[The End of Osamu Ashikaga]: Eternal Slavery

Safe within the confines of Moonglow castle, Osamu’s former friends and family knew all too well that they were lucky not to have access to the internet or television. Curiosity is concomitant with the human experience, but in the face of a horror such as the Dark Dawn, knowledge becomes poison to the soul. If there was ever any proof that most living people share a common humanity, a common empathy for their own kind, it was the Dark Dawn.

One could bat an eye at news headlines of innocent people killed in a terrorist attack. They might wince for a few meager seconds if a bunch of people in a faraway country flee their homes during a time of war, or if an earthquake flattens some city somewhere. Every disaster, every war, every crime against humanity all felt like faraway tragedies. Terribly sad, but also terribly distant. Dark Dawn was different.

The enormity and severity of the horror was almost unfathomable, even as it unfolded before humanity’s very eyes. Had Yoko or the others been able to see it happen for themselves, they would’ve understood just how deep-seated Osamu’s contempt and hatred for the world was. They would’ve realized it only took a few, short years for him to rationalize and settle upon his decision to wipe out nearly all human life on earth. To them, the thought of seeing the world from his perspective was a fate worse than death.

Dark Dawn neared completion. The towering, colossal skeletons stepped into the Atlantic Ocean off the western shores of Africa and Europe, leaving the ruins of both continents in their wake. Great, sprawling cities, age-old monuments, entire cultures and histories, were all left behind in a sea of crumbling rubble, cinder, and sulfur. Once living people were buried beneath the remains of their civilizations, their bodies pale, mangled, and broken beyond recognition.

Burnt out, steel frames of cars sat upon severed highways as people trying to flee the destruction suffered the same fate as everyone else in the world, their infrastructure unable to support the mass exodus of so many people. People’s personal artifacts, their watches, jewelry, family photos, all of them lied buried in the necropolis that was once their civilization. All that remained were the Americas, the last continents on earth with any significant human life left upon them.

Against all odds and challenges, Osamu prevailed as the victor in the Third Great Holy War. There were but a few, final tasks remaining. That night, Carmilla escorted Osamu down the stained glass halls of the castle. Two days after returning to Moonglow, he was ready to fulfill his last obligation to the vampires; conceive an heir with Hima.

Seven years after the standoff, he would be giving heart and blood to Hima, along with the power to control every sentient being on the planet. For Osamu, it felt like the Inari Standoff was finally coming to a real close. His long, arduous mission of destroying and reshaping the world could finally end. He could let go of his burdens, and the Shoku Twins could release theirs.

Now that the time to die had finally come, Osamu found himself counting every step he took, every heartbeat thumping in his chest. Every passing second was more precious than the last, for unlike the other times he nearly lost his life, this death would be permanent. There was no coming back, no apologizing. Osamu walked a path of blood and sulfur and founded a new nation on the bones of humanity itself. There was no choice but to see this path through to the end. He figured, whether he regretted all that he had done during the Third Great Holy War or not, the finality of this night would’ve rattled him either way.

What lied beyond Death’s raven veil? What lied beyond consciousness itself? The answer was something not of this world, something that was impervious to human rationalization. Despite all of that, he pressed on and continued following in Carmilla’s footsteps. She looked back at him with sunken brows and a worried expression.

“Osamu? Are you sure you’re ready for this? We’re not really in a rush. We can postpone this a bit longer if you want.”

Osamu shook his head, his face devoid of color or light. “No, it’s okay. I’ve done everything I was supposed to. There’s no reason to keep living.”

“I’ll never be able to repay you for all you’ve done, Osamu. All I can do is promise that Minavere will survive through the ages.”

“Carmilla…can I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“To Johan, the real Johan Sommers, I mean, Dracula’s legacy was a curse. Humanity resented and feared vampires because of his exploits. Even hundreds of years after the fall of the Old Kingdom, vampires that had nothing to do with the Second Great Holy War were brutalized and subjugated by humanity. Johan said it was Dracula’s fault that being born as a vampire in this world was akin to living a life of guaranteed misery. Did you ever feel the same way?”

Carmilla stopped in her tracks, her head slightly bowed. Staring at her back, Osamu couldn’t see what expression she was making, but he felt an aura of sorrow and guilt rise from her like a contagious miasma.

“I have.” Carmilla said. “Many are to blame for the Old Kingdom’s fall, but our treatment at the hands of humanity was a direct consequence of Dracula’s transgressions towards them. I saw it coming, even in his final days. I knew humanity’s reprisal would be nothing short of brutal. I blamed him then, perhaps more than any other moment. He was a great man. He had the power to change the world into whatever he wanted it to be, but his ambitions were far too grand. Dracula’s legacy cast a dark pall over our race. When mankind looked at us, all they saw was him. And yet…in the end, I was still loyal to him. I did as he asked and looked after Hima.”

