Along the Great Divide

Wow, so this is a really long chapter! I hope you all do enjoy reading it.

I do have one thing I would like to announce. There will be a free-for-all interview chapter! That's right! You can interview any of the characters from the ATGD storyline. And they will answer.

Ludwig: "Really?"

V: "Really really."

Mamoru: "This will be interesting, I can't wait to hear some of what people have to ask!" *claps giddily*

Ludwig: *smirk* "I can think of a couple I'd like to ask."

V: "Well, whatever you're thinking: stop. That's for them to ask."

Ludwig: "Yes Mum" >:3

Mamoru: "Wiggy, you're making such a scary face!"


If you have any questions you'd like to ask: send it to my email (Artist4j00@hotmail.com) or in the reviews! I will read them and all questions will be answered. -nod nod-

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Chapter 14--Sick

They didn't stop running. They ran as much as they could day after day, Ludwig carrying Mamoru some of the way when the mage got tired. Three days had passed since they left the compound and the howl of dogs with their masters. They waded through every river they passed to throw off the scent, stopping only to make sure Mamoru ate something before continuing onward through the night.

They had to get somewhere safe. Malacai wasn't going to let them escape without getting some form of revenge upon them. They had lost the hunters the day before, running through a large town and winding through the alleyways. Since Ludwig didn't shrivel up and die like a normal vampire would in the daylight, it was easier to travel through large populated areas.

On the Fifth day, they stopped. Ludwig flopped down on the grass, Mamoru on top of him since he had carried him some of the way. It felt like he couldn't go on anymore just running. Everything about him burned. Mamoru woke from having rested some, looking down at Ludwig's back.

"What's going on? Why did we stop?"Mamoru asked, sitting up and getting off of Ludwig's back.

"I think we're far enough away…We may as well crossed two countries by now…"Ludwig panted. Looking around him, Mamoru couldn't really recognize any of the sights around them. It looked like they had taken refuge inside a wet, colorful rainforest when Ludwig finally did collapse. He could hear the call of animals and the caws of birds that he had only heard once before passing through a single country he knew of.

"I think we're in Belvasai."Mamoru said, looking around a little more.

"W-what's Belvasai?"Ludwig breathed, rolling onto his back and sitting up.

"It's a country outside of Suna…I know we didn't pass through Suna so we may have just went around."Mamoru said as he looked back to Ludwig. His eyes fell to the vampire's shirt, still soaked in congealed blood. Reaching his hands forward, he opened it some, looking at his shoulder.

"It's all healed now…Good…I was worried that what Malacai shot at you would not have healed right."He said, closing his shirt.

Ludwig smirked. "My kind are made of tougher stuff than human flesh."He said, his eyes narrowing. There was something that bothered him a little looking at the mage. His skin was always fair, his hair white as pearl. His eyes were an odd shape and color as well. They were a deep almost blue-violet color.

"Just what are YOU anyway?"He asked, narrowing his eyes a little more at the mage. "You look like a snowball."

"S-Snowball?!"Mamoru growled. Well, at least it was better than 'sugar' or 'cupcakes'. "I'm Albinjian! You're half-Albinjian! I swear, if you weren't in your right head right now, I'd smack you silly!"

"Like to see you try, puffball."Ludwig said, sticking out his tongue.

Mamoru's hair bristled much like a cat's would. His cheeks turned pink some in his frustration.

He wouldn't hit him. He wouldn't hit him. He wouldn't. Not in a million years. Nope. A cold hand on his ass made him change his mind.

"These are kind of like cupcakes aren't they? Not quite big but not that small either."Ludwig said. Mamoru let out almost a feral cry, turning around and tackling the Vampire to the ground. They wrestled, tossing and turning over the grass. Ludwig grinned down at him when he managed to pin the Mage to the ground, holding his wrists above him.

"I win."He said coyly, whispering it into the Mage's ear with a very satisfactory tone. Mamoru's skin flushed a brighter red when Ludwig started to run his tongue along his throat, trailing the tip of it to the opening of his robes which had fallen awry in their wrestling. He licked downwards, brushing his cold lips against his skin. Mamoru gave a shiver, arching a little, whimpering when Ludwig moved away and sat back.

"Y-you…"Mamoru panted, sitting up and running his fingers through his hair. "You're a tease, you know that?"

"Tease? No. I just like to play with you."Ludwig smirked, sniffing a little. His head whirred, looking over his shoulder. Just on the other side of the brush, from what he could smell, there was the smell of a fresh spring. Looking over to Mamoru, he gave a little nod in that direction.

"Go take a bath."Ludwig said, the comment sounding more like an order.

