Author's Note: And so comes the end of a very beautiful story. I want to thank all the readers, reviewers, and fans that got me through this. It has been a long road, one filled with all sorts of craziness, but we finally can see the fruit of Kotone's labors.
I love all of you and thank you for sticking with me all this time. I'm sorry to see this story end, but it is time... -sniffles-

Song for Chapter: So Close to the Flame- H.I.M., Deep Shadows & Brilliant Highlights

~:.:{The Kiss Sweetest
And Touch So Warm
The Smile Kindest
In This World So Cold and Strong}:.:~

Chapter Thirty: Epilogue

Kotone had been in a very dark place for what felt like an eternity. She was unable to move, but had been able to hear muffled voices. Never could she make out the words and her sanity wanted to slip. It did many times, but she always brought herself back, buried deep inside her own head.

She never expected to leave and continuously sat in one spot, yearning to see anything besides this endless, lonely world. At first she had ran, hoping to find someone, anyone. Then the screaming, the fierce attempts at killing herself, and everything in between, yet still she remained.

Until one day, she saw a blinding light in this ugly, barren world, and she ran to it blindly, no matter how her body ached the closer she grew to it. She heard the voices clearer the closer she got and, though it was agonizing, she crawled forward. She cried, screamed, and snarled, digging her claws into a floor that was not there, but she never stopped.

She had no idea just how long it took her to get to that light.

When she did, she felt herself falling, but it was not an unwelcomed feeling. She tumbled for what felt like even longer than the previous eternity in her personal hell, but when she at last made contact with something solid, she knew she had finally found her way home.

~:.:{So Close To The Flame
Burning Brightly
It Won't Fade Away
And Leave Us Lonely}:.:~

White-blue eyes opened blearily, adjusting to a pale light that surrounded the room. It was fairly dark, but still the brief glimpses of the faint yellow lighting burned her unused vision. She gasped, trying to breathe through lungs that felt like they had been layered in dust for ages, choking in ragged chunks of sweet air.

No one was around, but still Kotone tested her limbs. Lines ran from her arms into a series of tubes, ones she recognized as medical contraptions from Ningenkai, and she shakily pulled every last needle from her skin. Once she thought she could manage, the demoness gently placed her legs on the side of the bed and stared at what once was thick thighs, now instead thin and almost sickly looking.

Kotone ran her bony hands across her skin, feeling the ache in her tight stomach when she noticed the lack of food. She was not emaciated, but she had lost a substantial amount of weight and no longer had the figure she was once so proud of. She could not bring herself to be upset; she was alive and, unless this was another trick of her sick mind, she was conscious.

It took a good half hour before she was able to remain standing on her two thin legs, let alone move them. Her muscles strained- or lack thereof- as she stumbled to the door, barely realizing her surroundings were much larger and decadent than she had originally believed, but she also knew this place.

She was in Mukuro's damned castle.

Many different questions swirled through her head, mainly centered on the war and what happened afterwards. She had obviously been unconscious, but she could barely recall the reason for it. Her youki had been expended to an insane degree and it was a miracle she even lived through the experience, let alone survived with her mental faculties intact.

As Kotone trudged down the emptied halls, she noticed small changes, such as the décor that had once been solely Mukuro's doing. Nothing seemed changed, but so much had been when one looked closer. The walls barely supported the demoness and she would kill for something to drink, but did not make a sound in case she needed to try and escape.

Had the King of Alaric survived and stolen Hiei from her? If so, why was she still alive? It stood to question why she in the cocoon palace she hated.

Upon turning another hallway, Kotone finally saw her first view of another living soul. They were children, both bickering, and could not be very old, even in demon standards. The girl had a tiny set of bat wings protruding her back with shocking red hair while the boy had no wings and had dark hair and, from what she could tell glinting in the lightened halls, brilliant red eyes.

Hiei… is this your child?

Both turned to stare at her as a cough shook her body and the two froze. They backed away a step and bolted down the hall as Kotone held her hand out, trying to get them to tell her something, anything, but her voice was a dry rasp. Instead, she tried to follow them as quickly as she could, though she could barely hobble where they ran as if she meant them harm.

Did she mean them harm?

No, they were only children.

Kotone made it down a few more hallways, heading for the familiar main room, and made it to the doors that separated her from a menagerie of unidentifiable voices. Her legs finally gave out on her and she fell to the ground just outside the door, holding onto the knob to keep her from fully falling.

"Ma, I saw a ghost! She was scary!" Kotone faintly made out, though the voices had grown closer.

