Disclaimer: Yami no Matsuei is not mine, it will never be mine. The characters are the sole property of Matsushita Youko. This story and concept are the property of Lockeheart (that's me!) - So please don't steal. I have been working hard on this!

This story is loosely based on the manga and the anime, taking components from both, but not necessarily all points. Some liberalization taken by me to suit my plot. Hope I don't offend or confuse.

Original Characters are the property of Lockeheart.

So on with the Show!

Chapter Thirteen – In the Darkest Hour . . . We Are Still Only Human

By Lockeheart

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"It took you long enough to find me, I was wondering when we would finish our little . . . 'chat' from before." Muraki's voice was cold, but Tatsumi could hear weariness within Muraki's tone that spoke a different story. "I was expecting Tsuzuki, but as I can't sense my doll at the moment, I believe he has bigger problems to deal with."

Tatsumi tensed as Muraki slowly turned around, the same infuriatingly calm smile plastered across the doctor's face. Muraki's voice was cool but Tatsumi could sense an underlying emotion within in Muraki's taunt. Tatsumi gathered the shadows about him to form a pitch black shard. The shadow shard hovered at Tatsumi's side, and the secretary stepped forward cautiously. It would be so easy to just kill Muraki then and there, to fulfill the desire for revenge within his heart. Tatsumi would never forgive Muraki for the hurt he had caused Tsuzuki and Hisoka. He knew the price for claiming a soul before its time, but at the moment it was very hard for Tatsumi to care.

"Do it quick Secretary, if you are going to do it." Muraki's voice was eerily calm and Tatsumi watched as Muraki tilted his head so that he could see Tatsumi out of the corner of his eye. Perhaps what was a bigger shock to Tatsumi was the tear that fell down Muraki's face. It was then that Tatsumi noted the pool of blood that lay about Muraki's form, staining the man's white suit a deep red. "You won't get a better chance than right now."

Tatsumi narrowed his eyes slightly, wary of the man before him. "Don't tempt me." The shadow shard continued to hover beside him, and Tatsumi warred with his desire to pin Muraki to the ground with the shard, and his duty as a Shinigami to not take soul prematurely. "I should kill you just for all the pain and suffering you brought to Tsuzuki and Hisoka."

"I believe that is what you were trying to do the last time you and I 'chatted'." Muraki's smile was cold and Tatsumi fought to maintain his composure. "Now unless you are willing to throw that shard at me I suggest you just walk away Mr. Secretary."

Muraki was slow in his movements, and Tatsumi didn't doubt for a moment that the doctor was wounded. "What the hell are you up to Muraki? What was the point of targeting Hisoka, besides your sick obsession with my co-workers?" A half smile appeared on Muraki's face, and Tatsumi readied his shadow shard once again. Muraki raised his eyes to Tatsumi's, and the emotions Tatsumi saw there disturbed him.

"Oh please. Don't tell me you are so high and mighty that you yourself have not felt yourself drawn to the fragile beauty of that boy?" Muraki's eyes narrowed as Tatsumi nodded no to his question. "Pity, I thought that even you could see the exquisite balance of power and beauty in my doll."

"He isn't yours."

"You keep believing that Secretary." Muraki's voice was filled with contempt and Tatsumi saw that the edges of the shard he had created were starting to bleed off. He was losing his concentration. Tatsumi steeled himself to not rise to Muraki's verbal bait. Muraki must have noticed what had been happening because his smile got even wider. "I suppose I shouldn't tell you what a rush it was to be able to sift through the boy's thoughts and desires. You really need to train your boy in mental defense, as an Empath he doesn't have very strong walls against intrusion. Mind you, what I did was much more potent than a simple mental invasion."

"I'll make note of that." Tatsumi's words were clipped and he clenched his fists to stop the slight trembling they had begun to exhibit. He was not angry anymore – he was furious. Hisoka was his friend and coworker and Muraki had crossed the line a long time ago. Tatsumi stole a glance to the body upon the ground, and received his next shock. How had that man come into Meifu? Tatsumi had met Oriya only once, but once was enough to see that the man was honorable. It was then that Tatsumi really looked at Muraki's face, and saw the moisture in the man's eyes. "You mourn him?"

"Does that surprise you Secretary? That a man such as I can still feel?" Muraki cast a glance to the still form before him. "As much as you and your companions would like to believe, I am still human." Muraki cast his eyes to Oriya's still form. "I didn't want him to come, to be dragged down in my darkness. Oriya was a fool to care."

"That he was." Tatsumi pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and looked to Oriya's dead body. Back when they had been trying to save Tsuzuki and Oriya had challenged them to a sword duel, Tatsumi had been confused by the feelings Oriya demonstrated. To love someone as cold as Muraki, it was surreal. The tears held within Muraki's eyes testified to the fact that Muraki had probably cared for Oriya as well, in his own twisted way. Tatsumi glanced down to Oriya's body, which Muraki reached down to pick up and cradle within his arms. "You're mad."

Muraki smiled at Tatsumi's comment, and then looked to Oriya's bloody body in his arms. "Perhaps." Muraki looked up to Tatsumi with a gleam in his eye, and Tatsumi readied his defense. Muraki lowered his eyes to look to Oriya's fallen form, and for a second, Tatsumi could have sworn he saw something beyond the callous cold attitude that the doctor often portrayed. This wasn't like their last encounter; Muraki was much more . . . wild this time. "Towards things that I like, I must use force to cherish them." Muraki shook his head and smiled a scary sort of smile that Tatsumi eyed warily. "I have business to attend to. I suggest you get out of my way." Flame ignited about Muraki's form and Tatsumi saw that the fire did not harm Muraki in the slightest.

Tatsumi launched his shadow shard forward, and he began to move. The shadow moved so fast, it seemed as if a blur, but Muraki dodged the projectile with ease. Tatsumi drew upon the shadows about him, readying himself for whatever Muraki had up his sleeve. The doctor had forced his way into Meifu, and he had obliterated a large group of demons from what Tatsumi could see. The doctor had always been a threat, but a greater one to Tsuzuki and Hisoka especially – Muraki's mind games wrecking havoc on the two Shinigami. Tatsumi dodged a bolt of fire aimed at him and sent out streamers of shadow toward Muraki to bind the man. He fortunately, was not as fragile as Muraki would like to believe.

"Do you think that I am going to leave Hisoka alone now that I know exactly what will destroy him completely and utterly? I will cause both he and Tsuzuki the same pain that I have to endure now." Muraki spoke the words calmly as he adeptly dodged the ribbons of shadow Tatsumi fired toward him. Tatsumi fought to keep his emotions off of his face, but the image of Tsuzuki's grief filled face came to mind. Muraki smiled at the look that came across Tatsumi's face, and Tatsumi narrowed his eyes. "I take it you saw what remains of my puppet then?"

Perhaps he was a little fragile; Tatsumi grimaced and launched another round of shadow projectiles, which Muraki dodged with ease. "When are you going to realize that people are not toys for you to play with?"

Muraki smiled and shook his head, while at the same time he raised a crackling, crimson bolt of energy. "When 'they' finally decide that I am not one." Muraki spat on the ground, and Tatsumi noted that it was tinged with blood. "I am just more honest about my manipulation. The worst ones are those who hold out a hand in friendship, while at the same time, their other hand holds the puppet strings. I believed in God a long time ago, but he is nothing but a manipulator, a liar, and a thief!" Muraki let loose a curt laugh and released a barrage of deadly crimson blasts, forcing Tatsumi to bring up a wall of shadow to absorb them. "Even now you are being blinded from reality, believing in a lie, rather than accepting the truth!"

Tatsumi cringed as his shadow barrier cracked slightly, and he jumped backwards, dissolving his shield at the same time. "So your honesty about your actions makes them right?" Tatsumi shook his head and glared at Muraki. "Your friend believed in you, despite your faults, and look where that got him! Did you pull his strings to bring him here?" Tatsumi pointed to Oriya's bloody form and shook his head. "Sometimes there is no conspiracy, no 'other force', no 'they'! Sometimes it is just your own stupidity that causes bad things to happen!"

Fury cracked Muraki's visage, and Tatsumi had to wind the shadows about him tightly as Muraki began to attack with a sudden ferocity. Tatsumi was sure that Oriya's death was more significant to Muraki than the doctor let him believe. He grunted with effort as the heat of the flame Muraki threw at him began to bite through his defenses. Tatsumi shook his head and concentrated. It was ridiculous to believe that the crude magic that Muraki wielded could ever defeat the awesome power of shadow. He was a Shadow Master, the only one in current existence. There was more to his power than brute force and Tatsumi was much more subtle than that. Tatsumi let out a soft grunt and exploded the shadows about him in a sudden blaze of power.

