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-Two

Date: October 10, 3021
Time: 10:45am
Location: The Deserted City of Seattle

Seattle, at one point in time, was once called the Emerald City. Famed for the Space Needle and the seemingly perpetual amount of rain. No one knows why this city, so close to the water, managed to remain relatively intact after the horrific earthquake that sank San Francisco, and practically every other coastal city in the world. However, a group of men now standing atop a lonely hill have a suspicion that would ultimately be proven correct. All around them, the almost skeletal remains of buildings and homes loom around them.

"I can’t believe I came back here after all this time." Aeryk says as the wind picks up and sends a down his spine.

"It’s down right creepy is what it is." Aaron says looking around, and jumps when he hears some rubble fall from the rooftops above. "Looks like a bloody ghost town."

"The temple has to be here somewhere." Joe says. "Does anyone have any ideas?" The young man looks expectantly at Aeryk and notices the faint trembling in his lip. "Aeryk, is everything alright?"

Only Aeryk can hear the ungodly amount of terror in the screams he hears in the wind. Only he can feel the earth tremble beneath his feet as the metal beams of the building moan ominously as they bend and snap under the pressure.

Aeryk lets out a strangled sob as he holds himself tightly and falls to his knees. Brian is instantly by his side and holds his love closely, bewildered and frightened by this sudden emotional breakdown. "Aeryk, talk to me buddy..."

"It was just down there," he says softly, his voice riddled with anguish as he points with a shaking finger at a collection of rubble several feet down from where they’re standing. "All those people dying. My mother, my father, my brothers...Michelle..." he can no longer hold back the tears in his eyes and concedes for them to fall freely. "Oh God why did they all have to die?"

Brian pulls Aeryk deep into his embrace and tries his best to soothe Aeryk’s pain as he mutters softly into his ear. "I don’t think he can make it right now you guys. What should we do?"

Jeff looks up as he feels a trickle of water on his face. "Looks like it’s about to rain. Well, if we’re going to camp out we better head into one of those buildings and wait out the storm." He finishes before a rumble of thunder threatens to unleash its fury. "And soon."

"That building over there looks the most sturdy." Brent says, pointing to a building with a collapsed sign that read "Welcome to the Pacific Place Shopping District" and motioned for the group to follow into the remnants of the old Nordstrom’s building.

"Buddy. Aeryk..." Brian says softly as he moves to pick up Aeryk into his arms. "I’m going to carry you okay? Just hold onto me and everything will be alright."

Without a word from Aeryk, Brian collects the shivering and sobbing Aeryk into his arms and hustles to get them out of the rain that had already become a torrential downpour.

"Looks like there’s some wood we can use to burn." Joe says picking up some pieces of wood from the tiled floor. "Maybe some of us could go find some more stuff to burn in case this storm goes on for a while."

"Could you guys go do that?" Brian asks as he slowly places Aeryk onto the ground and kneels beside him. "I have to stay with him."

Brent, Jeff, Aaron, and Joe nod in understanding and the all rush off through the large building in search of potential fire fuel.

Aeryk closes his eyes and falls asleep after a while of constant sobbing and finds his conscience hovering within the dark recesses of his mind.

Aeryk was only sixteen when it happened to him. His life was just beginning. He had a car, crappy as it was, and he was going into his junior year of high school. Why did it all have to change? Why was he chosen by fate to live this life full of pain and misery? Why did this all have to happen?

He remembers the first time he saw his baby sister. Images of Michelle as a baby, with a little clip bow in what constituted as her hair flashes before him, accompanied by visions of her birthdays, Christmases, and other days of her life. Being the eldest of three other brothers, he was half expecting to see another one in the family. She was asleep, of course, in that little room with a large window looking inside.

He saw the words Michelle Green, written on a pink sticker and told his father that someone named their baby after his mother. Aeryk’s father just laughed at him and told them that she was their new baby sister. Aaron, the youngest boy paid little attention as he was only a year old at the time. Justin, only three, was equally as oblivious; Aeryk thinks he was looking around for a vending machine to raid. But Ryan, at four years, wasn’t too pleased with the prospect of having a sister but Aeryk was just a little bit curious.

It’s amazing how time flies no matter what your age. Before Aeryk knew it his sister was already on her chubby little legs, walking around. He remembers seeing her on the floor with my mother around. He can’t believe he laughed so hard!

He thinks a part of him grew up that day because he felt a difference in his spirit. Seeing his sister, so vulnerable and in need changed him. He began looking at his life and his family very differently from then on.

Time races forward to a time, back at their modest home, when Aeryk’s father pans over with his video camera just as the sleepy Aaron, still just a toddler, marches out of the house with the look of a man who was so very rudely awakened by the gleeful sounds of children at play.

