The path that Kazune and Karin had traveled was being retraced as Jin and his escorts led Kazune to the country in the west. It was as if they were walking through time while the memories of the journey to the kingdom reopened in Kazune's mind. They passed the swamp and then the hole they emerged from after their run in with the bandits was in view. Productivity was erased with every step; the only thing Kazune had gained from his journey was Karin. He was angry with himself for not keeping a closer watch on her and ruining their plans. The musky air and Jin's sickening smile made trekking over this holy land heavy. He was going to destroy, not to build anew. The place he wanted to forget still held him by a chain wound around his neck. He had never escaped, only been allowed to explore further. Kazune glared towards the sky, challenging the god he did not believe in. Cruel fates and broken truths never ceased to follow him. It was that moment that Kazune wanted to end the world. No more filth to cover him, he wouldn't have to face love or hate, he could just float in nothingness for eternity and he welcomed the idea.

The promise to kill Karin's mother made Kazune apprehensive. He had not been able to tell how she felt about his vow. Since the agreement was made, Karin's once spirited face with the cute flushed cheeks and brilliant green eyes had hardened into an expressionless canvas. He had tried to get her attention while Jin was busy but she only glanced at him before denying him the privilege of her interest. He guessed she was angry, but this anger was different than the others.

She could not argue with him. She could not hit him. She could not scare him into living again. Without her beautifully terrifying presence, Kazune felt numb. The ice woman he loved was not here, but he could see her clearly. He could experience everything that happened to her but she did not exist.

Jin consistently teased Kazune by having Karin sit on his lap while he stroked her hair. He pushed as far as he could go before the emotionless Karin froze a piece of his clothing in warning. He tormented Kazune further by allowing him to walk next to his carriage. Kazune could smell Karin's sweet scent being smothered by Jin's stench. He was trying to take what belonged to Kazune and it tore at his sanity.

The sky was darkening and their parade was coming to a stop for the night. Jin's servants set up the camp, lighting a fire and going off in search of provisions. Everyone was sitting and laughing around the fire while Kazune eyed the fire with a lustful gaze. He saw the camp going up in flames and the governor burning alive. He saw the wonderful dancing of flames devouring everything in its path till nothing but soft ash remained. The scent of a smoldering death would wash over the land. Kazune then imagined himself taking Karin back again and making love to her in the ashes of the dead. He wanted it. That future, he longed for such a horrific thing. Out stretching his hands, he began to play with the fire to the best of his ability. The flame resistant clothing made everything more difficult but the want to play with the red flower before him was much greater.

The flame flickered just a little at first. His heart raced. He made it dance more. The delicate curves of the flame and the licking at the night air stirred his soul. Kazune took a deep breath in as a deranged smile graced his lips. He surged all his energy forward only to be stopped by an ice cold hand pulling him onto his back. He fired a bolt of fire up into the trees, narrowly missing the goddess he had missed.

Karin was still dressed in her captive clothing, and her face was still stony, but the golden hair and green eyes still calmed his heart.

"You'd better follow orders from here on out." she said with a still voice.

Kazune was stunned that she would say those words. He expected it from Jin, but to have her tell him to follow through with his agreement felt like a strike to his core.

"Y-you, how do you feel?" he asked clumsily.

"How do I feel?" she said with no change of face. "I am not happy that we are going back to your country. I am furious that you agreed to kill a member of my family even if you know that my mother is as good as dead to me. I hate that I know why you are doing all this and I hate that it is my fault."

Karin ceased talking and resumed staring quietly with no life in her eyes at the man who promised to do anything to keep her his. She was cool and strained for emotion.

"It's not your fault..." Kazune began. "What was I supposed to do? Let you be a slave to that horrible governor?"

Karin stood and kicked Kazune over on to his back again, keeping her foot in place. He faced up at her as she spoke.

"I expect you to rebel like the horrible man you have shown yourself to be. You are smart, so put that brain to use and come up with a plan to make things go your way. Isn't that what you are best at?"

The words were sharp on Kazune's ears. She simultaneously complimented him and belittled him in a few words. Had she been a spell caster, she would have effectively chosen a chaos enchantment.

"You think I'm a horrible man?" Kazune said with a quiet voice and a grimace on his face.

"Yes. Because I am sure you have noticed that you are a sadistic, chauvinistic warlock who does whatever he pleases without caring what others think."

Kazune grew hot at her scornful words.

"I can understand why you were bullied in your childhood. I can understand why you hate."

Kazune was ready to fight back. Karin was making him upset enough to defile their relationship and kill her with the rest. He tried to push forward but her foot held him fast. Karin bent down and came within inches of his face.

"You are all those things, and I am no different."

There was a small twinkle in Karin's unmoving eyes.

"Because you are my other half, I love it all."

She leaned in and kissed him lightly on the lips under the cover of the night. Kazune's faint red glow was not visible to the cheerful servants and escorts of Governor Jin.

Kazune was shocked by her words. "Could she be just as twisted as me?" he thought to himself as he relished the kiss she was giving him. "Surely I could not have found such a wonderful person lying in the snow that day."

Karin withdrew and stared back at Kazune for a moment.

"I would love someone like you than someone who is too nice." she smiled. "Nice people are too neutral in situations like this. The party in danger will not appreciate the neutrality."

Karin winked and turned to walk off. Kazune wanted to stop her. He yearned for her touch again. The hate and fiery rage that filled him just moments before had been swept out by the sadness of not being able to hold her close. He was forced to stay far away and still, close. The only thing that had temperatures so high they could melt him was the beautiful ice woman. With her sun beam hair, evergreen eyes, rose lips and heart shaped face; Kazune could not help but fall in love over and over again.

"I expect you to rebel like the horrible man you have shown yourself to be. Nice people are too neutral in situations like this. The party in danger will not appreciate the neutrality."

Her words of love rang in his mind as he drifted to a wonderful sleep. For on the morrow, he would begin his plans for betrayal.