Omi started counting the steps off the ground with Yoji lagging behind. After the thirteenth step he paused and embedded a silver cross on the soil by the side walk. Afterwards he sprinted off without any warning to the other side of town.
"Omi! Wait for me you brat!" Yoji shouted.
"We've got only one hour before the ritual starts Yotan. We still have four more points of the seven point star to find! How about we split up and find them? I'm sure it would be faster", Omi replied, looking over his shoulder. He looked in question when Yoji had his jaw wide open and shouting for him to come back.
A blink later he found himself grabbed by person. A very strong person. He cried out when a blue-haired person squeezed the breath out of him.
"You two humans trying to break the ritual? Don't even think about it!" The vampire laughed. Yoji hissed and sent out a wire to the neck, wrapping around it. The vampire pulled, nearly causing the blonde to fall to the front. "Don't even bother trying to stop us! Lord Saturn will arise and this shall be the new place for Hell!"
Yoji gave a snicker and brought himself to his feet. "Heh, I wouldn't say that if I were you. Unfortunately for you, we came prepared as well." The blonde gave a yank and the wire bit into the vampire's neck. "Let me show a little help from God", Yoji sneered.
The vampire gave a cry of pain when the wire started to sizzle and burn into the flesh, corroding like acid. Omi took this chance to jab a dart into the attacker's side, and the wound started to corrode as well. He freed himself from the grip as the vampire got distracted by his wounds that were burning like fire.
"Hm. At least now I know Ken's a smart ass", Yoji said. The blonde took his place by the older man and frowned.
"Ken-kun isn't dumb, just a pea-wee brainless at times!" He giggled.
"I'll tell him when he gets back!" Yoji threatened.
"Why… What did that traitor tell you!" The vampire screamed as he struggled.
"First of all, Ken knew that we would be facing some unlikely enemies, so got us prepared first-hand. Vampires do die of holy water, don't they? Second, Ken's no traitor no matter how dumb he is. He hates liars to Seventh Hell, doesn't he?"
The vampire gave a hiss and roared as he attacked, and the shadows behind shifted, moving towards the two of them.
"Brace yourself kiddo!" Yoji shouted as he jumped away from where he stood. A number of other vampires came attacking, and they all roughly added up to twenty against two.
Bet your life to flee
The first thing Ken did when he woke up was cursing how in the world he let himself go unconscious at times like this. He got up to his feet.
Hold it.
Feet?
He stared at his hands which were no longer paws and his body was no longer covered in the hideous grey fur. He had an urge to go crazy-happy, but decided not to celebrate this type of thing yet. One thing he was puzzled though, he was dressed in his assassin gear. He fumbled about with his bugnuk, sheathing and unsheathing those lethal tiger-like claws.
"Well, I'd never", he mumbled and started pacing around wherever he was.
"You're in Sixth Hell, Ken", an all too familiar voice said. From the shadows
the man Ken may just or may not wish to see ever again had appeared.
"Miss me? Ken?"
"Kase", Ken hissed.
"You know Ken, have you heard about how people can die in Hell?"
"Entertain me."
"There are seven levels of Hell. You know, like floors? The higher you go, the further you are from the ground. This works the other was round. The lower you are, the better chance of you going to Heaven. Every evil deed brings you up on level. I ended on the sixth after everything. Why? It was because of you."
"I don't get what you're talking about, but I ain't interested at all. I have other things more important to do."
"But you aren't going anywhere, Ken. You're only going to follow me to the last level of Hell, where we shall perish forever" Kase said, approaching the brunette.
"Stay away from me, Kase! I don't want to hurt you the second time!" Ken warned, releasing his claws. Kase heed no attention to the weapon that took his life, walking towards the brunette.
"Let's go Ken. Perish with me. We've always stayed together, haven't we?" Kase spoke softly, raising a hand up. Ken stared at the hand as if it was a monster. "Come on Ken. Leave this cruel place, and be where we can live in peace."
