The Witch Hunter Part Twenty

[krystalkatz.livejournal.com]

Yamapi/Toma ran down the passage only pausing when they felt a rush of new energy in the air, his heart ached sadly “Goodbye, Nino” Yamapi mumbled

“He’s... Dead?”

“I guess you could say that... Nino’s gone, all that’s left is the unholy king” Yamapi explained as they started moving again. “With any luck he’ll focus all his anger on Akanishi”

“Wasn’t he the unholy king during the last battle?”

“No... He never changed; he was just ‘Nino’ then, being around Ohno kept him focused” Yamapi explained frowning why they reached a fork in the passage.

“It’s that way...” Toma mumbled pointing to their right.

“How do you know?”

“Because I do” Toma said, Yamapi shrugged and followed Toma’s direction and came to a ladder running up a wall “See I told you” Toma grinned

“Show off” Yamapi mumbled as they climbed up the ladders and slowly pushed open the hatch, Tomas heart almost sang with relief when he saw the temple was empty “Is this my temple?” Yamapi asked looking around recognising the symbols carved into the wall.

“It’s the tri temple, we’re just in your part” Toma said “What are we meant to be doing?”

“We have to convince the royal guard to go against their leader and fight for us” Yamapi answered in a whisper, through the stained glass windows they could see, the shadows of the enemy

“How are we going to do that?”

“As Nino said they’ll know that I’m in here and as they still follow the way of the three, they should follow me...”

“It’s not going to be that easy though is it?” Toma sighed

“No... In fact... There is a chance that proving I’m here may kill you...” Toma felt a wave of sadness wash over him as the third admitted that “They should be able to sense me like Nino did but I’m trying not to overpower you with my presence...”

“I’m already dead though, like death told you the only reason I’m alive is because you’re here... I’ve got to live another 13 years of life; Nino is prepared to give up his life to bring you back... I’m happy to do the same”

“You don’t have to do this just because I’m the third...”

I’m not I want to do it because you’re Yamapi...You’ve been my best friend for a long time... However it happened I’m glad you were drawn to me...”

“Me too Toma...” Yamapi whispered “I seriously wish I was in my own body right now, so I could hug you...”

“That would be nice... Maybe when I die I’ll haunt you” Toma said with a laugh, “Come on, Yamapi our friends need us to do...”

Matsu gripped his pendent tightly feeling the hearts and clubs as he stared at the hole ‘Nino’ had just ripped in the side of the halls, when he had seen the unholy king he had realised what Matthew had meant when they were doing Aiba’s tests. What they had seen there was just a shadow of the true unholy king. The thing that had left the halls bore no resemblance to his Nino, his Nino had gone, he wanted to be sad that he would no longer be able to see him, to hear his bratty comments, to see the smirk that curved his lips, but all he felt was anger, anger that they hadn’t had enough time together. Anger that he had just waltzed into his life messed it up and then left. He remembered feeling this before, when Nino had showed him his life. Magic flowed through Matsu like never before, causing his heart to pump wildly against his chest. He could hear Aiba sobbing softly onto Sakurai’s shoulder. There was a loud bang, causing them to spin round, another side of the hall had been blown away and Maru was there clinging tightly to Matthew on top of a jet black horse.

“Y-you can let m-me down now” Maru gasped, Matthew gave a chuckle and he pulled on the horses reigns to get him to land. The horse gave a snort as Maru stumbled off “You know I hate heights”

Matthew just shrugged and then flashed a smile “I have to go... I have work” He said looking out over the battlefield, with an almost sad expression on his thin pale face. Matsu stared a strike of lightning filled the air and the hunter’s breath caught in his throat at Matthew’s suddenly skeleton like appearance, the horse galloped out of the opening as a loud crash of thunder filled the air. Matsu shivered trying to push the image away; through the gaping hole he could see the dark shadow that was Nino. He clutched at the pendent remembering what he had promised the demon, that thing wasn’t his Nino, his Nino was gone he felt the anger well up again and he turned to Maru

“Let’s finish this...” He said snapping his fingers again creating a shield of water around him, he saw Aiba pull away from Sakurai and wipe his eyes quickly,  cold determination flickering in his normally friendly eyes.

