DarkTaoAngel: Many of my updates will be coming quicker, so they may seem kind of rushed, but I think that they will be fine for the most part. Please read and review this chapter if you like, and no flames unless necessary!

She looked back at the pale boy standing behind her. His face was flushed and his hair was lighter that it had been beforehand, but she could identify him any day. "Ren!" Pirika exclaimed, almost unable to believe what she was seeing, yet it was Ren, clear as could be. His eyes truly gave away his identity, as they had given away so many other secrets, if you were able to look close enough.

"Ren, you're hurt! What happened to you?" Pirika asked, having many other questions, but all else could wait until later, all that was important was that he was alright.

He was in horrible shape, his tongari gone, leaving his now light purple hair to hand limply at his shoulders. His clothes were torn at several places, he had gashes in his skin, and blood was flowing freely from his many battle wounds, which had left behind some very nasty scars. Only his bright golden eyes remained the same, though there was something different about them, too. He was crying, something that the old Ren would never have even thought to do, but he was.

Pirika jumped on him, pulling him into a warm hug, much needed to the both of them. She could feel his tears falling on her, she was crying as well, but neither tear falls were due to sadness, only joy that they could finally be together after such a long and hard wait.

"We can talk later, but for now…."

Ren resisted not Pirika's hug, but instead he did the unthinkable, by kissing her. As their lips met a warm sensation melted away all of their troubles, and the world around them seemed to be inexistent, all of their problems were put on hold. They held each other close, embracing the moment, and wishing that it would never have to end.

They broke apart to talk, so as to get some explanations about what had just happened, and what else was happening around them. Pirika was still dazed by what Ren had done to her, but she recovered quickly enough to question him.

"How is it that you can do that? How can you be here, I thought you died!" Ren nodded slowly, touching the necklace on Pirika's neck. Pirika removed it and handed it to him before he continued.

"I did. Listen, this necklace has been in my family for many generations, bearing with it an ancient curse." And so he continued to explain to her about the necklace, taking as little time as he could in the process, and finishing not long after having started.

He turned the necklace around, revealing the inscription that Pirika had tried to decipher when she had first found it. She could not read it before, but now, as she looked at it with Ren it all became clearer, and she could read it easily, as though she had known it all along.

'Phoenix' it read, etched deeply into the silver metal of the necklace's back. Pirika looked up at Ren, not knowing truly what to say, because it all fit together. The phoenix, the fire bird, just like Ren, undefeatable, but yet he almost was. The phoenix was not perfect, however, and neither was Ren, his weakness was, all shall always be, love. But now that he had Pirika with him forever, Ren knew that love would not be a problem.

Ren tossed the necklace that had caused so much pain and agony into the soft sand, burying it, and hoping that no other person ever came across it, though it could be used only to a Tao, the effects were unknown and possibly more deadly still.

Ren appeared to have sensed that something was wrong, because he told Pirika to follow him, and he left without another word, Pirika following in his wake. She knew where he was going, to find Hao and Yoh, and help out with the once impossible fight. Pirika was sad that their time together had to end, but they could be together later, if there was a later, that is. Last time Ren had gone up against Hao, he had died trying, and now he was hurt from his last battle, wherein he had just about been gone from her forever. That was enough for Pirika to want to tell him to back out now, but she somehow knew that he could make it, deep inside; some unknown force was telling her.

It was not just that something was telling her to move on for Ren, it seemed as though Ren himself was telling her, even though no one was talking. It was her belief in him that kept the light of hope continuously burning within her soul, and that was what made her move forward with him.

She had forgotten, however, that she was still injured, and she fell back almost instantly, keeling over on the ground. Ren looked down at her concernedly and, with a bit of effort, he managed to cautiously lift her up and onto his back, as he carried her the entire rest of the way back to the Inn, where destinies would be determined, and at least one life would be lost. Everyone was hoping that it would be Hao, but no one could be quite sure, and no one could stand in the way of the fight that was happening, and the even larger one that was about to happen.

When they finally neared the Inn they saw a body lying just ahead of them. It was Horo, they soon recognized, having freed himself and fought until he gotten into the rough shape he was in now. Pirika left Ren to check on Horo, unsure if he was even alive anymore after Hao had dealt with him, as Ren joined the fight alongside Yoh, who was putting up a good fight, though barely able to for much longer.

Pirika was unsure if Ren would be able to put up as good a fight as Yoh, or if he would end up like Horo, badly hurt and possibly dead.

DarkTaoAngel: Sorry about how badly done this was, it was very rushed and I am running out of good ideas. I hope you will all review anyway, and the violent chapters are all coming up, along with a slightly romantic one as well!