Forgotten Memories Chapter Nineteen
Chrono Crusade
Date Started: September 21st 2005
Sora Kazuma
"Jin! Jiiiin!"
Through the light of the trees two boys were playing a game of tag, jumping from tree to tree chasing after each other in the setting sunlight. The smaller one was ahead, crimson hair glowing in the amber light while the taller one followed after him. Closer and closer they got, hopping limb from limb as if they had grown up in the trees since the day they could walk. In a diving effort to tag the redhead, the taller one lunged at him. The smaller one ducked, but his footing slipped and he began to plummet towards the forest floor. A split second later and the sound of ruffled feathers tearing through cloth, and the taller one had caught the younger, holding him tightly as they drifted towards the ground on glossy raven wings. Dark canine ears and a tail had exposed themselves from the boy's teal hair and backside, but it seemed to be the least of his concerns.
Touching ground, he set the boy down, golden eyes giving him a concerned once-over. "Are you alright Jin?" He asked softly, though the boy's reply was abruptly lost in a giant roar of thunder.
The scene faded, the forest fading to a canyon top drenched in an evening summer storm. Beneath the falling heavens two figures stood, their hard muscular bodies glistening in every flash of the blue light, gleaming from the cold merciless rain.
One of the two had fallen, resting on one knee in the muck, his clothes slashed across the front where an impressive gash had been torn into his chest. Pale silver hair was plastered to his dark cheeks, his true gaze impossible to tell. Meanwhile the other was standing merely thirty feet away, black wings folded up around him as he put a hand on his hip, golden eyes arrogantly falling on their opponent. "Well now Aion, I thought you would be more of a challenge. I guess you really are nothing without those horns of yours." He said, his voice flowing through the downpour like the heavy ran itself, not even the slightest tremor showing as he lifted his clawed hand to push back thick wet strands of green-blue hair.
The fallen one laughed, fangs showing as he gritted his teeth and grinned, once again rising to his feet. "You know nothing, you pathetic welp. You are still a mere puppy Yugo, and I will prove it, right here and now."
As he rushed his opponent again, another flash of lightning and the scene immediately changed to day. The handsome creature with the black wings and teal hair was scouring some sort of camp, his furry raven tail swishing behind him ever so slightly as he walked. "Yugo!"
Those dog-like ears twitched and he turned his head, amber eyes meeting a pair so like his own as the redheaded boy remade his appearance, but like the winged animal, was older and more beautiful, like a brilliant work of art himself.
"Jin," The winged one said, still looking down on the other. It seemed that would never change. "What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be out scouting?"
"Oh, I was. And I happened to find some new recruits for our cause. I was going to tell Aion, but he and Shadar are a little busy trying to figure out that watch thing of theirs, and well, I was going to make sure it was okay with Chrono, but he and the holy woman are off somewhere too, so I figured you would be my next bet, since I can bet what Rizel's answer is going to be right off the bat." There was something that flickered in the young man's amber eyes, so much like the other's that caused the winged one to smile.
"Alright then. Lead the way." He said, grinning slightly.
The two tore their way up the canyon to a remote spot near the river. Rounding a corner, Jin came to an abrupt stop, walking out into the sandy ground with a confident flick of his ivory tail. Yugo followed, curious to why the boy was acting this way. He was about to find out.
After coming into mere view of the shore, the redhead was glomped by a busty woman with long ivory hair down to her ankles. "Oh, baby, you're back!" She said, wrapping her arms around his neck. The winged one blinked in surprise, while the younger of the two men blushing scolded the woman for her behavior. Violet-blue eyes peered curiously at the newcomer in surprise, a naughty little grin working its way into her face. "Jin, you are right. Your brother is one extremely handsome creature."
She walked up to him, her fingertips dancing over his jaw as she grabbed his chin in her hands. There was something about her, the aura surrounding her that made his body instantly ache, desire to hold her ever closer, to touch her. Golden eyes widened in surprise at this and he swallowed. "You're a succubus." He said softly, a blatant accusation.
She smiled, apparently impressed. "And you're smart too. It's so sad that I fell for your brother instead…we could have had a lot of fun together."
