Welcome to 'My Sanctuary'.

I'm pretty quick, aren't I? This usually happens whenever I'm enthusiastic about a project. This particular chapter has been inspired by not only Sailor Moon, but the Saiyuki anime and Kingdom Hearts.

Here's a little note: the centered lines within the chapters are meant to resemble the lines spoken in the introductions of both Kingdom Hearts 1 and Kingdom Hearts 2.

This chapter is not only dedicated to the one my heart loves, but to the creators of other Gravitation tales. Several tales have pulled my heart right out of its chest. I've seen a lot of tear-jerkers.

By the way, writing the last chapter was a tear-jerking experience for me. I almost made myself cry.

One reader told me that my emotions can be felt through my words. I hope that's true for the rest of you. Please enjoy!

Theme of 'My Sanctuary': Sanctuary (Future Mix) by Utada Hikaru, Passion (Drive aura 192 Mix)

Just looking upon him was excruciating.

Eiri Uesugi's companions could hardly stomach the look upon their friend's face. Not only were they unable to comprehend the weight of reality themselves, but they weren't comfortable with the novelist's eyes. Their dear friend was no different from an animal that had been torn away from its mate, and yet its mate was standing right in front of him. Both were calling out to each other, seeking solace in each other's arms…and yet they were so far away from each other, spread throughout time.

Just looking upon Eiri Uesugi's face was excruciating.

Several members of the fellowship felt as though they had been stricken by a plague. K, Suguru and Mika found themselves nauseated by the pain flowing through them. It was swift and potent, wreaking havoc within their souls the way a snake would devour helpless animals. Mika had placed her hands upon the side of her head in an attempt to eliminate the resounding pain, but found that her newest enemy was indestructible. Suguru, no longer able to stand, found himself sobbing within the arms of his future lover. The young Sword Mage was never comfortable with seeing anyone in pain, especially not when it came to family members, and the pain of his dearest ones would have been intolerable to describe.

The pain within their own hearts was hard to deal with, but the author's pain just increased their own pain tenfold. Ryuichi almost found himself weeping again, but the assistance of Tatsuha's arms calmed any potential opportunity for sobbing. Tohma had been swept into the small trio, which formed a small circle between the three. Tying their hearts closer to each other, the members of the fellowship shed their tears as they wandered throughout their own sorrow…walking through their own memories of a certain someone as the past continued to unfold.

Princess Niha, someone that was usually spry and comical, found herself in an almost foreign mood. Only able to share weak, consoling smiles with her friends, she too found herself overflowing with tears as she looked upon the novelist's face. Unfortunately, the journey through the angel's past had not come to an end. As a matter of fact, it had only just begun…which made her wish that Shuichi had never even had a past. Silly wish, but she wanted it badly. Seeing Eiri in pain broke her heart into a million pieces.

I'm sorry.

Silence coursed through the group for what felt like an eternity. Throughout that silence the entire group had their heads bowed, all of them bringing themselves closer through their tears. The passage of several seconds brought about an alteration in the environment, removing them from the perpetual Garden of mortal stars.

Shock, once again, coursed through Suguru's innocent eyes as he looked upon their new location. Awe appeared in his eyes in a flash, giving him the look of a surprised child. The gasp he delivered caused his friends to follow his gaze, which brought about an instant realization. The winds of time had placed them into a place not too far from the Gardens. Time had placed them into a palace they could have only dreamt of, a palace that could have only been found within the most magical of fairy tales.

It was an endlessly glorious sight, one streaming with noble colors and auras. Suguru and Ryuichi felt even smaller than microscopic neutrons as they looked upon their new vicinity, their eyes widened with a look that brought the two of them closer to each other. Too shocked to even speak, the members of the fellowship spoke to each other with their eyes…all of their eyes filled with apprehension and surprise. They had been placed in the center of a grand throne room, one that would have caused an average human to keel over and die from shock.

Niha snapped them all out of their silent inquisition. "Seita!" she said urgently, her voice as soft as a feather. Like a desperate child she pointed to a sight that would bring her friends even more pain. As soon as Eiri placed his eyes upon the source of her urgency, his heart made a violent attempt to lunge right out of his chest. Tatsuha and Mika wrapped their arms around their brother protectively, both of their faces bearing savage flames of resilience.

The angel had made a return, storming into the throne room with the accompaniment of six guardsmen. K's heart took a violent jump as he observed the guardsmen's faces-not one of them carried a single emotion upon their faces, looking as though they had been programmed to protect the beautiful treasure. The young Sword Mage caught the look upon his Chieftain's face, surprised to see that they were both thinking upon the same thing. The angel did have a lot of guardsmen behind him…

"Arim, why must you spend so much time looking upon the stars of the mortal realm? We need you here, not out in that infernal garden!"

