Chapter 4
Dry Ice
The translucent, scarlet world that the Guardian claimed as her realms was in ruins, and still the destruction would not cease. The Guardian panted slightly as she dodged more attacks from her aggressor, Larva constantly at her side lest she fail.
A steel feather, razor-shape, slashed carelessly across her cheek, and the Guardian hissed involuntarily as the stinging blood flowed. She wiped it angrily away. How dare a bird draw blood from the Guardian?
Already Natori was a pathetically ragged cluster of crumpled steel feathers, rusty blood clotting at the edges. But regardless of his impending demise, he fought with all of his being. He, a crowned prince bird shinma would not fall so easily to the Guardian's wiles, even if it was death.
"I see the stories are true," whispered Natori haphazardly. "I never thought you could be so powerful, but apparently I was mistaken.........." A strangled choke shook him, and a premature flow of his mercuric blood flowed from his elegantly pale lips. The Guardian remained impassive.
"I would be flattered were we not enemies," the Guardian returned honestly. "But you are a bird, you are a shinma, and I am the Guardian. As such, our destinies in this matter are already predetermined," she finished softly. The cruel fate of those not fortunate enough to choose was not a favorable topic upon which to dwell fondly.
Natori shivered imperceptibly against the nonexistent, icy winds of his scarlet prison, his prominent grave. A gentle tear slid down his sullied cheek, washing away the gray grime of his blood, sweat, and the dust of a world that should never have been. He was resigned, and the Guardian could see it easily. The beautiful, beastly angel before her knew that death had come for him; he would not deny or disparage his fate, his destiny. As the Guardian herself had said, their imminent futures were already predetermined.
Larva shifted himself slightly, reading himself for the finishing attack he knew the Guardian was about to release. All the warmth, all of the fire around them surged towards her, and for a moment, the cold was unbearable, even for him. He who had endured so many similar attacks before hand. He who knew the consequences of such an attack better than any other. He who could only care that the Guardian before him should have been the coldest of them all.
But, no.
Still that undying, unmistakable flame of desire, of love, of envy, of loathing remained. How could he ever deny it? Even if the Guardian had shunned him for the love of a mortal, it did not release him from his eternal enslavement to this creature that he cherished more than this shadowed semblance of false life.
He snickered silently beneath his breath, safely hidden from the peripheral eyes of the Guardian beneath his indifferent, ivory mask. He should have died so long ago, but he had been involuntarily bound to the hateful, yet idolized Guardian. Yet in the end, it was his choice after all, that led him to remain beside her. She had not forced him to such lengths of forced devotion. No, he had done that to himself. He had only to blame himself for the abominable pain that seared his heart at the mere glance of the Guardian he would never again have.
The Guardian lifted her right hand gracefully into the now softly misting air, and something Larva had never witnessed before occurred. The smallest possibly perceptible sapphire flame came to her palm, and her barrier fell in an unmediated opaque flash and gust of wind.
"Return to the Darkness, Shinma!"
Cerulean flames consumed the steel angel that had fought for his life so admirably, and no lost vain vigor was taken with him. The flames glowed most brilliantly as they reflected and rebounded from his powerful wings before his form was lost in a pale cloud of darkness; he disappeared, never again to return to the Realms of Humans.
A single steel feather sliced menacingly into the concrete floor beside the Guardian's feet. She picked it up reverently as she solemnly read the words engraved so archaically aloud.
"Though fated enemies we were, honorable allies I wish we could have been. Both of our fates are predetermined. Forgive me for mine."
Larva turned swiftly around, almost sulkily before he felt a traitorous presence within the cemetery. He stalked silently away, his ebony cloak billowing in the heavy winds, leaving the philosophic Guardian to her devices, as he made his way confidently to where only his soul knew. And that is when he saw him.
His head was inclined most respectfully to the tombstone before him, a single white orchid placed so perfectly before him as he continued his quiet feverish whispers into the night, seemingly unaware of the unseemly hour. The moon reflected from his soft, ebony crown with an almost inhuman glimmer, and he would have looked sickly pale were he not so beautiful and handsome despite it all. But it was his half-lidded cerulean gaze that stole Larva's gaze, and so filled him with not so unwanted hate.
