Assiah: True Cross Academy

Year: xx10

"Why?" Amiomon's question wasn't searching or accusing, just simply honest. The pair had relocated from the roof top to Amaimon's favorite spot, a small, wooded lot within the school's campus. Being the King of Earth, he gravitated towards the more natural areas in his older brothers keep. Rin did not particularly mind the change in scenery, so long as it was dark, and he could be above the ground he did not care where they went. He would only get one of those things.

He needed no more than a second to answer Amaimon's question. Rin had been doing nothing but dwelling on the subject since that night in the woods.

"I'm sick of being used." A simple answer to a simple question. Though he may not have been one of them, he could have lived with that. After all everyone is different but that does not make them inherently evil. But he was not part of their team. He was pushed further away every time he tried to interact with them and the veteran exorcists were keeping him tightly by leash. At this point he was surprised he was even granted free roam. It was only a matter of time before they locked him away and chained him down. He could barely move as it was. The little bit of mock freedom he was given was nothing more than to keep what little peace there was between the exorcists and Mephisto.

Rin was now aware that his current living standards were only thanks to the Mephisto, his first ally he realized. Had his situation been left to Shiro, his foster father, the exorcists would have shackled him on sight if not worse. But they wanted Mephisto's loyalty and power and for that he had wanted custody of the twins. Though he was only more interested in the one that could wield the blue flames. The older demon had admitted one night when he came to check on Rin that he had once tried to take Yukio under his wing as well, but Shiro would have none of it. The late Paladin had seen all to clearly through his scheme and ended it before he could even get a hand on the boy. He believed he had been helping the twins by keeping Rin in the dark and training Yukio to be a protector of sorts. Mephisto could see the damage it would cause long term and with a demon's life span, that was not an outcome he was looking forward to settling. So, he had to write one twin off as a lost cause in hopes of being able to reach the other. Apparently, he had waited a little too long or perhaps this was going precisely as planned. Rin could never get a straight answer out of him. That was something he appreciated in Amaimon. He was simple and direct. He could ask a question and get an answer or at the very least a reaction.

Rin's sharp nails began to scratch slowly into the tree branch on which he had taken residence. Amaimon glanced briefly at the action, ignored it then pulled a sucker out of his pocket. He undid the wrapper rather loudly catching Rin's attention for a moment. He pulled another out of his pocket and tossed it over. Rin had not realized how deep his nails had been ingrained in the wood until he pried them loose to catch the candy thrown at him.

"What do you want to do then?" Amaimon's voice was slightly muffled with the candy in his mouth.

This time the answer did not come as easily. He was vaguely aware that once he had immediately wished death upon his foe, but now he was not quite sure what he wanted. His rage was real, but he could think more clearly and rushing in to blindly kill somebody who did not even remember would not settle this instinct. He would still go through with it, but he needed to be more concise. He could also see the repercussions this would have afterwards. Staying would no longer be an option, but he certainly could not pick up and move to Gehenna either. Even if he was now getting along with Mephisto and Amaimon, that still would not be where he belonged.

"I know what I want to do, I just don't know how." He sighed and undid the wrapper on the candy and held it up to his mouth. It made him aware that he had also been clenching his teeth. He was grateful in that moment that his fangs had not grown any longer or he would have been tasting blood.

The thought of blood suddenly made his mouth water. He popped the candy in his mouth and its sweetness had curbed that lust in almost an instant. He wondered if there was something to that. Was that why Amaimon always had a stock of them?

He saw aforementioned demon sitting on a branch across from him, watching, and suddenly his expression was a mystery and unreadable. It made him almost roll his eyes. Perhaps the earth demon was not as easily read as he had believed.

"I know what you can do, but you have to be less... well sad." He gestured in Rin's direction.

Rin snorted defensively ready to argue back in an instant but was hushed before that.

"What I mean is you have to be less honest and act more like the version of the you they expect."

"I'm trying" he sighed tiredly.

"No trying, you have to if you want this to work. If you want too finally be free."

Rin turned thoughtful.

"I don't think I can."

"Where'd all that fire go." Amaimon said tauntingly. "I thought you were done being used by them, by the exorcists and by-"

"I am done!" He shouted firmly.

"Then no trying only doing."

"Alright I get it. But I don't think I can just put on a happy act so suddenly without raising more suspicion."

Amaimon thought for a moment placing a hand in his chin.

"Then try to stick to as normal of a routine as possible."

"Okay. I- I think I can do that."

