I am back with the third chapter of Legacy. Last time, Kizami entered the desolate plains of Kanegasaki. And now, he must face his aunt, Oichi, in battle...all the while keeping himself, as well as his enemies, alive. The nightmare must end here!

I don't have much else to say other than sorry for the long wait and my school year is ending in about 4 and a half weeks. Can't fuh-reaking wait...

Oh, and as for 'Seraph the Ice Angel': sorry for the wait, thanks for your support, and here's the next chapter to show my appreciation.

Warnings and disclaimers are explained in the prologue.


Text Key:

"speech"

'thought'

"enraged or spiritually empowered speech"

*sound effect*

*loud sound effect*

(author comments)

-{[scene heading]}-

flashbacks & emphasized wording

narration and song lyrics


(Last time, on Legacy...)

Crossing a small bridge, Kizami again encountered Oichi, seemingly asleep and sprawled out against the dirt and a pool of darkness under her form. The shadowy hands again lifted her upwards, but at a decidedly slower pace than before as she spoke once again.

"Everywhere you go...I follow." she began, a dark-toned echo underlying her normal voice.

"If you try to run...I'll catch you. I won't rest until you're on your deathbed...I won't stop until I sleep in darkness..." she continued, unnerving Kizami with her disjointed walking pattern and the fact that her eyes were radiating the same dark-pinkish color as the aura that edged the dark hands around her.

'What is this...oba-san, what's happened to you?!' Kizami inwardly asked as he prepared for another battle with the Demon Queen...

Oichi's Return – A Sleepless Hell!

(And now...)


The 'Sleepless Hell'...an ever-lasting nightmare...

Despite a decisive blow against the so-called Demon Queen, Kizami finds his enemy resurrected and even stronger than before.

However, Oichi's tattered and frayed sanity hangs only by a thread, with her mind and soul as the price should she fall to the darkness...

Can Kizami rescue her from the encroaching abyss?


-{[Kanegasaki; abandoned camp]}-

(play Oichi's theme from Sengoku Basara 2 Heroes)

Kizami took a moment to look on in awe and wonder at what was transpiring before him. He could tell that Oichi, despite her slow and unsteady gait, was completely unharmed by their previous encounter.

While he wasn't actually trying to kill her, the Spin Drive was one of Kizami's more powerful techniques, and the fact that Oichi had taken the full brunt of the attack without even retaining a hint of lasting damage unnerved him greatly.

To make matters worse, she seemed even more powerful than before. Her dark aura radiated from her form, enveloping the area they were in and enshrouding it in a seemingly endless nightshade, the moon in the sky being the only thing that provided light besides Oichi's pink aura.

Kizami felt it permeate his very being, a cold chill seeping into his heart as he looked into her soulless eyes. He could now understand what he saw within her when he first peered into those blank orbs...sadness and loneliness resonating from beneath the veils of her darkened heart.

'Oba-san...you didn't deserve this. You and Azai-sama were meant to live happily together after your marriage 'till the end of your days. Azai-sama...you couldn't have done it, could you...? You just couldn't abandon your honor, not even once, huh...? If you could see her now, would you regret that decision?' he mentally ranted, knowing that he wouldn't get an answer to such a question anytime soon.

'Well...for her sake and your memory, this will end here! I won't let her suffer any longer!' he inwardly vowed, outwardly cartwheeling from a shadow hand that appeared in front of him.

"Oh...why are you crying? Do you dislike me? Am I not nice enough?" Oichi suddenly asked with a hollow-sounding giggle. Kizami quickly wiped his face in response, having not even realized that he'd been crying. He banished the tears away, knowing that this wasn't the time for them.

Just in time, too, as Oichi had activated her 'wings' again and was careening towards him at an accelerated speed, attempting to crush him in an iron-maiden type of attack. Rather than continue the growing monotony of simple dodging, however, Kizami instead chose to parry the attack, waiting until the last moment and then deflecting one of the wings off-course.

Catching her off guard, he tried to follow the parry with a well-placed horizontal slash, but that attack was suddenly knocked away by the seemingly spontaneous emergence of yet another shadow hand, the young man noting that Oichi actually seemed to be controlling it in this instance, her arms waving and appearing to guide the hand's direction.