He sees Aaron walking out of the house in his diapers after his nap. His hair was all over that place and his face was red as he squinted in the sunlight as he watched Aeryk, his brothers, and friends play with baseballs and those plastic bats. It didn’t take Aaron very long to get into things though because, before Aeryk knew it, he was chasing after the ball his brother Ryan just hit and ran as fast as his little legs could carry him to escape Ryan’s wrath. A silhouette of Aeryk in his current state appears on the small grassy hill just outside where his younger self plays carelessly with his siblings and friends as his parents watch on with love and pride bursting through their hearts.

Aaron has always been the one Aeryk knew he could look to if I needed a good laugh. He would always do the craziest things to make Aeryk and anyone around roll on the floor out of laughter. Aeryk remembers how Aaron idolized their uncle Kirk and how it was the talk of the family how much those two were the same when they were young.

A picture of Justin, his eyes glued to the television screen as he sits and plays one of his video games. Aeryk’s silhouette walks up to his brother and stands behind him as he says, "Justin...I can’t even find the words to describe how much light and life you brought to us all. Your wonderful differences have given us all a bond of love that so very few families are blessed with. Your quirky smile, your sudden and so beautifully random rants about something that has nothing to do with our conversations are something that I’ll miss until the day I come and find you again."

"I hope that, wherever you are now, you understand just how much you meant to us and that Ryan, Aaron, Michelle, our parents, and I would do anything and everything for you. You were "special" Justin, so very special to me."

Aeryk turns around and finds an image of Ryan walking through the halls of his school with a small group of friends around him. "Ryan, God there have been days when I wish I could tell you that, out of all my brothers and sister, you were the one that I looked up to and the one I cared for the most." As the image of Ryan passes through Aeryk’s body, the world around him wavers and changes like the rippling of water and Aeryk finds himself standing in front of the recently re-developed Pacific Place Mall.

"So many people were destined to die that day. I should have been one of them. My life was destroyed, split in two. All because you wanted it that way. Your wish for a world without chaos and suffering has brought so much more than what you have created me to prevent. What gives you the right? Who are you to decide our fate?!" he demands.

"We are what you make us out to be." Aeryk hears a male voice towards the north of where he stands.

"We are the guiding wind of the human spirit." Another male voice says, this time from the east.

"We are the fires of passion, anger, hate, love..." A third male voice, from the south, says. "We are, simply..."

"You." A fourth male voice says from the west.

"That’s not possible!" Aeryk cries. "How could you be me? I would never ask for any of this!"

"Who are you?" the first male voice asks Aeryk with a hint of sarcasm. "What is the ego that is I?"

"What makes Aeryk?" the second male voice asks sagely.

"Is it the compassion and the love you hold from your friends?" the third voice inquires. "Is it the man who has stepped beyond the boundaries of death? Or is it the scared little boy inside that doesn’t want to be alone anymore."

"Why are you Aeryk?" the fourth voice asks.

"I am who I want to be." Aeryk replies thoughtfully. "I cannot be anyone else. To ask me to sacrifice myself for this cause..."

"You know it is what you must do." The first voice says sternly.

"Yes, but there must be some other way!" Aeryk pleads. "You can’t ask me to leave Brian, my friends! I don’t want to die and be forgotten."

"So you are afraid of being forgotten." The second voice whispers.

"I’m afraid of being forgotten, yes." Aeryk concedes.

"You think your loved ones would walk away from this and forget all about you?" the third voice says. "Have you no faith in them?"

"I have all the faith in the world that they’ll stand by me and fight to the end." Aeryk snaps, barely able to stand the silly interrogation.

"Then believe in them and believe that everything will work out in the end." The fourth voice says soothingly. "You must have faith or everything is lost; for you and for us."

Aeryk gets the feeling that, whoever was responsible for those voices is gone and he looks around as the picture of the shopping mall fades away. "Faith?"

Brian continues to hold Aeryk closely as he hears the steady breathing of the sleeping young man and allows a relieved smile to fall on his face. The rain outside hasn’t let up since they arrived there some time ago and doesn’t look like it will for a while yet.

Aaron and the others arrive with a nice stock of wood and other burning materials and place it on a clear section of the floor and Aaron takes the liberty of lighting the fire with a wave of his fan.

"Man this weather sucks." Aaron comments as he takes a seat in front of the fire. "’Ow’s Aeryk doing?"

"He’s asleep now." Brian replies, looking down at the slumbering face of his love. "This is so damn hard for me you guys, I’m sorry. I hope I’m not bothering you or anything."

"You’re fine Brian." Jeff says from his place before the fire. "This isn’t easy for any of us either."

The group remain silent for a time, each buried with their own thoughts until Joe says, "So this is it huh, the final temple. Any ideas on how we’re going to get the first statue away from the Blue Dragons?"

"They seem to know where we are," Jeff states. "But we don’t, so going after them won’t do anything for us. We should let them come to us."

"They’ve lost two of their own, and so have we." Brent comments to no one in particular as he jabs the fire with a metal rod. "If they decide on pulling their forces together, it should be an even match."

"So you think they’ll show up after we retrieve the last statue?" Brian asks.

"They were there after we got the third statue," Brent replies. "I have suspicions they’ll be here again."

