Chapter 4: Chapter 3

Yuuji froze.

Behind the girl was a cramped bedroom that looked ancient, with worn tables and a ragged blanket in the corner. Piles of tattered books lined the edges of the room, and the only light that filtered through came from the now-open doorway.

“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?”

An ear-piercing shriek came from behind him as the Guji fell to his knees with a huff. He had surely rushed to see the commotion from the clattering of metal and wood, and now had a rabid look in his eyes.

“She is an omen of destruction! Evil child of darkness, no prayers will save you!”

Every vile word he spat caused her to shrink further into the dark room, covering her ears as she wept.

“...How long?”

Yuuji could barely turn his gaze to meet the rambling madman before him.

“How long have you kept her here in secret?”
“Demon whore! From the day she was born and to the day she dies she shall never leave this mountain!”

His grip tightened around the golden hilt of his blade as he stared at the quivering girl. She must have been around the same age as him, and she had been confined to a life of darkness and fear.

Yuuji crept forwards through the open doorway, approaching her with light footsteps.

She buried her head deeper into her arms, sobbing as she begged for forgiveness.

“I’m sorry. Please! Please let me live!”

Demon.

It was the demons that had killed his parents when he was only 3 years old.

It was the demons that slaughtered a third of humanity within a single month, causing huge ghost cities and mass graves.

It was the demons that invaded Earth and massacred without remorse. They showed no mercy, and continued to appear and threaten the lives of innocents wherever they went.

But this girl was no monster.

He reached his hand out slowly as he kneeled on the old, rough tatami she huddled on.

Her fingers twitched as their skin touched, but he gently held her hand while she trembled quietly in front of him.

Seconds passed, and turned to minutes. But eventually, she shifted her head to look at him.

Still red from crying, her wide lilac eyes were glossy like mirrors as they stared into his soul, and for just a moment, he was sure he could see the world in their reflection.

“You… I’ve seen you.”
“In the garden.”

Yuuji gave a soft smile as he heard her gasp faintly.

“W-Who are you? Why are you here?”

His hand lightly clasped around hers, her pale skin soft and smooth to the touch.

“My name is Ishitake Yuuji. I’ve decided to help you leave this place.”

Her hand twitched at his words.

“But… I can’t leave.”
“I will take you with me.”
"..."

Her mouth opened, but no words came out.

“Even if you don’t know the way, follow me and I’ll show you.”

In only a single moment, the world as she knew it shattered.

The cold, dark isolation she had lived in melted away in his palms, and from his words, a new life blossomed.

The kind of life she had spied through the cracks in the shutters.

The kind of life she’d read about in beautiful stories scrawled on paper.

The kind of life she dreamed of, but knew would never come - was here.

He tenderly pulled her hand, and she stumbled to her feet, falling into his embrace. It was warm and caring, the kind of touch she hadn’t felt since she was a child.

“It’s time for us to leave.”

Guiding her steps, Yuuji took her through the doorway, where before them stood a trembling man, his twitching finger pointed directly towards them.

“You, YOU!! She has bewitched-”

In a flash, shreds of hair fell from his forehead with a whistle as Yuuji stood holding his golden blade millimetres away from his face.

“One more word about her, and demon or man, you will die where you stand.”

His words were resolute, with a certainty in his tone that carried his will. The Guji didn’t even dare blink as the two of them passed beside him and back towards Yuuji’s temporary residence.

Similarly to what he had been given when he arrived, she wore shabby linens that were old and torn, so he draped his overcoat on her shoulders and sat her gently on the room’s floor.

“What is your name?”

She gulped, and whispered in a quivering voice.

“...Utsunomiya Hibiki”
“Hibiki… it’s a beautiful name.”
“...”

She followed his movements with open curiosity, and though he felt a little sheepish with his every move being watched, he decided to keep quiet about it.

‘What do I do now?’

Surely, whatever was responsible for the recent disappearances was still out there.

He couldn’t leave her alone, but he also couldn’t take her to the village, as they would see her horns and make everything more complicated.

“Unless…?”

Some curious loose ends began to intertwine, as a possibility he hadn’t seen entered his mind.

“Could you be… the divine maiden?”

Hibiki bit her lip, and with eyes downcast, nodded her head slowly.

He wasn’t sure what circumstances led the tormented girl to become idolised, but this was a blessing as it was exactly what he needed at this moment.

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“Wait here just a moment, I’m going to grab your clothes. I’ll be back before you know it.”

Her hands tugged lightly at his sleeves as he left, but he gave a reassuring smile before rushing back towards the main building.

The Guji had slumped against the wall in a pitiful state, his already skeletal figure now pallid and lifeless, but Yuuji didn’t have the time nor patience to pity him.

“Where is the miko outfit?”
“...That girl is a harbinger of death and pain.”
“Answer the question.”

He lifted a bony finger to point towards a nearby door, inside of which was the outfit he sought, pristine and pure.

Dashing back to where he had left the girl, he handed over the clothes and veil, his mind racing as he questioned the safety of the villagers. On seeing his return her face lit up with a smile, and she nodded knowingly when receiving the clothes.

Thankfully, she was able to dress herself without his help, and soon after he stepped outside she opened the door to reveal the divine maiden he had seen earlier that morning.

