Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ The Kaf ❯ Part Five ( Chapter 5 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

The Kaf - Part Five
By Djinn Hashiba-Maxwell

Okay, this is now officially know as 'the fic that would not die' *grynns* but then again, I'm not complaining, are you? ^__^ *hugs her support group*

Whew, this part is EVIL!! (well... eviler than usual *grynn*) Uhm... all I'll say is that poor Touma isn't going to just give his body up to Ibilis! ^__^

BTW, I misspelled Ibilis' original form Arazil (angel of death) calling him Azrael, but it's not that bad a difference some I'm just going to continue with that name. Anyone mind? Good, I thought not.

*~*~*

Sraosha twisted her hands in her jaune dress, looking as if she longed to jump up and pace but dared not. Haurvatat, as always, looked impassive. "Is that all, Shuu?" She asked, and the fravashi nodded solemnly. "Do not worry, you have done your job well. I simply did not fully realize Toumawashi's reasons for leaving."

"Is it impossible to do as he asked?" Ryo asked, made bold by so many years away. Haurvatat blinked in surprise and Sraosha looked to her hopefully.

"Well, neesama?" Sraosha said. "Touma is right, he's right, you know that. They are our brothers and sisters."

"I cannot make such a decision." Haurvatat said, shaking her head. "My dominion is limited, and the entire mala'ika would not accept the djinn... nor the korybantes..."

"This is why I left I the first place." Ryo growled, turning. Shin quickly moved to follow him, afraid that Ryo might just run off again.

"Haurva." Sraosha pleaded, looking up to her sister. "There must be something we can do. I cannot live the rest of my life, never seeming Toumawashi again. I cannot, I refuse! He is like my own child."

"It has been two days." Haurvatat said. "Toumawashi will reach his eighteenth year tomorrow. Our time is up." She sunk down in her throne, looking a bit like a marionette that had suddenly had all it's strings cut. "Sraosha... there is nothing else to be done..." She paused. "I must go myself."

Sraosha and Shuu, who still bowed politely before his lady, jumped simultaneously. "NANI!??"

*~*~*

In only a space of three days, Touma had become as accustomed to seeing Seiji walk through his house as he was to seeing his own face in the mirror. He smiled to himself as Seiji tried to pull a bone comb through his hair, which was looking a little worse for wear.

"What are you snickering at?" Seiji demanded, mock angry.

"You, what else?" He replied, leaning his head against his hand.

"I don't much care for being laughed at." He said haughtily.

"Well then gomen nansai, Seiji-sama." Touma said with a bow. "Naturally, your wish is my command."

"Is it really?" Seiji asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Eh. Something to that effect." He shrugged, and Seiji snorted.

"God, your enthusiasm is just contagious." He muttered. "Touma... you really don't plan to stay here, do you? I'm worried..." Seiji still could not shake Shuten's words.

"Leave the worrying for me, love, trust me." Touma said, raising his hand to grab Seiji by the wrist and pull him down into the chair beside him. Seiji responded with some strange combination of a blush and a smirk. Touma had not yet tried to kiss him again, though it was becoming increasingly obvious that such an action was an inevitability.

"Hey! Toumawashi!" A voice called from the front room, and Touma sighed, standing.

"Sounds like Anubisu. I'll be right back." He said, letting his hand linger on Seiji's wrist a minute too long before pushing aside the curtain. "What do you want?"

It was indeed Anubisu, he wore a black silk kimono and smirked as Touma crossed his arms in annoyance. "Happy birthday, Toumawashi."

"My birthday isn't until tomorrow at nightfall." Touma responded, rolling his eyes since he knew Anubisu knew that, and he idly wondered what the night spirit's point was.

"Well, Ibilis wants to celebrate early." Anubisu said, the smirk growing wider. "In fact, he's throwing a little party right now, and you're invited."

"Oh dear. And me without my dancing shoes. Get lost, Anubisu." He responded harshly, turning back to the back room.

"Touma, Touma... poor, naïve little Toumawashi." Anubisu laughed. "My visit is what is commonly referred to as... a distraction."

Touma blinked. "Nani...?" And then it struck him, he pulled aside the curtain to the back room, but Seiji was gone. "You bastard! Where is he?"

