Arc 3: The Cursed Heart of Steel Chapter 1: Prologue I, a xiaolin showdown fanfic

Disclaimer: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown and its characters… But I own my characters and wu(s).

Me: While it's in prologue, I'll tell you the long story of the sly, trickster-like Kyoto dialect-accent child/teen/adult known as "Gluttony" and his true name was Maijra… You'll understand the reason how he ends up being like this for fifteen hundred years.

Welcome to the Medieval era and the Zhou Dynasty era… Both in Europe and in China's time line, so let's take us back into the ancient flashback of that era that takes you 1500 years ago!

Enjoy, folks!

…

Once when it was over fifteen hundred years ago, there was a boy whom was living in a white castle on the cliff… He was a youngest prince between his two older brothers, Keiji and Akira.

On that day… when the young prince rang the bell within the church the first time on his first family tradition to become a true prince…until the tragedy strike.

"Sankou Maijra…"

The boy breathed heavily, his eyes closed tighter as the blood dripping from his forehead where he had gotten a hit.

Bump…

"I, who bear the chain of hell… shall now pass judgement upon thou…"

He looked up through his bangs, narrowing his half closed eyes at the shadow figure stood before him. "Haa… Haa…" He wheezed painfully, his arms stretching behind his back and locked by the iron chain.

Bump…

The dead body laying on the floor near him and the dead eyes staring accusingly at him, silently screaming and cursing at him. How can you do this to me!?

The shadow figure takes a black glove off his hand and reaching out to the boy.

"Your Sin Is…"

Bump…

The shadow's bare hand takes the hold of the boy's hair and gripped him backward, forcing him to look at the very eyes of the deadly figure.

"…Your Very Existence."

Bum…

Bu…

Crackle—

The Cursed Heart of Steel

Arc 3

— The Rebirth of Gluttony —

Prologue I

So an twenty-four hour earlier before the death of the Sankou Family…

Someone once said, "That place is engulfed in darkness." – however…

"Young Master!!" The fifteen years old male servant wailed waving his arms wildly, seeing a fifteen years old child had climbed even higher on the tree, the young master who had heard his title and looked down at his childhood friend with a confused look on his face.

"Yah?" The Prince asked tilting his head to left, smirking curiously down at the panicking servant. "What is it, Renjiro-kun?"

The young servant, Renjiro, was born in the servant-like family that serves the Sankou family for a century. He had befriended a youngest child of the three sons in the Sankou family for five years.

That does in no way mean…

"The Mistress is searching for you, young master!" Renjiro called up through his hands cupped his mouth to the small master on the branch. "You must come down before she finds you! She'll kill me for that!"

…that there was never any light.

The prince smirked deviously, "Oh? Tell the mistress I'm with Lady Syuzuka at the lake or somewhere, Renjiro." Seeing the horror look on his servant/best friend, he smirked even widely as he bounced off the branches and disappeared into the bush with a deceitful laugh, leaving a gaping servant alone in the garden.

"Renjiro!" The mistress called suddenly at the doorway that connected to the garden, startling poor the servant. "There you are!"

"Yes?" Renjiro froze, sweating heavily as he peered over to the scary mistress. His heart was beating wildly as the mistress stalked up to him and gripped his shoulders with her claw-like nailed hands.

"You're the servant who is always with the young master, so you should know!" The Mistress hissed furiously, shaking poor young boy servant. "Where's young Master Maijra hiding?" She demanded, as the black cloud grew darker and darker behind her, as the servant sense a threatening atmosphere in the air.

Sweating heavily more, Renjiro twitched. "Huh?"

He gulped, lifting his hands in defense and stepped backward from her. "Mistress Tora, what on earth happened with the young master?" He asked almost warily of the black cloud behind the mistress, silently cursing the devious master in his thought.

Stopped shaking the servant, the mistress answered. "It's almost time for the party, and I can't find him anywhere!" And then she suddenly froze, as her hands flew to her face and gasped dramatically.

"Don't tell me!" She shrieked, surprising poor servant again. "He's planning to boycot today!"

Sweatdropped, Renjiro fidgeted nervously and his eyes darted to left and right. "We… Well, I actually haven't seen the young master since after breakfast…" He lied right through his clenched teeth, smiling barely innocently at the mistress.