"What if I don't want to?"Mamoru said with narrowed eyes.

Ludwig quirked an eyebrow, challenging him to question if he could get him into that spring. Mamoru sighed, knowing he probably could. Getting up, he adjusted his robes, hopping over the bushes and stood at the foot of the spring. Kneeling down, the water was nice and cold, especially for the very humid, warm climate they were in now. Peeling off his clothes, he slipped in into the water with a shiver.

"Oo, it's freezing!"Mamoru shivered, wading around before finding a good place to sit down. "You should join me, Wiggy!"

"It's Ludwig!"Ludwig called back, peeking over the bushes with an annoyed face. "You keep calling me Wiggy. I am not having a moment of panic and I am not fake piece of hair."

"It was always my nickname for you. I have known you for many many years and it's not going to change."Mamoru said as he turned around, moving his hair aside. Leaning down, he let the cool water soak into his hair before sitting up again. There was a slight splash behind him. A pair of chilly hands touched his shoulders, tickling along his skin.

"You know me so much…but I only know just my name…"Ludwig said softly, nuzzling his nose against the mage's neck. Mamoru stared at their reflection on the water, smiling softly.

"You'll remember. It'll take some time again for you to remember everything again…Though, I don't think I like starting from the very beginning again."Mamoru said softly, bringing his hand up to run through the vampire's hair. "We were so close before to recovering your memories after we separated as children…"

Ludwig listened. He felt a guilty pang somewhere within him that told him that he'd done something wrong. Just what though? Forgetting everything wasn't his fault, it was….Master's?

No, Master wasn't Master anymore. He was the enemy of himself and the mage in front of him. Mamoru he could very well call master now. His blood kept him stable and able to keep going for days on end without having to feed again. Inside, he knew that there was a change going on that would benefit them.

"I can remember…somethings. I see images at night that feel like they were a part of me at some point…There was a little guy…a little puffball like you always with me. There were two taller ones too."Ludwig mumbled, Mamoru looking over his shoulder.

"That was me… and the two big ones were our fathers: Hezekiah and Theron."Mamoru explained, turning around and holding him. Ludwig propped his chin on Mamoru's head, staring out into the jungle foliage. "They died while we were both away…We have a little brother too."

"A little brother?"Ludwig questioned. "Is he still alive?"

"Of course! He's the 9th Lord Vanyr! He's also the High Mage of our old home in Grayharte."Mamoru said quite proudly. Despite how Rhoma got annoying at times, the boy did some impressive things. "His name is Rhoma. He's Theron's son."

Mamoru sat Ludwig down in the spring, telling him different stories and wonderful events about his previous life. The vampire could hardly believe some of the things he was hearing. It all seemed so whimsical. Smiling for the first time in a while, Ludwig felt like he could finally relax.

Mamoru sat on his lap, looking down at him. "Hungry?" he asked.

Ludwig spread a fanged smile. "Starving."He said, licking his lips. Mamoru moved his damp hair aside, tilting his head back.

Ludwig ran his tongue along their 'shared mark' that Mamoru had talked about. He kissed and sucked at the skin before tilting his head and biting down. Mamoru moaned, arching and squeezing Ludwig's shoulders as he maintained his balance. The vampired purred, flicking his tongue around the wound. He slurped up what little droplets spilled, running his tongue across the fresh bite toward the sweet supple bud protruding from the cold water. Closing his lips around it, he received a sweet keen from Mamoru.

"You like that?"Ludwig teased.

Mamoru nodded. "I-It tingles."He breathed, his face flushed. Ludwig smiled, continuing his gentle licks and sucks along the mage's pale skin. His hands sneaked behind him, spreading Mamoru's cheeks apart. A finger played with the opening, slowly probing inside.

Slowly the two started to get into another one of their most intimate of moments. Ludwig prepared him, lapping at the opening and fingering around inside of him. Mamoru leaned against the bank of the spring, moaning and looking over his shoulder. "Wi-wiggy…Please…"He begged. Ludwig peeked up from behind him, licking his lips.

"Are you ready?"Ludwig asked, rising up and pressing just the skin of his hips to Mamoru's backside. Mamoru felt Ludwig's member pressing against him, poking and prodding. Purring, Ludwig leaned over him and kissed along his back. Standing straight again, he nudged the head of his member into the opening, pressing in until he was fully sheathed. Mamoru mewled, gripping the grass in front of him.

"Ah! Ahn!"He moaned out, pressing back against him hip to ass.

"I haven't even moved and you've gotten this hard."Ludwig teased, reaching around and stroking Mamoru's member, running his thumb over the head. The mage panted, clenching around him. Ludwig bit his lip, spreading the magi's pale cheeks apart and beginning to pull back slowly. He thrusted faster, making Mamoru bounce forward.

