[The End of Osamu Ashikaga]: Breath of Life

The fate of the world, humanity, and all of vampire kind. No one ever expected that such a crucial issue would be decided in the small operating theater of a Yakutsk hospital. To save Osamu meant Minavere would save itself and doom the rest of the world. To save Johan meant it would save the world and doom itself. Manami had two nurses and two surgeons on her side while three surgeons, the Shoku Twins, Nastasia, and Hima all wanted Osamu to be revived.

Manami remained insistent that Johan be saved instead of Osamu, but her stubborn scowl turned into a pale, thousand-year stare the moment Omagatoki reappeared in the middle of the hospital room with her hand squeezed around Yoko’s neck. Manami’s erroneous supposition that she had nothing left to lose in the world was proven to be nothing but tough talk.

Everyone saw the light leave Manami’s eyes as she realized the Shoku Twins were willing to kill Yoko to ensure Dark Dawn’s success.

“You’re going to save Osamu!” Omagatoki screamed. “If you refuse, I’ll snap your daughter’s neck!”

Yoko screamed and tried to wiggle out of Omagatoki’s vice grip, but her resistance only made Omagatoki hang on tighter like quicksand sucking in a desperate animal.

“Mom!” Yoko wept, her tear-soaked eyes meeting her mother’s.

“If you hurt her…” Manami growled.

“You’ll what?” Omagatoki scoffed.

“I’ll turn into a Mu-Onna.” Manami said. “If that happens, Osamu doesn’t get saved. You won’t kill her. It’s just more empty threats”

“It’s not a guarantee you’ll turn.” Akatsuki said. “Yoko didn’t turn when she lost Chiya. And if you recall, Manami, we saved you from turning after Lucrezia was killed. We did the same for Taeko when she lost her baby. Stopping a Mu-Onna curse is child’s play for us, especially with the powers we have now.”

“Hear that, Manami?” Omagatoki growled, her razor-sharp glare cutting right through Manami’s austere facade. “I’ll kill your daughter right here, then I’ll stop the Mu-Onna curse. You’ll live the rest of your miserable life knowing you failed Yoko just as you failed Lucrezia! I’ll make you live through every second of the agony!”

Yoko’s tearful, bloodshot eyes drifted towards Osamu as he lied on the CT scanner tray, a bullet hole clearly visible on his forehead. It felt like it had been an eternity since she last saw his face. She remembered when the sight of him used to make her stomach feel like there were fireworks popping inside it, when they were just ordinary kids living ordinary lives.

She remembered his wide, dorky smile, how he’d always close doors so quietly. She remembered his sighs of frustration when he got mediocre grades on his report cards, how terrible he was at separating egg yolks from egg whites. Most of all, she remembered his undying desire to just help people. Osamu was a man ruled by kindness and altruism.

Was. Yoko couldn’t understand what or who he was anymore. Never did she think the boy she grew up with would ever commit such a heinous act of evil. Never did she think that she was in love with the man who would end the world.

Yoko could only close her eyes and weep for the memories long gone and the man that had become a monster. If she had her way, if she could make one final wish with her life, it would’ve been for Osamu to die there in that operating room. Not because she hated him, but because she loved him too much to see him continue down his path.

No matter what anyone in that room wanted, there remained a single, inescapable fact; Osamu was the only one capable of stopping or continuing Dark Dawn. Even if Manami successfully transferred Inari’s blood and heart to Johan, it would take time for him to be able to use it as Osamu did. Humanity didn’t have that kind of time to spare.

“Think carefully, Manami.” Hima said. “You spent all these years safeguarding Lucrezia’s ‘way out’, didn’t you? All of this…the founding of Minavere…the fall of Japan, the Shinto pantheon, and the whole world…this is what she wanted. As much as you might hate him, Osamu is the one who can carry out Lucrezia’s will.”

Hima gazed into the frightened eyes of the surgeons and nurses siding with Johan. They had to make a choice between altruism and self-preservation, the most revealing dichotomy of them all. It was plain to see in their grimaces and tears that they didn’t want to die in that hospital, but they also couldn’t fathom being accessories to global genocide.

Manami’s eyes filled with tears as they darted across the room. It quickly sank in that she was out of options, as even the threat of turning into a Mu-Onna was null and void with the Shoku Twins there to stop it. She wasn’t like Osamu. She couldn’t stomach the thought of losing Yoko like she lost Lucrezia. She couldn’t sacrifice her own daughter like Osamu did.

