YAMI NO MATSUEI – DESCENDANTS OF DARKNESS

APOCALYPSE RISING

Chapter Twenty-Six – Mastering the Art of Manipulation (Part One)

Location - Shokan Division

The Gushoshin Twins were busy gathering data for tonight's debriefing – a meeting that Konoe had requested and expected everyone's attendance once the Inquisition proceedings were over.

The fax machine suddenly whirred to life and slowly imprinted the incoming message, startling the twins at first. It had been hours since the deluge of Request Forms came in and bombarded them, causing a great delay from their work.

Gushoshin Elder sighed and the two temporarily left everything that they were doing to see this new request. They would not be surprised if this new request had something to do with people being unable to die.

The two then hovered over the fax machine, reading the message as it came out. They were right about their suspicion, but there was something different from this request and it hit closer to home for them. They also would not be surprised if this message would hit Hisoka much harder than everyone else.

The twins exchanged meaningful stares while their hearts clenched…the faxed information bearing the message….

Request Form

Investigation regarding the Kurosaki family.

Check Shokan Division archive for background information. Tatsumi Seiichiro and Watari Yutaka chief investigators.

Object of Investigation: Kurosaki Rui. Kurosaki Nagare.

Location: Kanagawa Prefecture, Kamukura City,

xxxxxx

Location - Hall of Candles, Inquisition Hearing

Hisoka withdrew from Tsuzuki and stared into the other's eyes. His emerald eyes still glistened from his abundant tears and his supple lips quivered as he asked in a choked whisper, "You're…leaving?"

Meeting the other's probing and melancholic gaze, Tsuzuki gently swept away the unruly blonde hair that covered Hisoka's eyes. His tears continued to flow while he wiped away the tears beading and escaping from the corner of Hisoka's eyes, his reply to his partner and lover being, "I don't know yet. Too much is at stake. Too many are involved. If I make the wrong decision…."

After shaking his head and doing his best not to uncontrollably sob once more, Hisoka told the other, "Don't leave, Tsuzuki. We've worked things out together before. If you leave, you're giving up."

"But what about who or what I really am? You can't –"

Knowing what was in Tsuzuki's mind and his tone bearing the mix of frustration and pleading, the empath interjected, "I don't care who or what you are. You heard what the rest believe about you. You heard what the Chief said. You'll always be human to me…to all of us. Why don't you believe that? What you've always wanted is the truth about who you are."

"Hisoka…"

The empath touched Tsuzuki's cheek and whispered, "Don't go, Tsuzuki. I don't want you to go."

Giving the empath a soft smile, Tsuzuki planted another lingering and heartfelt kiss on the other's lips and then said, "I'll do my best not to leave. That's all that I could promise you."

As he saw Hisoka become sadder while those tears began to well in the empath's eyes once more, Tsuzuki's smile became gentler and more consoling. "I think the Inquisition's done with me for now. If I'm not needed anymore, we'll sit down. We'll talk more about this tonight. Please don't be sad. I'm still here."

Hisoka lifted his head and met Tsuzuki's gaze. He gave the other a tight-lipped smile, some of his tears now escaping from the corner of his eyes as he nodded.

Tsuzuki leaned forward and kissed Hisoka on the forehead, then the nose, and then on the lips…the gestures gentle and affectionate.

Rising and then standing from behind the Dais of Truth, Tsuzuki asked the judge, "Your Honor, do you wish me to return to where I earlier stood? I just wanted to make sure that Hisoka was okay."

The judge's tone hinted His gentleness and benevolence as he replied, "Unless there is anyone in this Inquisition Hall that wishes to speak regarding your fate, you are free to join your friends. However, please note that you have three nights starting tonight to make your decision as to what realm you would choose to go. Please consider your choice carefully."

Hearing that reality made Tsuzuki let out a subtle yet burdened sigh, telling the judge afterwards, "Yes, Your Honor. I'll think things through."

"You and Kurosaki-kun may go ahead and step down, Tsuzuki-san."

Tsuzuki knelt before Hisoka once more and whispered to his partner, "I can join you now, Hisoka. Let's go back to our seat. Once the Inquisition's finished for the evening, we'll return to Gensoukai and make sure that everyone's all right."

After he looked up and paused for a few minutes, a still-melancholic Hisoka took Tsuzuki's offered hand. He quietly walked down from the Dais of Truth's steps with Tsuzuki consolingly holding his quivering hand.

