mission report for moogle_tey (part 1 of 4)
Mission report for moogle_tey
Delivered by: zsilverdragon
Title: The Night’s Devil
Groups/Pairings: Kanjani8 Gen
Rating: R for violence, some mild swearing
Warnings: Some graphic violence, mild swearing
Summary: It is the year 2752 AD and the presence of demons in human society has become the norm. But when a string of mysterious murders occur in Osaka, the shaky peace between the two races begins to waver as dark secrets emerge.
Notes: I hope you enjoy this! :)
[Prologue]
It is the year 2752AD.
Or, as people now say, 328AA - After Awakening.
And the world has never been the same since…
Over three hundred years ago, an event known as The Awakening occurred after a group of scientist at Kyoto University discovered a new form of unlimited energy. Unfortunately, they underestimated the power of this newfound energy and it soon built up out of their control, resulting in an explosion of pure energy that wiped out the city of Kyoto and everything within a 30km radius.
However, the explosion was only the beginning of it all.
Soon, the human race world-wide found themselves terrorised by strange creatures resembling dragons, sprites, spectres and other nightmarish creatures. Buildings and towns were destroyed as humans tried to fight back, only to find that the weapons they had spent centuries perfecting were now useless. Eventually, people found themselves being driven back into their cities, where walls were quickly erected to afford protection against the hordes of demons. It was a brutal time as the human race grew powerless, the years dragging by as it became almost certain that their extinction was drawing near.
Fifty years passed before the human race was given a ray of hope. Changes had begun to occur amongst themselves and a portion of the human population began to develop abnormal abilities, allowing them control of the elements around them. It was soon found that this new power was effective in destroying the demons that had invaded their lands and would be the key in allowing the human race to regain their foothold in the world once more. It didn’t take them long to realise that this power was the same as the magic described in their legends. These people quickly banded together, forming what would become known as the Order of Light Walkers, which still exists to the present day as a militant organisation.
With the establishment of the Light Walkers, city defences became fortified and it seemed as if there may be a slight hope of surviving in these new times. Research into the force responsible for the ‘Awakening’ recommenced with the Light Walkers heading the initiative, leading to the development of new technologies and powers to fight the endless surge of demons. Yet humanity was never able to make a full stand against the demons and continued to hide behind walls that steadily increased in height.
A decade later, a new discovery was made. The demons they had believed to be nothing more than unintelligent monsters for so many years were beginning to contradict that belief. Of the few who dared to travel outside the cities, they returned to tell of demons that were peaceful and intelligent, seeking for an end to the war and to live alongside humans in peace. Many refused to believe this, under the impression that it was a trick of the demons to gain their trust in order to destroy them once and for all. But there were a few who were curious, and it was these people that set off to find the peaceful demons. The Light Walkers paid no heed to this information, believing that those who set out of the fortified cities without the power to defend themselves will never return.
Yet on the 17th of September 2504, a group of men in Japan returned from one of these explorations, bringing along with them a delegate of demons appearing in human form. The party was almost killed on sight just outside Tokyo’s walls; however, the Light Walkers were met with some of the strongest demons they had ever faced. Yet not one person or demon was killed that day. Deciding that it was pointless to fight against an enemy that won’t harm you, the Light Walkers and Japan’s government decided to meet with the demons. They found it surprising that these demons were far more intelligent than the ones they had encountered so far, and in some cases, exhibited a greater level of intelligence than humans. Negotiations were carried out between the two parties, over which the demons expressed their desire to become a part of human society, where their interest has always lain. They explained that there were many kinds of demons and that not all of them are violent. In order to gain the trust of the humans, they allowed them to study them, revealing information that formed the basis of the Light Walkers’ database on demons. However, there were many areas they refused to discuss leading to gaps in the data.
Similar delegates approached the other large cities in the world, eventually leading to the controversial ‘Human-Demon Relations Act’ which was signed by representatives in Japan on the 3rd of January 2511. The Act depicted the classes of demons, laws which demons wishing to integrate into human society must follow, and laws for the protection of demons who wish humans no harm. Many humans disagreed with allowing demons to live amongst them, not trusting that they will abide by the laws. A civil war nearly broke out in the cities, but was avoided with intervention from the Light Walkers emphasising the peaceful nature of these demons. Yet the strong hatred that had built up over nearly a century continued to simmer behind the apparent peace between the two races.
A horrible breach of the Act came to light in 2567, where an underground facility that served as a laboratory for a research group of Light Walkers was found to be carrying out illegal experiments on demons. Although they claimed to be experimenting on class 4 demons, demons which they were allowed to kill on sight, it was also found that they had experimented on non-violent class 3 and 2 demons. This called for a thorough investigation of the Light Walkers society, leading to a massive purging of violators who were also found to be experimenting with previously black-listed magicks. However, all this was not as horrifying as the discovery of experiments on humans infused with demon blood. By this time, half-human half-demon beings were present as a result of demon-human couplings, giving rise to the curiosity of what would happen if an ordinary human were infused with demon blood. The result was terrifying, leading to humans who became overtaken by the demon blood in their bodies, a problem not displayed in ordinary half-demons.
From this point onwards, the Light Walkers became strict in what activities were undertaken by their members, forbidding any experiments on demons, humans and black magicks alike. The Order reformed itself into a body for the maintenance of order between demons and humans, and as hunters of violent and threatening demons. The world settled into this kind of norm, apparently peaceful behind the high walls that protected the cities.
