Dawn

The large bed was surrounded by thin light hovering from a small kerosene lamp several feet away. As he stood quietly along the edge his eyes traced her form as it bulged lightly through the thin white blanket covering her body. Jeanne was lying on her side with one of her fingers stretched against the soft pillow beneath her head, and she didn't move when he combed his hand delicately through the snow kissed strands of her hair. The repetitive motion continued for several minutes, and when she finally opened her eyes her sight was greeted with darkness.

Steady heat from his embrace warmed her entire body. He was lying behind her with his arms secure around her waist. Her long hair had been pushed away, exposing the unblemished skin of her back, and she blinked her eyes very slowly when a familiar trail of playful kisses dotted her shoulder and neck. There was a brief pause in which he nestled against her ear and gently bit the outer lobe. She closed her eyes when he lightly retreated.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." The tone was indifferent and emotionless.

She sat upright in the bed, which forced him to release her, and folded her arms firmly over her torso. Although the area beyond the bed was frigid, the mattress was filled with subtle heat radiating from his body. There was no way to tell whether he was doing that on purpose, but those kinds of details didn't matter to her anyway. Her hair splashed against her back and hid the white, silk gown that draped her body with unintended seduction. She reached for him with one of her hands and connected with his shoulder. His massive mane was restrained, which seemed to surprise her; she dropped her hand as quickly as she offered it.

"What do you want, Hao?"

He ignored the coldness in her voice and smiled.

"Do you feel up to going outside?"

She didn't answer.

"I'll be observing Hana, and I want you there."

"Fine."

"If you don't think you're ready—"

"I said fine."

Her harshness was always amusing somehow. He giggled lightly to himself and held her hand.

"Get dressed. I'll come for you later."

She made no sound as he left her suite. He walked slowly down the hallway and lightly cracked his neck. There were faint voices in a few of the rooms as he passed; many of his accomplices were already awake. A sharp pain stopped his movement and abruptly spread over his entire chest. He slapped his hand over it as the burning increased and leaned his back against the wall.

The pain was familiar, though he hadn't felt it in several years.

As the burning tapered off with his breathing the discomfort in his face faded into a satisfied smile.

"Stupid," he said with a light giggle.


Yoh was lying in the darkness staring at the ceiling. The silk bed linens caressed his sore muscles as he relaxed his weight against the mattress. He didn't normally have sleeping difficulties, but his mind raced too rapidly for proper rest. Although his eyes were wide open, he couldn't see in front of them. This didn't bother him at all.

But neither did the presence of the five men standing at the foot of the bed.

He only sensed them there. Five distinctive heart rhythms. Five haphazard breaths. Three of hesitation and fear. One of nervousness and adrenaline filled excitement. One of intense hatred. They didn't speak to him; there were only vague whispers among the shadow. One of the men took a deep breath. Yoh knew what they were planning was to happen now.

He didn't move.

Three of the men held him down by his arms and legs while another forced a dark sack over his head. The aggression was unnecessary. Yoh didn't resist them at all. He could feel the tight wrappings of harsh rope knotting against his wrists. The sensation reached his ankles with a simultaneous tugging of opposing leverage. He was easily subdued and in their grasp, but it wasn't enough. Yoh could hear the man's breathing over his body. The last man in the room who hadn't participated in restraining him. He was the same man whose presence leeched with sinister wrath.

"The time has come, Asakura," he said menacingly. "The demon will finally be purged from this earth."

He closed his eyes as the man's fist brutally collided with his face.


Tamao awakened in a place unfamiliar. She was unsure how she fell asleep in the large bedroom. The night before was blurry in her memory for some reason, and concentrating on it made her head ache. She wondered where Ren and Lyserg were and whether or not they were safe. Thoughts of Shumei entered her mind just as quickly, and she found herself lightly daydreaming about his gentlemanly presence.

"Did you enjoy sleeping in my bed, Tamao?"

Her eyes scanned the room nervously when she heard the woman's voice. She was standing near a tall window, and although her voice was calm there was anger in her expression.

"Kiyomi..." Tamao paused and cleared her throat as she lightly stepped out of the bed.

"He's here," she said spitefully. "You were looking for him, right?"

"Yes."

Silence filled the room for a few uncomfortable moments, and Tamao stepped toward her.

"We're...on our way to Hao's camp," she said apprehensively. "We have to—"

"I know what you're doing," Kiyomi interrupted bitterly. "You want to take back that little brat."

Tamao glanced at the floor and paused.

"Hana's reputation is growing by the minute," she said sarcastically. "It's really a shame he has that insufferable woman for a mother."

"Anna isn't the hateful woman you think she is," Tamao replied defensively. "She's made very difficult sacrifices for that child. We all have."

"Don't talk to me about sacrifice. I know more about loss than you do."

Kiyomi walked past her toward the wall then leaned her back against it with her arms folded over her torso. She glared at the woman from across the room with anger that was quickly increasing, and after several moments she lightly bared her teeth.