Anubisu blinked with a look of feigned innocence. "Well, we simply thought that you might like to have your little friend at the party with you. He's gone on ahead of you... he's waiting... with Ibilis..." Anubisu turned and passed through the curtain at the front door. "Well? Are you coming?"

*~*~*

Seiji blinked. Damn, THAT was certainly unexpected.

"Here he is, my lord." The silver haired man - did he hear him called Rajura? - said to the dark form in the back of the room. Remembering Touma's warning from long ago, Seiji cast his eyes to the floor, not looking at Ibilis.

"Then Toumawashi is not far behind." The voice echoed through the room. "Bind him."

Rajura nodded obediently and Naaza appeared from the darkness with a length of rope. The two djinn set about tying Seiji's hands behind his back. When the were finished, they tossed him like a broken doll against the far wall, beside another bound figure. Seiji stared, the form was unfamiliar but he felt as if he knew. He licked dry lips before speaking.

"Shuten?" He whispered uncertainly.

There was a long, weighted pause. "...Hai." The other man murmured, hanging his head. "Gomen. I tried... I did not..." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "Ibilis is too powerful as it is, I should've known better than to speak against him. But to allow him to gain more power through Touma..."

Seiji took a moment to process what he was saying. "Oh... you tried to stop Ibilis' plans?" He questioned.

Another heavy pause. "TRIED being the operative word." He said. "And I..." He seemed to swallow back tears. "I have lost my human form." He whispered.

Seiji jumped. That was why his form looked unfamiliar... and for a moment he blessed the darkness, for he knew that the true form of a djinnee would cause a mortal like him to go mad. "But why am I here?" He finally asked when he regained his voice.

Shuten sighed, turning slightly. "You'll see..." he murmured.

*~*~*

Anubisu threw open the doors of Ibilis' chamber and gave Touma mocking bow before stepping back. "Our lord awaits you... with the other guests." He smirked, and then turned.

Touma glared after the retreating back, and then walked into the familiar darkened room. He could see the dark shadow that was the leader of the djinn against the back wall, and he crossed his arms. "Well, let's get this over then, shall we?"

"Come closer, Toumawashi." Ibilis said simply, and Touma obliged him with a shrug. The doors slammed shut once he was out of their path, and the room was illuminated only by one dim torch that was set behind him. It cast a digesting, flickering light over the room and Touma could see the flash of the light on blonde hair behind Ibilis' throne. He resist the urge to call out to the other boy.

And there... beside Seiji...

"What have you done to Shuten?" Touma demanded, not managing to keep all the shock out of his voice.

Ibilis, though his face was not visible, seemed amused at the question. "He was rebellious, so I returned him to his natural form. Why is that so terrible, Toumawashi? You know that this is what he truly is."

Touma swallowed and then looked away. "I know what you want, Ibilis. You won't trick me." He said, his voice having only the slightest quaver.

"Trick you?" Ibilis repeated, letting out a roar of laughter. "What need have I of tricks? I have a much better method, my dear little Toumawashi. I will make you a deal." His leathery black wings extended out at his sides and one dark hand reached out and grabbed Seiji by the arm, pulling him to the side of the throne. "An exchange, Touma. This mortal's life in exchange for your lovely form."

"What!?" Touma exclaimed. This was not what he'd expected, through admittedly it should've been.

"You heard me." Ibilis replied. "Grant me your form and I will grant you this boy's safety. You know as well as I, Toumawashi, that the djinn can do many things, but we cannot break our word."

Touma swallowed. Ibilis was right, if he agreed than Seiji would indeed be safe. Why would Ibilis care if he had to give up a mere human anyway? He would not. Touma was the only one in the room that would care what happened to Seiji. Touma's brow furrowed uncertainly as he looked to the blonde, who kept his eyes fixed to the ground.

"Don't do it, Touma!" His voice rang out, clear but trembling. "You know what he will do if he has -" he didn't get to finish the sentence as Ibilis threw him against the wall.

"You should've disciplined your pet, Toumawashi." Ibilis commented.

"He is not my pet." Touma said by reflex.

"And he will be nothing at all if you do not agree to my terms, and now, Toumawashi." Ibilis reiterated.

Touma swallowed and took one more glance at the blonde, who lay like a rag doll against the wall beside Shuten, who hung his head to the floor, broken.

"Give Shuten back his human form." He said suddenly.

Ibilis paused, and then suddenly red hair burst out on Shuten's head and his body became the handsome human one that he normally wore. Touma let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding.

