EDIT: 2/25/14

Not much to report on this new edit. I didn't change much, but I made the lyrics bold and italicized. Not sure if they're too bold now, or what, but I thought it'd help differentiate them from the story. I also changed some sentences, but yeah, not much to report on this.

Disclaimer: I do not own Odin Sphere or the musical Jekyll and Hyde

Gwendolyn flew over the dark, smokey walls of Ringford Forest's remains. The forest was almost completely burned and the heat and the smoke made it difficult for her to breathe - let alone fly.

I don't know if I can keep flying through this smoke, Gwendolyn thought to herself, wiping a bead of sweat forming on her brow. She squinted her eyes through the fog stinging her eyes. Once she lowered herself to the ground she tucked her wings under her armor, landing on debris and ash.

The air around her was saturated in smoke and the fire didn't look like it was going to stop. It was like the very world itself was burning. Walking a few paces forward, she laid eyes on a Vulcan soldier. Vulcan soldiers were tall, fiery women who only served on man. King Onyx of the Volkenon Pit.

Gwendolyn approached the fiery women with her spear in front of her defensively. The Vulcans recognized her and one of them spoke.

"Hey, you're -"

"Vulcans! Do not attack!"

Beyond the crackling earth, a tall tanned man with white hair and heavy leg armor approached her. As the Vulcans obeyed their commands, The Inferno King walked closer, debris crackling under his heavy legs. Upon arriving a few steps away from Gwendolyn a low chuckle emitted from his chest.

"There you are, Gwendolyn."

"King Onyx."

Onyx smiled wryly and closed the gap between them with a few small steps. He gently used his index finger to lift up her chin to match his gaze. He gazed into her dark, cerulean blue eyes before using his thumb to wipe away some soot off her face.

Gwendolyn felt her body go rigid at his touch. Though he was touching her softly, his hands were too rough. She then jerked away from him and touched her cheek where his thumb brushed her skin. Onyx knew full well why she turned away.

An awkward moment of silence passed between the two as Onyx silently waved away his Vulcan soldiers. Onyx sighed to himself as he stared at Gwendolyn, her hand still on her cheek. Did he hurt her?

"Fire is beautiful." Onyx said, breaking the silence. "Don't you think so Gwendolyn?"

No answer. He continued.

"Fire is, in an essence, the very source of all living things. It's a beautiful light that guides and warms the soul when you have nowhere to go or nothing left. I believe fire is in its purest and simplest form when you can see it in a soul.

Onyx broke his reverie to walk in front of Gwendolyn, making sure she was paying attention.

"Like you, Gwendolyn." He continued, smiling when she looked at him. "I see the passion that burns in your soul's fire. It's a beautiful flame, your soul. I doubt your fool of a "husband" can see what I see in you."

He paused, gazing back into her eyes. Reaching his hand out to her face, but stopped at remembering her reaction to their last contact. He shook his head when he noticed her eyes widened.

"Your fire is what keeps my flame of life burning."

Gwendolyn wiped away a few free tears from her eyes. The smoke was getting to her, and she coughed trying to clear her throat. She was very uncomfortable having Onyx talk to her about her husband, Oswald like that. She had hoped to walk away from Onyx, and find Oswald to make sure he was alright until Onyx intervened.

"Oh, don't tell me you're planning to leave now." Onyx chuckled as he saw her take a step. "You do realize I, the Inferno King can keep you safe in this burning hell."

Gwendolyn stayed silent.

"How can your husband - Death's slave - keep you safe during the ending of the world?" He paused then almost pleaded. "Stay here with me, Gwendolyn!"

Gwendolyn's shoulders shook, her grip on her spear tightening. She turned back to Onyx, voice raspy from the smoke.

"I don't need you to protect me!" She turned her back to him again. "All I need is Oswald."

Suddenly, Onyx lashed his hard, rough hand on to her shoulder. The result almost instantaneous, she shuddered a chill running down her spine. Even though he was the Inferno King his touch was as cold as ice.

I feel your fingers, cold on my shoulders
Your chilling touch, as it runs down my spine

Onyx slowly moved his rough hands down her shoulders. Gwendolyn let out a breath she never realized she was holding at his touch. She felt his hands make slight cuts as they slid down her arms. Once his hands reached her wrists, Onyx's left arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her against his body. Gwendolyn let out a small gasp of surprise and stared into his eyes.

