Chapter XII: Never Ending Pain

Kurama, with Tenshi, stood between Saya and the now possessed Hiei. Slowly the fire demon approached his companions, his eyes holding pure lust and malice. Fear and anxiety ran through Tenshi's veins.

"You best move fox or meet your untimely gruesome end," his voice echoed with two consciences.

They both stood their ground firmly as Hiei's aura seeped into their very bones. They both knew they couldn't step away now when the ritual was so close to being finished.

Suddenly a thunderous sound made its way across them as a figure appeared from the sky, landing behind Hiei.

"Think I was finished with you runt," Yusuke's voice came sarcastically from the shadowed figure.

Hiei turned to him smirking evilly with a cold reply of pure ice, "Good. I'll enjoy tearing you limb from limb."

In the blink of an eye fists clashed, creating a storm of chaos between the two warriors. It appeared this time around Yusuke's demon form was prepared for Hiei's attacks, and his energy this time was protected from the Darkness Flame's cursed magic.

Thunder and lightning clashed as their bodies endured full-on attacks of each other's fists. They were even with every punch, but something was wrong, Hiei's energy was only increasing.

"For countless centuries many have tried; to gain the true flame. Only I have had the courage, the strength, and the abandon to realize its glorious potential. We are one, and nothing shall stand in my way," Hiei mounted as his union with the dragon was finally in perfect harmony.

"Come on half-pint, you think you can strike some real fear into me. You know, the kind that will have me pissing my pants," Yusuke replied as his bloody and torn body heaved heavily.

As he finished his words, Hiei was there grabbing his wrists, and broke through Yusuke's aural defenses.

"Now feel your power and life be sucked away into oblivion."

His powers only intensified as he sucked the very life away from Yusuke. All one could see was a black essence swallowing Yusuke's spirit energy, breaking his strong will with hardly breaking a sweat.

"Tenshi, stay with Saya. Make sure she finishes this. This is the only way to save the realms and Hiei's sanity," Kurama spoke as he left her side to try and stop Hiei.

Before she could protest he had disappeared into the chaotic mist of Hiei's power. Moments passed as the sounds of spirit energy clashed.

Tenshi turned back to Saya as she watched her dear friend, her sister, step up to the ledge. Suddenly she felt a heated breath upon her back. Turning, she was only given a mere mil a second to see Yusuke's bloody body passed out along with Kurama knocked out before she felt her own energy diminishing. Hiei was gripping her arms harshly enough to spill her blood. As her body fell limp, he threw her to the side as her mind watched through her eyes at Hiei's success. A tear fell from Tenshi realizing their failure.

Hiei's anger disappeared as quickly as it came when he approached Saya. The dragon and he both knew she was about to give birth. His hand extended to her as his eyes were still devoid of any true emotion, anything that resembled life.

He ignored the others as Koenma kept his distance; hoping Saya could fix this.

"You have no choice Saya. Come with me. You know your destiny, our destiny. Your child will usher in a new age for all realms; do not resist your urge to serve me. Join Hiei in loyal servitude," the dragon spoke through the fire demon.

Through her laboring pain she spoke with such clarity, "Hiei would never be anybody's servant. You twisted his emotions and tricked him. He can over come you, and be your guardian."

Only a malice-filled chuckle emerged at her response.

Saya looked once to the portal then to Hiei.

I must free him before I leave. Prove my eternal love to him, she thought to herself.

Slowly she took his hand, and stepped down from the ledge. All of her companions looked on in shock at her choice.

"You are indeed a loyal servant," the master voiced.

Saya wrapped her arms around Hiei, sending waves of her energy and emotions, with their child's; through him in hopes to find the fire demon she fell in love with.

Through her tears her voice struggled, "Hiei, where are you? I know you are there, wanting to be free. Come back us, to your son and me. This is not how it should end and you know that. You are strong, that is why I am leaving this curse to you and only you.

