As a Kannagi, Ayano had exactly one purpose. To hold herself together in every storm until the day her last breath passed in battle. Raging winds and irritating breezes definitely fit her description of a storm, and every storm usually linked back to Kazuma.

Kazuma of the unruly dark hair and stoic expressions. Kazuma of smirks and silence. Kazume, who had been lost to her long before she had come to know him as the contractor of the Spirit King. There had been a boy inside of him; she'd known him only in passing as the Kannagi left unblessed by the fire spirits. Winning Enraiha had been easy, and she had given little thought to him beyond that. Except when he returned, his energy had engulfed hers and it pushed her to be better. She wanted to be better so that someday he would look at her with more than friendliness in his eyes. That was the way he looked at her.

Lapis. Tsui-Ling. Whatever she was called, she was the owner of Kazuma's soul. Her mere presence made his stance protective and his gaze fastened on her as if she were the only thing keeping him from falling off a cliff. So while Ayano might remind him of who he was, Tsui-Ling had clearly molded him to be that man in the first place.

The thing though was Ayano trusted Kazuma completely, his power and his heart. The girl seemed to drain him of those things, leaving a helpless and bitter shell in Kazuma's place. These were the thoughts that were only sinking deeper into Ayano's mind as she followed Kazuma to finish Pandemonium, the biggest fight of her young life. He had always told her that being brave meant living for something rather than dying for it, yet without his total focus she was well aware of the fact this might be her final moments.

It didn't scare her as much as it should have. If she was going to die, she was going to do it protecting those she loved, Kazuma included. He'd been willing to die for Tsui-Ling, but could he say the same about the Kannagis, the family who'd rejected him?

"Are you sure you can go through with this, Kazuma?" She finally had to ask. Her voice was calm and steady as her resolve to finally finish this one way or another.

"You ever seen me hesitate before?" The roughness of his tone implied the hard reality of his emotional state. He was angry. The searing heat of her own aura tended to blind her to the daily nuances of others' auras – wind users notoriously were more gifted there anyway – but his aura still carried some of the darkness from before. It was like a cool fog clinging to him as he strode forward.

"Well no, but you do realize you're going to have to go up against Lapis, don't you?" Given his reaction the last time Lapis had been in a fight, Ayano didn't have much confidence Kazuma wouldn't just relapse into the dark, merciless insanity her memory had insights before. The woman had been toting around a sword bigger than the two of them put together and Kazuma had still thrown out winds to protect her.

"And your point?" Kazuma said. He'd stopped, clearly challenging her to say the wrong thing. But Ayano was strong, strong enough to say even the things he didn't want to hear even if that did mean he could kick her ass.

"I know that you loved each other." She forced herself to say, trying not to dwell on it because all of her focus was on saving people and not on the slow crumble of her fragile, young heart. "I just need you to tell me, can you do this-" Kazuma's arm shot before her. Whether he was warning her or just reacting out of instinct, she couldn't tell for certain. While she had always been an open book to him, her efforts to read him had all gone in vain.

"I don't know who the hell told you that," He said, a slight rasp to his voice, "but my girlfriend was murdered. They killed her right in front of me." He raised his head to stare her down, daring her to press further and keep talking. The bald statement was meant to silence her on the matter once and for all.

"I'm so sorry." Ren murmured, speaking for the first time in a while. Ayano felt her chest constrict, her eyes going suspiciously moist.

"And that thing is nothing but a cheap knock-off of Tsui-Ling." Kazuma continued unsteadily. "I don't give a damn if they used her last thoughts to make it. Lapis will never be the girl I loved!"

And there it was. The confirmation of everything Ayano both hoped and feared. He wouldn't save Lapis again, that was for certain. But he wouldn't risk his heart again either.

"Any other questions?"

"No." She murmured meekly, keeping her eyes on the floor in front of her as they continued to walk. She just had to get through this one night. Then she could fall apart.

She'd give anything to return to normal. The day before Pandemonium was just a dream now. A day with Nanase and Yukari, who stared back at her from a stage beside Lapis now like nothing more than puppets. Kazuma hung back, leaving a wide berth between him and the model of Tsui-Ling though it felt more like an abyss to Ayano given all the negative energy quickly filling the air between them.

"I'm taking those two home with me!" Ayano declared.

"Go right ahead. We have no further use for them now." Lapis replied in that dull, mechanical voice of hers. Behind her, a golden Utumi sculpture rose up, grotesque and dark. "I suppose you want this one too. Well they've all served their purpose. Each person was used as bait to lure Kazuma here."

