It's a slow fade when you give yourself away

It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray

Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid

When you give yourself away

People never crumble in a day

– Mark Hall

The Space Between Us

Kurama's POV

Winter is the most dreadful season of the year. True, the cold months have their purpose: a chance for the soil to find rest; trees absorb nutrients, and dormant seeds store energy for the arrival of spring. Normally, I welcomed the cold without complaint; however–

Now, it only served to hinder our progress.

Squinting against yet another gust of wind, I studied the surrounding mountains, tasting the crisp air through parted lips. Still, nothing; the landscape refused to change under my watchful eye and the stubborn snow kept its secrets, locking away any scents over a few hours old. Beneath the white folds, the plants of this region continued to rest, either uncaring or blissfully ignorant of my call. This, combined with the utter silence and blank canvas of the Himalayas left me feeling blind, deaf, and anosmic.

Thankfully, at least now I could walk.

"Kurama!"

The distant shout rang clearly in my ears, shattering the tranquility of the frosted air. Turning from the world of white and grey, I watched the growing form of a man approach, stumbling gracelessly through the snow. Kuwabara uncrossed his arms long enough to wave before hugging both limbs tightly against his chest, downy tufts parting at his knees. I raised my hand in return, offering him a small smile. Despite upcoming entrance exams for his college of choice, not to mention the unfathomable risks of this venture, Kuwabara had insisted on coming with us.

A pressure against my thigh wiped away the smile instantly and I slipped my right hand deep into my pants pocket. Various seeds sighed happily at my touch, though they were not my aim. Finally, callused fingertips brushed against a cool glass vial and I latched onto it, rotating the stoppered container gently as I watched Kuwabara's progress. The multiple layers cloaking his body made the going slow, and I heard more than a fair share of curses as he fell once, twice, three times. Normally, this would prove amusing, but the world appeared devoid of humor with the weight pressed against my hand.

"Any luck?" I asked as Kuwabara trudged to my side, hands tucked deep into his armpits.

He shook his head, bright pompadour wagging as he took a few steadying breaths. His face and nose were undeniably chapped, glowing red with the fresh breeze whipping around us. Sympathy welled as I took in my friend: every part of Kuwabara's body seemed to have doubled in size since he woke this morning due to the layers of thick garments protecting him from the worst of the chill; last I counted, he wore two pairs of socks, three pairs of pants, four shirts, along with heavy boots, a grey parka, as well as gloves made from alpaca wool. Still, were he an ordinary human he would have submitted to the subzero temperatures long ago. "No." He admitted, glaring at the snow. "I tried looking around the bottom of the mountain like you said, but came up with nothing – there isn't anything around here for miles."

"I see." My gaze returned to the horizon and I allowed my voice to trail off. The vial continued to tumble effortlessly between my fingers, a welcome distraction. "I came up empty-handed, as well."

Kuwabara grimaced as he followed my line of sight. "You still can't smell them?"

I shook my head, resisting the urge to tighten my grip on the slender glass. A week had passed since our only clue literally fell from the sky: one moment, I was sitting alone in Genkai's living room, reliving the scene from my worst nightmares; the next, a strange squawking sounded, followed immediately by the intrusion of a strange bird. The bird nudged open the shoji door without hesitation, waddling to my side before I could so much as blink. Upon examining the creature, I recognized it as a bar-headed goose, native to the central and southern areas of the continent. Just as Yusuke and Genkai came to investigate the source of the 'aggravating noise', I spotted the cloth knotted around the goose's leg. Ignoring Yusuke's questions, I removed the stained fabric only to stop mid-motion, mingling scents assaulting my senses. The soft blue cloth gave off the unmistakable aroma of moss and sunshine – which my mind instantly associated with Aaron – yet the dark smears marring the fabric shook me to the core, the scent as familiar as roses or old gold. It was a smell I'd faced too often over the years: first in the Spirit World, then the Demon World; at the Dark Tournament, as well as countless other instances; a scent I could never forget, even if I wanted to–

The sharp tang of Hiei's blood.

Kuwabara's teeth grinding against each other pulled me back to the present, and I glanced at him. My friend had grown yet again over the past few months; I doubted my human body would ever equal his impressive height. At some point during my reverie, his arms had fallen to his sides, where both hands were now clenched into tight fists. "I don't get it! Why'd the butterflies take Hiei with them, too? And why hasn't short-stack even attempted to reach out to us?"

