A/N : hmm, nothing much to say this time except yet another big apology on the slow uploads, sorry.

Chapter 6 – Realization

As the sun filtered through the windows of Takaya's house, Taiki blinked his eyes in response to the sunlight and struggled to sit up. Yawning loudly and shivering slightly, Taiki rolled up the mattress and let it lean against the wall.

"Had a good nights sleep, Taiki?" Takaya's voice came from the kitchen.

"Quite… at least I can sleep peacefully knowing one of the gods is on my side now." Taiki grinned as he replied.

Takaya however, remained expressionless and motioned for him to proceed to the kitchen where 2 cups of milo and a few slices of bread spread heavily with butter and jam lay.

Staring wide eyed at the breakfast that he had never seen before, Taiki began prodding at a slice of bread curiously. Behind him, Kaonashi stood expressionless and looked down at the food on the table, small memories of a couple who had made him laugh and smile many times as they had tried to cook a complicated dish for him. Yet, however hard he tried to recall, Kaonashi could never recall their faces or their names.

"Hey! That is for eating you know…" Reina said sharply as she entered the kitchen and saw Taiki prodding each piece of bread as though they contained a virus.

Turning around, Taiki retorted swiftly, "But these look different from what my world has for breakfast."

After giving Taiki a puzzled look for a few seconds, Reina's memories rushed into her mind: that Taiki was from another world. Although she had expected that they didn't have these foods in other worlds, Taiki's image had stunned her when Takaya told her he was from another world. In her imagination, she had always thought that beings from other worlds would look different… from them. However, Taiki not only looked like a normal human, but a handsome one too. Blushing a little as she thought this, Reina shook her head of these thoughts and sat down to enjoy her breakfast.

After they had both finished their breakfasts, Takaya appeared in the kitchen through the backyard and beckoned for them to follow him. Looking curiously at each other, the trio followed him into a broken down shed located in the corner.

After they had entered, Takaya closed the door and locked it with a heavy padlock. Turning to face them, Takaya said, "Where we are going now is a dangerous place, do not touch a single item now matter what voices you hear, is that clear?"

Bewildered, Taiki and Reina both nodded their heads silently. Seeing that , Takaya bent down and pulled open a trapdoor on the floor. Immediately, a sweet unearthly voice echoed around the room and bright light shot out of the hole.

"Follow closely behind me, and do not… I repeat, do not touch anything." Takaya reminded them.

Too stunned for words, Reina nodded her head, unable to speak. Slowly, the light faded away and only a dim glow on the walls of the passageway downwards remained. Wordlessly, Takaya stepped down into the cavern.

After descending the spiral staircase, they found themselves in a cavern filled with riches and all sorts of swords and different artifacts. Letting loose gasps of shock and wonder, the 2 of them were stunned with the amount of wealth lying before them. Remembering Takaya's instructions, they followed closely behind him.

"Takaya-san, where are we?" Taiki plucked up the courage to ask.

Takaya didn't reply him, instead walking onwards at an increased pace towards a small hut not far down the path. Entering the hut, Takaya let all 3 of them enter before closing the door.

"Taiki-kun, this place is the evidence that I am the God of Wealth, do you believe me now?" Takaya asked quietly.

Nodding his head, Taiki asked, "Why have you brought us here? What is your purpose in showing us all your wealth?"

"No reason at all, except to help you complete your quest safely." Takaya replied, turning around to face the window. Taking a deep breath, he continued, " What I am going to give to the both of you now must be kept secret, no one except the 2 of you can know where you obtained these items I am about to entrust you with, is that understood?"

"Yes Takaya-san." Taiki replied immediately, while Reina hesitated before nodding her head slightly.

"Ok, after this, both of you must head for the gate that will allow you to enter the 'dimension of the gods', it is there that you can enter other worlds that have totally no connection with this one." Takaya said in a rush. "Don't worry about not being able to find the gate, Kaonashi here will lead you to it. Now Taiki-kun, go outside and look for something, anything that you think represents your soul and yourself, it can be anything, remember this! Now go!" Takaya ended quickly, pushing Taiki out of the door before turning to Reina.

Exiting the hut, Taiki heard the lock in the door click softly in the silence that dominated the entire cavern. The place was filled with boundless spirit energy, Taiki felt it rebounding around the cavern, filling everything with life.

Remembering Takaya's words, Taiki looked around and begin looking for anything that resembled his 'soul'. After moving around aimlessly, Taiki found nothing that interested him. This is pointless… How can there be something that represents the soul? Taiki thought.

Deep in thought, Taiki didn't feel the presence of another being in the room. Meanwhile, in the hut, Takaya handed Reina a thin dagger after explaining to her what she had to do. As Reina began on her task, Takaya looked out of the window, a grim expression etched into his face.

"Nigihayami Taiki…" the being hissed loudly.

Startled, Taiki turned around and faced the direction the voice had came from. His eyes darting around the piles of gold and weapons, searching for the source of the voice, Taiki slowly turned around and continued looking for what Takaya had asked him to find.

"Nigihayami Taiki, why do you not see me?" the voice hissed loudly beside his ear.

Jumping backwards away from the voice, Taiki was startled to see a rotting corpse of a soldier dressed in ancient armour. His white hair covered in golden rust fell over his shoulders while his sunken face showed evidence of unspeakable experiences.

"What are you…" Taiki murmured, backing away from the rotting knight.

"A fool who succumbed to his greed." The knight replied grimly.

"Get lost!" Taiki shouted loudly.

"Oh no, not before I kill you…" the knight hissed, his voice filled with hate. Pulling out a rusty serrated blade coated in gold, the knight swung it through the air towards Taiki, the gold spilling off the blade like a fountain.

Backing off, Taiki felt a concentration of spirit energy gather behind him. Reaching out blindly behind him, Taiki felt the hilt of a sword being thrust into his hand. Desperately, Taiki brought the blade of the sword up against the knight's.

A loud ring echoed throughout the cavern as the 2 swords clashed against each other. As the knight vanished into golden dust, Takaya appeared before him and the 2 of them returned to the hut.

Back in the hut, Reina had finished carving what Takaya had told her to on a gnarled wooden staff, pocketing the dagger, she picked up the staff and knocked it gently against the ground, testing its hardiness. At this moment, Taiki and Takaya entered.

"Taiki-kun, this sword is now yours, it is a material form of your soul and can be wielded by no one but you." Takaya said hurriedly.

"But Takaya-san…" Taiki began, a thousand questions on his mind.

"Theres no time for idle talk now, he is coming, there is no time to waste. Reina, that staff is also a material form of your soul, and the magic within it cannot be used by anyone but you. Now go! Both of you."

Turning to Kaonashi, Takaya muttered some ancient language and immediately, Kaonashi opened the door and exited with Taiki and Reina hurrying after him.

Back in the hut, the strong firm face of Takaya sunk inwards and his skin started aging at an accelerated rate. His hair grew white and long while his clothes were transformed into a suit of armour covered in gold rust.