Disclaimer: I do not own Kyo Kara Maoh or any of its characters

Claimer: I, chop4tess, own this story, its plot and any and all original characters

Welcome to chapter 12, thanks for sticking with me so far!

Enjoy!

Chapter 12: Death and poison

Yuri opened his mouth and was just about to bite down when the door opened making him look up. Ashi held in a scream as the King's husband walked in and was greeted by all sitting at the table. For a moment Yuri talked with his husband, who sat beside him, his food forgotten and Ashi fidgeted from one foot to the other. Yuri raised his fork again nodding at something his pretty blond husband said then bit down. Ashi watched holding her breath as he chewed and swallowed.

Ashi didn't stay around to watch what happened; once the poison began to work the guards would be looking for her. Ashi ran along a long hallway and turned left through an open door and up the winding stairs towards the tower. Her beast would be waiting for her up there and then she could easily get away.

:-:

Yuri swallowed his mouthful and nodded at Wolfram. "Yes I think that is a good idea." Yuri put his fork down as he felt his stomach clench painfully.

"Are you ok Yuri?" Wolfram asked and Yuri nodded rubbing his stomach with a frown.

"Yeah, my stomach just hurt for a second -" Yuri doubled up in pain and Wolfram jumped to his feet in shock.

"Yuri!" Wolfram placed a hand on Yuri shoulder as Yuri groaned. Conrad and the others also leapt to their feet as Gisela seemly teleported to the Maoh's side her green eyes bright with worry.

"Your majesty, where is the pain? What does it feel like?" Her voice was urgent and Yuri sucked a breath trying to ignore the pain.

"My stomach…its….sharp….like someone's….put a knife in me." Yuri gasped out and he felt Wolfram's hand tighten on his shoulder. Gisela reached out and picked up Yuri's plate of food and glared at it for a moment before turning to Gwendal.

"Get me my medical team; I think the Maoh has been poisoned. And find that maid who served us!" Gwendal nodded and rushed off his green coat billowing out behind him. Gisela turned to Conrad. "Carry the Maoh to his room, I can make him more comfortable but until I find out what poison was used there is little I can do for him. Giving him the wrong antidote would kill him." Conrad hurried forward and picked Yuri up in his arms. Yuri groaned loudly and Conrad almost ran out of the room with a worried Wolfram and Gisela following behind, Seth glanced at his father his blue eyes wide with worry.

"What's happening dad?" Josak put a hand gently on Seth's shoulder and tried to smile.

"The Maoh is sick Seth, your dad and I am going to have to look after him ok? We need to catch the people who did this." Seth nodded still looking scared and Joey placed a hand on his shoulder.

"It will be ok Seth." Joey glanced at his father, "I will take him back to the room." Josak smiled and nodded.

"Josak can you and some guards look around the grounds for our intruder? I will take the rest of the guards through the castle." Gunter's eyes were unusually serious and Josak nodded and glanced at his sons.

"Go straight to your room and lock the door ok? I will check on you when I can." Joey nodded and took his brother's hand and pulled him after him running from the room. Josak glanced after them before turning back to Gunter. "Let's go."

:-:

Ashi reached the top of the tower out of breath but excited. This is what she lived for, these moments were life and death hung in balance and people were chasing her. Of course the demons didn't know where she was and Ashi was certain that they wouldn't find her. Ashi slammed the door at the top of the tower shut and smirked when she saw that her clothes were still were she had left them. Ashi pulled off her stolen maid's dress throwing it to one side and pulling on her riding leathers. Ashi smiled loving the feel of the leather against her skin, the skin-tight material hugged her form making it easy to move and fight. It was then everything went wrong for Ashi.

What Ashi didn't know was that a maid had seen her run up the tower and had thought that that behaviour was strange so when Gunter came running around the corner with 20 guards asking if she had seen a maid with black hair and green eyes, the maid had pointed up the stairs. Gunter raced up the stairs his purple eyes burning with anger. How dare someone hurt his majesty? I will make them pay for this.

