A/N: It's nearly over! After three years now, Broken is about to end… I hope you enjoy the very last chapter )
She tried to push off the ground but every injury she had sustained till that point was now magnified by the sudden shock of losing nearly all her magic. She only managed to rise an inch above the ground before her arms gave out on her. Tears of helplessness prickled her eyes as she collapsed back into the dirt, forced to watch as the woman advanced towards Fai.
"Masooma-chan," The blond whimpered as he began to step back. His frightened gaze darted towards her prone form with nearly every step. Her body may have lacked the strength now, but that did not stop her from trying as she scrabbled against the floor. He looked so scared. She had to…she had to do something…but without her magic, she knew she was powerless.
"Fai…" was all she could croak. She knew hearing her sound so weak would offer him little comfort, but maybe hearing her voice might…help him somehow. It was irrational and stupid and it was only when his complexion paled to nearly sheet-white that she realized that calling out his name had done more harm than good.
"So it is Fai," the hunter declared. A predatory grin stretched across her face as she shot a triumphant look at the witch over her shoulder. "I think I'm going enjoy killing you even more now. As for your beloved Fai," she paused long enough to close the distance between her and the magician before continuing, "I'm going to love," her fingers traced random patterns on his chest, "destroying every," she grabbed his choppy hair, "single part of him," pulling him closer to her level, "all over again." Masooma would have given everything to have Fai whisked away from that place the moment the hunter forced her lips on the blond's. Fai pushed the woman away, staggering back with a horrified yell, blue eyes wide with panic as though he couldn't believe what had just happened.
-0-
The seals were beginning to become undone. He could feel it now, the Essence slowly beginning to fall apart from the singular entity it had been bonded to for who knew how long. The tendrils of magic caressed his body as they dissipated into the world, as though wordlessly thanking him for freedom. But despite the gentleness the escaping magic adopted with him, the seals were just as harsh, refusing to let to go, unwilling to follow the directions of a mere human, trying to wrestle control from him. It hurt like hell, but he knew he couldn't let go.
The spell connected him to the kids and the Essence and the rest of the world and because of that, he could feel everything. In that moment, magic was not just within his grasp but he felt like he could do anything. He could use this new power to decimate those who dared attack this place, who dared to hurt the people he cared about. All he had to do was let go of the kids and refocus this power. This magic. It was all under his control. He could do it. He could save them. All he had to do was let go of the children. Let go and redirect. Capture the Essence and command it. That was all he had to do.
But…how could he let go when the end was so near? With this spell, Tsubasa's debt could finally be paid off and the kids could finally have their bodies back. He couldn't stop. He couldn't let go. He had to hold on.
The seals pushed back even harder, ripping screams from not only himself but Tsubasa as well. The princess was protected just a little by her own power, but even then, Kurogane could feel the pain she felt, the pain they felt. But still he refused to let go. He was nearly there. He could do this. He had to stay strong for their sakes. This was his chance to help them, to make things right for them and he'd be damned if he messed it up.
So he held on and he endured.
-0
It hurt. Oh, God, it hurt. Every inch of her body was burning, lit on fire inside and out, her very blood turning to liquid lava as her body arched in mid-air. Mouth open in a soundless scream, eyes wide open yet still somehow unable to see beyond the white-hot agony that enveloped her whole being, Sakura felt like every part of her was being torn apart by hundreds of thousands of burning needles.
Hold on, Princess. She felt the ninja's voice pierce through the agony that consumed her, Just a little longer. It'll be over soon.
-0-
"Leave him alone…" she rasped, feeling sandpaper scrape the insides of her throat.
"You're in no position to be making demands," the hunter chuckled in delight at the blond's fear of her. Tracing his jaw with a sharp nail, she continued, "But, tell you what. I promise to keep Fai around for a longtime." She moved to his back, picking up her whip from the ground as she went, "He was such a good lay the last time around," grabbing both his wrists, she pulled his arms back, "and I can tell he'd be a lot more complacent now."
"W-What?" the question came out sounding weak with disbelief as she froze in the midst of trying to crawl towards Fai.
"Oh, didn't you know?" the woman gasped in faux shock, her amused tone betraying her mirth as she forced the blond to his knees. Fai whimpered in her hold as the Cerellium-barbed whip was used to restrain him but he did not struggle against her. Why wasn't he fighting back? He could get away. He was certainly strong enough for it. Even with his vampire half sealed away, he should have been able to get away. Why was he still there?
