Revised : 2nd September, 2009

Sorry if you're really bothered as I revised all of the chapters. But you see, some problems had occurred in the progress of this story. I changed my beta (not really a reason, I know. T.T But somehow it also effected...) Moreover few days ago the viruses in my computer had erased some important documents that keep all details of this fic, so I have to make changes for few parts since I'm not sure anymore on how I could continue this without the original scenarios that gone. I hope you all would like to understand, I'm doing my best to make the flow here becomes as smooth as it can. I can't promise about the fast update from now (-blaming the school-), but I make a promise to myself to finish this story for you all.

For just a small notice; this chapter is previously beta-ed by Contravene431 but I revised this again. I apologize if you found some...stupid grammatical mistakes later.

Thank you for reading this long AN. Now, lets see on the new chapters! Happy reading to you all, as always!

End of Dream
by Shakuya

Chapter 1

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In our lives, how can we know when we're dreaming or when we're in the real life?
Do dreams always end once we wake up?
--Shakuya

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"Heika!! Please stop using your powers now! There is still a limit to your powers! Heika, please!!!" Gunter's voice rang in the air, but the youth whom he addressed just ignored him.

Yuuri himself was using his maryoku to defend his friends behind with a huge, yet invisible water barrier around him. It curved to stop the attacking houjutsu arrows from coming. While as the winds still whirled strongly--almost like a storm raged there. Others couldn't reach him as they stood at the end of the wooden pavement of the harbor. Yuuri didn't allow them to get even just one step closer. He didn't want them to.

Somehow, his kindness was just a way too much to behave by other people. Trying to bet his own life line for protecting them--it was too much kind.

Now that Yuuri was skilled in controlling over his power, he didn't have to change his form into the Maou's. He still conscious with his own body, eyes round still with desire to protect glinted on the pure orbs.

Gritting teeth, he waged his hand up in the air. The water barrier around him doubled in its size, became stronger and stronger as the arrows' numbers that attacked also increased. This game would be won by me, silently Yuuri sworn to himself.

'--...Yeah, kill them already... they attacked your friends before, so now kill them already...--'

Yuuri flinched a bit as the unfamiliar raging emotion filled his mind, almost like controlling of his movement now on.

'That voice...'

Yuuri shook his head and ignored all things again. The concentration must be all put in this barrier, he thought.

He, himself knew he looked weird to everyone by desired so much to just erase those strong threats away from his people, to his friends, to his kingdom. He just let that emotion controlled over, because he knew, he knew, it would lead him to protect his friends.

Right?

Besides, Yuuri could never let it happen again, never to let his friends hurt again. It's enough to have witnessed Conrad losing his arm, and to bear Wolfram's pain, to see even Gunter and Gwendal and Yozak hurt, to see... much more that await later if he didn't do anything. It was enough to see everyone hurt to protecting him. It hurt him, too, to see all of that. It traumatized him to see all his friends covered with blood.

.

.

Meanwhile, Conrad still battled to reach his master. Not this time, it seems. He can only supported himself with his sword, bowing to fight against the strong whirling winds. A few steps beside him, Yozak did the same. Sometimes as they covered their eyes with arms from the flying dusts, their gazes met and each of those different colored orbs glinted in silent message to each other.

This time it's different.

The neither advisers nor other soldiers were all barring themselves against the wind, either with swords or their hands. It was difficult. But they held on with their swords stabbed into the might-be unsteady earth--if later Yuuri still in that state and wanted to even use his other elements.

None of those people's thought were on their enemies anymore. The Maou was their only concern--after all he was the one who should always, yes, always prioritized to be in number one.

The wind was a minor endeavor in comparison to what they were feeling inside. They also knew that the winds were not there to do them any harm, but to protect them and to heal all injuries. Yuuri had no intention of hurting anyone.

.

Suddenly the winds' aura then changed. It tightened, and glowed with a pale blue hue. There was also a hurtful pressure from it--made the people's concern became even greater since it was clearly from Yuuri's body.

Truthfully, the element was hurting Yuuri himself, as he kept forcing his left power to go on, go, go, and go. And now, not only he was losing control over it, but there was too much to handle. His elements need to be replenished, and his weakened body could not support it completely.

