No such thing as Good and Evil

Chapter 9: Retribution

Mr. Uesugi sat in front of the great Buddha statue; meditating so that one day he may reach a higher plain and ultimate enlightenment. His thoughts drifted back and forth between the Heavens and the recent uprising of a demonic presence that filled the temple. It was a threatening life force that could swallow his human soul and leave his lifeless body to wonder the earth searching for something that doesn’t exist. Yet, whatever powerful creature possessed this strength didn’t seem to have any intentions to use it. The presence would constantly make itself known but would never make any attempt to control the mind or bring devastation upon his family. It would quiet and slumber for a time and then awaken again.

Mr. Uesugi’s eyes shot open as he felt the force of the demon stir once again. It was different this time though. Now it seemed to be reaching out beyond the holy seal that bound it.

The old monk stood and pulled on the sacred beads that were wrapped around his wrist. He held them tightly in his hands and looked to the great statue for encouragement. Buddha’s face remained emotionless in all its glory. It did not move. It did not whisper. Yet the monk took that as a sign of good blessing from the great god. Because you have told me, he thought, I will vanquish this evil and free your holy temple from its grasp!

~Falling faster and faster away…we will awaken to a bloodless day~

Yuki’s eyes stared at the pond behind the temple. He saw the clear water and the weakening ripples that the falling leaves caused. He was about to speak when Renami walked to the water’s edge and gazed at her own reflection. And for the first time the blonde saw the blood that had long since been shed tie ribbons through the once pure water.

“This,” Renami began sadly, “is what remains when the body is gone. Regardless of how much time passes or wrong has been done, the blood of a victim never disappears from the spot of execution. This is the color that stains your family.”

Yuki stepped back and looked around. His eyes widened in shock. The temple, the yard, the trees, and everything else were covered in blood. He wanted to turn away but couldn’t. The very thought that such a thing had happened here was preposterous. Yet, there were no other explanations. The one his father had given him was just a lie. Renami was telling the truth, wasn’t she? She had never deceived them. Her powers had even saved their lives. So then why did it feel as though something was missing?

Shuichi walked to stand beside his lover. He could see everything that Yuki saw. Though not stained like the Uesugi family, he could visualize it all through the demon’s eyes. All was painted in the crimson color that dripped down to dirty the ground. He emotionlessly watched as the rotted liquid gathered at his and Yuki’s feet.

The spent life line puddle at their feet as though bowing and asking for forgiveness—a sentiment that did not exist. It never touched them though. The blood swam around, maneuvering every which way it could to stay as close to Yuki as possible. Crimson bled from the water and circled around the Uesugi. It swerved in and out of between their feet, jumping over shoes and avoiding contact with any part of their bodies or clothes.

Yellow eyes gazed up at red ones. “What the hell is it doing?” Yuki asked the goddess in an annoyed voice.

Renami stood and turned towards them, her gaze directed at the movement on the ground. She allowed her eyes to dart back and forth watching the patterns and listening to the inaudible whispers from all around. She knew that the humans couldn’t hear them—could not listen to the blood’s pleas. Even if Shuichi did use her as a median he would still not be able to hear. “It searches for its prosecutor.”

“What?” Yuki looked at her confused. “That doesn’t make any sense. The person that condemned you would have died long ago.”

“So it would seem,” said Renami, lifting her gaze to meet Shuichi’s. “Or maybe that’s what should have been.” Her crimson orbs began to glow with anger.

Renami’s clawed feet proceeded to bring her forward. As she commenced, all the blood coward and seeped back into the pond. First it darkened the water. Then it sank and disappeared back into the ground where it had come from. Her eyes continued to shine as she stepped towards Shuichi and then beside him. Her cloaked head bowed and like a spirit she vanished behind the singer.

Innocent eyes met with stern ones. “Yuki?” the pink-haired boy questioned.

Blond hair swayed slightly as the writer jerked his head to the side and turned towards the entrance to the temple. “Let’s go.”

