Survival Game, Book 1: The Fool

Act Two: Chapter Fourteen

    "The third and final test shall determine if you get to take the AX drug. Though this was a requirement for the program, it helps us determine what powers are suitable for you, which increases your chances of surviving the after effects. You'll still have a hell of a time dealing with it, but you probably won't die like the rest. Though I don't think you need to know that. You could be bleeding out and declare you're not going to die unless Noguchi does first." His mentor explained as she led him through the metal door and into another Gothic styled room, completely vacant other than the velvet carpet and a second elevator. "Which leads me to your next test, getting rid of your stubbornness."
    "What is that supposed to mean?" Kouji asked, his eyes narrowing irritably as she turned to face him. "Is this gonna be some sick therapy session or something?"
"Not exactly. Therapy is Orimoto's thing. In your case, I'm going to show you what happens when you let your anger get the best of you. In a fight with a Grandmaster, you can't let your anger control you. Look at what got you here, for example. Except next time, it won't be a whiny bitch who tells his parents to send the bad delinquent boy away. Next time, you'll get cut, you'll get beaten, maybe you'll even die. You can't fly into rage at the slightest insult, Kawakami." She replied, tapping her scythe's handle against her shoulder in an impatient manner, as if she would rather be somewhere else.
    Is she mocking me for what I did?! Kouji gritted his teeth in indignation, one hand balled into a fist. "Oh, yeah? What was I supposed to do then, huh? Just walk away? You said you had a brother, didn't you? What would you do if someone insulted him like that?" He retorted, fury blazing in every sentence.
    "The only one who insults my brother around me is me. So, I don't think I have much to care about. Besides, my brother can fight his own battles. He doesn't need me to hold his hand and tell people off for him." She answered with a nonchalant shrug. "Which reminds me, I received word that Ryou Nakahara passed and already took the AX drug. So, thanks to you, I lost a bet and honestly, I think we should start the test and get this over with before I get pissed myself, okay?" Without another word, she raised her scythe above her head, black flames alighting the blade as if the action had summoned them, and swung it downwards. The blade stabbed into the floor and the black flames formed a ring of fire around Kouji, radiating a strong heat that felt hotter than any summer possible.
    "The flames you see are said to be hellfire, created by troubled souls who succumbed from the fire. Despite being engulfed in hellfire, the souls can still speak as if they were alive. Listen closely and you can hear the whispers." She offered, pausing to let Kouji prove her words. She's right. He realized, an inaudible whispering coming from the flames that surrounded him. But, what does this have to do with the test? He wondered with a slight impatience. "The flames shall be the source of your next test." His mentor continued, taking a step forward to be heard better over the crackling fire. "The souls will torment you to your very limits, and further than that. They'll berate you, your family, your past... but you can't do anything about it. If you attack, you'll get hurt by the flames. Not bad, at first, but the more you fight back, the worse the pain will get. That is why you must control your rage. If you do, you'll pass this test. If you don't, you'll die."
"You crazy–" Kouji was cut off as she raised one finger to stop him.
    "Crazy?" She repeated. "Am I crazy? Do you think you'd listen to me if I just told you calmly not to do this and that? You wouldn't. You'd rush into battle with Noguchi as soon as I gave you powers. Maybe you still will, and all I've taught you meant nothing. All we can do is see. Let's begin the third test, shall we?" She offered as if it was something as simple as a school exam. "If you pass, you'll receive this." She pulled out a thin black box from one stocking, and held it up for Kouji to see over the flames. "If not, well, you'll be seeing that coffin again." She backed away afterwards and the flames grew higher.
    The whispering had grew louder to where Kouji could finally make out the words. "Kawakami!" One voice called his name, and he recognized it as Maruyama's. "How does it feel being the victim now? Maybe now you'll feel the pain I felt!" The voice sneered.
Kouji frantically looked around, trying to find a face to the voice. When his eyes caught sight of one of the flames forming into some sort of object, he recognized the features of Maruyama, the same beady eyes and large nose sculpted in fire. "Looking for me?" He taunted. "What're you going to do, Kawakami? Beat me again? Or did you want to see what kind of monster you are?" The flames began to disfigure Maruyama's face into a swollen, mangled form, blood pouring out of his broken nose and busted lip. "Look at me, then... look at what you did!" He yelled, his twisted mouth spitting out blood and spit with every word.