While Utsumi rambled on about being the chosen one, Ayano glanced back at Kazuma only to find him staring at Lapis.

"You enjoying this?" He asked. Ayano felt herself gasp.

"I supposed so. It just hadn't occurred to me." Lapis replied.

"Of course. Pain and suffering. That's all you people know how to enjoy."

Suddenly Nanase stepped forward, explaining Pandemonium, its dark purpose in reaping souls. Coming from her lips, it was even more disgusting.

Somehow Kazuma ignored them, finally figuring out that Lapis had been nothing but a distraction. Ayano couldn't believe it had been so easy for Bernhardt to throw Kazuma's old love in his face and how easily Kazuma had fallen to the darkness of his own nature, which had lurked just beneath the surface all along.

"You mustn't forget the simple entertainment of causing you great agony and despair." Lapis said calmly.

Ayano had tried once to understand. She had tried to put herself in Kazuma's shoes and see the kind of pain it took to change a person that much. It had gone beyond imagination.

"What are you talking about?" Ayano replied heatedly. "That's entertaining to you?"

"The only pleasure they allow themselves is to torture others and bring pain to the world." Kazuma told them. "And they're going to keep doing it until somebody makes them pay!"

Ayano and Ren both jumped as Kazuma shouted, the zeal of his pain and fury ringing through the chamber. As if it was a cue, Lapis swung her great sword, neatly slicing Utsumi in half before anyone could reach her. He choked in shock at his own demise for a moment and then his soul was claimed by the darkness he had accepted in return for his powers. The very ground shook beneath them.

"What did you do? What's happening?"

The summoning was complete. Belial. Ayano found herself unable to believe in the reality of such darkness. Somewhere deep down, she had actually thought that maybe they would walk away from this. Kazuma would call on the Spirit King, brown eyes would go startlingly blue, and together they'd kill Bernhardt. His revenge would be complete and, broken hearted, she'd return to daily youma slaying. But Belial. That was the end for everyone, not just her even.

Lapis was saying things, words Ayano didn't quite understand. Things about hearts and souls, despair and love of Kazuma. Her worst nightmare come true, Kazuma was then moving towards her.

"What are you doing?" She whispered as he passed.

"I've heard about all I can stand." He replied clearly with no indication of his intent. Suddenly there was a tornado, Kazuma's raging emotions charging a blade towards Lapis.

"Do you want me to die, Kazuma?" Lapis asked. When the blade missed, his answer was clear.

"That's not her!" Ayano tried to remind him. For whatever reason, the memory of Tsui-Ling still had a firm grip on Kazuma, her face and voice something so precious that he couldn't destroy this small reminder of her. "You've got to snap out of it!" Ayano told him, passing him to summon Enraiha so she could finish what he couldn't. "If I can stop the conjurer, I can stop the summoning." She thought to herself. She could fix just this. Heir of the Kannagis sacred flame, Ayano had to stop it.

When she found herself face to face with Nanse and Yukari, she paused but not for long when Kazuma called her name. Somehow, when in battle, she just knew exactly what he was saying every time I said her name. Deep inside, there would be a tug, a little flickering thought of jump now.

And then a blade of wind went whooshing past where she'd been a moment ago to slide between her innocent friends to knock Lapis to the ground and transport them to safety.

Ayano found herself eager to be the one to end this, to end Lapis. Blocked on all sides by the golden rocks, the reflection of Lapis goaded her. There would be no destroying of this ghost. Before she could take another step, the wind wound its way through, warmth brushing Ayano's cheek and hair before suddenly blasting the rock that hid Lapis.

"I'm through messing around with you!" He hollered.

"I've never felt so much evil before." Ayano murmured. The air was becoming sick with it, Belial starting his ascent.

"I guess we were too late." Kazuma said.

Ayano wasn't exactly sure what he expected them to do about this spirit. He was the only one who had the type of energy even capable of challenging Belial. Maybe if she could just distract the demon long enough, Kazuma could still save the city.

Lapis floated above them, serenely blissful to have successfully summoned Belial if only for a few seconds. Just so she could watch Kazuma die. The only reason Ayano could remain calm was looking back to find him handling the news of his impending mortality calmly, even flippantly. If he could stay poised, well she damn well would too.

"What now?" She asked, trusting him completely in this moment of despair.

"We fly." He replied succulently, whipping the winds into a frenzy.

Dropping her friends at a safe distance, Kazuma hovered at a vantage point where they could see the entire summoning circle, glowing red and large. Kazuma's arm about her waist was secure and protective. She had to resist the urge to cling and bury her head in his chest from the sight.

