Part 0: Beginning of the End.
Arc 2: Seige on Karitori Chiku.
"It is said, hundreds of years ago, the Samurai of the Shinano province fought against an evil, growing the roots of Japan. 200 Samurai fought against an unholy force… all fell in battle, except for one. In death, a warrior turned into a specter, ascended past humanity."
NOTE: All the events in this Chapter happen at the same time.
(As the storm rolls in, the town becomes darker, covered in a haunting gray color.)
(Erik walks through the town, still searching for Isabel and Sam, avoiding the main streets as much as possible.)
Erik: You guys better not be dead, if you are, then I'll kill you in the afterlife.
(Sam, Isabel, and Origami are still held up inside the building, still deciding on a strategy to get to safety.)
Isabel: Why don't we stick to the back alleys? I mean, they'll be searching the main roads for prey, sooo-
Origami: No, if you had any idea how many dead bodies I've seen in alleys, then you'd know that it's a bad idea.
Isabel: Well, maybe I'd have known that… if I WASN'T IN HERE FOR THE PAST HOUR!!!
Origami: It's hardly been an hour. At most, it's been 30 minutes.
Isabel: What?! It's felt like an eternity!!!
Origami: See Sam!!! She doesn't appreciate you!!! If it were me, it would've felt like 5 minutes!!!
Sam: (He sits on the floor, his hand on his face, covering his left eye.) Is that so huh? The roofs? No. Woods? Definitely no. I'm stumped guys.
Isabel: So am I. What are the chances we make it out of this?
Sam: By my calculations… 17 percent.
Isabel: How'd you get that?
Sam: It's 50 percent divided between the three of us, gives us 16,666666666, add it up to 17.
Isabel: *Thinking* I'm not sure that's exactly how math works but… at least he's got spirit.
(Meanwhile on the beach.)
(Able and Carter are prepared for their fight with Asmodeus as he stares them down, sword in hand.)
Able: So pretty boy, you ready for your final ass kicking!!!
(Asmodeus looks at his sword and turns it on himself. "What're you-?!" Asmodeus impales himself through his necks and uses all his strength to push the sword upward, slicing his head perfectly in half and he falls backwards, his sword landing next to him.)
Able: (He holds Excalibur on his shoulder and walks toward Asmodeus' corpse.) Well… that was easy.
Carter: (He crouches down besides Asmodeus.) Something isn't right- GAW NO, WE ARE NOT EATING HIM?!
Able: I didn't say have to do that. But if you're hunry, then I know how to make a killer Sankando Soup, very very tasty. Family recipe.
Carter: Huhmmm, you send it to me.
Able: I will when we get back for now we shoul-
(Suddenly Asmodeus sits up right again, grabbing his sword, Able immediately swings at him, but his attack is deflected and Asmodeus slices him in the torso and punches Carter in the gut, he jumps up and kicks the sand underneath him, sending it into their eyes.)
Able: (He gets the sand out of his eye and turns around.) *Cough* So, ugly. What you got planned now? (Asmodeus stand there, his body slouched back, the left and right side of his head, flopping and spilling blood everywhere. He steadies his posture and the two sides of his head start flayling around, they meet back up and the pieces connect back together, forming together again. His eyes center and he looks at Able with a death glare.) What the fuck?!
Asmodeus: Now, Pendragon… you and your friend are DEAD!!! (He dashes towards Able, unleashing a flurry of attacks, leaving Able on the defensive.) YOU ARE JUST A BOY!!! USING A MAN'S TOOL!!!
(He breaks Able's guard and prepares to strike him down, when he is shot in the side by Carter, allowing Able to jump backwards, just as he is shot, Asmodeus' face splits in half again and he has the right side laser focused on Carter. He turns to Carter, keeping the left side focused on Able.)
Able: Clever bastard. He far outclasses me as a swordsman and now he's nullified my strategy… unless. (He slowly approaches Asmodeus and notes how he changes the hand he holds his sword in. He stands right next to him and looks him dead in the eye.) Come on buddy, who's gonna attack first? You remind me of an alligator with those split eyes. There are 4.5 Billion people in the world… and you can't kill one!
(Asmodeus has enough of Able's games and strikes at him first with an elbow to his chest, knocking him back, but Able kicks Asmodeus full force. "Come on then, let's end this quickly, I don't like the rain!!! Messes with my hair." Able and Asmodeus charge at each other, their blades crashing into each other, sending sparks crashing all around, neither of them are on the offensive, fighting in near perfect sync. They break each other's guard and just Able goes in for a blow, so does Asmodeus and their blades meet each other.)
(Carter fires a shot at Asmodeus, but he sees this and punches Able in the face before deflecting the bullet with his sword. Able quickly recovers and knocks the sword out of Asmodeus' hand. Asmodeus tries to punch Able, but his arm is caught by Able and shot by Carter, Able then grabs Asmodeus by the neck, making Asmodeus connect the two pieces of his head together, Able then headbutts him, and chokeslams him to the ground, and kicks him across the beach.)
Able: (He picks up Asmodeus' sword and holds it and Excalibur in both his hands.) Now come on pencil neck, let's test this oversized kitchen knife!
