CHAPTER 40 WHOOO THIS IS A FREAKISHLY LONG STORY.

Omg I only have seven days left in the States, and then I'm off for 5 months to Australia. I'm kind of freaking out . . . I've registered for my classes (well, all except the labs... I'm taking Ecology, Chemisty, Australian Cultural History, and this survival class - it has two camping trips during the semester! How awesome is that?!) Anyway, I have yet to pack (haven't even started really hehehe) and my birthday was a blast! My family from all over called and sang happy birthday, and my friend from Washington made me a wool headband with yarn that her mom spun herself! Dude, that's just plain awesome.

So, I have good news and sad news. I'll do the sad news first - I may or may not have WiFi while in Australia, but I can probably upload the chapters whenever I go to the library. It shouldn't be a problem, but just in case.

The good news: I only have a quarter left to edit from my book! :D When it's finished and I come back home, I'm planning on submitting it to numerous publishing websites. I'll upload a teaser around that time, too. ;) Maybe a chapter or two! Ahhh it's so exciting!

Also, does anyone know the show Merlin? Because I'm currently obsessed with... xD

. . .

One Week Later

. . .

Rin watched the world outside of the window, though it was little more than a slit in the rock. Dark clouds loomed on the horizon, obscuring the sky. The jagged rocks looked like overlapping scales on the ground, and he could just make out the River Styx rippling through the scenery like a thick scar. The water faintly glowed; rumor had it that, if you listened closely enough, you could hear voices whispering from the dark water. Beyond River Styx was Satan's domain.

Rin could just make out the spires of the castle he had been imprisoned in. When he closed his eyes, he could hear the various wails of the damned souls, could hear the echo of footsteps in the hallways, could hear the crack of the whip as it -

- he snapped opened his eyes, his knuckles white from his grip on the window. His breathes were short and rapid, and the memory faded from mind. He bowed his head against the cool stones, sighing.

He tried not to remember those days.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door, snapping him upright. "Rin?" came a soft voice. "Rin, are you here?"

"Come in," he ordered, turning around. He had to be strong now, strong enough to support a rebellion on his shoulders. The door creaked open, and Sophiel walked inside.

"I was ordered to find you, to bring you downstairs," she whispered.

"By who?"

She swallowed. "Astaroth."

Rin scowled. "She's back?" he wondered out loud. A week ago, she had left saying she had urgent business to attend to, but wouldn't elaborate. "Did she say why?"

Sophiel shook her head. "No," she murmured, shifting her weight to her other foot. "Um . . ."

Rin smiled. "You can tell me anything, Sophiel. I owe you my life."

Heat warmed her cheeks and she locked her violet gaze on the floor, her silver hair falling in front over her eyes. "Um . . . well, I was just wondering if . . . if you were doing all right. Since Satan is trying to kill you and you might never see Gehenna again," she quickly added.

Rin's smile faltered. "I'm fine," he said.

Sophiel raised her gaze. "I've never had a family," she continued desperately, as if she was afraid that if she stopped now, she wouldn't be able to say it again. "I didn't know what a family was until you told me about one. So, um . . . I don't understand," she mumbled, "but if you ever . . . ever wanted to talk about it . . ." Her cheeks brightened and she closed her mouth, unable to talk any more.

Rin watched her, his sapphire eyes full of surprise. Sophiel usually only spoke when spoken too, and she hardly ever said more than a sentence, rarely two. His expression softened.

She must be really worried.

"I'm fine," he told her, walking past her. "I promise." With a faint wink, he ruffled her hair before walking out of the door.

Sophiel's hand reached for her mused hair in a daze, her eyes wide and cheeks bright red. Suddenly she remembered where she was and, heart hammering in her chest, went to follow Rin out.

Before the door suddenly opened again.

"Ouch," Sophiel mumbled, rubbing her nose as she looked up. Raziele was looking down at her, confused.

"Is there something I need to know?" he asked, his voice serious though his lips were curved at their edges.

Sophiel felt heat rising in her cheeks again and she snapped her head back and forth. "N - No!"

Raziele's eyebrow arched. "You sure?" he asked, teasing. "Because you look bright red. Like a tomato."

Sophiel made a strangled noise and covered her face with her hands.

Raziele laughed. "All right, I'll stop. I've come to collect you, actually."

"Why?" Sophiel asked, glaring at him behind her pale, slender fingers.

"Because," said Raziele, "I want to show you something."

"Like what?"

Lights danced in his eyes. "You'll see," he promised.

. . .

Astaroth's POV

. . .

Astaroth raised her eyes. "Rin," she greeted. "Sit down."

"Don't forget that I outrank you," Rin told her, his irises scarlet and dangerous. A smile danced on Astaroth's lips. Rin was still a child, but he had an edge to him that she couldn't help but respect.

Though, he's not a child anymore, is he? she mused. His treatment caused by Satan had stripped him of that title. "I called you here for one reason, and one reason only," Astaroth announced. Rin took a seat and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Are you going to tell me?" said Rin when she paused, "Or am I going to have to guess?"

Astaroth's smile broadened. "If we had more time, I would make you guess, little Prince," she laughed. "But we do not. You are aware that I have been gone for a week, correct?"

"You're absence was appreciated," Rin said dryly. "But go on."

An edge, Astaroth idly thought, then continued, "I had gone to back to Satan, to gather information. He is still unaware that I had . . . changed my alliance." She pressed her hands flat on her lap. "I discovered a great many things, some important, some less so."

Rin impatiently sighed. Astaroth knew that he hated it when she beat around the bush. It's why she did it - he was still much too obvious with his emotions, though to be fair, how he is now was unrecognizable to the boy he had been.

But Okumura Rin still had much to learn.

