Chapter 23: To Hell and Back
Sasuke held the staff in his hands and looked at it for a while wondering how was it possible that this was located in Sakura's body. Deidara admired the details of the staff it was simply made but it had a certain delicate beauty to it. After that Sasuke held Sakura's body in his arms which had fallen out of the case following the removal of the staff.
"Deidara I don't feel very good." Whispered Itsuka holding on to his shoulder.
Deidara looked at his wife and saw she was pale and crying Itachi looked at his twin with a pained expression he was feeling the same she was going through.
'The twins are reacting to the staff but why?' Sasuke thought as suddenly the twins were hoisted up by an unknown force.
"Itsu-chan."
The twins looked at each other when a chain appeared and bound them by their necks Itsuka looked at the coal black chain and felt the life seeping out of her slowly. Itachi looked at his sister's blank expression and tried to remove to the chain but every time he pulled it it got tighter menacing to break his neck at the slightest pull.
Deidara noticed the reaction of the chain at Itachi's pulling and and he knew he couldn't do anything except wait for the outcome and pray that his wife was going to be alright. Then as everybody looked in shock the twins got closer to each other until a bright light engulfed them when the light disappeared a staff with a yin-yang sphere was in the place of the twins.
"Is that staff the twins?" Deidara asked gulping as he looked at the staff.
"I think so.' Sasuke replied as he held Sakura's staff.
Neji took the staff in his hands and held it carefully then Sasuke motioned Deidara to prepare the deadly mixture he held Sakura in his arms tightly. Deidara nodded and turned to leave but before he could step out the room the staffs started to glow and everyone leaving him alone. He sighed in relief that at least he wouldn't have to prepare the mix required to send them to the afterlife.
"I pray that you are able to rescue the young one and that my Itsu-chan will be alright." Those were the only words he said before finally leaving the room.
--Hell--
The group stood in their destination looking around wondering if the staffs were the ones who sent them there. Ume looked around scanning the area but she refrained from touching the walls everything seemed to be covered in blood and screams of agony resonated in the place. Sasuke still held Sakura's body which had been transported with them and he decided have Ume carry her.
"Ume can you carry Sakura?"
"Yes of course."
Sasuke smiled and handed his lover to Ume who smiled back and carried Sakura bridal style. They started to walk forward ignoring the smell of rotting flesh that pervaded in the surroundings.
"Sasuke the floor here is covered in human flesh but if you step carefully you hit metal from time to time." Neji whispered as Sasuke looked to the floor.
"I noticed." Sasuke mumbled with a scowl.
Ume remained quiet then she looked to side and noticed a handle among the all the gore.
"Guys I think I found a door."
"Lets see Ume." Neji said and reached for the handle he placed his hand on it and pulled it.
He opened the door and saw the nasty surprise that awaited them in the room the demons were torturing souls and simply ignored them until Ume screamed to get their attention.
"Where is the Kyuubi Kitsune tell me before I get rid of all of you."
"What are angels doing here you know you are forbidden to do so."
Sasuke stepped forward ready to give them a beating but Ume placed her arm in front of him to impede his movements.
"Sasuke you must not waste your time with scum like this I shall take care of them." She whispered and Sasuke nodded in agreement.
The demons looked at her and simply laughed this made her angry and she simply smirked. She handed Sakura to Sasuke and walked forward slowly a sword hilt appeared.
"The Tsukishiro it was specially made to destroy demons with one blow and to severely maim dark angels it was made by Michael himself." Neji pointed out.
Sasuke looked at Ume as she grabbed the hilt of the sword and fully removed it from her stomach covered in her blood. The demons trembled in fear upon seeing the sword and Ume slashed the sword in the air making the blood splatter on the demons.
"Now tell me where is the Kyuubi?" She asked again and the demons answered.
"Past this vault Tsukishiro."
"I am Ume, Tsukishiro is my sword." Ume replied with a scowl and walked past them.
Everyone followed her and came across another door and it opened on its own. Inside the Kyuubi waited with a box in hand he tossed back and forth between his hands. He had taken an appearance that was similar to a human which they though was his normal appearance in his home
"Ume this place is not for a corpse take Sakura." Sasuke ordered.
Ume nodded and took Sakura she opened her wings and flew to corner and covered Sakura and herself with the wings. The Kyuubi jumped up in an attempt to attack Ume but he was stopped by Sasuke who pulled him down.
"Your fight is with me old friend." Sasuke growled.
"So you brought her body here so I can feed on her?" Kyuubi said looking at him straight in the eye.
"No I'm getting back what you stole from my fiancée." Replied the Uchiha.
Kyuubi smirked he had a bored stare and this angered Sasuke but it seemed that his reaction made the staff change into a sword that blazed with lightning. Ume looked from her perched position and her eyes went wide upon seeing the sword.
'That is princess Sakura's sword.' She thought when the body started to twitching.