Or so they thought…
______
Demon Classification System as outlined in Section 4.1 of the Human-Demon Relations Act:
ClassDescription1These demons exhibit the same level of intelligence as humans, and in most cases even higher. Are able to take on human form infinitely. They are also the most strongest and feared of all demons.2Slightly below the class 1’s, demons in this class are mainly distinguished as demons that are yet to attain their highest power. Are able to take on human form for a minimum amount of time.3Demons that are unable to hold a human form, yet display a high level of intelligence.4Lowest form of demons unable to hold a human form, slaves to their instincts. Almost always dangerous.0This is a special class for half-demons which are usually the offspring of Class 1 or 2 demons with humans.
The Act also defines the following genus subsets as a sub-classification to the Classes listed above (as per Section 4.1.3):
o Parasitic - demons that require a human host (Class 3)
o Legendary - demons that resemble ancient myths (Class 0, 1 and 2)
o Animalistic - demons that resemble animals (all Classes)
o Inanimates - demons that resemble inanimate objects (Class 4)
o Humanoid - demons that resemble humans with some differences (Class 1 and 0)
______________________________
[Chapter 1]
Asahi Ward
Osaka, Japan
Subaru carefully wove his way around the puddles that pooled on the concrete sidewalk, their surface rippling from the steady downpour of rain. He pulled his coat tighter around himself to ward off the cold, having forgotten to bring his umbrella with him. Luckily, his coat was waterproof and managed to keep much of the rain off his clothes.
Subaru eventually reached his destination; a medium sized pub that was hidden away down in an alleyway at the edge of Asahi Ward, one of the three wards that made up the Demon Zone of Osaka. Only a small green sign by the doorway marked the existence of the pub, the words “The Golden Den” written in gold painted wood carved katakana letters. Two men stood by the door under cover from the rain, taking a smoke. They stopped talking as they saw Subaru approach, eying him suspiciously. A small smile touched the corner of Subaru’s lips as he saw them scan his appearance with hawk-like eyes that glowed yellow in the gloom.
‘They really don’t bother trying to conceal what they are this close to human territory, do they?’ thought Subaru once he reached the door.
“Urgh, another human,” said the taller of the two. Now that he was closer, Subaru could see that the men were very alike one another, their hair a chestnut brown and noses sharp like a bird’s beak. “And one that stinks like a Light Walker too.”
“Well, let’s just say I get along with demons a lot better than that lot,” said Subaru with a grin, before opening the door and walking in. He heard the man snort in disbelief as the door closed shut behind him.
The pub was a quaint little place that seemed like something you would find out in Ireland. Incandescent lamps hanging off the brick walls illuminated the venue and wooden bar tables dotted the room with accompanying high stools. There was a stage at the end of the room opposite the entry and a bar ran along the right side where varying types of liquor was displayed on the shelves behind. Up on the stage, a young man sat on a stool playing the acoustic guitar seated on his lap as he sang out a slow ballad in a gentle voice.
Subaru made his way over to the bar, taking a seat closest to the stage as he checked his watch. It was only several minutes after ten. ‘He must have started early…’
The bartender suddenly appeared before Subaru, a wolfish smile spread across a face framed by frizzy hair. “Subaru! It’s been a while since you’ve set foot in my pub. Do you want your usual?”
Subaru smiled back at the bartender. “You still remember my order, Maru?”
“Of course! A glass of daiginjo sake served in a frozen glass,” said Maru as he proceeded to prepare the drink. “So, what brings you back to Osaka this time? It can’t just be Yasu’s performance.”
A chuckle escaped Subaru as he turned back to watch Yasu up on stage begin a more upbeat, happier song. “Well, I can’t lie and say it isn’t one of the reasons why.” He then gazed over the other patrons, noticing a sizeable turn out. “It seems your little venture is doing well.”
“It is,” smiled Maru, passing the drink over to Subaru. “But I have two things to thank for that - the location and Yasu. Over the past year I’ve seen more humans venture into this bar thanks to Yasu’s popularity growing. And by being this close to the boundary, it means they aren’t as afraid to step into this place.” Maru rested his hands against the bench, turning to watch Yasu with a smile. “It’s amazing how he’s managed to gain a number of human fans, despite being a crow demon.”
‘If only the gap could be bridged further,’ Subaru was about to say, but he held it back as he took a sip of the ice cold sake. Instead, he said, “Well, at least the women here tonight are looking fine.”
Maru chuckled as he shook his head. “Always a one track mind, huh, Subaru?”
“A man’s got to have his vices!” replied Subaru, grinning. Another man walked up to the bar, signalling for Maru. “Anyway, you’d better get back to work,” he said, nodding in the direction of the other patron.
Maru gave him a mocking salute as he walked off. “Aye, aye, captain.” He then turned to his customers, once again smiling that wolfish smile of his.
Subaru always found it interesting how that, even in those that were half-demon and half-human, the traits of their demon selves were so noticeable when they stayed in their human form. Even Maru, who could easily pass as a human despite his half demon blood, showed features of his wolfish self in the way he smiled, his bushy hair and how his eyes would flash like a predator on a hunt when he found something interesting. And if you actually spoke with him you would notice that he tends to hear more and see better than a normal human, not to mention his speed and strength. Having spent a long time in the service of the Light Walkers had taught him how to notice these differences in those that carried demon blood.
A shudder threatened to travel down Subaru’s back as he thought about his time as a Light Walker. It was a memory he wanted to forget, but couldn’t. Instead, he forced himself to focus on the present and concentrate on Yasu’s song.
