"Flowers don't bloom for victory… they bloom to live, while ghost's cling onto the world because they don't want to disappear"- Sachiko
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**Seven years ago, main village execution grounds**
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It was thirty minutes before midnight, the stars shined brightly in the dark sky, while the grey clouds covered the moon, awaiting midnight to arrive and reveal the full moon.
A cool breeze blew past, and lifted a woman's white hair… she her skin was pale, eyes dark and her lower eyelids black.
She wore a white robe, and had chains around her arms, ankles and neck with Sigil's on them, suppressing her spiritual energy…
She was led by three sorcerers, with the grand elder walking ahead of them. The woman looked up at the sky, trying to see the moon through the clouds as she frowned.
She thought to herself, ("Selene… Aaliyah"), I hope you both are alright… she spent her final moments before her impending execution thinking of her first love Aaliyah, and her goddaughter Selene, who she had raised for fourteen years in place of Aaliyah, who had entrusted her first and only friend to…
She remembered all the talks and laughs she shared with Selene, her first time meeting Aaliyah in a open field of blooming flowers underneath the bright sun. The fact that she never got to express her love to Aaliyah, it was all she could think of.
They walked around the corner, and reached a open field with a large square marked on the ground and a star inside it. there were four extra sorcerers, each one sitting on one of the four corners of the square.
The grand elder gestured Sachiko to sit in the center of the star inside the square, and when she did. The grand elder asked, "if you wish to speak your final words, now's the time."
Sachiko remained silent, thinking of her true wishes that she couldn't speak aloud as they would not get fulfilled, ("what I want… I want to see Selene's smile at least one more time, and to stay with her as she grows up into a fine woman. I wish to meet my best friend's son, my godson and see his small face…
She closed her eyes as tears flowed down her cheeks, as she forced a smile and thought. ("And I want to tell you Aaliyah, what I never got to say aloud… I love you, I love your compassionate heart, I love your strong spirit, your voice. How you were never afraid to challenge what our superiors, I love everything that you are.")…
She spoke out, in a soft tone. "I have nothing left to say". The grand elder raised his hand up, and the four sorcerers began the ritual, the symbols on the ground lit up, and thin vein-like lines crept up Sachiko's pale skin…
Her eyes glowed white as her body shivered. and in mere moments, she collapsed, and her body disintegrated into nothing. It was then that midnight began, the clouds passed the moon and its bright light shined itself onto the space Sachiko was just sitting.
transferring to the hell universe, and locked her away inside the purgatory prison, where she remained for the next seven years.
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**Present day, Hell universe, purgatory prison hall**
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Selene's eyes were wide in horror, unable to comprehend the sight that befell her eyes…
Aaliyah felt her knees growing weak, her hands covered her mouth as she leaned up against the prison pods. Kairei broke the silence when he walked up to the pod and said, "you both know this woman?"…
Selene had walked past Kai, and put her hand on the crimson pod, her voice cracked when she exclaimed "Aunt Sachiko… she's alive Ma!"
Aaliyah blinked uncontrollably, unable to stop the tears flowing out of her dark grey eyes. Her face turned red and her voice quivered when she stood up and said, "Selene…"
Needing no more words, Selene gave Aaliyah a nod which said "i know ma". She then placed her hand on the red pod, but her nose began bleeding… the pale, white haired woman was then enveloped by a black Smokey substance and in an instant teleported outside the pod and fell onto the ground.
Aaliyah and Selene immediately rushed toward the woman and checked for a heartbeat and pulse, for and to their surprise and relief, she was indeed alive. Aaliyah and Selene sat there and began crying…
Kairei thought to himself, ("I don't know what their relationship is with this woman, but it's stupid to sit around, I'm leaving with or without them"). He turned around, but he was met with a sight that made his eyes widen and sent a chill up his spine…
Aaliyah and Selene had also turned around, feeling the unusual amount of chaos energy emitting from Aphira who levitated in front of Kai with a smile on her face, the "lust" mark located on her cleavage glowed a dark pink hue…
Her eyes immediately went to Aaliyah, and her voice was low and seductive when she said. "I see you're still shackled by love… I was hoping after my show of affection, you'd save your tears for my eyes only, Aaliyah."
Kairei grunted, and Both Of Kai's Eyes Turned Red, As All The Black On His Open Black Sorcerer Robe Released Black Smoke, While His Body's Shadow On The Ground Took On The Appearance Of Three Serpents, Hissing And Moving Toward Aphira.
