THERE'S A RUMOR GOING AROUND...

Hi there everyone! So, we have added another member to our mod team!

Welcome back Mod Eiji, the other mod from the last game!

There is a sequel! It is actually out RIGHT NOW!

https://demonsrising.tumblr.com/

After Apostolos checked Ayako’s pulse, and Silas checked Mashiro’s, almost instantaneously they both raised their heads to the group. They both slowly shook their head no.

“I’m sorry Mafuyu…” muttered Silas with a stifled breath.

Apostolos sighed, taking his hat off to cover his chest. “She’s gone too…”

It was official. Mashiro and Ayako, the star crossed lovers… They fell in love the same place they died. It is a cruel, twisted fate.

“N-No…” Mafuyu whimpered, “N-N-NO!” She yelled with tears flowing down her face. She buried her head onto her late brother’s chest. “Nii-san…” She cried into him, her voice muffled by his jacket.

Amidst the sorrow, Ollie dragged his way to Mafuyu’s side and leaned next to her. “Hey… I know it is rough… But we need to go. The Oni won’t be down for much longer if Mashiro didn’t finish it…”

Mafuyu glanced at Ollie, her eyes red and puffy. “I-I…” She seemed conflicted. She didn’t want to leave them… But she knew what must be done. “Nii-san… Nii-san would want us to leave… I can’t let their sacrifices go to waste…!” She yelled out, determination lingering in her voice.

It brought everyone else to a small smile, as she soon got to her feet. She watched as Rasmus scooped up the freshly-dead corpses, before looking towards the others. “I know the way out of here… Follow me.” She uttered, as she quickly turned on her feet and ran through the forest.

The others followed her, running through branches, brushes, jumping over logs, and dashing through meadows.

And then… They saw it.

They saw the light.

The group had made it through the forest, and through the entrance they all had came from.

They saw a line of police officers, police tape, an ambulance, paramedics, EMTs, and citizens watching from behind the lines.

One of the EMTs on the scene saw the group and their eyes widened. They barked out, “Over here! We found them!”

A group of medical assistance got gurnees out for Rasumus who was slowly losing consciousness, and Ollie as well who was still bleeding large amounts of blood through his hand. One of the officers ran to the group and asked what happened, which Sayuri said she would take care of. Silas was off making sure Ollie was alright and Apostolos made sure that Mafuyu was holding up alright.

Eri watched as the bodies of two teenagers were loaded into an ambulance, already well aware it was beyond anyone's capacity to save them.

It was chaos.

But it was done.

All the pain…

All the suffering…

All the despair…

It was done.

When the battle against the Oni began, some of you stayed behind to fight, but most of you fled, egged on by your own desires or the desires of those that asked you to run. Even as Mafuyu led you all out in tears, in anguish that neither her brother nor his girlfriend were running from the fight, you couldn’t help but wonder if this was truly the right thing to do. The door outside opened, and the five of you escaped towards the dark forest, rain pouring from above. Apostolos, Eri, Sayuri, Silas and of course, the little sister that Mashiro had betrayed all the students here for. But you didn’t run. Not when there were still people you cared about inside - other than Apostolos, who stayed nonetheless. 

The first to leave, or rather, get thrown out, was Rasmus. The gentle giant was bruised all over and his back looked like someone took a bite out of it, but the Ice Cream Maker was alive. Even as he struggled to get back to his feet, Eri and Sayuri were there to support him. For it had not been for naught - between his large hands, he held a distinctly black, oversized arm, stump still bloody. It was quickly disposed of, flung into the forest lest it ever be reattached.

The second to be launched out of a window was Ollie, and as he fell, Silas was already running. He reached the Historian in time to soften the blow, and Ollie was alive, though once again heavily injured. His face had taken quite the brutal blow, and one of his hands had a hole in it. What was in the hole, however, proved to be the reason. A pure white fang, almost the width of Ollie’s arm, was embedded in his palm - it had been snapped off at the base. Apostolos removed the offending tooth and chucked it far away, as Silas tended to his lover.

Only two left...You waited...and waited...As the mansion grew quieter and quieter.

Just as you thought it was time to give up and run, a figure emerged from the door. For a moment, you all were on guard that it had to be the Oni, but a closer look revealed that it was carrying another human-shaped figure just like it, and from this distance, that white jacket was recognizable anywhere.

“Nii-san!” Mafuyu cried, but it was clear her brother was in no condition to answer.

