Fated Light

A/N: I have been busy with my Summer Art Program, which took all my time during July. BUT finally I am off, and I have time to enjoy my summer. My new story A Life of Lies and The Art of Music had really taken all my time. Anyway I was finally able to update, and thanks for your support-please review!

Character information

Jay: A Strogoi that is under the Khodorkovsky family is more like a Group or a Mafia than a family with blood relatives. He participated in the War between Moroi and Ex Strogoi. He is pale and has the rusty crimson eyes like all the Strogois. His hair is white (probably dyed) with red at the ends.

Kirill Khodorkovsky: Is the leader of the Khodorkovsky's Strogoi. He is Mikan's half brother. The one that killed Mikan's family but wasn't the true bad guy in the story. Mikan also forgave her brother because she couldn't hate him.

Fang Li-Ren: A guardian with silver eyes and dark hair. He is half European and Chinese; he is Hotaru's guardian and has been studying for a few years with Mikan under the same mentor during the Rozhdestvensky (Rozh for short) family (not Serio).

Yume Gertrude: One of the new characters. She's Aoi's love rival, she is also one of the Chosen One. She's haft Italian and half Japanese.

Yuu Raiden: Long haired Japanese that was once studying with Mikan as a Guardian. He thinks of Mikan as a rival, and is always challenging her for a fight. He is cold and curses a lot. (I like Yuu Kanda a lot so I decided to make a character like him, but couldn't put it as a crossover…)


Chapter 11: Memories of Light

I walked aimlessly in this world of Darkness, my feet guiding and to where, I did not know.

I tripped and fell, and at the process cutting my hands and knees. I don't know when it appeared, but the first time I tripped, it made me realize the floor was filled with fragments of glass. In this world where gravity was defied, soon was changed as I headed to an unknown road to find my Light.

I stared down at my hands, but could not see anything at all, not even the numerous cuts I have accumulated. My bare feet were the ones that were deeply pained. It seems no matter where I headed, I will always step on glass, and the burning sensation was enough to make me faint as I felt the blood lost.

My mind was already fading, no longer controlled by common sense but by instincts. My inner thoughts were blank as I stood back and kept walking. I flinched as pain shot from my bare feet, staggering as I tried to walk faster.

It felt like hours since I had started this quest, or was it days? I needed sleep, and water and food. My needs where ignored as I stared ahead and yet again saw black. I almost wanted to claw my eyes out, feeling like an invisible cloth was withholding my vision.

I…need…to find…my…inner…light…before…it is too…late.


Natsume, Ruka, Hotaru, and Youichi found themselves hidden inside a van as they stared at the club house called: House of the Afraid. They had been waiting for anything suspicious, or at least to see if any of their suspects were going into the club house.

Currently Lady Una had arrived with Lord Jackson, but there was still someone missing—the main suspect: Lord Hubert. Tsubasa and his group were advancing into the club, entering from the back door. What they were about to do was extremely dangerous, especially if Ex Strogois were there.

The last few days both group had been following one of the suspects, and what they had found had not been disappointing. Lady Una had been trading weapons with criminals for potentially deadly drugs. Meanwhile Lord Jackson was conducting experiments in order to create more Exs. Yet there hasn't been any proof as to what Lord Hubert was doing.

On the surface he appeared like a rich businessman making millions a month, and attending parties like an elite. So how does this man's role connect with this dangerous play?

"Shit!"

Everyone in the van heard Tsubasa exclamation through the radio, follow by screams and grunts.

"Natsume they know we are spying on them, we have to—" Whatever Li-Ren had been trying to say was cut off and the radio went dead.

But before anyone in the van could register what was happening, the door to Hotaru's side opened. Large hands came into view and took hold of Hotaru's waist. In a blink of an eye, the other door was pulled open and Ruka was taken. Just when silence had finally settled both Natsume and Youichi were pulled out of the van with such a force it took their breath away.

"This is not a kids' playground." A rough voice spoke, while rusty eyes landed on each and one of the teenagers gaze.

"What should we do with them Lord Hubert?" One of the men holding the teenagers by the arms and neck spoke.

"Take them to the House of the Afraid." The rough voice commanded, before leading the way to the club house.

Natsume and the others on the other hand were stunned, Lord Hubert? That man with the business suit and scarred hands? Rough looking, with silver hair, high cheek bones, and nearly appearing like forty instead of sixty?

That's him?

