[ Watashi ]

[ Tomodachi ]

[ Saint Seiya ]

[ Clamp ]

[ Fanfiction ]

The shadows of the tall street lamps were slowly lengthening. The sun had disappeared beyond the horizon. The wide avenue was deserted, there was nothing but silence in this place. A few lights came from the skyscarpers, where there were offices of people doing extra-hours. I stepped out of the shadow hiding me, and looked down from the building roof.

A young man was lying in the middle of the avenue. Unconscious. Bleeding from a deep wound in his flank. My hands closed into fists.

So, the time had come, it had happened.

At last.

Now, I could do what I must...

I quickly walked down the roof, using emergency stairs, and ran to the unmoving human body in front of me. I kneeled beside him, and checked his pulse, to find it weak but regular. I smiled. He would be all right. Now I had to act quickly, before the other returned as well. I gathered the young man in my arms and lifted him. He was light, I would have no difficulty bearing him away. I looked at his face, relaxed, as if he was sleeping peacefully, and whispered :

"I have no love for your kind, but I owe you... Oh Stars and Moon, how much I owe you..."

I bit my lower lip and walked away, giving the place a last look before disappearing, the image of Sakurazuka Seishirou vivid in my memory.

Leave it be, Hunter... Please leave it be now.

The day was dawning. I looked up and smiled at the birds singing in the trees of the big park. I felt exhausted, but I dared not rest. The end was near now, and I had to be ready. Something brushed my right hand and I started, then shook my head remembering the young man I had brought with me and healed. The young man I had kept watch upon during the whole night. His back was comfortably resting against a tree trunk. A sakura. I smiled bitterly. It was fitting somehow... The young man stirred, and slowly opened his eyes.

"Oh... What happened, I..."

He stopped in mid-sentence, deep emerald eyes fixed upon me, horrified. At last, he whispered :

"Was it no dream then ? Was it real ? Are you... Siodhachan of the Daoine Sidhe ?"

I nodded, saying gently :

"Yes. I am sorry you must remember this..."

I shook my head.

"You are in no way responsible for what happened. I am the one who is at fault for not having guarded the burial ground correctly. I am really sorry you had to suffer the violation of your soul by the drow."

He shivered, then looked at me, a deep emotion shining in his eyes.

"Your brother... Loved you very much..."

I nodded, my eyes unfocused, lost in distant memories.

"I know..."

Suddenly, he tensed and his fingers gripped my forearm.

"Where is he ? He was with you, he..."

I gently freed myself and stared at him steadily.

"I do not know. He must have come back to this reality as you did. He came with me because I needed his help to free you. And he..."

I bowed my head.

It had to be said. I had to tell him the truth, he had to know, this had to end...

I faced Sumeragi Subaru resolutely.

"Listen to me, listen to me well thirteenth head of the Sumeragi Clan..."

He froze.

"How would you know ?..."

I ignored him.

"Your battle must end. This senseless fight must cease, now. I will not let you kill each other, I will not let the bloodshed continue. You must win free of your hatred, you must let go of all these feelings which crush you, you must go on living, it is what your sister wants..."

His fingers squeezed my arms.

"You do not know what you're talking about !"

I smiled coldly.

"Is that a fact ? Sumeragi Subaru, the Hunter does not deserve your hatred. There is only one person responsible for all that has happened, one person : myself. If you really must hate someone, hate me. But you will cease this senseless feud with Sakurazuka Seishirou..."

He let go of me and fell back against the sakura's trunk, shocked. I stood up and turned around, looking at the sunlight coming through the canopy of leaves.

"Once my brother's spirit left you, I came to understand why the hunter wanted you so much, I came to understand that you are his prey. It would have meant nothing to me, I would have let him have his way with you, human affairs are not my concern, but... I owed you, so I protected you, and he marked me as his prey, demanding my life in payment for depriving him of his hunt. We fought..."

I faced the young man again.

"He is strong, this hunter, but still he was no match for me. Those of my kind are proud, so I dismissed him during a small instant, and he used this to strike. He killed the Tree which was the Heart of Eald. You who have shared Bainlinn's soul must know what this meant for me..."

He nodded silently.

