"You are a demon, Hanako. In fact, I'd go as far as to say you are a demon prince..."
These words did not cease to ring in my ears, even as I stormed outside into the merciless blizzard that had begun without the slightest warning. I made a small, dissatisfied grunt which got lost in the shrieking winds. At first glance—at any glance, for that matter—I had a strong feeling trekking home in these conditions would be akin to impossible. In spite of the obvious, however, I pressed on through the storm, stubborn and angry and determined to get as far away from that cat as possible. There was one problem, though. I was a bit...underdressed for this battle I had chosen for myself.
My boots were already old and wearing thin like a layer of skin ready to peel off all on its own, and they sunk farther into the snow with each step I took, making the next step feel exponentially burdensome. I couldn't do it. It didn't matter how tenacious I was. Before long, I collapsed face-first into the snow, struggling to turn my head sideways as Jeremy's faint cries strove to reach me.
The winds continued to hiss and howl as the storm issued additional snow to pile on top of my still body. Within seconds this blizzard had doubled over in severity, and its precipitation was already beginning to morph into sharp pellets of hail. My face felt oddly aflame in spite of the numbing cold. And just when I thought I was a goner, he reached out to me. But I was too weak at the moment to take his outstretched hand. Noticing this, Jeremy seized my arm and pulled with all his might until I was out of the snow, my head resting against his shoulder.
"Where do you think you're going, kiddo?"
His words scarcely reached my burning ears. My lips were too frozen to speak, though, and I was certain Jeremy knew this. He soon swept me up and proceeded to carry me back to the Safe Haven without my consent—not that I had any intention to resist, mind you.
"Hanako!"
Not a breath was drawn before Levin came running frantically over to me with a pile of blankets, and he laid them down on the floor in the center of the living room. Jeremy got to his knees slowly and lowered me onto the soft bed of fleece his brother had prepared. A pain-induced groan escaped my mouth as I flipped myself over like a heavy pancake to look Jeremy in the eye. All he did was shake his head.
"That was a pretty reckless thing you did back there. Now where on earth did you think you were going?"
"Home," I managed to force out of my icy lips. "I told you that already, numbskull."
I expected him to counter my insult without second thought, but rather than adding to the invisible weight burdening my shoulders, Jeremy softened his expression. And he sighed gently.
"Rest. Speaking won't help you recover any faster, so try not to, okay?"
The rebellious teenager in me screamed 'protest'. And yet could I not bring myself to do it. On top of the numb sensation lingering throughout my body, I couldn't help but dwell on what had driven Jeremy to say what he had. Concern? I wondered. Though I had not known him for long, worrisome didn't at all seem like one of his character traits—not even a potential one. To me, he was no more than a barrier right now. My mindset wouldn't change. It couldn't change. There was simply no way that guy like him could ever meet me where I stood.
I drifted off to sleep with that thought circling my aching mind—we'll never get along. We won't.
+++
As my eyelids slowly parted and consciousness returned, I became promptly acquainted with the sight of a certain black furred feline standing over me. And I must admit, this definitely was not the first thing I wanted to see upon awakening. If my expression didn't paint that picture clear enough for him, my words sure did.
"Get away from me, cat."
Gabriel slightly drooping ears suggested mild disappointment. "I was only doing as was requested of me," he explained. "Ironmage wished for me to wait here and inform him when you wake up."
I slipped out of the pile of blankets that had been draped over me and glanced around the room. Neither of the Ryder brothers were anywhere to be seen. "Where are Levin and Jeremy?"
"I shall go retrieve them, if you'd like." Without waiting for my answer, Gabriel sprinted across the room and soon disappeared down a dark staircase. I heard the faint, yet familiar sound of his claws patting against the floor, followed by a cluster of voices and movements from below.
"Wake up, princesses! Your king is waiting for you!"
"King? Who is he talking about?"
"Probably Hanako."
"The stupid cat..."
Mere seconds passed before Jeremy and Levin appeared at the top of the staircase, both gazing down at me with something akin to relief in their eyes.
"How ya feelin', kiddo?"
My first instinct was to glare at Jeremy, and I did, but only for a short time. I eventually sensed a tinge of guilt pricking the back of mind. "I'm okay, I guess."
