by Lucky Charms

Disclaimers: See Part 1.

Feedback is always welcome: luckycharms@e-scribblers.com.

Copyright © 2004 by Lucky Charms. All Rights Reserved.

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Chapter Twenty-One

Date: October 19, 3021
Time: 11:08am
Location: Taiitsukun’s Palace

Aeryk and Brian sit silently at a small table in Aeryk’s room in Taiitsukun’s palace, the tea left for them resting untouched on an elegant porcelain tray with a pair of matching porcelain cups shaped to look like open lotus blossoms.

The traditional ancient Chinese style windows allow in the late morning sunlight and a gentle breeze rustles the fine white silk curtains. A tiny bird perches on one of the windows, looks curiously into the room before fluttering off to join its fellows in the sky.

End it ... Aeryk grimaces when her cruel voice echoes in his mind again. End it ...

"Is something the matter?" Aeryk asks as he and Brian are escorted into a room full of mirrors of varying size. "Is it about the Lan Long?"

Taiitsukun turns to face Aeryk and Brian with a grim demeanor. "Sacred Child, what is your role in this life?"

Shocked by the question Aeryk takes a moment before answering, "To, uh, summon the Four Gods and save the world from the Lan Long. Why do you ask?"

"Guardian of the Ogre," Taiitsukun turns to Brian ignoring Aeryk’s question. "What is your role?"

Brian gives Aeryk a helpless look before hazarding, "To protect Aeryk?"

"You’re not sure?" Taiitsukun asks mockingly, her dark eyes narrowing. "Just what have you been doing this entire time?"

"Hey!" Brian snaps. "There’s no reason to talk to me like that. I do what I feel is right for him, got it? I don’t care what you or some book says. Aeryk is the most important thing to me in this world. So if you want an answer I can answer definitely it would be that my meaning in this life is to love, protect, and cherish him as long as I live. My life has no meaning otherwise."

Taiitsukun lowers her head and takes a few steps away, lost in thought. I did not expect this to happen. Just what did the Gods have planned for Aeryk when they created him? Why this? For once in my long life, I don’t know what to do but... "Sacred Child, Guardian of the Ogre, there is something I must tell you for your sake as well as your friends."

Aeryk smiles, if a little uncertainly. "S-sure, what is it?"

Taiitsukun turns her head and says coldly. "Forget the love you both share. End it now."

Brian slams his fist on the table. "I won’t accept it! There’s no way I’m going to let that old woman run my life!"

Aeryk remains silent as he slowly rises from his chair and walks over to a window and looks out at the lush mountainous region Taiitsukun’s palace is securely hidden in. "I don’t want anyone hurting anymore Brian. I couldn’t stand knowing you or anyone else I love will live suffering if I could ease it."

"I can’t believe you’re actually considering it!" Brian snaps. "I’m telling you Aeryk, don’t listen to her! I won’t let you leave me." He rises from his seat and walks over to confront Aeryk. "Are you listening to me? I won’t let you leave me."

Aeryk wraps his hands around himself as a chill runs down his spine. He said the same thing once. He took advantage of me... no, worse. He was so nice to me once, but once something threatened something he had his true face came forth. Brian, are you the same way? What will you look like if I were to leave you?

"Aeryk?" Brian asks softly, placing a hand on Aeryk’s shoulder then pulls it away when he feels Aeryk’s shoulder tense. "What’s wrong?"

"I’m scared Brian." Aeryk says quietly. "Scared of what will happen once this is all over. Scared of what will happen if we don’t heed the warning given to us. Brian, I don’t want to live like this anymore. I don’t want to hurt people anymore and I don’t want to be hurt."

Not liking the tone in Aeryk’s voice Brian says, "What are you saying...?"

Joe winces when he hears Brian roar out and punch the wall. "What happened back there?" he asks Aaron.

"I dunno, but it couldn’t have been good." He jumps slightly when Brian bellows something more and punches the wall again. "That must be painful."

"Think we should go in there and say something?" Joe asks. "Oh, there goes a vase."

A moment later Brian explodes from the room and storms down the hallway. "Aeryk? Everything alright?" Aaron asks cautiously as he and Joe walk in, seeing Aeryk standing by the window with a stone cold expression on his face. "We ‘eard a bit of a commotion in ‘ere."

"Everything is fine Aaron." Aeryk says coldly. "How is Brent?"

"He’s..." Joe pauses as he gives Aaron a worried look. "Doing fine. I think resting helps him out a lot."

"Good." Aeryk replies brusquely. "Once everybody is ready, we head out."

As Aeryk brushes past Aaron and Joe, Jeff materializes next to them and promptly scares the life out of the two. "Sorry about that, I was practicing. Pretty cool huh?" he notices Aeryk’s expression as he exits the room. "What’s with him?"

"He won’t say." Joe responds. "One minute things are quiet, the next Brian is punching holes in the wall," he motions to the pair of holes in the wall next to where Aeryk stood. "And Brian storms out looking ready to kill somebody. And Aeryk..." Joe falls silent.