Perked up at the servant's tone, the mistress smiled non-less gentle at the servant and pushed her glasses slowly back on her nose. "That reminds me, Renjiro." As Renjiro tensed at the sound of his name called from her tone, almost afraid to find out what the mistress was thinking.

"I heard a little something from the young master…" Mistress Tora said smiling almost evilly, reaching behind her back for something. "He said you absolutely can't stand the cats, right?" She said evilly, holding the half-looking innocent little kitty in the front suddenly at the now terrified servant.

Suddenly more threatening atmosphere in the air, the cloud spreading darker and darker while the evil laughing of the mistress, and the nervous female servants behind her as the poor victim froze, sweating all over his face.

"Mrooooooow…" The white kitty meowed innocently at the almost stone-like servant.

"Eeeeekk! THE LAKE!" Renjiro shrieked, backing up from the kitty. "He and the young Lady Syuzuka were headed toward the lake!"

"Ho! Ho! Ho! The Lake, is it?" Mistress Tora snickered evilly, dropping the white kitty on the floor as she and her two female servants quickly leaves out of the garden in the search of the young master at the lake.

Pat! The little kitty hopped on the floor on her feet perfectly graceful, purring softly. Renjiro can hear the woman's voice from distance. "Well! Let's go and catch him, then!"

Clinging on the stone wall until the scary woman was gone, the servant slides downward to the floor with a huge sigh of relief. That was scary…

The little kitty crawled under the bushes with a loud meow to its beloved owner as the soft snickering can be heard from the bushes.

Renjiro remains in the emo state near the corner, he called out to the bushes. "Young Master…" He twitched; his face paled still not recovering from his fear of cats. "…Stop playing around and please come out now."

Suddenly, the boot shoved out of the bushes and the young master appeared laughing, picking the twits and leaves off from his dark blue hair. "HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!" Maijra guffawed picking up the white kitty and holding her in his arms. "Good work, Renjiro!"

Renjiro the servant rolled into a ball, looking horrified. "Aaahh… Mistress Tora is going to be mad…" He whimpered, clutching his head in panic and sweating fearfully.

"Hehe!" Maijra bounced over the poor servant, holding the meowing of a happy white kitty in his hands. "That sure is rough, Renjiro!"

Renjiro whimpered.

"All right!" Maijra looked at his little white kitty, grinning happily. "Today, let's trying taking a look at the forbidden part of the garden out back!" As the boy began to run, holding his precious pet.

"Hmm…" The voice suddenly said curiously, "So you were hiding here?"

GRAB!

Maijra was grabbed by his collar from the behind, looking surprised. "?!"

YANK!

Renjiro was yanked by the same thing from the behind, looking shocked. "Ah?!"

"Looks like I've caught a pair of bad, little brats!" Both of the boys looked up in horror at the older man with a sly grin, wearing the old glasses in a loose white suit and black leather pant.

"Uncle!" Maijra cried in disbelief.

"Master!" Renjiro cried in distress.

The old man grinned, holding the boys by the collar in the air.

Meanwhile…

Tick… Tock… Tick…

The old father clock rang hollowly, its bell swinging back and forward slowly as the white kitty played with her favorite yellow spring ball.

"Seriously, you two…" Maijra's Uncle sighed heavily, sitting against the window couch and glanced over at the quiet, sulking boys on the couch. "You really shouldn't do things that will worry the housekeepers."

"But!" Maijra laughed, relaxing into the white couch pillow. "They are even more uptight than usual, so I couldn't help but want to mess with them."

"Haha!" Maijra's Uncle chuckled loudly, lit up his cancer stick and blew out the clouds as he smiled at his nephew, tilting his head to right. "Don't you think that it may make them even more uptight?"

Maijra blinked.

"You're the next in line for the Sankou household, which is one of the Four Great Duke families." Mr. Sankou continued, exhausting the smoke while holding the cancer stick. "And it's about time for the Coming-Of-Age Ceremony for you, Maijra Sankou."

Groaning at this, the twelve years old boy plopped his head onto the arm of the couch and sighed. "Yeah, that! About that… Why is it that I have to something like that, anyway?" He whined.

What a paaaaaaaaaaain He thought.

"HA! HA! HA!" Maijra's Uncle, Mr. Sankou laughed at the poor state of suffering that his nephew was in. "That's the fate of those who turn fifteen. Just try to accept it."

