Cries That Echo (Final)

Shin swung a blade forward, slicing through dark flesh. With another swift motion, he spun with a fierce elegance, piercing through a flanking demon. With an abrupt shriek, the demon fell at his feet. 

Each motion truly highlighted his Divine Duelist class; a perfect duality between strength and speed.

He wove through more of the tiny demon army in his way. His cape fluttered to his dance. Some managed to pass him, but turning back would lose the ground he had built. 

"Tch," he muttered. "There's no end to them."

He had no choice but to have faith in his companions. 

He didn't know how long he had been at the base of the tower. But the demon looming above made no intention of coming down to greet him.

At the beginning, he had charged through with ease. With his power, he quickly scaled the side of the building. The main demon held its position at the top. The lesser demons that came out of it began to circle around Shin, avoiding him completely. 

Shin at first thought it was fate that even caused the demon's underlings to avoid him. As he bolted upward toward Abaddon, cries rang from below, halting him in his steps. He stood on the glass, facing up toward Abaddon. 

With a sharp glance below, Shin watched as the number of demons started to overwhelm the SL members. Through the corners of his eyes, Yuna bounced swiftly between struggling groups. 

He could tell that she was pushing herself with speed comparable to his own. At her current rate, she'd collapse by the time the next wave arrived. 

Shin's jaw tightened. 

He turned back toward Abaddon. 

He took a step forward.

All he had to do was charge the enemy in front of him, but his body froze solid. It wasn't fear that paralyzed him; it was morality. 

Another scream echoed below.

A similar one came from above, longer, mocking.

The demon laughed at Shin, as it inched backward, further up the side of the tower.

Shin didn't follow.

He knew what he had to do.

He turned around, jumping off the side of the building.

As he plummeted with control and precision, he landed on two of the tinier demons, crushing them instantly.

With swift motions, he continued to dance around the battlefield defeating most of the incoming demons.

He took in a breath.

Even as a Seraph, he knew his body couldn't keep up with the constant movement.

He didn't understand. He was right there. Yet, the thought of failing as a leader, as a hero, placed him in front of his subordinates. 

Time seemed to have gone by in a heartbeat.

The thought of scaling the wall had crossed his mind several times. But with each demon he struck down, each subordinate that was saved by his hand, he stayed. 

Casualties had been reduced since his choice. However, now he was stuck, until the right time, whenever that may be.

Just as the thought escaped him, he shifted his gaze toward the tower.

The smaller demons had stopped spawning from Abaddon.

Shin's heart still raced; there were a few more demons heading toward them, however, their numbers stopped behind them. 

A brief wave of relief engulfed him as he sliced through another demon's flesh. 

Shin exhaled. 

The battlefield quieted. 

He turned, shifting his gaze toward Abaddon.

As he studied the demon, his eyes widened. 

Abaddon was no longer looking at them. It was as if its focus lay elsewhere. 

However, he wouldn't complain.  He just needed another minute to rest, precious seconds the Seraphs behind him also desperately needed. 

After that, he would push forward again, catching the demon off guard. 

He turned, skimming his gaze through the remaining Seraphs. Remnants of bodies drifted as fine fragments of black and white toward the sky.

Yuna watched Shin through each gasp of air. A flicker of movement snapped her focus upward. 

"What the hell are those?" Yuna yelled toward Noboru.

"Well I'll be," he whispered back. "I thought we had time to rest."

Shin turned at the notice.

Two entities had emerged from the demon. 

Larger. Faster. 

They slithered down the building toward the remaining convoy.

Shin was already moving to meet them.

His blades of divine energy pulled behind him as he prepped to strike.

The demons split in opposite directions right before he brought the strike down.

"Just like the smaller ones," Noboru said quietly. "It's like they know who is the threat."

"What smart demons," Yuna replied. "But not smart enough."

"What do you mean?" Noboru questioned.

"Look around you," she replied. "There aren't many of us left."

"So?"

"So, now Shin doesn't have to worry too much about protection. In a twisted way, he can finally be free."

Noboru looked at the demons who had passed Shin, speeding toward the company, faceless.

A beam of light propelled upward along the building's wall. 

Faster than before.

Debris of shattered glass and brick fell below.

"He's faster," Noboru murmured.

"He is showing what speed is enhanced by physical strength." Yuna replied. "Even I can't go that fast."

The faceless demons swiftly wove in and out of the remaining Seraphs.

"Looks like we have our own battle to finish." 

She exhaled, tightening her grip on her divine daggers, before bolting toward the Banshees.

__________

Abaddon shifted backward—not controlled, but an abrupt motion that caught Shin's eye. It was clear; it didn't expect his boost in speed.

With a leap, he met it at the building's top, each strike barely nipping its dark flesh.

"Faster," he roared.

With each strike, a piece of Abaddon fell.

A shriek escaped its dark mouth, and the banshees below, turned their heads toward their master.

"You are not going anywhere," Yuna said, tiredly. 

She and the remaining Seraphs used the demons' moment of distraction to finish them off.

Shin was going to end it here and now. 

A blade pierced through its leg. With a cry, it seemed as though the Spatial Zone itself was shifting.

Shin didn't hesitate.

While one blade kept Abaddon still, he lifted the other one into the air. 

With a quick swing, the blade sliced through the air toward Abaddon. 

Just before the blade's light made contact, Abaddon vanished, pulling in the darkness of the world with it. 

"Coward!" Shin roared to an orange hued sky. 

A faint breeze cooled the sweat on his face. Tiny flakes of morning snow drifted at the wind’s mercy, melting as they touched his pale skin.