"Then we should do what we can to prepare ourselves." Brian says officially. "If it does end up becoming all out war between us, we should at least familiarize ourselves with this place."

Brian looks around the floor level of the building, noting the carnage the earthquake has created. Large gaps are seen on the escalators, smashed in half by the massive chunks of fallen debris from the floors above. Oddly enough, the only thing that has remained in perfect condition is a towering stained glass depiction of an angel with its hands outstretched to the floors below. Rain falls from the grouping of holes in the roof and little waterfalls create a constant pattering of hollow metallic pangs or heavy wooden thumps as they make their way onto the filthy tiled floors.

"I’m not good at strategy guys, so I’m going to need your help." Brian says turning his attention back to his comrades.

"Hey guys, check this out." Joe says as he lays his scroll out on the floor for all to see. "Guess I should be bored and read this thing more often eh?"

"The floor plans of the building?" Brent inquires in awe. "How did you...never mind, stranger things have happened."

"And look," Joe points to a few locations on the map. "It looks like the thing is totally up to date. It maps out all the damage done by the earthquake and here’s a real kicker," he pulls out more of the scroll. "A side view of the building. There are tons of places where we can hide."

"I suggest you stop goofing off and head to the temple." A familiar female voice says from the flames of the fire. "The Blue Dragons are on their way here as we speak."

Brian sees Taiitsukun’s face appear in the fire and scowls. "What do you mean they’re on their way? How much longer do we have?"

"Another hour or so." Taiitsukun replies. "They’re coming in from the Pacific and have already reached the Olympic mountain range."

"But we don’t know where the temple is!" Joe cries.

"I do." Aeryk’s voice whispers, barely audibly. "Thank you Taiitsukun, we’ll be back to your castle as soon as we can."

As Taiitsukun’s face fades away Brian and the others turn to face Aeryk expectantly. "Are you up to it Aeryk?" Brian asks worriedly.

"We have to hurry." Aeryk says rising to his feet along with the others. "The temple is west a few blocks. We can figure out what we need to do once we get back here. Don’t worry," he smiles faintly. "We’ll have plenty of time if we leave now."

Date: October 10, 3021
Time: 12:07pm
Location: Temple of Byakko

The rain beats down heavily on the group as they stand outside the remains of the very building Aeryk’s family died in. Letting out a long sigh, Aeryk walks forward and watches as a large section of the rubble suddenly begins rolling away as a pair of deep blue sapphire statues of Byakko emerges from the ground below, guarding a cellar-like doorway leading into the earth.

The rest of the group slowly walks up behind Aeryk as the large, heavy wooden doors creak open. "It’s dark down there." Aaron says. "Maybe someone should stay behind and stand guard?"

"Afraid of the dark Aaron?" Brian quips.

"You shut up!" Aaron barks. "I was just thinking that anyone could easily sneak up on us, that’s all. Don’t see any torches or light down there do you?"

"I think we can manage." Aeryk says quietly as he ducks down into the temple, closely followed by Brian.

"Be careful bud," Brian warns Aeryk. "Steps look slippery from all this rain. How’re you holding up?" He gently takes Aeryk’s hand and squeezes it as the two slowly make their way down.

"I’m alright." Aeryk replies. "Just a little tired, that’s all." He hears the doorway slam shut and Aaron let out a muttered curse. "Maybe you should be holding Aaron’s hand."

"You shut up!" Aaron cries in the darkness. "Where in the ‘ell is my bloody fan?"

"Aaron wait...!" Joe cries.

"Rekka Shin’en!" There is a brilliant burst of flames and the ceiling is suddenly awash with fire as the group lets out a startled cry. "Oops, sorry." Aaron says meekly within the darkness.

"Haven’t you figured out how to control the flames yet?" Joe snaps. "You couldn’t killed us!" there is the sound of a metallic thwap. "Ow, stop that."

"Wasn’t me." Aaron says innocently.

"I think we hit level ground." Aeryk says as he cautiously taps his foot around in case there were any surprises. He closes the gap between him and Brian and rests his head on Brian’s muscular chest. "Hi."

"Hi bud." Brian wraps his arms around Aeryk’s slim body. "Kinda makes you wish we were alone huh?"

"I ‘eard that!" Aaron snickers. "And I will not be outdone, come ‘ere Joe." Joe lets out an outraged squeal as Aaron playfully grabs his wrist.

Jeff chuckles as he says, "I think I can shed some light on this, just a second." A warm globe of light illuminates the room as Jeff raises his staff high above him. "Wow, check this out...!"

The walls, ceiling, and floor are made completely of glass. Various species of sea life scurry about at the sudden intrusion of light. Jeff then notices a large crystal globe hanging in the center of the room and he directs the top of the staff towards it and gasps as the light from his staff shoots over in a beam of energy into the crystal globe. Slowly, the room is filled with a spectrum of light and Jeff cancels the spell.

"Huh, that was easy." Joe says. "Would you look at this place? It’s completely spherical and there’s even tropical fish in there!"

