Chapter 24

In the fiery depths of Hell, Satan was busying himself with paperwork.

Hell wasn't what most Earth-dwellers though it was, a place of torment and horror. There was no torture, no sinners to harass. The dead didn't go to Heaven or Hell. Instead, they either went to a place called the Afterlife if they had been good in life or a place called the Underworld if they had been bad. God decided where they went, but Satan had a part in monitoring the sinful ones. That was the whole point of Damien's assassination list, to weed out the worst of Earth and end their lives, thus sending them to the Underworld. Then Satan had to hear their case and judge whether they should go there or not, like a demonic lawyer. That was what all the paperwork was for, a list of deceased souls fighting to prove they should go to the Afterlife.

The angels and demons, along with God and Satan, were the only inhabitants of their domains. Hell was a metropolitan-like world, with Satan being the king. Satan wasn't a person, but a title. When the current Satan retired or if he died, his offspring would take over and take on the name. The reign of Hell - and potentially the Earth - was more like a business, passed down through generations. Satan was the first to have this title, and even though Damien wasn't his only child, he was next in line. It was tradition for the title to go to the spider child, who was most often the youngest.

Satan sighed, rubbing his head. He had to take a break for a while or he'd drive himself to madness. His head was throbbing and he was getting bored. He pushed aside the stack of papers and made a mental note to continue them later. Right now, he wanted to play with his puppet collection.

As soon as he stood up from his desk, a puff of black smoke appeared in front of him. It dissipated to reveal Lucifer, Satan's second-in-command. The usual smile he always had was gone, and his three heads bowed in sorrow.

"What's wrong?" Satan asked.

Lucifer pursed all three lips. "I'm afraid something has happened to the prince, sir."

He proceeded to tell him all about Damien's meltdown and sectioning into a psychiatric hospital. Satan couldn't believe it. He knew Damien was going through a rough time, but he didn't know it was this bad.

"Thanks for telling me, Lucifer." Satan said. "Please visit him and cover him in Hell smoke. We can't risk God or Dana finding him right now." He dismissed Lucifer, who bowed and vanished.

With Lucifer gone, Satan was alone with his own thoughts. He knew he was partly responsible for Damien's troubles, leaving him with those evil bastards. He should have brought him up himself, but he was too wrapped up in his duties in Hell that he didn't have the time. He had no idea what was going on until it was too late. He should have at least checked to see how he was doing before he turned 13, when those two were already dead. He wanted to see his son more than anything, but if anyone in the hospital saw him, Damien's life would be in danger. He couldn't exactly make his devilish features vanish. He could tuck his tail into his trousers, but his massive horns were still an issue. The thought of his dear son alone and suffering destroyed him.

Unable to hold his sorrow any longer, Satan cried into his hands. He was such a terrible father.

A telepathic message in his head from his own terrible father interrupted his lamentations.

"Is he ready to fight yet?" God asked him for the thousandth time.

"No, he's not, and he won't be for a long time! Stop asking!" Satan snapped. His eyes went wide. "S-Sorry, I didn't mean to get annoyed like that-"

"You're lucky you're in Hell, otherwise I would smite you down for speaking to me like that."

"I'm so sorry. It'll never happen again. Please forgive me." Satan pleaded. "But he can't fight right now."

"And why is that?"

"He's in a coma." Satan said the first thing that popped into his head. He couldn't actually think of a response. God could read his thoughts. He would discover his lie immediately.

"Is that so? Then why can't I see him?" God's voice was cold, as usual. Satan couldn't tell if he bought it or not. "I'm searching Earth right now, but I'm not picking up his presence."

"Maybe your omniscience is off."

God hummed. "Perhaps."

A relieved sigh escaped Satan's lips.

"However, once Damien is fully conscious, he will be fighting my daughter. I've been lenient enough these past four years, but I've run out of patience. They will have their final battle for Earth whether you agree to it or not."

Satan swallowed the lump in his throat. "Yes, of course."

With that, God disappeared from Satan's mind. He knew he couldn't say no or try to worm his way out of it. God had become fed up with waiting. This was bound to happen at some point.

The thing he had dreaded most was going to happen. He was unable to save his son from the fate Dana had in store for him.

☽☾

At the Imperial Palace, Dana was in the middle of her daily yoga session. This was her way of relaxing, watching instructional online videos and copying them. She had a lot of stress to deal with. Even world rulers needed time to themselves. After this, she would meditate for an hour, then take a break with a juice box and watch TV.

Everyone else thought that juice boxes were for little kids, but Dana thought they were all fucking stupid. Juice boxes were her much needed sustenance, suitable for any age. She would hang a bitch if they told her she couldn't have one.

Her mind was clear and calm, until she heard a voice echo in her head.

"I've just spoken to Satan. He told me Damien is in a coma."

"Are you serious?" Dana yelled to the empty room. "How can he fight me if he's in a pissing coma? Which hospital is he in?"

