Time has passed, since I've told this tale. Once again I shall regale. Kazahaya stolen, a treasure gone. Darkness seeps into the castle, and it seeps in strong. Come listen to me children, the tale near reaches end. Minds can be over taken, but strong wills do not bend.
Months had passed; months since Kazahaya was stolen away from the palace by nameless brigands who had yet to reappear anywhere. The palace seemed to have been dipped in ice, for how cold and dark it now seemed.
But how was it to appear otherwise, when the light it once held was gone?
Efforts had been made to track down the ones responsible, but it proved a fruitless venture; the men had left nary a single mark of presence once they had left the city; disappearing from all sight.
The Northern Prince held his head in his hands as another search party turned up empty.
Kazahaya was truly gone...
Once more, he had failed to protect the one most dear to him.
But the world keeps moving regardless.
It was a mere three months to her Majesty's next birthday. Already had the Prince's passed, and so too had Kazahaya's. Both celebrated privately, and out of the public eye.
Just as the night when they had first met Kazahaya, a number of dignitaries were coming to celebrate the success of their treaties.
And just as the night they first met Kazahaya, danger struck.
A great explosion of magic forced its way through the ballroom, the guests running and scattering like sheep from the wolf. The two royals and their closest companions immediately grouped together, the Queen and her brother ordering the guards to lead the guests to safety.
A familiar laugh echoed through the damaged hall.
"What true rulers you two are. Protecting all those people, while staying behind, to divert the intruders we are."
The rebel leader laughed the same cruel vicious laugh he had when he had last appeared before the Northern Royalty.
When he had taken Kazahaya and his sister.
A fierce growl emerged from Rikuo's throat.
"You scum. It's bad enough that you stole one close to me, but you seek to also destroy our kingdom's relations with the other nations? As if I would allow it!"
The young Prince's power had always been selective; one day the Prince would have the power to sever an entire forest down the deepest roots, the next it would be all he could do to snap the handle from a mug.
Today the Prince was determined to sever the man's head from his neck.
The Queen's eyes were alight with a fire so fierce it froze all in their tracks, and were chilled by an ice so cold it burned. Saiga moved into position to fight comfortably, and Kakei did the same, both more than prepared to kill to gain vengeance for their stolen child, it mattered not that Kazahaya was not their child by blood; they had been the ones to raise him, to clothe, feed and teach the boy, and to guide him as he grew.
Before any movements could be made against the rebel faction invading the palace however, the Leader laughed once more, snapping his fingers together, summoning some one from deep within the ranks standing outside.
Dressed in a grimy brown peasant's robe, barely sizable enough to fit him, the young unkempt man stood next to his leader, his dirty brown hair long and covering his face.
"Make them see their errors, Wind Runner."
The young man leapt into action, streams of wind increasing his step, and blades formed from the element dashing forward to slice into his opponents, while the other rebels, armed with physical weapons and magics as well.
Calculating the path the blades would follow, Kakei and Saiga dodged expertly; the physician and his lover moving swiftly to attack the rebels swarming in, in their bid to overrun the palace.
Queen Tsukiko was versed in the blade and as such could enter a state where seemingly everything was in slow motion; moving to avoid damage and striking at those who were more then willing to attempt to throw her home and kingdom into chaos.
The Prince however did not bother to dodge the strikes coming towards him. The one attacking him now was as guilty for taking Kazahaya as the leader and he would treat them with no mercy. Focusing on the pulses travelling towards him, Rikuo split them in twain with his power, the two slivers of air parting and creating a straight path to the caster.
As the summoned fighter drew closer and closer to the Prince, Rikuo steadied his form and readied his powers. Closer and closer, and even closer still the wind user advanced until he was virtually on top of the prince. Feeling the slight buzz that entered his mind whenever he used his powers, the Northern Prince made to cut his assailant in half and move on to the leader when a sudden glimmer of silver caught his eye, hidden behind the hair on the right side of the young man's head.
A glimmer of silver offset by a deep green.
A rage unlike any but what the Prince had felt the night his most treasured had been stolen away burst into his mind and heart.
They had already stolen Kazahaya to do the spirits only knew, but they have now returned, believing themselves invincible, and attacking again.
But the one before him had dared take Kazahaya's earring. He had dared steal the proof of affection Rikuo had given the one he cared for the most.
A swift clout in the young man's chest had the air forced from his lungs, the male collapsing onto the ground struggling to breath. Grabbing a lash of the males hair, Rikuo dragged the filthy strand upwards so he could see the face of the one before him.
