Chapter Two - A Little Anger Issue
Cordillea took a deep breath and hesitantly opened the door to his chambers; Diem's chamber. She let her air linger in her lungs for awhile then let it out slowly, preparing her for anything unexpected that could happen next. She feared Diem more than anything.
"Master," Cordillea addressed, bowing slightly, and she walked in to the room more, feeling the door behind her close. There was a huge fireplace before her that spread its flames like wings and danced with the dark shadows along the walls. A nice wooden desk filled up the space in front of it. The flames lit up portions of the wall that held engravings of Demons fighting Gods, the designs old and beautifully detailed. Diem opened his eyes; a faint luminous glow of red filtered his pupils. He could sense her presence, and it angered him.
"What is it?" he hissed and watched her eyes slowly move from the ground and then to his. Diem sat up on his desk, letting his legs fall over the edge. He eagerly wanted to lay back down but was rudely interrupted and decided not to. Cordillea felt his eyes upon her, an awkward feeling that she wished would go away. She noticed his fragile human form dressed in a tight, black suit and his hair black and messy.
"War is coming," she said. Diem gently got off the desk and stood in front of her, slightly gazing up.
"The Gods think they can wipe us away. It makes me sick," Diem chuckled. Cordillea shifted her weight to her other leg.
"And Erra?"Diem asked.
"Gone with Gokai…" Cordillea said, closing her eyes, fearing what Diem might do. Diem spat on the floor, the flames in the room rising with intensity and wrapping around his legs like a pet, "I'm going to go find them and bring them back." The fire spread from his legs to his torso and smothered his whole body with flames, engulfing him like a cocoon. It swallowed him up and he disappeared.
Ω
The sun was setting again, leaving the sky in a dark pink haze that blended in with the canvass of the dying world. Night's fingers were eagerly grasping the Earth, pushing the sun aside, and Gokai and Erra had been walking for what seemed like hours.
"We better stop here for tonight," Gokai said, checking out the surroundings. There was really nothing but fields of grass that gently swayed like the ocean's wave. They had stopped near an old oak tree in the middle of the field. Its branches fell over on the ground showing that age had withered it down. Gokai leaned up against the tree and sighed. He closed his eyes and let the moment of silence soak in.
"Hey, are you feelings alright?" Erra asked and took a seat on the ground. She let herself lean back on the tree as well. It felt nice; her feet were aching and sore. Gokai opened his eyes, "Yeah, just tired of being in my human form."
"Than change," Erra said.
"I don't want to scare you sweet heart," Gokai smiled. Erra waved her hand as if nothing could bother her now. So, Gokai shrugged and nodded approvingly. The flesh slowly disappeared off, but it felt good to him. He stretched his arms up in the air, and put them back down, letting his true self be revealed. Erra's eyes opened wide. Gokai's skin had transformed into pale silver with a touch of light green. Sharp fangs replaced his human canines, and he had a long tail that ripped through his pants, but what was most present were the two thick pieces of bone, blood, flesh and feather that stuck out of his shoulders.
"Gokai, you are a Demon," Erra concluded. Her mouth went dry when she realized that this was no longer a dream. There is definitely more going on in the world than she could have ever imagined.
"What happened to your back?" Erra pointed at the raw flesh wound on his back. Gokai shifted his shoulders around and sighed. He did not really feel like telling her about it, but since she was the princess, it was her right to know anything she asked.
"They were once my God wings, till the Heavens condemned Diem to Hell, for making me, and they ripped our wings off. We fell along way, our existence was consumed by the Demon spirit and made us what we are," the words solemnly slid from Gokai's mouth. Erra looked down at the ground, watching the grass flow in the wind. She felt sympathy for him. She could not think of anything to say. Gokai watched Erra sit down and decided to take a seat next to her. His tail twitched in the dirt as he leaned his back against the rough bark.
Gokai turned his head to meet Erra's eyes. She hesitantly looked up at him, her expression of worry and fear. She had such soft eyes, Gokai starred into them with a hunger he could not explain. Erra quickly drew her glance back to the grown, feeling her cheeks get hot and turn red.
"Oh," Gokai looked away and laughed a bit, "Sorry didn't mean to stare like that, and they shifted positions, scooting just a little farther from each other.
"You know why Diem made me?" Gokai asked. Not letting Erra reply, he just kept on talking, "Diem was one of the highest class Gods of the Heavens, and wanted things to be done his way. He despised the humans with a passion no one could understand. I mean, he was a God, he was supposed to show love, and not hate. Diem was ordered to stay out of the war between the Gods and Demons, and this made his anger grow. He decided to split his soul, keeping only the stronger half to himself –the dark soul, and use the light soul to make me. This was the only way to be banished from the Heavens. No longer a God with a light soul, he was cast away with me, and the darkness took us both in."
"That does not seem fair to you, Gokai," Erra said. Gokai shrugged his shoulders, "Just the way things are." He gave her a half hearted smile, and leaned his head back on the tree.
The sun was no longer visible, and the stars peeked out brightly. Gokai had made himself nice bedding for them to lie on from the leaves that hung from the tree.
