Ga Rei: Exodus Nine (IC)

**Mormarth** · May 2nd, 2014, 02:38 AM

Watanabe Tomoya
New Aoyama, outside 'For Pete's Sake'
Night

When I'd charged out into the night with a bone to pick, I wasn't very concerned about any results of my actions, I was a predator defending his territory from another one, I would not allow any harm to come to the people laying there.

And I'd practically brought this place from fucking nothing, I wasn't going to let some milk-drinking bag of bones push in my teeth for my lunch money without beating him to death with his own arm stumps.

My first blow rocked the enormous skeleton back a step, it swayed like a boxer after a hard hit to the chin, crouching down in the natural instinct of thinking beings to avoid pain. I promptly seized the advantage, leaping off of one of its bent knees and slammed another blow into its ribs, the gargantuan monstrosity teetering back in the face of my blow and falling to the ground.

I landed on it's chest, rearing back one more fist, planning to rip this thing apart into tiny pieces and put em on my wall.

And that's when things went against plan, a skeletal hand seized me tightly slamming me into the ground at its side.

It hurt, a lot, my ribs creaked under the grip of the wounded predator, it's 'eyes' looking directly at me, something like vengeance in its eyes.

I couldn't breathe, and for a moment, my power, the unstoppable fury of destruction faded, and with my initial fury overridden by pain, I was finally able to realize exactly what the hell this thing was.

Well it was a giant skeleton, but more specific than that, it was a Gashadokuro, the bells, the silence, and its favored method of killing was...

The hand raised me off the ground as I slowly approached the head of the murdering creature, its mouth rearing open as I steadily approached.

Ah.

Right.

I squirmed and squeezed, but the hand of the creature was implacable, and it looked as though I might have to try something really stupid, when my private meeting with the skeletal solicitor, All-Bones Jones, was suddenly interrupted.

A scarlet flash flickered past my fading vision for a moment, cleaving straight through the Gashadokuro's arm, and I crashed to the ground, becoming painfully aware on how exactly tall this thing was outside of my rage.

Ow.

I rolled slightly in the arm's grasp, getting a clear look at the person who I had assumed to be harassing the skeleton, and had most rudely interrupted my escape attempt as she was promptly slammed to the ground not a short distance away.

Hngh, faking sleep or dramatic tension? Either way, this was irritatingly convenient, and I had the big guy right where I wanted him.

Yeah.

I grumbled lightly to myself, working my way out of the severed arm's grasp as I did so, rubbing at my ribs slightly.

I turned to the battle proper, and observed the, up until now dark miasma surrounding the enormous skeleton turning to a dull, hostile crimson.

Literally turning red, I suppose. I wonder if that means he's on the ropes?

I turned to the limb laying on the ground next to me, hefting it upwards with a grunt of effort as I did so, I heard Maiya's voice speaking casually, almost disinterested in the occasion:

"...Sometimes I really hate my job."

"Y'know, economy being the way it is," I said mock-disdain in my voice, "You should appreciate you're in the workforce."

And with that star power infused opening, I cocked my arm back and hurled the arm at the Gashadokuro like a javelin, red destruction crackling around me once more, I surged after the improvised missle, juking to the left of the enormous beast as I did so, then made a jerking motion with my right hand, hoping my impromptu sidekick/partner would take the hint and go for the wolfpack tactic.

I surged towards one of its legs, striking brutally at it, then I tensed, readying myself for an incoming blow, legs tensed to spring in any direction.

Wise up!

**Spinach** · May 2nd, 2014, 04:56 AM

Saki Ryuumonbochi
New Aoyoma, 'Brewed Awakenings'
Night

Saki silently accepted Suzume’s rebuttal with a stoic stare. Exactly as expected Suzume had made the decision to join the fight, a decision that Saki disagreed with. Yet, she was the one who had decided on her own to be a ‘retainer’ for Suzume, and thus Suzume’s decisions were final. Even if it was a pointless, needlessly dangerous decision.

So, Saki turned to the direction where the fighting was occurring and flashed a large, confident smile.

If Saki reasoned that this battle was not hers to fight, and if that reasoning would get in the way of her duty, then the only thing that remained would be to make the fight her own.

“Hah.” A dry, sarcastic laugh. An ember spark burst into full bloom in Saki’s hands as she uncrossed them. “Too dangerous? Run away?” With each word spoken the dryness in Saki’s voice burnt away, her tone returning to her boisterous, grandiose norm as the sparks grew in size and brightness, forming a small, floral inferno.

“It seems to me, my lord, that you have forgotten the unyielding might of these flames of mine, these flames that bloom in the deepest, hottest ravines of the underworld, which flourish in battle and chaos!” Pointing her palm toward the snowstorm, Saki directed her aim like a rifle in the direction of the wendigo’s shrieking. “Then this fight shall serve to remind you. This fiend that gorges on the flesh and blood of man and its pathetic blizzard can never snuff out these flames!”

With those words this battle became Saki’s business. Under the guise of displaying her strength she had convinced herself that this was a fight that she had a reason to be a part of, and that was all she needed.

“Gehenna…”

With her ears locking onto the growing shrieking that pierced over the howling, whipping wind and snow Saki finalized her aim, and with an overly enthusiastic grin, fired.

“Blossom!”

Coalescing as it exploded from her palm, the flaming bouquet melded together into one large, singular rose, burning through the snowstorm as it flew to its destination, leaving behind a large, rose shaped tunnel-like opening in the snowstorm. With a cackle Saki skipped forward daintily, stepping into the ‘tunnel’ she unintentionally made with her attack. Looking back Saki brought her arm up, offering her hand to Suzume as she smiled proudly, as if to brag about her tunnel even as the growing snowstorm began to erase the flower shaped gap.

Spoiler:

**Airen** · May 3rd, 2014, 12:04 PM

William Levilius
New Aoyama, Entertainment District
Night

Slowly, the sound of crying began to fade.

While the girl did not look up at you, instead pulling her knees to her chest even harder at the sound of your voice, it seemed like it had been more of a reflex than anything else, the sort of movement a terrified person would make at the sound of anything out of the ordinary.

How long had she been out here like this...?

And why-

"Protect...?"

-Why was your body trembling?

"Does that mean you're not going to run away, onii-chan? There are monsters here, you know? Everyone else ran away because of that."

The tone of her voice had changed.

There was a certain carefree confidence in it, something far removed from the crying girl you had come here to protect.

You had never met the girl before this... But even so, you got the feeling that you were talking to an entirely different person...!

"They weren't very brave, so they all ran away, even though people were crying. But Alice heard the crying, and so Alice came and got rid of the monsters for her!"

Head finally moving, the girl looks up at you, her eyes meeting yours for the first time.

"But hey... Tall, brave Onii-chan? You kinda feel like a monster too."

-Ba-Dump-

---There was something inside of this girl.

It didn't feel like a normal spirit, there was almost nothing "human," that you could comprehend about it's existence. It was a thing, a "something else," that had apparently been powerful enough to murder every apparition here-!

It was only as she pointed her finger at you, laughing, that you realized it.