"This is hopeless. My contractor powers are hopeless against a demon this strong and your divine flame won't even put a scratch on it." Kazuma said, his tone brisk and business like.

"Then what do we do?" Her voice was small, unsure, but she looked on the circle with determination because there had to be something. Anything. For some reason, that made Kazuma laugh and she felt absurdly pleased to have caused any sort of chuckle given the circumstances.

"The only chance we've got is to attack it together."

She really had figured that went without saying. Seriously, what had they been doing the past few months if not learning how to use each other to fight a mutual enemy, even if he was a lazy ass bodyguard.

They had just one shot at this.

"So I guess this could be the last time I ever see your face, huh?" She asked, feeling brave. At this point, embarrassment would've been pointless, so might as well get a few things off her chest. He merely glanced at her, looking curious and oddly cocky in that strictly Kazuma way of his. "You got anything you want to tell me before we, you know, die?" She kept her tone light, but in the back of her mind she was replaying their first fight when they had really worked together. The way he had lectured her on staying alive. If he was really willing to die, then it meant everything was on the line now. Might as well put their hearts up there too, right?

"How about you cook me a meal after this and I'll tell you then?" He invited, matching her teasing tone. She had to grin because they had come to a strange understanding. They were going to pretend that they would survive and get to see each other again.

It was an invitation to change. He wasn't buying anymore, but asking for her to give him something in return. Which meant he thought she had something to give and was confirming for her that yes, there was definitely something he figured she ought to hear from him. Something he thought was clear enough for her to already know. The words wouldn't hurt, but it was enough to make her burn to live for just a little bit longer.

"I'd rather die." She laughed. Cooking was not her forte anyway. Fighting though, that she could handle.

"Suit yourself." He replied and they shared a glance unlike any she had ever gotten from him. It was warm and fond and proud. It was like he couldn't look away from her for even a moment.

And then all of hell broke loose and Kazuma's arm was no longer about her waist. She was suspended higher in the air than she ever had been, relying on Kazuma's power to protect her.

She just wanted to see his stupid face again. It would take every flame that burned within her. For a few precious seconds, the cool aura of wind merged with the searing power of hers.

Next thing she knew, she was on the ground, unable to make herself move.

"It is extraordinary how genuinely fearsome the Kannagi bloodline is." Opening her eyes and learning her back to a rock for support, Ayano regarded Bernhardt as his long shadow stretched towards her, Lapis at his side. Kazuma unearthed some sort of strength, managing to push himself to his knees between Bernhardt and the two Kannagis.

"Yeah, well, sorry to disappoint you." Ayano told him when he complained about not getting to see Belial lay waste to the entire city. Kazuma glanced back over his shoulder at her, his eyes saying what his mouth could not. Neither of them had the energy to stop anything else Bernhardt could pull.

"I've never been one to bet against the odds." Bernhardt said mysteriously. "I prefer a fight that I know I'll win." He directed their attention to the side and up to the top of the crater they'd created. Uncle Genma, Kazuma and Ren's father, watched the group of them, his hands in his pockets but his aura fearsome. He'd always been the strongest in the family, though Ayano would like to think she could give him a run for his money if she truly chose to.

"Wait." Kazuma called, stumbling to his feet. He wanted to know Tsui-Ling's last emotion. But of course. It would always be Tsui-Ling.

"Her last thought," Lapis replied, "was that she wished you were dead." The blow of her words visibly shook Kazuma, though he remained standing.

Ayano climbed to her feet. Somehow, she imagined this was how normal people felt when they had no magic to rely on. Her energy was drained, but physically she was fine. She made it to Kazuma, laying her hand on his shoulder though it seemed such a small thing to do for someone who had lost so much. To her startlement, he whipped around. She thought he was going to jerk away from her touch, maybe shout or run off to be alone until he could put his usual stoic façade back in place. But he surprised her by wrapping his around her and burying his face in the fall of her hair over her back. Hesitantly, she held still, letting him lean on her for whatever strength she had left to give.

"I'm sorry." Were the only words she could think to whisper. Sorry she didn't have more to give to the man who had just saved every life but the only that had ever truly mattered to him.

After a time, he released her, though neither spoke a word. Rather than fly, they walked back to the Kannagi estate at a slow, troubled pace. The soothing water seemed to draw Kazuma, and he spent hours staring into it. Water wasn't really something Ayano had ever cared for. It had always just sort of been there, thrumming along the estate at a measured, easy rate that she didn't understand until today.

