Alternative Stories

[3] Steel & Corruption

Hametsu-shi, Kyoto, Japan

A record tape plays after being tampered with for a little.

---------

~Audio Log 203, Creator: "Co"~

Commencing Audio log, 203. *Gunshots* To whoever finds this, send help, please! I do not know who I am or who made me. ##### This may sound crazy but all I know is that I am some sort of...machine. *Gunshots* I have been living peacefully in this abandoned city for the past, I don't know, two-ish years? Probably more. ######## It was... I think three months ago when I had to hide *Gunshots*, I've been hearing scary noises on and off since then. My previous logs went missing, I don't know where they are ########## *Explosions* ####### there's some war happening, ########## I don't know what to think anymore. ######## Am I going to die like this, can I even die at all? *Gunshots and explosions* I don't know. ############### If anyone finds this, I want you to come and help me, I'll be inside an old apartment building on the fifth floor. *Explosions* The coordinates will be uploaded to your device. ##### They're coming! Please, help! ###############

~Log end~

---------

"How barbaric...What do you think, Choco-sensei?"

"Hmm, I don't know, but the voice sounds like they were caught in the crossfire of the fight here a few days ago." said Yuzuki Choco, "What should we do, Mel?"

"I think we should find that person!" Yozora Mel replied.

Combat Medics Yuzuki Choco and Yozora Mel served as partners, scouts, and medical personnel in the Underworld military. Under Calliope's command, they were sent on a mission to a war-torn and abandoned city in Kyoto, Japan to locate the remains of fallen Demons, search for any surviving comrades, and salvage Angel technology for reverse engineering. Choco retrieved her phone from her pocket and connected a cable to access the audio log. As she did so, the maps app automatically launched, revealing directions to a ruined apartment building situated approximately three kilometers away.

The two embarked on their journey toward the ruined building, the landscape around them marred by the ravages of war and the passage of time. According to the information that they had been given, this place used to be the city of Hametsu-shi. Hametsu-shi was once a prosperous city filled with a diverse population and a great culture. Unfortunately, the city had been destroyed a very long time ago due to a war between the Japanese government and a terrorist group that had stole the entire city away, leaving nothing but rubble and nature slowly overtaking the place.

After some amount of time, the two Demons had finally reached their destination. The front door had been lay in ruin, offering easy access without the need to expend any mana to breach it. However, the real challenge lay ahead on the stairs.

Inside the abandoned building, debris, broken wood, and rocks obstructed the staircase, presenting a formidable obstacle. Choco and Mel debated their options: they could choose from expending mana to clear the debris, or utilize the long-defunct elevator, which would also require mana but potentially consume less. After some quick calculations, Choco determined that activating the elevator would be the more efficient choice.

As Choco grabbed a catalyst book from her bag to cast spells with, her and Mel heard a blood curdling scream from outside. 

"Holy shit..." Mel cursed under her breath, "Choco-sensei..."

"Mm, let's check it out," Choco understood what Mel wanted.

The two, now alarmed, crouched down to the ground and walked over back to the destroyed front door, slowly peeking their heads out of it.