I felt my eyes soften, watching as his shivers turned into rage-filled trembling. The day of the abduction, we did indeed catch up to Hiei and Aaron, but we could not reach them in time. Of all of us, Kuwabara was the only one who could sense the butterflies' presence, who felt their energy signatures as they closed in on the two of them. By the time we reached the plateau, it was too late: the butterflies were high in the air, our friends in tow; if Yusuke shot his Spirit Gun, both Hiei and Aaron would have been caught in the blast. So, we watched them fade into the distance, Hiei's sword the only thing left to hint at their presence.

Anger and guilt make horrible bed-fellows. No matter how we argued the contrary, Kuwabara continued to blame himself for their capture. He remained steadfast in his beliefs that if he'd voiced his concerns about taking Aaron to King Enma sooner, this never would have happened; if he hadn't dropped me in the snow, delaying our progress, we would have reached them in time. Somehow, the fact that he could feel the butterflies' presence when we could not translated into a warped sense of responsibilty in his mind, a feeling that he should have been able to stop Kain, but failed miserably. Since that day, Kuwabara's words remained few.

"My guess is Kain has somehow hindered Hiei's use of the Jagan and he cannot contact us." I replied, careful keep my voice level.

Beady eyes flaring, he turned, spouting, "But how? I've never seen anything that could stand against that creepy eye!"

"Most likely through wards." His face blanched, no doubt recalling the scars lining Yukina's arms. My mouth fell into an uncompromising line as I studied the mountains before us. "That's what concerns me, though."

"What do you mean?"

"The Jagan is powerful – even a room plastered from floor to ceiling with wards should not be able to fully incapacitate it." My brow furrowed, expertly concealed anger rising with each word.

"Then what can?" Kuwabara growled, raising his fists. "Spit it out, Kurama–"

I met his glare with one of my own. "If a ward is applied to a demon's flesh, it restricts our power – a single ward placed directly over the Jagan would be enough to suppress it."

He sucked in a short breath, holding it as he processed the words. I watched as images of Yukina's freshly burned arms ran through his mind, saw the greenish tint settle into his skin as he imagined the same phenomenon with Hiei, a tender eye replacing the flesh of an exposed wrist. When he regained a semblance of his former pallor, I continued. "I believe Hiei's flames and dragon are likewise hindered. Otherwise, he would have escaped with Aaron long before now."

Kuwabara remained silent for a few moments longer, staring at his still-raised fists. Finally, he lowered his arms, staring intently at the snow beneath his feet. "Can I see it?"

I nodded, bringing the hand holding the vial into the open air. The tainted cloth – our last connection to Hiei and Aaron – rested inside, safe from all that would contaminate the scents held within its fibers. Shortly after the goose gave away its treasure and departed, I suggested placing the fabric inside a container so no other scents would mingle with those already enshrined in the cotton. Although already well acquainted with the smell of Hiei's blood, I did not wish to chance relying on memory alone for this, especially since snow had the nasty habit of dulling one's senses.

He stared at the vial in his open palm, mouth set in a stern frown, memorizing every detail of the rusted smears. Although I was made keeper of the cloth, Kuwabara had asked to see it multiple times since its arrival: on the boat ride to the continent, aboard various trains, as well as during our runs when transportation was not available. Even after we reached our destination – the Himalayas – he asked for the cloth at least once a day. Each time, he stared only at the bloodstains, committing each to memory, just as he was now. The exercise seemed to sharpen his resolve, strengthen his determination in the search–

It was the only reason I allowed him to torment himself so.

Suddenly, I felt a shift in the breeze; a storm would soon be upon us. "Don't worry." I said, extending my hand palm-up. "We will find them."

He hesitated momentarily, but obediently returned the vial. "Are you sure we're even looking in the right place?"

"Quite." I silently slid my hand back into my pocket, tucking the glass safely into its hiding place. "The bird which delivered the cloth was a bar-headed goose, a species which inhabits these mountains."

"But how are we going to find Hiei and Aaron? Aren't the Himalayas huge?"

