Echelon

by Nur Misurr

Rank and title overpower free country ideals, often dividing families, even lovers for centuries. Haruka/Juuri & Kaname/Yuki.

52. The Final Crossing

o o o

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The Final Crossing

o o o

The wolf crouched and bared fangs toward the assailing pureblood. A direct grab from behind immobilized the target. Saliva dribbled down from its mouth, as the shadow wolf growled with an itch to kick off the white sand and throttle toward the cursing pureblood.

Kaname was in no mood either. He glared at the male brutally slathering words of hatred in his lover's ear. She grunted, and in a span of seconds, kicked him on the shin, twisted his arm, but she did not release him. No, Yuki burnt with rage hotter than the violet sea.

Kaname clenched his jaw and watched in bated breath. She was powerful, she had to remember no noxious driven pureblood had the right to disempower her. The shadow wolf on his right growled louder by the growing second.

"Stay." Kaname commanded without looking away from Yuki in the slope below.

They'd found a perfect perch to watch the scene unfold. When deemed appropriate they'd swoop in and blast the infuriating pureblood attempting to put his hands—fangs—things—inside Yuki. Kaname clenched his fangs in frustration, his eyes reddening, his lungs could've incinerated in his chest. He was having a harder time holding back than Kage beside him, but he promised not to intervene.

"Your mother needs to do this, Kage," Kaname gritted his fangs.

Yuki glared at the pureblood she'd tossed on the ground. Still gripping his sleeve, she cracked and broke his fingers. His scream echoed around the wilderness.

Kaname watched indifferently until she slugged her molester. She didn't stop and ripped into his chest. Her claws sharp and burning with poison as she yanked his heart right before his eyes and held it up, shredding to pieces.

The pureblood had stopped breathing, his eyes swallowed back and the rest of him plummeted to ashes.

Yuki flung her hands around her thighs in vain, wringing blood from fingers. She sensed movement and turned, glaring at the clearing over the slope, only dark shrubs flanked her sight. She sighed back at the ashes on the floor.

She wouldn't let another terrorizer touch and haunt her will. No one deserved to drink her blood or see into her memories, caress her body and fill her heart. No one but Kaname — her Kaname. The dimension needed to see that fact. She was forever his, and if another arrogant pureblood thought otherwise, she'd happily chisel his heart out of his chest. It was vengeance talk but Yuki couldn't walk around the dimension like friendly and carefree anymore.

She'd peaked, her pheromones and powers as well, which lured unnecessary pesky males. Time to not be terrified and implement her powers. She was just as much as supernaturally inclined as Kaname and he never fidgeted from killing her attackers. She would be his wife and bare their children. She needed to outsmart vindictive purebloods and protect their future. The safety of the villa was nice, but she operated from freedom and adventure and couldn't bear staying locked indoors all the time.

Yuki barged into Seiren's quarters to find the pale-haired pureblood pacing as she looked over a paper. Her scanning eyes briefly landed on Yuki to return to the paper but she stopped, alarm colored her cheeks bright red.

"Did you do it?" Seiren tossed the paper on the desk and approached her worriedly.

Yuki continued shaking her hands free of blood. "Fifth one. I'm getting better if I do say so myself." She smiled confidently.

Seiren brushed dark hair from her wet cheeks. "The Imperial Lord ordered the attackers to stop, there're more girls around."

"Endangering innocent girls doesn't make me feel better," Yuki aired dispassionately, "Why are they acting like this?"

"You're of age," Seiren squeezed her arm and guided her to a chair. She dodged out of the sitting area and disappeared into a corridor. She returned momentarily with towels and a bowl of water. Quickly she began to slough the bloodstains from Yuki's cheeks, none were hers, fortunately. "Male purebloods haven't been around females with power like yours. You're at the ripe age to bear children. If they can't have your blood, they'll force you—"

Yuki shuddered, "I get it, I get it." She averted, "You warned me before. How come Kaname isn't acting crazy?"

Seiren composed her self and stared down the nose at her, "You mean he doesn't surprise you when you're bathing or make keeping your clothes on arduous?"

"Oh, that's not unusual," Yuki blushed deeply despite her calm words, "He's always like that. I thought he'd tie me to the bed or burn every article of clothing in my closet so I'd be forced naked and never leave his sight," She contemplated and realized, "No, he did that at the sky castle."

Seiren had caught them redhanded a number of times, each incorrigibly scarring than the last. She preferred they maintain their activities in the sky castle, far from the villa. Now that she knew they were together amidst wedding preparations, she wasn't concerned as she used to be. Kaname shielded Yuki from misery of attacks. It relieved Seiren the pair remained balanced with no symptoms of separating from one another. The better choice was Kaname who went out of his way to put together an extraordinary wedding dress for Yuki, which she had no clue about.

"The sky castle seems to be the best place to hide. Have you given any thought about the wedding ceremony?" Seiren asked.

Yuki rummaged the towel against her cheek while she considered the preparations. The invitations had been sent, thanks to Seiren. The imperial palace was ready and waiting. In a matter of hours she'd declare her heart, body and soul to her Kaname in front of the entire dimension with the Imperial Lord solemnizing their wishes to mate only to each other and no other pureblood. She only wanted him. Now that it was about to happen she wondered if they'd ever change their minds? Eternity was forever. Something happened that they'd break and betray each other? Could it be possible? Their balance asunder, promises retracted, and a life of feud waiting on Seiren to put them both down.

A chill slithered into her soul, freezing her mind and heart altogether.

Seiren nudged her shoulder. "What're you thinking?"

Somberly Yuki looked over the pureblood, the highest in command among purebloods, a woman. "You were afraid we'd break and hurt each other. If I ever do something terrible to him, to both of us, please stop me, Seiren."

Seiren smiled, "You proved that you won't be reckless. He means a lot you and you won't risk hurting the future of your children — whenever that will be."

When she'd become pregnant, Yuki'd give birth in the palace with Seiren and the Imperial Lord for the child's safety. She wasn't sure about the rest but Kaname would have better ideas to ensure the protection of their family. They may stay in the sky castle, the villa, or the palace. Until the child learned to use his or her powers, they could lower their guard around the dimension.

"Kaname has the ceremony planned out. I have nothing to do. I was thinking of making our marriage bed special, any ideas?"

Seiren concealed her blush by turning away, "Anything you give him will impress him."

Yuki had several ideas from toys to elaborate clothes but nothing would surprise Kaname. He liked to read and illustrating her devilish notions in his books would ignite his esteem. What he liked—loved—was her coming undone by him. How no one else could please and make her cry out better than he did and make her irretrievably addicted to him. The possessive pureblood wanted her to tremble solely for him in pleasure.

She licked her lips in anticipation, missing him against her skin, upon her bones, in places where he belonged. Yuki let out a pent up sigh and stood from the chair. She needed to go to him at once and express how widely and deeply he was missed.

After bidding Seiren goodbye, Yuki merged in the outer corridors of the palace and paused on Lord Daiji scowling as he approached Kaname's hall. He was privy to Kaname's projects and knew what kept her lover gone for years. She hurried toward the pureblood vampire.

Reader of the stars, Lord Daiji stopped on his track to spy the dark-haired advancing. He gulped widely and plunged his claws behind him. "Lady Yuki, what brings you here?"

"Is Kaname back from his secret trip?" Yuki grinned up at yellow-haired pureblood.

The pupils in his green eyes dilated, taking in her red cheeks and eyes, her beating heart loud in the background as she stood and smiled. She looked young, but she was older than most. Her heart was a force of pureblood power. Her blood, sweeter than the waters in the dimension. The ripest and beauteous of fruits, perfect in its perfection, absolutely delicious for devouring. He clenched his claws and grounded his fangs to fight the instinct from grabbing her sleeve or running a hand on her supple cheeks.

"What secret trip?" Lord Daiji continued memorizing the bright colors bathing her hair and twinkling across her red eyes.

"The one where Kaname returns from pretending like a good boy gone flower-picking." Yuki pointed at the lord accusingly, "I'm on to you."

He doesn't deserve you.

Lord Daiji clenched his jaw tightly.

All your blood, all that power is wasted on him.

Lord Daiji shrugged and forced a chuckle, "I have no idea what you mean. He hasn't done anything of the sort."

"If you don't tell me where he went I'll set fire to the hall." Yuki turned toward Kaname's cherished building, "You want research worth thousand of years to burn into crisp, Lord Daiji? Now tell me where he went."

"I swear," Lord Daiji innocently waved his hands to ward off her questions and in placation, "He hasn't been anywhere today. He's occupied with ceremony preparations. Shouldn't you also get ready?"

"There're things I want to say to Kaname." Yuki mumbled.

Things that did not involve talking and clothes.

She stared around the courtyard as if wishing him before her eyes would do the trick.

Lord Daiji narrowed his eyes cunningly at the pureblood. "I will make sure he gets your message when he comes around."

If he ever does.

His green eyes flickered greedily over Yuki one last time before turning away.

Yuki pouted at the departing pureblood.

She found Kage eagerly waiting at the villa. He charged toward her, galloping into her arms and promptly sending her to the ground. Yuki didn't care and rolled with the wolf. He was Kaname's shadow that bore his scent and heat, which she loved beyond reason. The behemoth wolf panted over her and she mindfully scratched him on the head.

"I didn't go too far, I promise." Yuki patted his pate, "Is your father inside?"

