Harvenger jumped into the air, slashing wildly. The branches shattered and burst as his claws tore through limb after limb. He landed gracefully, as all Kato should, and stared down at his leg. He gave his knee a few bends, then a few bounces. Healed just fine.

He turned slightly, gazing at his companion. She kneeled beside the stream now, slowly tugging on a string attached to a bowl. She dipped it in lightly, then pulled it up to her. Grasping it in both hands, she walked over to the pot on the fire, and poured the water in.

This place was a logical place to camp near the Torble Sea. One of the only rivers that fell this far south before emptying into the ocean. He and Howard had camped in almost this same spot just three days earlier. The Kato lead his new ally to the old camp site that Howard had set up with him in Kawrea. After gathering the supplies left there, they set out towards the city between the Torble Sea's touch and the jungle regions north of it. At Shilieka's request, they headed for the city of Languard.

Harvenger quit thinking about that when his eyes crossed the old backpack and sleeping bag of his former master. His mind threw images at him now, the scenes of his master's body. Those glossy eyes one can only find in death, the horrible, gory wounds that plagued his body's entirety. The last thought he had, after returning to that place, was the red stones stacked at the top of the dormant volcano. The cross made from broken planks, the deeply grooved indention of the name "Howard", and his most prized leather jacket, folded neatly at the head of the grave and the base of the cross.

His eyes must have held all the sadness the world could have mustered now, staring towards the old belongings of his only true ally in life. Apparently, his gaze was noticeable.

"Are you all right, Harvenger?" The blonde haired Pixie asked cautiously.

"Yeah....yeah..." The Kato sputtered lightly as he looked down towards his leg.

Silence reigned for a moment. Then she spoke softly, probably the voice that carried the words that made them seem not so harsh.

"You couldn't have saved him. Not then."

Nothing. He said nothing. Harvenger felt the anger of his failure building, the sting and truth of her words boiled in him. They raged up and beyond what he thought was madness, and pushed further up. It seemed that insanity was at the brink of his emotions.

Then it happened. Harvenger took a deep breathe as his eyes slowly filled with red. His anger fled instantly, as his confusion mounted. His eyes began growing dark, had he been ambushed? He felt gravity give a vicious jerk as his head shot back, and his body fell.

It was hot.

The red vision stayed, and the fire burned around him. He glanced down at the sword in his right hand. The blade seemed red, but then again, everything was red, from the fire and the vision. And the blood. He realized all the bodies strewn around. Humans and monsters alike. The battle seemed to still rage elsewhere, as he could hear men and monsters dying and killing alike.

He kneeled, outstretching his left hand slowly towards a female corpse. The arm had a buckler with a design on it, but Harvenger couldn't make out what. Whoever was controlling the body, was staring at the corpse.

Harvenger watched the open hand outstretch and, just shy of touching her, it stopped. The hand trembled a bit, slowly enclosing back to itself, then out again, not sure if to touch or not. Then, Harvenger heard the leather of the palm grip bend and warp as the fist clinched tighter than ever, slowly pulling back to himself.

Harvenger felt the head jerk up. All the buildings were on fire. All the creatures, human and monster, were slain. Obviously, they all had different uniforms and symbols for them. Some humans and monsters bore the garb of the shield with the lightening bolt across it. Others wore the banner of a white gauntlet, outstretched towards the viewer it seemed, in an inviting gesture. Still, others had a darker sign. Some of the banners had what looked like the shadow of a man, with bright red eyes, holding his hands over a fire in the foreground.

Harvenger didn't get to see anymore as his head shot up, staring intently down the burning and blood covered road. A form stood, seemingly in the flame. Behind him, stood a massive temple. Broken and mostly destroyed, it burned as well as everything else. The shadow, which seemed largely like a man, stood solemn, his left leg was slightly behind his right. A red glow was seen in the corner of his eye, a demonic gaze that pointed right at Harvenger.

The shadow's left hand lifted, slowly, holding the stringy mess of hair in its palm. The head itself was a woman, gazing towards us with fear and pain. It was hard to tell if she was elegant once, through the blood spots on her face and the raging inferno around them.

The head fell, the roaring fire masked any sound it made. Harvenger felt both his hands on his weapon, the fist tightening around the hilt. The dark shape slowly reached his right hand around him, out of view. The arm slowly pulled out a long, black beam of what seemed like narrow shadow. The sound of the sword unsheathing rang loader than the highest fire, and the tension built in his heart even more. The figure slowly pulled the blade around him and pointed it to his right, left arm loosely outstretched, palm forward, as if to accept an embrace.

