Ch. 15: Hellish Embers

Tara goes through her dungeon to find the final Sun Relic fragment, while a courageous spirit awakens.

There was no time to waste. I, Tara Hexner, began to run up the volcano. There didn't seem to be any weird room on the way up, like on Seth's mountain, so I was dead set on one place: the hole of the volcano. I figured that the most likely place for the Sun Relic fragment to be would be IN the volcano itself.
While running, I spotted some Akuma in the distance. They seemed to be Standards and Shredders only. I rushed at them, scythe in hand. I impaled a Shredder with the end of the blade of my scythe, caught it on fire, and threw it into another one, killing them both. A Standard rushed at me and scratched my arm and my chest. I quickly dashed back from it and swung my scythe over my head down into the Akuma's head, killing it brutally.
"Don't touch me." I said.
After killing the remaining Akuma in that area, I continued forward.
The volcano started becoming increasingly steeper as I continued to run up it, and I almost lost my balance a couple of times.
"Wait a second." I thought to myself. "Since everyone else has obtained all these new abilities, maybe I could figure out a way to get up here easier with my element."
I focused my mind on any way to help me get up to the top of the volcano.
Just then, out of instinct maybe, I pointed my scythe at my feet and blasted a burst of fire at the ground, launching me forward into the air. While falling, I realized that I was about to fall straight into the blowhole of the volcano, so I pointed my scythe up and shot another blast of fire, causing me to fall much faster. Unfortunately, I fell too fast and crashed into the ground onto my side, and causing me to tumble down the slope of the volcano. Luckily, since my scythe was still in my hands, I was able to stop myself from falling by stabbing the blade of my scythe into the volcano.
"I really should practice that." I thought to myself. "First, I should name it. How about... Fiery Barrage?"
Still hanging onto my scythe, I touched my side, the one that I crash-landed on, then brought the hand I touched it with to my line of vision. To no surprise, my hand was covered with small rock pieces and blood from my side.
"I'm just gonna climb the east of the way." I thought to myself. "Don't wanna do that again."
Once I had reached the top of the volcano, I looked in it. It seemed to be really big, but there wasn't much lava in it. I looked for a good place to start. After a small bit of looking, I spotted a foothold not too far down from where I was. I didn't want to fall again though, because I was still recovering from when I slammed into the volcano's wall, so I came up with a plan.
I got directly above the platform I was going to jump down to and hopped down. While falling, I pointed my scythe directly below me and Fiery Barraged right before I hit the ground, causing me to rise up a little just before I landed. My plan had succeeded.
In the volcano wasn't much. There seemed to be rock platforms along the walls of the volcano that spired down to what seemed like a doorway. I figured that that's the place I wanted to be at, so I started to follow the path. Some of the platforms had Akuma on them, but they were easily defeated. A few platforms later, and there was one of the big Akuma that John named "Titans". I didn't want to get that close to it, because I was sure that it could hit me off of the platform I was on with ease. Luckily, since the Akuma was so heavy, it wasn't able to get up to the platform I was on, because the platforms were spaced about a foot apart each and about half a foot down from the last one. I had a plan to kill it from afar.
I aimed my scythe at the Akuma's head, its weak-spot, and swung it, sending a fire wave at the Akuma. Unfortunately, it didn't do much due to the Akuma's armor plating. I had another plan though. I braced myself, pointed my scythe at the Titan's head, jumped, and Fiery Barraged, sending a blast of flames into the Akuma's face. The shot also sent me flying, but since I jumped, I was able to Fiery Barrage backwards while in the air to get myself back to the platform I was on.
I looked back up to see that the Titan's head wasn't there anymore, and it faded into smoke shortly after. Also, like Scarlett pointed out, their ball-and-chain's that they wield don't fade into smoke, and this one was no different. Since the ball-and-chain took up most of the space on the platform, I had to think of a way around that platform.
"Wait." I thought to myself. "Couldn't I just..."
