Chapter twelve: Resurrection

The next tiny piece of the puzzle. Told through Hiromasa's eyes. Thank you for reading to anyone who decides to do so. Updated chapter!

Chapter 12: Resurrection

 

 

The sun greeted me through the window this morning. One glorious eye floating, half open, on the horizon. It was Monday, meaning Vyon wouldn't be here until later. The cracking and popping of my bones was displeasing to the ears, but I thought of it as audible experience. Walking passed Hina's room, she greeted me as quickly as the crisp air. It was cold, but Hina had prepared a pot of tea and a pot of coffee. After a few cups, of both, I was feeling more awake. Hina hadn't made breakfast, so I would take it upon myself. Once I had the energy...

 

Frigid, invigorating air rolled in through the cracked window over the sink. Hints of natural life were carried on the wind and breathing it in gave me a sense of home. The tattered walls and weathered floors were familiar and appreciated, but I admit my house is old. This decrepit structure is held together by its stubborn spirit. Hina and I often joke, the fuzen wont kill us, our house will. Our rugs were nothing but frayed tatters and shredded cloth. What was once a coffee table had become a sanctum for spiders, moths, and other various insects. It isn't disgusting here, it is just we are never here. Both of us leave during the day and return only to sleep or eat. Training Vyon here has been a little bizarre for me.

 

"Good morning Hiro, did ya sleep well?" Hina burst into the room to refill her teacup.

"Yes actually. Just never enough." My response clashed lazily with her already bright spirits.

"You hungry? I can make ya something?" Hina offered, then quickly sipped her heavily sugared tea.

 

"No, I can manage." This response made her laugh at my expense, she was a far better cook than I.

 

"We got a big schedule for the day?" Hina's multitude of questions was beginning to wear on me.

"Well I just woke up, but..." I took a moment to try and sense the ambient negativity. "Full plate... and some leftovers." I replied after my mental sweep had immense feedback.

 

"Great, let me know when you're ready." Hina replied with a short giggle, then set her cup in the sink.

 

Watching her run off took me through the last fourteen years of my life. I can remember the day I first saw Hina, like someone can look at a photograph. The bright eyed little girl lived alone with her father as an infant. I never met her mother, but I have been told she was a wonderful woman. Hina's father protected a small village and rarely had to leave his daughters side. One day he was sent out to hunt down a particular fuzen and never returned... I was left with the young girl and though I love her, regret fills my heart. I am not her father... Inside she knows this as well, but uses me as a surrogate parent. Hina was so frail when she was younger and barely any power could be felt. This never stopped me from loving her or teaching her to the fullest.

 

"You ready Hiro?" Hina leaned into the hall as I finished my toast.

 

"Just about..." I headed to my closet and got my coat, then joined her.

 

The sun was still rising, as we broke from the canopy and soared toward the tall buildings. Remembering this place before all these structures, when it was a quaint little town, I sighed. The hatred from this places inhabitants radiated from all around and ended up settling in a few specific locations. Although fuzen have entirely infested this city, we have done our best to quash their numbers. Discovering Vyon has tipped the scales, ever so slightly, in our favor. Ahead was a small flock of bird like fuzen, which were comprised of various body parts. I was able to cut most of them down, without losing speed. Hina giggled as she dodged around the scattered, bloodied, feathers.

Passing the buildings and other structures, traces of potent evil hit my senses undeterred. The fuzen in large cities are usually more evolved and thus more dangerous, so we’ve done our best to hunt them before they grow. Ambient negative energy naturally fixates around concentrated human populations. These unaware victims lead depleted lives, empty of reprehension, while hidden hands plot doom for some. So many of this cities inhabitants seethe limitless malice on a daily basis... It makes me wonder why we protect them at times... 

