A Fight for the Light

In the Face of Defeat

I shuddered as his body hit the floor in a spray of purple blood. As the last raspy words escaped his lips, I felt a single tear drop from my eye. Jin leaned over and shot me a look. "You okay?"

"I'm fine. It's nothing," I shook my head and smiled faintly. I had almost managed to fool myself into thinking everything would be okay when...

"Next match! Kurama versus Touya!"

My eyes shot up to the ring in a panic and my heart throbbed with pain as I saw Touya standing up there. "Touya! Please, don't!" I rushed up to the ring.

"I have to, Alicia," Touya glanced at me. "Gama made this sacrifice to ensure our victory. I can't let his death be in vain. Even if I have to kill Kurama, I won't let Gama's sacrifice go to waste."

"Touya..." My eyes welled up with tears. Jin came over and took me away from the ring.

"It'll be alright, lassie," Jin insisted. "Touya knows what 'e's doing."

"Touya!" I rushed over to scoop him off the ring floor. "Don't speak, okay? Everything will be okay. It'll just take some time."

"I failed," Touya whispered before fading off into unconsciousness.

"Touya?!" I felt frantically for a pulse.

"'E won't die that easily," Jin insisted. "Jus' out cold. C'mon, le's get 'im off the tournament stage."

Jin and I carried Touya over to the edge of the arena where I started to mend his wounds.

"I'm trying my hardest but I'm not sure it's good enough," I whispered pathetically, tears welling up in my eyes.

"Don't worry, lass. You're doing fine. I ha' faith in ye... and Touya does too," Jin placed a hand firmly on my shoulder.

"Okay..." With a newfound confidence from Jin's words, I closed my eyes and concentrated harder.

"Kurama versus Bakken!"

"What!?!" My eyes shot open and I nearly leapt for the stage in a fit of fury.

Fortunately, Jin had caught me in time. "Lassie, ye need to concentrate on the task at hand. Touya needs you," Jin said coolly as he held tight to my arm.

"Touya needs me..." I whispered to myself as I turned to look at him, lying there bruised and bloodied. "That's right. Touya needs me." I nodded as I sat back down and returned to my work.

Bakken went flying through the air and the match was called. Jin turned to me, glancing down at Touya's sleeping head in my lap.

"'Ow is 'e?" he asked me.

"It'll be alright," I responded, brushing the hair from Touya's face carefully. "I've healed his injuries and restored a decent amount of his energy."

"Good. Keep close watch over 'im while I'm gone," Jin called as he hopped up into the ring.

"Jin!? Please, Jin, no..." I begged softly, knowing my efforts were in vain.

A/N: I know this chapter is choppy as all hell but I figured it'd be a pain in the ass for the reader if I recounted the actual fights.