Kage stirred and hopped over, prancing back into the villa. Yuki collected to her feet and started inside.

o o o

Kaname mused over the chocolate-haired vampire of equally dark eyes and long lashes. The pureblood vampire flashed him an innocent row of fangs and bowed.

"Master!" The tall pureblood continued bowing.

He didn't like being bowed to but it didn't suffice why the action was weirdly familiar. Kaname continued to hold his fist against his mouth. His eyes narrowed into sharp black lines, his lashes protruded. Being abruptly summoned to the palace on an unforgettable day was understandable, so he didn't think much of it. Standing alone in the gold hall with a boy pureblood wasn't exactly what he had in mind.

He imagined the Imperial Lord advising him on being a good husband, letting Yuki win arguments, killing belligerent purebloods who tried to eat her and their future children. New protocols would be required and the power struggle in the dimension would continue to be a problem. Kaname brushed past the boy as if he weren't there and stopped at the Imperial Lord's table.

"The hall looks dead for a wedding." He remarked.

"The ceremony is in the next hall," The Imperial Lord provided, "Where servants await. Are you having second thoughts?"

"Absolutely not."

Imperial Lord gestured toward his expression, "Shouldn't you look happy?"

"Because a minor inconvenience needs to go away," Kaname had gone over the session in his mind, the words—vows—and making Yuki completely his while the male population watched. "The surprise I've been working on isn't finished. There's a star out of reach I need to add to her dress. Lord Daiji's calculations are impeccable, it'll take long coming back."

The Imperial Lord waited stoically, "Is this your way of telling me you've been sneaking out of the dimension for a bunch of stars? Are the stars in our dimension not good enough?"

"Yuki has a crown with our stars," Kaname replied, "I want her to look beautiful."

"Since it is your wedding day," Traveling between worlds was dangerous. The Imperial Lord was not openly lenient, but it was Little Light's quest, "Go."

The chocolate-eyed pureblood glided beside Kaname. "My lord, is there anything I can do to help?"

Kaname threw the bizarre pureblood a cold look. "Lord Daiji's calculations never fail me, I'll be back." He turned and strolled out of the hall.

The Imperial Lord waited after Kaname's shadow disappeared from the corridor. He relaxed on the throne, arms stretched along the rest and sighed aloud. The wedding would start real soon, once Kaname returned he'd bind dark and light forever.

He glanced at the pureblood boy, "No-creature."

Suki bowed promptly, "Yes, my lord?"

His cluster of dark hair and deep brown eyes were becoming and naive-like, but he was tall and pale like the rest. It was impossible to detect his previous identity from his looks alone, which he'd made on purpose. Kaname even failed to recognize him, let alone register the creature's scent. It hadn't been long since he gave him a healthy pureblood body and allowed him to blend amongst palace workers, running errands. The boy turned out better than expected.

"Even though Little Light doesn't consider your family, Little Dark looked after you and hoped the best for you."

Suki recalled attacking Yuki in the wilderness and Kaname felt obligated to obey her merciful request. He lingered smiling and scratched the back of his neck. It felt silly now that he was a pureblood. He didn't feel hungry or hatred toward the world or vampires. The immaterial plane was extremely ruthless. He now understood why power was vital, more than camaraderie. Power kept them alive. It wasn't easy being a pureblood, always watching over one's back in fear of someone's attack, eat or be eaten. When he was a creature of the void, a bubble of emptiness, wasting away, his focus was consuming and quelling an emptiness that was eternal as the day in the dimension.

His hunger was solely to feed his stomach, and he enjoyed feeling full after drinking blood. He couldn't have become a pureblood without his mistress's help. Today was a great day for her and he wanted to stay close and available to help with any task.

"I'm grateful to mistress's kindness. Master intimidates only because he's protective of her." Suki acknowledged.

The Imperial Lord slowly nodded, "Light is an entirely different person once he trusts you. And dark, well," He sighed, "She'll love you her whole life if you just let her."

Suki boyishly smiled. "I've never seen purebloods closer to each other than master and mistress. Mistress must be excited about today."

The lord sat up alertly, noticing him in another light, "You can slip between spaces in the universe."

Suki nodded diligently, "I can merge with any shadow in any corner or realm."

"Including the human world."

"Indeed, my lord."

The Imperial Lord stared where Kaname had disappeared. "Little Light left the dimension to grab a star. Why don't you follow and see he returns safely? Be his best man, so to speak."

Suki's eyes widened vibrantly, as if he had been honored a gift. "Can I?"

The Imperial Lord motioned toward the doors. "Hurry."

Suki darted out of the hall in Kaname's direction.

o o o

Bats slicked white blotches of cold wind, fusing out of distinct patterns famous in the pureblood dimension. He could see the mortal world farther at the lowest point. The flurry of bats cascaded higher past the nexuses of angels, avoiding their border completely unlike the last several times he'd ventured to steal the globes of hot pressurized light and acid from their respective atmosphere. Yuki had warned him not to go around taking stars and moons, but he wasn't playing around with the human system so it should be okay.

He thought about how she'd look in the dress, bewildered but happy, and how he'd undress her when they were alone. His musings were interrupted by a glimmer of hot light dashing past his right. The formation of bats swerved and another bolt of fire shot into the center of the bats.

Blood drizzled across the black endless plane of starry vastness.

The bats swiveled, weaving out of form and diving below the searing channels of fire. Suddenly light, brilliant and blinding, whipped in a vortex. Forms with wings walled the bats, confining it from flight.

Three angels with white hair and black eyes glared at the cloud of bats. Looming around it, large-winged, the angels struck bolts of lightening, electrocuting and searing the bats simultaneously. Blood splattered and the bats squeaked in pain.

"This the realm of the angels, begone demon." One of the angels released another thunderous bolt of lightening, shackling the remaining bats in a spiral of hot-searing fire.

The angels watched as the bats dripped, one by one, tumbling in the black wrinkles between the worlds, human and vampire. Each dimension were sealed with deadly forcefields. They waited, watching the bats sink in a pool of white light, the second layer out of their realm where the rest of its formation dissolved.

The angels met each other's eye, one commented under his breath, "If we hadn't gotten the tip we'd have a demon terrorizing our realm."

"Lord Daiji warned the demon was to be punished by Imperial Lord, he was fleeing. Send word, we killed his run-away."

The last of the angels quietly nodded and soared back to their realm.

Kaname sank in the pillows of white light, every bone in his body torn, his flesh coming apart, and his healing abilities quickly giving away. Tangled in the white crackle, he felt his life drain. The fissure of hot and cold grabbed a hold of his heart, ripping to pieces. The rest of him disintegrated in black flakes, fluttering around the forcefield.

Suki swept over the layers of the dimension, dodging and blurring between borders and passing the floating objects he could not name or warrant touch, lest he burned. The shadow contour he consisted of softened into a dark puddle, fusing through another hot layer right before he soared farther out of the limits of their dimension. He'd never gone this far, but the darkness of the sky beckoned him higher. He stopped in front of a hot forcefield where a black shadow lay limp.

Suki oozed close enough to distinguish the form. He'd seen Kaname move up here but the forcefield was too dangerous despite Kaname having the power to escape it. Suki smelled burnt blood and stalled.

He reached and pooled over the bottom of the forcefield, close enough to peer at the shape, not a man, but a wolf.

Master is a wolf.

Suki realized and slipped over the cutting and burning light. "Master!"

He could wedge in smaller and tangible cervices. Changing form into a blob had never been useful. Suki began swallowing the wolf in the black material of its body.

o o o

Lord Daiji contemplated the rainbows and the swirling layers connecting the dimension triumphantly. The star he'd sent Kaname to find did not exist. The arrogant pureblood would cross over the angel's layer and set off the alarm. There was no coming back. Angels were waiting all along. He'd worked meticulously, insinuating himself as a star lord, befriending angels, sending them messages and signals. Preparing for the day to trip the confounding pureblood and killing him in one move.

So what he was powerful, favored by the Imperial Lord, loved by a powerful female?

He was an obstacle that needed to be erased permanently.

He'd only accelerated his death by bringing up the wedding ceremony. Not to mention the constant running around over a condemning dress — fool. Lord Daiji hardly believed putting together a wedding dress for his bride made him even remotely powerful.

Now he could do what needed to be done, consume Yuki and take her powers.

Lord Daiji turned his head at the springing footsteps headed his way. He could smell her running over. She was a bigger fool than her lover. Lord Daiji crudely smirked, glancing over the shoulder just in time to find Yuki step behind him.

"Lord Daiji," Yuki panted, "I don't have a lot of time. Seiren asked me to go to Kaname's hall, he made me a surprise." She nudged the pureblood vampire on the shoulder, "Don't pretend you didn't know! You and Kaname have been in cahoots from the moment you started working at his hall. Whatever it is I love it already!"

Lord Daiji rubbed his hands together and licked his lips. "Yes, about that… we've been working on it for years. We wanted to make your big day extra special. Why you don't you step through the cave, we put together a short surprise there too."

Yuki checked the stoned cave, her lips curled uncertainly, "Why in a cave though?"

"You're making a new tradition. Purebloods will talk about your wedding. Consider it part of the ceremony." He nudged her on the back gently.

"This is not Kaname's style at all," She shook her head but proceeded inside.

He grinned blackly once she slipped in the dark opening.