 

Like people, no fuzen are exactly alike. Knowing how they develop is of grave importance, something Vyon is still learning. Certain fuzen only consume a specific emotion, while most others consume any negativity they find. Some fuzen do not attack humans directly, choosing to exist symbiotically with the soul instead, until strong enough. This often creates unique evolutions and drastic methods of abosrobing evil. My years as a sin soldier have made me keen to the manifestations of corrupted souls. Not much surprises me anymore...

 

Lowering from the sky, I watched as minor fuzen, like large flies, buzzed around a particularly angry couple. They absorbed as much as possible and darted off, now glowing a faint red color. Fascinating, there is a large plant like fuzen in the vicinity and many insectoid fuzen are drawn to it. The negative realm must have some of the same biological properties, or perhaps these fuzen have adapted to our worlds... This intrigue led to a blunder, as my mind drifted off.

 

Hina gasped as a particularly large mosquito fuzen sucked all the negativity out of the area. The two hanging blood red sacks bloated outward and curled from the weight. After this momentary growth, the creature instantly latched onto the man in the argument. Once it sunk its proboscis into the mans soul, he reacted in a violent outburst. His eyes went wide and he gasped like he had actually been stabbed. Before she could react to his sudden pain, both of his hands latched onto her throat. She yelped and choked, but her weak clawing did little to free herself. A shrill, restrained cry bleated out, but he just growled, pressing harder on his collapsing wife.

 

Watching without words, my mind recanted all that I have been taught about negative possession. To have another being invade your body, push you aside, and kill others through you... Deplorable... The fact that humans stay conscious spiritually for several days is also a disturbing thought... My shocked mind had frozen my body in place, but Hina thankfully reacted quickly.

 

"Ballistic blizzard!" Hina's spell rang out like a choir of gasping voices.

 

He began throwing the womans head around violently, both eyes slowly turning pitch black. From Hina's mystic dance thin sheets of snow and frost began to form. This only appeared for a split second, then a shower of razor sharp ice shards exploded from her extending hands. This wasn't enough at first and the supernatural buzzing insect managed to drain the poor man entirely... The fuzen was killed before the woman choked to death, however, but her husband was gone. She fell coughing, as her mate twitched and desperately tried to apologize for his actions... It felt wrong that I had done nothing... Was I truly getting old? Why did I not react sooner?

 

This mans final moments, his last few seconds of breath, were spent begging forgiveness, which wasn't given in time. She quickly came to grips with his death, rushing over to him, hands quivering over his still form. She asked him to come back over and over, repeating it until she could no longer breath. She forgave him softly, nearly inaudible, but I heard her. Craning her neck skyward, one final request fell out, iron weights anchoring her words. This woman begged the sky, heaven, to give him back to her...

"Damn it..." Hina sighed as I hung my head and the woman wept over his body.

"She won't understand..." I muttered after her. "She'll think... something snapped in him or..."

"Humans need to explain away evil..." She muttered and I scoffed slightly.

"That proverb is ancient, how do you know it?" I asked her looking up from my solemn state.

 

"We have bigger problems!" She shouted, her voice sparking with frustration.

I snapped into gear and attacked the other mosquito in the area. I must say, in a morbid way, this is a unique mosquito. The head of a human being was split in half up to the nose. From this severed upper lip, a threading of brain matter had been fed through and stiffened, to serve as a proboscis. What was once a tongue had been malformed to protect this horrific drinking straw. Atop the skull two dense valeys were cut out, decomposing skin had been preserved, serving as lame wings. Each human eye was now a blood/negativity sack, bloated with the hate and pain of its victims. They bobbed and waggled out of the skull as the cretin fluttered around. I may be sick in the head, but I have always been fascinated with the way our enemy grows... For the sake of battle, they are a truly incredible foe to face...

 

Fly swatting is never easy with this giant hammer, but even a glancing blow should prove fatal. It dodged me as best it could, then lashed out without warning, fangs leading. Hina made all of our coats with thick padding, as well as enchantments, so they are harder to destroy. What Vyon thinks is a, quote, "players club jacket", is actually a type of armor. Not a very good one though, as I do not have the supplies for Hina to produce powerful enchantments at our humble hellhole. The fiend bounced off of my arm, the fangs unable to even pierce the cloth.

