Kami no Hāto

The Weakness of a Goddess

In the inner room of the Underworld,Kureha sat at the dining table of hell. Noticing the supposedly ripe fruit with insects crawling on every surface. Did people truly fall for this ruse? To eat this fruit and forever be trapped within the Underworld? Kureha was determined not to be the next victim. She would not allow a single piece of fruit touch her lips. But why? Did she have something to live for? She was already condemned to remain here for all eternity,so what was the difference? What was stopping her from forever sealing her fate? Unknown to Kureha a single tear cascaded down her right cheek. She was crying. But for who? Herself? Or those she had left behind in the surface world? Images of her most trusted friend and regalia Tsuya formed before her. Already she could imagine the pain she was putting her through. The cries of pain and loneliness. Did Tsuya think Kureha left her alone on purpose?

Did she feel abandoned? Just as she was in her past life? Yes,Kureha remembered. She remembered the day she gav Tsuya a name and it was the day she was given a glimpse into Tsuya's dark past. Where she was it was cold,and dark. She could feel Tsuya seeming to shiver at the cold chill,but she also knew that she was use to it. This had happened to her fellow regalia more than once. And that was what pained her the most. She watched as someone shoved a metal tray of food in the small enclosement before Tsuya.

She watched as the young Tsuya desperately devoured every once of the food. Before begging to be released from her cage. Shouting that she would be a good girl,and would never misbehave again. Kureha heard Tsuya cry out for her mother begging for her forgiveness before the last sliver of light in the room disappeared from the room. Leaving the sobbing Tsuya alone in the cold chilling darkness. "Please...."Tsuya whispered into the quiet darkness as days turned into weeks and Kureha watched the deteriating body of Tsuya begin to become little more than a corpse.

They were starving her to death,but for what? With all the remaining strength in her body Tsuya peered upwards towards the ceiling of her dark cage. Wishing for the sweet release of death. That's all she wanted. To be free from this hellish life of hers. Slowly Tsuya began to close her eyes feeling a heavy sleep overtake her. She was tired. She was tired of fighting a fight she knew she could not win. With a weak smile on her face Tsuya passed on from this life and into the open arms of the only one would ever treated her like family. Kureha. And she was once again left alone in the darkness. By someone who was suppose to love her.

Kureha did not want that,she did not want Tsuya to ever feel such loneliness ever again. She had swore to her she would never leave Tsuya again. Alone in the darkness. Kureha was shedding tears for herself and for Tsuya. She had broken her promise and had left her all alone in this world. "I-I" Kureha began as a flood of tears rolled down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry!"Kureha sobbed bringing her hands to her face. Covering her tear stained face.

She was sorry yet she knew she could never tell Tsuya his truly sorry she was. She felt an unnerving regret for what she had done. "Why the tears on such a wonderful occasion?"Asked the familiar voice of Lady Izanami. The Queen of the Underworld. And the person Kureha refused to gaze upon. She had heard rumors of the illusions Izanami would place upon those who looked at her and she did not want to fall victim to it. But at this moment,in a moment of weakness Kureha felt compelled to lay eyes on Izanami. And when she did her heart seemed to almost leap from her chest.

She bad heard of Izanami taking the forms of women but never men. And the man she chose to become was one Kureha would forever care for. Her dear Yaboku. He stood before her clad in a long flowing black and white kimono with his hands outstretched for her. He wanted to comfort her,just as he always had in the past. " Yaboku." Kureha whispered as she found herself in the comforting arms of her dear Yaboku. She cared not if it was unnatural or if it were a mere illusion.

She welcomed this,this distraction. If he was with her in her eternal hell then maybe. Just maybe she could withstand this. Kureha soon found herself pinned to the floor beneath Yaboku who's eyes seemed to forever entrance her beyond compare. Her voice was caught in her throat as Yaboku gently began to caress her body with his shockingly cold touch. Was his touch always this cold? Did it always repulse her so? Swallowing the large lump in her throat Kureha closed her eyes, surrendering herself to whatever fate was in store for her.

This caused Yaboku to smirk as he firmly pressed his cold body against hers causing Kureha to yelp at the sudden cold. "Stay with me Kureha forever. We were meant to be." He whispered to Kureha as she simply nodded. She wanted to be with him,that she knew but something was off. Why was his touch so cold,and so repulsive to her? What was going on? But she ignored her thoughts as she opened her mouth to speak"Yes,Yaboku. Please....make all my pain...disappear."She breathed causing Yaboku to smirk. She was giving herself to him. And it was exactly what he wanted.

"I will make you forget your pain,and you will remain here with me. For eternity."Yaboku whispered to Kureha who sighed lightly at his words. It was all she wanted. She wanted to forget this horrid pain,and remain here with the man she loved. Constant tears rolled down her cheeks as Kureha welcomed this man. This included her soul which remained attached to this sickly body of hers. Yaboku smirked towards Kureha before feeling sudden intruders into his realm. Already he knew who it was. He had come for her after all. Perhaps Izanami could have abit more fun with this woman after all? Gently Izanami in the form of Yaboku brought Kureha into his arms before carefully pinning her to the wall before him.

Izanami wanted to bring torment and pain to Kureha's soul for it would make her soul just as sweet to him. And most of all he wanted her real lover to watch as she fully gave herself to him. Already he could hear the constant slashing of his minions by Yato as his footsteps grew nearer. It was almost time. Soon the door to the room was open revealing the now out of breathe Yato with his two regalia. Yukine and Tsukine by his side,remaining in their weapon form. But the moment Yato layed eyes of Kureha his heart almost shattered.

She held such a painfilled expression on her face,while she remained in the arms of what Yato could tell was a skeletal being. Who's body gave off a dangerous aura. "I'm so glad you could make it,Yato God." The Skeletal being stated before touching Kureha's tear stained face. "I assume you've come for her?"The skeleton asked as Yato glared fully prepared to take on Izanami herself to save Kureha. "Let her go." "I'm afraid I can't do that,you see she has already given herself fully to me. Her soul belongs to me now."Izanami stated.

This angered Yato as he ran toppers towards Izanami. "Wrong answer!"He shouted as he swung "Tsukine" towards the skeleton but it was stopped by the appearance of Kureha who now stood in front of Izanami. With her eyed glazed over by her empty illusion. She held her hands out before Izanami determined to protect the false Yaboku. "K-Kureha. Kureha it's me!"Yato called out to her but his voice seemed not to answer her as she glared towards him. "Leave my Yaboku alone." She spat as "Tsukine" still in weapon form was near tears.

She had willingly become a Nora in order to save her mistress only to find out that she had fallen into darkness before she could save her. "M-Mistress." Tsukine cried as Yato bid her to dry her tears. "We will get through to her,I promise you."He declared as he bid both Yukine and "Tsukine" to aid him. He would save Kureha,that was a promise he intended to keep.