Natsume did not expect this; he had assumed that Lord Hubert whoever he is will be an old man with a cane. Not this six feet tall male with bulky muscles. Then, like lightning had struck him and everyone else twice—he finally realize why Lord Hubert wasn't what he expected.

He was an Strogoi, with those unmistakable rusty red eyes. Since when had this cold businessman turned into an immortal? Even though it was no longer illegal to turn into an Strogoi, it was still something that the vampire government watched closely into. One thing that was still not allowed was to kill in order to awaken.

As the young Morois were being dragged into the club, Ruka along with Hotaru were deeply thinking on their escape plan. Which they haven't thought about, not even a backup plan.

"Guys!" Tsubasa shouted as soon as he saw his friends, while the guard next to him hit him across the temple and ordered, "Shut the hell up."

"Geez that hurt." Tsubasa muttered instead, not at all affected by the command. His hand went toward the place the guard had hit him, and rubbed his temple tenderly.

"Are you planning to kill them?" Lady Una inquired, her face hidden behind an 18th century fan. Even the old hag appeared younger than her supposed age, not only that, her eyes were a rusty red as well. Another Strogoi.

"We can't, haft of them are from royal families—especially the Rozhdestvensky and Tzushenkia. And the soon to be king is here as well." Lord Jackson pointed out as he studied the teenagers currently tied to the chair they were sitting on.

After all, how could they kill Natsume Hyuuga of Rozhdestvensky? He was the heir to the most powerful Moroi family, and now he was the soon to be king. It was obvious they could not kill him. Ruka Nogi of Tzushenkia wasn't anyone they could kill either, he was the heir to the second strongest Moroi family.

"Let's kill the Dhamphirs they are not important." The rough voice decided at last, watching with a cold gaze as the guards took out their guns.

"What about me? I'm the only Strogoi in this group." A voice filled with dark humor asked, while those rusty eyes glowed.

Everyone in the room fell silent, and just when the leader came to a decision all light bulbs exploded.

Darkness fell in the vast room; the only sound that filled the space was scream and thick liquid splashing everywhere. The metallic smell hung in the air, and silence finally settled as the last guard dropped dead.

The room was lit once again by the lanterns that haven't exploded like the light bulbs.

The dead bodies that greeted them were none too welcoming, and the only remaining living bodies were the teenagers and the suspects.

"Since you were newly turned, I'm sure not all the Strogoi's abilities are yet to your disposal. Unlike me, who had been turned hundreds of years ago." Jay spoke nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders as he licked his bloodied fingers.

"Yet I haven't expected you to hire humans to do your dirty work." He continued, a smirk masking his inner darkness.

The suspects stared at him in shock as their faces paled.

"Shall we start the interrogation?" He asked, yet he never waited for a replied as he tied the suspects in a blink of an eye.

"I should double the restrains…" He trailed off, as he bounded them to the chair with an iron grip, and then taking chains to add more restrains.

Once their hands, legs, and chest were completely glued to the chair, Jay headed toward his friends and freed them.

"Nice job Natsume." Jay connected his knuckle against the raven haired as he smirked.

"So he was the one that destroyed the light bulbs with his affinity? And even lit the lantern with his fire?" Tsubasa questioned, before knocking Jay's knuckle with his.

"Yeah." Jay answered, before heading back to the suspects.

"We should question them—" Hotaru stated as she took out some of her torturing tools.

A piercing cry filled the room, followed by the sound of breaking glass and the entrance door blowing up. Everyone stared at Lady Una, who had suddenly stopped breathing.

And then they all froze as the cold metallic weapons were pointed at each and one of their head or heart.


How long had she laid on the cold ground as she drifted between consciousness and dreamland? Had the cuts stopped bleeding? Probably not. Every part of her hurt and burned, and it was the only the thing that still kept her awake. Will she die in this world?

"Natsume!" A childish voice sang, almost in a teasing way.

Mikan found herself staring at the scene that was unfolding before her.

Were these past memories?

"Hey can we play today!" The childish voice exclaimed happily, like nothing could ever upset her.

"Huh? I don't know how to play chess…" The voice trailed off as if she was saddened by the fact of not knowing how to play a board game.

"You will teach me? Yes!" The cheerfulness was soon brought back.

And Mikan smiled as she watched from the ground, as her younger self sat before a younger Natsume. Not soon after the game had started, and Natsume had slowly taught her the rules, she had lost.

"Rematch!" Her younger self yelled in frustration.

Time passed as Mikan watched her younger self lose consecutively, and as it seems an innumerable amount.