"Please, no! NO!" The fuzen screeched as I crushed it into nothing, but a splattered stain.

 

It didn't take long for the other insectoid fuzen to flee for their "lives", relative term for them I’m sure. The mass cluster of moving demons, created a loud humming sound, which sailed over rooftops and out of sight. I turned my attention to the plant fuzen, which used squirming vines to pull itself away. Why is it trying to escape? It could try to kill us with size alone... Hina slew a few more insectoid fuzen and then turned her attention to the woman, who had recovered slightly. One hand she used to call the police, the other she used to try and awake her husband. Plumes of fear rose from her, circling and heading straight for the mammoth sized flower in a crimson cloud.

 

"Hina, come on! She'll be fine!" I called to her, knowing that what I said was a lie.

"I'm sorry..." Hina mumbled to the woman, who began weeping over he husbands corpse, the phone falling from twitching hands.

 

Hina's eyes surged with an intense fury as she approached the demonic flora. This giant plant produced a gurgling and a sloshing sound, which drowned the crying to mere peeps. The bloated flower was vase shaped, and it spewed a wispy trail of pure negativity. This is the force, which can turn humans into fuzen the quickest and it produces it like a tree makes oxygen, astounding… Pure negative power congeals much quicker and can destroy a human soul within several hours. It feels like a typical illness, but once it sets in there is no hope for that person. The transformations are usually brutal and non lethal at first, to savor the victims pain, fear, suffering, confusion, etc...

Four large leaves, made of skinned human flesh, surrounded the base of this bubbling bulb of death. Where they each met, a trail of rib cages held them to one another, like sickening staples punched in the rotting hides. The leaves were stiffened human back flesh, the arms flared into decorative archs, some even bearing clawing fingers or lifeless hands. Three thick, buttress like struts supported the flower internally. Each held two flesh petals, produced from still partially living human tissues.

 

Overall I would say this beast was the size of a school bus, and it sported twisted skin tendrils roughly seven feet long, five of them to be exact. These all came from within the inner flower, so I do not know how long they actually are... Each lashing tendril was tipped with a two pronged hook, which appeared to be produced by infantile hands or mangled adult fingers... The veins themselves appeared to be full of human veins and organs, squirming and bulging from within the semi-transparent, filthy green tube.

 

Throwing the spear seemed to be the only logical attack. As my weapon approached, it was snatched and taken from the sky, by three tentacles. Recalling my weapon burned the vines severely and the glowing red flower cried out suddenly. From within the bulbous petals of destroyed human lives, a faint red glow could be seen. This creature was obviously absorbing human negativity, but the energy it produced was of the purest evil! This is a fairly common mutation, usually serving to attract a brood of underlings or keep competing fuzen from taking an areas emotional negativity.

 

"Furious flood, Wild windstorm!" The result of Hina's spell combination was impressive.

 

Channeling water with one ring, she took great care to make a controlled vortex on the other. Once she produced enough of both elements, she combined them for a miniature tsunami of intense might! This whirling column of water stretched at least eight feet high, was about four feet wide and traveled as fast as a bicyclist! Once this liquid slammed the fuzen, it stopped dead in its tracks, though it hardly achieved rapid locomotion. The impact shook it heavily and a large portion of water fell into the demonic plant, causing it to gag.

"Lashing lightning!" Hina lit the creature up with a bolt of solid electricity, which fried it pretty good.

The smell was mortifying and Hina nearly threw up, choking directly in the fog of burning matter. Its screaming was the worst part however, as it built to a high almost unbearable pitch! During this moment of weakness, the fuzen attacked HIna! It snared her with a tendril and then another! Using the might of both skin ropes, it slammed her into a brick building, then let her free fall! I teleported to catch her, but she was unconcious and I had to deflect tumbling stones! The atrocious flower attacked me sloppily, each tentacle slapping my way in a frenzy. It was charred, dried, and brittle now, but the vines seem to work just fine!

