THE FALLEN ( the GazettE Tale )

Chapter XX : Last Touch of Heaven

   Empty.

   I was in an empty space. It was acceptingly peaceful. There was nothing in here but a place full of darkness bathed with silence.

   I should've felt scared to find myself alone in here but I wasn't. It felt like this was the place I should be in.

   A place where no one could see me. A place where there's no light visible. A place where nothing could hurt myself but my own. I didn't know how long I was in there, I didn't actually care.

   But a light suddenly flashed somewhere from afar and a soothing voice called to me from a distance. "Eri." As soon as it flashed the sooner it dimmed. I was in the darkness again, floating aimlessly to nothing.

   Hot. It's soooo freaking hot!

   My eyes flew open and the first thing I saw was the white ceiling. My limbs felt heavy and my throat dry. Roaming my eyes around, I found myself in my bedroom. I was on my bed covered in thick blankets. I saw the heater was on and the windows were shut down stopping the rays of sun.

   No wonder I was swimming in my own sweat. I tried to move, to yank the comforter away. Groaning, I pushed the blanket down from my chin to my waist. Then the cold air enveloped me next.

   "Hi."

   Whipping my head to where the voice came from, I saw Uruha.

   My angel was standing at the doorway of my bedroom with a relief expression on his face. I continued to watch him as he walked to me and kneeled down at the side of the bed. He then took my hand in his. When his warmth radiated to me, everything came back at that instant.

   From my mother's call, the chat during we cook, the sudden wanting to cut a part of me, the craziness, something controlling me, the sudden change of place and the maniac red eyed, the fighting, the bloods, the pain, the suffocation, and Uruha's stilled body, his eyes unmoving.

   "Hi." Tears formed in my eyes and I didn't stop them, I let them fall down as I reached up and caress his cheek. His whole face was flawlessly clear, no indication that he suffered from a wicked hand. "You're alive."

   My guardian saved me. Even though we had to travel on a dark, narrowed, full of torn road he held my hand and together we walked through it. We were in a new road now, a clearer one.

   "You're awake. Finally." Uruha said, closing one hand on mine which was still holding his heavenly cheek.

   "I am.... How long have I been out?"

   "Three days, Four nights." He then exhaled and grief etched on his beautiful face. "I'm sorry, I let him hurt you.. I –"

   "Uruha it's not your fault." I cut him immediately.

   He closed his eyes and shook his head. "I'm your guardian! I was supposed to protect you!"

   "You did. You do. You won, right?" I remembered how the red eyed turned to nothing but little gray and black powders.

   He sighed before nodding. "But, I should've known that he was inside you. That he was manipulating you."

   "I'm fine now." I brushed my thumb on his soft skin.

   Uruha shook his head again. "I shouldn't have left you unprotected those days."

   I remembered those days. I remembered the house... and Saga. "Saga."

   Uruha opened his eyes and stared down the empty space of the bed between me and him. "He used him to get to you so I wouldn't feel his presence."