Here it is chapter 7... finally. Sorry for the very long wait, but this was extremely hard to write. The quote below is from the song "For You" by staind. Claymore was created by Yagi Norihiro, I own only the one character I created. Inspired by various Claymore fanfics all over .

Enjoy.

Claymore: Awakening

I sit here locked inside my head

Remembering everything you said

The silence get's us no where

Get's us no where way too fast

Chapter 7: Confrontations

Patricia sat motionless, the two Claymores before her doing the same. The real question was that why did they not move on? They were Claymores, the monsters doing the biding of man, so why stop and stare at a mere human? Nothing before had ever boggled her mind as this did. It was so… unnatural. It might have been a harsh description but it was accurate enough.

The two armor clad women still stood and looked in on the cave entrance. Their expressions were not that of surprise or bewilderment but of level headedness and composure, a simple stare. Claymores always had their wits about them and Patricia herself had always seen that look on a Claymore, she considered it the norm for their kind. But this was not one of those times. These particular Claymores had a different look in their eye; Patricia could almost feel it, as if there was an invisible energy field surrounding them increasing ever so slightly, slowly as if not to disturb a single blade of grass.

Patricia's eyes widened when one of the pair reached over her head and grasped her sword and steadied her footing. Patricia realized that she was still holding the unusually large rock in her hand. 'That must be what's provoking them.' Patricia surmised. She let the rock fall from her hand. However, the Claymore didn't stop reaching for her sword and that field that surrounded them continued to grow. Beads of sweat rolled down Patricia's face.

As she took hold of her claymore, the woman warrior launched the great sword into the cave entrance, in one fluid motion. After a split second, she gave chase to the blade. As it flew through the air toward Patricia she could hear the edges slice through the wind with each rotation. Just as the blade would have run through her Patricia felt, or rather didn't feel the claymore narrowly miss her and move beyond. But this was no novice mistake, no slip of the hand. The Claymore had wanted it to happen just like this. Like time, the sword seemed to slow down just as it passed her ear, the sharp whining of the edge as it cut the wind.

But just as the sword moved on, the white blur rocketed past with barely a sound, barely disturbing a single stone on the cave floor. The sword sounded an impact, the sound of torn flesh. The blur that had chased the blade stopped in her tracks. She took a step back, standing just beside Patricia, whom had barely moved a single muscle since the encounter began.

Something was wrong here, something didn't feel right. It felt as if all the air had gone cold and frozen. Another presence revealed itself. What was she feeling? The ground around her turned ice to the touch. What was this? As quickly as the presence had come it vanished. The Claymore took a step back. Patricia slowly looked up at the pristine face of the warrior. The bright yellow eyes sent shivers down her spine. Purple fluid ran down her face as the she felt a sudden impact upon her back. A series of thumps followed suit. The cold dead yellow eyed stare caught her sight as the head rolled to the feet of the Claymore, staining her armor.

Patricia was frozen. She didn't know what to say. She didn't know how she could say anything, if she could even work up the nerve to speak at all. The warrior looked down upon the small being. The look of shock and dismay were all too familiar. Yet, something about this woman was different, something she couldn't quite place.

The two exchanged gazes for a few more moments and then the Claymore turned her back. She closed her eyes, the silver iris taking hold once more. Marline removed the rodent from the edge of her blade and held it at her side by the ears.

"Nice. Let's go, Alison." She plainly said.

Alison turned her back to the human. Her gaze drifted to her sword, still covered with the blood of the Yoma. With a quick flick of her wrist the blood flew from the tips to the ground with a slight splash. The massive blade returned to its sheath with a clank. She took a step forward before looking back at the trembling figure. She paused, going over what to do with the woman in her mind. Alison returned her gaze forward.

"There's a town about a half day's walk from here. I suggest you move on." She made her way toward her companion. "Before you become someone else's meal." The last sentence was cold, almost condescending. Her words fell on deaf ears.

