Love and darkness

Part Five

Chapter One

Hisoka Kurosaki and Seiichiro Tatsumi: Unraveling the mystery of Muraki

At the tapping sound, Konoe looks at the door of his office to see it swing open slowly, followed by a mop of chestnut hair and a pair of unusually large green eyes set in a youthful face poking through the gap tentatively.

"Ah, Kurosaki, come on in and have a seat." Konoe makes it a point to keep his tone light and kindly, whenever he can help it, while addressing the youngest member on his team of Shinigami. For some reason unknown to the Chief, he is always plagued by guilt after he has been strict with 'Bon.' The veteran of Ju Oh Cho smiles inwardly at the soubriquet given to the teenager by Watari, aware of the fact that Hisoka is secretly proud of the moniker – everyone at the Ministry of Hades now calls him that occasionally, making the lad feel like he is part of a large family in which he is the youngest.

Hisoka approaches Chief Konoe's large desk and sits on the chair beside the Secretary of The Ministry of Hades, who is flipping through a sheaf of papers. Tatsumi looks up at the young Shinigami, his expression of stern concentration replaced by a congenial one as he shoves the papers into a folder on Konoe's desk.

"Hi there, Hisoka, it's good to see you. Have you news from Tsuzuki and Watari?"

"Well, since they haven't been able to get Oriya to talk and they're convinced that he's not being truthful, they intend to place him under surveillance. They hope that sooner or later, he'll lead them to the doctor. As we speak, the operation has begun."

Konoe looks thoughtful. "How are they managing so far? Did they mention they needed back-up?" he asks while topping up all their cups with green tea.

"They did, in fact, if some personnel can be spared. They've got two entrances at Kokakuro to watch round-the-clock, and when I last spoke to them, I received the distinct impression that they were somewhat worn out. Apparently the subject in question is an extremely busy individual, constantly coming and going, zipping around and meeting loads of people all over the place – that's to be expected I suppose, being a businessman and all. At our last communication, they were in Tokyo at the airport waiting for Oriya's private plane to arrive – he's on his way to Tokyo."

"Hmm, I'll arrange for two more agents to work in shifts with them as soon as they get back from Tokyo. With any luck, he might just make contact with Muraki there. Anything else, Kurosaki?"

Hisoka hesitates before he responds. "Well, um, Tsuzuki mentioned they were running low… on, um… funds."

Tatsumi chuckles. "I'll have one of the Gushooshin twins meet them in Tokyo with more spending money. I do hope Tsuzuki-san will remember to keep the receipts," he finishes while tapping his chin with the tip of his pen.

Chief Konoe coughs. "Yes, well since Watari is with him, I don't think that will be a problem." He turns his head to glance at the clock on the wall. "If you two will excuse me, I'm running late for a meeting with the Count at the Hall of Candles. He has news from the Lord of Meifu, concerning that recent spiritual turbulence. I'll see you and update you both later."

Seiichiro Tatsumi strolls into the communal office of Konoe's team of Shinigami and spots the lone figure in the room – Hisoka at his desk. The young guardian is absorbed in his work, eyes trained on his monitor, his hand manipulating a mouse.

Striding up to the boy, Tatsumi greets him. "Hi Hisoka. Still working at this hour?"

"Uh, yeah, Tatsumi-san," Hisoka darts his green orbs to the Secretary's for a second before flicking them back to the screen in front of him.

"It's getting late. You really should get some rest, you know."

"I'm fine, Tatsumi-san."

"I see… hmm, if you don't mind me asking, what are you working on?"

"I'm doing research… on spells."

"Spells?" Tatsumi moves around Hisoka's desk to position himself behind the boy and notices the large volume of printed pages in disarray beside the keyboard. The Secretary's brow creases in a frown as he places a hand on Hisoka's shoulder. "Hisoka, is this in relation… forgive me, but does your research have anything to do with… the markings on your body?" Tatsumi asks in a hushed, gentle tone.

"No… not exactly… well partially, I suppose," replies Hisoka, pausing in his perusal of the data on his monitor to reach for his mug of tea.

Raising his eyebrows, Tatsumi prods mildly, "I'm afraid I don't understand… are you attempting to find a way to remove them, and therefore eradicating its residual power over you?"

