(Chapter Three)
(+I HAVE RETURNED…thank you for your patience+)
Ren leaned back in his chair. "Reiri and I did battle on every level in the underworld. Our force raged back and forth; neither side seemed to be gaining the advantage."
He paused there for a moment then with a sigh he continued. "Then last week her armies re-attacked the capital. She had gained new forces…beasts so old and foul that I had forgotten about them. She invaded the city and then she took High Castle."
He paused once more and closed his eyes. He then reopened them. "My troops were unfortunately outnumbered and"
"You lost." Kurumu said with a smug expression.
Ren narrowed his eyes. "I merely made a strategic retreat in order to find help while my soldiers held my remaining territory." He said
Kurumu smirked. "You ran away to save your own skin."
"Call it what you will succubus." Ren said with a snarl.
"I call it being a coward." Kurumu said with deep satisfaction in her voice.
"I bet your enjoying this Succubus. A powerful and mighty entity like me reduced to come groveling to this rat infested dirt heap asking for aid." Ren spat at Kurumu.
"Don't call my school a rat infested dirt heap." The Chairman said calmly.
Kurumu stood up as did Ren.
"The only thing I am enjoying is seeing what you get for what you did to me and Tsukune last year." She yelled at him.
Ren smirked. "Oh yeas and how is your little human friend. Still ignoring you and chasing that pink haired vampiress."
That got him a square punch in the jaw.
The school day had ended and Kurumu was still not back. She had not shown up for a Club meeting either. Moka and the others had headed back to their dorm rooms but Tsukune waited a little longer.
He stood by the schools main entrance and waited.
He looked at his watch and then looked at the direction of the Chairmans building.
"Kurumu where are you?" Tsukune thought with worry for his friend.
Or was she more then a friend.
Tsukune had for while been trying to tell Moka that he loved her but every night when he slept he dreamed of only of Kurumu.
And now recently whenever he looked at Kurumu his heart would begin to pound.
He could not explain how or why he felt like this. All he knew for certain was that he needed to find out what was going on.
He slowly began to walk to The Chairman's building.
"NOW WHAT DO YOU WANT?" Kurumu demanded in a powerful tone.
Ren massaged his sore jaw before he spoke. "I am too weak to take on Reiri at the moment. So in short my dear I need your help in order to reclaim Hell." Ren said simply.
Kurumu stared at Ren like he was a lunatic. Then she said very clearly 'No."
Ren blinked. "Did you just say no?" He said disbelieving
Kurumu nodded.
Ren placed his hands together, closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He exhaled and opened his eyes. "Ok apparently you don't understand the gravity of the situation." He said coolly.
"Why should I even help you?" Kurumu asked.
"Why are all mortals this stubborn…I swear whether you're a human or a monster after thousands of years of evolution and you never change do you?"
Ren looked over at The Chairman who so far had been sitting silently.
"Would you please tell her why she should help me?" Ren asked.
The Chairman sighed. "Kurumu you know from experience that the Devil is bound by certain rules correct."
Kurumu nodded. "Yeah like he needs to make contracts before doing anything major or that he cant touch holy objects" She paused then added "Like the sword of Michael"
She said this with a bit of satisfaction. Then she saw Ren cringe and clutch his chest where she was sure the scar she gave him for their battle last year still was.
"That is correct; now Ren although it was many thousands of years ago was designated to be the ruler of hell because he helps brings balance to the universe."
"Balance?" Kurumu asked not understanding.
"There must always be a balance between everything light and darkness, right from wrong, good from evil."
"What does that got to do with anything?" Kurumu asked
"Because my daughter does not give two shits about it. She unlike me is not bound by rules no…she does not need to make contracts." Ren said as he looked at Kurumu.
"She can use all her powers in anyway she wants…she does not care what happens to the underworld all she cares about is taking my throne, my power, and having all the demons around to do what she wants."
"So what?" Kurumu asked her mind still a bit slow.
Ren got up from his chair and walked over to Kurumu and put his face to hers "So…what happens when she is done with hell and wants to move on up…to oh say the mortal world."
Kurumu paled at that. "You mean that…"
"She will bring the armies of hell right on up here. Every demon ever tortured soul all the things you have seen in nightmares…the horrors of all things. Your oceans will boil your skies burn, and all your lands turned to dust and ash."
Kurumu was speechless. Ren smirked and walked to the window. "You have already seen what her being on the throne has caused."
"What do you mean?" Kurumu asked.
"You know all the weird weather that has been going on in the world…your sudden storms hurricanes, blizzards…even this heat wave that's happening to your school…all her doing-" He stopped and looked towards the door. "Your witch friends are also an example."
Kurumu did not understand at first but then she realized. "Ruby and Yukari's powers" Then she looked at the Chairman.
