Your P.O.V

The general has Guren pinned firmly to the wall. I can feel the cold steel of his sharp blade press against my back and a drop of blood trickles down my spine. Still, I remain unwavering. The smooth metal of my sword will not be shattered. I will protect Guren with all of my power. I try to remain confident but I can feel Guren's grip loosen as his wrists shake in protest. With a bout of adrenaline, the General's eyes fly open and his pupils dilate. As he speaks his voice is laced with insanity. "Once I have disposed of you Lieutenant Colonel, I will take this precious girl for my own. I will make her my pet and do with her as I please." His maniacal laughs bellow throughout the still air. I can feel Guren's body convulse and he pushes forward out of desperation. The General stumbles backwards a few short steps and then he regains his balance. Guren races forward, thrusting his sword hysterically from side to side. His movements are tactless and uncoordinated. The General effortlessly evades and parries, causing Guren to skid across the floor. He staggers as he stands and wipes the matted blood from his brow. His pupils dilate and his body trembles ferociously. He prepares himself to charge forward, but I stop him in his tracks. This isn't the calm and collected Guren that we all know. I won't let him throw his life away so foolishly.

"Guren listen to me. At this rate you are going to get us both killed." I screech, hoping my voice will reach him through the chaos and hysteria inside the hollowness of his mind. "You need to calm down and recollect yourself. Please, I'm begging. I can't lose you so please believe in me. I need you to trust in my power and in yourself. I'm not going to leave you so don't worry."

Guren's P.O.V

I can hear the faint call of a familiar voice reaching for me in the darkness. My mind is clouded over but I stretch out towards it. "(f/n)? (f/n)!" I exult. I can feel my anxiety suppress at the comfort of her speech. Her words caress me in a gentle embrace. She is right. I hate it, but what she says is true. I need to believe in her power and I need to trust in my own skill. I will protect her. I won't allow her to leave my side. I close my eyes and sink into the luminescence around me. I can feel the power of the Demon King flow through my veins. It encompasses my entire being and my muscles tense with adrenaline. I snicker under my breath and bound forward. I thrust my katana outward and the General blocks. But, he is not strong enough to thwart the sheer strength of my attack. As metal hits metal, the room erupts into black smog and we are sent flying through the wall into the outside compounds. The General tumbles across the ground and remains unmoving when the dust settles. I, on the other hand, land tirelessly on my feet and stalk towards him. The surrounding spectators remain frozen in utter shock. Their eyes widen with worry. I approach the General and he reaches his hand out to plead. I swing my foot outward and it collides with his hand. Knocking it to his side. He cries out in agony, but I muffle his pleas by pointing my sword towards his face. Several soldiers rush towards us to protect their deceitful master, but the bellowing of the compound loudspeaker halts their rescue.

The Truth Has Been Revealed.

One by one the voices around me erupt into gasps. As the performance progresses, I make my way towards the communications booth. The familiar faces that I pass by snap their heads towards me in disbelief. I flash a condescending smile as I watch the General's plan unfold before my eyes like a waltz of despair. Once I reach the booth, the recording ceases and I snatch the microphone away from Kimizuki. My voice erupts from the back of my dry throat with confidence. My words bite at the tip of my tongue. "This is the man that you have sworn your lives to. This is the man who is willing to throw away your devotion for his own selfish agenda. You want to reclaim this world for your own, but instead you follow blindly into incarceration. My name is Lieutenant Colonel Ichinose Guren. I am joined by members of the Imperial Demon Army: Shinya Hiiragi, Shinoa Hiiragi, Yuuichiro Hyakuya, Yoichi Saotome, Mitsuba Sangu and Shiho Kimizuki. We have emerged from our delusions and realized that the imminence of war is unnecessary in building our future. We are working alongside vampires in order to rebuild this decrepit and corrupt world. If you, too, are tired of the bloodshed and wish to step forward instead of remaining stagnant then we will be waiting for you in the park just outside of Shinjuku. It is time for you to decide who the real enemy is in this world." With that, our team disperses and marches towards the park in wait of our new members. Our plan cannot be labeled as a success quite yet. Not until we have burned the Hiiragis' plans to cinders.