~Soaring love that never failed…diseased emotions pain and ailed~

The great statue of Buddha began to shake violently, reaching out towards the darkness. It wobbled on its stand and then began to emit a strong dark aura. The old monk stood from the floor and stared at the statue. It was cracking. The face of Buddha was slowly shattering and chipping to the floor.

The elder Uesugi turned towards the door. An evil presence approached. His hands gripped tightly around the prayer beads, his only weapon to compel the horror of the shadows. Why, he thought, have you come to my temple? What is it you desire? His eyes widened as realization struck. Tsukatsu’s head! Who ever it was wanted the skull of the demon.

Yuki and Shuichi made their way to the door and slid it open. The room was dark yet there was a certain light that outlined the statue. Both lovers walked in and stood before the figure. “This is the statue that used to speak to me as a child,” Yuki said with an emotionless look on his face. The statue ceased its shaking and seemed to calm at the presence of the blonde. It’s aura faded away and brief moments of his childhood flashed before his eyes. Then, a shadow that he had never noticed before surrounded his body. The blonde dropped to his knees and held his chest. It felt as though it was going to explode. Yuki looked up and saw a pale figure standing before him. It was a woman. She looked like Renami—exactly a mirror image. She opened her eyes to reveal the deepest sky blue that the blonde had ever seen.

Shuichi walked up to the woman and then turned to face Yuki. His eyes were empty again which meant that he was being controlled. Shuichi’s facade smiled slightly as Renami appeared behind him. She walked to stand next to the pale woman. They looked the same except for the colors present on their bodies. So this was Tsukatsu? She was just as beautiful as her sister with golden brown hair, blue eyes, pale skin, and red scars on her face. Unlike her sister, she was wearing s short silver leather shirt, shorts, and boots. Her wings opened to reveal a mystic shade of translucent blue feathers. “I’ve been waiting,” she said with such a soft voice.

“This,” Renami said putting an arm around Tsukatsu’s shoulder, “is the bitch that owes me money!” Her red eyes showed happiness as a warm smile tugged at her lips.

“And I,” Shuichi began in a voice that depicted more of his intelligence, “am their—“

“Eiri!” They all turned to see the elder Uesugi step out from the shadows with a look on his face that showed he was pissed. A vein pumped in his forehead and his hand clenched around the beads so tightly that they started to crack. “How dare you betray your family by bringing that thing here?”

Yuki’s strong eyes narrowed at his father as he stood from the floor. “You’re the one that had the audacity to lie to me and everyone else. You knew about this. Why couldn’t you tell the fucking truth?”

“Silence!” he barked, stepping towards the demons. “Now that I have both demons here they will be sealed forever.”

Shuichi moved away from the goddess and went to stand by Yuki. “What does that mean?” The teen’s voice returned to the way it was—childish and stupid in nature.

The blonde remained silent, unable to answer his lover’s question. In all truth, he really didn’t know. He had never seen his father act this way or speak of things like spiritual exiles. Yuki couldn’t even believe that the old bat actually knew how to. Who could say though?

“Now,” he raised his hand and the prayer beads began to glow, “you will disappear forever!”

“I don’t think so.” Renami stepped forward and grabbed the prayer beads, snapping the stringed adornment. “I died because my sister told me not to fight humans. But I have no intention on disappearing forever. Don’t you think it would be a nice turn around if we got promoted for good citizenship, Shuichi?”

All eyes landed on the pink-haired singer. He had an emotionless expression on his face yet his eyes glowed with a divine existence that had never been there before. He stepped away from the blonde and looked at the statue that stood behind the demons of Light and Darkness. “There is,” his voice was once again not his own, “a price to pay. We were wrong and know that there is atonement at hand.”

“What is he talking about?” Yuki asked, turning to the demons.

“You ever wonder how it’s possible for a human to be possessed for so long and not rot while still alive? Well, Shuichi isn’t human. He’s the reincarnation of one the elder gods—or I should say the one with the highest authority.” Renami pointed a clawed finger at the singer, her eyes showing some animosity.

