Hetavania

Chapter 13

Soma and Italy fought monsters on their own as they made their way through the Mine of Judgment. Final reaching the room where they fought Death, they went beyond and found a door leading to a place that you could call frightening. This place, is The Abyss. And there are many monster some old and many new enemies. The Abyss is in seven parts with a design that seemed to be like hell. The first part was very hot and pillars of fire shot out of the floor.

"Watch your timing in here Italy." Soma said.

"S-Soma, what'a is this place?" Italy asked.

"The Abyss, we're in the first part of it. My guess is that Celia and Dmitri are in the deepest part of this place." Soma said.

Italy nodded and followed Soma. The new enemies in this first area are: Arc Demon (a demon that uses the powers of darkness to wreak havoc upon the world) and a Ripper (a fiend that takes great pleasure in slaughtering people with knives. The familiar enemy that they faced before was a flame demon. Thankfully the first area wasn't that long but then they reached the next area. It looked a little rustic but not cozy at all. There was a lot of sand in this area, sand that was coming out of ears that were on the walls.

"This'a place is'a wierd." Italy said.

"Tell me about it." Soma said only to draw out his sword and block the enemy known as Alastor from hitting Italy. "You okay Feli?"

"S-si." Italy said using a spell on the enemy. "...Hey Soma, when we'a get out of here, can'a we trade something so that I'a never forget you?"

"Sure." Soma said finishing off the Alastor.

Another familiar enemy they encountered was the goddess of rage, Erynis. Before they could get to the next area they sunk through the sand to the bottom. Surprisingly, the sand above them was suspended in the air.

"..." Italy said nothing.

Soma found a soul canister with an ability soul inside called Hippogryph which will allow him to jump straight up high. He walked to Italy and grabbed him using the power of this new soul so they could get back up and to the next part of the area. Two new monsters they faced were called, Heart Eater (a horrific bug that loves to feed on hearts) and a Mud Demon (a good looking demon formed out of dirt). Killing three more Mud demons, they proceeded to the next area.

"S-Soma, why d-di it'a just get colder?" Italy asked.

"We're in the third part of The Abyss. Your right about it being cold in here though."

Three enemies they ran into there were called Shade, they saw them before in the Subterranean Hell, that was just the first room on the third area of The Abyss. The next room had two enemies. Erinys and a new enemy called Stolas (a wise old creature said to have considerable intelligence).

"Ve~ That'a one looks like a huge owl." Italy said.

"Yeah but I don't think on owl is supposed to be that big, have red beady eyes, wear a weird looking crown, and have six wings." Soma said killing the Erinys.

The Stolas moved one of its six wings and summoned another Erinys but even before Soma killed the Erinys, it summoned a Devil and then another Erinys. Finally, he killed the Stolas and what it had summoned.

"Interesting monster right." Soma said.

"Si." Italy responded as they moved onto the next room.

At first glance, nothing appeared to be in the next room but then Soma turned into a bat which made Italy turn into one as well and they flew over the head of the Final Guard. That was the only enemy in the room and they could fly over its head with no problem and head to the next room since it can't turn around. They returned to normal and went into the next room. Inside that room was a Malachi (a pagan being from ancient times that strikes fear into all in its presence). Italy shook with some fear.

"Stay here, I'll get rid of it." Soma said.

Italy sat still and watched Soma kill the Malachi without being afraid at all, two other enemies that were in there were called White Dragons. But they didn't look like dragons nor were they white. They were two long necked skeletons attached to the walls. In fact, they were the fossilized remains of a long-necked dinosaur animated by a demonic force. There was a second Malachi in there as well. Soma killed it and then looked at Italy.

"Lets go, we're near the fourth area." Soma said.

"Okay." Italy said.

When they entered the new area, they were instantly attacked by a new enemy called a Malacoda (a long-tailed demon that serves as the head of the dungeon guardians). Soma was able to kill it though. Italy looked at the walls of the room.

"T-the walls...They'a look like..." Italy said without finishing.

"Demons. the way the walls reflecting the light makes it look wavy. That's pretty creepy in itself." Soma said. "Better stay close Italy."

Italy nodded and stayed near Soma. In the next room they encountered another Erinys and Mud Demon. Thankfully, they found a healing room but Soma felt something was off.

"I think there's a boss monster coming up." He said. "Feli, can you still fight?"

"Si, I'ma sorry I haven't proved that'a I can be a big help." he said.

