Broken by Humanity, Healed by a Dragon

by Hunter13hawkie

Zarc has been fighting humans for as long as he could remember and when he finally creates the world for his spirits only, he feels an emptiness in his heart, longing for something he never had. His loyal generals so give him four orphaned children that they found in the human world, hoping it will heal his pain of loneliness. (Another story about Zarc and his dragon children!)

3. The Boy Who Is Starving For Venom

First of all, I'm terribly sorry for not updating anything for months. I've been going through some heavy situations and lost my motivation to write a bit, but I'm still glad to continue receiving comments and kudos from you and that encouraged me enough to continue writing. I found Yuri's character quite difficult to write since his personality is so unique both in manga and anime, so I kinda took characteristics from both of his versions and managed to create this. Please check the tags before you start to read since his story is, like a mentioned before a bit disturbing (but knowing how many of you were eager to see Yuri's story, I guess you won't have too much trouble with it XD). Hope you enjoy!

PS: This chapter is not proofread since I had trouble contacting my proofreader, but as soon as I get the proofread version, I'll update it.

PPS: In case you didn't notice, I included an extra scene with Yuya seeing Zarc's dragon form towards the end of the previous chapter. Do check it out if you like cheesy stuff :P

It didn't take them long before they reached Healing Ward. Zarc might've made entire castle teleportation free, but his five Magicians were still able to use transporting magic due to being close to their king. The two generals were still gasping for breath, though they heard and followed every instruction from the Dragon King. Xiangsheng Magician was already there, a bit surprised when seeing an emergency so suddenly.

"Put him on that bed, it's the closest to the medical cabinet." Zarc announced, leading Judai towards the bed "Xiangsheng, get Xiangke Magician just in case."

The female spirit nodded, disappearing from the room as the brunet general carefully untangled the blanket off the injured child. At first, it had seemed like the blanket was colored red, but the more fabric was removed from him, more Zarc realized how serious the boy's condition was. His shoulder was bleeding heavily along with the whole arm, painting deathly pale skin with crimson. There were numerous cuts all over his body, his clothes so tattered that majority of his battered skin was exposed. And his face… it was beaten to a pulp. Even if the child wasn't unconscious he wouldn't be capable of raising his eyelids due to all the bruises surrounding his eyes. The two magicians appeared back, carrying a handful of healing herbs.

"What happened to him?" Zarc asked Johan who assisted Xiansheng and Xiangke Magician with arranging the plants on the table next to the bed.

"It's a long story, but for now we need to stop the bleeding and get the poison out of his system." Johan hurried back to Judai who was in process of removing the boy's clothing.

"He's been poisoned?" Xiangke Magician asked, already using his magic to detect the poison.

"Yes, we managed to get him the first aid, but it won't hold on for long." Judai pointed at several makeshift bandages. Even though Zarc's generals had the assistance of their spirit partners, they themselves had only limited amount of magic they could use and unfortunately neither Judai nor Johan were skilled in healing magic.

The magicians so proceeded to analyze the poison which turned out to be already deep in the boy's bloodstream, slowly killing him before external wounds could. Luckily Xiangke, as a magician of destruction, recognized poison fast and immediately started working on the antidote. Xiansheng, Timegazer and the generals in the meanwhile took care of the wounds, one looking worse than the previous one. Johan's Crystal Beasts and Yubel assisted as well, either by bringing them the items necessary for treating the wounds or simply for providing their own spirit energy to help out the dying boy.

What felt like hours, but was actually less than an hour, in reality, eventually ended with the boy safely patched up and antidote taking an effect in fighting the poison. All beings present, humans and spirits alike took a sigh of relief since the boy was finally out of danger. Xiangke stood by the child's side, his focus entirely dedicated to watching over his condition, should his state change. Zarc was there too, sitting on a chair and feeling like he was reliving the very same scene as months before.

The boy was after all not only a human child but wore the very same face as Yuya. While they were treating the boy Zarc didn't pay much attention to his features, not to mention the bruises marked his face greatly, though once they were done he couldn't help to notice the similarities. Was Yuya by any chance related to the mysterious boy? If it weren't for a different hair color, Zarc would as well think the odd-eyed boy was there, beaten up all over again. But that wasn't him, Stargazer assured him that Yuya was with him in the library at the moment, re-reading one of his favorite books. The Dragon King thought back when he had sent some of his spirits to look into Yuya's past, but in no memory, was there another boy with the same face.

Judai and Johan came forth with a bit of unease, both seemingly exhausted from whatever they went through to bring the boy to him. They kept quiet about what has occurred throughout the time the spirits were healing the human child, but now nothing kept them back from telling him about what has occurred. Zarc set the two extra chairs to the bed, but only Johan sat down as Judai wandered off to the balcony accompanied only by his loyal spirit Yubel. The Dragon King tried to call him to which the other Fusion ruler only shook his head.

"What happened?" Zarc asked Johan now that it was clear that the brunet general didn't want to talk.

"It's a rather long and complicated story." the blue haired general sighed facing his knees.

"Well, the child is out of danger now and it will take a while before he fully recovers, so why don't you share the story with me?" he said while discreetly watching over Judai who seemed as he was in a state of distress.

"I don't even know where to start…" Johan still wouldn't face his king, though Ruby climbed into his lap trying to cheer him up.

…

Soon after the generals of the four Spirit Kingdoms split up, Judai and Johan traveled towards the human world. As the one who had come up with a plan to help out Zarc, the brunet general felt a big amount of pressure as he still wasn't sure what they were supposed to do. Like Johan said it himself, they couldn't just magically give Zarc family, he wasn't even sure if that would really help him out. The two Fusion rulers aimlessly wandered through the forests of the human world they were in charge of. Similar to how they got different parts of kingdoms in the Spirit World to look over, the generals were also assigned to patrol specific parts of the human world. It was mostly the spirits who chose to not live in the Spirit World that reported if anything unusual was going on, though from time to time Judai and Johan paid a visit as well.

Yubel and Crystal Beasts remained hidden in a form of Judai's pendant and Johan's bracelet covered by rainbow gems. They also kept their faces under the hoods since they didn't want to draw too much attention due to their involvement in the war. Despite the majority of human establishments being in the form of small towns and villages, they still preferred to play it safe rather than being chased by angry people who hated spirits. The Fusion rulers traveled back and forth to find a way to heal Zarc's empty heart, but hours and soon days later they found nothing. Sooner or later they had to return back to their kingdom, having had to leave the task for some other time. Their domain came first after all and with their friends not capable of taking care of everything, they had to return.

In the following weeks, the Fusion Kingdom went through several changes, such as extending the kingdom, resolving some issues concerning the spirits moving in from the other kingdoms to theirs and cleaning up after the yearly floods, neither of the generals had time or energy to revisit human world. Johan saw Judai numerous times just staring over the balcony in their own castle by the sea, deep in thought with either Yubel or Winged Kuriboh by his side. Or better tell, Judai would be lying on the sea reefs, not caring if the water drenched his clothes. That was the place where he would go if he needed some kind of a resolve, but it was hardly believable if it really was or not. No one knew, not even Judai. Then he would stand up and head back to whatever royal matters he had to do. Those moments were short enough to not affect his role as the Fusion ruler but common enough for Johan to get worried about his friend.

More weeks has passed, both Judai and Johan having their hands full to the point they couldn't even come into a touch with other generals to see if they had more luck than them. This went on for a while, with only one of the Fusion rulers managing to briefly visit human world couple of times. But then, after months they finally took care of the troubling situations in their kingdom so they could continue on with their search.

This time they visited a more distant part of the human world. They rarely came across it in the past themselves as it was so far away from the big towns. From what they knew this part largely consisted of several small villages separated by endless woods and rivers. Communities there were short of people, though appeared to be well off, so what Judai was looking for should definitely be there right?

Or so he thought. The moment they arrived at one of those villages, they instantly backed off due to shocking scenery they were facing.

The village that they remembered as the one full of hard-working people and cheerful everyday life was anything but that. The streets that were once roamed by marketers and kids who played by the river were nowhere in sight. Instead of that, there were crumbling houses, weeds growing on the fields and small wild animals wandering through what appeared to be now a ghost town.

"But it looked just fine the last time we were here! What could've happened?" Judai couldn't believe his eyes.

"It's been three years. A lot can happen in three years." Johan picked a discarded book, pages yellow and half-eaten by rats.

"Yeah… but this?" the brunet general found a stuffed animal with missing limbs "I can remember all the people being there and suddenly here's a wasteland."

"Villages change, people move out, natural disasters and wars can easily wipe out even the entire towns." the blue haired general looked around "Though it's kind of strange that it looks as people simply vanished."

The duo went through the village, somehow crossing the river with a missing bridge and finding themselves in a forest. They decided to walk to the nearest village which might've taken more time than asking their spirit partners to carry them there, but after the latest trip to the human world when some people had recognized Johan as "the brainwashed traitor", they rather traveled on foot. With no visible spirits by their sides and faces covered they were hardly recognizable, so no bystanders could even think they were anything other than two young travelers. For a while they just walked in silence with Judai just going straight ahead towards what he hoped it was his goal and Johan not far behind, worried for his friend's sanity. True the brunet general wanted to help out the people who were hurt since no one was there for him when he himself was in pain, but the lengths he would go were sometimes worrisome. The blue haired general just hoped they won't get in trouble this time.

"Hold still." voice coming from Judai's pendant called "I can sense something near."

"What is it Yubel?" the Fusion ruler asked back through their mind link.

"I don't know, but it could be dangerous. Keep your eyes open." the spirit replied, pointing towards the part of the forest where trees were growing particularly dense.

Knowing the fellow ruler's gestures by now, Johan carefully looked around knowing they weren't alone. Though with the village in ruins and other populated areas miles and miles away, who could possibly be there? And considered dangerous by the spirit whose sole appearance was demonic? The duo could now feel the presence that Yubel mentioned, having trouble classifying it as it was something they couldn't understand themselves. In a way, it felt like a normal human being, but it had a sinister coating, such as the one felt among spirits capable of using dark magic. The gut instinct told them to not bother, but like always Judai had other ideas. Going directly where his protective spirit told him not to go, the brunet general found his way through the bushes and branches, feeling the mysterious presence closer and closer. Even Winged Kuriboh got curious enough to leave the safety of Judai's pendant as well as Ruby who was not far behind.