Asmodeus: (He stands up slowly, holding onto his head and catching his breath.) It belongs… to a Prince of hell, a child of Lucifer.
Able: Well now it belongs to a child of Pendragon.
Asmodeus: Hahaha, if only knew what Arthurias did to his own people. (He looks at the hooded man standing on the clock tower.) If only. (He gathers all his strength and dashes towards Able, and grabs a hold of his sword.) I'll be taking that back!!!
(Able takes advantage of the struggle for the sword and uses his right hand, with Excalibur in it to cut off Asmodeus' left arm, making him recoil back.)
Able: (He pries Asmodeus' severed arm off of the sword and throws it in his face.) Thanks, but I don't like souvenirs.
(Able nearly impales Asmodeus in the face, but he quickly splits his head apart again, but Able thinks fast and slice off the right side of his face along with a piece of his shoulder.)
Asmodeus: (Thinking to himself.) Damn this Pendragon!!! Where's his friend?! I can't take my eyes off of him for a second or else I'm dead.
"500 S&W Magnum, strongest rounds, coated in silver."
(Asmodeus hears Carter standing right behind him, as he is locked in a stare down with Able. "He got behind me?!" Asmodeus makes a split second decision, just as Carter fires his gun, he breaks his guard allowing Able to slice at him, but he jumps out of the way and onto the street above them. Carter's shot nearly hits Able in the arm, and Able nearly slices Carter's face open, their attack mere centimeters away from hitting each other.)
Able: FUCK, sorry!!!
Carter: I'm fine, you?!
Able: Perfect.
(They look at Asmodeus standing above them, his emotions ranging from frustrated, to pissed off.)
Asmodeus: My sword, my arm… my face.
Able: Yeah and it's gonna be your life next, I'm surprised you're still able to speak with half of your face. (Able and Carter walk up the two sets of stairs that go up to the street. Carter stands on Asmodeus' right and Able on his left.) One arm, one eye, no sword, and two opponents.
Asmodeus: I am a child of Lucifer, the strongest, Arias, Belial, and the three disasters, I far outclass all of them… but yet, every five steps I end up walking in shit, that throne will be mine someday!!!
(From nowhere, the ground beneath them starts to shake, as if an explosion went off underneath them.)
Able: Carter, you feel that right?!
Carter: Able… I taste that. (Asmodeus breaks into hysteric laughter and falls to the ground, unable to contain it.) I mean, I do stand-up comedy, but the joke wasn't THAT funny.
Able: (He walks towards Asmodeus and readies to strike him down.) Alright Joker, come on.
Asmodeus: (He bites into his lip, making it bleed.) I get it now… I am restrained by this mortal body, half-demon, half-human. If I want to take the throne, I must destroy these human feelings of love, joy, hope, and friendship, we are not alike Pendragon…
Able: Oh I already figured that out long ago!!!
Asmodeus: You hold onto your last glimmers of humanity and it weakens you. I swear I will find a way to break these mortal chains… and swim through the lakes of Hell.
Able: (He puts the other sword down and hold Excalibur over Asmodeus' neck with both hands.) Those your last word?
Asmodeus: And it starts with killing your little brother.
(He rolls out of the way of Able's slash, and grabs his sword, jumping onto his feet. He knocks Able back with a punch to the face, and slices Carter's gun in half just as he fires it, he pushes Carter's arm out of the way and impales him with his sword in the chest, he pushes Carter towards a building, presses him against it and cuts off his head with one smooth motion.)
(Able watches in horror as Carter's body flops to the ground and his head rolls down the pavement, his eyes still wide open.)
Asmodeus: (He wipes the blood off of the sword on his shirt and points it towards Able.) *Hysteric Laughter.* You're next.
Able: You bastard!!!
Asmodeus: Oh relax!!! It's just life, running its course.
Able: Yeah, and your course is about to be finished.
Asmodeus: Well then come on, third son of Arthurias!!! (Able goes all out with his attacks, pushing Asmodeus back as he blocks all of them. Both of them freeze for a second, feeling the strong surge of Magica coming from the forrest) Ohoho!!! Do you sense the Magica in the air it makes me FEEL ALIVE!!!
(Asmodeus jumps out of the way of Able's slash, and Able hits the side of the building. "I'm gonna chop the last piece of your fucking head off!!!"Able drags the sword out of the building. Their battle continuing into the main street of the town. While Carter's corpse starts convulsing, before it suddenly stops and out of the nape of Carter's decapitated body, crawls a small centipede, it moves its way towards Carter's head, staying connected to his body. It reaches his head and digs its way towards his brain, for a few seconds, nothing seems to happen, until with incredible speed, the head gets flung back violently towards his body, connecting the bones, muscle, and flesh back together. Carter blinks a few times, before his eyes dart down the street, hearing the clinging and clanging of Able and Asmodeus' swords.)
Able: It's pointless you son of a bitch!!!
Asmodeus: Haha, it would seem so… but, better to try and fight, than to give up. Come at me!!!
(The sky starts to clear, revealing the sun once again, a ray of hope perhaps?)
Asmodeus: (Looking at the clearing sky.) The sun... always so golden on Sundays.
