Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ The Hope Diamond ❯ Gem - 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter Three

I haven't got an opportunity to meet up with Aya the next day like I planned. Manx's arrival is badly timed as usual. I swear she does it deliberately just to piss me off. Naturally, I'm not in the best of mood during the mission briefing and my irritation just get worse when I hear the details of the mission.

"We are going to the Human Chess, just to verify that strange Techno-Mage's identity? The one whom we met up in the mountains?" Needless to say, I'm not pleased with the idea at all.

Manx nod.

"And not do anything to stop that sick game?" Ken can't believe his ears. Neither can I; it's what worsened my mood. "Manx, innocent people die in that game for entertainment! We got to do something about it."

"There's nothing we can do about it," Manx says calmly. "That underground game is secretly sponsored by both Takatori Incorporation and Estet Foundation. Kritiker can't touch it without them retaliating."

"But Manx!"

"Ken, you are not in Weiss for the sake of the righteous."

Ken growls in frustration. But Manx is right. All of us aren't in Weiss for justice even if Persia is the only corporation head that seem to care for Magnopolis' well being. We are in Weiss because we have nowhere else to go.

"So, are the three of you in?" Manx asks.

"Chotto matte," I cut in. "We don't know how that strange TM looks like. How are we supposed to find him?"

"You look for Reiji Takatori. Our sources say he will be there tomorrow night and chances are the strange TM will be somewhere close to him."

I stare at her suspiciously.

"You're the one who confronted him face to face. Only you can tell us whether it's the same person or not," Manx continues. "Believe me, if it's the same TM, you will know at once. So are you in or out?"

Do I have a choice? I'm field leader after all and no matter how badly I want to skip mission to find Aya, I can't. Scowling, I snatch the mission packages from her.

"Contact me the usual way when it's over," she says as she walks up the circular staircase. "Good luck, boys."

Omi flips through his package rapidly. "It won't be difficult to get in. I say two of us infiltrate the place while one remain outside as backup."

"I'll take point. And Ken can be the one standing outside."

"You're going to let Omi go into such a place?" Ken is understandably outraged. Both of us are very protective of our youngest member. However this case is different.

Omi is nodding as well. "Yohji-kun is right. No offense, Ken-kun, but the Human Chess may stir up your bloodlust."

Judging from the look on Ken's face, he realizes the potential danger of him entering the underground club as well. It will be a place of blood and carnage, of heightened arousal and adrenaline. Ken's Hunter nature is especially susceptible to such stimulation.

"What's the plan?" Ken asks instead.

"Since it is just verification, it's simple." Omi lays out the blueprints on the coffee table and we gather around it. "This is what we do…"

* * *

The place where the Human Chess is held has about seven levels, all circular levels surrounding the Chess arena in the middle of it. It's also a gambling heaven, noisy, loud, has sexy pole dancers, sex and alcohol abundant - it's excess at its height.

I hate it though.

For one thing, the gory and inhumane sport in the Chess arena spoils the scene. For another, they have placed magic wards throughout the building, especially in the casinos. I can feel the passive alarms with my mage senses. Do you know what a mosquito buzzing near your ear sounds like? Yep, that's how these wards feel like to me. Highly, highly irritating. We aren't expecting wards, Omi and I. Which means we can't use magic because that will home the security in on us. Which means we have to improvise and rely heavily on Omi's tech skills.

I move easily through the crowd, being as suave and relaxed I can possibly be under the circumstances, all the while getting close to the private VIP lounge. About two pillars' length away, I find myself a comfortable seat partially hidden by a pillar and settle down to wait for Takatori to make his appearance, ordering the most expensive wine by the bottle. Earlier, I had spitefully threw a few thousands bucks at the roulette and poker tables.

I know Manx will have kittens when she hears about it. Who says petty revenge ain't sweet?

I forget all thoughts about petty revenge when I see the fight in the arena. It is…the cruelest thing I have ever seen. No rules, no referee to cry foul or break. Real weapons in the hands of inexperienced people. Real blood, real deaths. The crowd roars in approval at each stab and kill, boos when someone misses. I can practically taste the bloodlust, the pure terror and desperation of the victims - there's no way I can call them fighter - in the air. Thank God Ken isn't in here with me; he will have gone berserk from the smell of blood in the air. Trying to look as though I'm enjoying the game is downright difficult when all I want to do is raze the place to the ground.

