Elijah
"What?! Moka's been kidnapped?!"
"I'm sorry," Ruby coughed. "I was with her, but we were ambushed." She wince in pain and nearly fell out of my grip.
"Easy..." I lower her to the floor and use my magic to heal her wounds. She looks at me and gratefully nods once I'm done with the minor injuries.
"Thank you..."
I stand...and I stare straight at Hokuto. "You planned all of this, didn't you? Attacking the council... Kidnapping Moka... Getting us close to you..." He didn't even need to respond to that, his face said it as clear as day now. How could I not see it before? "All this time...and I thought you were this hard-working, peace-loving, down-to-earth, and dedicated guy..."
"Why?! Why would you do something like this?!" Tsukune demanded, standing beside me. "I thought we were friends!"
"...Spare me your words. You think we're 'friends', Tsukune? You think we're 'kindred spirits', Elijah? Don't make me laugh! You two are nothing without your friends!" Hokuto pushes his glasses up and smiles evilly at us. "Worthless worms like you can't even begin to comprehend my master plan...let alone stop me."
"..."
"..."
I honestly couldn't believe what I was hearing...I don't think I've ever been so wrong about someone in my entire life. I can feel the hatred in his voice, the bloodlust, the rage... What could possibly have made him this way? And what exactly was he planning?
"Listen, you," Kurumu had had enough of hearing Hokuto foul mouth us. "I don't care what your big fancy-schmancy plan is, you're going to tell me where you're keeping Moka!" Kurumu swipes her claws at Hokuto...
...But he catches her wrist in a sudden turn, shocking the Succubus. "Heh, just as I thought. You're like a little songbird... Sharp, precise attacks, but once caught...helpless in my grip." Kurumu tries to wriggle out of Hokuto's hold on her to no avail, her aggressor raises his hand...ready to strike her down. "Without Moka Akashiya, none of you are a match for me."
"..."
I moved faster than I could think, pulling Kurumu out of Hokuto's grip as Mizore used her ice to create a pillar from underneath him. I held Kurumu in my arms as I stared daggers at the guy I would've called...my friend, he narrowly escaped from Mizore's attack and stood up straight.
"Don't. Touch. Her."
"What do you think you're trying to pull, stupid?" I set Kurumu down as Mizore asked her, her gaze never leaving Moka's. "You know you don't have a snowball's chance in hell of beating this guy. If you really want to help Moka, keep a cool head."
"She's right," I add. I didn't want it to come to this, but I will do what I must to prevent what I saw from happening.
"Elijah can handle himself, Tsukune too," Mizore continues. "I'm not that great in a fight, I still have a lot to learn. But I know if we all work together, there's no one we can't beat."
"Don't forget about me," Yukari takes her stance beside the three of us, followed by the other Witch.
"And me, too."
"..." Tsukune steps in between Kurumu and me. His face tells me this is the last thing he wants, but he'll fight with us. "I won't let you hurt anyone else."
"...So," Hokuto dusts himself off. "you all choose to stand in my way? So be it..."
Moka
"...Ngh...huh?" The Vampire girl's eyes slowly flutter open, seeing the darkened sky above her along with the oak of a dying tree. She sits up and looks around her surroundings. "Where..." Wait, this is the hill behind the dorms. but why am I here?
"Oh, you're awake..."
Moka turned her head suddenly to the voice calling to her. "Who...?!" Her eyes meet a pair of heterochromatic eyes. He sits upon a tombstone, smiling as he reads his book.
"Even though it was all in service to the great plan, I regret handling you so roughly, Moka," He smiled at Moka, the vampire wasted no time and tried to run away from the stranger. She couldn't waste a single second knowing that the others were in danger. "Hey, now," The silver-haired boy pinned her down on the ground before Moka could even get a few feet away. "Don't be rude, I didn't give you permission to leave."
"Ngh! Let go of me!"
"Now, now... You can never get away from me, you can't even unleash your powers unless Tsukune takes that Rosary off your chest," Kiriya sneered as his face inched towards Moka's. "I've always wanted to have a nice long talk with...a Vampire."
Moka tries to fight out of his grip, only to be thrown back onto a tree. She hits her head with a hard thud and lets out a soft gasp of pain.
"I told you not to try and escape, I won't do anything as long as you hold still."
"...Why? Why are you doing this?! What do you think you're accomplishing?!" Moka demanded to know.
"'Why?' Maybe if you'd sit still, I'd tell you," Kirya smirks, slipping his book back into his pocket. He looks up to the sky as he brings his hand out, reaching up to the color-painted atmosphere. "Have you heard of the great barrier that protects Yokai Academy?"
Moka's eyes widened at that. "The great barrier?"
Kiriya nods. "The mystic barrier that keeps humans out. It was raised by the three Dark Lords when they built this school. Thanks to their powerful magic, these grounds are completely impenetrable to humans. That barrier is the only thing that allows us students to live out our monstrous lives without being disturbed...in the midst of humans who have no idea we're there..."
"...What does-"
"Hahaha...hahahahaha! AHAHAHAHAHA!" Kiria hysterically laughed as he threw his hands up to the sky. "But come on! Where's the fun in that?! If the barrier falls, monsters and humans will be thrown together. And wouldn't that disturbance make life just a little bit more interesting?"
Moka couldn't believe what she was hearing from the boy. "What...? You don't mean... You're not going to...destroy...the..."
Kiriya looks to the Vampire girl...and smiles. "Ding! Ding!"
Elijah
"..." That was too easy...
We all stare at Hokuto as he is backed into a corner onto his knees, he's bleeding from his forehead thanks to Kurumu's last attack. Tsukune and I barely had to do anything as the girls practically handled him on their own. I swear, I couldn't even mutter a single spell before the others got to work. I resorted to hand-to-hand combat to even get close, Hokuto's good, but I can't help but feel like he's holding back.
"We beat him already? He's a weakling compared to Kuyo!" Kurumu cheered despite her yellow sweater vest being stained with blood. "That was easy!"
"You'd be more...convincing...if you weren't...covered in blood," Yukari's ragged, exhausted breaths along with Mizore's drained eyes concern me.
"You guys okay?"
"We're fine," Ruby answers, smiling at me with a faint pink hue on her cheeks. "You did well, Elijah."
I shrug. "It was nothing," Literally, I didn't even do much.
"We won, your plan to destroy the school is foiled," Kurumu, with hatred still filling her eyes, extends her claws on her right hand, ready to interrogate Hokuto. "Now, Hokuto..." She raises her hand, ready to strike him down. "You're going to tell us where Moka is, or-"
"Stop..." Tsukune, being the voice of reason that he is, steps in front of Kurumu.
"Tsukune! Why did you stop me?! We've gotta make him tell us where Moka is! Or else, she's-"
"I'm sorry," He interrupts, kneeling down to eye level with our so-called beaten foe. "Hokuto... I saw the look on your face when you said you wanted to bring peace to the Academy. I don't believe you were lying, not completely anyway... I don't want to hurt you anymore, Hokuto..." Tsukune furrows his brow and frowns. "And I don't want you to hurt anyone else, either. Your plan has already failed, so just tell me... Where is Moka?"
"..."
"Okay then... Tsukune stands after a moment of silence from Hokuto. "If you won't talk, you leave us no choice. I'd much rather keep this between us, but...we're handing you over to the Headmaster."
"Hold on," I say. "Tsukune, we need to be smart about this, there's no way that everything is gonna go the way want if we just rush into things."
"How do you know?"
"...I don't. But I don't want to risk anything else. If he won't talk, then let me try something else."
