Charges of the Flame Alchemist: chapter 1

Shiro had always known that it wouldn't last forever. The boys were the sons of Satan after all. Sooner or later, someone would figure it out. He had just hoped he would have had a few more years before an incident would occur. They were only seven after all. A Vatican owned helicopter flew overhead. The priest quickly tugged the boys back into the shadows and away from the search light. He sighed as it passed overhead. And to think, Yukio was going to start his exorcist training this year.

"Dad! Stop tugging me!" Rin cried, voice rising in pitch as he struggled against the priest's grip on his wrist, "I don't like this! I wanna stop and rest!"

"Dad, what's really going on?" Yukio cried, "Why are there helicopters chasing us? Why are we hiding?"

Shiro sighed. This had all started a few days ago. Sir Arthur Auguste Angel, exorcist in training to become a paladin, had stopped by to talk to the priest, hoping to learn from him. However, the exorcist found out an entirely different kind of information. Rin had been throwing a fit about the man. Angel would be staying at the monastery temporarily to learn from Shiro, and for whatever reason, Rin really didn't like that idea. He hated the man from the moment he saw him. He had started screaming and shouting about it, until finally with one shout, all the candles currently lit in the monastery flickered blue.

It had only lasted a few seconds, but it was enough for the realization to dawn on the young exorcist...and for him to alert the Vatican. Another search light passed over them. Shiro swore under his breath before looking back down at the boys. "I'm sorry but I don't have time to explain," he said, "All I can say is there are a lot of people who want to hurt us right now. We need to find Mephisto and get you two somewhere safe." Before they could ask anything more, he continued to drag them along.

Finally they reached the the meeting place the priest and the demon set up: an old warehouse. The three entered through the busted door and walked into the dark center space. It was cold and damp and smelled of mildew. Koltars were everywhere, and Yukio desperately tried to swat them away. "I don't like this place!" he cried, tears spilling down his face as he gave up trying to get rid of the tiny demons, "I want to go home!"

"Yeah!" Rin exclaimed moving towards his brother to comfort him, "This place is terrible. It's cold and it smells awful! We aren't gonna have to live here now are we?"

Shiro's eyes softened as he knelt down beside the boys. "Hey, calm down! It'll be alright," he said soothingly, placing a hand on each of their backs. "You guys aren't going to live here. You won't even have to be here for much longer," he assured, "We just have to wait here long enough for Mephisto to show up."

"Did someone call my name?" a voice echoed in the darkness. The three turned to see the demon in a white suit step out of the darkness. "My, my they certainly grow up fast. The last time I saw them they were each barely bigger that a small house cat," the man noted.

Rin stepped in front of his younger brother and glared at the man. "Who are you?" he demanded.

"Oh, where are my manners. Sir Mephisto Pheles at your service," he said with a bow and a tip of his hat. "Now that introductions are out of the order, it's time for you boys to say your goodbyes and come with me," he said standing up straight again.

The two children looked shocked. "Wh-what?!" Rin cried before turning to Shiro, "Dad, what is he talking about?! Are you just gonna leave us with this weirdo?"

Shiro felt his a pang of sorrow in his heart as he looked down at the boy's betrayed expressions. "I'm sorry," he said solemnly, "But you two can't stay with me anymore. It isn't safe."

Both of them looked heartbroken at his words. Rin was the first to respond by growling while kicking and punching the old priest's leg. "Grrr!" he roared, "How could you do this to us?! You're our dad! I thought you cared about us!" Tears rolled down his face as he continued.

Yukio just looked up at him in shock. "Dad...why? Why do we have to leave?" Yukio asked, "Is it because of the people chasing us?"

"Correct," Mephisto interjected, "The Vatican has found out about your brother's little powers and will not rest until they've destroyed the both of you."

"Why? We didn't do anything wrong!" Rin shouted.

"It's not what you did Rin, it's your ancestry," Shiro explained, "While your mother was human, your father was the most powerful demon of all, Satan himself." The two boys looked shocked. "While I know both of you are good boys, the Vatican doesn't, and so they fear you. They fear you will side with the devil to destroy humanity," he finished.

