AN: The End is near D: Sorry, I got extremely busy. I haven't forgotten. But I needed to get a few things done. PLEASE FORGIVE ME D:

Disclaimer: Still dun own Nurarihyon no Mago.

Sacrificial Fire

-The little white pup followed the feet so happily, nipping at delicate toes with each step. Blooms of flowers, clovers and tiny puffs of grass seemed to erupt under those feet, each step –stumbling ungracefully like they were in a drunken dance – bore new life with its touch, only for the flora to wilt away as quickly as it came when the touch receded. There was laughter everywhere, the world afire with joy and free spirit. Around the little white pup, creature- no, Gods – gathered to celebrate yet another centenary of power and creation, birth and worship. The very air seemed to sparkle with the unseen raw power of them all.

And here was Amaterasu, Goddess of the Sun, Goddess of Life, spinning across the seemingly liquid floor, giddy, drunk on the love of her people.

Tsukuyomi materialized at her side, drawing his beloved sister against his body with a dark smile and lidded eyes. Though both born from the purification of Izanagi, they had once been lovers. The Moon God pulled her around with him in a heady spin. Til suddenly,

She ripped away, ebony hair the color of the darkest shadow flicking violently around. "Don't touch me, weakling." The Goddess growled.-

"Oops!" Katsuro laughed, pulling his dagger from Tsuraras' side and casting her aside carelessly. "Looks like I broke it!"

He never had a chance. Even with Konekos' Fear empowering him, he had just been too far away. It felt like time had stopped, ripping his heart out as Tsurara collapsed to the ground. The world about him seemed to slow down, his heart stopping in his throat, a dark, cold emotion flooding over him as if a bucket of ice had been poured over his head.

"Here! Take it back!" Katsuro laughed happily and literally booted Tsurara away from him, his great strength sending the lithe Yuki-On'na flying across the open space between them. The Young Master didn't stop to think, flinging himself forward to catch her.

But the world spun.

It was like someone had taken every part of his flesh and had ripped it away from the bone. He felt himself catching Tsurara, her soft, cold weight a minor comfort as it fell in his arms. The pain was excruciating, burning, like every nerve in his body had been exposed to a hot plate and slowly cooked. He rolled, screeching for the seconds that the sizzling pain lasted and landed on his back, Tsurara pulled to his chest.

He regretted opening his eyes.

The light was blinding, much like it had been when Koneko had performed Matoi with him. When it faded, and the term faded was used lightly, because the brightness only seemed to hurt a little less after a few moments, he could see the form of a giant white wolf – standing the height of a cart horse – poised before them. Its tails were numerous, each moving in an elegant wave, its fur a soft creamy white with gold kanji etched down her flanks, shoulders, the writing so small that he couldn't make it out through the pulsating light. A disc of what looked like goldstone seemed to float in a cloud of fire on her back, spinning slowly. A sun was carved into its surface and embedded with that same gold that Rikuo had come to associate with Kasai. Her mane was so thick that it reminded him of a lions.

"Face me, Son of Susanoo." Kasais' voice boomed so loudly in his ears that it sounded like an explosion. Her velvety lips pulled back, revealing teeth that glimmered hungrily. "Coward, hiding behind hired thugs and tricks. Did you think I would not destroy my Mothers beloved Guardians?"

Rikuo watched, unable to turn his eyes away from the scene, as Katsuro turned dark stormy eyes to the giant white wolf. "Oh oh! So, you were within the Nura Clan." He laughed sourly, grinning, looking her up and down. "And a Daughter as well! Surprising. Nevertheless, this is a good day. I can kill two birds with one stone."

Golden eyes narrowed as a low, blood-curdling growl came from her throat. "Enough! End my misery if you can. "

-"Weakling?" Susannos' laughter seemed to bounce everywhere all at once as he sidled to his brothers side, a broad violent smirk on pale lips. "Our Sister insults you, Brother. I thought you two were on good standing again."

