Me: I'm never making any promises about updating ever again! I'll only feel guilty if I can't fulfill them. /.\ I'm sorry, guys. To make up for the wait, I made this chapter extra long (over 4,000 words!). I hope you enjoy.

Also, another note: this is the only story I'll be updating in a while. My romance source is currently dried up :( Every time I try to write something for my other fictions (and trust me, I try that a lot), I'm getting stuck. So no more stressing about that from me for a while (I've got tests and exams to stress about, after all).

Okay, that's all. Once again, I hope you enjoy, everybody!

It was silent for about three seconds as Shindou's words sank in. Then the hell broke loose.

"Are you crazy?" Tsurugi fumed.

"That's dangerous!" Tenma yelled at the same time, his mouth pretty much circular.

Shindou waited until they had all overcome their shock before he went to counter their arguments. "You said it yourself, Tenma: Kariya is our friend. If he is still alive, we should get him out of there." He paused, then corrected himself. "I should get him out of there."

"Why do you think that Kiriyoshi won't do anything to you?" Tsurugi asked.

"That's beca-"

"Because you came out unharmed last time?" Shindou looked away, so the navy-haired boy pressed on. "Just because you didn't die the first time doesn't mean it won't happen the second time you enter!"

"The third time."

"Eh?"

Shindou looked up, looking all of them in the eye. "It's the third time. I went back once before."

"B-but..." Shinsuke stammered, his eyes wide from shock. "W-wh-"

"I'm going and there's nothing you can say to stop me," the brunette declared, interrupting the smaller boy. Then his features softened and he cast a long glance at the dark forest. "Something's bothering me about that abduction. Something... Something doesn't seem right."

"So you're putting your life on the line for your gut feeling?" Tenma asked incredulously. "Aren't you scared, Captain?"

"I am, but... Well..."

"Geez, it can't be helped then," Tsurugi sighed deeply. "I'm going with you, Captain."

Shindou was shocked, both by Tsurugi's proposal and the title he used. This must've been the first time that Tsurugi called him 'Captain'. His shock didn't last long though. "That's too dangerous."

"It's dangerous for you too, Captain!" Shinsuke countered. "If Tsurugi's going, then I'm going too."

"Me too!"

"No, I can't allow that!"

"Tough luck, then. Either all of us are going or none of us are," Tsurugi said calmly with his hands crossed. Tenma and Shinsuke tried to copy his pose to intimidate Shindou, standing on their tiptoes to look as big as they could. It was a comical sight, really, and Shindou felt an even stronger urge to change their minds. He opened his mouth, but Tsurugi beat him to it. "I know you think it's safer for us if we stay behind, but I think it's safer for you if we go with you."

Shindou paused, considering the words. "I really can't change your minds?"

"We told you, Captain," Tenma smiled. "Either all of us are going..."

"Or none of us are," Shinsuke finished, after which the two boys grinned at each other.

Shindou smiled at their usual spirit, even though they were clearly afraid. "All right then, but let's make sure we don't lose each other this time."

The trees looked even darker from up close, with the white wisps of fog floating between them like hungry tongues.

Why did I say that? Tsurugi thought as they silently walked through the forest. To prevent losing each other, they had a big rope tied around their waists. He was second in line: only Shindou walked before him. Nothing had happened since they entered about ten minutes ago, but they knew that anything could happen at any given moment. The mist around them had thickened to the point where Tsurugi couldn't see the brunette in front of him anymore. The only reassurance that Shindou was still there was the fact that the rope was pulled forward.

They walked in silence until a tug at the rope and a somewhat muffled 'woah' from behind caused him to stop abruptly. "What happened?" he heard Shindou yell from the front.

"Nothing, Captain," Tenma replied. "I tripped."

Tsurugi released a breath he didn't know he was holding. 'Don't scare me like that' was what he wanted to say, but he swallowed the words. "Let's go," he said instead and the group continued once again in silence. Tsurugi's senses were sharper than ever as he tried to find out if they were followed. He had this eerie feeling that someone was watching them. How many time had passed since they entered the forest? It seemed like they'd been in there for hours, but that couldn't be since the sun was still shining. It was still very dark though, and the mist made him feel like they were walking in circles. It was like a wall that surrounded them and even though Tsurugi knew that his friends were right in front and behind him, he couldn't help but feel like he was all alone right now. The silence that enveloped them only added to that.

Something is off.

He didn't know what it was, but he knew that there was something not quite right. Was it the silence? The mist drowned out almost every sound from their surroundings. Kiriyoshi must've noticed by now that they entered the Misty Woods. So why didn't he do anything? There were only two reasons that Tsurugi could think of, and neither was very reassuring.

