Demonic Hollow: Mask of Courage - Season Two: Behind The War

Episode Twelve - Becoming Whole Pt.1

Tsuzuki and Chūjitsu return home after a day of journey. Several of Tsuzuki's warriors were scattered, many wounded, some on death's door. Guilt sank to the deepest part of his gut, Chūjitsu read the situation clearly.

She looks up to him, "hey, come on, the fight wasn't lost...they are just as devastated as we are." Tsuzuki shakes his head, "my fight with Ryu took precedent. I have no regrets." He walks faster, pacing beyond Chūjitsu. She frowns, understanding his unwillingness to talk.

Alone, she begins to walk back to her home. Making headway, she is interrupted by a set of small footsteps approaching her. "Chūjitsu! You're back!" She turns her head, a gleeful smile spreads across her face. It was Kale. "Kale, my wonderful friend, how are you?" She asks as he runs to her, leaping up into a giant hug.

"I'm good! I heard you and Tsuzuki were back in town! Wh- where is he?" He asks. Chūjitsu shakes her head, "he's...not happy right now. He needs some time alone, okay?" Kale frowns, "...so the war didn't go well?" Chūjitsu shrugs, "as well as we could've hoped...Ryu's army was a lot stronger than anticipated."

Kale turns away from her, "you should've let me go. I could've helped." Chūjitsu smiles and tilts her head, "I know you would've. Come, let's get you home." Kale stays still for a moment before he turns back to her, tears in his eyes. He nods slowly and takes her hand - the two walk away.

Tsuzuki throws his fist to a tree, piercing its skin, penetrating deep into the trunk. He hisses, "damn you Ryu...damn you." He pulls his hand away, blood leaks from the cuts he suffered, steam pours from the holes. He winces, closing his fist again, "I will end you, I promise you...I cannot let my people fall once more."

He walks away from the tree, and into the familiar open field, loads of training equipment surrounds him. "I will break my limits once again, further than I can even imagine..." He takes a weight, "I'll break my body down until it cannot move, and then..." he grunts, lifting the weight - a 200 pound weight. He groans, "I will work more, until I physically cannot anymore..."

His muscles strain, "I promise you Ryu...I won't fall to you!"

Chūjitsu and Kale arrive at the little boy's home. He turns to her, "find Tsuzuki and make him happy again. I miss him." She nods, "of course. Go ahead now, I'll see you very soon." She pats his head and rubs his hair, turning away after, leaving him.

She walks through the streets of town in search of Tsuzuki. She visited a few of his comrades, and nothing came up of him. Defeated, Chūjitsu sits at a water fountain, gentle sprinkling of water droplets fill the quiet air. She sighs, resting her chin on her hand. It was late in the day, the sun was making its way to dawn. She looks up at the golden sky, her eyes glisten.

Tsuzuki rounds a corner, seeing his beloved sat alone by herself. He approaches her, "Chūjitsu? Why aren't you home?" She looks over, "Tsuzuki!" She swiftly stands and dashes over to him, leaping into his arms. He smiles warmly, wrapping his arms around her, "I'm glad to see you." "Are you feeling better? Wh- what happened to your hand?!"

Tsuzuki lifts his hand, it was bandaged tight, blood soaked through the cloth. He chuckles guiltly, "I punctured a tree." Chūjitsu snaps, "huh?!" The two bicker back and forth, their love grew stronger day by day.

A week passes, many demons lost by war returned, and those unable to were mourned and celebrated. With the war over, many demons drew Tsuzuki into question - his ethics and principals. Many of the higher-level demons sought to see Tsuzuki punished for his careless exit of the war, and that the venture for Ryu must be stopped, as the damages of war were very apparent - he wasn't worth it.

A trial was set, Tsuzuki would be tried for wreckless endangerment in war. He sat at home, waiting for the day to arrive. Chūjitsu, who dealt with scrutiny of her own, sat next to Tsuzuki one morning, hoping to cheer up her loved one. "Tsuzuki, do you feel like talking right now?" He looks at her for a moment, the answer was clear in his eyes, but...he then looked away. Chūjitsu sighs, "come on, you can't be like this, not right now."

He stands, "I know! They are right, and I need to face the consequences of my actions!" Chūjitsu stands after, "but what if it's death?! What if they send you to be executed?!" Tsuzuki looks at her with widened eyes. They ease as soon as they saw tears soak the other's eyes. He hesitates. "Chūjitsu, I won't let them kill me. If that's the fate they see fit for me, then it's their demise they will bring. My legacy doesn't end here, but anything else will work."

Chūjitsu sniffles, "so what? You'll just...kill our people?" He turns away from her, "if I have to." She shakes her head, "they're innocent, they're just...seeking justice for those they lost, even though the enemy was just as devastated."

He nods, "I understand, but I won't perish now. Ryu is still out there." "But why is Ryu so important to you?" He looks at Chūjitsu, his eyes narrow, "he nearly killed me, he nearly killed YOU. He almost took me away from my family to be- why can't he be important?!"

"Because it's YOUR family YOU'D be losing Tsuzuki! Think for a second about this rage you have for him! Ryu isn't important, he never was! This...this vengeance you seek, Ryu was never the one who could make it happen!" Chūjitsu shouts. Tsuzuki stood still. His fists clench tight, his nails pierce through his skin. Blood leaks and drips onto the floor, soaking the carpeted ground. "...then he stands in my way."

He walks out of the room, leaving Chūjitsu to her own devices. She sobs, holding her head in her hands.

Tsuzuki walks out of his home and, to his surprise, is met with a surprise attack. He evades it with ease, his reaction razor sharp. He jumps back, down along the street. He looks forward, three masked assailants stand before him. "Who-?" He utters. He is interrupted with another attack. A masked assassin throws a dart at Tsuzuki. He quickly deflects it, responding in kind with an air blast, zipping through the air, striking one of the fighters back. He dashes forward, his hand reaches into his pocket as he brandishes a knuckle Brace.

He slips it on moments before drawing his hand back, going in for his own attack. His fist rams into the jaw of one of his attackers, which sent them high into the sky. The other two watch. One runs away as the other stands his ground.

"It was my son you sent to get killed, Tsuzuki, YOU KILLED MY SON!" He shouted, charging at him with a sword in his hand. Tsuzuki's chest sank, his eyes widen. He suddenly freezes, unable to move...was this guilt? The man plunged his sword onto Tsuzuki. The blade pressed roughly against his shirt and skin, but the metal caved and snapped.

Tsuzuki gets knocked back by the force, landing on the ground, still. The attacker landed forward. He stood, brushing himself off, "did...did I do it?" Tsuzuki stands up slowly, feeling his chest. It was hardened, he shakes his head, "I don't understand."

The attacker scoffs, "damn you. I guess I'll have to try harder." Still looking at his chest, Tsuzuki raises a hand and fires a wind blast at the attacker, sending him flying throughout the town. He lifts his shirt, the black tentacle like flesh mends, slowly returning to normal. He shakes his head, "this...is the darkness within me." He takes his shirt off, touching the area, the black mold resonates.

He touches it, it speaks to him. "Find him," it says. Tsuzuki's mind becomes clouded, his eyes darken and slightly redden. He plunges his hand into his chest, the black mold splashes across his body. He yanks his hand, pulling out a molded sword, a direct opposite to Ryu's golden sword. He looks at it, "the perfect weapon." He crouches slightly - He kicks off the ground, the floor cracks beneath him as he leaps into the sky, venturing for Ryu once again.