"The blizzard looks to have calmed down enough to go outside, but there's no way I'm letting ya go out there alone again, and I am most certainly not allowing ya to return to Bluegate." Jeremy's one eye then fell solemnly upon me. I couldn't look away. "I don't even have to explain to you why you can't go back there. You know."
I hated how in control he was. The way he spoke, as though he were intentionally trying to strike fear and a sense of inferiority into my heart. "Well..." I squinted at him. "What the heck am I supposed to do then? I'm not gonna stay cooped up in here for the rest of my life."
"I'll tell ya what," he began, bending over as he seized my right wrist. "We're gonna go on a little trip, you and me."
He had to be joking. "Really now? Where?"
"To the church."
"Pardon?"
"I said we're going to church." Jeremy gave my wrist a forceful tug, bringing me abruptly to my feet, and the next thing I knew, he was beginning to unfasten the sword which I had nearly forgotten was still strapped to my back. How I could have let such a thing shift into my subconscious was beyond me, but at the moment, I felt more concerned as to why Jeremy was now shoving my arms into a long black coat.
"What are you doing?"
"Shoving your arms into a long black coat." He took a large step back so that he could get a better look at me. His hand touched his chin, and he soon started to hum in a thoughtful manner, seeming to teeter back and forth between pleased and tentative. Then our eyes locked. And he sensed my impatience. "Alright, alright. This will do," he said with a sigh, bending over to lift up Destiny's Song in his hands. I groaned with blatant displeasure as Jeremy went through the lengthy process of refastening the sword to my back.
So tedious. I wish we could just leave this old thing behind.
Though it was rather strenuous on my part, I decided to keep my complaints to myself for the time being. Besides, Jeremy would probably backhand anything I had to say, no matter how relevant. With this in mind I simply maintained my usual unwavering glare, watching with squinted eyes as the cyborg made his way over to the door and opened it.
We were immediately greeted by a mighty gust of air reached deep into the Safe Haven like Old Man Winter's frostbitten hand, and it left behind a scattered trail of snowflakes on the living room floor. Jeremy raised an eyebrow at me as if to say, "What are you waiting for? Go on."
Stubborn as I was, I accepted his challenge and stormed out into the cold. Jeremy followed close behind.
Despite the blizzard having subsided, the fierce winds were still putting up a fight, enough to envelop me in discomfort. I wouldn't voice how I felt, though, for I foresaw Jeremy's austere reply a mile away. Unfortunately, he did seem to notice the look of bravery I had forced onto my face, and so he remarked, "If this is too much pressure on you, I could always carry you there."
This guy...he's tormenting me on purpose, isn't he? "No thanks, cyborg, but I think I can carry my own weight from here." I scoffed internally, raising my hands to turn my collar to the cold, as well as to partially shield myself from Jeremy.
I heard him heave a jaded sigh. "You're a real headstrong kid, ya know that?"
"Yeah. I know."
+++
For the next–what seemed like–few hours, Jeremy and I trekked through the snow in complete silence. I honestly thought that there was no end to this barren snowfield, and that the color white would never fade from my vision. Fortunately, I found myself to be mistaken, as a pointed structure came into view. It was still a blurry image due to the swirling snowflakes that were clouding up my eyes, but I could make out several glass windows painted decoratively with crosses and angels, along with an arched roof and a giant, bronze bell.
"I'm guessing that's the church," I said obviously. Without another word, Jeremy gestured for me to follow him, and we were soon standing at the doorstep of the building. Jeremy tapped the door lightly, and I was startled when the door jolted open, and a tall, well-dressed man stood there, clutching a bible in his trembling left arm. There was no doubt he was a priest.
"Ryder!" The priest exclaimed, and his frantic expression calmed a bit upon seeing Jeremy's face. "Thank goodness you're here. Please. You must speak to Father. Maybe you can convince him. I think he's finally lost it." Jeremy and I exchanged worried glances before accepting the priest's invitation into the church.
"What seems to be the problem, Jonathan?" Jeremy inquired.
"Father has gone without sleep for 3 days straight," the priest inhaled sharply. "We told him he should take a rest, but he wouldn't listen to us."
Jeremy narrowed his eyes and raised a questioning eyebrow at Jonathan. "What could possibly be keeping him awake this long?"