"Feli, you already proved you can be, don't doubt your skills now." Soma said smiling at him.

Italy smiled back and they proceeded to the next room which was locked by a magic seal until Soma unlocked it. Inside was a monster called Abaddon (the master of pestilent locusts from the deep abyss of the underworld. Though Abaddon was a monster, it was dressed a bit fancy and used a wand to direct which direction the locusts would swarm from. Paying attention to this, Soma and Italy both were able to dodge the locusts killing Abaddon easily. Soma acquired its soul and could now summon a cloud of locusts to swarm his foes. They proceeded to the fifth area that had huge demon statues and in the background, was the vast galaxy.

"Ve~, I'a like seeing all the'a stars but'a the statues I'a can do without." Italy said.

"This might represent how far evil wants to spread its reach." Soma stated.

There was a Malacoda in this room too. Three of them. Plus a new enemy. A Black Panther (a jet-black beast that runs with great speed). When those enemies were dead, they proceeded to the next room. There was a Stolas in there and as they ran to it, it began to summon Erinys. The Stolas was the only enemy in the room really they had to face except when it summoned monsters to protect it. They procceeded to the next room. In this room, they could see the galaxy more clearly but also auroras as well. An enemy was slowly approaching. Its called an Iron Golem. Like the Final Guard it has no weakness but but because its made of iron, hitting it with any move will only cause a point of damage.

"Its best we fly over its head and just proceed to the next room." Soma said.

"Si."

There was a Black Panther in there two but if it didn't see them then it wouldn't attack. They made it to the last room of the fifth area and the only enemy inside was a giant slug. Soma killed it easily and they proceeded to the final area. Now this area was more dangerous than the other five. There were spikes everywhere.

"Looks like we'll be turning into bats a lot in this area." Soma said.

"I'a don't mind, I'a make a very cute bat." Italy said.

In the first room were two enemies, a Tanjelly and an Erinys. Both were pretty easy to kill if they reacted quickly enough. The next room had a strange huge bug on the wall, it wasn't alive but it was creepy, there were two enemis in this room too. A White Dragon and a Succubus. They found a warp gate that they could use if need be. But Italy didn't want to warp back because Germany would probably yell at him for sneaking off. The room above had a healing room in it that they could use. The room outside the healing room had no enemies.

"You ready Italy? We're about to head into the heart of The Abyss." Soma said.

"Si, I'ma ready. Let'sa get Celia and Dmirtii for'a what they did to'a you." Italy said.

Soma nodded and they ran into to another door like the one they had entered at the start of The Abyss. Once inside, they both saw Arikado who looked exhausted. This surprised Soma, Arikado looked back seeing them.

"Soma? Feliciano?" Arikado said.

"Are'a you okay." Italy asked.

"What happened?!" Soma asked in a surprised tone.

"He arrived too late, quite simply."

Italy and Soma looked up and saw Dmitrii standing there. Italy looked around to see where Celia might be and he noticed how huge the room was but what grossed him out was that the room looked like it was built from many faceless dead bodies. A far wall past them was a round glowing light that looked like it goes into the depths of a dark place. Arikado spoke again catching Italy's attention.

"He gained dominance over a calamitous demon." Arikado said. "I tried to prevent the summoning ritual from happening but..."

"Your dark power failed to overcome the power I gained from sacrifice." Dmitrii said with a smirk.

Italy glared slightly feeling annoyed by his smirk. Then Soma spoke.

"Sacrifice?"

They looked upward and on a mass of bodies that formed like an upside down portion of the inside of a peace sign, there was Celia. She was dead. This shocked Italy and Soma.

"C-Celia!" Soma said surprised.

"Such an unseemly sight. Be gone." Dmitrii said.

Celia's body vanished with what sounded like a scream and the thing she was hanging on broke apart and flowed into the round glowing light. Soma ran in front of Arikado.

"You killed your own ally?" Soma asked.

"She had always dreamed of seeing the dark lord. She served me to the end in my becoming. She should feel honored." Dmitrii said. "Not only that, she even helped me take care of that pesky Arikado."

Soma and Italy looked at Arikado after Dmitrii said that.

"He's right. His sacrifice reversed the flow of my dark power." Arikado said.

"That's not'a right!" Italy said before he and Soma turned to look at Dmitrii again.

"The stage is now set." Dmitrii said "We shall see whose power of dominance prevails..."

