Before I begin I'd like to say thank you to everyone who's read, reviewed, and pretty much acknowledged this story's existence. It's been a long ride, and it's finally coming to a close. Please keep an eye out for the sequel. Unless I get any better ideas, it will be called "Kishins and Warlocks."

Badum...badum...

All he could hear was the sound of his heartbeat, slow and steady despite what had just happened. Everything seemed to move in slow motion around him. His breathing was harsh, but it was slowing. It was around then that he realized he was on his hands and knees. He lifted himself up and looked around slowly, taking in everything he saw. He was amazed at how clear everything seemed. Before him was the vampire, Dracula, with a smug grin on his face. Nearby there was a Witches soul foating above a puddle of blood. Behind him, he could sense human souls, and before him he could sense three: the soul of Dracula, the soul of Equis, which was very weak but still there, and a final soul overlapping Dracula's, merging with it. The was soul was almost pure evil. The Dark Soul.

"Erik..." came a small voice behind him, and he turned to see the still struggling (though not very hard) Liz. Minora held was still holding her back, but she had the same look of terror on her face. Danny stood just behind the raven haired girl with wide eyes. Behind them, Stein and Sid were standing at the ready, their weapons ready, and behind them were the others, all with looks of shock.

"His eyes..." Liz said weakly, referring to the way Erik's eyes had become a disturbing shade of blood red. But he didn't care. Only one thing was on his mind right now: hunger so intense he thought he may die. Dracula seemed to sense this.

"Come to me, child," he said, and Erik did so, much to the dismay of the girls behind him, both of whom reached out to him. He didn't notice. As he approached, his walk something like a drunken stumble, and stopped before Dracula his head held low. He could feel the power of his soul had increased by at least ten fold, but the hunger! He needed to eat, and the feel of the souls behind him was so...tempting.

"I can see the hunger in your eyes, Erik."

"How...do I...stop it!"

"In due time. Now tell me, what is your Dark Desire?" Erik stood and thought about it for a moment before he answered.

"Ever since I was released...I have been trying to escape my past...freedom...my Dark Desire...is freedom." As if the word had activated some innate power within him, his Dark Wavelength erupted, whipping his duster around him as it gathered on his back in the form of two pitch black bird wings.

"Freedom? Strange. No matter. From this point onward you shall be known...as The Fallen Angel, Erik Altezio! Come, my disciple, you've much to learn." Dracula said, turning and walking away, but Erik didn't follow. Dracula looked back at him and scowled.

"Disciple?" Erik laughed, looking up at the vampire with a smirk on his face, "You think that this changes anything? Besides," he raised his fist in front of his face, his wavelength gathering there and forming a visible purple aura, "How can I be free as your 'disciple'?" Then, he dashed, pushing himself forward with his wings. He was a blur, and Dracula hadn't been expecting it. He quickly allowed his barrier to come forth, more powerful thanks to the power of the Dark Soul, but to his dismay Erik passed through as if it didn't exist.

"Blast," he thought, dodging as Erik drove his fist at his foe, "Just as I thought, others like me can pass through my barrier. Nikolai was right..." Dracula fought back, slashing at Erik and catching him in the chest. Erik did a rather graceful back flip and landed in a kneel. His chest did not heal, but he didn't notice. Dracula smiled a wicked smile.

"Ha! Now that you have your own Dark Wavelength, you've lost the healing ability mine granted you!" He rushed then, slashing wildly in an attempt to cut Erik to pieces. Though he was new to his power, Erik seemed to know exactly what to do, and his wings moved forward to become blades lining his arms. He blocked Draculas attack and forced him back.

"C'mon, Count!" he crried in the vampires face, smiling wide. He was beginning to lose it, "You've gotta have more than this! Or is it that the Dark Soul you ate still haven't merged with your own soul yet?" Dracula gasped at this.

"That's right, I can see it!" Erik cried, pushing the vampire back and cocking his free arm back at the same time, "I CAN SEE YOUR SOUL!" Dracula knew it was coming, and he cursed the strength of a newly born vampire. Erik shot his hand forward and cried, "SOUL RIPPER!" Because of the Dark Perception, he was able to pry the Dark Soul away from Dracula's. The result was more explosive than he intended, and Dracula went flying back, but for some reason he was smiling.

