Chapter 16

 Rei's POV

I watch Tsuzuki stride purposefully towards Muraki. I felt goose bumps on my skin when I saw his aura getting more violent by the minute. The mere shadow of a haze around him had glowed to a clear purple with crackling electricity as he pronounced each and every step with a loud tap.

I sat up, trying to ignore the sharp pain that shot right up my left thigh, wanting to get a clearer view. I hear Muraki hiss as he raised his dagger, no doubt that this next stab will be the one, last fatal blow to the green eyed empath he so loathes. 

My eyes widened in shock as I suddenly felt an icy chill that soaked my entire being. I was suddenly scared to death without knowing why. All I was aware of was that I'm sure I'm going to die. I wrapped my arms around my self in futile attempt to ward off the unseen threat.

The doctor let out a piercing scream that broke my reverie. I looked up just in time to see Tsuzuki shot his hand out to stop Muraki's dagger mid air. Tsuzuki looks so calm it's almost sinister. He shook Muraki's hands and the dagger was thrown off. It landed near my feet, I noted distractedly.

Then I realized that it was Tsuzuki who was emanating that feeling of hatred. The feeling of being murderous. Yes, his face was calm but his eyes were clearly a storm of contained rage.

Muraki feigned surprise as he recollected himself. He warded Tsuzuki's restraining hands to free his wrist the proceeded to straighten his coat. He was the picture of utmost elegance even at the most ungodly time.

"Tsuzuki –san, I didn't know that…" His sentence was cut short when Tsuzuki slapped him across the cheek, so hard that his hand left a mark.

"That's for Mogley." Tsuzuki exclaimed as he sounded amused. The source of amusement was that Muraki was caught so off guard, he was eyeing Tsuzuki with his mouth hanging slack. Tsuzuki laughed mirthlessly.

"And this is for Rei." He fisted his palms, emitting that violet electricity as he did so and punched Muraki across the jaw in one clean, hard movement. The mad doctor staggered a few steps back, his hand shooting up to massage the quickly bruising jaw. Seeming to recover his arrogant self, he chuckled.

"Is that all you can…?" I didn't know what happened next, but Muraki, who was once again cut short, was distracted by whirling winds. Next thing we knew, Tsuzuki had vanished from his latter position and so was Hisoka who was laying on the ground very much unconscious between the two of them.

Simultaneously, my and the doctor's head snapped up and was scanning the room's content as rapid as we can. Then after another batch of whirling winds, the bed which was upright, and where Hisoka was tied to, was righted in position.

A purple light burned the right side of the bed and seconds later, Tsuzuki was revealed with Hisoka in his arms. He gently laid him on the bed and caressed his cheeks.

"I'm sorry." I heard Tsuzuki whisper as a single, crystalline tear fell from his eyes onto Hisoka's lips. He turned to me. Surprisingly the suppressed rage in his eyes was filled with endless loneliness.

"Take care of him." He muttered as he cast one last look at Hisoka's black and blue face. Then he snapped his head rather sharply that I swear, I heard it crack. His eyes flickered once again and it was filled with the rage it held earlier on.

"You…. I'll deal with you." He said, his voice dripping with loathe. He stood up and disappeared once again. He appeared at Muraki's side and with an evil grin launched into a series of movements. Punch, kick and some kind of force released. His fist was emitting this violet ball that when hit the target, Muraki in this case, jolts the victim with electricity and causes great pain. A ki ball… That's what I think it's called, if I'm not mistaken. He probably got this from his raging aura.

Muraki, as I dared hope he would, didn't crumple easily. He was even evading some of the attacks but I can see he was panting heavily. Tsuzuki dropped his fighting stance and laughed cruelly.

"Tired, Muraki?" He asked as he flicked his wrist towards him and cast a little purple ki ball that was just enough to act as a slap. Muraki raised his head and I noticed that his eyes held anger in them. Enough to equal Tsuzuki's.

He started chanting ancient Japanese incantations. He closed his eyes in concentration while Tsuzuki was grinning like a madman. He let Muraki finish what he was doing eyeing the latter with amusement.

Muraki opened his eyes and as he did, a great, black three headed being emerged from his back, slowly unfolding itself. I can't quite put my finger on what that creature is, but it looks to me as if it was a cross between a lion, one of its head was, an eagle, another head, a goat, the last head and a horse for a body.