-0-
"You enjoy this, don't you, Fai?" she breathed, tearing through another blister along his back, his screams remaining locked in his throat as tears began to leak through the soaked cloth tied around his eyes. "What's wrong, Fai?" she licked his cheek, teeth scraping across his jaw line for just a moment as she pulled back again, "Won't you say something? Don't you like it?" her hand grazed his thigh, roaming, exploring and mapping it all out, before she was twisting the knife in his shoulder and the pure agony that ripped through him was enough to momentarily distract him from what was happening to him.
What was that? That…did that happen to him? But…when? Why? H-How did…
"You're not so strong now, are you, Fai?" She grabbed him again, drowning out Syaoran's words completely as she squeezed him oh-so-painfully and yet still his body reacted to her ministrations as she tugged and pulled. With the loss of his sight, every other sense was heightened. He could feel her lips and teeth and the knife and the hands, moving, exploring, biting, nipping, claiming every part of his body. He could also smell the blood and sweat and stench of bodily fluids lingering on his skin mixing with the sharp scent of her perfume and he could taste his own blood on her lips and tongue when she forced her kisses on him, but worst of all, he could hear her whispered words and her sharp breath against his skin.
N-No…that wasn't him…that woman, she was…she was…
"Nothing can help you now, but you know you want this," her hands left his hips to tangle in his hair once again as she bit down on his lower lip, drawing more blood, "you like it." The blindfold was pulled off his eyes, and even though the dungeon was not very brightly lit, he couldn't help but squint up at the pitch-black irises that stared down at him in perverse pleasure. Her movements grew a little hurried as she latched on to his neck, sucking and nipping and he began to lose himself. He wanted it to end.
He knew her…he knew that woman. She had hurt him. And now she was hurting Masooma.
"You're weak." She told him as she began to descend on him, warmth enveloping him but doing nothing to comfort him as she bit into his shoulder again, her wicked nails breaking the skin at his hips as she used his body to support herself, "Powerless." She added sadistically, a moan vibrating against his lips as she forced her mouth on his, tongue pushing past his teeth to dominate him yet again. "Pathetic." She murmured mockingly. "You're nothing without your magic," he couldn't help but believe her words, "Just look at yourself. All the magic in the world can't help you."
Fai was scared. He was useless…He was weak and he had no magic and…Fai was useless…and scared…Fai could not help her…but Fai had promised to protect Masooma…he had promised!
-0-
"I had my way with your beloved Fai," the hunter gloated as she left the blond where he was, returning her attention towards the witch now that she was sure the magician was not going anywhere. "After that, I cut him up. Isn't that pretty much what Bauld did to you?" she smirked as she bent down to fist her hand in what was left of Masooma's hair. "And surprisingly enough, he gets saved by the Oracle at the last possible minute too." Pulling the witch to her knees, the hunter narrowed her eyes, "I'm rather surprised he survived what I did to him, but then again…" she grinned, sliding the flat side of her blade down her neck, "just the thought of how good he was the last time makes me feel all hot and bothered. One girl to another, was he ever that good with you?" Her grin took on a cruel edge as she sliced through the lower half of Masooma's shirt to expose the meshwork of twisted silver scars, "or were you too scarred to even touch him?"
"Go to hell." Masooma hissed before spitting at the hunter. All signs of mirth left the woman's face as she wiped the saliva off her cheek, backhanding Masooma in rage. The witch felt the roots part from her scalp as her captor kept a firm hold on her hair, the taste of blood exploding across her tongue from the hit.
Slicing a thin, painful line of crimson across Masooma's throat, the hunter bent down next to her ear. "You're going to wish you had not done that, bitch." The knife was plunged into Masooma's shoulder, eliciting a scream from the guardian. Not relenting, the hunter proceeded to jab her knee into the witch's torso, tearing out more hair as Masooma tried to keep from doubling over in pain.
"N-No." She could hear Fai's voice in the distance over the ringing in her ears as she tried to regain her breath. The steely taste of blood intensified in her mouth as her magic automatically began to heal the damage inflicted on her body. "Don't hurt Masooma-chan…"With every drop of magic spent, her hold on consciousness began to waver, little by little, even as she tried to hold on if only for the sake of the blond. But she knew she couldn't take much more of this.
-0-
"Is that all you can take, Bauld?" he hissed, slowly advancing on the panting hunter. "I had imagined you to be a lot more…challenging."
