Dark felt as if he were drowning in golden light. He was falling toward it's center, and at first it had been pleasantly warm, like a fire on a winter night, but now it was getting unbearably hot. Dark tucked his long arms and legs up to his chest, trying to make himself fall faster. He could almost hear the flyaway strands of his hair sizzle as the heat got more and more intense. His face felt tight and burned, and trying to stay calm he took a deep breath. The searingly hot air invaded his lungs and caused the tender tissue to react violently. Coughing and choking uncontrollably, Dark raised his hands to protect his face.
Without warning, Dark fell through the worst of the flame and hit the blessedly cool base of the fire. Catlike, he landed in a crouch on his feet, with his knees bend up and one hand resting lightly on the ground before him to steady himself. Rising fluidly, he took in the situation quickly. Daisuke lay, eyes closed, in the arms of the most beautiful boy he had ever seen. Luminous and almost gleamingly pure, the boy's face was radiantly pale. His lips were soft and full, and his silver hair fell silkenly over his brow. His eyes, as they swept up to meet Dark's were large and surrounded by black lashes, swimming with sorrow and swirling like liquid murcury.
"I'm sorry," the boy said, his voice filled with something like regret,"You are too late. Daisuke has given himself to me."
Dark's eyes narrowed. Taking a hold of Daisuke's arms, he tried to pull the red haired boy out of the grasp of The Everburning Flame. Daisuke's lashes fluttered briefly, and the lightest of moans escaped his lips. He had nearly woken up.
But he didn't look very good. The colour was gone from his usually rosy cheeks, and he he felt feather light in Dark's grasp. He was almost gone.
"You can't take him. He wants me to burn away his memories so he can't be hurt anymore." Up close, Dark felt as if he were in danger of falling into the depths of those swirling silver eyes.
"If it is memories you want, take one of mine. I have too many," Dark said, thinking fast. Quickly searching through his memories like scattered gold coins, he picked one of the brightest. It was heavy and bittersweet, filled with the laughing brown eyes and dark redish hair of the one woman he had truly loved. He hated to give it up, but his heart and mind were full of images of her.
Dark laid his slender hand on the silver boy's forehead and pushed as hard as he could. The boy's lips fell open as the memory hit him, and tears pooled up in his eyes. Overwhelmed by the sheer emotion of the memory, his grip on Daisuke fell slack. Pouncing, Dark snatched Daisuke away and willed himself upward and outward.
"This is love," Dark heard the boy whisper, but as he looked downward he saw that it was no longer a boy. A radiant woman stood, tears streaming down her face. Her eyes were wide with wonder as she felt for the first time love without sorrow or heartache. The memory had a tinge of sadness, but she finally realised that sorrow faded away, while the memory of love burned brightly.
Emiko raised her head from her father's shoulder and gasped. Dark was stirring on the floor. He was struggling to his feet, and he looked utterly exhausted. About to run to him, Emiko checked herself. Dark was holding his arms in a strange cradling position, and there was something faint held in his arms. Looking closer at the pale, translucent thing Dark held, Emiko gasped in horror. It was Daisuke.
Dark gritted his teeth and fought for every step as he moved toward the altar in the center of the circle. Gently, he laid Daisuke down, making sure he was within the circle of protective runes. Daisuke was lighter than air, and flickered translucently. He was like a ghost.
Emiko rushed forward in a wave, but Dark stopped her with an upraised hand. "Stop! Dai-kun's soul was almost completely burned away in the Flame."
"Dai-kun's soul?" Emiko mouthed the words. She looked like she had aged ten years since this morning. "Can we save him?"
Dark nodded. "Yes," he said shortly. Dark turned away from Emiko and focused his attention on Daisuke. Though he wouldn't tell Emiko, Dark was afraid. He knew that Daisuke had been very close to death, and he wasn't sure that he knew how to bring him back.
The Everburning Flame had burned away all of Daisuke's memory, and without memory a soul had no anchor. Dark knew that when an infant was born, the soul was incomplete and full of holes. As a person aged, memory knitted together those holes and helped form a complete soul. Without it, a soul was little more than a wisp of personality with no context or background to hold it in place. Dasike's soul wanted to float away.
Dark wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. He had to find a way to give Daisuke his memories back. Glancing over his shoulder at the pinched faces of Emiko and Daiki, Dark knew he could not fail. As he looked away from Daiki, a memory of the old man as a young boy rose up unbidden in Dark's mind. He had been very like Daisuke back then...
