Reaper's Purgatory-Chapter 23: Demon’s Ambush!!

Megumi Looked on, in the dead of night. She leaned on the edge of the sled as the ashes flew through the air, never to be remembered again. catching a glimpse of her gloved hand an idea was raised in her head.

She looked to her side finding that Cider was still sleeping. Meanwhile K was simply reading a book and Dino was taking a nap, himself.

After pondering for a moment, she took the glove off of one of her hands and brought it outside the sled, feeling the particles being caught on her fingers. She sighed, feeling the cool breeze on her skin.

Feeling the chill air blow against her hands brought back memories. One of which was when that Eric had offered her a ride in his father's car.

********

It was just after school back in her second year in high school when she was still just a teenager. The same year and day that she was expelled. She waited outside in the cold snow for the town bus.

Megumi was bundled up to combat the frost of mother nature. the warmth of her breath, left her mouth leaving a trail of fog in its place. The only thing she could think about was the expulsion she was given just hours earlier.

Her adopted mother was already notified but was forced to travel home herself due to her adopted father's sheer refusal to bring her back. He called a tough lesson she needed to learn. whatever that meant.

She looked at her freshly gloved up hand and clutched to it tightly. All she could see now, was a cursed hand that brought nothing but misery to her. Her sense of normalcy was just a faraway dream to her.

Unexpectedly, a red SUV drove up to her, piquing her curiosity. The windows quickly rolled down, revealing Eric in the driver's seat, wearing a snowcapped hat.

"Eric!?" She jumped up, stunned by the sudden revelation. She fearlessly approached and pressed herself at the door of the car, still shocked.

"What are you doing here!?" She jumped a little and hushed her tone more. "Aren't you grounded from using your dad's car?"

"What he doesn't know won't hurt," he said quietly. "Besides he's out with his friends again so he won't be back until nighttime."

Megumi could only look at Eric, more concerned. ""B-but what if he finds out? Y-you shouldn't do this."

"Hey, it's alright. I'll return it before he knows it's gone...Look, I just want to help a little. It looks cold outside so just hop in. Okay?"

Although reluctant at first, Megumi finally decided to join. She attempted to enter the back seat but was stopped.

"Huh?"

"You don't have to sit in the back Megumi. C'mon. You can join me up front." After a second she obliged, running around the distinctly shaped hood of the SUV and entering into the car. Not long after, Eric drove off through the soft falling snow.

Since the school was far from Megumi's home the drive was long. Despite the journey Megumi enjoyed herself with some idle chatter about food, people, even the music that was playing. They even at times played with the window, changing the breeze they would feel.

It was a warm experience she couldn't forget. A simple time that was locked and forever guarded.

As they arrived at the house. Megumi thanked him but stopped short of leaving the car.

"Hey Megumi..."

Megumi turned back to Eric. unsure what he wanted to say.

"I... Heard you got expelled... Everyone's been talking about since school ended today. Is it... True?"

Megumi's smile slowly turned. Her eyes drooped to an expression of uncertainty.

"Yeah..."

.....

.....

Before she realized it, she was being hugged. Her eyes widened, shocked by this gesture.

"I know it wasn't your fault. What happened to Charles was not your fault. Remember that."

Megumi's eyes began to tear up, she tried holding it in the best she could but could only dig her face deep into Eric shoulder. "Thank you... Thank your Eric."

If you need me. Just let me know and I'll be there." Eric slowly released. He raised a fist giving a sportsman-like smile.

"I mean, we're friends, right?"

After a second, her smile returned. She affirmed and fist bumped with her gloved hands.

********

Looking into the sky, she brought her gaze back down to her gloveless hands.

"Can't sleep?" K asked.

Megumi glanced at him, seeing that he was still reading. "No... I'm not very tired right now..."

"Make sure not to stay up too late..."

"So, we're really going to just keep going without a break?"

"Are you concerned about Liang?' K asked.

"Not really... But he said he was the leader, and he was just left behind to fight all those demons." Megumi glanced back at the towards the direction where Liang was left behind.

"Yes... And I'm sure by now he's trying to catch up with us, so I wouldn't worry about him."

"If you say so..." Megumi stated. She began to place her glove back on and turned to lean on her back. "But if he makes it through all that, then that's good."

K gave a peek at Megumi before returning back to his book in hand.

********

Unknown to anyone however, they're being watched very carefully by Dragerd. He watched from a far cliffside, dressed in a hooded robe. He curled a sinister smile watching the caravan continue forward.

"Just a little further now.'

********

The three demons under Dragerd's command, start to see a glow from an opal they were carrying.

Farn, the tall demons, snickered. "Looks like the time has come, boys."

