Chereads / Love From the Abyss / Chapter 3 - Tetsuki Toiguchi

Chapter 3 - Tetsuki Toiguchi

Surprisingly, in the abyss, some devils had access to copious amounts of information pertaining to the different planes of existence. For instance, the Prime Material plane was well known by some of the most intellectual devils, including Tetsuo. It was known to contain a more complex world of intelligence and an advanced system of nature created by the various gods of the Prime Material plane. It was feared by many creatures from other dimensions of existence because it was thought that they wouldn't be worthy for it, that it was too advanced for simple creatures like them. However, Tetsuo was well informed of this plane and had always believed that he was more than worthy enough to be part of this plane; that's why he chose to get teleported here as opposed to any other dimension.

"...ey! Wa…p…! W…ke…" Tetsuo heard a faint voice talking to him. "-llo…suo?" It whispered. Still half asleep and groggy, Tetsuo attempted to speak.

"Whossssss thhhhat?? Maaooom? Assmodium? Ashmodiosh…" Tetsuo mumbled. He didn't recognize the voice immediately, and he honestly did not care until he realized that he knew this voice.

"...etsuo? …tsuo? Tethuo!!" In the span of three, speakable words, the voice went clear. Tetsuo knew who was speaking to him.

"Krit… kriti… Kritilic!! Holy shit!" Tetsuo shot up from his fetal position and promptly looked around him. Then, realizing that this voice came from his body, he looked at his wrist, finding that his familiar was wrapped up around his wrist like a wrist sweatband. "Holy shit, Krit! I totally forgot about you!"

For his entire life, Tetsuo had a familiar: a magically summoned pet that's arcanely tied to its owner. Tetsuo's familiar's name was Kritillic: Krit, coming from the word critical, and illic, coming from Lilac Lick, an ability of Kritillic's. His familiar was an abyssal being, taking the form of a quadruped creature. What's special about a familiar is that some powerful familiars have abilities that enhance or compliment its user's abilities. For Tetsuo, Kritilic compliment's Tetsuo's arcane abilities by adding a little kick to each spell he casts. Kritilic, or 'Krit' for short, has a main ability called Lilac Lick. It mainly enhances the destruction that a damage spell creates by creating a larger radius for AOE spells, adding more fuel to explosion spells, and increasing the effectiveness of pure damage spells. Along with his main ability, Kritilic can serve as Tetsuo's second set of eyes while he concentrates on spell casting. As an abyssal beast, Kritilc can shapeshift his body to whatever he'd like. He could have an infinite number of eyes or arms or could even be as big or small as Tetsuo would like. That being said, with a large number of eyes, Kritilic can help Tetsuo. While Tetsuo is in a state of astral sense, for example, he is unable to see the world around him and goes into a state of astral sense. In order to ensure he is safe. Kritillic can psychically warn Tetsuo of the people around him and what's going on around him.

"Daymn, you weally forgoth abouth me, huh?" Kritilic unraveled himself from Tetsuo's wrist and turned into his pure abyssal form, breathing heavily like a dog and drooling all over the garbage bags. The 'throne' shifted slightly and Tetsuo's heart skipped a beat for a moment.

"Woah! Buddy, don't move. I know you're upset, but I didn't mean to forget about you." Beads of sweat started to form on Tetsuo's forehead. "Listen man, I've been through shit for the past couple days." Kritilic tilted his head to the left a little bit, closing his mouth. Tetsuo took a deep breath and looked up at his familiar. "Do you remember these past couple years and what I've been up to?" He looked up and dilated his eyes as if he were asking for mercy. Krit started to narrow his eyes.

"...Yeth, I do. You thtarted looking inthu tha human world, or the 'Prime Mathewial Airplane' or something." Kritilic drooled some more as he talked. "Then, you thtarted to look into-" It was at that moment that Tetsuo covered his familiar's mouth.