"Thanks for helping me," Erra said, watching Gokai roll onto his back. He tucked his arms under his head.
"This has definitely been worth seeing you dance," Gokai smiled to himself. Erra rolled her eyes, and laid herself down next to him.
"What are we going to do now," she asked.
"I'm not sure. We'll just have to see what tomorrow brings, I guess," Gokai yawned. The night had become quiet, and Gokai closed his eyes, trying to sleep. He knew that whatever lay ahead tomorrow was not going to be easy.
Ω
There was a cold feeling on her, not physical, but like a feeling of death. "Wake up Princess." She wiggled her eyes open and blew out a deep breath, muscles stiff from the ground, realizing that voice was not Gokai.
The sun rose slowly, and the smell of wet due and a dead animal was a hard wakeup call for Gokai. He rolled over and got up, only to be face to face with his Master.
"How did he find us?" Erra whispered. She knew exactly who this was by the way Gokai was looking at him.
"My dear, I always know where Gokai is. I created him, didn't I?" Diem smiled at Erra, slowly raising an eyebrow. The heat in the area began to die, leaving the air cold. Erra noticed this, her breathe now visible. A ball of panic grew in her, and she stumbling backward, bumping into Gokai. He caught her, enjoying the feeling of her body within his grasp. Now was not the time to be thinking about that. He pushed her behind him.
"Gokai…" she whispered. He looked back at her, unsure of what to do.
"It is time to give her up!" Diem yelled, and his voice seemed to vibrate. He opened his hands, letting the energy he stole from the area open up into fire within his palms. He closed his eyes, and the fire went hurdling towards Gokai and Erra.
Gokai turned and pushed Erra to the ground. The fire scorched upon Gokai's back and vanished –there was no pain. Erra quickly reached down into her boot and left the cold steel of a blade. Within seconds, Diem was rushing towards them, bending down to grab her. She did not even see him move. Erra violently slashed out at him with her dagger, and Diem disappeared with a blur. She blinked with confusion. Gokai lifted himself up and held out his hand. Erra took it fast and was soon back on her own feet again, dagger up and ready to strike.
"Behind you!" Gokai yelled. Erra turned around, reacting to Gokai's words and slashed out again, screaming. She stopped in mid air, unable to move any farther. Diem held her wrist, his strength impossible to withstand. He began to twist her wrist, forcing her to gasp and fall to her knees. The dagger fell out and hit the ground with a thud.
"Is this the best you can do?" Diem taunted, and sent her flying into the tree. She screamed in pain as she rolled off the trunk. Gokai had stayed where he was, too paralyzed to move, and watched as Erra would not get back up.
Erra starred at the ground beneath her, watching her breath push up dirt and feeling the pain in her back that started to spread like a disease to her head every time she inhaled. Diem stood in front of her. She looked at his shoes and closed her eyes. The air was getting cold again.
Gokai looked around. He knew that he was no match for Diem, but he could not just stand there and watch Erra be taken away. Gokai pounced on Diem's back and sank his teeth into his shoulder. The heat wrapped around Gokai, fire tried to burn him, but failed. The hottest blood oozed out of Diem's pierced flesh and filled Gokai's mouth. The pain gave into his shoulder as well, for what Diem felt, Gokai shared the same fate. Tears began to fill up Gokai's eyes, the pain like a dull pounding on his skin.
Diem was astonished by Gokai. For a second he froze and let his jaw drop. He had never once harmed him. What was he thinking? Diem growled deep within his throat, and reached behind him, grabbing Gokai's leg and pulling him off.
Erra searched for her dagger while she had the chance. She spotted it a few feet away. Kitty reached, straining her sore muscles. She barely skimmed the handle of the blade with her fingertips. She could not reach.
"You will regret you ever did that!" Diem bellowed at Gokai, and Erra slid up behind Diem, her palms sweaty around the weapon. She raised it up and rushed it down upon Diem, who, at the same time was turning around toward her. There was a loud slicing noise as the blade easily forced itself into his forehead. The skin slowly eased itself away from the penetrating blade and began to cry. The blood dripped down his face and stained the Earth below. Diem stood there with a disturbing grin on his face. The blood had run over his mouth and he gently licked it off with his long tongue.
Gokai fell back on the ground, grasping his forehead and crying out with pain. He rolled over on his stomach and threw up, but the pain didn't seem to cease. Diem reached up and felt the hilt of the dagger. He grabbed it and began to pull. The blade slid roughly out, making a wet, slithering noise. Gokai screamed with agony as the blade fell down in Diem's hands and rested at his side.
Erra shook her head in disbelief. What now? Diem raised the dagger up, the blade seeming to glisten with blood. Heat rose off of it as if it came from a fiery Hell. Gokai gasped and pushed off the ground, jumping in front of Diem as he threw the dagger at Erra.