Patricia sat still, drenched in Yoma blood, reliving the past. The screams, the fires, the sounds of clanging swords, and the sounds of one monster destroying another were all that filled her mind. As if in a trance Patricia stared beyond the cave opening, through the pair of warriors beyond the tree line and over the mountains that surrounded this area toward something else. Something… beyond sight.

"I think she's still too stunned to think at this point." Marline threw the rabbit over her shoulder.

Alison scoffed once more.

"Maybe she needs a good belt to the head. That should bring her out of it." She grasped the hilt of her claymore.

"Yeah," Marline turned her back to her comrade "and into a coma." She sniffed the air around her, taking it in and shivering. Yoma stank enough as it was, but the warrior's heightened sense of smell made the experience just that much more… memorable, unfortunately. "Come on, we've wasted enough time trying to catch this worthless son of bitch," she held up the dead rabbit. "And even more time with her little playmate there. Let's go already." Her voice slightly droned like that of a child. The warrior squinted. "By the looks of it, she was its play thing for some time. No one just sits there covered in Yoma bile for more than a few seconds before running off." Marline about faced, eyeing the young woman on the cave floor. "Maybe we should…"

Alison quickly cut her off. "Is it really something we should be so concerned with? I mean look at her, she's survived this long… Why are you so obsessed with her? Looking for your own playmate?" She smirked, waiting for Marline's rebuttal.

The two women locked eyes and faced one another.

"Excuse me?" Marline's yoki rose slightly, her anger built upon itself. But she learned to control it. Especially since the two of them had been on several Awakened hunts before and had nearly killed each other the first time they met. But as the more they got to really know each other and fight side by side, the more they realized… that they really, really hated each other.

"You heard me." Alison steadied herself. "Do something about it… if you can."

"If this is another attempt at challenging me you can forget it. I'm in no mood to play your games." Marline waved a hand before her colleague. "Besides, we both know you wouldn't last five minutes with me if I went all out. You might want to check your testosterone levels, butch. You're messing with the leader of the pack."

Alison simply stared at her. "Five minutes? Against you?" She let out a throaty laugh. "In five seconds I could have you at you're knees, begging for mercy."

"Well then, what's keeping you?" Marline dropped the animal corpse. "Let's see what you got, bitch."

"You've had this a long time coming." Alison grasped her claymore and launched herself at Marline, she did the same. They collided in the air, their swords ringing in the stale air. The pair traded blows to and fro. Alison swung from below, aiming to take of Marline's arms but Marline expertly parried the blow. Marline did the same with a similar out come. Their swords clanged repeatedly for what seemed like hours to them. Then they decided to take things up a notch. Their eyes flared a golden yellow. The very air around them seemed to change as their swords began to fly about at near super-sonic speeds. The once clearly visible, fluid moments were now nothing but blurred figments. The clanging increased.

The ground around them tore and broke as they unleashed their powers upon one another. The fight raged on for quite some time. The sounds of the scrap could be heard in the distance the continuous clanging rang throughout the valley.

Denizai looked up from his small patient. He listened.

Nothing.

"Must have been imagining it. Do it a lot these days."

The Abyssal was still draped in the black get up and was tending to the bite marks Lily's apatite had left on her. He was applying a bandage to the cheek when the girl's eye's shot open. Denizai's response was an immediate frown as if to say "Oh no, she's gonna start screaming at any moment."

The girl's pupils darted around from wall to battered wall trying to ascertain just where she was and how she got there. She attempted to jump up but was stopped by the lightning quick reflexes of the figure before her. A large, muscular arm obscured her view as the shadow held her down, effortlessly. Who was this? What were they doing? Where am I? These and a thousand other questions flew about her mind like carrion birds circling a doomed creature.

"Almost done." The figure made a few more minor augmentations to the injured patch of skin. "There. Better?" Denizai attempted to make the friendliest face as possible. The girl nodded once as she stroked the wound. She couldn't have been almost eight or nine. "You're very brave. You know that?" The girl shied away from him; she turned her head and asked the question.

"Are the monsters gone?"