"What?" Aaron asks. "Oy, where are you going?"

"To go find Brian." Joe calls as he runs out of the room.

"Would somebody explain to me what’s going..." Aaron notices that Jeff, too, has vanished. "On? Bugger." He sighs.

Joe manages to catch up with Brian as he turns a corner toward the main entrance of the palace. "Hey Brian, wait up." Joe calls.

"What do you want?" Brian snaps, not bothering to slow his pace. "I’ve got something important to do."

"Like go hurt something?" Joe asks and grimaces when Brian stops suddenly. "I may be totally off here, but I think I know what happened in there." He pauses a moment and waits for Brian to turn his head slightly, the sunlight casting a shadow over his face. "You broke up didn’t you?" Brian turns his head and lets out a long breath. "Do you want to talk about it? I may not be the best person in the world to talk to, but I want to help."

"Just go away Joe," Brian says. "I don’t need anybody right now."

"But you want to hurt the one responsible for this?" Joe inquires daringly as he walks up toward Brian. "That’s not going to change things."

Brian turns to face Joe and looks down at him with a confused look on his face. "How did you know?"

"I overheard your conversation with that old lady. I was walking past the room and I guess the door was left open or something because I could hear everything perfectly. How she wanted you both to end your relationship. How our suffering would ease if we weren’t so close to him. Brian, I know Aeryk still loves you. He just wanted too..."

"He’s a selfish ass!" Brian erupts. "He’s always thinking about himself! How could he do that to me Joe? How could he? We were supposed to love each other until the end." He continues helplessly, trying to keep the tears from welling in his eyes. "But then this had to happen! Why couldn’t we just be allowed one moment of happiness?!"

"I don’t know Brian." Joe says mournfully. "I wish I knew what to say. I don’t like seeing you in pain, I never did. But I think Aeryk still loves you. He wouldn’t have done what he did if he didn’t."

"He would’ve ignored what that bitch said and did what he knows to be right and that was to stay with me!" Brian retorts. "She has no right ordering us around. She destroyed our lives and I’ll see to it that she pays for what she did to us!" the red kanji appears on his forehead and glows brightly with his anger.

"Brian!" Joe cries placing his hands on Brian’s arms and shakes him slightly. "Do you even hear what you’re saying? This isn’t like you at all."

"How would you like it if you had the one you loved torn away from you?" Brian demands. "That’s what she did to us? I can’t sit back and let her get away with this!" He tears himself from Joe’s grip and breaks into a full-out run back into the palace.

Meanwhile, back at the garden located within the open center of the palace, Aeryk strolls mindlessly along the small path running through and along the garden, occasionally pausing to stare at a plant here and there before moving on.

"They’re beautiful, aren’t they?" Jeff asks as he appears beside the startled Aeryk. "I’m getting better at this."

"What do you want?" Aeryk asks half-heartedly. "I’m busy right now."

"Busy doing what; walking around mindlessly, and miserable to boot? Come on Aeryk, you can think of something better than that can’t you?" Jeff says jokingly. "Joe seems to think that something happened between you and Brian earlier, but I’d like to think that he’s wrong for once. Maybe you can fill me in?"

Aeryk kneels beside a rose and gently cups the petals with his hand. "I think I heard somebody say once that love was like a rose, above it beautiful and soft but below..." he runs his hand down until he finds a thorn and squeezes tightly until blood drips off his hand. "There is nothing but pain."

"Aeryk!" Jeff says, horrified at his friends action. "What are you doing?" Jeff pulls away Aeryk’s resisting hand and examines the puncture wound. "Christ Aeryk, what has gotten into you?"

Aeryk looks up at Jeff with glazed eyes and a near crazed grin appears on his face. "Oh you don’t know? Would you like me to tell you?"

"Yes!" Jeff says, before he calls out for help.

"Jason was the first one," Aeryk lets out a chuckle. "I could show you the scars he gave me. But then they decided to come. They’re inside me you know?" he continues on absentmindedly. "Whispering to me in the night. But it’s that damn tiger that annoys me the most. Did you know that they were responsible for the earthquake?" Jeff looks up and gives Aeryk a confused look. "Yeah? They purposely killed all those people just so I would know what it’s like to suffer; just so I would become a stronger person in the end."

"Aeryk, the wound isn’t closing I better see if Taiitsukun has any..."

Aeryk shoves Jeff away, leaving a stain on his shirt. "They killed them!" he screams. "All of them, leaving me alone! Don’t you know what it feels like to be alone all the time? My mother, my father, my brothers, my sister! All of them dead! I was alone..." tears fall down his grief stricken face as all the pent up emotions from all those years finally find an escape. "I don’t want to be alone anymore Jeff."

"But you’re not alone anymore Aeryk." Jeff says, trying to keep his voice calm. "Everything will be fine, okay? Once you’ve summoned the Four Gods you can..." He stops himself all too late, realizing the horrible mistake he made.