"What are you talking about, kid?" a more familiar, female voice asked.

"She had real long red hair and was so pale."

'Please let someone know me.' Kotone mentally begged, but could not move even if she wanted to.

As the kid's recount of the brief encounter concluded, silence fell over what was once a noisy hall. Kotone fell from the knob and sat on her feet, leaning against the wall and readying herself for the end of her brief time alive. They were likely enemies, but she had been kept alive for some reason or another. She could not think properly with the way her stomach ached for food and her throat cried for water.

Finally, a loud noise happened all at once. Chairs slid back and crashed, along with the panicked voices of many different parties. Kotone stared up at the door, waiting for it to open and see who made it first, be it friend or foe. She was breathing heavily, trying to make up for the energy spent making it this far through the moving castle that belonged to the King of Alaric.

The door slammed open and a figure stood before her, dressed in dark shades of blue and the deepest black she could fathom. His hair stood straight on the top of his head, just as dark as his clothing with a shock of white through it in a starburst pattern. It was not this that Kotone was drawn to, but his red eyes.

"Hiei?" she hacked, trying not to smile, but relief flooded her face nonetheless. Even if he was mated to Mukuro now, she was happy to see him alive.

"Kotone…" he whispered and fell to his knees by her side, startling the wind demoness. His hands found her face and prodded, trying to ascertain if she was truly there. "You're… awake."

"Water," she pleaded softly, shakily moving her hand to his wrist.

She did not have the chance to ask for anything else as his lips descended upon hers in a greedy kiss that stole her breath from her ragged lungs. Stars blurred in her waning vision, dotted with glistening tears and making her heart swell. She had her Hiei… but where were-

"Mother? MOTHER!"

Four arms pushed Hiei away and found purchase on her body, blinding Kotone with a head of red hair and another of black. She cried then, recognizing her Avaron and her Yuji, and held them as close as her thin arms could.

She would never leave them again.

~:.:{The Arms Safest
And Words, So Good
The Faith Deepest
In This World So Cold and Cruel}:.:~

Later that night, Kotone sat atop a familiar hill alone. She had been properly cleaned and fed, thankfully, and a little of her strength had come back. The particular hill she sat on was one she had remembered from long ago that overlooked a lovely dojo and had a beautiful view of Gandara's blooming cherry blossom trees. She smiled, hugging her knees closer and felt her heart jump painfully at all she had been forced to take in.

The first thing that had sent her nearly over the edge was finding out she had been out for nearly three decades, though she had been well-looked after by the new King of Alaric and her many loved ones.

In that time, Kuwabara- very much alive- had become Yusuke's second in Tourin, but that had always been expected. He and Yukina had moved to the castle there instead of staying at their home in Ningenkai.

Speaking of Yusuke… The King of Tourin had been visiting Hiei, and thus had been the first- save her children and their families- to see her. He was expecting another baby, but otherwise nothing had changed. He had thanked Kotone, hugged her, and kissed her when he recalled the death of his lovely wife that had never happened, thanks to the demoness expending her youki and reversing the flow of time itself.

Jin was due to arrive soon, but apparently the demon had found a special woman for himself. They had not yet mated properly- though they had done the fun parts of the ritual- because apparently the Windmaster had refused to take on a mate until his sister woke and fought for his honor, as he had promised long ago. Her name was Fujiye, from what Yusuke had told her, and she had been one of the many wind demons to aid them in the war that had left her comatose.

Touya had also found a mate, though he had made things official. The best part was not only the fact that he had a child of his own, but that it was Fujiye's sister, Tsubaki. They would likely be along with Jin when they could.

Genkai and Toguro, who had thankfully decided to live, were married and living in Genkai's Temple in Ningenkai. They did not have any kids, thankfully- because Genkai as a mother was terrifying-, but were happy… Well, as happy as they could seem to be.

Kotone was also happy to learn that most of the other undead demons she had brought back had remained alive, under special privileges of the King of Reikai, Koenma. She had learned of how his father had been sealed with Jorge, the blue ogre she was rather fond of in Spirit World, and had grieved the loss of the loyal ogre briefly.

Karasu had remained loyal, as hoped, and had been one of the few demons to spend ample amounts of time at her bedside, monitoring her and trying to wake her. He was not a loyal creature by nature, but something that she had done for him had sparked a trust between the two. She was also waiting to see him, as a celebration had been called, yet none knew why just yet.

Chu, Shishiwakamaru, Suzuka, and Rinku had all found suitable mates, but were spending some time in Ningenkai at Hanging Neck Island, where they were building their homes on opposite ends of the acquired property. It was good to know that had finally found their soulmates, though it took centuries.

