Yomi pondered on that grey youko he held against his chest. Hikaru had always been avenging and strong. Nevertheless everyone had a breaking point and it seemed that on failing in executing Kurama, he had reached his.

The King dared to kiss his head. His lips tasted Hikaru's grey hair in a kiss so soft, that the youko did not seem to notice it.

"You have always been so strong, have you not?"

"I have tried..." Hikaru commented, with a disappearing voice.

Yomi squeezed his arms around the youko's shoulders. It had also been too long since he had last squeezed a youko in his arms; a youko, or any other kind of demon. In fact... The silver youko had been his last lover. Yomi had always imposed chastity upon him after he had been blinded.

Yomi sighed and he did not move a single inch. He cared notto reach either the sake or the gameboard. He just held that youko closer to him, and wished that moment could become more intimate yet...

"Kuronue was very strong, just like you. He resisted bravely, till his last breath."
 

They cut through that part of the forest like fast, ghostlike motion blurs. The soft nightglow was blocked by a multitude of dark stormy clouds, and once in a while a sudden lightning fell all over, followed by the roar of a distant thunder.

Kuronue let the youko head the way as always. They passed through the forest fast and softly like a silent black and white wind.
 
They had crossed a long way, through the platteaus and forestsfor hours. And when the forest suddenly ended, interrupted by an abrupt cliff descending into a large growth of bamboos, which sprawled all over the valley below, they knew they had reached their goal.

They crouched by the edge of the cliff, and Kurama gave Kuronue some time to scan the area with his night vision. Kuronue lifted the brim of his hat a little, and wrinkled his nose as he forced his sight the furthest it could reach.

Kurama smiled. The light filtering through the clouds was enough for him to enjoy Kuronue's focused face. He reached out and stroked his back with affection, slowly caressing his velvet-like wings, knowing his partner loved to be fondled in such way.

Both demons knew they were heading to the lair of the worse slayers and slave traders of the Makai, who joined not in a mere gang or a guild, but formed a twisted cult of tehir own. Kurama had never poked into that territioory, because he knew it was trouble. The Dark Guild was an underground mob who still possessed open passageways through he barriers in between the worlds. They used these passages to trafic, steal and traded Ningen and Youkai alike in between the worlds, making fortune and ill-fame out of it.

They were the worse type of scum. They collected magical treasures, and many of them were initiated in magic as a means to guarantee their own power and security.  They followed bloody rites and very strict codes, and respected no one in neither of the three worlds. It was said even Lord Mukuro had tried to wipe them out and could not till then.

The Guild's Temple was an underground palace. It was a kind of bunker, too difficult to be invaded. from where they stood, nothing could be seen but a vast forest of bamboos and canes.

"I can't see shit." Kuronue announced, shaking his head in a hopeless fashion. "We'll have to find our way below."

The youko mumbled a curse in between his grinding teeth. He patted Kuronue's back then, and cuddled to himself. One of his hands fidgeted and played with the long strands of silvery hair which fall along his face as he pondered on what to do.

It would be far more dangerous than he had imagined. Below, they would be an easy prey to whatever traps and sentinels abounded the surroundings.

"Well, the life of a thief is a hard one... " Kurama added, offering his partner a soft smile.

"Damn, I feel like I am digging my own grave..." Kuronue murmured to himself.

The youko seemed surprised. His hand reached up to the youkai's face for a caress, which made Kuronue turn his attention to his partner.

"Kuro. Do you want to give up?"

The bat seemed thoughtful for a short moment. He took one hand up to his chest, and squeezed his lucky charm in his fingers.

"Do you?" He asked back the youko.

Kurama seemed a little uneasy. He hesitated in giving any asnwer right away.

"Not yet. It takes a whole more than that riff-raff to threat Youko Kurama!"

Kuronue agreed in silence.

"Who else knows we are here?" The youko questioned Kuronue, arching one eyebrow with suspicion. "Yomi?"

"No. I did not tell him anything."

"Then it is only between you and me. Let's do our best, like in the old times!" Kurama smiled then, and reached out to hold Kuronue's hand with an affectionate grasp. "I cover your ass, and you cover mine."

The bat gave his partner a sideways smile.

"Cover your ass? Hmmm... It's my expertise!"

Kurama laughed with his friend's sillyness.

"You pervert!" He came closer to Kuronue, and kissed his lips quickly, however very sweetly.

"It takes one to know one!" Kuronue answered back, unable to hide a smile.

