Thank you for the reviews! SNIFF SNIFF….…Well making ch 7 was really hard for me. I really didn't know what to do. Should I continue or cut there and make a new chapter. I was in suspense from my own story! I'm sorry for the evil deeds Himeno did! But that's how the Queen of Hell works. She threatened me if I didn't write it like that! What can I do! Oo…Well ch8 will get a bit happier…I think…shh! The Queen of Hell can't find out that I'm making a happy ending! Well please enjoy Ice Cold Tears Chapter 8!

Chapter Eight: Agreement and Terms

As the knights flew over the Awayuki manor, Hayate spotted Himeno curled against the cement bench near the portal. Seeing her curled Hayate felt the need to comfort her, instead of flying toward the portal he flew down to Himeno. As the others also spotted Himeno they too flew down along Hayate. When their feet's touched the ground Hayate was in front of the group. Kneeling in front of Himeno, he slowly lifted her arms away from her curled state and looked into her empty eyes. Seeing them Hayate was startled and dropped her arms.

When Himeno felt her arms against her sides she looked up and gazed into Hayate's eyes. Her empty gaze flooded with tears, which slowly trickled down, without emotional, passion, and energy she murmured, "go." And dropped her head against her knees and started sniffling quietly.

Seeing that he was no longer needed, Hayate knelt up and turned toward the portal. As he walked Goh yelled out, "Hey….Hey Hayate!" running after him Goh grabbed Hayate's collar and shook him while screaming, "Don't just leave her! Himeno's crying and you just get up and leave? That's not like you!" Still holding Hayate's collar he looked at Hayate with anger and disbelief.

Hayate put his hands on Goh's hands and brushed them off, straightening his collar he turned toward the portal and murmured before walking away, "I don't care anymore," and continued his destination toward the portal.

"Hey Hayate!" Goh screamed at Hayate, but Hayate never turned back and walked through the portal, "Damn him!" after that Goh ran after him.

As Sasame stared at them run he too ran after them yelling, "Don't separate from the group!"

As Sasame's voice faded Kei knelt and was face to face with Himeno.

"Himeno? Tell us what's wrong; you know if you have something to say, then we're here for you." When Kei noticed that the sniffling stopped and Himeno was still, Kei asked, "Himeno? Himeno are you okay?"

Himeno's chuckle was muffled, slowly lifting her head; her eyes were right in front of Kei.

A smile formed on her lips.

"No, you're…!" Kei fell and looked into the gleaming eyes of the Queen of Hell herself.

She smirked and moved her right arm, extended toward Kei, a soft glow became to form at the center of her palm.

Kei tried yelling for the knights but his voice wouldn't come out, his chest felt empty and compressed, as his eyes filled with terror, the Queen of Hell's smirk became a satisfied smile.

"Good bye Knight of Light." And with that the soft glow rapidly became a hard and unwilling, rapid red, "This is the end!" and as her voice trailed off the red glow went streaming out toward Kei and swallowed him whole.

"NO!" Kei's voice echoed.

As Sasame was trying to separate Hayate and Goh in a fight, Sasame heard a faint sound, straining to hear over the loud grunts and yells, he found the direction from where the sound came. Listening he heard and soft echo of, "NO!" towards the portal. Looking around while listening he noticed that Kei wasn't with them anymore. Feeling panic he turned toward the two knights rolling on the floor trying to get the upper hand from one another. Furry built that they didn't care at all Sasame puckered his lips and blew, he whistled and the soft melody pierced the air, shocking Hayate and Goh from the sound. As their body became limp they both fell to the floor. Sasame walked over and crouched down and looked at them with seriousness.

"What the hell did you do Sasame!" Hayate grunted through his heavy lips.

"Yeah! What the hell's the big idea!" Goh strained.

Both were struggling to get up, feeling that he stunned them long enough Sasame crawled forward to them and held both their heads together, so that Hayate's left ear and Goh's right ear were next to his mouth. He puckered his lips again and blew a melody that just as soft as the previous but different. Instead of small and piercing, this was smooth, open, and soft. Both heard the melody and slowly they felt their limbs loose the heavy weight and lighten until they were back to normal again.

As they stood up Hayate was wiping the dirt from his face, and Goh was brushing off grass and dust.

"Don't do that again!" said Hayate.

"Yeah!" agreed Goh.

Sighing Sasame spoke with concern and that precious time was being spent, "Did you guys even notice that Kei isn't here?"

They too now noticed and looked around. Hayate was the first to speak, "Isn't he with Hiemno?"

"Even if he was he would be here by now wouldn't he?" countered Sasame.

Goh said, "Yeah you're right, Kei would be here by now."

"While you guys were fighting I heard a faint scream." Taking a few deep breaths he looked at them and said, "It was Kei that screamed. It came towards the portal."