Each of the head has its own elemental power. The eagle was the wind, the lion was the fire and the goat was the earth. The three heads roared simultaneously sprouting from their mouths its respective elemental prowess. 

In my horror, I stood shakily on my unstable feet to dash to where Hisoka is. I took a step only to fall down again when I tripped on Muraki's silver sheathed dagger. I cursed and massaged my throbbing ankle when I hear Tsuzuki say;

"A magnificent beast. Well done." Sensing trouble, I told myself that I had to get out of harm's way. I assume that this room isn't just big enough for this stupendous fight. And besides, Tsuzuki said I had to guard Hisoka. And the vulnerable boy would be so defenseless against the monstrosity looming.

I drag myself, painfully slow, to Hisoka's bed side. I looked at him and nearly vomited. He doesn't resemble a person! He resembled what was left of a carnage ravished by a pack of wolves! There was blood all over… I really doubt if he has an ounce left to spare, flesh were torn on several places, on his chest, on his thigh, on his arms… And there isn't an inch of skin left that isn't bruised.

I swear if I weren't so beaten up myself and if I felt that I may have a chance to land even one blow on that bastard Muraki, I would really, really love to get him for this.

Tsuzuki recited his own version of an ancient Japanese incantation. He opened his eyes then clearly called out, Byakko, Suzaku and Touda. My eyes bulged at the magnificence of the three. They circled around Tsuzuki creating a formidable barrier.

Muraki's creature shrieked as the doctor ordered them to launch an attack. They roared viciously and dashed at Tsuzuki, their coat gleaming with fire. I hear Tsuzuki say something and Byakko who Tsuzuki seemed to be giving an order to, circled furiously around him, wind was whipping through the place and Tsuzuki was hidden from view.

Suzaku and Touda leapt out of nowhere and attacked that creature. Suzaku pinned down the creature with her fiery wings; Touda on the other hand was burning the creature with his fire. Byakko stopped his furious, mad dash and growled as he leapt and scratched at the lion's head furiously. He stepped back, and unleashed a windy blow, the same time Touda and Suzaku unleashed their most powerful fire attack. The creature simmered and shrieked in pain before crumpling with a loud hiss.

I see Tsuzuki grinning and looking through the fog to find where Muraki has gone off to.  The grin was swept of his face when he didn't spot Muraki anywhere. My eyes went as wide as saucers when the fog cleared up, Muraki was behind Tsuzuki and was raising his hands to choke him.

Tsuzuki turned just in time to see him but was too late to react. His eyes bulged at the loss of dear, old oxygen. Muraki was laughing his head off.

"My, my. I didn't wish to come to this Tsuzuki-san… But I'm afraid that after the threat you've given me, I can't leave you behind alive." He said as he squeezed harder and harder. My mind working overtime, I spotted the glinting, silver dagger and deduced that I have to do something.

Forgetting that I'm bruised and battered beyond I could handle, I dashed towards it, feeling as if I was on the field with the football held tightly under my arm heading for a touchdown. I picked it up unceremoniously and moved towards Muraki sparing no time.

I raised it high above my head and bore it down upon the back of Muraki. He didn't drop his hold on Tsuzuki, who getting bluer by the minute, so I retrieved the dagger embedded deep in his back and swung at him again this time in the vicinity of the shoulder blades. He still didn't budge. Thinking that it's the only way, I unstuck the silver knife and struck him on his arms, left and right. He finally dropped hold and Tsuzuki crumpled to the ground as he gasped for precious air. Muraki turned his attention to me his nose flaring.

"You little brat!!!" He screamed as he punched my already battered face. I slammed face forward to the floor.

"You'll pay dearly for interfering!!!" Then I ear him reciting the same incantation I heard earlier. I hear whooshing sounds and saw a silvery monster erupt form his back. I raised my hands to cover more of the attack and to shield myself from that blasted being when Tsuzuki yelled;

"TOUDA!!" Fire swirled right before my eyes. And before I know it I was blacking out with the back ground of Muraki's tortured screams of pain.

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Watari's POV

As soon as the boat is secured, I hopped off the boat and waited for Tatsumi to do the same. Without wasting time, like he usually does (he would for example straighten his tie or replace his glasses), he jumped off a resolute look in his face. I turned my attention to Mogley.

