Hel(l)

It had been almost ridiculously easy to open a portal, especially considering
that the creature would expect them to follow. Then again, it might just
be waiting. Krad was like another meal for it. Towa had given them directions
as accurate as she had been able to, and Krad didn't need long to sense
his other half. Dark was close by to where they had entered.

Towa had remained back at the portal, eyes closed, hands folded in front
of her chest, concentrating on keeping the portal open with the help from
Emiko and Daikii, who were working their own, comparatively weak, magic
in the real world.

The art world was quiet, the landscape dreary and gray where they had
come in, and it looked like it was about to rain. Thick clouds churned
in the sky and wind tugged at Satoshi's hair as he walked across the rocky,
uneven ground. He as clutching the sword in one hand, clearly aware what
kind of weapon it was. Together with a dagger made up of the same crystalline
black substance, it was part of a fighting pair called The Warden and the
Bell. Very powerful, very dangerous, and deadly when its power was released.

Dark's presence grew stronger, but something was not right. Krad was
moving restlessly, twitching as if spoiling to get out, and Satoshi clenched
his teeth.

And then they could see him.

"Shit..." he whispered.

Krad had been right, the entity seemed to have been hungry. The kaitou
was barely recognizable, only a weak motion of black feathers in an invisible
breeze indicated that the dark lump lying curled in on itself could be
a human being.

The change was sudden and Satoshi didn't fight it as the demon took
over, launching himself into the air to fly the rest of the way. He was
too shocked by the state Dark was in to even feel the rather harsh take-over.

Krad landed at his lover's side and crouched down carefully, trying
to check the injuries when he made a choking sound and a brief second later
Satoshi understood why.

The unnatural angle of the wings was a dead giveaway, the dark liquid
that had soaked the remaining feathers another – Dark's wings had been
cut, the delicate bones broken several times. Only tendons and skin connected
them to the rest of the body – which didn't look much better. Obviously
Dark had received a heavy beating, purposefully aimed at his more vulnerable
parts – throat, abdomen, lower regions. His arms were tied behind his back,
and it looked as if at least one wrist was broken, one shoulder dislocated.
There were strangle marks around the throat – and numerous cuts and scratches
all over the body, some of them bleeding freely. Thank goodness he appeared
to be unconscious.

Krad slipped the blade of his dagger under the slick rope that held
Dark's wrist together and they parted under the sharp blade, slipping to
the ground with a nauseating wet sound.

Satoshi dearly wished he could retreat completely and get violently
sick.

"My, my... you've come back... Missed me already?"

The voice seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at the same time
and Satoshi didn't get a chance to see their opponent as the attack came
out of the blue.

Krad was hit by an energy blast and thrown back several meters, turning
in mid-air and coming to land on his feet.

°

In another dimension, Kosuke sucked in a shocked breath when he heard
his son scream.

°

Wings unfurled, stabilizing the black-clad body, and magic gathered
in his hands.

Krad's fury turned into blinding, screaming rage, tearing at his sanity.
He felt the darkness descend into his mind, embracing it. It fueled his
mindless rage.

"You chose the wrong victim," Krad snarled, eyes narrowing sharply on
their attacker. "You chose my partner. I don't take kindly to that."

Satoshi had little time to gather his wits, to take in the lithe form
that was now evading Krad's attacks, as his demon launched himself at the
enemy.

"Not kindly at all,"

The creature looked humanoid, almost beautiful in an ethereal way, and
it was female. But the eyes were empty, cold, and the face frozen in a
mask of a mocking and

taunting smile. White teeth gleamed in a sadistic smile and Satoshi
thought he saw fangs. Not just two, like vampire fangs, but carnivore rows
of sharp teeth.

::That's it:: he murmured.

This was what Daikii had read about in the tome. This was the sick result
of combining art in a way it should never have happened. This was their
horror.

