The Coin

The giant metal ball hits the ground. It rolls through the street destroying everything in its path. It breaks through a few walls, slowing down. The final wall of a building stops the metal ball in its tracks. Kai is inside the metal ball. The ball moving around made the spikes go in and out of Kai. Now the entire inside of the metal ball is covered in blood. Kai moves his arms. He pushes both of his hands onto spikes. The spikes go through his hands, but his hands touch the metal ball's shell.

Kai: Aaah!

White energy builds up in the metal ball. Slowly it feels like more and more wind is circulating around Kai. Kai releases the energy, and the metal ball breaks in two. The two large pieces fly off in opposite directions. The spikes are still stuck in Kai. Kai hits the ground and the spikes are pushed farther inside his body.

Kai: Fuck!

Kai slowly rips out each metal spike one by one. He even has to rip one out of his head. Kai gets up off the ground. He's slowly limping off. Kai falls back to the ground. A coin falls out of his pocket.

Kai: I lost. I led everyone to their deaths. Why am I the one that survives? I should have died with them.

Kai sees the coin on the ground. Kai grabs the dusty old coin. He brushes off some of the dust with his thumb to see a L print on the gold coin.

Kai: One more shot.

Kai holds the coin tight. He picks himself off the ground. Kai starts limping over to the port.

Kai: I need to get to the water.

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Owen, Remi, and Leo are all in a prison cell. Owen is using his shirt as a cloth to put pressure on the wound in his stomach. Remi is helping him put pressure on the wound. Leo is standing in front of them.

Remi: Do we have anything else to help him Leo?

Leo: I don't know.

Leo looks around as Owen is still steadily bleeding. Leo looks at his web shooters.

Leo: Webs. That's it. They will only hold for an hour or two, so we'll have to re-patch him up.

Remi: Use them!

Remi takes the shirt off Owen's wound. Leo shoots a few webs on the wound. They stick on. They all hear footsteps coming down the hall. A man stands in front of their cell.

Ryan: This is where you've been. I thought you had finally decided to give up on taking down the police. Looks like I've given you more credit than you deserve. You're way dumber than that.

Owen: I don't see our leader anywhere in this prison. Who do you think is the real dumb one?

Ryan: You don't see him because no one would put a dead man in prison. He died before General Grey came out to stop you. Don't you think General Grey would have been busy fighting the Crimson Dragon if he were still alive?

Owen: When I get out I'm going to kill you.

Ryan: And I wish you the best of luck at it. Ya'know, because you won't succeed. You're going to die here in this cell, bleeding out.

Ryan walks away.

Leo: Is Kai really dead?

Remi: Kai never dies. He'll come back one way or another.

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Kai falls onto the port. He pulls himself over to the edge of the deck, and he throws the coin into the water. Kai waits for a minute, but nothing happens. Then as Kai is looking down into the water, glowing yellow eyes stare back at him. A spiky serpentine head rises from under the water. It raises its head until it is level with Kai. Kai hears a faint hissing. The snake opens its mouth. It's tongue falls out of its mouth with the golden coin Kai threw into the water. Kai takes the coin off the beast's tongue.

Leviathan: I thought I told you to never call upon me.

Kai: This is a one time thing. It's important. I need to see the Beast.

Leviathan: You need to go to Hell. Why should I allow a mortal man to travel across the eight dimensions freely?

Kai: You did give me this coin.

Leviathan: But I make the decision on whether you're fit to travel to another realm, and your body looks destroyed. You may not even make the journey.

Kai: I'll take the risk.

Leviathan: You should know that if you die when you are traveling through realms you won't end up in any of them. You'll be in the astral plane, or your soul will be destroyed.

Kai: I'll take the risk.

The leviathan opens its mouth. Kai climbs inside and it shuts its mouth. The serpentine head slowly returns to beneath the water's surface. Kai can feel the force of the Leviathan swimming down to the bottom of the ocean. Kai feels cold and he can't move. The ocean's pressure isn't only on the leviathan, but on Kai's body too. Kai feels like he is being ripped apart. Then the cold starts to change into heat. The pressure starts to lessen and the temperature changes. Then the Leviathan stops moving. It opens its mouth and Kai limbs onto Hell's ground.

Kai: Where can I find the Beast?