They stood up at the same time, and Kurama could not resist giving his lover a tight, very avid embrace. His hands stroked his waist, his back, and he squeezed the bat-like demon's buttock, so hard Kuronue jumped up, laughing.

"That's a good ass. I'll cover it with all my dedication."

"Anytime, anywhere, partner!" Kuronue added, tugging mischievoulsy at the youko's bushy tail, making the youko squirm too.

They chuckled more, softly, but their smiles soon gave way to a worried, serious expression, when their eyes locked again.

"This is going to be a tough one, Kuro."

"So let's get going. It's show time!"
 
 

He detained Kuronue, and dumbfounded, under his partner's eyes, he tried it again.

"These plants don't obbey me! What kind of hex is going on?"

Kuronue immediately felt a shiver crawl up his spine when he heard that.

"Damn... Kurama, what do we do now? Isn't it getting too dangerous?"

The youko shook his head.

"They must have built a magic circle around the area. But this won't stop me! I will show these pricks I can do it counting only on my stealth! That's a challenge, heh?"

Kuronue lowered his eyes. Kurama sometimes was so proud he acted childishly; like a spoiled brat.

"Whatever you say, Kurama," he replied, resignedly.

They proceeded in through the massive forest, till they found a cemented passageway. leading to one of the most hideous gates they had ever seen.

They sensed the whole area carefully, trying to detect traps or hidden sentinels. That long, narrow ward cut in the middle of the bamboo growth was safe. But they could not say the same about the entrance to the Guild's Lair...

The gates were carved in the shape of a demon's face, and the large, sharp tusked mouth of stone was the gateway into a dark tunned which led down below to the underground halls. There was a very faint lightglow coming from that weird gate's gorge, apparently caused by torches or candles.

Kurama smiled.

"Now you follow me in, Kuronue. I can find the way easily. We kill anyone that detect us. No sound, no wasting time. It's gotta be wham, bam, thank you, man!"

Kuronue smiled softly, agreeing, and followed Kurama in.

They lowered their you-ki levels. Experienced thieves like them could do it easily, just like they could muffle their steps or the sound of their brething. Not to mention  Kurama was a true specialist on stealth.

Also, both knew the problem was not sneaking in. The bastards who were members of that Guild always kept gates open to strangers, almost like a dangerous lure. But the whole Makai knew anyone could enter that underground lair - but very few demons escaped alive...

Kurama had a draft of that Temple's passages, which he had obtained from an informer. Even though it was just a sketch, with that and the youko's natural instinct to find treasure, they could find their way inside with relative ease.

Inside the Temple, it was the youko who guided them.

Despite a few torches and lamps it was very dark inside. Those underground rooms  seemed like narrow and damp caverns, where halls and tunnels met in confusing crossways. Once in a while they could hear steps and sense a sentinel's presence. When it happened, they merged into a dark corner, and Kuronue spread his black wings over Kurama, to camouflage his silvery figure. Then they just waited, very still but on guard, like gorgeous statues, till the danger had ended.

The Mirror they looked for would be kept either in the Treasure Vault or in the Sanctuary, where most magical valuables were kept, like objects of cult and adoration. In that action they would have opportunity to invade only one of the two chambers, and it was Kurama who decided the way.

They entered the palace deeper, searching for the Sanctuary. It was taking them long to find their goal, and Kuronue, differently from usual, was starting to get nervous. His vision helped Kurama finding the way whenever they reached a dark, unlit passage, and they only communicate by slight touches and gestures, in a language they had developed over the years working as crime partners.

Kurama stuck his index finger up, and then pointed to a faint light at the end of the narrow corridor they headed along. He opened and closed his hand several times, stretching his fingers dramatically, and tossed his head, furrowing his brow towards the lit chamber down below.

Kuronue acquiesced. It was the hall leading to the Sanctuary. And Kurama's gesture indicated there were many guards inside. He could smell their presence too.

The winged youkai observed the youko grab a handful of powder from the pockets of his pants. It was something he did not need to activate his you-ki to use. The bat-like demon held his breath while the youko blew that clear dust towards the chamber below.

Then the youko mouthed to Kuronue that the guards would drop dead the moment they snuffed that powder. Waiting, they pressed their backs to the walls, merging in the shadows again, while Kurama counted the seconds till the poison had effect.

Kuronue reached out to hold the youko's hand very tenderly as they waited. He enjoyed not only to know, but to feel they were together. He needed the contact. Then he moved closer to Kurama enough to whisper in his furry ear.

