A Light in the Heart of Darkness
The Guardian Heart Crystal Series
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2010 Amy Blankenship
The Legend of the Guardian Heart Crystal
The world may change… but true legends never fade.
Darkness and light have constantly battled since the beginning of time. Worlds are formed and crushed beneath the feet of their creators, yet the ongoing need for good and evil has never been in question. One cannot exist without the other.
However, sometimes a new element is thrown into the mix. The one thing that both sides want but only one can have.
Paradoxical in nature, the Guardian Heart Crystal is the one constant that both sides have always striven to attain. The crystalline stone has the power to create and destroy the known universe yet can end all suffering and strife in the same breath. The crystal only appears in a world for a short time, and then disappears without a trace.
Some say the crystal has a mind of its own; others say the gods are behind it all.
Each time the crystal has appeared, regardless of the world or time, its guardians have always been ready to defend it from all who would use it selfishly. These guardians, though different in background, have always worn the same faces and loved with the same ferocity.
One girl stands in the center of these guardians, the object of their affections, and she holds within her the power of the crystal itself. She is the bearer of the crystal and the source of its power. The lines blur, however, and guarding the crystal slowly changes into guarding the girl from the other guardians.
This is the wine from which the darkness drinks. It is the opportunity to make the guardians of the crystal weak and susceptible to attack. The darkness craves the power of the crystal and also the girl as a man would crave a woman. Hence the entrance into another world where darkness is dominant within the world of light.
Mythical creatures rise from this darkness, but not all wish to obtain the crystal for its power. Out of instinct, some still wish to guard the sacred crystal; though they do not know what it is they’re guarding… or why they are so drawn to protect it.
For some, the spilling of blood and death is the only way to defend this treasure. For others, they remain silent, watching and waiting for the day that the balance of good and evil is restored to its former glory. And yet, some were born into a world of light only to be claimed by the darkness; forced to live off the life giving force that binds every living creature.
There is one immortal who knows all outcomes. His powers can see into each universe yet he can do nothing but watch and pray as this one unfolds.
Darkness has fallen upon the world again and the guardians are unknowingly called forth. Creatures of myth they are thought to be but in this reality, they are far more real than people could ever imagine. Only when the moon is high will these creatures, these guardians, battle the evil that seeks to overtake the world and the girl who holds ultimate power… the light in the heart of darkness.
Chapter 1 “First Blood”
Over a thousand years ago…
For centuries the red moon had always been a sign of the bringer of death. Those who saw the deadly sight hid for fear of losing their lives to the powerful lull of endless sleep it promised. In the distance a spine-chilling cry was heard from miles around as the dangerous symbol sat high in the midnight sky.
In a forest clearing two lone figures stood, one wounded, breathing heavily with one of his twin daggers clenched in his hand, the other towering menacingly over him, a malicious smirk gracing his inhumanly beautiful face. Predatory ruby eyes gleamed in the full moon light awaiting his victim’s next move. Hyakuhei’s unnaturally pale skin seemed to glow in the night, giving him the appearance of an angel of death.
“You have killed us without death!” the silver streaked dark haired man snarled, baring his elongated fangs. His gold dust eyes burned in loathing for the man standing before him. Once his friend… his own father’s brother… now his mortal enemy. “You bastard!”
“You say that now with conviction but I gave you eternal life, trained you and cared for you. I loved you and your brother as my own.” Scarlet eyes flashed in anger at the insolent, would be child before him.
“You call making us into monsters… love? You stole our lives away! You turned me to try and force my brother into becoming yours! You lied to us, saying you could reverse the curse if we would join with you.” His breath left him in an angry hiss as he continued.
“If it wasn’t for your twisted fascination with my brother, we would be normal human beings, living normal lives as a family, not the bloodthirsty creatures of the night that you made us into!” Bitter tears poured from Toya’s eyes in anger and betrayal… turning them an eerie silver.
“You are a fool to ever think you were normal!” Hyakuhei’s voice held the malicious hint of bitterness. “You and your brother mistakenly weep for something that was never yours to have.” His voice softened for a moment as he swallowed the memories of his twin brother… their father, “No matter.” His eyes burned as he focused back on Toya. “You are just like your father… selfish.”
“Your father’s death left you under my care! You and your brother are mine and I have always taken what belongs to me. I will have his obedience once I have finished with you.” Hyakuhei’s clawed hand flexed in anticipation, eager to feel the younger man’s blood drip from their deadly tips. “It is you that has betrayed your own flesh and blood!”
Toya swung around in a circle listening to the hated voice as Hyakuhei shimmered and disappeared only to reappear on the other side of him. He knew the deadly vampire was only playing with him but Toya wasn’t afraid anymore. That fear had died with her…
"Why did you kill her?" Toya demanded his voice a soft hiss filled with anger and despair. "Did you think that by killing her you would gain the crystal? Never! She refused to give you that power and it pissed you off. Didn’t it Hyakuhei?” he screamed as he pivoted, trying to follow his enemy as Hyakuhei circled him with deadly intent.
“It wasn't a secret that you wanted her for your own.” Toya’s hand tightened on his dagger in fury as he remembered the haunted looks… the stalking… the sight of her lifeless body.
“Anyone with eyes could see the way you looked at her when you thought me or Kotaro weren't paying attention.” His breath left him with a sob as he swayed for a moment knowing he and Kotaro had both loved her… they had fought Hyakuhei and each other for her. No one had won. “We saw you.”
“Kyoko was mine and will always be mine!" Toya shouted, his anger at losing the one he had loved more than air… she was gone. She had been the light in the darkness that his world had become.
She was the reason he had defied Hyakuhei. Now his reason for defiance was gone and Toya felt the fire in his soul rise to a deadly temperature. He had found her lying lifeless with a small dagger piercing her heart. Deep inside he knew… he and Kotaro had both known... Hyakuhei had somehow killed her.
