14:
Somehow, I always end up in sticky
situations, wondering why and how I get myself into these problems. At least,
if I had my sword with me, I could use that as well as my power of fire to get
us out of this mess. But my powers are useless in this world and to make
matters worse, I am still trapped within this boy’s body. The more he tries to
repress me, the weaker I become. Doesn’t he know that? However, I can sense the
Maou approaching and I know he will try to make contact with us to know our
location. I’ll have to rouse this boy to consciousness or our thoughts will
never reach him in time.
/Wake up, Wolfram! You must wake up! Wake…up!/
Long lashes flew open, glazed green eyes staring at their surroundings for a
few bewildered moments before settling on what looked like a large wooden crate
in front of him. However, there was something wrong with the angle of the box
for it seemed like it was sideways or rather upside down. It wasn’t until he
saw a small cockroach approaching at an incredibly fast trot, did he finally
sit up with a small cry, realizing that he had been lying on the cold hard
floor. He would have fallen again if his reflexes hadn’t stopped him from
stumbling. Movement was difficult since he was on his knees and could go no
higher. His kidnappers had, apparently, bound his ankles and his wrists behind
his back. That would explain the dull throbbing pain in his shoulders.
Where am I? How far away from the camp
did they take me? What is this place? Who are they?! What the fuck do they want
with me?!
Noticing the roach was approaching him again, Wolfram shifted across the floor
(it was incredibly slow work moving about on his knees) and away from the
annoying insect before allowing himself to look more carefully at his
surroundings. Across from him were stacks of wooden crates, several opened to
reveal tufts of dried grass. There was a musty smell of hay and horse manure –
a scent Wolfram was familiar with since he took care of his own horse back home
– but oddly no horses to go with it. He looked above him, noticing the low
ceiling comprised of steel pipes in a complicated, zigzag pattern. This
definitely had to be a barn of some sort and an abandoned one from the look of
things.
So where were his kidnappers? Had they just left him here to rot and die? It
was more than likely to be the case and Wolfram knew he couldn’t rule out that
possibility. It was bad enough that Camp Royals was out in the middle of
nowhere and now he had been taken to a place where no one would ever find him.
They could very well leave him here to fend for himself with no food, no water
while bound like a common thief!
Stop thinking about that! Wolfram
shook his head rapidly, before wincing at the piercing headache that seared
through his head. They’ll come back. They
must have kidnapped me for a reason. But I swear if it’s some senior player’s
idea of a joke, he’s gone way too far!
But even that reason seemed too ridiculous. He doubted any player in their
right mind would want to go through all the trouble to take him out of the
picture. It was too bold and too daring…
(Too stupid!)
…to comprehend. So if it wasn’t a player…then who? Who else could bear so deep
a grudge against him? He went through a mental list of all his enemies over the
years and found to his chagrin that even though he disliked a lot of people,
none of them seemed capable of pulling off a lousy stunt like this.
Fuck. Fuck! Fuck!!
He realized that his breathing was becoming a bit shallow – the first signs of
a possible panic attack – and it worried him greatly. He didn’t want to give in
too easily but the silence in the large and empty building was beginning to get
to him. Besides, the thought of dying (never seeing Yuuri again) was something he
couldn’t even begin to deal with.
He tried to twist his wrists free and fought back a low cry of pain as the
thick cords of the rope dug itself even deeper into his flesh. The bastards had
done a very good job of tying him up…too well in his opinion.
/Relax, Wolfram and trust him. You know
he will come for you. /
Yeah, when?! When I’m dead and six feet under?!
/You should know that he will never abandon you. /
Fuck this! Fuck all of this! I wish I never had you in me! I wish I had never
met Yuuri! Maybe…maybe I wouldn’t feel this way and this angry and confused!
/I was like you once and I felt the very same things you are going through. /
Wolfram slumped a little, his damp locks falling into his eyes as he tried
to steady his rapid breathing. He hated to admit that it was soothing in a way,
to have his other self speaking to him like this. He was sure that anyone
watching him would think he was crazy, but he could care less about that at
this point.
But…who are you? Who were you really? I
don’t know a thing about you and yet you look just like me and talk like
me…sometimes. Am I really you? Are we one and the same?
/It is a bit hard to explain but I can only say that my soul has been reborn in
you again. /
So you’re saying it’s just a coincidence that I look like you?
/Perhaps./
Like a re-incarnation type thing, right?
/Yes. /
So…what was I…you…what were you really like before?
