+ Category: Kishin Douji Zenki

+ Rate: T

+ Genre: Romance / Drama

Authoress' Notes:

Kishin Douji Zenki series belongs to its respective owners - Mr. Kikuhide Tani (Story) & Mr. Yoshihiro Kuroiwa (Illustrations). :D

Flashbacks in italics. ;)

~ REVIVAL OF THE HEART ~

Part II

- Her Demon Knight -

Dreamy blue eyes opened languidly a while later, waiting for reality to sink in. He felt a warm in his hand as he woke up slowly, finding himself leaning against something equally warm and comfortable when he heard the sweet sound of her voice.

"I'm glad you've awakened. The sun is about to set."

"Hm? I fell ASLEEP!?" He asked in disbelief, getting even more confused upon the sudden realization that he had done so while still holding her hand and leaning on her shoulder.

"Yeah. You seemed very tired." She replied cheerfully, turning to him with a smile. He guessed surprise was still written on his face when she sweatdropped and continued, "Why do you look so much surprised, Akira? Sleep is a natural thing."

"Ah yes, but…" He slapped his forehead with his palm, chuckling softly as he said, "It's just that I've never fallen asleep in the presence of anyone besides you."

"Mou…" She pouted and began to stammer, "Is… is that supposed to be a good thing or am I that boring?"

/She looks always so adorable when she is shy./ He thought. She was his Master– his BEST friend–– an amazing maiden with a heart that was so pure and generous, a great Priestess who prevented the freeway from being turned into a messy bloodbath caused by a giant, wind-up monkey that tried to take over the world with a banana cannon at two-o-clock yesterday afternoon.

He gave her a reassuring smile as he gazed deep into her eyes and replied, "It means I trust you with my life, Chiaki."

"Oh."

He didn't know if it was only to hide her blush that she laid her head gently on his time-broadened shoulder and place her dainty hand in his, lacing their fingers together, but it didn't really matter. At least now, they could watch the sunset with happiness in her precious amethyst eyes.

Perhaps it was better that way.

He didn't know when exactly it started. All he knew was that he was deeply in love with her. All those years they were together, he had learned to care for the lovely Mistress of the Enno Shrine– more than as a guardian to his Master, more than as a friend.

And quite contrary to what she thought, he had also been aware of her attraction to him; he had lived long and experienced enough to know when a female was attracted to him. Indeed she was, without doubt, but he always brushed it off as an infatuation brought on only by his dashing good looks and fine demeanor that she would eventually outgrow like all the others. He tried not to pay much attention to this, thinking it was normal because to some degree his human form still retained his favored glamour– the look that was lean, well defined, and flawlessly proportioned blessed with perfect complexion, and it made him a dangerously addictive target for emotional seduction– the fact that caused him a deep sense of unease every time he interacted with a member of the opposite sex.

Part of his brain refused to cooperate though, as he recalled an event that happened only two months ago.

The lightning saber was about to kill her when he shoved her out of the way as he hurled himself into its path. He hadn't even had time to use the Light Shield before the blade dug into his abdomen. His head tilted backwards as he gasped from the sudden pain and the damage the electrified blade caused as it plunged deeper into his flesh. His Red comrade's angry yell and everyone's scream echoed in his ears but were drowned by the pain that made him feel like every nerve in his body was completely paralyzed and on fire. He felt his body shaking because of the amount of that sudden pain and toll; he hated it. He would not show weakness before their enemy… no matter how painful it felt…

Mocking laughter filled the air and he slowly lowered his head to lock his steely blue gaze with the enemy leader's, glaring challengingly and clenching his teeth together to stop himself from shaking. The leader's eyes bore into his, dark and ruthless, crimson lips curved bloody thirst and the next thing he knew was a mind-numbing explosion of pain from a blow to his chest and the bloody saber was jerked agonizingly painful from his body as he flew a few feet away before hitting the ground with such force that the impact knocked the air out of his lungs.

Without hesitation the enemy leader had now charged towards the Priestess of the Enno Shrine– his original target, but found that he was unable to move. Immediately he stopped and surprise was written plainly on his face when he noticed that half of his body was now trapped in a thick block of ice.

