Tears wouldn't come to Zakuro. She had failed again. She wasn't any better than these demons. Selfish and useless, even tears were too good for her.

She watched as the demon with the long dark hair hum a tune as he walked around a small room in the cave. His eyes weren't beady like the rest of the demons she saw. His nose wasn't as beaky either. It was just long and sharp.

The only reason Zakuro knew he was a demon was because of his large black feathered wings. If his wings were white, he could have easily passed for an angel. He was dressed in expensive clothes made of silk.

"That wouldn't do, Ojou-chan." The demon said, smiling.

The torch flickered, casting shadows on him.

"Humans taste terrible after they cry. Wipe that expression from your face." He said, pushing a stray hair behind Zakuro's ear.

Zakuro looked around the room and its meagre furniture.

"Now." He said, taking a deep whiff of Zakuro's neck. "How about we get you ready for dinner?"

Zakuro looked at him condescendingly.

"Now, now." The demon chuckled. "Dinner is all about the presentation, Ojou-chan."

He carefully laid out clothes for Zakuro to wear.

Zakuro looked at the silken blue sleeveless qipao with slits on both sides all the way till the hips. Zakuro lingered, trying to think of ways out. The demon impatiently clicked his tongue.

"It's rather simple, Ojou-chan." The demon said, moving forward.

He walked towards Zakuro and embraced her from behind. Zakuro shivered in repulsion.

He slowly started breaking the buttons of Zakuro's shirt.

"Let go off me." Zakuro growled.

The demon chuckled and continued.

"I said, let go!" Zakuro shouted, pushing him away.

The demon looked at Zakuro confused for a moment. He then chuckled.

"Leave, so that I can get changed." Zakuro said, trying to buy time.

The demon bowed and left the room. Zakuro quickly scanned the room, looking for a weapon.

"Are you done, Ojou-chan?" The demon called out.

Zakuro started quickly undressing.

"In a minute." She said, angrily.

She quickly put on the clothes.

"I'm coming in!" The demon said, opening the door as Zakuro fastened the clasp of her top.

She felt strangely exposed in that dress. The demon walked towards Zakuro. He casually stroked her mid-riff and reached for her uniform.

From the pockets, a coin fell down. The demon looked at it curiously. He picked up the foreign looking coin.

"Ojou-chan." He said, his interest clearly piqued. "What does this say?"

Zakuro looked at the 100 yen coin.

"It's a 100 yen coin." Zakuro said, confused.

The demon turned the coin over.

"Sakura blossoms." He mumbled.

He smiled at her and pocketed the coin.

"Well, then." The demon said, slowly moving towards Zakuro.

Zakuro took a step back and was pinned against the wall. But she didn't break her gaze. The demon placed a hand on the wall and leaned in closer towards. He raised her face.

Zakuro could feel the heat radiating from the demon. This demon wasn't just going to eat her. He was going to rob her of her dignity and strip her bare.

Zakuro's body acted instinctively and she kicked the demon in the nuts. The demon looked mildly surprised as Zakuro dodged and ran for the door.

"That won't do, Ojou-chan." The demon said, his voice smooth as silk.

In a flash, he was near the door. He grabbed Zakuro and pinned her to the ground. Zakuro screamed. The demon ran his hand on her thighs as he licked her neck.

"LET ME GO!" Zakuro thrashed against the demon.

But the demon was too strong.

"NO!" Zakuro shouted.

At that moment, the door exploded. The debris of the door landed on the demon and pierced his clothes. The demon clicked his tongue and jumped back.

At the door, stood another demon, his sword raised. He was panting. Zakuro scrambled to her feet.

"Come." The intruder commanded.

Zakuro hesitated. He frowned, grabbed Zakuro's hand and started running. Zakuro looked back and watched the demon chase after them.

"In here!" He commanded and steered Zakuro into a large room in the cavern.

Zakuro wriggled her hand free and tried to bolt out again.

"No!" The demon exclaimed, locking the door. "Please, don't worry. I won't hurt you."

