Demon Flame

Like a dewdrop hanging on an apex, like a moon reflection floating on a beck. Like a flower withers at its thriving time, life perishes when the mourning doves cry. —— The death poem of Dyrroth

A human lives and dies, it is like the gods blink their eyes. For everything under the sky... death is inevitable, no one can defy.

...

The dismal melody lingers among the clash of weapons, sometimes far, sometimes near, around his ears, but disappears when he tries to locate it.

Hirasaka. Under a bloody red maple tree. Dyrroth is standing still with his eyes closed.

His chest armor is almost shattered; his armlets lost their luster; his red armor and pauldrons are darker than usual; the end of the decorative knot is scorched, smolder can still be seen.

Sometime later.

A maple leaf falls down. A breeze blows again in this windless realm, bringing the fragrance of Kikyo flower from far away.

Kikyo...

Kikyo flower, Dyrroth's Kamon. This Clan Emblem represents "Loyal, brave, trustworthy, and honest". Dyrroth is taught to follow that motto since he is very young.

Absolute loyalty and bravery, unreserved trust and honesty.

Dyrroth was born in an aristocratic samurai family in the Shinonome state. At the age of 13, he was sent to Hokkaiko, a state with a Daimyo who vied for the throne, and he was a present for the Daimyo, a present to demonstrate the clan's allegiance.

Hokkaiko Daimyo Franco was famous for being a battle-wise leader. He had many retainers like Dyrroth, mostly hostages from smaller clans. From all these servants who try to earn his trust for their clan, Franco noticed very soon the quiet boy who has a pair of clear eyes and was as beautiful as a Kikyo Flower.

That was at a family banquet. Franco, casually leaning on his back, took out his long-treasured weapon "Guren Chakram" to bet with his retainers. He claimed that whoever guessed right how many petal-shaped blades the Guren Chakram had would be the new owner of the weapon. His words aroused everyone in the room. All guests were giving their answers except Dyrroth.

"Why don't you have a try?" Franco asked curiously. After all, he had Dyrroth clean up his armor and weapons before, the boy had the advantage of being in a favored position. Dyrroth's answer surprised Franco. He said he knew clearly how many blades that weapon had and he even could notice the new scratches after every battle. "You granted me the honor to take care of your weapon, Your Excellency, if I take part in the bet, it's unfair to anyone else."

Franco gazed at Dyrroth's clear eyes, seeing only pure and honest. Suddenly, he sat upright, exclaiming: "The red lotus (Guren) will bloom on the spray of the Kikyo flower."

From that moment on, Guren Chakram became Dyrroth's personal weapon.

Sengoku Jidai. An era of warlords and conflicts. The bond between Dyrroth and Guren Chakram grew deeper and deeper as they fought through countless battles. Franco's valiance and battle-wise image were also engraved in Dyrroth's heart bit by bit.

Dyrroth still remembered the most brutal battle since he served under Franco. The enemies were well-prepared and their numbers were overwhelming. They swept across the border and soon stood facing Franco's army. A decisive battle was about to come.

Outnumbered, the morale of Franco's army was shaken. Some were desperate, some wanted to sneak off.

Until one gloomy, moonless night, an inspiring tabor drum rolled. Franco's husky chant resounded all over the city and the sky: "A human lives and dies, is like the gods blink their eyes..."

When the soul-shaking drumbeats ended, a thunderbolt fell from the sky, bringing torrential rain to the ground. By the dazzling light, everyone in the city noticed that their leader Franco was charging out from the city toward the enemy on his horse. Dyrroth reacted fast. He dropped his tabor and followed right behind his master. The other generals hurriedly chased after them, together they rushed into the enemy camp under the cloak of the rain and took the enemy Daimyo down by surprise.

The battle ended as the rain stopped. Solemnly, Franco gave the banner representing him to Dyrroth with both hands and said: "Keep this in mind: victory never comes easy, you must guard it well. One day, this banner will fly on every state of the nation, and a paradise will emerge under the sky, a paradise built by you and me!"

Facing the first morning light, Franco's eyes looked assured and prideful. Dyrroth, covered in blood and dirt, raised his head and looks at his master. His hands shook as he grasped the banner, and his heart beat like a drum. "Your Excellency..." Dyrroth whispered. He was like a follower being graced by the god, or a wanderer finding their destination.

His master, the war god of Hokkaiko.

However, the war god fell.

Ironically, it was not fighting that took him down. He died of the betrayal of trusted followers and allies.

As Franco's army marched into the Kinki Region, he was one step away from uniting the nation. By appointment, he stayed in the Gurenji Temple outside the city and waited for his allies to join forces with him.

The final victory was at hand. Franco couldn't fall asleep at all. The tabor on his side caught his eye, so he just picked it up and began to play. A familiar melody rang out, but this time, it was Franco who accompanied Dyrroth. And Dyrroth, in scarlet armor, methodically presented the "Dance of Atsumori" to his master. His dance was perfect as he printed all the dance moves in his brain.

