Note:
Thank you to all the reviewers!! =^^= Especially to the constant reviewers that
I just would not be the same without: Six Underground, TamChronin, Ru-chan,
sixth child, Liu HuiYing...*glomps them all* you guys are the best!!
And do you all like the new editing of my chaptered fics? ^_^ I got a new
computer and I have all these new options!!! YAY! I hope this new format will
be easier for all of you to read! =)
Another Note: Italicized sentences are thoughts
~ Benevolent Malice: The Thin Line Between Love and Hate ~
Chapter 3: A Mutual Understanding
Hiiragizawa
Eriol…also know as 'General Malicifer of the Dark Triad' and the fearfully
threatening "Essence of Evil" that has killed millions within the
centuries of his very existence...was within his mansion that resides in the
deepest pits of Hell.
Well,
ironically, he was peacefully relaxing in his library, lounging on a sofa on
his side comfortably as if he didn't have a care in the immortal world.
Having
a book in one hand and a cup of tea in the other hand, he was having a very
serene, innocent moment. He sipped his tea, eyes glued on the book.
"Eriol-saaaaaaama!"
sang a cheerful voice just as he flipped a page.
"Yes,
Nakuru-chan?" Eriol called back, almost half-absently, his mind absorbing
knowledge from the book.
Nakuru
materialized into the room in her false form. Having reddish-brown hair and
brown eyes and dressed in simple clothing other than in her 'Ruby Moon
regalia'.
She
plopped on the floor in front of Eriol. And just as a child would, she
playfully snatched the book out of his hands to get his full attention.
Eriol
looked at her with a smile as she stole the book from him, "All right, all
right, what is it?"
"Melphorus-sama
and that witch—er, I mean…and Ferusinne-sama will be coming here to discuss
'business' and they said they'll be come to your mansion in three months."
Nakuru informed, making a face as she said '-sama' for the name Ferusinne.
"Sou
ka..." Eriol nodded thoughtfully. "...I guess we have to discuss that
'plan' we were ordered to do..."
Nakuru
slightly pouted, "What plan, what plan??? Why won't you tell me about that
'secret plan', Eriol-sama? I won't tell anyone!"
Eriol
smiled apologetically, "Ara...gomen ne, Nakuru-chan, but this is
confidential only between The Three Generals and, unfortunately, not cute,
pretty Guardians."
"Hmph!
Don't think you can 'sweet-talk' your way out of this one!" Nakuru crossed
her arms and accidentally dropped the book. It fell on her lap. She looked down
and read the ancient Latin on the cover...
'Angelos
cu Anteanus PotEre' was the title. Roughly, it meant "Angels' Ancient
Power".
"...what's
this? You're reading about Angels, Eriol-sama?" Nakuru asked, picking up
the leather book.
"Well,
that 'cast-away' made me interested in the potential of White and chi magic...I
haven't met any Angels like him before." Eriol replied.
"Ah!
You mean that Li Syaoran guy!" Nakuru exclaimed happily. "He was
pretty tough and all...but no match for you, Eriol-sama."
"Yes..yes,
I know, but...well...it's strange, but..." Eriol trailed off.
"But?"
Nakuru urged.
Eriol
smiled and said, "Yare! I just remembered! I have an appointment with him
today, don't I?"
"Hai,
hai!" Nakuru nodded with a smile. But then her smile slowly disappeared...
"Something
the matter? I thought you had a liking to him." Eriol remarked.
"Hai,
I like him, but...it's been four days since you left him in the Chambers,
Eriol-sama..." she murmured.
"Yes...and?"
Eriol said as he sat up in a sitting position on the couch.
"Don't
you think he'll be...oh, you know..." Nakuru said slowly as she twirled
her finger by her head, making an obvious gesture. "...a
'little'...insane?"
Eriol
laughed, "Oh, Nakuru-chan...If his mind has already cracked, then I guess
I over-estimated him..."
"...over-estimated
him...?" Nakuru blinked and looked at her Master with an arched eyebrow in
curious wonder.
Did
her Master really have an interest in an Angel's power...?
"Eriol-sama...there's
no way an Angel's power and magic can even match to yours," Nakuru said
seriously. "Are you considering that Li Syaoran could..." she trailed
off.
Eriol
simply looked at her, his lips turning up into a mysterious smile, his eyes
gleaming with secrecy.
Eriol
walked down the twisty staircases to the Chambers. As he descended further
down, the air got heavier and hotter, yet it did not affect him.
