Loyalty

Darkness. Bleak, silent darkness. That's all that Kohaku Tsukiakari and her master Volcabularious Tenebris woke up to. The pale skinned male slowly opened his scarlet eyes as he awakened. He yawned quietly and went to stand up, only to meet the heavy resistance of steel chains that were wrapped around him. "Wh-what is this…?" He whispered, gazing at the chains in confusion.

How did I get here? Why am I here?

He pulled on the chains tightly once more; a slight groan was given in protest from the chains as he pushed himself forward. He sighed and eventually let up, dropping to the ground in a sitting position. He looked at the small window in the door in front of him.

There has to be someone else, I can't be alone…

"Hello?!" Vol called out, his voice boomed out from his cell and echoed down the hall. He waited for a response, patiently.

Kohaku's eyes shot open at the yell, she turned her head to the door and thought for a moment.

That voice sounded familiar… Could it be…?

"Master Vol!" She responded just as loudly, her crystal blue oculars lit up in hope. She could feel the cold burden of chains resting on her body, she knew she was restrained. She looked around the darkened room, examining the walls and the floor for any way to get out and for clues as to where they were.
The only thing she could see was a small pile of dirt in the corner, nothing of interest. She merely sighed and closed her eyes.

"Ko…? Kohaku?!" Vol replied, hearing her voice. It was a mixture of surprise, fear and relief.

How did she get here? Why is SHE here too?

He pulled on the chains again in an attempt to try and help her out. The steel chains groaned loudly in extreme protest before the one wrapped around his neck snapped, a weak link in a chain is the downfall to anything. Vol's struggle strengthened upon him hearing the chain break. "Come on… Come on…!" He roared in frustration. The other chains weren't as weak as the one that snapped; he soon gave up and slumped back onto the wall with an angry sigh. "Fuck!" He spat as he rammed his fist into the floor, the force of the hit cracked the ground and made a miniature crater. "I am the Void Lord of Vascalla! I shouldn't be this weak!" He growled.

Kohaku was fearful of her master; she had never heard him so angry or frustrated. "… It's okay… Master…" She spoke quietly through his angry yelling. Footsteps were soon heard marching down the hallway outside, two people were coming. These men were conversing loudly and laughing. "So, I look to this kid then point to the roof… And this kid is like what? 2 years old? So he was really fuckin' gullible… So I point to the roof and say: "LINDWA"… He called the roof that for 3 years!" One of them laughed in a rough, Texan accent. He sounded young, in his late teens. Kohaku silenced herself, as did Volcabularious, they were both listening intently. "Ah. Here we are: Cell H72…" The other voice spoke, it sounded older, middle-aged with a Californian accent. The footsteps stopped in front of Kohaku's room.

Are these the people holding us captive? What do they want from us?

I guess I'll have to find out later, I need to escape with Vol…

Kohaku growled as he she pulled on the chains in desperation, she clenched her teeth as a loud CLANK was heard as the bolting attached to the wall came off. The chains attached to that plate were wrapped around her left arm, breaking free gave her relief as the chains fell off her arm. She leant back and tried to untangle the chains wrapped tightly around her torso. The door opened a crack after it was unlocked with a bone-shuddering CLUNK. Light flooded in like a tidal wave. Kohaku shielded her eyes with her usable arm and winced. "Oh look, the girly broke free…" The older man chuckled. She was punted in the stomach hard with a steel-capped boot; she gasped for air and held her gut painfully.

Vol snapped his head in the direction of all the ruckus.

Are they…? Those bastards! I should be suffering instead!

"Hey! Let her go! If you've got a problem with us, you'll fight me, not her!" Vol's voice boomed out from his cell. He struggled in his restrains and pulled hard again.

How come she broke free so easily? Do they know of my strength?

… No… Impossible… How did they get the materials for these?!

The chains groaned and slightly stretched from the forces exerted on them. Volcabularious wanted out, and he was going to get it, sooner or later. Vol dropped back for a moment to catch his breath, and then lunged forward again to fight against the chains.

"Looks like the pretty boy is awake too, he sounds pissed off…" The young male giggled. "Shuddup!" The young male spoke as he marched out and kicked the door hard. The loud bang made Vol's ears ring, not that he minded it, he just ignored it and kept on fighting to break free. The parts of the wall that the chains were attached to exploded off, each piece of stone flew into the door, leaving heavy dents and made deafening bangs. The door flew open; the young male behind it was holding a revolver in his hands and looked slightly fearful of the large, well-built male who was standing in front of him. "DOWN ON THE GROUND, SILVER BULLETS!" He screamed. Vol's eyes widened and he did as he was told. Silver was his bane, it sapped his power and slowly killed him if too much entered his body. The gun was holstered as the male approached Vol; the Void Lord looked at the male with enraged scarlet hues through his obsidian bangs, a quiet growl slipped through his clenched teeth. A heavy boot stomped on his head, it was meant to knock him out, though only a light bruise was inflicted.