"I won't dissapoint you Rei." Another female voice spoke up. Yugo turned his head away from those deep blue eyes toward the sound, his head tilting as he looked over the other woman who had just joined them. Leathery wings of a dark amber color framed her small lithe body, brilliant green eyes watching him amusedly. Dark red brown hair fell over her body, and dainty scales covered her arms up to her biceps and her legs up to her thighs as if it were some lace clothing she was wearing to match her short revealing dress.
The succubus nodded though she managed a small giggle to that, retreating back to Jin's side. "You better Krystil, because if you let something that appealing walk away..."
She laughed, brushing it off as she ran a finger through her dark wavy hair. "Nice to meet you Yugo." She said, ignoring the other girl's prying comments.
Yugo smiled warmly back at her. "Yeah, you too."
The scene changed again, reverting back to the camp, though it seemed to be at a later date. Again, it was the handsome winged creature, though he looked a bit agitated this time. Turning a corner, his eyes widened and he called out to someone ahead of him. "Chrono!"
Dark locks of violet hair spilled around the other's face as he turned, golden-red eyes blinking slightly as he stopped and waited for the other to catch up. "Yugo…haven't seen much of you lately." He said softly, his deep voice holding a somewhat dry, but affectionate tone.
"I've been helping Jin with his scouting and recruiting campaigns." He explained as they started back up the path. "We're gone for days and then when we do return I lose all sight of my brother to Rei. She is unmerciful, that witch." He said amusedly. He paused for a minute, ears moving slightly as he gauged his comrade's mood. "You're in charge of the holy woman, correct?" He asked after a moment. "How is she?" Chrono all but stopped in his tracks. The teal-haired creature looked back at him in surprise. "Has something happened Chrono? This is not like you."
The other just shook his head, dark hair shadowing his beautiful face. "I…" It took him a moment to find the words to speak. "Yugo…" He looked at him as they started up the path again. "Do you believe that what Aion is doing is right?"
The question obviously caught the other by surprise. "Where is this coming from?" He asked, with an arched eyebrow, trying not to sound to demanding.
"I-It's nothing really." Chrono said quickly. "It's just that all of this…the death of Pandaemonium, something so simple as ripping out our horns…will doing all this really get us our freedom, and at the smallest price?" His crimson eyes seemed lost in thought. "I want to avoid any serious bloodshed if possible, and I'm not sure Aion is going about it the right way."
Golden eyes narrowed slightly and he stopped, resting a clawed hand on his friend's shoulder. "Has the holy woman said something to you of this? And why are you worried so much about the humans? They are nearly-"
"Will you listen to yourself Yugo!" His comrade snapped, fangs showing his annoyance to the subject. "Magdalene has nothing to do with this! And surely you do not want to see this place fall to ruin-"
"The land should not suffer for our consequences, but I care not what happens to the humans. They can all burn in the fires of hell for all I care." Yugo said, pushing away from him. "I trust Aion's word. I believe that he is in the right, and until he proves otherwise-"
"Just, be careful, my friend." Chrono cut him off in a soft apologetic whisper that made the other look back at him. He hadn't meant to get so defensive on Magdalene's behalf.
Yugo nodded, a small smile creeping on to his face. Suddenly his ears pricked and he let out a small groan. "Oh, heaven above, no…"
"What is it?" The other asked curiously.
"Krystil." He said hurriedly, rushing past him. "She will not give me a moments rest for anything. If I am around she has to be by my side." He quickly spread his wings. "If you see her, tell her you haven't seen me all day." He said quickly.
Chrono laughed, giving a quick nod. "I'll keep it our little secret."
Night quickly filled, a full moon staining the canyon with its pale silver light. High above a ridge overlooking the river, our handsome creature sat, black wings folded around his body to shield himself from the night wind while the young woman with amber brown wings and demon scales sat close to his side, her emerald eyes watching the night pass before them.
"Isn't it beautiful Yugo?" She said eagerly, like a little kid as she took in the sight of the river, which had turned to liquid platinum in the pale touch of the star-filled sky.
He smiled, nodding his head. "The moon…makes me want to sing."
