The hard heels of Tasuki's boots clacked against the polished marble floors of Kenshin's palace. He walked with determination, following the long, maze-like corridors. There was no one else around, no guards, no staff. The entire place was eerily silent. Tasuki's feet drew to a halt before a large pair of wooden doors. His eyes swept over them and then his boot slammed against the spot where they met, forcing them open with a loud crack.

A commotion behind him kept Tasuki from entering the room beyond. The sound of feet pounding hard against the marble floors grew louder, and then Nuriko and Hotohori came flying around the corner running at full speed. They were followed closely behind by a large group of soldiers brandishing swords and other various weapons. Tasuki lowered Miaka's feet to the ground so he could retrieve his tessen. Holding it in front of him, he shouted the words that would bring the iron fan to life.

"REKKA SHINEN!"

With yelps of surprise Nuriko and Hotohori leapt out of the way and hit the floor. The soldiers behind them weren't as lucky and were engulfed by a large ball of orange fire. Satisfied, Tasuki wordlessly put the tessen back in its holder and picked Miaka up once more.

"Nice shot!" Nuriko cheered and grinned at the now empty hallway. Hotohori rose to his feet and re-arranged his armour. The red phoenix of Suzaku still blazed brightly on the chest plate. He glanced over at where Tasuki stood and his expression faltered.

"What has happened to Miaka?" he demanded, his voice smooth and rich despite his distress.

Tasuki's eyes lowered to Miaka's face to avoid meeting Hotohori's probing gaze. Within two strides Hotohori was before him, peering down at the priestess' ashen features. Tasuki turned his face away, unable to bear it as the emperor touched the cool skin of her face and felt the stillness of the pulse at her wrist.

"Tasuki, is Miaka-?" The rest of his words fell away and the emperor held Miaka's limp hand tightly in his. Nuriko stepped forward, his hands clasped together at his chest as if holding himself back from touching the priestess's body.

"What happened, Tasuki? And where's Chichiri?"

Nuriko looked to him for answers, but an uneasy silence hung on the air. Tasuki kept his jaw clenched tight, refusing to speak. If he didn't have to tell them, if he didn't have to speak the words...

"This is Kenshin's doing, isn't it," Hotohori deduced, his voice trembling with rage. Nuriko reached a hand out to lay it comfortingly atop Tasuki's shoulder but he shied away. He couldn't meet their eyes, and he certainly didn't deserve their sympathy. Not after what he'd done.

"Don't," he muttered, his voice thick with emotion. "Once we kill Kenshin I'm leaving. I don't deserve to be with any of you after what I've done."

Nuriko pulled his hand back, stung by Tasuki's words, "You can't mean that. This was Kenshin's doing, Tasuki. You couldn't stop it!"

Hotohori nodded in agreement but Tasuki clenched his eyes shut tightened his grip on Miaka.

"You don't understand. I did this. She's dead because of me."

Silence fell over the pair until Nuriko uttered a pained sounding, "Tasuki..."

"Come on, let's get this over with!"

Turning heel, Tasuki strode through the wooden doors into the room beyond. Exchanging worried glances, Hotohori and Nuriko followed close behind.

The room they entered was cold and dark. The marble floor from the hallway extended inside this room as well and the stone walls only made it all the more bleak and foreboding in appearance. From what they could tell, the room was empty with the exception of a large throne upon an altar which lay far ahead of them.

Tasuki trudged forward without a care as to whether the others followed him or not. His life had one purpose now, to avenge Miaka's death. Once that was complete he didn't care what happened to him. Stopping before the large stone altar, he kissed Miaka gently on the forehead and then set her body on the ground. Pulling out his tessen, he held it at the ready and scanned the room for Kenshin's ugly face. As the seconds dragged on and the villain still did not reveal himself, Tasuki felt his rage reach its boiling point.

"Dammit Kenshin, you coward! Come out here and fight me like a man!"

A large purple light shot out suddenly from the shadows, striking Tasuki full in the chest. He was thrown back and landed hard against the floor. It took him a moment to recover from the shock and then he was on his feet, his features contorted with rage.

"Are you so weak you gotta fight me from the shadows?" he taunted.