First, shadows emanated from all direction, she couldn't sense her own hands spread ahead of her, but the farther she moved, a discernible flicker of light mapped the stone wall. Yuki instantly turned her head at the sight of glassy eyes peeping in the dark. Not one, but several eyes glowed. Faces emerged in the faint light, followed by the tall stature of men.

She came to a stand still, eyeing the group of male purebloods. Hungry, enraged, bitter and desperate vampires crowded around Yuki. She started back toward the cave entrance, however, Lord Daiji appeared and blocked her.

"Take what you can get." Lord Daiji announced to the hungry, leering purebloods, "Save her heart for me, I rather like the taste of power."

Her eyes widened in disbelief. "Lord Daiji!"

Claws grabbed her around the throat, choking her.

o o o

Seiren searched the villa but there were no signs of Kage, their shadow wolf. She had asked Yuki to Kaname's hall. Knowing Yuki, she wouldn't miss it for the world. It was almost time for the wedding. She returned to the palace, checking on the banquet hall and servants, the food and sermon had been written and left in the Imperial Lord's seat. She made her way to the lord's gold hall, noticing the creator of purebloods looming the center of the grand room.

She hurried over, spying on a pureblood bending over a bloodied wolf.

The Imperial Lord glared at the white-haired messenger standing across from him. "You did what." He munched emotionlessly.

The messenger of the angels held his dark eyes coldly and replied unflinchingly, "We killed your run-away. He was scrounging around our realm on more than one occasion. Next time try not to lose your fugitive and let in—"

The Imperial Lord could not hear no more. He raised a white palm and obliterated the angel into fine mist, watching powder rain over the hall.

Behind him, Seiren gasped from shock, she'd never witnessed him lose a war against temper or impatience. "My lord!" She cried, creeping to inspect the black wolf.

Seiren ran a hand over the black hair, feeling the heat of his body quickly dissipate. She could not sense his blood flow or hear his heart beat. His healing abilities were completely gone. Seiren searched the Imperial Lord. He may have reached the conclusion long ago but feared speaking it.

"Seiren," Still, the Imperial Lord could not look away from Little Light's pureblood form, "Get Little Dark. Bring her here. He is dying." When she didn't move, he glared, "NOW!"

Seiren shot to her feet and out of the hall.

The Imperial Lord knelt next to the unconscious wolf that struggled to breathe. His hold on life weakened by the second. The lord cradled the wolf's head sadly. His eyes burned with a film of tears. His Little Light, always out to do his best, never letting him down. He'd put the dimension at Kaname's feet, one of the finest purebloods in the realm, only to wind up terminally injured.

"I tried to grab him on time," Suki kept his hold around the wolf, lending body heat, "Their forcefield was too strong."

"Little Light can endure the forcefield," The Imperial Lord reassured quietly, but he knew better, "The angels attacked and weakened him. He stopped healing. The forcefield tore out his heart. Death here is eternal, No-creature. Purebloods' essence can't hide in the shadows like yours can."

Suki gripped the wolf tighter. "Oh, master." He teared fretfully, "I'm sorry, master!"

o o o

Yuki pulled the pureblood's heart out. It was getting easier, plugging the organ out and watching life dash out of their eye sockets as they plopped to ashes. As soon as she stopped thinking and let her senses take over, she could sense before someone tried to touch or attack her. Kaname moved fluidly during attacks, no hesitation, just fluid resolute action. He was thirst and war, it came naturally. She didn't realize how much she enjoyed it, moving her claws and kicking the purebloods out of her path. She was stronger than they were, but they didn't stop trying.

Lord Daiji lunged at her, grabbing her by the hair. She used a shattered stone to stab him in the chest, lodging deep inside his heart.

He grinned maniacally, "You think you've won?"

Yuki rotated the stone deeper inside his heart. "Shut up, two-face."

Seiren knocked a male pureblood down on her way inside the cave. She halted at the sight of Yuki, bloodied and disheveled, bracing against Lord Daiji with a sharp rock. Seiren tore the pureblood off of Yuki and kicked him in the face.

The lord staggered and dizzily fell to the ground.

Seiren grabbed Yuki by the forearm, "You need to go to the palace. I'll take care of them."

Yuki nodded, "Thank you."

Seiren squeezed her arm, holding her back a moment to stare into her eyes, which were filled with relief, "Hurry to Little Light. He doesn't have much time left." She said.

Yuki studied Seiren, consternated before glancing over the chortling pureblood on the ground.

"He's dying Yuki." Seiren sorrowfully whispered.

Horror filled her blood. She looked from the lord to Seiren and back again. The lord rose to his feet, chuckling hoarsely. The two-faced pureblood tricked her into the cave. What could he have tricked Kaname into? Cold chills raked down her spine.

Yuki ran past Seiren and out of the cave.

'He's dying Yuki.'

What did that mean? Dying? Kaname was invincible—incapable of death.

She began to shake as her feet marched up the courtyard marble. She didn't hear Seiren right. Damn Lord Daiji, that scoundrel. Seiren better teach him a good lesson. She suffered getting knocked around on boulders, her hearing must've reaped the consequences of the wrangle. It couldn't be — it just couldn't! Kaname went on an errand before the wedding, and he'd be back in no time. She was overthinking. Before she knew it, Kaname would be standing in their villa, waiting for her ardently as she'd wait for him, waiting for her to jump and kiss him senseless. He had much to make up for. She missed him with every fiber of her being.

Yuki ceased in front of the great hall. Her stomach dropped. Her hands trembled and her breathing turned ragged.

If it was like she told herself, why was she panicking? What was this solemn dark fear bunching at the pit of her stomach. She couldn't look directly, but she sensed the fear magnifying with each inhalation. She clenched her teeth and glared at her feet, realizing with a start that her legs would give out any second unless she kept moving. Her heart rammed on the walls of her chest violently. Yuki stared into the gold room, watching the Imperial Lord kneel.

Instead of frailly wringing her arms and screaming for reasons she could only sense and not understand yet, boldly Yuki entered the colossal hall. She forced her feet forward. Her fists clenched against her sides despite her frantic nerves. The Imperial Lord looked up from the black form he'd been touching. Yuki didn't want to look but her gaze transferred from the beady dark eyes of their creator toward the crouching pureblood next to a wolf.

Wolf.

Not just any—it was the same large, burly black wolf she'd emerged from the immaterial plane after, whose muzzle she sat upon as a light butterfly. Blood pooled around the dark beast. From her height, she couldn't detect the commotion of breathing.

"Mistress!" A young brown-eyed pureblood tearfully looked up, "I tried, mistress. He was caught before I got there on time."

She didn't appear to have heard the pureblood and looked steadily toward the unconscious wolf. Tears instantly dribbled down her eyes, and she felt her knees knock against the hard, cold bloody marble.

"Wh — how?" She dreamily managed, another lather of tears streamed, dripping down her chin. She hadn't blinked away from the wolf.

The Imperial Lord lifted to his towering height and drifted back, allowing her to move closer toward Kaname. She flinched from the cold hair her hands contacted. Moving courageously closer, Yuki scooped the wolf in her arms, as best as her shorter arms were able to hold him against her heart.

"Kaname…"

Suki crawled back, sobbing against his sleeve.

"He was near the angels' realm when they attacked. I stopped the blood loss." The Imperial Lord commented.

Yuki stroked the wolf's face and closed lids, knowing well the finest color of garnet orbs lay beneath, hidden forever now. She couldn't feel his heart pumping blood. Every inch of Kaname turned plaint, the loss of engaged muscle made him heavy and light at the same time.

"But the damage is done. We need to let him go. There's nothing I can do." The Imperial Lord's voice boomed.

Yuki rested her face on the wolf's head, cradling him tighter than ever and inhaled his wild musk. Her tears matted its thick black hair.

"He was given life, he's been given death," He murmured, "The balance between light and dark is no more. You can't be curbed without light. I will send Seiren to give you a more painless death."

Quiet and long sobs whisked out of Yuki. She sniffed against the wolf. "You made the dimension his play ground, gave him an easy life, everything he wanted on a platter," She croaked, tears surging heavily and fogging her lenses, "You're the creator of the pureblood vampire. There would be no vampire if it weren't for you."

"Purebloods may be immortal, but they can die." The Imperial Lord reminded.

She clutched the wolf for dear life. "He can't, you made him tougher than any vampire I know."

"I favored him too much," The Imperial Lord dejectedly imparted, his black eyes somber and dreary, "I permitted him to leave the dimension to get you a star."

Yuki burst into sobs.

"He was making a dress… all to make you beautiful for your wedding."

"I don't care about a dress!" Yuki hissed tearfully, snapping her head up and glared at the lord vehemently, "Bring him back. Do something!"

"He is dead." The Imperial Lord's echo thundered, ricochetting out of the palace and spinning into the nine wilderness, causing the mountains to tremor and head to the violet sea. Suki skittered and ducked behind a column. All of the dimension felt his roar but Yuki merely sat and stared, undeterred and demanding. "Let him have his death peacefully, dark…" He tried to persuade softly.

Blood tears circled her eyes and coated her cheeks. "You love Kaname—more than I do."

The Imperial Lord stared back grimly.

She hugged the wolf, trying to lend heat. "You know him best. He wouldn't want to go."

"Had I the ability I wouldn't either," He stated, "Unfortunately this is how it'll be hereon."

"His body hasn't turned to ash yet. We shared life-force and power in the immaterial plane," Yuki quietly insisted, "If you transferred him my life-force, half of my soul and restarted his heart, enough to heal, he may have a chance."