'So, she can control them at will, at least sometimes...interesting.' Kizami thought as he backflipped away, only to have one of his legs caught by the encroaching hand, which then proceeded to slam him against the ground and hurl him into the nearest structure, which unfortunately for him, happened to be a rocky mountainside.

"Agh!" Kizami grunted out, the sudden impacts and subsequent losses of air nearly making him black out. He coughed up a bit of blood as his body detached from the rocky surface and hit the ground with a small *thud*. He unsteadily rose to his feet, staggering a bit as his shaken vision re-adjusted.

This time, Oichi herself was charging him, a shadow propelling her advance towards his form. Kizami blocked the attack by brandishing his sword in front of his face, the blade becoming locked in a stalemate with the shadow's surprisingly solid surface.

With a cross slash, he knocked the shadow away, only for an identical one to take its place when he went for an attack, the sudden impediment causing a shockwave of air to radiate from the clash site.

Batting this one away as well, the phenomenon happened again...and again...and again, until the two opponents had shifted into a barrage of split-second clashes, their respective weapons weaving back and forth, over and over in an ongoing struggle as the waves of air from their battle lanced outwards and dented the ground beneath them.

After a few minutes in this test of attrition, it seemed that neither of them was going to give...until Kizami ended the stalemate by suddenly ducking under one of the shadows when it went too high. Not expecting this spontaneous shift in tactics, Oichi was sent flying backwards by a decisive dual-handed blow from the young man, landing harshly on the unforgiving earth.

Her body began to sink into a pool of darkness once again before Kizami could react, and the next set of gates jerked open just as her form disappeared.

The young man relaxed after this event, the constant exertion of effort taking its toll and forcing him to catch his breath, panting for nearly a minute before continuing.

"Darn it, she's gone again...It looks like her route of travel is taking her towards that castle...Hang on, Oba-san, I'm coming for you!" Kizami declared as he moved past the open gates...

(end song)


-{[timeskip; several minutes later]}-

...only to run right into a contingent of Oda remnants, the force being much larger this time.

'Damn it, I don't have time for this!' Kizami thought angrily as the army insisted on standing in his way.

At this point, he was really wanting someone to recognize him and end at least some of this trouble...

'But I guess it can't be helped...these guys haven't seen me for several years, of course they'd probably forget. Hell, they most likely think I died or something.' he thought as he engaged the oncoming soldiers.

Dodging the first enemy, who went for a frontal stab, Kizami deftly smashed him overhead with a fist, knocking him down and out. This continued into a pattern as the young man swiftly weaved his way through his opponents, avoiding brazen stabs and slashes as he took down the soldiers with non-lethal attacks, although the process spent a fair amount of time as he couldn't afford to seriously injure them by way of his special techniques.

After a grueling wave, Kizami finally came to a set of stone stairs, sighing as he saw that yet another wave of enemies awaited him. This time, however, he noticed a familiar face at the head of the group.

"Katsuie-san?" Kizami asked, recognizing the Oda retainer quickly even in the dark surrounds. The addressed, wearing the same general armor as the soldiers albeit with a fancier basic structure, looked oddly at the young man until his appearance occurred to him.

"K-Kizami-sama?" the older man asked, shocking the other troops as they had believed the heir had died during the battle at Honno-ji along with Nobunaga. Kizami smiled at the formal address, glad that someone had finally come to realize who he was.

"Well, it's about time one of you guys figured out who I am. Jeez, I thought I'd have to beat it into all your heads before you understood." he answered with a chuckle as he lowered his arms, hoping that the conflict wouldn't continue.

Unfortunately, that would not be the case.

"You lie! Nobunaga-sama's heir perished at Honno-ji along with him!" one soldier suddenly yelled out, several others voicing their agreement. Kizami glared at the one who spoke, a malevolent feeling suddenly welling up in the offending solider as he shrunk back in fear.

"If you are whom you proclaim yourself to be," another general began, Kizami recognizing him as Kiyotsuna Akao from the late Nagamasa's forces. "...then prove it! Show us that you are worthy of being the living legacy of the Dai Rokuten!" he yelled, a hint of insanity lacing his tone.

