A decade ago, the Gun Devil rummaged through the earth in search of the Chainsaw Devil, leaving a long trail of blood and scarring the world. Many sought to avenge their fallen family and friends by becoming devil hunters and sacrificing themselves...
Lighting and thunder continued to simmer in the darkened sky. Its ringing echoes began to irritate Arch. The cold rain washed the world's colors, leaving only faded shades of grey. Alone, she looked down on Izuki's unconscious body, her hand clenching the Naginata in her grasp. The freezing raindrops not only weighed her down, forcing her to look at the pitiful young man, but it felt like a bunch of needles dropping on her at once, piercing her down to her heart.
"Izuki..." She murmured, kneeling down and brushed his wet bangs to reveal his freckled face. His brows were still left furrowed even when he was unconscious, the last remains of his emotions towards her. Emotions of which she could never truly read and understand.
"How strange... even after you broke, my illusions still couldn't manifest what was in your mind. Now I feel kind of bad, making you struggle in your last moments like that," She sighed. "You gained my respect, Izuki. I shall remember your name till the day I lose my life."
She gently lifted up the young man's limp body, draping it over her shoulder. As if the rain wasn't heavy enough, she had to carry even more weight and look over to the decrepit building. It dawned on her just how much trouble she made for herself.
If only he had just listened to me back then and didn't try to call for backup, I would have a much easier time...
Taking a deep breath, Arch dropped down from the rooftop. The force created by her combined weight and Izuki put tremendous pressure on her ankles, knees, and back. She clenched her teeth, feeling immediate pain piercing her joints, but there was no time to be weak and take a rest. Gravity was clearly not her friend. She lifted herself back up, adjusting Izuki's body, slowly slipping away from her shoulder like a sack of grains—an annoying but minor hindrance. After bopping herself up and down and assuring he won't shift again, she resumed her journey to the destination.
The scent of dirt and grass intermixed, carried by the flowing waters, started to flood the concrete pavement. It seeped through the crevices of her shoes, the weight of the water absorbed, and its waves made them slip off her feet, exposing her skin to the less than comfortable, slippery, yet also gritty mud. Not that it bothered her much. After all, it's not like she lived most of her life with them in the first place.
She continued to push through the falling rain, her steps getting slower as she felt her body and Izuki's getting even heavier from soaking all the water. It was not helping that her vision was disturbed as her hair became damp, its strands partially covering her eyes. But again, she continued to make her way until she finally reached it.
Walking through an entrance where a pair of glass doors once stood, Arch was greeted by the decaying nature of the building. Finally getting some form of refuge, she let out a sigh of relief, shaking the water off her head. The walls and ceiling were laced with cracks and greenery, and any remnant of paint from its glory days was peeled away, revealing the concrete and red bricks behind it. The ceiling was no different, littered with holes that made way for rainwater from above. Even after humanity's great achievements as a civilization, once they disappear, whatever they created will be overtaken by the forces of nature. Perhaps one day, the Public Safety headquarters would turn into something like this, she pondered.
Continuing on, she walked forward, taking a turn once the decrepit walls stopped her. Her heart began to race in anticipation of what was behind it, a large gaping sinkhole on the floor, hidden from the rest of the world. Just standing near its presence, Arch could feel the primal dread of falling in that darkness, to the unknown, where she would be at the mercy of no one, an all too familiar feeling back when she was back in the ocean. Despite its cruel nature, there was a strange sense of comfort in it all.
Arch stepped closer to the hole, taking a deep breath. Just a little more, and she will be free, she thought. As she stared down at the seemingly endless abyss that was the sinkhole, she took a deep breath, preparing herself for another hurtful descent. But just as her foot hovered over the hole, she heard a murmur just to her side.
"Sorry..." A voice escaped the unconscious young man's lips, startling Arch. "I'm... sorry...I'm sorry..."
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"Still apologizing, huh? I guess you are telling the truth after all..." Arch sighed. "You idiot... devils can't be friends with humans... they could never..."
She backed away from the sinkhole, much to her own confusion. Her chest felt tight. She couldn't even breathe right. She could feel a part of her begging to turn the man on her shoulder, just to take a glance at his face, but also, along with it, a part of her begged for the opposite. When she tried to resist looking at him, memories of his smiles and kind gestures flooded her mind. It was as if a part of her was telling her to stop. But why?
Is this regret growing in my chest?
No. That can't be. There is no way.
She told herself that, trying to shake the hesitance away, yet her heart remained heavy.
No way. There is no way.
It's not like it mattered anyway. She had made her choice. Even if it was regrettable, there was no use in backing away now. With what she had done to Izuki, even with his gentle nature, there would be no way the other devil hunters would do the same. If she were to surrender, they would surely punish her, perpetuating her torture. If she were to run away, they would find a way to capture her or, even worse, kill her on the spot.
"That's right... this is... my only chance..."
With one last huff, she shook away her hesitance. As she stared at the sinkhole, she adjusted Izuki's position on her back again, ensuring she wouldn't lose him. Taking one last deep breath, she plunged into the dark abyss, bracing herself for what awaited her.