"Sing?" Those bright eyes blinked.
He shook his head; a slight blush working it's way into his golden-tan cheeks. "Never mind that."
She giggled. "Okay then." Her hand rested on his arm then, fingertips brushing over the hard muscles in his shoulder as she leaned upward towards his face. "I can think of something fun we can do, if you are out of ideas." She whispered, her breath hot on his face as their lips were just centimeters apart.
Yugo growled, prying her hands off him and standing up. "No thank you." He stated softly, though his voice was a direct order with no room for disobedience.
She huffed at that, immediately rising, offended from being brushed off so casually. "Honestly, what is your problem?" She snapped, furious with him.
His golden eyes narrowed at her tone of voice, his ears flicking back in irritation. "I'm not interested in you. You are a comrade, and I could never think of you as anything other then that."
She smirked. "Who said feelings or titles have to get in the way of anything? I would just like to have some fun with you, that's all." She took a step closer to him, her tone of voice dropping lustily. "Wouldn't you like to feel good Yugo?"
"Krystil, don't make me repeat myself twice." He snarled, fangs gritting together as he resisted the urge to completely rip her apart with words.
When she realized she wasn't getting anywhere, she shrieked in agitation. "What in the hell is wrong with you! Even your baby brother is completely satisfied at night with Rei in his bed! And here you are, nearly twice his age, completely alone. Are we all just to good for you, or is it a mortal woman you desire?" She watched as he bristled at that, grinning as it seemed something had managed to stir him from the cold wall he had built up. "That's it, isn't it? You fancy human women to your own kind!"
Before she even had recollection of what had happened she was laying on the ground ten feet from where she had stood, the side of her face throbbing from where his hand had connected with her cheek. His clawed fingers were lost in her mass of wavy copper hair forcing her to hold gaze with him. "Don't you ever, in your entire life, think that I would want anything from a mortal." He hissed, fangs showing, black ears pinned back against his teal hair. "Humans will be the death of this beautiful planet. They're filthy, greedy, vile creatures who at best need a swift merciful death to put them out of their misery. Those pathetic beasts killed my father. Don't you dare even hope to think I will even associate with them." He said, amber eyes not daring to stray from hers until his hold on her broke and he moved away. Whatever courage and nerve she had built up before was gone, and after he had stepped away, she broke down into tears. Those golden eyes softened at the sound of her sobs, though his voice was still as cold as it had been moments before. "Wolves mate for life, Krystil. There is only one person for each of us, and that is it. Jin just happened to find his before me, that is all. I feel nothing for you in that way, I know there is something missing when I am with you, and that is enough for me to live by. You are not my one, and this infatuation you have with me stops now."
With that said, he turned his back on her and left, not trying to show how upset he was from having to listen to her tears…he liked the girl, but she was like a family member, a friend, and he could not hope to pretend that she was even his soulmate. As he disappeared into the darkness the scene yet again changed, to a cove in the canyon's winding bends. Long raven hair moved in the sunlight, gleaming like long beautiful onyx in the bright light. Crimson eyes looked up at the sound of ruffling feathers, the arrival of the wolf demon. A small twisted smile worked its way onto the man's face. "Yugo."
"Aidan." The other addressed from a distance, his hands crossed over his chest. "When did you get back?"
"Earlier today." The other said softly walking closer. With a flick of his thumb he drew the sword at his waist, the metal practically glowing in then sun. "What do you think? Gorgeous, heh?"
Yugo took the sword, a very familiar soft look crossing his face as he manipulated the weapon in his hand. "Korean made. You have a mind for swords, Aidan."
"They're beautiful, they're deadly. The best of both worlds if you ask me." He grinned, undoing the hilt from his belt. "Here, you hold onto it for a while. Jin and you treat that place as some sort of homeland…mine as well coddle what you can from home sweet home."
The wolf demon blinked in surprise. "You sure?" He asked with an arch of an eyebrow.
"As sure as the morning mist." He said softly, turning his back on him, the long curtain of black dancing behind him as he walked away. "Call it…a token of seeing each other again. We know how often that happens." And with that he disappeared into a foggy shadow of the cove, leaving Yugo dumbfoundedly holding the blade and the hilt and watching after the other's place of disappearance.
