Categories > Anime/Manga > Mirage of Blaze
The Sacrifical Lamb
0 reviewsThe village is desperate to survive the calamity that God has bestowed upon them. The blood of a virgin body is needed as a sacrifice to ease the entity caged within the mountains.
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MIRAGE OF BLAZE
AN AU FANFICTION ONESHOT.
THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB.
Loud banging at their front door woke up the residents of the small house.
“Big brother! Big brother! It’s the village leader!” cried his sister into his room. She ran into his arms, shivering like a leaf. Her eyes were red and her lips chapped. She hasn’t had a good night sleep the past several months because of her age and gender.
Takaya tried his best to soothe his only kin by hugging her tight. It’s the only thing he could do. “please don’t cry Miya…”
“but I saw from the windows that there are many people….big brother… they must have come for that.”
“nonsense. You’re only 15. “
“but other than me, there aren’t any girls in this village who are older than 2 months old!”
The impatient unwelcomed guests banged the door again.
“never mind. I’ll go answer the door and you stay in your room. Do NOT come out even when I call your name ok?”
“but brother…”
“and if you hear the window glass shatter or anything, escape out of the window as fast as you can. Do NOT look back.”
Miya is practically crying now. “no, I could never do that.”
“Miya!”
The younger sibling reluctantly nodded and quickly retreat to her room and locked the door.
As Takaya brace himself, he finally open the door. Just as he suspected, the village head and his men crowded before the small house of two siblings.
“what business do you want with me at this ungodly hour?” Takaya snarled, he couldn’t believe that even his house is targeted. The fact that all the villagers gathered, holding up torches and dressed in ceremonial robes meant only one thing…
“We have come for the young lady of this house. We need her to please the fallen Gods resided in the Mount Shinu. In order to do this, her virgin blood and body are necessary.”
Anger and hatred rise like steam. Takaya bit his lip until it almost bled. There’s nothing he wish more than to punch the old man’s face and run to his sister’s room to flee with her. But judging the number of these people, there’s no way they can outrun them.
“what are you talking about? There’s no lady in my house. My sister died after the death of our parents few years ago. You must have gone senile, old man.” He barked.
Takaya knew this will come sooner or later. The farms are all dried up, last week there was a typhoon, the week before that there was a devastating flood. Many people were killed due to nature’s rage. The cynical old man concluded that the Gods are angry at them for being over-indulgent in their life. He set up laws which are trivial and nonsensical. The people of this village hasn’t seen the sunny blue skies and the sun for how many years. This signs of calamity forced the close-minded village leader to take action in a inhuman ceremony. This sick ritual of picking up teenage girls and throwing them into the accursed cave of . none of those poor girls walked back out alive.
They said a monster escaped from Hell resided deep in the recess of that cave, a blood sucking beast in the form of half man and half wolf. There were many variations of this legend.
“don’t make up excuses where its plain as the air that its all lies. Tell us where is your sister or else we’ll use force.”
Two big tough guys suddenly appear at both sides of the teen.
Takaya will not back down without a fight. With all his anger, he punched the old man square in the face and ducked when those two big goons tried to capture him.
“Miya! Run NOW!!” he screamed and went to the nearest window. The window was already opened previously so he doesn’t need to waste time unlocking the lock.
He climbed out the window and ran as far as he can. Soon he saw the silhouette of a familiar figure in white. Its his sister!
“Miya!”
“oh big brother!”
“don’t slow down! Just keep running!”
She cant tear her eyes from the scene behind her where two big guys nearing her brother.
“NOOOO!!”
She almost stopped sprinting when she saw her brother pushed down the wet grass.
“JUST KEEP RUNNING! FORGET ABOUT ME!” Takaya screamed before one of the guards stuffed a cloth into his mouth. Shutting him up.
Miya, blessed her for having legs that can run as fast as a leopard, ran.
She kept on running and running towards the direction of the Forbidden Forest.
There were many legends about this forest and nobody dares to enter because there were no survivors who lived to tell the tale of their journey within.
Miya soon could no longer hear the shouts from the villagers because she knew none will be brave enough to follow her into the forest.
She was safe, temporarily.
She walked a few more steps in the darkness, crying and sobbing. She doesn’t even realize her feet were bleeding and numb. She doesn’t realize her white gown is torn and messy from the branches.
What she could only hear is her brother’s last scream.
What she could only think of is her brother’s pained expression.
What she could only feel is guilt for leaving behind her only kin.
Was it the right thing to do?
But if she didn’t continue running, then the villagers will capture her and make her as the sacrifice. If she didn’t run, her brother’s efforts to save her from that inhuman ceremony will be all gone to waste.
“dear brother….” She fell to her knees and screamed at the top of her lungs. Anguish and desperation.
She’s torn between running back to rescue her brother or not.
“mother… father… what should I do?”
Exhausted and miserable of her situation, she tried to rest at a large bark of the nearby tree. She doesn’t care if a snake or a bear come to her. All she could think of is her brother.
She cried again before she fell into a world of darkness.
Before the sun rises and weakly shined upon the vast forest behind the dark clouds, a pair of footsteps approached Miya’s still form.
A man in his traveling garment stopped before the teenage girl. Silently, he picked her up in his arms and carried her toward the direction of his house.
What should he tell his wife that he return with a girl instead of herbs?
“foolish boy.” The village master spat on Takaya’s weak form chained to the wall. “if it weren’t for your interference, we wouldn’t have to postpone the ceremony of pleasing the Gods.”
“you must be one sick of a bitch to believe that that monster living inside that damn cave is anything but a God.” Takaya whispered, winced when his cut lip caused a numbing sensation. Is Miya alright? Its morning now… I hope she’s okay.