Leviathan: Ask Lucifer.

Kai: This isn't the southern kingdom?

Leviathan: It's the east kingdom. You know how to call me when you need to return.

The Leviathan travels back down into the deep lava. Kai's body starts healing as he walks through Hell. He is avoiding the East Kingdom's geysers. He walks to the gate of the East Kingdom. He walks past the human guards and into the kingdom. He follows down the path until he reaches the palace. When he walks inside he sees Jaik and James sitting on their thrones.

Jaik: Kai? Did you finally die? How long has it been, a millenia or two?

Kai: It's been a few years.

Jaik: You look like shit.

Kai: I'm healing as I do best. I haven't died yet. I used the Leviathan to get to Hell. I need to speak with the Beast.

Jaik: Only Lucifer has the power to speak with him. I'll escort you there. You can cover for me, right James? We have business with Lucifer anyway.

James: Go ahead.

Kai and Jaik start walking through the kingdom.

Kai: Has it really been a millenia for you? I know Hell's time is different then Earth.

Jaik: Yes it has. We have had a time of prosperity for everyone since you've been gone. The archangels don't patronize the demons anymore because they are afraid of Lucifer's wrath and demons don't attack humans anymore because they are afraid of Asmodeus.

The guards at the gate wave as Kai and Jaik walk by.

Jaik: The problem wasn't apparently with the people in Hell. It was the leadership. Azazel and Beelzebub were always out for blood.

Kai: So what has been going on with you? Have you just been busy with the kingdom? Do you have a wife? Can you even have kids in Hell?

Jaik: I have remarried. She's a splendid demon.

Kai: You married a demon?

Jaik: Now that demons and humans are together it happens often.

Kai: So you're going to have little fire breathers running around.

Jaik: I already do. Enough talk about me. What have you been up to?

They stop at the lava lake. Demise shows up on his funerary boat. Both Jaik and Kai get on as he rows the boat.

Kai: Recently I have been busy with the war.

Jaik: War?

Kai: The US is in the middle of a civil war. Mutants were released from camps all over the US. I think it was like forty million. They eventually waged war on humans with all the rest of the mutants that weren't even captured. They want to rule the US. So for the last two and a half years I have been dealing with that.

Jaik: You solved Hell's problems when they were going to war. I think you'll be able to solve the US's problems.

The boat stops. They both get out and walk to the northern kingdom. As they walk into the kingdom and along the road they see all the archangels.

Kai: It's just weird not having them want to kill me.

Jaik: You'll get used to it.

They walk into a giant palace. They see Lucifer sitting on the throne.

Lucifer: Jaik, what can I do for you?

Jaik: We have business, but that will be after you talk to Kai about Kamaitachi.

Lucifer: Why do you want to speak with my father? Do you want to go back to the realm of the living. I thinks it's better down here.

Kai: No, I want to ask him a favor.

Lucifer: I grant favors better than anyone else. I am Lucifer. I invented favors, but if you need to talk to my father-

A door opens to the right of lucifer.

Lucifer: He's right down there.

Kai walks through the door and down the long staircase. Kai mumbles under his breath.

Kai: My body has healed up. I'm not all better, but at least I'm not limping.

At the end of the staircase is a giant room. Kamaitachi stands in front of Kai. He is the same size as Lucifer's Palace.

Beast: Kai, why have you returned?

Kai: I need your power again. I'm not strong enough to fight someone.

Beast: Then I will grant you your wish. I've been down here far too long. It is time for me to see the world again. Your body is much more powerful than the last time we met. You will know power that you did not dream of the last time, but since your body is not used to this power you may only have it for five minutes.

Kai: I accept it.

Beast puts his hand above Kai's head. A red aura is absorbed into Kai's body.

Beast: You now have my power. Return to the realm of the living. You shall not be in Hell any longer.

Kai travels back up the stairs.

Jaik: Did he give you his powers?

Kai looks down to see that he is completely healed.

Kai: Yeah, and it's doing wonders.

Jaik: Then goodbye old friend.

Kai: One day I will come here. When I do I hope we can have fun reminiscing about old times.

Jaik: One day.

Kai runs out of the kingdom and to the lava lake. The Leviathan peaks its head out of the lava.

Kai: How long can you stay out of the lava?