"Then we have a deal?" Ibilis prompted.

Touma took a deep breath. Once the words passed his lips he would be bound... but so would his opponent. Ibilis could no more break his word than Touma could, and the word fell like a drop of water into a raging storm.

"Hai."

*~*~*

"Hai."

And at the sound of that simple word Ibilis let out a laugh that was more like a cackle. Touma cringed at the sound but did not move away, did not retreat.

"You are now bound by your word, Toumawashi. I WILL have your form tomorrow, as soon as the sun sets and you reach the apex of your power." He told him. "And until then..." A black wing brushed against Seiji and shoved him across the floor, towards the blue-haired boy, "...you may play with the pet that is so valuable to you."

Touma, without thinking dropped to his knees, pulling Seiji into his arms. This seemed to amuse Ibilis even more, and he let out another laugh. Touma shook at the sound - the bravado that had always protected him before was gone when faced with the certainty of his own doom. Still, he clutched Seiji to him tightly; it was for Seiji's sake he would die, he must remember that, for Seiji...

"Shuten?" He whispered, the word a question.

"He is no threat to me." Ibilis sneered. "You want to protect him as well? Don't get greedy. Now go, I have no desire to see you until tomorrow... right before sundown." The voice held the threat of the inevitable, and Touma swallowed as he lifted Seiji into his arms and retreated.

*~*~*

"Touma I don't know what you were thinking! With more power a... THING like that could..."

Touma gently placed a finger over Seiji's lips, silencing him. His eyes showed the strain of fear but they were the only indication that his fate bothered him at all. "Seiji, would you rather I had let him kill you? He would've, without blinking."

"But something like... like THAT..." Seiji shuddered. Seeing his darkened shadow in that throne was in itself too much. "Touma if you will really be as powerful as everyone says, how can you risk giving something like that your power?"

Touma hung his head at the accusing tone and stepped back. I would rather loose my form than be forced to watch you die." He whispered.

Seiji nearly jumped, that was not the response he'd been expecting. For the first time it occurred to him that Touma was in fact younger than he was, an inch shorter and, despite everything, far more innocent in the ways of the world. The blue-haired boy hung his head, defeated, and Seiji knew that there was nothing he could do or even COULD'VE done to change these events. He sighed heavily.

"Touma you've..."

"Please, Seiji, don't." Touma pleaded. His eyes still looked to the ground but he had moved to wrap his arms around himself, as if he were cold. "There's nothing to be done. I'm doomed. I don't regret saying it, but... I just want to enjoy what's left of my time here."

And that said, he took a step closer to the other boy. His hand trembled slightly as he slowly tangled his fingers into the blonde hair, and then pulled Seiji's lips down to meet his.

*~*~*

(Insert your own lemon scene here. Hai, hai, I know you'd like ME to write it, but *schmeh* me don't feel like it. All I'll tell ya is that Seiji is uke. *giggles*)

*~*~*

Touma slipped out of his room just as the day's second sunset was full in it's glory, the sky lit with hues of pink and red. Normally the sight would have awed him to the point where he felt the need to freeze and drink in every shade, but today there was nothing for him in the sunset. He pulled a cloak tighter around him, against the harsh night winds of the Kaf that tore at his robes.

His destination was not far, and he slowly pulled back the curtain at a particular door, showing the interior to be gloomily lit with only a few candles; just enough to show that the room was empty.

Touma stepped in, shaking the dust from his feet. "Naaza!" He called.

From the back room, the familiar green-haired head of the poison spirit appeared. He looked at Touma with some level of suspicion, then stepped out, a snake curled around his wrist as if it were a piece of jewelry. "Toumawashi-sama. To what do I owe the honor?" He asked ironically.

"Do you really want Ibilis to become more powerful than he is already?" He asked, and Naaza went wide-eyed for a moment, before shaking his head with a laugh.

"Iie. Iie, of course not. But you gave him your word, it is inevitable, all that I can do it try to remain on his good side." He replied with a shrug.

"You are wrong." Touma told him. "You have not thought hard enough, Naaza. There is a way... and if you help me, then you can make sure the Ibilis not only does not gain my power... but in fact is destroyed."

Naaza took a step closer, sitting at the table in the center of the room while the snake writhed around his arms. "Continue, Touma. What is it that I might do?"