"Even mine" He said as he lowered his face.
"All do to the imbalance of this pathetic little world right now." Ren said with a smugness in his voice. "No one ever appreciates your work until your was gone which is why I ask you again Kurumu please help me." He seemed to have trouble forcing those words out of his mouth.
Kurumu leaned back in her chair and started weighing her options. On one hand she hated…no she despised Ren with ever atom of her being. He was the evil incarnate, he could also be lying. But on the other hand if he was not lying; he said that his daughter would bring demons to this world and destroy everything. Her mother, her friends, and Tsukune…
The memory resurfaced; back in the other world where Kumiyo their daughter had been under the control of Ren. She had attacked and tried to kill Kurumu but Tsukune had gotten in the way and taken the attack.
She remembered Tsukune lying on the ground. Of his blood pooling into a dark red puddle. She then saw him dying again. An image that she often saw now in her nightmares.
It was only by the slimmest of chances that he had been able to overcome his death. But she could not allow him to die again. There was no way she could allow that to happen.
"a…alright I will help you." Kurumu said.
Tsukune hide behind a stone pillar in the lobby of the Chairman's building. It had not been easy getting in here. When he arrived outside the building he had seen teams of Chairman's black clothed guards all of them patrolling. Many of them had been sporting automatic weapons.
Never before had Tsukune seen The Chairman have all of his forces out.
And Tsukune was sure the reason for all of this was not a good one.
So he had waited and watched from behind a bush. Which he found difficult because all of the branches kept poking him; and he found it difficult to remain crouched.
"How does Mizore do this?" He thought.
After remaining hidden for about five minutes he finally saw one of the guards leave. He saw the opening and he moved fast.
He ran quickly and as silently as he could. His eyes darted back and forth to see if any guards would suddenly appear around the corner.
However his luck; which he seemed to have at random moment held and he got in through the doors.
And now he stood behind a pillar in the dark lobby. Where it was so deathly silent; silent enough you could here a coin drop.
Tsukune shivered. This place never failed to freak him out.
And then he heard voices.
"Why do we need to bring that cursed sword?" The voice of a male shouted.
"Because it will give the two of you an advantage against the demons." The Chairmans voice answered.
Tsukune could hear them walking down the stairs but he did not dare peek out from behind the pillar with the chance he might be discovered.
"Demons?" He asked himself in his mind.
The unknown male voice spoke again "yeah but I really don't like being close to that thing."
"Ahh what's wrong Ren are you afraid I am going to stab you again."
That was Kurumus voice. Tsukune sighed silently. She was alright. However more questions rose in his head. What was this about demons, swords, and who was this Ren.
Ren…then name somehow felt familiar but he did not know from where.
Tsukune shook the thoughts out of his head. He needed to remained focused.
He waited for another second and then finally he turned his head slightly and glanced from behind his hiding place. He caught the last bit of the Chairman's robes vanish as he entered one of the many doors in the lobby.
Tsukune narrowed his eyes. Something was going on…something bad. His first thought was to go get the Moka and the others…but if he waited to long it might be too late.
Tsukune taking another glance around followed Kurumu, the Chairman, and this mysterious Ren.
Ren lead the group down a long flight of dark winding stairs. The only illumination was the pale flicking flames of the torches that hung on the walls. Ren made sure he stayed a few steps ahead of Kurumu (who had the sword of Michael in its scabbard and slung over her back.) And The Chairman followed behind her.
"It is still down here isn't it?" Ren called to the Chairman his voice echoed somewhat.
The Chairman nodded. "Yes it has never been moved" then added under his breath "like it ever could be."
Kurumu who was always the last to know these things asked "What is down here?"
"Our transportation my dear." Ren said as he skipped down two steps at a time.
"Uh I thought you were going to just like teleport us there?" Kurumu asked in confusion.
Ren laughed. "No I cant...I used up a huge portion of my power to bring myself to the mortal world. I do not have enough left to transport us both to Level nine…so we are going to take the next best thing."
"Which is?" Kurumu asked
Ren turned his head and smirked. "The Gate of Hell."
(+Monsterpedia: The Gate of Hell is an ancient doorway constructed by the devil himself. It allowed those who passed through it enter into Hell. The Gate was first mentioned the Book Dante's Divine Comedy in which the Italian Poet Dante used the gate and explored the nine levels of hell.+)
"But I thought the gate was just a legend? Just some story that the humans made up."
Ren continued to walk. "Oh no the gate is as real as you and I…however after the human Dante had used it to trespass in my domain…I realized that the gate needed to be moved so I had my 'good' friend the Chairman see to that."
Kurumu looked back at the Chairman who sighed "I brought the gate here long before I constructed the Academy and had it hidden and locked...I never thought it would be used."
