Kyou woke up with a horrible start. Again the last image of Alice tore at his chest. It was impossible to breathe sometimes. The weight of pain that Alice hid was inhuman. Most people never stayed sane with the amount of pain he felt. Repeatedly, Kyou told himself to take on this weight for Alice. Sylvia had informed him that he only felt about half of Alice's pain. Kyou couldn't believe it. Not only that but he added to it when he had lied. Kyou clutched his chest and collapsed back into his bed. Tears began to threaten to spill his eyes.
"...Alice... forgive me..."
Darva snarled. This half of Alice contained her Maram powers. She hadn't woken however. Darva knew body and mind separation was delicate. A hit would cause death. Darva knew to give her time. He then began to call upon his Maram masters. While Alice healed mentally and physically, he would send his followers to do in the Lotis masters. If he left them be for too long they might overthrow him again.
"Never again."
Sylvia sat at the table in the garden sipping her tea. Everyone inside was running around in a panic. Just then Fuji and Tomoe emerged from the back door to the house. They both deposited their school bags on the ground before sitting down Sylvia's servant then came back out with a new pot of tea.
"He's missing again. The house is in a frantic."
"Yes I know. He just needs his own time."
Tomoe fidgeted in her chair. Her anger was too high to keep locked away.
"He shouldn't be so upset. I'm his girlfriend not Alice!"
"I have to agree with Tomoe."
Sylvia calmly placed her teacup down and stood. She stopped walking away to briefly look back at them.
"You're sister is dead and Kyou is the only one who seems to care. But isn't that actually supposed to be the one closest to her, her family?"
Sylvia walked away as Tomoe blushed and looked down in disappointment.
Kyou stood at the place she had fallen. Looking down he gave a heavy sigh. Perhaps if he waited she might reappear. Kyou would then be able to see her again. But she never came and the guilt in his chest began to weigh down some more. Ever since she fell, Kyou came here. This was the only place he could be closest to her. No one could survive a fall like that. A person would die before even reaching the ground. The pain began to constrict his chest and Kyou's breathing became labored.
"Jiva!"
Kyou smiled as his breathing regulated. Turning around was his grandmother. She had come to retrieve him. She was the only one who knew how to find him. She calmly and slowly came over and placed her hand on Kyou's shoulder. Together they fixed their gazes on the spot where Alice fell. Time moved slowly by and it seemed like an eternity until Sylvia spoke.
"Accepting someone's death isn't wrong. Learning to let go isn't wrong. To love again is also not wrong. But it's wrong to continue mourning someone, because it traps them here. Accepting that their dead is hard, but you give them wings so they can fly once again. Kyou wouldn't you like to see Alice flying again?"
Kyou closed his eyes and he could see her. Sitting beside him in the classroom. Her usual attire didn't flatter her, but Kyou knew she did that on purpose. She hid her beauty with glasses and pinned up hair. When she would turn to him, he always wanted to snag her hair down, letting it flow wildly in the wind. He wanted to break her glasses. She never needed them. Her blue eyes were deep and they sparkled when she gave off one of those rare smiles. Kyou smiled, a sad and resolved smile.
"Goodbye Alice, I really did love you."
Sylvia smiled and she looped her arm through his. They walked home slowly and calmly. Neither of them needed to speak or spoken to with those worthless empty words. But Sylvia knew Kyou would be back tomorrow. Kyou still had one more thing left to do.
The next morning, the Higurashi estate was in a frantic again. The young master had disappeared again. Sylvia sat in the garden with Tomoe and Fuji. Sylvia was continuing their Lotis training. She wasn't going to make a fuss about him missing training today because he had to do something important. Although, she didn't want to rush him accepting it, it had become necessary. Darva had gotten a hold of one of the Alices. That Alice would make a powerful enemy. Kyou wouldn't be able to fight her if he was still hung up on her. Tomoe and Fuji decided to take a break and go look for Kyou. Sylvia just sent them off with a wave of her hand.
Kyou was at the spot again. This time however, he brought a beautiful silver necklace. Flowers were too man-made and he knew Alice didn't like them. She liked the natural ones that no longer existed. Kyou took off a silver band on his finger. He slipped it onto the silver chain. It had been a gift from his departed grandfather. The ring was really too small for him to wear, but his grandmother told him to keep it and give it to his one girl. So Kyou lightly tossed ti over the edge, praying it found it's way too Alice.
"Aw how sweet."
Kyou quickly turned around. There stood a young boy not much younger than him. Kyou was instantly aware of his surroundings. Something about this kid sent Kyou off the edge. A dangerous aura seemed to come off of him. He was slightly smaller in statue with short wavy brown hair and brown eyes to match. His attire was the most alarming. A black cloak totally engulfing his body. An eerie mask covered the top part of his face. His look was completely untrusting. The smirk he wore made Kyou feel like he was being mocked.
"Who are you?"
The smirk turned into a full blown smile. A chuckle erupted through his throat. It had a menacing yet sad sound to it. The young boy began to shuffle his feet, like he was warming up for something. He opened his mouth and uttered a simple single word. It knocked Kyou, across the ground. He slid dangerously close to the edge. Kyou was even more alarmed. This kid had used Maram. Kyou was aware of it being Maram since it was the same one Alice had used. Alice. Her name appeared his mind. The boy used that chance to use another word. Kyou had been to distracted to notice.
"Riiya!"
Sylvia and company arrived just in time. The rune for Riiya began to disappear.
"Who the heck is that?"
Fuji questioned.
"That would be a Maram master."
Sylvia answered.
Maram master? Well that only made sense. If Lotis represented good, Maram represented the opposing force.
Kyou didn't know if he was ready for this type of battle and that eerie smirk sure wasn't helping.
"Dara!"
The Maram power forced the whole group off the edge of the city. They all fell a bit until their minds set back into motion. They all commanded the power of Vimuku. Wings sprouted from their backs. They leveled out in the air. Kyou made a quick decision and downward he went. Everyone followed tow.
