Alec opened his eyes tentatively, unsure what to expect. A raw crater wasn't it, with the only form of life being a pensive Yuri, back to Alec, staring into the horizon. Alec pushed himself onto his elbows, crying out softly as a rock dug into his elbow. Yuri turned around and looked at Alec. Alec was disturbed by the lack of expression on his face. Usually it was animated with his mercurial personality, sorrow and amusement warring with one another. This blank canvas was…it was as if Yuri wasn't in front of him at all, that it was a stranger.

"Hi," Alec said nervously. "I know this sounds stupid, but what happened?" The mask never lifted from Yuri's face and he stared mutely at Alec.

"Okay, now you're creeping me out," Alec commented. "What's up Yuri?"

"Who's Yuri?" Yuri replied. Alec looked at him strangely.

"You are, aren't you?" he replied, unsure what was going on.

"I don't know," the pseudo-Yuri replied, sorrow in his voice. "Maybe he is." He gestured behind Alec to a point just behind his shoulder. Alec turned his head, catching a glimpse of an animal mask and a trench coat. He turned back as the pseudo-Yuri continued to speak.

"The pieces will shatter again, and I don't know if they'll be found. All too many are gone." His voice sounded hollow, as if he was speaking from far away. Alec leaned closer, trying to catch Yuri's words.

"Goodbye Alec," Yuri whispered. Alec frowned at these words, closing his eyes against a wave of dizziness. It swept over him, dragging him into the darkness, toward the light.

*

A low moan started Yuri out of his contemplation and he turned toward Alec, who visibly flinched, probably from the sight of the crater. It wasn't all that attractive really.

"Hi," Alec said nervously. "I know this sounds stupid, but what happened?" Yuri laughed.

" 'What didn't happen?' is probably a more appropriate question," he replied dryly. "What's the last thing you remember?" Alec shivered.

"Death Emperor, that's his name right? He pounced on me, demanding to know if I've answered some call thing. After that, not a thing." He shrugged. "Let me guess, I cast some kick-ass spell that made this whopping big crater," he added jokingly. Yuri's considering look brought him up short.

"What? I did this? How? Why?" Alec said through wooden lips.

"Yes, spell, don't know," Yuri replied. Alec, after a moment's confusion, mentally replayed his last sentence. He nodded his understanding, or lack thereof.

"Very informative. Nice to know that if ever we need something obfuscated, you're the one to see," Death Emperor commented.

"If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't be in this mess, so shut up!" Yuri hissed.

"The boy would have lost control eventually. It's inevitable. He doesn't even know what he's looking for and he's rapidly running out of time. In fact, it would be a kindness to put him out of his misery," Death Emperor said maliciously. Yuri's eyes widened.

"Not a chance in hell!" he snapped. Alec jumped.

"Are you quite finished? Because, fascinating, as it is to see someone rant at thin air when there's a living person next to them, I have places to be. And you're in my way," a cool alto replied. Yuri's head snapped to where the voice was.

A tall, slender woman of about twenty stood behind him, her stance challenging. Wearing leather armour (which fitted her perfectly Yuri noted, a fact he was very appreciative of), she loosely clasped a sword in her left hand and the pommel of a broad sword was clearly visible from over her shoulder.

"Are you quite finished gawking?" she drawled. "As I said, places to be, and none of those include a hormonal fifteen year old with his gay lover." Yuri spluttered, Alec providing an interesting counterpoint.

"We're not gay," Yuri got out finally. "And who the hell are you?"

"Valentina Aura Maria Fabri. Lady knight to the last heir to the Italian throne. Of course they gave up their claim centuries ago, but it's a family thing, my being their knight. And you are…?" Valentina raised one eyebrow.

"Yuri Hyuga and this is Alec Kerry," Yuri said, gesturing at himself and Alec in turn. Valentina's other eyebrow migrated up her forehead.

"Alec Kerry? Weren't you the one who called upon his demons to escape a witch burning? You know that there's a reward on your head," Valentina said matter of factly. Alec gasped. Yuri shrugged.

"I wouldn't worry about it. After the first six, it's not exciting anymore," he advised. "And Valentia,"

"Valentina," Alec interjected.

"Whatever. What are you going to do about it, exactly? If you even think about returning Alec to his death, you'll have to get past me," Yuri said, trying to repress a shiver of fear. Valentina held that sword as if she knew how to use it very effectively, and he didn't want to think about the broad sword and the myriad of other weapons she, no doubt, had stashed around her person.

Valentina destroyed his ego with the talent that all women have over men. She laughed at his bravado. A truly devastating weapon.