The traits of a crow demon were even more apparent on Yasu, a result of perhaps the fact that he was a full blooded demon. On his head he wore a circlet of gold, two large black crow feathers protruding from a large emerald embedded in the right side of the circlet. His wrists were covered in a variety of colourful bracelets, feather charms dangling downwards from them. The rings on his fingers glittered in the orange light of the pub, the gems twinkling brightly. Just like normal crows, Yasu loved colourful, glittery things. The only thing that set him apart from a normal crow was that he could sing.
Yasu came to the end of his song and as he paused to thank his listeners, he suddenly spotted Subaru. “Baru! You’re here!” He then rushed to take his guitar off before hopping down from the stage and making his way over to where Subaru was seated, throwing his arms around the man. “I haven’t seen you in ages!”
Subaru smiled uncomfortably as he noticed everyone staring at them. “It’s nice to see you too, Yasu. Now, can you let go of me before everyone else starts to think we’re oriented that way?” he whispered as he tired to pry Yasu’s tight grip off him.
Yasu eventually released Subaru, grinning happily. “Since when did you care about your image? Oh, never mind that! Come with me!” he said happily, taking Subaru’s arm and dragging him up to the stage.
“Yasu, what do you think you’re doing?” snapped Subaru.
Ignoring Subaru’s outburst, Yasu grabbed the microphone and said, “Hey everyone! I suppose you’re all wondering why in the world I have just dragged this person up on stage. Well! To be honest with you all, I look up to Subaru here like an older brother. And let me just tell you, he has one heck of a voice.”
Realising where this was heading, Subaru began shaking his head and trying to escape. “Oh, no you don’t! I am not going to sing! Yasu, if you force me to sing, I swear-!”
Yasu ignored Subaru, his grip on Subaru’s arm vice like. “Now, who wants to hear my bro’ sing?” he asked, a resounding cheer rising from the audience. He then turned to look at Subaru who was now glaring at him angrily. “No backing out of this now, big bro!” he snickered, passing the microphone into Subaru’s hand before turning around to pick up his guitar.
“You are going to pay for this, Yasu!” hissed Subaru as Yasu began playing, still grinning.
It was a familiar tune, one he remembered first hearing when he met the young crow demon over two years ago basking on the side of the road. The song had helped to shatter through the bleakest time of Subaru’s life. He couldn’t resist smiling as he began to sing. ‘Well, if it’s this song, I guess I don’t mind…’
~*
Dead Zone, Section 3-A
Kyoto
Ryo fidgeted with the gun in his hands, itching for a cigarette to calm his nerves. He knew he shouldn’t be as nervous as he was, it being a routine raid mission that he, as a private of the Light Walkers, was expected to complete flawlessly. But that didn’t take into account that this was his first time out in the Dead Zone, the stronghold of the hostile demons. Originally, he was thrilled to be assigned a post where the Awakening had occurred over three hundred years ago, to finally be at the heart of all the fighting that had carried on since. However, now that he was here, it wasn’t as glorious as he’d imagined.
Footsteps sounded behind the wall Ryo was leaning against and he tightened his grip on the gun. His orders were to clear the building of the insect demon’s nest, but after having lost sight of his fellow comrades in the ambush a few minutes ago, he was all on his own. Carefully, he began edging his way towards the corner, his gun levelled at chest height. As he reached the edge, he paused to steel himself before stepping around the corner where he came face to face with the barrel of a gun.
“Captain!” exclaimed Ryo in relief as he recognised their squad’s captain, Ohkura Tadayoshi, in the gloom. He lowered his gun as Ohkura lowered his. “And the others?”
“They were split up as well,” replied Ohkura, glancing around in the darkness through glasses that were spelled to see well in the dark. “Listen, we need to hurry and locate the others. I didn’t expect these demons to be as organised as they were, and if my hunch is right, they will now be hunting each of us down individually.”
“Yes, sir!” saluted Ryo before returning to keep an eye out.
Ohkura led the way through the ruins, occasionally glancing down at the green glowing map displayed on his wrist brace to orientate himself and Ryo. Small dots glowed on the map, indicating the position of their fellows who had survived the ambush. Thankfully, all twelve dots were still glowing green, indicating that they were alive.
Suddenly, Ohkura came to a halt just before a staircase leading up, signalling for Ryo to proceed silently and cautiously. Ryo glanced down at the brace on his arm and noticed two stationary dots were located just beyond the staircase. It was strange that they weren’t moving around like the other dots and as they neared their location, it became clearer as to why that was as sounds of conflict reached their ears. They quickened their pace, hurrying up the stairs where they found two of their comrades in the midst of combat against two large demons resembling humanoid preying mantises. Their huge compound eyes glittered red in the glow of the magic the two were using to fend off the demon’s attacks and both Ryo and Ohkura charged forward to join them.
The shower of bullets that followed Ohkura and Ryo’s appearance caught the two demons by surprise. They let out an ear piercing screech as they stumbled backwards before regaining their balance and attempting to charge at them once again. Both Ryo and Ohkura rolled out of the way as they came charging forward, moving to regroup with the other two Light Walkers.
“Nino! Nakamaru! Are you guys all right?” asked Ryo before firing off another round of bullets at the demons as they skidded to a halt.
Nino wiped the sweat from his brow, his chest heaving as he tried to recover from the exertion of the fight. “We could have taken them down even if you and the Captain hadn’t appeared,” he answered stubbornly, removing his katana from the scabbard, having thrown away his gun long ago when it ran out of ammo.
