Darker Beginnings

Chapter 6

  Autumn Leaf stared at the clock mounted on the wall, the hands moving slower and slower. She suddenly snapped back into reality, Aria looking at her with worry.
"You okay?" she asked. Autumn Leaf sighed a bit, resting her head on the table.
"Fine," she muttered. Anasta rubbed the Firan's back, attempting to comfort her.
"Autumn Leaf, you know we can't set foot into the Kingdom of Darkness as Angels. Noroi has to fight on his own terms," she said. Autumn Leaf glared at her, the fire in her eyes making Anasta shake a bit in her seat.
"But he's fragile, Anasta. His mind is fractured and broken. It's that damn scepter's fault. And it's Aria's fault too." she said. Aria perked her ears a bit, her expression sinking.
"Why, Autumn? Do you have proof?" she asked calmly. Autumn Leaf turned the eyes of her flaming rage to the First Guardian.
"You asked we keep the scepter for 'historical purposes'. You didn't take it's effect into consideration at all. All you thought about was the value towards the Kingdom as a whole, not a family who loves the man holding it to the Hereafter and beyond." she growled. Aria lowered her head, scanning the room as she did, meeting eyes of disapproval. Ultimate caressed her arm, sighing a bit but remaining silent. Gianna cleared her throat in an attempt to break the tension in the air, looking to Aria.
"Are there any big propositions we need to think about?" she asked. Aria solemnly shook her head, sighing.
"No, well at least not after the task of finding Noroi. Meeting adjourned..." she trailed off, Ultimate taking her by the arm and leading her out, muttering reassurances to her. Anasta and Autumn Leaf stayed behind, Anasta tapping Autumn Leaf's shoulder to get her attention.
"Autumn...I didn't want to say this in front of the group because it's controversial, but we have hope," she said. Autumn Leaf looked to her scornfully, seeming on edge for whatever the troll had to say.
"What?" she asked. Anasta took Autumn Leaf's hand, slipping a few pills into her palm.
"I and my advisors agree that on matters to find your husband, crossing Kingdom boundaries is absolutely necessary. These pills were specially designed to protect your being from sinking. Just be wary of the other demons. You serve as a representation of this Kingdom. Approach the King calmly and see if he has any whereabouts. Please bring Noroi back. He's a good man." she said. Autumn Leaf, nearly tearing up by the end of the talk, hugged Anasta tightly, sniffling.
"T-Thank you! I can't promise I'll be calm if they did something horrible to him, but thank you, thank you, thank you!" she stuttered and cheered as she ran out the door. Anasta smiled, crossed her arms, and leaned back in her chair, knowing Autumn Leaf would succeed.


***


Noroi stared up at the man who had tossed him down. He was so familiar. Why?
Why was this red-and-black hedgehog so familiar?
The gentleman the statue outside was based upon placed a hand on the hedgehog's shoulder, the hedgehog crying.
"Noroi...This is your son, Shade Insanity. I saw the spark of familiarity in your eyes. A being of an ancient and devious past is now 23 and fathered by me. You callously walked out on him. How do you plead?" he asked. Noroi shook, sobbing as the vengeful flame in Shade's eyes grew brighter and brighter.
"W-Who are you!?" Noroi demanded. The man nodded slightly, sighing under his breath.
"I am Majoni Ketsu. I am the King of this kingdom you turned your back on," he said. Noroi felt his chest heave in and out, gasping for air that wasn't needed in the sensation of panic.
"Majoni...You have to understand...I did not willingly forget my family and my Kingdom! I was confined to the Void! I got amnesia!" he said. Majoni narrowed his eyes in distaste.
"Silence," he said threateningly. Noroi gulped hard, watching as Majoni let go of Shade's shoulder. "Shade, you have every right to give this backstabbing traitor a punishment," he said. Noroi's eyes widened, he finding the strength to stand up.
"P-Please, I'm sure we can work this out!" Noroi said. Suddenly, Shade rushed at him, Noroi attempting to shield himself but failing miserably. Suddenly, he felt a long burning pain on the right side of his face. On the ground, he brushed his hand along the burning flesh. It seized and burned with an agonizing pain, looking down to see blood drops falling onto the obsidian floor. He suddenly heard Majoni slam his foot onto the ground in rage.
"Shade!" he yelled angrily,"What have I taught you about violence!?" he barked. Shade looked to Majoni, his face full of guilt.
"I'm sorry, dad...I just acted on rage...I've been wanting to do that to him since...since..." he trailed off, Majoni leading Shade away from the shaken Noroi, setting him on the throne as if to demonstrate something.
"Shade, let me show you how a true Prince would handle a traitor," he said, turning his violet eyes to Noroi, picking the angel up by the throat and gathering a collection of dark energy in his hand, Noroi was unsure whether the energy had eyes or not, but the next thing he felt was a burning sensation in his chest.
Majoni had forced his hand into his chest, and his soul was absorbing the energy. The pain was unbearable, Noroi crying and screaming at the top of his lungs to end it. He felt his chest get heavier and heavier until it was difficult to breathe, even in short spurts. He dropped the scepter he had been clinging to since his visit, cracking the gem on it. Majoni looked Noroi in the eyes as he removed his hand, frowning in anger.
"That'll teach you to turn your back on your kingdom," he said.
Suddenly, Noroi was dropped. Instead of landing flat on the ground like he expected, he continued to descend beyond the floor and the world of darkness he was on. He looked behind him, a familiar purple spiral consuming him, the color and pupils in his eyes fading as he sunk. This feeling was too traumatically familiar.