Kurama was another that had also found someone to hold onto. Hatsukichi, the head of the Fox Clan, had been mated to the spirit fox a short year ago and they already had a set of twins.

Daiki and Akiye had already created a group of monsters- three, to be exact- and were living at the dojo Kotone could see in the distance. They had been some of the first of her loved ones to see her- save Yusuke and a few others- and were inside preparing for the party tomorrow while Kotone got some fresh air.

Hajime and Mizue went on to have one other child before finding out that Hajime could not reproduce any further. Apparently that was the reason soul demons were nearly extinct; unless mating with another full-blood soul demon, the body will no longer produce after the second half-breed offspring. Their son, Akiyome, was actually mated to Kuwabara and Yukina's son, Tadao. It had taken Kuwabara a little bit to adjust to his son's choice, but the two supported the love between the two boys openly.

Yuji Takanari, Kotone's resurrected teammate, was an advisor in Gandara under the new king, aiding in whatever was needed of him. He had proven his loyalty as well when the war had drawn to a close.

Shoichi was as much of a brat as ever, from what Yusuke had informed, and was training endlessly with the King of Tourin's troops. He wanted to beat his father and made time only for training, friends, and family. He was stronger than Kotone would ever believe, from what the former Spirit Detective told her, and she couldn't wait to see him in action.

Izume and Yuji Kaze Tsukai, her beloved son, had finally mated. They did not have any runts yet, but the two were together at last. When Kotone had finally stopped holding her children and given the boy time to explain, Izume had burst from the main room and held Kotone for another hour, thanking her for giving Yuji the chance he needed to live and love again. Kotone had not done it for her, but she had not told the Mazoku child that.

Avaron and Kuronue were the final two, though Kotone had nearly passed out again upon learning the bat was mated to her precious daughter. Not only that, but the two children Kotone had encountered in the hall were their youngest offspring. The boy, Koro, and the girl, Kotano, were twins, though they had another, older son that was training with Shoichi at this time.

Kotone had been told of how the war had been stopped before it began, thanks to her using the special skill that had done so much more than just stop time, as it always had before. Yomi had been slain by Avaron and Hiei had personally destroyed Mukuro that same night. It brought a dark, twisted joy to Kotone's heart to know the evil bitch had been killed by the demon she tried to steal.

Thus, the new kings had been reinstated. Hiei was now King of Alaric, Kurama was King of Gandara, and with Yusuke being King of Tourin and Koenma as King of Reikai, a peace had settled throughout the lands that had not been disturbed since it had been instated. It was some of the best news Kotone had heard, and she doubted she would retain much of the information besides that.

The redhead finally rubbed her temples, going over everything one more time to try and situate everything that had passed since her coma. Her body was still quivering, but she was happy. She was alive and now she had more people to love than ever before. Without war looming over her head, she had faith she would not be holding a dying loved one in her arms again for a very long time.

"Kotone, what are you doing?"

She turned her eyes up just as a familiar, comforting presence crouched behind her, wrapping warm arms around her neck. She had always felt so numb in that void, and thus the heat that emanated off her fire demon was delightful, soothing. She sighed and leaned back into him, nuzzling her nose into his neck. Her face brushed the scarred flesh of her mark in the junction between his shoulder and neck.

"I am reflecting," she told him honestly. "I'm trying to find myself and recall it all to me. I believe I've lost a great deal of my power, Hiei, and with it I've lost that special skill that stopped time. I shouldn't be worried, but what if something like what happened thirty years ago comes around again?"

Hiei's eyes bore into hers as he pulled away enough to stare into her pale eyes. She saw in his gaze everything she need. There was hope, trust, love and a determination that she knew would never allow anything to pass like the war that nearly devastated them.

"You will never leave me again, woman," he promised her quietly, his tone sharp but sincere. "No one will."

And Kotone believed Hiei, King of Alaric, her mate, and father of her children. She believed that, after all they had been through, the grief and the joy, the kinship and the separations, things were finally going to end well for them.

"I love you," she said, pouring everything she felt at that exact moment into the three little words.

Hiei let the corners of his mouth turn up in his own version of a smile, something that twisted her heart and made butterflies dance in her stomach. He leaned down, devouring her mouth again, and let his mind and actions say everything he needed her to know.

'I love you…'

~:.:{So Close To The Flame
Burning Brightly
It Won't Fade Away
And Leave Us Lonely}:.:~

End.