The sick village leader raise his hand and understanding that instruction, the prison guard rise his whip and strike Takaya’s naked chest sadistically. The prison guard will grinned in glee if he manage to strike the nipples of the young man.
“I will torture you more if you defy me again.”
“like I care.” Takaya smirked. They can torture him all they want but they can never break him.
The old man was about to instruct the prison guard to punish the boy using water torture until one of the advisors came to him in an urgent manner.
The two old men whispered to each other in conspiracy-like atmosphere.
Soon the whispering ended with a smirk from the village leader, “very well. It’s a change from the usual ceremony but at least we’re not coming there empty handed.”
Takaya hated seeing that smirk. He has a bad feeling about this.
“guard, unchain that impudent brat and bring him to the temple. The monks will take care of his cleansing and dress before transporting him to .”
Takaya paled like a ghost, “w-what?”
“maybe the God was not satisfied by the previous maidens. So we hope by presenting him the virgin blood and body of an attractive man like you… well…” the village leader smirked after he look up and down on Takaya’s almost naked body. The old man touch his hardening cock with a lustful gaze, “pity that I couldn’t enjoy you first like the previous sacrifices. We’re running out of time.”
Takaya lost his voice.
This….this sick man….
He violated the girls before sending them to ??
“why are you so shock? Off course it’s the duty of a leader of this village to make sure that the presented girls were all a dame and not a vixen. And what better way do I find out of their virginity other than…. Carrying them to my bed?”
“you sick son of a….” Takaya wished that he can kill that sick man by ripping him into shreds.
But before Takaya could finish his curses, the bastard already left the dingy prison room.
The sun hid behind the mountains as the first few stars appear in the cloudy sky.
“I swear on this day that I will come back to haunt you, you devil.” Takaya curse under his breath as he was seated on a black horse.
Dressed in fine robe and cleaned like how the monks cleaned a body before burial, Takaya looks more stunning than an average Joe.
Only the head villager and his advisors were present to send the boy to his death as they all stood at the mouth of the grim cave. They ordered Takaya to ride on the horse as the horse slowly enter the cave. Even the old horse was decorated like a doll. Takaya felt like he’s riding a fancy pony before his death.
“we will never forget your sacrifice to our village. We shall---“
“just shut up and leave.” Takaya cut off his speech. He was dying to drag out his dagger and stab the bastard to death. But no, he’s determined to come back to haunt the village. Alive or dead. Its illogical, but he doesn’t care.
His only regret was that he couldn’t see his dear sister anymore.
Miya’s cheerful laughter is his treasured memory.
“I see that you remain to be foolish and obstinate to the end. Very well, off you go.”
The monks chanted from the foot of the .
It’s a noisy chanting that annoyed the teen.
The horse slowly move and entered the cave.
The head of the village and his men watched until Takaya’s figure vanished into the dark cave.
“now!” shouted the bastard.
As he commanded, a group of huge men with muscles work together to push the big boulder and rolled until it completely sealed the mouth of the cave.
The only exit out of this cave is now closed.
Takaya was too far inside the cave that he didn’t hear the sound of the boulder blocking the exit.
“if only they’ve given my a damn candle. How am I suppose to see in this God forsaken darkness?” he grumbled.
Suddenly, the ground shook.
“an earthquake?”
Before Takaya could grab onto the horse for balance, the ground beneath them shattered and give in. a large hole formed and the two of them fell in!
“ugh…. What the heck?”
The teenager rubbed his sore shoulder because he was trying to shield his head from the fall.
The sound of water….
The smell of incense….
The soft glow of several candles….
Takaya knew it’s the end of him when the ground suddenly caved in……and now here he is, lying on a soft mattress which look like its made up of the fur of a bear. Soft and fluffy.
He look around and it shocked him that he’s in an odd looking room. He’s on top of a pedestal which is covered by the bear’s fur as a mattress. Surrounding the pedestal is marble floor. But the marble floor doesn’t cover the whole floor, its only about 10 steps wide on each side of the pedestal or rectangular platform. Surrounding the marble floor is endless water. Countless candles in crystal cups floated in the water’s surface.
“ I see that you’re awake.”
A deep silky voice broke the silence.
Takaya gasped sharply and looked behind him.
He saw a throne which seemed to magically appear on the surface of the water.
Is this his imagination?
Seated on the throne was a handsome man, pale like the moon with blood red lips. What’s more shocking was that surrounding the throne are countless women. All familiar to Takaya.
“Ayaka….Matsuri….Yukino…..Kimie….Sayuri….”
There were more but Takaya was too shocked to name each of them. These girls are all the previous sacrificial lambs! But why do they look so pale? And why haven’t each of them aged at all? Their sacrifice was years ago!
All of those women surrounding the mysterious man smiled at him. But remain quiet
“yes, you should know most of them because you all came from the same village. I’m grateful that the foolish people up there sent me girls to play with or become my meal. But what I truly wanted is actually to be released from this….cage. my freedom is what I desired.”
Takaya wished he could run, but his legs are numb and why is it that this man’s beautiful lavender eyes made him blushed?!
“wh-who are you?!”
“me? Well, you can say I was a well known person not long ago.”
Takaya grip the dagger in his sweaty palms tight.
It’s the end.
This man will come nearer and nearer, Takaya can’t even see the feet under those long black robes. As if this man just drifted across the waters from his seat to Takaya’s side.
“St-stay away from me!!” the boy lashed at the ghostly figure.
The mysterious man just smirked and in a split second, pinned Takaya down.