The reason why the Miasma was so thin in this area-

"So, let's test how human you are Onii-Chan..."

-Was that most of the spirits here were terrified of whatever was protecting this girl.

"Die for Me."

Holding out two of her fingers in the classic shape of a pretend gun, your body moved instinctively to avoid the attack it sensed was coming, but-

William Levilius has taken 35 HP damage.

-Unlike a bullet, the small, needle-like light, that had smashed into your chest and thrown you back onto the concrete had moved far too quickly for you to avoid. It wasn't the most powerful attack you had ever been struck with, but unlike many, it was an invasive force, something meant to harm not just your body, but suppress your soul as well...

However-!

Spirit Surge: Success
Spirit Debuff negated.
William's SPI increases to A (60)

-Your soul wasn't weak enough to be dragged down by something like that, even if it was some sort of "Magic," or "ESP." Even if it was a feeling only you believed in, the soul of William Levilius would always pursue the path that saved those in his sight, growing stronger precisely because it was the most difficult path to walk.

"See Onii-Chan? You didn't break," sounding slightly bemused, the blonde haired girl was standing now, staring at you even as you flipped back up onto your feet, unwilling to stay down for even a moment longer than necessary, "Just like the monsters..."

Her hostile intent flared once more, but this time your body stayed firm.

After all... You had already decided to save this girl.

The only question now was how to go about doing it.

???

**Erlkonig** · May 4th, 2014, 10:14 AM

William Levilius | HP: 385/420 SP: 500/500
New Aoyama, Entertainment District
Night

William's eyes widened as the girl stopped crying. Before his relief could spread, however, something strange happened. The moment the sobs gave way to an eerie silence, William's spirit was overwhelmed by a primal instinct. He could not sense any malignant spirit approach, so why...?

"Protect...?"

Why did his body tremble so much-!?

"Does that mean you're not going to run away, onii-chan? There are monsters here, you know? Everyone else ran away because of that."

Even despite his fear, William knew there was something about that line. Something very important. He was filled with the urge to voice his disagreement, to reject the girl's sentence. However, at the same time, he couldn't talk.

The girl glaring at her... She felt like a completely different entity. His senses screamed at him to do something, to move even an inch from where he was standing. Yet, William could not move. He was too confused- He needed to hear what this girl was saying.

"They weren't very brave, so they all ran away, even though people were crying. But Alice heard the crying, and so Alice came and got rid of the monsters for her!"

Alice... That was her name. Even through his fear, he could think that it was quite the pretty name. Still, where had he heard it before...?

-At that moment.

"But hey... Tall, brave Onii-chan? You kinda feel like a monster too."

Their golden eyes met.

-William's heart a skipped a beat.

Run.

Leave.

You'll die.

You're going to get killed...!

--Something.

There was something strange inside that girl. Something eldritch and incomprehensible, yet his instincts completely rejected its existence, telling him to run away from this girl.

She was laughing, now. Her eerie laugh was childish, yet haunting. Any normal person would be running away by then. Yet, William could not move. Something else was preventing him from running away. A calling, something he couldn't fully understand.

"So, let's test how human you are Onii-Chan..."

Alarm bells blared inside William's body, reflexively tensing his muscles and preparing him for whatever was coming. Yet, even so... William still thought about the girl. Why was she doing this? What had she meant earlier? Even though his instincts told him this girl hid a terrible thing inside her, William couldn't just leave it at that...!

Something wasn't right...!

"Die for Me."

Just then, a bullet shot out from the girl's fingers. Directed at him, it hit before he was able to react in any way. Completely unable to defend from the attack, William was smashed against the concrete floor of the streets.

It was then that he felt his very soul shake. From the attack's wound, a terrible feeling spread inside him. It seeked to restrict his spirit, to reduce it to a fraction of its power. It was an overwhelming darkness- No, a void, that threatened to syphon the flow of his very willpower.

Yet... Even though it was an attack supposed to reduce a person's fighting spirit-

William's soul surged. Overcoming his own body's normal capacity, his spirit exploded from every pore of his body, completely nullifying the attack's power. Even as he struggled to stand up, a bright light coated his body, violently clashing with the surrounding mist.

Hope.

Fight.

Save her.

Protect her...!

William's spirit blanketed him, basking him in the warm feelings that dominated his heart. If the darkness around them was mist, then the light coming from him was clarity. Slowly, William's face lost its frightened expression. From his lips, a smile grew.

-Jeez, what an idiot he had been.

"I'm not a monster. Never met one, either." William knew that something had been wrong with the girl's demeanor. No one could fake that kind of crying. It was the true despair that longed to summon somebody to them, a song whose lyrics desperately craved the light of someone else. Evidently, the girl's spirit had been shaken by what had happened... And 'Alice' had answered her call, to save her.

Yet, even though she had repelled the monsters.

The girl was alone.

"They weren't very brave, so they all ran away."

William's heart tightened. Had they been afraid of her powers? Faced with a girl that could crush monsters with a power they didn't know, had they spurned her then? He knew that feeling... He knew it all too well. To be rejected because you were not understood... It was a terrible feeling. It was dark, and hateful. It made you reject everyone around you, in fear that they would attack you.

Alice... She was as much of a protector as he was. He might disagree with her methods, but there was no denying the entity's hostility was justified.

Even so, she could not help the girl with what she most needed. He could still hear the girl's hopeless crying. Facing this creature was definitely something he didn't need to do- But, even so... He couldn't just leave a sad person alone. The bonds that connected them wouldn't allow it.

"-Yeah." William's voice was soulful, but it did not break. Even though he shed a small tear as he understood the girl's plight, he didn't falter. "I won't run away. No matter what."

No matter how difficult the path he had to walk was, William would pick it without hesitation if he could save everyone in sight. That was what his brother... What his life had taught him.

He would save this girl.

He would definitely help her.

That was his resolve.

"-Even if I break, I will continue to protect. I won't die until I have saved her. I won't spurn you," Even as his words heated the air, William's gaze focused on the girl, looking at her and past her. Both the girl who had called her, and the one who had answered... The weight of his words had meaning for both. "even if you call me a monster."

-Of course, there was no meaning to his words if he didn't back it up with actions. If he wanted to prove his words, then he would have to act in a way that nobody would if they were lying.

And that was why-

"I won't leave you."

William took a step forward. It was just that. He didn't raise his guard. He didn't summon any power to him. He simply started walking. Towards that girl, whose only crime had been showing despair when overcome by fear...

...He didn't need anything else.

"This, I promise."

His eyes glowing with his spirit, William took another step.

He would prove to them that he meant truth. Even if he was bruised and battered along the way, even if the girl summoned death itself to cut at him with its scythe...

...William would reach out to her with his soul, to show them the purity of his promise- That he wouldn't leave that girl alone, even if the world were to collapse because of it-!

**Sei** · May 4th, 2014, 09:42 PM

Fushigi Sayara
New Aoyama, Church Building (Order of Eden)
Night

I listen to everything that the big guy has to say, but at the end of it all, I'm none the wiser. He goes on and uses a bunch of nice and fancy sounding words, but ultimately he ends up telling me some stuff that I can see for myself. 'Something big is happening and it isn't exactly safe'. At least that's it in a nutshell...