The elder Uesugi backed away from them all in horror. Could it be? Could a great god actually have reincarnated itself as this gay boy? “I… You lie! How could a divine being ever recreate himself as this pathetic child?”

Shuichi’s eye twitched and his violet eyes began to glow. “Who do you think you are? You yourself are no creature of great enlightenment!” All the shadows in the room crawled to his feet and shot out through the air. Yuki, his father, and the goddesses were all thrown against the walls.

“Goddamn it, you gay bastard!” Renami stood hunched against the wall that she hit. “Take a Midol or something. “Geeze, my health insurance doesn’t cover PMS!”

Tsukatsu walked over to her sister and glared at Shuichi. She was a kind being that didn’t believe in violence, and that included loosing your temper. “Please, elder. Try to have more control.”

Shuichi looked at them with disgust but agreed. He walked over and offered his hand to his lover. At first Yuki was reluctant to take it. He had never thought or known Shuichi as anything more than the idiot singer in his life. And now he finds out that Shuichi is an elder god? How are you supposed to handle that? Against all reasoning, the blonde took the hand offered to him and stood.

“Now then,” Renami walked to the statue and stole a glance at the unconscious old man on the floor, “back to business.”

“Yuki,” Tsukatsu said in her angelic voice. “Come here.”

The novelist did as he was told, wanting to end this and go back to the way things were. He stopped and looked at the three divine beings. What was it that they wanted from him? He could understand that they had needed him to bring them here but aside from that he served no further purpose. He looked up at the figure just as its head shattered. An ivory white skull fell at his feet. It didn’t look like a human skull. It was shaped more of a raptor’s with sharp teeth and several cracks on the side of the face.

“Well, they sure did a number on you,” said the demon of darkness, looking at the head.

“Hmph! Yuki, break it.” Tsukatsu stood there so calmly as she said this.

“What?” Yuki backed away and stared at them all.

“Have you ever wondered what a world without war would be like?” Shuichi asked. “Had these two not been executed they could have brought about an era of peace to last a thousand years. Then, we all gave in to our nature to fight. We didn’t want peace. Our objective was supreme conquest. In the end, without the two most powerful creatures, we were over thrown and executed ourselves. The deaths of the gods didn’t stop the fighting. There were some that wanted revenge for the siblings and others that wanted the same power as us demons. Over the years the reason for war has changed but it all started with two innocent murders. All I want is to right the wrongs and save peoples’ souls. Renami roams freely because her bones were destroyed—that left nothing to bind her to. Tsukatsu needs to be freed from her imprisonment but the only one that can break the seal is the descendant of the one that put it on. Your father won’t do it. Your brother is just as mislead as your father and your sister inherited nothing of that power. You’re the only one. Here.” Shuichi reached into the air and in a spark of fire a dagger appeared. “Break it with this.” He handed him the weapon and stepped back.

Yuki looked at the dagger in his hand. It had a black handle and on the blade were the words ‘Final Meaning’ carved on. “Once you’re free, what will happen?” His gaze fell on the light of the two sisters.

“All the emptiness and shadow in the world will be enlightened. It takes both Light and Darkness to create a balance. You’ll just have to wait and see.” She smiled warmly and tilted her head to the side.

“Fine,” Yuki spat and took a firm hold of the dagger. He had nothing to worry about. When all this is over he will go back to his life with his lover. With all his strength he dug the object through the skull and into the ground. At first it cracked slowly. Then in a bright flash of light it exploded. Yuki covered his eyes and waited until it dimmed to look.”

“Thank you.” Tsukatsu fell to the ground and vanished as though she never existed.

“What now?” Yuki asked, not understanding.

Renami walked up to him and embraced his lean form. She looked up at him and a silent tear fell from her sad eyes. The demon goddess stepped back and started to sink into the shadows. Just before she completely disappeared Yuki heard her final words, “See you on the other side…some day.”