Disclaimer: I do now own Owari no Seraph (Seraph of the End). I write this for your enjoyment only.

Reflection

Mika let out a deep sigh as he pushed open the door to his bedroom, the familiar creak echoing softly in the quiet space. He stepped inside and gently closed the door behind him, sealing himself off from the world outside. The clock on the wall ticked toward ten, and he knew that the rest of his friends had already retired for the night. The villagers expected them to rise with the dawn, ready to continue their relentless monster extermination duties and lend a hand with various tasks around the village. If they hoped to keep their current home, they had to uphold their part of the bargain.

It had been nearly three months since the devastating battle at Nagoya Airport, a memory that still haunted them all. Yuichiro and Kimizuki had long since healed from their injuries, but the squad found themselves at a standstill. Yuu, in particular, required time to learn how to control the demon lurking within him. This meant he had to endure being chained for two to three hours each day — sometimes even longer. During these sessions, Mika took on the role of guardian, watching over Yuu with a fierce determination.

Although Shinoa and the others had offered to share this burden, Mika insisted that he was the most capable of handling it. He was the only one strong enough to restrain Yuu should he manage to break free from his chains.

Mika also felt a deep-seated need to protect the villagers from seeing too much of himself, especially given his own nature as a vampire. The last thing he wanted was to instill fear or concern in the hearts of the people they were trying to help.

As the days passed, Mika, Shinoa, and the rest of their group had seen little progress. This lack of advancement weighed heavily on their minds, for it was a dangerous gamble to move forward while Yuu remained unstable. Moreover, they were acutely aware that their enemies were closing in. It was only a matter of time before their pursuers — the Hiragis, the Japanese Imperial Demon Army, and even the most powerful vampire progenitors — would track them down. They had been fortunate to stay hidden for as long as they had, but luck could only carry them so far.

After the chaos of Nagoya, Mika had no doubt that the leaders of both factions in the war would covet Yuu for the immense power residing within him — a power that even Yuu struggled to control. This realization filled Mika with dread. He feared that if Yuu fell into the wrong hands, it would unleash devastation unlike anything the world had ever witnessed. This time, there would be no survivors, no second chances, unlike the epidemic that had ravaged their lives eight years ago.

Deep down, Mika felt an unbearable weight on his shoulders. He believed that everything was his fault. Despite the reassurances from his friends and even Yuichiro himself, Mikaela Hyakuya knew the truth. If he hadn't succumbed to Ferid Bathory's manipulations all those years ago, Yuu would never have been exploited for his powers. Perhaps if he had been more strategic, they could have escaped without the cost of so many lives. Instead, he had become a vampire himself, a transformation that now felt like a curse.

As these thoughts spiraled through his mind, the young blond vampire scoffed at his own naiveté. Who was he trying to fool? Even if they had managed to escape Ferid's clutches, survival outside would have been an insurmountable challenge. The reality was that they would have faced a slow, agonizing death from disease, starvation, or both. Although their vampire captors had treated them like livestock, at least they had been fed, clothed, and given medical care when necessary.

Shaking his head to dispel the dark thoughts, Mika flicked on the lamp beside his nightstand and made his way into the bathroom. He intended to take a long, hot shower before surrendering to sleep, knowing he needed some semblance of rest for the demanding day ahead. He understood that dwelling on the past was futile; what was done was done. All he could do was hope that Akane and the other brothers and sisters who had not survived his ill-fated escape plan would find it in their hearts to forgive him. If he were still human, perhaps he would have the hope of reuniting with them in the afterlife to beg for their forgiveness.

But as he gazed into the mirror, he was painfully aware that he would be denied even that solace.

Since becoming a vampire nearly five years ago, Mika had seldom looked at his reflection, especially after drinking his brother's blood and fully embracing his vampiric nature. No matter how often he faced the mirror, he could never reconcile with what he saw. Others might find him handsome — with his striking features, sharp fangs, pointed ears, and mesmerizing ruby-red eyes — but to him, they were a constant reminder of his tragic transformation. They signified what he was and what he might forever be.

A vampire. An ageless, immortal creature eternally thirsting for blood.

Yet, in the depths of his heart, a flicker of hope remained alive. Could he possibly regain his humanity?

That hope, offered to him by Yuichiro, became his new reason to live, a guiding light in the darkness that threatened to engulf him.

A/N: Ok, I'm going to cut this snippit off here and work on the next. Let me know what you think!