"Ah Ah Haa Nnn!"He moaned, reaching back and scratching along Ludwig's thigh. The Vampire reached up, grabbing Mamoru by the elbows and pulling upwards so now he was sitting up. The mage spread his leg, reaching up behind him and holding onto the back of Ludwig's head.

"Ha ah, it feels so good! Harder Ludwig, please!"He moaned, pushing back. Ludwig grabbed Mamoru's hips, thrusting upwards. The pale body in front of him keened, Mamoru grabbing himself and stroking until his seed spilled in his hand, the vampire coming soon after.

The lean mage wobbled a little in his arms, Ludwig holding him closely to him. Mamoru mumbled something, Ludwig laughing softly and moving over to sit down, lifting the mage onto his lap. "Guess we got carried away."He said softly, petting the mage's damp hair. Mamoru purred.

"But it was so good…"He mewled, stretching and nuzzling his head against Ludwig's neck. The halfling smirked.

"Have you always been such a nymphomaniac?"Ludwig teased, pressing his chilly lips to Mamoru's forehead. The mage stuck his tongue out.

"You initiated quite a bit yourself back in the day."He answered, reaching up and running his fingers along Ludwig's ear. The long ear flicked, returning back some of the water that Mamoru had left on his skin back to the mage. Chuckling, the pale hand rested on the side of his neck.

"Wiggy…What are we going to do?"He sighed, stroking Ludwig's neck gently.

"I'll be fine, it's you that needs rest."Ludwig answered bluntly.

"That's not what I meant…What are we going to do? We can't keep running like this…There has to be somewhere we can be safe and happy."Mamoru said, reaching up and running is fingers through Ludwig's raven hair. The vampire stared, his eyes slipping closed.

"There is no such thing."Ludwig bluntly pointed out, patting the mage's head. Standing and picking Mamoru up bridal style, he headed towards the mage's robes and his own clothing, laying him down on the grass. For now they could rest there. "We just have to keep moving…No sense in staying around one place for too long. Let's rest here for a little while and get moving again…"

Mamoru watched him, listening but furrowing his eyebrows. That wasn't the chipper mood that he was used too from his lover. Sitting up, he a layer of his robes about himself as Ludwig redressed himself in his army-wear though leaving his weapons off. Laying beside Mamoru with his arms behind his head, the mage cuddled up to him with a content sigh and tried to slip off to sleep.

A couple of hours later, Mamoru woke to find Ludwig gone and someone hacking up a lung on the other side of the bushes. Sitting up, Mamoru pushed his way through the brush to see Ludwig doubled over, coughing and vomiting up black and red goo. "Ludwig? Ludwig are you alright?"Mamoru said, crawling through and kneeling by his side.

"I'm fine."Ludwig said, waving him away. Just the motion made him ill again, the vampire coughing.

"No you're not."Mamoru said, bringing his hands to the vampire's neck and forehead. How could you tell if a vampire was sick? He didn't have a fever but Ludwig's hair and skin were becoming paler, almost like he jumped into a barrel of flour. "We have to get you help. You can't take herbs, you'll just throw them up again…Hold tight."

Mamoru got up, hopping over the bushes and retrieving the rest of their clothes. He helped to strap Ludwig's weapons back on his person, putting his robes back on. Kneeling in front of the vampire, he patted his back. "There may temple nearby…I can sort of feel a vein close by."He said. The vampire didn't argue, holding onto him.

"What…vein?"Ludwig asked, holding onto him.

"A vanyr's vein. It's sort of where energy that mages draw on is the strongest. there's nine of them, like there are nine vanyrs."He answered, starting to walk forward. "Temples are usually built along the veins…or at least that's what I remember."

"Great…"Ludwig groaned, resting his head on Mamoru's shoulders. Mamoru wasn't weak and scrawny as he was feminine-looking. He actually had some muscle to him that he only flaunted when necessary. He walked along further, it taking a good hour before they managed to find a dirt road that lead along to a temple.

Outside there were scraggily tan children running around, laughing and playing with a leather ball. Several oddly-dressed mages watched them, seeing the two of them walking up and calling the children closer. The language was something he was a little familiar with. ~"Please…He needs help."~Mamoru asked, helping Ludwig to stand to his feet.

The mages at the temple looked at each other then to the pair. "You from Grayharte?"One asked in the common tongue.

"Yes, how did you know?"Mamoru asked with surprise.

"Grayharte persons have very funny speaking of words."The Belvasi mage said, pointing to his ear. "Bring him in, we help. He very sick yes?"