"Yes, they cover approximately fifteen hundred miles." A smile formed as he groaned; this was conversation we'd already navigated through a few times. "However, three key factors limit our area of search significantly."

He cocked his head, the fur lining his hood catching random snowflakes on the wind. "Like what?"

I held up a gloved finger, brown leather gleaming in the dimming sunlight. "One, the scent of snow clung to the bird, implying it came from a region covered in the substance. Two," A second finger joined the first, "Kain's stronghold would have to be large enough to accommodate his followers – possibly hundreds of butterfly children – while not drawing attention to itself. Many fortresses lay forgotten in the Himalayas, relics of wars long past. Finally," I swept my hand over the landscape below us. "While Kain can influence fauna, from what I understand, Aisuru's abilities are far superior to his. Thus, it's safe to assume he would take them somewhere with little to no plant-life."

Kuwabara nodded, though I saw doubt beginning to seep into his eyes. "But we've already been searching for three days–!"

"Patience." I placed the encompassing hand on his shoulder, giving it an encouraging squeeze. "From what Jin and Touya have said, we still have roughly three hundred miles to sort through."

"Don't remind me."

I turned, allowing my hand to fall away as another stiff gust blew from the south. "You might want to call the others. A storm is brewing, and from the lack of explosions I doubt Yusuke has found anything, either."

"R-right." He grunted, teeth chattering as he lifted the spirit whistle from within his his shirts. I covered my ears but otherwise did not slow my pace as Kuwabara blew, sending reverberating shrills into the otherwise quiet mountain air.

"Don' think I'll ever get used to th' thing!"

Jin's grumbling fell on deaf ears while his own sensitive appendages twitched, as if the whistle's cries still rang within them. I sighed, shrugging out of my coat and outer layer before placing them before the crackling fire. Even though most of our group could have easily continued the search despite the weather, we had Kuwabara to think of. So, with the nearest village fifty miles from here – in the direction of the blizzard, nonetheless – we decided to ride out the storm in a cave. Our shelter was by no means the safehouses Hiei and I established years ago, but it fulfilled its purpose well enough.

Kuwabara huddled next to the flames, shivering despite the layers of clothing and the fire. Yusuke stood adjacent to him, leaning against the wall, watching the white-shrouded opening with his arms crossed. Though the marks of the Mazoku faded the moment we entered this place, I could still feel the power shifting beneath his skin, warming him in a way the fire never could. Jin floated cross-legged in the air directly across from him, shaking snow from his unruly mane. The last member of our group, Touya, stood just inside the cave's mouth. One hand pressed to the cold stone, he watched the swirling snow and ice through frosted eyes.

"Aw, quit complaining!" Yusuke sighed, releasing more of his weight onto the rock at his back. "Do you have a better idea of how to contact each other?"

Jin's ears wiggled as he thought, rubbing his chin in contemplation. "Ah, go' it!" He snapped his fingers, grinning. "How 'bout I whip up a wind on our end, and Kuwabara flare 'is energy on theirs?"

"No." I shook my head. "We cannot do anything to draw attention to ourselves. As of right now, the only one who can sense the butterflies is Kuwabara; though since we have not come across them yet, it is safe to assume that Kain cannot sense us, either." A smile emerged for the well-meaning wind master. "We would lose the element of surprise through such rash tactics."

"Yah, s'pose so." Jin laughed, scratching the back of his head.

Touya and Kuwabara remained resolute in studying their respective elements, neither saying a word. After realizing the origin of the goose, Yusuke had been the one to suggest asking the former shinobi for help. With their powers, Jin and Touya held a definite advantage in this terrain, and their skill sets would doubtless help us find our friends. Yusuke asked Hokushin to contact them and within a few hours they emerged from a portal on Genkai's lawn, one sporting a wide grin, the other a somber frown.

Turning to the ice master, I asked, "Did you come across any members of the Spirit Defense Force?"

"No, but one is stationed close by." Touya replied, gaze fixed on the small blizzard. "He is cloaking his aura, but he cannot hide from the ice."

I nodded, sitting across from Kuwabara, hands extended towards the flames. As soon as news reached Koenma of the kidnapping, he recalled all of the Spirit Defense Force and terminated their orders. However, in response to the imminent threat of Kain, the young ruler posted the soldiers at various points both here and in the Spirit World. Even now, Koenma counted Hiei and Aaron as lost, readying his army for the attack he knew would come.

