VERSE I
The smell of burning sulphur, heat scorching her body, the air dry and throat cracking.
The hot rocks burned into skin, forming blisters upon her tender flesh.
In her torment, she awoke.
Gasping for air, choking upon her parched throat.
She coughed, eventually painful and displeasing.
Her vision obscured, and sudden burns seared through her.
She was shook with agony, but could not cry.
Her tears dried up, her throat ached her.
She was somewhat heavy, feeling a bit unbalanced in her own skin.
She felt an extra control, like she had a control over something extra.
She suddenly remembered her younger brother, her mind fully awake.
She looked around, surveying her surroundings.
All she saw were black stark rocks, valleys filled with jagged rocks and golden liquid.
The golden liquid seemed to be the source of heat. It emanated it, yet it was also the only source of light.
These liquids were what defined the valleys she saw, as perceived and only shown by the light produced from the liquid.
Yes, she knew it's name.
It's familiar to what shot out of the Haven of Devils.
Molten rocks! Yes. .... Right? That was it's name?
Her head ached her hard, she trembled and fell down upon the hot rocks, bruising herself self in its jaggedness.
She tried to regain her balance, but she felt brittle. Her body heavier than before yet so fragile to break.
She looked upon herself, at her arms she was using as support but was instantly horrified.
She closed her eyes..hoping that it was but a mere thought, an after effect—yes! That's what she hopes right now, plus this scenery.
She had read the descriptions of such scenery in the scrolls she read to pass time when she was but a little girl.
Well, she still is but she was much younger then.
Her mind jumbled and she fell upon the rocks again, cutting her lips and her chest once more.
She felt a burning sensation searing through her body.
She instantly shot up from the ground, and got on her two feet.
Still, she felt wonky and dizzy. The hot rocks helped instantly, keeping her awake from the scorching pain.
She looked upon herself, now not denying it.
An extra pair of arms ran underneath her original pair of arms, yet it was much longer and more slender.
She gazed upon her skin, a pale white color yet with a tiny hint of sea green.
So pale greenish white?. She shook her head.
This scenery, the place...no doubt about it.
She could not see, anyother destination nor path only the molten rocks provided light, yet heat at the same time.
A dry putrid smell, yet she could not vomit nor did it cause her nausea.
Her eyes began to sting, her ears ringing, her mind fumbled.
Just what was going on? What happened to her?. Where is her brother? And why is she in the Nether— the place for unjust souls?
Is she unjust?
She looked at her body once more; yeah, her body is proof.. there is no human of whom looks like such.
Yet, she could not help but noticed wounds..scars that have seemed to heal up yet some had not.
Her flesh, visceral and exposed, her blood— white? No, it has a more subtle color to it. Whitish grey perhaps?.
And she had no clothes on, perhaps they had been burned off.
Why is she here? She is a nine year old child? She couldn't grasp why at age? She was considered unjust?
What did she do? She cannot even recall such?
Yet, she body defied her questions. Deep down, it condemned her.
There is no human who walks the path of righteousness that had been deformed? No one, even the angels aren't deformed. Some are created to be that way, but they had never been deformed all through their lives.
Yet, here she was. Age nine, already deformed.
That's the most straightforward answer to her questions and the absolute brutal truth of her own Condemnation.
She has now begun walking sin, only sin has the right to condemn and deform it's vessel.
After all, sin uses it's vessel however it wishes.
The words of her brother suddenly into her mind.
Suddenly, she gained insight in her brother's brutal teachings and condemnations against Eidengard and existence.
Now another question arose, just how did her younger brother know all of this?
Her head panged forth, her face squeezed, expressing her sudden anguish.
Her heart raced, and her chest cage throbbed.
Fear encroached her, as if gripping her between its talons.
She has never wanted to be in the Nether?. What did she do that was unjust?.
Now, her sudden headache had made her relive her memories.
The past being reviewed before her very eyes.
And she remembered it all, everything as clear as day.
Wow!. Wow!. These words were all she could muster.
Her heartbeat spiked even more, heat arose underneath her flesh.
Her stomach gurgled, a sudden bitterness rising to her throat.
She vomited! Throwing up ghastly, getting more fierce.
She fell to her knees, her palms on her vomit.