Placing both hands in my lap, I sit cross-legged on the pew and eye this glorified priest warily. Shifting my attention back and forth between him and the door, I can't help but mumble my discontent with the whole situation because frankly it's just too complicated. First this guy goes on about me being 'the chosen one', then the sky goes dark and people start passing out... And now on top of it all here comes some nonsense about this 'Kyuubi' monster and how someone's trying to resurrect it or something. I'll tell you... If I got paid in entertainment, I'd have hit the jackpot today.

"Listen, guy... I don't exactly get what you're talking about, nor do I really care," Pulling my finger out of my ear, I point at the man before me, "But what I do care about is that something's going on outside. Right? So instead of wasting my time with this silly history lesson, why don't you just point me in the right direction so I can go and kick this troublemaker's ass."

I catch myself instinctively- having cursed in the church- but I dismiss it for now. If it really does come back to bite me, I'll deal with it later...

"That's more or less what you want me to do, right? I can't really imagine why else you'd put so much effort into telling me all this."

Not really having much else to say, I rise up from my seat and dust off my clothes. The obnoxious knocking on the front door has already worn on my last nerve, so if someone doesn't deal with it soon, I'm going to lose my mind. And it would be just my luck that I don't have my sword on hand too.

"Look... I'm not interested in joining your little cult or whatever, but if this is about safety, then I guess I can't really say no," Just saying that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, "But don't get the wrong idea. I'm not saying this out of trust of necessity, but because of them..."

Turning around, I point at all the unconscious people scattered about the room.

**hero** · May 5th, 2014, 10:12 AM

Koga Ran
New Aoyoma, Streets
Night

"..."

The sight of destruction and the absence of life leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Damage has spread further than I thought... At this point, I assume that at least New Aoyama has been caught in this mess... And that's looking at it in a very optimistic way. Controlling my breathing even as we run, I try to extinguish the flame of anger that starts to burn deep within my heart. When I look for someone to be held responsible for everything that has happened in the past hours, the images of a young woman and her colossal 'pet' come to mind. While I can't still make sense of who the two of them really are, I know of someone who can provide at least one of the answers I am looking for. Unfortunately, I cannot honestly ask Tachibana-san for an explanation when the look on her face is weary as it is now. It may be reckless on my part, but I will wait until we're safe and rested before asking that question.

---Right now I have a much bigger problem to deal with.

The giant might not be fast... But if our pace keeps slowing down, it will eventually catch up to us. The one to blame for our recent loss of speed is no other than Tachibana Kimiko-san. Because of the effects the stone has on her body, she has become the weakest link and a burden to our survival... That is an undeniable fact. However, as a member of the Koga, a family who takes pride for acting as bodyguards, that's a burden I am both expected and willing to carry. Right now, I live to protect not only that stone, but also Tachibana-san's life. It might sound strange coming from someone who doesn't share any sort of attachment to her... But that is just how we, the Koga, operate. From an early age, I've been thought that one is supposed to throw away one's life without shame if it means prolonging that of the client... While my time has not yet come, the premise of sacrificing myself for someone else does not inspire any shame or hesitation... I am ready for it.

However, my resolve alone is not enough to fix this situation. If I intend not to leave Tachibana-san behind, and I don't believe that confronting the giant will do us any good either, I need to focus on finding a third option. Naturally, the first thing that comes to mind is finding a working vehicle... I must admit I rarely use anything besides my own two feet as a mean of transportation, but I believe I possess the basic knowledge required to operate one of those machines... One simply turns the key, which is located to the side of the steering wheel, to initate them... The rest is fairly easy to grasp from experience, or so I've been told... I may not be a master in the craft, but I am confident in my ability to make it work.

But before I can find a 'car' with a key attached, someone who is not Tachibana-san shows up within my field of vision.

A civilian, no, someone with special power like us. Naturally, her first reaction comes in the form of a brief interrogation... I'd rather not get her involved, but a part of me doesn't want for us to go separate ways. There is strength in numbers and, right now, we honestly need someone to lend us a hand.

"She's exhausted and slightly injured. The rest, you don't want to know." Not saying more than what's necessary, I turn towards the stranger. The expression in my face is cold and the look in my eyes sharp enough to cut through steel... It's the kind of facade I usually wear... The same I've been using since that day so many years ago. Despite my best efforts at trying to sound 'friendly', the rest of my body gives off a different idea. "We are heading towards the city outskirts. Joining us would be in your best interest. Do you know of a fast way to get there?"

**Froggie** · May 5th, 2014, 09:56 PM

Amamiya Mashiro (Ziodyne)
New Aoyoma, Mashiro's House
Evening

"It's good to be a bit distrusting; I mean, everything in this world has a catch, right?"

The raven haired young man could do little but crack a grin at that. It wasn’t that he distrusted everyone he met, although there was some of that. It was simply a matter of self-preservation, nothing more. In a world full of strangers, well… there’s only so many people you can rely on. Still, that did not mean there was any reason to be too cynical about things. He’d already decided to go with the man, with Miyamoto Shuu, after all, and this whole exercise had been little more than idle curiosity. So he listened to the man’s introduction with a bemused air as he lazily turned the ID card he had been given back and forth.

When the man was done talking, Mashiro’s smile widened slightly, an easy going grin.

“I already said I’d go with you, right? Not going back on that now. The more the merrier and I really don’t want to keep him waiting anymore. You understand, right?”

His smile turned slightly brittle at the end.

“I’ve already waited long enough.”

**Airen** · May 6th, 2014, 04:45 PM

Fushigi Sayara
New Aoyama, Church Building (Order of Eden)
Night

"Excellent."

Truly the two of you were incompatible with each other.

Outside of false pretenses of innate politeness, it was pretty clear that neither one of you really cared too much for speaking with the other. However, for the priest, you were still someone vaguely interesting, a person who couldn't follow his explanations closely, true, which was a problem he supposed could be blamed on his glorious personality, but an interesting person nonetheless. And as he stares at you in thought, the sound of knocking faded away, the small rapid taps cutting away to silence, and for a moment the only sound in the building is that of your slumbering neighbors.

"Well then, I suppose you should take this chance to rest further," turning his back to you, the man seemed eager to retire to a room in the back, "As much as I'd like to point out the 'culprit' behind all of this, I sadly lack the information necessary to do so. While I'm sure the beast was called here by human hands, this event seems to be the shape that the opening stage of the Lord's trial has taken... The only thing we must do is endure."

So saying, the door shut with a click before you could get a word in edgewise.

Irritating until the end.

Still, your head was a bit foggy, and so you decided to just let him go for now.

There would be time to punch him later.

---------

New Aoyoma
Residential District

This little escort mission of his seemed a bit too planned out for something that was apparently thrown together at the last second.