Kizami glowered at the man for a second before closing his eyes and preparing to give him the requested affirmation. The young man sheathed his blade as he rifled for something on his person, and then...

*BANG*

Kiyotsuna's helmet was blasted from its perch before he even knew what was happening. The man himself paid no mind to its clatter against the ground as he looked with widened eyes at Kizami, who was astonishingly brandishing a gun!

The weapon was a silver Colt .45, apparently custom-made to have a double-barrel, both of which longer than what would exist on the standard model of the gun. Although its barrels were smoking, that wasn't what Akao was focused on.

It was the look within Kizami's eyes...

The young man's glare rooted him to the spot as he felt a chill running up and down his spine. It wasn't that Kizami looked visibly enraged; in fact, if it weren't for the narrowing of his eyes and distinct frown on his face, it wouldn't be noticeable. However, it was what he saw within the young man's amber orbs...

…they practically glowed with anger, disappointment, annoyance, but most of all, complete disregard over the fact that he had just nearly ended a man's life. Through all the incarnations of frustration, there was absolutely no indication that Kizami would have cared one bit if the helmet wasn't there to stop the bullet from penetrating Akao's head.

A complete disregard for life despite the gut-wrenching feeling of malice radiating from him...

...just like his eyes...

"Do not presume that I would falsify my words for something so simple and petty as a title." Kizami spoke, all traces of warmth from his voice gone. The present soldiers and even officers shuddered, visibly shaken at the sudden and dark shift in tone.

"I am who I claim to be...but know that I am not Nobunaga. Now be silent, and do not doubt me again." Kizami continued with a tone of finality as he lowered his arm, the gun still in hand as he began a solitary trek up the stairs.

It seemed that all was settled, the Oda remnants struck into silence by this sudden twist in the heir's demeanor. However, one was still skeptical on the validity of his position.

"You dare mock the great Nobunaga-sama with your feigned pretenses?! Nobunaga-sama would never have shown mercy! You'll pay for your insolence, bastard!" one soldier suddenly called out brazenly, obviously lost in his insanity as he charged Kizami.

*BANG*

Another gunshot rang out, the force of the twin bullets propelling the soldier clear off the stone path. He crashed into the earth, convulsing a bit before his body stilled. An other soldier looked to see what had kept him down, until he saw...

...two bullet holes in the man's neck.

The thunderstruck soldier could've sworn he felt his eyes and his presence in the wake of the killed trooper, but when he looked up, he saw that Kizami had started up the stone path yet again, not even glancing at the man whose life he had just ended.

For a brief moment, the man thought he saw the silhouette of him trailing behind Kizami as he continued his solemn walk, reaching the top of the stairs and heading for the gate, but it was passed off as a trick of the shadows.

Kizami, on his part, was hating himself over what he'd just done. He had simply turned away in order to hide the anguish and regret on his visage. He didn't like having to resort to such a show of violence. Especially in this instance, where he had to act like his 'otou-sama', such events made him think of a particular talk he'd had with Nobunaga at one point...


-{[quick flashback]}-

"You seek to show mercy to your enemies, boy...such is the way of a foolish individual. Your adversaries may not be as forgiving to you." the Dai Rokuten said to Kizami once.

"That may be, but I don't wish to emulate your ways, otou-sama. I am not you, nor can I ever be. I'll gain my own power and show it in my own way." the then young boy responded, a hint of disdain in his tone.

"Hahahahahaha...as you wish." the malevolent man responded.


-{[flashback end]}-

'I'm not him...I am not him...' Kizami always told himself, but he found that his resolve in his statement began to wane as time went by, his role as Nobunaga's 'son' beginning to weigh more and more heavily upon him.

So lost in his thoughts he was, he didn't notice the swirling shadows on the ground below him...until a quiet, familiar voice called out to him...

(play "Crimson" - Street Fighter Alpha 3)

"How cruel you are...to take so much away from me..." Kizami heard just before he suddenly felt his body being crushed between two shadow hands!

"Kizami-sama!" Katsuie yelled, looking towards the gate and seeing a re-appeared Oichi, her aura in full force and arms stretched outwards.