Dark's eyes widened with sudden inspiration. He had enough memories for a dozen lifetimes, all he had to do was give some of them to Daisuke like he had The Everburning Flame. For a brief moment, Dark's heart balked. Could he really bear to give up his memories? People he had cared for, lives he had touched, all of it weighed heavily in his chest.
Biting his lip, and before he could change his mind, Dark lay his hands over Daisuke's chest. Reaching into his cache of memories, Dark began grabbing mental handfuls of the coin bright memories, forcibly pushing them down his arms and into Daisuke's chest. Memory was a mutable thing, and once they were absorbed by Daisuke's soul, the fibres of the memories changed to replace those Daisuke had lost. Holes in Daisuke's soul were being quickly knit together, and the ghostlike body began to solidify.
Ignoring everything else, Dark continued to sift through his memories. It had been hard at first, but now he only held on to the most precious. His heart began to feel lighter, and to his amazement, Dark began to feel the weight of centuries slipping from his shoulders. As Daisuke grew denser and heavier with the weight of memory, Dark's soul lightened into something managable and unweighted by sorrow.
Finally, arms shaking with fatigue, Dark let his hands drop from Daisuke's chest. The boy was solid now, but he still didn't wake. Dark's knees finally gave way, and he fell heavily to the floor. "It wasn't enough," he whispered to himself. A tear slid down his cheek and fell onto his hand. He had failed.
Emiko moved forward to Daisuke's side. She wasn't crying now, but her face was very pale and drawn. Taking Daisuke's hand, she brought it to her lips. "I won't let him go. We can save him. I know we can." Emiko leaned forward and lay her cheek against Daisuke's chest. A soft glow of light caught Dark's eye, and as he watched, a faint yellow light passed between mother and son.
Dark closed his eyes as realization hit him. Of course! he chided himself, How could I have been so stupid? As Emiko had held Daisuke, the love Daisuke had given his mother poured back into him. Daisuke needed his lost emotion to fill his soul, and love was the one thing that could be freely given without causing harm to the donor.
"Emiko, please, I need you to go get Harada Risa-chan," Dark said, struggling to rise, "I will go and get Hiwatari-kun." Dark turned, rallying his last reserves of energy. Summoning With to him, Dark took the stairs two at a time. "Hurry!"
Hiwatari sat on the edge of his bed, knees drawn upward to his chest. His glasses he didn't need lay discarded on the bedside table, and his face was slicked with tears. He was calm now, as he sat with his arms wrapped around his knees, staring blankly out the window without really seeing anything. The usual cold maskline expression had descended over his features once again.
Now if only I could convince myself that I am fine. Hiwatari sighed softly and closed his eyes. The hairline cracks in his heart had been easier to ignore yesterday, before he had known what things could have been like...
The lightest of footfalls broke Hiwatari out of his thoughts. Snapping his head upward, his eyes focused sharply on the intruder in his home. Dark stood in the doorway, looking decidedly worse for the wear. His face was pale and drawn, and even his hair hung limply over his eyes as he gripped the doorframe to hold himself up. Hiwatari's first instinct was to slap handcuffs on Dark and capture him, to use him to finally be rid of Krad. However, Dark would not have come here unless something was wrong.
Getting warily to his feet, Hiwatari felt the pressure inside of him that was Krad reacting to the nearness of Dark. "Why are you here?" He asked without preamble.
Dark raised his head and looked wearily at him. "Daisuke needs you," he said simply.
Hiwatari's heart lurched. The look on Dark's face told him everything he needed to know. Savagely, he clamped down on Krad's growing attempts to break free. Taking a steadying breath, Hiwatari nodded. "Take me to him."
Riku sat in the passenger seat of Emiko's car and held onto the dashboard for dear life. Emiko was driving like a maniac, swerving in and out of traffic and narrowly missing oncomming cars and bicyclists. Riku kept her lips clamped tightly together and didn't make a sound. Emiko had come to her door and practically dragged her into the waiting car, saying something about Daisuke needing her.
Emiko looked terrible. It was obvious that she had been crying and her hands were shaking as she gripped the steering wheel. She kept her eyes trained to the road as she maneuvered dangerously between cars. Her lips moved, and Riku thought she could hear her saying Daisuke's name.
