A/N: and this is the chapter where I change the rating to M. not because of what's in chapter but mostly because of what's gonna come up next time. or the time after that. Or the one afterthat. It's gonna get kinda graphic from here on out so yeah, even more so than before, so in order to keep this story from being deleted, I'm gonna increase the rating. But anywho… I hope you guys enjoy the update all the same. ;)

The explosion rocked the entire building as fire leapt forth from the tank to engulf the entire room. Hunters began pouring in from the only entrance to the room, armed to the teeth with weapons.

"Well, looks like things took a turn for the worst," Fai commented lightly as he jerked his hands and drew out his claws, his eyes flashing to gold beside Kurogane. Syaoran slapped the heels of his palms together and summoned his swords. Following his example, Kurogane did the same, jumping into the fray as the hunters attacked their small group. It was chaos all around as one side of the room collapsed, opening the way into the corridor outside. Kurogane yelled at the other two to get the hell out of there, knowing now the cure to be nothing more than a trap set up by the hunters to lure the mages in. Growling in frustration for falling for a such a simple trick, he slashed his sword at the men, left and right, not caring whether they lived or died. They had to get out of there. Luckily, all three of them managed to bring the fight to the corridor outside but before they could actually try and attempt to escape, another explosion caused the roof of the tunnel they were in to cave in, taking with it several of their opponents. Unfortunately, it ended up separating Syaoran from him and Fai, away from their route of escape.

With only one or two opponents left for them to deal with, they quickly met at the small opening near the top of the cave in where they could see each other.

"Syaoran-kun, get away from the pile. I'm going to blast the rocks apart and make way for you."

"There isn't any time Fai-san." The brunette replied with an urgent shake of his head. "I can hear more hunters coming from my side. I'm going to leave before they have a chance to find me. I'll meet you at the city." They could only watch as he raced down the pile and around the corner. Knowing that he had a valid point, they decided to leave as well knowing that the longer they waited, the more difficult it would be for them to escape. That had been the last time they had seen Syaoran as himself.

-0-

"Nixon," Fai said seriously as he approached the Oracle, "can you tell me where Syaoran-kun is? It has been almost a day now. If he's stuck in the city somewhere, Kurogane and I will go retrieve him but we don't want to risk running into any hunters while searching for him."

"You can't retrieve him." Nixon shook his head sadly.

"What the fuck do you mean we can't?" Kurogane blew up, reminding Fai of the angry ninja that had arrived at Yuuko's shop all those years ago. It was a testimony to the fact how worried he was about the brunette.

"The hunters have him."

"For how long?" Fai's tone became sharp.

"He never made it out of the complex."

"And you couldn't even be bothered to tell us?" the red-eyed man growled, grabbing Nixon's collar as he hoisted the blind man into the air, "what the fucking hell is wrong with you? Where is he now?"

"I'm sorry," he shook his head, "I can't tell you."

"Those bastards might kill the kid!" he slammed Nixon into the wall, "Where. Is. He?" he reiterated in a dangerously soft voice.

"I literally can't tell you." the Oracle replied, "as a guardian of Magihidusi, I am magically bound not to say anything."

"I see." Fai voiced, making no motion to make his companion let go of his old friend, "is that why you didn't tell us he was captured before?"

"I'm really sorry Fai." The blind man apologized. "I really am."

"You might be able to give us a hint or two however." The blond said, ignoring the incredulous look Kurogane shot him, "It'd be better if we had something to start with."

"Ask Masooma the name of the place she had been kept at."

"Let's go Kuro-tan."

"That's it?" he dropped the Oracle, turning around to round on his companion instead. "He's supposed to be a seer and that's all he can tell us?"

"Magically binding contracts are no laughing matter, Kurogane." Fai replied in a rather flat tone, "even giving us a small hint such as that will take its toll on him. I'd rather he not die while trying to help us." And sure enough, the Nixon was having trouble climbing back to his feet. "I'll ask Masooma and then we'll scout around Metropolis to see what we can find."

