Akuma

Chapter 3- The Writing

I woke up with the sun burning my eyes. I squinted, panning over my surroundings for a moment until my eyes started to relax. I hadn't had a good nights sleep for a long time. A white cotton blanket covered me and there was a small feeble figure beside. Kenji slept peacefully beside me. His face was serene, something that he hadn't been for the past few months. It makes me feel much more relaxed and reassured to see him like this. Out of the blue, his face contorted into a frightened expression.

"Akuma! Where are you?" screamed Kenji.

I hugged Kenji as tight as I could and murmured in his ear soothingly, "It's okay Kenji, I am here" Kenji opened his eyes wide abruptly, panting with fear. I could see cold terror, lurking in his deep blue eyes. I gave him a gentle smile and ruffled his hair. Kenji rested his head on my shoulder and sighed.

"When will this all be over Akuma?" he whimpered miserably.

"I don't know Kenji but we will get our answers soon. I'm sure Makoto knows everything. Come on Kenji, take a shower and we will go downstairs for breakfast." Kenji nodded and walked towards the bathroom.Kenji must be really desperate for those answers. I walked out, calling Makoto. I needed to warn him not to tell Kenji too much, otherwise he would be frightened too much. I want Kenji to live in a place where he can be himself and not having to fear the demons that surrounds him.

"I can see you care for your brother dearly and that you would risk the consequences just to protect him." Makoto said in a gentle yet understanding tone.

"Yeah, I really just want Kenji to live happy" I replied with a shrug.

"Ah, breakfast is ready by the way, Akuma." said Makoto, changing the subject.

"Thank very much for making the effort to cook for us," I answered, feeling touched.

Makoto shot a sympathetic and tender look to me and I smiled back. He walked me down to the dining room to have some food to eat. I could smell the mouth-watering scent of the food already from a distance. It just goes to show how long Kenji and I haven't had a proper meal. Makoto lead the way to the room where the sweet scent was coming from. He told me to take a seat by the table. On the table laid 3 plates with knives and forks that accompanied it. The cutlery were laid neatly with care which made the place seem very happy and amicable.

"Akuma, what would you like to drink?" asked Makato, "I have English tea, bubble tea, Coffee and some Green tea. You know, Green tea have many health benefits and helps you to digest food efficiently."

"Water is just fine, thank you" I said, feeling overwhelmed with all the choices.

"Oh yes of course, I'll get it right away" said Makoto.

Makoto seemed to be a very kind and generous man, I thought, because he has been extremely kind to not just me but to Kenji as well. He placed the plate of food in front of me along with the glass of water. I could hear shuffling and the slapping of barefeet coming down against the oak staircase.

"Akuma, Makoto, is there anything to eat?" Kenji asked bashfully. Kenji always acted shy in front of people he had just met.

"Yes, indeed," replied Makoto. "Come Kenji, sit down and eat your breakfast. Take whatever you want."

Kenji nodded acutely and rushed to take a seat and started to fill his mouth with food almost immediately.

"Kenji, say thank you to Makoto for cooking your breakfast" I scolded Kenji. We may be in this mess but that does not mean Kenji can forget his manners.

"Oh sorry, thank you Makato for cooking the food, it tastes delicious!" Kenji replied sheepishly.

"That's alright, Kenji, anything to keep you and Akuma happy. You know you are a very lucky boy Kenji, to have such a loving older brother." said Makoto.

"I know and I love Akuma back, as much as he does to me!" Kenji responded. He looked at me with a bright and cheerful expression on his face. My face projected a joyful look. Kenji looked at me worriedly for a moment and all of a sudden he jumped on me and hugged me as tightly as he could

"Don't cry Akuma, don't be sad!" yelled Kenji.

"I'm not crying" I replied gruffly, choked up with tears.

"Akuma," A quiet voice snapped me out of our moment, "we need to talk about what is going to happen."

"Alright but not in front of Kenji." I hissed towards Makoto. Kenji, oblivious to our conversation, happily carried on eating, licking his spoon with vigour.

Walking out of the room, sensing Makoto following behind me, I thought about what to do about Satan. How were we going to defeat him? I'm just a normal boy, well as normal as you can be in this situation.

"Akuma, I'm guessing that you have many questions." Makoto spoke, "Well, let me show you something. He walked towards a small door that I had not noticed before. He took out a set of silver keys, one of which I assumed would be the key for the door. Instead of doing what I expected him to do which was to slot the key in the keyhole, he closed his eyes and murmured some indecipherable words. Sparks sizzled as the door

swang open revealing a trap door. Taking one of the smallest keys, Makoto twisted the key in the keyhole with a click. "Come," urged Makoto "We don't have much time before this door closes shut automatically. With a start, I climbed down the rusted ladder quickly before the trapdoor shut, narrowly missing my fingers. I carried on climbing down, taking care to not step on Makoto's head. The climb was long and brutal, many of the rungs ran loose from age but eventually we reached the bottom. By the time my feet touched the ground Makoto was already there, patiently waiting. Makoto started to walk forwards, towards a damp, grey wall. Pressing his hand firmly against the wall,and all of a sudden some mysterious lilac coloured symbols began to appear on the wall which lit up the whole room, blinding me temporarily.

Makoto gestured with his fingers and told me take his hand.

"Do not be afraid" pleaded Makoto, "trust me." Those two words that everyone spoke yet never lived up to. Everyone but Kenji had let me down at one point. Father with his secrets, my dead biological mother and even Makato for not finding us sooner. I knew it was wrong to blame Makato for something that was not his fault but I could not help it. It was a way of coping.

"I am fine, don't worry I am not afraid." I replied uncertainly, taking the plunge. Why bother holding a grudge against someone who was trying to help us. Of course, there was also the fact that Makato was giving us a home, somewhere where Kenji and I were loved. Dragging me out of my thoughts flashed the unknown symbols on the wall.

The strange lilac words seemed to be in some kind of code.

I asked Makato do the words on the wall mean anything. he told me that the language on the walls was called 'Shiko'

"You see, Akuma your Father, Akihiko, had an incredible gift. He was born as an angel who was sent down from heaven to use his power to help the people in this world. On this wall he engraved these words that were meant for only your eyes," Makoto explained, "Of course, he couldn't let the sacred words of an angel be lead into the hands of evil so he enchanted it with an ancient spell. Only those of pure hearts can see what lies hidden within."

I froze with shock. I guess I had always knew deep inside me that he was a great, caring man but I just had really realised it and I had never stood to appreciate how much Father had done for me, for Kenji. And yet I still couldn't imagine the pain that he went through, mentally and physically. Possessing the memories of all the innocent people that have been killed by the devil himself and do the deed in addition must have gone against everything he knew .

"Akuma I know it's hard for you and Kenji as well, but now isn't the time to be swimming in your sorrow, you must build your strength and train yourself to not take everything that people say to the heart," spoke Makoto gently, sensing that I was in a world of my own.

I nodded and asked how to should defeat the Satan. Makoto kept quiet for a moment but eventually answered.

"First you must learn how to control the Shi No Ken."