Rising to the bait, the man pushed to his feet, rushing towards the Oracle. Ducking under the attack, Nixon took the moment to slice at the tendon behind the hunter's knee as he passed him by. The Oracle had to hand it to him, the bastard only let out a grunt as he crashed to the floor. He could hold in his screams if magic was not the thing inflicting the agony. The man glowered up at the slowly advancing magician as he clutched his now-useless leg while Nixon summoned his blade back to him with a lazy flick of his wrist.
"I bet you're loving this." The hunter spat, pushing upright to stand tall. He favored his injured leg, putting all his weight on the other one, but he seemed to still refuse to look weak before the Oracle. Bauld readjusted his stance and Nixon could feel the slight shift in his aura when more adrenaline was pumped into the former's bloodstream. The whoosh of the axe slicing through the air came only a heartbeat later, the Oracle erecting a shield to protect himself. Ducking out of the way as the shield shattered under the force of the Cerellium weapon, the Oracle jabbed his knife into the hunter's already injured leg."Every moment of it."
-0-
A burning in her gut pulled Masooma out of the bliss of unconsciousness that had momentarily enveloped her. Trying to stifle another scream, she distantly became aware of someone else screaming in the background.
"Don't hurt Masooma-chan!"
The last of her magic sluggishly snaked its way through her body towards the wound, though she knew it wouldn't be of much use. Even if it could staunch the flow of blood for a little while…she would still die at the hands of this hunter, and then Fai…
"I'm so sorry, Fai…" she breathed, her eyes sliding shut off their own accord as the hunter pulled the knife out. A tear leaked past her closed lids as she began to succumb to the darkness again, for what felt like it would be the final time as her magic depleted itself in trying to heal her.
"Good bye, you little Guardian bitch." The female hunter hissed in her ear. In her mind's eye, Masooma could almost picture the knife sailing through the air towards her, Fai's screams and cries nothing but white noise somewhere far, far away. She was lost to nothingness long before she could feel the pain of the metal slicing through her flesh to take her life.
-0-
The woman would not listen. He screamed and screamed and pulled at his restraints till his wrists bled, but still she would not listen. Fai had to save her. Fai had to save Masooma!
The woman shoved the knife into Masooma's stomach. The smell of her blood was so heavy. He couldn't breathe. The woman was hurting Masooma and Fai couldn't breathe. And…Masooma was…she was bleeding. There was so much blood.
"I'm so sorry, Fai…" he heard her whisper.
No. No. No. No…There was too much blood. Too much blood and he couldn't breathe and…Masooma was going to die. He was going to fail…but he had promised to keep her safe. He had to keep her safe. He had to. He had to save her. But the woman would not listen and Masooma was hurt and she was bleeding and Fai was weak and helpless and…oh, God, he needed air…why couldn't he…what was…Masooma was going to…no, he couldn't…
She was going to stab her. The knife was going to cut out her heart and then she would die and Fai would fail in his promise to her and oh, God… there was so much blood and the woman was going to kill Masooma. He screamed as something inside him snapped.
-0-
Tsubasa was unaware of how long his entire being had been consumed by the pain but…he could feel a comforting warmth right beside him. This warmth caressed his face before playfully ruffling his hair, much like his father used to.
It's okay, Little Wolf, he heard a soundless murmur, it will be over soon.
Closing his eyes, he let the feeling take over him completely, though his lids flew apart only seconds later as white-hot agony ripped another scream from his throat.
-0-
She could feel the stirrings of the second presence inside her, the feather that had been dormant for so long in her body as a memory now awakening. It did not take long for her to figure out what was happening, even as another spasm wracked her when the feather began to separate from her, drawing the fire with it as it sluggishly began to surface from her chest.
It won't be long now, she heard those whispered words in a voice so like her own.
-0-
"It feels great, doesn't it?" Bauld grinned up at him, spitting out a mouthful of blood as he did so. Nixon kicked the axe out of his reach, looking on with an unchanging expression, "This feeling of power you have over me. You can do anything you want and I won't be able to retaliate, now that you've sliced my legs." He panted, "How I wish I had done the same to your little bitch. She begged me to let her go when I took her for the first time." Nixon's hold over his anger that had been so firm up until that point suddenly began to slip as the hunter continued. "You have no idea how good she felt under me. The feeling of her warm, tight-argh!" the hunter's words were cut off by a pained howl as his hand fell to the ground with a dull thud, severed from his body.