"I'm really sorry that I can't be of anymore help to you." the blind man said apologetically as he finally managed to stand up, leaning heavily against the wall as he did so. "If I could have-"

"Save it." Kurogane cut in irritably, "I know what you're going to say. You said the same thing when we asked about going to the city the last time."

"You and the residents of the city are bound by its laws." Fai said softly as he stopped by the door, "We, as visitors, are free to do as we please. Don't worry Nixon. We'll rescue Syaoran-kun on our own. Come on Kuro-puu, it'll be just like looking for Sakura-chan's feather again."

"Tch…" grumbling under his breath, the red-eyed ninja followed his blond companion.

-0-

His head felt like it was filled with lead, drums pounding on the inside like a marching band he had seen in Outo. Struggling not to throw up as vertigo assaulted him, the world spinning around him in circles, he blinked, trying to take in his surroundings. He was in an upright position, that much he could tell, cold metal pressing against his bare flesh, his hands tied behind his back. The world felt extremely cold to him at that time, his body shivering uncontrollably from the low temperature.

Fai-san… Are you awake?

"Syaoran-kun?"

Oh good. I was worried something had happened to you when they… the spirit trailed off.

"Is there something covering my eyes, Syaoran-kun? Everything feels too strange right now. I can't tell. Is it dark in here?"

You've been blindfolded, Fai-san.

"I see." He nodded, returning his attention to his body. He needed to figure out why every part of his body felt so numb, why there was such a dull ache in his bones, why his back did not hurt as much as it should have after being burnt, why… "Syaoran-kun, what happened after I lost consciousness?"

…They left you in a small cell for a while, your condition was quite bad after they… burnt you like that... The woman came to check up on you. She must have noticed something was wrong because she had you brought to this room which I suspect was a healing chamber… They've healed enough of your body that you won't die. He did not need to add 'From anything further that they might inflict on you.'

"I see… So I guess it proves my theory that they want me alive."

Fai-san… why did you have to-

"I told you Syaoran-kun, I don't want to give them that satisfaction."

Even if doing otherwise gets you killed? The boy exploded in anger. This is stupid Fai-san! You're normally one to work the situation to your own advantage. You could easily manipulate them by… I don't know… lying or acting or something! Fai could hear him pace around, why do you insist on doing this to yourself?

"… I have my reasons Syaoran-kun." He replied softly.

Are your reasons worth more than your life?

"I won't die." he replied firmly, "They need me alive."

Fai-san, please…

"Syaoran-kun, what they've been doing to me, they've done the same to Tsubasa-kun." He paused for a moment, "they've done something much worse to Masooma. Even if I wanted to… I just… I can't bring myself to do it… Don't worry though, like I said, they won't kill me just yet."

But for how long? And how long can you hold on? It's only a matter of time before they-

"Have a little faith in me, wont you, Syaoran-kun?" he interrupted the spirit's angry tirade, flashing a small grin even if doing so made him feel like the skin on his face was peeling away. "I've been through worse."

… She's coming back.

An uneasy feeling settled in his gut but the magician tampered it down. Wouldn't do to lose his cool in front of that wretched woman after he had worked so hard to make Syaoran believe he knew what he was doing.

"It's good to see you're back amongst the living, Fai." She purred, her fingers trailing softly against his collar bone.

"It would be good to see you amongst the dead."

"Ah. Your sharp tongue has returned as well," she responded evenly, drawing away from him. He could hear her moving around him but thanks to the blindfold, he was unable to see what she was doing. "It's funny, but I think I might prefer it this way."

"I'd prefer it if yours got cut." He responded icily.

"Oh Fai," The woman laughed as her fingers threaded through his hair, gripping a fistful of it at the back of his head, "you think you're so funny. I'd watch what I said if I were you though." She pulled his head back, something cold, a knife most likely pressing against his cheek, "I wouldn't want to damage that pretty little face of yours."

"You think I care about what you do to me?"

"Maybe not right now." She breathed in his ear, "But you will pretty soon."

He hissed softly he felt her weight press against his thighs, the action causing the burn wounds to smart, the numbness beginning to fade into oblivion as pain began to take its place.

