A/N: Flame me. Someone flame me. I need to be pissed off. Yipes, things just keep changing in this crazy head of mine. Enjoy the wackiness!
Disclaimer: (sigh) not mine okay?
Purgatory
Darklight13
Sitting in the Dark Spirits Chamber of Blood watching the drama was rather intriguing. One of many halls and rooms in the palace, the Warlords were rather used to the size and opulence of the entire area, but the Ronins on the other hand had been duly impressed. Though granted they had hidden that awe very well, it had taken a practiced eye to see the subtle changes in their attitudes. Well, subtle in all respects but Hardrock's, he had stopped stunned just inside the doorway, mouth agape and staring.
Granted, the room was a bit…overdone. Red was everywhere, the same red as Wildfire's armor. The chairs and benches were covered in shiny red cloth; the wood on the furniture was painted just a slight shade darker than the cloth. The same shiny cloth covered the walls and ceiling. Red painted wood beams…flying buttresses, yes that was the word…stuck out of the walls until they reached the ceiling were they curved inwards into the room giving a caged feeling to one who stepped inside. The floor was covered in red tile, gleaming so brightly as to look wet. The table was a dark mahogany color; the red tones were very pronounced in this room, yet untouched by paint. Though the tabletop was laid with…what else? Blood red marble, veins of a darker red traced there way though the slab. The table was large enough to seat at least thirty to forty spaciously, fifty to sixty cramped, yet the marble was all one single slab. From beginning to end, nothing interrupted the beautiful stone.
No pictures or paintings or murals adorned the walls, there weren't any rugs or tapestries on the floor or ceiling. No windows or exits but the doors that they had come through, which were, of course, red. Nothing. No carvings, no statues, no shelves, even the candelabra were worked metal that had been painted red, and the candles were hidden behind shades that were red. Red, red, red and more red. Hence, when Cale had stepped into the room for the first time centuries ago he had called it the Red Hall. And it stuck.
"It looks like the inside of the belly of a huge monster!" Kento had exclaimed. Rowen had whirled on him. "Do ya mind! After we get well into the room you had to come up with something like that?" the look of disgusted horror on his face had been mimicked by the other Ronin's. The other teen had merely shrugged with his hands upraised. As if he had not been able to help himself. Cale had laughed at the notion and had continued to smile/sneer at the Ronin's, while Dais's reaction…had never materialized. Normally he would have chuckled softly at the astute comment of his former nemesis and smiled at the uneasy younger men. Dais was far from normal Sekmeht had noted. Indeed he had walked into the room a sat down in a chair, rather withdrawn from the others. Kyra had yet to notice and if Cale had he gave no sign. Sekmeht resolved to watch his comrade to see if he did or said anything to give a clue as to what his thoughts were.
Indeed, he had yet to report on his findings at the attacked villages he had visited. Since his return he had been remarkably close mouthed and withdrawn. While in a way it was a blessing, Dais always had the most sarcastic comments among the warlords, Sekmeht couldn't help but want his former enemy/ally back the way he had been. Dais acting withdrawn and introverted was the same as Sekmeht acting sane. That just wasn't right.
Sekmeht sighed softly, there were many things not right. The boy…Yulie…had not been awake long before he had started asking disturbing questions. He had called for Kyra and asked what was purgatory. He had proceeded to tell them about how he had spoken with his mother, and it was not that wild woman in the woods, but his real mother. Who turned out to be dead, and was now in some place called 'heaven', and she had seen or found out about purgatory, that Anubis had been sent there rather than proceed straight on to 'heaven' like he had been promised by the Ancient. That Anubis and two others were free from this place called purgatory, and that some woman named Cyren was looking for him…and a hundred others details that Sekmeht had heard but not really listened to.
Sekmeht had thought at first that the brat was simply hallucinating from the head wound but after they had calmed the boy's coughing and eased his headache Kyra had sent them all from the room. When she had come out her expression was not a happy one. Then there was the incident with Torrent. Something had happened in that room and no one could say what. Ryo was still sorting out what had gone on in the room before he had gotten there. All he could get out of Yulie was that Cye had 'dark stuff' rolling off of him and it had made his head hurt bad. Then the armor bearer had disappeared and reappeared some time later looking haggard and exhausted. He was refusing to talk, just went to the room where he was staying and slept.
And now, here they all were, gathered in the Red Hall to try and understand what in the name of all the hell's had happened the day before. Sekmeht rubbed his temples; all of this linear thinking was giving him one hell of a headache. He was not used to having to think like this, normally he would put the facts down in front of him and let his mind coil around the facts in no particular order. Giving him a very jumbled and distinct view of any situation. This was too much like thinking like a human. This was to damn logical!
Kyra sighed and looked up around her. Obviously she was about to commence this meeting. Sekmeht gave a final rub to his temples and sat back determined that that he was not going to miss anything. By the expressions on everyone's face this was going to be a long day.