I KNOW. I SUCK. 4 MONTHS. SOMEONE CAN GIVE ME THE HARDEST BITCH-SLAP BECAUSE I DESERVE IT. If to make this better (which it won't because I'm so horrible), this chapter is REALLY LONG. So I hope this will in some way compensate for making you guys wait for this chapter for the longest time. While I cry in a corner, I also want to thank everyone who still supports and enjoys this story! Thank you, you have no idea how much your patience means to me. Before you read, if the title of this chapter doesn't give it away, you'll eventually get to a part when Souji's dreaming. That's the only spoiler I'll give. So as always (apparently not because my update rate is shitty), enjoy!

Chapter 33: Nightmare

The soft whisper of stepped-on grass and the occasional click of a kicked pebble no longer bothered Souji. The summer heat was tolerable thanks to the gentle night breeze that ruffled through his brown hair relaxingly.

The world felt right.

…Or perhaps it was just he thinking that the world was perfect. It was unlikely that world might have changed in just a few short minutes, so it had to be all in his head and heart.

Instead of fumbling through the forest floor, he felt as though he could glide past the dirt and tree roots smoothly. Now that he was thinking about it, if he did accidently trip, he wouldn't be angry at all. Nothing could wipe away the seemingly permanent grin on his face.

He was happy. What could be so wrong with that? Well, he could not let his guard down and let his bliss blind all of his senses. After all, he and Chizuru were still all alone together in the forest near the eastern mountains. Given the untamed environment, it was very likely that no other human being had traveled through here lately. And the nearest town was perhaps a two days travel away. Any other person would have been scared out of their wits, but not Souji and Chizuru.

They chose to venture through the dark forest for several reasons, all of which were reckless, maybe foolish, but most of all frightening. Tomorrow night, they would be at the old Yukimura residence, and they would surely see Kaoru and Chizuru's father. What Souji and Chizuru knew was that it was not going to be a happy family reunion. By rejecting Kaoru's offer, it was certain that the misguided twin would not allow his sister to live in peace, least of all let her and Souji stop his plan to creating a kingdom of oni.

…Even now, they could be walking toward their deaths.

But they had at least one night left together, so why ruin it? And Souji had a good idea on how he wanted to spend the rest of night.

They might have been all alone in the woods, but it was not necessarily considered a "bad thing" in the young samurai's eyes.

Hand in hand, he and Chizuru were heading to a proper resting spot –proper meaning a comfortable tree to sleep against. Still, neither of them were quite tired, and after their first kiss several minutes ago, how could they be? The more and more Souji thought about it, the more he felt ready to do it again.

Suddenly he stopped walking, and Chizuru -not expecting his halt- had bumped into his arm slightly.

"O-Okita-san? Is everything okay?", it was clear that Chizuru was doing her best to remain calm, but Souji knew that she was worried about their condition.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I…I actually wanted to ask you something", he smiled to reassure her that nothing was wrong.

"Oh… Okay. What do you want to ask me?", Chizuru let out a small sigh of relief and sagged her shoulders slightly. She now seemed calm and collected, but Souji was sure that his question would fluster her, and he probably wouldn't get his answer if that happened. But he was a determined and stubborn man, so one of his hands reached for her arm while his free hand grasped her wrist. His hold was not enough to hurt her –that was not his intent after all- but secure. There was no escape for her.

"Um…Okita-san?", now there was a hint of nervousness in her tone again, and she tried to gingerly squirm her arms free, but Souji was not planning to let her go.

"Chizuru…", he said her name –purposefully leaving out the "chan"- in a low but soft voice, almost letting her name roll off seductively from his tongue.

"If I said I wanted to kiss you again, would you let me do it?", the question was innocent, but it still sparked the red fire on Chizuru's cheeks and nose.

"Wh-Wha-?!", she baffled out while her wide eyes were desperately trying to look at anything but him. As if his question was not enough to embarrass her –which was not the case- Souji drew his face closer to hers until their noses were just a hair's width apart. His keen eyes were trained on hers; and even if she wanted to, she could not look away from him.

"Well?", of course Souji wanted to steal a kiss from her right then and there, but his urge to tease her would never subside entirely. His grin was small, but it did not hide his trickster demeanor.

"…W-Well…", she repeated after him, struggling to blurt out any excuse to save herself from more embarrassment. Maybe Souji was dragging her out of her comfort zone, but like her, he knew what her answer would be. They were both fools for each other, and after all they've been through, even death hardly seemed like a barricade to their love. The poor girl was just too shy and bashful, but that only made her more desirable and irresistible to Souji's eager lips. She was always a cute girl in his eyes since the day he met her, but back then would he have never thought the woman before him now was extremely attractive.

Maybe it was his own taste, but he had to admit that the typical traits of dark hair and brown eyes suited Chizuru perfectly. Her features were subtle and natural, and she did not have to be pompous or meretricious to catch his eye and maintain his focus. The more he took in her appearance, the harder it became to keep the small distance between their lips.

…But he would resist so long as he was rewarded with her bewildered reaction that was increasingly adorable as she continued to struggle. He could feel her irregular breathing brush across his face softly, and her teeth continuously toyed with her bottom lip –and now he was getting jealous of her teeth! But gauging her response was worth his patience and restraint.