Ken hesitated, raising his hand a little, before letting it fall by his side again.
"I can't. My friends at home are waiting for me to return with Ran."
The taller man gave a snarl in anger as a response.
"I won't leave Kase. Not now, but someday. The ground above this place is already the same as Hell", Ken said softly, "but wait for me. I'll be down here."
"I'm not patient, Hidaka. I want your life!" Kase boomed as he took a gun from his back pocket, pointing it at the brunette's forehead. Ken flinched when the tip of the gun touched his skin, sending a cold chill down his back. "You will leave with me!"
Kill him. He's not your friend at all, the brunette heard through his mind. He gritted his teeth at the voice at the back of his mind that was urging him to kill. The words circled his mind, encouraging him to kill his best friend once more.
A real best friend would never betray, the voice reminded. It sounded awfully familiar, but he couldn't put a finger in it. It's Schuldich empty-head, it said again.
"Get out of my head", Ken growled out loud.
Yeah, if you want Ran to die. Just to keep you awake pal, the ritual's starting VERY soon, and if you don't get your ass moving, Ran's a goner. That thing in front of you is already dead. Finish him and get your ass to the other side of Hell.
Easy for you to say, Ken thought back.
It's an illusion Siberian. Find Ran and leave the rest to us. You're the only one able to reach Ran in case you haven't noticed.
Illusion?
Obviously it's the Sangre guy who did it. He was hoping he could buy time by using your past.
That big jerk, Ken cursed, Schuldich had a point there. He wasted no time in slashing 'Kase' to shreds and watched as the person dissolved into dust, disappearing from his sight. As much as killing Kase even though it wasn't the real thing, it did hurt him a little to 'kill' him.
"Now what?" Ken asked out loud.
Just keep running straight. You'll find them…eventually.
"Eventually?" Ken barked. "I need an exact answer, not guesses!"
Pause.
"Schuldich? Oi, are you there?"
Ken swore he would kill the German if he ever see him the next time. He began sprinting down the darkness around him, not bothering to look behind.
Bet your life to flee
"Holy shit, don't these things ever end?" Yoji shouted in anger as he took to mostly avoiding the long, sharp nails attempting to stab him. Omi was having just as hard time and the worst part was he was running out of his darts. He managed to get a peek at Bombay and eyes widened as he saw a hand charging towards the back of the smaller blonde's head.
"OMI!"
The assassin managed to catch a glance of the hand before hearing a loud gunshot. He winced at the sudden loud noise which continued ringing in his ears. He turned to find three people approaching, walking with a steady pace towards them.
"Schwarz", he muttered.
"At your service kitties", the orange-haired German sneered, cocking his gun backwards.
"What are you doing here?" Yoji snarled, ignoring the vampires around him, which was a big mistake as one took the chance of attacking, shredding his sleeves by an inch. The blonde yanked out his well-aimed wire and caught the vampire by the neck. A hard tug sent the head falling off the body like a knife cutting beancurd(1).
"I wouldn't say we're here to help, but more of assist", Crawford said, pushing his glassing to the upper bridge of his nose. Yoji scoffed at what he said and was starting to get busy with a few more vampires which unknowingly seemed to concentrate more on killing Yoji and Omi than bothering about Schwarz who were practically standing in the middle of the fight.
Schuldich gave a huge smirk to the blonde who gave one of his uncommon glares back.
"You should believe us. As uncanny as it seems, if there isn't you guys, there'd be no fun. Besides…", Schuldich cocked his neck to the side, referring to Crawford. "Aya-chan begged Bradley here to save Ran, right?"
"I'll get your tongue later. For now", Crawford said, lifting the hem of his white suit, taking out a fully loaded gun. "We have some rats in the field to kill." He finished and shot at six vampires all at once with perfect aiming, all six bullets jamming into the vampire's forehead. Beside him the telepath chuckled and did the same with less accuracy, but still hitting around the face.
