Nameless: Part two
By: Nitemare_Angel
Time Placement: Suburban Senshi (Late 2005)
All mentions of things not belonging to the author’s imagination belong to those who created them.
June 23rd, Two thousand Four
One could still ponder why the hell a girl with her entire life ahead of her, at the age of twenty three, would be in an alley, alone with only some sort of bagged item, in the beginnings of winter. Yet there she was, fully escaped from the bloodstained home where her parents corpses laid mauled in every shape and form. She could imagine it clearly. The bodies dissected from the collar to the groin, the opened flesh pinned to the hips, as the intestines slowly pouring out of the bodies from the sides. The hearts were missing, the lungs were cut intricately so that every bronchiole was removed. The limbs were cut off sloppily, the legs and arms strewn across the floor, while the head seemed to just sit on the opened torso, staring at her with lifeless eyes. The eyelids were cut out so that the eyes would indeed remain open. Pins were placed in the cheeks to make sure that they were smiling when the police found the bodies. It was all so disgusting, and yet all so amazing to view.
And she had committed this maniacal crime. Once she learned the truth of reason to collect the spirits of those she hated, she emitted the wrath of her body, and ended the lives of the two people who nurtured her to this fucked up hell hole. They were to blame.
She could feel the chilling weather seem to brush against her legs, and she realized that she needed to do something before they chased her. Slowly, she rose to her feet, her hands hiding in the pockets of her jacket. She watched the people pass the alley, unnoticing of her. She wanted to find just the right person. Someone who wasn’t too strong to not seem like the one to commit a crime like this, yet not too weak. She could not risk it.
Slowly, she saw it. Someone who was tall, wearing a dark jacket. His hat was down, and he seemed to be in haste. She rose to her feet, moving carefully. With a swift movement, she threw a single card at him. The two of pentacles. The man stopped, and she smirked, closing her eyes. Her memories transferred to him, and slowly, he turned. Mad with rage. She smirked. Just as expected, and then slowly, ever so slowly, backed away.
But things didn’t always work out for Jedda as she’d hope. Perhaps they never worked out as she hoped. Nonetheless, the man had turned onto her.
“DIE BITCH!” He screamed, and she felt something, a switchblade go into her body. With a scream, she fell backwards, into the cloaked item, and she could feel the cloak disappear, along with her body, into the abyss.
Slowly, she opened her eyes, finding herself floating, and her body seemed to be falling, yet she was floating.
“No…”
“Oh yes,” Nameless floated around the lifeless body, the cloaked figure surrounding it like a snake, “You’re just a spirit without a body. Surely you must be blessed!”
“This…can’t be.” She stared down at the body, as it seemed to look down at the young one.
“Oh, but it is. At least that’s what your heartbeat almost says…”
“No, no, no.” She seemed to begin to scream, “NO! This can’t be!”
“Oh, but you’re wrong,” Nameless laughed, continuing to swarm around the body, “Perhaps now I shall sing a funeral song.” And he began to try to sing, or perhaps it was a screech.
“NO!” She ran toward him, “Please, keep my body alive, I need it! I need it to end the lives of those who killed sister!”
Nameless stared at her, floating on his back, “I am the giver, and I shall grant your wish. But you must find my name. The more in debt you are to me, the sooner you shall find that I shall limit my healing of your pain.”
“Anything,” She got on her knees, “Please. All I need you to do is preserve this body, and allow me this dimension…”
“Really, now?” He looked at her, “Perhaps for this, I’ll help you plow, but if I see you failing to seek my name, you shall find your entire spirit at the point of meeting defame.”
“Yes of course,” She nodded, slowly bowing, watching her body. The pale complexion…the blood pouring from the wound. She needed to stop this. Slowly, she gazed at the dimension around her, and looked at her tarot deck.
Surely there was something that she could do with this. Something Jedda could do to save herself and get her revenge. She had to annihilate those twins. If it was the last thing she did.
And so, she spread the cards around her, and called forth the many spirits of the Aster clan, forcing them to possess the different cards of the major Arcana. Two at a time so that there were ten cards. Then there only left two. She held her hand out, and the star crossed lovers became the rod of her necessity.
Now, all she needed to do, was find those to be her minions.
December 9th, 2005.
The window had been left open, Jedda knew that, as she threw her mirror out, and allowed herself to reenter the portal that held her there. Slowly, Jedda found herself floating, if only for a little while, until things began to shift. The mirror glowed if only a little, and the little one found herself outside of the dimension. Instead, she seemed to be floating, drifting through a swamp. She didn’t scream; she was used to the pain, but rather she began to wonder where she was. Questions lingered in her mind, but she would not dare ask them, for her memory slowly came to her. Memories of the tales which she had read and heard.