Going
down another flight of stairs, the air had suddenly grown icy, dead cold
instead of the searing-heated torture Chambers.
He
entered a narrow corridor that was part of an endless labyrinth that was
lighted by blue-flamed torches along the black-stone walls.
"Chiyoko."
Eriol called to the Black Fairy, the 'secretary' of the Chambers and its'
victims' profiles.
A
fairy appeared, dressed in a willowy black dress that matched her transparent
black-silver wings and lengthy hair.
She
flew by Eriol's ear, her voice sounded like soft bell-chimes, "Yes,
Malicifer-sama?"
"How
long has Li Syaoran been tortured?" he asked.
Business-like,
she answered, "Li Syaoran, tortured for exactly 98 hours, 12 minutes, and
44 seconds. He received non-stop torture until 3 hours ago. At the moment, it
is his resting period. Any other questions?"
"Yes,"
Eriol nodded. "Is he still sane?"
"Well…At
the 95th hour, he stopped..responding..to the torture." Chiyoko answered.
Eriol
stopped at the end of the corridor and at the silver portal-doorway that looked
like a circular upright sheet of melted silver.
"Arigatou,
Chiyoko." Eriol smiled at the black fairy, he used his fingertip and
stroked her head gratefully, knowing that area would please her the most.
"Dou
itashimashite!" With a tinkling laugh, Chiyoko kissed his finger with her
fluttering wings and flew off to business.
Eriol
walked into the portal-doorway, sinking through the silver-like liquid. He
stepped into the cold, drafty room. The air was stale and moldly…like rotting
blood.
And
there, suspended in the air against a wall...
He
saw Li Syaoran, who wasn't in the most comfortable position. Being suspended in
air, his wrists were shackled to the wall by heavy chains, both of his arms
above his head, his wrists bound together.
He
hung a foot above the floor. His head hung to his chest, his eyes were slightly
opened, as if he was half-asleep.
Eriol
walked forward, standing before Syaoran. His shirt was gone, probably burned
off. His pants were tattered and blackened.
Syaoran's
body looked worn...like a piece of cloth that had been too stretched, beaten
and used. It was a pitiable sight…
"Ahem..."
Eriol deliberately tried to catch Syaoran's attention.
Syaoran
didn't even look. He continued to stare at the floor, mumbling to himself...
"So
you HAVE lost your mind, Li-san?" Eriol asked, looking at Syaoran's face.
"Already?"
"...
..." Syaoran stopped mumbling and slowly shifted his eyes, looking at
Eriol....however, he seemed to look past Eriol...
Eriol
stared into Syaoran's dull brown eyes.
"I
guess I did over-estimate you, Li-san...such a shame..." Eriol sighed.
Syaoran
stared, unblinking. His face was completely expressionless.
"...I
would have liked to have gotten to know you since you intrigued me with your
power," Eriol continued as if Syaoran could really hear him. "...but
you're not...not really there anymore, are you?"
Reaching
his hand up, Eriol snapped his fingers in front of Syaoran's face. But the
cast-away angel didn't even blink...
Eriol
grabbed Syaoran's chin and raised his head, making the brown-haired man's face
visible to him.
Eriol
stared at the dull, expressionless face that was unseemly for the sharp-eyed,
quick-tongued Angel...
"Such
a shame, I guess I had my hopes up for no reason...and I thought you had such
potential..." Eriol sighed.
Waiting
a few seconds, he received no reply...
"Farewell,
Syaoran." Eriol murmured, looking up at the brown-haired boy's face again,
their faces were inches away...
He
then let go of Syaoran's head. It lolled back down to his bare chest. Eriol
slightly shook his head, a frown slightly twisted on his lips, for he was
thoroughly disappointed.
Eriol
turned away. He walked toward the door and—
Curious,
Eriol abruptly froze in place...he felt a strange blaze of power...
"?!?!"
Eriol felt a ripping pain in his back and he was blasted forward. Before
colliding into the stone wall, Eriol disappeared into a flurry of shadows.
"...Onore."
Syaoran muttered weakly as he struggled to snap out of lassitude.
Sending
a chi attack drained Syaoran much of his energy that he had so little of
because of all the torture he went through.
Eriol
suddenly appeared in front of Syaoran, an amused, yet surprised smirk on his
face, "...what's this? You're...you're still...?"
