Demonic Hollow: A Mask of Courage - Season One: War

Episode Ten - Returning Home

Sobbing echoes through the hallways. Ryu's taxing breath shares the sound. He pushes through, and exits the room. The sun, bright and stunning, dazes him for a moment. He lunges back, a bullet zips past him. He pulls his blade out, slicing the next few bullets in half. He back-steps inside, slamming the door.

Days prior, Ryu was sitting in town-square, the aftermath of the final battle of the town's demons and angels surrounded him. There was no one left, both angels and demons wiped eachother out. Ryu sighed, "she's not here." He stood, brushing himself off gently, the dust falls slowly. He looks around, "this town...it was my home, and now, just like my people, it's gone." He starts walking away, leaving the town behind him.

Several hours pass, Ryu rummages through the forests, and finds himself back at his old clan base. His eyes widen. He rushes up to the main door, dried mud spread across it. With a quiet tremor, "...you-." The door bursts open, several armed men exit the building. "Name!" One of the men shouts. Ryu raises his hand, all sights on him. "R-Ryu...it's Ryu," he says slowly. "Drop your weapons," the man says. Ryu obliges, taking off his sheath, tossing it at the man, along with his dagger, "that's it..." Two men collect the weapons, retreating inside.

"Men, bind him." Several men walk over to Ryu, tightly binding his wrists together, and forcefully pushing him into the base. They walk for a while, Ryu observed his surroundings as best he could, and luckily, he understood the building more than these men did. They bring Ryu to an empty room, throwing him in there. They unbind him, slamming the door closed behind them. Ryu swiftly sits up, "what the hell is going on...?"

Outside the room, there was lots of commotion. It seemed like there were hundreds, of not thousands of people in this base. The wreckage of the town, thanks to the demons and angels, made tons of people lose their homes. Ryu stands, approaching the door, peaking through the glass window. The hallway was empty. He tries the doorknob, it clicks, the door was locked.

He folds his arms, "damn." He looks around, the room wasn't familiar to him, but it was similar to his childhood one, without his personal touch. He backs away from the door, patting and then laying down on the bed several feet from it. He relaxes, finally feeling a moment of respite, but he knew this feeling was fleeting. The doorknob rattles before it opens. Ryu sits up quickly.

A man in a black suit walks in, he shows a badge, he belonged to the Global Protection Association. Ryu's eyes narrowed as he observed the badge. The man steps in, clearing his throat, the door shuts behind him. "Ryu, right?" He asks candidly, fumbling around in his pocket, pulling out a cigarette and a lighter.

Ryu watched his movements closely, nodding gently in response. "My team and I have been clearing out the city the last twenty four hours, and yet, we seemed to have missed you, did you manage to escape as the destruction began?" Ryu nods, "yeah, luckily." He shifts in the bed, "fortunately enough for me, I was already planning a leave for a nearby town...family lives there." The agent nods, "of course, family is important."

"My name is Agent McCain, it is nice to meet you Ryu," he continues, holding a hand out to him. Ryu smiles slightly, taking his hand, a mutual shake is shared between the two. McCain clears his throat again, "hold tight. The situation should be resolved in a few hours, feel free to leave your cell and explore, try to find that family of yours." He left shortly after. Ryu contemplates, and decides to leave.

He maneuvers through the facility efficiently, not a moment forgotten about his way around the area. He finds himself in the main court, displaced families fill the land, plenty of chatter ensues. Ryu looks around for any familiar faces, but with zero luck. He notices something odd about the area, it was worn. Of course, it was repaired and managed by the GPA, but the clan would always maintain perfect structure, it was one of Ryu's least favorite chores.