30 / 03 / 2019 - Daito, Prefecture Osaka, Japan.
One hour later, at 6 PM, the apartment.
Ding
The bloody-ashen eyes narrowed, adapting to the bright light of the smooth, patterned corridor as the elevator door opened.
Through its depth, the dim and lifeless gaze is weary, the lips pale and dry. The messy, short hair is now full of dust, with a hint of soot or ash.
On the surface of his black hoodie, there's a tint or splatter of dried blood now darkened.
Along with his matching black track pants, which have cuts and slits across them, and the once-white, pristine shoes are now red.
Hands hanging limp at his sides, he stepped out of the elevator with an echo, followed by the same sound of a step beside him.
Looking slightly to the left, the situation of his twin was not much different — his head hung low, hands in his jacket pocket.
His eyes lowered, silent, while his lips were trembling. The black jacket is messy; there are some cuts or tears, as well as a splatter of blood on his shoes and track pants the same.
He took back his gaze, looking up towards the light source. They were both silent as the elevator door closed behind them, just right at the entrance.
"What should we do now?"
It seems they are not in a hurry to go back to the room since the area around is still sparse anyway — whatever, he will just follow along.
Shaking his head, he walks in a short stride and leans on the wall to propel his tired body; since his twin demands an answer right here and right now, he'll provide it.
"Nothing, probably."
"What do you mean by nothing?"
He sighs and lifts his head, looking sharply at Akane's head that is hung downward. After all of what they have gone through, is it for nothing?
"I'm not lying, though. If you want the most logical answer, we could probably try to get out of the city."
"But that too is probably impossible since we are isolated now, and you know yourselves how the Veil works."
"Counting the city that is burning, the police barricade that has been broken, and even various unexplainable aftereffects… the extraordinary is surely roaming the city, no?"
He too lifts his head from the ground after providing an answer from his analytical point of view, as to why they can do nothing at all.
The corner of his mouth upturned, forming a half-smile towards him — his own twin — whose face is crumpled, repeatedly closing and loosening his hands, unable to accept this outcome, perhaps.
"Is there really nothing we can do? Despite having run around earlier?"
"Have you analysed it all and thought about it carefully, Akane…. Even you?"
Letting out a breath once again, he finally settled down, just standing, then turned his face towards him, his eyes softened but steady, composing himself. This is the result.
Interesting.
The smile deepened, though it seems so hollow now; he didn't mind it at all, looking back at him steadily, the same.
"There are two, actually."
Parting with the cold texture of the wall, he raised one of his limp hands upwards and formed two fingers, still with the same posture.
At this, Ayato's lips trembled ever so slightly, as if he had seen some hope; his eyes brightened like a dim flame, and he turned his ears to listen carefully.
"One… is to wait for Heaven Gate itself to finish all of its matters, since I doubt they will turn this large city into a ghost town…"
"For the first choice, I'm sure that they would act and secure the city afterward."
Lowering his fingers now, leaving only one up, he turns towards his twin, who seems to have regained hope as he heaves a light breath and repeatedly nods his head, the tense shoulders dropping.
All he needs is assurance, that's all, right? As long as there is a guarantee of certainty, he will not need to worry — the same as usual.
And now, having relaxed, his eyes are sparkling as he anticipates the second answer, like an extra dish; the more choice the merrier.
Looking at it, he did not rush to answer; instead, he erased his smile, slowly lowered his hands, pushed himself off the wall, and stood up once again.
He lifted his head to look at the light source on the ceiling and moved his feet, knowing that the same step echoes along with him, following after a while.
"Wait, what's the second one!"
He did not answer yet — no rush.
It wasn't until they arrived at the brown wooden door of their apartment that he stopped, his calm face lowered, gazing at the cold metal handle in silence.
Then after a while, he turned his head to look over his shoulder, his peripheral vision catching a glimpse of his twin's face.
"It is a secret, but you'll know it soon either way — in 2 or 5 days, perhaps, or maybe more."
Flashing a smirk at the confused face, his mouth agape and eyes widening, he ignored his stunned twin and instead turned his head back to the front.
Hands grasped the cold handle and pushed it decisively, along with a smile.
"We're home!"
As the door opened slowly, the dark but dim corridor came into view, along with a running scream.
His eyes widened slightly, too late to register it, and only feeling it a second after.
