A/N: I'm pumped I'm fired up! I'm ready!

… BUT I'VE LOST MY NOTEBOOK! XD AND ALL MY IDEAS WERE IN THERE! –cries-

Any-who, instead of listening to me whining guess you'd much rather read the next chapter, huh? Well… don't say I didn't warn you it'd be bad. I've had barely any sleep due to cruddy exams, I lost my notebook where ALL my ideas were (though that's okay, since I didn't reeeeeaaaaally like what I'd written anyway) and the only good thing I got going for me is the two litre bottle of coke sitting in my room and a full packet of Maryland cookies (well, that's a lie. They're down one 'cos I just ate one XD and I can assure you they'll all be eaten by the time I've finished this chapter).

Well, thanks to everyone who reviewed. I thought at first 'No one is gonna read this!' and then today I turned on my computer and there were another load of reviews there. You guys make me so happy! Hugs and cookies all round : )

Yeah, well you know who it's dedicated to. BlooDy-MaY you are my source of inspiration so I hope you like the next chapter: )

Side-note before chapter: Currently listening to Roy Mustang from Fullmetal Alchemist's Vocal Collection. It freakin' ROCKS: D Then again, it still can't beat Ed's! –glomps Ed-

Well, onward! Onward: D

Those who dance with Darkness

Chapter III

Rain.

It was raining yet again. The black night sky was overcast by clouds of grey, stopping even the moonlight getting through those silver barriers of the sky. The rain that fell kept a constant motion, a constant speed, falling and falling with no intention of stopping. But he found the rain comforting. It was nice to feel the water on his skin as he stood out on the remains of a destroyed town. It had once been his hometown. It was no more.

Ryuichi held his staff far out in front of him, preparing for the sending ritual in order to send the souls of those dead on to the other world. They were counting on him to survive, and to send them on. He couldn't let them down. He feared he may have arrived too late and most souls would have already lost themselves to the darkness. He prayed he was wrong.

Rain trickled off the tip of his nose. He danced.

Yes, it was a dance of sorrow. A mourning dance for all those who had been killed by Eiri Uesugi. And he was dancing for them. For his people. He had tried to save as many as possible when the troops came, but had been beaten and had had to flee, far away from his hometown. Far away from his people.

He felt so responsible for their deaths.

If only he had been stronger, he could have saved them all. If only he had come in time, he could have sent them all on to the other world before any souls passed into the darkness. If only…

If only he wasn't alone.

Bright lights flickered around him, indicating the souls were leaving this world and departing for the next. They flew around him, engulfing him in a wonderful light. And then they dissipated, flung into the winds heading for the other world.

The dance finished. The ritual was over.

He sighed and gazed up at the sky. The rain still fell. He was practically soaked, but he didn't care. It was then he made up his mind.

He would head out on a quest… and find those who also wanted to destroy the darkness.

With these thoughts fresh in his mind, he nodded and left the rubble far behind.

The once beautiful city of Aquroya was no more.

A new quest for the light began.

The Seer looked on into the darkness from the Uesugi castle. He wanted to see light once more. He wanted the darkness to leave for good. He didn't want anyone to get hurt anymore.

But he couldn't turn against Eiri.

He had known Eiri for such a long time, and he knew that Eiri hadn't always been this way. It was after his encounter with darkness that he turned to it. He sighed.

So it had been true then. That saying that no one wanted to believe. Darkness truly did consume anyone who encountered it, no matter how brief their encounter was.

He didn't believe that light could ever be the only existence in the world. However, he didn't believe that darkness was acceptable either.

He wanted a balance. A balance between two opposing elements.

Mika had looked so hopeful when he told her his vision. His vision of a saviour who would save them all. A summoner with extraordinary ability and potential. Someone that even Eiri couldn't defeat.

He also knew that their power came from the one force Eiri could not wipe out.

Love.

The night was long and harsh. He knew he didn't have the strength to keep going on. He knew this… and yet he still tried. He kept pushing himself, and pushing himself to go that further distance, telling himself that he could do it. That no amount of darkness would stop him. Telling himself, that he needed to live to prove that light would conquer all darkness. That light shone brightest through thick and thin; through life and death. That light was the strongest force imaginable and that it would lead them to victory.

His eyes widened. The last of his strength left him.

"I…" he whispered but didn't even get a chance to finish his sentence. Fatigue overtook him.

He fell into darkness.

The troops sped on long into the night, a group of believers who would not loose themselves to the darkness. They had put all their belief in light and that the strongest force alive was the light. They believed in its miracles, knowing that it was going to save them all from the darkness. None would die… because they believed. They would not doubt their belief. They would keep marching steadily onwards.

Nakano was the strongest of them all, and all his troops looked up to him. He was a fierce as they came with a will of steel. He would never let himself be consumed by the darkness, no matter what. He was a believer, and this made him stronger. He put all his trust, faith and belief in the light and knew it would save them.

"Captain Nakano! I see something!" one of the troops members called. Nakano snapped into action.

"Surround it! Don't let it get away! It could be one of Uesugi's followers!" he yelled. A swift set of 'Yessir!'s were the strong reply by the troops, who did exactly as their Captain ordered, racing forward and surrounding their target. Nakano nodded to Fujisaki, who readied himself with his staff just in case. Nakano drew his sword and they both ran forward to see their target.

Nakano and Fujisaki gaped at what they saw before them.

It was a small boy, curled in a ball, with pink hair, dressed in summoner's robes…

… and clutching a summoner's staff firmly in his hands…

A/N: Eep! Short! Sorry! I'm not good at writing long things, ESPECIALLY not long chapters. Anyway, hope you liked it. Get back to me on whether it's good or not, whether you understand it and so on. I do appreciate all reviews : )

Erm… another little side-note. Lirui (The Walking Dead), I should've mentioned, is NOT my own word. It's another word of my friend Chris' which she used for her story. –sweatdrops- I really hope she doesn't mind!

Aquroya – If you recognise it, that's because once again it isn't my own word XD Nah, I'm not good with coming up with words. Aquroya was the city of water from Fullmetal Alchemist. And Ryuichi is a summoner from there and because of that loves water. Hope that makes sense!

Well, that's it from me! Adios!

- Hikari-kun -