Kailey, who was still awake, witnesses the three demons jump off their sled. She raised a brow seeing this from her separate sled. "Why did they-"

Just before she could utter another word, walls stretched around them. Shooting up for miles!

Even more shot up then more, and more from all directions around them.

Kailey looked around shocked by the sudden event, as was everyone woke up from the loud noise becoming just as shocked. Even Megumi was stunned seeing everything unfold before them.

"K... What's going on?"

K witnessing this event, growled. He narrowed his eyes as he examined the wall ejecting from the ground. "It's a trap!"

Suddenly The pillar shot into their sled!

Many other of the sleds also were shooting into the air and crushed, sending everyone flying int different directions.

"CIDER! K!" Megumi reached her hands out in vain as she flew in a completely different direction from her companions.

K attempted to use his powers, but was blocked by a wall that separated them, "Damn it!!"

As if someone was watching, a pillar shot through the wall, hitting K!

Before anyone could realize it, they were all captured inside walls with long and varying sized pathways.

Cider, woke up by the sudden shock of being alone, is left dazed and confused. "Hello? Megumi? Dino? K? Where are you guys?"

K found himself in a place with lots of bright light surrounding him. He gazed around seriously and grumbled to himself.

Dino simply peeked his eyes open before seemingly going back to take his nap.

All the while, Megumi herself. She picked herself up and glanced around, finding herself in a four-way intersection. She looked around confused through the pathways and into the sky, finding that the walls traveled up from miles. "W-what's going on?"

"This has to be the doings of a demon... If this is a trap, then..."

As if on cue, the sound and rumbling of something unnatural became more audible. Megumi turned and whipped her body around as she searched the source of the distinct pattering noise of many different sized feet. It was like it was coming from everywhere.

Elsewhere, everyone else that was part of the caravan looked around in concern, hearing the noise get close and closer. Panic started to rise as everyone was by themselves without anyone else to protect them.

As if by instinct one of the men looked up. To their horror they found millions of demons crawling down from the top of the walls!

Like insects that they all crawled down like an army taking orders from their hive mind. Even deeper panic spread, and everyone ran seeing this horrifying scene.

Even Megumi noticed this. She took a random path to escape the flood of demons heading her direction. She ran long and hard down several different paths through the maze.

"This is bad! This is real bad!!"

********

Elsewhere outside of the stone pathways Dragerd overlooked the entire area from a tall stone pillar. He overlooked an entire maze that spanned for miles, laughing maniacally. He smiles widely, proud of his creation.

"Welcome one and all, to my "Maze of Nightmares"!" He proclaimed. His arms spread out as if triumphant.

********

Megumi ran ahead with the path given to her. Seeing an intersection, she turned left. She gazed back up and behind seeing them getting even closer than they were before!

"Crap! Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap!"

Another intersection, she turned right this time. But to her horror it was a dead end!

She whipped herself around but found her only path back completely blocked by the growing horde of demons before her.

She wasn't alone in this, as all the other people and friendly demons were also getting surrounded themselves. Even Cider and Dino became completely surrounded by the army of demons. With Cider looking on confused and Dino still napping.

"Megumi. Cider. Dino." K's voice echoed.

"K-K!? Where are you-"

"That's not important right now. Right now, just know that I'm trapped somewhere where I can't help you. Whoever set this trap is obviously aware of me and my powers... For now, I have to go along with this little game of theirs."

Megumi was surprised to hear this revelation. It was pure shock that K could even be captured. Cider looked around confused as Dino seemed to still be napping.

"What's going on?" Cider said.

K continued to speak. "Right now, you're all on your own. I have no doubts that you're scared, Megumi... But for your own sake you have to fight to defend yourself."

A chill ran down Megumi's spine hearing those last few words. I was like someone just woke her up to reality she now had to face. She had to fight to survive.

Looking upon the approaching demons they were coming to pouncing distance, another familiar voice echoed in her mind.

"B-but there's-"

"Don't let their ugly mugs scare you. These guys are just fodder." Dino echoed.

"Dino!?" Megumi was shocked to hear his voice too.

"So, you know how to communicate through echoes too, huh?" K echoed.

"I picked up a thing or two from my former master..." Dino slowly opened his eyes back up, finding demons pouncing at him. "Things like identifying the weak demons from the tough ones."

Suddenly, shards and spikes of crystals erupted and rippled from the ground around Dino. each one struck and killed the demons attacking him. All the while, Dino was completely calm.

Cider on the other hand was whipping his outstretched arms around, slicing and dicing his way through the demon's horde before him. "Stay away you meanies!"

"If me and that demon kid can fight these low lives, so can you." Dino Echoed. "Trust me. If you can beat me, you can beath all these demons."

