Chapter three: Messengers.
In the near limitless desert of Nevada there are two great cities the sight of which can stop a man dead in his tracks. One is the city of Las Vegas but it's not all that important right now. The other is the far grander city of the Death God home of the Shinigami Weapon Meister Vocational Academy. Here young men and women with powerful souls come to master the arts of a weapon Meister and fight to bring order and justice to a world on the brink of chaos. It is also here that those very rare individuals with the power to transform into demon weapons come to learn how to control their destructive nature. Together the two work to make themselves stronger and attain the near impossible goal of hunting down 99 evil human souls and the soul of a witch to create the ultimate weapon a Death Scythe.
It is a very noble task, and nearly impossible. Most of the graduates will join police forces around the world as simple one star technicians and will serve their communities quietly and efficiently. A few from each class will be allowed to join the elite task forces of the Shibusen proper becoming two star technicians. They will become the personal hit men of Shinigami-sama and the ultimate judges in the world. One out of every few thousand would actually complete the impossible task and become a legendary three star technician a wielder of a Death Scythe a personal body guard to the god of death. But it would take many years to do this even after they graduated after six grueling years in the school. That is if it was a normal class.
This year a class had proven itself to be exceptionally skilled. In one class four students had risen to the rank of two stars and one of them had already created a Death Scythe, one of the youngest in all of history. Admittedly, these students were the personal friends of Death's own Son: an absolute genius and a man destined to shape the future of the world, but even he hadn't created a Death Scythe yet so there was no denying the skill of the children.
They were so skilled that Shinigami-sama had already called on them to participate in at least two major battles and had officially organized them into a special squad called Spartoi. Those battles had pushed them to the breaking point but they had withstood the challenge and had arisen all the stronger for it. Even now they were returning from their latest mission. Spartoi had been tasked to rescue Death the Kid from a mad man and in the process had been wrapped up in a battle to destroy his organization. They had survived by the skin of their teeth, but they did survive and were victorious.
They entered the city through its main gate. It was a gate, despite the fact that a major highway ran to and from the city it did have walls and towers and a gate, making it seem more like a castle than a city. The first through the gates was Death the Kid himself. He looked like a spoiled boy, wearing a black suit even in the hot sun, with well groomed hair and pale white skin. His black hair had three white stripes running across half his head but other than that his whole body could've been bisected by a mirror and he really liked it that way. To his side came a pair of much older women, though one of them still seemed to be a teenager while the other was a young adult, both were dressed like cowgirls. They were the Thompson sisters: calmed headed, if a little cowardly Liz and childlike if a little berserk Patty.
Behind them came a young boy with blue spiky hair and a tank top with a high collar, the master assassin Black Star. He was the orphaned son of the insane White Star and had learned to walk the fine edge between madness and compassion for his foes. Next him was a tall girl with long black hair name Tsubaki a long suffering weapon with many forms, uses and wise counsel that was totally ignored by her near idiot partner.
After them came a young African American wearing glasses and short black hair and a collared shirt with drawn up sleeves. His name was Kilik Rung one of the strongest fighters in Shibusen an excellent boxer and good friends to those who could count on him. On his back were two young twins also from the bosom of mother Africa. They never spoke a word and never needed to. They were Thunder and Fire brother and sister they knew each other and their technician so well they could effortlessly guess what the other was thinking.
Bringing up the rear was the most unimpressive looking of the lot, a young girl with blond hair done up in pigtails. She was wearing suit jacket and a short red skirt. Her name was Maka Albarn and despite her fragile looking, and badly injured body she had driven herself to do far more than any of the others. For her partner, the young boy next to her with a yellow jacket on and a red bandana over the side of his head, was Soul Evens the Death Scythe of the squad and their piano player, when he could be bothered to.