"I have no interest in either of you, Master Hyuga. In fact, I was merely warning Master Kerry here about not visiting any village near here. They all know about the events at his intended execution. If he doesn't want to be set upon, he should avoid them. Oh, and my mistress wishes me to give you this." Valentina pulled a pair of throwing knives out of a pocket on her leg (which involved some acrobatics that Yuri was sure that were impossible) and handed them to Alec. He accepted them silently, questions written on his face.

"That should help you a little. Oh and I'm to tell you this; seek the avatar of the night. Don't ask me what it means, I don't know." Valentina pushed past Yuri and started to disappear into the forest.

"Wait!" Yuri called. Valentina stopped, quizzical expression on her face.

"How did you know where to find us?" Yuri asked quickly.

"You mean other then the huge crater in the middle of nowhere? I can find anything I want," Valentina said cryptically and continued on her way, long dark braid swinging behind her. When Yuri was sure that she was out of earshot he whistled lowly.

"That's something you don't see every day," Yuri said in awe.

"A fact for which we are all very grateful for, otherwise we'd never get anything done. You almost drowned her in drool," Death Emperor replied sarcastically.

"I did not!" Yuri blurted indignantly.

"What was the deal with the constant staring? I'm sure it was embarrassing for her," Alec asked innocently.

"Christ, now I'm being assaulted on two fronts. I hate my life sometimes," Yuri said in long suffering tones. Alec rolled his eyes. Death Emperor wished that he could.

"And what's 'the avatar of the night?' " Alec wondered. Yuri looked at him and blinked.

"Excuse me, the what?" he asked.

"Weren't you listening? Oh that's right, hot chick in leather. Forgot about that," Alec replied, rolling his eyes at Yuri's inability to check out a woman and carry a conversation at the same time. "She said for me to look for the avatar of the night."

"She did not," Yuri stated firmly. "I would have remembered something important like that."

"I'm sure you remember many things about Valentina. The words that came out of her mouth weren't one of them. I suspect though that you could categorically describe her…"

"Death Emperor!" Yuri said, scandalised. "I was a perfect gentleman!"

"She asked to stop obviously staring. More than once. You weren't being exactly unobtrusive,"

"Yeah well, just because you're a disembodied spirit that can't get any,"

"Like you can talk. You're still a child,"

"Ah, hello?" Alec broke in. "Can we start talking about the avatar thing and not whether Yuri was going to score with Valentina, which co-incidentally he wasn't."

"It's important," Yuri insisted, pouting.

"So's trying to find this avatar thing. And I think that it's slightly more urgent as well," Alec said in a voice that brooked no argument.

"Let me guess, the Call he's been studiously ignoring concerns this avatar," Death Emperor commented sardonically.

"I've had this voice in my head telling me to look for an avatar of the night…" Alec began.

"Bingo," Death Emperor said gleefully.

"Shut up Death Emperor," Yuri replied absently.

"You know, an exorcism would work wonders," Alec offered.

"Already tried. Kinda blew the church apart. You found me afterwards," Yuri answered, wincing at the fragments of memories that he had of the exorcism.

"Ah, I see," Alec said eventually, not entirely sure what he saw. Surely a fusion soul wouldn't rip a church apart because it was freed. And when he had found Yuri, he looked as if he was tortured, not exorcised. Unless…no, they wouldn't be that stupid to torture a Harmonixer to exorcise his fusion souls, would they?

"Weren't we talking about this voice in your head?" Yuri's voice broke through Alec's thoughts. Alec blinked as he tried to reorientate himself.

"Oh yeah. Well, anyway I think we should try to find it," Alec replied finally.

"What's this 'we' business?" demanded Death Emperor.

"The voice was rather insistent that I find someone 'with a demon in their soul, who's been shattered and no longer whole.' You certainly meet the first requirement, and I have no idea what the second means," Alec said with a tinge of apology in his voice.

"That 'we' business. I hate prophecies," Death Emperor muttered bitterly.

"I could have sworn I told you to shut up," Yuri said absently, most of his attention focused on Alec.

"Like I'm going to listen to you. Make me," Death Emperor taunted.

"You have no idea how disconcerting it is to hear you argue with a voice in your head," Alec commented, shaking his head. Yuri shrugged.

"You make it sound like it's unusual. Just because I'm unfortunate to have a talkative fusion soul that won't shut up," he replied, wishing that Death Emperor had a physical manifestation so he could give it a death glare.

"That's because it is unusual. Usually Harmonixers are stark raving mad after three years of fusing. You're an anomaly," Death Emperor replied somberly.

"That and you need me to be sane to get an heir," Yuri added.

"That too," Death Emperor said cheerfully.

"You are one messed up guy," Alec said with a shake of his head.

"This coming from the person who keeps casting spells that I've never heard of and has no memory of trying to wipe me from the Earth," Yuri retorted.