Dmitrii began concentrating but the dark power was coming off him like black smoke.

"Wh-What?" Soma said.

"Th-This cannot be...My dominance should be complete." Dmitrii said suddenly looking not only confused but in pain.

"What'a is this, it's just like what'a happened to Soma before the'a dark power flowed into the'a Doppelganger." Italy said.

Arikado understood right away as Italy stood beside Soma.

"So that's what's happening..." Arikado said catching their attention.

"Arikado, what's going on?" Soma asked.

"The power of dominance isn't easily contained. He isn't like you. His soul can't withstand a power that intense." Arikado explained.

"So, it'sa destroying him?" Italy asked.

"In a way yes." Arikado said.

"Liar! I've heard enough from you!" Dmitrii yelled.

Dmitrii fired a huge force of dark power at Arikado sending him flying back against the wall knocking him out.

"Arikado!" Soma yelled.

"Arikado!" Italy yelled as well.

They were still facing the direction Arikado was sent flying when Dmitrii spoke again catching their attention.

"I am the chosen one! I am the dark lord!" Dmitrii yelled. "I shall not succumb to the power! Wroooooooaaah!"

Dmitrii was now in a lot of pain and grasped his head. Soma spoke.

"It's useless. You can't control it." Soma said.

Dmitrii screamed in pain again and fell onto his arms and knees his body had turned red, the dark energy stopped coming off of him. Something inside Dmitrii was moving and brust out of his back making him scream one final time. What surrounded them was a monster that was a fusion of all the demons that Dmitrii once had dominance over.

"The demons under his dominance...They fused as one?" Soma said.

"Soma, what are'a we going to do?" Italy asked.

"Letting this out would be a disaster...It must end here!" Soma said. "Italy, you have to help me out, I'm counting on you!"

Italy stared at Soma and got serious nodding.

"Soma, the'a glowing head right'a there, I think that'a is a weak spot." Italy said.

"Good eye. Here we go!"

Soma and Italy started to attack the glowing head but had to avoid spikes that shot dow at them and the poison gas that came from what looked like a double mouthed skull. Watching how it moved gave them a hint whether to take cover or keep attacking the head. Once the head was destroyed, the massive monster stood up. This monster is called Menace (a humongous amalgamation of powerful demons).

"Okay, Italy can you locate other weak spots?" Soma asked.

"Si, there'a is a face inside the'a skull and then'a that'a face on its right leg." Italy said.

"Right, we'll attack the leg first since we're down here." Soma said.

Italy nodded and began aiming at the leg using Holy Lightning while Soma used the power of Erinys to cause massive damage to the monster's knee. Erinys's power can cause a lot of damage but the also had to worry about little monsters that were forming to hurt them. Soma used the power of the Final Guard to emit a powerful barrier around himself. Italy did the same forming a protective barrier. Both of them got a final hit on the face on the knee.

"Now we go up." Soma said grabbing Italy.

Soma used the power of the Hippogryph to shoot upward to the face in the skull. Up there, they had to be careful because Menace could punch them to knock them down or summon more strange little creatures to hurt them and each time they got a hit on the face in the skull. The skull's mouth would close to protect it from anymore damage. Soma could only hit it with his sword. Then Menace knocked Soma down to the ground bellow.

"Soma!" Italy yelled.

Italy stared at Menace and then used the strongest power that Julius gave to him and that power was Grand Cross. The most powerful of holy moves and this caused massive damage to Menace but it also wore Italy out. Before Menace could strike Italy, Soma shot up and dealt the final blow to Menace. The monstrous demon shrunk and then broke apart going into the glowing circle. Soma helped Italy up and they jumped down to the ground.

"Are you okay Italy?" Soma asked.

"S-Si. I'ma just a bit tired." Italy said before several black lights appeared. "Ah, Soma!"

Soma stepped back shaking, grasping both his arms, and falling to his knees. The dark power was now flowing into him again as it had back in the Garden of Madness.

"I..."

"Soma!" Italy shouted.

"I..."

"Soma! Fight'a it!" Italy yelled.

Soma's eyes shot open and he yelled.

"Stop!" Soma yelled.

The lights ceased going into him and then began to leave his body. Once all those light were gone, the castle began to shake. Italy ran over to Soma and Arikado finally walked over after awakening.

"What are you two doing? This place won't hold. We have to get out." Arikado said.