They were greeted at the gates by the other members of their squad. A boy in goggles and very short hair flanked by long hair spikes coming off his head like an ox's horns. His name was Ox Ford, he was one of the smartest students at the academy. Behind him was a sharp looking boy with a visor like pair of glasses and all of his hair drawn back into a ponytail. He was Harvar De Eclair the lightning spear and he was as single minded as a thunder bolt. Next to him was a young girl dressed up like a raccoon. The only witch weapon Meister in all of Shibusen history, Kim Diehl. Normally a witch was much too destructive to be trusted with a demon weapon as well but Kim was a healer witch and that kept her from slowly going insane. Her partner was another young girl name Jacqueline O'lantern who saw herself as Kim's protector in many ways both on and off the battle.
"Kid!" Kim called out rushing to great her friends, "It's so good to see you back safe and sound. You had us all so worried!"
"Well I am back now, thanks to all your help." Kid answered.
"But mostly thanks to the amazing Black Star!" Black Star cried as he threw himself into a rant about all the amazing things he had done, conveniently leaving out all that the others had contributed.
"More like in spite of the amazing Black Star," Kilik chided deflating his friend's ego and interrupting his well rehearsed speech. He walked over to Ox and clasped his hand in greeting "Those witches give you any trouble?"
"Never had a chance," Ox answered, he had stayed behind to keep the witches who had transported the squad into the enemy fortress from pulling any tricks on the students. "The moment the ritual was over Kim and Jacqueline herded them back to their cells, apparently full witches don't take well to Kim's healing magic."
"Good to know." Maka added as Soul shouldered her on through the gate.
"Oh Maka!" Kim cried as she saw the cuts and bruises that covered her friend. "Here let me help you with that." She closed her eyes for a moment and white light gathered around her hands and formed a raccoon tail around her waist. She ran her hands over Maka's cuts and they immediately closed up and didn't even leave a scar behind. Kim breathed heavily when she was done, the magic took a lot of her but in a few seconds Maka had completely healed.
"Wow!" Maka gasped as she felt her strength returning, "That's some neat trick you have their Kim. I don't suppose you could use that magic to put Tezca Tlipoca back together could you?"
Kim looked down and shook her head before responding. "Those wounds are well beyond my magic, they took him to Shinigami-sama a while ago, but their other technicians didn't look that hopeful."
"So back to seven Death Scythes then?" Soul asked.
"Probably. Better to ask Shinigami-sama though, speaking of which he does expect to see you all in his office right away."
"Better not keep him waiting then." Death the Kid concluded, he was eager to see his father and not just for sentimental reasons.
Skip
Death himself did not really live in Death City, he lived in his own private dimension inside a mirror inside of the tallest tower of Death City. By living in the mirror he could instantly communicate with just about anyone in the world and could have some privacy to himself. In the past he hadn't had to, if he wanted to talk to someone he could've just flown over to them in an instant. But after defeating Asura in battle he had bound his soul to the land of Death City and couldn't leave it, even though Asura already had.
The students of Spartoi came to his mirror world by walking through a mirror at the top of the Death's tower. The world they entered looked like a barren desert extending in every direction they could see. Around the Mirror was a small stone circle they could easily stand on that was surrounded by sand and thousands of burial crosses and grave stones. Shinigami-sama himself was quite a character. He was covered in a black robe that was spiked enough to make him look like the silhouette of a jet fighter and tight enough to make it seem like he had only one leg. He wore a mask over his face that looked like a small, three eyed, white octopus. The moment Spartoi entered the room Death rushed over to them and lifted his son up off the ground and patted his head.
"Hello there children!" He cried in a nasally, high pitched voice, "It's so good to see you all back safe and sound!"
"Good to see you as well honored father." Kid responded as he pulled away from the hug and set about wiping his hair down and straightening his suit while his face blushed with embarrassment.
"Maka!" a man in a black suit and red collared shirt cried out and rushed to meet her with a similar embrace.
"Maka Chop!" Maka cried out and brought a book down on the man's head. He was Spirit, more often simply called Death's Scythe, and he was Maka's father, though he was divorced from her mother had no paternity rights to her.
