Something tickled at Takuya's mind as he slept, keeping him from entering true slumber, and instead keeping him at a perpetual state of half sleeping, half waking. He swatted at his nose, hoping to remove the itch, and his hand collided with Kouji's arm for what was not the first time that night.

Kouji sighed and gave up trying to sleep while Takuya tossed and turned in their bed of hay. I guess it's a result of not eating. He sighed and looked up at the stars. Guess I'll have to start to learn human customs, rather than sticking with our own system of fasting and prayer. He sighed and closed his eyes, drawing his knees to his chest and rested his head on them.

Kouichi stirred and blinked foggily up at him. "Brother? Why aren't you sleeping?"

Kouji smiled. "Takuya is keeping me up. Even in the depths of night he can't remain still."

Kouichi made a snuffling noise that Kouji took for suppressed laughter. "You should tell him soon."

Kouji looked undecided, then froze and sniffed the air.

"What is it?" asked Kouichi, starting to sniff the air as well.

Kouji started to check the hay Takuya was sleeping on. "I smell smoke. He's lost control in his sleep before."

Kouichi shook his head, but moved to check Takuya as well. "Our powers are still bound, I am sure. He'd be in pain if he was the cause of the smoke."

Kouji frowned then shook Takuya gently. "Takuya?"

Takuya muttered in his sleep, then rolled over, swatting at Kouji's hand.

"Wake up, Takuya!" said Kouji, shoving him.

Takuya jerked awake, looking wild-eyed. "No! Stay back!" He paused, and looked around. "What's happening? I can hear fire crackling."

The twins exchanged a worried glance.

"We can smell smoke," said Kouichi. "You're not responsible, are you?"

Takuya shuddered and sat up. "I don't know. My magic is fighting me again, and I don't want it to get out because then these stupid collars will hurt me and I'll never get control back." He looked up, sighing. "I think its coming from there." He pointed at a window half way up the wall on the second story of the building. Immediately a fireball exploded out of the window, causing all three of them to flinch, and Takuya drew his finger back shakily, afraid that he had caused it. "Wha… what…?"

Both the twins looked at him in horror.

Takuya waved his hands in front of himself in a warding off gesture. "It wasn't me, I swear by all the Gods, it wasn't me."

Kouji tilted his head, listening. "The servants have heard… they're organising water, but there's not much hope for…" His eyes widened. "The fire is blocking off the prince's apartments and the guest quarters. The prince is trapped, if he's not dead already. They say it's an inferno, like it sprang from nothing." He and Kouichi shuddered. Like all who dwelt in the forest, elves had a great fear of uncontrollable fire.

All three looked up as running feet could be heard to enter the courtyard. An out-of-breath Tomoki skidded to a halt by their shelter and looked accusingly at Takuya, tear tracks present in the soot on his face.

"You did this! I trusted you, believed you when you said you weren't a demon, and now you're going to kill people and destroy my home in revenge, aren't you?!" He moved his arm and something glinted in his hand.

Takuya barely had time to duck before Tomoki swung the fighting axe at his head. "Tomoki, stop! I didn't cause the fire!"

Tomoki swung again, now properly crying. "You said you were my friend! You're just like all the others!"

Kouji stepped up behind Tomoki, catching the smaller boy's arm and holding him still. "He is your friend. We all are, I guess."

Kouichi nodded. "We're all still wearing these stupid collars. There's no way that Takuya could've done it." He turned back to watch the windows, tracing the fire's spread by the red shadows flickering against the glass.

Tomoki sagged into Kouji's grasp. "We're going to die," he wailed. "All the wood will get burnt and then the stones will fall in and hurt everyone." He turned to look at Takuya. "Please, Takuya… Demon or human, you can stop this. You can make sure my parents don't die."

Takuya blinked. "The fire is spreading to where they are staying?"

Tomoki nodded.

Takuya shook his head. "I can't do it, Tomoki. My magic is tied down so tightly that all I can do is sense the fire."

Kouji frowned in thought. "We need to get these chains off him."

"Oh!" Tomoki sped from the courtyard, axe forgotten.

Kouji shrugged, then picked up the axe. "How still can you be, Takuya?"

Takuya looked at Kouji in shock that he would suggest something so extreme. "You aren't going to try what I think you're going to try, are you?"

Kouji looked at him. "Don't you trust me?"

"Not when you're about to swing an axe at my neck, no!"

Kouji sighed. "People are going to die, Takuya, unless you help."

Takuya shook his head. "With this much fire, I'll loose myself again, I'm sure of it. I'll burn this place to the ground."

Kouji lowered the axe. "Do you want me to stay with you and stop you if you do loose it again? Because I can't guarantee that, Takuya." He sighed. "It took a lot of effort for me to stop you the first time, I don't know if I could do it again."

Takuya closed his eyes, and tilted this head to give Kouji a clear shot with the axe at the collar around his neck. "I believe in you. I believe you can call me back if I go too far, if I loose myself again. I know you won't let me down."

Kouji nodded, then swung the axe up, but was stopped by a yell.

