Story Title: Consumed by Hellfire
Disclaimer: I don't own YYH.
Author's Notes: I just want to take a moment to thank everyone for reading and of course for the reviews. Okay, one…two…three…THANK YOU! Now let's continue.
Chapter Seven: Red Is The Color Of…
Stars, those simple white lights that dotted the dark skies, were not visible from Hiei's bedroom balcony. Instead the skies were blackened and hazed by thick columns of smoke spewing from the mouths of stone gargoyles positioned on various points on the castle. Hiei looked up into the sky's nothingness and sighed. He hardly paid attention to the stars in Makai but every night in the human world, he had fallen asleep staring into the sky. Right now, though he would never verbally admit it, he missed those stars, the clear air, and the peace of night.
Here, day or night, was the same. The lava geysers routinely spewed every fifteen minutes. The heat was constant as was the birth of new lower-class lava demons. There was no shift in time and the sun couldn't penetrate through the smokescreen, so Hiei had no idea if it was even still night here. Living here for long would make any being lose all sense of time.
Clutching his tear necklace, it usually calmed him down, but right now he couldn't. His pride lay in scattered glass shards blowing in the winds of his tumultuous mind. All that he knew about himself was stolen from him. No longer he deserved the title of Jaganshi, no longer was he the master of the Dragon…he was still Hiei, right? Not exactly, he was Prince Hiei. Everything was changing and he could take nothing for face value anymore. Sighing and turning, he laid against the stone posts of the balcony. Tiny embers seared and died upon his unprotected back. Hiei winced but refused to move away from the columns.
Outstretching his arm, he tried to summon the black flames. His arm shook and Hiei clenched his teeth tightly as he increased his focus, but he failed to even spark a flicker. The King, through the Jagan's control, had a lock on his spirit energy. Great, just great, Hiei slammed his fists against the stone floor. No spirit energy either, what else was left to take from him?
"Ohh, poor Prince, feeling down?" a cheery voice spoke from above. Hiei looked up. Hanabi sat with one leg dangling from each side on one of the lightly smoking gargoyles.
Hiei narrowed his eyes and kept his head down, "Go away, Hanabi."
"You go away far enough you come right back to the beginning," she stood and leapt from the spout. Landing on her feet, she smiled and winked, "It's a never-ending circle, my Prince."
"Don't call me—" Hiei began his sentence until Hanabi interrupted him.
"What shall I call you then? The Oh Great Smoldering One. The Duke of Angst. The Lord of Needs A Stepping Stool."
Several veins twitched in annoyance on his head, "Hanabi…just…shut up."
Hanabi swayed as she walked up to him. Hiei's glare read to get away but she wasn't paying attention. She wasn't wearing her normal armor and battle kimono, instead she was wearing a light summer kimono. Leaning forward before Hiei, the top of the kimono was loosely secured and her large breasts hung prominently in front of his face. Hiei averted his eyes and noted that this was probably done on purpose.
"Sorry, my Prince, but I've never done well with that command," she smiled and chuckled, which made her breasts lightly shake. She took a seat beside Hiei as he scooted away from her. Instead of frowning, she seemed pleased as her fingers ran up the back of his head and through his short, fine hairs.
Reacting quickly, Hiei grabbed her wrist and twisted tightly. "Don't touch me," he said calmly though forcibly in anger. He was using enough pressure that could have snapped her wrist and yet Hanabi's expression did not even show discomfort. In fact, she seemed amused.
"Forgive me, Prince," she leaned close to his face, "but I just can't keep my hands off you."
Hiei shoved her away. She laughed and walked away into his chambers. The door shut with a loud click behind her. He sighed. Finally gone, that screech harpy had finally given him some peace.
Laid out on his bed were fine black robes, which Hiei ignored and dressed himself in his old tattered ones. A servant stood outside his door to guide him through the castle.
"One day", the young fire monk said, "You will know the layout better than I."
Hiei scoffed at his comment. That would never happen. Hiei didn't plan on staying here long enough—in fact as soon as he could regain his Jagan and spirit energy, he would vanish. Now was just passing time until then. His day began with a silent meal with his father. The King was talking about his glorious self and all his past achievements while Hiei stared off into the distance and barely touched his meal. Occasionally he would nod his head or make an agreeing noise whenever it seemed like the King was testing his attention. In truth, Hiei had not heard a word, for his mind was more occupied with greater details. A golden flower? His life is connected to a golden flower? Haruka said that only he would know what the golden flower was. Haruka was also a liar. Hmm, he had not seen any flowers here. If Kurama was here, maybe he would know. Certainly he would know more than Hiei at least. His heart began to beat faster. Grabbing his chest, Hiei quickly changed his thoughts. Now wasn't the time or the place to pain himself with his harboring emotions.
