The beginning to an impossible journey in which...

[P h o b i a;||]

(there might be slight godmoding, but really, its barley anything)

Wolfgang turned to her. Surprised by her statement. “You’d come with me?” His look was grateful, if not conflicted. He honestly didn’t know his decision. He had left everything, everything in Taikai Ueki. He knew he was banned, a ‘traitor’, but he had to renew himself, or else his father’s death would have been entirely in vain. But now, that Sahara was here, now that he had actual friends, he could start anew.

“I… I’m not sure, Sahara. But as long as you’re coming with me, I’ll be happy for the company.” He scratched his head awkwardly, then looked at the orb with a new kind of confidence. “It’s time to go.”
He took a step towards the orb, then another, walking directly into it. He closed his eyes, and prayed to god it wasn’t Taikai Ueki.

Everything went black.

---

Wolfgang’s eyes fluttered open, how long had he been blacked out for? From on his back, he could see the tops of trees, so it was Taikai Ueki. That meant that their last trial would be where they had begun everything, in Shifuto Aisu.

Wolfgang eyes began to adjust, it felt as if he had been sleeping for ages. He sat up and saw Sahara asleep beside him as well. He took a breath, hoping he could speak, but he could not. Where abouts in the village was he? There was no big clearing, in fact, it looked like the gates to the city. Did that mean they had to travel through the pathway? That could take hours, if not days. He used to escort new people to the village, so he had an excellent sense of direction. But now, he didn’t know what was hiding within this realm.

Suddenly, Wolfgang felt his air run out. Something filled his lungs, and he grasped his throat, choking desperatley for air. It felt like heavy water, and though it filled his mouth, he couldn’t spit it out. He fell back to his knees, weak from the lack of air.

He felt a small hand on his back, and immediately after the liquid that filled his lungs rushed out of him. He coughed out the last of it, disgusted to see it was black sludge. He wrinkled his face as the grass around it began to turn a sickly yellow. He turned towards the hand that was pressed against his back, shocked to see a very young boy. He was entirely covered in a cloak, far too large for him. His small hand withdrew, and he took a step back.

Wolfgang wondered if he was like the guardian from Shikon Kenstume or Nain Taiyo. Both had very different ways of helping them. But this boy, what was his purpose?

“What the hell is this?” He asked the boy, but his voice was not at all present, he couldn’t speak. However, the boy seemed to have read his lips, for he answered.
“This is the trial of Secrets.”
Wolfgang wanted to laugh at the appropriate title for this village, but before he could even grimmace the boy spoke again. His voice was light, and almost familiar, if he haddn't been so young.
“And those, sir, are secrets.”

Wolfgang looked back at the black sludge he was still spitting up, but was shocked to see it evaporate entirely.
“It’s just an example of the secrets you hold, and that was enough to kill you.” The boy took another few steps away and sat by the sleeping Sahara. “I have to wake her up as well, she will feel her secrets fill her lungs, suffocating her. However, they will be immediately dispelled, unlike yours that I had to help you with.”
He shook his head, “You both hold so many secrets, it is a shame. This trial is always harder for the more Secretive.”

The boy continued, noting Wolfgang’s confused expression. “I am indeed a guardian. However, was simply just a spirit from both of your memories, plucked from my eternal rest to guide you through this trial. Once this trial is done, I will return to my rest. Unlike the others, this one is a straight path, the orb is guaranteed at the end. However, this trial has been failed more times than any, despite the last. It will not be easy.”

The boy rested his hand just above Sahara's chest while Wolfgang tried to think about who the heck he could of been. He didn't know any children. Perhaps he would never know, and that didn't seem to bother him. For all he knew, the guardian could just be lying, trying to gain their trust.

[∴♪WolfurChickϗ]

Everything had gone dark... Sahara felt herself slipping away, until finally, there was nothing. She layed there for a few moments, motionless, almost dead. Until she felt the heat just above her chest. Her eyes opened emmediately, and the first thing she noticed was a small child standing over her. The second thing she noticed, was that she couldn't breathe.

She felt as if someone was pouring tar into her mouth, and she gagged on it, suffocating. It tasted terrible, like something she couldn't even imagine. Finally, she rolled over and the sludge poured out of her mouth, causing her to choke on it. When she had finally spit it all out, she was still coughing. When she felt like she was going to be alright, she looked around at Wolfgang, then at the child.

The child did not need to speak to her, the words came to her head. 'The trial of secrets.' Before she could even open her mouth to see if she could speak, she choked a bit more, throwing up a bit more sludge. She fell to her knees and dug her nails into the ground. What was this? What on earth was going on? She looked to Wolfgang in panic, then to the boy, hoping for some kind of explanation or fight or something.

She glanced down as the tar evaporated into nothing, and a sweat drop formed on her brow. Secrets? How many secrets did she still have hidden within her? She kept her mind off the matter. The secrets she had already told were no where near as dangerous as these ones. The secrets she had hidden... hidden from her shamin years, they were secrets she worked very hard to keep. Even she had forgotten most of them, until this very moment.

'This doesn't sound the least bit easy.' She thought to herself, noting that there was no talking in this trial.

[P h o b i a;||]

Wolfgang was quickly at Sahara’s side, feeling her pain as he watched her throw up the disgusting black substance. He offered his hand to help her up, how frustrating it was that they couldn’t talk, even now. However, the boy seemed to read their mind, for he answered the question Wolfgang had been thinking.

“Let us continue, past the pathway, and onto the next trial. One by one, your secrets will be revealed, spirits of the men and women who failed these trials will be mirrors to your pasts. If you reject what you see, you will fail. If you cannot move on past the revealed secret, you will fail.” He turned his small body to Wolfgang and Sahara. “If either of you rejects the other’s secrets… you will fail.”

That’s comforting, Wolfgang thought bitterly as he hoisted Sahara to her feet. He looked over the child and saw the familiar path. He thought the test would be just traveling to the village, but it was this? Wolfgang felt his heart drop, what would Sahara think when she saw-- and without his voice, how could he possibly defend himself?

The guardian turned to Sahara and his voice softened. “Sahara, you will be first. I know now it is difficult because both you and Wolfgang have no voice, but the more you reveal, the lighter your lungs and heart will feel. You will be able to talk.” He grabbed his hand over hers to almost comfort her, but winced lightly, as if knowing he shouldn’t.

“S-secrets are like lies, and lies are like men. They only grow over time. The secrets within you both now are poisoning your heart, especially being in this trial will make the pain more obvious. This trial is your final cleanse before reaching the final test, but as I said before, it is far from easy.”

He breathed in a short, alarmed breath. The trees bent and swayed in the would-be wind. “They are ready. Sahara, look over there.”
He pointed towards the trees, where just past them a small area illuminated like a stage. It seemed to bend and transform until looking completely unlike the forest area at all.


(insert some bit of backstory here! Woo)

[∴♪WolfurChickϗ]

Sahara frowned as she looked over into the clearing. The vision of her much younger self took place, as well as an older man. Her heart sunk. This was exactly the thing she didn't want Wolfgang to see. How would he take her conversations with the old man? After all, he was a corrupt man, and he tried to make Sahara do things that she would have never dreamt of doing.

It wasn't as if she actually did any of those things, but knowing... her secrets...wasn't exactly something that somebody could get over, not even Sahara herself could. She watched as the vision began to materialize.

A man stood infront of the young Sahara, his hair white, his eyes a dark gold. A smirk was obvious on his face, which sent shivers down the real Sahara's back.

"You do know your purpose, don't you?" The man asked her. The little girl nodded. "Yes, master. Ofcourse I do. I have to protect the village, and heal the people." The man shook his head. "While those are valuable talents, that was not the true purpose of our shamins." Young Sahara cocked her head at the man, confused.

"Haarsha, your purpose is much greater than that. The shamin blood was created so that we may have stronger warriors. You are a weapon. Your true purpose is to destroy our enemies." The young Sahara looked shocked to hear this news.

"A weapon? I can't fight people." The village elder laughed. "Not yet, but child, you are so powerful. More so than any shamin we have ever had before. You are elite. Do you know what this means?" Sahara shook her head. "You are going to help us take down our enemies! You are a grand weapon! Destroyer of villages!"

The little girl scrambled to her feet. "VILLAGES?! I can't destroy a village!" There was pure fear in her eyes, but the elder just laughed. "Not yet, but you will. Haarsha, you know that you were never supposed to be born. But the fact that you were means that you are just what we have been praying for!"

Sahara shook her head, tear drops forming on her soft chees. "I wasn't born to hurt anyone!" The elder stared her down firmly. "Child, whether you like it or not, you are the most powerful weapon anyone has seen here. You have the power to kill someone just by thinking about it! You have done it before!"

Young Sahara clutched her knees, pulling them up to her chest. "I..t..it was an accident!" The man put his hand on the young girls' head. "Ofcourse it was, Haarsha. We all believe you." She turned to stare him directly in the face, fear filling up her lungs and keeping her from speaking.

"Haarsha, you wished that girl dead. And she died, because of what you said. During that time, you didn't feel anything, did you? You only wanted to destroy. THAT is why you make the perfect weapon. When you are most powerful, you don't let your heart feel, you only destroy. Think about how many villages we could slaughter with that!"

Young Sahara was too terrified to speak, and she only listened. "Your parents want the villages to become one again... but that is not your purpose. Your purpose is to destroy Shifuto Hiru. But not only Shifuto Hiru, but the other villages as well. Kagirinai Arashi, Shikon Kentsume, Riku Haru, Nain Taiyou, and Taikai Ueki."

The man's grin curved upward into a toothy smile as the little girl opened her mouth in protest. "I wont do it." She said, but the man only laughed. "Why Haarsha! You don't have a choice!" He grabbed her by the back of the neck and began speaking in an inuadible whisper. When he let go, there was a burned tattoo on the back of her necks, a symbol of a bear.

Sahara fell faceforward, still awake, eyes opened wide, but unable to move. "You don't have a choice Haarsha, because I can now control you." His smile faded into a cruel frown. "One day, you will walk into a village, and suddenly get the urge to destroy it. And then you will act on that impulse, abandoning all of your emotions. You will care about nobody, only destruction."

The little girl whimpered, still unable to move. The tattoo on the back of her neck faded away, but it was still deep imbedded into her flesh. "Your heart is too weak. That is why I will be controlling your powers from now on."

The scene faded away, leaving a very horrified Sahara standing there. She looked over at Wolfgang, her mouth open to speak, but instead, she threw up a bit more of the black ooze. Why had he needed to see this? She tried to speak again, but nothing came out. Atleast let her explain!

She felt a tingle down her neck, and she placed her hand on the area in which the tattoo was created, and it showed itself again, stronger than ever. What would Wolfgang think of this? Especially after she had promised Wolfgang that if he wanted to, she would go with him to his village.

But there was still more on that secret. Why wasn't it allowing him to see that? Sahara still couldn't talk, but there was so much more to her secret than the stupid marking on her neck. She looked at Wolfgang pleadingly, hoping that he would understand, or atleast be a bit more curious to find out more.

But what if it wouldn't show the rest of that secret? What if this was all about showing the bad secrets, and not the rest? She grasped at her throat. The child had said that eventually they would be able to talk... she hoped that it would be soon.

