Disclaimer: I don't own Suzaku or YYH, I'm just a humble fan!
AN: Ah well I have returned. I've started this back up again and will continue on. You all have been warned that this fic is rather dark. 'Continue at your own risk' as state by many cliche wooden signs. Originally this was ch. 2 and 3, but I decided to combine them since they were delatively short.
Chapter Two: Darkness
The cities of demon world are not so different from those of the human world really. The buildings cropped up like weeds, choking the light and air. Acrid smells and dirty gutters trimmed the streets like a hem sown by a mad seamstress. The curb, if it could be called that, trapped pools of liquid that glistened with multicolored swirls. The allies, narrow gaps between buildings that barely qualified for that title, were festering wounds which vermin liked to linger in; spreading their infectious disease from hollow to hollow like so many rats. One would have to be insane to trudge along in the oily darkness. Victims and attackers mingled and traded places so quickly one would never sort through all the stories. Disappearances were common place. Everyone kept their faces turned away from shadows that emanated screams for help. They thanked what ever power that was cruel enough to let this happen that it wasn't them. Such were the inhabitants of this damned city, the City of Apparitions.
The ruins of Maze Castle still stood above this horrid place. The tower, like a tree long since dead, with its tattered battlements stood silhouetted against the sickly sky. Some of the cities populace sot refugee in the stone work of the castle. The filth of the surrounding area had yet to penetrate into the heart of the once 'sacred' ground. In the heart of this place tiny demons would nestle themselves. Hide their fragile bodies from would be assailants of the demon world. But, it was here that something waited. In this dismal place that just under the surface of that puddle or in the shadow of the crumbling masonry lay a creature stalking its prey.
Little urchins from the city had stolen themselves away to this place. One in particular ventured up the steps of the tower. Looters and other lower level demons had already turned the castle inside out in search of valuables. The pale demon was little more than the bony frame of a child. Its large eyes were underlined by dark circles and its skin was molted with bruises and filth. The clothes he worn were thread bare garments, torn in several places, and held in place by a simple twine belt. Through one of the rips, the heavy shadowed ribs of famine stripped the youthful body of its suppleness.
He crept up the stair way, trying to stay hidden in the shadow of the well. His bare feet quietly slipped from on algae coated step to the next. Voices emanating from below made him freeze mid-strid. His wide brown eyes frantically searched for a place to hide. Heavy boots tromped up the stairs, drawing closer with every second. He raced up the stairs, abandoning his shadowy cover. The stairs were a simple spiral case with no alcoves or door ways to hide in. If he stayed he would surely be caught.
The steep steps spiral upward in the moderate darkness. The trouches had long since burnt out but the eyes of even a weak demon could see in this. The stone work was uniform making one think that their were merely going in a circle and the feeling of assending was in illusion. His foot slipped off a step in his hurry but he had little time to nurse the cut hand he recived from the step. The sent of blood was like a glaring neon trail, demons could follow even trace amounts of it.
His tiny heart beat violently in his chest as he made another full turn. The stairs seemed endless, another round and still no sign of the exit or a place to hide. Who ever or what ever was ascending the stairs must surely been able to hear his ragged breathing. His body ached, its malnourished form was not fit for this kind of stress. The demonling was forced to pause, his chest burning for air. He brushed his ebony hair from his eyes as he strained his ears trying to hear them, but he could only hear the pounding rush of blood in his head. Adrenaline raced through his veins, renewed by the sudden emanating of a low growl. They were close. Just a round or so below him now. He pushed off the wall, staggering up the steps. The mind of the child stirred with thoughts unfit for one so young. His eyes watered, the stairs getting a fuzzy edge to them. The grayish green stone works stretched on. They were closer now, they must have caught his sent and were merely toying with him.
The air was fresher here. He was getting close to the top now. A small glimmer of hope in this dank world was enough to allow him to ignore his pained body a little longer. The laugher of his peruser was nearly on top of him. He could see it now. Just ahead was the landing and the pale light of the demon world sun shown down the shaft. A little farther, just so close, his chest was bursting with hope. He would make it.
A callous hand grabbed his ankle. The tiny demon was down upon the steps with a cry of pain. His knees smashed into the corners of the steps, splitting them up. His hands barely managed to catch himself. He instinctively pulled, grasping at the steps just a few shy of the top. Wide-eyed he turned to see them over his shoulder. Their voice was little cracking ice, brittle and shill. Their horrid bodies were crowding the stair well. Misshapen flesh and protruding tusks made the jumble of their face sickening to look at. Their short torsos were marked with sloppy splotches of paint, where their flesh bubbled in odd lumps the paint has dried and peeled away. Their long arms and fingers resembled serpents, their tips clawed with dark strained talons where humans would have nails.