The day dragged on slowly while Hiei was guided throughout the castle and introduced to various servants and subjects as their new Prince. Love him, serve him, fear him and all that whatnot, nothing new ever left the monk's lips so Hiei pretty much tuned everything out. Instead he looked around at the rats fighting each other to the death or watched the swinging braziers sway until the monk tapped him on the shoulder and ushered him to the next room.
As they proceeded to the next room, the monk chuckled and spoke over his shoulder, "This must be dreadfully boring for you." Quickly his smile fell when he noticed Hiei wasn't paying attention. Glaring ahead, the monk grumbled in a barely audible tone, "Just like his father…"
"I am not!" Hiei quickly replied and startled his guide, who hunched down in surprise. Maybe he was listening…
He turned around and walked backwards. "Forgive me, Prince," he said with a slight bow. "Perhaps I have shown you too much so far. Would you like some rest and see how the King rules? I am sure that would please the King to have your presence beside him." Hiei made no comment and shrugged his shoulders as the monk led him toward the throne room.
As the King semi-listened to the concerns of his subjects, Hiei sat beside his father in his own black iron throne. Once again, he stared off into space and occasionally nodded off to sleep every few minutes. Mentally he groaned and wondered how long this day would last. Even worse, what if every day was like this? At this point, even a mission from Reikai was looking interesting…
This place is driving me insane, Hiei concluded. Just remember the second the Jagan was back in his control, he would never return to this place. He could wake from this nightmare and live in his reality once more.
"Thank you, thank you, my lord, " the molten fire demon gurgled and left. The King looked over at Hiei with a smile that read that the demon's wish would never come to pass. Hiei didn't think any of their wishes would be answered. There was only one obvious person the King cared about.
At the end of the throne room, two armored guards fully opened the large metal doors. Another guard stood and saluted the King," Now proceeding, the General of the North, Lord Maki."
The messenger guard stepped to the side as all the guards saluted Maki as he entered the throne room. Slung over his shoulder was a still body. Oh hell no, Hiei thought. His whole body numbed. His eyes widened. His heart pounded furiously in his chest. He already knew who it was—he just didn't want to admit it to himself. Kurama, not Kurama…no demon could easily take Kurama. However, he could not sense any of Kurama's spirit energy. Is he…is he already dead?
Maki threw his body onto the ground, "For you, my King, I bring you the body of Kurama, the demon traitor. He is on a mission from Reikai to stop your glorious plan."
Grunting as he rose, the King made his way to Kurama's body. Maki saluted the King and slowly stepped backward and out of the King's way.
"This is IT? Lord Enma sends to defend himself…a washed-up ex-thief? I, his great and mighty enemy, am confronted by this petty abomination. This is an outrage!" the King's frustrated voice rattled the stone pillars supporting the ceiling, "Where is the army, the elite warriors, the mass chaos? I deserve MORE!"
Kurama lay at the King's feet. His chest rose with sharp, painful breaths. Slowly his eyes opened and he peered up at the towering demon lord before him. At least he is alive, Hiei breathed a mental sigh of relief. Quickly his thoughts drastically changed. No, wait…Kurama is alive…
And defenseless before his father.
Hiei watched as the King lifted Kurama by his robe's collar. A wide grin stretched taut across the King's face. Kurama lay limp and fully aware in his claws. Maki had drained every last bit of his spirit energy, even if a plan came to him, he had nothing within to execute it.
"So you're from Reikai?" the King laughed at his private joke,"I'm going to use you to send a little message to Enma. No need to write down anything…I'll recite it slowly for you so you can remember it piece by piece!"
Look into his eyes! Does he look like he can fight? Hiei leaned forward in his seat and tightly gripped the ornate throne arms. You bastard…don't you even DARE!
Hiei's thoughts went unheard as he watched the King's fist pummel into Kurama's abdomen. With a second punch in the same spot, a small trickle of blood ran from the corner of his lips.
Kurama. No. You disgusting monster, don't you have any honor? Or is that too noble for you to understand?
His fist ran across Kurama's cheek as the fox fell onto the stone floor. The King stood clutching the ripped shred of the boy's collar. So delicious, so wonderful, this traitor's expression, his bruising flesh, the scent of new blood, but especially his pathetic groans that manage to escape his lips as he tried to remain strong. Thank you, Maki, thank you for this wonderful little toy. You will be greatly rewarded later.
