With one last look at Ushio's face, I turned my back to him and ran as fast as I could away from the fire, all the way down the hallway until I reached a section of the warehouse where I had to choose one of two options: to go left, or to go right. I quickly ducked around the left corner and continued to run straight down the path. The first thing I noticed when I turned that corner was a door at the end of the hallway. It must be the exit, I thought hopefully. However, before I even reached the door, I was stopped by the sound of crackling fire. At first, I thought that the sound was coming from behind me, so I didn't bother to slow down my pace. I was sorely mistaken when the ceiling above me caved in, catching me off guard and triggering me to jump back in fright. This particular portion of the ceiling had already been lit on fire, and its long, threatening flames singed the flesh on my arm. I stumbled away from the burning wood before it was able to do any more damage, but now it stood in the way of getting to the door on the other side. I could have tried climbing over it...but I was frightened. It looked to be a much larger pile of wood than what had almost fell on Ushio and me, and to be honest, I didn't think I had what it took to embrace the fire.
Frantically I turned around and faced the other direction, readying myself to make a break for it. I watched in horror as several sparks came in contact with the wall, immediately lighting it on fire and causing the wooden boards to fall forward, blocking my path on the other side. Despite the heat, I was frozen in place, unable to move my body due to the paralyzing fear that struck me in an instant. By the time I was finally able to move my arms and legs again, both fires that stood in my way had grown larger and more fierce. It almost felt as if they were laughing at me, taunting me as I was left to choose which mountain to hurdle.
There wasn't much time left now. It was just a matter of minutes before I would be completely swallowed up by the flames that surrounded me. I was beginning to have trouble breathing, the smoke from the fires entering my lungs at last. I had to act now, or I was done for.
I faced the path that led to the door and gathered up every ounce of courage I had left in me, then ran into the fire and hastily started to climb the mound of burning wood. My hands, arms, legs and face all suffered greatly from the harsh flames, but after just a single attempt, I was able to successfully reach the other side. There was just a short and easy stretch to the door now, and I should have been able to make it in one sprint. However, due to my new injuries, it took a little longer. I did reach the door, thankfully, and when I finally managed to force it open, I was relieved to discover that the mist I had once fallen victim to had vanished, and the air was once again clean. I stumbled into what was now the surprisingly cool, night air of Bluegate, face-planting the dirt out of exhaustion. My body had been completely drained of its energy now.
I rolled over so that I could lie on my back and take a look at the chaos that was unfolding right before my eyes. With each second I watched the warehouse burn brighter and hotter, I couldn't help but wonder why there were no fire engines rushing to put to fires out. Why had no one contacted them? Surely, at least someone had smelled the smoke. This bothered me greatly, so I took the liberty of taking out my phone and calling the police.
I tried, anyway. My phone started to emit strange, dysfunctional noises, and when I looked at the screen to check what was wrong, two words stared back at me, immediately raising my cause for concern.
"No signal? How could there be no signal?" I said allowed, cringing at the sound of my raspy voice. "It's not like I left the country or anything. My phone should definitely have a signal here...so what's wrong?"
"Ryuu's a crafty one...have I mentioned that?"
Luca's voice startled me, nearly causing me to drop my phone. I quickly shoved it in my pocket and got to my feet, fearfully backing away from the treacherous demon. "Don't take another step!" I shouted. "Please!"
"I won't hurt you," Luca said, frowning as he averted my gaze. "You've been through enough. I won't lay a hand on you. I was just going to inform you as to why you won't be able to contact anyone outside of this area. Ryuu dropped capsules of that weird mist around the entire warehouse. There were walls on pretty much every side of the building, but....well, the mist prevents anyone on the outside from visualizing what's occurring within the mist. It sounds ridiculous, but it's the truth. I'm sorry you got caught up in all this, Morgan. I never wanted to hurt you."
"Liar!!" I screamed, coughing after each breath I strained to take. "You...you're working with Ryuu! You planned all this, didn't you?!"
"I didn't!"
"Then why are you talking to me right now, when my friends are stuck in that burning building?!"
