Part Fifty-Three:

Yuui felt a slight dropping sensation and he found himself in the north tower where Ashura's scrying pool was located. He glanced over to see Boris had a grim, determined expression. He nodded at Yuui. "Give it a minute and then cast."

Yuui nodded and traced some runes in the air. He paused when his blue rune set was finished. Boris then traced a purple rune set to transport back to Fai and Kurogane. Then it dawned on Yuui. "You're not taking me back there with you?"

"No. You'll stay here in the safety of this castle. No arguments. I won't have you becoming King Ashura's battlefield pickup. Trust me and Kurogane to bring him down."

"But..."

"No arguments!" Boris snapped at him. Yuui clamped his mouth shut, knowing he couldn't afford distracting Boris right now. Still, he wanted to be there for Fai and Boris if there was a fight, and Kurogane, too, since he meant so much to Fai.

"If one of you gets hurt, I could heal the wounds," Yuui pointed out.

Boris took a deep breath and said, "The minute we have the king restrained, I swear, we'll bring him right to you for treatment. The very minute."

"I trust you. I've put implicit trust in you from the first moment we meet, and you've proven to be faithful to me every time. You'll do as you promised me, I have no fear that you won't."

Boris, for the first time Yuui had known him, looked startled. He nodded his head with a dry smirk. "I won't betray your faith in me."

Yuui gave the man a soft smile. One day, Yuui vowed, he'd use real words for what he felt towards the man and not false words like hate, detest, and loath that maintained a safe, fake barrier between them. Boris used those false words, too, because he wanted to run.

Yuui was determined to not let him run; he wanted Boris to be his forever. Therefore, he had to learn the language of love. Then again, maybe this was a language of love. It was so confusing, but Yuui felt these hostile, sharp words were comfortable between them. Boris understood what he meant; maybe no more needed to be said. Still, he really wanted to say the true words he meant. It caused such a heart ache.

Yuui swung the topper of his staff towards the scrying pool and his blue runes drifted into the water. An abundance of algae, lily pads, and all sorts of flora life appeared in the pool of water. It was all flora life that hadn't existed on Celes in the wild for eons.

"How the... well... how did you do that?" Boris asked, incredulous.

"You have to want things to live. You have to seek out the spores that have life and want them to grow and move. They're always tiny, and you have to be still for them. I just woke them up and urged them to grow."

"In other words, it's kind of the same as necromancy. We seek out dormant things and bring them to life."

"In a way. Only this is true life. Not to offend, necromancy is a hallow imitation of life. I witnessed that with what you did with the animals."

Boris smiled. "I take no offense of your observation; I wield a hollow art. Indeed, what you bring about is true life. And it's very lovely and more precious than anything I can cast, the things you just created. I admire you a great deal for it."

Yuui felt his heart skip a beat at the compliment. He refocused when he felt Fai cast, too. "It shouldn't be too long. Fai just cast, so you better go help him before Father shows up."

Boris hesitated swinging his staff and activating his set of runes for half a moment. "I'll be back for you soon."

Before Yuui could say or do anything; there was a whoosh of green magic that descended between them and King Ashura appeared, grabbing Yuui instantly.

"Yuui!" Boris shouted and dropped his traveling rune set. He quickly traced an attack rune set, but before he could cast, King Ashura clenched Yuui to his chest and moved him in the way of Boris' spell. Boris stayed his hand before launching the purple, attack magic. He glowered at the king as he dropped the rune set. "You'd use your own son as a shield? I could have hurt him!"

"You wouldn't dare harm him, would you? You told me he was worth dying for. Now I'll put that to the test. But first, is that insufferable ninja and my other spoiled child with you, or are they still at the north pole? I felt Fai cast so tell me the truth."

"They're at the north pole, waiting on you," Boris answered.

"Good because I plan on surrendering to Yuui. I'll let him treat me," Ashura said, and the tension fled from Yuui.

"Really? You'll do it?" Yuui asked with wide, hopeful eyes.

Boris sneered, "Don't you believe him for a minute, Yuui!"