The first reason was that Kiriyoshi didn't interfere because they were already doing what he wanted them to do. The rope around his waist had been steadily pulled for some time now. How did Shindou know in what direction they should go? Now that he thought about it, Shindou had acted a little strangely before. And didn't he say that he had entered the forest before? Why had he done that? Was Kiriyoshi behind that? Was Shindou under the sorcerer's control? If that was the case, then he probably led them right towards that evil man!

The navy-haired boy took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. There was another possibility, namely that Kiriyoshi was already doing something to them, only Tsurugi didn't yet realize what it was.

For now, I need to make sure that Shindou is on our side, he thought and gave a hard tug at the rope to grab the older boy's attention. The outcome of this action, however, was different from what he expected. He stopped in his tracks and stared at the loose rope in his hand as he tried to comprehend what it meant. This rope was supposed to be attached to Shindou, but if it wasn't, then...

His thoughts got interrupted by Tenma and Shinsuke, who bumped into him after he stopped. "Tsurugi?" Tenma asked confusedly. "What's the matter? Where's Captain?"

"I-I don't know," he replied, quite baffled from the realization. "I think the rope snapped when I pulled it."

Shinsuke took the rope from his hand, looked at it for a few seconds and shook his head. "It's cut!" he exclaimed in shock.

"Cut? But who would do that?" Tsurugi wondered out loud.

Then, all at once, they noticed the difference in their surroundings. The mist had almost completely disappeared and they were close to the forest's edge. But how could that be when they had walked for so long? And where was Shindou? "We'll have to go back and look for Captain," Tenma said after the surprise had faded away. Tsurugi and Shinsuke nodded. However, when they started walking towards the deeper part of the woods, a tall wall of mist arose from the ground. It was thicker than they had ever seen, limiting their view until they couldn't even see a finger's length past their nose.

Somewhere behind this wall was their friend. Was he already aware of the fact that he'd lost them? Was he in danger? They all wanted to make sure that Shindou was safe, but it was too dangerous to go in when the mist was this thick. And so they were forced to wait, wondering if they'd ever see their friend again.

Kirino hurried through the forest, towards his next target. Even though his view was obstructed by clouds of white, he had no trouble evading the obstacles on his path. His breathing was a little heavier than usual, both from adrenaline and exertion. It had been a close call with those three: he had almost been discovered. Not that that would have caused many problems, but his actions were more effective if he stayed out of sight and let their imagination fill up the holes he left behind.

His heart missed a beat when he sensed that the three boys tried to get through his barrier, but he relaxed when they ceased their efforts. "That's right," he murmured between pants. "You three simply need to stay put and everything will be fine."

It was a pure coincidence that he had overheard their conversation at the forest's edge. He hadn't been in hearing distance, but because of the mist he was still able to hear it. That skill allowed him to know when somebody entered the forest. If he didn't focus on it, the perceptions were so faint that he could almost imagine that he didn't have these powers at all. But as soon as he focussed, it became his sharpest sense. It wasn't easy to compare it to his other senses, as he could both sense motions and sounds with it. It was like the waterdroplets were an extention of his own body. Just like his own body, he was able to move the mist at his will. But just like moving his own body, controlling the mist took energy. Still, he didn't dare to let his wall falter. If he did, those three would go in deeper for sure. He knew that much about them.

When he overheard their conversation, he realized that it would be best if he could split them up. Even though Shindou had sounded really confident, Kirino knew that even the brunette was scared of the forest. If Shindou discovered that his friends had disappeared, it would surely give his confidence a dent. Hopefully Kirino could scare him away after that without much trouble.

It didn't seem like Shindou had realized that he was all alone, but that would happen soon. For now, it was important that Kirino got there as quickly as he could. But that was easier said than done, as he had been controlling the mist for some time now. First he used it to keep track of the four intruders and sneak up on them. Luckily they had kept quite a distance between themselves, which had enabled him to sneak closer and cut the rope between Shindou and that other boy. Then he had quietly guided the other three back towards the forest's entrance while Shindou went on by himself. And now he needed to keep his barrier in place, or he would have to take action against those three again. All in all was it quite an exhausting time for him, but he had to keep up.

If he made a mistake, everything he'd done up until now would have been for nought.

An eerie feeling grew inside of Shindou as he searched his way through the milky fog. He could only see about an arm's length away from him and all the sounds got drained, making him feel like he was all alone. But he wasn't, he knew that. His friends were right behind him, after all. He was well aware of how irresponsible he was acting. He didn't have a clear route planned out, but he had had a feeling that if they just entered, they would somehow be able to find Kariya. Now that they were actually here, he realized how naive that plan had been. What if they never found their friend? What if they got lost and never reached the outside again? His parents, his friends' parents, their friends from Raimon... Everybody would be so worried... He wouldn't be able to live with himself if that happened...