[P h o b i a;||]

Wolfgang hardly had time to adsorb what it was he was watching before the scene disappeared. He felt something in his throat loosen, and he could hear with his breath a small bit of his voice. He tried to mutter a word, but it still only sounded like a whisper. Wolfgang tried to make sense of it, Sahara really had that much power within her? He knew she was powerful, but even he didn’t know she had such an ability.

What would happen if she were to step near Shifuto Hiru again? Or Taikai Ueki? Wolfgang shook his head, Sahara was stronger now than she had been as a child, she couldn’t do something so.. Inhumane.
Wolfgang wasn’t sure what to say, but the child’s voice quickly snapped him back to there and now.
“Wolfgang, can we continue?”

Wolfgang turned his head, did he want to see more? Did he want to see his own past reveal itself?
He knew Sahara had just as much to hide as him, but what more did she have hiding?

Wolfgang nodded slowly, glancing quickly at Sahara and nodded again. He tried to give a reassuring smile, but his face was too pale to be convincing.

“Let’s continue, then.”

There was a long silence as they walked down the path, and Wolfgang was beginning to wonder if they would ever stop to reveal one of his secrets. Waiting was almost as bad as the dead silence.
Finally, the child stopped, and motioned over to another place past a few trees, another clearing that began to slowly morph.

`

The scene was similar to it’s surroundings, all the tall trees and rich and tall grass made it obvious it was Taikai Ueki. Wolfgang tilted his head as he took a few steps towards the clearing. He was stopped before going any further, and a small boy entered the clearing.

He appeared as if he was looking for something, his dark brown hair in a boyish mess and his wide green eyes troubled. “Dad’s gunna kill me.” He murmured, looking desperately within the bushes and tall grass around him. Defeated, he fell to his butt. “Darn!”

“Pardon me, are you looking for this?”
A cold voice seemed to drip down Wolfgang’s back as he went another shade paler. The young Wolfgang looked around, unsure of where the voice’s origin was. A very tall man stepped out from behind a thin tree, a boomerang pinched in his bony fingers. “Almost hit my head clean off, it’s not something a child should have.”

Wolfgang kicked the ground innocently as he swayed foreword and back. “…It’s my dad’s. I’m not allowed to play with any of the village kids, so I took that from his weapon set. Can I have it back, mister?”
He tried to take it from the man, and was surprised when he handed it to him. The man was handsome, if not entirely chilling.

“And why can you not play with any other children?”
“…Mom’s sick. Dad says if I catch anything from any kids, she won’t be able to recover.”
The man sat on a stump, chin pinched with his thumb and forefinger. Now he looked utterly interested.

“Has your father taken her to the village Shaman? What about the doctor?”
The young Wolfgang scoffed. “We’ve tried that. The doctor says there’s nothing we can do, but the shaman is selling us medicine. It’s really expensive though. She hasn’t gotten any better.”
There was a soft silence between the two beings, and as the wind played with the grass, Wolfgang finally decided he had had enough.

“--Anyways, thanks for the--”
“I can help you, you know.”
“…What?” The young boy wrinkled his face, in both disbelief and doubt. He had heard that before, and wasn’t going to be fooled by some man in black. “And how much is this going to cost my dad?”
“It won’t cost him a penny. I promise.” The man put his hand to his chest, however it was on the right side, far form his heart.
“Just make me a deal. You can do that, hm?”

Wolfgang’s eyes filled with a childlike joy, but he still wasn’t sold. “What do you want me to do? You not some creeper, are you?”
The dark man laughed. He laughed so hard he almost fell off the stump. He quickly gained his posture back and wiped a tear from his eye. “Oh, no no no. I just want you to promise me that if I make your mother stop suffering, that you will give me your soul.”

Wolfgang’s eyes widened, and to took a few steps backward. “Y-you’re not..”
“A demon? You could say that…” The man’s dark eyes turned a crimson colour, smile still stained on his face. His teeth began to sharpen. “Don’t worry, boy. I’m not going to eat your soul or condemn you to hell or any of that nonsense. However, I do need an.. Apprentice of sorts. I promise I won’t bug you at least for another year, and then…” He leaned in closer, whispering as he did so, “you will be given power equal to mine. Just imagine!” He leaned back and threw his hands dramatically into the air.

“Your father always pushes you, doesn’t he? You need to train more, learn more, become stronger and faster… with my power, you will be all those things ,and so much more. And, on top of that, I can take your mother’s suffering away.” The man stood up and held out his hand.
“What do you say?”

Hesitant, Wolfgang looked at the man’s hand, then behind him. He took a deep breath and finally let out a light sigh. He took the mans hand and shook it. “D-deal. You promise my mom wont hurt anymore?”

“After I’m done, she’ll never feel pain again.” The man smiled warmly, his demonic features seemed to have disappeared, and he looked completely normal again. “However, I do not assure deal with a hand shake.” He knelt down and placed his hands on the boy’s shoulders. He pulled him closer, Wolfgang winced and closed his eyes, “What--!”
The man laughed and planted a kiss like a father would to embarrass a son over his eye.
“There you go! All done!”
The man stood up and turned to leave. “I’ll see you in a year, Wolfgang.”
Wolfgang rubbed his eye, face burning red. “… r-right.”
He watched him leave, shaking under his small poncho as he did.
“W-wait! Mister, what’s your name? What if I forget about the deal?”

The man threw a look over his shoulder and smiled widely. “Oh, you won’t forget. And you may just call me Kione. You don’t need to know my full name until our deal is complete. Farewell.”

`

The scene faded to black before turning to normal. Wolfgang’s hand shook as it rested against a rather large tree’s trunk. He felt his mouth fill with the disgusting liquid as he reeled over to vomit it out. He coughed a few more times for measure, but stayed kneeling for a moment longer.

“I..” His voice loosened more, but he could barley hear himself. Still he needed to speak, to say something. “I went home. He had killed her. The look on my father’s face…” he vomited up the rest of the secret and wiped his mouth wearily. The child rested a hand on Wolfgang’s shoulder, but he swatted it away. He stood, casting a look to Sahara. It did not explain much, unlike Sahara’s secret, but there was so much more to it, and he couldn’t deal with the fact she would see it all. But she would have to, like he would for her. They would never leave until they did.

“You two should be able to speak fully soon.” The child’s voice had become a bit more mature, and he seemed to fill in his cloak a bit more. Was he growing too? Wolfgang barley noticed, he simply turned his head to the path, he didn’t want to stay standing any longer.

[∴♪WolfurChickϗ]

Sahara watched the memory clip of Wolfgang's past, and though she didn't want to pay too much attention to it, since she knew it was a secret he obviously wanted to keep, she couldn't help but paste her eyes on it, taking in everything.

As young Wolfgang's mouth muttered the word "deal," She felt like she was about to convulse. She looked over at him. He was much younger... Too young to know what he had been dealing with. What had he given up? What had he lost? She felt mixed emotions, sorrow that he had to deal with such a thing, anger that he would give up something so important, but most of all, closeness. He was just like her.

They both had lost so much, gone through so much. It only made Sahara feel closer to him. Knowing now that his secrets were just as bad as hers made her feel that it was alright for them to go on. Still, she had fears. What would be shown next?

She turned to Wolfgang, spitting out a bit of the black sludge before being able to utter a few words. "Wolfgang..." She touched the right side of his chest. "Your... soul?" She frowned, then grabbed him into a hug. She tried to whisper some incouraging words, but she only felt the heaviness in her lungs, and she kept her mouth closed so she would throw up any of the sludge on him. She hoped her hug was understanding enough.

Still... there was so much more that she needed to say, and there was so much more that she wanted to know.

They continued walking down the path, the child, though seemingly aging, lead them through. She nearly tripped over a tree root, and that was when the child stopped and motioned towards a very small clearing between two, very large trees.

As the memory formed, Sahara remembered it instantly, and she had to turn away to heave. In the small clearing, another two figures formed. Again, it was young Sahara, and this time, the second person was Victoria. Both of them were young, younger than Sahara had been in the previous memory.

Victoria was crying, cupping a hand over her arm. It seemed as though Sahara was trying to comfort her, even at her young age. "Its alright." Sahara said. "Its just a little scrape." Little Victoria crossed her arms and pouted. "But he was so mean to me! He pushed me down!" Sahara frowned. "Maybe its as if momma says, maybe he just likes you." Victoria shook her head violently.

"He said some mean stuff... about us. He said that we... we aren't human. He said shamins aren't really human, that they are just monsters... machines." Young Sahara was obviously angered at this, because her face distorted into an angry glare. "He said that?" Victoria nodded, still crying. "And when I told him to shut up, he pushed me down. He wanted to hurt me!"

A third and fourth form entered the clearing; a young boy and an older women. Sahara recognized the woman as one of the village leaders, next in line for the village elder. She walked in, dragging the boy by his ear. "Young Haarsha, Raasha, this boy has something to say to you."

She let go of the boy, who crossed his arms and stomped his foot. "I wont!" The ederly woman grabbed him by the ear again, and he yelped in pain. "NOW!" She commanded him. Finally, he looked at the girls and spat "Sorry," Though young Sahara could tell he didn't mean it. As the ederly woman let go, the boy continued his sentance. "I'm sorry that you are monsters!"

Just then Sahara grabbed the boy. "GO TO HELL!" She spat in his face. The ederly woman grabbed them both, pulling them apart. "Please, calm down!" She warned them, and began to hurry away with the boy in tow. Victoria smiled at her sister, pleased that she had stood up for her. "Thanks, sis." She said, slightly embarrassed.

Sahara did not take her eyes off the boy, she stared him down. Suddenly, the woman stopped, and the boy in her arms grew limp. She whirled around and looked at Sahara in shock. "What have you done?!" She screamed. Sahara frowned. "I only wished him dead... he is so mean to us!" Young Sahara's face changed as she looked at the boy.

All signs of life had left his body.

The elder dropped the boy and rushed over to Sahara. She knealt down and grabbed her hands. "You killed the boy, just by thinking about it...." Sahara shook her head. "No! I didn't! I didn't kill anybody!" The elder turned her hands over, looking into her palms. "Amazing... your power is even worst than I thought..."

Young Sahara pulled her hands away, grabbing onto her twin sister for protection. "I didn't do anything! You believe me, don't you Victoria?" But her twin also pulled away, looking at her sister as though she were a monster. "He was mean... but you didn't have to kill him." Sahara looked back and forth between the elder and her sister.

Bursting into tears, she headed towards the boy's body. "Gideon! Gideon!" She shook the boy, but got no response. "Gideon stop it!" She said, sobbing. "Gideon! Tell them you are alright! Tell them you are just fine!" But all life had gone out of the boy. "No!" Young Sahara screamed. "I can fix him! I can heal him." The elder grabbed her and pulled her away from the boy.

As Sahara was being pulled away, Victoria ran to the boy, her hands glowing a light blue as she tried healing the boy, and failing miserably. The last look she gave her sister was a terrifying look that she would never forget....

The vision faded away, leaving a much older, trembling Sahara. She looked away from Wolfgang. She didn't even want to explain that one. There was no excuse. But she had no idea how much power she had! Power that was useless outside the village, unless activated. She would never activate that power. She would never allow herself to become that weapon.