By this time, Tatsumi and Terazuma now sat closer to Troy while Hisoka was at the Dais of Truth. The two remained silent yet constantly vigilant of the entire proceedings. They were about to move to their original seat at the end of the bench but Tsuzuki smiled and motioned them that Hisoka and he would go ahead and take their old spot.

Hisoka and Tsuzuki then sat down with their friends as all eyes in the courtroom were still focused on them.

The judge remained quiet as He read the papers for the next charge. He waited for the arrival of the next one to stand behind the Dais of Truth.

Once Tsuzuki and Hisoka were settled, Tatsumi resumed his attention on scanning their surroundings. He noticed how Caer had been focused on him and the others, which prompted him to inquire with Troy, "Tell me about this Caer aside from the fact that he's a primordial."

"So you noticed, too," mumbled Troy as he saw how Caer smiled at him once they established a couple of seconds' worth of eye contact, only for Troy to end it by glancing at Tatsumi and still feeling that Caer's attention was still on them.

Tatsumi's discomfort reflected in his voice and the way that his forehead crinkled as he asked Troy, "Why is he giving us that look?"

Ashtarote interjected, "Are you talking about that 'come hither' look that Caer's been throwing over here since he arrived, Tatsumi?"

With his face flushing a bit from hearing his thoughts be openly and blatantly echoed, Tatsumi let out a heavy sigh to expel some of the tension and discomfort. "Yes, Lord Ashtarote."

After letting out a soft chuckle, Ashtarote said, "Get used to it, Tatsumi. There are four things that stir Caer's interest, and that's beauty, power, sex, and chaos. He sees and senses that from all of us here."

Troy let a pursed-lipped smile escape from his lips, a short yet lighthearted chuckle being heard from him afterwards as he shook his head. He crossed his left leg over his right one and then he leaned forward to rest his elbow on his thigh, his hand now cradling his chin and his body more relaxed. He glanced at Ashtarote and then his smile slightly warmed up as their eyes met – a temporary yet welcome relief from the internal turmoil bubbling inside him.

Ashtarote's forehead crinkled for a minute although he welcomed that smile with a questioning smirk. "What's so funny, Lord Abigor?"

Shaking his head and then letting out an amused sigh, Troy replied, "First of all, it's Abigor because we're among friends. Second, don't let our men ever hear you talking about how beautiful or handsome we are. You'll never hear the end of it."

Blinking for a bit and feeling that Konoe and the shinigami were entertained from overhearing the conversation, Ashtarote replied, "But I'm not ugly."

This time, it was Troy's turn to blink as he assessed the meaning behind Ashtarote's response. When he could not figure out the basis of the other's comment, he asked, "Do you think that I just called you ugly? Why are you being so self-deprecating and negative?"

The smile escaping from Troy's lips then became warmer and more relaxed as he added. "Ashtarote, you are not ugly. I have never called you ugly. On the contrary, I keep telling you for eons that you are very handsome especially if you stop scowling most of the time. It makes you more approachable, just as you had been before the Great Fall."

Ashtarote just gave Troy a blank look, still remaining clueless.

After letting out another short and soft laugh, Troy continued in such a lighthearted fashion, "I could just picture our men giving us a weird look if they ever hear us talking about how handsome we are. We are warlords, Ashtarote. We hold so many realms respectively because we are respected and feared in the battlefield by both our troops and the enemy."

Blinking his eyes and still picturing in his mind's eye how the scene would look like, Troy added, "Try having this conversation in front of our men and then give them an order to launch an attack. No matter how you put it, it does not sound effective and authoritative, does it?"

Stopping for a minute and recalling how accurate Troy's observation was, Ashtarote dismissively snorted. "I could just easily send them to the flogging masters. They know what you could do to them, so they would never dare laugh at you either. They know that they should never make fun of us."

"But you gave them priceless, unforgettable amusement before then," was Troy's semi-cheerful comeback. "Let us just say that we should keep such conversations between us. Let us have our men not laugh at us out of respect rather than fear."

Ashtarote sighed, then shook his head and chuckled as his eyes scanned the courtroom. "You really have a twisted sense of humor, Abigor. I keep forgetting how warped your mind can really be. I guess I am not going to hear the end of it from you, would I?"

"No, too much precious amusement gone to waste if not fully appreciated," was Troy's quick answer, his pursed-lipped smirk still escaping from his lips. Then his expression sobered as he sensed something from Ashtarote – something that reminded him that the present situation was anything but cheerful.

