Firestorm – Flame of Recca After War

War of the Ancient World

Kurei... I always hoped to be reconciled with you. I always wanted to understand how you feel, how you think, how you live... you are a very secretive person... always wanting to be alone... not sharing his emotions... not sharing his sorrows... not sharing his joy. I want to be a brother to you, Kurei... and brothers help each other. To this day, I never knew the real you. I just know that I care about you, and I'm willing to give up my life for your sake. It's far too late now, isn't it? When we parted ways, it was the last time I saw you alive. On that very last moment, it was you, instead, who gave up your life in order to save me.

Kurei... we'll be brothers... forever.

Episode 16 - Kaoru's Sacrifice

Mori clutched Kaoru's jaw. His hand now soaked with the boy's blood. Kaoru has stopped moving... and Mori was elated in observing the corpse he carries with him. "In a little while, your friends will see what became of you, Koganei."

"Tendou Jigoku, let's resume the merging process." Mori turned his head to look at Tendou Jigoku. To his amazement, he saw something he didn't expect-the madougu was walking away.

"Hey," Mori called. Tendou Jigoku didn't respond. "HEY!" No response...

What the? It's not listening to my call?

"TENDOU JIGOKU! What are you doing?" The madougu doesn't seem to hear him as it continues to walk away. Mori dropped Kaoru's body and attempted to run after the madougu. He tried to lift up his feet, but it failed him. What's happening to me? Mori tried moving his limbs, it hardly responded. Even the arm he used to hold Kaoru has now been paralyzed. "Damn it! I don't understand this!" Mori struggled even more until he tripped himself and fell down. Mori tried rolling around, he could... but with great difficulty. "I am constricted?"

"Mori. You have caused so much pain to the people around you..."

THAT VOICE!

"You will not become a God, Mori... on this day, you have been judged... and you are found wanting." Mori struggled wildly. He was familiar with the voice that spoke just now. He looked towards Kaoru's lifeless body on the ground. "Damn it, Kaoru! You're dead. How in the world can I hear your voice?" Mori felt his constriction tighten. He struggled to breathe, but as he looked at his body, nothing seems to be constricting him. It was an object he couldn't see with his eyes.

From mid-air, a bright light shone once more and an orb begins to appear. On it, there engraved the chinese word "voice." The environment around Mori begins to change. He slowly saw a hand appearing from invisiblity-a small hand holding the madougu. "You-" Kaoru was standing next to Mori, holding the Kotodama with his one hand. A few seconds later, Mori begins to see the second form of Kougan Anki wrapped around his entire body. "I couldn't fight you one on one... and so I needed an alternative."

"TENDOU JIGOKU! GET BACK HERE! HE'S STILL ALIVE!" Kaoru watched as Mori yelled from the top of his lungs. "TENDOU JIGOKU!" No response. The madougu continued to walk away. "It's useless." Mori couldn't believe it. He was tricked into the illusion manufactured by Kotodama. "Tendou Jigoku is under Kotodama's spell." Kaoru started. "It will go back to the sealed cave and rest itself inside." Mori stared in horror. The madougu is walking away slowly, almost mockingly snuffing the enjoyment out of Mori's grasp. Mori opened his mouth wide, attempting to fire a laser beam to knock Tendou Jigoku into consciousness. Before he could do it, Kaoru slashed his face and the beam was disrupted. "Mori... it's over."

"Overconfidence has blinded you. You could've won if you finished me off when you had the chance." Kaoru held his weapon tight and jumped into the portal, dragging along Mori's constricted body. He's bringing me in. If I can break free from the other side, I could kill them all and come back here!

Kaoru coughed out a mouthful of blood as he and Mori floated into the portal. The injuries from the battles he fought is lethal. He knew that he didn't have much time left to live. As the two entered the portal, Kaoru's sight is beginning to fail him. Things are starting to go black. He could still speak though, and he can still move his hands. Before his entire body would be sucked into the portal, he dropped the Kotodama. He had to leave it behind so that Tendou Jigoku will keep walking back. The spell will be broken if he brings it with him. Thus, it has to stay... until the most dangerous of all madougu will seal itself back to where it belongs.