The others waking up about an hour after you did, the priest had then, on what seemed to be an impulse, dragged everyone out of the church, and now a sort of mob of blue cloaked cultists, as well as some very confused civilians, made their way together through the Aoyoma Ward, stopping only to search the homes for people to add to the rag-tag group of misfits. The priest, despite the occasional addition to the group, seemed to have decided to remain relatively silent for once, looking around at everything with a critical eye that really didnt seem to fit him.

The black fog from before was still present, a thick miasma that had most of the people in your group wary about breathing it in on assumption that it was 'toxic,' but after awhile, even those fearful mutterings were overcome by everyone's collective desire to get out of this place. It wasn't that anything bad had happened, in fact, the walk so far had been entirely peaceful, however there was a certain 'hostility' in the air that everyone, even the more normal humans, seemed able to sense...

"There sure are a lot of empty houses..."

Talking aloud to herself, the reporter girl from before, Johanna, had once again designated you as her conversation partner, just spouting random bits of observation at you as you followed along with the others, one eye open for anything out of the ordinary. Unlike the others, the girl's overall demeanor seemed more or less unchanged by the blatantly supernatural circumstances of the city, and if she hadn't been constantly talking about the darkened world around you, you would have been convinced that she wasn't even aware of what was going on...

"Still, I guess it's good to stop and try and find people... Don't wanna miss anyone right?"

You nodded without really thinking about it.

It was true that most of the houses the group had checked so far were empty, but there had been the occasional terrified citizen hiding out in their home... A rare occurrence, but one that was worth expending effort in order to repeat.

Not to mention that if you kept going this way-

"Hey... The door to that place is open."

-You'd wind up back at your place.

Standing out in the street, the others stopping once more to 'fan out' in groups and find any wanderers, you find your gaze fixated on your home. The door, unlike the undisturbed entrances of a lot of the homes you had passed (whose inhabitants seemed to have just up and vanished into thin air, with meals and the like still resting on powerless stoves) was open, a sign that someone, most likely your father, had left in a hurry, and in the darkness of the entryway, propped up against the far wall in a place where it shouldn't be, was the dimly glowing form of Kagetsu.

"Wanna go check out that one?" Correctly spotting your subconscious interest in the home, although not understanding the reasoning, Johanna's smile was small but noticeable, "I'll go with you if you want. The fake priest said to stay in groups..."

**Airen** · May 6th, 2014, 07:21 PM

Watanabe Tomoya
New Aoyama, outside 'For Pete's Sake'
Night

"A job doesn't do much good if you're dead, you know?"

A small smile on her face, the dark haired swords-woman couldn't help but snark back at you as you passed her at superhuman speeds, following the makeshift javelin that your opponent had been kind enough to not reclaim. While her sarcasm was pure, you were able to see her move towards the right side of the beast out of the corner of your eye, although whether she did this because of your motion, or simply because she was taking advantage of an opening you had been managed to create, was something you weren't entirely sure about.

Your soul pulsing once more with unrestrained violence, you kept your eyes locked on the monster as you approached, this time meaning to take it's leg while avoiding it's inevitable counter attack. For a human, such a thing should be impossible, but for people like you, it was simply a matter of pushing your body "beyond the limit."

Tomoya
Guard Command: Evade

Indeed.

With attacks coming at the monster from three different directions, you were confident in your ability to move in, hit hard, and get out before it tried to eat you again... Even though it's eyes focused only on you, ignoring Maiya even as it avoided the javelin, there was only contempt for you specifically in it's eyes.

After all, you were the biggest threat.

And yet, even through that, there was absolute confidence behind your fist, and for good reason-!

Gashadokuro takes 110 HP damage.
Stun Chance: Fail

It's cry was horrific.

Long and loud, it was a deep shriek that jarred your customers awake, that drowned out the sound of bells in your ears, and-

-Signaled the coming of an impossible fist in retaliation...!

Pushing yourself beyond your limits, you managed to throw yourself to the side as the ground where you had been standing exploded into a mess of concrete, the resulting shrapnel pelting your body, but causing no real damage...!

And on the opposite side of the beast-!

"Hah-!"

Your impromptu partner, the back of the creature opened entirely to her, as the enemy who was dismissed insignificant, swung her blade at the back of it's massive skull, and two arcs of light, like that of her sword, appear in the same instant as her attack, arcing in at a separate angles...!

Gashadokuro takes 100 damage.

The scream renews itself.

Maiya
Guard Command: Evade

And the girl, failing to finish off the thing, leaps back from it's shoulders as it tries to strike her with it's skull, as that red light from before, the changed miasma, begins to seep into it's body.

...No.

It had been doing this since you hit it last-!

Standing up, you face the being down once more.

While it would normally outclass it's opponents completely so long as they were human, two children of the Kyuubi, humans close to vengeful spirits in their own right.... Facing power like that, it was obvious to everyone present that the being was on it's last legs.

You merely had to overcome this last desperation.

Wise Up! Gashadokuro

Wise Up! Tsukino Maiya

**Airen** · May 6th, 2014, 09:52 PM

Intermission
'Blood Snow - Hero'

It is the duty of an exorcist to ensure that the natural process of life and death stays as it was intended. Those who die and remain behind because of regrets, or those who stayed behind because of pain, even those who stayed just because they were confused... No matter the motives, no matter how right the spirits happened to be, no matter how natural it is for them to seek out justice, all those who become vengeful spirits are treated in the exact same way by an ideal exorcist.

As the spiritual guardians of the world, they could not afford to take chances on those who 'seemed' benevolent.

Even so, there were often times when an exorcist would hesitate.

"Damn it..."

This was not one of those times.

When he had entered into this snowstorm, looking to stop the cause of it, Nakahara Michio had known that he wasn't in the greatest state of health. His body still weak, craving the stone he had given away out of a sense of duty, he had known that any sort of battle he would get into would be one where he would be at a disadvantage no matter the circumstances inside of the storm.

And still, he had pressed on.

For Michio, who had become an exorcist for the sake of helping people, putting his own life on the line was natural for many reasons. Even in an incident of this scale, an incident that he had confirmed encompassed the entire Aoyoma Ward, was still an incident that he was willing to risk his life to help solve.

And when he had finally forced his way into the outer district, had seen the wrecked cars, the frozen over buildings, the broken down doors, and the bloodstained rooms... Rooms where those incapable of glimpsing into the spirit world had been devoured...

The feeling of vengeance that had erupted in his heart had been perfectly natural too.

A human emotion, that like all emotions, gave birth to power.

His body weak but his soul determined, he had headed back out into the snow to hunt down the being before it could kill anyone else.

As an exorcist it was his job.

As a human... He had believed it was his duty...

Wendigo.

B-Class.

Dangerous, but not outrageously so.

Identifying the sound of it's voice had been simple enough, and even tracking it had been a simple matter of following his instincts.

That was the easy part.

The hard part...

Was defeating it without getting killed in the process...

He had tagged the beast once with an ofuda, right between the eyes with a charm that he had hoped would immobilize it... But...

"Guh-!"

Blood from a newly opened gash on his chest stained the frozen earth.

It had done nothing but slow it down, and in his current state... That wasn't enough to win.