[P h o b i a;||]

Wolfgang wasn’t sure how to take Sahara’s vision. She was such a young child, it seemed hardly right to blame her as her own sister had. They were both young. However, to have such a power in such small hands meant that disaster could only rise from it. He knew what it was she felt in that moment. The uselessness of not being able to save him, the guilt.

Wolfgang placed a hand on her back, though her past was a terrifying one, he knew now that he had to see more than what was being shown in front of him. He offered a few small words of comfort, so far this trial was difficult, in fact far more than he had really expected. The child nodded towards Wolfgang, seeing as he already seemed to accept, and continued walking.


This time there was only a short distance crossed before the child stopped. He did his usual gesture over to the trees. The scene darkened and changed, but still remained dark, as if night-time. It was hard to tell exactly when these visions took place, at least until he saw himself.

And he did, being handled by three men, another five behind him with spears at his back. He looked beaten and bloody and was a few years younger than he was now. His hair was again the ghostly white, yet shorter than it was now. The white eye patch covering his eye was soaked through with blood, and crimson tears ran down from that side of his face.

“Monster! Murderer!” One of them finally screamed, jabbing their spear into a point in his back. Wolfgang grunted, but didn’t cry out. He still struggled, but his arms were bound impossibly.

“What is the meaning of this!” A very strong and powerful voice erupted from within the trees, and out immerged a man with numerous scars over his aged face, on his back a massive sword rode. He tilted his head and crossed his arms.
“G-general! You’ve returned from your mission?”
The man nodded, “Why do you have Wolfgang tied up? Is this some sick game?”

“General! We didn’t know this freak would actually so something like this but.. H-he killed Felix! And…” the man’s voice lowered, “Eliza.”
“…What?” The man, who was obviously their superior turned his glare to Wolfgang, grabbing him by the throat. “WHAT is the meaning of this? Are you a traitor?!”
“No!” The young man cried out, his voice struggled under the general’s grasp. “I-It was an accident. I told her not to…”
“And so you killed her?! My daughter?!”
The man threw Wolfgang to the ground as the other young men let him go. A few still kept his spears on him, just in case.

“I don’t understand why your father wanted you around. You’re just a curse to this whole village.” The great man spat, he turned to the others. “How is the village? Did anyone see?”
“I don’t think anyone saw. I think Wolfgang and Eliza were alone, and Felix went to spy on them. We had to knock him out just to calm him down. It was like he wasn‘t even--”
“Beast!” The general had heard enough, he placed his heavy boot upon Wolfgang’s chest and pulled out his sword. “I should kill you now!” His voice lowered, and he let out a controlled breath. “However… I made an oath to your father, god rest his soul.”
The general nodded his head towards the men, and excitedly they grabbed him again and dragged him away.

The scene changed with them, as if jumping an hour or so to the next event.
Wolfgang was bound by the men again, though this time they were near the city’s outer gates. The sky was completely black now, some of the location guards held torches for light.

With them was the village Shaman, an ugly man that covered himself in very rich clothing.
“Wolfgang, for your crimes again or city, you are banned, exiled. You are never allowed back.” He rose his bumpy hand, and one of the guards grabbed him by the hair and craned his neck to the side.

“Here, Grett, I’ll let you do the honours.” The young lad exclaimed as he moved a bit to the side.
A boy about Wolfgang’s age nervously looked at the General, then to the rest of his fellow comrades. They were all younger location guards, Wolfgang had actually been their superior, but only in experience, not in age.

“Grett, don’t do this.” Wolfgang’s voice wavered. To Taikai Ueki inhabitants, village exile was worse than death.
The boy tried to blink away a few tears, he was still inexperienced, obviously. “S-sorry Wolfgang. Why did you have to do this?!”

“I am your friend! You know I wouldn’t do it on pu--” he was quickly hit by the man exposing the side of his neck. Meanwhile Grett seemed to have made his decision, and closed his eyes.
“Illa, nure..” he placed two fingers against Wolfgang’s neck as he continued his chant. The shaman chanted along with him. “Zhar, ryt.”
Slowly, burns drew themselves into Wolfgang’s flesh, and though he did not cry out, he was obviously in pain. Grett took a few steps back, unable to comprehend what he had done.
“T-The mark of a traitor. Now get out.”

The men threw Wolfgang to the ground and began to walk away. He knew there was no point in trying to return, someone with the mark of a traitor was to be killed instantly if he stepped near the village again.
Though it was an easy mark to hide, it was also the one people looked for first before allowing others into villages.

As their voices faded, still Wolfgang’s general loomed over him. Wearily Wolfgang rolled to his back and stared back at him.

“Just kill me.” he murmured, in a last pathetic attempt to reconcile. A tear slid down his good eye, the other still bleeding uncontrollably. “I’ll just kill more people. I don’t know what’s inside me… but it wont stop. It will come back here. Are the secrets this village keeps more important than your daughter‘s life? I killed her. I watched her die. She screamed for help… but I couldn‘t…”
The general’s eyes burned with hatred, and he grabbed his sword, lowering it so the tip barley touched Wolfgang’s throat. Wolfgang closed his eyes, hoping it would be the last thing he saw.

The man pulled the sword away, nicking his lower jaw instead, by accident or purpose, he would never know.
“You are to leave, and never come back. Your parents graves will be dug up, and their remains cast in the forest. This is what you have done to them.” His voice for a moment seemed sympathetic, but it must have been for his father and mother. Wolfgang didn’t deserve the kindness.

The general gave Wolfgang one last look of sorrow, hatred, pity, and disgust before turning and walking away. He didn’t look back.

--

Wolfgang watched the scene disappear. It stirred up a lot of feelings, ones he had forgotten long ago. He stared at the forest, still he thought he could see the shadow of himself pathetically bleeding on the ground. That was the first time he had killed someone, and the last time he had seen his village gates.

The boy’s voice seemed almost completely matured now, and standing at the same height as Wolfgang placed a hand on his shoulder.
“There is one more, do you wish to see it now, or after Sahara’s?”

Wolfgang was a bit surprised that he actually had the choice. He honestly only wanted to get his out of the way and never have to think of them again. Wolfgang turned to the forest.
The guardian nodded his covered head and once more the scene melted and transformed.

It was dark, and though the surroundings were familiar, it took a moment for Wolfgang to pinpoint exactly where it was. Suddenly, his shadow came into view, older than in the last vision. He slinked over and down the rocks, trying to be as quiet and invisible as possible.
“Shikon Kentsume.” he murmured, just in case Sahara had forgotten. It was actually just at the top of the village, near the beginning of the tunnel. His shadow swayed looking rather unsure if he wanted to walk through the black tunnel, until a voice made itself present.


“And where the hell do you think you’re going!”
The younger Wolfgang quickly turned around with his weapon out and ready. He lowered it almost instantly afterwards, as if the voice took only seconds to recognize.
A young woman, pretty, but a bit plain walked into view. She looked infuriated, violet eyes wild. She looked like she was going to kill him.
“THREE months of feeding you, giving you a place to sleep, and you can’t even say GOODBYE?!”
The girl shoved Wolfgang against a rock, breathing heavily as she did. “I-- I can’t even believe you!”

Wolfgang looked like he wanted to chuckle, but he only rose his hands defensively. “I didn’t think you’d be so upset.”
“’Didn’t think I’d‘-- Ohh! That does it!” She punched him hard on the shoulder, then began to beat her fists against his chest for good measure. “You’re lucky I don’t run you through with my weapon.” She hissed. After that said, she dropped her hands. She looked far more depressed now than angry. “So… why are you leaving? Couldn’t stand me anymore?”

Wolfgang rolled his eyes lightly, as if she acted like this all the time. “Sway, I have to go. You heard that damned shaman. He told me he would heal me if I worked for him for three months. And after that, just said ‘Oh sorry, I can’t heal curses’ That bastard!” Wolfgang tightened his fists, it would be the last time he could trust a shaman.
“I have to go to Shifuto Hiru.”
“What? Are you crazy? That’s almost on the other side of the map! How long do you plan on walking around?” Sway rested her hands on her hips as she pursed her heart-shaped lips. “Wolfgang… you could stay here. You haven’t had an.. Episode since you got here, you could stay here… with me.” Shyly, Sway grabbed one of his fists, which slowly uncurled. Her face turned a light pink, but Wolfgang didn’t look convinced.

“You know I cant stay.”
“W-Why not! You could be a Location Guard here, you’ve helped me more than once, our village is grateful to your help. Stay. Please…”
“I’m sorry, I just don’t think that’s a big enough reason to stay.” he murmured.

Sway looked at him with the same rage as before, but instead of punching him, she grabbed his collar and pressed her lips to his. Wolfgang rose his hands lightly, not entirely sure what he should be doing, pushing her away, or pressing her closer.
“T-There! You made me do it!” She cried and let him go. “I l-l-l-ove you, okay?”
Wolfgang remained silent, though his eye was wide from the shock.

“…Say something.” she quietly demanded.
“…I’m sorry, Sway. I really do appreciate everything you‘ve done for me. I‘ll come back and pay you back, I promise.”
Wolfgang turned towards the dark tunnel again, but this time didn’t hesitate before walking into the blackness.

Sway stood a moment longer, watching him leave. Defeated, she sat on the ground.
“…Goodbye, Wolfgang….” she whispered, forcing the tears on the brims of her eyes not to fall. She rubbed one of her eyes, “You… JERK!”



As the scene returned to the forest once more, Wolfgang felt a bit guilty. Sway really had helped him so much, and he didn’t even realise how much of an ass he had been. He silently promised himself to visit her once everything was done. He wasn’t sure how she would take Sahara, but that would have to wait.
He didn’t know exactly why this secret was so important, in fact, it was minor. Wolfgang coughed up the last of his tar, and the weight within his lungs seemed to be gone entirely. Seeing Sway did give him another reason to keep pressing forward.

He turned to Sahara and the guardian-- who really couldn’t be called a child anymore, he was taller than Wolfgang now.
“Is that it then?” he murmured in a dry tone. The hooded guardian nodded.
“Yes. Sahara, are you ready?” He pointed towards the village now, which was actually just steps ahead. Wolfgang was a bit in disbelief, he would have thought the walk would be much longer, in fact it was impossible for it to be so short.

The guardian then pointed away from the village and to the forest once more.
“The final secret, revealed.”

[∴♪WolfurChickϗ]

Sahara watched the scenes unfold. Knowing that her past would be last made her obviously worried. However, after watching the memories of wolfgang, there was something else bothering her. She glanced over at Wolfgang, then quickly turned away, as if she was too ashamed to look him in the eyes.

She didn't want to say anything, she just wanted to take back everything she had done. It was so stupid. She had kissed him... obviously, it hadn't been the first, and this person that he had known just a few weeks ago obviously cared for him too. Many things crossed her mind. Did... Sway actually love him? Did he love her? It was impossible to tell, and it made Sahara very nervous.

How could she? After just a short time, make a move on a guy like that. It made her second guess herself. It made her wonder exactly WHAT she was feeling for Wolfgang. Was it a real feeling? Or was it just created because of what they had gone through together in such short time? She had heard of people rushing into relationships because of tough situations before... how was this any different?