We, however, were not quite so pessimistic. "Keep me posted on his whereabouts, as well as any other Spirit World soldiers you see."

Touya's head dipped in a shallow nod before he refocused his attention on the swirling snow.

"So, what now?" Yusuke demanded, glancing at me. "This spot was a total bust, too."

"Not quite." I raised a knowing brow. "We now know they are not here, which is more than we knew this morning." Yusuke mumbled something about 'smart-alecky foxes' under his breath, though the ire didn't reach his eyes. "For now, we will continue searching in two teams: Jin, Touya, and yourself exploring the harder-to-reach areas while Kuwabara and I search elsewhere. We will cover more ground this way, and hopefully find them sooner."

"T'would've been easier if ya followed the bird." Jin offered, shaking his head.

"Hey, not everybody can fly like you, twinkle-toes!"

I held up a hand, quieting any further outbursts. "Regardless, we should get some rest. This storm doesn't look like it will subside anytime soon – we'll leave early in the morning."

After a moment's hesitation, Yusuke shrugged, sliding down the wall to lie on the floor. "Works for me."

Apparently, his lax stance proved to be more than Kuwabara could stand. "How can you sleep at a time like this?" He bellowed, turning on the demon lord. "We're tracking them through shorty's blood, Urameshi! For all we know, they're already–"

"Don't say it." Yusuke warned, fierce mahogany flashing in the firelight. "There's no way Hiei'd ever let that happen. Besides," He shrugged the tension from his shoulders like an old garment, cupping his hands behind his head. "I think you're underestimating them. Hiei survived Mukuro's training, remember? If Mr. Wings-and-things can top that, my hat's off to him."

Kuwabara's jaw tightened. "But, Urameshi–"

"Yusuke's right." Jin spoke up, fang pressed impishly against his lip. "Hiei's strong; ya don' have ta worry 'bout him!"

After a bit more persuading, Kuwabara finally relented. "He'd better not let anything happen to Aaron." He grumbled before laying down, curling up next to the fire. Within minutes, he was snoring next to Yusuke, both determined to deafen us with the obnoxious sound. Jin nodded off as well, though I could tell it was a light sleep by his continued levitation.

Touya glanced back to where I sat reclined against the wall. "You should get some rest too, Kurama – I'll wake you for the second watch."

Reluctantly, I nodded, slipping a hand into my pocket and closing my eyes. Eventually, the blizzard's wrath as well as the warm glass between my fingers lulled me to sleep, where dreams of red wings and blood-shed awaited.

Aaron's POV

Three weeks.

Three. Freaking. Weeks.

As if to mark the occasion, three children accompanied Kain today, each small face grimacing at the sight before them. Hiei hung unmoving, just as he did most days now. Lack of nourishment having long since eaten away what bit of fat clung to his body, hard muscles coated in grime and dried blood greeted his captors, though the well-sculpted frame did not appear as formidible as it did even a week ago. An unpleasant smell permeated the room – a mixture of sweat, dust, and waste – the source of which was the resolute man hanging before me. The second day of our captivity, I figured out what the empty buckets were for: when you've gotta go, you've gotta go, and after drinking a sip of water the urgent need to pee hit. Thankfully, the bucket was there and Hiei turned his head as I relieved myself. Later that day, a child came and dumped the container from the window, returning it to me without a word.

Unfortunately, in his suspended state, Hiei did not have the luxury of a bucket.

"Getrra lasye." The blonde girl hissed in disgust, nose crinkling as she glared at him. For his part, Hiei ignored her. Chin resting on his battered chest, eyes closed, he appeared oblivious to the world around him, lost to sleep–

Only I knew better.

Despite his carefully measured breaths and relaxed posture, miniscule details gave away Hiei's wakefulness, at least to the observant eye: the way the tips of his toes clung to the stone beneath him, offering what relief they could to his burning shoulders; the rigidity of his back, straight as an arrow, ready for the impending strike; the white-knuckled fists clenched far above his head, containers of the bitter hatred and rage birthed from weeks of humiliation. I noticed all of these things as I watched him, tight-lipped, listening as the children discussed the games for the day in the sing-song tongue I barely understood.