"Nii-chan!!!"
His weak legs gave up, along with his churning stomach, as he fell to the floor, having withstood the impact with his weak body, eyes staring at the ceiling.
A second later, lifting his head while his lips twitched, he could feel a hand gripping and rubbing at his stomach; looking at the perpetrator — the little gremlin.
"Calm down, Irina, your brother is going nowhere, so please stop it…"
Smiling softly, as he props his body up with two hands, he could feel that his hoodie was a bit wet. At this, his smile became more genuine, his eyes gentle.
Despite a clogging pulse rising from the void inside him, reminding him.
He let out a breath — this rascal is crying now, so she probably won't let him go in this short time, so…
Moving his eyes down the corridor, his eyes widened slightly, mouth agape, stunned by what he saw, though it is not so surprising, but still.
'What the hell…'
"Are you okay?"
Sky-blue eyes worried as she walks in a hurry from inside. Her voice is soft and gentle; there's a hint of carefulness in it.
A strand of smooth and wavy hair covering her eyes, the corner of her lips wavering uneasily, her face a bit downcast with concern.
She is wearing an oversized beige sweatshirt and loose cream shorts; her hair is tied in a ponytail with a strand jutting out, and in her hands—
'It seems I have underestimated her once again…'
She holds a rifle low, close to the side of her hip, the barrel angled towards the ground.
Her right hand keeps it steady near her body, holding the pistol grip with her thumb on the safety, while the left rests along the forward grip.
The shoulders are relaxed and the arms bent, giving her a stance of casual and controlled ease rather than readiness.
His eyes twitched; even he, a layman, could understand the implication of her posture. This indicates that she knows how to hold a rifle, so what about other things later?
"I didn't know you could hold a gun? A rifle, at that?"
He is genuinely confused, as he had treated her mumbling earlier, before he left, as a joke. Well, all in all, this just proves his inadequacy further.
Patting the little head now moved to his chest — silent, but like a koala she did not want to let go — he just let out a sigh and let Ayato help him stand up.
"You are so cool, nee-chan! It's kind of… what is it again, gap moe, right!"
Ayato, at the side, chimed in carelessly — or perhaps on purpose — after being mesmerised for a while, grinning while his eyes were lowered, his two hands holding Akane's waist so he could stand up.
"Ahh…."
A small voice escaped; only now does she realise she is holding a gun in front of the kids.
Eyes widened as she diverted her gaze, her mouth pressed thin like a wavy line, her cheeks flushed red — either in embarrassment, discomfort, or maybe both.
She instinctively wants to let go of the rifle, but where can she put it down? Here, right now? Her head lowered as her brain seemed to crash once again in an unfamiliar situation.
Even meeting with the Defence Ministry of Russia has never left her as flustered as this!
Furthermore, her body freezes, her lips stiff, along with her eyes, as she remembers that she had left a stack of magazines on the table, in case of emergency.
Akane and Ayato, along with Irina, who has calmed down, are now looking at the frozen auntie, their eyes above her head.
As their minds think of the same thing, illusory smoke seems to rise above her head.
"Ummm, I'll explain it later…"
"Then come inside… why are you all standing outside!"
After a while, she composes herself, letting out a breath and lifting her head, coughing lightly, and back to her former calm self — she has to remember that she is a General Director after all.
'Yes, I'm the one who is in charge here!'
Akane's hands are still patting the white-silver blob on his chest, but his gaze is more focused on his aunt's changes, who is nodding to herself — oh well, her ears are still red though.
Then, he flashes a smile at his embarrassed aunt, and then at Irina, who is still hugging him. "Well, I'm back…"
…..
20 minutes later, Akane's room.
His eyes are glued to the screen, pupils moving rapidly between various pieces of information displayed within his authority.
The right hand stayed on the mouse, scrolling through "Ground Zero" after the impact of the "Mist Gate" across the region of Osaka.
[Information: Compiled Lists of 'Abyssal' Monsters from Passages in Osaka by Eternal Life Institute. (Contribution is appreciated!)]
[Information: What You Need to Know About The New "Abyss Lord" - Limpid Writhing Serpentine!]
[Information: Live Report of Osaka's Heaven Gate, Starry Sky Observatory, and Inquisition's Preparation!]
His back leaning on the backrest, his profile impassive, the dark hair a bit wet after a bath.
