Maki gently slid her hands down Haruma’s eyelids to close his eyes.

He had taken his last breath in her lap.

She burrowed her face into his motionless chest and tried to cry to herself to not alarm the surrounding people, but her actions caught the encaged people’s attention, and they didn’t need to question.

Everyone cast down their expressions except for Yuri and Ryosuke. Yuri may not have known much about the black human-bird but had come to terms that it was what was inside that was more important and not what you were. Meanwhile, Ryosuke saw Haruma’s death with guilt. He knew Mirai saw Haruma as an older brother, and he, having no siblings either, had wanted to get on better terms with the older man.

Jin-sama shifted in his seat to come closer to Maki and Haruma’s dead body. He quietly said, “I’m sorry, Maki-san.” And to you too, Haruma.

Maki wiped her tears and sat up straight. She heaved a slow and steady sigh. She couldn’t afford to weep when she had a friend in need. She couldn’t rely on Haruma, so she had only got one option. She slipped the name “Momoka” in a calming manner, not looking at anyone.

Everyone glanced behind the cage, expecting “Momoka” to make her entrance.

“Let’s save Mi-chan.”

*

A few days had passed, and the preparations for the demonic ritual were going smoothly.

But too smoothly.

Hideaki had been called into Matsumoto-sama’s chambers, and when Hideaki entered, he saw he was not the only one who had been requested. The usual audience had arrived before him: the betrayers, General Chinen and Kazuya; and the pretender, Hikaru.

“Is something the matter?” Hideaki asked, greeting his master at the front of the room.

“Step inside,” directed Matsumoto-sama, waving a hand. “I hear preparations will be finished before sundown?”

“Yes.”

“Everything will be in order?”

“Yes.”

“Wrong!”

A cup flew toward Hideaki, and it struck his cheek and fell to the ground. He didn’t flinch or utter a sound.

“Nothing’s in order!” shouted Matsumoto-sama, standing up with rage. “The standings you captured have been nothing but an eyesore! They’re supposed to entertain me, but they have yet to respond to any torture! Instead, they lie in the cage, restless and unresponsive!” He threw another item, and it hit Hideaki’s forehead and fell to Hideaki’s feet to lie next to the cup “That’s an insult! I want them to be rowdy when they see my sacrifice on the altar so that I can feed on their anguish, fear, and cries!”

Hideaki bowed once more. “Yes, Matsumoto-sama. I will ensure that you’ll receive cheers from the standings.”

“You’ve never let me down before,” growled Matsumoto-sama, “so it better not be here.”

Hideaki promised and exited.

*

“He’s coming,” hissed Yuto, tapping on Yuri’s leg.

Hideaki made his entrance to the enclosed prisoners. His face was red with anger, a result of the seconds-before discussion with his master. “I see that all of you have become accustomed to staying here.”

No one responded or looked at him.

Like Matsumoto-sama, he had expected the standings to be more aggressive and assertive about their survival, but none had shown interest in escaping or about saving Mirai. It irked him. “I believe you have heard that tonight’s the special night. Our kind will finally roam the world freely, and your kind will cease to exist.” He hoped saying that would trigger a vicious reaction.

Nothing again.

He kicked the cage. “SAY SOMETHING!” After what seemed like a few minutes, he calmed down and walked away. He bumped into Kazuya but said nothing.

Kazuya slowly walked to the cage. He inspected everyone. Finally, his eyes fell on his old friends. “He’s dead, isn’t he?”

Maki’s upper lip grimaced with anger, but it was nowhere near the boiling pot she was forcing herself to keep contained.

“He can be your preview for what’s to happen later tonight with her body.”

Maki would’ve jumped up at his comment, but Jin-sama managed to keep her seated with a hand. Ryosuke was the same, but it took both Yuto and Yuri to pull him down.

Kazuya knew his friends best, and he had figured that there was a reason they weren’t responding, so he confronted them about it. “Why aren’t you doing anything? The Maki I know would never allow anyone to make threats about the people she loves.”

Maki snickered. “Well, the Kazuya I know would never be such a mother-freaking jerk.”

