DarkTaoAngel: Thank you to all of my reviewers! I really appreciate the lovely thoughts that you put into them, and I have yet to see a flame, so please help to keep this up for me! This chapter is much like the last and, like the last, R&R!

Pirika could not believe her eyes. The one she had loved was gone yet again, and before she had even gotten to say anything, least of all goodbye. On the only other occasion that this had happened she had been distraught, spending day and night crying in her room, feeling sorry for herself. Now, when she was almost better again, he had to show up and leave once again, and just when she had finally summoned enough courage to actually 'talk' to him.

She could not help but show emotion, if only a trace of it, at the thought that he might never come back to her, and that it could have been her fault. Try as she might to stem the flow of tears, Pirika had lost control, and her eyes which were dry at one time, were wet again by her tears. She chocked them back upon looking over at Hao-sama, seeing as his previous threat to her was rather convincing on his behalf.

He was still staring at the spot were Ren had just left from with a look of confusion, as though his job was getting all the more easy, and he the more omni powerful.

He sniggered at the look of fear on Pirika's face, as no one was around to stop him from killing her here and now. It would be easy, and satisfying, not to mention it would make Yoh grieve, weakening him considerably. Yes, Hao had quite the plan to uphold, and then he could complete him rein in the peace that to him comes with world domination.

He stood up suddenly, forcing Pirika to step back many paces, her back now touching the wall, until she could move no longer, she was cornered by him. He had the ability to transform the Spirit of Fire into a sword, which was what he did at that moment. The blade of the sword glinted a blood colored red, one that suited Hao perfectly, giving the holder a magnetized glowing look on contact.

Pirika's brother Horo was flung backwards onto the ground, off of the Spirit of Fire's hand as it was called to Hao. Though he was uninjured from the fall, he was not able to fight due to the fact that he was still bound around the wrists. He tried to take of the ropes, but it was too late; Hao was advancing on Pirika before he had even started trying to untie himself.

He moved slowly towards Pirika, making sure to torture her as best he could, making her suffer. The fear in her eyes could be seen purely, her once beautiful and cheerful orbs now a lifeless tunnel, blacker in color than blue as they once were.

She was curled against the wall, blocking her face with her eyes as Hao came at her. She was too stricken to scream, even to fight back, so she prepared her body for the worst, and since no one was there to help her, she was sure this was the end for her.

She also knew that being killed by Hao was different; he would kill her soul as well as her body, sealing it away forever, forever apart from Ren's. He knew about she and Ren, and he would do anything to keep them apart, which he could most easily do.

It was just when Hao was right at level with Pirika when something interrupted his perfect plot; someone was in the Inn at that very minute. The noise as the figure entered gave away who it was instantly, as a voice called to the Inn at large, asking if anyone was home.

Pirika knew who this was, and she wanted to answer, but Hao was in striking range of her, so she figured that she had better not try anything.

The intruder was right outside of Pirika's room, having heard some sort of muffled noise from inside. He entered the room right on time to save Pirika from Hao, pulling himself into action upon seeing who was there. He called forth his spirit ally, showing absolutely no fear towards this fight, the one he was destined to fight, and hoped he never had to fight again.

He had fought Hao once before, and won with the help of his friends, but now Hao was back, and they both were alone.

The fight was on even now, sword against sword, with no possible idea of who would win. Pirika looked on as the fighting got increasingly more violent, the two resorting to cheap tricks and mild language, but nothing Pirika could not handle.

She watched as the attacks came from both sides, just barely missing her head a few times, but she was afraid to move. It showed so plainly on her face that she was scared, and the intruder to the Inn, who was not an intruder at all, must have sensed it by the body language that she was using, shifting in place as she sat. She had her eyes closed and she was muttering something that sounded like a prayer, every now and then she would whimper, but other than that, no should came from her whatsoever.

The occupant to the Inn, as it turned out he was, was worried about her, and he was losing the fight against Hao due to that. He was constantly looking over to her, which made him lose his focus on Hao, giving him time to attack him. He was losing to Hao, but the only reason that he was fighting him in the first place was because of Pirika, though he did not know that right now.

Yoh turned to Pirika, being struck for doing so by Hao, and told her the only encouraging words that he could think of, his one and only catch phrase.

"Don't worry. It will all work out." She could not help but smile at this comment, wondering if it would all work out for Ren too….

DarkTaoAngel: I would like to take this time to say that in the next few chapters there will be more fighting, answered questions, and dialogue! Thank you for taking the time to read this chapter, and please remember to review it as well!