Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Shadows ❯ sacrifice, part 1 ( Chapter 25 )

Shadows

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chapter 15

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sacrifice, part 1

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Kikyou looked at his image in the mirror. Out of deference to Manx, he decided to wear his Guard's dress uniform one last time. Tomorrow he'd don his Captain's garb, but for today, he would allow his former commander to retain her glory. It would also inform the Court that, even though the woman was leaving her post in favor of marrying the king, the Guards would not forget about Manx so quickly. Many in the organization were not happy with Manx's choices, but they strove to show unity to outsiders. Kikyou understood that much, and his pride could wait another day to show off his new rank.

He straightened the white cord that dangled from his left shoulder, trying to get the cord to hang right. A large hand appeared and helped the decoration to lay properly

"Thank you, Tsubaki."

"You're welcome, sir."

Turning away from the mirror, Kikyou looked up at his longtime friend and servant. The large man appeared tired, but was impeccably dressed. In his gloved hand he held a thin scroll.

"Well?" Kikyou asked the question with an arched brow and impatient air.

Bowing, Tsubaki handed over the scroll. "It's as you suspected, sir. From what I've managed to discover, there is evidence to suggest that the Fujimiya children survived their parents' demises. I spent a good few hours speaking with Johnston, who told me of some rather interesting rumors involving Reiji Takatori's estate, Timbergrey. Among other things, he mentioned that after Ranmura and Arashi's death, it was said that the prince had taken in a young girl and boy with the interest of keeping them as sex slaves. I've found documentation involving a young woman who fits Aya Fujimiya's description, and one of the rumors that Johnston related to me late last night perfectly described your Aya and his servant. A description that also fits Ran Fujimiya."

Kikyou read the scroll, which detailed the various rumors associated with the children held prisoner at Timbergrey. There had been lack of any solid proof, which was why the stories had just been written down and not checked out, and Kikyou was furious for a moment about how his fellow Guards had failed to make any connection between the rumors and the Fujimiya family. Granted, the talk hadn't started for a year or two after word had reached Court about the family's death, but why hadn't the archivist or former Spymaster and Captain noticed this? Something was wrong here, and he'd have to set Tsubaki on the trail once the wedding was over with.

But for right now… a picture of Aya formed in his mind, with his beautiful features, pale skin and rich, red hair. He truly did take after his mother. But why was the boy going by his sister's name? And why hadn't he approached the Court upon arriving in the capitol? Granted, his father had left under a cloud of disapproval from his peers, but the Court would have welcomed Ranmura's child, if at the least to include him in their conspiracies and intricate plots against each other. Ran Fujimiya was the heir to a vast estate, after all. Even if he wasn't marriage material, he still held great value.

"What happened to the girl?"

"The rumors about her ceased several years ago, around the same time there was talk about one of the Takatoris' servants committing suicide. Not much longer after that, the rumors focused on the prince taking a young man as a lover."

Closing the scroll, Kikyou thought that the more he discovered about Aya the more secrets there were left to unearth, not to mention more questions. Was Prince Reiji the man that Aya was hiding from? Was it his sister who had been killed? Why was he not stepping forward to claim his heritage, instead of choosing to hide in an inn he could easily purchase several times over with his family's riches? Was it because he'd been Reiji's lover, and that he'd left the prince? It just didn't make any sense.

But it would, one day. Kikyou promised himself that he would get to the bottom of all these mysteries one day, soon. He would uncover all that Aya was hiding from him and use that knowledge to make the man his. Aya belonged with him here at Court, not hiding in Kudoh's inn.

"Keep up the investigation, Tsubaki. I want you to find out everything you can, and I want you to look into why no one ever made the connection before between the rumors and the Fujimiyas. Something is very odd here." Kikyou smiled at the large man. "And thank you, for working so hard on this for me. You found out much more than I could ever have hoped for you to in such short time."

Tsubaki bowed low. "It wasn't as hard as it should have been, sir, thanks to Johnston being in a talkative mood. Also, I think that someone else was looking into the Fujimiyas besides me. The scrolls were rather easy to find, being grouped all together as they were. They showed signs of being handled recently."

That begged the question of who could it possibly be that had unearthed them, thought Kikyou. Was it done by Prince Reiji's orders? Was he trying to discover if anyone was on to him? Kikyou would have to tread carefully in his search for answers, as it wasn't wise to mess with a prince, even a disgraced one. No, he would have to proceed with caution. Then, when he had enough information, he could approach `Aya' and have all of his questions answered.

Watching Tsubaki bow again and quietly leave the room, Kikyou turned towards the mirror. It wasn't his own image that he saw before him, at least not as it presently was. He saw himself at Court, dressed in the Captain's uniform, with a lovely redhead wearing purple and silver on his arm. Desire and contentment flared inside him at the image.

*******

Aya sat in the window seat, breathing in deeply the scent of the garden below him. In a couple hours the royal wedding would start, and the elaborate ceremony would be followed by the reception. During that event his fate and that of many others would be decided, life or death, freedom or continued slavery. All it would take to gain their wishes would be blood and death. Shivering, Aya wrapped his arms about his chest.

"It'll be okay, love. We'll be fine." Yohji pressed a kiss to the top of his head and held on to Aya even tighter, pulling him against the blond's chest. Aya melted against his lover, enjoying the feeling of Yohji holding him close like this. It gave him some hope that they would truly be okay, and that their sacrifices would allow them to live the life they wanted. Peaceful and relatively pain-free, together forever.

"If you listen carefully, you can tell the partying has already started in this quarter of the city. No doubt the revelers are spilling out of all the bars and parks surrounding the palace, if they've made it this far south. We're usually one of the last areas affected since the temples are between us and the palace."

Aya entwined his fingers with Yohji's and risked a brief glance at the bright sun, slowly rising in the blue sky. "Half of the revelers are probably from the temples. It is a major holiday."

"Well, on most summer solstices, the partying doesn't start until midday, at least not here in the capitol. No, all these people are celebrating the king's wedding." Yohji bent his head to kiss Aya on the nose, making him wrinkle his face.

"Now winter solstice, that's the all day party around here. Everyone's drinking and exchanging gifts and making love, from sunrise to sunrise." Yohji leered at Aya. "I can't wait to celebrate it with you."

About to tell Yohji not to jinx things by assuming they would have any future together, Aya couldn't find the heart to open his mouth and say the words. He could go to battle, grimly doing what he had to do, or he could go forth with a spark of hope. Thanks to Yohji, he thought he might be able to manage the latter, for the first time in over a decade.

"I haven't celebrated any solstices in over ten years. I'd need you to show me what to do."

He could feel Yohji's sadness for a moment, but the emotion soon turned into amusement. "Aya, I will adore showing you what to do on winter's solstice. First, we'll start the day by making love, and then we'll get some breakfast." Yohji kissed Aya on the lips. "Then we'll come back up here and make love again." Aya was kissed on his right cheek. "We'll get a bath and go to a temple, light our red candles and gather our pine bows. Then we'll come back here and make love again." The kiss was on his ear this time, making Aya shiver at the feel of Yohji's breath against his skin.

"We'll go to the kitchen and aggravate Jo a bit, steal a few snacks, and make love again." Aya felt Yohji's lips press against his neck, and he immediately tilted his head back. "Then it will be gathering with the others to watch the sun go down, and then we'll make love yet again…." Lips brushed softly against his collarbone.

"I think I've gotten the jist of the day, Yotan." Aya yanked Yohji's head up for a brief kiss. "Even if it's a fertility holiday, don't you think that's a bit much? Surely the gods will still be pleased if we stick with our usual routine."

Yohji tugged on Aya's eartail and wound the long hair around his fingers. "I think we'll owe them something a little special this year, and I think we can rise to the occasion." Aya groaned at the pun, but was silenced by a kiss. "Besides, that's the promise I made this morning, cat. This solstice we'll sacrifice blood to the gods, and if they let us live, then the next solstice we'll sacrifice something a bit more… enjoyable. Jouyoku will be very pleased with our offering, and surely will plead on our behalf today to the other gods."

"He should, you're one of his own, after all." Aya rose from the window seat to stand in front of Yohji and wrapped his arms around the man's waist. "All right then, next solstice we'll pay homage to Jouyoku and Tokoyami. From dawn to dawn, we'll honor them both, as best we're able. You'll be so stuffed you won't be able to eat for a week. Which will be how long it'll take me to recover."

"Well, it's a sacrifice we'll just have to make, Aya." Yohji just held him for a moment, purring the entire time. Over the gentle rasp and the beat of their hearts they could hear the sound of revelers in the streets, and the Koneko's patrons starting to celebrate downstairs. It felt so good to hold each other and dream of a future together, even if the thought half scared Aya. It had been so long since he'd given the future any thought, other than despair.