"You dare speak about her again and I'll rip out your tongue." Nixon growled menacingly.
"If you think…" he groaned, "that I'm going to beg you for mercy-"
"I know you won't ask." Nixon cut in.
"I bet you wish I would." He chuckled through the pain he must have surely been feeling. "Your little bitch did. Oh, how she begged me every single time I took her. And you know what the best part about her was?" Without waiting for the Oracle's response, he continued, "It always felt like the first time with her."
"If I were you, I would start crawling away now." Nixon warned in a deathly silent voice as he walked over to the axe he had kicked away earlier. Ignoring the Cerellium as it burnt his skin upon contact, he turned his attention back to the hunter, "You have until the count of ten before I start chopping you to little pieces, starting with your other hand. If you thought provoking me into killing you swiftly was going to put you out of your miserable existence, you miscalculated." He took a perverse pleasure in watching the hunter's confident aura suddenly shift colors in fear and alarm. "That's right. You should be scared. I have dreamt of the moment I'd have you at my mercy from the moment I pulled Masooma away from the Complex."
His palm had begun to sizzle in response to the energy generated by the metal trying to nullify his magic and the magic fighting back. He barely even paid it any mind as he walked towards the hunter at a leisurely pace, "You better start crawling, Bauld, because I'm about to begin the countdown." He drawled. "One, two, nine, ten. Time's up."
-0-
The fire was nearly gone now, taking with it the white that had blinded her up until that point. She could feel the stones and pebbles and debris from the destroyed city poking her in the back through the material of her shirt. Eyes as green as her own stared back at her, set in a face that distinctively lacked the pink scars that marred her own skin.
Exhaustion overcame her body as the vision of her clone flickered before her eyes before vanishing altogether. Her eyes slid closed of their own accord even though she could hear Fai's frantic screams in the distance. She wanted to help him, but…she was just so tired…
-0-
Tsubasa slumped on the ground, panting in exhaustion, coming to notice the circle of horrified onlookers that had formed around him during his…whatever it was that had happened to him. Trying to push upright on shaky arms, he felt a pair of warm hands support him. Looking up, he found himself staring at the melancholic look on his father's face, his solid fingers touching his right cheek as he helped him into the wheelchair.
"F-Father?" he whispered hoarsely as the image began to flicker before his eye. "No! Father!" he screamed, reaching out for the fading image of his father. He fell to the ground in a trembling heap as his body passed through the clone's before the latter vanished altogether. Tears of helplessness and anger leaked from his eyes, even as he closed them in defeat, sobbing to his heart's content as the magical assault he had just undergone began taking its toll on his body and pulled him into the beloved arms of unconsciousness.
-0-
Blood. There was so much of it. Flowing down his wrist. Trickling down his elbow. Dripping to the floor. Pooling by their feet. She hurt his Masooma. She hurt her. Just like she hurt Fai. This woman tried to kill Masooma like she tried to kill Fai but now he would kill her. He would make her bleed. He would make her scream. She hurt his Masooma, she hurt him, so he would make her die.
Her blood was so warm. And it trickled down his arm. Her heart fluttered in his fingers. She screamed when he squeezed. She hurt him. She hurt her. She hurt everyone. Now he would hurt her. And then, he would kill her. She wouldn't hurt anyone again. He pulled out his hand and the woman screamed for the final time.
He brought the heart to his face, tilting his head to one side to look at it. This was what had kept her alive. But now he had it. She would not hurt anyone ever again. It screamed as he squeezed and squeezed and there was more blood flowing down his hand and dripping to the floor and then… it burst. Now she was dead.
And there was so much blood everywhere and…Masooma was hurt. Masooma was dying and Fai was going to fail. Her skin was so cold, her heart was beating, but she was so cold. She was going to die too. Just like the woman who hurt them, and then Fai would be alone and…Fai would not be able to keep his promise.
"M-Masooma?"She wouldn't answer him. Why wouldn't she answer him?"Masooma-chan?"Still no answer. And, oh, God! There was so much blood…she was dying. She was dying and he was going to lose her and-no! He couldn't lose her. Not her. But she was bleeding and dying and he couldn't help her and he was losing her and she was going to die and she was bleeding and-she was bleeding! She just needed some more blood. He could give her his!
