Beysie- Yeah! It's weird, if this goes the way I want it to, after this chap there's only one more! TT.TT I'll miss it
Lenora- Don't worry, the "keeling" will come in eventuality, you know the drill. After this chappy, there's the epilog, and then it's done.
Animegoil- lol, I'm glad you like it. No, I've never gotten complaints on my OCs before. A fact I'm exceedingly proud of because I've seen OCs get flamed out the yin-yang before. Yes, well the concluding battle is in this chap, which means there's only one chap left after this. I hope you enjoy it- And I hope I make less grammatical errors, I did the last one when I was stressed, and we all know how that goes.
Kagekitsune16- lol, I'm glad you liked the last chappy- and that you've apparently became the cheerleader for our boys. Final battle this chapter, hope you enjoy, only one more chap after this.
Neko-nya- Twins? Rar! I dislikes twins! (kicks twins off the story pages- Again!)
Rinoki Rio- (hugs you back) Yes! Squishy describes the last chapter perfectly!
Kloudy Reignfall- I'm flattered! I'm also glad that someone is noting the interactions with Drem and Emiko. They're particularly hard to write and I have difficulty writing those scenes, so I'm proud of them.
Golden-flame4- If you insist.
SilverTears- Daere- She keeps calling me a molester!
Kitsune- That's because…Well you are Daere!
Daere- Well you made me this way!
Satoshi- Zzzz
Daisuke- 0.o Daere's right!
Dark- As long as I get the girl and I'm on top,
Krad- …What girl?
Dark- You!
Krad- I'm not a- Oh just read on with the story before I kill Dark!
Satoshi- Zzzzzzz
Fireandflames- Yes! The final battle is this chapter! Betchucan't wait until the next chapter in which the story is concluded! I can hardly believe I finished writing it! Wait till you read this chapter- Don't kill me with a dull wooden spork! It doesn't sound pleasant!
Ch 19 The Parting of Ways
Words like violence
Break the silence
Come crashing in
Into my little world
No one had to ask. For some reason they all knew where they were going. It was as if Satoshi's scent was on the air for Daisuke. A purely male aroma mixed with a rather apparent distress. For Leiko it was the feeling that she should be running In the opposite direction. She knew as well as the rest of them, that Daere was waiting for them.
Painful to me
Pierce right through me
Can't you understand
Oh my little girl
She also knew, that despite the inhuman healing rate of her arm, if it wasn't completely healed by the time they got there she'd be useless. She could barely flex her fingers.
Krad felt indebted to Satoshi in so many ways. In a way he'd always admired Dark for defending his Niwa so adamantly. He wanted to do that for his Sato-chan, even if it was just this once. His young master had already gone through enough stress to break any lesser child. But his Sato-chan was no longer a child. He was a man, and he had so much to lose, that now was the perfect time to be by his side.
The two last real Hiwatari. Fighting for something far more important than propriety and grudges.
All I ever wanted
All I ever needed
Is here in my arms
Words are very unnecessary
As for Dark…It felt good, for the second time in his life, he would fight by Dark's side. The first time had been when those men had attacked them. And Dark had killed for him. After that, a misunderstanding had parted the two lovers for hundreds of years, set them against each other, like Mekura and Kiyohi, dogs. Violent dogs run by ignorance and denial. For now, as they walked, they held hands. Wings would be ignored for now so they could enjoy the human aspects of themselves. The aspects that could never bear anything eternal, love, or hate.
They can only harm
Vows are spoken
To be broken
Feelings are intense
He couldn't think of any way, despite their sweet words and murmurings, for all those years of hurt to be eradicated from the front of their minds. It would always be between them. Each touch, each kiss, each caress, would be an apology. Krad knew for a fact, he could never live like that.
As much as they wanted it, it would never be the same.
Words are trivial
Pleasures remain
So does the pain
Words are meaningless
Either way, for now. Nothing mattered except for life. Life, love, and liberty. They all wanted to be free of the hatred that had bound them and their blood for innumerable lonely days and hours. Free so that Satoshi and Daisuke could live their lives together, encouraging their love to grow, the way it should be.
Dark squeezed Krad's hand. When his golden eyes connected with Dark's amethyst ones, he realized he'd been squeezing Dark's hand until his knuckles turned white. Luckily Dark still possessed inhuman strength, or he might have crushed his hand. Dark smiled at him reassuringly. And Krad smiled back. They were now in front of the temple. Words didn't matter here. Only actions. Krad turned a determined glare to the doors
of the temple.
