Love Hina Fan Fiction ❯ Immortal Flame ❯ Chapter 6: Dark Light ( Chapter 6 )

Chapter 6: Dark Light

The light was just beginning to pierce the wooded canopy that had sheltered their escape. Resting now that the demons could no longer be felt, Takeru checked the girls. For the most part they were scarred, but unharmed. Walking to just outside their vision, Takeru checked himself. He was beginning to find himself light headed and unable to think clearly, but he'd suffered through it. Sitting down, he pretended to be resting. Unwilling to draw attention to himself, he looked at his wounded leg. The rip in the clothing ran from just above his left knee to below his hip.

Cursing, he noticed that all the running had began to pump his blood faster, causing the wound to not clot like it should. Pulling apart the fabric, Takeru began to inspect his wound. Muttering under his breath, he pulled out a long strip of cloth he kept on him for emergencies. Placing pressure on the wound, he heard a gasp from just behind him.

Shinobu stood their, her eyes fixed on his wound. Covering his wound quickly, Takeru spoke gently, “Don't worry, it's nothing, Shinobu.”

“But,” Shinobu said, but then quieted her voice. Takeru's eyes turned away from the young girl as he spoke again. His voice was quiet, “I had meant to keep you from knowing.”

Shinobu looked at her protector with worry and fear in her eyes, “Please let us help you.”

Takeru looked back at the young girl. His hard expression softened a little. Then with a nod, he relented. Shinobu raced back to the others, and pulled Motoko aside. Whispering into her ear, Motoko's expression flashed from calm to despair quickly. Hiding her feelings, she followed Shinobu over to Takeru. Looking down at the young man, Motoko saw the spreading stain on his pants leg. She looked Takeru in the eye, “We'll have to treat it now.”

Takeru began to protest, but Motoko waved the complaint aside, “It's either now or wait for it to get infected. And I don't want to carry you all the way to Kyoto.”

Takeru leaned back against the tree, “Fine.”

Motoko turned to Shinobu, “You go back to the others, and don't say anything.”

Shinobu began to argue, but closed her mouth when she knew what they were going to have to do to tend the wound. Blushing slightly, she walked away leaving Motoko and Takeru alone. Turning back to him, Motoko grabbed the blood-soaked rag, “We'll have to take your pants off to treat it.”

Not even blinking at the comment, he unbuckled his pants and lowered down so that Motoko could get to the wound. Her expert fingers began to inspect the wound. Satisfied that no serious damage was done, she reached inside her sleeve. Producing a needle and some thread from it, she looked at Takeru, “This is gonna hurt.”

Pulling a small flask from his jacket, Takeru shook his head, “Don't think so. Thousand year old mixture passed down by my family. It takes the pain away quickly with very little of it.”

Shaking her head, Motoko threaded the needle. Tying it off, she reached down and began to sew up the wound. She heard a grunt, then the slosh of liquid as Takeru drank the first sip of his medicinal brew. The two sat there, seconds passing between the two as Motoko sewed his wound. Half way through the treatment, Motoko sighed, “I'm s-sorry about last night.”

Takeru took another swig, “Don't worry about it. I'm used to those kinds of things.”

“How could someone get used to that,” Motoko said, her voice staying even. She tied a knot in the stitching then bit the end off to release the needle, “That seems almost unlikely that anyone would become accustomed to that.”

Takeru chuckled, “People fear what they don't understand. Science can't explain my existence; there fore I must be a demon.”

Motoko replaced the needle into her sleeve and looked at the Phoenix sitting next to her, “It must be a hard life you lead.”

He shook his head, clicking his tongue at her, “You have no idea, Motoko. You have no idea.”

Taking out a strip of cloth from inside his coat, Takeru began to wrap the wound. Motoko laid a gentle hand on his and took the bandages away from him. Faintly, they looked at each other before returning to tending the wound. Wrapping the white cloth around it, Motoko secured it with a surgical knot she'd learned from her sister.

Silence then pierced the canopy of the forest as a small breeze wound its way through the trees. Testing his leg, Takeru stood up as he did up his pants, “You're good at that. I take it you had a lot of practice?”

