Me: Zzzzzzzzzz…
CS: ¬_¬; To the reviewers…
Arashi Doragon: Me: O__O I never realized this story would be missed so badly. If you want, I'll send you the complete copy later! *glomps you* Don't worry! ^__^ I have future stories coming up soon and I'm sure you'll like them as much as this one!
dragona15: Me: O__O;;; Here's more *hides in a corner*
Skittles the Sugar Fairy: This is the second last. Usually my stories last till at least 11-12 chapters.
Shinnama1: For your sake, I won't leave it hanging. Though…^_^;;; Read and see!
I luv Yugi and Daisuke so :p: Me: Ummm…so ramatic? CS: *is howling in laughter and gets her head bopped* HEY!!! Me: Remember the universal rule? NEVER INSULT REVIEWERS!!! CS: O_O;; Yes ma'am.
I Am The Death Of Real: Me: I didn't realize it until I read it. I was pretty shocked. The only person I know who has done a history on Bit-beasts is End of Grace (Formerly known as Bester Death).
Dreamer: Yes, I have to admit, the ending was pretty unusual. But I'm sure you'll like it!
A/N: This chapter is long enough without author notes, so I'll make this brief. There is a lot of graphic violence in this chapter, so those of you with weak stomachs, I suggest you skip this and mail me for details. Believe me; I was also slightly nauseous when I finished this. This is NOT for the weak hearted. This is going to be the second chapter. The last chapter is underway and this monster of a story will finally be over!
Chapter Eleven
Aching wounds
nigiri shimeta te wo hodoita nara
tabun kore de subete ga ima owatte shimau
If I let go of your hand clasped in mine,
with that, it would all probably come to an end right now
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Tyson slid down the cliff. He saw Farren and Hanna in the distance, but all he could see was the red sand beneath his feet. It made him sick to the stomach.
Kai…I'm glad you're not here to see this…
Tyson dropped to his knees. What was he supposed to do? He had no idea how to bring the prophecy about.
Sora, lend me strength.
Kai…
He closed his eyes and reopened them.
A stormy grey-blue with hints of light. His face was calm.
And the wind swirled around him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*
shiritakatta koto kizutsuku koto
sae mo nanihitotsu yarinokoshita mama de
What I wanted to know, and even what hurts me-
even those were left undone
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Dranzer slashed the Mythical and incinerated him. Yet, the blood wouldn't leave the tips of her wings. She thrust another blow at the Earth Mythical.
She smirked and drove her dagger home. She spat the dirt from her mouth.
She felt strangely alive. This fight…this life…
It made her alive.
"Cosmic Bolt!"
She whipped her head around and a well placed thunder bolt sent her flying. She hit the ground and groaned. She got up and stared.
It was Dragoon.
Sweet, sweet Dragoon.
Her Dragoon.
Her face tightened, under the blood streaked mask.
"Aishiteru," She said as she attacked.
"Aishiteru," He whispered as he drove his sword to meet her dagger.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
anata ga deau shiawase wo
negaitai hazu na no ni
dekinai mijuku na jibun ni
fuite mo namida ga deru
Even though I should want to wish
for you to find happiness,
I can't, I'm too immature.
I wipe the tears, but they still keep flowing
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It was large circular room. There was an empty torch in the center with designs that were unfamiliar to them. Across the room were murals of a lady with stars in her hair and the phases of the moon across her forehead. Her eyes were bright and alive and she had a benign smile on her face. But her eyes seemed so forlorn. She wore a robe lined with silver furs.
It was as if, Kaleb realized with a jolt of pain, she was sorry for us…
"Sora…" Alia said breathing heavily.
Chris closed his eyes and whispered the prayer.
Win dain a lotica
En val tu ri
Si lo ta
Fin dein a loluca
En dragu a sei lain
Vi fa-ru les shutai am
En riga-lint
Win chent a lotica
En val turi
Silota
Fin dein a loluca
Si katigura neuver
Floreria for chesti
Si entina
Lalala…
Fontina Blu Cent
De cravi esca letisimo
Lalala…
De quantian
La finde reve
Win dain a lotica
En vai tu ri
Si lo ta
Fin dein a loluca
En dragu a sei lain
Vi fa-ru les shutai am
En riga-lint[1]
Chris trailed off.
Allison pushed some of her blonde hair off her face, "Ready? Time to save the world…or destroy it."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
sayonara
aishite-iru
anata wo dare yori
sora yori mo fukaku
Sayonara.
I love you
more than anyone else.