His arms were purple and pink - internal bleeding had set in. One of his legs was clearly snapped the wrong way, and the front of his jacket was stained with blood. Ayako, in his arms, looked uninjured, but it didn’t seem like she was breathing...

Just...what had happened in there?

FLASHBACK

“FOOLISH BOY! YOU DARE TRY TO DEFY YOUR FATE?!” the Oni yells, and Mashiro has to resist the urge to say yes. He needed...to...escape…

His leg, already weak from being flung into a wall, collapsed under him. He fell to the floor in pain, his coughs gurgling with blood. It was...too much...Even with one hand, the Oni was...relentless. He was going to die here...but at least, the others…

“Go f-fuck yourself.” He managed, accepting his death. The others would be...safe.

“Mashiro!”

No...That voice...Nngh...Why…?

...it was...the one person he feared would...come back for him.

“Ayako, don’t...!” He tried to yell, but by then, the footsteps had sounded.

“You will leave...him...ALONE!”

The sound of two entities colliding was the only thing he heard, as he heard Ayako charge across the room and into the Oni. A brief respite of silence...before something warm and female crashed into him.

Even as he scrambled to hold Ayako steady, he could hear how grievous the injury was. Her breathing was shallow and he could feel the trickle of blood drip down her chin, and as he cried into her shoulder, her hand found his cheek.

“Why?! Why...did you...come back?!”

“Because...I would...never have...abandoned you...I live...and I die...by your side…”

Her other hand pressed something into his chest. It was hard...pointy...and it was what Ayako had sacrificed herself to retrieve. Her hand fell slack even as Mashiro continued to hold it.

“THAT INSOLENT...BRAT! IN THE END, A FRUITLESS ENDEAVOUR...AS EXPECTED OF YOUR PITIFUL EXCUSE OF A WOMAN!”

Something inside Mashiro snapped. Setting her body down gently, the Chessmaster forced himself to remain steady, getting onto his feet. The fang was in his right hand.

Scarlet eyes. “Her name is Ayako Ichijou.” He charged. “And this is her revenge.”

END FLASHBACK

“I...stabbed the Oni...If he isn’t dead...he very well should be...” Is all Mashiro can manage before he collapses to the ground, completely spent. Ayako rolls away from him, and he weakly reaches out to...to…

He can’t reach her and he knows it. But she doesn’t.

By the time Mafuyu and the other six of you reach them, they are lying side-by-side, hand-in-hand. There’s a distant look in their eyes, and they’re only barely breathing. Ayako’s chest has been caved in with one powerful blow, and blood flows from her mouth in rivulets. Mashiro’s bleeding too, all over, and even as Mafuyu collapses to her knees, crying beside him, he shudders and opens his eyes. “It’s...It’s okay, Mafuyu...the nightmare...it’s all over...”

She doesn’t have the capacity to respond.

“Ma...shi...ro…?”

“I'm...I'm here, Ayako…”

“I’m...cold…”

“That...you are…”

The two lovers shared a brief chuckle that quickly descended into a coughing fit, as the two struggled to stay alive. There was no denying the outcome, unfortunately, and them of all people knew it.

“Won’t you...warm me...up?”

“I can...try…”

Even in the darkness that was steadily getting darker, blindness could not stop the hands of the two snaking into each other's hold. She felt icy to the touch, and he none for the better.

But in that one moment, everything was perfect.

“I love...you, Ayako...”

“And I love...you too…Mashiro...Let's get...married...someday…”

“Yes...Let's...”

And with their final vows said and last words were spoken, their hands fell, still clutching each other.

The scene had slowly unfolded, each second getting heavier. Tensions were rising in the room, and you all had the lingering taste of dust and a thing in great need of a shower stuck in your throats.

The Oni glared at Mashiro, having pushed his sister towards Ayako.

“MASHIRO NAITOU!” It screamed at the boy, its teeth looking sharper than ever.

“THE TIME HAS COME!”

What was about to happen, no one could have expected.

You all feel a great gust of wind blow through the trial room as the Oni took a stomp forward, causing the ground to shake.

And then you heard it.

The sound of chains unlocking...

The sound of metal crashing to the ground...

The sound of old wooden doors opening.

“YOUR JUDGEMENT DAY HAS COME!”

The Oni took another step forward, its piercing gaze becoming ever darker and colder.

