Chapter 5 (n)

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A loud crashing sound reverberates in the metaworld. This is the sound of a pillar that just broke like a fuse and shut down. Several cracks appeared all over its surface, and its runes stopped glowing. More importantly, it stopped feeding energy to the witch of power.

It is soon followed by another pillar, and another, and another...

Maaya: "Magic?! Magic?! How could this be?! You're just a human! You're just a pathetic human! How can a human use magic?! This is preposterous!"

Erika: "Didn't I tell you multiple times that you didn't have a clue about who I truly am? You always assumed that I was just a human, and how wrong you were! I am Erika Furudo, the witch of truth!"

Maaya: "Stop messing with me! You, a witch?! Don't make me laugh! How does that even make sense?!"

Erika: "What's so difficult to understand?"

Maaya: "You can't possibly use magic if you don't acknowledge its existence! Disbelief is like poison for witches, and you're the most abhorrent pile of fetid disbelief that ever crossed my path! A witch that denies magic? A witch that denies witches? That's an oxymoron, it's a paradox!"

Erika: "And yet this living paradox is just in front of you."

Maaya: "Shut up! I can't acknowledge that! Ridiculous! Ridiculous! What kind of preposterous being are you who uses magic and denies magic at the same time?! This isn't normal! You'd need to have a mind split in half! How can you... This doesn't make any sense!"

Erika: "Then I wonder how you'll explain this."

It's time to go all out, I no longer need to restrain myself. The witch of power is no longer in full control over her own metaworld, and so this is my turn now. I just need to focus, I just need to impose my absolute will on this place. It's time to let it know who truly is in command here. This energy and this fire that tried to consume me, I will assimilate them instead. Now they are part of me. My existence wasn't weakened, it was enriched. My metaphysical body returns, stronger than ever, empowered by both the fire and the energy that were meant to destroy it.

And now, let's get rid of this annoying curse. I am going to break them open, all of these interconnected rings that form my cage. Let's see how long they can resist my power as I expand it from inside. My spherical prison wobbles and shakes violently, while pointlessly trying to withstand my fury. It is tenacious, indeed, it doesn't want to yield. I grit my teeth, I tense all of my regenerated muscles, I gather all of my strengths.

Erika: "Uuuoooaaaaahhh!!!"

I let it all out, all at once! I extend my arms and my legs and make my power explode. The rings break, one after another, with such tremendous recoils that they could split a man in half. I am free.

Maaya: "This... can't be! How could you... my curse!"

Erika: "Did you really think that a borrowed power could last forever? Idiot! Such a fleeting existence can be taken away at any moment! I've just demonstrated that! Breaking a curse that has been weakened so much isn't such a big deal for a witch of my level!"

Maaya: "Fool! My power is boundless! You just caused a bit of damage, but I've got plenty of it still! And I can recover it and even increase it!"

Teramoto: "You won't fool anyone with your lies and tricks! You didn't prove a single thing apart from the fact that you're an unscrupulous cheater!"

Just like the witch, the human vessel hasn't given up yet.

Erika: "Didn't you just admit it yourself that you used double-sided tape?"

Teramoto: "I did not! I accused you of that!"

Erika: "It sure didn't take you much to figure out a possible trick that I could have used. *giggle* *giggle*"

Teramoto: "I... I just took a guess! It wasn't even the right one!"

Erika: "And how come you were so sure that it wasn't be the spirit talking? How come you were so sure that it was me cheating?"

Teramoto: "Because I didn't kill Hitomi Gotsuji!"

Erika: "And spirits never lie?"

Teramoto: "Ridiculous! I'm on the spirits' side! Why would one of them tell such a lie?"

Erika: "Still, it can no longer be said that there are absolutely no tricks behind your séances. The possibility exists, don't you agree, everyone?"

Teramoto: "That proves nothing!"

Erika: "The fact that you're wearing gloves is sure pretty convenient. Something so weak as a double-sided tape wouldn't work well if applied directly on the skin. The inevitable transpiration would diminish its adhesive strength pretty fast."

Teramoto: "That still doesn't prove anything!"

