Disclaimer: I don't own this anime. Only this story.

A/N: Well, It seems as though my last chapter got some brains a movin' as one might say. Well, since you all are probably wondering, here is the next chapter so you can find out everything. Well… Not everything, just what you will need to know for now. Anyway, enjoy!

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Endless Darkness

Chapter 10 - The Absolution

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Natsuki and the other three stood in the hallway. There was an uncomfortable silence. Mai noticed that Natsuki's right hand was wrapped up in bandages. "Oi, Natsuki. What's wrong with your hand?"

Natsuki raised up her hand and looked at it. "Oh… This." The girl didn't want to worry the anyone, so she just lied through her teeth. "Well… I kinda cut my hand. Heh. I guess I'm not very good with knifes." The girl said scratching the back of her head.

"Here, let me look at it." Mai insisted. Natsuki let out a grunt of pain. Her hand was still very sore from when the stone became infused with her flesh. "No, really. I-it's fine." Natsuki said, taking her hand back.

"Well, alright. I guess It's time that we should be going." Mai said, looking back at Takumi and Akira. Her brother gave a nod in response.

The four walked out of the hospital and headed for the train station. Natsuki didn't really have much of a home to go to. She neglected to tell her friends of the incident tha took place before this one.

Natsuki stop dead in her tracks. "Listen, guys." She started. Mai and the others looked back at her. "What is it, Natsuki?" Mai asked.

"I have a bit of a problem with Nao, actually." Natsuki said as she looked away. "What else is new?" Mai said, cocking her eyebrow. "No, it's not like that. It's just that-…" Natsuki was cut off by screaming that was heard in the background.

Natsuki, Mai and the other two quickly directed their attention to across the street. As the crowed slowly cleared, in the center, there was some type of creature. It looked to have the form of a dog. It's head had some kind of bone like shielding, It had no eyes. It's mouth was full of razor sharp teeth. Along it's was the same kind of bone shielding, along with some spikes that ran down the spinal section. It's skin was black as coal and had the texture of leather. It's paws contained what seemed to be really sharp claws.

Their sight focused on what seemed to be a small child dangling from the mouth of the creature. "Mama!!" The child cried. "Someone please. Help my baby." The mother screamed as she began panicking. "What is that thing?" Both Mai and Takumi asked.

For some reason, Natsuki's hand started burning once again. The dog creature then focused it's attention on Natsuki. Though, it had no eyes, Natsuki could feel it's deathly glare. The dog creature then dropped the child and leaped into the middle of the street, slowly approaching the four people.

Mai realized what was going on. "Natsuki. Let's go." Mai frantically whispered. The blunette could only stand there, starring at the strange creature as it approached. Drool dripped down from its bottom jaw. It breathed heavily, followed by deep growls. "C'mon, Natsuki. Let's go." Mai said, gentle pulling on the girls shirt.

Natsuki starred hard at the creature as images of unknown symbols flashed in her head. All of the sudden, she had a surge run through her body. The girl shoved Mai away. "Get out of here! Hurry!" Natsuki screamed. Then, the creature leaped and tackle Natsuki, carrying her into a nearby ally.

"Natsuki!" Mai yelled, as she ran over to the dark ally. "Natsuki!!" Mai screamed out.

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Nakamura pulled out a pack of cigarettes and took one out, put it in his mouth and then lit it. "So, where shall we begin…" Nakamura inhaled, then exhaled some of the smoke through his nose.

He took the cig out of his mouth and began to speak. "Your mother, Akemi, was a special kind of person. About five-hundred years ago, a religion was established in the hills of a small village just outside of Europe." Nakamura took another puff, then continued. "The name of the village is 'Kishe'. In the ancient language of the 'absolution', 'Kishe' means forsaken."

Nakamura began to pace back and forth. "It is also the mark the is branded on those that are chosen my the holy gods of the 'absolution', to wield a piece of their power. This is in the religion of the 'absolution'. Or better referred as the forsaken."

Nakamura made a one-eighty turn towards Nao. "The people that practiced this religion were quickly dealt with; they were seen as a threat by the Vatican." Nakamura took another puff, then tilted his head back. "It was a bloody massacre. The entire village was up in flames. Only a few remaining people managed to escape."

"After a few of the remaining survivors reached a curtain point in the Netherlands, they began to repopulate. Hiding their existence for they were afraid if they made themselves to suspicious, the Vatican would be on their doorstep once more." Nakamura rested up against the back of one of the sofas.