Hyakuhei’s black eyes became a shade darker as he gazed upon his brother’s youngest son in contempt. “Ah yes, the elusive Guardian Heart Crystal… such a power does not belong to a foolish child like you. The most powerful beings have searched for the Guardian Heart Crystal… did you think you were the only one dear boy? Not only vampires but also immortals and wizards and even werewolves share in that desire to gather such a power.”
“Do you not realize what would happen if the Lycan had claimed her first?” Hyakuhei’s eyes bled crimson at the thought of Kotaro, leader of the Lycan tribes, gaining such a power. His anger spiked as he remembered the Lycan’s scent on her flesh this same night. He would not stand by and let such a treacherous thing happen.
“No, careless boy, I have already taken care of the priestess who carried the crystal within her.” Hyakuhei’s eyes hardened at the thought of the small lie.
In truth… he had not murdered the girl. She had committed suicide to keep him from obtaining the crystal. He’d had her in his grasp, ready to claim the power she held within her. The power the legend spoke of, if it could be trusted…would’ve allowed his darkness to walk within the light… and feed upon it.
His fingers still tingled from the briefest touch of her skin. He had stood behind her… feeling the heat of her body with his cold hand. Her emerald eyes had turned and clashed with his for a mere second in defiance. He had only wanted a taste. Too late, he’d seen the dagger in her hand as it swiftly disappeared into her chest. He could have turned her and shared it all with her but… she refused his generous offer.
The brave yet foolish woman had believed that by killing herself, she would lock away the power of the crystal from him forever. Forever was such a long time to try and hide from him.
“She will be reborn!” Toya screamed in anguish, knowing he had failed at protecting her from Hyakuhei’s wrath. His guilt at not being there to save her was eating him up inside. She had known he was a vampire… a creature of the night… and still she had not turned her back on him. She had befriended him instead. Kyoko had trusted him with her very life.
Toya’s mind flashed back over the time he had known her… his body falling to his knees as he gripped the ground watching his tears fall. ‘It had not been long enough!’ he silently screamed in denial.
He had only known her for such a short time; six cycles of the moon. When he had first met her… he had only wanted the crystal… the crystal she hadn’t even known she was carrying at first. But he could see it shining inside her… calling to him. Then something had changed. Toya found himself trying to protect her instead of taking the crystal from her.
Since she had slammed into his dark world, Toya had found the truth behind the legend of the Guardian Heart Crystal, things even Hyakuhei did not realize. He had wanted to tell his brother the secrets but Hyakuhei had made it impossible for him to find Kyou in time… now it was too late.
“You will never have its light in the darkness… I will find Kyoko again and keep the crystal from you!” Toya’s voice was harsh with his need for vengeance. “She will live again and I will be there waiting for her.” A lone silver tear slipped down his cheek unnoticed as he yelled, “Together! She and I will find another way to free Kyou from you!”
Hyakuhei stepped closer to Toya, a dark chuckle coming from deep within his chest. “Oh yes, my dear Toya, she will live again. The crystal will come back into this world and I will be the one to claim not only its power, but the girl as well. As for my precious Kyou…I am sure I can find something to occupy your brother’s time until that day comes.”
Toya growled low in his throat knowing that was a double-edged sword, “You keep your sick notions to yourself. I’ll find a way to make us normal again. And you…I’ll make you dead!” He ended in a shout as the wind began to pick up, howling wickedly across the clearing.
The dagger in his hand flashed in an arc of silver light, barely catching the dark robe that graced Hyakuhei’s body. Toya couldn’t believe how fast his opponent was but his brow was furrowed with determination. A second dagger appeared in his other hand and he swung with it, followed immediately by the first.
Hyakuhei dodged the deadly blades with the centuries of training he’d endured. Humans were such easy creatures to defeat and Toya, though changed, was still very much human in his way of thinking… still a child in a vampire's eyes.
He would admit that somehow, his protection of the priestess had aged Toya’s power to almost the same level of an ancient. Taking the priestess away from him had served two purposes. Without his reason to fight…Toya’s power had diminished greatly.
Hyakuhei’s left hand lashed out, somehow trapping both of Toya’s wrists in a crushing grip. Toya had no way to defend himself when the vampire’s right claws cruelly slashed across his cheek.
Silver eyes clashed with crimson ones for a suspended moment in time as Hyakuhei retracted his claws. His lips hinted at a tainted smile as he reached out to gently stroke the wound he had just given so viciously. “Tis’ a pity to mar such perfection… so much like your brother.” He licked the drops of freshly spilt blood from his finger before adding, “But I cannot have your rebellious love distracting Kyou from me.”
Feeling his wrists being released, Toya took a step back and tried to block the next attack coming for his torso. He grunted in pain when blood spilled from the gashes left on his chest. Pressing an arm to the wounds, his golden eyes widened as he staggered back and, this time, Hyakuhei let him.
Toya could feel the broken bones in his wrists grinding against one another and had to concentrate just to keep his daggers from falling to the ground. Looking up at the man he hated more than death, Toya tried to shake off the pain knowing this wasn’t a game… even the undead could die.
“You foolish child, you thought to save your sibling by killing me? You can barely hold your blades now, much less attempt to take my life.” Hyakuhei sneered then his face turned placid, his anger suddenly gone. The night breeze lifted the ends of his long ebony hair making it look like it was alive.
“You never had a chance little one. I will help you to rest so that you will feel pain no more.” Hyakuhei murmured, his eyes softening toward the wounded man like a father scolding a wayward child.