"Like what?"
"..." I know I could mess up again, but after what he's done... I kneel down, placing my left palm only inches from Hokuto's face. A faint pink glow comes from my hand. "...Legere men's..." I close my eyes, hearing the faint voices of Hokuto's mind...but I can't hear or see what's in his head. Dammit, his mind is like a steel trap. I open my eyes back up and stand, the others minus the only other magic users in this room look at me confused.
"What did you see?" Ruby asked.
"...Nothing."
"Hehe...what did I tell you, Elijah?" Hokuto mocked as he looked up at me. "You're nothing but a weakling compared to me."
"...Alright," I look at Tsukune. "Let's bring him to the Headmaster. Ruby, bind him. Make sure he can't escape," She nods at me. "Mizore, Kurumu, watch our backs just in case we're followed. Yukari, you help to keep an eye on him, Tsukune and I will lead the way. Everyone know their job?" They all nod at me, Ruby finishes up her spell, binding Hokuto by her raven wings. "Then let's go."
Like before, only now with Tsukune and me voluntarily going, we head to the Headmaster's main building not far off from Yokai Academy. On the outside were a few suited men, they opened the door for us...as if they were already expecting us. This was no surprise to me, I had an itch in the back of my mind that the Headmaster already knew something like this would happen. Hell, he probably knew exactly who was behind the Anti-Schoolers and just wanted us to draw them out.
Well, here he is, Headmaster. Happy now?
Talking of which... The Headmaster of Yokai Academy stood at the top of the staircase, looking down on all of us as his eyes and eerie smile glowed from behind his hooded cloak. "You have my thanks. Good work, Elijah, Tsukune."
"He knew we were coming?"
"No surprise here," I say. "Remember how he tested us?"
"As I expected," The Headmaster goes on...holding up a crucifix. "It was you, Hokuto." I can hear him mutter a prayer of sorts and a rune with ancient scribbles appears on the floor around us with Hokuto in the center. I recognize some of the text, it's supposed to be a barrier of sorts to keep powerful monsters and beings alike trapped.
"Get back!" I tell the others, grabbing Kurumu and Mizore and pulling them away from the rune's center.
"Hmph..." Hokuto's smug grin remained on his face as he looked up to the Headmaster as the exorcist finished his prayer. "I almost forgot about you, and here you are...just as thorough as ever. So, Headmaster...I didn't fool you, huh? Not even at first?"
"...Amen," He answers by finishing the barrier and a sphere of pure and raw magic appears around the Anti-School leader, glowing a bright yellow.
"..."
Hokuto hits the barrier with his fists. It crackles and zaps in response, leaving his knuckles bleeding red. The others flinch at his action and have their guard up, I meanwhile try to piece together what could possibly happen next. What exactly was your true plan, Hokuto? It can't be anything good if it involves the human world. I can still hear those cries in the back of my head...
"...You old bastard," Hokuto speaks up to the Headmaster. "You planned this all along. You assigned Tsukune and Elijah to this Committee to flush me out. What were they? Assassins...or bait?" He places his palms against the barrier, ignoring its zaps and pops. "Everything went according to plan. But then again...doesn't it always, Headmaster?"
"...You were such a bright student. I had high hopes for you, Hokuto. It's a shame to see what you have become, I imagined someone like you at the epicenter of the moment of peace. It really is a shame," The Headmaster turns around, his cloak whipping in the sudden motion. "Take Tsukune, Elijah, and their companions to my quarters," He looks to some of his guards. "Put Hokuto here in the dungeon."
"..." I still feel like this was all too easy, I imagine someone in Hokuto's position with great power. Even more powerful than Kuyo... I don't think I should leave until I see what the Headmaster does with Hokuto.
"Hahaha..." Before I could even speak up to the Headmaster, snickering coming from inside the barrier stopped me. "Hahahaha..." Hokuto's laughter causes everyone in the room to look at him...even the Headmaster. "Hahahaha! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! AAAAHAHAHAHAHA!"
CRACK!
"..." The barrier...it's breaking! "GET DOWN!"
CRASH!
I threw myself in front of Kurumu and Mizore's bodies as the barrier was destroyed, the initial blasts sent everyone around the rune flying back. I can feel pain shooting all the way up my back, at least Kurumu and Mizore didn't get it. From my crawling position on the floor, I look over seeing that Tsukune kept Ruby and Yukari from getting hurt too badly...and Hokuto was gone.
"Ngh...where the hell...?"
"The funny thing is...everything did go according to plan. But not your plan!"
SLASH!
When the smoke clears...I saw exactly where Hokuto went. He stood atop the staircase, right where the Headmaster...was. He's extended his right hand into spear-like tendrils, piercing the guards around him...and through the Headmaster himself. His blood pours everywhere as his body is dropped to the floor.
"How Long I've waited for this very moment..." Hokuto cackled. "The moment I face a Dark Lord!"
The Headmaster starts coughing up blood as he tries looking up at his aggressor. "You...broke through the barrier? How...did you...?"
"Yes!" Hokuto simply ignored the bleeding man as one of his tendrils sank down into the floor beside the Headmaster's face, picking up...the crucifix he used to momentarily contain him. "This is what I've been seeking..." He tosses the crucifix around in his hand as it goes back to normal. "To dissolve the Great Barrier...I need this! Your magic talisman!"
The Great Barrier? No...if that happens, then... I desperately try to get back on my feet, Kurumu and Mizore wrap my arms around their shoulders and help me up to my feet. "No...I won't let you..."
"Don't do this, boy!" The Headmaster desperately tries to crawl forward. "If you destroy that barrier..."
"Hokuto!" Tsukune leaves Ruby and Yukari and heads upstairs with fire in his eyes. "Stop this!"
"...You still don't get it, Tsukune?" He adjusts his glasses, glaring at the Human. "I let myself get caught, it was my only way of getting past their defenses! I served patiently on that committee knowing that sooner or later...the Headmaster would send someone to sniff out my intentions. Why do you think I became friends with you and that worthless wizard? So you would capture me! Why do you think I had Kiriya kidnap Moka?" He laughs like a maniac. "You both played right into my hands! Thanks to you boys, my master plan is a success! This is what I meant when I said that you can't do anything on your own! You and that filthy, bleeding Wizard!"
Tsukune looked over at me, his gaze widened as he saw how I could barely stand on my own two feet. He played us like puppets on strings... He's gonna destroy the Great Barrier, once that happens, humans and monsters will... I try to move my feet, Kurumu tries to hold me back but Mizore tries to push me forward. I can't let him win...I have to stop him...and Tsukune knows that too.
"You all brought this on yourselves, Tsukune, Elijah... You're compassion, your weakness, your desperate need to help others... And now..." Hokuto turns away from us all. "I've got no use for weaklings, stay out of my way so I can finally get on with the destruction of this school." He continues moving forward...
"Stop..." Until Tsukune reaches out and grabs Hokuto's shoulder.
He scoffs in a pompous huff. "I told you, you're too weak to stop me." Tsukune ignored his condescension...and he raises his right fist, hitting Hokuto square in the face and sending him back into a marble column. The girls holding onto me let me go, my legs shake but I remain standing. I have to help my friend, I can't just-
"Ah!" I wince, falling to my knees. Damn it, that blast got my back really badly...
"Ruby! Yukari! Get over here and help!" Kurumu called for her and spent no time ignoring my injury. The witches rush over to me as I try to crawl my way up the stairs but Mizore stops me from moving.
