Angry Joe and his accomplices walk down the aisle as the silence becomes tense. Nothing is said until Shane Snodderly breaks the thick ambience with a now somber and light approach. "So what's the plan again?"
"You follow my lead as always."
"Right but, you guys are talking about gods, bringing the dead back to life and all this. It sounds like nonsense."
"I would think so as well. However with a man like Arkley things that seem impossible become possible."
Overseer speeds up to catch up with Joe. "So what's the plan then? Unleash that conjured creature and then what?"
"First we show the world what they can do. Then, we make our offer. Refuse and be destroyed. Simple."
Doobernasi speaks with a trembling voice. "This beast, and his master. He's that powerful?"
As they walk down the long hallway at the end of it another man turns the corner. Arkley. "You know nothing of what power is until you've seen it. While this magic will summon these two at less than their full power. Losing control of it could easily cause the entire city to be heavily damaged at the very least."
"Child's play. I'll bring this thing to its knees. It will be running off my Mana pool right?"
"Well yes but."
"No time to turn back. Albert, prepare the summoning. It's time."
****
Back at the lake house the team sits while an overwhelming dread befalls the group.
Piers rubs the back of his head and addresses the group. "It's majorly important that we are quick and concise here. We must make a call now."
Leon paces back and forth before sitting next to Piers and calmly speaking.
"I agree but what do we do? No radio back, but from what we know this enemy is a formidable one. Hate to sell anyone short, but other than Reyna all of our best fighters are already out there. Not to mention they very well could just be in battle. I wouldn't be opposed to helping them but it's like Mike said. We leave this place open. Think back to the mall, this could be what they want. We need people ready all over."
"Unlikely the group sent after Ashford couldn't handle him. Powerful or not the numbers were in their favor. Something must have gone wrong," said Piers.
"Maybe they captured him? Took him back to the police." Asked Hinako.
"Not likely, we would have heard something about it by now from one side or the other." Said Piers.
"You all are correct; this is concerning. They should have made contact by now. If you want my input, We need to send reinforcements. Quickly." Junpei beckoned.
"Perhaps we all move in. Apprehend Arkley now," said Leon.
Itami sits perched on the top of the stairs in the living room. He talks looking down at the group. "That would be foolish. Allow me to go. If we go as a group we would be found out in an instant leaving our base unguarded. I will go."
"Alone? That seems like a fool's errand. How do you expect to offer any help if they somehow fall into a trap?" Asked Reyna.
"I am the most mobile out of all of us and I specialize in infiltration and stealth. It wouldn't be impossible for me to go and get back out if things got rough. Not to mention how do you even presume you could track them even if you wanted to? Arkley has now destroyed his tracker; all we know is the general area now."
Piers speaks calmly once again. "Do you have a plan at least? I trust you enough now to give you a shot. Kazuke has said you have come around."
"Of course I have a plan. Allow me to relay it quickly so I can leave. I wish to free my brother. I'll use shadow trace to find the trail, I'll go in and see what we are dealing with. If I can handle it alone I will, if I can't, I will call for Reyna and one other using shadow summon. I'll mark you before I leave."
Itami closes his eyes and looks towards the ground. After a few seconds of silence he walks to Reyna and coats her hand with a dark smoke and a glyph appears. He then marks Lena and takes a step back.
"I have found a trace of them. I will go now. I'll be in contact when I have collected them. Reyna, Lena. Be ready I may summon you at a moment's notice."
"Got it." They replied.
Shadows begin to swirl and in a flash Itami is gone. The room is still tense as uncertainty fills the air. Reyna sits gruff and looks as if she's pondering something. Leon takes notice of it and walks over.
"What's up?" He asks.
She continues to think almost as if she didn't hear him. Leon looks around.
"Tough crowd."
"Don't be so insensitive leon. She's just worried." Says Hinako.
"I would be too, this doesn't feel right," said Lena.
Reyna breaks from her trance and stands up going to leave the room. "You shouldn't worry."
Leon looks surprised.
"We have defeated Vargas. A run of the mill escaped convict like Ashford is no issue."
***
Back in the prison The boys minus their leader sit hopeless, unsure of what to do. As they sit a shadowy smoke begins to appear in front of the cell door. The tattered squad look on.
"What now?" Asked Nathan.
In an instant Itami appears.
"Itami, how did you find us?" Asked Kazuke.
"Itami reaches into his pocket and tosses one small key to Kazuke in the cell. He scoots over to it and begins to unlatch himself. As he unlatches he leans over to unhook Nathan. He looks up at Itami who is about to undo the cell and as he does his eyes widen. Itami glances down in slight shock as blood and darkness begin welling from his shirt. Nathan and Kazuke look on in horror. All of a sudden a dark shadowy blade thrusts through Itami's chest and blood splatters violently all across the back of the cell wall and onto the prisoners. Itami coughs up blood and lets out a soft painful word.
"How. I didn't sense anyone."
The blade is removed and Itami grabs his chest and falls to the ground. He looks and sees a shadow figure holding an ornate dark blade. Before the being speaks a large black marking draws from the wound crawling towards Itami's face. A large seal emblazoned across both eyes and began to envelop him. Before he can react the being shifts away in a blink.
