Part 3 Karasus's Symphony

When Coldness Wraps this Suffering Clay

When coldness wraps this suffering clay,

Ah! Whither strays the immortal mind?

It cannot die, it cannot stay,

But leaves its darkened dust behind.

As far back as he could remember, he was born in England, in a time so different men now call it barbaric. But he loved his life. He was the heir of a wealthy castle. Most of all, he had a mother who loved him and took care of him.

"Momma, momma!" he called to a woman who was drawing water from a well. She looked up and smiled. She picked him up into her arms when he embraced her.

"What have you been up to Kara?" she asked. Her voice sounded like music to his ears. He rested his head on her chest, enjoying her warmth.

"Nothing," he answered dreamily. He was content simply being with her. she was his only love.

But all that changed when Araceli came into their life.

He came stealthily into their home, and announced his coming with a triumphant cry. The midwife held Araceli in his ankles before presenting the crying bundle into his mother's waiting arms.

"Kara, look, your little brother."

He looked at the baby. Indeed, it looked like a small version of his mother, only that he had flaming red locks instead of gold. The baby was beautiful. He couldn't help but agree.

"I like him," he said happily. His life was becoming even better. Now he had two people to love.

Araceli grew up into a beautiful gilded youth, loved by everybody. He was mild-tempered and respectful. Karasu loved him deeply.

As time passed by, his perfect existence was marred by an accident.

They were happily riding along the forest grounds, he, Araceli and their Mother. In fact, they were talking about their plans next month. Suddenly, a hare jumped into their horses paths.

His black horse stood on his hind legs, and only his experienced hands managed to calm him. But Araceli and their Mother weren't so lucky. Their mounts bumped into each other. Karasu rushed into the melee intending to help, but his mount wouldn't let him. Annoyed, he jumped off the black stallion's back. But it was too late.

Araceli was thrown out into the bushed, landing with a loud thud, but their mother, she fell on the panicking horses' feet.

She was trampled to death in front of him. He was helpless to stop it.

"Mother!" he heard Araceli shout from behind.

Araceli ran towards the horses and grabbed their mother from their sharp hooves. His hand was trampled, but he didn't even know it. when he pulled her out, he torso was a mass of mixed guts, her eyes were wide open with pain. There was blood all over. Araceli bent down and cried.

"Mother," Karasu whispered, tears beginning to fall from his cheeks. He could do nothing but weep.

She was buried late that afternoon, only the priest and a few nearby relatives came.

The night was barren. He felt barren.

"Brother, its only us now," Karasu placed his hand hand on Araceli's shoulders.

But it would never be the same, would it?

As was destined to happen, they both drifted apart with time. No, only Araceli drifted away from him.

Araceli was only 16 when he decided he wanted to marry and move out of the castle. Karasu was indignant.

"Why? Are we too poor that you want to go away?" he shouted. But Araceli stood his ground.

"I love her, brother. And I'm not going to let anybody stop me."

They stared each other down, but no one won. Instead, Araceli barged out of the room, his long crimson mane flowing. Karasu slumped down the gigantic chair, defeated.

Hs mind was a mass of jumbled thoughts. It was all happening again. First, his Mother left him, now his brother. Gods, would he always be this lonely?

No, he'd never let that happen. Ever again.

It was a sunny morning. He found them both lounging in the grounds. She was indeed beautiful. A real princess, but he hated her. he had his eyes only for him.

"araceli," he called, they both looked. Inwardly, he wanted to tell her to go to hell. But that would have to wait. Smiling, he closed the distance between them.

"I have a gift for you both," he said. Putting as much charm as he could in his voice. He even smiled at her.

"A gift! How sweet!" she said gaily. He wanted to slap her, instead he took her chin into his fingers and gave her a light peck on the lips.

"Yes, you're going to enjoy it," he looked at Araceli and found puzzlement in his young brother's face. You'd understand my plan soon enough, dear brother. "I'm sorry. Didn't know what came over me. She's beautiful. I love her…" The unspoken ending was 'dead'.