:-:

The door to Yuri and Wolfram's room banged open as Wolfram darted ahead to open the door for his older brother who was still carrying Yuri in his arms. Yuri had passed out a while ago and Wolfram was terrified that he might not ever wake up again. How could this have happened? Wolfram bit his lip in terror as Conrad laid Yuri on the bed and Gisela leaned over him checking his pulse and breathing. Conrad stood back and saw the terror in his younger brother's eyes and he stepped forward and wrapped an arm around his frail shoulders.

"Wolf, Yuri is going to be ok, you know how strong he is; he didn't even eat very much." Wolfram nodded but his face remained deathly pale making his eyes unnaturally green.

"I think Conrad is correct Wolf, it's too early for me to say what the Maoh was poisoned with but his breathing is ok and his pulse a little too fast but nothing major just yet." Gisela stood up and turned to Wolfram. "I need to help my team find out what the poison was and find an antidote, can you stay with him? I need you to keep an eye on his breathing and heart rate. Send a guard to come and find me if anything happens." Wolfram moved over to Yuri and Conrad pulled up a chair for him to sit on.

"Ok Gisela." Wolfram reached out and took Yuri's hand his eyes bright with worry. Gisela smiled and turned to Conrad.

"You should stay as well to make sure whoever did this doesn't come back to find him."

"If they did I would burn them to a crisp." Wolfram said his voice full of venom, anger replacing the sadness in his eyes.

"Even so, I would feel better if Conrad was here." Gisela turned to Conrad who glanced at her. Look after both of them, her eyes said and Conrad nodded. Gisela hurried out of the room barking at the guards not to let anyone but her inside. Conrad placed a hand on Wolfram's shoulder as Yuri groaned and twisted in his sleep.

:-:

Ashi scanned the sky searching for her beast. It was supposed to be here ages ago but it hadn't shown up and Ashi was getting worried about the guards catching up to her. Just as Ashi was considering climbing to the top of the slate roof for a better look, the door burst open and 20 guards flowed into the small balcony area a lilac haired man leading them. They all drew their swords when they saw her. Ashi snarled at them.

"You poisoned the Maoh, you will not escape us!" The lilac haired man shouted raising his sword. Ashi cursed and drew her own sword her gaze flicked between the men. She was outnumbered 20 to one but she knew could easily defeat that many soldiers. Yet these ones seemed different, more passionate about their cause, more determined to capture her.

"What are you waiting for, an invitation?" Ashi taunted and three of the guards jumped forward cutting at her head. Ashi dodged the attacks and shoved her sword into the stomach of one and pulled it out to slice at the other's arm. Both men feel back yelling in pain. The third blocked her attack and shoved her. He was bigger than Ashi and she had no choice but to take a few steps back to keep her balance. She snarled again and jumped forward with blinding speed to cut at the guard's head. It was blocked with a loud ringing of steel. Ashi felt the vibrations all up her arm. She jumped back and frowned when she saw that the lilac man had stopped her blade. The guards had circled her while she had been fighting, the two wounded men pulled away.

"My name is Gunter Von Christ, what is yours?"

"I go by the name Ashi." Ashi smirked, ""You always ask the names of your enemies when you outnumber them 18 to one?"

"I will be fighting you tonight, Ashi, if you win you can run and maybe someone else will capture you. If I win I get to take you in." Gunter stared at her and Ashi tilted her head to one side.

"Oh really? Or will your men just attack me the minute I defeat you?"

"If you defeat me then my men will be no match for you." Gunter said simply as he assumed a defensive position and watched her carefully. Ashi considered what was being offered before raising her sword and running at Gunter with a war cry.

The sound of steel on steel rolled off the walls making it sound as if a whole army was fighting on top of the tower instead of just two people. Ashi leapt forward slashing at Gunter's side only to be blocked again. Gunter spun around using her momentum against her and cutting her side with the edge of his blade. Ashi gasped and spun around jumping back to put distance between them panting. Gunter didn't even look flustered, his eyes bright with challenge. Ashi snarled and carefully weighed up her next move. This Gunter is pretty good, Ashi thought to herself. Gunter didn't give her time to recover however' he came at her again his white coat flapping around him as if he were an avenging angel dealing out divine justice. Ashi blocked the attack and staggered back under the force of the blow.

"You are a good fighter Ashi, but you do not have my experience. Give up now otherwise I will have to hurt you further."

