Disclaimer: I do not own the CCS characters.

~ Benevolent Malice ~


Chapter 8: Unleashed Secret


          Syaoran woke up with a jerk as his leg muscles began to cramp. He shut his eyes tightly, trying to force his body to relax.


          Beads of sweat rolled from his forehead and into his dampened hair as the cramping pain slowly subsided. He felt abnormally hot…too hot…


          "Ne, Li-kun, daijoubu desu ka?" asked a concerned voice, yet it sounded muffled, as if underwater.


          Syaoran cracked open his eyes, seeing everything before his line of vision in a blurry haze. It took him a while to realize that Nakuru was right in front of him.


          "Suppi-kun, he's not talking back!! He's not even glaring back! What's wrong with him?! What do we do?!" Nakuru asked frantically, almost in a complaining tone.


          "Calm down, will you?" Spinel snapped crossly and he, too, came into Syaoran's view.


          The Guardians looked down at the cast-away angel with disquiet stares…


          Why are they looking at me like that? Syaoran wondered with wary irritation, And why the hell am I so hot? the heavy pounding within his skull did not help either.


          Nakuru waved a hand in front of Syaoran's face, wanting a response, "Li-kuuun! Say something! Do something!! Anything!" she tugged at his ear with pinching fingers.


          Syaoran mentally growled at the brown-haired annoyance, knowing that if he could do anything, he would smack the living hell out of her.


          He grit his teeth and forced his body to sit up on the couch he had fallen asleep upon. As he set his feet on the ground, he slightly hunched over, feeling completely winded…he was strangely…fatigued…


          Syaoran raised his eyes up to the two Guardians that stood before him. He looked toward Spinel and suddenly froze.


          "Li-san?" Spinel blinked. It was strange to see Syaoran 'look' and not 'glare', "Li-san, is something the matter?"


          Syaoran didn't respond. Spinel realized that Syaoran was looking right past him…he turned around and saw a mirror across the room from them.


          Syaoran stared at the mirror, a silent gasp had escaped his lips and his eyes had widened to a considerable size.


          …he barely saw his own reflection…


          Spinel realized this after seeing the faded mirror image and turned back to Syaoran with a bewildered stare, "…Li-san…"


          "Eh? What's wrong?" Nakuru blinked at Syaoran then at Spinel.


          Syaoran looked at his hands, seeing they were trembling involuntarily. His hands were cold. Dead cold. Yet he felt so hot…


          Eriol and the feel of his kiss—er, energy transfer passed through his mind. Then a realization hit him and fear struck his stomach like a lance. Crap. Syaoran thought.


          "What did you see, Suppi-kun? Oh! I know!" Nakuru exclaimed, "Li-kun is just pretending to be sick, right?"


          "…your logic never fails to astound me." Spinel grumbled sarcastically after he had rolled his eyes.


          Nakuru huffed angrily, "Urusai…oi, what's wrong with him?" her impatience etched deeply in her tone of voice, "I want to know, too!!!"


          Syaoran was about to tell Nakuru to mind her own business, but quickly regretted it. He lurched forward and immediately clamped his hand over his mouth as he felt a sickening rush surge up his throat and flood his mouth.


          The two Guardians quickly stepped back.


          Syaoran felt the hot liquid practically scald the insides of his mouth before it spilled onto his palm and rushed between his fingers.


          Nakuru was not able to hold back a gasp as she saw the sanguine blood rush through Syaoran's hand like mini torrents and splatter onto the ground in ink-like blots and streams.


          "Nakuru-chan," Spinel had a firm voice, yet his eyes betrayed his solicitude, "bring Eriol-sama here."


          "Ah..h..hai!!" Nakuru rushed out of the room.


          Syaoran gagged once more and half-coughed, half-choked out the rest of the crimson fluid that was stubbornly stuck in his throat. He wiped the back of his other clean hand across his mouth, his body trembling.


          Unexpectedly, Syaoran began to softly laugh, a rough, pained, yet amused laugh. He received a strange glance from Spinel.


          "I-I'm…" Syaoran said between rasped and strained breaths, "…screwed."


