Master Satoshi...Why?

Satoshi looked up at the clouded sky, the voice of his other self echoing in his thoughts.

Xxx

"So he's come..." Freedert said, gazing into the snow, hoping. "If something isn't done, Niwa will..."

xxx

Master Satoshi...You want this sword that much? You want to save Daisuke Niwa that much?

Satoshi sighed and resumed the rebounding magic on the Wedge of Time.

Xxx

"Let's go!" Reiko said, entering the park where Satoshi was.

"Okay!" Kuri followed, anticipating the coming battle.

XXX

Suddenly, Dark was struck from the sky by Krad.

"The Rutile isn't working..." Dark said.

"Does that hurt? That's good. That pain is yours. That body belongs to only you right now. If you leave the matter the way it is, Daisuke Niwa will be buried within the Second Hand of Time's world and you'll be able to obtain that body. Isn't that such a wonderful thing?" Krad demanded, barraging Dark's body with light magic.

"Daisuke's gone..." Reiko said softly.

"It's alright Reiko. Dark will defeat him." Kuri hissed.

"It... may be..." Dark growled out. "but if that happens...it's not interesting!"

Dark got free and returned attack. "I'll make this clear to you. The only one who can give me an order is myself."

"Now that's... my other half!" Krad shouted, meeting his attacks.

Kuri leapt forward, carrying an ofuda, face set in determination.

"Stay back, Kuri!" Dark said, knowing her intent.

"But I—" Kuri charged the ofuda with reiki.

Suddenly her arm twisted behind her back with magic and she lifted into the air. "Dark and I are discussing a very important matter."

Krad gave Dark a smile, knowing he had found what the angel cared about.

"Let Kuri go!" Reiko shouted, leaping at him with fists.

"Reiko don't be a fool!" Kuri cried.

"You are bothering me." Krad batted Reiko away, knocking her out.

"Bastard! Akuryo Taisan!" Kuri slammed the ofuda on his head. "GIVE ME BACK MY BROTHER!"

"I don't like your eyes." Krad whispered, dropping her, form fading into Satoshi. "Are you still trying to interfere with me... Why?"

Xxx

"It figures that I'd be a little wiped out." Dark said. "Sorry, With. Thanks for your help. In any case, I'd better save Kuri."

"If you're worried about my sister, she's fine." Satoshi said.

"You still want to fight?" Dark said.

"Don't act like nothing's wrong." Satoshi said. "I know your body can't take it right now. This painting's life has already begun running out..."

"What are you going to do?" Dark said.

"I'll open the entrance to go into the world in the painting." Satoshi said.

"You...Are you trying to save Daisuke?" Dark said.

"The Second Hand of Time is another monster created by us, the Hikari family. The cleanup job that my ancestors could not do...I'll do it. It's done!" Satoshi said.

"That's quick!" Dark said.

"The entrance is now opened." Satoshi said.

"That's the same picture as Daisuke's!" Dark said.

"I am a Hikari. After I see it once, I can draw any kind of painting. Your familiar also won't have a problem if it's only a short time. Go!" Satoshi said.

"I'll tell you one thing. Daisuke is the first one in the Niwa Family who tried to draw on his own. He may be defying the Niwa blood in his own way. You two are alike somehow... With!" Dark said.

Xxx

"Miss Freedert!" Daisuke said. "Are you all right?"

"The life of the Second Hand of Time is already..." Freedert said.

"Don't say that!" Daisuke said. "I'll work harder to draw, so..."

"You must go back to the outside world soon, or your life will also..." Freedert said.

"But... If I do that..." Daisuke said.

"It doesn't matter anymore." Freedert said.

"You can't give up!" Daisuke said. You're going to wait for Elliott, right? You promised Elliott, right? In any case, we'd better get out of here..."

"Right? Remember it, Niwa...That is where it all began..." Freedert said.

"What...What is that?" Daisuke said. "I feel like someone is calling us."

"Daisuke... Where are you?" Dark called.

"This is..." Daisuke looked around. "Oh..."

"Daisuke!" Dark called again. Where are you?! Daisuke!"

"This is something that I have to do..." Freedert said.

"We've arrived... but...I wonder what this place is..." Daisuke said.

"Let's go down there..." Freedert said.

"This place is...That's right! I remember it now! This is the place where I first met Miss Second Hand of Time." Daisuke said.

Freedert collapsed.

"Miss Freedert!" Daisuke shouted. "Miss Freedert! Hang in there! She's cold...Hang in there, Miss Freedert!"

"I made a mistake again..." Second Hand of Time said.

"Miss Second Hand of Time..." Daisuke said. "Second Hand of Time, Miss Freedert is..."

"I'm sorry, but I can no longer..." Freedert whispered.

"No...You can't give up, Miss Freedert!" Daisuke said.

"Thank you..." Freedert said.

"You can't!" Daisuke said. "You can't, Miss Freedert!"

"You're a good person." Freedert said. "The truth is...I wanted to be with you a little longer...

"You can't..." Daisuke began to cry. "You can't do this..."

"Don't let go of the person you care about no matter what happens." Freedert whispered. "Please...To protect her, do not choose death. To protect her, please live no matter what happens..."

"Miss Freedert!" Daisuke sobbed.

"Daisuke! Daisuke! Come with me!" Dark grabbed him and dragged him.

"Let go! Let me go, Dark!" Daisuke shouted.

"We don't have time." Dark pulled him into his arms.

"Stop it! Let me go!" Daisuke sobbed.

"We don't have time." Dark repeated.

"Stop it! Let me go!" Daisuke cried.

"Do you wanna disappear with her?!" Dark admonished.

"Miss Freedert!" Dark called.

"Second Hand of Time..." Freedert said. "You'll stay here by my side?"

Xxx

On the other side Satoshi and Kuri stood in ceremony.

"Wedge of Time..." Satoshi said.

"Elliott..." Kuri corrected.

"Go...To the place where you belong..." Satoshi said.

Xxx

Back in the painting, Daisuke screamed. "Dark, let me go! I said let me go! Let me go! Let me go! Let me go! Dark, let me go you jerk!"

Past them, Elliot fell from the sky.

"That was...The Wedge of Time..." Dark said. "How did she...?"

"Mr. Elliott?" Daisuke said.

"That is...Elliott!" Freedert cried throwing out her hands.

Elliot turned into a sword and pierced her heart. The spell was broken and the snow melted into spring.

"Miss Freedert!" Daisuke cried as he was dragged out.

Xxx

Within the painting, Freedert and Elliot were together.

"Elliott..." Freedert said. "Do you remember the promise from our childhood?"

"Yeah..." Elliot said.

"We are...going to be together forever." Freedert said.

Xxx

Kuri awoke in her brother's room.

"Where am I?" Kuri said. "This is... brother's? A black feather...Dark..."

xxx

"What the heck?" Reiko was in the Hikawa courtyard. "Who's that?"

She ran to Daisuke, who was slumped over and crying.

"Niwa! Niwa! What's wrong? Niwa...Niwa..."

"Don't look at my face...Soon... I'll be fine...Soon... I'll smile as usual, so..." Daisuke said softly.

"Niwa..." Reiko hugged him.

Xxx

Later snow began to fall as Daisuke looked outside.

"Daisuke..." Dark said to him. "Humans create things to capture time which has no shape...in order for humans who don't have eternity to believe in eternity. If you believe, eternity exists."

"Look, Daisuke." Dark said.

"Snow?" Daisuke said.

"It must be falling for you." Dark said. "It's Freedert's final magic..."