Loveless Mirage

“Ri… Ritsuka?” Soubi breathed as he crumpled to the floor, his eyes tight in pain.

The young Sacrifice’s eyes widened in fear. Beloved had just called him Ritsuka for the second time; not Loveless. Ritsuka reached out with all of his love and was faced with the sudden force of his Fighter’s spirit pulsing before him. Ritsuka dropped to his knees in anguish. The light from the open door left sharp shadows over the bleeding body at his feet.

“Soubi! Oh Soubi! I am so sorry, I thought you were him… I thought you had come back to… to…” Ritsuka placed his slender fingers against his Fighter’s pale cheek and then pulled him close so that Soubi was propped against Ritsuka’s chest. The Fighter’s breath was coming in ragged gasps and sweat had broken out on his brow. A feint whisper escaped the fallen man’s lips.

“I love you...”

Soubi could feel hot tears drip onto his face as his Sacrifice pulled him into an embrace. They ran down his cold skin and onto his cracked lips. He tenderly licked the liquid that slid into his mouth and tasted Ritsuka’s salty sorrow.

“I love you too, Soubi.” Ritsuka replied, using his bare arm to wipe away the tears from his eyes. He quickly looked around and saw his ripped shirt lying close to him. He gently reached for the soiled cloth, feeling Soubi tense beneath him. “I’m sorry...” He whispered and then pressed the fabric to beloved’s chest. Soubi hissed through his teeth in pain, but made no motion to stop Ritsuka. Blood soon soaked Ritsuka’s shirt and covered his shaking hand. Soubi reached his hand up to place it on top of Ritsuka’s quivering fingers.

“It... It’s alright, Ritsuka. I will be strong for you. We will… make it through this together. I love you.” Ritsuka nodded silently. The larger man rested his head against Ritsuka’s shoulder as they sat quietly in the silence, not having the strength to move. Ritsuka tenderly ran his fingers slowly through his love’s hair and kissed the side of his head, breathing in Soubi’s scent. The Fighter’s body had relaxed slightly in Ritsuka’s embrace and although blood still bubbled from his wound, his breathing had become slightly more even and less labored.

“I need to get you out of here…” Ritsuka murmured softly to Soubi.

“You will be going nowhere, Loveless.” A voice spat from out side of the door. Ritsuka spun his gaze fearfully to the entrance and pulled Soubi tighter. The black haired man who had masqueraded as Beloved stood fuming in the doorway. Ritsuka’s breath caught in his throat as images and phantom feelings coursed through his body. He glared angrily at the man and pulled his body protectively closer to Soubi. Beside the black haired man, stood Nameless. His short brown hair was damp with sweat and he had a dark bruises forming over his bare chest and face. Beloved’s eyes opened slightly at the noise and narrowed in warning at the pair.

“Rioki… no… Don’t do this.” Nameless begged. His arms were bound behind his back and he stood awkwardly, blood dripping from scrapes over his body. Tear stains had also formed down his cheeks, giving him a flushed, broken look.

“Shut up you!” Rioki jeered at his Fighter. “I will not become a weak Sacrifice! I will prove that I can fight. If I can not fight for myself, what good am I?”

Nameless turned his head away in frustration as Rioki’s words fell upon his ears. It was just as he had suspected. Rioki would never accept being a Sacrifice. He wished only for power, and violence. Then why did he still love him so? Nameless could not rinse his Sacrifice’s face from his mind. All he wanted was to be near him. To be loved back. Even if Rioki beat him and cursed at him, he only wanted to love his Sacrifice. Accepting Rioki’s torturous actions were better then never being with him again. He would accept any kind of treatment if it meant that he could be close to the other half of his soul…

“Ritsuka…You must fight him” Soubi breathed in his Sacrifice’s ear, causing him to turn his head.

“What?! How… What do you mean?” Ritsuka whispered back, turning away from the quarreling pair in the doorway.

“This… room. It’s in a state of battle in which a Sacrifice is able to fight...” Soubi pulled himself into a sitting positing, his skin white and ashen. “Nameless says Rioki created it. If you can fight him, we may be able to convince Nameless to create a portal for us. Nameless wants us gone; if you defeat Rioki, we will have our chance to leave…” Soubi collapsed back upon his Sacrifice’s soft body, breathing heavily, blood dripping down his chest. His right arm lay limp at his side in a pool of blood and glass.

“Soubi!” Ritsuka gasped concerned as Soubi’s eyes closed. The Fighter felt his Sacrifice tense. He grasped the wad of cloth that was pressed against his right shoulder and then motioned for Ritsuka to engage a battle. Ritsuka gently slipped out from beneath Soubi and helped him to lean against the nearest wall. The Fighter’s long silver-blond hair cascaded around his body as his head leaned against the hard wall. A small smile played across his face as Ritsuka brushed a kiss across his lips and then stood tall to face Rioki.

