Chapter Text
The passageway seemed to have no end. Yuu struggled just to put one foot in front of the other. A little voice at the back of his mind kept telling him to drop his load, but Yuu refused to listen. He kept murmuring "It'll be okay..." over and over, though the boy he carried on his back had long stopped to answer. There was no way Yuu was abandoning him. He had finally found a family, he would not lose it.
He almost slipped several times. The ground was dirt and uneven. Thick roots were embracing the brick walls. Could this passage really lead to the upper world? The further he went, the colder the air felt. Soon, his heavy breathing was turning into little clouds of mist.
He saw an open door up ahead. "It's the exit, Mika..."
Mika did not answer.
Yuu kept moving ahead. The world outside was covered in snow. Icy water seeped through his thin shoes. Mika felt even heavier than before.
Everything was quiet save from Yuu's crunching steps in the snow. Trees stood around them, their frozen branches menacing like claws. A laugh began to build in Yuu's chest as the truth of their situation finally reached his rational mind. Humanity was gone and he was carrying his friend's corpse on his back.
He fell on his knees, Mika's weight still pressing against his back. His laugh turned into a howl of pain. Tears flowed from his eyes and dripped on the ground, making small holes in the snow.
He inhaled, ready to let out another scream. The sound of steps rendered him quiet. Were the vampires coming to take them back? What change would it make? Yuu had already lost everything.
"Oh my god..." said a female voice. "Guren-sama! I found them! Two children!"
"Two?"
Three figures, wrapped up in black capes, moved toward him. The one in the middle removed his hood. A man with black hair, purple eyes, and no pointy ears.
"Please..." Yuu begged, his throat aching. "Please, save him..."
According to his sources, there was supposed to be only one child escaping from the vampire city nestled underneath Kyoto. The dark-haired boy had been stubborn enough to carry his friend out, despite the fact the blond kid had a hole in his chest and was missing an arm.
He had survived. Most people would call it a miracle, but Guren knew it was because the child was the fruit of forbidden experiments. Any normal human being would have died from those wounds, even with the use of magic spells.
The other kid had not said a word since they had found them. He had stayed by his friend's side almost the whole time, only stopping to get a shower and change into clean clothes. His name was Yuuichirou, according to the tag he had worn. The blond boy was Mikaela. Both shared the Hyakuya surname; that piece of information had Guren raise his eyebrows, but he had refrained from questioning Yuuichirou. The dark-haired one was too deep into his mutism anyway.
"That's really sad," Sayuri said as she approached Guren and offered him a cup of coffee. Guren had to agree with her.
Yuuchirou was sitting by Mikaela's bedside, holding with friend's remaining hand. Healing spell scrolls covered the blond boy's chest as well his stump. The nurses had removed the ventilator an hour ago, as Mikaela was now able to breathe on his own. There was still a long way before he would wake up; if he ever did.
"Maybe it would have been better if he had died," Guren said. He heard Sayuri gasp; he shrugged. "This world is cruel. Death would be merciful."
The coffee tasted bland but Guren could still appreciate its warmth. He realized Yuuichirou had still not eaten, his bowl of beans left untouched on a table. Guren was hungry so he decided he would not let the food to waste.
He picked up the bowl and sat on a chair next to Yuuichirou's. The kid threw him a dark glance.
"Got a problem, kid? There's been an apocalypse. You can starve for all I care, but I'm not going to let you waste food."
The kid glared at him some more. In the end, he stayed silent and turned his eyes back toward his still friend.
Guren began eating, his spoon clanking against the bowl. He heard Yuuichirou's stomach growl.
"You really are a stubborn kid. Here." He picked Yuuichirou's free hand and put the bowl in it. The boy accepted it, though he had the nerve to wipe the spoon against his shirt. "Brat."
Yuuichirou shrugged. He emptied the bowl as if he was famished. Children probably did not have much food to eat in the vampire city. The blond kid was clearly underweight, but Yuuichirou had a bit of muscle on his small frame. This was good since Guren planned to make a warrior out of him. He only hoped the boy would recover his voice at some point. Guren had heard him talk, but ever since they had reached their temporary base, Yuuichirou had not said a word. The doctor who had examined him said it was a normal reaction to a traumatic experience.