"Son, I'm asking you to rescue me," Ashura pleaded. "Who are you going to trust: me or that filthy reanimator? Just relax and come with me."

Yuui felt torn as he looked from Boris to Ashura. Boris said, "Damn it, Yuui, use your empathy and you'll see he's lying. I'm sure of it."

Yuui looked into Ashura's brown eyes and opened his mind. Not only were Ashura's emotions a raging inferno of fury, but he could read deceit in his father's heart, and a desire to do him bodily harm. "Father! Let me go! You're planning on hurting me."

Ashura frowned a little. "I was counting on you being my fool and ignoring that man. You'll have to be punished for your wickedness."

"So why did you come for Yuui if Fai is your target?" Boris asked, still not lowering his staff.

"You were counting on me going straight for Fai, but there is something I want from Yuui first," Ashura said, pressing his body against Yuui's back and moving his palm to his son's face. He caressed the cheek with his thumb. Yuui shuddered at the touch and tried to push Ashura's arm from around his waist. Ashura rested his thumb right below Yuui's left eye. "I want his eyes."

"His what? What kind of sick...?"

"It's where the source of his magic rests," Ashura explained, causing Yuui to panic now.

Boris clenched his staff and held up the casting tip. "Over my dead body. You see, there is a reason I use a silver staff. So I can do things like this."

The smallest pin prick of magic shot out and hit Ashura's forehead. It jolted the king backwards, and Yuui was able to break free and run to Boris. Ashura got to his feet and unleashed fierce magical lightening. Boris dodged as Yuui ran past him.

"Go to your brother!" Boris ordered gruffly. Yuui shook his head as another flash of green lightening struck Boris' hasty, weakened magical shield.

"Come with me!" Yuui shouted.

"I'll distract your father! I've got to slow him down! Go! Now!"

"I won't leave you!" Yuui screamed and scrambled in front of Boris and stretched his arms out, putting himself between his father and Boris. "Please, Father, don't hurt him! He means so much to me. If you love me, you won't do this!"

"It's because I love you that I'm eliminating this reanimator and taking your magic. You're too delicate and have been hurt so much. Too many people will desire your beauty and your power; they will seek to violate your modesty. I will take the burden of magic from you to keep you safe from others. I want to keep you as a special treasure that only I'm allowed to hold and enjoy. I'll keep you safely locked away in the south tower since you won't have your sight any longer. You'll forget Boris and one day I'll make you forget Fai. He betrayed me by letting that foreigner touch him."

"That's... horrifying. How could you think of doing something like that to me? After the care and love you gave me... Us...! You raised us. Now you just want to lock me away, not even let me see my own twin? I can't believe that. You're our father! A father wouldn't do that to his own children. Why? It's the madness driving this compulsion to make me weak and lock me away, but there is some deeper reason. What is it? Why? Why not just kill me outright? Why keep me like some sort of... zoo animal?"

"Because you suffered so much when you were little. Even more so than Fai, even though you don't remember how you suffered. I've always had a special hatred towards your grandfather over what he did to you. I wanted to slay him myself. I would have come up with the most delightful and unique public tortures for him over what he did to you. I would have made him suffer so much for every tear he made you shed, but the old bastard killed himself, and ruined my dreams of turning Fai into a swordsman all at the same moment."

Yuui felt his chest tighten. He knew the holes in his memories covered something detestable. He knew it had something to do with his cruel grandfather, but was it really that horrifying that King Ashura would turn him into an invalid and imprison him? Yuui had to ask himself if he was ready to face that part of his past.

He felt Boris' hand on his shoulder and the ex-governor said, "No matter what he says next, you can survive it. You're so much stronger than you know. Besides, I'm here, and I won't give a damn over what he says."

Yuui's mouth got dry and he nodded. "What is it, Ashura? What happened to me?"

Ashura let down staff and frowned. "I guess letting you know will make your choice to submit to me easier, because I'll erase all your memories afterwards. That man, your grandfather, molested you. Violently. You were in worse shape than Fai when I found you, because he used to make you bleed all the time.