Then she looked back at Wolfgang, and the answer was there. Who he was, their pasts, what they were doing right now... They were so different, and yet they were the same. They both lost families, they both were being controlled, they both wanted to find help. It just so happened that they found help in each other.

Sahara opened her mouth to speak. She knew it had to be short, since she was sure she wouldn't be able to say too much before the ooze would seep into her lungs again. "wolfgang..." she spoke, speaking solely to him, as if there was nobody else there. "I'm sorry." She spoke it considerately, knowing that she would very well be getting in the way of him and Sway. However, there was something else that she felt she needed to say, whether Wolfgang wanted to hear it or not.

"If she really loved you, truly, with out a doubt..." she paused, looking ahead, waiting for her last memory to unfold infront of them. "She would have went with you." though she had more to say, she could already feel the gunk fill in her throat, and she dropped it, atleast for the time being.

The memory appeared infront of them all at once, startling Sahara. Trying to recall when and where it happened, she felt a mixture of emotions, both nervousness and relief.

There Sahara was again, only this time, she was no longer a child. Unlike Wolfgang's memories which went in order, hers seemed to jump around a bit. Luckily, it looked like they were getting on track again. She was a few years younger, and she could remember that she was about sixteen at the time.

Next to her, a familiar, yet younger Patrick De'shaun layed in the desert sand, both of them crowded by books. Patrick was the first to speak. "Sahara, I really appreciate you telling me all this, especially since we are dating and all... but what exactly are we looking for?"

Sahara, angrily tossing aside another book, grabbed a third book and opened it, scanning its words and chapters for something important. The book was title 'Secrets of Shamonism'. "We are looking for a way out Patrick! I told you about the stupid mark on my neck. You are the only one I have told... I want to get rid of it." A few moments of silents, and she let out a loud scream, slamming the book against a wall.

"I can't find anything!" she said angrily, then landing a punch on the brick wall. She leaned against it and let out a loud sigh. "Maybe it doesn't exsist... I'm trapped Patrick! I've got to get out of here! What if he finds me and decides to make me destroy Shifuto Hiru?!" Patrick shook his head, still calmly looking through the books. "We'll find it. There is always a way... I've read it in so many romance novels that it's cliche."

Sahara, obviously ready to call it quits, started packing up some of the books, regretting her actions of throwing the books, since they all had the words "library" posted on the sides, and she knew that the damages would probably cost her. "I think I've got it!" Patrick nearly shouted in excitement. Sahara dropped quickly to his side, leaning against him trying to make out the text.

After reading it silently, she looked back and forth between Patrick and the book. "It says I can void the power of a seal if I share part of my soul with another..." Patrick looked at Sahara, proud that he had found the page, and also confused. "So what does that mean?" Sahara's smile lit up, almost unnatural for her tomboy looks. "A bond. Its one of the first thing a shamin learns about, but it is so important...and dangerous. If you bond with somebody who already shares in your hopes, who you can relate with, then it will break any seals!"

Patrick recalled reading a past book about bonding, and he understood. Gazing down, he blushed, and looked back up at her. "What about me?" Sahara looked at him in shock. "what?" "What about me?" He repeated. "Sahara, there isn't anyone who cares about you more than I do! I'll bond with you, and then you'll be alright... you wont have to worry about that seal anymore, right?"

Sahara frowned. "Patrick, its not that easy..." Patrick shook his head. "I don't care Sahara. I...I lo-" but before he could finish his sentance, Sahara nearly tackled him, planting her lips apon his. After a moment, they broke apart, each one blushing in embarrassement. They were both silent for a few moments, until Sahara finally spoke.

"I'm sorry. That wasn't right. I interrupted you." Patrick frowned. He touched his finger to his lips. There had been no magic. It had not caused his heart to beat faster... infact, it kind of felt... akward. Almost like kissing a sister. "I'm sorry too Sahara." They both stared at each other for a moment before continuing.

"You didn't feel it either, did you?" Patrick shook his head. "sorry." Sahara smiled lightly. "Don't worry Patrick. If any one is sorry, it should be me..." She looked out over the desert dunes, watching the winds shift the sands. "It just means that there is somebody else out there for us. Maybe we are just meant to be friends..."

Patrick looked back at Sahara, agreeing wholeheartedly. "Even if only friends.... Sahara, I will still do it. I do care about you more than anyone else. I'm not afraid to bond with you." After a moment's hesitation, Sahara turned her gaze back to him and shook his head. "Patrick, I don't think its right. A bond is supposed to be mutual... it is supposed to be the last stand. Its supposed to help both partners...only if both of them needs the help."

She bit her lip. "Besides... I kind of want to bond with somebody who... I can kiss, and make my heart flutter." Patrick frowned, looking down. "I guess I understand that... it'd be weird to feel permanently attached to... just a friend." Sahara looked at Patrick and slapped him. "We are more than friends! We are best friends!" Patrick laughed. "Oh yeah, I forgot."

The memory faded, and Sahara was relieved. When it brought up Patrick, she was afraid it was just going to show their relationship, then end there.... she kept praying that it would continue on. Luckily, it had finished.

She turned to Wolfgang and opened her mouth, suddenly, she fell to her knees, throwing up buckets of the black slime, until finally, it was completely expelled from her mouth, and her lungs felt free. She stood back up and grabbed Wolfgang by his shoulders.

"Patrick found that passage... it says it lifts all other bonds. The mark on my neck... the deal with your demon... it should free all of that. Wolfgang, I want to help you. I also want to be helped. Its mutual." She looked back at the clearing, as if thinking she could see her younger self and Patrick, but there was nothing but trees and roots.

She turned back to Wolfgang. "More than anything, I want to bond with you because when you kissed me..." Her face turned beat red. "My heart beat so fast I thought I was going to have a heart attack. Wolfgang, you and I are the same. We may be different people, but through our circumstances, we were brought together. I told Patrick that there was someone else out there for us... and I was right."

"I don't know anything about that girl who kissed you before... but as I said, if she truly, truly loved you, 100%, then she would have went with you. Wolfgang, I was drawn to you. I made a promise to help you all the way, and I wont back away from that promise. I went with you into the sunahane nests, out to the frozen sea, and into the my childhood home, which I hoped to never return to. And if I am any help at all, I will help you get back into Taikai Ueki..."

"...And I will follow you there too. Wolfgang, by accepting these trials, and participating in these impossible nightmares, we have already made commitments to permanently seal our souls together. I would not have done that for anyone but you Wolfgang, because we are the same. And it doesn't matter if you feel the same way back or not, I'm here to tell you that I will go with you, no matter how hard things get."

She stopped and laughed. "You know, after thinking about this whole bonding thing... these trials actually seem pretty easy. And you know what? They said bonding was impossible. We have one more trial to face... and then we will be ready. Are you ready? That is... if we are done here..." She looked at the guide with a smile, waiting for a reply.

(( Sorry, I could have made that ALOT better, but I gotted lazy XD especially cuz I didn't have a whole lot of time to post. XD ))

[P h o b i a;||]

Wolfgang wasn’t sure what to say as he watched Sahara and Patrick kiss. He felt a tinge of jealously, even though Sahara and he both admitted they had felt nothing. Was this how she felt when he saw Sway kiss him?

Her memory faded as quickly as it began. And as she spoke to him, all he could do was listen. He felt the weight on his heart loosen as she smiled, and even laughed. They had accepted each other fully, which meant they had to be ready for the final trial.
..Right?

The guide bowed his head. “Yes. I’m happy to say you have passed the trials… and freed me. Thank you.” The pale hand gently bushed the hood away, a dark mop of orange hair revealed in the fake sunlight.
Wolfgang’s eyes widened as he took a step back.
“C-Connor!!”

“Took you long enough!” The man exclaimed with a chuckle. He began to laugh, so hard in fact that tears ran down his face, though as he settled down, the tears seemed to come from more than his laughter.
He wiped them away, biting down to try and suppress any sob that might of escaped his pale lips. He looked far better than he had in his death. In fact, he looked better than new.

“I felt like I was sleeping… or maybe I was walking and holding someone‘s hand. Whatever it was, I was so peaceful…” His eyes looked up to the sky, searching for something that wasn’t there. “And then, bam! I was here, stuck in the body of an infant. As you progressed through your trials, I grew more and more. This trial seemed to bring me to my original form. At least the one before I--”
He stopped.

“Wolfgang and Sahara, the next trial… I can honestly say I have no idea what is in store for you. But I think… no.” Connor’s lips turned up to a grin. “I know you will both succeed. Now, sorry about this Wolfgang, but it has to be done.”

Connor placed a hand on Wolfgang’s shoulder to not seem suspicious, but in the moment Wolfgang rose an eyebrow he shoved his hand through his chest. The location guard gasped lightly and tried to stagger back, but was surprised that there was no pain or blood, or even an entrance wound. Connor was completely lucid, like a ghost (which he had to of been).
When his hand withdrew, he held two small black pearls.

“Here, Sahara.” He murmured, “You’ll need this sometime or another.” he dropped one into her palm and closed it with both his hands. He laughed again, “Don’t tell anyone I gave that to you.”

With that said, he knelt to the soil that was the city’s foundation. He dropped the black pearl into the earth and covered it with more dirt. Connor got up after a long moment and took a few steps back. The ground over top the seed shuddered for an instant before a magnificent, large orb began to rise from the ground.

“There, that should do it.” The freckled man said with a bittersweet smile. “You cannot stay here much longer.”

“Connor, wait.” Wolfgang insisted, turning away from the orb that seemed to be more alluring than all the others had before, “What if you came with us? Would you--”
“Wolfgang, even if I wanted to return, my earthly body became part of the wind awhile ago. Remember?”
His face dropped. “Does that mean.. we could have saved you?”
“It doesn’t matter now. I’m happy, I’ll be free once you have both completed your trials.”
Connor motioned over to the orb, as he had done for the entire trial beforehand.

( Did you see that coming =P?
The end feels a bit incomplete, ahwell.)

[∴♪WolfurChickϗ]

(( lolz, no I didn't ^^ Man I really need my laptop back >> it'll take about a week and a half still >< ))

Sahara couldn't explain the emotions she was feeling if she wanted to. She looked over at Wolfgang, then back at Connor, unbelieving. It was impossible. Connor... he was lost. But here he was, guiding them through a very tough trial... she looked down at the tiny spherical object that he had placed in her hand. A rush of emotions came over her as she began to realize just what was going on.

She made a motion to hug him, and instead hugged the space around him, aware that it would be impossible to actually touch him. A small tear drop slipped down her tender cheeks. "Connor, I'm so sorry what happened to you... and for who I was to you." Stepping back, she glanced at the orb, then back at Connor with a smile.

"You continue to guide me Connor, even now. If Wolfgang wasn't here, I might have fallen for you." She joked, grabbing Wolfgang's hand softly to let him know that she was completly glad that he was there. "Thank you." She whispered, then turned and faced the orb. She took a step before freezing, and quickly spun around.

"I almost forgot! Patrick has a girlfriend now. Can you believe it? A jintori girlfriend!" She laughed slightly, smiling yet crying at the same time. "I'll... see you again some day Connor. I know I will. You're here... that proves it." She took a deep breath,and whispered a calming "goodbye." Then she turned and stepped into the orb, slipping the tiny pearl into her pocket just before the next trial pulled her in.