"Yeah, well…" Opening his eyes and quickly closing his eyes in a second, the fifteen years old boy sat up straightly and grinned at his uncle. "I guess I should be happy since I got to come to this mansion for it."

As Maijra continued, "This place is fun! Even after two days, there are still places I haven't seen yet!"

Amusedly at his nephew's attitude, his uncle smiled wryly. "It's a beautiful mansion, isn't it?"

"It seems it was built more than two hundred years ago. But now it's being used as the location for the Coming-Of-Age Ceremony." Mr. Sankou said pressing his cigarette into the golden-silver ashtray, half smirking at the grinning nephew impatiently kicking back and fro in the couch. "Since this isn't a place you can carelessly come to, Maijra. I'm thinking we should have some fun with this 'unorthodox party'!"

"Yeah!" Maijra agreed his closed eyes turned into up-down horse shapes happily. "You came to hold the ceremony, didn't you Uncle?"

"Ah…" Pressing the burning end of his cigarette in the ashtray suddenly froze; the head of the Sankou household glanced almost sadly at the young boy as he said quietly, "In truth, it should be your father's job… I'm sorry for substituting for him."

Looking startled, Maijra waved dismissing the apology with an uncomfortable smile. "What are you saying?" He exclaimed in a genuine surprise and half-opened his eyes at his uncle. "As for me, I think you are a lot like my father, Uncle!"

As he laughed hollowly, "If anything, I'm happier about that!"

Mr. Sankou's face softened at this, lowering his cigarette. Maijra…

At same time, Maijra's servant frowned at this. Did you…

"…Yeah…" The old man leaned backward into his chair, relighting his new cigarette again and then he suddenly remembered. "Oh! That's right, Maijra!" He stood up from the chair and put his cigarette in his lip, walking to the closet.

Blinking at him curiously, Maijra plopped on the top of the fluffy white couch resting his chin on his crossed arms. "Uncle…?"

"The item you asked for made it just in time!" His uncle said unlocking the closet door and pulled it opened with a sharp click.

"Really!? Alright!!" Maijra perked up at this, seeing his uncle brought the small black chest to him.

"It'll be a bit snug, but it should be okay…" His uncle said uncertainly, handing the small chest to the boy as the young servant looked on curiously with an unaffected smile.

…? I don't remember that Young Master ordered something like that… Renjiro thought feeling uneasy, knowing his closest friend would do with a small unknown black chest.

"That's fine! Thank you!" As Renjiro heard his young master assured his uncle happily as he took the chest from his uncle.

BANG! BANG!

As Renjiro and the little white kitty nearly let out a startle yelp, staring at the huge golden-brown door that was suddenly banging on by someone.

"Ryuuij-sama!!" That turns out it was the Mistress Tora, the head of the housekeepers. "Is this Young Master Maijra with you?"

Her tone is indeed scary… Clenching his black box to his chest tightly, the young master stared at the loud banging on the closed door fearfully. And then he turned sharply to his uncle and his eyes widened like a scared little innocent boy.

"Please, Uncle! Would it be all right to play just a little longer?" He begged holding the black chest in his arms, staring hopefully at the amused uncle.

Amusing at his nephew's behavior once again, Mr. Sankou took his cigarette from his smiling lips.

"OIIII! Young Master!!" Renjiro glared at Maijra, frowning disapproved at him. "No way! Didn't you promise to stop the 'mansion exploration' by four?!" He exclaimed pointing at the old father clock, and definitely it is four o'clock.

Maijra scowled darkly at his servant.

"Shut it! I said 'a little more,' didn't I!?" He snapped icily, raising his fingers as he ordered his pet. "Sic 'im, girl!"

Snap!

As a little white kitty reacted to the sound of fingers snapped by her master, she bounced swiftly from the window board and landed on the servant's head before the servant could react.

"EEEEEEEEKKKK!!" Renjiro shrieked shaking violently his head the unwanted creature off his head, but unfortunately, the kitty remained on his head. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Sweatdropped at the sight of poor servant running in circle, screaming his head off while having the kitty clomped his head, as the uncle approached the fuming nephew. "Hey now!" He said sharply, putting his hand on the young master's head to stop the nonsense game. "Let's not bully Renjiro too much, okay?"