Riku was scared. Her heart felt numb, she knew from Emiko's bizzare behaviour that Daisuke must be in serious danger. Please, please don't let him die!, she squeezed her eyes shut tight, I haven't told him that I love him yet.
Riku had always loved him, though it had taken years to realize it. She had Risa to thank in part for that, if she hadn't felt such intense jealousy over Daisuke's infatuation with her twin, she might have gone on forever oblivious to her real feelings.
The car breaked suddenly, and Riku couldn't hold back her yelp of suprise as she braced her arms on the dash. Emiko lept from the car, barely pausing to remove the key from the ignition, and ran around to Riku's side of the car. Riku fumbled briefly with the latch on the safety belt, and had just pulled it free when Emiko yanked the passenger side door open. Without a word, Emiko grabbed Riku's hand and began running with her toward the house without stopping to close the car door. Confused, she had been expecting a hospital not the Niwa home, Riku started to say something in protest, but Emiko's frantic frightened behaviour made her bite her tongue.
Emiko dragged her through the house and down the steps into the basement. Pulling open the door to what looked like a broom closet, Riku was amazed to see an ancient looking set of stone steps leading down into darkness. As they raced through the door and down the steps, frigid air swirled up from the depths below the stairs, making Riku shiver. Her heart was pounding and she was gripped with fear. What sort of family has something like this under their house?
Flickers of flame peered up through the darkness as they neared the bottom, and Riku could make out a figure standing next to what appeared to be a low table. Riku recognised the shadowy figure as Daisuke's grandfather as they drew closer. Turning as they approached, Riku registered the worry in his eyes before her gaze dropped to what lay on the table like stone before him.
"Daisuke!" the name was ripped from her lips in a gasp. Pale and somehow diminished looking, Daisuke looked like he was already dead. Breaking free of Emiko's grasp, Riku ran to him, falling on her knees beside him. She sucked in a huge gulp of frigid air as tears began to stream down her face. Without thinking, she took one of his icy hands between hers and tried to warm it with her breath. Brushing her lips across his unresponsive fingertips, her body shook as she was racked with silent sobs. She lay her head on his chest, brown red locks tangling with the buttons on his shirt, to try to hear his heartbeat. It was very faint.
Behind Riku, Emiko sighed slowly. Unbeknownst to Riku, a fine misty glow had surrounded her and Daisuke where she knelt beside him. As the girl held him, Daisuke's cheeks began to regain a little colour and his breathing deepened slightly. A noise from above attracted Emiko's attention upward, and she watched as Dark glided downward out of the gloom above. He carried a slender blue-haired boy in his arms. As Dark dropped lightly to the stone floor, Emiko recongised him as Hiwatari Satoshi, the boy who was the last of the Hikaris. Something deep in Emiko's stomach reacted violently to the thought of a Hikari within the Niwa stronghold, but she held back her protests. Daisuke's life was hanging in the balance, and she wasn't willing to let ancient family hostility get in the way, no matter how much it pained her.
Hiwatari lept from Dark's arms, not sparing his bearer a backward glance as Dark fell heavily to his knees in exhaustion. His eyes were riveted on Daisuke. Paying no attention to Riku, Hiwatri's lips shaped a prayer, though he was not religious. Also dropping to his knees beside Daisuke, Hiwatari cradled the boy's icy face between his hands. Oh Daisuke, he thought, tears welling in his eyes,What happened? You were fine... But Hiwatari knew that Daisuke had not been fine. He had been heartbroken, by him, and he had just left him there...
Hiwatari was shaking. His tremors raced through his body and blurred his vision. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips softly against Daisuke's forehead. Riku was looking at him, her face smeared with tears. Her grip on Daisuke's hand looked painful. He ignored her. A terrible searing pain rose up inside of him as Krad began his struggles again, this time using every vicious and painful trick he knew. Hiwatari closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. The pain washed over him in waves, pummeling him. It felt like Krad was trying to rip out his guts in order to get out.
"No!" he felt a snarling, anguished tear at his throat. It hurts, it hurts...
You deserve it, you insufferable brat! Krad snarled back at him, sounding like a caged animal, My whole existance, I have tried to get in here, and now you thwart me. I will destroy the Niwas once and for all. Let me out!
Hiwatari's grip on Krad was slipping, he knew he couldn't hold the psychotic angel back forever. Opening his eyes, Hiwatari focused on Daisuk's face. Barely clinging to consciousness through the unending red blur of pain, Hiwatari pushed his lips against Daisuke's in desperation.