Aeryk’s sobbing ceases as he looks up at Jeff with bewilderment, which turns into understanding. "Once I’ve summoned the Four Gods I can be with Brian again? Is that what you wanted to say Jeff?"

"Aeryk, I’m sorry... I didn’t mean to say that." Jeff says. Crap I’m no good at this. I wish Brent was here, he’d know what to say. Or maybe Brian. "I don’t know what happened between you and Brian, but I can guess it wasn’t good. Try to at least pull yourself together a bit huh? I know life hasn’t been the best thing for you, but you’re better than this. Whatever happens from now on, I know you can pull through it. We can pull through; you, Brian, Brent, Aaron, Joe, Derryk, and I."

A faint smile forms on Aeryk’s pale face as he stumbles unsteadily onto the blood-dampened soil before him. "You know, when you said that it sounds like it really would happen. Thank you Jeff." Aeryk whispers just before he faints and falls into the small rose bush.

Jeff kneels beside Aeryk and grimaces as he hoists the unconscious young man in his arms. "I hope this works." He says as he tries the spell he’s been practicing and looks around when he finds himself in a circular room where Brent and Taiitsukun are busy chatting. "Help me please." Jeff says as he rests Aeryk on the floor.

"What happened to him?" Brent asks as he examines Aeryk, quickly finding the puncture wound on his palm and scratches on his fingers.

"I found him in the garden," Jeff explains. "We started talking, then all of a sudden he looses it and punches a hole in his hand with a thorn! I’ve never seen Aeryk like that before."

"You’ll find some bandages in that bag over there." Brent says to Jeff. "And get me some hydrogen peroxide while you’re at it."

"I think things just became too much for him." Jeff says as he walks back with the bandages and peroxide. "He was talking about his family, then about Jason, then about him dying." He shakes his head. "And I thought I had demons."

"Aeryk just has a habit of hiding his feelings from people." Brent replies. "Whatever caused this must’ve been something pretty traumatic for him to do this to himself."

"Well, he and Brian were having some sort of argument before," Jeff says, not noticing Taiitsukun flinch. "But he wouldn’t say what it was about. I have my theory, but I don’t want to say anything."

"Yeah," Aaron says from his place on the wall next to the open doorway. "Brian punched a couple good holes in the wall. I think there is one person we can ask who should know what’s going on." He gives Taiitsukun a meaningful look. "What ‘appened last night?"

Taiitsukun has never thought she would know the day when she would be confronted by anger. In that past, all she has known was fear and veneration. All the previous Guardians and Sacred Children she has met were fearful of her wrath and the thought of any of them focusing their anger and suspicion on her was unspeakable.

But here, now, this group of mortal men are staring her down like a pack of hungry wolves. She’s flabbergasted. Amazing, I have never sensed such devotion and love from this group. Could I have been wrong before?

Before Taiitsukun can answer, Brian thunders in the room with his kanji having reverted to its more ancient form, a red aura swimming around him. "Brian, calm yourself!" Taiitsukun orders.

Brian lets out an animalistic roar as he runs to attack Taiitsukun when Jeff and Brent throw themselves at him and try with all their strength to hold back the crazed Brian. "Brian, stop it." Brent grunts.

Joe enters the room and looks over to the bored looking Aaron. "Aren’t you going to do anything?"

"No." Aaron shrugs. "Whatever that woman did, she ‘ad it coming to ‘er. She caused us nothing but problems you know."

"Has everyone gone mad?" Joe cries then notices Aeryk’s eye flutter open, rushes over to his side and helps him to his feet before saying, "Aeryk, you gotta stop Brian. He’ll kill somebody!"

Aeryk looks over and sees Brian struggling against Jeff and Brent’s grip as Taiitsukun looks at Brian with deep sympathy and regret. "I don’t think I can." Aeryk says mournfully as he looks down, his hair falling in front of his face. "Not anymore."

Joe notices Aeryk’s fist clenching and unclenching as he struggles to keep his emotions in check. Joe then focuses his attention on Brian and finds a flame of anger in himself and uses it to shout, "Guardian of the Ogre! Stop right now! Look behind you and see what you’re actions are creating!" Joe rises to his feet and says more calmly, yet with the edge of venom he used before, when Brian’s struggling slows to a stop. "Brian, I know you’re in pain. We’re all in pain you know? Look at Aeryk, can’t you see what you’re doing to him?! I know what Taiitsukun asked sucks, but can’t you forget about that and think about why Aeryk did it? He loves you still! Hurting someone else isn’t going to take the pain away, not the pain that you’re feeling. You’re scared. We’re all scared. We’re all going to loose someone we hold close to our hearts, not just you. Please, stop."

Brian continues to glare disdainfully for a moment before his kanji returns to its original form, then fades away completely. "You don’t even know us, or the life we lead until now. Yet you appear out of nowhere and demand that we forget the love and friendship we all share." His eyes narrow darkly as he continues speaking at Taiitsukun. "I love Aeryk and will always love him, I cannot forget nor give that up. No matter what happens to me, I will not give him up for anyone, even you."