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Hours pass and still, not a single soul has arrived. (f/n) looks up towards me with distain as she sits perched stiffly on a fallen tree. I give her a nod of reassurance despite my own doubts. The sun approaches the horizon and the team shifts with unrest. Yuu fumes impatiently and I give him a slight whack on the head out of my own irritation. Suddenly the shadow of a large mass emerges in the distance. At first, only a handful of people march towards us, but soon after, a large crowd follows closely behind. The large crowd turns into a mob boasting with confidence and cheering in rebellion. We have done it. (f/n) stands without hesitation and cautiously approaches Shinoa. She tugs shyly on Shinoa's sleeve and opens her mouth to speak. But Shinoa is already aware of the question (f/n) will pose. "Of course it has to be you who addresses them. You are the mastermind behind all of this." Shinoa speaks with affection and gives (f/n) an encouraging thumbs up. (f/n) returns the gesture with a nod and rises atop a fallen monument. The crowd chatters and bustles, but the commotion is quieted with (f/n)'s appearance. The rest of us march proudly forward and stand confidently in front of the monument where (f/n) is perched. The crowd stares at us with admiration and attentiveness. (f/n) reaches upward towards her hood and rips it from her body, sending it into a torrent of black silk. The wind carries it away and slowly (f/n) looks up. Her (h/l) (h/c) flows outwards in the breeze like a stream of purity and confidence. Her eyes stare down at the crowd with a piercing glare of determination and fiery passion. Her words could send a shiver down a grown man's spine.

"My name is (f/n) (l/n) and the people you see before you are former members of the Imperial Demon Army. We have rebelled against our saviors based off of mutual disagreement of values and beliefs. We no longer felt the vampires were our enemy or posed a threat to our existence. That is why we have gathered here, to pursue a world where vampires and humans can live alongside one another. I know it is hard to see the vampires as anything more than bloodthirsty murders but you must know that all they have done was essential to their survival. The vampires do not fight us because they wish to eliminate us, they fight because they feel threatened. Just as a human will slaughter a cow to feast on its meat, a vampire must drink human blood in order to live. They are forced to live their lives this way and just like you, they do not wish to die. The only difference is, humans kill their prey, and vampires do not. In the years before the apocalypse it was common for humans to donate their own blood in order to save other humans who had fallen victim to tragedy. So why can we save our own kind but not others? Selfishness and vanity, that is why. But, the vampires are at fault as well. Their method of obtaining blood by kidnapping children is uncouth. That is why it is our goal to negotiate with the vampires. In exchange for freeing their prisoners, humans will begin to willingly donate blood for the vampires survival." A hush falls over the crows and chatter erupts from all directions. Despite the astonishment, there is no distain. "The man who stands beside me, Mikaela Hyakuya, is a vampire. Because of the kindness delivered by humans willing to give up their blood, he has been able to survive in this world. He is eternally grateful for the generosity of the humans you see before you. That is why your assistance and cooperation is pivotal. So please, join us in our quest to unite the inhabitants of this world and rebuild the precious country that sheltered us so long ago. With you, there will be no more bloodshed. No one will ever have to die a pointless death again."

The silence that befalls the crowd feels eternal. A cloud of doubt saturates the air. Suddenly, one brave soul steps forward and shrieks out in wonder. "Do you really give blood willingly to this vampire? Are you truly able to live alongside him?" I open my mouth to speak, but I know this isn't my question to answer. Yuu clenches his fist and his passion erupts from the pit of his stomach.

"It is true, I allow Mika to drink my blood and I have no regrets about it. He is my best friend and my brother. There isn't a single thing I wouldn't do for him. He has the biggest heart out of anyone I have ever met and he has always protected me with his life. I believe that, because of him, it is possible for humans and vampires to live alongside each other." Tears form in the corners of Yuu's eyes as he cries out towards the crowd. The tension slowly begins to fade and an unnamed face yells from amidst the sea of people.

"For a new world!" He throws his fist in the air and the crowd around him does the same. The park is filled with rejoice and determination. The rest of the squad looks up in surprise and shock at our newfound comrades. This is it. This is the beginning of the new world; a world without fear and war, death and decay. From this day forward we will survive. Humanity will not fall.