''See you… in Hell.'' A cold smile curved the bloody lips of the injured Blue Warrior God lying on the ground as he said in an icy tone. It was a death sentence, and looked like the enemy leader finally realized he had been tricked as he looked up to see the Red Warrior God standing above him, furious and imposing with iron fists ready for the final, fatal blow. Apparently when the lightning saber ran him through leaving him vulnerable to the next attack, the Blue Warrior God without delay seized the initiative to freeze the lower limbs of their enemy solid, rendering him immobile so that his Red comrade could finish what was left off!

"INDOLA!"

A bloodcurdling roar and beams of crimson light burst into action as the Red Demon Warrior's fist connected, swirling, tearing and slowly killing the enemy leader that screamed in terror and excruciating pain.

He observed the execution through bleary yet cold-stone blue eyes. Lights started to fade as quickly as they had begun, taking the last parts of the still screaming victim with them. He felt a smile of satisfaction tugging the corners of his mouth, but kept his face neutral until the lights disappeared; the place where the enemy leader had stood was left with nothing but the triumphant form of his Red comrade.

It was over.

His muscles relaxed as he lay on his back, feeling his body starting to weaken as the injury started to take its toll. He could feel blood flowing out from the wound, slight tingling and waves of both cold and warm going over him constantly, his lungs desperately struggling for breath, and the maiden he had saved was kneeling beside him. The knowledge that she was unharmed and they had won through again in the end gave him a slight feeling of comfort.

"…Why did you save me!?" He heard her say, losing the beginning of the sentence as his mind tried to clear itself. She was obviously in distress, he realized this as tears had begun streaming down her cheeks, falling onto his face.

"Shouldn't you be saying… 'thank you', and not… questioning me?" Tenderly he smiled, trying to calm her and lighten the mood but the burning pain in his abdomen from the lightning saber that had gone all the way through his torso prevented him. Breathing was increasingly difficult as he choked on the blood that continued to seep from his lips, staining his chin and neck.

"Goki! NO!" He heard her cry as she cradled him tenderly, her right arm supporting his upper body and the other hand pressing tight against the bleeding wound in his abdomen that was already covered by his hand. "What's wrong? You can heal it. Come on…"

Weakly he reached for his healing magic again, trying to concentrate it to the place where it hurt–– his skull suddenly flared with pain and his neck strained, holding back a scream. Damn… Whatever effect the evil blade that had been impaled through his body had on him was like a wave of nausea, sweeping over him and hard to restrain. It was beginning to feel like his heart was on fire, his veins were carrying flames instead of blood and his nerves were charged with electricity. The injury was too physical, putting the pressure straight to his body and his mind that was now too blurred to properly use his magic. Maybe his magic would heal his body on its own once given enough time for that, but still it was just maybe, as he felt too exhausted… too drained…

His eyes screwed shut and he coughed again– a wet phlegmatic sound, and she gently wiped the blood from his mouth with her sleeve.

"Master…"

"Shh. Do not speak. Save your strength." She gently stroked his face, tears spilling relentlessly from her grieving amethyst eyes as her arms tightened around him.

His vision was fading. He could feel his life draining, his heart slowing with each labored breath. And yet, his mind still focused on her. All at once he was consumed by his guilt for causing her tears… He had never admitted it, never to himself or to anyone… but she was the person whom he adored… and cared most about… the only person for whose sake he would gladly do everything… even if it meant to forsake himself… He wanted to apologize… to tell her his true feelings… before the end… before… it was… too late…

"Chiaki… I…"

His body tensed as another searing pain shot through his veins, sending sharp agony straight to his heart. He gasped, and with that, darkness consumed him. The remaining words remained lodged in his throat.

Miracle did happen, for the attack didn't kill him, but instead, jeopardized his divinity and left him as little more than a vegetable for more than a while. Later he learnt that his Red comrade had given him a considerable portion of his lightning power in order to negate the evil effect and effectively preserve his life. He wasn't sure how it worked, but it wouldn't have been possible without her.