How his heart did grieve at what he found.
A face so familiar, so very well loved, nose, cheeks and mouth just as remembered. And the eyes ... no the eyes were no longer the same, clouded as they were by the red tint of magic's hold. But it was without doubt.
"Kazahaya."
Kakei and Saiga were by his side in an instant, Saiga restraining the boy, while Kakei verified if it was indeed their lost angel. Tsukiko soon joined them, her sword and Rikuo's power ensuring none of the brigands gained ground in their circle.
"Kazahaya, it's Kakei. You remember me don't you? Kazahaya."
Kakei's voice was a mix of delight at seeing his lost son, and anguish at receiving no acknowledgement from his child. Saiga's voice rang thunderous through the hall.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HIM?!"
The Leader snarled, glaring disdainfully at the restrained Kazahaya before speaking in an almost bored tone.
"I didn't think he'd be overcome so easily. I had thought after sealing away his memories and emotions he'd be a proper weapon, especially once we found a way to constantly use his power. But I suppose the old adage is true; no matter how great the gift, if the gifted can't use it properly, then it's the same as not having it at all."
Something snapped in Rikuo's mind, the break unleashing a darkness that Rikuo himself didn't know existed in him, let alone others. The Rebel Leader had almost caused Rikuo to kill Kazahaya, his most treasured and beloved. And then the leader had the gall to say that it was Kazahaya's fault. The leader kept speaking, unknowingly causing more and more of the darkness to rise into the Prince's heart.
"Did you know there are clans in this world that believe that twins are an ill omen, doomed to die soon after birth? It's thought that when twins are conceived, they battle each other in the womb, the winner gaining the powers of the one that lost and perished; if both are born, they are born with half the strength of a normal child and are unable to survive. We took a gamble on which twin was supposed to win in the two we took. We guessed the boy because he seemed to have better control, but really, the girl would've probably been better. Too late now though, she's already reached the hereafter by now. And so we're left with a weak pathetic piece o-AAAGH!"
A harsh screech bellowed from the man's lips as his arm fell to the ground, blood spilling from the wound and forming a puddle on the ground below. Grasping desperately at the point his arm was once connected; the rebel leader stared incredulously at the now useless appendage resting on the blood soaked earth. Turning his gaze back to the five within the hall, his eyes met the fathomless dark brown that was held within the Northern Prince's glare.
Tsukiko, seeing the damage her brother had already done in his rage, rushed to her siblings side gently cooing calming words and sentences into his ears, though it was for naught as at that moment the prince was deaf to all but the words the rebel leader spoke.
Kakei too tried to calm Rikuo, dashing in front of the royal and trying to avert the mans sight, but it was a fruitless venture for at that moment the prince was blind to all but where the rebel leader was.
Another burst of the severing power, and the man's leg was gone below the knee.
Using a sudden flare of an unknown power, the rebel leader began to float, the losing of his leg an obstacle able to be overcome. A sound not unlike a bark came from Rikuo's lips as he lunged forward past Kakei and started sprinting to the man he desired to kill.
By this point only a few of the rebels were left; Rikuo's rage, Tsukiko's sword, Saiga's skill, Kakei's cunning, and even the blades of wind Kazahaya had sent at Rikuo which had been split, felling all but a handful of men. Those that survived were running, not to defend their leader but in retreat, none of them believing in their cause enough to truly risk their lives.
Rikuo ran past these men, not even noticing their presence. All he could think of was ending the life of the man who started this all; ending the life of the man who had taken his Kazahaya away from him.
The rebel leader snarled at his retreating forces before summoning a barrier around himself with a wicked grin on his lips. Rikuo kept advancing, his target drawing ever closer. He didn't even see the barrier; he didn't feel the magical presence humming through. But he did see that smirk, oh yes. He saw it and vowed to remove it.
Just as he came close enough to the man to swing a fist to meet his face, a sudden pulse flashed through the air and forced him away, pushing him to the ground a good few metres from the man. Looking up and snarling at whoever forced him to stop, the sound caught in his throat as he saw Kazahaya standing between him and the rebel leader.
"Kazahaya."
The darkness was suddenly dead, hidden once more behind mental barriers. The rebel leader suddenly burst out laughing, exclaiming that maybe the failure had some use after all. Rikuo didn't hear him, his attention solely on the young man who had managed to force his way from Saiga near iron grasp.
"Kazahaya."
