A/N: *Shows up a year and a half late with Starbucks* The funny thing is that I had this chapter mapped out already, and I even started writing it—but then I lost the document when my computer died and I just kind of forgot about it for…fifteen months. Eheh. Ahem. Anyway. For the three people who care, here's chapter 20. If it's crap, it's because it's literally been a year since I so much as glanced at this story, and frankly, the finer points are completely lost on me.

EDIT. I changed the chapter title. "The Ballad of Light and Dark" will probably be reserved for the finale.

Disclaimer: I make a whopping $60 a week, and it has nothing to do with this story. I do not own, nor do I claim to own any of the characters, places or themes used in this story.

Slay's Useless Fact of the Week: A pig's orgasm lasts thirty minutes—put that in your magazine, Cosmo.

Bon à lire,

-Slay

A Day of Mercy

Chapter 20

Interlude

Now, one would think, that in all of his previous encounters with them, Riku might have learned not to antagonize Kadaj and his ilk. One would think that after spitting up blood for the third time straight, he'd have had the basic instinct to back down—or to at least shut his mouth. But no. He didn't. In fact, it wasn't until he was laid out on the ground, with the sun-bleached pavement baking against his skin, that Riku began to suspect he might have made a mistake.

"It doesn't have to be this way," Kadaj was grumbling, circling Riku in frustration. "We're brothers."

Yazoo was lurking nearby, tightening his gloves. "Half-brothers. Remember? At some point, Kira ran off with that witch."

"Hm." Kadaj stopped his pacing and leaned over Riku with a disgusted scowl. "He must get this stubbornness from her. Witches always were irrational, stupid creatures."

"Listen, you pompous bastard!" Riku started pushing himself up, but was stopped by Kadaj's boot. In a swift and violent motion, the metal heel crunched down on his upper arm with precise, bone-breaking force. The pain was immobilizing and bright, and Riku felt a whirl of nausea in his gut as his head slammed back against the pavement.

Kadaj gave a long-suffering sigh, not even watching as Riku writhed at his feet. "Enough of this. It's high time you came home, Little Brother."

"You…" Riku gasped, rolling off of his bad arm. "You'll have to drag me…kicking and screaming."

Kadaj shook his head and knelt down, sunlight clipping through his hair and giving his eyes a fervid glow. "Oh, we don't have to do that. In fact, we don't have to lift a single finger." He cocked his head to one side. "Because you're going to come to us. All on your own..."

"Like hell I—"

Riku didn't realize what Kadaj was doing until it was too late, until the chain snapped around his neck and his father's amulet was hanging above him. He wanted to grab for it, but the pain in his arm was debilitating. Kadaj saw his intentions and straightened up, keeping the amulet well out of his reach.

"Yes," he nodded, taking a few steps back. "You will to come to us." He made sure Riku was watching when he carelessly dropped the amulet to the ground—the harsh clack making the younger monster cringe. Riku's chest curled in on itself when he saw Kadaj poise his boot over the precious stone. "You'll come running…"

"Don't—"

"Because after tonight…"

"Kadaj, please—"

"When all of your precious humans see you for what you really are without that whore's witchcraft…" He raised his foot—

"NO!"

—and crushed the amulet with a soul-shattering crunch.

Riku felt it more than saw it. The world lurched around him and his insides ran cold. His ears seized up with ringing, his vision wavered. A flash of internal white signaled that his only shield had broken, and the crumbling dam released a thunderous hunger through his chest.

'God, he was hungry. Starving. He had never felt this obscenely famished…the ravenous ache…grating harshly against his stomach, threatening to shred it open with its ruthless craving…so raw and raging…deep and desperate…he needed food…

…he needed blood.'

Kadaj was grinding the amulet with his heel, dragging the shards across the pavement before moving forward and crouching down. He grabbed Riku by his hair and hauled him up until they were eye-to-eye. He wasn't smiling. Instead, there was a rather demure sort of madness in his gaze.

