Chapter 11: The Truth comes out
He walked over to the sword, the blade gleaming even in the darkness of the storm.
Right as he reached for it, the wind picked up and something pushed it over the edge of the roof. His eyes widened as he felt a presence behind him. With anger boiling inside and his flame growing hotter, he turned. Sachiko stood there, the once abandoned scissors tight in her grip.
"Ah, little Sachiko… I presume the blonde male is dead?" He inquired; his voice was collected as he stepped forward. She was silent however, only glaring at him. When he wasn't met with a response, he sensed suspicion.
"Why are you really here?" She finally spoke, and he paused.
"To make Heavenly Host a better place of course…" He replied, a crack of thunder and lightning overhead.
"No. What is your real purpose?" She asked again, and his eyes narrowed. Therefore, she had finally seen through his real plans.
"So we've come to the truth… Very well… I shall reveal the truth to you and to those that remain…" He started. She stood there, eyes narrowing at him. When another flash of lightning and thunder cracked the skies, the creature suddenly rose to his back feet, his long slender body stretching out as his arms went out. A glow appears from his elbow to his wrists, and within seconds, his arms had sprouted wings.
"I'm here to destroy Heavenly Host! To destroy this entire dimension until there's nothing left in existence! Your legacy of being the girl in the red dress will end and so will the rest of this damned place! I will seek my revenge to its fullest!" He roared out, the rain growing harder as lightning flashed out.
"I can't let you do that," Sachiko spoke, and the creature cackled.
"Try me," His jaws opened as his throat lit up. A blast of flames were unleashed at the ghastly spirit, engulfing the area of the roof around her. Within those flames, she could feel her powers being suppressed.
"Now with you out of the way," He turned to the side of the roof where the sword had fallen. Stroking his wings, he disappeared over the side. Sachiko held her arms up, trying to fight the flames but to no use. The rain couldn't dowse them either; the fire was resistant to water.
Moments later, he reappeared; the swords handle in one of his hands. However, he wasn't done yet. He still needed the child… maybe one of the other children as a bonus. Turning towards the direction of the family, he spread his wings again and flew down; through the ghostly crowd, the spirits disappearing instantly as he flew through them. They were like smoke, vaporizing into the air.
"RuRu! Yuka! Get back!" Naomi turned to them, running deeper into the forest. Ami followed, but was quickly grabbed by the creature at the hood of her jacket. Shigeru had run, but tripped on a tree root, his grip in his mother's hand slipping and he fell on his stomach. In his moment of weakness, the creature saw a chance and grabbed the child with a swish of his head; his fang caught the boy's shirt.
"Shigeru! No!" Naomi yelled for her older son, and the boy screamed for his mother, reaching out as the creature flew off. Satoshi witnessed the whole thing, and the anger only grew. First his best friend, now his son. Looking back at Ayumi, he could still see a glint in Yoshiki's open eye, that and his slowly moving chest were the only signs he was still alive. He looked around, searching for something to climb to the roof.
Dropping the children on the rooftop again, he landed before them, trapping them between him and the drop behind.
"Now… I will get the abilities I need…" The creature muttered, crouching as he stepped forward. The children crawled away from him, but stopped short when they were at the edge. Falling from this height would snap ones neck if they jumped.
"Hey!" A voice caught the creature, and he turned his head.
"Now what?!" He snapped, and rose from his position, seeing a brun male standing before them. Narrowing his eyes, he grinned and started to laugh.
"Ahaha! You really think you're going to fight me?! How pathetic!" He continued to laugh.
"No… I'm not," Satoshi started, and the creature looked back at him through narrow eyes.
"All of you really are foolish humans. Sentencing your death when you go against me," The creature sneered, turning towards the brun. Without warning, a force pushed back the creature, sending him to this side. Satoshi blinked, looking back towards the flames, and could just see Sachiko smiling. Before the creature awoke again, he twisted around to the children.
Satoshi dived forward, grabbing Shigeru in the process. However, he misjudged his movements, and was struggling to hang onto the sides as Shigeru hugged his body. Ami was too far for him to reach, if he moved at all, his feet would slip and so would his hands.