I pointed my scythe down and Fiery Barraged towards the middle of the volcano. I then let myself fall for a little bit, then Fiery Barraged again, etc., until I made it to the doorway that the platforms spiraled down to.
"Huh." I shrugged. "I guess I could've just done that the whole time."
In the door, was a small square room. Inside, was the Sun Relic fragment in a glass case!
"That was really easy." I said aloud.
I was about to lift the glass case off, when I spotted when I spotted something behind the fragment.
"Is that..." I thought to myself. "A door?"
Ignoring the fragment, I walked to the door on the other side of the room. I opened the door...

"Huh...? Where am I?"
An Akuma opened their eyes. They looked around. This place didn't look like home. There was fire and demons and screaming.
"This is... The Underworld?"
The Akuma walked forward, there seemed to be a grouping of other Akuma.
"Hello?" The Akuma said. "What's going on over here?"
The other Akuma all turned around and gasped.
"A Silverblade!" One Akuma said. "That's one of the rarest kinds of Akuma!"
"Huh?" The Akuma said. "What's a Silverb-"
The Akuma looked down. They saw that they had blades coming out of the tops of their forearms, they had nearly pitch-black skin and hair, and they were quite a bit taller than the rest of the Akuma in that area.
"I'm an... Akuma?" The Silverblade asked. "But I-"
"Hey, shh!" One of the Akuma said. "Here comes one of the Three Henchmen!"
"Hmm?"
The Silverblade looked up to see a familiar face. The Henchman had four arms, and was maroon in color. It also had large swirly horns and no claws.
"Is that...?"
The Henchman walked towards the Silverblade.
"C'mon." The Henchman said. "The Dark One needs to talk to you."
The Henchman grabbed the Silverblade by the arm and dragged him with him.
"Good luck." One of the Akuma from earlier said. "You're gonna need it."
The Silverblade gulped.
"So, how do you like it here in the Underworld?" The Henchman asked. "You still remember who I am, correct?"
"I... You're... Kobun, right?"
"Right, and you?"
"I'm... John!"
"Wow, I'm surprised. People normally forget who they were in their past lives." Kobun said. "Then again, people normally don't become a Silverblade. By the way, the names you've given to the Akuma so far have been all correct."
"I... don't understand." John said. "Why am I an Akuma?"
"Ugh, fine. I'll explain it to you very simply." Kobun started. "Basically, when a human dies, it is sent here and becomes a specific kind of Akuma based on the human's characteristics, achievements, traits, etc., and given tasks by the Dark One and his Three Henchmen: Me, Joshu, and Kohoto.
"What happens if you die down here?" John asked.
"Okay, first of all, 'down' doesn't apply to the Underworld." Kobun explained. "It's not 'Hell' like in books and religion and whatnot. The Underworld is another dimension. Second of all, if you die in the Underworld, you can never come back."
John thought for a bit.
"About the Akuma that I faced in the dungeon, were those real?" John asked. "Frank suggested it because they poof into smoke when they die."
"Yes, those weren't real." Kobun answered. "The Dark One is a master of illusions. Normal Akuma are normally quite stronger."
"Why are you being so helpful when your job was to try and kill me?"
"Well, you're already dead. Plus, that was just my task. I have no grudge against any of you."
"What happens if-"
"Hold that thought." Kobun pointed forward. "We're here."
John looked forward and saw a large demonic looking castle that looked similar to how Drew described the buildings in his dungeon: maroon in color, horns sticking out of the walls, splattered with blood. John and Kobun walked up the steps and entered the main hall. They then walked into the throne room Sitting in the throne was a tall dark figure clad in a dark robe. John recognized this being as Daku.
"Greetings, Dark One." Kobun said. "This Silverblade I have brought before you is John Judycki, one of the nine people you instructed me to kill."
"Nine?" John thought to himself. "There's only 8 of us."
"Where are the others?" Daku asked.
"They're... still alive." Kobun informed.
Just then, black magic surrounded Daku and crashed into him. He fell to the ground, bleeding.
"I told you to bring me ALL nine of them." Daku said.