Silver eyes flashed red in anger at his words. “You will never have my brother, you son of a bitch! As long as he has breath in his body, Kyou will not let you let win, nor will I!” Toya screamed as he charged at the figure clad in black in a last attempt to save his immortal soul.
Hyakuhei disappeared in the blink of an eye before Toya’s dagger could penetrate the cold heart hidden deep inside his ageless body. Piercing red orbs gleamed, hungry to spill the blood of the young man who thought to defy him.
His dark form levitating high above… paused for just a moment before descending to attack his prey.
The silver-eyed man’s senses were screaming danger as he felt the approaching threat to his existence but he was not skilled enough yet to pinpoint where his attacker was coming from. Toya searched around frantically but with his senses now dull from the loss of blood from his wounds… along with the wound hidden inside his heart, Toya felt his fear rising.
His heart ached from the words thrown at him by his so called ‘father’. “I cannot let you win, you monster. My brother’s life depends on it.” Toya whispered through his labored breathing, making the words thunder within his own ears.
A sliver of fear shot up his spine as he looked up towards the night sky. His eyes grew wide in terror at a sight that he only knew from the giving end… never from the receiving. ‘So… this is what it’s like.’ The thought filtered through his tormented mind.
He tried to move but was held immobile by an unknown force. Their eyes locked in a deadly stare. Red eyes pierced his very soul and Toya knew death was coming.
The scream lodged in his throat was replaced by a gurgling sound. His silver eyes faded back to gold and met the crimson red eyes of his murderer, as time seemed to stop. His body began to feel numb as he slowly looked down between their bodies.
Tears fell from Toya’s eyes as their bright gold color began to fade, ‘I have failed you, please forgive me… Kyoko… Kyou,' were his last thoughts as he drew his final breath.
He could feel his heart beat getting further and further away as the pain faded. Mysteries unfolded with his final heartbeats as he silently whispered in uneasy wonder, “Kyoko… how long have you been here?”
Watching with a sick sense of pleasure, the figure clad in black with blazing red eyes smiled in satisfaction. He slowly lowered them both to the hard packed earth. His clawed hand embedded deep in the chest of the young man with eyes like the sun.
Hyakuhei viciously ripped out the heart that had stopped beating.
Staring into Toya’s lifeless eyes he whispered, “I always wondered what Kyou’s eyes would look like when he cried… I wager they will be beautiful.” He leaned down and kissed Toya’s forehead before rising to turn and face the man who had just landed a short distance behind him.
A sadistic smile graced his lips as he held out the bleeding heart and waited for Kyou to close the distance between them. “For you my pet, now there is nothing to come between us.” His voice carried across the night breeze.
Kyou’s eyes narrowed in disgust as he looked at the fresh heart that was being held out to him. Had Hyakuhei been undead for so long that to him death was a gift?
Disgusted, Kyou turned away from the disturbing vision. He had sensed his brother’s anguish and had come to investigate. Instead, he found his so called ‘father’ and he could no longer sense his brother’s aura.
Something was terribly wrong and Kyou could feel the nerves within his body prickle his skin in warning
He could not see the owner of the heart that still dripped its life from the hand of the ancient vampire since Hyakuhei blocked his view. It annoyed him to be detained from searching out his younger brother. He had not laid eyes on his sibling in over a year but tonight… he knew Toya had needed him. It must have been important for Kyou to have felt the calling so strongly.
Sensing the anticipation in the man before him, Kyou’s golden eyes locked with Hyakuhei’s. “Whose soul did you steal this time?” he asked with contempt in his voice.
“Why don’t you come and see, my pet? I’m sure you will be most surprised. It is my gift to you.” A knowing smile lit his shadowed features as Hyakuhei stepped aside… leaving a clear view of his victim. Extending his hand leisurely toward Toya, he turned to look down at the corpse on the ground.
Kyou’s gaze followed Hyakuhei’s as he slowly took a step closer, confused at the importance of this victim’s identity. His golden eyes widened at the crumpled form lying in the dirt as an ominous jolt of alarm crawled up his spine. His heart began to race when he saw the familiar shiny silver highlights running through midnight black hair now matted with blood and dirt as it lay across the man's face as if to hide his true identity.
He felt his entire being scream in rage and denial at the knowledge that he was now looking at his missing brother’s slaughtered form.
“NOOOOO!” Kyou threw back his head and roared. Tears filled his eyes as he turned to face the one responsible. “What have you done?” He snarled as he shot forward, stopping mere inches from his brother’s killer. His sun gold eyes bled red… elongated fangs bared like a rabid dog. Flexing his clawed hand he waited for the confession with barely restrained rage.
“Only what I should have done from the beginning… remove the one who did not appreciate you as I do.” Hyakuhei’s eyes softened for a brief moment as he watched his favorite child.
He had given Kyou all his attention and affection since giving him the gift of dark immortality… but still Kyou had not been happy. It was the sadness in Kyou’s golden gaze that had attracted him so… the loneliness within him was lovely and mimicked Hyakuhei’s own melancholy. He had then turned Kyou’s brother, Toya, in hopes of winning his prized possession’s devotion. But… that had only upset Kyou more.
Hyakuhei watched the bittersweet tears forming within Kyou’s eyes and knew he had been right… Kyou was most divine when he cried.
At that moment, something deep within Kyou snapped as a mournful, earth-shattering cry tore from his body. In a blind rage, he attacked his brother’s murderer, fangs bared and claws slashing. “I will tear out your heart and leave your body to be ravaged by the creatures of the night for what you have done!”
Deftly, the wicked man dodged the attack and in a blur of black had Kyou pinned to the ground. With a calm that did not reflect in his ruby red depths, Hyakuhei leaned in close, his gaze locked on the face that haunted him so… the face of his own brother.