As calm as the scene before it had been, the next started rather violently. There was the sound of crumbling rock and several raised voices filtering through the side of the tented shelter built into the canyon wall. "You traitorous bitch!" Yugo was not happy in the least, his body shaking with fury, ears pinned back, golden eyes narrowed on the woman he held by the throat, looking into those amethyst eyes he had come to know so well.
"Yugo, just let her go!" Jin was standing behind his brother, golden eyes wide, torn apart with grief. He looked like a small, frightened child instead of the arrogant and mischievous young man he was normally known to be. His white tail was tucked submissively around one leg and his ears were drooping…he was not going to challenge his brother in the least, but he couldn't just stand there and let this progress. Instead he looked at the girl, bright amber orbs wavering on tears. "Rei, why…"
The girl laughed softly, though it just allowed a line of blood to trickle from her delicate mouth. Her body was half in the side of the rock wall from the force of being slammed against it, crumbling pieces breaking off as she shifted against the rock hard surface her broken form was lying against. "Yes, Yugo, be a good boy and listen to your younger brother. Let me go." She said softly.
"So you can go running off to Aion? How many times have you been with him Rei, I'm dying to know the answer!" His clutch on her throat tightened, claws tearing mercilessly in the ivory skin of her throat.
She coughed slightly and Jin whimpered slightly. "Damnit Yugo, you're killing her!"
Rei's violet eyes narrowed in defiance at that. "I have never betrayed Jin, you poor excuse for a demon. You are the traitors! How can the two of you be leaving now, after all this time! Do you just not believe in Aion anymore or are you just to frightened of what's going to happen when we succeed?"
"Rei, you misunderstand…" Jin whispered, but it was lost to the other two.
"Chrono has enough reason to distrust him…and Aion's movements as of late have been wary to most of us." Yugo replied, snarling, ignorant to everything else watching as her eyes blazed with such a hatred for him.
"Chrono! The one infatuated with the holy woman!" She laughed, a cold bitter laugh. "He's as much one of us as a mortal babe is. He has been taken over by that woman's talk. Aion will succeed, we will destroy the entire human race and the heavens above and you two will be hunted and killed for the complete cowards you are!" She smirked at him then, challenging him. "I should have expected as much from you Yugo, you mutt. I should have known that any devil with mortal's blood flowing through his veins was as weak minded as any human."
Something snapped within Yugo then, something furious and wounded, a line of sanity perhaps, but the enticing aura that always lingered from her and her words mixed with the scent of her blood drove him past the brink of any normal point. His hand buried itself in her throat, tearing flesh and muscle apart as he crushed her body with the sheer force of his might, snapping her head back and breaking her neck as if it were a mere twig. There was nothing but a soft whispered gasp that escaped her lips and the light was gone from her eyes, but the furied devil was to far gone to realize that. He ripped her to pieces, not satisfied until her very heart was torn from her chest. Jin had cried out to his brother, yelled out to him, but he could not move, frozen to the spot where he had sank to his knees, tears running down his pale cheeks and pooling on the stone floor as he watched helplessly.
As if someone had lit a flame, Yugo started to slowly come back, golden eyes watching as the woman's body dissolved to ash underneathe his fingertips, the crimson blood that had splattered all of his body vanishing from his skin in a whispered wisp of smoke. Realization hit him hard enough and his stomach lurched, the weight of what he had just done slamming into with enough force to make him feel as if he was going to puke. His ears flickered, picking up the quiet sobs and his jaw went slack as he turned back toward his brother sitting there on his knees. "J-Jin…" He whispered.
His brother looked up then, golden eyes burning with so much anger and hatred for a moment he felt as if he was looking straight back into Rei's face again. "Damn you bastard!" He was on his feet then, slamming Yugo back against the wall, claws tearing at the muscles on his brother's chest, tears running with the crimson. "I told you to stop! Why the hell wouldn't you listen! She's dead! Rei's dead! You killed her!" He was screaming, not caring who heard him.