"You're not in the immaterial plane," The Imperial Lord accorded.

"You can't give up. Give him half of my soul."

Blood laced her hands, smeared the sleeves and dipped down her lap, staining her white dress. Her long dark hair stuck to her shoulders and cheek, coated in red, carrying the eternal scent of the love in her arm. She gripped the dark hair tighter, her fingers seeking fading warmth, shakily.

"Give him mine." She quivered devastatingly.

"No."

"At least I won't harm the dimension. My life-force can seal his wounds and heal him."

"Little Dark," The Imperial Lord despaired over the dying creature in her arms, "It's not a good idea. There will be serious repercussions, you mustn't disharmonize your fate."

"Fate? You'll make Seiren kill me anyway. I know I have the potential to turn evil without Kaname but he can't balance my deadly aspects, not like this."

The Imperial Lord stared intently. Exactly like the immaterial plane, saving and protecting each other. She couldn't be reasoned with.

"It's worth a try. He left the dimension because of me." He leapt and went too far.

"You're not meant to do this." He warned.

"This is my fault." Yuki sobbed in the wolf's neck, "He wouldn't have jumped. Use mine to save him."

For a long time, the Imperial Lord didn't move and stared at nothing. His black eyes hashed in white light, standing expressionless. He pried into the future. Years in the dimension could hasten healing if transferring life force was initially effective. He had a feeling it wouldn't take long for his heart to restart. Yuki mainly drank blood from Kaname after all, but he couldn't resume his current corporeal form—He needed a new body, enough to charge him with her powers, sealed and protected.

He stirred and looked at Yuki, bracing in the fact he never imagined vocalizing. Yuki would weaken, alternately, she couldn't pose a threat regardless of Kaname. He somberly glared at the cold blood drenching her clothes.

"There might be something that can be done…" He reluctantly trailed.

Yuki resolutely searched him. "I'll do whatever it takes to bring him back."

The Imperial Lord grimly studied the unconscious wolf. "You accept the consequences? Little Light will not know until it's too late."

"I accept it. Please, save him!"

"He can't be brought back," The Imperial Lord relayed. "Cheating death is undoable. We need to let Little Light die—in our dimension." He paused at her look of confusion, "But there're other dimensions I can send him."

Yuki blinked twice, ideas trail blazed her mind.

"He'll need time to absorb your soul, but he can be born—in the mortal plane."

She nodded very, very slowly, her voice timid, "On one condition."

The Imperial Lord waited.

"He has never lived without me. I have to go with him."

"No-creature." The lord addressed without averting from Yuki.

Suki tumbled from behind the pillar and landed on the lord's feet, "Yes, my lord?"

"You salvaged Little Light's remains and brought him here. You'll guard his body until he absorbs Little Dark's life force. I will put him in the hearth, bestow him the crossing like Lord Kuran before him. He will be born, an immortal pureblood in a mortal world."

"It'll be an honor, my lord." Suki pressed his forehead against the marble floor, "I will protect him with my life."

The Imperial Lord did not blink from Yuki's tearful eyes. "When the time comes Little Dark will follow. She'll be born with a consequence. For giving up her life-force and pureblood power, she won't be a pureblood but a half-pureblood. They'll be stripped of memories, cleansed of their birth and time in the dimension. No longer will they be connected as light and dark."

"As you say, my lord." Suki picked his head to peer at his mistress.

A half-pureblood didn't sound bad. Kaname was most important. A life as a half-pureblood wouldn't be a problem if he was alive and well. Yuki had no qualms once the Imperial Lord excavated half of her life-force from her pureblood soul. The remaining half made the pureblood half, the part of her that would never change when she was in the human world. As the Imperial Lord poured her powers into the wolf's heart, he promptly cast a white sphere of protection around the wolf.

The Imperial Lord watched over Yuki unconscious next to wolf. The male purebloods won't attempt to consume her now that her power was partly diminished. She'd experience difficulty adjusting to the atmosphere of the dimension. As for the wolf, the lord loomed and waited, patient and omniscient—he made the wolf tough. Hell couldn't keep Kaname down. The Imperial Lord listened for the faintest echo of life rushing back, flooding the wolf's blood. Her pureblood life-force was strong and would carry over. He waited silently, staring between her and the wolf.

Seiren propelled toward the grand hall with a bound pureblood on her heel. She shoved the lord on his knees before their creator.

"Daiji." The Imperial Lord hissed, glaring down at the green-eyed pureblood in reeling disappointment.

"He sent Little Light on a wild goose chase and persuaded angels to target him." Seiren reported, "How shall I punish him?" Personally she wanted to twist his neck and gouge out his eyes, but didn't want to make impulsive decisions.

Out of the corner of her eye Seiren noticed the wolf inside a white sphere next to an unconscious figure. She recognized Yuki at once. Seiren controlled herself from running over to check on them. Judging by the scene, she noted the wolf hadn't turned to ash but was heralded inside a shield.

The Imperial Lord narrowed black eyes on the crookedly staring pureblood. "You have no idea what you've cost the dimension today, Daiji."

"Serves them right!" Lord Daiji gritted, valid in his animosity. The pureblood's lack of compassion and heart was sound.

The lord opened his right hand and called out, "Soul."

Lord Daiji's soul ripped out of his pureblood body, the wisp settled daintily in the cradle of his creator's palm. Widely Lord Daiji gaped, and in seamless silence, dissolved into ash on the floor. The Imperial Lord turned back to the table and opened the box of orbs, souls of unborn purebloods. He dropped Daiji's soul inside and closed the lid.

Seiren watched him glide toward the pair, looking very concerned and hurt. He loved light and dark the most. Seiren took a few steps toward the lord.

Thump thump, thump thump

The Imperial Lord turned toward the wolf.

Thump thump, thump thump

He released sigh of relief secretly. While he couldn't control fate, he could choose which vampire lived and died.

"Seiren," The Imperial Lord murmured, "Set a meeting with the Fates. Little Light and Little Dark will leave the dimension once he's ready."

Seiren frowned, "But where will they go?"

"The human world."

She froze, "That's a dark world, my lord you never wanted them to go there."

He nodded in slight defeat.

"There's no telling if they'll be part of the Kuran lineage. They can't return to the dimension if they're not."

o o o

They had to be shifted near the crypt to avoid disturbance. He never thought he'd acquire the consequential assignment to guard his master's essence while his mistress lay fast asleep, toiled from losing half her life, forgotten by time and the dimension altogether. No one spoke about light and dark, the pair the Imperial Lord adored. He prohibited all inferences about them. Seiren moored over the crossing and visited the Kuran kings in the human world, as was her assignment, while Suki stood next to his master and mistress inside a forgotten cave for a millennia.

Around the time the river of angels rose, a flash of lightening cracked the dimension, blue fire swept over the white lake. The angels took flight and shrank back.

The Imperial Lord lowered the quill from his hand in the palace and straightened. "Seiren." He mouthed through clenched teeth. Ever thread of hair on his head sensed the intruder creep upon his land.

His second-in-command appeared, ready for orders, "My lord?"

"Go to the river of angels. Someone that does not belong has crossed over." He growled.

Seiren furrowed her brows and nodded.

It was at this time Suki heard rustling over his shoulder. The pureblood boy turned to see his mistress cradling her head, sitting up on the stone tablet.

"Mistress!" He ran toward her and steadied her by the arm, "Don't move too fast. You've been lying here for 5,000 years."

Yuki groaned, picking up smell and sounds around her. Her gaze lowered on the wolf on her right. Her heart promptly sank, realizing it hadn't been a nightmare. Her Kaname was lost to her. Her wonderful love was dead. She had regained conscious after the transfer of powers was complete. Feeling faint from the sudden commotion of thoughts and sights, she steadied on the tablet as a means to mediate where she was. She felt extremely lethargic, couldn't think, let alone breathe.

"I need air." Yuki rasped, "And blood." Her fangs nicked her tongue.

Suki escorted her from the cave. She struggled out of his arms and stumbled toward a white river. Blue fire crisscrossed the air, beckoning her. She dropped next to the bank, engulfed by the thick scent of angel tears.

A silhouette crawled out of the water, "Help!"

Yuki shuffled back and away.

"Help me!" Long silver-haired and crimson-eyed, a woman waved at Yuki from the river. In her arms she carried a body, twice her size. "Please, help!" She cried.

Suki began to glide over but Seiren dropped in the water, claws launched and fangs bared.

"What brings you here, trespasser?" Seiren demanded.

The crimson-eyed woman gaped from Suki toward Seiren. "I…" She wheezed, cradling the body in her arms, "I need you to save him."

"We will save no one." Seiren replied, "Go back from where you came."

The woman waved a dagger. The dragon's tail wrapped shimmered on the handle. "I know who you are." She pointed the knife at Seiren, "I know where this is. And I command you to save the heir and king to the Kuran monarchy right now!"

Seiren dropped her claws and gaped at the unconscious man in her arm. The dragon blade could only be utilized by a descendent.

"Seiren," Yuki groggily climbed to her feet, "I think we should help her."

"This is not your place, Little Dark." Seiren warmly droned. "No-creature, take her back and provide her sustenance."

"Yes, Lady Seiren." Suki began to grab Yuki, however, she resisted.

She was alarmed by the frantic woman in the water. Yuki leaned against Suki for support and managed to stand on shaking legs.

