"I hope you brought that magic gun along with you because this might get a little messy," Liam muttered without turning his head to look at Hazel.
Red light bathed the girl the moment she stepped forward. The magic screens that Luca had conjured were covering every corner of the room now, each and every one of them emitting the same flashing light.
"Why do you say that?" Hazel squinted, before putting up a hand to cover her eyes from the light pollution in front of her.
Liam must have noticed her discomfort as well, because he turned around and snapped his fingers. Hazel blinked as the flashing screens promptly dissipated into the air, except for one.
"We've just confirmed the Rokurokubi's location," Luca answered. "Liam has already recounted these past few days to us. It would seem there's a reason why the monster attacked him in your school."
"Thanks to your journal about Yokai that you accidentally left on our table— Sorry for reading it without permission— We found out about the nature of this Yokai." Liam waved Hazel's Yokai journal.
The girl creased her eyebrows in confusion. Didn't I leave that on my table back at home?
"Turns out the Rokurokubi isn't just a floating head," the boy continued. "She has a body stashed somewhere while her detached head flies around causing trouble. Guess where?"
He tapped a white circle on the magic screen.
"In our school. Or to be more specific, the janitor's storeroom. That must be why she attacked me that night; I would've sensed something was wrong." Liam folded his arms. "And as long as her body remains intact, she can't be destroyed."
"No wonder the room vanished suddenly; it was that Yokai's doing." Hazel nodded. "So if we destroy the body, we destroy the Rokurokubi?"
"Yes, but keep in mind that what we need is information," Ava said quietly. "We need her alive at all costs. Or at least until she gives us a lead about Komyo's whereabouts. I suggest we threaten her until she tells us something useful. This has to work. I have to get my boy back... I have to—"
She hung her head. "—I have to tell him I'm sorry."
Silence choked the room as Luca gripped his wife's shoulders gently.
"The Yokai has a time limit," Hazel spoke up before the atmosphere got any darker. "A Rokurokubi can only be away from its body for no more than twelve hours at a time. If we shift her body's location and hold it hostage, she'll be pressured to return. That's how we force the information out of her. But where could her head be?"
It was Luca's turn to tap the glowing screen.
"There." He pointed at a pulsating red dot. "Upon further research, we found out that the head releases heat while the body gives off cold when separated. They only cancel each other out and maintain a normal temperature when connected again. That's how we located it in the first place; by looking at the temperature anomalies across Oklahoma. You're really knowledgeable about these Eastern monsters, girl."
Hazel flashed an abashed smile.
"Luca and I will break into the school and locate the headless body," Ava stated. "A simple unveiling charm should reveal the hidden room. In the meantime, you two will go after the head. We'll use mind-link magic to let you know when we've secured the body, so feel free to use all sorts of threats."
"Sounds simple enough." Liam punched his palm and turned to Hazel. "You did bring that gun, right? We might need it."
Hazel nodded, feeling the cold metal press back against her fingers in her bag. "There's also... one other thing. My grandfather restored my memories, so I can use my House's gift now."
The boy dropped his mouth in pleasant surprise. "Didn't see that one coming."
"I've never used it properly before, though. And I have a feeling I won't be using this gun at all anyway—" Hazel stammered as doubt rose in her chest again. "—But it's just a feeling! Aww man, I should've asked Pops to at least tell me how to use my gift properly before rushing over. I'm sorry, Liam. I'm not sure how much use I'll be later."
Liam moved closer to the girl and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll protect you, no matter what."
Hazel blushed deeply.
"Ready?"
She nodded, and her surroundings distorted before her eyes.
~ ~ ~
Hazel materialised in front of a random abandoned building. She turned her head, spotting the familiar sight of her school bathed in the dim, yellow moonlight.
Okay, so it wasn't that random.
Beside the school gates sat a security guard, looking so positively snuggled up in his security booth that it would probably take more than a thunderstorm to wake him up. It was probably for the best.
Liam spotted a faded sign lying on the floor and pointed it out to her. 'Something... Meat Solutions: A cut above the rest.'
Hazel shuddered, recalling the Rokurokubi's tongue darting like a sword. Great, fitting and ominous.
A look of hardened determination etched itself on Liam's face as he flicked some kind of magic dust from his fingers. It flew around like embers in the wind before settling on the duo. Hazel suppressed a yelp as golden runic symbols coated her whole body.
"Heavy-duty protection spell," Liam answered the question on her mind. "I can sense the monster's presence in here. Looks like she decided not to stray too far from her body. She must be playing it safe now that she doesn't have anyone else to rely on."
Hazel focused her instincts, feeling her gift drawing her in again. Its power felt like it could swallow her whole if she wasn't careful, but she already had plenty of practice using the toned-down version thanks to her grandfather. This shouldn't be too different. So she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting the magic nudge her along.
"Hazel, are you alright— Woah, your eyes are glowing..."
She exhaled slowly. Relax, Hazel. Don't let it possess you...
"Follow me," Hazel announced to a dumbfounded Liam, leading the way this time. The boy followed her hesitantly.
They walked along the twisting corridors. There was practically no light source, but Hazel was walking confidently as though it was broad daylight.
