ARC II: The Fight for Earth
"Glory to Shishima!"
"Praised be Shishima!"
"There are no other gods, the only Lord is Shishima, now and forevermore!"
Those were the chants that Shinobu's robed cultists shouted late into the night from the security room downstairs. Overpowering the guardian was a piece of cake since they outnumbered him, now his body lay on the floor, throat slit open in the name of their demon worship. From there they had access to all cameras inside, since Demon Subaru did not cut off the electricity in that area, just so they could enjoy the spectacle of their master toying around with his latest prey, the sheltered rich prep Hajime Shirayama. None of them was particularly fond of him due to his arrogant personality. Although he was a fellow lonely introvert, he refused to associate with them due to prejudice and misplaced principle. Shinobu especially loathed his snobbish attitude, no different from that of young rich kids who loved to parade themselves on talk shows and show off just how special they were.
"Shinobu, may I ask you something?" Keiichi spoke, leaving the small choir who were still chanting, almost entranced.
"Make it quick," Shinobu shortly replied, it was clear that she was not in the mood for small talk.
"Why do you think our master is targeting the Shirayama guy specifically? Sure, his family's wealthy, but they're not exactly politicians or in any position of power. Don't you think it would've made more sense if he went for the mayor's family, or maybe someone who's close to the chief of police?"
"Fool, have you not been paying any attention whatsoever? Hajime has been snooping around, trying to investigate our master's murders. The reason for this is clear as day: he wants revenge for his best friend Ken's demise. But now his foolish devotion to a dead man will signal his very own demise! Which reminds me, I've noticed that he has gotten quite close to Jack Thornton and his girlfriend."
"Do you think he had sent that traitorous American to spy on us?"
"Oh, I'm certain of it." Shinobu walked to the center of the room and loudly cleared her throat so that all attention would be drawn to her. "My loyal Spawns of Shishima, what we have witnessed here tonight marks the first triumph of our master, the very first stone that was laid upon the foundation of his upcoming kingdom of death! As you have seen, our colleague Hajime has been blinded by the false notions of justice that were programmed into him since childhood. Instead of accepting his friend's demise as an omen of change, instead of seeing the fear that Lord Shishima inspires within all mortals, instead of bowing down and accepting his state of weakness, he chose to openly defy our master. And now look where that brought him, I invite all of you to gaze into the abyss of his misery!" She gestured to the screen where they could all see the defeated Hajime raised from the floor by Demon Subaru, his terrified face held tightly into those clawed hands. "Let this be a lesson to all who dare oppose Shishima, for they will end up forgotten in the nothingness of the past, while we will be the inheritors of a new world!" She paused to enjoy the loud cheers that the robed young adults gave, both onto her and the demon they worshiped. "After our master has dealt with this lowly vermin, we will go after the one who has betrayed our brethren to the police! Once the spying traitor Jack Thornton is offered to Lord Shishima as a sacrifice, our revenge will be complete!"
Unbeknownst to them, Demon Edo had been eavesdropping on their meeting from behind the closed door. Having heard enough of their insanity, he walked off down the corridor, dragging on a limp leg and broken wing. As he painfully made his way to the stairs where he had been defeated, he could not help but notice how untidy his brown suit had become. Years ago, he used to wear it at standup routines, weddings and official gatherings. Now it was darkened by burns and stained by blood, what was once a symbol of joy had been perverted into one of agony. He found that Demon Sora was in no better shape. Still fainted from Hajime's direct attack, she was collapsed on the floor with cards scattered around her, her green kimono being as damaged as his own formal attire. How the mighty had fallen... Just an hour ago they were both hiding and stalking Tsugumi's grandson, toying with his fears and savoring his inner torment. And just by dueling them, he had easily turned the tables and knocked both of them off of their pedestals. Demon Edo packed up Demon Sora's deck, gently placing it in her kimono, after which he shook her awake.
"What happened?" she murmured, slowly getting back to her senses.
"We both lost to Hajime," he said while helping her get up. "But don't worry, the master has put him in his place, no thanks to you!"
"To me? If I recall, you didn't fare any better against him, smartass!"
"Maybe you're right..."
"What's that? No snide quip? No bad jabs at me? That's new."
"I'm not in the mood for bickering. Look, I know what I'm going to say will sound crazy, but... maybe you were right."