Emiko and Daiki gasped together as the blue haired boy lowered his mouth against Daisuke's. Emiko's chin dropped as her brain tried to absorb the implications. Without thinking, she started forward toward them, but was nearly blown off of her feet by the explosion of light and emotion that poured out between the two. Nearly blinded, Emiko threw up her hand to shield her face. When she could see again, she gasped, again, this time in wonder. The entire underground chamber was filled with a golden light, thick and warm as honey. It eminated from the join of Daisuke and Hiwatari's lips.
"What is this?" she whispered.
"It is pure love between ancient enemies, the Niwa and Hikari. I thought the two families would destroy eachother before this came about," Daiki replied, looking just as awestruck as Emiko felt.
Daisuke opened his eyes slowly. He felt warm and safe, and the mouth against his tasted deliciously familiar. Instinctively, he parted his lips and returned the kiss, wrapping an arm around the boy who had been his lover. The kiss deepened momentarily, then broke. Daisuke sighed in dissapointment.
Pain broke the spell of bliss, he felt as if his hand was trapped in a vise. Frowning, he blinked, and the underground chamber came sharply into focus. The first face he saw was Hiwatari's, pale and pinched, still wet with tears. Caressingly, Daisuke wiped the tears away with his palm. Hiwatari leaned into the touch and closed his eyes.
"Are you okay?" Daisuke whispered, his voice sounding strangely far away.
Hiwatari nodded, "He can't hurt me anymore," he whispered, smiling.
Daisuke nodded, then looked down toward the preasure on his hand. Riku held it still, tightly in hers. Daisuke struggled to sit up.
"Riku," he reached out to touch her with his free hand. To his amazement, she dropped his hand and surged forward, pressing her lips against his.
"I love you, Dai-kun," she said holding him against her, "I wanted to tell you before anything else could stop me."
Shocked, Daisuke reached up and ran a hand through her soft hair. This close, she smelled wonderful, like shampoo and something indescribably feminine. As he held Riku, Hiwatari gave him a strange sad smile and backed away from him.
Setting Riku away from him, Daisuke kissed her softly on the cheek. He swung his legs off of the altar and nearly fell as he tried to put his weight on them. Finding his balance, Daisuke went after Hiwatari, his confusion and sadnes easy to read in his wide amber eyes.
Hiwatari shook his head. "Go to her, Dai-kun," he whispered, voice sad and subdued, "I--I have so much to deal with, and..." He paused, taking a breath. "I love you, Dai-kun, and I always will. But I have to deal with Krad, and that will take time. There is someone here and now who needs you," he glanced toward Riku, who sat rigid on the altar stone, hands twisted together. Hiwatari felt his heart breaking.
Tears flooded Daisuke's eyes. "But I lo--" he was cut off as Hiwatari lay a finger across his lips. He kissed Daisuke again, feathery soft, for the last time. "Don't say it," he whispered, wiping Daisuke's tears away, "because it isn't fair."
Taking Daisuke by the shoulders, he turned him around and pushed him gently toward Riku. After a momen't hesitation, Daisuke went. As he neared her, Riku stood and threw her arms around Daisuke. Daisuke returned the embrace, snuggling his nose into her hair. He didn't know what to tell her yet, so chose to say nothing. He did love her, he always had, but it didn't seem right to say it now.
After a moment, Emiko joined the embrace, throwing her arms around both of them. She was confused about exactly what went on between Hiwatari and Daisuke, but was so relieved to have her son back that she refrained from asking any awkward questions.
Dark?Daisuke thought quiringly. He thought he had felt Dark rejoining him somewhere in that warm golden glow, but he wasn't sure.
I'm here, came the smug reply, Can't get rid of me that easy.
Daisuke smiled. Thank you for comming after me.
Well I wasn't just going to leave you, Dark said indignantlyEven if it did nearly kill me. If you need me, I'll be sleeping.
Hiwatari turned away with a soft smile. Daisuke would be all right, and he knew Riku would take care of him while he couldn't. Catching a knowing look from Daisuke's grandfather, Hiwatari began the long climb up the stairs. Things had changed today, between himself and Krad. The tables had turned and now Hiwatari knew he would be able to control the monster within him. And even though he had to give up Daisuke, Hiwatari felt confident that things would be better now. Besides, he had never said that it would be goodbye forever.