Chapter 12: Sachiko's wrath
The storm grew in ferocity, the clouds starting to circle above them as the thunder and lightning grew intense. The wind picked up, blowing the hard downpour to an angle.
Sachiko stood motionless as the storm raged on, the black smoke encircling the creature. He repeatedly kept throwing it back, but that only made it grow stronger.
"You… think a… little storm is… going to stop me?" The creature laughed, panting. Sachiko did not answer him. Even with this creature being dead, and as hot as lava, the darkening would start affecting his sanity. No one, in the base of centuries, had stood up to this seemingly unbeatable sorcerer.
He was trespassing on her territory though; this was her land, her sky. She could control the heavens and hells, she was life and she was death.
When he didn't get a response, and chuckled, readying a spell in the palm of his hands. The storm continued to swirl above them, the lightning striking everywhere.
He reared up, throwing the swirl of magic into the air, towards the center of the storm.
What he didn't see coming was the flashes of lightning to strike back at him, the bolts of electricity striking right through the black magic and destroying it. A bright flash of light lit up from the contact. But the storm was not calmed. It only grew stronger in intensity. It was a like an untamed beast, only growing angrier at each passing second. This storm was representing Sachiko's emotions towards the creature.
The creature's mouth was agape, and he looked back at Sachiko. At this point, the ghastly spirit was in the air, her dress and hair swaying in the wind. Her eyes were no longer the dull grey-blue… they were a piercing red.
Suddenly, she threw her hand out towards the creature. He was expecting the storm to strike him. But it didn't. Instead, he felt a warm liquid on the base of his nose. It started to burn him, and he screeched out. He glanced up at her, noticing she was grinning manically. She brought her hand up, a slit across the palm of her hand, blood pouring out as it dripped. Within the cut, there was a shine of some sort, but it wasn't the blood.
He glanced down, and his eyes widened. She had retrieved the sword, it below her, the tip of its blade stained with her blood.
"Unlike many of those… few in the Shinozaki name… know the real secret to destroying you," She spoke, as the burning grew more intense; it started to travel through his entire body.
"N-No! You cannot destroy me! Mark my words Sachiko! I will return to get my revenge!" He roared.
"Save your breath, Xiuhcoatl," She breathed, and he let out a gasp.
"H-How… did you know… my name?" He breathed, and she smiled.
"All of us have our own little secrets, now don't we?" She tilted her head. He didn't have a chance to reply before the storm crashed above, and lightning struck below, striking his body in the process. He screeched out, the burning that was once present had grown by a tenfold. His screams of agony were swallowed as thunder crashed out, and a light exploded out from his body, before it dimmed.
The bridge had collapsed under the extreme power of the storm, the roof having caved in. A pile of rubble sit underneath, smoke rising as it entered back into Sachiko's body.
The storm began weaken, the heavy downpour having finally settled to a light drizzle. Lightning and thunder had finally calmed the dark clouds that had plagued the dimension for decades were starting to clear. Through those clouds, a sun that had not been seen by many for so long, had finally broke through the clouds.
Sachiko came down before the rubble, seeing what had become of him. Lying there, on top of a piece of wood, a large reptilian-like skull hung there. There was no sign of the rest of his body; the tar that had covered his body splattered everywhere. But eventually, even it disappeared.
The spirits started to appear again, gathering around Sachiko.
"What will we do now Sachiko?" A spirit asked, and she was silent. Slowly, her red dress, stained with the color of crimson, started to change into a soft yellow. Messy hair, matted and unkempt, started to turn soft, two barrettes holding her bangs back. As the sun brightened over the school and forest, the rain finally stopped, raindrops dripping off trees and covering the grass.
Around her, the spirits started to lose their transparency, their pale blue hue turning to the color of human again, and the school outfit's they had died in turned white. The wounds, the scars they had died with healed over, the pain gone.
Even Yuuya had returned to a normal looking human. His skin, having been ripped off his body, returned as a white shirt and pants appeared over his body. He let out a gasp, feeling the need to breathe after so long.
In the forest, the four that had helped the nine that were living, had returned normal as well, their clothes turning white. Seiko no longer felt the tug at her throat, the reason she could speak returning to her.
The group of nine had only watched as the creature was destroyed, and watched their friends, plagued by the pain and sorrow for so long, returned into flesh and bones.
Sachiko walked up to the group, the spirits behind her.
"S-Sachiko… what's going on? What's happened to all of you?" Ayumi voice cracked as she asked.
"The curse has been broken. The school is no longer held under a dark age of pain and sorrow. Soon, this entire dimension will disappear, as well as all of us," She replied, the other four spirits staying silent.
"Where will we go?" Seiko, finally having a voice, asked, and Sachiko smiled softly.
"To the place we all deserve to go," She responded, and the spirits exchanged glances.
"W-What about us?" Satoshi interrupted, and Sachiko blinked.
"All of you… will return to the real world. The curse of Heavenly Host no longer will plague your minds… and your children will live happily. I'm… so sorry I brought you back here… and brought your children into the mix-" A low rumble cut her off, and the school behind them started to shake and shiver. Slowly, it started to dissipate and float into the skies above.
"You must hurry… Your time to escape is running out… Your goodbyes must be short…" Sachiko warned them.
At her words, Naomi rose to her feet, Koji still in her arms. She faced Seiko, the shorter brunette smiling at her friend. The adult couldn't stand it anymore; she lunged forward, embracing her best friend, small sobs escaping her.
"H-Hey… you still haven't forgiven yourself? Naomi… You know I would always forgive you," Seiko spoke, wrapping her arms around her friend.
"B-But… I killed you… H-How can you-"
"Hey now, don't act like that! You're not acting like the strong Naomi I've come to love!" Seiko teased, and Naomi only shivered. They broke apart, and Seiko just continued to smile.
"You have beautiful children too, I'm so proud of you Naomi," She replied, and the older brunette sniffed. Their goodbyes were short lived when the ground rumbled again. Everybody turned back to the school, the building almost gone.
"Listen to me… all of you must be together; holding hands or something, you mustn't separate…" Sachiko replied quickly, and Naomi nodded, breaking away from Seiko as the ground continued to shake.
The spirits started to lift off the ground as well.
"W-Wait! Sachiko!" Ayumi called for the child spirit, and the girl blinked.
"W-What about those… that were killed by that creature?" She asked, and Sachiko smiled.
"They are waiting for us," She replied, and Ayumi blinked. The adult glanced at the others as the ground continued to rumble. Soon, the ground was starting to dissipate. The group of living huddled together, the children tight in their parents grasp.
With one last effort, Sachiko waved her hand out, using the last bit of magic from the sword to return the group. A white light enveloped them, as it grew brighter. Before they disappeared… they heard a voice…
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Two more chapters to go everybody!