          Amused by Syaoran's pessimistic curtness, a small smile lingered on Spinel's lips, "…it seems that way, Li-san…"





          As Nakuru tore through the halls, several pictures and vases fell to the ground from the sucking force of her speed. She saw Eriol's office just up ahead, the two double doors made of dark, polished cherrywood engraved with many beautiful and ancient pictures and writings.


          She grabbed the doorknob and swung open the door. Nakuru opened her mouth to wail her master's name, but…


          "—if you don't do what is necessary, this will only cause you trouble you can't afford!!" Kaho snapped, using a sharp tone that Nakuru never heard her use before, "the decades that passed must have abraded your reasoning!" her voice was spiteful, almost desperate.


          "Perhaps. The years also made me forget what I really am—but he reminds me too often," Eriol replied coolly, "I will not…cannot do what you ask me to do—though you may want me to, I won't stoop that low, Kaho-san."


          CHHH!


          When Kaho's palm connected with Eriol's cheek, the loud, sharp noise ricocheted through the air. Eriol's face was sharply turned away to the side as she struck him with that sharp blow.


          Nakuru's eyes widened to their fullest extent, her mouth slightly dropping open…


          "You…you're a fool, Eriol!" Kaho exclaimed, hurt and anger gleamed in her slightly narrowed eyes.


          Something…snapped…in Nakuru's mind…


          Eriol turned his head back toward Kaho, his cheek was stained pinkish-red since several capillaries had ruptured.


          Kaho inwardly gasped, expecting anger in return from the navy-haired General. Angering or upsetting always proved to be a mistake…


          However, the composure of the gray-eyed gentleman was unwavering, "Perhaps," Eriol gave Kaho a smile, a chilling, unreadable smile, "But I rather be a fool than what you want me to be."


          Kaho's eyes brimmed with tears, disappointment too heavy to bear weighed upon her. She turned away sharply, some of her lengthy hair flickering behind her.


          Kaho walked toward the doors, but Nakuru closed both doors with a slight slam.


          The Temptress of Sin slightly narrowed her camel-brown eyes at Nakuru's action.


          "You…" Nakuru's eyes were shadowed by her brown bangs, "…you dared to hurt my Eriol-sama?!" Nakuru raised her head, her eyes dangerously narrowed.


          Nakuru raised her hand to repay Kaho the favor she did to Eriol.


          "Nakuru-chan, don't—!" Eriol started, but…


          CHH!


          Nakuru's blow was so hard that the prolonged, crystalline tears from Kaho's eyes sparkled across the air. Kaho took a staggering step back, cradling her stinging cheek in one hand.


          "You shall regret your mistake of hurting my Eriol-sama," Nakuru said in a low voice, her eyes flickering from innocent brown to hurious magenta pink, "in eternal darkness!"


          Eriol felt a sharp rise of chi swell into Nakuru's aura as she was ready to execute a fatal attack…a red crystal appeared in Nakuru's palm…


          "Yamete, Ruby Moon!" Eriol ordered.

          She immediately halted in place, but her eyes still flashed from brown to a deadly pink, her Ruby Moon form urged to come forth completely.


          "Doushite?" Nakuru asked in a low voice, her ominous eyes never leaving Kaho. Her fingers twitched, wanting to hurt, to stab, to strike, to kill…


          "Just let her pass, Nakuru-chan—without harm." Eriol said the last part slowly.


          Nakuru silently cursed, wishing her master didn't know her so well…forcing the red crystal to leave from her palm, she stepped aside, allowing Kaho to have access to the doors.


          Kaho opened the door, looking over her shoulder and gave Eriol one last glance before turning away.


          Nakuru opened her mouth—


          "And no threats, Nakuru-chan." Eriol added.


          Nakuru closed her mouth with a scowl. I'm too damned predictable…I have to work on that…


          Kaho left silently, her footfalls slowly stepping out of existence.


          Nakuru's eyes flashed back to a solid brown as her raging aura settled down…suddenly, she flung herself at Eriol, holding him by the shoulders.


          "Daijoubu desu kaaaa?!" Nakuru examined the red welt on Eriol's cheek like a paranoid mother. Though she was wondering what had happened between Kaho and her master, she decided to question the matter at a later time.


          "Aa, aa," Eriol smiled at his Guardian, "Really, I'm all right—I actually wish she'd do it again."


          "…nani?" Nakuru blinked at her eccentric master.