Watching your eyes as they invade my soul
Forbidden pleasures, I'm afraid to make mine

Onyx's right hand stopped its journey back up her arms to trail back down to her right hand intertwining their fingers, forcing her to drop her spear. Onyx then raised their hands, Gwendolyn's hand touching his face. Onyx sighed at her smooth touch, and boldly put his lips to her ashy palm.

"Why did you choose that corpse over me, Gwendolyn?"

At the touch of your hand, at the sound of your voice
At the moment your eyes meet mine

Gwendolyn coughed lightly once more as if to clear her throat.

"I love Oswald, King Onyx. He treats me as something more than an object." Onyx's grip around her waist to tightened when he heard her say "object", causing her breath to hitch as her heartbeat started racing.

I am out of my mind, I am out of control
Full of feelings I can't define

Gwendolyn getting nervous, tried to pry Onyx's arm from her waist, but his grip was firm, unmoving.

"That very well may be." Onyx stated, lowering his lips to the shell of her ear whispering.

"Either way, I'm not letting you run away from me again."

Onyx then manipulated their intertwined hands to outstretch before them. Onyx then unwound his fingers out of the grip. Gwendolyn reflexively brought her hand to her chest.

After a moment, a large bright fire sparked and engulfed his jumped at the spark, making him chuckle.

"This is my soul's fire, Gwendolyn." Onyx said. "This is my soul's passion, burning brightly because of you being here." Despite of himself, Onyx reached for her right hand once more.

Gwendolyn flinched as she felt Onyx's hand hold her own. Instead of a burning her, it was warm. A warm, uplifting sensation ran into her hand relaxing her beating heart. A few moments passed that seemed to last forever. Quickly realizing what was happening she pulled her hand away from his own. The flame around Onyx's hand then went out as if blowing out a candle.

It's a sin with no name, like a hand over flame
And our senses proclaim, it's a dangerous game

Onyx then loosened his grip on her waist, Gwendolyn took full advantage to run away. After running a few feet a giant wall of fire interrupted her escape. Gwendolyn tried to run in another direction, trying to get enough ground to fly, but another wall interrupted her plight once more.

She glanced back at Onyx. He had Gwendolyn's psypher under his foot and he nodded to a few Vulcan soldiers who had trapped the monster and his bird in their fiery cage.

A darker dream, that has no ending
That's so unreal, you believe that it's true

Gwendolyn was getting scared again. Would she die here? Die without seeing Oswald again? Die without telling him she loved him? She turned back around to Onyx, arms crossed and smiling smugly at her.

"You can't escape, Gwendolyn." Onyx bent over and picked up her psypher.

To Onyx's surprise, Gwendolyn flew at Onyx grabbing her psypher. Onyx's concentration broke for a minute at her rage, but his grip was firm, making her to fall to her knees in frustration hanging from her psypher. Onyx then shoved her, causing her to lose her grip of her spear, falling over onto her back. Gwendolyn sat up right away her beautiful silver hair falling from her bun, hair dirty from the leaves and ash.

A dance of death out of a mystery tale
The frightened princess doesn't know what to do

"Even when you are covered in debris and ash you are still beautiful." Onyx mused.

Gwendolyn huffed and opened her mouth to speak but Onyx pointed her psypher's blue crystal at her neck. She closed her mouth and stared into Onyx's cold, hard eyes. The flames reflected in them revealed a thin veil of jealousy, passion, and...lust?

"Gwendolyn, be my wife."

Gwendolyn coldly stared back.

"You shall not frighten me King Onyx." She said. "Valkyrie do not fear death for we welcome it."

"Then why is your voice shaking?" Onyx smiled.

Gwendolyn closed her eyes tightly and shook her head. No, she couldn't let him see her fear.

"My answer is no."

Onyx took a deep breath then slammed her psypher deeply into the ground, letting out a scream of anger. Anger that seemed to be rooted deep within his soul. Gwendolyn took the chance to stand, but froze when he spoke.

"Why?" he asked softly, voice slightly drained from his scream.

"I already answered that, King Onyx."

"Is or should I say was? Was Oswald the only person in your life whom you wanted love from?"

Gwendolyn thought about his question. She recalled back to when her mother died. Her mother was the only one who loved her back then. Then she was left alone to fight for her Father's affection over her sister.

Suddenly, the fire ring around her and Onyx changed to smoke, Gwendolyn coughed and her eyes started to water. After a moment, Gwendolyn's eyes adjusted to the smoke, and three dark figures surrounded her.

One of the shadows took the form of a large man with even larger arms. Another took the form of another man with heavy armor. Finally, a women's figure in a dress formed before her, strikingly similar to Gwendolyn herself.

"Were these people you wanted affection from?"