"If you touched that barrier your arm would've burnt off."
Rikuo started as the others all suddenly payed close attention. Had Kazahaya just spoken?
"Kazahaya?"
Hazel eyes with emeraldine flecks, no longer ruined by the red taint looked back at dark brown, an achingly familiar and loved smile curving those lips.
"If you're not careful Rikuo people will think you've gone mad."
Kazahaya did not speak another word, he couldn't. Rikuo had suddenly risen from the ground and moved forward, embracing the smaller figure of the post-cognitive empath. Knowing he was at risk of reading the other males emotions and memories, Kazahaya tried to free himself from the hug, only to have Rikuo tighten his hold, freely sending all his emotions, thoughts and feelings into Kazahaya's awaiting consciousness.
After a few precious moments Kazahaya took in a gasp of air, staring straight into Rikuo's eyes, trying to confirm whatever he had seen and felt. He appeared to confirm all in the princes gaze.
"Wind Runner! What are you doing you miserable fool! Kill that man and all the others! WIND RUNNER!"
The angry voice of the rebel leader broke through the air, startling both Rikuo and Kazahaya back into awareness. Saiga, who had been recovering from a sudden head butt from Kazahaya was once more on his feet and swiftly joined the two younger men, Kakei and Tsukiko no more then a few steps behind him.
"You mean to tell me you have some how broken the hold I had on you Wind Runner? Pathetic, you are nothing, why can't you just do as I damn well say?!"
The four surrounding Kazahaya let out low growls, all preparing to strike at the fool before them, when Kazahaya suddenly spoke.
"You know, I actually kind of like that." The others turned to him, confused. Kazahaya nodded, smiling once again. "Yeah, I really like that." The smile grew as wind suddenly surrounded him, elevating him from the ground. "Wind Runner huh?"
Utilizing a speed enhanced by the wind, Kazahaya dove forward, summoning multiple blades of wind at striking at the man who had for nearly a year kept him prisoner. As more and more strikes were made against the barrier, the rebel leader began sending pulses of his own out at Kazahaya. Seeing the attack, Rikuo once more split the power in half, diverting the damage from its intended target, freeing Kazahaya to send more blades against their foe. Tsukiko dashed forward, as did Kakei and Saiga when the barrier began to falter, all the man's power being spent on trying to fell the wind user.
Rikuo too moved forward swiftly, but for a very different reason.
He could see Kazahaya tiring, the young man's strength begin to fail. Just as the barrier fell and the rebel leader sent out a final strike, three different weapons dug deep into his flesh holding him in place. At just that moment Kazahaya's control over the wind faltered and stopped, the male falling from his mid-air perch, narrowly avoiding the final attempt made by the rebel leader. Rikuo caught his greatest friend and held him close, protecting the smaller male from any further injury his landing may have caused.
Pulling their sword and daggers out from the dying mans body, Tsukiko, Kakei and Saiga moved to join the two youngest members of their group, Kakei and Tsukiko crying at Kazahaya's return and Saiga doing his best to even his breathing so he didn't join them in tears.
Just as they reached the two, the rebel leader's voice spoke again, though it was barely a whisper and it was gurgled as the man coughed up blood.
"Impossible ... the royal family is weak ... always has been ... weak ... It may not be me ... but sure as the sun rises ... you shall be cut down ... and when you are, I shall laugh ... from heaven I shall laugh."
"You speak as though you deserve heaven."
Still choking on the blood filling his throat, the man spoke once more to Saiga's words.
"I will die ... trying to redeem a once great kingdom ... what sin have I committed? No... It's not hell I shall go to."
Kazahaya shakily stood and moved to where he was before the dying man.
"What? Are you going to preach ... preach righteously at me ... proclaiming all I have done as ... wrong?"
Kazahaya shook his head as he reached into the folds of the peasant robe.
"I've no right to tell you what is right or wrong. But I shall not allow you to remain here."
So saying, a small glass pendant was pulled from the robe, the leaders' eyes widening in shock before laughing until he finally passed. Kazahaya stood over the man and held the glass piece above him.
"Kei."
Fire bloomed from the pendant and engulfed the corpse. A few silent moments passed, before all that remained, were ashes, which were swiftly blown away by the wind.
But the world doesn't stop moving for any man, no matter how great he may have been.
