Chapter 4:
The Niwa household felt so empty. It was well past two o' clock as Emiko and Daiiki sat alone in the living room on the chairs next to the fireplace. It was well past time for Daisuke to have come home, and a call from the school saying that her son had left early had made her suspicious and worried. Daiiki sat calmly sipping his tea parallel to his nervously impatient daughter and chuckled slightly remembering when his own mother would sit in worried wait for him to come home after a mission…but then again…Daisuke shouldn't be out on a mission. The two sat in the silent house with only the crackling of the fireplace to sooth them as they waited for the youngest Niwa to return home from God knows where. It wasn't like Daisuke to take off without a word like this…he would have at least called or stopped by to tell his mother where he was going…but this time, they hadn't heard nor seen anything of the young man since he went off to school yesterday morning.
"…Emiko…" Daiiki said quietly after he had sipped some more of his tea, "You shouldn't worry yourself to death like this…it won't make Daisuke come home any faster, why don't you go off to bed and I'll wait up for Daisuke?" Daiiki proposed looking into his daughter's worry stricken and exhausted face.
"N-no…I…I have to wait up for him…what if he's hurt? Or lost? Or…or in some grave danger! Or…" Emiko stammered only to be silenced by the elder man standing up and placing his hand on her shoulder.
"That's enough Emiko…" He said kindly and smiled, "Daisuke's a good kid…he'll find his way home one way or another. Now off to bed with you…I'll stay up for Daisuke and make sure his back in your arms in one piece in the morning."
How could Emiko argue with that? Her father always seemed to have a way to put her mind at ease with his wise smile and his kind words…not to mention Emiko had been in an uproar all day ever since she heard that Daisuke was missing from school. Suddenly her father's words caused her iron will to bend and she nodded and walked away to the upstairs room, then stopped and turned back to the gray haired man, "Make sure to scold him for me…won't you, dad?" Emiko asked with a small smile.
Daiiki chuckled and sipped some more of his tea, "Don't worry, I'll make sure to lay the law down for you. Good night, Emiko." Daiiki said with another smile as Emiko nodded and walked off to her room.
After a moment or two after making sure that Emiko was asleep, the smile from Daiiki's face faded, replaced by a frown. He knew that Dark would always protect Daisuke if he was in danger…but what if Dark was the one hurt…then who was protecting Dark? Could that be the reason they hadn't come home yet? Was Daisuke really in trouble? His answer came in the hair rising sense of magic that filled the room and then the sudden sound of wings clashing into the air as Dark magically materialized in the room and fell to the ground holding two figures in his arms. What caught Daiiki's attention the most though was the blood that was smeared all over Dark's body…and the fact that the two figures he held were none other then Daisuke's Hikari friend…and the Niwa's most formidable and dangerous adversary who was also drenched in blood.
"Dark…what happened?" Daiiki said in absolute shock as he gazed upon the sight before him.
Dark was on the ground on one knee, panting fiercely and tears were steaming down his face. He kept trying to speak only to have his words caught in his throat by tears and the harsh reality that he had to come to terms with what he'd just seen.
"…Dark!" Daiiki said and rushed over to him, careful not to get to close to the seemingly lifeless figure clad in white a red at Dark's side, "You're covered in…blood! What on earth happened to you?" Daiiki demanded in more shock then rage.
"…It-its…not...mine…" Dark managed to squeeze out as he led his gaze to Krad who was now bleeding less then earlier due to the fact he had little left to bleed from a through-and-through stab wound to his stomach, "P…Please…" Dark panted and sounded like he was almost begging, "Please…you have to…help him!" Dark shouted in a raspy voice as he was still choking on tears.
Help him? Help Krad? What on earth was Dark thinking? When he first saw Dark the first thing that came to mind was that Krad had done this to him…and then seeing Krad he'd thought that Dark had finally silenced his long time rival. But now he was begging to have his former host help save him?
Suddenly Daiiki looked up after hearing a gasp from behind Dark, Dark was to wasted of energy to look, but had a good guess who it was. Emiko stood at the entrance to the living room starring at Dark and the wounded child and demon he held in his arms.