Before the serpents reached Aphira, they seemed to slow down when she gave an alluring gaze to Kai, his eyes met hers and he stopped his technique before it touched her…
Selene sternly asked "why'd you stop-?!" A sudden blush crept onto Kai's face when his eyes met her seductive gaze. Aphira spoke out, "how cute… but you're still too young kid, just be obedient and stay there for a while. Or run away, don't really care."
Aphira's light pink hair extended and launched herself toward Aaliyah. She grabbed onto Aaliyah's hair and pulled her outside of the prison… Selene cried out, "Ma!".
Aaliyah responded, "Don't worry about me, take Sachiko and wait somewhere!"…
Aphira flew Aaliyah up into the air, and held her up with her hair and put her hands on Aaliyah's chin, inspecting her anger-filled eyes… "your eyes are so beautiful… like a window view into your soul, like a beautiful blooming flower".
Aaliyah's voice was shaken she asked, "Where's My Son?!" A chuckle left aphira's red lips…
"My brother tengu just left a while ago to help Ikari bring our new brother home, should be here any moment". Aaliyah gritted her teeth, and she grabbed onto aphira's wrist, and said. "My son is no brother of yours, I don't give a shit if your father's DNA rewrote his own, Jason is still and always will be my son…"
She continued, "surely you have even a slight bit of knowledge of how it feels to want to protect a loved one from people like you… so i don't care how much you beat me, I'll still find a way to kill you to keep my children safe."
A faint blush crept on aphira's cheeks, almost blending in to her pink skin. Her voice remained calm but seductive when she put her finger on Aaliyah's lips and responded, "those lips are far too pretty… you shouldn't use such nasty words, and lessen your unique beauty to something ugly."
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**Southern Tribe, South Section**
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The bright moon hung over the night sky, it had been a few hours since the battle against Ikari and Tengu, with Jason and Aria being taken to the hell universe, Kaida and Asami had went to Kaida's family shrine.
The pathway toward the Shrine had a row of lanterns on each side which glowed a dark orange hue, Kaida and Asami walked on the path with Asami's black lotus division followed behind…
When they reached the entrance to the shrine, Kaida removed her footwear. the inside was dark… the only source of light being the small fire lit on the back wall in front of Kimiko and Chikai Masayoshi's painted pictures…
A black katana was placed in front of both pictures, which Kaida had took a glance at before closing her eyes as she sat on her knees. Asami had also sat on her knees, putting her black blade down next to her.
Kaida looked over the Asami's black lotus division and gestured to the cushions next behind Asami and said, "the three of you are welcome to have a seat if you'd like."
Sidra and Hinari both nodded and sat on their knees on top of the three cushions. Kaida then closed her eyes once more, Asami's eyes diverted toward the pictures of Kimiko and Chikai Masayoshi, also looking at the black and red blade, she asked Kaida. "That blade… the one your older sister used"?
Kaida nodded… silence found its way back into the shrine, until a few more moments passed before a cool breeze blew into the room, Asami and her black lotus division looked over to the entrance to see a brown, long haired man in white and red robes accompanied by a man with brown curly hair reaching down his eyes enter…
It was Kojiro, supreme war general of the western tribe, and Yaku the supreme general of the eastern tribe. After Kojiro removed his shoes, Yaku did the same… they both slowly walked toward Kaida and Asami and Kojiro sat himself beside Asami, with Yaku sitting himself next to Kaida.
Kojiro put his hands together, and sat with his back straight… on the other hand, Yaku sat hunched over, with bandages over his arms, torso and face.
The black lotus division's cadet Sidra, had a drop of sweat dripping down her cheek while her eyes met the dark eyes of general Kojiro. The voice inside her head was shaken when she thought to herself, ("The air in this room feels thick all of a sudden… four generals in the same room, we might as well be specs of dirt in their eyes, but there's a clear sense of distrust between them all").
Yaku was the one to break the silence, he asked the other generals. "I noticed the amount of damage outside near the center of your village Masayoshi… is it safe to assume you also ran into one of those seven that invaded our universe?".
Kaida nodded as she finally opened her crimson eyes, her voice was low and steady when she replied. "That's right… there were three of them that came here, the one with the wrath mark named Ikari, Tengu with the pride mark on his forehead, and the one named Devoro with a mouth on his chest that attacked Aria and took her to the hell universe."
Yaku looked over to Asami and asked, "hey Miss Asami, if I may ask why are you here?". Her dark eyes glanced over at him, her voice was low and grim when she replied. "It came to my attention after Hotoke's death one month ago, that Malum's vessel-
Kaida abruptly interrupted, and said. "His name is Jason, general". Everyone's eyes turned toward Kaida's annoyed face, until Asami continued. "It came to my attention that… Jason- Malum's vessel was here and aligned with Kaida here, who's invited him alongside his crew to inhabit themselves here… and I figured it was best to kill him now."