"Hao will train him to kill. That's what he does best. I hope he kills her first."

"I know you're angry. You have every right to be..." Tamao stepped toward her again. "But revenge isn't the answer."

"Your friends have no idea who you really are, do they?"

She changed the subject on purpose. Rattling Tamao was a very easy task, and there was something about making her nervous that momentarily satisfied her. Kiyomi didn't expect an answer, and the question was greeted with silence.

"I'm a telepath, remember? Your innocent act may work on Shumei, but I know your secrets."

"This isn't about me," Tamao sighed wearily. It wasn't a real answer, and she knew Kiyomi wouldn't let it go.

"No, you're right. This is about him."

She never mentioned his name once, and Tamao noticed it.

"He doesn't remember, Kiyomi."

"Should that make me feel better?"

"No. That's...not what I'm saying."

"He shouldn't be held responsible for his actions because he conveniently forgot them?"

"I don't have all of the answers." Tamao pushed a few strands of her hair behind her ear and stared at the wall. "But I know him, and he's not the person you think he is."

Her eyes filled quickly with tears, and she didn't repel them. Tamao glanced into her eyes with a sad expression and took a deep breath.

"He loved you, Kiyomi."

"Was that before or after he mysteriously married that woman...and left without saying goodbye?"

Tamao closed her eyes.

"Was it when he destroyed my village?"

"Kiyomi..." Her pause was unintentional. She honestly didn't know what to say.

"Or was it when he murdered my sister like an animal...right in front of me?"

Kiyomi's hands trembled, and her voice was unstable as she spoke. Tamao had no energy to interrupt and was fighting overwhelming tears.

"Did he love me when he killed Shumei's pregnant wife? When he butchered seventy five of our men and over two hundred women and children in a single night? When he walked through the ruins covered in their blood and laughed at me for being so stupid?"

"I...can't explain that," Tamao admitted weakly. "I don't know why that happened."

"That demon betrayed me. He betrayed all of us, and he deserves to die!"

"I'm sorry, Kiyomi. I am."

"You should apologize to your friends for what you've done."

Tamao's eyes narrowed as confusion clouded her brain, but she didn't speak.

"You know exactly what the demon Asakura is capable of, and you won't even warn them. They're going to die because you'd rather defend...that woman."

"This situation is more complicated than that." Frustration grew in her tone. "Hana is an innocent child in the middle of a war. You may not like my methods...or Anna's...but we want to keep him alive."

"Hana is his father's son. It doesn't matter what you do. He won't escape his destiny."

"...Asakura the younger..." She was unsure of how to word it. Calling Yoh a demon was uncomfortable. "...is not the enemy here. The enemy is Hao."

"It's amazing how completely clueless you are."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"They have a bond that can never be broken. They're twins. Two halves of one whole. The same goals. The same intentions. The same mind."

"What are you saying?" Tamao was fearful of the answer.

"The raid on this village wasn't a mistake, nor was it random. It was planned. And so is this...war."

"They've been separated for eight years. He thought Hao was dead until recently. Anna and I made sure of that."

Kiyomi walked away from the wall and sat slowly in a large armchair near the door. She slowly crossed one leg over the other and neatly clasped her hands in her lap.

"You've been manipulated. How sad."

"He wouldn't manipulate me," she said defiantly. "He's not...evil."

"I wasn't talking about him," Kiyomi said softly. "I was talking...about her."

Her silence triggered Tamao's anger, but she didn't respond.

"It's a game of chess," she said sadly. "Some of us are knights; others are bishops. But the rest of us are just pawns."

Tamao's frown melted into a blank sense of acknowledgment. She looked away and stared at the door without a response.

"Hao is the black king; Anna is the white king. And if you think for one moment you're important enough to not be sacrificed you're hopelessly brainwashed."

"Anna is my friend." Her frail voice deceived her conviction. "You don't even know her."

"No," she said and waved her hand. "You don't know her, Tamao."

"It's time, my lady."

A heavy-set man wearing a black tunic and pants softly opened the door and peeked inside. He was staring at the floor when he spoke.

"Time for what?" Kiyomi asked and stood from her chair.

"The demon's execution." His footsteps echoed down the hallway as they stared at the door in silence.

Tamao saw fear in her eyes. Her hands trembled as she attempted to steady them, and she took a deep breath.

"They can't kill him," Tamao said gravely. "They're not strong enough."

"I know that," she snapped.

"Please...put aside your hatred and pride for now. We can't allow him to fight them."

"Shumei is very strong willed. He won't listen to me." She said it with defeat and dropped her shoulders.

"If you can't stop them from attacking, I will. Take me to my friends. Please."