Yohji slowly pulled away. "If we want to have something to eat and a bath, we need to get going. Botan will be here soon, and then we'll have to leave."

"I know," Aya said as he pulled Yohji towards him. All he wanted was a few more seconds like this, to feel loved and safe. Then he could start preparing for the horror ahead of him, when he became Ran again, an assassin. Right now, all he wanted to be was Yohji's Aya, who had a future ahead of him, one filled with love and contentment. Hopefully he wasn't being quite so foolish in wanting that.

*******

Schuldig looked at the costume his mother was holding out to him, and after shaking his head for a moment, gathered the silk and velvet into his arms.

"Thanks, Mom. I completely forgot about needing one for tonight."

"No doubt you would have gone in your work clothes and a cheap mask stolen from some hapless partier on your way to the palace. Shame on you. Now put it on, I want to see how well it fits." Cassandra spun around and held out another costume to Masato.

"Here, I made one for you, too. Now change so I can see how you two look."

The two of them stood there, the rich fabric hanging from their arms, sharing a look then glancing at Cassandra with their eyebrows raised.

Cassandra stamped her foot. "Oh, pshaw! It's not like I haven't seen what you have before! Schuldig, I bathed you every day until you were six, so nothing you have will surprise me. As for you, Masato." Cassandra spun around to face the older bound, a wicked smile on her face that had Schuldig moaning. Oh no, he didn't want to hear whatever it was she was going to say….

"Precog, I am. I've _seen_ you with my son." Her lascivious grin clearly spelled out how exactly she'd seen Masato and Schuldig. Schuldig felt his face turn even redder than his hair, while Masato looked properly scandalized. He could feel his mate's shock and his mother's amusement.

"So, change your clothes now." Cassandra stamped her foot again.

Knowing he didn't stand a chance against the woman and wanting to get this over with, Schuldig started to pull off his shirt and pants. After a moment, Masato did the same.

<Not one comment, mother.> Schuldig sent when the woman was about to say something about the scratches down Masato's back. <Another word from you, and I'll be hoping to be smacked in the head during the fighting and have the memory of this morning completely wiped from my mind.> Gods, he so didn't want to think about his mother having visions of him and Masato having sex. It was going to be hell-all difficult getting it up the next time the two of them decided to fuck.

Glaring at him, Cassandra crossed her arms over her chest and pouted, her eyes demurely falling to the floor after a few seconds. They thankfully remained there while the two of them finished changing.

"Okay, we're decent now."

"You'll never be decent, Trouble."

Schuldig did some glaring of his own, directing it towards his lover when Masato chuckled and mentally agreed with that assessment. Cassandra smiled at the man and stepped forward to straighten out his outfit. She'd picked crinkled gold and russet velvet for Masato; the fabric cut into layers that fell jagged around his broad form. Schuldig thought his lover looked wonderful, and that the costume fit the lion's head mask that rested on the bed.

Once Masato was suitable, Cassandra turned her attention onto him. His outfit was a mix of dark green and white, fitted close to his body except for the flared sleeves and coat bottom. His mask was that of a satyr; the carved image grinned widely yet with a hint of malevolence.

"Yohji and Aya are storm crows, Masato's a lion and I'm Goodfellow. What are Jei, Nagi, and Crawford?"

"Jei is a gaki, all grey and red, and Nagi is a shadow. As for Crawford," Cassandra grinned mischievously. "He is the Ice King."

Rather fitting, all the choices she'd made for them. Schuldig snickered at the images his mother showed him. Oh yes, the Prick was going to look a proper mess once the fighting was all over, thanks to his white costume. Jei would be dressed in dark grey and blood red strips tied and sewn together with the ends hanging in tatters around him. Nagi would be dressed in black and grey, showing off his slim form save for the cowl that would hang around his shoulders and head, helping to hide him from the Takatoris' notice.

Crossing over to his mother, Schuldig kissed the petite woman on her cheek. "You did great, Mom. I can't believe that you had enough time to make all those costumes, especially with Botan to distract you."

"I've know about this day for some time, Schuldig," Cassandra reminded him sadly. She tucked back a strand of his hair and touched his cheek tenderly. "It's funny, but standing here now and seeing you dressed so, it reminds me that come tomorrow, my only child will be gone. I've raised you your whole life with the knowledge that you would have to leave me, and now that time has finally come. I don't want you to go."

He felt Cassandra's sadness, and Schuldig's heart constricted painfully. He didn't want to go either, even if Masato would be by his side. He didn't want to have to fight, or to leave his mother and his friends. But he'd seen the visions Cassandra had had about what the future would be like if he didn't take his place in it and knew the hardships would have to be faced so he could have the time to live his life after his duties were completed.

<Tell me, Mom, what it is that you've seen for today. Please.>

<Sacrifice. That one word rings in my head. There will be death, blood and loss. But when one gives so much, something is always given in return. The gods are already asking so much from you, you should be safe. I see nothing that shatters my heart, though it will bear some unhappiness.>

That was Cass's way of saying he'd survive, Schuldig thought. In a way, he never should have doubted that for a moment. Fate had need of him, along with Jei, Crawford, Nagi, Yohji and Aya. And if he lived, Masato had to live as well.

Shaking his head, Schuldig hugged his mother. It was no time to tempt Fate by being cocky, or else it might decide he wasn't so important after all. Stepping back from Cassandra, Schuldig felt Masato grab hold of his hand and was pulled into his arms. His mate kissed him tenderly, and Schuldig could feel the man's concern and fear for him. It was difficult to grasp, this need and anxiety that they felt for each other. Schuldig was yet again reminded that he had other bindings on him, and that more than just destiny was at stake here.

"We'll get through this, Schu. You're too much of a brat to give in to death, and I refuse to be parted from you." Masato had picked up on his anxieties with an acuity that stunned Schuldig. He wasn't used to his emotions being so easily read.

Masato kissed him again then looked at Cassandra. "I'll bring him back safely tonight, and again when we're done in Esset. That's my promise to you, Cassandra."

"Hmph, I give you my son, and you give me your word?" Grey eyes narrowed and raked over Masato's face. "You'd best honor it then, or I will reward your broken troth with more pain than you can ever imagine. Keep him safe, Masato."

"Hello? I'm here, you know. And I can take care of myself." Schuldig sighed as he was ignored by the older bounds, who continued to stare at each other. He had to resist hitting someone when they both nodded at the same time, apparently taking each other at their word. Gritting his teeth together, Schuldig wondered if he should borrow a page from Aya's book and start biting people.

*******

Yohji stared at Aya, wondering if that was what he looked like: a tall, thin figure encased in darkness, from the sole of the black leather boots to the top of the hood that hung over the man's head, yet in no way obscuring the black feather mask. Each time Aya breathed, the glass beads on the costume shimmered, bringing to mind plumage blowing in the wind. Aya looked like a proper storm crow, heralding death and disaster. Yohji prayed to the gods that the portents would be for their enemies, and not for themselves.

For a brief moment Yohji gave serious thought to warding the door with his wire, picking Aya up and tossing him on the bed, and draining the man until he didn't have the energy to stand up and go fight. It wouldn't take much to do that, either, as Aya was still a bit tired from last night. But a quick glance at the room's desk, veiled with shadows, reminded him why he couldn't do that. Aya could never be completely his until Aya-chan was free. And more than anything, even his desire to avoid the upcoming battle, Yohji wanted Aya to be completely his.

So instead he walked over to his mate and pushed back the hood and untied the mask. Aya looked up at him, his face solemn and eyes shadowed, and Yohji offered a reassuring smile right before kissing the man. He knew that Aya was sensing his emotions, just as he could feel Aya's fear, anxiety and longing, and he wanted to give the both of them a break. So he kissed his mate until all the either of them felt was desire for each other, and the contentment that came whenever they touched.

They remained like that until there was a knock on the door. Both of them sighing as they pulled apart, Yohji walked over to the door and opened it. He found Teddy and Koyu standing in the hall and had to smile at their stunned looks at his costume.

"Yes?"

"Gods, Yohji, you look like an acolyte for Tokoyami or Karasu. The enemy will be too terrified at the sight of you to actually fight."

"Good, Teddy. Although if we really did want to end things without bloodshed, all we'd have to do is strip you naked and toss you at the enemy. That'll have them retreating in a hurry." Yohji jumped as he was closing the door, dodging the kick that Teddy had aimed his way.

His adopted brother was dressed in a formal robe a shade of very deep red, and he appeared almost to be Koyu's shadow. Teddy had a simple mask dangling from his hand, as he was dressing mainly to be comfortable yet wanted to attend in the proper spirit. His robe looked loose enough for him to fight in, if needed.