Yaku nodded, and thought to himself, ("involving yourself in another tribe's affairs… though mini Masayoshi killed her scumbag of a father and took his position as the southern tribe's general. Not to mention a kid her age is now a general leading an entire nation at just seventeen years old…").
Kaida spoke out, "I wanted to call this meeting to discuss the problem with these threats that just invaded our world. They've taken Jason, Aria, Miss Aaliyah, Selene, even Miss Athena and Asura… General Asami and General Kojiro sir, you both fought in the hundred year blood war one thousand years ago against Malum, I was hoping that both your experience may help us find out what their goals are."
Kojiro glanced his black eyes at Kaida. remained quiet, Kaida had a sour look on her face. Asami had answered Kaida's curiosity, "during the war, we fought against Malum… and in that time, that woman Aaliyah's father made a deal with another devilish monstrosity in the hell universe while we fought against Malum"…
She continued, "and when he emerged back, he noted us of the fact that there were seven other threats in Hell… eight if you include the one who he sold himself to before he came back with power nearly on par with Malum's. Then just thirty eight years ago, during Aaliyah's birth her father disappeared to hell before and somehow managed to seal off transportation to and from Hell, and he never came back."
Kaida glanced over at General Kojiro, awaiting to see if he had anything to add on, but to her disappointment he didn't. General Yaku had added on, "well if he went to the hell universe and sealed off transportation to and from there, then it would be safe to assume he did so because of the seven that just invaded our world today, but if that were the case all of us combined should've been enough to deal with them if they arrived thirty eight years ago, so there could've been someone else."
Kaida's eyes flickered, she exclaimed. "You said he came back with demonic power which almost rivaled Malum's correct? I recall the one named Ikari calling Jason their "father's vessel", so could it be that he made a deal with Malum's wife?".
Hearing this, Lieutenant raiser behind Asami had spoken out. "now hold on a minute… you mean to say Malum has a wife, who rules Hell alongside him, is that what your saying?".
Kaida's face scrunched up, "well I wasn't suggesting he shat them out of his ass now was I?"
Yaku snickered at Kaida's sarcasm… as she continued. "It's entirely plausible that Miss Aaliyah's father could've did what he did to seal her inside the hell universe, and then suddenly after thirty eight years when Jason's been made into Malum's vessel they appear. That could mean one of two things, they intend on freeing Malum from Jason's body or-
Kaida had been cut off by Lieutenant raiser once more, he cried out. "If that were the case then why wouldn't they have just done it hear rather than going through the trouble of taking Malum's vessel along with his crew who all have demonic powers flowing through their bodies to their universe?"…
Kaida's face scrunched up as she rolled her eyes, she thought to herself. ("Will you please and respectfully shut the hell up, goddamn").
"Well that's actually a good point". Everyone turned their heads towards the door, the voice coming from the outside asked, "General Masayoshi, may I enter? It's about the gentlemen that have invaded our world."
Kaida said aloud, "you may enter"… a man with a dark blue robe on, bald head with a beard and a little chubby with prayer beads around his neck then entered as he took his shoes off at the door. It was the monk Benjiro who had been accompanied by his daughter Arai.
"Mister Benjiro, and Arai…"-Kaida
Benjiro and Arai bowed their heads at the generals in front of them, as Benjiro put his hands together. "My daughter here told me about one of the intruders named Tengu that attacked her and her friend Kairei just earlier today as he was on his way to your village general Masayoshi."
"And If you don't mind, I think I may have somewhat of an idea of what they're after"
Kaida looked a bit skeptical, but she then came to the conclusion that they need all the information they could get. And the other generals were practically useless, so she said to Benjiro. "Please, have a seat… I'd like to hear what you wanted to say."
Benjiro gave a smile as he and Arai sat down, he continued. "As a monk, who's close in connection with the spirit universe, and close with the teachings of the Queen of our world. I've been studying ancient testament's, left by the spirit king before his departure to the spirit universe."
"Now, the king was the queen's loyal servant, who remained on earth to make it his goal to fulfill a prophecy that is so far on track to coming true."
Kaida's eyes fixed on a scroll Arai pulled out, she opened it up as it showed an old language; Kaida asked. "What does it say?"
