In my homeworld, there is a certain well-known story. It is the tale of an angel who rebelled against God on high and divided Heaven's army into two sides in a great war. After being defeated, Shaytan, the Angel of Conflagration, was cast down to earth. To this day, no one knows why he started a war that he must have known could not be won.
When he lost the war and was expelled from the heavens, I heard his scream. Our gazes met as he fell to earth. Those burning eyes and that scream of defiance... What exactly was he fighting against? He took up arms in a war that could not be won and, naturally, he lost. He was a hopeless fool.
It feels like an eternity has passed since. Yet still, for some strange reason, that fiery life still burns in my heart. Then, when I was summoned to Tokyo… The voice that echoed my screams somehow resembled that angel’s voice. I remembered that face, like a flame, and felt a burning ache in my otherwise dried-up heart.
Church In Aoyama…
“Ah... It has begun. The wheels are now in motion.” Azazel strokes the divine chains that bind him and lets out an ecstatic moan. “Ah, Zabaniyya, my lost lamb. You are indeed strong. You have offered your body to that which is most righteous in this world, and your soul to that which is strongest.”
The just shall triumph. The strong shall overcome. These are the sacred laws of the world.
“However… Ah, yes, however…” Azazel softly mumbles to himself as he keeps stroking the divine chains. His eyes flash as he continues to look at the fight that is going on between Zabaniyya and Masato, that strange human…
Back With Masato…
“Aaaaaaarrrrgggghhh!” Zabaniyya yells out and the relentless flames burn on, coloring the inside of the church a deep red. Sparks fly whenever our blades clash, I mean I had a sword and he had his hands, as I duel with Zabaniyya.
Zabaniyya’s karate chop is sharper than any sword, but I always manage to dodge those fatal strikes in the nick of time. He grins like a beast and roars. The way he is fighting is way different from how he was with Kengo, it was like he was finally able to let loose.
It seems like a weight was off his shoulders and he didn’t feel the need to hold back. He was a beast, it was beautiful but at the same time horrifying. I don’t think I could beat him but I had to try!
The countless slashes and powerful thrusts are so strong they leave afterimages. Faster, sharper, stronger… stronger… stronger. His Rule continues to flow into him, accelerating his power. Always stronger… stronger… stronger.
Most people would just give up but I was stubborn. I wasn’t going to give up, no matter how much pain my body was in. No matter how much time it feels like the inside of my body would burn up, I kept on pushing myself.
“Aaaaaarrrrgggghhh!” The flames that emit from Zabaniyya’s palm take the shape of a cross, binding his hand like chains. They are fiery chains and they burn when they make contact with my body. It feels like it attacking my very soul. It feels like I am going to get engulfed in flames…
“Aaaaagh! It’s so fucking hot!” I could taste iron in my mouth and my sense of balance went off for a second. It feels like I was going to fall to the ground but I stab my sword into the ground and force myself to remain standing.
“Urgh… Graaaaaaaagh!!” Zabaniyya roars and he leaps at me while I am trying to regain my balance. “Role of the Torturer! Rule of Hellfire! Engrave mine name of Zabaniyya unto thee! Rise up in flames…”
“Role of the Wanderer! Rule of Rending!” I quickly got ready to counter Zabaniyya attack even though my body felt like giving up at the moment. I don’t know how long I can hold out but I have to keep on fighting…
“Wrath of Longinus!” The torrents of Hellfire invade my flesh, burning me from the inside. I could feel a shock of sharp pain through my body and I almost blacked out. However…
“Come forth! Boundless Tail!” Somehow, I managed to slash through the shapeless Hellfire. Even though I managed to do that I could still understand the difference in powers between us. My vision was getting blurry and I don’t know how I am still standing.
Even though everything was hurting me, I looked directly into Zabaniyya’s eyes. I wasn’t ready to give up. I can still keep going. This is just a workout for me! I just have to keep on fighting… People on counting on me… I have to protect my friends…
‘Hati… Maria… Ryota… I have to win this… For my friends… I have to do this for the people who I care about…’ My legs were shaking but I kept on slashing at Zabaniyya. My swings were not that firm but I kept on attacking.