"That makes me the perfect person to…what? I did what?" Alec did a double take and stared at Yuri with wide eyes.

"That spell you cast, was aimed at me. Or Death Emperor, I'm a little shaky on details," Yuri said depreciatingly. He shrugged.

"Hang on. I cast a spell aimed at you and created a massive crater. You're fine how?" Alec demanded, gesturing toward the crater.

"Hid behind that rock," Yuri said, pointing toward a rather large rock about ten metres away. It was glowing slightly, possibly from the magical backlash.

"Yuri, there were rocks here before," Alec pointed out with a frown. He was unsure what made this rock special.

"Ah okay. I see your point," Yuri replied, pushing himself to his feet. Alec, worried about what Yuri was going to do, rose to his feet ungracefully. At the time, he had no idea why he was so apprehensive about Yuri looking at a rock. In retrospect, he understood perfectly.

The two walked over to the rock and paused when they came close enough to see a rune glowing on it. Glowing purple, it looked rather incongruous on an everyday rock. Yuri extended a hand to touch it. Alec tried to catch his wrist, but wasn't strong enough. Yuri touched the rune and both gasped as magic rushed through them.

"Not now," Death Emperor said with a sigh. It was the last thing they heard before the world faded into darkness.

*

When Yuri opened his eyes, it was to the unwelcome sight of the Graveyard.

"I really hate this place," Yuri commented, picking himself off the ground. He looked around in confusion. "Alec? The only sounds were the usual ones of the Graveyard.

Yuri started to wander around the Graveyard. He was sure that he was here for a reason, but he didn't know what.

"Death Emperor? A bit of help here?" he whispered. Unusually enough, there was no response. Yuri's head felt strange, as if there was something missing. "Death Emperor?" he whispered again. When there was no response, Yuri closed his eyes and mentally looked around his head, searching for the acerbic personality that called itself Death Emperor. There was a void where Death Emperor usually was, a raw wound that throbbed constantly. It was as if Death Emperor had been ripped out of his head.

"Little Harmonixer, it has been a while since a Hyuga has fought for their fusion soul. And I have never seen a fusion soul so tightly bound to a Harmonixer. It makes me curious," a disembodied voice whispered in his ear. Yuri shivered.

"What do I do?" he asked aloud. The voice laughed.

"Such impatience! It's all very simple. You and your fusion soul fight. If you win, the fusion soul is yours. If you lose…" the voice trailed off, leaving Yuri's imagination to come up with possible outcomes. Death seemed to be a likely one.

"What about the person who came in with me? Where is he?" Yuri asked softly, not wanted to antagonise the voice.

"He's battling his own demons," the voice replied. "Now, there's an idea. I'll stop his demons, for the moment. If you win, the two of you can walk free. If not, we'll keep the boy as well. It has been a while since we had a captive chimera class," the voice said in a sing-song. Yuri's eyes widened.

Setting his shoulders, he walked toward a glowing tombstone. Biting his lip, he touched the rune carved onto the stone, the same rune that was on the rock. He closed his eyes against a sudden wave of dizziness.

Death Emperor stood before him in all his glory. Yuri shivered. Taking a deep breath, he fell into an attack stance and waited. Death Emperor did the same.

"You have first strike!" a baritone hissed in his head. Yuri reacted without thinking, striking Death Emperor with his claws. He jumped back and waited for the counter-strike. Death Emperor lunged at him, and Yuri ducked, with the warning that the voice gave him. He came out of his crouch and attacked Death Emperor again.

"Who are you?" he breathed at the voice, dodging one of Death Emperor's attacks. He moved fluidly and attacked Death Emperor again. Death Emperor crumpled to the ground.

"Who am I? Not for you to worry about just yet, Yuri. When you're older, you'll understand," the voice replied.

"What?" Yuri asked. The voice disappeared when Death Emperor reappeared in his head, filling the void.

"Miss me?" Death Emperor asked. Yuri didn't respond to that.

"Hey, where's Alec?" he yelled. "I defeated Death Emperor, so where is he?"

"Fighting his demons," the whispering voice replied.

"What?" Yuri demanded. "You said that you'd stop that!"

"I lied," the voice said cheerfully. "But, because I'm nice, I'll let you help him. He's inside the gate over to your right. Have fun!" Yuri walked quickly toward the gate. As he drew closer, he heard someone screaming. Yuri broke into a run.

As he entered the gate, he saw Alec, staring at nothing, screaming as if it was the most terrifying thing he had ever seen.