 

It swatted the fleshy limbs around me, but didn't manage to hit me once! I had to throw Hina at one point, but I teleported to catch her instantly. Carrying her made it a bit harder to control my flight pattern, but I had little choice. As the first tedril inevitably struck me, I managed to toss Hina under a parking port. Before I could even confirm if I had hurt her, two stamen chords wrapped my wrists! Growling from pain, I felt the clawed fingers sinking in and tearing at my veins. Blood poured down my arms as I focused on my retaliation and formed a plan.

 

With a shout of anger, my aura flared outward and singed the plant again. One of the gripping vines curled away, now burnt to practically nothing. The spiritual heat of a sin aura may effect fuzen, but magical fire and even natural flame are more effective. I used my freed left hand to tear myself out and teleport away from the creature. Hina was stirring and my heart was washed with relief upon seeing her sit up. My grip changed on my spear and I fell toward the creature, prepared to attack. Spinning like a centrifuge, speed built quickly, and I gripped the spear by the very end of the handle. I approached steadily, keeping my choppy gaze on the thrashing flesh mass, which shrieked and slunk away from my approach.

When the fuzen tried to grab my weapon, or even me, it was cut and battered. The width of my spear is unruly sometimes, but it is very difficult to avoid as my opponent. The fuzen bellowed with pain as each of its remaining tentacles were cut down to nothing. As I continued spinning, I felt a solid contact with the plant itself! The screaming was disorienting, like before, but the waterfall of blood, pus, and negativity made it worth enduring. The fuzen desperately swatted its leaves around, shoving me off balance. It didn't take much to recover, teleport, and refocus on the target. It had been cut badly and two petals had been severed by a slightly lowering horizontal slice.

 

"Fatal fire!" Hina's voice rang out, as a parachute of flames opened from beneath the car port.

 

A bubbling groan was all the creature could muster this time. It didn't have the life force to produce another ear shattering shriek. As it was roasted by a concentrated inferno, I prepared to throw my weapon. The timing and aiming went perfectly! I punctured the fuzen straight through allowing the fire to fill the demonic pitcher plant. It melted away quickly, as the flames overtook its entirety. Small whipping motions came from the few remaining tendrils, but the petals quickly collapsed rendering them useless. It broke to pieces, each one slapping the concrete and slowly dissolving into necrolimus, the aftermath of a negatively charged soul.

 

"Are you alright little one?" I asked even before the beast ceased its groaning.

 

"I'm fine, just a headache." She replied, not looking away from the burning demon. "Sorry..."

"Don't worry dear I failed, not you… We all have off moments." I assured her, trying to resurrect her confidence.

"Yeah, but it has seemed harder lately..." She seemed to admit, turning to me with a fake smirk.

 

"Things have been pretty bad lately, wouldn't you say?" I replied and she shrugged, but I saw a hint of acceptance.

 

"I guess..." Hina's eyes dulled again as she looked away.

"Chin up Hina, you are far more powerful than you think." I didn't want to see her sad a second longer...

"Thanks Hiro..." Her attitude was brighter, but not what I had hoped for.

 

"Let's go, I can feel a few more nearby." Waving for her to follow reminded me of when I first taught her to fly...

It felt like just a few days ago, I was helping her wobble through the air, barely getting a few steps each try... Good times seem better in hindsight because we never know what to appreciate, until later on... Watching Hina fight fuzen inspired limitless pride deep within my heart. It is a feeling I can only compare to an artist painting a masterpiece. Her finese and prowess are direct stems of my own talent, yet she grew so differently. I choke up inside whenever I try to tell her about my pride, fulfillment, tenderness, and... my guilt. My attention snapped into reality, as I felt a life force near the next targets! A young boy, probably about eleven, was surrounded by miniscule fuzen. Lately hoards of lesser demons have been appearing... Fuzen are usually power hungry and have been known to kill each other to become stronger. Strange these clusters have survived...