Words are meaningless
And forgettable
All I ever wanted
Enjoy the silence
XxXxX
Daere walked down the steps with a cool smile for the world. He couldn't help but be amazed by the beautiful assortment that had arrived on the steps of the temple. Each one of the creatures, so beautiful and young with their own loves and lives to worry about. Each one putting themselves in jeopardy to ensure survival of the whole.
His eyes narrowed. He didn't understand it, he didn't like it, and he sure as hell didn't intend for it to continue. "I see you've come for your lover." he said with glance at Daisuke. "He said your name while he wept, if that's comforting at all."
"If you've done anything to Satoshi-" growled Daisuke.
"Personally, if I were you, I wouldn't be wondering what I had done to him, I'd be wondering what I hadn't, are you sure you want him back?" asked Daere smirking.
Before he'd even considered the consequences Daisuke lunged. Leiko matched his steps as they attacked Daere from either side, the hate entity blocking and matching each one of their hits with maddening laughter.
XxXxX
Dark and Krad were prepared to join the battle when a chill ran through Krad's spine. He turned his head and barely managed to tackle Dark as the dog's teeth shut where the kaitou had been only seconds before. Dark and Krad rolled to standing positions.
"I wanted to help Daisuke, and I'm sure you wanted to help Satoshi, but I'm pretty certain you understand as well as I do, that this is our responsibility," said Dark grinning.
"Of course Dark mousy, time to put the dog out," said Krad with his own grin. With that they attacked Kiyohi with ferocity.
XxXxX
Satoshi moaned as he writhed. The effect of Daere's saliva and poisons seemed to have worn off, but he didn't know how long that would last. He had crawled for quite a while, traveling down halls attempting to ignore the feverish feeling his body was going through.
He didn't want to know what would happen if Kiyohi found him before he got out, or heaven forbid, Daere. All he knew was that he had to help Daisuke.
Each few feet seemed increasingly long however, and as much as his body ached and his head hurt, he tried not to lose hope, but found it increasingly difficult.
XxXxX
Leiko let out a gasp as Daere's fist connected with her ribs making her body form a V around his fist as he grinned baring sharp little fangs. He then turned and fought with Daisuke as she struggled to get her breath back.
For a while she'd thought she was regaining use of her arm, but now it was just as useless as before, and it was costing her serious leeway in the fight. Beyond that, she and Daisuke were getting in each other's ways and Daisuke was slowly but surely losing energy.
She winced as a pain ran through her chest. She didn't know if she could win. "Daisuke." she murmured.
Daere lunged at Daisuke, only to find Leiko in his way. "Daisuke get out of here!" she said kicking Daere back.
"No!" snapped Daisuke.
She shoved Daere back with a burst of strength before grabbing Daisuke by the collar. "Get. Satoshi. Now. Before he loses hope!" she growled. With that she shoved Daisuke away and rushed at Daere.
Daisuke's eyes widened. He'd gotten angry when he'd started fighting with Daere, and that had clearly been Daere's intention. Now that Leiko was fighting with Daere and Dark and Krad were fighting with Kiyohi, his objective was clear.
Leiko was here to fight with Daere. Krad and Dark were here to fight with Kiyohi. And he was here to save Satoshi.
Knowing full well what he had to do he ran up the steps of the temple and towards Satoshi.
XxXxX
Satoshi breathed heavily as he clung to a doorway. It seemed he'd never find his way out of wherever he was. When he went down the last hall, his eyes widened in terror.
He was back where he started. He collapsed to his knees with a sob. Convinced that he'd never get out.
XxXxX
Leiko gasped as Daere's hand restricted around her throat and he grinned maniacally. "What is it Leiko dear? Someone losing faith in you?"
She clawed weakly at his wrist with her right hand. It was true. Her friends were losing hope and she was quickly weakening. Though her own arrogance kept her conscious, she didn't know how much longer she could last.
XxXxX
"Satoshi!" shouted Daisuke as he saw the crumpled form. Satoshi didn't appear to be moving- or breathing. And when Daisuke pulled him into his arms he was cold. Too cold.
"Satoshi! Not now! Please don't let me be too late!" said Daisuke cradling Satoshi in his arms. "Satoshi please!" he murmured as tears rolled down his cheeks.
Satoshi simply stared into the distance, eyes glazed, as if he were elsewhere. As Daisuke wept, he grew lightheaded. And little by little, his misery caused him to slip from one plane into the next.
XxXxX
Daisuke opened his eyes with a gasp as if he'd just been pulled out of cold water. Immediately he was steadied by someone else. He grabbed on to the supportive wrists and looked up into blue eyes. "Satoshi?"
