Mori was sitting on a wooden chair in the middle of the road, the north-western gate behind him.
The storm was still going strong, water pouring down like there was no end to it.
He didn't mind, though.
He patiently sat there as Jeff walked toward him.
His armor, sword and eyes were glowing gold. A golden mist seemed to come out of his armor, as he slowly walked forward, a ray of light through the heavy rain.
Jeff was avoiding the corpses covering the ground, carefully stepping between them.
"I can't save you, Mori!" he yelled.
Jeff stopped walking once he was about 50 meters away.
Mori stood up, dropping to the ground chains he had been holding. He walked a meter forward and stopped as well.
"Nothing? You're not going to say anything? Look at all of them! You've done this!" said Jeff.
The ground was barely visible with the bodies covering it.
The gate they were at was closest to the noble district. It was currently occupied by DiveCore VIPs, among others. Any noble demon had already left Dustriver long ago.
Mori tilted his head backward and breathed deeply as the rain hit his face.
He could feel every raindrop while the cold air filled his lungs.
After exhaling, his gaze went back to Jeff who hadn't moved.
"Say something!" yelled Jeff again.
"What for?"
Mori's tone was full of anger. Anger that was under control, pushed down under layers of self-control.
Why even waste time with someone like him? Yet he still answered. He could've just killed him there, yet he entertained that conversation.
"Can't you see what you've done? All of those corpses, yet you sit there among them, as if you're better than us. You're no better."
Jeff started walking again, getting closer.
"I know people like you. You have lost what remained of your humanity. I mean, look at you... Look at this!" he yelled, as he pointed at the death around.
Jeff had a disgusted look on his face as he looked Mori up and down.
"You barely even look human. And what you've done here proves you aren't. I won't feel bad when I purge you, here and now, but I will feel sorry for you."
Jeff was just 5 meters away, staring at Mori who wasn't reacting.
"Do you truly not get it?" asked Mori.
Jeff frowned.
"Get what?! I can't comprehend how someone could even be capable of this?"
"You can't see it at all?"
Jeff raised both arms in a quick, irritated movement.
"What the fuck is your problem?"
Mori's tone was calm and controlled. He sighed, "You truly can't see it."
Mori snapped his finger, and slowly, the corpses around started moving.
A purple hue emanated from them, as they all rose to their feet all around them. Hundreds upon hundreds stood up.
What was an empty street moments earlier was now crowded.
Jeff quickly raised his sword, taking his stance as he stared down Mori.
"You think I couldn't predict this ambush? You can't beat me with that. I've fought them earlier, they're weak."
Mori stayed immobile, still staring.
After a couple of minutes, the corpses were all up on their feet, but immobile as well, staring at Jeff with their hollowed eyes.
"What ar-" He couldn't finish his sentence.
He lowered his sword, his mouth remained open.
"Oh. Now you see it?" said Mori.
The tip of his sword touched the ground.
Mori started leisurely strolling between the raised corpses, running his hand on their shoulders and heads as he walked circles around Jeff.
All around them — the hundreds of corpses — all had horns.
"This..." started Jeff.
Mori stopped walking, his eyes glowing purple.
"You've killed all of them. Every last one. The kids, the sick, the elderly. Even pregnant woman, to my surprise. You knew no limits, huh?"
Jeff was shaking his head, in disbelief.
"You are right," said mori, with a somber tone. "I'm barely human."
His fist tightened while his frown grew fiercer, his eyes glowing of an even deeper purple.
"And if I'm lucky, I won't be human at all, anymore."
Jeff raised his sword again, taking a stance.
"Staying quiet?"
Mori walked back to the chair and sat on it.
He leaned to the side, grabbing the chains he had dropped on the ground. He yanked them, making jeff squint as he tried to see more clearly what had moved at the end of them.
The weather made it hard to notice, but two more corpses had risen.
No. Not corpses, people.
"Sarah?! Jay?!" yelled Jeff.
The golden glow grew brighter as he started marching forward.
Mori got up, pulling on the chain that attached to both their necks. He walked behind them, both of his arms on their shoulders, stopping Jeff in his tracks.
They seemed fine, to Jeff's relief.
"You're gonna hide behind them?!"
"You have a choice. Your wife, or your kid."
Both of them were standing there, scared, next to Mori.
"What kind of choice is this?!"
"See how he's hesitating?" said Mori, leaning forward between both of them. "Do you think it's because you're only adopted?"
Mori turned to Sarah. "Or could it be because he thinks there's a chance he could find whoever he was seeing in our world?"
"You sick fuck. I love both of them, and you'll let both of them live."
Mori blinked a few times. "You got me wrong, Jeff. Both of them are going to die."
"But you said to choose which one lives..."
"No, I asked you which one you want me to kill."
"Wha-"
"You're all dying, Jeff. One of them gets to die quickly, without the anguish of waiting for the sword to finally fall. Die without having to run away from corpses you've created, knowing full well it won't change your fate. None of you are getting out of here alive. Now choose."
Jeff started crying, as his eyes kept jumping from Sarah to Jay.
"I can't..." he said, sobbing, "I can't choose, Sarah."
"Thanks for making me happy these past years," she said.
"I-I don't wanna die, dad."
Jay turned his head to look at Mori, "P-please, just let us go... We don't deserve this..."
Mori's eyes were still on Jeff, ignoring their pleas.
"Now choose. I give you ten seconds, and after that, whoever gets eaten fastest by those corpses will be the chosen one, while I'll keep the other one alive for you. Whatever remains of them."