by tantan
efficient General. He would keep his life if he didn't disappoint.
"My Lord," said Beelzebub, breaking his line of thought. "There appears to be a group of demons seeking audience. A rag-tag bunch. Shall I send them away?"
"No," the Serpent shook his head . "They might be useful. Send them in."
A group of white cloaked, vaguely humanoid demons, with pointy white sacks on their head were brought in.
"And who or what are you?" the Serpent hissed.
"My Lord. We are the Ku Klutz Klan. We come to offer our services to your noble cause." The foremost KKK member bowed.
"And what noble cause is that?" the Serpent asked.
"Why to eradicate the humans of course."
"Hmm… I see. Yes, you could be useful. Tell me, how good are you at stealth operations?"
"The best, my Lord. Every KKK member goes unseen and unheard, blending into our surroundings as naturally as a pig in the mud, a cow in the fields, a plough in the ground, a …"
"Yes, yes! I get the picture. Of course, those white clothes you wear would help as well."
"It is the people who try very hard to blend in who are the most easily seen, my Lord".
"Fascinating! Very well, you may join me. I do have need of a covert team. You may report to Beelzebub for further orders."
Akio Dies (T.T)
"Tell me," Akio whispered into He-Xiangu's ear. "Does your heart still scream for revenge? I can hear it howl every night when you walk under the stars."
He-Xiangu relaxed her hold on her knife and stared cuttingly at Akio. "And have you found peace?" she asked. "Know that only the one who is fully at peace with himself is qualified to give advice of the heart and soul to others."
"I have not found peace, but I will. As for the rest, I recognize a kindred soul in you. Is that not reason enough for giving advice?"
"You will never understand," He-Xinagu sighed. "Foolish Japanese boy, what will you do when you attain this so called justice you desire, I wonder."
"I will rule my fiefdom, and live in peace."
"No, never in peace!"
"Tell me your story," Akio said softly. "What happened?"
"You need not concern yourself with what does not concern you," He-Xiangu gazed at the moon.
"I have heard you say 'Little Blossom' and sigh as if you would blow the very stars out of the firmament. Who is this Little Blossom? What happened to her?"
"Fool! Leave it be!"
"Is it something to do with Chi Kung? An accident perhaps? Did she draw too much and…"
He- Xiangu screamed and slashed as Akio with her knife. Akio easily caught her hand, preventing her from doing any damage.
"So there is fire in you after all" laughed Akio. "And here I thought you actually believed in your sermons."
He-Xiangu tried hitting Akio's stomach with her other hand, but this hand too was caught deftly by Akio.
"You seem to have run out of hands," he smirked. "Tell me… Did I guess correctly about Little Blossom?"
"Do not mention her name again, Japanese fool, or it will go badly for you, I promise."
"Little Blossom, Little Blossom, Little Blossom…"
He- Xiangu kicked Akio in the stomach, who let go of her hands in surprise. She then quickly stabbed him in the chest, and dropped her knife in horror."
"I think you've killed me," he said in surprise and fainted.
"No," cried He-Xiangu, "Akio you can't die! I love you, you stupid, stupid Japanese boy." She quickly took out her lotus blossom and let its magic work on him. The wound slowly healed and Akio opened his eyes.
"What happened?" he murmured.
"Just a flesh wound," He-Xiangu lied. "I healed it."
"Oh! Good," he said softly. "I think I've figured it out He- Xiangu. You were Little Blossom's teacher weren't you?"
"Yes," she mumbled.
"And you didn't teach her fast enough on how to control her Chi Kung powers."
"Yes," she said drying her tears.
"Well, don't you think you have already found redemption in saving those two girls: Anne and Mary? Don't you think Little Blossom's soul would be in peace knowing two more have not followed in her path, thanks to her teacher?"
"Fool," she said wiping another tear that had dropped to her cheek. She then walked away, leaving him in the moon's embrace.
An Extremely Vocal Entreé and a Sizzling Monkey
Hearthoff woke up early the next morning.No need to bother the lads today, he thought;Let them enjoy a well deserved rest. He made his way to the gate and yelled until the gatekeeper woke up. "It's about time," Hearthoff shouted. "Now open the damn gate." The gate was opened quickly, with much groaning from the gatekeeper on duty.
"You're off early, Lord," the gatekeeper panted.
"Just settling some unfinished business," Hearthoff said, walking away.