"U-Um… I-It… It…", she kept on fumbling until finally she snapped her mouth shut to regain her posture –despite Souji's hold on her. Her head tilted upward arrogantly, most likely trying to prove that she could stand up to him confidently, but she only raised his excitement further.

"It depends…", she stated with an as-matter-of-fact tone, but her wide eyes kept displaying her nervousness. If that was what others would call "flirting", then Souji was certainly one to adapt and participate as well. And he was not a man who would lose so easily…

"Depends on what exactly? Enlighten me. And please, don't spare me of any details", and just like that, Souji was able to turn the tables on Chizuru. Her mouth dropped open with disbelief, and Souji could have sworn he heard her voice crack deep within her throat. The confidence that she had built up for herself fled the scene quicker than lightning, and she was back to step one, only now there would be no recovery for her.

"I-It depends on… It depends on…", the wheels turning in her head were almost a visible display as she worked desperately to answer her mischievous lover.

"I-It… It depends on the time and place!", she blurted while trying her best to not look ashamed of her pitiful excuse.

"Really…?", Souji feigned uncertainty dramatically to tease her more.

"It depends on the time and place", she repeated again, trying to convince both him and herself that her excuse was legitimate. Souji knew that routine of hers by now: if she kept repeating herself, she thought she could make anyone believe her words. The only problem was that she was a terrible actress.

He could have seized the opportunity to fluster her further, but she had her own invisible tethers on him that were quickly urging him to forget his pride. It might not have looked like it from her perspective, but he tossed aside his impishness –temporarily- to surrender to her blissfully.

His eyes softened, and the grin on his face fell. Right now, he was a man looking at woman. The sudden change of his disposition from playful to serious even stopped Chizuru dead on her tracks.

Green eyes stared at brown ones with their own unwavering and magnetic pull.

"…What about now?", Souji's voice was low and sultry. All he wanted was her; he could care less about watching her squirm. He had teased her many times in the past, and he could certainly do it again later, but now he just wanted her love and tenderness. And it seemed that she was just as ready to give in to him, since her eyes were half-lidded with intoxicated passion.

"…Yes"

As if the word was like the key to his shackles, the now free man closed his eyes while his heart raced harder and faster than any engine.

Only a soft gentle breath was exhaled out before his lips met the one's of his beloved.

His hands squeezed Chizuru tighter with the silly dream that they could remain in this moment forever. But now that dream seemed more like a reality than anything else.

How could this blissful feeling be possible for a man like him? Even that was a mystery to him, but what mattered most was that the woman he loved cherished and loved him just as much. Everything else that they had worried about felt like it had disappeared or that they would have to travel great lengths to ever worry again.

As simple as her touch was, as gentle as her lips were, the fiery passion they channeled put any and all existing flames to shame.

Their lips matched each other's movement, always moving as one. Too lost in the kiss, Souji had not noticed that Chizuru managed to free herself from his grip. Her hands traveled to his chest, making him groan deeply against her lips. Without her arms to grab onto, his own hands went to bring the girl closer to him. One pulled her waist and pressed her body right up against his while the other went for her hair. His actions brought out a surprised moan from her, and he could not help but smile against her lips. But he knew her surprise would not last forever, so he tilted her head and made the kiss deeper.

He could never get over the idea of how much he loved her, let alone how much she loved him back. The power she had over his heart was indomitable, so much so that just having her near him felt like his heart was being squeezed with ruthless, yet gentle force.

There was a calm, quiet air between them when they finally pulled apart. Souji's arms pulled Chizuru tighter to him in a warm embrace as he partially rested his head on hers.

"It'd be nice if we could just stay like this all time…", he shared his thoughts with a quiet voice.

"Yeah…", Chizuru agreed. After more moments of silence, she shifted her head so she could look into Souji's eyes. He was surprised to see a doubtful look playing on her face.

"Okita-san… Are you sure you want to come with me…to see Kaoru and my father…?", worry and fear took over her tone. The smile from Souji's face fell, but neither was he upset by her question. His hands cupped her face, forcing her eyes to focus on nothing but his.

"Chizuru, you're the girl I want", he stated it as plain fact without any trace of mischief. His intention had not been to make Chizuru blush, but she still did anyway. However, Souji did not give her time to speak.

"I'm not prepared to give you up to anyone, and I won't let you go through this alone. Because I want you, I'll do whatever it takes to keep you happy… Even if it means a nasty reunion with in-laws, I'm ready to go through anything."

"You want…me…?", Chizuru's voice was small and even a little bewildered.

"Who else is gonna keep my stubborn ass in line? …I do want you, and I always will. Simple as that", Souji grinned at her lovingly. After he spoke, he could feel Chizuru's arms wrapping around his back tightly. Then she smothered her face in his chest.

"…If you're staying with me… Then I'll do whatever it takes to keep you happy too. So please, let me stay with you…", she muffled, but the meaning of her words was as clear as day to Souji. He smiled and combed her hair with his fingers while also tracing meandering trails down her back.

"Of course you're staying with me. I'm never gonna take my eyes off you. I'll take care of you, just like you'll take care of me, right?"