"Good bye, Erik. We WILL meet again!" he cried, falling into a shadow and disappearing altogether. Erik tried to chase after but he didn't know how Dracula could manipulate the shadows in such a way. "Must be a vampire thing...I'll figure it...out..." Now that the battle was over, Erik found that the hunger was more prominent. He looked at the Dark Soul in his hand and smiled wide. "It would help with this hunger...and think of the power..."

BAM! BAM!

Erik looked over at the others to see Kid, holding only one pistol, it's barrel smoking. He had an almost angry look on his face. Liz jumped in his way and yelled, "Kid, what the hell?"

"He's a vampire now. Worse yet, he's got the Dark Soul. I can see it in the way he looks at it..at us...that he won't be able to control himself." Liz just looked at him angrily and stayed in his way, but it was Erik that spoke.

"He's right," he said, his voice hoarse as he fought the urge to eat the soul in his hand...to rampage the people he called friends, "I'm on thin ice, Liz..."

"Don't say that! Kid, can't your father work up a new Seal for him?"

"That won't work," Erik said, focusing now. If anything, he would destroy the Dark Soul before it could fall into the wrong hands...which were seeming to look more and more like his own. With a squeeze, he felt how weak it was, and he was amazed that something housing so much power could be so easy to destroy. But still...the temptation to eat it was becoming too great.

"Do it, Erik," came the voice of Stein, who was trying to light a cigarette with little success. It seemed his lighter had run out.

"You're strong, kid. Stronger than most of us here. Destroy it," continued Sid, crossing his arms. Soon, the others added their own support. Erik was touched, and their support gave him strength, and with a final squeeze the Dark Soul popped like a balloon, its energies dissipating almost pathetically. Minora and Liz both began to walk over to him.

"Stop! Don't come any closer!" he cried, clutching his head in his hands. Despite his small victory moments ago, the hunger was still there. And the closer they got, he could even smell them.

"But..." they both said in unison.

"Just...stay back..." he said, looking up at them, clearly able to see their souls. He knew he only had one choice at this point, and with an angry cry he spld carry read his wings wide and took off, flying through the hole in the wall and flying off as fast as his power could carry him.

Three Months Later

"Minora, what can I do for you?" asked Lord Death as the now Death Scythe (she had used Liliths soul for her Witches Soul) made her way to him.

"I want to...talk about Erik."

"I thought that might be the case. Minora, we've been over this, and I'm sorry. I've sent you on countless missions to find him, and still he remains hidden from us. Erik was a fine Meister, and his loss is hard on all of us."

"Please...one more time...I can even use the Dark Perception if need be."

"A dangerous thing to suggest, Minora. I'm sorry, but I'm afraid until theh Dark Wavelength makes another appearance, we have no leads. I truly am sorry..." Disheartened, Minora walked away. Outside the Death Room, she ran into Death the Kid. As she passed, he said nonchalantly, "Don't worry, Minora. We'll find him. Just give it time." She shook her head sadly and moved on.

Five Years Later

In Death City, Maka Albarn gave birth to a baby boy. She had been married to her husband, Soul, two years before, and they had decided the time was right. The boy had white hair like his father, but the pale green eyes of his mother. The doctor handed the new father his son, and he couldn't help but let a single tear roll down his cheek.

"Nice...cool guy," said Maka with a tired sigh.

"You did it...he's beautiful," he answered her as he gripped one of her hands. She squeezed it and answered, "No...we did it."

"What do you want to name him?" she asked as Soul handed the baby boy gently to his mother, whom looked at the baby fondly.

"I don't know. Something cool," he said with his classic shark toothed grin.

"Hmm...how about..." Maka said in thought, then it hit her, and her face lit up, "How about Altezio?"

"As in Erik Altezio?"

"Yeah why not? It's a cool name, and it seems fitting: he did give up his soul to save us." Soul seemed to think about it for a moment, then smiled and said, "Yeah...yeah I like it. Altezio Evans."

Meanwhile

Erik landed softly on the grounds of Castle Transylavania. He still didn't believe it, but he felt the presence of the Count here. Maybe it was residual, remaining after his long stay here. Unfortunately, this was not the case.

"The Fallen Angel returns. I told you we would meet again," the voice came as Dracula stepped out of the shadows. Overhead lightning flashed, and it began to softly rain over the two.