"Good." Amaimon crunched down on the candy and Rin almost winced at the sound. Had those been human teeth, they would have cracked.

"Wait what even is the plan?" He blinked in confusion. In all the talk of why he had forgotten the how part of it. Amaimon studied Rin and the half demon could tell he was deciding on how much to divulge. He was not sure he liked that. He would have to trust Amaimon for this to work and he had been hoping the demon would do the same.

A bell rang pulling them from each other. It was one of the schools' bells signaling the end of the day.

"Meet me back here tonight and I'll tell you." Amaimon left no room to argue or even agree before he had vanished from Rin's sight.

The bell had yet to stop ringing and with his sensitive hearing it felt like it had no end. A few long seconds later Rin had climbed down the tree and began the walk back to his dorm. He decided after that little stunt he had pulled on Shura to skip the rest of his exorcists' classes. That would not be to out of character for him and then he could figure out how to regain some normalcy.

His thoughts were a jumble as he walked. Was it really okay to be putting his trust in Amaimon like this? Mephisto had made him promise not to act but that was self-destructive according to Amaimon. Yes, the older demon played in riddles and tricks, but he would never hurt Rin. Well not in the same way the others would. He would from time to time be quite physically challenging, but Rin was tougher than he looked. He could take the actions in easy stride even if at times he wanted to retaliate. He knew that Mephisto was only looking after him. Though, that did not make him blind to the fact that Mephisto had an alternative agenda. What that could be he couldn't say. He may have been slightly more aware of the two demons on campus but that did not make him privy to all their intentions.

He shook his head trying to easy his mind from wandering. It would do him no good to doubt them, they were all he had. He could not turn to his classmates they were all terrified of him. Until he learned to control his flames he was a risk they were not willing to take and his brother, his chest tightened and his mouth was dry, what he wouldn't give for another one of those candies, he thought forcing the distain for his twin away.

It was nearly dark by the time he returned to the dorm building. The teachers would pay his absence no mind. He would get an earful tomorrow when Yukio finally came home but that was least of his concerns now. He was too focused on a light that came from one of the rooms in what was supposed to be an abandoned building save for himself and his brother. With his perfect night vision and settling sun, the glow from the room was that much more vibrant and daunting.

It was his room he realized fearfully as he got closer. How could that be? He was sure he kept that light off, he hated the brightness it produced so he kept it off, always. He had no need for assistance in see in the dark and the few occasions he had found himself too tired to flip the switch only drained him more. He would lay there for a time until the headache became unbearable, and he was forced to do something about it. The light on the ceiling was truly an adversary he had never seen coming, though one that was much easier to resolve. Just one flip of a switch and he had won the battle. It made him feel like he had a bit of control in his world albeit small.

He did not know what gods, deities or demons to pray to as he kept his sight firmly on the window. Did demons even pray? He guessed not given his limited knowledge of religion, but he would give anything for it to not be Yukio waiting for him inside.

Rin didn't know if he should quicken his pace or slow it and settled on stopping all together. He was afraid that it would be his brother returned early. He would rather it be a hundred exorcist's guns trained on him or the devil himself, just anything but his brother. Rin had to return to a life of semi normalcy for this plan of Amaimon's to work. He needed the peaceful night to mull over it and settle before he could re-enter the classroom.

As much as he wanted to stand there in the darkness the light from the window seemed to be fixated on him. If it was not his room the shine had been coming from he wouldn't have cared and continued without a second thought. The light felt like a cage around him fixating him to the spot on the pavement just outside the building. He could not wait here any longer, the more he lingered the stronger his instincts stirred. The further the sun set and the darkness crept, the tighter his imaginary bonds became. It was almost enough to drive him mad.

He took a deep breath attempting to calm himself though it really didn't help. He took one stiff, heavy, step forward and the rest of his body reluctantly followed.

He could not trust his thoughts or his heart. Not while his emotional state was so vulnerable, but he could trust his nose. The scent that followed Amaimon made him feel safe, not even Mephisto could make him feel like that. There was comfort in the older demon's presence but not necessarily safety. He could trust his nose to tell him who was afraid. He could trust his nose to give away their location and he could trust it to tell him when they were gone. With those thoughts rushing through his mind he made the climb up the stairs to his dorm room. It felt longer than normal as he stopped to sniff every few steps. By the time he reached the hallway leading to his room he knew exactly who was waiting for him. Though he may have been grateful that it was not his brother, he still was not sure he liked the room occupant.