          Eriol simply smiled, loving the stinging sensation that circulated through his cheek. The sense of…freedom and awakening arose in his chest. He and Kaho had been waltzing in their charade for far too long…


          "Ara!!!" Nakuru exclaimed loudly, startling Eriol, "Li-kun!!!"





          Eriol walked into the room and could practically smell the blood and sweat that lingered in the air.


          "He just passed out a while ago." Spinel murmured as he stood by the couch.


          Eriol went forward and knelt down on one knee, placing a hand on Syaoran's forehead.


          "His skin is cooling very quickly, yet he still maintains to perspire…why is this, Eriol-sama?" Spinel asked, having the curiosity of an inquisitively insightful student.


          Eriol closed his eyes, murmuring in a quiet tone, "The negative energy within his body is absorbing his body heat…therefore, his internal organs will soon overheat. And he will die."


          "… …" Spinel and Nakuru glanced at each other.


          "My negative energy…instead of collaborating with his body, its effects are enervating him…" Eriol replied in simpler terms.


          "…so…what will you do now?" Nakuru asked slowly.


          "Actually, I didn't think that far ahead…" Eriol confessed with a smile and his Guardians collapsed to the ground in response.


          Suddenly a pair of hands gripped Eriol by the shirt near his neck, threatening to strangle him.


          "What..do you..mean..you didn't..think that..far?!" Syaoran growled, struggling to breathe and talk at the same time.


          Eriol came in contact with Syaoran's eyes that were no longer the dark shade of chocolate, but a pallid, almost lucid color of brown.


          "Oh, you heard!" Eriol gave Syaoran a fake, flawless smile, "I'm so glad. Now I don't have to repeat the same thing over…"


          Syaoran glared to his best efforts, tightening his grip on Eriol's shirt as laid upon the couch, 'Tell me you know how to fix this.' He thought with impatient anger.


          "I wish I could, but I really need to research this more," Eriol smiled sheepishly, "Gomen ne..."


          Syaoran growled, getting very annoyed with his cool smile, 'How long will that take?!'


          "Well…you see…the very few scrolls on Fusion have been scattered…" Eriol replied, "so I need a little time."


          Syaoran let go of Eriol and sat up with difficulty, yet his anger gave him the extra energy to do so. He pointed to the mirror angrily with one hand and grabbed Eriol by the shirt with the other, yelling to his best efforts, "Does..it look like…I have..a little…time?!"


          Eriol glanced toward the mirror, seeing a very faint outline of Syaoran's reflection…


          'I'm losing my goddamn soul by the minute!' Syaoran thought angrily, 'My body is giving up on me and at this rate, I won't last another few hours!'


          Eriol glanced into Syaoran's glaring eyes once again, feeling Syaoran's unnaturally cold body against his clothing, 'This was the risk of the Fusion…'


          'Tell me something I don't know.' Syaoran snapped.


          'Will you take a risk again and trust me to find a solution?' Eriol asked, his gray eyes holding a gaze with Syaoran.


          There was a silence between the angel and demon…


          'As if I have any other alternative choices,' Syaoran glared, 'One hour.'


          'And if I need more time?' Eriol asked.


          'I don't care. Come back to me and tell me,' Syaoran replied, 'one hour, Hiiragizawa. One..one..hour…'


          Syaoran's eyes closed and his hand slipped from Eriol's shirt. He fell back on the couch again, falling into an immediate restless sleep.


          Eriol took Syaoran's cool, almost completely cold, hand in his two hands gently. He closed his eyes, feeling the contrast between his warmth and Syaoran's dead coolness.


          …you need to prove Kaho wrong, Syaoran, Eriol thought privately, …you must continue to live by my side.





          In the vast, almost endless, library underneath the mansion, Eriol walked onto the brick floors, greeted by dark mahogany bookshelves that were much taller than he.


          "Now…" Eriol's eyes swept across the millions of bookshelves that were in his eye range, "…where to start…?





          "Suppi-kun…" Nakuru went into the room, holding a sheet of paper in her hand "What does Celare-Regnum Leptesca mean?" Nakuru asked, slowly annunciating the strange Latin words carefully.


          Looking away from his book, he said, "Bring that here." Spinel's brow slightly furrowed, wondering why he couldn't understand that dialect of Latin.