Koyu was dressed in his formal Harper's garb, with a ribbon-tied tunic and knee-high boots festooned with more scarlet ribbons. His journeyman badge was proudly displayed on his chest, and Yohji caught a few more glints of silver about his friend's body. It seemed that Koyu was armed to the teeth under all that leather and linen. Smart man. Of course, he'd be even smarter if he'd just stay at home, sitting on his idiot boyfriend.

"We have to go now, but we wanted to wish you luck before we left." Koyu stepped forward and hugged Yohji, and then tentatively approached a quiet Aya. Who accepted the embrace, even though Yohji could feel his mate's apprehension at allowing a human male so close to him. That reminded Yohji of the other reason he would be fighting today. Hirofumi Takatori was going to die by his hand before the sun set.

Yohji grabbed Teddy and hugged him tight before shaking him by his shoulders. "You two better be careful. As soon as the fighting breaks out, right after the wedding toast, I want you to get your asses out of there. We'll fight better if we don't have to worry about the two of you."

"Don't worry, Yohji, I plan on having a long life ahead of me, tormenting the hell out of you. We'll keep safe." Teddy smacked Yohji on the shoulder and smiled at him, then turned to face Aya. He didn't attempt to hug the redhead, so everyone was a bit surprised when Aya stepped closer to him.

"Teddy… here." Aya grabbed Teddy's left hand, and a look of concentration settled on his face. Yohji could feel Aya using his energy, and as he watched, shadows twined around Teddy's wrist. After a minute, Aya let the longhaired man go and repeated the same to Koyu.

Stroking his banded wrist, Koyu looked from it to Teddy then to Aya. "What is it? It feels so cold."

"Shadows." Aya shrugged his shoulders. "It was something that Katsumi did for her lover when they had to be apart. She bid some shadows to remain with him and to protect him. They're not much, but if anyone gets too close to you, the shadows should react and buy you a few seconds."

"Thank you." This time Teddy did hug Aya, who Yohji could tell did his best not to flinch at the touch. Then the men bade them goodbye and quietly left the room.

Watching the door close, Yohji snaked out an arm and snagged Aya's wrist, then used the hold to drag his lover close to him. "What, Teddy rates a little extra protection but not me? Should I be worried about him stealing you from me?"

Aya made a snapping sound with his teeth and twisted his wrist free. "I could only send a few shadows with those two, and they won't keep them safe for more than a few seconds. But you…." Aya stroked Yohji's cheek. "The shadows already heed you, so there's nothing more that I can do. And I don't need to set them on you for them to keep watch over you. They won't let you be harmed."

Because Aya wouldn't allow him to be harmed, Yohji could feel that unspoken thought. He smiled and grabbed the hand that rested on his cheek and pressed a kiss against its palm. Aya purred slightly at the caress, and unable to resist, Yohji lightly bit into a pale finger. That earned him a slight bink to his nose.

"I'm the biter here, Yotan. Watch it or I'll start tugging on your hair." Which, besides a few strands of bangs, had been safely pulled into a long ponytail and tucked down the back of his tunic. But Aya's eartails…. Yohji smiled again as he tugged on one of them.

"No, I much prefer things as they are. Besides, you're not as tasty as I am." Aya shocked him by sticking out his tongue the slightest bit.

Yohji again felt the urge to barricade the door and ravish Aya. He didn't want to lose his mate, didn't want to watch the man walk into danger, but he had to. If he wanted all these hints of an Aya able to move beyond his painful past to come true, he had to destroy that past, once and for all. Yohji suddenly couldn't care less that he was saving the king and Kritiker, only that he was fighting for his future with Aya. That mattered a hell of a lot more to him.

*******

Jo looked up when Cassandra entered the kitchen with a sad look on her face. The woman slowly made her way over to the table and sat down, not saying a word. Jo nodded her head in Cassandra's direction and continued to baste the roasting pigs. When she was done with that she turned her attention to the ducks and chickens that needed to be greased and stuffed, and over twenty minutes passed in silence.

"It's going to be a busy day. And the moment the sun goes down, everyone's gonna want something to eat."

Cassandra stared down at the tabletop for a moment. "Yes, it will be a busy night for you. It will take some time for news of the attack to reach the Koneko, and after that everyone will want food to sober them up."

"Ah. Have you seen anything else?"

The precog shook her head. "Snatches of this and that, obscured by darkness. But I don't see the Koneko spending any time in mourning, so your family should come back safe to you."

Jo closed her eyes and offered a prayer to the gods. If her boys did return safely to her, she'd make an offering to Kannon tomorrow, and another to the shrine in the Koneko's garden. The stupid fools, to go off facing danger like that. They better not be killed or seriously hurt, or she'd find a way to make them pay for the pain they caused her. Somehow.

Then Jo snapped open her eyes and started making the stuffing for the birds. "Not that I mind the company, but why are you here? Shouldn't you be with the others? Would you like some tea?"

"Yes please, and a bit of Yotan's whiskey as well." Cassandra leaned back in her chair and started to braid her hair. "I spoke to Botan this morning, and gave him my tears and best wishes then. I've talked to my son, and am assured that his mate will keep him safe. I even stopped by for a moment to speak to Yohji and Aya, right before coming down here. But that is it. I won't see them off, and I won't say goodbye. I will instead sit here and wait for their return."

The same thing that Jo would be doing. Waiting to see if she lost another child or not. Shaking the dark thoughts from her mind, Jo put the teakettle on the stove. "Well, if you wish to not dwell on the time, your help would be appreciated. I guarantee you'll be kept too busy to worry."

"Thank you, Jo. I'll gladly help in whatever manner you ask of me." Cassandra rose to her feet and crossed over to the table that held Jo's ingredients for the stuffing. "Ah, I see you still use Miyuki's recipe."

"Of course, it's the only one I know, to be honest." For a moment Jo reflected upon her condition when she'd first arrived at the Koneko. Grief stricken, abused and desperate, just wanting a place to hide from her husband. Miyuki had given her that place, and as soon as she'd physically healed, had set her to work in the kitchen since Jo couldn't continue to pay for her room. It was amusing now to see how she'd been tricked into picking up the work, since there was no way Miyuki would have allowed her to leave, money or no money. But the job had calmed Jo, had given her something to do and kept her too preoccupied to worry, and she'd learned much from Miyuki and Amanda. She'd never been much of a cook before arriving at the Koneko. It was almost funny to think that one of the reasons her husband had beaten her was because of her ruining dinner so often, and here she'd found a new life as a cook at a popular inn. Almost.

Cassandra's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Ah, I remember helping Miyuki with the cooking when Amanda was too sick to work. I'll tend to the stuffing, if you don't mind."

Jo shook her head and went to fetch boiling water. "You know, I wonder what she'd think of this situation, if she was here."

"Most likely she'd sharpen her sword and face them all by herself to spare Yohji and Aya any danger. The odds would be for her, too." Cassandra chuckled softly. "There was a woman a wise person never antagonized, especially not when she was protecting something she loved. No, the Takatoris and Eto wouldn't stand a chance against her. I can almost see the look on their face as they're defeated by a single, lame woman."

Chuckling herself, Jo poured the tea for her friend and some for herself too. "Yes, Miyuki would win, hands down. She'd do anything to keep Yohji safe, and she'd be so happy that he'd finally found someone to love." She thought of the lovely, small woman for a moment and wished her peace, wherever she was. Jo just hoped that she wouldn't be visiting the shrine out back and telling her friend that her son was never to return to the inn.

"He'll be fine, Jo. They'll return. I may not be able to see very clearly, but Fate has many plans for Yohji and Aya. They will not escape through death."

There was some comfort to be taken from those words, since a precog spoke them. Jo set a cup of tea down in front of Cassandra and nodded her head. The woman had never been wrong yet, so she'd have faith that her boys would return to her: Yohji and Koyu and Teddy, and now Aya and Nagi, too. Her family. Then Jo sent another prayer to the gods. She'd given them one son already, let that be all the sacrifice they required from her.

*******

Yuushi looked at the assembled Guards and felt a quiver of fear. If he'd been wrong about what would happen today, or if he and Reiichi had miscalculated in the slightest, a lot of his friends were going to die. Hell, even if they were right, a lot were going to die. But Yuushi saw no other alternative and neither did the Guards standing before him, or they wouldn't be here. Still, it was an awful burden to bear.

He felt Reiichi's hand on his shoulder, and Yuushi suddenly cleared his throat. "All right, we'll soon be expected to report to our stations, as people will be entering the ballroom shortly. Reiichi has detailed for you where the weapons are hidden, and you can look to Toshi, Miko, Gerald, and Li for them when the fighting starts. Which, according to my source, will be around the time of the wedding toast." That made sense since everyone's attention would be focused on the king and his brother and would be gathered together for the speech. It would be harder to round the guests up after the speech, and that led to the possibility of people escaping or fighting back.