Those around Ashtarote heard him let out a heavier sigh and his earlier-relaxed demeanor return to his well-guarded one. Tatsumi, Konoe, Hisoka, Terazuma, and Troy looked at the direction where Ashtarote's stare was transfixed.

And there was Caer, still staring at them and giving them a disarmingly sardonic smirk when he knew that he got their attention.

Troy closed his eyes for a minute, his legs still crossed and his elbow rested on one knee while he pressed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger. His anger slowly returned and although his voice was even, the blood inside him had been bubbling and itching for release. His face had been flushed for a myriad of reasons aside from his rage…Caer having a great part on why he felt so unsettled. "Caer is having a hard-on because of what can happen next. He has been hurling these mental messages since he got here."

Ashtarote's eyes narrowed as he somewhat felt that he missed something from what Troy had just told him. His eyes then went wide as Troy picked up his confusion and clarified everything by saying, "Caer has been hitting on me through those eyes and his psychic messages, Ashtarote…and he has been hitting on everyone else in our party with those eyes of his. I don't know who is sicker – Muraki or him."

A startled Tatsumi along with the others from the Shokan Division blinked.

The judge hit His gavel once He was done reading the papers before Him for the next section of the Inquisition. "Would the defendant come forth and take his place inside the Dais of Truth?"

Looking at the shinigami sitting with him and then having his gaze stay longer on Ashtarote, Troy said to Ashtarote as he heard the judge's declaration, "It is our realm's turn. I will be back."

All of them watch Troy stand up and step down from where he sat, his steps soft yet determined as he walked and took his place behind the claimant's dais.

It was not what Troy said but the way that he said his words which made Tatsumi more intrigued. He asked Ashtarote, "What's about to happen? Why is Tsuuri-kun standing behind the dais?"

"This doesn't look good. Tsuuri looks like he's on a death mission," was Terazuma's interjection as he watched Troy and then glanced at Caer's direction, with him noticing how Caer's smirk became more sadistic as the seconds passed.

"Yes. Actually, it is far worse than what you think. Caer has been waiting for this moment to happen for eons. Lord Abigor has been dreading for this to happen for eons as well," was Ashtarote's reply, looking down at Troy from where he sat.

A misty figure appeared behind the Dais of Truth and took on a more-corporeal form.

The shinigami were at awe as they saw an exquisitely-handsome man with enthralling ruby eyes and long platinum-blonde hair. Everything about the man who now stood behind the Dais was mesmerizing – the expressive eyes, the aquiline nose, the soft lips, the flawless alabaster-like skin, the elegantly-shaped neck, his rich gold-and-burgundy-colored robes and cape made from the finest velvet and silk, his stately posture, and so much more.

"He's beautiful. He must be another primordial," was Tatsumi's comment as he took greater notice of how the defendant had an air of nobility…not just in height but also through the latter's gestures and expressions. To him, the defendant's handsome features rivaled Caer's exquisite looks.

"Yes, he is beautiful indeed but he is not a primordial," said Ashtarote as he saw Troy shift from where he stood, close his eyes, and take a deep breath. "He is the main reason why Caer has been so obsessed in winning Lord Abigor at all costs. Caer blames the one behind the Dais of Truth to be the reason why Lord Abigor spurned him all this time."

Ashtarote then paused and realized one important fact. He blinked and then thought aloud, "I keep forgetting that none of you have ever seen Enma. What you see now is his true form."

All the shinigami stared at Enma – the figure behind the Dais of Truth. They were at awe for a little while until they recalled that so many accusations have been hurled against the latter. Their expressions became grimmer as they could not understand what this upcoming part of the Inquisition was all about.

Terazuma was the first one who regained his composure, now asking Ashtarote for his curiosity and everyone else's benefit, "Why is Enma-DaiOh-sama standing trial? Why is Tsuuri down there?"

Konoe let out a deep, troubled sigh. He did not know how to feel. His entire being felt burdened from being kept in the dark all this time after he had loyally served Enma. "It all depends on whether Troy-kun's presenting his claim as Enma-DaiOh-sama's significant other or as the Lord of Makai."

"It is both, Konoe," was Ashtarote's bleak reply. "He hates being betrayed and being made a fool. Enma did both. In spite of all the intelligence gathered against Enma, he wants to hear the truth from Enma's lips."

As his eyes remained focused on Troy, Ashtarote added as he could feel and see more of the old Abigor emerging as harsher truths about Enma's deception have been revealed. A chill traveled down his spine as the courtroom heard Troy ask the one behind the Dais of Truth, "How long do you think that you could deceive everyone?"