Denizai's smile had disappeared from the once inviting face. He didn't know that to say. He could of course lie to her and assure her that no harm could ever befall her whilst in his company and care. But he couldn't do that. In fact all he could do is sit there and stare at his newest arrival. He closed his eyes and stood. The girl fidgeting, trying to stand as well but only collapsing back to the floor, gasping for breath. She was exhausted.

"Take it easy, I'll be back in a few minutes."

The girl paused then nodded once more and Denizai made is way out of the ruined building. He swallowed and forced the saliva travel back down his throat. He hadn't expected her scent to be as strong as it was, he was surprised that even Lily was able to control herself as much as she did. However he still needed to find out what happened, exactly. Awakening is much more than a change in power and physical condition. Your mind changes as well. The way you thought you knew was right no longer seemed as attractive as a path of destruction and gluttony. All your ideas of wrong and right were crushed at that very instant and replaced with unending, unyielding hunger.

So why is it that he and Lily have yet to devour their two guests? A regular Awakened Being or even and Abyssal One wouldn't have hesitated to finish them off. He had no answer. In fact he doubted if there was one.

Denizai made his was through the rubble, crushing glass underfoot, he heaved himself over mountains of wood and stone. He came upon a line of shrubs and bushes just before a lake, he guessed. He could feel the cool breeze coming off the placid waters. It reminded him, of his last mission. Just before…

"Relaxing. Isn't it?" A soft voice called from the waters, a woman. The sun was falling and the moon, rising. Darkness would soon be upon them. What little light was left, shimmered with an almost holy glow in the water.

Denizai had already felt her presence. In fact this was close to were he had thrown her after she had tried to make that small girl into a light snack. He guessed she had thought taking a bath would help curb her hunger, at least for the moment.

"How're you feeling?" Denizai stood at the bank of the lake, beside him laid Lily's clothes.

"Ha! Thanks for your concern." Lily stood waist deep in the dark water. "You being the one that threw me through a wall or two." She turned away from him, splashing water on her shoulders. The droplets ran down her back, moving over her curves and pale skin, and back into the lake. She repeated the process, alternating her left and right shoulders with a handful of water. Denizai still stood, eyeing her down. To the common person, he would have appeared as a rapist or the local peeping Tom but Lily knew him better than that. Denizai seated himself not far from were he stood a bit further up the bank though. "Is there something else?" Her hands paused on her shoulders. "Or are you just staring at me for the hell of it?"

"What did it taste like?" Denizai looked at the gentle waves shift slowly upon the banks.

"W- What? What did what taste like?" Lily bore a truly dumbfounded look upon her face. "Denizai…"

The Abyssal cracked a smile. "Forget it. Forget I said anything." With that he stood and turned his back to the woman.

"Ok?" Lily was still standing with her arms at her shoulders. She was beyond puzzled. 'Why would he ask me a thing like that? Taste? Taste what? And when?' She put her face in one her palms as she let her arms fall free.

"Oh and one more thing…"

Lily turned around to face him. Their eyes met. And in a single serene moment everything seemed to slow down, even time. She waited intently for the man's words.

"If I hadn't stopped you, you'd hate yourself for as long as you lived and after." Lily blinked. "And you'd hate me for not holding you back." Her eyes fell from his and back to the water. The memories of that moment rushed back to her. She couldn't believe that she had nearly forgotten. "Stay here until the girl falls asleep." Lily nodded slightly as she kneeled down into the water.

Without looking back, Denizai heaved himself over the rocks and wood once more moving back to the girl. That same girl that Lily herself had almost killed and eaten. She couldn't believe it but the facts were as clear as day.

She had awakened. She had given in to the power forced upon her and this was the result. Never again will she feel the love of another nor their touch or words of comfort. It was the simple things that she missed the most things that were lost to her even when she became a Claymore. Walking into a room, unnoticed, talking with her neighbors about their every day lives, having children. These thoughts and many others began to take their course through her mind. Droplets fell into the lake as Lily began to sob. She hugged herself tightly. While these things were already taken from her the moment she was fused with the Yoma, at least as a half breed she took solace in the fact that she was still in some way human. But now… she had become mankind's greatest enemy. The very thing she despised.