"Yeah!", Chizuru nodded vigorously against his chest. Her face was still unexposed, but that was only because she tried to hide her joyous tears away from Souji. But he did not judge her for it, he just held her silently as she tried to stifle her crying.

"Thanks, Chizuru…"

…The sun began to rise shortly after, so the two of them settled in the crook of a tree root. It was best to rest before the calamity that they would surely face by nightfall. Nestling with Chizuru at his side, Souji hoped this would be the last sunrise he would have to sleep through with her. Peacefully and quietly, both of them drifted into the deep domain of sleep…

…

"Okita-san, I…"

I remember this… The pain that the Water of Life put her through would be forever etched into my mind.

Somehow, the memory seemed different, but I couldn't exactly explain how. I began to wonder if this was all a hellish dream.

"I want blood", it was more than her words that demanded for what I offered.

"I want your blood Okita-san!", Chizuru's desperate plea put me into action.

Her pain was enough motivation for me to help her; even so, I couldn't help but feel…odd about this. Yet at the same time, my longing thirst -that had taken over my soul- demanded for repentance in the form of blood. I knew very well the agony she was going through. My blood would relieve her pain; it was that thought that kept me focused and grounded. Just as long as she was safe, nothing else mattered.

I reached for a small wakizashi that I had always kept within my shirt, and without another thought, I drew the blade across the skin of my hand. The hot sting that came from it was nothing. After a thick line of dark red blood oozed out from my wound, I could already begin to feel the pain of it ebbing away.

"Oh…", Chizuru exhaled out, her eyes immediately transfixing on the sight of my blood. I could see the barely-contained hunger and desire in them.

The lust she had was more of a desperate need. All at once, her body automatically moved to mine, all restraint within her perished. I held out my bleeding hand to her, and her soft lips began to clamp themselves over my wound. A soft moan told me more than enough of the comfort my blood had given her, and her eyes closed lasciviously as she relished under sweet and bloody intoxication. The thought of my blood being helpful to her made a certain kind of warmth rise within my chest.

Was I supposed to be happy?

After a short moment, Chizuru stopped drinking and looked up at me with glassy, gentle eyes.

"Okita-san…you…", though her voice was still rough and breathy, I could sense the tenderness in her tone, and in that moment I understood what she wanted.

"…Thanks", I croaked out, my own voice still dry and hoarse, but I did my best to smile at her. Whatever doubts I'd had vanished with any remaining self-control. Every thought, feeling, fiber, and emotion called for her blood, and because she was willing, I'd take it.

My hand reached for her collar and dragged it to the side, exposing her pale, smooth skin to my burning eyes. Swallowing my eagerness, I had calmly set the edge of my wakizashi against her neck.

I caught a glimpse of Chizuru closing her eyes, silently giving me her consent. As quickly as I could, I carved a small line through her warm skin, and I watched with concupiscent anticipation the crimson solace to my pain seep out from her wound.

My desire drove me to her neck, and I gently pressed my lips against her. As many times before, her blood never ceased to bring my heart and body indescribable pleasure. I could feel heat moving in all directions inside my body.

It felt good, to describe it simply, but no words or thoughts could project my satisfaction.

Too far gone into my joy, I closed my eyes as I felt Chizuru lower her head back to my hand.

Something about this exotic encounter made it different from all of the other moments when I drank her blood. Even in pain, I felt strangely…alive, or as if muscles deep within me were contracting and expanding all at once.

Nothing could mistake the ecstasy that we were experiencing. The thought of being a creature of madness and vulgarity was of little to no importance. Blood was all I needed and wanted, and I had Chizuru right by my side. If it wasn't for her, would I have been driven mad long ago? Still, I could feel dark, corrupt tendrils surrounding my heart and plaguing it with sin.

Blood. Heat. Flesh. I was getting drunk from my pleasure. I wanted more…needed more…

My free hand reached for her collar again, only now I was dragging it out down, baring more of her flesh to my hungry eyes. As blood continued to ooze out from the cut on her neck, I found myself kissing and licking her for other reasons than just her blood. Desire clouded rational judgment, and I had begun to reach a new stage of maturity that I thought I wouldn't reach.

But amongst my rousing and excitement, chains of fear still held me place. Yes, blood was a comfort, but from anyone else it would've been…distasteful. More than that, I would be damn scared if I was suffering through this on my own. Pain was something I hardly minded, and I could bear it, but going crazy…losing sight of myself, it was an imminent future I didn't want to see happen. My own sanity wasn't alone on the line. Chizuru was a creature just like me, burdened by her family's curse. The love I had for her grew at the same rate as my fear of losing her. She was all I had left. Even with a cure to my madness, it'd be a pointless and unimaginable future without her.

My pace slowed down as my thoughts carried me to dark places, but I stopped completely when I felt Chizuru's arms around me. Her hands pulled me closer to her, urging me to relish in the same dark enthrallment as she.

Dammit all.

My hand tightened on her collar, damming it for being in the way. As Chizuru continued to drink, I felt her soft white hair brush against my fingers, and I had to resist the urge from grabbing and dominating it. Oh well, my attention could be redirected to her other parts. So I dove to her neck again, claiming it as mine and only mine.