Suddenly, the hairs on my nape stood on end and a shiver ran up my spine. Turning, I suppressed a shudder as I saw Kain's gaze fixed on me. In that moment, I knew:

He'd noticed Hiei was awake, too.

Before I could dwell on it, the children broke off their discussion, surrounding Hiei in a loose semicircle. Waath positioned himself on the fire apparition's right, while the blonde girl and ginger-haired boy took their places before and beside their plaything. Even with her back to me, I could sense the girl's anger as she extended sharp nails, curls fluttering with the fresh draft of cold air. Sky-blue wings poised, she readied herself to strike and subtle maple hit me square across the face. With her scent came tattered memories:

Emerging from the cocoon, she fell into my arms. She yawned as I wiped her clean of birth fluid, wide eyes blinking, wings unfurling slowly against her back. Such a tiny baby, yet her smile reminded me of the sun, bright and brimming with hope . . . She scrambled across Senshi's broad shoulders, tugging at his hair, weaving fragrant flowers into the rusted-gold locks. She laughed, falling with flailing arms into his waiting lap, beaming up at her big brother. Her hand – so tiny in his – wrapped around his index and middle fingers, urging him to play . . . Her screams rang clear as our home burned. Fear marred her face as Senshi carried her along with three other children, her eyes reflected the roaring flames. Despite both mine and his comfort, she continued to scream, burying her face against his neck. Young as she was, she knew what fate awaited us as the soldiers pursued–

She knew we were going to die.

Her name came easily, then – Arhou. Arhou glanced first at Waath, then her younger brother – Ceku – before returning her attention to the man before her. Though she appeared to be only eight years old, her authority over the two boys was evident as they mirrored her movements, readying their claws, prepared to strike.

Before she could give the command, however, slits of red appeared on the face of their prisoner. Hiei regarded her beneath black lashes, gaze impassive, listless, and unimpressed. His body still bore evidence of yesterday's torment – with each passing day, he took longer to recover – yet he seemed completely unaffected by his inflamed skin and half-healed bones. Arhou fidgeted under his veiled stare, gritting her teeth at the lack of fear in his eyes.

Finally, she snapped and leapt forward, the other two following in her wake. Steaming blood arced through the air, splattering across the floor, the walls, the hay, a few drops even landing on my cheeks. I screamed as they slashed away but the children remained deaf to my cries, cruel smiles twisiting their mouths as they continued their new-found time, they made decisive cuts rather than carelessly butchering his body, each swipe rewarding them with a steady flow of blood. After a few minutes, I realized the children were deliberately slicing open Hiei's veins while avoiding major arteries, all while Arhou kept constant watch on his face. Red cascaded down his arms, chest, stomach and neck, though his eyes never flickered nor hardened in pain. The pointed glare made it clear – he refused to show her any sign of weakness.

Eventually, though, those ruby slivers grew hazed, glassy, and coral appeared drop-by-drop. Sooner than I expected, Hiei's eyes rolled into the back of his head and his chin crashed into his chest; all of his weight descended onto his arms and shoulders, making him bleed all the more. Only when he passed out did the children stop.

"Two hundred and thirty-four." Kain nodded approvingly, smiling at the blood-soaked children. "I must say, I'm impressed – I did not expect him to last that long."

Two hundred and thirty-four. A simple number, spoken with the awe of a parent congratulating their child on acing a test; as if uncountable purple and black blemishes weren't forming under Hiei's skin, as if his lifeblood wasn't leaking onto the floor before my eyes.

I swallowed past the lump in my throat, struggling not to gag on the sharp copper coating the air. Really, after all this time I should have been used to it, but the smell of Hiei's blood still made me sick. I could somewhat handle the beatings – pretend they were happening to someone else, or were part of our training – but his blood always made the marks cry out: outraged, possessive, ready to fight; only I couldn't fight, I couldn't do anything but scream.

Kain noticed this, too, and drew blood every day, now.

For his part, Hiei didn't say anything about my screaming and showing 'weakness' – he didn't say much of anything, anymore. After our first night here, he began slowly pulling away, short conversations giving way to non-committed grunts until silence reigned in our prison, broken only by my screams and Kain's laughter. Hiei's fire still resided inside my mind, tucked in every corner of my consciousness, though even that appeared more instinctual than anything else. Some days, the intensity of the flames was all that assured me he was alive, the days when his bruised lungs could barely draw breath and he would not respond to even the most brutal of punishments.