Even more deeply than the sky.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kai ran. He had no idea where he was supposed to go, but he followed his instinct.
The battle noises were getting louder….
He stopped for a minute, trying to catch his breath. Shallow gasps tore from his mouth.
The sky crackled above him. It seemed to be getting darker, as if something ominous was supposed to happen. Something which he knew about.
He remembered the words Chris whispered to him in his ear,
"Vita non est vivere sed valere vita est [2]," Chris whispered in his ear. Kai's wine eyes widened in fear and understanding. Then Chris shoved him and Kai started running.
…And he never stopped running. Even when he came in terms of love, he never stopped running…
And he could not stop…
But now he will.
Aishiteru Tyson.
Kai pulled out his scimitar and raised it to the sky in defiance. The wind roared at the impunity he had showed, but Kai didn't flinch.
He was done with running away.
He was ready to turn.
His hand fell down and Kai ran towards the battle.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
nakanaide
mata aou ne
demo aenai koto
watashi dake shitte-iru no
Don't cry.
We'll meet again, right?
But not being able to see you
is something that only I know about
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It was a known fact that the Hikori had been killed with Calyph and his army.
What wasn't known that the builders of the Beacon had thought of this and placed a trap at the topmost tower. The trap to show the person worthy of lighting the Beacon.
Only one person could light the Beacon.
And they didn't know that.
Allison sighed and reached for the empty torch.
In a blaze of blue light, they faded beyond recognition.
Where was she?
It was the seaside. She came here often to see the sunset. She could never see it back home. Daddy would take her here. Told here that it was their 'special place'
It was special.
He died there.
Blonde hair swirled around her. How could she be here? How could she come back?
"Alls!"
"Allison!!"
"Child come here."
"Our special place…"
"Such a sweet child."
"Bastard!!"
"He's dead…"
"Come here child."
"No. Leave her"
"I killed them…"
"How could she?"
"Murderer…"
"Look at all that blood…"
Murderer, Murderer, Murderer, Murderer, Murderer, Murderer, Murderer!!
She gritted her teeth, "Get out of my head!!" She sank to her knees, crying piteously.
Get out…get out…, the voices cackled gleefully.
We can't get out. Because we are you.
Allison's cloudy blue eyes snapped open, "NO!!! You are not me!!!"
We are…
Accept it…
You cannot live without us…
Murderer…
The cold whipped around her. She screamed. It was so cold!!! The shadows cackled and merged into her being. They began to tear her flesh apart, bit by bit. She could see the bone under her arm. They clawed at her face, maiming her eyes. She couldn't see, but the pain!! The pain!! The blood seeped onto the sand.
Murderer…they smiled at her as they tore her heart out…
Jason…
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
konna unmei wo eranda koto
itsuka anata ni mo hontou no imi ga wakaru wa
This fate that we've chosen...
someday you too will understand its true meaning
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Jason…"
Who called his name?
Who was that?
A woman materialized in front of him. The darkness was all around him and he couldn't make out his surroundings.
"Jason…"
She took a step forward. The light poured through and the darkness withered like a plant with no water. Her face shone with some unknown power as if the very essence of life was filled inside her body. Her cloudy blue eyes were soft with love.
Love?
"Jason…" Allison said, coming closer and embracing him. He swallowed his fear and embraced her tightly. God, how long has he waited for this?
"You're okay," He murmured into her ear.
She smiled gratefully at him, "Aishiteru Jason…"
He drew away from her in surprise, "What?"
She frowned, "I said Aishiteru."
He drew way from her, "You're not Allison."
She sucked in breath, tears coming to her eyes, "How can you say that?! Look at me!"
"You're not her," He pleaded.
Her eyes were dark, "I understand."
She turned away and walked off. Her footsteps disappeared in the mist.
Jason gripped his hair tightly.
It wasn't Allison, it wasn't Allison, it wasn't Allison, it wasn't Allison, it wasn't Allison, he chanted to himself silently.
The light was gone. The darkness had reappeared and started to choke him.
But Jason didn't fight. He let it suffocate him till he fell motionless, repeating to himself.
It wasn't Allison...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
futari tsukutta kioku no takara
zutto kokoro no kakure ya de ikite'ku yo
The treasure of memories that we've made
will always live on deep inside my heart
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Get out of my sight your worthless vagrant!" Her mother screeched at her, throwing a piece of cutlery at her. It struck her cheek, but she didn't flinch.