Brian relaxes his muscles and moves away from Brent and Jeff before looking over at the grieving Aeryk. "Aeryk, I’m not going to ask you to go back on what you chose to do. If you feel like it was the right thing to do, I accept that. But I won’t accept you not loving me out of fear. I won’t accept that from you." With that, Brian walks out of the room in silence.

Aaron, Jeff, Brent, and Joe exchange glances and the four of them leave the room quietly. Taiitsukun approaches Aeryk and calls out to him before saying, "Why did you choose to follow my order child?"

"How can you ask me that?" Aeryk responds irritably. "I don’t want them to suffer anymore because of me. I’m sick and tired of all the hurt, can’t you see that? You knew this would happen yet in all your wisdom, did nothing about it. Are you satisfied now?"

"Do you really think I want you to suffer Aeryk?" Taiitsukun says, using Aeryk’s name for the first time. "You’re right, I knew this would happen but it’s not my place to interfere with the lives of mortals. I was there when the earthquake destroyed your life. I was watching you when Jason raped you. But," Taiitsukun smiles faintly. "I was there the time when you first met Brian and your friends. I was there the night Brian confessed his love for you. I laughed and I have cried with you all your life Aeryk; something I have never done in all my years of existence."

"You’re different than all the other Sacred Children I have come across." Taiitsukun continues. "Some of them never made it this far. You’re special in that you truly care for each and every one of your Guardians. You’re special in that, through all this, you have never given up and continued to walk on with your head held high."

"What are you saying?" Aeryk asks softly.

"I’m saying that I would be deeply disappointed with you if you went back on your decision, Sacred Child." Taiitsukun goes back to the formalities, but with more warm feeling. "Just do me a favor and don’t listen to us anymore, we’ve been out of touch with humanity for so long we’ve forgotten what true love was like. Go back to him. Perhaps it is the love you share that will save us all in the end."

Aeryk smiles as he rises to his feet. "Thank you Taiitsukun."

Brian leans against the railing that borders the garden where, some time before, Aeryk underwent an emotional break down and punctured his palm with a thorn. If Brian looked hard enough, he could make out the darkened portion of the dirt trail were Aeryk’s blood spilt.

Brian hoists himself over the railing and drops down onto the garden and begins walking through it much the same mindless way Aeryk did before. Peaceful. Maybe I should plant a garden like this when Aeryk dies. I think he would want that. He’s always been into that kinda stuff.

Brian kneels beside a bush with blood-dampened petals and leaves and cups a rose in his hand. "Maybe a bed of roses where we put your body? What do you think about that bud?"

"I’m not dead yet Bri." Aeryk says softly, standing behind Brian a few feet away. "But I do like roses if it helps you any."

Brian stands to face Aeryk. "How’s the hand?"

"This?" Aeryk looks at his bandaged hand. "Doesn’t hurt actually, thanks. How about you; you looked ready to kill back there."

"I was." Brian says seriously and Aeryk chuckles. "How can you laugh at a time like this Aeryk?"

"I’m sorry Bri." Aeryk says soothingly. "Do you hate me?"

"Hate you?" Brian repeats. "How could I hate you? Dislike you strongly, maybe; but never hate."

Aeryk lowers his head conceding. "I don’t blame you. I honestly wouldn’t put it against you if you did hate me, because of what I did earlier. I did have my reasons, though. Not very good ones, but reason enough for me I guess."

"You don’t need to apologize to me Aeryk. I told you back there that..."

"Is it too late to take what I said back?" Aeryk asks hopefully. "I was stupid and looking for an easy way out. I’m not trying to excuse my actions, but I was just afraid of what would happen to you. I’m tired of the suffering. I don’t want myself or anyone else to hurt anymore. That’s why I broke up with you; I didn’t want you to hurt anymore."

"Didn’t you think that having you leave me is the worst kind of pain I could ever have?" Brian asks. "Aeryk, I love you with all my heart and I still do. I can’t imagine having anyone else in my life. Even if our life together will be a short one, at least we had what we did."

"I did think about that Brian." Aeryk mutters. "I thought that the decision, though painful, would work out better for you in the future. I’ll do whatever it is you want me to do Brian."

"I want you to shut up and come here where you belong." Brian says before he struts over and pulls Aeryk into his arms again. "Don’t you ever do that to me again okay?"

Aeryk relaxes in Brian’s grasp. "You know something?"

"What’s that?"

"My book’s missing." Aeryk states. "Do you know what happened to it?"

Brian fails to keep his chuckle in check. "Uh, no sorry. You know I can’t read that stuff Aeryk."

"But you know where it is." Aeryk lowers his hands to Brian’s rear. "Tell me love."

"I’m telling you I don’t know-Ow!" Brian yelps when Aeryk ferociously pinches his ass. "Do you ever cut your nails you woman?"

Taiitsukun and the others watch in silent relief as Aeryk and Brian begin playfully tormenting each other. "I’ll read the book while you are gone." Taiitsukun says patting the ancient book in her hands. "I never played a great role with the summoning, but I’m sure there is something in here the Gods never intended for you to find out."

