Inside Musteri af Ljós; The Gate of Time and Truth

What lies beyond?

*standing before the Gate, Kanpatsu looks up at it in awe.

What lies beyond is anyone's guess, but beyond it, somewhere in there lies the very thing so many have been searching for.

Kanpatsu's eyes gaze up to the deeply carved inscription above the door*

"Fortíð Verða Nútíminn; Nútíminn Verða a Minni"

(Translation: "The Past Becomes the Presnt; The Present becomes a Memory")

*extending out both of his hands, he takes hole of the giant handles centered on the door.

As he does, small sparks flicker off from the great seal holding the door.

Still with what he has, he manages to get through to a solid grasp.

Slowly a glowing green light flows from his hands into the door, slowly draining and flowing outward from the handles; snaking its way across the doors*

*Arriving on the spot, Haji steps close, watching Kanpatsu send the energy of 7 shinigami's into the doorway.

Though he held himself with composure, it was impossible for him not to allow a small smile across his lips as the door began to breath itself to life under Kanpatsu's grip.*

*the power stored in Kanpatsu continues to flow into the gate, and slowly the old wood begins to creak as if bowing under weight.

Every molecule seems to glow on the door as the energy fills it, ripping the former binding seal to shreads.

Kanpatsu begins to feel weakened as the energy leaves his body, but even he knows this is only temporary..

and then; it is done...

His grip releases from the door, as he slowly sinks back to the ground near Haji's feet.

All is silent for several moments...

waiting...

waiting...

waiting...

And then it began.

Slowly the door began to open itself, only inches at first until the energy contained without was absorbed in, then suddenly it burst forth with a massive explosion pouring out an alarmingly high amount of spiritual energy..

Focusing itself on Kanpatsu's body, the energy pours into him like a focal point; the energy flows in and out of his body like a conduit as it the gate stabilizes itself...

Before too long, though it may have seemed it, the transfer ceases, and Kanpatsu is released.

At first his body feels like it has been beaten repeated, but soon enough, it returns to a sensation of normality...

Yet even he can tell something gained from the experience...

As the energy pulls back, the portal inside the door stabilizes itself, waxing and waning with pulsating energy...

Returning to his feet and dusting himself off, Kanpatsu turns to Haji and says*

"It is done... Now the other must cross it's threshold... I assume I should take my leave now, to make that happen..."

*nodding to Kanpastu, Haji says*

"Yes; that would be the best course of action.
I will stay here and wait...

I believe you will find the one you are looking for in the Rukongai district..."

*with that Haji turned back to gaze at the gate in wonder as to what may lie beyond...*

*Taking his leave, Kanpatsu quickly exits from the gate room.

Knowing in his heart that his time to roam free was quickly drawing to a close, he knew his existence never would;

And for that he was grateful to his creator, the one he loved as a father...*

Returning from Hollows Eve Alfred entered Musteri af Ljós and felt great spiritual pressure being released, using a low level door spell only got him as far as the rooms door. "Seems like it wont allow me to enter without using the door." Opening the door, he sees Haji waiting for the rest of them, but was more focused on the legendary door that was just born out of his Son's energy "So i was right i guess, he really did succeed in opening it." scanning its carvings he flipped a coin towards Haji saying " The Holy Order sensed my betrayal, we should move quick."

*catching the coin from Alfred, Haji looked at it for a moment, before answering*

"So they caught on huh? Doesn't matter at this point; I believe Kanpatsu can buy us enough time."

*looking at the door, Haji speaks over his shoulder to AL*

"We need to get Ciel over here as soon as possible. Little time can be wasted, and if the others have caught on to you, they will be after him as well.
He may be something, but my wife is in there and I can't let harm come to her."

*handing the coins to Alfred He finishes*

"Your magi skills will protect you in the crossing, Ciel should be along soon.
Once you too have reached the main room, the gate should be stable enough for Kanpatsu and I to follow. Good luck old friend..."

*with that Haji makes his way from the gate room, heading out into the streets*

Ciel entered the room panting, by the looks of it, it seemed like he was running around the area's of Musteri af Ljós, seeing the door already on its foot, he smirked then turned to Alfred. "SEBASTIAN YOU LIAR!" saying that he gave him an evil eye as if waning to strangel him if not only on the same side.

Sensing the great spiritual force that surrounded them, Ruru somewhat turned to her visible form again "Ahh, awesome, it seems like i can move around here, Ciello, you've gotten weaker as you use too much magic all the time." Rue teased poking her tongue at him now laying on the couch where Al was comfortably reading newspaper and drinking tea, ignoring the commotion happening around him. "SUUDUP Ruka, Sebastian gave me wrong directions to Musteri af Ljós, I ended up running around for 3 hours around gotei grounds, i need a break" saying that Ciel lays on the floor as if he really was too tired.