"Urgh..." the heir grunted, teeth gritted as his arms and weapons were forced against his body and he struggled in the icy grip of the shadows.

"Come here...I wish to give you a hug..." the Demon Queen whispered audibly as Kizami's form was brought over to her. She threw her arms around his still-visible neck and shoulders, bringing her face as close to his as possible without them actually touching.

"You are so beautiful..." she began with an affectionate tone. "...would you care to sleep next to me?" she asked, Kizami's eyes widening and the remnants jaw-dropping in shock.

Kizami struggled a bit harder, not even noticing the slight tinge of pink on his cheeks as he began pushing the two hands apart, the shadows starting to vibrate in their efforts to keep him contained.

"We'll be together...forever and ever..." Oichi continued, caressing his cheek with hers as his struggles increased in intensity once again.

"!" Kizami suddenly yelled as a pulse of energy emanated from his form, forcibly separating the shadow hands and making Oichi stagger backwards. Taking the chance, the heir charged forth, slashing her with a harsh diagonal blow that sent her crashing backfirst into the closed gate behind her with a dull *boom*.

Kizami stood still, catching his breath as the sensation of being crushed and spike of adrenaline wore off. Oichi dropped to the ground on her knees, her eyes now overshadowed by her long hair.

"Why does that monster hate me? W-what have I done?" she asked seemingly to herself, the darkness overtaking her form once again as the gate behind her opened at a much more sedate pace than the others.

Kizami physically felt his heart drop at the overwhelming melancholy in Oichi's tone. It sounded as though she was about to cry, or already was. He always hated when people cried...he never wanted his friends, family, and allies to feel such sadness, and he still doesn't.

He gritted his teeth as he looked beyond the newest pathway...there was still a bit of a trek to be had until he reached the still-distant castle.

"Katsuie." Kizami addressed, said general responding immediately.

"Yes, Kizami-sama?" he asked.

"I sense...a distinct power at work here. Oba-san continually heals and revives herself, despite potentially debilitating blows. Do you or the others know anything about that?" the heir asked, wanting to know the workings of the abilities which Oichi's darkness granted her.

"We do not know exactly what this power entails, only that it originates from the source of her own dark energies. As you stated, it heals her even from incapacitating or fatal damage, as well as augmenting her strength by a massive margin." the man explained, Kizami nodding in affirmation.

"Is...there any way to stop it?" the young male inquired, bent on ending Oichi's suffering.

"The presence of light overrides the spell's effects, and the power will completely cease when the sun rises." Katsuie answered.

"When the sun rises...?" Kizami inquired, making sure. He turned back towards the path at Katsuie's nod, holstering his gun and separating his twin swords.

"Come. I'll need your assistance to ensure that the other remnants don't get dragged into a confrontation." Kizami ordered, the soldiers and officers complying and following after his form in a solemn march.

(end song)


-{[timeskip]}-

"Hehehe...why, hello...have you all come to greet me?" Oichi's disembodied voice called out to them as they continued to move.

"Sing for me...sing a song you know..." she suddenly requested, the mass of people getting a feeling that it was directed at Kizami.

"Sing, huh? Been a while since I've done that..." Kizami responded, one particular tune coming to his mind...

(play "Still Waiting" - Sum 41)

So am I still waiting for this world to stop hating?
Can't find a good reason, can't find hope to believe in...

This was a song he always thought of when he contemplated on the matters of those within this chaotic land, and how conflicting ideals always seemed to come to blows.

The Oda remnant army marched silently behind him, listening intently as he began.

Drop dead, a bullet to my head, your words are like a gun in hand.
You can't change the state of the nation, we just need some motivation...
Three times, I've seen no conviction, just lies and more contradiction.
So tell me, what would you say?

The lyrics continued, an inflection in Kizami's vibrant voice sounding somewhat like he was engaging in an conversation with himself as he drowned out the presence of any and all others.

I'd say it's up...to me.

The answering of his own question, previously thought to be rhetorical but still a part of the song, became the staple that indicated such.

So am I still waiting for this world to stop hating?
Can't find a good reason, can't find hope to believe in...