"I will never give up!" Ashi snarled as she launched herself at Gunter using all her strength and speed to take him by surprise. Gunter gasped and leaped to the side as Ashi's blade sliced his left side, blood staining the white cloth. The guards gasped and a few stepped forward but Gunter shook his head and gritted his teeth against the pain. Ashi spun and ran at Gunter again aiming for the wound she had just inflicted. Gunter stumbled and Ashi laughed loudly, now's my chance! Ashi cut at Gunter's head only to swipe at air. Ashi barley had time to realise that her attack hadn't worked before pain blazed across the back of her head and she fell to the ground.

Gunter pushed his long lilac hair over his shoulder and glanced at the unconscious body at his feet. He had faked the pain of his wound giving the girl an opportunity hoping she would fall for it. As she leaped forward to remove his head from his shoulders Gunter had stepped out of the way and hit her over the back of her head with the handle of his sword.

"Why didn't you kill her Sir?" One of the guards asked and Gunter nudged the girl with his boot to makes sure she was really out of it before turning to the guard who had spoken.

"We need her to tell us what poison she used on the Maoh. Also," Gunter turned back the girl, "We need to know who she works for."

:-:

Wolfram watched as Yuri moaned and twisted in his sleep curling into a ball his knees pulling up to his chest. Wolfram wanted to cry and scream but all he could do was watch as his husband slowly died right in front of him. It was the worst feeling in the world, knowing that the person you care most about was dying and there was nothing you could do but watch. Wolfram gripped Yuri's hand tighter and felt a sob rise up in his chest. It felt like a ball was lodged in his throat making it painful to breathe. I can't lose Yuri as well as Ryan, not when I'm…Wolfram whimpered and rubbed his belly with his free hand. Please Yuri, don't die. Please don't leave me all alone, I couldn't bear it. I would die, please Yuri please. Wolfram bent his head and sent a prayer up to the Great One as tears slipped down his face.

"Wolf?" Conrad noticed his little brother's tears and he sighed and stepped up close and hugged his brother from behind, the wooden back of the chair pressing uncomfortably against his chest. Conrad had no idea what Wolfram must be going through right now. First his first born son disappears, then he finds out that he's carrying again and to top it all, Yuri gets poisoned. It was a wonder that Wolfram hadn't had a total mental breakdown.

"He can't die Conrad," Wolfram hiccupped and sobbed, "I can't live without him. What will happen to our unborn child if he dies?" Wolfram hiccupped again and Conrad rubbed soothing circles on his back.

"He's not dead yet Wolfram, don't give up hope just yet ok?" Wolfram nodded as Yuri let out another pained groan.

:-:

In the Shinou temple Murata and Ulrike were talking in low urgent voices. They had known about the poisoning before the guard came to tell them and they were very worried. If the Maoh died then everything would thrown into chaos. Who would be the next Maoh? Shinou had yet to choose Yuri's successor and with Ryan gone their priority had been searching for the lost Prince. The responsibility for the attack would be thrown at different countries who would point the finger of blame else were. The death of a Maoh could lead to a world war. Murata was sure something was very wrong with what had happened to the Prince. He had sensed something evil lurking in the grounds that night but had been unable to prevent the Prince's kidnapping, and ever since the Prince's location had be hidden from him. Murata felt like the most useless Sage that had ever existed. He failed to protect the Prince, he failed to find him and now the Maoh, his best friend, was dying and there was nothing he could do about that either.

"Damn it!" Murata cursed as he stomped away from Ulrike and kicked the wall in frustration. All that action did was hurt his foot.

"This is not all your fault," Ulrike said gently, "I too should have foreseen these events and prevented them." Murata growled and tugged at his hair.

"Listen to her Murata." Murata jumped and spun around to see Shinou staring at him, his blue eyes looking into his soul. Murata looked away and Shinou glanced at Ulrike who nodded and stepped out of the room closing the door behind her. If anyone can make Murata see sense, it's the Great One. Ulrike thought as she walked down the hall to find a female guard and ask what the latest news about the Maoh's health was.

"What would you know?" Murata muttered turning away from the spirit who sighed and walked forward to wrap his arms around Murata's body. Once again Murata was struck by how warm and real Shinou felt even though he was a ghost.