“But…why?” Osamu asked, his eyes softened and glistening with tears.

Carmilla turned to face him, a pathetic, half smile on her face. “I don’t think any of us are equipped to explain how love and loyalty work. It’s a powerful and incomprehensible force. Dracula was an overzealous king who went about with all the vanity and aplomb of Adonis himself. But…he was my closest friend. In the end, no matter what friends go through together, the love they once shared has to mean something, right?”

Osamu nodded his head, dragging the sleeve of his black thermal across his eyes. “Yeah…”

Osamu didn’t say anything more and Carmilla decided against asking him what brought on the question. Instead, they kept walking together with a respectful, all-knowing silence between them. During they walk through Moonglow’s snaking halls and corridors, Osamu noticed Carmilla had taken him on the long way to Hima’s room rather than the shortest route. He didn’t ask why. He didn’t need to. His pained expression brightened with a slight smile upon noticing, and the words, ‘thank you’, wanted to leave his lips. Osamu tucked his lips in, for there was no need to say anything at all. Not a single word. The peaceful silence between them said everything.

Before Osamu knew it, their long walk reached its end. He stood before the black, double door of Hima bedchamber, his queen and co-conspirator awaiting him on the other side.

“Well, this is your stop.” Carmilla said.

“Carmilla?” Osamu said, a smile blossoming on his face. “Thank you.”

Carmilla put her hand on her hip and chuckled softly, her cheeks reddening like roses on her face. “Please, I should be the one thanking you.”

Osamu opened his arms, inviting Carmilla in for a hug. She gladly obliged and wrapped his arms around him, her eyes closed in momentary bliss.

“Goodbye.” Osamu whispered.

Carmilla’s smile broke into a frown, and that frown nearly gave way to tears. “Goodbye, my friend.”

As they pulled away, Carmilla composed herself and worked up another smile before bowing her head and departing down the hall, leaving Osamu to complete his final task. Feeling the weight of the world press down on his mortal shoulders, Osamu put his hand against the door, hesitating to open it. He took a several deep breaths as the blood in his veins turned into ice. His heartbeat raced and thumped in his chest like a horse’s gallop.

“We’re almost done, Inari.” Osamu said. “Soon, it’ll all be over.”

Osamu pushed open the double door to Hima’s bedchamber, the perfume of rosewater and cinnamon swirling around his nose. He closed the door behind him and stood with his mouth agape. The curtains were drawn, but the darkness was broken by the dozens of candles on the floor around Hima’s bed, as well as the Christmas lights coiled around the legs and canopy posts. The bed’s sheer, pink canopy acted as a veil through which Osamu could just barely see Hima through.

“Welcome, Osamu.” Hima said, crawling across the bed to open up the canopy. She poked her head out to greet Osamu, her unbound, raven hair folded behind her hears and her bright, red eyes beaming into his.

Hima’s bed was the size of two king-sized beds in one. It looked massive enough for all of Osamu’s friends and family to sleep on it together, let alone just the two of them. Hima parted open the canopy, revealing her fishnet stockings and black garter around her left leg.

“I’ve been waiting. Are you ready to do this?” Hima asked, her long hair concealing her bare breasts.

Osamu’s hands balled into fists. His lack of response began to worry Hima, much more so when he lowered his head and gritted his teeth.

“Osamu?”

His plan always had three steps to it. Destroy the world, found the nation of Minavere, and finally, enslave the remnants of mankind. He had kept the details of the third step a secret from all but the Shoku Twins. Hima’s brows sank in confusion. For a moment, she thought Osamu was suddenly having second thoughts about producing an heir. The warm, enticing atmosphere was sapped out of the room as Osamu raised his head and unfurled his hands, his eyes darkened by the shade of his own malice. The enslavement of humanity would take place not in the outside world, but in Hima’s own bedchamber.

“You will abide by this vow for the rest of your days.” Osamu said, noticing a small twitch in Hima’s eye and right hand. “No matter what, you will abstain from war. You will command your people, your subjects, your government, and the remnants of humanity to take the same vow. Every living, sentient being on this planet must be made to renounce war. That includes the child we conceive here tonight, as well as every future descendant of our dynasty.”

Forced to obey, Hima bowed her head and placed her hand over her heart. “As you wish, Osamu. I will do my best to eliminate war from this world, until its very concept is but a memory.”

All that was left was conceive the child with Hima and surrender his heart and blood to her. If Hima were to carry out Osamu’s wish while she possessed his heart and blood, she would unknowingly use Bloodcraft to bind all the world to the vow. Osamu would enslave all the world from the grave, fulfilling his mission.

“Thank you…and I’m sorry.” Osamu said, unbuttoning his white shirt.