Both wrists above his head, both legs parted wide and pinned down.
What is this sweet smell? Its making him feel……a bit sleepy but aroused…
“such beautiful golden eyes….like a tiger’s.” chuckled the man. “maybe I shall plucked them out and make them as ruby rings for my girls.”
Takaya is frightened like hell, he cant budge his locked wrists at all, this man has inhuman strength! “heh, after making my eyeballs are your ring, what are you planning to do next?”
The man hovering above him smirked, which made Takaya’s cock hardened. Why the heck is he having a boner at a time like this??
“are you thinking that I’m about to eat you?” he asked in a sing song voice.
The girls at the throne giggled.
“oh, are you planning to play before having supper? Well, you may as well cut to the chase, Mister. I have a village to haunt and a bastard to murder in the most horrible way I could think off. Im a busy man you know.”
“dear boy, you are mistaken that you’re going to leave this place alive.”
“who says I’m trying to escape? Just get on with it and eat me up or cook me already.” Takaya tried to sound nonchalant but his heart beats faster than a drum.
The older man stared down at him before smiling, “interesting. For once a victim under me whose not screaming and crying. And a boy.”
“the name is Ougi Takaya, I’m a big boy.”
“Interesting. You wished to haunt the village, would you like my help?”
“I thought you can’t escape this place.”
“true, but it’s a different matter when I regained my health.”
“health?”
The man grinned wider, showing his fangs, “yes. Would you like to donate your blood to me? That way I can regain my health and my powers.”
This is the man, the blood sucking monster!
“what? You’re going to suck me dry and allow you to have all the fun of destroying that damn place up there?”
“off course not. I shall give you my power while you give me what I want.”
“my blood.”
“correct. Plus I’m bored down here. A little exercise and fresh air will be nice.”
“so is this the same offer you gave to those girls over there?” Takaya asked with a raised eyebrow, “did they promised to give you their blood in exchange of freedom or painless death?”
“how did you know that those girls aren’t one of the living?”
“this place reeks of death more than a cemetery can emit.”
“ahaha, you are correct and yet wrong. These ladies did offered their blood, in exchange of eternal youth. But off course in order to attain this, they need my blood.”
“well, you can eat me up entirely for all I care, just don’t eat my soul. Cuz I have this bastard to terrorize the whole of his damn life.”
“very well. Would you like to accept my offer?”
“yeah. You know its kinda awkward that you and I will be partner in crime but have no bloody idea of each other’s names.”
“Takaya-san, do call me by my name. Naoe, Nobutsuna Naoe.” Naoe laughed heartily.
Again, the image of Miya’s smiling face came up to Takaya’s mind, Please be safe Miya. I’m sorry and good bye….
Takaya’s tears wet down his cheek which the man kissed it away.
Takaya was became more distracted from the conversation when his robes slipped down to the marble floor as Naoe caress his naked skin. His mouth kissing the boy’s slender neck.
“lets have the activity of terrorizing the village after we have our little game, shall we?”
The teenager could hardly form a coherent thought as Naoe pleasured him in a mind-blowing way.
“oh… oh Naoe…”
Takaya doesn’t know how much time has elapsed.
An hour?
A few days?
Sense of time is meaningless to him because there’s nothing he can think of other than how Naoe made him screamed in pleasure.
His body became accustomed to Naoe’s skillful caresses and sweet kisses.
Even the act of sucking the blood from his neck isn’t so unpleasant now.
“Naoe…”
Miya woke up to the smell of fresh baked bread and pumpkin.
“are you awake?”
The young girl weakly turn her head to the side, noting the soft mattress under her and a soft pillow under her head.
“wh..who?”
“hello there, my name is Saori.” The woman who sat on the stool next to the bed smiled. she has two long pigtails that reached across her waist and four young boys clinging to her skirt and dirty apron. “ these here are my precious children. This guy here is Yuzuki, his brother next to him is Yuzuto, on my left side is Yuzuchi and the youngest of them which is currently hiding under my skirt is Yuzuyuzu.”
Miya have no idea what to say to the giggling mom. Why the heck are all these kids have the same first syllable in their name? not to mention they all look alike like two pair of twins!
“Saori, where are you?” a man’s voice called from outside the house.
“in here, dear! At the guest’s room!” Saori’s smile brightened the room like there’s a sun in the house. Miya had to cover her weak eyes.
A few minutes later there’s a knock at the door and in comes a man whose off course the husband of Saori. Not because he’s the only adult man in the house, but because he looks exactly like the four boys.
“oh! She’s awake now!” The husband smiled at Miya.
“daddy!” cried the kids who all ran to his legs.
“Narita-kun, have you finished chopping all those wood?” Saori asked and pour a glass of water for Miya to drink.
“yes. We have enough wood to last the winter season.”
“this is my husband. His name is Yuzuru Narita.” Saori introduced him, big smile still on her face.
Miya realized the silent request from the odd couple, she blushed in embarrassment and said, “my… my name is Ougi Miya.”
“O..Ougi?” Yuzuru cocked his head to the side, “ That name sounds familiar….”
Miya gasped sharply, “oh! Do you know my brother?!”
“your brother?”
“his name is Ougi Takaya!”
Yuzuru paled, “yes… he… Takaya was my childhood friend but we haven’t seen each other since we were kids.”
Miya covered her trembling mouth, fighting back tears as she remembered what happened before she fell unconscious.
“are you from the other village? Because you are now in the village of Shuo.”
Miya was shocked, did she really went past the vast forbidden forest into the other village?
“i… I was from the village of Shin, near the mountain of Shinu.”
