The next day, afterschool, I met up with Erebus and Hemera in the marked room where we had left off, and we decided to go over the plan Erebus and I had made that morning.
"So, we first have to find where the other part of the map is. I asked the Daytime Beauty where it was out, but she didn't know where it was," Erebus started, going over our battle plan.
"Sorry, I don't know what I don't know!" She said, winking at me.
Yeah, not helpful at all.
Erebus simply nodded before continuing. "After we find the other part of the map, wherever that may be, we can make our way to the third level, and then all we need to do then is reach the roof, where Beelzebub is waiting for us." He flipped the demon key in his hand before placing it on the table.
"It's up to you King. Where do you wanna go this time?"
I frowned as I looked at the map, which was on the table. Where else haven't we been too yet? It was then I noticed it.
"We'll go back here," I said, pointing at the courtyard we originally started at. "It looks as if there's another way to go there, since we're at a dead end here."
He gave me a wicked grin. "There's that decisiveness coming into work King! Come, let us set out once more to trample upon the demons we hunt!"
Our party of three rushed through the palace, slaying the demons in whatever fashion Erebus described, until we finally reached the point where we started.
Not including the way we came in, there was only one other way into the courtyard, the only way we hadn't gone yet. I motioned the other two to follow me, and we entered a new area of the palace I had envisioned.
"Okay, you've reached a new area of the palace. You don't have a map for this area, so what do you do?"
And without missing a beat, I answered. "Search for demons who know anything, and we once find out any useful info, we kill them."
We proceeded through the palace once more, maneuvering our way around the ground floor, where eventually we found ourselves at near a flamboyant entrance, where three guards were talking amidst themselves.
"You listened in to the three's conversation, and you find out one of them is carrying the other half of the map. What do you do? All three look tough, so it won't be easy like the other ones."
Well damn. Gotta be quick before they notice though. "I'll wait to see if they separate, and if they don't, we'll kill em all."
As it turned out, the guards didn't separate, so me and my party of three had no choice but to fight them. It was a hard-fought battle, but we managed to triumph, but not without some casualties…
"I'm sorry Depra, but it seems I've screwed up…" Hemera said, as she lay there dying, that same ridiculous smile on her face.
"No, it can't end like this!" I yelled out.
She shook her head. "No, it's okay. Don't worry about me. Go and tackle your demons. If it's you, I know you can do it."
"Hemera…"
She still had her wonderful smile on her face as she said her last words to me. "Make sure you buy me snacks when you're finished, got that?" And the Daytime Beauty breathed her last, leaving our merry band back to two…
I gritted my teeth, nodding as I grabbed the other half of the map we needed, finally able to make our way to the third floor.
"You have all the necessary requirements to reach the roof now King, but it seems you've lost a valuable teammate. What will you do?"
And without any hesitation, I spoke. "We're going to the roof to settle it."
And our party of two rushed through the palace, the enemies now aware of our presence, but it no longer mattered. All we needed to do now was reach the roof and kill Beelzebub, and it'll all be over.
We finally reached the third floor, there but a single hallway leading to our final destination, the final set of stairs leading to the roof. But, standing in our way was..!
"It looks like a high demon. This one will be no joke, but they're the only thing standing between our way. What will you do?"
"I'll fight!" And our party took the high demon head on, defeating him, but also losing one final member…
"Alas King, it seems you alone have to be the one who deals with him," Erebus said, his red eye gleaming at me in determination. "I believe in the end, you'll make the correct choice, no matter the circumstances." He handed me the demon key, nodding at me.
"Not you too teacher!"
"Ah, but it's time for the student to surpass the student. You can do it, I just know it…" he gasped, and breathed his last, leaving me alone.
I clenched my key tightly, before glaring at the final set of stairs. And as I made my way to the roof, I screamed out the name I hated most.
"BEEEELZEBUUUUUB!"
I put the key in and unlocked the door, slamming it open to find a lone demon staring up at the bloodred red sky.
"Ah, so it seems there's only you left." He turned around, a cloak covering his face.
"I've come to kill you, Beelzebub."
"Hmph, someone like you lost all their power long ago. Whatever sliver you hold left is not enough to beat me, an Archdemon of hell!"
"Of course, I figured it was you, yah stupid nitwit!"
"Ouch! Necessitas, what the hell!?
My immersion was ruined, and I blinked to see Necessitas pulling on Erebus' ear.
"Hey, what the hell are you doing my beloved Dark Empress?"
"I'm not yours!" Erebus' screaming got louder.
Hemera, who was standing behind me, was laughing. "Ah well, it was fun while it lasted, right Depra!?"
Oh crap, I totally did something embarrassing, didn't I? I started to roll on the ground and scream internally as I started to lose years off my life from the amount of cringe I was going through.
"Agh fuck! This was so embarrassing!"
I heard familiar laughing, and looked up to see the person playing Beelzebub, Hiro.
"I thought I might find something interesting if I played along, but who knew you could get so into character Depra!?"
"Agh, kill me now please!" I moaned and held my head to the ground, the cringe still killing me severely.
