A/N: Disclaimer: Refer back to Chapter 1.

WARNING: OOC, LANGUAGE

Chapter 6: Bibere Venenum In Auro

"So you are the beast that had been terrorizing my troops." an old female voice roused Heat from his slumber.

Heat hung his head low. Everything was spinning and everything was blurred. He grunted as he attempted to focus his eyes on the figure before him. The light that was set to his face was blinding. He turned his face away.

He squinted his eyes and attempted to get a glimpse of the person again.

His wish was granted.

He felt the hard slap of cold water against his face and torso. His red eyes blazed and he lunged himself at the figure. He fell on the floor as he realized that his wrists and ankles were bound by chains and shackles.

"Who are you?" he asked in a low and dangerous tone.

Heat took in the figure that stood before him. It was an elderly woman who had her hair within a scarf…Almost like a nun. She was dressed in all white and had a pair of sunglasses to cover her eyes.

The old woman stepped back, disgusted at the man. She remained unspeaking for a moment and then after looking him up and down, began, "I am Margo Cuvier. I lead the Karma Society…but you already know that don't you?"

Heat narrowed his eyes but said nothing.

"Sera is here." she said curtly.

Heat sprung up once more only to be subdued by the chains, "What have you done with her?!" he growled.

"Nothing. We had just taken her back to her old room." she stated plainly.

"What?!"

"Seraphita belongs to the Karma Society…She is here to soothe God as a Cyber Shaman."

Heat's eyes widened. Cyber Shaman. That was what Varin had called the girl.

"Seraphita…" Heat repeated. Margo nodded, "That is Sera's real name."

"Where is she?!" he shouted.

Margo said nothing.

"Don't toy with me old woman! Or I'll just have to rip your insides out!"

She laughed, "You are in no position to do that young Avatar Tuner. I am not here as your enemy. I came here to make a bargain."

Heat looked from left to right. He wasn't really interested in hearing whatever she wanted to say. There were too many guards for him to take down. Besides, he already felt weak as it was. His thoughts were interrupted as she spoke once more.

"We won't harm Sera."

His eyes blazed in anger.

"We won't harm her as long as you do our bidding."

Heat's eyes widened.

"Do we have a deal?" she asked calmly.

'What do you think you old bitch?' he asked mentally. Was this woman really stupid? As if he'd corroborate and capitulate with the enemy.

"You can forget it you hag!" he yelled defiantly.

Her eyebrows furrowed, "I'll tell you again. You're not in the position to bargain. Your loyalty for Sera's safety."

"What do you want from me?" Heat asked. It wasn't as if he was going to agree to their bargain…He just wanted to know what he was in for. He wanted to know everything that he could get out of this hag.

"I want you to hunt down and kill the remaining Unauthorized Avatar Tuners."

Heat panicked. He was being tested again. It was the same in the Junkland. Back then, it had been against Mick and Bat…He had been bribed into betraying his comrades…He remembered it all too clearly. He had considered the offer carefully along those few seconds. At first, the offer had sounded so utterly ridiculous to him but as Bat had mentioned Sera's name…it had seemed as if all logic had flown from his head.

And now, he was presented with the same question. He knew all too well who those Unauthorized Avatar Tuners were. She was talking about Serph and the others. He just didn't want to do it. He and his comrades had been through life and death together…

There was just no way in hell that he could ever even think of betraying them…at least…not for real.

Margo spoke, rousing him from reminiscence, "I will give you time to consider this offer. You don't have to die you know? Sera doesn't have to get hurt."

'Damn…' he thought angrily, 'Sera…'

xxxxx

Sera hugged her knees to her chest as she wept. She had been in this room for the last twenty-four hours. She and Heat had been separated. Her heart ached. He was probably being held captive and being tortured…

It was horrible…She didn't even want to think about it.

She saw him suffering…losing his breath, his once bright and fiery red eyes were now dull and empty.

"Sera…" she imagined him saying in his last breath.

