Mettanica just stares down at Izumi.
Mettanica: "So you seek the power?"
Izumi: "No, I want Tora back. I know she's alive. I will do whatever it takes to bring her back, even if that means killing you!"
Mettanica: "Hahahaha! Hahaha! Hahahaha! I assure you she's very much alive, but you will never kill me."
Izumi: "Don't underestimate me." She says softly.
Mettanica: "Lets make a deal? How about if you can land one hit on me I'll bring back your friend?"
Izumi: "That's all, one hit?"
Mettanica: "Yes."
Izumi rushes in towards her and throws a combination of attacks. It's the same result as Tora though, she keeps hitting an invisible barrier. She backs away and starts thinking to herself.
Izumi: "I'm not as strong as Tora, I don't even come close to her combat skills. How am I going to do this? If I don't, I can't save Tora!"
Mettanica: "So does that mean you realized your place? With that pathetic showing of power, you'll never get your friend back Hahahaha!"
Izumi comes to a realization that she's weak so she starts crying, but as she cries her eyes start to glow.
Mettanica: "Tears?"
Izumi: "I'm not crying because I'm sad about anything, I'm crying because I'm so angry at myself for being this weak! How could I call myself a warrior?! How could I protect my children?! Why?! Why am I so weak?!"
After she yells, her whole body has this strange aura and eyes continue to glow. It allows her to see the barrier so she goes straight for it and this time breaks it. Mettanica gets shocked and then puts her hand out to make Izumi vanish as well, but Izumi rips her arm off.
Izumi: "I don't need your power after all. Now, where's Tora?"
Mettanica: "Your first mistake was trusting someone like me to keep their word."
Mettanica warps away and completely vanished without a trace. Izumi's power goes away and she just falls to her knees crying. Just her crying makes the ground shake. It's felt throughout the village as Aizu, Hiroyama and Mest stand in front of Totsuki. Then the emperor comes by his side. Mest looks at them confused.
Mest: "How could you betray the village?!"
Aizu: "He's not alive, he's being controlled. I'll tell you the details another time. As of now we must defeat both!"
Ziku, Kame, Hiroyuki, Shizuko and Omoi can all feel that there's something wrong. They are being kept inside a lodge with the other students and other kids and teens. The fact that Tora is gone and Aizu is fighting with Mest and Hiroyama, that left an opening for lots of wandering demons. Sona didn't take all of them away. So demons break into the lodge and scare everyone, but Ziku pulls out his sword and slices every single one their heads off.
Kisaiju: "Ziku?! Killed?!"
Ziku: "These things aren't human."
Once he says that more demons come in, but Hiroyuki freezes them mid air and Kame shatters every single one. Ziku walks out of the lodge with Omoi slowly following him. Hiroyuki and Kame both walk out as well, but they go separate ways. Shizuko contemplates leaving. Until he finally decides to leave as well, with Jiro slowly behind him. Kanju makes a magic circle and brings out his dragon blade. He decides to stay along with everyone else from that class. Kenshi and Jaken are still in the hospital recovering. Kenshi can sense that something is wrong he tries to get out of bed and go help, but he can barely move.
Jaken: "Just stay! I know you want to help, but at your current state it's just no use!"
Kenshi turns around and sits on his bed looking down. Jaken can tell that he feels so weak and helpless. She doesn't know what to say, so she chooses to say nothing at all. Natsumi is in the hospital as well. Getting treatment because of what Totsuki did to her before Asuna left. Just as Jaken thinks of something to say, both her and Kenshi the other doctors in a panic. They walk over to see what all the commotion is about only to find out that Natsumi has slipped into a coma.
Jaken: "My god! What's wrong?!"
Doctor: "Her body is suffering from a sufficient chi loss and a great deal of stress!"
Jaken: "Will she be ok?!"
Doctor: "We're going to work on it, but we can't make any guarantee that she will wake up from this coma."
Jaken: "Come on Natsumi! You're strong!"
The exact moment that Natsumi went into the coma, Ziku felt weird and knew there was something wrong with his mother. He tries to go, but then he gets swarmed by demons and doesn't want them to follow him there. He starts fighting, but is immediately swarmed and surrounded. Just as the demons get ready to pounce on him they get blown away by a huge cyclone of wind. When Ziku sees it, he immediately smiles and looks over to see Omoi.
