Fire & Ice II: Age of Rebirth(private/mature/continued)

Soara stopped feeling Noel's hand on top of her own. Looking into his eyes she smiled lightly. At his question she nodded. "Barely but yes." she replied. She looked over his body and sighed "You took quite the beating didn't you?" she laughed lightly trying to keep the mood light.

Feeling the soft sheets beneath her Kora smiled softly. When Titus didn't join her she opened her eyes slowly. "Titus?" she questioned. She rubbed her eyes feeling the dirt and grime. "Can I shower? I can't sleep feeling this gross..." she stated. Getting up from the bed she looked at him.

Noel could feel a warm bright light overtaking his body. He felt like some of his internal wounds were being repaired. Slowly, his eyes peeled open. His bright blue hues stared up into Soara's pewter eyes. "Did you save him?" he asked softly as he placed his hand over her own. He hoped that at the very least her dad was gonna be ok...even if Noel himself didn't really like the guy all that much.

A soft smile formed on Titus' lips. He leaned down nuzzling his nose into Kora's cheek. When he got to his room, he turned and closed the door behind him. His eyes then fell to his bed. It was funny. The first night they had spent together sleeping side by side had been..well..awkward. Now Titus really couldn't get a good sleep unless Kora was beside him. He walked over to the bed laying her down and pulling the covers over her. She'd prolly want to bathe, but Titus figured she could do that after she got some rest.

Soara walked over to Noel's bed and sighed. This whole human vs. demon thing was making life really difficult. She plaed her hands over his body healing more of his wounds. She felt bad for everything he had been through even though he had brought it on himself.

Kora felt Titus's hand softly stroking her hair as she sletp on the table. Feeling him lift her she mumbled slightly. "Titus..." she sighed snuggling into his chest.

Noel was resting on a small bed. Because he was a human the nurses refused to treat him, tho one was kind enough to give him some water. Noel laid still, his body still racked with pain from the bashing Jabberwock had given him. The ride to the palace hadn't been easy either, which was he still kinda pissed off about.

After showering, Titus came out of his bathroom. He placed his silk black robe with gold trim around his body and tied the sash around his waist. His robe hung slightly open allowing his lean chest to breath some. He looked into the mirror tying his hair back before he set off to find Kora. When he did, he saw that she had passed out on the kitchen table. A covered his mouth trying to suppress a soft chuckle. "Poor thing." he whispered as he walked over and gently ran his hands through her hair. "Come on Kora. I'll take you to my bed." Titus whispered as he gently picked her up and carried her out.

Soara watched as Onn thought things over. When it came to why they were late she frwned looking at the ground. Her eyes widened when Ama didnt rat them out. She glanced at her but quickly looked away. She let out a sigh whe they were finally dismissed. She headed sraight for the bathroom. Showering she wached all the dirt, mud, and blood wash down. Getting dressed she headed to theinfirmary looking for Noel.

"Higher rank? Konna blinked. "He said his name was Jabberwock, 1st son of the Emperor." Ama stated. Konna slowly sunk back into her seat. Her sharp claws gripped at the arms of the throne. "I see...so he was there hm? Well, its amazing that you three are alive. I congratulate you. However, I must ask what took you all so long?" Konna asked softly. Ama's eyes narrowed a bit. There were plenty of reasons, but the main cause was Soara and Titus' refusal to work together like they had been ordered. "The twins ran into a few...obstacles. However it was mainly the encounter with the dragons that slowed them down. It was unexpected and weren't prepared. That and..if Jabberwock bad been truly serious he would have no doubt killed all of his us. He was toying with me and never showed any signs of fighting for real. His flesh was like diamonds, almost impossible to cut." Ama replied softly. Why she was covering for her idiot cousins she wasn't sure. Maybe it was because she was happy that Yugo would live. Maybe it was because she felt they all had been through enough. "However, Soara and Titus still have much to learn about team work. That area needs to improve...greatly." ama stated while stressing the 'greatly' part. Konna nodded with approval. "I see. Well all that can be dealt with later. With this new information the castle is going to be busy. For now tho, I want you three to take at least two weeks off. Relax a little. Oh, and we'll be sure to thank that human girl for her assistance." Konna smiled. "Kora." Titus spat flatly. "Her name is Kora." he stated. "Indeed..." Konna muttered. Her fire tinted hues seemed to linger on Titus for a bit after his correction. "Well." she smiled and rose to her feet. "You three are dismissed. Oh, before that tho Titus and Soara, you two might want to bathe. If I didn't know any better I'd swear you'd been rolling around in the dirt with those humans. Clean yourselves so that you smell properly."