Ume looked at Sakura and then at the sword and she concluded that probably the lightning of the sword was causing the effect. Meanwhile Sasuke and Kyuubi fought fiercely neither of them having an advantage over the other. Neji looked at the scene since Sasuke had forbade him from entering battle but then the yin-yang staff started to move and the twins voices were heard throughout the whole room.
'The staff is alive.' Neji though aghast when seven spirits entered the room which he recognized as the seven capital sins.
Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Sloth, Wrath, Pride, and Greed they looked at the warring angels but they did not interfere they were simply wondering why the law that forbade the trespassing of world was being broken.
"What are angels doing here leave before you are condemned to stay in hell forever?" Asked Lust looking at Neji her bright amethyst eyes scanning him carefully.
"The Kyuubi crossed to the human world and stole the soul of our princess he broke the law we are simply here to retrieve a soul." Neji replied dryly.
Lust looked at the staff that was floating in mid air and looked inside the sphere the twins were breaking the sphere from the inside out it was clear that they did not wish to remain in the staff any longer.
"The two sides of the mirror are breaking free." Whispered Greed and as soon as he said that the yin-yang sphere broke and the twins were set free.
The chain that was around their necks broke and they opened their wings. Kyuubi looked down and saw the twins looking at him, they both had swords but their elements were inverted. Itachi had the sword of light and Itsuka the sword of darkness.
"Sister are you ready to fight?"
"Whenever you give the word brother."
The twins flew up and reached Sasuke's side who sighed in relief.
"Little brother you must be weary we will help you." Itsuka said placing a hand on his shoulder then she mentally commanded Neji to get the box with Sakura's soul.
Neji sprinted to to the box when the Kyuubi noticed he tried to go stop Neji but the distraction proved him deadly the three siblings ran their swords the demons abdomen rendering him immobile. Neji retrieved the box swiftly and flew to Ume's location. The seven sins looked at the scene they were unmoved but they still awaited with anticipation the finale.
"Kyuubi your time ends here." The three siblings said unison and in the same fashion the twisted the swords as Kyuubi screamed in pain.
"The seven will decide your fate." Itsuka whispered and she pushed him to the ground she looked at her sword it had pieces of Kyuubi's entrails.
She made a face of disgust and then called Neji and Ume down. When they reached the floor the Kyuubi was panting and gasping in pain.
"Kyuubi you have defiled the law and threatened the kill the princess of the heavens for that you will face an eternal death that will be your punishment. As for you angels the master of the underworld shall decide your fate."
Then a woman appeared she was dressed in a silken robe adorned with jewels and she seemed to have a very high rank.
"Queen Ereshkigal the Kyuubi-"
"I know what happened you need not tell me I saw everything." The queen replied when her gaze shifted to the angels.
Sasuke and Itachi stepped forward since they were her former subjects, she looked at everyone but particularly at Neji since he held in his hands the box with Sakura's soul.
"You came here to rescue the young princess I am most grateful that you damaged Kyuubi so severely he was grating on my nerves." Ereshkigal said with a slight smile.
The angels nodded respectfully hoping nothing bad would happen.
"However that does not justify the fact that you came here uninvited."
"Your highness we were brought here by two staffs." Sasuke replied.
"Two?"
"Yes your highness my twin sister and I were turned into a staff and that is how we ended up here originally we were going to commit suicide with a poison but fate twisted on us." Itachi explained.
Ereshkigal then walked towards Sakura's body and then motioned for Neji to come over.
"Open the box if we don't get her soul in her body now you won't be able to bring her back." She said and motioned Sasuke to place her on the floor.
Neji opened the box slowly and Ereshkigal opened Sakura's mouth everybody watched in silent awe as Sakura's soul entered her body through the mouth. Her body started to shake violently and Ereshkigal closed her mouth as soon as the soul was rooted back in its proper place. Sakura's eyes snapped open and she started to look around vaguely she started panting softly.
"Where am I?"
"We are in hell Sakura we had to travel here to bring you back." Sasuke replied helping her stand up.
Ereshkigal looked at the couple then she placed her hand on Sasuke's shoulder and slowly his wings turned silver.
"You are to leave then this is no place for the living but remember the next time you come here I won't let any of you go so easily." Ereshkigal said and then transported them to the world of the living.
Everyone stood together when a dark light transported them to the place where they had left, the room in which Deidara was patiently waiting for their return. Upon their arrival he was resting on the floor with Azumo on his chest. Itsuka looked at her husband and son with a smile and she walked next to him.
"Deidei-chan I'm here my love." She whispered in his ear.
Deidara slowly opened his eyes and saw his wife looking at him tenderly.
"Itsu-chan you're back."
"Hai I don't want to go through this again." She whispered.
Everyone looked at th scene that unfolded and left the couple share their time together the danger the ordeal was over and they could now rest easy.
For those of you who don't know Ereshkigal according to Sumerian legend is the Goddess that rules the underworld or as it is more crudely known hell. Well the next chapter is the last one and Fallen Angels will be officially over and well ja ne