Nakamaru was busy fiddling with his gun, attempting to quickly replace the charge magazine. “Yeah, we were handling it just fine.”
The demons had by now turned back around to charge at them once more. Ohkura hung his gun back on his shoulder and began quickly drawing symbols in the air. “Guys! I will trap them in a barrier and when I do, quickly go in for the kill!”
“Yes, sir!” shouted the three, their attention now fully on the demons before them and any inclination to argue evaporated into the air.
Magical symbols floated in a circle before Ohkura as he traced them in the air in quick, precise motions. Finally, as the demons were about to reach them, he completed the eighth symbol and clapped his hands together which caused the circle of symbols to go flying forwards. The demons let out a high pitched screech as the magic hit and they became immobile, the symbols floating around them in a tight circle.
At this point, Nino dashed forward, leaping up to bring his katana directly down between the eyes of one of the demons, cleanly slicing through its head and right through to the middle of its chest. He then forced the blade out through its left side, splitting the creature into two pieces. Meanwhile, Ryo and Nakamaru attacked the second demon, Ryo also forfeiting his gun for a sword and driving it into the chest of the creature and pulling out sideways. Nakamaru pulled out a hunting knife and stabbed it into the demon’s eyes after jumping to reach them, a creamy coloured liquid oozing out as he punctured it. He continued to stab at the creature, making sure that it was completely dead before he finally stopped. The three of them stepped back when it was apparent that the demons were dead, watching as the symbols disappeared and the same cream coloured demon blood covering them now pooling on the ground.
Ohkura walked up to them, clasping a hand on Ryo and Nakamaru’s shoulder each. “Well done,” he said breathlessly. Creating such a large barrier in a short time had taxed some of his strength. “Now, let’s go find the others. We can still wipe out this nest if we regroup.” As Ryo and Nakamaru glanced at each other hesitantly, Ohkura added, “That is, if you’re still up to the task.”
Nino had walked off, searching for where he had thrown away his gun. He soon found it lying by the hole in the wall the two demons had charged through when they attacked. “Well, what are we waiting for?” he shouted as he picked up his gun, sounding somewhat irritated. “The sooner we get rid of these pests, the quicker we can head back. And the bigger the blow we deal them, the better.”
Ryo felt a small shiver travel down his back as he saw the excited look in Nino’s eyes. He knew that many of the Light Walkers, particularly those who patrolled near the Dead Zone and took part in raid missions such as these, received an adrenaline rush during confrontations with the hostile demons that roamed the area. They lived to kill these demons and enjoyed killing them, all in the name of survival of the human race. Briefly, Ryo wondered that if he spent enough time out here, would he become any different?
He was snapped out of his thoughts as he felt both Nakamaru and Ohkura rush forwards, continuing on with their mission. Ryo decided to throw all doubt to the wind. Even if he was still a rookie on his first mission in the Dead Zone, he still had a job to do and there were others depending on him. He jogged after the others and armed himself with his rifle once again, intent on doing his best to accomplish their team’s mission successfully.
~*
Shinsaibashi,
Chuo Ward
Osaka
It was 4am, and Hina stood at the edge of the barrier the police had erected around the scene of the crime, intermittently taking pictures as he jotted down notes from what he could overhear being discussed by the nearby officers. From their conversations, it seemed that this murder was similar to the two he had been reporting on over the past three weeks. The victim, a woman in her late twenties, had the same claw mark wounds all over her body. Her bones in her arms were crushed and blood drained from the body, supposedly from a large wound in the victim’s neck that looked as if something had bitten out a chunk of flesh.
Hina spotted the covered body being lifted on a stretcher and loaded into the back of a van. He paused from his note taking to take several more shots of the body before a hand suddenly blocked the lens. Lowering the camera, Hina saw that the hand belonged to an elderly policeman.
“No more pictures. Show some respect for the dead,” said the officer, an annoyed look on his face.
Hina raised an eyebrow at the officer, deciding to put away his camera. “Fine. I’ve already taken enough pictures anyway. Besides, this is my way of showing respect to the victim - by letting the world know what they suffered.”
The officer huffed at Hina’s remark before clicking his tongue. “Stupid reporters,” he muttered under his breath.
All Hina replied with was a sarcastic smile before he moved off. He was so used to this kind of treatment from the police officers that it didn’t bother him anymore. But what was troubling him was that this was the third murder of its kind and the evidence pointed to it being the work of a demon. Usually, in cases like these, it was easy enough to track down the culprit which typically turned out to be a hostile Class 3 or 4 demon gone out of control. Yet this time, the police were clueless. It was definitely worrying.
A man wearing a white coat standing at the corner of a side street caught Hina’s attention and he vaguely remembered seeing the same man at the last two crime scenes. To see him again at the third scene seemed suspicious and it piqued his interest. As Hina was about to approach him, the man turned to glance at Hina and his lips curled up in a small smirk. Then quickly, he turned back down the side street. Hina jogged after the man but as he reached the street, the guy was no longer in sight.
“What the…?” muttered Hina as he frowned. He walked partially down the street, glancing at any alcove the man could hide in and finding nothing. It was impossible for an ordinary human to disappear that fast. So that only left two options; he was either a Light Walker or a demon in human form.
With a sigh, Hina turned back around and proceeded to where he had parked his motorbike. He had a long article to write when he got back to the office and it was too early in the morning to work out mysteries. If another of these murders were unfortunately to occur, he’d be sure to keep an eye out for that mysterious man. His intuition told him that the man knew something and Hina was determined to figure out just what.