Today marked the fifth day of silence, and I missed his voice.

"Arhou, accrroad hes kapa."

Arhou scowled at Hiei, but didn't dare disobey the Monarch. As she reached for the bucket of water tainted with red drops at his feet, I reached out to touch Hiei's mind. Even in sleep, his walls remained firmly in place, held together by sheer stubbornness and force of will. I pressed harder, navigating the heavy-headedness of blood loss as I tried to reach him, tried to warn him about what was coming. Of course, this didn't work any better today than it normally did. I couldn't reach him – he wouldn't let me. He didn't want to be found, though through the marks I saw what he felt most deeply, the subconcious thoughts which plagued him at all times: there was the expected simmering rage and desire for revenge, the absolute need to burn this place and everyone in it to the ground; there was the fierce possessiveess mixed with a tinge of unease, the needle of fear which refused to dissipate, no matter what he did. Also, there were the simple one-worded thoughts that flowed through his mind non-stop, day and night; thoughts which gave him the strength to endure this nightmare: protect remained the most prominent, a constant undercurrent to the rest; save came next, accompanied by an almost frantic inadequacy and wrenching desperation; comfort soon followed, interwoven with the flames coursing through my brain and his stoic silence; and finally, there was mine. Mine–

Always mine.

"Stop!" I cried as the girl rose into the air, bucket in-hand and Hiei's hair twined between her fingers. The chain caught as I lunged for her, shocking my body with the now-familiar icy pain and stoppering my voice. Arhou glanced back, eyes roving between me and Hiei, settling on first my wings then the mark on his shoulder. Ultimately, she appeared dissatisied with what she saw because she turned away, lips curled back in disgust.

"Getrra." She whispered, plunging his head into the water.

Hiei jolted awake instantly, bucking against the little girl's grip. Arhou held firm, pushing down until the bucket's rim pressed against his throat. Water sloshed to the floor and down Hiei's chest and shoulders as he struggled, bubbles billowing to the surface at breakneck speed. I watched as fear overrode every other thought, memories of falling from the ice village and into a swift river in Demon World playing over and over in his mind. His first experience with water nearly killed him, the unforgiving liquid filling his lungs and drowning out his screams; he'd been restricted with swaddling cloths, much like the chains and wards bound him now. If that giant hand hadn't scooped him from the river, he surely would have drowned–

He needed someone to save him, now.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I withdrew from the churning water and his strangled screams until only his flames were left. With a silent prayer, I continued to retreat, calming my breath and mind just as Kurama had taught me for meditating. I willed myself to pull away from the world, clinging only to the fire encasing my mind and turning towards my innermost parts. The marks called me a coward, each demanding I fight for him, for my mate, but I knew I couldn't. I wasn't strong enough:

But I knew who was.

Focusing only on breathing, I allowed myself to slip away, to fall into the place where she resided. She materialized out of the darkness, petite frame encased in golden armor, red cloak draped around her shoulders, similar in shade to Hiei's eyes. A halo of fiery curls encompassed her head before falling past her waist, adding an ethereal pallor to her skin. Delicate wings nearly twice her size kept vigil at her back, black and blue scales shimmering despite the lack of light. A thin nose, angular features, and intelligent olive eyes greeted me as I stared openly at her. She smiled, though it did not quite reach her eyes.

"So, you have come."

I swallowed, forcing myself to maintain eye contact. So, this was the woman Spirit World feared, who Kain wanted at all costs – the reason Hiei was slowly being tortured to death. Some part of me recognized this as our first meeting, though it felt like I'd known her much longer, as if we'd always been together. Next to her, I felt small, insignificant; my twenty-some odd years nothing compared to her untold millenia of experience. Tenaciously clinging to life no longer seemed important: it would be so easy to go back the way I came, to forget ever seeing her; or, better yet, to bow out, disappear, to extinguish like a vapor in the wind–

The flames curling between my fingers rebelled at the thought, reminding me of my purpose here. "Please, help him!"

Aisuru lifted a curious brow, though otherwise her expression did not change. "Do you know what you ask of me?"