Mamoru nodded, walking forward. Ludwig was starting to feel lighter the more he had thrown up and his hair had almost turn as white as Mamoru's. Inside, they laid Ludwig down on a feather-stuffed cloth matting bed, removing his weapons and his shirt.

The Belvasi mages were wise. It didn't take them long to figure out that Ludwig was indeed a vampire or what was wrong. Placing a hot cloth instead of a cold one on Ludwig's forehead, they covered him up then explained what was wrong with him.

"He has a curse and head sickness. Curse is making him stomach-sick, head sickness give him amnesia. We fix. Need help though, need to get inside head."Moro, the older of the mages said, pointing to his head.

"Y-your not going to cut his head open are you?"Mamoru asked, looking a tad nervous.

"No silly Lily-flower mage. We not know mental magics. Need get inside mind, not brain. Break head sickness that way while we fix curse. Must do soon, pointy-ear not last much longer."Moro said, getting to his feet. Mamoru followed suit. "We do cleaning tonight. Will help when moon is full and in sky. You come at very lucky time."

Moro knelt down, sitting cross-legged on the floor, Mamoru sitting across from him. Ludwig lay between him, sleeping quietly though his skin perspired in cold sweats. Moro pointed to Ludwig's chest.

"Pointy-ear have dark thing squatting inside. It feed on a spell, get stronger but spell not here. It get sick, make Lily-flower mage friend sick."Moro explained, moving his hand to Ludwig's head. "Pointy-ear also have sick head. Bad thing happen when he child?"

"Y-yes. We were separated by a bad storm a bad mage conjured up. He ended up getting pulled into it and sucked away…I just found him after looking for nearly a century."Mamoru said, reaching a hand down and taking one of Ludwig's icy ones, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Oh…Sad Story. Yes, Pointy-ear very head sick. Probably from being gone too long from family. Scaredness, Loneliness make it happen. Lost memories to handle things better."Moro said, pulling up a blanket over Ludwig. "He feel much better after…Well, better than how some undead be like."

Mamoru let out a small sigh of relief. So all of this nightmare would be over? Ludwig will feel better? It almost seemed like a dream. Flopping over to his side, he curled up into a ball. "What…a relief…"He breathed. Moro watched this, confused but he went to grab another blanket, draping it over the mage.

Mamoru could have slept for two days. Laying beside Ludwig in the temple sanctuary brought him some peace that they were protected. By nightfall, Moro woke Mamoru from his dreams.

"Time to start. We go now."Moro said as he helped to stir Mamoru awake a little more before two more mages came in with a stretcher. They gently lifted Ludwig onto it, picking him up and carrying him to the temple's sanctuary. Every country had a different outlook to how Reyah herself looked. In their sanctuary, their largest statue had eight arms, four on each side with two feet. A little odd but then again the one in Grayharte hand wings and a cowl with a lion curled up at her feet.

They had prepared a very elaborate charcoal spell circle in the middle of the temple, placing Ludwig in the middle of it. Ludwig groaned a little, his head lulling side to side. Mamoru took his place by Ludwig's head, placing his hands on either side of it. "Ludwig…I need you to trust me and everyone in this room before we can help you."He said softly.

Ludwig's eyes opened, peering up at Mamoru and lulling his eyes about toward the other mages in the room. His lips went a little awry but he nodded.

"Let's begin."Moro started, the other mages taking their places at five empty spaces in the spell circle where they were supposed to sit. Mamoru leaned down, giving Ludwig a small kiss on his bottom lip before moving a little so they were touching foreheads.

Mamoru's body glowed a soft white aura about him which spread to Ludwig. As Mamoru closed his eyes, he could feel himself enter the realms of the vampire's mind. When he opened his eyes again, all he could see was an open plain, desolate and dry. Up ahead there was a blurry figure knelt down on the ground, scratching something in the dirt. As Mamoru got closer, he could see that it was a young Ludwig.

Leaning down and touching his shoulder, the young Ludwig looked up at him. His face was dirty, a little bit of blood dribbling down his forehead. In the dirt was just the word 'Ma'. "What are you trying to write?"Mamoru asked. Ludwig stared up at him, looking back down.

"A name. A name of someone special to me…but I can't remember who."Ludwig answered, scratching a little more at the 'M'.

"Is it 'Mama'?"Mamoru asked, leaning down and gently touching his shoulder.

Ludwig shook his head. "I wrote Mother over there. It's not Mama. It's starts like this though."He said, looking back up again. "You're pretty."