"Elijah, stop! You need to-"
"What a loser," Hokuto's voice comes from the cloud of dust and rubble, eventually revealing him standing and dusting himself off with a smug grin on his face. "You think you can take me on, huh? And what good will that do you? None what-so-ever."
From my position on the floor, I saw that my friend was...crying. Of course, I mean...we thought we found someone to count on, someone we could call a friend, but here he is...trying to destroy the School that I love. Sure, it's far from perfect, but I will defend Yokai Academy like it was my home. Yukari and Ruby heal my back as best they can with their magic as I see Tsukune take his fighting stance. No...he's gonna take him head on alone?!
"Hokuto, I told you... I don't want you to hurt anyone else," He gripped his fists...and his eyes glowed red. "You hurt my brother...so you left me no choice. If nothing but force will stop you, then I'll take you down."
"Guys!" I muttered in a pained groan. "Get me back on my feet, I can't let him go through this alone!"
"Stop moving!" Yukari shouted at me.
"You're really hurt, Elijah," Ruby adds, her hands glowing green as I feel her magic on my shoulder blades. "You need to stay calm while we help, Tsukune will be fine for a moment."
"..." FUCK! I hate this, why do I have to be so weak?! The only thing I can do is watch my friend fight for us as I'm on the sidelines...
"Hehe... That's odd, I must be imagining things," Hokuto mocked Tsukune as he tossed the Headmaster's talisman up and down in his hand. "I thought I just heard you say you're going to take me down. A piece of trash like you can never defeat me!"
"..."
I could feel it from the bottom of the stairs. The cold...the evil aura...the absolute utter ruthlessness... I can feel it in Hokuto's very core, he considers everyone but himself an insignificant dispensable insect. This is who Hokuto really is...and I was too blind to see it. I was too trusting, I believed his lies like a naive child...I have to stop him. Tsukune can't handle this alone!
"Oh, I think you small fry better stay out of my way," Hokuto points the crucifix down toward us, creating the same rune as before on the floor...and encasing us in the very barrier used to trap him.
"Oh, no! A barrier!"
"How? That's impossible!"
"Great, we're trapped!"
"Just as I thought... Even with this trinket, even I can create an impermeable barrier. I'd expect no less from the Rosary of Judgment belonging to a Dark Lord."
"Tsuku...ne!" I try reaching out to my brother...I have to help him.
"...I can't let him get away from this," The headmaster crawled to Tsukune's leg, shocking him with his still conscious presence. "If he's become a master of barriers...he must know that this is the key to the great barrier!"
"Headmaster?!"
"Tsukune, you have to stop Hokuto! He means it, he's going to destroy the barrier! It's all that separates the Academy from the human world! If it's destroyed, humans will discover our existence. After that, only bloodshed can follow! The fragile truce we've forged will come to an end...humans will hunt monsters...and monsters will devour humans! A war will break out between the two races!"
The Headmaster's voice echoes throughout the open room, sending shock throughout every single one of us. No...Mom...Dad... If that barrier breaks, they'll be caught in the middle of it all! Tsukune's parents will too! Not just them, but all of us will be! Everything we've worked for will be for nothing!
"Haha...that's true." Tsukune sneered at Hokuto as he spoke. "That's why this is the right thing to do, Tsukune. Humans and Monsters are born enemies. I'm just returning us to our natural state. We'll have a ball...until we've used up all the humans."
"...Get me back on my feet," I push myself off the ground, getting to my knees and feeling the pain in my back reduced thanks to Yukari and Ruby. "I won't let him win, He needs to be stopped."
"Elijah, we can't do anything as long as this barrier's up."
"Yeah, take it easy. We're not done yet with your back."
"But we can't just sit here and do nothing!" Kurumu argues. "Tsukune needs our help!"
"No, Hokuto...you won't do this!" Tsukune shouts at him, his eyes more crimson than ever before. "I won't let you!"
"And just how do you plan to stop me?" He smirks in a cocky, condescending way, twirling the talisman around his finger. "By slaying me? Can you? You're all bark and no bite."
The second Hokuto reaches the end of his sentence, Tsukune lunges forward with exceeding swiftness. His fingers come only inches from the crucifix only for Hokuto to flick the trinket high up in the air. The human is quick to get back on the offensive and starts attacking Hokuto, only for his aggressor to block every single attempt with effective speed. Tsukune has learned a lot in his time with all of us, but he's no master yet.
"Hokuto!"
"Spare me the drama, you're getting on my nerves." The Anti-Schooler's right hand forms into sharp tendrils...ready to strike down my friend as he did to the Headmaster.
SMASH!
Tsukune narrowly dodges his attack, his right cheek getting nicked in the process. As for the marble column behind him...it was completely smashed to pieces and it came crumbling down to the floor. Hokuto's tendrils retract back...just in time for him to catch the Rosary of Judgment in his other hand.
"...He needs my help," I get to my feet with the help of Mizore pulling me up. I place my palms on the barrier, ignoring the buzzing feeling in my hands. I push as hard as I can, feeling my strength coming back to me. "Come on...I just...need to...break this!"
Moka
PNNG!
The vampire girl looks behind her as the small hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Moka could feel something...bad was happening. Not just to Tsukune...but to all of her friends. There it is again, that horrible, uneasy feeling. Something's happening to the others...
"Haha..." Kiriya laughs mockingly. "You want to go to them, don't you, Moka? To him, especially. You want to run to Tsukune's side."
"..."
"Naturally, you're worried. You're wondering what's happening to him while you're being held here," The silver-haired boy sighs, closing his book. "All right, I'll take you there if you can defeat me," Naturally, Moka doesn't move from his offer. She wasn't a violent person, even if she was, she wasn't at her full power thanks to the Rosary on her chest. "Aww, this is so boring... Oh, well!" He exclaims. "Guess I'll just have to up the ante!"
Kiriya holds out his hand, revealing a small, spider-like creature with a massive eye for a body. Moka recoils at the sight of such a little creature. "W-What?"
"Cute, ain't he?" Kiriya sets the little monster on the ground, it crawls a good distance away from the pair of them. "This is one of my pet Shikigami."
A monster that's been domesticated by people and others to perform a variety of tasks. 'Shiki' means, 'to make use of.' Through selective breeding, a variety of types have been created to perform many tasks over the years for a countless number of people.
"It looks creepy, but It's really quite friendly," said Kiriya as the little Shikigami's eye looked up to the sky...projecting a bright light, blinding the Vampire momentarily. "Nothing to be afraid of, it's just a projection. This spirit's one half of a pair. They transmit their auras to each other, like radio waves to share what they see. The one who's receiving can project an image of whatever the other one is looking at."
The projection above the vampire became clearer, she could see...two people fighting. "What's-"
"Oh! Looks like it's already starting!" Kiriya exclaimed with glee as the picture became clearer. Inside the projection, both Kiriya and Moka could clearly see...Tsukune and Hokuto brawling.
"Tsukune?!" Moka could only watch as the boy she loved fought for his life, Hokuto dodged each of his attacks. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but she didn't need to know that Tsukune had determination roaring in his heart. What's going on? Where are the others? Why isn't Elijah helping him? As if the Shikigami heard the Vampire's thoughts, the projection pans to her other friends trapped by a magic barrier...and Elijah was shouting against the glowing wall, pounding his fists against it as his knuckles turned bloody.
"Ooh! Looks like pretty boy is getting angry!" Kiriya mocked. "But that's not all!"
The projection panned back to Tsukune...and he was on the receiving end of Hokuto's tendrils, knocking him back into the wall and kicking up a cloud of smoke and rubble. "TSUKUNE!"