"Daisuke, you finally found me," murmured Satoshi leaning into Daisuke's arms.
Confused for but a second, Daisuke immediately wrapped his arms around the distressed bluenette. "Satoshi, we need to go back, this is the dream world and we need to help our friends," said Daisuke pushing Satoshi's hair out of his face.
"…I can't," said Satoshi lowering his head, "I've been trying. And I can't,"
Daisuke held Satoshi out by the arms. "We have to! It's imperative!"
"I can't!" said Satoshi shoving at Daisuke with his right arm. "I already tried!"
"Try again!" snapped Daisuke. "I'm not leaving without you!"
Satoshi looked up at Daisuke. He froze. Satoshi looked frightened. Genuinely frightened. "I don't know if I can."
Daisuke hugged Satoshi to his chest. "You can. I promise you can."
XxXxX
Daere smiled as he tossed Leiko to the ground roughly for the third time. As she'd gotten weaker he'd grown more confident and he was quite content to simply play with her, well assured she'd never make a comeback.
"What's the matter my arrogant little angel? Have you given up?" he asked kicking her prone form. "Strange to see an entity created from hope and confidence give up,"
She crawled back, mind gone, instincts screaming at her to run and escape. Her body was tired and injured though, her right arm ignored her every command, and something in the back of her mind told her that running wasn't an option anyways.
She glared up at him coolly but trembling with fear "You can't think you're going to win. It doesn't matter whether you get rid of me or not. I'll come back. I was made to destroy you."
"Who said I intended on getting rid of you right away?" he said kneeling down by her with a smile.
Her eyes widened before narrowing. "Get away from me," she said breathily. She knew his intent.
"It's time you learn your place Leiko." said Daere straddling the now desperately struggling form. Leiko barely had time to try to scream as his mouth lowered on hers.
Her right arm twitched as his hand lowered into her shirt.
No.
She felt a rage rise in her this wasn't his right. She'd just barely had her first kiss in this body. And now he intended to violate her. Her fist clenched.
I don't want it to happen like this.
This monster had terrorized Satoshi, Krad, Dark, Daisuke, and Emiko. She had no doubt that when he ceased being amused with her, he would turn on them, making their lives hell. Her palm opened fully as her eyes squeezed shut.
It can't happen like this.
Then it occurred to her. Leiko, Eriko, or Cadell, they all had the same soul. Her soul. And she was made to stop this hatred. She was made to destroy him.
"No."
"What was that?" he said in surprise. By now she should be in the throes of terrifying nightmares.
"No!" she growled.
It all happened in seconds. Her arm shot out. Straight through his chest. She pulled back before shoving him off of her. "No!"
XxXxX
Daere took a sharp breath as his eyes opened. The only sensation he could feel was pain and rage. Above him stood Dark and Krad, who'd killed Kiyohi, Daisuke and Satoshi who supported each other, and Leiko who looked down on him, her right hand in a fist covered with his blood.
He tried to bring up his hand, but it quickly fell back. He'd failed. And now that he was dying, all he had left was his rage.
XxXxX
When Daere stopped breathing, Leiko sunk to her knees with a sigh and a smile. "I can't believe it. It's finally over." she murmured looking up at her friends. "It's over!" she murmured.
Daisuke and Satoshi looked at each other with a smile. "She's right," said Satoshi. "We never have to fight each other again. And neither do you two," he said looking to Dark and Krad.
Dark and Krad were standing around four feet apart, the air between them tense. Krad brushed his hair out of his face. "Yeah," murmured Krad. "That's true. But…What are we supposed to do? We were always part of your blood lines. Now that we finally have our own bodies back, and the truth, we aren't even in our own time."
"But- You're finally together!" said Daisuke in disbelief. "You have the Niwa and Hikari families' support, you can lead normal lives now!"
"…Krad's right. It's not that simple." murmured Dark. "Our whole lives have been about each other, and revenge. We need to learn to live again, even if that means being apart for a little while."
Krad looked at Dark in shock. He'd known it was true, but he'd never expected Dark to allow it. "Dark, are you really going to let me-"
"You need to," murmured Dark. "You didn't get to come out and play like me. You need to live. And now that all the danger is over, I'm not going to deprive you."
Krad looked down and nodded biting his lower lip.
"I'll be back though. I was made for you," said Krad.
"And I for you," said Dark with a smile kissing Krad gently on the lips. "I think it's time to go home. For all of us."
One more chapter! Don't rip out my soul and feed it to me with a dull spork! All's well that ends well!