"It’s so beautiful." Aeryk says as he looks up and around the virtual aquarium; the rest of the group walks around and looks at the various sea life around them. "I wonder how this place got here."

"WOAH! A dolphin...!" Joe cries as he makes a mad dash over to the wall as a dolphin swims by.

"This place must be bigger than we thought." Brent comments.

"It could just be an illusion of some sorts." Jeff states, looking around. "I doubt Seattle was built on top of an underground ocean or something."

"Oy, Aeryk..." Aaron calls. "Looks like I found the statue."

Aeryk and Brian sigh as they part company and walk over to the center of the room where Aaron is standing above a cut out section of glass in the walkway. Aeryk reaches down to touch the glass but pulls his hand back as the covering slides back and a small platform rises out with the sapphire statue of Byakko on it.

"So this is it." Joe says as Aeryk takes the statue and holds it close. "What are we going to do about the statue of Genbu?"

"We’ll fight them for it, pure and simple." Brian replies darkly. "We have some advantage over them here. We have to play it for all it’s worth."

Aaron gets a funny feeling and gives the dark entry way a sidelong glance, barely catching sight of a booted foot before it fades into the darkness. "I thought so."

Aeryk lets out a startled gasp as Aaron unleashes his flames into the dark entry way and narrows his eyes as Beau, his left shoulder charred black, stumbles out into the room. "I guess I deserved that."

"What do you want?" Aaron demands forming a protective line in front of Aeryk with the others.

"I came here to ask something of the Sacred Child." Beau replies evenly. "I’m unarmed and alone. If you’re even up to snuff with your extra senses, you can tell I’m not lying."

"He’s right." Brent says, his deep voice wary. "I don’t think there’s anyone else around him. What do you want with Aeryk?"

"I can get you the statue of Genbu, but only if you promise to do one thing for me." He waits as Aeryk cautiously stands out before his guardians and nods for him to continue. "I need your protection for my brother and myself. If any of the others knew what I was up to, they’d kill us both."

"Then your brother...?" Aeryk begins.

"No," Beau shakes his head. "He doesn’t know about this. Even if he did, his life is still in danger because I’m here and not trying to kill you." He snickers ironically.

"How can we trust you?" Joe asks.

"I’m not going to waste both our time trying to think of reasons why you can or can’t." Beau says sharply. "I can only offer you this." He tosses Aeryk his flute. "Without that I’m basically powerless against you."

"Won’t they grow suspicious of you being gone so long?" Jeff asks.

"We split up once we got here." Beau replies. "But I would suggest that you hurry with a response, you never know if one of them might find this place soon."

"What do you think Aeryk?" Brian whispers. "Do you think we can trust this guy after all he did?"

"Why do you want to leave the Blue Dragons Beau?" Aeryk asks.

Beau lowers his head humbly. "After what happened to Richard, I began thinking about what this all was really about. But when I saw what Michelle did earlier," he grimaces at the memory. "No matter how much I may hate life for what it did to me, and no matter what promises Vincent gives us, it can’t be worth the amount of sacrifices that has been made."

Aeryk looks intently at Beau for any sign that he may be lying to him and finds none. "Alright Beau, we’ll help you." He boldly walks up to the other man, despite the cautioning cries from his friends, and places a hand on Beau’s unwounded shoulder. "Believe it or not I think I know where you’re coming from. I had brothers, like you, that I cared about very much. I’ll do whatever I can to make sure you both will life happily from now on, I promise you."

Despite his fear, Beau manages a smile. "Thank you Aeryk."

"Now, how about the statue?" Aeryk asks just a split moment before the ground around them begins shaking. Aeryk’s eyes widen in horror as he backs away, gazing around the room. "Make it stop," he pleads, panicked.

Brian calls out Aeryk’s name as he rushes to his side. "Aeryk, it’s okay. You’re safe." He looks around the place, then to his friends. "We probably should head out of here."

"I’ll head out before you." Beau says. "That way it’ll make it look like you guys already came here and left before I got here."

As Beau turns and takes a step to leave the temple, the walls around him suddenly begin cracking. Shards of glass begin falling onto the floor all around as streams of water begin filling the room.

"Everyone around me now!" Jeff calls out before the wall behind them explodes in razor sharp piece of glass and water washing them all, screaming, aside.

"We’ve got to get outside!" Beau calls, pointing to the door, which suddenly is blocked by massive, thorny vines. "Shit...Mark."

The water is well above knee level as Aeryk and his friends manage to gather around Jeff once more. "Beau, hurry!" Aeryk calls out. "We’ll take you with us!" Jeff begins the spell that will teleport them to safety.

"No, you go alone I’ll be fine!" Beau yells back, above the roar of the rushing water. "You’ll get the statue of Genbu, I swear. Just go!" Another section of glass falls from above and stabs Beau in the arm before a wave of water rams his head onto the opposite wall, rendering him unconscious.

"Beau!" Aeryk calls out before he and the others vanish from sight.

