A/N - Tissues. If you have a soft heart at all, and I have any skill writing, go grab tissues before getting too far into this chapter.

I am so, so sorry. Please accept one last Ryu/Raiden lemon as my apology.

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My nights were filled with passion and comfort, long hours of stargazing and talking, and every night he would sing for me. The best were when he sang me to sleep with lullabies or simple wordless tunes. I never had nightmares on those nights. Tucked in the luxury of warm arms and a soft nest of pillows, sometimes I would lay awake watching him sleep for hours. It was a pleasure and a privilege not unlike the long contemplation of the stars.

A host of new delights filled the days that had been empty for centuries. I was not surprised that Raiden had been thirsting to fight. Power had to be kept strictly in control during our playtime at first. He was the strongest human fighter I had encountered apart from his father and a few of the mercenaries who had turned into captains of an army, and his power was still growing. But that did not make him close to a match for me and I physically could not attack him with any real potential to cause harm. But that did not mean we could not enjoy a good, simple sword fight and we did so often. He taught me new tricks and I taught him ancient ones. His skills improved rapidly. Beyond a lifetime of training, he was truly gifted with a style suited to his genius and his nature. It could be a challenge, facing a warrior that naturally combined intellect with unpredictable flashes of instinct. Just like lightning and wildfire, my golden one.

Occasionally we would vanish into the wilderness for days. Exploring the nearby mountains by foot was an entirely different prospect than by air. The physical effort was pleasant, and we both appreciated the slow revelation of detail. I could spend hours watching a spider weave her web, learning the intricate secrets of her work. Or I would spend half the night dangling my hands into a bubbling creek, teasing out a few of the infinite tales of the water's journey, communing with the vast life it harbored. Raiden would sometimes have to pull me out of an obsessive trance, and then he would listen in wonder to all that I had observed and discovered as if he didn't know anything at all. In answer to my query he said that it was not just the things I learned, he was enthralled by the insight into the way my mind worked. When he said things like that, I could not keep my hands off him. Needless to say, we had quite a lot of sex on these excursions.

When not devouring Raiden, I made a valiant attempt to devour the library. The topic did not matter. If the author was completely wrong, I still found amusement in his or her perspective. Only poor writing put me off, but there was little of it in this well-appointed collection. Raiden was a reader, too, though he was often busy with correspondence when we lingered in the library. Though nothing was required of him, he took on the role of a local lord and the nearby community thrived with his guidance. He stayed strictly out of the way when it came to the growing power of the army and the nobles.

They had built themselves a new city, pompously named Seireitei, with high walls to make it clear that they were beyond the reach of the common soul. Within the walls lived those who tried to break the natural cycle of death and rebirth for their own advantage. And they lived like kings, holding themselves above their unclean fellows. Had the masses of souls realized that the walls they eyed with envy were built out of power stolen from them, would they have been outraged? I thought not. There was something inherently self-loathing and self-destructive in human nature, and it was my belief that they preferred to see evidence of their oppression, preferred to know that there were those 'better' than themselves even if the distinction was based in corruption and lies. Only Raiden I held apart from this. Despite repeatedly examining his nature, motives, and my own perceptions, I could find no such weaknesses in his soul.

Humans had originally lived their lives in one dimension, their souls briefly appearing in the realm of chaos to recover power before vanishing again to live new lives. My kind had always watched this with indifference, our children playing with the fragile wraiths that flitted through our realm harmlessly. The abomination that was their king had not been the first powerful soul to try to stay, feeding more than his fellows from the rich energy of our realm. And when he succeeded, he was not satisfied to simply remain, the only human with identity in a hostile dimension.

Had any of our kind realized what was occurring, it would have been halted while the tyrant was still the strongest soul of a pathetically weak race. Human existences are too fast, and in the blink of the eye he had gathered power, pulled other strong souls into a similar, unnatural existence, and found ways to amplify his soul's strength by siphoning the energy of other souls. It was already too late; his infant kingdom was too strong to be destroyed by one Akuma who grew concerned. In the time it took for one to convince others to observe, the infestation had grown out of control. And in the briefest moment of time as our kind saw it, centuries passed. What had been a nuisance was an unstoppable threat.

The unnatural bottleneck in the cycle of human rebirth resulted in a growing host of souls. Rukongai was vast, with millions of souls staying longer than necessary, their energy feeding into this world, and feeding the power of their king and his chosen few. Such a travesty has consequences. Frustrated souls did not learn or grow, did not achieve peace. They were reborn into the human dimension with lingering wounds and resentments that poisoned their lives. The souls remembered that no reward awaited them, and their world grew eviler as the years passed, a vicious cycle feeding the darkness of their collective energy.

There was always the possibility among humans and Akuma alike that a soul would fall into that darkness. Consumed by fear, greed, anger, or a host of obsessive emotions, the soul became a monster with no purpose but to try to fill the void within itself. Raiden called them Hollow, a fitting name, and they were swiftly increasing due to the growing negativity of the human dimension and the unrecognizable dumping ground of souls that used to be my home.