As they were flying towards the portal Sasame filled in what he knew and what he thought. Walking through the portal they ran to the cement bench. They saw Himeno standing toward a burnt spot on the smooth garden path. Feeling anger and regret Hayate ran even faster than Goh and Sasame and reached Himeno. Instead of the previous Himeno he knew, the one of sorrow, loneliness, regret, and hate, he saw eyes of ice cold tears running down both her cheeks and a smile that chilled his bones. Being cautious he creped toward her with his hand extended speaking in a slow and cautious voice.

"Himeno? Himeno! What the hell happened? Did you do this? Answer me Himeno!"

She tilted her head slightly just as Goh and Sasame came, with her voice chilled enough to suck the warmth and happiness, she whispered, "What do you think?"

When she saw the fear, anger, disbelief, she smiled even more wider than before.

Shaking his head Hayate fell on his hands and knees and yelled, "No! The Himeno I know wouldn't do such a thing! The Himeno I knew was happy, open, warm, and sharing. When I hold her she would hold me with love and embrace the love we have together! She would yell and hit me if I do something foolish or call her tulip head. The Himeno I knew wouldn't reject my heart, my love, back at me. No, this Himeno is not the Himeno I once knew." His hands turned into fists and his body tensed, "No, this is not the Himeno we once knew. Not the one she herself knew!" as he spoke he slowly got up and stared at the cold hard eyes that is now an illegal being in Himeno's body. Pointing his finger at her he spoke softly, "You're not Himeno are you?"

She laughed at him and finally turned her face in a serious one. "So you finally figured it out huh? It took you damn knights long enough!" Turning she walked toward the large wind-chimes and turned toward the knights as they stood in their fighting positions.

"Tell me," she said with dare, "Will you attack me while I inhabit Himeno's body or will you all surrender and meet your fate?" folding her arms she stared at them with superiority.

Looking as if there was no other choice Hayate went on one knee.

"Hayate!" Sasame said.

"What the hell do you think your doing!" Goh asked in shock that Hayate gave up so easily. "What happened to your determination? I thought you loved Himeno! If you loved her you wouldn't do this to her! Get up and fight!" Goh screamed at Hayate.

Still ignoring Goh and Sasame, he looked up at the Queen of Hell, "You may have me."

She thought that they would attack Himeno but she never thought that he would bow down just to save a weak pretear. Looking at disgust she thought again, and decided that it would be better if she killed them all now and kill the pretear in agony later. Smiling she looked at Hayate, "And do you want in return for your life?"

Knowing what he decided was the right thing and the right decision he looked at her with no fear, anger or sorrow, but with determination, and trust, "I want you to come out of Himeno now and show yourself, and never harm her again for as long as you live till the day you die." He kept staring at her and finished with, "Give me your hand and I will pledge my self to you and all that you wish but in return you must honor the rules I gave and pledge it until the very-last-breath." He stuck out his hand and looked at her and hoped that she will agree to the terms.

Thinking on the terms she thought out what will happen and how it will help her.

Yes, the terms are negotiable, but he can turn on me any time he wants! I must make sure it goes my way!

Turning she faced Hayate and smiled, sticking out her hand she walked toward him but just before slipping it in she pulled it back and glared, "The terms are not equal and fair. I wish for a better bargain for this girl you love so much."

"Come out of the body and I shall tell you, Queen of Hell."

"Fine then," closing her eyes a red glow surrounded Himeno and little by little the Queen of Hell merged out of Himeno and now stood with Hayate face to face with barely an inch between them. Running her hands up his chest she slanted her eyes and purred, "Now tell me what else I shall receive?" and hissed.

"What is it that you seek?"

"I seek the one who brought me misery and pain along with tears of sorrow. I want him! And you are the one I want! The man I seek! You Hayate, the descendent of Haorii, the man who hurt and betrayed me! He used me for power and control, this world is what he wanted power for! He said he loved me, but that was all a coax! A LIE! You will give me you and only you! You should be grateful that I only took one knight instead of all of you! But I noticed that there are also new earth, water, and ice knights as well. Maybe I will capture them and use them for my own purposes." She smiled ruefully when Sasame, Goh and Hayate went ridged, "So, what shall it be? Give me you and your future generations and I shall give you the knight of light and leave everyone else alone in their happy little world. Only you can choose Hayate." Her smile became wicked and daring.

Looking away from her he looked at Himeno who stood with emptiness and Sasame and Goh, and thought of the kids. "Himeno! Himeno! Look at me now, Himeno!" yelling at her he tried to get her attention. Moving his body the Queen of Hell grabbed his collar.

Tsking at him she waved a finger in front of his face, "I-don't-think-so!" she said in agreement, "You can never reach her now. She is trapped within herself for all of eternity. She may become the white pretear and overcome death, but she can never overcome her self."

Growling at her Hayate tried lunging at her.

Moving back she slapped him. When he looked at her with furry she just laughed and growled back at him, "You never said anything about not harming her before hand. Tsk! Tsk! You should have been more specific to what your terms were."

Yelling for Himeno he continued to scream her name and hoped that one will reach her ear, mind and heart and notice the pain and love he had for her.