“I did what was necessary for us. Toya did not want you to have my gift and sought to take it away from you. You will understand in time.” He murmured as his soft lips brushed fleetingly across snarling ones as he spoke those words.
With a strength that he did not realize he possessed, Kyou forcefully threw the offending man twenty feet from his shaking body. He swiped his forearm across his mouth in disgust as he growled dangerously.
“Now, now, little one, calm yourself,” the man cooed as he stood and dusted himself off. His eyes blazed with promise as his body shimmered slightly, and then faded backwards into the night. “I will be watching… waiting for you… my pet.”
Kyou’s world shattered around him as he looked down at his brother’s lifeless body. ‘I will avenge my brother’s death and spend eternity hunting you if I have to. When I find you, you will pay for this… Hyakuhei...’
He lowered himself shakily to his knees and gently lifted Toya’s body to his chest… cradling his head gently. His little brother's hair had fallen away from his face making Kyou’s vision blur as he tried to hold back the flood of tears with no success. It looked like Toya was simply asleep… peaceful for the first time in way too long.
He watched as his tears dripped onto Toya’s cheek and Kyou felt his heart fracture. Clutching his beloved brother tightly against him, Kyou whispered in an unsteady voice, “Toya, please forgive me… for not making it here in time.” His breath shuddered from him as he squeezed his eyes shut in pain. “I knew you needed me… I should have saved you.”
Kyou’s mind raced back to the day Hyakuhei had turned him into what he was now… the day after his father’s death. Kyou had known Hyakuhei had only wanted him… and Toya had only been a small child. So to protect Toya… Kyou had left with his uncle even as his little brother had cried for him not to leave.
He could still remember the distrust shinning in Toya’s big golden eyes as he glared up at Hyakuhei for daring to take his big brother away from him. It was the memory of that haunted look that had helped Kyou stay away from his sibling for several years… to protect him.
As Toya had gotten older, Kyou had found himself yearning to see him… secretly visiting him and watching from a distance… watching his brother live the life he couldn’t. Watching Toya from the shadows had been Kyou’s only happiness during those dark days. He had often snuck into Toya’s bedroom… to watch him sleep.
Had he known Hyakuhei was following him and watching him watch Toya… he would have never put Toya in danger like that. His uncle had turned Toya because he had thought that was what Kyou had wanted. It had been his fault that Toya had died the first time.
Toya had fought their uncle, during the turning and after. As their arguments became more vicious, Kyou had tried to keep Hyakuhei’s attention away from his brother. Then Toya had started talking about a cure for vampires… the Guardian Heart Crystal. He had sworn he would find it and cure them both.
Toya had found his cure… in death.
Doing his best to avoid looking at the now empty cavity where his brother’s heart had once resided, Kyou stood and carried Toya’s body away from the scene to give him a proper burial.
He could no longer feel Hyakuhei’s presence but knew he was close, watching him somehow… always watching him. Kyou understood now that he would have to leave, go into hiding until he was strong enough to defeat the evil that had stolen the only thing he held dear… his little brother. He slipped past the darkness leaving the clearing in total silence.
Kamui breathed a soft sigh of relief when the brothers were gone and lowered his invisibility barrier from around Kotaro’s battered form. Looking down at the Lycan, Kamui knew it would take a while for Kotaro’s wounds to heal… not just the wounds to his body, but the wounds that now lay deeply imbedded within his heart as well.
“Come on,” Kamui whispered, pulling one of Kotaro’s arms across his shoulders and helping him stand. “Hyakuhei has not gone far and I need to get you out of the open.” His eyes shimmered the color of rainbow dust as he tried to withhold his own tears. It was in vain for he could feel them sliding down his cheeks in hot trails.
So much had been lost in the span of only a couple of deadly hours… he now knew what darker than dark truly was. He would not lose Kotaro as well.
“I didn’t hate him that much.” Kotaro whispered, looking dejectedly toward where Toya’s body had lain just moments before. They had both loved Kyoko and she in turn held affection for both of them… never choosing one over the other when they were fighting… until tonight. The fates had only given him a few short hours… at least Toya had not known.
His hand curled into a fist and tightened. Toya would have been mad… but he would have been alive. “I would rather face his anger… not this…not this.” His voice faltered.
They had both tried to protect her but now Toya… Kotaro’s ice blue eyes swam with unshed tears, “I never hated him.”
“He knows you didn’t.” Kamui said leading Kotaro in the direction of the only safe place he knew… the wizard, Shinbe’s home. He needed to tell their friend of Toya’s fate… and Kyoko’s. Shinbe would somehow know what to do, he always knew.
“I’ll kill that bastard Hyakuhei,” Kotaro snarled as he pulled against Kamui’s restraint, his Lycan nature coming to the surface. “He killed her…he killed Toya because of her. When I find him, he’ll wish he’d been born human.”
As if the wind had been knocked out of him, Kotaro’s body shuddered. He knew Toya was a lot stronger than he had ever acknowledged but without Kyoko to protect… Toya had lost his will to fight. Hyakuhei had known that before the fight had ever started.
Toya’s grief had made him hotheaded… impatient. “If only he had waited… a few more moments. Kyou could have saved him.” Sadness hung on every syllable as Kotaro wiped angrily at the tears that silently left trails down his cheeks.
“I wanted to save them both… Kyoko,” the pain of his weakened body was too much as he closed his glowing ice blue eyes and gave in to the nothingness that would soothe the pain for a short while.
Kamui nodded as he lifted Kotaro’s limp body and carried him. “You have done enough. Rest for now.” He whispered. “It’s my turn to do the saving.”
*****
In the predawn hour, Kamui hovered above an unmarked grave. The two men standing on each side of him were all he had left. He had watched Shinbe use his telekinetic powers to remove the earth from Toya’s grave and widen it enough for two bodies.