"…Please…you…you have to help them…" Dark pleaded again now feeling as though he was going to faint, but not before he was sure that someone was going to help Krad. Though Daiiki, having faced Krad several times in battle, was hesitant to even respond to such an outrageous request, Emiko leapt forward without a second thought. To her, these two were no longer the Niwa's most sworn and hated enemies, it was an injured and clearly traumatized child, and a young man on the brink of death.
Emiko quickly knelt down beside Dark, and seeing that Krad was the most injured out of the three tended to him first, "His wound is deep…there will be little I can do other then clean it and bandage him up…he's lost a lot of blood but he's still hanging in there…" Emiko assessed then looked over at Dark wounded side, the area was burned with magic and looked painfully hot, but Dark followed her gazed and hid his side as best he could.
"I-it's…nothing…" Dark stammered and then looked back to Krad, "Help him first…please…" Dark pleaded again and held Krad closer.
Emiko wasn't sure why he wanted to save Krad so badly, but she didn't ask questions and time was of the essence, she looked back up at her father, "Dad, go get the clean bandages from the room upstairs…Dark are you well enough to help me lift him onto the couch?" Emiko asked quickly.
"Y-yes…" Dark said trying to catch his breath and bring himself under control, "Yes…I can help." He said and slowly began to rise. His side burned as if the sun were no more then an inch from his skin and he winced in pain, but refused to show any sort of weakness. If Emiko knew how really not 'okay' his wound was, she'd have dropped Krad without a second thought to tend to Dark.
After not to much effort, they laid Krad down gently on the couch after Emiko had placed some blankets down over the cushions, and the once softly colored blankets were now stained harsh blood red. Krad was still unmoving and lifeless…whiter Krad's face became the more frantic Dark's insides began to twist. Damn Krad! If he hadn't have stepped in front of that sword…oh God, what had he done? Dark screamed to himself and swallowed another lump of tears that were swelling in his throat. How could this have happened…and why would Krad have separated from Satoshi? Suddenly he remembered the young detective and looked over to him who was lying curled up on the floor seemingly unconscious.
Finally, Daiiki had returned with a first aid kit Emiko kept around for when Dark would come back a bit banged up from his missions, and though Emiko had some training on minor wounds…this was the most sever case she's ever had to treat, thank God that Krad's own healing abilities were kicking in and helping to close the wound…but why were they working so slow?
Emiko made quick work to remove Krad's trench coat and what was left of his shirt…the wound must have been a lot worse before Krad's magic began to heal it, for with the amount of blood he must have lost to be in this state, he wouldn't have survived this long. Emiko began to pull out the clean wrapping of bandages then turned to Dark and Daiiki, "Dad…take Dark into the other room and see to that horrible burn…leave these two to me…okay?" Emiko said and looked directly at Dark who was about to protest, but one look at Emiko's stern face made his mouth shut. She was right…Dark couldn't very well do anything to help Krad now…and his he didn't want to end up in the same position as Krad, he'd better have his own injury tended to. Plus…Emiko had that protective motherly posture about her, and Dark could trust that she would take care of the creepy boy and Krad as if they were her own…for that…Dark was glad.
Dark sighed in defeat and grabbed his side as it suddenly started to hurt again and Daiiki put his arm around Dark and lead him out of the room, and with one last glance back at Krad, Dark reluctantly left the room with the old man.
It must have been a full twenty minutes of silence between Dark and Daiiki since the old man began to wrap up Dark's left side. Dark just didn't have the energy to talk, much less anything to say to Daiiki…Daiiki was just feeling guilty with himself…he had hesitated to help Krad. He had been taught to hate Krad all his life and had the scars to prove it, but he was also taught that even when the enemy is down, you should never abandon them…especially when they can no longer hurt you and they are near death's front door. Krad must have had his foot half way in back then…and he didn't even make an effort to aid him, had Emiko not intervened…Daiiki was sure that Krad would have died right then and there on the floor…helpless and powerless.
"…Don't be so hard on yourself…"
Suddenly Daiiki was brought out of his thoughts and looked up at Dark who was looking at him sadly.