"Mori... I have a question for you." Kaoru paused, spitting another mouthful of blood. "Why do you want eternal life?" Mori grinned. At his current state, he is immortal. The only benefit Tendou Jigoku can bring him is power. He knew he still had the trump card with him. At this point, his plan is simply getting delayed. Once he's finished with the people in the other side, he'll go back into this time and unite with the madougu. He giggled mockingly at Kaoru, confidence has not left him at all. "Simple. Because I want to rule for eternity."

"What a shame, Mori." Kaoru sighed. "I will... let you rule..." Kaoru flashed out the Koukai Gyoku. Mori was surprised to see the madougu. Will he erase me with it? Impossible. I have planted my cells in him as well. He will die if he erase me. When that happens, I'll simply use his body. It won't change a thing. Kaoru waved the Koukai Gyoku to the portal with both of them inside. "Mori... this time portal cannot remain open." Kaoru started. "If this be so, danger will not cease. The portal has to be closed." Mori was shocked at what Kaoru is planning. He didn't plan to erase Mori. He intended to trap both of them inside the time portal! "DAMN IT, KAORU! DON'T DO IT!"

Domon-neesan

Remember the first time we met in Kurei's manor? I'm sorry that I made fun of you. I really liked you a lot. Thanks for being a good friend and a brother to me... I think you're pretty weak. But of all the Hokage, you were the only one who never lost a fight in the Urabutou Satsujin. I think that's amazing. See you later!

"Hey..." Domon looked around. Nobody's there. "guys, did you hear something?"

Fuuko-neechan

You are too noisy, you know that? But I like you! Remember the time you tried to protect me from Kurei? I didn't had the chance to thank you... but I want to let you know how grateful I am to have you as part of my life. You're such a good sister to me. I hope you'll have a good one with Domon. I'm looking forward to see how it goes.

"Everyone," Fuuko called. "I think Kaoru's speaking to us."

Mikagami-sempai

I had a great time in our duel. I really looked up to you as an older brother. You have thought me a lot in my short time of having you by my side... It's been wonderful and an experience I would in no way exchange for anything else. Thanks for everything.

Mikagami closed his eyes and whispered, "no... thank you, Kaoru."

Recca-neesan

Thanks for adopting me as your foster brother. I didn't have a roof to stay... and while you were bullying me around the house, I forgive you. I really hope that I could stay with you a little longer... but it seems impossible now. Take good care of Yanagi. She's my favorite sis!

Recca's eyes started to well up. "Kaoru..." He paused, taking several short breaths. "no... this is not happening..." The rest looked at Recca, who fell into his knees. Mikagami looked silently. His eyes is also starting to moisten up. Of all his teammates, only Kaoru won his respect. He could still remember the time he saved the boy from Mokuren. It was so unlike him. But after their short battle in Kurei's manor, Kaoru had molten his frozen heart. The longer he was with Kaoru, the more human he became.

Yanagi-neechan...

Yanagi woke up from bed. She thought she heard someone spoke.

I will miss you... a lot...

"Kaoru?"

Raiha buried his face into his palms. He too, began to weep. In his childhood, Kaoru was responsible for helping him become what he is now. Without Kaoru, he wouldn't have lived to see this day. Behind every smile he makes is a sorrowful memory buried within. This day, everything converged.

The Koukai Gyoku emits its power, and the time portal begins to cave in. Mori screamed in despair. He knew what's coming. He had eternal life. If he would be trapped inside, he would stay there for eternity. He had nothing. No one to rule over. No one to torture. He's absolutely by himself. If he wanted to rule, he will rule alone... in the vast emptiness of a zone outside of time.

Goodbye everyone...

Kaoru slowly closed his eyes. After a long fought battle, he had finally earned his rest. This time for good. The mouth of the portal closed from both sides of time. The war is finally over and the time continuum has been restored. Recca let loose an eerie scream. He yelled out Koganei's name. Though he lived with the boy for only a short time, their friendship developed into brotherly affection. Ever since Kaoru stayed in his house, not one day did he fail to see him as a younger brother. Recca cried, as long as tears lasted. On that day, they lost the first member of Team Hokage.

"Hey, what's the date today?"

"September 29."

Recca cleared his face of tears. Trying to compose himself. He closed his eyes and softly, he whispered, "Happy birthday... Kaoru..."