Rin, not even two hours ago, had run out on Shura. He had no idea what her mood would be like. She had been far more willing to help before his little outburst, but now he was not sure what to expect. As he stepped closer to his room he could smell the fear again, only this time it was different. The normal scent of fear that followed everyone he knew pushed him away and made him angry. This scent, however, was fear, but not directed at him. He was not sure what exactly Shura would have to fear if not him, but the thought made him concerned for her safety. Without even thinking on it he picked up his pace and entered his room.

There she was, kneeling on the floor, hands on her lap and eyes closed, almost as if meditating. She slowly opened her eyes and her gaze landed immediately on him. For a moment he forgot his previous troubles and felt small under her gaze. He averted his eyes out of instinct and let his hands trail on his side. His tail pooled on the ground and he could feel her take note of every action. She studied him for what felt like hours but was no more than a few seconds.

His mind was torn in several directions, but primarily it told him to run. If had not been for the earthy smell that still clung to his being he might have obliged. The talk he and Amaimon had was still in the forethought of his mind and it was the only thing rooting him. It gave him the beginnings of a goal which kept him from doing anything rash in the moment, despite his screaming instincts.

Rin needed to break the tension first. If he could start the inevitable conversation with Shura first, he might be able to keep his twin from finding out about his little outburst. He took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry." Rin whispered with swallowed pride.

Shura blinked a few times and from the looks of it trying to decide if this was a trap. She sighed opting to believe in his statement.

"I'm just... Tired." It was true, both mentally and physically, he just did not have the same energy.

She was thoughtful for a moment. She stood up and took a few steps closer, he resisted the urge to back away.

"Look, I'm sorry too, but you have to talk to me okay." She reached a hand up and rested it on his shoulder. "I know you're going through a lot but we're here to help."

Rin knew her kindness was genuine, but he already made his choice. This interaction would still pay off in his favor, he needed a way to wiggle back into their lives without it looking or feeling forced. Part of him felt bad for thinking of using Shura like this, but he kept reminding himself why he was doing it and he did not feel guilty.

"Okay, I'll try to be better." He mumbled. "But can we not tell Yukio about this?" He briefly brought his eyes up to meet hers as long as he dared.

Shura thought for a moment and Rin tensed. He desperately wanted to keep this from his brother. A confrontation between the two of them was bond to turn deadly at some point. Shura sighed loudly finally reaching a decision.

"Alright, don't make me regret this." She held her hand over her chest and with a mumbled word materialized Kurikara. Rin's eyes widened. He had not been allowed to have his sword since before the night in the woods. The exorcists wanted him to have better control before they let him wield his sword freely. And after that night, Mephisto had seen it fit to keep it that way, stating that he was not in the right frame of mind and the flames would consume him.

Shura held it out and gestured for him to take it. He hesitated, almost afraid it might be a trap. What if the exorcists or Mephisto found out, though he was more concerned with the latter.

"Go on." She coached.

Rin reached out a tentative hand and gripped the sword. He had forgotten how long his nails had grown as his hand wrapped around its girth. Their sharp edges barely grazed his teacher's hand, but they still drew blood. It was a fine mark that only spilled a few drops, she had not even noticed. The sweet scent drew his focus. His hold on the sword's covered blade tightened as the redolence of crimson intensified.

She let go of the sword first, unaware of the danger she had just been in. The action pulled Rin slightly to his senses and he cradled his long lost weapons close to his chest. His eyes were downcast and his hair shadowed his wild eyes, though she only saw it as quiet and thoughtful.

"We'll keep this whole night between us as long as you promise me you'll come to me if you need help." She left no room for arguing. He nodded and flashed her a brief and toothless smile. Shura left and gave him an understanding pat on the shoulder as she walked by.

Rin stood there, listening to her retreating footsteps as he stared at the tiniest droplets of blood still on the tip of his nail. He turned his hand up and watched it drip slowly down towards his palm. He was fixated on its scent and found himself wondering just how much he might like its taste. Surely something that smelled this sweet would also have a matching flavor. He brought his hand steadily to mouth. His tongue slowly snaked out between his lips while his heart thumped in his ears.

Suddenly, he remembered where he was. He quickly removed his hand before it made contact, dropping Kurikara with a thud on the floor. He turned and ran into the bathroom locking the door behind him. He washed his hands and splashed some of the cold water on his face. Rin placed both hands on the sink to steady himself. He made the mistake of looking up and at his reflection. His eyes were a vivid and glowing blue, but even through that hue he could see the tint of red.

