The Hell Gate II

Kaito stood on the dizzying height of a nondescript building. His black coat fluttering despite the lack of a breeze to move it. The unyielding surface of the faceless mask he now wore obscured his features. From his vantage point, a significant portion of the city stretched out below, a strange weave of mundane normalcy interwoven with grotesque abnormalities. The pulsating rectangular rift of the Hell Gate glowed ominously in the distance, surrounded by a hive of human activity.

"The city is crawling with US agents, Tamamo," Kaito murmured. "We can't get near that Hell Gate, or any government facility, without alerting them."

He had reported his initial findings in Ohio to Yumi. The bizarre phenomenon of monstrous forms behaving like ordinary humans, the unsettling normalcy of the populace. He'd even tried to record or photograph the oddity, but his phone only captured normal scenery, frustratingly mundane images of an un-mutated cityscape. Now, his task was even more daunting: get closer to the Hell Gate itself, ascertain its precise nature, and somehow sneak into any nearby government facility to steal classified documents related to it. He truly didn't know how Yumi expected him to pull this off.

"Why don't you make a huge distraction, and then sneak in?" Tamamo suggested as she hold up three bright yellow talismans adorned with intricate red symbols. "I've got just the thing!"

Kaito shook his head. "That would alert them even more, if anything."

"Hmmph," Tamamo huffed. "How about digging a tunnel there?" She produced another talisman, this one a dull, earthy brown.

"They actively patrol the area," Kaito explained patiently. "By the time we even reached the Hell Gate's immediate vicinity, they'd have us pinpointed. Digging wouldn't be fast enough."

Tamamo's frustration grew. "Then how about we use invisibility, and fly really high up before dropping down right into their laps?" Two talismans with different shade of blue appeared in her hand.

"They likely have some form of radar that bypasses our masks, and definitely anti-air weaponry ready to shoot us out of the sky," Kaito countered, his gaze sweeping over the subtle glints of hidden weaponry around the rift.

"Ugh! Ahh! Just pick something already, human!" Tamamo stomped her tiny foot. "We can't stand here until the end of time before you decide on a plan!"

Kaito, lost in thought, absentmindedly reached out and patted Tamamo's head, a gesture he often used to calm her. He remained in a daze for a few more moments, considering every angle.

"How about this," Kaito said, his eyes regaining focus, "we knock some of those agents out, and then disguise ourselves as them?"

Tamamo's eyes gleamed. "Ooh! That could work! And it's far more amusing than digging. Let's do it! Coincidentally, look there." She pointed to a lone agent, walking a patrol route just below their position.

Without another word, Kaito moved. He leaped down from the building; his landing was like a phantom in the broad daylight. Before the agent could even register his presence, Kaito had him in a chokehold, rendering him unconscious. He dragged the limp form into a shadowed alleyway, behind a dumpster reeking faintly of discarded fast food.

Kaito stripped the agent of his dark suit, chucking his own mask and black coat into his inventory.

Although a little snug, the suit fit well enough. Tamamo placed a few talismans onto the unconscious agent, binding him in place. She then slapped another talisman directly onto Kaito face. It melted onto his face akin to another mask and shifted his appearance.

He looked down at the unconscious agent ID, then uttered a few experimental words. "Hm, hm. I'm Grant Lockwood. Hello."

"It feels weird hearing another voice as my own." He moved his facial muscles, feeling the subtle shifts of a new identity.

Kaito then turned to Tamamo. "What about you, Tamamo? You can't exactly walk around like that."

Tamamo scoffed. "Don't underestimate me, human. Although only a portion of my power has recovered, I am more capable than you could ever imagine. Kneel down for me."

Kaito, accustomed to her theatrical demands, bent down slightly. Tamamo then draped herself around his neck and her body began to glow with a shifting light. Her form began to condense and shape itself into a featureless black choker that rested his neck.