 

"Hina don't let them escape!" I shouted pointing down the scurrying figures.

"On it!" She vanished a few times to force a direction change from her foes. "Where you think you're going?" She punted one of the tiny fuzen back to the crowd.

 

"Handle them hun and hurry!" I scanned the downed child, then scowled up to the leading fuzen. "You... You're mine!" I clenched a fist closed after pointing toward the monster.

"Die sin scum!" The fuzen screeched as it left the ground, both claws brandished.

 

The slouching demon, swung like a mad man and I had to block instead of dodge. Usually I avoid letting them get close enough to touch me, but this creature was not only swift, it had elastic arms. The legthy arms of this creature could extend quite a distance, but that simply left them vulnerable to a counter attack. With a quick figure eight cut, I removed one arm and then the other. Flailing its stubs around, I watched the fuzen begin to try and repair itself. Even though my intrigue is limitless, I do not wait for them to mutate... The hammer shattered this creatures bones like brush beneath my boot.

 

Hina impaled the last opponent on both chakrams. She struggled to hold it away from her at first, but then began tearing it in half. With a growing growl of strength, Hina yanked opposingly and completely separated the creature, down the middle! It was a grotesque display and overall unnecessary, but the fuzen had it coming. She had a series of three scratches on her cheek, so I assumed that must have been the creature to have caused this.

"Is he gonna be alright?" Hina asked lifting the limp child’s head.

"Yeah, but we need to hurry." I spoke firmly with her as I stood by the boys feet.

 

This boy had lost most of his soul and the fact he was still partially alive, amazed me. Hina gently layed the boy back down and stood over his head. We both channeled our power and slowly rose our arms, as I had practiced with her many times before. Pushing our hands outward we both felt the pull of his life force, scattered and frightened... The boy began kicking and twitching as our hands opened above him, like a puppet on invisible tethers. Using our power as a beacon, we can guide a soul back to its body. This is not something we normally get to do, considering how quickly a fuzen can corrupt life, but it is possible...

 

Those born with split souls are more attuned to the supernatural and the ethereal, allowing us to actually touch a persons spiritual matter. It is because of this that humans can see us upon contact. This is also how we guide a lost soul back to its vesel, or to the afterlife if necessary. The best way I could describe this feeling, would be a strong breeze. It felt as if a small windstorm was centered around the soulless body. Caught in this torrent of invisible air were fields of phantom force, which would strike and pass through you at great velocity. They felt like ribbons made of sand, not solid, yet formed into shape. It was up to us to catch one of these ribbons, which could not be seen or predicted in anyway...

 

We grappled with the spirit and tried to reallocate it with his body. It was a struggle, but soon I felt part of his spiritual essence flow into my palm. It felt as though another persons hand materialized in my palm and the second I felt this, I pulled using all my being. With a long gasp and a flail of his arms, the boy returned. I felt light headed and Hina stumbled back, as the young man thrashed and choked on the air. I could have sworn this kid looked straight at me, his eyes sharpened and scrambled with confusion. Seconds after this, he passed out asleep, his breathing a bit heavy, but fine otherwise. A long sigh flowed from me, as I felt the boy reclaim his lost spirit.

 

"He'll wake up soon, right?" Hina asked worried, her voice breathy from fatigue.

"Yeah, he will be just fine." A warmth rose in my heart upon seeing the boy naturally moving again.

 

"No fuzen can get at him either, right? Since you touched his soul?" Hina added this, further proving she was worried about the child.

 

"If a fuzen tries to attack him, it will get the shock of its life!" We both chuckled at this, but she was still worried.

