Well the very fact that this story has been updated means I'm still alive and want to keep this story going. I would like to thank JNaegi for helping me continue this story and I would like to thank Samhan for still reading this story even though the updates are slow. Now this is the chapter and we are on the final volume.
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The group had just added Ian to their party and were about to hit up the final floor to retrieve the perverted, lecherous teen Ichigo along with the naïve, rich teenager Taichi but those plans would be put on hold as Lucifer had arrived and stared daggers at everyone there!
Rina scowled as she saw the one who started all this. "It's you!"
The demon gave her a look of contempt as he gave his own scowl in return. "Yes and YOU are the one to break my hold on the puppet right there? I never would have thought it possible for some petty emotion would do the trick. I should just kill you and be done with it!"
He soon held out his hands and transported them to the last floor, to everyone's shock.
Akagi was the first one to see Taichi chained to the middle of a blood sigil on the floor with Ichigo next to him. She was about to sprint towards them but Lucifer conjured chains around the group, preventing their pass.
"You aren't ruining this moment for me!" Lucifer said seeing the looks on their faces.
Seeing this group made Lucifer cackle. "Just because Ian is back with you doesn't mean this will have a happy ending you fools!" He peered straight at the blonde who glared at the one who controlled him. "That face, never thought you'd turn that look at me; the one that trained you!"
Ian grimaced at what the fallen angel stated as he had a flashback.
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Flash back:
Pain. Pain was the first thought that appeared in Ian's head as he awoke groggily. He wasn't in any kind of bed or in a room but the hard ground of dirt. That wasn't right was the next thing to say in his head.
Getting up Ian held his throbbing head. "Where am I?" He looked around confused at the environment. "F-Forest? I'm in a forest?"
"That's right." A voice said making Ian turn to see…
"You're a…..you're a…clown?" Ian asked, his voice unsure of what he was seeing.
The alleged "clown", who was Lucifer (which is obvious since he's the only twisted guy to pull this mind-fuck off) spoke.
"Yes, I'm a clown." He said. "And now I'm a half-man half-dragon creature."
Said person instantly changed to the half-dragon; dragon head with a human bottom half. He gave a grisly chuckle.
Taking a couple steps back Ian tripped and landed on his butt. Wincing he soon asked, "W-What do you want with me?"
The "person" soon changed to a human form (his normal appearance minus the wings) as he approached him. "There's nothing to be afraid of. I would never hurt you." Lucifer said, traces of actual kindness laced the honey-coated words and shook his hand.
'Why do his hands feel so cold?' Ian wondered of this weird phenomenon.
Lucifer showed concern as he started explaining the circumstances. "Ian, please try to remain calm; you've been asleep from November to December. You may not remember it but I have been taking care of you." He said.
Ian's eyes widened. "I've been in a coma for 2 months?!"
A nod came from the man.
"Why was I on the ground if you were taking care of me than?" Ian asked.
Lucifer froze before glowing and Ian appeared to forget the question he just asked.
Ian, once again blinked in confusion and only remembered waking up and being asleep. "Well…you did take care of me so thanks."
Keeping a cold smile off his face Lucifer only gave a nod. 'That's a lie of course. I really just used a little of my powers to erase your dumb memories.' Lucifer thought cruelly. 'I will use him to have my revenge against that half-breed and his idiot friends.'
The blonde soon looked to Lucifer. "If you have been taking care of me…then you must know my name?" He asked; apparently Ian didn't know that his name was "Ian".
'Crap. I didn't expect someone with memory loss to ask for his name.' Lucifer thought with bewilderment. Clearly he didn't know much on the human psyche and how delicate it can be. "You don't have a name because your parents never gave one to you" He lied through his teeth. "You have the name I gave you; Lucifer's Hell Soldier."
The teen thought and shook his head. "Ian."
This caused Lucifer to blink now. "What?"
"I remember my name now; it's Ian." He responded with ease.
The man would have thrown a fit about that chance of him remembering his name just seconds after asking what it was but, being this was for revenge, Lucifer went with the punches. "Very well; your name is Ian and you are my pupil. You will help me defeat a rebellion of teenagers like you who want to hurt me!"
Present
"You tricked me." Ian shouted angrily at the floating figure.