Zabaniyya assumes his fighting stance. I don’t know if I could handle the next attacks from him but I got ready to land a hit on him as well, I don’t think I will be able to take him down with this hit but I had to try!
We charge at each other, but at that moment, a bright glow illuminates the area. I then heard the voice of someone familiar. “Masato!”
Ryota enters the church and all the wounds I was dealt from Zabaniyya were heal instantly. I felt a huge amount of energy shot through my body and I swing my sword at Zabaniyya with full power.
“Grraaaaah!” As my sword gets ready to land a hit on Zabaniyya, I notice something surprising… He closed his eyes and allowed me to strike him… Zabaniyya falls to the floor of the church. He looks up at me and smiles.
“Congratulations… You win.” Zabaniyya’s voice is soft as he looks at me with gentle eyes from the floor. I feel my legs give out finally and I drop to the ground, my sword falling out of my sore hands.
“Why…? You lost on purpose…” I look at Zabaniyya, confused at what he just did… He could have easily defeated me but he gave up. Why did he give up? I don’t understand it at all. I have a bitter taste in my mouth that won’t go away and my eyes feel hot.
“I have lost. At last… I have found the answer I have sought. What I desired was not forgiveness… I wanted a rival who would fight for the people who are in the wrong. I wanted someone who could put an end to my arrogance. I wanted someone strong enough to stop me when I was wrong. My long, long journey… may have been to meet you here today. I’m sorry. You probably don’t understand. These are just my selfish sentiments. Thank you, young one with fire in your eyes… I will pray that your flames burn as long as they can. Will you… give me your hand?” Zabaniyya lift his hand that was shaking slightly towards me and I softly held it with both my hands.
A bright light emits from our clasped hands. This was a familiar light that I saw before…
“This light… is the same one I saw in Ikebukuro. It’s the same as Oniwaka... I saw this light when I became friends with him.” I wonder if this meant I did it… But this bitter taste won’t disappear from my mouth at all.
“The preliminary pact has been completed. I will join your guild on a temporary basis. My Rule has also been placed below yours, in terms of hierarchy. Now, all you have to do is touch the Exception that overflows from that boy’s Sacred Artifact, thereby bringing him into your guild… and this nightmare will finally end.” Zabaniyya looks toward the Chalice that was currently in Ryota’s hands.
“Zabaniyya! I’m sorry… I’m so sorry!” Ryota was kneeling on the ground with me and he was crying again. Zabaniyya looks at Ryota with a confused expression, like he didn’t understand why he was crying. “Why do you cry, young man? You did nothing wrong.”
“But… But… It’s because of what I did that you were… I’ve made you suffer so much… Waaaaaaaah!” Ryota cover his face as he started to sob and Zabaniyya looked at him with a blank expression until a soft smile appears on his face.
“Tell me one thing. Back then… Why did you use your Sacred Artifact? Did you want to defeat me? Or did you despise me?” When Zabaniyya asked this, Ryota stopped crying and looked at him with puffy red eyes that still had tears coming out of them.
“No. That’s...not it! I was just…” Ryota shook his head and try to say something but he couldn’t seem to find the right words.
“You and I… We are the same.” Zabaniyya places his other free hand on Ryota’s cheek. “Young man, what is your name?”
“I’m Ryota… Yakushimaru Ryota.” Ryota told his name, still sniffling and holding back his tears.
“Ryota, you were not wrong. The time was wrong. That is all. Thank you, Ryota. Because of you… I was finally able to obtain the answer I sought.” Zabaniyya smile and I notice that his feet begin to turn into light. That light gradually spreads to his upper torso.
“Are you… going to disappear?” I held on tighter to his hand, hoping it would prevent him from disappearing but I knew that wouldn’t do anything…
“No. Another soul is attempting to tie their fate with mine. I will become light. I will transcend time and space and head to wherever that person may be. I don’t know who it is… but if possible… I would be happy… if it were you. Whether your past self or your future self… whichever it may be… Until the day we meet again… When next we meet, I shall raise my lance and serve beneath you. Farewell… my fallen angel, Shaytan.” Zabaniyya smile before he was consumed by the light and his hand disappear from mine.
