Draconis: Yama...the fuck you doin' here?
Yama: You're the author, you tell me.
Draconis: That is to be revealed, I mean what are you doing HERE, in my room.
Yama: To make you ask dumb questions.
Draconis: You son of a- urgh. Let's just start the damn chapter before you drive me up my own wall.
Dragon of the Elements
Chapter 68
Revolution's End.
Draconis: Beg-
Yama: Begin.
Draconis: WILL YOU GET OUT OF HERE? !
(start)
"What the hell is Yama doing here? !" Yukari said.
"I don't know, but it can't be good." Tamamo said with a scowl.
"I'm lost, WHO is he? !" Alice said.
"The Primordial of Death, Shinigami Yama and Lord Ragnarok's elder brother." Sona said. "According to Kenshin and the piece of himself Lord Ragnarok sealed inside a scroll, he was the Goddess of Light's right hand man, where as Lord Ragnarok fought for Makai..."
"Yama fought on the side of the Divine Realms." Tamamo said. "He was even the one that killed Ragnarok."
Meanwhile with Kenshin, Forbesii and Yama, the Shinigami chuckled. "So tell me Kenshin, how is the other half of my soul doing?"
"You go anywhere near her and I'll fucking kill you." Kenshin snarled.
"Oooh! Feisty!" Yama smirked. "Anyway, if I did end up getting a hold of her, it'd purely be a bonus for me right now. I hear you picked a fight with Hades as well, what's next are you going to track down Death himself and bitchslap him?"
"No I thought I'd just slowly choke the life out of you and be done with it. I owe you for the end of the Divine Wars anyhow." Kenshin said.
"The end of the Divine...OH! So he finally did it huh?" Yama smirked. "Well hello there little brother." He pointed his scythe at Kenshin. "For fate to have driven the four of us together again...how whimsical of it."
"Four...?" Kenshin said with narrowed eyes. "I wasn't aware you and Forbesii had met and Tamamo's not around us."
"You'll find out soon enough...I'm not here for you anyway Kenshin..." Yama turned his scythe toward Forbesii, putting him on the defensive. "I'm here for you."
"Me? You must have me mixed up for someone else. I've never seen you before in my life." Forbesii said. "You interrupted a fight, stand aside and let me murder this Dragon of the Abyss. If you're here for your master, then that's too bad, I'm using her power right now."
"Oh don't worry your head about that Forbi, I find it easier to move without the angelic bitch hanging over my head." Yama said.
"Oh you son of a bitch! Let me out of here so I can discipline this bastard!" Ilias raged.
"That said, I take it you don't want to know what really happened to your home village all those years ago?" Yama asked.
"Hn? !" Forbesii looked over at the Shinigami.
"...?" Kenshin narrowed his eyes at the Death God.
"Well?" Yama said with a smirk.
"What are you talking about? ! My master Shin Tatsu leveled the village himself! I saw him standing there amongst the destruction myself!" Forbesii yelled.
"Aye, maybe you did, after it had been destroyed for awhile." Yama said.
"I was too late...everyone's dead...I can't even sense Forbesii anymore..." Words from Forbesii's past rang in his head, spoken by Shin Tatsu. Words that he had long since shut out of his mind
"So you're saying I was right, that Shin had nothing to do with it." Kenshin said.
"Yes I am." Yama said. "He couldn't have done it, because the real culprit is standing right here." Yama said gesturing his hand toward himself.
"! ! !" Forbesii felt absolute shock wash over him. "W...What? That...That's not possible! It's impossible! !" He raged. "I felt his mana everywhere that night as he stood there amongst the destruction! There's no way it was it was not him you moron! !"
"Hah! MORON? !" Yama smirked. "Tell me who the real moron is here, because I don't think it's me!" He said as his form started changing shifting until he had long black hair and dragon horns protruding from his head. He was considerably younger, had tanned skin, his eyes were black like Forbesii's, but the irises were blue, he wore a blue vest and combat vest, holding the scythe loosely. "I prefer to use that term for someone who falls for a cheap ass trick like this!" Yama said with a sadistic smirk.
"? ! !" Forbesii and even Kenshin's eyes widened, they both recognized the mana signature as Shin Tatsu's as well.
"You did it? !" Kenshin shouts.
"That's right." Yama said.
"No...this...this can't be..." Forbesii thought. "C...Could it be...that everything I've believed in since that night...has been a lie?"
"Why did you do it?" Kenshin scowled.
"Because...for two reasons. I knew that Shin Tatsu would never have agreed to become Ryuujin if two things did not happen...if his sister Iris did not turn up missing...and if his son in all but name did not have his mind broken...other than that I had my own reason and set this in motion without Ilias' consent on the matter...and lets just say this eventual revolt...was all my idea." Yama said as he reverted back to his normal appearance.
"What? !" Kenshin shouted.
"What is he getting at?" Tamamo said with a furious look.
"T...This bastard..." Alice snarled.
"NO! !" Forbesii roared. "You're lying! ! YOU HAVE TO BE! ! !"
"Hm? !" Yama said as he saw Forbesii charging in with an enraged look on his face. "Come then, Maou-Sama!" He said in mocking.
The Tsurugi no Kami clashed against Yama's scythe. "Shit!" Kenshin crossed his arms in defense as just the clash between them leveled the ground.
"Yaahahahaha! !" Yama cackled as he slipped past Forbesii and hooked his scythe under the Demon King's left wing and sliced it off. "You're too weak, boya."
"Shut up!" Forbesii spat, grabbing his dismembered wing and throwing it in a spin at Yama. "Sacred Arrows!"
"Bloodstorm Revolution!" Yama said charging forward spinning his scythe all around him, knocking away all the arrows.
"Light Sword Flash!" Forbesii shouted out, stabbing toward Yama.
"Hya!" Yama said slashing his scythe downward.
"Do you even remember them...?" Forbesii snarled.
"Not really...all you homunculi look a like to me." Yama said. "All insignificant specks."
"I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU! !" Forbesii roared.
"Yes, because you're doing such a bang up job of that so far." Yama goaded. "Come on, not even the first of you Demon Kings could kill me, and he was my brother!"
"..." Kenshin watched as the two dueled.
"So...you're not going to get in on this?" Yuurei asked.
"Why the hell should I?" Kenshin asked. "I told Forbesii that Shin Tatsu didn't do it, that he wasn't that kind of person and he didn't believe me, he's reaping what he's sown now. As long as Yama doesn't move on Rias, he can have Forbesii for all I care."
Yama drove the end of his scythe into Forbesii's stomach and raised him up, slamming him to the ground. "Is this all the power your rage can generate? Pathetic." Yama said with a smirk.
"They were innocent! Why did they have to die? !" Forbesii yelled out, kicking the Shinigami in the head.
"I told you, to turn Shin Tatsu into Ryuujin, and for my own reasons!" Yama said
"Thunder of Judgment!" Forbesii roared striking Yama with white lightning.
"Hm..." Yama raised his scythe up with his eyes closed as it struck him.
Forbesii's large halo reformed behind his back. "Damn you! DAMN YOU! ! DAMN YOOOOOU! ! !" Forbesii screamed out in a fury continuing to blast Yama with white lightning.
"Forbesii's completely lost it." Alice said with wide eyes
"...I can't blame him." Tamamo said with a scowl. "Despite his reasons for doing this being for revenge against Shin Tatsu...he truly believed he was building peace. That he was in the right."
"Are you sympathizing with him?" Issei asked.
"Not at all...now all I feel for him is pity. If what Yama is saying is the truth...then everything Forbesii's done to Alice, to Kenshin, to Shin Tatsu, to Makai...all of it has been wrong...and based on a lie." Tamamo said.
"Partner, if what that Shinigami bastard is saying is true, then Forbesii was just a puppet this whole time." Yuurei said. "That and something's really bugging me about that scythe of his..."
"..." Kenshin kept watching Forbesii blast the Shinigami.
"Do whatever you want, I just thought I'd point that out." Yuurei said.
"..." Kenshin didn't budge. He knew Forbesii's attacks weren't hurting Yama. He thought back to everything that had happened to him...to his family and friends. The events of this war. Just bearing witness to the man responsible for tipping over all the dominoes that caused those events, in such a futile, hopeless situation should be bringing Kenshin vindication and he'd admit...a sick sense of joy.