Shinbe and Kotaro now both wore the same expression… sadness and stubborn strength. Kamui knew they were trying to stay strong for him but he could see through to the melancholy they both hid.
They all stared down at the grave… the painful reality of it all sinking in. Things were not supposed to end this way… the good side wasn’t supposed to lose… or die. Shinbe had helped them come to a decision on what to do. Retrieving Kyoko’s body, they had brought her to the grave where Kyou had lain his brother and buried them together.
Toya would have wanted it that way… it was the only thing that felt right.
Kamui had been unable to carry Kyoko’s body to the grave site once they found it. The blood surrounding her wasn’t what bothered him. It was just heartbreaking to see someone so kind and pure, once possessing so much light within her that it hurt your eyes to look… lying there in the darkness with their eyes open and sightless.
Sensing Kamui’s shock and seeing his hands trembling, Kotaro had stepped in and lifted her lovingly into his arms, trying hard to ignore the stiffness in her limbs as he did so. He couldn’t bring himself to feel anything except anger and sadness at that moment. If he had let the rest of it in… how much he had loved her, his knees would have buckled… the grief weighed so heavily on him.
Seeing the look on Kamui’s face was enough to help him control his own emotions… it also helped that numbness had set in. Kamui was not human nor was he creature… what ever he was… his heart was shattering. Kotaro decided to make it his business to watch over him from now on, even though the boy probably didn’t need it.
Kamui wiped the trail of tears from his eyes, trying to be strong like Kotaro and Shinbe. His untamed purple hair ruffled in the wind as he looked down at the freshly turned earth. He had taken off his own robe and gently wrapped them in it to heighten the power of the spell he was about to cast.
Closing his glittering eyes, he laced his fingers together as illuminated wings sprouted from his back in a flurry of feathers. They shimmered with colors so intense, they were unknown to the human eye.
Shinbe and Kotaro both took a startled step back, suddenly understanding just what Kamui was. The word angel hovered on their lips but he looked so sad. Like an angel with a broken heart… a fallen angel.
With gentle fingers, Kamui removed a feather from his right wing and held his hand out with its palm up. The sad and serene expression on his face did not waver. His eyes shone with a glimmer of hope as he quickly swiped the suddenly sharp feather across his palm causing a shallow cut.
The crimson liquid pooled in his palm and Kamui slowly closed his fist over it before reaching out over the unmarked grave. The sacred drops of his life’s blood fell to the earth making the soil glow an unearthly electric blue power.
Shinbe and Kotaro could only stand and watch in shock while this took place. They dared not move for fear of disturbing the rite Kamui was performing. Both understood they were witnessing something incredible and, no doubt, would never see it again.
The very air around Kamui swirled into a vortex surrounding him in a fluorescent blue light. His echoing voice burst from his chest seeming older and wiser than it ever had to their memories. It ricocheted across the skies, a frightening sound that carried for miles making all that heard still in reverence of its power.
“One thousand years it will take…
This time we abide for your own sake…
When the blood of a guardian spills…
Is the time for this prophesy to fulfill…
Only then two souls it will revive
Bringing them into the light…
Fated to battle the dark magic of the night…
With this promise we immortals will take up arms…
Protecting those reborn from further harm…
Into the hands of stone and marble our enemy will we give…
The only wish he desires… within the light to live.”
As the vortex circled Kamui, one glowing feather from each illuminated wing loosened and sprang forward within the cyclone… turning like two small daggers to shoot strait down, landing on the grave. The glistening feathers stayed stuck in the soft soil for a few brief moments before sinking into the ground to merge with the souls of his friends.
Kamui’s knees hit the ground as the spell dispersed, sending a shockwave out in all directions. “Until we meet again, Kyoko… Toya.” Kamui whispered as he felt the loneliness close in on him. “Maybe the next life will be in a better and far brighter time.”
Shinbe remained silent next to him, wanting nothing more than to shed tears himself... but he couldn’t afford the luxury. Hyakuhei was still out there and he knew the black-hearted vampire would eventually come for him. The enemy would know what they had done. He would erase all the traces he could for now.
Reaching into his pocket, Shinbe pulled out a small amethyst bottle filled with ageless magical powder. Lightly sprinkling the ground, he walked a circle around the grave to protect it from all prying eyes. The ground instantly turned solid to hide the location of the new grave.
Shinbe’s eyes lit up with the same amethyst color as he whispered words only he could understand.
He felt an age-old bond of brothers who had fought an eternal battle with darkness sear through his soul to become a symbol of protection upon the grave. Above the resting place of his friends blossomed flowers without any seeds being planted. Blooms of five colors appeared on thorny vines… silver… gold… ice blue… amethyst… and shimmering rainbow dust.
“I am taking my leave,” Shinbe said after a long silence. He didn’t want his presence giving away the location of the others and knew it was time to move on. His amethyst eyes darted back to the bush of strangely colored flowers. Toya and Kyoko were now protected from Hyakuhei and the spell would not be disturbed.
For now… it was all he could offer them besides sorrow.
Kamui looked up at the wizard, shocked at this new development. “What? But…why?” his eyes widened in a moment of panic… would everyone leave him now? Wasn’t losing Toya and Kyoko bad enough?
Feeling Kamui’s fear rise, Shinbe placed a steady hand on his friend’s shoulder and tried to explain, “You know as well as I that Hyakuhei will eventually learn what we have done here.” he looked over Kamui’s shoulder at Kotaro knowing the Lycan would understand his abandonment.
“You will be able to escape his ever-watchful eyes… but I do not have that kind of power. I will however be able to hide, but I am unsure as to how long.” Shinbe released a long sigh and looked up at the moon hanging low in the sky. “My days have a number on them now…” a soft smile tilted the corners of his lips as if he knew a secret. “…So be it.”