The water that has filled half the room begins flowing in reverse, all the glass returning to the place where it once was, leaving the temple like it once was before the thorns guarding the doorway wither away and Mark enters the room, laughing his hollow evil laugh.

Mark kneels beside the comatose body of Beau and checks the wet body for a pulse, and finds none. "Hm, looks like you’ve taken the easy way out Beau." He stands to his feet again. "It would’ve been fun watching Jen punish the traitor, but I think I’ll be nice and save your face this one time. The fearless fighter Beau battles the Sacred Child and his Guardians moments before they leave him to his watery grave." He laughs at Beau’s pale face before gently kissing his blue lips. "Too bad you weren’t anything like your brother, you always did have the better body I think." He turns to leave but pauses a moment and mutters. "Your body can rot here for all I care."

Date: October 10, 3021
Time: 2:27pm
Location: Pacific Place Mall Ruins

Aeryk leans against a wall of the ruins, his head hung between his knees. Brian can do nothing but sit back and watch his grief struck lover painfully. Jeff walks over and taps Brian on the shoulder. "No sign of them yet." He says lowly. "Brent and Aaron are posted near the doors and they’ll let us know if they sense anything okay? Why don’t you rest up a bit, you look like you can use it."

"I can’t sit around anymore Jeff." Brian says and looks down at Aeryk again. "I can’t sit around and do nothing anymore." He whispers.

"Come on." Jeff motions for Brian to follow. "He needs some time alone right now."

Brian lets out a long sigh. "I just wish none of this ever happened. I just want a normal happy life."

"Come on Brian." Jeff says again, placing a hand on Brian’s arm. "Lets just walk around for a bit. You need to be strong now." He finally says after they’re out of earshot. "I know how close things are."

"I don’t want to talk about it right now." Brian says coldly. "I just want to be with Aeryk, alone." He looks back and sees the young man is still in the same place he left him. "I need to be with him right now Jeff."

Jeff nods. "Alright Brian, but you call any of us if you need us okay? We’re here for you and Aeryk." He makes the treacherous way down to where Joe was posted, looking at the map intently.

Brian positions himself beside Aeryk and gently, but with a little force, pulls Aeryk into his arms with Aeryk’s back to his chest. Not caring if Aeryk wanted to be left alone or not, Brian rests his head on Aeryk’s and kisses it before leaning back a bit and runs his hands through Aeryk’s damp hair.

"You’re not going to tear me a new one?" Brian asks playfully and Aeryk just sighs in response. "Come on babe, you know I hate it when you give me the silent treatment."

"It just doesn’t seem like it’s worth it anymore Brian." Aeryk says dismally. "I don’t want to do this anymore."

"I know bud." Brian says soothingly, holding Aeryk a little tighter. "Lord knows how often I’ve felt like that recently. What I would give to just take you home right now and forget all about this. But we can’t, you know?"

"I know, I know." Aeryk mutters. "Brian? What would you do if this ended up being the last time we’ll see each other?"

"Huh?" Brian’s body tenses, not liking the tone in Aeryk’s voice. "What are you talking about Aeryk? Do you know something you’re not telling me?"

Date: October 10, 3021
Time: 3:44 pm
Location: Somewhere close to the Mall

The fury running through Luke’s body is like nothing he has felt before. I’m sorry Luke, but they killed your brother. He’s dead. Mark told him after they regrouped some time ago.

I’ll get them back for this Beau. Don’t worry; I’ll make them all pay! Luke clenches his teeth as he fights back the urge to roar out his anger at the world. He would make sure to have all the Guardians watch their Sacred Child suffer greatly before their eyes.

Luke stops when he senses the presence of the Guardians nearby. "I found them." He says loud enough for the rest of the Blue Dragons to hear.

"They’re here." Brent says darkly and nods to Aaron before they duck into the building out of sight. "Jeff, Joe, you better get yourselves ready." Brent warns.

Brian catches sight of the others scrambling to get to their hiding spots and gives Aeryk a curt nod. "I won’t let them Aeryk, do you hear me?"

Aeryk and Brian hide behind a pair of pillars when they hear the crackling of glass under foot and look out to see Jen, Vincent, and the others enter the building. "We know you’re here Sacred Child." Jen calls out. "Why don’t you make it easier on us all and show yourself and the statue. We promise everything will be over with soon."

"I ‘ave a better idea," Aaron’s voice resonates all around the lobby, making it difficult to pinpoint his location. "Why don’t you hand over your statue and get the ‘ell out of our lives?"

"You know we can stand here all day Child." Vincent says. "If you insist on dragging this out, by all means, sit back and do nothing. You do realize that if you don’t complete this before the planetary alignment ends, you’ll have no chance of making your dreams come true."

Danny casts a knowing smirk in Vincent’s direction. One of the privileges of being a demon is that you know everything there is to know about a human’s fears and secrets. How fortunate for him that he knows just what buttons to press with Aeryk.

"Don’t you want to see your family again?" Vincent asks. "You know that you have the power to see them again. All you need is the statue I now have in my hand." Aeryk dares to peer around the pillar and sees the sparkling emerald statue in Vincent’s hands. "How about it Aeryk? Why don’t we see who is more worthy of the power? A final battle if you will."