The little spirits managed to outrace them, finding their way right where the presence was felt the strongest. Though what they found wasn't what they expected. Instead of a spirit living in a human world, a mage or even a human with a spirit partner, someone much younger and smaller was there.

Leaning against the thick tree was a boy with pink and purple hair, not looking older than ten. Ruby cautiously approached the boy, his tail with a gem and long ears caressing the boy's face. The immovable limbs and slow breathing gave an impression that the boy was asleep, but once Winged Kuriboh's little arm touched him, the boy backed off, fully awake and ready to fight them off. The two little spirits got the chills when they saw a child, human child for that fact, looking scarier than Amethyst Cat whenever she was about to gnaw someone.

"Ruby! Winged Kuriboh!" the generals shouted at once, worried for their spirit partners.

The little spirits expected the purple haired boy to go after the Fusion rulers, but once he saw them coming, the boy quickly took off away from approaching strangers. Judai noticed the kid, surprised that Yubel considered him dangerous, but the very same gut instinct that always got him into trouble told him otherwise. Not only was the boy fairly young, his clothes looked as they were in a bad condition and by now he realized that the kid was hardly running - if he was running in the first place. Up close it looked more like fast limping, hinting out that something was wrong with his legs.

"Wait up! We won't hurt you!" Judai called, his voice echoing through the forest.

"Nice trick, but it won't work! You assholes really think I'm that stupid?" the boy surprisingly shouted back.

Neither of the generals expected the kid to reply back in such a manner, causing them to nearly stop in their tracks from the surprise. The boy however kept on running despite the obvious injury. Johan could tell that the kid was carrying himself quite highly like someone in their teens would, but the way he looked at them when he had seen them for the first time was way different. When Fusion rulers faced the child, his violet eyes under the narrowed eyebrows grew wide. They could feel so many intense emotions coming from him, vigilance, fear, and so much anger. Judai was not able to recall ever feeling the amount of rage that the little kid was producing and he was carrying the soul of the raging Supreme King in himself.

The generals were dumbfounded by the state the child was in, his face beaten up and clothing falling apart. And yet he was still running away, avoiding them like a fire in rain. The brunet ruler eventually managed to approach the kid and take a hold of his arm, long minutes after the chase begun. The purple haired boy weakly tried to get out of his grip, kicking, punching and even biting Judai to let him go.

"Let me go you jerk!" the boy yelled, pulling away with less and less strength each time.

"No, you're hurt. I want to help you out." Judai didn't even flinch when the kid planted his teeth into general's other arm to the point of bleeding "Please, just let me take a look at your injuries, someone really got you bad."

"That's what you all say!" the boy hissed like an angry cat "And backstab when the chance is right!"

The kid continued to try wriggling out of Judai's hold when Johan approached him as well with Ruby on his shoulder. The blue haired general was about to get some more sense into him when the boy's eyes suddenly landed on the certain cat spirit. The people would usually scream and throw things at spirits since those beings were well hated and considered dangerous in their minds. But the kid did none of these things. He simply observed Ruby's sparkling eyes and its equally glimmering gem on the tail, no longer struggling.

"This… those spirits were… with you?" the boy watched puzzled, even more surprised when Ruby floated right next to his face where it playfully brushed its whiskers against boy's cheeks. The kid blinked in surprise, though he let the spirit touch him unlike he let the Fusion rulers.

"Yes, they are our really good friends." Johan smiled when the little spirit got back on his shoulder "And Ruby seems to like you too."

"Are you lost? Did something happen to you?" Judai carefully continued, still holding the boy's arm.

"It's none of your business." the boy snarled, being back to his rebellious behavior.

"But you're injured and even if we let you go, you wouldn't make it far limping like that." Johan crunched down to the kid's level "We're on your side."

"I told you it's none of your…" the boy said when all of a sudden a gunshot interrupted him before he could finish "Damm they're here."

Without another word, the kid somehow managed to free himself out of Judai's hold and raced towards the opposite direction from where the shots were coming from. The kid, however, didn't make it far before an awkward movement from his limping legs caused him to trip over a root and landing him into the nearby thorny bush. The generals quickly got to him and as Judai was helping him up, more gunshots accompanied by the men voices were heard coming closer.

"Are you alright?" Judai quickly got to the boy who miraculously got up, now with an addition of scratches all over his arms that he threw in front of himself to shield his face from the sharp thorns.

"I have to get away… before they come to get me…" the boy whispered, ready to break into a run, but too weak to make more than a few steps.

"Judai! There's at least five armed men coming in our direction, we have to get away!" the brunet general heard his spirit partner's voice.

By now the two Fusion rulers could point out the chasers in the distance, each carrying a shotgun.

"I thought I had more time… damm it!" the kid cursed when he fell for the second time.

"There he is!" the men, who looked like hunters, shouted, their weapons ready to shoot "Kill the spawn of a spirit witch!"

"They must be after the kid…" Johan thought out loud when constructing a plan "I can distract them, you go on ahead."

"Got it!" Judai grabbed the boy before he could protest and rushed into the direction Yubel led him to inside of his mind.

Johan so stayed behind, Ruby hiding in his hood since he wasn't that good at fighting as the men came closer and closer. From the looks of it, they were indeed hunters, armed to the bone with hunting tools, except they weren't hunting for deer. No, their target was most definitely the boy that Judai took to safety.

"Step aside punk, you're blocking our way." the man on the head of the group shouted, threateningly pointing his gun towards him.

"Unless you wish to share that demon's fate, that is." another hunter joined, as equally threateningly aiming his crossbow.

"May I ask why you are after the boy?" Johan said in a polite manner while secretly mingling with his rainbow bracelet "Last time I checked you're aren't supposed to be hunting children."

"Heh, the brat is a sneaky fox alright. We have our reasons." a hunter in the back chuckled, though turned serious once earning a stern look from his supposed leader.

"Don't let the child's face trick you, the little punk is an embodiment of pure evil in disguise." the headman loaded the gun "So get away before I shoot you like that spawn of spirits."

"I think you're overreacting a bit. You see… the child is no way associated with spirits…" the blue haired general touched two gems on his bracelet "… while I am."

The hunters watched wide-eyed how two different colored clouds of smoke emerged from the mysterious traveler's hand. The lilac smoke revealed a spirit resembling a mountain lion as the white tiger jumped from the yellow one. Both big cats snarled at the shocked men who hardly held their weapons still. It only took Johan a snap of his fingers for his two loyal spirits to charge at the group that had acted like a bunch of tough hot shots just a few seconds ago. They tried to fight them off, shooting at them, but Amethyst Cat simply dodged the shots while Topaz Tiger used his shards to deflect them. Any stray bullets and arrows that found the way to Johan were stopped by the invisible shield that he conjured by his own magic and the little of it that he borrowed from Ruby. The blue haired general didn't aim to kill them, only to scare off, so they would leave the injured child alone. Their stubbornness was however really troubling, enough for Johan to summon another spirit.

"This may take a while…" he sighed as he touched another gem on his bracelet.

In the meanwhile, Judai managed to find a hiding place that Yubel told him about. It was a small, falling-apart shack located near that ghost town, though it still had enough roof and solid walls to keep them safe. The Fusion ruler put the now silent boy on what appeared to be a bed in pieces, but still covered by blankets in sufficient state. The whole way there, the purple haired kid didn't attempt to talk with Judai. Of course, he protested a bit soon after the stranger picked him up so suddenly, but he grew quiet once he realized that the brunet guy truly wanted to help him up and also had spirits on his side. As the general quickly checked for any injuries, the boy kept his mouth shut though he curiously observed the demonic looking spirit watching the doors and playful furry creature on the stranger's shoulder.

"Can you really talk with the spirits?" the boy finally asked after a while.

"Yup, though some of them are more talkative than me if I'm honest." Judai smiled as he secured the kid's ankle that appeared to be sprained if not broken "Do you speak with spirits too?"

"Sometimes… if I find them." he said quietly.

"I see…" the general found a great opportunity to open up a conversation "What kinds of spirits live here? They are really rarely found these days."

"Plant spirits… they can hide well." the kid muttered.

"I think Winged Kuriboh actually sensed few of them while we were walking around here." Judai gently pressed on certain parts of the boy's chest, which made the boy wince "You have fractured, maybe even broken ribs… And your face... I doubt you can see properly with all this bruising around eyes... what were you doing to get such injuries?"

"Those guys beat a crap out of me." he stated simply, looking away.

The reply angered Judai big time, though he remained cool and collected about it as he tore the blankets to make bandages to temporarily secure the kid's ribcage until he would get a proper treatment at least. Thinking about that, what was he supposed to do once Johan comes back? True their spirits were able to track each other, but with those guys after the kid where were they supposed to go? And how come the kid knew about the spirits? From what he knew it was a common knowledge around people to see spirits and people associated with them as threats, teaching children from the young age to avoid anything spirit related. But this kid obviously preferred the company of the spirits rather than humans. Judai could remember how the boy's behavior towards them gradually changed as soon as they told him they're friends with spirits. And the fact that he would apparently converse with those few spirits in the woods when it was practically a miracle to find them in the first place was indeed interesting. Was that why those men beat him up and were ready to finish him up? Just because he shared a connection with spirits living in the human world?

"What are you doing here? No one comes here anymore." the boy asked, nudging towards the window from where the bits of the ghost town was seen.

"We were just… searching for something." Judai really didn't know how to explain it differently "What about you?"

"I didn't really have a choice where to go with those idiots on my tail." the boy winced when trying to stand up, "I thought they might've stopped chasing me if they would see the town."

"Why would they? Just three years ago it was perfectly normal."

"You really don't know, do you?" his eyebrows went up in an are-you-kidding-me manner "All town's people perished from an unknown disease. It is still possible to get infected if you get too close to it."

"Wouldn't you get infected too then?"

"Me?" the boy surprisingly smirked, "I'm immune to it."

"How can you tell?"