"I stole something," Astaroth announced, raising her gaze. Rin leaned forward, interesting. "Something that they will sorely miss."

Reaching behind her, she plucked a rolled-up parchment that had been leaning against her chair and spread it out on the table in front of them. Rin's eyes narrowed as he beheld the dark jagged lines of mountains, the thin red X's that decorated the yellowing paper and similar black O's.

"What am I looking at?" Rin asked.

"This, my dear Prince," Astaroth smirked, "is a map." Before Rin could roll his eyes or snap at her, she continued, "It is a map of Gehenna. More specifically, it is a document on an upcoming battle."

"Battle?" Rin furrowed his eyebrows. "I wasn't told that there was a battle coming up."

"Of course you haven't," Astaroth told him. "Satan hasn't given the order yet."

Rin glared at her, confused, before understanding lit his eyes. "He's planning on attacking us," he murmured, rising. His chair noisily slid against the floor.

"Yes." Astaroth rolled up the parchment. "Satan waits for no one, Rin."

He didn't notice that she used his real name. Rin's eyes were wide and unseeing as he stared at the floor, either lost in thought or stunned.

"We need to prepare," Astaroth prompted.

He went rigid, as if he had been shot. "We need to prepare," he repeated, as if in a daze, then darted from the room.

"Where are you going?!" Astaroth called after him.

But the door had already slammed shut.

. . .

Rin's POV

. . .

It's too soon.

His heart hammered in his chest like a wild thing as he darted up the stairs. People pressed themselves against the wall to get out of his way. Other's weren't fast enough and dropped whatever they were holding, stringing together curses all the while. Rin ignored them all.

We're going to be attacked.

But how soon? Days? Weeks? Months? The map gave no indication, and Astaroth didn't mention it. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that she would have if she had known.

He felt as if a hand was grasping his neck, slowly squeezing. His lungs burned and he staggered against a wall, breathing hard. The hand was tightened around his throat, crushing him. Black flickered at the edges of his visions as he pushed himself off the wall with trembling hands.

Keep it together, he ordered himself as he ran forward again. Keep it together.

Keep it together.

"Raziele!" he shouted, flinging open Raziele's door. The wooden door banged against the hard wall as Rin stood in the doorway, panting. The bed was unmade and clothes littered the floor. There was no window, no other indication that someone lived here. Beyond that, the room was completely empty. Rin spat out a curse and slammed the door shut.

Where is he?!

"Raziele!" he shouted again. A shadow flickered on the far wall, a dark figure that began walking away. Rin grit his teeth and forced himself to run faster, then grabbed the shoulder of the figure as soon as he passed the corner. It was a girl's shoulder, and if she had been a human, she might have screamed and panicked. This was a demon-girl. She suddenly hit the deck and, before Rin could blink, knocked his feet out from underneath him.

But Rin was also a demon, if only half. As he fell, he twisted his body around and kicked himself back on his feet, arms braced in front of him in preparation for the next blow he thought was coming.

None came. Only a gasp and, "My Prince! You startled me!"

Rin scowled and forced himself to lower his arms. For a moment, he had forgotten where he was, and he had been back in the cell with Satan standing over him. But he recovered quickly. He was slowly getting used to the flashbacks.

"Sorry," he said, trying to act regal and failing. "Have you seen Raziele?"

"Raziele?"

"A guy with pink hair and pink eyes. A little taller than I am," Rin clarified.

"Oh. Him. He went that way with a white haired girl." She pointed down the hall.

"Thank you," Rin said, then began to run again.

He wanted to tell Raziele about the upcoming battle, to ask him his opinion of what to do since he had been in Gehenna longer. He might think of strategies, maybe even able to predict what Satan would do.

Suddenly his footsteps faltered.

He's with Sophiel," Rin realized, his run slowing to a walk. They had been together a lot recently, he realized, and the more he thought about it, the more he remembered seeing them smiling at each other, teasing each other. Raziele could make Sophiel smile - it didn't happen often, but Rin could stand witness to it - and Sophiel could also make Raziele relax just by being near him.

And they're together now.

Did he really want to involve them in this battle?

By now, Rin had stopped walking completely and now just stood like a statue in the hall, his eyes blank and focused on nothing in particular. If Raziele and Sophiel were together, then . . . then he didn't want to trouble them. Not with this.

Besides, aren't I a Prince? he asked himself, turning around. This is why I'm here.

Suddenly footsteps echoed behind him. "Rin?" came a startled voice.

Rin turned; Raziele was staring at him, his hair mused. Sophiel stood behind him, content to watch.

"Hey, Raziele," Rin said, raising his hand in greeting.

"Is there something wrong?" Raziele frowned.

Rin went still for a moment, then forced himself to laugh. "Of course not," he said, turning around. "I'm not having a crisis every day, you know."

Raziele lightly punched his shoulder. "Only every other day," he teased.

"You know, you just punched your prince," Rin commented dryly, though he eyes remained warm. "You could be killed for that."

"Prince? What prince?" Raziele asked in mock ignorance, then laughed as Rin shot him a look. Sophiel even managed a smile.

Rin eventually joined Raziele's laughter, but his chest felt too tight to enjoy it. All he could think about was the threat that Satan could attack with an army at any moment.

And he wanted to be the one that to stop him.

There we go, a huge push forward with the plot. I'll update once more before I leave for Australia, so expect an update before June 11th! :)

Now, time to edit my book and watch Merlin! Best summer EVER!

Love you all,

Rand0mSmil3z

PS - no comments this chapter, my eyes are dying on me. Seriously. Went to the eye doctor and they told me that I needed a pair of bifocal glasses because my lenses are apparently really weak, like pathetically weak, and that I'll have to have vision therapy during my three-month winter break.

Long story short, I'm basically living proof that you shouldn't study too much. xD

See you all within the week!