We two kept our area free of these dangerous pests, and the mercenaries put their army to work patrolling the rest of Rukongai. These so-called Shinigami either did not look for the root cause of the problem, or they knew quite well. It was their job, after all, to protect the source of their king's power. It grated on both of us to do nothing. We helped make some things better, and tucked our tails. I knew that he also worried about his siblings. He sent letters to them and his mother, but never received a reply. And again, we were powerless to do anything about it. He sought consolation in me, as I did in him.

Before I could blink a year at his side turned to two and two years became three, never apart for an entire day, never apart a single night. I was absolutely content in his presence. In his absence, everything I saw and felt was tinted and filtered through thoughts of him. There was no more light or life without Raiden.

Thus, the third miracle crept up on me. I could not say when it happened, though I would always remember in perfect detail the moment I knew the truth. Recognizing it was both a sudden shock and an acknowledgment of a long-standing fact.

We were in the library one autumn evening, not a remarkable day, no special occasion. Raiden was writing away and I was standing several feet from where he sat, searching for fresh reading material. My mind normally worked in the background, always thinking and processing, storing away the results to be called upon when needed. At that time, it was logging all the titles and authors, remembering which would be revisited. The smell of parchment and leather old and new was appreciated, the accumulation of dust noted for later rectification. I was considering what Raiden was writing, advice asked by a local council of elders. Pleasant recollections of the day flitted by, and expectations for the evening coming.

All of this and much more I thought of when I heard a quiet groan. I turned to see Raiden stretching, all the writing tensing his shoulders. In the instant before I would start walking toward him to massage that discomfort away, my mind clicked together seemingly random pieces with no prompting on my part. I do not know where it came from, what triggered it if anything but time was responsible. But it was there in the way his eyes flicked up to mine as I moved to provide comfort, in the way I stayed so close, so very close even when we were apart.

"Raiden, I love you."

My voice was calm, simply stating the new fact of my existence. Until that second, I would have said with firm conviction that the emotion of love did not exist, not in me, not anywhere in any heart. Either I had been mistaken, or I was the first to ever truly feel it. Because I loved him. His existence was more vital than my own. I would do anything to please him, to protect him, support him, to ease his burdens. If he did not notice or reward, if he left me or loved me, that did not change the fact in the least. Still I would love him. He was the very purpose of my life.

"What did you just say?"

I blinked. Raiden had gone perfectly still at his desk when I spoke, left hand on his right shoulder, right arm stretched out over the mess of papers. His voice was barely a whisper, and his eyes were locked on mine. He looked alarmed, and I wondered what to expect from him as I repeated the revelation. I really had no way to predict how he would respond. But again, it did not matter.

"I love you."

There was a loud clatter as his chair crashed backward and the heavy desk was shoved several feet out of his way. Despite the speed and violence of his movements, he was gentle as he wrapped me in his arms, cradling my head against his shoulder and caressing my back lightly. My arms automatically went around him and I could feel him shaking. I could not see his face, and I very much wanted to, suddenly nervous and wanting to know what was in his eyes.

"Please, Ryu, say it one more time."

"Raiden, I love you."

I was pushed back a step into the bookshelf as he sank to his knees, arms sliding down but not letting go, then lowering himself even further until he was bowed to the floor while I stood confused. He was kissing my always bare feet, his hands on my ankles as his warm lips moved from one foot to the other.

"What are you doing?"

I felt his lips grin against my skin, and was relieved.

"Worshiping."

Having no idea how to reply to that, I stayed silent and let myself relax my back against the shelves, falling into the sensations as his hands moved up my calves under my robe so that he could kiss around my ankles. His hands trembled as the caressed my legs, and my eyes drifted shut as they reached higher. It did not seem to matter that he had touched me everywhere hundreds of times. We had sought and explored every possible pleasure our two bodies could offer to one another. And yet just his fingers on my thighs was enough to awaken as much fire as the first time we touched.

I looked down when he paused, moving back up to his knees.

"You know, Ryu, a human who just confessed love would expect a reply right away. Teasing you is no fun, sometimes."

"I do not understand."

He chuckled, and I could not help but smile at the memories my statement evoked.

"I love you, Ryu. I have loved you for years."

"Ah."

"That's all I get, 'Ah.' You're kidding."

Thoroughly confused again, I ran my hands gently through his hair.

"Is there something I am supposed to say or do that I am not aware of? If there is a way to express more clearly what I am feeling, I do not know it. Perhaps I misunderstand love. I had thought by telling you that I love you, I was expressing that everything I am is dedicated to you. Did your words to me have a different intent?"

He blinked repeatedly, and I was further thrown off balance by tears on his cheeks even though he was grinning like a lunatic. My hands went to wipe them away as my confusion began to turn into panic.

"What did I do? Tell me what I have done wrong."

"Oh, my love, you've done nothing wrong. As usual, you are completely right. And I love you, in every imaginable sense of the word."

I relaxed again, humming. All was well if he allowed me to love him. I played with his hair as his hands moved again on my legs, and he kissed at my stomach through my robe. He was moving more urgently now, and I chuckled when he used his teeth to untie my robe. I kicked away the underwear he had yanked down to my ankles, let my head fall back once more as he kissed and licked and fondled.