Part 2.
Delivered by: zsilverdragon
Title: The Night’s Devil
Groups/Pairings: Kanjani8 Gen
Rating: R for violence, some mild swearing
Warnings: Some graphic violence, mild swearing
Summary: It is the year 2752 AD and the presence of demons in human society has become the norm. But when a string of mysterious murders occur in Osaka, the shaky peace between the two races begins to waver as dark secrets emerge.
Notes: I hope you enjoy this! :)
[Prologue]
It is the year 2752AD.
Or, as people now say, 328AA - After Awakening.
And the world has never been the same since…
Over three hundred years ago, an event known as The Awakening occurred after a group of scientist at Kyoto University discovered a new form of unlimited energy. Unfortunately, they underestimated the power of this newfound energy and it soon built up out of their control, resulting in an explosion of pure energy that wiped out the city of Kyoto and everything within a 30km radius.
However, the explosion was only the beginning of it all.
Soon, the human race world-wide found themselves terrorised by strange creatures resembling dragons, sprites, spectres and other nightmarish creatures. Buildings and towns were destroyed as humans tried to fight back, only to find that the weapons they had spent centuries perfecting were now useless. Eventually, people found themselves being driven back into their cities, where walls were quickly erected to afford protection against the hordes of demons. It was a brutal time as the human race grew powerless, the years dragging by as it became almost certain that their extinction was drawing near.
Fifty years passed before the human race was given a ray of hope. Changes had begun to occur amongst themselves and a portion of the human population began to develop abnormal abilities, allowing them control of the elements around them. It was soon found that this new power was effective in destroying the demons that had invaded their lands and would be the key in allowing the human race to regain their foothold in the world once more. It didn’t take them long to realise that this power was the same as the magic described in their legends. These people quickly banded together, forming what would become known as the Order of Light Walkers, which still exists to the present day as a militant organisation.
With the establishment of the Light Walkers, city defences became fortified and it seemed as if there may be a slight hope of surviving in these new times. Research into the force responsible for the ‘Awakening’ recommenced with the Light Walkers heading the initiative, leading to the development of new technologies and powers to fight the endless surge of demons. Yet humanity was never able to make a full stand against the demons and continued to hide behind walls that steadily increased in height.
A decade later, a new discovery was made. The demons they had believed to be nothing more than unintelligent monsters for so many years were beginning to contradict that belief. Of the few who dared to travel outside the cities, they returned to tell of demons that were peaceful and intelligent, seeking for an end to the war and to live alongside humans in peace. Many refused to believe this, under the impression that it was a trick of the demons to gain their trust in order to destroy them once and for all. But there were a few who were curious, and it was these people that set off to find the peaceful demons. The Light Walkers paid no heed to this information, believing that those who set out of the fortified cities without the power to defend themselves will never return.
Yet on the 17th of September 2504, a group of men in Japan returned from one of these explorations, bringing along with them a delegate of demons appearing in human form. The party was almost killed on sight just outside Tokyo’s walls; however, the Light Walkers were met with some of the strongest demons they had ever faced. Yet not one person or demon was killed that day. Deciding that it was pointless to fight against an enemy that won’t harm you, the Light Walkers and Japan’s government decided to meet with the demons. They found it surprising that these demons were far more intelligent than the ones they had encountered so far, and in some cases, exhibited a greater level of intelligence than humans. Negotiations were carried out between the two parties, over which the demons expressed their desire to become a part of human society, where their interest has always lain. They explained that there were many kinds of demons and that not all of them are violent. In order to gain the trust of the humans, they allowed them to study them, revealing information that formed the basis of the Light Walkers’ database on demons. However, there were many areas they refused to discuss leading to gaps in the data.
Similar delegates approached the other large cities in the world, eventually leading to the controversial ‘Human-Demon Relations Act’ which was signed by representatives in Japan on the 3rd of January 2511. The Act depicted the classes of demons, laws which demons wishing to integrate into human society must follow, and laws for the protection of demons who wish humans no harm. Many humans disagreed with allowing demons to live amongst them, not trusting that they will abide by the laws. A civil war nearly broke out in the cities, but was avoided with intervention from the Light Walkers emphasising the peaceful nature of these demons. Yet the strong hatred that had built up over nearly a century continued to simmer behind the apparent peace between the two races.
A horrible breach of the Act came to light in 2567, where an underground facility that served as a laboratory for a research group of Light Walkers was found to be carrying out illegal experiments on demons. Although they claimed to be experimenting on class 4 demons, demons which they were allowed to kill on sight, it was also found that they had experimented on non-violent class 3 and 2 demons. This called for a thorough investigation of the Light Walkers society, leading to a massive purging of violators who were also found to be experimenting with previously black-listed magicks. However, all this was not as horrifying as the discovery of experiments on humans infused with demon blood. By this time, half-human half-demon beings were present as a result of demon-human couplings, giving rise to the curiosity of what would happen if an ordinary human were infused with demon blood. The result was terrifying, leading to humans who became overtaken by the demon blood in their bodies, a problem not displayed in ordinary half-demons.
From this point onwards, the Light Walkers became strict in what activities were undertaken by their members, forbidding any experiments on demons, humans and black magicks alike. The Order reformed itself into a body for the maintenance of order between demons and humans, and as hunters of violent and threatening demons. The world settled into this kind of norm, apparently peaceful behind the high walls that protected the cities.