Both Saori and Yuzuru paled at the mention of that mountain.
The wife look up to her husband in a sad expression.
“what?” Miya asked after a moment of silence, “why are you looking like that?”
Saori braced herself and explain, “Miya-san, you have been sleeping in our house for almost 2 weeks. You were bedridden sick and almost died from severe fever. It was all thanks to Shintaro-san who discovered you in the borders of the Forbidden Forest when he was searching for herbs. Shintaro’s wife is has recently given birth to her first born and we volunteer to take care of you while you were still sick. I’m sorry to say this, you may not be able to return to your village anymore….”
Miya lost her voice.
“about 2 weeks ago, there was a massive fire which destroyed the whole village of Shin. I heard this from a few survivors of the said village. And yet none of them survived longer than a few days because they were horribly burnt.”
The girl couldn’t believe what she heard… “burnt….died….no one…?”
Yuzuru nodded painfully, “nobody knows what actually happened. For all I know, those who wish to go to Shin village is on a fool’s errand because there wont be anything there but a massive graveyard of charcoaled bodies and houses---“
“NOOO!!!” Miya screamed like she’s possessed.
Frightening the four children.
“Saori, hold her down!” Yuzuru acted fast and search for the familiar syringe on the nearby table. The syringe contains a liquid that can even put lions to sleep.
he apologized to Miya as he carefully injected the liquid into her blood stream.
After a few minutes, the teenage girl fell onto the bed like a doll and panted heavily. Tears wetting her cheeks and her voice hoarse.
Only one name.
Just one name that her numb brain and mind can utter.
Takaya onii-chan…
*************(few years later)**************
“big sis! Can you tell us the story about the man who fought with the devil of Shinu?”
The woman smiled down at the group of kids surrounding her legs.
“but didn’t I already retell that story so many times now?” she fake a sigh.
“please? Please? Pretty please?” the boys and girls tugged at her skirt and pleaded in the most pitiful eyes they can muster.
“oh alright. But after this tale, promise me you all behave to your mother okay?”
“okay~”
“very well. It’s the story which happened a long long time ago. One day a King is dying of old age, he has a handsome son of a Prince. However, the Queen, the Prince’s step mother, detested him because she wishes her own son to be the next in line for the throne. So she tricked the prince that there’s a magical flower that has extraordinary powers that can cure all diseases and regains one’s youth. However, these flowers only bloom around the premise of the dark lord of Shinu. He is a terrifying man who sucks the blood of children and….”
Miya retold her made up tale over and over to children of this village as if she’s narrating her own experience.
She knew it’s a poor way of remembering her late brother.
But who remembers about her brother other than her and Yuzuru-san?
Eventhough its in the form of a fairy tale, Miya thought that at least there’s something she can pass on to the next generation.
After Miya regained her health few years ago, she was in depression for a month. Despite the Narita couple’s objection, she travelled across the Forest and returned to the village.
True to what they said, there was nothing left. Just a ghost town of burnt down houses and ashes of the dead.
It was impossible to find any traces of her brother.
However, she did remember she saw a black horse with two men riding on it.
But both of them were wearing dark cloaks. One of the man was staring at her for a while before the horse trot away into the other side of the forest.
Miya didn’t think much about those two, she just think that they must be curious travelers who wish to see the cemetery village of Shin.
“…the prince bravely fought with the devil Shinu because Shinu took the prince’s sister as hostage.”
“oh I know! I know! And the princess sister shouted from the tower ‘big brother! Use the silver cross because the devil is afraid of the silver!”
“that’s correct Yuzuki-kun.” Miya smiled. fingering her silver cross necklace. The only memento she has of her brother, “Shinu the beast screamed in pain. The power of the cross was too much for a devil and he melted like a candle.”
The kids giggled. Imagining how a devil melted. It must have look like melted ice cream.
Not far from Miya and the kids sitting on the cobble stone floor in front of the house, she was observed by a man covered from head to toe in a long cloak.
“sorry I’m late. the market place sure is busy like 50 years ago.”
The man turned around to face his lover, “exactly how old are you anyway?”
“does it really bother you how old I am?”
“nah, I was just curious. Nobody will believe me if I tell them that the famous Devil Shinu is this vain guy whose a womanizer and a sex-addict.”
Naoe mocked a frown, “well, nobody will believe that you’re the big hero.”
“I’m a prince.”
“only in her fairy tale. Who says I’m of silver cross? That’s such old fashion trends for a vampire.”
“what about Holy Water?”
Naoe shivered and Takaya laughed.
“yeah.” Takaya stare at his sister in melancholy. “I didn’t knew Miya has talent in writing her own stories.”
“she’s a wonderful sister.”
Its impossible for Takaya to walk up to her and say Hi because it’ll only cause more grief. He is not the same brother she remembered several years ago.
“shall we go?” Naoe possessively slid his hand around Takaya’s waist.
The younger man rested his head under Naoe’s chin, fighting back tears before he forced a smile, “are you trying to spirit away the prince, my Devil Shinu.”
“I’m suppose to be a vampire slash monster kind of guy. But oh well, which ever works. Rather than taking the princess as hostage, I rather drag the prince to my chambers.”
Takaya chuckled. He turned his head one last time to see his happy sister’s smile and walked away.
A few hours later, Takaya kicked Naoe.
“I don’t want to go back to that damn Play boy mansion of yours. You mongrel.”
“b-b-but Takaya-san! Those girls are part of me, I cant just leave them in the cave!”
“I knew I shouldn’t have believed in you when you said you only loved me!”
“off course I love you!”
“then why do you still have those girls in our house?”