No. She couldn't let him suffer just because of her! No! It wasn't fair! Her tears cascaded down her face. Everyone had always suffered for her. It had all been for her and for her safety. Serph and the others had risked everything just to rescue her…That was how they all got separated. Heat…He was the person who suffered for her the most. He had loved her…even then…Even before they knew each other's names. He knew…he knew that he loved her. She felt it too…that feeling. But she didn't think much of it then…But now…she knew…She knew that he was the one.

And as before, at the Junkland, he was suffering for her.

She grabbed her short black hair, pulling it, some of its strands falling off. She was tearing her hair off. She screamed, "No more! Please!"

No. She was tired. She was tired of being a burden to everyone else. This time, she would do everything she could to help.

She vowed that she would save him.

She would do just that.

She gasped as the doors to her room slid open.

"Hello Seraphita."

Her eyes widened, "You…!"

The woman smirked.

xxxxx

Heat didn't know how long he had been dangling there like a corpse. His mind was in turmoil. He didn't want to betray his friends…He just didn't. They weren't just friends. They were his comrades…his family.

He smiled weakly as he remembered all of them. He remembered Cielo and his lack of common sense. And that weird accent? Gale and his monotonous speech pattern…

'Almost like his personality…' he snickered.

He remembered his pink-haired teammate Argilla. She was feisty and fiery; she was practically a female version of himself. And his silent leader. Like himself, Serph had risked everything to rescue Sera…

He groaned in pain. These were the people that he fought beside shoulder to shoulder. But then, a vision of Sera came to his mind. She was…hurt.

They were hurting her…and he saw her tears fall.

No. He would never see that again. His heart tightened. She was everything to him. Even more than his comrades ever could. He didn't like what he was to do. If it was up to him, he wouldn't have to make the choice such as that at all, but as he lived at the Junkland, he realized that life didn't always go the way you wanted it to.

His eyes blazed again. He had made up his mind.

xxxxx

"My…it was truly amazing Seraphita…Why, when we came to abort the simulation…we were shocked to find you gone…Hahahahahha. It's truly amazing how you transferred your data from one place to another…like a warp no?" the woman asked, laughing to herself.

Sera ignored her; she wasn't interested to know what it was this woman wanted to say. She was only concerned about her lover.

"Where is Heat?!" she yelled.

The woman regarded her uninterestedly, "Do not concern yourself with him. He is alive."

A cry escaped Sera's mouth. At least, he was alive. But she wanted so badly to see him. She wanted to see with her own eyes that he was alright.

"I am amazed; truly." the woman said, smirking.

Sera refused to meet her eyes and said nothing.

"And to think that they are actually looking for you." she said, laughing.

Sera felt her anger mounting. Didn't this woman have respect for anything?

"They're my friends!" she blurted out, her silver eyes meeting the same silver eyes of the woman before her. The raven-haired woman smirked at girl, "Friends? Is that what you had programmed these AIs to be Seraphita?"

Sera growled, "Don't call me that…!"

"And why not? It is your real name…"

"…They…they're my friends…" she said again, her silver eyes losing their original glint of innocence…Now…there was only…coldness.

"Have you told them the truth?" the woman taunted.

Sera stiffened. The truth. The forbidden truth. It was the truth in which all of their lives were based. Every one of them had received their own personalities and identities based on that truth. It was the truth that had prompted her to leave them at the Junkland; right after their fight with Varin.

The woman laughed again, running a hand through her hair, "So you haven't…"

"…" Sera remained unresponsive. The truth was…

The truth was too painful to bear. And she couldn't allow them to suffer any more than they already did. What had happened in their lives before had nothing to do with the way they lived their lives now. They were created from the same raw materials; that was true, but they were all different now. All of them; each of them had gained their own identities that didn't necessarily mirror their old ones.

Their souls had also been different…

They gained their own.

"They deserve to know the truth…"

Sera shut her eyes tight. She didn't want to hear whatever this woman had to say. It was too much.

"Or are you afraid?"

Sera's eyes snapped open as she heard her word, "…Afraid?"

"Afraid that they would…suffer from it." she finished coldly.

A tear dropped from Sera's eye, "I…I only want to help them…"

"You want to help them? What about the people of this society?" she prodded.