...So why...why were his eyes narrowed into a scowl? Why were his teeth grinding together, his fists clenched tightly, his sword shaking...why was it...all he could feel was a fury bubbling up from inside him?
"Haa haa haa haa haa haa haa haa haa haa haa haa..." Forbesii gasped for breath.
"Still...too...weak."
"Hnn? !" Forbesii watched as the Shinigami walked out unscathed. "How...?"
"One Primordial weapon alone...isn't a match for another Primordial, wielding a Primordial weapon himself." Yama said. "Now if the Primordial of Being was helping you then sure I wouldn't stand a chance, but he isn't." He appeared in front of Forbesii. "It's time to say goodnight."
"So that's it...he has HER." Ilias said.
"I...I can't move!" Forbesii thought as Yama swung his scythe downward.
"GODDAMN IT! ! !"
"Huh? !" Yama said as he was punched back by a fist covered in the elements.
"Kenshin?" Forbesii said seeing the Primordial of Life standing next to him.
Kenshin shot forward, clashing Kuroi Jigoku against Yama's scythe. "This doesn't make any sense! ! I fucking loathe Forbesii with every fiber of my being! Why am I fighting the fucking Primordial of Death for him? !" Kenshin thought.
Yama took Kenshin's back and slashed at Kenshin's waist. Kenshin blocked the strike and turned, kicking the Shinigami in the face, but was slashed along his leg for his trouble. "You want to tangle with me now Kenshin? Really, I thought you were enjoying watching the Demon King's mind break."
"SHUT UP! !" Kenshin spat, cutting at him with Ninefold Rakshasa. "This is absurd, why the hell should I be feeling anything other than pure hatred for Forbesii right now...which just begs the question..." Kenshin thought as he launched the Abyssal Dragonic Asura at the Shinigami. "WHY AM I STILL HERE? ! !
"Sorry Kenshin, but you don't got the chops either." Yama said emerging from the blast unscathed.
Forbesii moved to strike Yama only for Kenshin to point his sword at him. "Don't move." Kenshin said keeping his eyes on Yama. "If you do I kill you."
"Oh? So you don't consider him an ally...good, I thought for a moment there your mind had went to shit." Yama said with a smirk.
"You said you had two reasons for setting this eventual Youkai Revolution into motion. "To make Shin Tatsu the new Ryuujin in the Divine Realms...and for something else." Kenshin said.
"Actually Ilias was the one who wanted Shin Tatsu manning that post. I couldn't have cared less if I tried." Yama said with a shrug. "But Ilias was far more powerful than I...and another god up there had control over time so begrudgingly I did what I had to do." Yama said. "But with the thought in mind that I would eventually rise over that angelic bitch."
The Tsurugi no Kami glew. "So you wanted my throne is that it?" Ilias asked.
"Not at all." Yama said with a smirk. "Does death really need a reason to cause itself?"
"So you just wanted to defeat her." Kenshin said.
"That's right, her and her opposing power of Darkness." Yama said.
Kenshin scowled. "Get to the point."
"Very well." Yama shrugged. "I laid waste to young Forbesii's village using that illusion I showed you to both mimic his master's appearance and mana. I left him alive as he was the strongest amongst them. He challenged Shin Tatsu later in a rage...and was handily defeated, but the Fifteenth Demon King could not kill his beloved student. So he left Forbesii alive. Realizing he needed to get stronger...he happened along a sword of white, hidden in a cave in Eastern Hellgondo...where it was said Heinrich was stricken down to by Ilias herself...the Sinner's Grave she called it. He took up the holy Sword of God...and vanished...not to be seen again for years until he killed his master's wife, the previous Demon Queen and then again...when the Queen's daughter came of age to take the throne of Demon Queen."
"Where Forbesii would then challenge for and win the right to become the Demon King." Kenshin said.
"Exactly." Yama smirked. "But his vengeance was not yet sated...and his master was gone to the Divine Realms to serve as Ryuujin and search for his sister Iris. So he decided...that if he couldn't kill his master...he would destroy everything he had built and build his own vision of Makai."
"..." Forbesii didn't move, listening in.
"From there...it was all patience...waiting for this day." Yama said. "The Six Ancestor's Seal can't be broken...if there's not an imbalance in the light and dark mana in the air slanted heavily toward the dark."
"Hn?" Kenshin narrowed his eyes.
"...No..." Tamamo said with wide eyes.
"When youkai die, or even devils...their bodies turn back into dark mana...and for most devils this is taken quite literally." Yama said. "Luckily...Forbesii's homunculus army was made from his own near infinite stores of dark mana and the youkai that perished today...well that's just gravy."
"Wait...do you mean to tell me..." Forbesii said with wide eyes.
"Haha! Someone's catching on!" Yama said. "I funneled all of that dark mana to one seal in particular...until it broke. The seal that contained the Goddess of Darkness herself!"
"? ! !" Kenshin's eyes widened as did Forbesii's, Alice's, Tamamo's and anyone of Youkai origin.
"Yes...the second she emerged...I sunk the blade of this scythe into her chest...and sucked her soul from her body and sealed it there." Yama smirked. "Now do you understand what kind of power you face here?"
"For fate to have driven the four of us together again...how whimsical of it." Yama's words from earlier rang in Kenshin's head.
"LET ME AT HIM! I'LL KILL HIM! ! I'LL FUCKIN' KILL HIM! !" Yuurei roared.
"The Primordial of Death with the power of the Primordial Goddess of Darkness at his beck and call." Forbesii said with wide eyes.
"Yes, and all you have is the Primordial Goddess of Light, the Primordial of Life who hates your guts...and an unanswering Primordial of Being's will." Yama smirked. "Now...to correct something." He vanished and reappeared in front of Forbesii, sinking his scythe into the Demon King's chest.
"Kuah? !" Forbesii gasped out in pain. "! !"
"What the? !" Kenshin said seeing Forbesii's right wing falling off, the halo disappearing and the yellow light in his eyes dying down.
Yama yanked out his scythe and let Forbesii fall to the ground. "W-What have you done to me? !" Forbesii said, trying to ignore the burning pain coming from his sword arm, which still held the Tsurugi no Kami.
"I injected the purest dark mana into you and it devoured the holy mana in your system, effectively reversing the Sentinelization process...now you're just a youkai." Yama said.
(Ffffwoosh!)
Yama reached up and caught an object before it connected with his skull. An arrow. "Hm?" He looked over to where it was launched from when it exploded.
Forbesii shielded himself from the explosion and was grabbed by a figure. Kenshin glanced at the figure as he appeared next to him. "You're...Draco."
Sure enough, in his bartender's outfit holding his bow was the founder of the Tsuki Clan, Draco. "Yeah. I sensed that asshole in the area and teleported over."
"Why did you save me?" Forbesii asked.
"Because you have to answer for your crimes." Draco said. "And accept the punishment."
"...I won't argue there..." Forbesii said closing his eyes. "...Everything I ever believed since that night...has been a lie...and I've made one horrible mistake after another."
"..." Kenshin went silent.
"Kenshin." Forbesii said. "I can no longer fight...not to where it can mean anything. This war is over and I surrender. As such this is your spoils of victory." He held out the Tsurugi no Kami to Kenshin.
"..." Kenshin stared at it.
"Take it, you are a Primordial as well. You should stand a chance if you arm yourself with a Primordial Weapon." Forbesii said.
"Will she even heed me?" Kenshin said.
"Just this once. I wish to teach that turncoat a lesson." Ilias said from the Tsurugi no Kami.
"..." Kenshin closed his eyes and took hold of the Tsurugi no Kami's hilt.
"Huh, I guess he teleported away when the arrow exploded." Draco said.
"Maybe." Kenshin said sheathing Kuroi Jigoku and taking out a pair of handcuffs. "These are mana blocking irons. If you surrender you will be put in them."
"..." Forbesii extended his hands to Kenshin, who cuffed his hands together. Kenshin grabbed Forbesii's shoulder and teleported him to where everyone was standing.
"Forbesii has formally surrendered." Kenshin said. "Hold him here until I drive off that bastard."
"Kenshin wait!" Tamamo said, but to no avail as Kenshin vanished.
Kenshin reappeared next to Draco. "You think they'll keep him quietly?" Draco asked.
"Hn. It doesn't matter, but I think Tamamo will advise Alice to let the Taiyoukai Council help decide his fate." Kenshin said. "I thought you said you hung it up."