“Shaytan? First Oniwaka, and now Zabaniyya, too… They keep saying things I don’t understand!” I slam my fist into the floor as I grew frustrated, I was so confused and no one was giving me any answers!
“Yes. All must see someone different within you.” I heard a voice from behind me and I turned around quickly to see Azazel walking towards me with a calm smile on his face.
“Azazel! You were watching?!” I was shocked to see that he was here but he didn’t pay any mind to that. He was stroking his chain around his neck as he looked at me with focused eyes.
“The swordmaster, banished from Takamagahara by the hand of his father despite his exceptional bloodline and amazing powers, doomed to wander alone. The young general, banished from the Land of Wa by the hand of his elder brother despite his fame for military feats, doomed to wander alone. The fallen angel, banished from Eden by the hand of the Lord despite being recognized as the right hand of heaven, doomed to wander alone. My goodness… I can see them all within you. There are many lives inside of your soul that never should have been intertwined. The lives of many defeated souls who held great power, yet strayed from their paths and were cut off from the world. Their lives all burned vividly and fiercely. Thus, their ways of life left large impressions on the hearts of many, resulting in strong bonds of fate. You are an inhabitant of all 24 worlds. Yet, you are also a Wanderer who belongs to none of them. In a way, this makes you like… Tokyo itself. A twisted being composed of 24 worlds, sewn crudely together.” It feels like Azazel's voice was slowly disappearing in the background as I let the information settle in my head. It felt like I wasn’t in my body anymore… Is this even my body?
“Or perhaps you were born from a gathering of 24 unwanted pieces, intentionally left out from this collage of a world like some kind of sad chimera. I have never seen anyone like you before.” I was looking at my hands, opening and closing them. I wasn’t able to look at Azazel, I don’t think I can look at anyone right now.
“You’re telling me… I’m all those people? Like, I’m their… reincarnation?” It felt static was appearing in my head and everything felt like it was getting dark around me. It felt like walls were closing in on me…
“I’m not… human? I’m… all alone?” Do I even have a family? Am I even from a different world? There is no one like me… I am all alone… My eyes felt hot and my heart was getting so tight, I couldn’t breathe…
“I do not know. Even my eyes cannot see that far. All I can see is the person before me. I am neither the mastermind of this game nor your creator. Even if I can see how you are formed right now, I cannot see how you were in the past. Nor am I able to see who the masterminds are, no matter how much I might like to. Go ahead, laugh at me for being so powerless. The App only allows my Rule to be used within the territory of the Aoyama Guild. Perhaps you are…” I didn’t want to hear what Azazel had to say… Who am I? Why am I here? Why am I like this?
“You’re human! And… You’re my friend!” Ryota grab me by my shoulders and looked at me with tears covering his face. For some reason his face was blurry and I realize I was crying… When did I start to cry?
“Ryota…” I could feel myself shaking and the tears wouldn’t stop but… His words made me feel warm, he is my friend… He is still my friend. No matter what I am, I still have my friend…
“Forgive me, I did not mean to distress you. Yes, Masato is certainly human. A reincarnation? Or perhaps the dead revived? I’m afraid I don’t know how your soul could have been created, but… You are, without a doubt, human. Yet it appears that you have, at the very least, inherited the memories of those who came before you. That makes you no different from other humans. Still, the way that both you and this town of Tokyo exist is bizarrely similar. That is all I wished to say.” I finally looked at Azazel and he was giving me a gentle smile. I still felt distressed about this information but I was able to get my thoughts under control.
“I believe that the one who started this game and the one who knows the truth about your existence… May be close to one another, if not one and the same.” When Azazel said that I realized something… This is the way I could figure out who brought me here.
“If I continue to win at this game… Will I be able to find whoever called me here to Tokyo?” I felt my heart start to beat fast as I grew excited at the thought of meeting this person.
“Perhaps, if they exist somewhere within these 23 wards surrounded by the blockade that isolates Tokyo. Summoners and Transients are all part of the same world. As long as you continue to win the game being held within the 23 wards, it should theoretically be possible.” Azazel told me that and turn to leave but he stops for a second like he had something else to say. He looks at me with a look in his eyes I couldn’t figure out.