Erika: "Then perhaps you'll let me examine those gloves?"

Teramoto: "Uh?! Why should I..."

Erika: "Why are you suddenly hiding your hands behind your back now? *giggle* *giggle*"

Teramoto: "Shut up! I'm not... I'm..."

More pillars break, there are only five remaining.

Maaya: "I won't accept it! I'll never accept that a hideous being like you can destroy everything that I built! You didn't win yet! This battle isn't over!"

Erika: "Good! That's the way I want you!"

Maaya: "Silence! You've just messed with my power source and my shield, but as long as I have the power to command powerful demons, you won't be able to defeat me!"

Erika: "Huh?! Powerful demons? Ah ha ha ha!!!"

Maaya: "Shut up! Pazuzu, come to my side! Vanquish once and for all this insolent fool!"

Pazuzu: "As YoU CoMmAaAnD, MAsTeEeR!"

Dlanor: "Stay where you are, demon! Our duel has not ended yet!"

Erika: "It's all right, Dlanor."

Dlanor: "Miss Erika..."

Erika: "You've done well, Dlanor, I can take it from now, or rather, it is my wish to personally put an end to the remnants of Maaya's magic!"

Dlanor: "I see, in that case I will retreat. I am looking forward to a splendid and overwhelming victory, Miss Erika."

Erika: "You won't be disappointed!"

Maaya: "Stop acting as if the outcome of our battle was already decided!"

Erika: "But it is already decided!"

Maaya: "It's not!"

Erika: "Take a look around you. Your metaworld is crumbling, you no longer possess the power to sustain it!"

Indeed this place won't last much longer. The spherical hall is cracking open like an eggshell, and several debris are drifting randomly and chaotically all around.

Maaya: "You... you haven't defeated Pazuzu yet! Pazuzu!"

Pazuzu: "I Am ThE DeMoN Of ThE SoUtHeAsT WiIiNd! I Am ThE BrInGeR Of FaMiNe AnD DrOoOuGhT! BEhOlD, MoRtAl! BEhOoOlD ThE SuPrEmE BeInG WhO ShAlL Be YoUr UnDoOoInG!"

Teramoto: "Pazuzu exists! You all have witnessed him! You all have felt his presence! Pazuzu is here, inside this very room!"

Maaya: "Destroy that abomination! Cleanse the universe from her disgraceful presence!"

Pazuzu: "I WiLl TeAr YoUr FlEsH ApArT, BiT By BiIiT!"

Teramoto: "And you, great detective! You've heard him before, you've heard Pazuzu's roar the first time you inspected this place! I know you did! You can't deny that!"

Maaya: "Unleash your strongest wind, Pazuzu! May this be the fiercest storm you ever conjured!"

Pazuzu: "SaY YoUr PrAyEr, MoRtAaAl! I, ThE SoN Of ThE MiGhTy GoD HAnBi, HaVe WiTnEsSeD ThE RaAaIsE AnD FaLl Of MaNy CiViLiZaTiOnS FrOm TiIiMeS ImMeMoRiAl. YOu ArE BuT A SpEc Of DuUuSt In ThE FlOoOw Of An EtErNiTy ThAt YoU CaN'T EvEn CoMpReHeEeNd!"

Teramoto: "Can't you hear him?! Can't you hear his roar?! He's here! He's among us! He's real!"

Maaya: "Crush heeer!!!"

Teramoto: "Pazuzu is angry! Pazuzu is furious! Pazuzu! Pazuzu! Pazuzu!"

Pazuzu: "GuUuOoOoOoOoOoRgGhHhH!!!"

Erika: "This is futile."

They should have just listened when I said that it was already over. It's over, period.

What can this third-rate furniture possibly do when I can get behind him before he can even blink his eyes? I don't even understand why Maaya is looking so surprised at this point, did she really forget that I can teleport at will? I guess that this his her desperation pulling tricks to her memory and intelligence. She blindly decided to stake everything on her last, illusory hope.