There could be no shame in this. And if there was, I'd ignore it and continue to sin. Sweet and hot pleasure erased all my fears and doubts. Together, Chizuru and me were discovering the joy of blood and the contentment of transgression…

…

…Koudou stiffened in surprise, and Kaoru's smile fell, almost looking as though he took a bite out of something sour. How could they not be disappointed by what Chizuru had just said?

She wouldn't come with them, and we would put an end to this madness of creating an oni haven. Instead of her family, she wanted to spend the rest of her life me.

The memory of her confession still lingered angelically in my head; "I love him".

This, I thought to myself, is where I'm meant to be. By Chizuru's side, where happiness and peace will always reign with us.

Now to stop the old man and Kaoru…

Chizuru and I began to reach for our swords, but that's when he spoke.

"Chizuru… Why don't you understand?", Koudou's voice was strained, not at all betraying his desperation and heartbreak. It was expected of him. He'd spent a great deal of time trying to rebuild the Yukimura clan by creating the Water of Life and its furies, but now the sole pillar to his purpose was crumbling down all at once.

Though the night might end with his death, we couldn't allow him to carry on with his plan. And even if we turned back now and ran, he and Kaoru would find us and only bring more torment. It wouldn't be just us suffering, but every human as well. How could we ever live in peace with the deaths of thousands on our hands?

We couldn't betray humanity…the Shinsengumi…Kondou…

We made our choice. If Chizuru and me were to spend the rest of our lives together, it wouldn't be without a fight first. But I was born ready to fight, and I was sure as hell that I wasn't going to let anyone snatch away my future with Chizuru.

"I know I probably made you suffer… But I did all of this for us, for our clan", the old man continued to reach out to his daughter, but she stood firmly by my side despite her glistening eyes.

I understood I was asking too much of her: give up her family for me. Surely it pained her to sever her ties with the man who she called "Father" for most of her life. Perhaps I should've felt guilty, but I knew just as much as she did that she was willing to do whatever it takes to stay with me.

…We were inseparable, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

"This will be the end of our family's suffering. Once we have our army of furies, nothing can stop us! Please, Chizuru, come back!", the edge of Koudou's voice was sad as he practically begged for his daughter to return to him. However, the last glimmer of hope in his eyes was gone the moment when Chizuru shook her head.

"…I can't", she struggled to say it, but only because she knew she was breaking her father's heart. That girl…always sympathetic for others. I could easily tell that she wanted her father and brother to surrender now before swords could be crossed. I respected that desire, and if they could just stand down, then there'd be no reason for me to fight. I was here for Chizuru alone; I couldn't care less whether or not Koudou and Kaoru walked out of here alive -so long as we got what we wanted.

…But Kaoru's next words were the promise of conflict.

"There's no point trying to convince you. You and I won't ever see eye to eye", he said flatly to his twin, lacking of any emotion.

All Chizuru did was nod. They might have been bound together by blood, but they would never be a family.

Kaoru sighed before turning to Koudou. I couldn't tell whether he was exhausted or disappointed. Maybe both. Like it mattered now.

"Just give it up, old man. Words aren't any good here", for once, Kaoru spoke sense.

"B-But…", Koudou struggled. It was as though his entire world was suddenly turning against him. A part of me wanted to yell at him and tell him not to swallow any of Kaoru's horseshit, but I felt too angry with him to do so.

If he went against us, I wouldn't mind killing him. What's one more death by my sword going to do to me now?

I knew my train of thought was wrong, but I couldn't suppress my desire for blood. I could feel some of my hold on sanity slip away. The only reason why I wasn't charging on ahead was because of Chizuru, my only repose who was worth more than all of the blood in the world.

"I've made up my mind, Father", she spoke more firmly this time, boosting my energy and confidence as well. We weren't going to give up on our dream, and that was final.

"Still…", what was left of Kaoru's emotionless face was suddenly gone when a cruel smile began to spread. I felt my body tense, preparing myself for what was to come, but I kept a cool face for Chizuru. And as expected, her brother drew out his sword quickly from its long scabbard. The blade hissed for battle, and the edge of it was pointed directly at my chest.

"…Perhaps she'll come to her senses if we kill Okita", Kaoru jived wickedly as he shifted into an offensive stance. There was no going back for him. At that moment, I knew he was going to die. If he had any chance of living, I would destroy it immediately without hesitation.

"Kaoru!", Chizuru snapped back harshly with an aggressive tone I've never heard before.

"Chizuru, are you being deceived by this human?", Koudou's voice was more collected compared to how he sounded a minute ago, but I easily comprehended his resentment and sudden hate toward me. I was taking his daughter away from him, and in no way did I fear him for that. Wordlessly, I've given him enough reasons for him to throw my ass in the fire. But let hellfire rise, I would become a demon once more to eradicate him.

"No! I'm not!", Chizuru tried desperately to defend me, but her words failed to reach her father's mind. That's when I saw the color in his eyes change into an alarming and luminous shade of gold. It wasn't the color an ordinary oni would have; it was tinted around the edges with the mad color of scarlet. That was a sign that meant he wasn't just an oni, despite the set of horns on his forehead.

"What…?", the word spilled out from Chizuru's mouth as she gaped at the man who was no longer her father. At that, he laughed condescendingly then faced me. His eyes longed for my death.