Zakuro stepped away from the demon. He was dressed differently from the previous demon. His clothes were simple. His wings were not pronounced. He looked more human than any of the demons she had seen here. He raised his hand in surrender and pushed his sword towards Zakuro.

Zakuro immediately grabbed the sword and pointed it at him, her hands shivering. The demon frowned.

"What did the bastard do to you?" He growled.

Zakuro could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. But she willed herself to remain calm. Crying wasn't going to get her out of here. Hands still raised, he walked towards a shelf in the room.

"They don't bother me here." The demon said, taking out some fruits. "I'm Zui Gao. You're safe here."

Zui Gao rolled an apple towards Zakuro. Zakuro frowned at the apple and kicked it away.

"What do you mean?" Zakuro demanded.

Zui Gao pointed to the wall behind Zakuro. Zakuro got a quick glimpse of a large turtle with snakes painted on a mural.

"It's a blessed portrait of the ruler of heavens, Genbu." Zui Gao said, smiling at Zakuro.

He expected Zakuro to understand the meaning. He frowned at her non-reaction.

"Demons cannot exist in the presence of Gods." Zui Gao said, matter of factly.

"And you can?" Zakuro asked, still unconvinced.

"I can because Genbu blessed me." Zui Gao said, bowing to the painting. "I join his army to help him close the Gates of hell."

"Huh?" Zakuro asked, confused. "But you're a demon."

Zui Gao chuckled sadly.

"I was born a demon, yes." Zui Gao said, looking at the ceiling. "But I'm a true demon. We're hunters. We hunt our prey when we're hungry. We'd food in hell. We'd a home. Here, we're loathed. We're sentient beings too, Miss..."

"Zakuro." Zakuro responded involuntarily.

She internally cursed herself and positioned the sword firmly.

"We're sentient beings, Zakuro." Zui Gao continued.

He walked across the room, towards an ornate book case and pulled out a book. He slid it towards Zakuro.

"This is written by the great demon, Hebioni." Zui Gao said. "It discusses the lifestyle of elite demons and calls for a redistribution of souls to all stratas of demon society. This one right here." Zui Gao said, pointing to another book on his hand. "It talks about the effects of demon warfare on the supply of souls to weaker demons. The complexities of the demon society resemble human society. I believe great progress can be made if we enter into an era of peace and mutual understanding with humans."

Zakuro looked at the volumes of books stacked up in the room.

"Why won't the others attack you here?" Zakuro asked, trying her best to maintain her hatred of demons.

Zui Gao looked sadly at Zakuro.

"It's because I'm the son of their leader." He said, sighing sadly. "I'm their Prince."

-X-X-

Suzahara wiped the tengu blood from his blade. He joined Chichiri and Nuriko, as they stood vigilant at the cave entrance.

It was dusk. Chichiri insisted that he could feel Zakuro's life force and it was strong. Suzahara didn't want to wait till the life force was extinguished. All the inaction was making him restless.

The information they got from the tengu was disturbing. The cavern was a series of mazes. Only the tengu knew their way around. And even then, getting to the prison cell undetected was going to be a challenge. The tengu even told them that they have no need for a guard because their general was a powerful demon, even by hell standards.

"There is a way." Chichiri said, after a while. "But it's going to be a long shot."

Chichiri felt exhausted. He nibbled on the fruit that Nuriko had given him.

"Back in Kai Lo, Ling did not recognize me." Chichiri started. "Actually, none of the other kids did when we were at the inn in Kai Lo. It's more of a theory, really. I think reapers have the natural magic of looking like someone comforting or familiar to the one dying. To orphaned kids, maybe I looked like a kind, older brother sort of person."

Suzahara waited for Chichiri to get to the point.

"I have heard of cloaking magic before." Chichiri said, looking towards the twilight sky. "Maybe reapers perform similar magic unconsciously. I understand its theory. And I think I should be able to cast it successfully. However, the problem is twofold. One, we don't know for sure if it will work on all tengu. Two, I don't think I have enough chi to maintain the magic for an extended period."

