Yuugare Contract chapter 4
"Come on, Kaiden. It's not that hard to do."
"Say that when you haven't been killed numerous times, dammit!"
Kaiden and Brianna were down in the basement of the mall. She had her sword drawn, which stabbed into Kaiden's shoulder with him pinned against the wall.
"Okay.. You tell me how I am supposed to fight back. Enlighten me, please."
Brianna sighed and pulled her blade out, wiping the blood off with a rag.
"I've already told you - your ability will emerge when your life is in extreme danger... well, danger of being erased, that is."
"Okay and I've been -in danger- for how many times? A dozen? I think you just like using me as a pin cushion."
"Maybe I should aim for you mouth next..."
Brianna mumbled while Kaiden rubbed his shoulder, the wound slowly closing up.
"What was that?"
"Nothing. Nothing at all, hotshot."
"Okay. So show me, how do you that?"
"W-Well... you know."
Brianna shrank back a little, scratching her cheek.
"Aha! With a *woosh!*"
Brianna flourished her arm in an awkward manner. Kaiden slumped over a little, letting out a sigh.
"With a...*woosh?*"
"Yeah. You know - with a *swish!*"
"...You have no clue how you did it, do you?"
She gave a big, awkward smile and rubbed the back of her head.
"Hahahaha....ha.... you got me - looks like I've been caught."
Kaiden almost stumbled over in shock, gritting his teeth angrily.
"What was all that for, then?! I got killed for nothing, dammit! I knew you were dense but this is ridiculous."
"H-Hey! At least I know how to fight, Mr. 'I can't do anything right'... Although I'm a natural born fighter, you're-"
Brianna looked at him from top to bottom, then gave him a smug expression. Kaiden was at his limits.
"Oh, so we're going through that route? At least I'm not as dumb as a sack of bricks. Also, I can fist fight better than anyone."
"Is that a challenge I hear? I can outschool you any day, little boy."
"Bring it on, princess!"
At the top of the steps, Roka listened in intently as the two squabbled.
"At this rate the consequences will be getting serious with them messing around... but he will pull it off in the end."
Roka giggled and walked off through the corridor leading back into the mall, leaving the two to fight.
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"Y-You're pretty good for a hotshot, seems like I was wrong about you."
"You're not too bad yourself princess, you pack a good punch."
Both of them had their fist embedded into each other's face, then as if all the strength left their bodies, they both collapsed to the ground.
Both of them went silent for a while until Brianna started to stammer, her face lightly flushed.
"H-Hey, Kaiden? I'm s-sorry, I underestimated you. It's my fault you're not able to do anything yet."
"No, no, you're fine. I can just be stuck in my ways. It's just that nothing makes sense since I've gotten here."
Kaiden covered his face with his hand and let out a sigh.
"So how did you get here, Brianna?"
She turned her head towards Kaiden, her face carrying a serious expression.
"I can't say I'm -here-, but I'm looking for something or someone...it's like there's something missing - like there's a big gap in my heart that needs to be filled."
"...Ah well. I know it's none of my business but I hope you find what you're looking for, though I don't think there is much of anything in this hellhole."
Brianna let out a sigh and stared up at the ceiling, a watery gloss forming in her eyes.
"I know that, I really do, but I just can't shake the feeling that it's here for some reason."
Tears began to run down her face with her words. She clenched her jaw in frustration as her body began to tremble.
"How pathetic am I? Crying for something that may just be in my head... I can't do anything right, it seems."
Kaiden reached over, brushing the tears off her cheek, stunning Brianna into silence.
"W-What are you-"
She looked over to Kaiden who was staring up at the ceiling, his eyes covered in shadows and his face emotionless.
"I don't know why, when I barely know you... but when I see you cry, it hurts me in the inside... you'll find whatever it is - you just need to have a little faith."
The two were quiet for a moment before the entire basement suddenly began to shake. They looked up as the ceiling began to crack.
"Look out!"
Brianna shouted and pushed Kaiden away as the ceiling shattered, throwing up a barrier around herself.
A massive growl came from above and Brianna's barrier flashed bright immediately after as a large mass fell onto it. She screamed before passing out from the shock of the weight crushing down on her.
"Brianna, hold on!"
Kaiden ran towards the force but was blown backwards when a purple fire swirled around it. The demon screeched loudly as the flames seared its flesh.
"I got her right here... it seems the beast found you two from your scent."