Vincent boldly walks across the floor and places the statue of Genbu on the broken remains of a bench and rejoins his group. "We patiently await your response."

"Don’t listen to ‘im Aeryk!" Aaron’s voice rings out.

"It could be a trap!" Joe warns.

Aeryk looks over to Brian with pleading, scared blue-green eyes. "What do I do?" he whispers.

"What choice do we have?" Brian replies, his face dark with thought. "We outnumber them, but not by much. We still don’t know what all of them are capable of."

"Then this is it. We have to fight them." Aeryk says somberly as he slowly closes his eyes painfully. "I don’t want anyone to die here Brian."

Brian gazes at his love and wishes he could reach over and pull him into his arms to comfort him. How he hates that most of their life together has been nothing but suffering, and the only way for that to end is... "No one will die Aeryk. We can beat them, I know it."

Aeryk opens his eyes and nods slowly. "Alright Vincent, you’ve got a deal!" He hears the rest of his group members suck in their breaths.

Aeryk walks out confidently with Brian at his side and makes his way down to the lobby to face the Blue Dragons, soon after Aaron, Joe, Jeff, and Brent appear at their sides.

"I’m through running away from you." Aeryk says as the kanji appears on Brian’s forehead. "We’ll stand as one against you and make sure we kick your asses straight to hell." Aaron clenches his fan tightly in his hand as Jeff prepares his staff. "No matter what you throw at us," Brent cracks his knuckles ominously and Joe watches Danny warily. "We will win." Derryk’s sword appears in his hand and Aeryk brandishes it threateningly.

"Excellent speech Child." Jen sneers as she takes out a sword that was given to her by Danny. "Lets see if you can back up your words."

The building is filled with the sounds of battling as the two powerful forces collide. Sparks fly as Aeryk and Jen clash their swords together. "You only throwing away your life Child." Jen says as she arches her blade over strike Aeryk who raises his sword to deflect the attack. "Why waste the power you possess? Join us and you can have everything you’ve ever dreamed of!"

"I won’t use the power to send this world into chaos." Aeryk jabs his sword towards Jen’s stomach.

Jen swiftly twirls out of the way before smashing her sword on Aeryk’s and sends it slamming onto the floor. She then barks out a laugh as she slashes wildly at Aeryk’s head before he quickly arches his back and watches with horror as the blade passes extremely close to his face.

Brian sends a powerful side kick into Vincent’s stomach, sending the blonde haired man sliding back into a pillar, which cracks upon impact. A blue kanji for "heart" begins glowing on Vincent’s head and the thief smirks faintly as he chuckles.

"What the...?" Brian breathes, suddenly very wary of the situation.

"You didn’t think you were the only ones with special gifts, did you?" Vincent rights himself and dusts off his shoulders. "Too bad you don’t know how to use your gifts properly."

"I’ve done alright so far." Brian replies, readying himself for anything Vincent may be planning.

Vincent slowly cups his hands to his side as a small blue ball of energy forms in the space between his hands. "Then show me how well you can handle yourself against me."

Faster than Brian could react, Vincent directs the ball of energy at his opponent before it explodes in his stomach and sends him careening across the floor.

Clutching his smoldering stomach, Brian winces as he slowly rises to his feet. "Cheap trick..." he grimaces.

"Who ever said this was a fair fight?" Vincent asks before he bolts after his weakened foe for another attack.

Luke’s ryuuseisui slashes through the air towards Aaron as he skillfully ducks out of the way, closes his fan then jabs furiously at Luke. Suddenly, the other half of Luke’s deadly weapon appears and stabs through the space between Luke and Aaron forcing the two apart again.

"I’ll make sure all of you assholes pay for killing my brother!" Luke snarls.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about." Aaron exclaims. "We didn’t kill your brother! In fact, ‘e came to us for ‘elp."

"Lies!" Luke cries, infuriated.

"’Ow can you be so bloody blind?" Aaron calls. "Beau wanted out of your little group and..."

Luke roars out as he sends both sides of his ryuuseisui slithering from side to side after Aaron who clenches his fan tightly. "Rekka Shin’en!" Flame erupt from the magical fan through Luke’s weapon and towards their owner who dives out of the way just in time.

Despite the constant rain falling through the gaping holes in the ceiling, the fire catches to wood and other burnable objects. Soon, the room is ablaze.

Like a crazed beast, Danny lowers himself to his haunches and leaps through the flames Aaron created towards Brent, his nails lengthening into razor sharp blades. The force of the impact sends Brent and Danny to the floor as they battle for control, Danny’s talons dangerously close to Brent’s throat.

"Your wife screamed and pleaded." The demon child hisses, his tongue lashing out like a snakes. "Her pain and suffering was exquisite."

"Shut up!" Brent grunts, surprised at the amount of strength within the short gangly boy above him.

"Her soul will writhe in torment for all eternity in the hell you put her in..."