"As long as it takes, Abigor," was Enma's reply, his cold gaze unwavering as he stared back at Troy. "You keep forgetting that I am the Lord of Death."

Troy's temper rose as he pointed over to the bench where Konoe and his men sat, his angry voice reverberating throughout the Inquisition Hall as he added, "You toyed with their lives! They lived a life and afterlife of regret! You made them commit acts that burdened their souls! You made them fall into your clutches! You made it all happen so that you could give them one of your 'unbiased' judgments! You abused your power!"

Still unfazed, Enma deadpanned, "You are supposed to be Makai's advocate. My men can speak for themselves. Their fates have nothing to do with you. I can do everything that I wish with my men and my realm. That privilege includes but is not limited to toying with them."

Troy's eyes narrowed as he barely controlled his rage, his eyes glowing brighter red. "Their fates have everything to do with me. You manipulated events in Chijou by getting involved with traitors in my realm. You influenced events in Makai so that civil unrest is now brewing in it."

After a long pause, a seething Troy continued, "Caer told this court some of the things that you have done. You solicited for his help all these years. In turn, you helped the Muraki family – the primordials' followers. You kept a blind eye on the Muraki family's activities. You asked your men to do the same."

Troy had to stop for a minute as he felt something burn and rip inside him, his eyes closing as he grimaced in pain…with Caer being overjoyed as he saw that matters were being pushed according to how he wished it to be.

Troy clenched his fist to regain even a small kernel of control. He slowly opened his eyes and looked at Enma. He told the other in a quiet yet intent tone as he did his best to keep pain and anger at bay, "You played us as if we were...and still are...your pawns. You made our mortal lives as miserable as it could be. You have constantly tested us for your fickle amusement."

"You awakened Kinu and Gyokuto even after I begged you not to do so. You bribed Satori to do your dirty work. He poisoned the Shokan Division. He caused the infiltration at the Shokan Division. He had most of the Shokan Division staff perish. His poison transformed Watari-san and Wakaba-chan into Kinu and Gyokuto."

"And you most especially have broken the treaty. Meifu was in Makai's clutches shortly before the treaty was forged eons ago. It all happened while we toyed with the idea of having a relationship. I wanted peace for my citizens. In turn, you instigated civil unrest in my realm. You stirred my council's greedy desires for power. You even helped Abraxas and his cronies by sending those demons to destroy me."

Meeting Enma's cold gaze, Troy asked in an even tone that masked the emotional turmoil and physical pain inside him, "Did Caer speak the truth about you? Did I speak the entire truth about your activities? Did I miss anything from the list?"

Without hesitation, Enma's quiet reply was, "Yes, it is all true."

The whispers in the courtroom became louder, the judge being forced to hit his gavel many times before the crowd quieted down.

Hearing Enma's admission broke Troy's heart. Troy bowed his head, closed his eyes, and held on to the dais' edges as his last-ditch effort to hold on to his sense of calm and composure. His body shook as he heard those demonic voices inside his head clamoring for retribution. His body and his internal tormentors pushed for him to unleash all his anger and sadness over the betrayal.

Yet Troy's mind and heart were at odds. On matters that pertained to Enma, he loved the other so much that it hurt him. His desire to let it all out culminated in silent tears that trickled on his quivering hands and the dais.

As his tears flowed more generously and his soul never feeling as tired as it did now, Troy bit his lip in the long silence until his lip drew blood.

After staring at Troy for a long time, the somber Enma said, "You did miss one thing, Abigor. I hate you and love you at the same time. I hate you when you are the self-righteous and matter-of-factly Lord of Makai. You think about your agenda and people over me."

The Lord of Death paused, for the first time allowing the hurt to sit in his heart as he added, "Yet when we are alone…when you are just simply Abigor…I love you and cannot have enough of you. You are the one who ruins me, Abigor, and I still love you in spite of that."

And so Troy lifted his head from hearing those words come out of Enma's lips, his glowing red gaze now more freely exhibiting his anger although the tears continued to flow from him. "If you love me, then why did you do something so despicable and as atrocious as this?"

"I do not want you to love anyone or anything else but me. I waited all this time for your return. I witnessed how you loved others. You love the mortal world. You love Makai. You cherish the bond with your loved ones. You even care about my shinigami. You love God even after He threw you down to Hell. We did spend moments, but they were fleeting. You say that you love me, yet you forsake me for your ideals, your realm, or others. Ikuru Aiko was a test. You forsook some of your powers to send her back to Heaven. My treachery is another test. I wanted to see how far you will go to give up your role as ruler. You failed on both tests just as you have failed the rest that I have given you."