-0-
Kurogane panted heavily as he dropped to the ground. It was done. It was over. The powerful presence that he had felt once he had learnt to recognize the Essence was now gone. He had succeeded in unsealing it. And if he had truly done what he thought he had, then…the kids were free. The clones had their bodies back. The seals had been channeled through his body to bind their souls to the physical realm. They were no longer just memories but were once again living, breathing people. This was the world they had been searching for. The one where Tsubasa's debt would be completely repaid. The one where the manjubun's earring would stop glowing long enough for them to actually spend some time in the place, just like they used to with the clones.
Stretching out his sixth sense, he tried to guess where everyone was, focusing on where he had connected with the kids. It took him a moment to find them all, but it felt as though a heavy weight had been lifted from his chest when he sensed it. All over the city, the Magi were winning their respective battles. It could have been the fact that they were at an advantage on their home ground, or maybe they were just that desperate to protect their last haven, but they had somehow managed to protect the city, despite the odds. But what relieved him the most was the fact that he could sense the Shaman moving towards the spot where Fai was. It was going to keep its side of the deal after all.
He felt them appear long before he saw them, but the minute they materialized before him, Kurogane was at the receiving end of twin gratuitous smiles before he was enveloped in a rib-crushing hug. "Thank you for helping us all, Kurogane-san." The princess beamed at him, her green, shining eyes staring at him out of a face that could belong to the princess in ten year's time. Struggling to his feet and ignoring the protest of his tired muscles, Kurogane beckoned the kid closer until he was side by side with the princess's clone. Only when the two were right before him did he clench his fists and whack the two on their head with a grin.
"I swore I'd punch you both when I saw you next."
The kids mirrored his grin, the princess throwing her arms around him in another hug, "We missed you too, Kurogane-san." She said, finally letting go after what seemed like an eternity.
"Yeah," he couldn't help but nod, clearing his throat a little awkwardly as the princess looked around, confusion replacing the joy on her face as she said, "Where are we?"
"We will explain in a little while," The kid replied before he could, taking his wife's hand with a look that said he'd never let go again. "You were dormant inside Sakura-chan, so you don't know what's happening, but…we need to find Tsubasa and the others first." Turning his attention to the ninja, he added, "Kurogane-san, do you know where they are?"
-0-
Fai cut his wrist and more blood mixed with what was already on his hand. He could give it to Masooma and she would not die and he would save her and she would live and her wounds would heal and she would be okay. She would be strong and healthy and she would be okay. He pressed it to her lips, feeling it trickle into her mouth. She would be fine. He would save her. She was going to be okay. She wouldn't die. He would save her. Any minute now she would open her eyes and they would both be okay.
The wound on his arm healed and Fai cut it open again, forcing more blood out. She would be fine. She would wake up. She would-he cut again. She would wake up. She had to wake up. Another cut. More blood. She needed more. Another cut. He had to save her. She couldn't die. Another cut. Why wouldn't she wake?
"Masooma-chan, wake up." She needed more blood. She was weak and tired. That was it. He cut again, "Wake up. Wake up, Masooma-chan." Another cut. She wasn't waking up. She needed to wake up. She couldn't die. She couldn't leave him. He had to save her. Why wasn't the blood working? It had to work. It had to work. It had to!
He cut himself again. He could still save her. She just needed more of his-
"Your blood will not save the Guardian."His head snapped up, eyes wide as he stared at…
"Tomoyo-hime?"
"You are a hybrid," the princes pulled his hand away from Masooma's lips, "you cannot turn her like you were turned."
"N-No…Masooma-chan just needs blood." He shook his head, trying to free his wrist but Tomoyo would not let go. Couldn't she see Masooma was dying? "Let go."
"No." Tomoyo answered, "You cannot save her."
"I can save Masooma-chan." He argued. She was so cold. Masooma was so cold. "Let go or Masooma-chan will die!"
"Your blood cannot save her, Hybrid." Tomoyo said. "You are not a pureblood. You cannot turn her into a vampire."
"Masooma-chan will die!" he screamed, "Let go! Fai has to save Masooma-chan. Masooma-chan just needs some blood or Masooma-chan will die!"
"Do you not understand what we have just told you?" Tomoyo wouldn't let go. She wouldn't let go and Masooma was dying and he could not give her the blood and-she wanted her to die too. She wanted Masooma to die, just like that woman. Fai would kill her too. Fai had to save Masooma. Fai had to keep his promise to her and if this woman tried to stop him Fai would kill her too. His claws hit a barrier as he tried to grab the woman's heart. He tried again. And again. And then, he could not move. He had to save her. Hadtosaveherorshewoulddie!
