A Guardian's Possession

The humans that had been stranded in this world, millenniums ago, had had to fight the demons of this world in order to survive. But often they were killed off at early ages because of their weakness, so the population had not grown by much. Those that did survive to adulthood often spend their entire lives fighting the demons that plagued this world.

The guardians and stronger humans within this world tried to keep them protected but they couldn’t always be there at the right time.

Such was the situation with the twins. Not long after the guardian heart crystal had been shattered, Kyou had heard of a village near his castle being attacked by the underlings of his uncle and he knew there must have been a talisman there for Hyakuhei to show such interest. On top of that, the village was within his territory and therefore under his protection. Unfortunately, for reasons he still had not discovered, he had not sensed the demons closing in until it was too late.

By the time Kyou had arrived, the village was under attack by several airborne fire demons. The twins had been the only ones left and that was only because their parents had hid them in a cavern under their hut. Had he not heard their cries under the burning shelter…? Kyou found it difficult to think about that part of it which constantly led him to a confused state.

Having pulled them from the wreckage, he had noticed the twins both had been adorned with a necklace made from the shattered pieces of the guardian heart crystal. The twin’s crystalline blue eyes had matched the color of the jewel that hung around their neck as they cried for the family that had been taken from them.

He had stood there looking around the destroyed village as the twins clutched at his legs, hiding their faces against him.

Kyou had thought it strange that both fragments had been in the shape of a teardrop… how ironic as he looked around the village that had been slaughtered leaving behind the very reason it had been demolished. Had the guardian heart crystal somehow hid the children from the monsters that had come for them? Considering the unknown nature of the crystal and the many secrets it contained… it wouldn’t have surprised him.

Knowing others would come for the tainted necklaces, Kyou quickly removed the fragments from their necks. He tried convincing himself repeatedly that it was part of his duty as a guardian to protect the talisman but, again, emotion constantly swayed his decisions. Later, looking back on the event, he had to stop from associating himself and his brothers with the twins. Like the children, they had no family except each other.

Already hiding feelings for Kyoko, it had made him curious about humans, so when the twins had tried to toddle behind him… wanting to follow him… he realized they too would die without his help.

Something about the tearstained faces and the way they looked up at him made his chest feel tight and heavy… he would not leave them. The decision made, he had turned and swept them up in his arms and brought them home behind the walls where demons could not find them. He would watch after the human siblings and learn the secret of why the guardian heart crystal protected such a race.

Shaking the memories from his mind, he pulled the chain out from his shirt and glanced at the sphere that rested there. The fragments of the crystal he had taken from the children.

He raised it up to eye level to watch the small teardrops float within the barrier he had given them. Such beautiful slivers of blue crystal that seemed to swim in a sea of tears they had caused. Tears he knew the twins still shed for their lost family, though they were coming less often than before. Occasionally, while resting, one or both would attempt crawling into bed with him to sleep. He did not understand this aspect of comfort but he allowed it, curious.

Slipping the necklace back into its hiding place, Kyou retreated back to the room he had placed Kyoko in and opened the door. Without stepping a foot inside, he could feel the room was empty and his anger grew. He had not told her she was free to leave. His expression hardened… She would have to learn her place if he was to protect her.

He inhaled slowly, detecting the scent of the twins mingling with hers. He walked on silent feet to one of the two balconies that lined the hallway just outside her room. This one led to the center of the castle and he looked down toward the hot springs that lay within.

Seeing her again, Kyou felt his anger cool. She had not fled as he had first thought. He silently watched her from the shadows as she spoke with the siblings.

*****

Kyoko walked to the edge of the enclosed hot spring, still undecided on whether or not she should be here watching the twins bathe or trying to find a way out of the castle completely. Seeing the children’s carefree happiness eased her worries for a few minutes. As long as they were with her nothing would happen… right?

Letting her mind relax, she sat down on the stone lining that surrounded the heated water, sticking her feet in while watching the set of human twins. She was still curious as to how the little children came to be here, with Kyou. "Hiroki, Hiraru, where is your mommy and daddy?"

The twins stopped splashing and turned to Kyoko with a tilt to their little heads. "The village was attacked and everyone disappeared in the flames.” Hiroki took a piece of cloth from the side, dipped it in a bowl on the side of the spring, and started rubbing his little body.

Kyoko was surprised to see that it made lather as he rubbed his skin. So, the twin’s parents were dead? "How did you come here to be with Kyou?" She watched Hiraru wade to her smiling.

His little face tilted up to Kyoko’s and she could see warmth in his eyes. "The demons would have taken us too but Kyou stopped them and now we get to stay with him." he turned and splashed water on Hiroki, getting rid of the soap while he continued to answer her question. "The demons can’t find us now. They can’t even see this place, Kyou said so.” Kyoko watched Hiroki struggle to wet Hiraru’s hair and lather it.

’So… Kyou had saved them and now he watched after them much like a father would?’ Kyoko’s eyebrows forwarded in confusion. That did not sound like the Kyou she had come to fear. Her gaze softened for a second wondering if she really knew him at all. ‘An ice prince with a heart?’ she giggled at her own joke.