As the first part of the song repeated, Kizami's pace began to increase, his stride steadily increasing in speed as the soldiers began to lightly jog in order to keep up.

Other soldiers that were in front of them and lined along the pathway found themselves lowering their weapons, entranced by his words as he continued to advance, apparently dismissing them as a threat when they decided not to attack.

Ignorance and understanding, we're the first ones to jump in line.
Out of step for what we believe in, but who's left to stop the bleeding?
How far will we take this? It's not hard to see through the fakeness.
So tell me, what would you say?

Kizami continued, his visage undaunted in the wake of the army rapidly increasing in size behind him as more and more soldiers joined in the power march, the sound of their footsteps beginning to crescendo and sync together in unison.

I'd say it's up...to me.

He said again, this time smirking as his speed went up yet again in accordance with the song repeating itself once more, he himself now breaking into a light run.

So am I still waiting for this world to stop hating?
Can't find a good reason, can't find hope to believe!
This...can't...last forever...time...won't...make things better...

Kizami continued, the song seeming to shift into a more melancholy tone as the pace stagnated at its current velocity for a while.

I...feel so alone...can't help myself...and no one knows...if this is worthless!
Tell me! (tell me...tell me...)
So...!

Kizami's "Tell me!" was spoken in a yell that echoed across the landscape, the remnants now completely enraptured in the song.

They could hear the feelings in the tune...they could feel that it meant something highly important to him, his impassioned voice resonating within their minds.

What have...we done...?! We're in a war that can't be won...
This can't...be real...I don't know what to feel!

At this point, Kizami was practically yelling every word, the ardent feelings in the song no longer lost on any of the others present...the heir was in complete and utter loathing of the state of chaos that this world was in, and he wondered if there would ever be true peace.

They were broken from their revelry as Kizami suddenly broke into a rapid sprint, gaining ground on the advancing soldiers until they could barely see his back anymore.

So am I still waiting for this world to stop hating?
Can't find a good reason, can't find hope to believe!
So am I still waiting for this world to stop hating?
Can't find a good reason for this world to...believe!

The song repeated once again, Kizami ending it with a resounding finality as he astonishingly leaped several feet into the air, rebounding off of a watchtower and launching himself across a large pit with no hesitation and seemingly little effort.

As he disappeared, the soldiers stopped for a minute, looking around as if they had been broken from some sort of trance. Shrugging lightly, Katsuie and Kiyotsuna kept moving forward, leading the force at a decidedly slower pace.


-{[with Kizami]}-

Landing in front of yet another large gate, Kizami noted with a hint of surprise that this one was wide open, revealing another stone staircase that was lined with what he recognized as spider lilies.

"Well, I sang a song for you...gonna sing one back, oba-san?" the heir asked jokingly, but he was surprised at the eventual response.

Wander freely, wander far, off beneath the Devil's star...

He heard Oichi's voice answer, apparently a song of her own. Kizami fell silent as he proceeded forward.

In the dark, the girl, so bright, got up to see the day by night...
Her fear in hand, her fear in heart, her fear did tear her soul apart...
The white of flesh, the white of bone, the worms will leave your soul alone...

"Oba-san..." Kizami thought aloud, walking at a sedate pace so that he could hear the whole song.

On and on the road does go, down into the depths below...
Feathers fall and flowers quiver; voices call, "Come now, come hither..."
Off you went to call the King...you wish to hear the Devil sing...

"This song...it's about you, isn't it? Don't worry...you'll be free from this everlasting darkness soon..." Kizami said to himself, resolute in his desire to save Oichi from the abyss.

Ask you will, and ask you may, the fate of love on this fair day...

Kizami didn't need to ask...for he already knew. He locked the tune into his mind as he finally reached his destination.

Love unlike ever was said; unluckily, it wound up dead.

Oichi was stout and still, watching the skies in the distance as the sun finally began to rise with its wondrous light.

"There it is..." she started, staring blankly at the brightening skies. "Oh...I don't know...I can't..." she continued, lightly moaning as she fell to her knees and grasped her head as if in confusion or even pain.

"Was it you...?" she asked, looking directly at Kizami as he merely shook his head in the negative, never diverting his gaze from her.