Well, this is perfect. Because crushing people's hopes is one of my greatest delights, especially when they are nothing but wishful delusions. All those lies that prevent people from falling into their deserved despairs; simply unforgivable. I am on a sacred mission, I am a crusader. My objective is the total extermination of all those disgusting lies. I won't stop until only the bare and squalid truth remains, so that everyone may realize what kind of horrid world we live in.

Erika: "Maaya, I want you to watch, do not close your eyes. This is your dream, witness its last moments as I tear its guts out!"

Maaya: "No... wait! Stop! Stooooop!!!"

My scythe mercilessly penetrates the demon's body. Dark blood squirts abundantly from the wound. It's a fatal strike.

Teramoto: "What are you doing?! Hey! Stop! I said stop!"

Why are you asking me to stop, Teramoto? I need to get behind your demon in order to kill him. I mean, I need to get behind this hideous, pathetic statue. Stop screaming, you simply can't stop this. It's all going according to the plan. It's useless to look around looking for help, your 'friends' are even more helpless than you are. Come on, don't make that face! Yes, this is happening, I am really going to do it. So... I think it would be in your best interest to move away...

Teramoto: "Are you crazy?!!"

Erika: "Yes!"

This statue is a lot lighter than it appears to be, so there is really nothing to be surprised about if I can topple it over with a single kick. Teramoto shrieks and hurriedly moves aside. Likewise all the other girls jump on their feet and get as far as possible from the magic circle. Pazuzu crashes right on the Ouija board, his wings and arms break as a result of the violent impact.

This place has suddenly become quite noisy. Why are they screaming so much? I haven't even started yet.

Teramoto: "What the hell are you doing?! Look what you've done!"

Erika: "What I've done? The show is starting now! Today there's a special biology lesson. How do demons look on the inside? Let's find it out by dissecting this fine specimen! Let's see what color Pazuzu's entrails are!!!"

Teramoto: "You're insane! You're totally insane! Aaaah!!!"

Teramoto quickly covers her face as I strike the statue's back with my right foot. It takes three attempts, but it finally breaks open. So weak, so pathetically weak.

Satsukawa: "Erika!"

Erika: "Oh, Satsukawa-san! You've come right on time to witness the climax of my grand show!"

He was obviously alerted by the commotion and he must have decided that he couldn't stay put anymore. Predictable. At this point who cares anymore about Teramoto's rituals and its rules?

Without hesitations I plunge my right fist inside the crack that I just created. Maaya's metaworld is fading, there is no clear distinction between the two worlds anymore. I am supposed to be inside the shed, and yet I see the dying Pazuzu in flesh and bones in front of me. Are these girls around me seeing what I am seeing? They most likely don't, but judging from the evident fear painted all over their faces, I think that they are picturing this gruesome scene in their minds. Disembowelment! Evisceration!

My hand grabs something squishy and fibrous. I ignore Pazuzu's horrid wails and groans. He is furniture, he isn't alive any more than a statue is. In fact a statue is exactly what he is in the world of humans. There is really no need to be compassionate.

Erika: "Let's pull it all out!!!"

My announcement is followed by a chorus of even louder screams.

The tangled mass that I am grasping with my dark blood stained hand is really well rooted in the demon's body, it's fiercely trying to resist my attempted extraction. I grab it with my other hand, and I yank it with decision a few times. It's gushing out from the gap, but it doesn't want to yield. I didn't expect such a strong opposition, I guess I will have to use even more forceful methods. This time I place my foot on Pazuzu's body and I pull with all my strength using my own weight to aid me in this gruesome endeavor. Something snaps, and finally I can show the bloodied guts to my spectators. I will pretend that what I am hearing are screams of excitement.

It's time to dispel the illusion, it's time to remove the veil of mystery and expose this charade for what it is. Everyone is assembled, even Hibari was lured out from her hiding and has joined us. She is timidly hanging by the door, near Satsukawa, shaking her head in disbelief. There is no turning back now, this is the end.