"Well…" the boy didn't appear to be too sure if he should share personal information like that, but he quickly came to realize it didn't really matter. Just when he was about to tell it, Yubel's wings spread and raised her hand towards the doors. Judai protectively set himself in front of the boy as well as Winged Kuriboh did despite knowing he wasn't much of a use if the battle was to occur. But once he felt the familiar aura, the furry creature floated forward, greeting the small gem creature. Almost as soon as Ruby appeared so did Johan looking like he was catching a breath and the sound of fluttering wings in the nearing suggested his bird spirit was out.

"How's the kid?" the blue-haired general asked once he breathed normally and Cobalt Eagle was back in his bracelet "Hopefully I scared those guys off enough."

"You didn't kill them, did you?" Judai asked worriedly.

"Topaz Tiger might've taken a few deeper bites and Amethyst Cat did a number with her claws on them, but I'm certain they are all still alive, just horrified. Cobalt Eagle surely scared them with his appearance."

"They deserve to die."

Both Fusion Rulers slowly turned their heads towards the purple haired boy, just to make sure he really was the one who said it. They could just mishear it, right? No, the kid's face was full of seriousness and his narrowed down eyes were glaring at Johan like the general did something wrong. The boy's fists were clenched and his face was practically burning from anger.

"I agree it wasn't right that those guys beat you up, but they not in any way deserve a punishment as terrible as death." Judai carefully started when boy suddenly started laughing menacingly.

The generals grew uncomfortable while Yubel observed the boy carefully, feeling the dark aura she sensed before. But despite the danger, Judai crunched down to the kid's level, his eyes also serious even though the boy was still laughing like a lunatic.

"Look, I get it, you're angry for what they did to you, but you can't just…"

"You do know nothing! That's so innocently cute!"

"Look just calm down…"

"I rather see them burn in hell!"

The sound of hand meeting skin suddenly echoed through the cabin. Johan watched dumbfounded how the boy's already bruised cheek earned another mark, nearly as much the boy did. He certainly didn't expect the general to hit him, no slap him in a way only someone else would whenever he did something stupid. Though what he found even more surprising was that the brunet man had tears running down his cheeks while his eyes seemed to switch from brown to bright yellow. The change stunned the kid enough to stop laughing and he reached for the hit spot like asking what that was for.

"Never…" Judai whispered, taking a hold of the boy's hand "Never wish for death upon someone…"

"Easy for you to say." he muttered, though the general still wouldn't let go.

"It sticks with you forever… either a wish or action itself. Once it's done there's no coming back. Believe me… I learned it the hard way."

"Judai…" Johan approached his friend cautiously, fearing for the worst "Don't overreact because of the kid, the Supreme King might…"

"I'm not the kid, the name's Yuri." the boy said before the general could finish.

The blue haired general got Judai to finally release the boy and once he did, he wiped his tears and tried to bring his usual expression back which was very hard. He was mad, so mad at those men for making Yuri wishing them death. No child under the age of ten should hate others that much nor should adults damage young ones to this point. Judai had so many questions under his mind, about what kind of things happened to this boy to turn out like this. Luckily Johan took over since he was more collected about it.

"Yuri is a nice name." the other Fusion Ruler smiled "My name is Johan and my friend there is Judai. I already introduced you to Ruby, whom I think likes you quite a lot, and this little guy is Winged Kuriboh."

"What about that one?" Yuri nudged towards Yubel whose eyes were set on the watch.

"That's Yubel, she's on guard right now so try not to distract her."

"She wouldn't need to if you just killed off those guys." the boy said emotionlessly.

"Just what's with you and wanting those hunters dead?" Judai said angrily just when he finally calmed down.

"You wouldn't understand." he blurted and tried to move away though he was stopped by Ruby who jumped into his lap, letting out meowing sounds like telling him to stay.

"Try us then, we might not look like it, but we had lived through quite a lot so far." Johan's expression was the one that got serious this time.

Yuri didn't seem that convinced about it, though with constant nagging from Ruby who would pull at his sleeves, the boy sighed knowing there was no more chance of avoiding it. Just before he started talking, he felt something slipping off his neck. He knew the string barely held it on, especially after the chase and now it finally snapped, the object bound to it pulling it down. It was old, but it still resembled a flower shaped pendant. Yuri was about to pick it up once it hit the ground, but Judai who was closer was faster. The boy was about to shout to give it back when he saw the brunet general staring at it and cradling it like it was about to break.

"That's… that belongs to…" he quietly mumbled a name, his hands shaking as he was holding onto the pendant "Where did you get this?"

"It was a gift…" now Yuri was the one who was talking quietly, still wide-eyes from surprise when seeing Judai's shocked face "It's all I have left…"

"You used to live in that town, didn't you?" Johan said, Yuri giving it a slight nod "I thought so."

"What really happened there?" Judai finally asked, the boy taking a deep breath to begin.

"I may as well tell you." Yuri said in very mature manner.

…

For as long as he could remember, Yuri knew he had no part in this world. He barely remembered who his parents were since there were so many people in that tiny wooden building, overcrowding the place and fighting over for living necessities. He remembered going to sleep hungry, fighting for an itchy blanket or just being left in the corner and being ignored for the rest of the day. Yuri never saw the faces, only silhouettes of people with voices that yelled that he was better off dead.

Then one day he was in the snowy forest, his feet bare and clothes barely covering him up. There was no one in sight but the icy ground and chilling wind of the winter night that was slowly devouring him. That night he thought that was it, his meaningless life finally ending as the result of malnutrition and hypothermia. He could see his fingers turning blue, so frozen he was numb to all the pain and cold itself.

"Just let me die already…"

He didn't fear death, in fact, he welcomed it. Death was an escape from this world that didn't want him. The dark was his sanctuary and what would he had given to hide behind it forever.

However, fate - cruel or merciful, literally took him in its arms and brought him back to life. There weren't many people out on that icy winter night, but a single lone traveler on a horse was hurrying home when they noticed him under the pile of falling snow. Without a second thought, those hands lifted his small body and placed him under a thick blanket, holding his frozen hands to keep them warm all the way to the nearest village. Yuri remembered slipping in and out of consciousness for what felt like months and for the number of times he asked himself what he did to deserve such torture.

Don't wish me to die and bring me back… I can't take it anymore."

It was when snow began to melt when Yuri finally woke up fully. Finding himself in a modest, but cozy house made him question if he actually died that night and he finally made it into the heaven. There was even a person he thought to be an angel approaching him. He didn't recognize the face, though it didn't really matter since he knew whose hands these were the moment they touched him. His secret rescuer didn't only bring him out of the freezing forest; like a true knight the person took him to a warm place and nursed him back to health.

"Hello little one, my name is Asuka. What is your name?" the person spoke, proving to be a woman in early twenties with long blond hair.

"I don't know…" was all that his limited vocabulary allowed him to say.

"I'll give you a name then. Everyone deserves a nice name." Asuka smiled which made him confused since he didn't know what a smile meant. He only knew the hate, sorrow, and malice as those were the only emotions his family or whoever took care of him until now were expressing.

…

"Why Yuri?" Johan asked out of curiosity.

"Once the snow melted we planted some saplings of various flowers in her garden. There were many pretty flowers blooming as soon as it got warmer, but one kind didn't bloom until the summer. I kept asking what kind of a flower that one would be and Asuka said that if I'll like the flower she'll name me after it." Yuri talked in very mature manner, though he hardly made any eye contact with the generals.

"Was it a lily?" Judai muttered, his eyes still pointed into the flower pendant "She loved roses, but lilies weren't that far behind."

"I was named Yuri after that very same flower that bloomed in summer. For some reason I was always relaxed around lilies." the boy smiled slightly at the general's words "You really knew Asuka, didn't you?"

"I did… we were friends when we were little, but once I got involved with the war I haven't seen her ever again." Judai admitted, "Where is she now?"

Instead of replying, Yuri continued with his story.

…

In the first years living with Asuka, Yuri learned that she was the town's herbalist, providing people with medicine made of the healing plants she was collecting daily. Even that winter night when she stumbled upon dying Yuri she was returning from a trip to a distant place to collect a certain type of herbs. For a child with really vogue upbringing, it was pretty difficult for Yuri to get used to the new lifestyle or more like living in the first place. But with Asuka's help and his growing passion for everything related to plants, the boy eventually let the past behind him. He gladly assisted his caretaker with collecting the right plants and soon making medicine as well. Besides natural remedies, Asuka also prepared and traded spices and at times even poisons for various pests on the fields. The poisonous plants were actually the first ones besides lilies that sparked Yuri's interest in botany and herbalism since she needed to teach him which plants he shouldn't touch carelessly. Even if they were dangerous they were among the prettiest to look at.

By the time he was seven, he already mastered pretty much what had to be known about plants, surpassing even Asuka who admitted she needed at least five years to learn what he did in the only couple of years. The town's people were amazed by the smart child, thanking him politely whenever he delivered them medicine and besides the payment also added something little for him. Yuri might've been just a child, but for his age, he was really intelligent and mature and Asuka or town's people didn't fail to praise him for it. Other kids invited him to play with them many times, though, despite their kindness, Yuri rejected them each time. It wasn't that he didn't like their company; he just didn't know how to interact with them. He didn't know how to be a kid, he didn't know how to have fun except for discovering new plants and he didn't know how to play in the first place. Yuri questioned Asuka many times if not knowing those things were wrong and if he was different from other children because of that. Each time she would assure him that he just grew up faster than them, so he was more like adults than the kids and that's why he didn't know how to act his age. Other people also agreed with it as they talked to him in the same manner that they did with Asuka. In no way had either of them wanted him dead and with that Yuri knew the world is filled with wonderful people, not just horrible ones he had been stuck with during his early childhood.

But then when he had just turned eight, everything fell apart.

It started with a merchant that had just returned from overseas, bringing goods from distant lands, who became sick really fast. Asuka did everything she could to help him when treating his symptoms. She got so busy with a single patient that Yuri had to take care of everything else for more than a week. Despite all of her efforts, the man died after two weeks of suffering from a very puzzling illness that not even the oldest resident could name. The man was buried and Asuka went on making medicine, more determined than ever to help others.