---

When she finally opened her eyes, she found herself in a tiny shack, laid on a couch next to Wolfgang. Carefully, she tapped his shoulder to wake him, while glancing around at the rest of the room. How where they in a hut? Weren't the trials supposed to be before the villages ever exsisted? Then she recognized the hut. It was the shamin's hut... the very hut her sister was supposed to occupy.

"Heya, sis." Came Victoria's familiar voice. Sahara turned around to face her. She was sitting in her chair, still sipping from the small cup. Sahara felt so confused. Where they back? Where was the last trial? She looked down and noticed that her robotic leg was back, and she could tell that her sight wasn't as great as it had been before. A closer look showed that Wolfgang looked back to normal too, eye patch, scar and all.

So they were back? Was it that easy? She almost celebrated, that was, until unfamiliar words filled her head, 'The trial of truth.' A scared looked came upon her face as she turned back to her sister, who waved her hand sweetly at Sahara.

"Yes Sahara, this is a trial. And I promise you, it will be the hardest trial you will ever have to face. You and Wolfgang have revieled to each other alot, and you have both survived your secrets and your burdens. But admitting the truth... facing the truth. That is the hardest trial."

She stood to her feet, dropping the cup which somehow managed to land silently on the ground without even cracking. "I'm sure you are both wondering what this trial is about... well, I'll tell you. Or rather... I will show you." She waved her hand, and a boy appeared infront of Sahara. Frowning, Sahara recognized it as the boy from the previous trials... the boy she had killed.

He held a small wooden sword in his hand, and when he opened his mouth to speak, it sent chills down Sahara's back. "I will be one of many truths you will have to face. The boy walked between Wolfgang and Sahara and slapped the wooden sword on the ground. Emmediately, a barrier of ice rose up between them.

"WOLFGANG!" Sahara screamed, grasping at the ice. The boy with the wooden sword shook his head. "You will both have to deal with your lies and truths seperately. If you can't tell yourself the truth... then how will you be able to trust the other?" Sahara looked at the boy with both anger and confusion. Something didn't feel right.

"Sahara, face your trial, and when you are finished, I will free you." She sat back down in the chair, and a barrier was put up around herself as well. Sahara was more than confused. She looked back at the boy with the wooden sword. He rose the stick up, and pointed it in her direction.

"SAHARA!" He shouted. "You killed me. Everybody knows that, even your boyfriend now. That is not the truth you have to face. You see, I could have become something. I could have grown up as the village leader... I could have grown up with a family. I could have protected somebody... I could have even helped your mother. Instead, you killed me, along with all of those other hopes I could have had..."

Sahara stood there. The boy was very young, and she had known him before.. yet still, he was intimidating as hell. "Gideon, it wasn't my fault... I didn't mean to-"

"DID YOU?!" The boy hollared, raising up his wooden sword higher. "If you will notice, you both have your weapons on you. The weapons you are used to fighting with. Each time you lie, we, the truths, will get stronger. Let us get too strong... and we will kill you." Sahara swallowed. They weren't going to fight the people from their pasts. They were going to fight their lies.

"Sahara Nickshaw! Do not lie to me! You wanted me dead, didn't you?! You wanted me dead!" Sahara could feel hot tears staining her face. It was not something she ever wanted to bring up, or even remember. However, the trial was against them. "DIDN'T YOU?!" He hollered, raising his sword up higher. "ADMIT THE TRUTH OR YOU WILL DIE!"

[P h o b i a;||]

The screaming seemed to make Wolfgang drift back into consciousness, but he had to wince at the surge of pain that filled his temples once more. So they were back. He was about to turn to Sahara, until he saw the scene in front of him. Sahara stood on the other side of an icy barrier, he shot up, grabbing for the weapon that had been sprawled across his lap.

Though he had been unconscious, the words that Victoria and the boy had said echoed through his head. He saw the struggle on Sahara’s face, but knew that she would have to battle this herself. He gritted his teeth at the thought, and turned to his own ‘lies’

Wolfgang stood his ground, but took a sturdy foot backward as he saw his shadow melt from under him and travel to the opposite side of the barrier. Slowly, it formed a shape, and materialized.
It was him.
Or, at least, it looked exactly like him. He was confused, he thought perhaps Eliza, Felix.. Even Kione he would be facing, but how…

“Doesn’t it make sense to you?” The clone scoffed, he looked as Wolfgang had before he had woken from the trials. Unscarred and normal. He held the identical weapon that Wolfgang did. He nodded towards him.
“You don’t deserve to hold that Weapon, Wolfgang. It was held by my father. The one you killed, remember?”
“I didn’t kill my--”

The clone ran towards him, the weapon turning into a glaive as he swung it at him with full-strength. Wolfgang barley managed to dodge, having to drop right to the ground to do so. The barrier that he had hit cracked for a moment, but the regenerated itself. That took the thought of escaping out of his head.

“Liar! You murdered him, just as you murdered her!” Though the clone didn’t utter a name, Wolfgang knew who he was talking about. He grasped his weapon as the clone ran at him again, but this time met him with a battle axe. He winced, one of the blades from the glaive managed to dig itself deep into his shoulder. He used the pressure between them and kicked him back. The clone staggered backward, and Wolfgang was able to hit him successfully on his side.

The clone grunted loudly, and grabbed the weapon by the blade. He glared fully into his eye. “You cursed us, condemned us to hell before we even had a chance to sin. We were children. How could do you such a thing to yourself? To me?!”
“If you were truly me, you would know why I--“
He punched Wolfgang which forced him back onto the ground. Both weapons were bloodied and now abandoned across the barrier

The clone leapt on top of the incapacitated Wolfgang, punching his again and again. His eyes were wild and bloodthirsty, and he seemed much stronger than before.
“Stop it! Stop denying yourself!” He hissed, stopping his throttling long enough to let Wolfgang breath. His face was bloodied, but still he tried to form words with his busted lip. The clone grasped his collar and pulled him closer.
“Tell me the truth. Why did you do it?”

“I thought I could save her…” Wolfgang whispered. The clone wasn’t satisfied, he wrapped his hands around his throat. “Stop LYING to me, Wolfgang!”
Wolfgang desperately grasped onto his clone’s wrists, trying to loosen his tight hold. He gasped for air, until managing to cough out a few words.`

``I wanted to be stronger. Our--my father always told me power should surpass anything . I didn’t realise how much his words influenced me… until I saw her, dead. I would’ve given anything to have saved her from her fate. If I had only known…`

The clone sneered, shaking him for a moment. Wolfgang`s eye fluttered, he could feel the last of his air escaping as none was able to fill his lungs.

With one last burst of strength, Wolfgang took one hand from his clone’s wrist and landed a punch to the side of its nose. He flew backward, and with his hands off of Wolfgang`s throat, he began to cough and breathe once more.

[∴♪WolfurChickϗ]

Sahara shook her head, refusing to give in. The boy ran at Sahara at full speed. Though he was just a young boy with a wooden sword, Sahara felt more fear than she had in a long while, since she had been attacked by the jintori as a child. Quickly, she pulled out her sword to block the boy's attack, but he was one step ahead of her, ducking and hitting her from the ground.

Sahara felt herself fly backwards, dropping her sword and slamming into the icy wall. She couldn't believe it, how strong the boy had gotten. It was like fighting pinochio with his ever growing nose. As long as she kept lying, he was only going to get stronger. "Sahara, tell the truth. You wanted me dead. Didn't you?"

Sahara held her hands out infront of her, as if they would protect her, eyeing the sword. "Tell me Sahara, or you will die!" The boy began to charge at Sahara, until she let out a sadened "Yes! Yes, ok?! But I was just a child, I didn't know... I didn't know how serious death was. I thought..." The boy ran at her, and she kicked upwards with her metal leg, landing a hit on the boy, who tumbled backwards. It was bad enough that she had to fight a child... but this one was too strong.

"Stop making excuses, Sahara." He spoke. "You knew what death meant. The shamins before you taught it to you. You loved the idea that you could get rid of anyone you wanted." Sahara stood up, pulling the dagger from its own sheath. She gripped it in her hand, but still couldn't find herself strong enough to attack him. He was just a child, memory or not.

The boy began to walk up to her, holding the wooden sword out infront of him. "I..." Sahara stuttered. "Its... true. I did know... I knew what would happen, but I didn't know how it would effect everything else. I didn't know how it would hurt others. Gideon please! I'm Sorry!" she pleaded with the vision of the boy.

He swung his sword at her, and she was able to reflect it with her dagger. Seeing as how the boy had been weakened, the toy sword was easily knocked from his hands. Still, the boy continued to advance. "Sahara. You killed me, and it wasn't an accident. You wanted me dead. Luckily for you, you were able to learn from that experience. Or did you?"

Sahara was confused. She held her ground. "No, you didn't learn at all, Sahara." The boy grabbed her hand, and jabbed the dagger into his own chest. The boy smiled, blood beginning to drip onto Sahara's hand, her eyes wide with fear. "Now, watch out. Behind you." The boy vanished, though leaving the blood stained on her hands. Without time to cry, she turned and was faced yet again with another truth.

"Sahara. Good to meet you again." The village elder stood, hands clasped firmly together. He had no weapon on him, but still Sahara feared him, especially with the marking on her neck.

"When I was dying... your job was to save me. The village still needed me, but instead, you killed me, and your mother too. Granted, your mother's death was an accident... but mine wasn't." Sahara stood tall, glaring at the man. "Alright! I admit it! I wanted you dead!" Truth was, she had no problem admitting it. She hated him with every fiber of her being.

The man laughed. "Yes, but your actions ruined the village. You know I had changed. I was no longer the man who put that mark across your neck. I was even willing to remove it... Yet you killed me first." Sahara turned and ran for her sword, but the man rose his hand and closed it into a fist. Immediately, the marking on her neck glowed brightly, and she dropped to her knees, howling in pain.

"Sahara, you know I had changed, didn't you? You knew I had become a better man." Sahara managed to look out to where Wolfgang is. Watching him being beaten made herself hurt too. She wanted to help him... but here she was facing her lies alone. Why did they have to be alone? It didn't make sense. Weren't the trials supposed to bring them together?

"Elder, you had changed, but I could never forgive what you had done to me!" The elder grinned wildly. "So you took me away from my family, and from the village! There is a seperate reason for doing that, isn't there?" Sahara reached for her sword, but was instead forced to the ground by the marking on her neck.

"So tell me Sahara, what reason, other than hating my guts, could you have for killing me? What was your purpose?" Sahara looked back towards the man, gritting her teeth. "Now come on Sahara, just tell me."

Sahara was completly aware that everything that she was saying, that the elder was saying, could be heard by Wolfgang. She could still see and hear everything that was happening to him. All the icy barrier did was keep them from helping each other.

Once again, Sahara felt a surge of pain throughout her body as the elder controlled her. "Come on Sahara, tell me. Why did you kill me?" Unable to take anymore, she finally broke, blurting out the truth in a sad, soft voice.

