The date had ended rather well on a high-note, all things considered. He managed to put together a plan at the last moment. He took her out to lunch, then shopping, then a movie. She looked like she enjoyed it… at least, he thought he did. She pretty much had a smile on her face throughout the whole thing. Right now, they were standing in front of the fountain over at the park.
It was a pretty romantic scene one would see in visual novels, especially with the sun setting over the horizon.
"I had a lot of fun today," Yuuma said, her back facing him. "It's been so long since I've felt like this."
"R-Really? That's awesome. I'm really glad..." He breathed a sigh of relief. Thank god for that!
"Say...Haru-kun?" Slowly, the girl turned around to face him. Her face was bashful, pink dusted on her cheeks. "There's something that I really, really want… do you think you can give it to me?"
The redhead swallowed the lump in his throat. Was this it? Was this really happening?! Were… were they really going to...? If that were the case, why… why did he feel suddenly so alarmed? Again, it felt as if someone had lit his skin on fire, yet it only felt like an irritating itch of unpleasantry. Once again, it felt his instincts were telling him to run. "U-uh, sure!" he nodded, trying to ignore the feeling. "Whatever it is, you name it!"
"Really?" Yuuma's eyes lit up with excitement. Somehow, it felt off. "Then..." She stepped forward. Their bodies felt like they were about to touch, though she had stopped just in front of him and leaned forward, whispering something into his ear. Something that made his blood run cold. "... will you die for me ?"
Now, he understood why. How his body reacted so badly. Yuuma's voice… it had changed. No longer was it that sweet and beautiful tone that made it sound like music to his ears. It was cold, mature… malicious. A tone that sent shivers down his back.
"I-I'm sorry," he said, backing away as far as he could. "I don't I-I heard you correctly… w-what did you say you wanted, Yuuma-chan?"
The girl gave him a sickly sweet smile. His body burned once again, the feeling almost instant as something echoed in the back of his head. He wasn't sure why, but he threw himself to the ground. He was glad he had, for no sooner had he moved did a spear of light pierce into the ground he was standing on. His eyes went wide, heart thumping, and looked at Yuuma.
He gasped. Behind her back were wings. Feathery, black wings. Almost like the wings of a crow.
"Oh?" She raised a brow. "You were fast enough to dodge that one. How unexpected." She frowned condescendingly.
He stared back in horror. He had no idea what was happening. He couldn't even feel the way his hand was burning. "W-what the hell's going on?" he whispered. "Yuuma-chan, wha-what the fuck ARE you?!"
"Hm...I thought it'd be obvious, boy..." She sneered. "...I'm the one that is going to kill you."
The one to kill you.
(Silver and iron to the origin. Gem and the archduke of contracts to the cornerstone.)
Five words registered in his mind. His heart was practically banging against his chest now. Yuuma brought up her hand, and another spear, just like the one before, appeared in her hand. Haru tried to move, but the fear had paralyzed him.
(The alighted wind becomes a wall. The gates in the four directions close, coming from the crown, the three-forked road that leads to the kingdom circulate.)
"I do have to thank you, however," Yuuma said with a mocking smile. A smile that made his heart sink further. "This was the most fun I've had in sooo long… it was like playing house!"
P-playing… house?
(Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Repeat every five times… yet for each time, destroy it!)
Was that all this was to her? A game to pass the time? Part of him wanted to believe otherwise, but the display before him would continue to prove him wrong. The look in her eyes, the wings on her back, and the spear in her hand, all said clearly to him… that she had felt nothing. The affection, the joy, the happiness, the beautiful smile on her face… it was all but mere pretend. To her, it was as if she were playing with a doll. A doll that she would have no use for any longer. It was then that he knew… that this was the sort of situation that would leave nothing.
Just as that woman said… this was where he would die.
His fear vanished, replaced by a nothingness in his heart, a despair that gripped him. All this time… he was nothing more than a game to her. To her… he was nothing but a joke… to toy around with him then dispose of him. However, something within him stirred as his mind processed this. Like a flame, it steadily burned through his sense of hopelessness, becoming something more. Something stronger. Something fierce.
A fiery rage.
( ―――I announce. Your self is under me, my fate is in your sword. In accordance with the approach of the **** *****, if you abide by this feeling, this reason, then answer. Here is my oath.)
The burning on his hand grew fiercer, and his eyes narrowed. "Y-you..."