But then other people began to show the very same symptoms as well. The number grew higher each day along with the number of dead residents. In a single month, the town lost a third of its population and it only increased with time. Many people fled the town in a state of panic, unknowingly spreading the disease to other nearby villages and towns. With so many weak and dying people left in the town, Asuka knew they had to leave as well. She had discovered that a handful of people were immune to mysterious disease, among whom was Yuri and herself, but they couldn't run the town that was emptier each day by themselves. Yuri hardly left the house and town that carried so many of nice memories, but knowing his hometown no longer had any future he helped Asuka pack those few things they had and went to look for a new home.

For weeks they searched for a village or town that wasn't wiped out by the illness or demolished by bandits until they finally found a new village. Asuka managed to get them an old shack and a modest job on the fields to support them and for a short while it seemed a new life was going well. Yuri could still explore the world of plants and make the medicines he always did.

But the villagers were the right opposite of what the residents of their hometown were. The whole reason why Asuka didn't get to continue her job as herbalist was because her knowledge was considered blasphemy. True they had their own doctor, but a strange woman who was turning plants into weird powders and potions, along with a child that wasn't even hers was enough for them to shun them from the community.

It started with mere name-calling, that the two of them managed to ignore. Then it came with the unfair trade when she was given less food she paid for. Yuri was made to attend lessons about some sort of religion that all the villagers were practically brainwashed with. They kept on repeating that there are creatures that used to serve them, but turned onto them and killed everyone in sight during the war times. Those spirits and people associated with them were the cause of everything bad in this world. At first, Yuri took it as a joke, laughing it off among the other kids while working in the fields. Kids didn't take it lightly though. It wasn't only the lessons that taught them that ideology, but parents as well. Yuri got beat up terribly by kids and adults alike if he only said anything about the supposed religion or looked smarter than others.

And not only him, even Asuka would get nasty glares and more difficult tasks to do because of him. Seeing how his actions affected her, he decided to rather avoid other villagers as best as he could so at least Asuka wouldn't get the same treatment. Yuri would leave early in the morning, walking beyond the village's woods and returned in the evening for dinner. That way the kids or adults would leave him alone since very few of them except for the hunters dared to leave the village, convinced that spirits ventured outside. For that, they actually weren't wrong. After the weeks of exploring the new lands, Yuri got to meet the plant spirits for the very first time.

At first, he thought he was staring at unknown flowers when out of sudden they began to move. He thought those could be carnivorous plants he read about, though once he noticed the eyes, leaves shaped like mouths and stems like body limbs, he knew they were something else. Yuri remembered the rigmaroles of lessons he was forced to take, fully prepared to defend himself if the creatures would attack. But that's not what happened. The plant spirit merely examined him out of curiosity, sniffing and touching his body. Yuri was puzzled but went along with it.

Over the time he got to meet other plant spirits too, each more unique than the other. Each let him study them and at times they even guided him to undisclosed places where more unknown plants were growing. Asuka let him go exploring on condition to always come back home before the sun sets and to not pick a fight with any of the kids or adults in the village. She was glad at least Yuri didn't have to deal with villagers' threads that gradually grew worse on the two of them. With the winter coming, it was more dangerous to be outside for too long so Yuri had to shorten his trips to see the spirits and that meant more interactions with people. Villagers didn't attempt to cover their disgust each time they saw him, hardly ever called him after his own name and overly treated him like he wasn't supposed to exist.

Yuri felt the familiar hurt all over, trying to overcome it by visiting the spirits and being with Asuka. But the autumn progressed into the winter, colder were the hearts of the villagers. By the time it was spring and then summer again, Yuri tried hard to ignore the invisible knives of harsh words that people kept throwing at him. He kept the neutral expression on at all times, even when he was beaten up for a ridicules things he did that made him look evil in other's eyes. He tried to convince Asuka many times to move somewhere else, anywhere just to get away from these people. As much as she wanted it herself, they really couldn't leave just yet. Their supplies were scarce, winter was approaching again and most of all they didn't know where to go. From what they knew for miles and miles there wasn't a functioning town or a village, only ruins. True Asuka spent some weeks living in a simple shed in the middle of the forest, but with Yuri and tools to start a new life it was unlikely to happen. They could try going further or even reaching the port where they would travel through seas to go to entirely new lands. But for that, they needed money and food.

Yuri so, even though he hated it, also started working. The only job they allowed him to do was weaving since he could be isolated from others as much as possible and wasn't required to talk. An old lady that supervised him despised him too, though not as much as others and didn't hide the fact that she through-fully washed the fabrics he weaved nearly dozens of times. Yuri worked hard, sometimes skipping the whole weeks of not going to see the spirits so he could make more money for Asuka. His fingers became numb due to the sharpness of flax and at times would even bleed without him knowing due to being abstracted into his work.

Another winter came and Yuri turned ten. Asuka finally collected enough for the two of them to prepare to leave for the better home. They had enough supplies to last them for the entire journey and the only thing they needed to do now was to wait for the spring. However, that was easier said than done. The emotional abuse from the villagers became worse, Yuri having trouble keeping it down and at times he would nearly snap and attack whoever was near him. Asuka did her best to comfort him each day, promising they will leave soon. He kept that in mind at all times, though he wasn't far from a breakdown.

But just when the time for them to leave came, someone framed them for something they didn't do. One of the farmers, specifically known for his almost insane following of the spirit-hating religion, returned to the village covered by numerous bites after his trip to traveling merchants. Of course, he went on blaming the spirits before they even started treating him, so Asuka quickly prepared their things so they could leave earlier than they planned. Something about it just didn't click with her. Carrying two big backpacks they tried to sneak out of the village before anyone could notice, but unfortunately, the angry villagers waited for them in front of their own doorstep.

Both Asuka and Yuri were tied up and brought to the house that served as the main hall, the farmer, now patched up, sat on the fancy chair like a king, looking down on them like they were less than insects.

"The brat did this me, he has to pay!" he barked at Asuka who tried hard to get the ropes off herself.

"No, Yuri would never do anything like this! He didn't leave the village at all while you were on the trip!" she attempted to shield Yuri, but was pulled away from him.

"Him maybe not, but he's keeping company with spirits! He made those monsters attack me!" the farmer yelled, villagers gasping at the information.

"That's true! I saw him talking with those spawns of evil!"

"He was always collecting some magical plants, I bet he controls them with it!"

"He's a demon!"

"He shouldn't exist!"

The shouts of villagers were getting louder, making Yuri's ears hurt to the point he thought they would start bleeding. It was happening again, he was an abomination, someone who would be better off dead. He hardly kept back his tears, the years of emotional abuse finally brought him to his knees making him looked pathetic and vulnerable, an exact opposite of what he really was. Yuri didn't even realize he was punched in his face several times just to get a reaction from him.

"Please, he's innocent! If you want him to leave, we'll leave! We were going to anyway!" Asuka begged, her proud persona completely shredded for the sake of the child she cared about.

"What a convenient time for you to leave, so you could get away without punishment, huh?" a strong looking villager grabbed Yuri by his hair, making him cry out "You can leave freely… witch. But the brat has to be punished for his sins."

"No, please, don't hurt him!" Asuka screamed when she saw them grab a sword "We will leave immediately, we'll never set a foot in your village ever again! We will disappear!"

"Nice try, but no. Demons shouldn't walk among humankind." the man laughed it off when lifting Yuri like he was a hunting trophy as another man sharpened the sword.

Yuri's limp body was so overwhelmed with everything that he hardly knew what was going on. His eyes stared blankly at the sharp tool that was slowly approaching his chest. That seemed to be it, the little life he got to enjoy was to be stolen again from him. Asuka didn't keep her promise to get them to the better home, but he didn't blame her. Life was cruel and unpredictable, always torturing him with the idea of death and now it was coming for him in a form of the sword. Yuri could see it about to slash at his throat, closing his eyes as the means to accept his faith. He could already feel the blood dripping down his body like a warm torrent…

… but it didn't hurt nor was the blood his. Once he opened his eyes he was met with Asuka, her hands somehow free and blocking the sword inches away from his throat. She smiled as she touched his cheek with a blood-stained hand, whispering him the last few words she could.

"Cut the ropes with the sword… and run… run Yuri… to the river…"

The man pulled the sword out of her still body, cursing over her for the sword not reaching the boy. Asuka's body fell on the ground, her white dress turning red from the blood oozing from her. For a few seconds Yuri just stared… stared at the person, who helped him see the light in this dark world, not moving, at eyes that won't ever open and the growing red puddle under her. They took her, stole the one good thing that happened in his life. His emotions were about to explode from the inside after holding back for so long. But he remembered her words that practically burnt into his mind and knew he had to get away, for her sake at least. So fast that no one could react in time, Yuri swung his bound hands at the sharp edge of the bloodied sword. The ropes were cut and before anyone could grab him he raced towards the river.

Despite the springtime, the river was still ice cold and dangerously torrential, but it was his only means to escape. Taking a deep breath and one last look towards the body of his savior, Yuri jumped into the river.

…

"That can't be…" Judai had his hands covering his mouth as the tears bubbled at the edges of his eyes "Asuka can't be really…"

"She's gone." Yuri said emotionlessly "Believe me, I looked closely."

"Dammit…" the brunet general punched the ground out of anguish. Johan tried to calm him down, though Judai walked to Yubel, clearly wanting to be left alone for a while. While the blue-haired general met Asuka only a few times, the other general practically grew up with her and her loss must've hit him pretty hard. As much as Johan wanted to comfort his friend he knew they couldn't just stop at Yuri's story.

"So after you somehow survived the ordeal with the river, you hid in the woods since the villagers were after you?" he asked, Yuri surprisingly shook his head.

"It's more complicated than this."

…

Yuri awoke at the edge of the river, covered by slimy but warm leaves he thought were watercress. With a surprised gasp, he was almost shocked to see the plant spirits using their roots, ivies, and petals to warm him up while few others were on the guard. It's been a while since his last visit, but somehow they remembered him and protected him from the cold.

While he was grateful for their help, he couldn't shake the feeling of being lost, not only in general but lost in his path of life. Asuka was gone and so did his purpose. He was all alone again in the world that hated him, having no idea what to do. Part of him wished he would just die to finally end the continuous pain in his heart while another part was hungry, no starving for revenge. The villagers robbed him of the anchor that kept him still in the torrent of darkness and for that, they had to pay. They needed to be punished, they needed to be stabbed like she was, they had to rot in hell!