He stayed right there, kneeling in front of me with my cock in his mouth, as he coated his fingers with the vial of oil we had both taken to carrying around. We were two very sensual beings, once I had encouraged him to let go of a few inhibitions. We tended to be prepared for whatever mood struck us.

My legs started to shake as his fingers moved in me with gentle precision. Surely every soul in the manor heard my cries as I thrust into their master's throat while he rubbed inside of me. I did not care if they all stood in the door applauding. In fact, as I started to acknowledge their existence I found that I had a bit of an exhibitionist streak. It was not so much the desire to be watched, but the desire to have every nearby soul made firmly aware that their prince was mine, completely mine and they never had any hope of obtaining more than a glance from him.

The very thought of it made me shout his name when I came, and he barely gave me a chance to catch my breath before he had stood and caught my panting mouth with his. My flavor was still strong on his tongue as he pushed aggressively into my mouth. I sagged against him, grateful for the bookshelves supporting me. Raiden could be quite dominating when he chose, and at the moment that was perfect. I had quite enough confusion and uncertainty for one day. He could have whatever he wanted from me as long as I was not required to think.

Within moments he had torn off his clothing and was mauling my neck and shoulders.

"Ryu, love you . . . my Ryu."

His slick hand worked to arouse me once more, not a difficult task and one he excelled at. I was nearly as eager as he was, and I lifted one leg to his waist as I moaned, "Beloved, please . . ." and felt him gasp against my neck in response.

Strong hands wrapped around both of my thighs and he lifted me, pinning me against the bookshelves as my legs wrapped around him. The discomfort of the rough surface was noted and dismissed as I braced my hands against a shelf. When he thrust into me completely and swiftly, I screamed his name louder than before, screamed to the tyrant in Heaven.

He is mine, you cannot touch him. You cannot have me, I am his.

And I surrendered to the complete euphoria of being taken by the man I loved. Nearly lost in the fast, rough pace of his passion, one thought pressed on my mind, one need grew with the lightning tearing through my veins. Raiden bit and kissed, leaving dark bruises on my pale shoulders and neck. And as I pushed back against him I could not take my eyes away from the bronze skin so close and vulnerable.

"Rai . . . HAAA . . . can I? Can I . . . Ohh, fuck! . . .please . . . I need . . ."

"Yes, whatever . . . you want, yes!"

I pushed off the bookshelves and wrapped my left arm over his shoulder, my right hand grabbing his upper arm. He staggered and lost the rhythm for a moment and then my sharp teeth sank into the left side of his neck, just missing his pulse. His blood was fire, burning hot and scalding my tongue. I held onto him firmly, pressing the evidence of our bond into his flesh, filling the wound with my power so the scars could never be erased. He convulsed and released within me and I in turn shuddered against him in completion.

He held me close, pushing into me and groaning while I panted into the open wounds around my teeth. This, this was the ultimate expression of love, I now knew, among my own. This was primal, and every nerve of my body sang with rapture and possession.

When my mind cleared I released him, widening my jaw and gently letting my teeth slide out of his skin. I licked the wounds delicately, the surrounding flesh already darkening with bruises. I coated my tongue in ice to ease the hurt, but did not heal it. I could only hope he would understand.

"Ryu?"

I drew my head back and looked at him. He started to smirk as my eyes drifted back down to the livid marks on his neck. I knew I had a self-satisfied grin of my own, and the thrumming in my throat that usually died down after orgasm was louder than ever. I did not remove my arm around his neck as he let me down, and my tongue licked at the mark again with soothing, cold strokes. To feel the one I had just torn into laugh beneath my lips sent more shivers of possession through me.

"What am I missing here, my love?"

"You are mine," I answered simply between swipes of my tongue.

"Because you bit me? I've bitten you, I'm pretty sure. Haven't you ever marked me before?"

"Not like this." I drew back again to look him in the eye. "Tatsu hide their hearts deep within. The brain is encased in stronger bone than a human skull. Our main vulnerability is our long neck. That is why, when I kill, the neck is my first target. Lovers rarely permit another to mark their neck, or ask to do so. Even between mated pairs it is not always allowed. It requires immense trust, and the mark will remain forever, my power laced within to show any who see. They will know that you trust me with your life."

He looked both happy and worried. "I didn't know. Biting during sex, it's not uncommon with humans, I'm sorry."

"It is fine, I reasoned that was the case and did not take the action seriously. You marked me the very first night, after all, though you failed to make it permanent."

"I did? Shit, that was rude."

"And yet I did not kill you for it. Part of me must have known even then that you were an exception to every rule."

As we spoke I kept looking at that mark, inordinately proud of what it told the world.

"Soooo, you've never done this to anyone else?"

"Of course not, nor even wished to until you. Now that you know what it means, do you regret allowing it?"

He smirked again. "Not at all, but I would like to ask you something now that I understand."

"Yes, of course you can." Just the thought of it was making me hard again. "Right now?"

"No, I think I'd like to go to bed early. Then we'll see if I'm in the mood."

Spoiled, arrogant idiot prince.

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In our early years together, I often told myself that I had enough. If the world's evils came to end our paradise, I would regret the end but I had lived more happily than expected, more completely than I had any right to. Years yielded to decades and we became more and more one. It was greater than simply being happy together. We merged. There was not one minute where I was genuinely angry with him. Not a second when I wished to truly part from him. And I knew him; I knew he felt the same.