In that sense, Manami knew Hima was right. Not only did Osamu have the powers necessary to carry out his plan, but he was also the only person who possessed the strength of will to stain his hands with the blood of the world.

“Manami…” Taeko said, her voice broken and shaky. “There’s no other way.”

“Every second we waste is a piece of Osamu’s life!” Omagatoki shouted. “Johan can’t save this world. He can’t bring an end to war. Only Osamu can. What will you do, Manami?”

Manami turned away from the vampiric scowls and and dour expressions aimed at her. Her eyes and nose reddened as a lump lodged itself in her stinging throat. It took everything she had to keep her sobs buried in her chest and her tears trapped in her eyes.

It was though the earth’s gravity intensified a thousand times over. The burden of humanity’s fate, Minavere, Yoko’s life, and Lucrezia’s honor all weighed down on her shoulders. She looked upon Osamu’s unconscious body, her face red with anger. The mere sight of him filled her heart with a venomous rage and her mouth with bitter regret.

No one was in any position to get rid of Osamu and stop his plan. Even as he lay dying before them, everything was still going according to his design. They were all still playing by his rules and forced to come to the conclusions he wanted. That anger gave way to sorrow when Manami turned to face Yoko.

“Maybe I don’t have any say in this, but…” Yoko began, “I want him to live. I’m sorry, Mom.”

“Yoko, do you forgive him for all of this?” Manami asked. “Do you forgive what he did to Chiya, to the people of Kyoto and Fukuoka? To the world?”

“I don’t!” Yoko cried. “Who could ever forgive something so terrible? I want him stopped just as much as you do! I can’t support genocide! I don’t want a new life if it means everyone else has to lose theirs! But…it’s not as simple as killing him to end the genocide. If he dies now, no one can stop it.”

“It’s not like Osamu is going to stop it either!” Manami protested.

“Yes he will.” Akatsuki said. “Like Sis and I said before, we don’t plan to wipe out every single human on the planet. Osamu wanted to exterminate the overwhelming majority of mankind, but some people will be left alive. Osamu will stop the genocide before it’s entirely complete. Our plan doesn’t end with the destruction of modern civilization. There’s much more to it than that. Please…trust in him. Trust in his plan, as much as it will cost this world.”

Manami closed her eyes and took a minute to think. She loosened her fists and released a heavy sigh. The words she was about to say felt like vomit forcing itself up her throat. Nevertheless, she had no choice but to say them.

“Leave me with the surgeons and let Yoko go.” Manami said. “We’re going to save Osamu.”

“What?” one of the nurses gasped. “We’re saving this monster?”

The surgeon next to her gently laid his hand on her shoulder. “It doesn’t look like we have a choice. If what they’re saying is true, letting Osamu die means the extinction of mankind. But if he’s alive, he can stop it just before it gets to that point.”

“Our race…our nation needs Osamu alive.” Nastasia said. “He’s fighting like hell to create a world where vampiric existence isn’t a hell on earth. His plan will shift the balance of power in our nation’s favor for centuries to come. Humanity will heal from this in time, but it will no longer have the power to eradicate our people. No matter your feelings on the matter, we all need him if we’re to have a chance at survival. What right do you have to take that chance away from your own race?”

“Yoko will come with us until Osamu is saved.” Hima declared. “We won’t harm her unless you give us a reason, Manami.”

The hospital suddenly shook with a violent jolt, the lights in the room blinking on and off. Brief gasps and shrieks filled the room for a moment as everyone turned their heads upward towards the ceiling.

“What was that?” Yoko asked.

Nastasia reached for her radio at the exact moment she received a call from Carmilla.

“The Russians are pressing the attack!” Carmilla warned. “My units are coming up on the city from the northeast. We’ll swoop around and flank them while they’re engaging our troops!”

“Be careful out there, Carmilla.” Nastasia said, turning to Hima. “The Russians are making another advance on the city, and this time, we’ve got no barriers to protect us. There’s a North American coalition engaged with our forces on the northern coast as well.”

“A pincer attack…” Hima muttered. “We need to beat back the rest of the Russian forces so we don’t get surrounded by the world’s armies. Manami, how soon can you get Osamu back on his feet?”

“I don’t know.” Manami said. “I might need two hours at the least. We need to get that bullet out of his brain and heal the damaged tissue.”