"Remember, those of you stationed there, stay near the doors until we've dealt with as many guests as we can, then start fighting. That's about it." Yuushi didn't know what else he could say; if his friends didn't know what they were supposed to do by now, repeating things wouldn't help at all.

Luckily, Reiichi came to his rescue. "Remember what you're fighting for, and watch out for each other. You are all very brave and skilled, and today is your chance to prove yourselves. But this is not the time for bravado, so please, be careful."

The assembled Guards all nodded their head and spoke their assent, and within minutes vanished from the small library that Reiichi had picked for their last meeting place. Taking a deep breath, Yuushi tugged straight his formal uniform and double-checked that his kondorudarujan was secure about his waist. Unlike most of the other Guards, Yuushi was able to sneak his preferred weapon into his uniform, while most of them were stuck with their swords and whatever daggers they could hide. Because of that, Naru, Reiichi and he were among the chosen few who would be the first fighting, buying the others time to get to their weapons. It only seemed fair since they were the main conspirators that they took the most risk.

"Well, are we going or what?" Naru asked as he bounced on his toes. It figured he was eager to fight, unlike people who had any common sense.

Reiichi smiled at their young friend and waved him on with a deep bow. "As they say, `we who are about to die.…'"

"You know, Reiichi, I never liked that saying of yours before, and I like it even less now." Yuushi glared at his friend as he walked out of the library.

The man just smiled at him charmingly. "Well, you know what they say about the truth, Yuushi."

*******

Observing the men and one woman gathered in the Koneko's office, Botan straightened his black robes and brushed back his hair. He was dressed for the wedding since Omi and he would have to hurry there as soon as this meeting was finished. So it would be best if he did what he'd came here for and went on his way. Though a part of him wished he could leave Omi here, safe from harm. But he knew better than to deny the young prince his fight.

"So, is all set for today?" Birman posed her question to Crawford, who was impeccably dressed in white and silver.

"Yes. So far, minus one addition," Crawford glared ever so slightly at Masato, "things are just as I've foreseen them. Everyone who will be needed for the battle has been gathered, and we are ready.

"You all know that Lord Eto will have his mercenaries and allies attack not long after the wedding toast. Prince Reiji and his sons will seek to take advantage of the situation, once they realize that Aya won't assassinate the king for them." Crawford turned to look at Ken, who was standing quietly by Omi's side.

"Be prepared for pain, Hidaka. I'm sorry to say that the vision I have of you involves you screaming in agony."

"I'm aware of the danger involved in this battle," Ken woodenly replied. Then he hugged himself. "I almost look forward to it, just to feel _something_."

Botan felt a flash of sympathy for the young Guard, but immediately squelched the emotion. It was more than likely that all of them were to be in for some pain today, and he couldn't let himself start worrying about everyone.

"I've foreseen pitched fighting, and…." Crawford shook his head. "Aya's presence blocks my and Cass' visions beyond that. Something will happen, be it a spell or an unexpected event, and blood will flow. That's all I know, and I've already told you all this. I have nothing left to say other than to be on your guard."

"Good advice, in my opinion. I have a few things here that will hopefully ensure that the blood won't be all ours." Botan reached into his pouch and pulled out two bands. "These are for you, Crawford and Schuldig."

The precog's eyes lit up as he snatched at the bracelet. "Ah, another vision suddenly becomes clear. How do you come to possess two more gauntlets? I thought it rare enough you finding Omi his, let alone providing us the same." Crawford and Schuldig eagerly placed the gold bands on their wrists, and Botan figured that he didn't have to explain how to use the weapons to the bounds. Omi winked at him and tapped his left bracelet while Schuldig's thanks rang in Botan's head.

"Those aren't the only gifts I have. There is something else that I was lucky enough to produce, and they are many times more valuable and rarer than the gauntlets."

Botan reached again into the pouch on his belt and pulled out a square of white silk, folded neatly. Quickly unwrapping the package, he soon revealed a set of eight rings, wrought in silver and containing round black stones that seemed to shimmer and gleam. He held them up for everyone in the room to see.

"What are those, Botan? Charms?"

Handing one of the smaller rings over to the inquisitive prince, Botan watched Omi gingerly accept the offering. "These rings will ward all of you against magic."

Crawford immediately straightened from his slouch and approached Botan, his eyebrows raised over intent blue eyes. "Are those what I think they are?"

"Most likely, yes." Botan held up the precog's ring, and everyone's attention became riveted upon it. "A kage's tear, infused with kage blood, and freshly made at that. No spells should be able to harm you as long as you wear these rings. Their magic should last for several years, since the blood was freely given." Crawford all but snatched the jewelry from his hands, and Birman was right behind him for hers.

"So that was why Cass took Aya's tears."

Botan glanced aside at Yohji and nodded his head. He noticed that Aya was looking down at the floor while his mate watched Botan distribute the rings to the rest of the assembled men. Aya was rubbing his gloved hand over the inside of his left wrist, where Botan knew there to be numerous long, thin scars. Yohji stopped glancing around the room to glare at Botan while he placed an arm around Aya's waist and hugged his mate close.

"Is that why you bled Aya so much that night?" Yohji's voice was quiet and slightly sibilant, causing Crawford, Schuldig and Jei to look up from their new rings to stare at the blond with concern.

Carefully choosing his words, Botan looked his younger friend in the eyes. "I bled Aya so much the other night because I wanted to be sure I had enough blood for Schuldig to use the next day. I did use most of the supply that day, and the only reason I had enough left over for the rings was because of the tears Cassandra supplied me. It was only then that it occurred to me that I could craft something that would help everyone fight the Princes Reiji and Masafumi, and Yoru too."

"Yohji, drop it. He's right about the rings helping the others during the fight." Aya reached for his mate's hand and squeezed it gently.

Yohji jerked his free hand through his hair, pulling several strands out of the ponytail that he had tied it back in, and he let out a slow breath at the same time. "Sorry, Botan, but I just wanted to make sure that you hadn't thought about storing some of Aya's blood for spells like these. Aya didn't give it to you for you to fool around with."

"I assure you, Yohji, that there is only a drop or two left. If anything, I took so much blood because I am unused to using it for casting spells." He wanted to make sure that Yohji understood him and didn't think that he'd been taking advantage of the situation. Botan had a feeling that it would be a bad thing to have Yohji pissed off at him during the fight today. But the younger man seemed to accept his answer and resumed looking around the room.

Everyone tried on their new rings, and Botan thought his friends appeared less tense than they'd been a few minutes before. It was a weight off his mind that he wouldn't have to worry about protecting himself from any of the enemy wizard's spells, and he knew the team assembled before him had to feel the same. The rings really would increase everyone's chance of survival.

Crawford smiled down at his hand and nodded his head in thanks at Botan. "These will indeed help to ensure that not all the blood spilled is ours. Our chances have significantly improved, thanks to this gift. Even as bounds, we would have had difficulty facing three wizards, two of them being rather powerful."

"They'll be the ones bleeding, yes oh yes. I'll make them scream in pain. Oh, how sweet it'll be, to see their faces when their magic fails them. Twisted creatures that they are." Jei chuckled low in his throat, a smile on his face that revealed his sharp teeth. There was an air of madness surrounding the man, and his eye glowed brilliantly in the shadowed room. Schuldig and Masato, who had been standing close to Jei, suddenly shifted away.

Jei looked up from his ring and bared his teeth at Botan. "Your kind are monsters, traitorous and cruel, but I'll keep my blade from you in return for this gift. Oh yes, I'll be able to kill many of your kind now. I can already taste all the blood." His lips pulled back until his teeth were completely exposed, and Botan found it very hard to swallow as a chill ran down his spine. He suddenly wondered if it had been wise to give the ring to Jei, but it was too late to take it back now. At least he had Jei's word that the man wouldn't turn his hate on him. Botan pitied any wizard who crossed Jei's path from this day on.

*******

Hajime Eto watched from his position behind Shuuichi as Manx walked down the aisle, escorted by her successor, the disgraced lord Kikyou. He wondered if the woman was making an intentional statement, both letting the Court know that she still had strong ties to the Guards, and that she didn't care about their politics in the slightest. Well, he knew that the latter wasn't true, or she would have picked the Guard Honjyou to be at her side and to assume her vacated position instead.

The woman was dressed in a white kimono decorated all over with pale pink sakura blossoms. Her red hair was wrapped with pearls and hidden behind a lace veil, and for a moment Hajime acknowledged her beauty. She wasn't anywhere near as lovely as his sister had been, and she could never hope to replace the woman. What was Shuuichi thinking, to remarry so far beneath his station? He dishonored Kikuno's memory with this farce.