"Full time yeah, but I keep myself in shape." Draco said.
"Still, there's no substitute for an actual battle to the death." Kenshin said.
"I've waited too long to put a bolt between that bastard's eyes. You aren't talking me out of this." Draco said. "Either accept my help, or hope you can get out of the way."
"Hmn." Kenshin smirked. "Do as you wish then."
"Tsuki Draco, how long's it been." Yama said appearing before them. "Not long enough for my tastes."
"Yama..." Draco said with a scowl.
"Yama, I don't know why you're doing this...this plot with the soul of the Dark Goddess." Kenshin said. "But it was a mistake to come here, because now your ambition ends!"
"Oh?" Yama said seeing the Tsurugi no Kami in Kenshin's hands. "So, because you've armatized yourself with the Tsurugi no Kami...you think you can take me now?"
"He's not fighting you alone!" Draco said rushing forward, as soon as he got in front of the Shinigami he jumped to the side as Yama slashed down at him and fired another arrow.
Yama caught the arrow. "Really Draco, all these years and you still haven't moved on from that bow of yours"
"No, but I have improved it." Draco smirked and snapped his fingers. "Flashbang Bolt!"
"Argh!" Yama shouted out as the arrow exploded in a bright light.
"Now!" Draco said.
"Right!" Kenshin said charging after the blinded Death God before leaping into the air. "Heavenly Demon Revival! Gaia!"
Yama heard his voice from above and raised his scythe to defend. "Hn? Attacking with my brother's Kuroi Jigoku! That's not your Primordial weapon!"
"That's because I was saving it for this! !" Kenshin said stabbing the Tsurugi no Kami under the Shinigami's scythe. "Lightning Sword Flash! !"
It collided against Yama's barrier. "Useless!" He shouts.
"Your actions have levied untold damage to Makai, to my family as well. YOU WILL PAY FOR THESE TRANSGRESSIONS WITH YOUR LIFE!" Draco roared firing an arrow at the back of Yama's head.
"Hrn!" Yama's head swiveled out of the way of the arrow.
"? !" Kenshin was forced to break contact with Yama to avoid getting skewered by the arrow himself.
"I told you, it was useless." Yama said. "Stop wasting your time...you have so little of it left after all."
"Who are you to decide that?" Kenshin said.
"Uh, the Primordial of Death?" Yama stated pointedly.
"So then today is the day death dies." Kenshin said pointing the Tsurugi no Kami at him.
"Ha! Let's see it then!" Yama smirked.
"How many times do I have to tell you, you're not fighting just him!" Draco said. "Lightning Edge!"
"Guah? !" Yama spat out blood as the Tsuki clan founder drove his elbow into the Shinigami's back.
"? !" Kenshin's eyes widened as Yama was kicked to the side by an unseen force.
"Don't tell me you forgot all about my Phantasm Clone." Draco said with a smirk as a pure white copy of himself appeared next to the Tsuki Clan Founder.
"Ah, I suppose I did." Yama said getting back to his feet. "I won't be making that mistake again."
"But just remember! Barriers are useless against it!" Draco said as the Phantasm clone rushed forward, dodging Yama's scythe swipe. "Because it pierces the barrier and the skin and attacks the soul directly." "Hellfire Fang!" Draconis said firing an arrow at Yama that was engulfed in flames.
Yama blocked this with his barrier, but was then unable to dodge the fist of the Phantasm clone. "Gah!" He caught himself and looked up seeing Kenshin charging in from above. He raised his scythe upward and defended. "Grh!" He growled.
"Huuurryyaaahhh! !" Kenshin roared, this time clashing the Tsurugi no Kami against his scythe.
"It's no use! You can't kill me!" Yama shouts.
"Who said I was trying to kill you here?" Kenshin asked with a smirk.
"Krrrhhh? !" Yama felt a massive force bearing down on him coming from Kenshin.
"What the hell?" Draco said seeing power exploding from Kenshin.
"What the hell is going on with him? ! This powers of Ilias, and his own power over the elements as the Primordial of Life shouldn't be making him this strong! !" Yama thought.
"You look a little worried there, YAMA!" Kenshin shouted as his sword started to dig into the handle of Yama's scythe.
"! !" Yama's eyes widened as the Tsurugi no Kami started cutting into his scythe. "Huuuuraaah! !" He let out a roar, the black aura of his scythe empowering him.
"GO! KILL HIM! !" Draco shouted.
"Useless! Useless! Useless! Useless! Useless!" Yama roared.
"ORA!" Kenshin roared, knocking Yama to the ground, sending him for a painful tumble.
"He got him!" Issei said seeing a pitch black aura leaking from the Shinigami's scythe.
"...Are you finally free...mother?" Tamamo said.
"Krh!" Yama grabbed the fracture in his scythe, focusing his power to repair the damage. "So that's it...you didn't free her power, but you freed the Dark Goddess' soul..." He growled.
"That's right." Kenshin said. "Just as I have zero experience with Ilias' holy power, you have zero experience with actually wielding Dark Goddess Alipheese's power of darkness. So on the off chance you made it out of here...I've made it harder for you to figure it out, without her soul the power in that scythe won't replenish. In fact, if I were you, I wouldn't use it again for the duration of this battle."
"You son of a bitch." Yama scowled before closing his eyes and sighing to calm himself. "Fine then...I'll run her down later, she's powerless as it is, but then I have another curiosity. Just HOW are two other Primordials essences existing in your body? Namely, how is your essence intermingled with the Infinity Dragon God and Primordial of Nothingness, and the Primordial of Dreams and Dragon of Dragons? !"
"Huh? !" Draco said rounding on Kenshin. "The two people who nearly killed Ragnarok before?" He thought.
"Ophis and Great Red you mean? Well...the last time I died, from this blade in my hand. My body was reduced to nothing as I was a Devil at the time. To revive me, my body had to be reconstructed, new mana was needed and Ragnarok needed to complete his reincarnation. The mana belongs to Ophis, the body was carved from the flesh of Great Red." Kenshin said.
"Nn? !" Yama grunted.
"There is one other person out there like me...but like I'll tell you who that is." Kenshin said.
"Is it really that big of a deal?" Issei wondered.
"Why is he making such a fuss over this?" Kenshin thought with narrowed eyes. "It's not like I have access to their powers or anything."
"Hmn..." Within the Tsurugi no Kami, Ilias smirked. "I can use this..."
"Well no matter." Yama said tapping his scythe against the ground. "It's not like you or the other one have access to their power yet. I'd be able to sense it for more than a split second burst." Yama shrugged. "In any case, you've forced my hand, I can't use the Dark Goddess' now limited power against you, not now anyway."
"Then I guess I'm going to dunk you in oil and deep fry myself a Death God." Kenshin said.
"However!" Yama said with a growing smirk. "I do have my own powers as the Primordial of Death."
"..." Draco aimed his bow at Yama's head. "Make one move and I put a bolt through your brain."
"Your powers as the Primordial of Death, isn't gonna stop me!" Kenshin said pointing Kuroi Jigoku and the Tsurugi no Kami at Yama.
"I wonder about that." Yama said as a silver light blinded Kenshin and Draco.
"What's going on? !" Alice said seeing the screen go blank.
"Sorry, I'm working on it, the signal went haywire." Kazumi said.
"..." Forbesii stared at the blank screen.
"A flash, is that all?" Kenshin said unshielding his eyes after the light died down. "? ! !" His eyes went wide.
Standing between him and Yama, was a young woman with maroon hair, short and tied into a spiky ponytail that reached mid back. She wore a black martial artist's outfit with gold trim. Her eyes were a shade of chestnut brown, and in front of them were a pair of small unrimmed glasses.
"Is this your idea of a joke Yama? An illusion of Negi? !" Kenshin shouted.
Yama smirked derisively. "An illusion you say? If she were an illusion... could she do this?"
'Negi' shot forward and her palm shot toward Kenshin's head. Kenshin's hand reacted on instinct and grabbed it before it could connect. "...Byakuraisho." She invoked, a swirling glyph appearing on the back of her hand a shot of white lightning shooting out of her hand
"Kuh!" Kenshin grunted as it made contact. He forced her back...however he did not move to strike her further. "That...that mana signature." Kenshin thought. "Her scent as well..."
(boom!)
Kenshin looked over at Draco who had fired an explosive arrow at 'Negi' "If you're going to do this Kenshin you have to commit, Yama's our enemy, anyone who stands in our way is inconsequential." Draco said.