“FIGHT ME IF YOU DARE, BUT NOTHING SHALL COME OF IT!”

The Oni stared Mashiro right in the eyes.

It slowly opened its jawline, looking ready to strike.

You all knew what was about to happen.

The Oni quickly turned to those around it, and shot an evil glare through everyone.

“IF YOU VALUE THIS FOOLISH CHILD’S LIFE... THEN YOU HAVE TO GET IT FROM MY COLD... DEAD... HANDS!”

And so the chaos that would lead to one of the most terrifying events in this mansion... Had begun.

How long had it been since she had last seen him? How long since that...monstrous abomination had forced him to work for her safety?

Mafuyu kicked the ground again. Her tears had come every now and then, and sometimes she would sob louder, but there wasn't much a point to crying anymore. Nobody was there to watch. Nobody could comfort her. And if he didn't come back with people...she and him would be the demon's next meal.

But if he did...she couldn't bear the thought of Mashiro having so many deaths on his conscience. So she cried again.

If she had never stumbled upon that rumour, she would have never gone to the mansion. And if she had never gone to the mansion, Mashiro would not have followed her, and now he was simply another unwilling puppet. She hated the Oni, for doing this to the both of them. She hated Mashiro, for agreeing to let so many other strangers die just to save her. But most of all, she hated herself, for going to the mansion and getting them both caught up in this whole mess.

Things changed.

“INPUT THE CODE!"

“Password Inputted: Mashiro Naitou.” 

“Password Input: Correct.”

And with a huge rumble, the door opened wide.

There he was. Thinner than she remembered, and the stress bags around his eyes gave the appearance of someone who hadn't been able to sleep very often. Still in the same white jacket and black shirt, and there were people behind him. Yet his arms were wide, and even as she got up, the sigh of relief was loud and piercing.

Mafuyu Naitou found what was left of her energy, and in tears, ran forward to hug her older brother.

He felt her collapse into him, the wet tears staining the front of his shirt. Both hands cradled his waist, as if she was afraid he would just disappear if she so as much let go.

For the first time in a long time, Mashiro was able to hug his sister back. It didn't matter if his friends all saw him as a monster, or that eleven people had to die, but she was here, safe, and most definitely not Oni chow.

When the mist clears and the Chessmaster finds himself back at the podium, he composes himself lightly.

"As you can see, I did have a motive for doing all of this...For lying to you all. This is my sister Mafuyu...until just now, the hostage I needed to save. The Oni promised me her life if I were to find other people to satiate him with...and as much as I treasure you all as friends now, back then, I only wanted to save my sister. That's the truth behind this ordeal."

And even as she holds him tight, he pushes her away, back to where he knows Ayako is standing because it's her aura is flaring, hot and incensed. "Stay with Ayako, sis. She was going to be your sister-in-law, but whatever happens, lead her out of here if I don't make it. Take her home."

The Oni’s smile had been plastered to its face throughout this entire experience. The despair of the class... From the very beginning from when he found Mashiro and his sister.... All the way to this very moment.

The pure and utter despair that were covering Mashiro’s classmates when they found out the truth had made it all the better.

It wasn’t until Mashiro’s desperation, sadness, and despair had shifted... Shifted into anger...

The Oni was taken aback by the sudden burst of anger, flabbergasted that Mashiro would do such a thing.

The demon quickly regained its composure and it showed the most enraged face it had ever had during your stay here.

“You... You dare... DEFY ME?!” The beast roared at Mashiro. “YOU THINK I CARE?!”

Its long and dramatic pauses were gone. Its act had been pulled away. 

You could swear that its teeth had gotten longer, resembling those of a saber tooth tiger.

“FINE!” It yelled, soon turning into mist, but then quickly engulfing Mashiro in it.

The mist cloud of the Oni and Mashiro soon fled the scene, out towards the main level.

You all decided to run after them to see what was happening, when it took you back to the basement, right to the door of Panic Room #2.

You all saw the duo soon reappear in physical form, Mashiro having to cough out the Oni particles still in him.

“INPUT THE CODE!” The Oni commanded Mashiro.

With a sigh, and a worried expression, Mashiro soon typed in the thirteen character password.

“Evaluating password...” The machine had beeped out.

“Password Inputted: Mashiro Naitou.” 

“Password Input: Correct.”

And with a loud rumble, the door opened, and out came a girl with black hair, black eyes, and a white and black dress, hugging Mashiro, tears dripping down her face.