Able: Yeah, yeah… you're right, it is beautiful I guess. (He hears the sounds of tens of guns being fired at once, along with terrified screams. He sees 5 Reapers fly above him and Asmodeus towards the gunfire.) What the fuck?! (He hears gunfire go off behind him and sees Asmodeus standing in front of him with a bullet wound in his chest, bleeding out of his mouth. He turns around to see Carter walk towards him, holding his gun in hand.) Carter?! How?!!!
Carter: One of the benefits of having a giant ass centipede stuck to your back. (He stands side by side to Able and watches Asmodeus collapse to the ground.) That it?
Able: (He unsummons Excalibur.) I don't know, shoot him one more time.
Carter: (He takes out a sawn-off double barrel shotgun from his shoulder holster and hands it to Able.) Why don't we both do the honors?
Able: Gladly. (Just as they point their weapons towards Asmodeus, they hear a sound coming from the sky, like that of glass shattering apart. They look up and see giant shards of glass, breaking off of the sky and falling towards the ground.) Is that the fucking sky breaking apart?!!
(They move out of the way of a giant shard landing right in front of them. In their confusion, the hooded figure atop the clock tower jumps down and lands next to Asmodeus. Glass shards, small and large falling all around them.)
Carter: (He tears a piece of glass out of his head and throws it on the ground.) Who the hell is that?!!!
Able: (He charges towards the man, summoning Excalibur again.) Oh I got a pretty good idea!!!
(He slices through the giant glass shard and swings at the man, but his attack is blocked when he quickly picks up Asmodeus' sword.)
Able: Come on!!! No need to hide your face!!! It's not that ugly!!!
(The man swipes off his hood with his other arm as he holds Able back, revealing his face, he has a thin face, with a rectangular jawline. His eyes are the same Amber color as Kane and Able's, but with his being the darkest shaded of them all. His light blonde hair is long and slightly middle parted with the bangs parted neatly to the side, past his eyes. He stands at 6'1ft (185cm) tall, with a slim athletic build.)
Able: You've got some pretty big guts for coming back, blondie!!!
Seth Pendragon, First Son of Arthur Pendragon: Fighting me like this is pointless, brother, I far outweigh you in every class. Get strong first!
Able: Oh I'll get strong alright!!! (He kicks Seth backwards and raises Excalibur over his head, his eyes burning a golden colour.) I'll get far stronger than you!!!
(Seth dodges out of the way of Able's attack and stands next to him. He kicks Able in the leg, making him trip forwards, and as he falls Seth slices off Able's right forearm.)
(Carter fires at Seth, but all his shots get deflected and Seth seemingly teleports in front of Carter and punches him in the gut, knocking the wind out of him.)
Seth: (He walks away from Carter and steps over Able.) Make sure this fool doesn't die, will you? (He drags Asmodeus by his arm.) Let's go.
Able: *Using all of his strength* Seth… (He tries forcing himself up.) Get back here you bastard!!!
Seth: (He slightly turns to Able.) Say hello to Sam and Kane for me.
(Seth vanishes and Able falls to the floor, clenching his fist. His battle with Asmodeus being finished for the time being and Carter rushing to his side as he passes out, with several Reapers approaching him. The downpour of glass seizing as well.)
(Earlier.)
(Sam, Isabel and Origami are still held up inside the building.)
Isabel: So… I got nothing. No plan, no smart move, no anything…
Origami: Neither do I.
(They hear a knock at the door, and prepare for the worst. Origami steps towards the door and starts opening it, she peaks through the small crack she made, only to see Jericho standing in front of it.)
Origami: It's just Ms. Griffin. (She opens the door wide for her.) Come in.
Jericho: Well I'll be damned. (She walks to Sam and grabs him by the shoulders.) You are alive!
Isabel: Hey! Hands off him! We were doing just fine without you!
Origami: (She grabs Sam's right arm.) Agreed. Me and him will survive without you.
Sam: (He takes all of their hands off of him.) Ladies! Ladies! There's only one of me! Well, unless the hounds get to me!
Jericho: *Thinking* If we by some miracle make it throught this, I am rocking his 5 foot world.
(Meanwhile, on the train. Suzuki moves through the passenger carts as the Reapers help the civilians get seated.)
Gabriela: (She sees Suzuki and his bullet wounds.) Mr. Yamada, what happened?
Suzuki: The Dusk Walker, he killed our conductor and a few Reapers. We need to get this train moving, immediately. (He points at a Reaper helping a woman into her seat.) You there, I require your assistance.
Reaper: (He points at himself.) Me?
Suzuki: Yes.
Reaper: (He follows Suzuki to the front cabin.) With all due respect, Mr. Yamada, I can do a lot of things, but I can hardly drive a freaking train.
Suzuki: You do not need to drive it, just assist me.
Reaper: How? (Suzuki doesn't say anything.) Would be nice if we got any help.
Suzuki: Reinforcements should be here any minute.
Reaper: Then shouldn't we wait for them?
Suzuki: No, it's better to be safe and get everyone out of here. (They walk into the conductor's cabin, the Reaper is briefly stunned by the dead body, but swallows and controls his panic.) Sit in the seat next to me.