 

Hina took a moment, then seemed to think of an idea. Scooping up the boy, she dashed across the playground and deposited him behind a large bush. She nodded to me and awaited instructions, but we simply flew off together. Originally I wondered why she did that, but I quickly deduced it was for his protection. Human beings can be just as monstrous as fuzen, even before they turn. The things I have seen them do to one another, has made me question my morals and ethics. I often wonder if we are protecting humanity or just prolonging the inevitable?

 

The day moved along as the sun rose and we slew a multitude of fuzen. Each differed from the others greatly and only a few had developed in similar ways. Rarely does a fuzen control which body they develop within, but the mutation process is controlled by them alone. Some choose to remain undetected for as long as possible, while others will spring forth the second they are able. It would be prudent to start a journal on the subject of fuzen possession and the rate of mutation.

 

After roughly four more hours, we reached the other end of the city and had to start doubling back. We had made good time, as it was just starting to get dark when we started heading home. Our second pass over the city revealed a small cluster we had missed. Entering the fourth floor of a parking garage, I watched as fuzen scattered like cockroaches reacting to light. What was left of a human being, had been strewn around the interior of this concrete cube. Upon landing, I found myself standing on a hand and part of an arm. A deep sigh escaped me, as I stepped back and spoke an apology under my breath. I have seen worse dismembering’s, but this one was morbid on another level. Where mostly fuzen eviscerate a victim, this human was still partially together. Organs lay in an open pit that was once a stomach and the skull has been partially crushed in, revealing small strips of brain matter, as well as a free hanging eyeball.

 

Hina didn't even touch the ground upon entering, but a sharp gasp led me to look at her. The sudden emptying of her eyes hurt me deeply. What were usually rolling green fields, died and dulled into a swampy color. No one should have to deal with this kind of sight... Especially a girl as young as Hina. Honestly... I am amazed Vyon is older than her. How in gods name did he survive? Some form of miracle must have watched over him as he grew up.

 

Avoiding the tattered organs and mounds of chewed skin, we entered the garage further. Fuzen began emerging from various parts of the parking structure. The scraps of flesh, negativity, and spiritual matter coaxed them from the shadows. One fuzen, a child, quickly grabbed part of a jaw bone and began gnawing on it, using the negative air as a type of drink afterward. Two gliding monsters fluttered around, sipping the tainted power and screeching randomly. From the far corner, a hulking figure slowly stamped out, tiny squat steps, all it could achieve. It headed straight toward us at a steady pace. Smaller figures scattered from it, only to scurry away...

"Kill them! They are twin souled!" One of the flying fuzen screamed, then landed on a small car.

 

A chorus of shrieks, roars, and shouts followed this command, from the vulture like fuzen. I was mistaken before in assuming that both flying creatures were the same. The horned child began sprinting across the parking garage, the wet slaps growing louder as he ran through pools of blood. I could see he had grown horns and a tail, but little else had changed save his sickly red complexion. In his hand the child carried a large hunk of bone, which was sharp on one end. His arrowhead tipped tail flung around maddly as he screamed through the air at me. With a lift of my arm, I forced the child to impale himself on my spear. The echoed cries of the normal boy were so sad... His face was pleading and longing, but the serrated teeth told a different story. Jet black tears streamed down from his blood red eyes, as it fought to be free or die quicker. Channeling fire down my weapon, seared the creature away in an instant. The final scream haunted me... as it was eerily human.

Hina was fighting off a large avian fuzen, which was giving her some trouble. This human male had a series of ribs dislocated and stabbed outward from the sides of the abdomen. The skin from his back, shoulders, and arms has been reshaped to form wings along these ribs. Both legs are now reverse jointed, the feet have been hardly altered into simple claws. The face had experienced dual anophthalmia, a common fuzen trait. Where the eyes once resided now sat two small arms, like an infants. They twitched and clutched randomly, but seemed to guide the creature in flight! Fascinating...