“wait! Takaya-san~”
And the two bickered and quarreled as if they were a pair of husband and wife.
The girls just giggled from the balcony above.
The End.
AN AU FANFICTION ONESHOT.
THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB.
Loud banging at their front door woke up the residents of the small house.
“Big brother! Big brother! It’s the village leader!” cried his sister into his room. She ran into his arms, shivering like a leaf. Her eyes were red and her lips chapped. She hasn’t had a good night sleep the past several months because of her age and gender.
Takaya tried his best to soothe his only kin by hugging her tight. It’s the only thing he could do. “please don’t cry Miya…”
“but I saw from the windows that there are many people….big brother… they must have come for that.”
“nonsense. You’re only 15. “
“but other than me, there aren’t any girls in this village who are older than 2 months old!”
The impatient unwelcomed guests banged the door again.
“never mind. I’ll go answer the door and you stay in your room. Do NOT come out even when I call your name ok?”
“but brother…”
“and if you hear the window glass shatter or anything, escape out of the window as fast as you can. Do NOT look back.”
Miya is practically crying now. “no, I could never do that.”
“Miya!”
The younger sibling reluctantly nodded and quickly retreat to her room and locked the door.
As Takaya brace himself, he finally open the door. Just as he suspected, the village head and his men crowded before the small house of two siblings.
“what business do you want with me at this ungodly hour?” Takaya snarled, he couldn’t believe that even his house is targeted. The fact that all the villagers gathered, holding up torches and dressed in ceremonial robes meant only one thing…
“We have come for the young lady of this house. We need her to please the fallen Gods resided in the Mount Shinu. In order to do this, her virgin blood and body are necessary.”
Anger and hatred rise like steam. Takaya bit his lip until it almost bled. There’s nothing he wish more than to punch the old man’s face and run to his sister’s room to flee with her. But judging the number of these people, there’s no way they can outrun them.
“what are you talking about? There’s no lady in my house. My sister died after the death of our parents few years ago. You must have gone senile, old man.” He barked.
Takaya knew this will come sooner or later. The farms are all dried up, last week there was a typhoon, the week before that there was a devastating flood. Many people were killed due to nature’s rage. The cynical old man concluded that the Gods are angry at them for being over-indulgent in their life. He set up laws which are trivial and nonsensical. The people of this village hasn’t seen the sunny blue skies and the sun for how many years. This signs of calamity forced the close-minded village leader to take action in a inhuman ceremony. This sick ritual of picking up teenage girls and throwing them into the accursed cave of . none of those poor girls walked back out alive.
They said a monster escaped from Hell resided deep in the recess of that cave, a blood sucking beast in the form of half man and half wolf. There were many variations of this legend.
“don’t make up excuses where its plain as the air that its all lies. Tell us where is your sister or else we’ll use force.”
Two big tough guys suddenly appear at both sides of the teen.
Takaya will not back down without a fight. With all his anger, he punched the old man square in the face and ducked when those two big goons tried to capture him.
“Miya! Run NOW!!” he screamed and went to the nearest window. The window was already opened previously so he doesn’t need to waste time unlocking the lock.
He climbed out the window and ran as far as he can. Soon he saw the silhouette of a familiar figure in white. Its his sister!
“Miya!”
“oh big brother!”
“don’t slow down! Just keep running!”
She cant tear her eyes from the scene behind her where two big guys nearing her brother.
“NOOOO!!”
She almost stopped sprinting when she saw her brother pushed down the wet grass.
“JUST KEEP RUNNING! FORGET ABOUT ME!” Takaya screamed before one of the guards stuffed a cloth into his mouth. Shutting him up.
Miya, blessed her for having legs that can run as fast as a leopard, ran.
She kept on running and running towards the direction of the Forbidden Forest.
There were many legends about this forest and nobody dares to enter because there were no survivors who lived to tell the tale of their journey within.
Miya soon could no longer hear the shouts from the villagers because she knew none will be brave enough to follow her into the forest.
She was safe, temporarily.
She walked a few more steps in the darkness, crying and sobbing. She doesn’t even realize her feet were bleeding and numb. She doesn’t realize her white gown is torn and messy from the branches.
What she could only hear is her brother’s last scream.
What she could only think of is her brother’s pained expression.
What she could only feel is guilt for leaving behind her only kin.
Was it the right thing to do?
But if she didn’t continue running, then the villagers will capture her and make her as the sacrifice. If she didn’t run, her brother’s efforts to save her from that inhuman ceremony will be all gone to waste.
“dear brother….” She fell to her knees and screamed at the top of her lungs. Anguish and desperation.
She’s torn between running back to rescue her brother or not.
“mother… father… what should I do?”
Exhausted and miserable of her situation, she tried to rest at a large bark of the nearby tree. She doesn’t care if a snake or a bear come to her. All she could think of is her brother.
She cried again before she fell into a world of darkness.
Before the sun rises and weakly shined upon the vast forest behind the dark clouds, a pair of footsteps approached Miya’s still form.
A man in his traveling garment stopped before the teenage girl. Silently, he picked her up in his arms and carried her toward the direction of his house.
What should he tell his wife that he return with a girl instead of herbs?
“foolish boy.” The village master spat on Takaya’s weak form chained to the wall. “if it weren’t for your interference, we wouldn’t have to postpone the ceremony of pleasing the Gods.”
“you must be one sick of a bitch to believe that that monster living inside that damn cave is anything but a God.” Takaya whispered, winced when his cut lip caused a numbing sensation. Is Miya alright? Its morning now… I hope she’s okay.