He knew everything about me, from what passes for a childhood among my kind, to the most glorious moments at the height of my power, to the darkest moments of my captivity. I had taught him the language of the Tatsu, and the common tongue of the Akuma, and we conversed in three languages for fun. His much shorter history was shared fully with me. And it was astounding how we both had changed due to our connection. There was a fuzzy but definite line between who we each were and who we had been before.

His power grew exponentially. I knew this was in large part due to me. My tutelage in the uses of power made him even more fearsome and capable. He could almost pass for an Akuma, using magics that no other human could use, in the free way of my kind without complicated rituals to draw power. We were able to duel on nearly equal footing. To do this we had to remove ourselves to the wilderness. My attacks and now his were too powerful to be used near other souls. He was fighting like one of my own.

The tyrant seemed to have forgotten us, though we knew it could not be the case. The closer power growing in Seireitei caused more trouble for us. Raiden's territory was too far from the central city to be of great concern, at least until it was the only area not completely reliant on the nobles and the mercenary forces. The latter had become an army of thousands, with more than 20 truly strong fighters. Conflicts were inevitable. Generally, Raiden could solve things with diplomacy. He was the king's son, rumored out of favor but never disowned. And he would not abide abuses of power in the district he had taken under his wing. When pressed, he did not hesitate to eliminate criminals, and traced them back sometimes to the nobles of Seireitei or to Shinigami using their positions for personal gain. In those cases he acted, and Seireitei did not appreciate the interference.

Things came to a head when we tracked a series of disappearances to a well-connected noble house that was leading a sex trafficking ring specializing in children. I begged Raiden to turn me lose on them, and I would make their deaths very, very slow. While he fought beside me when needed, he never once ordered me to fight, capture, or kill. In fact, he never ordered me to do anything at all.

Raiden killed three of the leaders of the house out of hand, and reported the rest to the commander of the Shinigami. He considered justice partly served, and the matter closed.

The next day the world ended.

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If I had known that it was to be our last night together, I would not have changed anything. We had returned to the manor for dinner. I always enjoyed watching Raiden eat, especially desserts. He had talked me into trying several foods. Meats I could keep down as long as they were very fresh, and some raw vegetables but I enjoyed neither. Prepared foods like cakes were intolerable, I couldn't even swallow them. They tasted vile, like filthy water and bitter bark, lifeless. To watch him savor these things gave me no end of amusement.

We watched the sunset together, discussing plans to prevent anything as horrible as the child abductions from happening again. Then we went to our nest early to have sex a few times and cuddle. He sang to me, and I fell asleep with him pressed close to my side.

Dawn reminded me that once she had been my greatest hope, as every day I had wished for her to witness my death. When I collapsed screaming in the courtyard, Raiden bent over me in panic. I knew instantly what was happening, and if it was not Raiden causing it then the day we had long dreaded had come to tear us apart.

Agony clouded my senses and I could not move to help as three of the mercenary captains surrounded us. Raiden could kill them all easily now, that was how powerful my beloved had become. But he knew what was happening, as well. The tyrant was making the consequences quite clear, and if Raiden moved to defend me I would be to the one who paid.

So easy. We had made it so easy for them.

As pain receded I heard the leader of the mercenaries speak. He was a severe man, this Yamamoto, strong and ruthless. He looked down at me, curled up in the dirt like a broken child with my beloved crouched over me, sword in hand and dangerously calm.

"King's Tatsu, I have not come to fight you or the prince. I have been instructed to relay the orders of the Soul King. The presence of the prince is required in Heaven. Tatsu, in the name of the Soul King, you are ordered to deliver the prince to his majesty immediately."

"I can kill them, Ryu. You have been given no orders to defend them." He grinned, gold eyes flashing with feral enjoyment as the mercenaries braced themselves.

"We can fight, and I will if that is what you wish," I replied in my own language. "As soon as the tyrant is aware of my defiance I will be disabled or killed. You will need to carry the rest of the fight alone. If I cannot resist and turn on you, you know when and where to strike to kill me."

"I can't do that." His eyes never left Yamamoto, but his hand caressed my cheek.

"Then, beloved, your only chance now is to comply."

He gnashed his teeth. "Please, my golden love, do not give up hope. I have learned in my time that another hour may bring joy, so do not give in to despair."

He stood and sheathed his sword, then reached down to help me up. The so-called Shinigami had backed up a few steps and watched warily. I took a moment to gather my will and push away the lingering pain. My anger and fear made the shift almost instant, as my power rushed to answer my need. Raiden, hand on my foreleg, sneered at the enemies who had raced out of the way, one of them knocked 50 feet by my tail.

I had taken Raiden flying many times. Though he could race across the air using power to hold himself up, there was a different, and immense bliss to winged flight that thrilled him. Usually I carried him close to my chest in claws sheathed in ice. But with some trial and error we found that he could manage to stay straddling the base of my neck if he used his power to secure himself above the muscles I needed most, provided I did not get too playful in the air. It was still risky, but I would not let these worms see my beloved carried off like a prisoner.