Despite the pain, the winged one felt quite numb, as if he was watching this scene unfold himself and not even recognizing his own actions. "I hate you!" Jin cried, finally pushing away from him, backing off a few feet to look up at him. "I wanted to take her away from all of this, to give her a new life outside of Aion's hell, to live our lives our way. And you took her from me! Damnit Yugo, I hate you!"
For some reason those three simple words hurt more then the wounds he had received from his sibling's hands or the mere fact of killing the one his brother loved. The weight or knowing that he had caused this sort of pain; that he was the reason his brother was this way…maybe…Aion had been right after all. Devils just caused suffering and despair everywhere they went. Not matter what, he could never be satisfied he would never be spared this curse…unless…
"I-I'm sorry…" He whispered softly, his own voice choked with grief. "I…what have I done…? Jin, I…" Frustrated, sick and tired of it all, he lifted a hand to his head, running over the polished horns that protruded from his head right underneath the base of his ears. With a firm yank he pulled the black ivory from his head letting no more then a soft groan as he let it fall to the floor, the other quickly following. With crimson flowing down his cheeks to mask his own tears he sank to his knees, suddenly so exhausted with life in particular. If he died from such injuries he would not despair…maybe death was better after all.
His brother stood there in rather shock, golden eyes watching as his sibling picked up the ivory horns and tossed them into the fireplace across the room. The flame blazed a bright purple, but he was sure his sibling did not even see it as he watched for a second and then fell to the stone, unconscious from the pain, both physical and mental.
It took a long time for Jin to move but finally he walked over and collapsed beside him, lifting his sibling's head into his lap and pushing away lock of his green-blue hair. The tears started running again as he stared at the horrible wounds where his brother had torn out his own horns. They would surely heal back to perfection, but the mere thought of it, for what he had said, and the wave of emotion he had gotten psychically from it all. "Yugo…I can never forgive you for what you've done…" He said softly. "But that does not mean I do not love you…my brother." His lower lip was quivering from all of this. Why had this happened this way? "You're the only one I have left in this world." Lifting the larger body into his arms as he stood, he left the tent, and the canyon at that, letting his blinding speed carry him through the land around him until he was sure they would not be found. Days had passed and throughout all of it, Yugo had slept, locked away within his own mind, hiding from the guilt and reality of what he had done.
His brother found a suitable hiding spot among the alcoves in the northern mountain range and hid themselves there, taking the first time in almost a week to rest. He had become paranoid and depressed, lost in grief. He cried himself to sleep and awoke the next morning with a twisted absolute resolve. "This is where our paths part, Brother. And let us hope, for your sake, that they do not cross again."
Yugo awoke, days later on his own, and after reading the thoughts his brother had left behind like a faded old note, pulled himself together. He was alone, shunned from his family, betrayed from his friends and at less then half strength. Death still plainly called to him, but the creature was still stubborn, and that was perhaps the only thing that kept him going.
He made a home for himself there, sheltered away from the rest of the world as it changed, as the humans got ever stronger, more civilized, smarter. Venturing out into their territory meant cloaking his true form, and even then he still stood out amongst the other mortals. Years flew by in seconds, and time passed…there was a fight…and old friend had discovered the whereabouts of the sinner and tried to massacre the people just to get to him. Normally, the devil would not have cared, but after Rei's death…after causing so much pain and realizing what death could do, not even mortals deserved to be slaughtered so aimlessly. And so, the devil raised up his strength to fight for them, and though the people turned on him anyway, at least the stupid creatures were still alive.
The sound of a gunshot shattered through the quickly flashing scene, showing a crimson haired woman running through the dimly lit cave with a pistol in hand, tracking something moving just ahead. It was the outline of the impressive devil Yugo that she was chasing, the creature holding his side where he had been injured. Turning a sharp corner at the end of the rocky slide down she held the gun up toward the beast's face. "This is the end of you, you pathetic excuse for a demon."
He growled, flinching at those words, as if they were long pulled from his past. "Don't…you dare call me that, mortal." He snarled.
"You shouldn't have any room to talk, not while you're on the barrel end of the gun. Any last words devil, before I send you on to the next world?"