Omoi: "What would you do without me?"
Ziku: "Lets just take these things out before they completely overwhelm the village."
Ziku and Omoi stand back go back fighting off the demons as they start seeing the numbers decline. Meanwhile Hiroyuki is alone, but hasn't encountered any demons. He did come across Zayn who's frozen.
Hiroyuki: "What? Who could have done this? It looks like mine, but it's not. What is going on? What does this mean?"
Hiroyuki starts looking around and finds frozen footprints that go to a certain point and stop. He decides to follow them and continue in the same direction where they stop. Kame on the other hand is fighting demons. He gets surrounded, but just smiles and get excited. He fights all the demons alone and wins. He has a couple scratches and bruises, but nothing too serious. He heads in the same direction he's been going to see if he comes across anymore. Aizu and Hiroyama are fighting the emperor while Mest is taking on Totsuki alone. It proves to be difficult for Mest because he can barely land a hit on Totsuki. It's not because Totsuki is faster, it's because of the barriers Totsuki has to block the attacks. What makes it even more difficult is the fact that Mest has to dodge his Dark Magic which is basically destruction and prevent it from destroying the village. Aizu and Hiroyama have trouble as well because the emperor is under Totsuki's control and has his demonic power and abilities. Aizu gets captured in a mental spell that will eventually make him kill himself. Hiroyama has to fight alone. Hiroyama is fighting, but can't land a hit and has to chase the emperor. After some time Hiroyuki finally arrives and sees everything that's going on.
Hiroyama: "Help Aizu! He's under some kind of spell!"
Hiroyuki to himself: "It's him again."
Then Kame arrives, Mest smiles and knows how they could win.
Mest: "Kame, I need your strength. I have a plan."
Kame: "I am ready!"
Mest and Kame both look at Totsuki as Mest rushes In throwing a punch, but it hits the barrier. Then Kame attacks him from the back landing a hit causing Totsuki to cough up blood. Then Kame goes for a kick, but it hits another barrier and makes an opening for Mest to punch Totsuki in the chest. Totsuki falls to the ground shattering it.
Mest: "Wherever your eyes are is where the barrier is. So fighting multiple people at once or someone with speed is your weakness. It makes sense on why you separated me and Asuna before."
Totsuki: "Damn you! I know who you are! You're the son of K-..."
He gets cut off as Mest kicks him in the head making him go flying and breaking through a bunch of trees. Totsuki rises up and is about to warp away.
Totsuki: "There's no mistaking it, that's the long loss son of Kai Chikara. He proves to be another obstacle! He must die! Him and his brother!"
Totsuki uses the warp gate and leaves. Taking the remaining demons with him. He leaves the emperor as he sees no more use for him. His body falls from the sky and shatters on the floor into nothing but ashes.
Hiroyuki: "He was dead this whole time?!"
Hiroyama: "Yes, unfortunately. Where is Aizu?"
Hiroyuki moves out of the way and Aizu is on the ground almost lifeless. Mest and Kame walk over.
Mest: "He's still alive, but the spell he's under will eventually eat away at his subconscious and make him kill himself."
Hiroyama: "So what do we do?"
Mest: "I'm not sure. I guess, take him to the hospital for now."
Hiroyama: "I see."
Hiroyuki: "Hey, I want to talk to you."
Mest: "Me and Kame will take him, leave you guys to talk."
Hiroyuki: "Who exactly are you? When I first saw you, I felt weird about it and the way you looked at me."
Hiroyama: "Truth is my name is Hiroyama. And I'm your father."
Hiroyuki just looks at him and smiles.
Hiroyama: "I know it could be hard to believe and understand, but-..."
Hiroyuki: "Dad!"
Hiroyuki yells out and begins to tear up. Hiroyama just watches him as they both stare at each other. Hiroyuki means forward as if he's going to give him a hug, but then he throws a punch that gets blocked by his dad.
Hiroyuki: "How could you leave us?! Why would you do something like that?!Do you know what it's like growing up without a father?! Do you even realize the toll this has on Mom?! To just wake up one day and you're gone! She had to explain to me why you weren't there! I can tell it was hard for her because she didn't know herself! Then to just show up like you did! It's already bad enough that are clan numbers are decreasing, but to lose your father! Why would you just leave?!"