Krad struck with his sword, but the entity jumped back, counteracting
the attack with a magical flash which smacked Krad midsection, sending
the demon flying. Satoshi felt the air leave his lungs, their lungs, and
for a moment he became disoriented as Krad rightened himself before he
might have collided with the unyielding ground.

"Bitch!" the demon hissed.

°

Daisuke's cries and whimpers were echoing in the living room, the slender
form writhing or twitching on the couch. Kosuke ran his hands under his
son's shirt, pulling out the item he had looked for, something he had dreaded
to find.

"Oh Daisuke..." he murmured.

Daisuke's body jerked in his arms, a strangled scream escaping his throat.

Kosuke paled when he heard the dry sound of breaking bones.

°

Another magical blast hurled Krad through the air, this time delivering
him into the ground with a bone-jarring impact. He gasped a little, coughing,
but he as already fighting back once more, pulling energy, hurling it at
the creature that had dared to hurt his lover.

Satoshi was still stunned by the fierce battle, by the sheer power unleashed,
and by the fact that Krad showed no signs of injury despite the heavy fire
power. The creature had hurt them severely before, had broken bone and
split skin, had made both Dark and Krad bleed. Why wasn't Krad affected
by her this time?

And then realization hit Satoshi.

::Krad, does it hurt?:: he asked, reeling from the very thought
of what this meant.

::... no... :: the demon panted.

::Damn! Daisuke!!::

::What?::

::Take a look into your coat pocket... ::

::I really don't have time... damn!::

Krad barely avoided another hit by launching himself into the air.

::Do it!::

Getting a little space between himself and the furious entity Krad slipped
a hand into the pocket, and when he pulled it back...

::No shit!::

Satoshi groaned. ::No...::

Krad just stared at the tiny object in his hands. ::Rutile. The real
one:: His voice held a note of awe.

::It's the reason you're not feeling any pain. Every hit is conducted
toward Daisuke. It's him feeling the pain and receiving the injuries::

Satoshi was horrified by what his lover had done, what he had planned
and executed with such precision and logic.

Why, Daisuke? he thought. Why?

::It could mean our victory, too:: Krad murmured thoughtfully.

::What?:: Hikari stuttered.

In their shared mind, Krad turned toward him, golden eyes taking on
an apologetic quality. He reached out and touched Satoshi's cheek, stroking
over it.

::I'm sorry... I wish there was another way, but it might be the
only chance we have::

Before Satoshi could ask what Krad meant the demon had already slipped
on the ring and concentrated.

::I'm sorry to hurt you, Sato:: he heard Krad whisper. ::You
and Daisuke::

Satoshi felt the flow of energy rushing through him almost painfully,
felt Krad draw it out of him. This was the power of their symbiotes, their
true magic. Taking their host's energy, converting it, using it to power
themselves, to fuel their attacks. Krad had done it so often when Satoshi
had been a child, Hikari recognized it immediately. Back then it had depleted
him badly, had hurt and had always nearly drowned him. This time, now that
he had grown-up, it wasn't any less bad.

He cried out, stumbling on the mind-plane, collapsing to his knees,
one hand pressed against his chest. Every breath burned in his lungs and
he gasped harshly, willing himself through the discomfort.

Discomfort, part of him huffed. This was more than discomfort. This
was agony.

His head throbbed and he whimpered as Krad demanded more. He was unable
to deny it to him. The demon's hold on his very soul had taken on a possessive
note, he was digging into the resources he had, and all Satoshi could do
was open up and trust him.

And then he noticed something. It was like at the edge of his vision,
peripheral and barely there. A connection to something that didn't go into
Krad's host but somewhere else. Power was coming in from the outside.

Amounts of power, combining with Satoshi's, Krad was gathering that
could impossibly come from him alone... and then Satoshi gasped.

"No..."

°

"Hang on, son," Kosuke whispered, watching his son grow deathly pale,
each breath an effort. He interlaced their fingers and prayed silently.

Come back, Krad.

 

 

tbc...