"Is that it…? Is that all you've got…? Come on, hit me again. Harder!" Vol ordered with an insane little smirk plastered to his face. His pupils were extremely contracted, to the point where they were like tiny specs of black in a sea of crimson. The man struck him again with a stomp to the face. Blood trickled out of Vol's nose like a tiny river of crimson. "More. More! MORE!" Vol ordered again, the smirk grew into a toothy smile that tainted his handsome face. The man panicked and drew his gun, firing into Vol's chest a few times.

Damn… I guess I really do get carried away…

Vol slumped down in a heap on the stone floor and screamed in pain. He held his chest and writhed around; his black t-shirt was caked with crimson puddles of blood.

"Master!" Kohaku cried as she struggled in the chains once more.

No… He can't die now! Not Vol, he can't die! He's the God of Darkness!

The middle-aged man grabbed a handful of her snow-white hair and made her look at him. "The boss wants to see you… Joel, chain him up again and close the door!" He commanded, the man did as he was told and wrapped more chains around Vol and attached them to the large girder on the left hand side of the room. He slammed the door shut and left Vol to cry in pain, alone. "Joel" entered Kohaku's room and unchained her, before sticking handcuffs on her wrists.

"You gonna be good girl and come quietly?" He taunted with a mischievous snicker. She sighed and gave a slight nod in reluctance. He pushed her out of the cell forcefully and led her down the halls. Kohaku closed her eyes as went down the hall, she felt as if she had failed her teacher/master.

Where are they taking me? What could they possibly want?

They took a right into another hall, and then ascended a few flights of stairs that wound around a circular room. They came to a halt in front of a large, wooden door; Kohaku slowly opened her eyes and gazed at it, arching a brow. "What's in there?" She asked curiously, she looked at Joel with her brow arched, the man with long brown hair turned his sight to her for a moment, and hazel eyes scanned her briefly.

"The boss, he has a deal he wants to negotiate with you…" Joel responded in a neutral voice. "Just try not to get him angry, do as he says and he won't hurt you… Or us…" He shuddered with closed eyes.

The middle-aged, balding man opened the door and shoved her in aggressively, slamming the door behind her. Inside was a well lit room with a table in the middle, with two chairs flanking the oak furniture. In one chair, was a man in a business suit, wearing a trilby with short red hair hidden underneath it. He turned his head to face Kohaku; he looked as if he was in his mid-30's. "Hello…" He smiled, his emerald eyes were lively. He leant over and spotted the handcuffs, he reached for her wrists.

Kohaku flinched back and kept her hands close to her chest. "I mean no harm…" The man spoke as he reached into his pocket with his other hand and pulled out a tiny key. "I'm going to take off those nasty handcuffs." He continued as he reached for his wrists again, Kohaku sighed and brought her hands down to his hand.

"Why did you put me in them in the first place then?" She asked in an aggressive tone as he released the shackles and pocketed them. The male extended a white, cotton gloved hand to her.

"Laurence." He introduced himself. Kohaku took his hand and shook it firmly, though she had a still had a cautious and annoyed expression on her face. "I know much about you, Kohaku Tsukiakari…" He smirked. Kohaku stepped back a little and clenched a fist.

How the hell did he know my name?

I have no I.D… I have no school records… I don't have a criminal record… I practically don't exist!

So how does he know my name? Hopefully he's bluffing about his knowledge of me…

"Oh? What do you know?" She asked, masking her slight fear. He walked slowly to the chair and took a seat. Kohaku looked at the man in front of her curiously, arching a brow.

The man reached into his coat and pulled out a large folder, filled to the brim with files. He placed it down and opened it, pulling some pictures and notes out and placing them down on the table. One of the pictures was a colour one; it was of her and Vol wandering the markets inside the Magakta Palace. Vol was wearing a white shirt with a black vest and trousers, with men's dress shoes. Kohaku was wearing a large, light grey vest and a long, black coat, with black shorts and large boots. Kohaku's eyes widened in fear.

I knew something was off about that camera man. No one else was taking pictures of Vol, since everyone got to talk to him and see him every day.

"Are you scared?" He snickered. "You're trembling… Weak in the knees. And you've got a very good reason to be scared…" He burst into a maniacal chortle. His cheeks puffed up for every evil cackle. "But, you're in good hands! I have a deal for you, and I know that you will not refuse it!" He sat up.

Kohaku gripped the edge of the table with one hand and flipped it angrily. "Then tell me it then! I have no time for your games! And where does Vol come into this?!" She snapped loudly. The man slowly halted his laughter and glared at her.

"I want you… To be MY servant… Now, if you don't submit, I'll kill your friend…" He threatened, with an evil smirk. A television in the corner of the room flickered to life, showing a man with his foot planted on Vol's already bullet ridden chest and with a large revolver pointed at his head. He was groaning in pain and badly bruised all over.