Having taken a short rest, a meal, and assured his siblings and aunt, he left Ayato downstairs to explain the situation.
After a while, eyelids lowered, he let out a sigh after reading some general information shared on the Dark Network; it can't be worse than it is, though.
Taking his attention off for a bit, he looked sideways to the now-closed window on the right, not totally consumed by darkness, but there was still some glimmer from a place that dared to turn on its light.
Still…
"It's quiet."
Muttered for a bit, unaware of what lies behind that gaze, lowering his bloody-ashen eyes — the street is empty without a single soul in sight, leaving only the swaying trees and a car deliberately left on the road.
It is very much like a dead city, as Ayato said, but he knows they are still there, hiding and probably cowering in fear, praying for whatever sin they think they deserve this for.
Pitiful.
Or maybe not.
Placing his right hand on the armrest, he rotates the chair to the window and leans his chin on his raised hand.
Despite this, the void of his heart, his emotion did not even pulsate; is it agreeing with him, or not?
Maybe not, or maybe yes, who knows.
"Hmmmm…."
Humming, both hands lightly resting above his stomach, he closed his eyes as he pressed his body against the backrest, fully resting, while his mind worked on its own.
Today is a convoluted day, or is it?
Event after event, thoughts and knowledge flash, sinking into the depths of his mind as he enters the thinking state.
Starting with the obvious outbreak of "Passages" initiated by Bishop Marten — he is apparently a biologist, which is quite surprising, or maybe not that much of a shock.
And again, with the "Spawn Cords," which is basically a biological growth chamber — or perhaps just like his laboratory?
Wow, he admired this; he, too, would like to have such a laboratory for his own experiments someday, to enjoy himself freely while doing what he obviously likes.
Then again, what is the fate of these "Spawn Cords" after all this time?
'Maybe I'll have to dig deeper into the forum to find out; there is too much junk information being shared by anyone in the forum lately.'
"Mist Gate" is actually called a "Passage," no? Since he can't gather enough data on this, it is quite strange to name it "Passage" — or not? Maybe it's just his imagination.
Rat is a Corpse Rodent.
Dog is a Ghostly Hound.
Locusts come in a swarm, so it is called Swarm Pestilence — an aesthetic name, but why, though?
As various thoughts flow, there comes a particular reply for this day.
….
"Why don't you see it for yourself? Open your eyes!"
"What can we do about this? And what can you and your useless abilities do in this situation? Nothing!"
"I followed all your instructions, did everything I could, but here we are!"
"Are you satisfied? Are you happy with all of this?"
….
Thoughts fall silent, as if at a choke point.
The scene frozen on the raging face of his twin, unmoving — on pause.
…
Then another scene came along after a while, just like a split screen.
Running around a field of grass, watching the back of his brother, along with laughter that echoes.
"Ahhhh, put it down, put it down!"
Screaming, as what he holds in his hand is a cricket that apparently disgusts him, and Irina, behind him, gaining with each step,
"Aka-nii! Put it down! You are hurting it!"
"Well, then, how about you become the cricket yourself?"
He turned and pounced on the terrified face of the little girl as she froze, unable to stop his pace, and crashed into him.
Both rolled as he tickled her, laughing on the field of green meadow with the sun shining lazily above them.
Far away beneath a lonely tree, Ayato, who had escaped instead of helping, is laughing at Irina, who became the victim instead.
Joyful and harmonious scene, uninvited or unwanted — or perhaps the most true of them all.
Until the scene freezes, the three facing the sky together side by side on the field, smiling with their eyes closed.
…
…
…
He is watching with his perception, long, long enough until he finds he has had enough.
Gradually, it becomes blurred, greyed out, and then slowly disappears amidst the depth of darkness, comes and goes, treasured — or maybe never to be seen in the light of attention once again.
Will become a memory for later to look back on.
…
Leaving the continued amidst the silence, senses fully shut, the perception focused only on this moment.
Everything is moving in order.
Irina, who is afraid, has tears in her eyes.
His aunt, who is confused about what to do.
…
Speeding up to the walks on the street as he enjoys the tranquility.
Along with his twin brother, he eventually arrives in Osaka.
The burning skyline, with smoke rising high, as he gazes up amidst the wrecked barricade.