The sick village leader raise his hand and understanding that instruction, the prison guard rise his whip and strike Takaya’s naked chest sadistically. The prison guard will grinned in glee if he manage to strike the nipples of the young man.
“I will torture you more if you defy me again.”
“like I care.” Takaya smirked. They can torture him all they want but they can never break him.
The old man was about to instruct the prison guard to punish the boy using water torture until one of the advisors came to him in an urgent manner.
The two old men whispered to each other in conspiracy-like atmosphere.
Soon the whispering ended with a smirk from the village leader, “very well. It’s a change from the usual ceremony but at least we’re not coming there empty handed.”
Takaya hated seeing that smirk. He has a bad feeling about this.
“guard, unchain that impudent brat and bring him to the temple. The monks will take care of his cleansing and dress before transporting him to .”
Takaya paled like a ghost, “w-what?”
“maybe the God was not satisfied by the previous maidens. So we hope by presenting him the virgin blood and body of an attractive man like you… well…” the village leader smirked after he look up and down on Takaya’s almost naked body. The old man touch his hardening cock with a lustful gaze, “pity that I couldn’t enjoy you first like the previous sacrifices. We’re running out of time.”
Takaya lost his voice.
This….this sick man….
He violated the girls before sending them to ??
“why are you so shock? Off course it’s the duty of a leader of this village to make sure that the presented girls were all a dame and not a vixen. And what better way do I find out of their virginity other than…. Carrying them to my bed?”
“you sick son of a….” Takaya wished that he can kill that sick man by ripping him into shreds.
But before Takaya could finish his curses, the bastard already left the dingy prison room.
The sun hid behind the mountains as the first few stars appear in the cloudy sky.
“I swear on this day that I will come back to haunt you, you devil.” Takaya curse under his breath as he was seated on a black horse.
Dressed in fine robe and cleaned like how the monks cleaned a body before burial, Takaya looks more stunning than an average Joe.
Only the head villager and his advisors were present to send the boy to his death as they all stood at the mouth of the grim cave. They ordered Takaya to ride on the horse as the horse slowly enter the cave. Even the old horse was decorated like a doll. Takaya felt like he’s riding a fancy pony before his death.
“we will never forget your sacrifice to our village. We shall---“
“just shut up and leave.” Takaya cut off his speech. He was dying to drag out his dagger and stab the bastard to death. But no, he’s determined to come back to haunt the village. Alive or dead. Its illogical, but he doesn’t care.
His only regret was that he couldn’t see his dear sister anymore.
Miya’s cheerful laughter is his treasured memory.
“I see that you remain to be foolish and obstinate to the end. Very well, off you go.”
The monks chanted from the foot of the .
It’s a noisy chanting that annoyed the teen.
The horse slowly move and entered the cave.
The head of the village and his men watched until Takaya’s figure vanished into the dark cave.
“now!” shouted the bastard.
As he commanded, a group of huge men with muscles work together to push the big boulder and rolled until it completely sealed the mouth of the cave.
The only exit out of this cave is now closed.
Takaya was too far inside the cave that he didn’t hear the sound of the boulder blocking the exit.
“if only they’ve given my a damn candle. How am I suppose to see in this God forsaken darkness?” he grumbled.
Suddenly, the ground shook.
“an earthquake?”
Before Takaya could grab onto the horse for balance, the ground beneath them shattered and give in. a large hole formed and the two of them fell in!
“ugh…. What the heck?”
The teenager rubbed his sore shoulder because he was trying to shield his head from the fall.
The sound of water….
The smell of incense….
The soft glow of several candles….
Takaya knew it’s the end of him when the ground suddenly caved in……and now here he is, lying on a soft mattress which look like its made up of the fur of a bear. Soft and fluffy.
He look around and it shocked him that he’s in an odd looking room. He’s on top of a pedestal which is covered by the bear’s fur as a mattress. Surrounding the pedestal is marble floor. But the marble floor doesn’t cover the whole floor, its only about 10 steps wide on each side of the pedestal or rectangular platform. Surrounding the marble floor is endless water. Countless candles in crystal cups floated in the water’s surface.
“ I see that you’re awake.”
A deep silky voice broke the silence.
Takaya gasped sharply and looked behind him.
He saw a throne which seemed to magically appear on the surface of the water.
Is this his imagination?
Seated on the throne was a handsome man, pale like the moon with blood red lips. What’s more shocking was that surrounding the throne are countless women. All familiar to Takaya.
“Ayaka….Matsuri….Yukino…..Kimie….Sayuri….”
There were more but Takaya was too shocked to name each of them. These girls are all the previous sacrificial lambs! But why do they look so pale? And why haven’t each of them aged at all? Their sacrifice was years ago!
All of those women surrounding the mysterious man smiled at him. But remain quiet
“yes, you should know most of them because you all came from the same village. I’m grateful that the foolish people up there sent me girls to play with or become my meal. But what I truly wanted is actually to be released from this….cage. my freedom is what I desired.”
Takaya wished he could run, but his legs are numb and why is it that this man’s beautiful lavender eyes made him blushed?!
“wh-who are you?!”
“me? Well, you can say I was a well known person not long ago.”
Takaya grip the dagger in his sweaty palms tight.
It’s the end.
This man will come nearer and nearer, Takaya can’t even see the feet under those long black robes. As if this man just drifted across the waters from his seat to Takaya’s side.
“St-stay away from me!!” the boy lashed at the ghostly figure.
The mysterious man just smirked and in a split second, pinned Takaya down.
Both wrists above his head, both legs parted wide and pinned down.