"Thank you…My name is Mamoru."He said softly. Ludwig's eyes widened, looking back to Mamoru. His eyes started to water over. "Mamoru…Mamoru…Mamoru, I missed you…"

"I know Ludwig, I know."Mamoru said, bringing his arms around the young Ludwig. As he glanced down, the name in the dirt read out his own name clearly. When Mamoru closed his eyes, the little Ludwig faded from his arms. Standing up again, he started to walk onward.

This time, to a modest cottage surrounded by tall grass. Knocking on the door, a teenaged Ludwig answered, looking up at him. "You made it just in time Mamoru…I found some food!"He said, pulling Mamoru inside. The mage smiled. So this is what Ludwig looked like in the time they had grown distant. Ludwig pointed to the table. On it was just a slab of meat with some raw vegetables. "Oh…but I don't know what to do with it."

"Don't you know how to cook?"Mamoru asked, pointing to a pot that had some form of stock inside it. Ludwig looked down.

"Father says I can't cook anymore…"Ludwig said, fiddling with his shirt some.

"Nonsense, I'll help you. You taught me how to cook after all."Mamoru said, guiding Ludwig over to the food on the table. They cut up the meat, chopped up the vegetables and put it into a big pot. Letting it boil all together, the had made a hearty beef stew. Ludwig looked at the delicious stew, smiling up to Mamoru sweetly.

"It looks so good!"Ludwig said though he jumped when there was a sudden sound of thunder outside. Running to the window, he started to whimper. Mamoru moved behind him, peeking out.

"What's going on?"He asked.

"They're coming…the bad men…"Ludwig said, cowering away. "They'll ruin our stew…they already made everything dead."

"Who are they?"Mamoru asked. Ludwig heard another thunder boom in the sky, running towards the stairs that lead underground to the basement underneath the cabin.

Who ever 'they' were, they were the ones who caused Ludwig's memories to disappear. Mamoru left the cabin, starting to run towards the oncoming storm. As he started to run, everything seemed to get muddier and darker. He almost practically tripped when his feet suddenly hit a stone floor. Around him, the scene had changed to just a stone platform surrounded by pillars.

Up ahead, wrapped up in a series of belts, bandages and chains, was a barely breathing adult Ludwig. His limps were spread in an spread eagle, head lulled off to the side with an exposed and bleeding neck.

Running up to him, Mamoru looked him over, seeing that he was bleeding from his neck in the form of teeth marks. His leg was contorted and broken, the blood pooling down below as he dangled from a single chain from the sky that held the wooden boards his body was tied to in the air. Carefully Mamoru started to remove everything. As he removed a belt, pieces of skin would start to peel away, revealing new skin. The more he pulled away, the better Ludwig started to look and soon, the man in front of him stood on his own two feet, looking down at him with a smile.

"Thank you…I have been up there for some time."He said softly. Mamoru's eyes furrowed, bringing his hands to touch Ludwig's face. A thunderous boom made him jump. "They don't like that you helped me."

"Who are they?"Mamoru asked, looking up toward the sky.

"The ones who did this, who did everything."Ludwig said, pointing straight on towards a mansion very much like the one they had stayed in before they had went to Grayharte. "There is one more place you have to visit Mamoru…"

"But…This is the real you isn't it? The current you?"Mamoru asked.

"This is the me before I died…And I'm sorry that I did…The current me is in that mansion, past 'them'. If you can get past 'them'…I'll be free." Ludwig said, bringing a warm hand to touch Mamoru's cheek one last time. "I'll be waiting."

Mamoru closed his eyes, leaning his head to the side but nothing was there anymore. When he opened them, he was standing right outside the mansion at the door. Ludwig was nowhere in sight. As he looked up to the building, there was one, single tower with a lone figure's shadow appearing in the light. "Ludwig! I'm coming!"Mamoru called. A larger shadow overtook the human shaped one. Both of them in an instant disappeared.

Mamoru looked to the doors, pushing both hands onto it and opening the double doors wide, just as it started to rain. As he stepped inside, candles started to light about the room, one figure in long dark robes standing there with a book in his arm. As the candles lit up a little further, Mamoru's teeth ground together.

"You're…that mage from that day…"He said, glaring down. The mage just smiled, wiggling a taunting finger at Mamoru.

"Correct. I am the one that created that storm…"The mage purred, starting to descend down the stairs. "You are that pale little child that was with them that day…with your human parents…The 9th Lord and that young King, yes?"

"You took Ludwig away from us…all of us…"Mamoru said, starting to step forward a little, the candle flames rising faster and higher. "You started this…I'm going to end it."

"I'd like to see you try, boy…"The mage smiled broadly. The book flipped open in his arm, a flurry of pages flying out and circling around the room faster and faster. The lettering on the pages started to glow a bright green. From every angle, black hands started to reach out and grab for him. Mamoru ran, his robes flying behind him. Grabbing the nearest flame from the closest candle he could get to, he held it in his hand and made it grow bigger and longer.

