Arcana Magi Pure Vol.4 - c.5

      Mayumi stood before the giant mistform body of Emi, towering before the buildings, drawing attention to the public. People inside buildings peeked outside their windows at first, but soon they fled through backdoors and alleys. The followers below stood in a huddle, acting as a base holding the body up. Rumiko could see the people slouching unmoved by their situation. They were like zombies with no sense of direction.
      The sound of police sirens echoed from the distance. The officers parked their cars forming a perimeter. There was apprehension at what they saw. A struggle to believe what they were seeing. With the arrival of the Society, there was no sense of mental relief of the situation. Even though the high ranking officer talked with the one of the officers, there was friction between who was running this operation and how to save the people inside the mist.
      The mist monster leaned over the building, drawing its face close to Mayumi. Its' lavender eyes locked onto the Magi as she stood there ignoring Rumiko's calls to flee. Mayumi heart raced, but she stood her ground. She could see pain in the face that made her sister's. She wondered if it was really her. Mayumi reached out to touch but Rumiko's voice reached her.
      “Don't touch it!”
      The mist roared with Emi's monstrous voice, blowing a burst of wind at Mayumi, forcing her to control the wind to anchor her on the ground. The monster turned to Rumiko and swung its arms toward her, but volley of gunshots and spells struck her back. The creature turned its attention to below and with both hands, swung downward like an axe, slapping the officers like bugs on a table. The authorities screamed inside as their bodies rotted and decayed.
      “HEY!” Mayumi said and the creature lifted its head up. “MONSTER! It's me you want!”
      “Mayumi!”
      “I'm heading to the edge of the city. If I can get it to follow me, people will be saved.”
      “Are you crazy?” One of the crows fluttered next to Rumiko and whispered in her ear.
      “Don't worry, we'll watch her.”
      Rumiko looked at the bird unsure if this was the right decision, but she saw them regrouping in the sky.
      “Go to the shrine.” Mayumi said from a distance. “Tell the Kistune where I am going?”
      The creature's eyes turned back to Mayumi, flailing her arm to get its attention. It lifted itself up to stand straight. It watched her run toward the edge of the building and jump to the next roof. She turned around calling for it to follow. It did so without paying any mind to Rumiko.
      Mayumi ran with all her might, using her wind spells to leap from rooftop to rooftop. She looked back and saw the monster follow her. Though it did cross her mind, she wondered how this thing was moving. Curious, she positioned herself on the edge and looked down. The base was moved with the aide of the people that formed this monster. Mayumi's mind blanked for a moment at how it was done. Luckily, she snapped out of it from the sound of the crows, now regrouping after the initial roar scattered them.
      They kept pace with her, watching the giant to make sure it did not attack her. They did notice that it was not doing anything else but follow Mayumi, but they hoped that the police or the Society does not do anything else that could cost them more lives.
      At the shrine, just outside the cave, Keiko, the foxes, Mrs. Saito and her officers watched Emi float before them veiled in impure Mana. Her eyes were opened, but they were not moving, just staring outward. A tear fell down to her ear, and Keiko channeled her Mana to cast a spell. Mrs. Saito grabbed her arm and shook her head to day ‘no'. Keeping her Mana channeled, she clenched her fist.
      A group of large foxes arrived with the Elder. They gathered around in a circle and created a bright pillar of light around Emi and her prison. Runes and Japanese text appeared on the surface of the pillar. Keiko read them aloud.
      “Body analysis?”
      “Yes.” Nina said sitting before her. “They're monitoring her body. They're going to find out who is doing this and get it to stop.”
      “She's in pain.” Keiko approached the pillar. “She's crying.”
      “She's also in control of that monster.” Mrs. Saito said.
      “Against her will!” Keiko turned around with the look on face not wanting to hear accusations, but Mrs. Saito raised her hand to calm her.
      “I know. I will vouch for her regarding this incident.” Mrs. Saito's radio buzzed and she answered it. She heard one of the officers tell what was happening with the monster. “Mayumi's doing what?!”
      The trees rustled and the officers took out their wands ready. Rumiko dropped from the branches with a three-point landing. She looked up and saw what was happening. She maintained her composure when approaching them and told what Mayumi had done while Mrs. Saito gave her orders.
      “You get Mayumi Akamatsu now and extract her from the area.”
      “How could you leave her?” Keiko said.
      “She said she had a plan.” Rumiko shook her head. “The Karasu are with her right now. Honestly, after seeing what the monster did to the officers, I think it is a good idea to get that thing out of the city.”