It was a sad truth, but this fight was headed towards a single solitary end.

His death, as well as the Wendigo's victory. There would be no solace for those killed by the creature, it would simply move on and kill, again and again, a monster that, like many monsters, symbolized nothing but the darkest parts of human emotion and drive.

Snaking out, a clawed, decayed hand, the hand of a monster who was hard to see even for those who were spiritually aware, reached out for his throat, hauling him up into the air.

A grim smile crossing his face, the man mouthed a single sentence.

It can't be helped.

There was no true resistance.

Taking advantage of the fact that the thing had drawn so close... He planned to attack it once more. A knife, the weakest of his exorcism tools, simply a blade meant for 'cutting,' miasma, emerging from it's place beneath his cloak. While he was mainly a user of Hojutsu, the traditional "spell-caster" type of exorcist, he couldn't speak... And so...

This would have to do.

Once more...

He refused to die without at least helping the people here a little bit...

Yes.

At the very least, he would cripple the damn thing-!

However...

“Blossom!”

In the distance, the sound of a young woman's voice cut through the storm, and with it-!

An impossible flame, burning as if cast by some distant exorcist, lit up the area around them! It was a wild shot, fired by someone who clearly hadn't been able to see their target but-!

Seeing a possibility, the soul of Nakahara Michio roared, and choking past the darkness threatening to take him, he forced his dagger into the side of the monster-!

Wendigo takes 30 HP damage.

Whether it was from pain or surprise, the creature's arm lowered just enough that he could get his feet on the ground, and with an impossible shove-!

"Hah!"

Forced them both into the path of the flaming rose... An attack that was singular in nature... But that hit them both because of the death embrace...

Michio takes 63 HP Damage.
Michio takes 19 SP Damage.
Michio has been knocked out. HP = -13.

Wendigo takes 63 HP Damage.
Wendigo takes 19 SP Damage.
Affliction! Burn.

-------

Suzume Oshino & Saki Ryuumonbochi
New Aoyoma, Outside 'Brewed Awakenings'
Night

You arrived just in time to see a red-haired man fall silently into the snow.

Close to him, you saw the same two glowing orbs from before, the eyes of the Wendigo, hovering over his figure. While you still couldn't quite make out what it looked like, it seemed that flames had settled over it's invisible form, giving you something of an outline to look at.

Wendigo takes 10 affliction damage. (Burn)

It's gaze moving from the fallen exorcist to you, the being pauses for a moment, as if the very sight of you, or more specifically, Suzume, was throwing off it's bloodlust...

Whatever it was... The chance to make the first move was still yours...!

**I3uster** · May 7th, 2014, 11:51 AM

Suzume Oshino
New Aoyoma, Outside 'Brewed Awakenings'
Night

We provoked it. But it still doesn't seem to hostile, at least not now.

I stare at what I presumed to be its eyes. With a smile on my face I keep moving, carefully closing the distance between me and the injured young man.

"Stand ready, Saki."

Still not agitated. I try my best to not seem hostile to it, but extracting its prey would be difficult regardless. No matter how little it cares about me, this man has hurt it, and so did Saki. Being between one of them puts me in direct risk. It is a responsibility I have to take after not being able to stop the spirit by myself, but that didn't mean that I felt particularly great about it. Staring down a predator with home field advantage isn't exactly a usual occurrence, even for an exorcist.

The snow makes crunching noises under my feet as it becomes tightly compressed.

"You can trust me."

It probably doesn't understand me, but it does not need to. My tone should be enough.

As I come closer to the boy, I try to grab him under his shoulders and drag him away. If the Wendigo would let me was another thing entirely.

**Airen** · May 8th, 2014, 09:41 AM

Koga Ran
New Aoyoma, Streets
Night

"I don't want to know, huh?" Seemingly unconcerned with your slightly off-putting expression, the girl took a moment to look past both you and your fatigued partner, a spark of recognition shooting across her eyes at the sight of two orbs, the eyes of the colossus, in the distance, " Oh... It's something like that..."

She didn't seem too frightened by the sight of the thing, but crossing her arms, it became clear that she was suddenly giving your statements quite a bit more thought.

"Well, it's just monsters everywhere I look now... There really are no hopes and dreams..."

Sighing to herself, the girl turned her gaze to the ground, her foot tapping against the pavement out of what seemed to be a nervous habit.

Finally....

"Well it's pretty noisy, but... Have you tried stealing a car?"

She suggested the thing you had been about to attempt on your own.

-----

Her name was Fujiwara Miyu.

And she had been remarkably energetic about the prospect of breaking into a car.

It had only taken a few moments to find a vehicle with the key still caught in the ignition, and while it was a bit damaged, the front of the car dented from what seemed to be a good slam into the wall of the building you found it pressed against, it still appeared to be in an operable condition. The air bags had not yet deployed, and thanks to the fact that it was an old convertible, you hadn't even had to rip the door off of it's hinges to get inside.

All in all, it was something of a success, even if Miyu had taken one look at you, called you old fashioned, and took the driver's spot for herself. While you had initially wanted to argue this point, the sounds of the approaching giant behind you had been enough to silence your words for the moment, and so, still slightly on edge due to everything, you simply allowed the younger girl the stressful honor of driving the vehicle. It was probably for the best anyway, in this way, you could devote all of your energy to repelling anything that attacked the car. Behind you, Kimiko seemed to be fiddling with a handgun of some sort, and in the driver's seat, Miyu was silent, eyes narrowed in what seemed to be deep concentration as she stared quietly at the road in front of her.

A road that was... surprisingly clear of debris...

While it was still a bit foggy, you could see that there was something resembling scorch marks burned down the center of the road, there were absolutely no other vehicles present on the road itself. There were some crashed into the walls of nearby buildings or trees, but all of them were severely dented on the sides, as if, instead of crashing of their own accord, something had rammed them off the road...

And people leaving their keys behind in their vehicles... There was no way you three were the last living people here, others must have been moving around before you regained consciousness, and if it was so easy to steal this car, why wouldn't someone else have done so...?

"Hey... Something's coming..."

Voice quiet, the silver haired girl laying in the back seat sits up with urgent, but tired eyes.

In that same instant-

The roar of a motorcycle cuts through the night.

And something slams into the side of the car, hard.

Fujiwara Miyu takes 20 HP Damage.
Tachibana Kimiko takes 20 HP Damage.
Koga Ran nullified the attack.

Defending yourself out of instinct the instant you recognized the possibility of a threat, the impact doesn't jar like you like it does the others, but the wheels beneath the three of you screech as the car swerves to the side, forcibly opening up space between you, and whoever it was that had attacked you-!

"This road leads to hell, kids."

It was an apparition; a flaming skeleton astride a bike of spectral metal and flame.

It reminded you of something, vaguely, like the cover of a comic book, but-

"Tch-! It's gonna attack again... Hey, new girl, hold this for a second-!"

Speaking in rushed tones to each other, your two companions seemed to be planning something even before the spirit burst into flames, inhuman laughter echoing over the sound of the engines as it moved to ram your side of the vehicle once more-!