(Suzuki starts working at the control panel, while in the underground railroad, the Dusk Walker is standing at a wall, putting an explosive on it and wires it across the floor when the Skeleton wearing the Red Cloak emerges from the shadows and stands next to him.)
Dusk Walker: So, you got news? Or is this just a social call? (The Skeleton touches his shoulder.) There are Reaper reinforcements on the way? Great, I'll have to deal with that angel first. (The Skeleton returns to the shadows.) I've seen debris crumble and fall on people before, arms broken, legs torn apart and skulls crushed. His host won't survive that at all.
(Back at the train, Suzuki and the Reaper lower down to the underground, they start moving the train.)
Reaper: Quick question, wouldn't this entire tunnel be filled to the brim with smoke?
Suzuki: No it would not.
Reaper: How so? Is it electrical?
Suzuki: It works off of magica in the atmosphere, environmentally friendly.
Reaper: Huh, neat.
(The train starts moving through the tracks, but when Suzuki sees someone standing on the tracks, he immediately hits the brakes, stopping the train right in his face, mere inches away.)
Suzuki: (He looks out of the window at the person, a young woman with tears rolling down her eyes trying to say something.) Stay in the train.
Reaper: (He grabs Suzuki's hand.) You know it's a trap right?
Suzuki: I do. But I must try and save her.
Reaper: (He watches as Suzuki steps outside and rests his head on the control panel.) Can't I just go back to college?
Suzuki: (He starts approaching the woman.) Ma'am are you sa-
(A gunshot rings down the tunnel, as the woman is shot clean in the head. "Ohoho, no I don't think she is." Suzuki grabs the woman's body as she collapses to the ground.)
Dusk Walker: (He emerges from the shadows of the tunnel.) Aw sorry, was she someone special?
Suzuki: (He sets the woman down on the ground.) You kill and take, kill and take. For what purpose? Or do you seek purpose through it?
Dusk Walker: Let's just say pain and suffering have their own way of being processed with me.
Suzuki: Grief?
Dusk Walker: Hatred. (He notices the Reaper in the conductor's cabin and fires at him, luckily he ducks in time.) So, we going to tango now or what?
Suzuki: (He puts the woman's body down inside the cabin.) Get this train moving.
Reaper: I don't know how to drive this thing!!
Suzuki: Figure it out. (He closes the door of the cabin.) Shall we do this?
(Suzuki and DW watch each other closely, stepping on opposite sides of the railroad. The Reaper finally gets the train moving, they catch glances at each other through the gaps in the train cabins. The train passes them, the light of the cabins with them, leaving both of them in the dark. "Shadows of the Night, friend. You can't hurt what you can't see. I could be anywhere." Suzuki closes his eyes and concentrates on the Magica in the environment and how it shifts as DW walks around him. As DW goes in for a punch, it gets blocked by Suzuki and he gets kicked backwards. "Ohoho, you're a quick one. Well then come on Mr. Divine, show me that angelic spirit.")
(Suzuki readies himself for any attack from DW, but he gets shot through the chest by him. "Couldn't block that one could you?")
Suzuki: No, but you just gave away your location.
(Suzuki rushes at DW down the tunnel, falling for his trap, luring him towards the C4. "You know for being an angel of the lord, you sure do lack patience.")
Suzuki: Patience can wait when justice is on the line!
"Justice?! Ha, you my friend seek vengeance for the dearly departed. I know the difference."
Suzuki: Justice is for the righteous. Vengeance is for the weak!
"Oh shut up with that shit!"
(DW shoots at Suzuki again, this time, the bullet grazes the side of his head. Making him stop in his tracks.)
"You gettin' shy? Come on the game's only begun."
Suzuki: No. I am merely stalling for time.
"Stalling? Oh no no, we can't have that. Not when you're in my territory. I am the shadows."
(Suzuki feels something stab through his hand, he cannot determine what is real and what is not in the darkness. He feels this stabbing sensation all through his body, legs, chest, arms, head. "Darkness can drive even the most holy of beings to the brink of madness." He feels one of his fingers being cut off, but when he touches his hand, they are all intact. He feels a knife being stuck into the back of his shoulder, he is able to pull it out and feel the open wound. "It's a little thing that I learned through my years of service. The cold nights, the warm afternoons. Darkness is a double edged blade, friend and foe. Can't use your senses if they're busy with other things." Suzuki hears a high pitched ringing sound in both of his ears, the taste of blood in his mouth and the constant smell of rotting corpses. "Sight, Touch, Hearing, Taste, Smell. With all senses dulled, only the mind is left to play tricks on itself. You see you divine shitbag, if you take over a human body, you take over its weaknesses too…" Suzuki sees DW right in front of him and swings at him, but it goes through him. "and I know all about the weaknesses of the human body.")
(Suzuki keeps punching thin air as he attacks hallucinations of DW. The real Dusk Walker appears in front of him, but Suzuki is too slow to react, and DW sticks a knife right into his jaw and drags it back out, he follows up with a headbutt, grabs Suzuki by his arm and slams him to the ground. He disappears back into the shadows as Suzuki continues attacking hallucinations all leading him straight towards the trap. "Illusions decay the body as much as they do the mind. A burning abyss from which none return.")