"I have lived many years, even for a Mazoku, I know many things. I can be wrong at times and have been in the past but," Shinou smiled and hugged Murata a little tighter, "This time I know I am right." Murata sighed and placed his hands over Shinou's hands and traced the scars of old battles across his knuckles.

"There must be something I can do; I can not let Yuri die. He is my friend as well as my King."

"Hmm, I'm jealous." Shinou muttered and Murata snorted and shook his head. Why did I have to fall for the sadistic bastard? Murata smiled softly knowing that he wouldn't have Shinou any other way, even if he did want to beat the spirit with a stick at times.

"Don't be, I love you yet I will always have some loyalty to my Maoh, you will just have to put up with it." Shinou kissed Murata's ear and Murata shivered as warm breath caressed the sensitive skin.

"I'm glad to hear it; otherwise I might not want to tell you how to save Yuri." Murata sighed as Shinou's hand slid down his stomach when he suddenly realised what the first king had just said.

"What? You know how to save Yuri?" Murata spun around and was met by Shinou's lips on his. "Shinou stop messing around! Do you know how to save Yuri or not?" Murata asked his eyes flashing behind his glasses. Shinou smirked and touched Murata's face.

"Naturally, I know everything."

:-:

Sliver soared over the forest heading towards the lake which would lead them to Shinmakoku. It would take a few days but they would get there far quicker than the humans would. The wind whipped around Alviss and Elvira making them shiver and huddled together for warmth. Alviss couldn't shake the feeling that every wing beat was bringing him closer to Ryan, which was stupid. Ryan was back at the castle, why would going towards Shinmakoku make him feel like he was getting closer to the person he so badly wanted to see? Sliver titled her wings slightly and Alviss frowned thinking he heard something behind them. He turned and glanced over his right shoulder but he couldn't see anything in the dark night sky. Sliver flapped her wings then paused as they hit a thermal allowing the wind current to hold her in the air and push them forward. Then Alviss heard it again, but closer. It sounded like a wing-beat but much smaller than Sliver's wings. Alviss twisted around and looked again but he still couldn't see anything though, which didn't make him feel any better.

Alviss felt the back of his neck prickle and he tapped Elvira on the shoulder just as a blast of wind buffered them making Sliver swerve to the left. An arrow whistled through the air and struck Sliver just behind Alviss's leg making him jump. Sliver looked around in surprise.

'What was that?' The arrow had bounced off Sliver's hard scales but Alviss knew that if Sliver hadn't moved when she did then that arrow would have gone into his back.

"Someone is shooting at us! I think I can hear wings behind us!" Alviss shouted over the wind. Sliver snarled and shot upwards making Elvira and Alviss clutch her in panic as she twisted mid-air performing a 180 degree turn to face back the way they came. Alviss was always surprised at how well Sliver could move despite her great size.

"I don't see anything." Elvira said one hand on her sword as she searched the sky. Sliver's wings beat together in tandem making it impossible to hear anything over the noise. Alviss bit his lip and let his senses expand. He could remember his fighting tutor teaching him that eyes are not the only thing can be used to see. If he was blind he could still fight by using his natural senses and hearing.

"They are behind us!" Alviss shouted and Sliver rolled over almost throwing Alviss and Elvira off her back as more arrows shot past them hissing like snakes. Sliver roared and shot a tongue of fire in the direction that the arrows had come from. That's when they saw him. A rider dressed all in black leather riding the beast that had attacked them before. The injury Sliver had inflicted seemed to have vanished. The Night Crawler snarled but now they knew where it was it couldn't use the darkness to hide its form again.

The Night Crawler shot forward dodging another blast of fire from Sliver and snapped at her wings. Sliver shot upwards and swung her tail at it trying to knock the beast from the sky. The beast dodged her attack and made a tight circle to come back for another pass.

'The creature is more agile in the air; it is too small for me to attack it without the risk of throwing you two of my back.' Sliver made a tight turn keeping the small beast in her sights as its rider shot another arrow at them. Elvira pulled her sword from its sheath and knocked the arrow from the air. Alviss glanced at her but he saw that she was talking mentally with Silver. A little annoyed about being left out of the conversation, Alviss glanced back at the rider and his beast not wanting to loose sight of them. If they knew where the beast was it couldn't hide from them, yet if they lost sight of it, it could melt back into the darkness like before.