Benjiro responded, his voice low and deep. "The day shall come when the Queen of creation is reborn amongst mankind, and will make her return from the primordial world, on the day of judgement to battle against the the father of all sin, and by her hands he will be slain, though heavenly tears will befall the earth… cleansing it of all evil that stain's our mother's divine creation."
The special lotus division behind Asami all make a fearful face. Asami asked, "what does this have to do with what's going on now?"
Benjiro gazed into Asami's eyes and said with a not sad but rather calm frown on his face. "You're all aware that the girl Aria is the Queen's reincarnation… and that the man who's orchestrated the plot in sealing Malum inside of Jason known as the grand elder is the only one who has heard the prophecy first hand right?"
He continued, "well the prophecy makes it evident that the Queen's return wasn't supposed to be until the day the second blood war ensues… the day of judgement, as she descends down from the primordial world. But ever since Malum has been revived by the grand elder and placed into two vessels, first Asura, second attempt at Selene which was failed, and the third and current attempt Jason which succeeded, the more the prophecy doesn't make any sense?"
"My ability, allows me a though weak, to see prophetic visions made by the sister's of fate in the spirit universe, though ever since two years ago. When Jason became Malum's vessel, the visions have begun making less sense, almost as if they're ever changing each time the grand elder changes the set path of fate."
Yaku speaks out, while rubbing his head. "I'm not following… sorry but I still don't understand what's any of this got to do with what the seven have planned."
Suddenly, Kojiro finally spoke out. His voice was low and almost heavenly when he looked over to Benjiro. "The tournament from two months ago, hosted by that filth named Cain and the sorcerer named Ashe… I was informed by Ashe that there was a book there. Something called a Grimoire, which contained sentient dark magic, that's got something to do with this tale you tell correct?"
Everyone's eyes turned to kojiro momentarily before turning back to Benjiro. He replied, "yes sir… during that time Aria and my student kairei entered the Grimoire as it had a sort of dimension existing within the very contents of the book, and Aria saw a vision shown to her by the Queen."
Asami asked, "how would you know? You didn't go inside the book yourself didn't you? So how?".
"Well general… like I told you, one of my abilities as a follower of the Queen, is the ability to see what others may be blind to. Prophecies, visions… and as Aria is the reincarnation of the Queen, and I happened to be near that area, I saw what she saw."
"A prophecy… soon the king of Hell Will take back his rightful place, next to his queen that has been imprisoned inside the heart of their own world."
"Now don't you find it odd that after Kahal sealed off the transportation to and from Hell where the seven and their mother reside, thirty eight years later they'd come here and gather up everyone with chaos energy and for some odd reason aria and her mother Athena who both have access to the Queen's divine power which counter's impure power such as the demon's chaos energy?"
Kaida's eyes sparked, Benjiro applauded kaida and acknowledged. "You catch on fast Miss Masayoshi… it appears they plan to unseal their mother who's been sealed by Kahal in the heart of Hell."
"Which could lead to world ending consequences…"
"Ahhh goddamit"-Yaku
Asami closed her eyes, her personal special division unit behind her had all gulped. Benjiro then suggested, "the alarm bells toll, it tolls for the impending disaster that will befall the world if Hell's king and Queen arise once more… and I believe we should all go there and do everything in our power to stop it from happening".
Cadet Sidra slid up on her knees toward Asami and whispered. "General… what about the grand elder? With all the general's gone to hell, who's to say this isn't part of his plan as well?"
Kaida looked up at the general's and said. "Whatever the grand elder's planning surely involves Jason… so wouldn't it be wise to go to hell and prioritize taking down the seven sins and retrieving Jason and everyone else?".
Yaku nodded in agreement, "I'm gonna have to agree with mini Masayoshi here… the grand elder's been real quiet in the last few months since Jason's resurrection."
Asami gazed at Kaida's scarlet eyes, and in a low toned cold voice she said. "Masayoshi… you already know my stance on going to hell. Once we've slaughtered these threats, I plan on killing Malum's vessel… you should really put your personal feelings for him as your friend to the side and think of the consequences of your desire to protect him, and what it'll cost this world if Malum successfully revives."
Kaida glares at Asami, she thought to herself. ("I understand perfectly miss Asami… however I don't plan on giving up on my friend who helped me find my reason for living… if I gave up on him, I wouldn't be worthy of holding my title as the southern tribe's general, it would be like being dead")…
Benjiro looked over to the ever silent Kojiro, until he finally spoke out. "We might as well deal with this issue now, rather than letting the situation grow into something we can't stop in the coming future… but how do you suggest we get to the hell universe?"
Benjiro looked over at Arai, and said… "leave that to us."
Continued in chapter 90, Queen of hearts…