The harsh tone of a royal official caused K's and Suguru's attention to snap right back to the throne room's center. The voice belonged to an obviously prominent figure-it was an older male angel, dressed in a silken cerulean robe that accompanied wrathful black eyes. Three others were at his side…including angels that looked remarkably like the miracle himself. Hiro and Ryuichi exchanged glances and gasps, silently speaking to each other through their eyes. The other two must have been-

"Your duties are to this kingdom, not to some soul that has been promised death. It's quite inappropriate for an angel to hold the star of a mortal so close-especially when it's destined to die!"

Looking upon Arim's face almost broke the fellowship all over again. As Suguru had noticed just moments before, all of them saw that the angel had spent so many days and nights sobbing his heart out-he looked exhausted, both physically and mentally. His empyrean beauty was tainted by the tears he had shed…and would shed in the near future. "It won't die!" the beautiful one cried out adamantly, holding his hands to his heart. Tatsuha, still holding onto the silent Eiri, gasped as he realized something-the star was no longer within Arim's hands, but the angel was hellbent on keeping his hands close to his heart…as though he had placed the star there.

"I won't let it die!" the angel continued, the intensity of his voice rising. His voice was filled with the same beautiful passion that had made 'Shuichi' into a young star-and that caused K's eyes to fill with more tears. "And there's nothing you can do to keep me away from it!"

The battle between the angels continued. "Listen to reason, young Arim." the older angel continued, folding his arms. He was thoroughly angry, evidently not too happy with dealing with a young rebel. "You belong here, amongst the world you were born in. You don't possibly believe that you'll be able to find that doomed mortal and rescue him, do you?"

"Of course I do!" was the angel's instant, fiery response. His melodious voice shook with brilliant, resounding emotion…shook with resounding beauty and passion. "I'll find him, no matter what! And when I do…" he continued, still holding his hands over his heart. "…I'll tell him! Everything! There's nothing you can do to keep me away from the one I love!"

One of the angels that bore a scintillating resemblance to Arim spoke. It was a female angel, one with long pink tresses and radiant violet pools for eyes. Her voice stood in stark contrast against the previous speaker's voice-it was soft and gentle, but just as urgent. "My dear child," she began softly, wanting to embrace her beloved son. "we're worried about you. We no longer wish for you to spend all of your nights in tears. We wish for your happiness, sweet aya'kin. Why can you not stay here, amongst the ones that love you…and take the hand of someone that's so willing to give his heart to you?"

Never before had any of them witnessed such passion. Never before had they even attempted to measure the power of passion. Now they were all in the midst of its true power, witnessing the words of an immaculate being. Witnessing the devotion one was willing to give to another…even though they were worlds apart. The angel before them kept his hands over his heart, body shivering from the tears that threatened to fall…shivering from the anger and frustration that coursed through it. Mika brought herself closer to the shivering Eiri, who looked as though he were about to suffocate from the same powerful emotions. The passion within the angel's voice was enough to break his soul, increasing his desire to rush out and embrace someone that was merely within a dream.

"I don't believe this. I don't believe any of this! All of you want me to give my heart to someone other than the one I've chosen to love?! I won't! I'd rather die!"

And he meant it. No doubt about it.

Hiroshi and K were compelled to call out to their beloved friend as he dashed from the throne room, but instantly remembered that they were miles away from the angel. Seconds elapsed before the beautiful being ran smack into another angel, another male with long tresses and a pair of delicately warm eyes. The mere sight of the newcomer took the form of a hammer and smashed Eiri's heart into a million pieces. "Here here now." the newcomer cooed, swiftly bringing the tearful Arim into his arms. "What's all this? What's going on? Did another petal fall from the Chrysins? I know how much you love those flowers."

Something powerful shot into Eiri's heart, followed by even more pain and sorrow. That something was commonly known as…

Jealousy.

Although no being could match Arim's resplendence, angel or mortal, the other male was quite beautiful himself. Bearing a head of silvery brown tresses and gentle topaz eyes, he kept the other within comforting arms. His voice, which carried an accent of elegance to it, struck the icy air with the warmth of a sunlit day. "Oh, I know what's bothering you." he continued, hoping to bring a smile to the other's face. "Another butterfly died. Well, don't worry. Its spirit will live on forever and ever. Don't you know that?"

Remembering how Shuichi had cried over a dead fly once, K smiled. "I guess some things never change." the officer said to himself, his face brimming with warmth.