Kenshin shook off his shock. "I know, this is just another one of Yama's tricks! Get out of my way!" Kenshin said charging forward.
"Kenshin..." 'Negi' said. "You've been pursuing revenge for so long...where has it gotten you?"
"Kh? !" Kenshin was stalemated by a lightning halberd held by her. "Shut up...don't you...don't you dare pretend to be the woman I loved!"
'Negi' extended her right hand behind her. "Seize: Thousand Thunderbolts...Load Magic, Armament. Thunder in Heaven, Great Vigor!"
"Kulah!" Kenshin doubled over as a fist laid into his stomach faster than he could react. He was sent flying and 'Negi' pursued him. Kenshin slashed at her only for her to dodge and quickly take him from behind, kicking him back toward the ground.
"? !" Everyone's eyes widened as Kenshin crashed down right in front of them.
"Hm..." Yama turned to Draco. "Seems it's just you and me now."
"You...that is no illusion...is it?" Draco scowled.
"Indeed it is not." Yama said. "It really is Negi Springfield, the woman that Kenshin was willing to bear all of the hatred Mundus Magicus had to throw at him for."
"But she died! His sister Yukari even said she was dead!" Draco shouts.
"Kenshin said it himself...I am a Death God." Yama said with a cruel smirk. "So then...wouldn't it stand to reason that I can rescind death?"
"You...!" Draco growled.
"Just as I thought, Kuroshi Kenshin is a powerful foe, but even the powerful have their weaknesses." Yama said.
"Stand back!" Kenshin said as several people came in trying to help him.
"Listen to him." Negi said landing across from him.
"? ! !" Yukari's, Miyuki's, Chachamaru's, Evangeline's and Hikari's eyes all widened in shock.
"Hyyyaaahhhh!" Kenshin shouted, rushing forward and stabbing her through the abdomen with Kuroi Jigoku.
"Ow..." Negi said looking down at it.
"!" Kenshin staggered backward, a horrified look in his eyes as blood and lightning magic started to seep from the wound. "No...it can't be...this is all an illusion...it...it has to be..." He brought Kuroi Jigoku up to his palm and gripped it tightly before pulling it back out, cutting his palm open. "Nngh!"
"Kenshin!" Rias shouted in worry.
Kenshin's eyes hesitantly opened, but to his dismay...Negi was still there. "That hurt...Kenshin." Negi said.
"Release!" Yukari intoned, however, Negi was still standing there after the fact. "No..." Yukari said, shaking her head with wide eyes.
"Are you going to kill me again...Kenshin?" Negi asked.
(ba-dump!)
Kenshin looked down at Kuroi Jigoku and his hand, covered in blood. He lost his grip on Kuroi Jigoku and it stabbed into the ground.
"Do you want me to go away that badly?" Negi asked.
"Negi, why are you here? ! Why are you doing this? !" Yukari asked.
"..." Negi didn't respond.
"..." Evangeline stared at her then back to Kenshin. She saw his hands shaking, but not in anger like they had before. "Chachamaru, scan her."
"Y-Yes." Chachamaru said looking over at Negi. "!"
"..." Evangeline didn't say anything, but her eyes narrowed into a scowl.
"Th...This is the real Negi-Sensei." Chachamaru said. "E-Everything...matches what I have on file."
"...I knew it." Evangeline growled.
"Negi-San!" Rias said stepping forward.
"..." Negi turned toward her. "Yes?"
"You helped us once before, the gift you gave to me helped me, help Kenshin defeat the Life Maker. So why are you standing against him now? !" Rias asked.
"That is not for you to know." Negi said as lighting surrounded her form. "Chihayaburu...Ikazuchi!" She said shooting toward Rias.
(boom!)
An explosion of lightning went off in front of Rias, alarming everyone, but it did not hit her, instead...it hit Kenshin who moved in the way. "Kenshin!" Rias said.
"Not for her to know..." Kenshin said, tears streaming from his eyes. "You gave part of yourself to her...in order to help me." He wrapped his arms around her. "I was willing to bear everything for you...to reject Rikudou's failsafe, to live with the hatred of that world, if it meant you would be safe in the end."
"..." Negi didn't respond.
"I'm so sorry." Kenshin cried out. "I'm so sorry for...for hurting you."
"You're in a lot of pain Kenshin..." Negi said as she backed away. "Let me end it for you."
"..." Kenshin dropped the Tsurugi no Kami. "...Do what you want to me...I won't hurt you."
"Hey! Snap out of it Kenshin! You can't just let her do you in!" Issei shouts.
"Stay out of this! I won't hurt her again! !" Kenshin shouts.
"..." Kuroka stared at Negi. "It seems Kenshin's not the only one in pain-nya."
"What do you mean?" Alice asked.
"That woman's soul is also crying out." Kuroka said.
"Could it be because she was raised from the dead?" Alice asked.
"No." Kuroka said. "It doesn't sound like your mother's soul did-nya."
"..." Issei focused on Negi as she started to attack Kenshin who defended himself, but never went on the attack. "Bilingual!" He thought.
"Please Kenshin, just stay down. So I don't end up killing you!"
"This is...her voice." Issei thought closing his eyes. He saw her, her arms wrapped around herself, shivering, her eyes leaking tears.
"I...I wanted to come back, I missed you so much, and no dream could ever replace you!" Negi sobbed.
"Negi-San..." Issei thought. "She loved Kenshin so much...Wait! I have an idea!"
Issei ran up to Evangeline. "Eva-San, quick I need you to answer a question for me."
"What is it?" Evangeline said.
"Would it be possible for that Shinigami bastard to be controlling her?" Issei asked.
"Well yeah, obviously." Evangeline said.
"So, what if we put her under somehow, at least until we figured out how to break the connection?" Issei asked.
"..." Evangeline went into thought. "I do have a spell, but finding and breaking the connection would take longer than the spell lasts."
"Then keep reapplying it, This is killing her just as much as it's killing Kenshin." Issei said.
"...How...oh right, that spell of yours." Evangeline said. "..." She turned to Inutora. "I need you to do something for me."
"What's up?" Inutora said.
Evangeline leaned over and whispered into his ear. "Uh huh, uh huh...oh yeah I can do that." Inutora nodded.
"Then make it so." Evangeline said. "Just leave a hole for me to stick my hand into."
"? !" Kenshin watched as a dome of earth surrounded and trapped Negi. "Hey!" He turned to Inutora. "What are you doing? !"
"Shaddap!" Inutora said.
"Aer et Aqua Facti Nebula Illis Somnum Brevum." Evangeline thrust her hand into the hole in the dome. "Nebula Hypnotica!"
"The sleeping spell?" Kenshin said in realization. "...I see..."
Inutora lowered the dome and Negi was prone on the ground. Her armament having faded. Kenshin walked up to her and knelt, bringing her into his arms. "You're back now...thank you, Evangeline, Inutora."
"Thank Issei, he's the one who realized Negi was under Yama's control." Evangeline said.
"I...used Bilingual on her." Issei said, unsure of how Kenshin would react.
"...What did you hear?" Kenshin asked.
"She was crying..." Issei said with a solemn look as he gazed down at Negi. "She wanted you to stay down, pretend to be dead I'm guessing, so she wouldn't kill you for real..."
"...I see..." Kenshin said looking down at Negi's face.
"She also said she missed you...and that no dream could ever replace you." Issei said.
"..." Kenshin sat Negi down on the ground. "I'm sorry Negi." He stood up. "And I'm sorry to you all, for worrying you."
"It's OK." Rias said shaking her head.
"Yes, from what we just heard among other things you cared deeply for her." Akeno said with a smile.
"It's fine, just don't do it again." Koneko said.
"How are you going to give me a child if you're dead?" Xenovia said. Everyone looked at her. "What?"
"Tchahahaha." Kenshin chuckled. "Thanks Xenovia, I needed that."
"Alright, anyone well versed in sealing get to work on her, try to break the connection between her and Yama." Evangeline said. "The rest go and drive off the bastard."
"Right!" Kenshin said. "Anyone wanting to fight, on me!" Kenshin took off.
"Haa...haaa..haaa." Draco stood across from the Shinigami, missing an arm, because it was at his side on the ground.
"Is this really all you got Draco? You've lost touch with your power." Yama said with a smirk.
"Fuck...you..." Draco said.