And she hadn't left his side for a moment, not even to eat while he remained in critical condition lying on the hospital bed. He had flitted in and out of consciousness for weeks, fighting his way back from death, and could faintly remember times he had awoken and heard her voice– gentle, yet scolding voice and touch painted the otherwise blackness of his healing sleep with warm colors. When he finally came to, when his languid blue eyes found her teary violet ones, he thought he saw something, half-hidden, or half-exposed perhaps– something so strong, so deep, nestling in the depth of those violet pools– something that was meant only for him. Yet, he didn't want to– didn't dare to admit it.

For this was Enno Chiaki– his Master–– the maiden he had sworn to protect.

The moment when he lay severely wounded in her arms, he felt overcome with despair. He thought it was the end, it was only a matter of time before he died. A sorrowful expression stirred him from within when he witnessed the sadness in her eyes, and though he had not meant to reveal himself while forcing a weak smile, it was clear that she had sensed something from his behavior towards her. He feared not death itself, but the thought of leaving behind the person whom he cared for more than his own life had become too much to bear and almost drove him to say those forbidden words. In truth, he had never wanted to cause undue anguish to the person he adored, and cared most about in this life.

He had also been in denial about his true feelings for her up until that day, he realized, and had had the greatest difficulty in exercising restraint during one of his recent interactions with the maiden under his guardianship.

When he got outside the balcony, he collapsed on the marble floor to catch his breath and hold his still-aching abdomen. The wound he had taken shouldn't be affecting him this much… Had he not been so drained having personally intervened, with his "Supreme Heaven Protection Shield", in a series of lightning strikes across Shikigami-Chou that would have killed the majority of the townsfolk, perhaps he wouldn't have let their enemy injure him like this… His divine power hadn't returned to him, leaving him with only the strength of a mortal, and right now, the pain and damper the injury put on his ability to regenerate were wreaking havoc on his human body. He felt like an invalid. He tried to stand but was stopped by a sharp ache in his wound, and he was unable to hold back a cry.

"Akira! What are you doing out of bed!? You are still gravely weak!" The room door was thrown open and she came running towards him at the sound of his cry as she chided him.

"I just need a breath of fresh air… I'm fine." He managed an apologetic smile as she helped him into a sitting position. His wound throbbed fiercely as he leaned heavily back against the wall outside his room and closed his eyes. It had been a while since he had to endure this much physical pain… His healing power could always fix this issue for him with ease…

"No, you cannot lie to me." Her soft voice stole into his thoughts and he glanced at her. "It has been almost one moon since the battle, and you've only recovered enough to be discharged from ICU two days ago." She blinked at him, her amethyst eyes unintentionally filling with tears. "We all have been worried sick about you, Goki."

The tears in her eyes had made his heart lurch in a very painful way. "Master…" His expression was not simply benign and complacent, but soft and vulnerable as he gazed at her. She seemed unable to hold back her tears any longer, and although he had made no motion of invitation, she leaned against his bare chest and circled her arms around his bandaged waist in a tender embrace. He hadn't been expecting that.

"Baka… you gave me quite a scare." She scolded softly as more tears escaped her eyes, dampening his chest and soaking the bandage covering his wound. "I'm sorry… I was too careless. If it hadn't been for me…" She couldn't help herself; she wanted to be close, wanted him to hold her, because when she last held him, he didn't respond, and she wanted that memory gone.

"Chiaki…" He whispered, finding himself at a loss for words. He was shocked by her action, but by no means displeased, because it reinforced the idea that she needed him. "Don't blame yourself… this body has a will of its own." He murmured consolingly, burying his face in her hair and wrapped his arms tenderly around her– a gesture both protective and possessive. "I'm sorry I scared you."

She nodded silently. His arms weren't as strong around her as they usually were, but she didn't mind. She probably hurt him, too, but she wouldn't pull away, she couldn't.