The Eternal Beauty laughed haughtily, tossing her head. "A prude like him? Never again."

The white pup cowered against Amaterasu's feet as the hundreds of Gods of the World began to gather around. The Greats, after all, were renowned for their rivalry. What better entertainment for an Immortal than another Immortals battles? It whined pathetically.

Tsukuyomi simply smirked. "Your power will soon fade, dear Sister. The Yokai grow more powerful with each day thanks to me. The Sun will not be worshipped forwever."-

Lightning erupted, not from the skies, but from the Crown Prince himself, the ground around him exploding in a rush of rock and wind. From it emerged a wolf, larger and stronger the Koneko, its pelt a mass of midnight blue. Electricity seemed to dance along the fur, originating from lighter blue areas that highlighted his shoulders, flanks and along the tail that looked like angry clouds. He didn't' have ears, that Rikuo could see, instead long curling horns like that on a mountain sheep. On the end of his muzzle was yet another long horn, pointed, deadly.

The two god-spawn pounced on each other in a flurry of fire and electricity and wind.

Rikuo felt two pairs of hands grabbing him by arms and physically dragging him as the two great beasts ripped into each other violently. He looked up to see Shoeii, and a crimson haired man that he had never seen before.

"You need to move." The man said, his eyes, bluer then nature would allow, focussed on the battle ahead, a frown painted across his face. "They won't think twice about stepping on you."

There were the barking, growls and yelps. If it wasn't for the intense heat, and the electricity in dancing through the air, you could easily mistake it for a simple dog fight. Rikuo scrambled to his feet, pulling Tsurara up with him and sweeping her off her feet, trying to ignore the painful pleads that came from her lips. Staggering, he ran across the cobbles, escaping just in time as the larger, darker god-spawn bawled Koneko to the ground, his teeth tearing at her throat, right where he had been laying. There was a burst of fire, sending Katsuro flying backwards with Koneko hot on his tail, barking angrily as she did so.

Pain. That's all she could feel.

They carried her across the cobbles, staggering, dodging flying stones and huge feet as beasts that should barely imagine battled against each other. Her side was on fire, screaming with each jarring movement. At one point, she felt the Young Master stagger, dropping her to the ground as he tumbled, a surge of electricity hitting the ground – the pulse blowing them forwards. Rocks cut into her, the cobble of the Pagondas' front court yard. Tsurara tried not to scream, she really did. But the pain caught her off guard, shooting through her entire being like cold blades. Rikuo roughly wrenched her back up in his arms, panting hard, his blood dripping on her face from a cut across his eyes, yet another scar that would mar his beauty.

Strangely, she felt more sadness over that then her own fading energy.

She knew that the blade had hit….something. Her lung? A vital vein perhaps? Tsurara didn't pretend to know the complexities of her own body. She knew that it had been more than a stabbing, that something had shot through her, something akin to Konekos' hot Fear, but sharper, and instant – making her hear thud harder and so fast that she thought for just one moment that it would burst. There was a strange smell around her, like seared flesh. But everything was burning.

Everything was burning.

"The Tarakabune can't fly!" Someone was screaming from the distance. "The sky! It's like the entire sky is electric!"

Rikuo screamed in frustration, a string of violent curses coming from beautiful lips that had once been so kind. Tsurara smiled softly, part of her missing the long gone child that once wanted to help everyone, craving normality. Now, all was left was violence, the taste of sake, and a softness that she only saw when he was alone, safe, with her.

"I'm happy." She murmured at him through painful breaths, her voice barely audible over the wind that was picking up around them, lifting her bloodied hand to brush his cheek, leaving a crimson smear down his face. It glimmered wetly at her as dark eyes darted down to meet hers, full of panic. "Rikuo-sama found his special person. I'm so happy for him."

"Tsurar-" Rikuo tried to choke out, but they were suddenly sent crashing to the ground. Something large, white hot soared over their heads. Tsurara gasped, crushed under Rikuos' heavy form and that of the Blood Ayakashi, who had literally tackled all four of them off their feet as a ball of blue electricity and white fire missed them by inches – its intense heat bringing a violent scream from Myo.