"You heard Kaoru, didn't you? Even oni from weaker bloodlines can gain the strength of a pureblood with the Water of Life", only madness reigned within him as he spoke.

"Then…you drank it?", Chizuru asked disbelievingly, her voice almost broken. Koudou said nothing but smiled cynically, and that was proof enough.

"Oh Father…", her voice shook as she felt her father's loss right then and there. The man in front of us was alive, but her father was long gone. He was only an empty shell being controlled by the Water of Life.

Now it was Chizuru's world being flipped upside down, but we've come so far, and I wasn't going to allow her to suffer alone. Tenderly, I placed my hand on her shoulder. Her eyes met mine, and I smiled.

"I'm here for you, Chizuru. I'll protect you", I laid my heart out to her with every word I said.

"Okita-san…", she bore into my eyes as she said my name with deep-hearted trust. I wouldn't fail her. It was a promise that was stronger than any oath or vow.

With adrenaline now rushing through my veins, I stepped forward and pulled my sword out, ready for battle. My excitement couldn't be contained, so I grinned wildly at my opponents.

"Can I ask you one thing, though? Do you know how to cure the effects of that crap?", I directed my questions to Koudou. I was calm and casual, as I always was for any battle; only my sharp eyes were as serious and concentrated as my blade.

"You've got to know, Koudou-san. You refined the stuff after all", I goaded him, hoping to get lucky.

"Well-", Koudou was giving me what I had wanted, but Kaoru wasn't stupid enough to let him finish. He threw out a hand to stop him and met my gaze with a sly smile.

"We don't have any reason to tell you. If you want to know, then you'll have to force us to talk", he challenged me. I couldn't help but chuckle. Even in a battle against two oni, I was sure I would win.

"…Well, that makes sense I suppose. Shall we get started, then?", I said anxiously with a smile still playing on my face. My enthusiasm was causing me to tighten the grip on my sword's haft. I wanted this fight to be over soon; I couldn't wait to get my hands on the cure for the Water of Life. Chizuru and I were almost there. I could practically taste victory.

Just one more fight…

Then in a flash, Kaoru and I ran to each other, the steel of our swords clashing together with a high and thunderous ring. We had both taken on the form of our inner monsters, only sharing the same color of bright white hair.

Blow after blow, the cold flickering metal of our blades reflected the bright silver moonlight. Kaoru wasn't the only one I had to worry about, though. Right behind him was Koudou, swinging his fists toward me at full speed. With a fury's strength, I was sure that more than just my bones would be damaged if a hit from him managed to land on me. Even so, I was faster and more experienced. Easily enough I was avoiding each smite.

Impressively, I was holding my own against the two oni. I wasn't the only one who sensed that I had the upper hand. Every strike Kaoru made reminded me of the way an angry viper lashes out. He was growing frustrated, and for the first time in a battle against him, he wasn't smiling. His gold eyes were fervent with rage.

He might have been a better warrior than Koudou, but I was far superior, and we both knew it wasn't an exaggeration.

I ducked to avoid one of Koudou's attacks, and I heard his fist fly over me with a swoosh. He was now left defenseless for any attack, and I slashed my sword across his arm. He screamed in agony, but I knew that I would have to give him a mortal wound so that his body couldn't regenerate. After jumping back, he grunted and glowered at me.

"You…! Damn you! You're just a human!", he spat at me as loudly as he could, perhaps thinking that he could still pose himself as a threat to me, but his voice was dry and raspy. His body was betraying him. He was panting and breathing heavily, working more than just a sweat.

"…You've gotten better, Okita", Kaoru stopped his attacks momentarily. In a different situation, I'm sure he would've taken this opportunity to chide me, but now his chances weren't in his favor. The ghost of his smirk faded completely as he looked at me with cold and empty eyes.

"Why's that? Is it because you want to protect the woman you love? I hate that!", his sneer gave no deception of his feelings. Though, he detested me, it bothered me that his resentment was directed elsewhere; elsewhere being Chizuru. Still, I had to admit that he was correct about my reasons for fighting, and there was no shame in feeling that way. His words only fueled my energy more, so I merely shrugged my shoulders and grinned.

"Say what you want. It's a good enough reason for me", I stated proudly. I loved Chizuru, and I would fight through the ends of Earth for her. Whatever pain may come from this, it's only temporary to my forever with her.

Infuriated with my answer, Kaoru launched himself forward with a beastly snarl. The continuity of clashes and rings increased its pace. Every swing taken was meant with not only the intent to wound, but with the intent and thirst to kill. Never before have I been engaged in such a fuming battle. Everything was moving so fast without a break in between, my surroundings were starting to blur. One wrong move could dictate our survival. My smile was soon gone as I focused on every movement our bodies made.

Sharp stings penetrated through my flesh every now and then from a new wound that Kaoru had inflicted on me. But courtesy in return, the kid didn't go unscathed either. Blood splashed out from our bodies, staining our clothes and falling onto the muddy ground like rain. The metallic smell of it seeped through my nose and down my throat, creating a coppery tang.

