I am really sorry about the wait on this chapter, from now on I'll be updating based on what my time allows for. And also if I'm eager about one chapter from one of the stories I wrote I may end up having that one updated before the others.
Anyway, I really hope you enjoy the rest of the story, and thank you for waiting!
Screams and pleads were all that was heard other then the sound of fire crackling and lava dropping down to sizzle on some untouched land. Every now and then they'd come across some cowering soul who would be muttering to themselves, saying that it was all a dream.
"If the king's gaze doesn't find us then her guards probably will. They're trained to watch over every single portion of hell that you can. We should try to hurry. Time passes slower here, but that doesn't mean that we want to stay here for any longer then we actually do." Amu's hand gripped her throbbing arm. The throbbing had become worse since they'd started moving through the place but it had stopped spreading at the same speed. It was slower now and she felt less afraid. "Do your best not to fight unless you need to because if you draw attention to yourself everything in here will know your a threat. You'll need to watch out for some of the creatures in this place, the butcher being one of them."
"The butcher?" Nagihiko looked as though he'd paled, his calm composure falling away. "I've heard stories about him. But... I thought they were too insane to be real."
"Who's the butcher?" Rima asked seemingly annoyed to be left out of the loop.
"Humans don't become demons." Amu said. "It's just not how things are. Demons are created from the black pits of chaos. We stem from hatred, malevolence, the seven deadly sins are part of our creators as well." She fixed her eyes on the road ahead. "But yet there was one human who came so close to being a demon he was seated as one of the fearsome three. Not human, yet not demon. Never able to be either because of what he'd done throughout his life. All creatures are terrified of him."
"Who are the other two fearsome three?" Ikuto was on edge. His eyes constantly moving around.
"One is the head of the King's guard." Amu lifted her useless arm closer to her chest. "She's one of the fallen angels. The only thing she'll listen to is the King's orders."
"Lulu." Nagihiko muttered. "She's the one who caused several wars humans had, she also is the reason that over thirty angels died."
"And the last is a creator of chaos. They don't listen to the king, they don't help out the butcher, they simply do as they please, roaming around and killing if they want. They take what they like. They don't listen to reason and they never allow people to get inside their head. They work alone." Amu moved her kimono with her good hand. Lifting one side she exposed her left hip and waist. Three large burn like scars stretched around her side. "I had a run in with them half a century ago and this is the only wound I was never able to heal. They rarely show themselves unless they feel personally offended, or bored."
For the first time Nagihiko looked confused by what Amu was describing.
"We call them Embryo." Amu explained. "You might not know what they look like, but when they show themselves to you, you'll know you need to run. Butcher, Lulu, Embryo. Do your best not to cross Lulu and Embryo. I have a feeling we'll have no choice when it comes to the Butcher."
Amu held up her hand as they reached the edge of the walk way. "We'll see more area's like this. Since demon's don't exactly need to walk they elevate parts of the ground in uneven way's. Always jump for the closest piece. Otherwise you won't know what you'll hit." She pointed to the piece of ground a mile bellow that was a black, green, and red blob. "We need to avoid that area. It's a garden that Lust owns, anyone who ventures in is forced to deal with their deepest desires, most who enter end up giving in and never leaving. It's rare for something to stumble out." She nodded to a purple hue that blocked the area directly below the garden. "When we get their you need to have your weapons out. But for now we should be fine."
"What's down there?"
"It's where Wrath likes to call home." Amu said. "A big foggy mess where you're hated by everything and everyone. You can't let your guard down for a single minute."
"So each of the seven deadly sins have a place in here to call home?" Rima asked bending over the side.
Amu had forgotten that she was barely even fourteen, in the ex-demonesses eyes she was little more then a toddler.
"You met Greed already. He doesn't have one certain place to call home. Sloth is chained in the blackness below somewhere. We don't normally come across Sloth unless one of the other's sent them. Pride actually prefers to reside on earth because they don't like the idea of living somewhere where another existence dictates how you live. Gluttony wanders around devouring souls it finds to it's fancy. Envy..." Amu narrowed her eyes. "I don't know about Envy. I never met them."
"Any other surprises we need to know about?" Ikuto muttered.
"Don't look anything in the eyes or it will have the power to possess you. Also, I believe I told you not to stray from the path. So basically if it isn't the path in front of you don't even think about it."
"So we jump over there?" Rima asked. She had her eyes fixed directly on the piece of land twenty feet in front and five feet below the one they stood on.
"Yeah, but-" Amu never got to finish her statement because at that moment Rima leapt to the other side. She barely reached the edge and her hands latched onto it to keep her from falling, she used her strength to shoot upward and land on the ground before she gracefully got to her feet and looked back at the others.
Nagihiko looked like he had almost been about to shit himself and Ikuto whistled.
"Rima." Nagihiko muttered bursting forward and appearing on the otherside in a flash. The two began to speak, their voices muffled slightly.
Amu took an deep breath, despite not needing one, and then rushed forward leaping from the ledge landing on her feet and bending her knees to absorb the impact. That action nearly caused her to fall backwards but by some miracle she stayed on the piece of land she'd been meaning to aim for. Things had been so much easier when she had been a demon. She traveled by flying rather than walking, but flying was no longer an option for her.
She stood up and waited for Ikuto to join them. But when she saw he wasn't on the ledge looking at them, she felt confusion surface.
"Are we going?"
His voice next to her ear caused her heart to nearly leap out of her chest. She faced him, eyes wide. She hadn't heard the sound of his arrival.
"When did you..."
"I guess when I became a warlock I started to be able to teleport. I was looking over here and wanting to be here and then I was."
Amu blinked slowly. "Try not to use your powers too often."
"Why not?"
"It'll corrupt you." Amu replied. "If you rely too heavily on it then it will completely destroy the person you are. A little bit isn't bad, but too much is. Also using your power makes it easier for the demon's you made a deal with to find us. Most warlocks and witches learn to avoid this, but that would require a very long period of practice that we don't exactly have."
"I thought me getting powers was one of the reason's I made the deal." Ikuto argued.
"The main reason though was so you could come with me. I trust you the most out of any other human, your sister comes as a close second. But first and foremost is you. Now imagine if you become so corrupted by power you can't even control your own actions. If that comes to be you could most likely wipe me from existence, you'll run rampant listening to the orders of the demons who gave you the powers. Unless you want that to happen I suggest that you only use your powers when we really need you to and shelve them if we don't."
"Speaking from experience?" Nagihiko interrupted.
Amu gave a forced smile. "Take a guess." Not waiting for an answer she shoved past them. "I want us to go as far as we can before we take a break so Ikuto and Rima can rest."
"I won't need to rest." Ikuto replied.
"Yes you will." Amu retorted. "Just because I said time moves slower here doesn't mean you can last longer without rest. Your mind will still want to rest after you've moved for a while, and this place is dangerous so we'll need to find some place that won't be keen on killing us. I may know off a demon or two that won't want to kill me but we still have a ways to go before we get there. So stop your yapping and move your butt."
There was a large span of silence after her words.
So again I'm sorry for the break. Happy late holidays to everyone and a Happy new year! Expect an update towards February but I won't give an actual date so I don't end up disappointing you guys!
Hope you enjoyed and I'll see you later!