"Oh Maka!" Spirit remorsed, "Why are you so cruel to Maka Papa?"
"That depends," Maka answered, "Why did you cheat on Mama?" Death's Scythe paused for a moment utterly dumbfounded by the quick answer. Unable to reply he turned off to a corner and started to sulk to himself.
"So how did your mission go?" Death asked.
"Spartoi successfully freed me," Kid replied, "And we recovered this: the book of Eibon." He added handing the book over to Death.
"What happened to Noah and his followers?" Death asked as he hid the book away in his robe.
"I reaped Noah's soul." Kid said holding up the small red orb, which looked like it was covered in pages from a book, that was Noah's soul and handed it to his father as well.
Death pushed it back into Kid's hand and said, "Keep it, you reaped it is yours to do with as you please. But I advise against feeding it to Liz or Patty, no good could come from that. Best just to send it on."
"I agree," Kid consented taking the soul back into his own robe. "Noah's acolyte escaped during the chaos of the battle as did former Death Scythe Justine Law. Maka claims she fought Giriko and that his soul exploded during their fight. His body is still inside the book utterly lifeless."
"Good to know. I am curious though about how you suddenly gained the power to defeat Noah who was strong enough to kill a Death Scythe in one blow."
"About that," Kid began, "In side of the Book of Eibon is a being who claims to be a god of power. He drove me insane with power, though Black Star freed me of his influence and the power he gave the two of us allowed us to beet Noah. I don't know anything more about him and was wondering who he is and what he was doing in the book."
"Well he probably is just sleeping there. He is a very lazy god after all."
"You mean he actually is a god?"
"Yes of power. He's one of the Old gods whose very nature can drive a man insane. I haven't seen him in millennia though; I thought he had moved on to some other world. Who would've guessed that he had been in the book of Eibon all this time?"
"I would never have guessed that the book was strong enough to capture a god."
"It's not. Power is just very lazy. He used to live in sunken city under water where no one could disturb him. He probable came willingly when either Eibon or Noah offered to let him in."
"We should probably let him out though, he did help us beat Noah after all."
"Of course we shouldn't. Power never took well to humans, if he came out now it would only act as a catalyst for the rising insanity in the world."
"But he could help us find and defeat Asura!" Kid protested.
"Or he could side with Asura against us. He deals out all power equally in his own sight, you can never tell who he will think needs the power more-" Death suddenly paused and looked out over the ground around them. Kid also turned in the direction his father was looking, but he didn't know why. He felt powerfully drawn to some point in the distance for some reason.
"Someone is performing the right of Ante-Exseed." Shinigami-sama suddenly announced.
"What's the right of Ante-Exseed?" Black Star whispered to Maka.
"It's an ancient ritual used to call Shinigami-sama into the presence of a wizard or witch to peacefully converse with him. It hasn't been done in centuries though." Maka explained as everyone listened.
"I wonder who it could it be?" Death asked as he held out his hand and a mirror jumped up into it. He ran his finger over it drawing a few numbers and strange symbols on the glass and it started to glow under his touch. He pulled back a bit and for a moment or two nothing happened.
"SHINIGAMI-SAMA!" A voice cried out as a small red hair boy leapt out of the mirror and on to Death's neck. "It's so good to see you." He added as he locked his legs around Death's waist and hung on to him.
"'Sup you demon spawned git." A green hair boy said as he swung out of the mirror and rested on top of it.
"Vice, Ultimo what a," Death surmised and paused for a second before he added, "Surprise. What brings you two over here?"
"Those aren't out names anymore, we changed them to Uru and Vic." Uru explained.
"Whatever, what are you doing here?" Death pressed,
"Oh, we were just in the neighborhood and thought we would drop in."
"Then why use the right of Ante-Exseed?"
"Well we couldn't be sure you hadn't taken that mess from a few centuries ago personal now could we?" Vic asked.
"You mean that mess where you-" Death started.