"…I don't blame you for hesitating…Krad's your old enemy…you've never known him to be any different…" Dark continued and gently leaned hi head back against the wall he was leaning on.
"…Yes…I know…but…I can't forgive myself for it." Daiiki said and finished wrapping the last bandage, "I was afraid of him…and my fear may have destroyed a life tonight…"
Dark winced at that thought but closed his eyes instead and refused to grieve outwardly.
"He was weakened…extremely…and even you, his greatest rival stood their and asked for me to help him…I who have only known him for a demon who shows no mercy and there for deserved no mercy…" Daiiki said with a sigh and lowered his head; "I was willing to let him die like that…because I was afraid to believe him to be different…so…I apologize, Dark." The old man finished and a long silence continued between the two for a while longer.
Dark really couldn't blame Daiiki for feeling that way…at one time, he even felt the same thing towards the ice demon. But now…now that the ice demon was no longer an unmerciful monster, he couldn't help but feel guilty himself for having those feelings in the past. If, and he prayed to God he didn't, Krad died tonight…he couldn't never blame Daiiki…no…he would blame himself.
Daisuke could clearly feel and see all of Dark's emotions and thoughts, he really did care for Krad a lot more then he had once thought. Daisuke couldn't help but feel sympathy and remorse for his second soul…and the demon he had feared for so long…this was the second time he almost lost Dark, and the second time Krad had stepped in to prevent his worst fear from coming true. Last time it only cost Krad a duel with the devil…this time, it damned him to join him. Daisuke felt so horribly relieved…yet so terribly guilty…relieved that Dark was still with him and safe…but guilty for knowing that it was only because Krad gave up…maybe his life.
Daisuke wanted nothing more then to comfort Dark and try to put his mind at ease, but he couldn't think of anything to say…Dark had shielded himself behind a wall of worry and guilt.
Finally both Dark and Daiiki looked up to see Emiko standing in the entrance way to the hall where the old man and the phantom thief stood. Her face looked horribly grave, and her hands had some of Krad's blood on them…Dark began to feel as though his worst fear had come to pass.
"…How are they?" Daiiki asked being the first one to speak.
Emiko stood silent for a while, and Dark barely breathed. "…Satoshi will be fine…he only has a slight head wound from what looks to be when he was…separated from Krad and hit a hard surface…he's still unconscious and no doubt in a world of shock…" Emiko said softly still looking at the floor.
"…And Krad?" Dark asked fearfully but in barely a whisper.
Another long silence ensued over the three, even Daisuke held his breath, "…I…" Emiko began with a sigh and then looked directly up at Dark sadly, "I don't know of a lighter way of putting it…so I'll just say it…" Emiko said and stood a bit less intimidating, "His…his body will live…though…I'm not sure for how long…"
Both Daiiki and Dark stared at her confused… 'His body will live'?
"What are you saying Emiko?" Dark said standing straight up to face her.
"…A body can't live for long…with out a soul…Dark."
Dark's eyes widened… 'With out a soul'? Krad's…Krad's soul was gone? No…no this couldn't be right, if Krad was still alive he had to have had his soul!
"That doesn't make sense!" Dark nearly screamed, "If he's still alive then he has to have a soul! What the hell do you mean it's gone?" Dark demanded clenching his fists.
Emiko looked at Dark softly, "Whatever you two fought…has separated Satoshi from Krad…and Krad from his soul…" Emiko said gently, "His body is alive…but his magic is fading and his wounds won't fully heal as quickly without it. His skin is cold as ice and I can feel no presence of a soul within him…he's just…he's just a lifeless body…and without a soul…that body will die." Emiko finished trying to be as honest…and gently as she could. But to Dark nothing could make this situation any better no matter how anyone put it. Krad's soul was gone…and without it…he was going to lose his angel…
Forever…
Notes from the Author:
Oh damn are my cliffies good! XD sniffles BUT MY KRAD-SAMA IS DYING! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Sniffles
Well until chapter 5, thanks for the comments and reading! SO for now, c-ya!