The Light in the Shadows:

Chapter 9: The Last Artwork

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Krad move cautiously through the museum halls golden eyes flicking from shadow to shadow speaking any sign of his thieving counterpart.

Tan lips curled up into a gleeful smirk as the unsuspecting blond angel moved closer. Purple eyes gleamed tonight the hunter was actually the hunted. He just needed to move a little closer, a little closer, perfect. Tan fingers sketched a glowing purple rune in the air, a rune of binding and containment. The thief's smirk doubled in size as he watched tendrils of black magic reach out wrapping around the ice demon's limbs.

Krad jerked back attempting to tare the rope of black energy from his right wrist and forearm with white gloved fingers. Three more ropes lashed out twining around the white angel's free arm and both legs. The black magic snaked quickly up white clad legs from ankle to knee and along the hunter's arms from wrist to elbow. A fifth tendril wrapped around the light angel's waist multiple times. Krad struggled violently as he was lifted several inches off the museum floor. He fanned his wings flapping desperately as live muscles strained against his restraints. The black magical ropes however only tightened restricting movement even more as they pulled the ice demon's trapped limbs into a spread-eagle position.

Dark relaxed back against the stone wall waiting for the other entity to ware himself out, it wasn't long before the blond finally hung limp panting. The thief smirked victoriously pleased until he noticed the other's lips moving. Purple eyes narrowed, 'oh no you don't.' The thief stalked out of the shadows flicking a small ball of black magic at the ice demon's face.

Krad snarled in protest as the black energy covered his mouth effectively gagging the blond and preventing him from casting any spells.

Dark smiled sauntering up to his captive light, "why hello my other half." He grin widely as furious yellow eyes attempted to kill him with a look alone. The purple haired thief casually walked around the bound hunter. He was able to walk through the magical ropes holding the other because they were his magic only corporeal to the light angel. The Kaito glided behind the trapped blond leaning in close to nuzzle silky gold strands.

The light entity waited until he could feel the other angel's warm body press against his back before he struck. Large snowy wings that had been curled tight against white clad shoulders rapidly unfurled slamming into the phantom's body sending the purple haired entity flying.

The thief grunted as he hit the floor several yards from the light hunter. Dark slowly sat up rubbing at his chest, "ouch." He climbed to his feet brushing his pants off as he started back across the floor. A purple eyebrow lifted as the ice demon's wings flexed warningly, "so, that is how you want to play it hmm?" Tan fingers lifted sketching another rune summoning more black ropes. The thief watched calmly as his counterpart flapped desperately trying to avoid the ropes seeking to entrap his wings. "I was going to leave your wings free but you struck me so they shall be bound now too."

The ice angel thrashed wildly as black tendrils twisted around his wings firmly enough to prevent movement but gentle enough to not damage snowy feathers. Krad shivered for the first time sense his creation he was afraid, he was completely helpless before the entity he'd been hunting for the last four hundred years. His opposite could do anything to him and there was nothing the light angel could do to stop the other magical being.

Dark moved once more around to stand in front of the blond regarding the other quietly. He reached out frowning as his counterpart flinched away from his touch. "Shhh, I'm not going to kill you." The phantom's fingers brushed gently along the other's pale face. "You see, you are the last. Unless, the creep decides to create something in the next few years but I dout it. He hasn't made anything in over six decades so he's unlikely to start now." He nodded as feline eyes widened in realization. "Yes, the only remaining Hikari artwork that I haven't stolen is you my other half." The thief smiled softly, "I'm sorry, this is probably going to hurt."

The phantom sketched several runes in the air in front of the once more struggling ice demon. The runes flared a blinding shade of purple before the black magic ropes shimmered beginning to slowly creep across their trapped victim becoming a solid mass of darkness.

Krad whimpered in terror as the black magic crept up his trapped limbs. He could feel the darkness slowly steadily spreading over his body oh so warm and thick and so very engulfing.

The thief watched his darkness completely enclose his other half's struggling form. He lifted his hand sketching one final rune, the Kaito then reached his right hand out towards his light counterpart, he curled his fingers into a fist as he pulled his hand back towards his own body. The blackness rived two voices screaming in pain as two bound souls were torn apart. The black magic condensed in to a small ball floating over to drop gently into Dark's outstretched palm. The purple haired phantom nodded in satisfaction as he tucked the magical orb into his pocket. He glanced uncaringly at the figure sprawled on the floor where once his opposite had hung suspended. The creep was unconscious and would most likely have a major headache when he woke but the last Hikari would be fine. Dark's lip curled purple eyes cold as he addressed his light self's former host. "He is mine now and he has always been mine. Nobody touches what i claim and nobody takes anything away from me once I decide that it belongs to me. Consider yourself lucky creep that Daisuke thinks of you as family and would be devastated if you were to die by my hands." The thief turned away swiftly walking through the museum's shadowy halls. Once on the roof majestic black wing spread launching the Kaito into the starry night sky. The purple haired thief glided on the breeze basking in the feeling of peace that he always got from a job well done. He finally reached his destination opening the doors with a curl of magic.

Dark landed lightly on the floor of his treasure vault, the place where he had hidden all of the Hikari artwork he'd stolen over the years. His collection was now complete with the final addition of is light counterpart. He glanced around pleased, pride filled him as purple eyes roamed over all his treasures. Tan lips curled down into a frown as the black angel's eyes landed on the Kokuyoku the very statue that he and Krad had been born from so long ago. The twisted piece was to badly damaged to safely house their souls so he had had to create a new container for himself and his opposite. The phantom thief smiled as he moved over to his creation an exquisite obsidian angel. The piece was about a foot tall, the angel had an amber fireball in one hand and an amethyst sword in the other. The statue's face was that of the two halves with his hair long in the back like the hunter's but more like the kaito's wild tresses in the front. Dark carefully pulled the black magical orb from his pocket pressing it gently to the obsidian angel's chest. The black orb was absorbed by the statue which began to shine with golden light. The phantom smiled contentedly stroking fingers lightly against the now shining stone. His magic was already bound to his creation so when Daisuke passed on Dark would be drawn to the statue and the vault would be sealed. "Soon my other self, we will be together for eternity."