A song in the dark, then a whisper.

"Veda..."

It penetrates her ears, waking her mind.

"Veda..."

A song plays beautifully in the distance, echoing towards her.

"Veda!"

She opened her eyes and sat up, listening to the sound. It seemed to be coming from all around her. She looked at her surroundings, there were buildings towering above her.

She sat in the middle of the street in a crosswalk. Everything had a white aura around it that vibrated, similar to a moving sketch made in white chalk.

There were people walking around doing their business like normal people would do in a normal world. But their faces we're gone, they were made up of the white chalky matter and parts of their skin would sweep away like smoke when they passed her. It was eerie, and quiet despite all of the commotion she could see. The only sound was the beautiful song she could hear echoing through the buildings. "Where am I". She thought.

She wasn't in Hiroshima anymore, or was she. She tried to reach out to Cu. "Cu! Where are you?".There were no answers, only distorted voices in her mind.

"Veda..come to me." A soft male voice said. It was coming from her right. She got to her feet and looked towards the voice. There was a two laned street that faded away to a white nothing, except for the echoing song and the voice calling for her. It was then she noticed red satin surrounding her. She looked down to see she was wearing the same dress Shirou had found her wearing a year ago in Tokyo. How is this possible? She thought.

She stepped forward just as a white ghost walked through her. It was cold and gave her a feeling of loneliness and sorrow. She kept walking through the thick down the middle of the street. No one seemed to notice her, she was invisible to them.

"Come to me Veda." his whisper called. It lead her into a heavy fog, controlling her, forcing her to move towards it. She walked along the streets of the city, passed the smoke filled ghosts, to a bridge covered in black vines and red roses, they crept along the stone floor, blooming blood red petals as she passed by. They moved with her, shifted in her steps.

She stopped, the fog was fading in front of her now and she could see a building similar to Hiroshima Castle, surrounded by black water in front of her. As the fog faded ahead, it filled the city behind her and she could no longer see the street that led her here. Her chest begins to thump and her breath becomes short. Panic hits her as she realizes there is no way back, only forward.

"We finally meet. I've been watching you from a distance." The smooth male voice said.

Suddenly with the sound of wood snapping, she looked back towards the tower to see the rose vines spiraling around themselves, creating a human like figure. Then before her stood a man with so much grace and beauty, she fell to her knees. He played a Dizi flute finishing the song she heard in the distance.

She has never seen someone so handsome in her life, there was no comparison. His skin was smooth like glass. His hair was long, black and shone like silk threads, it came down to his lower back tied in the back with some feathered across his face . His eyes were the deepest shade of green she had ever seen, he had a handsome smile with soft lips and a smooth jaw line. She ran her eyes down his body, his broad shoulders and arms were wrapped in tight black cloth, leaving his perfectly toned chest and torso exposed. He had tattoos of rose vines covering his left pectoral that crept down to his stomach. His pants we're similar to a shozoku, baggy, but easy to move in. He carried no weapons, but held a strong power to him.

"Who are you?" Veda asked. Her words echoed out in the distance.

He placed a hand on his chest and bowed.
"I am heroic spirit Yan Qing. Assassin class."

She gasped. "You're the last servant!"

"Yes, Wǒ de huā." He replied, picking a rose from his vine, he walked towards her as smooth as water.

She looked at the rose, hesitating to take it.

"I mean you no harm, Wǒ de huā, my flower." He smiled.

She stood and took the flower in her hand. The minute her fingers touched it, she was pulled into a rose garden surrounded by black water with the castle behind her.

"You need my help Veda, and I need yours." He said, suddenly appearing behind her. She turned abruptly, to see him within inches of her. He smelled of roses and spice, it filled her nostrils with ecstasy. She closed her eyes, letting his presence spark her sexual desires. A soft touch runs from her cheek, through her hair, and down her shoulder. He drew a line from her shoulder, down the middle of her chest, to her waist then pulled her into him with one strong arm. She could feel his breath on her lips, she opened them letting him do what he wanted to her. He stopped.

"Yan?" She whispered.

"I could only dream to have a master like you." He said and pressed his soft lips against hers, it was then she lost herself to him. He could do anything to her and she wouldn't stop him. His kiss was sweet and sensual. She loved the way he held her, she had never fit so perfectly into someone's arms.

He finally let her up for air, slowly parting his lips from hers. She whimpered at him,

"Please don't stop."

He chuckled.

"That is the last thing I want to do. But this is no place for love, Wǒ de huā." He said and looked towards the black water beyond the beds of roses.

"Where am I?"

"You are in, what they call purgatory, the world between life and death."

Veda looked out over the water,

"Am I...did I..."

"You are still alive, but barely. The curse is taking over and if you don't get back soon, you will be a ghost. Like the people you passed coming here."

She looked to Yan Qing, then threw arms around his neck.
"Please, I don't want to be like them!"

He embraced her tightly, letting her touch fill his heart with what he desired most.

"I would never let that happen. Why do you think I'm here, Wǒ de huā.?"

She whimpered into his shoulder.
"How did you get here?" she asked looking into his eyes.

"I was a demonic overlord in a previous life, I can access the world of the dead or anything in between. I am here to guide you back, before you are lost." He replied cupping her cheeks in both hands.

"What will happen when I go back?"

"Well, you will carry on your mission. To rid the world of the curse, and save humanity."

" Yan, this curse, I don't think I will make it out alive. When it all ends and the world is back to normal, the curse will take me."

The sorrow in his eyes, had tears streaming down her face. "Don't say such things, you will make it through this! You have to!"

"I hope so." She replied.

He smiled at her. "Come find me. I am waiting for you. But I warn you my master is not easily persuaded, she is stubborn, cold and could care less of anyone else. You may have to take me from her."

Vedas lowered her eyes to him. " So be it! Whatever it takes to have you. I need you."

"Hmmm...as do I." He replied, and kissed her once more.

She took his kiss eagerly, not wanting it to end. He has such a hold on her heart, like somehow she had known him, loved him, a long time ago. But how could that be?

He pulled his lips from hers and wrapped his muscular arms around her waist. She snuggled into his neck letting his warm embrace ease her mind.
"Its time, Wǒ de huā."

"Just a few minutes longer?"

"We can't, I'm sorry, find me and I will be yours."

"Until we meet again." He said and let her go. Black vines wrapped around him engulfing him in blood red petals and black thorns. Then he disappeared and she was suddenly sucked into a room in the castle.

It was a large room, dimly lit by candle light. There was a bed to the right and in that bed was Veda herself, lying there not moving. She was unconscious, waiting for her soul to return. Somehow she knew what she had to do.

She walked over to her body and kneeled beside her. She placed a hand on her chest and spoke the words.

"I release you." A flash of white light erupted from her hand, and the body opened its mouth. The black smokey curse poured out of it and into the air around her until there was nothing left of the curse inside her body. Another flash of light and blackness.

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