"So I've been wondering," she said conversationally, literally straddling him in the chair he was bound to, tracing random patterns on his shoulder with her blade as she pulled his head back a little further. "Will you talk now?"

"What do you think?" he grit out, clenching his hands into fists to distract himself from pain that was blossoming all across his back and thighs.

"I think," she let go of his hair, "I think that you need a little bit more of an incentive." Grabbing his jaw between sharp nails, she pulled him forward, pressing her lips against his in an unwanted kiss, "I think that I might have to make things a bit more interesting in this game you have started to play." She kissed him again, plunging the knife in her other hand a bit into her shoulder when he kept his mouth firmly shut against her assault. She grinned a little before slipping her tongue in when he gasped at the sudden pain. "Mmm… Syaoran wasn't nearly as fun to kiss as you." She twisted the knife a bit to make him gasp again, the scream smothered against her mouth. "So tell me," she murmured, "tell me what I want to know and I might let you live a lot longer."

"Go to hell." He spat, losing all sense of direction when she slapped him, the merry go round that the world had become spinning faster and faster.

"Fine."

Fai was surprised when she climbed off of him, his body once again starting to shiver at the loss of heat, "If you won't answer that, I guess I can ask you another question."

"…"

"Tell me," she whispered in his ear, pausing to nibble on the lobe, "What is the source of your magic?"

Dread began to settle in the pit of his heart. This was the first time she had taken an interest in his magic. Her next slap stung his face as her nail raked across the skin hard enough to draw blood.

"The blade that's pushed into your shoulder is made out Cerelium, Fai," she told him, twisting the knife to make him gasp again as he tried to smother a cry, "the drug that we pumped into your blood to restrict you from using your magic is a compound of this wonderful metal. Did you know that if a magical being is exposed to this metal in its purest form, there are some interesting reactions that occur?"

Get away from him. He heard Syaoran whisper venomously but he wasn't able to decipher what it was that the brunette was doing since right at that moment, the stab of pain from the point where the knife was buried in his flesh began to spread out as she spoke, "it is said to cause the loss of all motor functions if a mage is kept in prolonged direct contact with it." She kissed him along the jaw, licking off the drops of blood, making him hiss as it stung the cuts in his cheek, "Of course, their senses work just fine, it's just that their muscles end up getting locked in place. It's kind of funny you know," she told him in a soft murmur as her hands began to roam, "there's something about you that sets you apart from all those other things that have ended up here."

I said get away from him! Syaoran was yelling by now, his voice carrying a hint of panic. There must have been something that he could see which the blindfold prevented Fai from seeing. Distantly wondering why Syaoran had to resort to yelling at the woman when he could have just as easily crushed her heart or something, Fai struggled to move, realizing with a slight amount of apprehension that the woman was right. His arms had already stopped moving and his legs barely twitched when he tried to kick her away from him. "I can see now what Bauld meant about that wretched bitch. She fought back. I'd even say she fought almost as hard as you…" she paused, as though waiting for him to respond. At the garbled string of noises that erupted from his throat at that, she gave a simpering laugh, deciding to continue with her monologue, "Of course, Bauld has a way of breaking his playthings after a while."

"This defiance of yours…" she kissed him again as he clenched his jaw, that being just about the only thing he could do as everything else in his body refused to obey his command, "it's almost refreshing. I'm going to miss it." A cry was locked in his throat as her long nails tore open one of the blisters on his back. "Let's make the most of what little time you've got left, shall we?"

A/N: What could it be that has Syaoran so worried? And what will happen to Fai now that he's been paralyzed? Any guesses? By the way, the few chapters that follow are the ones where the story took on a mind of it's own and wrote itself out. This was so not part of my original plan for the fic but I've learnt to go with the flow and not oppose it. Here's a sneak peak of next chapter.

She pulled out another dagger and used it to carve a line of blood, this time across Fai's collarbone. She followed the bleeding cut with her finger before bringing it to her lips. "I'm starting to realize that I also have a habit of breaking my playthings. It's a pity..." she pouted in fake annoyance, "you were such a delight till now."

P.S. Only a few more chapters to go till the big rescue. ;) ;)