N-no… Not Vol, not him… He's the one who pulled me out of the darkness of my cold-heartedness.

"I… I submit, I'll serve you…" She sighed; she kneeled down slowly and bowed her head in false respect. "What is your bidding, 'Master'?" She said in a mixture of an annoyed sigh and an angered question.

Vol… I hope you break this façade and come to get me…

Back in the cell, Vol was pinned down still, there was a small speaker system installed in his cell which sent out a heavily modified version of the audio caught in the room by a microphone installed under the table, which was now broken in half from Kohaku throwing it across the room. "I will serve you, I don't need Vol anymore… He's an old fool, led by false hope and virtues. I've been planning his downfall for a while now…" Vol heard coming from the speakers.

Wh-what?! I trusted her! She said she would never leave my side as my student, as the captain of my personal guard! That lying, deceiving bitch! She will pay!

Vol let out an enraged roar; the silver bullets stuck in his chest burst out of their wounds and flew into the man on top of him. He tore his body into pieces from pulling on the chains far too hard. After a few short seconds – Five quick seconds, he regenerated at an unholy rate. He marched for the steel door angrily and punched it off its hinges with one hit. The door flew across the room and smashed against the wall, and an unlucky man in-between them, all that was left was a huge bloody stain on the wall opposite of the door, which the door was covering a majority of. Vol walked out and tore off his messed up and holey shirt. He tossed it aside and burst into a sprint down the hall, he followed the path Kohaku took, literally flying up the stairs and to the wooden door.

Kohaku! Prepare for the price of betraying me!

Vol flung a kick at the door, only for his booted foot to smash right through it, making a large hole in it, but not knocking it off its hinges. He grunted and pulled his foot from the broken door, before swinging a kick near its hinges. The door broke off it's holding and flew across the room from the force exerted on it, flipping as it went. Kohaku's eyes widened and she took a step to the side, avoiding the door. Laurence sat in his chair, unfazed by the flying door, even though it narrowly missed him. "So, I guess those chains really weren't enough. Kohaku, deal with him." He gave his command with a stern tone, slightly annoyed by the intruder.

"B-but…" She hesitated, looking at the redhead in the chair. She didn't want to fight Volcabularious, he was the only person she really trusted. He had given her so much; A home, a new life and a strong friendship.

Why me…? Why do I have to be put in this situation?

Volcabularious was standing, still shirtless in the doorway. Despite his ancient age, he looked like a young, human male in his early 20's. He just raised a hand in front of him. Black flames danced in a circle below it, and a large Japanese nodachi rose out of them, black bladed and elegant. Vol grabbed the handle and turned it upright, taking it on both hands. "Draw your sword. We're going to fight, aren't we? You must obey your master… Your new master…" Vol sourly growled.

I can't believe she betrayed me… I'll make sure she suffers, my hope and virtues are not false… I'm a damned god, I can only speak the truth!

Kohaku reluctantly extended her arm out to her side, shards of ice formed in the air around her hand, they came together and formed a katana sword, it's hilt was coloured slightly blue, while the actual blade was silver. She swung it agilely with a saddened frown. "This dance will be the last I do, I will not kill you… Master, but I know that you will kill me." She stated, she didn't want to hurt him, not at all. She may have pledged her services to someone else, but her loyalty to Volcabularious still remained. "Why are you so angry anyway? You know I would never truly betray you."

Volcabularious let out an angry cry and dashed at her, dragging the tip of his large weapon along the concrete ground. "That's not what I heard, traitor! You were planning to overthrow my rule, weren't you? Disrupt the 10 millenia of peace I brought to the Abyss and it's people: The Vascallans?" He shouted as he took a swing at her with his sword. Kohaku ducked under it and sweep kicked at him.

I will NOT use my sword, I refuse to…

Vol skipped over it and launched a heavy kick to her face with his right foot. She blocked it with crossed arms and slid back a few feet. "Come on! Where is that ferocity that you always have? You're called the Dancing Samurai for a reason, now let me see that title come to life!" He commanded, he brought his sword up next to his head and flipped it around, the edge facing upwards and the tip pointing towards Kohaku.

Kohaku closed her eyes for a brief moment and sighed. "Yes… Master…" She only made a simple movement, and time screeched to a halt. Vol, knowing how time stop worked, would've been able to see what was happening in the frozen time.

Oh, come on… Don't pull a Dio Brando on me…

She moved gracefully along the room towards him. It wasn't an attack, nor was it dancing, it was art. She swung at Vol's exposed chest, gashing it open, she stabbed through both his arms in one quick thrust. Time resumed and Vol clenched his teeth in pain. The wounds regenerated and healed almost as quickly as they were inflicted.

19 more regenerations…

19 more regenerations…

Vol spun around and dashed his blade across Kohaku's back ferociously