"Isn't this glorious, my son?" he grinned and side-glanced at Hiei. "Enma will pay for his mockery of me." The King continued to kick Kurama on the floor as Hiei sat and watched.
There was nothing he could have done.
Throwing out every thought, every sight, Hiei shut down and closed his eyes. His heart screamed at him to go…go save Kurama, but his body remained in the chair. Hiei was not a fool. Very well he knew he was no match for the King. The risk of saving Kurama and getting labeled an enemy as well was too great. Selfish, yes, but that's all Hiei ever knew—you fend for yourself in Makai. Just ignore it.
It will all be over very soon.
Kurama's screams of agony penetrated his ears and forced his eyes open. The King held an enflamed hand close to Kurama's flesh, just close enough to begin searing his exposed chest. Kurama's head turned and they locked eyes. Those green eyes so full of pain, they were asking Hiei why…why was he just sitting there? He needed his help, which was plain to see.
Or was Hiei betraying him?
After all they had been through and the running emotions between them, Hiei wouldn't save him. Friendship meant nothing to Hiei? The fox thought better of him until now. To think Kurama actually thought he was in love with him…what a fool he has become.
Tightly clamped to the chair, Hiei watched as the red-haired demon's eyelids slowly began to fall. His body shook with rage, his fists and teeth tightly clenched, Hiei couldn't bear it. Screw Makai law! He couldn't watch Kurama die.
"Stop this! Stop this right now!" Hiei shouted and rose from the chair. The King disengaged his flames and peered up at his son's sudden outburst. Quickly Hiei thought up a lie to stall Kurama for time," Instead of killing him so quickly, why don't we lock him up and prolong his suffering? He is a Reikai traitor, correct?" Hiei faked a wicked smile, "Why not have a little more fun?"
To Hiei's surprise, the King agreed and ordered the guards to lock Kurama in a dungeon. His father made his way back to his throne. Half-laughing as he plopped down in his seat, the King looked at Hiei, "Well, Prince, I like how you think…you're just as wicked as me."
"But Father…" Hiei forced a smile, "I'll never be just like you."
The King watched his son walk away from his throne, "I'm dismissing myself, Father. I will retire to my chambers until our next meal."
"I will allow it. Go now, my son." Hiei, with his back turned, stared ahead with disgust and contempt on his face and in his eyes. That vile bastard! If only he had his Jagan, then the King would know what real flames feel, what true darkness was, courtesy of Hiei. No one dares hurt his Kurama…
And lives to laugh about it.
Koenma stood bowed in his teenage form in the wide, expansive room. A cold chill blew across his body as his father's fiery eyes lay locked on his form. His heavy frame rose and fell as he took in deep, loud breaths. He had been waiting on Koenma's report for too long now.
"According to the world monitor, the rumors seem to be true. He has been revived. It is safe to assume that all of Jessamine's reports can also be confirmed. As it seems to be, we are indeed facing a crisis. Not just Reikai but all three worlds are in peril." Koenma calmly explained.
"Hmm, and the operative? What of his reports?"
Koenma grew silent and stared at the blue tile floor. His father asked again. "The operative has sent no word and has yet to return—" The prince had seen the King's assault on Kurama. Barely, just barely, he was able to keep his eyes open. Thank Heavens, Hiei finally stopped it.
"Then presume he is dead," Enma interrupted. "What is your—"
It was his son's turn to interrupt, "Wait father, you can't discard a life! Unlike you, I refuse to consider him dead. A rescue team is in preparation for him. They should be arriving shortly."
"Very well, do as you wish, son. But tell your team this. I have a specific command they must accomplish."
"Yes, father?"
Enma paused and took a long breath, flaring his nostrils, "If he is present, the demon Hiei must be killed on sight."
Raising his head to stare directly into his father's eyes, Koenma was in shock, "Why? Father, I don't understand!"
"Do I have to explain everything to you?" Enma's voice boomed. Koenma cringed and clenched his fists tightly. "Go son."
Koenma left and reverted to his toddler form as the gates to his father's chambers closed behind him. Why Hiei? Koenma couldn't see why. His father hadn't seen what he had seen. Hiei, though he was allied with the King, did not seem to be working for him. Or maybe that was what Koenma just wanted to believe. No, Hiei had his reasons. It only looked like betrayal. Hiei wasn't an enemy. Right?