"When their blood is on your hands," he whispered, leaning in close, "we'll be all you have left."

Kadaj threw him to the ground, and within seconds, Riku was left alone in the scalding sunlight, his mind torn violently between his pain, his hunger, and his fear.

-o-o-o-

Sora was okay.

Thank God.

"What happened to you?"

"Those freaks from the concert showed up…" Riku slid down the wall, resting his broken arm and clutching the shards of his amulet in his other hand. He was too dizzy from the heat and the pain to meet Sora's gaze. "I chased them off, but they'll be back…You need to get out of here."

"Okay—let's go." Sora's touch seared his skin. Riku hissed and jumped, inching his way along the wall to a nearby shadow, praying for even the slightest relief from the sun.

"Riku…"

"Just…Go get help. I'll wait here."

"But what if they come back—"

"I said go." He didn't want to sound so harsh, but he couldn't be around Sora right now. Not with the sun creeping so close to the horizon, the sky bleeding slowly into red. Not with his amulet—his control—shattered in his palm. He wasn't in any kind of shape to move. He was resigned to the fact that he might transform right there in the street, that people might see; but Sora didn't have to be there. Sora couldn't be there. He couldn't be anywhere near Riku when he changed. This wasn't about his judgment anymore. It was about his safety. His life. Without the amulet, there was no telling what Riku would do. He might not even recognize his friend, much less show any kind of restraint.

Sora got to his feet. "Wait right there, Riku. I'll be back soon. I-I promise!"

Riku watched him leave through heavy lids. I have to get the hell out of here.

He tried to push himself up, but every muscle in his body screamed in protest. "Dammit…"

"Wow. You look like shit."

"Axel."

Riku hadn't even heard them coming. He raised his head and saw Mr. Strawberry leaning over him with a shit-eating grin, his bright red hair blending with the light of the setting sun. He was accompanied as usual by Roxas, who was rubbing one of his temples over Axel's antics, and behind them Riku saw Demyx and Zexion for the first time since the concert.

"What're you doing here?"

Axel shrugged. "We saw those goons hanging around and figured there might be trouble. …Where's Sora?"

"He's fine," Riku said quickly. "He went to get help, but…"

"But you can't wait for him. We know. Demyx?"

Axel moved aside so his friend could step forward, bending down and offering Riku his hand.

Riku took a second to shove the remains of his amulet in his pocket before reaching up, but Demyx shook his head. "The one that hurts."

"What?"

The blond gave him a patient look. "Your arm's broken, right? Let me see it."

Riku frowned. Just the thought of lifting his injured arm hurt. "I can't move it."

Demyx nodded, unruffled. "Then hold still."

"What're you—" A sharp inhale. The skin of Demyx's nimble, musician's hand had begun to ripple with the echo of soft blue scales. The second he touched Riku's arm, a cool, watery release started trickling through the fiery pain, and he watched in awe as the ugly black bruising marking the fractured bone drained steadily away.

"It took a lot of practice," Demyx said pleasantly, moving his fingers carefully up Riku's arm, dousing the last of the pain. "But I finally mastered healing other people. It used to only work on me. …There, how's that?"

Riku flexed his arm experimentally. "It's…It's like it was never broken…"

Demyx grinned. "We don't have time for me to fix you up completely, but that should make it easier for you to move around."

"Then let's get going," Axel said calmly. "Sundown's in thirty minutes."

"Can you get up?" Demyx asked, getting to his feet.

Riku nodded and levered himself against the wall, still feeling sore but way better-equipped to handle it now that the blinding agony in his arm was gone. The others had already started walking away, and Riku pushed through his exhaustion to catch up with them.

"Where are we going?"

Axel had produced a toothpick and was wringing it tirelessly between his teeth. "We've set up a safe house about five blocks from here. It's not perfect…" he glanced almost irritably in the direction of the sunset. "But it'll have to do."

A/N: I know, I know, it's shorter than Hitler's dick, but I really really wanted to update.

Peace~

Slay