“Well make it as fast as you can.” Hima demanded. “I’ll go deal with the Russians, but if they manage to gain a foothold in the city, this hospital is getting flattened with all of you in it. Akatsuki, Omagatoki, you come with me. I’m wounded, so I’ll need your help to fight. Taeko, you can take Yoko to the lounge and head back to the senate building. Anya will need your help defending the place. Nastasia, can you stay here and keep an eye on Manami?”

Nastasia bowed her head with a pleased smile. “Of course, Lord Hima.”

“It’s not over yet.” Hima said. “As long as Osamu lives, our race still has the slightest chance of winning back its freedom. We’ll not let this world bury us in this frozen wasteland. Let’s go!”

Omagatoki let go of Yoko as everyone dispersed to carry out their duties. Yoko legs gave out and she fell to her knees, her chest pulling inward and pushing outward rapidly as she struggled to catch her breath.

“You got lucky.” Omagatoki said. “Your mother made the right choice. I’m sorry I had to do that to you, Yoko.”

“Omagatoki…” Yoko cried. “Would you have really killed me just now?”

“Osamu wanted to avoid sacrificing his wives if at all possible, but we had already agreed that if we needed to, we would.” Omagatoki explained coldly. “I didn’t need to kill you, so I didn’t. Had Manami made this more difficult…it would’ve been a different story.”

Omagatoki and Akatsuki marched out of the operating theater with Hima, heading back outside to confront the remainder of Russia’s forces. Taeko grabbed Yoko by the arm and yanked her off the floor. Together, they walked out of the room and left Nastasia to watch over Manami and the surgeons. The door closed behind them as they walked deeper into the silence of the long hallway connecting the lounge to the operating theater.

Yoko plopped herself down on the sofa in the lounge, leaning her head back on the cushion and covering her eyes with her goosebump-riddled arm.

“Taeko…what in the world has been happening here?” Yoko asked. “Why was Osamu shot? Why is this place being invaded? Who was that blonde man?”

Taeko sighed as she leaned back against the wall opposite of Yoko. “There’s been a sort of revolution in Minavere, Yoko. When Osamu and Hima took their thrones, it sparked a nationalist revival amongst the vampires that conflicted with an established, anti-natalist section of the government and population. That blonde man you saw is named Johan. He was Osamu’s direct opposition.

“In the end, the people of Minavere are willing to sacrifice their good conscience to protect their right to exist. Only Osamu can help them, so they’re going to let Johan die. I see now why he made sure you’d be stranded at Moonglow Castle. He didn’t want you to be part of any of this.”

Taeko stood up straight, the bags underneath her eyes exposing her exhaustion for Yoko to see. “I need to go. Stay here, okay? It’s going to be a war zone outside.”

“Will Osamu really stop before humanity is completely destroyed? Or were they just saying that to get Manami to agree?” Yoko questioned.

“I don’t know. Osamu did tell me the same thing on the day he betrayed me. He said he would eradicate as many people as he could and enslave the rest. The both of us should know by now that it really doesn’t matter what Osamu says. The ball in his court. He can do whatever he wants with that power, and as long as Minavere is supporting him, we can’t do anything about it. Whatever happens next, Yoko, just know that you’re not to blame for it. I’m the one that helped create a monster out of your husband.”

“He’s not my husband anymore.” Yoko said, her eyes dead and glassy. “Osamu might as well just be dead now…because that man in there isn’t who I fell in love with.”

“…If only hate and love were so simple.”

Taeko turned away and walked down the hall, leaving Yoko by herself in the dimly lit and quiet lounge. At least there, she’d be insulated from the sounds of gunfire, the whistles of speeding rockets, and the distant engines of Russian IFV’s. The same couldn’t be said for the soldier’s defending against Russia’s second push into the city.

With no barrier to keep them out, Russia’s mechanized infantry advance brought them within city limits, exchanging small arms fire with the Eastern Military District and Minavere national guard. Russian IFV’s rushed into the outskirts and opened up their back doors to let the infantry disembark. The IFV’s positioned themselves sideways to give the infantry cover amidst the hail of small arms fire coming from the rooftops and windows of surrounding buildings.

In response, the IFV’s hammered Minavere’s fortified positions with their auto-cannons, the rounds piercing through the facades of buildings and exploding inside the interiors. On top of that, Russian mortar teams stayed behind the line of IFV’s and bombarded fortified buildings and machine gun nests from afar. The outskirts couldn’t be defended for much longer. Minavere’s troops would need to retreat further into the city where citizens remained sheltered.