"Yeah yeah, whatever. I'm here for information."

"You mean training."

"Whatever." Dracula smiled at this.

"What, you think I would just hand over the secrets of our kind to you? Leave this place before I destroy you." Erik didn't waste time, and in seconds the two were airborn, with Eriks hand wrapped around the Counts throat. They were airborn only for a moment before Erik slammed Dracula against the castle wall. Erik looked at him with near pure fury and said, "Listen old man. I've beaten you once and I've only gotten stronger since then.

"A side effect of holding back the hunger no doubt. It gives you power...but takes your mind until finally you feed."

"Whatever. I know you rarely feed: people don't talk about you nearly enough for that not to be the case. I want to know how you can stand being around so many people without losing it. You WILL tell me."

"All right, all right. No need to be so hostile. I'll teach you what I know, and then you leave me in peace. But don't think this changes anything. One day I will kill you, or take your mind as I did Equis."

"Whatever."

Seven Years Later

Minora walked silently behind Lord Death. Antarctica was where she had felt the Dark Wavelength (Lord Death had developed a new eight part Seal that allowed her to use the Dark Wavelength at will) and she had finally convinced Lord Death to escort her on a mission to find him. The first time she had felt the Dark Wavelength turned out to be Count Dracula, and they had finished what they started so many years ago. Minora started when Lord Death stopped, catching her off guard and breaking her train of thought.

"Minora...he's close. You...know what we have to do if he attacks, right?"

"I know...I'm prepared to face that option."

"Good." he said, continuing. His prediction turned out to be true, and in moments they had come across a figure, sitting with his legs crossed in the snow. He seemed to be meditating.

"Hello, Death. Minora," Erik said to them as they approached. His eyes remained closed. He hadn't aged a day, and he still had the same sense of style, though it was obvious that his clothing and duster were new. He had cut the left sleeve off of the jacket. (As a fashion statement or something.)

"Hello, Erik," Lord Death began, "It's been awhile."

"Ten years. And in the last five, I've been here. The Count told me that the only way to sate my hunger would be to find a secluded place and wait it out. What better place than an arctic wasteland? Nobody around..." his eyes snapped open, still blood red, "until now. Why have you come?" At this point, Minora stepped forward and spoke.

"We've come to save you."

"Save me? What is there to save? I am what I am."

"We can help you!" she cried, "there's a new Seal that..."

"Enough, Minora," said Lord Death, "at this point the new Seal wouldn't do anything. Erik, I have only one question: can you control it?" There was silence, until Erik sighed sadly and stood, using his wings to lift himself into the air for a moment.

"No, I can't."

"That's what I feared."

"Don't lie, Kid," said Erik, "You knew how it would be before you came here." Lord Death sighed, then removed his mask, revealing that Death the Kid looked as if he hadn't aged any either.

"If you knew that it was me, then I take you know that my father has..."

"Faded? Yes, I know. Using the Dark Perception, I have seen the souls of millions...I've used it for so long that I've seen every soul in the world. I knew when your father faded...just like I knew when you finished off Dracula."

"Interesting. But we've wasted too much time. Let's get this over with. Minora?" Kid said, and Minora nodded sadly before transforming. Her Death Scythe form looked more deadly than her normal form, and Erik was impressed.

"Over the years, I've seen every soul in the world. And you know what the world looks like?"

"Enlighten me," said Kid as he prepared his strike.

my cool." At that, the two began to fight, neither giving or taking any ground from the other. Throughout the fight, Erik was reminded of when he fought Kids father. It seemed like a lifetime ago. "And...I hope it ends the same way," he thought sadly. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case.

"Kuh..." choked out Kid as Erik caught him around the throat and held the Death god high. Minora had reverted to her human form and was lying on the ground in a heap. Erik did not smile.

"I'm sorry, Kid...sorry that I couldn't hold back and let you win. My...power is too great to allow that...I suppose this is goodbye..." Kid looked at his old friend wth sad eyes.

"Soul...gah..." Erik stuttered as he felt a hand on the small of his back. He looked back to see Minora there.

"Soul...Ripper..." she said, and everything went black.

The Inner Chamber

Minora had never been here before. She was surrounded by darkness, and in her hand was a dark purple soul: Erik's soul.