There was silence for a long minute and Wolfram was beginning to wonder if his
‘twin’ (for that was how he regarded the spirit now) was gone again. Finally
and much to Wolfram’s relief, the voice filled his head again.
/I was a soldier in a land called Shin
Makoku…/
For the next few minutes, Wolfram listened with rapt attention as his twin
recounted life in a world he had once loved and protected. Wolfram found that
some events and scenarios mentioned were familiar to him since he had
experienced those vivid dreams or visions several times already. As his twin
continued to speak, Wolfram could sense the determination, pride and yet
dignity in that voice. It left him in slight awe, aware that his other self had
experienced centuries of a life filled with things and events Wolfram could
only dream of.
/…what amazes me is how many of us
returned to this world. You, your mother and brothers, Yuuri, Adelbert, Gisela,
Gunter, Anissina, Greta, Murata the Great Sage, Yozak and I also sense Ulrike…/
Ulrike? Who’s that?
/She was a priestess…then and now. /
So how come none of them…you know? Hear voices?
/Perhaps they do not remember or cannot remember. /
Oh. He fell silent for a few seconds
and then cleared his throat. Uum…about…
Wolfram flushed, not sure of how he planned to put this question to the other.
/You want to know about Yuuri. /
No! He shook his head rapidly and then winced again as his shoulders
protested the movement. His arms were becoming numb as were his legs. I mean…I was just curious…how…I mean what
did you see in a guy like Yuuri? He’s not the kind of guy that grabs your
attention at first glance and he’s clumsy and he’s a moron half of the
time…hell, you even call him wimp and yet…how…why did you end up falling for a
guy like that?
/Because he was all of those things and
so much more. / The twin stated firmly, causing Wolfram’s cheeks to grow
even more heated. He felt a familiar coil of heat in the pit of his stomach and
knew that this was definitely the wrong time to be thinking of such…wayward
things.
/Yuuri might look ordinary and
uninteresting at first, but I grew to see the kindness and strength he
possessed within. He does the most ridiculous things sometimes but at the end
of the day, when I looked back at what stupid thing he had done, I found myself
falling for him all over again. It did take him a while to acknowledge my
feelings but we eventually became close as the years went by. /
Wolfram squirmed uncomfortably. He didn’t need to be reminded of just how
‘close’ those two had become.
/Isn’t it the same way you feel now,
Wolfram? Do you not feel the same things I once did for the unassuming moron? /
You don’t…you don’t understand…in your time or country or universe…it’s fine
for guys to have relationships with one another, right? I mean…no one batted an
eyelash about it from the way it sounds. But we’re in another time and era!
You’ve seen the way they laugh and make fun of us just by standing close to
each other. It’s hard, so damn hard! I’m not supposed to love a guy like that
in public! It’s taboo and frowned upon in this society. I just can’t…
/And since when did you ever give a damn
about what society thinks of you? You’ve always gone against the norm, so why
stop now? If you love someone, you should not be afraid to stand up for him, no
matter what odds are stacked against you. /
You’re beginning to sound preachy.
/You aren’t helping much. /
Well…tell me more about your Yuuri. I want to know what kind of a king he was.
/
/He was a great ruler and brought peace to both races – the humans and the
demons. All was well for a long time and he settled in Shin Makoku although he
was still able to visit his parents in his world every once in a while. We were
a happy family. He, I and Greta, our adopted daughter. Ah, she is just as
beautiful as I remember her…/
Yeah…she’s cute. But what happened to you
guys? Why…why did you get…I mean…how did you…die?
A sudden ache pierced Wolfram’s heart and he groaned as if physically struck.
It was a sorrow so deep that sudden tears sprang to his eyes – tears he
couldn’t control even if he tried.
/We were betrayed. / The twin finally
said in a low voice that was barely audible. /We thought we had made friends with him and he lied to us, made us
believe that we were his comrades and sold us out to the filthy humans! You
cannot imagine how disappointed and hurt we were when we learned the news. A
war had broken out in Big Shimaron again - the new leaders, wayward sons of the
former king - were incessant on gaining power. Gwendal and Conrad were the
first to go. Taking soldiers with them in hopes of having peaceful diplomatic
talks with the fools. But no, somehow they knew all about our strengths and
weakness and they were ready for us - spending years perfecting devices and
weaponry to defeat us. They were…they were…/
Wolfram cried out in agony as a range of tumultuous emotions from sadness to
fury and anger rushed through his trembling being. His skin broke out in a cold
sweat, his eyes seeming to roll back into his head as memories of the past came
flooding back to his mind. He could see it all clearly as if standing right
before the Blood Pledge Castle. He could hear the loud battle cries as the
raiders approached the unprepared castle. They rode on huge black horses, the
soldiers dressed in special armors designed to protect them from the demons’
powers or attacks. He could hear the panicked screams from the courtyards as
the enemies stormed in, the thick smell of lead and hot metal as canons were
fired and arrows with burning tips were sent into the old walls of the castle.