The low-rise shops on the street — their rolling doors broken forcefully, hanging open, a trail of red within.
The shops have broken windows, and even the light cannot shine through the depth of the buildings.
The line of overturned cars and spilled oil became an indefinite source of burning that spread through some areas, all fully deserted.
Standing between the corpses of police, blue clothes stained in blood, parts missing.
Blood seemed to flow from within; the nauseating reek drifted even through his senseless perception.
All he saw was either the red of blood, carnage, grey ashes, or black of destruction.
…
The moment changes as they gaze up from the high-rises, a strong breeze passing by, an ambient noise of wind.
Overlooking down below, there is flashing orange in some parts of the city, as bullets ricochet towards various places, and in particular places…
The bloody-ashen gaze captured extraordinary agents moving through the situation.
Some of them are like what he had seen on the first day he knew, wearing a familiar black windbreaker and formal shirt.
And some wearing a clerical outfit, chanting as light falls from above, obliterating the creatures with ease.
Or wearing a robe and expensive ornaments, chanting as a ball of fire formed and the land became mud.
All sorts of miracles, all sorts of power — this is what it all should be, undisguising their own selves.
"Let's move out."
The goal is to see and enrich themselves, isn't it?
…
And then moving out as the wind speeds past behind them.
They are running and moving their legs fast, as fast as they can.
They know what is trailing behind them is not human, nor an entity that can be reasoned with.
And finally.
"Mist Gate" or "Passages."
There's no particular smell; the crimson radiance gleams softly, and he knows that from above, there's a swirling centre in this mist.
The strange red mist dissolves into space, the air around seeming to be distorted by it, but its radius is not far enough to be worried about, and rather than expelling creatures outwards, it's….
'Absorbing inwards?'
…
…
Awakening, he opened his eyes, and the light from the lamp on the ceiling was shining on his face.
A minute or perhaps longer passed as he was immersed in his mind.
Though he seems stuck at the last scene, pressing his lips inwards, his eyes downcast.
Mouth churning, but there's nothing left to say, as he has already thought about everything he needs to.
"Haahhhh"
Letting out a sigh, he moves his feet to rotate the chair once more, but instead of looking at the screen, his right hand moves to the drawer.
Grabbing the handle, the drawer opened easily with a crisp sound, revealing the contents inside.
Eyes fully open as he glances for a moment at the ordinary book — A4 size — inside the drawer, lying there.
His right hand slowly grabbed it, and as the light shone, its appearance revealed more.
The cover is bluish-dark, no title, nothing on its back either.
Pushing the laptop aside, he places the book on the table, takes his gaze off it, and his right hand once again grabs the pen from the stand as the other opens the book.
Numbers flashed by page after page, along with records, dates, and even drawings.
But eventually, he comes to a blank page.
He stopped for a moment — ready, yet at the same time not.
After mulling over for a while on the slightly yellowed blank page, he moved the uncapped pen down.
"30 March 2019, Saturday."
"What exactly is the right way? And a method for myself?"
"…"
And as he writes, his hands become more fluent, the hesitation disappearing along with the doubts.
Then…
As he writes further, a notification rings on his phone and on his laptop, causing him to pause.
Lifting his head, the bloody-ashen gaze reflecting the new message — or perhaps announcement — that arrives…
He rested the pen in his right hand, moving towards the mouse to point and click on the notification.
...
[Announcement: Abyssal Raid! By the Order and Approval of the Association]
Issued By: Central Command of the Association.
It is identified from the Sanctum of Heavenly Readers of Heaven Gate, that the anomaly happening in Osaka comes from the Limpid Writhe Serpentine at the Abyssal Zone - Depth 40.
For this, Heaven Gate will execute a retaliation, and the Association will condemn any act that undermines the security of Human Civilisation!
The purpose is to prune and destroy the temporary zone created to manage all of the creatures involved, namely "City of Silence."
The Association will reward everyone who dares to step up and punish this injustice; all members of Heaven and Hell Gate, the Inquisition, and Association's personnel are mandatory to participate.
All will be rewarded as their heroic nature prevails to guard humanity's future; all spoils of loot from the "City of Silence" will be the reward for all who deserve it.
For the glory of Mankind and its never-ending progress!
...
The chance had come, and the two were like a lamp of crimson that had awakened.
Shining across the screen as a half-smile is finally carved on his impassive face.