Alviss almost fell off Sliver as she soared upwards making the beast mirror her not wanting the dragon to get above him. The dragon and Night Crawler climbed higher and higher until Alviss felt his body growing numb, that's when he noticed something. There was a lot of moisture in the air up here and his magic was flowing better then it had before, maybe the human's block on my magic only works while I'm close to the ground, Alviss thought to himself as he drew the water from the air around him and formed a ball. He hurled the ball of water at the rider with all his strength and the beast swerved to the right. The water ball clipped the beast's right wing making it spin around to the left.

"Alviss was that you?" Elvira yelled over the wind rushing past and Alviss nodded already forming another ball of water in his hands.

'Alviss, Elvira is going to jump onto the back of the beast,' Alviss almost dropped the ball his was forming.

"What?"

'It is the only way, keep the rider busy while I get close to the beast.' Sliver tilted her wings back and flew towards the beast which raised its head and snarled at her. Sliver roared a challenge and Alviss threw a ball of water at the rider who ducked. Alviss tried to call upon his power to create a moving water dragon from the water in the air but it sapped his strength too greatly. His powers were stronger up here not nearly at their full potential. Elvira was sitting sideways on Sliver's left her sword back in its sheath. Alviss was still amazed that she was doing this. What if she missed and fell to her death? What if the rider noticed what she was up to and impaled her on his sword as she fell?

Alviss snarled and threw another water ball at the rider, this one smaller than the others. Then he formed another small ball and threw that to, already forming another one before the rider could dodge the first. It was like a one-sided snow ball fight with water instead if snow. Alviss threw another this one hitting the beast making it roar and loose balance. Sliver saw her chance and swooped in on the beast with Alviss desperately throwing as many water balls as he could at the rider trying to blind him to their motives. As Sliver flew over the beast Elvira pushed herself forward and jumped.

She seemed to fall in slow motion. The rider looked up his gaze going wide as he saw Elvira pulling out her swords falling towards him. The beast lunged to the left and for a horrible moment Alviss thought Elvira was going to miss. But luck was on their side for the time being and Elvira landed on the beast's back on the left of its rider who was already pulling out his sword. Elvira shoved her blade forward into his side but the tough leather prevented the blade from going in deep and Elvira ducked as the rider tried to cut her head off. The beast tilted its wings and almost went completely on its side with one wing above the other. Elvira grabbed the rider and pushed herself back as he tried to cut at her chest, kicking him with her legs.

Sliver had turned by now and was flying fast towards the beast and its two riders whose blades crashed with the sound of ringing steal. Alviss formed another water ball but hesitated before throwing it. If he hit Elvira he could cost her her life, and if he hit the beast he could cause it to knock Elvira off its back. Elvira was trying to swing at the rider using the fact that he was tied to the saddle to her advantage. Suddenly the beast righted itself and tilted to the right trying to throw Elvira off. Elvira dug her heels into the beast's side and grabbed its neck to remain on it. The rider stabbed his sword towards Elvira's hand. Alviss threw his water ball. It sailed gracefully through the air battling the wind to reach its target. Alviss froze staring wide-eyed as the ball travelled through the air. The rider's sword was getting close to Elvira's hand and the beast was beginning the turn further, soon it would be upside down.

The water ball struck the rider's sword knocking it from his grasp. Elvira pushed herself forward letting go of the beast's neck as she thrust her sword through the rider's chest. The rider glanced down at the sword then looked at Elvira in amazement as if he couldn't believe that she had stabbed him. Elvira pulled herself up till she was sitting astride the beast facing the rider.

"Where is the demon Prince your people kidnapped? Where is he?" Elvira shouted holding on with her legs as the beast flipped itself upright. The beast turned its head and tried to snap at her. Suddenly Sliver there, snarling at the beast forcing it down towards the ground. The beast snarled back then seemed to glance at its rider, and then it began to fly down to the forest below. Elvira glanced at the beast then back at the rider. She still had a firm grip on the sword that was pushed into the rider's chest.

"You came along way," cough, "For the Prince. You must be very loyal." Elvira frowned at the rider. Blood was dripping down his chin and she could see beads of blood making their way down her sword towards her hand. For some reason she suddenly didn't want his blood on her hands but she refused to let go of the sword in case he attacked her with it. She wasn't going to underestimate her enemy.