He was returning to the Void.


***


Autumn Leaf sighed, flying towards the Kingdom of Darkness. Swiftly downing the pills in a quick gulp, she set foot on the monochromatic purple world. She began to walk about, finding small villages and even little shops. She kept her eyes glued to the castle, however, not noticing the demons around her staring at her. With her Angelic aura, she seemed to glow among them, bringing an amber light to this violet world. She suddenly felt a tug on her wings, looking down and seeing a young human child, his demon wings shaking a bit.
"Are you an Angel?" he asked. Autumn Leaf smiled fondly and nodded.
"I am. The Angel of Fire, to be clear," she said calmly. The boy began to flap his wings, seeming a bit scared.
"My mommy says you're bad!" he stuttered. Autumn Leaf frowned, gently patting the boy's head.
"Well, this whole kingdom sees us as bad. I'm sure your mother is a very lovely person, but she's wrong. I'm here to find my husband." she said. The boy seemed to calm down a bit, responding quietly.
"Was he holding a stick?" he asked. Autumn Leaf nodded, feeling her tail wag.
"Yes!" she said happily. The boy pointed to the city of Yami and the Castle of Darkness.
"He was headed there," he said. Autumn Leaf ruffled his hair, feeling her tail wag wildly.
"Thank you!" she praised, starting to run towards the castle. Soon, she began gliding above the ground with her wings, catching the air and flying towards the ebony fortress. She saw people stare up at her with awe and rage, but to her, it didn't matter.
She was going to find Noroi.
She landed at the castle gates, oddly enough not finding any guards to stop her from entering. And enter she did, scanning the throne room for her husband. She saw no signs of life aside from a troll who was dusting the throne itself. She approached her, she noticing and freezing up.
"You, where is the King?" she asked. The troll shook, gulping a bit hard.
"He took his heir out for ice cream a bit ago...He said they'd be back in a few minutes.." she said. Autumn Leaf sighed a bit but nodded in understanding.
"Is there a waiting room of some sort?" she asked. The troll shrugged.
"Y-You could wander around a bit if you'd like," she said, resuming her work in cleaning the throne of dust. Autumn Leaf did what her curious mind told her to do, and she walked about the obsidian castle. Searching for any sign of life, she found 12 cats in the process, her glow causing them to pursue her. She knelt down to them, petting them. They were extraordinarily soft and rather adorable. She suddenly heard the castle door open, looking up and seeing a man and Mobian walk in. The man was adorned in a fancy tuxedo, and he had glass wings that hovered behind him. The Mobian was a crimson red with dark grey markings. They were enjoying their cold treats, the cats that were once surrounding Autumn Leaf rushing towards the man in the tuxedo, he bending down and petting each individual one.
"Yes, my kittens, I am home," he said with a warm smile. Joining the 12 cats at his feet, 8 more came running down the stairs, joining the others and rubbing up against the gentleman. Suddenly, the man met eyes with her, standing up and locking his gaze on her. For whatever reason, his stare froze her. It gave her goosebumps and chills.
Why was his stare so menacing?
He handed his cup of ice cream to the Mobian beside him, his voice echoing off the castle walls.
"Who are you?" he asked. Autumn Leaf snapped out of it, narrowing her eyes.
"I am Autumn Leaf. Where's Noroi?" she demanded. The man raised his eyebrows, seeming dissatisfied, retrieving his ice cream and sitting on his throne, prompting Autumn Leaf to rush to the front of it to see him properly. "What? Do you not want to talk to me?" she said, slightly angered. He looked her in the eye, stirring his spoon in the creamy delight in his cup, the Mobian that was beside him before rejoining his side.
"I figure you want my name after you said yours," he said. Autumn Leaf snarled a bit.
"I know damn well who you are. Majoni Ketsu, the murderer of Angels and threat to peace," she said. Majoni scoffed, setting his ice cream on the armrest of his throne.
"Murderer? Threat? Darling, you've got it all wrong. But I digress. What brings you here?" he asked, taking a spoonful of ice cream. Autumn Leaf began to tear up, breaking down a bit in utter fear to the imagination of what this man had done to the love of her life.
"Where's Noroi?" she asked. Majoni looked to her, setting his ice cream down and crossing his arms.
"He got what he deserved," he said. Autumn Leaf started crying, unknowingly and forcefully grabbing Majoni's tuxedo and pulling him up, snarling.
"Where's Noroi?!" she yelled. The Mobian beside him pulled Autumn Leaf away, snarling.
"Father! Did she hurt you?" he asked. Majoni shook his head, leaning forward and putting his hands together.
"Autumn Leaf, your husband turned his back on this beautiful Kingdom. I condemned him to the Void. He deserves every bit of pain he gets back there. Move on from that mess of a hedgehog. It's for your own good." he said. Autumn Leaf felt herself get weak, falling to her knees, hyperventilating and sobbing.
"Y-You're lying...! Where is he...!?" she cried. Majoni sighed, leaning back and resuming the consumption of his unearned frozen treat.
"What good would come from lying to you? I think your questions have been answered. Goodbye." he said, eating. Autumn Leaf began to shake, holding her head and staring at the ground between her knees. Her tears splattered onto the shiny obsidian surface, feeling as if the world around her was tunneling out.

She was too late.