I knelt, with my foreleg bent and he gracefully stepped up and swung his leg over my neck. I felt him wrapping his power around me, and his hands caressed my skin.

"Are you sure about this, my love?"

"No, but for my part I have no choice. The order was true, delivered to my soul before that maggot even spoke. We must go or I must capture you and take you unwilling."

He crouched low in preparation for the jolt of launching into flight.

"I'd like to see you try."

That was my beloved, full of lightning until the very end.

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If the tyrant was surprised by my choice of delivery methods, he did not show it. I could tell from a great distance that he had become even less human. In other circumstances, I would have found it intriguing how an inhuman, emotionless being had become full of joy and life, while the creature below had calcified from a vibrant, powerful soul into a monster so far from human that it could no longer be called such.

He had added some pomp to his court. Guards had taken my place, 20 of them spaced around the platform near the pillars. Two young souls stood below the throne, ornately dressed and with enough power to be noticed, but not enough to hold my attention. I assumed these were Raiden's siblings, long separated from him. I relayed all that I could see to him as we grew closer. He leaned in, kissing my neck, his hand reaching to caress the precious scar he had engraved on my throat.

"I love you, Ryu, more than I can ever explain. Just remember, no matter what happens, I would not give up one second we've had together. And you are not to blame for anything, ever."

I winced. He was saying goodbye. He was right to do so, and I struggled to bring myself to reply. I did not want to acknowledge it, the fact that I believed this was the end. The practical part of me was arguing that all things end, all eventually die. Not as vicious a death as I had to look forward to, true. My soul would return to chaos, and Raiden's would be reborn, if we were fortunate. If not, our power would be trapped and used to enhance the tyrant.

The refreezing of my heart had already begun if I could even think of that outcome without succumbing to rage. I had started sealing away my memories one by one the second I took flight. It was a quick process, and already I could feel the distance growing between me and my beloved. I did this to preserve some light and warmth for myself, it was a purely selfish act. But I would not send all my memories into the ice, it would be too great a betrayal. No, I would keep some feeling, and suffer. This one choice I was still able to make in honor of Raiden and all that he had given me.

"Thank you, beloved, for giving me life." It was too small, anything I could say would be far too small, but it was all I could choke out.

As I banked and slowed, visions of carnage teased my mind. Surely the two of us had enough power to end the tyrant in an instant. He had immeasurable power to draw on, stolen power stored away for his exclusive use, but he had not fought for centuries. The warning twinge of tightening chains made me falter, and Raiden clutched my neck as I lurched before banishing the violent desires. I landed with force, no delicacy or charm needed here but a pointless display of strength.

"Tatsu, welcome home. Stay in that form for now, my children have never seen one of your kind." The voice that haunted my nightmares had become even more flat and devoid of life. He said nothing to Raiden as I bent and raised a forearm. Raiden's hand slid lovingly down my shoulder, not parting from me until he had no option. He walked forward and bowed when he reached the foot of the stairs.

Standing well behind him, I could not see Raiden's face. I was sure he at least glanced to his brother and sister, who had not moved or spoken a greeting. The tyrant had either broken them or done as he planned, gotten his claws into them young enough to raise them in his image. They were both staring at me, and I saw nothing good in them, no light like I had seen when Raiden first came to me.

"Ah, my eldest, my great disappointment. You have been busy in the realm below, and I am not entirely pleased with your actions."

Raiden tensed but said nothing. I could feel his growing anger, and my eyes fixed on him, claws involuntarily gouging into the marble and frost spreading near me. No shout from the tyrant would be fast enough to stop a killing blow when I was in this form. At least it would be quick and relatively painless, and I would forever have the blood of my beloved on my hands to keep the memory and the despair.

"But fear not, I will not abandon you. I had made you a promise, and now I have the time and will to educate you properly. Though I doubt you'll ever make a decent heir, still you can serve your king."

While the tyrant said that he would not be killing Raiden today, it was nearly a hollow promise. Against my will my body had tensed, fangs bared. I was one heartbeat away from launching myself at the growing threat Raiden was presenting. He looked over his shoulder, gold eyes meeting mine and his fury abated. I blinked and my muscles relaxed as I viciously shoved aside the surge of relief. This was far from over, and the sick smile on the tyrant's face made it clear that this was all a game. He was enjoying watching his own son suppress the urge to kill him, and he was pushing to see what enjoyment he could get out of me.

"You see, my children, the potential of this creature? Go on, take a closer look. I assure you it is harmless without orders. It has been my most valuable weapon. Though useless now, should we ever face a true challenge it will serve a purpose again. I will keep it alive and well through eternity, my own Tatsu, and it will forever protect Heaven from all enemies."

The last of the barriers of ice slammed into place as the hope of death was stolen. It was astonishing how easy it was to step back into the cold, no emotion, no distraction, mind separating as it had for centuries and would for time unending. Raiden had not stopped watching me, and he gave a sad smile as he saw me shut down. As my awareness retreated the last sliver of my heart, the part I would keep alive for him, ached unbearably to see his grief.

The two horrid young humans approached, an arrogant swagger in the male's step, a more confident and sinister aura from the female. I stood still as they circled me, a very threatening gesture, and did not look at them or listen to their predictable commentary. When the female reached up to touch high on my side, my skin twitched in annoyance. The old feeling of wanting to rip off the infected flesh returned, after decades of gentle, hot touches from my beloved.

