(16th June, 20:26, Waxing Gibbous Moon)

Beast and the Beast

Chapter Thirteen – The Release of Diablo

(Please note this story has vast similarities to Beauty and the Beast, yet I claim no ownership over Beauty and the Beast, only my inspiration is stolen from the movie/book.)

x.X.x

Sakai had found a few demons in the castle and had announced the news and the same reaction was invoked in them as with everyone else, they had turned paper white and ran for it without even thanking her, as if thanking her would cause a second to pass and a second was everything while they had to get out of the castle.

She was now on the second floor of the castle and it was as quiet as a graveyard, there was no one in sight so she continued to walk around the castle and that's when she heard something to her side, from one of the biggest rooms in the castle.

She walked inside and felt surprise when she saw her companion shuffling around the room, walking up and down, as if sensing her he looked in her direction, but said nothing, he just stared at her.

"Hi again." She said angrily, remembering how he had abandoned her the second he was back in his home and she couldn't help but growl at him as well, it was a feral sound that slipped through her lips; though it seemed he found it amusing because he gave a wry smile.

"Why are you up here?" He asked and she wasn't sure whether she wanted to warn him about this Baal person or not, personally she would've liked to see him demolished by the hands of the 'King of Hell' and then watch as the demons ate him.

"Because I'm doing my civic duty." She said irritated, she was doing that by warning the demons that Baal was back, though she wasn't sure whether she wanted to extend that favor to him, though that would make her a hypocrite, with a growl she realized she was going to warn him whether she wanted to or not.

"Would you stop growling and snarling like an animal, it doesn't become you." He said and she only now realized she was still growling softly and immediately she stopped and stared at him in silence for a few seconds.

"As much as it pains me to do this I guess I should warn you about some 'King of Hell' being back." She said and she could see he wanted to laugh, though he kept it in check and that confused her, why would he laugh about that and why would he try to hide his laughter?

"I know." He said and she looked at him shocked for a few seconds.

"Then why aren't you the color of snow or running out of the castle like everyone else?" She asked and he laughed now as he went to sit on some type of chair that looked too big to seat him, though he seemed at home in it. Only then did she realize this specific room in the castle was actually kind of nice, it held a bed in the far corner and a table, though neither was in good condition and the rest of the room was adorned with a few portraits and candles that were burning, lighting up the gloom of the room.

"I can ask you the same thing." He said, now eyeing her, waiting for an answer.

"Oh well, I guess I was curious and I decided to take it upon myself to warn the demons who doesn't know." She said and Baal laughed loudly now.

"To earn some 'favor' points I guess?" He asked and she huffed as she looked away from him out of anger and frustration.

"Yes, I guess, because I'm not a very good person now am I?" She asked out of irritation and he stood up from the chair again and walked towards her.

"Well, if you were you'd still be human." He mocked and she glowered at him angrily and once again a growl slipped through her teeth, when she saw the look on his face she immediately stopped and just looked away from him, crossing her arms.

"Are you interested in earning some favor points with this 'King of Hell'?" He asked with a laugh and she looked at him, uncertain whether he was pulling her leg or mocking her, though she gave a nod; if he wasn't joking it would be a very good thing if she got this Baal guy on her side.

"Good, because there is a way, something only you can do." He said and seemed to be fully interested now as she waved for him to continue. "There is a demon here called Diablo, he is sealed away by five seals…" He said and immediately saw the confusion on her face. "…which only a human can break." He finished and her confusion turned to understanding, but then to annoyance.

"I'm not human anymore in case you've forgotten." She huffed as she uncrossed her arms, but Baal gave a laugh once more.

"It doesn't matter, the seal will still recognize you as human because you were born one, it still lingers in your blood." He said and she gave a nod, not really understanding why her blood would still be considered human; it was green after all which, in her opinion, was very far from human.

"Fine, I'll do it or try to do it." She said and immediately she saw how Baal's eyes lit up and he clapped his hands together in joy.

"Perfect! When do you want to do it?" He asked and she didn't know why he was getting so excited over this, it wasn't his victory after all, though it would earn her points in Hell; though it would make every aware of the fact that she was a human.

"Whenever it suits you." She said absent-mindedly, though she was shocked when she felt Baal grab her hand and start to drag her out of the room and towards the stairs leading down towards the hall of the castle with a newfound passion.

"Hey!" She yelled in annoyance. "Slow down!" She squealed as she was literally bounding down the stairs with the speed he was going down. Baal stopped and looked at her for a second, before starting to drag her down at a slower pace, one she could keep up with.

When they finally reached the bottom floor she glared at him. "You really are fast on your feet." She said and Baal didn't answer her as he continued to drag her towards an open area and she only now noticed in the middle of the room was a pentagram platform and beneath it was lava; five bridges were leading towards the platform, one connected to each point on the pentagram.

"Is this the seal?" She asked and Baal shook his head as he started to drag her towards a passageway on the far end, one of five it seemed.

"No, the seals are within each of these passages and all you have to do is stand on them to activate them." He stopped and suddenly looked at her seriously. "There is one warning though." He started and she saw he was dead serious about the warning.

"Yes?" She enquired as he now continued to pull her into the passage. "What is it?" She pressed more, seeing he was being a bit too silent again.

"Diablo will attack you the instant he is released because he will smell you and he knows only a human can release him so he will be looking for you so that he can kill you." He said and Sakai stopped dead, refusing to be dragged further by Baal.

"Then I'm not doing it, I'm not willing to die for 'favor' points I'll never get to use." She said as she started to pull Baal away, back towards the stairs, though he quickly stopped her and started to drag her towards the first seal with force.

"There is a minute delay from when the seals is activated to him appearing in full, I want you to use that minute to run up to my room and stay there. He won't follow you there and I will explain; but the second you break the last seal." He said pointing towards the passageway closest to the stairs. "I want you to run until you reach my courtiers." He said and Sakai judged the distance between the last passageway and the stairs; a minute would be more than enough.

"Alright, but this better earn me a lot of favor." She said and he just gave a solemn nod as they reached the end of the passageway and she could see a circular dish on the ground with engravings on it. "Is that the seal?" She asked and Baal nodded.

"Yes, go stand on it." He instructed and she walked towards it and stepped on it, going to stand in the middle and almost immediately the engravings cracked open to reveal a red/orange light between the cracks, it shone up through the cracks and she entranced by the beauty of it.

"It worked!" Baal yelled in obvious joy and that snapped Sakai out of her gaze as she looked at him, realizing he was right, she stepped off the seal and saw it was still activated; so she was still human enough to do this, she wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or a bad thing, considering her situation.

"What now?" She asked and he took hold of her hand as he started to drag her towards the next seal, his brother would be released soon!

x.X.x

Sakai stood on the final seal and as soon as it was lit she felt Baal pull her off. "Run!" He yelled towards her and she had almost forgotten about his warning, but immediately she nodded and sped off, she felt the ground tremble beneath her feet as she ran.

As she got out of the passageway and was by the stairs she spared a glance towards the pentagram platform and felt herself freeze when she saw a giant head emerge from the platform that had cracked open like an egg. The head was huge; a curved horn on either side and this demon was the color of blood.

She stood before the stairs and watched in horror as the most terrifying demon she had ever seen emerge from the lava beneath, he let out a roar and it shook her to her core, she couldn't move, she was frozen.

The demon was out to his shoulders now and he made the huge demon she saw earlier look like a mouse, he was the size of her house and more, he was a bulking mass of muscles, meant to kill and frighten. Could this be the demon that had terrorized all those people so many years ago?

What had she just released upon the world?