“I declare a spell battle.” Called Ritsuka, his sight focused on Rioki. “If I win, you let us leave in peace. If you win, you can become Loveless. My name will be forfeit.” Beloved and Nameless both turned their faces to Ritsuka wide eyed. Rioki stepped into the dark battle room.

“I accept! Systems activate!” Rioki responded, letting out a laugh. Your name will be mine soon enough Loveless. Beloved will be dead and you will forever wonder the earth as Nameless and forgotten.”

Ritsuka glanced at his Fighter’s still form in the corner and then back at Rioki. He attempted to remember everything he had ever seen Beloved cast. His thoughts were cut short as Rioki began the battle.

“Darkness, eat away at all sanity. Recollection of death; abolish hope!!” He hissed. Ritsuka had no time to react as Rioki’s spell swirled around him, lifting him to his feet and surrounding him in a sudden orb of complete nothingness. Soubi could see a perfect sphere of black energy surrounding Ritsuka so that the young Sacrifice was not visible. He motioned to stand, and protect Ritsuka; but winced and gasped as he collapsed once again against the wall.

“Ritsuka!” He called, reaching out for this Sacrifice without success. Rioki grinned maliciously, but his smile faltered when the orb cracked and shattered, Ritsuka’s voice echoing in the darkness.

“Denied. Memory creates love. Love vanquishes darkness and sorrow.” Loveless dropped from the air, broken glass digging into the underside of his feet as he landed. Rioki hissed angrily and moved closer to Ritsuka, noting how the young boy stood awkwardly on his feet, breathing heavily.

“Weakness in body, multiply. Immobilize!” Ritsuka narrowed his eyes as his body became heavier, his vision blurry. He fell heavily to his hands and knees and looked up desperately at Soubi, who remained motionless against the wall. Ritsuka turned his heavy eyes upon Rioki.

“Strength in spirit, soul, and bond; replace that which the body lacks.” He whispered in little more than a breath. Light streamed up around the small Sacrifice, pushing him to a standing position as if he was in strong wind. “Without the bond of Love, and the will to protect, what is there to live for?”

Rioki looked taken back as shouted angrily; “Power to destroy, restrict all movement and obliterate!”

Ritsuka’s head threw back in a scream as the thousands of tiny blades of glass shot towards his body, criss-crossing his soft skin in lines of red blood. Ritsuka closed his eyes tight and managed to gasp out.

“Power corrupts, leaching all kindness from the Soul. Emptiness left in the place of Love.” As soon as Loveless had spoken the final words the glass shards slashing his body flickered and became a sea of butterflies streaking about the room in the dark; their thousands of tiny wings humming around Ritsuka.

“What?!” Rioki growled as the butterflies construed his vision and he stumbled around blinded by the brilliance of the light. Soubi’s eyes flickered open as the soft beat of wings landing upon his skin roused him. He looked towards Ritsuka who had his eyes closed in bliss, feeling the soft wings caress his skin. He was slowly chanting, as if in a trance, his words gliding from his lips.

“Potency of love; blind all who stand in opposition. Two souls once separate, now bound by adoration and trust. Those without Love, truly loveless, be cast into the light of realization. All names forgotten when in rapture.”

Rioki’s eyes snapped open and glazed over as is struck by electricity. He blinked and collapsed onto the ground, his body limp in the glass. Nameless rushed to his side from where he had been watching the battle fold out.

“Rioki! Get a hold of your self! What’s wrong? What’s going on?” the Fighter shook his Sacrifice’s shoulders and then angrily turned to face Ritsuka. “Get out of here!” He snapped, a portal forming beneath both Soubi and Ritsuka. Loveless looked up in time to see Nameless hold his limp Sacrifice tight to his chest, tears forming in his eyes.

~------------~

The darkening sky was showered with a wave of butterflies that emerged from the portals surrounding Loveless and Beloved. The tiny insects flew high into the sky, their wings glinting off of the setting sun. Ritsuka wavered and then pushed himself off of the moist grass in which he had emerged onto. He looked around while his eyes adjusted to the brilliant rays of the day’s last light. He blinked when he saw Soubi lying face down in the grass, blood slowly staining the ground. Ritsuka rushed to his Fighter’s side and pulled him onto his back. Soubi’s eyes were moving in and out of focus and his breathing was shallow.

“Soubi, no! Come on. Hold on a little longer. I won’t let you become just a memory!” Ritsuka panted, hugging his Beloved’s body close. The chill that was set deep in the Fighter’s skin nearly made Ritsuka pull away in shock.

“I… am sorry… Ri… Ritsuka.” Soubi whispered. Ritsuka hushed him with a kiss.

“I won’t hear it, idiot! You are going to be fine! I will protect you now. It’s my turn.”

“I… I love you…” Beloved murmured, his eyes closing.

“Soubi…Stay with me. Open your eyes Soubi! Soubi?! SOUBI!!!!”