"We've been walking down the stairs for daaays man. Where are you taking me!"
"It's been like 10 minutes, you baby."
"Yeah right. Tell that to my poor legs." The walk down was a treacherous one. He could feel the muscles in his thighs tightening -praying for salvation.
(I'm sorry little ones, it doesn't look like salvation is coming anytime soon.)
After another ten minutes of descending stairs, they came face to face with a large copper double door.
(FINALLYY!!) Akuma thought in triumph. Noticing there were no nobs to open it with, he asked Finral, "Umm… How are we supposed to get in?"
He didn't answer his question. Honestly, Akuma was starting to think it's a kink or something. That's when he raised his walking cane and channeled some starlites around him while muttering some strange chant. He looked just like those fake priest pretending to exercise a demonic spirit.
The doors scraped against the ground as they exposed the contents of the room. What was inside was something straight out of fantasy. The ideal mancave that every man dreamt about when they were just a little boy.
This cave could easily fit a thousand people. Hell, it might be able to sustain them too.
Despite being underground, it was well lit.
There were robots flailing about from left to right. Most of them didn't seem to be wearing any clothes but every now and then you'd spot one in a frigin butler uniform. And the machinery they operated… Are they even human technology? If they are, I must be living under a rock.
Akuma was still observing every angle of the cave when a question crossed my mind. "Hey Finral."
"Hmm?"
"How come you always chant when you use Hoshi? Does it boost the power or something?"
"Not at all. I just saw it in a manga one time, and it looked cool."
"…"
(What a loser.)
"Here is the item you requested Master Finral." One of the robots dressed in butler attire rushed over to them.
(Master Finral?! Lucky bastard.)
"Ahh thank you. You know I do very much enjoy the work you boys do here."
He couldn't get a good look since it was wrapped in some cloth, but he could make out some sort of circular object. The robot quickly made himself scarce. They must be in one hell of a rush hour.
(Even robots have it hard… It brings tears to my eyes.) he thought while wiping the single tear from my right eye.
"Here you go, Akuma…"
"Eh?"
"Your Tamashi is finished."
"Oh, I guess the thing that butler-bot gave you was my Tama…shi…" This must be a prank. No other explanation could explain what he was looking at. But he had to be certain. "...Oh Finral?" he asked in a sweet tone.
"Yes, my boy?" he also answered in a matching tone.
"Umm. Could you run it by me what exactly a Tamashi is again?"
"It's the weapon that would fit you best. They each have their own characteristics and unique traits while also alleviating the stress on one's soul when using Empower. Don't you remember that silly?"
"Oh no. I remember clearly. I just wanna know… Why on God's green earth is my perfect weapon… A DAMN CLOCK?!!..." Yes, you read that correctly. This frigin baldie has the nerve to tell me my perfect weapon is a clock! A clock! Am I supposed to toss it at the Asuras? "…Where's the cool dragon armor? Or a sword of legends, like Excalibur?"
"HAHAHA!! You really do have a big imagination, my boy. Like you'd ever be able to wield Excalibur."
(Laughing at my suffering? Count your days bastard- wait. Excalibur actually exists?)
"This isn't actually your Tamashi."
"Ahh. Whoooo would've guessed" He replied in sarcasm. "So, where's my actual Tamashi? You know, my Excalibur?"
"Ahh about that. Theres no good way to say this, so I'll just say it flat out..."
Akuma already accepted my fate. Anytime he said those words, nothing good came after. He braced myself for the news.
"...Your soul is impossible to synthesize."
"...What?"
"Every time I tried to synthesize it into a solid form, it'd just go back to its original shape. Every attempt ended in a dud."
"A dud?"
"Yeah, that only happens when one of two things are at play. And none of them are pretty. Either your current soul is a fake, or -the worst case- your past life is still alive."
"My past life… is still alive?"
"...Yes. And if that's the case, that means your past life lives outside the realm of time and space. In other words, a God. Which would make your soul way too overbearing to effect it."