They remained that way for what seemed like ages, not saying anything, just holding each other while a gentle trade wind blew gently across the place where they were. The night was chilly, especially when he was covered only by the bandage on his wound. He was very much aware that he was without a shirt, and that he was holding her warm, feminine form in his embrace, her head resting against his chest, just above his heart. His pain faded for a time, driven away by the heat of her touch, and he marveled at the effect she had on him. His eyes were closed and his lips parted slightly as he breathed in the exquisite scent of jasmine that rose from the hair of the beautiful Priestess. /This is wrong. She is my Master./ He thought. She was his duty and that was all she could ever be. But why did it feel so right? Why couldn't he maintain his distance? Why couldn't he just stay away, behaving like a polite, attentive Guardian like he had so many times before? Why… just why? He didn't have the answers, all he had was her, so trusting, so giving, once again in his arms. She pressed herself against him, holding onto him, giving the warmth and comfort to him that he had always gladly given to her. Tightening his arms around her, he found himself fervently desiring to comfort her, and somehow wished this moment would last.

"Goki, please listen…" She said after a while, finally drawing gently away from his warmth. "…next time call me if you have any need."

Delicate yet strong of heart. Her distress was gone now, leaving behind the kind and generous maiden he was used to seeing in her.

"Thank you for always being there for me." He brushed the last of her tears away with his thumb and smiled softly, leaning down to rest his forehead against hers and noticed a blush flame her cheeks as she looked up at him through her lashes.

"You're most welcome, even though it should be me who feel thankful." She smiled in return, almost shyly, and then slowly helped him get to his feet; her arm slipped around his bandaged waist and held him there for support, the other keeping his arm around her shoulders. "Come on, you are still very weak from your injury. You shouldn't be out of bed."She said as he leaned on her and they smiled at each other again.

Slowly, attentively, she led him back into his room and assisted him to eat a small bowl of delicious chicken broth her grandma had especially made for them. Once he finished, she gave him a cup of warm water to drink, and then helped him lay gently back down and tucked the blanket around him once more, encouraging him to sleep. He closed his eyes, and, finding solace in the warmth of her presence and comfort in the trust he had long bestowed, allowed himself a deep, peaceful, and healing slumber.

His physical reactions aside he found himself overwhelmed by so many emotions that he had never thought he could experience again in his life.

This single maiden had awakened those feelings within him– an essence of his very human side that he, as an immortal Demon Warrior God, had hitherto repressed––

LOVE.

This bond was what kept him alive that day and even until today. This bond between them touched him in a way he didn't know was possible.

He had never forgotten seeing her for the first time. She was unique. Her vibrant energy and pure spirit completely amazed him, and the anger that was radiating towards their enemy held neither malice nor personal contempt. It was that of an untainted will to protect.

He had **desperately** fought a growing attraction to her, but it was as if Fate were conspiring against him; every moment spent together seemed to bring a new challenge to his willpower. And after risking his life to save hers on too numerous occasions, he succumbed, and eventually fell in Love.

It was within her that he found his strength. Like the air he breathed, she was vital to his existence. How was he supposed to stay away when he would surely suffocate without her?

This confession, though silent, still caused a dull aching feeling inside his heart.

He had to learn his place. His former Master -the great Ozunu- had always been a benevolent man who had such high regard for his Loyalty and Devotion that he had bestowed upon him the title of the Supreme Shugendou Leader before he passed on. In the same manner, Ozunu had entrusted him with the task of ensuring his successor's well-being–– protecting her, defending her, while she was carrying out her life-mission.

He could not be involved with the Priestess of the Enno Shrine. He was never supposed to love her, not as anything but a Master of his own. She was his mission and his allegiance was to his Master, his loyalty to his duty.

Of course, it was much easier to come to this conclusion when he was sitting on the hillside alone, watching her sleep.

He smiled when he heard her soft and even breathing by his side. /Perhaps she is still very tired from the recent battles and needs more time to rest./ He thought. He didn't have to worry about her when she was asleep. He didn't have to worry about what she would think when she saw him watching her. His gaze was soft, as it always was as he gazed down at the young maiden in a white knee-length summer dress.

Delicate features and porcelain skin.

