"Do you understand now?" I didn't even bother answering since I knew well enough the only thing that could leave my mouth was a big fat insult "Humans are such complex creatures, their emotions so many and hectic." That fucking voice, I hated it, how it surrounded me, how it still sent chills down my spine and through my bones. Crawling on my hands and knees I was trying to put some distance between us, but he just quietly slid alongside me.
"I'll call you Dante." I huffed stopping altogether since it was pointless "It feels like the Divine Comedy." Resting on my back, I closed my eyes not even reacting when he spoke. I just felt like shutting down completely, give in for once, to just stop fighting.
"I am not familiar with it, however that name does not appeal to my tastes."
Letting out a laugh, I cursed under my breath "Tastes he said." He poked my cheek, the burn making me hiss "Would you fucking stop it?" opening my eyes I glared, his widening a fraction as he bent to look at me better. Like a large shadow loaming over my form, damn how I hatted his guts.
"Tell me about this Divine Comedy." He was genuinely curious, taking a seat on the cold stone surface near me "Why do you feel this situation is similar?" I wasn't planning on even trying to remember everything, but I did start explaining to him why it felt like what he did to me was Hell. Truth be told the entire Demon World with multiple layers felt like the nine circles described.
I have been through the first one, met demons face to face, while just a few years back I was the heretic, I didn't believe they existed or could be real for that matter. Oh how wrong I was. And if I was now in the last layer, this was the devil himself, feasting on souls apparently. Or collecting them. Whatever the devil is into these fine days.
He was strong, stronger than anything I've heard or seen on the footage Botan brought me while I was staying at Kido. Strong in a different sense, the one that could more than likely kill you with a touch if he wanted. Well, he certainly could, since he had the ability to manipulate soul matter.
And I was just an ant in front of him, held no real power, just a light he was fascinated by.
He managed to manipulate my soul, dragging forth all sort of emotions as he dug deeper and deeper. My territory wasn't even a smidge compared to this bastard. I was just a puppet, him pulling the strings further and further stretching me and the very fabric of my soul, of what kept me alive. I felt every pull, every nudge and jab, healing back but at the same time breaking further.
Going through a large scope of emotions did little to help too. At one point I was laughing, telling him something along the lines of him probably watching too much tentacle porn if he chose to manipulate his power in such a way. The next thing I knew I lunged myself at him, yelling at the top of my lungs for him to just die. I scratched and clawed at myself as I cried, digging into my flesh, blood still lingering under my nails.
I ripped my clothes and bashed my head against the ground not understanding how I was losing it but keeping it together at the same time. Tears and snot dripped down my face and neck, the cold drilling deep into my bones. Every time he touched me I would lash out violently, recoiling from the pain despite my brain being very active and territory burning strong.
Even now and I was telling him the story as best as I remembered it, I was still at it, actively working to deal with whatever he did to me "You feel as if I am punishing you." After my mouth went dry from all the talking that was his conclusion?
Getting back to my initial plan, I got back on my stomach "Fuck you." Once more the same game was played, me trying to escape, him just casually walking as if he was on a stroll in the park on a spring sunny day.
My soul was clean, I managed to keep it intact and not break, but that still didn't mean I was any closer to understanding anything "You have a beautiful soul Light."
I much preferred when he wasn't speaking and I was crapping my pants fearing he would jump and kill me "Hana, my name is fucking Hana. What is yours?" once more going round in circles, once more round and round. Again and again.
"I do not remember my name. Why are you so mad? I only tested to see if you are capable of handling it." It? What it? My mind went into overdrive, legs struggling to get me in a standing position. I wobbled, stumbling backwards but not falling. If I was going to ask, he would just evade the question just like before, but damn him if I was going to stand by and let him do what he wanted.
"Well excuse me if I'm not bouncing around with joy when being captured by the villain." His head cocked to the side slightly as he took a few steps right inside my territory.
"Villain? Why? That is just your perception little girl and of those who indoctrinated you, making you believe you are serving a higher purpose." Stepping right in my face, I exhaled slowly "You are being lied to, Spirit World will never join an alliance without winning something. They have sacrificed you, have they not fed you to the wolf despite your light being the brightest?" His hand gestured to the starry sky and then I got it. They weren't stars, they were us, energies, each shinning differently. That was how he managed to see me, but if I could see other demons, then just how bright did I shine all the way from the first layer? "A villain is a villain until their story is told. Like the hunter and the lion, the hunter will always be the greater good since he writes the stories."
Looking back at him, I nodded, his statement making sense "Then what's next?"
"I mark your soul."
"I'll die." My mind went back to when I got hit, that tentacle monster latching onto me. Then I was panicking, losing it fast since I was almost certain I would die. This time I surely will, there is no way I can remove that thing from me before it latches on and shatters my soul.
He shook his head slowly, hands extending towards me, palms facing upwards "No, it will make you stronger and I will tell you all about it, everything from the beginning." Looking back to the small clearing containing the souls stolen from Spirit World I knew I needed to do it, to let him mark my soul. He needed me to deliver a message, so I couldn't die, he wouldn't let me.
Slowly I reached out, placing my hands into his. Darkness slowly slithered around my skin and that concerned me more than the pain his touch was causing. Small tentacles made their way up my arms, goose bumps breaking on the surface of my skin.