Their father was descending from his throne, brushing past Raiden dismissively and walking toward me. His offspring backed off as he came closer.

"Lower your head, beast." He said this without any malice, without any interest at all. My neck arched down, laying my jaw on the floor. He stepped forward and one black boot rested on my muzzle. Without thought I tensed and growled, eyes shifting to the source of menace behind my master.

"Ignore his petty anger, my Tatsu, now and always." Immediately I grew quiet.

"That poor boy is not worthy of your attention." He leaned closer, weight bearing down on my sensitive nose. "He doesn't even know your name. What is it he calls you? Ryu?"

The boot twisted, such a small discomfort but very distracting. "Not to worry, Tatsu, I will not take that name from you. You can scream it in the dark of night, and I will hear you. I am certain the sound will be lovely."

He removed his foot and backed a step. "Change into your human form, Tatsu, and make it quick."

A flare of power and I stood small before him as he approached again. His hand lashed out, backhanding me. It was symbolic, he could not hurt me without adding a lot of power to such a blow. With no reaction, I straightened my head. When he ran his palm gently along the same cheek, I held back a shudder. He slid his hand to the beautiful, silver scar on my neck and leaned close to whisper.

"If the boy does not break, I will make his death excruciating, my Tatsu. Will he call your false name, I wonder? For him you submitted. For him you spoke. For him you even spread your legs. And for your choice you will live forever my slave. Contemplate eternity, Hyorinmaru."

I staggered in shock as he released me and raised his voice. "I will remove the requirement to protect my eldest child. But first, your orders. As soon as you are able, you will return to my manor in Rukongai. Once returned to the manor, you will resume your human form and you will not shift forms again unless summoned or ordered to do so. You will not set foot outside of the main building unless summoned or ordered to do so. You will not speak to any soul under any circumstances unless ordered to do so, with this exception. I permit you to scream the name Raiden or the name Ryu at any time, as loudly as you please."

I did not acknowledge the orders. I did not need to, he knew he would be obeyed.

An enormous pressure came from him, not aimed toward me, and I saw Raiden hit the ground. The tyrant stepped out of the way, wanting us to see each other. He had lunged, sword drawn, and not made it a single step. Arms shook with the effort, but he slowly collapsed to the floor, reaching toward me, gold eyes filling with pain locked with my despairing turquoise as his own father chuckled.

I could not speak, could not tell my beloved my name. I would never hear my name whispered lovingly by that golden voice.

That tiny bit of living heart inside of me demanded action. The order to protect Raiden demanded action. One step, one short movement of my hand toward my hilt, and I was forced to my knees. I howled in agony and grief as the chains tightened in response to my desire for the tyrant's blood. Seconds later I no longer saw anything as the words in my soul were rewritten, and I tried desperately to claw them out as I screamed my way into the void.

ooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo

This time there would be no caring lover to help. This time there would be only agony, and I soaked it in. My long-lost name still rang in my ears, amplifying the pain as the sound of it reverberated along the chains through my soul. I deserved this, and so much worse. Raiden was doomed to torment and death, he would never submit and so his end would be the stuff of nightmares. I had done this to him. I was his weakness. I was the one who told him to have hope. I was the one who delivered him into the hands of his enemies.

Betrayer. Failure. False and faithless.

What point was there in trying to heal? I had been huddled in a tight ball most of the day, consciousness fading in and out. The repulsive boy had kicked me savagely during one of my more lucid moments, and the girl had told him not to bother with such trash. The mighty warrior feared by human and Akuma alike, mere trash to be tormented by twisted, defective humans. How fitting.

Sunset passed and habit made me turn onto my back to see the stars. They had no comfort to offer a traitor. I stared anyway, forcing myself not to think. Half the night had drifted by my numb eyes before I gathered enough strength to heal my physical wounds, at the cost of creating more pain in my soul.

Dragging myself to my feet seemed to take hours, and I staggered to the edge. Could I fall? I had been ordered home, could I simply take one step forward? In my weakened state, the fall would kill me; a being born to the skies would die with broken wings. Perhaps my corpse would ruin some villainous noble's garden. But no, the requirement for self-preservation warned me not to try, already torn soul screaming at the tightening chains.

Backing up to the nearest pillar, I slid down it and sat to wait for enough energy to shift. In the corner of my eye, Raiden stretched his long legs and started to sing, but of course he was not there. Tears fell silently as I listened to the ghost with a golden voice conjuring images of trees and rivers, here in this barren place where rain never fell.

I sighed as I let this moment of weakness stretch on. When the song ended, that memory too was locked away, the door shut tight. It was time. My body was capable, and the orders clear. My beloved had given me light, and music, laughter, and joy. He had given me a new name, clean of the haunting memories of freedom and subjugation. In return, I would leave him here to misery and death.

ooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo

The staff of the manor avoided me whenever possible. I required nothing from them, so it was easily done. Not permitted to speak, I could not answer their questions about Raiden. Some primitive instinct came alive in them in response to my state of detachment, broken by sudden, violent flashes of fury and grief. They feared me, as well they should. I took to spending more time in my bedroom, our bedroom, and in the nest which had quickly replaced the bedding when we came here together so long ago. I stared for hours at the vast collection of tiny figurines of Tatsu that Raiden had collected, recalling each year represented.