"We must act quickly. I feel the day is almost rising."

Kurama agreed.

"We are almost there, Kuro. I can even smell that mirror... Don't worry."

The youko sniffed the air and then he waved Kuronue to follow him on. He knew by then there would be no youkai left alive, and no traces of that lethal dust that could harm them.

The youko flicked his hand in their gesture code. They needed to act fast; As fast as possible.

Still in silence, they hurried to the large, torch lit chamber. Bodies of youkai in armor were scattered around, frozen by the sudden death into twisted and aberrant statues. The poison acted slowly enough to let them realize they were dying and struggle against the poison, but too quickly to allow them to give the alarm.

The two demon thieves did not pay much attention to the corpses. Kurama headed straight to he large black iron door, waving one large ring of keys he had taken from a guard.

Kuronue took the lead.

"It's going to take ages till you try all the keys and find the right one"He said, taking the one long, sharp blade he used to have stuck up his ponytail, to sue it on the door's lock.

Three seconds were enough for Kuronue to open the large lock. They exchanged a glance, and Kurama reassured Kuronue with a slight nodding of his head. Then the winged demon pushed the door open.

Both stepped in, mindful of traps. Trained by the many missions they had been in together they acted as one. Kuronue looked up to the ceiling, observing every beam, every corner, every niche and little crack of the wall, while Kurama scanned the floor. Both were very attentive to detect any possible traps.

Only then they looked forward, to the massive stone altar before them.

Two pairs of eyes, one dark-blue, the other golden, flitted eagerly all over the tall altar. The structure was shaped like a lizard-like beast bearing eight spread arms, almost like a dancing Shiva. The treasures were placed on each of the large hands of that weird idol. Candles placed on small niches along the walls provided light enough for Kurama to be able to see it all very clearly. There were eight treasures held on each of those huge hands of stone.

There was a large jewel, red like blood turned into a precious gem; A katana in its sheath, sealed by straps of black silk; one crystal ball; a dragon carved in jade; one battle helmet; a golden statue of a phenix; an unlit candlestick and finally, in one of the highest stands, the Mirror of the Threshold of Time, wrapped by a decorated frame.

Kuronue noticed Kurama was hesitating a little. His golden eyes flitted all over the other objects greedily. The youko felt the urge to steal everything else but there was no time for that rampant attitude.

"The mirror, Kurama. Le'ts focus on the mirror!" Kuronue spoke firmly, commanding his partner while gently pushing him forward and pointing at that very specific idol's hand where the mirror was exhibited. Kuronue stepped forward, ready to climb the altar and idol and seize  the piece, but the youko held Kuronue by his arm.

"No. If you touch that altar you might start traps." Kurama warned.

"Can't you use your plants?" Kuronue proposed.

"I can't risk rising my you-ki to make any plant grow. It will surely set up all the other traps we have around." Kurama continued, pointing to the walls.

Both demons looked up at the object, thoughtful for a while. It was then Kuronue suggested:

"I'm lighter. Lift me up on your shoulders and I'll get that thing for you."

They acted together as soon as Kuronue finished that suggestion. One impulse was enought to make Kuronue perch up on Kuramas shoulders, and the youko slow'ly walked closer to the idol, careful while he stepped on the paving stones, attentive to any reliefs, or mechanisms which could be set up.

He and looked up while Kuronue stretched up to get the mirror, careful not to let his hands tremble or to touch the idol.

Kuronue smiled when his slender fingers touched the mirror. Kurama would be so happy with it... And he loved to see both his youko lover and his horned sweetheart happy.

Carefully, avoiding any haste, any abrupt movement, Kuronue pressed the mirror against his chest. He could jump down then, but both thieves knew they must avoid any kind of heavy or fast movements.

Kurama stroked his partner's calf while guiding him down. Slowly, Kuronue slid down the youko's back to the ground.

Kurama stared at Kuronue with wide eyes, eager to seize the mirror. It was one of the treasures he had always dreamed of finding, and finally, it was his... Now destiny would never play any sick tricks on him - He would have means to be always one step forward.

The youko reached out to grasp the object, but Kuronue smiled, and took one step behind, playfully.

"This thing tells the future, heh? So let's see what's coming for me..."

Kurama watched Kuronue gaze into the mirror. With tense expectation, the youko's golden eyes followed his partner's gesture, looking forward to know...

"What is it? What do you see?"

Kuronue laughed.

