Chapter 6:
Ritsuka stumbled backward, his feet unsure which way to go. Saki wasn't a sweet little girl anymore. She was a monster. In her eyes he could see fear and anger colliding in her cloudy brown eyes. Cloudy?
She's blind, Ritsuka thought. That's why she was acting that way and hiding her face from me.
"Wait, Saki," Ritsuka pleaded.
"No," Saki replied. "I won't, Loveless, one who is without love. What a horrible name. You indeed are without love, Ritsuka." An evil grin began to creep subtly across Haru's face. "Seimei's dead," Saki continued. "He died in your chair at your elementary school. It's your fault he's dead."
That's right, Haru smiled. Manipulate his soul. Mess with his mind. Do it. Do it!
Ritsuka clutched his head in his hands. Painful memories plagued him. A scorched corpse sitting upright in his chair flashed before his eyes. The clothes it wore were clean and untouched by the flames. The face was gone; it was barely a face at all. The limp body frightened him, for it screamed at him that Seimei was dead.
"Seimei," Ritsuka whimpered. "Soubi." The sound of the window sliding shut echoed loudly in the room. As the latched clicked, all eyes turned to the window.
"Ritsuka, I'm here," Soubi smiled. Haru's smile disappeared, and he stepped in front of Saki.
"Why are you here?" he growled. "You're supposed to be at the gallery getting your pictures back." Soubi gazed sternly at the pair of teens.
"I see," he murmured. "So you are her Sacrifice, Haru. Strange. You're names don't match," he smiled. "Just like Ritsuka and me." He took off his coat and tossed it aside onto Ritsuka's bed. "Unhand him," he ordered, "or I shall declare battle."
"Bring it then!" Haru snarled. "Saki and I can take you, especially with that pathetic excuse for a Sacrifice of yours!" He grasped Saki's hand and kissed it. "We who are of two worlds," he chanted, "Immortal, Trustless. Fighter Systems engage." Soubi shoved Ritsuka behind him.
"Systems engage. Begin automatic mode." Ritsuka gasped in fear as the room faded to black.
"Soubi," he whimpered in fear. Soubi gently kissed Ritsuka's cheek as he lifted him in his arms.
"You can just close your eyes," he murmured. Ritsuka nodded and buried his face in Soubi's jacket lining.
"I knew he was too weak to fight," Haru jeered. "I gave him a little kiss, and he freaked out. He's a little pain the ass." Soubi's eyes narrowed into a piercing glare as Haru continued to throw insults at Ritsuka.
"Haru," Saki muttered. "Rend! Shred! Tear!"
"Full defense mode. Your attacks are useless against me."
"Deflect! Repel!" Saki gasped in fear as she watched her spells work to no avail. A Restriction appeared on Haru's wrist. He cried in pain as it dug into his arm. Saki couldn't think of what to do next. Already Haru was restricted. She growled at Soubi and began another spell. "Sever! Slice! Incise!"
"Useless," Soubi smiled. "I am not fighting as a team." Haru let go of his chained wrist, a snarl etched on his face. There was blood dripping from his fingers. Luckily for him, it was not blood from his veins.
"You'll pay for that," he snapped. "Saki, don't hold back!"
"But, Haru-kun, what about—"
"Forget about me!" Haru replied. "Just take him out!" Saki nodded in reply.
"Haru-kun," she murmured, "I love you." Haru smiled and embraced her.
"I love you too," he whispered. "I promise I'll be okay. We'll get married as soon as we can. Do you trust me?" Saki nodded and wiped away her tears.
"And I'll be able to see again?" Haru stroked her hair and kissed her forehead.
"Yes," he murmured. "You won't be blind anymore."
Ritsuka watched Haru and Saki as they whispered words of promise to each other. The longer he stared at Saki, the more he noticed a pair of evanescent wings like an angel's on her back. He looked over at Haru. Similar wings began to appear on his back as well, but they were torn and bony.
"Soubi, look," he gasped. Saki's wings surrounded Haru like a barrier. "Stop fighting them," he pleaded. "If Haru dies, what'll happen to Saki?" Soubi's eyes softened. Ritsuka's orders were the Ultimate Word. He usually didn't take Ritsuka's orders seriously, but Ritsuka was on the verge of tears.
"Alright," he replied. "Immortal, Trustless, I retreat." Haru and Saki raised their heads in unison.
"Really?" Haru wondered. "In that case, hand over Loveless. We were sent on the orders of Septimal Moon to bring him in." Ritsuka clenched his hands into fists. He tried to stop the tears from running down his face as he spoke.
"I won't go," he growled. "I won't go." Haru smiled and stretched out his arm.
"Come, Loveless," he ordered. "Come with us."
