… … … You officially have a right to skin me, boil me, and eat me alive. This is a new low, two months. On the dot.
One, bad internet connection that's been killing me, it's a miracle if I can upload anything. Two, major writer's block, I simply could not find inspiration, and I looked. Man, I looked.
Wow, but… jeez… I'm almost disgusted at myself, and I know I probably drove you crazy what with how long it took me to update, and all the cliffhangers of the last chapter. … -evil grin-
…Eek, well, here's what you waited two sad months for…
Possessed By A Memory
Finale, Part III: Relapse
Alfeegi was suddenly scared. The cold blade was pressed faintly against his laboring heart, right on the skin. Cold, and sharp, and Alfeegi could feel it clearly even through the pain in his heart, the blood rushing from his head through his body and out through his wrist, his bleeding body. But even through the fog of his brain, he knew one thing. Understood it with painful, literally painful clarity.
Ruwalk was gone. And the only way to get him back was by going to him.
That was the reason the pocketknife was stained red, why aquamarine hair lay soaked in a red puddle, why formerly clear hazel eyes were now dead and keening, and why large slits had been cut across his wrists.
But even though his life was draining away slowly but surely, it simply wasn't fast enough for him, and he was scared if he delayed any longer, he wouldn't be able to find Ruwalk again.
It was a skewed train of thought. But that was what having your heart broken by the utter shattering truth of death brought. Something like passion, but a tragic kind. Then also, love was unreasonable. It followed no train of logic. Alfeegi would have realized that, but the lack of blood in his brain made it hard to think. He was being guided by primitive emotions now.
The point of the silver-crimson knife was positioned above the white secretary's chest. Alfeegi's eyes were closed, he wasn't afraid of death anymore, but there was still something holding him back, making his hand tremble as it held the silver knife, as the other one poised itself to push down on the handle. He swallowed nervously, resolving to ignore the strange force that made him hesitate.
Pale hands tensed, ready to push in, when cold fingers suddenly clamped down on his trembling hands, and the knife clattered to the floor, two droplets of blood leaking from the nick on the white officer's chest instead of the torrent of fluid that would have fallen from the fatal gash.
"Al…fee…gi… d-don't…" a weakened voice whispered tremulously.
OoO
Tetheus saw it with an expert eye, the actions registering perfectly in his battle-trained mind. There was only one way to stop the fatal blow that was now aimed at the Dragon Lord's head by their former ally, and his best friend, Kaistern.
There was a pained cry, a frightened whimper from the dark-haired queen watching uselessly from the side, a curse and a surprised gasp.
Tetheus fell onto one knee, holding his bleeding arm and Kaistern leapt back. Lykouleon knelt besides the black officer, speechless.
"Damn. What the hell were you thinking?" Kaistern growled, ticked off at the security officer's interference. If he hadn't stepped in, the Dragon Lord would have been dead, and his mission complete. On the other hand, at least he had severely incapacitated the black officer, and that would make the fight so much easier.
"I-I'm sorry—"
"My Lord, there is no need for an apology. I am obliged to protect you with my life," The crimson-eyed man cut off his Lord's apology. He gave a pained grimace, thought it had been meant to be a smile, much like the disarming one Kaistern oft used, "It is my job."
"Touching, but I'm still here, and if you don't want me to go after the ladies, you better keep me occupied," the albino officer with the chilling smirk and demonic eyes taunted, signaling towards the unconscious fairy fortune-teller and the queen. She glared at him, knowing it was useless, but it was her only way of showing defiance.
Lykouleon took up his sword again, the hesitation gone. It may have been Kaistern, one his most trusted officers, whom he'd known since the human had been a young kid, but right now, he was threatening all of Draqueen, his wife, and his friends. He had no choice but to fight him. He only hoped a fatality wasn't needed.
Rushing forward, silver sword glowing brightly, Lykouleon aimed for the officer's side.