That was a good enough reaction. It made him know that they still got some fight left. At least that’d entertain the demonic master for a while. He turned around, prepared to leave.

“Kazuya…” Maki’s soft whisper halted him. He may be on the demon’s side, but he was still a human, a human who responded to the slightest plea of sincerity. “Is there really no way…for you…to come back to us?”

Kazuya didn’t respond or move.

“You know about the guilt she carried when Grandma lied that Momoka had died when it wasn’t even her fault, so you should know how much guilt Mi-chan’s having after being told that she killed your family. I’m sorry—we’re sorry—but you don’t know all of it. Your family—”

“My family died!” shouted Kazuya. “That ex-demon slayer made us family to extend the demonic princess’s life! If she had cared for us, she would’ve killed Mi-chan the very moment she had her, but she didn’t!”

“See, you still care for her because you called her Mi-chan, Kazuya! So, don’t do this to us!” Maki got up and ran to the edge of the cage. “I lost Grandma Meisa, and I just lost Haruma.” She smacked her lips and stuttered to say the next line. “I know I’m going to lose Mi-chan…but I don’t want to lose you.” She smiled to herself. “Even after all you’re going to do.”

This made Kazuya glance behind his shoulders, and everyone inside the cage saw hope. Maybe they had gotten through to him.

“I’m staying here, Maki,” said Kazuya in the same manner as she had, and he walked away.

*

The sun was setting, and excitement filled the air.

Hikaru was busy orchestrating and preparing for the ritual while Kazuya was on watch on Ryosuke and the gang. Hideaki was currently with his master, preparing and going over the ritual to ensure that they had the process in order.

While Ryosuke and the gang acted interested in what was happening around them, they were secretly whispering to each other and passing signs about what they were going to do. Maki had found a way to break free and possibly save Mirai. Breaking free was a guarantee, but saving Mirai was a different story. They had yet to have clues about her whereabouts, and they lacked the power to fight back, and they had little time to thoroughly discuss how to save her.

While the men stood up and took up space against the cage and pretended to look outside their cage, they were really trying to hide and not bring attention to Maki and Umika. The girls were sitting on the ground to concentrate on each other as Umika’s right palm hovered over Maki’s left palm, and Umika’s left palm was on top of Maki’s right palm. In between the palms on both sides, there was a black feather—Haruma’s feather that Maki had ripped off from him before his body decomposed.

Maki saw the younger girl’s chest fluctuate up and down in fear. “Nothing bad will happen, promise.”

Umika forced a smile. “I know.”

“I have no choice. It’s got to be you, you know.”

“I know.”

“You’re the only one who was once possessed, so it’ll be easier to possess you again.”

“I-I know.” Umika’s mouth was dry, causing her to stutter.

“Hey,” hissed Yuto from behind Umika. “can you guys get to it now?”

Yuri chimed in, “I agree. The faster, the better. They’ve already cleaned the altar. They’re going to start sooner than expected.”

“Yeah, and Kazuya’s not loosening his attention on us either,” added Ryosuke.

“Got it, sheesh,” said Maki. “Starting now.”

Umika took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She was scared, but she knew she had to do it for their survival.

Maki saw Umika, and although she wanted to laugh, she gradually ceased her smile. She looked at the backs of everyone, starting from Yuto and ending at Ueda-san. Then, she looked at the closed-eyed Umika. She peered down to the feathers at her hands. In a voice only loud enough for them to hear, she said, “I speak this for my family… ‘Thank you.’”

The men smiled to themselves, and Umika’s lids batted open. Her fear disappeared, and she wasn’t reluctant anymore. With confidence, her hands didn’t shake, and she signaled for Maki to continue.

The girls closed their eyes, and Maki whispered a chant.

*

Matsumoto-sama sat at his exclusive chair made with the bones and flesh of the humans he had proudly slain as he watched Hideaki begin the ritual with his long-lost daughter’s stationary body blanketed with only a thick, white veil. He couldn’t help but grin. Every sacrifice he had done was worth this very moment. His ancestors had never been successful to reach this far, and he was going to change history. He would forever be the first and only demonic ruler to walk this land. His kind would get to enjoy the day and would get to feast at night as they please without fear or without judgment from the standings that haunted and preyed on them.

