Hello everyone! welcome to my first ever fanfiction story. This my first time publishing any of my artistic work so if their are problems, I'm sorry and do let me know. I welcome reviews for opinions and interests, but no hazing please. I hope you enjoy the opening act.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or Rosario + Vampire and the main story location is based off 'The Divine Comedy'.

"Through me the way to the city of woe, through me the way to everlasting pain, through me the way among the lost. Justice moved my maker on high. Divine power made me, wisdom supreme, and primal love. Before me nothing was but things eternal, and I endure eternally. Abandon all hope ye who enter here."

The gates of hell

'The Divine Comedy'

Prologue

The Ninth Circle – Lake Cocytus

It's cold.

This is the first thought to come to mind when one observes this place, followed immediately by how dark it has suddenly become. The farthest point in the entire of the universe from the light and warmth of life, this is the land of treachery. A frozen lake of ice where a biting wind blows ceaselessly across a barren plain, reaching all the way to the jagged shores where icy spike pillars sprout up like some demented forest of ice trees. Other than the wind shrieking in the open there is nothing but silence, for none who reside in this place have strength to move or speak. They are forever sealed away in ice from the cycle of life and death as their punishment for their betrayal. If you dare to enter this place and possess the will to challenge the wind and the cold to follow to their source, you will find something even more terrible than the frozen silence of this world. At the heart of this lake, submerged up to his waist in Lake Cocytus, is the massive form of the ruler of this dark world, the king of hell: Lucifer. Twice the size of the largest known giant with two sets of massive charcoal black bat wings, once graceful and white now beat out the endless wind that freezes over the heart of hell. He hunches over the lake delivering the greatest of punishments for the worst traitors by continuously devouring those poor bastards with his three terrifying, horned heads, each bearing the mark of the devil and glowing eerily between luminescent goat-like eyes, full of demonic cunning. He has physically remained like this since his inception, with only a brief respite during the Dark Ages when he broke free of the chains of Judacca. However, he was immediately recaptured by a human who passed through this place on a pilgrimage through the realms of the afterlife. Now both of the arms of the Prince of Lies have been frozen right into the lake itself, never to be free or attempt escape again; left only to steam and brew with contained rage over the humiliation of his latest defeat.

And so it has been for over 800 years. Nothing has disturbed this cold realm, but the next one to enter this place will set in motion the events that will change the realms of the afterlife forever.

"Who is there?" spoke Lucifer as he looked up with his six eyes over the dark landscape. He had not felt the presence until it was almost before him, something that should not have been possible. I am the ruler of Hell, no one moves without me knowing!

"Come forth O small soul, so I may decide if I should devour your essence or not," commanded Lucifer with a mild compulsion in his voice in an attempt to draw out the unknown presence.

Out of the darker shadows came a clocked figure, slim and fairly tall, but not much larger than an average human. No other details could be discerned as he wore a long cloak of midnight black that enshrouded him all the way to his toes and covered his face completed in a deep hood.

"I would consider myself more valuable to you than your personal snack, after all, if you started eating me you will no longer have a mouth to talk with. And you know it's not a good habit to talk with your mouth full," the stranger said. Then, ten tiny candle studs were lit with a wave of his concealed hand in a sudden flash. The ten that made up the points of the pentagram star on the ground which made up the hidden magic circle to open the gate to the kingdom of purgatory.

This little action surprised Lucifer. How did he summon down fire in the ninth circle!? How did he know where the gate was? "It appears you are not some dammed soul that Minos misplaced like an idiot, but why should I not consider just devouring you and savor listening to your delicious screams," cooed Lucifer in an attempt to draw the newcomer close enough to recognize him or her. After all it must be someone he knows who was attempting to trick him to gain some of his power. This is Hell after all, we're all backstabbers and cutthroats out get each other here.

"I am here to grant your dearest wish," the stranger replied.

"And what would that be?"

"To be free," whispered the stranger.

Lucifer froze in shock.

"I can release you from your prison so you may unleash your wrath upon the earth and heavens." The stranger spoke, growing in volume until he seemed to be speaking to an invisible audience listening to his conviction. "I know that since your defeat at the hands of that pitiful human Dante, you have lost hope to escape your eternal torment. To have come so close to renewing the great war, only to be foiled right at the moment of truth by the simple act of forgiveness."