Hell Biker

**Airen** · May 8th, 2014, 11:25 AM

William Levilius
New Aoyama, Entertainment District
Night

"..."

There were many words that could describe the expressions that crossed the face of the young girl at your actions; disbelief, skepticism, and, as her hand raised once more to put you down again, the slightest amount of hesitation, the tone of the 'girl,' mingling with the tone adopted by 'Alice,' making it difficult to tell who was really facing you at this moment.

"...Idiot."

Once more, light pierced you.

And this time, the target of that black, invasive force was not your soul, but the container humans called their body.

William Levilius has taken 35 HP damage.
William's VIT decreases to D (20.)

Unlike your soul, your body was not quite as able to reject it.

A dark light that sapped at your inner strength, that drove you to your knees, vision pulsing black as the girl simply watched, waiting for you to run away.

It was only natural for people to run from power.

She had been taught that lesson quite a few times this night.

"It's alright Onii-Chan, you can run, I won't chase you."

In her eyes, there was no need for someone to pretend to be brave for her sake.

Humans were cowardly.

She was sure the person before her was no different, no matter what he said.

And yet...

She couldn't bring herself to back away from you.

"This world is a place of death, Onii-Chan. Standing up to pain will just get you killed... So just run already... Or die..."

Raising her hand again, a black light comes into existence.

This attack will be different than the last.

You know that instinctively... Whatever this is... If it hits you, it will hurt.

"Run Away..."

Repeating the command again, it almost seems like the girl is on the verge of tears.

Standing up, you-

------

???

**Spinach** · May 8th, 2014, 01:00 PM

Saki Ryuumonbochi
New Aoyoma, Outside 'Brewed Awakenings'
Night

“Ooh!” Seeing the burning wendigo Saki’s face lit up with surprise that quickly transformed into pride. Completely ignoring the charred exorcist sprawled out in the snow Saki crossed her arms, focusing her attention on the wendigo alone, and smiled. “A perfect hit! One should expect no less from I, Saki Ryuumonbuchi, who shall henceforth be known by the epithet ‘Bane of Frost’!” Then, as if agreeing with her praise directed at none other than herself Saki nodded her head earnestly, grunting “mm, mm” with each nod. None could ever understand that in that moment one of Saki's many, many alter egos that battled for supremacy within the cage that was her mind had taken the reigns to agree with her.

Even if no such alter egos truly existed within her overly active mind.

"Stand ready, Saki."

“Of course, my lord.” Saki answered, still nodding her head as she carried on an intense, back and forth conversation with the new ego that matched with her newest self assigned epithet. In addition to 'Bane of Frost' Saki birthed a new alter ego for herself, Blindshot Blizzard Breaker, BBB for short, the newest addition to her collection of titles, who was currently in the process of receiving an entire life story to match its name. But as the crunching sound of trodden snow reached her ears Saki turned her thoughts away from deciding which part of Siberia BBB's soul belonged to and fully focused on the burning wendigo before her.

“A foul, flaming man-eater that calls forth blizzards.” Saki remarked, eyes scanning the wendigo’s ember outline highlighted through the falling snow and darkness. Chucking, Saki tilted her head to the side as she eyed the creature up and down. “Like a demon of contradiction, wreathed in flame yet belonging to the cold. What a strange state of being. Will you not cry out? Does my lord calm not only the rage in your heart, but the pain of my flames?”

Despite her mocking tone Saki looked over the wendigo with a critical eye as she recalled what she knew of the creatures. The wendigo wasn’t a local youkai, being completely foreign to Japan and relatively unknown through most of the world. Knowledge related to such a creature wasn’t something your average person would have, never mind a teenage Japanese girl. Perhaps a nut for horror films would have passing knowledge of the native American folk monster, but Saki was no such thing.

She was something much, much worse.

“I know you, wendigo, man-eater. Snow demon.” It was true. Saki was more than familiar with the creature known as a “wendigo.” At the age of 11 the little girl had convinced herself that she was surely born with the spirit of an ancient Cree medicine man and had immersed herself in literature about the religious customs and ceremonies of ‘her people.’

Saki far outclassed any horror film maniac. She was, to the core of her being, afflicted with an incurable case of Eighth Grader Syndrome, also known as chuunibyou.

“Perhaps you were once a man, one who fell to the taboo of cannibalism, who gorged himself on the flesh of his fellows and became warped and twisted by his own gluttony. Perhaps you are a simple accumulation of malevolent spirits, clustered together and taking the shape of a man-eating demon, one that preys on those who wander too far into the snow. So? Which is it?”

[Special Action: Spirit Recon]

Spoiler:

**Erlkonig** · May 8th, 2014, 06:58 PM

"It's alright Onii-Chan, you can run, I won't chase you."

Resigned words. Lonely words. They rang through William's mind, piercing deep into his heart. Far stronger than the pain that sapped at his body, was the loneliness behind that voice.

William knew. For many, the power of the other world was a reason to fear. Even the kindest of humans could turn into a cornered animal when faced with something he couldn't understand. In the end, those with that power were rejected, even when they reached out to save another.

That creature, which once held pristine feelings of love for humans, would very easily fall into loneliness. -No matter how frail it was, those who couldn't see with their heart would never find anything but a monster there. In their cowardice, they only saw what they wanted to believe.

William longed for those people. Those who were lost to all, who the world saw as nothing but death or pain- Yet in the end could be as beautiful as anything which came from the light of life.

To connect with those people, to tie their frail, struggling bonds with his own--

"This world is a place of death, Onii-Chan. Standing up to pain will just get you killed... So just run already... Or die..."

--At that time, William thought. This too, must have been fate.

William Levilius | HP: 350/420 SP: 500/500
Somewhere
Somewhen

-I stepped forward again.

Even though I had been forced to my knees, I just stood up again. My body was in a daze, as if somebody had knocked the wind out of me, and a cold feeling pooled up in the middle of my chest. Even so, I couldn't let myself stay down. The powerful feelings that raged like flame all around urged me to move.

Even though my body had weakened, I didn't stumble when I took my next step. My surroundings had faded away. I couldn't see where I was beyond the path I had to take, and I couldn't hear anything besides the voice I needed to answer. I looked at the girl whose words completely contradicted the screams of her heart.

My brain understood- Nothing else mattered right then.

"...I won't." I didn't know who of the two was trying to push me away the most, but I knew I couldn't accept their feelings. They talked like I should be afraid... but I knew that their fear was the greatest. They had been rejected so many times, it was natural to think of me as a liar, a coward. No doubt once they proved they were serious, they thought I would run away and never look back.

I took another step, even as my instincts screamed at me to get away, from the thing that was gathering in the girl's hand. It was oppressive, the crushing feeling of terror that poured from the black mass hovering over the girl's fingertips. It was like a black void. If that hit me... It would be no joke. Any normal man would seriously die from such a thing.

-But, what about her. Wasn't there something much more important about this than my own health?

