CHAPTER 25 - JUDGEMENT DAY

The room itself was enough to send chills down anyone's spine and linger inside their core for the longest of times. However despite the chill that managed to invade sense like wild fire, humid air made breathing unbearable, as if stuck in some tropical forest. Klarise sat leaning against the cold stone walls, moving her stop on a regular basis when the wall would engulf her body heat and she couldn't take any more. Sweat had long since turned her perfect curls in a tangled mess of frizz and caramel strands that hugged her back and shoulders, clinging to her perspiration along with the dirt that coated her milky skin.

It had only been a few days and she knew very well that the only contact she was allowed was one guard, once a day that brought food and water and never addressed a word in her direction. Not that she minded or needed those trivial things. She kept her strength up and did not refuse the meal and liquids since she was not stupid in that sense. She was certain if Koenma's special gang would have been left rooming in Human World, Hiei would have taken the guard's place, just so he could try and use his Jagan on her. But he wasn't, no one was.

All was done carefully in an attempt to break her spirit. The very cell that kept the former queen was the same one Lya has been trapped in and Hiei later on. The smell of metal filled the air, spreading to all four corners like a rotten disease threatening to kill everyone in its wake. It was the old and the new, the long forgotten and the recently acquired, a smell that once imprinted in one's mind it would never leave. Blood.

In the dim light the once dark red substance clung to the floors and walls in sports and patches, all depending on the torture the prisoner endured. Lya Nox was not the first, other demons had seen the inside of Spirit World's prison. Almost none made it out unless it was for executions, curtesy of the merciful king Enma.

More out of reflex that anything her lips curved peeling off her dry teeth in her signature sinister smile when footsteps echoed down the gloomy narrow halls.

"It is time."

Getting up from her spot, she stood in the very center awaiting the guards to let themselves inside and take her. Her legs did not wobble despite having spent hours in the same position. She didn't stretch her limbs despite the popping sound of bones that reverberated from the inside the room. It was time for her to be brought forth to the Spirit World council and the new king, her dear little brother.

She wore the filth on her body like the most expensive silk, bare feet strutting confidently inside the room, chin held high as she frowned upon all those before her. She knew the accusations brought to her, the reasons for her trial, yet no words resonated from her as they were listed once again.

Her brother, the forever seeker of peace and fair judgement dared to shower her with pity, trying to lure her in with a less heavier sentence if she cooperated. But she wasn't like Kurama who needed to get back to his human mother and was ultimately released for good behavior. She was not Hiei who wanted to return to Demon World and had powers that would be put to good use. She had nothing, standing in front of people who would be the downfall of Spirit World in her mind, but he wore herself like she had control over all the worlds. When azure orbs focused him, Koenma caught his breath.

"You're wasting my patience little brother and that is never a good thing."

Whispers filled the room as he grinded his teeth against his pacifier.

"Very well, we can begin."

Their questions fell on deaf ears as they tried to grind her gears, prying with their questions, but Klarise held the same ferocious gaze when asked why she saved Myra, why she imprisoned Lya and did not pass judgement on her after killing inhabitants of Spirit World.

"You orchestrated her down fall and thus the death of your people, people you were sworn to protect."

Taking in a small breath of air, Klarise finally spoke for the first time since the trial started.

"Correction, people you were sworn to protect, you and dear old daddy."

Seeing she wouldn't budge in her stubbornness, he pulled out his wild card, stepping from behind his desk as he walked closer to his sister.

"You took Lya so she could lead you to the Wolf. But you needed control over her so instead of trailing her, you actually saw potential in her disaster after Myra told you her story, but even then you knew she would never willingly turn him in. in truth you weren't even certain he was alive" the confidence rang true in his voice "until one of our grim reapers that you have ordered around, could not find him. Why is the Wolf so important Klarise that you would lose your cool?"

Sighing after a few moments of unbreakable silence, he placed his hands in his pockets, eyes falling to the ground beneath his feet.

