But while Katie was revisiting a past she'd despised more than herself, the outside world continued to move. As a rioter's boot stomped a marching ant to beneath the sole, Azazel's worried eyes momentarily watched before turning away. He sighed, for the signature sound of pouring water reminded him of his environment. Not free to battle beyond these confining walls, but rather, voluntarily imprisoned to corruption's fangs. Made incarnate, seated so comfortably at the edge of that large mattress. What other choice did he have but to give up his refreshment to this beast?
The beast's vessel's lips sucked at the glass's verge for about a minute before a sigh relieved itself from his open mouth, revealing an ecstatic smirk, he transitioned the breath into a chuckle. Azazel's hand wandering by his waist, Naraku shook his head, flicking strands away from his eyes as his lips began to form coherence. Or rather, that's what he'd hoped, but listening further garnered more questions than answers.
"Ahhh! I haven't had a physical form in what's felt like eons... I never knew what water tasted like, y'know. Blood's the opposite of it, very thick, gets everywhere, rather sticky. But, water, so soothing, so refreshing, just one sip and it feels like all my troubles will go away. Don't you feel the same, Azazel Karlo?"
Once again, the tyranny of silence persisted on between them, this time, without the muffled rushing of active water from the nearby shower. How much time passed? Neither of them took a glance at the clock, rather, Naraku raised a brow as he witnessed Azazel turn his head away. Talking was like second nature to him; all those words waiting to be released like a punch awaiting to be thrown, the satisfaction of gifting hurt- maybe that was why it felt so liberating to speak, especially to something like this.
"I only have one question for you that's been on my mind since Madi arrived... how is she even here? She was Uraku's secondborn, she has the most potent supply of Requiem energy right next to her brothers. The last time I knew of something like this happening, was in November. Kima and June told me they saw a man with black hair, red eyes, wielding that damned sword. But Ace witnessed it... his vanishing. Spirits of that caliber: August, Jason, they should be within seconds- minutes at most. But Madi's still here. How is that possible with Ben's laws still in place?"
"Easy. She's under my jurisdiction. I summoned her into this world, so she obeys my rules. That brat older brother of Rivera's is a different case, however. I didn't summon him, one of the inhabitants born in the New World did, so he fell under the jurisdiction. So, he killed the Deck and then vanished soon thereafter. There might be another way to summon him, but using Myers' bestial power to summon a spirit from the Ketsueki is not one of them. That's a one-and-done deal," Naraku explained this easily.
The entity's words were riddled without the slightest hitch of animosity, which, while seeming comforting, just left Azazel to ponder why he was still breathing. Scratching at black-shaded stubble covering his chin, the Detective locked eyes with Naraku, now with fingers covering his lips,
"And August?" Muffledly queried Azazel.
"Augustus Rivera was the strongest Requiem in the Old World. As much as I hate to admit it, I was truly happy to have his powers under my control when I first summoned him. However, there was a flaw in my system. You see after the children fled Riverton, and Amara was captured, I didn't summon them as in finding their New World bodies. Rather, I pushed their old souls into their new bodies, but that left a conflict. New World bodies, Old World souls, except they were left without their memories, unlike the Incarnated Artifacts granted by my other self following the Neon Genesis Event. Because of my inexperience, the slightest spark of an old memory returned their truth to them, however, their souls were still under my control. Edward Singh, Madisyn Rivera, the other slaughtered ones. However, for August, I never could detonate his soul after his memories returned. Ace Wilder. I have a theory..."
"That August's conscience is dormant within him. Yes, when he told me that, I suspected as much, too. However, his potential is far less than August's was at his age. If your theory's correct, and you detonate their souls, would you kill Ace, too, if August resides within him?" Azazel curiously questioned, noticeably leaning forward, Naraku giggled... covering his pearly whites with demonic claws.
"AH, THAT'D BE HILARIOUS! HAH! Hehehe... but, unfortunately for me, I doubt it so very much. If August has spent enough time within Ace's body, then, he might not be registered as an Old World spirit anymore. In the end, if he ever manages to get control of his son's body, he might be identified as that of a New World inhabitant. So, it probably won't work. Madi and Eddie, however, that's a different story. Natalia, I didn't summon her, unfortunately, though her power would've been so immensely useful. Ah, well," Naraku shrugged with a solemn face, "Whatever happens, happens."
"Why're you being so cooperative? We're mortal enemies and you're spelling out your entire plan for us. What do you gain from informing us of the truth of your schemes?" Azazel finally discharged that sickening question from its reign in his chest, leaving Naraku to stay silent, knuckles against his chin, Karlo's breathing turned from steady... to increasing; ragged.
"Because. It's much more fun that way. How will you defeat me! How will I win? These questions I like to ask, it's always so much fun to envision! How I'll manage to rip you all apart so easily and tear you limb from limb... of course, Detective, did you truly think I'd say something like that without doing it before you can stop me? Did you think you'd get the chance to tell them after I told you? How ignorant can you be? Detective Karlo, we'll be seeing each other real soon again...
won't we?"
The hazy borders between dream and reality, as he felt his consciousness swaying, the voices started to pile on, fusing to make an amalgamation of cries and wails that echoed across the barrier of unreasonable the mind conjured up so easily. Through this vast array of colors, shapes, visions, a hand reached out, and he swore from the bottom of his heart of hearts he could make out that face, identical to his. His daughter, agonizing as she was but a bystander to the torturous past she was forced to endure, but as he called to her, loud enough to shatter windows,
"KATIEEEE!!! WAKE UP!!! WAKE UP, KATIEEE!!!"
She couldn't turn away, but he didn't blame her. What awaited her on the other side of this barrier, shielding her from the horrifying truth the Detective would spot as he jerked awake mere instants later. His monstrous claws, as sharp as Wolfen fangs, slowly sinking into mortal flesh to draw chunks of blood from within, Naraku turned his head and jumped back. Coughing in his arms, Azazel swiped away a strand from Natalia's face, examining her wounds; he turned back to see where his enemy was. And to his displeasure, he'd fled. However, hope was not yet lost.
Behind those comforting doors, just waiting for their skin to chill by the brush of cool air breezing against them, there was something wrong. Ace, formerly millimeters away from touching the knob, suddenly pulled back, for those eyes, those scarlet orbs that peered through even the Heavens, spotted it. Through the door, unknown to the watcher, Naraku planned his escape, but just before he could soar away from captivity, the entrance exploded! Both doors flying off their hinges smoke momentarily hiding the intruding bodies, only seconds later would Naraku's theory be confirmed. Widening eyes, not of shock, unlike Azazel, witnessing this miracle before him, but rather, of delight, of worry, and hatred.
The next thing he knew, he'd flown out the window, Azazel's hair momentarily flying with abrupt winds, Kima's worried feet inched closer as she sprinted to their seated bodies.
"What the hell happened here?!" She queried loudly of the older Detective, but, all he could do was look down; that same grimace her lover had earlier, not of embarrassment, but rather, of shame.
"I was... stupid."
And that was all she needed to know. Her hands clapped together, forming a symbol, the canine's howls begging silently for the sun to fall quicker below the horizon, a slithering snake curving behind her... steam hissing from their sheddable scales; that look in her eyes. No, not only had he seen it before, but, rather, he'd endured it. The feeling of a tightening chest, a heavy heart, not knowing whether or not death laid ahead on the future's path written for you, but, you didn't care. All that mattered was the determination in your head carving your path for your future. Ready to throw away everything for a single goal, a single feeling, a single person:
"You did good, Natalia. Now, leave the rest to me..."
That--was the essence of Dark Determination.
To Be Continued.