Yuu put the now empty bowl back on the table and took Mikaela's hand in his once more. Guren closed his eyes briefly; it was painful to watch.
"Will you talk if I get you some dessert?" Guren attempted, but Yuuichirou ignored him. Well, it was worth a try.
Yuu looked from Mika's hand to the IV bag hanging from a metallic pole. The plastic bag was filled with a yellowish liquid—Yuu wanted to ask what it was, but he could not will his vocal cords to function. Earlier, blood bags had been hanging from the pole. It was ironic, that after being forced to give his blood for so long, Mika was given some back. It was hardly a fair bargain.
They had lost their family. Akane, Chihiro, Fumie, Ako, Kouta, Taichi—they had all be killed mercilessly by that vampire. Mika had almost suffered the same fate.
It's a good thing I'm stubborn, Yuu thought, remembering all the times Mika had made fun of him for being bull-headed. Mika had pushed him away, yelled at him to leave him there and run away. Yuu had refused to save his own skin and leave his friend bleed to death. There was no point in saving himself if everyone else was dead.
If he could not save his family, he was no better than those heartless vampires.
Mika had yet to wake up. Yuu kept telling himself he would, but he was not stupid. He had heard one of the doctors say it was a waste as he brought the blood bags. Still, Yuu kept hoping, because if Mika did not wake up, if he died...
Yuu let go of Mika's hand and pressed his fists against his eyes. He did not want that man, Guren, to see him cry again. He breathed in hard. The smell of blood and antiseptics filled his nostrils. It felt like he was back in the giant blood-drawing room in the vampire city.
He rubbed his eyes then let his arms drop to his sides.
They were not wearing livestock clothes anymore and for the first time in years, Yuu could see the full expanse of Mika's neck. There were tiny blemish spots on his skin—bite marks. How long had Mika been giving his blood to that vampire? Yuu tried to remember when Mika had first started to bring a suspicious amount of food and toys to their home, but it was hard to figure out considering they had no calendar and no seasons. Yuu should have paid more attention, should have followed Mika out when he left on one of his secret errands.
But then what? That vampire would have tricked them and tried to kill them all the same.
The only comfort Yuu got was that the vampire was now lying dead with a bullet in his head. Yuu wished he had more to shoot into the brains of those damn bloodsuckers. He wanted to kill them to the last. Then his family would rest in peace.
I will avenge them, Yuu thought.
He crossed his arms on the bed and rested his head on them. Unconsciously, his breathing began matching Mika's, lulling him into sleep.
He did not rest long. He heard a groan and rose up immediately. Mika's brow was twisted in a grimace of discomfort.
"Mika!" Yuu cried out.
Blue eyes opened, staring at the ceiling in confusion.
"Mika? Can you hear me?" Yuu took his hand, squeezing it in hope of provoking a response. Mika turned his head, but not in Yuu's direction. He was looking at his amputated arm.
A shrill sound began to resonate in the room; it took Yuu a few seconds to realize it was Mika's voice. With surrealistic strength, Mika tore his hand from Yuu's grasp and began pulling on the magic scrolls and the bandages that covered his stump.
"Mika! Stop!" Yuu could barely hear his own voice over Mika's high-pitched scream. He grasped Mika's shoulder, trying to stop him from hurting himself.
The screech stopped briefly as Mika inhaled to let out another one. It pierced Yuu's heart like a thousand shards. He could feel the pain, the denial, and the despair in that scream. Mika was broken.
Someone pulled Yuu away. He saw men in white coats approach Mika. One of them was holding a syringe; he injected its content into Mika's arm. Mika went limp.
"What are you doing to him?" Yuu cried out, turning around and glaring at Guren with fury.
"It's only a sedative," the man replied, looking so calm it infuriated Yuu even more. "Seems like you're not mute after all."
Yuu balled his hands into fists. He looked toward the bed. The nurses were tending to Mika, dressing his wounds again. Yuu felt his stomach churn when he saw the blood-soaked bandages; the beans he ate earlier were dangerously close to finding a way out of his stomach.
Guren put a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go take some fresh air before you pass out."