Jorge stood, waiting and shivering by the gate door, "Lord Koenma, Yusuke and Kuwabara have arrived."
"Thank you, Orge," the blue oni watched as Koenma sprinted down the hall.
Yusuke and Kuwabara stood in front of his desk as the toddler jumped into his chair and spun around. Kuwabara covered his mouth as he yawned and Yusuke glared with an annoyed expression on his face.
"Okay, explain why in the hell Botan woke us up in the middle of the night to sprint us to Reikai?" Yusuke had been having a pretty damn good dream concerning him, Keiko, and a Japanese supermodel when Botan dragged him onto her oar. Dreams like that he would never have again, which played a part in his annoyance.
"Kurama has been captured and is currently being tortured," Koenma explained matter-of-factly.
"How do you know—" Before Kuwabara could finish his question, the world monitor had been turned on. "Oh, so that's how…holy shit, that's a lot of blood."
Yusuke snapped awake, "So he's like in this Land of Fire place right? Well what are we waiting for? Come on, zap us a portal or something already."
"It's in the works as we speak. You'll be sent close, but it will take a little traveling to get there."
Kuwabara rolled his eyes, "All the while, Kurama is getting jacked up…"
Koenma crossed his arms over his chest and nodded, "Pretty much. If we could do more, I would certainly offer it but sadly there is nothing."
The boys sighed. Of course, there wasn't. "Oh by the way, my father commands that if you see Hiei…kill him." The two boys were stunned. Kill Hiei? What reason? Koenma explained that he didn't know why either.
"So basically your father just wants Hiei dead," Kuwabara said and scratched his cheek. "Something weird is going on…I know Hiei can be an asshole but kill him?"
Slamming his hands on Koenma's desk, Yusuke hunched in front of Koenma, "Hey, I got a message for your father." Standing straight and taking a deep breath, Yusuke shouted loud enough to hear him though the entire palace, "Hey, Lord Enma! Listen up, I know you're around here somewhere! I can smell you from here. You want me to kill Hiei? I got two words for you…"
Taking another deep breath and raising his middle fingers, "FUCK YOU!"
A red oni stepped from a side hallway, "Lord Koenma, the portal is ready."
Yusuke grinned, "Now that's service. Come on, Kuwabara. There's a half-dead fox waiting for us." The boys ran down the hall toward the portal. Koenma rose from his seat. He wasn't angry, instead he smiled.
Good luck, Yusuke. Kuwabara.
Good luck.
Without the fire monk's help, Hiei had found the stairs to the dungeons. Spirally downwards into the earth, the stairs were not lit as Hiei cautiously walked down the steep and narrow stone steps. Using the walls as a guide, his fingers felt the wet smile seeping through the cracks between stones. The narrow stairs opened out to a long hallway, partly lit by hanging braziers. Flowing water was audible in the distance. Sixteen large cells wide enough to fit fifty standing prisoners, Hiei counted that many jails. No doubt this wasn't the only dungeon room either. An armored guard lay sleeping by the entrance. Hiei kicked his chest and his chair tipped back and landed on the floor.
"What the…who in the hell do you think you are?" the guard screamed in Hiei's face. Blinking and pausing for a moment, the guard took a closer look at his waker. Quickly standing straight and saluting him, the guard begged forgiveness for his rudeness, "Spare me, Prince. I was not fully awake…err…I shouldn't have been sleeping at all!"
"Whatever…" Hiei rolled his eyes, "Is the Reikai prisoner housed here?"
The guard nodded yes.
"Take me to him." He nodded and led the way.
The guard stopped at the second to last cell. In one of the cells, Hiei had both saw and smelled where the running water had come from—an open sewer spout positioned high on the wall drained its foul liquid into various cells. Hiei did not see one in Kurama's cell. Grabbing the cold bars, Hiei stared at Kurama's still body. The bars wouldn't budge, no matter how hard Hiei shook them. I can sense his life, good, Hiei sighed and rested his head against the bars.
"Open the door," Hiei muttered.
"Prince, I don't think I have been authorized—"
Hiei sharply raised his head and raised his tone, "Open the damn doors. I want to go in!"
"Yes, Prince, " the guard replied and trembled as he turned the iron key. "I have to lock you in with him, can't allow him to escape."
As the door locked closed and the guard positioned himself out of sight beside the cell, Hiei slowly stepped toward Kurama. Large chains and locks shackled his arms and legs to the floor. There were more shackles on the walls. He was breathing but his face was down. A small, dark pool of blood dried beneath him. The guards must have further assaulted him bringing him down.