*~*~*

Haurvatat turned to Shuu. "This is the place you entered?" She asked, indicating the writhing wall of sand.

"I cannot be sure." Shuu responded. "But it was somewhere like this."

The elder blonde turned to her sister, and Sraosha shrugged. "I can hear nothing from inside. I am cut off from Toumawashi." She told her, and Haurvatat nodded slowly. She raised the staff at her side and the large, round, nameless jewel at the head flashed twice. The wall of wind split in half before them. "Come. There is not much time, night will soon fall." (AN - It's the staff of the Ancients(sorta)!!! I managed to get it in there!)

Shuu went first, holding his naginata before him, and then Sraosha followed, between the almost living walls. Before she moved, Haurvatat turned over her shoulder. Two winged shadows approached from behind them, still a ways off. She smiled tightly.

"I am glad you decided to join us." She murmured. "But I fear that you must find your own way inside." And she followed her sister through the wall, which slid closed like a curtain behind her.

The djinn stared with wide eyes as the two regal mala'ika walked proudly through the small, sandy town, and korybantes ran for safety, as if afraid. Sraosha's eyes showed sympathy, but no one saw them, and Haurvatat did not even try to look welcoming. She lead the three of them through town towards the building carved into the cliff where she knew the former mala'ika dwelt.

The sun was about to set when she forced the door open with a mere glance, and her voice echoed through the room as she spoke.

"AZRAEL!"

The entire room turned to see the blonde angel, who seemed to glow in the retreating sunlight. Sraosha stood behind her to the right, Shuu to her left. She held the staff in her hand, strongly pressed to the ground at her side, and her green eyes shimmering with firelight. Touma nearly jumped in shock and stumbled backwards a step.

"You have something that is not yours." She informed the winged demon at the end of the room, not flinching despite his hideousness.

"Have you come to reclaim your goods, Haurvatat?" Ibilis asked her, laughing cruelly. "You are too late. Toumawashi and I have made a deal. He is MINE." He hissed

"No..." Sraosha whispered, feeling the truth behind the words.

Behind them, the sun set. And then the room began to resonate, shaking with some indescribable power. Touma dropped to his knees, hands clutched to his head.

"Hurts... it hurts..." He moaned.

A shadow appeared about his body, glowing bright, dark blue in the darkness, surrounding him fully in a mist, and in a rare occasion, Ibilis stood from his throne.

"His power comes." He said, barely above a whisper. "And soon it shall be mine."

He grabbed Touma around the throat, lifting him from the ground. Sraosha moved as if to run to her 'son's side, but Haurvatat held out her staff, holding her back. Slowly a black glow filled out around Ibilis and it began to choke out Touma's own aura. Shuu blinked as the two energies seemed to battle, though Ibilis' black aura was clearly winning.

Just before the blue of his aura completely disappeared, Touma's hand disappeared inside his robe, and his hand made a sharp movement. A slight stain of red appeared on the kimono, and then the blue disappeared, and the black aura forced itself inside his body.

"MINE!" A voice that was not Touma's cried, and a laugh that was not Touma's crackled through the room. Tears streamed over Sraosha's cheeks as she left out a soft exclamation of disbelief.

"T-Touma..." She whispered. "Please... please, gods no..."

And then suddenly Touma's hand disappeared once more inside the kimono, coming away slick with red blood. The blue eyes blinked at the blood, and Ibilis' voice asked "What is this...?" before his knees collapsed below him, and Touma's body lay just as motionless beside Ibilis'.

*~*~*

"Give me poison." Touma said to Naaza, blue eyes dancing dangerously in the candlelight. "One so powerful that there is no way to counter it, powerful enough that it will kill a man before he knows it is in his veins" He whispered

"Such a thing would not kill Ibilis." Naaza said uncertainly.

"It is not for Ibilis." Touma told him with a sad smile. "It is for me."

*~*~*

Sraosha bent over the collapsed body, hands diving under the kimono to pullout a curved blade. It was coated with blood and yellowish poison, and she ran her tongue over the blade and spat. "Busu poison.*" She whispered. "So much... there was no chance."

Haurvatat knelt beside her sister and her fallen nephew, setting her staff against the ground at his side.

And then she noticed that the nameless jewel at it's end had a faint, bright blue glow...

*~ TBC ~*

* This is a real poison! Tee hee I got it from Blade of the Immortal.