Tetheus ripped a strip of his black jacket with his teeth, wrapping it tightly around his bleeding arm with difficulty as quickly as his injury would allow him. Staggering up, chest laboring to catch its breath, the night-haired officer pushed all the pain to the back of his mind, gripping the handle of his sword, left arm hanging limply at his side.
A quick glance to the side proved that Delte was still alive—barely. Raseleane was now almost to her. She'd take care of her.
Lykouleon's sword dove through the air in a spiral, connecting solidly with Kaistern's leg, and the albino officer stumbled back, gripping his bleeding leg. The crimson that dripped from his head and leg contrasted with the pure white of his hair and skin, and the light beige of his clothes. Lykouleon almost wished he were color-blind, if only to be able to properly ignore the color that signaled that he was hurting someone who had been once his friend. How could they get that Kaistern back?
"Who did this to you?" a cold voice questioned from behind Kaistern, Tetheus. The black officer elbowed him sharply, causing the smaller man to fly forward, but he landed lithely on his feet, wiping his mouth with another stygian smirk and dark look.
"The alchemist. But I don't owe him anything. My mission is someone else's entirely," the smirk widened, "I'm sure you know him, after all, you have his head."
Both the dragon officer and Lord gave a sharp intake of breath.
"Or, should I rephrase that? My partner should be about done collecting the head by now," Kaistern said playfully, like the Furies of Greek mythology might toy with their prey before ripping apart, tearing muscle from bone and tendon from flesh. Painfully.
"Rune?" Lykouleon breathed, unbelieving. Sure, they'd guessed. And yes, they'd taken measures against it, but they'd prayed it wasn't going to be like that. And so, still he wanted to deny it, as did Tetheus.
It was hard, thinking of sweet, innocent Rune, and joking, understanding Kaistern in the grasp of something darker. Much darker. Lykouleon suddenly realized that this was something like what Cesia and Rath, and even Tetheus fought from inside everyday. The youkai that lived inside them. He could only imagine what was going on through the black officer's mind.
Tetheus knew they were possessed. He also knew it was different than having youkai blood. You learned to live with it, and push it to the back of your mind and body, but this possession was complete and utter, there was no way to break it. Even if Tetheus were to let his youkai blood take over him, there was a chance that he could break through. Whether alone or with help, but it was possible. Rune and Kaistern were trapped in the deepest corner of their minds, bound by darkness, doomed to watch… things. Worse than nightmares. Images that would make them wish for death sooner than their release. And hence give up their soul to the youkai fighting for control over their body, making it easier for them to accomplish their task. Giving them control.
It was hard to accept that that was what had happened to their fellow allies, to his best friend, but there was nothing Tetheus could do to stop it. He'd… have to… kill Kaistern. Lykouleon would not be able to, he was too kind, but the black officer was better at burying his feelings, after all, he'd been doing so all his life, and hence it wasn't very difficult for him to swoop again at Kaistern, sword held high.
It was a lot more difficult than usual, though.
His friend.
OoO
Thatz was afraid it'd be some horrible, pyrrhic battle, and that someone was going to be sacrificed. From the look of things, it'd be either him or Rath. Rune wasn't budging.
Sparks flew between battle-heated swords as the red-haired youkai fought with the once pacifist elf, now turned into an accomplished killer. Nadil's head pulsed with power, even though it was still completely swathed in a swirl of blankets. Rune chuckled, eyes disturbingly pleased with the fight, enjoying the way Rath flinched as his bleeding side was pulled at, as his pale face grimaced.
"Who sent you?" he ground out, blood dripping steadily from his wound. Cesia closed her eyes from the sidelines and whispered a spell, sending small amounts of healing wind their way.
"Oh, no one in particular. It's more of a deal. The renkin wizard awakened me, but technically, I'm working for Nadil's army. I already gave him what he wanted in return."
The image of Rune at the castle's library flashed all too vividly in Rath's mind.
"So Kharl was the one who created that huge monster thing- and he was the one made Rune sick with that necklace?" Thatz demanded dangerously. Rath could feel his anger boiling to dangerous levels, and Nadil's head pulsing with power again didn't help at all.