The spirits noticed his growing glare towards the direction of the village, feeling his escaping emotions. The boy was enraged, his nails drawing blood in his clenched fists as he began to form a plan in his mind. The spirits felt it too, his uncontrollable anger and starving… starving for venom. He desired it so much, not knowing if he wanted it for himself or the villagers.

With the spirits' help, he quickly found the herbs he needed, grinding and mixing them until he got the right mixture. As the night fell he managed to get back to the village, with no one in sight. He knew well that a patrolman will appear with a lantern every hour, but he really needed only a little more than a minute to do what he needed. As quietly as humanly possible, he sneaked towards the well and quickly rubbed the powdered herbs into the bucket used for getting water. Once he was done, he silently rushed back to the river and crossed it with the help of the spirits' long ivies. Now he only had to wait.

Well hidden behind the treetops across the river, he had the perfect view at the village's center. He wouldn't miss it for anything on this world. Even though he hardly kept himself quiet when he noticed Asuka's body being displayed at their shack like a reminder of what happens to the sinners, Yuri turned to the gathered crowd of villagers, obviously happy that they got rid of the pests. The very same farmer who accused him of an assault brought the sack of yellowed papers that served as the holy book during their morning ceremonies. Yuri hated those with passion since people would make him get up really early, listen to the nonsenses and then drink the holy water at once. Ceremony supposedly blessed the water and drinking it would make them safe from the evil spirits.

But not today. As everyone drank what they thought was a holy water, Yuri could nearly feel the power of venom that plowed into their bloodstreams. At first, it appeared to have no effect, but then almost simultaneously everyone started coughing, choking on their own fluids. Yuri watched not out of pleasure, although he found it quite satisfying, but to properly say goodbye to Asuka. Choking screams of villagers were heard for long minutes, suffering a great pain before they could no longer breathe. The mass on the village's center looked like a pile of bodies, the ones from his hometown when people were dying from plague fast. Now he was their venom, a child of a witch who brought on a disaster upon their village just like they said he will.

…

Johan was entirely speechless now, the news of Judai's friend death were hard enough as they were. But this? A ten-year-old child killing an entire village? What was this world coming to? Yuri clearly held no remorse for his actions, it was his justice he believed in and the only thing he could do. Everything he ever loved was taken from him, even his own existence wasn't allowed in this world. Yuri simply didn't know what else to do, he lost his only guide and was driven by revenge. Johan clearly knew that Yuri had no right to kill those people, especially after Judai's speech, but going through such an ordeal and as a child for that fact… Johan couldn't blame him for real.

"I really am a demon, aren't I?" Yuri chuckled nervously "I always was, I just kept it down."

"What happened next?" Johan changed the topic.

"I returned to the house, took few things and ran away. I couldn't stay there any longer once I saw them up close I realized I miscalculated."

"Miscalculated what?"

"Village's hunters weren't among the bodies. I forgot they were on a hunting trip and I knew they would instantly know it was me. I tried to outrun them, but I hurt my leg so they caught up with me."

"The men that were chasing you, right?"

"If you'd kill them, you would do me a big favor. But you probably won't do it right? You're too good for it…"

"That's not true!" Judai got back to Yuri "We aren't as good as you may think. We killed people too, lots of them for that fact…"

"Congratulations, you really aren't angels."

"Judai…" Johan tried to take a hold of him "Leave it, this is not about you."

"You're right it really isn't about you…"

The whole shack turned silent, even Ruby and Winged Kuriboh had nothing to say. It seemed as Judai had something more to say when out of sudden the whole house was filled with the noises of gunshots. The brunet general threw himself on Yuri to shield him from the bullets and arrows as Yubel and Johan fought back, but not before two bullets find their way into Yuri's shoulder.

Then Judai's eyes began to glow yellow.

…

"And then we came to your palace. We didn't know where else to go in such a short notice." Johan finished with the story.

"I see… the poor child really got it hard." Zarc gently caressed Yuri's hair "Ignored, abused and beaten… though I don't recall you telling me when he was poisoned?"

"He did it himself." the blue-haired general kept his face down, Ruby being his only comfort "It turned out that he had another package of poison hidden in his pocket so he could commit suicide before hunters could kill him. He ate it when we weren't looking, just before the hunters appeared."

"Or maybe he indeed regretted the massacre of the village to the point he believed he deserved the same punishment." Zarc sighed, looking at Judai who was still on the balcony lost in thought "How's he holding?"

"I'm not sure… while he was protecting Yuri, I could feel the power of the Supreme King trying to break free. Yubel hardly helped him control it."

"He's grown much stronger, Johan. Your friend is carrying a dark spirit in himself, but he has a control over it now and it's thanks to you he knows how."

"You showed him the way to me though." Johan smiled when Xiangke Magician stopped using his magic on the child.

"I've cleared the poison in his system, he should be healed up by tomorrow." the spirit said, the general and Dragon King dismissing him along with the Timegazer Magician while Xiangsheng remained in the room.

By now Judai came back, asking about Yuri's condition and only when Zarc assured him the kid will be alright did the brunet general got back to his semi-cheerful self. Knowing the human general that hosted a dark spirit, the Dragon King half-way assumed why they brought Yuri to him first instead to the Fusion Kingdom.

"Well now that you're settled in, why don't we discuss some things over a cup of tea? Healing Ward isn't really a right place for it and Xiangsheng will gladly look after the boy." Zarc already opened the doors.

"Things?" Judai blinked in confusion when something small ran to the Dragon King.

"Haoryuu!" Yuya chirped happily when Zarc picked him up and cradled him in his arms.

"About a lot of things if I'm honest and yes one of those is how similar Yuri looks to Yuya."

"Yuya?" the Fusion rulers asked in unison, surprised at the unlikely sight.

…

The generals and Zarc took seats at the palace's terrace with a nice view of the plains and a nearby town. Some fairy spirits brought them a steaming pot of tea and snacks, which the generals took politely, making those few sips to taste the rich flavor of herb mixture. Yuya was on the grass field nearby, chasing Winged Kuriboh and Ruby who gladly played with a cheerful child.

"So Yuya was brought by Yugi and Atem a few months ago?" Judai started, still puzzled at the children's resemblances.

"And he too suffered at the hands of humans? Just because his eyes were differently colored?" Johan added when watching Yuya pick colorful flowers.

"I'm afraid so. The two of them had indeed a really rough time." Zarc poured himself more tea "I checked for every clue of where might Yuya's origins lay, but so far I found nothing. The poor child had been passed around so regularly that any information about him was lost."

"Do you think the two of them are related? No offense, but when I saw Yuya running to you I thought he was Yuri. Their faces are identical." Judai asked, fiddling with his cup of tea.

"It could be possible, considering both of them don't remember their parents." Johan thought when connecting their stories.

"Well related or not, they are here now. Yuya still has nightmares and sometimes gets panic attacks, but compared to the first few weeks he has made a good progress at his recovery. Yuri on the other hand…" Zarc said when Judai interrupted me in the middle of the speech.

"Please take Yuri in!" the brunet general bowed to his king, surprising everyone in sight "He needs you."

"Judai…" the Dragon King's eyes widened even though he was going to suggest the same thing sooner or later.

"Yuri's mind is really troubled right now and he needs someone who will help him to get out of the darkness. You did the same thing for me, so please take care of Yuri, so Asuka's death won't be in vain!" Judai said so loud that it even drew attention from Yuya who stopped playing.

Zarc nodded, nudging to the Fusion ruler to sit back since he understood his request clearly. The generals let out a sigh of relief knowing their king will help the child that they failed to do so. Even if they took Yuri in, their ideologies clashed way too aggressively and they doubted the boy's thinking would change that much. Zarc was way more neutral about everything, not to mention Yuri would have a company of someone his age. And also the Dragon King would have someone more to take care of and heal the void in his heart.

"Haoryuu?" Yuya pulled at Zarc's shirt.

"What is it Firefly?" the man looked down on the odd-eyed boy who held something behind his back.

"Is the boy who looks like me hurt? Is that why he is in the Healing Ward?" Yuya asked worriedly.

"Yeah, Yuri has been through some things and needs to rest." Zarc petted the boy's head.

"Is it okay if I go visit him? I even made him this to recover faster." Yuya showed a knitted flower crown that he has been hiding.

"Of course you can, just make sure to not bother him for too long. He's been through quite a lot."

"Okay!"

Yuya left terrace where Zarc and the generals continued to talk as Ruby and Winged Kuriboh followed him since his Haoryuu still didn't want him to go anywhere alone. The odd-eyed boy grew up emotionally, though at times he would still get in situations that would trigger him. Zarc and the spirits showed him that there are other things than the hurt, abuse, and hate on this world. And he wanted to do the same thing for Yuri, the boy who looked so much like him. He might've only seen him briefly, but deep in his heart, he felt the tingling feeling he only felt when the Dragon King broke down in front of him. A desperate call for comfort from someone he cared about. Did that mean Yuri was calling for him?

The odd-eyed boy rushed through the halls that he got to know in those months living here. Luckily even the shortcuts, so he reached the Healing Ward quite fast. He knocked quietly so he wouldn't wake Yuri up while still hiding the flower crown behind his back. Xiensheng Magician opened the door and after listening to Yuya's little request she gladly led him to the other sleeping boy. Yuri now had a majority of color returned back to his previously pale skin, his shoulder was properly bandaged and his sleep appeared to be peaceful enough. As Yuya climbed on the chair to reach the bed better he heard the female spirit saying she will just go gather some healing potions from Xiangke Magician for Yuri once he would wake up properly.

"Hi… Yuri." Yuya started to talk awkwardly "My name is Yuya."

Even though there was no response, he continued.

"Haoryuu and misters generals said that you were hurt. I brought you something to help you recover." Yuya put the flower crown on the bed "You just have to cast a spell."

"Pain, pain go away!"

Yuya repeated it few times, each time clapping with his hands to make it more effective. There weren't any visible changes, but the boy felt the feeling inside him lessen, so he was satisfied with the visit. He playfully ruffled Yuri's hair before leaving, whispering he would like to know him better soon. Yuya was at the doors when the same feeling that loosened not that long ago became tight again, nearly making him gasp.