"Well of course I'm always right!" Demon Sora exclaimed, both hands on her hips to emphasize her authority. "You're just too smug to ever consider my point of view!"
"No, what I meant to say is that you were right about that Shinobu girl. She's not only unpredictable, but she's getting more and more drunk with power."
"Power? Don't make me laugh, she's a mortal leading other mortals while we have demon blood coursing through our veins!"
"And yet that demon blood was not enough for us to defeat Hajime. Just look at our poor performance tonight..." Demon Edo took a long look upstairs, and although he could not see what was happening, he could still feel the terror experienced by Hajime. "I'm afraid that if the master gets used to their ass kissing, he might start viewing them as more useful than us. If that is the case, we'll both be done for."
Against her pride and ego, Demon Sora placed a comforting hand on her partner's shoulder and calmly replied, "Let's just wait and try our best next time. I know we've never been the best of friends, but... I also don't want us to be reduced to mere corpses again."
Demon Edo shot back a surprisingly friendly smirk. "Glad that makes two of us."
Hajime could barely keep his eyes open, but he still felt the soul-piercing glare of his enemy. After braving through that gauntlet of horrors and working hard to overcome each obstacle thrown at him, he had fallen in the final battle. Truly, he had disappointed his grandmother, for he had not lived up to her name and strength, nor could he even avenge her unfortunate demise. To make matters worse, his failure meant that the monster was now free to unleash his terror upon the rest of the world. If all was lost, he hoped that at least his own demise would be quick. Closing his eyes, he uttered a prayer in his mind for the safety of his parents and few remaining friends.
Bochiborof laughed at the sight of his master's triumph and turned to a security camera to shout, "Hey Shinobu, be sure to record every part! I'm sure this material will help keep in line any new followers!"
Demon Subaru graciously raised his free hand and let his sharp claws shine in the moonlight. He took aim at the youth's stomach and stood still in those solemn moments, for he wanted all of his followers to savor the delight of his rival's impending doom. Just as he was about to make the first strike, a small object hit his hand, forcing him to drop the would-be victim. Looking down, he noticed that it was but a mere seed.
"Who dares interrupt-" Before Bochiborof could finish his sentence, a pair of wooden sandals collided with his face, thrusting him into a wall.
Demon Subaru growled and turned to face the intruder, but the figure rushed past him at a surprising pace, picking up both Hajime and his suitcase, and bolting down the stairs. Infuriated by the sudden interruption, he shrieked, "Demon Edo, Demon Sora, stop them!"
Startled by the sudden command, the duo prepared both wings and claws to apprehend whoever was attempting to rescue their master's victim, but the mysterious figure carrying Hajime simply jumped off the stairs, wooden sandals colliding with their heads and knocking them out once more. Not wasting any time, the stranger took off, seeking the nearest exit.
Shinobu clenched her teeth, trying to withhold the anger boiling inside. How could someone dare to steal her master's most important victory in such a humiliating manner? Such an affront was not only unacceptable, but also worthy of nothing else but the capital punishment. Instinctively, she fetched her ritual knife and ran out of the security room, intent on pursuing the culprit, but she quickly stopped when she noticed that the others remained inside, glued to the screens to watch what was about to unfold.
"Idiots, our Lord needs us, stop wasting time!" she chastised, snapping them back to reality.
"Oh right... Sorry, Shinobu, I guess we were getting too into it," Keiichi apologized as they all headed to the open door.
All of a sudden, pairs upon pairs of spiked vines emerged out of the floor and ceiling, blocking the exit and windows of that room, trapping the boys inside like animals in a cage. Their shocked cries and whimpers of help fell on deaf ears though, as Shinobu simply shook her head and took her leave. In wasting time and not being alert, they had failed the master, and as such she was certain that they would receive a most befitting punishment.
A sweet flowery scent made its way down Hajime's nostrils, waking him back to reality. He was being carried on the back of someone with long black hair wrapped in a ponytail, loud rushed footsteps echoing in the empty dim corridors. The last thing he recalled before passing out was staring death in the eye, now there he was, rescued by this mysterious figure.
"Who are you?" he managed to mutter, his voice surprisingly raspy.
"Now is not the time for explanations, we must get out of here before he finds us!" a young woman's voice firmly replied.
"Wouldn't it be better if you put me down so I won't burden you?"