Twirling it around his head, he lashed it out toward the papers that the hands were coming from, burning them and starting to make his way to the mage on the foot of the staircase. The mage smiled, reaching a hand out. Mamoru smacked into a barrier, flying back and hitting the floor with a skid.

"It'll take more than just a simple spell. Where are your amplifiers? Your staff or whatnot that you unfitting mages carry, hm? Did the great 9th not provide you with one?"The mage mocked. Mamoru sat up, clenching his hand.

"It got in the WAY!"Mamoru called out, reaching a hand out. The effect from his spell was like having a massive gust of wind force down a wall with such explosive force, it would have send it flying across countries. The mage, caught off guard, hid the staircase pretty hard from the force, the staircase giving way so he fell through. Mamoru flipped himself off of the floor, clenching his hands and waiting. The pages had started to fall down from the air, slinking down along the floor towards the gaping hole in the staircase.

Like a black mist, the mage rose back up again, part of his face having cracked like a porcelain vase. "Ooo, that was a nice one…"He coyly purred. "Let's see you do that again once I break your hands."

Mamoru's eyes widened, feeling something wrap around his arms and legs. It was just paper but it felt like the thick coils chains around his limps. Pulling up and around, he tried to throw them off but found that they would just regenerate. The mage slinked closer, extending his hand toward Mamoru's throat closing them around it and beginning to squeeze.

"You are weak. You couldn't even save him as a novice and now you can't save him a a second rate mage."He seethed, feeling the muscles of pale neck struggle against his fingers. "He will stay the way he is…and once you're out of his head and dead, it'll stay that way. We like having it this way…"

"OYE!"A second voice called, something bright piercing through the dark mage's stomach. Mamoru opened his eyes from having winced them shut, panting when he regained his breath. The mage had let go to face who had come to intrude and pull out a spear of ice that had pierced him.

There, dressed in white, was a very much pissed off Theron standing at the top of the broken staircase. "That's my son you're putting your grimy hands on."He said as he jumped, landing at the foot of the staircase. "Touch him again, I'll rip your wang off and shove it down that raspy throat of yours."

"P-Pappi?!"Mamoru almost practically squealed.

"Pappi?" The mage scoffed.

"Hello Mamoru…And dead beat."Theron said, addressing the mage who was now seething in front of Mamoru.

While the mage wasn't looking, Mamoru looked around for anything that he could use to sever the spell chains around his arm. His eyes fell on the stone flooring just beneath his feet. Glancing up, his eyes glowed softly, a small jagged pillar rising up silently behind the mage in front of him. Mamoru could see a delightful sparkle in Theron's eyes to see him do so.

"Dead beat? HA! You are dead as well, fool. How you got in here was beyond me."The mage said, turning around to face Mamoru but getting a face, stomach and groin filled with stone spikes to the face. When the spikes withdrew, the mage stood there in shock before falling back. The chains returned back to paper, the paper dissolving into thin air. Mamoru ran around the pillar, practically tackling Theron onto the staircase.

"Hey, Hey, take it easy! I missed you too."Theron said with a laugh, wrapping his arms around Mamoru warmly. "Looks like I came right in time…"

"Pappi…Pappi, I'm sorry I left without telling anyone. I'm sorry. I had to go find him."Mamoru sniffled, holding Theron tightly.

"We all know you could do it. Now come on, there's two more."Theron said, sitting up with Mamoru and helping him to stand. Mamoru wiped his eyes, nodding and beginning to ascend the broken staircase to the second floor. There was only one room on the floor, which Mamoru guessed, was where the second entity dominated. As they opened the door, a heavy dead smell wafted through.

"Ugh…"Mamoru groaned, covering his nose and pushing through. Inside the room were pile after pile of corpses. A single man sat in a chair, however, already dead. A sword pierced right through him from the front.

"That's…oddly convenient…"Theron commented, looking at the hilt of the sword.

Both of them let out a high pitched scream when a hand covered their eyes. Both of them pulled away, putting up their fists only to see a very calm-looking but smiling Hezekiah.

"Papa?"Mamoru blinked, Theron smacking himself on the forehead and dragging his hand down.

"Hezekiah, I'm dead but you can still give me a heart attack you know! Not as young as I used to be!"Theron said, sticking his hands in his sleeves with a huff. Mamoru blinked, looking at the two of them.

Okay, now he was confused. "Why are you both here?!"Mamoru almost screamed, pointing at the two of them. "Your dead!"