"Oh and who are these little ones?" Uru suddenly asked turning to Spartoi for the first time. He leapt off of Shinigami-sama to them in a single bound and landed right in front of Blank Star entirely to close with a bright smile on his face. "And what's your name?" he asked in a voice just a little too sweet and condescending.
"Black Star?" He answered a little confused and a bit uncomfortable.
"How sweet." Uru responded as he started to dance around Black Star squeezing his arms and looking him thoroughly over.
"He reminds me of White Star." Vic said from his perch over head.
"No he doesn't. White Star was completely and totally insane." Uru said casually as if he had met Black Star's dead father stunning him even further. "And not nearly this cute," Uru added as he pecked Black Star on the cheek and then quickly leapt back before Black Star could slug him, laughing to himself as he went.
Black Star charged the boy but suddenly Shinigami-Sama dropped in between them and picked the student up off the ground. "Oy, oy," Death said, "You two better not have come here with the protection of Ante-Exseed just to taunt my students."
"So these kids are your students?" Uru said, "They have awfully strong souls for students."
"It's good to see the school coming along so well," Vic added, "And to you see finally embracing a bit of madness in your work."
"PATHETIC MORTALS!" Shinigami-sama, who had been getting rather annoyed with the two boys dodging his central question, suddenly cried out, his voice changing from strangely humorous to dark and serious. "Do not waste my time like this, explain why you dare summon the ultimate reality to your presence."
Vic whistled at the display, "Nice theatrics but I would appreciate it if you didn't insult us like that."
"I would appreciate it if you would just get to the point already."
"Fine." Vic said as he jumped down and slid over to Shinigami-sama's side, "We have a message for you. Do you know what day it is?"
"Wednesday?" Death answered.
"I thought it was Tuesday." Uru spoke up.
"Only in Japan," Vic explained and then to Death he said, "And you're wrong too. It's your judgment day."
"And your time to pay, we made a sacrifice." Uru continued.
"And now we get to take your life. Your life is over now."
"Your time is running out, when you thought it was at an end now it's time to kill again."
"Well cut without a knife."
"Cause we live in black and white,"
"You're just a parasite so close your eyes and say good night."
"In short."
"You had better get ready to die!" They finished in unison.
"What?" Kid said, breaking the eerie silence that had fallen on the room.
"We are the lieutenants of Kashin-Sama and he tires of the sight of you reigning over the world." Uru revealed.
"So he has ordered your execution. We are going to come here, burn this city to the ground, kill you, burn your body, grind your soul up into a fine powder and feed it to Asura. Then we're going to dance up and down your grave." Vic added.
"I've already picked out the music too. We're going to do the soldier boy and the Cha-Cha slide."
"And a horn pipe."
"And a horn pipe, cause Vic is a sucker for a good horn pipe and you almost never find them these days."
"I see." Death admitted, "Then you are of one mind."
"All thirteen have already made the oath and we have renewed our intentions." Uru declared.
"Is there any chance of repeal?"
"None." Vic said shaking his head.
"Anything I can do to appease the thirteen."
"You could dismiss everyone from this city and wash your neck." Uru explained.
"And that would earn me forgiveness from you when you all see how I bow to the law?"
"No," Vic stated, "But it would mean that we could make it quick and painless and wouldn't dance on your grave for as long as we had intended. "
"I see then. Well you all leave me no choice but to resist."
"We understand." They said together again.
"Wait a minute here." Black Star suddenly shouted, "Back up what exactly are two saying?"
"That we represent a group that has decided to kill Death and join the Kashin." Vic said with a role of his eyes.
"So basically your saying that you're our enemies determined to kill us?"
"Not you just Shinigami-Sama," Uru clarified, "but if you try to stop us we can't guarantee that you will live through the battles."
"Just checking." Black Star said, then he balled up his fist pulled his arm back and smashed Uru in the chest releasing his spiritual energy to surge through his enemy's body.