Sipping his tea he placed down the cup on the coffee table and then whistled. His whistling caused Ciel even more irritation as he said "You always were weak-hearted Ciello Diavoli" placing the news paper down, he stood up and fixed his tie, "Put on some decent clothes before showing your face to me, i despise your inability to make your appearance pleasing"

Walking away towards the door, he didn't look back, without feeling any bit of remorse for a boy he once called son.

Hearing those words Ruru was but a little saddened for her other half, right after Al left to check the door, she went near him wearing a small smile "Neh, lets get you healed and dressed up eh?"

He looked up at her and held her hand once more "Sorry for acting the way i did, i was just... stressed out for some reason"

As Ciel said those words tears fell down from his cheek and so did from Rue's as they both said "What could this feeling mean?"

Ciel left the room to fix him self up, he grabbed the best suit he had and took a long bath, then later on placed it on and combed his hair, he now looks a lot like a fine gentle man with a tall hat. "Ready to open the path?" Ruru was waiting for him inside the room as was Alfred Alstein, they were playing ches when Ciel entered and moved ruru's queen saying "Check mate, ossan"

Opening the gate with but a little push, he stood a side and took a bow then said "Right after you ossan"

Seeing as Ceil returned looking like he did when he was still very young, gave a little unnoticeable smile on his face, but hiding his emotions he just concentrated on there game, where Ciel moved Rue's Queen defeating him.

"Check mate, ossan"

Ciel was but back to his normal oppressed self, one which he's become after they parted ways hundreds of years ago, while thinking back of how Ciel was earlier Al thought. "For some reason, i regret turning him back to this state, but we cant let him have human like emotions at this point in time, its irrelevant to have them, but i guess something mustve went wrong, something witch involves ruru perhaps"

Thinking of other theories, he see's Ciel opening the gate, then taking a bow standing at the left side of the gate then saying "Right after you ossan"

Al gave him a nod then connected both his palms and chanted a spell in different languages of made one. After doing so he turned to Ciel and asked "Do you remember your name Luciel?"

Ciel stood up from his bow as he tossed his hat over to ruru and said "Postulo is sic nunc?" teasing Al, he continued " meus meus , haud postulo ut fatigo super ut , iustus patefacio semita quod i'll tracto panton inde Succorbenoth"

Saying that Ciel placed his right hand on the invisible mirror like barrier, which was now almost in the form of some liquid substance. He signaled Al to stretch the path and said " Io Cresil , figlio di Succorbenoth aperto il cancello di inferno" saying those he was able to pass through the gate with Al stretching it open, after a few seconds the path closed yet again.

Ciel scanned the area from the other side and thought "I passed through, huh?" the same time he said those words he turned around and saw the normal looking door, standing in the middle of a corn field "This must be the wrong time, its too early that it almost seemed like this place is the living world"

Realizing that, he opened the door and ended up in door dimension, amused by the spectacular view he reviewed the doors carefully before picking the right one to enter.

He then saw the gate from real time and placed a spiritual string leaving enough energy for him to find it again.

Searching for hours he finally found the gate from the time when it was sealed. "So this must be the gate i should unlock."

Using his spiritual energy with Himo No tenshi's strings, he pulled the real time gate to the sealed gate making them parallel with each other.

He conjoined them both making them one "This should send us on the right time"

He passed through the gate and it sent him to where Musteri af Ljós was supposed to be, but unlike where the gate stood in the future, the place was but around the old rukongai district, the one which was annihilated by Gotei 13.

"Ehh, i didn't expect for the gate to be here, destroying an entire district of regular souls just to turn it into the new 1st Division grounds, interesting, but it doesn't matter.."

Saying those words, he stole each and everyone of the souls memories and made them dumb to the point of no return. "No peeking now, I dont wanna kill anyone just because, i just don't want any distractions from this times Gotei 13."

He knocked three times on the door saying "Show time Ossan"

Letting off a small sigh after sending Ciel to the other side of the barrier he turned to Rue and asked "Arent you supposed to be with him in there?"

Hearing his question loud and clear Ruru but gave him a smile and said "Dont worry dad, Ciello is a big boy now, besides, even without me he can manipulate my powers, he intentionally left me behind giving me this" Ruru wore the tall hat that Ciel gave as it fell right over her face covering her eyes completely. "See, even his head got bigger"

Hearing those words from Ruru made Al relieved for a little bit and sa beside ruru again saying "Well, then care for another game of Chess, taicho?"

After hours of waiting, and 20 times of one sided winning in chess Al heard the knock from the other side of the barrier and heard Ciel's voice saying "Show time Ossan"

Hearing his voice, a smile was now clearly visible on Al's face, holding back tears that he dare not show to Ciel's other half "Forgive me, taicho, im but an old man who worries about his Lazy son from time to time."

Al then stood up and chanted spells in different languages all quickly and clearly then pierced his staff precisely on the middle of the barrier completely destroying it, but it leads to nothingness so to seem. "Its your turn Ciel, use the 3 coins, you do have it right?"

Overhearing Al, he picked up 3 coins inside his pocket flipped it one by one it floated symmetrically in a triangular pattern. Pressing the tree coins made the door glow giving it life once more. "Well well, that should enable transport here, but Kanpatsu need to craft opening the gate here so that you guys can pass through."

