Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight
Chapter 8: Awakening
Wake up…. Zero. Wake up…. He needs you…
Those words echoed repeatedly. Zero winced and turned in his sleep. Ichiru who was sharing a room with him woke up and sighed. Zero's body had emitted cold mist again. The room temperature was beyond zero degree Celsius.
Ichiru reached for his coat next to him and hurriedly put it on. At this rate, Zero's mind won't last, he thought as he went back to sleep.
It must be that. A war is brewing. And Brother is trying to awaken. You must be suffering, Brother. Do your best. After all, you have Kuran waiting for you. Me and Hana too.
"Who are you…?" Zero saw himself wandering around a field of autumn leaves. He was met with a young man who looked so similar to himself. With silver hair, amethyst colored eyes, those are the rare traits of the Kiryuu royalty. The man smiled and began walking towards a grand castle.
"Wait…!" Zero followed after him.
As he stepped into the castle, the bright and calm scenery vanished. The scene had changed. It was cold, cruel and horrible. The snow blizzard had turned into a snowstorm.
"Where am I?" Zero pondered as he walked through the paths blanketed in snow. He felt horrible when he realized what he had saw. It was so horrible, gruesome, like it was a scene from a war. Thousands of corpses lay on the floor, soulless and splattered with blood.
"What is this?!" Zero screamed at the top of his lungs.
"Don't you remember, Zero?" the man Zero saw earlier appeared beside Zero.
Zero glared at him and demanded. "Who are you?"
The man pointed to the area where the most corpses were. "That. Don't you remember, Zero? You felt something, didn't you?"
"W…who are you? A seer?" asked Zero.
The man sighed. "What are you talking about? Can't you see by looking at this face? I need you to remember everything that had happened that day. I am you, Zero."
Don't ever forget that.
Zero snapped awake and fell off his bed. His pajamas was drenched in sweat. He touched the floor and felt it was as cold as ice.
"What is this?!" Zero yelled.
"Shut up, Brother!" Ichiru threw a pillow at Zero. "Don't start yelling so early in the morning!"
"But the floor is frozen cold! It's autumn you know!" Zero refuted.
"Go get dressed!" Ichiru kicked Zero. "You're gonna be late!" Ichiru chased his brother out of the room.
After Zero was gone, he clicked his tongue. Tch. This is getting troublesome. Zero and Kaname must recall their memories at all cost, or there will be price to pay. A big one. Although Zero's awakening had begun, it was only the first stage.
Ichiru sighed. He just hoped there was no immediate danger…. For now.
"Hey." Hana pulled Ichiru along with him. "What's going on with that stupid brother of yours?" Hana was pissed. "Why don't you start explaining, huh?"
Ichiru stared at Hanabusa frozen. "C..calm down! I'll explain everything!"
Ichiru sighed after he explained everything to Hanabusa. "Geez. Stop jumping to conclusion for every little thing!"
"So Zero has begun awakening." Hanabusa scowled. "I just hope at least it'll be painless."
Ichiru nodded. "It can't be helped. They'll remember and return to us, for sure."
Hanabusa sighed. "A great war is brewing. We should be ready for the worst too." He leaned closer and kissed Ichiru. "And this time, I will be there to protect all of you."
"Oi." Kaname discovered them hiding in a corner. "What are the two lovebirds doing here skipping class?"
Hanabusa turned pale. "K…Kuran- sama!"
"How about you go and make up with Zero?" Ichiru scowled at his teacher. "I didn't approve of you for nothing. This isn't what I expected!"
Hanabusa sighed at his lover's way to push him towards awakening. "You'll be so sorry you'll be begging for forgiveness!"
Kaname stared at Ichiru, stunned. What is this kid spouting? I have never met you before in my life! And what do you mean approving me? For what?! Don't you give me bullshit like I was Zero's partner or something!
"Not ifs." said Ichiru. "They had happened, and that's the truth."
"What are you, a magician?" said Kaname. "Did you just read my mind?!"
Ichiru was starting to get exhausted by his teacher's clueless self. "Your expression just said it all. You're too simple, Kuran- sensei."
Zero sighed as he woke up from his afternoon nap, which he had skipped the class taught by the teacher he hated them most: Kuran- sensei. He didn't know why. He…... just hated him. They were over the edge when they met for the first time.
First time?
Zero remembered that feeling. It felt nostalgic, familiar, tinkling… and warm. He was pissed at himself for it. His pride just wouldn't let him. No way in hell. Over my dead body.
Zero sat there scowling and muttered to himself. The people in the library stared at Zero's strange behavior and began wary around him. But no one approached him, because no one had ever won a fight against him. Even the librarian was wondering what she should do.
Call Ichiru?
Or Kuran- sensei?
Or the headmaster?
She sighed. She was hesitating what she should do, or the whole library will be plunged into Zero's irritation of depression.
At the same time, a man wearing a long trench coat approached the school gates.
"Hey, who goes there?!" the guards demanded.
The mysterious man smirked and the two guards were silenced. Not a single sound of weapons or even a shriek. The man glanced at the grand building in front of him.
"So this is where you were, My Lord." The time is drawing near. I'll be sure to pick you up another time. In the most fashionable way to your delight.
Zero and Kaname felt the tinkling feeling. A bloodthirst. A very strong one. Zero rose and ran out of the library, following the scent he had felt. In front of the gates, he saw Kaname, Ichiru and Hanabusa were running towards him, all from different directions.
"Brother!" Ichiru was surprised.
"You felt it too?" said Hanabusa.
Zero nodded. "Look."
Before them, was the school guards on duty. Their corpses lay dead in the middle of the road. Signs of it proved that they were murdered. "What is this? This is so horrible."
Hanabusa examined the dead guards. "Ichiru." He turned to look at his partner.
"The perpetrator isn't human…. Is what you wanted to say, Hana?" sighed Ichiru. "I knew it."
Hanabusa sighed and looked up at the sky. The dark clouds were approaching, as if signaling the war has begun.