Noticing the stream of soap making its way toward Hiraru’s eyes, Kyoko decided to offer her assistance. "Would you like for me to help you wash your hair?"

When the children nodded and laughed, Kyoko got up her nerve and removed her clothes then slid into the water to help them, completely ignoring the fact that at the moment she was supposed to be trying to find a way back to the other guardians and far away from the guardian who had become her jailor.

*****

“How was I supposed to know Kyoko was coming back through the time portal in the middle of the damn night?” Toya yelled up at the sky as if Kyou could still hear him. It had taken Shinbe a while just to get him this calm.

They had all panicked at first when light traces of red started filtering into Toya’s irises. When Toya started to destroy select trees around him, they had decided to step back a moment and let him work off some of his anger instead of letting it build up to such a dangerous level.

“And Hyakuhei showing up like that… she could have been kidnapped!” Toya continued to rage in confusion as his eyes turned silver in anger then reflected back to gold as worry reentered his mind. He looked back at the spot where Kyou had held her within the barrier against her will.

“What am I saying? She WAS kidnapped. Damn it!” he growled broodingly.

Shinbe was Toya’s opposite… he remained calm in the face of their missing priestess. “Kidnapped or saved?” He questioned as his hand tightened on his staff in uncertainty. What was Kyou thinking? He was sure there was more to this story than Toya was telling them.

His amethyst gaze watched Toya’s every move in hopes that his cursed demonic side would stay dormant. The last thing they needed was Toya’s demon blood taking over and making the situation worse. “Kyou has never been known to be nice… even when he was actually helping. Maybe he took her just to keep her safe till Hyakuhei left.”

Toya clinched his fist knowing the others hadn’t seen what he had seen. He didn’t want to tell them. Somehow… saying it out loud made it that much truer but they had a right to know what their older sibling was up to. “Kyou isn’t bringing her back.”

“Why not?” Kamui spoke for the first time since Hyakuhei had disappeared. “He is a guardian… one of us. Why wouldn’t he bring her back to us?”

Suki listened quietly while the brothers tried to sort it all out. She was still in shock with the fact that Kyou had shown up at all. Up till now, he had pretty much stayed out of this war as if it wasn’t his problem. Her hopes rose at the thought that maybe now he had decided to help but Toya’s next words made her cringe with dread.

“Because he wants her all to himself… the selfish bastard wants her for his own. He’s never touched another woman that I’ve ever seen like that… which means he’s probably chosen her for his mate.” Toya stopped pacing realizing what he had just said.

His eyes changed back to pure gold as he lifted them to look at the others. Shinbe’s jaw was dropped and Suki’s eyes were the size of saucers but it was Kamui he was most worried about. Kamui’s eyes were hidden behind untamed purple hair as the boy stared at the ground but Toya could see his fingers clinched into fists.

Toya started to take a step forward but stilled when Kamui took a step backward. “Don’t touch me!” Kamui’s voice had changed and the sound gave everyone a very uneasy feeling.

“Kamui?” Toya gritted his teeth hoping Kamui would be able to hold it in for now. The boy was the most innocent of them all but only because he had chosen to forget the truth about his own past.

“Don’t fall asleep Kyoko,” Kamui whispered warningly knowing the danger she was in if Hyakuhei and the dream demon could reach that far.

The puddles left behind from the rain seemed to shimmer with liquid speckled hues all around Kamui. “Hyakuhei wants her… Kyou wants her… what makes them any better than all the demons that want her?” Kamui’s voice quivered as his untamed hair swayed in the wind that seemed to be blowing only around him.

Suddenly the shadow behind Kamui took a different form causing the others to take a step back.

With a burst of energy that rippled the air and water around him, Kamui screamed, “They can’t just take her from me!” A shower of glitter fell from translucent wings that rebelliously appeared across his back.

Finally raising his tear filled eyes, Kamui glared at the others as the tips of his wings took on an ominous dark tinge. He shook his head as his voice became dangerously soft. “Fathers… brothers… it doesn’t matter. They can’t have her.”

The guardians shielded their eyes from the flash of light that swept out from where Kamui stood. When they lowered their arms… Kamui was nowhere in sight.

“Why do I have a feeling he didn’t go after Kyoko?” Shinbe stated still wondering at the strange darkness that had appeared at the tips of Kamui's wings. That wasn’t a good sign.

The words Kamui had spoken, ‘fathers and brothers’ chilled Toya’s soul and confirmed his destination. “Because he’s gone after Hyakuhei!”

Shinbe’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “I will go after Kamui, you go find Kyoko. Right now, Kamui needs the voice of reason and I’m the best one for the job at the moment.”

Suki watched as they both took off in different directions as if forgetting all about her. She then noticed Kaen still beside her. “I guess we should head back to the hut and wait on them to return.” She shrugged knowing she would only slow Shinbe down if she tried to follow him.

She turned to walk away but noticed Kaen hadn’t moved. Stepping back around in front of him her lips parted in awe.

Kaen had tears in his eyes as he stared off in the direction Kamui and Shinbe had gone.