The rumbling sound of the earth shifting around them cut off any snide remark he was about to say. He sniffed the cold dank air, golden eyes widening. "No…not again…" He whispered.
"What are you babbling about!" The woman demanded. "Are you causing this!"
With a mighty roar and a rush of a cold air, the roof began to cave in, collapsing on the small room the two had been standing in. There was barely time to move…somehow the demon had pushed her out of the way, protecting her body as he shielded her with his own. When she finally reopened her eyes, she let out a soft cry in pain. She could smell the scent of the body lying over hers, something feral and wild, untamed. A small blush worked it's way into her face as she turned her head slightly to get away from him. "Are you still alive devil?" She asked after a moment, hoping that at least he had not died lying buried in this mess ontop of her.
"I was about to ask you the same thing. You're pretty strong for a mortal woman." He replied, deep voice lingering on her ear as his head was nuzzled up against her neck, held there by the debri boxing him in and lying on top of him. He was doing the best he could to hold up the weight of the cave-in on his back and shoulders. If his strength gave out, they would be crushed under ten tons of rock and soil.
"What's that supposed to mean!" She snapped, though her voice was starting to waver and it was evident.
"Hey, stay with me now…don't die on me yet." He whispered softly, suddenly afraid for her life and not sure why.
"I…can't feel my legs." She replied quietly. "What do you care anyway devil? I'm nothing more then food to you anyway."
"Hardly." He huffed. "I don't eat humans, and especially not women." He put in a small pause. "Look…" he shifted slightly, body pressing more into hers as he struggled. He was shaking, sweat pouring off him and becoming more and more of a strain with each passing second. "We do not have much time. In minutes the rest of this is going to come down on us and we're going to be shattered like glass doll in this cave."
She laughed, a soft, bitter, amused laugh. "As far… as I can …see devil, we are already done for."
"Will you stop calling me that!" He demanded, fangs gritting together in frustration at her hopelessness. "The name is Yugo! Use it!" He growled.
She opened her eyes at that, realizing she had offended him. "…Sorry." She whispered.
"I can save us." He replied, his voice just as soft. "I can save us, but it will cost us both. If we enter a contract…I can regain my lost strength and get us out of here. But you will…have to lose something in return…" He groaned, his body starting to give out on him. With the thought of more blood on his hands, he just shook his head. "We'll have to find another way."
"What will I… have to lose?" She asked quickly, a catch in her voice.
Now that he had said something, he was regretting it. "Your very life." He blurted out. "Or something of equal value to you. I've never created a contract before, though I know they work, but I…" He didn't know what it was that was keeping him from saying yes, whether it was the ghosts that haunted his past or something else, but he did not want to see this woman die.
"Do you have…any other ideas…?" She asked softly, her breathing starting to slow. Yugo caught on it, lifting his head slightly, golden eyes widening. "If we don't… get out of here… we're going to die… anyway."
There was the bitter truth the man had been avoiding. His body was giving out on him, and it would only be a matter of time before all that weight broke him and they were shattered to pieces. "A-Alright." He said finally. "Miss…w-what's your name?"
It took her moments to answer, and for a second he feared her dead before his sensitive hearing picked up her faint breath. "Maiko." She whispered after a moment. "Sora Maiko."
The devil nodded, trying to think. For a contract, he would need two things; a material item, and the mortal's name and permission. The only possession on him that he could think of was his heavy onyx necklace around his neck, trapped between the both of them as their bodies inched closer and closer with the weight on top of him bearing down. His mind probed hers, looking for something, other then her life force he could take, any possible way to save her. She had had a difficult past, and her life hadn't gotten any easier for her. "Is…it alright if I take your memories from you?" He asked softly.
She laughed. "Please. Some of them I would rather forget." Her words were bitter, but honest.
He nodded, drawing them up in the contract line. As a reassurance, he tied his own memories in with them…he didn't want to pull something from her and watch as her body went into shock and she went braindead. If offering up some of his own hurtful past would weaken the blow that she would feel…he just prayed this would work. Mentally watching the contact gather within his head bonding their two lives together he whispered into her long curtain of hair.
"Sora Maiko, I hereby make a contract with you…"