Everyone shuddered from the admission unfolded before the court. The Shokan Division members were as equally shocked as Troy had been, their respective emotions turbulent.

As Troy felt such suffocating pain inside him, so did Hisoka. The empath's hand twitched and trembled as dark emotions from Troy hit him full force. His reeling senses only began feeling a sense of stability once Tsuzuki tightened the hold on his hand with reassurance.

Eon's worth of pent-up anger bubbled up to the surface and exploded, with a tearful Troy slamming his fists on the dais.

Shortly thereafter, Troy broke down and sobbed. His fists were still clenched, his body trembling more from the agony coursing throughout all aspects of his being. Pure hate and hurt flowed from his lips and reflected in his eyes. "You took my son's gift away from him! You threw away his soul as if it was garbage! You had me suffer a short lifetime…a lifetime that should have been my son's to enjoy! You sent unrest and destruction to my realm! Many perished because of your selfishness! You played God with your deception and meddling!"

Troy took a little time to keep the pain that he was feeling at bay. He then broke the silence, his tears streaming down his cheek as he looked at Enma straight in the eyes and told the other, "After everything that you did... After all those who have perished…. All of that…and still it was not enough for you. What would it take to satisfy your capricious whim?! You broke the treaty between our realms! You betrayed not only me, but you also betrayed your realm and God!"

"What do you know about God, Abigor?" asked Enma with a sardonic smirk escaping his lips. "You fell from Heaven because you sinned against Him. You accuse me of using you as a pawn. Why do you not hurl the same accusation at Him? He purposefully had you fall because you would serve Him better by being in Makai. That is no different from the two of us copulating. You serve me better by keeping my bed warm and my body sated. Your tenderness is an added gift that I enjoyed very much."

Not knowing whether his body shuddered out of rage, sadness, or disbelief from what he just heard, Troy told Enma, "I guess you have enjoyed having your whore and fool in one body."

Enma shook his head and let out a burdened sigh. "Do not get me wrong, Abigor. I just happen to be a jealous lover. I show love differently. I stop and destroy any impediments between us."

Troy's head felt as if it had swollen at least four times its size. Blood boiled and pounded in his ears. "My son was not an impediment. My wife, Aiko, Yuta, and Jii-san were not impediments. My people are not an impediment. Your men are not an impediment. They're beings created by God. You have encroached God's territory by meddling with their fate and free will. You sold your soul to the primordials thinking that you'd get the upper hand."

Enma's crimson eyes coldly stared back at Abigor.

Abigor felt as if he could maim Enma right then and there when he said with quiet conviction, "I loved you all this time…given you my all…only to be your whore and your fool... all while many perished. You are happy because I welcomed and looked forward to being fucked in mind, body, and soul. What made you happier was the fact that I thought you loved me the way that I think I deserved. I've been nothing to you but your toy. I guess you feel so victorious having a whore and a fool who has primordial powers."

The courtroom then fell silent once more for a little while as Troy closed his eyes and held on to the dais, feeling as if the weight of the world crashed on his shoulders. His abundant tears continued to flow from him while his body shivered. His senses spun and his body began to burn inside, his world limited to what was behind the dais and the person behind the Dais of Truth.

Caer's ice-blue eyes reflected the sheer glee inside him. He knew that he succeeded in areas that Enma could not do when it came to Troy. His eyes watched Troy in utter fascination, his heightened senses feeling the rise of potency in Troy's dark aura…his blood and lust coursing thickly in his veins.

The judge, sensing through gifts of His own that Troy was suffering from more than just hurt and anger, asked, "Lord Abigor, are you all right? Are you done with speaking your claim?"

It took a long while before a now-pale Troy could manage a nod, his body trembling as if something inside him was unraveling too quickly for him to control. Sweat beaded on his forehead. Although he felt a ripping and burning sensation emanating inside him, he was cold.

Ashtarote and the others were alarmed over Troy's well-being. Something did not seem right, with Hisoka most especially confirming that fact about Troy.

Hisoka felt the sensations coursing inside Troy along with the increased potency of Troy's aura. Still holding on to Tsuzuki's hand which served as a psychic anchor for him during this rough time, he glanced at Ashtarote and said, "Troy's not well. Something's wrong with him."

Konoe then proposed, "Lord Ashtarote, why don't you take Troy-kun at the Shokan Division? You and he could rest there, if you wish. The Gushoshin Twins are there to keep both of you company."