Kaito had a distinct feeling he knew exactly why she had chosen to transform into a choker instead of a tie, but he remained silent on the matter. Adjusting the fit of the suit, he casually walked out of the alleyway.

 _________________________________

Kaito found his way into the government facility with surprising ease. The building itself was a maze of sterile corridors and doors marked with cryptic alphanumeric codes.

Once inside a relatively quiet hallway, Kaito comunicated in his mind, 'Agent Durandal, have you managed to pinpoint any locations that might hold classified files or sensitive information about the Hell Gate?'

'Negative, Agent Kaito.' Durandal's voice echoed in his mind.

Tamamo's voice, a soft whisper directly in his ear alerted him. "Someone is approaching, human. From the east corridor."

Kaito immediately stiffened and adjusting his posture.

A male agent, dressed in an identical suit, rounded the corner, carrying a stack of folders in one hand. He looked up with a expression friendly. "Oh, hey Grant! Back from patrol already? That was quick."

Kaito's internal monologue screamed. 'Damn it. Someone who knows me.' He forced a casual nod, trying to mimic what he imagined "Grant" would do. "Yeah... just finished up my sector."

The stranger paused, his brow furrowing slightly. "What's wrong, man? You seem a little out of it. You usually have a bit more... pep in your step after a patrol."

Kaito cursed his luck. He needed a believable excuse. "It's nothing, really. Just... a little tired, I guess. All this weirdness in Ohio, it gets to you after a while, doesn't it?" He tried to inject a weary sigh into his voice.

The stranger nodded sympathetically. "Tell me about it. I guess even someone as confident as you would get unnerved by all of this. You should definitely rest up once in a while, man. Don't burn yourself out."

"Got it," Kaito said, seizing the opportunity to disengage. "I'm going to walk around a bit, try to clear my head, get things off my mind. See you around."

The stranger waved as Kaito walked away from him: "Yeah, see you later, Grant. Take it easy!"

Kaito let out a silent breath of relief as he rounded the next corner, putting distance between himself and the too-friendly colleague. That was too close.

'I found it, Agent Kaito,' Durandal's voice suddenly chimed in his mind as she appeared next to him. 'There's a secure vault in a room on this floor, just three corridors down. It's too dark for me to read everything, but it's definitely classified documents about the Hell Gate.'

'Alright, lead the way, Agent Durandal,' Kaito thought back, his pace quickening.

Guided by Durandal, Kaito stealthily entered the room using one of Tamamo's talisman. The room was small, dominated by a large safe on the ground.

Having no time to attempt to unlock it and no desire to risk it being booby-trapped. Kaito pick up the safe and tossed it into his inventory.

"Agent Durandal, is the coast clear?" Kaito whispered, already moving towards the door.

'Affirmative, Agent Kaito. It's all clear.' Durandal confirmed.

 ____________________________

Kaito strolled out of the room, his heart still thumping a little faster than usual. He continued to walk, maintaining the casual demeanor of 'Grant Lockwood' and heading towards an exit that would take him outside the immediate perimeter of the facility. He passed several other agents, offering polite nods, none of them giving him a second glance.

Then, as he rounded a final corner leading towards the exterior, he encountered her. A girl with long, brilliant white hair cascading down her back. She was walking in the opposite direction, her head slightly down, seemingly absorbed in her own thoughts. She didn't even look at him. Kaito felt a wave of relief wash over him as he walked pass another agent."

He took two more steps, then an immediate, a chilling sensation permeated the air around him.

"Who are you?" A cold and clear voice call out from behind him.

Kaito immediately rolled forward, dodging a sudden wave of razor-sharp ice projectiles that flew overhead, embedding themselves with a CRACK into the wall where he had just been standing. He twisted, turning to face the white-haired girl. Her glacial blue eyes were fixed on him with an unnerving intensity.

"Whoa! Calm down!" Kaito exclaimed, trying to sound as innocent as possible. "Why did you attack me all of a sudden? We're all coworker."