"Hey, Minora," came his voice, and she saw him standing nearby, leaning against a wall of nothing it seemed. His smirk was present.

"Erik!" she cried, running to him. He didn't move as she wrapped her arms around him. She cried openly.

"I've...been...looking for you all this...time," she choked out between sobs.

"I know," he replied, grabbing her by the shoulders and holding her at arms length, "But you know I can't go back."

"But..."

"I can't. You know why you're here..." She kissed him then, something sloppy that he knew was coming. He didn't resist and they stayed like this until he felt himself begin to fade. He broke the kiss and chuckled before he was gone, leaving Minora with his soul as she fell to her knees.

Back in Antarctica

"Minora...get up you did it," Kid said as he helped the girl to her feet. He was rubbing his neck where there were small burns. Erik's power was enough to burn him, and that troubled him.

"Yeah..." she said sadly, looking at the body now laying in the snow and the soul in her hand, "but what do I do now?" Kid looked at her for a moment. The most logical course of action would be to destroy the soul, effectively ending the power of the Dark Soul. But he remembered what his father had told him about his own fight with Erik.

"He fought for a noble cause, even though it made him a monster," Lord Death had said. In that moment, Kid felt the same kind of compassion, and in a split second decision, he took the soul from Minora.

"Kid?" she asked, but he didn't reply.

"Father encased him in crystal...maybe I can do the same...only keep his soul and body seperate?"

Ten Years Later

Maka walked with her now five year old son into the Death Room. She wanted him to become a talented Meister or maybe, if he could become a Weapon (he hadn't shown any ability so far), a Death Scythe. And what better way to do so than to give him the grand tour of the place that could make that happen.

"Mommy, I'm bored!" he whined, but went silent as he saw the Death Room proper. Maka stepped forward and knelt for a moment.

"Lord Death, I'd like to introduce you to my son, Altezio." Kid turned around and chuckled warmly.

"But Maka, I've met your son before. And stand up. Friends don't bow to each other." It seemed that becoming Lord Death had helped to even Kid out, and he seemed calmer than usual. Altezio was not tugging on his mothers jacket and pointing up at a purple crystal hanging in midair.

"Mommy! Mommy! What's that?" he asked, and she knelt down, patting down his messy white hair.

"That? That crystal holds the soul of a very dear friend. You even got your name from him, you know?" The boy, too young to understand exactly what she meant, asked, "Was he a hero?" She smiled at this before looking up at the crystal herself.

"Yeah. He was."

That's it for the epilogue. Again, thanks to everyone who decided to share this journey with me. And now, a preview of the sequel! Huzzah!

Kishins and Warlocks

"Tez, watch out!" Ixion cried to his friend, who was currently airborn from the explosion from his attack. He hadn't meant for that to happen, but he supposed these things happened. Below the white haired Meister, black shadows were working their way up to him at breakneck speeds.

"Spell 076! Flash Bombs!" Ixion cried, the spell creating several balls of electric energy in his hands. He tossed them all at once in Altezio's direction. They exploded in a blinding flash of light between the Meister and the shadows, pretty much destroying the latter.

"Thanks Ix!" cried Altezio to his best friend as he began to fall. Unfortunately, the Glooming Witch had other plans, and more shadows shot out from her sleeves, wrapping around the boy as he hit the ground. His Weapon partner was pinned against his body as the witch squeezed, causing both children to cry out in pain.

"Let them go!" Ixion cried, electricity jumping from his fingertips. The Glooming Withc merely smiled an evil smile and said, "As you wish," before flipping the two back and launching them to the air. They collided with the wooden wall of the room and crashed through it, allowing the light of the day outside in.

"Tez! Karin!" Tez cried, reaching a hand out to the two, but they were gone. He looked over in anger as the Glooming Witch chuckled lightly.

"Well, if the initial impact didn't kill them...the fall down the mountain will. Poor things." Electricity flashed across Ixions eyes.

"Oh, are you getting serious now? It's about time," the witch said mockingly as Ixion crouched low, holding his hands to his sides as electricity began to arch back and forth from the ground and himself, creating a magic circle beneath him.

"Spell 13!"

And there ya go. Enjoy? 'Cause I'd like to know. Thank you all so so so SOOOO MUCH!