Larva rushed him in one lethal swipe of his unnaturally long, slender hand, his claws close to drawing blood. How he would enjoy this death. So long it had been since he had taken an innocent's life in cold blood. But, then again, this boy was not so innocent. He had stolen the Guardian's heart, and held it captive within his invisible, grasping, mortal soul. There was no forgiveness or mercy in Larva's unseen crystal-like crimson gaze as he pulled back his right hand, readying to give his fatal blow.
"Larva! NO!!!"
The Guardian's cry, her unmistakable cry of anguish, that which she had used those countless times when he might have been the one near death, sought to stop him, and he could only relent as he turned his face, solemnly unmasked as she flew towards them. Aya fell pitifully to the well-tended grass below. Larva grudgingly picked him up by his throat and gave him a forceful push towards the gates of the cemetery.
"Run," Larva commanded ferociously.
"But............ Miyu..........," Aya gasped hoarsely.
"I said run. Now leave before she can no longer restrain me," he growled imperiously, and Aya waited no longer, but nearly hesitated as an ironic play of the light made his eyes near crimson.
"He couldn't-"
Slap.
His already poignantly frozen cheek strung harshly before this unexpected onslaught. It was with near misted eyes that he turned to see an almost disheveled Guardian before him: stray wisps of mahogany crossed her face, her pale kimono now slipping precariously off her shoulder, revealing her equally pale skin in the silver moonlight.
"How could you even dare?" she whispered inaudibly. "I love him."
Those three words. What hate they instilled in his heart of hearts. He grasped her shoulders firmly with both of his vice-like claws, and pressed her harshly against his chest.
"You love him?" he ridiculed in a violent whisper. "Perhaps. But I love you. And you loved me first."
He clutched the Guardian's chin forcibly and angrily cast his flaming lips against hers.
He reveled in their sweetness, their luscious soft gentleness. He had only known such a sensation but thrice before, and four years was far too long of an interval to have kept his desire in check; and with only a teasing testament to his emotions before hand, he could never slake his longing. Oh, he sighed against her as he continued his own assault, never giving way. Could it honestly have been so long since last he had had her, like a crushed sparrow gasping equally for breath before him as he, the falcon, engulfed her? Oh, yes.
It was only hesitantly that he let her go. He could never deny the creature before him, this Guardian, this flaming deity, this being whom he was bound by blood to, this girl he so loved, his Miyu.
Stinging fire engulfed his face once more, but it hurt far more than the first. He slumped piteously to the softly layered grass and leaned back heavily upon the black marble tombstone behind him. No attack could have destroyed him more than this. No attack could have caught him more off guard. No attack could have made him more harrowed.
"I hate you."
Had he really heard those words? Could it not have been some tremendously cruel play of the wind?
No.
Otherwise she would not have run away from him in tears. Otherwise those tears would never have splashed so violently into his eyes. Otherwise his face would not be so streaked with the same tears of anguish as hers.
No.........The white orchid crumpled piteously beneath his form as he lay gasping for breath.
"Miyu............"-
Ehhhhhhh?!?!?! I can't believe I did such a monstrosity! Again! Remember me writing that chapter 3 was my angstiest chapter ever written? :: Eyes shift warily around empty room:: Well, um....... I made a new personal record? ::Sweat Drop::
So, will Miyu and Larva ever get back together again? Will Miyu and Aya be the new inseparable duo? Will you never read Miyu/Larva fluff from me again?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
I would answer, but I fear said answers would be detrimental to my health.............
-
Review Responses
To Everyone: WHY HAVE YOU ALL GONE RANDOM ON ME?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Tankbbg: You want to sacrifice me instead of Bryan? :: turns around with watery eyes :: But, I thought we had something special? And anyways, the Chocolate Gods prefer Bryan! And, well....... I can't really say reconcilement will be easy........
BlueDragonsGirl: Aya will die......... eventually........ Hey, cut me some slack. I want this to make sense, so Aya must live. If only a little bit longer.......... 'Round the end to be exact........
Jen-Chan: OMG!!! Jenny glared!!!!! And you too went random........ Why must you all want Aya's (and subsequently my) death!!!!
Joshua Glass: Well......... You got more?