Muraki fell back into defense as Tatsumi strode forward, unwilling to let Muraki's verbal taunts affect him. The limp form of Oriya remained cradled in Muraki's arms as the doctor retreated from Tatsumi's vicious attack, and Tatsumi wondered just how much the doctor truly cared for the swordsman. Tatsumi shook his head and threw a small dart of shadow toward Muraki which promptly blended in with the doctor's natural shadow, a motion that Muraki did not notice as he was furiously deflecting the ribbons of shadow that threatened to ensnare him. Misdirection was a good tactic, and even if Muraki got away from him now, Tatsumi was sure that he would be able to find Muraki once again; as long as his 'tracker' remained a part of Muraki's own shadow.

Tatsumi watched as Muraki leapt to the top of a building with the aid of his magic, a strange figure among the charred buildings. "As much as I would love to kill you Mr. Secretary, I wasn't lying about having business to attend to." Muraki gave Tatsumi a mock bow and smiled the same cold smile he always did. Muraki pointed to an approaching group of demons, led by a very angry Kiiyue. "I think I have angered my former allies and they are out for blood. Pity I don't have time to play, but I hope you will keep them entertained?"

"Get back here Muraki!!" Tatsumi ran toward the retreating doctor, ever aware of the approaching danger. He maintained his anger again a part of his misdirection and didn't have to force the emotion from himself, as he was truly angry at the doctor. He eyed the shadow attached to Muraki's form and let his mind rest easy for a moment. Muraki may get away for now, but Tatsumi would find the man again soon enough. "I won't let you get away with this!" He yelled the words to complete his misdirection, but Tatsumi knew in his heart that the words were indeed true. Muraki had danced upon the edges of the Shinigami's grasp for too long; it was time to change the status quo.

Tatsumi glared at Muraki's retreating form, Oriya's body held within Muraki's arms. There were too many targets at the moment, and Tatsumi knew that as much as he wished to smash Muraki's face into the ground, there were bigger things at stake. The demons were out of control, and Tatsumi narrowed his eyes as the first couple of demons came close enough for him to look them in the eye. He calmly wove the shadows about him, tendrils of shadow weaving about him like snakes. Tatsumi glanced once more to the rooftop that Muraki had stood upon and then focused on the enemy ahead of him.

"Damn you Muraki."

********************

It hurt to breathe.

Watari groaned as he slowly opened his eyes, his glasses lost in the explosion that had slammed him into the wall he now sat against. The building was demolished, Tsuzuki and Hisoka no where to be seen. He forced himself to take a deep breath and choked on the acidic smoke that filled the air. It was too much, and Watari doubled over as a coughing fit took over his abused lungs. Watari raised his hand to his forehead to put pressure on the wound that was trying to blind him with a slow trickle of blood. Absentmindedly Watari thanked the powers above that whatever had pierced his chest was no longer there, but as he looked down to his chest to see the damage, Watari wished he hadn't looked.

"It isn't as bad as it looks. Your wounds I mean." A deeper voice sounded above him and Watari tilted his face to look with watering eyes to the speaker. The leader of Trinity sat atop the ruined wall, his smart navy suit a tattered mess. The leader's wings were at an odd angle, and Watari knew that at least one of the wings was probably injured, if not broken. "You are damn lucky that I pulled your ass to the ground Shinigami." The Trinity leader raised his head to scan the smoking ruins that surrounded them. "Your friend really did a number on this place; do you still believe that he is harmless?"

Watari curled his arm about his abused chest and willed his coughing fit to subside. His regenerative powers were already kicking in, but it still took time. "It doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt like hell." He waved off the Trinity leader's offered hand and gave the angel a serious look. "I know it looks pretty bad, but I stand by my words. Tsuzuki would not purposely harm anyone, but he has just encountered what could be the biggest loss in his existence; even more precious than his own life." Watari pressed his hand against the wall and pushed himself slowly to his feet. "You cannot comprehend what the devastating loss of Hisoka has done to Tsuzuki. He is a little unstable I'll admit, but he is my friend, and I will stand by him."

The Trinity leader gave Watari a dark look but he ignored the glare and surveyed the damage. "Do you understand him Shinigami? Can YOU understand the pain your friend is going through? Have you ever lost someone that important to you?" "I know you want to help your friend, but you have to face the facts. Tsuzuki is an unpredictable, terrifying danger. Trinity MUST STOP him before he endangers anymore people."

Watari frowned and tried to pull his hair out of the slowly oozing blood upon his forehead. "As an angel . . . you have very little compassion."

"I . . . we are not those kinds of angels." The Trinity leader's face was void of emotion, but Watari could see something blazing within the tattered angel's blue eyes. "We have to ensure that Tsuzuki doesn't endanger any more innocents. My job is not to show kindness, my job is to clean up messes."

"Is 'that' what your little goon squad does?" Watari let his sarcasm ooze from his words and he moaned softly as the bones within his chest began to mend themselves. A Shinigami regenerates, but it was not without drawbacks.

"My COMPANIONS . . . are sifting through the disaster trying to help those who got caught up in the blast. The only piece of luck we have had is that the majority of the people here had already begun to flee before Tsuzuki could unleash his little tantrum." Watari could feel the contempt dripping off of the angel's tongue but he kept his mouth shut. "Right mind or not, you cannot deny the fact that your 'harmless friend' just razed this area to the ground."

"He wouldn't have done anything if you hadn't tried to make a move to take him down!" Watari cringed as he pressed against the bleeding gash along his forehead, wishing the healing process would speed up. The memory of Tsuzuki's anguished cries rang through Watari's head and he pushed away from the wall to stand on his wobbly feet. "Anyone would fight back if they felt threatened or backed into a corner. You aren't helping matters any by going after him like you have, especially now."

"I have my orders . . ."

"Screw your orders!!" Watari craned his neck to give the Trinity leader an evil eye. "If you truly believed in your orders and nothing else, you wouldn't be here now trying to help those caught under the rubble." Watari waved his hand to the smoking pile of stone and wood that had once been a building as he watched as the Trinity leader flinched slightly at Watari's accusation. In the near distance Watari could see the other two members of Trinity sifting through the debris. Watari lowered his voice and stared into the Trinity leader's eyes. "You guys are better than this, you know that, and I know that. There is a greater threat at the moment!"

With grace that denied the severity of the injury to his wing, the Trinity leader leapt off the crumbled wall to land at Watari's feet. "I know that there is another threat, I know that the demons are here; but the risk they pose is less than Tsuzuki." Watari shook his head in anger and was about to retaliate when the Trinity leader gestured to Watari to be quiet. "The demons are predictable; we know how they will react, but Tsuzuki . . ." The Trinity leader frowned and Watari eyed the angel with apprehension. "There is a power within him that is unmistakable, surely you can even sense it Shinigami? It was held in check, and Enma kept an eye on Tsuzuki. Enma partnered Hisoka and Tsuzuki together in an attempt to stabilize the chaotic factors within Tsuzuki, to control him."

"Control him?"

"In all your time as a Shinigami, have you not wondered why your Tsuzuki has been a Shinigami for so long?" Watari raised his eyes to look upon the smoking ruins about them as the Trinity leader spoke. "Enma is God, He keeps His tools close to Him, keeps them happy, keeps them ignorant."

"You have some pretty harsh opinions, considering the fact that you are Enma's elite." Watari spoke his words cautiously, watching the Trinity leader for any sign of betrayal. He could not forget the fact that the Shokan division itself was under surveillance as well, and that the angel could be testing him even now. "I thought we were all children of God?"

"Tools, children . . . whatever you wish to call it. It doesn't mean that Enma doesn't love us, but He isn't stupid." The Trinity leader pointed to himself and then to Watari. "Those with ability become like us . . . entangled within the administration. It is rare that any that have talent get to pass on like most souls." The Trinity leader's voice got quieter as he spoke, and Watari could do little more than shake his head in disbelief. "If your Tsuzuki and Hisoka could bring one another happiness, while at the same time keep one another in check, then all the better for Enma."

