Children of Izanagi Chapter 8

I watched the human Koharu run off. She came to talk to me after what had happened with me and Hisoka. I looked at my hands as she left.

“Humans confuse me sometimes.”

Then I realized something.

“Oh crud. I forgot to tell them about what I found. I need to try and find them.” I said.

I jumped down from the tree and ran off towards the village where Yami, Koharu, Kasumi, and Hisoka were. I needed to tell them about what I found in the castle. I quickly ran back into town and began looking for them.

“Come on how hard can it be to find three kids who survived the castle?” I said.

But in truth, I didn’t know where in the village any of them lived. I mean it’s not like anyone in the village ever bothered associating with me so I never bothered to learn where anyone lived.

“Well crap…maybe if…..I’ll just wait at the castle. They’ll probably show up eventually.” I said.

I ran back to the castle and stopped outside the door. As I looked at it I began to wonder about the picture of Izanagi in the room upstairs. I was curious why there was a painting of Izanagi with the others in it. What also bothered me was that someone who looked like me was also in it. But why would Izanagi have me in the painting? I was a half breed. And half demon no less. I didn’t understand why Izanagi, a god who’s once beloved Izanami was trapped in the underworld with nothing but demons, would have me in his painting. I saw no reason for Me to be in the painting. As I pondered on this I heard a voice.

“You seek answers don’t you? You wonder why you were in the painting yes? Child of Izanagi?”

“How do you know what I want?” I asked the voice.

“just follow us. Go straight to the top of the castle and you will find your answers.”

“I don’t like this.” I said.

I started heading up the stairs towards the top of the castle, my hand on my sword as I walked up. Waiting for any shadows that might attack.

*Yami’s POV*
*The village*

I waited in the village for Koharu and Kasumi. Sure enough they showed up but unfortunately someone came with Kasumi.

“Kasumi why is your brother here?” I asked.

“Cause he’s being a worrier.” Kasumi said.

“Guys we can worry about Hisoka being here later. I think Ken’s in the castle again and I’m worried about him.” Koharu said.

“I’m not letting you drag my sister around with a hanyou.” Hisoka said.

“Dammit Hissy he needs our help! We can’t just leave him in there to die! If you don’t care about him then we’ll save him on our own!” Kasumi said.

I nodded in agreement and with that we quickly turned and took off for the castle, Hisoka angrily chasing after us. We ran into the castle in hopes of losing him but he came in after us and grabbed Kasumi’s arm.

“Kasumi come on! We’re leaving this demonic castle right now!”

“No we’re not! Wait….you can see it?” Kasumi asked.

“Yes. I can see it. And it reeks of demons so let’s go.” He said.

Suddenly Hisoka seemed bothered. He looked around like he heard something but there was no one there. That we knew of.

“Hisoka?” Kasumi asked.

“A voice is calling me to the top of the castle. Kasumi is this what happened to everyone who went in here?” Hisoka asked.

“Yeah. Everyone heard a voice calling them to the top. And we have to hurry before-”

Suddenly an angry roar filled the castle, emanating from the top floor and it sounded like Ken snarling in anger. Kasumi, Koharu, and I quickly ran up to the top floor to see Ken standing there, his sword in hand, a large shadow in front of him. The shadow looked creepy. Like a broken doll with devil horns and claws, soulless black eyes and sharp fangs.

“What’s the matter Ken!? You seemed so brave and strong earlier! But that was all a lie! You’re weak! You’re nothing! You’re a sniveling worthless half breed freak and you’ll never get the answers you wanted!”

“Shut up!! Shut up you stupid fucking shadow!!” Ken shouted.

The devil, smirking at Ken’s anger, smacked him to the side easily, sending him flying into a wall where he landed next to us.

“Oh look. More pathetic weaklings to beat up on! Let’s get started!”

“Guys let’s go! He’ll need our help!” I said.

“Right!” Kasumi and Koharu said.

We summoned our personas and sent them into battle against the shadow. La Muerte slashed at it with his scythe and jammed the blade into the shadow’s side but it seemed to have no effect. Nix de Caleo and Caleum Eclipsis fired at the shadow with a green tornado and a blast of ice respectively. But again it seemed to ignore the attacks and simply backhanded our personas away. We cringed as we felt the impact from the hit and glared at the shadow.

