Of Angels and Vampires
Chapter Eight
The Trial of Hanako
By Fallon
Author's Note: Will someone please submit a review? I would much appreciate it!
Hanako stood before the Council, looking ashamed.
She shifted her eyes to Mayura, who appeared displeased.
"What do you have to report, General?" Mayura asked.
Hanako sighed deeply. "I bring forth bad news, my Council," she said, bowing. "I have failed you once again to bring Yukinari down. I must confess that I mated with him."
The Council stirred with talk and gasps.
"You see! I knew it!" Odin shouted.
"How could you betray us, Hanako?" Xavira shouted.
"Your own people!" Demitri said.
"After all we have done for you! Appointing you as General for Her Defensive Alliance!" Raziya said.
Mayura looked at the Council, then at Hanako.
"Then this leaves us no choice," she said. "We will come to a vote. All those in favor to remove
Hanako as General from Her Defensive Alliance say aye."
"Aye!" The five Council members spoke in agreement.
"Those opposing," Mayura said, and it was silent.
"Very well, it is done," she said, closing her eyes. She opened them and looked at Hanako.
"From this day forward, Hanako shall be stripped from her duties as General. We order her imprisoned until her trial tomorrow, where we shall judge her and decide her fate. Guards, take her away!" she said, waving her right arm.
Two men approached Hanako and led her out of the Council chambers.
Mayura sat in her chair, sighing. How could you betray us, Hanako?
Hanako was locked in a dark cell with a tiny window that allowed only a little light. She sighed, thinking about what they would do to her. She might be stripped of her wings and turned mortal.
Or they might send her to hell as a fallen Angel.
The devil wouldn't want me, she thought. Although he has his own choice to make with his rogue traitor...
Hanako didn't dare to think what would happen to Yukinari. He was probably facing a greater punishment.
She saw a shadow approach her cell door. "You have a visitor," the guard said.
Hanako rose from her spot as a light-blue haired woman entered through the door."Leiko!" she cried, running towards her.
Leiko embraced Hanako. "General—"
"I am no longer your General, Leiko," Hanako interrupted.
"I know, but you will always be General to me," Leiko replied, bowing.
"You're probably wondering what happened."
"Well, I did wonder if it had to do with the Vampire Lord, my lady."
"Yes, indeed it did," Hanako replied.
"What will they do with you, General?"
"I do not know. I will be put on trial and will learn my fate there. More than likely I will be banished from the company of the Angels.."
Leiko shook her head. "It's not right—"
"It's the only way, Leiko. I have broken the rules and now must face my punishment for it."
"When will they put you on trial?" Leiko asked.
"Tomorrow," Hanako responded.
"I came to let you know that you still have supporters, General. We will be there at your side."
"You will be viewed as traitors, Leiko. Please do not do that for me."
"But some of the members of Her Defensive Alliance—"
"No, please do not support me. I alone have committed a crime. I will not have all of you fall with me."
Leiko stepped back towards the door, looking at Hanako. Tears streamed down her face as the guard opened the door.
Hanako's heart sank. She now was truly alone.
The next day came. Hanako stood with two male guards each at her side. She looked up and saw a light shining down on her. The Council sat surrounding her; a large crowd of Gaians took seats behind her. Leiko sat up front, looking intently at Hanako. Her trial was made public for all of Gaia to attend; this was the first public trial by an Angel who betrayed their own kind.
Demitri rose from his chair, "Hanako, you are hearby placed on trial for treason and siding with our enemy, the Vampire Lord Yukinari."
The crowd buzzed with sudden outrage.
"Our General betrayed us? She deserves to be put to death!" one young man shouted.
"How dare she side with the Vampires than her own kind!" a woman yelled.
"She mated with the Vampire Lord and she deserves to rot in hell right along with him!"
Hanako hung her head, trying to choke back her tears.
Mayura slammed her hammer on the table several times. "Silence!" she barked.
"Therefore, we the Council of Gaia," Demitri continued, "hereby strip you of your duties as
General of Her Defensive Alliance, and we banish you to Terra for all eternity."