(Suzuki's fights with the illusions leads him to right underneath the trap that DW has set. They all seemingly stop, the pain is relieved from Suzuki's body but he falls to the ground, tired and out of breath.)
Dusk Walker: (He appears in front of Suzuki lights a match, providing a small zone of light around them.) Not so fun to be a human after all, huh? (He crouches in front of Suzuki.) Personally I like angels more when they have a thousand wings and eyes. (He picks up a handful of sand and lets it fall down on Suzuki's head.) Incapable of feeling pain, remorse or fear. The perfect beings… beyond humanity. (He stands up and holds the detonator in his hand.) Anyways, can't guarantee this'll be fast. (As he goes to press the trigger, he notices 3 lights rapidly approaching down the tunnel.) Oh great.
Suzuki: Try to run from it, try to fear it… you will always face your destiny of justice in the end. You cannot change it.
Dusk: Oh I'm not trying to change it… just enjoying my time before the Grim Reaper takes me again.
(DW steps back and presses the detonator, causing the roof of the tunnel to collapse right on top of Suzuki, crushing him beneath it, with his hand sticking out from underneath it all with the three lights reaching them.)
Dusk Walker: Great more Reapers, ain't no way I got any more Magica left in me. Gentlemen, as much as I want to accept this foursome, I gotta be somewhere. I missed my train and well, guess I gotta jog there!
(The Dusk Walker walks back into the shadows and disappears again.)
Reaper #1: We have more troops stationed at the destination, so I don't think he'd be able to do anything.
Reaper #2: (He throws off some of the debris to discover that Suzuki is barely alive.) Legs crushed, one of his eyes is pierced, several broken rips, one of his arms are torn off and the other one uhh (He lifts the other arm up.) it's got an A-cup.
Reaper #3: Not funny Roger.
Reaper #1: (He walks over to Suzuki and gently lifts his head up, holding him over his legs.) He's not gonna make it.
Reaper #2: Oh ya think?
(Suzuki spits out blood one final time and closes his eyes. As he passes on, three ethereal orbs come out of his mouth, being white, gold and blue in color. They float into the air before dissipating before their eyes.)
Reaper #3: Is he dead?
Reaper #1: His host body is, you can't kill the soul of an angel, no doubt he'll find another. This maniac has been killing Reapers for 5 years, but I didn't think him brave enough to attack here.
Reaper #3: I don't think he was acting alone on this.
Reaper #1: I suspect so too.
(A few moments earlier. Aragoto is still fighting Helloth inside the forest and somehow still slacking off during the fight. He has taken down nearly every tree in his immediate area, leaving him tired and out of breath.)
Helloth: No more places to hide!!! Now it's you and me!!!
"Ah, deforestation, glorious indeed…"
(Helloth looks all around him, but can't find Aragoto at all. Aragoto jumps off of Helloth's head and cleans off some of the dust on his outfit.)
Aragoto: Jeez, I was standing ON you and you didn't even find me, you are DENSE.
Helloth: You…
Aragoto: And yeah, I guess it is time we settle this once and for all… I just hope I don't get too ahead of myself here, that wouldn't be good.
(Helloth charges straight at Aragoto and swipes at him with his right claw. Aragoto takes a deep breath before shifting all his Magica into his right leg and kicks the claw away just as it makes impact with him. Aragoto gains his balance right as Helloth goes in for another swing with his left claw. He dashes forward right in front of Helloth's face and upper kicks him with so much force it send his entire body upwards. While Helloth stands on his hind legs he follows up with an elbow straight to his gut and then a flurry of punches and kicks, each impact causing Helloth's entire body to shake as he is helpless to defend himself, the final right punch sends Helloth flying backwards, through the dirt and gravel.)
Aragoto: (He slowly walks towards Helloth who is writhing in pain.) Guess I forgot how strong I was, better end this before I get too excited. (He stands on top of Helloth.) So old friend, do you want me to snap your neck right now, or do you want to suffer a little longer.
Helloth: (Blood spills out of his mouth, dripping onto the ground.) Ha… ha… *cough* foolish old Reaper, you may have given yourself eternal youth with that accursed fountain…
Aragoto: (He crouches down, right in front of Helloth's face.) Yeah and what about that?!
Helloth: You Reapers fail to move past your current levels, thinking you are the strongest…
Aragoto: Well… I did decimate you in about… 8 punches and 3 kicks, I have abandoned by roots while you… you demons stay the same.
Helloth: That's where you are wrong. (Aragoto suddenly feels a spike going straight through his back. He turns around and sees a large black spike growing out of Helloth's stomach. Helloth stands up straight, now able to stand on his hind legs, he looks Aragoto dead in the eye.) We demons evolve, I will not repeat the mistakes of Akuma, while you… oh so wise ancient Reaper shall suffer the same fate as that sister of yours and the many comrades you fought with. (Helloth retracts the spike growing out of his stomach, making Aragoto fall face first into the dirt. He starts walking away and back towards the town.) Sayonara, kyuuyuu.
(Aragoto lies face first in the dirt, clenching his fist, he uses the last of his strength to roll on his back and stares at the rainy clouds.)