Chichiri looked at Suzahara, waiting for him to speak.

"How long can you give us?" Suzahara said, after a while.

"10." Chichiri ascertained. "15 minutes, tops."

"We need to be fast." Nuriko said, devoid of any fear.

She was determined to get Zakuro safely out of there. Suzahara nodded.

"You can cast the magic on us..." Suzahara said, looking at Nuriko.

"I'm coming too." Chichiri said immediately.

"Listen." Suzahara replied, after sighing. "You got us this far. And for that I'm grateful. But you don't have to endanger..."

"I'm coming." Chichiri said, his tone implying the end of the conversation.

Suzahara frowned at the entrance of the cave.

"What are we waiting for then?" Suzahara asked, rising to his feet.

-X-X-

Zakuro kept a wide gap between Zui Gao and herself. She rejected any food offered and refused to sit down. But the adrenalin was soon wearing and Zakuro found her knees shaking and her arms hurting.

"I'm unarmed." Zui Gao said, watching the weariness sweep over Zakuro. "I would offer to have myself tied up. However, it would not be prudent to do so."

"I'm fine." Zakuro said, shooting him a dark look.

Her mind was furiously working, trying to think of a way out. But there was no scenario in which Zakuro wasn't mauled by demons. Zakuro's hands slumped a little. But she immediately brought them back to position.

"You haven't been trained." Zui Gao mumbled.

Zakuro frowned.

"Your stance is all wrong." Zui Gao said, rising from the chair he was sitting on. "In this stance, I can easily do this."

He swiftly knocked the sword out of Zakuro's hands. Zakuro scrambled back surprised. But Zui Gao offered the sword back to her.

"I admire your courage." He said, smiling. "It's not every day that I meet a human this hot headed."

"How many humans have you met?" Zakuro asked, grabbing the sword back.

This is a trick. Zakuro told herself firmly.

"Not too many." Zui Gao said, a look of disappointment on his face. "Only the ones I can save. But they don't stay too long."

Zakuro noticed the lonely look on his face.

"But I don't blame them." Zui Gao added hastily. "Anybody would want out of this place!"

"Do you?" Zakuro asked, against herself.

"Hell is a dreary place." Zui Gao said, after a moment. "An acquired taste, more precisely. This place is stimulating. There are so many things to see, to learn. But nobody will accept me. Obviously, no lamb would accept a lion into its herd."

Zui Gao smiled after a moment.

"It just shows that humans have good instincts." Zui Gao said. "I'm a demon after all."

Zakuro didn't notice the sword drooping in her grip. She was starting to feel sorry for the prince of demons. Zakuro sat on the ground, resting on the sword.

"You shouldn't come any closer." Zakuro warned.

"I weep and shiver in fear." He chuckled.

Zakuro couldn't help but smile.

"So now your escape route." Zui Gao said, rubbing his hands.

Zakuro looked at him wide eyed.

"You would do that for me?" She asked, wondering why she blindly hated all demons.

Zui Gao smiled.

"Of course!" Zui Gao said, thumping his chest. "I'm a hero in this story."

Zakuro laughed at the phrasing.

"There is a guard change every 4 hours." Zui Gao said, his tone serious. "The last change happened just a while ago. I usually sneak people out during the guard change."

Zakuro nodded.

"Thank you." She mumbled after a while.

Zui Gao smiled.

"I would need a payment of course." Zui Gao said, kneeling opposite Zakuro.

Zakuro froze. She knew there had to be a catch. She frowned in response.

"I want to know about the outside world." Zui Gao said, his eyes shining with curiosity.

-X-X-

Nuriko, Suzahara and Chichiri walked swiftly. They had decided against splitting up and huddled close to each other while walking. One of the tengu's smelt the air.

"Is that human?" The demon said, looking around.

"Mine!" Another grunted greedily and pushed the tengu away.