    "Shut up! What I did to you was your own fault!" Kouji snapped, taking a threatening step forward. "So, you better shut the hell up before I break even more bones in that ugly face of yours!" His voice raised into a yell and he clenched his hand at the sound of Maruyama's mocking laugh.
    "My, my... who knew someone could get so pissed off at fire? What's next, are you going to go home and yell at the nearest river and make water your enemy too? Or maybe ice is more of your thing?" His mentor taunted from beyond the flames, her tone urging him to do something about it.
    "Stay out of this!" Kouji shot her a brief glare before turning back to the fire. The face was gone now, returning to its previous state of black flames licking at the air above. Where did he go? He wanted to show the boy he meant his warning. No... he didn't go anywhere. He was never here, this is just a part of the test. He reminded himself, trying to calm down. The real Maruyama is in the hospital where he belongs. She's just trying to mess with you so you'll get mad. Just stay calm... if I can get through this, I will pass and can focus on Noguchi. He took a deep breath and erased the words from his mind. This isn't real. There's no reason to get mad. He kept reminding himself as the flames began to merge into another thing. Don't get mad.
    His words proved for nothing as a new face was sculpted into the fire, one he'd preferred not to have seen for the rest of his life. "You bitch..." The man grumbled in a slurred speech as the flames created some sort of scene. The man was towering over a woman, a bottle gripped in his hand. "Always fawning over that little whelp when all he's good for is whining for his mother. You never make time for me anymore! It's always about Kouji! You go on and on about that brat and never ask about me!" The woman had yelled something to him, yet Kouji couldn't hear the words, as if it was a TV program and she'd been muted. Either way, he didn't need to hear them, nor did he want to. To him, he was reliving the memory that haunted him every night and even now, he couldn't do anything but watch as he had before. For a second, he thought it was real and he wanted to run up and pull Yui out of the fire. That's not actually Yui. That's just fire, nothing more... that's all it is... this isn't real... He tried to remind himself, knowing what was about to happen.
    Whatever she'd said, the man who resembled Matsuo became enraged and the bottle he held was swung across the woman's head, alcohol mixing in with the wide gash and streaming down her cheek along with blood. The sound of glass shattering echoed across the room, following by the woman's shrieks of pain. This isn't real... this isn't real... Kouji tried to remind himself over and over until he couldn't remind himself anymore, the screaming and sobbing cutting through his thoughts instantly. Rage consumed him as the man leaned over her with sick satisfaction. "Quit crying, bitch." He ordered, delivering a sharp kick to her ribs. "Quit crying!" He ordered once more, grabbing her by her long hair and throwing her onto the fire made bed as if she was nothing more than a stuffed toy. The woman was saying something, but all Kouji could hear was her sobs and see the pain in her face and blood running down her cheek.
    "Stop it..." He ordered, the words coming out in a whisper and he couldn't find his voice at first. He knew what would happen next, whenever the scene would play out a boy, screaming for his father to stop and trying to pull him away from his mother. "STOP IT!" He yelled, unable to listen to the sobs any longer. Kouji lunged for the man, his fist aimed to hit him right in the jaw and keep hitting until he was dead. Yet all his fist met was the burning heat of fire and he was instantly thrown backwards, stumbling to get his balance. Pain seared his hand, so fierce that he worried his hand had caught fire somehow. It didn't, yet his recently healed knuckles now bore a gash onto it, a thin trail of blood running down his fingers. He glanced down at the wound until the scene forced his attention away, continuing on as if his attack was nothing.
    Now, his own 5 year old self appeared in the flames and he almost turned away, feeling as if he was seeing himself on fire. He couldn't hear what words were being exchanged, though he already knew. He watched as the illusion of Matsuo grabbed his son by the shirt collar and pulled him up, putting the broken bottle to the boy's face. Kouji could feel a ghostly prickle of pain course through his scar as he watched the broken glass slice through the boy's flesh. This isn't real, you know that! He began cursing himself. You wanna pass this test, don't you?! He forced himself to stand still this time, his clenched hand trembling with the urge to beat Matsuo for what he did. The urge increased as Yui's words echoed through the room. "I'm sorry..." She muttered after a shortly lived rage. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." Kouji forced himself to stay standing and after what seemed like a long moment, the flames faded away.