"Kurama, someone must have placed this sick prank on you. This looking glass doesn't tell the future. I can't even see my own reflection!"

Kurama seemed shocked.

"What?"

"The damned thing must be broken."
 
Kuronue, who still kept a mocking smirk on his lips, passed the mirror to the surprised youko.

"Such a long journey for nothing. We'd be better if we had stayed home. We could fuck Yomi's ass till he begged us to stop..."

Kurama furrowed his brow while he carefully wrapped the mirror under one arm. He did not enjoy that Yomi be mentioned at all, but anyway he had no opportunity to scold Kuronue for that. And in fact, nothing, not even Yomi, could damage that perfect moment of satisfaction - Finally he had got the Mirror of the Threshold of Time!

Unfortunately he did not even have the chance to look into the mirror himself. His ears twitched when he noticed a faint sound approaching.

Kuronue froze, and stared deeply at Kurama. Both demons knew there were enemies closing in, and that they must get out of that place on the double.

"We must leave; now..." Kurama proposed, squeezing the mirror against his side to avoid any damages.

Kuronue promptly followed the youko to the chamber's exit. Kurama stretched his neck enough to take a look outside. The scene was the same as when they entered: corpses, and nothing more. But he sensed other demons coming closer from the other corridors and passages.

"We'll be outta here in two shakes of a fox's tail!"

"Like a bat out of hell!"

The demons chuckled with their mutual jests, and headed out of the Sanctuary, boldly.

Yomi sighed very deeply. His chest raised high and fell but even then Hikaru kept his head leaned on the King's breast. Yomi was so powerful, so intense that just being close to him helped attracting some of that strenght and self assuredness to himself.

"I had a terrible hunch about all that. I think it started when I watched Kuronue being wounded right before my eyes and could not do anything to help. I felt guilty for it."

Hikaru snorted.

"Do what I say but don't do what I do..."

Yomi stroked the youko's back, to make Hikaru face him.

"What do you mean?"

"You tell me to overcome my guilt when you feel as guilty as I..."

Yomi became red in the face. But he disguised his embarrassment with a smile, and a tender squeeze on Hikaru's shoulder.

"Yes... I felt guilty then. It was the reason why I wanted to prevent anything bad to happen to either Kuronue or Kurama." He noticed Hikaru was to make an apart, and he did not allow it, cutting him gently. "But I did something. I made a difference. I took an attitude. It was what helped me dealing with this feeling of guilt from there on. Placing most of the burden on Kurama's shoulders instead of carrying it on my own also helped a lot," The king concluded, chuckling very softly.

"I see..." Hikaru assented.

"And we cannot overlook the time scope. It had happened much longer ago for me than for you. Your wound is still very recent."

"I agree with you..."

Yomi tested Hikaru, by stroking his soft furry ear, scratching its back with his fingertips. Hikaru shuddered, and roared very softly. However he did not seem displeased with the attention. Instead, he relaxed even further onto Yomi's chest. The King was starting to suspect Hikaru was almost ready to let go of all that storytelling for a more lustful activity.

He could barely wait for it. It had been so long since a youko had taken him and given him all the wild, hot love that only those fox spirits could give...

"I followed Kurama and Kuronue till the Dark Guild's Temple."

Hikaru seemed surprised with the revelation. He looked up at the King's handsome face.

"You did? And they had not noticed you were there?"

"No. By then I had learned lots of tricks to cover my presence and my tracks. Besides, neither Kurama nor Kuronue had any reasons to suspect I was around. I grabbed my katana and headed on, following them from a safe distance. When they entered that building, I stayed outside, lurking among the bamboos and shadows, with my eyes well open to any incoming enemies. I saw everything that happened then."
 

They had to run. When they reached the main hall which would take them out of the Temple, a loud alarm was heard. Guards and warriors seemed to have sprouted out of every door, every crack, every corridor. Kurama and Kuronue ran, not stopping to look behind, avoiding the few enemies which stayed on their way, dodging, avoiding and jumping over them instead of staying and fighting. They knew they could not be delayed by any hand to hand fight when a huge mob of slayers was on their heels. Kurama tried to block their persecutors throwing some seeds behind  and making them grow into a huge thorn hedge, but he failed. The same hex which had made impossible for Kurama to control the bamboo growth outside must be working inside the Temple as well.

They ran like crazy, and here and there Kuronue flung his light throwing knives and shurikens, detaining the ones that tried to ambush them from the sides, while Kurama lead the way in through those narrow passages, guiding them with his infallible sense of direction.