"Rath, duck!"
He did out of pure reflex, trusting Thatz's voice, years of battling together making them infinitely acute to the other. And luckily too, because a pillar of rock shot above the fire knight's head, crashing into the unsuspecting water demon, sending him flying with the speed of a thousand winged horses to bash against the wall.
Rune coughed heavily, sat up, dark blue eyes glinting with anger and danger, as he wiped the corner of his mouth, "That's pretty good."
"What about Kaistern?" crimson eyes shone with more than just human concern- demonic lust for blood was beginning to take over, and Thatz noticed it as well.
"He's doing his half of the business. I'm supposed to take Nadil's head, he's supposed to get rid of the Dragon Lord."
A shocked silence went through the two girls, and the knights felt their blood drain quickly from their face with realization.
"Rath! Kitchel and I will go find Kaistern and try to stop him. You have to get Rune back!" the dark-haired youkai sorceress shouted, taking the pink-haired thief's arm.
Crimson eyes flew to golden-honey ones, fear transmitting clearly into them. But he nodded reluctantly nonetheless, and she smiled reassuringly. Thatz too gave his lover a concerned glance, but she blew him a short kiss and winked. They had to trust them to be alright.
"Will taking the necklace off him… make Kaistern stop too?" the jade-eyed knight whispered to Rath besides him. The smaller knight swallowed with difficulty. Thatz's gaze reflected kindness for a moment, knowing how hard it was for Rath. He acted tough, but he could sometimes be as sensitive as Rune.
"If they were sent by the same person, yes…"
The resolve in the dragon knights grew—they needed to get that necklace off Rune. That was the only way to stop him. And hopefully Kaistern too, wherever he was. They could only pray it wasn't were he actually was.
The clicking footsteps of Cesia and Kitchel faded off into the distance, and Rath felt a chill go through him as the other youkai's wind magic faded, leaving him at Nadil's head's mercy.
"You can hold it off, I know you can," Thatz said confidently, straightening and holding his sword anew, tipping his head at Rath with a strong grin. Rath was a little surprised at how he had known what he was thinking, but he felt a burst of strength just knowing that the earth knight was behind him all the way, ready to help him…He'd sometimes shied away from Thatz, and thought he hadn't meant to, had even acted a bit hostile. But all that faded away into new respect and love for his friend, and he was suddenly very glad to have Thatz with him. He'd have to show him how much the green-haired thief meant to him sometime…
"Thanks…" he murmured, and Thatz smiled widely, settling into a fighting stance along with Rath.
"No prob, what are friends for?"
They dove together, former battling experience guiding their movements to complement each other, synchronized, and the evil elf had no way to dodge a blow, despite him jumping back. Rath's sword cut at his arm, and Thatz's scraped his knee, as Rune stumbled back, cursing audibly.
Glaring openly at the other knights, he growled, dark eyes suddenly confident, "You think you have the upper hand, do you? Well, think again!"
With one flick of the wrist, the cloths that had veiled Nadil's wrath from the world floated to the floor, and unimaginable waves of demonic energy pounded through the walls.
Rath's heart thumped frantically, as the youkai inside him stirred, becoming wide-awake, and as Thatz looked on in horror, he saw a demonic tinge to his friend's now dangerously lustful eyes.
"Little elf… you're going to pay with blood!" the smile the crept over the fire knight's face was nothing short of hellish.
OoO
Alfeegi stared open-mouthed, the reality of the situation suddenly hitting him full-force. And the irony too.
"R-Ruwalk! You're… alive."
"What… did you think… you were doing?" the brown-eyed secretary said, the barest hints of anger slipping through the pain in his voice, and Alfeegi winced.
"I-I though you were dead… and…" he realized how stupid what he had been about to do was. But at the moment, he didn't care, Ruwalk was alive. The aquamarine-haired officer found his eyes shining with tears again as he threw himself on Ruwalk.