 

Hina deflected clawing grabs, then threw both rings in an outward pattern. The uncanny arch spun directly into the fuzens path and as it tried to dodge, one of her chakrams clipped a wing! The fiend spiraled and slammed the ground, squealing with unearthly volume. The right wing had been torn outward from the body and there is no way the creature could use it. It kicked and howled like a dying animal, but Hina quickly put it out of its misery.

 

The large bulky fuzen approached, but the vulture leader was my target. "Hina, can you take the big guy?" I asked, but she laughed.

"I need the practice anyway..." Her typical humor brought a grin to my face just before I gave chase.

The fuzen Hina was fighting was horribly mutilated and I wondered how long it has existed. Gender is unknown because the fuzen mutation process completely destroyed the body... Both legs had been split perfectly down the middle so the beast shuffled on four half limbs. Where the hips met the torso the creature had developed a large shell, which spanned the length of the upper body. This shell was formed from dead skin, which was inundated with boils, blisters, callouses, and lesions. Once the shell opened, a series of mouths could be seen beneath. Some cried for help, some gagged, a few chewed or bit aimlessly, and one simply wailed... The rest of them served the purpose of spitting up smaller fuzen, which resembled spiders... A fuzen the gives birth to other fuzen is an incredibly rare trait, but none the less disturbing and a very real possibility. With a wretching hack, three mouths began vomiting up small thrashing bulbs, which quickly burst open into housecat sized spiders!

 

"Fatal fire!" Hina flew backward scorching the approaching wave of lesser creatures.

 

"You fool, I will feed your soul to my master!" The vulture shouted taking flight as I returned my focus.

 

"Your master..." This again? "Fuzen serve no purpose other than death!" I stated firmly.

"Foolish twin soul, you are blind beyond your own nose!" It hissed back, avoiding a quick stab.

"What master do you serve?" I demanded, pointing the spear at the flapping fuzen.

 

"Kill me then, splitter! I’ll take your body next!" The rasping laughter grew, as a

Subject was a human male, but has become a vulture fuzen. Not rare, but the strength and size of this beast deserves examination. The jaw was torn open to allow a canine skull to portrude from within. This skull is symbiotic and acts as the fuzen’s beak. Wiry hairs jut randomly from the withered scalp of the eternally silent screaming face. Both human eyes are swollen to the point of dislocation and have turned a milky white color entirely. The puss filled, bulging orbs have become so large however, they are somewhat properly socketed... The four central fingers on both hand, have grown dramatically, distorting the overall shape of a human hand. Each pointer and pinkey acted as stabilizers during flight and were less lengthy. The thumbs had degraded into simple spikes of bone, jutting from the from of each macabe wing. Both legs have shriveled slightly, but they retain danger in the form of hooked talons on the feet. The muscle of the legs had been reconstituted to the torso, allowing easier wing beats. Clouded, murky, white eyes bulged toward me, as the creature twitched it’s head about, matching earthly birds all to well.

 

Dashing around the parking lot, I made sure to keep the creature guessing as best I could. No single attack landed properly, but I did hit the fuzen at least four times. Its elastic hide was difficult to cut and the aerial maneuverability it displayed was impressive. As I closed in to attack, the fiend turned over and swatted me with a clawed wing, not even losing altitude! I received a minor cut, but was able to ignore the pain and lance the fuzen into the wall! Unfortunately, I couldn't impale it, but the impact sent it flailing into a stone pillar, which held up the complex. Dazed now, the fuzen was unable to fly properly and it was forced to land to regain its bearings. Dropping from the air atop it, my spear punctured the left wing and pinned it to the pavement. Our impact with the ground sounded similar to forcing a metal rod into the sand with great force, only louder and followed by ahonized screams. The stretched snapping of skin tearing apart, like ripping up plastic wrap, alongside the inhuman screams, was momentarily tormenting.

"What master do you serve? Is there a stronger fuzen you obey?" My questions were paired with a stomp, pinning its wing further.

