User blog:Carol of the bells/Days of Ruin --- Zen's exile, part 57

Days of Ruin --- Zen's exile, part 57
Ko ducked as a shadow flew over head, stabbing the wall where his head once was. He countered, striking up. It was blocked as Hisagi countered by striking from the right. Ko was forced to retreat as the enemy shadow thrashed dangerously.

He took a moment to catch his breath. The fact that they were equally matched in attack and defense was going to be his downfall--he didn't have a lot of stamina, and his body was failing him.

Hisagi laughed, head tilted, eyes wide and inhuman. "What's wrong? Are you getting tired already?" He mocked.

Ko felt sweat trickle down his temple. He didn't know if it was from his fear or his exhaustion. He rushed forward, closing the distance between them with his shadow outstretched. Hisagi leapt away from its reach.

"Ha! Just because your weakness is close combat doesn't mean it's mine as well," Hisagi taunted him. He spread his arms, and two shadows formed on either side of him, slicing through the air. Ko crossed his arms, shielding himself within a dome of shadows.

"Reign of darkness..." Ko spoke lowly.

The dome burst with dark energy, shadows errupting from its surface.

Hisgai's mouth twitched into a cruel smirk. "Shadow ressurection."

Ko's legion of shadows deviated from their path, turning back on Ko and hitting him with a barrage of his own attacks. Dust rose from the broken floor, hiding him from sight.

Hisagi's wild laughter rang out through the empty halls. He lifted his hand to cover his face as demented glee continued. "Hahahah! And to think, I wanted you to be my next vessel! I almost hate myself for it!"

The dust cleared, leaving the site of impact without a body.

His smile widened. "What's this?" He turned, craning his head. "Have you gone into hiding, perhaps?" He started walking down the hall, eyes flickering with madness. "That's okay, I know how to play games, too...Can you hear me? Am I getting closer?"

"Are you scared?"

"Where are you hiding?"

"Ko...."

"....Where are you?"



Ko stilled his heavy breathing as the demon's voice rang in the air. His hands were pressed against a deep wound in his side, but it did little to stop the bleeding. The other welts in his body numbed the pain, fortunately. But the blood loss was beginning to slow him down. His vision was begining to fade.

"Ko...."

It was close.

"....I wonder where you could be hiding, hm?"

He listened carefully, and after timing the sound of the foot steps, he dashed across the hall, concealing himself in the adjacent corridor. He heard the footsteps speed up, shuffle for a few seconds, then stop. He knew the demon had just inspected his previous hiding place.

"You were always good at running away."

"Especially when it came to the truth."

"Imagine, trying to kill your own sister, just to save yourself from guilt. Hah!"

Ko grit his teeth. The footsteps were close again. After counting, he abandoned his refuge, running further into the mansion.

"You just loved torturing her with those illusions, didn't you?"

"It made you forget who was really guilty."

The voice paused to chuckle.

"Do you know how you got that power?"

"I bet you've always assumed it was yours...well it's not..."

Again, too close.

Run.

Shuffle, shuffle, stop. Repeat.

"It was my gift to you, Ko. When I first planned to name you my...successor. Hah."

Too close, too close.

Run faster.

Shuffle, stop. Repeat.

"Remember how I said killing my next body can be so messy sometimes? It's easier to let people do it themselves..."

What is he talking about...? Ko could help but wonder in the shadows.

"So, I just look them in the eye and say a few words, and, boom!"

Shuffle, stop. Repeat.

"They're helpless under their worst fears."

Laughter, this time farther away.

Ko allowed himself a breath.



Hisgai's ear twitched slightly. He turned, slowly, facing a wall and another hall just to the left. On the carpet was a trail of blood. His smile widened maliciously.

"Just..."

Three steps.

"Like..."

Two steps.

"This."

Their eyes met, and Ko froze, immediately falling under a haze. Ko chuckled, then laughed. "I'm almost disappointed! Even after using the same ability, you still fall for it...maybe it was a waste to give it to you, hm?" He circled the stationary body. "I wonder what you're seeing, hm? Your mother? Father, perhaps? Or, maybe, your dearest sister?" He laughed again. "Wouldn't that be interesting."

He rounded Ko, facing him again. "I was going to give you a swift death....but I think I'll leave the suffering to you, since you're so imminent on being in my way." He shrugged. "At least you made it entertaining." Again, he grinned. "Goodbye."

His shadow lifted itself from the ground, its edge sharpened like a blade. He reared it back...

Before a loud sound broke through the air.

Hisagi gasped, choking on blood, eyes wide. He looked up at Ko frantically, surprised to see him staring back, still motionless. He looked down at his wound.

Smoke rose from the hole in his body.

He strained to turn his head.

Through his fading vision, he could barely see Haku standing at the end of the hall, gun extended, barrell smoking from the light energy it just fired.

Hisagi didn't have a chance to mutter the curses on the tip of his tongue as his body toppled forward. The illusion that Ko was under shattered as it's caster fell to the ground. Ko grunted, collapsing as the Samui twins rushed towards the two bodies, their shouting voices becoming incoherent in his ears.

Everything faded to darkness.



Author's note: Ko got his ability to cast illusions from the demon, that fatefull nate when Yukino died.

Thanks for reading~ One more part left!