The alarm was loud; was like a roar starting right at the underground guts of that beast-shaped palace. Both thieves could hear the roar and growls of their enemies echoing along the corridors and chambers. They hurried, the faster they could, feeling their pursuers were closer...

They had managed to start their escape just in time. They ran so fast that they seemed to be flying; their feet barely touched the ground in a succession of nimble leaps and powerful impulses. Hopefully, they had left the lower levels just in time. Being trapped below could mean death. No forces had been alerted fast enough to block their way. And, when Kurama and Kuronue crossed the jaw-like gates to the outside, they felt relieved.

It was then the youko, after having reached a safe distance from the Gates, halted for a moment.

Kuronue took the opportunity to look around, while the youko glimpsed at the mirror he carried under his right arm again, as if to assure himself he had really caught it.

Kurama felt very happy with his new magic toy. Kuronue could see it in his eyes, and in the pleased sneer that appeared on his lips.

The youko snorted, offering Kuronue a sideways glance that the winged-demon understood pretty well. It was Kurama's mute way of saying that action had been a true piece of cake.

Kuronue agreed with a smile, and then he followed the youko closely, when the fox restarted his nimble sprint out of the bamboo growth. Their steps barely hit the paving stones of the way because of their nimble speed. The day was breaking, sending a faint light which was filtered in between the long, thick canes alongside the alleyway.

It was then they heard a loud roar. They did not need to look behind, and yet both demons knew it was the sound of that crowd of villains running right after them. They could hear their loud curses, their menacing growls, and their battle-cries echoing all over the area.

They ran faster. Kurama led the way, carrying his mirror, and Kuronue followed a little behind. It was then Kuronue felt something weird, like a bad hunch. On looking down he felt and saw his lucky charm falling off his neck, and sliding down along his side, dropping behind him as he ran.

They were so fast, Kuronue could not halt. He just threw himself forward, and used one of the canes as a catapult, hitting it to be propelled back. His wings helped him to glide and when he was on his fast way back, avid to seize his pendant back, he heard the youko call him.

"Stop, Kuronue!"

Kuronue could not stop. They ahead of their persecutors, and he felt he had plenty of time to get his jewel back - his lucky charm; the token of his new free life; the symbol of the link he had to his foxy friend.

"I need it!" He cried back to the youko, though not looking over his shoulder, as he flashed back along the paved track.

Kurama just watched him go, shocked with his attitude. His ears twitched, and his hands trembled when he heard the sounds of the mob coming after their heads...

His eyes followed Kuronue, who had reached his bauble. He bent over carefully to take it from the ground. It was then swooshing, loud snapping sounds were heard, followed by the sticky, tearing sound of flesh ripped open.

Kurama froze. He panicked when he saw it.

A dozen sharp-pointed canes came out out of nowhere, falling from above, circling  and piercing Kuronue, like long spears. The first one bored him through his calf. The youkai still tried to escape, like a poor animal caught in a trap, but then, in a succession, many others of those stabbing stakes hit Kuronue. One pierced him through a wing, and he also had one thigh and his right shoulder trespassed. Another of those spears cut a tearing hole through abdomen, fidndingits way out onthe otehr side of his body... Blood started to flow, gushing forth like a torrent, like a swift red river which soaked the ground...

Kurama just watched, so shocked he could not move, he could not even think. He lost his coldness, his acuity and sense to gaze at that terrifying scene, lost in a stupor of fear and pain.

The youko could not believe it... Kuronue did not cry. He just groaned, and moaned, and gasped, but he did not cry despite the gruesome pain he must be experiencing...

Kuronue's brave attitude was what apalled Kurama the most. It was what made him take so long to realize it was all actually happening...

"Kuronue!"

He was about to dash to Kuronue and try to rescue him from that bloody trap. The youko, panting, desperate, even took an impulse to head in his partner's direction, not minding the horde which rushed in closer...

It was then he heard Kuronue's voice give out a painful, loud cry. A cry which was not for help, neither for mercy. It was neither an enraged curse nor a fervent last-minute prayer to the Gods...

"Forget about me and run, Kurama!"
 

Hikaru breathed deeply, entranced by the beauty of Yomi's pale, graceful lips as he spoke.

The king lowered his head in a mournful gesture.

"What did that bastard do?" Hikaru asked the King.

"Kurama? Well... He ran away..."
 
 

To be Continued...