"Leaving so soon?" Yuya heard someone say, needing a while before realizing it came from the same room.

"Yuri?" the odd-eyed boy trembled a bit when he looked back, seeing the other boy very much awake, rubbing his eyes "I thought you were asleep."

"I always healed faster since.. ughh! Damm this hurts!" Yuri cursed when accidentally leaned on his shoulder too much.

"Easy or the magic won't work." Yuya clung to the flower crown.

"… you gotta be kidding me." the purple haired stared at the tangled flowers now that his vision was clear "Seriously how old are you? Or better tell, why the hell do you look like me? Where am I? Where are those two wanna-be vigilantes?"

"I… I don't know…" the odd-eyed boy blinked from confusion, unable to answer so many questions at once.

"That's just perfect… a weird eyed version of me is trying to heal me with flowers. If that's heaven I rather go to hell."

"Y… you we…re b… brought he… here by Ha… Haoryuu's ge… generals." Yuya suddenly began to stutter, something that he recently stopped doing "Th…they saved you."

"Tsk they really did…" Yuri sighed in annoyance "Even after I've given them any possible reason to leave me alone and let me die."

"B… but you sh…shouldn't want to die!" the odd-eyed boy said determined "You should be happy to be alive!"

"Do I look like a care? Look I doubt you'd understand, but I have my reasons."

"B.. but I thought we… we could be friends…" Yuya looked down, obviously heartbroken by Yuri's words.

"Isn't this cute, not only those guys dragged me here they even made an adorable little puppet to look like me." Yuri let out a manic laughter "Way to try sympathizing with me."

"I'm not a puppet!" Yuya winced, tears bubbling at the corners of his eyes "I just want to help you!"

"Nice try but no. It will take more than a weird-eyed fake to convince me." Yuri ignored the injures while trying to leave the bed.

"B…but I'm n…not a fake! I'm real!" Yuya tried to make him stay by holding onto him "I too was saved…"

"Let go dammit!" the purple haired had just about enough, clearly annoyed by the other boy.

"No, please just stay until Haoryuu comes! I'm sure he can help you…"

"I said let go, you freak!"

The sound of a slap echoed through the room, one child more shocked than the other. Yuri really didn't know why he did, he snapped in a way he never taught he would, just like Asuka taught him not to. But once he saw the face of a boy who looked so much like him, whose tears were running down and whose eyes were widened like he had just seen a ghost as he cradled the forming bruise on his paled cheek, he couldn't help but feel incredibly guilty. Yuri felt like he had just hit Asuka. He'd never do that to a person who cared for him for so long, but somehow he did and it hurt his already so damaged heart.

"I… I…" Yuri was dumbfounded, not sure what to do. Even if that kid was a supposed puppet made by those guys with spirits, he didn't mean any harm. He shouldn't react the way he did, but considering everything that happened in a span of couple of days, could you really blame him? His starvation for venom still made his heart beat uncontrollably, hardly holding back the pain that has been gathering inside him for so long like a time-ticking bomb about to explode.

His thoughts were suddenly broken by the loud and irregular breaths coming from the other boy. His tears stopped, but his skin turned paler as his body wouldn't stop shaking. Yuya became right the opposite of the innocently cheerful persona he was before, now mouthing unspoken words as his breathing became more and more rigid.

Yuri was about to ask him what was wrong when Yuya outright screamed and with hands covering his ears collapsed on the ground. His body was twisting like having a seizure, all while shouting indistinct sentences. Yuri was just about at loss of what was going on, wanting to help the kid out of instinct while he just wanted to get away at the same time. Luckily the doors of the Healing Ward opened with a silver haired man up front with a female spirit and the generals at his side. As much as Yuri feared they came to him because he obviously did something he shouldn't, he was surprised to see the man rushing to the odd-eyed kid on the ground.

"Firefly! Are you alright?" the man took the panic-stricken child in his arms.

"Plea…se d…don't hu…rt me." Yuya uttered, his eyes still wide and unfocused.

"You're not there anymore, you're with me! Listen to my voice Yuya!" Zarc repeated over and over while cradling the poor child in his embrace.

"D…don't…" the odd-eyed kid mumbled painfully since his chest hurt from violent breathes.

"I'm here Firefly, I'm here…" Zarc coed, pressing him against his chest until he felt the wild heartbeat calming down.

The Dragon King continued saying gentle words and caressing Yuya's back as everyone else just watched. The generals heard more about the Yuri's lookalike after Yuya left, knowing his backstory was anything but simple. When Zarc suddenly grew quiet and quickly headed to the Healing Ward, they knew something must've been up, though they didn't expect the odd-eyed kid to suffer a panic attack from just visiting Yuri.

By now Zarc managed to calm Yuya down, who was now unconsciously lying in his arms. Yuri's slap triggered the memories that he had managed to avoid for a while, so Yuya's panic attack was worse than the last one, tiring him down to the point of passing out. The Dragon King sighed as he gave Yuya to Xianghsheng, instructing her to get him to his room for a rest. The female spirit bowed as she disappeared with a boy, leaving Zarc, generals and Yuri alone.

"I think we need to talk." The Dragon King said to the still shocked boy who only gave a slight nod in agreement.

…

It was the late afternoon when Yuri and Zarc were sitting at the flower garden located at the back of the palace. Yuri's very first reaction was to just examine every leaf, petal and stem, taking in all that the garden had to offer. But he didn't feel like it at the moment. At least not after hearing about what Yuya had gone through. To be exposed to so much physical abuse while he got to least spend those few years in a hometown with loving people, Yuri hardly believed Yuya got to recover to being the cheerful child that wanted to help him out – him the person who was actually well-off for a while. But now he made him remember all the bad things that happened to him…

"What happened, happened Yuri. You can't change the past." Zarc said taking a flower "Once you pick the flower, you can't plant it back."

"I didn't mean to…" Yuri said quietly, eying the torn stem of a flower that Zarc held "It was just like when I began preparing the poison for villagers."

"You carry a lot of pain in your heart and you want it out. That's why you reacted so violently to the people whom you didn't know wanted to help you out. You thought you'd only get hurt by them all over, just like villagers hurt you." the Dragon King put a supporting hand on the boy' shoulder.

"I… I just don't know what to do anymore…" Yuri hugged his knees "You want me to exist while the world doesn't."

Soon after Yuya was taken away, Yuri turned silent even after Zarc started asking him questions. Judai and Johan also tried getting him to talk, which he refused the same way, saying he was tired. So they let him rest for a few hours even though Yuri merely lay there with opened eyes. After a while the same female spirit came to change his bandages and brought him something to eat. Despite not having a decent meal in last two years, the purple haired boy hardly ate since he was still feeling guilty. Once Xiangsheng Magician determined his ankle was well enough for him to move around, Yuri got to leave the Healing Ward. On the way to the Throne Room he was again accompanied by spirits who were as surprised to see him as another similar looking human child in the palace as he was to see so many of them.

The Dragon King was back at his desk, with his head in the papers he was working on before Yuri's arrival while Stargazer and Timegazer Magician assisted him. Zarc then just took him around the palace, showing him the rooms and various locations. The whole time he didn't even mention Yuya or Yuri's disturbing backstory, talking mostly about the Realm of Spirits. Yuri more or less just listened since the new knowledge intrigued him and the sight of amazing architecture left him awestruck. By the time they reached garden he asked about the generals to which Zarc replied that they had personal stuff to attend to which Yuri quickly figured out was recovering Asuka's body so they could give her a proper burial. More he heard about Judai and Johan, more guilt gathered up inside of him for being so rude to them. Not only did they fight in a war against their own kind, they lost so many loved ones and were forced to do terrible things in order to protect the spirits. No wonder why their spirits trusted them so much.

Yuri then got lost in the sigh of beautiful flowers all over garden, thinking how happy Asuka would be to see them. The thought of the kind herbalist who done so much for him finally made him tear up, right next to the roses. He remembered the very first time she showed him how to take care of the flowers, seeing her as the savior who was there for him until the very last breath left her. She gave him a purpose and helped him discover his passion for plants, but with her gone now… he was just lost. He no longer knew with whom to share the new knowledge about the plants. Whom to report about the new discoveries. Or who to show the unique flowers so they would gave him a hug and thanked him for making them smile…

That was exactly what Yuya wanted, just to give him a little craft of flowers, wishing him to recover soon and probably just wanted to keep him company so he wouldn't be alone. Yuri couldn't deny feeling warmth when the odd-eyed lookalike was with him. It was just like when Asuka picked him from underneath the freezing snow and wrapped him up in a warm blanket. Another angel that he feared would be taken from him because of his mistakes.

"Why do you even bother with taking me in? All I did was insulting your generals and made Yuya cry." Yuri said after a while of nothing but silence "Trust me, you don't want someone like me."

"What if I do?" Yuri's eyebrows went up from Zarc's words.

"You don't… I'm a monster, a demon who causes destruction to everything good that comes to it. Even if I keep it down… I'll sooner or later snap and hurt someone." new set of tears started raining down from his eyes, right over the dried ones "Believe me I tried… for two years… but then I murdered entire village. I don't want to hurt any of you… you've only tried to help me out."

"Yuri… your mind is in really complex state right now and I clearly understand what you mean to tell me. General Judai was in a similar situation."

"The one who slapped me for me wanting the hunters dead?"

"That's right, he too was carrying so much anger and pain inside of him, refusing any help from his friends until it was too late. The spirit of a Supreme King made him do unthinkable things and once he realized it, he also wanted to die so no one else would be hurt. But just when he was about to finish off himself, I managed to hear his silent cry for help and talked him out of it. You and Judai are very much alike."

"But how did he manage to control it?"

"Well you may know that each emotion, anger and sadness included, has a lot of power. You can use it to hurt others or… convert it into something else. That's what Judai did."

"How can you convert something so destructive?"

"You can if you know how to do it. Judai turned this power into a desire to protect the ones dear to him. His spirits, his fellow general Johan and his other friends from Fusion Kingdom." Zarc smiled when he saw Yuri looking at him all awestruck from the new information "You too can do it."

"But I… who can I protect? I have no one left…"

"You have Yuya."