Watari took hesitant step forward, testing the stability of his legs. His chest burned, the fire of bones knitting and muscles reforming quite painful. His body mirrored the confusion his brain felt. If he took any of the words that Trinity spoke of as the truth, than did any of them chose to become Shinigami, or were they subtly pressed into service? Where did that leave Tsuzuki and Hisoka, and the budding relationship between the two of them? Was it their choice, or was it Enma's design? Watari squeezed his eyes shut briefly and then opened them to look at the Trinity leader. "That can't be . . ."

"Ignorance is bliss . . . isn't it Shinigami? I've been around long enough to pick up on certain things." The Trinity leader gave Watari a sickly smile and crouched down to pick up the remains of a teddy bear from the ground. Watari watched the motions of the leader in quiet contemplation. "I . . . we are after Tsuzuki because in a way, we are protecting him. Care for your friend all you want, but mark my words, remember them when the High Council comes to question you, or even Enma Himself. Enma does love all of us, and wishes for his 'children' to be happy, but there is almost always a second or third reason behind his decisions. I tell you this, not to scare you, but to make sure you truly understand."

Watari frowned and wiped the remaining blood off of his forehead, the wound finally closed up. "Why are you telling me this Trinity?" Somewhere along the line, Watari found himself becoming less angry at Trinity and their pursuit of Tsuzuki. "I am the 'enemy' aren't I?"

"Why indeed?" The Trinity leader dropped the teddy bear to the ground and stood back up. "Maybe, because I admire the devotion you have to your friend, despite what has happened. Maybe, because I believe you are smarter than you look. Maybe, because I believe that you and I are alike, despite our stations. Maybe, because I want you to try to understand why we must pursue Tsuzuki, why we must follow our orders."

Watari shook his head and stared into the angel's eyes. "Enma must believe Tsuzuki is a great 'tool', to have such pursuit placed upon him. Without Hisoka, Tsuzuki is floundering, desperately grabbing for the edge of the cliff even as he is falling off of it." Watari bowed his head in frustration. "If there is nothing left for Tsuzuki here except for eternal damnation as one of God's tools, a broken shell . . . If there is no way for Tsuzuki to escape that fate on his own . . ." Watari raised his eyes to the Trinity leader's own. "Will you help him?"

The unspoken question lay in the air between the two of them, and Watari watched as the leader's companions began to approach them. Watari sighed and rubbed at his eyes. Why did everything have to be so complicated . . . why couldn't anything just be simple?

"WATARI!!"

Watari whirled around at the sound of his name and was surprised when a feathery ball nearly bowled him over. The grim expression on the Trinity leader's face changed to one of surprise as Watari glanced to the angel and then he turned his attention to the hovering being before him. "I thought you were supposed to be with your brother relaying messages for the teams?"

GuShoShin squirmed uncomfortably for a moment and then straightened. "Well you see I couldn't just sit still. I wanted to help." GuShoShin waved his hands as Watari began to voice a protest. "Shin is still at the library along with 003 don't worry! I was dodging through the streets avoiding the demon gangs when I saw the horizon light up in a blazing light. I came as fast as I could, knowing you were supposed to be in this area. Thank goodness you are alright." GuShoShin took a deep breath as Watari tried to get a word in edgewise. "What happened? Where is Tsuzuki? Is Hisoka alright? What are you doing with 'them'? Did the demons attack?" GuShoShin babbled on beside him, unaware that Watari wasn't totally paying attention.

Watari shuffled over to the Trinity leader, his face set with the question he needed to ask. "I know you have to go after your 'target', but I need a little help here. Can you at least provide us protection while I get the survivors to the next safety zone? Doing so won't hinder your search too badly, and I think Enma would be grateful if you could . . ." Watari trailed off as the Trinity leader's piercing blue eyes focused upon him. It galled Watari to have to ask for help, but he wasn't a stupid man. He couldn't protect this number of people without help and Trinity was here right now, the other Shinigami's were not. The leader glared at Watari and nodded grimly in acceptance. Watari nodded back, his hatred for Trinity weakened in light of things. It was hard, willingly letting Trinity go after Tsuzuki, but understanding at least a little, why it was necessary for them to do so.

Understanding didn't make it hurt any less though.

********************

"Love is not a crime." Oriya repeated his words as he looked at Hikaru's tear filled face. He needed to hear them, needed to believe in them. The rock he sat upon was hard and cold, the muted colors glowing within them not quite beautiful anymore as Oriya looked at them. "Love is not a bad thing."

"Oh is it really?" Hikaru raised her eyes to look into Oriya's own. "What good did your love ever bring you? You are dead because of it! Did the love you had for Muraki do anything to prevent that?" Hikaru's eyes welled with pent up frustration and Oriya flinched under her intense stare. "Did the love I have bring me any good?"

"Have. I still love Muraki." Oriya stretched out his legs and let his toe ripple the water that Hikaru gracefully stood upon. "If you didn't believe in your love, you wouldn't have gone through all this to get back here, to find your Love once again."

"I was angry and bitter . . . and lonely. A prime target for your Muraki to weave his venomous words and make me believe there would be light at the end of the tunnel." Hikaru shook her head in frustration and stretched out her wings. "I murdered my 'parents', I helped that deranged man get the one thing he couldn't gain without me – access to Meifu. In the pursuit of my selfish desires I dragged down a beautiful soul who is probably demon food for the bastard Chymos at the moment." Hikaru wiped at her tears angrily and shook her fists to the ceiling in despair. "What is the point? Enma chose to destroy Hisoka to get at me . . . that is another sin that I will carry for eternity. To love another when they will not love you back . . ." Her voice lowered as she stared down at the water beneath her feet. "What good is it?"

Oriya sighed and brushed at the fabric that lay across his thighs, the silk of the kimono crumpled from his position. "I guess it doesn't really make a lot of sense . . . does it?" Oriya glanced up to Hikaru. "Muraki may be cold, and yes he has used me, but somehow he captured my heart, and I gave it to him freely." Oriya frowned and fingered the material of his kimono. "Pure love is to love without expecting anything in return. It doesn't mean it doesn't hurt when your love isn't reciprocated, love is funny that way." Oriya smiled a sad smile as he thought of the bond he had seen between Hisoka and Tsuzuki. "It is rare that the love we feel for another person becomes true . . . more often than not it is just a mutated form of that perfection that few obtain. I wished for Muraki to love me that way, but you cannot force someone to love you." Oriya looked to Hikaru pointedly. "In a sense, that is what you tried to do to Enma . . . was it not?"

"You are a fool to love that man, to believe that he loved you as well." Hikaru smiled bitterly as she curled herself into a little ball upon the water, her arms wrapped about her legs. "Just as I am a fool to love a God, I believed in His words."

Oriya shook his head and frowned. How could he make her understand? "Perhaps you are a fool to believe that Enma could love you the way you wished to be loved." Oriya continued on despite the bitter protest apparent in Hikaru's eyes. "That is why there are sayings like fools in love. Love isn't something that we can really choose; more often than not it just sneaks up behind you and smacks you on the head." Oriya chuckled lightly at his crude interpretation, but he could not think of a better way to explain it. "It is Muraki's way. It is all he has known . . . he cannot be around people without utilizing them for whatever endeavor he is engaging in at the moment. But it is . . . it was different between him and me." Oriya smiled slightly as he gazed across the water to the forlorn angel. "He used me, just as his personality demanded, but he tried to keep the darkness that surrounds him to never touch me. I watched as he fought to accept the kindness I showed him, even as his defenses railed at my actions."

"That is not love."

"Isn't it?" Oriya tilted his head and traced the outline of a flower along the edge of his sleeve. "Not all love is romantic. I love Muraki despite the darkness about him, and I think in a way, Muraki loved me as well. It wasn't something that he could label, or was willing to claim but it was there." Oriya frowned as he touched upon a disturbing thought. "My death . . . has probably hurt Muraki quite badly, just as I believe that Hisoka's death has hurt Tsuzuki."

At the mentioning of Hisoka's name, Oriya could see the anger within Hikaru's eyes soften. Her voice was quiet as the sound of trickling water filled the air. "Do you think . . . that Hisoka is okay?" Hikaru hugged her arms about herself. "The last I saw was the demon Chymos holding him by one hand . . . I hope that demon is truly dead now."

Oriya pursed his lips. The plight of the young Shinigami bothered him, even though he barely knew the boy. Perhaps it was because in a way the love between Tsuzuki and Hisoka was something that Oriya wished. Oh he loved Muraki, but he didn't need the man . . . but Hisoka and Tsuzuki. They needed one another, and that kind of love was very powerful. Even in the short amount of time Oriya had seen Tsuzuki and Hisoka, he could sense the strength of the bond between the two of them. "I don't know."