"Don't..don't
ever...don't you ever call me Syaoran!" Syaoran growled, regaining energy
as he felt anger well up in his chest. "..it's 'Li' to you, bastard!"
"Well,
I rather you call me by my name as well," Eriol requested, a smile on his
face, "you are quite the actor, Li-san. I really thought you had lost your
mind..."
"...
..."
...I
did...for a few hours, I lost it myself...all of myself... Syaoran thought,
remembering the seemingly endless torture. ...but then... his thoughts
trailed off.
"I
see you're doing 'fairly well'. You look a bit 'tied up', so I guess you aren't
able to join me for tea?" Eriol asked, a mocking smile on his face.
"You
cynical, sadistic son of a---" Syaoran started, but...
"Ah,
ah, ah," Eriol wagged his finger derisively. "I suggest you don't say
anything offensive..."
"And
why's that?!" Syaoran spat, ready to throw an endless string of curse
words at Eriol.
"Because
I was just about to let you go..." Eriol said, almost carelessly.
Syaoran
blinked, taken aback. He looked down at the demon General.
"You...you're
lying! You're lying, aren't you!?" Syaoran snapped, feeling hopeless pain
in his chest. "Why would someone like YOU let me go in the first
place?!" His chains rattled as he tried to lean forward as if to throttle
him.
"I'm
not lying...this time, anyway." Eriol said honestly.
Syaoran
snarled skeptically and looked away from Eriol angrily.
....he's
just toying with me! I should never believe someone like HIM---! Syaoran
thought.
With
a wave of his hand, Eriol made the heavy shackles and chains disappear into
weightless black mist.
Suddenly
Syaoran fell forward, no longer supported to the wall. He awkwardly landed on the
floor, thus, collapsing on the ground.
Never
in his life had he'd been so happy to feel the precious ground...
"There.
I proved my point. I WOULD let you go under certain circumstances..."
Eriol declared.
Syaoran
hesitated, but asked slowly, "...what kind of circumstances?"
"Since
Rajual was killed, I need someone to take his place...Rajual was my second-best
Assistant and I need someone who is just as strong or stronger than he
was."
"...
..." Syaoran continued to stare, silently listening...
"And
since I got a taste of your power quite personally...I think it'll be
beneficial to have you by my side." Eriol said.
"Hmph...beneficial
for YOU. What's in it for me?" Syaoran asked, narrowing his eyes.
Eriol
smiled, a little surprised, "So you'll actually work for me
willingly?"
"...under
one condition." Syaoran said.
"Which
is?"
"You
give me what I want..." Syaoran said, his voice was hoarse.
Eriol
took a step forward toward the angel that sat on the cold ground, he asked
softly, "And that is?"
"...
..." Syaoran paused. "Come down here, I can't speak loud..."
He
wants revenge against the one that framed him. Of course. Eriol knew
Syaoran's reason already. Eriol knelt down on one knee in front of Syaoran.
...there
was a comfortable silence between the two...but then...
Syaoran
suddenly sprung upward and tackled Eriol to the ground, his knees straddled the
General's waist so he couldn't escape.
Eriol
blinked, too surprised to even move, much less react, stared up at the
brown-eyed angel.
Syaoran
wrapped his fingers around Eriol's neck and commenced to gladly strangling him,
slightly blocking out Eriol's air.
"Your
LIFE! That's what I want!!" Syaoran hissed, his gripped tightened.
Well,
this is quite a surprise... Eriol thought delightfully.
"Heh
heh...why ever would you want that?" Eriol asked, his voice strained.
"I
was tortured for God knows how long!! And that was all because of you!"
Syaoran angrily replied.
...and
you humiliated me so easily... he remembered when Eriol easily over-powered
him the first day they met. ...I won't let that happen again!
Syaoran's
grip suddenly tightened around the General's neck. Eriol coughed, feeling all
air gone.
"And
if you're dead, I won't need to work for you—I don't care if I'm tortured for
eternity, as long as you're dead, I don't care!" Syaoran strangled Eriol
harder.
Eriol
saw hopeless misery in Syaoran's brown, angry eyes...
"Nothing
matters anymore! I'm damned already! For something I didn't do! I never killed
your damn servant, Rajual, I never killed anyone, and look! ...LOOK! I'm HERE
with someone like YOU!" Syaoran was practically yelling each word.
"Maybe
I really SHOULD kill someone---YOU, for example," Syaoran glared
threateningly. "Then I'll REALLY deserve to be in Hell!"