"See, this is why you shouldn't do this type of shit! And don't drag Depra into it!"
"But it was for training, I'm telling you my beloved Dark Empress!"
"WHO SAID I WAS YOURS!?" I heard a loud scream, and I temporarily forgot my own pain as I watched Erebus get KO'd by Necessitas. She brushed her hands and sighed.
"What an idiot." I got up as she walked towards me, holding her phone. "Hey, give me your phone number, and if he tries to drag you into his fantasies again, just shoot me a text, and I'll be back faster than you can say 'order,' got it?"
"Oh, me too! I want Depra's phone number too!" I exchanged phone numbers with the two girls, and Necessitas looked back at Erebus and shook her head, adjusting her glasses.
"He really is an idiot."
"Aw, but you love him all the same, don't yah Necessitas?" Hemera teased, poking her in the side.
Her face flashed red as she quickly turned around. "Oh whatever, leave me alone already!"
Hiro walked next to Erebus, poking his body. "Hey dude, you still alive?"
He groaned as he managed to peel himself off the floor. "Yep, I'm fine." He got back to his feet and nodded. "After, I am one who always lurks within the Darkness, forced into the night at a young age and taught to fight demons, I am the Crimson-Eyed Dark-Haired warrior of the night, all who hear my name quiver in fear, for my name is Erebus of the Blazing Red and the Billowing Black, Slayer of Demons, Ruler of all those in the Dark!"
Whoa, he said something without getting interrupted by Necessitas. I glanced back at her, and she seemed to be engrossed in her conversation with Hemera.
I walked next to Hiro, who I already knew was gonna tease me for a long time to come. "You know, if you wanted to act Chuunibyou, you should've asked the Hidden Club. We would've happily have done it for you!" Ah, if only he wasn't snickering the entire time he said that, maybe I would've believed him.
Erebus cleared his throat, and Hiro nodded at me. "Anyway, I'll see you later at the club, right Depra?"
"If you say so," I grumbled, and he left, chuckling to himself.
"It seems I have no more to teach you King! You have learned everything you need in order to make that first crucial decision for true change. The rest lies within your conviction, but you'll find that in due time."
Once again, I really don't know if I learned anything. "Thanks, I guess. I'll be sure to use what I learned."
He gave me a smile, and he offered me a hand. "You've made me proud King."
I shook, a small smile spreading on my face. "Thank you, I mean it."
"Ah, but first, phone numbers." He whipped out his phone, which was a black case with a crimson eye in the center. We quickly exchanged them, and Erebus waved me goodbye.
"Farewell King! Until our next battle!" I tossed him the key, and he pocketed it. Although, there was one thing bugging me.
"Hey, why exactly do you call me King?
Erebus turned around, and a sly grin appeared on his face as a slight breeze came through. "Who can say, except for those who know?"
Suddenly, I felt overwhelmed by a feeling of joy and happiness, and I clutched my head as I saw a young boy with one red eye give me a sly grin.
"You have to be the King, since you saved us!" And the breeze just barely showed me what the boy's hidden eye looked like, and I was sucked into black before blinking, looking at Erebus, who was now walking back to the two girls waiting for him.
And once again, the feeling dissipated as quickly as it appeared, and then there was nothing but a yawning abyss...
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I watched Depra walk to the school gate, grinning to myself. "Alright, it seems he's doing quite well."
"I see, so that's who she's been walking home with. Huh, isn't he the guy who went crazy earlier in the school?"
I whirled around to the voice and found a girl who was watching Depra leave with Pandora, like me. She had short black hair with green eyes, and she somehow managed to sneak up on me, a feat that even the most skilled would have trouble doing.
"Who the hell are you?" I asked, on guard as I instinctively clutched my key. She frowned as she noticed me, stepping back.
"Isn't it rude to ask people their names without telling them their own first?"
I almost laughed. "Okay, fine then. I'm Hiro, a senior. And you?"
She looked me up and down and shrugged. "Okay, I'm Mestra, and I'm a sophomore. Why are you spying on them?"
I turned back around to see Depra laughing at something Pandora said, and they quickly vanished. I sighed before turning back to the girl named Mestra.
"I'm assuming you're a friend of Pandora's then?"
"Yep, known her longer than I would care to admit. And that boy, you've known him long?"
I chuckled. "No, but it sure as hell feels like it. Met him sophomore year."
She nodded, looking at me curiously. "Hmm, you don't seem like a bad guy, but I feel as if I've seen you before somewhere…"
"Nah, I'm a nobody," I said, quickly changing the subject. "I'm assuming you're here to make sure it works out between those two?"
A brief look of surprise, and a small smile was brought on her cute face. "I see, so you're the same then."
"You wanna work together then? I'm gonna need to talk to Pandora eventually, so if you wanna talk to Depra then, that's fine with me."
"Ah, so Depra's his name then? Interesting…" I leaned against the school building as she pondered her choices. "Fine, let's make sure nothing get's in their way, got it?"
I grinned. "Deal." And we shook on it.