Or so they thought…
______
Demon Classification System as outlined in Section 4.1 of the Human-Demon Relations Act:
ClassDescription1These demons exhibit the same level of intelligence as humans, and in most cases even higher. Are able to take on human form infinitely. They are also the most strongest and feared of all demons.2Slightly below the class 1’s, demons in this class are mainly distinguished as demons that are yet to attain their highest power. Are able to take on human form for a minimum amount of time.3Demons that are unable to hold a human form, yet display a high level of intelligence.4Lowest form of demons unable to hold a human form, slaves to their instincts. Almost always dangerous.0This is a special class for half-demons which are usually the offspring of Class 1 or 2 demons with humans.
The Act also defines the following genus subsets as a sub-classification to the Classes listed above (as per Section 4.1.3):
o Parasitic - demons that require a human host (Class 3)
o Legendary - demons that resemble ancient myths (Class 0, 1 and 2)
o Animalistic - demons that resemble animals (all Classes)
o Inanimates - demons that resemble inanimate objects (Class 4)
o Humanoid - demons that resemble humans with some differences (Class 1 and 0)
______________________________
[Chapter 1]
Asahi Ward
Osaka, Japan
Subaru carefully wove his way around the puddles that pooled on the concrete sidewalk, their surface rippling from the steady downpour of rain. He pulled his coat tighter around himself to ward off the cold, having forgotten to bring his umbrella with him. Luckily, his coat was waterproof and managed to keep much of the rain off his clothes.
Subaru eventually reached his destination; a medium sized pub that was hidden away down in an alleyway at the edge of Asahi Ward, one of the three wards that made up the Demon Zone of Osaka. Only a small green sign by the doorway marked the existence of the pub, the words “The Golden Den” written in gold painted wood carved katakana letters. Two men stood by the door under cover from the rain, taking a smoke. They stopped talking as they saw Subaru approach, eying him suspiciously. A small smile touched the corner of Subaru’s lips as he saw them scan his appearance with hawk-like eyes that glowed yellow in the gloom.
‘They really don’t bother trying to conceal what they are this close to human territory, do they?’ thought Subaru once he reached the door.
“Urgh, another human,” said the taller of the two. Now that he was closer, Subaru could see that the men were very alike one another, their hair a chestnut brown and noses sharp like a bird’s beak. “And one that stinks like a Light Walker too.”
“Well, let’s just say I get along with demons a lot better than that lot,” said Subaru with a grin, before opening the door and walking in. He heard the man snort in disbelief as the door closed shut behind him.
The pub was a quaint little place that seemed like something you would find out in Ireland. Incandescent lamps hanging off the brick walls illuminated the venue and wooden bar tables dotted the room with accompanying high stools. There was a stage at the end of the room opposite the entry and a bar ran along the right side where varying types of liquor was displayed on the shelves behind. Up on the stage, a young man sat on a stool playing the acoustic guitar seated on his lap as he sang out a slow ballad in a gentle voice.
Subaru made his way over to the bar, taking a seat closest to the stage as he checked his watch. It was only several minutes after ten. ‘He must have started early…’
The bartender suddenly appeared before Subaru, a wolfish smile spread across a face framed by frizzy hair. “Subaru! It’s been a while since you’ve set foot in my pub. Do you want your usual?”
Subaru smiled back at the bartender. “You still remember my order, Maru?”
“Of course! A glass of daiginjo sake served in a frozen glass,” said Maru as he proceeded to prepare the drink. “So, what brings you back to Osaka this time? It can’t just be Yasu’s performance.”
A chuckle escaped Subaru as he turned back to watch Yasu up on stage begin a more upbeat, happier song. “Well, I can’t lie and say it isn’t one of the reasons why.” He then gazed over the other patrons, noticing a sizeable turn out. “It seems your little venture is doing well.”
“It is,” smiled Maru, passing the drink over to Subaru. “But I have two things to thank for that - the location and Yasu. Over the past year I’ve seen more humans venture into this bar thanks to Yasu’s popularity growing. And by being this close to the boundary, it means they aren’t as afraid to step into this place.” Maru rested his hands against the bench, turning to watch Yasu with a smile. “It’s amazing how he’s managed to gain a number of human fans, despite being a crow demon.”
‘If only the gap could be bridged further,’ Subaru was about to say, but he held it back as he took a sip of the ice cold sake. Instead, he said, “Well, at least the women here tonight are looking fine.”
Maru chuckled as he shook his head. “Always a one track mind, huh, Subaru?”
“A man’s got to have his vices!” replied Subaru, grinning. Another man walked up to the bar, signalling for Maru. “Anyway, you’d better get back to work,” he said, nodding in the direction of the other patron.
Maru gave him a mocking salute as he walked off. “Aye, aye, captain.” He then turned to his customers, once again smiling that wolfish smile of his.
Subaru always found it interesting how that, even in those that were half-demon and half-human, the traits of their demon selves were so noticeable when they stayed in their human form. Even Maru, who could easily pass as a human despite his half demon blood, showed features of his wolfish self in the way he smiled, his bushy hair and how his eyes would flash like a predator on a hunt when he found something interesting. And if you actually spoke with him you would notice that he tends to hear more and see better than a normal human, not to mention his speed and strength. Having spent a long time in the service of the Light Walkers had taught him how to notice these differences in those that carried demon blood.
A shudder threatened to travel down Subaru’s back as he thought about his time as a Light Walker. It was a memory he wanted to forget, but couldn’t. Instead, he forced himself to focus on the present and concentrate on Yasu’s song.