Yuu did not protest and walked out with Guren. One of the women who had found them in the forest, the one with brown hair, offered Yuu a pack of tissues. It was only now he realized he had been crying.
He was made to sit on a chair outside of the room. Guren was talking to teenagers in military uniforms. They seemed anxious.
"We should return to Tokyo already, Lieutenant Colonel. We're still close to the vampire city. If they send sentries and they see the steam from the generators, we'll be in a pinch."
"I already told you," Guren said. "We're not leaving until it's safe enough to travel with the child."
"But—"
"Leave the vampires to the Extermination Unit and keep luring the Horsemen away from our position."
The teenagers left begrudgingly.
"What a bother..." Guren muttered and his stroked his bangs back. His hair fell back messily against his forehead.
Guren then sat next to Yuu.
"He's going to be okay, right?" Yuu asked.
Guren glanced toward the door. "We're doing everything we can on the physiological part. As for his psyche, I can't say."
Yuu felt like his ears were still sizzling from Mika's scream earlier. Mika had always been the strong one, the pillar which their family had leaned upon. Seeing him break was beyond terrifying.
"There are therapists in Tokyo. They're young, but they see maimed soldiers every day. They should be able to help him in some way."
Tokyo. How far was Tokyo from here? Yuu tried to remember how long it had taken the vampires to take them from Tokyo to the underground city, but it was four years ago. It felt like an eternity.
"Of course, they won't do it for free."
Yuu frowned. "What do you want from us? We're just kids." He was tired of always giving just to be allowed to live. They had already given so much blood.
"Would like to be part of the Vampire Extermination Unit?"
Yuu gasped. Did such a thing truly exist? Was it possible to fight against the vampires? Surely, considering he had killed one of them. But at what cost?
His thoughts were interrupted by the medical team leaving Mika's room. They must have finished changing Mika's bandages. He stood up and walked back into the room.
Mika was still lying in the bed. His eyes were closed and his mouth slightly open. He looked peaceful, but Yuu knew it was only temporary. The moment Mika woke up again, the pain would be back, unmerciful.
Yuu sat on the chair and held Mika's hand. Reality was cruel, but they would face it together.
"I'm never leaving you behind."
Guren flipped a page of his book and realized he had not paid attention to what he had just read. He sighed and put a bookmark in the book before putting it on his lap. It had been twenty-six hours since he last slept. He yawned and considered asking Sayuri or Shigure to look after the kids.
Yuuichirou had fallen asleep, sitting on his chair with his head resting on the bed. Mikaela had not woken up since his outburst two hours ago. With the dose of sedative he had received, Guren was not surprised.
He yawned and stretched his arms. He then reclined on his chair, covering his eyes his hand.
"You're not seventeen."
The voice was unknown and for a split second Guren was tempted to grasp at the handle of his sword. Instead, he let his hand fall to his side and glanced at the bed. A pair of blue eyes were staring at him. Mikaela had awakened.
"You're observant," Guren said.
"We've been told that the virus killed all the people older than thirteen."
"I got lucky."
Mikaela frowned. Guren could see that the kid was smart. Yuuichirou had never questioned Guren about that subject. Guren's inkling turned out to be exact: Yuuichirou was the brawn and Mikaela the brains.
"The vampires lied to us."
"Actually, they are mostly right. A handful of adults survived, but the Earth is mainly populated by toddlers and spotty kids now. And bloodsuckers."
"And how did you survive?"
"You're quite brazen for a child. You'd probably be dead if it weren't for my help."
"I wonder about that."
For the first time, Mikaela broke eye contact and looked at his body. He did not seem so distraught at the loss of his arm, but something told Guren the kid was good at hiding his true feelings. He reminded Guren of someone.
"Where are we?" Mikaela asked, looking back at Guren.
"On the outskirts of Kyoto."
"Why save us?"
"If I say it was purely out of generosity, would you believe me?"
"There's nothing such as true altruism."
Harsh words for a twelve-year-old child, Guren thought.
"You probably read our names from the tags we were wearing," Mikaela went on. "Who are you?"
"Ichinose Guren. I'm the leader of the Moon Demon Company."
Mikaela snorted. "Sounds like something out of a manga."