Suddenly, hot air blew across his face, followed by searing pain. He let out a cry, clutching his face. It as if something that touched his cheek with a dryer. "You dare look upon me with those filthy eyes?" Yuuma snared. "What arrogance… I'll take great pleasure in breaking you, filthy human!"
She brandished her spear once more.
(I, who bear the name of the crimson beast of domination, shall become all good in the world. That I shall be the one who devour all evil within the world)
She reared her arm back as she prepared to throw it. Haru punched the ground in rage as he glared at her through the gaps between his fingers.
(You, seven heavens clad in three words of power, arrive from the ring of destruction, O king of ruin...)
The black-winged angel smiled cruelly down upon him, bearing the deranged look of an executioner. "Please die for me, Haru-kun."
(... heed my call)
The sound of something foreign had ceased all activity. Yuuma's spear had stopped, arm frozen in place. Haru, for his part, felt strange. As soon as the strange sound echoed, his body heated up. Unlike previous times, where it felt like an itch...it was a pleasant feeling, like warmth was spreading across his body. His hand felt hotter than the rest of him. He looked down, and found the mark on his skin glowing brightly. It pulsated, almost like a heartbeat. "W-what the...?"
Then he noticed. The air suddenly became heavy, like an oppressive weight fell upon his shoulders. Even Yuuma showed signs of discomfort. "What is this?" she breathed with a snarl. Her cold features were replaced with the look of a furious animal, as if something had set her off. "What did you do?!" Then she noticed the mark on his hand. Her eyes widened, as if stunned. Then, the look faded, and the livid fury on her face grew. "You… you were a Master?!"
Master?
The word was familiar. It meant, "a man who has people working for him, especially servants or slaves." Alternatively, it meant, "a skilled practitioner of a particular art or activity". However, the meaning behind the winged woman's words were unfamiliar to him. Her words also brought forth another question; how did she know what these marks meant? Did she have knowledge of what they were? He would have asked her, but given the present situation, he knew he would receive no other answer than a spear of light aimed for his heart.
Suddenly, the noise rang again. Then, he recognized that foreign sound.
It was the sound of something breaking. Like something was lashing out against glass.
Then he saw the glow emanating from his pocket. He reached in and pulled out the artifact from his grandfather's trunk. It was glowing brightly in his hands and warm to the touch.
Why is...?
The sound grew louder. It was echoing from above him. He looked up, and to his astonishment, red cracks had appeared in the air right behind him. From his viewpoint, it looked as if red veins had begun to grow along the dimming orange sky. With each resounding "crack", the veins grew larger and larger.
Then, like a dam breaking apart, the cracks became a jagged whole. Flowing, writhing blackish red mass spilled out like pouring water. It was like liquid pouring to the earth. However, that liquid began to take physical form. As it descended further and further to the earth, it almost looked as if it was forming into a human form. First it became a human-shaped body. Then, it developed more feminine features; a slim waist, a raised chest, and long flowing appendages from the head as if emulating hair. The limbs became more shaped, the ends splitting into five thin sticks, which bent and curled. The legs became more shapely, with the ends becoming bent at an angle. When it was close to the ground, the mass had taken on a form definitely of that of a human. It was feminine in appearance, though it held no characteristics. No lips or eyes. No skin to speak of. It was more of a mannequin.
However, when its feet touched the earth, the black form parted, as if nothing but a veil. It revealed a figure, crouching after flowing through the air and landing. Then, it rose to its feet. Haru saw the figure, no longer touched by whatever it had been cloaked with… and felt his heart skip a beat.
A goddess.
This was the only way he could describe such breathtaking beauty.
"I am..."
A maiden in white, with dark skin marred by white symmetrical lines.
"I am… the Great King."
Long hair that reached to the waist, touched by the color of snow.
"I am destruction itself, falling like a star to crush all those beneath."
A thin figure, not touched or marred with blemishes, yet with the posture and bearing of a warrior, emphasized by her beautiful red eyes which bore into Yuuma Amano with such frightening intensity.
"Thus, I ask of you..."
Then, she turned to him. His breath left him, his brown eyes locking with her red ones. Brown skin, thin figure, and the eyes of a warrior… had he not known any better, he would have thought he was looking at an amazon, one with cold beauty befitting that of a true warrior. Her words and voice were strong and boisterous, yet so menacing and cold, like a knife.
And yet… he could not help but feel captivated.
"... are you worthy of being my Master?"