A/N: I have no real excuse as to why this chap took so long; I took a break from AmaShie for a while, but I think I'm back to update the stories I do have! Anyway, hope you guys enjoy the chap and forgive me for the ridiculously long wait ^^'

Disclaimer: I still don't own ANE


Chapter 2- Emotion

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Amaimon grits his teeth as he supports the unconscious exorcist, head barely above the black, suffocating miasma. Wrapping his arms tighter around the blonde, he closes his eyes, waiting for the inevitable pull of the Gehenna gate.

It quickly swallows them in a flash of dying blue, a cacophony of cobalt sparks and black tendrils of miasma, leaving the demon breathless and cold. While the gate to Assiah could destroy a physical body, the Gehenna gate could destroy the soul.

Even he could feel the pull, a small tug near where his heart should be, signaling the Gate's greed. It hungered for souls, whether they were demon or human. Looking down at Shiemi, he saw that her face had twisted to a frown, delicate eyebrows furrowed in pain. He could only hope she fought off the Gehenna gate; humans without souls were particularly bland.

The darkness en route to Gehenna was tangible, a horrid mass of fear and pain that always left a feeling of loss afterwards. Most lesser demons would collapse after traveling through a Gehenna gate, but for Amaimon, it was only returning home. His body needed no adjustment to the demon world; Assiah was non-hospitable to most (not including a certain demon prince of time and space) demons and could even cause amnesia in weaker spirits. Amaimon had been unaccustomed to traveling to Assiah (the air nearly stifling in its dead heat), but felt the cold darkness of Gehenna to be almost inviting.

Even as they traveled through the miasma filled wormhole, he couldn't shake off the hint of warmness he did feel. It was almost burning in comparison to the heavy darkness, and as he looked again to the human situated in his arms, a strange sensation overtook him. For a moment he wanted to smother the warmth, leave it as cold and empty as he. To smother the dying flame in his arms...

Clawed hands reached for a lock of hair, running it gently between his fingers. Tracing his talons over the column of her neck, he nearly pressed in, the need to kill overpowering. And he would have, if her eyes hadn't opened suddenly. He became distracted by the color, a new urge sneaking from his mind to his clawed hands. He wanted her eyes- the emerald orbs, all for himself. Perhaps his cousin truly was rubbing off on him he mused, watching as the girl blinked awake.

She seemed momentarily dazed, mouth opening to speak only to find no voice. Then there was the conscious feel of pain in her heart from the Gate, causing the girl to shudder uncontrollably. The shock of waking to darkness and the searing pain was too much for the blonde as her eyes fell closed yet again, body slack against the Demon King.

A few moments later, the Gehenna Gate wrenched open, causing the demon king to float harmlessly down to the grassy plain below. Good, he had landed in his domain after all. His kingdom was the only domain to have plants and flowers (or at least, the twisted, mirrored version of foliage). The grey towering trees, whose branches poked out like knives provided ample landing spots as the demon hopped upward in the direction of his home.

Passing through the pseudo-forest (though forest wasn't exactly the right word), he took in the familiar scenery. The trees still reached upwards, talon-like branches reaching up towards the only light in Gehenna, a cyan sun. The grass still crackled under the harsh winds, which blew the mottled blades into the air. Hobgoblins and other demons of the Earth rested in the treetops, loud howls and screeches echoing in the stifling darkness.

It was then that Amaimon returned his gaze to the sleeping girl in his arms. Soft breaths escaped her pink lips as she curled closer to the demon king, fingers clenched into his leather jacket. The girl was unconsciously trying to burrow into the warmth and away from the biting wind. Though it hadn't appeared that she had been physically harmed in the transition from Assiah to Gehenna, he was still unsure if her soul had been injured or not. Shrugging, the demon continued on. If she was only an emotionless doll then he'd just kill her and feed her to Behemoth.

The miles of dead landscape disappear in his hastened pace, leading the pair to an underground cavern. Unlike many of the other kings, Amaimon cared little for theatrics or pomp. He made his home in the labyrinth of gnarled roots at the base of a tree. The earth had gave way, making an almost dome-like structure that was fortified seamlessly from the outside.

Standing outside his home, Amaimon ordered the roots to unclasp themselves from the soil, revealing a small tunnel passage that he quickly slipped through. The roots immediately formed back, barring others entrance— or escape.


When Shiemi woke, it was to a peaceful fragrance. Opening her eyes, she saw herself in a cave-like dwelling, roots clinging desperately to the cracks and crags of the wall. The small cot she was on dipped with her weight as she sat up, confusion apparent in her emerald orbs.

Where was she? The tamer remembered meeting Amaimon, the temptation of finding Amahara, and then the inevitable pull of the Gehenna Gate. It was then that she took notice of the sleeping demon to her right.

It was an oddly colored hobgoblin, a simple chain hanging from its neck. The beast snored loudly, its reverberations the only sound in the small room.

To her left she saw what could have been a window at one point, but had been smashed open as roots invaded the hole. There were wild flowers peppering the floors, seeping in through the cracks of the stone floor much like the vines that ran up the walls.

