Title: Consuming Darkness (Part 2 of 2)

Author: Lady Miriamele

Warnings: Yaoi, angst, dark, death

C&C Welcomed :)

^Standard Disclaimers Apply^

One Year Later

Death, pain, torment, depression, loss, fear, suffering, hatred, heartsick, wrathful, agony, angst, misery, woe, cringing, weeping, lamenting, dying. . .

Its amazing how much pain can change a person. Hiei mused about thoughts such as this as he sat in the dark hall of his new home. My new home. That's a thought. He laughed harshly as he polished his katana. Yes, pain could certainly change a person. And it was pain that had changed him over the last year. He had disappeared from the ningenkai and his so-called "friends". After that, he had transformed. . .

An evil grin spread its way across the Koorime's face. He was now very well known throughout the entire Makai as "The Shadow." No one knew who he really was. No one knew where he hid himself. All they knew was that they wanted to stay as far from him as possible. Hiei's grin widened as he reflected on everything that he had done to obtain his new position. Countless times, his sword had tasted blood of the innocent and he loved it. It gave him an adrenaline like no other. Let others feel the pain that he had to live with for once. Let them taste it.

After his failure with Kurama, Hiei had fallen into an abyss of utter and complete darkness. It was so cold and lonely. But he had pulled himself out. Now everything was different. "For better, or for worse?" Hiei mock-asked out loud. He licked his upper lip and was suddenly hungry. The fire demon set out to hunt down some pathetic creature so that he could have a wonderful meal.

Before he made it very far, though, an idea hit him with the force of lightening. "I wonder what our spirit detective friends are doing. . ." He shivered with delight. That ought to be entertaining.

~^*^~

Hiding. Hiding in the depths of my being. That's all I do. I hide myself. No one knows who I am. No one at all. There was once a person who did, but he is gone from me. I pushed him away because I got so wrapped up in my youko self that now, I have no one. No one at all.

"So basically, we have no idea what we are going up against," Yusuke's voice drew Kurama from his thoughts. "Only thing we know is that he is dangerous and that he requested to see us."

Kurama nodded and kept his eyes downcast. They were already close to where the youkai had requested to see them. He didn't really care. Everything was always the same. Go to school, do homework, go on missions, fight, sleep and eat. Everything was routine. Boring.

"This is it," Kuwabara stated. The small group had come to a clearing in a forest. A dark mass of trees surrounded them and Kurama couldn't help but shudder. Something was wrong with that place.

"Well where the hell is he?" Yusuke asked, grumbling. "We're on time."

"Once, Urameshi," an emotionless voice called, "You were smarter than that."

Three heads looked upward and gasped collectively. On top of them was a gigantic house, attached to all the surrounding trees.

"I'd like to welcome you all to my home," the voice continued, putting emphasis on the last word.

"Show yourself," Kuwabara commanded, spirit sword ready for attack.

"As you wish, ningen." A figure jumped down in front of the group and Kurama immediately knew who it was.

"Hiei?" he asked, disbelief written on all his features.

"Hiei?!" Kuwabara repeated. "You mean the youkai we are going after is Hiei?" He gaped, unsure of what else to say.

Kurama just stared, his eyes wide. He didn't know what to think. Hiei was standing right before him and all he could do was stare. His mouth moved, but for some reason it wouldn't work.

"That's right. Hiei, the Forbidden Child. Also known around here as The Shadow." He laughed. "Why, hello Kurama. Its been a while since you tore out my heart, hasn't it?"

"What?" Yusuke asked, looking at Kurama. "What's he talking about Kurama?"

Kurama ignored Yusuke's questions and kept his eyes on Hiei, as the fire demon spoke. "I do suppose you all have heard of me by now. I'm sure I have driven Koenma crazy with all the destruction I have been causing. That's right, Kurama, take a good look at what you have done." He moved forward a bit so that Kurama could see him clearly.

"Poor fox," Hiei continuing, that nasty smirk on his face. "You look so surprised, so confused. Well, what are you confused about? You killed me, you foul youko bastard. You opened me and made me feel love and beauty. You made me see life through different eyes. And then you just cast me away. Why? Because, you were too selfish to handle the fact that I wasn't your first." Laughter erupted in the air. "You created me, the cold-blooded killer of the Makai. You created me, fox."

"That's it!" Kuwabara yelled from behind Kurama. He lunged forward with his sword, ready for attack. "You've killed too many innocents, Hiei!" As he went to strike, Hiei simply moved out of the way and impaled his katana into Kuwabara's chest.

"H-He stabbed Kuwabara. . ." Yusuke said in disbelief. He ran to his friend and checked for a pulse, for breath, for anything. "You killed him," he acknowledged outloud. "Kisama!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. Blinded by fury, Yusuke shot his spirit gun in every direction, attempting to make sure Hiei went down. But once he was done, Hiei remained unharmed.

"Fool," Hiei snarled. "I've learned a lot in the past year. Your petty attacks mean nothing to me."

Yusuke opened his mouth to retort, but rather than words, blood spurted down his lips. The attack was so fast that he hadn't even seen it coming. Stunned and in very much pain, Yusuke fell to the ground.

"Two down," Hiei shot a glance at Kurama. "Care to join them?"

Kurama stared at his two fallen companions. Both were still. Dead. He moved his gaze up to Hiei. "I don't want to attack you," he said with a shaky voice. It was true, he didn't want to hurt Hiei. He loved him too much. "But you killed them. . ." Kurama took out his rose whip. "I have to avenge them."

"Foolish human emotions. . ." Hiei mocked. "They'll be the death of you, you know."

Hiei lunged, his eyes ablaze with madness. "This is for killing me!" he screamed, sending his blade right through Kurama's stomach. "May you---" He stopped in mid sentence once he looked down at the wound he caused. "Kurama?" he mouthed, dropping the sword. Kurama's rose whip was tightly wrapped Hiei's body, and blood was oozing out of various places. Hiei tried to break free, but the whip only dug deeper, causing pain to explode.

Kurama finally let go of the whip, his hands unsteady. There was no way Hiei was going to survive. The way he was thrashing around was causing the whip to tighten and dig deeper into his skin. His very life was draining from his body. That was it. Hiei was as good as dead. Kurama had killed him.

With that thought, Kurama fell to the ground, clutching his own wound. A minute passed and then he heard Hiei fall to the ground as well, a soft thump echoing in his mind.

"What have we done?" Kurama whispered.

A teargem hit the cold, hard earth. "Kurama. . ." Hiei murmured, drowning in pain. He couldn't see. There was only darkness. He hated darkness. . .

Kurama did his best to crawl over to Hiei. Once he made it, he fell, exhausted. "Oh Hiei, I'm so sorry. . ." Tears were falling down Kurama's cheeks as well. He reached out and took Hiei's hand. "Its all over now. We killed. . .everyone. Even ourselves."

"Its all over. So we are all dead. Just like that." Hiei laughed at the thought, then started to cough, blood lining his mouth. "I love you Kurama. I'm sorry for everything. . .Everything. . ."

"Shhh, Hiei. . . Its all over now," Kurama closed his eyes., the tears still flowing. "Perhaps, in a next life we will get it right."

"I love you so much Kurama," Hiei whispered, his breathing fading.

"I love you too Hiei. I always have."

That's all he needed to hear. Hiei's breathing stopped and he was gone. Kurama laid there, holding Hiei's lifeless hand until he too, faded away into the consuming darkness.

END Consuming Darkness

Notes: *Gasp!* Did I write that? *Blink* I killed ALL of them. . .*Faints*