Italy helped Soma up and they all rushed out of the castle. Once outside at a safe distance they watched the castle collapse into the water bellow.

"Its finally over. We're finished here. Lets go." Arikado said.

Soma and Italy were both silent and didn't move, Arikado took note of this and looked back.

"Soma, Italy, what's wrong?" he asked.

"Will'a this happen again?" Italy asked.

"Probably." Arikado said.

"Tell me. Just what is the dark lord?" Soma asked.

"What Celia told you wasn't necessarily incorrect. The dark lord is an entity opposite to god." Arikado said.

"That means there will always be a need for a dark lord." Soma said. "All because I ducked out from becoming next in line!"

"Soma..." Italy said.

"Don't misconstrue me! Perhaps there is a need for a dark lord...But there is no reason at all for you to become the dark lord." Arikado said making Soma look up.

"But if it weren't for me, none of this would've happened!" Soma said sounding frustrated.

"You are neither a god nor demon. You're only human." Arikado said. "You have no chance at achieving perfection. Or are you saying you want to be the dark lord?"

"No...Of course not." Soma said only for Italy to smile hugging him. "Sorry Italy, I guess I was just being a bone head huh?"

"No, don'ta worry Soma." Italy said smiling before Arikado spoke again.

"Then stay true to that. Look." He said pointing. "There are people waiting for you. Don't break their hearts."

Julius, Yoko, and Hammer were there, but not just them. Japan, Germany, England, Romania, Norway, and Denmark were there too.

"Everyone..." Soma said.

"Ve~." Italy said smiling.

"You kept your promise." Julius said.

"Welcome back Soma, Feli." Yoko said.

"Looks like you both are all done! Your faces say it all." Hammer said.

"You've gotten strong Italy. Way to go!" Denmark said. "Gak!"

"Well done." Norway said yanking on Denmark's tie.

"Itary-san, Soma-san, great work." Japan said with a soft smile.

"When we get back home, lets all have a good cup of our favorite drinks." England said.

"Vell done Italy, I just vish you'd try this hard vhen training." Germany said.

"We'll get the portal spell ready soon." Romania said.

"Everyone.." Italy sai as he started to tear up smiling.

"Arikado...You're right.." Soma said.

A girl stepped forward.

"Mina! What are you doing here?" Soma asked surprised.

He ran over to her and Italy followed.

"What do you mean?" Mina asked. "I was so worried..."

"Oh Mina, I'm sorry. Don't cry." Soma said looking kinda apologetic.

"Gotcha! Welcome back, Soma." Mina said smiling and then she looked at Italy. "Its nice to meet you Italy."

"Ciao bella." Italy said smiling as his curl formed into a heart. "Soma, you'a have a cute girlfriend."

"Poor Soma. She'll have you wrapped around her finger." Julius said.

"Oh, without a doubt." Yoko said smiling.

"Hai, I agree." Japan said.

"I'd like to be wrapped around Yoko's finger..." Hammer said blushing.

"Wh-What are you saying? We're not like that!" Soma said blushing.

Everyone laughed as Mina also blushed.

"Th-That's right!" she said.

"No need to be bashful. you two." Julius said.

Arikado sighed and spoke quietly to himself.

"If the world needs a dark lord, it will emerge. Even if it's not you, Soma..." he said.

Norway, Romania, and England all concentrated chanting the spell that would take them home. Italy looked at Soma.

"Ve...I'a guess this is'a goodbye." Italy said.

"Yeah, I guess so, but I have to say. You're the best friend and partner a guy would be lucky to know." Soma said.

Soma took out a pendant, it was an ordinary one but it was a beautiful shade of blue. He gave it to Italy who smiled. In turn, Italy gave him a pendant as well, but it wasn't an ordinary pendant. This pendant's gem was the color of Italy's flag. Italy hugged Soma smiling.

"Ciao Soma." Italy said.

"See you someday, Italy." Soma said hugging Italy back.

Soma and Italy let go when Germany told him it was time to leave. Italy ran over to them as they stood within the magic circle. Italy waved goodbye to Soma who waved back along with Mina. A bright light overtook them all and soon, they were in the library once again. Everyone welcomed them home and Italy stared at the mirror putting on the pendant Soma gave to him, a smile on his face. Romania sealed the books power so that no one could go back there. But there was still a problem, what happened to the book that the mysterious figure took? That's a tale for another time.

The End?