"Pretty fun, huh?" Kiriya smirks. "Don't you want to see the rest?" He looks at the projection in awe of his boss in crime. "Watch him get beaten to death. Hokuto's been training in the martial arts since he was a boy. He's a cut above every opponent he's faced. You can't defeat him with brute force. Even that cute little Wzard boy is no match for him."
"..." Moka grips the dirt around her knees...her blood beginning to boil at the sight of Tsukune being hurt...again. It's gonna happen again...the same thing when Tsukune fought Mido. He's gonna end up turning into a Ghoul! I can't go through that...not again!
"What are you going to do, Moka? You can't save Tsukune from here. But to get to him, you'll have to fight your way past me!"
"..." Moka turned her scowling gaze at Kiriya. The silver-haired boy didn't know if he was seeing things...but he swore to himself that he saw her green irises phasing between...a dark crimson red.
"Ooh, getting serious now, are we?" Kiriya smirked. "Show me what you can do, Moka. Better hurry before Hokuto slays your boyfrie-"
POW!
Moka shocked herself as she saw Kiriya stumble back a few steps after she had hit him in the face, for the first time in her life...she had attacked someone out of pure anger and hatred. But it wasn't enough... Kiriya simply held his cheek and scoffed.
"That's it? You're so pathetic... Pathetically boring," In one swift motion, Kirya grabs Moka by her throat, lifting her up a foot off of the ground...allowing no air to inhale her lungs. "You know what, honey? I really wanted to see you fight, that's why I showed you Tsukune getting hurt. But instead...I'm met with a weakling!" Kirya squeezed her throat tighter, forcing tears to come down her cheeks. "You should be ashamed! And you call yourself a Vampire?!" The silver-haired boy looks at the projection...Tsukune was getting back up on his feet despite his injuries...but Hokuto didn't let him breathe. "Hmm...looks like it's curtains down for Tsukune, too. And he has vampire blood in his veins, I've always heard that Vampires were powerful. But look at him..."
Moka is forced to watch as the boy she loves is beaten to a pulp as soon as he gets back up from previous beatings, not even a single word could escape her lips. Tsukune...
"It's embarrassing, really. Laying down his life for all of you only for it to be for naught. And just look at that wimping Wizard friend of yours, desperately trying to break free to save his precious friend... You're all just a bunch of party poopers. None of you can do a thing on your own! Good riddance to all of you...go ahead and die already."
"..." I...can't even speak! I can't do a damn thing! Why do I have to be so weak?! Elijah...Kurumu...Yukari...Mizore...Ruby...help him! "TSUKUNE!"
Elijah
"..."
I fall to my knees after watching Tsukune fall to the floor...blood pouring from his mouth and soaking his white button-down shirt. He wasn't moving... No... No... No! Kurumu couldn't hold back her tears at the horrific sight of Tsukune, Mizore was frozen with shock, and Ruby and Yukari simply covered their mouths. None of us could utter a single word...but Hokuto could.
"Tch. Finally dead, huh?" He mocked my brother. "You kept getting up no matter how many times I knocked you down...admirable, yet pointless in the end," He turned away, walking right towards me, smirking with each step he took. I glared up at him when he reached the barrier, clenching my teeth as I felt my blood boiling. "Like I said, Elijah. You can't do a damn thing on your own, just look at you. Clawing your way to freedom like a rat trapped underneath a heated kettle."
"...You're a monster."
"...I won't let you get away with this."
My hands press up against the barrier, and the blood from my knuckles trickles down the back of them. That's when I see...a small creature with a large eye in the corner of the room. I immediately recognized it as a Shikigami...someone was watching this whole thing. Are they...making Moka watch?
"You bastards... I will stop you, I won't let you hurt anyone else!"
Hokuto scoffs. "I've wasted enough precious minutes here with you rats," He turns away, the Rosary of Judgment in his right hand. "Say goodbye to your precious academy...and the humans."
"...S-Stop..." A pained, croaking, voice calling out to the Anti-Schooler makes him stop in his tracks. Tsukune...was getting back up on his feet. "I heard a voice...she's calling out to me..." One of his eyes glowed bright red as he sneered at Hokuto. "I can't die...not yet!"
"Tch! Up again, are we?!" The anti-schooler exclaimed in annoyance.
"And I won't...let you hurt...my friends! I will stop you...Hokuto!"
"...Oh, no." I saw the fear in Ruby's eyes as she saw Tsukune's pupils turn slit. "This is just like last time! Tsukune's already pushed himself too far, if he keeps going on like this...he'll turn into a Ghoul again!"
"..." No, I can't let him go through that again, who knows if we can even get him back to normal? I look down at my hands...and they slowly squeeze into fists. Why...? Even after all my training...all my hard work...why am I still weak?!
POW! PAP!
"Elijah?!"
"What are you doing?!"
BAM! POW!
I ignore the others as I repeatedly hit myself in the face over and over again, I have to draw the power out of me. I have to unleash Merlin's Might! Come on... Come on... "COME ON!"
Moka
"...He still wants to fight?!" Kiriya watched the projection as Tsukune got on his feet. "He's not just a weakling, he's a fool! Just look at him and that Wizard losing his mind as he hits himself!"
"..." Tsukune... Every time...he fights for us right alongside his best friend. No matter how dangerous it was, he was always risking his life for us, even when he didn't have to! I need to do the same!
Moka desperately tugs on the Rosary around her neck, an attempt to pull it off and draw out Inner Moka from within. Kirya notices this and his eyes widen. "What? Are you insane?! You can't take that thing off by yourself!" Moka ignored his words and continued pulling on the Rosary. Come off! Come off! "Hmph..." Kiriya smirks. "All that desperate thrashing... Don't you know that seals are just like barriers? You need a supernatural key to release the spell. I bet the only reason that Tsukune can take your Rosary off is because his aura is close to the signature of your seal's key," He chuckles at the irony of her situation. "It's impossible to open the seal by yourself, give it up! Huh?" Kiriya was distracted by the projection...suddenly going black. "...What just happened?"
"...What are you doing?!"Inner Moka calls out to the Outer Moka within her mind. "He's right. If you force a seal, it will break. And you know what will happen to you if the seal breaks, don't you? Your personality will..."
I don't care!
"...What?"
"He'd do it for me, for us. Tsukune would give his life for all of us. You know that...and I know you want to save him too!" Moka closes her eyes...and smiles. "So...if you can save him, I don't care what happens to me!
"...Damn it. You really love that dummy, don't you? And here I am...feeling it too."
Moka pulls harder, the chain remains intact...but the metal latch connecter to the choker breaks off of one of its tiny screws. Electricity shoots up and down Moka's body...making her cry out in pain.
"AAAAAUUUUGGGHHH!"
Kirya is blinded by the sudden flash of light. "W-What?" Then...his arm choking her is grabbed by Moka's right hand... With just a quick squeeze of her hand, Kiriya's forearm is broken in three places, his bone sticking out of his wrist. "AUGH! WHAT THE HELL?!" Kirya releases Moka and she stumbles n her feet, gripping her head and screaming at the top of her lungs...as her pink hair slowly turns into silver. "...hahaha," Kirya chuckles. "Finally! Things are starting to get interesting! You're giving me exactly what I want, Moka! What fun! Bring it on! SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT!"
"...With pleasure."
"Hu-"
BOOM!