"What… do you think… you're doing?" puffed Junpei as he ran up with Tomoki. He came to a halt, and then bent over breathing heavily. "You're… crazy… That'll spark… and your bed will be on fire too…" He straightened slowly, and started to speak more steadily. "That axe is too flimsy to do much. Me however…" He moved to Takuya, and started to fiddle with the collar. "Tomoki believes in you, Demon. Don't you dare disappoint him, or let his family die, understand? Or I'll kill you myself." He lifted the collar from Takuya's neck smoothly, and Takuya felt a rush of power enter him.

Takuya closed his eyes, and felt his magic try to force itself forward to rejoice in the burning. Be quiet, he snapped at it. The magic jerked back, as if surprised by Takuya's tone. We're going to help in a moment, but I have to do something first. Then you can go take the fire and use it. He felt it wriggle, like a puppy being tickled in just the right spot, then it stilled, as if waiting his command.

Takuya opened his eyes again. "I need you to release Kouji, too. And untie Kouichi."

"What? Why?" sputted Junpei. "You're the fire demon. They're as helpless as the rest of us."

"Exactly," said Takuya. "I want you to take Kouichi and Tomoki and get somewhere safe, in case…" In case I do loose it again…

"And Kouji? Why him?"

Takuya looked at Kouji, who was stood there scowling. "He can help me. Keep my magic under control, keep the fire back."

Junpei paused then nodded. "Okay." He unfastened Kouichi's chain, giving the end to Tomoki, then took Kouji's collar off. "Let's get out of here." The three of them retreated, leaving Takuya and Kouji alone together to watch the flickering of the fire through the windows. Tongues of flame were already starting to flicker through the smashed window, and elsewhere the glass in the windows was starting to bow and melt.

Takuya turned to look at Kouji. "Keep me safe?"

Kouji nodded once. "Always."

Takuya closed his eyes, and listened to the fire.

It's everywhere… Like it should be… Takuya smiled as the magic stirred, and moved to join the fire, moving over the wall, looking for an opening in the unburning stone. Let me in, I want to see where the fire is. He found a hole that let him inside, and his magic started to encircle the flames, then joined with them, swelling them outwards in all directions. Warm and safe and right and clear… He paused as the magic brushed a barrier near him. What's this? Feels like fire, but not… no burning, but warm, just like me… Takuya frowned, and took a tongue of flame out through a hole in the stone to brush against the thing. Want you to be burning too… warmth should burn.

The non-burning warmth pushed back, and Takuya suddenly remembered what it was. It's called 'light'. Warm and bright without burning. Strange thing. He flicked his flames about it, trying to recall where he'd seen it before. … Kouji… Kouji is light. Takuya drew back the flames from where he now realised Kouji had to be standing. Inside himself, the magic howled as it retreated from something that could still burn. No! Kouji is my… my friend… maybe something more… and you will not hurt him! He sent the magic back out and wove it through the fire raging inside the castle. Need to stop this… He felt his magic form a single word. 'Why?' Takuya shook his head. These are my friends, and good people who never hurt me. I should help them. He tried to put the flames out the same way that he'd done before, but the fire ignored him. Takuya wove his magic deeper in, holding on in spite of the growing urge to burn coming from the fire. Stop, he commanded.

But nothing changed.

What can I do? wondered Takuya. The fire isn't mine, I can't control it here. He desperately tried to think about something else. If it was mine, in me, I could stop it. Maybe that's the answer. He commanded his magic to weave as close as possible to the flames, then he started to reel the fire in, using the magic as a net. As the first flames touched his skin, he felt a tickle. Goddess protect me… Mithrir help the part of me that's yours bare this… He started to pull inwards, dragging the fire inside his skin, making it a part of him. Slowly the fire in the castle left it's burning to fly in ropes of flame through the blown-out window and circle Takuya, forming a whirlpool spiralling down to him. Takuya felt his skin grow hotter and hotter even as he put out the flames as they entered him, became a part of him. The heat became unbearable, and still the fire wasn't beaten. His clothes started to burn from the heat in his skin, and despite himself Takuya let out a muffled yelp as he started to feel burning.

Kouji moved forwards as the last of the whirlpool of flame disappeared, watching with concern as the charred remains of Takuya's clothes fell away from him, burnt to ash and soot.

Takuya swayed a little, and opened his eyes, startling Kouji as flames danced behind Takuya's irises.

"Kou…ji…" croaked Takuya. "Hurts…" He fell forwards, unconscious, and Kouji caught him, and lowered him gently to the ground.

"Takuya…" Kouji held him gently, for fear of hurting Takuya's burnt body. "Help!" he called out desperately. "Please!" He looked down at Takuya's too-still body, taking in all the damage on the now mostly naked frame. "Please, Takuya… Just hold on. I'm not going to leave you, I promised you, remember…?" Tears tracked clear lines through the soot covering Kouji's face and he wiped at them angrily. "Help! Doesn't anyone care that he helped you, and he could be dying right now?!" He started to rock gently, and refused to leave Takuya alone when the healers finally came, and even refused treatment for his own, much milder burns.

I'm not leaving, Takuya. Not until you wake.