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Rosario + Vampire: Angel of Death
Chapter 12
Witch's Ranch. Nighttime.
"Rubi…" O-Yukata said. "How dare you betray me for those insolent humans!" The gem in the book she held started to glow. "You will all die… this city, those humans, everything that I hate will be destroyed! Nothing shall stop me from completing my goal!"
It had only been a second since the five Newspaper Club members showed up once again at the Witch's Ranch, home to their new friend, Rubi, and her master. Only a second had passed since Rubi was wounded by her master, and now she was lying on the ground, slowly bleeding from her chest.
But as Tsukune and the rest tried to think of something to do, all of the sunflowers surrounding them started to close up, man-eating beasts emerging from the ground, as the elder witch raised her arms in the air, summoning them to do her bidding. "Devour those humans so not even their bones are left!" she screamed.
Many of the beasts, free from their slumber, snarled at the students in front of them. Tsukune, seeing the vast majority of these creatures, was petrified. No way, he thought, this isn't good. I can't believe that all of these sunflower patches were filled with monsters!"
Haru, still standing next to Rubi, had the same thing in mind, only different. So, he thought, the queen is bringing out her pawns. There has to be thousands of them, if not more… He looked back at Rubi, who was still clutching her wound. But these bastards have no idea that Death is coming for them, all because of their Master's disregard of life…
The witch looked back at her creations. "Now," she said, "is the time to take my plan into action. By using the beasts that I've grown, this city will turn into a sea of flame by sunset!" She looked at the group around Rubi, her former ally, "But before that, I must rid myself of these pests first!" She beckoned at her monsters, and pointed at the students. "Kill them!"
As she raised her book in the air, Rubi slowly got up, and faced her master. O-Yukata was surprised.
"Please, Master," she said, her voice growing weak from her wounds, "please don't be angry… Ever since I met with Tsukune-san and his friends, I've sensed a possibility that humans and witches could coexist with each other! If you destroy them along with the city, then that chance will be lost forever! You must not fight! Please!"
The elder witch clutched her book tightly in anger. "Rubi…" she said, "What has happened to you? You seem to have forgotten that I took care of you like my own child…" She lowered the book close to her face, the monsters around her staying close to her. "Why?! Why would you ever help these humans?! You are a disgrace to the witches!" She then, with a fling of her arm, sent the man-eaters at them, chomping and slobbering at their meals. The girls screamed, shielding their eyes, as Tsukune ran in front, eyes closed and hoping to shield his friends from the danger in front of him.
But before he could feel any pain from the beasts, he heard a series of loud cries and some sort of movement. Tsukune opened his eyes to see that Haru, running in front of the human, kicked away the small wave of monsters.
Tsukune was taken aback. "H-Haru-san?"
Haru lowered his leg, still holding onto his duffel bag. "Tsukune." he said, "Go to Moka and the other girls, and try to get them and Rubi out of here. Make sure nothing happens to them."
Tsukune looked at Haru. "What about you? What are you going to do?"
As Haru turned around to respond, Tsukune was surprised to see rage even worse than he had seen before come from Haru's eyes. "I'm about to teach these superior rejects the difference between them and a warrior, in my own way."
Tsukune took a few steps back, remembering what everyone told him about Haru when he came to rescue him and Moka, resulting in a near bloodbath of the PSC thugs when they tried to take the angel on. The look he had heard of was the same as the look Haru gave him. He nodded, and ran back to the girls. Haru walked slowly towards the witch and the monsters around him.
"Hmph," the witch said, "and who do you think you are, some kind of hero?"
Haru looked away. Why does everybody ask me that? he thought. He then turned to O-Yukata. "I'm no hero, I just do what I can to honor my kind. After all, protecting others is what we're known to do."
The witch laughed. "Protect others? Humans do not protect! They seek and destroy anything they can or cannot reach! They are the evil in this world, and my solution is the only way to end them all!"
Haru, not budging from his spot, spoke up. "And you think that the only way to destroy humans is by creating plant monsters? Don't make me laugh. That's about as threatening as an army of children, or worse, an army of worms. Do you really think any human could take you seriously when you send these Cabbage Patch rejects at them? I wouldn't be surprised if they just laughed instead!"
The witch, growing impatient with him, smiled. "Then perhaps when they tear you to shreds, you'll understand how dangerous they are!" She waved her book at him, and several man-eaters circled him. Haru looked around slowly, looking into what he assumed was their eyes as they moved around him.