Kazahaya had fallen into a deep, deep sleep after he had called upon the fire to cremate the mans body, sleeping for three long days. During that time, Kakei and Saiga saw to cleaning the males' body and bandaging his few injuries. His hair -now clean- once more shone like woven gold and free from the weighty dirt and grime framed his face nicely as it fell to his shoulders. His body -now clothed in a green silk tunic and black silk trousers- once more resembled the young man they all knew and loved.
As he slept, Rikuo remained at his side, always within earshot for when the young psychic woke, so that the one he treasured more than any other would not wake to loneliness. Kakei and Saiga were never far either, still attending to their duties but never straying too far from their newly regained son.
Tsukiko herself was fulfilling her duties as queen, looking after economics, smoothing over the troubles the visiting dignitaries were suffering thanks to the attack, and trying to make a final choice for who her consort would be.
When Kazahaya awoke, it was during one of the few times all four would stay with him, having completed their obligations for the moment and just confirming that he really was there, really was back with them.
After many hugs, tears and kisses were shared, several questions came to the fore.
What happened when Kazahaya was taken?
How was Kazahaya taken over?
How did Kazahaya summon fire?
What happened to Kei?
Kazahaya had no answer to the first question, he had been taken over while still unconscious. The other three questions were related however.
"While I was under their control, I could still hear and see but I had no power myself. The theory of twins that the leader spouted off ... it's believed in quite a few places, and some clans created ways to counteract the perceived threat of twins. They killed Kei and cremated her, not too dissimilar to what did to that man I would think, and used her ashes to make glass."
Kazahaya fingered the glass pendant that Rikuo had returned to him as the four sitting around his bed stared in shock.
"Everything that Kei was has now been sealed into this fragile decoration. It serves the purpose of Kei being within earshot; it grants me control over my namesake. As a side-effect, I can use Kei's power as well, but my sister never was one to share unasked. I must call her name to be able to use her flames. Somehow, the leader created a thin rope that bound me to his whim. I wore it around my throat, and he mockingly threaded the pendant onto it."
Kazahaya suddenly looked to Rikuo, a warm loving smile on his features.
"But it was broken when you snapped the cord."
A moment's confusion was suddenly followed by the recollection of what had occurred. Just before Rikuo had noticed the emerald wing resting in Kazahaya's ear, he had felt the buzzing sensation he linked to using his power. The power to sever had been used, but when his attention had drifted, the intended aim had shifted, by mere chance snapping the cord holding Kazahaya under sway instead of slicing his body in two.
With all the movement that followed, the rope had fallen away from Kazahaya, freeing him from its power.
A sudden call for Kakei as a physician rang through the room, and another call for the Queen soon followed. Leaning over to give Kazahaya another kiss on the forehead, the two quickly left to attend to their responsibilities. Saiga gave Kazahaya's hair a fond ruffle before he too stood, explaining that he had promised to help the gardening staff remove a rotted tree trunk, and they'd soon be hunting for him if he did not get going.
With only himself and Kazahaya in the room, Rikuo shifted closer to the blond and cupped the boys' right cheek, his long fingers brushing against the jewelled piece in his ear.
"I almost hurt you."
Kazahaya leaned into the touch, his own hand rising to rest beside the matching piece in Rikuo's left ear, another kind smile on his face.
"But you didn't and you didn't know, so there is nothing to blame. We are merely victims of tragic circumstance. But, if you'll allow me, I shall remain here, by your side."
Rikuo pulled Kazahaya to him, embracing the man tightly, his hand tracing the hidden lines marking the wings on Kazahaya's back.
"I do Kazahaya. I never wish for you to leave me."
Kazahaya looked up to his face, nervousness playing on his features. Taking a deep breath and clutching slightly at Rikuo's robe, Kazahaya spoke.
"Is what I read true? When you held me in the hall and I started reading you ... do you really ... I mean, with me, do you ..."
Seeing that Kazahaya was having trouble bringing the words into the open, Rikuo leaned down slightly and brushed his lips across Kazahaya's. Pulling back to admire the blush that coloured the post-cognitive empath's cheeks, Rikuo allowed a smile to curl his lips as he spoke.
"With all my heart, I love you Kazahaya."
The two did swear by blood to remain, side by side, forever the same. Though tribulations and trials, they did face. They did stay forever in that place. T'was their seventieth summer, two decades past the other three, did these two men sleep for eternity. No children shared between them, their loyalty too strong to allow, involvement with another, and it does not matter now. Now these two souls rest, rejoined with family and friend. And now dear children this story, has reached the final end.
But do not worry I've many more, tales stored in my mind's cellar. Come and listen again later children.
The Storyteller.