Dealing her signature round-house kick, Kiriya is sent back into a dead oak tree, knocking him out cold...along with a few of his teeth. "Happy to oblige," The Vampire turns away, her heart roaring with a desire to keep a promise. "I'll take care of everything else...and I'll save Tsukune."
Elijah
POW! BAM! SLAP! SMACK!
It hurts, but I don't care, I need to invoke the ancient power with me now! Tsukune needs my help and I can't sit here! Every time my friends needed me, I was there, but I was saved because I was weak. I can't be like that anymore! I need to be stronger!
"Elijah! Stop it!"
"Hurting yourself won't help anything!"
"Yukari's right! Calm down!"
I close my eyes, hoping, begging, praying that I can do this...I have to. "AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
CRACK!
SMASH!
When I opened my eyes again, the barrier was smashed to pieces, and the others had been knocked back a few feet due to the blast. I was brought to my feet by my own instincts, and I looked down at my hands. My body was glowing a bright blue aura, and I could see that my hair had turned pure white...I didn't need a mirror to see what happened to my eyes. I saw the Shikigami in the corner of the ceiling, I reached out my hand and it pulled it towards me...squishing its eye-shaped body in my hands, killing it.
"...No spectators," My voice booms through the open room, I drop the dead monster in my hands before I look back to the others. Ruby and Kurumu helped the others to their feet and they all looked at me with worry and astonishment in their eyes. "Stand back," I turn back to my opponent. "...My turn, Hokuto."
Kurumu
"..." He did it! But..will it be enough? The Succubus stood with her friends as they watched Elijah slowly approach his opponent...with fire and rage in his eyes. Hoktuo was even astonished by the young man's sudden change in...power.
"...What is this...raw energy?" Hokuto stood puzzled. "What are you?" He shakes it off before he can even show the slightest bit of hesitation. "Doesn't matter. Even now, you're still no match for me."
"..." Without muttering a single word, angelic wings protrude from Elijah's back. Kurumu immediately recognizes them and smiles to herself. "...Bring it on."
Their eyes could barely follow Elijah and Hokuto's movements, only catching glimpses of them blocking each other's attack. Every time Elijah's fists made contact with Hokuto's body, a blast of magic shook the area around Kurumu, Tsukune, and the others. Elijah was fast, but Hokuto could keep up with him just as much as he did. Neither of them can land a lethal blow, leaving them in a seemingly endless cycle.
"Slow time!"
Elijah's movement was twice as fast as before as the aura around him began glowing green. Hokuto groans in pain as Elijah sends multiple jabs to Hokuto's back. This attack sends the Anti-Schooler back but he lands on his feet, ready to counterattack the Wizard boy.
"Illaqueant catenis!" Out of the nearby marble columns, chains made from the mineral wrap around Hokuto's limbs trap him momentarily before Elijah swoops down...balling his fist and gritting his teeth. "Air blast!"
BOOM!
CRACK!
Elijah's mighty punch breaks Hokuto from his marble chains and sends him flying back onto the wall. He falls to the floor and slams his head. Kurumu smiled and cheered as he heard the sound of Hokuto's nose being broken by Elijah's hit.
"Yes! Get that son of a bitch!"
"Go Elijah!"
"You got this!"
"...hahaha..." Hokuto stands from the could of rubble, grabbing onto his broken nose...and setting it back into place with an audible snap. "...That tickled."
What? He's still standing after that?! Kurumu stood in shock at seeing her best friend's attempts only do minimal damage to his attacker. There's no way he could still be holding back, right?
"You disappoint me, Elijah," Hokuto continues, pushing up his glasses. "Here I was glad to see who could possibly defeat my underlings, and here he is...a Wizard of all people, the lowest of all monsters. But...you're not entirely one, are you? After all, your father is a human."
Elijah was unfazed by this remark, he knew that Hokuto was smart enough to look into his enemy's past. "So what? Just means I have the heart of one. You call it weak, but it's the very thing that makes me stronger than you'll ever be. You think it's so easy to just...destroy everything you hate, right?"
"Spare me-"
"Don't play dumb with me, I can read you much more clearly now. You don't just hate humans, monsters, or even Yokai Academy itself. You hate...everything. But that's not entirely the case. I can feel it in your heart, it's small but it's there...a small hope that you can find peace."
"..."
"I want it too, Hokuto. But it's clear that you have a very different way of bringing it to life. You want it born of bloodshed, I want it by learning how to look past the hate...and learn how to tolerate one another. Sure, it's childish and even naive... But I know it can be done. My friends are living proof, my parents are living proof, this school is living proof. Hell, I thought even you were living proof!" Elijah raises his fists...ready to fight once again. "But it's people like you who are getting in the way. And...in your eyes, I'm the same as you...I'm in your way. And the only way people like you will ever back down...is with violence. But I see it in your eyes, you won't back down...so come on."
"Mind if I chime in?" The sound of a low, woman's voice grabs everyone's attention, their eyes widening at the sight of the silver-haired Vampire. "Looks like you've handled a bit on your own, but I think it's time I have a turn."
"Moka!" Tsukune cried out, but he was confused at seeing her...like this. Her Rosary was just hanging on by a thread on her choker. "But...how? I didn't take off your Rosary, how did you...?"
"I'll tell you later. But first..." Moka sneers at Hokuto, taking her stance by Elijah's side. "I have a fight to finish. Mind if I join you?"
The Wizard smirks, "Took you long enough..." But his smirk turns to a small frown. "Where's Archimedes?"
"..."
Oh, no... Don't tell me... I know he was kind of an ass, but...he was still our friend in a way.
"...Hokuto," Elijah sneers. "Just how many innocent creatures do you have to kill just to fulfill your twisted plan?"
"...What happened to Kiriya?" He ignores Elijah and looks straight at Moka. "He was supposed to guard you... What did you do to him?!"
"Oh, him? He's just taking a little nap. You're all that's left, Hokuto."
"Just stand down," said Elijah. "You've lost, you're all alone, no need to drag it out any longer."
"...Why? Why are you all trying to stop me?! Especially you, Tsukune," Hokuto points right at him. "Why would you want to save the Academy?! After all..." The Anti-Schooler raises the crucifix in his hands...and an ancient rune covers the floor, glowing a bright white. "You're a human!" The sudden flash momentarily blinds everyone...but the initial shock came from Hokuto's words.
What? H-How did-
"How did you know?!" The human in question exclaimed as a beam of light surrounded Hokuto.
"As for me..." He starts singing into the floor...Hokuto was about to teleport away. "I have my reasons to destroy this school, reasons I would give my life for. So get out of my way!" His head was only an inch out of the ground at those last words.
"Shit, guys! Come on!" Elijah is the first to follow Hokuto...Moka and Tsukune were close behind him. All three of them run into the beam of light, disappearing in a flash and leaving the other girls.
"...They...disappeared?"
"Oh!" Yukari exclaims, recognizing the magic that was used. "It's okay! That was just a teleportation spell! They just went...somewhere else!"
"...But where?"
"Huh?"
The Succubus grabs the Young Witch's shoulders firmly, shaking them in desperation. "Where did they go?! Where's Tsukune?! Where's Moka?! Where the hell is Elijah?!"
"Kurumu, calm down!"
"Me?" Kurumu drops Yukair and faces Ruby, her eye twitching. "I'M COMPLETELY CALM!"
HOO! HOO!
"Then what's with all the shouting?" A weak hoot comes from above...coming from a familiar Pygmy Owl.
"Archimedes!" Ruby exclaims with a smile. "You're alright! I...I thought-"
"Hmph!" Archimedes puffs out his chest. "I have a few tricks up my sleeve, young lady, do not doubt the extent of my knowledge!"