"You are bound to protect the Kuran, Oracle Dragon. I know all about you and your lord. Take him and help him—please." The woman persisted.

Seiren pointed toward the unconscious man. "The Kuran descendant can stay. You, on the other hand, are not welcome in the dimension."

"I will not leave him. You might never let him return."

Yuki continued to be enthralled by the bold, brilliant woman swinging a dragger and shouting orders to Seiren, whom she claimed to know about, but did she truly? Did she grasp precisely how powerful Seiren, second-in-command, was? She could kill the woman with so much as a blink if she wanted, but Seiren had nobility and honor and would not instigate unless required by the Imperial Lord.

"I am obligated to serve all Kuran kings, the inheritors of the Light of Heaven." Seiren edged toward the outrageous woman, "The Imperial Lord shall decide what to do with you and whether or not the heir shall live."

"You promise me he will." She shoved the knife at Seiren's throat.

"I promise nothing," Seiren did not flinch, answering fearlessly, "The longer you stay the harder it gets to return home. You took a big risk. Turn back or prepare to reap your punishment."

She debated the pureblood in her arms. Without hesitation, she tucked the dragon blade and placed a hand on the man's dark hair. "I'll do whatever it takes to save him, so please, you've got to help me."

Yuki teared from watching the woman.

She is just like me.

Leaving her home for another world to save her beloved.

"Help her, Seiren," Yuki clamored from Suki's hold, "Don't let her go back empty handed."

"Hush Little Dark," Seiren frowned, "The Imperial Lord will decide."

o o o

The Imperial Lord waited nonchalantly for the intruder to stop and kneel in the grand hall. He hadn't been in the most welcoming of moods as of late. While the population between male and female evened, he was distinctly bitter for reasons he didn't care to speak.

Angels were annoying as ever, he'd fortified the layers around the dimension to repel the winged beasts for good. Some lingered around the river, but the toxicity in the air forced them to leave sooner or later. The Fates were also infuriating, and it was terrible he had to resort to cooperate with them while they drafted identities for light and dark in the mortal world.

Seiren was his safest and only bet. She was a tinker of hope in dismal times, but he couldn't understand why she didn't hurl the intrepid intruder out of his dimension instead of bringing her to his hall. Whoever she was he wanted her gone. She was no Kuran, but a mere distant descendant.

The Imperial Lord graced her presence by standing up and descending the stairs. Her silver hair wafted down her shoulders, wet from the river. Next to her was an unconscious pureblood, dark-haired and pale.

"Is he your leverage?" The Imperial Lord commented, "What makes you think the dimension wields authority over the mortal dominion?"

The pureblood vampire tipped her head back, valiantly, she held his dark eyes and said unwaveringly. "You created the Kuran pureblood. He is a direct descendant, a king, and you need to save him."

"I don't have to save anyone who died in the mortal world, and you have no right trespassing my dimension and order me around." The Imperial Lord warned. "Erase her memories and throw her back, Seiren."

"Don't you want the Kuran to live? He is the last of the monarchy."

The Imperial Lord passed her casually, stopping behind her. "Then you should've thought it through before waging war against the pureblood army."

She clenched the dragon blade and closed her eyes. "He can't die. Take me instead."

The Imperial Lord impatiently averted. He had enough of reviving dead vampires. Little Light was…Little Light, he cared about him, but the dead Kuran on his floor was a nobody. The woman was also another nobody who thwarted every possible rule in the book on vampires. Now she was here pestering him to change history.

"His name is Shigeu," She whispered, "He died because of me."

"The consequence of your choice is yours to bear alone. The dimension isn't an escape hatch. How did you enter?"

She hung her head and smirked at the marble floor. "A Kuran can enter the crypt and return to the dimension after he dies. A living Kuran can visit the crypt if he has the dragon blade."

"So you used his death to barge in here."

"Scriptures didn't mention the way inside the crypt is with a Kuran's tear."

The Imperial Lord continued to look at her in disdain. "You must be very proud of yourself."

"Before I knew his tears activated the dragon blade and brought us here." She sniffed.

"He must go the crypt, and you will return to your world."

"Aren't you listening?" She desperately cried out, "Shigeu can't die!"

The Imperial Lord looked her over. "Wasn't your objective to conquer the monarchy and make the world safe for humans? Ensuring right of power to hunters solely. Congratulations, daughter of Shoto, you won. The Kuran is the least of your problems. Go home and celebrate."

"I love him." She sobbed.

The Imperial Lord almost wanted to comfort her — almost. He thought of Little Dark, sweet and innocent, making him chuckle with her ideas and nonsense, to have to give up half of her soul for love, for his Little Light. "You are not the first or only pureblood to lose a loved one." He uttered somberly and faded from her vision without movement.

Seiren lingered upon the scene of the crying pureblood. Beside her was the dead Kuran king.

o o o

Yuki searched her surroundings. The villa sat quiet, listless in the radiant courtyard. No more Kaname walking down the foyer, dropping his coat over a chair. No more hearing his voice and frustrating know-it-all comebacks. She won't even hear his voice.

The thought sent a spiral of pain up her stomach, festering hot tears.

And, she loved his voice. She loved his heat, his kisses.

How could she live without his kisses? His touch?

Made from Kaname's powers, Kage, the behemoth wolf was also gone.

Yuki swooned and rolled on the balls of her heel just as a pair of hands steadied her upright.

"Mistress?" Suki worriedly pulled a chair beneath her legs and helped her down, "You must drink blood, you've given up a lot of power. They say the energy in the dimension will be too much for you."

Yuki craned her forehead on a wrist, listening to blood pulse inside her head. The world turned dark.

"Mistress, mistress?" Suki shook her around the shoulders.

She peered at the brown-eyed pureblood. "Who?"

Suki knelt in front of her chair, the villa hadn't changed and he knew where her supplies were kept. He was glad to be the one to serve her after many years. "It's me, Suki." He drew her hand against his cheek, "Remember?"

Yuki stared blankly, her eyes dialed black and empty.

He frowned and forced a cup of blood in her hand. "Drink first."

She glumly studied the contents and a fear seared through her heart. She'd never tasted any one else's blood but Kaname's. This wasn't Kaname's blood.

"You need your strength if you're leaving the dimension." Suki reminded.

Half of her life-force resided in Kaname, sealing him, barely enough to return him to some form of normal. What normal if he was not the pureblood she knew from the immaterial plane? He would be different, strange. He might not even look like himself. How were purebloods born in the human world? She swirled the blood, ruminating.

How did any of it happen?

A strange sensation smothered her chest, she stopped at the sound emitting from her throat. Suki held her by the shoulders as sobs spilled.

He needed to be home — with her — not inside a cave reviving. He needed to be with her, and she needed him more than ever.

Yuki sobbed in her hands.

o o o

If anyone knew what it felt like to lose someone you love, it was her. She looked indifferent next to the silver lake. Her pale hair whitened in the dimension, and her dark eyes reflected on the odd metallic shimmer in the water.

"Angel tears." Yuki's voice alerted her, she spun, one heel forward and the other set back, firm. Her fists bolted and lifted against her rib cage, poised to fight.

Yuki glided closer toward the tall pureblood.

"I remember you," She whispered, "You actually wanted to help."

Yuki stopped on her left and draped an arm across her chest. "Vampires don't come to the dimension from the human world alive."

The pureblood turned back to the river. Her silver armor reflected in the light. "I believed the Imperial Lord cared about Kuran descendants. He's hellbent on sending me back and keeping Shigeu in the crypt."

"I've read a lot about your world and the war with hunters. The woman who created hunters ended the monarchy and let vampires die."

"Sounds like you're not a fan." The pureblood interjected.

Yuki blinked for several seconds, surveilling the pureblood.

Her deep red eyes floated toward Yuki's profile. "I am the woman who created hunters. I am the reason Shigeu is dead. He has no children. The Kuran bloodline will be taken over by his older brother."

Yuki's eyes continued to enlarge.

"Shigeu wasn't a monster. He followed orders and maintained his reputation. His brother is another story. My hunters were created to stop human slavery and death."

"You are whom they refer as Mother Huntress." Yuki marveled.

"Izumi Shoto." She held out a hand for Yuki to shake.

She didn't understand the gesture and blinked.

Izumi went on to demonstrate what a handshake was.

Yuki couldn't believe her eyes. The woman who turned the tide between hunters and vampires was in front of her, lamenting the death of her rival—lover? It wasn't in the books. She couldn't stop staring at the tall woman. The stories on her were marginal but legendary and daunting. Of course, she'd forge in the dimension to fight the creator of purebloods for her love—it was just like her. Izumi Shoto, Mother Huntress, screamed courage and change.

"Why did you go to war with him?" Yuki asked, "If you never wanted to kill him?"

"I never called for war," Izumi firmly answered, "The council did. They cornered Shigeu and left him no choice. They forced him to saddle and fling his sword. Shigeu doesn't fight meaningless wars. He knew what were my hunters were about. They took Kiryuu and forced him to obedience. My hunter army scared them to their eyeballs. No one's supposed to be stronger than purebloods. They began killing my men, plundering my village. Eventually there weren't humans around us."

"I believe in Lord Kuran's mission."

"The monarchy doesn't care."

"And Shigeu?"

Izumi sighed longingly, "Shigeu…protects the Light of Heaven. Ever since he got enthroned, he's been pushed around. I think he lost himself."

"You must know him well." Yuki murmured.