(play "Bring Me to Life" - Evanescence)

How can you see into my eyes like open doors,
Leading you down into my core, where I've become so numb...
Without a soul, (ah-ah-ah...) my spirit's sleeping somewhere cold...
Until you find it there and lead...it...back...home.

Oichi couldn't help but feel startled and even a bit fearful as she peered at his amber orbs. His eyes were unwavering and decisive, staring back at her intently. She was afraid that he would see into her fragmented soul...bearing witness to her darkness.

"Can I sleep now? Please let me sleep..." Oichi practically begged, her voice soft. Although feeling another pang in his heart, Kizami forced himself not to answer as he began an agonizingly slow trek forward, his eyes never once straying from Oichi's form.

How much he wanted to simply run up to her, embrace her as tightly as he could, and ensure her that everything would be okay; but, he knew that he couldn't afford doing anything that would make him out to be a threat...violence was not the answer here.

(Wake me up,) Wake me up inside,
(I can't wake up...) Wake me up inside,
(Save me...) Call my name and save me from the dark...
(Wake me up,) Bid my blood to run,
(I can't wake up...) Before I come undone,
(Save me...) Save me from the nothing I've become.

"Wait, it's too painful to move now..." Oichi stated almost silently, seeming to speak to herself.

"Don't worry...you won't have to do a thing. I'll free you from the darkness that plagues you, and end this nightmare once and for all." Kizami responded, neither his stride nor gaze breaking one bit.

"No..." she started, a large shadow hand appearing in front of her and launching towards Kizami, who merely sidestepped it, not even taking another glance at its eventual dissipation as he continued towards her.

"We've come this far, oba-san...I can help you, but only if you'll let me!" the heir said as Oichi shifted backwards in response to his advance.

Now that I know what I'm without, you can't just leave me...
Breathe into me, and make me real...
Bring...me...to life.

"Stop it...I don't want you to take my place..." Oichi pleaded, a shadow emerging from the ground and trying to grab Kizami, who jumped backwards at the last second and avoided its grasp.

"I do not wish to take your place, nor do I want to see you fall into the abyss...I'm here to save you, Oichi, and I will!" Kizami declared, not even registering that he'd called her by her name rather than the usual 'oba-san'.

(Wake me up,) Wake me up inside,
(I can't wake up...) Wake me up inside,
(Save me!) Call my name and save me from the dark...
(Wake me up,) Bid my blood to run,
(I can't wake up...) Before I come undone,
(Save me!) Save me from the nothing I've become!

"Stop telling me lies...I don't want to listen!" the Demon Queen cried out, several shadows appearing at various points in between the forms of the two, all of them surging towards Kizami.

He was about to backpedal away until he realized something...the hands weren't actually trying to kill or even hurt him; they were merely keeping him away from Oichi.

'Something's changed...before, she had no problem even with physical contact; but now, those hands are doing whatever they can to keep me away...' he thought as he changed his mind and charged forward despite the impending danger.

He knocked the first shadow away with a well-timed parry, vaulted himself over the next, cartwheeled away from a third, and spun away from a fourth, now breaking into a run as he desperately tried to reach Oichi's form.

Bring me to life...
(I've been living a lie...there's nothing inside.)
Bring me to life.

He was so close to touching her until...he felt a sudden force grab on to him and begin to drag him away...

A large shadow had him pinned, the force of its grip crushing Kizami's limbs against himself as he could barely even move, let alone put up a struggle.

(pause song here)

Oichi didn't say a word at this point, only staring blankly at his anguished face as more shadows appeared and reinforced the current hold, the darkness beginning to consume his form and leaving only his head visible.

"Urgh...agh! N-no...!" he gasped out, running low on air as the dark force enveloped him. One more hand appeared above him, clasping his head and making the area completely silent.

"I knew...I always knew that this hole in my heart could never be filled..." Oichi said ruefully, a sardonic smile on her face as a dark pool began to form beneath her...


-{[within the darkness]}-

Kizami couldn't make heads or tails of where he was, not that he really tried.

His body was still as he floated within what appeared to be an endless landscape with absolutely no light, his form laying down against thin air and his arms hanging loosely under him. He couldn't even see himself, so all-consuming was the darkness.