All was not well, though. Arim pulled out of the other's arms angrily…his violet eyes still overflowing with tears. "Ke'chara." he snapped irritably, gently wiping at falling streams. "You wouldn't understand. No one here understands, with the exception of Gelryn. He seems to be my only friend here." he said angrily, bearing a tone that made one thing clear. He was far from happy with the world he lived in. As a matter of fact, he hated it. With a severe passion. "Just leave me alone, pei'na."

Shock fluttered across the other's face as dove feathers brushed the surface of a nearby lake. Temporarily harmed by the beautiful one's words, the other angel looked upon his face as though he were searching for an apology. Not receiving any, he made another attempt at conversation. "You've been in the Garden again, haven't you?" he asked Arim sadly, causing the other angel to freeze. "Why must you spend so much time there? I hardly see you any more, ana'ya."

The pain that struck Arim's face made Eiri want to do at least one of two things. Strangle the other angel to death or whisk Arim out of sight.

"Don't you DARE care me that. Not ever again."

"Why?" the other angel asked, now bearing the face of an irritated parent. He now carried an expression that was quite similar to the expression of the prominent angel. "Haven't I made myself clear? I-"

"Don't say it! I know what you're going to say, and I don't want to hear it! Just leave me alone!"

"Just leave me alone! I don't want to stay here anymore!"

"All I ever do is make you angry! You'll never love me!"

"I want to be with you, Yuki…I really do…but you don't love me…"

Eiri found it extraordinarily difficult to restrain himself.

What made his anger even worse is the event that came next. Tatsuha, Suguru and Tohma released sharp gasps as something horrific took place-the other angel had swept Arim into his arms and forced him into a deep kiss. Tossing off her initial fondness for the other angel, Mika made the decision to curse the other angel to the deepest pits of darkness. Flames of perpetual hatred infiltrated Tatsuha's calm eyes, transforming them into the eyes of a wrathful deity.

Hiro took on the same expression, wanting to chop the other angel's head off with an axe. "That must be Elysium." the guitarist said darkly, exchanging nods with a livid Mika. "He's lucky we're not around." the young Priest said, his voice bearing deceitful serenity about it. "I'd throttle him if we were."

A long minute passed before Arim found the strength to push the other away. Without saying another word, the vehement angel began to storm away from the other…face burning with indescribable anger as he began his return to a certain Garden…but found that he'd be unable to. As quickly as he had turned away from the intrusive Elysium, he was 'greeted' by an even larger pack of guardsmen and an even larger group of soldiers. Unable to get out a single word of opposition, the young angel was immediately pulled into their thick crowd amidst a whirlpool of urgent orders…causing Suguru's heart to sink a million more miles. Neither he nor K were comfortable with the high amount of security surrounding Arim…

"Your services have been requested. We need you to eradicate the forces that have penetrated our allies!"

"You're coming with us, whether you like it or not young one!"

The voices of the intruders were anything but gentle. Harsh and unyielding, they practically dragged the angel away…keeping him from the one he loved more than anything. The softhearted Tohma placed a hand over his shivering heart, feeling a dagger carve it into a million pieces. "That's horrible." he said softly, voice trembling. "How can they be so cruel? All he wants to do is…"

"…see Eiri." Mika finished, lowering her head…biting her lower lip, balling her hands into fists. Hiroshi noticed a flow of blood coming from her bottom lip-she had bitten a tiny hole right through it. "Those bastards." she snapped viciously, eyes ringing with hatred. Hatred instantly transformed into sorrow as the winds of time began to sweep them through a series of images…images of a certain, tearful angel upon a battlefield…and images of a certain angel in tears. The fellowship's attention instantly fell upon the most beautiful voice they had ever heard-a voice that belonged to a certain someone, a voice filled with immaculate sadness.

As the days pass by…

I continue to think of you.

As minutes draw themselves by…

I think of you…and only you.

Even though they threaten to keep me away from you…

My heart still clings to its dream.

At night I dream of you…even though I know very little of the one I love.

At night, through all of my tears, I wish for your smile.

I wish for your arms to wrap themselves around me…telling me pain has come to an end.

I wish for you…and only you.

Tears poured from the eyes of the fellowship as images continued to flash before. A brokenhearted Arim passed right before their eyes, the dirge of tears filled their ears…it was almost too much to take. None of Eiri's loved ones were hardly concerned for themselves-all of their hearts were placed on the novelist, who looked as though he wanted to just fall apart and spend the rest of his life sobbing.

I love you.

Even though I know very little of you…I love you…

…Eiri.

Those words violently struck chords within a certain heart. Clutching at his heart, he found himself no longer able to breathe through the lumps within his chest…let alone through the pain of his heart. As his eyes dilated, he could hear the urgent voice of his brother…and another…but they were far from him. Pain…it had become too strong, far too strong…

"I'll see you in a week, all right?"