Erika: "Silly girls! Naïve, gullible dimwits! I'm talking to you, whose brains are barely above the level of that of a rubber chicken! Look and know shame! These are the insides of the demon that you so much feared! How could you even be swayed by something so pathetic? By the time I was told that this statue was made of plaster, I had already figured it out that it had to be hollow inside! So what if some strange noise comes from it? What if it appears to move slightly in a suggestive dim lit environment? Spirits? Magic? Demons? Are you retarded? Are you middle ages peasants who never heard the word 'technology' before? Have you never heard of electrical cables? Lithium batteries? Vibration devices? Remote control receivers? Look! This is what the entrails of your demon actually are! But I had already imagined it all before seeing it with my own eyes! Just because of the existence of a do-it-yourself club in this school, this level of reasoning was possible for Erika Furudo! So what do you think, everyone?!"

Maaya: "How dare you! How dare you! My demon! My Pazuzu! You cruel monster! What have you done?!"

Erika: "Are you still worrying about your furniture? Don't you know that I'm a slayer of witches?! You're next, Maaya!"

Maaya: "I won't allow that! I can't be defeated! I am the witch of power! You can't possibly compete against my boundless power! That simply can't be!"

Erika: "Power? And where would all your boasted power be now? The pillars that used to supply it are all in ruins! That's what you get from relying on something other than yourself! I warned you!"

Maaya: "I'm still a witch! I can still use my magic to destroy you!"

Erika: "Oh, really? Ah ha ha ha! Then do it! Show me what you can do by yourself, with your own strength!"

Maaya: "I will! I... will..."

Erika: "What's the matter? Come on, I'm waiting!"

Maaya: "Why? Why... I can't... Nothing happens?! Why?! I'm the witch of power! How can I be so powerless?! That doesn't make sense!"

Dlanor: "Miss Maaya, you said it yourself. Those who do not believe cannot use magic."

Maaya: "I... don't believe?! That's ridiculous! Magic exists! Spirits exist! The supernatural is real!"

Erika: "That's just what you say to fool other people! You always used their belief to keep the illusion alive!"

Dlanor: "Somewhere along the way of your crusade against those who refuse magic, you have lost your faith."

Maaya: "Lies! This is impossible! How could I become what I loathe the most! I... I..."

Erika: "It's time to face the truth, Maaya."

Maaya: "But if I don't believe, if I can't even use magic... then... am I even a witch?!"

Erika: "That's right, you've finally realized it. Maaya, witch of power... you don't exist."

I see the epiphany overcoming my enemy, leaving nothing but an empty shell on its trail. Maaya no longer has anything inside her heart except total acceptance and resignation. Her eyes are empty and her limbs hang limply. Her figure begins to fade.

Maaya: "I... see... so... this is the truth... I didn't realize it... This is the truth... Only now I... understand..."

Erika: "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Maaya: "Yes... and yet... it's so sad..."

Erika: "It's time to abandon this world, witch of power. I will now end your sufferings."

Tears start dripping from her eyes, the flow is unstoppable.

Maaya: "This is too sad! How could it end this way? Where did I go wrong? This is so unjust! This is so cruel! I only wanted to dream! I only wanted my fantasies to be recognized! I just wanted to share them and be happy with everyone! But I lost them! I lost it all! Now I've nothing left! Now I'm nothing! Why?!"

Erika: "Goodbye, Maaya, it's been fun."

It only takes a single decisive swing of my scythe.

The witch of power is no more.

Chapter 5 (m)

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Maaya: "Ha ha! Nice one, but ultimately pointless. I know what you're thinking, there's no way the spirit wouldn't have the answer to this question. After all he must have been here when the crime happened. But at the same time it would be troublesome if he named a person that will be proven to be innocent later. So you think that with this move you're going to put me into a difficult position.

Well, I'm very sorry, but I was already prepared for this. As I said, I'm way ahead of you! You must have forgot a particular: I already have an answer to this question! Who killed Hitomi Gotsuji? It was Pazuzu of course! From the perspective of a spirit it doesn't matter which was the material vessel that executed the crime! In the end it's Pazuzu the one who guided the murderous hand!"

The sixth energy stream explodes inside me. There is nothing anymore, only fire, and a faint silhouette of what remains of my essence.

Maaya: "Why do you need to make it this painful?"