“I will board the next vessel going west, over the ocean. There, I will have a better chance of keeping my identity safe from Hyakuhei and perhaps even find a way for my own soul to reincarnate at the same time as our dear friends.” He hoped what he was saying was the truth. They would need him when the time came.
Kamui glanced down at the grave below him then back up at his amethyst-eyed friend with more calmness then he had felt since this nightmare evening had started. He did not want Shinbe to be the next victim so, yes, he understood. He gently plucked a rainbow feather from his right wing and pressed it to Shinbe’s neck.
Shinbe gasped as it started to glow brightly before absorbing into his skin. He looked down and saw the briefest outline of the feather just below the collar of his robe.
“That’ll help you when the time comes,” Kamui said with a smile and gave Shinbe a tight hug in understanding. He wouldn’t lose Shinbe for long… no matter what.
“We will see each other again my friend,” Shinbe whispered before pulling away from Kamui’s embrace. He nodded to Kotaro knowing the Lycan would look after Kamui for all of them. Shinbe gazed back at the grave then jerked his eyes away letting his bangs fall down to hide the sadness. “So be it,” he whispered again as he disappeared into the surrounding darkness.
“You ready kid?” Kotaro asked quietly as he kept his back to the grave, He knew he could not stay. Shinbe was right… the farther away they were, the better protected the spell would be.
Kamui wanted to scowl at the nickname Kotaro had just given him but didn’t have the heart. His heart was buried in the dirt at his feet and, if it took ‘til the end of time, he would see Hyakuhei pay for his crimes.
“Yeah,” Kamui said, wiping an arm across his eyes. “I’m ready.”
Kotaro placed an arm around his shoulders and led him away. The Lycan found that he could shed no more tears for the woman he had loved with his entire being. His soul felt as if someone had yanked it from his body, ripped it to shreds and only returned half of it.
If the spell Kamui and Shinbe had come up with worked, he would see his beloved Kyoko again. He couldn’t help but smile at all the antics he and Toya’s reincarnation were bound to come up with to win her affections. He would gladly fight over her once again if only Toya would come back. After all… he loved them both.
He fought the urge to look back at the grave. ‘A thousand years is a long time to wait but I’ll be there for you…Kyoko.”
*****
Over a thousand years into the future… Present Day
A lone figure stood on a rooftop of the tallest building, overlooking the crowded city below. His features never betraying the heart-wrenching memory of his only brother’s body lying alone and lifeless on the cold, hard ground, centuries ago. His once warm, beating heart gripped in the claws of the sadistic monster that had created them both.
He had done everything within his power to separate himself from the evil that silently surrounded him. Just like the humans of this world, he only fed off the animals that nature provided. Even though the darkness was all he was allowed, as is the curse of a vampire, he would never become the demon his uncle had intended.
Within the last several years something within him stirred… a longing that he couldn’t understand and hadn’t felt in over a thousand long years.
Memories never forgotten replayed in Kyou’s mind of a once innocent young man that had filled his life with happiness, even within a world of darkness. Toya… He had been so full of life… with laughing gold eyes and the ignorance of a child. Once again it brought pangs of guilt to his heart for not being able to protect his younger brother.
Sun gold eyes that had grown hard from hundreds of years of loneliness, bled red at the remembrance of a promise that he had yet to fulfill. Every decade that passed by, Kyou had grown that much stronger. Many times he had come close, but the object of his hatred and wrath eluded him at every turn.
He would not rest until the vile creature he sought writhed in agony at his feet and his soul cast into hell where it belonged.
Kyou’s gaze was drawn to the only serene place in the whole city… the quiet park in the center. “Such places should not be near so much evil,” he murmured into the night. Leaping from the building, Kyou continued his search as he had for so many centuries. Hyakuhei would pay with his very life for taking the only one that ever mattered to him or ever would. His brother was forever lost and would never return.
“Toya…” Kyou whispered as he disappeared into the night, leaving behind the image of an avenging angel…
Chapter 2 ‘The Day of the Bullies’
The park was always peaceful this time of the day. It was still afternoon and the sun was high in the sky. Kotaro strolled lazily through the trees close to the center where a huge block of marble was sitting. He had no idea where it came from… it had been there for as long as he could remember, it was even older then the city itself. All he knew for sure was that he felt an overwhelming sense of peace whenever he was near it.
‘Who’d figure that a square rock would bring about tranquil thoughts?’ Kotaro muttered to himself.
Taking another path between the trees, he made his way over to the stone so he could look at it. Even if he’d been completely happy that day… just making sure it was still there made him feel better.
Kotaro stopped in his tracks when he entered the center where it was sitting and frowned at the individual sitting Indian style on the top of it with elbows on his knees and chin cupped in his hands. Short purple hair swayed in the soft breeze making the young looking man seem very childlike.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Kotaro demanded.
Kamui grinned without looking at him. Instead, he nodded in the direction of the college off in the distance. “Waiting for class to start.”
Kotaro shook his head and moved on before stopping again and whirling around to face Kamui. “What are you talking about? You don’t even go to this school.”
Kamui winked before slowly fading out of existence in a flurry of glittering rainbow dust. “I know.”
Kotaro glared at the dust swirling about before it vanished completely. “Sometimes that boy is such an enigma,” he informed the now empty space then his eyes moved lower as if caressing the stone. He heard the sound of running feet hitting the pavement but didn’t really notice until someone tapped him on the shoulder. He literally jumped and spun around to see Hoto and Toki bent over with their hands resting on their knees trying to catch their breath.
“What’s got you two winded?” Kotaro asked with a smirk as he regained his composure.
Hoto waved a piece of paper in front of him. “For you…from police…important.”