The LORD Gives...
The LORD Takes...
Blessed be the Name of the LORD

Job 1:21

"Kaoru?"

"Kurei... is that you?" Kaoru opened his eyes. He was momentarily blinded by the bright light around him. As he allows his eyes to get accustomed to the rays, he observed his body. The wounds are gone. He stood up, looking into his garments. They're white... and radiant. "Kaoru... it IS you." Kaoru turned around. From afar, he saw a man in flowing white garments running into his direction. As the man approached, his face begins to radiate into Kaoru's eyes. "Kurei... you're burns... they're gone!"

The older brother extended his hands, to which Kaoru ran forward. They hugged each other for the first time... and neither one of them will be alone ever again. The brothers threw the biggest smile their faces can afford. From this day forward, they will be inseparable. They found themselves living in the same end of eternity. It's a new story, told outside the boundaries of time. A story only those who reached heaven can ever know.

"Welcome home, Kaoru..."

WAR OF THE ANCIENT WORLD

THE END

Author's note: Wow... it's over... isn't it? I will really miss writing fictions. I know I'm not as good as most female writers. I find that the creative juices are really something that we men lag behind. Thanks for reading the entire fic. It took me quite a while to finish the entire thing. To be honest, the hardest part in this fic is how I could reconcile what happened in the past such that no matter how many cycles of time travel be produced, the Flame of Recca universe would remain philosophically coherent. I'm quite satisfied with how it went, but I'm not sure how you see it. I never intended to have Raiha be part of the story. It's just that as I am working with chapter 4, I figured that it'd be amusing to give a background of Raiha. He's also a very interesting character. So I thought of putting some salt on him by explaining how he knew about his past, how he got Fuujin, and how he knew so much about Raijin. I also wanted to portray Kurei in this story as someone who is beginning to change from a nihilist to a more affectionate guy. Kurei appears to have a very big heart hardened by the misfortunes that fell on him. It was really saddening to have a life like Kurei's. Yet I think Anzai Nobuyuki had carved him well. Kurei is my second favorite character in FoR for obvious reasons. And then Kaoru-perhaps the underrated guy in Hokage. I really liked Kaoru's character in that he is a kid with a big smile on his face whilst having a big scar on his past. I think that over the course of this fanfic, I failed to bring out Kaoru's cheerful side because I wanted him to grow into maturity. Where smiles and sorrows converge, there maturity is found.

As of the moment, I don't have plans to write Tomorrow's Children. I included the epilogue down there in order to give you guys a clue of what the whole story is all about. Just to shed some more light, in case I would continue to write it, Tomorrow's Children will begin at a certain date in the faraway future. Initially, when I came up with the entire idea of creating a fic with about forty chapters, Tomorrow's Children was intended to portray a picture of how man's unjustified pursuit for power will ultimately lead to their extinction. I intended the second arc of the fic to be political, moral, and spiritual... something that would make us think through our lives.

The last arc, Healing Flame, was intended to be sort of like the second story of creation. After man's extinction, life begins anew. This time, the new creation bears the knowledge of the past civilization of how their sins have caused their own demise. It is supposed to be an arc that teaches all of us that "He who refuses to learn from history is forced to repeat its mistakes." (quoted from George Santayana)

Well then... thank you very much for reading all the way until the final installment. I never did regret to continue this fic. I will be very happy to read what you have to say. Please drop a comment or two. :)

Julius

400 years later...

"Honey... I need some help here."

A well built man scrambled into the room. His wife had just recently gave birth to a daughter. As would any excited father, the man was eager to see how he could help. He tip-toed, moving forward to see what's happening. As he approached, he saw the radiant face of her daughter smiling back at him. His heart began to melt in joy. As he observed the baby from head down, he noticed something peculiar. There's something else attached to her wrist. He's sure it's not something his wife has placed on the baby. It was a curved crescent, glowing in bright orange. "Is that a fire blade?"

TOMORROW'S CHILDREN

FIRESTORM - FLAME OF RECCA AFTER WAR

COMING in 20XX?

AUTHOR'S UPDATE (September 26, 2012)

Tomorrow's Children is under way... :) I hope you'll like it better than this.