As sounds drowned out completely, the only thing I could distinguish was that dark matter traveling inside my system like a second blood, I could actually hear it slithering through my veins, but I couldn't hear my own heart beating inside my chest. My vision went dark before I even realized what was happening, nothingness taking over the same way madness spreads over one's mind. My voice was gone, not even a peep coming out of my throat, instead a mixture of ash and ice coated my tongue. I didn't feel cold, I didn't feel warmth, I was nothing.
And then flashes of images danced in the back of my mind, a whisper making them change sequences, memories not my own.
We were the very first recon team sent to Demon World. Willing volunteers with one mission in mind, to spread the influence of Spirit World across the realm. This new territory was hostile, dangerous, filled with creatures ready to lunge at our throats, or so we were told.
We massacred villages, killed men, women and children, their cries forever latched to memory even after so long. We have been the gear that set everything in motion, the ones who rained down with power and brought war. We did all that with a smile on our faces and pride in our hearts, all for Spirit World.
We soon learned we were not correct in our blind mission. Demons were different than us or humans, however many similarities existed. And one similarity struck back, when attacked, attack.
Our powers were no match, we were outnumbered, weaker.
He survived however, the sole SDF member to walk the lands of Demon World. He fled to hide his shame, he ran in order to never return to Spirit World. How he ended up in the last layer of this world is a mystery, but he did. And it is here where he broke himself apart, a spiritual with a narrow mind filled with lessons implanted by Spirit World and its king.
He trained in solitude, he learned, watched and listened. Broke himself apart and healed time and time again until physical pain wasn't even felt. He gathered souls, guided them like a soul ripper. He used to be one in his earlier days, when innocence and ignorance was bliss.
Evolution, practice, determination, horror all of it is horror.
You are all pawns Light.
Yes Darkness, we are all pawns.
You'd better not die, but if you do, your soul will come to me.
Marked by Darkness.
Rest, I just need to rest, to stop his voice from hammering at my already fragile nerves. Piercing cold invaded my bones, from my toes, up my legs, reaching my stomach making me feel sick, arms barely capable of moving, lips dry and cracked.
A soft light danced in front of my eye lids, barely registering but there. And then another, and another. Opening my eyes I watched several souls dancing in front of me "Am I dead?" shaking the thought out of my tired mind, I slowly pushed myself up on my elbows. Shutting my eyes once more I tried to refocus.
I'm Hana, I am a healer, I am…unleashing my territory, looking deep within myself, I stared at my own soul. Intact, it was not broken, not scattered into millions of pieces, but something else touched its surface. Not a tentacle monster, but a thin lace like sheet of Darkness encompassed it. It was peculiar, my thoughts immediately going to Demon Souls.
I feel off.
Struggling to remember, my head screamed in pain. He wanted me to deliver a message. Why? Because his failed, the infection, the attacks, all were left unanswered. But we were trying to locate him, that's why I came.
He said we would meet again, that I would return and know when that time has come.
Damn lights.
Glancing back at the souls, I tried to understand why they were disturbing me now when they completely ignored me when I got here "Do you know me?" human, they are human souls. How many more need to die for a message to get across, for things to stabilize?
I continued watching one of the souls dancing in the same pattern, over and over. G…e…n…k…"Genkai?" it stopped and I'm sure if she could talk, she would call me a dimwit. Maybe I am one, maybe not, or I'm going crazy and I am now seeing souls dance.
I need to run.
Looking down at my body, not only were the clothes on my back destroyed, but so was my skin, burn marks covering me. Standing took a lot of strength, Genkai's soul urging me to follow. Who are the other souls? I can't focus my mind to even remember.
Expanding my territory, it slithered quietly all around me, just the souls keeping me company, but Darkness was nowhere to be seen. Slowly closing up the wounds left behind by him I ignored everything around me.
Turning my gaze upwards I tried to focus, to search for something known. Something familiar. The farthest lights must be the first layer, closer and brighter are just above and I am…dead meat.
Panic suddenly installed itself in my core, legs working once more as I sprinted following Genkai's lead. I need to think, I need to find a way out, I can't possibly walk all the layers on foot "Hey Genkai, there must be one more SDF member and he should be down here." Her soul shook, flames dancing but that was a solid no. Dead? Worse? Do I fucking want to know? "I can't make it on foot. I can't."
But there's no other option.
Tearing my fingers through my hair made me realize several pieces of it were also turned white by Darkness's power. I need to escape, I can't stay here. I'm dead either way but I'd rather take my chances out there. Looking at a random flower, I could see its life shining bright. I would need to kill, I would need to fight. One snap of my territory snuffed its light away, anger burning inside my chest. I counted silently the lights closes to me, how strong were they? How fast?
Covering my face I groaned, or at least I wished to do that. Instead a scream emanated from deep within my chest, territory expanding further "Where the fuck are you?!" I was back at square one "Motherfucker get me out of here!" nowhere, he wasn't anywhere close or even further.
Turning my eyes once more to the energies above I tried to find him, if he wasn't in his own stupid layer then he must be out, walking, roaming, floating whatever the fuck he does "Fine Genkai, show me how to get out of here. I promise I will come back for you and the rest."