"You were always just Ragnarok's support. No wonder he died without you, then again...he would have died anyway." Yama said.
"You maybe Ragnarok's brother in blood, but I was more of a brother to him than you ever were!" Draco shouts.
"Oh? And do you want a medal for that?" Yama asked.
Before Draco could answer a voice roared across the clearing. "YAAAAAMMMMMMAAAAAA! !"
Kenshin landed next to Draco, scowling hatefully at the Shinigami. "Oh ho? So you did it again...you killed the woman who loved you with all her heart." Yama said.
"Shut your fucking mouth." Kenshin spat. "You know damn well I didn't!"
Yama closed his eyes. "True...so you disabled her then." Yama said with a coy smirk.
"...Why her?" Kenshin said. "Why did you interrupt her eternal rest? !"
"That's what you're asking?" Yama said. "I was expecting more of a 'Thank you Yama-Dono for reviving the woman I still love', but I digress."
"You're right, I still love her...and that's why I'm going to kill you!" Kenshin said.
"..." Yama didn't respond as Vali, Issei, Kiba, Arthur, Bikou,, Irina, Rias, Grayfia and Serafall landed around them.
"Then again..." Kenshin smirked. "I ain't doin' it alone."
"..." Yama glanced to his left and his right. "Hmn. I admit, these numbers would be difficult to overcome at this moment, so I will take my leave."
"..." Kenshin watched Yama fade away.
"..." Yama turned his head toward Rias. "Though we will meet again, and I'll be coming for you too sweetheart."
"Over my dead body." Kenshin scowled.
"Likewise." Grayfia said with a glare.
"Feel free to try to stop me, but you know...there should only be one Primordial of Death at a time." Yama said. "Tata for now." Yama disappeared.
Kenshin sheathed Kuroi Jigoku and lowered the Tsurugi no Kami. "Kenshin." A communication circle appeared next to his head.
"What is it? How's Negi?" Kenshin asked.
"Well...she disappeared, I'm guessing Yama took her with him." Yukari said. "However, we did find the apparatus that Yama was using to control her and copied it."
"Well...one out of two ain't bad." Kenshin said. "Though I'd like to have that two, I'm counting on you and the others to find out how to break that seal apparatus."
"Yes." Yukari said. "Leave it to us."
Kenshin closed his eyes as the Abyssal Elemental Overdrive finally canceled out. "Come on, let's get back."
The group warped back to where everyone was waiting. "Kenshin." Draco said.
"What is it?" Kenshin asked.
"First off, you guys have anything that can fix this?" Draco said holding up his dismembered hand. "Hard to fire arrows or serve drinks with one hand."
"Here." Yukari said tossing him a Phoenix tear. "Just push your stump and the hand toge-"
"Yeah Yeah, I know how to use 'em." Draco said. "Second, just who are the Primordials? You seem to be one, so that means Ragnarok was one as well. But this is the first I'm hearing of it."
"Yeah." Azazel said. "It seems we have more."
Kenshin closed his eyes and sat down. "The Primordials are eternal forces given form. I only know of seven of them and I've only known of them for a couple of weeks. Four of them go together as a set that I know of. The Primordials of Life and Death, and the Primordials of Light and Darkness."
"So you and Yama, and Ilias and Alipheese the First." Draco said.
"And Rias." Kenshin said closing his eyes.
"Me?" Rias said.
"You contain half of Yama's soul." Azazel said. "As such you share the post of Primordial of Death with him."
"Yeah..." Kenshin gazed over at her sympathetically. "Anyway. I don't know if the Primordials of Being and Nothingness are a set, nor if the Primordial of Dreams is in one either."
"Ophis is the Primordial of Nothingness, but who is the Primordial of Being?" Vali asked.
"The Almighty." Kenshin said lifting up the Tsurugi no Kami.
"I see..." Azazel said. "Makes sense."
"So what do the Primordials of Life and Death do? Ilias and Alipheese were born at the same time as opposites and pretty much represent light and dark." Tamamo said.
"I suppose the Primordial of Life is meant to safeguard all living things, while the Primordial of Death is meant to watch over the dearly departed." Kenshin said. "Seems only one of us is doing their damn job, and that one doesn't even do it that well."
"Well I don't know about that." Grayfia said. "You seem to cherish life."
"I suppose...but no more questions." Kenshin said.
"Why, What's up?" Bureijin asked.
"Because..." Kenshin fell forward, only to be caught by Yukari.
"Kenshin, hey wha-"
"Zzzzzzz...zzzzz...zzzzz..."
"...Hmhmhmhm." Yukari laughed softly. "I see. You're just asleep."
"Well...can we really blame him?" Rias asked.
"Well the war's over, time for rest." Bureijin said with a grin.
"Not for all of us." Inutora said walking over to Forbesii. "Come with me, Former Demon King."
"Aah, that is my proper title now, isn't it." Forbesii said as he was taken away by the Earth Mantis.
Alice watched as he was taken away. "Everyone come with me, Erubetie send some clones out and tell the men and women the war is won and they can rest. We'll get to work on cleaning Rashoumen up later."
"Yes Alipheese-Sama." Erubetie nodded.
(Break)
A couple of days later.
Maouzyou.
The groups had decided to stay in Maouzyou for a couple of days. Kenshin had awoken after a good night's rest. Kenshin had to admit. The place was decorated immaculately, a point he made sure Tamamo knew. Right now he was headed to the prisons. Now that he had time to clear his head. He needed to have one final confrontation with the now former King of Demons.
"Hey, what brings you here?" Inutora said, having been at the door to greet him.
"I need to speak with Forbesii alone." Kenshin said. "I won't do anything to him, so don't worry. He will stand before the Taiyoukai Council later today after all."
"Kinda convenient now that I think about it. That we gathered pretty much all of them for the battle." Inutora said. "Makes the wait less of a drag. Alright." He stepped aside and opened the door. Letting Kenshin walk in. He closed it behind the Kuroshi Patriarch.
"Come to see me one final time before I die I take it?" Forbesii said from his cell.
"Forbesii." Kenshin said.
"You flatter me." Forbesii said with a hollow smile.
"How are you adjusting to being a normal youkai?" Kenshin asked.
"Hmn, it's not much different from being a homunculus honestly." Forbesii grunted.
"I see." Kenshin said.
"I'm curious about something." Forbesii said. "You were going to leave me alive and banish me from Makai...like I did to your family all those years ago...why?"
"Because it was justice in my eyes." Kenshin said. "You were beaten, you knew it and I knew it...even if you refused to accept it at the time. Death would have been too easy...I wanted you to suffer."
"Hmhmhm under all that nice guy talk..." Forbesii was cut off.
"I'm quite vindictive." Kenshin said. "Don't be fooled by how I act with friends."
"Yes." Forbesii said. "So...here we are, the Youkai Revolution is over, in your victory...but is it really victory?"
"In a way, Makai no longer has to deal with you and your horrible rule." Kenshin said. "I'll deal with Yama on my own time."
"And Negi Springfield?" Forbesii said. "You're going to have to fight her again...you know that."
"..." Kenshin went silent.
"Well there's plenty of time between then and now. Yama will have to recoup his loss after all." Forbesii said.
"Yes." Kenshin said. "Just so you know, your death isn't a certainty just yet."
"I know all about the meeting tomorrow. Alice herself came and told me." Forbesii said. "But like you said, I was a terrible ruler. They'll put me to death."
"Maybe, maybe not." Kenshin said. "I will be one of the ones voting to keep you alive."
"?" Forbesii looked up at him. "And what would warrant such an act of kindness from you of all people?"
"A kindness? Far from it." Kenshin said crossing his arms. "From the moment you found out about what Yama did...I could feel it pouring out of you...the immeasurable guilt you felt. You killed our master and his wife, caused chaos by feeding Wilheim a lie and banished two innocent clans because you were scared of the legend of Ragnarok coming to fruition again from the Kuroshi clan...then you plotted with Hottan to have those two clans wiped out...and used my sister and I to do it."
"...And you're not killing me because?" Forbesii said.
Kenshin leveled him with an impassive glare. "The hardest part about that night for us...was living with ourselves afterward. If I have my way...you WILL do the same. Death is too easy."
Kenshin turned and left the prison. Inutora stared at him. "Kenshin."
"If you want to vote to kill him I won't try to change your mind." Kenshin said. "Those are just my personal thoughts on the matter."
