Chapter 32: A Boy, A Girl, and a Wolf
You know, I think I just shouldn't even make the promises, because I can never keep them. Hey all, your favorite Absol is back with another chapter! And a day earlier than a week late, mostly because I can't post tomorrow night, too much. Finally getting situated into school sucks, but it's a living. At least for now until i get a full time job... oh god why am i thinking about this? I'll stop and let you get on your way. Oh, and let me know what you think of Death as a character. Whoops, spoilers I guess? But Death is in this chapter, if it wasn't obvious enough...
Xertic walks through an opening, Asuna clinging tightly to his arm, and peers down the hall. Many other opening lined the walls, each with their own set of staircases.
"Those, Asuna, are the passageways from other prisons." Asuna looks down both ways, gasping.
"There's so many. This is for every cemetery?" Gamelus walks up in front of the couple with the lantern, looking forward.
"Yep, even abandoned ones. Those entrances are a little dusty, but still usable. Demons aren't the only ones who use these, the spirits of dead travel down here so that Death can direct them to Judgment Hall." Kazuto walks out of the opening and stands next to him.
"So people really are judged when they die?" Xertic heads to the right hall, walking down a crimson red rug.
"Indeed. The fact that everyone sees St. Peter and he decides is not true. St. Peter only let's you in heaven, and kicks out any strays accidentally judged into the wrong realm. As you can imagine, the Underworld is not a, erm, desired place for most." The four teens end up in front of a large door with two scythes in an X shape. Gamelus hands the lantern to his brother and pushes the doors open.
Inside is a large room with a chandelier lighting up the entire area. Paintings of the grim reaper line the walls, which were painted black with white skulls jutting out from the paint. A scythe with a large wooden handle was fastened in a glass case above a large oak wood desk with hundreds of books. An empty chair was neatly pushed under the desk, rather small in size. Asuna tilts her head.
"Um… Where's Death?" The sound of doors opening causes the four to look over to the left side. A man around 19 walks inside the room, holding a broom in his right hand and a pocket watch in the other. He had neatly combed white hair and a black cloak, and his body looked extremely bony, his hands almost a complete shade of white. Red eyes lock on the two demons and soften.
"I've been expecting you, Twin Terrors." Xertic crosses his arms.
"Hey, Grim Sweeper, can you remind us when you finish spring cleaning so we can meet?" Death rolls his eyes.
"Really, starting with the teasing, Xertic?" The man then gazes at the two humans.
"Kazuto Kirigaya, mechatronics expert, age 93, stroke, later death of natural causes." Kazuto's mouth gapes in shock.
"Did you just tell me when I die?!" Gamelus and Xertic face-palm at the same time.
"Lord Death, that's-"
"Asuna Yuuki, death caused by… Wait what did happen to you?" Death walks over to one of his books and opens it, flipping through the pages. "I just read your records, when do you die...?"
"Death!" Xertic shouts, making him look up. "That's not what we came here for." Death blinks once before turning to Kazuto.
"Terribly sorry, I'll erase that incident from your memory after. If you didn't want know when these humans died, why are you here?"
Gamelus opens a portal and removes Satan's Dagger, to which Death instinctively backs up.
"Xertic, Gamelus, what do you want with that?" He asks sharply, now glaring at them, his bony hand reaching towards the scythe.
"Calm down," Xertic sighs, holding up his casted hand. "I just want to ask you a few questions. You know, of course, that my father is on the verge of breaking into war. You know what the future holds." Gamelus spins the dagger between his fingers.
"Also, you helped to create this weapon. So you know how it works. What will it cost?" Death draws his hand back, his mouth twitching.
"I don't understand... What will what cost?" Drake appears next to the group in his butler form, crossing his arms.
"The instructions on the dagger, the blueprints. How much do you want?" Kazuto turns his head to Xertic.
"Do you really want to negotiate with Death? The grim reaper?" Xertic nods once.
"It's vital. So, what will it be?" He asks, staring at the reaper intensively. Death shuffles to his desk and sits down.
"Nothing, I don't have it." Gamelus puts a hand up to his temple.
"Death, do not play around with us. You helped build this weapon, how does it work? Tell us!"
"I don't know!" Death yells, slamming his fist on the desk, making a pile of books tumble to the floor. "I merely supplied the resources for the weapon, nothing more!" Xertic walks up to the desk and leans forward, his eyes peering through his glasses with a pleading glint.
"Lord Death, please… I'm asking as a friend, an ally, I don't want this war. Please, anything you can tell me…" Death shakes his head.
"I'm sorry about Ava, I really am, but there is nothing I can do. Your mother cannot come back, I cannot revive her, she cannot return." Kazuto looks over at Asuna, looking for an explanation.
"Xertic's mother had died, and they need the dagger, as it can revive anything somehow," Asuna reluctantly explains, Drake nodding once. Xertic sighs and stands up.
"Very well, thank you, my friend. We hope to see you again." The demon turns around and heads towards the group.
"Xertic, Gamelus… If you two do fight… Do not hesitate to find me. I will join you, as I did in the first war." Gamelus smiles.
"Thank you, but we hopefully will not need to."
"Very well." Death shuffles over towards Kazuto and places a hand on his head. "Your memory has been erased of my slip up."
Kazuto rubs his temple, grumbling.
"Slip up...?" Death looks towards the door he entered in at two skeletons.
"Escort them to the exit." The skeletons march up to the group and lead them outside.
-Ravenclaw house, 8 p.m.-
Kazuto had left to go home before Suguha and his mother killed him for being gone for so long, so Xertic and Gamelus took Asuna to their house to rest. Yui had instinctively jumped into Ganelus's arms as they walked inside.