Sera stiffened; the people. They were suffering too.

"Can you really alienate the rest of the human race for a group of AI experiments? Your purpose is to serve God and preserve this world…Or are you really that selfish…?"

Sera couldn't hold it in anymore. She let her tears fall freely, "Please…stop it…"

The woman grinned evilly, "Then…do your duty."

Sera snapped her head to look at her and saw that she already had her back turned. The woman left her room without another word.

Her words still rung in Sera's head. Was she right? Was she really selfish? No. She only had the best intentions. She didn't want to hurt anyone. She didn't want anyone to hurt. Was she really going to neglect her duties as a Cyber Shaman to be with her friends? Was she going to elude the truth forever?

"Heat…where are you…?"

xxxxx

It had been two days now since Heat and Sera had been captured. It had been two whole days and nights since he had made his decision. He felt something break within him that day, as he made up his mind. His eyes became dull and lifeless, his hands cold and unfeeling.

He was still shackled to the wall, but he didn't care. His cell was as dark as night, but he didn't care about it either. He hadn't eaten or drunk in the whole duration of his imprisonment…but he just didn't care.

He could only imagine his lover. His innocent lover. What had she done to deserve this? To have her life taken from her so that it could be used by other people? It was…sad.

He gritted his teeth. And he? What about him? What was he doing here? Being bound, tortured and starved…? He couldn't even protect her. He did nothing…

He was weak.

He was useless.

The doors to his cell slid open.

The light slid into the cell effortlessly. Heat didn't even bother to look up. He knew who it was who stood there.

"Do we have a bargain Avatar Tuner?"

"…"

The woman was getting impatient. Time was of the essence.

"Well?" she asked albeit irritably.

"…Yes…" he said finally.

The woman smiled and nodded, "Very well."

"Do not fret young one. You shall be taken care of. You need not remain here any longer."

Heat growled; she was annoying him again, telling him all sorts of bullshit.

"Where is she?" he asked in a low tone.

Margo remained unfazed, but his tone and his red eyes brought shivers down her spine, "You shall see her soon enough."

"I want to see her now!" he demanded, yelling, testing the strength of the chains once more.

Margo took a step back, but still remained unfazed, "You shall see her when I deem you to be ready. As for now, you will be assigned to complete your task."

The task…

Heat hung his head low once more; it was a task that he didn't want to do.

"When you have completed your task, you shall see her again."

xxxxx

Argilla shivered, hugging her arms around herself. They had been looking around the towns, looking for signs of Heat, Sera and Cielo. They had been lucky to have found help from a boy named Fred.

Without him, they wouldn't have had access to the city of Lokapala.

She shivered again as she thought of the arrangement between Lokapala and the Karma Society…and how they had made the innocent people of Lokapala as prey.

It was all sickening.

But still at least, there was something that she was to be thankful about. They had found Cielo. He had been detained by the people of Lokapala since he was also an Avatar Tuner; an Ashura.

Now, there was only Heat and Sera.

They had been all happy when they had learnt that Heat and Sera had stopped over Lokapala just a few days before. What shattered their glee was that they hadn't returned in days. Two children had come up to them, telling them that they had seen Heat and Sera.

Roland had also told them that Heat was in fact looking for them and had left for Karma City in order to find out any clue of their whereabouts.

Her breathing became labored as she clutched the blanket around herself. They had decided to stay there for the night and would set out for Karma City in the morning. It was, after all, highly probable that the two had been captured.

She calmed down as she felt a weight sink on the bed, a warm and firm hand gripping her shoulder. She turned to see a pair of worried silver eyes, "Are you alright?" he said slowly.

She smiled, "I'm fine."

He wrapped his arms around her, "We'll find them."

He kissed the top of her head, on her hair. She smiled and breathed in his strong masculine scent, the scent of fresh rain and of sandalwood, "Thank you Serph…"

xxxxx

Heat knelt in front of his sleeping lover, contemplating of their time together; both the sad and the happy times. His eyes were glazed with sadness. She was asleep. There were so many things that he wanted to talk to her about. But he couldn't bring himself to wake her. She just looked too innocent…too pure for him to taint with his touch.