The energy left was from his...soul.

When their enemies weakened from their continuous attacks, Yuuri's head begun to spun. His energy was draining. He used a little more power than he intended to let go. But his being stubborn prevailed. He used more power to spread a healing maryoku. He ignored the pleas of his advisers and didn't let go of his barrier.

Yuuri grabbed his stomatch, feeling it was like had been stabbed all over again.

"YUURI!!" There came a new voice--rang in his head as it made him felt confused even more. As effect, the barrier shook mildly.

'It's him...'

The King turned his now; expressionless face, to the source of that voice.

'Conrad...' He saw of Conrad's figure. Conrad's eyes though his vision already begun to blur even more. It showed a concern, which as long as Yuuri could remember--never showed towards him.

"Yuuri, please. You don't have to push yourself too much." Conrad's worried tone was carried through the lashing winds into Yuuri's deepest, previously untouched depth of mind. The cold sound that was there before suddenly just had gone by Conrad's emotion touch.

'Conrad...'

"Nobody wants to see you hurt. Do you want everyone to be sad?"

Yuuri's blank face slowly begun to gather of its usual shine, as there was a little expression of tired.

The barrier weakened again.

"It's enough, Yuuri. We can go home now. Everyone is safe. Nobody's hurt, you don't have to even use your healing maryoku around." Conrad's gentle voice pleaded.

The barrier weakened further...

The winds whirled to a stop. The atmosphere silenced as the others slowly rose from their bowed positions.

Yuuri's frail figure was still standing there at edge of the harbor, his eyes half closed and the tiredness showed clearer than before. For a sec after he scanned the surrounding, Conrad saw from the corner of his eyes that all the attackers were down. Gwendal's soldiers quickly moved with their boats to reach the opposing party.

'Gwendal can take care of everything,' Without can be stopped, a silent sigh escaped from his mouth before then he rolled his cinnamon eyes back to see of his Master again.

Eyes wide with shock, Conrad found that Yuuri was still awake after using much magic. That was completely strange.

How? He was still conscious after all this time and continued to stand?

Yuuri suddenly opened his eyes again, his expression was in hurt as he bowed his body. One his hand grabbed the blue pedandt that was on his chest, while one other clamped of his mouth.

Violent coughs heard.

Everyone gasped...as red liquid begun to flow from the tip of his fingers.

.

.

Havoc let loose. The nobles were all running towards him, shouting their disbelief and worry.

Conrad got to Yuuri first. He secured the half-fainted youth within his embrace. He knelt, eyes rolled again to scan the King. For once he really didn't know what to do as those black orbs finally closed by its lids. Tired.

The soldier's eyes no longer showed warmth. Panic. Upon seeing all the blood coming out from Yuuri, all those masks of Conrad Weller slipped off. He didn't care if everyone saw heavy concerned expression. He could barely hear the voices and the questions around him. He didn't care.

Conrad could only feel the cold sting of fear.

Sitting at the edge of the Royal Bed, Wolfram held his fiance's cold and clammy hand tightly with his. He didn't listen to Gisela, whom explaining of his hypothesis at the other side of the bed with all advisers still listened too.

He simply just...wanted to be close to Yuuri as much as he could.

"...Until now, the best thing that concluded by myself and Geika is... just to let Heika to rest and recover, while we will help him as much as we can do." The royal healer said, finishing of his diagnosis with a small sigh followed. Wolfram only heard that sentence, while he just tighter his hold on Yuuri's hand.

No matter how he plead inside, it still feels cold...

Voices of small discussion heard again in that room, before as the blonde prince still kept in his position - Wolfram heard the footsteps and small greets from the other. They were all retreating back to their jobs, though it was just the same as 'enjoying' the gloominess that would always happen in the castle. In the country. If Yuuri ended his consciousness from a fight like this.

.

A soft tap on his shoulder woke him up from his stance. Wolfram saw Conrad's calm (fake) face stared back at him as their gazes met in the air. Rare, it seemed, as Wolfram himself didn't glare once he saw of his elder brother.