The reunion didn’t last long though...

“ENOUGH OF THIS DRABBLE!” The Oni screamed, catching all of your attention.

It soon turned into mist once again, but it didn’t just take Mashiro this time... It swept all of you present up.

As the seven remaining members of his erstwhile classmates began to turn on him, Mashiro's psyche was immediately assaulted with a barrage of emotions. Some of them his own, some coming from his anguished and betrayed friends. Eri's outburst punctured his already frail heart full of holes, and deplorable...goddamnit, Silas, that word actually hurt.

And yet in some way, he was right. Mashiro Naitou was deplorable for blinding them all.

"Unfortunately...what he says is true. If you all might recall, all of you went searching for the Oni's mansion in the middle of the night. Because of the rumours...rumour...something I started." He admitted with a grimace. "For the record, I didn't choose you all...He only wanted the first seventeen of us who came. When you got close enough, I crept up and knocked you out before I...let the Oni drag you in. He promised...he wouldn't hurt any of you...I didn't know he'd force us to go through this farce and say it was our fault...for killing each other."

Although he couldn't see them, he could practically feel the waves of disappointment roll off their bodies. It was worst coming from Ayako - she didn't say nor do anything, which to Mashiro, was much more distressing than if she had blown up at him. He didn't want them to be angry...but not for one second would he delude himself into thinking he didn't deserve it.

"This was never fun for me, Eri...I had to watch as each person died, and listen to the Oni taunt me about how I'd have to explain it all to you in due time. Apostolos, my sincerest regrets, but if you thought I was your captor, I'm just as much a victim as anyone else was here in the mansion. Ollie, I'm sorry, I lied to you and Cyrus and everyone, but I only meant to give you all something to strive for...a way out that you could reach. Silas, I...I accept that you must surely hate me now. Sayuri, I...I really did this."

"And I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry-"

And in that split second, regret turned to anger.

"But if there's one person I'm not sorry towards, it's you."

The shuddering breath is gone. His voice clears up and the platitudes fade. This might have been the first time you've seen the Chessmaster angry. It's certainly the first time that he's talked back towards the Oni, and it's with a stern tone and steely expression that he says, "I do have a reason for doing this, and it involves the Oni. Because everything leads back to the Oni, myself included. You really enjoy not giving the full story, don't you, Oni? Yes, I am the mastermind - and whose fault is it that I was given an impossible choice to make? Yes, I was the one who brought all of us here, even Aya and her team though admittedly I didn't know that would happen - but who was the one that browbeated me into doing so, all the while hanging her life over my head?"

His last few words are delivered in a chilling, quiet way, and it's this level of tranquil fury that's directed at the black and white abomination.

Of course Eri had to be wrong, Mashiro was the killer, albeit it wasn't on purpose. He was also the one behind everything, he had brought them here. The Oni could kill him as a result. “Mashiro...” She went quiet and looked down at the ground.

A number of emotions fought to surface, anger was the emotion that eventually won and surfaced. She lifted her head back up started yelling at him. “YOU WERE BEHIND EVERYTHING, WAS THIS FUN FOR YOU?!?!”

Eri began trembling after she finished yelling. “People are dead because of you, what possible explanation could you have for that...? All the pain you caused, was it worth it? Was it?” She stopped trembling and started laughing, although it sounded more sad than anything. 

Apostolos had done some pretty nasty things in his lifetime, but he liked to think he held the moral high ground compared to the person who dragged them here. After all, he hadn't killed anyone, directly or otherwise. 

He had held onto his suspicions that Hitori had targeted the mastermind, though he was unsure of who it was, and suspected they'd figure out who it was before this case was finished. But Mashiro? That had admittedly caught him off guard. He didn't doubt for a moment though that the Oni was telling the truth though; there was no one else it could have been. Apostolos was decently comfortable with Mashiro, he had even liked him. Hoped they could've been friends. But alas, it wasn't meant to be.  Mashiro seemed like he would've been the last person to be behind this. Figures.

Apostolos wasn't exactly angry, or sad, but he was a bit disappointed. Mashiro enthusiasm and idealism: all of it faked. Mashiro had pulled the wool over his eyes, and he didn't appreciate it. He should've seen through him, but he'd just taken Mashiro for an innocent, somewhat naive boy. How much did Mashiro know about him though? About all the other students?