But she was already tainted with his touch. He had taken her. He had made her his, and nothing was ever going to change it. But now, he just couldn't. He wanted to cry out right there. Right now, he felt like he was worthless crap. His mind once more experienced its turmoil; his task. He didn't want to do it…but it was just like a wrench in his gut telling him that he must.

Otherwise, this pure creature…his innocent lover would suffer the consequence of his insolence.

He stroked her face. Her skin was as smooth as silk…and her face, as incandescent as the bright stars of the cosmos themselves.

He smiled at that.

He bent closer to her and kissed her on her lips. Her lips were warm and soft; they were filled with life but were cold and unresponsive. He wanted to tear out everyone's guts right now. But then, it had just been because that female, Angel that he got to see his lover at all.

Flashback

He hit the wet and filthy floor. He blinked. He was no longer shackled to the wall. He got on his elbows and attempted to stand. His body felt so heavy at that point. It was difficult to just crane up his neck, much less stand.

His body felt weak.

"Get up." a strong and stern female voice commanded him.

He knew that voice. It had been that same voice whom he had fought alongside with Serph and the others. It had been the same voice that had denied them entry to Nirvana. It had been the same voice that had attempted to take Sera's life.

He growled and wanted nothing more than to leap at her and tear her to shreds…but in his state…he could not.

"Get up." she commanded once more, her voice irritated.

He summoned all of the strength that he had left in his body and stood. His body slightly trembled from fatigue and lack of vital fluids, but he suppressed those feelings of weakness and stood before her, proud.

"You…" he trailed off.

"Yes me. I know that nothing would satisfy you more than to kill me and drink my blood. But that's not what I came here for."

Heat growled at her, glaring death rays at her face. She could only smirk at him, as if to taunt him and to remind him that he was nothing more than a dog to do her bidding.

"You want to see her don't you?"

His eyes widened at that and she laughed once more. She probably knew what he was thinking and so, he remained quiet.

"I know you do. Come on."

He wordlessly followed her.

End Flashback

He followed her out of his filthy cell and had himself cleaned up. She had offered to feed him as well, but he refused, telling her that he had wanted to see Sera first.

Angel did not say anything but just nodded.

He knew that there was a catch to it all. Why would she help him to see Sera when the old hag had specifically told him that he was not to see her until she deemed him ready?

There was something in it for her. And as to what it was, Heat hadn't the slightest clue.

But, kneeling down before Sera now, looking at her, he couldn't really care. He'd worry about it tomorrow.

He felt another presence. He knew his time was up. He wanted to take her and run…but he also knew the probabilities of escape were slim to none. If he was lucky to even get to Sera and take her, he wouldn't get very far. At the worst case scenario, she could die.

He'd just have to find another way.

He reluctantly stood from her bedside and turned to leave when he stopped, hearing her soft voice, afloat in the air.

He immediately snapped around and sat by her side, his hands on either side of her face, his face leaning closer to hers. He also heard that there was a beginning of a small commotion outside; probably the guards coming to "enforce" the rules against overstaying when visiting hours were over.

But, he didn't care. He wanted to hear her speak, even if just a few words…a sound…anything.

"Heat…" she said in her sleep.

Tears were beginning to glaze his eyes.

" Where…are…you?" she whispered, her eyelids moving from left to right.

"Right here…" he whispered back.

"Let's go buddy. Don't make us come in there." a stern voice said. Heat growled and turned to look at him. The man didn't seem to be intimidated by him and this unnerved Heat. He was already contemplating on numerous ways of making this man suffer when Angel came again.

"I gave you permission to see Sera. But now, I must tell you to leave. Do not give me your insolence, for it may hurt Sera." she threatened.

Heat stood and walked over to them, his heart aching as he took more steps away from her. The doors of her cell slid shut; the sound of firm locking could be heard. He felt another wave of pain in his chest, preventing him from breathing. She didn't even know he was there…

xxxxx