Luca clicked his tongue against his teeth and turned his back to me, looking at the warehouse over his shoulder with a somewhat sorrowful expression. "I'm sorry, Morgan..." He said in a nearly inaudible voice, almost seeming as though he didn't want me to hear him. "I'm sorry...but if your friends don't come out of there soon, they'll be dead. In fact, in roughly five minutes from now...the entire warehouse will explode."
"No...no, that's not going to happen."
"Denial ain't gonna get you anywhere, my friend."
"Don't you dare call me your friend!!" I yelled, taking yet another step away from Luca. "In my eyes, you're just as bad as Ryuu. So don't go acting all innocent in front of me like you didn't have a part in this!"
Even though I was screaming out my rage at Luca, it was really only myself that I was angry with. I left my friends in that warehouse to save my own life...
"I'll walk out the doors of this warehouse with Jeremy by my side. Okay?"
If you really meant what you said, Ushio, then why haven't you come out of there yet? There's not much more my heart can take.
I waited just outside the warehouse anxiously, my chest tightening as I fixed my eyes on the flames that were mercilessly tearing the building apart, piece by piece. The longer I watched it burn, the more my faith began to slip away from me. My faith...that Jeremy and Ushio would make it out alive.
It seemed like an eternity that passed me by...when in reality, it had only been three minutes. I kept on glancing at Luca, constantly asking him how much time they had left.
"Two minutes."
They'll make it out...they have to...
"...one minute..."
Ushio promised me...and he's not the kind of guy who'd break a promise like that...
"...approximately thirty seconds...I highly suggest taking cover, Morgan," Luca warned me. "The blast could harm you if you remain standing where you are."
"I don't care about myself..." I said, voice trembling as I forced myself to hold back any tears that threatened to spill over. "I just...have to make sure...that they're okay..."
"...ten seconds...Morgan, stand back now..."
"USHIO!! JEREMY!!"
Not a second after my final screams of desperation, I was sent flying at a brick wall by the tremendous force of the explosion. Luckily my head did not come in contact with said wall, and I was able to remain conscious and soon get to my feet again. The warehouse was still burning...there was just much less of it now. The top two floors had been completely wiped out...caved in on themselves so that now only the ground level floor remained. The door I had escaped through was open now...but all I saw in that doorway were more flames.
In that moment...I felt more afraid of fire than I ever had in my entire life. I fell to my knees and furiously tugged at my hair, lowering my head to avoid staring at the horrible sight any longer. "This can't be...this can't be happening..."
"Morgan..."
"Shut up, Luca!!" I shouted, squeezing my eyes shut as I pressed my hands to my ears in an attempt to block his voice. "I don't want to hear anything more from you!"
"Morgan, someone's in the doorway of the warehouse."
"I don't believe you! You're lying! I've had enough of all this, so please, will you just leave me alo-..."
It was then that I felt a familiar pair of arms wrap around my shoulders, and the strong smell of burnt metal filled the air around me. I didn't have to open my eyes to know who it was...but for some reason, having only Jeremy attempting to comfort me...wasn't very comforting at all...
"Where is Ushio?"
Jeremy didn't respond. So I asked again.
"Where...is Ushio?"
This time I received a reply that quickly sent a chill through my body, reaching my heart in mere seconds.
"Ushio's a hero...you know that?"
"You're darn right he's a hero," I said through gritted teeth, clutching the clothing over my chest and I desperately tried to hold myself together. "Now please tell me...the two of you came out of that building together...right? Tell me that's what happened."
"Ushio rescued me from the fire. But in order to do that, he had to sacrifice himself. I'm so sorry, Morgan...it's all my fault he's gone."
An overwhelming amount of sadness flooded my heart and immediately washed away all hope I had once held. I was too weak to even cry...so I just sat there in merciless silence, the stinging sensation of my burns adding to the unbearable agony of it all. I didn't know what to do now. There was no way I could ever face Yuta and Kyo again. Even if they didn't find me responsible...I certainly did. The guilt I felt at this moment was far worse than I had ever experienced.