"I wanted to ruin Shifuto Aisu." The elder smiled. His power over her weakened, but still he felt he had hit the right spot. "Exactly. You see Sahara, even without me controlling your powers, you wanted to destroy the village. You weren't born a shamin because of your powers... you were born a shamin because of your emotions. Because even at birth, you wanted to kill, hurt people, and destroy villages. That is what made you a shamin. Your hatred. Your lust for glory in the kill."

Sahara layed there shaking, her eyes wide. The new found truth that was opened to her was not one she would have ever believed before. The elder continued.

"Sahara, you were destined to become a shamin, and nothing you will do will ever stop that. Your lust for pain in others will never go away, and one day, you will submit to your own destructive habits. That marking on your neck means nothing. You will still destroy, even without it. This bond may break the seal, as well as Wolfgang's seal with his own demons... but it will never break your need for destruction. "

Slowly, Sahara stood to her own feet, bent down, and grabbed the sword. She turned and faced the old man, a smile on her face. "That sir, is where you lie. While it may be true that I was born with destruction in mind, I have changed. Everybody can change. I know, with the depths of my heart that I will never feel the need to destroy again. It may come down to points in my life when I will have to destroy, or even kill, but I will not be doing if for my own satisfactory needs."

"If you ever taught me anything, its that people do change. I have changed, elder. And thats the truth." She held her sword in one hand, dagger in the other, and charged at the man. But before she could get to him, he melted into the floor, then vanished, leaving Sahara alone.

She turned towards Victoria, who was clapping behind the barrier. "Very good Sahara! I knew you had the strength in you." She then turned to Wolfgang. "I do hope he has the same strength as you do..." Sahara ran to the barrier, hitting at the ice with her sword, but everytime she made contact, the ice would chip away and then replenish itself. No matter what she tried, she couldn't get through.

Things still weren't making sense. The trials were about helping each other... a bond meant that you must do everything to help one another. So why were they seperated in this trial? She turned to Victoria, who seemed to know just what she was thinking.

"Confused?" Victoria asked. "You must use patience." She looked back at wolfgang and winced as he was hit. Shaking her head, she frowned. "Sahara, Sahara, Sahara... I do wish you were able to help him."

"Let the barrier down!" Sahara screamed at her sister, who shook her head in response. "No, I couldn't do that. Then you would be able to help Wolfgang! And we could have that." Sahara frowned, staring at her sister as if she was a complete stranger. "What are you talking about?" Victoria smiled. "Shhh... watch. Lets first find out if he lives or dies, shall we? Then you will find out MY truths."

Sahara didn't like the sound of this. Even more, she didn't like being stuck behind the wall of ice. "WOLFGANG!" she shouted, watching the two of them fight. "Wolfgang, be strong. Whatever lies you are hiding, I promise you can get through! Don't let them scare you Wolfgang. Behind every sad truth, there is a hopeful truth! Please! Stay strong!"

(( I would have kept typing, and gone into Victoria's truths, but I realized it would have gotten WAY too long XD so I'll just pause it there, and let you have a turn XDDD ))

[P h o b i a;||]

Wolfgang breathed in once again, regaining himself as his clone lay on the ground, listening and watching Sahara through the ice barrier. He wiped away the blood that seemed to stop pouring from his nose and mouth, he smirked, teeth red from the crimson liquid.
“I guess you freaks deserve each other. A woman destined to destroy, and a man destined kill. Lovely.”

This time Wolfgang was on top of him, grasping his collar with one hand and punching him with the other. He looked to the side to try and find his weapon to end it all, but his was too far away, the other out of sight. The clone managed to wrestle him so they both began to roll on the ground, punching, biting, and kicking.

“Tell me the truth, and it will all be over.” the clone murmured, his voice was suppressed by a punch to the bottom lip.
“What the hell do you want me to say?!” Wolfgang spat at him, he was beginning to get annoyed by the broken record tendency the clone seemed to adopt.

“Whatever is keeping me alive, and whatever is keeping you from beating me. But if you’d rather stay quiet… fine.”
The clone reached out to grab Wolfgang’s weapon, which they had over time rolled closer to. Wolfgang’s eyes widened, but he didn’t have time to even move before he stabbed him with the blade of the glaive.

Wolfgang looked down at his chest, the blade halfway through. In utter shock and disbelief he fell back.
The clone got up, wiping off more blood from his face as he did. From there he grabbed the weapon and yanked it out. More blood gushed from the wound, and Wolfgang cried out in pain.

Wolfgang’s arm tingled as he lost feeling, his chest rising up and down, but with each breath he could see the blood pulsing out.
Well, fuck.

“The truth is, I wanted to burn that fucking village to the ground.” Wolfgang hissed through gritted teeth. He sat up, pressing his hand against his wound, though all it did was paint his hand red.
“But I stopped hating it so much when I realised I actually had a place I could live, and maybe call home. People to care about… now I never want to see those gates again.”

He let out short breathes, and the clone knelt down beside him, Wolfgang tried to drag himself back, but the clone grasped his shoulder.
“Was that so hard?” with that, the clone patted his shoulder, his appearance, then shape dematerialized until it was once again his shadow.

The ice barriers began to melt, now that both lies and been dealt with, but there was a huge difference between them both. Sahara had passed, he had failed.
Wolfgang tried to keep himself up, but couldn’t do it. He slowly let his back pressed against the floor, his wound pooling blood already.

“Sahara,” he called, his voice trembled as it tried to rise louder, “this wasn’t supposed to happen. I was supposed to win. I failed… I failed you.”
What would happen to her? Would she die, no… this was their final trial, he would die, and she would be fine… at least that was what he prayed for. Even the voice, which had been screaming at him since he return was silent. It couldn’t save him, either, Wolfgang assumed.

Sahara had always been stronger, even as they began to trials, he was still victim to his memories, and though Sahara managed to see through them, he had ultimatley killed himself.


(hopefully you don't mind the turn of events, surley he won't actually die... I could save him if you can't, though. -has connections, lolol-)

[∴♪WolfurChickϗ]

Sahara turned a shocked, painful face towards Wolfgang. Time seemed to slow to a near stop when he was stabbed, the blood rushing out of him as if his very soul was falling away. Sahara's heart pounded so heavily and fast that for a second, it seemed to quit. The air became so still, so quiet that every breath that was sucked out of Sahara's lungs felt like an earthquake. She opened her mouth, whimpered, and let out a shriek. "WOLFGANG!"

All her blood started flowing again, her heart started pumping again, and her lungs began breathing again, finally gaining control. Dropping her weapon, she ran to him and dropped down beside him, grasping aimlessly at his chest. "Wolfgang, no..." She could barely speak, the words coming out as gasps, the tears beginning to roll down her cheeks.

"Wolfgang, you didn't fail! You told the truth, Wolfgang. You passed. Just... hang on!" she tried to concentrate, but everytime she did so, her concentration would break with each gasp from Wolfgang. Fear that he was going to die, and that she couldn't stop it filled her lungs, making her breath heavy. She covered the wound with her hands, ignoring the thick blood flodding over her fingers.

"Wolfgang, listen to me. You didn't fail me. You could never. The trials are over... we can bond. You just have to hang on. I can't lose you..." She knew that though this had been the last trial, they were still yet to be bonded, and because of that, she knew that it would be considered a failure, and she would die along with Wolfgang. But that wasn't what she was worried about. She wasn't afraid of dying, she was afraid of being seperated from him. Finally she had found someone to care for, someone to love. Why should she lose that? She couldn't. Not again.

"Wolfgang, what about Patrick, and Inori? If we don't hurry up and get back to them, then they will die too. And what about Sway? What will she say if she finds out? And, and... the villages. I don't know about Taikai Ueki, but Shifuto Hiru needs to know the truth about the jintori and the sunahane! You CAN'T give up! If you do... I'll... I'll... I'll kill you!"

She broke out into tears, leaning carefully against him, feeling the strength slowly exit her body, as if her life was disappearing too. This was nothing like the old trials. Before, the only one that could possibly have died was the shamin, but in these trials... death was real. Failure was more than just an f word. But she couldn't allow herself to give up, after all, she was still a shamin.

She sat back and concentrated on the wound, sweat pouring down her face, agonizing pain was felt in her chest. Was she feeling what Wolfgang was feeling? Had they already bonded? No, Sahara knew it hadn't happened yet. It was simply the shamin's healing powers. Shamins were meant to be destroyers, not healers, so while healing, they would feel the same pain as the one they were trying to heal. In all facts, Sahara was taking the pain away from Wolfgang, and feeling it herself. It was distracting, but she was not letting go.

Finally, a soft yellow light began to glow around her fingers as she began to heal his wounds, artificial skin pouring out of her fingner tips to block the flow of blood. The more she healed him, the more she felt his pain, until she was crying out with the pain, thrashing her head about. Her mind kept screaming stop, stop, but she would not stop, because her heart was stronger.

"Wolfgang... I... will...not...let...you...die!" She screamed through clentched teeth, before letting out another painful scream. Slowly, the blood began to stop flowing, and the wound began healing, and the pain was softer. However, she had only just began healing, and the wound was still far from fully healed by the time Sahara was knocked away from Wolfgang.

Sahara looked up, shocked to find her sister standing over her, a creepy grin on her face; one Sahara could never have imagined coming from a human. "Well done Sahara. You passed all the trials... not something for the faint at heart. Infact, you're one of the only people who completed them all. unfortunately for you, all the rest of them stopped here, unable to finish the bonding. Equally amazing, you were able to delay Wolfgang's death... though I doubt you will be able to heal him completely... you will be too busy."

Sahara's eyes were wide, and filled with fear. "Vic... Victoria, what-" "ITS EASY SISTER!" Victoria shouted in her twin sister's face. Side by side, they were almost completely identicle. The major difference being their eyes... Victoria's just weren't human anymore. "You can't possibly think I would allow you to go through with this, do you? After all, that would make you a more powerful shamin than I could ever hope to be."

Sahara scrambled to get to Wolfgang. Though he wasn't bleeding anymore, the inner damage was still too savere for him to survive without further healing. Sahara guessed she only have a few minutes. However, before Sahara could get to him, she was kicked away again by the one person with the same blood as her she had left.

"Sahara, I told you that I must tell you my truths now!" She reached down and grabbed Sahara by the neck, placing her thumb on the tattooed marking on the back of her neck. Sahara felt it burning, and she let out a painful yelp. "See, sis. This marking on your neck, its very similar to the one I have." With her free hand, she pulled her coat down just enough to reveal a second marking, one identicle to Sahara's.

Sahara looked upon it with wide eyes. "You mean..." Victoria laughed insanely. "Yes, yes! Ole elder put one on me too! You see, I was his back up plan. If he couldn't have you, then nobody could. So he put this marking on me. Yes, he changed as a human, but he still had a terrible bond with an evil demon, and so he became one too when he died. You were to thank for that Sahara... ofcourse, he still has control over me. He admits that the control over you has weakened considerable since your friendship with Patrick, and it was near impossible by the time you made it to the village. Your heart's bond with Wolfgang was already sealed, whether you knew it or not."

"Well, Sahara. Time you learned that I'm dead too." Sahara's eyes widened further, and all the fear she was feeling began to make sense. Unfortunately, Victoria had more to share. "Yes, and I had made a deal with a demon. The elder actually. He promised me I would be stronger than you... then he killed me. I'm glad too, because it did give me more strength. It did make me stronger. I have powers that no human could ever imagine... however, I still wasn't stronger than you. No, and so I felt like I had been lied to."

