Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Ryou Bakura: Game Master! ❯ Falnika's Redemption ( Chapter 29 )

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, Death Note, Final Fantasy, or Kingdom Hearts. Takahashi, Ohba, and Square-Enix owns all of them respectively, and they were nice enough to join in and let me say they own everything, just to make this thing shorter. Guess what? It didn't work anyway.

 

Aeon knew he had no time to waste. As soon as his portal opened, and he jumped onto the dark streets of the city below, he made a dash and ran across the overpass he had landed on. Sith was securely in his arms, and at that point, was no longer conscious. The sky overhead was dark, and Aeon rushed faster, knowing that if he wasn't careful, Sith would slip. He stopped for just a second to secure her on his back, rather than in his arms. The latter was only slowing him down, and Sith had less than a day if he was lucky. If he wasn't, then she was already dead. He had to pray; he couldn't stop to check, for fear that monsters had come through and were right behind him.

 

As he looked back up, running again, he saw Kaiba Corp was not far from there. Despite his limited knowledge in this world, he had done a decent job. It'd take less than twenty minutes to get Sith to safety. And, from what he could see as he dashed by, that Sim-Seru that had been planted looked to be dead; though its veins remained and the ground was covered in pink-grey film, nothing throbbed and any sign of growth had been stopped. For what it was worth, if anything, that was a good thing.

 

When he passed the bridge and came to the courtyard before the large building, Aeon didn't bother to knock or even shout to get Kaiba's attention. He ran up the stairs, and with a power only a time-keeper had, he melted through the door and materialized inside of the lobby. Sith was still in his arms. And he suddenly stopped. He had done well to get that far, but he realized that he knew nothing about this strange building. And that he had just broken and entered without so much as a `let me in.'

 

“Kaiba!” he called, his voice ringing up the stairs and all across the upper floors, “Kaiba, where are you!?”

 

“Who the hell are you?” Bakura asked, as he, Yami, Joey, and Tristan came running down the stairs. Kaiba was right behind them, but oddly enough, he wasn't nearly as surprised by the stranger's appearance. More specifically, he was concerned with Sith, who looked about as alive as his pet turtle. And his turtle had been dead for a decade.

 

“And what the hell happened to Winchester?” he asked, brow arched.

 

“She's alive,” Aeon said, and began for the stairs without an introduction, “Ryou sent me. I'm to make sure she's in good hands before I return.” Kaiba snarled a bit as he watched the time-keeper walk up the stairs, but he followed nonetheless. He'd been through too much horror to want to push his luck with this man.

 

“That's nice to know,” Kaiba mumbled, as they passed the second floor, and then the third, “You know, we could've just taken the elevator.” Aeon stopped so suddenly, that Kaiba actually managed to slam into his shoulder. The resounding crack sounded painful.

 

“Elevator?” Aeon repeated, and glanced back, “What on earth is that?” Kaiba growled again as he stood, rubbing his now-broken nose. If this idiot didn't currently have Sith with him, he'd throw the white-haired freak down the stairs. And then he'd kick him out the window for breaking his nose.

 

“Something that will make me kill you if you don't get inside of it,” the younger man grumbled. Aeon stared for another minute, but he shrugged and took Kaiba's advice. In just a matter of seconds, he warped himself, Sith, and his welcoming group into an elevator. Kaiba silently wondered why he didn't just warp them up the stairs.

 

Five minutes later, Kaiba ran out of the elevator, leading Aeon toward one of the rooms on the sixteenth floor. Tea and Miho were already waiting, as was Ishtar, and they couldn't have been more relieved to see Sith. Until, of course, they saw she was nearly dead. But Aeon didn't give them time to question him. He laid Sith on the bed, and took the bandages he was offered. He quickly began wrapping her neck, and Tea helped with her abdomen and left leg. If she was lucky, nothing serious would be broken. But she had fallen a good fifteen feet before slamming into stone.

 

“So, what happened?” Bakura asked, watching the two carefully as they patched the Esper up, “Where are the others?” Aeon didn't even look back when he spoke.

 

“Most likely battling Falnika,” the time-keeper replied, “When I left, Ryou was planning out their attack. I can only imagine that they're at least holding their own.”