"It was not loyalty that drove me to come for Ryan." The rider tilted his head as his beast slowly drifted towards a clearing in the forest. The wind had died down and was ruffling their hair and Elvira's clothes.

"Was it fear? His parents ordered you to come and find him and you did it out of fear?"

"No," Elvira frowned, "Why do you think that Alviss and I could have only done this out of fear or loyalty?" The rider shook his head and took a shuddering breath his lungs struggling to pull air into them.

"What other reason could you possibly have for coming here?"

"For love," For Elvira it was the simplest thing in the world. She loved Ryan like a brother; he was all the family she had apart from Alviss. It was natural to her that she would want to protect him, natural to want to save him.

"Love? Love drove you across countries and made you face impossible odds? Love made you fight me when others would have run in fear?" The rider coughed and more blood came out of his mouth. "I was told that love makes you weak and foolish."

"No, love makes you stronger. People die and live for love. You die to protect those you love and you live because people love you." Elvira looked at the rider, really looked at him. He was good-looking in a slightly scary kind of way, with long black hair tied back in a ponytail and strong hazel eyes. They were the eyes of a murderer and kidnapper, yet they were also the eyes of one who had never known love.

"I guess it does." The rider said quietly as his eyes slipped closed. They were almost on the ground. The beast was flapping its wings to slow its decent. Sliver was above them making sure the beast didn't try to get away. Yet Elvira knew that the rider had given up and as such the beast gave up as well.

"Do you know where Ryan is?" Elvira asked as the rider sighed and opened his eyes.

"Yes."

"Are you going to tell me?" The rider closed his eyes again as his beast reached the ground jolting them slightly. The beast then lay down and Elvira realised she was holding the sword in a death grip. She slowly let go trying not to jolt the sword. The rider would be dead already if the sword wasn't acting as a plug preventing the blood from escaping. The rider was very weak however and Elvira didn't think he would be able to try anything. Sliver landed nearby and Alviss jumped off her back keeping an eye on the beast as he walked towards them.

"Are you alright Elvira?"

"Yeah, help me get him down." Elvira unfastened the straps around the rider's legs. If Alviss thought her request was strange he didn't say so. He caught the rider as he fell and laid him on the ground. Elvira jumped down and the beast moved away from them and curled up a few feet from them watching its rider.

"Are you going to finish him off?" Alviss asked and Elvira glanced at him to see him glaring at the rider. Elvira knelt down and touched the rider's cheek. She didn't know why but it felt wrong to let him die without knowing kindness or love. The rider opened his eyes and looked at her.

"The lake," he coughed and drew in a breath and Elvira could tell that it hurt to do so, "Ryan is at the lake with the human army. They will be heading to the demon kingdom tomorrow hoping to start fighting at dawn."

"But there is no way a whole army can get to Shinmakoku in a day." Alviss protested and the rider shook his head slightly.

"An arch…they can use it to get to demon kingdom, army will be at lake, by now….will get to demon kingdom at dawn. Ryan is the key to open the arch." The rider was in great pain and Elvira suddenly felt sorry for him. He didn't ask to be born this way; his life was out of his control from the second an underworld spirit was fused with his soul.

"Why are you telling us this anyway?" Alviss demanded and Elvira shot him a glare but she understood his anger. These were the people responsible for kidnapping Ryan and causing so much pain for his family. Alviss had been trying to save his friend for over a month with no luck, it was understandable that he couldn't let go of his hate.

"Already almost dead…might as well, help you out." The rider's lips twitched and he glanced at Elvira again, "since you came all this way for love." Elvira smiled and nodded.

"Yeah we did, thank you. What is your name?"

"Y-Yami it means darkness, David, our master, gave us our names."

"Well that name sucks." Elvira smiled and Yami coughed and nodded.

"Yeah, but it is the only name I know." Yami's breathing halted and skipped and Elvira knew he didn't have much time left. "My beast, it will die with me." Yami gasped out and Elvira placed a hand on Yami's forehead.