"The elder... oh, his name is Shiomedai now. The demon of eternal lust and lies. I just call him Shio though." She smirked. "He promised that he could still fulfill his last promise... and after he told me that he would be controlling me to do so... I was kind of iffy about it, to say the least. He gave me a new mission Sahara... to stop you from bonding at all costs, especially by your death."

She leaned in, giggling, and whispered. "Although, honestly, though he can still control me, I came here completely by my own will!" Fed up with her talk, Sahara quickly pulled her dagger out and stabbed at Victoria, no... Raasha. No longer Victoria. Raasha grabbed the dagger, and its blade melted into the ice beneath them. Raasha laughed. "Don't you just love my powers? Only a special weapon could penetrate me. All others are useless."

Without even time to think, Sahara scrambled to her feet and rushed at her sword, still half way across the room. She bent down without stopping and scooped it up into her hands. Raasha laughed. "Didn't you just hear me?! Your weapon is useless!" Sahara glanced at Wolfgang. How much longer did he have? She needed to be quick. She turned to Raasha and ran at her full speed.

An annoyed look on her face, Raasha stood her ground. She held her hands out infront of her, and orbs of darkness shot from her hands towards Sahara, spinning fast and sharp, like rotating blades. Sahara just barely dodged them, her anger at her sister and her worriedness for Wolfgang driving her further.

Raasha frowned, and waved her hands out infront of her. The ground beneath them began to melt, until the ice that Sahara and Raasha were standing upon turned to a pool of freezing water, Raasha standing upon its surface as though she were weightless. Sahara would not give up. She kicked her legs, swinging her arms, shoving the heavy sword between her teeth as she made her way towards Raasha.

Another flicker of the demon's fingers, and a few floating ice chunks shiftshaped into small sharks. They swam at Sahara with angry smiles. Flailing, Sahara manged to kick a few, punch a few, shattering them. Then she continued swimming, letting nothing stop her, letting nothing get in her way, using nothing but her determination and her strength that she had worked for her whole life.

At last, she was able to form steps out of the water, and she ran up the slippary steps, jumping to new heights and out of the water. she leapt into the air and brought her sword down heavy on Raasha. The demon's face looked terrified, but still she managed to reach out and grab the sword, obliterating its metal until Sahara was left weoponless, and alone.

Raasha laughed. Her laugh was hollow, emotionless, evil. It sent chills down Sahara's back even more than the freezing water did. "I TOLD YOU SAHARA! YOUR WEAPONS WONT WORK AGAINST ME!" Her voice was no longer that of a human. It was warped, and twisted. It sounded... aged, and cracked. An overwhelming sorrow swept over Sahara's heart.

"You are right, Sahara. Wolfgang did not fail you. You failed him. Imagine! The most powerful shamin ever born, and you weren't even able to save your comrade's life! And your shamin powers are useless without a weapon, aren't they? You should have stayed in the village longer. They would have taught you the ways of the shamin. You would be even more powerful! Instead, here you are, about to die, and your boyfriend to. Imagine, Patrick and his girl will be next, and then... all of Shifuto Hiru. I don't even have to lift a finger! That pathetic desert city will destroy itself!"

"No." Sahara mananged to sputter, even through her weakness. Raasha stopped and eyes her sister. "Are you telling me you can still beat me?" Sahara nodded. "Even if I die, I will find a way. I will stop you, I will save my friends, and you will vanish with the rain." Raasha chuckled. "You think you have something I don't have girl?!" Sahara nodded again.

"Father taught me something... something you may not remember. He said I held the world's safety in my hands... he knew something nobody else did, and I'm starting to realize it myself. That is why he called me my name. As great as the Sahara, as solid as the Tundra. Raasha, there is something you have lost. Something you will never be able to get back. It is our bloodline. I am a Nickshaw. And damn proud of it."

Raasha landed a hard slap across Sahara's already bloodied face. "BLOODLINE!? What is in a name that can defeat a demon?!" Sahara finally managed to smile. "Love." Raasha spat, disguisted by her sister's words. "Love? That is a cliche. Just a stupid element authors love to write into their books to make even losers seem important, as if they were heroes. It doesn't mean a thing in reality."

"That is where you are wrong Raasha. Our father loved me. Our mother loved me. They loved each other. Don't you realize? The power of their love was so powerful, that they were able to give birth to the two most powerful shamins Shifuto Aisu has ever seen. Love is in a bloodline, passed down from mother to children. It is the last bit of strength that keeps some one alive."

She looked over at Wolfgang, worry filling her eyes. "Its what is going to destroy you Raasha" She spoke, the water beneath them freezing over once more. "Because nothing is stronger than love. I thank Wolfgang for revieling that to me..." Raasha lifted her hands, a sudden large blast of icyness blew over Sahara, knocking her back into the air, blasting her to the other side of the hut.

"Oh yeah? Try to beat me with love alone. Lets see it. Love can not generate your shamin abilities. You left too soon. You are nothing without a weapon." Sahara bit her lip. To a point, she was right. Sahara needed a weapon to fight with, but her own weapons were gone. She needed a weapon, and fast. But where could she find one in this world that her sister had complete control of?

[P h o b i a;||]

Wolfgang’s vision blurred as Sahara ran over to him. He could feel Sahara’s hands on his chest, but her words were slurred in his mind and her face just moving shapes.

As she began to heal him, he could feel his chest mend itself, and though the bleeding had initially stopped, inside he felt like his insides were still ripped. He wanted to thank her, but his mouth was dry and probably filled with blood as well. But suddenly, she was gone. Raasha, the woman he thought would help them was now trying to kill her own sister.

Wolfgang watched wearily, his vision returning to him briefly, long enough to see Sahara evade most of her attacks, but still in danger. He jolted up, but the pain surged through him. He was useless, but still he couldn’t stop. She wasn’t to face these trials alone.

“Sahara..!” His voice was weak, but became eventually louder, even over Raasha’s screaming. He was just far enough away from the pool of icy water to not fall in, but still close enough to see Sahara’s struggle. With her sword gone, she had no weapon. But what could he do?

Desperately Wolfgang tried to think of a way, any way that didn’t involve Kione or his eye. But he had exhausted himself. With his blood-caked fingers, slowly he raised his hand to his eye patch, it was never even a last resort, but this was past that. Before he could peel away the eye patch, Sahara’s words echoed through the hut and beyond.
Because nothing is stronger than love. I thank Wolfgang for revealing that to me..."

Wolfgang wasn’t sure if he had heard her correctly… but the word seemed to make his chest feel like bursting again. All his life, Wolfgang only fought selfishly, his only desire to live and to keep living, for whatever purpose.
Even when he had met Sway, he knew he could have stayed and lived with her… she loved him, didn’t she? But it wasn’t until he had met Sahara that he… he wasn’t able to understand what he had felt for Sahara was until she had said it so confidently.

If there was something he could do for her, even now in this pathetic state he was stuck in, it would have to be enough.

Wolfgang struggled and managed to sit on his knees, his body screaming at him to stop and collapse. He rested his palms on the ground, and below him, he saw it. His father’s weapon, it had been his very own that the clone had stabbed him with. It had returned to it’s original form, blood littered all over it. He picked it up in a shaking hand, even if this could help her for a moment, it didn’t matter if it was shattered in the process.

Looking at the last remnant of his father, Wolfgang hit the weapon on the ground. The small silver bell at the end chimed dimly, giving him hope that it could still work. Wolfgang propped himself up with the weapon, but only used it for a moment. “Sahara!” he yelled over the splashing water and the echoes of their screams from before, “My father‘s weapon. It‘s been used for generations, unbreakable. Or, at least it‘s supposed to be…” he tossed the weapon to her, praying to whatever deity surrounded them that she would catch it. "Say a weapon with a blade..." was all he could manage before stopping. The weapon only worked from his family bloodline, but he knew it would most likely work, with his blood all over it.

He felt himself fall to his knees, trying to gather his strength again if he needed to. Wolfgang had to hold on longer, though his body was giving up.

[∴♪WolfurChickϗ]

Her hope was once again restored once that rod hit her hand. She quickly grabbed hold of it, the weapon letting out a small chime. Raasha frowned. "A stick? You hope to destroy me with a stick? What are you going to do, ring me to death?" She let out a twisted laugh, though Sahara could sense a bit of... fear in it? "Even if it is unbreakable... it is a bloodline weapon, unusable to those outside of the family.

Sahara looked over at Wolfgang. "I dont know... I kind of think of Wolfgang as family." She turned towards Raasha. "Maybe thats enough." Raasha scoffed, unbelieving at what she was seeing. "Alright then, lets see you use it!" She hollered, rushing towards Sahara, a blade of blue light forming into her hand. "My magic blade against your pathetic stick!"

Sahara held out the stick infront of her, and a small barrier rose up from the ground, reflecting Raasha's blade. "Oh come now, Sahara! That is just cheating!" She waved her free hand, and large spikes of ice shot up from the ground. Sahara leapt into the air, then came down safetly between them, kicking out and kicking them with her powerful leg. Large chunks of ice flew towards Raasha, who held her blade out and reflected them.

"This is getting boring sis!" She said, then disapeared into a puff of mist. Things were getting tough. Sahara knew it was only a matter of time before Raasha would be getting serious. She reappeared behind Sahara. Sahara caught the reflection in the dimly lit ice beneath her, and managed to duck before Raasha could land her mystic blade on her. Holding up her hand, Sahara created another barrier above her, and used its distraction to scramble away.

"This is rediculous Sahara. Aren't you going to fight back?!" Raasha grinned, rushing towards Sahara with unbelievable speed. Sahara managed to avoid her attack again, creating a third barrier for which to escape Raasha's blood thirst. With a quick swipe of her blade, Raasha shattered the barrier, and Sahara scurried to the other side of the hut, well away from Wolfgang. If things got serious, she didn't want him becoming part of it.

"Sahara, come now! You had better kill me fast! You feel it, don't you? You are losing your energy, feeling more and more pain... That is Wolfgang. He is dying, and when he does, you will too." Sahara let out a battle cry, rushing at her sister. Caught offguard, Raasha sidestepped, nearly running into one of the icy walls of the hut. "Tooo slloooww." Raasha taunted Sahara.

Before Sahara had any chance to move out of the way, Raasha swung her nearly transparent sword down. Luckily, Sahara slipped just out of her death trap, and instead was just cut on her hand. The blood flowed from the wound onto the weapon, pumping out more with each beat of her heart, which was increasingly fast.

Then something happened that Sahara could never fully explain. She felt, almost a pulse from the weapon in her hand. As her own blood mixed with that of Wolfgang, the weopon began to glow. It was only a slight difference, but to Sahara, it was huge. The bell on the very end of the pole began to dance and chime, as if cheering for her.

'think of a blade.' She thought to herself. 'What blade?!' She found herself wondering, until a memory rushed to the top of her mind. She turned her eyes wide to Raasha. It hurt... to have to do such a thing to her sister. They were twins. She pretty much had her same face.

More than anything, she was afraid of what it would mean. It would mean that not only would she be responsible for the death of her mother AND father, but she would also be responsible for the destruction of her sister's soul. She looked up for one last glimpse of life in her sisters eyes... but there was none.

