-Chapter Nine-


(Indigo Mountain, Archaeological Dig Site, 1968)

Koga and Genesis joined the other men outside and watched as the demons scurried into one big huddle in the middle of the campsite. Koga turned to Genesis.
"Let me go back to my tent. I have a machete in there, and I can…"
Genesis shook his head, cutting him off.
"No. It would not be smart to make any sudden movements right now. Let us wait until we can figure out exactly what is going on."
Koga frowned, but did not want to argue with his teacher. The demons all suddenly stood still, their heads turned up at the dark, cloudy sky. The wind picked up, beginning to blow with a strange vengeance. Devon clutched onto Blaine's sleeve, turning his face to his arm so as to shield it from the dirt flying about with the wind. The dark clouds began to part, revealing a strange winding staircase that glittered with dark jewels. The area seemed to go mute for one instant, but then an ear-splitting roar erupted from the top of the stairs, a roar that sent cold shivers down all the men's spines. The demons cheered and began to jump around as if in celebration. A few of them turned back to the tent, and went back inside. Koga started after them, but Genesis grabbed onto his shoulder to stop him. The demons returned, carrying the glowing artifacts in their hands. In one large parade, they all began to stream up the stairs.
Kinle fell to the ground, his hair falling in front of his face, shading his features.
"I…I have done something…terrible…"
"It wasn't your fault," Samuel comforted. "You had no idea."
Kinle shook his head pitifully.
"I don't even know what I have done…"
Koga silently went back into his and the boys' tent, and emerged fully clothed in his ninja uniform, his machete in his hand. Devon lifted his head from Blaine's arm to look at Koga.
"Where are you going?"
"Where do you think?"
Genesis grabbed Koga's arm.
"You are not going up those stairs, if that is what you are suggesting."
"I have to stop those creatures. Anyone can tell that they are evil beings. They must be destroyed. And I don't see anyone else going after them."
"That's because we value or lives too much," Blaine remarked.
Koga ignored him and wrenched his arm out of Genesis' grasp. Kinle stood.
"I'll go with him. I am the one who has brought these…these things here. And I should be the one to try to stop them."
Before anyone could protest, Koga and Kinle both sprinted to the stairs and were soon disappearing amongst the thick clouds.
"Koga! Come back!" Genesis demanded in his deep southern accent.
Blaine scowled and shook his head.
"Always has to be the noble ninja, the bastard."
He pulled away from Devon's hands and began to follow them up the stairs. Devon had gone up soon after, followed by Samuel and Genesis.

It was pitch black at the top of the stairs. No one could see a thing. Devon felt around blindly for Blaine, whispering his name.
"I'm here, Devon," Blaine whispered back, putting his arm around him protectively.
Koga strained his eyes to see something-anything. He hated this. He hated being helpless and vulnerable. In the dark he was hypersensitive to everything-the sound of his comrade's feet against the floor, the breath his lungs, the heart pounding in his chest.
After several moments passed, and everyone was on the verge of snapping entirely, a small flame was suddenly visible in the center of the room. It was the chalice, and the chalice began to glow. All the other relics followed suit, floating in a circle around it. As Koga's eyes adjusted, he could see the demons underneath the hovering circle, on their knees, heads bowed. Before he or the others could make a move or speak, a horrible sounding deafening voice boomed throughout the space.
"You are the mortals who have released me from my eternal prison. For that, I am filled with gratitude."
Though the voice spoke kind words, they did not sound sincere. This was not lost on any of the men. Devon moved closer to Blaine and Koga gripped his machete tighter in his hand.
"Who are you?" He questioned the air from which the voice had spoken.
After a pause, he replied.
"I was, am, and forever shall be known as the Lord of Darkness. I have many other names, depending on whom you happen to ask, but that is the one I prefer the most. I was sealed away hundreds of years ago…or even longer, if you're keeping count. But now, thanks to you fortunate men, I am now free. And I shall spread my power, my wonderful power over this whole world."
Samuel turned to Genesis.
"I do not trust him," he whispered. "I do not believe he means what he says. I believe he will bring the world only evil and no good or wonder."
"There is no need for such doubt, my friends," boomed the Lord of Darkness, before Genesis could reply. "I mean you all no harm…unless you dare to be dumb enough to defy me."
The demons rose on these words, as if to illustrate the point. Koga was not afraid.
"You are an evil being, and you shall not go unpunished. We shall return you to your prison. Obviously, it is were you belong."
The demons hissed, slowly sliding across the floor to the outspoken ninja.
"Is that how you all feel?" The voice asked.
No one answered. In response to the silence, the demons let out a raged battle cry and leaped towards them. Koga raised his machete and sliced through the demons that came near him, spilling blood everywhere. Blaine, Genesis, and Kinle pulled out their pokeballs and released their pokémon. Blaine's magmar and Genesis' growlithe both used their Ember attacks and the smell of the demon's roasting skin wafted into the air. Kinle's donphan picked up demons with its strong trunk and slammed them down onto the hard floor, crushing their bones and busting them open. Devon and Samuel punched and kicked and scratched madly, unable to do much of anything else.
Kinle eventually managed to make his way through the demons to the luminous relics. His hands reached up to grab the chalice when the Lord of Darkness roared mercilessly. A large hand appeared from the shadows, venom dripping from its sharpened nails. Kinle closed his eyes and his hands closed around the base of the chalice just as the LOD's fingertips were inches away from his chest. Kinle shouted out the prayer imprinted on the artifacts, sweat falling down the sides of his face. The Lord of Darkness howled in anguish and his demons joined in his screams. Large, brilliant flashes of light began to erupt everywhere as the floor beneath them began to crumble. The artifacts, all except the chalice, shot off in different directions, disappearing into the unknown worlds. The demons and the staircase began to sink below the ground, and the men raced down the stairs that were falling apart. They threw themselves to the ground and shut their eyes tightly.
When they finally opened their eyes, any evidence that anything had happened at all had vanished. Everything was just as it had been before. Genesis, Samuel, Devon, Blaine, and Koga would never forget all that happened on that day. The only one who would was Kinle. He was erased of all memory of the incident, because he touched the chalice after it had been activated. No one knew, but Kinle had kept the chalice with him afterwards, not ever knowing where it had came from. And one day, he gave it to his wife, Maria Ranielli, who gave it to her son. And to this day, that boy has never let it out of his sight.

End of Chapter Nine