Nuriko, Suzahara and Chichiri casually faded into the shadows.

"We've to hurry!" Suzahara insisted, scratching his beaky nose.

"What are you guys doing?" A rough voice asked from nearby.

Nuriko squawked in response and immediately clasped her mouth. "The General wanted to see something in the prison cell." Suzahara said confidently.

A hardened tengu with a scar running across his face emerged forward. He appraised the three.

"Why do you guys smell human?" The demon asked smelling the air.

His beady eyes narrowed at them.

"We were out on some work for the General." Suzahara replied promptly. "I don't think we have to explain ourselves to the likes of you."

Nuriko clenched her hands, hoping that the demon they were talking to wasn't the General.

"What is he mumbling?" The demon asked looking at Chichiri.

Suzahara elaborately sighed.

"I don't have to answer to you." He said, his voice imploring. "I only answer to the General. You gotta problem; you bring it up with him. Where is the prison cell?"

The demon wasn't buying it. Chichiri muttered faster.

"How come I've never seen you before?" The demon asked.

"You're full of stupid questions, aren't you?" Suzahara answered confidently. "The General busted us out himself. It happened too recently for that useless head of yours to remember. Either tell me where the prison cell is or shove off. Stop wasting my time for damnation's sake!"

The demon stupidly nodded as Chichiri smiled.

"Empty." The demon replied. "All but one killed."

Suzahara clenched his fists.

She's alive. He told himself.

"Where is the survivor?" Suzahara questioned, keeping his tone even.

"The General took her to the Courting Room." The demon answered, his eyes slightly unfocused.

"And where is that?" Suzahara asked, acting irritated.

"Third left down this path." The demon said, his expression suddenly scared.

Suzahara nodded and the three of them rushed on.

"What were you muttering?" Nuriko asked, as she sighed in relief.

"I was making us look more intimidating." Chichiri grinned.

They took the blind left and emerged at a brightly lit cave.

A red door lay towards the far end. And in front of the door, sat a tengu, his wings unfurled, reading a book. He casually looked up at the three of them.

"You have some nerve." The tengu chuckled.

His feathers ruffled as he stood upright. He dusted his silk robes and pushed his long dark hair to his back. He smiled at the three and snapped his fingers. Chichiri immediately flew back and hit the wall.

Nuriko and Suzahara looked like themselves again.

Chichiri slowly slumped to the ground. Nuriko rushed to his aid. But Suzahara stood his ground, his sword unsheathed.

"General." He growled.

The tengu blinked.

"Human." He replied, smiling.

-X-X-

Zakuro had spent the last ten minutes describing her world. She couldn't help but smile at Zui Gao as he absorbed all that, closing his eyes and imagining her world.

"Your world is wonderful!" Zui Gao said, spinning on the spot. "How do these planes fly? You must tell me."

Zakuro laughed.

"I'm not the smartest person from that world." She said, as her sword fell to the ground.

Both Zui Gao and Zakuro looked at the sword. Zakuro wanted to grab the sword again. She looked at Zui Gao who was smiling hesitantly at her. Zakuro sighed and let the sword be.

-X-X-

"Where is she?" Suzahara growled. "Where is Zakuro?"

"Dead." The General replied. "Just like you're going to be."

"Liar." Suzahara replied. "We know she is alive."

"How?" The General asked, looking at Chichiri.

"She is inside." Suzahara said, looking at the door behind the General.

The General shrugged. He yawned before snapping his fingers. Suzahara, Nuriko and Chichiri could hear wings fluttering. They seemed to be coming their way.

"Chichiri." Suzahara instructed. "You said you wanted to help! Get up and hold them off. Nuriko, get to the door and break it . I will take care of this pansy."

"Pansy?" The General said, ruffling his wings. "I've been called many things my entire life. But never a pansy."

Suzahara grinned.

"You're going to have a lot of firsts today." Suzahara said, in a mocking tone.

The General looked at Suzahara amused.

"I don't sense any fear from you." The General said, rubbing his chin. "Are you stupid?"