Erika: "Pain..."

Maaya: "That's right: pain. You must be completely overwhelmed by the most indescribable pain."

Erika: "I don't feel..."

Maaya: "Uh?"

Erika: "Any... of it..."

Maaya: "… Huh?!"

Erika: "This is... nothing! I've been through... much worse!"

And I'm not even lying.

Maaya: "G-give up... Give up already!!!"

Erika: "Never!"

Maaya: "Shut up!!! Just vanish already! I'm getting sickened just by watching you! Remove your infectious presence from this world at once! Aah! Let's end this! Let the spirit spell the final word that will banish you from existence! Observe! The planchette is already moving! Only three syllables separate you from oblivion! Each one of them will be like a knife carving the life out of you! Observe and writhe in pain! Die in knowing how pathetic and foolish you are! Die and... Ugh!!"

Maaya's hysterical ramble is abruptly interrupted.

In its place a loud thump can be heard.

I am sure, if there were spectators watching this, they would be all applauding now. Who wouldn't want to see the annoying character finally receiving the well deserved smack on the head? I can't think of many other situations that would instill a greater sense of justice being delivered.

Finally! About time! Shut up, bitch!

Maaya has been hit so hard that she has even lost consciousness for a second, and she is still absolutely confused. It wasn't anything particularly magical or grandiose, no, it was just the old hard object being smashed against one's body. In this case it was her face. Her nose is red and it is bleeding a little. But what I enjoy the most is her expression of absolute bewilderment.

Maaya: "W-what... what the..."

Her confusion becomes horror as soon as her eyes come in contact with mine. I am still under the effect of her tremendous power, and of my body very little remains, very little is still discernible. And yet nothing of what she sees is how she expected it to be, in its place there is just the most devilish and malevolent grin that she ever confronted.

I can imagine how she must feel now. An enemy isn't that scary once you reduce him to a pulp. But let's imagine that that enemy is still illogically alive after receiving absolutely devastating wounds, and let's imagine that he is still moving and laughing maniacally.

That would be terrifying.

Maaya finally recovers from her stupor and the picture of what has just happened becomes clearer in her mind. The object that hit her was the very shield that was supposed to protect her. One second before it was floating in front of her like usual, but then it suddenly sprung toward her.

Maaya: "Why..."

She still hasn't figured it out, she still cannot comprehend how such a thing could have happened.

Maaya: "How? Why? What's the meaning of this?! What did you just do?!"

Erika: "Me? Well... how should I put it? Oh, wait... I guess I'll let the facts speak for themselves: observe!"

This time I am the one who is inviting Maaya to look at what is happening in the world below.

Her human counterpart is frozen still in front of the Ouija board. She looks extremely pale even in the dim lit room. Her eyes do not blink. Widely open they keep staring at the character where the planchette stopped on.

Maaya: "What's wrong? That's the character 'pa' of 'Pazuzu', right? Why am I staring at it in shock?"

Erika: "No, that's not quite it. Take a better look."

Maaya: "Uh...?"

The shield once again strikes her, this time even more violently than before.

She was hit so hard that she falls for several meters before regaining control. It is as if I just saw a bee being swatted midair.

At the same time, in the world of humans, the planchette slides over the next character. Everyone is looking astounded, no one dares to breath. Soon the name of the culprit will be revealed.

Maaya: "Stop! Stop, stop, stooop! Stop it! What the hell are you doing?! How?! How can you..."

Erika: "What are you talking about? I'm not doing anything. It's the spirit, it's the spirit that you summoned! *giggle* *giggle*"

Maaya: "Stop messing with me! What spirit?! There's no such thing!"

Instantly several cracks appear on Maaya's shield, a loud sound similar to that of a glass being broken can be heard. She, however, doesn't seem to notice.

Erika: "It's true, it appears that you indeed summoned a spirit. That's why amateurs shouldn't play with Ouija boards. Perhaps so far you've been just messing around, but this time... it's actually happening!"

Maaya: "Shut the hell uuuup!"

Erika: "Look, the planchette is starting moving again. It'll soon tell us the last syllable of the culprit's name!"