"You had many dealings with healers when I first brought you from Valeria. I feared I was going to lose you. So did Fai. There were so many infections and so much internal scarring that man inflicted on you. You were so terribly young and didn't understand why you were in so much pain. Your tears and fear broke my heart." King Ashura huffed out air through clenched teeth and looked so utterly angry. "Every time you had a blackout when you where a small child, it was because that man was raping you."

Yuui stumbled back a step, but Boris supported him with with a firm hand on his shoulder. Yuui felt the color drain from his face and then he asked, "Was Fai hurt too?"

"No. Fai told me the man feared him. He only preyed on you because your magic wasn't the attacking kind."

So many emotions came crashing in. They were all so complicated; it threatened to overloaded him. Boris' hand squeezed his shoulder slightly. "So that's why you're going to lock him away? For fear that someone else will harm him?"

"Step aside, Boris, and let me care for my child how I see best."

"He's not your child if you're willing to blind him and lock him away. Until you can treat him like a loving father, I'll stand in your way and fight you until my last breath," Boris said, gently tugging Yuui behind him.

Ashura raised his staff as did Boris. Before they could cast, a wild flurry of pink runes shot around the room haphazardly. Fai and Kurogane now stood between them, but Fai stumbled and shouted out in pain before hitting the floor.

Fai's pain jolted Yuui from his shock. He rushed to his twin's side heedless of the danger and scooped him into his arms. He knelt on the floor, rocking Fai and doing his level best to dissipate the pain of rebelling against the phoenix binding.

Ashura sneered at Fai. "Foolish child! Why did you do that?"

Fai looked up at Ashura, eyes not hiding the pain he felt. "I can't let you hurt him."

Yuui watched in horror as Kurogane lunged at Ashura with his sword. Ashura dodged and morphed his staff into a sword. Ashura glared and said, "This time I will take your head and send it back to your parents!"

Boris joined Kurogane. The ninja said, "Not a chance. Two against one. Give up, because we won't."

Ashura gave an underhanded swing at Kurogane and the battle was on. Yuui looked down at his twin as Kurogane drove Ashura further from them. "Ashura told me."

"Told you what?" Fai asked baffled.

"About the things our grandfather did to me."

Fai's eyes grew wide and he shook his head. "I..."

"Don't say anything. You'll just lie to me, and I will not abide that." Yuui helped Fai up, both getting their staves and looking over to where Ashura and Kurogane where clashing.

"I should hide you somewhere. He's after..."

"...my eyes. He told me that, too." Yuui looked over to the battle. "I have faith in them. They'll succeed."


Kurogane took control of the fight, slashing at the king in well guided arcs. He wouldn't kill, but he certainly would maim. Ashura met those arcs with powerful slashes of his own. Kurogane kept driving the man towards the pool littered with plant life. Only the loud clang of steal was echoing in the scrying room.

Boris waved his staff at King Ashura and came close to knocking his sword away. King Ashura swung at Boris' neck, just barely missing him. "You pest! I regret staying your execution."

"I do, too," Boris said. "Consider this my thank you."

Kurogane lunged forward and targeted Ashura's arm. Ginryuu sliced through the fabric and there was blood. The king roared and ran towards Kurogane, only suddenly, the King fell forward and sprawled on the ground. The three combatants all paused, stunned. Around the king's ankles were fresh, thick stems from a monstrously over-sized water lily, now glowing blue from magic.

Kurogane glanced to see the twins standing at the other side of the room, Yuui with his staff lofted. Ashura swiped at the stems with his sword and freed himself.

"I'll punish you for that!"

"Surrender! Please," Yuui pleaded.

"No," Ashura said, getting in a fighting stance and facing Kurogane again.

Kurogane shouted, "You two get out of here! Now! Don't worry about us! We'll get him!"

Fai raised his staff and lightening quick he traced out pink runes. The circle closed around the twins and they were gone.