Despite her face being almost entirely covered by the veil, he couldn’t help but feel the heavenly attire suited her, with her air of mystery and aloof beauty. Surely, he thought, a glimpse beneath the veil would charm the heart of any that laid eyes on her.

His cheeks flushed slightly as he shook the pointless notion from his head. Now was not the time, nor the place.

“We have to go to the village, and quickly. Can you run?”
“I-I can’t see very well…”
“...It can’t be helped. Hold on tight.”

She raised an adorable ‘Eep!’ as he swung his arm underneath her legs, and picked her up with one smooth motion. She was surprisingly light, but with her body pressed against his and her warm breath against his neck, he silently chanted mantras to calm his beating heart.

Doujigiri had long since faded into wisps of glimmering light that disappeared into the wind, so he proceeded unarmed, dashing down the mountain at full speed. The rocky path would be a significant obstacle for most, but Yuuji bounded towards the bottom with ease, as if he was skipping leisurely.

If there had been any onlookers, the sight of a man clad in black stealing away a shrine maiden would surely bring memories of feudal japan, but the deep forest surrounding them was quiet and dark.

Even when reaching the road at the bottom, he didn’t stop, and spun on his heels heading east towards the village.

Street lamps led the way, but he could see the outlines of houses and lights shining in the distance - with his current speed, they would arrive in just a few minutes.

As they closed in, the sound of crashes and screams met their ears. Hibiki’s hands squeezed his arms, and he could feel her uncertainty as he bit his lip in frustration.

“I need to fight. Can you gather the people towards you? They need to get to safety.”
“H-How will I do that?”
“You’re the divine maiden. If you call them, they will come.”

She buried her face in his chest as she shook her head.

“I’m a fake. I’m not the child of an angel, and I don’t have any powers. I’m useless.”

Yuuji slowed to a halt as sweat dotted his brow. He lowered Hibiki to her feet, but she still wouldn’t look up at him.

“...In their eyes, you’re a saviour. They need you.”
"..."

He gripped her shoulders tightly as she raised her chin.

“I need you.”

He couldn’t see her face, but her shaking hands tightened into fists, and her reply was resolute.

“We can do this… together.”

Yuuji gave a smile and grasped her hand for a moment.

“Together.”

Another scream erupted from nearby, as he quickly dashed off into the darkness. Left alone, she didn’t try to hold him back, but instead with his words fresh in her mind, hurried towards the centre of the village, doing her best to keep track of what was in front of her from beneath the veil.

“My people, I am here! Come to me!”

Her voice was quiet no longer - she wasn’t the same frightened child she had been the day before. A strong and harmonic command echoed through the frightened houses, and the response was immediate.

“She’s arrived to save us!”
“Divine maiden!”
“I heard her over here, grab the injured! Come on!”

Yuuji’s smile blossomed with pride as a warmth entered his heart.

They barely knew each other, and he’d entrusted her with the lives of civilians without a second thought. It was wholly unlike him, but when he looked at her, he felt… calm. As if it was meant to be. He placed his faith in her, and she passed with flying colours.

“UwaUUgh!”

An unnatural gargle came from behind a nearby wall, as the ground shifted, and the creature he was looking for appeared.

“As expected, an oni. Though this one’s incapable of higher thought, it seems?”

The beast stood easily over 2 metres tall, with bright red skin and two menacing horns coiling from its forehead. It held a crushed lump of metal in its hands which had been formed into a makeshift club, as it roared with a wild frenzy.

This trip had been one shock after another, but finally he was in his comfort zone, and he was ready to end this.

“You'll meet a fitting end. Minamoto no Yorimitsu. Doujigiri!”

Once more a golden light shrouded his clothes and crafted his blade. He smiled at the familiar sight as the giant grew wary of the strange glow, before sprinting towards him, snarling.

*BOOM*

He sidestepped a fearsome swing that crushed a nearby car, and with one smooth motion, twirled his blade a single time to slice through the demon’s neck, causing it to crash to the ground in two pieces.

In just a flash, it was over. The demon that terrorised the area had been killed, and the village could begin to recover.

The ones that were lost would likely never return, killed and eaten by the monster, but at least no further casualties would be had.

Thanks to Hibiki’s guidance, the villagers finally knew they were safe, and began tending to their wounds, and that of their broken homes.

Some would never heal, but they would learn to cope with time.

The divine maiden and the slayer in black watched on with bitter smiles and hoped that the future these people faced would be a little less bleak now. They had played their parts, and remaining any longer would just be asking for trouble.

“I-Ishitake-san..? What do we do now?”
“A-Ahh. That’s right. I’ve been addressing you so casually. I’m sorry, Utsunomiya-san.”

Her fingers intertwined as her head lowered bashfully.

“N-No. That’s fine. Please call me Hibiki as you have been.”
“...Then you can call me Yuuji as well.”

He looked towards the night sky as it filled with stars, his breath billowing into the cold air.

“Now, we wait. He will be here soon.”

And sure enough, after only two hours, a large black car stopped beside them, and out stepped a stern old man with piercing eyes.

“Yuuji. What have you done?”

His grandfather had arrived.

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