#3 7 Rings Of Hell

Chapter 15: Good Or Bad Intentions

The horn blows and both John and Krystal quickly flew towards Clockwork, having their sword out and ready while Clockwork had his cane with a clock at the top of it.

"Hello my dear boy, how long has it been?!" Clockwork asked as he swung his cane. "Months probably, I don't remember!" John said as he deflected Clockwork's swing. "And what about you m'lady, how are you?!" Clockwork added. "I'm doing just fine!" Krystal said.

"Pazuzu, take over!" John said. "You don't have to tell me twice!" Pazuzu said as they swapped conscience.

"Ah, if it isn't my old friend!" Clockwork said. "We were never friends Clock!" Pazuzu said. "And yet you say my nickname instead of my name!" Clockwork said while smiling.

"Energy Discharge!" Pazuzu said, launching a wave of energy to push back Clockwork. "Pazuzu's Rage!" Krystal said, right before lunging herself at Clockwork while swinging her sword. Clockwork quickly deflected her attacks while Pazuzu attacked from behind.

"Speed, strength and mobility, I see improvements in both of you, especially with you my dear!" Clockwork said while blocking both of their attacks. "I could say the same Clock, Energy Explosion!" Pazuzu said as he put his palm on Clockwork's back, launching him into the air.

As Clockwork was sent into the air, Pazuzu followed right after, meanwhile Krystal fought off the demons around her as they got closer to her.

Pazuzu caught up to Clockwork and grabbed him by his head. "Doesn't this red sky look amazing, let's go back to the ground for a better view!" Pazuzu said right before diving down at a rapid speed. "Hey John's lover, incoming!!" Pazuzu added.

Krystal looked up and quickly dove out of the way, right before Clockwork and Pazuzu slammed to the ground.

"Well John, you're on your own, my limit is done!" Pazuzu said, right before switching consciousness. "Wait, where's his cane?!" Krystal asked.

As Krystal asked that, the cane appeared behind them and suddenly smacked Krystal at the back of her head then whacked John in the jaw then his chest, knocking both to the ground. The cane suddenly flew towards Clockwork's palm so he stood back up while brushing his shoulders.

"I didn't want to do this John, I really didn't!" Clockwork said as he kneeled down next to John. He placed his cane above John's back, and once Clockwork's eyes glowed yellow, a sharp blade pierced through John's back and out his chest.

"John!!" Krystal yelled, right before quickly standing up. "Time Stop!" Clockwork said, freezing Krystal in time. John, still struggling, stood up even if the blade from the cane was still inside of him. "You're fight... is with me... so leave her out of this!" John said as he broke the blade from the cane, leaving it inside him.

"You haven't changed, still fighting to protect your lover... you have my respect!" Clockwork said, shocked to see John still standing. "People do crazy things for love!" John said as he took out the blade from his chest.

Clockwork released Krystal from the Time Stop, and John instructed her, "Join if you see me in trouble!"

Clockwork swung his cane over John but John summoned his sword right on time to block the cane. "Is that all you got?!" John asked. "Dust in my eye!" Clockwork said, right before chuckling.

John and Clockwork both swung their weapons at each other while blocking each other's attack. Krystal watched them fight each other but began to notice something between them... they were smiling, not from the fight but more like Clockwork doesn't have the same intentions he had before.

"Clockwork!!" Krystal yelled out. John and Clockwork both stopped attacking each other and turned towards her. "Yes my dear?!" Clockwork said as he tipped his top hat up and leaned on his cane. "You said you didn't want to kill John right? So why are you fighting us!?" Krystal asked. "Come to think of it, I did notice you holding Zozo down right before Chris killed him, what's up with that?!" John asked.

*Sigh* "You caught me, it's true... my intentions before were to kill John, but after you managed to kill me then, I knew your group of friends were the next generation of powerful demons... I knew you guys would kill Jackal ever since!" Clockwork said.