"Fine," he said, "but don't say I didn't warn you…"
He stood there, silently, waiting for a beast to lunge at him. Suddenly, a beast reared up, and attacked, but Haru dodged, and calmly kicked the beast back, using his duffel bag to swat at the beasts that, one by one, lunged at him. After a few close attacks, he reached for his sword, drew it, and slashed at three beasts that jumped at him simultaneously. They landed behind him, and then crumpled to pieces, green blood gushing out from their bodies. The witch stood near, shocked, as Haru threw the bag that hid his masamune back at his allies, and proceeded to attack at each beast with great ferocity. He performed Lion Cross on multiple beasts, and went all out on the rest.
Tsukune looked at the battle, surprised. No way, he thought. This is Haru-san without his wings!? It's like there's no difference in strength!
Haru slashed left and right, his long sword reaching many beasts, and green blood gushed out every time his blade hit flesh. He spun, lunged, crushed, whatever he did, the man-eaters could not stop. He let out a blood-curdling yell as he ran towards a group of monsters, brought his blade up, and with tremendous speed, cut through them all like they were nothing. When he landed, he pointed his blood-drenched blade at the elder witch's neck, looking on with unrivaled malice.
"You see?" he said as the cries of the wounded and near dead echoed around him, "and I barely broke a sweat…"
The witch looked at Haru, a small amount of fear in her eyes. "What," she said, "w-what in the devil ARE YOU?!"
Haru grasped the masamune with both hands, and assumed his battle form. "Would you believe me," he said, "if I said I was Death incarnate?"
He heard a series of slashes behind him, and he turned to see Kurumu, bringing out her claws, attack some of the beasts that didn't face the angel. Haru gritted his teeth, attacked O-Yukata, and back flipped to Kurumu's position.
"Dammit, succubus," he said, "I thought I told Tsukune to get you guys out of here!"
Kurumu grunted. "There was no way that would ever happen," she said, "after all, whoever attacks my Tsukune will pay for it!"
Haru cursed under his breath. "Fine. Just stay out of my way." he said. "Knowing Tsukune, he still doubts my power…"
O-Yukata stood there, dumbfounded, as Kurumu assumed her succubus form, and with Haru, slaughtered the beasts around them.
What is going on?! the witch thought, how can humans use such strength and form? Unless…
She raised an arm, holding her book closely. "I knew it. Rubi couldn't be defeated by mere humans! Those two must be ayashi! But why would they help humans?" She looked at her remaining soldiers, and looked back, a fierce look on her face. "It doesn't matter. Kill her as well! Whosoever gets in my way must die!"
A few beasts lunged at Kurumu and Haru, but the succubus and the angel sliced them all like they were nothing, working perfectly with each other, as Kurumu launched herself in the air.
She noticed a few beasts lunge at her, but they were stopped by Yukari's magic cards, as she swept in to face the monsters alongside her friends.
"I'm here to help, everyone!" Yukari said, brandishing her wand, readying herself into battle.
"Yukari-chan?" Kurumu said, facing the opposite way from Yukari, as the two were surrounded by man-eaters. "Idiot, this place is dangerous! Little kids should stay back."
Yukari laughed. "Just be quiet. Someone like you shouldn't be telling others to back off."
Kurumu faced the young witch, anger in her eyes, as Yukari did the same. Haru slashed at a few monsters, and turned at the women. "Would you two focus?! This is no time for your idiotic arguing!"
Yukari and Kurumu looked at the angel, and sighed. "Well," Kurumu said, "he does have a point…"
Yukari nodded. "I couldn't agree more. After all, it seems like we have to work together for now."
The two friends lunged at the beasts, slicing and blasting at them with their magic, joining Haru at the assault.
Rubi, still on the ground, was amazed at their strength. Tsukune just grew worried. I can't believe this is happening, he thought. Is it really too late to stop this? These monsters are trying to invade the city and kill everybody there. What if fighting is the only way to settle this?
Tsukune clenched his fists, conflicted in what he should do.
After a few minutes, of fighting, Haru, Kurumu, and Yukari stood close by, surrounded by dead monsters. The girls were sweating from the fight, their clothes clinging to their skin,
"Hmph." Haru said, looking at Yukari and Kurumu. "Not bad, you two. Maybe there IS something I can trust you in doing…"
Kurumu looked at Haru. "Is that a compliment from the brooder? I must be dreaming."
Yukari laughed. Haru looked away, and faced the elder witch, pointing his blade at her. "Give it up, witch. No matter how many of those abominations you have, they're nothing against us."
The witch shook with rage, and opened her book. "Why are you helping the humans?" she asked. Kurumu and Yukari looked at her in confusion. "Seems that you all still understand very little about anything…"
A bright flash of light came from the book, engulfing the students and Rubi, as O-Yukata chanted some text from the book. "I shall show you all the 'true future' of this ranch, and the dark side of the human beings…"
The light got brighter, as Tsukune was blinded as a result. When his vision returned, he was horrified at what he saw.