Chichiri and Nuriko couldn't control their momentary chuckle. Suzahara shot them a dark look.

"Pingbi." Chichiri coughed before mumbling, marking characters in the air.

The tengu trying to enter were obstructed by something invisible. Nuriko tried to run past by the General towards the door. The General raised his hand to stop her. But Suzahara charged on the General. The General jumped back.

"You cannot enter that room." The General said, his voice bored.

He watched as Nuriko helplessly charged at the door and fell back. The General smiled.

"The three fools." The General murmured to himself.

"Tell me." The General said, his mouth curving into a smile. "How would you like to die?"

Suzahara growled as he attacked. The General dodged his attacks easily. Chichiri muttered keeping the remaining demons at bay. Nuriko kept banging on the door. But Suzahara wasn't able to land a shot.

The General seemed to be enjoying himself.

"Humans are fascinating." The General said, laughing as Suzahara missed. "You fight even when you're sure to lose. Tell me, boy. Why do you fight?"

Suzahara grit his teeth and aimed at the General's neck. The General caught the swords with his fingers.

"I asked you a question." The General said, as though politely pausing the fight for a conversation.

"I don't have to answer you." Suzahara growled.

He wriggled his sword from The General's grasp.

"Have to." The General muttered. "That's right. You don't have to do anything. Until the very end, you're creatures of free will."

Suzahara frowned.

"ZAKURO!" Nuriko shouted as she charged at the door. "ARE YOU IN THERE?! ARE YOU HURT?!"

The General was observing Nuriko when Suzahara attacked.

In a fair fight, Suzahara wouldn't have had a chance. But with the General distracted, Suzahara managed to nick the General's arms. The General frowned at the blood that dripped from his wound. Suzahara charged again but the General flew back, still looking at his wound.

"Do you have any idea what I do to people who damage my beautiful skin?" The General said, frowning. "This glorious entity that you see before yourself is forged in hell with the smoke and the dust and the dirt. Do you have any idea how hard I worked to keep myself this way?"

"Chichiri." Suzahara called out.

"Feng." Chichiri mumbled.

Beads of sweat dripped from his face and he looked close to collapsing.

Suzahara frowned looking at Chichiri.

"Just a little longer..." He mumbled, as he flew towards the General.

"What was that?" The General said, gently patting his wound with a silk handkerchief.

Suzahara shouted as he flew towards the General. He was the only real threat on this cavern. He was the only one that needed to be defeated.

The General caught Suzahara by the neck. Suzahara choked. Chichiri tried to use the elements to get Suzahara free. But the General had a firm grip on him. The General swiped his other hand, clawing Suzahara's chest.

"SUZAHARA!" Nuriko and Chichiri shouted.

"Damn it!" Chichiri called out. "Nuriko, switch!"

Chichiri dropped the barrier and the tengu flew in. Nuriko charged at them, taking down two at a time. Chichiri flew towards the General and muttered a spell.

Angry boils erupted on the General's hand, though Chichiri had intended for the boils cover the General's body. The General dropped Suzahara, looking aghast at his deformed skin. Chichiri caught Suzahara mid-air and got near the door.

"You've to retreat!" Chichiri shouted to Nuriko.

"I'm not leaving without Zakuro." Nuriko choked as a tengu gripped her in an arm lock.

She body slammed the tengu to the cavern wall and caught another by the wings as it charged towards Chichiri and Suzahara.

"Suzahara is badly hurt." Chichiri said, as Suzahara's life force drained. "I will get Zakuro. You need to leave."

Suzahara could vaguely hear Chichiri and Nuriko talking to each other, their voice blurred by the squawking tengu.

It just took one shot, then. Suzahara thought, as he felt the blood ooze from his body. I died in just one strike. That would be my legacy.

The General flew down towards Chichiri and Suzahara, his hands still outstretched.

"Could you kindly reverse this?" The General asked, frowning.

Chichiri scrambled back dragging Suzahara.