Kotaro took the paper, “From the police huh? Must be really big to make you two run the marathon.”
Toki nodded before falling over onto his side to rest. Hoto merely sank to his knees and rested his head on the grass.
“You two are the biggest wimps I’ve ever seen,” Kotaro complained good-naturedly.
“Side hurts,” Toki whined. “Must… get back… to… air conditioned… office.”
Kotaro sighed in resignation and left them to bake in the warm sunshine before opening the note. His hand closed, crinkling the paper he had just received from the police station not far from campus. Another girl had disappeared without a trace. He had spent a long time investigating the disappearances of many young girls, which had eventually led him to the college where he was now head of security.
His thoughts instantly turned to his beloved Kyoko. He had found her again and just as he had expected… Toya was not far away. One thing that had surprised him was the fact that Toya had been reborn normal… human, or so it seemed.
Sometimes he could feel the true Toya lying just beneath the surface… unaware of his own existence, but so far that part of him had remained asleep. “Thank God for small favors.” Kotaro ran an agitated hand though his windblown hair.
It suited him fine that neither of them remembered the past… it was a memory best forgotten. He wished he had the same privilege to forget… but for him, the memory remained… often waking him up at night in a cold sweat.
Leaving the park he found himself standing on the stone walk in front of the campus. Kotaro lifted his ice blue eyes in the direction Kyoko lived. He frowned as concern etched his features and had the sudden urge to check in on ‘his woman’.
The long part of his layered dark hair was pulled back in a band hanging low. The rest of his hair from bangs to crown was in a constant state of looking naturally windblown; giving him the appearance of a punk bad boy but that suited him just fine. This appearance had served him more than once in recent years.
His body was tall with slender muscles… but looks could be deceiving. He didn’t have an ounce of fat to spare and was stronger then fifty human men put together. The only people who knew of his inhuman strength were those who chose to give him a hard time or dared to get in his way. And those few were too scared to say a word. No one on campus knew Kotaro’s secret side and he wanted to keep it that way.
Kotaro was responsible for the safety of every person that walked on campus whether it was a visitor, student or faculty member. Young women had started disappearing from this area about a month ago at an alarming rate and mostly from the grid surrounding the college grounds.
A low growl formed deep within his chest as he inhaled the scents around him. The air had become tainted with an ancient scent… evil. He was getting closer to the one who was responsible for more than just the missing girls… he could feel it. Pushing those thoughts aside for now, he started walking briskly toward the surrounding apartments that housed many of the innocent college students.
He would go check in on Kyoko and if she would let him, his eyes darkened attractively… he wouldn’t leave her side for the rest of the day… or night. He only hoped Toya wasn’t hanging around her again today. He wanted her all to himself. After all, she was truly his woman and that ‘boy’ would have to get a life.
His steps slowed for a moment at the irony of it… he was glad Toya at least now had a life. An almost amused smirk appeared as he mentally threatened that life if he didn’t quit hounding Kyoko all the time.
Just the thought of her sitting next to him on her comfortable couch, eating popcorn, and watching some cheesy movie sounded like the perfect evening. They shared something like that at least once a week and to him… that was his favorite part of the week. He got his uninterrupted time with the auburn haired beauty. It didn’t matter whether they were watching a movie or just sitting on her couch talking… he just loved the feel of her snuggled next to him.
Kotaro smirked to himself in satisfaction as he wondered what it would be like to always be by her side… day and night.
His smirk faded though at his next thought… Kyoko hadn’t actually chosen him over Toya, yet. At least not in this lifetime. “Some things never change.” He looked upward as if sending a silent sarcastic ‘thanks for all the help in that area.’ to whoever was listening. Something told him the gods had to have the most disturbing since of humor.
*****
Finals were finally over and Kyoko had been singing those words all afternoon. She had been a good girl and studied till she was sick to death of it, but it had all paid off. She just knew she’d aced those evil tests. That thought alone had made her want to do a happy dance all the way back to her apartment today.
In fact the first thing she’d done as soon as she walked in the door was fling her books across the living room like they were disease infested and finally succumbed to the urge… performing an impromptu ‘happy dance’ right in the doorway, looking like she had a bit of geek left in her after all.
This was immediately followed by her own rendition of a touchdown dance she’d seen Toya do once, shaking her butt all the way down the hall to her bathroom so she could run a hot bubble bath. Kyoko then decided if she was going to do this it would be done right and went to turn on her stereo and grabbed a few candles.
She was still making cute victory noises by the time the tub filled and she made short work of her clothing by taking them off and throwing them wherever she pleased. ‘Most likely I’ll find my underwear hanging from the ceiling fan when I get done.’ She thought to herself then shrugged and stepped into the water.
She slid down further into the bathwater to let the bubbles floating along the top caress her neck and shoulders. Her emerald green eyes, that were sometimes known to turn stormy at a moment's notice, were shining with contentment.
Her auburn waves of hair were piled haphazardly on top of her head and her silky smooth skin was hidden now beneath the bubbles. She was a happy girl… and all she really wanted to do was relax for the rest of the day. A bit of soft music in the background, some sweet smelling candles lit all around the bathroom and it was the perfect setting.
She closed her eyes knowing his image would soon come into focus… as if waiting for her. It was her secret to keep.
Ice blue eyes watched her from within her mind. She had dreams of him so many times during the nights that now she could summon them even during her waking hours. The deeper she became entwined in the dream, the more real he became until it seemed he was really there…beside the bathtub.
His lips tilted in a sensual smirk as he reached out and took the washcloth from her… his eyes becoming as bright as blue flame.
“Dreams are nice,” she whispered as she rolled her head to the side letting him do what he wanted.