Rikuo looked up, watching the ball fly across the yard wildly. Tarakabune didn't stand a chance. Zen and the others scattered, throwing themselves to the ground just at the ball of combined Godspawn Fear smashed into the giant Yokai in an explosion of wood and steel. The lasting scream made the Young Masters stomach twist as he watched the giant war barge slowly and surely keel over onto its side.

"No! Nonononono!" Rikuo scrambled to his feet, his hand coming up to tug at his hair in frustration as he screamed. "Ohfuckme.."

They were stuck. They couldn't escape. Without Tarakabune, they couldn't get Tsurara home.

They couldn't save her.

Zen was running at him as fast as the fragile bird Yokai could manage without killing himself. Fire was raining on them in small embers. All Rikuo could smell was blood and burning skin. The world was in chaos. He pivoted about as Myo and Shoeii regained their feet – its seemed like the Blood Ayakashi had ceased his alliance with the young Prince and Rikuo could see why. The Pagoda, where the last of Myos' men had been trapped by fallen rubble was completely consumed by fire. Whether this was caused by Koneko or Katsuro, it didn't seem to matter. But strangely, despite fire being Kasais' element, the amount to lightning and electricity that was running through the air, Rikuo wouldn't be surprised if the fire hadn't been caused by the crown prince in his anger.

The Godspawn surged against each other. The midnight blue dog, larger than life had the obvious advantage. He had Koneko down, pinned under one massive paw to her throat and a chunk of white fur, dripping with what looked like liquid light, in his mouth. Koneko was crying, her painful howls sending shivers down Rikuos' spine as he watched the beast bite into his fire ayakashi over and over again, blue electricity wrapping around her body, making her convulse violently.

"Fuck me." A gruff voice said by his ear, making him glance away from the brutal sight. Myo stood at his side, his face pale under that scruffy russet coloured beard. "Amaterasu really fucked this one up."

There was a blast of fire, a pulse that seemed to come from the entirety of Koneko, powerful enough to send Katsuro falling back away from her, yelping his anger at the giant multi-tailed white wolf. Rikuo watched, gritting his teeth angrily as the kitsune smashed herself into the dark beast.

"What was this about?" He growled angrily at the strange ayakashi, his fist balling up til he could feel his nails breaking the skin. "Tell me."

The shrug made the Young Master furious, reminding him of the blameless attitude of the kitsune. Innocent, but so far from it that he was disgusted by it. "Darkness." Myo said casually, shifting where he stood so that he could bring a cigar– stained by black blood – from his pockets. "You should be happy, Yokai. If she dies, the sun will never rise again."

He said it so casually. So fucking casually. But Rikuo had seen this before with Hagoromo Gitsune. She too, through her own means, meant to cause an eternity of darkness. It meant the end of human kind. Panic, starvation, war. Humans were fickle, easily reduced to barbarism to gain the upper hand. A decade of darkness, even if it was only temporary, would mean an end for many. Those that were left would be no better off. Less than human.

And then there was Yokai – the masters of the darkness. The power that they would find in the humens' terror would be enough to cause an uprising that Rikuo had not seen in a long time. And when the humans' finally died out...

Koneko went down. She was just simply too weak compared to the larger, stronger and more experienced Godspawn. Katsuro ripped at her throat, spilling thick cascades of blood onto the cobblestones. Rikuo swallowed hollowly, his stomach suddenly void of all sick, leaving only the surreal fear. "Shit."

"Master!"

Something in Zens' panicked voice brought him back to the other thing. He turned, dropping to his knees at Tsuraras' side. Shoei had propped her head up on his lap, keeping her upper half elevated. Her kimono had been ripped away from her ribcage and abdomen by Zen, revealing a deep, meaty wound cut into her side just under her ribcage. By the looks of things, the Crown Prince had taken his revenge out as brutally as possible, stabbing deep and pull the blade hard to the right and left, causing the wound to be much long then he initially thought.