Their estate was one of the largest in the country, spanning from the foot of the mountain Caleon to the coast down north. Karasu looked back at the two lovers behind him. they were so happy together. His brother, Araceli even paced his mahogany mount to trot as fast as Araceli's who wasn't a very good rider.

Jealousy put fire into his jet black eyes even as it consumed his soul.

"Are we still far away?" the woman asked. Her sweet high voice grating into karasus's nerves.

Still, mustering his training as the heir, Karasu smiled back and answered politely, "Not much further. See that castle over there? It's my gift for you."

Karasu pointed to the towering castle situated in the cliffs.

"Its scary," she whispered.

Karasu laughed.

"Its secure, my dear. I wouldn't want my nieces and nephews to be kidnapped by our enemies…and also, there's a stream inside of it…"

The woman's expression softened. Karasu concentrated again on his riding, now urging his black stallion to gallop at a faster pace.

"Well, you know the way. I'll see you there," he called to Araceli. He had to get there first, preparations had to be perfected.

It was a good half mark that he arrived. Enough for him to sit down at the head of the banquet table and greet his two guests with the most heartening welcome. He changed his suit into an appropriate black. He clenched his fists when he saw the two arrive. Araceli, ever the gentleman had lent his robe, their mother's robe to that damned woman. What right did he have! For a second, his smile turned into a frightening scowl, but the moment he faced them again, he was his usual gaily self.

"It's truly beautiful," the woman said, looking at the crystal chandeliers illuminated by hundreds of lit candles at the ceiling. The faceted gems showered thousands of little rainbows on top of them. Yes, it was beautiful, Karasu had to agree. He made it so, nothing but the best for his beloved.

He motioned for the two to sit.

"A toast," Karasu began, "To my beloved brother's wedding to you." He never asked for her name, since she would be dead soon anyway.

The lovers smiled and raised their glasses filled with red wine.

Karasu watched her as she sipped from her glass demurely. The effect was immediate. Not long after her first swallow did she double over and convulse in pain as the poison racked her body.

"What's happening to her!" Araceli cried out, toppling over his chair as he immediately tried to help his fiance. Karasu smugly watched her suffering, biting into his own lips as the pleasure of seeing her suffer became too intense to bear.

Araceli kept shouting her name, embracing her, trying to sooth her. But love was no antidote to this poison.

It was a while before she finally quieted down in Araceli's arms, if one could call it 'quieted'. Her body was contorted, as if still in pain, her hands like claws, pausing in its attempt to bury itself in Araceli's back. Her eyes were clouded, blood dripping from them, the whites red from ruptured vessels. Indeed, she was bleeding blood all over as the poison ate her from within.

"At last, she's gone," Karasu whispered, a glint of sadistic happiness in his eyes.

Araceli watched him in horror, now and then, looking at the shattered corpse of her. Araceli's breath came in gasps, in shudders, until finally, he let go of her and flung himself to Karasu.

Karasu was taken aback. After all he did for him, this is how he repays him?

"Damn you to hell!"Araceli screamed, pounding him in the chest with all his might. Karasu struggled against the blows, but Araceli's weight pinned him to the ground. "You killed her, why!"

"Because I love you!" he answered, trying to calm his brother by holding the other's shoulder.

Araceli paused. He was reggedly breathing now, but still, he held on to Karasu's black hair. His eyes were flowing tears, his lips were pursed in rage.

"You love me!" he screamed shrilly, "You love me!"

Karasu's head was almost torn off as Araceli pulled him to where the woman lay. He couldn't fight, couldn't muster the strength to go against Araceli's anger. But he was unrepentant. Aren't they destined to be together, only they should be together. Fate willed that they know each other all their lives and love each other from the beginning. No one was supposed to come between them, didn't he know that?

"Brother…" Karasu began, but he hadn't finished his thoughts when he saw the unthinkable. With his free hand, Araceli grabbed his fiance's fallen glass from the floor and drank the remaining wine. Without any hesitation, Araceli turned around and kissed him full in the lips. What passion there was was all due to hatred. Araceli forced the poisoned wine into Karasu's lips, down into his throat, all of it. much more than what she had.

