Couldn't save you from the start
Loved you so it hurts my soul
Can you forgive me for trying again
Your silence makes me hold my breath
Time has passed you by

Oh, for so long I've tried to shield you from the world
Oh, you couldn't face the freedom on your own
Here I am left in silence

You gave up the fight
You left me behind
All that's done's forgiven
You'll always be mine
I know deep inside
All that's done's forgiven

I watched the clouds drifting away
Still the sun can't warm my face
I know it was destined to go wrong
You were looking for the great escape
To chase your demons away

Oh, for so long I've tried to shield you from the world
Oh, you couldn't face the freedom on your own
And here I am left in silence

You gave up the fight
You left me behind
All that's done's forgiven
You'll always be mine
I know deep inside
All that's done's forgiven

I've been so lost since you've gone
Why not me before you?
Why has fate deceived me?
Everything turned out so wrong
Why do you leave me in silence?

You gave up the fight
You left me behind
All that's done's forgiven
You'll always be mine
I know deep inside
All that's done's forgiven

Asura watched the woman he knew so well as she packed up for what would be their last mission together. She was unaware of that fact of course, but he had already decided. He couldn't trust her. She was lying, planning behind his back. Planning together with the others. He knew it. He felt it.

He twitched as he watched her. Evidence? None. But that proved nothing. He had sensed it in their looks. The ones they though he couldn't see. They were planning to destroy him. Of course they were. They were jealous of him. Jealous or scared. Which it didn't matter. She didn't know he had figured it out. What a surprise she was in for.

His mouth twisted into a wide grin before he caught himself. She had seen, but no matter. He quickly turned his expression to a patronizing smile. "Is all that stuff really necessary Vajra? It's just one little Witch. I don't think we're going to need all that."

Vajra carefully packed away the medical supplies in her bag. It was a small mission, but she wanted to be sure they would be safe. Wanted to be sure he would be safe. She hid a frown as she thought about how oddly he had been acting lately. He didn't seem himself. She worried he was slipping away from her.

She had pretended not to see the signs at first. His strange twitches, the pleasure he seemed to take in killing where once it had disgusted him...he was changing. She had blown it off. Blamed it on stress. Even told herself she was imagining it. But when Eibon had pulled her aside and asked what she knew, she could no longer deny it. If the others had noticed too, then it was truly a problem.

She felt her eyes sting with tears once again, thinking of the distant way he had treated her. They had always been so close. She wished he would just tell her what was wrong. Didn't he know he could trust her? Hadn't she proven herself to him after all these years? She knew of his fears, had always comforted him in them. But now she worried he was facing something far worse. She had told Eibon and Shinigami sama about the distance, the twitching, and the mood swings...but she hadn't said anything about her other suspicions. If she was right...

Oh gods it couldn't be though. He would never. No. She must not allow herself to think such things of him. He was pure and good. How many lives had he saved? He had protected her countless times. How many nights had she lain in his arms, doing anything to coax one of those rare smiles from his lips? Her Asura...he would never fall to such evil. She knew this. She believed in him. She would always believe in him.

She turned, shivering slightly at the expression on his face. He quickly hid it, although the cruel smile he gave her in return wasn't much better. How to explain that her supplies weren't in fear that the Witch would harm them, but that he might do something to harm one of them? She chose to try and brush it off. Maybe she was being silly. Worrying over nothing. "True. But it's better to be prepared, right? It won't hurt to bring it along if we end up not needing it." She forced herself to smile, trying to see the man she loved behind the strange face that was looking at her now. 'Oh Asura. Are you even still in there?'

How clearly he could see her lies. Filthy lying plotting bitch. He turned without another word, eager to get this 'mission' over, so that he could move on to more important things. He was ready. Strong enough now. This Witches soul would be the last he needed. He could feel the power that had been growing inside him. He just knew he would become something else after this last one. Something never seen before. He would become a god...and then he would have nothing left to fear.

He grinned again. No more fear. No more pain. Not even Death would be able to touch him after this. He swallowed his laughter at the thought. He knew the name of this power now. Madness. He had found madness. Or perhaps it had found him. What did it matter? He was safe within it. And soon he would become it. And then this filthy lying world would shake under his feet. All the pain he had felt. The fear. The betrayal. He would make it all go away. His world would be paradise. And he would rule it as God.

They arrived at the cathedral finally. He sensed the Witch hiding above them. She knew they were there, and she was afraid. How futile of her. Her death was unavoidable. She should be proud. She would be the final piece in the birth of a new god. What an honor!

Eager to finish his ascension, Asura wasted no time. "Above. Vajra, transform now." He held his had out impatiently, waiting on her. What was taking the bitch so long? He had ordered her to transform, was she going deaf? He turned in agitation, glaring at her. "Dammit, I told you to transform. What is your fucking problem?"

Vajra stared, taken aback at his words. He had never spoken to her that way. She'd never heard him be less than respectful to anyone. It cut her deeper than she could express. "Asura, what is WRONG with you?"

She blurted the words before realizing she was going to. But once spoken, some barrier within her was broken. She felt hot tears spill down her cheeks. "What is happening? Talk to me! You've...changed. I don't even feel like I know you anymore. You don't talk to me the way you used to, you don't hold me anymore...You're so angry all the time and I don't know why. What have I done to make you feel this way? Please my love..."

She stepped forward, placing a hand on his face and searching his eyes for some trace of her Asura. "You know you can trust me. Always. Please tell me what is going on. Let me help you. Let's fight this together. Let me stay by your side. Don't turn away from me."

Asura felt a twinge inside of himself at her words. What if she was telling the truth? What if he was wrong? He had loved her, still did. It was only the fear that prompted him to do what he was about to do...but what if he was mistaken?

