"Where the hell are we?"
Kioku, Mora and Zeru had stepped out of the portal and found themselves in a thick forest bathed in night. Zeru stepped forward and placed his hand on the ground and closed his eyes, he opened them shortly and turned to Kioku.
"There's no human Arch signatures for a good distance from where we are."
"Are you sure this is the correct route to Asgard?" Asked Mora skeptically.
"Yeah," said Zeru with a nod. "To get to Asgard we have to travel to the closest planet to it in a realm called Midgard."
"Lets move, we might find civilisation at some point," said Kioku walking forward. The three walked for a good distance and they still remained in the forest, the moon hung high above them and numerous animal noises reverted around them.
"Lets stop here for today," Kioku said finally. Zeru set up camp and soon they trio sat around a fire eating roasted meat.
"Assuming we help the situation in Asgard, where to we go from there?" Asked Mora.
Zeru picked up a stick and drew five circles on the ground. He labelled each circle with the letters, A, O, S, T, E.
"From Asgard we have to go Olympus and meet up with Hades and Poseidon," said Zeru pointing at the the circle labelled O.
"After Olympus we move into the Six Realms of the Buddhist, here we'll join up with the Buddha Sakayamuni."
"The Six Realms are right next to Takahagamara, the realm of Shinto which is the headquarters of the Heavenly Society so we have to be careful," said Kioku thoughtfully.
"Wait, after we finish up business in Six Realms doesn't that mean we'll have to go to Takahagamara?" Asked Zeru worriedly.
"We have to help Uncle Susanoo so we have to go there, right Kioku?"
"But that's suicide!" Shouted Zeru.
"Our mission in Takahagamara will just be to check on Susanoo, we'll avoid conflict as much as possible," said Kioku. He had already mapped out a plan, if all went well, which it wouldn't then it would be a smooth mission.
"Okay," said Zeru sounding more relaxed.
"In the event that you are caught, kill yourself, understood."
Mora nodded and after a few moments Zeru did as well. Mora stood and yawned loudly and started for the forest.
"Where you going?" Asked Kioku.
"Relax emo prince, I'm just tired of sitting here," said Mora in a bored voice. "I'm going to scout ahead, I'll send a signal if I find anything."
Mora disappeared into the woods leaving Kioku and Zeru in silence. After a good hour, Kioku turned to Zeru, his expression hard.
"Did you confirm it?" Asked Kioku in a grave voice.
"Yeah," said Zeru in the same tone. "According to the records the soul rune needs a complete hour of preparation to activate. You said you didn't complete the preparations so your life span wasn't reduced however, consequences of that is a rip forming on your soul."
"A rip?"
"Yes, your life force will leak out until you die, you will be dead in a year at most," said Zeru looking at Kioku with a sad expression. Kioku stared blankly at the fire and let out a short laugh.
"If I'm able to help the war situation during that period then I've achieved the mission," said Kioku with a smile, he turned to Zeru and looked him directly in his eyes. "If I die continue the mission understood."
"Yes sir."
"Go look for Mora he's been gone too long."
Zeru stood and disappeared into the forest in the same direction Mora left in. When Zeru left, Kioku looked at fire with a sad expression.
"Even I do survive this, I'm going to do die," said Kioku. "So no matter what happens, I still lose huh."
♤♤♤
Mora walked aimlessly through the woods looking for civilisation. He had forgotten the way back to camp and was becoming increasingly tired.
"Better send up a signal then," said Mora raising his hand to the sky, he stopped himself as he felt a familiar feeling.
"Bloodlust," Mora said turning to his right. He followed his senses and found the source of the bloodlust in a nearby clearing, he saw a man and a woman facing each other and hid behind a tree to conceal himself.
The man was tall and built and had smooth red skin, his eyes were completely black and his hair was black and fell to his shoulders. He wore blood red armour with spikes protruding from it, at his back was a large deep red greatsword.
The woman was extremely beautiful despite her simple appearance, her bright green hair was long and silky and her eyes were emerald green giving her the appearance of a goddess. She wore a knee high black dress with black canvas.
"I know your true nature," said the man in a surprisingly light voice. "His majesty will reward me greatly for returning with you."
"I didn't know Nitram's demon army had such foolish generals," the woman said in an exasperated tone.
"I have told you many times that you have the wrong idea."
The man looked coldly at the woman as he pointed a finger at her. "It seems as though you need to be disciplined."
Mora was about move to save the women when surprisingly Zeru appeared next to her. Zeru took hold of the woman and appeared where Mora was and grabbed him as well, he put his hands together and dissolved into the shadows. The man remained silent but his eyes had a cold fury to them.
"I hope they don't think that they can escape me."
♤♤♤
Zeru appeared with Mora and the woman at the campsite they had set up. The woman tried to run away but black chains rose from her shadow and bound her. Kioku was still sitting the same place but with the hood of his cloak on which half hid the angry expression on his face.
"Explain," said Kioku his voice evident with anger.
"Well, Zeru here," began Mora but Zeru spoke first.
"We brought her here because we thought she might be able to give info," said Zeru.
"Mora, you said you were going to scout ahead not find a girlfriend," said Kioku with a sigh.
"Hey, Zeru was the one who actually brought her I was just watching quietly," Mora said defensively.
"Don't act as if you weren't planning on doing it yourself."
"Enough!"
The three boys turned as the woman shouted angrily. "That man was a general of a demon god's army, he'll stop anything to find me and by taking me you've doomed yourselves as well."
"Who's she talking about?" Asked Kioku.
"Ah, someone there was trying to kill her," said Mora. "Didn't think he was that important though."
"And you got us involved," Kioku said in an exasperated tone. "We have to leave, we don't want to get involved with whatever is happening. Leave her."
The woman watched with a panicked expression as the three began to leave. They were not joking, they were planning on leaving her to the mercy of the demon general.
"Wait!" Shouted the woman in a panicked voice. Kioku half turned and faced the woman, his eyes were emotionless but the woman stared directly into them. In that moment Kioku felt something he had never felt before as he looked at the helpless woman before him, as if something within him had awoken.
"I can guide you out of this forest," the woman said frantically as loud a loud explosion was sounded in the distance. "Please take me with you."
Kioku looked at the woman intently ignoring the nearing explosions. 'There's something about her, what was that feeling.'
"Why should I believe you?"
"You don't have much of a choice."
The explosions grew louder and closer but Kioku did not move he remained looking at the woman in front of him. Zeru looked from Kioku to the woman and was wondering if Kioku was planning on killing her and moving on.
Kioku scratched his head and groaned, he waved his hand and the chains binding the woman disappeared.
"Tell Zeru the closest location we can teleport to."
"Zeru, form a gate, me and Mora will hold off the general," Kioku said as he moved towards the direction of the explosions. The woman's eyes widened when she saw Kioku and Mora moved forward.
"Wait, are you planning on fighting him with just the two of you?" Asked woman.
"What do you think?"
"This should be interesting," Mora said with grin.
The two disappeared through the forest leaving the woman with a shocked look.
'Who are these people.'