          Putting the letter in front of him, Spinel's eyes widened, "This…this is the private letter sent to Eriol-sama from Melphorus-sama!!"


          "Private? …oops," Nakuru impishly smiled, "I didn't know…well? Aren't you going to read it?"


          Giving Nakuru a defeated glare, Spinel began to read the letter…

~~
Malicifer-san,

I hope Jouhou-san and Junri-san found you to be in good health. I wish I could meet with you personally, but I regret I cannot at the moment.
I'm pleased to say that my Guardians have successfully graphed the Kingdom of Heaven. In two more months, under the Full Moon of In-Extremis, we will discuss the right time to execute the Celare-Regnum Leptesca. Till then…

Please take care,

Melphorus
~~

          "…Celare-Regnum..Leptesca…" Spinel murmured the words that were even foreign to him.


          "Wasn't Leptesca some kind of General?" Nakuru slightly titled her head to the side with inquiringly.


          "Hai…Leptesca was the first and only 'General Malicifer' that was female…and the only one to lead a serious assault against Heaven…it's said that she almost won, but there was a single flaw in her plans…demo…why would her name be used here..?" Spinel murmured slowly, then a realization hit him. His turquoise eyes widened…


          The same realization hit Nakuru.


          "Eriol-sama plans to fulfill—!!!" Nakuru started loudly, but…


          "Shhh!" Spinel whispered harshly, glancing over his shoulder at Syaoran, who laid on the couch, "You'll wake Li-san!!"


          "Don't worry!" Nakuru whispered back, carelessly reassuring her partner, "I'm sure he's sleeping."


          …little did they know, Syaoran was awake the whole time. His back was turned toward them, so they did not see his eyes that were open a notch.


          From the bits of information, he, too, was able to understand what Celare-Regnum Leptesca meant and what significance it held. He knew the ingenious General well enough to understand what he was planning.


          Celare-Regnum Leptesca was the appellation of his calculated plan that was most likely infallible.


          A full-scale attack against Heaven.


          Hiiragizawa…you bastard, Syaoran's eyes were lucid, yet gleamed sharply, …right behind my back, you were planning the Apocalypse all along…


          Slowly reaching into his pocket, his hand gripped the black orb with the red tassel…





          Worthless. All of them. Every single one. It was absolutely amazing.


          Eriol's eyes narrowed at the scrolls that overlaid the mahogany desk. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of years of knowledge proved to be useless to him.


          The information was too general…because no one ever tried the Fusion before.


          "…unlike me," Eriol smiled in spite of himself, "none of them were insane enough to try to such an extent."


          Only one solution came from the scrolls: Kill the subject, oh, which happened to be Li Syaoran.


          Eriol felt the pulsating pain of his headache grow…the ancient fragrance of the scrolls began to grow very…irritating…


          Raising his hand, Eriol eyed the scrolls with narrowed eyes as Kaho's words cut through his train of thought…


          "I didn't think you were taking him so seriously…You know the consequences of having a fallen angel as an apprentice—you know that better than anyone else! And yet you're persisting with him! He was lucky so far, but it'll end…you'll just have to add his name to the rest of the dead apprentices you had."


          With a sharp flick of his wrist, the scrolls were flung off his desk by a strong, invisible force. They collided with the wall, some even snapping from the force, and clattered to floor like the hollow sound of rain.


          Eriol was unaware of the energy that emerged from his confinements, unaware of the black vapors that slowly, but steadily spiraled around him…his eyes turned to an uncanny shade of darker gray, his raven-blue hair flickering ever-so subtly…


          The floor beneath his feet shuddered, the wood of the bookshelves creaked as if under pressure, and the flames of the candles flickered out of existence as the air suddenly became icily cold…


          "Eriol-sama!!!" Nakuru's voice and familiar footsteps raced down the steps toward the Library.


          Awaking back to his senses, Eriol's eyes widened as he realized that he had lost control of himself…He forcefully pushed down the pulsating dark energy back under the confinements of his mind.


          The black vapors dissipated and the dark, eerie color of his eyes turned back to normal within a few blinks. He felt his legs slightly trembling from the efforts of his restrictions. The surging, pulsating, thrashing dark energy that roamed within him urged to be set free, to be set loose...