The urchin shivered, so terrified he body famed a chill in the heat of his exertion. His heart was going to burst, like a rabbit caught in the jaws of a great predator he struggled uselessly. They circled in around him, making the narrow stair way down right claustrophobic. One grabbed at his hair, hoisting him up as his claws dug into the tender scalp. The child screamed, grasping at the offending hand. The demon grab at one of the tiny hands that was do desperately trying to pry his loose. Its long tongue snaked out between its malformed lips to lick the tender skin, its sharp teeth grazing over the fingers threatening to bit them off.
Tears spilled down the youth's face, he knew there was no hope for him now. The misshapen demon that had his ankle, licked at the exposed throat of its prey with its long purple tongue. It continued its slimy trail down to the junction of the bony shoulders and thin neck. Another demon joined in, latching its hands around his waist. It smiled, opening its mouth of needle like teeth as its claws start to slice away the rag clothes. Yet another lapped at the blood dripping down his leg, it's vile tongue goudging at the inflamed flesh. The demonlings breath hitched, he body trying to twist away from the pain, he lashed out, trying to kick off the gut rentching touches.
One of the demons grabed at his chin, its claws slicing at the soft skin of his neck in the process. It bit at his lips, the senstive flesh quickly became tatters. Blood raced down his chin the demon not to far behind it, slurring it up. Returning back to the source it pludged its tounge into his mouth. The muscled organ pushed down his throat, electing a chocked sob from the youth. The tounge pulled out, the demon satifisfied to slucking the blood off his violated lips. The boy cried out again, his throat horse already. His body shook without reserve now.
Another scream, but it was not for hope someone would hear. There was no hope in this place. It was an endless stair way in the darkness. It was all darkness.
o0o0o0o
The ruins of maze castle were quiet. The hollowing screams from the tower had stopped some time ago. The tiny demon's body lay like a broken doll on the landing he had so desperately tried to reach. His chocolate eyes stared out at the world, the life force utterly stomped out. His dark hair was matted and stuck to his sweat slicked skin. Any color that had been granted to the skin in life was stripped away in death. Blood that had spilled over the now bluish lips began to change colors and harden. His body was covered in cuts and bites of varying intensity. His long elfish ears has been bitten in multiple places. The bizarre tooth imprints left by several rows of needle like teeth no longer dripped blood, the air had stalled it to a slow ooze. His neck was twisted in a grotesque fashion, making his form seem disturbed even in its deathly slumber.
Here in the heart of the castle the violated body was left to rot. It was here as well. In this place of death it had waited for the opportune moment. The mortar between the stone work began to stir. Actually to be more precise the blood which had lain dormant in the tiny cracks rose from its slumber. A soft golden glow closed in around the corpse. Little finger like tendrils reached up to stroke the cold flesh. They inspected the body, running their disembodied energies over it, testing it, tasting it. Upon finding it acceptable the gentle touches of the little wisps turned to burrowing, hollowing pathways in the tissues. They pierced the flesh like maggots to only have it heal over once they were buried deep within.
Again the landing was silent. The shimmer of the waning moon flicked out from behind the clouds only to disappear again. The moon hid its face as though appalled, but like a being of sick fascination it looked out between its cloud fingers to gaze upon it and hide again.
The gentle glow swelled to resemble fire. Searing flames rose up to engulf the body. The countless wounds began to seal of their own accord. Broken bones were forced back into place by the infestation. The shatter vertebra gave a sickening crunch as the were jammed back together. The blaze died down, the ground scorched from its heat but the body was restored. Its skin was flawless although still pale. The impurities on the surface had been incinerated to leave the form remarkably pure in appearance.
The body shivered, its functions coming back to life all at once. Its hand moved, bracing against the ground. It flipped over onto its back. The vacant eyes had closed and were yet to open to life. The body tense, its back rising off the group as it gasped for air. Wounds that were healed on the surface were still mending, reattaching muscles and tendons. A pained scream pierced the air as nerves became receptive again. It lay still, the body trying to take in all the air it had missed out on in its death to revive.
It was after several minutes that its breathing started to steady. Its eyes opened to a vibrant violet. The young body gladly returned to life having never wanted to die in the first place. He stood, the body shaking before straightening to the full height. It was sore from the abuse even if the wounds for the most part had been healed. A devilish smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth. From the rubble of this castle, he rose again.
Suzaku rose again, a phoenix from the ashes.
To Be Continued...
Please review if you want me to continue.