Chapter 55

Swiftly Kisara had led them through the city, deactivating every trap they'd come across before any of them even realise it was there. Kaiba couldn't help but admit she was more than a little impressive and was certainly worth keeping around once all this was over. Although he still couldn't say he was happy with the fact SK had hired her without consulting them first. After all, he was supposed to be their Helper and therefore report everything he did directly to them. Not that this was the first time his cousin had taken matters into his own hands, but…

For a few moments Kaiba used every one of his sensory abilities to give SK a probing once over. There was something about him which felt different to before; as though when the order of things had reset itself he'd gained something. It was definitely a gained sense of something Kaiba got from him, rather than anything being lost. It was strange, as though SK had become more than just a Nethher Herin and their Helper. It was like he was something…

'Are you okay?' Tristan's voice suddenly sounded inside of his head.

'Do you sense anything unusual about SK,' he thought back.

'Unusual in what way?'

'I don't know,' his forehead burrowed into a deep frown, 'it's like he's evolved into something.'

'Evolved into something…?'

For a few moments their telepathic link fell into silence. Then Tristan dropped into step beside him and Kaiba waited to find out what he would do or say next.

'You're right,' Tristan's voice sounded inside his mind again, 'he has evolved.'

'But into what?'

'I don't think even he knows that yet.'

'But why would he evolve?'

'It was always his destiny too, you know that. Or at least Win's always known that and I thought it was made pretty clear to you.

'Maybe, but…'

'Everybody stop,' Kisara interrupted their telepathic conversation, 'someone's coming.'

Instantly everyone stopped and waiting. After a few moments the blur of a person with dark hair and equally dark clothes appeared on the outer edge of Kaiba's vision. Quickly the blur moved towards them.

'Who are you?' Kaiba kept his voice level and firm.

'My name is Helen Holly. I am… I am a Balancer and I'm… I'm here to… to stop you from… from… from taking those kids.'

'Don't you know who these people are,' Kisara sounded almost angry. 'That's Win and the Pure; how dare you try and stop them.'

'I don't have a choice.'

'You're a Balancer for crying out loud, of course you have a choice.'

'You don't understand…'

'Then make me.'

'Very demanding, aren't you Kisara Kyriacou,' Ni's voice suddenly sounded out of the shadows around them, 'what gives you the right to talk to a mate of mine like that?'

It was strange, the word mate caused a strange shudder of fear and tension to ripple off Helen, something Kaiba could only sense because he couldn't see. Instantly it made his brain twinge with the notion she'd only just found out who he really was and still wasn't totally sure how to process it yet.

'Must all your so called mates be terrified of you?' Kaiba made his voice as confident and level as possible. 'Is their fear some kind of turn on or something?'

'Now mother, you must know me better than that.'

'I also know you left things a little too late with False to get him,' he did his best to sound just as taunting as Ni was. 'It's not like you to slip up like that with one of your bastards.'

'What?' Helen gasped. 'False is…?'

'I'm guessing he didn't tell you because he messed up so badly with that one.'

'Is that one you think Pure?' A shadowy mass pulled itself out of the shadows and took a position next to Helen. 'Did you ever think I might have wanted him to be good? That I might have plans which relied on him having a heart? That maybe, just maybe, I believed I could get him working for me and remaining good?'

'I've met him, I know he'll never willingly follow you.'

'But that doesn't mean he won't do exactly what I want him to anyway.'

'What plans do you have for him exactly,' Kaiba did his best to stare challengingly at him.

'Uh-uh-uh mother, really, that would be telling. And you've always taught me never to give my game away too early; to hold my advantage for as long as possible, as it were.'

'Does your plans with him have anything to do with me?' Kisara's voice edged towards her more ditzy nature.

'Now why would you ask such a foolish question?' Ni laughed. 'Its not like you're important, now is it? Oh wait, you are, just a little bit, aren't you?'

'How did you find out? Have you always known?'

'Known what? That your precious Dayena isn't as pure as she'd like the whole multiverse to believe? That she's actually just as despicable as me?'

'She's not…'

'That little whore I call a wife so is,' he cut her off. 'For millennia she's been mocking me. She has no right to take other lovers. Not her. SHE'S NOT ALLOWED.'

'But you are?'

'I'm the devil, I'm not expected to be chased. But she's a pillar of good. Pillars of good aren't supposed to be whores!'

'She's not a whore,' Kisara's voice was hot and angry, 'stop calling her one.'

'What else am I supposed to call her?' Ni's voice held strangely twisted tones. 'She's been making a fool of me, so I thought it was time I started making a fool of her. It's just a shame I can't destroy her completely.'

'How did you find out,' Kisara repeated her question. 'Have you always known?'

'I found out thanks to the former Wolf of Order; from some of her visions. The visions she never wanted. The visions she gave to me. They told me how to find out all I needed to know. To get all I ever wanted. I wish I had always known, then I could have killed the bastard who started your line. But she was always so careful to keep it hidden from me and now she has to pay.'

'Because you say so?'

'No, because it's the only way to make this right.'

'Is that why you made False the way he is then? To get revenge against Dee?'

'Oh I begot him for a lot more than that. Don't you know what his mother was?'

'I…'

'Of course you don't. No one does. Dayena's not the only one who can keep secrets.'

'What was his mother then,' Kaiba forced his way back into the conversation.

'Oh I'm not telling you Pure, you'll have to work that one out for yourself. But first, you've got to get through little H H here; that's if you want those babies of yours back mother. And, as you're here, I'm sure you do.'