The traits of a crow demon were even more apparent on Yasu, a result of perhaps the fact that he was a full blooded demon. On his head he wore a circlet of gold, two large black crow feathers protruding from a large emerald embedded in the right side of the circlet. His wrists were covered in a variety of colourful bracelets, feather charms dangling downwards from them. The rings on his fingers glittered in the orange light of the pub, the gems twinkling brightly. Just like normal crows, Yasu loved colourful, glittery things. The only thing that set him apart from a normal crow was that he could sing.
Yasu came to the end of his song and as he paused to thank his listeners, he suddenly spotted Subaru. “Baru! You’re here!” He then rushed to take his guitar off before hopping down from the stage and making his way over to where Subaru was seated, throwing his arms around the man. “I haven’t seen you in ages!”
Subaru smiled uncomfortably as he noticed everyone staring at them. “It’s nice to see you too, Yasu. Now, can you let go of me before everyone else starts to think we’re oriented that way?” he whispered as he tired to pry Yasu’s tight grip off him.
Yasu eventually released Subaru, grinning happily. “Since when did you care about your image? Oh, never mind that! Come with me!” he said happily, taking Subaru’s arm and dragging him up to the stage.
“Yasu, what do you think you’re doing?” snapped Subaru.
Ignoring Subaru’s outburst, Yasu grabbed the microphone and said, “Hey everyone! I suppose you’re all wondering why in the world I have just dragged this person up on stage. Well! To be honest with you all, I look up to Subaru here like an older brother. And let me just tell you, he has one heck of a voice.”
Realising where this was heading, Subaru began shaking his head and trying to escape. “Oh, no you don’t! I am not going to sing! Yasu, if you force me to sing, I swear-!”
Yasu ignored Subaru, his grip on Subaru’s arm vice like. “Now, who wants to hear my bro’ sing?” he asked, a resounding cheer rising from the audience. He then turned to look at Subaru who was now glaring at him angrily. “No backing out of this now, big bro!” he snickered, passing the microphone into Subaru’s hand before turning around to pick up his guitar.
“You are going to pay for this, Yasu!” hissed Subaru as Yasu began playing, still grinning.
It was a familiar tune, one he remembered first hearing when he met the young crow demon over two years ago basking on the side of the road. The song had helped to shatter through the bleakest time of Subaru’s life. He couldn’t resist smiling as he began to sing. ‘Well, if it’s this song, I guess I don’t mind…’
~*
Dead Zone, Section 3-A
Kyoto
Ryo fidgeted with the gun in his hands, itching for a cigarette to calm his nerves. He knew he shouldn’t be as nervous as he was, it being a routine raid mission that he, as a private of the Light Walkers, was expected to complete flawlessly. But that didn’t take into account that this was his first time out in the Dead Zone, the stronghold of the hostile demons. Originally, he was thrilled to be assigned a post where the Awakening had occurred over three hundred years ago, to finally be at the heart of all the fighting that had carried on since. However, now that he was here, it wasn’t as glorious as he’d imagined.
Footsteps sounded behind the wall Ryo was leaning against and he tightened his grip on the gun. His orders were to clear the building of the insect demon’s nest, but after having lost sight of his fellow comrades in the ambush a few minutes ago, he was all on his own. Carefully, he began edging his way towards the corner, his gun levelled at chest height. As he reached the edge, he paused to steel himself before stepping around the corner where he came face to face with the barrel of a gun.
“Captain!” exclaimed Ryo in relief as he recognised their squad’s captain, Ohkura Tadayoshi, in the gloom. He lowered his gun as Ohkura lowered his. “And the others?”
“They were split up as well,” replied Ohkura, glancing around in the darkness through glasses that were spelled to see well in the dark. “Listen, we need to hurry and locate the others. I didn’t expect these demons to be as organised as they were, and if my hunch is right, they will now be hunting each of us down individually.”
“Yes, sir!” saluted Ryo before returning to keep an eye out.
Ohkura led the way through the ruins, occasionally glancing down at the green glowing map displayed on his wrist brace to orientate himself and Ryo. Small dots glowed on the map, indicating the position of their fellows who had survived the ambush. Thankfully, all twelve dots were still glowing green, indicating that they were alive.
Suddenly, Ohkura came to a halt just before a staircase leading up, signalling for Ryo to proceed silently and cautiously. Ryo glanced down at the brace on his arm and noticed two stationary dots were located just beyond the staircase. It was strange that they weren’t moving around like the other dots and as they neared their location, it became clearer as to why that was as sounds of conflict reached their ears. They quickened their pace, hurrying up the stairs where they found two of their comrades in the midst of combat against two large demons resembling humanoid preying mantises. Their huge compound eyes glittered red in the glow of the magic the two were using to fend off the demon’s attacks and both Ryo and Ohkura charged forward to join them.
The shower of bullets that followed Ohkura and Ryo’s appearance caught the two demons by surprise. They let out an ear piercing screech as they stumbled backwards before regaining their balance and attempting to charge at them once again. Both Ryo and Ohkura rolled out of the way as they came charging forward, moving to regroup with the other two Light Walkers.
“Nino! Nakamaru! Are you guys all right?” asked Ryo before firing off another round of bullets at the demons as they skidded to a halt.
Nino wiped the sweat from his brow, his chest heaving as he tried to recover from the exertion of the fight. “We could have taken them down even if you and the Captain hadn’t appeared,” he answered stubbornly, removing his katana from the scabbard, having thrown away his gun long ago when it ran out of ammo.