"You don't remember me, do you?" Chichiri asked, the blood in his veins boiling.

The General looked at him and smiled.

"All you humans look the same to me." The General replied.

"Back in Kai Lo." Chichiri said, rising to his feet ready to fight. "You were the one that clobbered me and took Zakuro."

The General nodded.

"Yes." He replied. "I have been to Kai Lo recently. The trees form a vivid colour on the landscape. The mulan tree especially housed many reapers. Now, about this hand."

The General stuck out his hand. Chichiri blinked.

"Why aren't you trying to kill me?" Chichiri asked.

"Trying?" The General replied, chuckling. "It wouldn't be any effort for me to kill you. But my orders were simple. Kill anybody who tries to enter the room. You are not trying to enter the room."

He then raised his boil covered hand and pointed at it.

"G-g-get the other tengu out and I will cure your hand." Chichiri said, uncertainly.

The General frowned. He then rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers.

The other tengu shot back from the cavern and a barrier appeared at the entrance. Nuriko got to her knees, panting in exhaustion. The General thrust his hands towards Chichiri.

"If killing you killed the magic, you'd be long dead." The General muttered, his eyes narrowing in frustration.

"Let us leave with our friend and I will heal your hand." Chichiri said, close to panic.

The demon that they were facing was malevolent, his strength immense. It seemed like they couldn't even land a scratch on him. Well... another scratch anyway. They had to talk their way out of this one.

"Don't test my patience, reaper." The General said angrily. "You live because I allow it. Now, reverse the spell."

The words weren't a request. They were a command.

"Jieshu." Chichiri said, his eyes clouded over.

He blinked a second later, confused.

"Get out of my sight and be food for my kind." The General said, snapping his fingers.

Nuriko and Chichiri shot to their feet. They walked towards the cave entrance, towards the hungry tengu.

Stop them. Every cell in Suzahara's body shouted out.

He could feel the power of the General's command. It was taking all his will power just to lie on the ground. He could tell the General was looking at him.

Chichiri and Nuriko walked dazed towards the tengu. Suzahara knew at that moment that they were going to die.

Chichiri...

Nuriko...

Zakuro...

Their blood was on his hands. He failed to protect them. He closed his eyes.

"Onii-chan!" Shuang called out to Suzahara.

He looked at his sister, smiling as she pushed a spider towards his face. Her long red hair was tied up in buns. Suzahara fell back.

"STOP SHOVING THAT IN MY FACE!" He shouted, pushing her hand away.

Shuang laughed.

"You're such a chicken!" Shuang giggled.

The scene changed to Suzahara looking at his family, all dead because of a demon attack. The white shrouds on their body fluttered in the wind.

"The oldest son was out that day." One villager whispered to another. "Maybe he could have prevented it."

But Suzahara's hands were shaking. They were shaking out of fear, not anger. When he heard that the demons ravaged his village, the first thing he thought was that it was great that he wasn't home.

Death didn't come to people you know. Death is something that happened to unknown, faceless people. The wind blew the shroud from Shuang's face. Suzahara dropped to his knees looking at the mauled face of his kid sister. He failed to protect them.

Suzahara's eyes snapped open. He dug his hands into his wounds, bringing his mind back to his control. He shot to his feet and flung the hilt of his sword, squarely at Chichiri's head.

"OW!" Chichiri screamed, stopping a couple of feet from the entrance.

"Nuriko!" Suzahara said, urgently.

Chichiri hit the back of Nuriko's neck. Nuriko blinked and stopped walking.

"How did you resist?" Suzahara heard the General say, standing very close to him.

Suzahara jumped back, blood flowing faster from his wounds.

"Answer me!" The General commanded.

The words came till Suzahara's throat but he refused to speak. He wasn't going to bend to the General's will.

The General smiled after a while.

"A God candidate." The General said, his wings fluttering in excitement. "Splendid."

-X-X-

The minutes crept Zakuro by. But she wasn't afraid anymore.

