Chapter 10

The knife had buried itself, up to the hilt…into Raimundo's chest. Thank the heavens, it still rose and fell ever so slightly. It was a miracle he was still alive!

All of her hate gone, Kimiko crawled to his side. Omi, Clay and Dojo came rushing over. Kimiko was about to pull the knife out, when Omi stopped her. "If you take it out, he will bleed to death."

Tears began to pour out her eyes. She had been so bent on revenge that she hadn't stopped to think…about the very one she was getting vengeance for…

"Raimundo? Rai? Talk to me! Please!" Kimiko cried out

Dojo slithered up to him and knew instantly that the wound was fatal. But still doing the best acting in his career, he said, "He's going to need help and fast, we have to get him out of here."

"Come on partner! We'll get you to the best doctor we can find. You're gonna make it buddy!" Clay sputtered.

"Yeah, you'll be right as a shower in no time!" Omi added.

Wuya stepped into the darkness and leaned against the wall. This was so fun to watch, and not to mention, a perfect turn of events.

Then, the boy spoke…

"That's 'right as rain', Omi…"

The Chinese boy smiled from ear to ear. "I have never been so happy to hear you correct me Raimundo!"

Kimiko kept crying and couldn't even look him in the face. "Raimundo…I'm so sorry…"

Then she felt a hand lift up her chin. Her clouded eyes looked into Rai's perfect jade ones. His carefree grin came to his face, "Don't cry Kimiko…" He looked up, "Don't cry any of you."

She sobbed again, just hearing his voice. "It's all my fault!"

"Hey!" she felt his hand reach higher and wipe away her tears, "It was my…choice! I could never…let you die…because of me…"

She could hear his tired lungs gasping for breath. "Relax, Rai; don't talk."

He shook his head and said, "One thing you must know…I never…betrayed you…any of you…"

"What are you talking about partner?" Clay asked.

"That whole thing with Wuya, I—"

"Oh that, partner, you've more than redeemed yourself." Clay smiled.

"No…I was…undercover…a spy…only pretended…to be…traitor…"

"What is he saying?" Omi asked.

"He's saying that he never betrayed us to begin with. He only pretended to be, so he could spy on Wuya." Kimiko fully understood and believed his words.

"If that's true, I feel lower than a worm surrounded by a hundred crows." Clay hung his head.

"We believed you to be a traitor for two years, without helping you. We resigned you to this fate. It shall always be to my eternal shame." Omi wept.

"That's alright guys." Rai then turned toward Kimiko. "But the one thing…I had to do… was to tell you something…Chiquita novia. I—Ahhhh!"

They were all surprised by his outcry, and even more by the voice they had forgotten. "Sorry, I can't let him talk anymore; he's boring me. He's just going to die, so I might as well put him out of his misery." Wuya chirped, sending magic from her fingertips to engulf Raimundo.

Omi and Clay turned to challenge her. "You know you're about as relentless as a steer in a cowherd. SEISMIC KICK—Earth!"

An earthquake rolled under Clay's feet as the ground cracked up and spread toward Wuya. This knocked her off her feet but her power remained steady. Omi soon added his new power "TSUNAMI WATER BLADE ICE!" Fists of water pounded her, and ice froze her to the bone. Nearly drowning the witch, this still did not stop her. Her will was too strong…

Kimiko gripped Rai's hand. No, she couldn't take him away, but she wasn't about to leave his side. "Hurry! Stop her! Hold on Raimundo! Don't you give up on me!"

The sorceress' power was stronger than ever before. Destroying his memory with rushing speed! As they memories left, he struggled to hold on to the one thing he needed to.

"Kimiko! Kim…i…ko…"

He struggles with his one last memory of a girl that he once knew, who had eyes the color of topaz and hair of onyx. It slowly vanished from his mind, leaving an empty shell.

Kimiko felt the hand that once clasped hers tight, give way, and slump back down to the ground. Tears and screams both came rushing from her, "NO! RAIMUNDO, NO!"

She collapsed on his blood-soaked chest, grabbing onto his clothes, her tears mixing with the red flow of blood. "… I—I love…you…"

Wuya halted her attack, satisfied that the boy would never cause her trouble again. Clay and Omi turned around, and gasped with sorrow.

Kimiko kept crying, but suddenly, was able to hear his silent whispered words, "I…love…you…"

Wuya screamed in sincere horrified dread, at Rai's words. He had finally given his heart to someone else, which broke Wuya's pact, and she lost control over Rai's heart. Light began to shine brilliantly around Raimundo, as her spell was broken over him, and his entire psyche and will, returned.

The others were in shock as the light disappeared, and Rai arose from the ground. The fire of fury in his eyes…