"Come, come. I'll show you." Jonathan hurried off down the pews and ducked behind a corner, leading Jeremy and I to a dark room that was dimly lit by the sun shining through a stainless glass window. This single beam of light made visible two mysterious figures. One was an old man kneeling on the floor with his face buried in his hands, and he was sobbing softly.
The other was a woman who was tied with iron chains to what looked like a giant, wooden cross. She wore a knee length, crimson dress that complimented the beautiful scarlet hair hanging loosely at her shoulders. She was laughing devilishly, and by the looks of it, doing so to mock the old man.
Jeremy's eyes grew twice their normal size as soon as we entered the room. "But that's..."
"Yup," the priest nodded solemnly. "That's her alright. She turned up at the church's door a few days ago, claiming that she was in search of you-know-who."
"What exactly did she say to you?" Jeremy demanded in a forceful tone. "And I want her exact words."
The priest took a deep breath, leaned forward and looked sternly into Jeremy's eyes, before whispering, "The Shadow Keeper: he is awake."
The whole room seemed to grow colder at the mention of these words. The strange woman tied to the cross slowly tilted her head back and revealed her devilish gold eyes to us. Her ruby red lips were bent into a crooked smile, and if I was not mistaken, this was directed at me. She pried her lips open and a strong, clear voice echoed throughout the entire church. "So you have finally decided to show your face to me, eh?"
Jeremy threw out his arm as an act of defense and took a step out in front of me. "Don't even think about laying a finger on him, you witch!!"
The woman craned her neck and glared at Jeremy. "Ha. Looks like the foolish machine needs some repairs!! Ahahah!!" A bloodcurdling shrill escaped her mouth as she twisted her head around and cackled. "Oh, dear Ironmage, it has been too long since we've had a nice chat, hasn't it....?"
Jeremy shot a panicked look back at the priest, who simply shook his head. "She's acting crazier than usual. Father has been trying to get answers from her about the whereabouts of the Shadow Keeper, as well as the other 10 demons in the Midnight Legion, but she won't cooperate. I tried to convince Father that maybe she really doesn't know, but he doesn't believe me. Please...help us..."
I quickly turned my head away as I realized Jeremy had shot me a concerned glance. "Hanako..." He said in a hush voice.
"Yes, Hanako," the priest answered instead. "Hanako Izumi. Also known as the human form of the demon Shadow Keeper. Do you by any chance know anything that happened recently that could have stirred up commotion in the Midnight Legion?"
"U-uh, well, you see, I-I don't really, I mean," Jeremy stuttered. "...no...not at all." He clenched his teeth and let out a nervous laugh.
"Jeremy, are you sure you're alright?"
"It's you!!"
The three of us jerked our heads in the direction of the scarlet-headed woman, whose face was burning with a vengeful rage. "It's you, Hanako Izumi! Prince of Death. Possessor of the Sacred Blade, Destiny's Song; YOU ARE THE SHADOW KEEPER!!!"
The whole room fell silent after this was so furiously uttered. Slowly but surely, the old man who was at the foot of the cross slowly lifted up his head and gasped suddenly. I watched in horror as he shakily got to feet, and his bloodshot eyes found their way to mine. "You..." His ghostly pale hand rose from his side and pointed accusingly at me. "After all this time, you finally reveal yourself to us..." He croaked, and I couldn't tell if he was angry, or simply relieved.
Jonathan stumbled backwards until his back hit the wall. He, too, pointed an accusing finger at me. "You mean to tell me...that this boy...is the Shadow Keeper?" He looked at Jeremy, who sighed deeply in reply.
"Yeah, the one and only," he said, placing a hand on my shoulder. I shuddered, and was afraid to look anyone in the eye at this point. "And he's under my protection, so there's no need to worry, Jonathan. I'll never let the Midnight Legion capture him. Consider this my promise."
Jeremy's words seemed to calm the priest down a bit, and he relaxed his shoulders before approaching us again. He looked at me, and I felt the need to smile reassuringly.
"Don't worry," I said. "I'll take care of myself, too."
"Hey. Are you forgetting someone?"
Jeremy suddenly seized my wrist and marched up to the woman on the cross. He glared at her malevolently. "Hanako, allow me to introduce you to Reiha, the 9th member of the Midnight Legion."