"D-Daddy…" He could hear Shigeru murmuring to him as he huddled closer to his father.
"Shigeru… don't move… okay? If we fall… I want you to hug me as tight as you can, okay?" He reassured his son, and he could feel him nod. At least he could cushion the fall for his son. Suddenly, he could feel the roof plates started crumble underneath, the weight of both of them too much.
"Well well well, looks like daddy is in quite the predicament …" The creature rose again, seeing the adult's predicament. Looking to Shigeru and back to the creature, Satoshi only had so many options. To fall, and risk both their lives… or be caught with this fire-breathing animal.
He didn't have much of a choice when the roof gave away. Feeling his grip finally slip, he held Shigeru close as both fell.
"No…" Naomi gasped, watching them fall.
When a snap echoed out, followed by a scream of agony, she knew something was wrong.
Fortunately, for the both of them, they were still alive. Shigeru had escaped with little to no injury, and released from his father's embrace. He could only watch as the older male writhed in pain, falling to his side as he panted. He leg had broken, maybe even shattered. All he knew was that there was intense pain coursing through his leg.
Ayumi, clouded by her sorrow, closed her eyes at the snap. Everybody was falling apart. It wouldn't be long before she and the rest joined them. She held Yoshiki closer, trying her best to comfort herself and him; she combed her fingers through his matted hair gently, afraid she would hurt him.
Another scream split the air, and Ayumi looked up, realizing her daughter was on the roof again. Her eyes widened, letting out a gasp.
Seeing that the brun had fallen with the child, the creature turned back to Ami, closing in towards as she was backed up against a wall.
"Now… I'll possess the abilities that run in the Shinozaki family," The creature remarked, his throat lighting up as another round of flames were about to be unleashed on the child. Ami put her arms up, trying to shield herself from the oncoming attack. Within seconds, the flames were unleashed on her.
Ami didn't feel the intense burning. When her eyes opened slowly, she could see the flames bouncing around her. Was there something there protecting her?
"You're okay, little one. He's not going to hurt you," Ami gasped when she heard a voice. That's when she realized that somebody was leaning over her, their form preventing the flames from touching her. Ami only blinked, unable to speak.
It was when he stopped that he realized she was still alive, not even touched by the intense fire. Slamming his hand down, the flames extinguished, and let out a hiss of annoyance as to why she wasn't dead. Another spirit had protected her, and when the flames disappeared, the apparition stood, standing before the child in a protective matter.
"Step down now," He ordered, but she didn't move.
"I don't listen to you," The spirit responded, and this only added fuel to the fire.
"So brave of you to go against me… so… foolish," He hissed his throat lighting up again. Lightning and thunder crashed above, and within that moment, more spirits started to manifest around him. A male student appeared next to the older woman, wanting to protect the child as well.
"All of you are no match for me! Fighting me is useless!" He gazed around, the spirits doing nothing but appearing. They weren't attacking. When his hand came down on the roof tiles, he gasped and looked behind him, realizing his mistake.
The flames had disappeared around the girl in the red dress. She rose as the fire died, panting, but otherwise unharmed from the blaze.
"We aren't fighting you… we're rejecting you," She spoke, and his mouth went agape. His eyes went wide as he turned to her, the rain still coming down hard.
Below, just underneath the bridge, apart of the railing had fallen, and the humans moved the injured underneath.
"Ahh… this really hurts…" Satoshi breathed deeply as he crawled in, unable to walk anymore with a broken leg. Yoshiki was barely alive, trying to cling on to the last bit of breath he had in him. He couldn't give up this fight, no matter how much his body told him to fall asleep.
"I-I'm sowwy daddy…" Shigeru sniffed, feeling like it was his fault that his father was hurt. Satoshi smiled sadly, and leaned over to the boy, patting his head.
"This isn't your fault, RuRu. I'm just happy you're okay," Satoshi reassured, and Shigeru blinked.
Naomi sat next to her husband, holding Koji tight to her as he slept. Just the way his leg was angle, she could tell it had twisted in a way it wasn't supposed to. The fall he took would have snapped it, probably even more so with the way he landed.
