Chapter 7: Volume I. Chapter VII. – At Death’s Doorstep

“Hidiku! Himari!”

The distressed boy starts calling out to his siblings. His eyes and voice both exhibit unmistakable signs of anxiety.

“Hiro…”

I try to speak, mumbling his name, but the words won’t come; I'm not sure what to say to him.

Our attention is briefly caught by the distant sound of an explosion. Without a second thought, Hiro rushes in the same direction, leaving me behind.

I chase after him.

As I follow Hiro’s footprints along the congested street, a plume of smoke arises just a bit further away. It is visible over the buildings to our right, which is where the turn ahead drives us.

I could use my gift to speed up, but I’ve already used most of my power to escape the shelter. If I were to use it now, I would only rob myself of my stamina and become a dead weight. Hiro’s ability won’t help us much, either.

Not to mention our weapons are back at the academy; we are entirely unarmed. There’s nothing we can do, and yet we are moving toward what may be considered inevitable death.

Please be alright….

“Himari!”

Just beyond another right turn, I hear Hidiku crying out the name of his elder sister. The pitch of that yell….the terror it inspires frightens me.

Are we too late?

Hiro speeds up and makes the turn ahead of me. I call out to him, we don’t know what’s waiting for us behind that corner, but it’s in vain. By the time I turn, Hiro has already witnessed everything.

He remains still in front of the expansive landscape that has appeared before our eyes, as though terrified. A large area littered with the remains of formerly standing structures, crumbled stone bricks, and splintered wooden boards.

Even though some of those buildings are severely damaged, they nevertheless remain around the area's perimeter, giving the place the appearance of an arena.

Yet, that’s not what stole Hiro’s attention... if only it was that.

As I approach him from behind, Hiro’s body shields whatever is before him.

“Hiro?”

His voice begins to tremble as he takes a little breath.

I turn to face him. The sheer determination to see the boy’s face makes me ignorant of whatever could be lurking before us.

Terror, worry, and discomfort. I can read countless emotions from his countenance, then I finally avert my eyes from him and face the front.

In its full glory, the demon stands in the center of the area it has unquestionably made for itself. Beneath one of its feet, Hidiku lies trapped, and with its hand, the creature holds Himari by the neck; she’s struggling to break free.

This is not good. Wait, where are my sisters?

I start to snoop about the surroundings.

I soon come to Charlotte unconscious on the ground next to her elder sister, Iris, who is half buried under the debris.

My body starts to quiver, and my heart is skipping beats. At the same time, my brain is overtaken by thoughts.

…What am I supposed to do?

The demon is about to do something as its free arm is being set up in a punch-like position.

Hiro dashes in, yelling with anger, but he’s too far and powerless to do anything.

As expected, he’s too late to save his older sister from the demon's clutches. By the time he reaches them, Himari is viciously pierced through her abdomen; she screams in pain as we witness the horror play out in front of our eyes.

Hidiku gets covered in the blood of his older sister. He beckons to her while tears well up in his two blue eyes.

The older brother is still on his way to aid Himari, and I… all I do is watch silently. Although one of my friends is being tortured before me, my legs won’t move.

I’m terrified.

Meanwhile, Hiro catches up with the creature moving its hand through his older sister, and punches it in its side; it didn't even flinch.

He strikes repeatedly with his fists, yet the only one getting hurt is himself.

“Let her go!”

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He shouts as his fists get covered in blood. The beast’s skin is too thick.

“Yuuna! Help her, please!”

Hidiku’s voice reaches me.

I look at the boy encased beneath the hellish monster. His desperate expression, and the pitiful state he is in…. bring me back to my senses.

The demon had had enough, and it let Hiro know it by giving him one more sneer before striking the boy with the same arm that had punctured Himari and torn most of her guts out.

But it did create one opportunity, perhaps the one I could make advantage of. To hit Hiro effectively, the demon had to shift one of its legs, the same leg it used to hold Hidiku at bay.

As Hiro gets pushed a few meters back before colliding with a portion of a demolished home and Himari cries out in pain, I finally move my legs and sprint towards Hidiku.

I feel electricity starting to build inside of me, and as it reaches its peak, I concentrate it all on my feet.

The demon is reverting to its previous position, but I can still make it.

Electricity begins to spark under my feet, and with a single bright flash, I swiftly dash through the gap, stealing Hidiku in the process.

The obstruction in our path forces us to come to a complete stop. Fortunately, I was able to slow down sufficiently to avoid a disastrous landing. Though, Hidiku is now unconscious.

After the stunt I’ve performed, I’ve been rendered useless. There’s nothing more I can do but watch.

Overwhelmed by the pain, Himari uses the last of her strength to face me and give me her gratitude.

“Thank….you.”

She smiles softly at me while tears stream down her cheeks.

To hell with all of this. I want to help! I have to! But I’m at my wits' end. Whatever I do, I can't get my arms or legs to move. Doing so is much more difficult when Hidiku is laying on my limbs.

But even so, I can’t give up! I don’t want to let Himari die!

An electric current starts to run through my body once more.

Move.

Electric sparks emit from my palms as I continue to charge up.

Move!

And when I finally manage to make even the slightest motion with one of my limbs, a single heartbeat reverberates within my body.

A beat louder than any of the previous.

Something isn’t right. I’m stunned; my lungs won’t take in as much air as I’d wish, and the charged energy gradually dissipates.

I’m left in a trembling state as I watch the scene before me being slowly consumed by the pitch black; I’m blacking out.

I’ve gone beyond my ability’s limit.

But the demon won’t wait for me to get up. I know that well. And as my vision is finally about to fade out, I hear a single word from the boy resting on my legs.

“Himari….”

He has regained consciousness.

Hidiku firmly grabs onto my arm and begs me.

“Please…save her.”

I can feel my power being gradually restored. Is he sharing the last of his power with me?

It doesn't amount to much. He has already exhausted most of it himself, but I may now move once more. Well enough to pick me up and head straight toward the demon.

I run as quickly as my legs can carry me, as fast as I can with the little strength I have left, and pray because I’m currently helpless.

All I’m doing is running toward certain death while hoping for a miracle to happen.

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