SNAP! Uru's head flew forward as his chest was driven back. He staggered a few steps backward as Black Star looked at him with stunned eyes he hadn't the boy's body to be so soft and fragile. Uru smiled at him as blood started to run out of the corner of his mouth.
"Oops." He said between gasps of breath as blood flew from his mouth, "Looks like you killed me."
Shinigami-Sama threw his hands forward and released a blast of energy that drove Black Star and Spartoi back away from the dying boy. Vic also jumped away from his partner. As he did Uru's body began to glow red as lightning danced around his arms and eyes. Then he exploded. The room shook from the force as fire and lightning rushed outward and coated everything within fifty yards of the boy in their golden blanket of death. Even Shinigami-sama jumped out of the inferno. He realized to late the Vic was now right next to him.
"Up yours murder." Vic declared as he pulled a bazooka out of nowhere and fired on the Death God. Shinigami-Sama flew up into the air and as he did a column of fire rushed up from the ground and slammed into his side and sent him flying. Spartoi looked on in stunned silence as the column formed into an arm pressed against the ground and lifted up a massive ball of fire into the air. The ball shifted into a torso and released more pillars of flame to form arms and legs and even a head with white shining eyes and a wide smile made of sizzling electricity. He held out his hands and his flaming fingers extended into a pair of massive fans.
"Don't you little jack wads know anything?" Vic asked as the bazooka he was holding seemed to melt down into arm. "He's immortal."
"He's a weapon!" Kid declared as Patty and Liz shifted into a pair of Barrette pistols that he held upside down with his pinky in the trigger guard. As they did the other followed suit. Soul transformed into a large battle Scythe and dropped into Maka's hand. Tsubaki changed into a long black knife that Black Star caught up and held before his face. Fire and Thunder became a pair of gauntlets and covered Kilik's hands. Harvar became a lance with a small lightning bolt on the tip taken up in classic fighting stance by Ox. Jacqueline stood in front of Kim and dropped into her hand as a lantern. Spartoi was ready for war.
"A weapon?" Vic asked sarcastically, "You god damned sniveling little rat faced gits, I'm not a weapon, I'm every weapon." He explained as his arms split in half and several long silver cords and wires snaked out of his body expanding and changing shape till he held a pair of Mg 42s in either hand, two six rocket missal pods on his shoulders and a pair of crossbows with several dynamite tipped arrows around his knees.
"DIE DIE DIE KILL YOU ALL AND MAKE YOU SUFFER!" Vic screamed as he unleashed a full barrage of lead and rockets at Spartoi but they were already scattering. Most of the group tore off to the right, but Black Star ran left hoping to get into his blind spot, but Vic chased him with machine gun fire.
The fire giant behind him swung one of his fans in front of Black Star and pillar of fire flew out and formed a burning wall before Black Star. He stopped for just a moment and leapt back up over the hail of lead that was following him. The giant's eyes flared and his other fan changed as bolts of white lightning danced around its edges he flipped it forward and smashed Black Star into the wall with several surges of electricity.
Maka was the first to get right behind Vic and she immediately leapt up into the air before he could get a proper bead on Black Star. As she leapt she whispered the word, "Witch Hunter." And as she did Soul's blade began to glow with energy and extended into a white crescent moon and she swung forwards. As she did the Giant flicked a fan at her and the as wind from is rushed over her the moon vanished leaving only Soul's normal blade behind. She cursed under her breath and swung anyway. Soul struck Vic but couldn't pierce his flesh.
Vic smiled, dropped his guns and held out his hand in the air, two silver whips curled out and formed into a broad sword. He turned to swing. As he did Kid leapt up his side with both of his own guns lined up on Vic and he pulled the triggers. Vic saw him though and jumped back away from Kid his sword lengthening into a riot shield blocking Kid's shots. The giant didn't wait though, he turned and threw a massive fire ball at Kid who wouldn't have time to dodge.
"Soul what happened?" Maka asked as they fell back.
