/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>46789843

I became aware of someone jostling my shoulder, awakening back to reality. The haze of despair clouding my mind lifting for just a moment. My eyes meet Mystia’s, her hand still grasping onto me. “Kosuzu, we need to leave, it’s getting too dangerous” she pleads just loudly enough to be heard over the gunshots, the fires crackling and the cries and screams.

As if it emphasize her point, I turn my head upwards to see pillars of fire raining down from the sky like judgment from heaven, although they dissipate long before they can reach the ground. But far from being a solitary occurrence, more and more streams of fire followed, being thrown out quickly and wildly, making the sky almost as chaotic as the ground. It was impossible to make out with details through the heavy smoke and blinding fire, but figures darted throughout the skies. I had only seen occasional glimpses of Danmaku throughout my life, by no means an expert; the whole thing was too much to process for me. But even I could tell this was different. This wasn’t like the friendly sparring matches, where it was more of an art and a sport then combat. It was brutal, desperate. It was a match between two sides, both looking to disable the other in the quickest and most efficient way possible. War. Even if they tried to prevent any collateral damage, it was still risky to stay here. We needed to leave, get far away from all the danger.

I stand up, coughing as smoke fills my lungs. I take a step forwards, shielding my eyes from the smoke as I look for a path out of here when my foot collides with something. Keine was still here, we’d have to leave her to make our escape.

The thought of her just sitting there, discarded like rubbish to be consumed by flames occurred to me. Then I found myself squatting down, trying to find purchase under her. Keine was a hero, and this wasn’t the end she deserved. I had failed her already. I could have chosen my words better, gotten Sanae to join us instead of staying with the Hiedas. I could have asked one of my friends to help us; Yuuka alone would have made all those men toss down their arms and beg for forgiveness just by presence alone. So much I could have done, a hundred ways I could have changed things flashed through my mind as I struggled to pick her up. My muscles protested, but I pushed past the pain. This last act was all I could do for her now.

“Kosuzu, what are you doing? We need to leave!” Mystia begged. I pause and turn to look at her, taking the respite to catch my breath. She doesn’t say anything else. With one more effort, I strain and manage to lift Keine up, awkwardly managing to drape her over my back. Then I begin the process of standing up, the heavy weight on my back making my knees buckle, almost sending me crashing to the ground. But with one last burst of strength my legs stop wobbling and I’m upright as I can be. I let my heart settle, breathing getting harder because of the smoke; we needed to get out of here.

I took a few steps forward, getting used to the extra weight. Then I started to walk. Then I ran.

I ran forwards to safety, Mystia’s footsteps behind me. Dodging burning debris, ignoring the smell of smoke and what I could only assume to be burning flesh, no easy path out, all I could do was just keep moving before I collapsed. Small embers circled around us as we ran, when a bullet whizzed above my head one of them darted up and intercepted it in an explosion. A gift from Mokou, but it would only protect us for one long.

Rounding a corner, the smoke clears and we see another group ahead. A blonde haired woman led the pack, extra spider-like limbs carrying children in them. Yamame? One of the men in her group calls out to Mystia.

Then Yamane stumbles forward, blood spraying from her shoulder. Before she had even hit the ground, Mystia had already turned and fired off a ball of danmaku. We lock eyes as Mokou’s embers intercept a volley of gunfire, the explosions deafening. I didn’t need to ask her the intention for the shot she had just fired off. This really was hell.

I turn around to Yamane, pleading to myself she was fine. Her shoulder was bleeding badly, but she was still breathing. The children were sprawled on the ground, some starting to cry, and I'm reminded of-

“I need to find my family…” I mutter out. Mystia gives me a nod, which I return.

A beam of golden light shoots up to the heavens, just looking at it filled me with a sense of hope. There’s where I need to be. Making my legs move again, I split off from Mystia.