"Sayonara Yami, may your soul find peace." Elvira whispered as Yami's eyes closed. Yami's chest went still as he stopped breathing. Alviss looked at Elvira in surprise then glanced at the beast. True to Yami's word, it was also dead. They must have been connected in some way, Alviss thought glancing back at Elvira. Her head was bent in silent prayer and for a moment Alviss wondered if she was crying.

"We need to leave Elvira, its getting late. If what he said was true," Alviss glanced at Yami's body, "Then we need to hurry." Elvira nodded and stood up and Alviss saw that her eyes were clear and strong.

"Then let's go, we have a friend to save."

"Don't forget that we have to save a country too." Alviss smiled and Elvira nodded.

"Indeed we do."

"Why did you treat him so gently?" Alviss suddenly asked glancing back at Yami's body. Elvira stepped over to the body and gently pulled her sword free, wiping it on the grass to clean the blade before replying.

"Alviss, what do you think makes us different from them?" Alviss stared at her then shook his head.

"Do you want a list?"

"Forgiveness, we can forgive those who harm us and move on." Elvira glanced at Alviss then walked back towards Sliver who had watched the whole thing silently. Alviss glanced at the body then turned and followed Elvira deep in thought.

:-:

Kirai jolted violently almost spilling the soup he had been carrying for David. Yami was dead. Kirai knew it as certain as he knew that he was alive. Kirai felt a strange emotion fill him and threaten to rip him apart. Kirai swallowed but there seemed to be a lump in his throat that he couldn't get past. His eyes burned and his vision went blurry with tears. It felt someone had reached into his chest and ripped out his heart but the skin was untouched. Kirai hadn't cried since he was 5 years old, and he had never felt such pain before. Kirai shook himself and blinked away his tears before heading to David's tent. Kage would also know about Yami's death and would have told David about it by now.

As Kirai walked to David's tent he wondered how he should react. Part of him wanted to know how Yami died and who had killed him. But, he felt no wish for revenge. It was strange. Someone had killed his brother yet he didn't fell the need to avenge him. He just felt empty and sad. Like a bottomless pit had opened in his chest and everything, all his emotions, had fallen into it. Kirai pushed open the tent flap and found Kage stamping around the tent her pretty face contorted with anger. David was sitting on a chair next to the table glaring at the wood as if it had some how done him wrong.

"Yami is dead." Kirai said and was surprised when his voice shook slightly and that horrible pain came back in his chest. Kirai didn't understand; he had never had a problem with death before. Why was it affecting him so bad this time?

"Yes I am aware of that." David snapped and beckoned Kirai over to him. Kirai set the bowl down in front of David and stepped away. David picked up a spoon and began eating. Kirai didn't understand how David could eat right now, the thought of food made his stomach clench painfully.

"I will find out who did this and rip out their heart!" Kage snarled and Kirai glanced at her. She didn't seem sad either, just really angry. In fact she was angrier than Kirai had ever seen her, and that was saying something.

"You will get that wish I can assure you." David said as he ate his soup. Kirai just stood there not sure what to do. His chest hurt and he felt like he was about cry any second. The more he thought about Yami the worse the pain became. It was almost unbearable. Kirai couldn't remember a time when he had felt so weak.

"Do you know who did it?" Kage asked glancing at David who finished his soup then wiped his mouth before replying.

"I think it must have been those demon kids he was tracking."

"That's impossible!" Kage exploded making Kirai jump. "Those pathetic demons could never kill Yami! He was one of us!"

"Can you think of anyone else who could be responsible?" David asked mildly as he folded his used napkin and placed it beside his bowl. Kage was breathing hard her black eyes burning with hatred.

"Then they shall die! I will seek them out and kill them myself!" Kage stalked to the tent flap but David's voice stopped her.

"You will stay here Kage. The demon kids will come to us." Kage turned to argue but David cut her off with a look.

"Fine!" Kage stormed out of the tent and Kirai followed her out not wanting to look at David right now. He just wanted to be alone. Despite the late hour, quite a few soldiers were about, they parted when they saw Kage and cowered from her glare. Kirai decided to go to the one place no soldiers would be; Ryan's wagon. He had been going quite often so the guard didn't stop him as he entered the wagon. Inside it was cool and quiet hidden away from the outside. Ryan was awake and staring at the wall but he turned his gaze to Kirai when he came in. Kirai stood there for a moment then walked over to Ryan and sat beside him.