"Itami!" Kazuke screams.
"Another user of the shadow phase technique. There isn't supposed to be anyone left, and to use it to such a high level. Inconceivable."
Itami rolls onto his back and blood soaks the floor. The wound is bound up by the shadowy magic but Itami lies weak from blood loss.
"Enough!" Kazuke shouts. Summoning the large arm of his conjuring now freed from the magic handcuffs. He destroys the cell door in a swing and walks out. Nathan stands tending to Brody and Youta. Kazuke kneels next to his brother and dread sets in. The dark marks cover his body head to toe, looking like ancient scripture.
"We need to get you to a doctor."
"Don't be a fool. This is a mana seal. I will be sealed in a moment."
"We need to try to move you, we need to."
"No Kazuke, stop and let me do this before it's too late. Lean closer."
As Kazuke hesitates he leans closer and Itami grabs the back of his neck and presses his forehead onto his forcefully.
"What are you doing?" Asks Kazuke.
The room begins to warp and go dark. The walls go hellish as the cell begins to disappear and Kazuke realizes he is in a place unknown. He looks around and whispers. "What the fuck did he do to me."
"He gave you a great power is what he did. Now tell me. You are Kazuke, Itami's brother, correct?"
A loud smoky devilish voice pierces through the dark. Calling from the abyss.
"Who is that? Show yourself."
"Tell me, boy. Do you think you are worth my help?"
Kazuke looks around on guard.
"Who are you? Where am I?"
Kazuke looks around frantically and begins to get impatient.
"Calm down boy. I'm not a threat. I just can't believe Itami was defeated. I have been with him longer than I can remember. But it seems it's your turn."
A figure approaches from the dark. A large black shadowy demon. Almost like a ghost. Kazuke realizes what he is looking at.
"you are. Itami's Conjuring."
"Ah you catch on quick. At least that is good. I couldn't stand to work with a dolt."
"The figure proceeds out of the shadows. His eyes light up red. A massive being stands before him."
"You are going to work with me?" Asks Kazuke.
"It appears Itami thought highly of you. As he retired his conjuring, he transferred the rights to you. I still can't believe he was sealed. I didn't think I'd see the day he lost but it has come. Regardless it's time for the contract. We will be bound until your death or until you choose to revoke ownership of me. Only then is my service done."
"I am confused that there is too much going on at once. You say defeated, does this mean Itami wasn't killed?" said Kazuke.
"No, at the time he severed the link with me he was very much alive. He likely wanted to get the transfer done before he was sealed. Shadow sealing technique is exclusive to those who have mastered the art. Truly it is a fate worse than death, likely, moments after you were brought here Itami's entire body faded away sealed in the prison of the user. Only that thing or another master of shadow magic could free him. Of which I will be no use. Regardless, we need to finish this but I'll tell you that my name is Tarzel. Now."
The being holds up one finger and as he does he begins to form into a gas. All of a sudden the gas surges and goes directly into Kazuke's body through his mouth. Kazuke begins jolting and writhing from the pain of the fusion. As the real world begins to materialize he falls to the ground coughing and unable to breathe.The room remains virtually unchanged except now the rest of the group have left the cell and Itami is gone. Kazuke starts to regain control as his body stabilizes. He slowly controls his breathing and as he lays on the ground as now a voice talks to him from within himself.
"It appears it is true then, Itami's body is already gone."
Kazuke utters no sound as the injured team leaves their cell now free of the handcuffs. He thinks internally attempting to return words to the voice now in his head.
"You can speak to me without materializing?"
"Yes. It is one of the new things you must become accustomed to if this is going to work. Also please be aware you may not be fully recovered from the transfer for a while. This level of energy will put a big load on your mana reserves."
"I am still confused. My conjuring has never spoken a word to me. How is it that you can talk? Not to mention Itami never told me he could speak to you at will."
"The fact that he wouldn't tell you, that is unsurprising. Itami, He's a very secretive man. Or was I should say."
"He is still alive, you said that to yourself. Once this is all over we will get him back. No questions."
"I have no opposition to this idea. For now, this situation seems dire. Fill me in when you can and let's focus."
Kazuke stumbles to his feet and the group takes notice.
"Good, you're awake. What happened? You just blacked out."
"Don't worry about that now. We need to get out of here. Brody. Route us out of here on your GPS. We need to free Mizuki and get on the move. Grab your weapons out of that safe quickly."
"Kazuke, about Itami."
"Not the time. I will deal with that when the time comes. Right now we have to deal with this. No time to grieve."
Kazuke grabs his phone from the case and sees the missed calls. He calls Leon but it goes straight to voicemail. After calling Piers straight to voicemail again.
"I have a bad feeling." Says Kazuke.
"What do you mean?" Brody groans through pain.
"No answer on Piers or Leon. we need to go now." says Kazuke as he looks at the ground with an emotionless look on his face.
"Yeah, right. Let's move." Says Nathan. The group walks out of the cell room and heads down into the complex looking to free their lost teammate.
****
Back in his cell Mizuki sits looming over ideas on how to free himself. He thinks to himself.
