This story really sucks. I am definitely going to go right the hell ahead and make super hardcore revisions and change a lot of it because it is just THAT BAD!! This chapter is mostly original writing that only follows the plot skeleton of the chapter which originally was in this place.

Chapter 25

Mistaken for demons upon their bumpy arrival, Sora and Kerrak tumbled leftwards out of the swirling red inferno, an axe whistling above their heads. Looking about wildly, they struggled to their feet, Sora pulling Kerrak, who was confused and dazed.

Kaz and Riku were seen easily from where Sora was, climbing to the top of the tower not far from the Gate they had just come through. Sora wanted badly to go to his friends, but he realized when he saw Riku's father headed in his direction that they hadn't been spotted– but Sora and Kerrak had. He pivoted, grasping Kerrak's hand and sprinted in the opposite direction.

Stumbling up the hill that led to town central, slipping and using rocks for holds, Sora hoisted Kerrak to his feet as the boy fell, sending a mass of tiny pebbles tumbling below them. They paused at the top, Kerrak sucking air into his lungs desperately, trying to sputter out a demand for explanation. Sora scanned the area, ignoring his, looking for somewhere, anywhere to hide.

His eyes stopped when they reached his house. He remembered the gem, sitting on his father's desk. Still clinging to Kerrak's arm, Sora began to make his way home. Home, he thought bitterly, a place of comfort.

He was surprised when the two of them had no problem getting inside, wondering where his father and the two women– Shailiha, and Kaz's mother– were.

He quickly learned.

Sora paused in the entryway when he heard strong voices from the next room.

"We have to find them," an angry woman screeched.

"I'm sure Victor will do fine." That was Sora's father, and he spoke of Riku's dad Victor. Who, Sora realized, cringing, probably wasn't too far behind.

"But Gabriel, Kaz and Riku both have their gems!" Sora recognized the woman this time– Kaz's mother Marissa.

"Kaz and Riku have their gems. Not everyone has been irresponsible, Marissa. My son is still empty-handed. And besides, they need four, not three."

Sora twitched when he heard himself referred to as 'my son'. Did his father consider him his son? Or a curse placed upon him?

He motioned for Kerrak to follow him, having heard enough.

They crept silently through the halls until they reached the study. Sora sighed in relief when he saw the white jewel still there, but was dismayed to find it was in its case. He chewed his lip and turned to Kerrak, who was wide-eyed and breathing shallowly, not quite able to take everything in at once.

"I need you to get that for me," he said softly, pointing. Kerrak's eyes darted from the case to Sora. "I can't touch it," he explained. "Just knock the cover off. Don't grab it. You might hurt yourself."

Kerrak nodded slowly and moved to the desk. Sora could see fear resonating in his eyes. Quickly his hand shot out and batted the top off. He snatched it away as flames burst from the mechanical base and the glass case shattered on the floor.

Shouting began downstairs as the fire died away, and Sora knew they'd been heard. He reached forward and grabbed the smooth stone, gasping at how cool it felt against his skin. Sora snapped back to attention when footsteps pounded up the hallway just outside the door. Grabbing Kerrak's hand again, Sora rushed to the windows, throwing up the sash, grateful the study was on the first floor– he wondered how Kerrak had never known he'd had wings.

How the hell had they put a spell on him strong enough to block out his natural instinct to fly? How... but Sora was getting distracted. He pulled the black-haired boy out the window and was frantically escaping as three heaving figures burst through the door.

Sora heard his father cursing loudly as they made a beeline for the hill. They stumbled quickly downward, trying to keep their balance this time; now, Kerrak was more focused, though he still hadn't a clue what was going on. Clearly, though, he knew their survival depended upon the quickness of his feet.

Sora gulped deeply as they ran. If any of their pursuers took to the air, they would be caught. He looked briefly over his shoulder, relieved at what he saw, but feeling guilty and worried at the same time– his father hunched over in pain, Marissa fending off a wayward demon attacker. And Shailiha, frozen in her tracks, staring open-mouthed at Kerrak (who noticed nothing except the ground beneath his feet).

They ran furiously around the gaping hole to the steps of the tower, climbing with as much speed as they could manage. Sora thought erratically, Where's Riku's father? but brushed the thought aside. He wasn't following them. That was all that mattered.

"What... is going... on..." Kerrak huffed as they reached the top, collapsing and breathing raggedly. "And where.. The hell am I?!"

Sora all but crawled to where Riku and Kaz stood at the center of the floor, staring vapidly at the pedestal before them.

"Perfect fit," Riku muttered as he stood next to them, and he saw that he referred to their stones– positioned in the deep slots of the stand. Sora looked from the two still-empty spaces to his own stone. He didn't want to put it in– it was his! His at last. Shuddering, he hesitantly reached out to place it in the hole, just as Kerrak pulled himself to his feet next to them.

"Put the stone of your necklace in the last hole," Kaz instructed him, gesturing vaguely.

"What? No, it's mine!"

Sora heard shouting at the bottom of the steps and knew that their parents had overcome their difficulties.

"Please," he pleaded.

"Only if you tell me what's going on!"

"Later!"

Sensing the urgency– and apparently still hating them for it– Kerrak shoved the yellow gem into the hole.

Nothing happened, and Riku cursed loudly. Sora felt his face go pale and watched as Kaz's lips trembled. Then the tower shook, and Sora stumbled, smacking his face against the cool marble floor. He peered over the edge, down to the valley below where the fires of Hell reached avidly up from. He watched the ground itself shudder as two great slabs of stone slid loudly out from under the fissured dirt. He recognized the design– the last time Sora was here, they had together made up an ornate square sitting at the base of the tower.

He cringed as he thought of all the times he had walked there, thinking it was only a decoration.

Demons rushed into the hole, a constant swarm like flowing water, ducking desperately in before their route was closed. Angels took to the air like scattering birds– only much, much more beautiful and awe-inspiring.

And then, finally, the stone slid to a complete halt and the swirling portal was closed off. A heavy, oppressive silence fell over the area.

Sora closed his eyes, resting his head on his arms.

"What the hell? What in bloody hell is this? Seriously, guys!" Kerrak's voice bordered on desperation and hysteria, but Sora hadn't the strength even to answer.

"Is it over?" Riku asked, and even Kerrak fell silent briefly as he listened to the conversation that was starting.

Sora paused before licking his lips and forcing his voice to work. "It– What the hell was that?"

He had no energy, so Sora didn't sit up, but he tilted his head to the side, willing his ears to give attention to the shrill, depressing sound. "It sounds... unnatural."

"On the contrary," Kaz told him softly. "It's the most natural sound in the world– an ending crashing right into a beginning."

Sora lifted his head slowly, peering downwards. His chest tightened as he watched the scene below, above... all around him, the angels were crying. Bleeding and screaming, like a child being dragged from the womb.

Behind him, Kaz sighed, and he whispered, words caught on the wind, "No. It's not over. It won't ever be over."