After doing so, Ciel sat as a kid gave him an apple, he smiled at the young boy as he had a flash of Ruru giving momo an apple when she was still young. Ciel held the boys head seeing its memories, and eventually, taking them away. "Gomene, i just cant let my presence here be known this early in the game, I still haven't regained my strength... enough... i haven't eaten for days" as he said that the boy ran into a small alley leaving him. "Good job kid, i would've eaten you if i were my old self"

*footsteps could be heard stretching down the long alley way..

drop..

drop..

drop..

drop..

like the fall of rain...

Slowly a figure began to come into Ciel's vision..

Kanpatsu walked with a steady pace, carrying a small canister in his hand.

Upon approaching Ciel, he handed it to him and spoke very calmly*

Ceneri verso ceneri, polvere verso polvere:
da l'amore della mia nascita, è il mio ritorno del corpo dove si deve..."

Walking sharply to the wall in front of Ciel kanpatsu begins tapping the brick..

tap..

tap..

tap..

thunk..

The handles have been found.. places his hands on the wall, a bluish-green glow begins to emit from his hands and engulf the area underneath..

over his shoulder he speaks to Ciel*

"Once this is finished, my life will be spent... What's left will flow into that container; please give it to Haji so that I can become one with Makurayami again..."

*as he finishes he forces his hands harder into the brick; his life force draining, he presses himself to remain calm and collected...

time passes slowly; eons in a second...

slowly the form of a door begins to take shape, then with a violent purging of force, the brick shatters, revealing an intricately carved wooden frame, with two large brass handles, each with their own inscriptions....

Suucorbenoth on the left...

Impurità on the right...

and with this final gesture of loyalty, Kanpatsu's body becomes unstable and begins to dissipate into spirit particles...

and as he vanishes, he looks to Ciel with a gaze of serene calm*

"I would have loved to remain long enough to see this all come to fruition, and in my own way I will, with my master; though it would have been nice to see it with this body..."

*with only a haze of himself left, as the particles flow into the container her leaves his final words*

"à tout le monde, à tous mes amis, je vous aime, je dois partir..."

And he was gone.... while the door remained...

Seeing the gate crafted to its opening, Ciel was pretty amazed but was shocked by the sudden revelation of him dying the moment the door is completed.

As he turned into spirit partcles being absorbed by the special containter, Ciel sealed the specially crafted lid and said "Yare yare, we didnt get to chat much, i wonder if you'd end up back in my kingdom" saying that he but whistles opening the door which just simply lead to the future where both Ruru and Al were waiting.

"It's done, now to collect the ones chosen by God and to enjoy the last ripping the last of this world apart"

Playing the container he had been tossing around he balanced it on his right index finger as it disappeared when it fell at the back of his hand. "I guess i'll have to keep this safe then"

As he said that he called for ruru as the grabbed the tip of his tall hate gesturing to see Old man Al again... in the past.

Both Ciel and ruru walked out Musteri af Ljós hand in hand returning to Haji's destination, closing the final gaps of the missing chapter.

Al seeing them make there leave just sat at the lounge waiting for the right wave of time set at the door.

"So my guess was correct, it cant be used again until a certain amount of time"

Saying that he sensed an old ally making its way around the area of Musteri.

Drinking tea, he placed his cup down, stood up and fixed his tie.

He took his staff as he walked out of the room, avoiding the risk of damaging it any further.

He made him self the bait to follow to distract the opponent, secretly navigating Himo no tenshi's spiritual radar.

Al found but a huge open space from within Musteri and placed a couch in the middle of it and sat down crossing his legs reading the latest news.

"Hasnt been updated for a while"

Re-entering the room where the gate lies, Al Saved no time and packed all the things he needed for the travel and turned to them as he heard a screeching noise.

It was the gate re-opening its self and sucking most everything from there world to the old one.

"Okay, the process has began, waking it up the way we did made it violent, but since were in a rush, we don't have much time to prepare any more. We must go now"

Saving no time, Al made his way towards the door and signaled them to follow closely.

"It wont be a trouble for Ciel, But as for you my Dear captain, im afraid its life threatening no matter how strong you are."

Saying so he treks the dark oblivion the door leads too.

*upon arriving, Haji listens to Al's words carefully before stepping forward*

"I am already aware of that myself; and also of the pain it will produce in me when merging with my former self, until the shifted memories subside. But never the less, this is the choice I have made, and from here on, I have no other option but to stand with it, and move forward. And in truth I do not worry; we all have the same thoughts in mind, and should I not succeed in the crossing, I can rest assured that the two of you will see it to the end."

*bracing himself for what he knew lay ahead, Haji stepped forward into the cold darkness of the vortex, immediately feeling in himself a sense of weightlessness, as he penetrated further in. His mind free and clear, with only a single thought of his loving wife, a strange sense of peace forced itself over him, as the darkness he had always known, swallowed him*