But soon his brother-in-law would be made to pay. Both of them would. He glanced over at where Reiji sat, and Hajime felt his jaw clench in anger at the smile the bastard had on his face. Oh, Reiji was happy about something. Was the bastard imaging raping this bride of his brother too, or was he thinking of his plot for tonight? Well, whatever spells he and his son had cooked up, Reiji would never have the throne. Hajime, his soldiers and his wizard would see to that. Come dawn, he would be well on his way to wiping the name Takatori from the memory of this earth for all time. That clan would finally pay for what they had done to his sister. For seventeen years he'd bided his time and waited for his revenge, and tonight it would be given to him.

Kikuno's attackers would be made to pay, and his family would have their honor restored after almost two decades of shame. The slight against the Etos would soon be repaid, tenfold. Everyone with a drop of Takatori blood in their veins or with any loyalty to those butchers would die. His father would be proud of him, Hajime thought. If only the man hadn't died of shame fifteen years ago. Well, his ghost and those of all Hajime's ancestors would witness his victory. The Etos would finally have what should have been theirs centuries ago. No more would they sacrifice their sons and daughters to form an alliance with Kritiker's most powerful lineage; after tonight, that lineage would be theirs.

His sister had been the last one. And on this day when she was shamed again, Hajime would finally have his vengeance.

*******

Nagi trailed behind Aya and Yohji, turning his head this way and that to look at the palace walls and all the people walking around them, oblivious to their existence. The guests were all dressed in brilliant finery, and jewels glittered everywhere.

<Ah, you have the makings of a fine thief, Nagi-kins. A little training and you'd be almost as good as me. Imagine how easy it would be to steal those jewels with but a thought on your part.>

`May I remind you that we're here to fight and not steal, Schuldig?'

<Who says we can't do both? You need to loosen up a bit, Nagi, and learn to grasp opportunities when they come your way. You never know when a few gems will come in handy. Now stop gawking and pay attention before you step on Aya's heels.>

Nagi snapped back to reality and noticed that he was getting a bit close to Aya, and slowed his steps down. Behind him he heard Jei chuckle, but since the bound wasn't entirely sane at the moment, Nagi didn't glare at his friend or anything. He didn't want to be the one to set Jei off since he had a feeling the man would be very hard to stop once the blood started flowing.

He looked at Aya's back, noticing how stiff the man's body was. Yohji was beside the kage, holding his hand tightly. For a moment Nagi was envious of the two, and the fact that they would be together during the long wait for the fighting to start. Omi was currently at the wedding, and he'd be close to his father when things started to happen. Nagi hoped that Jei kept his promise, since he would be staying close to Aya until things were over.

It was a few more minutes before they reached the ballroom, which was already filling up with people who hadn't attended the wedding. They made their way to a small nook that Botan had warded for them, keeping anyone else from taking their spot. Here they would be out of the way and could keep an eye on the raised platform where the king and his entourage would be sitting. Where Omi would be.

Aya came to a halt, his violet eyes shining silver behind his mask as he scanned the room. "There's something here, something involving blood magic."

"Yes, that would be Yoru's tampering with the wards so the mercenaries can cross them, I'd imagine."

"No, Crawford, this is something else." Aya shook his head and looked over the ballroom. "This isn't something to do with wards, not exactly. I sense demons."

Schuldig shifted forward, a frown on his face. "He's not imagining it, Oracle. I sensed something when I was here the other day, but I couldn't figure it out. And it was Aya's blood that allowed me to sense whatever it was."

Looking over the room himself, Crawford pushed up his glasses with a clenched fist. "I see…. I knew the second attack would have something to do with magic, and I assume whatever Aya's feeling is related to that. Can you sense what demons they are, Aya?"

"…not exactly. They're not gaki or shinigami, I've encountered those kinds before. Whatever these are, they are hostile and powerful, and are held back by the wards. The magic involved feels familiar somehow." Aya took a step forward, but Yohji used the hold on his mate's hand to pull him back.

"You may be invisible, love, but it's getting crowded out there, and you might bump into someone. Stay here where it's safe." Aya appeared ready to argue, but Crawford then backed Yohji up.

"He's right. There's no cause to raise any suspicions. Besides, I think I've figured out Yoru's little surprise. He must have sealed oni in the room and plans on releasing them if it looks as if he'll lose."

Nagi gasped in surprise, along with Schuldig and Yohji. Jei growled while Masato quietly started to curse.

"The fool bastard. Stubborn fool bastard, at that, one who doesn't know when to quit. I suspected that old Yoru was going senile, but to risk unleashing oni in a crowded area? It'll be a mass slaughter."

"Yes, it will be. Aya, I want you to monitor the wards, and the moment they start to fall, warn us. Most likely Yoru has linked them to his life force, so Jei, I need you to hold back on killing the wizard until most of the mercenaries are dealt with. We don't need to fight both them and oni at the same time. Schuldig, get in contact with Botan right now and warn him." Crawford barked out the orders and everyone jumped to obey him, even Jei. The scarred bound snarled and spat in anger, but eventually he nodded his head when his partner fixed him with a stern look.

Oni. Nagi shivered as he thought about the powerful demons. He'd heard horror stories about their destructive capabilities, and now he'd see them first hand. He shivered again; Aya's arm rested on his shoulders and his friend pulled him close.

"It will be all right, Nagi. Stay by me, and I won't let you be harmed."

And here he was supposed to be watching Aya's back. "I can take care of myself, Aya. Just watch out for Omi, if you possibly can." Aya nodded his head.

"Don't worry about the chibi, Nagi. He's clearly insane if he's fallen in love with you, and the gods watch out for people like that. He probably won't even get a scratch during all the fighting."

"Nagi…." Aya's deep voice stopped Nagi before he could use his power to smack Kudoh's head. Nagi leaned against his friend and looked out at all the people walking around the ballroom. For a moment he wondered how many of them would die this day. But he soon realized that he didn't really care, and he went back to worrying about his friends. Nagi didn't care if everyone in the ballroom was killed, as long as his friends were spared.

"I can feel the mercenaries starting to arrive. There are enough of them that I can sense their magic." Aya's words were greeted with silence. Even though it was almost an hour before the completion of the ceremony and the subsequent arrival of the king and his bride, Nagi noted that many his comrades' hands started to stray towards their weapons. This was it, then. Very soon, people would be dying. Nagi shivered and wondered if it would be worth his energy to start to pray.

*******

Reiji walked into the ballroom behind his brother and amusedly noted all the Guards scattered about the large area. The fools would be dead soon, joining his brother. A shiver of anticipation ran through him, and he pretended to cough in order to hide his smile. While it was expected for him to be happy today, it wouldn't do for Reiji to appear too happy. Not when his brother was going to die later that evening.

Glancing about again, Reiji tried to spot the kage. Not that he expected the creature to be standing out in the open, but it did tend to be a bit on the obvious side, due to its coloring. The creature must be skulking in the shadows, or the Esset agents had provided it with a costume of sorts. Still, Reiji would feel better if the creature revealed itself to him.

But it should be present, somewhere. The kage had never disobeyed an order before, and it wouldn't dare to do so tonight. Masafumi had instructions to torment the creature's sister as soon as his speech came to an end, to make sure the kage was properly motivated to follow through with its orders. And once it started killing, it wouldn't stop until Reiji's brother and his slut were dead. It was a shame that Mamoru had to be killed, since the boy might possibly be his, but Reiji knew that if the young prince lived, people would want him on the throne, and not himself. No, sometimes sacrifices had to be made. And it was such a worthy cause… Reiji finally ascending to the throne as he should have twelve years ago when his father had died.

That was an error that would soon be remedied.

*******

Aya stood in the shadows and watched Prince Reiji toast the king. His eyes narrowed in anger as he watched the man smile at the brother he had ordered to be killed. The shadows writhed around him, eager to be unleashed and rip into that stocky, ornately robed body. When Aya finally managed to tear his eyes off his former master, they drifted to the young men sitting beside him. The sight of Hirofumi caused his mouth to flood with bitterness and he began to growl.

"Shh, love. We don't want to draw any attention to ourselves." Yohji wrapped an arm around Aya's upper chest, pulling him backwards until he was pressed against Yohji. Warm lips brushed over the back of his neck. Feeling Yohji's touch and breathing in his scent helped to calm him.

"He won't hurt you again, Aya. I promised you that. He's going to die in a few more minutes, and the nightmare will finally be over for you."

"Hn." Aya lifted his hand and sought out the one resting on his shoulder, entwining his fingers with Yohji's. His whole body was tense, waiting for the speech to end and for his former masters to realize that their kage was no longer obeying their orders. Part of Aya wanted to see the expression on their faces when they realized they controlled him no longer, but mostly, he just wanted this over with. When Reiji and his sons were dead and the battle won, then he could truly be free.