"Why do you say that?" Jeff asks.

"They never wanted to make things easy for their child and his guardians. If everything was handed to them on a platter, what would the point be in it all? Well, you all better break those two up. It looks like they could be getting comfortable here pretty soon."

"Alright you two break it up!" Aaron bellows as he leads the rest of the group over to where Brian and Aeryk were busy making out like it was going out of style. "Where did you put that mirror?" Aaron asks as he searches around Aeryk’s jacket pockets. Brian backs away Aaron’s hand when he moves onto Aeryk’s pants, slips his own hand in Aeryk’s left pocket and hands Aaron the mirror; all while still kissing Aeryk. "Ah, that’s the one. ‘Ow did it work again?"

"Just say the name of the next God’s temple." Joe replies.

"Okay and...?" Aaron says sarcastically.

"It’s Suzaku." Joe says, snickering and as Aaron repeats the name the group is engulfed in a bright red light as they are magically whisked away to the deserts of Africa and the Temple of Suzaku.

"Good luck Sacred Child." Taiitsukun whispers to the sky. "May the Gods find it in their hearts to grant you your hearts desire."

Date: October 9, 3021
Time: 4:32pm
Location: Temple Of Suzaku, Somewhere in Chad

"Hot!" Joe cries when the red light fades away, leaving them to the mercy of the sweltering desert heat.

Aeryk and Brian pry themselves away when they look around in a daze. "Huh? When did we get here?" Brian asks.

"The Temple of Suzaku?" Aeryk asks as they approach the temple buried deep within the sands of the desert, a pair of pure ruby phoenixes guard the door leading down into the torch lit stairwell. "Come on guys, let’s go."

After Aeryk opens the door leading into the temple, three more figures appear from a dark blue light after the last of the Guardians disappear into the darkness. "They have opened the door of the temple and are now heading down." Luke says through his walkie-talkie.

"Excellent." Vincent’s voice says shortly afterwards. "You know what to do, but the Sacred Child must not be harmed."

"Understood." Luke shuts off the walkie-talkie and looks over at his brother and Michelle. "This is nuts, why do we have to go down there by ourselves?"

"To keep Jen off Vincent’s back." Beau replies. "And to get our money once this is finished."

"Guys," Michelle says. "Don’t you think this is a little strange?" she looks down at her hands. "I mean, one minute this whole thing was all about stealing some valuable stuff, then it turns out to be this." Little bolts of lightning dance across her hand. "What’s going on here?" She thinks back to the time when Danny revealed his true self to the group and bestowed them with their powerful abilities.

Michelle and the rest of the Blue Dragons, except Vincent and Jen, throw themselves back in shock as the normally dark and creepy face of Danny melts away to reveal a hideous demon with piercing yellow eyes and sickly green, scaly flesh.

"This is who I am." Danny says. His voice is warped and demonic. "The time has come for all of us to bring about the rising of our master, the Lan Long."

"What’s going on here?" Michelle demands. "This wasn’t part of our contract Jen! All you wanted us to do was get you the necklace, the ring, and some statues. There’s no way I’m dealing with that thing!"

"You will do what you are getting paid to do." Jen snaps. "And now that we know who the Sacred Child is, we can continue with our plans. We are ready now."

"Ready for what?" Beau demands.

"Your destiny." Danny says maliciously as his eyes begin glowing an unholy light, filling the space around them in the chill of the Artic. "For centuries our true master, the Lan Long has been struggling to be released from his unjust prison the Four Gods have placed him in. Now, with the powers that I will bestow upon you, will we finally have our revenge and send this world back the chaos it was born in."

As the light fades away, Michelle and the others can feel a strange feeling through their bodies. "Richard," Vincent begins. "Go there and bring back the Sacred Child and the statue. Kill any you must, but I want the Child back unharmed."

Michelle looks up in horror as Richard runs off toward the temple. "Wait! What are you talking about? You never mentioned anything about killing people!"

"It’s a war Michelle." Jen says snidely. "There will be casualties. If you don’t agree with it, just go home now and forget about the money." She sneers when Michelle lowers her head in submission. "Now, if this fails I have a plan that I need you to handle."

"This is no time to develop a conscience Michelle." Luke says, the look in his hinting to the fact that he’s having second thoughts as well. "Once we get the Child we can all go home and forget about this okay? Get your weapons ready guys, let’s go."

Aeryk and the others enter another circular foyer with statues of Suzaku made completely of ruby. A large fire burns brightly in the center of the room. "Consistent aren’t they." Aeryk mutters to himself as he looks around the large room.

"Don’t see any doors or strange squares this time." Aaron says. "So what now genius?"

Joe glowers at Aaron. "Like I’m supposed to know everything that goes on here."

"Alright you two." Brian says. "No need to get excited now. Lets just split up and search around until we find something, okay?"

"Way to take charge." Aeryk smiles up at Brian as the two begin walking around in search of some way to locate the statue.