It must be so painful. There was blood everywhere, leaking into a small pool by Zens' knees. But Tsurara just smiled at him, her face a picture of serenity. Those crimson eyes – so strange yet so warmly familiar – staring up to him.

She was beautiful. So beautiful. It took his breath away and made him so angry at the same time.

"Master," Zen continued, ripping apart his Haori in a hurry, pulling it to long strips which he then began packing into the deep gash in a desperate attempt to staunch the bleeding. "I can't. She's bleeding too heavily. Without the Tarakabune, we can't get her back to the main house in time."

Tsurara turned her eyes to look up at Zen, watching as he fought back tears as he did his best to patch her wound without hurting her too much. "Thank you, Zen-san." She murmured softly, only the slightest hint of sadness in her words. Her eyes turned back to meet Rikuos'.

"Was I useful, Master?"

The question surprised him. Behind them all, he could hear the pathetic cries of Koneko penetrate the darkness around them as she struggled against the Crown Prince. The sounds made him feel so empty. Her words made him feel so empty.

Taking her hand gently in his, he lowered his head til he touched her forehead with his own. "Of course, Tsurara." He whispered softly, a begging edge to his voice. "You mean everything to me."

She chuckled softly at him, the sound more of a pained cry than anything else. "Liar." She smiled accusingly at him, regret written over her face. "You have Kana-chan. You don't need me anymore."

Rikuo shook his head furiously. "No, that's not true." He cried at her, watching what colour she had in her cheeks start to drain from her face slowly. "Tsurara, I don't want Kana. I don't need her. I need you."

She hummed in amusement, unbelieving. "Please take care of her, Master. Humans are so fragile."

"Tsurara, no, you don't-"

Thick warmth spread across the skin, oozing over Zens' hands as he pressed down on the open wound, desperate to stop the bleeding. Big, shining eyes gazed up to his Master, silently begging him to save the life that was slipping away between his fingers.

"Master..." Zen breathed, trying to ignore Shoeis' soft sobs he tried to steady his shaking hands. "I'm losing her. I don't have healing powers. If I were my father…"

Overwhelming panic started to drown him, parching his throat. Dark red eyes darted downwards, watching the blood soak into the makeshift bandages. There was a distant explosion over head, bright and hot but too high for the force to hit them. Embers, golden in colour, began to rain down around them, burning into his flesh where they landed. Rikuo shifted, shading Tsurara from the falling flames, flinching as a small flame landed on her cheek, blistering her skin.

The fire flickered out as he brushed it away, angry that the flame had dared to touch his Yuki-On'na. But as his thumb grazed against the blistered mark, the fire lit up once more, shining a strangely familiar white, like looking at the sun for too long. When the shine died away, the blister was gone, her alabaster skin perfect once more.

His head shot up, meeting Zens' steely grey ones as they flickered over his shoulder, a glimmer of restrained hope in them. He turned his head, looking past the crimson haired Yokai to where Koneko stood, braced with her head hanging low to the ground. He couldn't see where the enemy was, but by the way the Pagoda began to crumble down onto itself, he suspected that the kitsune had somehow managed to throw him into the flaming building. She shone, white fire dancing along her body in white flashes. Bleeding wounds closed before his very eyes, the white fire blending seamlessly into her creamy pelt. It lasted barely a minute before the giant wolf raised its head and shook out its body. She looked like a dog just coming from a river of lava, the liquid flame splashing around her almost lazily.

"Well." The Blood Ayakashi in front to them murmured through his cigar, a curious tone to his voice. "That's unexpected. Never heard of flames being used as a healing agent. How odd, even for them."

Healing…

"Koneko!" Rikuo tried to scream, but his voice failed to reach his lips. He tried to squish down the rising panic in his guts and licked his dry lips. "Koneko! We need you!"

