~CHAPTER 1~
A scream if utter horror tore threw the dimly lit back allies. A poor girl running with all her might. The pretty gown she wore was soiled and torn. Her pale skin was dirty. As though she had fallen on to many times. At some point her golden curls were done up. But now were a mess about her shoulders. She was running blinding. It was only a matter of time till she fell. Yet as she screamed, no one came to her aid. Desperately she continued on. Panic stricken eyes glanced behind her from time to time. Something was pursuing her. Louder footsteps were matching her lighter ones.
The poor girl had no chance. So worried about how close her attacker was, she tripped over her own feet. She cried out loud as she fell. Her hands extending outwards before her. A pathetic attempt to save herself. Air rushing out of her lungs on impact. She was left gasping for air, forcing herself onto her back. Eyes the color of the sky widen in fear. Her attacker now circling her threw the shadows. Pacing slowly, enjoying the sight of it's prey.
“Mommy....”
A broken high pitched voice came from the darkness. The women flinched in reaction to the word.
“Mommy.....I'm tired of this game, can we play a new one?”
Her heart was racing in her chest now. Unable to hold back her tears, she cried. Drawing her legs up under her. She gave into her fate. This night she would die. And there was none to blame other then her own stupidity.
“Mommy, you smell so good. So very good.”
It cried out the last word. Lunging from the darkness. Deformed in sight. No one would ever mistake it as a child. One arm smaller then the other. With many other hands coming out of its sides. The legs looked broken from the many angels they bent at. Yet it used its legs fine. With all the hands pointing to the women. She made her last desperate attempt for help. Coming out in the form of a blood curdling scream. Her own hands flying up in a defensive manner. A feeble attempt to block the attack. A breeze rustled her hair. A grunt of pain. But nothing touched her.
“I thought children respected their parents.”
A deep voice spoke softly. Giving her enough courage to open her eyes. Lowering her shaking hands, she looked up to her now would be hero. His body was lean. Built for speed. Ivory colored skin, slightly flushed from the cold. Bright orange hair. It was messy upon his head. As though he had never brushed it, yet it gave a natural messy appearance that said otherwise. He looked so young to be out this time of night. Yet when her blue orbs looked into his, she was shocked by what she saw. His two tones eyes glanced down to her. Flashing a smile to her. She saw someone far older then his appearance looking back at her. His arms were extended which forced her to leave his gaze and now notice the blades that were in his hands. It was those blades that currently was holding off the beast.
“I think Ryuu, that he needs to be taught again. It would seem he forgot them.”
Another voice. Female by the sounds of it. Though were she was, could not be determined. The women on the ground glanced around her. Yet all she saw was the boy and the creature.
“Where...”
Her words trailed off as she watched the creature lift a hidden arm up. Elongated fingers, more like claws. The hand shot towards Ryuu like a blade. Ready to pierce him.
“Watch out!”
The women cried out. To scared to close her eyes. From above, something, more like someone came rushing down. In a wisp of black, a large blade sliced the threatening hand off. The akuma cried out. Jumping back to give distance between it and the weapon that hurt it. The women on the ground now saw a girl standing next to the boy. Bright violet hair, pulled neatly into a ponytail. Dressed in a matching outfit to the boys. Yet she wore a skirt. The cold apparently not affecting them.
“This is a level three. Be careful.”
It was the girl that spoke. She had moved fast. And was now standing in front of the women who was on the ground. Her hands were just empty and now they held a long staff that appeared to be changing shape. A blade erupting from the top part. The blade sharp and glimmering in the dull light. It appeared heavy to the hand, yet the girl held it with no problem at all. It was made just for her.
“Yeah right Eri. We can take this thing no problem.”
Ryuu laughed. Changing his stance. One foot sliding forward. His stance now on the offensive. He was ready to strike.
“Don't be so cocky Ryuu! This is the first one at this level for us.”
As the two began to banter, the akume took his chance. It's mutated form, shivering as though it was cold. The once higher pitched voice, grew deep and feral. Gone was the child like personality. Both Eri and Ryuu could feel the change, instantly silencing them and drawing them into attack formation. They gave the Akume their full attention. The form was altered slightly now. More puppet like build. The body seeming to expanded. Like it was full of hot gas. What should be it's head, began to turn like that of a clock. The happy face that had been carved in it. Now was turned over to show a frown.
“That's my mommy. You can't have my mommy!”
All the arms curled into itself. As though becoming a ball. Yet it did not move. Instead from it's back erupted many arms. Each flying high into the sky. Coming down on them like a rain of arrows.
“Mommy will love me!”
Ryuu dashed forward as the arms came down. Weaving threw each arm. Almost like a dance, at how fluidly he moved around the attack. Each step was getting him closer to the akuma. Eri unable to follow suit, stayed with the women. Lifting her weapon, she began to spin it above her head. Building momentum as the wave of hands descended upon her. Not loosing a single step of ground her scythe came down. Slicing threw hand after hand. Her scythe spinning so fast it seemed a blur. But she was able to keep the hands from touching either her or the women. During the combat she noticed that the hands only seemed to multiple. Realizing they really were. The danger was becoming greater.
“Ryuu it's multiplying more hands!”