"Get back here, Fai!" Ashura shouted. He then turned his fury on Kurogane, hacking towards him viciously. Boris then swung his staff and nearly knocked the king into the water with his magic. Kurogane rushed at the flailing king and drove his shoulder into the man's chest, finishing knocking him into the pool. Boris plunged the tip of his staff in the water and purple ice spread over the top.

"That'll keep him from causing more trouble," Boris said. "Now to call Yuui back."

But before that could happen, the top of the pool melted and burst over the edges with a loud splash and a green glow. They both peered into the pool. It was now empty.

"Damn! How'd he manage that trick?" Boris asked. "Must be all the blood he's still burning through."

"Beats me, but we better find where Fai went to," Kurogane said.

"There is a problem. I can't sense them cast like King Ashura can. I have no clue where they went."

Kurogane sheathed Ginryuu, grinding his teeth. "Damn it, Fai, you better fight or I'll wring your scrawny neck."


Fai gasped in pain and sank to his knees. His back was unbearable. He felt Yuui's hands on his back and the pain dissipated. He opened his eyes knowing right where he had taken them: back to Captain Demetri's old fire tower.

"Why here, Fai? Won't he think to look for us here?"

"He may. But I know all the terrain around here. I know bunches of places to hide in the woods." They stood and Fai tugged Yuui with him towards a stand of trees. "Come on. We have to climb."

Fai jumped up and grabbed a branch and hoisted himself upwards. A real trick holding a magic staff, but he was used to it. He extended his hand and helped drag Yuui up with him. After a little more climbing, Fai found the hunting stand in the branches. Fai was an excellent hunter, Ashura had taught him well, and Captain Demetri and he would go all the time.

He and Yuui slipped into the hunting stand and watched the ground. All was quiet except for the howling wind. Yuui pointed out, "We won't be able to stay out here for long. We'll freeze because we can't use a warming spell. Father will find us."

"I know. I'm afraid he felt where I brought us. I just need a minute to think," Fai said. "I could take us to Nihongo. It won't be pleasant, but I think I can resist my tattoo if I concentrated a great deal."

"But I don't know a translation spell. Do you?"

"No, all I can do is talk food so that won't help. Well then, how about Valeria? He'll never think to look for us there."

"The people there will attack us and it would enrage Father even more."

Fai scowled at Yuui. "I'm trying to come up with something and you keep being so negative."

Yuui scowled back. "I'm trying to apply some common sense. Sometimes you can be a little fickle."

Fai plastered on a fake smile and waved his hand at Yuui, "Stop being so disagreeable, brother of mine."

Yuui kept his scowl. "Then come up with a good solution."

That fake smile got brighter. "Well, it seems your nasty boyfriend has certainly rubbed off on you. That growl is really unflattering on you. Only Kuro-wa pulls it off well."

"Boyfriend! Boris is not my boyfriend!"

"Then why are you blushing so bad?" Fai teased.

Before Yuui could snap at Fai, there was a tingling in both their stomachs. They both got quiet and serious. They grew very still and watched through the branches. Sure enough, Ashura had appeared and was walking the snowy ground.

"I remember playing hide-and-seek with you two. You both were always so clever at hiding, but..." King Ashura lofted his wand and had a warm smile on his face. "You see, when you both were very small I place a special spell on you when you were sleeping one night. I only just remembered it; I did it when I first claimed you as my own children. It was so I could watch after you and be at your side at a moment's notice. You see, I was so worried about you both. And, if I'm not mistaken, I can still use the spell even though it's about to fade away. After all, magic isn't forever, but my love for you both is."

Suddenly, green magic shot out from his staff and went right for them. It grabbed them and teleported them before Ashura's feet. Fai grabbed Yuui and shoved his twin behind him. "Please don't hurt him. He's been hurt enough!"

"So have you. That's why I'll make this quick," Ashura said.

"I don't want to fight you! Ashura...! Father...!" Fai said, feeling so backed into a corner. He could never hex Ashura, but he wasn't about to let Yuui's eyes get stolen, either. "Let him heal you."

"No. I will have his eyes and then I will battle you. That is what I'm lead to do."