Maaya: "This is a fraud! You're just using one of your dirty tricks! Spirit my ass! Who do you think you can fool with that?!"

As if it took offense by those words, Maaya's shield charges against its own mistress for the third time.

Maaya: "Buzz off, treacherous tool!"

Enraged, the witch of power intercepts the incoming threat. Without regards, without any restraints, nor any hesitation, she sends to the already damaged shield one of her magic beams of light.

There isn't even the slightest resistance. The shield explodes into a million of fragments. Beautifully they spread and slowly fall, glimmering like a shower of many little broken crystals. Maaya, paralyzed, is in the middle, surrounded. With a blank stare she witnesses the shattered remains of her stalwart defense as they disperse and disappear. Only now she realizes what she has just done.

Erika: "Good job."

In the world below there is a great commotion. The spell has been broken. The suggestive and intimidating setup can no longer prevent the younger girls from murmuring and whispering. Teramoto is no longer in control. Her lackeys don't know what to do or think. They hilariously remain speechless while everyone else around them keep talking and discussing animatedly.

Erika: "Teramoto, it appears that you're the culprit. *giggle* *giggle*"

Her eyes finally move away from the planchette. She looks at me, confused and angered.

Teromoto: "Wrong..."

Erika: "Wrong? Are you saying that the spirit is lying?"

Teramoto: "I'm saying that you're doing this! You defiled this sacred ritual by tampering with the planchette! You have absolutely no respect for the spirits! You shall be punished for this insolence!"

Erika: "What are you talking about, Teramoto? I'm not doing..."

Teramoto: "Lies! Who do you think you can fool?!"

Erika: "But it's true, I didn't move the planchette, it was the spirit!"

Teramoto: "Shut up! We all know that you don't believe in the supernatural!"

Erika: "That was before, you convinced me, spirits exist!"

Teramoto: "Lies!"

Erika: "But how can that be denied? The planchette moved by itself! We all saw that!"

Teramoto: "Lies! You moved it! You did that!"

Erika: "How?! It's impossible!"

Teramoto: "Impossible my ass! You just used double-sided tape!!!"

Nice, everything fell silent again. Although this is certainly not the outcome that Teramoto intended her words to have. This is a very awkward silence. For her at least...

It's amazing how a simple revelation can turn the world upside down. One moment you think that something is impossible, and a second later you realize that it wasn't impossible at all. And not only that, the truth strikes you mercilessly with its absolute simplicity. Just how in the world couldn't you see something so obvious? It didn't really take a genius. I am sure that many of the girls in this room right now are putting their few little gray cells in motion. I can tell that just by looking at their lower jaws awkwardly hanging. They now look almost as dumb as they actually are, and it's not that they looked smart to begin with.

But Teramoto realizing that she fell right into my trap is by far a better sight. Her lackeys looking at her in shock, disbelieving what they just heard, is a close second.

I bask in this delightful moment for a while. There is no rush, pleasure is more rewarding for those who can wait. The strawberry should always be eaten last, the anticipation will make it even more sweater.

But at the same time, it's important to catch the moment. Once you have gained momentum, you can't let it go to waste. That's why I shouldn't give them the time to recover from their bewilderment. It's time to let them witness my magic.

And so the planchette begins to levitate. That's right, it detaches from the board and moves upward in a fluid motion. At the same time it rotates by 90 degrees and it finally stops sideways just in front of my face.

Naturally during this whole process it never left my finger, though the same cannot be said about everyone else's. That couldn't be helped, the planchette is outside their reaches now. It stands on my fingertip in a perfect balance, apparently defying the laws of physics.

Those who aren't completely idiot realize that a simple double-sided tape cannot explain this bizarre phenomenon. This is my miracle, and everyone, including Teramoto, are looking at me in awe, speechless, astonished, breathless.

Erika: "So that's your trick, Teramoto. No wonder your magic was defeated by mine."

I grab the planchette with my other hand. With a snap I separate it from my fingertip. Part of my skin is ripped off in the process.

Erika: "I used superglue."

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