'So...this is it, huh...? In the end, I failed...to save her and even myself...' Kizami thought, not even attempting to move.

He could feel it...the darkness creeping into his mind, piercing his very soul and filling him with utter despair and anguish. He closed his eyes and allowed the negative feelings to take hold...

The hushed whispers of him and his relation to Nobunaga...

The cries of terror from those who only saw him as the son of the Dai Rokuten...

The weight of his own failure here...against both himself and Oichi...

(resume song)

Frozen in time without your touch, without your love,
(frozen in time...) (all your love...)
Darling, only you are the life among the dead...
(only you...)

However, despite the degeneration that threatened to destroy him, he managed to hear one heart-wrenching statement from the Demon Queen...

"I knew...I always knew that this hole in my heart could never be filled..." he heard her say, his eyes opening wide as he jerked himself into an upright floating position.

'She...she sounds like she's completely given up...' he contemplated, the thought nearly bringing him to tears. 'No...n-no...' he thought, repeating it over and over in his head.

He had nearly given in to despair...that is, until...he felt something snap within his mind.

'No...NO!'

(All of this time, I can't believe I couldn't see,)
(Kept in the dark, but you would never follow me.)
I've been sleeping a thousand years, it seems...
Got to open my eyes to everything.
(Without a thought, without a voice, without a soul,)
(Don't let me die here...there must be something more!)

It couldn't end here...it wouldn't end here...for either of them. Unbridled desperation and rage filled his being as the dark environment began to crack in response to his rising determination.

'I can't allow this to happen...! I've come so far...I know that I've connected with her...I swore to Azai-sama that I wouldn't let her suffer anymore!' he yelled inwardly, his resolve returning and becoming more fierce than ever.

'I...am the son of Nobunaga Oda...and I absolutely refuse to let it end this way!'

Bring me to life!

"AAAHHHHHH!" he roared, an enormous surge of power bursting forth from his body...


-{[with Oichi]}-

*BOOM*

Her eyes widened in incredulity as she witnessed the makeshift sphere of darkness suddenly shatter before her, the shadows evaporating from an even greater power blasting forth from within.

"OICHI!"

(Wake me up,) Wake me up inside,
(I can't wake up,) Wake me up inside,
(Save me!) Call my name and save me from the dark...

It seemed as though time had stopped for several moments as she beheld Kizami's form racing forth from the annihilated remains of the shadows, a startlingly black aura radiating from his body and an unbelievably desperate look in his glowing eyes...

...he was upon her before she'd even realized it.

(Wake me up,) Bid my blood to run,
(I can't wake up,) Before I come undone,
(Save me!) Save me from the nothing I've become!

Thinking that he was about to attack, she closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable blow that would end her life and pain once and for all...

...but she felt nothing but a warm body clasping her own in an embrace.

"I won't...let you suffer anymore..." Kizami began, Oichi noting that his voice had become slightly deepened with the undertone of...someone else's...someone that sounded familiar, yet extremely warm to her...

The newly-empowered heir jumped backwards, Oichi still in his arms as the shadows pooled beneath them and attempted to drag them into the abyss yet again.

Bring me to life... (Bring me to life...)
(I've been living a lie. There's nothing inside!)
Bring...me...to...life!

"The nightmare ends right here and now...it'll all be okay...Ichi-chan..." Kizami continued, his grasp even tighter and his normal voice completely overshadowed by the other one at the affectionate name.

Oichi was shocked beyond all belief at what he'd said...he sounded...just like...

"Naga...masa...-sama..." she whispered, tears beginning to fall from her eyes as Kizami's form was, for a scant moment, shadowed by the man in red and white armor whom she'd finally remembered...

At that instant, her aura disappeared, her eyes returning to normal as fatigue began to claim her. Her eyelids fluttered for a few seconds as she beheld the one who had rescued her from the abyss, before closing as she smiled in blissful happiness...


Notes

Well, that one's finally finished! After weeks of hiatus, I'm back!

Give me your thoughts on the story on reviews and PM's, please! This is Ravien VaLente Spada, signing off! Ja ne!