As Minavere’s troops fell back, the IFV’s pushed forward to pursue them, but their advance came to a sudden stop when anti-tank mines hidden on the main streets blew apart more than a dozen of their vehicles. The explosions knocked the sound of the ears of the Russian troops, leaving only an incessant ringing. The IFV’s that were hit had their tires blown apart and their interiors turned into flaming, metal ovens. The escape hatches flung open and flaming troops immediately came falling out, screaming as they rolled on the debris-riddled streets.

The halt in their advance allowed for Carmilla’s T-90 tank units to swoop in from the southeast and flank the Russian mechanized infantry from the rear. Dozens and dozens of tanks sped down the southeast hills and fanned out in a 180-degree spread surrounding the rear of the city. A few tanks stopped in their tracks and fired on the enemy right away while the other tanks continued to ride past them and get into position.

Tank shells ripped right through the IFV’s like an arrow through flesh. Now the mechanized infantry had no means of escaping through the outskirts. Their only option was to advance forward past more anti-tank mines and into the second layer of fortifications in the city.

The lead T-90 was decorated with two Old Vampirical Monarchy flags mounted on top of the tank. Carmilla opened the machine gunner’s hatch and caught a breath of fresh, Yakut air, holding her radio up to her mouth.

“This is Carmilla! Sorry we took our sweet time getting here! It wasn’t easy moving all these tanks through the snow!”

Carmilla’s voice sent a wave of relief to the other vampirical lords and their troops. Smiles returned to their glum faces as they felt a spark of morale ignite in their chests.

“We’ve got their mechanized infantry sandwiched between tanks and mines!” Carmilla said. “We’ll finish them off! Can anyone handle their reinforcements behind us”

“Already on it!” Hima responded.

Hima’s colossal moonlight dragon appeared from the east end of the city and soared into the sky in all its alizarin crimson glory. It let out a vicious, renewed roar that threatened to crack the ice coating Siberia and soften the permafrost upon which Yakutsk was built. With the Shoku Twins inside the dragon with her, Hima rushed towards the mortar teams retreating from the city.

Omagatoki clasped her hands and channeled fire energy through the dragon’s maw, allowing Hima to fire off a molten-hot beam of heat that incinerated each and every man fleeing their mortar positions. In seconds, the troops were reduced to piles of ash and molten bone fragments. Hima continued onward towards the second wave of mechanized reinforcements, slamming the dragon’s body into the vehicles.

Instead of knocking them away, Hima brought the dragon’s weight down upon the IFV’s like a hammer, crushing everyone inside of them. Blood ran from the back doors and escape hatches of the IFV’s as though the vehicles were fruits leaking scarlet juices.

“All of you…” Hima growled as the Shoku Twins clasped their hands together. “Burn away!”

Hima’s dragon released one final scream, and with it, a massive fireball that lit up the entire eastern half of the sky. The explosion annihilated the retreating vehicles and immolated the troops inside them. With that, the Russian advance was stopped. All that remained of its armored units were the ones being picked off by Carmilla’s tanks.

“Finally…” Hima sighed, exhausted from the battle. “Carmilla, can you handle the rest of them?”

“Yeah!” Carmilla answered. “Leave them to me, Your Highness!”

“Thanks.” Hima chuckled. “All that’s left are the Russian tanks in the distance.”

“It might not be worth pursuing them.” Akatsuki said. “They’d be going in with no reinforcements or support units. Their invasion is as good as failed.”

“We couldn’t have done it without you girls.” Hima said. “That barrier saved us a lot of damage.”

“It’s not over yet. We’ve still got the North American coalition assaulting the northern coast.” Omagatoki said. “That said, we should rest first and let Carmilla deal with the rest of the Russian forces. We should work on healing your shoulder, Hima.”

“Yeah…” Hima sighed. “I appreciate that.”

The red aurora borealis continued to cast its red light of the land and illuminate the raven sky. Black towers of smoke surrounded the city of Yakutsk and some began to rise from its outskirts. While Carmilla mopped out the last of Russia’s armored forces, Hima’s moonlight dragon slowly faded into a shower of crimson stardust, gently placing her and the Shoku Twins on the cold blanket of snow covering the land.

For now, Minavere was saved, but in order to beat back the rest of the world, Minavere would need to save its king, Osamu Ashikaga.