He could tell when Reiji was nearing the end of his speech, the man's eyes started to flicker about the ballroom as he shifted away from King Shuuichi and his bride. The shadows that Aya had stationed around the room started whispering to him, informing him of people moving about, people who carried the tang of anticipation and death. Yohji's hold on him tightened, and Aya could feel his mate's excitement and fear.

<Everyone, Eto's mercenaries are moving into position. Be prepared.>

Aya was suddenly spun around, and Yohji's mouth descended upon his, savage and desperate. They clung to each other for a few intense seconds, and then Aya reluctantly stepped back, a whimper breaking free from his throat when Yohji's hands fell from his body. For a moment he stared at his mate, the man enveloped in black until all that showed was his brilliant green eyes, his kiss-swollen lips and his chin. Aya reached out and brushed his thumb over Yohji's lips, one last touch before he called the shadows around him to form black armor. He had them do the same for his lover, and could feel Yohji startle when the shadows coalesced around him, cool and hard.

Yohji stared down at his armor for a few heartbeats then looked at Aya. "Don't worry about me, keep yourself safe."

"There's not much point to that if you're harmed, Yohji."

"No, I guess not." Yohji stroked a hand over his armor, but his eyes remained locked on Aya's. "Same goes for you. Remember the promise you made me. I expect you to come back to me when this is over."

"Just be here to call me back, Yotan." Shadows caressed Yohji's cheek, and Aya felt a burning desire to cloak the two of them in darkness and hide away from the death and pain that lay in store for them. At the same time he felt himself start to slip away, and a new voice was added to that of his familiar shadows. Shinigamis were arriving, a few more each second, and he heard them whispering to him. He knew they were here to feed and wondered how they knew to arrive in such large numbers. Then he returned his attention to watching his former master, waiting for the signal that would herald the bloodshed.

*******

Realizing that his father was nearing the end of his speech, Masafumi nodded to Hell as he reached into his robe's pocket for the soul sphere. His ladies, enhanced by kage blood, shifted about him protectively as he concentrated on sending pain into the human soul residing inside the glass ball. For a moment he felt an odd barrier and he could feel the spell working. Poor little Aya was being tormented yet again, and her brother would feel her suffering.

Suddenly a scream burst forth, interrupting his father's speech. Masafumi looked up to see the Guard who had shadowed Mamoru all through the wedding ceremony and here at the reception fall to the floor, his body convulsing. Unable to understand what was happening, he sent another pain spell into the sphere, waiting for the kage to take advantage of the distraction and attack. But all that happened was that the Guard screamed again.

It suddenly dawned on Masafumi that the man only reacted when he attacked the soul within his sphere, so he tried another spell. When the Guard arched his back off the floor, screaming yet again, and the kage failed to appear, he realized that something was wrong. He poured his magic into the sphere and felt… an odd echo -- something slightly out of tune, something alien. Masafumi cursed when he realized that this wasn't the sphere that he'd created years ago.

"Masafumi, what's wrong?"

"Dammit, someone stole the sphere and substituted a fake. I don't have the kage's sister!" He tried for a moment to concentrate on the real sphere, to send a spell through to it mentally, but he could no longer feel the object. It was as if the sphere was no more. However, he would have felt his magic being destroyed, if that was the case.

Hell grabbed his arm as people rushed over to the falling Guard, his father's speech all but forgotten. "That means you don't control Ran anymore."

"Yes." They shared a look of horror for a moment when a hand on Masafumi's shoulder spun him around. His father stared at him, his face red with anger.

"What the hell is happening? Where is the creature? Why aren't you using the sphere?"

"Because I don't have the sphere anymore. Someone tricked us!" How, he hadn't a clue. The sphere had been warded with his strongest magic, Masafumi would have felt it if it the wards had been touched, let alone someone removing the object from its case. Only a kage….

"It's broken free of us. Somehow, it stole its sister back. The kage is no longer ours."

His father's face flushed even redder, and Masafumi heard it when his brother gasped, along with Schoen, who had attended the wedding as Hirofumi's escort. Somehow the kage had done the impossible and had broken free of them. It had found where its sister's soul had been hidden and snatched it away.

Reiji suddenly understood what that meant. There would be no assassination tonight, at least, not of the king. Not unless they recovered the sphere. The older man's eyes suddenly shifted to Hell.

"Your `women'. If the kage can't do the killing, have them do it. Now! While everyone is distracted. Then send a message to one of our spies telling them to check that inn for the kage and the sphere."

The orders made sense. His ladies were stronger and faster than normal because of the kage blood and immune to most magic. But so had been Neu, and he'd lost her. While Masafumi prepared himself to tell his father `no', Tot, who was pretending to be his page, touched him on the arm.

"I'll do it, Papa!"

"Tot, no!" But it was too late, she was already moving toward the king with blinding speed, and his father was holding him back, preventing him from chasing after the girl. Masafumi watched Tot approached the king and saw the gleam of her stiletto knife.

Just a few feet short of the king, who was standing by the fallen Guard and inquiring about his condition, Tot let out a yell of exultation. But the noise soon became pain as Mamoru turned in her direction and lifted his right arm. Somehow Tot was projected backwards, several reddish gold arrows clustered in the middle of her chest. As the girl stumbled to the floor, Masafumi, Hell and Schoen picked up her cry.

His remaining women immediately leapt at the young prince and barely managed to avoid being shot like Tot had been. Masafumi could only stare as he noticed the gold bracelet on his cousin's wrist. A gauntlet. Mamoru was wearing a gauntlet, two of them at that. He'd never seen the weapons on the boy before. How had his cousin known to come armed to the wedding and to be bearing such rare magical items?

The Guards around the king joined in the fray, and they positioned themselves between Mamoru and Shuuichi and his ladies. Masafumi knew that the fools stood no chance against Hell and Schoen and returned his gaze to his cousin. The boy who had hurt his sweet Tot. No longer caring about trying to appear as if he had nothing to do with the unraveling coup, Masafumi raised his hands to cast a death spell at his own blood.

*******

Omi instantly recognized Masafumi's stance and yelled out to Botan as his cousin pointed at him. Realizing that the wizard wouldn't be able to help him in time, Omi defensively raised his hands. He thought of the energy that was charging towards him, and wished he had Nagi's power to form a shield of protection. Then there was the sensation of tension snapping inside his head, and he felt as if he was struck by lightning.

Colored sparks cascaded around him, striking a barrier he could feel more than see, and Omi felt a brush of something dark and malevolent struggle against the shield he'd somehow raised before him and then die. He looked at Masafumi and found a shocked expression on the man's face. Omi was sure his face looked the same.

"Omi, how the hell did you create a ward?" Botan pulled him backwards as he lobbed a spell at the other wizard, causing Masafumi to dart to the side. The motion broke Omi's concentration, and the ward disintegrated.

"I don't know! All I did was wish for a shield to protect me from Masafumi's spell, and it formed!"

"Omi, you idiot, you have the ring! You didn't need any protection!" Botan spared him a disgusted look as he shifted closer to King Shuuichi. "Somehow, you must have tapped into the latent magic in your veins and summoned it. Now stop it, since you might do more harm than good fooling around like that!"

Gritting his teeth, Omi was about to reply that he wasn't fooling around, and that he had no idea he had any latent magic in his veins, when there was a loud metallic hiss.

<Get ready, chibi. Eto's men are making their move. The fun's about to start.>

*******

Yuushi looked on in wonder as Hidaka fell screaming to the floor, and he saw Liss leave her position to check on her partner. Tapping on his copper bracelet, Yuushi had Reiichi take the woman's place then carefully watched the events unfolding on the platform. Was this part of Eto's attack? Was it a diversion of sorts? It was certainly working to the lord's benefit, as the crowd pushed toward the platform, eager to see what was happening, and even the king was checking on the fallen Guard.

{Yuushi. Princes. Watch.} The message came from Reiichi, and Yuushi followed his friend's advice. He looked over at princes Reiji, Masafumi and Hirofumi, and found them congregated together with worried expressions on their faces. Two women stood by them, busily scanning the room while Prince Reiji started to yell at his oldest son. Then a young girl with blue hair was running towards the king.

"Fuck!" He saw Reiichi rush towards the stage. At the same time Yuushi yanked off his sword belt to free his kondorudarujan. The whipsword whistled through the air, becoming straight and stiff as he ran towards his king. He could feel Reiichi tapping out a warning to watch out for an attack from Reiji and his sons and knew that the other Guards were probably just as off balance by this development as him. Was Reiji involved with Eto?