"Sakurazuka Seishirou knew it as well. He helped me. We used our combined forces in a spell which gave birth to a new Tree. That is when I last saw him. As he disappeared, he swore to me that all those who are Sakurazukamori would protect this Tree until the End of Time..."

I looked up at the Sakura.

"I forgot his words, until the Spring the new Tree got its first blossoms..."

My hands closed into fists.

"Beautiful pale pink blossoms, soft, so delicate and fragile... So I understood what exactly we had done... Time passed, and eventually the life force both he and I had given the Tree dried up... And the Tree..."

I closed my eyes, fighting the pain in my heart.

"Began to die..."

Fingers gently closed on my fists, and I looked at Sumeragi Subaru, surprised. He said nothing, simply looking at me, understanding in his beautiful emerald eyes. I breathed slowly, and continued.

"I thought of giving my own blood to the Tree, but it wouldn't absorb it, it..."

A soft, gentle voice interrupted me.

"It could only drink human blood my lady. I used you for strength, but it was my blood which gave the Tree life..."

Sumeragi Subaru tensed and whirled around to face the threat.

"Sakurazukamori !"

Sakurazuka Seishirou smiled fondly.

"I am happy to see you both..."

Before any of them could move, I pushed Subaru behind me, facing the Hunter.

"Leave this be Sakurazuka Seishirou, leave this be, it has no more reason to be, it does not have to happen..."

He shook his head.

"But on the contrary, it does lady Siodhachan... You do remember the promise I made, don't you ? You yourself recognized the necessity when the need was upon you, didn't you ?"

I smiled sadly, nodding.

"Yes. If the Tree had died, then I would have left the human lands forever, and Darkness would have remained, free to claim it. I had promised my people, I was the Guardian of their dreams..."

I felt tears stinging my eyes.

"No matter how much I hated what had to be done, how much I despised myself for not being strong enough, I couldn't... I couldn't let the Tree die... One day, a human woman came to Eald and befriended me. I eventually told her about the Tree, and she promised to help me, because she loved her people so much and wanted them to be protected from the Darkness... She chose the lesser of two evils, and... Brought lives to the Tree... Because I couldn't bring myself to do this... She..."

I looked away, unable to face Sakurazuka Seishirou.

"I ran from Eald, horrified, leaving the forest in her care, and that of her heirs... I wandered during a long time, without a goal, and eventually..."

I stared at the other Guardian.

"I remembered you. And so I waited... I watched you all your life, I saw you meet a young child who intrigued you, I saw you befriend the young man he had become, I saw you kill each of your victims, I saw you weave the trap around Sumeragi Subaru and did nothing. I saw Sumeragi Hokuto going to you and didn't interfere, I let you kill her... I waited. I watched and waited, I had no other choice..."

I looked at Sumeragi Subaru.

"Now do you understand ? The only one who deserves hatred is me. I let the Sakura live, I am the reason the Sakurazukamori exists..."

Tears were running down his face. I faced the Hunter once again.

"Now I am at last free to act. The circle is complete. Leave this place, Sakurazuka Seishirou. I have no wish to harm you."

He smiled.

"Why should I lady ? What can you do ?"

I sighed. It was useless, he would never give up his hunt, and it wouldn't take him long to guess my intent. I looked at him and said softly :

"What I must. Forgive me, Seishirou..."

I unsheathed my silver sword, the only thing I had kept when I had left Eald all those years ago, and rushed forward. Taken aback, the hunter simply avoided me, but he had never been my goal. As I brushed past him, I saw a light of horror and understanding in his eyes, but it was far too late. I lifted my blade, and struck the Sakura with all my strength.

I looked at the blade encased in the tree's trunk, unmoving. My heart empty. My fingers squeezed on the hilt as I fought the need to run away from this place. I looked up at the beautiful tree.

I must feel it, I must feel it until the end...

A gentle breeze flew my hair, and brought to me a few delicate petals, white petals.

Eald... It is done.

Slowly, my fingers released the sword and I stepped back. I heard steps behind me, but didn't move.

"Why, Siodhachan ?"