      “My men?” Mrs. Saito said to Rumiko's expression.
      “I'm sorry. It got them and the police officers.” She looked up at Emi beyond the pillar. Her eyes lowered. “So this is what's happening to Emi?”
      “Yes.” Mrs. Saito said. “It shouldn't be long to know what is it doing to her.”
      “I think she's controlling it.”
      “My officers reported it took her shape.” Mrs. Saito took a deep breath. “I see. Perhaps this is a power Hikari gave Emi.”
      “We found communication between the child and the kami.” One of the foxes said. Everyone gathered around and reads the analysis on the runes. It explained that a spiritual link between Emi and Hikari are established, but there was now way to know what they were saying.
      Emi found herself in endless space, or at least as her mind could interpret. For as far as her eye can see, there was no land in sight. Visions of what the mist monster was doing in the city flashed in her thoughts. She could sense the movements of the mist throughout her body. Emi concentrated her mind to keep it under control, to not hurt anyone, but it was an overwhelming energy that exhausted her.
      Seeing Mayumi on the rooftop, jumping from one building to the next, she wondered what her sister plan was. Emi figured there was a place to go to, and could see that she was being led away from the city. Her only fear was that she would lose control and it would kill again.
      Kill. That thought pained her heart. Watching all those people succumbed to the mist this monster covered them with. This feeling. She felt it before when the centipedes had cause people to die. Emi knew she did her best to get them to stop, but they would not. She felt it was not her fault; she was not responsible because she did attack. But not the time. This time it was done by her own hands, her own will. She knew it regardless of whether she had control of the mist or not. Emi no longer feels human.
      “Do not blame yourself.” A woman's voice said. “They interfered with you. They were not my children.”
      “Shut up!” Emi said turning her body around trying to find the direction os the voice. “We were supposed to bring light to the world. Good! Now you made me a murderer.”
      “No. You are a Priestess cleansing the earth of impurity.”
      “I am not! You're a liar!” Emi focused her thoughts on her sister, continuing to move the monster to its destination.
      “You follow her and not me?”
      “I follow myself.” Emi placed her hand on her heart. “I make my own decisions. I chose to help you, and you did not respect my kindness. You took advantage of me.”
      “I gave you love. I taught you power.”
      “You gave me nothing!” Emi's hand clenched into a fist. “You taught me nothing!”
      “My Priestess.”
      “I am not your Priestess!” Emi tilted her head back to look up. “I reject you as my kami!”
      Emi's heart raced. She could not believe what she said. Her mind felt ease. It felt free now. She saw the edge of the city in her visions and smiled.
      “It's over Hikari. You can do the right and end this.” Emi saw her sister. “Let us help, or we will stop you together.”
      Suddenly, Emi had a vision. She could feel her sister's mind linked like a chain. However, it was a vision she did not expect. She saw the valley where the centipedes went to live at peace. Yet, there was something about it that felt cold. Something that made her mind say this place was dangerous. Emi connected this with Mayumi and sensed the danger for her sister. The vision blurred out before she could see what was there.
      Now everything was quiet. There was no verbal response. Emi could not even sense Hikari, but she felt a warm energy behind her. A bright building up. A pair of female arms stretched past Emi's body and wrapped around in a hug. She could see the long white hair blowing her face. Emi noticed by the sleeves that woman was wearing a white and pink kimono. She felt a kiss, and her mind collapse onto itself.
      Mayumi reached the edge of the city. It was very open and the officers from the local police to the Society formed a perimeter. Mayumi channeled her making her magic circle appear. She focused her mind on Purify, hoping this will work. She saw the crows above once again circle above. This time there was a gathering of wind. It formed into a barrier of air that contained the mist monster, but something went wrong.
      The sound of Emi's screamed mixed with a horrible monster shook the air. The monster punched and banged the barrier, creating a shockwave that shattered glass nearby. People below fell to the ground as the street broken into pieces.
      “Emi!” Mayumi said. “If you can hear me. Stop doing this!”
      The mist monster made a fist and threw it towards Mayumi. She moved her circle over her head, blocking the punch. A burst of wind struck the barrier and slid up the wall. The impact scattered the crows breaking the spell they made.
      Mayumi found herself on her knees due to the force of the punch. She looked up and saw the monster clutching its head, violently thrashing its body in pain. Mayumi heart dropped. Tears built up, but anger consumed her rather than sadness. Without thought Mayumi refocused her spell. This time she formed the wind under her feet and flew up into the air. As she approached the monster, it stopped and stared her down. It reached for Mayumi as her magic circle grew large. With a scream, she forced her way into the mist, and she splashed inside like of pool of water.
