a/n: In this chapter we finally learn Shadi's secret and exactly what he means when he says he loves her. XD I swear he's not IN love with her. You'll get it in this chapter at any rate.

Forever in Light: Shadi's Secret Revealed

He found the door closed and when he opened it he couldn't help but stare.

She stood in the middle of it in a flowing white dress.

She turned to him slowly.

"Where am I?"

To his horror, the room was completely empty spare a stone statue of Ryou.

"You're in what's left of your soul room. If I had come any later even this may have been gone. All you have left is your innocent love for Ryou."

She stared into his eyes as he slowly approached her.

"What can I do?"

He turned her to the statue and wrapped his arms around her.

"You must rebuild it. Fill it with everything you love the most. Fill it with memories of loved ones and special moments that you never want to forget."

She closed her eyes and leaned her head back onto his chest with a sigh.

"I don't know how. Why have I never been here before?"

He leaned in closely and whispered to her.

"You have been here before. You are here every night, however you don't remember it that's all. Just imagine something. It will arrange its self. Tell me your deepest dreams and sacred memories."

She smiled softly.

"I want to dance. I want to be the best."

As she spoke, things began to appear that had some association with a memory or dream.

When it was done she gently placed her hand over his.

"Pharaoh put a lot of doubt into my mind Shadi. Why do you act like you do?"

He took her hand and gently pulled her out of the room.

In a single flash they woke.

He stood and helped her up.

"I guess you have the right to know that, though I'm not sure you'll exactly understand."

She screamed suddenly as Pharaoh began to bang on the glass.

"You'll pay for that Shadi!"

Shadi took defense and pushed Anzu behind him.

"No Pharaoh. In just a moment you will pay for everything you've done. Right after you find out what I meant when I said I didn't love her the way you thought. Prepare for you end as I tell you."

''''

Shadi had been wandering the globe for millennia now and was bored out of his mind.

He passed silently and unseen through the streets of Tokyo, not going any real place, just walking.

As he passed by the stone-like figures of people, he noticed a young woman laying huddled against a cold building wall, clutching tightly to a baby.

For no reason at all, he entered their time and stared down at the woman.

She was seconds from death and likely so was the bundle in her arms.

It made no sound as he lifted it from her.

The words the mother spoke were ragged and hard to understand.

"Her...her name...her name is...Anzu."

He watched detachedly as she took her final breath.

At that moment the infant in his arms let out such a wail that it startled him.

There was nothing he could have done for the mother, but he smiled down at the child and held her a little closer as he reentered his time.

"Anzu is it?"

Anzu hushed immediately and he felt something strange as she wrapped her tiny hand around his finger.

'I can't keep you, but I'll make sure you go to someone good.'

''''

Anzu stood silently for a moment as this sank in.

"So, you were the man who brought me to my parents?"

He closed his eyes with a serene smile.

"I felt something I was never supposed to feel as I held you. In that second that you stopped crying and blinked at me...I felt the kind of love a father feels. If I act strangely around you it's because I find it hard to believe that tiny baby that I saved from death could have grown into you. I really never expected to see you again."

Even Pharaoh was quiet until Shadi spoke directly to him.

"So Pharaoh, you have your answer. She's the closest thing I've ever known to feeling that kind of love."

He turned to Anzu again and gave her the Ankh.

"You alone can destroy him. Do not be afraid because fear and anger feed him."

Anzu nodded and turned her focus on the figure before her.

"I won't let you hurt me anymore."

She watched as Pharaohs image faded into Shadi's.

"Don't do it Anzu, he tricked you! I lost!"

Anzu shook her head and took another step.

"You're not Shadi and you can't get into my head anymore."

The image faded into her, but it was missing eyes.

"You've been blinded by him. I'm the good one Anzu! I love you!"

Anzu stopped for a moment but felt Shadi's hand come to her shoulder.

"He's already lost Anzu. Just destroy him."

She closed her eyes, shaking the disturbing image out of her mind.

"Enough games Pharaoh. All you are is a culmination of my mistake."

She continued to step towards the glass and as she did it began to glow.

She opened her eyes and finally saw the true form of her enemy.

Simply a mass of shadows and liquefied hate.

She stared at it for a moment, wondering how it could imitate what she saw.

"You're toast!"

With that she thrust the key end into the glass and turned.

"Game over."

The mirror exploded in on it's self and she stepped back as even the frame disappeared.

She felt tears come to her eyes as Shadi once again wrapped his arms around her.

"You did well."

She turned to him and looked into his eyes as she gave the Ankh back to him.

"Thank you Shadi."

He smiled softly.

"All that's left now is to get you home."