Perfect Enemy

...Eighth Part: Krad...

I was too stunned to scream as the blast hit me. I was knocked against the house's chimney, hard enough to restrict my breath for a while. As I struggled to breathe, I was hit again. Each blow felt like a knife plunging into my chest, even if I wasn't directly wounded there.

"Why are you doing this!?" I shouted, feeling my throat tighten with the pain in my chest and my voice faltered. I dodged another attack, just barely making it out of the way in time. "Stop it!! Dark..."

Something in me jolted, and my vision began to blur. The odd shudder happened again, and again, and it wouldn't stop. It threatened to turn into some kind of sound, but I wouldn't let it. I jumped out of the path of another dangerous violet flash, losing my footing and slipping over the edge of the building. I managed to grip the edge with one hand before falling to the ground, and hung there, still confused and afraid, and fighting off the sobs.

Dark came to tower over me, looking down at me with an altered version of his familiar smirk – one that looked more sinister; mocking.

What did I tell you!? Hikari's voice invaded my head. I told you to stay away from Dark, didn't I? You completely went against me, and now look at the mess you've gotten yourself into!

The wetness that was blurring my vision spilled from my eyes, streaking down my face, one drop at a time. Tears.

Fight back at him, Hikari commanded me. Use your own magic!

But... I was going to protest.

'But' what? Don't tell me you won't fight back because you don't want to hurt him! That's completely absurd!

"I thought..." I whispered, "...people don't hurt the ones they love..."

I loved Dark.

Then he obviously doesn't love you, Hikari pointed out, at the same time Dark knelt down closer to me and snickered, "I never loved you."

My eyes widened, and the pain in my chest got at least eleven times worse. "But you said..." Maybe I should just let go. I wondered if the fall would be enough to kill me.

"I lied," Dark said simply. "And you were gullible enough to believe me."

Before I could let my fingers slip, I felt my wings emerge from my back and suddenly I wasn't myself, anymore. Hikari was.

My heart was shattered. Pulling my knees in close to my chest, I rested my forehead on them, raking my hands through my hair. I didn't fight back the cries anymore. They came out as an odd whine or moan – almost a scream – cut short by the sobs. Tears streamed down my face, leaving itchy, salty paths on my skin.

Why are you doing this to me, Dark? I whimpered. What did I do?

I wanted – needed – someone to cry to; someone who would hold me and listen and tell me it would all work out, but the only person I could think of was Dark, himself. Despite what he was doing to me, all I wanted was him. I wanted him to wrap his arms around me. I wanted to hold him to me tightly and bury my face in his chest until the crying stopped.

But he continued to hurt me, continued to attack me, and even though it was Hikari who was fighting with him, now, he was still in my form, and it still hurt. Everything hurt.

Quit your blubbering, Krad. You're distracting me. Do you want to get us both killed!?

I was about to scream something vulgar at him – or just scream – but he cut me off before I could.

On second thought, don't answer that.

There was absolutely no sympathy.

I felt completely and utterly alone.

I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to pull myself together. Without Dark, I was really the only person I had to turn to. Even with Hikari, I was alone. I was his creation, but that seemed to mean little. Because I had powers, I was something that could be exploited, but Dark and I were an imperfect thing. A failure. And I was disregarded.

Well, fine. If that's how it has to be...

Somehow finding the strength, I forced my way to domination, regaining control of my body and violently shoving Hikari to the back of my mind, keeping him there.

I scrubbed the tearstains off of my face with my sleeve and turned to Dark, glaring hard at him with all the pain of my betrayal. "There was nothing in the world I wanted more than you, Dark," I said softly.

Brilliant gold magic accumulated in my hands.