          Nakuru ran in, "Eriol-sa—" she stopped to an abrupt halt as her body seemed to be immersed in ice water. The air in the room was abnormally frigid…her breath frosted the air.


          Eriol tried to conceal his aura, but his legs gave away beneath him and he fell to the ground on his knees, sitting down on his heels wearily.


          Nakuru rushed forward despite the frigid air that gave her gooseflesh. The more she ran toward Eriol, the colder and heavier the air grew…she knelt before him, looking at him worriedly.


          "Daijoubu, Nakuru-chan…daijoubu." Eriol murmured, answering the question she would have asked him.


          "Eriol-sama…" Nakuru's eyes still glistened with concern…and sympathy. She knew what was wrong with him…this wasn't the first time.


          "…I've just been dormant for some time," Eriol forced his best smile, "that's all. Nothing to worry about."


          Nakuru's lips twisted into a frown. She hated those smiles of his; those flawlessly fake, red-herring smiles. Why did Eriol think he could hide anything from her, she didn't know…


          Nakuru could tell by Eriol's aura that he was in great pain, the dark energy that was pent up in his spiritual mind was taking a toll on his physical body. Yet he smiled. As always.


          Syaoran was right. Eriol is an idiot. A total, complete, utter idiot.


          Nakuru leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She put her one hand against the back of his blue-haired head and pressed his forehead against her delicate collarbone


          No one, not even Spinel, ever saw these moments shared between only them. The 'older sister-and-younger-brother' scenarios. The beautifully clandestine scenario.


          Taking in a silent, deep breath, he felt his dark energy slowly falling back beneath its torturous confinements. Eriol took comfort in Nakuru's fastened arms of gentleness, her hyperactivity temporarily replaced with equanimity. Nakuru's hand slowly stroked along his silky hair consolingly.


          "…you've had a hard day, ne?" Nakuru murmured softly, trying to ignore the sharp prickling of Eriol's aura and the striking coldness of the air around him. Her breaths slightly shook from the wintry air, but Eriol's body-heat was enough to keep her from flinching away.


          "…I've had a hard few years," Eriol smiled, pushing back the self-pity, "but one does get used to it." He pushed himself out of Nakuru's arms.


          Nakuru looked at him with 'those' eyes…


          "Really, I'm fine," Eriol assured, "now is there something the matter?" Nakuru frowned at Eriol's attempt to change the subject, "I believe I have…twenty more minutes left till my hour is finished."


          Nakuru fidgeted as if she were in an uncomfortable position. Maybe she shouldn't tell him…he's been through too much the past few days. And he hardly, if at all, slept…


          "Nakuru-chan," Eriol's face grew serious, "what is it?"


          "…it's…Li-kun…"


          Eriol felt a strange lurch in his chest and the questions flowed out of his mouth before he could stop them, "What? What is it? What's wrong with him?"


          "… …"


          "Nakuru-chan…"


          Reluctantly answering, she murmured in the quietest tone possible, "…he's gone…he's not in bed anymore…and he…he's not responding to me or Spinel when we called him…"





          Eriol walked down the hall, his eyes slightly narrowed with both concern and query.


          Where had Syaoran gone? Was he abducted by someone? Did he runaway?


          Something wasn't right. None of this made sense. No one would dare to steal from Hiiragizawa Eriol, Master General of the Dark Triad. And Syaoran couldn't and wouldn't run away because escape was futile and he was too proud to…


          "What happened again?" Eriol asked Nakuru, who trailed behind him.


          Having some trouble to keep up with her master's swift pace, she responded, "Spinel and I went to go get a glass of water for Syaoran since he asked for one—and when we came back…he was gone."


          Suddenly Eriol stopped to a complete halt…


          "Aiii!" Nakuru crashed into Eriol and fell to the ground, but Eriol was so tense that he hardly was moved when Nakuru collided into his back.


          "…a glass of water…?" Eriol asked quietly.


          "Mm hm." Nakuru nodded her head, looking up at the back of Eriol's head.


          Eriol's eyes narrowed with the utmost prudence…


          "…Syaoran prefers tea," Eriol murmured, "…he would not ask for a glass of water…"


          Eriol felt his instincts kick in and he turned around, his long, black cheongpao fluidly following him like a shadow as he swiftly walked down the hall.