Hanako was silent.
"You are hereby declared banished and you will be turned human. You will have no memory of Gaia or of your past," Mayura said coldly.
"How do you plead?" Odin spoke.
"Guilty," Hanako replied.
The Council members rose from their seats and spoke in unity: "We the Council of Gaia hereby declare you mortal. May you have no memory of us or your past. Your days as an Angel have come to an end."
Mayura held Hanako's staff, tapping it on the floor. The red orb lit up, and the wings fluttered furiously. The two male guards stepped back as a red light shot from the orb through Hanako's chest, revealing her wings. She arched her back as her wings dispersed into a million feathers spreading around her. She looked as she saw the feathers scatter. Tears began to form in her eyes. Everything that she had been was now gone—an Angel—now turned mortal.
Leiko shook her head, quietly sobbing. "It's not fair," she said as she watched the woman she
vowed to protect turn mortal.
The red light faded. Hanako sank to her knees as she hung her head in exhaustion. She lifted her head to look at the Council one last time before a portal opened up to reveal the entrance to Yukinari's palace.
She was being escorted by the two guards to the portal, she turned and looked at the crowd and then at the Council.
"Once when you pass through the portal, you can never return or have any memory of us," Mayura said. "The only memory you will have is the Vampire Lord."
Hanako didn't say a word. She turned and walked through the portal—leaving everything she knew behind.
Hanako walked through the portal and into the grounds of the palace. She walked up the stairs to the main hall entrance and collapsed to the floor.
Suzumi walked down the stairway with Takeshi by her side with Kasumi following close behind.
Suzumi gasped as she noticed Hanako lying on the floor.
"Asashi! Get help, it's Hanako!" she said.
Asashi came running with two other women following her to Hanako's side.
They threw a blanket over her, since her clothes were frayed and worn from the past few days of her imprisonment. They carried her upstairs to Yukinari's chambers.
"What happened to her?" Kasumi asked.
"Looks like they banished her from Gaia," Suzumi replied. "Though once she awakes, we will have to break the news to her about my father."
Suzumi came to her father's chambers to find him missing a few days ago. Nothing was left but the note she found written by Hanako. That was when she knew her father was dragged to Hell for falling in love with Hanako.
Hanako awoke with a sudden fright, jumping up from the bed.
"Where am I?" she asked frantically.
Suzumi took her hand. "It's all right, Hanako. You're here at the palace with us."
She looked around, looking at Takeshi and Kasumi, then at Suzumi.
"Where's Yukinari?" she asked, confused.
"That's what we have been waiting for to tell you, Hanako. You might not be in the best state to hear it, but I may as well tell you anyway," Suzumi said. "You see, after you left to return, uh, home, my father was brought back to Hell for imprisonment."
"Why?" Hanako asked.
"You see, we are forbidden to do something. When we break rules, there are dire consequences we must face."
"You mean he's in Hell right now, and he may be put to death?"
"No, more like spending an eternity in Hell."
Hanako got out of the bed. "We must go after him, whether you are with me or not."
"I believe this is something you must face alone—" Suzumi was suddenly interrupted by a female voice cutting her off.
"Not entirely alone."
Hanako looked and saw a light-blue haired woman standing in the doorway. "Who—"
"Leiko, ma'am. I was someone you once knew."
"Will you help me get Yukinari back?" she asked.
Leiko nodded and bowed. "Yes, of course, my lady."
"How do we get there?" Hanako asked Suzumi.
"Let me open a portal for you," she replied.
They went down to the main hall. Once they arrived, Suzumi's eyes began to glow a light blue.
"Sin dark as night, let there be no light. I open the portal to the gates of Hell. Let ye who dwell befell."
The ground crumbled below their feet and Hanako looked down in horror at the sight of fire burning in the dark abyss portal. There stood a three-headed dog, Cerberus, guarding the gates.
"Once you enter those gates, you will find my father there," Suzumi said.
Hanako looked at Leiko. "Are you ready to face the dark?"
"Yes ma'am," she replied.
They entered through the portal to the gates of Hell.