Suddenly a brilliant light appeared beyond the two of them along the far wall and both Oriya and Hikaru stood up. A shadowy figure outlined by blazing light appeared and Oriya could feel his chest vibrate as the figure began to speak. "Do you understand why you are here?" Even though he could not see the figures features, Oriya could feel an intense look from the figure. "Come forth my children . . . come forth to receive your judgment."

Oriya tilted his head in confusion and looked to Hikaru who stood trembling at the silhouetted figure in the light. Hikaru's beautiful wings drooped to touch the surface of the water, making light ripples along the crystal clear liquid. "My Lord . . ." Her voice was a whisper barely heard above the trickling water, but Oriya could hear the combination of longing, love and loathing held with those two words. Oriya squeezed his eyes shut briefly Hikaru's whispered plea came as a startling parallel to Oriya's own situation with Muraki. Muraki was not a god, but he was a heart that Oriya both yearned for and loathed at the same time. Oriya clenched his hands into fists, wishing desperately for his sword. If nothing else it would make him feel a little braver, to not feel as if he were heading toward his execution.

Taking a deep breath Oriya began to walk toward the figure. It didn't really matter anyways, not really. Oriya gazed at the figure with unnatural composure as he approached his destiny. It didn't really matter what he thought or what he wanted anymore anyways, there was little chance of going back . . . he was dead after all.

********************

"Get the shield up!!" Konoe bellowed to Wakaba who nodded to her chief and disappeared from view. Even with the Shikigami in the sky, Konoe was unwilling to give the demons any reason to continue fighting, aside from the fact that it was in their very nature to do so. SohRyu's substantial presence in the sky above him did little to ease Konoe's worry. The last time he had seen Tsuzuki's Shikigami in Meifu, they had been on the rampage, at the beck and call of a demon possessed Tsuzuki. It was rare for the Shikigami to act without their master's order, and Konoe wasn't sure if SohRyu and the other Shikigami's were there to help or to hinder. Blood welled from numerous wounds, most inflicted from demons who had managed to bypass Konoe's powerful spells and get close enough to touch him.

With a minute flicker, a dome of blue energy formed above the buildings that housed the scattered refugees. The safety zone was one of the largest, as it was within the residential area, and Konoe felt personally responsible to get it up and running. Terazuma's beast form rushed by Konoe, chasing a half mangled demon and Konoe thanked his stars that Terazuma was on their side. Any demons that were stupid enough to remain in the area were repelled by the ever widening shield and Konoe made a mental note to get Tatsumi to increase Watari's budget when all this was over.

The blue energy passed over Konoe, unaffecting the chief as Watari had designed it. Demons and magic were unable to pass through, but other things could. Watari had tried to explain the dynamics of the shield but Konoe had dismissed the more technical details. The shield worked, that is what mattered. There was a potential flaw to that idea, but Konoe prayed that the demons wouldn't become smart and start dropping rubble from above onto the people beneath the shield. He pulled the radio out of the satchel at his side and yelled into the receiver. "Tell Watari to get his shield up now GuShoShin!"

"Uh . . . that isn't possible chief." A meek high-pitched voice sounded from the receiver, and Konoe stared at the object in disbelief. It was not GuShoShin, but his brother. "GuShoShin went out to help and he is with Watari now. Watari's zone was just flattened to the ground sir."

"WHAT?"

Konoe could hear rustling from the tiny radio and then crackling as lines were switched and Watari's voice came through the line. It was haggard and tense. "I'm sorry chief . . . but things are pretty messed up on my end."

"What happened?" Silence was all that came from the radio and Konoe stared at the small device with impatience. SohRyu roared in the sky above him and Konoe watched as the fierce dragon struggled with a horde of winged demons that sought to challenge the Water God. Suzaku was flying in the distance, her fiery form bright against the smoke filled sky. Konoe shook his head and put all of his frustration into his voice as he spoke through the radio. "Watari . . . what happened?"

More silence greeted Konoe, and he was about to start yelling when Watari's weary voice came through. "Hisoka's gone chief . . ." Konoe's eyes widened and it seemed as if time slowed. Wakaba came running up to Konoe ready to talk when Konoe silenced her and she stopped beside him. "There wasn't anything I could do Hisoka just died in my arms . . . and Tsuzuki . . ."

Konoe raised his eyes to the sky to fight the sudden wetness that filled his eyes. It was just some dust in his eyes. They were in the middle of a battlefield for goodness sake. Wakaba raised her hands to her mouth and her eyes widened as she listened to the radio. Konoe cleared his throat and turned to Wakaba. He would mourn after the crisis, not now. "Wakaba . . . go to Terazuma, change him back. We need to deal with our new visitors . . . I don't know if they are the cavalry or not." Konoe watched as Wakaba pulled her hands away from her mouth and gave Konoe a stiff nod. He watched the girl take off and Konoe shook his head wearily. He was too old for this kind of heartache. He raised the transceiver back up to his mouth and willed his composure to come to him. "What happened to your area Watari . . . why is there no more area to shield?"

"Trinity came. The demons were also attacking but not in full force. Trinity was after Tsuzuki . . . but it isn't their fault chief . . . at least not totally." Watari's voice was strained over the radio and Konoe shook his head wearily. "Tsuzuki was devastated . . . I left him alone with . . . with Hisoka's body." Konoe felt his heart ache as he listened to Watari try to speak. "Tsuzuki . . . Tsuzuki isn't himself anymore. He blasted out of the building with Hisoka's body in his arms." Watari paused and Konoe could see in his minds eye what Watari spoke of. "God Chief . . . if Hisoka still lived . . . Tsuzuki wouldn't have . . . he couldn't." A pregnant silence filled the radio air and Konoe closed his eyes briefly. "The only reason why there weren't more casualties is because Tsuzuki's initial attack against Trinity forced the people to run. The second blast obliterated the building and should have taken me as well."

Konoe shook his head in frustration and sighed. He lifted the transceiver to his mouth and tried to keep his voice steady. "So what is the situation now Watari? Can you regroup the survivors and get them over to another safety zone? Get GuShoShin to help you. That feather brained idiot should be good for something, damn librarian abandoning his post! Where is Trinity? Where is Tsuzuki?"

A muffled squawk of protest came through the radio and Konoe could tell it was GuShoShin objecting Konoe's choice of words. Maybe later when the fire wasn't upon their tails Konoe would apologize to the librarian, but at the moment Konoe could care less. Noises of shuffling could be heard and suddenly Watari's voice came through once again. "I'll do what I can; I am already en-route to your position. Trinity has agreed to help me – as long as it is quick. Their main target is still Tsuzuki . . . and considering the damage that he has just done, even if he is mad with grief . . . Chief . . . you know Tsuzuki has to be stopped."

"If Tsuzuki has gone . . . we have a bigger situation than before. As if having demons in Meifu wasn't trouble enough." Konoe glanced up to SohRyu who had managed to encase a number of his attackers in blocks of ice. It was bizarre, as the ice could pass through the shield, but the demons themselves could not. So it was raining demon ice-cubes . . . that struck the shield to slide down the length to lie in a pile along the borders. Konoe would have laughed at the absurdity of the situation but his heart hurt too much. A ragged Terazuma and a wide eyed Wakaba came toward him, and Konoe knew that Wakaba had relayed what little she had heard to the cigarette smoking man. "How soon will you get here Watari?"

A pregnant pause filled the air and Konoe looked to Wakaba whose eyes suddenly widened, but not with fear. Konoe looked around to see a ragtag knot of people heading toward them, Watari in the lead. The angelic forms of Trinity hovered above the rushing group, fending off waves of attack from the demons who had just been ousted by the shield generator. The people were dirty and bleeding, but they were alive.

Konoe watched as those already within the secured area rushed out to help the newcomers. The shield let the people pass through unharmed and he eyed the imposing forms of Trinity flying in to land on the ground before him. Watari and GuShoShin reached the spot at about the same time. "Right about now." Watari gave Konoe an exhausted victory sign and looked to Trinity who stood a little a ways from the Shinigami. "I'm surprised you didn't notice the mushroom cloud that went off on the horizon that used to be my area." Konoe gave Watari a quick one over with his eye, and seeing no major injuries at the moment, he turned his attention to GuShoShin.

GuShoShin flew up to halt Konoe's beginning tirade, his feathered finger pointing to the radio in Konoe's hand. "Before you start, go confirm with Shin over the radio. You will be pleased to note that all designated shield areas are up and running. I helped coordinate with people to get them here as soon and as safe as possible." GuShoShin ruffled his feathers haughtily and crossed his arms. The librarian's attempt to lighten a dark mood was apparent and Konoe let his lecture fade before it even got a chance to start.