"That giant manipulated out energy and dispelled witch hunter." Soul said from his inner world with in his scythe body. He stepped a bit deeper into himself to a small room with a grand piano in the middle of it and small demon in the corner. "To bad he's not the only one who can do that. Maka focus on that fire ball and let's even up the odds a bit."
Maka focused her very, very precise senses on the fire ball rushing towards her friend twisting her spirit into strings around it. The Soul struck a key on his piano and began to play some gradually slowing music. As he did the fire ball shrunk in size and twisted away from Kid allowing him to easily dodge it. The giant turned and glared at her.
"You god damned bastard." Vic declared as he appeared besides her with another long sword in his hand, this one was serrated with a guard on it that looked like a turtle. "How dare you challenge our rule of energy."
He swung and then he paused mid swing as a chain formed around his blade pulling it back and Black Star rushed in behind him. Tsubaki had changed into a longer thicker knife with a spiked guard and a long chain running behind her which had paralyzed Vic's sword. He drove the knife into Vic's side and cut deep into him.
"You know I wish all of my targets had as many openings as you." Black Star mockingly said, but as he did Vic pointed at his side with a finger that suddenly elongated into a small knife and stabbed Black Star in the same place.
"And I wish all my opponents were as dumb as you." Vic declared as he threw the wounded Black Star away from him. Once Tsubaki was removed from his side the wound closed up in an instant. "Didn't I already say it? I'm immortal." He added dripping with mocking confidence.
As he did Maka suffered a flash back to the one time she had heard such a statement before. On a bridge to London town where she had met the man of the demon eye. Her mind rushed through that battle where she had nearly died. She remembered the futility as she cut and smashed her adversary only so see every one of his wounds close up in an instant. He had been the legendary werewolf.
"Vice and the Ultimate?" She said to herself remembering what Shinigami-sama had originally called them. Her mind raced back to a book she had red an awful long time ago.
"Earth and Fire. Good and evil. Yin and Yang." She added as she remembered and slowly stepped backwards form the green haired boy before her. "You're the immortal twin spirits of the phoenix."
"Well give the girl a silver dollar." Vic said with a widening smile, "Most people have to be told just before they die. Anyway you should die now." He concluded as he resumed his swing.
"SHINIGAMI CHOP!" Shinigami-sama cried out as he appeared from nowhere smashed Vic in the side of the head and sent him flying backwards. He then followed up the attack with a blast of light form the eyes of his mask. The giant intercepted the blasts as it wrapped Vic up in protective fire coming between him and the Death God. The giant also brought his two fans together causing fire and lightning to swirl into one shining ball in his hands.
"Think very carefully about your next act Uru." Death said as he reached over to Spirit who had been very silent in the battle. Spirit immediately shifted forms into a jet black scythe blade and fell into Death's hands. "The right of Ante-Exseed is a pact that neither of us will attack the other. Please don't make me break it as well."
The giant cocked his head to the side like he had just sighed and began to shrink and condense himself around Vic. Within a second or two he had resumed his form as the small red haired boy he had been when he arrived.
"All right Shinigami-sama, we'll wait until the battle proper to take you down." As he spoke a few silver cords left Vic's side and formed into a mirror behind them. Then a bit of fire leapt from Uru's back into the mirror causing it to glow brightly. "See you all soon kids." He added as he stepped through it and vanished.
Vic held back for a few seconds. He looked over at Black Star. "Hey idiot." Black Star returned his stair.
"Next time you lay a hand on my Uru like that I'll grind you up into dog food. Got it?" Then he left as well. For a long time silence rained over the room, Kilik was the first to break it.
"The hell was that?" He demanded to know.
"Hmmmm." Death said in his nasally voice once more. "Complicated. Well Spartoi you are now dismissed, please heal your wounds and prepare for future assignment. Oh and Maka if you could run down to the infirmary and gather up the Death Scythes there and bring them back here. I need to have a long chat with them as it appears we are now a war with the clan of the thirteen immortals."