          "Where are you going?" Nakuru scrambled up from the floor.


          "My office," Eriol's narrowed eyes made his whole essence sinister, "he knows something. Go get Spinel and stay away. Let me deal with him myself."


          "…Eriol-sama…" Nakuru helplessly watched her master turn a corner and disappear…





          As he approached his office, he felt a familiar aura…his aura. He was definitely there…Opening the door to his office, Eriol was greeted not with Syaoran, but—


          —a slamming blast of chi. Eriol was thrown backwards out into the hallway, his back slightly skid against the floor. He felt dazed and his ribs felt somewhat shattered…the doors that were exposed to the chi, resulted into splinters on the floor…


          "Hell's Reign…Hell's Victory…" Syaoran growled under his breath as he stepped forward, leaning against the threshold for support. The sword in his hand slightly trembled.


          Seeing that the negative energy's effects on Syaoran's body had grown worse, Eriol stayed still upon the ground so he would not provoke the angered angel…


          "What?" Eriol asked, his eyes bewildered by Syaoran's sudden actions…


          'That's what Celare-Regnum means doesn't it?!' Syaoran thought with such fury that Eriol winced, almost getting a splitting headache, 'Celare; Hell. Regnum; victory or reign. Nice title you made up there, you son of a—'


          "…Celare-Regnum Leptesca…" Eriol murmured, "…you know about—"


          Syaoran pushed himself off the threshold. He slightly swooned, not able to stand upright steadily…

          'I know what you plan to do…heh, you should really lock your desk drawers,' Syaoran thought with bitter mockery, 'all I needed to know about Celare-Regnum Leptesca was there…you bastard, you planned out everything—to the very last detail…'


          Eriol slightly raised himself off the ground, clenching his teeth. Syaoran's eyes were dangerously narrowed…Eriol knew Syaoran well enough to know that the cast-away angel was serious—and prepared to go to drastic measures…


          Syaoran lunged forward and thrust his sword down toward Eriol. Eriol rolled away, the sword catching the end of his cheongpao and soundly striking the ground.


          Eriol felt Syaoran's aura flare for a split second…Syaoran threw a chi attack, but Eriol, who predicated Syaoran's move, threw an impromtu chi attack of his own.


          The contrasting blasts of chi collided, causing them both to be blasted back away from each other. Syaoran skid across the ground and Eriol was able to stop himself short, kneeling on one knee.


          He discarded his glasses that proved to be useless since both of the lenses shattered.


          "You knew what my objective was as a General since the first few days you met me!" Eriol remarked, feeling the faint moisture of blood in his mouth.


          'I didn't think you were so damn serious about it! I didn't think you…you were planning it out already…' Syaoran struggled to stand upright, but managed, slouching over.


          "…Li-kun…" Eriol looked at him significantly, wondering if that was hurt in Syaoran's tone, "I have a responsibility—"


          '—well, so do I!' Syaoran cut him off as his aura broke to the extreme, causing the window adjacent to him to shatter and the floors beneath him crack into a lacework of fissures, 'and if we're meant to kill each other, don't think I'll let you win!'


          Eriol was completely taken aback…Syaoran…his aura had suddenly raged from a frail state to an unexpectedly powerful form…Eriol could practically taste the licking flames of Syaoran's aura…


          'Let's go, Hiiragizawa!' Syaoran thought, bringing forth whatever energy was left in his body and calling it to a single point within his chest…


          "Syaoran, don't!!" Eriol yelled out, taking an urgent step forward.


          He doesn't know! He doesn't know the change of power! He doesn't realize—!


          Syaoran let the chi bolt out of his body, causing the windows to completely shatter. As the chi raced toward Eriol, the windows along the hallway shattered one after another, the floors fractured into large, deep crevices and fissures and the ceiling creaked and roared…


          Eriol gasped and instinctively disappeared in a flurry of shadows, but even from a distance, he was able to feel the alarming pressure of Syaoran's chi…


          A sudden feel of vertigo overtook him, Syaoran felt all the energy drain from his body…he fell toward the ground, meaning to fall on his knees, but found himself…falling completely…


          His heavy eyes allowed him to open a notch…the whole area, the hallway, office, and the few rooms, he and Eriol were in..had reduced to debris…the force of Syaoran's supposedly weak final chi blast, destroyed the entire section of the mansion…


          …and now he was falling, unable to call upon his wings.