Roka appeared next to Kaiden with Brianna on her back. She was wielding an ivory staff with intricate designs running down along the shaft with a skull at the tip of it.
"Here, you take her for me, I'll hold it off while you get away."
"But I can't just-"
"Don't worry about me, I'm not the type to be the damsel in distress...there are better people to save."
He looked at her face with her broad smile and hoisted Brianna onto his back.
It bothered him that he could feel no emotions behind those words. He was resolved to get to the bottom of it.
"Fine, but if we get out of this alive, I want some answers. Beginning with why you have no emotions."
"...Nothing escapes you, hmm? Fine, you have a deal. I'll give you a little something for good luck as well."
Roka ran her hand along Kaiden's cheek, moved her face closer and pressed her lips against it briefly before pushing him towards the stairs.
"Now go, this little toy is nothing."
"I-I'll have you know you'll be stopping that too!"
He yelled and started running up the stairs, booking it through the mall as fast as he could.
"Fufufu, not a chance. You're just too fun to tease."
Roka licked her lips and discharged more fire, the demon roaring in agony as the flames lashed at it.
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Kaiden collapsed to his knees in a food court, panting. His lungs were burning and were in dire need of air.
"Haa, hopefully t-this will be far enough."
His hopes weren't answered though as the floor cracked beneath him, sending him flying once more as the floor blasted open.
"Dammit, Brianna!"
He pushed himself off of the floor and leaned against a table, watching Brianna being lifted off the floor. The beast's crushing grip caused her to scream in agony.
*Think! That riddle Roka gave must have meant something..!"
He gave the table beside him a death grip and frantically searched for a solution that would save Brianna.
The memory of Brianna's sword appearing in her hand and Roka's flames flashed into his mind.
*Wait a second, then that would mean...*
He steadied himself and took a deep breath, recalling Roka's riddle and Brianna's advice.
~What exists in the world of life doesn't exist in the afterlife, what exists in the afterlife doesn't exist in the world of life.~
~Your ability will emerge when your life is in extreme danger.~
He stared down at his arm which was wounded by the explosions of debris. Blood seeped out of the cut steadily, making his arm damp and stained crimson.
"If this doesn't work then-"
He bolted towards the force while Brianna continued to scream. He leaped high and let out a roar, determined to save her.
"Get your filthy hands off her you freaking beast!"
It all happened in just a moment - a blinding light, the sound of a slice, and the excruciating roar from the demon.
The demon's arm fell to the floor, blood spluttering out abundantly. Kaiden landed behind the beast with Brianna on his shoulder. His body was covered in a blue blood and a greatsword was in his hand.
The blade wasn't made of steel but of his own blood. Alchemic runes glowed within the blade, and its cross guard had a massive bloodshot eye.
Kaiden stumbled to his knees and let out a sigh of relief. The demon smashed a few stores behind him in rage while he laid Brianna down on the floor.
"Glad it worked, though this blood stinks to high hell... give me a moment to get rid if this trash, Brianna. I'll be right back."
The demon roared behind him as it went in for the attack again, but an explosion of fire halted its movements.
"Glad you finally figured out the riddle. I was afraid you would never get it."
Roka jumped out of the hole in the floor, landing next to Kaiden.
"It took a while, but..."
He laughed and flourished his greatsword, taking an offensive stance.
"Who would have thought this was all actually real to begin with? The blood magic is a little cliche but I can tolerate for now."
"So I take it you can see it now, right?"
"Yep, though I would have preferred it to stay invisible. What an ugly mug."
The demon which was now visible to Kaiden brushed away the fire scorching it. Steam blew from its nostrils and it was become more enraged than it already was.
The beast had the body of a massive gorilla, its appearance a mixture of muscle, bone and blood flowing around it. Black, hollow holes were there instead for its eyes and nose, and all of its sharp, curved fangs protruded from its mouth.
"Think you can finish this in one shot, Mr Bed head? You look a little worse for wear."
"Heh, says the girl with blood running down her face and her arms gouged open. I can, as long as you don't hold me back."
"Oh, I can assure you-"
A massive amount of flames built up around her which moved towards the demon menacingly, the purple flames turning into what looked like a beast itself.
"I intend to pay this rotten, pile of flesh back tenfold of what it did to my precious body."
She licked her fingers seductively at the demon, trembling in ecstasy. A wide, twisted grin formed on Kaiden's face.