Konoe smiled ever so slightly and nodded to GuShoShin then turned to face Trinity. The last time he had encountered Enma's elite, they had tried to force their way into the division building. Tatsumi had managed to kick them off the stairs so to speak, but Konoe knew the group would be back. The outraged cries of the demons and their attempts to get through the barrier drowned out the questions that Konoe's mind demanded to ask and instead he looked the Trinity leader in the eye. "I know there is nothing I can do to stop you, but so help me if any harm comes to him . . ." Konoe let his words trail off and squared his shoulders. "I will never forgive you."

The Trinity leader shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. "Like your forgiveness really matters old man, I have dealt with greater turmoil." Konoe glared at the blonde angel with barely concealed contempt when Watari came over and touched him lightly on the arm. Konoe looked to the scientist and then back to Trinity who all gave Watari a look and Konoe could see the leader's face lose a little of its arrogance. "The loss of a partner is devastating . . . but hopefully your Tsuzuki will come to his senses before it is too late." The implied meaning was apparent to Konoe and he nodded in understanding to Trinity. They had to follow orders, and Tsuzuki in his present state was indeed a threat; but even Enma's elite understood the connection of a unit, such was the Shokan division.

As if time resumed once again, Konoe could hear the sounds of battle beyond the barrier and the terrified screams of the souls held within. Konoe gave Trinity one last look and then turned around. SohRyu screamed in the sky above them and Konoe looked to the Shikigami in apprehension. Both Wakaba and Terazuma began to protest but Konoe just raised a hand to silence them. They were both young, and so could not understand what truly passed between Trinity and him.

Trinity would stop Tsuzuki . . . even if it meant death, but they would try to curb Tsuzuki in without such drastic measures. Konoe looked to the blue dome that separated them from the hell beyond. Everyone had a role to play, something to protect, but not everything could be saved. War is funny that way. Konoe raised his free hand to rub at his temple absentmindedly; he was far too old for this.

Please Tsuzuki . . . come back to us, don't follow Hisoka.

********************

Hakushaku paced anxiously back and forth among the multitude of lit candles his eyes ever trained upon his gloved hands as they wrung nervously together. They swayed slightly in his passage, but continued to burn brightly; not that the flames could ever be so carelessly put out. A higher force willed the existence of the flames, and only that higher existence could extinguish them. The Earl was but the hand of that higher being. The solid walls of the Hall of Candles shuddered as another wave of demons tried to penetrate the magics surrounding the building and were swiftly repelled. The Earl stopped in front of a solitary candle, its flame extinguished. Why did things have to happen this way? "Please Enma . . . the longer you wait the greater risk we place Hisoka's soul in and Tsuzuki's as well." Hakushaku reached out a gloved hand to lightly trace the melted wax at the base of the candle. He glanced to the candle that represented Tsuzuki's life and saw the candle flickering fitfully as though in a breeze.

"So you are the keeper of the candles . . . Funny, you aren't quite what I expected." Hakushaku whirled about at the sudden voice and his jaw dropped. The speaker had distinct platinum colored hair, and the Earl could see an unnatural glint from beneath the man's bangs. It was the man spoken of in a number of the Shinigami's reports, the man Enma had spoken of with great anger – Muraki. Muraki gave The Earl a bewitching smile that did not reach his eyes and stared at the unlit candle behind Hakushaku; which because the Earl was invisible, was quite visible. "I'm glad you are here, I don't have time to hunt you down. This makes things much more convenient." Hakushaku's eyes narrowed as he eyed the still form cradled in Muraki's arms, dark hair trailing almost down to the ground. Blood dripped upon the floor tiles, almost black in the candle glow and the Earl eyed Muraki warily as the man stepped forward.

"Muraki." Hakushaku spoke the doctor's name with barely held contempt and he strode forward to halt the slow process of the doctor within the sacred sanctum. "This ground is untouchable by most . . . how did you get in here?" It was at this time that Hakushaku wished he had a visible body, if only to be able to block the pair of precious candles behind him from view of the malevolent man before him.

Muraki laid the body he held down upon the cold tiles and straightened up to face Hakushaku once more. "Once again, people underestimate my abilities . . ." Muraki raised his eyes to gaze coolly at the silver mask that was the Earl's face and Hakushaku narrowed his eyes in return. "I must admit that even I am impressed by the intricate web of offensive and defensive spells weaved about this place. The demons will never make it in here rest assured." Muraki flicked his fingers through his hair and the Earl fought to clench his fists, as it would show his emotional state to Muraki. "But I am NOT a demon."

Hakushaku tilted his head slightly in surprise at Muraki's words and narrowed his eyes once again. Knowing exactly how Muraki bypassed the security around the Hall of Candles was of little use now, the fact remained that he was alone with Muraki. A man that had eluded the Shinigami's time and time again, and whom even Enma feared. "Why are you here Muraki? You have broken the lockdown between Meifu and ChiJou, and have eliminated the perpetual barrier that kept the demons at bay. My world is at your mercy, terrorized by demons and awash in the blood of innocents." Hakushaku's eyes fell upon the body that lay upon the floor, and he could feel Muraki's gaze follow his own. "What could possibly motivate you to come to a simple hall that records the names of those who have died?" Hakushaku pointed a gloved hand toward the prone figure upon the floor and tilted his head as if in thought. "Is it because of him?"

Muraki's eyes seemed to light up and the Earl knew he had hit the nail on the head. "The demons were merely a means to an end, as the angel Hikaru and my pretty doll Hisoka . . ." Muraki looked behind him to the still form that lay upon the ground, and Hakushaku could see something more in the look Muraki gave the fallen man. "I have sacrificed more than I was willing to get here, to a place that can transcend death itself." Muraki turned his head to gaze at Hakushaku's silver mask. "I am not a stupid man Hakushaku." Hakushaku started as Muraki spoke his title and Muraki smiled ever so slightly. "I know who you are and what your role is in this place. So tell me Earl, where is that lovely book?" Muraki raised a hand to hover over a nearby candle, the heat of the flame obviously causing discomfort, but the doctor's gaze upon the Earl remained steady.

"You threaten a life you do not even know?" Hakushaku pointed a gloved finger toward the hand Muraki held over the candle. "You may know who I am and what this place is, but you seem to lack the understanding required to truly affect the lives held within these halls." Hakushaku straightened his stance and walked toward Muraki's position. "Everything here is just a reflection of reality, a mirror of the living world." He watched Muraki's expression as he continued to talk. "There are only two beings who can affect the candles here or the contents of the Kiseki . . . and I am afraid you are very arrogant indeed if you believe you have that power." Hakushaku gave Muraki an intense stare that he was sure that Muraki could feel, even if the man could not see him. "The Kiseki is not something that I can just hand over." A smile formed upon Muraki's face as the Earl spoke and it was an expression that worried Hakushaku.

"You talk too much." Muraki's voice echoed in the silence of the Hall and the Earl eyed the smiling doctor warily. "And I am sick of people underestimating my abilities." Hakushaku's eyes widened as he stared at Muraki's calm visage. "Tell me, how hard do you think it will be for me to force you to give me that book?" He lowered his hand toward the candle lit beneath it, unflinching despite the heat of the flame. "Let's test your words hmm?"

Hakushaku watched in mute horror as Muraki's hand descended down upon the shining light of the candle. The words were true, they had to be; they were handed down from past keepers . . . There were only two beings according to natural law that could possibly extinguish the candles that represented life. The Earl was so intent upon Muraki's lowering hand that he did not even see the crimson blast that Muraki threw at him, throwing the keeper of the candles across the room.

The surprise was perhaps more painful than the actual impact itself and Hakushaku's vision wavered as he struggled to his feet. Muraki's laugh sounded from across the room and the Earl raised his head to see Muraki stalking confidently toward him. The candle Muraki had threatened remained as it was, burning bright with the intensity of life. Hakushaku leaned his hand upon the wall behind him for support and glared at the approaching doctor with disbelief. "The candle is still lit." Even as the words left his mouth, Hakushaku knew he should have just thrown Muraki out with his magic instead of letting the man speak.