"I don't want to play, you never let me win." Her younger self whined, throwing the chess pieces as she huffed.

Was that really me? My mother had told me that my Seal had also changed my memories…but when they all returned that should been the end right?

Did I have more memories I haven't known about? I remember being a cold hearted child, and too tainted to be naïve.

Tainted…

"Let's do something else Natsume." My younger self drawled on the word 'else' but as it seems, Natsume could care less.

"Eh? You can't play? Why not? Come on at least go with me and take a walk." The eleven year old me pleaded with teary eyes.

Eleven…a year since I turned into a Dhamphir, when I first began my training with Raven, and then introduced to the main mansion of the Rozhdestvensky household. During that time I must had met Natsume, but I only stayed in the main mansion for a week before Persona finally took me to the Guardian Academy for my intensive training.

Now that I think about it, that one week had been a blurry memory.

"Yay!" The little girl pumped both of her fists into the air as she danced around the room.

"Come on," Without a warning the girl pulled the dark haired boy toward the door and out they ran.

As they walked hand in hand, my younger self began to hum.

What could this memory mean to me and my search? Or am I finally drifting to dreamland? Is this the last thing a person sees before dying?

"Natsume watch out!" The little girl yelled, jolting me from my musing. She pushed the boy to the side, as she stood before him.

It seems like even when young and less experience, I still had a good hand when dealing with instincts. But before I could give myself a pat, an Ex Strogoi appeared a few feets away from my younger self.

The Ex Strogoi skin was gray and slightly burned, those eyes unusually red, and arms slightly too long with sharp claws.

I lifted my body up in order to watch with closer inspection. This was just a memory playing before my eye—what is standing just a few meters away could not possibly be real. It could not kill me.

Fear…

Am I afraid of the Ex Strogoi? Is it because Darkness is no longer by my side?

If I don't find my Light soon, I will be turned into what I fear the most. An insane being, driven by fears and darkness.

Just then a blinding light filled my vision, but this one was not painful or cold. The light that engulfed me was like sun's rays, warm and welcoming.

It wrapped around my body, healing my cuts and washing away my pain. I opened my eyes, no longer afraid by the Ex Strogoi before me, or the brightness the light brought.

What I saw made my body shake and my breaths hallow.

Just a few meters away was my younger self standing before an Ex Strogoi that seems to turn into sand, before it could even get closer to the eleven year old.

She held the piercing light, and even though it had destroyed the Ex Strogoi it caressed her skin with care. In her hands it appeared like a ball, and then it changed to a warm pair of gloves wrapped around her hands. Could it change size and bent all natural rules?

Unlike Darkness, Light appeared almost tangible in my younger self's hands.

And then the image before me was gone.

Darkness crawled back, eating away the warm light that had appeared.

To be an Angel of Light you must care and protect your loved ones, it is how you will be able to wield Light. You must be pure, in mind and soul.

A soft melodic voice echoed inside my mind, and I absorbed every word like a plant will with water.

My loved ones…

Natsume, Zou, Ruka, Hotaru, Li-Ren, Tsubasa, Raven, Shea, Jay, Luna, Youichi, Aoi, everyone…

I have to go back, they need me, and I need them.

Yes, it is time for you to finally embrace your Light.

I stared down at my hands, knees, feet, and I almost flinched as I stared at how horrible it looked. The fresh and dry blood, the healing and newly open wounds. Then I stared at the floor, the fragments of glass was nothing but white sand under my feet now.

My tattoo marks was burning, glowing red and swirling around like it was alive and moving around my skin. The marks that Zou had given me are fading from my skin, and slowly the light welcome me.

My cuts were healing faster than humanly possible, even for a Moroi.

When my skin was fair and smooth, the warm rays of light moved on my skin like a tattoo artist would with its tool. The tattoo was silver and glowing under the light, it hugged my upper body like a second skin.

From shoulder blades to the very bottom of my spine were feathers swirling around, and at the center was a silver dove lifting its wings. The bird almost appeared to be released from within. On the front of my upper body there was a different design. A cross was tattooed just below my collarbone at the very center.

And instead of having roots or sharp lines to surround my chest, it was smooth lines almost appearing like silk lace wrapping my arms and stomach. The tattoo was symmetrical and perfectly drawn.

Unlike my past tattoo, this one left my chest bare and without a mark. When the final touches were done, the warm rays surrounded me and turned into silk cloth against my pale skin.

The white dress was simple, reaching up to my knees and fitted me well.