More and more, I was focusing on the blood rather than the actual fight. Normally I would only mind the stickiness, but now every thought I had screamed for blood. I was losing control to the bloodlust, and I could feel animal-like aggression possessing my movements. I bared and gnashed teeth like a mad and untamed creature. My body and soul wanted to be bathed and lathered in blood. The only rational thought I had was to keep on swinging my sword.

Chizuru… I will protect her!

The feeling behind the thought kept me grounded and sane long enough to drive Koudou and Kaoru back. One thing for certain was that I had to end this fight now.

"It's time for the two of you to die", I enunciated each word clearly for Chizuru to overhear. It would only take one word for me to withdraw if she still felt uncertain about her family's destiny. Her last and only ties to her family would be gone forever. She had to be absolutely certain if she was going to sacrifice them. I waited for the slightest sound, but I heard nothing from her and nodded. That was good enough for me to understand what she wanted.

For everyone's sake, her family could no longer continue to live.

I adjusted and tightened my hold on my sword. This strike, I thought, will be the one to end everything. Koudou understood what I was preparing myself to do and positioned himself to charge at me like an angry bull.

"Impudent fool!", he yelled and ran as far as his stride could carry him. Another wave of punches tried to slam against me, but I calculated each one and dodged them perfectly. I was conserving as much energy as I could because I could see Kaoru running up behind Koudou, looking ready to follow him into battle.

"Wha-?!", I heard Chizuru exclaim out of shocked panic. Frantically alarmed, I spun my whole body around to face her despite being engaged in mid-battle with Koudou, but he was the last of my worries.

Kaoru had taken advantage of my distracted duel with Koudou and leapt the other way toward Chizuru. He was merely feet in front of her –sword held tightly in hand.

"The person I hate the most isn't Okita, for taking my sister away from me", I watched with horror as Kaoru raised his sword high in the air.

"…It's you, Sister, for betraying me!", his eyes went maniacally wide as he sounded like a force of evil, condemning the innocent into a hellish and torturous death.

I couldn't tell if my eyes were wider than Chizuru's at that moment, but with lightning speed my shock was washed away with an apoplectic force that I hadn't known existed within me.

I had to get to Chizuru. Now!

Koudou tried to block my path, oblivious and blinded by the Water of Life's power to make sense that his daughter was going to die. I've never hated someone so much before in my entire life until now. I hated him! He was in the way!

"Move!", I screamed more than snarled ferociously. My voice was hoarse, agitated, scared, and angrier than any god, but I didn't care. I drew my sword back as far as I could, creating as much momentum as possible before slashing it across Koudou's chest with full speed and force. It was blow that would surely kill him.

"GYAAAARGH!", his pained scream sounded like a whisper to my ears. I didn't even watch his dead body crumple to the ground. I was already running as fast as I could toward Kaoru and Chizuru, mentally begging for any outside force to bless me with faster legs.

"KAORU, DON'T!", I pleaded with the loudest and most desperate scream I've ever cried out to my enemy who was happily going to take Chizuru's life away.

Anything but her! My fear of losing her fueled my fury, and I held my hate-filled sword high in the air.

…But I was too late.

There was no way that I'd get to my beloved in time…

The next seconds were the longest and most grueling in my life.

Kaoru's silver sword shined and twinkled eerily, then I watched the man I hated the most bring it down toward Chizuru in a swift yet heavy motion.

"Oh…", there wasn't even enough time for Chizuru to scream.

Terrified for her, my heart dropped when I saw the edge of Kaoru's blade meet Chizuru's bone and flesh, engraving a critical wound on her left shoulder. Blood splashed loudly onto the ground, making it darker and muddier.

The sword had only stopped a few inches above her heart. A few more would've killed her instantly, but some sort of strange relief washed through me once I saw that she was still alive. But now wasn't the time to celebrate…

Though Chizuru was alive, I wanted to rip Kaoru into shreds. I wanted to erase his existence and have him fall into hell and burn for eternity.

Just one more kill…

As soon as Kaoru pulled out his sword from Chizuru's body with an ugly wet hiss, he spun to face me. We both wore demonic glares of hate, only a small smirk managed to form on Kaoru's face. Rapidly, he readied his sword that was stained with Chizuru's blood. I became a ruthless maelstrom of darkness and violence after noticing my lover's blood dripping onto ground.

We were to the point of no return; Kaoru and I were both lunging for the final strike. Neither of us focused on defending ourselves. Kaoru wanted me dead, as I did for him. I just wanted him to perish. Gone and erased from memory.

"Okita-san…", I barely heard Chizuru murmur my name longingly.

…How I wished to hold her now… Not even the greatest victory would mean a damn thing if I lost her…

My sword glimmered in the darkness of night like a shooting star, and I aimed directly for Kaoru's heart…

Our swords never touched…

…There was only more blood.

As my blade sliced my target, I felt a strong and burning impact go through the center of my chest and reverberate painfully throughout my entire body and soul. It was so powerful that all of the air in my lungs left me. The grueling sensation almost felt like more than ten galloping horses collided with me, or worse. All the pain in the world was nothing to what I was feeling now.

Before I could understand what was happening to me, I met Kaoru's eyes, which were only inches away from mine.

Despite my sword having cut deeply through his heart, the boy had on a happy face. His smile made me realize the harsh reality of my situation. Though he was dying, he was content with his last success.