When the sack was removed roughly from his head, Yoh found himself restrained to a metal chair. The dark room was surrounded with crudely cut stone walls and an uneven brick floor. Cold air lightly tickled his arms, but he didn't react to the sensation. There were two men standing in front of him he didn't recognize. One was tall and muscular with dark eyes and hair. The other was shorter and thinner with a feminine face that revealed anxiety. They didn't speak and exited the room as soon as he opened his eyes.

Yoh's facial features were relaxed; his eyes were completely blank when the young man entered. He rested his gaze on the man's stomach; the lack of eye contact was on purpose, which increased his anger.

"My name is Shumei. We've met before."

He remained silent. A burning sensation filled his chest very slowly, but his expression remained unchanged.

"It doesn't matter to me that you have no memory of the evil you've unleashed on this village. The only thing you should consider is that you deserve what's coming to you."

Yoh blinked his eyes very slowly like he wasn't listening. The gesture was infuriating.

"The world has no use for arrogant, dangerous vermin. Your eradication will be swift and complete. You have my word."

He turned for the door as his eyes filled quickly with tears. Shumei couldn't remember what he wanted to say, and being in such close proximity with his wife's murderer weakened his resolve. He had to escape that suffocating room.

"Stupid."

Yoh's voice, although very calm, sent terrible chills through his body he couldn't hide. He faced him again with a disdainful frown and glared at his fallen hair with disgust.

"What did you say?"

"Your people are." He slowly raised his head and met his eyes with ambiguous absence. "So...stupid and weak."

"You'll find out soon enough how wrong you are," Shumei said coldly and clenched his teeth.

"Every one of you...will fall."

There was no elevation in his tone, and his eyes didn't veer away from Shumei's face. He stared back at him with automatic fear he tried desperately to control, but there was simply no use. Yoh consumed all of his attention; all of his strength; all of his fear...and he stood in front of the chair with nakedness and confusion.

Yoh said nothing else, but with a slight sucking of his teeth he smiled at him. Shumei could feel his heart jump out of his chest as he bolted for the door, and when he slammed it behind his abrupt exit he fell to his knees with his hand planted firmly against the wall.

"Please, Shumei. You have to abort this." Tamotsu's authoritative voice startled him, but he didn't lift his eyes.

"I...can't," was the fatigued response.

"I don't want to lose anyone else. This is an impossible fight. My son is never wrong."

"If I have to sacrifice myself to rid the world of him, then so be it."

He took a deep breath and slowly rose to his feet. Tamotsu's eyes softened as he focused on the steel door. There was random pondering about whether or not the man behind it could hear them talking. Shumei walked away, pulling him quickly out of his daydream, and he followed with haste.

"Don't tell me to stand down," he said with a mixture of rage and intimidation. "It's done."

"Then you should take more of the army with you," Tamotsu said reluctantly. "You need more men."

"How many more?"

"...All of them."


"Where are they holding him?" Ren's fatigue was apparent in his voice. The small room was too warm for all of them to be standing there, but he couldn't move them out. Manta was sitting on the floor near Thalim's bed with a frightened expression. Ryu sat beside him as sort of a peace offering, but they didn't speak to each other. Lyserg returned to the room after talking with another patient down the hallway, and he rubbed his face with irritation.

Tamao and Kiyomi were standing near the door when he entered. Kiyomi's information, although extremely vague, was enough to make them worry.

"I don't know," she said finally. "Maybe the prison."

"They're planning a public execution," Lyserg said gravely. "Everyone's talking about it."

"Yoh doesn't need our help to fight them off," Ryu said plainly. "He's strong."

"It's more than that," Tamao muttered and lightly nudged Kiyomi in the back.

"Junichi had a vision last night after he crossed paths with the demon," she said reluctantly.

"Please stop calling him that," Tamao said but was ignored.

"What happened?" Lyserg shot her a puzzled frown and bit his bottom lip.

"He believes if we don't stop this attack, everyone involved will die."

"Everyone?" Manta whispered it as his knees trembled.

"Then let's stop talking about this and get out there."

Ren was first to exit the infirmary, and the others reluctantly followed. A lack of enthusiasm clouded their focus. Manta dragged his feet and fell behind; only Tamao noticed.

"What is it?" she asked with slight stress.

"What are we doing? What are we even fighting for?"

"We're trying to save Yoh. He's our friend and he needs us now."

"No we're not." He balled his hands into fists and exhaled. "We're trying to save those men from Yoh. You know it's true."

"If they force him to fight..." She scratched her ear. "I can't explain this right now, Manta."

"No one can just take him by force. They took him because he allowed it. That bothers me, and it should bother you too."

"What are you trying to tell me?" Tamao knew he was thinking the same thing she was but didn't want to be the first to say it.

"If he defends himself, it will be public humiliation at best."

"And at worst?"

Manta wiped a tear from his eye and looked away. Tamao grabbed her stomach and held her breath.

"They'll be trapped," he whimpered, "just like the boy said. If Yoh attacks instead...he'll slaughter them."