Tearing my gaze away from the arena, my heart jumps when I see that the VIP lounge is no longer empty. A woman, with a hat and a bald fat man by her side, is talking to Reiji Takatori. There is no way I can mistake that high-profile CEO's face for anyone else. And if Manx is correct, then that strange Techno-Mage should be…

I swear a chill runs down my spine when I spot Takatori's companion standing slightly behind him. He wears a black suit, the red tie glaring against the white shirt, and black gloves. Tonight he wears a different mask - a white affair with opaque silver eyepieces that covers the upper half of his face. His red hair gleams with a ruby light and what I can make out of his face too have that subtle unearthly glow. Even from this distance, I can sense the raw power radiating from him.

Shit. What have we gotten ourselves into?

That man standing beside Reiji Takatori is no other than his Gem christened the Blood Diamond. The symbol of Takatori's power and status, whose face no one had ever seen before. And judging from the aura of power I sense, it was the Blood Diamond we fought that night in the mountains. I duck behind the pillar when I spy his head turning in my direction. The game is up if he spots me.

"Takatori!"

The shout echoes throughout the building, effectively silencing everyone. I trace the shout to the man, no, boy, standing in the middle of the Chess arena. His opponent lies dead at his feet and he is holding a black staff in his hands. The grim determination and sheer hatred in his body language is all so clear. Whoever he is, he holds a serious vendetta against Reiji Takatori.

"Show your face, Takatori!"

And he has guts. Takatori isn't just a CEO; he is one of the most powerful Techno-Mages in the world, and this vengeance-seeking person is just a Class-F. I watch carefully as Takatori steps forward.

"What do you want?" Everyone can hear Takatori's voice clearly even though he has no microphone.

"My name is Yamada Jun!" Jun? Can that be the brother of the little girl Aya met in the hospital yesterday? "I seek vengeance for my family!"

Jun raises his rod and begins to chant.

I tense when I feel the ominous gathering of dark power in the air. What the hell is the boy think he's doing?! A Class-F Techno-Mage such as he doesn't have the strength for a demon summoning. He must have made a pact or something to earn this much power to summon demons.

His invocation of magic have set the wards have off; I can feel them shrilling loudly in the back of my head. I discreetly raised my hand. The cufflinks aren't for show. The right cufflink holds a tiny transmitter inside and the left is the earpiece.

"Bombay. Where are you?"

"In the air duct. Siberian is waiting outside. He feels the demon summoning too."

"Tell him to stay put. Don't come in no matter what."

"Hai. And the both of us?"

"We're going to stay here. If that kid's going to summon a demon, we have to stop it if he loses control."

"Understood."

Jun strikes the floor of the arena with his staff, shrieking one word. At once an evil-looking light splits through the floor, widening quickly. The portal to the Demons' Plane opens and I watch grimly as a half-serpentine, half-dog red creature climbs out of the portal. Spines ridge along the back of its long sinuous neck and body and saliva drips from its fangs to burn the floor. It is big; it reaches the second level of the building. Huge claws dig into the ground; its tail swish with languid eagerness.

Pandemonium breaks out. There's a riot in the building as everyone screams and scrambles for the exits. I can't blame them. The demon-beast that climbed through the portal is terrifying to look at. There's nothing but pure demonic malice in its beady black eyes.

The boy has summoned a wyrm - a minor demon-beast but no less dangerous. Jun points his staff at Takatori and utters another word. With a bloodcurdling scream, the wyrm lunges straight for Takatori.

I duck instinctively as the wyrm leaps past me.

Damned thing is fast, but the Blood Diamond is faster. In a flash he is standing in front of his master, one arm lifted towards the demon-beast and his hand open in an outward flicking motion. Spears of pure white fire lance through the air and strike the wyrm, driving it away from the VIP lounge. He flicks his hand down, and below the wyrm screams in sudden pain.

On the arena floor, Jun blanches and falls to a knee. I can see the strain he's under, fighting to keep control of the demon-beast which is struggling to escape the fight. Lose the wyrm and get out of here, kid. You're no match for a Class-A.