 

“But what about Sith?” Tea asked, looking up as she stopped working. Aeon glanced, and found that Tea had a right to be worried. Sith's injuries were severe, and even if she did live, there would be incredible damage to her. At the very least, she would not fly again, and part of her mind might be addled. At the very worst, she would be dead. In all truth, Aeon wasn't sure which was worse. He frowned.

 

“Sith… Sith was attacked because she defied the other Espers,” he told them, and they stared, “The three Esper gods were present. Sith… in her bitterness, she foolishly attacked one.” Yami could only guess what happened next, but Bakura visibly flinched. He didn't need the details to know that Sith most likely had been killed. Espers were highly unforgiving of disrespect, especially toward their own kind.

 

“Where does that put us?” the thief asked, and Aeon turned, “In terms of `how well will we survive,' where are we?” Aeon wanted to laugh. Their fates rested on a child, a hit-man, a berserker, and a Nobody. None of which knew much about Mystics. They'd be lucky if the apocalypse didn't follow close behind.

 

“That depends. Generally, your race is far more resilient than any other I've met,” Aeon said truthfully, and then added, “But if you're being specific, you might not want to think about that.”

 

“It's that bad!?” Joey asked, and then decided he wasn't surprised. Mystics, magic, Espers, all of it ended up pretty bad before they pulled through. The only thing was that, through most of it, Sith had been there to help them. Now, she was out of commission, and Ryou would have to act without her. Joey found he shared Aeon's pessimism.

 

“When Dihanna, the final god of the Esper trinity, was killed, she was absorbed by Falnika. The entire responsibility of guarding the seals of magic was left to one Mystic,” Aeon explained simply, though he knew that his words weren't enough of an explanation, “If Ryou fails, Falnika will wipe us out with the Light of Judgment. And if he wins, the tumult of unvented power will destroy everything in its path.” Surprisingly, that was enough of an explanation. All fell silent at those words, considering what they could do to try and even the odds. There wasn't much; Ryou was literally worlds away.

 

“So no matter what happens, we're screwed,” Kaiba finally said, and Aeon nodded, “Tell me there's something we can do.”

 

“All you can do is take care of Sith,” Aeon replied grimly, and a portal of darkness appeared behind him, “And pray that something can stop Falnika without killing her.” Then, he slipped into the portal. And he was gone, leaving everyone in the room in stunned silence. Kaiba wasn't sure what was worse. Knowing that there was nothing they could do, or knowing that no matter what they tried, there was no hope. He looked down at Sith. Even he had grown used to her always being able to stop the madness. Now, it was like the world was crumbling apart, and she wasn't there.

 

Silently, Kaiba prayed that she'd pull through. As much as he disliked her, she had her own use and her own abilities. Even if he didn't believe in magic, he knew enough to respect what she did and who she was. He was no fool.

 

---

 

The archway had opened up into a dark corridor that wound through the interior of the upper floor, and then suddenly turned back, outwardly, and around the outermost wall of the large structure. It was a jagged mess between rock and crumbling stone; Poltzghast and Dihanna's power combined should have probably obliterated the structure, but miraculously, it still stood against such extreme damage. Ryou found it hard to keep steady balance. Every time he put his foot on a seemingly secure surface, he felt the ground give way and crumble into tiny pieces, only to slide off into the sea far below them. Behind him, he saw that Mello wasn't faring any better, and that Saix had to leap across the wall to make it through. Xemnas was far better - he could actually hover over everything.

 

As they climbed steadily higher, Ryou could see the moonlight illuminated the path, and turned to find the full moon very close. They had to be high up indeed. Now, the stone seemed startlingly white against the black sky. It nearly blinded Ryou, when they had turned that sharp corner, and only because of Saix's strength did he survive. The air grew colder with each step, thinner as the altitude continued to rise, and Ryou was aware that it was getting harder to breathe. But he didn't let up. Sith, as well as their world and hers, was counting on his success. She had trained him for quite some time. Now it was time to see if it paid off.

 

“How high is this goddamned tower!?” Ryou heard Mello yell, as they turned toward the western wall only to find many more stairs greeting them. Ryou didn't answer. They had climbed countless flights already, and while the sea continued to spread below them, it didn't seem as if they'd gone any higher up than before. Only the thinning air told them they had.

 

“If this world is truly anything like the game in mine, then it reaches into the heavens,” Ryou told him, and looked up. He couldn't even see the top yet, though he had to hope it wasn't much higher. His lungs had a limit, and they were beginning to burn from the cold.