Maijra frowned under the hand on his head, grumbling as he called his pet off, much to the servant's relief. Ruining my fun, will you Uncle?

Noticing his nephew's face, Mr. Sankou smirked. "You wanted some time to hand this over, right?" He said, snapping Maijra out of his sulking state, pointed at the black chest that young boy held. "So get out of here!"

Maijra's eyes widened almost gleefully at this.

"RYUUIJ-SAMA!!" As the mistress's voice screamed from the closed door, the head of the Sankou household turned around and skipped over to the door. "Yes! Yes! I'm coming!" He chirped, as the nephew sneaked toward to the window.

"Listen up, Maijra!" Freezing the young master with his sharp tone, he pointed at him seriously. "You absolutely better not mess up today's party!"

Opening the huge window, Maijra saluted at his uncle with a goofy grin as his pet followed after him faithfully. "You got it!" As his servant staggered to him, holding his head dizzily.

"If it looks like you are going to pull a stunt…" Mr. Sankou said narrowing his eyes knowing his nephew never took his words quite seriously. "…I'll have to call out the emissary of 'abyss'."

The young master glanced at his uncle silently, and then he let out a relieved sigh. "Phew." He laughed. "I'm sorry, but…"

Dropping one of his legs outside the window, he waved happily at his uncle. "…those threats don't work on me anymore!"

As the boys and a white kitty leaped out of the window, disappearing out of the sight.

(--)(--)(--)

It's not fair…

But then again…

I couldn't remember the last time anything was fair… so I decided to go with that fact that this was too cruel. These things that are so cruel to us, they shouldn't exist in life. I didn't actually think any existed. I childishly thought they couldn't exist. Now I know better.

The death reapers…

The Judges of the Underworld…

These cruelties, they are with us everyday.

They made what I am, a sinner of all sinners… Because of what I have done that I shouldn't have done. However, what's done is done in the past and can't change that fact.

I won't be able to eat properly anymore. I won't be able to live normally among humans. Soon, I won't able to be an ordinary human… I'll be losing them, the things I could do before so effortlessly.

I'm a monster now, surviving purely on my new kin, other sinners. But if they left me alone, I think I might actually die.

…Because of them, I won't be able to see my family again.

My family told me to come back soon, get better. They don't know anything. I can't come back. It's impossible. They don't know that. They'll have to go on without me. Because I can't be there with them.

Most important of all though…

I won't be able to play my chess with my best friend anymore.

(--)(--)(--)

"Um…Young Master…?" Renjiro asked meekly, following his master through the ancient part of the mansion. "What is 'abyss'?"

Smiling evilly at his servant, Maijra explained gleefully. "Well, it's a prison where bad people are locked up." As he placed the black chest on the old looking stone stair nearby, unlocking to open it.

"The rumors say that once you are taken there, you can never come back." He continued, reaching into the opened chest. "You saw the prison that one my brothers show us the book a bit ago?"

"That's one?" Renjiro asked uncertainly, imagining what the scary prison looks like in his mind.

As his eyes opened looking at him, Maijra looked up a sarcastic grin seeing the frightened look on his poor servant. "The emissary comes from 'abyss' to snatch those who commit heinous crimes. It's said that creature then takes them away to a truly terrifying place…"

Suddenly he smiled at him, "But before I tell you more…" He shoved something onto the confused servant. "Take a look, Renjiro!"

"Huh?" Renjiro blinked down at the something he was holding and something dawned him. "This is…"

It was a white, formal clothes for the tonight party. But something about that suit is seems off to him, as the servant frowned. "Wait… Isn't this a little small for the Young Master?"

As Maijra laughed at this, he pressed gently the clothes onto his servant while he snickered quietly. "It's fine, dummy! Since you're the one wearing it!"

"…………" The servant froze, slowly turning into a stone statue. Something fishy about that… He thought to himself."R-Really…?" He stammered, turning his head slowly toward the too much smiling boy beside him.

"It's the truth! Since you're going to be participating in the Coming-Of-Age Ceremony, too!" Maijra exclaimed pointing upward both of his index fingers in the air, grinning eagerly.

Hearing this, Renjiro clenched the formal clothes too tightly and his so called stone statue cracked a bit. No… It's something about that, isn't there Young Master…?

