A/N: sorry for taking so long to post this chapter… I was too busy, downloading Naruto, I love Naruto now… awesome anime… Haha, don't worry I will still write more chapters for this story. R&R

Chapter 8)

Lies…

"Anna slow down, you walking too fast…" said Manta, running after Anna. His face covered with sweat and sand. His feet hurts, his leg sore with pain and his vision blurred with every step. He was tiny for a teenager but his brain makes up it. "Anna, why are you we rushing to Dhobi Village?" asked Manta, weak and weary after the long journey. Frustrated Manta cursed Anna, "Anna stop what the bloody hell is wrong with you…" biting his dried crack lips Manta looked knew he had overreacted, but he didn't expect Anna to take it so hard. She froze on the sandy desert, her hair weaving in the northern breeze. She was a statue, motionless and quiet. Afraid he had madden her, Manta asked in a gently tone, "I'm sorry for my outburst"

"No, Manta… I should have told you this…?" she answered her voice quivering. "I though it was my mind playing tricks on me, but I was wrong…" turning around towards Manta, her face covered with sand and tears. Her eyes carried sacks of red rings, her once red rose lips quivered with streaks of hair shading her watery eyes. "Manta, Yoh is dead… I should have told you sooner but… I thought it was just…"

"No… you are wrong… Anna… Yoh cannot be defeated…" Manta said, stepping away from Anna into the unknown desert, refusing to accept such lies. He couldn't help the tears shear from his eyes, but he decided to run away from Anna and her lies. "I don't believe you, Anna…" Manta yelled, his screams muffled by the roar of the rising wind. "If you are trying to joke, you can't… This isn't funny Anna…" added Manta, over the roaring of the growing wind.

"I wish I was, Manta… I really wish I was…" Anna replied tears staining her black blouse.

"You are a liar… how do you know he is dead?" Manta barked at the weeping Anna, her heart was already broken the day Hao nearly killed Yoh. She couldn't face such pain; she didn't want to feel such torment.

"I gave him an amulet; Manta…A magic amulet and it's the only link I have with him… when he wears it…"

"If he wears it... what if he took it off… Anna ever though about it…" Manta said

"I felt him die, I felt him, and Manta…I felt him drifting into the world of the dead…" Anna retorted anguished,

"Stop lying Anna," Manta howled running into the desert, away from Anna and her lies and away from the cursed Dhobi Village. His lunges exploded and his legs burn, as he ran away from her lies. Ignoring the shouts and calls of Anna, Manta ran. He knew he was far away from Anna but still he ran, he ran till his heart couldn't handle another step, collapsing on the sand. Weariness took him to his dreams, where he laid on the green grass of spring, the scent of new life whiffed around him with Yoh beside him laughing and joking like they always do.

Anna could only see as Manta's small figure disappear into the shimmering heat wave. She knew she should have told him earlier but choose not to. Sighing she turning glancing at the rocky land before her, protecting Dhobi village from non-shamans. Pulling her bandana, she dried her tears. With each step, she knew she was walking towards the corpse of Yoh, her lover in Dhobi Village. 'Nothing could stop her from reaching her Yoh, nothing.' She though, wandering towards the village.

From upon the jagged cliff the Fallen Angel watched with his hawk eye, watching as the tiny boy ran away into the desert, facing enviable death. Turning his gaze back on the female, he couldn't see why she was so special to Yoh and Hao. One thing he did know for certain was to capture this female then the Asakura brothers would be bonded to him, obeying his every command, if they haven't destroyed themselves. They will be known as the death-knight, the Fallen Angel's right and left hand men, and their prize that wretched girl. He knew he could let such good talents go to waste.

"Ryukenshi, when you're ready" the Fallen Angel said, patiently waiting for his guardian spirit's call.

A mist appeared before the Fallen Angel, slowly enveloping him. Ahead of the Fallen Angel, a flare of light pulsed like a beacon, drawing the Fallen Angel towards the shrouded mist. Stepping through the mist revealed Ryukenshi the behemoth black dragon. "I'm ready, master…" said the behemoth dragon, his wings beating the air.

"So am I… Ready yourself, Ryukenshi… we finally found our prey…" snorted the Fallen Angel stepping into the shadow of the near-by rocky outcrops, submerging into the darkness vanishing without a trace. His prints on the sandy outcrops flew into the sea of sands; only his dark presences lingered on poisoning the plants.

A/N: I hoped you enjoy this chapter, R&R thanks…