Nakamaru was busy fiddling with his gun, attempting to quickly replace the charge magazine. “Yeah, we were handling it just fine.”
The demons had by now turned back around to charge at them once more. Ohkura hung his gun back on his shoulder and began quickly drawing symbols in the air. “Guys! I will trap them in a barrier and when I do, quickly go in for the kill!”
“Yes, sir!” shouted the three, their attention now fully on the demons before them and any inclination to argue evaporated into the air.
Magical symbols floated in a circle before Ohkura as he traced them in the air in quick, precise motions. Finally, as the demons were about to reach them, he completed the eighth symbol and clapped his hands together which caused the circle of symbols to go flying forwards. The demons let out a high pitched screech as the magic hit and they became immobile, the symbols floating around them in a tight circle.
At this point, Nino dashed forward, leaping up to bring his katana directly down between the eyes of one of the demons, cleanly slicing through its head and right through to the middle of its chest. He then forced the blade out through its left side, splitting the creature into two pieces. Meanwhile, Ryo and Nakamaru attacked the second demon, Ryo also forfeiting his gun for a sword and driving it into the chest of the creature and pulling out sideways. Nakamaru pulled out a hunting knife and stabbed it into the demon’s eyes after jumping to reach them, a creamy coloured liquid oozing out as he punctured it. He continued to stab at the creature, making sure that it was completely dead before he finally stopped. The three of them stepped back when it was apparent that the demons were dead, watching as the symbols disappeared and the same cream coloured demon blood covering them now pooling on the ground.
Ohkura walked up to them, clasping a hand on Ryo and Nakamaru’s shoulder each. “Well done,” he said breathlessly. Creating such a large barrier in a short time had taxed some of his strength. “Now, let’s go find the others. We can still wipe out this nest if we regroup.” As Ryo and Nakamaru glanced at each other hesitantly, Ohkura added, “That is, if you’re still up to the task.”
Nino had walked off, searching for where he had thrown away his gun. He soon found it lying by the hole in the wall the two demons had charged through when they attacked. “Well, what are we waiting for?” he shouted as he picked up his gun, sounding somewhat irritated. “The sooner we get rid of these pests, the quicker we can head back. And the bigger the blow we deal them, the better.”
Ryo felt a small shiver travel down his back as he saw the excited look in Nino’s eyes. He knew that many of the Light Walkers, particularly those who patrolled near the Dead Zone and took part in raid missions such as these, received an adrenaline rush during confrontations with the hostile demons that roamed the area. They lived to kill these demons and enjoyed killing them, all in the name of survival of the human race. Briefly, Ryo wondered that if he spent enough time out here, would he become any different?
He was snapped out of his thoughts as he felt both Nakamaru and Ohkura rush forwards, continuing on with their mission. Ryo decided to throw all doubt to the wind. Even if he was still a rookie on his first mission in the Dead Zone, he still had a job to do and there were others depending on him. He jogged after the others and armed himself with his rifle once again, intent on doing his best to accomplish their team’s mission successfully.
~*
Shinsaibashi,
Chuo Ward
Osaka
It was 4am, and Hina stood at the edge of the barrier the police had erected around the scene of the crime, intermittently taking pictures as he jotted down notes from what he could overhear being discussed by the nearby officers. From their conversations, it seemed that this murder was similar to the two he had been reporting on over the past three weeks. The victim, a woman in her late twenties, had the same claw mark wounds all over her body. Her bones in her arms were crushed and blood drained from the body, supposedly from a large wound in the victim’s neck that looked as if something had bitten out a chunk of flesh.
Hina spotted the covered body being lifted on a stretcher and loaded into the back of a van. He paused from his note taking to take several more shots of the body before a hand suddenly blocked the lens. Lowering the camera, Hina saw that the hand belonged to an elderly policeman.
“No more pictures. Show some respect for the dead,” said the officer, an annoyed look on his face.
Hina raised an eyebrow at the officer, deciding to put away his camera. “Fine. I’ve already taken enough pictures anyway. Besides, this is my way of showing respect to the victim - by letting the world know what they suffered.”
The officer huffed at Hina’s remark before clicking his tongue. “Stupid reporters,” he muttered under his breath.
All Hina replied with was a sarcastic smile before he moved off. He was so used to this kind of treatment from the police officers that it didn’t bother him anymore. But what was troubling him was that this was the third murder of its kind and the evidence pointed to it being the work of a demon. Usually, in cases like these, it was easy enough to track down the culprit which typically turned out to be a hostile Class 3 or 4 demon gone out of control. Yet this time, the police were clueless. It was definitely worrying.
A man wearing a white coat standing at the corner of a side street caught Hina’s attention and he vaguely remembered seeing the same man at the last two crime scenes. To see him again at the third scene seemed suspicious and it piqued his interest. As Hina was about to approach him, the man turned to glance at Hina and his lips curled up in a small smirk. Then quickly, he turned back down the side street. Hina jogged after the man but as he reached the street, the guy was no longer in sight.
“What the…?” muttered Hina as he frowned. He walked partially down the street, glancing at any alcove the man could hide in and finding nothing. It was impossible for an ordinary human to disappear that fast. So that only left two options; he was either a Light Walker or a demon in human form.
With a sigh, Hina turned back around and proceeded to where he had parked his motorbike. He had a long article to write when he got back to the office and it was too early in the morning to work out mysteries. If another of these murders were unfortunately to occur, he’d be sure to keep an eye out for that mysterious man. His intuition told him that the man knew something and Hina was determined to figure out just what.
Part 2.