He screamed and screamed, but the magic would not let go. He couldn't move. And the woman wanted Masooma to die but Fai could not kill her and she was just standing there. And then she was walking towards him.
"The Guardian has served us well. It would be a pity to lose a witch of her caliber." Her cold fingers touched his temples, slowly digging into the skin as she continued, "A deal is a deal, and I must honor mine."Too deep. Too deep. It hurt. Oh, how it hurt. Her fingers pierced his skull, ripping the world away from him as darkness began to pull him in, someone screaming and screaming and screaming and then…he knew no more.
-0-
"There should be an exit around here somewhere," he murmured, feeling a little unsure himself as he looked around the dim cave. He could no longer sense auras because as soon as they had arrived, his extra sense had completely vanished, as though the dispersal of the Essence had somehow ripped that ability from him too. His gaze landed on a small opening in the continuous cavern wall, about ten feet off the ground. He pointed it out to the reincarnations as he resealed Ginryuu. They ended up having to help the princess up the wall, but once there, the ninja took the lead even though the tunnel was wide enough for two of them to crawl together. He let the kids bring up the rear, trying not to chuckle at their whispers as they tried to relay just how much both of them had missed the other.
The tunnel was rather long and the soft murmur of their voices in addition to the exhaustion from the ordeal he had just undergone was enough for the ninja to let down his guard for an exact amount of three seconds. And in those three seconds of inattention, the ground gave out under him, causing the man to lose his balance and tumble down with flailing arms to find purchase. He heard the kids' twin cries of surprise before he could even call out to warn them of the danger, his body colliding with the ground in a painful heap, his metal arm cracking as it hit something hard. The kid jabbed an elbow into his gut as he fell on top of him, the princess landing rather gracefully at the very top. He couldn't help but recall all those times he had been at the bottom of the dogpile during the journey to gather the clone princess's feathers. Grunting at the kids to get off before he asphyxiated-because they were both heavy now-Kurogane pushed to his feet once they both had scrambled off of him. He groaned in annoyance when his mechanical arm refused to function properly.
The sound of footsteps had them all on their guard. Even if he had sensed the magicians forcing the hunters to surrender, one or two of them still could have escaped and-Sakura gasped behind him when a man staggered into their view, covered from head to toe in blood. He clutched a familiar-looking battle-axe in his right hand-smoke slowly rising from the closed fingers and the hilt as the smell of burning flesh and ozone permeated the air. The axe had belonged to the hunter Kurogane had left for the Oracle to fend off, but the man before them was certainly not him. The blood-covered man groaned, his legs giving out under him only a few feet away from the ninja. He appeared not to have seen the trio, which in itself was strange until Kurogane saw those grey eyes.
"Oracle," the warrior said as he stepped forward to help the man up, only to be blasted into the wall by a spell as the man cried out.
"I've killed your leader, you bastards!" he screamed, "see all the blood on me? It's his! Unless you want that happening to you and your friends, crawl back to your Complex and never return!"
"Oi," he grunted, staggering to his feet a little unsteadily. "It's me, you dumbass." He growled irritably.
The blind man clutched onto the smoking axe as though his life depended on it. It was obvious that the Cerellium was hurting him, but he did not even seem to notice the smoke or the burning flesh. It was draining him of his magic even as the ninja watched, the Oracle's entire body trembling rather pathetically by now but he did not let go. "You're in shock," he breathed, cautiously approaching the volatile man, "Calm down, it's me, Kurogane. It's okay, you don't have to fight anymore."
The Oracle apparently recognized him on some level because he did not attack again, although he still clutched onto the axe like his whole world would be destroyed if he lost the thing. Making sure to keep his motions as slow as possible, he touched the man's shoulder.
"I don't have to fight anymore." The man repeated breathlessly, as though he could not believe those words.
"That's right." The ninja nodded, slowly pulling the axe from the man's suddenly lax grip before beckoning the kid forward to help him support the magician's weight, "It's done. It's finally over."
A/N: And as Kurogane so eloquently put it, it's over. Don't worry though, there's still an epilogue to tie up all the loose ends but then it will finally be over. Drop me lots of reviews and feed all the plunnies to make them write faster.