"Okay, it's great to see that you're okay, but we have a problem!" Kurumu chimed in.
"She's right," Mizore adds. "How are we supposed to find them now?"
"I think I...can help with that."
Everyone turns to the familiar voice of...an Exorcist. "Headmaster?"
Elijah
After the blinding light, my eyes are met with...complete darkness. I can't see a damn thing, and it's freezing as hell. I think I can even hear a few bats too. "Guys? Are you still here?"
"Yeah," I hear Tsukune call out first. "I'm here."
"Why did you follow us?" I heard the condescending tone that belonged to none other than Moka. "You can barely stand!"
"Calm down," I say as I snap my fingers, a ball of light floats by my side and it lights up the area around us. I can see their faces more clearly now, Tsukune still looks in pain and Moka just looks annoyed. I can also see our own breath thanks to the cold air. "You two can resolve you're relationship issues later, Hokuto's still here."
"Don't test me-"
"He's here? You can sense him?"
"Yeah," I nod. "I can't tell where...but he's here. Come on, we don't have a lot of time."
The three of us continue moving forward...but all we see is darkness with each step we take. I've healed Tsukune as best I could with my magic, but not enough for him to be completely back to normal. I noticed that I'm still in my 'true form', well, using Merlin's Might. I sigh in relief, I need to keep up this form in order to take down Hokuto. Now with Moka here, we will win for sure.
It's strange. When I fought Kuyo, I...wanted him dead for what he had done to my friends. But with Hokuto, I feel the same amount of anger...but I can't bring myself to kill him. Is that why he got back up from my attack earlier? Am I...holding back? But why? After all he's done... He's hurt so many people, he tried to kill me, Tsukune, Kurumu...everyone. Who knows how many Hokuto has killed in the past to get where he was...I can't afford to hold back my power if I don't want what I saw to come to fruition.
"Where the hell did he go?" Moka asked in annoyance as she glanced around in every direction.
"I think the important question is where the hell are we?" Tsukune said. "We've been walking forever with no end in sight."
"Just keep your guard up, you two," I say. "We can't risk getting-"
DMM!
A flash of white lights up the entire room, making the three of us turn around and see...Hokuto standing at some sort of altar in the center. "I warned you, all three of you are such thorns at my side."
There you are...
"Located deep within the bowels of the school is Altar of Everlasting Darkness," Hokuto continues on, his palms on the altar itself. "This is the heart of Yokai Academy. My plan was flawless...or, so I thought. I organized the Anti-Schoolers and masterfully manipulated you into stealing the Rosary of Judgement, all to destroy this Academy! But there were things I didn't count on. My first miscalculation was you Tsukune. I thought there wasn't a chance of you fighting your way this far. Then...I thought Kiriya would have no trouble incapacitating Moka. And finally," Hokuto sneers at me, every vowel he speaks drips with venom. "I didn't expect a Wizard of all pathetic creatures to stand a chance against me. But here we all are, none of you should ever have learned of the existence of this Altar."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"But no matter..." Hokuto holds the Rosary of Judgement in his hand, forming an evil grin across his face. "The end result will be the same. All that's left now is to fit the Rosary of Judgement into this keyhole. Then the Great Barrier will dissolve...and plunge the Academy into the human world!"
He was just buying time... "Guys! Get him!"
"Too late!" Hokuto raises the Rosary over his head...and slams it into the keyhole. "I win!"
Few a few seconds, there was only silence. Afterward...the sound and feeling of rumbling filled the pit of my stomach. "Damn it all...he did it," Moka growls in frustration.
"No...this can't be happening... Hokuto...STOP THIS!" Tsukune shouts, but Hokuto only smiles at the human boy maniacally, holding his hands out pridefully.
"Enough, Tsukune. None of you will ruin this moment for me. I've been waiting too long for this. The Academy's past and its future...in this instant, it will all vanish in the blink of an eye! All my waiting...all my scheming... At long last, my time has come!"
"Sorry, Hokuto," Inner Moka vanishes in a flash. "I feel your pain, but this school suits me. And I won't let you let you destroy it." She reappears behind Hokuto, delivering another one of her roundhouse kicks into his head. This sent him back into several ivory columns, shattering them in the process and knocking one over onto the floor.
"He talks too much," I remarked before Tsukune and I joined Moka at the Altar of Everlasting Darkness. "We need to stop this."
"Yeah, we gotta hurry!"
"Don't worry," Moka reassured the human before looking at all the buttons on the Altar. "The Barrier surrounds the entire school. It won't dissolve all at once."
"That means we still have time to reverse the process," I add as I think of just how we need to do that. The key to this altar is that its power comes from the energy of a great sorcerer, just like a barrier does.
"Alright, so what do we-"
"Get...out of...my way!" Hokuto crawls his way from the rubble, his blood soaking his forehead and...his monster energy is spiraling out of control. "Didn't I...tell you?! This is my moment! My singular moment! I will not let it be spoiled by weaklings!"
I've felt this kind of energy before, right when I stepped in after Tsukune first turned into a Ghoul. Wait a minute, could Jokuto...no...
"Why, Hokuto?! Why are you so desperate to destroy Yokai Academy?! Why take it this far?"
"...You could never understand, Tsukune," Hokuto manages to get to his feet, ignoring the blood pouring down his face. "You've had a wonderful adventure here, haven't you?" He throws off his coat, revealing a blank tank top underneath...along with something wrapped around his left forearm. "Under the protection of your little friends."
"Wha...Th-That's..." Tsukune's eyes widened with my own as we both recognized the item around Hokuto's arm. "A Holy Lock?! But...that's impossible!"
"I knew I recognized that aura."
"I did too," I add. "It's the same as TSukune's when he transforms... Hokuto, you're a-"
CHING!
Hokuto rips the Holy Lock off his arm with a sneering grin, the veins around his neck and shoulders begin to bulge. "Very good, still as clever as always, Elijah. You guessed it. Like Tsukune, and you in a cruel sense of irony..." He takes off his glasses and throws them across the room. "I, too, was human once!" Hokuto begins to transform, his energy spiraling out of control as he yells. "But don't compare me to either of you! I battled my way through this hellhole alone! I pushed my mind to the limit alone!" Hokuto's transformation turned him into a massive, insect-like, skeleton body with his head at the center of it. His legs and bone-like limbs are sharp as knives and extend all around the room. "The only way to survive was to turn into...this! I'll never forgive the place that turned me into this...this...thing! This hideous, horrifying, monster! That's what's behind all this! The dream that kept me alive all this time: REVENGE!" Hokuto proclaims with an evil grin.
One of his shoulder blades twitched...I recognized that motion, he was about to attack. "Look out!"
"NO ONE WILL STAND IN MY WAY!"
BOOM! CRASH! RUMBLE!
Hokuto slashes wildly through the room with his long, scythe-like limbs, clicking through the support pillars holding up the ceiling. I managed to dodge all of them but my button-down rips in the process, leaving my upper body topless. Tsukune managed to get out unscathed too...but only because Moka had shielded him, injuring herself in the process.
"Moka!" The Human goes to help her and I stand by with my guard up. "Shit! You got hurt protecting me, didn't you?"
"Get out of my way," She says, standing up and ignoring her injuries. "You can't handle this, Elijah and I will handle this and you run."
"No," I say. "We take him down together."