Denizai let his head fall as the sobbing grew louder. He dragged his feet all the way back to the broken home to find the girl sitting quietly next to the injured woman the lion had thrown him a few hours before. She was still far from gaining consciousness. The bleeding had stopped for now. All he had to do now was to make sure that it stayed that way. Even if the blood itself had been stopped the pungent smell still lingered, tempting him. But he endured it, somehow.

He walked into the shadows and seated himself across the room from the two humans, trying to shut them from his mind, trying to keep the pools of saliva from falling out of his mouth.

The sun had now set and the moon took its place. Lily's yoki had calmed down somewhat and it appeared that she would make her bed away from the trio as Denizai had felt the aura move from the lake's center to the shore and had remained there for several hours. She was fast asleep. Something he was terrified of doing. He had the continuing fear that his Awakened side could take over completely and he devoured the two girls in his sleep without even realizing it. The thought scared him. And so he chose to stay awake. He hadn't slept in a weeks time and it was beginning to take its' toll. He's eyes became heavier and heavier until his mind drifted and his resolve weakened then his eyes sealed themselves shut.

Denizai shot his eyes open. The sky was a blood red and the mahogany clouds rolling toward him reeked of certain odor. He could smell it on the wind as he rose. Blood. Soon the clouds would rain blood. He thought. Could this be real? The rubble around him seemed to sink as he tried to make sense of this scene. He looked down at his feet. He too was sinking with the rubble, his breathing increased as he continued to sink, faster and faster. He reached for the walls that sank with him. He pulled himself from the mucky ground and climbed atop the collapsed building. As far as he could see, everything sank, even the mountains. From his foot prints blood bubbled to the surface. He looked upon the sight in horror and his worst fears were made manifest. Everything was being replaced with a sea of blood. Great geysers of the red fluid spewed forth from where the mountains once stood. A wall of blood was now rushing toward him until it was halted. A single black figure stood in the path of the wave of blood, standing atop the red liquid itself. The figure raised both its arms as if to say to the wall "Go back!" and the tsunami retreated receding into the red ocean.

Denizai was perched what seemed to be the only dry and blood free area as far as the eye could see, maybe the whole damn world for all he knew. The figure turned around only to be revealed as a child, a girl to be exact. But something didn't fit right with him about her.

"Who are you?" Denizai extended a foot to see if he too could walk upon the red pools, he frowned when the tips of his boots pierced the seas edge. The girl couldn't have been eight or nine. Her head hung low, her bangs covered her face. She giggled slightly at the question as if the answer was obvious.

"Don't you know, silly?" Her voice was innocent. She raised her head slowly. Her bangs separated as she moved. "I thought I'd be obvious to anyone, even you." Her shiny black hair caught the wind, revealing her face. Denizai was shocked at the sight before him, even he couldn't had expected to see this.

The girls face was no where to be found, no mouth, no eyes, ears, nose anywhere upon her, yet she continued to speak. This time the pitch was deeper, demonic and menacing.

"I am you." The girl exploded into blackness, the red waters pushing away from her. Giant blades shot from her forearms and caves and a pair of large horns rooted themselves upon her head. The sight was horrifying.

Denizai's own Awakened form…

"Now, know yourself. Know your place in the world." Denizai's Awakened double reached out toward Denizai. Lances shot forth piercing his skin. But these digits looked almost transparent as they neared his body. The black creature suddenly pulled the spears out of his body and to its side in one quick motion. Denizai merely grunted from the force as he fell to his knees, clutching his chest. He breathed heavily once more, as if something was ripped from his very being. He looked toward his Awakened double, teeth clenched.

In its claws was a squirming man draped in rags and covered his scars. The double's mouth began to break and crack as its mouth was revealed and it brought the man to its sharpened teeth. Denizai reached out and tried to protest but nothing came out of his mouth. Nothing. With chilling cries fro mercy the man disappeared into the creature's gullet. As if he had been nothing more than a fast snack the double began to chew. Denizai could hear the cracking and grinding of the bones and the mush of the flesh being sliced up for an easier trip down its throat.