The next thing Yuushi knew was that the two women by the princes were screaming and trying to attack Prince Mamoru, who had somehow shot the young girl. The boy was saved by other Guards, and people started to scream and panic. There was the sizzle of magic in the air, and the crowd tried to flee from the platform. It was then that Yuushi heard the sound of dozens of swords being unsheathed at the same time.

{The attack.}

Yuushi didn't need the warning, as he saw several mercenaries start to hack their way towards the king. He swung his blade at one of them, ducking under the other one's sword, and killing both of them within seconds of each other. Then he started to be jostled by the crowd.

"Everyone! Calm down! We need you to leave the ballroom!" Yuushi tried to calm the guests down before they became a mob, but there was too much panic. He was having a hard time making out any more soldiers due to the costumes and knew that his people were at a disadvantage because their uniforms made them stand out. Over his copper bracelet various commands and questions were sent back and forth as the Guards tried to remain organized. But there were just too many people, and the mercenaries were attacking the Guards at the door, preventing them from being opened so reinforcements could enter or the guests leave.

*******

Yoru watched as chaos broke out and couldn't help but smile. Not even the defection of Honjyou, the man and his Guards working against the soldiers and for the king caused him any worries. There were too many hired soldiers, and his spells were helping to frighten the crowd even more. The Guards didn't have a chance. Soon, Eto would kill the king and his brother, and Yoru needed to be there to make sure that Masafumi was spared. He stared again at the prince's women, who were killing Guards and mercenaries alike with ease. Yoru recognized the sight of humans enhanced by bound blood, and judging from the way his spells had no effect against the two, it was kage blood at that. And soon, that blood would be his.

*******

"Now!"

Crawford's voice sent all of them leaping forward, and Yohji stared in wonder as shadows raced out ahead of them, shoving guests and mercenaries away from the platform where the king and Omi were standing. The shadows did what the Guards had failed to do and herded the screaming people towards the exits. Yohji knew that Aya was trying to clear the room of as many guests as he could so they could fight easier. He sent a wave of approval to his mate, who was busy attacking several mercenaries at once, a shadow katana in his hand.

Momentarily, Yohji stood still watching Aya dance around the soldiers. Moving at an impossible speed, he dodged under their sword thrusts and sliced into them, sending soldier after soldier to fall to the floor, dead. When one tried to run away, Nagi, who had been at Aya's back, used his power to snap the man's neck.

<Yotan! Get your head out of your ass and fight!>

Schuldig's voice snapped Yohji out of his reverie, and he managed to duck under a merc's sword just in time. Pulling on his wire, Yohji sent several threads in the woman's direction, willing them to be as sharp as possible. There was a spray of blood, and he left a mess on the floor as he tried to reach the platform. Ken was up there, struggling to regain his feet, and Hirofumi was there as well. Nagi had Aya's back, so Yohji was going to take care of the man who'd raped his lover now, before any mercenary or demon got to him first. The anger and need for blood that he'd kept in check the past two weeks clamored at him to finally have his revenge. Snarling, Yohji raced towards his victim.

*******

With a rare smile on his face, Crawford slashed at a mercenary in gilded armor. When the man jumped back he tossed the knife he held in his right hand at his opponent, catching him in the throat. Mentally recalling the weapon, Crawford knew he'd have a few seconds before a woman with a pike decorated with ribbons attacked him. He used the time to watch the scene unfolding before him.

Jei was lost in the blood-madness, killing mercenaries with ease. His partner should be full for a couple weeks after this feast. Aya and Nagi were also taking care of Eto's hired soldiers, the two young men a frightening sight to behold. Between Aya's shadow katana and unnatural speed and grace, and Nagi killing with just a wave of his hand, people had to realize that they were not even remotely human.

As he gazed after the pair, Crawford caught sight of a Guard leveling a crossbow at the two bounds. Intending to stop the man, Crawford suddenly sent his knife flying at one of the men who was attacking Schuldig instead. One Guard, a little older than the rest, with brown hair and glasses, had knocked his associate's weapon aside. Ah, it was nice to know that some of the Guard were realizing that the bounds were on their side. Crawford nodded his head and prepared himself for the woman to attack him.

His power was helping him to fight, even if it didn't reveal to him much of the battle beyond that. But looking around the room, Crawford knew that this was how this battle had been meant to play out. Already he could feel the strands of Fate twist and knot in new patterns, and he knew that if he lived through this day, he'd see the future he so desperately wanted start to unfurl before him. The others might be fighting for love, family or honor, but Crawford was here because of hope.

Stepping aside as the woman charged at him with her weapon, Crawford smiled again as that emotion grew stronger in his heart with each passing second.

*******

Thwarted in his efforts to kill Mamoru, Masafumi cursed and turned his attention back to the false soul sphere. After releasing a familiar to carry a message to the spy stationed at the Koneko, he tried to unravel the spells that had created the glass ball. But the magicks eluded him, as if made of quicksilver. The more he tried to pin them down, the more elusive they became. He was left to surmise that the kage had somehow been involved in the spell's creation. That was the only possible conclusion when all Masafumi could sense was the soul and gaki inside the sphere.

But he had an idea of who had created the object, considering the wizard who had prevented him from attacking the king with magic. Botan stood before King Shuuichi and the new queen, busy weaving a ward that would keep them safe. Masafumi tried sending a death spell at the man, but it had no effect on Botan. It must be due to more of the kage's treachery.

"Botan, release your ward!"

The older wizard stared at him coldly and shook his head. "So you can kill them, Masafumi? No."

Knowing that as soon as the ward was completed that Botan would try to strike at him, and suddenly doubting his amulet that would normally protect him from most magicks, Masafumi spared a dark thought for the kage and held up the sphere in his hand.

"Stop with the ward, or whoever's soul is inside this sphere will suffer. It's the Guard's, isn't it? Masafumi punctuated the question by sending another pain spell inside the sphere, causing the Guard to scream in agony. He kept the spell going, causing the young man to convulse on the floor.

Botan paled but put more effort into his ward. Angry that his tactic was failing to do anything but give the Royal Wizard the incentive to finish his spell all the quicker, Masafumi poured as much magic into the sphere as he could. The Guard continued to scream, the sounds he produced horrible to hear, and Masafumi grew more desperate as the ward neared completion.

"Stop it!" Mamoru, who had been shooting at any mercenaries who neared the platform, shrieked at Masafumi and raised his wrist. Knowing his charm wouldn't protect him from the magical projectile, Masafumi raised his arms in front of him protectively as he called out for his ladies. At the same time he felt the ward around the king being completed, and the sizzle of magic was in the air.

Readying a spell to send back at his cousin, Masafumi started to move his hands. There was a shattering sound, and he yelled as glass shards bit into his hands. A strong wind blew, and there was a cloud of darkness and light all around him. Knowing that a gaki had just been released with the ball's destruction, Masafumi hurriedly converted his offensive spell into a ward. He tried to contain the demon, trapping it along with the Guard's soul, and had barely managed to do that when Botan's spell struck the ward.

Magic coalesced and shimmered, multiple possibilities forming and reforming again and again. The magic was driven by Masafumi's desire to contain the gaki before it devoured him, and Botan's wish to protect the Guard. Possibilities shifted about and the two desires merged into one.

The cloud of darkness and light fragmented briefly then swirled through the air, reforming by the fallen Guard. It entered his body through his gaping mouth, being sucked in as a breath of air. The young man screamed again, only this time in as much fury as pain, and started to shudder. Magic flowed over and around him, causing all the people near him, save for a young woman in a yellow dress, to shift away.

Suddenly the Guard sat up, revealing a mouth full of sharp teeth and fangs. Claws grew out of his fingers, long and sharp, and he slashed at the young woman's hand when she tried to hold onto him. Crying out as her hand was cut, the woman fell backwards as the Guard leapt to his feet.

He stilled for a moment, shaking his head as if in confusion, and seemed to finally notice the young woman. Masafumi, stunned by what had just happened, watched the man hold out a clawed hand to her, but the girl trembled and scrambled backwards in fear. A look of pain crossed the Guard's face then he began to snarl. Whirling around, he leapt onto a mercenary who had managed to approach the platform and attacked him with teeth and claws.

Masafumi turned his head away, his disgust finally overcoming his awe at the magical creation of a bound for the first time in almost a millennium.

*******

Schoen let out a yell of fury when she caught sight of the kage fighting his way through the mercenaries and realized that the man was using his shadows to herd the guests out of the ballroom. The filthy traitor. She'd known something was wrong with the kage when she'd spoken to him last night, but hadn't believed that he'd dare to break from Masafumi. Well, she would make him pay for his betrayal.