A tightlipped Ashtarote nodded at Hisoka and Konoe's respective suggestions. He rose from his seat, and then walked towards the dais where Troy stood. He then asked the judge as he walked towards Troy, "Your Honor, please excuse Lord Abigor for the rest of tonight's proceedings. All of Makai's and Lord Abigor's claims have been heard. He doesn't seem to be feeling well."

It did not take long for the judge to say, "Lord Abigor, you may rest for the evening. You have filed two claims against Lord Enma. The first matter pertains as to whether Lord Enma had broken the treaty between his realm and yours. Due to the Lord of Death's admission, this Inquisition finds him guilty of the claims set against him. As the lord of the aggrieved realm of Makai, it would be up to you if your realm wishes to declare war against Meifu. Three nights from tonight, you must give this court your decision as to the fate of Meifu and Makai."

"As to your second claim, this has been the first time that this court became a sounding board for matters of the heart. I normally do not accept such matters. In light of the complex circumstances and political entanglements between Lord Enma and you, I made an exception. You have heard the truth from him. I do hope that the truth – as hurtful as it is – would eventually put your mind at ease."

Troy mustered his remaining control to give the judge a nod, the pain inside him increasing considerably. He then felt a hand rest on his shoulders, with him feeling some relief from seeing Ashtarote. He told his trusted friend, "Take me to him…"

Blinking and being worried, Ashtarote gazed at his lord. "But –"

"Please…."

The short walk to the Dais of Truth, in spite of Ashtarote supporting most of his weight, proved to be an agonizing trip for Troy.

The men from the Shokan Division watched as Troy and Ashtarote stood before the Dais of Truth, each one having such mixed yet altogether heavy feelings about what just unfolded between Troy and Enma.

Enma's stare rested on Troy as he saw his lover dig inside his pocket.

Troy's shaky hand placed the Signet of Hades on the Dais of Truth for Enma to see, the hand becoming shakier as Enma rested his hand on it.

"What is going to become of us, Abigor?" asked Enma, for the first time showing a sign of gentleness towards his lover since the Inquisition began.

The burning pain inside him becoming more severe as his turbulent emotions rose to greater heights, Troy told Enma as Ashtarote stood nearby, "You pawned me just as one would a cheap whore when you betrayed me."

Ashtarote and Enma froze from those words, with Enma saying, "I did what I did because I love you. I want you to be mine."

As Ashtarote saw that Troy was losing his balance, he tried to help Troy only to be motioned to stay back.

Before Troy's knees gave in because of his unexplainably weakened state, Ashtarote supported Troy from falling and said, "Abigor, please… Let us go to the Shokan Division. We will rest there and wait for the others."

Gazing angrily at Enma and before Ashtarote used his powers to take them to the Shokan Division, a still-teary-eyed and pain-stricken Troy mentally said to Enma through clenched teeth, "You taught me well, Enma. You killed everything that made me feel. Bringing the old Abigor back does not give you what you want. You will have proof on how well you have trained your whore and fool."

Seeing everything that had happened, Caer smirked victoriously…his mind already working on the next steps as he thought, "You are awakening fully, Abigor. I will see to it that you will be well taken care of..."

With his smirk becoming more malevolent, Caer disappeared from the Inquisition Hall.

The judge then hit the gavel to get the spectators' attention and asked, "Is there someone who wishes to add to Lord Abigor's claim?"

After everyone scanned the courtroom to see if there would be someone else to scrutinize Enma, Terazuma and Tatsumi raised their hands. The two had intent and anger reflected in their eyes, with Terazuma's shikigami becoming more unsettled while Tatsumi's shadows had their dark and thick aura filling their master.

Terazuma then descended the stairs and occupied the dais across from Enma, his parasitic shikigami stirring as its restlessness mixed with the anger and disbelief inside him.

End of Chapter Twenty-Six

Terminology

Abigor - Demonology books differ in interpretation about Abigor's position in regards with Ashtarote. Some books say that Abigor is a higher-ranking demon than Ashtarote, and some say otherwise. The books, however, agree with the fact that Abigor is a demon commander, a war strategist, a seer, and the ruler of 60 realms in Hell. For the purposes of this fic, I used the interpretation that Abigor ranks higher than Ashtarote. I also took liberalities in fleshing out a background story for him.