Syaoran's
eyes were gleaming with rage, anger, hate, frustration, and...the desire for
vengeance.
Eriol
smiled, despite the lack of oxygen.
His
fingers dug into Eriol's neck, pressing deeper, snapping some of the more
delicate bones.
Eriol only smiled all the more, much to
Syaoran's annoyance, almost softly laughing…
"Why
the hell are you smiling?!" Syaoran asked angrily.
'...you
wouldn't kill just ANYONE, now would you?' Eriol's voice echoed in
Syaoran's head.
His
gray eyes locked onto Syaoran's brown eyes...Syaoran stared back, his hands
slightly loosened unintentionally...
...he's
right... Syaoran thought privately to himself.
'...of
course, I understand you would take pleasure in killing me, but what about the
one you spoke of? The one that framed you?' Eriol asked.
'...Leirual.'
Syaoran thought automatically, his eyes narrowed.
He
would never forget that vile name. Syaoran felt his jaws clench together in
hatred.
'Ah...that's
his name.' Eriol thought, seeing the muscles in Syaoran's face tighten.
Eriol could feel the hatred emanating out of Syaoran's body like heat. 'What
do you plan to do about him, hmm?'
"...what
CAN I do?" Syaoran asked quietly.
Eriol
smiled cunningly, almost deviously.
"Malicifer-sama!"
three demon guards ran through the portal.
They
seized Syaoran by the shoulders and roughly pulled him away. Syaoran struggled,
but one of the guards gave him a sharp blow to the stomach with its' knee.
Syaoran
clutched his stomach, coughing violently as the air from his lungs vanished. He
struggled to gasp in air as they kicked him again in the ribs.
Eriol
stood up, "Yamete!" he ordered.
The
demons stopped on command, glaring down at Syaoran. Syaoran half-regained his
breath, still pained, but shot the guards a deathly glare.
"Malicifer-sama,
shall we bring him back to the Chambers?" one demon-guard asked.
Syaoran
involuntarily shivered, feeling his stomach and chest tighten at the very
thought of more torture. But he kept a stoic face, managing to hide his
emotions.
"Iie,"
Eriol shook his head, looking down at Syaoran with an amused face, "he'll be
coming with me."
Syaoran
looked at him with blinking eyes, surprised and grateful, but looked away so
none of his emotions would be exposed.
"You
surprised me, I didn't really think you had the energy left to send me both a
chi AND physical attack." Eriol remarked, gently rubbing his damaged neck
with one hand.
"Don't
be impressed," Syaoran snapped, glancing at him. "because I'll do a
lot worse to you next time!"
Eriol
smirked, wanting to provoke Syaoran's anger, "Your ability really hasn't
completely impressed me yet...so far you're merely just a half-strength angel.
Too weak to prove yourself or your worth." his words cut into Syaoran's
pride and soul.
Oh,
and yes. He was VERY successful in provoking the wolf.
Syaoran's
eyes flared with anger and indignation, Is. That. So?
He
shot up in a standing position, rammed his elbow into the demon guard's face
and crushed half of the skull soundly.
He
grabbed the sword that hung by the its' waist before the demon fell back onto
the ground with a messy, bloody splatter.
He
whipped the sword toward Eriol swiftly and accurately, the point of the blade
centimeters from Eriol's mouth.
Eriol didn't flinch or move. He merely stood
there, his smile widening.
"Malicifer-sama!"
the two guards cried out in unison, ready to attack.
But
Eriol mentally ordered them to stand their ground. They hesitantly stood still,
watching the scenario cautiously.
"You
say something like that one more time and I swear you won't have a tongue to
say anything ever again!!" Syaoran growled, clutching the hilt of the
sword so tightly that his hands slightly trembled.
I
am more than a half-strength angel, I am more---I am more than what Leirual
will ever be! Syaoran thought.
I
am the rightful soul to be the Archangel of Battle and I will go where I
rightfully belong and I will not be humiliated so easily by anyone, especially
not HIM! his eyes narrowed at Eriol.
Eriol
clapped his hands softly, "Well done, Li-san!" he spoke calmly, despite
the fact that a sword was centimeters from piercing him through the mouth and
through his skull.
Syaoran
glared, "You? Complimenting me? Stop mocking me, damn you!"
Eriol
smiled at Syaoran, "Oh, no, I'm not mocking you..this time. I'm being
honest...you have the qualities of being the kind of apprentice I need."
"...apprentice?"
