DISCLAIMER: Come on, it's the tenth chapter! Do I have to repeat it?
A/N: FYI, I use a few Japanese terms in the story, and in case you don't know what they mean, I'm just going to make a short list. I suppose I should have included this earlier… -
youkai – demon
ningen – human
youko – spirit fox
kitsune – fox
youki – demon energy
reiki – human energy
Kokuryuha – Black Dragon (Black Dragon Wave is Jao Ensatsu Kokuryuha) I think that's it… Let me know if I missed anything!
To Look Upon a Rose: Chapter 10
-Kurama's pov- Kaasan!
Brilliance showered through the night as the explosion shattered the silence, tearing through the air like a razor, Shiori's reiki disappearing in its wake. I screamed in my soundless prison, tears streaming down my face, tears that not even Karasu could quell. Anguish and despair roiled within me, powerful enough to break the youkai's hold for a moment, and I stumbled forward into the cloud of dust, coughing out my mother's name.
The barrier around my soul returned as the dust began to settle, and I raged against it, pouring all the energy I had left into my assault. Karasu held me back, easily crushing my desperate struggle to regain control and rush into the cloud of dust. I screamed again, this time in fury. Karasu had killed my mother, and I had been helpless to stop him.
Helpless… I was so tired of being helpless against him, tired of being unable to do more than watch as he destroyed the precious life I had found here. I owed Shiori that life – both my lives – and I had let her die.
"Human lives are so fragile," Karasu mused thoughtfully. "They spend all their life waiting for death, and when it finally comes, they realize that they never took the chance to live." He paused, then smiled slowly. "I wonder how that must feel, being killed by your own son."
Damn you! I cried, raging against the youki that held me prisoner. Tendrils of power snaked around me, binding me tighter so I could do little more than scream out my grief. Damn you!
Karasu laughed, breathy and complacent, and stepped forward to admire his work. The dust began to disappear, leaving only moonlight where it had been. I could feel the anticipation coursing through him, and he held my soul firmly in his grip, murmuring seductively to me. "Watch, Kurama," he whispered. "This is your power."
The dust finally settled completely, and two figures rose from the ground.
"That was stupid." An oval of light blossomed from the smaller figure, illuminating the night around us, and Karasu took a step back in surprise. Hiei glared, the Jagan open, eyes full of hate and regret, and raised his katana. "You've gone too far."
Karasu laughed while inside I cried silently, unable to tear my gaze from my mother's face. She was alive. Hiei's barrier had saved her, protected her from Karasu's attack while hiding her reiki underneath. Karasu hadn't killed my mother.
Shaking slightly, Shiori rose unsteadily to her feet behind Hiei. Her dark eyes met mine, cloudy with tears and fear. And somehow, despite all I'd done, despite all that she'd suffered, she smiled.
Kaasan… I longed to reach out for her, for Hiei, but the chains around my soul were made of iron, too strong for even the love of a demon to break.
"Are you going to fight me now, half-breed?" Karasu sneered.
Hiei looked up, frowning. I saw the indecision in his eyes, the fear and dismay, and I silently prayed that he'd find the strength to fight. I wanted the nightmare to end. I wanted to be free of Karasu forever, to be able to sleep at night knowing my mother was safe and feeling Hiei's arms around me, strong and sure. I wanted to lay the past to rest and be able to look forward to the future without its ghosts holding me back. I want… to live.
"Yes," Hiei said.
-
-Hiei's pov-
Thunder rumbled in the distance, low and ominous, as the skies split open with a slow, steady rain. The wind had disappeared, the city fallen asleep around us. No one spoke; no one dared to even whisper. For a moment all was still, holding its breath in anticipation.
The moon hidden behind the clouds once more, the Jagan provided the only light. Its eerie bluish glow made the world seem harsh and unreal, casting sharp shadows among the trees and glinting off the raindrops that had replaced the tears on Kurama's face. Rain streamed down my blade like colorless blood to drip sluggishly to the ground. I raised my katana, pointing its tip at Kurama's neck, and met the icy storms of his eyes. No emerald glimmered through the violet now; whatever strength Kurama had used to break free was gone, washed away with his tears.
"Yusuke," I said, my eyes never leaving Karasu's. "Protect Shiori."
The ningen lay where he had been thrown, staring with blank eyes. He blinked as I called his name and pushed unsteadily to his feet. Botan slunk around me, watching Karasu warily, to stand beside Shiori. "But Hiei–"
His protest was cut short as the Jagan flared, angry and bloodthirsty, and the last of the wards covering the Kokuryuha fell away. "Protect her," I repeated. I stepped forward, bringing my blade within inches of Kurama's throat. "This is my battle." And I don't want Kurama being injured any more than he has to.