"You know she was lying right?" She finally asked Kazuma. Anything to break this melancholy, bring back the taunts or flippant smiles. He just seemed so…broken. "She only said that to try and mess with your head. There's no way Tsui-Ling wanted to kill you. I just can't believe that was her last thought." Another thing Ayano had spent a lot of time recently imagining. Tsui-Ling. Love of Kazuma's life. If it had been Ayano that day, she could only imagine relief that it was over finally. Relief that her last sight would be his brown eyes looking on with all the love in the world. Or maybe…maybe Tsui-Ling just wanted it to be over for him too, before all the suffering and pain could destroy him like it had her. Then they would've been together in another dimension.

"Well it could've been." Kazuma admitted, watching a fish lazily swim by. "I lied to her, you know? I told her that I'd always protect her. Then I couldn't even save her life. She probably resented me for that."

"But it's not your fault. You hadn't even awoken to your powers yet, so you couldn't do anything to stop them."

"I guess you're right." But his tone suggested he was just tired of discussing it and that he didn't actually believe that. Idly, he pulled the winds into his palm to watch them swirl. "Strange thing is, I awoke to my power right after she died when they tried to kill me."

"It's common for that to happen when you're in danger." Ayano replied, confused. "That's not strange."

"Nothing happened when she was in danger. Why didn't I wake up then? Maybe I should let her do it. Maybe that's what I deserve." He seemed to have forgotten Ayano was there, was talking aloud to himself or the spirits or any power that would listen.

"I don't know what you're saying, Kazuma, and I hope I'm wrong, but it sounds like you almost want Lapis to kill you! And what would that solve? What is wrong with you, Kazuma?" She had to asked passionately. Had they survived a freakin' demon just for him to drop dead because of some memories? "What is it going to take to make you realize that it's over and you're here now?" Here, with her.

"Come on. Will you calm down?" He said though his gaze was still far off and he was turned away. Suddenly he turned back to her, his gaze determined and more focused than she'd ever seen if a bit more world-weary. "I've already realized that. I have to live with my past, but it won't control me. Now it the only thing that matters. And that's what I'm going to protect." Ayano could only stare, unsure whether to trust herself to understand what he was actually saying. "And I swear I'll protect all of you." Her temper flared – seriously, now she was just some child he had to save to prove that he could? – and she brought her arm forward to slap him, only for him to catch her wrist inches from his cheek, which only made her angrier. "What'd you do that for?"

"Jerk!" She wrenched her arm from his loose grasp. Once she got started, everything from the past few days just poured out and to her dismay, brought tears with them. "Did I ever ask you to protect me? Whatever happened in your past is none of my business and I realize that okay, but I can tell that you're in pain so you don't have to try and hide it from me! I mean I'm strong enough to be here for you! You don't always have to deal with everything all by yourself! Am I so unreliable you can't even trust me? What do you think of me anyway? Am I just a burden to you, a helpless little girl? Do you just want me to hide somewhere while you swoop in to save the day then gratefully kiss you on the cheek once the danger's cleared? Listen! Quit treating me like I can't do anything when I know that I really can!"

Turning away, it was her turn to stare at the water and try to get a lock on her emotions. But it had all just become so clear to her. All this time, she was just another innocent he had to save to make up for the loss of the all-important Tsui-Ling. She was a freakin' Kannagi, thank you very much, so he had better get his butt in gear and start treating her as his partner, not his burden. She just wanted, for one moment, to see him look at her in admiration and respect. Was that so much to ask?

The winds shifted, causing her bright hair to billow out behind her and away from her wet face. She could feel the heat of a blush creep to her cheeks as Kazuma's fingers wound into a few stray strands. In this uncharted territory, she could only stay still and pray she didn't embarrass herself or ruin the moment. When the wind died down and he dropped his hold on her hair, she glanced over her shoulder.

Treating her to a smile, he said, "Well, I'm glad you've got my back."

It would've been a nice moment. The kind she would giggle about with her friends and sigh over just as she was falling asleep. Except she was already on high alert from his little wind-hair trick, so the moment he punctuated "partner" with a pat on her rump, the unexpected and unfamiliar gesture had her retreating. Unfortunately right into the water.

Embarrassed by the water and her obvious inexperience with men, her temper had Enraiha in her palm before she could even think to call for it.

"Ayano, that was totally an accident." Kazuma attempted to explain. But dear lord did she have her pride to keep intact, something usually lacking when Kazuma was around. Graceful and sophisticated, she was not she decided as she swung the sword towards Kazuma's retreating – admittedly very fine – form.

When he glanced back over his shoulder after a while though, she saw a wide smile playing on his lips, making her laugh at the ridiculousness only a little bit. After all, she wouldn't hurt him much. Just one tiny little burn to remind him of her.