Cold desperation hit as I watched Hiei's throbbing fire dim ever-so-slightly, oranges, reds, and yellows suddenly slowing their delicate dance. "Please, you have to help him! He'll die if you don't!"

She traced slender fingers against the sword strapped to her side, considering. "I told Hiei if I ever emerged again, there would be no stopping the process. If I grant your request, there will be no turning back – Kain will achieve his aims and you will disappear."

I ground my teeth, watching the flames flicker and fade further, shrinking in my hands. If Aisuru didn't help, Hiei would die. Kain wouldn't stop until he was dead, regardless of whether she fully awakened or not:

That thought scared me worse than dying.

"Will it happen all at once?" I asked hesitantly, unable to bring myself to meet her gaze.

Aisuru's armor sang as she placed her hand beneath my chin, lifting my face so we stood eye-to-eye. "No, as with most things, the change will come little by little. However, once begun, the transformation is irreversible – if you choose this path, you will die, little one."

Her tender touch and warm tone were oddly comforting, reminding me of bygone days when our mother would tuck us in at night after reading a bedtime story. "Can you save him?"

"Yes, but that changes nothing – your outcome will be the same."

Yes. I felt myself relax against the soft leather of her glove, taking in the smell of crushed lavender emanating from her skin. She could do it – Aisuru could save Hiei. In the end, that's all that mattered. "That's okay."

Surprise registered, briefly raising both of her eyebrows before something akin to confusion invaded her features. "Why are you willing to throw your life away?"

I gripped the waning flames tighter, allowing each tongue to wrap around my fingers, wrists, and arms. My body relaxed as Hiei's essence flooded my senses, calming, vibrant – grounding. "He's all I have. My parents, Asher . . . Everyone else is gone. I like Yukina, Yusuke and Kuwabara, Kurama – everyone I've met through him – but they're Hiei's whole world, his family." The fire arched against the mark on my palm, sending pleasant shivers down my spine. "He has so much to live for, so many people who love him." My voice trailed off as the flames reached out and touched my lips, reminding me of his fiery touch a lifetime ago in the cave. Shuddering, I dared to look her in the eye. "I can't let him die here, chained and beaten like an animal – he deserves so much more than that."

After a moment, she nodded, lowering her hand from my face only to press it against my chest. My heart fluttered in response to her touch while the marks throbbed, rebelling against the foreign invasion. Everything within which cared about self-preservation urged me to bolt, to slap away the hand shrouded in light, to ignore the warmth of her palm and how strangely right this felt. Of course, I did none of those things; didn't even try:

Saving Hiei was more important.

"Promise me." I whispered as the fire slipped from my grasp, washed away by the beating of our hearts. Everything was fading, colors smearing together into a useless grey – I wouldn't be able to stay here much longer. "Promise me he'll live."

Aisuru shifted closer until her cloak was all I could see, veiling my sight in a sea of red. Hiei's ruby eyes came to mind then, clinging to me in a way his fire never could. My chest seized as her fingers slipped effortlessly into the cavity; there was no pain, only that warm light and a sense of purpose.

"I promise."

All at once, we were back inside the barracks. Arhou still held Hiei's head firmly in place, though his resistance had considerably weakened. Submerged up to his ears in icy water, only his neck and shoulders attempted to rebel against her grip, and even their jerks were slowing. I watched all this in horror, but for some reason I couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't scream. Aisuru was in the driver's seat now, and she opted to straighten my back, observing her daughter with practiced poise. As the bubbles across the surface reduced to a mere handful and I feared she'd forgotten her promise, Aisuru spoke. "Arhou, endia!"

Much like the night Hiei gave me the second mark, I acted as an observer in my own body. My lips moved, though they spoke her words; my voice sounded, but she controlled the tone and pitch. I watched her watch the children through my eyes, feel the cold stone beneath her with my skin; raw power coursed through my body, staying just out of reach, strange yet wonderful – her power.

Only his flames kept me from becoming lost in her.

Arhou froze. Fingers still twined in Hiei's hair, holding his head underwater, she turned to look at me, eyes wide. What she saw must have shocked her further, for her mouth fell open, cherub lips forming a soft 'o'. Waath and Ceku wore similar expressions as they stared along with their sister. Even Kain appeared surprised, shifting his attention from Hiei for the first time today.