“Just one final thing. I must warn you, this may be a little presumptuous… But do not convince yourself that you can win this game. You only won that fight just now because Zabaniyya yielded. There are many beings more powerful than you can imagine still lurking around Tokyo. There are those who rely on violence, those who serve love, those who rule various worlds, and even those who can create and destroy worlds. It is true that you have a wonderful kind of strength. It is certainly a gift you inherited from someone who came before you. However, at the same time, that means you are shouldering someone else’s negative legacy. Your part in this game is likely to become the final obstacle… The last enemy to defeat. Each of the beings inside you was once defeated by someone stronger, causing them to be banished from their various worlds. Everyone is born into a certain Role. There are those who will win and stand at the top, just as there are those who will not. The evil can never defeat the righteous. The few can never defeat the many. The poor can never defeat the wealthy. Deceit… can never defeat the truth.” Azazel squints a little as if he was remembering something.
“I understand this well. I, too… defied the Almighty and was given eternal punishment.” Azazel smiles and strokes the golden chains that were around his neck, he did that often and I wonder if it was something important to him…
“The game has just begun, so the world is still in chaos. The momentum will eventually flow toward the guilds of the strong. In the near future, Tokyo will be united as one, all-encompassing value, for all eternity. This is how this game was designed.” I was confused at what Azazel said.
“Just one?” How will that happen? How can a game do something like that? Is that going to be a bad thing or a good thing? I have so many questions but not enough answers.
“That’s right. It will be a world ruled by the greatest of the 24 realms. They will be the ones to decide what holds value… and what does not. Those who are defeated… will not live on. Those who do not fit under the overruling value will be eliminated.” Hearing Azazel says that just made me realize how bad it will be when Tokyo is united as one. That is like a plot for a story where an evil government controls everything!
“That would be terrible! There isn’t just one important thing in life! We’re more than just the hands we’re dealt!” I was pissed off, why should it matter if a person is good enough! No one is perfect. But that is what makes them special! Azazel was looking at me with wide eyes like he was shocked by my words.
“The things that are important aren’t limited to what you have now. If your life has no meaning, then make your own. Someone special taught me that.” I couldn’t help but remembering the words that Maria would say to Hati. Everyone does have a meaning to life, they just have to find it! No matter how long it takes… It will happen for them!
“Then what will you do? Win this game? Would you proclaim something so absurd…?” Azazel was looking at me with sharp eyes but I didn’t back down from what I just said.
“If that’s what it takes, I’ll do it. I will win this game. I’ll win… and stop those who want to impose their values on others.” I look directly into Azael's eyes, not taking my eyes off of him. Azazel then smiles. It’s a different kind of smile from the one he had before.
“So you wish to change the world. Ah, what a sinful wish… But if that is an expression of your love, then go forth without turning back.” Azazel give me one last smile before he turn to leave once again but I needed to ask him something important.
“Wait, Azazel! What is your goal? What are you after?” He is a strange person. I don’t know if he is a good person or a bad person. I don’t know what his goal is at all. Does he just want to cause chaos? What is his end goal?
“I simply wish to see what grows from the seeds of love I planted in this land so long ago… That is all. There really is nothing else. That is all I have. I am Azazel, an angel who once defied the will of the Almighty. A sinful, fallen angel who planted seeds of love into the earth. I am much like another fallen angel who defied God, one whose will it seems you have inherited. I wish for my flowers to bloom across the land. No matter how beautiful a flower may be, alone it invokes only sadness.” With those final words, Azazel opens the door of the church and takes his leave.
“U-Um, Masato…” I stopped looking at the door Azael went through and looked back at Ryota who I forgot was still kneeling on the ground with me. I push away all the negative feelings in my heart and focus on Ryota.
“Ryota, you came!” I was happy to see my friend here, I probably would have a hard time getting out of that negative headspace I was in by myself.