Izumi smiled sadly, "Better than anyone. We sailed the seven seas together."

"How did it happen?" Yuki softly asked.

Tears rolled down her eyes, but she didn't look away from the river of angels.

o o o

The sun beat directly on her head, heating her sword in her hand. Blood seeped in the sand, tapping against her boot. She looked up at the charging pureblood. The last of them - the Kuran himself. Izumi straightened her sword, aligning with his heart.

Shigeu held his sword, taut. His purebloods had fallen back, their defense in a disarray. What was left were a few advisors and Lord Ichijo. He could end the ordeal with a single swing of the Light of Heaven, annihilating the hunters and their leader. He kept charging toward her against the blurring wind in the desert.

She stood waiting, holding breath, blinking as he lunged up, throwing his sword over her.

Izumi deflected with her sword. They both stumbled from the impact.

Shigeu was faster, he was running up again. "The entire forge was to kill the monarchy—to kill me!"

"To stop your confounding purebloods from hurting humans." She thrust her sword at him.

Shigeu twisted his sword against hers, winding it down and kicked hers out of the hand. "You fool, only one of us needs to die." He reached and grabbed the back of her neck, tugging her in a fierce kiss.

She wrestled against the hot metal plate of his armor. Shoving away, Izumi glowered at the Kuran. "The entire war is your fault, Shigeu, no matter what your council says, you need to own up to the death and terror purebloods cause."

"And you couldn't wait for me?" Shigeu demanded.

"You proved the Light of Heaven is more important than the people of the country."

"You are more important than anything!" He exclaimed.

"By tormenting villages and showing up with an army?"

Shigeu sank in the sand, his jet black hair fluttered in the wind, panting. The war had been going for hours. "Both of us don't need to make it," He whispered solemnly.

Izumi grabbed her sword and pointed to his neck.

"I love you, Izumi." Shigeu submitted, closing his eyes.

Her eyes watered. She half expected him to fling around and attack, the facade was to lower her guard. He had no men around. The last pureblood had died from her sword. He abandoned his entourage to confront her alone. Shigeu put too much risk coming here. Indecision bubbled her blood before she retracted her sword.

Shigeu knew she wouldn't—she couldn't. Neither could he. The stalemate had to end or purebloods would keep warring with hunters for another hundred years. He snatched a dagger from his side and stabbed his heart.

Izumi staggered over him, "No!"

"I told you," Shigeu croaked, blood pooled around him, "They only need one of us to win. This war can now end."

Izumi extracted the dagger and saw the gaping puncture inside his heart, he wasn't healing. "What kind of anti pureblood dagger is this?" She covered the wound to stop the bleeding.

"You need to go, hail victor, end the monarchy. Your vision was to stop purebloods from hurting others. If this is how it'll come true, then so be it." Shigeu caressed her white cheek with bloody fingers. "Izumi…"

o o o

Yuki watched the tearful pureblood contain her emotion, but it was no use. Izumi turned her head to suppress her sobs. "He sacrificed himself for you." Yuki understood.

"His tears touched the dragon blade," Izumi admired the dagger, "And brought us here. I've heard about the dimension and the creator. I never thought he'd turn his back on Shigeu, a Kuran."

"Kurans don't have reverence here, except for Lord Kuran, the progenitor of your world. He's one of the first purebloods the Imperial Lord brought to life, and he's very loved. There're more influential purebloods around, like Seiren and Kana…" Yuki turned languishing eyes on the cave holding him in wolf state.

Any pureblood would revert back to pure essence, staying in their corporeal form would grow taxing. His heart had stopped beating, dead in her arms. He'd felt cold. She'd never known him to be cold. Did he dream? Where was his consciousness? What did he see? How could he not get up when she entered the cave? Did he not sense or feel her? How can this be? How can any of this be real?

"Of course, purebloods here are a thousand times stronger. From where I come Kurans have covens that worship them to no end." Izumi stated, "Making an army of hunters was suicidal, but I couldn't stick around and let slave-driving purebloods go on."

Yuki tore her gaze from the cave and pretended Kaname went on an errand somewhere, it was all she could handle for the time being. He'd come home soon, wrap arms around her and taste her blood, not because he missed her so, but he loved how her blood sweetened after missing each other. Her longing heightened, intoxicating Kaname. In return she loved his urgency and how he knew what she wanted.

She sighed heavily, shaking her head free of thoughts - for an allowable moment.

Yuki turned to the Shoto pureblood. "What if I helped?" She proposed, "To revive him."

Izumi blinked, speculating how when the Imperial Lord rejected the thought. Yuki motioned her toward the cave and waited for the pureblood until she was ready to follow. Izumi entered the dark cold chamber. A shadow appeared, scanning Yuki.

"Mistress, I left you at the villa, why are you back?" Suki wondered.

"Will you give us a moment?" Yuki patted him on the forearm gently.

He nodded awkwardly and exited the cave, hovering the entrance.

The Shoto army commander regarded the space, lingering on the large wolf asleep on a stone.

"I hear the pain in your voice. You'll do anything to save him." Yuki circled the wolf's tablet, her mind elsewhere, downcast. "I have someone like that too, whom I can't part with. The Imperial Lord doesn't have to know about saving Shigeu yet, but he'll know eventually."

"I'm game. What did you have in mind?" Izumi demanded.

"Your pureblood heart to replace his." Yuki suggested with a tinge of trepidation. She'd never attempted anything near the idea but the dimension could speed healing and transplanting pureblood hearts could be sufficient. "He hasn't turned to ash yet. We can keep him here and let him heal. He can go home from the crypt afterward."

Izumi looked at the floor thoughtfully, expressionless and silent for several minutes. She couldn't return to a world where Shigeu was dead. He was wise and noble, very pure hearted. Her hunters thrived and another beast would soon govern the monarchy, an abhorrently worse candidate. She met the bastard, he picked and fought with Shigeu at every chance. He was the epitome of human hatred. World peace would be a distant, vague idea but never reality. If she put her heart inside Shigeu and he survived, humans wouldn't live in terror in comparison.

"Why do you want to help?" Izumi suddenly suspected, "A pureblood removed from human world."

"I wouldn't say that," Yuki gazed at the wolf imploringly, "I'll be born in the human world. I might be able to help hunters, do work in your favor, bring agreements between humans, vampires and hunters."

"You'd continue my legacy for me?"

"It ends with a Kuran descendant giving up on purebloods. Your victory incites blood shed. He couldn't stand death and war anymore. He takes half of the Light of Heaven from Seiren and connects the half his lineage kept. He leaves it here forever and dies in the human world. Slowly his descendants die naturally, around the world the rest of vampires follow. Your lineage divided from Lord Kuran's children's, but you're still his distant descendant. Hunters don't live much longer either. This is what the Imperial Lord planned."

Izumi turned pallid and crossed her arms. She hadn't wanted every vampire to die, merely the ones inflicting the weak. Even she had sense not all vampire was the root of evil.

"Do you trust him?"

"Shigeu is a good man." Izumi replied automatically.

"Would he kill hunters after returning home?"

Izumi shook her head in answer.

"Are you sure?"

"Shigeu knew I made hunters with my blood. He could've put a stop to it, but he didn't. He knew I was after peace and balance. I want our people to be free of terrorizing purebloods."

"He frees humans and protects vampires from each other, your mission stands a chance. Lord Kuran's and your mission are identical. We don't want vampires going extinct in the future, and it'll come to pass if things stay as they are."

Izumi listened intently, soaking in the information. The pureblood's vast knowledge astounded and inspired her. Yuki met Izumi's fiery crimson eyes.

"I can alter his memories, make him believe he won." Yuki carefully revealed, "If he has no interest destroying your hunter army he can use them."

"My hunters are meant to bring balance and goodness for humans." Izumi alerted, "Not cower behind power."

"Fine, they can be an independent institution — an association. Shigeu won't control them. Do you have anyone you trust?"

Izumi soberingly nodded, "There is one. My father, Isaya Shoto. My hunters can be useful under him. No one'll dare confront my father."

"Done."

Izumi turned her head toward the wolf.

Yuki mutely followed her stare.

"You're very powerful, saving that wolf, looking me in the eye and persuading me to change my world by dying."

Tears rimmed her crimson eyes, her voice quivered, "If I were I wouldn't let him out sight and kept him home," Yuki echoed, "He was making me a surprise. All of this…is the price of love."

Izumi nodded in silent realization. "He's going to the human world too."

"The only way he can cheat death, but," Yuki touched the glowing white sphere, feeling shockwaves permeate her fingers without a flinch, "If he can return here, it'd be better."

"He would have to be born a Kuran." Izumi assumed, "Buried in the crypt. Shigeu doesn't have children, but if you obtained permission after we're through, it can be possible."

Yuki diligently followed the train of thought. "Kaname would become Lord Kuran's direct descendant, he'd actually be able to come home!" She almost rejoiced but steeled the urge for it had yet to come true.

Life would return to normal. She needed to make the Imperial Lord understand. A tall order, but he loved Kaname, made the dimension in his favor. The Imperial Lord might agree. There was hope, a chance to turn things around.

Izumi's gaze flickered on the wolf, testily, "Is he a good man?"

"We are light and dark. He curbed my darkness. You can trust Kaname." Yuki nodded her head nobly.