"And since the clothes I was going to lend you seemed too big. I asked Uncle to get it tailored for me!" Young Master said smiling too broadly, much to the servant's dismal. Ha! Ha! Ha!

I knew it… As his stone statue finally shattered, he exclaimed unhappily to Maijra. "What is this? I didn't hear anything like this!"

"Gah!" Maijra scowled darkly at him, standing up from the kneeing position. "Of course! But if I said something about it, then what?"

Without letting his servant protest, the young master turned smiling sarcastically rubbing his chin. "I wanted to see that panicked look you always get, so I was quiet." He said gleefully, closing his eyes again. Mwahahahaha…

"…Tch!" Renjiro collapsed onto the floor, looking defeated. "I can't… Please find another person soon…" He whimpered, holding his gurgling stomach and looking quite pale a bit.

"Don't worry, Renjiro!" Maijra chirped happily, wagging his finger at his suffering servant. "The job itself isn't a big deal!" As the white kitty meowed, she climbed over to her precious master's head.

"All you need to do is put the robe on my shoulders at the end of the ceremony. Well… If you are there or not is okay, but… after all, you…" Young Master said before the servant cut him off.

"No, it's not that…" The fifteen years old servant, Renjiro, looked down at the grass looking worried about something else make the master glanced confusedly at him.

Maijra frowned. "Then what are you unhappy with?"

"I'm just a servant!" Renjiro said sharply, pressing his hand onto his chest and looked worriedly at the confused master. "That kind of position is beyond someone like me!"

Maijra blinked in a genuine surprise at this. "You're wrong, Renjiro…" As he sat down on the stair, holding his right leg and then he looked up at his servant. "You won't doing it as a servant… I want you to do it as my friend."

"IT'S ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE!!" His servant snapped furiously and waving his arms wildly in the air, causing the young master and the white kitty on his head blinked in surprise.

"Huh?" Maijra looked confused, blinking.

"Mrrr…?" The white kitty meowed confusedly, blinking.

"If they know the Young Master has an orphan like me as a friend…" Renjiro continued, clenching and unclenching his fists uncertainly and anxiously. "…All of nobles will criticize you behind your back."

Maijra seem now understood what was his servant's feeling in the situation, looking down at his shoes. Renjiro…

"…Not really…" Maijra shook his head smiling half-heartily at his servant. "I'm not worried about it, but…"

"I'LL MAKE THE MASTER MAD!!" His servant suddenly wailed, startling the fifteen years old young master and his poor little kitty.

Renjiro… Maijra let out a sigh. "It's fine… He can't even come home from work for his son's birthday. He won't come back here just to scold you, Renjiro…"

"Oh…" Renjiro calmed down, lowering the formal clothes and looking sadly at the now silent master.

He's just won't come back at all…

As a refreshing breeze blowing playfully the grass, the boys sat in the silence. Until then the song suddenly come to Maijra's sharp ear.

My fears begin as the light slowly fades away
Those tormenting thoughts take over my mind
I try not to think, not to listen, to go numb

Opening his eyes sharply, Maijra blinked confused as his servant noticed this. "Um… Young Master…?"

"What… What is this sound…?" He lowered his palm from his chin, looking up to the garden looking for something source of the mysterious song.

"Huh?" His servant blinked, reaching slowly for his master unsure of what was going on.

"Can you hear something, can't you…?" His master said softly, standing up slowly from the stair that he was sitting on. "…" He heard the song again from somewhere.

My body won't give into the silence that surrounds
The light is completely gone now, I feel them there
I can hear their slow shallow breathing all around me

Stepping onto the grass, Maijra glanced at the darkened part of the path where the song was coming from and he started to heading toward there.

"…Young Master…?" He heard his servant called out to him, but he continued on and he was arrived on the old part of the garden looking around. This sound…

Even with my eyes closed I sense they're here
Slowly creeping towards me, closing in on me
I panic and want to scream but I don't dare

Closing his eyes quietly, he felt very calm and peaceful even if someone was standing beside him singing softly to him. A music box…?

He heard his servant run toward to him, calling out to him but he didn't pay any attention on a servant.

That's what they want, I won't let them win
Intense pain washes over my body, I try not to scream
It feels like thousands of knives are cutting deep into me

As he now stood on the empty spot in the middle of the old garden area, his ears twitching at a tiny sound come out of nowhere.

