#dddeath

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.