Chapter 20
My Last Breath
Kurama fought with all his will against the strange force that was slowly making him give in, and then everything went black. Then the voice took his mind and she laughed as she looked down at him, fighting to control himself. 'STOP FIGHTING KURAMA!' she demanded and he looked at her, not surprised who it was. Her eyes softened as she stepped closer, he tensed up with suspicion. 'Oh Kurama, I'm so glad you're from that angel spirit. She's trying to seduce you to do evil things...she nearly killed me!' He just looked at her, but for some reason...he believed her. 'She's the one who's been toying with our minds, trying to make us believe the world is going to end,' she whispered, touching him arm and he pulled away. 'I don't believe you; she's been good to us this whole. I love her, and there's nothing you could say to stop us from loving each other!' he told her, but the pain just returned and he dropped to his knees. She knelt down in front him and took his hand, her eyes starting to water. 'Please don't believe, she'll kill you too just she did Koenma and Genkai,' she said softly, her voice comforting him strangely. He felt himself changing to his demon form, his hair turning sliver, his tail appearing and ears popped on top of his head. 'How did this happen?' he asked himself, looking back at he woman he now hated. 'It doesn't matter what you do, just kill her! She created the shield so she can kill her faster, then she'll release the visions to devour you.' More surging, violent pain shot up his whole body and he gave in. His pupils disappeared and he snarled as he imagined Sapphire killing thousands of people day by day and he woke up.

He looked her frightened face and slashed her shoulder, her cries of pain shaking the shield. "Kurama...what's wrong with you?" she yelled at him, his eyes seething with rage, the scent of vampire magic all over him. "Must kill...traitor!" he raged, his voice changed and more deep with hate. He lunged at her, but she ran to the side and cursed that her wings were gone. Again and again he went after her, slashing her all over her face, arms and shoulders. He started to get tired, but a rush of adrenaline came back and he went after her again. Her energy was failing, not having enough to summon her javelins or katanas and she screamed as the sickening crack of a bone echoed the shield. She fell to the ground, her left leg now shattered to pieces and blood streaming out, bubbling by the second it reached the surface. "Kurama, why are you hurting me? Don't you know who I am?" she asked him quietly, but he just slashed her torso and her vision blurred. The scent of fresh spilt blood was overwhelming and the shield was weakening even faster, her breathing slowing down. She could barely stand, but he took the chance and seized her from behind. One arm around her waist with the other hand tilting her head back to expose her neck. He sank his fangs into her and she fell limp as he hungrily slurped up her blood, pressing her closer. Her vision started fading and her strength was lessening, but she used the last of her strength to escape his grip and struck him across the face and he was knocked against the shield.

The power of the shield knocked the magic from his mind, but he remained in his demon form. He opened his eyes and just sat there as he watched Sapphire fall to the ground dying, her leg and body cut all over. He called out her name and ran to her, catching her in his arms and cradled her head on his chest. "Sapphire, can you ever forgive me? I couldn't control what I was doing," he whispered, his eyes slightly watering as he held her tenderly. Her throat hurt too much, but she reached out and touched his face and gave a weak smile.

Holding my last breath

Safe inside myself

Are all my thoughts of you

Sweet raptured light

It ends here tonight

"Hold on, you can make it Sapphire. The priest promised he wouldn't let us die, he said so...just as long as you have the flute with you," he whispered in a soothing voice, rocking her back and forth gently. He pulled out the flute and placed it in her hand and brought her face up to his. "Try to play another song, it could help you." She shook her head slowly and found the strength to embrace him as he did the same. "I'm...still...here, I...remember...what he...said," she stammered, more blood oozing out every time she spoke. "Keep it up...as long as...you can."

Say goodnight

Don't be afraid

Calling me calling me as you fade to black

She breathed in slowly, kissed his cheek then went limp in his arms. He shook her gently and tried to find a heartbeat...but there was none. "Sapphire? NNOO, SAPPHIRE!!" he yelled, pressing her body so close to him it started crushing his ribcage. He felt his blood boil with hate and he looked at the visions that were ramming against the shield. "It's just an illusion, it's not real," he told himself as he returned to normal Kurama. He tenderly laid her body down, moved the free hair from her face then extended his Rose Whip. His lips curved into a smile of malice and revenge and he cracked his whip. "Be gone illusions, HAUNT US NO MORE!" he ordered and he jumped out of the shield and started slashing the visions to pieces. The living illusions screamed in rage and pain as they tried to fight back, but Kurama and the power of the shield was too strong for them. Foot by foot, Kurama charged and shattered the visions. But no matter how effort Kurama put into his revenge, the visions just grew back and attacked him. "I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL EVERY SINGLE LAST ONE OF THEM!" he promised and he charged further into the deadly visions.

No matter how much he shattered the living illusions, they just grew back stronger and tried to feast on him. 'There has to be a way to kill these damn things,' he thought, then had an idea that prayed would save him and Sapphire. He went back inside the shield and took Sapphire's flute in his hand and started playing it backwards. The melody was screeching and loud and the living illusions screamed in pain of the sound. 'That's it...its working!' His idea had worked and the visions had lost their ability to return again. He cracked his whip again and lunged himself into the images and tore them to shreds, and they faded within two minutes. The shield had faded and he knelt down next to her. "We did it Sapphire, the images are gone," he whispered, but still realized that she was gone and he took her limp body in his arms. 'They were too much for her to handle, but she's not really gone, is she?' he asked himself, stroking her face as he looked down at her. 'Maybe if I play that death song backwards, it could help her. It's the only chance I can count on...but I'll do it.' Once again, he played the flute and her body started to glow softly then it faded when he stopped. There was a small heartbeat and she was faintly breathing, her skin warming up slowly. He smiled, but then his smile faded as her body started to grow icy cold and grow limp again. "What's happening, why didn't it help her?" he asked the darkness and the woman's voice returned. "IT SEEMS YOU'VE FORGOTTEN KURAMA, THIS IS MY GAME AND I MAKE UP THE RULES. THE SONGS MAY BE POWERFUL, BUT IN THE CENTER OF THE ILLUSIONARY SANCTUARY...ALL LIGHT GOES DARK!" She laughed again and Kurama felt himself start to go somewhere else. "SINCE YOU HATE STAYING HERE, WHY DON'T YOU COME TO SEE YOUR COMPANIONS BREAK THEIR PROMISE?" she asked, but he had no choice but accept her offer. Him and Sapphire materialized then appeared in the spirit world, only a mile away from the others were. With all the strength he could summon, he changed to his demon form and ran to catch up with Yusuke. The closer he got, the more he could feel a strange aura surrounding Sapphire. 'What's going on with Sapphire?' he asked himself, shivering slightly as her body's temperature dropped to below freezing.