W-what?!?!? Ollie paled when the Oni made his shocking confession. All the pain, all the tragedy, all the lives lost were because of Mashiro!? "Wh- w-w-w...." he stammered out. He couldn't bring himself to utter even a simple word. Mashiro was his friend... one of the only friends he had left in this world... How...?

The brit's mind wandered to Cyrus and the promise he, no both he and Mashiro made to him. They were supposed to protect everyone and save them from this hell hole. Was... was it just a lie to him?!

Ollie clenched his fist tight. Slowly but surely, bitter tears began to run down his now angry face. "What the absolute hell?!" He yelled out to the man he thought was his friend. "Why? Why would you do this?! And why would you try to instill hope into everyone when you Damn well knew it was all for naught?!" This may not have been the first time Ollie had been betrayed, but the pain he felt was all the same.

As soon as the Oni began cackling, Silas could feel in his stomach that there was definitely something very different about this case. Even before the Oni announced it, Silas knew what was coming. This had to be the end.

It was Mashiro the entire time, all of it, wasn't it? Yes. There it is. The Oni's confession. Mashiro is the mastermind behind all of this.

Silas tried to keep his calm composure, but he certainly felt a disgusting mixture of emotions. Frustration for all the lives lost because of this boy, the one who was always spouting stupid idealistic beliefs while allowing all of this tragedy to run its course. Regret towards himself for not beating the shit out of Mashiro in the past. Especially anger for not killing Mashiro when he had the chance.

Silas's face remained mostly blank, but the corners of his gentle smile had drooped, and his hands that had been gracefully folded over his abdomen were now tightened into fists at his sides. Most concerning of all was the hard look in his eyes, as it was such a stark contrast to the dreamy gaze Silas usually had.

Oni had watched this entire trial with a smile on its face. Only when Mashiro said those words, were when it showed its teeth.

And the ever ominous and bone chilling laughter of the demon arose.

“Mwaha... Mwahahaha.... MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” It roared at the group of students.

“So... You all... Finally got here...” The Oni still has its creepy as hell smile on its face.

“It took you... This long...? I would have thought... It would be sooner... Mashiro Naitou...” The Oni placed special interest on the poor Chessmaster’s name.

“Now... You all... Expect a vote...? Don’t you...?” The Oni asked what to you sounds a completely rhetorical question.

“Well... Sadly... You won’t get... That satisfaction...”

What? But Mashiro was the one who killed her...

“Bound by my rules... I can’t kill him...” The Oni looked disappointed by this, but you are wondering why.

“This wasn’t... A premeditated murder... As the boy said.... It was... Self defense...” 

Thinking back on it... The Oni has a point. This is the first self defense case you all have had.... What does that though...?

“However...”

Oh boy.

“However... I can kill him... For another reason...” And ever so slowly does the Oni’s smile return.

“For he may not... Have done that acts... Himself...” Now its teeth were bore again.

“He is the cause of them...”

What?!?!

“Because Mashiro Naitou...” The emphasis is placed once again on his name as the Oni turns and stares directly into Mashiro’s eyes.

“You were the one who brought them here.”

You could feel your heart at the statement. 

Does that mean...?

No...

It can’t be...

“YOU ARE THE MASTERMIND!” The Oni stated with a howl at Mashiro, whose eyes were widening and a cold sweat forming on his forehead.

So it is true...

"...You know, for a moment, I thought I'd have to come clean on my own, or everyone but the killer is going to get away with this. And while that's supposed to be the point of this farce, it's counter-productive to my own motivations. I don't want the rest of you to die and have your deaths on my conscience, and this applies especially to Ayako given the fact she is the woman I love. So you know what? I'm done. I've made my peace."

Mashiro takes a deep breath. "Ollie's right. I killed Hitori Shishikusa. Not Ayako, me. Hitori ambushed us late last night as we were returning from cleaning up in the bathrooms, and in the process of defending the two of us, I was the one who eventually pulled the shovel away and slammed her head against what I now know to be Sayuri's door."

He crosses his arms with a sigh. "Now I know what you're thinking, and let me clarify. I had no intention of killing Hitori, but when you're blindly swinging a shovel around, literally in my case, accidents happen. When you're blindly swinging a shovel around because someone tried to attack you with one, that's self-defense. Whatever the justification, Ayako and I tried to pull a fast one over the rest of you, and for that, I'm sorry. But I'm not sorry that I tried to survive after life decided to screw me over."