"Huh? How can I after… after what I did to him…"

"Yuri… no Lily listen." Yuri blinked at the nickname he hasn't heard for so long "The flower you were named after isn't just any flower. Lilies represent so many nice things, with friendship and devotion among it. I think Asuka thought the same when she named you. She wouldn't give such powerful name to just someone, she gave it to you because she believed in you. Just like I believe in you."

Yuri couldn't help but to make eye contact with Zarc for the very first time. Since their first meeting, the purple haired boy kept his head down or away as he couldn't look into his eye, not after hurting someone dear to him. He was afraid of becoming the very same kind of a person he despised and in his mind he was convinced that the Dragon King saw him like that. But now that his purple eyes connected with Zarc's yellow ones, he realized that the man didn't see him like that in any way. His eyes weren't expressing hate or contempt, not even sadness or pity like generals did. No, everything that Yuri saw was faith and forgiveness. The Dragon King truly believed he could overcome his starvation for revenge and his pure support was the proof for it.

"Lily, you can do this. By learning how to put your raging emotions into power to protect someone you care about, you'll get to know the emotions you lacked for so long." Zarc put his arms around the still child who was too deep in thought to care "Believe me, if Judai did it, so can you."

The second time Zarc used the flowery nickname, Yuri burst into tears, clenching onto the Dragon King just like he did when he was very little with Asuka. It has been so long since he felt so helpless and safe at the same time, with someone who truly cared about him, stroking his hair. Zarc knew him for less than a day and yet he took him under his wing instantly, assuring him he would help him overcome his painful rage. It was exactly what he needed - not pity, not sympathy and definitely not a change of heart. His heart was alright, just damaged badly from the years of experiencing difficult emotions. What he needed was someone who believed in him and someone whom he would protect with his power.

Zarc was his new light, just like Asuka was before him.

…

"I don't know if I should go or not…" Yuri peeked from behind of a pillar that supported one of the balconies "… what if I mess up again?"

"Just go there, I know you can do it." Zarc smiled while patting his shoulder in support.

Yuri sighed as looked at the grass field where the familiar odd-eyed kid was playing with a bunch of animal-looking spirits. He was right in the middle of putting bow ties, hats and other silly accessories on them which the spirits seemed to like. Yuri thought it was childish, but then again he really didn't know how ten year olds were supposed to act like. All he knew was that he was supposed to get to Yuya and apologize for being rude and triggering his panic attack a day ago.

Soon after the talk he had with Zarc, Yuri was taken to another guest room that was luckily on the other side of the palace. He didn't want to run into Yuya until he was ready which was anything but easy. Yuri replayed the conversation over and over and each time he was sure it was worse than the previous try. He try to distract him by conversing with the Dragon King who brought him fresh clothes, showed him the way to the bath and stayed around him for a little dinner. Zarc also told him that Yuya woke up around the dinnertime as well though he had it in bed due to still being shaken up a bit. Fortunately the gazers were with him, so he wasn't alone and Yuri could get to know the Dragon King on the more personal level.

With the night coming Yuri barely got himself any shut-eye from how nervous he was. Despite the comfortable blankets and pillows, the sleep was the only thing that he didn't get. By the time morning came and with Zarc bringing him breakfast Yuri was already dressed up as he didn't see any point of lying in bed if he couldn't sleep. Once he took those few bites that assured the Dragon King that he at least ate something, Yuri quietly went to the nearby flower field while Zarc went to see Yuya. The pink haired boy was surprised to see so many new flowers there along with both familiar and unknown plant spirits residing there. At first he just went on with picking the right flowers, trying not to bother the spirits, but once he wasn't sure which colors would go well together he started asking them for opinion.

The plant spirits were at first a bit surprised since they mistook Yuri for Yuya at first since the odd-eyed boy would spend a lot of time outside, but once they got to know Yuri's plan they gladly assisted him. The purple haired boy hardly noticed time passing since he got really into his little craft. Although he knew the great deal about plants, making flower crows wasn't one of the things he knew. Fortunately there were also few plant spirits from the human world that watched people making flower crowns and therefore knew how to help him out.

At last he was done and sneaked back to the palace where Zarc awaited him. He quietly accompanied him to the grass field where Yuya was also crafting something that looked like performing accessories. Yuri gulped down big time, seeing the flashback of Yuya having a panic attack all over, and fearing he will mess up again. He was even about to turn back when Zarc just smiled and gently pushed him towards the grass field. The pink haired boy took a deep breath and stepped towards Yuya who was right in the middle of tying up a bow tie to the wolf-looking spirit.

"Alright then! Are all stars ready?" Yuya stood up, putting on a pair of goggles with a star covering one of the lenses "Then the show can start!"

All spirits cheered in reply as the odd-eyed boy, now wearing matching goggles made a bow to the invisible audience with a smile.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! I'm so glad you've made it to our show today! We have so many stars ready for truly extraordinary performances, so please enjoy the show!" the spirits then came close to him in a pose each of them also bowing "Today you will see Whip Viper's magic trick, some acrobatic acts done by Silver Claw and lastly we will all join the Cheermole's lovely dance!"

As soon as he was done with the introductions, a purple snake spirit with a bow tie and a hat coiled around Yuya's arm while hissing in chanting manner. The wolf spirit with huge silver claws, also wearing a bow tie with an addition of two shining chains began jumping around doing somersaults, at times even jumping through the circles made by Whip Viper. A shy looking mole spirit wearing a pretty dress and hiding behind two fluffy pompoms was a bit unsure about her act, but once Yuya started dancing with her, Cheermole joyfully lead the dance. The whole time Yuya led the three spirits on head, clearly showing he was the one who came up with the show. All three spirits surely enjoyed performing with the odd-eyed boy even if there was no audience. Yuya laughed and performed some individual acts as well while the spirits cheered him on. Once they were all done, they again bowed to the invisible audience, though despite no one there they heard clapping.

"Yes, yes thank you! We hope you enjoyed our show and make sure you come to see us the next time, Haor…" Yuya giggled as he turned around, expecting to see Zarc since his Haoryuu would often watch his little shows in secret. But instead of the Dragon King, there was someone else.

Yuya nearly flinched at the sight of the boy who looked so much him, instantly remembering about their first meeting. Ever since he woke up back in his room after passing out from the panic attack, he was wondering just who exactly Yuri was. The Gazers who attended him while he rested didn't tell him more than Zarc did before he went to visit Yuri, though as he lay in the bed unconscious he could see many different memories concerning the pink haired boy. In a way he understood his pain while in other way he really didn't understood his action. He could remember the times when he was locked in that tiny cage, praying he wouldn't get hurt that one night and hoping no one else was going through the same pain he did. When he saw Yuri happily collecting plants and interacting with townspeople he was actually glad that his lookalike had at least some happy memories.

Though now that he faced him again, he wasn't sure what he would do. His heart was so complex that he could hardly point out which emotions he was expressing. Will he hit him again? Will he call him names? Yuya couldn't tell. All he could see was Yuri raising his hands over his head.

But surprisingly he didn't aim to hit him in the first place. Instead he placed a very similar looking flower crown on his head and gave him one more round of applause.

"Y… You're n…not mad with me?" Yuya uttered once he got his throat to work again.

"No…" Yuri answered rather awkwardly, completely different like yesterday "Your show was nice…"

"Th…thank you." the odd-eyed boy slightly blushed at the praise.

"Don't mention it." Yuri had to practically look away to hide his own blushing caused by Yuya's gleaming eyes.

Whip Viper, Cheermole and Silver Claw half-guessed the two boys had something personal to discuss, so they left them be as they discreetly headed for the forest where other spirits were. For a while neither of them could utter a sentence without stuttering, not until they subconsciously began to walk around the palace. Yuri tried to distract the conversation with telling Yuya about the flowers he picked and their healing abilities. The purple haired boy would rarely pick the flowers for decorative reasons, since he saw better use for them, but for Yuya he made an exception, even going as far as learning to knit up a flower crown.

"They're pretty… and smell nice too." Yuya said after examining the flowers up close.

"I thought you'd like green and red chrysanthemums since… they look like your eyes." Yuri again had trouble hiding his blushing.

"You did a really nice flower crown… wish I knew where mine was…"

"You can make another… and we'll both have them then."

The conversation was still getting awkward and Yuri nearly wished they could be done for the day. But he promised Zarc to get closer to Yuya and connect with him so he could learn what it meant to protect someone you care about. Though for now, he had to figure out how to talk with him in the first place.

"Say… why did you make that show with the spirits?" Yuri then asked "From what I know you were forced to perform and got punished if you didn't do it right. So why would you keep on doing something that obviously scarred you?"

"I perform for myself." Yuya stated, no longer stuttering, talking in more mature manner "It may sound weird… but I always liked being on stage."

"But what about…"

"It was painful… but when I saw people smile and enjoy the performances… it made me smile a bit too…" Yuya wiped a tear that sneaked out of his crimson eye "Here I can make spirits smile… without being afraid I would mess it up… though I still try to make the best show as I can."

Yuri couldn't help but be impressed with Yuya fighting his own demons in such a nice way, much better of what he was doing. To think Yuya has been beaten, mocked and isolated from people and still had a will to live on… what was his excuse? By now he got to know that the odd-eyed boy was truly like Zarc described him, so Yuri no longer had anything to hold him back when asking the last question.

"Yuya… are you afraid of me?" Yuri stopped in his tracks, making his lookalike doing the same.

"Not really… you were scary yesterday though…" Yuya replied in confusion feeling like he had a déjà vu of Zarc asking him the same thing.

"I'm sorry about it, I really am. I had so much stuff in my head to deal with and it wasn't right to lash on you because of my own problems…"

"You don't need to say sorry, I pushed into you too… I didn't know you were in pain…" Yuya ran his fingers through his messy hair "I was just a bit sad that we couldn't become friends…"

"We can!" Yuri said it so suddenly that Yuya nearly jumped from surprise "I mean… we can still be friends… if you accept me as you friend that is."

Yuri scratched his head in thought, not knowing how the odd-eyed boy would react. He could see him staring at him with wide eyes, partly hiding behind the flower crown. The pink haired boy was sure he screwed up yet again, especially from seeing tears bubbling at the edges of Yuya's mismatched eyes. Yuri was just about to give up in the plan he doubted would even work when he felt Yuya's arms around his waist and his lookalike all teary but with a smile on his face.