Wolfram could see his mother…no, his twin’s mother…shouting orders for her soldiers
to fight as best they could. But the leader of the raiders, a shadowy figure
whose features could not be distinguished flung two sets of bloodied clothing
in her direction. Wolfram fought back a scream as he recognized the uniforms.
They had once belonged to his brothers and only God knew what had happened to
them. Cheri’s cries of anguish and fury undid him but he knew he was powerless
to do anything but watch the horror continue to unfold before his eyes. Gunter
and Yozak had also joined in the fray, trying their best to help, but soon
enough they were lost in the midst of smoke and Wolfram knew that they too had
suffered the ultimate sacrifice.
And where was I? Where were we? Yuuri and
I…?
That’s right. We were in the bedroom…
The sudden sounds of horses neighing and
what seems like a million marching footsteps filling the air. The two men on
the bed pulling apart, their eyes widening with fear and yet determination.
“We will fight to the death,” the Maou says as he reaches out to grasp the
blond’s hand firmly. “I will never leave your side. I promise.”
“One last kiss…” Wolfram pleads.
“…just one last kiss until we meet in another life…”
The brutal fight to the death, both men knowing that they would never make it
out alive for that bitter betrayal by one they had thought a friend, had left a
void in their hearts. Their secrets had been told and no amount of magic could
save them now. The humans had gotten stronger and were determined to destroy
all traces of the demon kingdom forever.
He tried to crawl towards the prone figure and barely reached in time to clasp
the cold hands of his king. He held on tightly, hoping and praying that their
last wish would someday come true. And as the shadowy figure loomed over his
bleeding and prone body, he barely felt the tip of the sword being buried into
his heart as he whispered the name of the man he loved for the last time.
Yuuri...
Yozak was burning with a million and one questions but he had the feeling that
none of them would be answered if he dared open his mouth to ask any. He could
only walk (or in this case try to catch up) to the striding man before him,
unable to believe that this…this person was actually Shibuya Yuuri. He had
never felt such power and presence in anyone before, but if going by Ulrike’s
words the other day, Yozak knew that he was way out of his league.
“Yozak.”
Wha…?! The orange-haired man blinked at the sound of his name, wondering just
how the man had known who he really was. But before he could control himself,
he found himself replying. “Yes, your Majesty?”
Your Majesty? What the fuck?!
“Do you have any idea where they might have gone? I am afraid that my senses
are not as sharp as they once were. Or perhaps it is this new world that
affects me so.”
Yozak glanced behind them where the other coaches were leading bewildered
players back onto the bus. There were two police cars approaching and Yozak
knew that they were bound to ask questions soon especially with the appearance
of this mysterious dark-haired man. However, he could see the clear frustration
and yet anger on the Maou’s features and noticed the way his fists clenched and
unclenched as he stared at the horizon.
“Your Majesty,” Yozak began slowly. “Perhaps it’s best we ask questions…”
Suddenly, the Maou gasped as if struck by an unseen blow. He staggered and
steadied himself against Yozak, who literally trembled as he felt something
akin to a sharp jolt of electricity race down his spine. It took all of his
strength not to fall to the ground and had a feeling that if the Maou was using
his full powers, he wouldn’t be able to stand at all.
“…a barn…” the Maou muttered. “…a barn…he’s in a barn…an old abandoned barn. He
doesn’t know where exactly…”
“I noticed a few barns on the outskirts of the village,” Yozak said with a firm
nod, remembering several of the high buildings he had noticed on the journey
there. “If we use a car we can find them.”
“And how fast can this car go?” The Maou asked as he stared at his hands and
then looked to the heavens. “If only this were Shin Makoku, I could fly there
easily…”
“Well, with all due respect your majesty,” Yozak said with a small smile as he
began to make his way towards a sitting taxi cab parked in front of a building.
“We’re no longer in Shin Makoku. So we have to use the modern day method of
traveling. Hopefully this guy’s a fast driver.”
“I see…” The Maou walked up to the dozing man behind the wheel, stared at the
plump sweaty features for a moment before rapping the window impatiently. “My
good man. I must make use of your services.”
