A/N: So this comes as the completion of this story. The second half of the epilogue. Enjoy, and please don't forget to review. And a special thanks to those who have. It means the world to me. You guys keep me writing.
Again, this story comes dedicated to SweetLiars per request, and is a prequel to my story "Love Like Death"
Kyo entered into the larger room where his father had gone, and became keenly aware of the eyes falling upon him. So many. There...were so many. He was taken aback by the sheer number of his kind. And...they were all looking at him. And as he came to stand at his master's side, he was once again overwhelmed by the overpowering presence of death. Taking in the bodies of the dead and dying before his eyes beheld the beauty of the one standing before him.
He stared in complete wonder and entrancement as the angelic being in white stared back at him with a gaze so dark and cold, it could have frozen the very fires of Hell itself. And Kyo watched the ethereal creature of beauty absorb his existence like a mortal blow, his lips curling in the most horrific snarl as a painfully high pitched, feral screech was wrenched from his body. And the whole host of undead rose up in their wailing to their master's cry as Kyo covered his ears in fear and pain.
"SILENTIUM!" Akito shrieked above the wailing of the others as his hand flew out to silence them.
"...what treachery is this...?" This question came in the lightest breath of a whisper, harboring all of Akito's rage as he gazed intently at Kazuma.
"This is no treachery, brother." Kazuma responded evenly, standing firm in the face of his brother's anger.
"You betray me with this abomination!" Akito spat, causing Kyo to blanch at palatable force of his harsh words.
"Kyo is my son. The embodiment of my compassion, Akito. Something you would know nothing of, my brother. But I ask it of you now." Kazuma spoke, placing a gentle hand on Kyo's shoulder to still the child's fear.
"I have no need for your idealism of compassion." Akito hissed, his dark gaze burrowing in into his brother.
"You saw value in my heart once, brother." Kazuma murmured lightly, and watched as Akito took this in with a level of sobriety before his expression became once again beautifully placid...revealing nothing of the rage he had displayed only moments before.
"That was so long ago..." Akito whispered quietly. "Too long have you been away, Kazuma. The fate of our beloved sister, and your absence, have long left me cold."
"You claim to have love for me, Akito. Then...do as I ask out of this great love, brother. Stave your hand towards my son. Welcome him home." Kazuma pleaded, his expression tender as he spoke on behalf of the child. "Do this for me, and I will willingly accept my just fate." And Kyo's crimson gaze immediately snapped from the ethereal creature before him to his father in complete panic.
"Kazuma! What the hell are you doing?!" Kyo spat, confusion flooding his expression as his voice quavered with emotion.
"Still this creature, brother, or so help me I will not be merciful." Akito murmured with cold intent, his colder gaze driving into the heart of the boy before glancing back at Kazuma.
"Kyo! Silence!" Kazuma spat in frustration, startling Kyo into silence. "Peace, child." He murmured gently, soothing Kyo's confusion and anxiety. "This is not your quarrel, son."
"Kazuma..." Akito murmured, his tone cold and dark as it drew Kazuma's attention once again. "You ask me to embrace this creature into the folds of our family. But...I cannot. Though it is true that I still have much love for you, brother, you ask too much of my good nature."
"Akito...please." This whispered plea graced Kazuma's lips as he met his brother's merciless gaze.
"This...thing...will never be family, Kazuma." Akito murmured gently, his expression placid as he spoke these cruel words. "But, I will promise you this, brother. And only this. No harm will come to your precious abomination. It can come and go as it pleases under my protection. And I will not deny it what it needs to exist." He stated, his exotic dark onyx gaze burrowing into Kazuma as he continued. "This...is what I offer to that creature. Accept this gift of my good will on its behalf, or condemn it to its just destruction. It matter's not to me." Akito's tone came indifferent as he finished. "But no love will I give it. This you cannot ask of me."
"So you promise that no harm will come to my son." Kazuma confirmed, his expression coming weary and full of misgiving towards his brother's offer.
"You have my word." Akito cooed tenderly, his expression earnest as he looked from Kyo back to Kazuma. "Does this leave you satisfied, brother?" This question lulled from his lips, softly whispered with a smile.
And Kazuma knew that there was no further room for dispute. The deal had been made. His son's safety secured. And with a level of bitter solace, he gave a small nod of concession.
"It does."
"Then come. Embrace me, and accept your fate." Akito cooed tenderly, beckoning Kazuma with open arms. "It is good that you should go to be reunited with our sister. Too long have you mourned for her." His features furrowed in the most exquisite expression of sympathy as Kazuma slowly approached. "Let us end this, brother. Allow me to ease your suffering."
"Kazuma don't do this!" Kyo screamed, only to be met with the gentlest of sighs from his creator as Kazuma glanced over his shoulder to gaze tenderly at the boy.
"Still such a troublesome son." He met Kyo's pained expression with a warm, comforting smile. "I embraced my fate fully and completely from the very moment I laid eyes on you, child. What is done is done. I promised that I would always keep you safe. A promise I took great pains to fulfill. So understand that what I do now, I do out of great love for you. My son." He murmured. "My beloved." And with that he turned away to drift towards the angelic being waiting for him with open arms, leaving Kyo completely stunned into horrified silence.
"How very touching..." The words came lightly murmured from Akito's lips as they twisted into a smile.
Kazuma approached the waiting angel as silence once again fell upon the moment. On the heels of baited breath, he closed the space between them as the two embraced. The action came so profoundly intimate that Kyo averted his gaze for a moment. And as the two held each other, Akito rested his head lightly on his brother's shoulder, molding his form to Kazuma in a way that made the two appear as one. Finally united through the action of Kyo's creation.