Lavender hair cascading over shapely shoulders.

Soft rosy lips slightly curving up in a smile.

Beautiful.

Pure.

He ached to gently lay his hands on her shoulders, and slowly turn her to face him as he closed the gap between them so that he could drink his fill of her beauty and purity all over.

Instead, he lifted her up gently in his strong arms as he easily stood, cradling her as if she weighed nothing, and unconsciously she nestled close, whispering his name and something indistinct that he couldn't quite make out as he slowly carried her content form towards the direction of their home.

He dared not overstep his bounds as her guardian, and yet…

Always, he would love her. Always, he would be there for her, if she ever needed him. Not a minute longer, not a moment less.

Tightening his hold, he breathed deep, filling his lungs with her scent, trying to feel enough of her to last him… whenever that might be. For one moment he let his true feelings float to the surface. For one moment he made the world cease existing. For one moment he forgot who he was and let himself revel in the true happiness he felt and let one solitary smile escape his lips. A real smile. For one moment, only a moment.

Protecting her happiness.

Three simple words formed the meaning of his life.

The End (?)

== Authoress' Muse ==

Hello Fans & Supporters of KDZenki series! (^_^)/

Here am I with another KDZ Romance for YOU, once again centering on **GoxChi**! \(^o^)/

Well, since both Chiaki and Akira are technically adults now, I've tried my best to create a romantic air that is quite different from my other fic, namely ''Lies & Faith'' - www.fanfiction.net/s/7854071/1/Lies-Faith, so that Goki can at last reveal his true self– the ardent, mature man he is supposed to be. :')

Okay, before we start delving further into the core of the romance between the Blue Guardian God and his lovely Master, I would like to introduce a NEW THEORY revolving around the Demon Gods' IMMORTALITY.

We have learnt from a few Manga details that the true demise of a Demon Warrior God is through DECAPITATION, and many times Zenki-sama has declared passionately that he would NEVER DIE b/c he's an INVINCIBLE Demon God. Unfortunately, I couldn't help questioning the validity of his words, considering that the Red Lord has already died once, physically, and wouldn't have resurrected without the aid of his Master and his Blue comrade who possesses the power of Re-Creation. As a result, I believe the concept of Immortality of a Demon God should be interpreted as follows instead: an immortal soul, longevity, supernatural power, and much better physicality and durability compared to an ordinary demon. What's more? They have superior healing ability that allows them to heal fast, and perhaps FASTEST with the assistance of their Master. Zenki is the proof of my theory as his body, whether in his true form or chibi form, can eventually heal itself once giving him enough Evil Seeds (and sleep) no matter how seriously damaged it has been, without the help of Chiaki. Goki, on the other hand, is greatly affected by his human blood due to his reincarnation and CANNOT leave his body to heal on its own in case he loses his divine transformation, thereby leading us to a devastating, heart-wrenching moment between him and Chiaki in this story. Well, it should be emphasized that the circumstance here is completely different from that of my other fanfic, since in ''Fatal Encounter'' - fav.me/d63b6qw, the Blue Lord, while unable to transform, still had sustainable energy to spare after he had taken an almost-fatal blow from the cunning Werewolf, hence he could possibly hold on longer than when he is almost drained, and fatally wounded by a wicked magic. ;_;

In other words, that Ozunu-sama granted his Blue Demon Warrior the absolute control over his powers, including healing ability, has a horrible downside to it, b/c if Goki, for some reason, cannot manage to heal himself, NOBODY can help him do it, not even Chiaki. Furthermore, in view of the fact the Demon Guardian of Azure Light is now an independent Warrior God, while the Bracelet of Protection plays a vital role in amplifying both Warriors' power, it is NOT an effective tool Chiaki can use to control Goki under any circumstances. Their relationship is founded solely on MUTUAL RESPECT & TRUST, and his immense LOYALTY is the only thing that she can count on when things spin out of control. :s

Now, let's focus on the highlights of ''Revival of the Heart''. =]

