Thanks for reading the last chapter everyone! And cookies to my reviewers that helped to motivate me with this chapter. Sorry I haven't been updating quickly, but I'm finding it hard to find the time these days. Pressure sucks. To answer the question posed in one review, yes, Rei will be back. Very soon. So soon, in fact, that he might be in this chapter! Happy reading, don't forget to review!

Chapter 18: Only Human

When my experience points go up, I realise what I've done. Max sits on the floor quietly, and a lump rises in my throat.

I'm an in-game murderer.

"Kai…" I can't look at Max. The wind blows my bangs, covering my eyes, but my arms remain by my sides. My right hand, still clutching the blade, feels numb.

"Kai…what you did…wasn't wrong. You saved me." Max mumbles, closing his blue orbs as grit sweeps past our faces.

"I know. But that doesn't make me feel any better Maxie." I admit sadly. I had felt so much power just moments ago. I feel worse because I enjoyed having that strength. I wanted to use the fire. I wanted to kill…

"That spirit. Dranzer. He's a good guy, right?" My blonde twinblade half asks, half states. "And Tyson…he was…" Unable to say anymore, Max just shakes his head. "It'll be okay."

"I believe now." I say, gazing up at the dark sky.

The dust has cleared, and our line of vision has broadened. The clouds swirl above us, moving so very slowly that it looks like the dance of the heavens. A reflection of life. One long journey full of surprises, good and bad.

"Believe what Kai?"

"That we were destined from the start to do this. To meet Rei, Tala, Tyson…"

"And to kill him too?" Max gasps. But for some reason, with the sadness I feel there's a sense of accomplishment.

"Yes. I think we were." I smile at the blood on my sword, crimson; the colour of my eyes. "We're heroes, Max, but we're only human."

"I guess so…" Max says after a while. "But so far, we haven't really done anything. Nothing really noticeable anyway…"

"Well, I don't think we have been training and investigating for nothing. I mean, we escaped Skeith unharmed, stopped Tyson, found this field. My guess is that these were all tests. Something big is going to happen Maxie. And we're going to be right in the middle of it."

"Wow Kai." Max grins at me. "You've changed. When we first met you wouldn't say a word, but now you don't shut up!" He sticks his tongue out at me.

"Baka." I reach over to smack him round the head, but he moves to the side, receiving a friendly smack from me instead.

"Hey…what's that?" Max bends down to pick something up from the floor where Tyson had fallen and gradually disappeared in a yellow haze. The object in question was small and shiny. It's a virus core…!" Max reveals after staring at the thing. "But not one like I have ever seen. Rei showed me some a while ago, but this looks a lot different."

"Can we use it?" I ask, looking at the golden core. It has a code system on the side that requires three digits to be put in.

"Maybe, but…" Max sighs. He knows as well as I do that the possibilities of number combinations are endless.

"You know that it'll take forever to work that out." I state anyway, frowning at the item. It just isn't possible to guess the number order. It would take too long.

"If only there was a clue or something. We might have seen the numbers before somewhere, and never realised it!" Max runs a hand through his hair. I notice beads of sweat still rolling down the side of his face from our fight with Tyson. Even though we have recovered, the experience is still shocking. I don't think I'll be able to forget this for a while myself.

"You don't have to remember, you already have the numbers." That voice, appearing from nowhere. I recognise it almost immediately.

The figure in front of us was as silent as the wind, stealthy as a tiger. His long black hair hung loosely, shining in the dim light that still remained. Those familiar fluffy ears and the hat that jangled in the wind. Our old 'friend'. Rei has returned…

"Max, Kai. I know it has been a while…" Rei spins his stick (1) gracefully before joining us.

"Yeah, Rei. I…we wondered where you had been." Max nods. I can tell he has been listening to me because the trust has gone from his voice a little. The neko-jin senses the tension almost immediately.

"I'm sorry. I've been acting so suspicious. You don't have to feel like you should trust me just yet, okay? Besides, I've come here to help you." Rei smiles at Max. It's one of those cute, adorable, innocent smiles that Max can pull off just fine, but I really struggle with.

"Awh. Thanks Rei. It's okay, I was just a little wary cos you've hidden information from us, that's all." Max smiles suddenly, won over by Rei's 'cute lil kitty' face. I swear his eyes almost sparkled with tears. And gullible Max fell for it. Perhaps it's just me, but Rei is acting differently somehow. I can't explain it though.

"Now, that core you just found." Rei points at the gold virus core for emphasis. "Doesn't it look like something else you've seen before, hmm?"

"Nani? Rei, we've never seen any gold cores before." Max wares my old confused look, his golden eyebrows little strands of upside down curves.

Golden core. Golden…What? What else was gold? Wait a minute…Golden amulet!!! It was Max's bracelet!

"Max, look at your amulet!" Rei smiles at my outburst.

"Well done Kai. You're more observant that I remember. There are 3 numbers inscribed on the inside, at the bottom. Can you see them?"

"No. Oh, yes, I can. Three really tiny numbers. 237 (2)." Max cheers.

Rei takes the golden core into his own hands and enters the digits in the order Max just said.

"It's show-time." He smiles, as both Max's amulet and the core start to glow.

All I can think of is 'not again'.

Do you know what it's like to stare at something really bright, and then have a white light stay in your vision for a while afterwards?

That's what I have right now. Where the core had been from my sight of vision, there was a little patch of white that wouldn't disappear. I almost felt blinded for a second.

My fingers stroke a familiar feel of feathers. My wings comfort me somehow, as this new destination appears before my tired eyes.

"Where are we?" Max whispers.

I look around slowly. Rei, Max and I are stood on what looks like a mountain peak. My beautiful red and gold wings shine in the sunlight, casting shadows over the rocks surrounding us. The sky is light blue here, and birdsong fills the air. To my left, many feet down from where I am stood, a pool of sparkling water glistens. Its ripples circle round and round in a clockwise motion. Why is it moving that way? What is ruining the harmony that should be here?

Max is at my side, an expression of fear on his pale, freckled face. I know what has shaken him, for I can see it myself. I can see what is making the water ripple. Down below us is a sight that I didn't want to see.

My eyes flicker back and forth. I steal a look at Rei as he stands behind me. There is a small smirk emerging from his lips that I cannot understand.

My body feels weightless as the golden amulet Max wears flashes again.

Before we vanish, I see a figure at the bottom of the mountain. A young girl, ghostly white, staring directly at the three of us.

Who was she?

Could it have been who Max had told me about?

One of the past mysteries of The World?

I think her name was Aura…

TBC…

XOXOXOXOXOXO

1. Think Card Captor Sakura. That's what was in my mind when I typed the stick spinning!

2. The numbers I used here do actually relate to .hack video games. My PS2 Infection game (numero un in the series) has the code 237 on its spine. So, I decided to use it here. Yes, I know you didn't need to know that, but I thought I'd tell you that anyway!

And that's another chapter down! Did you notice that this is the first chapter in a long time to not be divided into sections? It's just one clean scene here! I don't know what you will think of this, but does anybody see some deja vu anywhere, hmm?

Extra points to those who know what I'm talking about!

Well, I hoped that was a good read for anyone who has the wonderful patience to read my work. It makes me really happy to know that some of you guys are very loyal and patient. Next chapter is the pen-ultimate one, but I must warn you it probably won't be posted until early next year. I will be very, very busy over the next few weeks.

So, on that note, I wish everyone here at fanfiction dot net a very Happy Christmas and best wishes for the new year.

Reviews will be seen as Christmas presents, even those that contain only a few words!

Thanks for your support!

Byezies,

Minako Angel xxx