As if on cue Kenshin stepped into the light engulfed in the purple hued glow of an energy barrier. It surrounded his body like a shield and glinted off the shiny metal of his armour. A smirk spread across his lips as he took in the sight of the three warriors and their dead priestess. With a flick of his wrist he engulfed Nuriko and Hotohori in a barrier constructed out of his own spiritual power. Their bodies remained trapped, helpless to do more than watch the scene unfolding before them.

The smirk never left Kenshin's face as his attention turned from the trapped warriors to Tasuki.

"You are no match for me," he stated matter-of-factly.

Tasuki scowled at him, baring his teeth, "Yeah, yer probably right. But if I'm goin' down, I'm takin' you with me."

With a cry Tasuki leapt at Kenshin with his tessen blazing. The iron fan ricocheted off the demon's armour with a deafening CLANG! The shock of it reverberated up his arms in waves. He leapt backwards to shake feeling back into his numbed hands and readied himself for the next attack. Kenshin had used the opportunity to put some distance between them, which only aggravated Tasuki more.

"Stop running an' fight, you slimy bastard!"

Kenshin smiled and directed a ball of condensed energy at Tasuki. It moved too quickly for him to possibly avoid it and it struck him square in the chest. He was thrown back and skidded several meters across the floor before coming to a stop. Using his tessen as a prop, he grunted and pushed himself to his feet.

"That's all you got? I'm disappointed," he taunted him with a dark laugh. Sneering, Kenshin released another blast of energy. This one sent Tasuki careening hard into the floor. He skidded across it until his back connected with a stone pillar. He was slower to get up, but stubbornly rose to his feet.

"That one couldn't even keep me down," he remarked and focused his energy on remaining upright. The room was spinning and he blinked hard to bring Kenshin into focus. That last blast had knocked the wind straight out of him, but he refused to give up. Not until the bastard was dead at his feet.

"Give up now or your friends will suffer," Kenshin warned.

Tasuki ignored his threats and gripped his tessen tight, "Blah, blah, blah."

Kenshin lifted his hand into the air, palm upwards, and curled it into a tight fist. Tasuki understood at once what he was doing when he heard the screams of pain from behind him. Whirling around, he saw Nuriko and Hotohori writhing in pain. Tasuki eyes went wide. He'd already lost Miaka to this monster, would he now lose everyone else he cared for, too?

"Kill him, Tasuki!" Nuriko yelled, using every ounce of his willpower to overcome the torture.

Tasuki nodded and turned his attention back to Kenshin, "You won't break me, you bastard. Don't ever underestimate a Suzaku warrior!"

Kenshin almost looked disappointed, and then his eyes settled on Miaka's body. With a cunning look at Tasuki, he sent a blast of energy towards her. Tasuki broke into a dead run. This monster had tortured her for weeks. He was damned if he was going to let him do it again now that she was dead. He threw himself on tp of her just in time, absorbing the brunt of the blast.

Tasuki cried out is the electricity coursed painfully through his body, burning him from the inside out. When the crackling energy finally dissipated, he lay with his body draped over Miaka's panting heavily. Everything felt numb. Was he even still alive? He looked down with relief to see that Miaka had remained untouched. He'd finally done something right. Even if it was only sparing her body one last indignity at that monster's hands, it was something.

He heard Kenshin's boots on the marble floor, drawing closer. Let the bastard kill him if he wanted to. It'd be worth it if it meant he could be with Miaka again. Kenshin's boot connected painfully with his side and sent him flailing onto his back. He gasped as pain radiated through his ribs. Kenshin peered down at him looking positively satisfied by his current state. Tasuki stared back defiantly, daring him to make a move.

He knew what was coming next. There was no mistaking the murderous gleam in Kenshin's eyes. He only hoped it was quick. Tasuki closed his eyes in defeat and waited for the pain that would bring his deliverance. Instead he felt a soothing warmth envelop his entire body. Startled, he opened his eyes and saw the brilliant red glow of Suzaku's light.

Suzaku? he wondered as he studied the pulsing red mark on his arm.

His mind was spinning, desperately trying to understand. Was this what death felt like? Had Kenshin really done him in? He couldn't piece it together until he heard a sound that made his heart stutter inside his chest.

From out of the dark came a soft, painfully familiar voice, "It's over for you Kenshin. This time your fight is with me."