Crumble.

Opening his eyes confused, Maijra frowned. Wha… What is that noise?

I feel their cold icy hands tighten their grip on my arm
I know it won't be long now, soon it will be over
The first blow leaves me stunned, I freeze

Crumble.

He was standing on the weakened part of the ground was cracked and cracked more, unaware of what happening when he heard the same noise getting loud again.

Then the second one, it brings me back to reality
I try to clear my mind of all thoughts, try to forget
The less I think the less I feel the better it is

BA-M!

The ground under his feet finally gave away, as he fell down into the hole. "EH!?" Maijra's eyes looked surprised, feeling the ground had no longer support him.

"YOUNG MASTER!!" Renjiro screamed, leaping after him and snatched the sleeve part of his young master's shirt as both of them falling into the hole leaving the meowing confused little kitty looked down at the darkness void of the hole she was standing near.

Clatter!

Slam!

Clatter!

Slam!

Clink…

"Ugh…" Maijra groaned painfully, rubbing his aching head and looking up at the sunlight peering through the tiny hole and seeing the huge hole with a long stone stairs behind him. That explains why I'm having a bloody headache…

"That's hurt…" As he heard his servant suddenly stirred next to him, sprawling over his chest and looking dazed and clenching his forehead that looking like a bruise slowly forming on his skin.

"Hey…" Maijra looked over, as his servant rolled off him and he supported him on his arms against the stone-like floor. "Renjiro, are you still alive?" He asked groaning at his ache body as he tried to move, as slow as he could.

"Som…" Renjiro said painfully, rubbing his forehead slowly. "…Somehow…"

I am lying here on the floor, finally it's over
Their footsteps echo throughout the empty room
My face is bleeding; I am bruised all over, damaged

"Huh…?" Maijra and Renjiro opened his eyes, noticing something strange in the front of them and stared disbelief.

It was the cross-like tombstone stood proudly leaning against a beautiful, peaceful sakura tree. It was a truly beautiful sight.

Silently I lie here thinking, I start to cry
The tears sting the cuts on my face, I don't move
I don't understand them or their abuse, I never will

Rubbing his head slowly stopped, Maijra was embraced by the peaceful scene. Wha…

"This place…" Renjiro said softly, his arms shaking as he pushed himself upward staring at the same scene as his master did.

I should be glad that I'm alive but I'm not
I wish they had of killed me, ended this hell
Trapped in a world of hate wishing for an escape

"Could it be… a graveyard?" Renjiro said gulping, as his master walked over toward the lone stone. "Young Master?" As he followed after him, trembling at the sigh of the death stone.

"Yeah? But…" Maijra blinked, looking around in the small area. "There's only one grave here." As he took a good look at the lone stone, the tombstone looked like a lone cross with a circle and peaceful under the sunlight, suddenly something shines caught Maijra's attention.

It was a golden watch.

The darkness begins to lift, my anger stays
I know they will be back again once the light ends
Until then I must wait, enjoy the minutes, seconds of freedom.

Maijra's eyes widened slowly, reaching for the sparkling gold watch in a slow motion and ignoring the soft words from his servant.

"The name's really faint… I can't read." Renjiro said turning his head back to his master and he blinked. "…Young Master?"

Looking in a trance, the young master touched the golden watch and suddenly felt a something rushing to him through his touch.

Ba-Dump…

Widening his eyes, he trembled holding the golden watch from the tombstone. "Tch…!" He stepped back trembling more. What is this… This feeling…

Ba-Dump…

Snapped the watch opened as the same song started to play again, Maijra froze trembling at this. That sound earlier… Did it come from this watch?

"…" He gulped, slowly reaching the tiny button of the golden watch he was holding in his left hand as the servant noticed his movement, concerning at his master's state.

Young Master…? Renjiro frowned worriedly at his now sweating master. You looked more pale than usual…

Click… He turned the button around in a slow movement, almost in a trance. Click…

I don't think I heard this melody before… I wonder whose pocket watch this is…? Maijra thought in a trance, stopping the button when the soft noise coming from the watch.

Tic…

"Hmm?" Renjiro blinked in surprise at the golden watch. What… What is going on…? Young Master?

Tic…

It's getting louder and louder. That watch.