No, do not think of it. Reminiscence and sentimentality do no good and much harm.

Once immune to the passing illusion of time, now every second was measured, anticipated, feared. On the fifth day, I felt a sharp stab of anguish that was not my own, followed by receding waves of pain. So, it had begun. Only five days and Raiden had defied his father enough to earn punishment. But how could I be feeling his torment?

Immediately I sank my awareness into the snowy plains of my subconscious to meditate on this question. Examining the source of the pain, I found that the tyrant had been crueler than even I suspected. He had not removed the requirement to keep Raiden from harm, he had merely shifted it to the lowest priority. Now following the orders of the tyrant ranked above protecting my beloved, but the requirement to do so was still present. His pain called to me, gripped at my very soul in a plea for aid. But I could not set foot out of this house. I could not take wing and race to his rescue. I could only know that he was hurting and needed me, while I did nothing.

I could do nothing. Not while he lived. Not while there was even an iota of hope. But if he died . . . if that repulsive usurper killed my beloved then there was indeed something I could do. There were lines I could cross if revenge was all that was left for me. It would annihilate my soul. There would be no coming back.

Blizzards raged in my inner world as I began to explore paths into the deepest darkness of the chaos which spawned my kind. If this world destroyed the only golden soul it had ever been blessed to see, then I would end it. I would rip apart this diseased world and all souls within it, starting with the one who thought I was powerless.

ooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo

There were long periods of time when I could not pursue my objective. Instead I would lie in the nest and weep as agony tore through me, the torture of my beloved. I knew that I could distance myself from this, but I would not. I knew that Raiden would not wish me to endure this, but I embraced every sensation he felt. There was a purpose to this other than punishing myself for my betrayal. I needed this pain, I needed every ounce of it to give me the resolve to do what was necessary.

No hope was left in me that he would survive. There was no reason to wait for them to kill my beloved. He would lose me, true. He would be horrified and heartbroken by what I was about to do. But if I could hold onto enough sanity to recognize him, then he would live, and he could kill me to end my suffering. And if not, at least his life would be taken by the one he loved. And so I drank in his misery, and when it faded I ran full speed down the dark paths I had once feared to tread.

This was forbidden, beyond forbidden, a barely explored art lost and buried that required suicidal desperation to seek out. For a whole, undamaged soul this would not even be possible, only the mad had attempted it. My soul was torn and pierced through by centuries of abuse. There were abundant wounds to fill with darkness, many holes through which I could walk out of the light. For me, this corruption of soul was easy.

Never alone again, I crouched with wings folded, blending seamlessly with the unending fields of snow, staring downward and communing. Never alone again, I sat on the snow covering a vast, featureless pain. My naked sword lay across my knees, staring upward and communing.

I gave to the other my precious memories of joy and love and my nightmares filled with horror and regret. We agreed that if life returned we would use these memories to return to our beloved. And if we could not find him, we would use these memories to continue our revenge for eternity. It was a pact between the brightest and darkest parts of our nature, our absolute dedication to both love and hate. We would be the first of our kind to continue, to not return to chaos and peace. We were eternally damned.

The tyrant had done so, broken free from the cycle of rebirth that guided human fate. We would follow his evil example in our own manner, and desecrate our soul in order to achieve freedom from control and time unending. Time to destroy what the enemy had created. Time to find our beloved again. We wove it through the rips in our soul, that Raiden alone could end this curse if ever he found it right to do so.

How long, I asked the other. How long until we were stable enough to take the final step? Two more nights at most, perhaps only one. Our sword which was our talon glowed, not with the pure white light of our power but with a seething, black and deep violet red aura that sucked in light, a hole in the fabric of reality, the forces of unadulterated chaos. Into this devouring void we poured our power, our will, our lust for vengeance and love. Into this sword we bound our soul, with chains exponentially stronger that the ones that lesser beings had forced upon us.

Even if we failed, the tyrant would no longer be able to steal our soul. The essence of the most powerful Tatsu, the most powerful Akuma of the age would be forever beyond his reach. And the greatest irony is that this would not be possible if not for the tyrant's own arrogance. For this required one thing I did not have until now.

My sword, my talon, you shall anchor my soul. I give you my power, and my name. Hyorinmaru.

I laughed as I drained myself of recollection, of power, of emotion. And I roared as I sealed away the night's offering to the gods of vengeance.

ooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo

The dawn was spent gathering power to replace what had been stored away. The morning was spent huddled in misery as Raiden's torment began. The afternoon was spent ripping my soul to shreds.

It had come like a lightning strike, a flash of agony more searing than any I had ever experienced. Then nothing, a vast, bottomless abyss where that tiny piece of my heart had still lived, the part of me that belonged to him.

He was gone. My beloved, gone. The sun had gone dark, and all my stars stopped their endless journey and fell into the night.

Gone.

The floor cracked when I staggered to my feet. The manor shook as I howled, a horrid wailing of grief and a scream of outrage merging into an unearthly cry of pure despair. The skies outside were roiling with black clouds, sleet pelting the earth, numbing her mercifully for the death that was coming to claim her and all the parasites she fostered.