"Yes, I did." Lucifer replied with a laugh. "Did you really think someone like me would want to raise an ungrateful, violent little turd like yourself? I only used you to get this far because I knew they would never want to hurt you." He crossed his arms with confidence. "Besides even if the possibility of your friends fighting you they wouldn't have a chance against me!"
The group glared at Lucifer until the little demon boy appeared next to the winged one and cackled. "I was wondering what happened to you."
He ignored Lucifer as he set his sights on the psychic of the group and waved. "Hello, Chazona!"
The black haired teenager gasped. "You are the boy I have been seeing in my dreams!"
"That's right, sista! I'm the one who has been haunting those pretty dreams of yours and trying to make you see horrible futures. My name is Jester." He gave a bow at saying his name (finally!).
"What do you want, Jester?" Chazona demanded.
"Why don't you tell them, new friend."
"With pleasure." Lucifer replied. "Tell me, do you all know how to harness's Satan's power?"
The group didn't answer given the question.
"Judging by your clueless expressions I'll take that as a no." Lucifer gave a sigh. "Satan gets his powers from the dead souls of the living. As long as people are trapped in Hell he will always have power. We…Jester and I…are going to summon a god that will bring back the souls of the dead."
This surprised Daisuke, Kaede and Motoko but it was Chazona who was left speechless.
"How is that possible? Once something is gone from this world it can never return!" Chazona yelled. "If you start tinkering with the grand design it will bring more harm to the ones in this world!"
A chuckle escaped his lips. "Don't sound so alarmed. It's not like you'll be seeing your old friends. The souls will come back as ghosts with no recollection of their earlier lives and will be completely invisible to even themselves. They'll be like birds squawking for attention, but they're still the souls of the living. And with them gone Satan's power will be weak which means our new regimes with this entity will sweep across all hell.
Clapping his hands the ceiling above them opened up as the sky was red (it being hell to an extent) and thunder could be heard in the distance.
"These two will be what is needed for the plan to be fulfilled!" Jester laughed as the one with the wooden hat activated the glyph as it glowed brightly.
Both the teens bodies start floating as dark light hits the duo in their stomachs, causing them to scream! The energy was being directed to Jester and Lucifer while the other half was opening up a tear to summon a demonic god.
Akagi looks frantic as she yells her master's name. "MASTER TAICHI!"
"ICHIGO!" Rina and Ichigo yell.
The chain wrapped around them had drained some of their energy (namely Motoko) but Kaede could still do one thing. Grabbing the handle of her sword she was able to snap the chains with her blade and immediately cut everyone else's bonds.
Daisuke reacted fast as he grabbed Chazona and glided to the middle of the sigil. The wooded hat man looked surprised until Daisuke punched him away from the glyph. Chazona placed her hands on it and tried redirecting the energy flow away from the teenage boys and it started working.
The energy keeping them afloat ended as they started falling until Akagi caught Taichi and Gero got Ichigo.
Kneeling down Akagi expressed her concern. "Are you alright, Taichi?"
The scrawny teen appeared fatigued. "I don't have the energy to move my arms." He spoke.
"Me too; I feel like I just woke up from a bad hangover." Ichigo expressed his own lack of energy.
"That bastard Lucifer drained you of all your powers?!" Gero exclaimed.
Lucifer smirked. "That's right and I didn't transfer all of it just to summon the god. I gave some that belonged from Taichi to me."
"And he gave the power that belonged to Ichigo to me." Jester chuckled.
"I have to say I wasn't expecting that last minute escape along with Chazona trying to stop the ritual but it's too late. He will come and this battle is going to end with all of your deaths!"
Akagi turned to Gero and Rina. "Get Taichi and Ichigo to a safe location; this is going to turn to a free for all!"
"But I want to help you!" Gero argued.
"You'll help me if you protect your friends; don't worry I won't let anything beat me." She replied as she gave him a peck on the cheek, to his shock. "Now go"
Daisuke heard what she said. "You heard the lady, get going!"
With that Gero and Rina led the drained teenagers away from the summoning room.
Chazona glared at the duo. "I'm amazed you let them go?"
"Bah, I can go after them after I kill all of you." Lucifer said as he and Jester started the battle.