Muraki smiled and shrugged. "Of course it is you fool. You said it yourself only two beings can affect the lives within this building." Hakushaku straightened up and was about to cast a spell when Muraki's hand reached out to grab the Earl by the collar. "But that doesn't mean I cannot affect you." Muraki's eyes narrowed and he brought his flame encased hand close to the Earl's silver mask. Hakushaku flinched at the intense heat but held his ground. "Now I am going to ask nicely once more, and you can guess what is going to happen if you refuse." Muraki's eyes narrowed and Hakushaku glared at the doctor with hate. He finally understood why a single man was such a menace to the Shokan division. Muraki's face leaned in close to the silver mask. "Where is the Kiseki?"

********************

Tatsumi's lungs heaved with exertion as he manhandled the massive entrance doors to the Hall of Candles open. He was sweating, and looked nothing like his usual calm and cool appearance from before, but he had good reason to be that way. The riffraff that Muraki had left Tatsumi to deal with had been only moderately more difficult than the others that the Secretary had fought before. Their only advantage was that they outnumbered him by a significant amount. Even so, it had taken Tatsumi the better part of an hour to deal with the demons and then pinpoint Muraki's location with the shadow tag he had planted upon Muraki's shadow. That along with the task of bypassing the horde of demons that surrounded the Hall of Candles, Tatsumi found his suit less than immaculate upon his frame. Tatsumi grimaced and pushed the doors shut behind him, leaving only the multitudes of candles as light.

The Hall of Candles was a mysterious place, and Tatsumi wandered through the maze of candles in silent determination. The Earl should have been at the door the moment it opened, as he was the keeper of this realm, and the fact that the invisible man had not turned up worried Tatsumi immensely. He tried to step quietly, but the cold, hard tiles did nothing to help silence Tatsumi's footfalls.

He could sense the presence of his shadow tracker, and it frustrated Tatsumi to no end that he could not teleport to the location immediately, current prohibitions aside. The Hall of Candles was a special place, and thus immune to most forms of entry. As a Shinigami, Tatsumi already had the right to enter the building, as the Kiseki was checked upon from time to time by those within division. That did not deny the fact that teleportation or any other means of magic were forbidden within the Hall, and even enforced by very strong, very ancient magic. It was possible, but only if you knew which thread of the tapestry to follow that was the web of protection that allowed castings to occur. Tatsumi was one of those people. There was also the secondary effect that if he did teleport, Tatsumi would be dropping in unprepared into a volatile situation.

Muraki must have the Earl with him, or at least that would explain the absence of the perverted, masked man. Tatsumi shuddered briefly as he stalked through the candles as he recalled Hakushaku's many attempts to get Tsuzuki alone to 'get to know him better'. Being alone with only candles and a book to keep one company did something strange to a person. It was a position of great responsibility, but also great loneliness. Tatsumi shook his head and focused on the situation before him. He could contemplate the Earl's mental state later.

Tatsumi closed his eyes briefly and focused on the location of the tracker, and having traveled through the Hall many times, Tatsumi pretty much knew where he was going. Muraki's shadow was in the chamber that held the Kiseki and that couldn't be good. He manipulated the many shadows in the room to cloak him and his presence and crept forward toward the double doors that separated the Kiseki from the Hall. The doors were blasted open, askew on their hinges, and Tatsumi could see a golden light falling through the open doors. A soft scrape alerted Tatsumi to the fact that he had kicked something in his approach and he looked down to see what it was. The Hall of Candles was a very simple place and had little to get loose to fall to the floor. The charred remains of a silver mask lay upon the floor and Tatsumi narrowed his eyes as he stared at it. Muraki had gotten to the Earl . . .

He crept forward with even greater caution, confident in his shadow technique. Tatsumi narrowed his eyes and peered around the edge of the doors to look within, his mind knowing full well what the light meant, but his heart praying for another reason. The chamber that held the Kiseki was a very large, beautiful room. With fluted columns and vaulted ceilings, the chamber resembled a church more so than just a room. Golden light spilled from unidentifiable sources in the high ceiling, beautiful, but because of the lack of objects in the room, left little shadow that Tatsumi could work with. He would make do. Tatsumi had been in the room a couple times before, and had always been awed by the simple beauty the room portrayed, a reflection of the Kiseki itself.

A simple red carpet spilled across the marble tiled floor to end at a fluted pedestal. A much worn, leather bound book lay open upon the stand, golden writing appearing upon its pages in very elegant script. The Kiseki was perhaps the oldest artifact within Meifu, a book that recorded the names of those whose time is up. Like the candles, it represented souls, but unlike the candles, which were fickle at best, the book was much more precise and accurate. What happened to its entries was much more permanent than the flickering flames of the candles beyond. To alter the Kiseki's contents willingly was an act close to insanity. The ramifications of such meddling were a high price indeed. Considering its age and the advent of computer technology, the Kiseki was probably rather inaccurate now, but it remained central to the processing of souls even to this day. Tradition still upheld even in the bureaucratic process.

The book was still rather impressive on its own, but Tatsumi did not focus upon the leather bound book, but rather upon the figure standing before it. Muraki stood with his back to Tatsumi, his focus intent upon the writings of the Kiseki. Oriya's dead body lay upon the cold tiles a little ways away from the doctor, and Tatsumi could see that Oriya's body had been laid down with utmost care and respect. Seeing the deranged doctor within the Hall of Candles was bad enough, but it was what was ensnared by Muraki's magic that drained Tatsumi's color.

Although invisible, the Earl's silhouette was quite visible as he hung suspended in the air, his limbs twitching in what was probably very painful torture as Muraki's crimson energy raced across Hakushaku's form. Absentmindedly Tatsumi noted that the Earl wore a cloak as he slipped into the chamber and hugged the outer walls as he silently approached the spectacle before him. "You bring this upon yourself Earl." Muraki's voice held a note of impatience to Tatsumi as he watched the doctor turn to look up at the writhing form of the Earl. "I have tried asking nicely, but now it seems that I will have to take what I want by force." Muraki's gaze flitted toward Oriya's still form. "Since I cannot change the words, I will make you do so, let the book drain your life force instead of mine. That is the price it exacts to bring a soul back to life . . ." Muraki tilted his head to glance to the Earl. "Isn't that right?"

"This . . . is . . . madness!" The Earl's voice was barely a whisper but Tatsumi could hear the determination in the old man's tone as he drew near. Hakushaku was in obvious pain, and Tatsumi found himself almost respecting the lecherous Earl as the man fought to defy Muraki's plans. "There . . . is . . . no guarantee . . . of success . . . in what you . . . are trying . . . to accomplish Muraki!" Tatsumi narrowed his eyes as he looked to Muraki and carefully began to draw the shadows in the chamber to imprison the arrogant doctor. He might wish to kill the man, but Tatsumi knew that unless it was unavoidable, death was not the option he could take; the price was too high. Hakushaku's voice broke with pain, but he continued to speak. "The . . . union between . . . the body . . . and soul . . . is delicate . . . you cannot . . . force them . . . together without . . . preparation and . . . precaution . . ."

"Are you saying it is easier to destroy than it is to create? What about fixing a mistake made by fate? That isn't creation . . . merely repairing." Muraki spoke the words almost absentmindedly as he flipped through the pages of the Kiseki, his eyes alighting upon a name. "Oriya should not have died, and I will not allow my darkness to claim his soul . . . my brother on the other hand . . . is a different matter entirely." Muraki's eyes lit up with an emotion that Tatsumi could not identify. "The longer the separation of soul and body, the harder it is to join them back together without nasty . . . side effects, yes?" Muraki turned as if to get confirmation from the twitching Earl and then looked at the Kiseki once more.

"Then should I use a guinea pig to test matters before I get to my real objective? But I do not want to mess up bringing Saki back to life . . . I must ensure that my hand, and my hand alone is what kills him the moment he takes his first breath." Muraki took note of the page number and then flipped forward to more recent entries. "Ah . . . there he is . . . my pretty puppet will have one final bow upon the stage . . . I think that is fitting don't you think?" The magically suspended form of Hakushaku was lowered to hover before the dais that held the Kiseki. Muraki pointed to a name that Tatsumi could not read, but from Muraki's words Tatsumi was sure he could guess. "All I need is your touch, your life force and then I will do the rest. Funny isn't it? It is I who will bring them back, but because of the rules, it will be your life force that will be drained. Your pathetic warnings and defiance is in the end, futile."

"N-no! I will . . . not!" Hakushaku's struggling increased and Muraki frowned as the bonds of energy about the Earl began to fray. "Even if . . . it was . . . not 'him'. . . I would . . . still rebel!" Tatsumi eyed the Earl's twitching gloves in apprehension. "Have you not . . . tortured his soul . . . enough? Leave the boy alone!!"