She raised her impassive amethyst eyes to meet her mother's face. Her mother, whose face was twisted with hate and malice.
"I hate you!!! Say something!!" The woman yelled at her and cut her cheek with a thin kitchen knife.
"I love you momma," She whispered, coming forward and kissing her mother's cheek gently. The mother recoiled away in horror and hit her so hard, she whirled.
"Hate me!!" Her mother demanded.
Hate me, love you…
Alia looked ahead impassionedly as her younger self and her mother the scene changed. She knew this was some kind of test, so she blocked her fear and anger.
Her eyes glittered dangerously.
However, there was a limit on how much she could take.
The scene turned to an adolescent Tala and an adolescent her. A gasp flew out of her mouth before she could suppress it.
"When we get older, who are you planning on marrying?" Alia (adolescent) asked, flopping on the bed.
"None of your business," Tala huffed. As an afterthought, he added snidely, "You'll probably marry Wicca."
Alia scowled, "Not my fault he's so in-infa—,"
"Infatuated," Tala corrected.
"Whatever. You still haven't told me who you are planning on marrying."
A red blush graced his cheeks, "Well…you see…"
Alia giggled, "So you *have* thought about it."
Tala turned a ripe cherry.
"So?"
"Um…if we…you know, don't get married at the age of twenty…maybe we could…marry each other," Tala said in a rush.
Alia's face lit up, "You mean it?"
"Um…yeah…"
Alia hugged him, "Of course!"
Tala was shocked, "Really?"
"Really!"
Tala smiled at her and—
"Frostbite!"
Tiny dagger shaped icicles flung themselves at the scene. It faded away. Alia staggered, her breath coming out in gasps.
She had forgotten that…
She clutched her head, whimpering. Sweet, Sweet Tala was gone…
Another image appeared. Kai.
"Kai!!!" She screeched as her face deformed and she lunged at him, only to pass through. He smirked at her and a tornado of flame covered his body. She stared at the column of fire.
She could see his eyes…his hate-filled blood eyes…
Without thinking, she flung herself into the flames…
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
kireigoto da to omotte'ta
kibou to iu kotoba wo
kurushii kurai dakishimete
anata wo miagete-iru
I thought it was a beautiful thing,
the word called hope.
In an almost painful embrace,
I'm looking up at you.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Screaming.
Who was screaming?
Kaleb was lost.
Hopelessly lost to the screams.
Who was screaming?
Let me help you!
Kaleb reached out his hand. And an ebony black hand grabbed his wrist.
Another Kaleb stepped out of the shadows.
"Who are you…?"
"Silly question to ask," commented the dark Kaleb, "Isn't it obvious? But you were always slow on the uptake."
Kaleb composed himself, "Why are you here?"
"To kill you."
The answer took him aback, "Why?"
"Why?" Dark Kaleb mocked, "Not 'How?' or 'When?' but 'Why?'. Does it matter?"
"Yes. I have no reason to die."
"You are human. That's a good reason to die."
"You still haven't told me why…"
"I just did."
"You're talking in riddles!"
"Au contraire my opposite, I'm making perfectly good sense."
Kaleb decided to think this out, "Is Alia okay?"
"She is dead. Like the rest of your friends. You fools meddle in things you should not."
"I don't understand."
"The Hikori was just a guardian. We are the judges."
"We?"
"We."
"Why did she die?"
"The same reason why all humans die."
Kaleb punched his counterpart, "You killed her!" He spat out. The counterpart got up and dusted some imaginary dust off his clothes.
"That would mean, *you* killed her," the counterpart replied smoothly.
Kaleb's bottle green eyes widened, "No! I didn't!"
"You did."
"NO!"
"Watch."
And Kaleb closed his eyes and saw.
He saw how he ravaged her body. Saw how he ripped her hair from her scalp. Saw her bleed to death, while he sucked on the blood pooling on the floor.
He saw.
"I…killed her…"
"You did."
"I'm ready to die now…"
"I thought you would be," His counterpart said smugly. And lifted the axe.
Kaleb closed his eyes.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*
arigatou
aishite-iru
anata wo dare yori
yume yori mo tsuyoku
Arigatou.
I love you
more than anyone else.
Even more strongly than dreams
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Don't hold back…
Just let it go…
All this fear, pain, love, anger…
What are they? Do they matter?
Just let it go…
The melody was hypnotic and alluring. Chris could feel the anguish willing itself to resurface.
But he wouldn't let it.
He never will.
It will stay inside forever…
Just let it go…
Set it free…
There are other places you need to be…
Does it matter? Why do you care?