"Get off him now Danny!" Joe calls, the gun in his hands aimed at the demon’s head. "Or who ever you are." He finishes uncertainly.

Danny twists his head to the side, his eyes glossy and lifeless, before he opens his mouth to let out a hoarse roar, his face becoming rapidly more haggard. It was more of an accident than anything but Joe blasted his gun at Danny who, faster than humanly possible, leaps off Brent and lands on a pillar before climbing up it backwards, never taking his eyes off Joe as he continues to hiss menacingly before he vanishes into the darkness.

"You alright Brent?" Joe asks helping the other man, with difficulty, to his feet.

"I’m good Joe, thanks." Brent replies. "This thing just keeps on getting weirder and weirder."

To further add to the destruction to the building, Mark unleashes massive thorny vines from the earth and sends them hurling in Jeff’s direction. Using the latent magic skills in him, Jeff leaps high into the air before he casts several balls of energy at the vines, incinerating them as he lands on the ground again.

Jeff smiles cockily at the frustrated Mark. "Your illusions won’t work anymore. Whatever you throw at me I can throw right back."

Mark sneers at his opponent. "Then why are you so afraid?" His eyes begin flashing a deep red color repeatedly as the space around him becomes pitch black. "I’m going to enjoy this immensely."

Tendrils of the blackness around Mark snake off and slither across the floor until they reach Jeff and wrap themselves around him. "What the hell...?" Jeff says as the shadowed image of Mark begins laughing seconds before electric energy blasts Jeff.

"Yes, scream!" Mark says his voice is thick as if undergoing pure sexual ecstasy.

Aeryk slams against the wall as Jen sneaks in a side kick and lets out a cry as the breath is knocked out of him. Using the sword to hold him steady, Aeryk clutches his stomach with his free hand. Jen chuckles as she looms above Aeryk saying, "You put up a good fight." She winces as the gash on her arm reminds her of its presence. "But you have lost Aeryk. You will hand over the remaining statues and come with us or all your friends will die."

All Aeryk can hear are the sounds of battle and knows, deep down, that there is very little he could do to ensure Brian and his friend’s safety but to plead, "Just let them go free and I’ll come."

"Of course." Jen says. "But first I want to see the statues."

Aeryk gives the woman a hate filled glare before he pulls out the statue of Byakko. Moments later, a red ball of energy appears before it forms into the statue of Suzaku then a white ball of energy appears to form into the statue of Seiryuu. "You have what you want, now let them go!"

Danny appears behind Aeryk and steals the sword away from him, laughing. "I never thought you would go so easily Child." The demon boy says, herding Aeryk down with Derryk’s sword.

"Aeryk!" Brian calls, seeing Jen and Danny holding Aeryk captive out of the corner of his eyes. "Let him go you bitch!"

"Ah-ah, we made a deal." Jen announces, shaking her finger sardonically. "He’s ours now."

Vincent backs off to join Jen and Danny as Mark cancels the spell he cast on Jeff then laughs as he walks off. Luke glares hatefully at Aaron before he goes back to meet his group.

The remaining F.Y. Officers regroup and face off with the Blue Dragons as they stand before them snickering in triumph. "You’ve lost." Jen begins. "Soon the planets will align and the true master of this world will arise and bless us all with his glory!"

Aeryk exchanges an agonized look with Brian before Luke’s ryuuseisui clips in on the side of his head, knocking him to the ground unconscious. The Blue Dragons laugh out uproariously as Brian storms forward, stopped only by Aaron and Brent’s efforts.

"Don’t worry Brian, we’ll get ‘im back." Aaron says through clenched teeth. "We’ll find a way. I promise."

A blue light envelops the Blue Dragons as they fade away from sight, by Danny’s magic, before Brian lets out a snarl and slams his fist onto the ruined tiled floor. "God damn it!"

"We’ll get him back Brian. I promise." Joe says softly, standing next to his friend. "Right now we need to get back to New D.C. and contact Derryk."

"What can he do now?" Brian says bitterly, rising to his feet. "What can any of us do now? We lost!"

"Maybe we should discuss this outside!" Jeff exclaims, motioning to the fire around them as they spread quickly, eating away at everything it comes across.

After a quick, yet cautious, maneuver through the flames, Jeff and the others exit the building just before it succumbs to the flames that have eaten away at it’s tired old body. The dust settles quickly in the wet, heavy air and Brian stands looking at the location where he failed to protect the one thing he vowed he would never lose.

Rain drips from his soaked head as Brian asks darkly, "What now genius?" he turns haunted brown eyes to Joe. "What is there left for us to do?"

"The only thing left," A familiar gravely voice says from behind the group. "Find Aeryk and save the world before it’s too late."

"Taiitsukun..." Aaron gasps, more shocked by the ghastly face than the sudden appearance of the strange woman.

"How can we find Aeryk if we don’t even know where to look?" Jeff asks.

"It’s always best to start at the beginning." Taiitsukun says sagely.