Justice had come to them.

The altar had Mirai’s body lying atop it. Her hands were at her side, parallel with her feet. At her head was a cup of fresh blood from an innocent human they had caught earlier in the day, and at her feet was a cup of water from the nearby spring.

Hideaki, dressed in a black and red robe with a thin, black veil over his head that stopped parallel to his nose, walked up to the altar. He looked at Mirai from head to toe and then from toe to head. He rose the empty bowl over his head.

In a loud and thunderous voice, he began the demonic prayer.

At the sideline, Ryosuke watched with worry. Whatever was happening behind him was all he could rely on at the moment, but he had doubts that they’d finish on time. He could only trust whatever Maki had told them to do:

“Let’s save Mi-chan.”

“Before we can do that,” said Yuri, “we need to get out first.”

“We can.”

Everyone perked up and eyed Maki. They had better not hear wrong.

Maki turned away and looked at Haruma’s body. “He will get us out.”

“Haruma?” everyone questioned.

“But I need a guarantee.” Maki looked at them again.

“A guarantee?” asked Jin-sama.

Maki sent a glare at Ryosuke, and everyone questionably glanced back and forth between them. She said, “You will kill Mi-chan…Momoka.”

As everyone said the troublesome name, Momoka, they slowly turned their attention to Ryosuke.

“You’re…Momoka?” asked Yuto. “So, you and Mi-chan…met before?”

Ryosuke nodded. “She’s the…Sakura lady.”

It only took that one phrase for everyone to understand. Yuto shook his head, already sensing where this may be going. Umika looked down, saddened. Yuri looked at her and then did the same. Ueda-san couldn’t stop blinking due to surprise. Jin-sama closed his eyes, finally making a connection.

“So?” asked Maki. Her voice was firm, but her hands trembled.

Ryosuke didn’t miss it. “You don’t want me to.” He eyed her hands.

“Of course, I don’t want you to!” exclaimed Maki. A tear slid down her cheek. “But this will be what she wants.” She lowered her voice. “You know, don’t you? She’s not cautious around you because she expects to be killed. Why? Because she’s a monster.”

“She’s not a monster!” Ryosuke turned away and brought his knees to his chest. He was done with this conversation.

“She will be.” She took a deep breath. “I’d rather you kill her when she can still be sane enough to see your face for the last time…as Momoka. I told her the truth about everything, and she chose to get captured again to account for her sins, so before this ritual is finished, she wants you to be the last one she sees.” She sniffed. “Be the Demon Slayer she has wanted so much for you to become.”

No one spoke. They knew this was a conversation between Maki and Ryosuke. No one could decide but them.

“Ryosuke.” It was Umika. “You’re not killing her.” She formed a thin line with her lips. “You’re saving her.” A breath of hesitation escaped from her. “Remember when…I was possessed? I don’t remember what happened when I was possessed, but I do remember that before it took over my body…I saw it.” She recalled the incident, and it made her breathe hard and fast.

Jin-sama held his daughter’s hand, and she calmed down.

She needed to finish. “The horror… The disgust… And… And the terror I saw from everyone’s faces when they…saw me. That made me know…I was truly a monster.” A tear dropped from her eyes. “I think Mirai-san’s not scared of losing herself…but she’s scared of anyone of us…not recognizing her.” She sniffed. “I know what fear is, and I’ve never wanted to bring fear to anyone…but that-that night, I did. It’s a feeling so horrible, it can’t be explained. So, Ryosuke, please…don’t let her experience that.” She wiped her tears. “I think that’s a duty a true friend like Momoka…should do.”

Ryosuke shut his eyes closed and recalled his childhood memories with her in the Sakura Garden. He could only remember so much, but they were as vivid as ever. Her childish laughter resonated in his heart, her playful smile brought him warmth, and her encouraging words gave him strength. He wholeheartedly believed that she wouldn’t succumb to her lineage, that she would be able to maintain her sanity and not be turned into what she had never wanted to become.

