*
The hotel was surprisingly busy and though the lobby was filled, people didn’t approach the group as they passed through and entered the elevator.
‘Izumi is right...’ Eiko stated. ‘This is a trap.’
‘That doesn’t matter.’ Yamato continued to have his arms folded. ‘I’ll stop Yamato today with my own hands.’
‘I’m looking forward to finally being able to sleep properly.’
All eyes turned to Izumi. ‘What? Did I say something strange?’
‘N-No...’ Junichi looked at Eiko and Yamato. ‘You think we can do this?’
‘Of course I do!’ Izumi appeared irritated. ‘Everything is riding on this but, we have Yamato. You’re not just filled with the abilities of the Reapers of Justice but you’re filled with everyone’s hopes and desires for the end of to their pain and suffering. Nothing can stop this power.’ There is no hope for us. Damn fools. Izumi thought.
The elevator doors opened once again to the penthouse and dread filled the three who had been in the room once already as they felt like they were re-living a nightmare. The last time Yamato, Junichi and Izumi had left the luxurious room they left believing that they were going to die.
‘Look at this place! It’s so fancy!’ Eiko exclaimed.
‘Eiko, Is this really the time?’
‘Sorry Izumi, I can’t help it. I talk when I’m nervous.’
Yamamoto Akira was found dressed in a suit on the chair that Junichi, Izumi and Yamato had sat on during their first encounter, with a glass of champaign bubbling lightly in his hand, seeming as if he was expecting the group to arrive. Junichi, Izumi, Yamato and Eiko wondered to him and Izumi noted the bitter look on his face – clearly still dwelling on their meeting in the Reaper’s Headquarters which had been a major set-back in his plans.
From the elevators, thirteen Keys appeared to block the exit. Whatever happened in the penthouse would mark the end of a long struggle for not only the four teenagers but Akira who hadn’t expected the resistance that he had faced.
‘My doctor says I should avoid alcohol.’ Started Akira, swirling the liquid around the sparkling glass. ‘He says that at body is having trouble digesting it. But I said to myself, “Akira, today is a monumental day in your life. You should celebrate”.’ He set the glass down on the clear coffee table at his feet, struggling to stand but without any walking aid as pride had stopped him from having one.
‘Yamato.’ Akira outstretched his arms as if he wanted to embrace Yamato, placing his hands on his cheeks instead.
‘Enough with your fake pleasantries, Akira.’ Yamato spat.
Akira took a step back. ‘I have thirteen of my strongest soldiers here to protect me,’ with his words the Keys drew in closer, ‘if you want my life, you will have to fight to claim it.’
‘The time in nearing Izumi.’ A demonic voice called in Izumi’s mind. ‘Soon, everything you hold dear will cease to exist!’ The world was suddenly different, filled with monstrous Nightmares instead of Keys, frightening her with their grey, muscular forms. Their purple eyes glowed while their mouths oozed black, inky drool.
Izumi screamed, falling onto her knees, grasping her head again and startling everyone in the room except the Keys who were under Akira’s influence.
‘Izumi!’ Eiko kneeled beside her best friend. ‘What’s going on!? Talk to me!’
‘Can’t you see them! The Nightmares! Kill them! KILL THEM!’
‘Nightmares!’ Everyone exclaimed at once.
‘You brought an Eclipsed here! Is this your feeble plan!?’ Akira spat.
‘Shut it, old man!’ Yamato took a step closer to Akira. ‘She’s not well, that’s all.’
‘Fool! She’s going to turn into one of them any moment and the Nightmare will kill us all!’
‘No she won’t!’ Eiko retorted.
Izumi’s eyes became purple once again. ‘I can’t take the pain! I’m going to explode!’
‘You all had better explain what is going on here or else I’ll have you killed on the spot! This has gone beyond entertaining!’ Akira back away more.
‘I tried to tell you, Junichi!’ Izumi exasperated, physically looking like she was in pain. ‘The blood of Demons runs through my veins! I can’t control it!’ She exasperated
‘Impossible! IMPOSSIBLE!’
Junichi’s head whipped towards Akira. ‘You know something don’t you!’ He grabbed Akira by the collar of his blazer. ‘You better fix her or else!’ He aimed Akira towards the glass serving as both a wall and a window. His action prompted the Keys into action, grabbing the four and pulling them away in four separate directions.
The penthouse was now very tense.
‘There will be order!’ Demanded Akira, sorting out his suit then stated venomously, ‘The youth of today!’ With arms behind his back he continued. ‘I will tell you before you die. There is an old story, about how Demons once walked this world. The were towering monstrosities made from bones that could make even Nightmares cower in fear. Humans existed in the world but the Demons were the dominant species as so Humans were nothing but wildlife to them. However...’
‘However?’ Eiko asked, exercising patience.
‘However, a Demon fell in love with a Human and sacrificed everything, even its grand stature and power to be with her. That Demon was considered a traitor amongst its clan and banished from its society. It is thought that Demons were the world’s original Keys; they could change not only their own shapes but the shapes of other things they touched.
‘Demons needed Humans as fuel just like Humans need animals. What they needed most however, was their blood.