The white wolfs' ears perked up and flickered, her head turning just a little so that one golden eye levelled on him, her velvet lips pulled back in an annoyed snarl.

Rikuo stared right back at her, ignoring her threatening sounds. When they had been in Matoi, he had felt everything the kitsune had pent up inside. It was like she was composed solely of rage, burning hot, consuming every one of his senses for moments, before turning into a tight, barely contained ball in the pit of his chest. But underneath…. Underneath all that hatred and anger and rage…

Was the sadness.

He looked down to Tsurara, who had was looking up at Shoei, watching him cry softly with a confused look on her face. Her breathing had slowed down finally, but Rikuo had a bad feeling that was more due to blood loss then her calm demeanour. He wished she wasn't calm. She should be screaming, crying, begging. Anything. Serenity was far from what he felt.

And yet, as her eyes turned to his and she smiled at the worry in them, he felt that only his Yuki-On'na could be this beautiful so close to death.

Her eyes closed.

"Tsurara…?" He begged, reaching out to caress her cheek. It was cold, even by her standards. She let out a soft breath, the air misting over by her lips and she seemed to mouth something into the air, but Rikuo couldn't hear. Shoei cried her name out softly through his tears, shaking his head gently. Zen just swore, viciously pulling more of his cloths apart, replacing the saturated bandages in a stubborn refusal. Rikuo stared at her, lost. Shadows' moved over them – Kurotaba, Kubinashi and Aotaba, standing silently guard. They knew what was happening.

There was no way they could stop it.

There was no other breath.

"No no no no…" Rikuo stumbled, shaking the Yuki-On'na gently, trying to get her to take another breath. "N, please gods, no. Koneko! Oh gods, stay with me, please." He lowered his head down, touching his forehead with his own. Dark hair fell on her face. Somewhere, he dully realised that he had long reverted to his day form. It didn't matter. Sitting back up, he turned, desperate. "Koneko! God, help us!"

But even if she wanted too, the Kitsune was in no position to help.

She heard their begging screams, but they fell on deaf ears. Katsuro has finally emerged from the falling pylons. Her head lowered, muzzle almost grazing the ground, a low whine coming unbidden to her throat as she watched him pick his way out of the rubble. Everything hurt. Everything. She only managed to staunch the smallest of cuts from bleeding despite the time she had managed to buy. But it wasn't the bloodloss that she was worried about. It was purely that he was exhausting her. It was like the attacks never stopped. Lightning from the skies, wind that cut like knives, it assaulted her from each side. It was all she could do to defend. Her attacks were sloppy, unguarded, and he took advantage of it on every turn. He charged at her at a speed that she couldn't hope to dodge , but she tried anyway, darting away to the right – only to have the bigger Godspawn crash into her body and send them both tumbling across the rubble.

Around and around they went, a mess of claws and teeth, of fire and lightning. And everything hurt.

All she wanted to do was go home.

-"Why don't we make a wager, dear Sister?" The God of Darkness smirked humourlessly, crossing mighty arms across his chest. "The Mighty Amaterasu, against her 'weakling' brother?"

The Sun Goddess chortled softly, red lips pulling back to reveal teeth sharper than any beasts, and whiter than the snow. "Just against you, O' Prudent God of Killjoy? Please. You stand no chance against me." She waved him off dismissively, a glass of the reddest wine appearing in her hand as she did so. Around them, the Gods or the World had begun to lose interest. It was true. The Moon had no power when it was compared to that of the Sun. "No, I will not be bored by your antics. Find something more interesting to do with what little you have of your Worship. May I suggest you go find yourself a whore amongst your precious Yokai?"

The face that the Dark God made could have destroyed the world, if he had had the power within him to do so. But before he could open his mouth to reply, Susanoo stepped up, holding his great hand up to catch the Goddess' attention. They had never gotten on, those two. Eyes like that of molten gold turned to him and her mouth twitched. "What is it, pony-tosser?"

The God of the Seas and Wind, and Change smirked happily. "The Mighty Amaterasu won't surely say no to a battle against both of us, will she, Brother?"