Syaoran blinked, surprised and curious, yet cautious. He still held fast onto
the sword.
Eriol
inwardly smiled, thinking, Amazing...he never lets his guard down. Maybe he
IS the one...
"You
seem tired, especially after all the torture I put you through and wasting your
energy by testing you, so—"
"Testing
me?" he interrupted.
"Well,
of course," Eriol answered, "Why else would I come down here?"
"What
plans do you have in store for me?! Tell me now!" Syaoran demanded.
"Patience,
patience, little wolf," Eriol smiled, then suddenly disappeared in a whirl
of black mist, "isn't that considered a virtue in Heaven?"
Syaoran
blinked, looking around quickly, but then he felt a warm breath on his ear.
Eriol
had materialized behind the slightly shorter brown-haired angel, reaching
around and putting his hands over Syaoran's hands that still held on tightly to
the hilt of the sword.
Syaoran
froze, feeling the solid body of Eriol's behind him, his arms over his arms and
his gentle hands over his hands...
"Wha—what
are you doing?!" Syaoran was about to break out of Eriol's arms, but
stopped...
"If
you accept," Eriol spoke quietly, slightly gripping Syaoran's hands so
that they were both holding onto the sword together. "I will teach
you."
"...teach
me?" Syaoran asked, feeling his face grow warm, uncomfortable in Eriol's
arms, feeling somewhat awkward and embarrassed. "Teach me what?"
Eriol
smirked as he concentrated, letting some of his energy flow into Syaoran's
body.
Syaoran's
mouth slightly opened, sharply sucking in a short breath as his whole body
tensed. He felt the smooth, yet turbulent energy stream into him.
"I
will teach you everything I know," Eriol replied, letting his power slowly
flow into Syaoran, little by little. "My knowledge that I have gained over
centuries will be yours. My ways of Dark Magic will be yours. My ways of Combat
will be yours."
Even
though it was only for a few seconds, Syaoran was getting over-whelmed with the
energy that coursed through his spiritual soul. Yet he felt all the wounds he
had received disappear...his body was getting completely rejuvenated.
"If
you accept and learn what I will teach you, then someday when you are
ready..." Eriol said quietly, pausing.
"...
..." Syaoran waited for him to finish.
"...we
will see what path you take from there." Eriol finished mysteriously, not
giving an answer.
Suddenly
the metal sword that Syaoran and Eriol held shattered like fragile glass.
Pieces of metal fell to the ground before them, making heavy tinkling sounds
that echoed within the room.
Syaoran's
eyes widened, looking at his hands that no longer held the sword.
...it
was only for a minute...or less...and all that power...that power broke a metal
sword like that? Syaoran thought with slight disbelief, looking at the
small pieces of metal that lay on the ground before him.
Eriol's
hands enclosed tightly around Syaoran's, his bodily warmth and immense power
channeled into Syaoran. The icy coldness in the room didn't seem to be there
anymore...
Syaoran
felt his eyes slowly droop with fatigue...
'Rest…'
Eriol's voice echoed in Syaoran's head soothingly. '...then we will
discuss...some sort of transaction.'
"...n-no...tell
me now...and g-get off me...H-Hiiragi..zawa." Syaoran mumbled sleepily,
yet defiantly.
"Don't
resist, Li-san," Eriol spoke softly, "we must engage in a mutual
relationship...an understanding...what I need comes from you and what you want,
I can give. Don't you agree?"
"…I…I'll
never become..become a demon!" Syaoran struggled to stay awake. Eriol's warmth
coaxing him to sleep was getting to be too much to fight back.
"I'm
not asking you to become my servant, remember?"
But
before Syaoran could question any longer, he blacked out, falling into the
depths of long-desired sleep.
~*~ Glossary ~*~
Sou ka: Right; that's right
Ara...gomen ne: Oh...I'm sorry
Arigatou: Thank you
Dou itashimashite: Your welcome
Onore: Damn you
Yamete: Stop!
Author's Note:
And
to Six Underground-dono...err, I thought Eriol's eyes were gray... ^^;;; Now
you're confusing me! =P Hehehe!
It's just that in the anime, his eyes appear
gray. But in the manga, his eyes are blue... So I guess we're both right? Or...it
could just be color-blind ol' me! ^_^;
Well…I
really just don't know ^^; But if gray-eyes for Eriol-kun bother you and anyone
else, I'll convert his eyes to be blue in the story. Just tell me and I'll
simply change it. ^_^
Please
review!