Still, she kept throwing up; her eyes closed, her bodyache growing intense, her stomach felt intertwined, twisted.
Her eyes began to shed tears, it dried up but it kept watering down her cheeks.
She reminisced it all, her brother, her uncle, the angel before her brother, her brother in chains, when she spoke to Benzaitan, her brother's body being regenerated.
She reminisced herself, a disastrous state born of her transgression, a transgression committed out of her emotions, out of love and overprotection upon her brother.
She realized why she was here, realized why she deformed.
The horror upon her brother's face when he had seen her, pure and raw in her new and eternal damnation.
Her brother, of whom she had fought for, out of her rage against divinity had now been cursed by it, falling to a state even worse than it.
Where eternal suffering would be guaranteed. Why? In the scrolls she had read, it wasn't like this. It never was, never had been.
It was recorded to be the truth, but why? Why are the gods, even she who hath destroyed her brother?. Why did they chain him?. And since when did an angel of whom derives pleasure from pain?. Since when did such an angel exist?. Infact , was it not written in the scriptures and scrolls...the only angel known is but one. A genderless being.
Yet why? Why was the one she saw a female?. Why did she smile when she saw Kato in chains?.
Who did those chains belong to?
What is happening?
And her brother? Her brother of whom she had trusted for so long?.
How could he? How could he betray her like this?
How could he kill her one and only friend?. Why does he have an older soul? A soul that has memories of war and death?.
What is he even doing? What was the cult book in this memories?
Why did he wipe out her friend's family and ate their flesh?.
Why? Why did he kill Uncle Li, and replaced him with a doppleganger?.
To think Uncle Li had died when they were both at the age of 6, and Kato killed him— with his own two hands?
The House of Omi?.Such prestigious household, are actually backed by Goddess Amaterasu? The same goddess that burnt her brother's supernatural core.
What dispute was born?. What did Kato with the House of Omi?
How the hell is he even older than her, her own younger brother?. What had he done?!
She was weakened, and grieved. Stricken with sorrow, she could see nothing. She could see nothing no longer.
The weight of it all, crushing her soul.
Everything she has sided, marched for , a believed, walked in and even lived with— all, are lies.
So what now?..what then?. Was she condemned because she had rose against divinity?. Banished from the realm of mortals because she had sinned against the gods, and had fallen?.
She still could not bring herself to the understanding....to comprehend her despair.
And she? What?. Why? If she had known? She should not have loved like this?. Now what is she suffering?.. the consequences of her actions?.
The consequences of actions because she chose to love....she chose to hold her brother so close? She chose to stay, fight for and side with the only thing she had?
The only thing she had felt compelled to protect, to never let him get hurt?.
Yet she was hurt instead, betrayed by the one she had even willingly thrown away her belief, to have greater power and go against the gods? Even when her intentions where pure?
One can only side what they love and believe, she has done just that.
Casting everything aside for him? Only for such actions to turn against her, because what? She loved?.
No!. It can't be..
She sniffled, catarrh running like a stream. Her eyes watery, and she used her vomit- covered hands to wipe her face.
It didn't matter now.... She had been deemed unclean and unjust anyway.
She shook her head, sobbing softly but her heart couldn't take it anymore.
Only love can hurt like this right? ...
Only love....
All because she chose to love her brother?. It's all her fault..
With every ounce of strength in her, she grabbed the hot rocks... withstanding the burn ache..
She screamed out loud, her wails shook the Nether, resounding from the clasp valleys and rocks.
She wailed again, not caring of her environment.
Her tears, flowing.... Seeming like it would never end.
*****
At an open window, cold wind blasted upon his face. He sat by it, atop a chair.
He did not dare remove his face from the moonlight, it was the only way to pay for what he had done.
The only way he could feel, he could communicate to her.
As he had been banned from there, he wishes she understands. He wishes she does not break down.
Even if she does, and hates him... Let her keep living and live right, even in a realm where it all screams wrong.
" I'm sorry, ".... Kato gasped. The wind howled strangely yet gentle.
He began to cry, for the first time in years. Tears kept flowing from his eyes, and he did not let it stop nor end.
" I'm sorry, Yuki. I'm sorry." He kept wailing...and repeating those words...over and over again.