I looked at the sakura tree, silent. Fingers gripped my shoulders, savagely forcing me to turn around. Sakurazuka Seishirou's face was a studied mask from which no emotion could be felt. His fingers squeezed, tearing the fabric of the sleeve and drawing blood.

"Answer me Siodhachan. Why ?"

I looked at the blood running down my sleeves, unheeding of the pain, and then smiled sadly.

"It had to end, Hunter. Not because I have learnt to love your kind, not because I have the slightest desire to protect it, but..."

Suddenly, I felt tears running down my cheeks.

"Every life you took for this Tree, every life you took... for me... weighs on my shoulders. All those deaths are my responsability, my fault for not being strong enough. And there is more..."

I bowed my head.

"You, and each human Guardian before you... I forced you to become what you are. It is because you wanted to help me... I watched you growing up, I... Watched you... So like my kind... You... Who could almost have been Daoine Sidhe... And I saw the hunter taking hold of your soul... All this killing, over the years it changed the Sakurazukamori, darkness reached you... Taking lives to feed the tree is evil, and no good can come of evil... The choice your ancestor made was wrong. Eald should have died, and I with it. If I could, I'd have destroyed the Tree eons ago, but I had to wait for you, I had to wait for the circle to be complete... And I watched the forest slowly changing, I saw darkness reaching its heart..."

I looked up at the hunter's face, still unreadable.

"I felt evil spreading like a sickness among Eald, slowly, I felt Eald's suffering at this... Death was the only way out, death was a mercy the forest begged me to grant during countless years..."

I reached out to him, and let my fingers brush his left cheek softly.

"I did this because it was my duty. I did this because you could never expect me to kill Eald, you could never expect me to destroy the only thing that gave a meaning to my life. I did this because you could never expect me to hurt myself so horribly..."

I gently freed myself from his hold.

"Now, you are the last, Seishirou. There will be no more Sakurazukamori after you. There will be no more killing."

I turned away from him.

"I do not expect you to forgive me. I will never forgive myself."

I made to leave the place, and suddenly his voice called me.

"Siodhachan..."

I stopped, unwilling to face him.

"I am the Guardian. It is my duty to defend the Sakura you killed. You must pay the price for this deed. You must die."

I felt power rising in him, but didn't react. I heard him coming towards me, but didn't move. I felt death rushing towards me, but didn't flee.

Death would be a blessing.

Suddenly, something pushed me savagely aside, and as I fell I heard someone cry out in pain.

I stood up slowly, and looked before me.

No...

Sumeragi Subaru was lying on the ground, his blood staining the grass. A gaping wound in his right flank. Dying. I shook my head, disbelieving.

For me...

My right hand closed on the Dreamstone and I gritted my teeth. I looked up at the hunter who was watching the scene dispassionately. A smile came to his lips, and suddenly my decision was made. As the last Sakurazukamori struck once again, I rushed forward and let the power flow from me, building a shield between him and us.

I staggered under the force of his blows, but my barrier held. Turning my back on him, I knelt down beside Sumeragi Subaru and cautiously took him in my arms. I bit my lower lip.

He was dying.

The wound was far too deep. I bowed my head and whispered :

"Why ?"

The young man's eyes opened, and he smiled gently. His emerald eyes were shining.

"Because I understand... Because I forgive you..."

His left forefinger reached out to me and caught a tear on my cheek.

"As I know Hokuto-chan forgave you."

I hugged him, closing my eyes, feeling a distress and sadness so deep I had to fight with all my will not to howl like a wolf.

The hatred was gone from him. He was free... And he was going to die... Because he had saved me...

I shook my head slowly.

No, I couldn't let that happen !

Suddenly, something tore violently at my back and I felt a warm liquid soaking my left flank. The pain was distant. My barrier was failing.

I hadn't much time.

Refusing the need to close my eyes and forget all that I knew, I slowly took off my Dreamstone and hung it around Sumeragi Subaru's neck, invoking the last of my power to give him strength. The stone glowed on his chest, and his fingers gripped my arms.

"What are you doing ?!"

I smiled gently.

"I owe you a life, Sumeragi Subaru. I am paying my debt to you while I can. My stone will heal you. It is yours now. Never take it off, for it is linked to your soul..."