"No, that's not the reason…" Hisoka pauses and sighs, his eyes focusing on Tatsumi's concerned face. "It's okay, Tatsumi. It doesn't bother me as much as it did in the past. Whether or not Muraki still has a hold over me through his curse doesn't really matter any more… I've come to realize that I have a family here… I'm not alone anymore… Tsuzuki, you, the Chief, everyone… you all care for me, and I feel safe… I can count on your protection…" Hisoka's low voice breaks on the last word, feeling overwhelmed by his emotions.

The Secretary smiles fondly, both of his hands reaching for Hisoka's shoulders and squeezing them with gentle pressure. "You are so very right there, Hisoka. We're always here for you, don't ever forget that, you are part of our family."

"Thank you, Tatsumi-san… coming back to what we were talking about… I'll explain. You see, I've been wondering about Muraki's powers, necromancy being one of them, his ability to work spells, to invoke demonic creatures, controlling them to act in accordance to his will. Don't you think it's strange that a mortal man possesses such powers?" The youth clicks with his mouse on a folder icon to open it, listing the spells and incantations used by Shinigami for their missions to summon souls that have gone astray to Meifu.

Pulling up a chair next to Hisoka, Tatsumi sits. "It is indeed. And, his powers are quite strong. I have been puzzling over these things as well." The Secretary removes his jacket. Slinging it over the back of his chair, he loosens his tie. "Although Tsuzuki and I were able to destroy those beasts he summoned during our skirmishes with him, it is a mystery as to how he came to have those powers…"

"Remember those barrier wires, 'special amulets from the netherworld, made from the hair of women', according to Muraki?" Hisoka interjects urgently.

"The ones he bound you with in Nagasaki?"

"Yes. After that incident, I began to wonder how he came to have them," continues Hisoka, wincing slightly at the memory of being held fast by those deceptively flimsy threads. "How did he acquire them? At that time, I doubted that he has the ability to transcend physically from the mortal world into the spirit realm, but, as we all came to realize, he does in fact have that ability – he materialized right here in Meifu to seize Tsuzuki, right out from under Suzaku's nose! And hence it was explained how he knew such a great deal about what goes on here, his knowledge of spells, he seemed to have heard of you as well, Tatsumi-san. Why, the fact that he can enter Meifu is in itself the greatest mystery… no mortal can, unless circumstances warrant it absolutely necessary, and then only if the Lord of Meifu personally sanctions it."

"Yes, I agree it is quite baffling indeed…"

"Is it possible that he is himself… an immortal?"

Tatsumi shakes his head slowly, staring at a point in the distance. "I'm not sure, it could be possible… but whether he is or not, the fact remains that he is a very real threat to the work we do here. His constant interference in our affairs has been most detrimental and the Lord of Meifu himself has expressed his concern."

"He has? Whoa, awesome! Tatsumi-san, do you remember that glowing pentagram that trapped Tsuzuki-san when Maria Wong attacked him? Well, in relation to that, I've been studying all the spells and incantations we use to see if there are any among them that resemble the one that Muraki used."

"Have you found anything?"

"No, I haven't," the boy replies, his sigh tinged with frustration. "I can therefore deduce that it is not one of our spells. For us, a pentagram spell normally contains the name of the deity who is releasing his, her or its power for the spell to work. Unfortunately, when I saw it in that church, my main objective was to destroy it immediately and thus did not have time to make out any details. I remember I saw symbols and words written in strange lettering, but I cannot recall them clearly."

Tatsumi picks up a penciled drawing on the top of the stack of tumbled papers and studies it. "Hmm… this is what it looked like, right?"

"Yes. A star within a circle, and five smaller circles at the five points."

After some moments staring off into space, Tatsumi's face becomes animated. "I have an idea… I wonder if it would be possible… Hisoka, at Ju Oh Cho's Psychic Institute, there is a professor on staff there whose expertise is in the field of hypnosis. If you were to be placed under hypnosis, there is a possibility that you may be able to recall further details of the pentagram. How about it, would you be willing to try it?"

Shrugging, Hisoka replies, "I don't see why not."

"Good. I'll clear it with the Chief first and then make an appointment for you to see Professor Kawamura."

Hisoka's eyes snap open. He blinks them a few times, gradually becoming aware of the face looming close to his, its kindly brown eyes searching his face.

Professor Kawamura smiles. "Hisoka-san, how do you feel?"