Soara grinned at the news wiping furiously at her eyes. Standing she followed Konna to the throne room with her brother and cousin. She didntfeel like talking about dragons and the mikssion but knew it was needed. She allowed the other two to explain about the gem and the village. "There was another dragon with them. Much more powerful and higher rank." She explained.

Kora went bac to the kitchen sitting on he counter as she sipped at some water. That hd been a little too intense for her. Getting down she sat at the table resting her head she soon fell asleep.

Within a few minutes Yugo's body was completely restored. Elder Xai had Kiku and Soara move so he could inspect Yugo's body. He placed his ear to his chest listening for his heart beat. "His heart is strong." the elder smiled, which caused a long series of sighs of reliefs from the elders who were waiting outside the room. "He needs rest tho. Everyone should leave." the elder ordered. Nagi wiped her eyes. She was crying tears of joy as well. Titus looked back towards Kora. He had never smiled so brightly. "Now, everyone out please."The elder ordered. Konna nodded. She rubbed her eyes. God, she'd get Yugo for scaring her like that. "Ama, Titus, and Soara please come with me." she ordered. Titus and Ama nodded. "Kora can you head back to the kitchen. Feel free to help yourself." Titus smiled.

When they were inside the throne room Konna took a seat. "Well I'm glad thats over. Your father has always been such a trouble maker." Konna smiled. "However, I'm interested in hearing a full report. You said something about dragons being at the village ruins??" Konna blinked. Ama nodded. "Yes. They said that the area is contested, that its been fought over between our kind, but until now they had no reason to put any real effort into protecting the area." Ama stated. "They took something huge. There's nothing left of the village. Also, one of the dragons, Kim...the Emperor's adviser mentioned Dai's name." Ama stated. Konna jumped out of her seat! Dai was behind this, the outrage! "Did he say anything else?" Konna asked, her eyes shifting between Titus and Soara.

Kiku and her daughter's voice were going hoarse from all theyelling. At first itdidnt seem to be paying off at all until finally a white light of hope burst forth. Kiku and soara covered their eyes before looking to see Yugo's body resotring itself. Kiku felt tears o joy at the sight. "Yes!"

Ama placed Kira down onto the ground. The small girl ran to squeeze in between Soara and her mother. Konna pulled Nagi over towards the bed. Yugo was completely surrounded, everyone calling his name. However after a minute or two his body still remained in the same state. "No..if only his head is left.." Elder Xai whispered. Yugo would obviously die with no body to sustain him. Then, a bright white flash shot out from the bed! Kira placed her tiny hands up to guard her face. The light hurt her eyes. When it faded her hazel colored hues widened with delight! Little by little the particles of energy Yugo had lost were returning. His body was regaining its original muscular form!!

Soara and Kiku looked up as Xai entered te room seeing te powder they got a hoepful look. Yugo stopped dissolving as soon as it was thrown on him. However he didnt regenerate. At Xai's words Kiku snapped out of it. [Ugo you have to fight! You can't leave us! Xai found a cure fight! You're strong fight through!" She yelled. Soon Soara joined and their voices mixed together. "Come on Daddy you can do this. You're the strongest demon alive!"

"T-Thank you..." Yugo whispered. His eyes relaxed and a small smile formed on his lips. If he was going to go, he wanted go surrounded by those who cared for him. Just then, Elder Xai came racing into the room! He nearly knocked Titus and Ama over as he rushed through. Who would of that an old guy could move so quickly? In his hand he had the same vile only it had been crushed into a thick black powder. He emptied the powder into his hand and blew it over what was left of Yugo's body, which wasn't much. Nagi looked up, her golden hues red from all the crying she'd done. Only Yugo's head was left. The elder waited. Titus, Ama, Kira, Konna, and Nagi waited. The dissolving process had stopped, but his body wasn't regenerating. "Talk to him." Elder Xai encouraged. "The powder will restore him, but he needs an extra pull. Do it now while there's still a chance! Let him know that its not his time!!"

