Alternative Stories

[2] War On Multiple Fronts

Nagoya, Japan | Five months since the declaration of war

Inugami Korone and Nekomata Okayu, an inseparable duo, shared the same residence on a bustling street inside the great Japanese city of Nagoya. Despite both of them being from the countryside, over time, they had grown accustomed to the lively surroundings. Their home, adorned with eclectic decorations and colorful knick-knacks, exuded a cozy charm that reflected their personalities. Korone, with her playful and energetic demeanor as a Dog, often found herself sprawled across the sofa, while Okayu, the Cat, preferred the tranquility of their shared space. Despite their differences, their bond was unbreakable, their companionship a source of strength and comfort in the bustling cityscape outside their door.

It had now been five months since the war truly began. In that time, many Angel forces led by the Generals have been scouring the world for potent places to open gates to the Underworld with the Demons led by the Grim Reaper, Mori Calliope, and their trusted subordinates valiantly defending the said areas. In that short time, the death toll for both Angels, Demons, and bystanders, had already crossed over five hundred thousand combined, telling everyone that this war was no joke. Thankfully, there will still many civilian cities that were unaffected and instead acted as homes for refugees to temporarily go to.

"Hey, Okayu, did you see what's on TV?" Korone asked looking behind her. She was currently lying on the sofa, staring at the TV screen in front of her.

Okayu turned to glance at Korone, who sat in a nearby chair, absorbed in her book, attempting to tune out the clamor from their neighbors.

"Hm? No I haven't, what is going on?" She replies, standing up to get closer.

Korone points to the TV, Okayu looks at it, the TV says the following,

"Fighting has stayed consistent between the Angels and the Demons. Currently, the countries being affected are Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Fantasy. The governments of each country are currently silent on the matter with the military forces showing no sign of action. All citizens of each affected country and all other Earthlings as a whole are advised to stay indoors with a large amount of supplies, a radio, and a flashlight and to avoid eye contact with any Angel or Demon on the streets, civilian or not. It's also highly recommended to move to a designated evacuation zone if you run out supplies."

Okayu remained unperturbed, "So glad that we're not near any of the zones..." She said, expressing her gratitude for their relative safety amidst the ongoing conflict.

Meanwhile, Korone drifted into sleep, embodying a carefree attitude. Their philosophy, "if it doesn't concern us, don't interfere," had served them most of the time. Keyword, most.

In a comedic sense of timing and poor choice of words, the comfy house the two lived in began to shake uncontrollably with things on tables or not properly secured down falling to the floor. Okayu and Korone immediately stood up and held on something, thinking that it was just a minor earthquake, unfortunately, it was much worse. In addition, the TV, before falling onto the ground, had interrupted the previous broadcast with a government issued warning to seek shelter immediately.

Outside the window, the Dog and Cat humanoids saw Angels firing guns, wielding swords, and driving tanks, and on the other side Demons fighting with a similar arsenal. The war had caught up to them, and there was no way to escape it.

Northern Canada | Demons' Camp

Calliope dispatched Shion, Noel, and Flare to the frigid lands of northern Canada, specifically the upper Nunavut region, a battleground where skirmishes were raging due to the discovery of significant paracausal energy, enough for the Angels to potentially open a gate to the Underworld. As expected and just like every other country, the Canadian government stayed neutral, not sending any soldiers to ward off both the Angels and Demons under fear of making enemies with one side.