Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Angel of Death ❯ I Want It That Way ( Chapter 20 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

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<tr><td width="2%"></td><td width="96%"><p><u>The Angel of Death</u><p><p><p>Chapter 20
<p>I Want It That Way<p>
<p> It was a barren, god-forsaken place. It was empty, too. Well, there was the earth, of course, but just dry rocks, the normal unadulterated atmosphere, and a trickle or so of pure virgin water. Otherwise, there was nothing. There was no plants, animals or even bacteria. There was no life at all, despite the perfect conditions the place had for the primeval caldron of the creation of life. It was as if cursed forever to remain untouched by any form of living being. In short, it was a dead world.
<p> Indeed, one cannot believe that such a place exists in Ningenkai with it choking of life in its splendor. Nobody knew it ever existed, much less where it is location. No one ever ventured to this place. Not even did the humans, who have brought all other creatures they share this planet with on their knees. Well, there were some, but none ever survived. Perhaps, all died with loneliness. That was why this place was not in any earthly geography book, library or archive. As mentioned earlier, not even myths, legends nor old wives' tales even hinted the existence of such a place.
<p> Ah, but this place wasn't always like this. Perhaps, before, it was like the other lands situated in its area. Maybe some incident caused the radical change. One thing that supported this guess was a mass pile of rubble. Besides the rocks, there were also bricks, glass pavement, metal and other various materials suggesting it was once part of a man-made infrastructure.
<p> Not anymore. Now there was an enormous fortress of plastered greenish-black rocks. However, the place didn't exist twenty years ago. Therefore, this was probably it. This was the stronghold of the very man responsible for this land's transformation; the man once known as Azrael; the man in the threshold of god-hood; the man more popularly known now as the Angel of Death.
<p> There was something strange about the castle. There was something about the place that aroused fear, foreboding, and dread. There was an air of mysticism, of horror, of danger, of death. It was no surprise either, for the dark vile man was in there himself. He was there, resting on the highest, most isolated tower of the citadel.
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<p> A pair of eyes opened. Two amber irises glowed eerily in the dark. They looked around, peering everywhere. It was almost pitch black, the windows having being latched close, but the pupils had gotten accustomed to the scarcity of light.
<p> He rose from where he had lain to snatch a couple of hour's sleep. Even he needed rest after all those stressful preparations. He smoothly glided to the solitary window of the chamber and opened it.
<p> He stood by the window, letting the breeze entering the room refresh him. He contemplated the handsome landscape offered by the late twilight. Ravishing isn't it? But not for long. Soon, this place will be lit up for miles around signifying the start of his merging with the powerful child.
<p> Azrael quietly mused with his thoughts. <I>What will happen now? I'll fully lose my humanity. I would be completely incapable of having feelings, and emotions. Will it be right? Will not this actions offend the order of things in nature?
<p> This is crazy. I've never doubted my actions for centuries. My heart has long become numb, my conscience dulled by all those cruel experiences and my spirit rusted by the passing of time. Why tonight of all nights, the eve of my domination of this wretched world do I hesitate? Why now?
<p> This is proof of how troublesome it is to be human. Yes, I do admit, even with all my accomplishment, even through all of what I have experienced, that I still am human. Their emotions, their weakness, their natural tendency to be selfish and egoistic, these are the things that make them so fallible. I, too, am restricted by my limitations. I wonder. Will I succeed? How many times have this occurred before? Many times, I had brushed with victory, but always it had been snatched from my grip, tantalizing me to madness!
<p> Yes, why must I doubt? This is what I must do. What must be done, must be done. It doesn't matter how much would be destroyed. It is crucial if this universe is to be fixed. The end will just have to justify the means. Besides, I'm not like any other normal being. I am special. People like me have to make certain sacrifices. Ours is a high and lonely destiny.
<p> This world has done so much evil. Countless has given themselves to martyrdom trying to save this world from damnation, trying to help it change for the better. All their efforts were useless. Therefore, since this world can no longer be cured, it must be destroyed and renewed. Need I mention the only ones at fault here are the inhabitants? This innocent earth must be purged of all ills. Then, it can begin anew. We can all have a fresh start and I will rule this whole place my way.
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<p> <i>He gazed again sadly at his world that once flourished. He seemed almost sorry for what happened there and what will happen to the rest of the other realms. In a flash, all the nostalgic, painful memories passed through his mind in final farewell. No longer will he dwell on them. It was time, it has long been time, to throw away those that hold him back from his destiny. With one last look at the empty desolate land, he shuffled out of the room.
<p> It's time.</I>
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<hr>