‘Ring, Ring.’ One of the most annoying sounds in the world echoed throughout the apartment. Kyoko jerked forward in the tub sloshing the water over the rim and onto the tile floor. She raising her hand to her cheek she could feel the heat there and blushed just as the phone rang again.
“Shoot!” She stood up quickly knowing the phone was all the way in the living room. Stepping out of the water, she grabbed the silk robe from the counter and wrapped it around her as she ran to answer it.
Realizing she was leaving a trail of water, she made a mental note to remember to take the cordless phone to the bathroom with her the next time.
On the other end of the irritating ringing, Suki tapped her fingernails on the kitchen counter wishing Kyoko would hurry up already and get to the phone. She had this nagging feeling that Shinbe would be there any minute, and she didn’t want him to know anything about what she was planning.
She heard the click on the other end. “Finally!”
Kyoko pulled the phone back from her ear to glare at it then placed it back. “Suki, I was in the bath!” Kyoko nearly whined as her eyes looked longingly back toward the bathroom door where she knew the water was still hot and scented with jasmine. It beckoned her to return and enjoy… so did the dream. She bit her bottom lip as she dragged her eyes away from what she wanted.
“Are you standing there naked?” Suki snickered knowing Kyoko blushed easily.
“Suki!” Kyoko cried into the receiver. Her friend simply had a warped sense of humor, which probably came from being around Shinbe way too much. She grinned mischievously as she countered, “Did you need something? I have a hot, steamy bath calling my name and you’re interrupting my little rendezvous.”
“Rendezvous?” Suki looked at the phone and rolled her eyes. “You definitely need help Kyoko. Who ever heard of getting romantic in bathwater without someone there with you? At least get a spark of imagination and think about a sexy man to wash your back while you’re in there.” She sighed in an exasperated tone unaware she had just shocked Kyoko to the core at how close her mental picture really was.
“Anyways, you and I are having a girl’s night out to celebrate finals being over,” Suki chirped. She wasn’t about to let Kyoko say no.
“I won’t take no for an answer either, so start getting ready. And wear that outfit we bought last weekend. I’ll do the same.” Suki inhaled deeply and quickly started again before Kyoko could get a word in edgewise. “Be ready by 7:30. Love ya. Byeeee!”
Kyoko blinked when the phone clicked signaling the line was disconnected. Her lips were still parted because she had been ready to say ‘no’ at her first opportunity. She sent a silent glare at the far wall of the living room that separated the two girls’ apartments wondering if Suki had called from there or from her cell phone out somewhere.
Looking at the caller ID she sighed. “Cell phone, that figures.” No need to go beat on the wall then. But the image of her hands around Suki’s neck brought a smile to her face. “I can pretend though.”
Tossing the cordless phone back on the counter, Kyoko looked down at the silken robe now clinging to her damp body and groaned. The warm water still on her skin had now turned cold and tingly, making chill bumps appear. Quickly, she turned to go back to her bath.
“Ring, Ring.” Kyoko twitched.
Spinning around as her left eyebrow rose in frustration. “I hope that’s Suki so I can tell her how well I like to be bullied!” Jerking up the phone, she said a little louder then normal. “Hello!!”
Toya smirked at Kyoko’s greeting. “Come now, didn’t your mommy ever teach you to be polite when answering the phone?”
Kyoko felt like calmly walking to the window, opening it, and letting the phone slip from her hand into the unknown. “Why is it that no one wants to let me finish taking my bath?” she whined, stomping her foot only to feel the air conditioning make its way beneath her robe.
Toya’s smirk vanished as his imagination ran wild and explicit visions started dancing around in his mind. “Are you nak…” He stopped suddenly tongue-tied before asking her if she was standing there naked. Shaking the thought out of his head, Toya took a deep breath to calm himself and hopefully get his now raging hormones under control. ‘Damn, that was a pretty picture…’
Kyoko frowned wondering if Toya was standing right beside Suki at that very moment.
Toya tried again. “Heh, never mind. Look, I’m coming over to take you to the movies tonight, so just get dressed. Okay?”
Kyoko narrowed her eyes wondering who pronounced it to be ‘The Day of The Bullies’. “Uh, I have plans tonight.” Of course her plans had been to turn into a prune in the bath than curl up on the sofa and watch a movie. Maybe even fall asleep during it, not have everyone under the sun bugging her to “go out”.
“What! Cancel them, because you’re coming with me!” Toya practically ordered, getting annoyed that she wasn’t doing what he wanted her to do… as if she ever did.
Kyoko closed her eyes and held the phone away from her chanting ‘I will not throw it out the window, I will not throw it out the window,’ “Knock, Knock” Kyoko swung around to face the door thinking. ‘I know I will throw it at whoever is at the damn door!’ she could hear a demented laugh come from somewhere deep inside, where her evil twin resided.
She calmly walked to the door and unlocked it, then peeked around the door to see who it was. “Kotaro” she whispered a little breathlessly then snapped her mouth shut guiltily hoping he hadn’t noticed.
Kotaro eyes lit up and darkened at the same time when the door opened. He was glad to see Kyoko safe… and obviously not fully dressed. He cocked an eyebrow at the way she had said his name. Pressing against his hand against the door above her head, he opened it the rest of the way with his usual confident smile as he slid past her… almost touching.
“How is my woman today?” Kotaro walked past her and into the apartment like he belonged there.
‘I will not commit murder, I will not throw the phone, I will not…’ Kyoko’s mind continued to chant as Kotaro faced her with his usual heart-stopping grin. She suddenly felt like the air conditioning had stopped working.
How was it this man, who could only be described as walking sex, affect her so? She always felt like she was trying to stop herself from throwing him to the floor. Shaking her head, she looked down and squeaked when she saw her robe had come partially open. It wasn’t enough to show anything but enough skin was visible to make her blush.