The Next World

Kage, Riku, and I stood before Tenchi and looked at us with a frown. "I suppose this is the time I told the three of you the truth." He stood from his throe and said "Guards leave us."







"Are you sure you want all of us to leave you? You and Kage alone with these outlanders?" A guard said.





"Kage is more then able to handle them if they do anything and I know they won't. Do as you're ordered." Tenchi said. All of the guards left, leaving the three of us alone with Tenchi.





"Why did you order all of your guards away?" Kage asked, curiosity filling his face.





"I'm going to tell the three of you the truth that only two people in this world know. It will soon be five though with you, Sora, and Riku knowing." Tenchi said.





"What is that truth?" Kage asked impatiently.





"That this is world is full of evil. It was not meant to be. Only three people who have good hearts could open the chests. You, Sora, and Riku are the only good hearted ones in this world who think that the way life in it is wrong and for that you are the three who must save everyone in this world from themselves." Tenchi said solemnly.





Kage looked confused but my heart skipped a beat and Riku let out a sound of surprise. "What do you mean? How are we going to save this world from itself?" Kage asked.





"There are six great hearts now in this world. Three good and three evil. One of each for light, darkness, and shadow. The good must triumph for this world to saved from itself, but it won't be saved in the way that you’re thinking. This world can only see salvation through destruction." Tenchi said.





"So I'm going to have to help destroy this world? Why should I? There are people I care about here that are going to die if I do it. You're out of your fucking mind if you think I'm going to do it!" Kage shouted at Tenchi as he stood up and reached for his swords.





Riku and I each grabbed one of his hands and we managed to pull him back to sitting on the ground in between us. He looked at the two of us and back to Tenchi.





"What's going to happen to me and everyone else when the world ends?" Kage asked.





"You will be able to leave this world and go with Sora and Riku to their world if you wish to because you will be able to see the rift out of here but nobody else will and you should go." Tenchi said.





"Why should I be spared out of everyone in this world? I'm just as much of a murderer as everyone else here. I'm just as guilty and my hands are probably stained with more blood then anyone elses." Kage asked bitterly.





"The fact that you see what you've had to do as wrong is enough to bring your salvation. You must do it so no more children like yourself become as tainted as you. Do it for the unborn ones so that may be saved from hell and become angels." Tenchi said.





"It seems like I'm going to hell anyways so what will a mass murder of a world’s population going to matter? Is that it?" Kage asked glaring at the old man.





"I don't see as a hell bound soul Kage. Save this world and live the life you should have been able to live from the moment of your birth." Tenchi said softly as he stepped up to Kage and placed a hand on the young ninja's shoulder.





"What about Daius?" Kage asked with tears in his eyes.





"Don't worry about him. He'll never know of your act. He can't see this and you won't want to tell him." Tenchi said.





Kage roughly grabbed Tenchi's wrist of the hand on his shoulder and stood up. "You're a sick old bastard. I should kill you right now. It takes a lot to piss me off but you've done it." He said in a venomous tone to the old man.





"Kage don't do it." Riku said.





"I won't." Kage said as he pushed Tenchi's arm up with a rough motion. "We're done here. The four of us will leave in the morning. Daius can lead us to those three, we'll kill them, and destroy this world but I'm not doing it for you. I'm doing it so there won't ever be another tortured soul like me again." He said, gesturing for Riku and me to stand.





We left the throne room and Kage looked at the guards. "Get your asses back in there right now. Your breaks are over." He said firmly in a tone with a bit of anger in it.





They saluted him as two of them opened the doors and they began to file in to the throne room in two lines. We left and walked to Kage's house and once we were inside Kage frowned.





"I hate this shit. I really do. I have to destroy the world and I have to die with everyone." Kage said as he went to the bathroom.





"You can come with us." I said to Kage as he began to fill the tub.





"I'm going to be part of the death of everyone in Shyra, Kouda, and the rest of the villages in this world. I don’t want to think about anything much right now. Kage said as he went to his bag and pulled out the bottle of vodka.





The three of us undressed and got in the tub. Kage took a long drink from the bottle of vodka and said "I don’t know why I deserve to be saved from everything. I'm just much of a killer as everyone else here. I'm just as evil as everyone else."





"You're not evil. You just live a different life then most other people." I said to Kage.





"I'm a sick killer. I stuck a knife through the back of my father while he had his arms around me after he told me he loved me. He threw up blood all over me and I told him I loved him too. Then I sat him down and I didn’t finish him off. I just gabbed up Zoul, threw him on the back of the horse after I bandaged him up and left my father to bleed to death. I'm fucking evil." Kage said as he took another large drink of the vodka.





"You've had enough." I said reaching for the vodka. Kage sat it behind him and glared at me. I was about o reach over and grab it from him but he just pulled me down on top of him.





"Sora, it's never enough for me. Never enough to forget it all. Never enough to forget all those faces full of surprise and pain while I deliver then finial blow. I may deliver the injection but they feel it in time it takes for it to take effect. It's never enough for me to forget the pain I've caused and felt." He said softly and sadly in my ear.





I looked down at him and he said "I can't see how a couple of nice guys like you two can stand someone like me. I'm a murderer for hire who’s used everything I have to get the job done. You two are pure hearted innocent people who are going to have to become killers to save a world full of them."





I felt a change in the water. Riku had moved over to sit by the two of us. I though he would be angry for the way Kage pulled me on top of him but had had a compassionate look on his face.





"Killing Ansem is something I knew I would have to do one day or another. I just didn't think it would be this soon. I don't blame you for any of this at all. I was the one who found the portal here so if it's anyones fault for this it's mine and the only one with any right to blame anyone is Sora to blame me and he doesn't blame me at all do you Sora?" Riku said.





"I don't blame you at all. I think if we hadn't come here we would still be in denial about our feelings. If it weren't for you Kage I don't think we would have admitted anything to each other." I said.





"I'm glad you guys don’t hate me. I really am. It's nice to be loved and have friends." Kage said as he drew Riku in to the hug he had me in.





The two of us were on top of him and he said "It's really nice to be loved. I love you guys so much. I miss Dai right now too. If only he were in here with us. Then I would really have everyone I love. Still though it's nice to have love around you isn't it?" Kage asked as he let go of us and went for the vodka again.





Riku took the bottle from him and took a long drink himself before he passed it to me "Finish it off Sora. We don't want him having anymore then he already has; besides I think Daius would be more merciful if we were all hung over in the morning instead of just Kage." He said.





I looked at the bottle and saw that there was only a little bit left but still I remembered the way it burned my throat this morning. "What the hell. I'll drink it." I said as I took a slow sip of the bottle.





I winced as it burned its way down my throat causing Riku and Kage to laugh. I slowly began to drink the vodka until I had finished it off.





We washed ourselves off and went to Kage's bed without bothering to get dressed. When we were all under the covers I felt Kage crawl next to me. "You think we should tell Riku about last night?" He whispered in my ear.





"I already know. Daius told me. I'm not mad. Soar’s a good kisser isn't he?" Riku asked.





I felt myself blush as Kage said "Yes he is. You think he can tell me if I'm a good kisser? I've always wondered about that."





"I don't remember to be honest. I don’t remember much of anything right now. I just remember I'm bed with you and Riku, who's my boyfriend." I said to Kage.





"But he's right here so it's just fine." Kage said.





"No it's not fine. It's not fine at all. I'm going to sleep on the couch." I said as I pushed Kage off me and ran for the couch.





Once there I pulled a blanket over myself and fell asleep.