What Kritilic said was true; Tetsuo was so interested in the Prime Material Plane that it caused him to get in trouble. Tetsuo was very passionate about this plane because it had something that he wanted: a lost artifact. He discovered this artifact after reading an illegal book known as 'The Vanished Diadem.' It was written by someone who was killed centuries before Tetsuo was born. The book had information on a lost artifact that would be able to give any person who dons the piece such abilities and power that it could destroy cities and even challenge the power of Asmodeus, the king of the hells. The book was published but almost immediately illegalized because it pertained to an event known as, 'The Catastrophe of the Three Hells.' After discovering this artifact, an unknown being from the abyss abused its power and destroyed three of the nine circles of hell in merely an hour. However, this being was soon stopped after his destruction of the three hells as a result of him not being able to properly control the power that was gifted to him through the artifact. He fell through the hells, the artifact following with, and soon, the being was eviscerated by Asmodeus himself while the artifact fell through a natural plane shifting portal, landing somewhere on the Prime Material Plane. It was a couple centuries after that 'The Vanished Diadem' was written by a devil who discovered this event in the documents of the abyss. He investigated the three circles that were affected, who was killed and how they were killed, and finally wrote his book after a century of investigation. However, he was soon killed because the Abyssal Powers believed that if anybody knew about this event, it could occur once again, at a larger scale. Thus, when Tetsuo was discovered to have this book and was currently trying to locate the lost artifact, the Abyssal Powers were soon to follow him and have him killed.

"Okay, I get it. You already know what happened. They found me and I had to escape… It was only a matter of time til I could use that Plane Shift Spell. It was just at that moment, during the execution, that I was able to use it. I guess my arcane energy was really edgin' me that day." Tetsuo snickered to himself. In reality however, that was a lie. He had no idea why he was able to use the spell.

Tetsuo looked up for a little while, trying to figure out what to do. When he looked up, he noticed the night sky and how it was filled with stars, creating complex and intricate shapes with their formations. He stared at their complexity and the uniqueness of each star, how each one would radiate lights in pulses, some were bigger than others and how some were brighter and stronger than the stars around them. He took this moment to appreciate the peace of his environment. Taking in a deep breath of fresh, earthly air, he accepted his new home. Then, he gagged as a result of breathing in the nasty garbage-scented air. He looked down, making a scrunched and disgusted face.

"Hahahaha! You look tho thtupid." Krit laughed in a deep, growly voice.

"Shut up, you look like the physical manifestation of when you stub your fuckin' toe." Tetsuo was quick to come back. Krit's face went from a happy, smiley face to a sad, disappointed one. "Anyway, let's head out, shall we?"

Looking at the alleyway now, Tetsuo wasn't as scared of the distance down and decided to slowly descend via wall hopping. He felt extremely energized and proud and in the moment, he stood up too quickly. He put his hands to his hips and puffed out his chest, but it was already too late; the young demonborn caused the trash bag he was standing on to topple and fall.

"Oh shi-" As a result, he lost balance and fell the full ten meters with his used-to-be throne of trash. As he hit the ground, his body went into full shock and caused him to tense up. He couldn't move a single muscle, forcing him to watch the rest of his 'throne' topple down onto him. Under all of the trash bags, Tetsuo heard the heavy steps and the low, gruffy laugh of his abyssal beast.

After escaping the mess that he made, Tetsuo limped to the outside of the alleyway where he looked left then right. Waiting to the right, he saw his familiar, panting and still giggling to himself.

"Fuck you." Tetsuo spat at his pet, his pet spitting back. Other than him, the streets were empty and not a single being was there. It was just him and the night sky, lit up by the beautiful stars above. Limping and grabbing his left knee, he walked to the right of the alley, trying to seek for a place to stay the night and figure out what to do. In his mind, he had a general idea of what to do; find a home, assimilate with the beings of this plane, and create a new identity for himself. He couldn't be known as Tetsuo anymore, or at least what he believed who Tetsuo was. He'd have to become someone new: a human.

As Tetsuo wandered, he found a large lake where he knelt by the bed of water, looking down at his reflection. He looked at his face and his body and how alien it was to this world. As he tried to imagine a new face, he closed his eyes. He went through the different people he wanted to be, who'd fit him the best and who'd seem the least suspicious. After thinking for a while, he knew what he wanted to become: Tetsuki, the high schooler interested in engineering. Opening up his eyes, he drew arcane energy from the core of his body, and using the spell alter self, Tetsuo changed his physical appearance. He was no longer the long horned demonborn with red, scaly skin. He was a dark haired, pale skinned human with a skinny face and a fairly lean body. He wore glasses and had a fairly good sense of fashion and a nice, clear voice. He was no longer chaotic and evil, but rather respectful and honest. He was no longer Tetsuo Higuchi. That night, he became Tetsuki Toiguchi.