Chapter Text
"Nii-san is sure he won't get in trouble for this?"
Michael glanced to his older brother, a worried look in his vampiric, emerald eyes. They were walking together, through a forest by the outskirt of the town, that was soon to become the first new human city after the apocalypse.
It was late summer, Michael dressing in a knee-long, white summer dress, a cute straw hat, and brown, platform heel sandals, with pretty, little bows on each of the ankle straps. He resembled an old-fashioned, fair maiden, not a single soul believing him to be male. The blond didn't mind, he always took it as a compliment.
His brother wore the same, skin-tight, sleeveless, black top he usually did, as well as his ripped uniform pants. His footwear resembled the same thigh-high leather boots their dad wore, but with additional straps, and most notably the removal of the actual… Well… Shoe. Yes, his brother was pretty much barefoot. He preferred it that way, for mobility.
The elder Hyakuya brother was flipping the many pages of an old book he had nabbed from the JIDA's restricted library. They were not allowed to just take such important texts, and watching his brother read through so casually filled Michael with anxiety. If it was hidden away from the regular human's access, it had to be dangerous, or at least something they shouldn't be looking at.
"You worry too much, little brother," Luciel sighed, closing the old, dusty text. "It's just full of ancient, probably satanic spells, and rituals. All nonsense. I haven't been cursed yet, have I?"
"But still… It could be dangerous, that's why it's restricted, right? For safety?"
"There have been multiple cases of young recruits happening to walk into certain areas, and touching cursed gears, becoming possessed by demons, I don't think 'safety' and 'JIDA' belong in the same sentence," the taller twin scoffed. "This was probably just hidden away, cause it's some old text, hence valuable to humans as important history."
"Maybe… I hope so," Michael mumbled, but he still had a bad feeling. Whether or not it was actually dangerous was not going to change the fact that if they were caught with it, they would be punished. "But say, Nii-san… Have we been here?"
The two often strolled around in what little nature left within the 'safe sone', but every now and then, they discovered new places they'd never set a foot in before. Michael's attention was caught by what appeared to be an old, Japanese-styled bridge, stretching across a calm forest river. The blond ran over immediately, the wood creaking under his feet, but it was more than sturdy enough to hold him, still in good condition.
Fishes sprung from the water, catching the bugs hovering above the surface, their scales shining in the sunlight, before they fell back underwater, leaving a small, but audible splash. Beautiful, everything about this scenery was breath-taking.
As much as the nature drew his gaze in, he noticed something even more outstanding in the corner of his eye. He turned his head, and on the other side of that bridge, far back into the woods, he spotted something… He didn't know what, but the deep red colour was impossible to miss.
"Hey, Michael don't wander off!" Luciel called after him, as he ran towards the peculiar sight.
Michael's curiosity got the better of him, though. He crossed the river, disappearing behind the trees as he continued following the red colour. As he got closer, the boy almost tripped over something, and as his gaze fell to his small feet, he noticed the stairs going upwards, higher into the forest. And right by the beginning of the stone stairs, red pillars, no, more like 'gates'? And it was not the only one, several identical gates followed the path.
"What is…"
"I am going to guess it's something religious," his elder brother replied before he even had the chance to ask, as usual knowing exactly what was on his twin's mind. "Nevertheless, it's important culture left after the apocalypse. Might even be a thousand years old."
"Still not older than grandma Krul! Hm… But where do they lead?" the blond asked, only receiving a shrug.
"We might have to find out?"
Michael giggled happily, and his brother returned the smile. It had been too long since the two explored unknown 'land', not since they were children. And even if their 'childhood' happened only a couple years ago, their perception of time was different.
They climbed up the stairs, which proved themselves longer than the blond first expected. It was heavy, but he turned down Luciel's offer to carry him, determined to get to the top on his own. He disliked how frail his body was, despite technically being a half-vampire…
When they reached the top, they entered an open area within the forest, an even larger, more majestic-looking red gate in front of them, and past it, something resembling an old shrine of sorts. What caught their eyes the most was the large, wooden box in front of the building, and a bell hanging above.
While Michael went to curiously pull the rope, making the bell chime, Luciel checked out the board on the side, with tiny, wooden plaques hung up on display. Wishes, he realized after reading them. So, this was a place of prayers, or at least used to be.
"I see… We are standing on holy ground now, Michael," the brunet noted. One has got to wonder if demonic beings like them were even welcome in a place like this, but they had already entered, so it mattered no more.
Luciel twirled the silver cross he wore around his neck between his fingers, letting out a soft sigh. It was a symbol of Christian faith, and proof that this wasn't the first time his demonic form had intruded into religious spaces it didn't belong. Luckily, the young demon wasn't particularly religious himself. Sure, he didn't doubt the existence of divine beings, or demons, he was one himself, he just didn't believe they were what the humans had portrayed them as for the past thousands of years.
"I assume humans came here to pray for good luck," he continued, trying to read some of the text on those old, worn-down wishes. "Good grades… Recovering health… Oh, this guy prayed for luck before asking a girl out, heh. Wonder if he succeeded. Not that it matters anymore."
They probably perished to the apocalypse.
Michael joined his side, picking out one of the wishes, holding them so gently, as if it was a fragile treasure. His head lowered, as his lower lip started trembling while reading the blurred text written on the piece of wood.
"I am… Holding a person's prayers in my hands…" he mumbled, caressing its smooth side. "They are not here anymore, but it's proof they existed… It's so odd to think about, Nii-san, everything is so quiet and peaceful now, at least inside the safe sone."
It was just like Michael to be touched by something so little, otherwise insignificant. He had a point, though. Their parents had told them about their lives many times before. Yuuichirou and Mikaela had been through hell and back, fighting to survive in a world far more dangerous than today.
"This place feels refreshing, though," Michael commented. "Something about it is just so… Energizing? Nii-san feels it too, right?"
"Of course. If this is a holy place, there is certainly traces of divine energy here," he waved the book he 'borrowed' in front of his little brother. "I read about it here. Apparently, the gates separates our world from the sacred world of the gods." He approached one of the pillars, placing his palm against it, "I wonder if we could enter the other world through here. But I suppose only the gods have the power to open it."
"I guess…" Michael agreed, but in disappointment, as he brushed his fingertips against the second pillar. "I wish we could ask the gods, if they exist, if those who came here to pray found peace— Hm?"
A blinding light from the gate filled their vision, growing stronger, until it engulfed the twins, pulling them through the other side.