"No…" Diem whispered under his stolen away breathe but it was too late. The dagger pierced Gokai's chest and both demons fell to the ground. Erra screamed as the demons cried out, their voices shrieking and echoing into the unknown, the noise horrifying and deafening. She reached for her ears and slouched down, trying to block out the noise. Diem had brought himself down on one knee, holding his chest. He wrinkled up his face as the pain grew worse. Diem got up and made his way to Gokai, grabbing the dagger and ripping it out. They both seemed to sigh as the weight of the world lifted up from them.
Erra uncovered her ears and ran to Gokai. Diem hit Erra back, sending her slamming into the tree yet again. She groaned as more bones in her body broke. Diem picked up Gokai and looked at Erra. Unfortunately, he and Gokai could not go on like this. He had to leave and think about things. Nobody knew where Erra was, so she would just have to wait.
"Till next time princess…" and with that he disappeared, taking Gokai with him. "Gokai!" Erra screamed, watching them dissolve into nothing, and she closed her eyes, feeling the warm tears rush down her cheeks. The wind blew her sorrows in the air and carried them to the trees.
Ω
Another headache pounded within his head like a hammer. Diem rubbed his eyebrows with frustration. He sucked in a lot of air and let it all out with a long sigh.
"Sir, someone is here to see you," Cordillea rang through his mind. The words hit him like a bullet against his brain. He tightened his grip on Gokai, starring into nothing.
"I will be there as soon as possible," Diem replied and flew on softly into the darkness.
The Reaper waited patiently for Diem to return. He sat on a hard couch in the lounge of Diem's palace. Cordillea came in and took a seat across from him, wondering what could this man want?
The door to the lounge suddenly swung open, and it slammed against the wall, breaking its hinges, denting the wall and also breaking the silence. They gazed over at Diem and Gokai. Cordillea got up and was about to speak but Diem raised his hand to silence her. She closed her mouth and lowered her eyes. Diem dropped Gokai on the ground, and he moaned in pain, rolling over toward the wall, using it as support. They both dripped blood.
"You're a Reaper, how nice," he rolled his eyes, walking over to the bar in the corner of the room. He took out an elegant wine glass and blew on it; his breathe filling it with luscious blood. Gently he shook it and took a drink, letting the liquid soothe his body and warm him up, "What is it you want?"
"I know about Princess Erra, and her return to Earth. Rumors are starting to run fast down in Hell, making a lot of the Demons come up to Earth in search of her. The Gods in Heaven are growing impatient as well; they know that a Demon has captured her. They are declaring war and won't stop until they have her back, and are willing to comprise with whoever has her," the Reaper said, keeping his eyes off of Diem.
Diem looked at this stranger whom sat on his couch. He garbed himself in black robes that hung low to the floor. The fabric was wrapped around his head and covered his face. He made no other sign of movement except his light breathing.
"You are telling me facts that I already know. What do you want…I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name," Diem said, swirling his cup in a circle.
"Keir, of the Reapers," he replied to Diem, "I know that you know where this princess is and instead of being enemies, trying to capture and fight over one prize, I propose that we team up, and work together."
Diem thought to himself. He glanced over at Cordillea, whom was standing by Gokai. She nervously fidgeted with her hands. He did not want to join forces with anyone, nor did he want to share power. Kier would become his slave, a better slave than Gokai now that he could not trust his other soul, and once he gets the princess in his hands, he would kill the Reaper.
"Alright than," Diem nodded. Keir got up and turned toward Diem, bowing slightly, "you have my oath of loyalty."
"I'll tell you where she is. Now bring her back to me. I will be watching you," Diem said. Keir nodded, "As you wish…" and vanished.
Diem held his wine glass tightly, rage beginning to fill his body, and he threw it at the wall. It shattered into pieces and fell onto the floor. Diem grabbed his head and yelled with fury. He walked out of the room without saying another word.
Cordillea stayed silent throughout his tantrum. Her heart stopped racing only once he was gone. She went to Gokai and lifted him up.
"I got to get out of here," Gokai opened his eyes, and moaned in pain. Cordillea frowned at the condition he was in. She had to feel a little pity for him.
"I do not think that is such a good idea," she said and brushed back Gokai's hair. Gokai chuckled weakly, generating a cough.
"Diem is always in a bad mood, I do not fear him like I have before. I have learned that he is not immortal," Gokai leaned his body on the wall and pushed himself up, legs shaking greatly, "I have to go save Erra, she needs me. Cordillea, you have no idea what she does to me. She makes me feel…she makes me feel like…"Gokai struggled to find the words to say, "I don't know, but I like it, and I must go find her before Keir does. I do not understand what Diem is doing with him; this is unlike him to work with someone else. I don't trust him, just as I don't trust Diem."
Cordillea put her hand on Gokai's arm. She smiled at him, and tucked her long blonde hair behind her ears. Gokai nudged her arm off and turned around, starring out the window. It was dark out, and he could not see much.
"I think you better stay here," Cordillea said, "Here, let me go get you a drink." She walked over to the bar and grabbed a glass. Gokai opened the window, feeling the nice breeze come in and tickle his face. Cordillea looked up and ran to him, "Gokai! Don't!" she reached for him, but he had already jumped out. She sighed, and starred out into the darkness.