Tatsumi stilled in his actions as he listened to the interchange. Hisoka was dead? A silence filled the air for a moment and then Muraki smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "You have no choice in the matter. Even though Hisoka's body is not here, I will feel the joining through the spells I have woven into the boy. I will know if it has worked." Muraki's words were cold, and Tatsumi knew that he could not wait any longer. There were not enough shadows around in the chamber to utilize, not enough to keep him concealed at the same time anyways. There were times to be subtle, and then there were times to go charging in like Tsuzuki. Tatsumi smiled sadly at the thought and then steeled his concentration. Muraki magically forced Hakushaku's hand forward to touch the chosen name upon the page, struggling with the Earl's increased defiance. Tatsumi closed his eyes momentarily and then let loose with all of his being.

"Stop this Muraki!!!"

Time slowed, and as Tatsumi surged forward he knew that he was too late. His approach fell just behind the swarm of shadow ribbons Tatsumi urged toward Muraki's form. Hakushaku's magically enforced hand lowered to the golden script upon the page, his hand shaking with effort as the Earl fought to stop his hand's descent. Muraki's attention divided between the colossal spell he was about to attempt, his control over the Earl, and Tatsumi's sudden attack. But in the end it was too late, and Tatsumi's eyes widened as the Earl's hand touched the golden script. Tatsumi was thrown backwards along with everyone except Muraki as the script leapt off the page to hang suspended in the air. Tatsumi turned his shadow attack aside to crash into the chamber wall as he was flung backwards; the cost of interrupting Muraki now much higher than Tatsumi was willing to pay.

Hisoka's name hung in elegant script in the air, the golden writing turning blood red as Muraki began to chant the complex spell required. Hakushaku writhed in agony, but it came from the draining of his life, rather than from the snares that enslaved him. Tatsumi picked himself off the tiles quickly as he watched the proceedings with morbid fascination. He could do nothing to stop this, not if Tatsumi wished for Hisoka's soul to remain intact. The Earl had a strong life force, and would be able to endure the price of this spell – at least once.

Streamers of light exploded from the ever quickening swirling energies about the floating script and a beam of light shot through the confines of the Kiseki chamber to break apart the ceiling and reach the heavens beyond. Hakushaku was screaming now while Muraki's voice droned on in an ever increasing volume. For the first time in his existence as a Shinigami, Tatsumi truly felt helpless; torn between his responsibility to stop what was happening, and his desire to see the spell completed.

Tatsumi was selfish. He wanted Hisoka back as well.

********************

Lying against Byakko's soft fur felt like hugging a huge teddy bear. Hisoka shook his head at the childish thought as he idly traced swirls into Byakko's flank. To compare the guardian beast of the west, the master of wind, to that of a stuffed animal; it was absurd. But that is what it felt like to Hisoka as he rested his head against Byakko's side. He felt very weak, more than he had ever felt in his entire existence, and Hisoka knew it was because he was clinging to his right to exist by little more than a thread. His tears left wet trails upon his cheeks, but Hisoka did not care.

Byakko was a silent and Hisoka was grateful for the tiger god's understanding. There was nothing Byakko could say to comfort Hisoka, little he could do to ease the Shinigami's pain. All he could do was be there, and for Hisoka, it was enough. Tsuzuki's anguish was a constant vibration deep within his heart, and Hisoka embraced that trembling link and willed his presence to travel the distance to where Tsuzuki was. His empathy was both a gift and a curse, and Hisoka wished he could travel through the link he had with Tsuzuki to find the grieving man at the other side. Even if he could though, his form was little more than spiritual energies, his body a broken shell in the mortal world.

Byakko had promised to take Hisoka to his body the moment his soul was strong enough to withstand the journey, but the agony of waiting was almost insufferable. It hurt so much, and Hisoka squeezed his eyes shut as a new wave of tears spilled from his eyes to wet Byakko's fur. Byakko's tail curled lightly about Hisoka's waist in comfort and Hisoka responded to Byakko's concern by hugging the tiger god tightly. Going to Tsuzuki now would kill him, but waiting here in limbo with Byakko was just as deadly.

He stayed that way for a while, curled against Byakko's form, tears trailing down his cheeks, that Hisoka almost failed to notice the faint tug upon his form. Like a gentle breeze the outer force pulled at him and Hisoka could not deny it. Hisoka raised his head and looked about, but there was nothing around to cause the sensation, but even Byakko had noticed the sudden change. Even still, he could feel it, like a rope about his waist, urging him to move, a gentle, yet persistent pull.

"Byakko . . ." Hisoka's voice was hoarse from his earlier cries, but he could see Byakko's ears perk up at the sound of his name. "Something's wrong." The persistent tug was getting stronger and Hisoka found his hands gripping lightly into Byakko's fur to keep his form grounded. The wind was increasing now, and Byakko lifted his head to look intently at Hisoka's exhausted form. Hisoka could see the rising concern in Byakko's expressive blue eyes. "Byakko?"

The Tiger god rose to his feet, dragging Hisoka to his feet as well, lest he lose his grip upon the beast guardian. The invisible force about his body was getting stronger and was mirrored by the ever increasing wind storm forming about the two of them. Hisoka began to panic. He needed Byakko's presence to exist; his soul was too weak to maintain itself for very long on its own. Hisoka tightened his hold on Byakko's fur and pressed himself against Byakko's side. *This cannot be . . .* Byakko's voice was full of alarm and that in itself drove Hisoka to the edge. In a flash of light Byakko suddenly transformed into his human ego and Hisoka found himself embraced in the taller man's embrace. The wind was howling now, threatening to steal their voices along with Hisoka's soul. "Hisoka hang on!" Byakko's sudden voice was loud to Hisoka's ears, but he took Byakko's advice.

Hisoka shook his head. "I don't know what it is, but it is getting stronger . . ." Hisoka looked up into Byakko's eyes, his apprehension overriding his sense of modesty. "Byakko what is it?"

"Enma is completing His plan I suppose." Byakko gritted his teeth as he struggled to hold Hisoka to him. The wind was screaming now, but it was not a wind that the god of the wind could even hope to control. Hisoka found it harder and harder to maintain his grip around Byakko's neck. "Idiot . . . Can't He feel the weakness of your soul? Bringing you back like this is more likely to kill you than succeed!" Byakko's voice was filled with frustration and Hisoka pulled back his head to look into wide blue eyes. "Damn it! I will not fail Tsuzuki like this!"

"But this will get me to Tsuzuki right?" Hisoka whispered the words, leaning his mouth close to Byakko's ear. "If I let go I will go back to my body right?" Hisoka shook his head and closed his eyes, letting his grip loosen from Byakko's neck. Every fiber of his being sung with need to be by Tsuzuki's side and the solution was right in Hisoka's face. He was forced to wait because on his own he did not know how to find his corporeal body but this pull would join his soul and body without fail. Why did he struggle against this force?

"NO!" Byakko's voice was fierce and Hisoka opened his eyes at the sudden outburst. "You do not know if Tsuzuki is near your body, you do not know what state your physical shell is in! Even if you make it to your body your soul does not have the strength to hang on!" Byakko was pleading with Hisoka now, the guardian of the west desperate to make Hisoka see reason. "Please Hisoka! I know you hurt . . . but this is not the way!"

Hisoka shook his head and smiled sadly at Byakko. "I know you do this because you love both Tsuzuki and I, but please try to understand." Hisoka lifted his hands to touch Byakko's cheeks lightly, the tiger gods arms the only thing keeping Hisoka there with Byakko. "I cannot wait, I cannot play it safe. Tsuzuki needs me, and I need him, this is more than just emotion . . . this is something much stronger." Hisoka smiled ever so softly and he lowered his hands. "If I don't get the chance to tell you later . . . thank you for your support and your friendship."

The pull was overwhelming and Hisoka knew that even if he wished to stay at Byakko's side, he could not fight the force. Byakko's hands were slipping and Hisoka helped the process along by pulling at the tiger god's grip. "HISOKA NO!!" Byakko was screaming now, all efforts at maintaining his dignified stance gone. Hisoka shook his head and pulled sharply at Byakko's grip, forcing it to fail.

For a split second Hisoka hung suspended in front of Byakko, and then he was pulled away by a force that Hisoka both welcomed and feared. Hisoka curled himself into a ball as Byakko's form disappeared quickly behind him. "Hang on Tsuzuki . . ." Hisoka whispered the words to himself as he was dragged along by magic far older than himself. "I'm coming."