"Hole." She pointed at the floor and pulled Liam to the side. The boy scuttled over right before the rotting floorboards fell apart in front of him.
"What the— Are you using your gift now?" Liam asked in awe. "That's incredible! You can see things before they happen—"
Hazel stopped abruptly and held an arm out to stop the boy from walking forward as well. Sure enough, a rusted hook fell from the ceiling, piercing the wooden floor in front of them.
"Yes," she replied almost robotically. "Not much further now. Take a right."
The air became a wall of buzzing flies as the two teenagers climbed up the stairs. Their protection spells flickered faintly as some of the flies knocked into them. Hazel cringed visibly, forcibly tearing her eyes away from the disgusting sight in front of her.
Half-eaten corpses lay sprawled along the corridor; their rotting flesh had all gone dry and brown. Pools of dried blood stained the concrete where severed skulls lay frozen in an eternal scream. Maggots wriggled in and out of their empty eye sockets, and some of them crawled towards the two living people.
Hazel stepped back, covering her nose and mouth from the putrescine in the air. Her stomach rebelled, but she swallowed down the nausea before it could overcome her. She couldn't afford to lose her nerve at this time.
With all her strength, she forced her senses to take in the present. It was only then she noticed the syringes littering the floor as well. This must have been one of the hiding holes of those drug junkies her school had always warned their students about. Somehow, she didn't think this was how they usually spent their evenings.
Images flashed in the back of Hazel's mind again, showing her every single possibility that branched out from her next move. She concentrated harder, trying to ignore the alarming number of scenarios that ended with maggots crawling all over her body. Come on. Focus, Hazel. Focus on the right outcome...
Through the cloud of flies, Hazel beckoned to Liam. They pressed against the wall, gingerly stepping on the very few untouched floorboards as they made their way to the room sitting at the end of the corridor.
A tiny flash of movement peeked from inside the room. Her breath caught. There was no doubt what that was.
"Gotcha." Liam aimed a glowing finger at the floating monster.
It had the back of its head turned against them, busy munching on some intestines. Or veins. Or whichever human innards those gooey strings of flesh were. Hazel narrowed her eyes. The Rokurokubi hadn't noticed their presence yet, so—
No.
Liam gave the girl a confused stare as she pushed his outstretched hand gently, making him point at a window instead. Hazel shook her head slightly, silently urging him to trust her. It wouldn't take much longer anyway. Just five more seconds.
Four.
Three.
Two.
"Who's there?"
The monster swung around without warning as the sound of fluttering wings interrupted her meal. She darted forward, flicking her tongue at the startled wild ravens flying away from the window.
Now!
Liam acted exactly as Hazel had foreseen. A bright chain of light burst from his fingers, striking the Rokurokubi in her forehead and nailing her to the wall.
"What the— You again!" the Yokai shrieked in anger as the two teenagers showed themselves. "Leave me alone, you freak!"
Liam sauntered towards the Rokurokubi.
"I don't cream myself kidnapping sixteen-year-olds." He clenched his fist as the golden chains wrapped around the struggling monster tightly. "Tell me again who's the freak here."
Ava's voice echoed in Hazel's mind. "The body's secured and relocated. Do what you need to get that information."
Liam must've heard the voice in his head as well, because a malicious smirk started to spread along his face.
"So... Deja Vu, eh?" he taunted the monster. "We need some information and you're gonna give it to us now."
"Or what?" the Rokurokubi scoffed. "You can't kill me. And once I get out of these chains, I'll cut your goddamn heads off!"
"I wouldn't think about that if I were you. You have no idea where your body is now, do you? Now, tell us what we want to know or you'll die an excruciating death when your time's up."
The Yokai's eyes widened in horror as it flashed a few times like it was trying to dissipate its essence. It was in vain.
"You moved my body?!" she screamed in indignation. "Curse these chains! What is this... wretched magic? I can't... jump back to my—"
"You like that? It's dark magic. Go on, give me a reason to squeeze my hand. If I were you, I'd start fearing for my life now."
Liam tilted his head to the left, avoiding a bloodied spit flying at his face.
"Insolent boy," the Rokurokubi snapped. "Sorry to disappoint, but I don't know what it means to be afraid."
Hazel reached into her bag and pointed her grandfather's pistol at the dead centre of the monster's forehead. She kept her gaze as cold as possible, despite how much she was trembling on the inside.
The monster glared at her weapon. Liam tightened the golden chains, tilting his head slightly with a small smirk.
"But I'm willing to learn!"
The Yokai was shivering in fear now. "Please... Please don't destroy my soul! You can take my magic; you can lock me up! Please just let me live!"
"That wasn't the deal." Liam motioned to Hazel, and she cocked the weapon threateningly.
The monster turned even paler than it already was. "W— Wait! You want information, right? I'll tell! I'll tell! Please, I'll tell you everything! Spare me, I'm begging you!"
"Now that's what I like to hear," the boy's voice dropped to a menacing growl.
A shiver went down Hazel's spine. Liam would've made a pretty darn scary mafia boss if he was into that kind of life. He leaned closer, putting a hand beside the disembodied head.
"Let's start from the beginning, shall we? How did you get here?"11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7PVjKzMSVZ