"Of course we can be friends!" Yuya exclaimed holding onto Yuri like he was afraid the purple haired boy would be gone if he were to let him go "You can tell me more about the plants… and we can go explore the woods to find more of them… and we can make more flower crowns!"

"How did you…?"

"I saw few of you memories… I don't know how, but every time you were looking for new plants… and talking with the plant spirits… you looked so happy…"

"Yuya…"

"I want you to be happy! So please stay…" Yuya sobbed into Yuri's shoulder "I don't want you to leave…"

Yuri gently returned the hug back to Yuya whose reaction was beyond from what he expecting. Zarc was right, Yuya was a person that he wanted to protect from the pain that ravaged his heart. Just like Asuka was there for him, he wanted to be there for the boy who looked so much like him.

"Don't worry, I'm staying." Yuri rubbed the back of the other boy "I promise to always protect you."

Yuya could only smile, happy that the little family he was part of just got a new member.

The Dragon King quietly watched the two new siblings properly bond and felt the void in his own heart fill a little bit more. The little firefly brought the light to his life and now a newly sprouted lily made it even more beautiful.

…

Yuri needed couple of days just to get used to the enormous palace. True he had explored the woods larger than the building itself, but hallways and rooms looking all the same it was trickier. Luckily Yuya had the knack for knowing where everything was and gladly led him to wherever Yuri wanted to go. If not for his lookalike, Zarc's spirits gladly assisted him as well, especially after showing the interest in the library where much more books about plants were. The purple haired boy gladly read one book after another while Yuya was still stuck with his short picture books and fairytales as his literacy was at the basic level. Yuri actually turned out to be very good at explaining of how to read more difficult expressions. Yuya would at times whine of it being too hard to learn, but with time he got used to it.

Exploring the forests and grass fields on the other hand was Yuya's strong hold. He pretty much knew where everything outside was thanks to the spirits he was friends with, whom he nicknamed Entermates, though he wasn't that familiar with the plants. That's where Yuri's knowledge came into the play and once befriending more plant spirits that he simply called Predaplants, the purple haired boy got to experience the thrill of finding new flowers all over again. Yuya gladly accompanied him wherever he went, learning new things himself or just enjoyed the time with someone his age. Although those trips were an activity that Yuri liked in general, he would too join Yuya's activities that went from simple games with Entermates and crafting accessories to more complicated games and those little shows he prepared.

Since the two of them got so close, Zarc arranged for their rooms to be next to each other so the y wouldn't need to cross entire palace just to see each other. At times the Dragon King would even find them sleeping in the same bed, snuggled to each other like a pair of newborn kittens. This came handy whenever Yuya would still get night terrors since Yuri was strong enough to hold him down until he was calm again. Same could be also said for Yuri who for the first few weeks would constantly see Asuka's dying moments in his dreams and woke up crying. But then he would see Yuya next to him or simply knew Yuya was close and remember he had to stay strong for the odd-eyed boy.

As the more weeks progressed and Yuri's dreams were still anything but calm, Yuri got a visit from Judai and Johan. This time their conversation was much calmer and deeper, with the purple haired boy spending more time with Judai to learn more about how to control his emotions while Johan would play with Yuya. Yuri feared of how the two of them would approach each other, but with Judai sharing his backstory from his own point of view he got to understand him better. Asuka was brought up as well, everything of how the Fusion ruler met her to the very last moment before Judai became Zarc's general along with Johan and practically vanished from his old human life. Yuri was surprised to learn that Asuka also had an older brother, that she lost to the one of the human wars, years after Zarc' victory and not that long before she found Yuri. As the two of them talked further, Judai also offered to take him to the Fusion Kingdom where her grave was. The purple haired boy took it into consideration as he wasn't ready to face it just yet.

It took him nearly a month before he was ready to put on some black clothes and contact the Fusion Ruler to pick him up. Yuya also offered to come along to be beside him whom Yuri refused politely, saying it was something he had to do himself though he accepted beautifully crafted wreath made of roses and lilies made by Yuya. Standing by her grave was probably one of the hardest things he ever did, knowing that few inches below the ground Asuka was, right next to the remains of her brother who too was buried in Fusion Kingdom. Yuri didn't know for how long he stayed there, staring into the gravestone's letters and flowers planted around. He didn't cry, he didn't talk, he was just there deep in thought. He quietly thanked for each moment that she spent with him, in good and bad, for the things she taught him and for encouraging him to keep on living. Thinking back to the both times when he wished to join her, he realized just how sad she would be. Asuka was with her brother now and he was with Yuya, Zarc and generals. He had to keep going, if not for himself then for Yuya who too made him realize just how precious life can be and that giving up on it is never the right answer.

Once he returned Zarc awaited him, worried that the visit of Asuka's grave was too much for him, but once he felt his calmer aura he knew the trip did him good. Yuri felt relieved once he said good bye to her for real and was ready to live his new life. Unlike Yuya who had to get used to the much friendlier world, Yuri didn't have that much trouble. At times his bursting emotions would threaten to explode, but Yuri learnt how to channel them into desire to protect Yuya. By now spirits got used to the odd-eyed boy walking through the halls and his strange lookalike not far from him, keeping a close eye to anything that might harm him. Zarc would even tease him for being so overprotective despite being pretty much the same when it was just him and Yuya. The Dragon King would still spend a lot of time with odd-eyed child and Yuri didn't really mind it as he would just use the time to read difficult books about plants or go hang out with Predaplants. Yuya still needed his Haoryuu while Yuri was mature enough to look after himself though he would gladly converse with Zarc whenever he could. The Dragon King too showed him his true form at which he was pretty impressed and that much more trusting towards him as he knew Zarc was strong and wouldn't break his promise of protecting him and Yuya.

…

Weeks turned into months when another winter came, with snow covering every inch of Zarc's kingdom. Yuya was overjoyed to see snow, calling all his Entermates to go play and even make a snow show out of it. Yuri on the other hand, dressed up in the warmest clothes and wrapped in numerous blankets, rather stayed inside. Besides plants lying under piles of snow and being reminded of hellish winters in that village, Yuri was never really a big fan of snow. But that one day in particularly Yuya's puppy eyes were especially big and even Zarc had time to go with them, Yuri gave up and followed them outside.

Yuya and Zarc immediately started with a snowball game which dragged Yuri in as soon as the first ball hit him and in the matter of minutes they had outright war. Zarc was glad his Gazers and other loyal spirits weren't there as they too would join the game and knowing how powerful their magic is… boy would they the short end of the stick.

The Dragon King was about to make another ball and carefully aim it at Yuri, when something in the air stole his attention. It was definitely a dragon spirit, but with how bright the sun was he couldn't tell which one. Soon Yuri and Yuya noticed it as well and cautiously got behind Zarc who now pointed out the shimmering wings and bright white aerodynamic body carrying something. Once it was close enough and landing near them, Zarc smiled as he recognized the rider.

"It's been a while Yusei." the Dragon King greeted as the Synchro Ruler got off his Stardust Dragon "Is everything alright in the Synchro Kingdom?"

"It's doing well for now, though that's now for what I came for." Yusei replied and almost as soon as he got off the dragon, he was climbing back on its back.

Zarc curiously watched how the general climbed towards the dragon's head as well as Yuya and Yuri did, peeking from behind their Haoryuu. At last they could see what Yusei was doing. Hidden behind one of the folded wings was a human boy Yuya's and Yuri's age, desperately holding onto the Stardust Dragon's body.

"It's alright, we've arrived." Yusei coed as he tried to get the boy off his dragon "You don't need to hold on anymore."

But the child kept holding on and only after Synchro ruler talked with him more did the boy let go reluctantly and almost immediately hid behind Yusei. With some difficulty, the general managed to get back to Zarc since the kid wouldn't let go of his leg. Now that he was so close the Dragon King could see that the child wasn't only the same age as Yuya and Yuri.

Except for the blue hair with blond bangs and bright blue eyes, the boy shared the same face as the duo.

If one was an incident, the two was coincidence, was the three a pattern?

Zarc didn't know, but he did know that this child brought by Yusei had also been through hell. While he wore an oversized coat, the Dragon King could clearly see the tattered rags that were supposedly his clothes and terribly malnourished body, not to mention the fading scars wherever he looked. Not only that, the boy hardly let go of Yusei or the Stardust Dragon.

"His name is Yugo… and he had nowhere else to go…" Yusei started the story that was far too long to be told outside the palace.

"Then let's go in and see what we can do for him." Zarc took a hold of Yuri's and Yuya's hands since they were still to dazzled by another lookalike to move.

The boy by the name Yugo, on the other hand, wouldn't move. Only when Yusei put him back on Stardust Dragon's back and let the dragon carry him did the boy look up. He didn't look at any of the present people, only at the dragon.

At its beautiful clear wings.

Next chapter preview: When scouting the unknown lands with an old friend, Yusei comes across terrible human cruelty and child suffering under their hands. Will be Yusei able to save him from the cage and give him the clear wings that the boy is so eager to have in order to be free? – Next chapter – The Boy Who Wishes For The Clear Wings

Forgive me my little blossom, like I'm not torturing you enough in Dragon Guardians, you had to go through this too :'(

I believe that in anime Yuri went through something similar to become such character. I have no doubt Leo Akaba never saw him more than a tool for his plans and perhaps if older Asuka would help him out when he was young enough, I bet his personality would be similar to the one in the manga. Asuka originally wasn't planned to appear in his backstory, but as I rewatched those few episodes where her motherly personality was shown I couldn't help but imagine little Yuri with her. The whole thing about roses came from the fact that she would leave a rose at the spot where her brother disappeared in the GX anime.

But yeah we got through and we're moving on to Yugo. His personality is luckily similar to Yuya, so I don't think I'll have that much trouble with his story. Yuto's story though... might get a bit complex, but I went through all the plotholes while writing Yuri's part so it won't be a problem. For now, I can't really say when I'll update since I'm updating Dragon Guardians first and I'm also currently working on fanfic exchange (modern dragon family AU), but please do leave your comments, thoughts, kudos, questions, theories below since I'm really curious if I managed to satisfy your fangirling for our lovely red cabbage :P