"Right now you're in no physical state to escape Shishima's traps. Just trust me, I promise I will get us both to safety."
In a matter of seconds they reached the main exit, the very one which Hajime had earlier tried to unlock, to no avail. His rescuer placed her palms on the doors and tapped the metallic construction for a few seconds, before concluding, "It's being locked by youkai magic. There's no possible way anyone could-"
"Duck!" Hajime shouted in a frenzied panic.
Outside, beneath the moon's gaze and in the calming autumn air, Jack and Lori were having a romantic walk in the park. Despite the worries brought by the murderous cult, they were willing to set everything aside for some sweet moments of intimacy, because in the end that was all that mattered. And yet, despite choosing their own well-being over the common good, Jack could not help but feel a pang of guilt jabbing at his heart. He gave a sigh of regret and whispered to his beloved, "You know, I'm kind of sorry I didn't help Hajime out some more."
"No, you did the right thing by getting the police involved," Lori reassured him. "That's their job, Hajime's the stupid one for putting himself in danger."
"I agree, but still, would grandma Rita have done the same thing if her friends were in need?"
"Jack, stop comparing yourself to her. You're your own person, not some kind of wacky superhero. So yes, you were in your full right to choose safety over fighting a bunch of weirdos with knives and a psycho serial killer."
"I guess you're right, and besides, nowhere's safer than in your arms," Jack winked and leaned in to steal a kiss from Lori.
"That's something we can both agree on." She nodded back and kissed him even deeper than before, wrapping her arms around his body.
When Jack opened his eyes, he had the shock of seeing that the university campus from afar was suddenly surrounded by an eerie red fog. Breaking the kiss, he pointed in its direction and fearfully uttered, "What the hell is going on there?!"
"What in the actual...?" Lori also murmured in disbelief at the strange sight. "It must be some kind of light trick or something."
"Something fishy is definitely happening and we both know it. Hurry, we must investigate the campus!"
"Jack, no, this isn't our business, we should leave it to the police."
"Do you honestly think that they can deal with whatever is fucking going on there?!"
"At this moment, I don't know and I also don't care. This city's clearly not safe for us anymore. Let's just high tail it out of here!"
Before her boyfriend could protest, Lori grabbed his hand tight and ran with him out of the park, in the direction of the dorm rooms. On their way, she pulled out her cell phone and made a quick call. "Hello, Sagakin Train Station? Yes, I would like to book two tickets for the next ride to Tokyo. It's leaving in an hour? Great, we will be there as soon as possible!" she exclaimed, a great relief in her voice. "No, we don't have any seat preferences. Yes, we will pay by credit card. Thank you, goodbye."
Shinobu's knife ended up in the gap between the two doors. Hajime lay on the floor next to his suitcase, trying to recover from the sudden shock, while his rescuer, who had barely avoided the blade's deadly strike, turned to face their attacker. As Shinobu struggled to pull her weapon out, a rose with sharp spines was tossed at her hand, cutting her fingers so that she let go of the knife handle.
"You wench, who do you think you are to defy me?!" the cult leader spat as she clenched her wounded bleeding fist.
The one facing her was a tall girl donning a dark blue yukata with multicolored flower patterns, a piercing and determined look in her brown eyes despite her delicate face and innocent appearance.
"You wish for me to introduce myself? Very well, I shall grant you your request," the stranger replied with a formality unsuited to the current situation. "I am but a humble priestess. In my early childhood, I was given away to be raised in a Shinto shrine. Since then, I have been versed in the ways of purifying the world around of its evils. And now I have come here, seeking to cleanse the evil of the daiyoukai Shishima, whom you blindly follow as a god!"
"Hahaha, I don't give a damn about your fairytales, you wannabe priestess!" Shinobu mocked her while wrapping a piece of white fabric around her wounded hand. "All I want to know is your name, before I bring your worthless flesh as a sacrifice towards the almighty!"
"My name is Sayo," she replied while revealing a travel bag on a stick which she had been hiding under her armpit. "I am the one who will put an end to this insanity. I regret to say this, but your faith is tragically misplaced," she continued while unwrapping the bag and searching it. "If you truly wish to worship something, then aspire to anything greater than the depraved madness that this monster is offering you!"