"Do you want to be taken to the hospital?" Jeremy asked me, no doubt noticing the horrible physical condition I was in.
I shook my head anyway. "No, I don't want that. I just...I just want to go home..."
"Morgan-"
"Please don't say anything else," I interrupted him. "The last thing I need is sympathy. I just want to go home and get away from all this...I deserve that much, don't I?"
"You deserve to know what Ushio said to me before he died," said Jeremy, all of a sudden peeking my interest.
"What...what did he say?"
"'Carry my heart and all my wishes to Hanako with you. That way, I won't ever have to leave your side, and I'll be able to keep my promise.' He also wanted me to tell you...that his sister and Kyo are now in your care. He's counting on you to look after them."
Kyo and Yuta...I almost forgot. They were supposed to be coming here a while ago...where had they gone? Have the two of then simply been wandering around the city looking for us this entire time? Or...or has something happened to them?
+++
"Jeremy..."
"What is it?"
"What ever happened to Ryuu?"
"To be completely honest with you, I'm not sure," Jeremy informed me, heaving a sigh as he propped himself up against the wall. "He left the warehouse long before it exploded...but I have no idea where he's gone."
He couldn't possibly have-...no. I'm jumping to conclusions here. There's no way Ryuu could have found those two. There's just no way. Even still, I have to know for sure that they're alright. I can't run away now.
"Jeremy, could I ask for your help this one last time?"
Jeremy shot me a look of concern, but nodded slowly anyway. "Yeah. I'll help you anytime you need me."
"I don't have much time...before I lose consciousness, so do me a favor...and...-"
I lost the ability to speak for a moment due to my weakened lungs, and immediately Jeremy started to panic. "Morgan? Hey!" He grabbed hold of my shoulder and shook me as he continued to shout in my already aching ear. "Stay with me, buddy! Don't you dare think about blacking out again!"
"Find Kyo and Yuta for me..."
"Not without you!!"
Next thing I knew, Jeremy was lifting me up the same way he had in the warehouse so that my limbs were hanging limply over the sides of his arms. I could feel the vibrations of his body moving and the rapid beating of his heart as he struggled to stand up while holding me. Somehow...he managed to do it...and soon enough, he had harnessed enough strength to walk away from the warehouse and the dreaded fire that continued to reduce its remains to ashes.
"What are you doing?" I coughed, straining to look Jeremy in the eye as he pressed on through the cold, windy, and snowy December night.
Snowy?
"Well, would you look at that. It's snowing."
Jeremy laughed quietly upon hearing my horse voice choke out these words. He nodded once and smiled down at me. "Maybe you should refrain from speaking," he said. "Not only do you sound horrible, but it's probably best to give yourself a break."
"Yeah, I guess you're-"
"Ah-...no speaking..."
...-right. I should probably let my voice rest for a little while. And once I'm fully rested, I'll be sure to thank Jeremy properly.
All of a sudden I felt my phone begin to vibrate in my pocket. The sound of its ring was faint, but from the look Jeremy gave me, I could tell that he heard it, too.
"Don't bother picking it up," he said in a low voice, appearing to be squinting at something in the distance. "I can see the one who's calling..."
Groaning in pain as I forced my head to turn over, I eventually managed to get a clear image of who it was Jeremy had laid eyes on. Snowflakes scattered throughout the wavy strands of her black hair, Yuta stood afar off, clenching her cell phone in her hand as she stared at me with eyes full of fear. I wanted to call out to her...but I was soon relieved to find that there was no need of doing so.
"He's gonna be alright," Jeremy called to her. "You don't need to worry, miss. He just needs a little time. And maybe, perhaps, something to treat these nasty burns of his..."
Without uttering a word of response, Yuta dropped her phone and came running towards us, nearly tripping over her own feet on the way. I noticed when she was just a few feet away that her eyes were tear-stained. That...along with the fact that Kyo was not with her...absolutely terrified me.
"Is something wrong?" Jeremy asked her. "I'm afraid Morgan can't speak right now, so I'll be replying to and answering any statement or question you may have."