 

“Heaven, eh? Pretty ironic, since we're fighting the hellspawn,” Mello commented, but Ryou didn't agree. If Falnika truly killed the gods, then she would be hiding in the celestial planes. It would've been the perfect place to strike, for not even Sith could have reached such a place.

 

“What troubles me most is not what we're fighting, but what happens if we succeed,” Xemnas said, and the four of them stopped, staring at the Nobody quizzically, “With the three gods dead, this Mystic solely holds all of their power. If you win…”

 

“Then we release that power!?” Ryou asked, and Xemnas nodded grimly. Now he understood why Dihanna killed Sith. Sith had nearly upturned that incredible raw energy, and would have brought incomprehensible destruction to the entire universe. And now, because Dihanna was dead, whoever had killed her would probably be holding the last string before the tumult. It was no wonder Falnika had asked him not to become involved. She knew he wouldn't stand a chance. He was human, after all. He shook his head and said, “What are our options?”

 

“Not good,” Mello replied gravely, and his eyes narrowed, “This makes it so we can't kill her. If we do, we'll topple over the balance of power.”

 

“But if we don't, she'll kill everyone in this world with the Light of Judgment!” Ryou cried in anguish, and looked up at Xemnas, “There has to be something!” He saw the older Nobody was hesitating, and seemed reluctant to speak at all. Xemnas looked away for a moment. Even if he had no heart, telling someone to choose between himself and the universe was no easy task.

 

“We have to decide what's more important right now,” Xemnas finally told them, “We destroy the Mystic and end the entire universe, or we let her live and buy the Espers some time. Either way, we will perish.” That silenced any protest Ryou could possibly have given. He didn't want to die, but if he had to choose, he had to choose the Espers. They would find a way to counter this. And if not, then they'd at least give the universe a few years to try and hide. But… but his life!

 

“If we let her live, she'll terrorize everything!” Ryou said vehemently, and his brows creased, “It won't matter. With her power, she won't need to wait to unleash a living hell.”

 

“Ryou, if we kill her, how can you be so sure we could stop the flow of magic from cascading?” Mello asked him seriously, and Ryou looked at him desperately, “We don't have Sith with us. She could have sealed the hole left behind. Without her, we can't risk it. We don't even know what we'd need to do.” Ryou didn't care. Falnika wouldn't hesitate to destroy everything. With Sith gone, it only meant she could actually do it. He shook his head.

 

“So you're saying to let Sith's death be in vain!? You!?” Ryou retorted violently, and that sent Mello reeling in shock, “Who the hell have you sided with?” Mello trembled visibly. He hated the thought of tossing Sith's attempt away, but they had to think about more than just their goals. If Falnika had any involvement with Dihanna's end, then it changed the game. Besides, it wasn't like they didn't have a trump of their own. Zexion had agreed to try sealing her power himself. Ryou had clearly forgotten that.

 

“I'm saying to wait and see if Zexion can actually do what he said he'd do,” the blonde said firmly, and the next part, he said with intensity, “I would never suggest throwing Sith's life away.” Ryou knew that was true; Mello had spent years following her, and he wasn't one to ever give up. Saix just snorted as he listened to the two. Personally, he didn't trust in Zexion's ability, no matter how powerful the man was.

 

“You think she'd become powerless if Zexion actually succeeds,” he stated, and Mello nodded, “And we leave her be to rot here?” Mello grinned. That was more or less his idea.

 

“She won't be a threat if she can't do anything,” Mello replied coolly, and looked up the stairs, the moonlight shining brightly on them, “If she is powerless, and we don't need to kill her, then she holds the balance, we can leave, and we'll find Bahamut and tell him what happened.” Ryou didn't like that plan. There was always the chance that Saix would be right, and Zexion might fail. Mello was betting too much on the Organization.

 

“What do you think?” Ryou asked Xemnas, who hadn't said a word since his initial suggestion. The older man tapped his chin for a moment, and then frowned. In all honesty, he was ready to head back to his world and hide there while the others dealt with this. But he wasn't a coward, and he made a deal with Sith.

 

“I think we'd better stop this talk and just go on before Zexion finishes,” he said honestly, “If we can't prove he's done the job, then there's no point in planning it out.” Ryou had to admit that that made some sense. Besides, if Sith were here, she'd already be at the top. Or she'd be dead, if she were hypothetically in the condition she was in. Ryou nodded.