Araceli didn't stop until he felt Karasu's body begin to shiver and tremble.

"Love you? I hate you! I curse you! No one willever love you! I want you to burn in hell!"

Karasu watched in confusion as his brother threw him into the ground in disgust, leaving him in his pain. Moreover, Araceli carefully gathered her up in his arms and slowly walked away.

Wait! He wanted to call out to him. But his lips failed him and he thrashed helplessly on the floor. Alone. To burn in hell, as Araceli cursed him.

The night was dark. All the creatures were silent, as if they all felt something was unnaturally wrong.

The clouds parted to reveal the moon's face.

The moon's light filtered down, bathing the locale with a misty soft glow. The barren place looked even more ominous, dark shadows formed in the deadly pits which littered the ground like traps. .

The moon's light slowly changed into black. But it was only a shadow passing in front of the moon. Something's strange however, for no one's around.

Then, the shadow seemed to take a life of its own. It gathered itself until it barely resembled a human form. It slithered on the rock cliffs like a serpent and finally disappeared into a crevice.

Inside the crevice, it stopped and by its movement, seemed to look around. The place was a sharp contrast to the outside. This was a grandiose home, furnished with all the opulence of 17th century France. Indeed, it looked like a palace.

Suddenly, a piercing scream was heard, the scream was so terrifying, like the cry of a tortured animal. Down the corridors, a golden being was cringing in pain. He was shivering and clutching his arms, as if by doing so, he could escape the terrible fate which awaited him.

"N-no, " he moaned, his beautiful golden eyes pleading to no one in particular. But the pain came again and again until he thought he would die from it alone. His tears ran down his dirty cheeks as he felt his spirit weakening.

"No, I don't want to die, please…"

He stretched his arms toward the other youkos who were shrinking away in fear of him. "Please," he pleaded as he searched for help and found none. All the youkos huddled together in the corner, hiding from the nightmare by closing their eyes. They trembled in fear for they knew what would happen next.

The lone youko writhed in agony as his soul was slowly killed… he thrashed around the carpet like a fish out of water. then it was finished. Abruptly, his body relaxed.

That was when the other youkos panicked. All of them ran, trying to search for cover, even though they knew it was meaningless. Soon, only the golden youko was left in the center. Like magic, his mottled hair smoothed themselves and turned to black. His skin, so pale from lack of sunshine turned even paler until it resembled the color of the moon. Indeed, his whole appearance changed until he didn't even look like a youko anymore. Gone were his tails, his fox ears…

His shoulders shook as life began to pour back into him, but the spirit which now inhabited the body was different now. The youko was dead, and Shadow's alive once more.

His lips curved into a malicious smirk. Slowly, he straightened up, not bothering with the youkos who were cringing at his feet. He licked his lips in anticipation. An image of his price flashed through his mind. He'd enjoy breaking him, until he would be too afraid that he'd beg him to kill him. Of course, he wouldn't, that's the point wasn't it? He'd take youko Kurama body, mind, and soul. He'd love him forever, the only way he knew how…

Karasu's evil laughter echoed throughout the room.

He loved Youkos. Loved everything about them. Their skin, their hair their scent, their exquisite beauty…

But he loved one youko the most. The only one that has eluded his grasp.

Yes, that thief, Youko Kurama.

He thought he had them all in his kennels, to savor and devour at his pleasure. But when that female youko escaped, he didn't know she was pregnant. Anyway, she was gone for some time before he got her back and had a wonderful time with her. Where was that silver youko, oh, he forgot, she's dead.

Karasu licked his lips, allowing the memory to inflame his senses.

She ran into the bushes when he found him following her. But she wouldn't get away that easily. He followed, not so close that there would be no thrill for him, and not too far that she might escape him… just enough to make his blood race in his veins.