Zui Gao was good company and she was going to get out of here.

For a few moments, she had forgotten she was in a demon cave.

"So you mean to say that you decide who leads you?" Zui Gao said, impressed. "That is so...exotic."

He trailed off, unable to express himself. Zakuro laughed.

"I love the way you laugh." Zui Gao said, smiling.

Zakuro laughed harder. It felt good to be relaxed.

"You should come along, Zui Gao." Zakuro said, as she wiped a tear from her eye. "My friends would really like you. One of them is trying to be a God and it would really tip the scales if we have a demon on our side."

Zui Gao's expression changed to sadness.

"If I could leave, I would have left a long time ago." Zui Gao said, looking at the portrait of Genbu. "But without me, my people would fall to anarchy. I know I should hate them for their atrocities. But it's better with me here. It's safer."

Zakuro looked at the pitiful Prince. He clung to the hope that his kind were under control, that they didn't ravage villages and kidnap young girls. She was starting to feel bad for him. Shee involuntarily rubbed her neck, running her hands on the scars that Chichiri gave her.

She knew what Chichiri was before he turned into a demon. When Suzahara said he wanted to kill Chichiri, she hesitated. The only reason she moved forward that day was because she saw this world as black and white. But that wasn't case in her world. Did she judge people that easily?

Zui Gao, sitting in front of her, was proof that there exists a grey in this world too. He was proof that all beings had good and bad in them.

"It's bad out there." Zakuro muttered. "Demons attack innocent people. They attack the old and the young mercilessly. Your kinsmen do that too. But I know you're different. You should come with us. We try to save as many innocent beings as we can."

"I can't..." Zui Gao murmured.

"Why not?!" Zakuro exclaimed.

"Don't you see!" Zui Gao said, clenching his fists. "I'm their Prince. Their sins are on my head too."

"No, they're not!" Zakuro said, clasping Zui Gao's hand. "You're not them and they're not you. You can choose to be who you want. I see the good in you, Zui Gao."

"Zakuro..." Zui Gao muttered.

"Change your identity." Zakuro said, smiling encouragingly. "Don't let them define you. Let your actions do that! Let your principles do that!"

"Change my name?" Zui Gai said, confused.

"Yes!" Zakuro said, scooting closer to Zui Gao. "You don't have to Zui Gao, the demon prince. You can be whoever you want."

Zui Gao smiled at her sadly.

"You say the most preposterous things." Zui Gao said.

Zakuro frowned at the sad look in his eyes.

"Atleast escape with me." Zakuro said.

Zui Gao bent his head and kept them on Zakuro's hands, which were still holding his.

"Couldn't you instead stay here with me?" Zui Gao offered, his forehead still on Zakuro's hands. "The short time I spent with you was the best of my life. I don't want to let you go. Zakuro... will you be my queen?"

-X-X-

The General unfurled his claws.

"I don't meddle in the affairs of Gods." The General said, smiling. "But my orders are absolute. I will kill anybody trying to enter that room."

"That's where we have a problem." Suzahara said, taking a stance, ignoring the pain of his wounds. "I will not let her die."

"Tell me." The General said, taking a defensive stance. "Why do you fight?"

"Because I swore I would protect her." Suzahara said, taking a step forward. "And with that promise, my life is tied to hers."

The General frowned for a second. He then burst out laughing.

"I've seen many foolish nobles in my life." The General said, in between laughs. "But never a noble fool. Very well, God Candidate Suzahara. I, the servant bound to the royal house tengu by blood, shall make your end befitting a fool. I, Tamahome, shall kill you in the name of my master, Zui Gao."

AN:

Translations-

Ojou-chan- Young lady.

-X-X-

No reviews to thank. :(

-X-X-

Sorry for the late and long post. I really didn't know which of the two I wanted Tamahome to be. But, as is typical of me, I choose a cold blooded murderer to be a hero figure. *Sigh* Hope you guys like this chapter because it took a lot of deliberation!

As always, keep reading!