There was a soft muttering around them. Amaterasus' eyes flickered dangerously to those that had gathered about. The Gods stared at her expectantly. Between the two of them, the Gods of Sea and Moon had enough power to Rival the Sun. To back away from that sort of challenge would mean weakness.

And Amaterasu was no weakling.-

It was luck. That's all it was. The steel metal piping had been dislodged from the giant ship that had flown the Lord of Pandemonium to the castle and lodged itself amongst the rubble, like a spear waiting for his next feed. The rolled unknowningly towards it, and both landed heavily on it jutting edge.

Kasai screamed as the metal shot broke through her flesh, shooting straight through her back and through her shoulder., sounding every bit the desperate, wounded beast that she would as she howled and cried. Katsuro feared no better. He landed heavily on top of her, and the piping that speared through her shoulder entered in through his chest and did not come out the other side. The wind around them died almost instantaneously as he too screeched and howled in agony.

He tried to stand and pull away, but it only served to cause more pain, and the Crown Prince screamed once more, furious as the pipping ripped his insides apart. Kasai was the first to regain her control. She threw herself upwards as much as she could against the pipping, and as Katsuro's head rolled about, her teeth latched about his jaw.

He struggled. She twisted, throwing her head again, and again. And again.

-Amaterasu stood alone. But not alone. The pup was still there. It cried. It whimpered. It begged. It refused.

The Goddess grabbed it and wrenched it up by it tail, whipping it up into the air viciously, and, with a resounding crack, slammed it into the ground around at her feet.

There was a puff of fire, and Koneko tumbled into a naked, pathetic pile at her mother's feet. The Sun Goddess mercilessly kicked into her stomach. Again. And Again.—

Again, and again, twist, hear the snapping of tendons, of flesh ripping away from flesh. Crack, bone popping from where is should naturally lie. Tear, of his jaw being wrenched away.

-"You will do as I ask, Daughter."—

Her back paws came up and pushed into the dark beasts' stomach, and she pushed with all her might, her jaw still locked on his, so that as she kicked him off and up, the entire lower half of his muzzle would rip away from his face, skin ripping apart like she had flayed him, exposing his throat and throwing him from her body in one foul, bloody, brutal assault.

-"You are nothing but my weapon. My sword. You do as I say, destroy what I say."—

Koneko sobbed as she struggled against the pipping, her huge body twisting, struggling until crack! The rubble finally gave way underneath her, and allowed her to wrench herself upwards, taking the intruding metal as she rolled onto her feet. Katsuro lay ahead of her, pawing frantically at what was left of his face, until, suddenly, he collapsed, finished, crying in a low wolfish howl. The other half of his muzzle hung loosely from Kasais' mouth. She spat it out to the side in disgust.

Somewhere behind her, Rikuo was still calling, begging.

-"Kill who I say."—

Koneko stopped in her tracks, panting. Then, slowly, she turned her head away from the other wolf, and padded over towards the group of Yokai in silence, the pipping dragging lightly across the ground as she limped. It felt like eternity til she was there, towering above them. Her head turned to the Blood Ayakashi, who surveyed her like she was some kind of lost idol of curiousity. She lowered her broad head and pressed it against the demons chest. He didn't fight as she gently pushed him off his feet, making him fall back onto his tailbone.

"You. Submit." She said firmly. The demon instantly held up his hands in surrender, even though he had long given up. With a soft snort, she turned her great head to the small group of injured Yokai. They all looked so pathetic, gathered mournfully around the small, lithe body of Yuki-On'na. Not a single one was not covered by blood. The two older Yokai had their heads bowed, the smaller blonde one holding the larger dark haired up. She had never learned their names. Not even the string assassin, that had tied her up so well on the first day. The largest of them was sitting on the ground, sobbing, stroking Tsuraras' hair softly, muttering under his breath –" She's gone. She's gone…"

Gold eyes finally met with crimson ones as Kasai looked up to Rikuo. He stared at her, a silent begging question in his eyes. She stared back at him for the longest time, before glancing back across the grounds to the mass of blackness, the defeated Katsuro. Then, again, her eyes turned to Rikuo.