She nodded her head, “Yes. It was another one of the things that I was taught when I was growing up.”

Looking around, Takeru walked back to the rest of them with Motoko right next to him. Though he wanted to rest longer, they needed to get as far away from Hinata as possible. Takeru replaced his flask into his pocket, “We need to move on. There's a cottage several mountains over. If we hurry we can make it there in a week.”

The younger girls groaned in protest, but they began to pick up what little they had managed to get out and started walking again. The older of the girls silently nodded their heads and awaited Takeru to take the lead. Making his way to the front, he noticed that Motoko had not yet left his side. He smiled lightly, `This is going to be a long trip.'

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Haruka wandered around handing out orders and taking care of the wounded. She had long since done away with her cigarette, having smoked it to the butt. Tying a bandage around another slashed limb, she stood up and surveyed what had been done. Kenji had managed to find at least five sleeping Phoenix's and was in the process of teaching them to unleash their power. The scouts they had sent out had come back with at least four dozen other survivors. Some of the survivors had even volunteered to aid them. She smiled as she wiped the blood and grim off of her hands, happy to see that in the midst of a situation they didn't understand, the human population was already starting to pull together.

Walking towards the building that Keitaro had gone into, she removed a bandana she had wrapped around her head. Wringing it out, she stepped inside. Faintly she could hear Keitaro's breathing, even and normal. She sighed contentedly, and walked over to the wash tub that they had put there for him to use. She dipped her bandana into it and wrung it out. Keitaro stirred in another room as she walked into where his sleeping form rested.

Gently she walked over and began to wash the blood and grime from his face. She felt a twinge of regret for him that everything had to happen now. However, the possibility existed that if things had happened years in the future, Keitaro and his children would have wound up in the struggle. A shudder ran through her body as she thought about that train of thought. Silently she hoped that her grand nieces and nephews would never have to do what they were.

Keitaro caught her hand lightly, “Haruka, I need to talk to you.”

She frowned, “Alright, Keitaro. What's on your mind?”

Sitting up in the bed, Keitaro locked eyes with his aunt. She could see the pain and anger in his eyes as he spoke, “Why didn't you tell me, Haruka? Why didn't you tell me that this was who I am?”

Haruka sighed. She had expected this from him. She sat on the side of the bed and looked at her nephew, “Because I had hoped that this would never have happened. Guess I'm wrong?”

Keitaro looked away, bringing his eyes to look out the window at the people mulling about. His voice was strained and fatigue was still evident in his voice, “Why do these things happen to me and everyone around me?”

His aunt pulled his face to look back at her, “This wasn't something that you caused, Keitaro. Get that idea out of your head.”

“But I can't but help feel like I caused it,” he said, tears glistening at the edges of his eyes. He cast his eyes downward, “If I had known years before, then I could have made sure everyone was safe and then fight them off before it came to this.”

Finally letting her anger and frustration get the better of her, she reached out and slapped him across the face. Still facing away from her, she let her anger out, “Keitaro, stop it! You didn't cause this and there was no way to know about this ahead of time! We didn't even know when they were going to attack!”

Keitaro spoke low, “But I'm afraid. I'm afraid of losing everything and everyone dear to me.”

Haruka pulled his face to look at her, “Everyone's afraid, Keitaro! Just look around you! This town has pretty much been demolished, and yet your in here whining and crying about the what ifs and why for's! Stop it! This won't help anyone, Keitaro!”

Standing up, Haruka stormed out the door, leaving Keitaro to wallow in his thoughts. Swinging his feet out of bed, he put his head in his hands. Her words had struck a chord in his heart. Coming to grips with it, he was forced to accept her words. He had tried to run from the situation, just like he had run from his problems in the past. Getting up and walking over to the window, he looked at the people milling about and helping each other. They put on their best calm and strong expressions, but Keitaro knew better. Inside each and every one of them, they felt exactly like him. Keitaro felt his stomach churn as he watched the gruesome sight. Turning away from the window, Keitaro found his vision pulled to the Hina Blade. The sacred treasure of his family, the family heirloom was now coated in demonic blood. Gazing at the blood encrusted sword, Keitaro saw his reflection in the volcanic black blade. His reflection told him another story.