What is this sweet smell? Its making him feel……a bit sleepy but aroused…
“such beautiful golden eyes….like a tiger’s.” chuckled the man. “maybe I shall plucked them out and make them as ruby rings for my girls.”
Takaya is frightened like hell, he cant budge his locked wrists at all, this man has inhuman strength! “heh, after making my eyeballs are your ring, what are you planning to do next?”
The man hovering above him smirked, which made Takaya’s cock hardened. Why the heck is he having a boner at a time like this??
“are you thinking that I’m about to eat you?” he asked in a sing song voice.
The girls at the throne giggled.
“oh, are you planning to play before having supper? Well, you may as well cut to the chase, Mister. I have a village to haunt and a bastard to murder in the most horrible way I could think off. Im a busy man you know.”
“dear boy, you are mistaken that you’re going to leave this place alive.”
“who says I’m trying to escape? Just get on with it and eat me up or cook me already.” Takaya tried to sound nonchalant but his heart beats faster than a drum.
The older man stared down at him before smiling, “interesting. For once a victim under me whose not screaming and crying. And a boy.”
“the name is Ougi Takaya, I’m a big boy.”
“Interesting. You wished to haunt the village, would you like my help?”
“I thought you can’t escape this place.”
“true, but it’s a different matter when I regained my health.”
“health?”
The man grinned wider, showing his fangs, “yes. Would you like to donate your blood to me? That way I can regain my health and my powers.”
This is the man, the blood sucking monster!
“what? You’re going to suck me dry and allow you to have all the fun of destroying that damn place up there?”
“off course not. I shall give you my power while you give me what I want.”
“my blood.”
“correct. Plus I’m bored down here. A little exercise and fresh air will be nice.”
“so is this the same offer you gave to those girls over there?” Takaya asked with a raised eyebrow, “did they promised to give you their blood in exchange of freedom or painless death?”
“how did you know that those girls aren’t one of the living?”
“this place reeks of death more than a cemetery can emit.”
“ahaha, you are correct and yet wrong. These ladies did offered their blood, in exchange of eternal youth. But off course in order to attain this, they need my blood.”
“well, you can eat me up entirely for all I care, just don’t eat my soul. Cuz I have this bastard to terrorize the whole of his damn life.”
“very well. Would you like to accept my offer?”
“yeah. You know its kinda awkward that you and I will be partner in crime but have no bloody idea of each other’s names.”
“Takaya-san, do call me by my name. Naoe, Nobutsuna Naoe.” Naoe laughed heartily.
Again, the image of Miya’s smiling face came up to Takaya’s mind, Please be safe Miya. I’m sorry and good bye….
Takaya’s tears wet down his cheek which the man kissed it away.
Takaya was became more distracted from the conversation when his robes slipped down to the marble floor as Naoe caress his naked skin. His mouth kissing the boy’s slender neck.
“lets have the activity of terrorizing the village after we have our little game, shall we?”
The teenager could hardly form a coherent thought as Naoe pleasured him in a mind-blowing way.
“oh… oh Naoe…”
Takaya doesn’t know how much time has elapsed.
An hour?
A few days?
Sense of time is meaningless to him because there’s nothing he can think of other than how Naoe made him screamed in pleasure.
His body became accustomed to Naoe’s skillful caresses and sweet kisses.
Even the act of sucking the blood from his neck isn’t so unpleasant now.
“Naoe…”
Miya woke up to the smell of fresh baked bread and pumpkin.
“are you awake?”
The young girl weakly turn her head to the side, noting the soft mattress under her and a soft pillow under her head.
“wh..who?”
“hello there, my name is Saori.” The woman who sat on the stool next to the bed smiled. she has two long pigtails that reached across her waist and four young boys clinging to her skirt and dirty apron. “ these here are my precious children. This guy here is Yuzuki, his brother next to him is Yuzuto, on my left side is Yuzuchi and the youngest of them which is currently hiding under my skirt is Yuzuyuzu.”
Miya have no idea what to say to the giggling mom. Why the heck are all these kids have the same first syllable in their name? not to mention they all look alike like two pair of twins!
“Saori, where are you?” a man’s voice called from outside the house.
“in here, dear! At the guest’s room!” Saori’s smile brightened the room like there’s a sun in the house. Miya had to cover her weak eyes.
A few minutes later there’s a knock at the door and in comes a man whose off course the husband of Saori. Not because he’s the only adult man in the house, but because he looks exactly like the four boys.
“oh! She’s awake now!” The husband smiled at Miya.
“daddy!” cried the kids who all ran to his legs.
“Narita-kun, have you finished chopping all those wood?” Saori asked and pour a glass of water for Miya to drink.
“yes. We have enough wood to last the winter season.”
“this is my husband. His name is Yuzuru Narita.” Saori introduced him, big smile still on her face.
Miya realized the silent request from the odd couple, she blushed in embarrassment and said, “my… my name is Ougi Miya.”
“O..Ougi?” Yuzuru cocked his head to the side, “ That name sounds familiar….”
Miya gasped sharply, “oh! Do you know my brother?!”
“your brother?”
“his name is Ougi Takaya!”
Yuzuru paled, “yes… he… Takaya was my childhood friend but we haven’t seen each other since we were kids.”
Miya covered her trembling mouth, fighting back tears as she remembered what happened before she fell unconscious.
“are you from the other village? Because you are now in the village of Shuo.”
Miya was shocked, did she really went past the vast forbidden forest into the other village?
“i… I was from the village of Shin, near the mountain of Shinu.”
Both Saori and Yuzuru paled at the mention of that mountain.
The wife look up to her husband in a sad expression.
“what?” Miya asked after a moment of silence, “why are you looking like that?”