"Kazuma." Akito whispered against the flesh of his brothers neck, his breath coming so warm and inviting. "It has been too long since we last embraced each other. I have truly missed you, and know that your fate brings me to tears." His lips quivered with emotion against Kazuma's skin as he held the man a little tighter in desperation. "The last of my heart dies with you, brother. But before you embrace your fate...know this." His voice came so light...so low...that only Kazuma could hear it as the words fluttered to his waiting ear. "I have learned much in your absence, Kazuma. With Ren gone, and you soon to follow her, there is only one thing left." He whispered. "One thing that I will finally obtain once I usher you to your end." And Kazuma felt his brother's lips form in a malicious smile against his cold flesh, causing him to tremble under the sensation in Akito's arms. "With the removal of chaos and your precious temperance...there will finally be perfect obedience. And it will be so beautiful, brother. Compliance...through absolute love and devotion. To me. So take solace in your actions, brother. But know that, while you may have managed to ensure the safety of your abomination...despite your betrayal..." The briefest of silence was followed by the lightest laughter as Akito raised himself on his toes so his lips met Kazuma's ear.
"I would have come to kill you anyway."
Before Kazuma could fully absorb the treachery his brother had revealed, he was violently pinned to the wall by force. In the breath of a heartbeat his throat was ripped open, and Akito began to viciously feed on him as he pushed him against the wall. Akito's virgin garments came stained with Kazuma's blood as the man grew weaker. Yet Akito showed no mercy, and was relentless as he drained his brother of life. Of strength. Of all that Kazuma was. It was only when his legs gave way to his weakness and impending fate that Akito finally released his brother, allowing Kazuma to fall to his knees before him.
The room stilled for a moment, falling into an eery silence of anticipation as Akito remained motionless. Staring at Kazuma, he didn't even move to draw away the crimson remnants of his punishment from his lips and chin. And through the silence came a sound. The most disturbing of sound that emanated from the celestial creature of breathtaking beauty. It started as the softest of sighs, that built upon itself into a low, almost feral hiss of disdain.
"Kazuma!" The tortured scream wrenched itself from Kyo's lips as he was forcefully restrained by another...one with a wry smile and soft, almost gentle brown eyes.
Forced to his knees, Kyo watched as the silent angel gracefully drifted away from Kazuma. In movements that were so agonizingly beautiful, the ethereal, unworldly creature grasped for something that shown menacingly in its metallic quality. And Kyo was filled with a fresh sense of horror as the sound of dragging metal on stone filled the silence.
He watched, eyes wide with horrified disbelief as Akito silently moved back to Kazuma's side. The demonic angel's expression remained placid as his fingers gripped the katana in his hand. Kyo's eyes squeeze shut against the impending scene as tears helplessly trailed down his cheeks, and through the silence he heard a voice whisper to him.
"Do not disrespect your master by turning away, creature." Akito hissed quietly, his gaze remaining on Kazuma's weakened body as he addressed the child. "Take heart in his fate. What he does now...he does out of love...for you." He whispered, causing Kyo's eyes to flutter open through his tears.
He struggled helplessly against the arms that restrained him as his agonized screams of pain and rage filled the room. Kyo watched the almost beautifully slowed movement of the blade as it came to sever the head of his beloved father. And in that moment there was so much pain. So much agony. And sorrow. Grief that he had never felt before, even in his mother's passing. And it immobilized him as his body completely gave up fight.
Kazuma was gone.
...his father...was gone...
And as he was made to stare helpless at the grotesque image of Kazuma's severed head beneath Akito's feet, Kyo felt a part of himself die. Never to be reclaimed.
He was truly...alone.
The arms of his captor released him, and though Kyo was now freed from his confines he found himself strangely stilled in disbelief. And he gazed in horrified wonder as slender, pale fingers stretched out to grasp and intertwine themselves into once dazing silver hair as Kazuma's head was lifted from the stone floor. Kyo stayed in his place on the floor, numbly taking in the surreal event as Akito held Kazuma's head above him for all to see. To behold. In order to take fair warning to betrayal that would not kindly be dealt with. Silently. Calmly. Coolly. Akito took in the varied expressions of his children before he spoke.
"Look closely, children, and learn well." His voice rang clear and beautiful like the holiest of church bells. "This is the price of betrayal to your family." And he raised Kazuma's severed head just a littler higher for them to bear witness.
"We have laws for good reason!" His voice came stern. "And they be but few." And Kyo watches as the angel's blood painted lips curled into the most agonizingly beautiful snarl.
"Give me obedience!" His voice raised to the host of undead. "And you will know my love..." And at the drop of Kazuma's severed head to the stone floor below, there came such a cacophony of elated screeching that Kyo curled in on himself in terrified horror.
Trembling on the floor as the sound of terror ebbed and flowed back into quiet, Kyo didn't even take notice of the form standing next to him.
"Shigure..." The voice whispered, gaining the attention of the one who had held Kyo bound during the execution. "See that the body is taken care of. I want it out of my site." The voice purred gently. "Burn it." And with that Kyo's captor did as he had been told in silent dismissal.
"You are free to stay or go." The voice lulled again, gaining Kyo's attention as he helplessly raised his weary head to meet a dark onyx stare. "But do not easily show your face to me, monster." And with that whispered warning Kyo watched Akito gracefully drift away in silence without a second glance as he made his way into shadow.
And Kyo was left alone. In complete silence.
The End