Kora ra. Hand through Titus'shair softy trying to comfort him. She jumped when he spoke swearing to his father as he had asked kiku wrapped her fingers around his fingers. Soara stared at her dad slowly nodding "i...;...swear..." she managed betwee sobs. Kiku rested her head on what remained of her husbands chest. "I swear that i'll always love you." She whispered kissing his forehead softy. "And i swear..."

Titus stood dead silent. He was probably the only demon or person in the room who wasn't crying. It wasn't that he was trying to put on a touch act. No. The fact was he was at such a lost that he had forgotten the need to cry. He couldn't imagine a world without his dad. The two of them had clashed allot, but he loved him, he needed him. Titus loosely wrapped his arms around Kora. The tears still refused to flow. Yugo stretched out what was left of his left hand and placed it over Kiku's. "Swear to me..right now.." he huffed with a final breath as both his legs and hips vanishing into small particles. "I swear it." Titus stated, his voice quivering. "I-I-I..sw-swear it." Nagi sobbed. Ama and Kira swore at the same time followed by Konna.

"No....no no no!" Soara screamed as her body shok with sobs. "Dont...dont leave. Xai is going to come back and fix you..." she begged. Kiku continued to stroke hi cheek. "Yugo...please..." she whimpered. She watched as more of him disappeared. When h spoke she cried harder. "Dont talk like that! You're going to be healed...". Kora walked over wrapping her arms around Titus.

"Nee-sama..." Nagi whimpered. She was trying to keep from crying. Kira was already a mess. The poor girl even had a little snot running down her nose. Her mother needed to stay strong, but the more she tried to more her will began to crumble. Maybe if Daichi was here by her side...maybe she could have held on. Suddenly, Nagi sunk to her knees holding her face in her hands. Konna came to her side trying to get her to stand while Kira simply cried. Ama pulled herself away from her uncle and picked up her baby sister. Titus' head lowered, his hair shadowing his eyes. Was there really nothing that could be done? Yugo was literally falling apart. His entire right shoulder, left leg, right side, and the left portion of his chest were gone. "Kiku..Soara..Titus..Ama..Kira..Nagi..Konna..." Yugo muttered with his last breath. "Live..I order you all..to work together...protect our home...protect our family...swear this to me.."

Kora watched as the Elder examined the gem. Once the guards stepped aside she walked in slowly. She felt everyones eyes on her bfore they shifted to praying. "Its no big deal." She stated. Hearing Ama's yell she trned. Her eyes widened as a human this was abnormal to say the least. Soara held her fathers hand as Kiku stroked his cheek. \lase love hold on just a litte longer..." she begged feeling tears drift down her chees.

At that moment, everyone's head turned to face Kora. Titus blinked twice. He took the necklace. It was a different color than the one Noel had worn. Would it really work? Titus brought the necklace over to Elder Xai. The old wolf examined the gem. Certainly, he could feel its magical properties, tho they weren't as strong. However, if he could mix the shards they had gathered with a whole gem..The elder looked up. He took the vile from Ama and dashed past the guards towards his lab. The room was speechless. Nagi was holding Kira tightly in her arms praying that something good would happen. Titus turned back to face the guards ordering them to let Kora pass. The guards shifted their gaze towards Konna. "Fine..at least she behaves." the silver haired wolf sighed. The guards nodded and stood aside. A bright smile spread across Titus' lips. "I..I dont know if it will help..but if it does I'll owe you for the rest of my life.." he replied softly. Suddenly, Yugo let out a low pained groan. "UNCLE YU-SAN!!!!" Ama screamed. Nagi's head jerked back over towards her brother. His right hand and left leg had literally begun to dissolve into tiny particles of demonic energy...

Soara lowered her hadletting out a soft wimper of defeat. All their efforts for nothing...she rested her head on her fathers shoulder "i'm sorry i failed you...i should've tried harder..." she felt tears stng her eyes. Hearing koa she looked up.