"Kurama…" Hiei whispered.
Crouching down beside him, Hiei outstretched his shaking arm. Could he…did he even have the right to touch him? Hiei bit into his lip and turned his head away. Closer, his fingers drew closer to his long red strands. Images of fire spreading through his fingers and consuming Kurama engulfed his mind. Hiei wrenched back his hand and held to close to his chest. Just like in his nightmare, Hiei couldn't dare risk it. The drum beat of his heart crashed in his ears. He wanted to touch him. He wanted to turn him onto his back and hold him close in his arms. So close he could feel his skin against his, his fingers through his hair, the safety of his scent. So close he could take some of his pain into his body. Hiei just wanted to hold him. But his hands were fire and would only do more harm.
Kurama stirred. Turning his head to the new presence in his cell, his eyes managed to open into thin slits. "Hiei…" his name sputtered weakly from his throat.
"Why in the hell did you come here? Did Koenma send you? Why were you so stupid to accept a solo mission from Reikai?" Hiei fired question after question.
"No choice," Kurama limited his words to brief answers. "And you?"
Hiei paused and turned his back on him. Hiding the small blush on his cheeks, he couldn't dare admit he came to protect Kurama and the human world, "Shut up, fox. I don't have to answer your questions."
"Kurama…I'm going to—" Hiei cut off his sentence. Just then he felt a familiar energy enter the jails. It was coming from one of shadowed cells. Damn you, Hanabi. He was going to tell Kurama he was going to help him escape, yet he could feel her eyes on the back of his neck. No doubt her ears would be open as well. Kurama also sensed the change of energy and Hiei's sudden reaction. Whatever he was going to say would have to wait. Now was not safe.
"Will I die?" Kurama asked.
Hiei glared, "If you're lucky, traitor." Quickly, he mouthed his next words, "Don't worry. I won't allow it."
"Prince, your time is up, " the guard unlocked the door. Hiei begrudgingly left Kurama's side. As the jail door closed, Hiei sensed Hanabi disappear into the darkness. Slowly he shuffled his boots across the filthy dungeon floor. He was stalling for time. Just a moment longer. Let me see his eyes just a moment longer. Hiei clenched his tear gem tightly.
From this hell, he would rescue Kurama.
Another meal, another story of the King's greatness, Hiei was already sick of hearing about the King. Sitting at the end of the long table, at least he didn't have to sit beside the King as he slurped wine, which dribbled down his lips and into his beard, or ripped the flesh from bone. Disgusting glutton, did he have any sense of class? Hiei mostly picked at his food. When the King wasn't looking he would slip small chunks of bread into his robes.
"Hey, you still wearing that tear?" the King had suddenly changed the subject. Hiei didn't need to answer the question for the gem was obviously dangling from his neck. "Let me tell you a story about the woman that shed it."
Hiei paid attention. "A hundred years or so, doesn't really matter, I raged a siege on the Island of the Koorime. Why? Just because I had never been there. That and it's an island of women. My men needed an easy kill before we returned to the Land of Fire."
"Well, like I thought, it was easy. The women were crushed like the frail flowers they are. I close my eyes and I can still see it. The misty land. Women running into the forests. The tear gems pouring like rain. Everything, we burned everything. There's a certain pungent scent that is different when you burn a Koorime's flesh, remember son." He pointed a finger to emphasize his words with a broad smile.
"While my men were off playing, I was walking the streets, determining if there was anything worth taking. That was when one of the Koorime stood before me. I will never forget how cold and hateful her eyes were toward me. She called me a monster, talked about her home and her sister ice maidens…I didn't care enough to remember what she said. She said her name," the King seemed uncertain of her name as well.
"Hina," Hiei answered. "Her name was Hina."
The King nodded, "Yea. I think it sounded like that. Anyway, she was brave to stand up to me like that. Defending her country and her sisters, that maiden had strength. So I rewarded her for her courage…by burning her obi sash and screwing her in broad daylight." The King threw back his head and laughed.
Hiei sat stunned and speechless. The food inside his stomach rotted and churned angrily in his throat. He managed to keep it down. What kind of man tells his son the story of how he raped his mother? Unable to bear sight of the King, Hiei excused himself from the table.
The King still roared in laughter, "And boy could she scream!"
His fists clenched, it took everything within Hiei not to attack. Tightly, he bit into his lip. The iron taste of blood filled his mouth as Hiei walked toward his private chambers. If anyone ever deserved to die, it was the King.
–end chapter