"You like that?" Brian grins back. "I wonder what’s going to happen next."

"What do you mean?" Aeryk asks as he runs his hands along the smooth statue hoping to find a trick lever or something.

"Well, last time we battled a dragon. And before that, you were frozen in ice." Brian pauses as he examines the statue with Aeryk. "You don’t think we’ll walk out of here without a few scratches on us, do you?"

"Look at you mister cynical." Aeryk quips. "Since when have you had such a bleak outlook on life?"

Brian shrugs. "I don’t know. I guess it’s just that things are starting to come to an end here. We’re on the third statue and we just have one left after that. Then the summoning," Brian looks away from Aeryk. "It just feels like I have nothing to live for anymore."

Aeryk grimaces and gently takes Brian’s hand. "Don’t give up hope Brian. Everything in life happens for a reason, we all know that deep down no matter how much we don’t like it sometimes."

Brian looks up at Aeryk and attempts to smile. "I know bud, I know. It’s just that things between you and I have just started. There are so many things I wanted to do with you." He takes Aeryk’s other hand and looks at the bracelets given to him then at the sword propped on his back. "You look like a little warrior you know that? I don’t like it."

"Hey Aeryk!" Jeff calls out. "I think we figured something out." After Brian and Aeryk join with the others, Jeff points to the fire at the center of the room. "I think I saw something in that fire."

Aeryk looks intently at the fire and catches a glimpse of a shimmering statue resting on a pedestal within the center of the blaze. "That’s the one, but how do we get past the fire?"

Michelle stops Luke and Beau shortly after they enter the long tunnel leading toward the center of the temple. "Are you guys sure this is the right thing to do? People are getting killed."

"It’s a job Michelle." Luke says sharply. "We’re getting paid very good money for this, why should it matter what happens?"

"It’s just all this crazy talk about the end of the world." Michelle replies. "Jen is off her rocker and Vincent is always off in some dark corner looking around with a freaky grin on his face. Richard got killed and Danny turns out to be some demon and..."

"Just stop it!" Luke snaps. "Look, I don’t like any of this more than you do but you’ve got to understand that whatever Jen or Vincent have in mind has nothing to do with us! All I care about is the money, got it?"

Beau watches his brother turn on his heel and storm away. "He’s just scared too, you know. Seeing Danny for what he really is has gotten to him pretty badly. I understand what you’re going through Michelle. Things used to be so much simpler until now. The thrill of it all has taken a turn for the worse. But it’s too late for us now. This is the path we chose; you knew that from day one."

"But we can still turn back can’t we?" Michelle asks hopefully. "It isn’t too late for us Beau, we can always just walk away."

Beau shakes his head mournfully. "We’re the bad guys Michelle, it’s not that simple."

Aeryk lets out a startled gasp when the flames before him suddenly flare up higher than before and an image of him being taken down a darkened hallway, unconscious, appears in his mind. I’ve seen this before, from my dream. Why now? What’s going on...wait? The figures that were once robbed become the members of the Blue Dragons. Aeryk watches with curiosity as Richard and then Michelle slowly fade away as Beau and Luke’s images flicker on and off.

"Aeryk, are you alright?" Brian asks. "Looks like we lost you there for a minute."

"I saw something just now." Aeryk says softly. "Things are changing, but why?"

"What’s changing?" Jeff asks.

"It’s nothing." Aeryk says and gives the flames a thoughtful look. "We better hurry and get out of this place. Joe, any hints you can give us from your scroll?"

Joe looks at his scroll and watches as the characters shift around the page. "It’s saying something about the flames being a part of your self. The greater your emotions, the greater the flames. Calm yourself, and calm the flames of emotion."

"Well that makes no sense." Aaron says irritably as he casually bobs his fan on his shoulder.

"The flames react to our emotions." Aeryk says. "The more stress we feel, the higher they get. Everyone, try to calm yourselves as much as possible. If this works, the flames will die down. Just think of something calming."

The six of them close their eyes and think of something peaceful, meanwhile back in New D.C. Derryk looks up from his desk as he feels a strange tingling sensation and walks over to the window as his kanji begins glowing faintly.

"Sir, is everything alright?" An officer who was in a meeting with Derryk asks, not noticing the character glowing on his superior’s neck.

"Everything’s fine." Derryk says absent-mindlessly, his eyes going out of focus. Aeryk?

As Brian and the other’s characters begin glowing, the flames begin slowly dying down. Aeryk opens his eyes as the last of the fires dye out and takes a tentative step towards the pedestal when a mind splitting music shatters the silence.

"What the fuck?" Aaron cries as he covers his ears, grimacing in pain.

"Thank you for a job well done Sacred Child." Luke says as he and the other two appear from the darkness, his weapon hovering around him menacingly.

"We’ll be taking the statue now." Beau says before placing his flute to his mouth again and begins playing the mind wrenching music.

Michelle walks forward as Aeryk and the others begin falling to their knees in agony when, just as she is about to reach the pedestal the flames roar out nearly burning off her hand. "Shit, I can’t reach it!" she cries out.