This was hell itself; Jedda’s final resting place until time were to end. She closed her eyes, not breathing, not screaming, but allowing the beings to take her wherever they were intending. From what she could feel, they were going downstream. Beneath her back, she felt the bubbles rising and cringed. The chanting she could not hear but she was now aware, as she felt their mouths almost touch her body. Slowly, she moved, gradually swimming to the edge of the bank, and climbed out of the River Styx. She brushed herself off, the light green dress now dark from the water and from the excretions. She began to walk, taking her time to be careful. She had no guide like Dante did, so she would have to rely on what little magic she could use in this form. Her cross was hidden beneath her cloak, and she knew that could only do so much. God had abandoned her long ago, and the girl was fully aware. Her tarot deck was hidden next to the cross, and she nodded to herself, beginning to move along the river.
She reached the proper, and gazed outward. She could see the movements beneath the water, the indication that there was fighting, and she looked up. Phegyas she knew would deny her access, so she reached for her deck, flipping through the cards. Slowly she drew chariot, and murmured a chant, until the card glowed. Slowly she backed away, and then took the swiftest dash she could, feeling her body glide as it rose. She landed with a splat, just at the edge of the River Styx, and could feel the hot water burn her ankles. She stepped out, noting the burns. She had to be careful.
She gazed upwards at Dis, and began to knock. Nothing happened. Demons peered down at her, and scowled.
“Go away, child of life. This is not your place. We shall tear you apart if we must,” The demons cried, but she said nothing, seeing the rip in the gate. Slowly, she walked toward it, but then she stopped. Three furies had appeared, and seemed to be calling something.
“Do not speak to me,” Jedda finally spoke, “Like this. Do not treat me like a child, for I am capable of summoning demons to devour your souls, and I will wear your skins like that of a king.”
“She liiieesssss,” A fury called, and yet the demons seemed to not move. She began to walk, keeping aware. The fury swooped down, and yet within seconds, the being was impaled by a sword. Jedda had drawn the Queen of swords at the right moment. All the demons stopped, and allowed her to pass. Jedda moved, still holding the fury which was attached to her sword.
“Clever girl,” It hissed, and Jedda continued to drive the blade along the flesh, ripping the flesh off gradually. She ripped off the wings, and took the flesh, throwing it over her shoulder. The fury laid there, only in muscle and bleeding. The being twitched, then seemed to die, and she walked, looking at the flesh, letting herself just ponder.
She moved toward a few tombs, kicking off the top and gazed in. There, someone seemed to rise.
“What is it you seek?” A heretic, his flesh burning seemed to ask, and she stared. He had been in a burning pit, his spirit was going to engage in this until eternity ended.
“I seek,” She said softly, “The King of Nothing.”
“Go away,” the man scowled, “You won’t find him here.”
He shut the tomb, and she was left alone. Sighing, the girl continued to walk. She soon found a large building made entirely of marble. Slowly, she walked toward it. Then quickly. She could hear the music, a soothing noise that seemed to make her relax, and yet she merely continued to walk, her feet bare as she felt the marble graze against the soles.
She saw the tombstones, and the people banging against them, and walked toward one.
“Excuse me,” she asked, and the man looked up at the girl, his body black and blue from banging into the slab, and she spoke softly so that he may not panic, “I seek the King of Nothing.”
“Nothing…there is none such a thing,” He whispered, “Not in this hell. Turn back young one of life, turn back before they find you and kill you.”
Slowly, she realized that the answer would be the same, as she continued to ask. And indeed, everyone conferred in the mausoleum, leaving her with no doubt that this was not where she would find it. And she knew, that she had trespassed with improper right.
Turning, she began to escape, running out of the mausoleum, out of the field, ignoring the burning coffins. She gradually found herself reaching the gate, where the demons all gathered, in their glory, looking at the girl. Even the fury, the one she had killed, stood there, flesh gradually growing upon the body.
“You have killed one of ourssssss,” The demons hissed, the furies seemed to approach, “We sssshall take you to where you belong.”
Jedda backed away, now in fear, her hand moving toward her deck, but the demons all seemed to move toward her, and she screamed as they began to try and tear the girl’s body apart. She lowered, trying to defend herself, and yet she knew she couldn’t.
That was, until she felt her hand cross the crucifix. Her eyes widened, and she drew the holy weapon, holding it above her head. The demons backed away, and seemed to laugh.
“You think that will defend you?” The demons laughed, “You are sssssssso wrong, child.”