 

“Deal,” Ryou agreed.

 

The top of the tower came into view, and it was clear that there had been a very large blast, an intense display of power. The stairs had nearly completely crumbled at the last few steps, and it took Saix and Xemnas to safely get Ryou and Mello to the last step. But when they ran toward the center of the rooftop, they saw that nothing was waiting for them. There was no horrible beast to be slain, no Mystics of any kind. No bodies to be found, and no sign of any struggle whatsoever, save for the destruction of the stairs below. Ryou could only look. Something about that just didn't seem right.

 

Yet, as he stood at the center, looking over the edge and down toward the dark abyss, Ryou simply couldn't place what the feeling was. Right then, he should have been somewhat glad that there was nothing. He still could not choose between himself or the Espers, not truly. And even when he eventually would, he did not want to witness the end of the worlds. Maybe that was being selfish. But Ryou was still a child, not yet nineteen.

 

“What the hell are we supposed to be looking for?” Mello asked next to Ryou, squinting his good eye as he looked down into the ocean. Ryou found he couldn't quite answer. Falnika might not even be alive, if the goddess's power had been too great. Yet, if that were true, then the world would have already ended.

 

“This place is nearly destroyed, as if some great force has already been unleashed,” Xemnas said distantly, and frowned, “Is it possible Falnika has fled to safety?”

 

“She wouldn't,” Ryou said after a long moment, and his three allies looked at him, “Falnika has the power she wants. Sith was the reason she wanted it. Sith… she's not dead yet. Falnika wouldn't stop unless she was.” Xemnas hummed, considering that. There was no other explanation for why they were alone, though. And if Falnika understood the consequences of her actions, then she really wouldn't want to face any of them.

 

“Then where the hell is she?” Mello growled, and Ryou felt his fury in full. The sight of Sith lying there, broken, was still fresh in Mello, still burned like a raging inferno. If Falnika was afraid, it was solely from him.

 

“You're in an awfully big hurry to be killed,” Saix remarked, and Mello glared up at the Nobody, who had Zealacht slung over his shoulder with no effort, “I'd have thought losing Sith Winchester would have broken you down.” Mello's teeth clenched, and if he were stronger, he'd have considered punching Saix's teeth out. But Saix held Sith's sword, and he had been named as her successor to the blade. Mello had to respect that.

 

Unfortunately, what all four had failed to see was that they weren't alone at all. Something had been there; she simply hadn't been waiting on the roof.

 

“It would have broken us all down, eventually,” came a familiar voice, and Ryou looked up. Falnika was hovering in mid-air. At least, he thought it was her. But she looked different; her skin was white and her hair was far longer, slightly lighter than it had been. In place of her cloak was a torn, blue dress, similar to the one Katsaiga had worn years before, and on her back were two white wings. She looked angelic, but she certainly was not.

 

“Who the hell are you?” Mello demanded, aiming his gun. Ryou nudged him, however, and he nearly dropped it. Falnika frowned a bit, and then pretended that he hadn't asked. She looked at Ryou.

 

“It's an odd thing, when your revenge was served without you. The very thing you hate, when it's suddenly gone, you realize was part of your life, had consumed your life,” Falnika said to him, and he was aware she was speaking of Sith, “There is little doubt that Sith might die. Rest assured that our battle ends here because of that.” Ryou was slightly confused by the request, but Mello was quick to respond. And his responses were best served with bullets.

 

“You're fucking right it ends here!” he yelled, and before anyone could stop him, he aimed and shot her. The blast was far more powerful than it should have been. Falnika staggered, and then crashed into the roof. The weight brought the center crumbling inward, and Falnika fell right into the crater. And when Ryou looked over to find her, what he found was a swirling mass of nothing. Now, he was horrified. Mello may have just ended the world.

 

“Mello, you idiot!” Ryou screamed, turning sharply to the blonde, “Why did you do that!? She was going to end it!”

 

“By killing us, no doubt,” Mello argued, and holstered his gun, “Now, are you going to help me, or are you going to whine?” He didn't wait for an answer, though. Mello jumped right into the portal. Ryou just stood there, unable to decide whether he should applaud Mello's bravery, or shake his head at the man's foolishness.