"I have a few..." Yuta spoke quietly, fixing her eyes on mine as if she still expected me to answer. "First of all...where is my brother?"
I should have expected that to be the first thing she asked. Her concern for her brother was definitely Yuta's top priority above all else. She was a strong woman with a delicate heart, so choosing the right words to explain her brother's death would most certainly prove to be a difficult task. The problem was...this task would have to be placed in Jeremy's capable hands. I trusted him to break the news to her in the most gentle way possible.
"I owe your brother everything I have to offer, and I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I'm afraid that not even my life will be enough for him now."
The expression that appeared on Yuta's face as she listened to Jeremy's low and sorrowful voice broke my heart in an instant. She seemed so confused...so afraid...and so very, very sad. Just like me. However, there was no doubt in my mind which one of us was suffering more over Ushio's death...and I wasn't about ready to make it a competition, either.
"Let me down, Jeremy," I whispered, breathing raggedly as I tried to fight back the cough that was itching to get out of my throat. Much to my relief, Jeremy didn't argue with me this time around. Instead he carefully placed me on the ground and helped me to become stable before taking a step away from Yuta and me. The first thing I did was take off my coat and drape it over her shoulders, holding her close to me as I listened sadly to her silent crying.
"This can't be happening," she sobbed, shielding her face with her hands and resting her head in the crook of my neck. "Tell me this is all a dream."
"I wish that were the case."
"Morgan, they took Kyo away...I was too powerless to stop them."
"Stop who?"
"The demons," she sniffed. "The demons that apparently were following orders from Ryuu. They took Kyo...and left this letter behind. I didn't read it simply because I was too afraid."
"That's okay," I whispered tenderly, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "Just show it to me, and I'll take care of everything."
"But you're badly hurt!" She cried. "We shouldn't waste any more time. We've got to treat those burns now!"
"I can deal with the pain, Yuta. More importantly, Kyo has been abducted by those idiot followers of Ryuu, and we need to take care of that matter first and foremost. Now please, Yuta, give me the letter."
Yuta gazed empathetically into my eyes as she slowly reached into the inside pocket of her jacket, taking out a crimson envelope and reluctantly handing it over to me. I carefully took out the letter than had been concealed within the envelope and began reading.
'Dear humans,
If you have received this letter as I had planned, then that means that my foot soldiers have successfully captured your little friend. Remember that stunt you pulled at the twins' mansion? Yes, I'm sure it was all fun and games to you then, but I'm afraid your games are over now. Fortunately, though, mine are not. I know how you humans work, and I know there's nothing you won't do to save those who are precious to you. I've discovered over the years that there are even demons who share this human characteristic. It's disgusting, but at the same time it's rather amusing. I'll cut to the chase and inform you that we've found the Shadow Keeper. Everything is falling into place now. I thought it'd be rude if I didn't invite you, especially once I've considered the fact that this man is also your friend. Funny how things work out, isn't it? If you want to come and enjoy the show, or 'rescue your friend' if that's how you'd like to put it, I included an address on the back of this letter. There will be a few surprises waiting for you, so do show up...I promise that you will not be disappointed.'
"This is bad..." I said, inhaling sharply while struggling not to freak out. "They still think that Kyo is me...all because of what Kyo did at that masquerade party..."
'My name is Malden, and I am the man you're looking for! I am the Shadow Keeper's childhood friend!'
"Dang it, Kyo, just look what you've gotten yourself into. You've managed to fool the demons...but at what cost? Hanako doesn't know who you are, so he may not try so hard to save you if you're put in harm's way."
"We have to save him ourselves," Yuta said boldly, forcing a brave look on her face as she took the letter out of my hands. "With Ushio gone...I don't think I'll be able to withstand losing another loved one."
"I feel the same," I said. "Ushio would want us to find and protect Kyo no matter what the cost."
And besides...if Hanako will be there, I guess this'll be hitting two birds with one stone. It's going to be risky...but I have to save Kyo. Ushio is counting on me.