"Mana blocking cuffs, can't use magic to free myself." He pulls his legs back and forth. "Tied to the chair so knocking it over wouldn't do much." He sighs aggressively. "Guess I really am trapped here."
The door creaks open and a tall slender man walks in. It's the support assistant Overseer, the man from the previous battle who used some sort of strange flash magic.
"Wake up, it's time for round two." He says.
"You? Where is Vargas?"
"Master is busy. I will be teaching you now."
"Teaching me? You really are the student of that delusional bat. Hiding your crime under different names to make it sound noble."
"Oh I don't feel that way at all. I'm going to beat you down because I want to. I'm a straight forward guy."
"Do what you are gonna do. I don't find any enjoyment in this conversation."
"Very well, you asked for it."
The man walks forward and slaps Mizuki to no reaction.
"Nothing? Very well." The man says drawing a knife from his belt. As he draws it back to slash the door clangs harshly. Overseer turns around to a fist colliding violently with his face. He clammors to the ground. He wipes his jaw and turns around to see Krat standing over him. In the doorway Poka leans casually.
"Not gonna lie, that was satisfying. Never liked your smart ass much, Seer." She says entering the room.
"You two, I knew we shouldn't have trusted two off the street rats," said the Overseer.
"You're the rat, a lapdog. You didn't join up for the cause, you joined up to live a luxurious life when Vargas is on top." Krat kneels down on the man's chest and lets blood drip from his mouth onto Seer's face. The blood begins to harden and form together into a small thin blade.
"You are gonna kill me?" Asked Overseer.
"Vargas said killing evil people who uphold the system is justified. In my eyes, that's you." With a swift flick he jams the pin knife into Seer's throat.
The man's eyes turn to horror as he bleeds out across the floor. Krat lets him go and stands walking over to Mizuki. He drains more blood this time from his upper arm forming a larger ax. He slams it down on the cuffs and frees the prisoner. Mike stands up looking at the young man.
"I don't get it. Why would you free me? Why change sides this late in the game?"
"This isn't what I signed up for, what we signed up for. Vargas's plan is way off the rails. He talked about creating a new world where the less fortunate wouldn't suffer, and the corrupt systems would come down. The plan he's hatching now sounds like all it's going to do the opposite."
"Plan?"
"He's summoning the spirit of some ancient beast. Something of nightmares. He plans to harness the power to not only get leverage over this city, but afterwards he plans to move up and attack Tokyo."
"Attack tokyo? He has to be kidding. While the government may not be quick to aid in a threat on this city, attacking Tokyo would bring down the force of all the Hikari and more. It wouldn't work."
"Maybe not, but it sure would be enough to destroy this entire damn city. Thousands of lives snuffed out. He's snapped. The good intentions are all but gone."
"So you've changed sides. You can help us stop this."
"No, this is where it ends."
The girl walks up, her resting angry face turns to a look of concern. "Tell us, can you win? Can you stop Joe?"
"He can, I fought his younger brother. If he's got half as much fight they can beat Vargas. You have to understand I can't put my sister in any more danger. I freed you, and I'm leaving it up to you to stop him. If the government won't help you are the only one who can stop him from destroying the peace here before he's stopped. Promise me that I'm not making a mistake. If you lose we are as good as dead Vargas will come for us."
"I won't let that happen. You're a good kid, now take your sister and get to safety."
"Ok, I will but first give me your phone."
"What for?"
"This address, this is where he plans to unleash his first showing. Go there now."
Krat tosses the phone back and leaves the room. The two siblings take off down the hall as Mike runs out of the room in the opposite direction. Before long he reaches the others.
"Mizuki, you escaped?"
"Long story, Krat let me free. He's changed sides."
"They hurt you? So much for Vargas following his morals," said Kazuke.
"Yeah, tell me about it. I'm fine though. How did you guys get free?"
"Itami set us free," said Nathan.
"Where is he now?" Asked Mizuki.
A silence befalls the group, Mike hanging on the anticipation of Nathan's words.
"A moment ago, he was killed to the best of our knowledge by a summoning created by Vargas."
Mike pauses for a moment as he takes in the information. "Kazuke, I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it now, we will have time to discuss that later. For now we need to move on stopping this or it won't matter," said Kazuke.
"You said a summoning, Krat mentioned as such. If it's already here this is more dire than I could have imagined. He said Vargas planned to summon a monster to flex his power and leverage the government. If that's what killed Itami then it appears it's already begun. We need to move. Now!"
As the group rushes down the hall Mizuki grabs Kazuke, pulling him back.
"Kazuke."
"I told you it's fine."
"No, even in moments like this it's important to talk and process feelings. Not to mention I need you to be at 100 percent for this upcoming battle."
"You don't need to worry, I'll be ready to fight."
"No doubt, but I need you afterwards too. Reality is in my mind I have two brothers to protect now. One is Nathan, and one is you. So if you are sitting here thinking you have no family left. Take a look around. We got your back. I got you brother."
"Kazuke looks up and motions his head towards the door. The two move forward catching up to the group as they bolt off into the outdoor courtyard heading for him