She wasn't human anymore. There was no hope for her. Sahara knew this. She had to look past her looks, and look to the black hole of a heart beyonf that. She was a demon. Nothing more. Nothing less. Evil. If Sahara had any chance of fixing what she had ruined, it had to start right there.

Her decision had been made.

"I'm sorry Victoria. I promise to avenge your death." Then without further warning, the weapon in her hand shone with light, as if reflecting the suns rays. Then as fast as she could think of it, the bell chimed, and the rod became a blade, long, massive and sharp. It's handle was golden, and the tip of the blade painted black. It was the same look as that of her father's sword. Infact, she could almost feel his hands in hers, guiding her towards the demon.

Then with one last slash...

Raasha was gone. Victoria was gone. The last bit of family, true family, blood family, that she had left... was gone. The blood soaked the blade, until it shrunk, drowned in the vial blood and returned to its normal self.

She looked down at Victoria's lifeless body, the control seal still glowing on the back of her neck, as if the village elder's demon was still trying to possess her, yet the body lay still. Sahara remembered what happened when you killed a demon from inside their mind... it was the only way to truly kill them. Raasha was dead, and all Sahara could think about, is what happens after that? Are they gone completely? As if they never exsisted?

Sahara's attention quickly snapped back to Wolfgang. How was he doing? She ran over to him, the length of the hut feeling like miles away until she finally reached him. Bending down beside him, she held the weapon over his chest. It glowed with the same yellow healing light as her hand had before, then slowly, she began to work on healing him once more.

Crying, she prayed that he would be alright, that it wasn't too late. Never before had she truly believed a God exsisted, but at that very moment, she almost wondered. Where did love come from? If love was so powerful, then it must have come from somebody powerful to begin with.She focused on Wolfgang's wounds, tears streaming down her bloodied cheeks, and she prayed. She wasn't sure who she was praying to, but it didn't matter. She just wanted Wolfgang to be alright.

"Wolfgang, hang in there. Hang in there please."

[P h o b i a;||]

“…Dad, what happened to her? Did someone…”
“She was killed, Wolfgang.”
“Why aren’t you crying? Aren’t you sad she’s gone?”
“…Yes, of course. My heart feel like its been ripped in two. Wolfgang…”
“…yes?”
“I hope you never find someone you love as much as I loved your mother, I never want you to feel this pain.”

The words from his mother’s funeral whispered within the black chambers of his mind, Wolfgang lay unconscious and floating within himself. The blood loss from his battle with himself had been too great. He had only prayed Sahara could beat Raasha before she too fell… it had been all his fault.

“Wake up.”
The Voice finally presented itself, and within his subconscious, Wolfgang could only listen and respond blindly.
“What do you want?” he asked with such a venomous tone that he barley recognized himself. “I’m dead, isn’t that enough for you? Can’t you even let me rest in peace?”
“Dead? Ha! Don’t make me laugh.” Kione’s voice echoed, his laugh genuine and eerie.
“You’re just regenerating. Someone managed to save you in time.”

Wolfgang couldn’t believe it. Did that mean that Sahara was okay?
“Sahara? Then that means we’ve passed the last trial… are we bonded? Then why are you still--”
“If you think your bond has rid you of me, you are wrong. But maybe now you can finally control the power I gave you. Don’t think I’m giving you back your soul, and don’t think I’ll leave you alone… but Sahara’s mind is far too powerful to be tampering in. I won’t harm her or you. Unless you try to end me, that is.”
“I didn’t think demons had hearts.”
There was laughter. “Once upon a time. Now get up, that damned weapon of yours stings.”


Wolfgang’s eyes flashed open and he breathed in a large breath of air. He looked to Sahara, then the roof of the hut, then quickly to his chest, which was blood covered but completely healed over.
He lay still as he looked to the blood littering the hut and on his weapon, it was darker then Sahara’s and his. She had stopped Raasha. She had completed the trial.

Wolfgang could feel his body returning to normal as his strength returned. Her healing worked wonders, and he could see that as she healed him, she looked better too. He rested his hand on the weapon across his chest, over Sahara’s hand.
This was the first time he managed to see her entirely since before the trials began. Her eye was scarred, and her leg was once again robotic. She was crying again, he hated seeing her tears so much.

Finally, he parted his lips, his throat was dry and voice cracked.
“You’re beautiful, you know that?”
He smirked and let out a long, relaxed sigh. The light from his weapon died down as he felt himself fully heal.

Finally, he moved his arms to hoist himself up, he looked around the hut with a better view. It was ruined. “The trials… are they really over?” he turned to her with a worried expression, though he couldn’t help but try to sound enthusiastic. His features dropped, realising almost too soon that Raasha was her sister, even though she was a demon. Sahara had no one left; at least, no family.

“I’m sorry you had to do that.” Wolfgang murmured lightly, though he knew that Raasha had been lost long ago. He looked to her lifeless body, he felt pity for Sahara’s twin. The Voice, Kione must have too.

“… Farewell, then.”

Wolfgang was surprised that the voice was just now a faint whisper, and he could no longer feel pain erupt in his temple. He looked quickly to Sahara, wondering if she could hear it too.

[∴♪WolfurChickϗ]

As Wolfgang awoke, a relieved expression took over Sahara's rough features. She gave him a small slap in the arm. "Now is not the time for cheesy compliments." She told him, but gave him a smile anyway. "Thanks, though." She grinned. She pressed her hand against his chest to be sure that he had been completely healed. The result suprised her. He had made a complete recovery. Finally, she hadn't messed this one up.

Her emotions were a swirl of emotions. Both with relief and glee for Wolfgang, and sorrow for Victoria. Shaking her head, she decided to deal with more important things. She held out her hands to help Wolfgang up. "The trials of bonding are over. But we will still have many trials in our lives... I'm sure of it. However Wolfgang, that bond that you feel with me now..." She smiled. "That is not the bonding we must complete. When we are truly bonded, you will know."

She lead him over to the doorway, and tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge. "Hm. Seems like Victoria really didn't want us to bond. She sealed the exit shut so that we couldn't leave." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small bead. "Connor, always looking out for me..." She laughed slightly as she reached down and touched the ground beneath her. The ice turned a darker shade under her hand until it was loose and brown, like dirt. Then she buried the pebble in the dirt, grabbed hold of Wolfgang's hand and backed away.

The light erupted from the ground, fanning out into a spherical shape. It was the orb portal, just like all the others, except for one difference. This wouldn't be leading them to another trial. She looked at Wolfgang and smiled. "You did it. We did it." She breathed, squeezing his hand and walking into the light.

In a flash, without any pulling, or pain, Sahara and Wolfgang were emmediately transported an empty field. Flowers glowing with light were growing all around them, and seemed to be spreading before their very eyes. One of the flowers began to twirl itself around Sahara's leg, and she had to kick herself free.

"Wolfgang, I am the shamin, so I will be performing the bonding..." She smiled, as if unbelieving that they had made it. "Your entire life will show itself to you, and you will be all the better for it. You must know that everything that has happened has happened for a reason... which will eventually reviel itself to us. Maybe not now, but sometime in the future. "

She reached down and picked a few of the flowers, which continued to grow, wrapping themselves around Sahara and filling her with the light. Her eyes shone a brilliant yellow, her hair glowing as if she were the very sun itself. Every imperfection she had been gifted with seemed to melt away, replaced by ultimate perfection.

"Wolfgang, I'm going to have to ask you one more time." She said, holding out her hands to him. "Do you still wish to bond with me? Your heart, mind, and soul? If you say yes, then it could never be reversed. We will be two but with one purpose. Our destinies will become one." She smiled, her lips a soft, beconing pink. "And I promise that I will never leave your side. Do you accept the rules of bonding Wolfgang?"

[P h o b i a;||]

The field that the orb revealed to them was breathtaking, and though none of the flowers wrapped themselves around Wolfgang, they seemed to grow and lean fondly against him. He turned his attention away from the flowers and to Sahara, almost entirely forgetting that she too was a shaman. His hesitation from before was now completely gone, he knew what he wanted to do, and who to do it with.

Without saying so much of a word, Wolfgang grasped her outstretched hands in his. He felt the warmth from her in his own cold hands, the energy radiating from her filled him with a sense of peace.
“Yes. Of course.”

For once he felt like things were actually going right. He half expected something to go wrong, but as he closed his eyes and could feel the warm sensation rush from his fingers to the rest of his body, the thought slowly disappeared.

[∴♪WolfurChickϗ]

She grasped her fingers lightly over Wolfgang's, feeling emmediately the strange sensation that this was meant to happen. She closed her golden eyes as her hair began to kick up from an unknown breeze. The flowers of the field grew further, wrapping themselves around Sahara, as well as Wolfgang, filling them both with the brilliant light, almost identical to the light that the portals had given off.

As each new petal was pressed up against their skin, Sahara's life played infont of her eyes as if in fast forward, not missing a single detail, not skipping a single moment. Thankfully, it played very quickly, although some moments seems to take longer to show. Sahara wasn't sure how long it had been, but it really didn't feel very long at all, despite being showed their entire lives.

In past trials, where they were revieled secrets and lies, uncovering their memories, there was a feeling of fear, embarrassment, and fault. However, this was completely different. A feeling of peace, of assurance washed over Sahara, bathing her in its quiet sanctuary. As she watched her parent's smiled rush by her eyes, she could only return a smile to them. Even the harsh memories revieled themselves as assurance and peace.

Finally, it was complete, and only one thing else needed to be finished. Sahara felt the flowers wrapping themselves tightly around each of their wrists, as if binding their hands together. A burning sensation filled the back of her neck as she realized that it was being erased. Finally, she felt the relief that she was finally free, realization that nothing could stop her now.

She focused her mind on Wolfgang's, intertwining their thoughts. She could feel the bridge between them close in, until she could almost see his thoughts, then she focused on binding their hearts. She could see that both had been broken... It almost seemed too perfect. Each half sealing itself so that they were both fully mended, and together. She could feel her heart beat in sync with his, her blood flowing at the same rate. Even more than that, she could feel what he was feeling, understand why he was feeling it.

Then slowly, the thoughts and feelings were pushed away, until they were only a small voice, audible enough to listen to when needed, but not to get in the way. And just like that, they were bonded, and nothing could happen to reverse the process. Luckily, Sahara had found the right person to bond with, as fate so seemed to know too.

She opened her eyes, the light fading around them, the flowers uncurling themselves from Sahara and Wolfgang, rooting themselves back into the ground. She looked into Wolfgang's eyes, a whole new world being opened up to her. There would be no more secrets between the two. Whatever happened, they were bonded, no turning back now.

She smiled, looking into his eyes. Slowly, their bodies faded into their regular looks, Sahara with her robotic leg and scared eye, and Wolfgang with his wild hair and eye patch. She let out a long deserved breath, finally calmed. Then without warning, she laughed, and quickly wrapped her arms around him.

"Wolfgang." She whispered, his name alone bringing a larger smile to her face. "We did it." She breathed. A rush of emotions rushed over her, and she could feel Wolfgang's too. "One more thing..." She grinned, backing up to look him in the eye again.

"I love you."