Karasu smirked, the air around his fingers crackling with energy only the Jagan could see. "Brave, half-breed. Foolish, but brave."
I thrust my katana forward again, fury burning in my right arm, but stopped before it could pierce Kurama's skin. Karasu merely smiled. "Be careful, half-breed. You wouldn't want to slip and slit your lover's throat, now, would you?" Grinning, he leaned forward until the tip of my katana touched Kurama's neck. A single bead of blood trailed down the blade, mixing with the rain until it was washed away. I dropped my katana and Karasu laughed, his eyes dancing in a smug sneer.
Air stirred behind me as Shiori stumbled away from Botan. "Hiei–" Her voice caught on her tears, and I could almost feel her dark eyes boring into my back, shining with fear and determination and love. "Please. I don't know what's happening, but please, save my son. Please, Hiei–" Her voice faded again, and I heard Botan murmur reassurances as she pulled her back.
His icy eyes fixed on Shiori, Karasu smiled. "So many tears, Kurama. Even the sky cries for you." He brushed his fingers against the wound at Kurama's throat, then brought them up to his lips. "Tears of blood to water the roses for your grave." He shifted his gaze to me. "Are you afraid, little one?" he whispered, leaning closer once more.
Youki crackled at my side as another bomb formed and exploded, rocking the shield I'd hastily created around myself. I darted to the side as more appeared, dodging most and letting my shield handle the rest.
Yes, I thought, gripping my katana with trembling hands. I'm afraid.
I lunged forward, growling, as the Kokuryuha raged in my right arm, straining against my will.
I'm terrified.
I swept my blade up in a sharp arc aimed at Kurama's shoulder, but Karasu dodged it easily, taking advantage of Kurama's grace and speed. My next attack was blocked with a bomb, one I barely managed to dodge before it detonated.
But my feelings don't matter right now.
My katana sliced through the air, guided by the Jagan, seeking blood but never able to break through Karasu's defenses. Even my speed was useless; Karasu could follow my movements easily, tracking me as even Yusuke was never able to do.
All that matters is Kurama.
The deadly dance of slashes and parries continued as blades and bombs crossed, clashed, exploded. Rain streamed down like blood from a wound that would never heal as lightning screamed through the sky, its brief explosions of light illuminating the clearing. Karasu dodged every attack effortlessly, parrying with bombs or swords of explosive energy. I landed few blows, though I couldn't say I wasn't somewhat relieved. Every attack, every swing of my sword, every drop of blood sent a shock of guilt through me, threatening to paralyze me before I could strike him again.
The lightning flashed again, throwing Kurama's haunted face into sharp relief. I searched it, looking for some trace of the Kurama I knew, and found none. Kurama was still alive, I was sure; I'd feel it if he were dead, if something had happened to his soul. Hidden behind Karasu's hate and lust, I still could not sense him, but I was certain he was alive.
My attention diverted, Karasu threw a shower of bombs at me. Too lost in the maelstroms of his eyes, I couldn't block them all, and fire tore through my body as they exploded around me. I dropped to my knees, the world swimming around me, but I refused to give in to the darkness eating at my vision. I was Kurama's only hope…
I could feel Yusuke's tension behind me, his eagerness to fight; Botan's fear, fear that she'd be forced to take yet another loved one to hell; and Shiori's boundless hope. No fear radiated from the ningen woman, only the hope that this would all end, that she'd wake from this nightmare and see her son smiling at her again.
I rose unsteadily to my feet. Wrapping my fingers around the hilt of my katana, I looked up to meet Karasu's eyes, silently asking Kurama to forgive me, and removed the restraints I'd placed on the Kokuryuha.
-
A/N: Thanks so much for reviewing Koori no Naifu, kuwabaralover! It's one of my earlier fics and is kind of dead now…
Anyway! There's only one more chapter left! Only one? Yup! I'm surprised I managed to take this story so far, but I'm glad I'm almost finished. I'm working on another Karasu/Kurama fic now, and it's a pain writing two stories at once. The last chapter will be out in about a week. I'm still thinking about that epilogue, though… If you're still interested, that is. Let me know, and I'll tell you next chapter whether I'm adding it or not. (For those who didn't read my author notes, it would be about Kurama explaining his past to Shiori.)