Everything was a blur. Rin's lungs were burning in his chest. Gashes and cuts decorated his body, blood still pooling from the ones that hadn't healed yet. But he had to keep running. He wasn't quite sure why, all he knew was that if he stopped running, for even a moment,
he was dead meat.
It felt like his face was being pricked by a thousand tiny needles, the only thing keeping Rin going was the panic swelling in his gut. The undergrowth he was running through seemed to have no end, like he was staggered in time, stuck in a recurring nightmare. Behind him, he could hear whispers stalking him, speaking in some unintelligible language. He turned to look behind him to see a dark shadow cloak the skies in black.
It was only when he became conscious that he realized,
he wasn't alone after all.
Still groggy from sleep, Rin's body reacted instinctively. He lept off of the bed, blue flames instantly filling the room. As his vision came into focus, he made out two figures in his cell, now pressed against the wall in fear.
"We want to help! Please, don't kill us!"
"Y-y-yeah! We j-just wanna get y-you out!"
Calming down, the fire gradually faded, until all that was left was a charred bed and two very startled intruders.
"Who the hell are you?"
To be honest, Rin was surprised to hear that his voice wasn't shaking.
"Umm... Well- we just... We're trying to, get you out, so, umm..."
Both the figures seemed to be bowing as low as possible, neither of them meeting his gaze. Now that he had woken up a bit, Rin could see one thing for certain, they weren't human.
They weren't very big, obviously quite low level demons. Rin recognised one of them as a small goblin. He didn't recognise the other, but he was staying quiet, standing with it's head bowed.
"Umm... Ok, well suppose you really do want to help me, how would be able to do it?"
They didn't speak for a moment as if it were obvious. Rin was definitely missing something.
"Umm... Well, we were hoping, if you don't mind, ummm... If you would, if you please, create a Gehenna Gate?..."
It trailed off, as if it was too terrified to continue. The suspicion that had been dripping from Rin's face was now replaced by fearful understanding. It was a good thing neither of the demons would look him in the eye. A gehenna Gate? How the he'll was he supposed to just make one, and even if he did, there was no way he was going through that thing!
"So, what do you want from me? There's no way this is just for my sake!" The words were practically a hiss. The result of the anxiety pooling inside him.
"The truth is, young Prince, we have heard of a plot, back in Gehenna. A plot to assassinate Lord Satan! We need you, we need you're help!"
That, had not been the answer he expected. There was always someone who wanted to kill the demon, he wasn't exactly a celebrity. Why was this any different? Ring opened his mouth to retort, but nothing but dry air left his lips.
"Please, Prince, the group who is planning this treason, is bigger than any before. Consisting of scores of demons who were once subjects of the Lord. We need you!"
The demon in front of him actually got down onto his knees and bowed down. The other hesitated, then followed his lead. Both of them before him. Begging.
Gehenna's issues weren't Rin's problem! He just couldn't desert his classmates while they were fighting for his life in court! He just couldn't! He had to make it up to Yukio, for being such a selfish jerk.
"No!"
Silence took the room.
"I'm sorry, but I... I just can't! The people I care about, here, are my priority! I don't want to be involved!"
The silence thickened. The demon that Run hadn't been able to identify, spoke.
"The reason they want to kill the Lord, is because they believe that he is siding with Assiah. With the exorcists. Because of you."
His voice was low, like a growl.
"I mean no disrespect, but they will come after you too. When they do, those people that you care about? They will be the first to be used against you. And the first to be killed. Please. You have to help us."
Confiction tore through him. What was he supposed to do now? Why did they have to involve he and his friends in their power struggles? Rin snarled. It wasn't fair! But then, nothing in his life really had been to start with.
"Just... give me a minute."
The demons backed away from the cell. Ring walked up to the wall at the back of the cell. He swallowed hard, and held his thumb up to his incisors. Wincing, he bit down until blood began to flow freely. Slowly, he began to drag his bleeding thumb across the wall. Letters could soon be made out.
"I'm sorry. Had no choice. Please forgive me."
It looked a bit eerie, but it was the best he could do given his circumstance. It wasn't like he had a pen and paper, and he just couldn't bring himself to go without leaving them something. Exhaling, shakily, Rin turned back to the demons.
"I need Kurikara. I can't do it without it."
The one who had spoken to him last produced it from a bag Rin had just noticed. Shock plastered Rin's face.
"How did you get that?! It must have been heavily guarded!"
The demon just shook his head.
"We managed to sneak in to get it. It was a bit too easy, but, for now, we can't worry about that."
Rin bit his lip to keep from arguing, forgetting, momentarily, how sharp his canines were. If it was that easy to get, something was obviously up, but, much as he hated it, the demon was right.
For the first time, the terror of what he had to do struck him. Like a ton of bricks. There was no telling what he would do once it was drawn.
"Ok, stand as far away from the cell as possible, draw the sword, and when the Gate is made, sheath it again."
The demon nodded.
Rin held his breath, feeling like he was going to be sick. Terror sticking to his every thought.
It was only one movement.
One, simple, movement.
The blue flames burst forth, and the cold heat filled the room.
There was no going back now.