With renewed power, I lifted my hand and opened a portal that will lead me back to the human world. I was about to stepped out of the world of Darkness until a male figure appeared behind me.

It was an older version of the child Darkness had taken form before. This time the hair was longer, but nothing else had changed except the size and a toned figure.

"You are leaving." It was a statement; even the dull tone was enough to tell.

"Are we enemies now?" I asked, looking straight into those dark eyes that seemed to swallow the pupils.

A smile decorated his pale features, one that I could not tell.

"No, you are my counterpart…" He whispered softly, before something pushed me into the portal.

His last words traveled to me, along with his dark smoke caressing my cheek.

"…we balance each other, and cannot be without the other."


"My angel is back…" Zou whispered, his tone solemn and dark.

"You would not meet her?" Michi questioned, transforming into his true form as he moved with elegance.

Zou let out a laugher that contained no humor. He could feel it; the heart that once belonged to him was slipping from his grasp. Yet his own heart could not be said the same, for it remained with her.

"She will come to me; after all I am her prisoner." Zou leaned against the cold glass, no longer staring at the night sky.

He had never left the Glass House, but instead he had been waiting for her return. Deep down he believed she will come back, or maybe he knew, after all he is one of strongest demons in Hell.

"It is no longer my mission to capture you."

Zou nearly froze at the sound of her voice, it was calm and gentle—and the same even after thousands of years.

"Really? Why will that be so?" The dark skinned demon inquired, his face twisting into a smirk as he tried to hide his shivers at the mere sight of his angel.

"Because I am sinned." The brunette before him had turned even more beautiful since the last time he had met her.

Maybe it was those new marks on her skin, or the pale white dress she wore, or the fact that her eyes were glowing and each of her step seems to light the room.

"But you are pure." Zou countered as he walked toward the only female that he will ever love. He will be damned, for demons and angels are never made for each other.

"An angel exiled from Heaven can never return, I am forever a vampire in this world." She murmured as she held his hand, even such a simple act burned his skin.

"Then I guess I should return to Hell, we are no longer bounded by an Oath." Zou pointed out silently, pulling his hand from her grasp. He wished he could hold her, but each of her touch pained him. The light that surrounded her like a second skin was like fire against him.

After all, oil and water did not mix.

And he wondered if he was the oil, and she was the pure crystalline water.

"I could purify your soul then you won't have to leave." Mikan suggested, she didn't want one of her dear ones to just disappear.

"Then I won't have powers, I won't be a demon, I will just be a feeble human."

"Zou—"

"Mikan, I prefer being a demon where I am in control. Because at the end you made your choice, and I can't spend my life watching you with someone else."

"Wait!"

A portal opened beside the demon, and with one last glance he stepped in and it closed. Mikan's words left unsaid, as she watched the empty space where the demon had been standing.

"Don't worry he will come back, he loves you too much." A deep voice commented, as the demon wolf sat beside her.

"Michi." She smiled, about to run her hand against his smooth fur before abruptly stopping, what if he will also reject her?

"Are you afraid you will hurt me?" The beast wondered out loud, moving closer to her hand.

"May I purify you?" Mikan requested softly, sinking her hand deep into the white fur.

"Anything for my master." Michi replied with pride and loyalty.

"Thank you."

Both of her hands gently caressed the mass of fur before her, slowly she released the warm light that surrounded her to wrapped tenderly against Michi. The beast's fur turned silver, his dark claws became snow white, and those beautiful eyes became dark blue.

"You didn't turn into a normal dog." Mikan said in awe as she stared at the beautiful beast before her, it was still the size of a lion with dangerous claws and sharp teethes, but it appeared more tame.

"It seems that purifying the soul does not really transform the being into a human." Michi nodded as he stared himself from the reflection against the glass.

"Does that mean it is the same for Zou?"

"Probably—"

Michi was interrupted as the glass doors slammed open and in came a dark figure. The brunette stared up at the figure, her eyes clashing against rusty red eyes. An Strogoi...

Shoulder length hair, toned muscles, long legs, strong arms, handsome features—

"Br-brother?" She gasped, standing up and moving toward her brother.

"Mikan..." He took hold of her hand and began to pull her toward the glass door, his voice desperate as he announced:

"Your friends are captured by the Vanghuskie Strogoi!"

To be continued...


I took some time to update, and I'm sorry. I had difficulties writing this chapter, but hopefully it won't take so long the next time. Anyway,

~Lots of Luvs~