"Matte," Takatori orders.

The wyrm stops screaming and hangs limply in midair as the Blood Diamond glances at his master. Even with his mask on, I can sense his question. Leisurely, Takatori moves to the very front of the VIP lounge, staring down contemptuously at Jun.

"I don't remember killing your family, boy." Takatori says. "I'm impressed by your willingness to use the Forbidden Arts, but all for the sake of revenge? Disappointing."

Damn it, Takatori. Let him go and be done with it. There's no reason for you to even be interested in this kid. That's it, turn and walk away. Leave the boy be. If I'm right and somehow I know I am, the kid has a sister to care for.

"Kill him."

No.

As though in slow motion, I watch in horror as the Blood Diamond lower his arm. The wyrm suddenly comes alive and charges towards the horrified Jun.

"Contega!" I yell, gesturing hurriedly to erect a shield about Jun.

Later, I would vaguely remember the startled Blood Diamond looking in my direction and Omi yelling in my ear, demanding to know what I'm thinking. At that time, I wasn't thinking about the mission but saving the boy. And yet I was still too late. Even a Class-A Techno-Mage needs time to erect a shield and I'm no different.

The wyrm smashes through my half-formed shield with ease and pounces on the hapless Jun, tearing him apart with vicious claws and teeth. His screams…oh God, I will never forget his screams. Takatori is already moving calmly for the exit, uninterested in seeing the gruesome death below. But the Blood Diamond is still staring at me; I glare back at him. I will never forgive him or Takatori for this.

He turns abruptly. Giving the dead boy one last look, he leaves the VIP lounge as well.

"Balinese! The wyrm!" Omi's voice snaps me back to here and now as he runs up to my side. He lets fly four ofudas, drawing the wyrm's attention to keep it from leaving the arena. "You have to send it back!"

Right. The wyrm cannot stay here on the Mortal Pane. Since only Class-A or B can perform demon summoning and exorcisms, and Takatori has left the place, it's up to me to stop the demon-beast.

I take a step back and a deep breath, focusing my mind and will. Slowly and stately, I raise both hands; palms facing the heavens, and begin.

"I am Servant of the Secrets, Magi of the Nether Plane, Master of the Second Testament. Heart of the earth, the fire of rebirth, I call upon your might. Heed my cry and grant me strength. Spirit of the sky, the wind of change, I call upon your might. Heed my cry and grant me strength. Blood of the oceans, the water of life, I call upon your might. Heed my cry and grant me strength."

I feel the power gathering within me, the elements stirring to my ritual chant. Exorcising a demon is nothing but pure willpower and concentration because I'll be basically fighting the demon-beast for dominance. The Techno-Mage must be strong and determined, focused to the exclusion of everything else. Beads of sweat roll down my face as I strain to continue. My watch begins to glow in response to the spell.

"I am Magi who walks this Plane, sworn to protect. In the name of this world, I forbid you to stay. Return to where you came, spawn of the Demons' Plane. With the voice of the earth, I banish you. Go! With the voice of the sky, I banish you. Go!! With the voice of the oceans, I banish you. GO!!!"

The portal opens again, flaring with the same evil light. The wyrm screams and struggles to break free, unwilling to return to the Demons' Plane. I stand fast, exerting my dominance over its will. Slowly, bit by painful bit, I push the wyrm through the portal until finally, with a last defiant whimper, it is back where it belongs and the portal slams shut.

My arms fall to my side, aching beyond words. My watch is a hot presence on my wrist; it needs to cool down again before I can use it again. I lean tiredly against the pillar. It has been a long time since I had to do a demon exorcism; I forget how exerting it can get.

"Daijoubu?" Omi asked. He seems rather shaken himself.

"Yeah."

Sadness washes over me when I see the bloodied remains of Jun. Hell, I don't think there's even enough of him left for a decent burial. I wonder what price he paid in order to summon the wyrm. His death is so wasted, so…senseless.

I gesture tiredly one more time. "Concrema."

Jun's remains burst into flames, a funeral pyre for a boy I don't even know. I sigh, taking out my shades and put them on. "Iko, Bombay. This place makes me sick."