…With the small amount of energy he had left, his hand reached for the haft of his sword that was protruding from the center of my chest. Cruelly, he jerked it out, bringing back the icy burn and agony I had felt earlier, only now it was much worse.

More of my blood spilled, eventually mixing in Kaoru's and Chizuru's.

I felt hollow, and I lost all control of balance and crumpled roughly to the ground, my body weighing more than iron. Kaoru's body had done the same, but he made no further movement or sound.

He passed away.

"Okita-san!", I heard Chizuru scream my name as she tried rushing to me desperately. She stumbled slightly due to her own nasty wound that was still bleeding out, but her trembling arms surrounded me in her warm embrace.

"Okita-san!", she yelled again with fear and disheartenment.

What was I to do now? I wasn't naïve enough to not be able to understand my inescapable fate.

I lost track of time, but I knew it was running short for me.

I was cold, so very cold. My body was beseeching me to close my eyes and give into doom. The pain still lingered, but now I felt numb. Every movement or sound I made was an effort. But I couldn't get discouraged. I needed this precious and fleeting time for Chizuru.

Weakly, I reached out to her face, cupping her cheek and staining it with my bloody hand. I gave her the best attempt of a smile, but I felt so small and fragile as blood trickled out of my mouth.

I could feel a wet pool of blood from my chest expanding underneath me. I've met death before many times, but now it was surrounding me in its cold, dark, and empty embrace…

"Earlier…", I choked out softly, not even strong enough to move my lips properly or to speak loudly. I felt Chizuru's hold on me tighten significantly as tears began to leak out from her eyes.

"You…you said you loved me… …Right?", the pain coursing through my body was nothing compared to my soul-shattering despair. But all I wanted now was even the tiniest glimpse of happiness with Chizuru.

"Could you say it again?", I asked of her.

"I love you… Oh Okita-san, I love you so much!", her voice broke into sobs as her tears fell on my face. Her arms squeezed me, and I smiled at her. I just wanted to hear her say she that loved me over and over again. The most special and important woman in my life loved me, and that was enough to give me indescribable joy.

If only I could stay a little longer…

I breathed in more air to speak, but each time I did it felt like there was a heavy weight pressing down on my chest, and perhaps each breath was killing me. Nonetheless, I still pushed on…

"…It…it made me really happy when you said you wanted to spend your life with me…", my own tears of sadness welled up in my eyes, and yet I still smiled for Chizuru.

"…Made me want to live, you know…"

Pain was nothing now as we only felt grief. But I couldn't leave without letting Chizuru know that I wanted her; that she's the reason I kept on fighting despite all we've suffered through. She had to know that I treasure and love her deeply… That I was grateful to have someone as special as her love someone like me.

Endless tears rolled down Chizuru's face as her whole body shook with fear and mourning. I didn't want to see her like that, but what could I do? My weak fingertips tried to wipe her crystal tears away, but I only ended up smearing more of my blood on her face.

"Please…forgive me… I'm gonna leave you alone…", my tears ready to fall, it was my devastated voice that cried first. Continuously, I felt the heavy pull of death snatching my strength away. But dying wasn't my fear, nor my despair…

…I couldn't keep my promise to Chizuru: to stay with her forever. What ripped my breaking heart was that she would be alone.

Alive, but alone...

She had no one left but me, and I was dying right in front of her. I wasn't even sure if I could forgive myself for causing so much pain to her.

"No, please…", she cried out in denial.

"Please, don't say that!"

How I wished her words could've saved me, but the wound on my chest was one that even the strongest oni couldn't have survived from. As it took hold of my body, I could no longer feel my limbs. My hand remained on Chizuru's cheek, but only by sheer force of will.

Blood continued to clog my throat, making my gurgling breaths come out as wet, strangling sounds.

"I don't want to die…", my whimper was that of a vulnerable child's, full of falsified hope. Begging for my life was pointless, I knew. But I couldn't accept my fate…

"I don't want to…leave you…"

I looked earnestly into Chizuru's eyes, the warmth in them gone. I was scared for the both of us. What would become of us in our own separate paths away from each other? Wondering that only added more torment. But wondering about what our lives could've been if I stayed was like a twisting dagger to my heart and soul because I knew that dream would never exist.

There was no stopping my tears now as I felt them trickle to the side with overwhelming sorrow.

…I would give anything just to spend more time with Chizuru, even if it was only for a little while…

"I don't want you to go either!", she wailed as more of her tears rained down on my face. Slowly and lifelessly, my hand began to retract from her face.

I knew what was coming…

"Just…let me hear…your voice…", my voice lowered and weakened. My vision blurred, and it was hard to maintain my focus.

Just talk to me, Chizuru… Help me rein my focus for only a little bit… The last picture I want in my mind is you…

"No, please! Don't go! Don't… Okita-san!", her voice echoed and grew softer to my ears…

I held my gaze to hers for as long as I could before losing it completely…

"Chizuru…", like blowing out a candle, my tongue refused to make any more sounds ever again. Then my arm fell limply to my side…

My last word was her name… The name that brought me life, joy, and rest…

I love you too, Chizuru… I wish I could've told you that over and over again.