Fai felt his chest tighten. He stood straighter and clenched his staff tighter. "I won't let you hurt him."

Ashura lofted his staff and the magic blast sent Fai hurtling into a tree. He sank to the ground, trying to regain his breath. His visioned blurred, but he could see the king advance on Yuui. Ashura grabbed Yuui's upper arm and lofted his free hand.

Yuui, to his credit, placed his hands against Ashura's face and there was a blue jolt that sent the king reeling back into the snow. Yuui scrambled to get away, but Ashura lashed out and grabbed Yuui's ankle. Ashura then dragged Yuui to his side and restrained him.

"More of Boris' tricks he taught you. I'll have to thank him for that," Ashura said. "And trust me, I will." Then Ashura straddled Yuui and pinned his wrists to the snowy ground. "I love your eyes. And it's what makes others desire you. That's why I'll have them now." Yuui struggled, but Ashura took both of Yuui's wrists in his left hand and lofted his right hand. Fai could see he was gathering a magic void in his palm.

Yuui's eyes glowed a bright blue and then it was if the color flowed out of them and into Ashura's hand, forming two blue crystals. They both drifted into Ashura's palms once fully formed. Ashura smiled serenely at them and let Yuui's wrists go, since he had stopped struggling. Ashura got off of Yuui and step away, caressing the crystals in his hands. Fai panicked when his twin didn't move from the snow; he only clutched his face and struggled to breath.

"Yuui!" Fai shouted, shaking off being winded. He scrambled to his twin and took him in his arms. He gently pushed Yuui's hands away from his face and felt ill when he saw Yuui's eyes were now a dull, sightless tawny.

"Now, time to take in Yuui's magic and battle you, Fai."

Fai had never felt such a rage, even over his time on Valeria. This was the largest betrayal his father could have done to them. After all the years of love and care, Fai had grown to love and trust Ashura. And he implicitly trusted Ashura with Yuui's safety, which was the largest show of trust Fai could give the man. For him to do this after all these years of their close bonding stabbed Fai right in the heart.

He looked down at Yuui's face again. He seemed so pale and listless. It reminded him of all those times he'd seen Yuui after he'd been abused by their grandfather. This was abuse, too. He gently laid Yuui on the snowy ground, making sure his twin's hood was draw up around his head so he'd be warm enough for now.

"Fai, I can't see! I'm scared!"

Fai pressed a long, tender kiss to Yuui's forehead and clenched his hands tightly. "I know, Yuui. Just lay still. I'm going to get your magic back."

"But... how... it's gone..." Tears rolled from Yuui's eyes.

"I'm going to fight Ashura for it," Fai said, looking up and seeing Ashura's gloating expression. He held the pair of blue crystals in his hand, holding them out to Fai in a mocking gesture. It only enraged Fai.

"My magic isn't worth it if you get hurt. Please leave! Go back to Nihongo and live happily with Kurogane. I'll live locked away in the south tower- like this- if it means you won't get hurt."

Acid filled Fai's stomach; he was in an intense ire, but he had to be careful to not let it consume him. Captain Demetri had tried to train him that passion had no place on the battlefield, but Fai had disagreed. The captain would shake his head and say it was the one thing he had in common with his former pupil.

Fai said, "No, I won't go back to Nihongo until I restore your magic. We lived in a situation where you were abused, and I was forced to stand by and watch it. I was helpless to help you. Not this time; I have enough power to stop it, now. I'll never see you hurt like that again." He looked down at Yuui's sightless, tawny eyes and gripped his staff. He vowed to his twin, "I'll restore your magic and free you from him, even if it costs me everything. Even my life. Even if it means... I have to kill... my own father."

Fai stood from Yuui and moved away from his twin. Hot tears were drifting down his cheek and they stung his face in the Celes winter. He glowered at Ashura and took up a fighting stance with his magic staff. "This is what you wanted. You have it now."

To be continued.

A/N: Yeah, I hope everyone enjoyed crazy King Ashura. Thanks once again for reading.