"Wait, I don't even know where the ninth one is." Kobun coughed up blue blood.
"Luckily, since I'm not as incompetent as you, I DO know where they are." Daku grunted. "I opened a portal in the house of that bug catcher Xavier. They should be arriving in the battle room of your dungeon shortly. They also brought a hound, so feel free to dispatch of that too."
"A dog?" John thought to himself. "Could it be.. JT? Why is he coming to where we are? He's only going to get himself and his dog killed!"
"Make sure you get them ALL this time." Daku instructed. "You know what will happen if you fail."
"Don't worry, I won't fail." Kobun ensured. "In fact, I'm turning two of them against each other. Actually, I should probably go finish that right now."
"Well, go then!" Daku yelled. "Quit wasting time!"
"Y-yes my lord." Kobun nodded and teleported away.
"You." Daku pointed his finger at John.
John gulped.
"Y-yes?" John answered.
"I have a plan for you and your friends, but just in case Kobun fails at his task and the others live, I will make YOU in charge."
"What is it?" John asked.
"You will lead the Akuma in the conquest of Earth." Daku instructed. "They will take over the Earth, killing all humans, which in turn will create more soldiers."
"Take over the world?!" John asked. "No!"
"What did you just say?" Daku threw a ball of black magic at John, making him fly across the room. "That was an ORDER, not a request. You WILL do it, or else."
John hit the wall and slid to the ground, leaving a smear of blue blood on the wall.
"Now, since you'll be working for me, you'll be living here in my castle." Daku said. "Once you rest, we will set up your army."
A couple of Titans grabbed John and led him into a room. The room had a bunkbed, a window, a light, etc..
"This is where you'll be living." One of the Titans said. "You'll have a roommate as well."
The Titans left and closed the door. After that long day, how could John NOT be confused.
John looks in the mirror. He was an Akuma. Would he ever be back to his old self? Would he ever see his friends again?
"I need some sleep." John sighed.
John got into the top bunk of the bunkbed, the one that didn't seem like it was used, and went to sleep with his legs hanging over the end of the bed because he was about 8 feet tall.

"What the..." I looked around the room. "There's nothing in here!"
I turned around and started to walk back to the Sun Relic fragment, when I heard a noise behind me. I turned back around and saw...
"Kobun!" I drew my scythe.
"Relax." Kobun said. "I'm not here to fight. I just want to talk."
"Well you can forget it." I said, turning around and going for the door.
"Oh no you don't!" Kobun said, shutting the door with his mind.
Without hesitating, I put the blade of my scythe in the doorway, making it unable to be close all the way. I then began to pry it open with the handle.
"Okay, enough!" Kobun created a clear wall of magic energy behind the door, similar to the walls in the main room that separated everyone. "Seem familiar?"
"Fine." I sighed and slid to the ground. "What do you want?"
"Not much actually." Kobun shrugged. "This is where the explosive was going to be that was going to kill you, but since John offed himself, well, you know."
I looked down.
"Must be sad, huh?" Kobun mocked. "The love of your life is dead and never coming back!"
"That's not true." I said. "I know he's still alive somewhere. Whether he faked his death or he's in the Underworld or whatever!"
"Yeah, keep telling yourself that." Kobun laughed. "Anyway, it seemed like Brenden was angry with you when he got back."
"He... probably was just annoyed because of his hand injury or something." Tara guessed.
"But he responded fine to everyone else." Kobun said. "To me, it seems like he has it out for you."
"Why would he? We're good friends."
"Don't you get it? It's because of John!"
"John?"
"Well, since you all believe that he's still alive. Maybe it's because Brenden doesn't want you to get with John because that'd only separate them."
"That doesn't make any sense. I'll just ask Brenden when we all kill YOU and get out of here."
"Yeah, good luck with that." Kobun put down the wall and opened the door. "You'll need it."
Tara walked through the door and Kobun teleported away. Tara opened the glass case and grabbed her Sun Relic fragment, teleporting her to everyone else. This was the last fragment needed.