Gwendolyn turned around trying to find out where Onyx was, but her view was blocked by the shadowy form of Odin, her father. Gwendolyn then turned back around to look at the other figures. the other man upon closer inspection turned out to be Oswald, her husband. Then was the other figure her, or was it?

"Mom?" She asked the figure.

The shadow form of her mother just stared, Gwendolyn felt like she was looking at herself through a smokey mirror. Suddenly, the figures started swirling around her causing a dark haze to surround her.

Will the ghosts go away? No...
Will she will them to stay? No...
Either way there's no way to win. No...

When she opened her eyes, the figures were gone though her eyesight was a little blurry. Blinking and rubbing her eyes to clear her vision. Onyx's footsteps were heard not far away.

All I know is I'm lost. No...
And I'm counting the cost. No...
My emotions are in a spin. No...

"Gwend-"

Onyx was stopped by her beating hands on his broad chest. Beating him harder and harder the more he tried to pull her hands away.

"Stop it!" Gwendolyn protested, voice cracking. She then tried kicking his legs, to no avail because of his leg armor. Their struggle lasted for a few moments before he finally grabbed hold of her wrists.

"You stop!" Onyx bellowed.

"No! Please just leave me alone! I don't love you!"

"It's useless Gwendolyn! I'm not letting go, and no one is going to rescue you!"

"Oswald will!" Gwendolyn squirmed. Her answers made him tighten his grip on her wrists, lifting her off the ground.

"You're hurting me!"

Onyx made a look as if to say, you're the one hurting me, but kept his mouth shut. Squeezing her wrists tighter, Gwendolyn screamed in pain as blood dripped down her arms.

"He's saving me!" Gwendolyn shouted.

"He is not!" Onyx argued.

I don't know who's to blame
It's a crime and a shame
But it's true all the same
It's a dangerous game

"He's not here." Onyx continued. "He's probably dead. How can anyone but me survive in this kind of place?"

Onyx could see Gwendolyn's eyes soften into a dark despair, her already bloodshot eyes producing more tears. He set her down gently, her bloody hands reaching for her face. Upon noticing the blood she ripped a cloth of her already ragged dress and used it to wipe her eyes.

No one speaks
Not one word
But what words are in our eyes?

Neither of them spoke as Gwendolyn wiped away her tears. After finishing, she used the rest of the cloth to wipe the blood off of her hands and arms. Onyx slowly walked around the ash as he watched her. She's so beautiful, he thought, even when she cries. As if she could hear his thoughts, Gwendolyn stared at Onyx, her dark blue eyes no longer in despair, but anger. Onyx smugly smiled at her and stared into them. Moments passed as if they were talking to each other telepathically. He could feel his heart beat faster anxiously as he stared at her. Not knowing what she was thinking, yet understanding perfectly.

Silence speaks loud and clear
All the words we (don't) want to hear

Without thought Onyx reached for Gwendolyn's hand once more, causing her to shudder and flinch, surprised.

At the touch of your hand, at the sound of your voice
At the moment your eyes meet mine
I am out of my mind, I am out of control
Fighting feelings I can't define

Gwendolyn tried to pull away. Onyx then gently pulled her close and she resisted, but he still had almost all of his strength and she was feeling weak.

"Let go-" Gwendolyn started again until she was interrupted by Onyx's mouth. Her eyes widened as his tongue explored every corner of her mouth. He groaned into the kiss holding her tightly. Gwendolyn whimpered and tried to push herself away.

When Onyx finally pulled away from Gwendolyn, she mustered enough strength to push him away. Taking a few steps back, Onyx let her run to her psypher still stuck in the ground. She grabbed her psypher trying to yank it out. He had slammed her psypher deep past the blue crystal. She cursed aloud as she tried to pull it out. It was smart of Onyx, he knew she couldn't leave without it.

Onyx slowly walked towards Gwendolyn, confident she wasn't going anywhere.

"You have no idea how much I've wanted to kiss you, Gwendolyn." Onyx smiled.

"I don't care!" Gwendolyn yelled as if Onyx's interaction gave her a spark of energy, allowing her to pull her psypher from the ground. Onyx stopped in his tracks as Gwendolyn then pointed her weapon at him.

"I will end your life here in your own self-created fiery hell!"

Onyx laughed, mockingly, almost maniacally. His boisterous laughter silenced out the crackling of the earth around him. He slowly composed himself then stared at Gwendolyn.

"I'm going to show you my true form."

Disregarding his words Gwendolyn charged at him with her spear.