Everyone had left them. What would happen if these two could never find someone who would help them? If they couldn't defend themselves, who would jump out to save them... And who would save that girl, whose anguish ate at her from inside? I couldn't be sure if there was anyone else who could take the task of protecting them.

That was why, running away had never been an option.

I continued to close the distance between me and Alice. I could see the tatters on the girl's clothes, the dirt that clung to her from the passage of time. How long had she cried? How many had left her once they had seen her power? That black darkness, who they thought could only bring death...

Cowards. How could you even look at this girl and leave her behind like that-!?

"You're right." My words were soft as I stared at Alice's eyes. "Death exists in this world. Everyone forgets about it, so they get scared when it suddenly shows up." How many had ran away eight years ago, back then? Maybe if somebody had been brave enough, my brother wouldn't have had to protect me. "And when we feel pain, we end up becoming so scared that we start running away..."

I remembered how bad I had felt when dad told me nobody could find Gabriel. I'd cried, broken out of my mom's grip and ran back into the ruined area... Only to freeze in terror when I had seen the state Aoyama had been left in.

At that time, when I felt the person most important to me had left, I had felt a crushing loneliness. I didn't want to accept anyone else. I didn't want to feel the pain of being left again...

"-I don't want to run away anymore. Even with death, even though I know I might get hurt. I think this world is beautiful." Those were my honest feelings. Even if someone was surrounded by death, I would accept them.

With a final heavy step, I could finally see her completely. The way she tensely raised her arm, desperately wishing that I would turn and face her with my back... Yet even though she yearned for that, I could also see it in her eyes. The faint glimmer of hope, that her expectations would be betrayed.

"If making that pain go away will kill me... Then that's fine. But until that pain never comes back... I won't die. I'll fight that pain until my very soul burns down. So don't say sad things like that!" I looked at her with determination. Extending my arms, I held them out to the side, facing her with the whole of my body.

That's right. Just like that.

There was no need to hesitate.

The promise had been made.

"I won't do it... I won't leave you alone! No matter what, I'll accept you!" Boldly claiming this, I moved again. My feet solemnly advanced, even though my brain told me I was facing certain doom. Everything inside me was being directed towards moving forwards. I had to endure, for the sake of that girl- And Alice too.

Would I die...?

Maybe. But before that happened...

I would make sure to reach out to her with my hands, even if my body was burned to cinders afterwards--!

**Airen** · May 8th, 2014, 09:51 PM

Suzume Oshino & Saki Ryuumonbochi
New Aoyoma, Outside 'Brewed Awakenings'
Night

Slowly, the eyes that had been tracking Suzume's progress moved to the girl that was talking to it, the girl that was mocking it in a manner quite unfitting for someone who embodied the creature's definition of prey. It wasn't the type of spirit that could speak, a monster made up of those who had been driven to do terrible things while they were still alive... The thoughts inside of it's head was not something that a human would be able to understand... No, from the very beginning, if one was able to understand 'those thoughts,' then one had already ceased to be human in the first place.

Attacking what remained of it's humanity with human feelings had placed the girl that was trying to steal it's prey in a positive light, enough that, for a moment, the only thing it can do is hesitate and ponder it's actions.

But the words of the chattering girl, whose spirit felt like, smelled like, the flames that coated it's inhuman form, broke it out of it's reverie.

A shriek that carried nothing but death.

It was a mistake to say that it stepped forward, no, the beast before you, figure visible only because of the fire of the "Blindshot Blizzard Breaker," just seemed to glide forward in an impossible way, ignoring Suzume completely as it closed in on the one that it recognized as a 'threat.'

Boasting as you were, your reflexes, superhuman though they may be, were a beat too slow.

"Idiot, move-!"

Behind you, Megumi calls out, stepping forward in an attempt to get between you and it, but-

Saki takes 25 HP damage.

Your figure is thrown back, boasts cut short as your body crashes into the snow, sliding a few feet across the frozen ground as you cough out some snow you had accidentally swallowed.

And screaming again, the beast keeps coming.

It wasn't content with hitting you once.

A monster that devoured humans, soul and all, once it got ahold of you, it would tear you to pieces with it's bare hands, even though it was able to sense that, like it, you were capable of regenerating, it would do so, again and again, until it had completely devoured the existence of Saki Ryuumonbochi.

Pulling yourself together, you cross your arms in front of your chest in a small attempt to block the next blow, when-

"Alright, that's enough."

Having caught up the instant after you were hit, the blue-haired woman, Megumi, had placed herself between you and the rampaging spirit, the cigarette from before, struggling to stay lit in the thick fall of the snow, still glowing red in her hands.

And the beast, confronted with someone new, stopped for an instant, a brief moment to analyze the new threat.

Like the both of you, this woman radiated spiritual power, and like Saki, her emotional state was one of "endless confidence." Not a misplaced confidence that came from overestimating one's own abilities, but the confidence that came from a person who had stepped into this fight with a complete plan for the opponent's downfall in her mind.

Her back to you, the woman didn't flinch even as the monster pulled back it's fist.

"You had it right the first time, kid," smiling down at you, the woman winks once before turning back to the hesitating monster, "Things like this burn pretty easily."

The beast roared.

A fist, filled with a crushing power, moves to blow the woman's head from her shoulders.

In that same instant-

A cigarette, flicked from between her fingers, reaches the space between the Wendigo's eyes... And you see it, a tiny spark, a miniscule piece of ash, flying through the air from it's end... Detonates like a bomb.

Wendigo takes 35 HP damage.
Severity of Burn Affliction increases.
Wendigo takes 20 affliction damage.

"See? It doesn't get along well with fire."

A motherly smile.

Reaching down to help you up, she doesn't even seem concerned about the beast that even now was rising to it's feet in the distance.

"So show me that power again. I'll help this time."

Wendigo

Nakamura Megumi

**Spinach** · May 9th, 2014, 11:33 AM

Saki Ryuumonbochi
New Aoyoma, Outside 'Brewed Awakenings'
Night
HP: 355 SP: 440 RP: 100

Ignoring the helping hand proffered by Megumi, Saki rose to her feet. Loose snow fell from the girl’s jacket as she planted her feet firmly in the frozen ground, with only stray flakes on her shoulders and head managing to stay in place. Turning a pair of blazing red eyes to Megumi, the young girl smiled viciously.

“It doesn’t get along well with fire?” The stray snow atop the girl’s head, mixed in with her now disheveled hair, began to melt and disappear as the air surrounding Saki’s temperature rose. With a smile growing in sync with the rising temperature Saki turned to face the wendigo in the distance as it also returned to its feet. Around the girl the falling snow began to melt, and then evaporate completely as the air itself scorched.

A spark lit up in the dry clearing made by Saki’s heat, bursting into life as a vivid flaming flower in front of her. To Saki’s left, right, and behind her more flowers roared into life, filling the air with the crackling of flame. Each flower, burning as fervently as Saki’s own spirit, expanded, growing larger and larger, and as the flowers grew they fell apart, their petals encircling Saki. Forming an orderly circle the ember petals began rotating rapidly around Saki’s figure, rising from her chest to above her head.