The other vampires finally took notice of more intruders and began attacking again, now in a larger number.
Ten minutes passed and victory was in their hands. For some particular reason the guns Schuldich and Crawford was using never seemed to have any ending of bullets.
"We'll split up for the four points. It faster that way", Nagi said, pointing to the sky. The two blondes followed his finger to the night sky and noticed six stars aligned almost in a straight row.
"Schuldich will go alone, and so will I", Crawford continued. "Nagi and Omi shall go to one while you can go by yourself, Balinese?" Yoji nodded, receiving one of the hand-sized silvers crosses from his teammate.
"How do I know where to plant this?" Yoji quizzed, rotating the cross around. From his point of view, it looked more like a decoration.
"Schuldich will inform you. You'll take the easier route by running down this street. Just keep running, and he'll inform you when you're near it."
Yoji nodded again and started running down the deserted street.
"Bombay, you do know the location, don't you?" Crawford asked. Omi gave a cheerful nod and took out two crosses.
"I do believe you two do know them as well. I really appreciate your help", Omi said, bowing slightly before running off. Nagi remained and watched the precog carefully.
"Are we seriously going to help them?" the teenager asked.
"As much as we wish to finish Weiss, without our help the world may very well perish."
Nagi returned a sniff and sped down the street after the Weiss assassin.
The two Schwarz remain standing there, each a cross in hand. After the telekinetic was out of sight, Schuldich watched his leader in the darkness.
"Are you really serious? To me it's more like you're doing it for Aya's sake, but you're just hiding it."
Crawford scoffed at the remark and walked off.
"I knew it! I'll tell Aya-chan later!" Schuldich shouted as he moved away as well with Crawford muttering something about killing the telepath later.
Bet your life to flee
While running through, Ken called out for Schuldich once in a while, but always receiving no response. He glanced around him, and thought he might have been running for at least fifteen minutes. The funny thing was he didn't felt tired at all. It might just be because of the stamina gotten from all his soccer training. A grin kept tugging at the corner of his mouth whenever he thought of it. Just that moment he heard someone, not in his head but he was approaching it.
From afar he saw a large white marble table. Behind it was Sangre, and he seemed to be smearing something thick and red in color across. The metallic smell of blood rushed in through his nostrils. It was so strong he had to cough as if it was poison gas getting into his lungs. He approached closer and to get a better view.
The surface was now fully covered in the red liquid and he watched as Sangre chanted something under his breath. Hid hands raised and clasped together in an odd formation. A few more words and the blood on the marble stretched upwards like rubber, and Ken hissed in disgust as the blood continued stretching upwards, forming a bloodied figure.
The brunette felt like vomiting again, covering his mouth as he fought the urge to. The smell was getting stronger which encouraged him even more in puking. He forced himself to watch as the blood formed a solid seven-foot high wall surrounding the ends of the table. One clap was heard and the blood turned liquid once again and fell to the grounds, flowing like water.
The table was spotless, but now Aya was on it unconscious. Just then he remembered something important.
Where in the world is Teufel?
He gave a muffled shout when a hand grabbed him from behind, pulling him backwards.
Following his natural instinct, he unsheathed his claws and scratched the one behind him. The person gave no sound of pain, just backing off a few steps. Ken turned to find Teufel watching him with a tinge of unhappiness in his gaze, ignoring the pain in his bleeding shoulder.
"What in the world… Teufel?"
"Ken, I need you to help me", the son of the devil cried. "I want to save Ran as much as you do, so please-"
Ken was at a loss of words. One moment he was using him to try and revive Saturn, the next minute he wants to save Ran.
"Why should I believe you?" Ken growled.
"Because I love him. I didn't realize. I was such a jerk to follow whatever he said…"
"Teufel! Teufel, where are you!" Saturn boomed, voice echoing through the levels of Hell. Teufel flew in from the fifth level, cutting through the lower few and landing down at the main hall. "Where were you?"