          He would soon crash upon the ground…and die. He mentally laughed at the irony since he caused his own fall. But as Syaoran fell to his death, he wondered how that devastating energy formed in his weakened body…


          …did Eriol's experiment work? Was there some kind of evidence that white and black magic could actually collaborate…?


          …Eriol…


          Syaoran sensed the familiar aura approaching…he forced his eyes to slightly widen a little more, permitting him more sight…he saw the navy-haired, gray-eyed male plunging down toward him.


          …what the hell is Eriol doing? Syaoran thought, looking at the demon that was quite a distance away above him… …is he…trying to save me?


          Syaoran's motionless figure, that was overtaken by debility, fell closer and closer to the ground…Eriol clenched his teeth, knowing that he was not able to reach Syaoran at this rate…the distance between them was too great…


          …there was only one option left for Syaoran to be saved.


          Every thought of reluctance left Eriol's mind—and he unleashed one of the dormant energies that was never seen for decades, maybe even centuries…


          Eriol felt a ripping pain course through his body, yet he withstood it, his eyes set determinedly down at Syaoran…


          Though it was painful, Syaoran's eyes widened as Eriol's figure suddenly changed…the demon General's body was graced with something extraordinary…


          Eriol…has wings. And not the bat-like or butterfly wings that all the other demons had…but feathered wings…and not just that…


          …three pairs of wings had erupted from Eriol's back.


          Six wings unfurled one after the other, each wing sculptured flawlessly, and each feather shaded a color of the darkest ebony…


          Beautiful.
          Sacrilegious.
          Exquisite and Momentous.
          Bizarre and Disturbing.


          …those wings defined something that was so …so Eriol.


          Syaoran didn't breathe, couldn't breathe as his eyes glued upon Eriol and his six black wings. He couldn't even respond and reach out to Eriol as he held out his porcelain hand, calling his name to take his hand…


          But the brown-haired angel was too caught up in the realization that was just borne out of his thoughts…


          Hiiragizawa Eriol wasn't the 'Hiiragizawa Eriol' Syaoran thought he was. This Eriol wasn't born out of Lucifer's malevolent evil and animosity, this Eriol wasn't a demonic creation to tend to malignancy…


          Syaoran felt a pair of arms catch him around the shoulders, enveloping him in a familiar, forbidden warmth…but everything grew unfocused before Syaoran's vision.


          All the facts were erroneous and implied. All were wrongly assumed because of 'logical reasoning'…The 'Eriol' he thought he knew was a demon…but that was not true now. That was never true in the beginning.


          This Hiiragizawa Eriol was…is a fallen Seraph...



Author's Note:

**Seraphim: the highest order of angels that are closest to God with three-pairs of wings that signifies their gifted graces**
          Yes…I tried to catch your attention somehow at the end of this chapter with that little twist…was it a pathetic try? ^_^; Again, this was a loooong chapter—it seemed really boring to me…but hopefully you all thought differently… Please leave a review and tell me!
          P.S. And I'm sorry for not updating for so long… ~_~; *kicks school bookbag in the distance* …damn school. Well, I promise to put the next chapter up much sooner! ^_^;


 
GRATITUDE NOTE:

          Thank you very much for the reviews for chapter 7! I really, really appreciated them!! =^^= And to (hopefully I'm not leaving anyone out...if I am, I apologize! ^^;) Brennend, Ru-chan, Emily-chan, TamChronin and Jared, another 'thank you very much' to you for your critiques! =)  I'll try to fix my problem (to the best with my lacking of patience...)

          I'm not too sure about the beta reader idea though...I can't seem to find a willing one...^_^;;; maybe when my stories improve I'll be able to get my hands on one...but thanks for the idea!

Kaho Note: I made Kaho seem like a real bitch...ah! Bad, evil author!!! *smacks forehead* she didn't really deserve it, I guess. I'll make up for her in the later chapters.

Guessing Note: Guess which CCS characters I'll put in for Melphorus, Jouhou, and Junri… *evil snigger*