Hare of Misfortune

Rachel could feel the tug from the tragic woman’s desire that wove through the hellish plane, and the smallest of smiles lifted the unchanging, melancholy visage of her corrupted face as she looked at the breathless princess beside her.

”I’ve caught a glimpse of it in these games... It’s such a long way off, but now I know it exists.” A few black tears fell out of her discolored eyes. ”Hmm-hmm. Damn you for allowing me to taste this again, Cerridwen. Such torture.”

In a flash of flames, her elegant disguise returned, Izanami’s half-smile breaking the tense atmosphere as she crossed her legs and studied her.

”I was not going to fall into this trap of making deals and entreating mortals for their favor, Rachel. I am far too numb and nihilistic to think there is such hope for someone as lost as myself. My existence is cursed for eternal torment, but there is one thing I would challenge you with. Interested?”

Ears leaning to the left, Rachel’s eyes narrowed, grin widening. ”Why me? Because I can become a Princess of Yomi, like Yseress?”

Izanami leaned against her armrest, the back of her fingers held against her cheek as her chest shook with silent mirth. ”There are countless Princesses of Hell, Rachel, and far stronger beings inhabiting the Nine Circles. While you are...unusual, I am far from intrigued by you personally. Cerridwen, though...”

”What about her?” Rachel asked, looking toward Yseress as she took a chair between them that flashed into existence.

The seductive, corrupted Nephilim’s devious eyes slid over her changed figure, examining her twisted soul rather than her body, Rachel was sure, as she answered for her mistress.

”Cerridwen knows things she should not, meaning she has embraced a master beyond even Lady Izanami’s understanding. Naturally, the intertwining threads of destiny that brought Yomi into this game would fascinate my mistress.”

”Fair,” Rachel muttered, intertwining her fingers; she could feel the pulse of Yomi like the beating of Izanami’s own dead heart, which was distracting and made her ears twitch. ”What would I get in this challenge if I succeeded?”

A secretive twist came to the beautiful woman’s lips. ”Unfiltered access to Yomi’s raw energy, without the limitation of the Hell Moon.”

Vision widening at the implication, Rachel sat forward. ”I can gain this power even in the sunlight... How?”

”That’s for you to discover,” Izanami giggled. ”I take it you’re interested?”

Even Yseress seemed unsure what her mistress was cooking as Rachel deliberated over the offer. It certainly was an enticing prospect, but she knew better than to go in blind.

”What price would I have to pay? There is always a price.”

The Hell Lady slowly lifted her hand, drawing attention to it before gesturing at the corrupted Nephilim between them. ”Yseress will soon be making arrangements to send our forces to your Earth. There is a battle to be fought, and our foothold is far from the strongest in this fragment of your universe. Your challenge is to convince her to accept your help, join you, and fulfill her dream. It is also up to you to discover what that is.”

Yseress shot to her feet, her black purse held against her chest. ”Mistress! I do not need some weak mortal to achieve our desire!”

Izanami sighed, yet the woman wore a smile as she rubbed her ear. ”I hear a little devil clamoring in my ear and chasing away my harmony. Do as instructed, Dear.” Her glinting eyes flicked to Rachel. ”As the humans say, the ball is in her court; I simply pushed it her way and gave my permission to entreat you.”

Rachel threw her arms over the back of her chair, staring at the disgruntled blood-and-wood-winged woman. The Hellhound triplets’ contract made her upper arm itch as the uncomfortable thought that maybe she’d already made a deal to go after the Princess of Hell.

Then again, if someone as powerful as Yseress was going to be making their way to setting things up on Earth, then it said a lot about what forces were preparing to enter the scene, working behind the curtain. It was a hint in itself.

”I’ll keep an open mind.”

Yseress snorted and rolled her eyes. ”It is impossible for you Seed Holders to survive what terror is brewing around your tiny planet. By the time I get there, you are likely to be nothing but broken bones. Demons have already infiltrated your world.”

”Good to know,” Rachel chimed. ”Does that mean Nia and I will be able to make a nice demon hide purse like your lovely fashion statement?”

The Nephilim’s ruby eyes and lips creased with a smile. ”I suppose you might have an eye for good fashion, which is something, at least. Maybe you will survive some of the rumors spreading through the Infernal Layers. Mistress, may I leave to scout out potential cults to hijack?”

”Happy hunting.” The half-angel bowed and vanished in a flare of black fire, crimson electricity burning the air in its wake, leaving the Hell Lady’s gaze on Rachel. ”Back to the matter at hand... You have two reward options, but I can assume what your first request will be for your little soldier.”

Nia came flying out of the sky, moving through Hellfire to appear on her own seat. ”Oh, reward time?! Dolfo vanished... Can we extend his time limit, Major? Five minutes is sooo short!”

Rachel reached over to ruffle the girl’s hair and fold down her ears. ”Maybe, but I don’t think we’ll be keeping him for ourselves if everything I have planned works out.”

”Phooey... Okay,” she said with a light pout as Rachel moved on.

”No, first...we need you to grow up again. Can the restriction be undone?”

The little gremlin’s face grew excited. ”Oh, and give me more superpowers?! Yes, please, Auntie Izanami!”

Izanami offered a melancholy smile before shaking her head. ”The power used when restricting her was from an advanced Challenge Rating. Even if I were to use the combined strength of the two rewards, I could only provide Nia with a temporary release state.”

”Aww... So, I’m a kid forever?” Nia groaned, glaring at her tiny figure.

”Not forever,” Rachel returned. ”Alright, I’m guessing you knew what I wanted, so you conserved as much strength as possible with the Seed to do this. Let’s do it. How long will she have, and can it be upgraded?”

”Unfortunately, it is a powerful curse, being done as a Challenge Rating 2 Restriction within a Legend Quest,” Izanami clarified, taking Nia’s small hands in her own and sweeping back her bangs as the Hell Lady fussed with the surprised Hell Bun’s outfit. ”All I can do is provide a counter blessing that rebuilds its strength to subdue the curse for a time... There.”

”T-Thank you!”