He felt sick.

He stood in the bathroom with light off until he began to calm down. Once he could no longer hear the beating of his heart he backed away from the sink and leaned against the door. He slid down to the ground, he was content to sit there for the rest of the night. Without even realizing, he was staring at his hand again, only this time void of blood, Shura's blood. At that thought his queasiness came back.

Just what was he about to do?

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Assiah: The Cave

Year: x361

Rin was lost in the darkness.

A lesser demon might have found the empty void maddening, but not Rin. He embraced it as it nestled around him and filled all the cracks and gaps. It was always accompanied by the sound of water. Sometimes in drips, other times the rush of a stream, from water falls to dew drops, it was constant.

The cave they had found themselves in was not necessarily damp, but he could hear droplets of water running down a stalactite and into a small puddle. The rhythmic sounds of the water were soothing and pulled him into the darkness that gave him true sight. He could see everything happening around him and more in one quick blink. His mind would be pulled from his body to become a spectator in the world.

In an instant his mind's eye was back and the exorcists strong hold, or what was left of it. He could see Xzavier herding a young group of exorcists into room and conversing, though what was said was lost in the darkness before it ever reached his ears. Ordinarily, he would have had no reason to care for the Paladin's meeting except he recognized these people. He tried to find rational in what he was seeing but could find none. There they were, long supposed dead, standing in a room some three hundred years later. It stirred within him a feeling he had not felt since the last time he had been in their presence. He felt like a child again, on the verge of a tantrum and ready to scream.

Had he not been at the darkness's whim, he would have stayed, found some explanation or settled an urge he had never been allowed too. In another instant he was dragged out of that hallway and into a new one. This hallway was grim and his curiosity allowed him to put aside the vision of his supposed to be dead brother. The old grey stone was cracked and falling apart in some places. The rugs and tapestries were worn and stained. He did not know where this gift of sight had brought him, but it was certainly a long abandoned castle. But surly there was more to it than that. The shadows always brought him somewhere important. Each place they would bring him always played a role in his life. Good or bad, they had their reasons. They were trying to teach him something or sometimes warn him. He might not understand their meaning in the moment but their actions were never without purpose.

As if to confirm his suspicions, three figures came walking around the corner and down the hallway he had been brought. The two that trailed behind appeared human as far as he could tell, just perhaps dressed a little funny. The man wore a medieval warriors garb that reminded of the ones the guards donned back at his fathers castle. Though, this man had no sigil or crest he recognized. There was a small patch on his shoulder of some misshaped insect. It was an uncanny resemblance to a monster that had attacked him so many hundreds of years ago.

The woman was only a pace or two ahead. She too was dressed from a different time. The robe she wore he could only identify as maybe a wizards cloak. She kept the hood up but her long dark hair flowed freely out and around her face. She bore no identifying marks on the garment just a few symbols around the edges of the sleeves, her shoulders, waist and the parts closest to the floor.

Rin studied the markings on her close as she walked by. They were certainly no symbol of Gehenna. Alchemy, he realized. Briefly he recalled a conversation he had once had with his father and the King's hatred of the wizard clans. Rin had been confused by that until he explained that their power, though from Gehenna, was not a part of it. He had linked it back to Rin and the artificial darkness and how it too was not part of his kingdom regardless of what it looked like to an outsider.

The third figure they were following was a being he instantly recognized. If the void had given him hands he could have slapped himself for not noticing sooner. A fugitive from the kingdom of Time and Spence. His father had warned him how dangerous a criminal of Gehenna could be. There was no greater treason then betraying the realm. For a demon to go so far coincided the desperation to maintain it. A demon pinned in a corner was something even the mighty King of Gehenna took caution to.

The red cloak of the demon came out in points at his shoulder and out by his feet, giving him almost a bat like appearance. His top hat seemed to float on darkness where his head and face should be. To glowing eyes and a sharp smile were in place of what should have been a mans face. He led the two others to the end of the hall where two large doors equally effected by time, loomed. He brought both hands out from under his robe and pushed them open. He stepped to the side and waved his hand for them to enter. They made no acknowledgement of his actions as they stepped through the entrance. He did not seem offended and wore a mocking grin. Once they were through, he followed, grabbed the doors by the handles, but before he could close them he looked out into the hallway from where they had come. Rin felt the glowing white eyes land directly on him. It terrified him. He was virtually scene-less in the void. He could not hear, smell, feel or be seen. He was part of the darkness. With one sharp glance he knew he had been cut away from it and left defenseless. The wired grin the fugitive bore twisted tighter and snark.