"We're part of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army. The Moon Demon Company specializes in exterminating vampires."
"Well, there are hundreds of them crawling under the earth, so I assume you're not that good at your job."
Guren accepted the reproach. He had heard a lot of these accusations from other children who had been rescued from underground settlements, which were safe from the beasts that lurked the surface of the Earth since the apocalypse.
"It would be easier if we had only the vampires to deal with."
"Why do you mean?" Mikaela asked.
Guren was about to elaborate when Yuuichirou started moaning in his sleep, his body shaking with tremors.
"Yuu-chan," Mikaela said, his attention solely on the other child now.
Yuuichirou let out incoherent babbles. Suddenly he fell off his chair.
"Yuu-chan!" Mikaela cried out.
Yuuichirou moaned on the floor. "Ow... Mika?" He raised his head. Guren saw emotions passing rapidly on the boy's face: relief at hearing his friend's voice, followed by profound pain as he realized whatever his nightmare had been was not just a dream. He stood up and grasped Mikaela's hand. "Mika! Mika, I'm so sorry... Everyone's..."
"I know." There was sorrow in Mikaela's voice. "I know, Yuu-chan."
Guren stood up quietly and left the room. Somehow, he knew he did not belong here right now. There was something in the way Mikaela looked at Yuuichirou that reminded Guren too much of another person's eyes. His hand grasped the handle of his sword.
"I'm sorry."
Yuu sobbed hard, his face bathed with tears. Mika wished he could do something to comfort him, but Yuu held his hand and the rest of his body felt too painful to move.
"It's a miracle he's still alive." Mika had heard those words when he was five years old, in the hospital after his mother had thrown him out of their car on the highway. Despite his wounds, he had survived. Like today.
He clearly remembered Ferid Bathory had thrust his hand into his chest and torn off his right arm. Maybe he could not die, after all. "You're special. You're the chosen child."
"Why didn't you leave me?" Mika asked. Yuu's sobs came to an immediate stop. He stared at Mika as if he were crazy.
"I couldn't possibly leave you!"
"The vampires could have caught you and killed you."
"They didn't!"
"Instead, you took inconsiderable risks."
"I had to save you!"
"Maybe I didn't want to saved!" Mika cried out. The yell made his chest hurt, but he went on. "You should have left me to die with them!"
Yuu's right hand, clenched into a fist, flew toward Mika's head. Mika closed his eyes, bracing himself for the impact that never came. Opening his eyes again, he saw Yuu was looking at the floor, his right arm along his side, his left hand still holding Mika's.
"My parents said it would be better for me to die because I was a cursed child. I thought maybe there were right. Maybe they would have been happy if it weren't for me."
"Yuu-chan..."
"And then I met you, Akane and the kids. You all called me family, even though I kept pushing you away."
Mika intertwined his fingers with Yuu's. Yuu squeezed his hand.
"So I'm happy I kept on living. I'm happy I got to meet all of you." Yuu glanced up. He was still crying but there was a gentle smile on his face. "You're the only the family I have left. Don't say you want to die."
Mika felt the tears coming to his eyes and he did not try to stop them. His chest began shaking with sobs, each of them painful.
"I-It's my f-fault! Y-Yuu-chan!" It had been his idea to run away. He was the one who had led the children to their death.
"No! It's the vampires' fault! They're the one who've been using us!"
Mika shook his head. Guilt would not let go so easily. He could still see Ako's small body held by Ferid. Mika had known exactly the pain she had felt, that violating pleasure that perverted the soul. He remembered the way blood had sprouted out in the air, raining down on the body of the children. He could never forget the way Akane had fallen to the ground like a rag doll.
He tore his left hand from Yuu's and tried to grasp his right arm. He felt nothing but emptiness. And yet it hurt. He took a deep breath before he screamed. Something was pressed against his mouth and his yell came out muffled.
"Please don't! If you scream they'll inject some weird stuff into you again."
Mika clenched his jaws and moaned against Yuu's palm. Yuu was right. Mika could not afford to pass out again. He had to stay awake and sane, for Yuu's sake.
Yuu removed his hand, allowing Mika to gasp out for air. Panting, Mika looked at Yuu, who was watching him with worry in his big, green eyes. He was the only person Mika had left now. He could not trust anyone else, not even that human who had rescued them.