"After a while, they began practicing their religion, but this time, it was different. The 'absolution' began practicing and ancient art of black magic, summoning demons from hell and all that jazz."

"Soon, they found something interesting. About two hundred years after their… Forced migration, the HiME carnival started. They somehow managed to gain a piece of that power, and used it to infuse their own in one person. That person is your ancestor. Yuuki Ayane. She fell in love with a man from the Netherlands. Soon, she was converted to the religion of the 'absolution', and infused with the ancient power of the gods."

Nao was trying her hardest to grasp all of this. Her eyes kept wondering around ground as she listened to the story.

"It was said that after three hundred years, there would be an inheritor of the power of the 'absolution' that would bring the sanctuary of the 'absolution' into existence, librating all of the people that are blinded by the lies of reality." Nakamura flicked the butt off the cigarette into a nearby trash-can.

Your mother was the barer of that child. That child is you, Nao. You contain the power of the 'absolution'. This is the truth that your mother so desperately wished to keep from you her entire life."

Nao looked up at Nakamura with a questioning look. "I still don't understand. What was that thing that attacked me? What do you want with me?" Nao demanded as she got up from hear seat.

Nakamura turned around. "If you would please, I am just getting to that part." Nao flinched at Nakamura's icy tone, then sat back down onto the couch.

"Now… Where was I?"

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Natsuki was slammed through a wall into what seemed to be a broken down building. She tried getting up, but crippling pain knocked her back down. "Da-Damn… cough" Natsuki rolled over onto her stomach and pushed herself up.

Natsuki then looked up and saw the creature looming over her. The girl quickly forced herself up, ignoring the pain, and tried to get away. Sadly, the dog monster was to fast for her and tackled her to the ground. On her back, the girl coughed up some blood. Wiping it away, she tried once more to get up, but then the monster pinned her down with one of his paws.

The creature's saliva dripped onto Natsuki's face, mixing with some of the blood the was streaming from her forehead. The monster's face was nearly and inch away from Natsuki's. She could smell the awful stench of the dogs breathe. "So this is it…" She said to herself.

The creature slowly opened it's big mouth. "But… I'm not going out without a fight, you BASTARD!" Natsuki the grabbed a nearby piece of cement and shoved it deep into the monsters throat. Gagging, the monster stumbled backwards off of Natsuki.

The girl the got off of the ground and limped her way towards the hole on the other end of the room to escape. The monster then coughed up the rock and dashed at Natsuki.

Just then, there was another surge the went through Natsuki's body. It was different this time, unlike last time when she felt it. This time, she felt powerful.

Natsuki the spun around, delivering a kick the monsters head, sending it flying off to the side. The pain in her body had dissipated. Natsuki felt as light as a feather. Her right hand felt as though it was tingling so she glanced at it and noticed a slight red glow under her bandage.

"What in the..?" Natsuki undid the bandage and found the mark on her hand glowing bright red. The mark looked like a V tilted onto it's right side, then a slash ran across it parallel to the V's angle. Surrounding it were thing lines going around the marking in a circular motion.

Natsuki didn't know what was going on, but she felt super strong, and super fast. She felt as though she could fly. Meanwhile, the creature finally got back onto his feet and charged towards Natsuki.

The blunette took a stance, readying herself for the incoming fight. The monster pounced. Natsuki quickly made a downward swing with her fist, colliding with the monster's skull, crashing it against the ground. She then grabbed one of the dogs front legs and began swinging him around.

"UURRAH!" The girl grunted as she threw the dog across the room.

The creature collided with the wall, causing a series of webbed cracks across it. Natsuki felt incredible. Never has she felt like this. "Hahahaha… This. I can't believe… This is awesome!" Natsuki clenched her fists and grinned.

The monster got back up, and gave a loud growl as a sign that he was going to charge again. Natsuki looked over to her side and saw a steel pipe. She picked it up and swung it in the monsters direction.

As expected the monster charged. As soon as it leaped towards Natsuki, she made a left horizontal swing. She felt as the pipe made contact with the creatures head, her entire body shook. The monster fell to it's paws. Natsuki made another right horizontal swing, colliding the pipe once more with the monsters head.

The creature yelped in pain. Then, Natsuki gave the monster a round house kick into the air. It made a back flip and hit the ground with great force, cracking the cement.

Natsuki chuckled. "Thanks for riding air Kuga."

The monster stumbled back up. Natsuki saw that be cracked the creatures head. She stood watching as the black blood dripped from his skull. The blood was actually giving off some pretty strong fumes.