"I know you probably think that father wasn't being fair" Koenma stopped to gather his thoughts "While I was trained in Spirit World affairs, politics, diplomacy you were already in Demon World gathering intelligence on the first layer, mapping it out. It's thanks to"

Her hands reached out, coiling in his robe, yet the guards stood down when his hand raised. Devoting his attention to her, no anger painted her face, but a smug smirk. She was too confident despite her position in the trial.

"Do not think you are capable of playing these games with me" Klarise hissed in his face "while you were still tucked away in diapers I have already painted the worlds with blood. I made us grow, I expanded out influence." Her eyes bore into his turning to dangerous slits "Daddy dearest is just a weak link, you even weaker."

Gripping her hands he blinked a couple of times as he pried her off him.

"I'm sorry Klarise. It should have been me doing all those things, not you."

Looking down at her hands, those callous fingers wrote endless reports on Demon World intelligence, she fought with the ruthlessness of great warriors and had wits in battle like few ever did. Raising his eyes to look back at her face he took a step back when he met her sinister smile. He couldn't reach her, there was nothing left inside her of the sister he once knew, nothing that he could touch. Not with the level of knowledge that he possessed.

"Who is the ruler of the Faceless Klarise?"

The deadpan expression provided to him was another clear response. She knew but would not share it. At that point he even wondered if she would buckle under the weight of torture, but that was not his style, she must have been trained to resist great things before infiltrating Demon World.

"Pass your sentence little prince, with me all you are doing is wasting precious time."

A threat if he ever heard one, like she knew something was going to happen. There had to be a reason why she sent the team out despite them not obeying orders.

"Very well." Turning to the council members they began whispering amongst themselves. The word "exile" reached her ears, making her eyes squint slightly. The same sentence delivered to her father as well no doubt.

"Do not think for a second I am a victim." Her voice rumbled reaching the high ceiling "I do not need your pity and once these are off" she rose her spirit shackles in plain view "I am coming for you."

Koenma slowly turned, worry lingering in his eyes as he watched his sister.

"I am not going to sentence you to death."

Laughter bloomed from her chest, bouncing off the room walls where they waited to seal her fate.

"Let me give you some advice" her eyes snapped open making some council members shudder "don't take the cuffs off, but send me to Demon World instead where I can earn my life if that is the case, not roam around the river Styx like a ghost because that's not me."

Voices overlapped as discussions began, Koenma being the only silent one in the entire ordeal.

"Why?" he finally asked to which she merely scoffed rolling her eyes.

"If you idiots would have let me finish I would have gotten to the advice part."

Slowly silence filled the room, the tension growing as the former queen waited patiently. She would not have them looking down at her, she would not let them have the upper hand despite her current position.

"A war is about to break loose and if I am here, the Faceless will come as their leader wants me."

Shock surged through Koenma's body as the gears in his head refused to work.

What was she just said? Just how deep did her influence spread if she knew of such a force that could ruse a war out of nothing? Demons who meant nothing to him since they sounded more like a myth suddenly had the power and strength in numbers?

"I am offering you a change to defend yourselves."

It seemed like even from the accused stand she spread her hands and tore a hole in the universe, one he could not see and sow back together. With his chest forward, he stepped once again in front of her, feeling small as she watched him through dark lashes, a hue so blue it froze his soul in place.

"Why would the Faceless want you?"

It was a legit question from his part even if it came without an answer. But he wasn't going to grant her passage without a chance if learning more. He needed the team, however they were sent away, divided between kings and it was surely another part of the plan.

"Take her back to her cell. You will rot in that prison until you give me what I want."

He wasn't going to let them win. Turning to the council once Klarise was out of sight he could read the concern on their faces clearly.

"We need answers" his hand cut through the air between them "We need to know who is the demon leading everyone to war."

He wasn't going to be persuaded that easily. Spirit World in the end was not that easy to access and the castle was basically a fortress.

"Klarise will not have her way."