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Chapter 26

The Truth Revealed

The once vibrant and verdant path to the shrine had transformed into a haunting scene. Against the blood-red horizon, the trees, now stripped of their leaves, stood like skeletal sentinels. Their barren branches clawed at the sky as if pleading for respite. The statues lining the road appeared to be locked in perpetual agony, their mouths gaping skyward. A heavy fog shrouded the dark road, while a trail of melted wax marked the sidewalk leading to the stairway that ascended to the shrine’s gates. Pools of viscous, inky liquid formed where the substance dripped from the stairs. Two-winged creatures perched atop the crimson arch, their mouths filled with razor-sharp teeth, snarling menacingly.

As Apricot climbed the stairs, her heart pounded in her chest. Her breath caught in her throat as she finally reached the top and saw the reaper crouched in the courtyard, his back to her. Drawn to the creatures atop the gateway, she studied their fangs more closely. The two-winged beasts swooped down in front of her, roaring as she stepped beneath the arch. One creature lunged at her, its bony arm outstretched. The wind from its clawed fingertips grazed her nose, and she instinctively leaped back. With swift resolve, she sprang forward, her hand ablaze, and unleashed a bolt of fire directly at the creature’s head. Its skull crumpled under the impact, and the beast crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

Retrieving her arm from the fallen body, Apricot wielded the flame like a deadly blade. As the other creature advanced, it swiped at her with its claws, but she deflected the attack with practiced ease. Her arm recoiled, and she launched a counterstrike, her flaming blade cleaving the creature’s arm in two. It wailed in agony, and without hesitation, she delivered a clean, lethal cut from its head to its pelvis. The bisected monster collapsed, its body transforming into blue orbs before dissipating.

Her pulse raced as she fixed her gaze on the reaper, her fear palpable. As she crossed the threshold of the red gate and entered the shrine’s courtyard, the weight of her impending confrontation bore down on her. She knew that he held the power to end her life with a mere snap of his fingers. When they first met, she had no idea how he had accomplished that feat and prayed it was just an illusion. The reaper shifted his position, his arms crossing his chest as he turned to face her. “Thou hast the fury of a devil burning in thine eyes. What dost thou plan on doing with that infernal fire of thine?”

Her flaming blade sizzled, droplets of fire sputtering onto the ground. “I have come to kill you once and for all!” Apricot declared, her voice trembling with determination. The reaper let out a mirthless chuckle.

“A foolhardy endeavor. Thou cannot kill me. I can understand thy sentiment, though. I, too, find this world a wretched abode. Yet thou art still blind.” He extended his hand towards her, his voice tinged with a sinister allure. “Come, walk with me.”

Tears welled in her eyes, and her voice cracked with emotion. “The time for talk is over!”

The reaper bowed his head in a seemingly solemn gesture. “Mayhap my method was too harsh. I apologize, but I needed thee to understand the true nature of this world – its festering evil. Thus, I sent thee on this journey to gain wisdom. And now, I offer thee a new quest.”

“What are you talking about?” Apricot choked, her blade still pointed at him. As he glided closer, she braced herself to strike.

“Understand me, Apricot. From the beginning, I have guided thee through the nightmare,” his voice was soothing, slow, and serene, but it unnerved her more than anything else. A dark magic seemed to weave its way through his words. “Thou hast learned the fates of thy friends, witnessed the torment of those above, and heard the cries of those sacrificed in vain. Now, the power to end this chaos lies in thy hands alone. Thou alone can choose to save this world or let it rot eternally.”

Apricot furrowed her brow. “I don’t understand.”

The reaper paused as he landed near her, lowering his head. “When we first met, thou wert a fool. Thou hadst no knowledge of the real world, the truth of this city, the ruling powers who abused its people, nor the vile criminals who inflicted harm. Now thou hast seen the reality of the gangs and their overlords, the poor souls trampled upon and condemned to misery, the royals who treat their subjects like livestock for slaughter, and the malevolent demons that haunt this world.

Thou hast been witness to the wars and the warmongers, the callous hearts of the lost, the savage minds of the abusers, and the shattered dreams of good people. See this truth, Apricot. Together, we can change it all. Join me, become the god this world needs.

By thy hands, they need not die. We can save those who have perished. Those who have been lost to this world can be brought back to life. All those sacrificed can be given new life in a paradise that thou shalt rule. All thou needst do is allow me to guide thee across the threshold. We can end this evil.” The reaper extended his clawed hand towards Apricot. “So, dost thou choose life, or dost thou choose death?”

As tears filled Apricot’s eyes, she cried out in despair. “Why me?!”

“The Okabe abused my plan, tormenting people for their own selfish gain. They used me as a nexus for power. Urias is a madman, and Kyo is lost. Those who came before thee lost their minds, but thou hast endured. ‘Tis thee I sought and forged from hellfire. Come, Apricot, ’tis time.” Her steps faltered, childlike and hesitant, as she approached the reaper. Gazing up at him, she saw the cold, dead eyes that lay behind the mask. “Very well, I am glad thou hast made the right choice.”

As Apricot raised her hand to meet his, her fingertips hovering just above his claws, she let out a guttural roar and thrust her flaming blade into his chest. “You are a liar!” The reaper recoiled, howling in pain as he stared at the fire that consumed him. “You’re no better than the Okabe. You murder, scheme, and manipulate people. You’re no righteous god! You are a devil.”