Vaguely, I felt the pull at the core of my being. The murderer required my presence.

Yes, Master. Only a moment and I will be with you. And I will give you what you have always desired, my undivided attention.

Through a blur of tears, I looked up at the powerful white Tatsu towering above me, and I raised my sword to strike. Through a red mist of rage, I looked down at the pitiful, weeping human beneath me, and raised my talons to attack. With vicious precision, I cut around each chain, ignoring the screaming of the other as I sliced the soul into a gossamer web too fine for any chain to hold.

Free of control, free of feeling, free of morality and nearly even sanity I rose from the darkness. Only one directive remained, vengeance. The world had wronged me, had wronged itself. And I would bring justice.

Frosted splinters of wood fell from my wings, the wreckage around me a prelude to the destruction I would visit upon all. Laughter rang like an avalanche as I sprang into the falling daggers of ice, climbed through the hurricane winds and the savage storm. Heaven awaited my wrath, and I laughed again as I plotted ways to play with my prey.

With a surge of power, I vanished and reappeared over the Worm King's palace. I felt his rage, and the useless movement of chains. It was a power he did not know, had never suspected and never controlled, the ability to open a door to the primal chaos that still flowed behind and through the island of order, to travel those glorious, savage currents to wherever I wished. Control me? The strongest of the incomparable Tatsu, the cleverest of the Akuma, what insanity to think there would be no consequences. For this special kill, I would take my time. These things must be done properly. Some ceremony was required to start the Apocalypse, some grand announcement to the world so that it could prepare for the end.

With grace, I hovered for a moment and landed lightly, frost spreading out around my talons. My grin could be mistaken for a snarl as I paced forward toward the three souls. One was to be the sacrifice to begin the slaughter. The other two and the surrounding 20 would consecrate the offering. The two less powerful souls stepped back in trepidation. The sacrifice stood, bathed in his small arrogance, indignation radiating from him.

"Tatsu, halt! Kneel before your master."

I hissed and my grin widened as I stopped. The fool smiled in triumph as I crouched and bent my head low. He was cloaked in power, but I was Akuma. Our kind were the source of all that humans called magic. Already part of my fractured mind was unraveling the link between this pretender and the power sink where he stored the stolen souls of my kin.

Convinced of his control and his victory, the sacrifice approached me and I hissed my amusement again, barely restraining outright laughter.

Closer, closer, you make this so easy.

"My Tatsu, you seem upset. Surely not for the loss of a human soul?"

My tail started to sway back and forth, all my muscles tensing in the pleasure of anticipation. Again, the human mistook the warning signs. He was well within my reach now and still coming closer.

"I did warn you, Tatsu. You brought this fate on yourself, and on the boy. He was so close to breaking, but really, what was the point of keeping him? Did it cause you pain when he gave up, or was it a relief? He did call for you in the end, you know. What was it again? Ryu?"

My eyes narrowed and his widened as I lifted a foreleg, gently placing the tip of one razor sharp claw on the center of his chest. Prideful little master, he did not jump away. His power swirled around him. In his alarm, did he even notice that it did not answer him as swiftly and fully as before?

"Tatsu, remove your filthy claws from me immediately! Revert to your human form."

In an instant, the sacrifice was flat on his back under my foot, hands bleeding as they attempted to shove the talon away. My nostrils flared, and saliva dripped from my jaws. I felt another mild tug inside, and knew he was attempting to twist the chains. They slid harmlessly through the silken strands that used to be my soul. The scent of my enemy's blood brought a rush of intense pleasure and I hissed again, terribly amused by the confusion and horror that made the putrid worm appear more human than he had in centuries.

A thick, high dome of clearest ice surrounded us, the guards and the sacrifice's offspring throwing power at it as they watched in shock. Blood bubbled up and pooled as I pressed slowly, tenderly, just far enough to crack his breastbone. His power raced to repair the damage, and his skin closed around my talon, oddly and grotesquely making us one. I twisted lightly and repeatedly, forcing the wound to stay open as I bent my fanged head close.

"Do you think that will save you, my Master? Do you think the human form that was bound to the golden soul you destroyed will be more merciful?"

I pushed just a little farther in. He grunted, and finally started to realize that I had cut off his access to easy power. His own power was significant, but he was no match for me without that reservoir and he knew it. The reality had started to sink in and the palace shook with my rumbling laughter as I drank his desperation to continue, his ideal of immortality suddenly slipping from his grasp.

"Shh, little worm. It will be over soon and your twisted soul can rest."

He threw every spell and every scrap of raw power at me, but I had come prepared with skills too ancient for him to fathom. All that he offered, I took, absorbing the power as he had done. Cell by cell the talon lowered, the growing aroma of blood and death raising a thrum of satisfaction in my throat. Finally he began to beg, calling the name he had stolen, the name I had discarded, pleading and promising, cursing and screaming.

Beloved, farewell. With this offering, I end my soul.

The last of my sanity witnessed the sacrifice being torn limb from limb, the bleeding torso pinned to the marble. Ice shattered, talons reached for the next victim, the purging of the world began.