Kaede, Daisuke and Motoko tackled Lucifer while Chazona, Ian and Akagi triple teamed Jester.
Chazona tried keeping the demon boy at pay with telekinesis but with Jester's boost he easily got through the binding and about to impale the psychic only to be blocked by Akagi as she crossed her arms in front to protect her. Taking point Chazona used a hand gesture to utilize the molecular combustion to try and blow up Jester but it ended up only causing a wound to appear on his shoulder. Ian conjured up a long sword and got a slash on the demon's back! He then aimed a well-timed punch, pushing the Jester back.
Griping with anger Jester held his nose as Akagi landed a heeled boot to his chin which disoriented him more.
Jester glared at them and used his own telekinesis to toss them on the ground as he summoned spirits of the dead to attack the duo; these were red spirits and they started surrounding them. Knowing that physical attacks wouldn't cut it Chazona closed her eyes as a iliac color surrounded her frame as she used an aura burst to dispel the spirts. Jester continued the summoning as Chazona continued the aura burst.
Akagi wanted to attack him while distracted but had a feeling her knives wouldn't do the trick until the same lilac color surrounded her weapon to turn and see Chazona giving her the ok to attack. Sprinting at him, Akagi threw them dead center to his stomach which he didn't avoid due to handling Chazona. Grimacing he narrowed his view and was going to kill the maid until he felt a heavy object impact his head. Jester soon saw stars.
Chazona and Akagi blinked in confusion as Gero gave them a smile and had snuck up on Jester with his trusty skateboard.
Ian sweat dropped. "Geez, he doesn't go anywhere without that board, does he?"
"I couldn't very well let you have all the fun!" Gero said going to Akagi, Ian and Chazona.
The pink haired maid would have hit him but gave him a hug to his surprise. "I'll just have to watch you than; you won't be getting another chance like that again."
White-haired teen gave a nod. Finally getting his bearing Jester stared daggers at the skater teen. "I swear I'm going to break that board of yours first!"
"You can't do that; it's my favorite one!" Gero exclaimed back.
Lucifer's battle with the others was a tad bit serious as Daisuke was laying on thick with the fast punches he was laying on the fallen angel. Lucifer blocked and got a punch in the stomach as Daisuke unleashed a beam to push him back!
Seeing their chance, Kaede and Motoko, swords full lightsaber mode, unleashed Zanmaken (Evil-Cutting Sword) and Raimeiken Ni-no-Tachi (Thunderclap Sword, Second Strike) as both techniques hit hard against Lucifer.
Pushing them back with an aura burst Lucifer held out his hands as he called forth fallen meteors to crush his opposition with prejudice. Kaede took point as she pulled out her second blade and destroyed a couple in a stunning display. Motoko smiled proudly as she too got rid of some of the fallen meteors with a condensed beam slash! Daisuke had avoided them and once again went with fast punches to get Lucifer.
Unknown to the rest Lucifer was still using only part of his power due to continuing the summoning process of the fallen god. Briefly looking to the glyph, it was still there.
'Almost time; I'll end this futile battle!' Lucifer thought as he glided towards Daisuke and was able to land a blow to the teen's stomach causing him to cough! Motoko and Kaede bee lined toward Lucifer! Eyes glowing briefly Lucifer used illusion power on the mother/daughter duo that had slashed a dud. Upon realizing it was a trap Lucifer held up a hand and an electric current went through the combatants, stopping all the fighting.
Everyone collapsed on the ground in pain. Chazona was about to try and stop Lucifer but soon the red spirts had phased their hands inside the parties' chest, stopping them from doing anything foolish!
They were all on checkmate as Lucifer soon returned to the sigil and reconstructed it. He soon busted out in Latin as the process was almost complete.
"I thought Chazona broke that glyph apart?" Akagi yelled at the diabolical duo.
"She did but I fixed it just now and she didn't break the core so it was simple" Lucifer stated as he clapped his hand and a portal soon opened in the skies overhead.
A mighty roar rocked the entire room as an angry looking red panther, the size of a rhinoceros, with a white woman's sphinx head at the back.
Everyone stood shocked at the alleged fallen god had been called forth.
Daisuke looked on in confusion. "That thing is my father?"