‘As Human numbers fell, Demons themselves became to die-off because you see, they needed blood to lubricate their large, machine-like bodies. The Demon who was banished was able to survive because having shed a large portion of its mass was able to live on the small amount of lubricate that its body produced. The Demon and his lover had a child, and that child would become the world’s first Key that looked like a Human.’
Junichi laughed. ‘C’mon old man, do you really expect us to believe this crap!? It’s a story – just like you said.’
‘Look at the girl’s body! It is falling apart because Human and Demon cannot co-exist in one shell! She is proof that the story holds some form of truth. This Key described would be different to the other Keys possessing the power to control darkness itself. Tell me, girl, is there any truth in that?’
Izumi was silent for a while before admitting, ‘I have visions of Demons... Their blood in my veins lets me access power from the Nightmares’ dimension. It’s...’ She began to quietly cry, ‘It’s driving me mad. The darkness is too great.’
Akira chuckled. ‘Straight from the horse’s mouth. The story says that Keys born with this power had a mutation that made their bodies produce blood at an accelerated rate, and if the Key was female it would store in their breasts so that she could be used by the Demon’s themselves as–’
‘Their mother...’ Junichi muttered. ‘That’s what you said wasn’t it, Izumi? Your body was preparing you to be the Mother of Demons?’ He then looked away guiltily. ‘And I didn’t believe you.’
‘It’s alright.’ Izumi smiled weakly.
‘Realizing that they way for Demon’s to survive was to become Human in stature, they too shed their mass so that the blood became more plentiful in comparison.’ Akira continued. ‘The Demons tried to create more Keys with the power over darkness who could provide them with an endless supply of blood for them to use. What they didn’t realize was that a Key with the power over the “Xero Xone” was a mutation amongst Keys – a very, very rare individual. All the Demons ended up doing was creating more and more Keys and these Keys would later on stand behind the user of the Xero Xone and that Key would send the Demons into another dimension.’
‘Izumi...’ Eiko uttered.
‘You’re going to kill us now, aren’t you? Iz
umi was staring through the floor. ‘It’s okay. Even if we beat you, the world is going to end anyway.’ Her face contorted as the pain in her head returned. ‘Do you want to know what the Demons tell me? They tell me that in time they shall come back to reap their revenge! They will kill us all!’
‘Enough of this bullshit! Yamato seized the opportunity, breaking free of his captor to throw Akira onto the ground. Just as quickly he dragged him onto his feet, using his Advanced Strength to keep Akira’s arms pinned to his back and in his possession.
‘You did it Yamato!’ Junichi declared excitedly.
With eyes moving to each of the Keys outnumbering them. Yamato strode to the window. ‘I’d tell you to look at what you’ve done but you won’t see it. You’re too blinded by your ego and ambition.’
‘Isn’t it beautiful? A perfect, efficient society. All I need is your immortality and I can rule Japan forever.’
‘That’s not going to happen. You’re going to rot in hell!’ He pulled Akira away from the window, charging his throw but then Yamato instead let go, pushing Akira further into the room.
‘YAMATO! What are you doing!?’ Eiko’s eyes were wide with shock. ‘You had him!’
‘Yamato! What the hell!’ Junichi retorted.
‘Shit! He has us!’ Yamato didn’t move nor look at his friends.
‘What?’ Eiko was confused but then she lost control of her body, stepping out of the Key’s grip to then jump forward and begin to dance like a ballerina. ‘What!? No! Somebody stop him!’
Yamato glared out of the pristine window with anger but couldn’t move beyond shifting the muscles in his face.
No... Izumi closed her eyes in fear. It’s happening! Everything is going wrong!
‘Izumi!?’ Eiko called out but Izumi’s eyes stayed closed, lost in her own world.
‘Junichi!’
Junichi didn’t move either.
Nothing could stop Akira as he played with his new toy. ‘You see, Yamato,’ He turned Yamato so that he could face him. ‘You’re body may be strong but your mind is still helpless. Your mind is unprotected and vulnerable to my Mind-Control.’
‘But there’s something you don’t know, Akira!’ Junichi declared.
Akira went to face the boy disrespecting him but when he did he was met with a fist to his face. Elderly and weak, Akira collapsed onto his hands and knees, dazed enough to stop Eiko’s dancing but not dazed enough to break his mind-control completely. ‘How... How...’ He couldn’t get the words out of his mouth.
Junichi stepped up to Akira, placing a foot on his back with a grin of satisfaction stretching his face. ‘I discovered after our meeting in this room that I couldn’t feel your presence like Izumi and Yamato could and when Yamato said that you had us I knew you didn’t have me.’
‘Impossible!’ He spat.
‘Believe it!’ He picked Akira up, bringing him one again to the window but was forced to let him go when Yamato pulled him away threw him instead against glass. Junichi rolled along the glass just in time to dodge Yamato’s punch that cracked the window.
‘You forget about my new puppet! Attack your friend, Yamato!’
‘NOOOOO!’ Yamato howled as he brought a heavy fist into Junichi’s stomach, bringing him onto his knees. He then plucked Junichi up but was greeted with a punch to the skull that didn’t have any effect on him.