"You son of a b***h! B*****d child!" The fuzen spit blood up at me, but it burned within my aura.

"Answer me." I pushed harder on the spear and jerked the handle toward me.

"You know nothing! You are blind hate hunter!" The breathy cackling was beginning to annoy me.

"Answer me and I will not make you suffer!" This time I stomped my foot on the spear, causing a swift screech.

"Kill me! I shall be reborn! My hunger is eternal, I am undying!" The grinding laughter continued.

With a quick jerk of its body, the fuzen tore its wing free! The bellowing shouts were debasing, but the fact it could still fly shocked me even more! It sailed out from the parking garage, pained and raged shrieks echoing off the buildings with each flap. Severance was not an option, for it would hit the lip of the parking garage and dissipate. Focusing on the tip of my spear, I began targeting the creature as it sluggishly sailed away. The second I felt a connection, I let the hammer fall. Once the stone boomed off the pavement, a solid bolt of lightning connected from the sky to the ground, with the fuzen in between. It disintegrated within seconds, hardly even visible in the flash. Tremoring echoes faded around me, as I lifted the spear to my shoulder.

"Nice aiming!" Hina walked up next to me wiping her forehead.

 

"Thanks." I replied, but my mind was elsewhere.

 

Fuzen are chaotic creatures by nature, why would it follow a master? What would compel it to enter servitude? The only logical explanation is the master fuzen has overwhelming power, or special abilities, which make it dangerous to the minions. Failing to understand your opponent is to invite death to dinner. It is absolutely imperative to know what you are dealing with and we are completely in the dark. What does th-...

 

Hina pulled my arm, bringing me back to the now. "Let's go! Vyon should be waiting for us!"

"Of course." I smiled back at her. "Right behind you."

 

Memories of her tugging my sleeves, pockets, or coat flourished across my mind, showing me Hina at ever age. It was difficult to return to my original dilemma when these memories are present. I am unsure why I have been feeling so nostalgic of raising Hina today… Perhaps I am becoming aware of her age and maturity. Soon, she will not need me...

 

"Hey, over here!" Hina shouted stopping and waving her arms overhead.

In the distance a figure leapt upward then puffed into a small yellow inferno. His aura resembled a blowtorch, where Hina would be more solid, like a campfire. Myself, I always compared to a flamethrower, though I rarely think of such trivial things. Vyon appeared before us shortly after and waved with a grand smile.

"Wassup! How are ya?" He asked, the attitude he wore was infectious.

"Great, how was school?" Hina asked and his face turned sour.

"Why you gotta bring that up?" Vyon laughed shaking his head. "If you must know, I spent the entire first period asleep on the roof!"

"At least your well rested..." I mumbled and he shot a smirk my way.

"Wasn't it cold?" Hina inquired, but Vyon just laughed.

This young man is so strange... Knowing what I do about him, the dog collar he wears is not all that strange. Wearing a scarf, or something of the likeness everywhere, would probably be more suspicious. Beyond this, his overall personality, demeanor, and attitude are interesting for someone so traumatized. Were his parents sin splitters? Did they know about the boy? His often ragged appearance was just one sign of his rough life. I have seen the bruises and cuts... These are not wounds I or Hina put on him. Unavoidable smiles reach me when I see him though... His unkempt mass of hair and his tattered attire do not match his friendly personality whatsoever... Vyon is, although rock headed, friendly and loyal. He just needs to learn more and I simply do not have the time to teach him.

 

"Vyon patrol downtown. Hina take the field and the forest. I'll take the suburbs and the school." I stated to each of them awaiting a confirmation.

 

Watching them take off in opposite directions made a small sigh roll out. Those two, they will carry on after I pass... Though my time is certainly not close, my mental image of them in the future... without me... I hope I have prepared them enough. The two of them have the greatest responsibility anyone has ever undertaken. Green and yellow torches will outshine purple and protect this place as best they can. Hina... Vyon... Stay safe you two.