"Hi mommy, daddy, uncle, mister Drake!" She exclaims, nuzzling into Gamelus's shoulder. Xertic chuckles.
"Yui, warn us next time. And aren't you supposed to be in bed? Who was watching you anyway?" Zeta walks into the foyer, narrowing his eyes at the group.
"My job is not to babysit, it's to fix your wrongdoings… I expect 20 gold coins." He states bluntly, holding out his hand. Xertic groans and opens a small portal to produce the money.
"Fine. Is the town fixed yet?" Zeta nods and pockets the gold.
"I will be returning to heaven to get my next assignment. Oh, by the way, I should warn you two, Twin Terrors. God has ordered a few angels to try and find you. Any activity involving heaven for the next few weeks would not be advised." Asuna takes Yui into her arms.
"Which angels?" Zeta whistles to Alpha, who scurries onto his shoulder and squeaks into his ear.
"Zechariah, Cherubim, and Michael." Xertic growls at the last name.
"Dammit, Michael again… Well, good thing we talked to Death before they found him." Zeta walks out of the door and closes it behind him. Gamelus slides out of his boots and Drake appears next to him in a butler form.
"Well, I'm going to shower, I smell like that skeleton. You two lovebirds have fun," Asuna blushes lightly while Xertic starts to yell a response before his twin disappeared upstairs. Yui hops down to the ground and looks up at her parents.
"Mr. Angel didn't want to tell me a story, can you?" Xertic smiles.
"'Course we can. Do you want your mother to tell some weak story about three little pigs building a house-" Asuna jokingly scoffs, "Or do you want to hear a cool true story about a badass kid taking on an entire swarm of imps?" Yui puts her hands on her hips.
"Daddy! I'm going to sleep, not to war!" She scolds. Xertic holds up his hands.
"Calm story it is. Asuna, you got the reigns." Asuna leads the two up to Yui's bedroom and tucks her in.
"This story isn't about pigs, but it is , once upon a time, there was a little girl who loved the outdoors. Her brother and she used to play outside all of the time. But one day her brother was busy, so she went out alone. As she walked around the forest, she heard a scary growl right behind her. A big wolf was following the girl, and it looked hungry." Yui gasps in fright, but Xertic was leaning against the wall feeling like the story sounded familiar.
"The girl was as scared as you are," Asuna continues, smiling, "But when all seemed lost, something tackled the wolf to the ground. It was a boy, who looked slightly older than the little girl. The boy had the wolf cornered, and jumped at it like a viper. The wolf ran away from the boy, who helped up the girl. The two became great friends, with the boy keeping the girl company when her brother was busy. The end. Now, get some rest, you have a long day ahead, I'm sure." Yui yawns and leans into her pillow.
"Good night, mommy and daddy." Asuna beckons to Xertic, who shuts off the light and closes the door.
"How was that for a weak story?" Asuna says, looking back at the demon. Xertic smiles deviously.
"I remember the girl was crying her eyes out into the boy's shoulder. Or rather, crying your eyes out into my shoulder. You told Yui how we met." Asuna crosses her arms.
"That detail wasn't needed." Xertic wraps his arms around her waist, laughing.
"Awww, is Asuna embarrassed that she was afraid of a little demon hound? That's adorable, you know." Asuna buries her face in his neck.
"I-I was surprised, that's all…" Xertic steps back and removes his jacket, slinging it over his shoulder.
"Well, I'm gonna go change into something more comfortable than this. If you wanna come, I'm all for it." He whispers, nudging her side. Asuna whimpers.
"I hate you sometimes…" She says before following the sly demon.
-Saturday, December 11, 8 a.m.-
Three men trudge through the snow-crusted road, holding white winter coats close to their bodies. Under their coats were white wings, just begging to stretch out from the packed space. The three were angels, dressed entirely of white clothes. The one on the left had piercing gray eyes that peered into the snow, as if challenging anything in his way. The second was much taller and more muscular, with flowing black hair and silver eyes almost blending in with the rest of his eye. His face was almost as monotonous as Zeta's, though a notch softer. The final angel was the same height as the first, and had a sword usually used by a general in an army fastened to his belt. His white hair almost met his eyes, which were a light shade of blue. The third angel puts his hood down and walks ahead of the two.
"Right then, Zechariah, Cherubim, you know why we are here, correct?" Zechariah sighs.
"Michael, enough, there are no demons here. I haven't sensed anything, have you?" He asks, nudging Cherubim, who shakes his head.
"Well I do!" Michael exclaims, "And I will not let another demon get past me! St. Peter doesn't think that i can catch those cold-blooded reptiles, but I'll show him! Even if we bring back an imp, it will be a start!" he points a finger high in the air. "Xertic Ravenclaw is nothing, Gamelus Ravenclaw is nothing, their entire family is nothing! So let's go show them what they are!" The two other angels hold up their arms boredly.
"Yeah, let's go... If we can ever find them..." Above the three, a certain purple-haired vampire was watching them with glee in her eyes, licking her lips.
"Oooh, the angels are getting in on this! My little Viper is getting very famous, I can't wait until he comes to us for help!" Celestia says, cackling. "The thought of him asking me to join his little army, it's making me thirsty for human blood again. Oh, of course I'll join him, but not without something in return." She turns around and dashes forward, running towards her home.
Well, that's the 32nd chapter, i hope you all enjoyed it! Leave me a comment on it, and follow/fav to see more! See you guys next time!