"Yeah, you're hurt, Mo-"
"Listen to me, Tsukune," She interrupts. "This is what the Other Moka wants, too. It was her determination to save you that gave her the power to release me...at a terrible risk to herself. She's a dummy," Moka wipes the blood from her face. "But I made a promise to that dummy. I will protect you, Tsukune."
Moka rushes off to fight before we can even protest. "Moka!"
"Come on!"
Tsukune and I run after her, I catch up with Moka just in time to help her dodge an attack that would've slashed her left shoulder, I pulled her away and she only got a small scratch from it. Moka's moving slower than usual, I need to step up.
"You're not going to get anywhere by just being wreckless, Moka. Tsukune can fight just as much as we can, don't tell him what he can't do!" I catch two of Hokuto's massive arms...but this leaves Moka defenseless.
"No one can stop me! DIE, VAMPIRE!" Hokuto shouts as he goes to strike Moka down...but Tsukune jumps in the way and blocks his attack before it can even touch her, catching his limb before it can dig too deep into his flesh. "...Impossible. How are you still standing?!"
"...There's only...one thing...I can do to help you, Hokuto!" Tsukune's eyes glowed red, looking up to Hokuto. "We will stop you!"
"TSUKUNE!" Hokuto shouts in rage, his eyes filled with hatred as he prepares to strike us all down with his last free arm. But Tsukune turns to Moka and nods.
"NOW!"
"..." She quickly nods back and says, "You're nuts, both of you...and my other self." Moka rushes to take out Hokuto, he snarls as the Vampire gets closer.
"Trash like you can't possibly defeat me! I've put my life on the line for this! You don't have my hunger! YOU CAN NEVER DEFEAT ME!"
Moka jumps over his attacks and says, "Of course, we can. You're all alone, right? And the hope that's been entrusted to us by my friends...is more powerful than your hunger! It's over, Hokuto!" Moka kicks him straight in the face. "Know your place!"
Her kick sends Hokuto flying up into the air. "How...how can I lose to you?!"
"It's obvious," I fly into the air with my wings...feeling all the power go into my right arm as it glows bright blue. No more holding back. "You're all alone, we have each other. You never stood a chance against us." As I balled my fist, I caught a glimpse of shock in Hokuto's eyes.
"...You're the Blessed-"
BOOM!
I punch Hokuto straight into the ground, breaking off several of his limbs and creating a crater in the process. I land on the ground, standing in awe of what I just did. I've never felt such...power before. Is this what it was like when Merlin took over when we faced Kuyo? Damn...but It's still a shame.
"I almost feel sorry for him," Moka looks down at Hokuto's limp body in the crater. "He was just a harmless human once, like you, Tsukune. Then somebody must've pumped monster blood into him, like I did with you. But the power ran wild inside him...and he let it. Something that you haven't gone through, yet. But in the end, that's what weakened him."
"...Why is it that when I finally meet someone at Yokai Academy who I thought..." Tsukune cuts himself off, looks down at the ground...and cries softly. "If we'd met under different circumstances...I bet we could have been friends. All of us."
"..." Damn his compassion...and mine too. "Yeah...I think so too."
"...It's...too late," Hokuto, coughs, weakly lifting his head to make eye contact with us. "It's too late for that, Tsukune...Elijah... Too late for...everything."
"What-"
DMM! ZZTT! ZZTT!
The altar begins to glow brighter than the first time, the ground begins to shake around us...and the roof is beginning to cave in. I look up...and I can see the barrier crack in the night sky...and I can barely see a glimpse of the human world. Just like it was in my vision.
"Oh, no..."
"Hear that? The sound of annihilation! Everything has gone according to plan! The Great Barrier will vanish! And the curtain will fall..."
"...How? How could you do this?!" I scream out, towering over Hokuto's weakened state. "I looked up to you! Your mind, your conscience, wanting to help others...the way you never gave up!"
"It's because...people like me, no, us, Elijah, have a duty, a responsibility; To use our powers in the service of others, even if they don't appreciate it. I see what you really are now. No insignificant magic wielder could ever hold the power you have," Hokuto tries reaching out to me. "We have to do what's best...for those beneath us...whether they understand it or not!"
"No, you're wrong!" I smack his hand away. "You were everything this school wanted to be! And you just...threw it all away!" I picked up one of Hokuto's broken-off limbs and threw it across the room.
"Elijah!" I turned to the others at the Altar of Everlasting Darkness, nodding, remembering what I needed to focus on now. "It's progressing faster than I thought," said Moka. "We have to stop this now! Beating Hokuto means nothing if we can't protect the Barrier."
I take a look at the console, feeling the energy within over...halfway gone. "...It's already past the point of no return."
"Don't give up!" The familiar sound of a Witch overpowers the rumbling around us. When we turn around, we see Kurumu, Yukari, Mizore, Ruby...and Archimedes flying toward us. Kurumu carried Yukari and Ruby carried Mizore.
"You guys!"
"How'd you even get here?" Moka asks, completely shocked by their sudden arrival in this hidden place.
"The Headmaster had some teleportation tricks of his own," Ruby explained. "He thought we might be able to help."
"Tsukune! Elijah!" Kurumu ran straight for us, hugging us tightly. "I'm so glad you guys are okay!"
"We're alright."
"We're fine, Kuru."
We pull ourselves away from her, seeing Yukari look over the console. "Hmm. A barrier's power supply stems from the energy of a sorcerer. I'm assuming that holds true even for the great barrier."
"I was thinking the same thing," I add. "But the energy is already halfway dissipated."
"...Then, what if we all pour our energy back into it? The Great Barrier could be restored!"
"That's...actually brilliant," I say, astonished.
"Leave it up to the genius kid to come up with such ideas," Mizore says.
"Hmph!" Yukari proudly huffs. "You betcha!"
HOO! HOO!
"The Witch has quite a head on her shoulders!"
"So we just release our energy through here?" Kurumu points to the console.
"How about me and Tsukune?" I ask.
"No, you two have done enough," Kurumu says.
"Let us take care of it," Ruby adds.
"Plus, Tsukune could die if he gives up any more energy," Moka shoves Tsukune over to me, I caught him before he could trip over his own feet.
We watch as the girls all place their hands on top of each other in the center of the Altar. "This should be easy! Ready, guys?"
"Ready."
Hokuto
Hokuto watches as his enemies try so hard to save Yokai Academy, willing to even give up their lives to the very thing that destroyed his life. No...his life was already on this path from the moment of birth.
Unbelievable... How far are they willing to go to thwart me? 'If we'd met under different circumstances'. Hokuto scoffed at Tsukune's earlier claim. To hell with friends. I never had a friend. Ever. I was on my own from the very beginning. My father was rich, but I was the child of his dead lover. There was no place for me in his life, he had nothing to give me...but bitterness. Then, when I had almost graduated from middle school, when I was just about to run away forever...that cursed paper landed in my hands...
'Yokai Academy'...
It seemed like the perfect way to escape the hell of my home. But...only despair awaited me here. Days filled with blood and violence, always on the edge of death. They don't accept weak humans here, so I had to become strong. I had nowhere else to go. Then...it finally became clear! There is no place in this world for me! So there was nothing left to do but...destroy it. Destroy this world...and build a new one from the ashes of war.
ZZTT! ZZTT!
The Great Barrier begins draining the girl's monster energy...but something was wrong. One by one, they started to feel weaker. "Nngh! What's going on?" Kurumu shouts. "It feels like...my soul's being sucked into a bottomless pit!"
"The Barrier...might be too big for us!" Ruby says as her legs begin to wobble.
"I...I can't go on," Yukari starts to close her eyes as she struggles to stand on her own and slide down the side of the Altar.