The brunette secretary gave a sharp gasp of pain, and Alfeegi's eyes flew open as he jumped back, "I'm sorry!"
"Don't worry…" he gazed softly at Alfeegi, "How could you ever think I'd die without at least saying goodbye to you?"
Leaning forward slowly, slid his arms around the long-haired secretary, and Alfeegi found that the tears in his eyes had begun to run, washing the blood down his face, and he brought his arms gently around Ruwalk, holding him tenderly, the hysteria of the past moments fading into peaceful tranquility as his beating heart realized that everything would be alright—Ruwalk was alive!
Until the peace was shattered as Ruwalk raised his head weakly from Alfeegi's chest with wide eyes, fear creeping into them, "Alfeegi, your hands…"
He looked down, as if to confirm what he'd just said, and Alfeegi was suddenly hit with the irony of their situation as he took in the cuts he'd slit across his veins in the hope of going with Ruwalk, and the gaping wound across the taller man's abdomen—Ruwalk was dying, and Alfeegi was too, all because he'd thought that the yellow officer had been dead. Now they both really would die…
"At least we'll die together…" hazel eyes misted over as he continued to "Are you… does it hurt?"
Ruwalk shook his head weakly, "Not really. It's dulled…in truth I can't feel anything…" chocolate eyes closed wearily, reaching up weakly to bring Alfeegi back into his arms.
The white officer bit his lips to keep from shedding tears that he'd thought had long ran out, instead willing his lips to stretch in a faint smile and he gathered the bleeding, wounded yellow officer into his arms again, cradling him gently, letting his head fall tiredly on top of Ruwalk's dark tresses, and his eyes drifted shut.
"I love you…" Ruwalk whispered softly.
"I know…" slit arms squeezed tight for a second, "I do too."
Silence rang out, and Alfeegi knew it was selfish, but he didn't care anymore whether the others were alright. He hoped they were, he fervently prayed they were, but in the end, to him and Ruwalk it mattered no longer.
"I guess you were wrong… and I was right," he mumbled, the heaviness and fog that had pervaded before the yellow officer had re-awakened, seemingly from the dead, closing in around him, trapping him into a dark abyss.
"I told you… I would say good-bye before I left…" pale lips managed to respond, breathing becoming even more shallow than before, dark eyes long closed over, clinging weakly onto Alfeegi's blood-stained shirt.
Sliding auburn eyes open a fraction, Ruwalk suddenly looked up, "Alfeegi…"
"Mm?" pale lips mumbled back.
"…I want to kiss you… before…" he broke off, staring at Alfeegi's face as dulled hazel orbs appeared above him. Tilting his chin up as his lover's face bent down, pale, cold lips met together, a bittersweet kiss of memories and shared love that they knew would soon fade, broken as their strength finally gave way and their bodies collapsed limply to the floor, arms still entwined around each other.
Okay… you hate me. I know it -cries-. But oh well… -sigh- nothing I can do about it. I hope that you at least liked it. Hopefully, the next chapter will finally begin to wrap it up, and not leave you with a cliffhanger –grin-.
Anyway, here are the responses!
Kage Ohkami: I am an evil sadist, but an unintentional one –sad- You'll find out at the end what it was down Raseleane's throat, and about Ruwalk and Alfeegi, whether they're dead or not, though I did imply it, so the answer… well, anyway, (I'm so mean –grin-) you find out what happens to Kaistern and Rune. Thanks for waiting!
Minea: Who's alive? If you mean Ruwalk, then yes, as you saw, he is. I'm glad you like the story and hope you continue reading it!
Eikou: You can probably find what Eikou means by ways of an online Japanese/English translator. But it's a cool name. Yes, I know that three cliffhangers was horrible of me, but with three different scenes, what better way to end it? –grin-. This wasn't as bad, suspense-wise. Or was it? You tell me. Sorry for the long time it took me to update.