The rhythm became faster. Chris found himself in a blur of colours.
Like a bird…
Chris giggled. The colours were so amusing! They spread all over, washing away the fear.
Maybe he should let it go…
He stared at his palms. They were badly lacerated and Chris could vividly remember the pain.
Just let it go…
And so he did. Like a fireball spiraling to heaven.
And somewhere in the darkness, shadows cackled.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
dakishimete
hanasanaide
dakedo hitokoto mo
tsutaerarenaide...
Hold me.
Don't let go.
But don't utter
even a single thing...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
His pony-tail whipped around him. The air was so fierce, Ray thought.
It wasn't wind. Not the kind of howling wind that sweeps you away.
It was that heavy tension in the air that grabbed him. Ray felt himself gasping for breath.
"Ke ke kekekekeke…"
Ray sagged down onto the floor, his hands grasping his neck tightly, trying to force air down.
"Ke kekekekekeke…"
"Ray…"
"Ke kekekekekekeke…"
"Ray, you have to leave…"
"Welcome Ray. Ke kekekekekeke…"
"Ray, you must go."
He couldn't breath. There were voices all around him. He struggled for air. His lungs burned with fire.
Some forms solidified in front of him. Black men with glazed silver eyes glared at him.
Ray gasped. He couldn't breath!
Then a blue light, not unlike the one that had captured them in the first place, flashed. The men screamed and rubbed their eyes.
Ray's eyes blurred. A hand was on his shoulder.
"Ray, it's time to leave."
"Max?"
"Come on Ray."
Ray staggered onto his feet. A slim hand held onto his wrist and led him away. The men screamed and reached out for Ray, but fell back because of the light. They hissed at him.
"Go on Ray. Back outside. You must light the Beacon. Or everything we have lived for, will fade."
Ray walked forward, but he stopped and turned back.
"Max?"
"I can't come."
"Then I'm not leaving."
"Don't be stupid. Go."
"I can't." Ray's throat constricted tightly.
A brief smile appeared in the darkness. Then gusts of wind pushed Ray further away from Max.
"Max!"
"May Sora watch over you…Ray. Aishiteru."
Then a pitter-patter of footsteps was heard and a low guttural victory call was heard.
"Max!!!"
And Ray entered the light.
He groaned and rubbed his head. Was it all a dream?
That's when he saw the bodies of his companions littered on the floor.
Ray's heart lurched and he threw up on the floor.
He saw Max's body lying not far away. Ray, shaking reached his hand out and clasped Max's hand.
And cried.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
nakanaide
aishite-iru
tooku hanarete'te mo
anata to ikite yukeru
Don't cry.
I love you.
Even though we're separated far apart,
I can still live with you.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Tyson walked into the blaze of the battle. He still wasn't sure what to do. Every five minutes, he would see another body hit the ground.
He couldn't do this.
"Tyson!!"
Tyson whipped around to see…Kai. His blue eyes whirled in confusion.
"Kai? How did you get here?"
Tyson was cut off short as Kai pressed his lips against his in a sense of urgency.
"Thank Sora you're okay," came the ragged whisper. Kai pulled Tyson towards him.
Tyson pushed Kai away, "You shouldn't be here!" His voice was hysterical.
"Well, I'm not leaving," said Kai adamantly.
"Kai…you can't do anything. I—,"
An explosion sounded before them. Tyson spun around as an ice spear went and hurled itself at Kai.
And impaled his side.
Me: Um….Hi?
Audience: GET HER!!!*runs after Timmy with pitchforks and knives*
Me: O__O EEP!!*starts running* Be reasonable!! I had to end it somewhere!! Besides, this chapter was thirteen pages long!!
Audience: -___-U Thirteen pages!!!
CS: ¬_¬; Jobless…
Me: Reviewers receive—
CS: MaRa plushies!!!
Me: I thought we were supposed to give out TyKa plushies this time.
CS: The thing about TyKa plushies is Kai keeps on stealing them.
Me: ¬¬* He's a veritable kleptomaniac when it comes to plushies…
CS: Review! *makes her plushie dance*
[1] Sora's Folktale from the Escaflowne movie. The song is in ancient Romanian. If anyone wants the translation must go to animelyrics.com
[2] vita non est vivere sed valere vita est: life is more than merely staying alive. I felt this was appropriate for the moment. ^__^
A/N: The main question running through your head is why did Ray live and Max die? Tell me if you have an answer and I'll see if it matches mine.