“A glacial fiend such as this could never withstand my flames.” Saki proclaimed in a voice brimming with confidence and overflowing with anticipation. Above her the flames accelerated, rotating faster and faster until they appeared to be one single loop of fire. Tilting, the petal circle ‘faced’ the wendigo in the distance, and though the flames couldn’t express their contempt for the snowstorm raging around them, Saki’s sneer could. “The only miscalculation was this wretched fiend's hellish blizzard.”

A pair of red eyes turned to Megumi.

“Which is why I’m going to rid this world of it. If you wish to assist me, the time is now.”

In line with Saki’s words the petals ceased their blinding rotation, pausing for only a brief moment, an opening for Megumi to use her own ability on the petals. As that brief second passed, each individual petal exploded forward, weaving an infernal trail through the snow, melting and evaporating every snowflake in their path. Careening through the frozen night air, each petal burnt through the darkness, flooding the snowstorm with uncountable cinder trails, each one taking its own path through the snowstorm, and as every petal snaked through the snow they concentrated together, raining down to the wendigo’s position in a crimson deluge.

[SP: 390]

Spoiler:

**I3uster** · May 9th, 2014, 03:58 PM

Suzume Oshino
New Aoyoma, Outside 'Brewed Awakenings'
Night
HP: 520 SP: 470 RP: 100

Saki took a hit and I couldn't do anything about it. She slid across the snowy floor, hurt but not seriously affected. No surprise there. I know her, takes more than that to take her out. Still, I couldn't sit idly.

After the Wendigo had made it clear that I am no longer the target of its affection I drag the young man back as fast as I could. Behind the now recovering Saki. She can provide cover for us while I check him up.

"Hello?" I try to shake him a little to incite a reaction. Even if we defeat this spirit right here, Megumi will probably want to look for Liane. Which meant that if this guy can not walk, someone will have to stay behind and take care of him. And with the state of New Aoyama right now that can't possibly bode well.

No reaction just yet.

A circle of flames had formed around Saki, illuminating the premises through the screen of snow. Looking over the boy again, I tried to find if he sustained any serious burn damage. As I clasp a small amount of soft snow in my hands, I bring them to my face. Slowly warming it with my breath I try to melt it.

Ice cold water isn't the best choice for burn treatment, but we don't have a choice here.

As I try to apply it on his wounds, I hear Saki's boasting.

**hero** · May 11th, 2014, 02:09 PM

Koga Ran
New Aoyoma, Streets
Night

"..."

Before I know it, I am standing outside of the car, facing a mighty foe. However, as powerful as it might be, it's not deserving of any words. I remain silent as I assume a fighting stance and prepare for its next attack. The flames that engulf it whole do not frighten me, nor does the speed of its vehicle... But that is not arrogance on my part. I am not afraid because I am willing to get burnt and run over if it means protecting those who stand behind me. The stone, Tachibana-san and even Fujiwara-san... I'll guard them all with my life. Unfortunately for this 'visitor from hell', it's not the only threat that stand between me and the people I've swore to defend. In other words, because we're short on time and because there is another spirit chasing us... I won't hold back.

---I will make this quick.

In the few instants I am given before the creature begins its charge, I make a few small jumps to warm-up and further draw its attention towards me. From what I've seen, this spirit seems to possess a violent demeanor. Then, perhaps, it will see this as a challenge... Which, to be fair, isn't very far off from what it really is. With neither of us showing signs of fear, it will be up to this confrontation to define exactly who is the hunter and who is the prey.

My vision sharpens.

I was a little tired before due to the exposition to the stone, but I am already recovered to the point where I can afford to fight. It's all because Tachibana-san chose to carry the sesshoseki herself. While a part of me isn't happy with her decision, right now all I can do is swallow my frustration and concentrate on the matter at hand: Getting rid of the obstacle that is blocking our way.

A two wheeled vehicle provides enviable speed at the cost of freedom of movement. So long as it moves in a straight line, I will be able to predict its movements and time my own in order to avoid a dangerous attack or strike when it is the most vulnerable. Even if it is capable of performing stunts beyond human reason, I am confident I can adapt to them in time to properly defend myself. After all, that is what my fighting style takes pride into...

Pushing all unnecessary thoughts aside, I suppress the rage boiling up in my heart and focus on defeating my enemy with martial arts alone.

-------

Wise Up!

**Airen** · May 12th, 2014, 07:57 PM

Koga Ran
New Aoyoma, Streets
Night

The body of an exorcist was a primitive form of spirit armament.

Something capable of channeling the power of the soul, those capable of interacting with the other side shielded themselves instinctively with this same power. It was for this reason that exorcists, as well as ESPers or simply psychics, were much harder to kill than normal humans. They could see and react to things that lay beyond human reason, and even attacks that did manage to strike them still had to pierce the 'barrier' that was the human soul, a colorless force that could be amplified through training, or simply through feeling "intense emotion."

For you, your prepared defense against the nameless rider was amplified by both of those things.

Suppressed feelings of rage, as well a defensive stance that had been honed without regret throughout your life.

It was a defiant pose, and one that the biker cloaked in flame couldn't help but want to break. The intense feelings of despair that came with with failure were delightful for one whose existence had been twisted into a corporeal hate, there was no redeeming quality in this spirit, it's only reason for attacking you was simply that it wanted to watch humans suffer. There had probably been a reason for this impossible hate once, one it had known a long time ago, before it had become the twisted wraith that had appeared before you today, but it couldn't remember what it was now, nor did it really care.

If you sought to challenge it, it would shower your existence in absolute failure before it ended your life.

The engines of the motorcycle roar.

The bike that had been moving at a reasonable pace for the human world speeds up. A laughing wave of ghost steel and flame, barreling towards your position. It's fast, too fast, you think for a moment, but you do not move, completely confident in your ability to defend against it, even as the screeching metal, the intense heat of a spirit's rage made manifest, hurtles towards you with inhuman force. From afar, the scene is that of an unfortunate accident, a human opposing a vehicle with nothing more than their body...

Common Sense only allows for a single outcome from such a scenario. In the eyes of a normal human, Koga Ran may as well have already been considered dead.

However-

Hell Biker takes 48 damage.

The thing that dies in the exchange is common sense.

Your fist tearing through it's spiritual form the instant it reaches you, your body, trained to surpass the limits even exorcists hit, does the impossible, your blow strong enough to not only tear through the spirit's natural defenses, but deflect the course of the bike away from you and the others as well, a testament to not only the strength of your body, but that of your soul as well.

Still-

"Not bad."

The reprieve doesn't last long.

The bike turns in a wide circle to head back to you, and this time, the engines explode with flame, driving it onward with a supernatural force as the vehicle lines back up with you.

The motorcycle becomes something similar to a rocket...

And it becomes clear to you that the same tactic won't work again, even as Miyu steps out of the car, rubbing her head, a testament to the fact that it had slammed against the wheel when the bike smashed into you.

"Annoying guy... We don't have time to waste, so I'll fight too."

----

Hell Biker

Thread: Ga Rei: Exodus Nine (IC)

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