Hiroyama: "It's Totsuki! I never wanted to leave you or your mother. Totsuki came to the village, specifically our clan district and demanded a child. He wanted you! I told him no and he threatened to kill your mother after knocking her unconscious. I told him to just take me instead. I lied, telling him that you're adopted. I told him I was the strongest in the clan and that I'd be a great deal to him and for him. When he agreed I told him to not harm my family or clan all he said was: "We'll see." So all these years I've been under his arms not knowing if I'll see my family again. It wasn't until today where I found the opportunity to fight back. So, I'm sorry Hiro. I never meant to cause you or mother harm."
Hiroyuki just stands there staring at him not knowing what to say. Hiroyama grabs him and hugs him for the first time. Hiroyuki starts crying as he starts to realize that Ziku is right about the world.
Hiroyuki: "You have to see mom!"
Hiroyama: "I don't know Hiro."
Hiroyuki: "What do you mean, she's your wife. Don't you love her?"
Hiroyama: "Of course I d-...."
Just before he could finish his sentence he gets stabbed in his heart by Zayn. Zayn forced his hand through Hiroyama's body and pulled out his heart throwing it on the ground.
Zayn: "Betrayal? I don't think so."
Right after Zayn disappears without a trace. Hiroyama's body falls slowly as Hiroyuki can only watch horrifically. Once the body falls, Hiroyuki runs over to him and turns him over to see the hole through his chest.
Hiroyuki: "Dad, Dad No!"
Hiroyama: "It's ok son, for all I've done for Totsuki. I deserve this."
Hiroyuki: "No, that's not true. You were forced!"
Hiroyama: "Hiroyuki, promise me you won't tell your mother about any of this. Allow her to continue living her life. Make it better for her Hiro. When the time comes, I'll tell her everything, ok?"
Hiroyuki: "But, you just came back! You can't leave us again!"
Hiroyama: "I know this seems unfair. Trust me everything will be alright. Hiroyuki live your life and become greater than I was. I never got to tell you or your mother that I loved both of you."
Hiroyuki begins to cry harder as Hiroyama's eyes close. Hiroyuki looks over at his heart, it beats a couple more times before finally stopping. Hiroyuki lays on top of him screaming and crying.
Kame and Mest walk while Mest holds Aizu's body over his shoulders.
Kame: "I did not know you were that strong."
Mest: "Yeah, well there's a lot people don't know about me."
Kame: "If you do not mind me asking, why do you always where that mask?"
Mest: "Well, my father gave it to me when I was little. It was my favorite thing in the world. My father ended up passing when I got older, so I wear it all the time as memories of my father are within this mask. Of course, it has cracks and scratches on it due to all my fights I've had up until now, but it's still in good shape."
Kame: "What was your father like?"
Mest: "He was awesome, in my opinion he was the strongest in the world. Just his name brought fear to many warriors across lands. I'd do anything to speak to my father again."
Kame: "I do not know my father. Him, my mother and clan all passed away the same day. I was the only survivor. I live with my aunt Jaken and Kenshi is my master. I had an older brother, but I do not even know if he is dead or alive. I miss them all, especially my older brother, he was the best and I truly admired everything he did. I too wish I could see them again."
Mest continues to walk without saying anything, but a tear falls from his left eye. Kame is on his right so he can't see it, but Mest is crying and grieving for him.
Mest to himself: "Just a little more time younger brother."
After the walk, the arrive at the hospital and hurry to place Aizu on a stretcher and he's taken into a room and operated on. After some time, one of the doctors comes out and tells them good and bad news.
Doctor: "The good news is we found the source of the curse. The bad news is we can't extract it. If we do, it would inevitably kill him because it's already consumed his soul."
Mest: "So then what do we do?!"
Doctor: "We need the proper seal in order to undo the binding of the curse. At this point it seems like only the gods are able to save him now."
Mest: "Let's wait for Asuna."
Doctor: "Umm I don't think....."
Mest: "We're waiting for Asuna!"
After some time Ziku and Omoi finally end up showing up to where Hiroyuki is. They both stop to look at Hiroyuki as he looks back with tears in his eyes. Hiroyuki stands up and wipes the tears from his eyes.
Ziku: "What's wrong?"