"..." Inutora watched as Kenshin walked away.
(break)
That Night.
Audience Chamber.
"So they're deciding whether Forbesii lives or dies?" Issei asked.
"Yes." Kiba nodded. "All the Taiyoukai, the Heavenly Knights, the Grand Cardinals, the Kyoto Youkai and the Demon Queen have a say in this matter."
"Even Kenshin as he was integral to winning the war." Yukari said.
"We helped too, I'm surprised we aren't being asked." Vali said.
"That maybe true Vali, but at the same time we are foreigners in their land." Azazel said.
"As such we don't decide what happens here." Grayfia said.
"Kenshin-Chan's only getting a say because he was the Vice Commander." Serafall said.
"What's the decision looking like right now?" Rias asked.
"It seems the decision to kill him is ahead by one vote." Sona said. "It's down to Kenshin and Alice-Sama themselves."
"What did Yasaka-Sama vote?" Issei asked.
"Her sector was rarely affected by Forbesii's actions so she voted for him to live." Evangeline said.
"What is your vote Former Vice Commander and the head of the Kuroshi clan? The head of the Tsuki Youkai clan...which is just Draco Tsuki at this point is abstaining." Tamamo said turning to Kenshin.
"Hmn..." Kenshin stood up. "I vote to let him live, imprisoned for the rest of his days."
Murmurs of surprise went through the crowd. "To live?" Akeno said.
"That's a surprise...outside of Alipheese-Sama, Kenshin has the best reason for wanting him to die." Raiser said.
"That is your decision, but I'm curious, why?" Tamamo asked.
"You all might not believe this, but the second Forbesii heard the Shinigami Yama reveal his own foul actions. He had near instant regret, and immense guilt for all his own actions, but the fact remains that he still committed these actions." Kenshin said. "To kill him would be a kindness, because at this point...he wants us to kill him."
"So you wish for him to live with his actions, and not take the easy way out." Tamamo said. "Very well. The vote is tied...which means it all comes down to you Lady Alipheese."
"..." Alice crossed her arms, closing her eyes. "Damn it Kenshin...why did you have to tie the vote." She grunted.
"I'm not apologizing." Kenshin said.
"I know." Alice said. "But at the same time...I agree with you. I vote for life imprisonment as well. He must live with his actions."
Tamamo stared at her before clearing her throat. "Very well, the decision is to let him live. This meeting is-"
"Hold." Kenshin said. "To keep him out of sight and out of mind. I move that I be allowed to take the former Demon King with me back to Lilith. I'm sure Sirzechs Lucifer wouldn't care to shore up space in his prison for him."
"He wouldn't mind it." Grayfia said from the side.
"See?" Kenshin said.
The vote was unanimous. "Very well you may take the Demon King off our hands. But let Sirzechs-Sama know that we wish to receive regular updates." Alice said.
"Again, don't think he'll care." Kenshin said.
"OK, now this meeting is adjourned. We will meet again next week to discuss a reconstruction process." Alice said.
Kenshin nodded and the crowd dispersed. He was about to walk toward his friends when Alice grabbed his wrist. "?"
"I wish to speak with you in private. Come to my room later." Alice said.
"As you wish." Kenshin nodded.
Kenshin was released and he walked back to everyone. "Well, that was my last act as Vice Commander, when we get back home, I'll be back to serving the Underworld and the Alliance."
"Letting him live. That was surprising." Vali said.
"Like I said. No matter if he feels guilt and remorse or not. He must pay appropriately for his actions, and he already wants to die." Kenshin said with his eyes closed. "Death would be a kindness to him."
"I see." Vali nodded.
"Vali, can I say something to you, man to man?" Kenshin asked.
"What is it?" Vali said.
"Revenge can get you out of bed in the morning...and when you get it...man it feels great." Kenshin said. "For about five minutes...I'm seeing myself how pointless the pursuit is...if it costs you in the end."
"Are you telling me not to kill my grandfather then?" Vali asked.
"Not at all. Kill him if you want, but don't let it cost you something dear to you." Kenshin said.
"..." Vali started to walk away, but soon stopped by Miyuki stepping in front of him. "Miyuki..."
"..." Miyuki closed her eyes. "Vali."
"What is it?" Vali asked.
"Do you know what I was trying to do when I kept helping you?" Miyuki asked.
"Kenshin says...you were trying to make me feel at home." Vali said.
"That's right." Miyuki said. "I had talked with Arthur, Kuroka and Le Fay...and I had tried talking to Bikou, but he just frustrated me...they said that you were pretty nomadic."
"Well, it's more by choice." Vali said. "There's so much of this world to see and strong opponents to fight."
"..." Miyuki covered her mouth, letting out a quiet laugh. "I see."
"Why do you ask them?" Vali asked.
"Well...Vali, Onii-Chan doesn't hold it against you...so neither will I." Miyuki said. "But I'm not forgiving you, for you." She said. "Whether I like it or not. Onii-Chan's going to keep contact with you, so I might as well not create any friction."
"...I see." Vali said.
"...I'll make sure you have a home, but...I don't think I can ever look at you the same as before...I'm sorry." Miyuki said.
Vali nodded. "...I understand...I don't expect you to forgive me completely."
Miyuki nodded back and turned around. "See you around."
"Yes." Vali said as she walked away.
"Vali..." Albion said.
"I'm fine Albion, this is just new for me." Vali said. "So this is what rejection feels like..."
"Oi." Vali turned to find Granberia approaching him.
"What is it?" Vali asked.
"I find that when I'm upset, I train...and you said you like to fight the strong, so might I trouble you for a match?" Granberia asked.
"I'm not upset." Vali said.
"You are, even if you won't say it." Granberia said pointedly. "Come on, I could give you a hand with your elemental prowess. Seeing as we don't ask the spirits for power, we're the same."
"Well, if you insist." Vali said.
Meanwhile, Miyuki walked around the Maouzyou castle grounds, until she ran into Kenshin and Grayfia. "Huh? Miyuki-San?" Grayfia said.
"..." Kenshin stared at her. "You seem upset, is something wrong?"
"..." Miyuki bowed her head forward.
Grayfia looked up as snow began to fall. "It's snowing?"
"Yeah, I was told it's northern Makai's winter." Kenshin said.
"I see." Grayfia said. "What's wrong Miyuki-San?"
"I...told Vali that I forgave him." Miyuki said.
"Then what's the matter?" Kenshin asked.
"But I also told him, that because he tried to kill you, that I couldn't look at him the same way as I did before..." Miyuki said.
"Why?" Kenshin asked. "I told you..."
"I know, but...I..I just can't." Miyuki said as a shiver ran through her body.
"I laid a beating on Sirzechs, and Grayfia doesn't seem to have any problems talking to me like she did before." Kenshin said.
"Yes, but...I saw that you hesitated to strike the final blow, not just because of Rias or myself watching, but because of your own reasons." Grayfia said. "You didn't want to kill him, you just wanted to know why he hadn't acted sooner, or why he hadn't told you things sooner...that's why I can continue on with you like it didn't happen."
"..." Kenshin glanced over at Grayfia. "I...never realized that. So even if Vali's sorry and regrets it...the fact that he still tried to kill me in earnest.."
"It's going to take me awhile to get over that..." Miyuki said.
"..." Kenshin walked up to Miyuki and pulled her into his arms. "It's OK Miyuki."
"I'll leave you two alone." Grayfia said walking away from the two.
Miyuki wrapped her arms around Kenshin as tears started leaking out of her eyes. "Hee...I'm sorry Onii-Chan, I know you've got a lot on your mind, like Negi-Chan, but..."
"Shh shh...it's OK." Kenshin said. "I said I'd be there didn't I?"
"Thank you...Thank you so much Onii-Chan." Miyuki said burying her face in his chest.
The two remained like this for ten minutes before Miyuki pulled away and wiped her eyes. "Thank you."
"Of course." Kenshin said with a smile. "Are you gonna be OK?"
"Yeah.." Miyuki nodded. "I just needed someone to hold me like that..."
"Anytime." Kenshin said.
"Hehehe..." Miyuki giggled. "Um...do you know where Onee-Chan is?"
"I think she's still in the audience hall." Kenshin said.
"OK, no offense, but I need to talk with her about this...it's...girl things." Miyuki said.
"Hey I hear ya, go ahead." Kenshin said. Miyuki smiled and leaned in, kissing him on the cheek, the right corner of her lips touching the left corner of his.