"'Kay...I'll miss you, Eiri..."

"Keep staring at me like that and I'll have to call the whole thing off."

"'Bye..."

"What are you nervous about?"

"Oh, nothing much. Just everything. You?"

"The same...and I can't wait...to see you again. I've missed you soo much. And thank you..."

"For what, baby?"

"...the flowers. And the strawberries. And...the card."

"...you're welcome, Shuichi."

"I missed you..."

"I can't...tell you how much I missed you...how much I needed you...it's all right..."

Memories.

It was all too much, too much to bear…

…and the events that were next to come increased his pain tenfold.

The reel of images had come to an end, but the newest developments gave him the desire to just break down and release a loud, long scream. Before the entire fellowship stood the images of guardsmen…pushing a certain angel straight into a dark chamber. A tearful, heartbroken Ryuichi looked into Niha's face with the innocence of a frightened child, looking as though he were about to be dragged into darkness himself. "What's going on?" he asked the Princess softly, but received no answer. The answer he required came in a flash-two guardsmen forced Arim into the chamber, bearing only hatred about their horrific faces. The look upon the beautiful one's face broke the hearts of his friends, but it did nothing to improve his communication with the guardsmen.

"That's where you'll stay until you come to your senses!"

Tatsuha's body tensed. "What the hell?! What do those bastards-"

The cries that came from Arim's heart caused Tohma, Mika and Suguru to break out into sobs. Unfortunately, not a single guardsman acknowledged them with a caring heart. One took the responsibility of slamming the chamber door, locking the angel in a world that was completely devoid of light or warmth. The beautiful one's cries were too hard to listen to.

"Let me out, please! I can't stay here! Please, let me out! Please!"

As the young one struck the chamber door with his fists, K turned away. Indescribable horror broke out within all of their hearts, the strongest horror being within Eiri's heart. The angel continued to pound against the door with all of his strength, tears flowing from his reddened eyes, body wilting from exhaustion...

"Please let me out! Please don't keep me in here! I just want to see him!"

The look on Eiri's face did nothing to improve their anger or sorrow. The novelist was in just as much pain as Arim was, feeling his heart slowly crack into a million pieces. His face completely devoid of color, he buried his face in his hands and began to sob in a tone that incensed Tatsuha. His brother was sobbing like a maiden watching the slaughter of a beloved pet--not something that made the Priest happy.

"What in the hell is going on here?!"

Why can't I stop this?!

Why?! It's driving me insane!

"The angels were not pleased with Arim's connection to a mortal." Niha explained grimly. "And so they threw him into a dungeon."

"Now I understand why you were so nervous, Lady Niha." a tearful Tohma said gently, sniffing through oceans of tears. "I dearly hope that this is as bad as its going to get. I don't think Eiri will be able to take much more of this!"

Holding onto the sobbing novelist, Mika looked upon the Princess. The archer's face was literally red from anger. "Why in the hell are those bastards treating him like a circus animal?" she asked fiercely, receiving an answer from the sovereign. "It's because of his birthright." Niha replied instantly, and Hiroshi shook his head. "Some birthright." the guitarist snapped venomously.

"Aya, ana'chas. It was Arim's duty to care for all of Alyta."

"Yes, but must they be so cruel?!" Tohma asked, his voice surprisingly loud despite its hoarseness. "How could they possibly be such wretched beings?! Towards their own guardian!"

Pain shot through the heavens as the angel slumped against the chamber door, sobbing with strength that was quickly fading. Chest heaving from exertion and exhaustion, he closed his eyes and kept himself still…unable to digest everything that had just happened. Tears continued to pour from his closed eyes as he curled himself up…not daring to look at the darkness that surrounded him…still sobbing as a child that had just lost so many dreams. Another arrow split through Eiri's trembling body as the angel whispered one question.

"Where are you?"

I want to see you…

"I'm…I'm right here…" the angel's prince whispered, eyes shining with warmth. Despite the tears flowing from his eyes, he whispered. "I'm right here, Kitten…right here…"

Suguru choked.

"This is horrible. Absolutely horrible." K said sadly, shaking his head…eyes overflowing.

"You don't have to tell me twice. I don't know if I can take much more of this." Hiroshi said in agreement, eyes blazing with a fusion of sadness and fury.

It was as though all of them were being forced to watch a newborn animal die.

Seeing someone within the present…call out to someone in the past…was just…

…too hard to watch.

The memories within the second half of this chapter were excerpts taken from 'An Angel's Dream' and 'Eien'. The angel Elysium was inspired by the character T-elos of 'Xenosaga III' fame.

I thank you all for reading!