 

“Shouldn't we follow him?” Saix asked, snapping Ryou out of his thoughts. Ryou looked from the swirling portal, to the two Nobodies beside him. In all honesty, he wasn't sure if they should. They could end up in the middle of gunfire, but someone had to stop Mello before he ended the universe.

 

“Ryou?” Xemnas asked, and Ryou knew he couldn't ignore them. He frowned and let out a sigh. He had to choose now, and he knew if he didn't stop Mello, Sith would never make it. That was why he vowed to kill Falnika: for Sith.

 

“Let's go,” he said grimly, and turned back to the portal, “Let's go and save the universe.” With that, he jumped right into the darkness. He could barely feel Saix and Xemnas right behind him.

 

They fell deeper and deeper into the abyss, and Ryou became aware that they were no longer in the tower, or even in the world. They were literally in nothing, a void of absolute emptiness, and the shattered remnants of what should have been Oblivion. He had seen glimpses of the vast realm, normally mirroring the modern concepts of space, but now it was literally like looking into pitch blackness. There were no stars or swirls of light. There were no fragments of history, no wisps of energy. No planets, no worlds, no portals to other time zones. There was nothing but darkness. Ryou knew that if they didn't stop Mello, that was what would become of every plane, every realm, every world.

 

Eventually, they landed on some sort of ground, though it looked as if they simply hung in mid-air. Ryou stepped forward, and was surprised when he didn't fall into nothingness again. He stopped, and stared. It was so vacuous, so very desolate. To think that the worlds could be swallowed by this was frightening. Ryou shivered; there was no true temperature, but his blood felt frozen as he looked around him. This was a nightmare waiting to happen. He turned and was relieved to see that Xemnas and Saix were still behind him. But that relief fell when they all heard voices even further away. It was, to no one's surprise, Mello and Falnika.

 

“And to think you had promised to protect her,” Falnika was saying, and at that, Ryou ran in the direction the voice was coming from, “Do you not understand, Mihael Keehl, that if you kill me, you will destroy the universe, and her alongside it?”

 

“If she is already dead, then I have no reason to live anyway!” Mello yelled, and Ryou stopped. It sounded as if his voice were in the entirely opposite direction, “You bastards killed her! Why shouldn't I end the whole fucking universe? Maybe then, assholes like you won't terrorize us anymore!” Ryou frowned, knowing Mello was losing his mind. It no longer mattered if Zexion had succeeded or not. Sith's death was taking its toll, and Mello was forgetting their plan. He heard Falnika sigh, and as he looked up, he saw her face, looming in the darkness, looking toward the east.

 

“Espers are the reason you humans exist. You should not wipe us out!” Falnika said violently, and when Mello didn't answer, she continued, “Yes. I was once an Esper, long ago. Do you not know why we hate Sith Winchester so much? She is the reason Mystics exist. It was through her actions that our blood was split off from the Esper lines, and we were forced to exist in nothing but darkness.” Ryou then saw Mello's face in the sky, staring toward the west, toward Falnika. It was as if someone had magnified holograms of both of them in the night sky, facing each other like bitter opponents.

 

“Whose fucking fault is that!?” Mello retorted, eyes narrowed, “Sith told me everything. She didn't have a damn choice. Don't blame her for Rath's mistake.”

 

“All Rath wants is to rule Nesce, to rule what should have been hers,” Falnika replied calmly, and Ryou's eyes widened, “Before Sith was born, Rath was named the successor to the throne. Sith's brother was far too young. If Sith hadn't been born…” Mello didn't let her finish. He shot her again, and this time, Ryou saw her wince.

 

“Don't you ever imply that her birth was Sith's fault!” Mello screamed, and his eyes went red. Ryou felt the abyss shake with his fury, and knew they were running out of time. He turned to Xemnas.

 

“We have to stop him!” he said quickly, and Xemnas agreed, “This way!” They ran toward the east, where Falnika was looking, knowing Mello had to be somewhere in that direction. The problem was that the ground went in all directions, and there was no true way to know where they were going. All they had to rely on were the voices, and if Mello didn't stop, Falnika's voice would be silenced permanently. As it stood, she was in too much pain to continue.

 

“What's the matter? I thought you were a god now,” Mello mocked, and his voice seemed closer the more eastern they traveled. Ryou picked up the pace. Falnika seemed to have become even weaker now that such responsibility had been thrust upon her. Her mind must not have handled it, after all.