"Aaron, stop them!" Jeff cries.

Aaron painfully rises to his feet as he readies his fan before calling out, "Rekka Shin’en!" sending flames directly toward Beau who dives to safety.

"Let’s go!" Brian calls out as he and Aeryk charge after Luke.

"Joe, come one!" Aaron cries as he goes after Michelle.

"Oh no you don’t." Jeff says as he materializes behind Beau and grabs his flute before he can start playing that music again.

The flames suddenly flare out of control and a good portion of the room is engulfed in fire. "We can’t do this here!" Brent calls out in warning. "The fire reacts to our emotions!"

"To hell with that!" Luke calls out as he attacks Brian with his weapon. "Ryuuseisui!"

Brian grabs the ball end of the weapon, the blade at the end embedding itself in his hand, as his kanji flares brightly. "At least we can get rid of one of you today." Faster than Luke could react, Brian rushes over and sends a powerful side kick into his stomach and sends Luke careening into the wall several feet behind him.

"Why aren’t you attacking?" Aaron asks suspiciously. "Afraid you’re going to loose?"

Michelle looks back into the flames, then back at Aaron before she dives fearlessly into the fire and shortly returns with the statue of Suzaku in her hands, her clothes and hair singed. "This isn’t a game." Michelle says simply.

The flames rise even higher as more of the room succumbs to the inferno of emotions. Aeryk jumps to the side as Luke collects himself and attacks Aeryk with his weapon. "We have to take this outside before we all get killed!"

"Worry about yourself!" Luke snarls as he prepares the Ryuuseisui for another attack on Aeryk, the blade of the weapon extending further.

Michelle looks over as Luke rears up for the attack and drops the ruby statue as she bolts off calling out Luke’s name. "Luke stop!"

Aeryk cries out as Michelle throws her body in front of Aeryk, the blade stabbing through Michelle’s chest. "No!" he calls and all goes silent except of the roar of the fire.

"Idiot!" Luke barks before he runs off out of the temple. Beau takes advantage of the confusion and runs his head into Jeff’s face, freeing him from Jeff’s grasp, before running after his brother.

Aeryk lowers himself to his knees and rests Michelle on his lap and sends a silent plea for the fires to die down and watches with astonishment as they vanish without a trace.

"I’m sorry." Michelle says wearily. "This wasn’t supposed to happen."

"Why did you do it?" Aeryk asks. "Why did you sacrifice yourself for me?"

"It’s funny, how things get so clear the moment before you die." Michelle replies, ignoring Aeryk’s question. "All my life I’ve been considered a freak because of what happened to me." She grimaces when the image of the bolt of lightning from her childhood collides with her little body. "When I woke up, all my hair was white. I couldn’t feel anything. The doctors said that my nerve endings were fried in the accident."

"Brent, please help her!" Aeryk says.

"No, please." Michelle says with a smile. "I don’t want to live knowing that I could have repented for the evil I have committed. Sacred Child, can you find it in your heart to forgive us? We’ve been blinded by hatred and loneliness. Jen and Vincent have plagued our mind with promises of power and wealth. Luke, Beau, and Mark don’t know any better. They’re all as lonely as I am. They’re just lost."

Aeryk smiles faintly. "I know what it’s like to be alone." He gently brushes his hand through Michelle’s hair.

Images of Aeryk’s past life flicker before Michelle’s eyes and a smile appears on her face. "Th-then you are just like us. I’m not alone anymore, am I? You’re sister was very cute you know. Funny how we have the same name."

"She was." Aeryk replies painfully. "She was."

"Take the statue and use it to help the others." Michelle says softly. "Use it to stop Vincent and Jen before they carry out their plans."

Aeryk nods and as Michelle smiles one last time, her eyes flutter shut and the doomed woman’s last breath escapes her. Aeryk rests her body on the floor and rises to face his friends.

"What are we going to do now?" Brian asks as Joe rushes over to collect the statue and holds it closely.

"What just happened won’t stop us from moving on just as we planned." Aeryk says evenly. "Once we find the final statue, we can worry about getting the statue of Genbu and the artifacts."

"Whoa wait." Brian says as Aeryk begins walking off. "You knew this would happen, didn’t you?"

"I saw something, yes." Aeryk replies and explains the vision he saw before in the fire. "And I saw those other two’s images flicker in and out."

"So that means that things are changing." Jeff says thoughtfully. "Maybe the twins are having second thoughts as well."

"That’s what I’m thinking." Aeryk says. "We better head back to Taiitsukun’s place and put the statue somewhere safe."

"Do you know where the final temple is?" Joe asks.

Aeryk grimaces. "Seattle."

Date: October 9, 3021
Time: 6:35pm
Location: F.Y. Police Headquarters

"They’re heading to the final temple." Derryk’s friend says with his hands steepled before his mouth. "Everything is ready for when it all comes to pass."

"And you’re sure they don’t know anything about it." Derryk asks.