Kora glared at the guards. "Let me through i can help." She hissed. Then Titus appeared. "Not the time to save your father's life?!" She tore the necklace from her neck. "Maybe the elder knows a way to make the power restore him completely." She held it out to him.

"Uncle Yu-san hold on! We managed to find a half vile of the shards we need. We would have brought more...but the dragons showed up. They tore the village apart and unearthed a gem that was resting several feet underground. We can use this!" Ama exclaimed and pulled the vile from inside her kimono. Elder Xai shook his head slowly as he stood next to the headboard of Yugo's bed. "I'm afraid its not nearly enough. The last gem we used was hole. Within that vile..you probably have only half the power." He replied softly. Titus let out a soft whimper. He took a knee in front of the bed and licked his dad's hand. "I'm sorry.." Titus whispered. Ama's ears pinned back. She had failed, not just Yugo, but her own father who was still being held prisoner.

Then, Titus looked back hearing the sound of Kora's voice. The guards had stopped at the door refusing to grant her entry. "You brought her back?" Konna growled, now wanting to take her anger out on someone, anyone. "Kora..now is not the time." Titus whispered as he got up and walked over towards the guards.

Ooc: okay sorry

Ic: Soara set Noel down in te medical wing to b tended to before she took off. Entering her fathers rom her face fell. "Daddy...." she whispered. She knelt down next to her mother. Kiku moved to mke room for Soara by her fathers head. Yugo was only getting worse at this point.

Kora was sitting in the kitchen twiddling with her necklace. She wished there was something she could do. Then it hit her. How had Titus oerlookd it? How had she? The necklace had the same energy as Noel's. She stood running through the halls. "Titus!"

ooc: its fine, we can try again later.

ic: The trip home was a silent one. Ama had nothing to say to her cousins and Titus had nothing to say to Soara or Ama. When they finally reached the palace Ama darted in and ran straight to Yugo's room. Once there, she saw that all the elders and generals were standing outside of Yugo's room with their head's lowered. "Is he?" Titus asked as he came up from behind Kora. He had left Kora in the kitchen and told her to stay there till he came back. "Yugo-sama.. probably has only minutes left." one of the elders whispered. Ama's eyes narrowed. She pushed her way through the crowd and walked straight into the room where she found her mom, Kira, aunt, and Konna. The girls were all sitting around Yugo's bed. Poor Kira was crying her little eyes out. "Uncle Yu-san..." Ama whispered. Titus followed her in. His ears lowered when he saw his father's condition. He looked so pale. His body was almost literally nothing but skin and bones. "You three.." Yugo whispered, his voice straining. Nagi and Konna looked up. They had hoped that Ama and twins would have returned sooner..

Ooc: srry i'm not trying to make this difficult.

Ic: soara sighed rolling her eyes. "I'm so sorry." She muttere. Passing Titus she got to where she could see Ama and kept that pace. All she wanted was to mke sure tha she made it around the same time Ama did. That way she didnt miss ay news about the gems and her father. She knew the punishment was coming no matter what though.

"Hey let me go!!!" Noel screamed. He closed his eyes flinching as she seemed to run over every single dip in the ground. He was in pain for crying out loud! Meanwhile, Titus gazed behind him to see Soara hot his trail. Personally, he didn't care which one of them got back first. All he wanted was to see if Elder Xai could make the little scraps of gems they had found into a cure. Also, he needed to report to Konna that Elder Dai was somehow involved with the dragons, tho he was sure Ama would tell her everything. It wasn't until now that Titus began to wonder just how much trouble were he and Soara in. They had disobeyed orders...multiple times. Plus, they had both more or less been caught mating with humans. There wasn't a law against it, but it was well...looked down upon? The subject had never came up. Titus couldn't recall one occasion when his father had even mentioned humans to them.

ooc: I don't play a lot of games.

ic: "Because it was barely a minute out of the way and I can catch up now get on." Soara replied as she watched Titus hurry away. "I don't care how much you hate it right now." she snapped. When he continued to take forever she growled turnign she snatched him up and in one fluid motion threw him onto her back well speeding after the others. It didn't take her long to catch up to Kora nd her brother.