"Does it hurt?" Yuu asked.
Yes, it did. But focussing on Yuu helped Mika forget about the pain. "I'll live."
"I'm sorry, I didn't think about retrieving your arm. If I had, maybe they would have been able to fix it..."
"But you might have been caught." Mika's last memories were hazy, but he remembered telling Yuu to leave after he had glimpsed vampires coming their way.
"At least, the one who attacked us is dead now."
Ferid Bathory. Just thinking about the noble vampire again made Mika's stomach churn. He had tricked Mika so easily. Mika should have known better than to try to deceive a vampire. Humans were no match for such treachery.
"I'm the idiot after all. I thought using my wits would help us out, but in the end, it was really your strength that saved the two of us."
"Stop blaming yourself," Yuu said sternly.
Mika hung his head down. Yuu pulled his chair and sat on it.
"What's going to happen now?" Mika asked.
"The guy who saved us said we'll be going to Tokyo after it's safe to drive you there."
"Tokyo..." Mika repeated. "The Japanese Imperial Demon Army... That man who was there before, Guren, said they fought against vampires."
Yuu nodded. "He asked me if I wanted to join the Vampire Extermination Unit."
So this was the reason they had been rescued. That strange army needed cannon fodder.
"You're not thinking about accepting, are you?"
Yuu was hesitating. Mika felt his blood boil.
"We can't trust that man, Yuu-chan."
"But he saved us. And if they can really fight the vampires, maybe we can help them free all the other children left in the city!"
Ah, Yuu-chan... Your kindness will be your loss. "We tried fighting the vampires. Look where it led us." Mika looked to his right side, where his arm was missing. "If that army was really able to 'exterminate' the vampires, then we wouldn't have been kept underground for four years."
He glanced back at Yuu. He looked like his hopes had been crushed. It was better that way. There were no children left to impress with tales of revolution. They were both old enough to accept the reality they lived in.
"But he said they'd help you," Yuu said.
Mika stared at the bandages around his chest and what remained of his arm. That last wound would never heal. He would forever be diminished, a weight for Yuu to carry. That's why you should have left me back there.
"You've done so much for all of us," Yuu went on. "At least allow me to help you now."
"I don't want you to lose your freedom for my sake." I'm not worth it.
"Well, you're the one who made me your family so I'm not giving you the choice." Yuu crossed his arms over his chest with an air of authority. Mika knew his friend was too stubborn to change his mind. And it made him embarrassingly happy.
"You promise?" Mika asked shyly, not daring to look at Yuu.
"I swear."
"Then..." Mika raised his arm, holding out his little finger. His gazed at Yuu through eyelashes wet with fresh tears.
Yuu looked surprised for a split second. Then he reached out and hooked his own little finger with Mika's.
"I'll be in your care, Yuu-chan," Mika murmured.
Yuu nodded. There was a slight blush on his cheeks. "I've never done that before."
"A pinky swear, you mean?"
"Yeah..."
Mika let out a chuckle. "You're cute, Yuu-chan."
"I'm not cute," Yuu retorted with a pout. He let got of Mika's finger. Mika could swear he could still feel Yuu's warmth against his skin.
Mika yawned. He suddenly felt incredibly tired. He wanted to stay awake to keep an eye on Yuu, but he would not be able to protect him in any way in his state. Besides, Yuu had just promised to take care of him. Mika could afford to let his guard down for once.
"I think I'm gonna sleep for a bit."
"Okay. I'll stay here."
"Thank you, Yuu-chan."
Mika closed his eyes. Right before sleep claimed him, his felt Yuu's hand sliding into his own. Despite the pain, it made him feel safe.
Mika's stretcher was hoisted into the military ambulance. Yuu could not help but admire the vehicle. It had the biggest tires he had ever seen. Yuu wondered if he would ever be able to drive such a truck in the future.
"It would be so cool..." he murmured dreamily.
"You coming, brat?"
"Don't call me a brat!" Yuu retorted, glaring at Guren. He had some nerves calling Yuu a brat when most of the military staff was composed of teenagers.