The stranger began to walk around Lucifer's huge bulk, "Now you have been bound by the power of repentance, stronger than the divine chains of Judecca" he continued. "I know how to free you completely from this prison." He paused and turned to face the devil's scrutinizing eyes, "and all I need from you is your assistance in acquiring the necessary materials."

"So, you would use my power to free me," mused Lucifer. "For what purpose would you do this? What is it that you want? A deal, perhaps?"

"I wish to unleash you upon all those soft creatures of the light. For too long they have controlled the reins of creation, with us forever trapped under their sway, and not one of them with any real power. Remind them that we, of the darkness, will always control existence from beyond the reach of the light," said the stranger.

"So what is it that you need from me?" replied Lucifer. I will play his game for now and if he succeeds I'll finally have my revenge, and if not, well, there is always room here for one more soul.

"The help of your legions, in particular your archdevils," proudly spoke the stranger.

"Why them?" asked Lucifer.

"I will need them for acquiring the power to break the ice. The power you need exists in the world of the living and it will not be taken easily," the stranger laughed as if it was obvious.

Insolent fool! No one laughs at me! "Oh really? Well, I will humor you and all of your request, take who you need and return to me hence forth, but cross me, and I you will find yourself face deep in ice" Lucifer spoke smoothly with a hint of humor. Let us see if you can impress me again.

Kneeling down, the stranger replied with sudden reverence, "thank you for your generosity. I will return like a conquering king with the keys to the kingdom in my hand." Then without pause, the stranger rose up and walked out of the candle light. Immediately the candles went out, returning the lake to its absolute darkness.

This will be interesting to watch unfold. I do believe that my interest in the affairs of the world has returned, thought Lucifer as he returned to his former position in the ice. I do hope he returns. The taste of such an interesting soul is probably quite savory. Lucifer began chuckling to himself as he withdrew into himself so to release his shadow form and once more "walk" among his subjects.

Unknown Location, Hell

The mysterious stranger appeared in a flash of purple light, and would have shocked anyone with his unexpected presence, or would have if they could see him. The place he had appeared was pure darkness, not even silhouettes of darker shapes could be seen. However, the stranger was not alone, even the least aware person could not miss the haunting feeling of being watched. It was quite an unsettling feeling, like one's seventh sense for danger going insane, mixed with the unexplainable knowledge that whatever was out there was very, very old and full of malice.

This realm of the abyss may not be bitter cold, but the creatures bound here created a sense of dread so great it would cause anyone to agree that it is colder here than being in the ninth circle.

The stranger however, did not feel uncomfortable at all; in fact you could say he felt like he had come home. "I have returned my brethren, and I bring good news: Lucifer has decided to support our plan," said the stranger.

"Does… he … suspect… anything?" rasped an ancient voice out from the dark, no louder than a whisper, but still with enough strength to silence any crowd.

"No, he believes that I have found the tools to release him from his prison of ice and flesh" said the stranger.

"Pray…he…doesn't…" another voice cracked weakly not unlike the sound of rocks grinding against each other.

"We…need…" groaned another his voice echoing through the canyon.

"Hush my masters; you are still too weak to speak. I will ensure that all goes according to plan," soothed the stranger.

"Yes…soon…" weakly broke another voice.

"Soon…we…shall…rise" replied the first voice drawing out to a near rumble.

Then, silence returned like a blanket to cover the darkness. Rest my masters, thought the stranger, rest and remember your old selves. Soon we shall become strong again, and at long last we shall restore our old glory and the universe will bow and serve us once more. He turned on a heel to begin his mission, the swishing revealing just enough of his face to catch a flash of purple eyes that were laced with black and silver slit pupils. Then he was gone, off to start the chain of events that would spark the greatest conflict to envelope Hell since Dante's journey.

End of Chapter…

This is just the opening act, more chapters will come later. I know none of the cast have appeared yet, but they will starting in chapter 1. I don't know when the next chapter will be posted due to the start of the new semester, but I will continue.