Disclaimer: I do not own this series- Tokyo Babylon- but it's still good anyway, right? XD For the record, this is my first T.B. fic, so go easy on me, all right? ; Thanks!

Wandering in darkness

Subaru wasn't sure what had happened. Up until a few minutes ago, he was on a tall bridge-like structure in a building, faced with an enemy who wished him dead, but now, he was only surrounded by darkness. He looked around, warily at first, but no matter where he looked, there was only darkness. It was deathly silent all around him, sending shivers of anxiety down his spine. What was happening? Where was his enemy? Where was HE?

Suddenly, out of the darkness, an image appeared before his eyes. It was his enemy, Mr. Nagumo, but not in the place where he had left him. No, it was inside the building. He was standing by the window, looking out over the city. No, no, no… Subaru didn't understand. None of it made sense, like the fact that Nagumo still had both of his arms. When Subaru burst inside, fearing the effects of a curse, one of the man's arms was most definitely missing! No, no… what was this?

Suddenly, all the lights went out, and Nagumo was starting to look spooked. Subaru yelled for him to run, to get away from there, but Nagumo couldn't hear him. Was he… could it be that Subaru was seeing what had happened just before his arrival? Maybe there was a chance Subaru could stop it from happening, he thought, and he tried to run to the older man. He was stopped. All of a sudden his feet felt heavy as stone, and when he looked down, he saw dark shadows. They started at his feet, almost gluing them to the floor, and then they started winding up his body. Subaru chanted spells and struggled, but the shadows would not release him.

Looking up, he saw the horror as Kuni's enraged spirit entered the room and wound itself around Nagumo just like the shadows were around him. What was happening to that man was also happening to Subaru, and he feared what would happen. Kuni and the shadows made their way up to their torsos and in an instant, Subaru found himself yelling. It felt like his arm was being pulled right out of its socket! He could feel the skin and tissue stretching and tearing apart, and he begged someone to help him, but nobody came. The darkness was consuming him, and he was alone…

"Hokuto… S-Seisshiro… somebody help me!!"

His arm came loose of its socket as the skin and muscle tears around it, and with a sickening pop, Subaru screams.

--

Hokuto cringed as her brother yelled out. He acted like he was in terrible pain, but why? She sighed and dabbed a cold cloth on her brother's face, hoping that he would calm down and sleep more soundly. He'd been down with fever for three days, and not once did he awake for more than a few minutes. Hokuto had never seen her brother in such a tormented state, and felt so powerless at his side. She sighed again, at least grateful that the cold compress was calming him down again.

"Oh, brother… You make me worry so much."

A few minutes passed on in semi-silence before the young girl heard the front door softly open and close. Moments later, she heard a voice, and Seisshiro's head popped into the room.

"Seisshiro…"

"Hello, Hokuto. How is he doing?" The girl's head went down.

"He's still very weak, and he's been thrashing around a lot, too."

"Oh, I see…"

Acting like the doctor he was, the much taller man entered the room and stood at the edge of the bed, overlooking the frail-looking boy. Kneeling down to his level, Seisshiro set his hand on Subaru's forehead and frowned.

"Is it bad?"

"His fever is still very high, and his face is strained… That must be one bad dream he's having now."

"Oh…"

Seisshiro threw a sympathetic look over to the girl and softly patted her head before standing. It confused Hokuto when he then he then held out his hand for her.

"Come on, now… I've brought us some dinner."

"But, I can't just leave him here all by himself! He needs me!"

Seisshiro smiled at her, but took her hand and helped her to her feet, anyway.

"You need some time to relax, too, you know… Subaru is asleep now, so a few minutes couldn't hurt."

"Well…" She looked back at her brother once more, before finally agreeing. She did need a break. The two of them then left, and Subaru's nightmare continued. He didn't have anyone there to protect him, anymore.