He climbed into the truck. Mika was secured to his stretcher with many straps so that there would be no risk of him falling during transport. The trip would last more than six hours. Yuu felt excited about going to a city that was not ruled by vampires. Mika was less enthusiastic, though he still smiled sweetly at everyone except Guren.
Mika despised Guren and he was doing nothing to hide it. Yuu could not remember Mika ever being this nasty with anyone. Even when they had had problems with other children in Sanguinem, especially with Sakuma's group, Mika never lost his cool.
"Ready for your first road-trip in years?" Guren asked them as he buckled his seatbelt.
"I won't be seeing much of the road from where I lie," Mika retorted, staring at the ceiling of the truck.
This is going to be long trip, Yuu thought.
The ambulance started and sped off into the empty streets. Guren had told them it was safer to leave when the sun was at its highest. The vampire had gears to resist sunlight, but their activities were nonetheless reduced during the day.
The snow outside had thawed. The truck would sometimes drove into puddles, splashing mud unto the windows.
The beginning of their trip was tedious. Yuu was bored, but neither Guren or Mika looked like they were in the mood for conversation. Guren was reading some documents in Japanese—most of the kanji were unreadable to Yuu—and Mika's face was turning a shade of yellowish-green but he refused to acknowledge he had motion-sickness.
Yuu decided to close his eyes for a bit. He regretted it. Images came flashing back with their share of pain. But the worst memory was the face the vampire made when Yuu shot the gun. Right before he was killed, Yuu could have sworn the vampire was smiling.
He suddenly felt jolted to the side. His seatbelt prevented him from toppling to the other side of the truck.
"What's the matter?" Guren asked to the driver.
Yuu glanced at Mika. His face was terribly pale now.
"Horsemen of the Apocalypse! Three of them!"
"Damn, that's not good," Guren muttered. He unbuckled and got out of his seat. "Stay here."
"What's happening?" Yuu asked. "What are 'Horsemen'?"
"They're the reason we can't focus our whole force on vampires," Guren replied as he opened the ambulance backdoors. He jumped out and disappeared from Yuu's range of vision.
"The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse appear in the Book of Revelations in the Bible," Mika said. Yuu stared in disbelief. How come Mika always seemed to know so much? "My mother often read the Bible at home."
"So, who are they?"
"I don't remember much but... I think they brought the apocalypse."
Yuu glanced outside. He could not see the fight, but he heard the yells of men, the shots of guns and the clashing of swords. He looked back at Mika, who was trying to mask his fear though his body was trembling. Yuu unfastened his seatbelt.
"Yuu-chan?"
"I'm gonna go see."
"Are you insane?" Mika cried out. "You can't go out there! Yuu-chan!"
Yuu ignored his protests. Whoever was attacking them outside, he had to see them with his own two eyes. He jumped out of the truck. His feet splashed into the mud. He followed the direction of the cries and soon stopped dead in his tracks.
Guren stood in front of a colossal monster. It was mostly white, with huge pincers and a pair of wing-like limbs. Its six-eyes stared right at Yuu.
"What the hell...?"
The creature's chest opened into gigantic jaws. The fear made Yuu's legs gave way and he fell to the ground.
Guren unsheathed his sword. Black tendrils seemed to emanate from it. "Come to me, Mahiru-no-yo." He raised the sword in the air. The creature rushed toward him. Yuu screamed but he could not hear his own voice.
Then everything went fast. Guren ran under the monster at lightning speed. The creature went still before it toppled down, cut clean in half. Blood spurted out, some of it splashing against Yuu.
"That was the last one." Guren took a handkerchief out his pocket and he used it to wipe his blade. He then re-sheathed his sword and walked toward Yuu. "We call them Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Those are also the enemies humanity has to deal with. They are attracted solely to us humans. Animals and vampires do not interest them."
Guren stopped in front Yuu.
"Join us," he said, holding out a gloved hand. "Become part of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army and help us make humanity prosper again."
Yuu recalled Mika's warnings. However, looking again at the dead creature made him aware that there were no safe place left in this world. The paradise Mika dreamed of did not exist.
Yuu could not accept it.
He would take back the paradise.
"I'll join," he said, taking Guren's hand.