“Wha…?” The driver blinked and rubbed a hand over his eyes, wondering if this
was still a part of his dream. “What does he…?”
But Yozak was already making himself comfortable in the passenger’s seat,
motioning for the Maou to sit behind them in the backseat. He thrust a wad of
bills into the stunned driver’s face.
“Drive this baby as fast as you can, friend,” Yozak said in a low drawl, a
small smirk curving his lips. He could only imagine how odd he looked dressed
in women’s clothing and talking like this. “I’ve got an angry King sitting
behind me and we have to get to the outskirts of town before he decides to blow
something up. Kapice?”
The driver didn’t need to be told that twice. Just looking at the two crazies
and the load of cash sitting on his lap was enough of an incentive to have him
gunning the engine and peeling out of the parking lot as if the very hounds of
hell were on his tailpipe.
Yamaguchi Hiroshi was a patient man. Being one of the wealthiest businessmen in
Tokyo, he took pride in his work as an entrepreneur, but most importantly as a
father. In fact, Hiroshi believed he was one of the greatest fathers out there
and for anyone to question his parenting skills was a taboo in itself. He doted
upon his two children like any loving father would, giving them whatever they
wanted and needed, no matter the cost. There was no doubt that his daughter,
now an idol, was his spoiled little princess and could simply do no wrong. But
it was his son, his oldest and most precious son, Sousuke, who was the gem of
his family.
Or at least he had been until a certain man showed up to ruin his life.
“No,” Hiroshi muttered as he lit another cigar. “He ruined all our lives. That
son-of-a-bitch!”
Yes, indeed. Yamaguchi Sousuke had been a rising star in the baseball world and
was the first pick in the drafts last year. He was chosen to play with the
Royals – a team that was the best in the league since nothing else would do for
his son. Hiroshi pulled the strings and made sure his son got into the team.
However, with the arrival of Gwendal von Walde, things had steadily gone
downhill. Sousuke’s playing time began to decrease with each game and before
long, the boy was hardly in the line-up at all! The final bombshell had come
when Sousuke told him the earth shattering news. He had been removed from the
team for reasons unknown.
Reasons unknown! Reasons unknown?! What kind of bullshit was that?! Who the
hell was Gwendal to remove his son – who had worked so hard all these years –
from the team?! But no matter how much he had tried to ‘talk’ his way into
Gwendal’s good graces, Hiroshi had been snubbed and ignored over and over
again.
“Well no more,” the man said as he walked into the cool building to eye his
prize. It had taken two very expensive private investigators and weeks of
extensive planning to get to this moment. “It took me a while to figure things
out but I am a paitent man, Sir von Walde. Oh yes, indeed.”
He stopped before the kneeling blond, who was now staring back at him with
glaring defiance in his eyes. “Nice trick with the changing of the last names
and all of that, wouldn’t you say, Mr. Von Bielefeld?”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Wolfram retorted coldly, causing Hiroshi
to gasp a little at the disrespectful tone. He turned to eye the two henchmen
flanking his sides as if hoping they hadn’t run away. His confidence returned
and he smirked, turning to face the young man again.
“Von Walde, Von Bielefeld…and what’s the other one…Weller? Why the different
last names? Was that done to throw us off so we wouldn’t know you were all
brothers?”
Wolfram blinked at the looming figure above him, not sure if he ought to laugh
or scream at the utter stupidity of the situation. So this was the man behind
this? This cigar-smoking, fat-ass? Just…
“…who the hell are you anyway?” he asked. “Why do you have me tied up here?!
Argh!”
The pain was blinding and Wolfram would have fallen to the floor if Hiroshi
hadn’t sank his chubby fingers into his hair to tug him back upright. The blond
felt his left cheek literally burning from the slap and he was sure the
slightly metallic and salty taste in his mouth was blood. He fought back a cry
of pain as the roots of his hair were tugged mercilessly. His eyes watered but
he refused to make a sound. He wouldn’t give this asshole the satisfaction of
knowing the agony he was going through.
Hiroshi leaned closer, holding the burning tip of the cigar inches from
Wolfram’s forehead as he spoke slowly and carefully. “Perhaps you don’t seem to
understand your position, my dear pretty boy. You are at my mercy and you will
do whatever I say. Understand?”
“And…if…I…don’t?” Wolfram grated out through clenched teeth.