"Yukari!"
"Gonna...pass out..." Four of the girls pass out, the only one left standing is the Vampire, Moka.
"Damn it..." She growls, looking down at the console. "We're not powerful enough...almost...but not quite." Moka starts passing out from exhaustion...only to be caught in the arms of the only two remaining boys.
"Hang on, Moka."
"We got this."
"Tsukune? Elijah?" Moka's eyes widened, knowing exactly what they meant by that. "No! You're already on the brink, Tsukune! Elijah! Think this through!" The boys ignored the Vampire's call, set her down next to the others, and headed right for the console. "NO!"
"...Hokuto said he wanted change," Tsukune states. "To end the violence at this school, to bring peace to Yokai Academy. Elijah and I heard him."
"And in some twisted way...I think he meant it," Elijah adds, shocking not only the girls...but Hokuto himself. "And I want to make that dream a reality, not just for Yokai Academy, but for the world."
"Me too, but Elijah and I will do it our way. I'm going to do whatever I can," Tsukune raises his hand over the center of the Altar...followed by Elijah. He looks at his brother and smiles. "Ready?"
"Always," He nods...and they both slam their hands down on the console. Elijah held his hand over TSukune's sharing his energy in case he ran out.
"You idiots!" Moka cried out. "You'll die, Tsukune!"
"Guys, no!" Kurumu shouted. "We have to help them!"
"Tsukune!"
"Elijah!"
"...Hehehe," Hoktuo laughs as he slowly rose to his feet, his limbs only regenerating so he can move to them. "You losers! Pathetic fools!" The girls, minus Moka, are shocked at Hokuto standing back up. "So naive...you're too soft, boys!"
The rest of the girls move between their friends and Hoktuo despite their exhaustion. "Don't hurt them anymore!" Kurumu shouts. "All Tsukune and Elijah ever wanted was to help you! Why can't you see that?! Why don't you under-"
"Get out of my way!" Hokuto pushes them out of the way as he makes his way over to Tsukune and Elijah. He towers over the boys and looks at them both straight in the eyes...with a smile on his face.
Elijah sneered back as Tsukune offered a small smile of his own. "It's strange...standing face-to-face like this...you're just like you were when we first met."
"..."
"Remembered what you promised us?" Elijah asked. "'We'll join forces and transform this place into a great school, together.' That's what you told us. And I can feel that's what you crave...it may be born of blood, but you just wish for peace."
"And I think we will...someday..." Tsukune begins to pass out, and Elijah catches him with his free arm and wings...but what happens next...was not what the Wizard or human expected. Hokuto slammed his hand over theirs, giving up his own energy.
"You know," Hokuto chuckled. "I guess there was one thing I misunderstood. It wasn't just dumb luck that allowed you to survive as a human, Tsukune," The Altar stops glowing and Hokuto removes the Rosary of Judgment from its keyhole...handing it over to Tsukune. He laughs as he says, "You were right, both of you. If we had met...under different circumstances..."
Hokuto passes out in their arms. "...Hokuto? Hokuto!" Tsukune shouted as he tried to wake him up...but he was out cold. Tsukune and Elijah soon passed out afterward with Moka catching the human, Kurumu and Mizore catching the Wizard, Elijah's hair slowly returning to his normal dark brown and his wings retracted.
Elijah...days later...the day of the festival
That's all I really remember after passing out. Tsukune and I woke up in the hospital days later with everyone else waiting for us to wake up. In that time, we learned that Tsukune, Hokuto, and I were whisked to the hospital by mysterious men dressed in black. The Great Barrier we fought so hard to protect has been completely restored. And as thanks for saving Yokai Academy, the Headmaster repaired Moka's Rosary too. So she'll be back to her bubbly, happy self. And so...that battle is over, peace has come back to the Academy once more...for now.
But...I can't help but think...did I really do much? I mean, yes, I managed to draw out the ancient power within me, but Tsukune had already been really hurt. If I had only done it sooner and not held back...I could've stopped Hokuto long before then. I guess I still have a lot to learn. What do you guys think?
Elijah...
I set my letter down on my desk, sighing as I rested my head on my hand. "At least it's over for now."
"Ha! We'll just see about that!" Archimedes hoots from his birdhouse, planting his wings on his hips.
"Zip it, Archimedes," I say, handing him the envelope. "Just take this to the mailbox, please."
"Hmph!"
"And, uh, you can go ahead and just take the rest of the evening off, I won't be here when you come back."
"Hoo? What, what?"
"The festival kick-off party, remember?"
The Pygmy owl thinks for a second before his eyes widen in recognition. "Ah, yes. Finally! A nice quiet evening for myself for once!"
I chuckle at Archimede's statement as he flies out the window. "You said it," I grab my phone and head out of my dorm room.
Outside, I met up with Tsukune and the others. We take a look at all of our hard work as the students around us enjoy the festivities. "Wow, there's so many visitors!"
"This is so awesome!"
"What a great festival!"
"A little loud, but I can tolerate it."
"You guys did great!" Moka says to me and Tsukune. "After all that craziness, all the preparations, putting out a special edition of our newspaper..." She listed on with a smile on her face. "Now that it's finally happening, it feels like a dream!"
"A good dream," Tsukune adds.
"Yeah, we all needed a break like this," I state.
"No kidding!" Kurumu shouts. "I'm pooped!"
"Guys!" The panicked voice of Ruby grabbed all of our attention, she ran right toward us with panic all over her face. "We've got an emergency! It's bad!"
"Oh, God," I groan. "What now?"
"Hokuto's not in his hospital room, he's gone!"
"WHAT?!" We all collectively shout.
"He disappeared?!"
"That's right!" Ruby nods. "We thought he was in a coma, but when the guard looked away for only a second...he was gone! Kiriya hasn't been found yet either! They could be anywhere by now!"
"...That's scary...but..." Tsukune smiles to himself. "I'm glad he regained consciousness."
"And if he wanted to do anything, he would've already," I add. "We'll be ready if and when we see him again."
"...Hey, Elijah?" Tsukune pulls me to the side and out of earshot of the girls.
"What's up, man?"
"I've just been thinking...did we really protect anyone? I mean, me, really?"
"...I know what you mean," I sighed. "In the end, we were the ones who were saved...again."
"Yeah. To Hokuto, we're just...a joke."
"Yeah..." I punch his shoulder. "But since when did we let that stop us, huh?"
Tsukune chuckled as he rubbed his shoulder. "Yeah, I guess not."
BOOM!
We all turn to the sound of an explosion, but our worries wash away as we see the night sky light up with fireworks with multiple, beautiful colors. "Oh, yeah. I forgot I added those last minute."
"Wow...so many colors!"
"It's like explosion magic!"
"Pretty..."
"Guess we still have advantages of being the only two members left on the festival committee."
"This is amazing, you guys!" Kurumu exclaims, jumping up and down with glee.
"Let's go!" Moka grabbed onto Tsukune's hand, dragging him away as he laughed.
"That means you too, mister!" Kurumu grabs onto my hand and pulls me too, she intertwines my fingers with her own...making my heart pound.
"How come you get to hold his hand?" Mizore scowled, taking my other hand. I ignore it for now and just enjoy the time with the people I love.
Finally, let's just have some fun for once. Sure, he got away, but a majority of myself still feels...victorious.
High above it all!
Victorious, victorious!
Far too long I've grown
In hopelessness, I'm over this!
Don't give up on me!
Tell me you believe!
I can't face it all...
Victorious, victorious!