"They don’t even know we know half the shit they do Derryk." The man with long black hair and eyes replies. "Have some faith in us okay? The cars have been outfitted for battle. Hopefully they’ll be able to stand up to Lan Long once he arrives."

"If he arrives." Derryk says darkly. "We don’t know what will happen."

"You do, but you just won’t admit it."

Derryk slams his fist on the desk. "That’s enough Byakko."

Byakko smirks. "You came to us for help and we’re giving it to you. Do us a favor and don’t act like a fool. This is your fate along with the others."

"But he has lost so much already." Derryk cries. "Show him some mercy. Have faith that he’ll succeed where the others have failed."

"Faith is for mortals." Byakko says coolly.

"Then if you don’t believe in Aeryk why do you continue on with the fight?"

"It’s is the way of the Universe. It’s the way things have been for countless eons." Byakko states. "Listen, Derryk, I know you want to believe that Aeryk will survive this and look back on it one day and laugh. But you must realize that will never be. Do yourself a favor and forget about it."

"How can you be so cold?" Derryk asks, amazed at Byakko’s demeanor. "Don’t you have any sympathy?"

"We do." Byakko says rising to his feet. "We love our Child more than you can possibly imagine. And when his time comes, we will be there waiting for him with open arms."

"Will I see you again?" Derryk asks before Byakko exits the office.

"No." Byakko says before leaving without another word.

"Lan Long’s power is growing, brother." A tall, imposing male with fiery red hair says as Byakko exits the towers. "We haven’t much time."

"Our Child is on his way to my temple as we speak Suzaku. Be thankful your bloody fires didn’t kill them."

"I take it things with the Star Guardian didn’t go well." A male with short brown hair asks.

"What do you think Genbu?" Byakko snaps irritably. "They’re all too attached to each other. Taiitsukun failed us."

"It’s infectious, love." Another male with blonde hair says chuckling. "You were the one who created it and look what happened."

"Yes yes, well good Seiryuu. I can’t stand the fact that things have gone out of our hands like this! How did it happen?"

"Things have been out of our hands ever since the humans have forgotten about us Byakko." Genbu says soothingly. "Things change all the time. Perhaps this means that our time here is coming to and end. Aeryk just might be the one to end all the chaos on this planet."

Byakko growls irritably and Suzaku chuckles. "And you have the nerve to call me moody. Come on brother, it can’t be all that bad. I rather enjoy not having to worry about the humans anymore."

"And you’d rather them run around mindlessly like they’ve been doing for hundreds of years now?"

"Of course! Gives me time to work on my tan." Genbu and Seiryuu snicker at their two bickering brothers.

"Alright you two," Seiryuu interrupts before things get ugly. "We can’t forget about our immediate threat. Where is the final temple located now?"

"Just outside the city. It will be in place well before the Child returns here." Genbu replies.

"Then all we can do is wait." Byakko says. "Just perfect."

Date: October 9, 3021
Time: 6:35pm
Location: In the skies over North America

"So Michelle died trying to protect the Child all the while handing over the statue of Suzaku?" Jen says darkly at Luke and Beau. "Tell me, why did you attack him when you had specific orders not to harm him?"

"I was just trying to..."

"Shut up!" Jen roars before she bursts over and slaps Luke on the face, her eyes bloodshot and crazed. "You will do exactly as I order you to, or so help me I’ll see to it that you burn in hell for all eternity. Got that D’Mer?"

"Yes." Luke says and waits until Jen leaves before he says, "Bitch. She didn’t even care about Michelle."

"I told you." Beau says as he examines his brother’s face. "What were you thinking Luke? She would have killed you if you pissed her off any more."

"I just can’t stand looking at him!" Luke snaps. "He’s just so pathetic looking."

"Yeah, well..." Beau walks over and shuts the door to his and Luke’s quarters on the private jet they stole. "Just don’t let your emotions get in the way next time. You’re my brother and the only person I’ve got in this God forsaken world. I don’t want to have to sit back and watch you get killed by that psychotic wench."

"Like that’ll ever happen." Luke says smugly. "You haven’t said anything to me since we got back. What’s the matter?"

"You know." Beau says fidgeting with his flute. "The things Michelle said to the Child before she died. It’s true you know; we are being led around like sheep. And I think I’m getting tired of it Luke."

"So you want to turn your back on all that money?" Luke asks, shocked beyond belief. "How can you say that Beau? Once this is over..."

"The world would be in shambles!" Beau interrupts. "Don’t you get it Luke? You’ve seen what will happen to the world if Jen and Vincent succeed. I know you’ve been dreaming about it because I have too. I’m scared Luke."

Luke looks into his brother’s face and clearly sees the fearful desperation, mimicking his own. "I’m afraid too Beau, but I don’t want the both of us to have to live like this anymore. Once this is all over, we can forget all about this and we can live the way we wanted to all our lives. Just you and me, like it’s always been."

Beau looks at his feet and nods. "Yeah, like it’s always been."

Continued in Part 22

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