Chapter Eight revealed that Abigor, whose seal has been mysteriously appearing in Kyoto Files Revisited, is none other than Tsuuri Troy. For the purposes of this fic, Enma, the primordial demons, Ashtarote, and the other demons will call him Abigor. Tsuzuki, Hisoka, Tatsumi, Watari, Konoe, Muraki, and Troy's loved ones will call him Troy or Tsuuri-kun. Troy, by this time, is used to being called by either name.

Subsequent chapters of Apocalypse Rising will explain more about his past, how he fell from God's grace, how he obtained his powers, how his relationship had been with Enma, and why he became involved with the Shokan Division. The depiction of Abigor in this fanfic belongs to PJ Zatken. Tsuuri Troy wholly belongs to PJ Zatken.

Abraxas - Demonology books differ in interpretation about Abraxas. For the purposes of this fic, Abraxas is a member of Makai's Royal Council. The most influential one among the band of traitors inside the Council, he wanted to overthrow Abigor starting with civil unrest. He also helped Enma destroy Abigor when Abigor's wife was pregnant with his twins.

The depiction of Abraxas in this fanfic belongs to PJ Zatken.

Ashtarote – The Grand Duke of Hell or Makai. He has been eyeing on Tsuzuki to replace Sargatanas as the Brigadier Commander of the demon army since Sargatanas has been vanquished in The Devil's Trill manga and anime story arc. The series itself refers to Ashtarote, and the depiction of Ashtarote in the YnM series belongs to Matshushita Yoko.

Enma – The Lord of Death. Aside from passing judgment on a soul for deeds (or misdeeds) done during that soul's mortal existence, he also spearheads JuOhCho and EnmaCho.

EnmaCho – The Cho (or division) that Enma spearheads. Also known as the Judgment Bureau.

Father Lorenzo Opava - A minor original character (OC) created by PJ Zatken. A good friend and advisor to Tsuuri Troy, the priest also has psychic abilities. He can see spirits and demons. He can also heal the sick.

In chapter one, Father Opava is maimed by someone. In a later chapter, Troy and Tatsumi retrieve Father Opava's soul. The mystery gets even more complicated when Hisoka's empathic powers pick up that Troy - or someone who looks like Troy - is the one responsible for the priest's assault.

So far, Troy is still implicated in Father Lorenzo Opava's assault.

Gushoshin Twins – The bird-like creatures that are the librarians and chroniclers for the Shokan Division, EnmaCho, and Meifu. They also assist as needed on research and cases.

Kinu and Gyokuto – Golden bird and jade hare respectively. Enma mentions these two names in the Gensoukai/Kamakura story arc. It is insinuated that Enma refers to Watari as Kinu when Watari and Tatsumi "break in" JuOhCho's mother computer. Apparently, the manga-ka's insinuating that Enma has plans for Watari since he talks about Kinu and Gyokuto coming together to fulfill his goals.

Makai – Hell, or the equivalent of Hell.

Meifu – The land of the dead where sakura trees are almost in bloom all year round. Enma oversees Meifu. It is the equivalent of purgatory.

Kacho – Chief. Another name called for Konoe since he is the Shokan Division Chief.

Oriya Mibu or Oriya – Muraki's long-time best friend, the friendship starting at least during their high school years. He is a master swordsman and is the proprietor of the Kokakuro (a restaurant which is also a brothel in disguise for influential clients). He is referred by many as Wakadanna (young master) by his clients and his women.

In the anime and manga, the Kyoto Files Arc, Oriya challenges Hisoka to a duel.

Our beloved manga-ka had done two side-stories which involve three characters – Oriya, Ukyo, and Muraki fairly recently. The stories pick up from after the Kyoto incident where Oriya and Ukyo wait for Muraki's return. I just read the scanlations a couple of days before this chapter posted on

In the stories, the three characters have been friends since their school days. In their earlier days, Oriya constantly wonders as to whether his two friends are a couple. Eventually, the truth comes out and their friendship has endured throughout the years.

In these side-stories, it seems that Oriya is not only fond and loyal of Muraki but also of Ukyo (which gives me the hint that Oriya may be bi). He had been friends with Muraki since high school while he became classmates and close friends with Ukyo during his university days.

You have to read them. Do a Yahoo or Google search on Oriya and Ukyo. I stumbled on them when I was looking for the Tatsumi side-story. The stories, as usual in true YnM style, are adorable.

Major hugs to famous YnM fanfiction author Lyrebird and group for giving the rest of us fans this wonderful treat. Visit the site at lyrebird. demons – A band of demonic beings living in the deepest regions of Hell or Makai. The region where the primordial demons live is mostly unreachable by Hell's residents. There are eight primordial demons – each one representing a point of a Chaos star and all of them drawing powers from Chaotic sources.