–but… Maijra looked pale, his right hand trembling as the noise grew darker and more sinister. …For some reason…

TIC…

As suddenly, he found himself standing in the mysterious room with a lone table along with a white teacup and a white teapot that both made of porcelain. In the room was filled in all white, a place of emptiness except for a lone, male porcelain doll in a black formal suit, and a single little circle glass of a silver eyeglass he was wearing with a chain attached to the chest pocket, sat on the lone chair next to the table.

TIC… TIC… TIC…

"Huh…?" Maijra stood on the cleaned floor, rooting to his fear as he looked slowly around in the room. "Wh… Where am I…?"

Tic… Tic… Tic…

The lone grandfather clock swung the bell fro and back, silent taunting at the trapped boy. "Heh…Heh… Heh…" A quiet snicker that was getting loud and loud, startling the young master.

As he looked around wildly, backing up against the invisible wall in fear. "Who's out there?"

"Kyahehe…"

Snickering turn into cold chuckling, striking a chill through the child's blood and leaving goosebumps on his pale skin.

"WHO'S OUT THERE?!" Maijra bellowed fearfully, his forehead sweating a bit.

"Hehehe…! HAHAHAHA!!"

Maijra looked startled at the sound that comes behind him, turning back to the lone doll sitting in the chair holding the teacup. When… When did he have a teacup?!

Chuckling that was suddenly turn into a full of laughing sarcastically, the gentleman doll suddenly looked alive. "GYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"

Stepped backward even if he doesn't have room to move beyond the wall, Maijra stared at the doll disbelief and fear. "Wha…? What are you…?"

CLICK… CLICK… CLICK… CLICK…

"Returned!!" The doll finally said, crackling as he moved gracefully and placed teacup on the table. "Finally, he returned!!"

Maijra trembled.

"So pleased… He shall be so pleased…"The doll snickered, baring his fangs in a dark smile. "Yes, of course!! 'Cause he's been waiting for so long…"

CLICK… CLICK… CLICK…

What…is this!? Maijra stared horrifically at the crackling doll. What is he?! Where am I?!

"Disgraceful toy… Please be quiet." A soft voice quickly silenced the gentleman doll into the same lifeless position he was in before again. "Ya scared 'im a bit…"

Maijra heard the sound of footsteps beside him, turning his head and saw the door was opened, someone stood there. Since when did the door popped out of nowhere…?

"You… Who are you…" He said looking quietly at the shadow person stood by the doorway, unconsciously moving away from the mysterious figure.

"Hm?" The figure lifted his head in the light, revealing it was…

Maijra stepped back in a pure horror of surprise.

…An exactly mirror looking alike, except it was an older one version of himself.

"I knew it…" The looking alike said grinning, offering a fake innocent smile. "Ya come fer me…"

As the looking alike walked over to the table, picking up the teapot and pouring into the teacup so he continued. "I'm so happy!" He chirped sipping the teacup, smiling mysteriously. "No one quite fond of me dat much…"

"WHAT!?" Maijra exclaimed, clenching his fists furiously as he glared hatefully at the unknown boy before him.

"…Dat's why no one comes ta see me…" The looking alike boy ignored him, offering another teacup to the gentleman doll with an empty smile.

WHAM!!

The young master slammed onto the table angrily, snapping at the mirrored boy. "Wait just a fucking second, I don't know what are you saying!" He seized the boy's shirt and shaking him wildly. "What is this place?!"

A smirk.

"What are you saying…?"

With that, the looking alike removed the angry master's fingers from his shirt and his arms widened around in the air at the room. "You… Don't ya always come 'ere?"

Maijra blinked. "Me…?"

"Yes, you…" The mysterious boy sat down on the appeared chair, pouring his empty teacup with his teapot. "Whenever ya are sad, ya are always comin' ta me…"

Maijra blinked again. "Wha…?"

"As long as I am 'ere…" The smiling eyed boy sipped his teacup, grinning the fox-like smile. "I don't care if I can never escape from dis place."

"…You…" Maijra snapped, having a sudden courage to speak to the unknown person that had his face. "What on earth are you…?"

Rising his teacup stopped, as the boy froze at this and his fox-like smile disappeared. "Me…?" As teacup slipped out of his fingers, falling downward to the floor. "I…?"

SHATTER!