Aragoto: Oh yeah… this is why I stopped fighting, the pain of defeat and loss, guess that's what I get for talking shit… didn't think I'd die on a cloudy day like this…
"Pain is but merely a step to becoming a warrior capable of defeating every enemy that stands before you, embrace this pain… use it to tide the battle to your side."
Aragoto: Yeah sis… guess we both know the touch of death. (He touches the blood on his chest and holds his hand up to the sky, making the blood drip down on his face.) And this is why I never wanted to see the sight of my own blood again, the excitement of a strong enemy. The excitement of kicking their ass… the excitement of it all- (He breaks into hysterical laughter.) Oh this EXCITEMENT!!! It drives me!!!
(From Aragoto a strong surge of Magica, which even Kane and Anderson feel all the way back at the camp.)
Kane: What the fuck is that?!!!
Anderson: No, no, no!!!
Kane: (He holds onto his head.) Ah fuck! It's like hearing loud music while you're trying to concentrate!!!
"Before everything else rots, the mind goes first, leaving behind a declining persona."
(As Helloth makes his way back through the forest, he feels the incoming Magica flying in behind him and turns around just in time to get punched straight in the face by Aragoto, the force of the punch sends him flying through several trees. Before Helloth can even grasp what is going on, Aragoto jumps in the air, vanishes and appears in front of him again, kicking him with his left leg, sending him flying back to the area with the destroyed trees. Aragoto moves at near incomprehensible speeds through the air, he appears in front of Helloth's face as they're flying through the air and upper cuts him straight in the sky, all while having the biggest grin on his face. Helloth is sent flying up through the air, with Aragoto occasionally appearing to kick or punch him in the face, when Helloth reaches max altitude, he loses his moment and begins descending down to the earth slowly, but Aragoto lands on his back and kicks him down with so much force it causes him to reach terminal velocity.)
(Helloth prepares for the end as he is about to hit the ground, but mere inches from it, Aragoto catches him by the tail. "One more thing my dear friend!!!" Aragoto spins Helloth around and throws him straight into the air.)
Aragoto: (He flies in perfect tandem in front of Helloth.) Symphony of Freeze, Act 3. (Both of them stand frozen in the air, with Helloth beind unable to move.) Hahahaha, was that fun?!
Helloth: (He speaks using the last of his strength.) What kind of monster are you?!!!
Aragoto: Monster huh?! Oh then I'll show you a MONSTER!!! (The rain stops and the sky clears up, revealing the golden rays of the sun behind Helloth.) Oh trust me, the storm's just begun!!!
(Aragoto moves far away from Helloth, with him still being held in place. He concentrates and harnesses all of the Magica in his environment, plants, trees, bugs and even some from the Reapers in the town. All flowing into this one man as his mad laughter echoes through the forest.)
Aragoto: (He has gathered all of his Magica together now.) Oh the air always feels so CRISP when I do this!!! (He stretches both his arms out forwards and takes a deep breath as Helloth tries desperately to escape from Aragoto.) …Symphony of Skyquake, Act 3… Torrential Downpour.
(From Aragoto's calm words erupts a thunderous roar in the sky, the roar fades into the nothingness of the sky. When the worst seems over, the entire sky seems to crack like broken glass, these cracks explode outwards all falling to the ground in different sizes, big and small. Helloth faces upwards at the sky and so thousands of these smaller shards cut into his flesh, into his eye and into his screaming mouth, luckily for him, a giant shard falls onto him, severing his head from the rest of his body. The glass rain continues for a small while, but when it seizes, Aragoto's body falls weak and his smirk fades, he utters "I overdid it again" moments before he is sent crashing back down to the earth.)
(Earlier.)
(Sam is sitting on top of a table, with Isabel standing in front of him, looking at her phone, a downright hellish device for Sam.)
Isabel: (She notices Sam looking confused at her.) What?
Sam: (His mind is left wandering with questions.) W-ha, what the hell is that.
Isabel: (She shows Sam the phone.) Oh it's an iPhone! Came out a few months ago, bought one with my parent's money! You don't have one?
Sam: (Sam.exe has ceased functioning.) No…
(Jericho is peeking through the cracks in the wood boarding up the windows and unsurprisingly there are a few more Hellhounds still stalking the street.)
Jericho: Well, shit ain't no easy way out I suppose. They're still a magnum shit ton out there. So if one of you want to be a sacrifice, raise your hand.
(Origami pulls Isabel's arm up, but she forces it back down and hits her with her elbow.)
Jericho: No contenders? Great. Looks like we're gonna be here a while then.
(As Erik sneaks along the alleyways, he ends up behind the munitions store. Where Louis notices him sneaking around back there.)
Louis: Erik!!! Oh thank fuck!
Erik: What?! You thought it'd be some big bad monster!
Louis: (He turns back to the Reapers.) Someone get me a ladder. (He turns to Erik again.) I was hoping it would be!
Erik: Haha. (A few of the Reapers set down a ladder and Erik climbs up it.) Are Sam and Isabel up there?!
Louis: No, unfortunately not.