Nino focused on the man that was sat on the white horse, hate filled every sense, clouding all other feelings, and he couldn’t remember why he hated that man so much he only knew that he did. He could hear his heart pumping in his ribs, and swooped down, causing the large number of demons to scatter, the hated man was staring at him, a slow smile curving his lips

“So the unholy king has returned” he muttered, Nino felt his heart ache at that title, he didn’t know why, that’s what he was. The Unholy king... Faces flashed through his mind, a short man with soft brown hair and a gentle smile, he liked that smile but hated it at the same time, his heart felt at ease when he saw that smile but for some reason he hated himself. The next was a taller man a huge happy grin on his face; it was like looking at the sun, bright and warm. And then lastly, a younger face, it was pretty and proud, with oh so kissable lips. He wanted those lips to be smiling, but they weren’t, tears were in his beautiful eyes. Nino groaned pressing a hand to his head, trying to push away the faces that made no sense, trying to focus on the guy in front of him; his anger flared again the faces forgotten as he lunged at the man. Akanishi held up the rod of kings, a meteor of fire, ice and stone came crashing down hitting Nino full in the chest. Nino let out a howl, the sky almost splitting as lightning flashed all around them.

Yamapi/Toma made it out of the temple without much difficulty, relieved that there weren’t hordes of demons, the breath caught in their throat as they saw one of the first hunters tied to a stake, barely breathing. Looking around quickly they untied her, checking her pulse, the hunter turned to open her eyes,

“Toma?” She groaned “What are you doing here?”

“Nina, are you okay?”

“My headaches, but I should be fine...” She answered touching at her head with a soft moan

“We need to find the royal guard, have you seen them?” Yamapi/Toma asked. Nina frowned

“The royal guard? Is that what those things were?” She said “They stopped the demons from torturing me, and then they went off over there”

“Thanks, if you go into the temple, in Yamapi’s there’s a passage that will lead you back to the halls...”

“Wait... You can’t take them all on... I’ll come with you...” She said getting to her feet, they both froze as they heard deep laughs echoing down the narrow streets; a group of demons came into view

“Go I’ll hold them off” she snapped pushing him away, lighting her protection fire, it was already fading but it was still there, the demons laughed as they circled her, a fire wrapped around her body. She fought bravely managing to kill two and injure the third. The hunter sank into the dirt, praying she’d given Toma enough time, taking a deep breath she closed her eyes waiting for the end that was about to come, the demon inched closer and she could hear it breathing. The was a loud groan and Nina looked up surprised to see the demon laying with its face in the dirt, dead, she looked around and saw Matthew sat on his horse whispering to an unlit candle. Nina felt her heart thud against her ribs, and with a gasp she realised her had restarted. Matthew gave a small smile as the candle relit. He nodded his head in her direction and then rode away; Nina scrambled to her feet, and then ran to the temple, and finding the passage Toma had told her about. Toma/Yamapi made their way through the streets, in the direction Nina had pointed,

“Hunter...”

“Koki?” Yamapi/Toma said with a tremble of relief as he recognised the second in command of the royal guard. Koki frowned wondering how the hunter knew his name

“Who are you?”

“I’m Yamapi... Yamashita Tomohisa” Yamapi/Toma said, Yamapi praying he would believe him without burning too much of Toma’s life energy, Koki stared at him suspiciously, raising an eyebrow “I know how that sounds, but it really is me...”

“Paloma? What do you think?” Koki asked, looking at one of the female royal guards, she stared at Tomas face,

“It feels like the third” She said softly, one of the men scoffed

“How could it be the third?”

“Are you an idiot? Can’t you feel it? It is the third” Paloma snapped glaring at the man, her eyes flashing

“Paloma’s right...” Another female hunter said, coming forwards a frown on her face

“Axraxshi?”

“It’s the third” Axraxshi said “I’m positive of it”

“You’re both crazy” The guy snapped clicking his fingers binds flying around Toma/Yamapi. Paloma and Axraxshi glared at him

“You’re the one that’s crazy” They snapped “Even an idiot can feel...”