He could feel the beads of sweat trickling down his cheek, making their way to his jawline. Although Finral hadn't explicitly stated that his life was at risk, an overwhelming sense of terror gripped him. The saliva pooled in his mouth, refusing to go down, while a shiver coursed through his entire body. Summoning every ounce of courage he could muster, he posed the question, "What about my soul being a fake?"
"It's not really that dire of a problem. Your current soul is like an exoskeleton for your damaged soul underneath."
"Wait, you're speaking as if this did happen. But I thought you were implying that my past life is alive? So, which is it?"
"Akuma my boy. In your case… both are at play."
(...Both?)
At this point, his mouth had generated so much saliva that he swallowed on reflex, a single, desperate gulp. The memory of Rin telling him and Tenshi about the destruction of a soul flashed through his mind, intertwining with his growing dread.
"Is there any way to fix it? My soul I mean."
"I imagine Micheal must have a solution."
"Michael? Like that angel from my dream?"
"Yes, that same one. Your body currently houses three colors. Gold, black and the nastiest color of them all… white."
"I'm not gonna pretend I understood anything you just said. What I do want to know is, if that clock isn't my Tamashi, then it's Michael's, right?"
"Yep. And any question on how to use it should go towards him." Finral dismissed him with a casual turn, striding purposefully toward the mass of robots that loomed ahead. With no other options available, Akuma followed closely behind, uncertainty flickering in his mind about how they would navigate the chaotic swarm of worker bots. However, as he observed the way the machines parted to allow Finral passage, he felt as if they'd grant him the same courtesy… They didn't.
"Where are we going?"
"Hehe. It's a secret" Finral answered with a face of accomplishment. I think he must've been dying for Akuma to ask that very question.
(He's such a kid. Sometimes I forget he's a fossil.)
"It's a giant spaceship."
"Gah-! What happened to the surprise?"
"Couldn't wait that long."
"Wow…" Akuma thought aloud, astonished by his impatience. "So, this spaceship. Is it really big enough to fit millions of people?"
"The hell are you yapping about? Only the four of us are getting in."
"Four of us?! What about Alice!?"
"Man, you sound like a broken record. Your girlfriend is dead, get over it."
"SHE'S NOT DE- "
"Listen, my boy. There're a few problems with teleporting everyone: First, I don't have the power to teleport, what I do is collect each molecule in your body and send them to another space. You can guess how difficult that would be for so many people. Second, the farther I'm transporting them, the harder it is to pinpoint the location. Meaning most of them will end up in random spots around the world. Lastly, and the most troublesome issue, there's a chance anyone with their soul still sealed will suffer some kind of brain damage. And that's literally everyone on this planet."
"I see… So how long will it take to reach the ship?"
"We're here actually."
"?"
Akuma tilted his head to peer over the towering figure before him, his curiosity piqued. In this modern age, spaceships were still a figment of imagination, but he watched enough anime to know just what that was. Before him lay a vessel capable of soaring through the stars and whisking them away to never before discovered world. Just as the word "wow" was about to escape his lips, a sudden burst of red and black light pierced through the ceiling -though, given their underground setting, perhaps it was more accurate to say it pierced through the ground? These are the questions we really need answers to.
Whatever the case, they were in dire straits as the beam sliced the ship cleanly in two, sending the severed halves tumbling and stirring up a thick cloud of dust.
Finral's face mirrored the expression of someone who had narrowly missed a lottery win, or perhaps a gambler who had placed their life savings, mother's surgery money and even child's tuition on black only to watch the ball cruelly roll to red, all while hearing a friend's infuriating remark, "Damn man. You should've bet red." Really?! Ya don't fucking say, genius!
Amidst the chaos stood a formidable figure, a muscular man adorned with braids that faded from blue to gold, clad in a rugged, fur-lined jacket, and sporting a devilish grin that reached his eyes. There was no mistaking the malevolent aura surrounding him. This man is an Asura.
"Did you think you could get rid of me that easily, Finral?!" the man bellowed, his voice echoing ominously. Instinctively, Akuma shifted into a defensive stance, ready for whatever might come next.
"Stand down Akuma, my boy… This one is on a whole other level than halter." Finral cautioned, his tone grave.