"Lets do this then!"
They jumped forward, the entire food court erupting in fire and flashes of light. Kaiden deflected its arm while Roka got around it. She started to chant whilst Kaiden blocked and dodged several blows from the monster.
Following Roka's chanting, her flames turned into chains and wrapped around the demon, binding its arm behind it and immobilising it.
"Now! Do the finishing blow!"
"Got it!"
Kaiden roared and jumped high into the air. His sword grew in size by feeding off the blood, and he brought it down with all the strength he could muster through the demon. A bright flash bathed the room in white light.
When it all finally died down, the demon was found collapsed on the ground, its body cut in half with a pool of blue blood growing around it
Kaiden fell to his knees and grew dizzy from the blood loss. Roka approached the body of the demon while panting. The corpse erupted in flames and was incinerated in an instant.
"W-What's that for if it's already dead?"
"It's...so...other demons can't feed off its corpse and...get stronger. Good job with...killing it."
"T-Thanks, though this is all your fault to begin with."
"Oh, you can punish me later when we talk in bed."
He looked at Roka half eyed, who was giggling. He then walked over to Brianna with unsteady footsteps.
"I never said anything about that, nor am I letting a strange girl like you into my bed."
Brianna's body started to glow when Kaiden approached her.
"H-Hey, why is she glowing?"
Roka furrowed her brows and walked over.
"Ah, looks like it's time. She's been here for a while to begin with."
"Wait, you don't mean she's getting erased, do you? Isn't there a way to stop it?"
The sleeping girl began to stir and mumble. She opened her eyes and looked up at Kaiden.
"Looks like I took a little nap, hehe. My time here is up, huh. Roka's right - I've been here long enough."
Brianna's body slowly started to fade away. She gave Kaiden a cocky smirk as he reached down and grabbed her hand.
"That doesn't cut it! We just met, isn't there-"
Brianna giggled softly. Her legs were completely gone, now. She reached over and caressed his cheek.
"When I come back, you better still be here, both of you. Oh, and Roka may seem annoying and untrustworthy, but she really does have a good heart."
"My, my. You flatter me, though there's not a single good thing about me."
Brianna closed her eyes and smiled brightly at the two, the glowing light making its way up to her waist.
"Promise me, Kaiden."
"...I-I'll be here, I promise."
Her voice carried away to the wind as the rest of her body faded away.
"I'll hold you both to it. I'll never forgive you if I don't see you two again."
Kaiden began to tremble once she was gone.
"What's all that for? She said she'll be back soon. Miss her that much?"
He clenched his fists tight in anger, then grabbing Roka by the collar.
"What do you mean? She was just erased, how could you be so cold to her!"
"Fufu, is that what you think? You can't erase someone who was still alive."
Kaiden let go of her collar in disbelief, his eyes opening widely.
"What?"
"To her, this was all a dream. She's a planeswalker, one of the few who travel to this realm in their sleep."
Kaiden lowered his head, his body shaking for several different reasons all mixed together.
"Angry?"
"You're damn right I am! You two tricked me! The one time I decide to have a heart and I'm played like a damn violin!"
Roka brought her hand up to cover her mouth, turning her head away.
"Not my fault you're so gullible. We just found it as a perfect opportunity to mess with you."
He was about to object to her words, but stopped when a gunshot resounded through the mall.
A massive crowd of people ran and shrieked past the invisible Kaiden and Roka as they directed their gaze to the location of it.
Sitting at one of the many tables, a man in a business suit was lying against a table, dead. A pool of blood seeped out from the gunhole on top of his head. He had committed suicide.
"W-What the-"
"I was wondering when that contractor would die. It's been so long after the contract was destroyed."
Kaiden's blood ran cold and directed his gaze towards Roka, his eyes narrowed as his body shook violently.
"This is one of the many things that happen to people when they make a Yuugare ontract with a demon. Their punishment is death. You kill the demon, you kill the contractor."
Kaiden sank to his knees and brought his attention back to the man. A cold sweat ran down his face. He started pounding the ground.
"WHAT THE HELL!!!"
He screamed at the top of his lungs before losing consciousness from blood loss.
Roka watched as the holes and rubble repaired themselves, as if time was rewinding around them. After a moment, all of the people faded away as the two realms separated once more.
"This is our job as the taboo breakers. This is one of the many secrets of the world."