All of the ranch, the beautiful scenery, the garden, everything, had been turned into trash.
Tsukune's eyes widened in shock as Haru looked around, finding himself closer to the others and the elder witch on higher ground, surrounded by her creations.
He looked around at the change of scenery. What the hell? he thought. What is this place?
The witch looked down at the group. "Do you understand now? Do you know where this dump is? This is the 'thing' that the humans are trying to build! At my ranch! Those abominable humans are trying to build a trash site out of the witch's ranch."
Tsukune and Moka looked at her, shaken by her words, and the environment they were in.
The witch continued. "Do you understand my pain and how it turned into anger and hatred? I've lived for over a hundred years, and ever since the city that you know of was a small town, and humans didn't dare to step onto this ground, I have been this way. Now, it may not look like much of anything, but I once had a family on this ranch. Those who were driven from their homes by selfish humans. They had no other place to go, and as a result, this place became a paradise for us." Her face, which turned to a sad expression, resumed its raged look. "These humans that come after us, destroy forests and kill creatures right in front of us. And after all of that, they wish to turn this place into a mere trash site?! Do not mock us!"
Tsukune stood there, aghast. He remembered what the bus driver said, about how the relationship between humans and witches was deeper than he thought, how Moka when they first met professed her former hatred for humans because of how they treated her, each thought made it hard for Tsukune to stand alone.
He then walked towards the elder witch, past his friends, and got down on his knees.
Everyone was shocked, even Haru. What in the hell is he thinking?! Does he actually like people trying to kill him?!
O-Yukata was taken aback. "What is this? You're asking for forgiveness?" She grew angrier. "You fool, even if you beg for forgiveness now, nothing will change my mind!"
"Please forgive us!"
O-Yukata, surprised by Tsukune's outburst, got quiet, as he continued. "I was so naïve because Moka-san, Kurumu-chan, and everyone else were nice to me. But I never realized that humans are hated this much. I've always been surrounded by my kind friends which must have made me too naïve that I… I had no idea what was going on at all. Please, forgive us. If we can make it up for it, I'll do anything for this ranch."
As he said this, Haru reached for Tsukune, and belted him in the face.
"Haru-san!" Moka shouted.
The angel raised the human in the air by his collar. "Dammit, Tsukune, when will you learn? In situations like this, you can't reason with the enemy. All that you can do, when they're this far off into completing their goals alone, is to fight. Talk is cheap, but battle is not. Only when you truly understand that will you know the true decision: to defeat them. Why can't you see that after all this time?!"
Tsukune looked down at him, clutching at Haru's arm. "I told you before, I don't want to see pointless bloodshed. No matter how much someone wants to destroy, I will always know that there is a side to reason with."
Haru brought the human closer. "And what if it costs you your life? Not everyone can be reasoned with."
Tsukune looked into Haru's visible eye. "Then I'll die trying." he said.
Suddenly, Moka screamed, as the elder witch wrapped her vines around the vampire's neck, dragging her close to O-Yukata.
Tsukune cried out to Moka. Haru dropped the human, and pointed his sword at her. "Let her go!" he said.
The elder witch smiled, bringing Moka close to her.
"What are you doing to Moka-san?!" Tsukune cried out.
The witch laughed. "Being naïve means that you're determined to be punished, correct? Kuku, the let us test it out, foolish human!"
"Witch!" Haru shouted, a fierce look in his eyes, "if you so much as draw blood from her, no force in Heaven or Earth will save you from the wounds I will give you!"
O-Yukata laughed. "Crimes must be punished." She beckoned at her creations, who were almost forgotten, "Kill her first!"
Tsukune widened his eyes. No…
He tried to stand up, but the witch wouldn't let him. "Watch closely as I finish her off. If you can sit there without attacking me, then I'll rethink my plan to destroy the city! I'll let you have a taste of what it's like to lose someone important!"
Tsukune sat there, lost about what to do. Haru's mind was racing. I can't let that bitch kill Moka! Even if my honor wasn't at stake, I can't let this happen!
Suddenly, they heard Moka's voice calling out to them. "Don't worry, Tsukune, Haru-san. No matter what kind of history you have, it's always better to live together peacefully. Me, Kurumu-chan, Yukari-chan, and even Rubi-san, we all learned that from you, Tsukune." She smiled, despite feeling the vines around her neck begin to tighten, "You are not wrong. I will believe in you, no matter what."
Kurumu, Rubi, and Yukari, even from afar, took her words in deeply. Tsukune still sat there, lost in thought, the words of Moka echoing in his mind.