"Stand down?" Akuma retorted, his resolve unwavering. "There's two of us, so why fight him alone?"
Finral's patience snapped, and for the first time, he raised his voice at Akuma. "I SAID STAND DOWN!!" The pressure he gave off was intimidating, but in a way, he was kinda cool. All the same Akuma wasn't backing down.
"Listen Akuma… Remember that time you said I was fighting a strong opponent that forced me to turn back time? This is him. His name is Salomon and he's the Sin of Wrath… And he's… my brother."
"…Then if it's family business I won't interfere" he replied, relaxing his stance.
"Thank you… Since I'll have to do it while fighting him. It'll take me five minutes to transport every survivor."
"So, you do need my help?"
"You wouldn't last ten seconds against him. Besides. You're in charge of another task."
"Eh-?"
Just then, the walls around them began to crumble, bringing to mind a person Akuma would rather forget. To make matters worse, the unmistakable sound of boots echoing against the floor approached from behind him and Finral.
"This space is for family to have their squabble. Everyone else… should leave!" The sound of Finral's staff hitting the ground bounced all around the hallway. And before he knew it, somehow, Akuma had been transported back to the surface.
"I'm so glad I get to see you again, AntiGod."
Unfortunately, with company.
(I bet you are happy to see me, aren't you.)
"…Holding on to grudges, are we?" he remarked, turning to confront him. He had genuinely hoped for a different face when he turned around. Sigh. Just wishful thinking, it seemed.
"You say the silliest things. Why would I let that slide?"
"...…."
"...….."
"Oh no look over there. It's Lucifer." The oldest trick in the book. But eh, can you blame him? He was desperate. He himself wasn't sure why that name came to mind, it just seemed like it'd work.
"Lucifer!? Where?"
And surprisingly, it did.
Naturally, he used that time to run as far as possible. He could hear Halter hauling insults as he chased him.
***
"I don't suppose you don't feel like letting me off the hook this once?" Finral wheezed, struggling to catch his breath.
"Of course not! You and Michael shall die here." Came the cold response.
Finral had initially divided his power, casting a spell that would automatically create a magic circle, allowing him to fight while transporting everyone to safety -two birds with one stone as some might say. In theory, it was a brilliant strategy, in a way cheating the usual challenges of pinpointing a destination and the complexities of teleporting a large group. However, there was a significant flaw in this plan. His opponent was Salomon, the mightiest of all the Asuras. To complicate matters further, by allocating half of his power to the magic circle, Finral had reverted to his true form -a form that offered little mobility, minimal reach, and absolutely no intimidation, that of a mere child.
"Just how long are you gonna struggle against me?" Salomon taunted, his power radiating ominously. "Abandon Michael and fight with all your power!"
"His name isn't Michael. It's Akuma."
Finral thought to himself, weighing the risks. (This is gonna be a gamble, but it's better than us all dying.) ) He absorbed the power he had previously divided and discarded his original plan.
For a brief moment, Salomon's attention flickered to the vanishing magic circle as Finral ceased his sketching. Seizing that brief opportunity, Finral charged forward, determined to close the gap.
"Have you finally abandoned Michael?!"
"I told you… his name is Akuma!"
(Good news, Akuma. I won't be needing those five minutes. Bad news, I'm not sure how this will turn out... I just hope you'll stay with us)
Finral's body erupted with starlites, a dazzling display akin to an industrial machine on overtime.
"RUN IF YOU WANT, BROTHER! I'll CHASE TO THE DEPTHS OF HELL!!!"
"I know you will. And I'll be expecting your visit… brother."
For some, the radiant circle of light that enveloped them was a lifeline, shielding them from the relentless zombies brought forth by Halter's o.p. ass ability. For others, the moment the light emerged, they were caught in a desperate reach, resulting in the loss of a limb. One man, in particular, was frantically trying to grasp his daughter after she had been gripped and bitten by a zombie. Tragically, he lost both his daughter and his hand.
For on this fateful day, the creatures that once ruled the Earth like deities, those who basked in the comfort of being at the pinnacle of the food chain -be they man, woman, or child-would suddenly disappear without a trace.