He opened his eyes again and gave his answer with a firm nod.

Maki attempted to keep her chanting as quiet and as stable as she could while Hideaki’s booming voice easily distracted her by pressuring her to hurry up. Because she was a human and an unprofessional chanter unlike Grandma Meisa, the process was slower than expected. Before she could get halfway, Hideaki had finished chanting.

For a momentary silence, it seemed that there was no sound. Everything was still and frozen, but everyone’s eyes were focused on Mirai nevertheless.

And she finally opened her eyes.

Her black eyes.

There were no whites in them.

Streams of red blood glided down her eyes.

Matsumoto-sama’s eyes widened with hope, and he snared from his seat. He was too excited.

Hideaki teleported the cup at her feet to him. He downed the supposedly holy water, gargled it, and spat it to her face, which made her squirm in pain as she let out a piercing howl. Meanwhile, her skin tightened, dry patches blossomed at every inch of her skin, and depressions sunk at her every space.

Ryosuke couldn’t stand the scene, so he quickly glanced behind him. “They’ve got her!” he hissed.

“Hold on,” Maki hissed back. “We’re almost done.” It was a lie, but she knew she couldn’t make them lose hope. For sure, she still had some time until her friend was completely possessed.

Hideaki quickly did the same for the cup with blood. However, instead of directing the gargled blood in his mouth at her face, he spat it at her feet, and the blood soon clung onto her skin and slowly expanded to blanket her entire body. He turned to Matsumoto-sama. “Once the princess’s entire body has been covered with the blood and her insides are soiled, it will have ruined her human flesh. Only then can we begin the takeover of her vessel.”

Matsumoto-sama smirked. “Very good, Hideaki. Very good.”

“I will speed the process by using the sacrifice we—”

Light from the cage captured their attention. It was from the cage where they had the human prisoners.

Matsumoto-sama jolted up from his seat, prompting Hideaki to levitate himself over to the cage. Halfway there, the cage burst open, and a black figure flew out and up into the air. This brought confusion to all the demonic creatures taking part in the ritual.

As confusion broke loose, General Chinen immediately went to protect his new master, Matsumoto-sama.

Kazuya watched the scene unfold in front of him and tried to make sense of what was happening. Just how did they get out of the magical-made prison? As he stayed stupefied at his spot, he didn’t realize Maki, Jin-sama, and Ueda-san coming his way, and they successfully pinned him down.

Hideaki was confronted with Yuri and Yuto, and Hideaki knew that the two young standings wouldn’t lay a hand on him unless necessary, so he stayed calm. Instead, he eyed the altar and noticed the blood had blanketed over half of Mirai’s body already. In a minute or two, she’d be fully covered.

Then, a screech from above gathered everyone’s attention.

The confused ones looked up and saw a black bird with Ryosuke in its talons.

“Haruma?” whispered Kazuya, brows furrowed together. “But he’s dead.”

“Yeah, he is,” said Maki. But she didn’t sound sad. In fact, she sounded rather positive and proud. “But that’s not Haruma.”

Kazuya quickly counted the captured people, and it didn’t take him long to realize what had happened. “You had Umika possessed and reborn as a tengu!”

“It was our only option.”

“It won’t last. Tengus can only give permanent transformation if they’ve exchanged contracts.” Kazuya believed he was victorious. He knew Haruma had wanted nothing to do with humans, so there’d be no way he’d make contact with Umika even if Mirai’s life depended on it. “He’d never give away a feather.”

“He did,” said Maki in the same victorious tone as his. “With me. Oh, and it was not only me. He gave it to all of us. But you know it’s harder to take over my body because I’ve never been possessed before, so our only choice was the human princess. As I had thought, it liked her quite well, you know. She is of royal blood.”

Kazuya shut his eyes in anger. He had underestimated his dumb friend. Now, he’d never get to avenge his family. But he was never been the type to give up so easily. He opened his eyes and shouted at the top of his lungs, “Kill the bird and the human!”

As soon as Kazuya said it, Umika, now in a tengu form, dropped Ryosuke and gathered the attention on her. She flapped her wings in mid-air to the demons attempting to atta