"Curse this woman," O-Yukata said, "I was going to choose one that valued their life more… Curses!" She raised Moka higher in the air. "Then, as a request, die!"
Suddenly, Tsukune screamed at her to stop, as he rushed at the witch and Moka.
The witch smiled. "So you decided to do something after all. Is this why humans are untrustworthy?"
She nodded at the human, as her man-eaters lunged at Tsukune, cutting shallow to deep wounds on his body.
But that did not stop him, as he continued despite being attacked by monsters he could not defeat. And yet, as some of them began to bite on his arms, he began to slow down. Kurumu shouted Tsukune's name, as she rushed in, only to find that the other man-eaters were standing in her way.
"Even after begging for forgiveness, you would turn against us in desperate situations! You are no different that trash!" O-Yukata said.
Tsukune, still trying to move, looked into the elder with determination. "You're wrong! If it will save my friends, then I will take the punishment. I'll take on all of them! So please, let Moka-san go!"
The witch and Moka stood there as the man-eaters continued to swarm around their human gourmet. Moka began to cry.
The witch snarled. "Shut him up." she said, "Devour him!"
Suddenly, she retched forth, tasting blood in her mouth, as she saw a red blade pierce her chest. She looked back to see Haru, eyes brighter than flame, hold his sword though the witch.
"What are you-?!" she said, before she coughed up more blood.
"Just testing a theory," he said, as he looked in front of him, "and it looks like I was right."
O-Yukata looked at the direction Haru faced, just to see Moka slip from her clutches, and rush to Tsukune's aid.
"Moka!" Haru shouted. "Hurry up and help him! And to your other side, when you emerge, save some for me! I want nothing more than to kill this bitch!"
O-Yukata tried to stop Moka, but Haru twisted the blade, making it impossible for the witch to move.
As Moka lunged into the croup of man-eaters, it wasn't long before a bright flash of light engulfed the monsters, forcing them to back off. The witch was surprised. "WHAT? How did she-?"
Haru got close to her. "The first mistake you made was that you underestimated us. Only one of us was truly human. And, you just pissed off a powerful enemy…"
The witch looked on through the blinding light, just to see Other Moka emerge, clothes torn and Tsukune in her arms.
A bleeding Tsukune, rosario in hand, looked at the vampire next to him. "Mo…Moka-san…"
Other Moka smiled. "You idiot. Doing such a crazy thing even though you are a human. But, thanks to your foolish antics, we're saved, Tsukune."
Rubi was taken aback by the transformation. This… she thought, THIS is her true form? What power!
Kurumu sat down in relief. "Thank God. Tsukune managed to pull off her rosario…"
Haru slowly pulled the blade out of O-Yukata. "Now things will get interesting…" he said. "Moka! I left you some for you to fight. Just be sure not to destroy her entirely. That's my job."
Moka grinned. "Hmph." she said.
The witch, holding her book to her wound, in hopes that it would heal faster, raised her arm in the air, producing many vines. "I don't believe it. And here I thought you'd be dead when you jumped headfirst into the man-eaters. But it seems that you too are an ayashi. All of you are even more of an eyesore than I thought." She then waved her arm in front of her, sending dozens of vines at the vampire. "Stop getting in my way!"
Other Moka, tuning out the witch's words, ran up to her and kicked her square in the face, sending her flying and crashing several dozen feet from where she stood.
"Too bad for you," Other Moka said, as Haru turned around, "I'm not as forgiving as Tsukune is…"
Haru grunted. "Thank God for that." he said.
Other Moka smiled, and brushed her hair aside. "More blood rather than explanation. Isn't that what you desired?"
The witch got up slowly, coughing up even more blood. Tsukune and the rest rushed to the vampire's and the angel's aid, seeing if they were alright.
Suddenly, they heard a weak laugh coming from the witch, as she looked up, taking off her hood. "Do not take me lightly, little girl." She then placed her hand on the book's cover, as her aura began to grow.
"Oh, no!" Rubi said. "That spell… She can't be think of using…"
The remaining man-eaters turned to their creator, and ran at her, clinging onto their master.
"I have lived for over a hundred years. Through years of experience, I shall show you my true strength. I shall make you regret the day that you made me serious!"
As each man-eater touched her, they began to form a giant mass of power, as the witch's aura continued to grow.
"No way," Tsukune said, "Is this some kind of joke?"
Haru wiped the blood from his sword, fighting his body's urge to rest. "I wish." he said. "Looks like things really are getting interesting…"
Other Moka grunted. "What a fool. It seems like she won't understand her place unless she dies…"
"No, Master!" Rubi shouted. "You mustn't use that spell!"
Her pleads did not reach the witch's ears in time, as the mass of man-eaters suddenly exploded into a bright light.
To be continued…