The guard hissed hitting them both with a whirlwind, their eyes flashed as the fought back with fire and lightning attacks,

“Stop it!” Koki snapped snapping his fingers the female guards sagged looking at him almost shamefaced

“Sorry, sir” They said quickly while the man let out another hiss

“There’s a way we can prove it...” Toma said

“No Toma! Don’t!” The third shouted Toma ignored him, for the first time in 13 years taking full control of his body. Yamapi felt his sprit being brought out, crushing Toma’s spirit, he heard the hunter let out a soft sigh, and then saw the royal guard drop to their knees, the binds snapping

“Toma? Toma, are you still there?” Yamapi whispered feeling suddenly alone, he looked around and saw Matthew studying a sizzling candle “Bring him back”

“I can’t, he had already had an extended life, and his soul has already passed” Matthew whispered, as the candle faded again “Bringing him back into the body where the third resides, it would just burn him out again... For what it’s worth I am sorry, your majesty” 

Yamapi let out a stifled sob and then glared at the royal guard “If you are all convinced that you are fighting on the wrong side... I suggest you help rectify the damage” He snapped. Koki and the others bowed quickly and went to join the fight, Yamapi looked at his reflection in a dusty window, seeing Toma’s face looking back at him, and he let out a shaky breath trying to fight the tears that had come unbidden into his eyes. Dully he was aware of the battle that was taking place around him, and the growls and sounds of leathery wings, which pierced the night. Looking up he could make out the faint outlines of the unholy king and Akanishi fighting against the rising sun.

Nino snarled at the pretender, the sound causing a crash of thunder, and a lightning strike, Akanishi tried to laugh as he twisted free, though he had to admit the battle wasn’t going as he had planned, without even looking he could tell the royal guard was no longer loyal to him, he wondered why for a brief moment before he had to twist to escape another attack from Nino. He hadn’t believed the demons when they had told him of the unholy kings true power, he remembered Nino, the little demon that was always attached to the firsts side. He’d hated him then, he hated how a demon had twisted the first claiming love, a demon couldn’t love it was just a trick a lure used to weaken the kings. It had worked more and more demons had crept through, if Ohno had just killed Nino none of this would have happened. He lifted the rod of kings, his heart freezing when it didn’t work, he heard a laugh and twisting he was surprised to see a hunter on the back of a beast demon,

“You’re not fit to even touch that” Yamapi said “If you don’t mind I’ll have it back... My brothers will be waking up soon and they’ll be happy to see it again...”

“Brothers? You... You’re Yamapi...”

“I am the third of the three kings... Lord of the earth, and you made me kill my best friend so I’ll take the rod and let Nino rip you to pieces like you did to me and my brothers” Yamapi snapped unable to shake the loneliness he was feeling now that Toma was no longer there. Akanishi’s eyes widened in fear as the rod was ripped out of his hands and sailed straight into Yamapi’s hands “Thank-you... Nino I don’t know how much of you are left in there but make sure he suffers...” Yamapi said looking at the unholy king’s face; Nino gave a scream turning his head back to Akanishi. A smile on his horrendous face, Akanishi felt as if the world had been ripped from underneath him, he closed his eyes as pain flooded ever cell in his body. He let out an ear splitting scream, he turned to fly away but found himself landing on the ground, as a lightning bolt hit him square in the shoulders. On the ground the hunters from the halls sent their spells flying towards him, hitting him over and over.

“M-Maru...” He whispered recognising the figure leaning against Niji “Help me...”

Maru glared at him, “You betrayed them... You betrayed Kame...”

“So after all this time you’re still jealous because I got Kazuya and you didn’t?” Akanishi asked stumbling to his feet “Wow, that’s a whole new level of pathetic, Maru”

“No, jealousy isn’t what I’m feeling, I used to feel jealous but all I feel now is happy... Happy that I get to be the one that kills you...” Maru smiled and then pulled out a candle; the flame flickered softly against his skin as Akanishi watched it licking his lips nervously

“How?” he whispered his voice shaking as he realised what it meant

“Everyone forgets I am Matthew’s brother” Maru answered “Goodbye” he blew lightly on the flame, and then turned away as the wick smoked softly. Matthew took the candle with a nod “Thank-you...” Maru murmured, Matthew shook his head

“I didn’t do anything... It was his time...” Death said, Maru nodded and then jumped as there was a loud screaming above them. “You should get the hunter; it’s time for the unholy king to die”

Comments

[denyclamp.livejournal.com]

Tommaaaaa no TT.TT and now Matthew says that, there can't be a happy ending for everyone right? TT.TT