More lightning and thunder crashed above, and before they could react, two blue flames appeared before them. Those that were still alert became startled; RuRu hid his face in his father's sleeve.
Above them, the group of spirits surrounded the creature while Sachiko confronted him.
"What you have done to this dimension… to my creation, is beyond a crime," She started to speak, but he cackled.
"Your creation? What you actually mean is that you stole my power all those years ago to create this blood-ridden school… to protect the secret that has been hidden with your family name for generations," He interrupted, and she blinked.
"That sword is a family relic. Those that aren't of Shinozaki blood wouldn't be able to handle its power," She continued.
"That would explain a lot with the blonde," He muttered.
"Alright, Sachiko. I'll make you a deal. I'll give you the sword, but in return, I get the school, and all the spirits within it. If you don't take the deal, I'll kill every single thing that is present in the school," He bargained, and she was silent.
"No," She simply said, and a growled radiated from his throat. The spirits glanced at her and at each other.
"Very well… I'll kill every last one of you," He turned towards the spirits.
"I wasn't done speaking," She interrupted, and he turned back to her.
"Okay, go on," He waved his hand. At that moment, even through the rain, a black plume of smoke started to form, entering from under her feet and around circled around the roof.
"The school is under my command. I am the core because the school has chosen me. You can't force yourself on the school… or deeper consequences will become clear. I created this dimension, and I can destroy it. You, however, are like a virus. You come here, and start to take apart the school slowly but surely… but eventually… you will die out," As she spoke, the smoke started to encircle him, and him alone.
"You really think your little tricks will tame me?" He tilted his head, and a hand went down on the roof tiles, and the smoke swayed away.
"Darkening isn't a little trick. Once it's inside you, you can't escape it," Sachiko replied, and he blinked. As more lightning and thunder crossed the skies, the spirits cleared away, the two that had been protecting Ami turned to the young child.
"Do not be afraid little one, you will be with your mother very soon," The older woman leaned down, but Ami stayed silent; she only nodded. Then, the woman reached forward, pressing a hand to the child's head. A moment later, and, along with the male spirit, the three of them disappeared.
The creature looked around and back at Sachiko, his head rising when he noticed her pupils were tinted with red…
Underneath the bridge, the blue flames quivered as they grew larger. When the light cleared away, the adults couldn't help but gasp.
"S-Sei…ko…" Naomi muttered out, recognizing one of the spirits that stood before them. At the mention of her name, she dipped her head in response, smiling.
"Suzumoto…" Satoshi breathed out, and Ayumi picked her head up at the name.
"Listen to us, this bridge will become unstable in a short amount of time and collapse. We've come to aid you to enter the forest, where it's safer," Mayu stepped forward, speaking for the both of them as Seiko was unable to talk. With quick glances between them, they nodded in agreement. From behind the two spirits, a light appeared, and grew brighter. When it dimmed, Ami was sitting on the concrete, rubbing her eyes. Two more spirits appeared the two that had saved her.
"Ami!" Ayumi gasped, and the little girl perked up and smiled, happy to see her mother. She rose to her feet, and ran past the two spirits to her mother. The two embraced tightly, and broke away when Ami noticed her father.
"Daddy?" She leaned over him, and his one open eye focused on her, and he smiled softly. At least he knew his daughter was okay.
With a low rumble from above, Mayu and Seiko looked at each other before back at the group.
"We have to hurry," Mayu pressed, and Naomi got to her feet in silence. She didn't know what to say, now that she was seeing the very person that had haunted her dreams for years. Here, standing before them, were the four people that was ripped away from existence, and the five had to live with the guilt of being alive.
With some help, Seiko had been the one to help Satoshi to his feet; he bit back a scream of pain, balancing himself out with one leg. Yoshiki had proven to be harder to move. On the brink of death, he was barely awake, so he was less responsive. He let out a weak groan of pain when he was lifted onto Sakutaro's shoulder, their former teacher, Ms. Yui on his other side. Without another moment lost, the group moved out from underneath the bridge and towards the forest…
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