last one off with grace. Einnashe then appeared and spoke madly, "Shiki, Shiki, I suppose you aren't really suited to be Arcueid's Guardian after all. You are just a cold-blooded satsujin (murderer), a killer, a doll."
He gestured towards Ciel and Merem. Ciel had lost consciousness due to a lack of Magic and Merem was struggling to stay awake.
"Look at your comrades, they are barely alive and yet you don't give a damn. Well, two can play at that game, Satsujin-ki. I'll kill you all, kill you all, and then my beloved Arcueid and..."
THROB.
I fell to my knees, gasping for air. "Satsujin-ki... eh? Not a bad name... not bad at all."
"Oh, if it isn't weak, little Tohno Shiki. You subdued your Nanaya self, eh? Then how do you expect to beat me?" Einnashe broke out in a fit of madcap laughter.
He materialized a giant scythe of roots and lumbered towards me. "I'll finish you off now... I have bigger fish to fry, bigger cities to devour!"
He swung at me, but I counterswung and lopped off his arm. He looked genuinely surprised and his euphoria was gone. "Nanaya? But you are TOHNO!" Einnashe screamed in a twisted, rage consumed voice.
"So this is your 'rampaging' self? Finally serious, are you?" I quipped. Very out-of-character for Tohno Shiki, but for Satsujin-ki, that's another story.
For I am no longer Tohno or Nanaya.
As Einnashe charged towards me, I bent down in a position like a runner does at the start of a race. I muttered, "Kyokushi..."
In Einnashe's eyes, I probably just disappeared. But as soon as he realised that there was a knife driven into his heart, I had already stabbed his points of death multiple times.
He gazed at the knife with a profound look in his eyes. "Why... have I regained my sanity?"
I answered, "I killed the vampire blood within you. Of course without any blood, you would die, but I thought you would appreciate it knowing that you died a sane man."
"I do, Shiki." He smiled, extremely pleased. As he began to crumble into dirt, he revealed a final piece of information, "Arcueid isn't safe. Many other Ancestors now know where the Millenium castle is. Come to me, and I'll tell you as well..."
I hurried towards Einnashe, and he whispered in my ear. He then pressed the fruit in my hand and vanished, taking the Forest with him.
I walked over to Merem, who had gotten to his feet grumpily. "Okay, you have a lot of explaining to do. But first, let's take Ciel-sempai back to the hotel room."
"Here," I offered Ciel a glass of water.
"Thank you." Ciel accepted it gratefully.
Merem gazed longingly at the fruit on the table the whole time. "Immortality... This kind of rare relic should belong to the Church. Or better, with me."
I said, rolling my eyes, "I need it to protect your benefactor."
Merem scowled and replied, "I could be the next Guardian. Then I'll get the fruit as an added bonus." As an afterthought, he said, "Well, whatever. Just eat it already."
Ciel said to me, "So, you finally managed to keep your Nanaya instincts under control, eh? That's good. Now I no longer have any excuse to visit you." She said that with a hint of sadness in her voice.
I smiled, "Well, you're welcome to visit me anytime. But I probably won't be at the mansion most of the time, anyway."
"Yeah, what with all the sudden happenings, I feel like a lot has changed in these few days."
"I will always be me, Ciel-sempai. Nothing can change that." I smiled. "I wouldn't mind that burial cloth now."
Ciel took out some white bandages from a drawer in response, smiling weakly. I wrapped the cloth around my eyes, and was surprised to see that it was thin enough to be able to make things out faintly, yet there were no lines at all. I thanked Ciel.
Ciel looked away. "Go ahead, then. Arcueid needs you. I'll see you soon." She laughed softly. "Actually, I don't even know when I'll be able to see you again."
Merem gave an excuse and left the room. Ciel paused, and grabbed my arm, pulling me close to her.
"I'll miss you," she whispered, and pulled me into an embrace. I patted her lightly, indicating my wish for it to stop there. "I'm sorry," I muttered. Tears glistened in Ciel's eyes. I pushed us apart lightly. Clenching my fists, I turned and left the room, leaving a trembling Ciel behind.
The crimson moon hung overhead, as though welcoming my arrival.
Giant double doors stood at the entrance; I pushed them open and entered without regard.
There she lay: the beautiful Princess of the Crimson Moon, wrapped in the chains that bound her.
Cutting through the chains like knife through butter, I released her from the prison in which spelled her eternal sleep.
I walked over to her, knelt on one knee and whispered, "I am here."
Author's note: That's all! Hope you enjoyed this fic. Any comments or irregularities with the Nasuverse, simply PM me and I'll see what I can change. Thank you for reading!