Saori braced herself and explain, “Miya-san, you have been sleeping in our house for almost 2 weeks. You were bedridden sick and almost died from severe fever. It was all thanks to Shintaro-san who discovered you in the borders of the Forbidden Forest when he was searching for herbs. Shintaro’s wife is has recently given birth to her first born and we volunteer to take care of you while you were still sick. I’m sorry to say this, you may not be able to return to your village anymore….”
Miya lost her voice.
“about 2 weeks ago, there was a massive fire which destroyed the whole village of Shin. I heard this from a few survivors of the said village. And yet none of them survived longer than a few days because they were horribly burnt.”
The girl couldn’t believe what she heard… “burnt….died….no one…?”
Yuzuru nodded painfully, “nobody knows what actually happened. For all I know, those who wish to go to Shin village is on a fool’s errand because there wont be anything there but a massive graveyard of charcoaled bodies and houses---“
“NOOO!!!” Miya screamed like she’s possessed.
Frightening the four children.
“Saori, hold her down!” Yuzuru acted fast and search for the familiar syringe on the nearby table. The syringe contains a liquid that can even put lions to sleep.
he apologized to Miya as he carefully injected the liquid into her blood stream.
After a few minutes, the teenage girl fell onto the bed like a doll and panted heavily. Tears wetting her cheeks and her voice hoarse.
Only one name.
Just one name that her numb brain and mind can utter.
Takaya onii-chan…
*************(few years later)**************
“big sis! Can you tell us the story about the man who fought with the devil of Shinu?”
The woman smiled down at the group of kids surrounding her legs.
“but didn’t I already retell that story so many times now?” she fake a sigh.
“please? Please? Pretty please?” the boys and girls tugged at her skirt and pleaded in the most pitiful eyes they can muster.
“oh alright. But after this tale, promise me you all behave to your mother okay?”
“okay~”
“very well. It’s the story which happened a long long time ago. One day a King is dying of old age, he has a handsome son of a Prince. However, the Queen, the Prince’s step mother, detested him because she wishes her own son to be the next in line for the throne. So she tricked the prince that there’s a magical flower that has extraordinary powers that can cure all diseases and regains one’s youth. However, these flowers only bloom around the premise of the dark lord of Shinu. He is a terrifying man who sucks the blood of children and….”
Miya retold her made up tale over and over to children of this village as if she’s narrating her own experience.
She knew it’s a poor way of remembering her late brother.
But who remembers about her brother other than her and Yuzuru-san?
Eventhough its in the form of a fairy tale, Miya thought that at least there’s something she can pass on to the next generation.
After Miya regained her health few years ago, she was in depression for a month. Despite the Narita couple’s objection, she travelled across the Forest and returned to the village.
True to what they said, there was nothing left. Just a ghost town of burnt down houses and ashes of the dead.
It was impossible to find any traces of her brother.
However, she did remember she saw a black horse with two men riding on it.
But both of them were wearing dark cloaks. One of the man was staring at her for a while before the horse trot away into the other side of the forest.
Miya didn’t think much about those two, she just think that they must be curious travelers who wish to see the cemetery village of Shin.
“…the prince bravely fought with the devil Shinu because Shinu took the prince’s sister as hostage.”
“oh I know! I know! And the princess sister shouted from the tower ‘big brother! Use the silver cross because the devil is afraid of the silver!”
“that’s correct Yuzuki-kun.” Miya smiled. fingering her silver cross necklace. The only memento she has of her brother, “Shinu the beast screamed in pain. The power of the cross was too much for a devil and he melted like a candle.”
The kids giggled. Imagining how a devil melted. It must have look like melted ice cream.
Not far from Miya and the kids sitting on the cobble stone floor in front of the house, she was observed by a man covered from head to toe in a long cloak.
“sorry I’m late. the market place sure is busy like 50 years ago.”
The man turned around to face his lover, “exactly how old are you anyway?”
“does it really bother you how old I am?”
“nah, I was just curious. Nobody will believe me if I tell them that the famous Devil Shinu is this vain guy whose a womanizer and a sex-addict.”
Naoe mocked a frown, “well, nobody will believe that you’re the big hero.”
“I’m a prince.”
“only in her fairy tale. Who says I’m of silver cross? That’s such old fashion trends for a vampire.”
“what about Holy Water?”
Naoe shivered and Takaya laughed.
“yeah.” Takaya stare at his sister in melancholy. “I didn’t knew Miya has talent in writing her own stories.”
“she’s a wonderful sister.”
Its impossible for Takaya to walk up to her and say Hi because it’ll only cause more grief. He is not the same brother she remembered several years ago.
“shall we go?” Naoe possessively slid his hand around Takaya’s waist.
The younger man rested his head under Naoe’s chin, fighting back tears before he forced a smile, “are you trying to spirit away the prince, my Devil Shinu.”
“I’m suppose to be a vampire slash monster kind of guy. But oh well, which ever works. Rather than taking the princess as hostage, I rather drag the prince to my chambers.”
Takaya chuckled. He turned his head one last time to see his happy sister’s smile and walked away.
A few hours later, Takaya kicked Naoe.
“I don’t want to go back to that damn Play boy mansion of yours. You mongrel.”
“b-b-but Takaya-san! Those girls are part of me, I cant just leave them in the cave!”
“I knew I shouldn’t have believed in you when you said you only loved me!”
“off course I love you!”
“then why do you still have those girls in our house?”
“wait! Takaya-san~”
And the two bickered and quarreled as if they were a pair of husband and wife.
The girls just giggled from the balcony above.
The End.
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