“Fuck! This fucker won’t go down!” Kasumi said.

“We need a plan! Any ideas!?” Koharu asked.

Before anyone could say anything the shadow lunged for us and just before it crushed us, something blocked it. We looked to see a weird hand that appeared to be a mix of human, demon, and various stitches and patchwork. The patchwork continuing along the arm until we saw a strange demon like creature, made of patches and parts of demon and human. One eye a deep blood red, the other a glowing blue. Fangs filled its mouth and spikes seemed to be sticking out of its arms. A very noticeable X shape stitched into the monsters chest. Below it stood Ken, eyes glowing red.

“No one is going to hurt the only people who have even tried to consider me a friend! I won’t let you hurt my friends! Kill! Seikatsu Ningyo!!”

The doll like creature opened its mouth and a jet of flame spewed forward, burning the shadow and making it reel back to escape the heat.

“What is this!? What is this magic!?”

“This is Seikatsu Ningyo! My Persona! Now get him Seikatsu! Burn him to the fucking ground! Agi!!”

With that command, Seikatsu sent another jet of fire at the shadow, causing it to step back even more before some of the stitching in Seikatsu’s face unraveled, opening a second mouth. Seikatsu let out a blood curdling roar and unleashed more fire on the shadow, setting it ablaze and watching as the mask burned up and the shadow writhed in agony as it dissolved into ashes. With the shadow gone Ken collapsed to his knees, panting for breath as his shadow disappeared into his soul.

“Ken! You okay!” Koharu asked.

“Yeah…..I’ll be fine…..just gotta catch my breath…..” He said.

“Come on. Let’s get out of here while we still can.” I said.

“Now why would you want to do that?” A voice asked.

We all turned to see a large shadow with two heads, one head having the male symbol on its head, the other having the female symbol but both being attached to the same body.

“I think we should torment the little darlings don’t you dear?” The female head said.

“Yes let’s make them scream in agony!” The male head said.

The shadow lunged at us, bearing down on us. Ken quickly summoned Seikatsu Ningyo back to the battle and held the shadow back, drawing his sword and quickly unlinking it as he swung the sword, the segmented sword slashing at the shadow with each segment passing by. I drew my katana and charged forward, slashing the shadow’s leg while Koharu pulled out her dagger and Kasumi readied some throwing stars and threw them at the shadow, the stars embedding into the side of one of the heads.

The shadow roared angrily and raised a hand to smack Kasumi for the throwing stars but just before it reached her a creature with a mane, hooves, and a tail, with a bone like head jumped and sank its sharp teeth into the hand of the shadow, making it scream in pain. We all looked to where the shadow came from and saw Hisoka pull out his twin Kamas.

“Don’t! touch! My! Sister!!!” He shouted.

Hisoka charged forward and drove his blades into the shadows legs and he started climbing up the shadow. The monster reaching to squish him like a bug until Seikatsu grabbed the hand and crushed it.

“Hurry up Hisoka! Kill it already so we can go home!” Ken shouted.

“Alright let’s go then! Rugientus Diabolus!” He called.

The creature from before now known as Rugientes Diabolus and apparently Hisoka’s persona, jumped onto the shadow’s leg and picked Hisoka up in its jaws before tossing him onto its back then the Rugientes jumped up the body of the shadow before landing between the two heads. Hisoka jumped off Rugientes back and charged at the male head as he jumped and sank his kamas into the male head’s mask. Rugientes meanwhile lunged for the female head and sank his teeth into the female head’s mask. The shadow screamed in pain as it slowly dissolved. Rugientes and Hisoka jumped down and landed next to us and we looked at them.

“Hissy?” Kasumi asked, worried about her brother.

“I…told you….not to….call me that…..Kasumi….” Hisoka said, smiling slightly.

Kasumi smiled and helped him stand. “Come on let’s get home. We have a lot to explain Hisoka. Ken you coming with us?” Kasumi asked.

Ken, having used his persona twice now after having just woken it up was on his knees, panting heavily and looking exhausted.

“Yeah just give me a minute…..” Ken said.

I helped him up and together the five of us headed out of the castle and back to the village. We had to explain a lot to Hisoka and Ken had something important to tell us as well.