Chapter 19

Reunited

Mitsuru's Apartment

Mitsuru is pacing his room, recollecting his thoughts on the shielded actions of the other Gods. Just what were they hiding? Mitsuru thought. Mitsuru remember how Isaaru came running into the Council Room. Why did Isaaru come barging into the room like that? What did he mean by what he said…? Mitsuru also remembers Solomon's hurried actions; how he stood up so quickly. Solomon's actions were really rather awkward and rigid. In addition, Kisuke whispered something to him before he left the Council Room. What did he say? Mitsuru goes to the window and draws back the curtains slowly. I remember when Tatsumaru opened the curtains and made his Astral body translucent. It was funny that day… sadly; I will never experience it again since he was killed by Yaichiro. Mitsuru closes the curtain again as sadness rakes his thoughts and heart. Tatsumaru apologized to me before he was killed… for forcing me into a relationship with him being of which he knew what awaited him at Solomon's hands… I never blamed him for the sudden relationship. The only things that I blame him for is leaving me alone.

A knock at the front door snaps Mitsuru from his deeply buried thoughts. Mitsuru goes to the door and opens it. He finds Shun waiting outside ever so patiently. "Shun, to what do I owe the pleasure of your most recent visit?" Mitsuru asked.

"I know you are still grieving for Tatsumaru. However, I have someone for you to meet –" Shun said before Mitsuru scowls at him anger flashing in his yellow eyes.

"I do not want to meet anyone! Not now and not ever! Tatsumaru's death is still raw in my mind. I should have been able to help him; to protect him. I failed in doing that. I failed miserably…" Mitsuru said.

"You cannot blame yourself for something that you had no control over to begin with, Mitsuru," Tatsumaru said. Mitsuru looks around the small yard in search of the speaker, but does not find him.

"Why can't I blame myself for Tatsumaru's death?"

"Often times, events lead up to an outcome that can no longer be altered from its set course of action."

"What are you getting at?" Mitsuru narrows his eyes.

"Tatsumaru's death was not your fault. Ideally, it was his own fault for not seeing the danger that lurked behind Solomon's eyes. He learned of this danger much too late and so he blames himself for his death." Mitsuru's eyes open wide as he finally recognizes the speaker's voice.

"Tatsumaru, you're alive. But how?" Tatsumaru appears on Shun's left side. His entire right arm, shoulder, and waist are wrapped in white bandages.

"I have Shun to thank for that, Mitsuru."

"What do you mean? I was told it was virtually impossible to revive you!"

"Virtually impossible, yes, but not improbable," Shun said.

"What are you getting at?"

"I used the Blood Revival Ritual…"

"An Alchemy Spell…?"

"Yes, five different types of blood courses through my veins now," Tatsumaru answered.

"The cost of his revival is the need for certain peoples' blood. Once the spell is completed, the blood is no longer needed to sustain his new life," Shun said.

"Whose blood courses through your body, Tatsumaru?"

"Yaichiro Tajiri – the killer, Mitsuru Kowada – the lover, Tatsumaru Tenryu – the murdered, Ki Olenhander – needed to sustain new life, and Solomon Wright – approval for this form of revival."

"Then why hide him from me for the past year?" Mitsuru looks at Shun as he crosses his arms over his bare chest.

"Well, we weren't entirely sure if the Ritual would work properly and we didn't want to get your hopes up. Then I decided to present Tatsumaru to you as a surprise."

"And a surprise is what he is."

"He nearly killed Solomon and Isaaru after he woke up for two different reasons. He tried to kill Solomon because of the events that led up to his death. In addition, he tried to kill Isaaru for calling you a bastard."

"I almost killed Neji because of the events that led up to your death, Tatsumaru."

"I'm sorry for failing you on more than one account," Tatsumaru said slowly. Shun realizes that this conversation is about to get private, he opts this as an exit plan.

"I will leave the two of you alone so that you can do some catching up." Shun disappears from Italy. Mitsuru looks closely at Tatsumaru. Tatsumaru does not look in Mitsuru's direction; he has his head bowed in sadness.

Mitsuru' Room

Mitsuru closes the door behind them. He then leads Tatsumaru to the bed by his left hand. "Please tell me how you believe that you failed me." Tatsumaru and Mitsuru sit in the middle of the queen-sized bed.

"I let our unborn children die because of my ex-wife's decision. I was unable to protect them…"

"Hades told me that you knew that the egg would never hatch as you clenched it tightly to your chest. I was angry with Lord Solomon for that one. I never blamed you for their death. And even now I still cannot blame you." Mitsuru stokes Tatsumaru's right cheek with his left hand.

"I was unable to see that Lord Solomon wasn't himself. Then when I I did learn the truth, I did not even tell you. I didn't want to drag you into something that had nothing to do with you."

"The moment we decided to have a relationship, you brought me into the struggle that you would end up confronting with Yaichiro. I wanted to stay by your side until the end." Tatsumaru looks away from Mitsuru.

"The end meaning my inevitable death. My third point of failure is that I was unable to survive the final battle with Yaichiro." Mitsuru turns Tatsumaru's face back to him with both his hands.

"That wasn't your fault. You didn't have any powers to protect yourself from Yaichiro's attacks. Hades told me that you tried fighting for life after I sent you to him due to the wound Yaichiro inflicted on you. Then your body finally gave out due to blood loss." Tatsumaru looks away again.

"I remember telling Hades something before I died in his arms…"

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him to relay a message to you in case I couldn't do so myself. I told him to tell you: 'Tell Mitsuru that I will always love him even if we are separated by death.' I died shortly after that."

"Hades never relayed that message to me…"

"He might have been too devastated to bring it up I think…" Mitsuru looks closely at Tatsumaru's bandaged torso.

"There is something different about your body…"

"There was one more component used for my revival."

"And what was that?"

"Shun used fragments of the Dragon Lance to make my body immune to Dragon-damaging weapons."

"How very smart of Shun. Am I ever glad that you're back among the living. I damn nearly went berserk after hearing of your death…"

"I know, Shun told me everything that happened after my death on our journey here." Mitsuru cups Tatsumaru's face in his hands.