Erik: (He gets to the top.) Well damn, I can't find them anywhe- (He looks at the sight before his eyes, tens of Reapers and Hunters, bloody, crying and traumatised beyond compare.) My… god…
Louis: It's… horrible.
(Erik walks around the campsite, holding in his vomit, he walks past a woman holding another person's arm.)
The woman: (She squeezes the arm tightly as she breaks into tears.) He was prepared to s-s-sssstand up for me and I-I… I threw him into the hounds… what did I do?
(Erik sees three people lying on the ground, with blankets covering their entire bodies. He walks towards the people and lifts up the blanket on the one in the middle and when he does, he sees a man with all his flesh torn apart, claw marks on his face and pieces of flesh bitten out of him everywhere. Erik can't contain it anymore and rushes over to the railing, he leans over it and throws up, when he opens his eyes, he is met by the gaze of hundreds of hungry hell hounds, all standing in the street, waiting for their next victim. He turns back around and sees the woman running towards the edge before jumping off into the Hounds, Erik looks away as her painful screams and the sound of bones being crushed and skin being torn is heard in the distance.)
(Erik falls to his knees in despair, grasping the reality that Sam and Isabel might have fallen victim to these monsters as well. All his emotions supressed by dread, nearly everyone has accepted their defeat at this point, except for one stubborn fool.)
(Peter and another Reaper burst through the door, carrying two crates each filled with 10 AR-15 assault rifles.)
Peter: Haha! Look what I got guys!
Louis: (He walks over to the table where Peter put down the crates.) Are those…
Peter: Yep! Got 'em in the store.
Louis: They're not display variants, are they?
Peter: What?! No! ? *Under his breath* –Ishallhopenot-
Louis: Well what are you planning on using them for?
Peter: I was thinking, we uhh go out fighting in one last blaze of glory, hand out the rifles to those who can still stand and just---let them rip.
Louis: Hmm and blow out the ear drums of every single person on this roof.
"We'll beee fffinee-e."
Louis: Kelly you should be rest-
Kelly: (He drags himself towards Louis and Peter.) I'm finee… Reapers have enhanced healing, not the ability to grow back organsssss of coursse, but skin, muscle and bonesss will heal faster, at most, we'll just have sssome minor tinnitus.
Louis: And the Hunters? I doubt they have it as lucky as us.
Kelly: Louis… look a-around, there aren't any left, tho-se that are all left on the verge of death. It'sss now or never… so I might as well.
Louis: (Kelly reaches out for a rifle, but Louis stops him.) No, you're going to rest, you're in no state even be walking, take the heavily injured and those not willing to fight downstairs.
Kelly: Yes… I'll get on it.
Peter: Well if that's the case. (He lets out a fake scream and holds onto his leg.) OWWWW, THIS PAIN IS UNBEARABLE, I CAN'T TAKE IT-
Louis: (He hits Peter over the head.) Alright, everyone listen up! (He catches the attention of everyone on the roof.) I'm not a master at speeches, but, we're all desperate, and all terrified beyond all reason, given a second chance at life, only for it to be stripped away once again, there is no way out for us here, not alive that is. However, just because we are going to die, doesn't mean we can't go out with one final stand!
Reaper: And what exactly is this final stand of yours?! Throwing ourselves into the jaws of those things?!
Louis: (He steps aside and reveals the rifles.) These. We're going to fire at them from the roof, until we run out of ammo. There are 20 rifles in total.
Reaper: Oh so go out with blown out eardrums and broken hands from the recoil!
Louis: Something like that… it's a chance, alright! I'd rather go out fighting one last time than sitting on my ass waiting for those things to get up here! Those who are with me, raise their hands! Those who are not, may stand with Kelly!
(The entire place falls silent, no arms raised, no person moving even a tensed muscle, just silence.)
…
…
…
…
…
…
"Well, shit, I got nothing to lose anyways."
(Mia is the first to raise her hand and steps towards Mia.)
Louis: Anyone else?
Reaper: *Frustated* GAH!!! (He raises his hand.) Fine!
Louis: That's four people.
Erik: (He stumbles to his feet and raises his hand.) Make that five!
(Erik moves towards, Louis. Several other Reapers all close their eyes and think for a second, before raising their hands and moving towards Louis, with no more raising their hands after that.)
Louis: There are eleven of us now, you six. (He looks at the few that didn't move.) Help the injured and move them downstairs, and hold up there. (He tosses one of them a rifle.) Use that for in case. The rest of you… grab a rifle, we attack when the injured are safe.
(Meanwhile, across town. The first horseback squad arrive in the town, rolling down the main road from the north.)
Their Leader: Morrison, Roderick, Nevan!!! You three check the train station, make sure it's safe!
"Yes Sir!"
Leader: Patariche, Deran! You two scout the rooftops, alert South Squad to any abnormalities!
Patariche: (She moves up and rides next to him.) And you boss?!
Leader: I got some cleaning to do *tch* and on such beautiful rest day as well.
(Patariche and Deran both ride off as their Leader charges straight into a group of hounds.)