Ryuu was almost to the Akume. Having weaved threw the many attacking arms to get this far. At five feet he bent his knees. Using the force of the run to propel him into a dodge roll, as a large group of arms crashed just where he was before the roll. With the rolls momentum, he was on his feet again. Pushing off the ground. His arms reaching above his head. His back slightly arching as he went for a killing blow on the akuma. Unprepared for what happened next. The akuma adapted. From just below it's feet. Arms came up from the ground. All of the hands weaving threw each other. The poor ground being torn open wide. Try as he might Ryuu became over powered. The hands finally caught him. Grabbing onto anything they could. Yanking him back down. Each hand made the fall just that much faster.
“She's my mommy! You can't take her from me!”
The voice of the Akuma was now broken. Like many children speaking in unison. All of them angry now. Eri watched in fear, as her partner slammed into the ground. Causing a dirt cloud to build. All near by hands shooting towards him. Piling onto where his body should lay.
“Get the hell out of here. Now!”
She screamed over her shoulder. That was enough for the women to run. The akuma's focus now on the two exorcists. This was her one chance. She needed to run as fast as she could. Eri glanced behind her, watching the women run. For a quick second she could have sworn she saw a smile on the womens lips. Her entire focus on the weapon in her hands. Like a heartbeat it went off. She could feel the beating of the weapon as it synced with her own. Drawing the blade around her body. Picking up the speed she would need. Gripping the hilt of the staff, she drew the blade above her head. The power was raw, like webs of energy coming off the weapon.
“Cut me a path!”
She cried out as she brought the weapon down in front of her. By untrained eyes, one could not see the attack for what it really was. Hugh blade like slices went threw the ground and arms. Cutting everything there was that blocked her from her partner. Body parts flying all about. Like confetti on a holiday. Her power was strong. Especially one for her age. Drawing her blade up again she took an offensive position. The webs of power still rolling off her frame. With a flick of her wrist the staff was behind her. The blade to her right. Dashing forward. She would get to her partner.
“Dammit Ryuu.”
The akuma roared in pain. Jumping back to create distance between it and the exorcists. What remained of it's body trembled. Could it be fear? An Akuma with feelings. Absurd. Skidding to a stop she was but five feet from Ryuu, who appeared to be unconscious. Drawing her weapon in front of her. She would protect her partner. The Akuma's head began to tick. Slowly in a circle. Like it was thinking.
“Your not my mommy.”
Growling out the words towards Eri. The Akuma's presence was growing darker with each tick of it's head. Darker, sinister, causing the little hairs on the back of her neck to stand on end. Never had she come across an Akuma with such a dark force. Something was happening. Her body was frozen. Her hands shaking as she held the scythe so tightly. The frown on its would be face was now a grin. A maddening grin. Eri's eyes widen as she watched the mouth opening wide. A slick, wet tongue sliding out between it's teeth. Saliva dripping from it.
“Why....can't I move....this is the perfect shot. But my body won't move.”
Fear. Raw fear swamped her. Gripping her. As it tried to pull her deeper into it. Forcing her lungs to breath. She needed to break the fear. Needed to find her ground.
“I will have my mommy.”
A hiss of words. With Monstrous strength, the beast launched itself into the air. The arms reaching out to a near by building. Gripping onto the frame it jumped from building to building. Disappearing into the darkness.
“Run!”
She cried out. She needed to take chase. She could not let such a powerful Akuma go. But all her legs did was give out under her. Crashing into the ground she felt the fear that had held her so tightly moments ago, give. Releasing her slowly. Hunched forward she stared at her hands. She had never frozen like that before. Why. Is a level three that powerful?
“Eri...”
Ryuu's voice came out shaking. Lifting her head she moved. Her weapon gone from sight. The bracelets jingled from her wrists as she helped Ryuu into a sitting position.
“So that was a level three. God...that hurt like hell.”
Eri stayed quiet. She had done her study on Akuma. Reading every bit of information she could get her hands on. Never had she heard of an Akuma that could use fear to their advantage. But the Akuma were always evolving. It is no surprise one would figure it out sooner or later.
“We need to move Eri. We can not stay here. We half to report in.”
Eri lost to her mind was silent. Each bit of information was being pulled. Their job was not done. But they would need assistance. If not for a higher brigaded to come and finish the creature.
“ERI!”
Her head snapped up. Her eyes on Ryuu. For a moment the two stared at one another. Eri moved first. Nodding her head. Lifting Ryuu up onto his feet. They stood in the mess of the back ally. The ground almost completely obliterated. Ryuu reached into his pants pocket. Pulling out a small box. Clicking the button He waited. Waiting for the control room to respond. Yet no voice came from the box.
“What the hell is wrong with this damn thing.”
Ryuu shock the box roughly. Eri's hand shot out. Stopping his flailing arm. Slapping the box out of his hand. It smashed when it hit the ground.
“Eri! What the heck was that for?!”
Eir's hand reached for Ryuu's chin. Lifting it to the sky. The both of them stared at their fate. A large clock was in the sky. The hands slowly ticking in time to the norms of time.
“We locked in. And by the looks of that spell Ryuu. We don't have allot of time.”
Ryuu understood the seal part. But every seal could only last for so long. He did not understand the fear coming from Eri.
“So we have to wait it out. No big deal.”
Eri dropped her gaze. Looking around to where they stood now. This night was going to be long. And if they survived it, it would be sheer luck and will.
“And when the time runs out Ryuu, this city will fall. It's counting down Ryuu. That Akume just turned this whole city into a bomb. And I already know why. We need to find that women. An Akuma could not do this alone. Something is wrong here. I know it. And we need to figure it out!”