A tall, dark shape suddenly emerged in front of him and even though he hadn't been walking all that fast, Shindou almost bumped into it. Placing his hands on the surface, he discovered that it were the roots of an big uprooted tree. The trunk was really thick: even when the tree had fallen, Shindou couldn't look over it. He sighed to calm his racing heart and moved around the obstacle, but the second he moved on, his foot sank into the ground and he almost lost balance. Only by grabbing one of the thick roots, he managed to stay upright. The mist was quite shallow here and it took him a few seconds to realize that he was looking at a swamp.

The shallow water didn't seem like much, but he realized that they could drown easily if they stepped on the wrong places. "Guys, be careful," he warned his friends, but no reply came. He turned around, but was only greeted by the milky fog. Hadn't they heard him? When he reached for the rope that was supposed to connect them, he discovered that there was only a small part of it left. His breath became shaky and his hands started to tremble when the realization dawned on him.

They were seperated! His friends were gone! H-he was all alone... Even though he disliked himself for that last thought - he was the one who had brought them into this danger, yet he was worrying about himself - he couldn't deny it. For a minute it seemed like the fear would overtake him, but then he gripped the uprooted tree tighter and a determined look came into his eyes. He moved backwards toward solid ground and freed his leg from the sucking mud. Then he grabbed another root, pulled himself up and climbed until he was on top of the fallen tree. Maybe he could look over the mist and find his friends.

He saw that the fallen tree was really long; it apparently was stuck in some trees on the other side of the swamp. It was like a bridge over the dangerous grounds, which ended in the tops of some other trees. But when he turned around, he didn't see a sign of his friends and an empty feeling overtook him. He pushed that emptyness away, though. They're fine. They're fine. They're definitely fine, he thought to himself. If he believed in that, then it would become true. He placed his hands around his mouth and took a deep breath.

"Tenma! Tsurugi! Shinsuke!"

The names of his friends resonated hollowly within the mist and between the trees, but there was no reply. Just for how long have we been seperated? What should he do now that they weren't anywhere near him? Should he go back and look for them? But he had no clue of the moment they'd lost each other, nor of the direction they had taken. Moreover, he wasn't even sure if he could get out of the forest again. And what if Kiriyoshi got to them first? Although there was definitely something strange about the sorcerer, there was a lot that Shindou didn't know about that boy. It wasn't excluded that he was indeed, according to the legends, an evil person.

Shindou's eyes burned as he thought of what might be happening to his friends, but he refused to cry. He called his friends' names again and again, until his throat hurt. Laughter suddenly reached his ears. The sound seemed to come from all around him, but he saw no one. It echoed through the forest and sounded anything but friendly. It felt like someone was laughing at Shindou's pitiful state.

The brunette backed away from the base of the tree, where the wisps of mist seemed to reach out for him. He almost lost his footing and looked down, shocked to see that he was already about two metres above the watery ground now. Like everybody in the village, Shindou didn't know how to swim. If he fell down, he would most certainly drown.

"Call them all you want," it sounded, making him look up. Just like the laughter from before, it seemed to come from multiple directions at once. "It won't make a difference."

Shindou's eyes widened, but he reprimanded himself. "I-I want to talk to you," he said with his voice surprisingly less shaky than he had expected.

"Oh?" the voice said, clearly amused. "I believe I told you not to return here. Not once, but twice have you defied my words. And yet you want me to listen to you?" Shindou focused on the base of the fallen tree, which was now swarming with mist. He kind of expected the sorcerer to be there, but he couldn't see him at all. A bead of sweat ran down the side of his face as he tried to find the right words. The sorcerer definitely had a point, but Shindou couldn't just leave with his tail between his legs. He was here for a reason, after all.

Even though every fiber in his body told him otherwise, Shindou slowly walked forward. Towards the mist, instead of away from it. His entire body trembled, but he kept going. "E-even so, I-" The foot he had just put down suddenly lost its grip on the trunk when he put his weight on it, causing him to lose his balance. The words hitched in his throat and he tried to take some steps to regain his balance, but he could feel it was a lost battle. In a few seconds, he would fall off and dr-

A hand firmly grabbed his wrist and pulled him back before gravity completely took over. Shindou landed on his knees, tightly grabbed the tree with his free hand and panted as if his life depended on it. His heart hammered so hard that it hurt and his arms trembled as the realization that he could have been dead by now, dawned on him. If it hadn't been for that person...

He looked up and saw him again. From up close he seemed just like a normal boy, but Shindou recognised him right away. This was the same boy that treated his injury weeks ago. The pink-haired boy panted slightly and his clear blue eyes showed a flash of relief. But as he seemed to grasp the situation again, his expression changed. He let go of Shindou's arm, straightened his back and looked down on him with a stern look. "We have nothing to talk about. Leave," he said in a low voice before he turned on his heel and walked away.

