A/N: Since Raziel has now been sucked into a different game, my story completely ruins the plot for ICO. (Though since that game is mostly about the puzzles, it still will be worth playing after reading this fic.)

Tom T. Thomson: Yeah, I ate dirt on that one. It says in my notes, "It doesn't occur to Elizabeth to feel sorry for Moebius." Since this is first-person without foreshadowing, I couldn't say anything about that, so it turned into a really lame line. Liz also hasn't played anything except the Soul Reaver Series, (though she is aware of Defiance's ending,) so she doesn't know the whole truth. However, there are people out there that don't have an instant-kill response towards Moe, I'm sure.

RockyShoreline: Well, it isn't exactly romance, but I randomly marked it angst because I was in a bad mood. I think the base idea is the only redeeming feature of this fic, so I'm glad you like it.

Razielim Vampiress: You don't have to beg, the story is pretty much written. (I actually started at the last chapter and worked towards the beginning.) I'm just withholding chapters so that I have a chance to make minor corrections. (Like in this one.)

gryps incedio: confused I am reading "RotR" Sorry that I chose that moment to speak my mind about being upset, but it was a threshold thing. I think I would've been alright if Kain's laugh had been sadistic, (a clue to how close to the line it stayed.)

Bret: Okay, this is hardly up to my usual standard… What bugged you?

5/27/05 Disclaimer: I do not own ICO or Raziel

For a moment, everything went dark. Then I found myself in a small round cage.

"What just happened?" Raziel's shout echoed off the stone walls.

I crawled to the side of the cage and looked out. I was suspended at the top of a high round tower. Raziel was standing on the spiral staircase that wound around the inside. His eyes were open wide; his shock and confusion were evident.

"Get me down and I'll explain," I said. I had to close my eyes against a wave of vertigo. The cage was swaying on its chain, and it was a long way to the floor.

When I opened my eyes, Raziel seemed to be considering his options. I pointed, "Pull that switch over there."

Without further comment, Raziel did as I asked. I fought another wave of vertigo as the cage slowly dropped. I glanced up to see Raziel sedately gliding down the tower's central shaft.

When the cage stopped at the bottom, Raziel dropped onto the top. The chain snapped, and I winced as the cage fell the remaining few feet.

"What's going on?" Raziel demanded.

"We got transported to a whole 'nother world," I explained as I crawled out of the now-open cage. "The only way we're going to get out is to work together."

"I don't think so," Raziel spat. "You're obviously working with Moebius."

I ground my teeth. "I am not working for the squid, and that means that I'm not doing anything for his incompetent lackey. Besides, he was possessed."

"I don't care." Raziel raised his arms in a familiar gesture and faded away.

A chill ran up my spine. I turned to see an inky puddle appear on the floor. Black smoke poured out of it.

Raziel scrambled out of the hole like his wings were on fire. He yelled in wide-eyed panic as he whirled to face the portal.

Creatures made of that same inky smoke clambered out of the portal. Raziel lashed out at them with his claws. With each blow, a puff of smoke broke off and drifted away. After several blows, each of the creatures dissipated. The portal faded away with the last of them.

"That was not the spectral realm," Raziel shouted angrily. He paused to look at me, as if he was finally seeing me for the first time. "How are we supposed to get home?"

"We have to escape this castle," I said. I grew suddenly nervous; Raziel's stare was unnerving.

He cast his gaze around the base of the tower. There were no visible exits. "You knew about that switch," Raziel mused. "I take it that you know how to escape this place."

I nodded. "We're going to have to work together."

"How do we get out of this room?"

I walked over to a row of four large stone blocks. Carved into them were the images horned children, hugging their knees to their chests. For a moment, I doubted that it would work, but I had been the one in the cage.

Then, white energy flowed out of my body and into the statues. It felt odd, like the prickly sensation when a limb goes to sleep. After an expectant moment, the statues moved aside, and the spirit gate opened.

Raziel gave me a sidelong look as he walked past me and through the spirit gate.

I wondered for a moment how I was able to tell where his balefire gaze was directed. As I followed him outside, I wondered if I would feel like someone was treading on my grave every time Raziel looked at me.

"Wait up," I complained. Just then, the bridge gave way under my feet. I lunged forward and managed to grab the edge. I had forgotten that was supposed to happen. Raziel just watched as I dangled.

"Don't wander away from me," I grunted as I managed to hook my leg on the side of the ledge. "There are more of those gates. You'll never get out of here without me."

Raziel glanced over the side of the bridge, to the rolling sea far below. "I could jump right now and leave you trapped in these ruins."

"And then what?" I challenged, finally on solid stone again. "This isn't Nosgoth, and you can't get home until we solve this puzzle."

Raziel didn't seem to have an answer to that. He turned his back on me and walked ahead. He didn't get far, however, as there was another spirit gate at the end of the bridge.

"I told you not to leave me," I shouted as I jogged to catch up with Raziel.

"Just because I need you doesn't mean I have to like it," Raziel spat.

He trudged through the room and another door. I followed him and yelped as the door slammed down behind me.

We were standing on another bridge. The difference between this one and the last was that this one had already collapsed.

"What do we do now?" Raziel demanded, gesturing at the dead end.

"It's been a while since I played this game," I muttered as I walked back the way we came.

I glanced around the small stone room and remembered what to do. "Push that block."

Raziel gave the block an unidentifiable look before he easily shoved it away with one arm, revealing a hidden switch.

Part of the floor rose up to form a stairway. Before they were complete, an inky portal opened up in the floor. Fortunately, they were only the weaker creatures. Raziel spent a moment fighting with them. I saw him try to feed on the smoldering spirits; his disgruntled growl hinted that he was unsuccessful.

At the next apparent dead-end, I said, "Okay, what you need to do is jump over this railing and pull that lever over there to open the door."

Raziel grabbed me and dropped me over the side of the railing. "I won't tolerate you acting like a weakling," he said as he landed beside me.

I gritted my teeth as pain bloomed through my feet and lower legs. I was grateful that I was still wearing my boots. It wasn't really that high, but the impact would have been worse if I'd been barefoot like Yorda.

Raziel had already climbed the chain and swung to the ledge on the far side of the room. I tried to pull myself up the chain, but I wasn't strong enough.

"Shove that box down," I told Raziel.

He angrily shoved the box off the ledge for me.

A chill ran up my spine. I knew that I was sensing a spirit portal opening. I was scrambling up onto the crate when one of those creatures grabbed me. I screamed as it took me in its chilling embrace.

Raziel leapt off the ledge and tried to reach me, but the other shades ganged up on him. The Reaver flared to life on his arm, and the smoky creatures dissolved under his blows.

I felt the warmth from the Reaver as Raziel stabbed the creature that was holding me. I knew that the shades would keep coming for me, so I stayed as close to Raziel as I could without being in his way. Within moments, all the creatures were dispatched and the portal closed.

"Are those things going to continue hounding us?" Raziel asked in irritation.

"I'm afraid so," I answered.