He looked at how his features had changed. His hair, long and unkempt, now had tints of red among the black hairs. His eyes had lightened slightly to a dark shade of red, while his body was covered in blood. Knowing that none of it was his, he cringed slightly. Never before had he ever done anything to hurt anyone in cold blood. Though, he realized that if he had not killed them, that him and all his friends would be dead. Now forced to follow the path that he had chosen, Keitaro steeled himself for the coming tide. Retrieving the Hina Blade from its resting place on the wall, he put it in his belt. Securing it in place, Keitaro tossed aside his red jacket. Stepping into the light, Keitaro felt the crowds eyes pulled to him as they watched him walk outside. Haruka stood over looking a combination of humans and phoenix's piling up the dead demons for burning when she felt Keitaro's presence by her side, “Made up your mind?”

Keitaro nodded, “I may not be able to change what has happened, but I will not let this world die. Even if I have to die myself.”

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The sun was beginning to fade in the west as the people slowly had begun to leave the town for one of the few places that they'd be safe. Keitaro watched as they left, his eyes looking over to those that had chosen to stay behind with them. He had counted their numbers to be at least three hundred and eighty strong. He shook his head, “So few to fight.”

Haruka nodded slowly, “But we need every man we can get.”

“Haruka,” Keitaro said looking off to the northern part of the ruins. There he had seen a flare of red and yellow. He unleashed his power and took to flight, Haruka right behind him. He yelled back over his shoulder, “I thought I saw something over here!”

The edge of town started to come closer, the ruins becoming more and more devastating. Down below them, they watched for any sign of movement. Then Haruka called out, “Down there!”

Plummeting to the ground, the pair landed with weapons drawn. Haruka looked around while Keitaro walked over to the prone man. His chest was covered in blood from a deep wound slashed across his stomach. Keitaro lifted him up slowly, “Are you alright? Speak to me.”

The man stuttered as he spoke to the young Phoenix in front of him. His words were soft, making Keitaro lean in to hear him. Whispered words were all Keitaro heard as he registered the message. His message delivered, the man slipped away into the embrace of death. Keitaro closed his eyes and turned to Haruka, “Get everyone moving now.”

Haruka looked questioningly at him, “What happened?”

Keitaro took to flight, Haruka close behind. Yelling back over the howl of the wind, he repeated the words of the dead man. Haruka felt a lump in her throat as she digested the news. Speeding towards the assembled group, they landed heavily. The minute Haruka had touched down; she had begun barking out orders which were immediately followed. Keitaro touched down and sent for Kenji. Rushing to his side, the bald man looked at his leader, “Yes, Keitaro?”

Keitaro looked at him with a serious expression, “Take a group of your best men and go to Tokyo.”

Kenji looked questioningly at him, “Sir?”

Keitaro looked in the direction of the capital of Japan, anger swelling in his heart, “They've moved on Tokyo, and there're razing it to the ground!”

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Gaaz looked around at the sight laid out before him, and smiled wickedly. The great city of Tokyo, the technological wonder and one of the largest cities in the world, was now burning. He laughed as he listened to the tortured screams of the innocent as they were slowly killed or enslaved. He rubbed the now half healed wound on his shoulder through his armor, hoping that Takeru would show up and fall for this well devised ruse.

Turning towards the grotesque demon at his side, Gaaz bellowed, “Inform me of the progress, Huile.”

The scared figure spoke in hisses, “Yessss, Masssster. It appearsss that we have met a sssmall band of Phoenix'sss on the northwessstern edge of the city. We sssshall over run them ssshortly.”

Gaaz chuckled, “Good. I had expected them to leave the larger cities relatively undefended. With the resistance they put up at Hinata, which means the smaller towns were suspected of as targets. What fools they are.”

The creature at his right hissed a laugh, “Yessss, Masssster. They are foolssss who will fall to your greatnesssss!”

Gaaz looked back at the high rise buildings burning and a few collapsing entirely. Turning away he began to walk back to his command center. Feeling the amount of terror and cruelty he had set loose made him chuckle. Shortly his chuckle bellowed out as his foul voice filled the air with his laughter.

End of Chapter 6