"The fifth level. Sangre had a little problem in dealing with some…inhuman situation. You called?"
"Indeed. I've planned it all well, Teufel. I've decided that I shall get our long last revenge by destroying the beings above us first. Following which, we shall take over the heavens. Your grandfather was pretty useless in thinking, don't you think?"
"With all do respects, I don't think we should be including him in, father."
"I'm stating a fact. He was of no use. Believe me, with my plan, that God above us shall and will be under me."
"But why? We have been living this way for hundreds of generation. Why bring this matter up all of a sudden?"
"Because the previous ones were cowards. They were afraid they would perish. I'm not afraid. I'm never afraid. Would you join me, Teufel?"
"I do whatever you wish, father."
"Call Sangre! I'll need him in helping me plan."
"Yes father."
"What the hell? Your father trusts that ass more than his own son?"
"I wasn't affected, really. Most mothers die after they give birth to devils. Fortunately, my mother managed to hold on for a day. She told me to follow whatever my father said. Now I'm only doing because of her. That's why I'm the Devil of Lies. My father knows it, but he doesn't care."
"This is serious, father. No matter how much I side you, doing this isn't right!" Teufel yelled, hoping to get some sense into Saturn.
"We are not supposed to do right in the first place! Heaven's weaknesses are our advantage. We shall see how those above shun back at the sight of our power. So what is it's two against one? It's strength and force which determine the winner, and we have it!"
"Father, you're going too far. Mother would never like this."
"Who cares about that bitch? She was just a whore."
"That was when I got really frustrated. He didn't notice I placed a curse on him ever since young. On that very day, I triggered it, and he was sealed and sent to no where. Sangre wasn't there, so I lied and told him God did it. Truthfully, God didn't care. In fact, he has a devil in him as well. Everyone does."
"I played my part, acting as if I wanted to help Sangre in reviving my father, let the werewolves and vampire roam about. I thought so too, hoping he might change after we did it. But I guessed it would be his turn to kill me. Besides, I found Ran. Sangre made the wound and I went to Ran's room. I never met an angel before, so I guessed he or she could be powerful, just killing me right away in my state. I was surprised, Ran tended to my wing instead of kill me."
"No matter how cold Ran is", Ken chuckled. "He really cares I guess."
"I guess so too. I was going to send him straight to Hell at that moment, but something stopped me. I didn't know what it was. I felt so reluctant to bring Ran back to Hell. It was then Sangre came up, personally. I didn't know what hit me. Until I realized what the feeling really was."
"I found out I was really a coward. I kept running-away from my own fears and everything. I always listened to others and never follow my own decisions. Ran helped me. Now, I'm helping him back, but I need you."
"This is what's going to happen. You'll be back in your wolf form and you need to get Ran. I'll open up a portal which will send you in front of the Gates where you must run out of. Once past it, you'll be transported back to Earth. I'll keep Sangre and the Wicks back. Got it?"
Ken swallowed hard and nodded. Teufel smiled and rested his hand against the brunette's forehead, only removing when a large wolf stood before him.
"Know what to do? Let's go."
Bet your Life to Flee
"Oh my gosh, the planets are aligned!" Omi said in a scared voice. "I hope the other crosses are affixed."
"Don't worry. They're done. Schuldich told me so."
"Even Yoji-kun?"
"Yes, even that bozo."
"Nagi-kun, you're venom is real toxic."
"Get used to it. Here comes Schu and bozo."
Omi looked over his shoulder to find two adults running towards them.
"Oh shit", Omi heard the other teenager say.
"What? What's wrong?"
"Let make a break for it."
"What?"
"Would you continue to stand there if there're a hundred over vampires and werewolves chasing after you? Come on!"