Harvenger didn't even realize that he was charging the foe until a few steps into it. He felt a drop of coolness on his cheek, under his eye, and it began to run horizontal as he continued to charge forward. The fire dried it before the shadowed figure even began charging back.

He did, though, running as fast and hard as Harvenger was. Then, Harvenger understood the only word he had heard the entire vision. The lone voice screaming, ripping over the fire, the battle in the distance, nothing pierced this horrid air like that one word, that erupted from himself.

"KADE!!!!"

Harvenger shot his right claw strait up as his eyes opened. He felt his arm slapped down and pinned to his chest. As his other arm began to show movement, he felt a foot on the wrist. He breathed deeply for a few moments, taking in the cool, salty breeze than ran over him. The darkness that totally surrounded him, save the small, insignificant fire burning no more than 4 feet to his right.

He looked up a little perplexed as Shilieka held his right claw to his chest with both hands, and her right foot outstretched to pin his left wrist to the cool earth. Her eyes were big, and surprised.

"Harvenger!" She spoke loudly, but not screaming.

He gasped lightly as he sat up. The Pixie hastily went and dipped her bowl in the stream. Returning, she held the brim up under his large mustache, pressing it to his lips. Her other hand caught the back of his head and tilted it back.

He didn't fight it, he was too confuse by what happened. All so real, but it wasn't even him. The thoughts lessened slightly as the cold water fell in his mouth. Wow, that was refreshing.

"Are you all right?"

He couldn't answer. It just was too much to take at the moment, so overwhelming.

Slowly, he sputtered, "I...I think so..."

She kind of frowned, the frown in which you are concerned, but try not to show it. She ran over to the supplies and opened the backpack.

What the hell was that? A war? This was all so strange, the last war happened hundreds of years ago. What battle was it? Who was the darkened man? Who was the man HE was?

He blinked ignorantly again as he jerked his head back from a touch. Shilieka greeted his eyes again, with that same look of uneasiness. She tried dabbing the cloth to his cheek again. He was confused, but let her proceed.

She furrowed her eyes slightly as she rubbed the damp clothe under his eye, then retreat to the steam, bowl in hand. Harvenger gazed down at the clothe she left. Blood?

He reached his shaky hand up and touched his other cheek. Had he cut himself? He didn't feel any wounds. The only thing that was even sore was his eyes. They felt tired and overused. He pulled his fingers back and looked at the crimson coat they now had.

Slowly, he stood, moving over to the supplies. He pulled out a rusty little pocket mirror that Howard owned. He stared stupidly at his reflection, the red trails coming from his eyes, down his cheeks and mustache. His eyes, however, had some red in the bottom, but not much. Apparently, it had all bled out, as uncomforting as that was.

The hand lightly touched his shoulder, and like the other times, he jumped and backed away. The Pixie was very unimpressed this time, and let him know it in a very mad frown.

"Harvenger, what happened!?"

She guided him over to the fire, him still being a bit edgy, and proceeded to clean his face. He told her what he could, what he saw and the anguish he felt. She was puzzled, but said nothing.

"Maybe you had an ancestor in part of that war."

"I screamed something at him, something load. I can't remember what. I just can't."

She looked a bit unsure, but not overly upset by him missing a detail.

"Get some rest, you certainly need it."

Harvenger laid back on a pillow Howard used to use. Scratching his chest lightly with his left hand, his right propped under his head. He gazed up at the stars. The peacefulness that always accompanied them came with it.

"I wish I could stay like this...forever..." He muttered under his breathe.

Indeed, this nirvana was peaceful, but he had to get his head back in the game. Rimowa and Shinku were still after them. Moo might make a show, too. He thought for a short time, then decided on sleep. He rolled onto his side, and saw the tree he had been sparring with.

He leaned up slightly, not sure of what he was seeing. The tree was split down the middle. Half had fallen into the stream, and the other half still stood erect. He could see small bits of blood spattered along the cut, but the most disturbing thing was it looked as if it was split from bottom to top.

He laid his head down on his arm again and curled up. Whatever this was, he apparently hadn't passed out right away, but his body continued to act even in that dream. Apparently, quiet aggressively. This was a liability he couldn't afford to keep unchecked.

Enjoy. CHB