He heard the resounding echo of a drop of water hit the ground.

Rin would never know what would have happen or what the demon would have done as the darkness grabbed hold of him once more and thrust him back to safety. He was back in his body lying on the cold hard ground of the cave. He could hear Egyn and Kuro's rhythmic breathing and the dripping of water. He nearly fell asleep to it when he heard to shuffle of foot steps. Two bodies slumped beside them and adopted a similar breathing pattern. Without opening his eyes, he knew it was his brothers having finally reached them. With all of them back together and the exorcists' days away from finding them, he allowed himself to fall into true sleep.

As it were, when he awoke he would not remember any of his experiences through his minds eye. The darkness gave him clarity like no other, but it was washed away as soon as he awoke. What little he could piece together from the events he could only interpret as dreams and nightmares. It would awaken his instincts just enough to make him anxious but nothing more.

Rin struggled much less to open his eyes then he had before. He yawned and pushed himself into a sitting position. Rubbing his eyes he glanced around the room to see his brothers and cat still asleep. He quietly tiptoed around them and out of the cave. It was dark out, a little after midnight he could tell, just the way his nocturnal being liked it. He leaned against the mouth of the cave and let the cool crisp air sooth him. The natural sounds of the forest were relaxing and could almost make him forget his troubles.

He had a terrible foreboding feeling. It dug its grip tightly into his stomach and made him sick. This was not the first time he had woken in such a state. The root of his unease had been making an appearance more frequently yet he could never fully identify it. He could grab bits and pieces, but never the whole picture. His family and even doctors had written off his discomfort as a psychological response from his human half adjusting to life as a demon. Rin knew that was not the answer but could not convince them. How could he? He was a mere infant in their immortal minds. They would tell him to give it time and eventually he would feel better. But he never did and now it's intensity and frequency had increased. Rin originally had planned to tell them, but eventually decided against it. Whenever he mentioned it he felt like he was bothering them. It had taken far to long for Rin to come to an understanding with himself and choose a side, he did not want to make things harder on them.

A short time later and Amaimon came out of the cave to join him in the night. Rin had his face down buried in his knees as he hugged them. At the sound of his brother sitting beside him he unraveled himself to sit cross legged. Amaimon reached into his pocket where he kept his near endless supply of candy. He unwrapped one and held out another for Rin. His older brother was never that good at expressing himself, but if he offered something of his it was his way of saying he cared. The younger hesitates for a moment but took the piece.

Rin could feel Amaimon's inquisitive stare on him. He did not know what to tell him, he didn't even know how to explain it to himself. He sighed and titled his head towards Amaimon.

"Before you say anything, I don't know." He knew Amaimon would mean well but he wasn't in the mood to be questioned. There was also the issue that they might wake the others and he would be under the interrogation of three brothers.

"I haven't felt something like this since-" Rin looked at the palms of his hands before closing them into fists, "In a long time." He decided on. He didn't want to relive that memory any more than he had in his restless sleep.

"Since what?" Though he may have posed it as a question, he knew Amaimon was more aware of than that.

"It doesn't matter now." He waved his brother off. After all these years the thought of reliving those memories felt like, well, hell. Only this time the version he did not like. Gehenna was his home he was fully immersed in the culture and its people. To subject himself back to the mental torture he had only just escaped was too much.

The two sat in the darkness, Rin grateful for the quiet, letting his mind go blank in the cool dark air. The crescent moon was giving a dim light, just enough to give illumination without clouding his judgment. In the years he had been living in Gahenna, he had grown a new appreciation for Assiah's stary sky. There was a beauty in Gehanna that he never would have seen had he not accepted his heritage, but there was a familiarity in Assiah that put him at ease, safe in a way. Though, not lately, even before this mini war with the exorcists. There was a something he could feel, deep in his core. Something was out of sorts in this world and it all pointed back to Xzavier's weird behavior. It had been a nearly a year since their last interaction and even then, if he thought back hard enough, the Paladin was acting strange. He had been distant, less open with him, like he was hiding something. Then when they met a day ago he was pushing him away. If there was one thing Rin would not tolerate from the paladin, it was lies. Their relationship had spanned too long and was too deep to be burdened with suspicion and betrayal. He would not ignored by an exorcist, especially Xzavier.

He turned abruptly to Amaimon. There was never any arguing with him when the fire burned just so behind his eyes.

"I'm going back."