Akuma felt that something was going to go wrong the moment she walked in the door of the old castle.
Master Shi was sitting facing away from the group, as usual. But it was what didn't happen that went wrong.
"Have you brought it?" asked the master.
"Crap," said Kasai to herself.
"Blueberry muffins," said Yuri.
Aya stood with an embarrassed expression on her face as she explained, "I'm sorry Master, but the demon was more powerful than we thought it would be, and we . . . we forgot. Master, I'm so, so sorry."
The master was too still to be enjoying this news. "I'll survive," he said sadly. "Somehow." He sighed before adding, "You may go. Akuma, will you stay here?"
Akuma's breath stuck in her throat. She might have gotten used to the master living in the castle with them, but she didn't have a very close relationship with him, like the other girls seemed to.
"Yes, master," she said, walking around and sitting on the floor in front of him so they could see each other.
He was silent for a few moments. "Something happened while you were slaying the demon."
If Akuma was nervous before, she was freaking out now. Master Shi could tell what was happening to them, even when they were away? The idea was creepy.
"What kind of 'something'?" she asked him. "Lots of things happened on the mission."
"I'm not sure. Tell me everything that happened and I will see if I can tell what I sensed."
"Um," Akuma began. It wasn't the best start to the story. But soon she explained everything that happened, down to the smallest details when the master pressed for them.
"Aha," he said when Akuma finished explaining.
"What is it, Master?"
"I know what I felt now. The Sureiyazu were using more power than usual to slay the demon. After the spell was broken, they did not hold back."
"Hold back?" Akuma repeated.
"Yes," he said. "You four have more power than you realize. Aya has even told me about your light trick while you were slaying Tsugu. From what I hear, it was quite impressive. Aya, Kasai, and Yuri, also have this level of power. However, they never unleash it, and still have a long way to improve upon concerning demonslaying." He paused. "That is why they still have a master."
"Really?" asked Akuma. "Even the most skilled demonslayers in Sekai have to improve?"
"There are demons much more powerful in their world. We're lucky they don't want to cross over into ours."
Akuma thought this over. If there really were demons more powerful than the ones they had already faced, she wasn't sure if even the Sureiyazu could stop them. The world suddenly seemed a lot less safe.
"Tell me something, master," she said, remembering something she had been wondering. "Why was Kasai the first one to fall under the demon's spell? She seems so strong-willed."
"She does, doesn't she?" the Master Shi said, looking at some far-off point behind Akuma. He sighed. "Kasai is set on her goals. She doesn't want anyone to know what happened to her, so I can't give specific information, but she wants revenge on a demon. Much like you did. But, she would do almost anything to accomplish them. Sometimes I fear for what deals she would make with the wrong people just to slay a single demon." He shook his head sadly.
"And Yuri," he continued, though Akuma hadn't asked him to. "She has more spiritual energy than anyone would suspect. I only know because I can feel it locked up inside her. I train her hard, I give her extra work to do than the others, and still she doesn't release an ounce of it. She holds back the most among the team. But I don't know why."
"And then there is Aya," the master said. "She trains the most, is obsessed with perfecting her technique. She's the most battle-ready and could lead the Sureiyazu well. But she is too scared of failure. She trains to remove failure. But I can't show her that she needs failure to succeed. She hates it, and is too afraid she will fail again."
"Again?" repeated Akuma.
"That is also information I cannot share," explained Master Shi. "Aya has asked me not to."
"So what's Yuri's story then?" asked Akuma. "Did she ask you not to share hers either?"
The master sighed and closed his eyes. "I don't know."
"You don't know?!" said Akuma, louder than she meant to.
"Yuri refuses to share her story," he said. "Now please, leave, before I tell you other things you shouldn't know."
Akuma decided that was best, even if her mind was wandering in a thousand directions at once and begged for answers.
~~~
As she lay in bed, Akuma was still wondering. Why was everyone keeping their stories so secret? And Yuri especially. She was always so happy. What could she want to hide?
Akuma was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she almost didn't notice the spirit standing in the corner of her room.
"Akuma," the spirit whispered, suddenly very close.
Akuma sat bolt upright in bed, before seeing that the spirit was only a girl about eighteen or twenty.
"Hello," said the spirit. She had long hair tied up into a ponytail, with strands sticking out. Her laughing blue eyes were the color of ocean water and her skin was tanned, showing that she probably liked being outdoors when she was alive. She wore a simple robe that was the color of a newly bloomed cherry blossom, and sandals that looked worn and used. This must have been her favorite outfit in life.
"Who are you?" asked Akuma.
"Don't worry, I come to warn you," the spirit said.
"I mean, what's your name?"
"Asuka," said the spirit. "I am Asuka."
"Hello, Asuka," said Akuma. "That's a lovely name."
"Shi hasn't mentioned me then?" Asuka asked.
"No, why would he?" she said.
"So he won't admit it, even after my death?" the spirit said, smiling sadly. "Shi, you haven't changed a bit."
"How do you know the master?" asked Akuma suspiciously.
"We were both part of the original Surieyazu," explained Asuka.
"What won't he admit then?"
"I never realized it, but Shi had a crush on me." She smiled as if this were still embarrassing. "But when I passed, I finally noticed. He visits my grave every day, did you know that? And every day I stand with him, with no way to tell him that I'm there?" She looked as if she were about to cry. Akuma wondered if that was possible.
"Oh," said Akuma. Despite having just met Asuka, she felt extremely sorry for her. There was nothing she could say that could change this horrible fate that they had both been condemned to.
"But what I wanted to warn you of," the spirit said, regaining herself, "is that Shi is losing control of his demonslaying technique."
"He is?" asked Akuma.
"Yes, and it could be deadly if he goes on like this," she added.
"How bad is it?"
"Close to total loss of control. He fights it every day. I can't stand to watch." Asuka sniffed. "There really is nothing he can do, but he hasn't told any of you and - well, it would affect all of you, too, if he lost control. I can't to anything. I hate it."
Akuma could relate. As a spirit, she had felt the same helplessness. She wanted to help Asuka, but at he same time wondered how she could.
"I don't know what to do," said Akuma.
The spirit sighed deeply and thought for a moment. "Sleep on it, alright?" She stepped back, vanishing into thin air. Silence settled in.
It was even harder for Akuma to go to sleep after that.