Natsuki looked over and watched as her pipe was being dissolved by the black blood. She quickly dropped it and looked back over to the monster.

The creature began growling extremely loud. Natsuki heard a cracking noise, like bones cracking. She saw as the bone plates on the dogs back began cracking open. There was also a crap appearing on the front of his skull. "What are you doing this time?" Natsuki question with a cocked brow.

A horn start coming out of the hole in the cracked skull. As eight tentacles also appeared from the cracks on it's back bone plate.

It growled excessively as she could her the cement crack under the dogs paws. It's muscles began to grow pretty big. It's body doubled in size. Finally, two holes appeared on the sides of the creatures skull. It appeared to contain what seemed to be eyes. "That… Can't be good." Natsuki thought. After the creature was finished, it directed it's attention to Natsuki.

Natsuki took her stance, ready for anything. Just as she was about to charge the creature, it vanished into thin air. "What the…?" The monster appeared right next to her. The creature then struck Natsuki with it's paw, sending her flying through the back wall into a construction area.

Natsuki could move without the shock of pain jolting through her like electricity. Pushing herself up, Natsuki struggled to get to her feet, just barely able to hold herself strait. Her vision began to blur. Her breathing was heavy. Blood streamed from her head. "Damn it…" Natsuki cursed.

The creature appeared through the hole. Natsuki looked over at the monstrosity. It began opening it's mouth. Saliva dripped onto the ground, as powerful as acid, it started to dissolve the ground where it landed. Natsuki stood ready for anything.

The dog began to growl. It cocked it's head into the air and let out a glass breaking howl. Natsuki covered her ears as she gritted her teeth. The creature let it's head fall to Natsuki's level and opened it halfway. Something appeared just in front of the monsters mouth. Natsuki looked harder at it. It appeared to be a black orb.

Suddenly, the orb grew to the size of a basketball. The atmosphere around the orb became distorted and rippled. "What-… What is that thing?" Natsuki thought as her eyes widened.

The creature let out one last howl, and blasted the energy towards Natsuki. It was to quick. The stream was to fast for her to dodge. The area became covered in a black shroud as an explosion could be heard.

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Nakamura took out his Zippo lighter and began to fiddle around with it. "In this religion, there are five men that lead all of the followers. They are known as the Hierarchs. The Hierarchs wish to use the 'absolution' as a means to "purify" this planet of all the heretics. They plan on killing those that do not believe in their gods."

"They will raise the so called "Sanctuary" where they will live the rest of their existence in harmony. Sadly for them, that isn't exactly what the sanctuary is really about." Nakamura flicked the striker a few times on his lighter. "The 'sanctuary' is actually a source. This source is what powers life itself."

"If their successful in summoning the 'sanctuary' with the power of the 'absolution, all life itself will be torn to shreds. Disturbing such a delicate thing is fatal. That is why you are under our custody." Nakamura pulled out another cigarette from the pack in his vest and lit it.

"As long as you're with us, the Hierarchs wont be much of a problem." Nakamura took a puff and continued. "And to answer your earlier question, that thing that attacked you was one of their 'pets'."

"One of the 'pets'?" Nao asked with a look of confusion. "That's what they call those abominations. Their basically a series of creatures, influenced by some of the 'absolutions' power. They range in a series of classes. There are the Kage, which is one of the ones that you encountered. They are quite deadly in the darkness, but if they are exposed to light, they burst into flames. Their skin is always charred, as if they were burnt."

"Then there are the Kurai. They have the skin texture of leather which is pretty tough to penetrate, and they're pretty fast to boot. Not to mention they have two stages. Their normal ones, then their empowered forms. Last but not least is the deadliest of the bunch. It's the Kizu. They're swift and accurate. Not to mention they fight in packs."

Nakamura threw his cigarette onto the ground and stumped it out. "What about you?" Nao asked. "What about me?" Nakamura cocked his eyebrow at the question. "I mean, what exactly are you trying to accomplish. Are you at war with the Hierarchs or something?" Nao asked, changing her position toward Nakamura.

Nakamura just cocked his head back, as though he was in a deep trail of thought. "About fifty years ago… There was a rebellion. A small group of the 'absolution' dug their noses a little to deep and found something out about the 'sanctuary' that no one else knew. They tried to warn the rest of the people, but they wouldn't listen. The Hierarchs branded them as heretics, and banished them from the new Kishe village. Then, they fled to Japan and lived the rest of their days, forming a group that would overshadow the Hierarchs and their 'absolution'. This group is known as the 'Hangyakusha'. We vowed to stop the Hierarchs at all costs. That is why we exist."