Forever…

…

…I felt light, but with no body. My form was unidentifiable. It was just…me.

The slight breeze that whistled through me didn't feel cold. In fact, I couldn't feel any of my surroundings. My gaze wandered down, and I realized that I was…floating? Perhaps I should've been marveled by the idea that I was achieving man's dream of flying, but my sight perished all the thoughts I was having.

I was directly above Chizuru and…somebody else. Chizuru was holding onto that body for what seemed like ages, just crying.

"Okita-san?", she called out with disbelief. Her voice had me on edge; something was wrong. Why was she crying? Why is she sad? I tried to reach for her, but found I couldn't touch her. What was going on?

Suddenly angst, sadness, and frustration possessed my body. Why couldn't I even touch her?!

"Chizuru…", I said her name, but only I could hear the sound of my own voice. Hopelessly, she cried some more. Seeing her like that was like sticking myself into the very bottom of the ocean, just left there to drown. There was nothing I could do for her. I could only watch the events unfold.

"Okita-san… Okita-san!", she kept calling my name, and no matter how many times I answered her, there was no sound.

I scanned the valley we were in. Two other bodies were left on the ground, lying on their pools of blood that was mixed in with mud. I didn't have to inspect their ghostly pale corpses further to realize that something terrible had just taken place.

Finally, I looked at the body in Chizuru's arms.

The man in her hold was unresponsive. It didn't take me long to notice the largely terrifying pool of blood underneath him and the phantasmal moon reflecting off of it eerily. My stare returning to the body, I noticed the ugly wound right on the center of his chest. The blood that poured out from it stained his clothes black. And if that wasn't enough to convince me that he was dead, all I had to do was look at his eyes.

Green, but with no life residing within them. The light that had once made them shimmer with energy and hope wasn't present. His eyes were focused on nothing, not even the stars above him.

The man was undoubtedly and irrevocably dead…

…Yet Chizuru refused to let go of him.

"Okita-san, please… Say something…anything…", she pleaded to the body, but she still got no answer. Even the slightest peep from the man would've eased her, but she was stuck in the cloudy and dark midst of despair.

Without an end in sight, she kept holding the man's body and weeping over him. It was at that moment that I finally realized I was now currently a shadow of my former self.

The body was Okita-san, me, Souji.

"Chizuru, I'm still here", I tried to reassure her that I was fine, at least in spirit, but her agony only made me question if death was really a release from pain and suffering. I felt as dead as my corpse.

"We…we'll be together…!", despite her sobbing, Chizuru's tone had a strange sense of determination within it. It left me confused, and ultimately worried.

What was she planning?

With her good arm, she reached for the kodachi on her side and drew it out painfully slow from its scabbard. Like the blood, it reflected the moonlight hauntingly as if it became a symbol or omen for the future.

Finally laying my body down, but not daring to leave it, she sat up straight. She was still conscious of the wound on her shoulder, but she ignored its twitching as best as she could. Why wasn't she doing anything to heal her arm? I couldn't understand.

Before anything else, she bent over and kissed my unfeeling lips lingeringly, not minding my blood on her mouth. Once she parted, her voice was barely louder than a whisper.

"We'll be together… Forever…", her words could've soothed my dying soul, but I couldn't feel happy about her plan that I had, at last, discovered.

Sitting up straight again, she positioned the tip of her sword to where the line of her wound had stopped only inches from her heart.

"Please… Don't…", I begged, but my voice went unheard. Unlike me, Chizuru could survive; she had years ahead of her. Getting over my passing would never be an easy task, but she had time to find her will to live again.

Find another man, fall in love, raise kids, grow old, just anything that would be sufficient enough to keep her happy and alive.

But nothing I could've said or done would stop her. She was a stubborn woman, after all. I felt so powerless and useless…

Was I always this pitiable?

I saw with pain-staking misery the edge of her sword finish the work that had been carved earlier into her body. It was quick, but heartbreaking to watch. The sword reached her heart, and now she was dying…

With last remaining strength she had, she pulled the sword out and landed heavily next to my body. Her weak and trembling arms surrounded me once again as she laid her head to rest on my chest. I watched grievingly our blood being mixed together, forming into our large velvety bed that was so dark, it looked as though we were disappearing into a dark abyss or void.

"…I'll…stay with you…forever…", she quivered out with a small genuine smile.

Her heavy eyelids closed, and oddly, she looked calm; at peace...

…The anguish bearing my heart down was lessened when I felt something familiar approach me.

Even without a figure, I recognized the soul that was and would be forever bound to mine. We would never be alone anymore…

Was I selfish for feeling happy? My joy conflicted with guilt. Could I ever truly experience complete happiness and peace knowing that she gave her life for me?

Could I really start over and forget everything?

It wasn't fair…

Finally I got this out, so thank you for reading through all of this! As some of you might know, I'm currently in college, so life has been busy, and I also moved to a different state which makes things more hectic. So that's reason behind my madness, and I hope the next update will be less of a wait, but bear in mind that my schedule is crazy. Anyway, I'm thinking that the story will end with just TWO MORE CHAPTERS, SO PREPARE YOURSELVES! Please leave a review and tell me what you thought, it will help me out tremendously. And as always, have an awesome day!