Hiroshi grinned giving his features a feral look as he nodded towards one of
the henchmen. Wolfram barely caught the glint of something shiny before sucking
in a harsh breath as he realized what it was. It was a metal bat and a brand
new one at that.
“And if you don’t cooperate with me, I will make sure you never play baseball
again.”
Wolfram felt his heart thud painfully within his chest, a tight grip of fear
filling and overwhelming his entire body until breathing became slightly
difficult.
“You see,” Hiroshi was continuing, now aware that he had the boy’s attention.
“Andy here was a great hitter in his day and I believe he can still swing a
bat…why don’t you demostrate for him, Andy?”
Andy gave a curt nod, walked a few feet away from Wolfram and with a light
grunt, swung the bat so fast that Wolfram barely saw its motion. However, the
loud cracking sound of a wooden crate shattering into pieces was more than
enough for the blond to understand just how serious this crazy bastard was.
They would break his arms and legs if he didn’t do as he was told.
“Wonderful, Andy!” Hiroshi said with a grin. “Would you like to see another
demonstration? This time…” He released Wolfram’s hair to trail his hands down
to the blond’s left shoulder. “…I think this part will do just fine.”
“What the fuck do you want from me?!” Wolfram yelled out before he could stop
himself. He squeezed his eyes shut, angry at how helpless and afraid he felt
inside. Damn it! Why can’t I be as strong as I want to be?!
“Simply this,” Hiroshi said, forcing Wolfram to open his eyes. He blinked dumbly
at the cell phone for a few seconds.
“What…?”
“We will call your brother Gwendal and have him listen to a few instructions
from me. Now, tell me his phone number…and don’t even try to get fresh with me
by telling me the wrong one or else…” He nodded towards Andy again, who was now
stroking the bat rather lovingly. Wolfram felt sick.
“Well?” Hiroshi asked impatiently. “You’re wasting my time, von Bielefeld.”
Wolfram bit his lower lip so hard, he barely noticed the thin trail of blood
that began to slide down his chin. He stared at the phone…the bat…the phone…the
bat again…watching as Andy began to swing it back and forth gently. He
envisioned his bones cracking beneath the pressure of that bat…
Please forgive me, Gwendal.
“It’s…it’s…” He rattled off the number quickly, lowering his head as cold beads
of sweat rolled into his eyes. He held his breath and waited for
something…anything to happen as he listened to Hiroshi pacing back and forth
before him.
“Ah…is this Gwendal von Walde…oh, excuse me…Sir
Gwendal von Walde? Who am I? Surely you haven’t forgotten this voice so
quickly….oh, please…don’t hang up so soon. I know you’re a busy man, but I’m
sure if you were to hear a certain voice, you will change your mind quickly…”
Hiroshi smirked and nodded towards the other henchmen who had been quiet all
this time. At the silent command, he reached for Wolfram’s left arm and
squeezed. The pain was so immediate and shocking that Wolfram’s scream seemed
to bounce off the very walls of the barn. The world swam before his eyes and
bright spots of color filled his vision. He was going to pass out if the
torture continued.
Hiroshi was laughing. “Yes…yes, you recognize that voice, don’t you…calm down,
calm down. We haven’t done anything too drastic yet. I know how much you care
for your little brother. You feel hurt and angry and helpless that you can’t do
anything for him, correct? Well, maybe you can understand what I went through,
von Walde, when you kicked my son off the team! What?! What do you mean you can’t
remember who my son was?! You…!”
He turned to the second henchman again and the same process was repeated.
Wolfram’s howl died in a weak gasp, his body slumping forward as consciousness
slowly began to slip away.
My arm. I’ll never be able to hit again
with this arm. I’m so sorry, Gwendal…Conrad…Yuuri…
“Talk to him?! You want to talk to him?! Like hell I’m going to let you talk to
him!........What do I want you to do?! I’ll tell you what the fuck I want you
to do, von Walde! I want you to call a press conference. I want you to go on
national television and tell the enitre nation what a big mistake you made by
removing Sousuke Yoshigawa from the Royals team!....no, TONIGHT, von Walde! You
will do it tonight or else…!”
The words died in his throat as a low rumbling sound was heard outside the
building. The henchmen looked at each other warily.
“Don’t just stand there like a bunch of fucking morons!” Hiroshi bellowed. “Go
out there and find out who it is! And if it’s anyone snooping…kill them!”
Wolfram was released and he promptly fell to the floor in a dead faint.
Hiroshi, who was now barely paying attention to Gwendal’s irate voice on the
other end of the line, watched as his men pulled out their guns in readiness
for any possible attack. The rumbling sound was becoming louder and for a
second, the ground beneath their feet seemed to tremble.