"Never say never Hades King." Ren laughed and then at last they finally reached the bottom the stairs.
They walked through an arch that lead into darkness.
"Could not spring for any lights Chairman…wow you are cheap." Ren scoffed.
The Chairman in response clapped his hands and suddenly pale light dispersed the darkness.
They were in a huge underground cavern. Stalactites rose from the moss covered floor all around them.
Kurumu felt something drip onto her shoulder and when she looked up she stared in awe. Crystal stalagmites hung from the ceiling and each of them had some kind of internal light. A sort of golden white light that cast a pale yet bright glow through out the cavern; and water dripped down from crystals as the moister that surrounded it somehow made the light shine brighter.
It was Rens dry laugh that brought her back to focus. Kurumu brought her head back down and the once good feeling was now replaced by one of horror.
In the center of the cavern standing at sixteen feet tall and eight feet wide and carved from black stone was the Gate of Hell.
It was one of the most hideous things Kurumu had ever seen.
Carved into the sides of the gate were images of both humans and monster being tortured by demons. She saw the bodies of babies being torn apart and devoured. Of women being raped and mutilated by imps. There were scenes of men who were being thrown into pits of flames. At the top of the Gate way she could see a row of thirteen demons staring down at her. All of them were horrible with sharp uneven fangs, misshapen bodies and gruesome grinning faces. And at the very doors of the gate in the center there was a ring of words that went around in a perfect circle. The words looked like they etched in with claws. The words themselves said-
"Relinquo totus spes ye quam penetro hic. Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here." Ren said in an ominous voice. He then chuckled as he walked towards the gate. "I wrote those words myself."
"This thing is beyond evil…I can feel the dark aura it gives off." Kurumu yelled at him. She felt sick all of a sudden; like she was going to vomit everything she had in her.
"You have no apparition for art succubus." Ren yelled back in retort.
Kurumu after gathering herself shouted again her voice bounced off the walls of the cavern. "How do you even open this thing?"
Ren who now stood right at the door turned back and simply said. "We knock." And he did.
He hit the door three times with his hand. BOOM BOOM BOOM. The sound it made appeared shake the whole cavern.
Ren then took a few steps back and watched. Nothing seemed to have happened…but then there was a clicking noise.
The Cavern then suddenly became very cold and the light of the crystal faded a bit. And everyone's eyes turned back to the gate which naw made a great shuddering sound as its massive doors began to open.
Kurumu felt herself taking a step away. She felt as if once those doors opened some sort of huge demon would burst out of it.
Once the mighty doors opened though something did come out. But it was not a demon…but mist a steady stream of thick mist creped out of out of the empty blackness that was inside the gate.
The mist swept over the floor and covered all in its path. Soon the whole cavern was filled by this mist so much of it they could not even see the floor or their own feet.
"Kurumu-" Ren called "Come stand with me; we must depart."
Kurumu although she feared to step near that demonic gate she knew she had too.
She took small steps at first. It felt as if she her legs had suddenly turned to stone. But then she was taking strides until she stood next to Ren and faced the black emptiness of the gate.
Ren with his back still turned called out. "Chairman if you would be so kind."
The Chairman then began to chant some sort of incantation. He spoke in a language that had been dead for many a millennia a language forgotten by all but the most ancient of beings.
Suddenly a single flame came to be inside the gate. Then that flame grew into an inferno. It filled all of the once empty blackness. Kurumu held a hand in front of her face. The flames began to dance and lash out of gate like whips. Mixtures of red, white, orange, yellow and black sprang forth. And slowly the tangle of fire began to encircle them.
The Chairman still chanted. He had to remain focus he could not stop the spell.
Kurumu felt like running. The circle of fire was getting closer and tighter. Ren sensing that she felt like fleeing grabbed her by the Arm.
"Your not going anywhere succubus…I told you…I am taking you to hell." He said with a small smirk.
Suddenly a yells pierced the cavern. "LET GO OF HER."
Ren, Kurumu, and the Chairman turned to see Tsukune running towards them at full speed.
"Tsukune." Kurumu said softly.
Rens eyes grew wide with panic. "No no you fool stay away." He yelled.
The Chairman before he realized what he was doing broke the chant and shouted "Aono stop; wait." But it was too late and the Chairman suddenly realized he had stopped in the middle of the spell.
Tsukune jumped over the fires and tackled Ren.
And then suddenly before anyone could say another word there was a great flash of light. A light so bight that The Chairman was forced to cover his eyes.
After a moment he uncovered his eyes and saw that Kurumu, Ren, and Tsukune had all vanished and the Gate of Hell was now closed.
(+And this is where I close chapter three and I hope you all enjoyed this chapter that announces my return from my long absence.+)