"And what are your intentions now?!" Krystal asked. "I have none, but with this war we are in, I must listen to the Ruler I follow!" Clockwork said. "Ruler? Who's your Ruler?!" Krystal said. "My Ruler is Asmodeus, The Sin Of Lust... I have sworn to follow her commands... even the ones I was given before this war!" Clockwork said.

"Wait, you all follow a separate Ruler!?" John asked. "Of course, each demon follows a separate Ruler and listen to their orders... and Asmodeus was the one that instructed me to hunt you down!" Clockwork said.

"Traitor!!" A demon behind Clockwork said. They all turn to face the demon that spoke and to their surprise, the demon is a darker version of Clockwork, wearing a black suit instead of the yellow-ish brown suit Clockwork wears. "Who the hell are you!?" John asked. "Shut it kid!" Dark Clockwork said as he threw a metal rod through John's chest, making him cough out blood. "John!!" Krystal said as she ran towards him.

"Why must you always torment me brother?!" Clockwork said as he held his cane. "Father was always right about you, you're too soft... and you should've stayed dead... you're just lucky Asmodeus chose you to kill this kid!" Dark Clockwork said. "Answer this question, why are you here, Seth?!" Clockwork said as he grew furious.

"You really are so naive brother, things never change!" Seth said. "Tell mother I sent you!" Clockwork said. "What?!" Seth asked, right before Clockwork appeared behind him, piercing his cane through his heart.

Both John and Krystal were left in shock after seeing Clockwork mercilessly kill his brother. "Now that he's gone, we can continue what we were talking about!" Clockwork said. "Pazuzu... take over again!" John said as he removed the metal rod from his chest. "I expected a fight between you and John, Clock... why aren't you two fighting?!" Pazuzu said.

"It's simple, I don't want to kill him, I never wanted to!" Clockwork said. "That's pathetic of you... so what do you plan on doing if you don't intend to fight us?!" Pazuzu asked. "Good question, behind you you'll find your friend Max... so I will clear a path for you!" Clockwork said. "Why?!" Krystal asked. "Because I sense that Asmodeus is sending her demons to kill me, so I don't have much time!" Clockwork added.

"We don't need to head towards Max, we can help you fight those demons!" Krystal said. "My dear, I appreciate your assistance, but I don't think I can accept the offer!" Clockwork said, right before a chained dagger pierced through his right shoulder.

Pazuzu flew up into the air and saw the demon holding on to the chain, so Pazuzu flew towards it with his scythe. "Flaming Spin!" Pazuzu said as he spun with his scythe emitting flames, killing the demon a bit too suspiciously quick.

Pazuzu looked back and saw 6 demons surround Krystal and Clockwork. "I hate babysitting you and your girlfriend John!" He said as he quickly flew back towards them. "Just shut up and hurry!" John said in Pazuzu's head.

"Flame Uproar!" Krystal said as she lifted her flames behind Clockwork, burning the demon behind him. "Catastrophic Flames!" Pazuzu said, while being above both Krystal and Clockwork, firing his flames at the demons around them. Pazuzu felt a sharp pain in his arm that reached to his shoulder, feeling as if his arm was burning in an oven.

"Pazuzu, more demons are headed towards us, get down here to help us hold them off!" Clockwork said as he sliced a demon in half. "Don't tell me what to do!" Pazuzu said as he still flew down next to them.

"Energy Explosion!" Pazuzu and Krystal said, back to back. Large explosions warded off multiple demons into the air, killing them in the process. "Everytime I see you 3 work together, it somehow amazes me!" Clockwork noted. "Really, why don't you help us instead of talking!" Pazuzu said. "Fine then, Time's Up!" Clockwork said as he fired beam after beam from his finger tips, rapidly speeding up the demons lifespan.

Pazuzu/John, Krystal and Clockwork held eachother's back, protecting one another as more and more demons approached them. Little did they know, Tom and Camille were near them also fending off the demons around them.