More will be revealed about them in the subsequent chapters. As much as this term has been used from time-to-time, the characters comprising of this group of beings has been created by PJ Zatken.

Shikigami – Mystical servants who take on the shape of animals in their battle form.

Shinigami – Angels or Guardians of Death. Those who become shinigami have deep regrets and strong ties to the mortal world. Out of those who die and face judgment before Enma, the Lord of Death selects a handful to become shinigami. All shinigami are to work in pairs to prevent the abuse of privileges, since they each can pass freely between Chijou and Meifu. Each shinigami also chooses a mystical power to master, which will aid him or her during duty. Although they hold one of the most prestigious positions in Meifu, they are also unfortunately the lowest paid employees in JuOhCho.

Shokan Division – The summons sections of EnmaCho or the Judgment Bureau. Their agents, known as shinigami or angels of death, retrieve souls of those who appear in the list but have not faced judgment before Enma.

Terazuma Hajime - He is Wakaba Kannuki's senior partner in the Chugoku area. Although he has pointed ears and dark marks under his eyes due to his parasitic shikigami, he is handsome in his own right and bears a strong resemblance to Tsuzuki. A former detective of the Hiroshima Prefecture Police, an excellent archer, and a current shinigami, Terazuma's motto is efficiency and utilization of strength. He despises Tsuzuki because he sees his senior colleague as a "waste," not only due to Tsuzuki's lackadaisical attitude but also for the latter's possession and almost non-utility of his Fuda and shikigamis' powers. He avoids women and physical contact with women since he turns into his shikigami form with a woman's touch. Hisoka, too, also has the same effect on Terazuma. Although he avoids women, he welcomes Wakaba's presence for more reasons other than his partner's ability to turn him back into his human form.

Almost everyone calls him Terazuma, and Wakaba calls him Hajime-chan. Terazuma Hajime belongs to Matshushita Yoko, the manga-ka.

Todoroki - The chief of the Peace Preservation Bureau. Chief Todoroki is one of Chief Konoe's fiercest enemies, and is an unseen character in the series.

I know. I know...what's Chief Satori doing in the story?

When I was doing my research on the series, I thought that the chief of the Peace Preservation Bureau is un-named. After doing more research for the purposes of this fic, I found out (much to my embarrassment) that Todoroki is the name of the chief. So for less confusion (and in an effort to save face), this is how the story goes...

The Peace Preservation Bureau has two chiefs - one handling internal affairs, and the other managing affairs outside affairs. Chief Satori handles internal affairs, and Chief Todoroki is in charge of external affairs. Although the two of them have different responsibilities, they have equal power and they have their respective staff. At the same time, both of them are thorns in Konoe's side.

Chief Satori is a character created by PJ Zatken, and Chief Todoroki is a creation of manga-ka Matshushita Yoko.

Ukyo / Ukyou / Sakuraiji Ukyou – A young lady from Sakura Pharmaceuticals, a leading drug manufacturer. She is an important woman in Muraki's life. Two years younger than Oriya, they became acquaintances in the university. Together with Oriya, she is anxious about Muraki's fate. In the side-stories, it turned out that Oriya took pharmaceutical sciences with Ukyo at the university.

The excerpt above comes from Lyrebird's site. Many thanks to her and her team for bringing this to life to us who don't speak or read Japanese.

For the purposes of this fic, Ukyo died and Muraki had just found out about it upon his recent return to see the two.

Wakaba Kannuki - She is Terazuma Hajime's partner in the Chugoku area. A Fuda user, she is the only one who could control Terazuma when he changes into his shikigami form. She looks like a pretty and bubbly high school girl in a shaded sailor uniform with long wavy hair entwined with ribbons. Aside from having a sweet disposition, she is an awesome cook and a wonderful baker who spoils Tsuzuki and the rest of the Shokan Division with her pastries.

Her partner, Terazuma, calls her Kannuki. Tsuzuki affectionately calls her Wakaba-chan. The rest of her peers call her Wakaba, and she belongs to Matshushita Yoko.

And a Guide to the Primordials (list will be added as they appear. All that appear in this section are original characters created by PJ Zatken)

Caer – the first of the primordials to have awakened. He is the one who saves Muraki from the fires in Shion University at Kyoto. He appears at the Inquisition Hall to lay claim on Tsuuzki.

Normal Disclaimer

I do not own Yami no Matsuei and its lovable characters. However, I do own this fic and Chief Satori and other original characters.