At this point Izumi Shoto didn't have a shadow of a doubt about what she embroiled. She needed this pureblood and the pureblood needed her. They needed it to work for Shigeu, her hunters, vampires, humanity's and lastly the wolf — "Kaname's" sake. Izumi brought Shigeu's impeccable corpse to the cave where Yuki waited.

She vowed to Izumi that she when was born she'd maintain her mission and keep her vision alive, bringing balance and peace to humans without letting hunters be oppressed by the monarchy.

Izumi clenched her fangs. "I need more than words."

"I don't have much to offer." Yuki replied.

"Give my ashes to my father, he'll know what to do with it — along with a token of your esteem — proving you are worth your grain of salt as my heir."

Yuki retreated and braced a hand on Kaname's tablet. Another dizzy spell. She didn't have much strength left to maintain her body. Soon she'd have to revert to a butterfly to continue breathing. She glanced at the wolf. If she was getting weak that meant he was getting stronger. Her life-force were cementing and curing his injuries. Yuki nodded to herself. She needed to hang on a little longer. Kaname had to be born a Kuran, not after transplanting Mother Huntress's heart in Shigeu. First, she needed to prove her vow to the iron-hearted Shoto.

"To prove my worth and my esteem," Yuki acknowledged her demands, "I offer the last of my life-force, my soul. The rest is in Kaname, sealing his wounds and preparing him for the human world. This is all I have left."

Izumi pulled out the dragon blade and placed it in Yuki's hand. "Make peace between humans and vampires, push my hunters to the limits to achieve it. Stop the torment on humans — as my heir, commander of the Shoto and hunter army, uphold my legacy. Do you accept?"

Yuki clenched the dagger. "I accept."

o o o

A glance over Seiren's itinerary in the human world had been useful. Warily Yuki wondered if the feat was manageable. Kaname left the dimension and died. Additionally, there was the matter if her current abilities could sustain the leap between dimensions. She had the dragon blade, the key, it should make dimensional travel efficient, she hoped. She'd never done this. The deeper she dove in the river of angels with a bag of Mother Huntress's ashes, the clearer the waters turned, revealing a rip at the bottom where the water stopped, veiled or barred from seeping.

She didn't understand the Imperial Lord's mysterious rules, but he must've not wanted the angels' tears to escape into outer realms. Yuki merged with the hot white light, feeling her whole body twist and contort inside a narrowed hole. She coalesced into a butterfly to escape the crack, rippling out and far from the layers of home and dipped down, down into the multitude of layers of the human world.

Light continued to flicker and flash violently. The energy was different, brutal and dark. She passed several meters down, emerging into another tight hole that pulled her ferociously down. She lost control and spiraled.

When she came to she was panting on land that seared like fire. Her long hair knotted in waves around her face. Yuki curiously blinked at the blinding light in the center of the sky. Heat rubbed against her back, arms and face. Wind rummaged her clothes. She twisted around, feeling the soft gold colored soil.

Yuki scooped a handful, watching sand peter beautifully between her fingers.

I made it?

She checked the globe of light in the sky.

That must be what they call the sun. They had one sun, one moon. She secretly hoped Kaname stealing their stars didn't come back to haunt her somehow. Her heart tweaked at the thought of her love, galaxies upon galaxies, in another realm and time, above.

Yuki dusted the sand from her white jacket and robes. She needed to find the Shoto fortress. A few steps over the dune, she stared down a massacre, a river of red blood carved between horses and men, mixed with vampire remains. The smell of decay touched her nose. She stumbled back, traumatized. This world was insidiously dark, topped with famine, disease and the aftermath of battle - just like the scene in front of her. Yuki forcefully looked away, her stomach roiling. She'd never get used to this. She couldn't believe she surrendered to being born in the horrific place.

Transforming out of her corporeal form, she flew over the massacre in the form of a light butterfly.

o o o

Lord Shoto tearfully regarded the bag containing his daughter's ashes.

Yuki felt faint, drastically. Removing her remaining life-force had immediate affect. Without another word, she transformed back into a light butterfly and flew out of the small hole that led her into his office. She wasn't sure if she had the strength to make it back to the dimension.

With a disgruntled cry, the butterfly spun on the muddy road in the Shoto village.

A sphere of white light splashed on the mud, next to the light butterfly. Seiren gaped and picked her up carefully. Before anyone else noticed, the Oracle Dragon vanished into thin air and looped back up the layers of the dimension with the butterfly.

She placed the light butterfly in a pool of fresh blood on the Imperial Lord's table.

The pureblood creator did not look pleased, his dark eyes glared coldly at Seiren. "Alone?"

"Yes." Seiren softly bowed her head.

"What about the dead Kuran?"

Seiren spied the light butterfly nourishing blood. "I'm afraid he's no longer dead. I found the No-creature guarding two people in the cave, one of them was the very living though unconscious king Shigeu Kuran. Little Dark is creative. I followed her to the human world where she bargained her soul with the Shoto lord."

The Imperial Lord rose so mightily his throne flew back, and the ground rumbled, as well as the rest of the dimension. The echo infiltrated the fiftieth layer, scraping the neighboring dimension of angels. The plate of blood the butterfly was in splashed.

"She did what?" The Imperial Lord bellowed.

He was used to disobedient pureblood vampires — not to the extent of bargaining souls with miserable purebloods in the human world, not to extent of sneaking around reviving a dead Kuran of the same world — never to this extent.

Seiren, ever so motherly and understanding, pragmatically gestured to the butterfly. She had seen many aspects of the Imperial Lord. Though, recent aspects were disenchanting and dangerous. He missed Kaname. Everything after his death plain infuriated the creator. If she successfully diverted his fury to the main objective, it might not destroy the dimension and Yuki.

"Little Dark has her reasons. My guess is it's about saving Little Light. He's why we're all here."

"Little Light will die in the human world instead of living a happy life I prepared here. How is that good reason?" He reared black eyes on the butterfly and shot pure energy at it.

The flow of strength and healing properties compelled the butterfly to convert back to her corporeal form. She blanched like the rest of her white robe and dropped to her knees.

"Make Kaname Shigeu's son." Yuki implored. "After he dies he can come through the crypt here."

Seiren ceased widely.

The Imperial Lord glowered, "You bargained your life-force with a contemptible lord who'll never come to the dimension. Do you realize what you've done, Little Dark? Normally your ideas amuse me, but this is absolutely wrong. You're his prisoner."

Yuki flinched, bending her head down. "I had to prove I had her best interest at heart."

"Whose?" The Imperial Lord demanded.

"Izumi Shoto."

The grand hall trembled from another racketeering flood of black energy, whipping back and forth from doors and windows. Seiren enveloped Yuki protectively, waiting for the wind to subside and the ground to halt.

"Seiren," The Imperial Lord boomed authoritatively, "Retrieve her soul lest the vile lord forces her up the vortex of tyranny and disaster."

"Yes, my lord." Seiren gasped over Yuki's quivering head.

The lord disappeared in a fluid cast of white mist, rising through the ceiling, up the layers and out of the dimension, leaving the realm reverberating. Seiren decidedly studied the ruined grand hall and found Yuki staring around fearfully.

"Is he going to kill us all?" She shuddered.

Seiren couldn't answer since she wasn't sure, but she took her arm and asked concernedly, "Why didn't you talk to me first?"

"This was our last chance," Yuki replied, "Kaname will die a regular pureblood, forever lost to us if I didn't take a leap of faith."

"Not about him — you —" Seiren stood up, "You can't return to the dimension now that the remaining half of your soul rests in the hands of a minute pureblood lord."

"Minute?"

"Compared to Imperial Lord, yes!" Seiren stressed, "He can control and use you. You're Little Dark, you're precious to Imperial Lord. Now the dimension is lost to you. We can't protect you after you're born in that world."

Running around bringing Kaname home, she'd forgotten about her self. "Izumi Shoto said her father is trustworthy, he won't do anything with it—"

"Judging by how our lord responded, he believes the opposite."

Yuki swayed and grabbed her head, dizzy.

Seiren found the plate of blood and forced her to drink. "You can't stay in the dimension much longer. The last bit of your life-force can't keep you alive."

"I have one final thing to do."

"You can't exert yourself."

"I know...but it has to be done."

o o o

The Imperial Lord stood before the lake of life, his creations, good and bad, swimming vibrantly in the water. He didn't see it in the wind or moons. The soil hadn't changed with time. Time rode in millions and millions, but life carried on.

Long pale hair glistened in the wind, entreating the scent of his second-in-command, Seiren. She stopped cautiously and bowed.

"The Fates have agreed." Seiren said, "There's a place for light to become Shigeu's son. Little Dark's life-force will be used as a seal to protect his injury. Little Light will be born with it."

The Imperial Lord was not upset anymore. His irritation—emotion—was due to recklessly losing light and dark. He wanted them in the dimension forever, happy. He wanted to see them mature as parents, raise children. To think what wonderful purebloods they would produce: the first pureblood family in the dimension. He'd seen it happen. But as he stood at the lake, he despaired that it didn't. Light was dead. Dark was dying. No children. No laughter over their odd proclivities. No more light asking how to romance dark or what gifts to give his children.

"My lord?" Worry eclipsed her voice as she looked toward straight, long reams of pale hair flourishing down his back, touching the white soil.

He was fed up, to the verge of erasing purebloods from the human world, taking them back to respective dimensions. Kurans returned here while the rest went to the outer limits.

Seiren moved another step closer. "I'll retrieve the half of her soul. He keeps it hidden."

"What did they make of my Little Light?"