The young Shinigami draws in breath deeply. His session with the hypnosis specialist has been a harrowing one. Drawn deep into his mind to seek out the memories by the process, it was inevitable that he experienced fear and panic when he encountered the man who murdered him in the realm of his subconscious. The professor, an exceptionally skilled hypnotist, kept reassuring a worried Tatsumi, stating that she knew what she was doing, and that she would ensure that Hisoka suffered no emotional damage after he awoke from the procedure.

Tatsumi hovers beside the couch on which Hisoka is now sitting, as Kawamura hands the youth a glass of water. Before he takes a sip, he manages a weak smile, and replies that he is all right. "It just felt… so real… I'm really glad it's over. I don't think I ever want to go through that again," he murmurs, reassuring Tatsumi with a quick grin that he is none the worse for wear.

The professor hands Hisoka a notepad and pen, instructing him to write down the things that he specifically wanted to remember, while the memories were still fresh in his mind. Looking at Tatsumi, she adds, "Let me know if you wish to view the tape of the session, although I don't think that will be necessary. I do believe that you have managed to recall some of the details of the pentagram. I suggest you start making a note of them now. Here, you may sit at this desk."

Tatsumi watches over Hisoka's shoulder while the boy quickly sketches a rough drawing of the pentagram and inserts the symbols and words he has managed to remember. "There, that was all I could see during the hypnosis. I'm not sure it will help, but… Tatsumi, do you understand any of it? These words are of a language I've never seen before."

"Nor have I…"

Professor Kawamura, seated at her desk, stops typing on her keyboard and looks over at the pair. "I'm sure someone over at Linguistics may be able to help, Seiichiro."

Hisoka is a little surprised by the expression on Tatsumi's face. It makes the secretary appear years younger; the sentiments behind it are a blend of affection, mischief and entreaty. As the boy watches Tatsumi's smile broaden and sees Kawamura affect a stance of mock longsuffering, snorting while she shakes her head, he deduces that the professor and the secretary are definitely old acquaintances.

"All right, all right, I'll call in some markers." Sighing as she picks up her tiny red cell phone, she jabs the index finger of her other hand in Tatsumi's direction. "That's three you owe me now, Seiichi!"

Tatsumi approaches her desk to bow in mock subservience. "Hai hai, Miyoko!"

Later, over an evening meal, the two Shinigami discuss the words Hisoka recalled during his hypnosis, deciphered by one of Professor Kawamura's friends.

"The lord of eternal darkness… the nameless one…" repeats Tatsumi, looking off into the distance, keeping his face unreadable. Unknown to Hisoka, the Secretary's heart has begun to beat a little faster.

"Have you heard of this 'lord', this 'nameless one', Tatsumi?"

After a stretch of silence, Tatsumi turns his eyes back to the youth's face. "I have heard of him… not a lot, but, yes, I have heard a few things about this demon," he answers, maintaining a nonchalant tone of voice.

Chapter Two

Kazutaka Muraki: No way out – covenant with a demon

In the house on the hill, Kazutaka Muraki lies on a bed, asleep. His jaw is slack, his lips parted. Presently, from out of his mouth, ribbons of black mist seep, gradually gathering together to form a dark cloud. This cloud of mist is approximately the size of the sleeping form on the bed. As it hovers above Muraki, six pairs of red, fiery eyes positioned in the swirling mass turn their gaze toward the prone figure.

It begins to speak, in a rasping, masculine voice that pierces the subconscious part of Muraki's brain.

"My arrival was timely indeed. How totally unexpected it was to find you in that state… remembering parts of your life I thought I had completely erased. What was it that countered my spell? Could Oriya have caused it? That one seems to have a hold over you, my beautiful one. His love for you has a power to reach the buried part of you – your true self. Even after I took possession of your body, his devotion to you, fortified by his prayers, was fighting against me."

The entity composed of mist pauses to laugh, its ringing and gleeful laughter echoes through the room and Kazutaka shifts, his body squirming, his head flailing restlessly. His body stills when the demon begins speaking again.

"Sanae, huh, some protector goddess you are! You are no match against me! But… that Oriya – his love for you is a power in itself. But no matter, my little ruse of making him believe that you have returned to him will stop that power for now. I cannot have him pining for you and drawing you away from me. You are my chosen one, after all. What were you thinking, that you could break your covenant with me? You foolish mortals, with all your misguided notions of love! Love is such a fleeting thing; it never lasts, unlike hate. Hate endures and grows into an unstoppable power. Hate is delightful! Yes, hate is what drew me to you, ah, my Kazutaka! You were so full of hate, your hate made you beautiful and glorious to my eyes."