Aisuru wasted no time issuing another command, though as she moved my lips her words were not rushed, her posture regal. "Endia." She repeated, voice unwavering, gaze fixed on Arhou. "Pat ther lasye."

The girl obeyed immediately, releasing her respective holds before clasping her hands to her chest. A muted clatter and resounding splash sounded as the bucket dropped to the floor, rolling apathetically away before stopping against the wall. Arhou blinked once, twice, lips quivering as hope slowly dawned in her eyes. "Marta?"

Aisuru did not smile at the recognition. Instead, she fixed my eyes on Hiei, who I realized with rising panic wasn't moving. Steam rose from his body as excess water dripped from his face and hair, though no frosted trail appeared where his breath should have been. His eyes were closed, blue lips parted, as if in sleep, body sagging without resignation against his binds. "Mea khal hes. Yanje yos marta khal hes."She shifted my gaze to take in each of her children in turn, mouth set in an uncompromising line. I could feel the love brimming in her soul for each one, but she did not let it show – their compliance was far more important right now. "Knawa?"

All three nodded, awestruck. Slowly, their mouths closed to form smiles for her, eyes shining with unadulterated happiness which only children possess. For a moment, I thought they would flock to her, cling to my body in desperate embraces, anything to be near her–

But then Kain laughed, and shattered the tranquil atmosphere. "So, you've come at last."

Instantly, each child's smile disappeared as they moved away from the Monarch, placing themselves in a triangle formation around me. Kain smirked as he made his way to Hiei's side, admiring the children's handiwork. "They're really quite remarkable, your children – you have trained them well." He continued, running the back of his fingers across Hiei's pale cheek. The marks cried out at the touch, but Aisuru refused to move, regarding Kain with emotionless eyes. "They will do anything for their mother, even torture an innocent man . . . Such loyalty. You must be proud."

Before she could respond, he pulled the offending hand away only to ram it into Hiei's gut. Ruby eyes shot open and Hiei immediately gagged, coughs racking his chest as water spewed from his mouth. My heart stopped as I watched him retch, his body refusing to stop until every drop was expelled. Finally, he fell back against his restraints, taking air into his lungs in short, infrequent gasps.

Kain's smirk morphed into a smile as he walked to my side, heedless of Hiei's broken growl. "You always have been soft, Aisuru." He whispered, regarding her – because he had eyes only for her – an indiscernible expression on his face. Something similar to malice gleamed in those violet depths. "Children, regardless of whether they were your own, have always been your weakness."

Images of a smoking city filled my mind, the beginnings of yet another memory. Without warning, Aisuru began to slip away. "Sik yora." She hissed, voice low, regarding each of the four butterflies in turn.

The children obeyed immediately, flitting through the window without a second glance. Kain, however, lingered at the stone opening, gaze focused on Hiei. Hiei had regained control of his breathing, though he couldn't muster the strength to pull himself all the way up. Instead, he glared at his captor through slitted eyes, determined not to lose the fight against exhaustion.

Even though Kain's attention remained on the man before him, when he spoke, I knew without a doubt his words were directed at me. "You've made a wise choice – it won't be long, now."

Without another word, he flew from the room, crimson wings casting scarlet waves across the stone.

A/N: Hello, everyone! Hope you're all having a wonderful week! I wanted to incorporate something sweet into this chapter because Valentine's Day is tomorrow, but it just didn't happen. There is definitely lovey-dovey here – it's just bittersweet. This chapter was challenging because of the internal back-and-forth with both Kurama and Aaron, though admittedly the two scenes with Aaron and Aisuru were the trickiest to write.

Thank you all for reading, favoriting, and following this story! We're getting close now, but are still a few chapters away from the end. What's been your favorite aspect of "Black Angel"?

As always, the butterfly tongue is Hymmnos, which belongs to the Ar Tonelico games.

BelleFairy13: Yes, Kain is indeed cocky and playing with fire. How long until he burns? We shall see! :)

So, the rescue squad is getting closer, but Aaron's just made a (symbolic) deal with the devil! Can the guys save them before it's too late? Is there truly no way to stop Aisuru from awakening? Tune in next week to find out! Reviews appreciated!