. : Inazuma : .
: . By Akikazu . :
. : Chapter Twenty Two : .
"Itsuki has her."
Sota could feel their eyes on him, staring with confusion and disbelief. He too didn't completely understand what was going on. All he knew was that Kagome was safe. Still he tries to explain it to the people whom had been helping search for his sister.
"She's not awake and I can't locate where she is but she feels… safe, peaceful. Kagome only feels like that around Itsuki. Where will he take her now that he's rescued her?
"My house, he knows my sister isn't home."
The reply had come from the Darklore, Kaname. Sota could see the shady aura blanketing the group. Kaname was the dominant psychic here. When Itsuki was around, his aura danced around the group twirling aura colors into a rainbowed mass. The two auras frequently twinned about each other, battling for dominance.
"We'll wait for them at your house then."
The group started off. Kaname and Mana lead the way, Haruna and Isshin followed, and Souta and Amou brought up the rear. Sota walked near the Eraser as a piece of Kagome seemed to cling to him.
It was unexpected when Sota found Noya to be waiting for them up ahead. The group approached cautiously.
"What are you doing here Noya Sensei?"
"I have a puzzle that you will require. A condition to the end of this damned war."
Kaname sighed, "let's all go inside."
I . I . I . I . I . I . I . I . I . I .
Finally they were out of the water pipes.
Looking around at the bright, empty street, Itsuki wondered what to do next. He had to get them somewhere his mother couldn't reach, somewhere safe. On his back Kagome sighed, her hand began to stoke over his chest. The unconscious girl nuzzled into his neck and placed a small kiss on the exposed skin.
Itsuki blinked and began to run.
To Kaname's house it was.
I . I . I . I . I . I . I . I . I . I .
"I will tell you as I was told."
Amou watched the man as he unraveled the bandana from his head and took a deep breath. As the Sightless began to speak the around they grew colder and his eyes began to glow.
"Listen as I tell you how it will be:
"Betrayal burns through each house.
Seek the truth beyond the lies.
The woman with the serpent's tongue.
Follow the one with golden eyes.
"Face the greatest of evils
Go forth tortured knight.
A slaughtered lamb
Your tarnished light.
"Arise broken seraph
Blood back, regrown wings.
An ancient knight's sword
Cut the puppet master's strings.
"With new eyes to see,
All breath held still.
Behold the new truth,
Erase them he will."
"What's that suppose to mean?" Isshin demanded.
"That's your job to figure out. I'm only here to observe," Noya said rewinding his bandana.
Silence was thick in the room as Noya stood and left. Mana broke the unnatural quiet.
"Let's get started then."
Amou felt Mythrel stir in his head. She had been resting since they had left the park for Kaname's home.
"The first part doesn't really seem to fit with the rest but Itsuki and I have gold eyes," Haruna said.
"But which one of you, I'm sure there are other people with golden eyes as well. How about the houses? Higurashi's is the only one I know that burned if we take the section literally," Isshin added in.
Kaname drummed his fingers on the table and spoke, "just skip the first part."
"The greatest of evils? Maybe they're referring to Darklore," Isshin put out.
Wrong
"Wrong," Amou repeated without thinking.
Everyone turned in his direction, even Sota. Amou remained clueless for a second but Mythrel prodded him form his mind.
"How so? Darklore are devils and demons. Both Wiz-Dom and Arayashiki are holy people. And the Erasers are angles. Who else can be the evil, E.G.O.?" Shiba questioned.
Angles? A laughable thought. Erasers kill to reach an irrelevant goal by order of the Angel of Death.
"Mythrel believes the answer to be the Erasers," Amou said finally.
"Mythrel?" Mana looked confused.
"Kagome-chan transferred her Eraser entity to me. Her name is Mythrel and this afternoon she help me regrow my wings," he explained.
"Regrow your wings? Amou, you're in the puzzle! The third part," Mana exclaimed. "Was Mythrel-san an angle knight?"
I was as was any other Eraser sent to earth. You are one as well Tsukasa.
"She was, I am one as well."
"Then Mythrel-san is in part three as too. And one of you is in part two, as well."
"Does Mythrel have a sword so you can 'cut the puppet master's strings'?" Shiba questioned.
I do. I will produce it for you when I have the energy required for the feat.
"She does."