Shadown Down: Well, I did update, -cringe-, but you do have a right to carry out your death threat because I took so long. Just let me take my stuffed horse with me! –clutches stuffed animal- I like horses. Anywaaay…Yeah, it is getting depressing… sry about that, but weeeell, that's how it's working out. Glad it's keeping you interested. Sry if this chapter wasn't all that in quality… I'm just having a hard time finding inspiration. I've been buried in CLAMP works (mainly Chobits, Tsubasa and X—Oh, and Tokyo Babylon (SUBARU!!!) as well as DNAngel (all above mangas are incredible and amazing in style and art and plot—Plus, the characters are SOOO cute/hot.)). And until the 17th book of DK comes out, I'm finding myself sorely in need of inspiration… Hopefully it's coming back though.
Zircon: I know! Ruwalk should have committed suicide or something after Alfeegi died in the manga! But he didn't… funny how there is like NO shounen-ai anywhere in Dragon Knights, but most of the fanfics are shounen-ai –laughs- I like it better that way though. I'm sorry I didn't update sooner, look at the reviews above for the reasons (mainly inspiration and bad internet connection). Here's your sanity pill. –hands chapter to her-.
Ally Kitsune: Thanks, hope you liked this chapter too.
Aquajogger: Oooh, yay, you like! I'm glad. Yeah, I had the image of Kitchel jumping from the tree in my head too… not enough that it was interrupting me, but it was a cool scene. I hope you liked the Thatchel. You being the queen of it, and all. –bows- So your opinion would be appreciated. …Now you've left ME with a cliffhanger! What happens December 16th? What, what? And what does it have to do with Kitchel jumping out of a tree?? –crazy- Ooh, and that's two days before my Birthday too…
Anime Obsessor YR: Yup, Thatz has mood hair. I love that description. Actually, that started cause I couldn't remember what color hair I'd given him first, since I was always mixed up between green and salmon/pink, but then someone noticed, and they said 'Thatz dyes his hair!' and I thought it was a funny idea, so I decided to cover up my mistake and just have him dye his hair. So yes, now it's red. And it'll be blue or gold, or brown, or some other weird color (fuchsia?) before the story is over. Hehe. Invader Zim was a funny show. I like the Doom Song that… what was the little doggy robot's name? Well, he sang the "Doom Song" while they were coming to Earth… -sings- Doomdoomdoomdoomdoodmdoom…I had fun with Alfeegi's emotional breakdowns, and then Ruwalk being all nice to him… -stares at the stares given to her by people who think she's crazy- I'm a sucker for extreme dramatic moments and emotions. You wouldn't know it from the way I act, since I'm kinda… hm, cold? I'm a mental drama queen. You're not the only one who's killing me for my cliffhangers… hehhehehe … Hope you liked.
Yamatoforever: Yeah! I realized that it was Romeo Juliet when our orchestra teacher was telling us the story (don't know why, since every SHOULD know it) And suddenly I'm like 'Eep!' cause I realized it was just like Romeo and Juliet. Cept now it's a little different, and later… you'll see. Aw, I don't want them to kill anyone either! It would be horrible for them to deal with the guilt! …I did anything BUT post the chapter quickly… forgive! Waah, my excuses are up top.
Sakura Fairy: Oooh, but they didn't die! But now, they did. Or did they? Oooh. And I'm not giving away the Rune Kaistern thing. You'll have to find out next chapter (which hopefully will begin to wrap things up). Tata!
Alright, so I responded, and I'm telling you… well, I'm not sure I'll make the monthly update, what with Christmas and my birthday coming up, and going to Orlando for a week, and being behind on all my other fics cause I couldn't get this one done, and my. SUCKY. INTERNET. CONNECTION. (I'm typing this on Word, while TRYING to get the document manager page up, and failing horribly, and it's been… like… 1 ½ hours…. UGH!)
Hehe… now that you had to stand through my ranting (Not that it's a rare thing…) But come back sometime for the next chapter… and since it's usually a very erratic schedule, if you check your mail often, it'd probably be helpful to put me on your Author Alert, so you don't have to guess at when I'm updating.
Bye!