The shattering pieces of a white teacup was scattered all over the floor and the blue-white flame sudden exploded all over the room, nearly burning the young master as Maijra shielded his face with his arms.

"You…"

Maijra peered through his arms, staring in horror at the real form that was revealing in the looking alike body.

"You…" It said in threatening tone, baring its white fangs behind the burning blue-white wall of fire. "…Don't recognized me...?"

Maijra backed up in fear, feeling the wall he was pressed against. He was trapped.

"Ya always… come ta me…" It snarled furiously, his voice echoed anywhere in the flaming room. "…Always cryin' fer yer daddy… Seekin' fer a comfort…"

Shutting his ears with his hands, Maijra closed his eyes tightly. What the hell…is this…?

"Since yer mommy died…" It hissed, as Maijra could feel the beast smiling wickedly at him.

Finally, the young master cannot take it down with and yelled at the beast behind the fire. "STOP IT!!"

Suddenly, everything went black and quiet. And he was alone… Again…

"I'll kill you…" A voice behind him, pressing its talons against his bared neck as Maijra froze and then he ducked, knocking the paw away from him. "Wha…?" He said backing away from the beast.

But it was too late for him to get away when the claws claimed him again, holding him in the neck. "GAH!"

"I'll never forgive ya…" The beast was smiling sarcastically and gleefully at the pained child. "I'll never… Never…!"

The boy's eyes widened in horror once more, he was choking to death.

"No matter where ya run and hide," The beast said in the darkness grinned insanely. "I'll find ya no matter what!!"

"Le…" The boy struggled under the pressure, clawing furiously at the paw that was choking him. "LET GO!!"

"Mmm?" The beast looked interested, grinning fanged at him. "Hehe…Wat's wrong, boy?" As the boy didn't answered, continued struggling more. "Do… I make ya scared…?"

Maijra trembled feeling the other paw patting gently on his head. "Hehe… Dat's fine…" It chirped. "I'll scare ya all I wanna!"

"Lament… Tremble… Despair… Hatred… All of it…" As the beast embraced him into his furry chest, holding him like a young cub. "I'll gently teach ya everythin'!!"

It grinned. "And den… At dat final moment, I…"

As quickly as the master could blink, the beast snapped his jaw at him. "…will devour ya and all yer flesh!"

Finally, the young master can't take much more and opened his mouth. "AAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHH!!"

Young…

…Master…?

"YOUNG MASTER!!"

As Maijra was snapped out of his trance, feeling the hand gripped his shoulder shocking him. Looking around in confusion, he was back in the garden. There was no a gentleman doll, no table, no teacup, no teapot…

…and no monster either…

Only him and Renjiro alone…in the garden…staring at the tombstone…

"Eh…" His servant said softly, letting his master go slowly. "What happened? You were just staring off…"

Maijra stared blankly at him. Renjiro frowned deeply, his eyes gazing down at the golden watch that his master was holding in the right hand.

"…That watch… Did something?" He asked softly, staring unsurely at the ticking item. I don't like that feeling… Something very bad…

"…Huh…?" Maijra looked down confusedly and dazedly at the golden watch. Tic… Tic… Tic…

His servant concerned about how pale his master was becoming after the trance. Frowning uneasily at the sinister pocket watch in the master's right hand. Young Master…

"Wha…" The young master looked around in confusion, holding the pocket watch tightly to his chest, trembling a bit.

"What was that…? Just now…" He whispered even a little, making the servant had hard time to listen. His eyes widened in fill of fear, horror, and confusion all rolled into one at once and his skin turned paler than a ghost.

Who…?

TO BE CONTINUE…

…

End of the Prologue I

Me: (coughs politely) When I typed this long prologue, I realized I typed too many pages so I have to cut one huge story into two prologues. (Scratched my head sheepishly) Wow… No wonder I loves the ancient flashback of that 600th-500th era and the creation era. (Laughs nervously)

Kobo: (sweatdropped) Time for sneak peek about upcoming next prologue: "The Rebirth of the Gluttony part two."

Even so… Was that really a dream?

That feeling…like strangled.

"If I have not shown up at the ceremony then…"

That kind of "If" thought should be left behind…

"We'll give that Descendant of Sankou…"

"The Greatest Blessing Imaginable!!"

It's like I'm being lured…towards the depth of darkness…

Review this story, please.