“Not just me. Shiro and Kengo are here, too. Nyarl came back and told us you were here. I had my doubts, but when we arrived, we saw that the church was burning. There were zombies all over the place, but Kengo and Shiro cut through them to make a path for us. They told me to find you… I-It’s all my fault that all of these terrible things happened, but everyone…” Ryota looked like he was going to start crying again so I threw my arms around him.
“Thank you, Ryota. Thank you so much…” I was holding him tight in a hug and I could feel my shoulder getting wet from Ryota's tears. I didn’t let go and started to rub circles on his back. Ryota was hugging me back tightly, not letting go as he let out all his emotions through his tears. I cried along with him, it seem like the right moment. So many emotions were going through me… I have so many questions but everything is okay for now… I am not alone, I have my friends.
Outside The Church…
“Thank you for waiting. I have returned, Arsalan.” Azazel walked up to Arsalan, who was waiting for him. Arsalan greeted him with the usual grin. “Azazel! There you are! How are things on your end?”
“Everything has fallen into place. And how goes the tide of battle?” Azazel was looking at Arsalan with rather focused eyes and Arsalan was rather surprised by this, Azazel seemed a bit different than usual. “It’s not like you to sound so motivated. Did something happen?”
“I’ve seen what I needed to see. That is all. Those youngsters managed to keep Zabaniyya from getting any further out of control. I witnessed it all with my own eyes.” Azazel had a smile on his face as he told Arsalan this.
“I see, so that cub stopped Zabaniyya… Wahahaha!” Arsalan patted his stomach as he let out a loud laugh. He didn’t seem surprised that Masato managed to defeat Zabaniyya.
“Oh? You do not seem surprised.” Azazel noted that with a smile on his face.
“I already knew what Zabaniyya desired, but it was not something in the power of a King of Beasts to give. What he needed could not come from a king or any winning force. It could only come from one who sides with the defeated. I thought it could be possible for that young cub, but… Hahaha! You sure see more and more interesting things the longer you live! Zabaniyya must have been satisfied when he departed from this timeline. I am sure, fate willing, that we shall meet again. I just hope that he’s less uptight the next time around!” Arsalan had a soft smile on his face as he thought about meeting Zabaniyya again.
“That said, Azazel, we have urgent matters to attend to. The Exception has made it out of the Aoyama Cemetery. We must pursue the undead flooding the town as soon as possible. That includes the Exception. You can see them, can you not?” Arsalan's expression was serious as he asked Azazel this.
“Of course. Sight is one of the few abilities I have.” Azazel had a smile on his face as he stroked his chain around his neck.
“Any need for some fiendish benchwarmers? Of course, we could turn out to be useless! I’m sure you’re so shorthanded you could use the help of a few catty hyenas! Need a delivery? We’re good whenever and wherever! After all, what good are eyes without a sexy pair of legs, hm?” Nyarlathotep appeared next with Arsalan with his usual wide smile on his face. Arsalan and Azazel didn’t seem shocked by his sudden appearance.
“You always appear out of nowhere, Nyarlathotep. But now that you’re here, I’ll gladly put you to work.” Arsalan didn’t seem to mind having Nyarlathotep help out even though he was the reason all of this happened in the first place.
“Nyarlathotep… Are you here because you finished observing your little farce?” Azazel narrow his eyes at Nyarlathotep whose smile didn’t decrease at all.
“And what a delightful one it was! You enjoy a show, you gotta pay, baby! It’s only fair! That comeback was a real groovy twist! Games oughtta be fun, we always say! Our sleeping pop star boss would also… Uh-oh! Did we say too much?!” Nyarlathotep covered his mouth but it couldn’t hide the wide smile on his face
“There’s just so much to look forward to! We got what we wanted, so it’s time for today’s rave! Are you ready, Mr. Scapegoat?” Nyarlathotep looked at Azazel with an eager expression, his tails wagging behind him.
“Naturally. No need to ask. Chaos and order… Though we served different masters, our goals are the same, Nyarlathotep. Or should I say Crawling Chaos?” Azazel had his usual calm smile on his face as he spoke to Nyarlathotep.
“We shall join up with the cubs and defeat the remaining Exception! Onward, my friends!” Arsalan slammed his feet on the ground and oil started to come off his body as he got ready to fight the Exception and the undead enemies.
