Disclaimer: Everything still applies.

Thank you guys so much for all your great reviews. They give me so much support and makes me want to get my lazy ass up and type, type, and type!

Authors Ramble:

I think I'm going make Yoh a little mentally unstable…. so don't be surprised by events that come later on. He's may seem OOC, but that's because I've made it so that he's depressed. And there are some weird happenings in this chapter in which you may be confused, but everything will be explained later on.

And I am very sorry for the VERY slow updates!

Blinding Grasp

Chapter 3:

The night seemed to be getting colder and colder the more he walked into the pathway. But Yoh seemed like he could care less where or how long he'd been walking. He was more or less, distracted.

"Murderer"

The word, the voice said with such disturbing calmness yet reeking emotions of hatred. It was etched into his mind, replaying endlessly, tormenting him to no ends. His thoughts kept trailing to his dream. And oddly, Yoh didn't want to stop thinking about it. He wanted to analyze it to the smallest detail, in hopes of finding a clue of his dear brother.

But, as if Hao was taunting him, some parts of his dream were now blurry, becoming erased. A foggy, white blank occupied the beginning of his dream. Just a blur, that was what it was. All he could remember was the darkness and the angry atmosphere. Hao's pale face, his malicious smirk, his soft yet impacting voice… the unrelenting pain… It was all so clear in his mind… All except what was before. He couldn't remember what happened before, nothing. He couldn't even remember where he was at all. The more he thought, the more he lost.

Why couldn't he remember? Why? A huge wall was keeping him from recalling his painful dream. All the traces that were left behind was the fact that he just had the 'feeling' that something had happened before all … that…

He could see Hao's face taunting him even more, now pasted with a vengeful grin; telling him that he would never be able to remember at all, that it was he that prevented it from happening. It frustrated him to no ends. His mind was screaming for an answer, remembrance, a way to escape the undying question. Why couldn't he remember? Why? Why? Why? Why?

His thoughts diminished suddenly as the wind mysteriously picked up, carrying a voice that he knew so well. Yoh pulled from his thoughts and for the first time looked at his bearings. Was it his imagination or did he just hear the amused chuckle of his twin. He couldn't help but shiver at the sudden coldness he felt, surprised that he never felt it until the very moment. Everything seemed to have gone still, waiting for a certain something to appear.

'It's nothing. I'm just imagining things. He's dead. You made sure of that.'

He listened carefully around him: a rustle of leaves here and there, scurrying of animal feet, flight of nocturnal birds from tree to tree. Nothing that was remotely close to what he had thought he heard.

Nevertheless, not liking the sudden change in atmosphere, Yoh pivoted around back to the direction of the Asakura residence.

"Scared, otouto?"

Yoh's eyes widened, familiarity seeping through. It couldn't be him… could it? But the voice was so alike… so alike. He turned sharply, only to see a campfire with no sign of the said person. He looked at the campfire in confusion. There was no campfire a second before, he would have seen in the pitch darkness.

'Is this real? Am I seeing things?'

The fire blazed up higher to prove his doubts otherwise. Yoh could feel the heat spreading from the blaze. It felt real. He looked around the campfire for any signs of his brother, almost in despair. A part of him was still dying to be in the presence of his twin and yet the other was completely terrified by the prospect in fear that his dream would be repeated.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Yoh saw him, just a few feet to the side of him. Chocolate eyes widened as his face turned pale. Quick flashes of pain overcame his wrist, reminding him to be cautious. In instinct, he backed up from Hao. He just couldn't possibly be alive, could he?

"What's wrong? You look like you've a ghost." Hao said in mock concern.

All Yoh could do was look in disbelief. He couldn't find the words to answer his once-thought-dead twin.

"I suppose from your side, you are looking at one. But surely, you didn't think I could disappear so easily? I'm disappointed." His mirror-image said feigning hurt.

The words seeped into Yoh's mind. Disappointment? He was alive the whole time? Of all those days he was mourning for him…he was somewhere, breathing air? Cold anger flowed through his veins. All those nights of endless tears and guilt for someone who undoubtedly knew that he was in such a state and enjoyed it. Yoh looked on his twin in a fierce glare. After all he did to him in those months, he had to the nerve to be disappointed?

But could he expect any better? … He's Hao.

Before Yoh could say retort anything to his brother, he disappeared. He blinked. 'He was just there!'

"Come sit with me, Yoh." Hao appeared sitting on a log beside the campfire. Yoh looked back and forth from the place his twin was just at and where he was now. 'Am I going crazy?'

Hao repeated his request smirking maliciously, "Come. I won't bite. I promise."

The short-haired boy snapped, "Promises from someone like you mean nothing to me."

"Someone like me? What exactly am I? One would say that twins share a connection and similar characteristics."

Anger was fueling him. They were nothing alike! "I'm not a cold-blooded--"

"Murderer?" Hao finished. His face darkened as he said, "Dear brother, as I recall you were the one who killed me, or at least tried."

"That's not true! I wouldn't have if there was another way. You killed without any second thoughts. The clan--"

"Made a duty for you to do. And what was the duty?" Hao asked in a light voice.

Yoh's head drooped, looking at the ground in despair. The rage was quieted, no longer the great fire it was. There was no other answer to give but the truth. He couldn't say it. He stuttered the words not coming out.

Hao impatient, voice demanding, "What was it!"

Yoh jumped from the loud voice. There was no way around this. Guilt washed over him. He was the same wasn't he? A single tear fell down his cheek and landed on the ground. His voice wavered as he whispered, "To kill you."

Hao didn't even flinch from the words. He didn't even care for the tear that fell to the ground. He knew the answer from the beginning. All he wanted was Yoh to admit it. It was more manipulating that way.

"And my duty was to create a perfect world, to cleanse it. For nature and life. You had your duty and I had mine. Who was the one that supposedly carried it out?" He left hanging.

Yoh was gripping for anything, just anything to say in his defense. He lifted his face and looked at his brother, wanting a clear answer. "Then if you were alive, why didn't you ever come till now?"

"You think it was easy to get here?" Hao said venomously. His emotions took a dark turn. Accusing eyes burning brightly with intensity stared back. Yoh felt himself almost cower from the gaze. "You think I was somewhere happy in heart's content, free of any pain? You think--" He stopped himself and closed his eyes, obviously trying to control his emotions.

Yoh was in shock. It wasn't normal for Hao to express his feelings so openly. He looked almost vulnerable like a lost child. "Hao--" Yoh paused. Yoh honestly didn't know what to say.

Was he supposed comfort his brother? Should he hug him? Say sorry? Go down in hands and knees and beg for forgiveness? Forgiveness…That was what he'd wanted from the beginning, to get wash away the guilt that was eating him away. But now, surprisingly he didn't know what he wanted anymore. Yoh was struck dumb, the moment Hao told him he was alive the whole time and to add on, the sudden change in Hao's inability to lose control of his emotions for a split second.

Before Yoh could fully decide on his decision of what to say to his brother, Hao had already responded. His older brother seemingly having his emotions in check, opened his eyes, staring at Yoh with a different glint in his eyes.

"Your chocolate eyes… they're so beautiful, innocent." Hao whispered as he tilted his face looking almost predatory.

Yoh felt a shiver crawl up his spine. His instincts told him to run, run far away from the possible danger. But his feet seemed to refuse his desire to escape.

Hao stared on, eyes fixed solely on his twin.

Yoh was scared, almost to the point where he couldn't think straight. Cold sweat formed on his forehead. Each second seemed to lengthen into an hour.

Suddenly, Hao broke into a smile.

That last thing Yoh saw was red glinted eyes and a burning fire. Then darkness.

TBC