"I'll be going then." Miyuki said.
Kenshin nodded and proceeded along the courtyard until he found another familiar face, but that was because he asked for this person to be here. "...Wilheim."
The leader of the Gorgon's Eye turned to him. "What is it? I was told you wanted me here, so I was warped in from Goldport."
"I wanted to share a piece of information with you." Kenshin said. "Do with it what you will."
"Yeah?" Wilheim said.
"What you were told, about RyuuTaisho wanting to betray you...was a fabrication." Kenshin said.
"? !" Wilheim's eyes widened for a moment before he scowled. "Is that all?" He growled.
"It was perpetrated by Forbesii in order to make you do what you did." Kenshin said. "And before you say anything, he was able to change his form."
"..." Wilheim closed his eyes. "...I know."
"You knew?" Kenshin asked.
"Why do you think I wanted you to kill me kid?" Wilheim said letting out a sigh.
"I see." Kenshin said. "I'm still not going to...but when I was stopped in Gold Port...his spirit came to visit me.."
"Damn bastard...always...lookin' out for me..." Wilheim said.
"He always knew it was you." Kenshin said.
"? !" Wilheim stared at Kenshin in shock.
"And he still considered you his brother, up until the day he died." Kenshin said.
"...I...I see..." Wilheim said before turning away. "If you don't mind...I'd like to be alone."
"Of course." Kenshin said.
"Congratulations by the way." Wilheim said as he was leaving. "For winning the war...but I still don't think the peace will last."
"No peace lasts forever Wilheim. Long after a lot of people here are gone...another conflict will start, it will fall to them to journey toward peace again." Kenshin said.
"Hmh...how philosophical of you." Wilheim said.
Kenshin left Wilheim alone, who then looked at the sky. "RyuuTaisho...heh.." He thought as he smiled, a tear streaming from his left eye. "You bastard...watching over me from the great beyond huh?"
Kenshin continued his trek around the castle, until he arrived at a room in the keep.
(knock knock)
"Come in." Alice's voice called out.
Kenshin walked in to find Alice dressed in a purple yukata that cut off right around where her 'hips' ended and scales began. "..." Kenshin stared at her, his face flushing.
"Ufufufu...I take it you like it?" Alice asked.
"Is this what you asked me over for?" Kenshin said.
"Something like that, but first come here." Alice said as she sat on her bed, in front of it was a table with a bottle of wine and two glasses. She filled them and handed one to Kenshin after he sat down next to her. "To..."
"To those who were lost." Kenshin said raising his glass.
"..." Alice smiled and raised her glass as well. "To those who were lost...may they find peace."
The two knocked back their wine and sighed. "You know...it's going to different without you around." Alice said looking at her reflection in the wine with a smile.
"Hey, it's not like I won't ever visit." Kenshin said, placing his hand on her wrist.
"I know, but still." Alice said.
"I hear what you mean though...It's been a few months here since I arrived." Kenshin said. "I'll miss you too."
"Hmn..." Alice turned toward him and kissed him on the cheek. "I can never thank you enough for all you've done for us."
"Well the thanks isn't all mine." Kenshin chuckled.
"I know, but if you had never arrived..." Alice went silent for a moment. "I don't want to think about it."
"Still...it came at a cost." Kenshin said. "Shin and Luka...two lives that can never be replaced among others."
"Yes." Alice said. "They'll be watching over us now."
"Yeah." Kenshin said.
"If you ever need any help at all...do not hesitate to come to me." Alice said. "I've driven it home with Serafall-San that Makai's alliance with the Underworld goes is tied to you...if they betray you, they betray us...if a faction goes to war with you, they go to war with us. This was agreed upon by the Council and the Grand Cardinals.
"I understand." Kenshin nodded. "How's Jordan-ossan doing by the way. I heard he agreed to have a homunculus core put into his wife."
"Oh he's doing great! It turns out you have to get the one to be ressurrected's OK before you revive them full time to prevent the soul's pain." Alice said. "She did, so she's back amongst us...she's not even sick anymore."
"Hahaha, good for him." Kenshin chuckled.
"Indeed." Alice said. "...I thought about doing the same with Father, but...then I thought...what if he's tired as well?"
"Probably." Kenshin nodded. "Uh...Alice...about your mother..."
"It's OK...I was actually allowed to have closure this time..." Alice said with a sullen smile.
"Still, if you want to talk about it...I'm here." Kenshin said.
"It's fine, really." Alice said.
"OK, if you say so." Kenshin said as he finished his wine. "You're welcome at my house...uh whenever I build it."
"Hm? Where are you living now?" Alice asked. "I can't rightly have my world's savior living on the streets."
"I'm not, I'm living at Issei's house...in the human world." Kenshin said.
"Ooooh." Alice nodded. "Well I could easily just stay in my human form the whole time."
"It's not that big a deal?" Kenshin asked.
"Not at all." Alice said as she finished her wine and corked the bottle. "Now...seeing as your leaving soon. I want just...one more thing from you." Alice said tracing her fingers up Kenshin's chest.
"That right?" Kenshin said wrapping an arm around her waist. "Very well then, I'll indulge you and myself one more time."
"Ufufufu..." Alice giggled as their lips met and they fell back onto the bed.
(break)
Three days later.
All the men were at Draco's bar which he had moved to an undamaged building in Rashoumen. "Hey has anyone seen Kenshin?" Issei asked.
"Now that you mention it, I haven't seen scale or hair of either him or Alipheese in awhile." Akatama said.
"Really? What do you think they're doing?" Kiba asked.
"Kenshin's probably helping her with something." Vali said.
"Yeah, but for three days? Rias is starting to worry." Rasai said.
"So is Kuroka's little sister...and Kenshin's own sisters for that matter." Arthur said.
"Not to mention his mother." Azazel said. "And Akeno...pretty much anyone interested in him."
"Oh guys I'm sure he's fine." Bureijin said. "...At least I hope he is." He thought.
"He wasn't at the prison either, which is strange, aren't you guys warping to Yamatai today to leave in a couple of days?" Inutora said. "I figured he'd come to pick Forbesii up and place him back in irons."
"Tamamo-San said she was gonna take care of that." Saji said.
"Yeah." Draco said polishing a glass.
"How's the arm by the way?" Raiser asked.
"It's fine." Draco said clenching the hand that was cut off previously.
"Just checking, the tears were hastily made so I couldn't really guarantee their quality." Raiser said.
"You and your sister did fine." Draco said.
The door swung open and Kenshin staggered into the bar, walked up next to where Issei was sitting, sat down next to him, and faceplanted right on the bar. "Uhhh...Kenshin...you OK man?" Issei asked.
Kenshin raised his left hand. "Draco...I need about five of those pick me up things you were making for the tired construction workers a few days ago."
"..." Draco stared at him for a couple of moments before chuckling. "Comin' up."
"Oh my..." Bureijin said.
"What is it?" Akatama said.
"Kenshin's been busy." Bureijin said.
"Well no shit, he looked fucking exhausted." Raiser said.
"You have no idea..." Kenshin said, his face still firmly planted into the bar.
"Uh, who would say they have the best nose here?" Bureijin said.
"Uh, yo." Bikou said.
"Does Kenshin smell like himself right now?" Bureijin said.
"No...he smells clean, but the other scent isn't his." Bikou said. "Honestly, if I had to compare it to anything, it'd be the Demon Queen."
"Kenshin...where have you been the past three days?" Azazel asked.
"Take a wild guess." Kenshin said.
"PFFT!" Everyone except Bureijin and Draco sputtered.
"Hahaha, I knew right away, but didn't wanna spoil it." Bureijin said.
"Aaah I remember Ragnarok's first time with Alipheese-Sama, the Dark Goddess." Draco chuckled. "He staggered about the same way you did."
"Fuck you..." Kenshin said weakly.
"Wait, Kenshin you've spent the last three days, WHOLE days...having sex with the Demon Queen?" Arthur asked.
"Was that not already clear?" Kenshin asked.
"Huh, if Matsuda and Motohama were here they'd probably be worshiping you right now." Issei said.
"Like I want those two idiots praising me like some sort of sex god." Kenshin said.
"You lucky dick!" Raiser snapped.
"Oh fuck off Raiser you could have a fucking orgy with your peerage, minus Ravel of course, if you wanted!" Kenshin snapped back.