"Hiei, I love you and only you. If you loved me you would dominate your fears and hatred. You would let me go and you would live on for me and our son if you truly love me. You would find reason to live and stop searching for death. Please, return to me my Eternal Shadow," she struggled to finish through her tears.

For several seconds there was only silence as she kept her eyes shut in prayer, hoping he would return.

"Stupid woman. Do you believe I am foolish enough to fall that easily?" his cold voice spoke as it tore through all her hopes.

It was all over, not even she could not reach him. That was what she thought until she felt one of his hands run their fingers through her hair. Instantly she looked up to find his blood red eyes full of only him. Any trace of the dragon's influence and control had been dominated and returned to the now twin dragon markings upon both of his arms.

"Hiei?" was all she could muster.

"I heard you whining," he made a sarcastic not of.

"Hiei, I knew you would come back," she replied in joy.

"Saya, will you forgive me?" he whispered to her so that no others could hear.

She replied, "Of course I do, because I love you Hiei."

For several minutes he never gave a reply, because he was not so sure how to. In those silent moments Koenma and his guards had taken Yusuke, Kurama, and Tenshi.

Before Koenma left he reminded Hiei, "Remember what must be done Hiei. Do not become weary for mistakes can be made again with dire consequences."

After the squirt left, Hiei finally embraced her fully.

"I am still puzzled at this idea of someone caring so much. You should know my past. I have killed just for the thrill of it, for I am not a worthy person. You were even willing to carry my child, a child of the Forbidden."

"Hiei, I am proud to carry your child, but I also despair. You will never know who this child is; you won't even get to name him. It is like a terrible fate for any of your blood to be so," her voice cracked.

"I will name him then," he whispered in her ear.

In shock she could only muster, "Hiei, you would do that?"

Hiei grasped her chin as he brought her into a fiery kiss.

"His name is Kurowa, got it?" he demanded.

Saya chuckled at his demanding behavior, and nodded in agreement.

A few minutes in silence, and they both knew what needed to e done.

She sighed in anguish as she finally spoke, "I need to go. The Underworld won't wait for me."

Hiei never replied in words, but in action as he led her to the ledge. Finally he could understand his emotions, those of remorse, fear, and passion. Saya and his unborn son had shown him frailty, and only they would know this revelation.

They stood at the ledge, Saya still clinging to him like a child. She thought about changing her mind, but in the end this was the only true way for them both.

"I will always be here Hiei," she spoke softly placing a hand over his heart.

"Even thought I am gone I am there, and so will Kurowa."

Keeping his silence, Hiei finally pushed her back gently. There was nothing he could say to make this any easier for them both. Death was a part of life, and he felt she should be strong with bleak silence as he would be if he was in her position. Hiei felt his silence was the best he could do as he stepped back keeping hold of her hand.

As he began to lose her hand, as her body fell back over the building, her final words echoed a chill, "If you had to wish to make this easier, you should spoke your true feelings as I did Hiei, for I truly love you."

Her delicate hand let go of his own as his face lay in shock. Saya was right with her haunting words. He could have eased her suffering, because she gave her life and their son's life to keep this blasphemous curse in order.

For hours he sat alone at the ledge as all the realms balanced themselves, and the roar of the dragon became a faint whisper in his mind. Hiei's mind drifted to the sound of a child's laughter, one he imagined was his sons'. An ultimate sacrifice to condemn the woman who cared for him and wanted him to live over her own life and her child.

He replied to his silent thoughts, "Only but another choice The Forbidden make for those who condemn them."

To Continue in the Epilogue…

Well, the next chapter is the epilogue and that is it for this story arc. Things will change and so will characters in the next story. For now that I am watching the Three Kingdoms story arc of YYH I am coming to better understand Hiei and his cold nature. I want to make him suffer, because that is what he likes doing to himself all the time.

Although, don't worry I shall give him a wonderful happy ending in the end cause I love him the most out of them all.

-Saya naughty ookami