Chapter 16: Fleeing Aokigahara Forest

In the Aokigahara Forest, a burst of radiant holy power shot forth from a tunnel, burning and purifying everything in its path as Celeste leapt from Legion’s tunnel, finally landing on the forest floor.

Celeste looked around and called out, “Alex! Can you hear me? Where are you?” But there was no response. The only sound was laughter echoing from every direction as one of Legion’s many grotesque bodies emerged from the darkness to mock her.

The corpses hanging from the nooses and the severed heads lodged in the hollowed trees all laughed in unison, their hollow voices twisting through the mist. From all sides, abominations of Legion swarmed toward her.

Then Legion’s voice thundered through the forest, deep and mocking. “Little angel, you will not find him. Soon he will become one with us, just as you are about to be. You’ve walked right into the heart of our lair, and there is no escape for you now. Your holy energy has weakened, and you have pushed yourself far beyond your limit.”

“Not to mention that you have lost your wings. And soon, once your holy power runs out, you will become a fallen angel.”

Then Celeste yelled back, “I don’t care if I have to use all of my power and become a fallen angel. I have a mission to protect Alex as far as I can take him. If I have to spend all of my holy energy, I will do it.”

Celeste then focused, using a third of her holy energy as it started to form around her like an aura, as a pillar of holy light shot toward the air, purifying everything in the area. She watched as all the abominations of Legion burst into nothing but dust as the flames consumed everything around.

Celeste then collapsed to her knees. “That should do it. I must save the rest of my holy energy. We have not even left the first layer and I have used so much so soon. If I use it all, I will truly become a fallen angel.”

She then struggled back to her feet and darted off into the Aokigahara Forest, searching for any signs of Alex. But then as she ran, she heard a giant explosion as a shockwave passed through the forest and she noticed that power. “Bunyan’s Axe,” she spoke, as she turned in the direction the shockwave came from, immediately running that way to where Alex and the Oni girl were fighting the abominations.

The battle had already begun. Alex charged toward the oncoming abomination, swinging Bunyan’s Axe with tremendous force. He turned the weapon to its flat side and slammed it straight into the creature’s head just as it lunged forward to bite him. The instant the impact landed, a violent ripple tore through the monster’s body, and it exploded into chunks of flesh and black blood.

The resulting shockwave blasted through the forest, shattering trees and sending limbs and wood flying in every direction. The entire treeline erupted, and for a few moments, a rain of body parts and dark blood fell from the sky, spattering the ground in a gruesome storm.

The other four abominations spread out. Two charged toward Alex, while the remaining two lunged at the Oni girl, their distorted bodies twisting and snapping as they rushed through the blood soaked forest.

Alex charged forward to meet the two rushing at him, drawing Onimaru in his off hand as he remembered how effectively Celeste had used it back in the hospital. The first abomination lunged, mouth gaping wide and claws outstretched, but Alex swung Bunyan’s Axe with brutal precision. He turned the weapon to its flat side and struck it mid air, slamming the blade’s broad face into its grotesque stomach. A violent shockwave rippled through the creature’s body before it exploded into a spray of limbs, gore, and black ichor.

The second abomination came from his side, swiping with its twisted, clawed hands. Alex turned quickly, slashing with Onimaru to sever one of the creature’s arms. He raised Bunyan’s Axe, ready to swing the flat side into its body, but stopped short when he noticed the Oni girl fighting just behind him.

He hesitated, thinking, No wonder Celeste warned me about using this thing. If I’m not careful, I could seriously hurt someone. Realizing the danger, Alex leapt back and quickly stowed Bunyan’s Axe in his backpack, gripping Onimaru instead as the twisted abomination roared and charged at him again.

As it lunged at him, violently swinging its right clawed arm, Alex dodged to the side and then dropped low as its massive jaws snapped where his head had been moments before. He rolled forward, channeling his focus into Onimaru, and slashed upward with a powerful strike. The moment the blade connected, the abomination’s body split apart and scattered in a violent burst, just like when Celeste had used it before. Legion’s many forms erupted from within the creature, scattering into the air. The abomination tried desperately to reform, but its shape faltered and collapsed into a pile of dissolving flesh.

Alex stepped back, breathing heavily, when something caught his eye. He turned and froze. The Oni girl behind him was acting strange, her movements erratic and wild. Was she losing control?

The Oni girl stood trembling, Muramasa shaking in her grip as both abominations closed in, one circling to her side while the other advanced head on. “Oh… these are scary-looking creatures,” she muttered, her voice wavering. “I’m not sure if I can do this.” Doubt filled her eyes as she struggled to steady her breath.

“I just hope I don’t lose control again,” she whispered. “Whenever something attacks me, sometimes I just can’t control myself, and it scares me.”