"A human lives and dies, it is like the gods blink their eyes. For everything under the sky, death is inevitable, no one can defy."

His dance was so dazzling and lively, like a red lotus that was about to bloom.

No one noticed, at the same time, flows of troops were gathering around the Gurenji Temple. And on the headmost banner, there was a most familiar mark — the Kikyo flower. The troops were highly organized and ready for battle. Under the starless night sky, blades were the only things that shined.

When Dyrroth left his family, his big brother told him that he must guard their family honor. But now, the speaker was raising his hand and giving the order: "The enemy is at the Gurenji Temple". As soon as he stopped, countless fire arrows flew toward the Gurenji Temple, setting the whole building on fire like a blooming red lotus.

Dyrroth's clan had decided to betray their ally. Except for them, no one can determine Franco's fate.

Seeing the Kikyo flower banner, Franco surprisingly felt relieved. He gave Dyrroth a wry smile and said: "Dyrroth... I need you to transmit an order to your brother."

Dyrroth got confused. What was the point in giving order to someone that had already stirred up a rebellion? Soon he realized that Franco was letting him go back to his clan and saving his life... Dyrroth gripped Franco's banner and set up his mind. He was going to defy Franco's order for the first time in his life. "Please allow me to be with you to the very end."

Franco looked at the boy sadly, nodded his head, and then watched outside the window...

The roaring flame spread rapidly toward them. In the twinkling fire, they fought side by side for the last time.

Another maple leaf falls.

Dyrroth stops his reminiscing. The sound of the Dance of Atsumori fades away into the clash of weapons.

Should I accept my fate? Is that all?

Dyrroth opens his eyes furiously but he can't see anything. His resentment is so strong that it even materializes into a dark fog and covers his eyes completely... He tries to take a step, only to find that he is too weak to even hold the Guren Chakram in his hands.

Like a trapped eagle, he looks up subconsciously at the upside-down living world hanging on the ceiling. It's now a place that is so far away and he can never go back.

... So this is the end.

Torched by fire, and betrayed by his kins, his life is full of regret. Just like Franco's lifetime goal — unification and peace; Just like what he believed — the Kikyo flower emblem and its "loyal, brave, trustworthy, and honest" motto. They all end up as the lyrics of the Dance of Atsumori.

When he's giving up, a familiar voice penetrates the gloomy fog of the Yomi: "Dyrroth, where are you?"

"Your Excellency!"

Franco's calling adds more despair to Dyrroth's heart. Given that he has lost his strength now, Dyrroth only hopes his words could comfort his master: "I'm sorry your noble ambition didn't realize, Your Excellency, but I will accompany you to the end in this Yomi..."

A burst of evil power breaks through the fog and comes to Dyrroth. The dark power sweeps the land like a tornado and wipes out all the fog, revealing countless bodiless souls. And not far away, on the mountain peak that is closest to the human world, stands his master — the King of Hell, Franco.

"Forget about Yomi." Franco raises his arm: "Come with me to raise hell in the living world!"

All of a sudden, Dyrroth's white skin turns crimson. Demon power congeals on his body and becomes horns, claws, and tails. The Kikyo flower marks once embroidered on his shattered clothes are now branded on his skin as a symbol of savageness and brutality.

Revenge! Yes! Go back to the human world and seek revenge!

He catches up with Franco with swift steps. The Guren Chakram on his wrist is now spitting inferno fire, everyone can feel its unparalleled evil and homicidal will.

The Nanzan State. An uncivilized region that is fragmented by countless mountains.

Here, Dyrroth is leading a portion of their army to search for the "Mandala Circle" at Franco's order. In a pagoda-shaped mountain full of towering trees, Dyrroth clears everything standing in his way with his "Guren Chakram". Later, he finds the evil item from the Yomi — Izanami's talisman the "Chaos Mirror"

However, the moment his reflection appears in the mirror, his fundamental soul is trapped in the talisman. Through the mirror, the trapped soul sees that his "another self" grows in power, and the inferno fire of Guren Chakram has condensed into a ghost flame that prevents any evil energy from running off.

The inferno fire will eliminate all the goodwill.

What has happened?

The "Dyrroth" outside the mirror has lost all his reason and has been consumed by hatred. Now everyone in his eyes is a clone of his big brother and he believes that his purpose is to burn everything in the world with the inferno flame.

The "Dyrroth" inside the mirror can't find a way to escape the chaotic prison. He can only watch helplessly as the inferno fire follows the lines of the magic circle and sets the whole mountains on fire. And then, the fire spreads far and wide, scorching any creature it touches...

When Franco arrives at the Nanzan State, what he sees is burning mountains and charred corpses all over the place, indeed an inferno on earth.

Maple leaves are now more red with bloodstains. The boy's eyes are no longer crystalline. They are now two ponds of boiling ruthlessness and sadistic pleasure.