 

“You… you stupid fool…” Falnika croaked, and Ryou was disheartened to hear that she was so exhausted, “You kill me… and the world…”

 

“DIE!” Mello screamed, and another shot went off. And in that instance, all went dark. Ryou found himself frozen, and his body felt as if he were made of lead. He tried to turn his head, to see Xemnas and Saix, but they were nowhere to be found. He wanted to be afraid, to shout and scream, but his heart didn't appear to register anything he was feeling. He simply was, at that point.

 

`…Ryou Bakura…' Ryou blinked at hearing his own name. He continued looking ahead, and then he saw Falnika before him. She was kneeling, her hand clutching the spot Mello had shot her; it was her heart. Her skin was white, and she was shaking. She looked up at him, and he heard it again, `Ryou…'

 

“Falnika!” he exclaimed, and for once, he felt pity for her. She did not look so evil now. And he remembered the sympathy she had for him, when she was toying with Sith.

 

`Ryou Bakura… listen to me,' she went on, `I have little strength left, but enough to send us here, to speak with you.' To Ryou, it looked exactly like where they had just been.

 

“Where are we?” he asked her. She smiled a bit.

 

`The resting place of the three gods,' she replied, `My resting place, as of now. Do you understand? I cannot fight you, and you cannot kill me. There is no point, any longer, to my involvement.

 

`I am the one who absorbed Dihanna,' she admitted, and now Ryou understood, `That is the only way to end this ridiculous war. Sith may be dead, but Rath will not stop. Rath will try to claim the throne to Nesce.' Ryou didn't understand why that was bad, but he knew now that Sith had been the original heir. Sith had been a queen, at some point. But was Nesce still around? To her knowledge, it was not.

 

“What happens if Rath succeeds?” Ryou asked her. Falnika frowned. Now that she had been chosen to keep the magic in balance, she saw all of her former master's flaws. And she saw now why Sith had chosen what she had done. She saw why Katsaiga had betrayed them.

 

`She will be able to wipe the Esper council from existence, and from then, she will let the Mystics flourish,' Falnika told him, and he began to understand now why Nesce was that important. Whoever ruled the throne could communicate with the gods. Bahamut, Tiamat, Fenrir, all of them would be at Rath's bidding. It was no wonder they had tried to treat Sith with some level of respect.

 

“But… how can I stop her? I'm only human,” Ryou said, and Falnika seemed saddened by that. Only human? A human was what had wounded her so badly.

 

`Sith's sword can do it,' Falnika told him, `The three swords were named specifically relating to different emotions. Zerrkandr, the Sword of Peaceful Mercy, Denschweiger, the Sword of Tempered Mercy, and then Zealacht, the Sword of Bitter Mercy.

 

`You will need three powerful souls to fight Rath, for only all three swords can open the seal to the chambers of Sicht-Rander,' Falnika continued, and Ryou found himself listening intently, `You are one, and Sith has named Saix as another. Now you will need to find Denschweiger, and the third soul, if you have any chance to defeat Rath.'

 

“But… wait… if you are wounded, will we even have time?” Ryou asked, noticing that Falnika still clutched at her heart. Yet she wasn't bleeding. She smiled again. She looked almost beautiful, almost human.

 

`I am wounded, but not dead,' she replied gently, `For now, the universe is safe. I was able to teleport us before Mello ended my life.' Ryou found he was glad for that. He had promised to kill Falnika, but against everything that had happened, that seemed to be ages ago. Now, he promised he'd help her. He nodded.

 

“I'll do it, then,” Ryou told her, “I'll find the third sword and the third soul, and we'll stop Rath from taking the throne.” Then, he remembered Sith. The throne had once been hers. And so had Zealacht. He frowned and asked, “…but… is Sith dead?”

 

`I do not know,' Falnika admitted, `If she is not, then she will resume as Zealacht's owner. And she will help vanquish Rath forever.' Ryou pondered that. From how it sounded, Sith was slowly being phased out as the prophecy that the Espers had made her to be. That was interesting to hear. But at least there was hope. That was enough.

 

“That's good enough for me,” Ryou said, and Falnika seemed surprised by this. She looked at him, and then shook her head. It wasn't really her place to ask, but she had used him specifically because of his involvement in Sith's life.