Before she could think further, the two abominations lunged at her from opposite directions.

As they leapt toward her, their clawed hands reached her, slicing shallow cuts across her skin. The instant their claws dug in, she screamed and swung Muramasa in a wide, reckless arc, severing all four arms that had struck her. The limbs fell to the ground, black tar-like blood splattering across her face.

Her violet eyes flared with light as her breath quickened; she was losing control. With a furious cry, she charged forward and slashed Muramasa with her full strength, cleaving the first abomination cleanly in two. The second lunged in desperation, biting deep into her shoulder. She let out another scream, then thrust her free hand into its eye socket, fingers clawing deep until she gripped the bone between its eyes. With a brutal yank, she tore the front of its skull apart, ripping it from the rest of its head as its jaw went slack and its body collapsed.

The Oni girl dropped Muramasa and fell into a frenzy, pummeling the mangled creature’s remains with her bare hands. She tore and clawed until nothing remained but a shredded heap of flesh. Black ichor coated her from head to toe, dyeing her skin nearly pitch black as her rage refused to subside.

Then Alex called out, “Hey, demon girl! Are you okay?”

The Oni girl froze at the sound of his voice, snapping out of her rage. She blinked rapidly, looking down at the devastation surrounding her, the shredded remains of the abominations, the blood soaked ground, and the scattered chunks of flesh. Spotting Muramasa lying nearby, she leapt off the pile of gore, grabbed the blade, and hurried toward Alex.

He looked at her and asked, “Are you okay?”

She glanced down at her shoulder wound, then around the battlefield, before giving a small smirk. “Yes, I’m fine. I heal real fast.”

Alex watched in astonishment as the gashes along her body slowly closed up before his eyes. “Regeneration… just like in the comics,” he muttered under his breath.

Before either could say more, a sickening noise echoed through the forest. All around them, the remains of the abominations began sliding across the ground, converging into a single massive form. Flesh merged with flesh, bones cracked, and heads fused together until a monstrous abomination towered before them, bristling with countless limbs, eyes, and jaws.

The Oni girl vanished instantly. She darted behind Alex, clutching onto him and peering around his side, her voice trembling as she reverted back to the frightened demon girl from before.

Alex glanced at her and asked, “Can you still fight?”

She peeked up at him from where she clung to his side, her body trembling. “That thing is very big and scary. I don’t think I can this time.”

Alex nodded. “Alright, then hand me Muramasa.”

The Oni girl hesitated, then quickly handed him the katana. Alex took it, gripping both katanas, Muramasa in one hand, Onimaru in the other, and stepped forward into a fighting stance, ready to face the monstrous abomination.

The creature bellowed, all its heads roaring at once, unleashing a deafening, bone rattling sound that stung their ears. It lowered its grotesque mass as if preparing to charge, but before it could, a brilliant light erupted from behind it.

A burst of divine radiance engulfed the forest, and the abomination let out an ear splitting scream as its body was vaporized in a blinding flash. When the light faded, all that remained was drifting ash, falling gently like snow.

From the center of the light, Celeste landed gracefully, her body still glowing faintly. She sprinted toward Alex and shouted, “Run, Alex! We’ve got to keep running!”

Behind her, the colossal body of Legion moved through the trees, its massive form toppling trunks and tearing through the forest as it barreled straight toward them.

Alex stared up at the colossal form of Legion crashing through the trees. “There’s no way we’re going to be able to run from this,” he said grimly. He quickly stowed both katanas and pulled out Bunyan’s Axe, tightening his grip as he thought back to what he had done at the Corrupted Temple.

But then he stopped himself. “No. I can’t do that. If I use it like that, I might destroy the portal that takes us to the next layer.”

Instead, Alex turned the weapon so the flat side faced forward and waited until Legion was nearly upon them. The moment the monstrous mass came close enough, he swung with all his strength. The flat of the axe connected with a thunderous impact, sending a massive ripple through Legion’s body. The creature’s form convulsed and burst apart, flesh, limbs, and gore erupting in every direction as blackened rain poured from the sky.

Alex turned toward Celeste and the Oni girl. “Now we run!” he shouted.

They bolted through the forest as the remains of Legion fell around them. “We’re escaping,” Alex said between breaths, “but where do we go?”

The Oni girl pointed ahead. “Follow me! The town of Fujiyoshida is about eleven miles from here. I used to stay there for a while when I was searching for the portal to the first layer.”

Without another word, the three of them dashed off into the distance, away from Aokigahara Forest.

As they fled, they heard one final scream as the reforming Legion bellowed, “You cannot run from us! We will find you! We will never stop until we do!”