"My" — Seiren had never heard him use the term on a vampire before. She lingered over the thought. Not even Lord Kuran was this loved. Little Light and Imperial Lord converged on friendship and fatherly affection.

"The Fates decided he'll be a pureblood of great power and fortune. He'll be born in the Kuran household and he'll inherit the Light of Heaven. What name shall we inscribe on the sword?"

" 'Kaname.' " The Imperial Lord answered. "Keep her name as well."

Seiren nodded in agreement.

"Bind them, Seiren."

She stared at his immobile back.

"She might be a half-pureblood, she'll still need him. He comes from thirst and war, he'll need her too." The Imperial Lord murmured distantly.

"I asked the Fates to make her a Kuran."

He finally turned. It was then she saw misery paint her lord's ebullient features. His eyebrows had curled and curled, above two black eyes. His mouth contorted, refraining from showing fangs.

Seiren lowered her stare to her feet. "I retrieve her soul then she can come home. I know how to bind them. Little Light proposed it to me years ago, I didn't take him seriously."

"How did he want it?"

"I told him, I'd put Little Dark in his dreams. He would see her and be drawn to her. Subtle but effective." Seiren assured.

The Imperial Lord merely turned back around.

o o o

Yuki breathed laboriously under her breath. She leaned over the sleeping Kuran pureblood. His heart— Mother Huntress's—beat fanatically with strength in his chest. Wounds had healed, returning his flesh impeccable, exactly before she carved it open. The cave began to spin. She braced herself and snaked a shaky hand over his forehead and eyes.

She penetrated his mental barrier, merging with his memories of the war, Izumi and hunters.

They stood in the desert, the sun directly over their heads. He held his sword, fierce as a tiger and looked at the commander.

"You didn't hesitate." Yuki injected in his subconsciousness.

He ran faster as if he grew wings. There was no way she'd win — he wouldn't let her. He was a falcon, a king, and he wouldn't be defeated.

"You ripped her heart out."

His claws dug up inside her ribcage, roughly he weaseled her beating heart in his fists and growled. Yes, he loved her, but he needed to win — for purebloods, for Kuran legacy.

"You won the war."

The hunters were without a leader and would fall under his fold.

"You will create an institution for hunters — an association commanded by Lord Shoto."

The Hunters Association wouldn't be controlled by purebloods except by Shotos and her life's work would not go to waste.

"You will marry and have a son."

Yuki gingerly withdrew her hand, peering down at his peaceful countenance. Shoulder wild black hair, long lashes and muscular frame, he was a warrior, a fighter. His nails were marked by weapon usage and dirt. She hung against the tablet, watching the poor Kuran whose life she changed.

Suddenly crimson eyes flared open. Shigeu hazily stared at the darkness and the young woman on his left.

She paled, her nails raking the tablet and plummeted to the floor. The loud noise left the pureblood stunned. Rigidly Shigeu stirred and uprighted on the stone, looking down at the slumped woman.

Footsteps curtained around the opening on the right. Suki darted forth, brown eyes widening on the Kuran before landing worriedly on Yuki. She was trembling, her eyes rolling back in her head.

"Mistress!" Suki collected her raptly.

With the last of her strength she gripped Suki's collar, hissing breathlessly. Life was leaving her body. "Take him to the crypt. The dragon blade'll send him home."

Suki wrung his head left and right, "But you're-"

"Do it now." Yuki wheezed.

Suki resisted, tear pooling his eyes and released her on the floor. She had stopped breathing. The last of her tears spilling from her temples.

"Thank you, Suki." Yuki briefly smiled. Her body collapsed cold on the ground.

Softly her eyes fell shut.

"Mistress…!" Suki screamed.

Lifeless.

She was gone.

Dead.

Suki clenched his jaw and forced his resolve. He couldn't properly mourn. It was too much. His heart wrenched to pieces, his master lay unknowing his beloved just died centimeters where he lay. If his master were able, he'd grab death by the collar and knock back his teeth. Yet his master couldn't—neither could do anything—both were dead. DEAD!

What was happening?

Suki clenched his head.

He lunged toward the Kuran, hauling him gruffly by the shoulder. "Let's go!"

Shigeu was shoved out of the cave by the tall, skinny pureblood who constantly threw bitter stares at him. He stopped in front of another cave a meter from the first one. The pureblood dissolved into a pool of black liquid and slipped up the stairs, disappearing through the cracks.

Shigeu watched in perplex, turning in circles on the white soil, at the rainbows and flying mountains.

This has to be a dream.

The stoned door roughly opened. The skinny vampire reappeared.

"My mistress ordered me to take you in the crypt, she died waking you up. Now get moving." Suki snatched Shigeu's arm and threw him inside the crypt.

Shigeu was shoved repeatedly, sometimes violently.

"Go!"

He staggered in the dark aisle, rearing his head back at the pureblood.

"GO!" Suki screamed.

Shigeu began to jog. A pale blue orb appeared in a rotund chamber ahead.

Suki uncoiled the dragon blade from his belt and joined Shigeu. "Take this. Never forget what my mistress did for you. I can crawl through time and space. If you forget for one minute, I will haunt you."

Shigeu clasped the dragon blade in confusion. Suki turned on his heel and ran back out. The sound of the stoned door rolled back shut, sealing Shigeu with the expansive blue orb.

He stared around the walls.

Instinctively Shigeu realized he stood in the famous Kuran crypt, where his ancestors, former kings rested.

o o o

He foresaw it—sensed it—long before it actually happened, but what devastating sight it was, even to the eyes of the Imperial Lord who had seen many terrible things around universes. This felt different, wrong. Awful. And here it was.

Yuki, dead, draped in the arms of the No-creature. He was running, sobbing, screaming, totally horrified. "My lord!" Suki stopped in the courtyard, weeping. "She was—she was just…"

The Imperial Lord stared at her dead body.

Little Dark — sweet and wildly innocent — making choices that made him, a creator, chuckle. Loving Little Light with ever speck of life he had given her.

The ground rumbled and the rainbows turned blinding white.

The levitating mountains halted, and the water flowing down the rivers ceased. The rootless trees of the nine wilderness sank in the soil.

Whipping past his sleeve, Seiren staggered toward Suki, grabbing Yuki's cheeks, gasping from disbelief. "Dark? Dark!"

The Imperial Lord clenched his eyes.

It really was happening.

It was time.

"Time to put them in the crossing." The Imperial Lord asseverated.

Seiren tearfully kissed Yuki's forehead, choking on a sob. "Let's meet again sweet, sweet Dark."

The Imperial Lord cascaded to the cave where the wolf rested in a heartbeat. He dismantled the white sphere around Kaname and gathered the giant wolf in a manner that despite his large bearing, the wolf looked lithe and delicate nestled in his creator's arms.

Keeper of the crossing, Seiren, stood at the bridge Lord Kuran took when he went to the human world. The dimension didn't have darkness, but the crossing was the womb of darkness, a plateau that connected separate dimensions. It didn't reside in a cave or a room in the imperial palace. The region was the farthest where dimensional life stopped. Where the soil was black, the galaxies of the outer limits visible, protruding in flickering dots. Seiren discerned the realm of the angels, and below their dimension was the human world.

There was no bridge. Only black water.

The Imperial Lord's white form materialized on the black plain. Suki stood on Seiren's left with Yuki in his arms. The lord called to the black water.

It rose at its creator's order and bowed, faceless. "Yes, my lord?" The water purred.

"Take what I send you, a show of good faith. Let these children be born in the realm below us."

"Purebloods in the human world." The water spelled.

"One pureblood, one half-pureblood."

The black water bowed, "As you command, my lord." It flattened. Once again the lake became free of ripples and movement.

Seiren watched in shock when the Imperial Lord stepped in the water. She had never seen him do for anyone. The lord stopped until he was waist deep.

Suki carried Yuki and stopped next to the creator. Weeping uncontrollably, he searched the calm lord.

"No-creature."

"Yes, my lord?" Suki raggedly answered.

"Hold her back." He ordered. "She will follow him. Dark followed Light — in the immaterial plan and here."

He determinedly nodded. "Yes, my lord."

The Imperial Lord glanced at Kaname and gingerly lowered him in the onyx water. The wolf was swallowed quickly, sinking beneath thick layers. His eyes followed the wisp of his soul, that only he could see, in the water as the shape of the wolf dissolved and disappeared. His soul glowed in the dark water deep below.

The Imperial Lord turned toward the No-creature and nodded.

Shakily Suki lowered Yuki's corpse in the water. The water immediately colored her white clothes and pulled her down. The Imperial Lord waited and watched her body dissolve just like Kaname's, so that the wisp of her soul shined in the dark.

Suki was still crying.

"They were your family," The lord murmured, "They will always be your family."

"Ye-yes, my l-lo-lord." He heaved between sobs.

o o o

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© Nur Misurr - Read & Review - Thank You

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A/N: I had to stop and cry it out. The dimension is now over. We return to the real world where Kaname was last (read last part of 'Awakening') Poor Ouji. V.V

Surprise! Shigeu never killed Isaya Shoto's daughter? WHAT. He was manipulated by pre-Yuki and he's running around trying to kill real-Yuki? WHAAAAAT.

If you want to listen to Echelon's soundtrack (instrumental) especially one dedicated to this chapter. The playlist is on youtube, search "Kaname Yuki Echelon" or grab the link from my profile page. Thanks!