Denizai closed his eyes at the sight, unable to watch anymore. After a few seconds he reopened them. Only he was not looking at his Awakened double anymore but at a man draped in black on his knees clutching his chest. Denizai brought his hand in view. The blood upon it was confirmation enough.

"No. No. NO! IT'S NOT TRUE! I'M NOT THE MONSTER HERE! I can't be…" the tears in his glowing blue eyes flowed down his face.

"Told you. Hehehe." He looked down into the red pool; the faceless girl took the place of his reflection. She rubbed her stomach while smacking her lips together mockingly. "Thanks for the treat mister." She threw her head back and laughed uncontrollably. The sound echoed in his ears. This was impossible; it's not true, not true. He hadn't eaten anyone, not a single soul. He was still human after all. "Who ever told you that…" The girl reflection was gone and replaced with his. "They lied." The girl was now standing on air right before him now possessing a face he had never seen before yet had, in some way. She smiled at him and blood flowed from where her teeth should have been.

Denizai gripped his head, tightly and stumbled backward. The blood sloshed about as his massive form feel to its knees with a crash. He let out a blood curdling cry as he his thoughts crashed about his mind. The mahogany clouds suddenly gathered overhead and poured forth the blood rain. The levels of the red ocean rose and rose until Denizai and the laughing girl were consumed by it.

Darkness took the place of the red. A light began to break through, trying with all its might to push the darkness away.

"…ai."

"…izai."

"…enizai."

"…Denizai."

"Denizai!"

"DENIZAI! WAKE UP! DENIZAI!" Lily had the unconscious screaming from of Denizai by the shoulders shaking him with ungodly ferocity. "WAKE! UP!"

The Abyssal forced his eyes open with a grunt and gasp. In an instant Denizai's anguish torn face shifted to pure rage and hate. He pulled himself up and jumped into one of the broken walls taking Lily along for the ride. He stood with his arm stretched before him, a warm sensation caressing the fore arm to the tips of his fingers. His rage filled expression melting away back to the calm cool person he usually was, then twisted to shock and confusion as he saw the lines of blood run from the corners Lily's mouth as she smiled slightly. Where her heart should have been his arm now was and not even the incredible regenerative powers of the Yoma could replace a completely severed heart.

"Lily…? What?"

"Looks like…" she threw up a pint of purple blood. It ran off his already stained arm. "We… won't be traveling together like… I'd hoped. " Lily's breathing slowed and paused with each passing second until it stopped. All Denizai could do is stare into his friends cold, dead eyes as tears filled his own.

"Told ya, you were a monster, mister." The laughing girl appeared from behind Lily's corpse. "What kind of human kills his oldest friends, even by accident?"

Denizai pulled this arm free; the awakened woman's body fell to the ground and kept falling, as if the ground was nothing but a wisp of cloud. Denizai's expression was still that of confusion. Lily was gone.

"Where'd she go?" He looked at the laughing girl, who had already turned to leave.

"Where do all demons go after they die?" She turned once more and fell through the ground as well.

Denizai looked back at the spot where Lily had disappeared and gazed, after a few seconds the wind picked up and the leaves in the trees rustled. The shadows the moons cast warped and bent around themselves, moving as if they were living creatures with minds of their own. The shadows collected and swirled around Denizai kicking up dirt and stone in great amounts. The shadows then reached out for the Abyssal, grabbing this legs, arms, and throat. He struggled against the shadows with great zeal, but the shadows were too strong. What's more, the shadows were whispering in his ear, promises of power and unending pleasure. He began to listen. Slowly he was being pulled into the ground, ever so slowly. He continued to fight with every fiber of his being, every part of him, telling him to say "No, no, no." but somewhere deep within the darkness within a single "Yes." Sounded and that was enough for the shadows to over power him.