He willed his swords away and walked to the edge of the roof looking down at his subordinates. 

The building was untouched, with damages having vanished with the zone.

He exhaled.

Then leaped once more.

On the ground, bodies that had perished vanished with the zone. The lucky few who had stuck near higher ranked Seraphs, collapsed on the spot, gathering air as if they had been underwater.

Shin narrowed his eyes, shifting between each SL member in view.

His feet moved on its own as he ran toward the back, halting between a gathering of trees. 

Yuna laid on the grass, breathing heavy.

Tired but alive.

Yuna wasn’t family. But her adaptability after the world changed was rare and too valuable to lose.

A part of him regretted thinking that way. He knew she favored him, but the closest emotion was that of a little cousin or sister. Regardless, he was glad she was okay.

His feet moved on their own as he stepped up to her side. Yuna cracked her eyes through jagged breaths. First, a blur, then the outline of Shin over her was clear in her vision. A hand reached out to her, and after a second of hesitation, she took it. 

He helped her to her feet, before turning away toward the others. 

Yuna stood, staring at the hand that was held a moment ago. Her face flushed as the corners of her lip rose. 

"You know," a voice behind her said. "You're making it obvious what you're thinking right now."

Yuna sharply turned toward the voice. 

Noboru leaned on a tree, a cigarette lit between his lips.

"H-how..." Yuna muttered. "How long were you there for?"

"The entire time," he murmured. "Looks like we are done for the day."

Yuna turned her gaze back at Shin. He stood in conversation with another Seraph, compiling information about recent events and of the deceased.

"Because we were here," she said. "He couldn't do what he wanted."

"It's unfair," she said quietly.

"That he came back?" Noboru murmured. "Even when the choice would have secured us victory." 

"More of us would have died then," she whispered back.

Noboru exhaled.

"I'll be honest," he continued. "I didn't like him at first. I was the first to complain of the sudden change of management, to someone a few years younger than me no less." 

Noboru lifted his gaze, catching the edge of the rising sun. 

"My opinion has changed though. He really is best suited to get us through to the end."

"Yes, that too," Yuna whispered. "But also, we killed so many of those blasted demons, yet we didn't get enough experience to level up."

"Probably because we didn't finish the big guy," he responded. "Regardless, it was enough for me to level up at least."

A faint chuckle escaped.

"It feels good to be healed by leveling up, huh?"

He angled his gaze toward her. Her expression didn't shift in the slightest to the provocation.

"We overestimated the enemy," she murmured, exhaling. "That's all there is to it."

"We probably still need time to understand this new world," he replied, pushing himself off the tree. "Unfortunately, we don't know what else is also growing stronger too."

"Don't worry gramps," she smirked. "I'll save your life again if need be. Let's go." 

"Yeah, yeah," Noboru replied. "W-wait a minute, who are you calling gramps? I am still considered young!"

His voice faded as he followed her toward the others.

__________

The high pitched sound of water heating up came to a halt as Ren lifted the kettle from the stove. He poured the water into two separate mugs before returning the kettle to the stove. 

The scent was instant.

Chocolate flooded his nose as a single large marshmallow floated to the top of each mug. He wrapped his fingers around the handle of one, lifting it toward the kitchen table. He placed it in front of Sayaka, who was sitting patiently with eyes too heavy to keep open.

A yawn escaped her.

"Thanks," she murmured. 

A hand delicately clasped the handle as the other lightly tapped the side of the mug's surface. She gazed at Ren, who had angled his glance upward.

"You okay?"

"Yes."

The response was quick. Too quick.

"Is it the other battle?" Sayaka whispered. "The one south?"

"Yeah," he murmured, taking a breath. "It's over."

Sayaka stood up at the news. 

"Did they lose?"

"Not quite," he murmured back. "The hero seems to be alive and well."

Sayaka's eyes lowered. Her grip tightened around the mug's handle.

He examined the tense response. It was clear that wasn't what she wanted to hear.

Ren exhaled.

"Yes," he finally said. "The pink-haired Seraph is also okay."

Sayaka's expression softened, returning to the heaviness of exhaustion.

"That's," she whispered. "Good to know."

She lifted the mug, which had slightly cooled while they spoke, to her lips. While holding it still, she chugged the hot chocolate down like an alcoholic shot. 

"I am going to bed."

She walked out of the kitchen, leaving Ren behind with her mug cleaned out.

He turned to his own cup, staring at its contents. 

He was glad that Sayaka was too tired to pry further.

Of course he still wouldn't have disclosed the fact that he can no longer sense about eighty percent of the Seraphs they had started with.

But the main issue was, he could sense the same demon out there—weakened, but in hiding. 

"I guess the stronger ones could close the zones too," he whispered. "Huh, Aira?"

"Seems so," she replied, hovering near. "It must have consumed a lot of strength to be able to do that so early."

A sigh escaped his lips.

"That's annoying."

His gaze turned toward Sayaka's empty cup. He just hoped he is strong enough in case he has to deal with whatever that demon is in the future. 

But for now, as he hears Sayaka close her door upstairs, he shifted his senses to her beating heart. 

A faint smile that he thought he had lost, etched the corners of his mouth. 

He brought his cup to his lips. The hot air returned his expression to a focused calm.

With a thought, he stretched his focus outward. His eyes narrowed. The amount of active zones he could sense across just Japan was staggering.

He still needed to get stronger.

For Sayaka, and himself.

And that was what he was going to do.

__________

Thanks for reading my entry for Twilight Frontiers.