I looked up and called softly.

"Ciataich, come my friend..."

The wind rose, and the ghostly shape of the Sidhe stallion appeared beside us. The steed whinnied worriedly, but I said :

"Bear this young man away Ciataich, it is the last thing I shall ever ask of you. Bear him to where the Sidhe are now..."

Sumeragi Subaru shook his head.

"I do not want you to sacrifice yourself for me, I do not want to go, I..."

Gently, I took his hand and closed it around the Dreamstone that was now his.

"Please, go. Ciataich will bear you beyond the Sea, where you will be safe, where you will know peace. You bear my memories and my dreams with you. Live Sumeragi Subaru, live for me, for your sister and for yourself. I promise you you will remain yourself, my soul shall not trouble you. Please, go to my people and tell them of me..."

I smiled sadly.

"I have no desire to go on..."

I bent down on him and softly kissed his brow.

"Live and be happy..."

His eyes closed as the spell took hold of him. I smiled fondly, knowing his dreams would be sweet.

You are so like Bainlinn... Trusting...

I gritted my teeth as yet another blow struck my barrier, and lifted the young man onto Ciataich's back. I gently stroked the ghostly neck.

"Take good care of him Ciataich... Go now, and farewell..."

The stallion whinnied, unwilling to leave, and I cried :

"Go !"

I turned my back on him, and faced Sakurazuka Seishirou.

He chanted softly, and suddenly walked towards me. He stopped right in front of the waning shield, and, smiling, cut through it with his hand. I cried out as the shield's wound duplicated itself on my body, and stepped back. He said gently :

"It's almost over now Siodhachan. Your power is not a match for mine anymore, you killed the source of your strength..."

My back hit a trunk, and suddenly I noticed the hilt of my sword, still encased in the sakura. As if in a dream, I took it out and smiled.

"Neither you nor I have a reason for living now. Let us end this hunter, once and for all."

He nodded, smiling back, and I rushed towards him.

I chuckled as the blade missed him and as his blow struck me directly. As I was about to fall, he held me up, gently.

"You did not even try to touch me Siodhachan..."

The pain was far away. This sensation of dying was almost enjoyable, it was reassuring. I felt safe in his arms like this.

Strange...

This feeling...

It was so strange...

I reached out to him with difficulty, weakened by the wounds.

Warm...

And strong...

I could almost have found the will to live...

Was this human love ?

As my fingers were about to touch him, his hand took mine away from him. He chuckled softly.

"I have no feelings Siodhachan. When I find stones in my way, I kick them away. As I kicked you away..."

He stared at me steadily.

"No matter how beautiful and rare, no matter how precious, a stone always remains a stone..."

Tears suddenly mixed with the blood on my face and I closed my eyes, embracing oblivion as a fading whisper reached me.

"Sayonara..."

I gently lowered the frail body at the foot of the sakura. The sakura whose blossoms would be and remain white until the End of Time. I smiled, looking down at the young woman.

It is fitting that you should rest here, don't you think Siodhachan ?

I looked up at the sunlight piercing through the canopy of leaves, unable to give a name to the strange ache inside of me.

No more lives to take... My preys are gone, one beyond reach forever... The hunt is over.

Suddenly, I felt something emanating from the sakura and focused on it. Slowly, a transparent shape freed itself from it, coming towards me.

Siodhachan...

Couldn't the Sidhe die ? She was smiling, tears shining in her eyes.

There was no anger in her face. On the opposite, she seemed... Both happy and sad... How odd...

A ghostly hand reached out to me, and this time I let it touch me. Her lips formed words, and suddenly, on impulse I embraced the ghost and held it close to me. During a fraction of a second, I had the impression of really holding her, and then her shape dissolved, taken away by the wind. One last time, her lips shaped words and her hand reached out to me. I let our fingers brush, whispering :

"So do I..."

I turned my back on the sakura, and left the park. Siodhachan had been wrong, I still had something to live for. I smiled.

"Now the Darkness will come..."

I chuckled.

The strange ache once again gripped my heart, and I looked back towards the park.

"Kimi o aishiteiru yo..."

The wind rose and flew my hair. I shook my head and went away.

End.

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