- First and foremost, I'm going to bring up a problematic issue regarding GoxChi which I've been considering for a while. In truth, their Love Affair may not run as smoothly and easily as many of us have come to believe. Since you may have finished reading my story, allow me to clarify. =D

In the Anime, I'm sure many of you still remember that Akira/Goki once vehemently swore to protect Chiaki even at the expense of his life. He simply stays true to his word in my fanfic. He had feelings for Chiaki already and realized this has blossomed into Love only after the harrowing ordeal when he almost lost his life having protected her from an enemy's attack. He was also very much aware of Chiaki's strong feelings for him at least relatively early on, but due to the Master-Guardian dynamics, only regarded it as a bodyguard crush instead of simply acknowledging that it was ROMANTIC LOVE. Why, you may ask?

There is a very good reason for his actions.

He feels perhaps too inadequate, or unworthy, to have a chance with her - the 55th generation descendant of Enno Ozunu and his current, beautiful and admirable Master. I myself could hardly believe the Blue Demon Lord would think himself as 'equal' to anyone that belongs to the Enno lineage, much less Chiaki. He's humble by nature, and therefore may think himself worthless of such union and NEVER confess. In short, he will deny (purposefully) not only his true feelings for Chiaki but her feelings for him as well. While he is not oblivious to Love, he resolves he will at best feel / show no romantic affection for her– something which he tries in vain to achieve, thereby sending out more mixed signals. =(

She, on the other hand, feels very ordinary next to Akira/Goki. She believes she is the one who is inadequate– wholly out of league for a guy / Demon God like him, and coupling with his calm and benign countenance, the young Priestess may begin to feel unwanted and assume that she is misunderstanding his intentions. This, in turn, compounds the problem of Chiaki not being able to ask for herself and she is too afraid of rejection, making this cyclic. X(

The fact that the Blue Guardian Demon is an immortal should NOT be taken lightly, too. I have recently finished the second season of Captain America ~The Winter Soldier~ and notice how similar Goki and Captain Rogers are, especially in character and in their life stories. I mean, they both are honorable, selfless warriors and defenders of Justice with the hearts of Gold; they can save millions of lives of other people and can face down even the toughest enemy that threatens world peace, but can only suffer in silence watching their love interest aging and dying while they stay young and healthy forever. TT_TT

For this reason, considering the first love of his life was a mortal who eventually passed away leaving him behind with their children, Goki may just be subconsciously tuning out anything that could lead him into that sort of devastation again. Chiaki's TRUE LOVE for him may be the only thing capable of getting the poor Blue Demon God through that bitter remembrance to rebuild his love life regardless of the consequences. ;_;

- In following this, I've once again accentuated Goki's wits and the Zen-Go dynamics.

As you can see, the Blue Lord took the blow for his Master and right before the enemy boss attacked him again he seized that moment to make a split-second decision to trap their enemy with his "Freezing Wave" allowing his Red comrade to finish him, which is the evidence that Goki is incredibly quick-witted. How he (with only 2/5 of his full power) handled the Ex-Commander of the Guardian Warrior Force -Varasa- and protected everyone at the same time in Manga vol.9 while his Red comrade still remained in his healing slumber is just a vivid example. :D

Also, it's important to acknowledge that Zenki couldn't care less about other people YET he does care for his long-time and faithful Blue comrade. Back then in Manga vol.10, the badly-injured and captive Blue Lord was the reason why the Red Lord couldn't fight to the best of his ability from the start, but even after Goki's selfless sacrifice, Zenki came to realize that he couldn't defeat their wicked enemy relying solely on brute force, triggering a sudden sense of despair in the invincible Warrior God of Crimson Thunder Light which was quickly erased by the resurrection of the noble Warrior God of Azure Light, signaling the imminent fall of Genshirou in the battle of both power & wits. =]

- Last but not least, it amazes me that Akira/Goki seemingly possesses a wonderful ability to calm his beloved Chiaki when she feels overwhelmed, and makes her smile when she most needs without sounding too slimy or plausible. This fic includes those moments. :')

THANK YOU for your reading & support! b(^_^)d

Comments are much appreciated! ;)