Soon the ground reached his ankles, his knees, and then his waist. By the time his chest was about to go under, a single slender arm broke through the shadows reaching out with all its strength, reaching for him, bent on his recovery. Where the arm had broken through a bright intense light took this opportunity to force its own entry to expel the darkness. Denizai looked up to where the light was coming from. A shoulder and head were now visible, though the head bore no face, but unlike the laughing girl, this blank slate seemed warm and caring. It was blanketed with white light. Something was calling to him something was telling him to come back, to save not only himself but those around him, and those he will meet.

Harnessing a burning flame within him, he forced him arm through the thick blackness. The resistance was great, in fact it actually felt good, but he just felt that he had to listen to this voice… this voice of reason.

He reached up but just only nicked the light's finger tips. He despaired and began to let the shadow over take him once more.

"COME ON!" The voice of the light commanded him, shaking its arm about.

In a last ditch effort Denizai poured every ounce of his willpower into this reach. His last reach. Palms connected, fingers interlocked, the darkness shattered and the two were surrounded by a blinding liquid white. It was a woman's touch. The light around her face withered away and an old friend held his hand. Lily.

"Thank you." He whispered.

The shadow returned but this time not for him. The black strands constricted around Lily and immediately pulled her down into oblivion. Denizai stood in the light… alone.

Denizai's eyes shot open. Beads of sweat rolled off his face he was panting faster than a worn out dog. He checked his surroundings; there was no ocean of blood, no deadly shadows, no laughing faceless girl. Just the tattered and torn walls of the crumbling building left behind by the Awakened Being's rampage. He let out a deep sigh. He jumped and reached out with his yoki, sure enough Lily was safe and sound right where he had left her. The two humans were also still alive he judged, they were breathing so… apparently the little girl had fallen asleep sometime after he did, but what he went through would hardly be called a restful sleep, he was still tired, probably more than before and was more afraid to sleep, now more than ever. But still he tried so he closed his eyes and tried to dream.

The sun was beginning to rise over the horizon and the two warriors faced each other, both out of breath, stamina, and yoki. The ground about them was utterly destroyed, displaying large gaping swaths. Trees were sliced clean and bushes and some boulders were cut to ribbons.

"Let's… call this one… a draw." Alison panted, leaning on her Claymore for support.

"Maybe… this time… you just got… lucky." Marline fell to on knee, Alison soon following suit. "You think we'll ever… kill each other?"

"Maybe…" Alison looked over to the cave entrance. The woman was gone, every trace of her vanished. "Ha! Think we… chopped her up?"

"It's possible, I mean… I was only focused… on you." Marline groaned her way up from the ground.

"Glad to hear that… I'm more of challenge than you thought this time." Alison mused.

"Don't let it go to your head." Marline snapped back.

The pair both realized that they had fought the night away when the sun was on the other side of the sky now. Hostilities have ceased for the most part. Marline clicked her tongue when she had found the ears of the rabbit poking out from under a tree trunk but only the ears, where the rest of the their meal was, no one could say. So they'd just have to find something else on the way back to their comrades. They were both covered in scratched, bruises, cuts, and numerous contusions.

"You know, Heather, is going to scold us for fighting again." Alison took a step, but her legs gave out, it took quite a nasty blow from one of Marline's kicks. She was stopped just short of hitting the ground by her comrade's shoulder, bracing her.

"Yep, she doesn't really see the point in…" Marline trailed off she felt something on the air, a thinness, a heavy, metallic, cold malice that just seemed to permeate and stifle everything. She had felt this exact thing before; it was one of her comrades' yoki. But this yoki, no, yokies belonged to a certain pair of sisters. They were skilled at hiding it, but an aura of this size couldn't only stay hidden for long. Alison looked upon the other woman's face perplexed she felt nothing.

"Marline?" Alison could see the look on her rival but she couldn't quite decide if it was terror or worry that plagued her.

Marline's eyes widened. "It's them…"

Over the course of the next two weeks I will try to write more frequently so updates are closer together. No promises. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Till next time!