"Wait!" Shindou called, but the boy did not slow down or turn around. He chased after the sorcerer, forgetting about the possible dangers for a moment, and jumped off the fallen tree, landing on solid ground. Kiriyoshi was almost entirely enveloped by mist as he continued to walk and ignore the brunette. Shindou ran towards him and reached out to grab his hand, but before he could, the boy disappeared completely in the mist and he grabbed nothing but air. He looked around, but of course he didn't see the other. Still, Kiriyoshi couldn't be that far, could he? "I want to talk to you."

"Don't make me repeat myself."

Shindou pivoted on the spot and saw the sorcerer a few metres away from him. How did he get there so fast? He didn't look too pleased, but Shindou didn't pay attention to that. "What did you do to Kariya?"

"Kariya?" Kiriyoshi looked slightly surprised, which made Shindou hesitate.

"Yeah, Kariya Masaki. He's here... isn't he?" he asked.

"Why would he be?"

Huh?

"T-then, you mean to say you didn't take him away?"

Kiriyoshi closed his eyes and sighed annoyed, as if he was dealing with an irritating child. "I don't know what you're talking about, but he isn't inside the Misty Woods. If that's all, then go and don't come back."

"What do you mean? If he isn't here, then where is he?" Shindou asked while taking steps towards the pink-haired boy.

"I don't know and I don't care. Now go away." For some reason, the order sounded more like a plea than an order. That small detail made Shindou less scared of him. The fog around the sorcerer thickened once again, but Shindou took a sprint and managed to grab the other boy's upper arm before he vanished.

If Kiriyoshi told the truth and Kariya wasn't here, then they'd have no leads anymore. How could they ever find him? Unless...

"Please help us," Shindou asked before he even registered what he said. Even though he couldn't see the other's face, he was pretty sure that Kiriyoshi was just as shocked by his request as he was himself.

"To think you would ask the most evil person you know for help. I must say I didn't take you for such a fool," the sorcerer replied monotonously. But Shindou wasn't about to let himself get caught up in his fears again. There were too many things he had noticed, too many things that didn't fit. Furthermore, his intuition told him that things regarding the Misty Woods weren't as they seemed.

"You're not evil." His words were full of confidence, with not a trace of hesitation. He felt how Kiriyoshi turned around and how his own hand slipped off the other's arm. It didn't matter much, because the mist faltered and he was able to see the pink-haired boy again.

A shocking emotion crossed Kiriyoshi's face, before he gritted his teeth and said in a dangerous tone: "You don't know a thing about me. Don't pretend that you do." But Shindou could only focus on Kiriyoshi's expression from a few seconds ago. Was that boy... afraid of him?

"It's true that I don't know much about you," he said, "but I know you're not evil. You wouldn't have saved me if you were."

"That's because-"

"I'm sure of it," Shindou interrupted. "I don't know why you want everyone to think otherwise, but I know you're not evil. You can't be... So, please help me to find Kariya." He bowed during those last words and waited silently for the other's answer. The silence lasted so long that he started to believe that the sorcerer had disappeared while he didn't look.

But then he heard a deep sigh and the words: "God, you really are a pain." Shindou looked up, not really sure what to make of this reply. Kiriyoshi sighed again and seemed to make up his mind. "Alright, I'll help you. This time."

"Really?"

"But not now," Kiriyoshi immediately countered as he looked at the sky. "It's too late now, so save it for tomorrow. You need to get back before the whole village starts to feel brave and comes here looking for you. Also, your friends appear to be pretty worried about you."

Shindou inhaled sharply, for he had temporarily forgotten about his friends. "Are they..."

"They're fine," the pink-haired sorcerer said. "It's just that they have been waiting for you all this time. They are wearily persistent."

"Yes, that sounds like them," Shindou chuckled softly, more to himself than to the other boy. "Can you tell me how to get to them?"

Kiriyoshi pointed in a certain direction and the mist split, creating a path. "If you follow that, you should be able to reach your friends." Shindou was staring in astonishment at the clear display of magic. So Kiriyoshi isn't a normal person after all, he thought. He headed towards the path in the mist, until he remembered something and turned around once again.

"Kiriyoshi-san," he called and smiled. "Thank you for all your help."

Kiriyoshi's expression didn't change. "Kirino."

"Excuse me?"

And then the faintest smile appeared on the pink-haired boy's face. "Kirino Ranmaru. That's my real name."

Me: IT'S DONE! I really like the ending but that last scene sure gave me a headache! I hope everybody enjoyed it. Why not leave a review to tell me about it? :)

That's all for now. May our paths cross again real soon!

*Faints*