Numerous arms ending in claw-like hands take shape at the edges of the dark cloud and begin to reach for Kazutaka, moving over him, caressing his body from head to toe.

"Do you remember, beautiful one? How you wept and raged, implored the heavens in your grief? But no one in heaven answered you did they? It was I, I who heard you and came to you. It was I who comforted you, and gave you the means, the powers to exact your revenge. And, have you forgotten? In return, you promised to relinquish your soul to me. Tsk, tsk, it was a pity indeed that your grand scheme of revenge against that half-brother of yours came to nothing in the end… I gave you all the tools and support you needed in that endeavor of yours. Ah, well, you got more than you bargained for when that hybrid, that Shinigami called Tsuzuki, foiled your plan.

"Hah! But, what do I find when I come to claim what is mine? You – foolishly beginning to love this Oriya again! How annoying! He is fortunate that I stopped myself from destroying him then and there! Ah, well, he might just prove useful to me in the future, and… his appearance is rather pleasing as well. Yes, he is, how shall I put it… truly satisfying in every sense of the word!"

Lusting for intimacy with a mortal once more, the apparition of mist recalls the pleasure it experienced from within Kazutaka's body. After it had taken possession of his body and utilized it to copulate several times with Oriya, the demon, who does not possess a solid alternate form, was able to feel each and every exquisite sensation of sexual arousal, penetration and orgasm through his host's body. The entity laughs raucously, lewdly. The sound creates sonic waves that rattle the objects and furniture in the bedroom, the demon's consuming urge of enjoying Oriya's body again causing the vaporous mass that constitutes its form to become denser. It expresses his lust with deep, feral growling.

"Where has he gone anyway? I lust for him! Hmm, I may just court him as well, what do you think, my beloved? Do you think he would like to become one of my lieutenants?"

Kazutaka tosses violently in the bed and slurs, "No… please… not Oriya…"

"Whaaat?" thunders the demon, silencing Kazutaka's entreaties.

The entity hisses ferociously.

"And why not? Why shouldn't I have him as well? You would dare tell me what to do? You ungrateful wretch, I've a mind to kill him now as punishment for your ingratitude and apathy! You disgust me in this state, you…"

Kazutaka whimpers, tossing his head from side to side. "No… please… I will keep my part of the bargain," he whispers, tears streaming from his closed eye. "My soul is yours, but please… don't harm him…" He sobs in his misery at his realization of the stark, awful sense of finality of the corollary of the pact he had struck with the demon hovering above him, his deal with the demon made seventeen years ago.

The demon seethes, enraged by Kazutaka's obvious love for Oriya. Claws of mist grip Kazutaka's body and through them, it delivers bolts of its power into it, the equivalent of a severe lashing by several whips striking his body simultaneously. Kazutaka cries out in pain, screaming until he can scream no more, bearing the searing agony silently, although he can do nothing to still the contortions of his body as it reacts without volition to the pain. He lies there, convulsing upon the bed, beyond the point of caring what will further befall him…

I deserve this. I chose this fate. I would not listen to you, Oriya. If only I had… If only I had chosen to turn away from my anger and forgiven those who had hurt and wronged me… How good and peaceful it felt, when I listened to you singing… I could have had it all – a life brimming with happiness and love… Ah! It is too late now, too late…

The demon ceases its raging and withdraws, all of its eyes narrowing venomously. It has heard all of Kazutaka's thoughts. Now, it gathers its misty form tightly, spinning like a tornado as it works a spell to calm the piteous, weeping figure on the bed.

I know just what you need, Kazutaka Muraki. You need to relive every moment, yes, every single pain-filled moment that caused you to rage, and hate. I want to hear it again – that enthralling sound that issued from your throat as you roared with your hate…

The entity reaches with one of its hands and clamps it over Kazutaka's skull. As the wretched doctor succumbs to the demon's spell, he moans, sobs and screams until the demon hears what it has been waiting for - his final, horrendous roar. When it dies away, so do the last, lingering vestiges of Kazutaka Muraki's true self.

"Yes, there, there now… you are perfect again, beautiful again, all for me. I'll take care of you now, and forever. Listen well, my precious chosen one, this is what I want you to do…"

End of Part Five

To be continued in Part Six: Asato Tsuzuki: Reluctant reminiscences of a monster