Fight for Life

Chapter 4

Yoru sat on the bed still weeping, wanting his child and praying for her safety. He laid down and threw a pillow to the floor.

"Why did I have to be so stupid?! I should have just killed that bastard and left. He's probably dead now anyway; I would done him a favor by killing him, spared his people the burden of caring for an armless man, and saved them the agony of killing him" Yoru cracked his knuckles and his neck. "I knew I should have killed him. I don't go by the system of honor; I go by the laws created by Jashin and Kurosawa."

Yoru took off a piece of his armor and threw it across the room. He laid back and closed his eyes.

"Yuri, I pray for your safety," he said and sat up. "I must speak with the Goddess and get back to my Yuri." Yoru jumped out of the bed and threw on his armor. He ran to the door and tried desperately to open it. He uttered a curse as his attempts to open the door failed miserably. Yoru sat on the bed and held his head in his hands. He quickly rose and regained his posture when the door opened. He saw the Goddess of Limbo standing in his room. Yoru bowed and welcomed the Goddess into his temporary room. Kurosawa nodded and asked for Yoru to follow her. He was led out of the room by the Goddess and was struck by her beauty.

"Wh-where are you taking me?” Yoru asked looking down at the floor.

"I am taking you to see Amaterasu; he and Jashin have come to an agreement about what to do with you," Kurosawa said and stopped in front of a pair of doors with the Jashin symbol painted on them. The doors opened and Kurosawa stepped inside. She gesticulated for Yoru to follow. Jashin and the God of heaven sat a large round table, Jashin on one side with a chair next to her, and Amaterasu on the other, far from the Goddess of darkness. Kurosawa sat down next to Jashin and pointed for Yoru to sit in the chair between the Goddesses and God.

"Yoru Musha, do you remember how you died?" Amaterasu asked. Yoru nodded and retold the story of his death. The God looked at Jashin who nodded and smiled.

"He knows how he died and why he is here" Jashin snapped, glaring at God of heaven.

"Because of the lives I have taken in the name of my Lord, Jashin" Yoru finished Jashin's sentence and looked down in shame for interrupting the Goddess. "My apologies for the interruption"

Jashin smiled and wrapped an arm around Kurosawa. Amaterasu examined Yoru

"You are a great warrior and an excellent father; it is a shame what has happened to you. Poor little Yuri all alone in the world now." Amaterasu stared at Yoru, as though looking for a negative reaction. "The poor girl might be dead now. Kurosawa check Limbo. Maybe she killed herself in the name of Jashin."

Jashin stood up and slammed her hands on the table.

"If you won't get to the point of this meeting, then I will!" Jashin roared. "Yoru, I made a deal with Amaterasu and Kurosawa. Amaterasu will recreate your body, and Kurosawa will lead you back to the human world, but only if you can pass a test."

Yoru stared at Jashin.

"Are you willing to put your fighting skills to the test against some truly terrifying creatures?" Kurosawa asked. Yoru nodded and replied;

"I'll do whatever to takes to get my life back and to see my child again"

Jashin smiled and sat back down.

"Your test will not be easy; it will challenge your strength, intellect, and your skills as a warrior. If you pass, then you will be returned to your life, and I will give you the gift of a low level immortality." Jashin explained the test in great detail "If should you fail the test, you will be sent to the lower levels of hell, where Lucan will get to do whatever he pleases with you."

"Do you still wish to take the test? If you don't want to, you can stay here with Jashin-sama," Kurosawa offered, under the influence of Jashin.

Yoru shook his head

"I will take the test; I will risk eternal damnation to be with my little Yuri again."

Jashin stood up and smiled at Kurosawa. "Well then, since Amaterasu gets to give his warriors a gift for this test, then so shall we give you the gift of a blood weapon to fight with," Jashin said as she walked over to Yoru. She took his hand and helped him stand. "Come now, we must prepare you for the test"

Yoru followed Jashin and Kurosawa through the maze-like halls of the underworld's palace. He stared in wonder at the strange creature mounted on the walls. One was taller than Yoru, with dark blue fur and beady red eyes; it had claws as long as Yoru's arm; its mouth was wide open, with teeth that were almost as long as the claws. Its gaping mouth could swallow Yoru, Jashin, and Kurosawa whole in one gulp. Yoru quickened his pace and stayed closed to the Goddess. There was a painting of a man with long black hair and scars on his face and neck; he wore a black fur coat and had piercing crimson eyes, just like the Goddess Jashin.

"Who is that?" Yoru asked. Jashin stopped and grabbed Kurosawa's hand.

"That is my father, the original God of the underworld. He was once a warrior that fought on the evil side; in death he was given the title of God of darkness and death. When I was born, the title was passed onto me when he felt I was ready," Jashin explained. Kurosawa hugged the Goddess tightly and kissed her neck.

"What happened to him?"

"He decided that he had enough of ruling the underworld, and, when he passed it on to me, he just left. Probably went to the human world to go back to his fighting ways." Jashin sighed at this and kept walking. Yoru followed quietly, looking down at the floor. There was not much more in the palace that caught his attention. The crimson lighting made it difficult to see much. Finally, Jashin stopped, Kurosawa bumping into her, at a doorway. Jashin opened the door and stepped inside. It led outside into the darkness of the underworld. Yoru stepped out and looked about. There were ravens perched on the tall, dead trees. The flowers were black, purple, and crimson. There were disembodied souls floating about mindlessly. Skeletal hands reached out from the dirt grabbing at any living thing that may exist in this dismal world. Yoru followed the Goddess, careful not to get lost, through the depressing landscape that was the underworld. The trio entered an old grave yard and stepped up to a mausoleum. Jashin raised a hand and the door crumbled. The three stepped inside; it was dark and dusty. Yoru sneezed and waved a hand at the dust trying to fan it away. Jashin leaned over the coffin that was in the mausoleum and flipped it over. Under the coffin was a hole. Yoru looked on as Jashin knelt down and pulled out a long, two-bladed, blood-red scythe, crimson armor, a large shield, and a crimson dagger. Jashin handed off these items to Kurosawa.

"Your Musha, this is the legendary Crimson armor and the mighty Blood weapons," Jashin announced. Kurosawa handed Yoru the dark red weapons, then placed the crimson armor on the ground. Jashin smiled and locked her arms around Kurosawa's waist. "Put on the armor, then come and meet us the gates of this graveyard."

Jashin and Kurosawa left Yoru in the tomb with the armor. He shed his tarnished black armor, looking around him to make certain that no one was there to see him. He placed the crimson armor over the black clothes he wore.

Yoru stepped out of the tomb and walked to the gates of the graveyard, leaving behind the armor he died in. Jashin smiled and led Yoru back to the palace.

"Now we must bring you to the heavens for the test." Jashin said and led Yoru through the underworld and to a shining beam of light. There was a golden gate and a brilliant white light shining down from above the world of darkness. Yoru looked at the light; his brown eyes glittered in the light.

"Step under the light and relax; you'll be sent to the heavens for your test," Jashin instructed. Yoru did as the Goddess said and soon found himself in an extensive, green field. There were small children running about, waving ribbons around, laughing, and giggling. There was a young woman sitting under a tree with a small gray kitten by her side. Yoru reveled in the beauty of the field.