No. The madness inside him whispered blocking out all reason. She was lying. Trying to trick him so she could use his emotions against him. Love was weakness. She was as bad as a Witch. She had only tricked him into loving her so she could use it against him. He wouldn't fall for her lies.

He stepped back, wrapping his scarves around himself in preparation for the battle. "Shut up. We'll discuss this later. We have work to do. Now do your job and become a Weapon."

She looked back at him, what was that emotion in her eyes? He didn't know and didn't care. She glowed brightly for a moment and then finally took her weapon form, flying into his waiting hand. He grinned and walked up the long stairs ahead of him. Finally, it was time.

As he topped the stairs, the Witch within began to cast her spells at him in a frantic attempt at defense. No matter. He had far surpassed the point when such things were a concern. He used Vajra to form a barrier against the magic and continued forward. The terror in the Witches eyes made him laugh. How fun. He was tempted to play with her for a bit, but he was impatient to meet his goal. Soon he stood over her, grinning. "Time to die little one." Aiming Vajra at her, he laughed as she was blown to bits, leaving only her shining soul where she had been.

He felt Vajra attempt to return to human form and wrapped his hand around her tighter. No, no little lying bitch. None of that. Holding her securely, he reached out with his other hand, grasping the Witch's soul before it could blow away. Yes. This was it.

His grin widened further as her brought it to his mouth as he had so many others. As the soul slide down his throat he felt something *Click* into place inside him. He felt his body rise into the air, pure power enveloping him. He was lost in the pure bliss of madness, ecstatic in the power coursing through him. So THIS was what it was to be a god! No wonder Shini guarded his power so jealously! But no longer. He was far stronger than the Reaper. He knew it. Felt it. He had no need to fear again.

As soon as his hand had closed around her, she knew she had made a mistake. As their souls resonated together, she felt his completely overtake her own. When had he gotten this strong? He must have been hiding it from her...for how long? She could have kicked herself for not seeing this. She shivered in her soul, recognizing the feeling she felt from him. Madness. Her Asura was gone. He was lost to insanity.

She wanted to scream to the Witch to run. She knew what he intended to do now. Knew that she had been right. He had been EATING souls. It was disgusting to think about. A vile, evil thing to do. It ran against nature. No wonder he was corrupted.

She had never felt sorry for a Witch before, but for this one...She couldn't stop herself from being used to kill her, but she offered a silent prayer to any god that would listen that her soul would vanish before Asura could capture it. Unfortunately, the only god that was listening was the one holding her in an unrelenting grasp. As he swallowed the soul, she felt herself passing out in the sudden haze of unbelievable madness that rose over her.

He stood in the middle of the sanctuary, wrapped in pure madness. Slowly, he unwrapped the scarves from his face. The grew and grew until he was surrounded by them, fully wrapped up in a pile of them. His face seemed stuck in a wide grin. He just couldn't stop smiling. Everything seemed so damn funny.

There was only one more problem to be taken care of. She had seen. He couldn't have her running back to the Reaper and telling her dirty little lies about him, now could he? No, no, no. She would have to die.

He held her up, giggling as he looked at her. No use wasting a useful weapon though. No. He could still use her. He just didn't need her mouth running anymore, spouting shit about love and trust...no. He only needed her power. "Vajra dear," He said in a parody of endearment, "I'm afraid it's time for you to die now."

She awoke in terror. What the creature that held her now was, she didn't know. There was nothing left of her Asura in him. He was gone, consumed by the fear inside him. Fear that she had failed to sooth. Time to die...she supposed she should be afraid, but she felt only sadness. Sadness and regret. She had blinded herself to what was happening, unwilling to see how far he was slipping from her. She had hoped, desperately, that he would find his way back to her. She had thought that if she could just be there for him, provide him with a safe place to return to, he would manage to defeat his demons. She hadn't wanted to involve Shinigami sama and the others. She had wanted to believe in him.

And she had. She had believed until the very end. Feeling him out through the bond between their souls, she wrapped herself around him. His soul, so familiar, and yet so foreign. There was none of the brilliant blue that had once colored it. A sickening red and black swirled around, showing the depths of his corruption. He was no longer human. Not in the least.

In the secret place that existed between souls, she saw him. Cold and cruel, locked away from her forever. She wrapped her arms around him, loving him, even now. "Asura...I am so sorry. I was supposed to protect you. I only wanted you to trust me. Didn't you know, I would never have left you?" She smiled sadly, aware of what was about to happen. "I guess in a way, I never will."

But that was it. What if she could...? No time to think about it. As she felt her soul being consumed by him, she strengthened the link, pushing through a Soul Resonance. It was so hard to focus. She could feel herself fading, but she to fight harder. She glowed brighter, as everything around her faded. Holding him still, she took one final breath and pushed forward, walking into him. Her last feeling was one of relived victory, and pure love. She had done it. It wasn't much, but maybe someday it would be enough.

'I'm sorry my love. I couldn't save you. But maybe one day...someone will. I've done all I can. I've given them a door, but it's up to you to open it. Asura my love...I forgive you.'

His mouth opened impossibly wide as he swallowed the Weapon. He felt his throat ripping as she passed, but it didn't matter. The damage quickly healed itself. Not even the pain mattered. What was pain to a god?

He stood. Wondering what to do next. He was free now. Free from fear, free from love. He giggled madly, staggering as he walked out. Within him, his soul quivered. The first Kishin had been born, and his spirit was a thing of terror. As it swirled, corruption and madness rippled across the surface. For one brief instance from deep inside, a small but brilliant flash of purest blue shined through before sinking deeper within to wait and hope for a time when someone would find a way to bring it to the surface once more.