The reaper growled, a massive gash marring his chest as his claws extended beneath the torn fabric into the metal casing. “I am not flesh; this is but a manifestation of me. If ’tis how it must be, then I shall take what is mine by force. Apricot, thou shalt be mine, willing or as my unwilling host. I shall ride thee as a horse if I must!”

His claws aimed at her heart, the reaper lunged toward her. Apricot sidestepped, deflecting his assault with her arm. “You want to strip people of their will. Even me, the one you desire to change the world. You want to strip my will from me.” Apricot dodged his next punch and countered with an upward strike, severing his mechanical prosthetic. Upon being knocked to the ground, the twitching leg revealed cables and hanging cords.

“Every world is not complete without a god and a devil. There cannot be good without evil. Balance is the key,” the reaper said, slashing Apricot’s shoulder. Blood spurted out, the pain radiating from her muscles. She cried out and tried to back away from him.

Rolling off the blow, Apricot shook from the exhausting pain. “Balance is a lie! Evil always wants balance because it is nothing against good. Evil is evil and good is good! The only ones who try to blur the lines are the evil ones!” Apricot roared, slicing the reaper’s face with her flaming blade. The mask crumbled, revealing a mechanical mannequin.

As the reaper shuddered mechanically, Apricot saw an opportunity and cut through its torso and left arm. The upper body of the machine floated before her, grinning artificially. “Flesh is undone by my spirit. So, I have addressed thee with the spirit of phantoms. Why do you think I had you hunt those people and gave you the power to absorb their energy? That is why your soul blade has grown stronger. Now, you are ready to be wed with my spirit. Allow me in!”

Apricot sprang away. “You want to possess me?”

He nodded. “Indeed. You are my vessel. That is what you are destined to be. Now surrender yourself. I have damaged you enough already.” The floating body charged Apricot, ejecting black fluid. Apricot attempted to sidestep, but he was moving too fast. A silver rod whipped between the reaper’s claw and Apricot. Her heart pounded as she saw Shiori forcefully pressing the rod against the reaper, glaring into its eyes. “Shiori, why do you stop me? We had a deal!”

“Don’t you know when you have been double-crossed?” Shiori muttered, throwing the reaper to the ground. Using his teeth, Shiori removed the white glove covering his hand. “Run, Apricot. Get outside the seal,” he commanded as he rammed his hand into the reaper’s back. In a flash, Shiori was covered in a red glow as though struck by lightning.

“What have you done!” the reaper barked. “It’s over for you.”

Initially, Apricot hesitated. The mechanical body went lifeless, and she suddenly became terrified. “Shiori, what is happening?”

“Apricot, help me. The reaper is in me. Come help me out of the lock!” Shiori gasped, his mouth foaming.

Apricot stepped cautiously towards him, but a familiar voice called out, “Apricot, no! Don’t touch him.” Hunter stood at the threshold of the seal. “Get out of the seal!”

“But Shiori,” Apricot whimpered. Her eyes went wide as Shiori’s skin sliced, his body decaying in front of her. “Shiori, I am sorry,” she said. Tears rolled down Shiori’s cheek as he smiled. As Apricot escaped, Shiori bowed to the side. Hunter held up his hand as Shiori’s body jerked, attempting to move but instead held in place.

As the pieces fell, the reaper’s artificial blue eyes and blond white hair dangled from the jester’s cap. “Nothing about you is real.”

“You wretch! Come back, you wretch! Don’t leave me! You are going to rid the world! No, this cannot be! Shiori, you fool. Do you really expect to survive? We are going to be trapped in the dead world! Is this what you want?” The reaper screamed from Shiori’s mouth.

As Hunter placed his hand on the rim of the seal, Shiori cynically commented, “Let’s see what your world is like.” The symbols and signs formed as the ground turned pitch black. While the symbols exploded with a thunderous roar, Shiori was sucked into the darkness. Apricot looked up to see Hunter holding her arm as the two escaped the powerful vacuum winds. After one last boom, the grounds vanished, reappearing as a deep chasm at the temple’s center.

Apricot rose from the ground and walked toward the destroyed temple’s courtyard, where the polished bricks once lay. Her heart beat faster. There was no sign of him. He had been taken to that horrible place. “Shiori! Shiori! Shiori!” she screamed, tears streaming down her face. She shook her head, clutching her face. “Why did it have to end like this?” She sniffled. “What the hell, Shiori?” She looked toward Hunter. With his back turned toward the pit, he watched as the city’s glow faded into a vague haze.

“You!” Apricot screamed. “You did this! You knew! You knew he would die! Didn’t you?” She waited for his reply, but it never arrived. Without another word, he walked to the stairs. “Don’t ignore me.” He sat down at the top of the step. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

As he patted the ground adjacent to him, Hunter frowned. “Because you would not have allowed us to do it,” he replied sourly. Apricot walked up to the staircase and sat down next to him. “Don’t be mad at me. He made me swear not to tell you. I knew, and he did too.”

The first rays of morning light appeared over the horizon, and the two could see that the sounds of battle had disappeared. Instead, sirens descended from every street. “It’s over now,” Apricot said, making her way toward Hunter, who was also sobbing. She grabbed his shoulder and pulled him in for a hug. In the early morning light, the two waited for hours. After the sirens subsided, Apricot and Hunter left together.

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