“Earthquake?” Hiroshi asked dumbly. “At this time of the year?! What the
fuck…ARGH!!”
The phone was swept out of his hand by a powerful gust of wind that seemed to
appear out of nowhere. The doors to the barn were suddenly thrown open and as
he covered his face with an arm while trying to steady himself, Hiroshi could
hear the terrified blood-curdling screams from his henchmen. His eyes widened
as he watched their bodies being flung across the wide space like rag dolls by
some unseen force. But he needn’t have wondered what had caused it as he
finally noticed the great spinning ball of blue energy (it was the only way he
could describe it) slowly rolling towards him.
What the hell…? What the hell is this…?!
He barely felt the wetness in his pants as he soiled himself in complete fear,
although trembling hands reached for the gun in his jacket.
“Stay back!” he bellowed, still staggering backwards. He couldn’t see the
figure within the ball exactly, but there was no mistaking the fury in those
eyes. “STAY BACK! I’M WARNING YOU!!”
He began to shoot wildly, not caring if he made a direct hit or not. But to his
dismay, the bullets seemed to bounce off the blue energy/shield until he ran
out of ammunition. With a light grunt of disgust, he tossed the useless weapon
away and sought desperately for something else to defend himself with. He
noticed the baseball bat and reached for it but decided that it would be less
effective. Finally, his gaze fell on the prone figure and a small smirk lit up
his features.
With a speed that would have surprised those who knew Hiroshi well, he reached
for Wolfram and held the limp boy within his arms like a shield, now laughing
maniacally as the figure began to make itself more visible. The blue shield
dissolved and left in its wake was a handsome young man with eyes of darkest
night and yet as cold as ice.
“Ah ha! Not so tough now, are you?” Hiroshi was saying as he began to back away
still holding Wolfram in his arms. “I dare you to come any closer and I will
kill him! I swear I will!”
“You dared to touch him,” the Maou began in a low voice devoid of emotion. “You
dared to make him bleed.” The fingertips of his right hand began to glow with a
bluish tint as if sparks of electricity were trying to escape them. “And for
that, you wicked soul, I will give you the punishment you deserve!”
“NOOOOO!!” Hiroshi tried to use Wolfram as a shield again as the Maou dove for
him with his fingers outstretched. But he had underestimated the power and
dexterity of this man. In a split second, Wolfram was safe within the
mysterious man’s left arm just as the pointed fingers buried themselves deep
within Hiroshi’s right shoulder. A feral grin of victory lit up the Maou’s
features as the familiar sensation of warm blood filled his senses. It had been
so long since he had done this and as they say, old habits tend to die hard.
However…
“I will not kill you,” he muttered, feeling his powers beginning to wane just
as Hiroshi passed out. “Instead, you will live with this scar for the rest of
your life as a reminder of the agony you have brought to others.”
He withdrew his hand and staggered backwards, now having to cradle Wolfram’s
body within his arms. He stared into the pale features, his eyes losing a bit
of their venom as they became dark with warmth and tenderness.
“So I finally hold you in my arms again,” he whispered softly, his bloodied
fingers caressing Wolfram’s cheek, leaving red streaks on the pale flesh. “I do
not have much time,” he added quickly, hugging the body tightly to his as if
unwilling to let it go so soon. “But I will always be with you. Always…never
forget that.”
He pressed his lips gently against the cold ones perhaps hoping that his warmth
would rouse the boy back to consciousness. He did not pull away even after the
transformation was complete and Yuuri now stood in his place.
“Wolfram,” Yuuri whispered as he sank to his knees in exhaustion, barely able
to hold on to the boy for he was not as strong as his counterpart. “Wolfram,
please wake up.” In his desperation, he failed to notice the shadow looming
behind him but Yozak, who had finally come into the barn to see what chaos the
Maou had left behind, could see what was about to happen. One of the henchmen
had somehow managed to get to his feet again.
“YUURI!” Yozak yelled as he ran towards the couple. “LOOK OUT!”
“Huh?” Yuuri turned around slowly, barely catching a glimpse of something
metallic. However, his eyes widened as he realized what was about to happen.
Oh no! He’s going for Wolfram’s legs!
Without thinking twice about his decision, he dove to protect the one who was
most important to him. And as the metal bat fell upon his right shoulder with a
sickening thud, Yuuri was thrown into merciful darkness where the pain seemed
almost non-existent.
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