"To what end do we exist? What is the purpose that our existence serves? When we disappear from this world do we leave a hole where we once stood? And if so, is that hole ever to be filled by another? If not, do those who once looked upon us with favor have no choice but to bath in the despair and knowledge that their loved ones will never return?", after she spoke those words, she turned toward me, bearing a devilish smile on her face.
To this day, I won't ever forget my first encounter with that woman. No, even if demanded of me by God himself, I could never forget. When I looked into her eyes, I saw them—golden shining crosses that, to me, reeked of despair.
-Two hours ago, directly after Fang and I entered Dragon Mojo.
"Yeah, it's like that. Anyway, I'll be going now."
Getting off the phone, I let out a huge exhale. I just had to make a quick call before we headed inside.
The building in front of us, Dragon Mojo, looked even more rundown up close. The paint was chipped, the windows were grimy, and the sign was barely hanging on by a thread. It didn't exactly scream "dojo," more like "condemned building."
"Alright then. Ready?", Fang asked.
"Of course. I'd appreciate it if you told me more about why we're here though."
Instead of giving me an answer, Fang opted to snicker to himself instead. I'm starting to wonder if he's more of a villain than I'd originally taken him for...
We pushed through the creaky wooden door and entered the dimly lit interior. The air was thick with the scent of incense, mingling with the dust that seemed to coat every surface. Still, the inside was surprisingly well-kept, a stark contrast to its exterior. A small reception desk sat near the entrance.
At the front desk, an elderly man glanced up at us with tired eyes. The old man soon looked back down to his magazine as he waved us through.
"They've been expecting you."
"Is it alright if my friend here comes through as well?", Fang answered.
His tone was mundane and professional, but after he spoke I nearly choked on my spit. It was like being hit with a flashbang in some crappy first-person shooter. Actually, I really must seem pathetic. I hadn't expected him to use the word 'friend'. Of course, he was saying it mostly for convenience, but it was the first time anyone had called me that.
I wonder if Charlotte or Jean would do the same. Not that it matters at all, someone like me doesn't need something so frugal.
The old man looked back up from his magazine and was clearly annoyed. "Just need to have him sign some paperwork and it'll be alright."
As he rummaged through his desk, he was about to say something before he was cut off by the sound of the door creaking behind us.
Two girls walked in, both looking like they were out of place. The first girl, with short reddish-black hair two pigtails on both sides, and a no-nonsense expression, couldn't have been more than a few years older than me. She had an air of authority about her that made her seem older. The second girl had longer brown hair and looked like she was trying way too hard to appear nonchalant, but her eyes were darting around nervously.
"Hello there!" the older man behind the desk called out, putting down his magazine. His voice was booming loud and filled with a dry sarcastic undertone. "Can I help you?"
The older woman stepped up first, nearly tripping over herself in the process. "Hello there... I am Lucy and I'm here to sign my niece up for lessons. I heard that the first session is free... I'm her aunt Lucy... Lucy, her aunt, and she is my niece..."
The shorter black-haired girl had her fist clenched tightly at her side. She only glared at the man at the desk, her gaze never wavering for even a split second.
The man eyed them both but shrugged. "Sure, sure. We've got plenty of openings."
Fang shot me a confused look. I didn't quite understand what he was trying to tell me. Before either of us could say anything, the two girls caught sight of Fang, and the air in the room seemed to change.
"Well, isn't this a surprise?" the shorter-haired girl said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "We weren't expecting company."
Fang's eyes narrowed as he recognized them. "You're..."
"Mary," the girl replied, crossing her arms. "And this is Lucy, my aunt."
"I see. I hope you enjoy your time here..."
Huh? What the hell is happening? Everyone is becoming so tense for some reason.
Quietly, I grabbed a form and began to fill it out, I did my best to never turn around and enter into whatever was happening behind me.
Luckily for me, I didn't have to endure that odd environment for much longer. The man at the front desk handed both Fang and me a gi to change into. This is really feeling like Dragon Ball I thought, unconsciously, I let out a little smile at the thought.
Anyway, we both went into the changing room.
I fumbled with the gi, trying to get it on while my mind raced, attempting to piece together what I'd just witnessed. "Wait," I blurted out, still struggling with a sleeve. "Are those two people you wanted me to meet?"
Fang sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Not exactly," he muttered, his voice low. He leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms tightly across his chest. "Actually, I'd hoped you guys would never meet. Those two are ranking officers of the Magic Order. They're supposed to be investigating something, but I didn't know they'd be here today."
I nearly dropped my gi. "Magic Order?!" My eyes widened, my heart racing at the mention of such an obviously cool-sounding organization.
"Yeah it's- You're super excited right now aren't you?"
"No... I'm only at a regular level of excitement right now."
"Alright listen so it's like this-! The Magic Order is a union of mages dedicated to fighting off all of humanity's supernatural enemies."
I leaned forward, my voice trembling with anticipation. "So they fight off dragons, witches, demons, and stuff?!"
Fang stopped for a moment, his eyes darted about as he formulated a response. If I had to guess it was just as he'd said before. He needed to dumb it down so even an idiot could understand.
"Yeah, or, well- Not much anymore."
Suddenly I felt completely deflated. "Well, that's lame. All bark and no bite huh?"
"Don't misunderstand. Dragons, Were-Humans, Succubi, Goblins, Hydras, Chimeras—hundreds of supernatural forces have been either eradicated or completely subjugated by the Magic Order. All without the general public knowing."
Hearing his words, my breath was taken away. "But, then what did you mean before?"
"Everything always ends up like this. Take exploration for example. In the past, the world was ripe for the adventurous, there was so much to find and see. Many made a name for themselves finding new lands, but now, the world has already been explored. There's nothing left to be found for the adventurers who were born too late. It's like that. Humanity has overcome its 'enemies' and now we live in a world that's already been 'saved'."
"So now the Magic Order-"
"There's still one last thing they haven't done yet. One last war that they still must wage.", Fang paused, he took a deep breath, his face becoming stern, the weight of his words hanging menacingly in the air. "Vampires—they are the one species that still manages to best mankind."
So many thoughts ran through my mind at that time. I stammered with my words attempting to get it all straight in my head. "Bu-But, five hundred years ago humanity defeated Cacophony and overthrew her empire right?! So if that's the case then how-"
"At the time, people had that exact thought, but it was hardly over. While humans may rule over the day, it's vampires that dominate the night. I should've told you earlier, but let me say this now. The revival of Cacophony isn't something to mess around about. It's the single largest event to happen during this war in hundreds of years!"
"So those two ranking officers-"
"If they find out what we're hiding, it'll spell the end for both of us. I wasn't sure before, but now I know with near certainty that whatever it is that they're investigating likely has to do with Cacophony. Don't let your guard down no matter what."
Just like when I'd first encounter Fang, all at once, the weight of being a servant of the Vampire Empress came down on me. I finished pulling my gi over myself, I prepared myself for whatever would happen. I won't be making the same mistake as before, I won't endanger anyone.