      Barely breathing, Mayumi had her sister in her mind, but something happened. She heard a woman's voice telling her Purify. The visions returned again, but Mayumi did not feel fright, she only felt anger. Anger for her sister's suffering. So clear headed that what she saw in that vision was a valley near the city. She approached it. Closer and closer she reached for it, until she sensed Emi in her thoughts. She felt a chain linked between them severing but the vision turned black, stripping her of the conclusion.
      “PURIFY!” Mayumi's magic circle split into two, and went in two directions up and down. The mist turned from its black and purple color to white. It was clean. But just as the spell reached the people below, it ended. Mayumi lost all her energy. She fell to the sky but the crows were able to manipulate the wind to her to the ground.
      The mist that surrounded the people dispersed and the victims collapsed. The monster was gone. The Mana dispersed in the air with the wind, and the officers mobilized to help everyone.
      Mayumi opened her eyes and once again found herself in bed. She was not alone. She was in the arms of her sister. She felt the tightness of her sister's hands never wanting to let go. Mayumi took a deep breath staring at the ceiling. The vision she had of the valley, she wanted to go there. She wanted to see and that feeling has obsessed her mind.
      “How are you feeling?” Keiko said sitting on a chair next to the bed, but did not receive a response. “Emi was sleeping in the other bed, but when I came back she was in yours.”
      The silence was making Keiko uncomfortable. She understood Mayumi has a lot on her mind and got up from the chair.
      “Thank you.” Mayumi said.
      “Just rest.” Keiko said patting Mayumi's leg. “When you're ready to talk to me, I'll be ready.”
      “Please close the door.”
      “Okay.”
      Mayumi heard the door close and Emi opened her eyes. They both sat up leaning on the walls.
      “Are you okay Emi?”
      “Yes.” She nodded. “I feel empty. It was like I was there, but lost.”
      “It's okay. I'm here now.” Mayumi pulled Emi closer. “Do you remember that vision?”
      “A valley.” Emi turned to Mayumi. “You saw it too?”
      “She wants me to go there.”
      “That woman.” Emi took a deep breath. “I think… I think there is a connection between Hikari, that woman, and the valley the Mukado went to.”
      “They're not going to leave us alone.” Mayumi said and held Emi's hand. Her fingers shivered making her sister sad.
      “What can we do?” Emi leaned her head on Mayumi's shoulders. “Everyone will help us. Right?”
      “I don't think they can. That monster was too much for them.”
      “I tried to stop it. I did.”
      “I believe you.” Mayumi placed her arm around Emi's shoulder. “Let's do this right, and tell everyone… before it's too late.”
      Emi nodded and they both hugged each other.
      At a bar in the outskirts of the city, a white mist slowly rolled along the trees. Its sluggish pace gave some animals an ample time to run. There was barely any sound save for a chirping bird. It landed on the ground attacking a bug for food when the mist slid over its body. The bird violently screamed and it wings flapped making bashing sounds. Then there was silence.
      The city was not far away when a man with a fishing pole approached the nearby pond. He noticed some of the birds flying away. He paid no mind as he placed a charm he got from the Shrine of Hikari on his tackle box.
      “Please let me catch some fish for once.” He prayed, then cast the line into the pond. He whistled for a bit not noticing the animals scurrying in one direction behind him. But then a deer thrashed by and he jumped back, falling into the water. The fisherman pulled himself out and realized everything went silent.
      He walked around the trees trying to make sure there was no predator lurking about hunting animals. He was unaware of the impure Mana seeping from his body as he walked further away from his camp. The camper made his way around a tree and stumbled upon a slope that sent him rolling down the hill. His leg broke and his scream echoed the air. He reached for his phone but it had no signal. The man struggled up the slope hoping to get back to camp at least.
      When his fingers dug into the ground, there was burning sensation. It felt stiff and unmoving. When he lifted them up, he saw whiteness on his skin spreading up his arms. There was no sensation or feeling, not even numbness. Just pain spreading down his body. Tossing and turning as his hair solidified and trickled down his face muffling his voice into silence. His flesh twisting into convulsions. His legs kicking for to knock something that was not there off of him. The last of the impure Mana on his body cleansed from him. Then his body remained in place.
      A stoned body dressed in clothes like a mannequin. Created by a mist that he could not see with own eyes. Sluggishly moving toward the city.
      
      THE END.