"That's the problem – I don't know. I've searched all over Japan, all over earth, and I can't find him."

Dana narrowed her eyes. "Do you really believe Satan was telling the truth?"

"Not at all. Do you?"

"No." Dana shook her head. "He must have said that so I wouldn't go after Aoi."

"Yes, that's what I suspected as well. The boy must be hiding somewhere, concealed by Hell smoke."

"Don't worry, father." Dana picked up her kusarigama. "I'll find him for you."

After the conversation was over, Dana told Julien she was going out for a while. He insisted on coming, but she told him to stay behind. She didn't want him getting involved.

Damien was hers and hers alone.

☽☾

Richard placed his book down on the small coffee table and took a sip of his tea. He was enjoying a rare moment of silence. In this house, it was a miracle to find any quiet time. He sighed in content and gazed out of the open window.

He almost had the house to himself. Carrie was here, but she wasn't loud, so he didn't mind. She never bothered him. Gabriel had gone shopping since they had barely any food. Richard grumbled. He was going to buy that organic crap that was way too expensive to be reasonable. ¥2,000 for a box of strawberries. It was ridiculous. Gabriel thought they were healthier and tastier, but Richard couldn't tell the difference between them and the cheap kind. Buying fruit in bulk cost more than the goddamn house itself. Richard swallowed his cooling tea in large gulps. He had to stop thinking about it. Stressing over money was the biggest killer of men today, or at least he thought so.

Claire and Kitty were visiting Damien in the psychiatric hospital. It had become part of their daily life. Richard didn't understand why they bothered. It would be nice to see him, but they were never allowed to. He was on suicide watch and wasn't able to have visitors. Still, they went there every day without fail. Their dedication was admirable, but even a saint would give up when faced with constant disappointment.

The poor boy had been through so much. Claire had told him what had happened when Damien was little. No one should have to suffer through such horrific things, especially not a child. If he had the chance, he'd kill the evil bastards himself. Richard sighed. They didn't deserve to be parents. It hurt him worse when he thought about his own family, his husband and his own son who were no longer in this world. He longed to have them back, to be able to kiss his husband and play football with his son. They died a long time ago, but the pain never went away.

Shaking his head in sorrow, Richard lay his empty mug down on the table and picked the book back up. He was about to start the next paragraph when he heard a colossal crash upstairs. He jumped up from his seat and made his way to the staircase.

"Carrie, is that you?"

But there was no answer. Richard stood at the bottom of the stairs, perplexed and a little nervous. It had to be Carrie. There was no doubt about it.

That's what he thought, until he saw Carrie come in through the kitchen door.

"Is what me?"

Brown eyes widened in shock. "Weren't you just upstairs?"

"No, I was not." Carrie slowly said. "I was in the kitchen, making a sandwich. I cannot eat, but I like to look at them. It reminds me of being alive again."

Richard's blood ran cold. As if to frighten him further, another bang came from above them. There was no one else here except for the two of them, or at least there shouldn't have been. Who the hell was making that noise?

Willing himself to be brave, Richard tiptoed up the stairs. Once he got to the top, he stopped and listened. Objects smashing and angry muttering, coming from Damien and Kitty's room. Richard frowned. No one should have been in there right now.

He crept up to the door, opened it a smidge and peered inside. He couldn't see anything at first, apart from the mess in the room. Someone had trashed it. Before he could slide the door open, a pale face appeared in the gap.

Richard stumbled back a bit. The door ripped open, and an enraged Dana stood there. Her icy blue eyes were wild and dangerous.

"Where is Aoi?" She demanded with a snarl.

"What?" Richard responded without thinking.

His brain couldn't register what was going on fast enough. Dana growled like a rabid dog. Before Richard could even blink, he was flung down the stairs by an unseen force.

As he smacked down onto the floor, he heard and felt a horrific crack in his back. Intense pain flooded his body. He grunted and rolled onto his side in an effort to stand.

"Richard?" Carrie exclaimed. She ran over to him as fast as her plush legs allowed her. "Oh dear, what is wrong?"

"She's here." He croaked out, then groaned as his injured back throbbed.

"Who is here?"

"The girl." Richard desperately tried to remember her name, but his mind was blank. "The evil girl is here!"

He saw Carrie glance up the staircase, then her jaw dropped. Her hand started glowing blue. She ran, carrying Richard with her telekinesis. She dodged just in time. Dana flew down and smashed her kusarigama into the ground where they were.

☽☾

Chips of broken wood splintered into the air. Dana yanked her weapon out of the ground, then launched herself at Carrie and Richard again.

"You're hiding him from me!" She yelled as she swung her kusarigama.

Carrie swerved out of the way and she dashed to the door with Richard floating above her. She ran out of the house, Dana at her heels. Once she got outside, she lay Richard on the grass.

She was going to have to fight.