"Hush, Mamoru…We know. You didn't see the big statue out in front of the manor?"Hezekiah asked.

Mamoru blinked, turning around and trying to recall everything he saw. Well, he saw the manor from a distance and there was something in front of it. When he was suddenly brought closer, he didn't look behind him but rather looked up instead. Blinking, he looked back to the two of them.

"The gravestone statues…"Mamoru whispered. Theron and Hezekiah nodded. "Ludwig must have kept them in his mind…That's why you're here now. That's why he can remember some things?"

"Indeed. We've managed to keep the two entities inside this giant…house…thing for years. With a third one, its gotten so much harder."Theron said with a bit of a titter to his voice. Mamoru's eyebrows furrowed. "Malacai..."

The two father figures nodded. "He's done more damage than the two before combined. Ludwig was usually kept in that one tower but he moved him. He's still inside the manor…where is only the question. My guess is the final floor."Theron said, putting a hand to his chin.

"Then let's go."Mamoru said, brushing past the two but stopping when he noticed that they weren't following. "Why aren't you coming?"

"We've done all we can to help you, Mamoru…It's time for us to go."Hezekiah said, putting an arm around Theron. From their feet up, they started to turn grey, hardening to stone.

"Go?"Mamoru said, going back to them.

"We know you can take on Malacai by yourself now. We're both very proud of you…take good care of Ludwig."Theron said as he leaned his head on Hezekiah's shoulder.

"You can do it. Just focus on the good things."Hezekiah added before the stone started to envelop his head.

"We love you very much."Theron finally said before he too was fully enveloped by the gray hard stone. When Mamoru blinked again, they were both frozen solid, stone wings spreading out from their backs. The mage furrowed his eyebrows, looking back behind him. There at the other end of the hall was the other flight of stairs. Walking forward, he climbed the stairs all the way to the top, pushing on a door that opened up into the ceiling.

When he peeked in, the room seemed to go on forever. There was one single window lighting the whole thing with a single chair in the light of it, a stiff figure sitting on it. Slowly the head started to raise up, staring at Mamoru with such a heartbroken expression.

"Ma…mo…ru…"Ludwig spoke slowly. Mamoru's eyes widened, crawling onto the floor and scrambling up.

"Ludwig!"Mamoru called back, running towards him. However, he skidded to a halt when a large, black mass reared up from the floor, blocking the light from the window. It moved around fluidly around Ludwig, who was bound to the chair by a black tendril from the mass. Mamoru stared, watching as the room began to grow black as pitch.

"Mamoru…How could you…How could you let him do this? It hurts…It hurts so much…"Ludwig cried, the tendril about him squeezing tighter. "You left me to die!"

"No! No Ludwig I didn't! They would have killed us both if I had done anything!"Mamoru said, watching as the mass divided into two, shrinking down into two forms. One form he recognized as Malacai while the other took the shape of Ludwig…but this Ludwig's eyes were a bright, venomous yellow.

"Hello Mamoru…so nice to see you again."Malacai said as he stepped forward.

"Nice would be an understatement master. I'm absolutely thrilled."The darker Ludwig grinned, eye stripping Mamoru right where the mage stood. Mamoru didn't know whether to curl his lip or just accept the compliment. It was confusing the hell out of him seeing two right there.

"Why…?"Ludwig sobbed, the other Ludwig giving him a swift kick, tossing the bound Ludwig's head back. His head lulled forward again, his nose bleeding.

"Shut up you sniveling little coward."Other Ludwig spat. Malacai looked over his shoulder then looked back to Mamoru. The mage stood there panting, his hands clenching.

"Touch him again Malacai…"Mamoru growled lowly.

"Or what?"Malacai sneered. It took only a few seconds but Mamoru started at a full out run, his fist drawn back. Throwing it, he met Malacai's cheek, a second coming up under his chin with a kick sending him to the wall. Malacai skidded, slamming into the wall and staying down for just a second. Slowly he started to get up again, unharmed.

"Is that the best you can do?"He said, brushing off his embroidered black coat. Stretching his arms a little, he threw his hand out, a black tendril coming forward. Mamoru barely avoided it, rolling and dodging as Malacai attacked again and again, not showing any sign of being tired.

Other Ludwig watched, his fingers running through Ludwig's hair. "Hmph, mage is doing nothing but jumping around like a little rabbit."He laughed, Ludwig watching worriedly. Other Ludwig looked down, stepping in front of the sniffling wreck and looking down at him. "What are you going to do huh? That Mamoru is going to die in your head. You'll be all alone…just me and Malacai to give you all the 'love and attention' in the world."