When he caught up with her, she fought him with all her strength, but she was weak. Thin, and frail. Yet she fought bravely, summoning her youki to assail him with plants. Worthless!

He was enflamed with passion. No youko ever stood up to him before. Yes, fight silver youko.

His lips searched for hers. he locked both her struggling hands behind her, one at a time. Karasu smiled as he felt her shoulders become dislocated as he pushed back the left arm too far back. He straddled her even harder, his sex throbbing atop hers, willing to be let free. There would be time for that. He wanted her enough to wait.

She screamed as he ripped off her simple tunic and pinned her shoulders to the ground. Her left shoulder was turning blue and swelling up. He let go of her lips to kiss her injured shoulder and lean his chest on her bare breasts.

He tasted the saltiness of her skin, and he kissed her even harder, running his tounge all over her, to her neck, down her breasts, wanting even more to suckle from her.

But she was making it extremely hard for him.

She continued to struggle even as she had to force herself to bang at him with her injured arm. Karasu merely let her, the pain only a rush of sweet delight for his passion. He entered her then, almost coming himself when she struggled even harder in anger.

He let her resist him until he fulfilled his passion against her will. It was a simple thing to grasp her head and force it to snap at an odd angle. Blood trickled down her lips as her neck was broken. Karasu lovingly placed a kiss on her lips. Spirited.

Wo ai ni.

He never thought about that until years later when this Youko Kurama's name began to gain notoreity in Makai.

Imagine, a lone youko, a silver one too!

He searched for the silver youko. For decades, Kurama eluded him until that fateful night. It was more to luck really, than by his tracking skills. He was asleep in a tree when he felt a stirring of youki underneath him. He knew that signature throbbing of chi, the beat of love playing. Smiling, he carefully leaned further to see what treat luck threw him to-night. In shadow form, he was all but invisible to casual eyes. He had no fear that those below him would bother to look anyway.

Silver tresses glinting in the moon shine.

A youko.

It took all of Karasu's will power to stop him from grabbing the youko and forcing him to surrender to him.

The youko was not like any other youko he captured. This one had a humorous glint in his eyes, carefree and intelligent. Spirited and strong. His laugh was pure and deep, a soft alto. Each soft word the youko uttered, Karasu felt as a soft invitation just for him.

This must be the famed Youko Kurama. Karasu knew because he recognized the jewels and crowns that the lovers were trying on each other before kissing. To Kurama, the raven-haired one put on a diamond choker, playfully forcing the youko to lie back on the soft moss as he did so. Kurama simply laughed and played with what part of his lover, Karasu didn't see from his vantage point. But he could well imagine that this youko was well versed in the arts of love as his lover, immediately forgot the play and kissed the youko hungrily. The stolen jewels lay strewn around them, forgotten for the time being.

What would it feel like to have Kurama? Karasu thought.

"Raven," Kurama said like a prayer before finally urging his lover to follow his lead. Karasu watched, dazzled at the skill Kurama gifted his lover. For hours the two made love, pausing only to rest for a while. By now, Karasu was growing impatient, wanting Kurama to do that to him!

When morning came, Karasu searched for an opportunity to separate the two, intending to kill the lover and send his head as a suitor's present. Imagine his surprise when Kurama gave him that opportunity so easily! Kurama left just before dawn his sleeping partner and disappeared into the bushes. Karasu saw the opportunity, killing the 'Raven' guy with a simple explosive. No sound at all. He waited for the silver youko to come back. When he is all broken up with the loss of his beloved, then he'll come as a replacement. It was all so easy. He would be loved by Youko Kurama.

But afternoon came, and still no Kurama. Flies buzzed on Raven's body, and still Kurama did not return.

Only now did Karasu find out that this is no lover, but only a stupid one night stand. The times he followed Kurama, he never even had a single lover who stayed with him for over a week! The youko cast them off like old clothes and always searched for new conquests.

I want to be your lover, Kurama…

I want to be the one who'll you'll call with all your heart.

I want you. And you will be mine.

To Be Continued