(With this…it’s done. In following my vow, Hima will shackle the rest of the world with it. I did it. I actually did it…)

Hima grabbed Osamu’s wrist, gently pulling him past the canopy and onto the bed with her. Hima’s physical beauty was enough to make Aphrodite jealous and resentful. Her milky skin glowed like the winter moon and her scarlet eyes dug right into Osamu’s soul. She was immensely powerful in battle, strong enough to fight off entire armies of exorcists and military operatives. And yet, in bed, she was as gentle a silk moth.

A slight push of her hand against Osamu’s chest signaled him to lie down, letting Hima sit on top of him. She planted soft kisses on his neck and took in a deep whiff of Inari’s aromatic blood coursing through Osamu’s veins. Her hand combed through Osamu’s wavy lion’s mane of hair as Osamu’s hand traveled down her back and fit itself along the curvature of her waist, his touch making her hips rotate in yearning.

“You know…” Hima began, “You won’t truly die. The heir we produce will inherit your will, your very soul. Your legacy will shine bright for the rest of time.”

“I can’t say that really brings me any comfort.” Osamu said. “I just want this world to remain peaceful forever. Knowing I can leave it all to you makes this easier.

“I won’t let you down, my king.” Hima said. “Do you have any last wishes?”

Osamu’s gaze traveled far beyond the room, breaking through the ceiling and even past the Welsh sky. He lied in Hima’s bed, but for a moment, he was somewhere else entirely. “I would love…to go home one last time. Kyoto, I mean. To my neighborhood. I instructed the horde to leave it untouched. I was born there. I used to take walks around the neighborhood quite often, and there was this abandoned bowling alley they never tore down. It’s beautiful on the inside. If I could…I’d like to go back there once more.”

“I think I can actually help you with that.” Hima said.

Osamu’s eyes lit up in surprise. “What? How? You’re about to take my heart and blood.”

“A bit of magic my father developed before the Second Great Holy War. It’s a sigil that acts as the bearer’s heart and postpones death. It’s timed and only lasts for a short while, but I can give it to you, if you’d like. Usually it only lasts for an hour, but with the eclipse amplifying lunar magic, I can give you two hours.”

“You can?”

Hima nodded with a smug smile on her face. “I’m Lord Dracula’s daughter and your queen. Don’t sound so surprised.”

“Thank you, Hima.” Osamu said with a peaceful grin.

“You gave us our home back. It’s only right we help you return to yours.”

Hima’s hand snaked across Osamu’s stomach and up to his chest, resting over his beating heart. Every thump against her hand filled her with joy, making her blood feel like fireworks in her veins. The candles and Christmas lights around the bed illuminated the other strands of her hair as she sat up and caressed Osamu’s cheek with her thumb. She leaned down and parted her lips to make way for his. They both closed their eyes and savored the long, warm kiss, their lips locked and tongues brushed against each other.

Goosebumps riddled Hima’s arms, the fine hairs on them sticking up. “We both fought the world and won. We battled the gods themselves and prevailed. Lucrezia, Inari, my father…they’re all smiling down on us. Osamu…you brave man…are you ready for the bite?”

Osamu closed his eyes, surrendering himself entirely to Hima. “Yeah. I’m ready for this. This is exactly how I’ve always been hoping to die. I didn’t want it to be meaningless. I wanted my death to help someone, but now I get to save the world and all the people yet to be born into it. My heart and blood are yours. Don’t spare a single drop, Hima.”

Osamu and Hima fell back onto the bed, rattling the Christmas lights coiled around the canopy posts. Hima opened her mouth and licked the left side of Osamu’s neck, marking the spot she wished to bit. Her eyes closed as she opened her mouth wider and set her fangs upon his skin. Her fangs sunk into his skin and pierced his flesh, drawing forth blood for her to feast upon.

Her face reddened like a setting sun and a soft moan escaped from her mouth. A trail of her saliva dripped down his next alongside two thin trails of his blood. The bite sent a shockwave of pain throughout Osamu’s body and stiffened the muscles in his neck as though they were made of lead. He gritted his teeth and swallowed the pain, holding onto Hima tightly as she sucked the first serving of Inari’s blood out of his body one gulp at a time.

(That’s right…another helping of Inari’s blood comes before conceiving the child. Inari was the goddess of many things, including rice, foxes, and fertility. It was Inari’s blessing that allowed Tomiko Hino to birth a healthy, baby boy, creating the conditions for the Onīn War to happen. Inari’s power will allow Hima to conceive our child after just one try, and just like it did for Tomiko…it will even allow one rendered infertile by a Mu-Onna’s curse to conceive.)

And so, humanity’s enslavement began in Hima’s bedchamber. Under Osamu’s lingering influence, she would be the one to bind all living beings to his vow of pacifism. Through her, Osamu would rule the world and the hearts of all mankind forever onward.