I turned questioning eyes on him, gauging whether he'd like to come or whether he'd like to stay. He shook his head ever so slowly and opened his mouth. No words came. He tried to speak again but he can't so he just shook his head savagely this time. I frowned.

Mogley was always proud and boisterous and now he was reduced to a bumbling, terrified young man. I briefly wondered what Muraki did to him. He was clearly traumatized. Shaking my head, I smiled slightly at him, kind of assuring him that everything will be all right. Then without another word, I and Tatsumi raced across the middle of the island to where the lone, magnificent mansion stood.

When I was about to reach for the door handle, I heard Muraki scream savagely. I and Tatsumi exchanged terrified looks. It sounds as if Muraki was in the middle of enjoying something gruesome. I wrenched the door with all my might.

"Bon!!" I yelled frantically as I felt Tatsumi slam behind me. Then right before our eyes, I vaguely hear Tatsumi yelp, as we see Touda rise from the floor where he lay, grazing everything he touches with fire, to the full extent of the ceiling.

"TOUDA!!!" I hear Tsuzuki yell from behind the fire and smoke. Then we spotted it. At the middle of the floor, lay Rei. Muraki was above him raising his palms reciting some incantation, ordering the silvery monster, looking very much like Suzaku although they differ in color, to strike Rei.

Touda roared and barged down upon the silvery mist. With a splash of fire and wind he bore down upon it and engulfed the whole being. With a loud squelch the Suzaku-like monster dripped and disappeared.

Muraki was eyeing Touda with much distaste. Tsuzuki saw this and;

"Touda! Get him!!" Then without warning Touda turned sharply to his left side and breathed fire. I was sure it caught Muraki, for I heard him scream loudly. But after the fire has died down, Muraki was nowhere in sight, save for the burnt remnants of his glistening white robes.

When Tsuzuki realized that Muraki has escaped once again, he yelled at the top of his lungs incoherently, then he promptly fainted.

"Tsuzuki-san!" Tatsumi exclaimed as he ran forward and checked on Tsuzuki. He dropped on his knees checking for pulse. He breathed deeply.

"He's going to be okay." He whispered softly. My eyes raked the whole room, looking for Bon. Then I saw him at the bed far to the right.

I walked towards him slowly, almost afraid of what I might discover and see. My breath hitched and my eyes watered as I saw him. Bon was unrecognizable. Black and blue all over with flesh torn from here and there and blood was fanning from before him. I touched him gingerly afraid that I'll do more damage.

"This boy here is all right too. Just fainted from fright…" I hear Tatsumi say from behind me. Probably checking on Rei…. I thought distractedly. I must've dozed out because when I came to, Tatsumi was behind me and I hear him gasp.

"Good Lord! Is he…?" I can't answer him; I was clearly at a loss for words. He brushed me aside and looked for a pulse.

"He's okay for the time being… But the pulse is faint. We got to get him to safety."

"I'll call for back up." He said in a small voice and then excused himself to make calls. I don't know how he'll do it, maybe he'll warp himself at Meifu or he had some sort of communications with Kachou, I don't know about. Being officers in Meifu sure had some secret privileges.

"I'm sorry we're late…" I sobbed as I fell down on my knees. After a few minutes, I heard scrambling feet and saw some of our officemates, heaving Rei and Tsuzuki to several stretchers.

"Oh gawd…" I hear some say as they approached the bed. They were probably thinking what I was thinking earlier on, That Bon might…… That bon might not make it. They looked at me for permission to move Hisoka.

"Go ahead… Be careful…" I murmured as they gingerly heaved him and placed him on a stretcher of his own. I felt a tap on my shoulder.

"They'll be fine, you see." Tatsumi said consolingly as he eyed Bon sadly.

"And Kurosaki-kun's a fighter…. He won't just give in…" he said as he noticed I didn't answer back.

"I really hope so…." I said as tear trickled once again on my cheek.

t.b.c.

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A/N: Hey, guys! There'll be one more chap to go after this, the epilogue. I guess it'll be a long one depending….

So I'd like to thank all those who reviewed and read my fic. I appreciate you all and your reviews are what kept me going…

Hope to see your reviews till the last chapter!!