disclaimer is the same as always. the only thing i own here in this entire fanfic would be the Harusame Flower and Atsu. ...and the town and all, but that's not important XD

-Chapter Seven- When the World Was on Fire

The sun was warm, bright, the breeze was gentle… it was a pretty day, and Laharl was enjoying it to the best he could, under an old willow just atop the grassy hill overlooking Atsu's house. Its long vines of leaves rustled like whispering in the pleasant, sweet-scented breeze.

The people around it looked like ants. The…

Around it? Why around it?

Well… she was sweet; of course they'd want to be around her. He certainly did.

He thought nothing of it and jumped down the backside of the hill, roaming the slope side freely. It was a beautiful sight; dark forests masked with the warm day, letting light filter in here and there below. Glowing shrouds of what looked like orbs of light danced upward to meet the top of the growing bushes, Fireflies' jumping lanterns… ominous looking, but wonderful. Beautiful.

Above it, mountains.

He didn't remember these structures anywhere near town, but he appreciated seeing it now. Though… looking back at the town that was…

Smoke?

Maybe Atsu was making a bonfire?

…but why wasn't he afraid? He knew normally before, he wouldn't really care…but this was Atsu he was talking about, and as far as he knew, she did NOT have a hearth anywhere in or outside of her house.

And the smoke was coming from that exact spot; he could easily tell this form where he was standing on the other side of the hill. He knew he should have been worried; what if something was wrong?

So there was a little smoke. Nothing to get all paranoid about. He had a Harusame flower in his hands… so that's why he was so calm.

He didn't like it.

He tried to shake it out of his hands, but the flower stayed clung to him as if it were a living thing and would not let go.

It flashed a silver-gold and when the light dies away, he was left holding a Bleach-white flower, golden pollen in the inside. A Lilly.

He screamed and attempted to pull it away and ran. He ran as if it would get him away from the flower that was seemingly stuck to him. What a terrible nightmare.

He ran back to the crown of the hill, racing for it with all his strength… and when he saw what had been waiting for him…

The world was on fire.

On…fire… Atsu's house was on fire, the people rioting around it, dancing, were roaring louder than the flames themselves with laughter.

The flames billowed upward as if mocking him.

With only a moment's hesitation, he bolted down the steep hill, waving his arms at them. "Go away! Leave her alone!" he demanded, fear rising in him. "Leave! Get away from here!"

"This crazy old devil was dumb enough to help you! And you let her!" a familiar voice called out from down in front. There was fury in the shoppe keeper's plump face.

Laharl ground his teeth, already having the urge to kill this man. "Back off, you bastard! Do you have any idea who you're dealing with!?" he threw him aside easily with a small blast of aura.

"Yeah, quite frankly I do; a dead old lady and some puny half-wit demon stupid enough to try and stop all of us." There was a loud growl of agreement from behind him and the shoppe keeper smirked, looking slyly up at the prince.

"What does Atsu have anything to do with all this? Your reasons are stupid!"

"It has a lot to do with it, boy." He snarled from the ashen ground.

Laharl's eyes widened with realisation. "Where is she!?" he demanded.

The keeper shrugged.

"Dammit—" he pulled the man to his feet by the collar of his ragged shirt and held him tightly, wanting to shake. "Where IS she!?"

He pointed inside the flame-drowning house expressionlessly.

Laharl dropped him abruptly and slammed himself backward into the splintering door, bashing it in almost too easily. A wall of smoke came swelling out at him, along with small but intense flames that licked at his chest. The smoke stung his eyes, but he threw himself inside anyway, casting away any thoughts of safety for himself.

"Atsu!" he called, bracing himself at the new barrier of flames, shielding his face. He already felt weak. "Atsu, where are you?!"

He heard a muffled fit of mocking laughter from behind him, emanating from the maniacal pack outside.

Why did they hate him so much? Hate him enough to hurt an innocent old woman?

Unforgivable.

"Atsu!!"

"Atsu, oh Atsu!" came mocks from behind.

"SHUT UP!!" he warned, rather than demanding. But it was too much sound to make, too much air to let out and not enough to take back in.

He collapsed to one knee, feeling faint and somehow managed to get himself back outside, panting against the dirt ground. An unfamiliar hand and face pulled him back up to his feet harshly, jerking him cruelly to stand when he had no strength to even hold himself up at the moment. He fell almost the second the man let go.

Laharl lay there for moments, relearning how to breathe the bitter-smelling air, coaxing his awareness back to full.

"C'mon…" a voice cooed gently to him then, from seemingly nowhere. It was oddly warm, comforting; familiar. "You can do it… I know you can… you have to…! You must go save her… please? Don't let her die, Laharl…"

He glanced around, searching for the disembodied voice. He was unaware of the other people jeering at him, unaware of their actions of temptations. At this point, he simply just didn't care about them anymore.

The white flower glowed softly in his hand, and he understood.

Without anther word or thought, he dashed back into the house. A warm, gentle voice coaxing him through it… but he could depict no words… he couldn't clearly hear them…

Couldn't remember.

A peculiar scent caught up to him as he entered the kitchen. Burning plants… burning… he shook away the thought and pressed on against the deathly heat that seemed to cover him in waves. He swore it was tangible, and that if he reached out, he could just swipe it away.

The scent became more and more noticeable and he choked back a gag. The smell of… burning flesh…

He prayed to no god he knew that Atsu was alright; rather have his own skin that which was burning, and not Atsu's.

Too late.

The moment he entered the living room, he not only saw, but smelt it that very instant. Atsu lay before the stack of now burning cushions her face down in them, arm up as if once searching for something… as if digging in to them, looking for…

Laharl collapsed to his knees, starting at his burnt hands. "It's… it was… my fault… my fault she died…" he shook his head piteously. "She was looking for me… to be sure I was safe…" he sank into himself then, clasping his hands around his heaving shoulders. "Why do such a stupid thing…? Why… care for me more than herself…?" he would have cried, and in a way he was, but the scalding flames that thrashed at his back and body seemed to prevent tears. "Why…? I'd rather it be me…" he sobbed quietly, still tearless.

A resonating crack shrieked above him and he glanced up sharply, startled. The roof was caving in… and before he had a chance to move let alone stand, it came crashing down on him with a thundering slam. Looks like he got his wish.

All went surprisingly white rather than black, and he knew it was over.

don't flip out or anything, he's not dead. i could never kill the greatest character of all time...XD i'll get the next chapter up as soon as possible... IF, that is, my computer will let me. it says it is apparently crashing or infected with soemthing i guess. wahtever.