Nakamura turned towards Nao. "Your mother, the holder of the 'absolutions' power, chose to abandon her fate, and joined us. The Hierarchs didn't grow very fond of these turn of events. So even if it means by force, they will drain the 'absolutions' power, summoning the 'sanctuary', and completely destroy everything ."

Nao looked down at her hands. She didn't know if what she was hearing was the truth, or some fabricated tale. All she knew was that something strange was going on. "Heh. I guess I really have no choice." Nao said walking over to Nakamura and holding her hand out. "This all sounds a little far fetched to me, but, I guess I really don't have a say in the matter. My mother trusted you so, I guess I can to." Nakamura gave her a smile and grabbed her hand. They shook on it. "Welcome to the crew." Nakamura said, as he chuckled.

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Natsuki slowly opened her eyes. She looked around and noticed that she was alive. "Wh-…"

"Ah. I see you're okay. That's good, darling." Natsuki looked up and saw a man wearing a purple jacket with nothing on under it. As well as purple pants. "A… Circus performer?" Natsuki thought as she gave the man a strange look. "Oh, what's wrong, sweetie pie? To shocked to say anything?"

The man was wearing eye shadow. He had short, violet hair. He also was wearing black lipstick. "Seems I got here in time. If I didn't, Naka-kun would be furious with me." The man turned around to the beast. "Who… Are you?" Natsuki struggled to ask. Her body was sore all over, it's a wonder she could even speak.

"Don't mind that, darlin'. I can tell you all about my beautiful self later. Right now I have to deal with some canine problems." The man said and smiled.

The dog gave a loud growl, readying itself to strike. "Ooh. Seems someone needs some discipline. What a naughty doggy."

The monster charged at the man. Natsuki noticed the he was holding what seemed to be a metal pen in his hand. "That's it, come to daddy." The man said as he stretched his arm out to the side. The dog demon leaped into the air, literally a few feet away from the two. "Now!" The man yelled.

He swung his arm to the left, and the metal pen elongated into what seemed to be a metallic whip. A crack was heard as the whip made contact with the side of the monster. The creature landed off to the side as blood spilled from the area where the whip had struck. "Hmm… All bark and no bite. I really hate that." The man smirked.

The creature snarled in response. The black blood spilt onto the ground, dissolving the gravel that it covered. The monster made one last attempt, dashing at the two people in front of it. The man only chuckled "You pathetic piece of work, you."

The whip elongated to an even long length. This time, small spikes appeared across it. "Now, let's play!" The man yelled as he cracked the whip. When it made contact, it sliced off a good portion of the creatures right side. It howled in pain and fell to the ground. "Hmm…? Is that it, honey?"

Natsuki could only watch in awe as the monster squirmed on the ground. Then, something caught the bottom of her eye. She looked down and noticed that the whip was slithering towards the creature. It began wrapping itself around the wounded dog demon. The creature could only thrash around in pain.

"Now, now. I know it hurts. So lets end your misery, shall we?" The man said, practically laughing. After it was finished warpping around the monster, the man jerked the handle, causing the whip to constrict the poor creature. The spikes dug deep into it's body, making the creature howl in pain. "Now then. Let's make some décor for this bland heap of rubble." The man let out a laugh and cracked the whip, causing it to rip the monster to shreds.

Natsuki's mouth was gaping. She's never seen such a performance in her life. She couldn't describe what she just saw in words… Well, not yet anyway.

Then, the whip began to retract back to it's normal pen size. The man tucked the pen sized object into the side pocket of his pants and turned towards Natsuki. "Well then. I think it's about time we should go. Naka-kun is expecting you." The man said with a smile. He held out his hand and a light appeared in between the two people. "Wai-…" Natsuki didn't have a chance to speak, as they vanished into thin air.

"Natsuki! Natsuki!" Mai came running through the hole in the building into the construction area. She didn't she anyone around. Though it did look as if a big fight broke out. Akira and Takumi brought up the rear. "Onee-chan. Any sign of Natsuki-san?" Takumi asked as he looked around. "Man, what happened her?" Akira asked as she scanned the area.

Mai fell to her knees. She could only fear the worst. She saw what seemed to be blood on the ground. "No… No!" Mai covered her face with her hands and let out light sobs. "Onee-chan…" Takumi said as he knelt down at her side. "We were to late…"

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A/N: Well, does that answer some of your questions? It should. Anyway, yeah. I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. Please remember to drop me a review. Later!