Hiroyuki looks at Hiroyama's body and then closes his eyes. He just decides to not say anything and walk by Ziku and Omoi and just leave. Before he could, Ziku grabs his arm.
Ziku: "That look in your eyes. You are hurt, I know. Just let it all out."
Hiroyuki: "Let go of me! Leave me alone Ziku! It's nothing and I'm fine! Just stop."
Hiroyuki walks away without looking back. Ziku watches as he leaves his field of vision.
Omoi: "You told him to let it all out."
Ziku just looks at Omoi who's smiling nervously. Then Ziku brushes it off and they decide to leave. Both totally forgetting about the body. As they start walking they see Hiroyuki running towards them as he just zoom pass them. They follow as all of them come to an abrupt stop. Hiroyuki just stares.
Ziku: "What?"
Hiroyuki: "The body?! Where's the body?! What did you guys do?!"
Omoi: "What body? What are you talking about?"
Hiroyuki: "My father! He died right here! Where is his body?!"
Ziku: "Your father?"
Hiroyuki: "Someone took him! Did you see who?!"
Ziku: "No, I forgot there was even a body."
Hiroyuki: "He must have took him back!"
Omoi: "Who took him?"
Hiroyuki just looks at both Ziku and Omoi and then walks by them again. They both follow directly behind him confused about everything. They think to themselves about how much did they actually miss. They show up to the hospital and meet Kame and Mest.
Hiroyuki: "Hey, Mest, could you talk?"
Mest: "Yeah."
They go to the side.
Hiroyuki: "So did you know my father?"
Mest: "Honestly no. That was the first time I ever met him. I heard about him yes, but as far as speaking with him; just never happened."
Hiroyuki: "So would you know why his dead body would be taken?"
Mest: "Totsuki! Yes, he uses the dead bodies and places a demon soul within them. This gives the demon access to the abilities of whom it's taking over. Also making them stronger due to demon blood. Cruel part about this is, when they're controlled like this it means they can't die."
Hiroyuki: "What do you mean?!"
Mest: "I mean yes they're dead, but they can't Rest In Peace. They basically live through the demon in their own body."
Hiroyuki is at a loss for words and just stares down at the ground.
Mest: "Aizu was also close to Asuna, not as much as Nino, but this could hurt Asuna just as much."
Hiroyuki to himself: "Not only did my father leave us again, but now he can't even die! This world just continues to find more ways to make me hate life."
Izumi walks in with: Aiko, Haruna, Chiori, Yumi and Kireina.
Mest: "What are you guys doing here?"
Izumi: "Yumi has something she wants to say to you, Aiko wanted to check on everyone and the rest of the girls are here just to be here."
Aiko: "How's your mom Ziku?"
Ziku: "Mom! I didn't even check on her!"
Ziku runs out the room and down the hall, but to everyone else it just looked like a blur. Aiko goes after him to check on Natsumi.
Mest: "You needed to talk to me?"
Yumi: "Well I guess I can talk to all you, but there's this voice and I think it's Tora."
Izumi: "Tora!"
Mest: "Wait, what do you mean Tora? Where is she?"
Izumi: "Me and her fought this woman who was with Totsuki. Tora didn't make it, one second she's fighting then the next she just disappeared. I have no idea where she went and I tried to get her back, but I just couldn't."
Mest: "And you're saying you can hear her voice?"
Yumi: "Yeah, my clan is most known for our telepathic abilities and I know I can heard her voice."
Mest: "Well, what did she say?"
Yumi: "She just said that she was alive, but she doesn't know where she is. She said that she's not alone and that she's scared. After that she was just cut off. I tried to trace her location, but it was blocked. It's like she wasn't on earth."
Izumi: "She's not. She must be in one of Totsuki's dimensions or even in another realm."
Mest: "Damn, who's breaking the news to Asuna?"
Izumi: "I will."
Asuna reaches Hitomi's home and he calls her outside.
Hitomi: "You're back?!"
Asuna: "Yeah, I need you to tell me where Azuma and Akuma are."
Hitomi: "I told you that I didn't know. Both of them are really far so it's hard to pinpoint their exact location."
Asuna: "Give me the General area I'll find them myself."
Hitomi: "But Asuna...."
Asuna: "Hitomi!"