"You have to run." Richard told her. "Get out of here and get to safety."

"I am not leaving you!" Carrie said. "I cannot die, not again. You can. Therefore, I will protect you with all my strength!"

True to her word, Carrie did her best to save him. She shot barbed wire from her hands at Dana as she advanced on them. The barbed wire wrapped around her, constricting every time she breathed. Dana growled again. Her body became white and glowed bright, and the wire melted off her.

If button eyes could widen, Carrie's would have. Dana ran at her and booted her across the garden. Richard shouted her name in horror as she skidded on the tarmac of the road.

She knew she had no chance. She was weak in this doll body. When she was in her prime, before Damien sealed her in this wretched form, she was undefeatable. It was her own fault, really.

Two years ago, she had kidnapped Damien to be her friend, and almost killed him when Claire and Richard came to get him back. She was unstable at the time. Spending over a thousand years alone drove her insane. She wasn't thinking clearly. As a punishment, Damien sealed her inside her doll, which looked exactly like she had in human form, and took her back with them. She was angry at the time, but she came to view them as friends. All she ever wanted was a friend, even when she was alive, so she went to extreme lengths to get one. Her childhood was lonely. Her parents were cold and strict. They gave all their love to her sister, Elizabeth, and ignored her. She only wanted affection and praise, but they sent her away. After she died of pneumonia at age 14 and awoke as a ghost, she became obsessed with kidnapping people to be her friends. Now, she had genuine companions, a real family, and she was sure as Hell going to save them.

Her barbed wire burst from her hands. It wrapped around Dana's arms and legs, making her drop her kusarigama. It lifted her up, then slammed her hard onto the ground many times. She released her. Dana didn't get up. Carrie breathed a sigh of relief, but it was short lived.

With a sickeningly sinister giggle, Dana rose, covered in mud and grass but uninjured. She grabbed her kusarigama and charged at Carrie. She was going to stab her with the blade.

Carrie tried to use her barbed wire again, but found she had run out of energy. She had used up all the power she had in this pathetic body. She cursed as Dana got closer and closer.

Dana laughed and swung her weapon. Then a wave of water pelted her.

☽☾

Claire and Kitty had been to the hospital to check on Damien.

To say he wasn't coping was an understatement. He had been on suicide watch yet again. The nurse informed them that he had tried to kill himself by caving his own head in. He'd smashed it against a wall until it bled. They were able to see him for a minute, but he was catatonic from the drugs they'd given him. Claire told him they buried Daisuke. It wasn't the right time, but she said she didn't want to keep it from him. Kitty wasn't sure he even heard her. He was like a zombie. They stayed there for about half an hour before they had to go home. It upset Kitty seeing Damien suffer.

They were already in low spirits before they got home, and when they arrived back to see Dana attacking, they felt even worse.

Claire spewed a ball of water at Dana, knocking her off her feet. The kusarigama fell from her hands and she landed on her back. She sat up and glared at Claire.

"What do you want, Natsuki?" Claire asked in a cold tone.

"I want Aoi! Where is he?"

Claire clicked her tongue, which seemed to aggravate Dana even more. "He's not here."

The instant Kitty laid eyes on Dana, he cowered behind Claire, clinging to her dress for dear life. He felt sick. The memories of her electrocuting him flooded back. He heard Claire say his name and glanced up at her. Her face was sympathetic, and she smiled.

"I know you're scared, and I don't blame you for being so. But we need your help right now." Claire held his hand in her own. "You have to be brave, for us and for Damien."

Kitty stared at her, then slowly nodded. He was still shaking, but he let go and stood by her. Claire smiled and thanked him.

"Tell me where Aoi is! Why is he not here?" Dana was getting more rageful by the second.

"He's recovering in hospital and he won't be back for a long time." Claire said. "Go home."

The fury in Dana's eyes diminished, becoming cold as they usually were. "Which hospital is he in? I'd like to see him."

"Like I'd ever tell you!" Claire snapped. "Go home before I seriously hurt you!"

It wasn't like Claire could actually hurt her. Doing so might have jeopardised Satan's deal with God and his children. If she hurt or even killed Dana, God wouldn't sit there and accept her demise. Claire was powerless, and Dana knew it.

With a hum, Dana stood up. To their surprise, she transformed into a ball of light and flew away. She whizzed past Kitty's ear, and he swore he felt something pat his back. His head snapped around to see what it was, but found nothing. Dana was gone.

Claire immediately rushed to Richard, who was badly injured. She instructed Carrie to call an ambulance. Carrie rushed into the house to grab the phone. Kitty continued staring at the air where Dana went.

He knew this wasn't over.

☽☾

Dana flew through the air, undetectable as an orb of light.

It was only a matter of time until she found out where Damien was. She had stuck a tracking feather to Kitty's back. When he next visited Damien, he would lead her straight to him without even knowing. Dana giggled.

She would be with him soon, and she would make him hers.