"My brother, Yami, died today." Kirai's voice was thick with an emotion he barley understood. Ryan looked at him but said nothing. Ryan couldn't hear what was said nor could he speak or see what went on around him. His body was controlled by the underworld spirit to such an extent that Ryan was locked away inside his own mind. Kirai didn't think he could live if he was like that. Kirai swallowed but the lump was back, as if someone had shoved a small ball down his throat which was too big. Something Ashi would have enjoyed doing to someone. Yet there was no ball inside his throat, like there was no hole in his chest yet he felt so empty. Ryan reached out and touched Kirai gently on the cheek and Kirai looked into those blank green eyes and thought he saw a flicker of sadness filter through them before it was gone.

Kirai lowered his head as the tears began to fall. Somehow Ryan's silent unmoving presence was a comfort to him. He felt like he didn't need to pretend anymore. That he could morn the loss of his brother with out fear of pity or scorn. Sadness and love were weak emotions that David had tried to beat out of his riders, yet humans were designed to feel such emotions and they could not be taken away any more than someone's hair colour. You could colour your hair to any shade but the colour will always thin out and the natural colour will always come back. Kirai cried for his brother while Ryan watched silently his hand on Kirai's cheek.

:-:

Wolfram sat holding Yuri's hand like he had been for the past four hours. Conrad had tried to get his brother to sleep; at least lie down and rest but Wolfram wouldn't take his eyes of Yuri. Giesela had given Yuri a potion to help ease the pain and delay the poison's progress two hours ago and Yuri was finally sleeping peacefully. Murata had suddenly appeared while Gisela was giving Yuri the potion claiming to know how to save Yuri and then he had vanished with Gisela. Wolfram swallowed and sent another prayer to the Great One begging for Yuri's life to be spared. Conrad had stayed with them the whole time, only leaving once to talk quietly with Josak shortly after Yuri had been brought to his room. Apparently the witch that had tried to poison Yuri had been caught by Gunter of all people and was now being questioned. Wolfram had wanted to go down and set the bitch on fire for what she did and watch her burn. But his need to stay with Yuri and be there if he woke up or, Shinou forbid, he died was stronger than his need for revenge.

The door opened and Wolfram looked up to see a tried looking Gisela walk into the room. In her left hand was a vial of clear liquid and Wolfram sat up hope blossoming in his chest.

"Gisela?" Conrad asked and Gisela smiled and Murata walked in behind her and shut the door.

"We did it." Murata sighed tiredly and Conrad's face lit up with a smile.

"His Grace is correct; once Yuri drinks this he should be fine." Gisela walked over to the bed and Wolfram climbed on the bed to hold up Yuri's head so Gisela could pour the liquid down his throat without choking him. Gisela knelt on the bed and tilted Yuri's head back before opening his mouth and tipping the liquid into Yuri's stomach. Gisela released Yuri as Yuri left out a soft sigh. Wolfram hugged his husband's body to him praying the antidote would work and Yuri would be ok. Gisela smiled at him gently. "You should go to sleep Wolfram; all this worry is bad for the baby."

"What about Yuri?" Wolfram asked and Conrad stepped forward and touched his arm.

"I will stay with you the whole night, if Yuri wakes up I will wake you I promise." Wolfram glanced at his brother then nodded. He knew that it was a lot to ask that Conrad stay with them all night. Conrad had a family too. Conrad just smiled however and Gisela squeezed Wolfram's shoulder.

"Relax Wolfram; I will also be coming in to check on Yuri every now and again." Wolfram nodded again and let go of Yuri long enough to take off his boots and clothes, letting Conrad help him into his pink nightgown that Yuri still liked to tease him about. Murata left the room once Wolfram started undressing feeling content in the knowledge that Yuri wasn't dying anytime soon.

Wolfram crawled into bed and cuddled close to Yuri so he could feel him breathing and allowed his eyes to close. They didn't cuddle often in bed simply because Yuri would end up being kicked to bits when Wolfram tossed and turned. But tonight Wolfram lay still as he listened to his husband's breathing and hoped, prayed that by tomorrow everything would be ok.

*End Chapter*

Will Yuri recover? Will Alviss and Elvira be able to save Ryan? Find out in the next chapter!