********************

The building exploded in a dazzling array of stone, wood and glass; smashed apart by the violet tinged black aura that was Tsuzuki's power. He hovered in the unnatural rain, the raging flames about Tsuzuki devouring the remains of what was once a house. Amethyst tinged darkness caressed his skin like a lover and Tsuzuki turned his vacant gaze upon the figure held in his arms. It hurt too much to think, it was far easier to let the darkness consume him, and leave him alone with his grief, but a small part of him nagged at those thoughts, forcing Tsuzuki to truly see what he was doing. Tsuzuki tightened his grip upon the boy in his arms, not knowing where he was going, his heart and soul in anguish.

The single driving motivation that drove Tsuzuki, that gave direction to the darkness that consumed him, was to destroy. The world was worthless without Hisoka's light to bring color. Tsuzuki turned his expressionless face toward the heavens, watching without really seeing. Somewhere along the line of mindless destruction, the small voice that was Tsuzuki's sanity called out vainly to try to gain control. Did it really matter though?

The darkness was winning and Tsuzuki let his eyes glaze over once again and he looked to the shattered remains of the building before him. It was awash in color, but not the color Tsuzuki wished to see most. Green was the color Tsuzuki wished to see most, a color ever affixed to Hisoka's eyes, something that he would never see again.

A sob escaped Tsuzuki's throat, and that single emotion halted his mindless, destructive rampage upon Meifu. He clung to that sound with all of his being, the part of himself that still remained true to 'Tsuzuki' appalled at what he was doing. The darkness within him whispered persuasively, and Tsuzuki found it hard not to just let the darkness take control over his actions once again. It was strong, so very strong, and it had been trapped with Tsuzuki's form for so long, unable to flex its muscles. The darkness was more than just raw power it was everything that Tsuzuki loathed, a monster born from the ashes of Tsuzuki's past.

A spark struggled to exist within Tsuzuki's eyes, the spark that was what Tsuzuki was, but the darkness railed at it mercilessly. Tsuzuki sank to the ground, his grip tight upon Hisoka's form as his tears began to flow anew. The pain was reality and the darkness was nothing more than a false promise that ensured destruction. The true horror of what he had been doing, and what he was about to do struck Tsuzuki to his core. It hurt, it hurt so much, but continuing as he had been, letting the darkness win . . . it was not what Hisoka would have wanted.

Tsuzuki sobbed loudly into Hisoka's hair, the two of them the only occupants within a fire filled area. It was so like Kyoto, but this time they would not escape unscathed. Tsuzuki raged at the darkness within him, willing it to disappear into the box that he had kept it in, but it was too large, and Tsuzuki too weak.

"Are we too late?"

A shadow dwarfed his form and Tsuzuki raised his eyes to gaze at the source of those words. Three imposing angels hovered in the air before him, unaffected by the surging flames that filled the air. Tsuzuki's mind groped to identify the reason why the figures were familiar to him, but it was too much for him to take. It took every fiber of his being to not just let go. He clasped Hisoka's still form tightly to him, and let his tears fall.

Tsuzuki looked toward the trio of angels, his arms ever tight about Hisoka's form. "God . . . what have I done?" He spoke the words haltingly and he lowered his eyes from the destruction around him to Hisoka's pale face. "I can't . . . It hurts too much . . ."

The Trinity leader shook his head slowly and motioned his companions to get ready. "I have no choice in this matter Tsuzuki . . . I have no choice." Tsuzuki did not listen to the words, instead letting the sound wash over him like a wave. It was like a dream – a nightmare of a world that was missing that which was precious to Tsuzuki: his heart.

"Kill me . . ." The words escaped almost unnoticed by the Trinity leader, but he heard the ragged words uttered by Tsuzuki's frayed throat and nodded in understanding. Tsuzuki stared at him with wide violet eyes, unseeing yet at the same time, having seen too much. There was perhaps a small part that still remained truly Tsuzuki, and that is what spoke; but the darkness threatened to assert control once again. Tsuzuki raised his eyes to the Trinity leader's own. "Do it . . . before the darkness in me comes again." It was better this way . . . if he wasn't alive, he couldn't hurt anyone, he could kill . . . he wouldn't have to think of what had been lost. Tsuzuki lowered his head so that his forehead touched Hisoka's own.

The Trinity leader gestured toward his companions Tsuzuki could hear the rustling of wings folding back. "I will try to make it as quick as possible." Tsuzuki squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to see the final blow. But it did not come, and Tsuzuki opened his eyes as a string of curses came from Trinity. Lifting his head was almost took too much strength, and Tsuzuki watched as Trinity warded off a wave of attacks from beyond Tsuzuki's sight. The darkness within him reveled in the senseless violence before him, and the part that was Tsuzuki struggled with the darkness, to not let it take control again.

"Long time no see – at least not in this form."

Tsuzuki turned his head slightly to gaze at a vaguely familiar form. Tendrils of shadow rippled from the demon's skin, and blood red eyes looked down upon Tsuzuki with contempt. It was a figure that had haunted Tsuzuki's dreams, but he had never spoken of it to Hisoka or to anyone for that matter. The thing that had almost taken Hisoka away from him before, the creature that had hurt and weakened Hisoka so much in the last couple of days. Anger burned away at the darkness that gnawed at the edges of Tsuzuki's sanity and he gripped Hisoka's body tightly against his own. Trinity was engaged in battle beyond where Tsuzuki sat the swarms of demons overwhelming for even Enma's elite. Tsuzuki glared up to the shadowy figure, his hatred keeping the spark within his eyes bright.

"Chymos . . ."

********************

Author's Note:

BWAHAHAHAHA!! So I am a horrible wench for leaving it like that. Anyone who has been following this story knows I tend to leave nasty cliffhangers at the end of my chapters. I have honestly tried not to, but it just seems to happen. Honestly though, with things being this close to the end, it is even harder not to do so. So I hope this next chapter was alright. The end is very close now – I promise! *crosses fingers*

My theory on the candles and the Kiseki are probably off par from what the manga and anime make them out to be. The candles represent souls and the Kiseki records the names of those who have died. It is possible to die and still have your candle remain lit (i.e. Exist in the world), that is the whole reason the Shinigami's are sent out on cases – the souls that don't come to Meifu. The theory that only Enma and the Earl can affect the said items makes sense to me. I mean really, if the candles were really as delicate as true candles are - a stiff wind could come and wipe out a whole lot of people. As for the Kiseki, well it isn't really a normal book now is it?

The concept of the exchange with the book is pure fluff from my head. It makes sense if you think about it, you cannot gain something without giving something first. The price is not an exact exchange, such as a life for a life, but it does require payment. Only Enma or Hakushaku have the 'right' to affect the candles or the Kiseki, but well, Muraki is a bastard, and would have worked around the simple dilemma. So force either Enma or Hakushaku to initiate the beginnings of the altering of the book, and then let Muraki take over with all of his mumbo-jumbo magic stuff. You know that doctor has learned strange magic from god knows where. The Earl gets drained; Muraki only takes a sliver of the damage from trying to bring a soul back to the 'living', and viola! In theory, a person brought back from the dead!

Course, you know things aren't as simple as they are outlined in theory – right?

Bleh. I am tired. This chapter drained a lot out of me, but no worries. I am already working on the next one. It should be the last chapter. Will Hisoka make it to Tsuzuki? Will his soul be able to take the strain of the journey? Will the darkness reclaim Tsuzuki once again? What of Hikaru's love for a God? Oriya faces his judgment with the grace of the swordsman he truly is, but will Muraki be able to 'save' him? Is it truly the right thing to do? What is up with Chymos and his impeccable timing? Will Trinity survive the attack and still complete their order to take in Tsuzuki, or will their unspoken promise with Watari and Konoe come into play instead? Is Enma really the bastard as He is portrayed, or is He just bound by rules and fate that even He cannot control?

Find out in the next thrilling chapter of Desires by Lockeheart. *Ahem.*

Now that my announcer voice is gone, I just want to say that doing all of this has been a lot of fun! Reviews on this chapter and the story in general would be most appreciated. It would be nice to know if anyone is still bothering to read this story or if I am just spewing words out for my own selfish desires? Once again, I want to thank everyone who has read and those who have reviewed my humble chicken scratches. Thank you very much!

Also I just have to thank Matsushita for creating such wonderful characters! Humor, darkness, romance - all the fun stuff rolled into one! Thank you!