‘Sorry, Yamato!’
‘Don’t worry about me Junichi! Keep going!’
Junichi delivered a jab to the stomach followed by a palm to the face then a punch that sent Yamato spinning on the spot.’
‘You can beat up your friend as much as you want but he will never get tired!’ Akira commented.
Yamato reached behind him to wrap his arm around Yamato’s neck, he used a manoeuvre to flip him over and slammed him into the ground.
‘You’re right...’ Junichi sluggishly stood, holding his bottom set of ribs that he knew had cracked. Blood was leaking from the corner of his mouth but he sat it out completely. ‘I’ll have to fight the puppeteer instead!’ Raising a fist, Junichi went to charge at Akira but his wrist was caught by Yamato who turned Junichi so they faced each other square-on, raised a leg then stomped him in the torso with such force that Junichi was lifted off his feet and flew through the already cracked window.
The sound of smashing glass brought Izumi out of her mind where she saw her boyfriend fly out of the window, shards of glass protruding out of his skin. She saw the shock on Junichi’s face, the realisation that he was about to die, a hand outstretched while his eyes locked into hers.
She watched Junichi disappeared from her sight, watched as the person she held dearest to her heart plummeted to his death. ‘Is there anything left?’ Her own voice rang in her head.
‘What do you mean is there anything left?’ Junichi had asked.
The first year of their struggle was coming to the end and after an intense battle they sat amongst devastation, the building they were in collapsed. Corpses surrounded them and with the light from the full moon above, there was no escaping the horror, even at night.
‘All this time fighting, a long, downhill battle and in all this time I haven’t seen my mother or father. Neither have you. It’s been too dangerous and too risky. But are they still alive?’
‘Mother... Father... I think about them everyday and I wish I knew. I want to call them, Izumi but... But I scared. I’m scared that somehow Akira will get to them or use them against me. Us.
‘I’m scared that they’ve already been taken by Akira. And that we will never be able to get them back.’ Izumi looked away from Junichi so that he couldn’t see the tears in her eyes.
‘We can’t afford to think like that, Izumi. If we having nothing to fight for then... It’s all over.’
‘You can’t really think that, Junichi?’
Junichi held Izumi’s hand tighter. ‘I don’t know. But, you’re by my side. Right now you’re the person I have to fight for.’
I have nothing to live for now! Izumi thought angrily.
‘Just like you feared, the world you know will come to an end.’
Junichi! Junichi is gone! I’m losing him! He is my world and I’m losing him!
‘Stop fighting the inevitable Izumi!’
I can’t!
‘Accept your fate!’
I won’t! WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME HOW TO LIVE MY LIFE!?
‘I am you Izumi... I am the dark thoughts that you didn’t want to accept that have thrived because of the Xero Xone. But you know this already. You also know that the feelings that you wanted to hide were the feelings you truly valued. You don’t need the power of darkness to tell you what you already knew in your heart, that your struggles were all for nothing. Your struggle against this power is merely a struggle to ignore how you really feel. Why are you hurting yourself? Are you a masochist?’
I don’t like this! How can you call me a masochist!?
‘Then let go! Let go! Izumi!’
Izumi felt a cocktail of feelings and sensations: warmth and cold, her heart pounding, clawing on her skin, icy water splashed on her, fire exploding from within her, loss, hatred, sadness, anger, confusion, fatigue, wonder, fear, anxiety, ecstasy, lust, joy.
Peace.
She decided to let go and by ultimately accepting the darkness in her heart, Izumi let the power of the Xero Xone consume her and let it go of all her struggles.
Shibuya Grand Hotel disappeared in a column of black energy that ripped the very fabric of the world; showing outer space inside the magnificent energy, distorting reality as cars lifted themselves from the ground to float up and disappear in storm clouds that spawned from nothingness.
The column of energy spread out, absorbing everything it touched, growing faster the more it ate, claiming more lives, destroying more buildings. Because the energy made no sound there was nothing to warn the people as the black energy spread and destroyed all that it touched.
There was no escaping the destruction.
Kioshi was thrown back into reality when something dropped heavily onto the hood of Junichi’s car. It punched through the windscreen and grabbing Kioshi, tear him out the car then threw him out onto the street.
Kioshi smashed into the back window of a taxi, pain pinching at all the nerves in his body and was panicking because without being in his empowered form, his eyes though healed were useless.
The figure back-flipped off Junichi’s car onto the roof of another car, looking down at Kioshi embedded into the taxi three cars down. Kioshi’s eyes closed then reopened in their empowered state, the world returning to him in a purple tint. He felt the power of the Xero Xone blossom within, eliminating all pain and allowed him to remove himself from the broken glass and dented metal, standing on the roof of taxi.
Opposite him stood a hooded and armoured costume with a mechanical helmet that had an animated face that was scowling at Kioshi. The eyes were like empty sockets on a skull but with tiny red dots in the center, giving it a menacing appearance.
Unlike Ayumi, this man is a physical threat who would no doubt over-power and kill me.
What should I do!?
DESPERATION