Disclaimer:

D-K: Hey, I'm back! Aaaand we're off! Read/review, enjoy, flame all you like, and don't make me go back to the "Happy House" (bursts into song)

"They're coming to take me away, Ha-ha! They're coming to take me away!

In their clean white coats, they've got one for me that buckles in front.

In their nice white van with bars on the windows; with a padded inside…

They're coming to take me away, Ha-ha!" (Crickets chirp)… "crap."

PiliPrincess06: This is what boarding school does to a nice normal person. (gestures to Darkness-Kitsune in a fetal position, rocking back and forth on the floor.) (Shakes head sadly) Sad, isn't it?

D-K: Greetings to my Vocabulary/spelling/proof-reading deficient sister. Ha-ha! You know I love you anyway. Also, Mae Govennan to Harryhunny08 (EL), Thanks for your input and seal of approval on this chapter. Now, ON WITH THE STORY! …maybe not … Kidding … lol. (more Crickets) ONE MORE PEEP OUT OF YOU CREEPS AND I'M CALLING THE EXTERMINATOR! (silence) Good!

Chapter 15:

Honour/Dishonour/Life/Death

Haistus returned with Viduus, Sune-Ku's dagger and ordered two warriors the draw the area of battle. Now, a Serptian Dagger-battle in itself is gory. But, an Honour-Bound Dagger-battle means that one alone can walk away from the fight. The two adversaries would face each other, swear an oath upon their honour that they will not run from the fight, and salute. Knowing, that one would live, the other would die.

Lorea tried one more time:

"SUNE-KU! IF IT'S A CHALLENGE YOU WANT, FIGHT ME INSTEAD!"

Her desperate cries fell on two pairs of deaf ears. Her voice grew from its resting alto/bass tone to a shrill shriek,

"SHE HAS A MATE, IF THAT MEANS ANYTHING TO YOU, AND A HATCHLING! SUNE-KU!" Lorea gasped as her sister turned to face Sune-Ku and stepped into the ring.

"NOOOOO!" Josh yelled, pulling for all he was worth against his bonds and the warriors that held them fast.

"Repeat after me, if you have resolved to do this." Sune-Ku said. Tilly smiled in a strange way and nodded.

"I swear,…"

"I swear,"

"To face my enemy,…"

"To face my enemy,"

"With valour and honour,…"

"With valor and honor,"

"In victory or in defeat,…"

"In victory on in defeat,"

"In ease or in difficulty,…"

"In ease or in difficulty,"

"In living or in dying,…"

"In living or in dying,"

"May my resolve prove strong and true,…"

"May my resolve prove strong and true,"

"This, I swear,…"

"This, I swear,"

"Upon my honour and my life."

"Upon my honor and my life."

Sune-Ku pulled Viduus from its sheath and raised it in her left hand over her head. Tilly held her dagger in the same position. Their daggers' points criss-crossed and gleamed in the firelight.

Sune-Ku glared at Tilly and whispered in a low hiss,

"The rules are: ss-stay in the ring. Other than that, anything goes-ss!"

With that the snake-demoness launched herself into the air.

"Do you want to know the reason my dagger is-ss called "widow-maker" ?" laughed Sune-Ku. Tilly didn't answer, but gritted her teeth and slashed upwards, missing her target horribly.

"Because, I've never lost."

Tilly grimaced as Sune-Ku drew first blood, a shallow cut to her shoulder. The snake continued to mock her,

"Hai-ss-stus-ss! What is the name of our friend's dagger?" the snake-lord shouted amid the shouts, hissings, and cheers for her victory. Tilly's family and friends could only watch in horror.

"It is called "Nex Bajulis", my lady!" he shouted back, "It means "a violent death to the bearer"." Hissing, laughter, and taunting cries welled up from the crowd. During this, Tilly aimed a hard kick at the snake woman's head. Sune-Ku dodged only to make contact with Tilly's dagger.

"Aarrrgh!" she yelled in pain, clutching her check and neck.

Tilly's dagger flashed in the moonlight, and sped towards Sune-Ku's heart…only to be blocked by Viduus. Sune-Ku's counter-attack was swift and soundless: Tilly's stomach bore the blow. She leapt aside too late.

"TILLY!" screamed Josh, his voice next to nothing compared to the louder chanting of the snakes- "Sune-Ku! Sune-Ku!"

The leader continued her taunts, but Tilly was no longer listening. Her eyes began to glow brighter and brighter blue. Faster and harder they fought, Hit, Dodge, Block, Parry, Lunge. Over and over; faster and faster. Tilly then Sune-Ku. Hit after hit; blow after blow. Tilly was cut across her stomach, on her arms, and her shoulders. Sune-Ku stepped back, breathing hard. She had been cut on her chest, shoulder, and part of her face. Both fighters were covered in blood.

Tiring, Tilly made to stab her dagger through her opponent's stomach. Sune-Ku steeped aside… and stabbed Tilly through her back!

"NOOOOO!" Lorea screamed. Sune-ku marking her enemy's wound as fatal, left the ring.

"Unbind them." She ordered. The snake-soldiers did so and followed their leader, vanishing into the night.

Rea was the first to reach her sister's side.

"Rea…in my room, my diary, give it to my little girl."

Hiei picked her up and held her in his arms, silent and solemn. Josh rushed up and kissed her and she died.

Rea hugged her sister's body, sobbing. And, slowly, her spirit energy was released. Black at first, but as she cried, streaks of light blue began to mix with the ebony waves.

Softly, snow began to fall, carried on a little breeze.

AWWWWW! Bye! Two more Chapters!