"It probably is," Death Emperor said seriously. "Drag him out of here and leave the Graveyard. Now!" Yuri grabbed Alec and swung him up into his arms. It was times like these where Yuri was grateful that Alec was as delicately built as he was. Once he had made sure that Alec wasn't going to fall, he ran to the edge of the Graveyard. Making the mental twist required to exit the Graveyard, Yuri jumped through the opening in the boundary, landing heavily on the other side. Alec spilled out of his arms, landing awkwardly on the ground. The impact jolted him back into consciousness and he regarded Yuri with dazed blue eyes.

"That was fun," Alec said finally. Yuri forced a laugh.

"Those aren't quite the words I'd use to describe what just happened. Utterly terrifying, mind shattering, confusing; they're all words I'd use. Fun? No, I don't think so," Yuri replied.

"You're babbling," Alec commented.

"It's a side effect of the fear. Considering that I had to fight Death Emperor to get at you, I believe I'm quite entitled to have been afraid. Which reminds me, what did you see?" Yuri retorted. Alec looked at his feet and said something inaudible.

"What part of 'most terrifying thing he's ever seen' don't you understand? He won't tell you what he saw; he doesn't really know himself. All he knows is the terror, his heart struggling not to burst with fear, his breath catching painfully in his throat. Eventually it would have killed him. And that, is why non-Harmonixers shouldn't go into the Graveyard, and the Gate of Self in particular," Death Emperor snapped.

"Why, then can Harmonixers go there?" Yuri asked innocently or, as Death Emperor suspected, stupidly.

"There's something in your blood, that acts as a shield against the Graveyard. It's also how come you can fuse; you're sensitive to that sort of thing, and strong against the Graveyard. Some people are the reverse. It appears that Master Kerry is one of those," Death Emperor explained in the tones of someone who has explained all too many obvious things recently.

"There's no need to take that kind of tone with me! Anyway, I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to Alec," Yuri pointed out. "Who is currently ignoring me. A common ailment around here, I suspect." Alec's head shot up and he looked at Yuri guiltily.

"Sorry," Alec apologised. "I can't remember it. Sorry."

"Stop apologising! You've got nothing to be sorry for!" Yuri retorted. "Hey, the sun's setting. What's the deal?"

"Time passes in the Graveyard. Did you expect time to stand still for you or something?" Death Emperor replied.

"That could be useful," Yuri replied ingenuously.

"What could be useful?" Alec wanted to know. "Hearing one side to these conversations is really annoying sometimes."

"If you want, I can give him to you," Yuri offered.

"Actually, no you can't. I'm bound to your blood. Blame Yuki Hyuga for that," Death Emperor commented.

"Wow, I get a name? Let me guess, the first Harmonixer?" Yuri asked with mock-enthusiasm.

"No," Death Emperor said heavily.

"Who was then?" Yuri demanded, hoping for a story. He liked stories, sometimes.

"His daughter," Death Emperor answered finally, his voice giving the impression that he wasn't going to say anything more on the subject.

"Hey, if it's all the same with you guys, I'm setting up camp here," Alec interjected, sick of listening to Yuri react to something that only he could hear. Yuri did a double take.

"What? Next to the rock of death?" he asked, eyes wide. Alec shook his head.

"Ha, ha. Very funny. It's not my fault that it happened to be a portal, nor is it my fault that Master Kerry's little temper tantrum set it off," Death Emperor said, then prepared to do a major sulking session.

"I actually meant in the crater, but now that you mention it…" Alec said, trying to keep the grin off his face.

"Crater is good. I like the crater idea," Yuri said quickly. While there was no grin on Alec's face, Yuri was always suspicious of someone whose mouth was tight around the edges.

"Thought you would," Alec replied complacently. The camp was set up in silence, possibly because it was getting dark and the two wanted to be in the tent before it got really dark.

Authors Note: I actually didn't intent to write another chapter for at least a week, maybe two. Then I got bored and frustrated at Visual Basic (it was written by Microsoft, so that could explain a lot) so I started to write. That, and I was startled by the sheer number of people demanding that Alec live. Honestly, I thought that my OC's suck. Nieh. Alec will be around for a while.

The initial sequence was supposed to be confusing. It will make sense later. Maybe.

Valentina? Yes, she will play a part later on. And not as eye-candy for Yuri either, so the Yuri/Alice or the Yuri/Mary Sue shippers can calm down.

I had the Graveyard scene in there because, well, Yuri should have to fight for his fusion soul. The whispering voice is one of the masks and the other, the one that helped Yuri? I'm not telling. (You can probably guess anyway.) What did Alec see? Can't tell you yet.

And who's Yuki Hyuga? Well I have started my Death Emperor story and his chapter will be written next. So you can find out all about him and his daughter. (Shameless plug, but if I don't do it, who will?)

Thanks go to Gutterfiend, Nat and Greyfriars for reading, reviewing, and saving Alec from being immolated. (Aenea is getting really hard to convince on that issue)