Koneko slowly, gently leaned forward and pressed her cold, blood covered nose onto his chest.

-"My weapon…"—

"What is she worth to you?" Kasai whimpered as Rikuo reached up to touch her ear, his fingers threading through her pelt like she was a loyal pup. "You kissed that human. You made her cry. Why do you mourn her?"

Rikuo blinked at the accusation as he felt the great multi-tailed wolf push her forehead against his chest. Guilt flooded through him, her words sharper and wounding deeper than any sword or any Fear could. He gently placed his head on Kasais' hearing the soft whimpering cries in her chest as he buried his head against the blood matted fur.

"I love her." He whispered softly to the godspawn, the pain in his chest unbearable.. "Gods, I can't lose her. She was always there. Always smiling. Always caring."

"I saw your love." Koneko growled at him lowly, and Rikuo could feel her there, somewhere, still in his mind, handing him all her hate and anger and telling him to unleash it. He saw her there, staring into his very soul. Understanding everything. "It's not enough. It's not enough."

"No." He smiled sadly at her. "I'm not enough anymore. I couldn't give her everything."

"You gave Tsurara-chan nothing." Rikuo gently nodded, and the great white wolf fell silent for a moment, her breathing haggard, and painful. Blood dripped on him, burning his skin. Rikuo didn't care. He lost her.

God, he lost her. Katsuro had taken everything from him. The Gods had taken everything from him.

"What would you give me in exchange?"

The question rocked him to his core. Exchange? Rikuo slowly drew back from the wolf, staring at her. Koneko raised her head, blood dripping from her muzzle as she regarded him in sombre silence. Then, slowly, he remembered, the day back in the training ground, where she had taken his wound onto herself, healing him, and wounding herself. Equal exchange. But she could self heal.

Kasai couldn't heal this, not without giving everything.

"I…" Rikuo looked back to the beautiful woman behind him. There was no time. It had only been a few moments, but she final breath had already passed. Was she still with them?

"Take it!" Rikuo suddenly screamed at Kasai, spreading his arms out to her. "Take it and bring her back!"

Koneko let out a soft sigh and nodded finally. Gently, she padded forward and knocked Rikuo down as she went. With a soft growl, the beast sent Shoei and Zen away.

"You are so lucky, Tsurara-san." Koneko murmured, gently placing that cold nose on the Yuki-On'nas' face, leaving bloodied marks as the snuffed at her skin. "I'm jealous."

Rikuo crawled forward, touching the Ice Maidens cold hand. "Koneko… Please. " He murmured, leaning down to place his forehead on Tsuraras, his tears warming her face. "Take my life in exchange for hers."

There was no answer, just gold fire. It came so fast, swallowing him entirely. Much like the first time, it didn't hurt, but instead, it seemed to light his very skin with cold chills, tugging, caressing, dancing across his skin like the fingertips of a lover. It made his blood rush through every part of his body, and then, as if he had been sitting for long periods of time, every limb on his body went slowly numb, tingling and incapable of movement.

He didn't want to give into the increasing fear that was welling in the pit of his stomach. Instead, he pushed the his oncoming death from his mind, gently caressing Tsurara's cheeks with his thumbs, willing his life into it, wanting the warmth in her skin, and the playful light in her eyes back. Slowly, he realised, that was all that he wanted. It didn't matter. He could feel Kasai covering his hands with her fiery own, and force the warmth back through his skin back into the Yuki-On'na. He just wanted her to live.

Just live.

He moved for a moment, leaning downwards. Just once. Just once before he died. He wanted to give her everything. Everything he could never give her. Everything she had wanted.

Warm, fire blessed lips brushed gently against pale, icey cold ones.

Then, suddenly, darkness.

-Somewhere, something shifted-