The gigantic sphinx briefly glanced at Daisuke and back at the groups. "My name is Aiesphinx, god of knowledge and demon realms." He said with the voice of a male. "Why have you summoned me?"
As it spoke the red spirits that were holding the group hostage had been dispersed by the amount of power Aiesphinx held. Rina, who had gotten from the hiding spot checked on everyone.
Lucifer spoke. "By summoning you we get one wish, correct?"
The sphinx (man/woman?) spoke. "That is correct."
Jester soon started cackling. "Then time to get this dog and pony show over with! We wish to summon all the souls of Hell back on Earth. Make them forget their lives and invisible to everyone, even each other!"
Chazona paled at the wish, after everything they did, would this be how the world ended?
Aiesphinx glared at the boy. "That is a dangerous wish. Summoning the souls of the dead back would leave Hell and destroy the grand design of existence (in this universe). Are you sure that's what you want?"
Lucifer gave the answer. "That is the wish we want."
Jester piled on. "With the souls gone we can overthrow Satan and make the world ours for the taken. Satan will feel our wrath!"
Aiesphinx had a different opinion. "One demon and one magician can never help the world."
Daisuke, Chazona and Ian were the ones looking bewildered by this exchange; they thought the demon god (and father to Daisuke) would have done it in a New York minute.
"The nerve; I'm not a simple boy with the power of magic!" Jester shouted at the deity. "I'll have to reveal my true form and then you will see me in my entire splendor!"
A glow enveloped Jester as it expanded and soon stood in his full stature. He had crow feet, stone chest, big green plant-like hands, and no eyeballs with corpse color skin.
This grossed out everyone at seeing Jester's real form.
Aiesphinx spoke again, unimpressed by Jester's change. "I warned you. Your wish shall be—?"
Lucifer surprises everyone by creating a ball of red energy and then tearing Jester in half!
Jester appeared stunned as grayish blood tainted the ground. "Why...why did you?" He didn't finish as his voice got quiet.
Lucifer glanced at the deity. "Aiesphinx, cancel my wish."
Aiesphinx blinked. "I don't understand. What is going on here?"
"This was a plan within a plan. You might call it to Jester's plan. This whole thing was never about getting back against Satan. It was just because I was bored and these nine were the only humans who are still alive to visit me in Hell."
Ian didn't know what to say about this entire exchange. "Wait! You mean everything that just happened-me being controlled like a puppet was some flight of whimsy?"
"That is correct."
"Wait but what about Akagi than, she wasn't part of the first excursion!" Gero brought up.
"Oh her; she was bound to find her way here sooner or later so decided just to speed up the process by giving her a little push; why do you think she allowed Erina and you to live with Tachi to begin with?"
Gero blinked as Akagi was also surprised by this.
"Of course I just pushed her already fascination with you the first moment she met you so technically it was her doing to begin with." Lucifer explained the circumstances.
Rina turned to Chazona. "Wait than did you know his plan?"
"Lucifer is a higher being so I wouldn't know his plan to begin with; clairvoyance isn't perfect when beings beyond comprehension are involved." Chazona revealed.
"But you've been living in this world a long time, right?" Ian asked.
"Yes but I'm still human." She soon added. "Technically speaking."
Kaede soon looked at the deity. "Than what is going to happen now?"
"I feel this hasn't been resolved yet daughter, just wait." Motoko spoke wisely.
Aiesphinx soon turned to Daisuke. "Daisuke!" A bright light enveloped the deity and took on a more human like form; he resembled an androyganous guy and wore nice fitting clothes. "My son, Daisuke."
As he was about to embrace an already bewildered Daisuke he saw Ian. "Ian! What are you two doing here?"
Gero whispered to the rest. "Wait, he didn't see them when he first appeared like the eternal dragon from DBZ?"
"Apparently not; I think deities are short sighted in a way." Rina whispered, agreeing.
"Not the time you two." Akagi snapped forcing the attention back to the exchange.
The blonde went to Daisuke and the now, human Aiesphinx. "How do you know our names?"
"That is simple; what I'm about to tell you will be hard but it's time for revelations to come to light." Aiesphinx revealed.
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What is the truth behind Ian? What will happen to the group and will it end with an happily ever after? Find out next time on the last chapter of this story! And who knows, it might be coming sooner than expected? Later days!