"You're stuck in a life and death situation, yet you're still willing to preach your spiritual nonsense? You must either be blind or stupid." Shinobu smirked as she saw the other girl pull out a deck. "I see, so you are definitely stupid." Not wasting any time, she also took out a deck from her college uniform. "In the name of Shishima, I accept your foolish challenge."
Two dueling tables emerged from the floor, each going to them and setting up their cards. Five rectangular blue shields materialized above them as their match began.
"I cast Scale of Bravery and Love which discards VAN Beethoven, Zenith of "Shura" from my hand and I draw two cards," Sayo said.
"You wish to deplete your hand? I'll gladly help you! I summon Troll, Graffiti Doll." A troll doll with pink hair and raven wings appeared by Shinobu's side, a jug of poisoned paint and a spoon held in its hands. "Gravity Zero, since I have a Death Puppet in the battle zone, I cast Pet Puppet, Puppet Trick for free and I discard a card at random from your hand." Her opponent frowned as she tossed Honenbe, Skeletal Guardian into the graveyard.
"I charge mana and end my turn."
"Not much of a talker, are you? Well then, I cast Brain Touch which allows me to draw a card and discard a card at random from your hand!" Sayo sighed as Hayabusamaru, Lightfang Ninja also fell into her graveyard. "Poor, poor priestess. I guess you're all bark and no bite. I attack with Troll and use its Soul Recall 1 effect to send Brain Touch from my graveyard to the bottom of my deck and discard another card at random!" Magnum, Shortshot was the next card which left the opponent's hand. "Troll, break her shield!" The troll doll tossed a spoonful of its poison upon one of the shields, shattering it into many pieces. "I end my turn."
"I charge mana and end."
"Your deck is quite limited, from the looks of it. No matter, Shishima's blessing is upon me, and thus my path to victory is certain! I summon Phal Pierro, Apocalyptic Guardian and destroy him to recover Pet Puppet from my graveyard. Gravity Zero, I cast Pet Puppet again for free and discard another card from your hand!" Sayo bit her lip as Dorgan Churis went into her graveyard. "Troll, attack and Soul Recall 1, I send Pet Puppet to the bottom of my deck and discard you yet again." The next card to go was Rafululu, Sound Faerie. "Troll, break another shield!" The troll doll tossed another spoonful of poison at another one of the opposing shields, shattering it. Smirking with satisfaction, the cult leader concluded, "Your move."
"I cast Demon Wolf, Betrayal Moonlight Castle. Mana Arms 4, since I have 4 multicolored cards in my mana zone, you will discard three cards from your hand instead of one!"
"What the...?" Shinobu gasped as she lost Jenny, the Suicide Doll and Oriotis Judge. "You little bitch, you've been playing me up this entire time, haven't you? My turn, I charge mana and end."
"I charge mana and pass the turn as well."
"Don't think you've gained the upper hand just yet – I expand Cyberdice Vegas, Gambling Expert of D!" The entire surroundings morphed into those of a casino with slot machines, roulette tables, a circle of playing cards and a blue dice floating in the center of the room. "I end my turn and with its effect I draw a card."
"That D2 Field of yours..."
"What about it?"
"With its Denjara Switch effect, when I attack you, you can turn it upside down to cast from your hand a Water spell which costs 7 or less, if I'm correct."
"So what if it does? Do you think you have any chance of breaking through my defenses?"
"No, I don't think so..."
"I knew it, your feeble words about my faith are as hollow as your strategy!"
"I'm certain I can break your defenses - I summon Linnevenus, M Demon Dragon!" A green demonic dragon with three pairs of arms made of plants and a Venus Flytrap enclosing around its head, appeared by Sayo's side. "Mana Arms 4, since I have 4 multicolored cards in my mana zone, Linnevenus will revive Rafululu, Sound Faerie and he will also grant speed attacker to all of my creatures this turn!" A white angelic dragon shaped like a pony and with pairs of multicolored bells hanging from its wings also appeared by Sayo's side. "Also, when Rafululu is put into the battle zone, you can't cast spells until the end of this turn!"
"What the..." Shinobu's eyes widened at the prospect of the surprise lockdown. "Th-that's, that's impossible!"
"Linnevenus, double break her shields! Rafululu, break another shield!"