Bet your life to flee
Ken shuddered at the thought of risking Ran to save him. According to Teufel, he should attack about halfway through the ritual, where Sangre would be mostly concentrated on his chanting. Ran was still unconscious but his wings were twitching once in a while. He sniffed at the sight of a large number of Wicks which approached the table.
Wherever he was standing right now seemed to make sure neither Sangre nor the Wicks saw him. He remained where he was, watching Sangre's every move carefully.
Sangre stood before the one on the marble table and began to chant once again. He gulped at the thought of intruding, but he had to do it in any way. He jumped when he heard Schuldich in his head.
This Teufel person's weird, don't you think? Just beware of him too. I can't read his thoughts at all.
Ken grunted as a response. He wasn't surprised at all.
Something told him in his mind it was time to move. Teufel didn't exactly give him a specific time, but he had an urge of some sort. Deciding to take his chance, he sprinted out of his hiding place and took little time for the Wicks to notice the intruder. They began to advance their attack against the wolf ten times their size. Despite the size though, the numbers were starting to scare the brunette.
Fortunately his weight plus strength enabled him to get through the stampede. Due to the large numbers of bat creatures, he wasn't even sure where he was heading until…
Wham!
He groaned and he shook his head. He looked up to find a broken marble table, a startled-awake redhead and another one Sangre was in the process of digesting the situation when Ken sped off with Ran on his back.
"Ken what in the world were you trying to do? You don't even know where we're heading!" Ran cried out, hands gripped tightly on the tuft of neck fur.
"I don't know! Teufel told me to do so!" Ken intended to reply.
From Ran's point of view though, it was just barking and huffing.
"I don't understand a single thing you're saying…" the redhead muttered back. He adjusted the wings behind him to find them clipped tightly together with some wire with odd writings over. "Oh no…"
Ken glanced backwards to the redhead who started to get busy with dealing with some bands. The redhead was tugging frantically at them, which obviously meant it wasn't a good sign.
Luck wasn't exactly on their side either when Sangre swooped in front of Ken, blocking his path. The wolf stopped in time a short distance away from the winged devil who gave an angry growl.
"You're not ruining this for me. It was a definite big mistake to let you be the leader of the pack. Then again… it isn't so bad after all", he ginned.
Ran was about to protest when he was thrown off the brunette's back, landing onto the ground with a loud thud. He grimaced at the impact and yelped when a large paw swiped across his face, claws scratching his skin. Ran flinched back and avoided another lethal attack.
"Sangre! You knew this was going to happen!" Ran shouted.
The fiery redhead returned a snicker and looked over to the wolf.
"I'm not doing anything. It's your friend here who's going to get you."
Ran faced the wolf and violet eyes widened in shock.
"Oh God…Ken…"
Gyaaahh! I'm so sorry for the late update! I had a competition coming up, so I didn't have time to finish! I'm sooooo sorry! I haven't written for... a few weeks? Hm... Sorry... maybe this'll extend another chapter... or maybe not... if you review I MIGHT extend... heh heh...
Oh yeah, just in case, those bands around Ran's wings are similar to tracking devices. :) Poor Kenken banged his head... hohoho... I'm so mean...
Rubymoon: They are getting together! (I HOPE...) 'huggies Rubymoon' Thanks for ya support!
Mistskeeper: I think I love you. You're always there to support meee! 'hugs everyone' eh heh... I'm going to be mean! 'smooches Mist' Up to ya to decide if Teufel is bad or not... although I do have the plot and everything in mind... heh heh... not telling you... heh heh...Oops... too bad. Sangre's controlling Ken again! XP I'll see what I can do to Sangre that's mean... hm... maybe I should let him live... eh heh heh... You'll kill me...
I like your story! Ken seemed so bloodthirsty. O.o Kinda scared me there... he's a tiger! COOL! Kill more people! I'm sadistic... eh heh... Oh yeah. Sorry for the long update. I'm sure you're the one who always come after me. XD Continue with your story!
PS: Read my flooded toilet. It's funneee...