Hitomi gets scared, she has never seen Asuna like this, so serious and intimidating. She closes her eyes and tries to sense their chi. She opens her eyes and is confused as to why she can't sense them.
Hitomi: "I cant sense them anymore."
Asuna: "What?! Why?! They aren't dead are they?!"
Hitomi: "No because I can still feel their chi."
Asuna: "I don't get it then, why can't you locate them?"
Hitomi: "I'm going to try my best to explain. I can sense the chi of every living person on the planet. You, Akuma, Azuma and Toko's chi are distinct from the rest. So I know how to distinguish you all from everyone else. I have a certain radius to where my senses allow me to locate the specific whereabouts of the chi. As of right now my limit is a 500 mile radius. The thing is, when they leave my radius I can't differentiate the chi anymore and it just flows with everyone else's."
Asuna: "Ah, I see."
Hitomi: "Yes, I'm sorry Asuna, but I just can't find them."
Asuna: "It's ok, don't be hard on yourself about it. At least they're together."
Hitomi: "Back at your village there's a chi that's fading away and another one that vanished completely."
Asuna: "What?!"
Hitomi: "Yeah that's what I tried telling you before you yelled at me."
Asuna: "Oh no!"
Asuna vanishes from Hitomi's sight, as he moves at his top speed in order to get back to the village. After some time Sona and Tatsuma get a reading of a large amount a chi heading towards them. Both of them get nervous because it has higher chi than both of them combined. They both look at each other and decide to stand in front together. They get into their stances and wait for whoever it is to arrive. The chi gets closer and closer on the monitor until it appears right in front of them. Sona gulps, but then realizes that it's just Asuna.
Asuna: "What happened?!"
Sona: "We don't really know, we've been here the whole time."
Asuna: "Did you guys win?!"
Tatsuma: "I would think so. We were fighting a horde of demons and then they just vanished."
Sona: "Yeah, but we haven't heard from anyone else. We just know the perimeter is now ok."
Asuna walks past them and heads towards the hospital. He finally arrives and everyone turns to look at him and the back at Izumi. Everyone just keeps staring back at Asuna. Yet, Ziku is in his mother's room looking over her. Ziku hasn't said anything the whole time he's been in there. To the point where Aiko got worried and tried talking to him.
Aiko: "Ziku are you ok?"
Ziku: "I will be when she wakes up."
Aiko: "She's in a coma, like you were there's no telling when she'll wake up or if...."
Ziku turns to look at her with tears in his eyes.
Ziku: "Don't say if, she will wake up!"
Aiko: "Ziku I'm sorry, I wish there was something I could do!"
Ziku grabs his mothers hand and just stares at her. Aiko goes to the other side and she looks at Ziku. Then she looks at Natsumi and grabs her other hand. Then she closes her eyes and caresses her hand even more.
Aiko to herself: " please wake up, for Ziku."
Then Ziku feels Natsumi's hand grip his. He looks up to see her looking at him with a smile. Ziku smiles super big and jumps on the bed to hug his mom. The doctors walk in super confused and shocked because she's awake.
Doctor: "That coma, you were said to be in it for months! This is truly a miracle!"
Natsumi: "It's weird. I was having like a dream and then all of sudden these doors opened and this white room appeared. Coming out of it was like this angel and she spoke to me."
Ziku: "What did she say?"
Natsumi: "She told me to please wake up, and that you need me."
Ziku smiles.
Ziku: "Well she was right, I'm glad you're awake mom."
Ziku hugs his mom again. While Aiko looks around the room thinking to herself how bizarre. She brushes it off as just a coincidence that she and the angel that was in Natsumi's dream told her the same thing. Then Aiko decides to leave so Ziku and his mom could talk. She walks down the hall and turns to see Asuna. When she walks towards him she sees everyone else just staring back and forth between him and Izumi.
Asuna: "What is going on?! Is anyone going to say anything instead of looking at me?! What happened?!"
Izumi: "Asuna, What I have to tell you isn't easy for me to say, but well Aizu is under a curse that could determine is he lives or not and Tora...."
Asuna: "What?! What happened to Tora?!"
Izumi: "She's gone Asuna! She's not dead, we think she's just trapped somewhere, but none of us have an idea where."
Asuna just stands there with a devastating expression not saying a word. He can't believe he lost Tora as well.