"Please, sweetheart, call me Rei..." The woman cackled before winking at me.
I narrowed my eyes at her and said aloud, "Does that mean I'm going to have to kill her?"
"Indeed it does," Jeremy replied.
"But I know he won't..."
"What did you say?" I tilted my head questioningly at Reiha.
"You'll never use Destiny's Song, because you and I both know quite well what will happen if you ever draw that blade..."
Terror flooded my eyes, and I felt my heart drop like a rock. Jeremy, upon seeing my expression, took control yet again, and snapped at Reiha. "You shut your mouth, witch. I promised to prevent that from happening to Hanako until the time when it needs to be wielded should come. And that time will only come once the Midnight Legion is dead."
"Facts and figures are nothing to me, Ironmage," Reiha scoffed. She looked at me with wide, innocent eyes, pouting her lips. "Wouldn't it be easier just to use the blade now? Besides, I want to see you make your colors shine."
Jeremy's face tensed up, and soon he couldn't hold in his anger anymore. He swung his fist at Rei and knocked her forcefully in the jaw.
"Why you little-!!" For just an instant, Reiha's eyes flashed red, causing me to let out a startled gasp. Her figure stooped, and she released a series of forced chuckles, which triggered a shiver that ran down my spine. "Oh, Ironmage...Ironmage...what a damaged man you are....you really think that an insignificant creature like you can protect a boy as special as Hanako for so long? I may be chained up at the moment, but keep in mind, dear Jeremy, that I have 10 brothers and sisters scattered across the land, hunting down the Shadow Keeper as we speak. If I don't make it out alive, one of them will still kill you. And Hanako will be brought to my father at last."
"You're wrong!!" Jeremy shouted indignantly. "I won't mess this up! Not again...I failed in my duties before, but I made a promise that I wouldn't screw it up this time. And I am going to keep that promise! Hanako..." He jerked his head and fixed his eye on me. "Kill her now..."
My mind froze. What was Jeremy talking about? What duties? Why was he so determined to do this? And why did I have to be the one to kill this woman I didn't even know? Gabriel's words echoed in my head.
"You are a demon, Hanako..."
"You must defeat the Midnight Legion..."
"...their leader, Satan..."
"...demons..."
"Demons..." I said under my breath, but just loud enough for Jeremy to hear. "...I am a demon...and here I am, standing in front of another demon, and you expect me to be completely okay with killing her?" My eyes shot him a distraught look, and he returned it with a concerned glance. "Everything has been happening so fast for me lately, and in full honesty, I don't know the difference between up and down anymore. I left Bluegate with you, meaning I abandoned my mom and my little brother, and they're probably worried sick about me right now. Well, at least Aki. I'm sixteen years old. It turns out I'm a demon. Apparently, I've killed someone, but I don't remember that ever happening. And I don't want to remember. But there's no need to worry, because its never going to happen again."
Silence followed my words, but not for very long.
"H-....Hanako..."
I thought at first he was just choked up about what I had said, but then I noticed that Jeremy was struggling to breathe. His gauntlet arm shot up to his throat, and he began gasping for air. "H-Hanako~...h-...help...me..."
I immediately went into a full-out panic attack. "W-what am I supposed to do?!" I shot a demanding glance at Reiha, who cackled evilly in response. "What did you do to Jeremy?!"
Before I could react, the chains that bound Reiha to the cross loosened their hold, and the scarlet-headed woman was set free. My eyes grew wide with fear and astonishment as the short-statured woman glared up at me, a devious look in her golden eyes. She leaned in closer to my ear and whispered, "You stepped on something."
My trembling eyes dropped their gaze to the floor, where I discovered that, because of my sudden scuffling movements, I had smeared and broken the chalk circle of what I suspected to be a demon trap. Why it hadn't affected me, I could only wonder. But nonetheless, I was struck with undeniable terror. "Oh, no..."
Jeremy fell back and hit the floor with a loud 'thud', and he began rolling back and forth, still choking from lack of oxygen. Reiha laughed again and smiled spitefully at me. "You really do have a lot to learn, don't you, young Shadow Keeper?" Her eyes narrowed at me, then faded to black. "Now watch and learn of the true power of the Midnight Legion."