"Mamoru…"Ludwig uttered. He saw the mage get hit by one of Malacai's tendrils, being sent flying back but caught again. The tendril wrapped around the mage's ankle, lifting him up and throwing him to the ceiling, slamming him back down again.

"He's going to die…"Other Ludwig sneered. "And there is NOTHING you can do…"

"Ludwig don't listen to him!"Mamoru called out, having been thrown across the room. "I'm here!"

"He's going to die and it's going to be your fault…"Other Ludwig continued.

Ludwig stared, his lower eye twitching and his eyes narrowing. Mamoru WAS going to die if HE didn't do something. As much as the mage was trying his best…one person couldn't take on two people alone. "Shut up…"He said lowly.

"What did you just say?"The darker Ludwig growled.

"I said SHUT UP!"Ludwig said, bringing his head back and ramming his head forward so he knocked heads with the darker form of himself. The other person reeled, holding his forehead while Ludwig forced himself out of the hold of the tendrils. "Get outta my head!"

Malacai turned his attention to the arguing Ludwig, Mamoru taking that time to fire off some summoned light he had pulled from the light of the window. Malacai reeled, hitting the opposite wall. Getting up, he ran over to Ludwig, holding on to him.

"Are you alright?"Mamoru asked.

"Head hurts a little but I'm okay."Ludwig said as he looked over to the Other Ludwig who was looking extremely pissed off. "I'll handle the other guy…can you keep up with Malacai?"

"I can now…Light hurts him."Mamoru said, his hands starting to glow.

"Good to know!"Ludwig said, rolling off to the side with the enchanted Ludwig started to lunge for him. Ludwig spread the distance between himself and Ludwig, bringing the Other Ludwig to the other side of the room. Mamoru started to edge towards the window, his hands glowing. He needed more light. That window wasn't going to cut it.

"Ludwig, I'm makin' a hole!"Mamoru called, his hands swinging around and aiming for the wall with the window. Malacai had gotten back to his feet, charging forward. Mamoru shot off a wave of light that shattered the wood of the mansion wall, opening up a massive hole in the wall. Malacai shrank back, covering his eyes.

"What the hell is that?!"Malacai shouted, turning his back to it. Mamoru stared at the light as well, seeing the light was coming from a staff that was just hovering in mid-air just outside.

"I think you've earned it."A voice called, the staff flying down and stopping just a few feet in front of Mamoru. Hesitating, Mamoru reached out to grab it, the light fading away but he could feel a newfound strength serge through his arm to the rest of him. His hair fluttered a bit as he looked down at the beach-wood white staff and violet crystal orb that tendrils of wood held in place. Blinking, he let a smile slide across his face.

Malacai growled, starting to charge again. This time, Mamoru took his staff and rammed the end of it to the man's head. There was a splay of what looked like black ink coming from Malacai's head. He thrashed around on the floor, holding the spot as Mamoru walked over calmly, pointing the end of his staff down back at him again.

"Payback's a bitch."Mamoru said, the crystal glowing brightly. A spell circle scrawled out on the floor. A beam of violet light shot right through Malacai's body, leaving nothing behind.

Ludwig had been fighting off the Other Ludwig when the dark man froze, looking down at himself. He started crystalize from the stomach out, stiffing up in a painfully awkward pose until he completely shattered into little bits of dust. Ludwig stood there panting, uncovering his face as he watched the little bits of light sparkle against the dim light of the room.

An eerily calm breeze floated in through the room, stirring their hair. Ludwig looked over, though nearly jumped out of his skin when Mamoru tackled him, kissing him all over. They were both a little worse for wear.

"I'm so sorry…"Mamoru said, sitting up and sitting on Ludwig's hips.

"It's alright…I'm okay now."Ludwig said, looking up at him. Mamoru could see a definite change in the man from the outside in. He was smiling and his coloring had returned to his skin. It almost looked like he wasn't a vampire anymore yet as Ludwig grinned up at him, he still saw the fangs.

That wasn't going to change.

From the sky, there was a deep sound of chanting that they both could hear. Ludwig and Mamoru looked at each other, the vampire's forehead furrowing. "Looks like it's time for you to go. I'll see you on the outside."He said, Mamoru rising from off of him to his own two feet. Both of them started to walk towards the gaping hole in the mansion wall, looking up to the sky.

Turning his new-found staff on it's side, he sat on it, hovering off of the floor. "Lose your memories again, ever again…I'll be coming back here again."He said, getting another smile from the vampire.

"I look forward to it."Ludwig teased. Mamoru smiled, starting to back away and start flying upwards. Looking back, he saw Ludwig waving but soon more Ludwig's were joining him. All the times in his life from childhood to adulthood to his undeath waved good-bye as Mamoru disappeared.