Hearthoff walked on until he reached the portal. No guards? This would be easier than he thought. He started the incantation, when suddenly, a Minotaur ten feet tall charged at him.
"Knew it wouldn't be that easy," Hearthoff muttered to himself. He readied his hammer and was just about to swing when hundreds of fireballs hit him, making him lose his grip in surprise. He fell to the ground, a smoking mass of flesh, and tried shakily to get up; But, too late. The Minotaur was on him. It grabbed him. and threw him into the portal, where Belial waited with open arms.
"Now what do we have here? I do believe it's a smoking monkey!" Belial laughed. Hearthoff was hastily bound in magical chains that glowed red, and put in a waiting cart.
"Off to the palace with him," Belial shouted at the demons driving the cart. "Eligos, go with them, and present our little prize to Lucifer Light Bringer, with my compliments. I shall come as soon as my little hunt is over." Belial laughed excitedly, flying through the portal.
Eligos looked at Hearthoff with triumph. No more worms.
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Outside the portal, a demon mage came running to Belial clutching a bird in his hand.
"Ah, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" Belial laughed. "Come now, do they not feed you well enough in the barracks?"
"No my Lord," the demon mage shook its head. "This bird is something different." He let go of the bird's beak.
"**** you buggers. Lemme go. Lemme go. Lemme go you ********," the bird shouted.
"A talking bird. You will have to teach it manners if you want to keep it." Belial looked at the mocking bird with new interest. Perhaps, he thought, this was some sort of spy the Chinese had sent here.
"Tell me bird, where will you go if I release you?" Belial asked.
"None of your ******* business," the bird sang back shrilly.
"You shall go back to Cloud Palace, and inform those two mortals Hearthoff brought along with him, that I, Prince Belial, have captured the Monkey King. They may come through the portal and try to rescue him if they dare." He waved at the demon mage to release the bird. The bird immediately flew into the air as fast as it could.
"See ya suckers," it shouted and rose over the clouds.
"That was a very strange bird," Belial said to the demon mage. "I felt kinship with it for some strange reason."
The demon mage nodded. "Me as well my lord," it said.
"Yes. Well, go and eat. You shall all receive orders to muster soon."
The demon mage saluted and marched away to join its brothers beyond the portal.
Live Ammo
The Midgard Serpent chuckled. Now all that remained was the seat of the Emperor, Da Kapital. His troops surrounded the great city, spraying the city's walls with rocks. Trebuchets heaved and groaned rhythmically in a strange symphony. The walls, however, stood firm. The magical barrier repelled any projectiles thrown at it. The Serpent would have to think of another way to penetrate the city's defences. Perhaps the barrier would not repel the demons themselves. He ordered one of the demons to sit on the trebuchet, in place of the rock, and launched him towards the city's walls. T
he demon penetrated the barrier and landed in the middle of the city. Unfortunately, the demon was so dismayed by the experience it died of shock soon afterwards.
Hmm, so there was a way inside the city. They couldn't just fly in, thought the Serpent, they would be spotted, and would be forced to kill the humans who could be utilized for more useful purposes. Plus, it would delay things. The Emperor might try to escape.
"Send in the Ku Klutz Klan," he ordered Beelzebub.
"Yes, my liege."
The Ku Klutz Klan was brought in, each stumbling over the other, and being generally clumsy(in a slapstick way). The leader tripped over a small table placed near the Serpent and fell down face forward in front of the Serpent's legs. Their masks covered their eyes whenever they walked, blinding them.
"You called us, Master?"
"You may address me as: my Lord. Master implies that I wish to teach you, and I do not have the slightest inclination for trying to perform impossible tasks," the Midgard Serpent said.
"Yes, my Lord."
"As it so happens, there is a mission that requires your special capabilities. A covert operation that only your team can fulfill."
"We are ready for whatever you have in mind, my Lord."
"Good. You shall sneak into the city's walls tonight and make your way to the castle. Once there, you shall scale the walls of the castle, and assassinate the soon to be erstwhile Emperor of Uso."
"Scale the walls and asinate the Whale Emperor of Japan. Got it."
"That means you kill the Emperor," the Serpent curled his lip.
The Ku Klutz Klan leader's face cleared up. "Oh. So that's what you want us to do. Was wondering what asinate meant."
"Fool, enough of your insolence. Go and prepare for the mission."
"Yes, my Lord." The leader bowed and departed,