Ah, so that was where the scent was coming from, the blonde realized. She also realized that the hobgoblin must have been some sort of guard. Perhaps to keep her from escaping.

Shiemi had little time to dwell on the morbid thought as Amaimon appeared from the only passage that led to the room, an apathetic expression on his face.

"You're awake." He noted, settling down beside her on the cot. The bed tipped again, startling the blonde who looked down half in fear and half in embarrassment.

The demon was unnaturally close to her. He blinked owlishly, unaware that his behavior could be considered odd even as he followed the soft contours of her face. The pink tinge of her cheeks would be cute and perhaps even appealing if he were human, he thought. His cyan eyes then traveled from her cherubic features to her small hands, which were balled in her lap. Her grip on the fabric loosened when the Earth King suddenly reached forward, fingers poised at her eyes.

She shut her eyes on instinct, finding that the man's dangerous claws landed not over her eyelids, but to the stray locks of hair that cupped her cheeks. He brushed them out of the way with a surprising gentleness— a gentleness that probably even surprised himself.

"Sometimes I forget humans are so fragile..." He remarked, noticing the thin trail of red that marred her cheek. Despite all his carefulness, his claws had lightly cut her skin, causing a red line to blossom against her cheek.

The girl touched the crimson in shock; she hadn't even felt a sting. Wordlessly, the demon stood up, footfalls awakening the sleeping hobgoblin. His expression still neutral, Shiemi couldn't tell what he was thinking. If he was upset about cutting her, if it was what he planned to do all along or... if it awakened the bloodlust inside of him.

The large hobgoblin ran to its master excitedly, pausing to look at the flustered blonde. It gave what could only be considered a yip of approval, arrow-tipped tail wagging happily.

"Come, Behemoth." The king ordered sternly. The hobgoblin whined dramatically but followed, yellow eyes never leaving the blonde's. At the room's entrance, Shiemi blurted out a goodbye, followed by a line of dialogue that confused the Earth King.

"Uh, don't feel bad about cutting me; it was an accident, right?"

The demon stopped, turning back to look at the girl. "I wasn't feeling bad about it." He commented, noticing that the girl's once bright smile had dropped, crestfallen.

For some reason, her reaction bothered him. "...I'll be back later. With food." Amaimon added, taking his leave. He didn't have time to ponder ridiculous thoughts like genuine emotion.

The girl stayed on the cot even after the demon left. Thoughts of her friends and family flooded her mind until the mixture of exhaustion and stress caused her to sigh in despair. Closing her eyes, she willed herself to remain calm. She had no one to blame but herself for getting caught in this mess, and she was sure she'd get herself out of it.

Her first course of action was to befriend the strange demon king. If she could manage that much then he might let her return to Assiah. Escape was not an option for now; she imagined that roaming the fields of Gehenna would only lead to her premature death, nothing else.

Bringing her arms to her sides, she curled further into the cot, covering herself with the thin sheets. It was then that she allowed herself to cry silently, wishing to be anywhere but held captive by the emotionless King of Earth.


Outside, Amaimon found himself face to face with a horde of king hobgoblins. There was an insanity in their eyes which confused the demon. Their tongues hung out grotesquely, slobber dripping onto the dead, grassy field.

Return to your homes.

Instead of placating the beasts, his words seemed to spur them on, the entire horde lunging at him. The monsters had no chance, however, as he quickly killed them one by one, their shared blood pooling against his claws. The thrill of death was upon him again as his pupils narrowed further, his more demonic features becoming even more pronounced.

I want to kill… I need more. Blood. Death. I want more of it! His thoughts machinated together until all he could think of was the crimson against his talons. It was during his bloodlust that Amaimon noticed the swarm of low to mid-level demons that blackened the sky. Demons not from his own domain stampeded towards him, an unnatural hunger apparent in their beady eyes.

Ordering Behemoth back inside the cavern, Amaimon grinned widely. The girl was already providing him with much needed entertainment. She had attracted all sorts of demons, all looking to her soul for nourishment.

Letting out a laugh of mirth, Amaimon lunged forward, meeting the wave of demons with glee. Kidnapping the girl was the best idea he had in a while; now he didn't have to go wandering for things to kill. In fact, they were piling up right outside his home!

"How fun!" His laughs echoed through the entire forest, loud enough that even the blonde inside the cavern could hear his maniacal cries despite the layers of rock and roots that separated them.


"Naughty, naughty, otouto. I told you to stay away from my lovely cram school students." Mephisto noted patronizingly, floating just above the exorcist supply shop. Shiemi's mother was in tears as she informed the police of her daughter's sudden disappearance.

"I'm afraid the police will be unable to find her. However, this provides an interesting chance for Okumura-kun to take the stage. What will you do when you find out Shiemi's been taken by a Gehenna prince?"

There was, of course, no answer. Instead, Mephisto laughed loudly, standing up in his floating pinstriped armchair. His peridot eyes narrowed at the sight of the Academy.

"And now, the play shall begin~!"


A/N: Yay, second chapter done! Hope it was enjoyable! Please drop a review if you get the chance! Thanks ^^

Otouto= younger brother

Review?

-Isis