<p> "Audie," whispered Ebony to her brother. "I feel really weird."
<p> Audric squeezed his sister's hand to comfort her. They were cold, clammy, and wet with cold sweat. <I>She's practically melting inside</I>, he thought worriedly. <I>You have to be strong, Niobe</I>!
<p> Just then, Aiea slipped on some loose stones, nearly falling off the steep precipice. Luckily, Hiei caught her in time. The others stared at them in shock, too startled to react.
<p> "Good--" exclaimed Ebony, her hand shooting to her mouth. "Are you alright?"
<p> "I am," Iantha said, panting a little. "Thanks to Hiei. I'm sorry. I was rather…distracted. It is rather dark."
<p> <I>Uh-oh</I>, thought Audric. <I>Not you, too. Pull yourself together, Aiea</I>!
<p> "Ohmigosh!" muttered Ebony. "I really think we'll have a fatality before this really begins, me!"
<p> "Don't worry, sis," said Adrian grinning wryly. "Our family has no history of heart diseases."
<p> "I know. But good grief! What is this place?"
<p> "This was once Yalith," said Kurama.
<p> Audric nodded. "Haega is also somewhere here. Azrael must have cast a spell over this place. This is what Azrael's idea of a perfect world. This is probably what will happen, not only to Ningenkai, but also to the rest of the other realms if he succeeds in merging with the child and unsealing the powers of Lethe."
<p> Hiei merely shrugged but a closer look will reveal nail marks on both his palms due to tightly closed fists. "Enough of this talk. We've wasted enough time already. Let's go."
<p> "Stop talking like that!" pleaded Ebony. "You're creeping me out. We took the necessary time to prepare, no more, no less. It's not easy breaking psychic barriers."
<p> "He's right," said Audric starting to walk again. "We've dallied for too long. Let's go."
<p> Ebony shrugged and started trudging along the not so welcoming terrain.
<p> "You must admit," she said. "This place is impressive even if it is a bit… well, extraterrestrial. The moon is a perfect touch. Lunar eclipses are so mysterious, intriguing, scary, even. Hey, Yusuke, are you waiting for the sky to fall down? Come along now before it really does."
<p> "I've been thinking," he said.
<p> "Really?" She raised her eyebrows mockingly. "Since when?"
<p> Yusuke ignored her. "I've fought many battles before and some of my opponents had similar stories with Azrael. They were violent, desperate fights, some of them bothering my conscience with guilt just like this. I sometimes wonder what would have happened if I had tried harder to talk them out of their plans."
<p> "Don't worry, Yusuke," said Kurama. "We tried our best before, it didn't work. And I don't think it'll work this time either."
<p> "Besides," pushed Hiei. "How many people had fought that maniac? I'm sure one of them has bound to have tried that."
<p> "Yeah," said Ebony in gleeful morbidity. "Then ended up dead! Ha-ha. Really, you guys should relax. There's nothing to worry about. All we have to do is to prevent the merging by getting the mother. Easy right? Easy way to be killed. Nothing will go wrong. Like what Hiei loves to say, she's still on her 26th week of gestation."
<p> The others started walking away again, trying to ignore the ceaseless chirping of Ebony following from behind. However, somebody else lagged behind. The king was immersed in his own thoughts.
<p> "Hmm," he muttered under his breath. "Red skies…"


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<p>Comments and Complaints are welcome.<p> 4th ed. 111501 18:22:10
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