Leader: Here we go. (He jumps into the air with Short Burst Flight Magica and unsummons his horse. He extends both his arms and opens his hands up and in them appears two Scythes, they are identical in appearance the snath being made of dark oak wood, with carvings of a battlefield running from the heel of the blade down to the bottom of the grip. The blade itself is pure dark steel, with significant chips and breaks at the toe. The heel of the blade is connected to the snath by a small wire that appears bendable. The wire runs down to a switch at the very bottom of the snath.) One, two… eight, what a bother.
(He lands on the ground and crosses the blades, he takes one deep breath before charging at the hounds, cutting through them all one-by-one, each attack landing with a purpose, he kicks one of the hounds in the face, before slicing it in half with his scythe. He looks down the street and sees even more hounds charging directly at him.)
(He uses multiple bursts of flight to jump off the walls of the buildings on the street, he holds the two scythes in front of his chest and the other on his back, having the blades surround his sides. He flies right above the hounds, all while doing a spinning motion, cutting down every single hound in his way as he goes above them.)
(Several Reapers on the munitions building notice him and all lean in to get a look.)
Erik: That man… is spinning like Beyblade, I bet he has the headache of a century right now.
Louis: Yeah that's cool and all, but everyone's safe and fortified now! We better do this!
Erik: Yeah… I guess.
(As he is gliding through the air, above numerous hounds he is joined by another female Reaper, gliding in tandem.)
The woman: Hey, Shadow! Why don't you take off that hood of yours and show the world you pretty face!
The Shadow Reaper: No I'm fine, Carla.
Carla: Ah you're no fun!!!
(Carla flies off again and the Shadow does a mid-air backflip to land on his feet again. He lands on the same roof as Deran, overlooking the town.)
Shadow: What's the status, Deran?
Deran: Hundreds, sir and not letting up.
Shadow: (He looks at his broken wrist watch.) Well… it is only 13:12, we still have a lot of time.
Deran: Ha, well. (He steps to the edge.) I'm joining the fun.
(He jumps off the building and summons his Scythe. He flies low to the ground and grinds his Scythe against the grounding, cutting several hounds in half in the process.)
Shadow: (He sees several more Reapers fly above him and stares into the distance as the sky starts to clear and shows the sun once again. He takes off his cowl, revealing his face. A strong jawline, with a small nose and small eyes that have a dark brown pupil. His long black hair falling to the sides, with an undercut.) Good grief.
(He jumps off the side and unleashes his attacks on the hounds. While on the roof, the Reapers all stand lined up, with the rifles in their hands, staring down at the hounds.)
Louis: Ready?
The Reapers: READY!!!
Louis: Then give them hell!!!
(The Reapers all line their weapons at the ground and all press the trigger, in an instant the sound of tens of rifles and the blinding light surrounds the town, the sound is deafening to everyone, but they do not let up as the hounds are shredded apart, with several of the reinforcements also slicing their way through the hounds.)
(As they fire, the sky starts to break apart from Aragoto's attack, sending thousands of the glass shards flying down at Earth. With the attack killing Helloth, so does it kill several of his hounds, and with him dead they stop being summoned by his magica crest. Stopping the onslaught once and for all. The Reapers run out of ammunition and throw their weapons at the ground below and cover themselves from the glass rain.)
(The rain finally stops and Louis lets out the biggest sigh of relief ever. He sits up straight and looks at the other Reapers all tired and some covering their ears and holding onto their heads.)
Louis: (He closes his eyes.) That… looks good enough.
"Hey, mind telling me what you did there?!"
(Louis opens his eyes wide and sees the Shadow staring him down.)
(Inside their barricaded building, Sam, Origami, Isabel and Jericho all make their exit, ready to face the music with makeshift weapons in hand… only to see dead hounds littering the street.)
Sam: Oh… oh… guess we're uhhh… guess we're fine…
Jericho: Hmph… I was fully expecting one of us to die.
"The Attack on Karitori: Chiku left several dead, 12 Hunters, 13 Reapers, Countless Innocents, with even more injured, some minor, many… not so lucky."
(Sam and Isabel are walking down the main street, stepping over the corpses of hounds and people, they find Erik sitting on the sidewalk taking in the scene around him. He sees Sam and Isabel and immediately runs towards them, giving Sam a massive hug and Sam hugs him back.)
"Whether or not we can keep our good faith with the residents of this town is unknown, we are responsible for them losing nearly 63% of their population."
(Gabriela escorts the residents out of the train at the destination and sees the Dusk Walker standing in the shade of the trees in the forest, but he quickly disappears when he sees the group of Reapers accompanying her.)
"We have also lost an important member of our staff, for the time being."
(Sam finds Suzuki's brutalized body lying on a bed, with Aragoto lying unconscious next to him. He also sees Able being escorted on an emergency, with Carter walking with him, he gives Sam one last thumbs up as he is taken away.)
"I would consider this a colossal devastation."
(Sam sees a cart drive by carrying a heap of dead bodies as desperation and reality finally sets in for him.)
"But the World Reaper remains untouched…"
Chapter 16: End
Arc 2: End
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Next Destination: "Arc 3: Love and Desperation After Death."
MEANWHILE
(Leon steps out of the bathroom, holding onto his stomach.)
Leon: Oooffff, ek moes NIE daai beef geeet het nie, huh guys…
(The entire room is empty.)
Leon: Guys…