"But who's the 'puppet master'?" Haruna wondered.
Amou answered promptly, not needing Mythrel to answer this part. "Azrael-sama. He controls officers by brainwashing of their other selves."
Isshin thought to summarize what they had discussed orally, "so basically, Amou has to get Mythrel's sword and kill this Azrael person."
Doing so would destroy the Eraser faction completely. Without a leader they would fall into civil war and eventually they would all kill one another.
"I can't kill Azrael-sama," Amou announced. "That would cause the extinction of all un-mind broken Erasers."
"But unless you do it, the war won't end," Haruna said softly.
Once again there was silence.
And again Mana broke the tense air, "what id you took Azrael-san's place?"
You could do it Tsukasa. You have the power.
"I couldn't possibly take over the Eraser fleet!" Amou protested.
"Why not? You're stronger than any other Eraser I've seen," Isshin said.
"If I were to take over I would have to leave," Amou argued. "I serve Mana and I certainly can't do so from space."
"Bring the Erasers down to earth," Haruna suggested.
"And if they don't want to come?"
Kaname spoke. "I know it's hard for you Tsukasa, but if we want the Aquarian Age to end, you'll have to kill Azrael."
"You could leave the ones that don't want to come in space and build a barrier around earth so they can't come down to wreak havoc," Mana looked around at the group. "You could allow certain times for Erasers to cross with permission."
"It would take a lot of power…" Isshin began.
"…but it could work," Haruna finished.
"So now we just wait for Nakaura Sensei, Itsuki-kun, and Kagome-chan," Mana said, satisfied.
"We may not have that luxury," Sota said suddenly. "I feel masses of psychic power approaching. We don't have any time to wait."
I . I . I . I . I . I . I . I . I . I .
"Do you really believe your small group will be able to end the Aquarian Age on your own?"
Itsuki turned his head slightly and say onyx eyes staring at him from Kagome's face.
"Belial," he greeted, turning down another street.
"You are foolish. Our host will loss you to your own insane actions," the Darklore continued as if he had said nothing.
"We have to try."
"You will have better chances if you realize your full potential. It is possible to garden a small amount of new allies quickly. I can smell your dormant power."
"That's a little creepy."
"You also smell of the wind that carries the scent of blood," her face nuzzled into his neck and her lashes fluttered on the sensitive skin causing a shiver to run over him. "Will you take your place as a general in this war? Or are you content as a mere solider?"
"I serve Mana. It is no longer my place to blindly seek out power."
"You are a fool. It was idiotic of me to hope that you would protect our host."
"What do you want from me?"
"I want you to become a Mind Breaker."
Itsuki nearly dropped her. He had known he had the potential and had originally plan to do so but he had found Mana and had fallen under her service.
"I serve Mana," he repeated.
"You do not have to go outside her break to be a Mind Breaker."
"Why?"
"Our host is unable to control her powers, she needs to be min broken or she may end up causing more harm than good. She will not be able to submit to Mana, her subconscious will not allow this but she will allow you to do so. Sota as well would willingly be Mind Broken by you. The ability of two Mind Breakers on a battle field will do more good than one."
"Fine I'll do it." Itsuki paused and sat Belial on a bench. "I need you to recede, Belial."
"I will do so. Protect this body, boy." Her eyes closed and her head drooped limply.
Itsuki placed his hand to Kagome's forehead and pushed his power into her mind. He felt a wall and a connection to him forming in her mind. A feeling of molten lava poured through him and Itsuki could feel a new power source becoming available.
Seconds later he pulled away and looked down at the woman he had taken under his control. Her lashes fluttered and sleepy eye peered up at him.
"Itsuki?" He voice was slightly husky.
"Yes Kagome?"
"There's a mass of violent energy headed in this direction." Her eyes closed again and she added, "thank you for rescuing me."
Itsuki shook his head as he watched her fall back asleep. Carefully he lifted her back onto his back and regained his run to Kaname's.
He only hoped he reached there before the approaching psychics caught up.
. : End Chapter : .
: . Author's Note . :
Yes, it's short and everyone's disappointed but next update will be during Spring Break so I should be able to finish the last two chapters then and an Epilogue later.
This story has the potential to become slightly more confusing.
Now I'm off to lament the coming of Monday. Bye.
. : Next Time : .
Final Battle
The two jewels