"But that's not fair!" Rin snapped, balling his hands into fists and sniffling, "You said it yourself, we're good! Why can't they just give us a chance? It's not fair! It's not fair! It's not fair!" The little boy began stamping his feet and shaking his head.

Shiro knelt down to hug the both of them. "I'm sorry. I wish I could change things. wish I could make them see the good in you two, but the Vatican doesn't like taking chances. And with Rin's powers emerging, it's only a matter of time before you become targets for other demons," Shiro said hugging them tightly, frustrated with himself that he couldn't do anything more.

"Where are we gonna go?" Yukio asked.

"To another world," Shiro said, "One free from demons." He and Mephisto had this backup plan for a while. He had discovered this world a few years after boys were born. Mephisto had called him in for a favor for his continuous silence on the matter of the young antichrists. As the demon king of time and space, he had access to planes of existence that even Satan couldn't reach, and in one such world he had to help stop the breakdown of the gate that would let the demons of Gehenna in. Mephisto had claimed these holes had grown from thousands of years of idiots trying to play god and breakthrough to the realm of the dead.

While he was there, clearing out what had already leaked through, he had saved the life of a soldier who he was soon able to call friend as he spent time in that strange world. That man claimed he was indebt to him, something about equivalent exchange. Although back then Shiro didn't believe the man owed him anything, he hoped now that man was still alive and willing to repay that debt.

"You're going to be looked after there by an old friend of mine," he explained.

"But I don't want to be looked after by someone else! I want to be looked after by you!" Rin argued.

"Can't you come with us?" Yukio asked.

"No can do," Mephisto jumped in, "While I do have close ties to the gate keeper of the world, he's a very strict being with stricter laws and grueling punishments for breaking them, and he made it very clear that I'm only allowed two traveling companions with me at a time. Honestly, I like keeping my head and other assorted body parts and I don't think Shiro would appreciate you losing any of yours, so I'm not about to argue with him." Helicopters sounded overhead. "And with that fast approaching issue," Mephisto said, pointing upwards, "I doubt I'll be able to come back in time to snag Shiro too." "Now come along, children," he said, turning on his heel and brandishing a strange gold key. The grip was shaped like the ouroboros. He walked up to a door and placed it in the lock before turning and opening it, revealing a vast, empty whiteness. "We have no time to waste," he finished.

Shiro hugged them both one last time. "Stay strong, you two. Make sure you look after each other," he said, squeezing them tightly, "Be good and make me proud. Remember, I'll always love you two, no matter what happens." His heart broke as he had to let them go after a long minute. The priest stood up slowly as he mechanically handed Mephisto the koma sword, a package with a note, and the two boys. His heart broke even more as Rin struggled as the demon took the two boys by the hands and dragged them away.

"No!" He shrieked, "I don't want to go! Don't make me! I don't want to go!" He fought all the way until the door closed behind him, leaving Shiro alone in the darkness.

"Not for long…" he thought as he heard the footsteps of the Knights of the True Cross approaching.

…

As soon as the door closed behind Rin, he was quiet. First in despair over what had just occurred, and then in awe and fear as to where he now found himself. The white void that surrounded them went on forever. Neither of the boys could see the end. There was nothing but empty whiteness for miles around…that is, except for a single gate. As they drew closer, the twins saw a pure white figure standing next to it. The two held onto each other as fear filled their hearts as they gazed upon it. It was a creature without a nose or eyes, but a single wide grin. Mephisto nodded to it as they passed it. It seemed to stare them down somehow as they walked by it and exited through the gate.

They exited the white void and found themselves standing outside an abandoned warehouse in the dark of the night surrounded by other warehouses. A large number thirteen was painted on the side. The boys gasped as it disappeared as Mephisto lead them away, leaving nothing but a vacant lot behind them. "Let's see…" the demon muttered as he pulled out piece of paper from his coat and squinted at it, "What was his address again? Ah, there it is!" With that, he folded the paper back up and stuffed it into his coat. Leading the children along again.