"He has a point." Azazel said.
"Why the hell did she keep you so long?" Rasai asked.
"I intended to leave after the first few rounds, but she coiled around me, used some sort of eye magic on me and by the time I broke out she just kept going saying she needed more." Kenshin said. "A few times I nodded off due to pure exhaustion."
"Jeez." Vali said.
"I feel like a man dying of thirst on a deserted island watching another man drown in the ocean." Akatama said with his eyes closed.
"Oh come on Aka-Chan you know if you wanna get laid you only need ask me and I'll find someone." Bureijin said.
"I'm good on Succubi thanks." Akatama said.
Draco slid Kenshin a pick me up and Kenshin knocked it back. "Haa..thanks."
"I just have one question." Vali said. "How did you even last that long? I assume you'd be shooting blanks at some point."
"Male Youkai can direct their youki/mana to their reproductive organs and make them produce more relatively quickly." Draco said. "The drinks I'm giving Kenshin help replenish his lost youki."
"Well that's good news in case a bunch of your haremettes ask you to stick a bun in the oven all at once." Azazel said.
"Don't remind me..." Kenshin groaned. "I feel like I'll never be horny ever again."
"Oh that's impossible, you'll trigger another heat cycle soon and the process will start all over again." Bureijin chuckled.
"Uuughhh..." Kenshin groaned. "Draco, seeing as you're on hand, I need to ask something. What the hell was the Dark Goddess thinkin' about when she made most of youkai kind have these things...it's like she intended more than just the Succubi and Incubi to be polyamorous."
"Well we were going through a war, what better way to restore numbers than to bang them back up up?" Draco asked. "I believe she was thinking about taking them out for most youkai, if not just lessening their frequency, but then Ilias gave out her ultimatum."
"The sad thing is...having just gotten out of a war, I can't even argue the logic." Kenshin said.
"Neh heh heh." Draco chuckled.
(break)
A couple of days later.
Yamatai.
Kenshin, the Devils, Sextum, Irina and Azazel were preparing to leave, escorting them to the portal was Alice. "I'm sorry I tired you out..." Alice said.
"It's fine, but...let's not make a repeat performance anytime soon eh?" Kenshin said with a weary grin.
"Ufufufu, OK." Alice giggled.
"What do you mean?" Rias asked from his left.
"It's nothing really." Kenshin sweatdropped. "The last thing I need right now is Rias or someone else trying to break Alice's record!" He thought.
"Nyahahahahaha!" Yuurei cackled. "Though the Incubus was right, you did end up getting aroused again with the Gremory girl."
Tamamo was pulling Forbesii along by a chain. The former Demon King was wearing a mask to conceal his identity "So...this is the last time I'll ever see Makai hm?" Forbesii asked.
"You knew the cost of your actions." Tamamo said.
"Yes...Hopefully in time...Makai will forget all about me." Forbesii said with his eyes closed.
"..." Tamamo went silent.
"By the way. Azazel mentioned the four original artificial spirits being locked up, what happened to them?" Kenshin thought.
"We had a long conversation with them...while Alice was making you have marathon sex." Salamander said making Kenshin sweatdrop. "They're more like us than we thought...so we gave them directions to our homes and we're going to let them man our posts here in Makai."
"Yeah! Zylphe-Chan was fun once Forbesii stopped controlling her emotions!"
"..." Gnome nodded.
"Grandine seemed to genuinely care about the slime race as much as I do, once Forbesii stopped controlling her." Undine said.
"Gigamander is a fierce fighter, just like me. I have no problems leaving my home to her while I help you." Salamander said.
A young, but familiar kitsune bumped into Kenshin and Alice on their way to the portal. "Huh?" Kenshin knelt down. "Victoria?"
"Victoria-Chan?" Rias said.
"Aah! It's you two again!" She beamed.
Kenshin chuckled and petted her head. "Yeah."
"How are you doing Victoria-Chan?" Rias asked with a smile.
"Oh, Mom and Dad said the new Maou-Sama was leaving. So we came to see him off." Victoria said.
"Huh?" Kenshin turned to Alice. "You already picked the Seventeenth Demon King?"
"..." Alice didn't answer, but smiled at the young kitsune. "Run along."
"Yes Alipheese-Sama." Victoria said getting back to her feet and running off.
Kenshin got back to his feet, as did Rias and they continued walked. Azazel hung in the back and chuckled fondly. "Looking at all you did for these people Kenshin...it's not a surprise." He thought.
Everyone arrived at the portal. "Well, this so long for now." Issei waved. "If you need Kenshin's help again. I'm sure we'll be along for the ride."
"I'll keep that in mind, thank you." Alice said before turning to Raiser. "Be sure to give that teleporataion sigil I gave you to your clan head. It will allow them to come straight to Maouzyou to discuss payment with me."
"I will Alipheese-Sama." Raiser said with a respectful bow.
"I don't know how to respond to an angel helping us, but thank you for your hard work." Alice said to Irina.
"Don't mention it." Irina said with a carefree smile.
"If you need any help with the Homunculus Project's implementation from here on out, give us a ring." Azazel said. "We're still studying it sure, but we've figured out how to at least revive the dead with it."
"We'll keep that in mind." Alice said before looking out at them all. "We wouldn't have been able to win this war without your help. You have my eternal thanks. Have a safe trip home."
"To you as well." Sona said adjusting her glasses.
"Don't worry, I'll make sure all your requests from us are met." Serafall said.
"You can lose some if they're too much, but remember the ones I will not budge on." Alice said. Serafall smiled and nodded.
"So what about Kenshin's seal?" Rias asked.
"Makai's mana is geared toward Youkai. Once you arrive back in the Underworld, the seal will fail completely now that it's safeguards have been disabled." Forbesii said from behind his mask.
"He's right." Yukari said.
"Alright, everybody through the portal." Kenshin said.
"Bye everyone!" Saji, Miyuki, Irina, Issei and others waved before walking through the portal, soon only Kenshin remained.
"You know...the reason Victoria said the New Maou-Sama is because...Makai considers you it's King in all but title now." Alice said.
"...I see." Kenshin said.
"Remember Kenshin...if you ever need our help...we will be there for you." Alice said.
"Thanks, but I'll try not to abuse the privilege." Kenshin said as he turned around.
As he did. Alice couldn't help thinking back on all the times she had spent with both Luka and Kenshin. How Luka was her support during Forbesii's rule...how Kenshin constantly checked in on her and how the war was won because of him and his friends. "Kenshin..." She said closing her eyes.
"I'll see you later, Alice." Kenshin said.
"Hmn..." Alice closed her eyes and smiled. "How many times have I heard that...from you and Luka both?"
"It's not going to be the last time...so who really cares how many times it's said?" Kenshin asked.
"You're right." Alice said opening her eyes.
"Heh." Kenshin smiled softly at her, waved and ran through the portal.
Alice closed her eyes again and turned away as the portal closed. "Hmn...I know you'll be back...so this isn't goodbye."
The Demon Queen left the portal to return to her castle. She had a lot of work to do.
And that is how...the Makai Civil War...no, the Youkai Revolution, came to a close.
(chapter end)
Draconis: Kind of a broad spectrum of a chapter I know.
Kenshin: No kidding.
Draconis: By the way I'm not going into the three day marathon I had Kenshin run, so don't even ask.
Alice: Probably for the best.
Draconis: However I have figured something out for you, so you're in. Update
Issei: (same)
Kenshin: Rias, Akeno, Xenovia, Yukari, Koneko, Serafall, Sona, Tamamo, Ravel, Rossweisse, Undine, Sylph, Gnome, Salamander, Alice.
Draconis: Also I know Issei's harem is more or less growing and not contributing much to the story, I will work to change that don't worry. Anyway. Next time. Kenshin goes before the Devil Council...and maybe I'll get into some of the side stories in Volume 13 or DX 1. See you all then.
Also before I go I guess I'll do a Primordial list.
Primordials
Dreams- Great Red.
Being: The Almighty
Nothingness: Ophis, ?(To be Revealed)
Light: Ilias.
Darkness: Alipheese the First.
Life: Kenshin Tsuki Kuroshi, Ragnarok Kuroshi(Deceased)
Death: Fourth Horseman-Pale Rider-Death(formerly), Shinigami Yama-Rias Gremory(Shared), Negi Springfield(Formerly shared with Shinigami Yama.
Draconis678 out.