"Wolfram, it's been a tiring day, and it's very late now. You should go sleep," Conrad spoke with his gentlest tone, his hand laid on his younger brother's shoulder.

Bewildered, Wolfram turned his face back to the sleeping king on the bed, "I-I... I cannot leave Yuuri. H-he was still...," he trailed off, not wanting to finish his sentence and hear the finality behind it. Unbeknown to Wolfram, as he replied, Conrad slipped his calm mask

"I know, Wolfram. But I also know that you must be really tired. Just sleep, okay? I'm sure that Yuuri will be better soon." Shifting his eyes to Yuuri, Conrad tried to break the stubbornness of the blond.

This time Wolfram's real stubborn was awoken in his tone, "But I am his fiance! I have to stay here. I have to beside him!" His emerald eyes sharpened, though it still clearly looked determined and scared.

Conrad sighed. "But if you don't rest, you'll get yourself sick as well. You don't want to make Yuuri worry if he wakes up, right? He'll...think it's his fault."

Wolfram's stubbornness finally broke.

He slowly let go of Yuuri's hand. Standing slowly, he looked at his fiancé one more time, before turning on his heels and walked out the room. Conrad knew, sometimes his brother was stealing last glances in his way.

.

Once the door closed behind Wolfram, Conrad's gaze moved again to Yuuri's lifeless body.

Slipping off of his calm mask, he stared in concern. Yuuri looked so...thin and frail in comparison with the bed's size, yet with the thick blankets around - which placed in order to keep his temperature still.

Conrad took a few steps towards the place where Wolfram before was. Slowly he sat on the edge of that bed's mattress, not daring to do anything cause his master to wake, before with his whole will Conrad reached a hand out.

His rough fingers from wielding blade in such a long time, touched the pale cheek in affection. The man caressed that smooth skin under his, eyes glinted in sadness. Somehow he did, yes, he did afraid if he would just hurt the boy by only touching him like this... he was just so frail at all.

Won't you open your eyes, Yuuri...?

Eyes fluttered to open.

Pair of unfocused onyx eyes stared to the cloth of the royal bed's roof. The color was like black, as then he noticed the only source of light was from the moon, outside. Rolling his eyes to the side, he saw of those silver glows; trough the glass of the windows, creating silhouettes of its frame on the marble floor. While outside, the view of night town within the dark sky - glittering with stars also pulled of his attention.

Subconsciously, a small smile curved at his lips.

But then, his eyes left the beautiful sight before it landed the gaze upon a sight of seating figure on the chair. The form's head half bowed, arms crossed as soft, really soft snores heard.

Asleep?

He tried to call out. Immediately. In his dream before, he thought he would lose of this person...now he had to reassured himself.

Parting his lips, he took a heavy breath - as then it just hurt his lungs more.

"...Con...rad..."

'You're too weak.'

A voice spoke.

"...Wha--?"

Violent headache suddenly attacked him. Grabbing his head with both hands, Yuuri laid back down on the bed. His head spun and his vision blurred. He closed his eyes tightly to escape the confusion.

'...now you have to let him go...'

'...let him go...'

'...let him go...'

"STOP IT!!" He exclaimed in top of his aching lungs, though there wasn't any strong voice let out.

Images flashed quickly in his mind. It was too quick for him to comprehend anything of what he has seen behind closed eyes.

Softly, he whispered in pain, "What are those?"

Whimpering, Yuuri's body curled to a fetal position. One of his hands clenched the sheets.

Then the pain was gone. His body jerked and he collapsed on the bed again.

"Good boy...now go, go, go away from the castle...escape from him who had disappointed you...left him like how he had left you...escape from this all...and don't say good bye..."

He grabbed the dusty brown cloak and wore it, before then he also picked up of his ordinary sword from hidden place of the castle. Hearing that voice...he jumped to the frame of his chamber's window.

His black eyes rolled for the last time, subconsciously it wanted to see of the sleeping figure beside of his bed. Glint of sadness slightly showed there.

Before he leaped into the air, fled into the night without direction...to go away.

.

.

How can we know when we're dreaming or when we're in the real life?

.

Do dreams always end once we wake up?