Preparing to leap at the demon, she came to a sudden halt when a knife flew past her, right in front of her face. Spinning to kill whoever had dared to try and hit her, she found one of the agents from Esset smiling at her, revealing his mouthful of sharp teeth. A cold chill washed through her when she realized that the two foreign bounds must also be involved in the betrayal, and that she was now facing a flesh gaki-bound. But she had kage blood in her veins, and she should be more than a match for the beast.

Striking out with her whip, Schoen aimed for the man's remaining eye. The bound laughed and jumped back, moving impossibly fast. He tossed another knife, and this time the blade managed to strike her, driving deep into her right shoulder. Screaming in pain, she pulled out the blade with her left hand, and after dropping it to the floor transferred her whip to the shaky hand. She wasn't as good left-handed, but she had no choice. She couldn't properly move her right arm now and wouldn't be able to until the wound started to heal. Which should be soon, considering the kage blood she'd imbibed.

Schoen darted to the right and tried to lose herself in the crowd to give her shoulder time to heal. As soon as she could use her right hand again, she'd kill the bastard. But at the moment, she had enough trouble avoiding the various weapons mercenaries and Guards thrust her way and was busy striking out at people to clear a path for her.

Almost at the platform, where she should be able to rest for a minute under the protection of Masafumi and Hell, Schoen started up the steps when she felt something sharp and hard slice deeply into her back. She let out a whimper of pain, and as hands tangled in her long hair she was pulled backwards.

She could faintly hear Hell screaming in the background over the bound's chuckle. He smiled at her, the expression exposing his sharp teeth. His amber eye glowed brightly, as if the sun, and Schoen dazedly heard her mother's voice, warning her not to stare at the bright object.

"How…?" She should have been safe.

"Sweet prey, how could I lose you after a taste of your blood?" The bound's lips spread wider, showing more and more teeth. "Now I want more."

Schoen's world blossomed in sharp pain as teeth tore into her throat.

*******

Reiichi sighed in relief as he watched most of the crowd manage to leave the ballroom and started to anticipate when the rest of the Guards should rush in to help them. His friends were finally starting to overcome the mercenaries, now aided by having some space to fight in and being able to better distinguish the soldiers, and by the other fighters who had joined into the mix. Fighters who seemed to be wielding magic of some sort. He had a shaking suspicion that they weren't wizards. Not after seeing the one in grey and red chew into the throat of one of Prince Masafumi's women. Nor after seeing a tall man garbed in black slicing into mercenaries with a black katana. A weapon that would melt and reform into a staff or spear from time to time, but would quickly revert back into sword shape after a deathblow had been struck.

Part of him knew that he should be shocked to see a kage fighting, and on the side of the king at that. However, Reiichi had too many other concerns at the moment. If the kage and his friends were helping to keep his fellow Guards and the innocent people around him alive, he could care less what they were. He'd lost several comrades in the battle's opening melee, and he didn't want to lose any more. So Reiichi focused on tossing one of his knives at the mercenary who was about to stab Miko in the back while she fought another then rushed forward, stooping to retrieve the blade. He stood back up, his eyes immediately searching for another target. Outright battle such as this wasn't his forte; he was much better at slinking through the shadows.

*******

Yohji neared the platform, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. He'd been distracted from his quest for a short while as he trailed after Ken, making sure his former partner was all right. It had been such a shock to see his friend go all `crazy Jei' like that. But after watching Ken rip into the mercenaries with gusto, Yohji had been assured that the man was perfectly able to take care of himself, and that he wasn't going to go all gaki on innocent people. Ken seemed more than a bit out of it at the moment, but he knew who the enemy was and was taking out his confusion and anger on them.

Jumping onto the platform, Yohji tossed his wire around the neck of one of the Takatoris' personal guard, who had belatedly joined in on the fun when they realized that their lords were trying to stage a coup and would need their help if they were to be successful. There weren't too many of the personal guard, but enough to cause some panic on the platform. As if the mercenaries and the spells Yoru was tossing about weren't enough. Yohji hoped that Jei could kill the old bastard soon.

Removing the head from the guard, he slid behind another and grasped the man's head between his hands. Yohji felt it when the man tried to stab him with his sword, but the weapon was deflected by the shadow armor Aya had given him. With a quick twist, he effortlessly snapped the guard's neck. Shadows raced before him as he ran across the platform, causing people to dart out of his way.

He found Hirofumi sneaking up on Omi, who was busy at the time trying to get a clear shot at a mercenary. Anger washing through him at the sight, Yohji snarled as he tossed out his wire, willing it not to cut his target too deeply. Hirofumi was immediately ensnared, stumbling to the floor as his dagger was sent skittering away from him. Looking above him for a moment, Yohji tossed some of his wire into the air, willing it to wrap around one of the beams the chandeliers were hanging from. He pulled until Hirofumi was lifted several feet into the air.

"Let me go! You fucking prick, let me go!" Hirofumi's face twisted with anger as he spun around in the air, trapped and helpless. His eyes went wide as shadows formed around him and Yohji, blocking anyone from preventing Yohji from gaining his revenge.

"Ran? Is that you?" When Yohji didn't answer Hirofumi started to plead with him. "Ran, let me down, please! I won't hurt you; I never wanted to hurt you. I had no part in your sister's abuse. Let me down, please."

Snarling again, Yohji ripped off his mask. He glared at the prince, wanting nothing more than to see the man writhe in agony.

"You… you're not Ran. You're that Guard! The one who killed Neu."

"Correct."

"Let me go! I order you to let me go right now! I'm not the one you're after, you want my father. This was all his plan."

Yohji stepped closer to the trapped man. "Oh, I know that, and he'll soon pay for his crimes. But right now you're the one who's going to suffer." Yohji willed the wire to start cutting into Hirofumi's flesh, just the littlest bit, and smiled when the man moaned in pain.

"How many times? How many times did you hurt him? Once a week? Every other day? Were you the one who caused the scars on his back?" A light of understanding was beginning to dawn in Hirofumi's eyes. "How many times did you touch him?"

"You mean Ran, don't you?" Hirofumi laughed madly. "You're doing this because of him, aren't you? What is it with you falling for our assassins? Well, I have news for you; you're nothing but a means of escape for him. He's using you."

Yohji growled low in his throat and caused the wires to become tighter. Hirofumi gasped as blood started to trickle down onto the floor.

"No, he's not."

"Yes, he is," Hirofumi gasped. "You're just a jealous fool. He'll never care for you, he's mine."

"He never was!" Yohji lunged forward and struck the net, punching Hirofumi in the stomach. The golden threads allowed his hand to pass through them and reformed around the man, wrapping so tightly around Hirofumi's chest that he could barely breathe.

"You touched him, you _raped_ him you fucking bastard! All that pain and humiliation, and you think he's yours. Well, he's not. He's _mine_. My mate, my lover, forever. And you were the one who hurt him. You're dead for that."

Watching Hirofumi's lips form the words `mates', Yohji struggled for some control. With but a thought he could order the wires to slice Hirofumi into tiny bits, or he could vanish them and strangle him with his own hands. Hell, he was half tempted to shove a sword up the man's ass. But that would only be the tiniest fraction of the suffering that Aya had undergone this past decade, and Yohji wanted more pain. So he stepped back and started to hoist Hirofumi into the air.

"Let… me…."

"Down? Not yet. Oh, you'll come down eventually, but not as you'd like. Do you feel the wire biting deeper into your flesh?" Yohji bared his teeth at the prince. "I've decided to let gravity help me out here. You'll remain suspended in the air, above it all and helpless to do a thing, just like he was helpless while you hurt and abused him. But eventually, the wire will bite deeper, and you'll fall down. In pieces. Enjoy."

Hirofumi struggled and screamed, the anger turning into pain as the golden threads bit into his flesh. A couple fingers and some blood started to rain down to the floor, and Yohji knew that more body parts would follow. He just hoped that the prince didn't die of blood loss too soon. Responding to his thought, shadows skittered around Hirofumi, settling on his wounds and preventing the flow of blood. Yohji smiled when he saw that. Now, Hirofumi was going to live as his body was slowly sliced into pieces.

One bastard taken care of, Yohji set out for Reiji Takatori. While searching for the man, he saw Aya fighting more mercenaries, a creature of beauty and death. Nagi was at his back, and the soldier near them let out a scream as her body was crushed, as if by an invisible hand. Jei was fighting the one woman, Hell, and Omi and Birman were trying to protect the people left on the platform. Schuldig, Masato, and Crawford were trying to help the Guards, and Botan was busy flushing Yoru from his hiding place. His lover and friends were holding their own, and he felt relief wash through him over that observation.

Then his eyes caught Reiji's form, the light reflecting off one of his many jewels. Intending to do the same to the father as he'd done to the son, Yohji stepped forward.

*******