He closed his eyes and raised a now flaming fist in front of his face. He slowly crouched over as a white light surrounded his body. She tried to attack him, but a small explosion made her fall back.

Fire, fury, and flame
For the devil's to blame

Onyx was now, a behemoth, a large beast that seemed to be covered in molten lava. With large teeth and four horns surrounding his face. His grey eyes were now a fiery yellow, the monster had to lean on one of it's fists to support it's massive upper body. Gwendolyn's mouth dropped open at the sight of Onyx's true form.

"Is this who you really are!?" She shouted, her voice increasing a few notches in volume.

The monster's eyes seemed to soften.

"Do I frighten you?"

Gwendolyn just stared, staying silent, eyes wide with fear.

"I didn't want you to see me like this." Onyx said, his voice now gruffer and slightly deeper. "Though I may look like this, I am not so much as a monster than your husband - or you for that matter!"

"Don't talk about Oswald like that!" Gwendolyn protested. She didn't care if he talked about her like that, she just didn't want him to say anything about Oswald.

"I will talk about him like that because it's true! You yourself have killed many souls just like him!"

Gwendolyn lowered her head. She already knew that.

"Now, with your sins on your back and their blood on your hands you caress the neck of that dead swordsman!" Onyx leaned back on his rear legs, fire and lava welling into his fists. "You are no longer pure!"

Gwendolyn adjusted the spear in her hands and lunged at Onyx. Taking him by surprise by her speed. He couldn't block. Onyx took about three jabs into his stomach, before leaning back and shooting fireballs into the air, causing a mini meteor shower to befall the land.

He didn't see Gwendolyn until she dived into his back from above. He roared in pain as her psypher plunged into his back. With his massive arms he managed to swat her away sending her flying onto the ground.

Battle raged on between the two before either one could hardly stand. Gwendolyn covered in ash, her skin burned and her long beautiful hair singed.

"It's over, Onyx." Gwendolyn said, breathing hard. "Your blood will be the last stain on my hands."

Onyx's eyes contracted as a snarl emitted from his chest, developing into a growl, then finally a loud roar. He clenched his fists as his body began to glow with fire. Gwendolyn knew something was about to happen. Turning her back to him to fly away, a large fire enveloped her before she could.

When the smoke cleared, Onyx had returned back to his human form, in order to save his energy. Though alive, he was badly hurt. Bleeding from both his back and his side. Slowly lifting his head to look around, he didn't see Gwendolyn.

Slowly beginning to stand, Onyx looked around a little more.

"Are you alright?"

The voice made him jump, flinching in pain. He then turned the best he could noticing the voice came from one of his own Vulcan soldiers.

"She's over there." a Vulcan soldier said, pointing to a clump of dull silvery hair and a multitude of blue feathers.

No...

We better leave, sir." a Vulcan said. "The ocean is approaching fast."

"No..." Onyx said, slowly standing up. "Leave if you wish." He faced Gwendolyn's body. "I will remain here."

"Sir!" a Vulcan protested.

Having enough of their disobedience, Onyx barked his next orders.

"Just go! Get out of my sight!"

Reluctantly, the Vulcans backed away and flew off into the distance. After they left, he slowly trudged towards Gwendolyn's dead body lying lifelessly. She lied there on her back, legs sprawled. Her leg armor was covered in ash, while her thighs underneath her skirt were burned.

From her waist up, Onyx let out an exasperated breath of horror. From her left shoulder up to her cheek, was burned. It seemed as if the burns were splatter painted onto her light skin.

He collapsed on one knee beside her. Reaching his hand out to Gwendolyn's head, lifting her up, and wrapped his other hand around her waist.

"What have I done?" Onyx asked her. He lowered his head, tears escaping his eyes. "I always turn my most valuable treasure into ashes."

He brought his hand away from Gwendolyn's head to wipe away a few tears.

"Gwendolyn, my soul's fire has been snuffed out by my tears. I have nothing left."

Onyx adjusted Gwendolyn's head, raising her up higher to him.

"I no longer have the passion I burned with so frequently before."

Reaching for her hand, he tried to summon his heart's fire once more, but nothing appeared. Crying and dropping her hand Onyx held her close to him, kissing the tender burns on her face.

"It'll be alright." Onyx soothed, running his rough hand through her tangled, singed hair. "You will always be with me. You belong to me now, and I will never let you go."

And the angels proclaim
It's a dangerous game

Thanks for reading! This was my first fanfic on , so it holds a special place in my heart. I'm constantly rereading my stories so any reviews would be greatly appreciated!