Then they advanced, slowly at first, like a tiger to it’s prey. She turned, and dashed toward the mausoleum, running through the rooms, past the slabs of stone, past the tombs which held those in misery, out the back. The little girl ignored the stench. She finally drew the chariot card, and jumped right toward the edge of the River Phlegyas. Her eyes stared down the bloody river. She stared at the blood that boiled, as she continued to jump, keeping by the river as it flowed downstream. Jedda decided to throw them off by entering the wood of suicides, finding herself suddenly entangled in a tree, hoping they were gone.
The little one remained dead still for only a few moments, until she realized it. She was not alone. Slowly, ever so slowly, Jedda’s gaze shifted upwards.
And there she saw it. The blue coated, black shirted man. He had his legs crossed, and was staring down at Jedda with burning blue eyes. His white hair was short and spiked upwards. He seemed to stare at her for awhile, then smirked, jumping down, and a sword was held at her neck. The girl was deathly still, she could feel the jugular move against the cold blade.
“Now that I have your attention, what would a little human girl like yourself be doing in hell?” His voice was cold, and there was a malicious smirk on his face. She felt her hand shaking, the one holding her deck. The bright green eyes were filled with a greatest fear.
“Scared?” He smirked moving closer, and closer, the blade not moving, for if it did it would cut her throat open, “They’re always scared. They hear the stories of this place, and they always fear coming here. In dreams, and in death.
“But what little human would have the balls to come here?” Virgil asked, now grabbing her chin, staring at those green eyes, “Or are you even a human at all?”
Jedda had suddenly stopped shaking, her hand moving beneath her cloak. Virgil’s eyes had moved to her hands.
“How old are you, kid?” His voice was low, and his face drew closer to hers, “Did you just happen to find a book on magic, or is your heart so black that you could just wish yourself here?”
Jedda’s hand tightened around her deck, determining which card to draw. She had a choice among her cards. Swords, Wands, Cups, Pentacles. She slowly chose the card, then with swift action, she took the crucifix out.
The glistening cross seemed to stare at Virgil as he laughed. Nothng caused him to repel, and that was when she realized it.
“My god…” She whispered, “You’re not a full-”
“Don’t,” He slapped her hard, and she almost lost her balance, “you dare say it.”
Jedda found herself silent, still recoiling from the blow. Slowly, her hand finally drew a card, and she held it in front of him. There was a glow, and the blade seemed to take it’s form, impaling him in the abdomen. Jedda’s eyes went wide, as he seemed to not even make a noise, but just stare at her, then at the blade.
The first thing Jedda noticed, of course, was that this was not the usual Ace of Swords. There was one thing that stood out; the skulls on the handle. Oh no, this was far from any blade Jedda had held before. She felt her hands shaking as the blood drew on the blade.
“Where, child,” he hissed his hands reaching for the blade as to try and pull it out, “Did you get that blade? Where did you get Force Edge.”
As if it were an impulse, she drew the blade from him, and admired as the blood spurted, there his body seemed to heal. She almost forgot about the blade in her hands until she felt his hands on the blade.
“Give me it,” He growled, his eyes glowing. Jedda looked at him, and the realization hit her. This man wanted the blade for some reason, obviously. She could use this clearly to her advantage. A small smirk crossed her features.
“If you want it, you have to understand…” She pulled the blade from his hands, “You’ll be in debt to me.”
“Swine! You stole that from Dante!” He growled, and she only laughed, finally rising to her feet, managing to find new balance.
“Stolen or not, it’s mine now!” She laughed, jumping back, to find that the Chariot was still in effect, yet now she was merely falling like a feather. He got up, moving toward the edge of the branch.
“What do you want?” He asked, about to actually run forward and stab her with his sword.
“Your heart and soul have to be pledged to me,” She held up one of her cards, “Admit me to be your mistress, and I will grant you your blade.”
He seemed to stare at her, as if in contemplation, “Fine, give me the blade, Mistress.”
She smirked, holding a card. The Nine of Pentacles. She muttered a small chant, and the card glowed, then suddenly attached itself to the demon’s chest. There was a scream, and she was aware of it. The searing pain in his chest, as his heart was infused with the magic of the card. A moment later, the card was drawn from his chest, and flew back to her hand.
“Your soul belongs to me. I will call for you when the time comes. Until then…” She turned, “Be aware that if you even think of trying to go against the contract, I can merely rip the card in half, and your soul will be destroyed.”
She then seemed to jump away, and before the half-demon could even try to follow her, she had vanished before she even reached the top of her trajectory.
There was a pause, and he stared at his hands, “Clever little bitch.”