Shinobu stared at the shield trigger spells which she could have used in retaliation, her frustration growing with each second that passed. Through her clenched teeth, she growled, "That's it, playtime is over! My turn, I cast Hyperspatial Gallows Hole and return Rafululu back to your hand. Then I bring out Black Ganveet, Temporal Soldier and destroy Linnevenus." A demonic knight riding a skeletal horse emerged from a hole in the ceiling and used its blue scythes to slice the plant dragon into pieces. "I end my turn and Cyberdice Vegas lets me draw another card."
"I summon Evil Heat, Screaming Demon Dragon!" A dark purple demonic dragon with pink flowers growing out of its skin appeared by Sayo's side. "With its effect I put the top card of my deck into the graveyard... and return Dogiragon Buster, Blue Leader from the graveyard into my hand. Evil Heat is also a speed attacker, so I attack with him and Revolution Change into Dogiragon Buster, Blue Leader!" The purple dragon gave an ear-piercing high-pitched scream and flew towards the opponent's shields, after which it turned around and hi-fived a dragon donning a sapphire blue armor, long red cape and flowing blonde hair, wielding a golden sword in its mouth, the two switching places. "Now with his Final Revolution effect, Dogiragon Buster puts any number of multicolored creatures which in total cost 6 or less, from either my hand or mana zone into the battle zone! So I put Rafululu from my hand back into the battle zone, meaning you can't cast spells this turn as well!" The small angelic dragon reappeared, much to the opponent's chagrin. "Moreover, Dogiragon Buster's other effect gives speed attacker to each of my multicolored creatures."
"No, no, no, this can't possibly be happening! I can't fail my Lord in such a pathetic manner!"
"Dogiragon Buster, break her final shields!" Sayo ordered, the dragon rushing at her opponent and slashing away the remaining two shields with its sword. "Do you see now what happens when you misplace your faith into an evil who does not even care about you?"
"Fucking shut your trap already, you lie-spewing whore!" Shinobu snapped, her body shaking with unmitigated fury, almost as if she was ready to pounce at anything like a wild animal. "You won't sway me from my loyalty towards Shishima! To him I willingly chose to give my entire life and nothing anyone can do will ever change that!"
"What a pity, such a brilliant young woman is forsaking her bright future to the whims of someone as wicked as him. If that is your choice, then the only thing left to say is... Rafululu, todomeda!"
The creature gave a loud neigh and ran headfirst into Shinobu, blasting her table away and pushing her through the locked doors with enough strength that the demonic magic was overcome, finally opening the exit. The casino surroundings faded away alongside the creatures, marking the end of the duel. Hajime forced himself back on his feet, grabbed his suitcase and walked up to Sayo, carefully dusting his sweater.
"That was very impressive," he confessed. "I didn't expect to see someone else using creatures with Revolution Change."
"Thank you," she replied and gave him a short polite bow. "I try to keep my deck as consistent as I can with this strategy. Do you know someone else who uses Revolution Change?"
"My grandmother used to..." His expression turned somber. "I still have her cards, though."
"We'll talk about this later, let's get out of here before-"
Slow claps echoed from behind, the two of them turning to see Demon Subaru emerge from the shadows, a bizarre smile of satisfaction on his face.
"What a fun duel, you've plowed through Shinobu's control so effectively, it was a delight to see her suffer!" His smile then turned into an ominous frown. "Now, priestess, I demand to know how you've discovered and tracked me down here. The barriers I have set around this building should keep out any mortal, period."
Sayo did not respond. She silently stared into Demon Subaru's eyes with an intense defiance similar to Hajime. But something was different about her, she seemed to have a stronger spirit than that of his human nemesis, for she was showing no signs of fear. He sniffed the air and was assaulted by the hauntingly familiar scent of lilies and spring water. His eyes widened as unexplained visions began assaulting his mind. Visions of an enormous palace surrounded by rich gardens, of thousands of angels and demons perishing in the cloudy skies, of two thrones, one empty and the other occupied. Then he was hit by a sudden realization, he had felt this scent before...
When he snapped out of his thoughts, Sayo and Hajime had already run out of the campus. All of his minions had either been knocked out or trapped, his prey had slipped away just as he was going to indulge in the pleasure of mutilating him, and the one who had foiled his plans had also triggered chilling memories which he had long since buried. Demon Subaru let out his frustration in a monstrous roar as he fired red beams from his hands through the ceiling and into the night sky.