 

`For Sith to be around only for Rath's destruction?' she asked, and added, `I had thought you would be marrying her.' Ryou understood she had read his thoughts, as uninteresting to her as they were. He smiled. Truth was, the marriage had been off for a while then. And perhaps, considering Mello's reaction to Sith's assault, it was better that way. Ryou couldn't handle one instance where Sith had nearly died; Mello had already faced three of them.

 

“No. I'm only a child,” he admitted to her, and actually laughed, looking up at her, “You… all of you thought I would?”

 

`I can tell you honestly that that is why we had selected Domino as the battlefield,' she replied calmly, but there was that intensity that irked Ryou, `We knew as soon as you two met, that your paths were crossed for a long time.' Ryou didn't doubt that. Sith was part of his family, no doubt, but not as a wife or a partner. Her role, he understood, was a sisterly one, a protective one. One he hadn't wanted to accept when this started.

 

“Anyone who meets Sith is crossed with her path for years to come,” Ryou said, and Falnika knew it to be true. Even she, Sith's bitterest opponent, had become nothing more than an instrument in the old Esper's life. In some ways, it was annoying, but in others, now it seemed like a comfort in its own way. It had given her some level of purpose, no matter how screwed up it was.

 

`What will do you when you return to your world, then?' Falnika asked him, and he noticed she had become intrigued with him now. He tapped his chin, and realized he hadn't considered that. He'd have to make sure Sith was well, but after that… he wasn't sure. He didn't even know if she'd still remain in his world. It sounded as if she had work elsewhere now. He shrugged.

 

“If Sith needs me, I'll follow her to the ends of the universe,” he answered truthfully, and in his heart, he knew they were true, “I am one of the three souls, and she is another. There's a bond in that, one I mistook for partnership. But it doesn't negate the fact that I love her. If she still needs me, she has my support.” Falnika smiled warmly, and Ryou saw clearly she wasn't truly the evil soul he had thought.

 

`If only Nesce's council was alive, you would have surely been on it,' she commented, and Ryou blushed, `Ryou, make sure Sith is the victor. I cannot atone for any of this, but it is clear there are people, human and otherwise, worth caring about in this universe. Sith can unite them. She can unite anything. Please, make sure she wins.' Ryou couldn't possibly promise that, but he could try to help. Sith would make her own choice, and had already played this game long before he had come into her life. He was just another soldier. But she was the commander, and so long as she was, she was in control.

 

“I'll do what I can,” Ryou said, but his voice sounded strangely detached. He realized he was fading, though he knew it was from Falnika's world, not his own. She saw him off, and he saw her wave just once before her image faded from view. Then, he was in darkness.

 

He didn't remain there for long. The images came and went rapidly, and before he knew it, he was in his own world. Granted, he was sprawled out on the ground, but he was there. He stood, and looked up at the buildings, the streets, everything around him, to see the damages done. It could have been worse, far worse, than it was. There was some structural damage, no doubt. Buildings had suffered broken windows and shattered doorframes, and the streets were torn from the Sim-Seru. There was debris and broken wood, scrapped metal and bent trees, but it could have been worse. The city… the world, could have been swallowed whole. Yet it remained, and they remained. They had succeeded.

 

No, not yet, he told himself. They had won only half the battle. Rath was still around, even if the rest of her own council was not. But the next move depended entirely on if Sith was alive or not. Falnika had not truly answered on that subject, and Ryou remembered he had to visit Kaiba to see the answer. He took a deep breath, and touched Zerrkandr's hilt. The sword had come to him when he returned, and he was glad for it. The bond was in tact. All that was left was to see if Zealacht and her owner survived.

 

Closing his eyes, Ryou began to walk to Kaiba Corp. His world was safe again, but he wouldn't be. Not until this dirty business was done, and not until Rath was killed. Only one woman could do that, and it was time to visit her. Either her, or her undeserved grave. Ryou was prepared for either, and for once, that felt right for him.

 

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

 

Falnika has promised to no longer plague the world with the Light of Judgment, and Domino City is once again saved from the Mystics' onslaught. But half the battle is only won, and Ryou can only wonder if Sith, or anyone else, is alive and waiting. Who will wield Zealacht and help Ryou keep his promise to Falnika? What does that entail? Find out in the final chapter, so click that Review button!