The white-haired girl took a step forward, her voice devoid of warmth. "Stop pretending. What did you do to Grant?"

Kaito knew that his cover was blown. Without a second thought, he spun on his heel and fled. A torrent of ice projectiles whistled past where his head had been. He sprinted down the hallway, passing other agents who looked on with bewildered expressions.

"Grant? Eleanor? What in the world is going on? Why is she chasing him?" one agent muttered, his voice laced with confusion.

"Is this some kind of lover's dispute? What did he do to get her this mad?" another whispered, completely misinterpreting the escalating chaos.

Then, Eleanor's voice cut through the confusion like a blade. "He's not Grant. It's a spy!"

The word "spy" ignited an immediate response from the other agents. Their casual curiosity vanished, replaced by trained combat readiness. Abilities flared into life, invisible forces and elemental projectiles manifesting in the hallway all aimed at restraining the fleeing Kaito

But Kaito was faster, far more agile than they anticipated. He weaved through the numerous projectiles with ease. When a telekinetic hold tried to latch onto him, he merely shrugged it off. He was used to such sensation.

Suddenly, the hallway ahead became a surging river. A torrent of water, summoned by a hydrokinetic agent, rushed at him, threatening to flood the entire corridor. Without breaking stride, Kaito slapped one of Tamamo's yellow talismans onto the floor before him. With a flash of crimson light, the talisman erupted, and the wave of water cleanly split into two, parting around Kaito like Moses parting the Red Sea, drenching the walls but leaving him dry.

A human fist, surrounded by a swirling torrent of water lunged at him. The beefy agent whom eyes narrowed in determination roared. Kaito easily moved it aside with his own hand, casually deflecting it and sent him crashing into the wall.

Behind him, Eleanor froze the split waves of water in mid-air, creating a bridge of ice, and used it to fling herself ahead of Kaito. She landed silently, a frozen rapier materializing in her hand. Without a word, she began to stab at him while they continued to move. Each thrust was a precise and lightning-fast lunge. Kaito effortlessly evaded, his body flowing around her attacks. With a imperceptible motion, he slapped one of Tamamo's talismans onto the hilt of her rapier.

A burst of light erupted from the talisman, and before Eleanor could react, multiple shimmering strings of light shot out, coiling around her arms, legs, and torso, binding her in place. She struggled, but the magical bonds held firm.

Kaito didn't waste another second. He continued his run, finally bursting through the main entrance of the building. Then the air around him grew heavy. An ominous black wind began to encircle him, starting at his feet and spiraling rapidly upwards, eventually forming a roaring, miniature tornado with him at its very center.

Kaito reached out and tested the wind with his hand. It buffered him, pushing against his palm with considerable force, but dealt no real damage given his protection spell. Without hesitation, Kaito charged directly through the swirling vortex and emerged on the other side.

He was immediately greeted by a blinding bolt of lightning that arced down from the unnatural sky. Kaito reacted in time, a flicker of movement saving him as the bolt scorched the pavement where he'd been standing.

"Gradus Caelestic," Kaito muttered under his breath, activating one of his spell. Rectangular platforms of light shimmered into existence beneath his feet, forming ephemeral footholds. He began to ascend, running vertically up the air as if climbing an invisible staircase, trying to gain altitude and escape the ground-based assault.

Out of nowhere, a massive pillar of ice slammed into him. Eleanor was riding atop it.

The impact was jarring. Kaito easily caught the flying pillar of ice with his hand, absorbing the impact, but the sheer force of the collision sent him flinging uncontrollably mid-air.

Kaito slowly found the entire situation becoming an increasing annoyance. He was tempted to pull out Durandal. But that would immediately reveal his identity as Durandal's wielder. Even if he had hidden his identity, the sheer number of eyes that will be focused on him would make his chance of escaping from Ohio, or even the entire United States, significantly slimmer.

Besides, Kaito feel that he genuinely didn't need to wield Durandal to deal with these agents.