Despite these words of encouragement, Megumi was still unsure of herself as the demons finally made their attack. Her heart raced even faster as doubts crept deep in her mind.

"Bu- But this is too many!"

Unexpectedly, Time stopped around her. The demons in front, attacking her, stopped in the air, frozen by some invisible force.

"What's wrong M-E-G-U-M-I? Why are you so scared?" From her side, her dark counterpart walked past her and crouched herself just under the demon. She brought her elbows to her legs and gently rested her face on her fist, smiling knowingly.

"What-"

"- am I doing here?" she interrupted.

There was a brief silence before the Dark Megumi spoke up again. "I'm here because you're about to die..."

The Dark Megumi picked herself back up and started pointing. "Not only do you have demons here, ready to rip off your face... You have three jumping from above you, two that are behind you and another attacking from your side..."

Despite wanting to move, Megumi was stuck in place also, unable to even make a glance.

"All that talk of, 'You can do it. You can fight back'. Hah! If only they knew how much of a pushover, you actually were. So, you'll have to forgive me since I'm hard pressed to see you trying to survive all on your lonesome out her Megumi." The dark counterpart spoke more mockingly with her last few words.

Megumi's dark counterpart grabbed her at the back of her shoulder and brought her face up to Megumi's side. "But if you want, I don't mind taking over for a little bit. I could always stretch my legs, and I bet it'll be a lot of fun to hunt for everyone in this maze and collect their cores one by one."

As if reading her mind, Megumi shuddered at the true intent behind her decorated words.

"Who...who are you?"

"What a boring and tiring question to ask myself... I'll give you ten seconds to make our choice, then I'll choose for us if you can't make up your mind."

"N-no!"

The dark Megumi leaned back, unsurprised. "Heh. That was a quick answer. I thought you'd at least writhe before whimpering. Shame."

Once again, Megumi's dark counterpart left her in a state of confusion. Pushing her confused and messy thoughts aside she spoke up. "I-I can handle this myself! I don't need a demon like you for anything! Whatever you are!"

"Oh~. Is that what you think we are?"

"N-no! Whatever you are, you're not me!"

The dark Megumi's smile deepened, amused by the words of the normal Megumi. "Is that so?"

The dark Megumi circled back around in front of Megumi and placed a single finger on her forehead. A painful shock surged through Megumi's head. "Fine, believe what you want. But as soon as you die my hunt will begin. I'll be watching closely."

The dark Megumi curled knowing a smile before completely vanishing.

Everything unfreezed and Megumi was left with a second to act. "W-wait! What do I-"

Suddenly, red curved blades sprouted from every inch of her body to her own shock. They struck and sliced through the demons that attacked.

Not long after, these blades shot out from her body killing a large chunk of the horde that chased her. "H-how did I-"

"That's not important right now!"

Using this brief window of time, Megumi channeled what power she could in her hands, remembering Liang's pointers for conjuring a weapon, she focused her energy further outside her palm.

"I think I got it this time!"

Megumi failed with the same result occurring. "Ah crap! not again"

This time a large curved red blade stuck out from the back of her left hand. The blade looked to have several hollow areas as the blade edges themselves seemed to be moving like a misty liquid energy

It wouldn't be much of a problem, if a short rod wasn't sticking out of her hands too. As unwieldy as it looked, it was still usable.

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She grabbed the unfinished handle and used it to help her block another incoming attack. She could still feel a pit within her stomach, having to fight against demons again.

She quickly stoned her resolve. "I-if I could do it then... I can do it now!"

With all her power, Megumi tried to push the demon back. Instead. She completely sliced through it!

Although surprised, this gave her some confidence to fight back with a little more courage.

She blocked and sliced. And blocked and sliced her way through the crowd of demons. The only prize she had her eyes on was the maze path behind the swarming demons.

She hacked, and slashed. She blacked and dodged the best she could through the overwhelming demons that surrounded her. And as she did, the only thing motivating to push through this was the sheer thought and determination to reunite with Eric once again.

"Get out of my way!"

With finality she finally broke through as a pulse of energy flashed from her, pushing away the suffocating number of demons.

With the path cleared of most of the demons, she hightailed it, dashing out as fast as her legs could carry her.

As this happened, the reaper's, still alive, found the civilians and friendly demons and went into action defending and protecting them against the horde of non-stop demons.

Unknown to everyone however, they were all being watched, all through separate crystal orbs that floated around Dragerd. He watched Cider slice through demons, Dino shooting crystals and moving around the maze like an expert fighter and K simply wandering around in a white bright maze.

But one of the orbs he had a vested interest in was Megumi's. He drooled and watched her as she's forced to defend herself and run away from his demon horde.

"All that latent potential. All that power." Dragerd's smile grew even larger. "I'll make it all belong to me."