"Beginning of what?" Brian snaps irritably. "I’m not in the mood for your games old woman!"

"Think about it!" Taiitsukun cries. "Where has all of this begun? Where has all your lives changed?" she gives each member a meaningful glance, pausing as she reaches Brian. "Where has his life begun after it was destroyed?"

"New D.C.?" Joe asks. "But why would they take him there?"

"That is where the Temple will appear." Taiitsukun replies. "The Guardian of the Star knew this and has made preparations to delay the Summoning as long as possible."

"Then he knew Aeryk would...?" Brian says.

"No." Taiitsukun says sharply, knowing of Brian’s animosity towards Derryk. "Forces beyond my own have alerted the Guardian of the Star of this."

"How are we going to get to New D.C. in time?" Joe asks.

"Jeff can help you there." Taiitsukun replies, turning to Jeff and nods.

"But I’m still a little iffy about this." Jeff says nervously. "I’ve never teleported over great distances..."

"You don’t have a choice!" Brian cries. "We have to get back to New D.C. and find Aeryk before it’s too late!"

Jeff nods solemnly at Brian. "Okay, I’ll try. Taiitsukun, how much time do we have until the planets align?"

"Only a couple more hours." Taiitsukun says somberly. "You had better hurry Guardians. If the Blue Dragon’s mange to release their God into this world..." she shakes her head. "Just hurry."

Jeff gives Taiitsukun a quick nod as Brian, Aaron, Jeff, and Brent surround him and wait expectantly. Jeff concentrates, as he looks deep within himself for the power that was once latent, the power to save Aeryk. The power to possibly right the wrongs he has done in the past. The power to stop the evil fighting to release itself to this world.

A soft, warm golden light surrounds Jeff and the others as the spell wraps itself around the Guardians before it whisks them from Seattle, across the country like a comet.

Suddenly, the buildings around Seattle begin to rumble and collapse to the ground as the magic that has once held it up begins to fade away. Taiitsukun, knowing she will not come to any harm, watches with a pain-filled heart as the city where the bringer of a better future for humanity was born.

Taiitsukun never understood why so many had to die and so many more were left to suffer for the sake of the world. Before now, she never gave a second though about the will of the Four Gods but after meeting Aeryk and not only seeing, but almost feeling, the pain he has been through Taiitsukun found herself doubting her Gods for the first time in her very long life.

Looking into the gray skies, Taiitsukun sends out a silent prayer for Aeryk and his friends wishing them success and a happy eternity together.

Date: October 10, 3021
Time: 9:00 pm
Location: F.Y. Police Headquarters

Derryk looks out the window of his office, as the sky above is suddenly heavy with black clouds, not the dark gray of thunderclouds, but pure oil-black clouds. There is no wind, but there is a definite chill in the air as magic as old as time collides together to create the Temple in which the creators of the world will be called forth.

The Chief grimaces as the Temple of the Four Gods appears at last with its pure white pillars holding up a massive domed ceiling, four equal sections painted in green, yellow, red, and blue, with a large circle of crystal at its top. There are no walls but an all but worthless set of marble steps lead into the temple which is hovering several stories above the streets of New D.C.

Some late night workers look out of their office windows in shock when this strange apparition appears just outside their building. Whole city blocks are jammed as people in their cars stop, some so suddenly accidents are caused but none seem to care. Seemingly within minutes, most of New D.C. is outside staring at the temple in awe unaware of what is about to happen to their once quiet city.

"So the time is almost upon us." Derryk says to himself as a portion of the black clouds dissipate allowing the full moon to shine through the crystal section of the dome, illuminating the Temple in a strange prismatic light. "Aeryk, where are you?"

Derryk’s door slams open and Brian thunders into the room. "Aeryk has been taken by the Blue Dragons!" he announces.

Derryk sucks in a startled breath. "But how...!" he shakes his head. "That doesn’t matter. Where are they now?"

Brian spies a blue light glowing from within the Temple and points. "They’re in the temple."

Derryk lets out a curse and falls heavily onto his chair. "How could this have happened?"

"We fought the best we could Chief." Jeff says, leading the rest of the group inside. "We have to face them inside the temple before the planets align or it will be too late."

Derryk shakes his head. "It’s easier said than done. What you all see before you is the door way into the alternate universe where the true temple exists. If evil steps within the door, all hell will break loose!"

"Then what are we sitting around ‘ere for?" Aaron demands. "Lets go kick some ass!"

Derryk nods. Now wasn’t the time to sit about and plan. Time was running out and the very man he loves more than life itself was about to be put in life threatening danger. "Very well. I’m sorry, but this is a battle that I am not meant to fight in. Brian, you know what you have to do. Bring Aeryk back to us."

Brian nods and turns to the others. "Alright Jeff. Take us to the Temple."

Jeff nods. Soon the room is filled with a golden light and in a matter of seconds, Derryk is left in his office alone again before he picks up the phone and presses a button. "It’s me..." he pauses, filling the room with a heavy silence before he finishes. "It’s time."

Continued in Part 23

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