• Life was a beautiful thing. Filled with luscious sounds, gorgeous images, and tantalizing tastes. Even as fatigue was setting into an exhausted body, one must be surely optimistic and enjoy every god given grace placed upon one’s shoulders. All things revolved around love in one way or another. Love for life, love for another, love for nature, love for music, love for justice… no one simply cannot love something. No, too many people waste far too much time hating things that are by far contrite and undeserving of such a passionate emotion.

    Fingers tapped against a leather clad steering wheel, a firm smile shining in the shadows fallen within the vehicle’s cast darkness. Memories flooding an endorphin ridden mind of just half an hour prior. Body swaying onstage as all eyes were upon a lone figure. Unblemished alabaster violin pressed to a sharp chin as fingers splayed across taut strings, Months of practice amounting up to half an hour of undulating adoration with thousands of eyes planted firmly on him; ears absorbing his relentlessly perfected craft. Horse hair strung bow slathered with oils to make the sound crystal clear and unyielding amongst the listeners.

    Slow rhythm picked up in the orchestra hidden in the shadows behind the lone figure. The sound of wining emitting from the instrument. Sad, dejected, morose, somber, and sorrowful notes playing out gently, waves of remorse emotions washing over the crowds as if by magic this single person’s music could affect them so deeply. The harmony reaching down within them and invading parts of their souls few knew even existed until that moment. The beats picked up swiftly and applause erupted before hushing so not to abolish the melody persuading their spirits into lighter memories of sunny days and tender times.

    The body swayed easily with the pull of flooding emotion emitting from the shadow cast through the daunting lights baring down on him. The violin throwing out quick slices of blissful, lively, jubilant, laughing notes. Before the lighting shifted to deep hues of violet and navy. The music quieting gently into a more relaxed, tranquil strain until finally coming to a halt. A moment of sheer awe spent in splendorous silence before hands erupted in a clapping sensation across the music hall. Violin fell to the man’s side before body dipped in a bow and he took his leave to allow the final performance to take their stand on the stage.

    Kazuki came out of his memorable day dream to glance over at his long time lover and best friend of far longer than a decade. The twenty eight year old violinist’s eyes shone with prevalent adoration. Lifting a hand off of the steering wheel, he reached over to stroke his knuckles down the other’s cheek with a soft smile. “Thank you for coming…” He muttered before puckering his lips and blowing a kiss in Emrys' direction before returning to focus on the road.

    Kazuki would do anything for Emrys, and he knew that the blond would do anything for him in return. They held no secrets from each other and lived to make the other happy. It had always been that way since they were but elementary aged children sharing ice cream on the play ground at recess. Swallowing thickly, he let silence succumb them, knowing that it would be more than dangerous with how tired they were to go about chattering when snow was falling so heavily on the highway.

    Windshield wipers were working furiously to keep the flakes of fluffy white from piling up and ruining Kazuki’s view of the road, but even their attempt was lackluster at best. Leaning forward, he raised a fist in attempts to pound a bit of the ice that had formed on their drive away before kicking up the defrost higher. Blinking, he raised a hand to his mouth to stifle a soft yawn.

    What happened next, the musician would never be sure of.

    He was told when he had finally awoken that he had hit black ice and spun out of control before being blind sided by a pick up truck going well over the speed limit. That he was lucky to be alive and in such good condition. That he was lucky he hadn’t been the one who died…. That he should be grateful that God saw fit to let him survive and take the life of the one person he had spent his entire life with.

    The Japanese native was at a loss as he spent the next few months wandering London’s snow ridden side walks. Unable to pick up his instrument because every time he did he ended up playing Emrys' favorite song. He was lost within himself. Desperate for answers. He tried everything he could think of. He prayed nightly, attended church like his mother had tried to talk him into when he was a child, attempted to Wicca practices of spell casting… anything he could possibly do to find reasoning behind his lover’s untimely death. Had he done something so terrible to have his soul mate ripped away from him? Should he repent for something? What had been his sin? Was he so full of pride from his craft that God decided to strike down the one important factor in his life for punishment?

    Hands shoved into pockets as head hung low. Feet dragging down the dank and lifeless streets of London before a chill wind brushed against high cheek bones, skin an ultimately pale shade compared to the olive complexion it had once held. Eyes sunken in and dark from too many sleepless nights spent tossing and turning, sobs mingling with screams of exasperation out of sheer hatred for the world. Lifeless eyes lifted to a neon sign blinking in a broken down shop.

    Psychic readings, Tarot services, Contact a lost loved one, learn your future…

    Kazuki’s eyes burned holes in that sign for a straight five minutes before he finally sighed. One last try for redemption and then he’d give up… Pushing the door open, a dingle of bells was heard and he couldn’t help but notice the heavy incense permeating the air. He was greeted by an over-enthusiastic woman wearing a bright scarlet shawl and far too many beaded necklaces. Words and money was exchanged before he found himself being ushered into a nearly empty room. Being set down at a round table with what could only be a crystal ball in the center, he watched as the woman lit candles and took his hands.

    “Say his name, dear… I’ll attempt to make contact. Grip onto every emotion he ever pulled out of you and think clearly of him…” The woman instructed.

    Kazuki nodded and closed his eyes. Every possible feeling he could obtain flooding him and making him overwhelmed as he muttered, “Emrys Vargas…” The name choked out as he was swept up in the torrent of emotions. Praying and pleading to any deity he could that this might possibly work and finally allow him the peace he craved for so dearly.

    Of course, Kazuki was ultimately skeptical of the entire situation. His every nerve of reason screaming at him to stop putting himself through hell. Pleading with him to get up and leave. This lady had to be a scam artist. You can’t contact the dead. The dead are dead and that’s all they’d ever be. There wasn’t such a thing as mystics and people who can contact someone in the afterlife… if there even is an after life. But -oh- how Kazuki hoped that there was. That there was a heaven that Emrys would go to and be happy for an eternity in. With lots of puzzles for his quick and clever mind to solve and chocolates and velvet and… just lovely things.

    “K-Kazuki…? It’s you? It’s actually you, Kazuki…?

    The Asian’s eyes were closed tightly before he heard his name being stated. He… hadn’t told the woman his name… Brows came together and lips parted in wonder as he looked up from the connected hands to look into the stranger’s eyes. It sounded and looked like the psychic… but clamed to be Emrys.

    “Look, I don’t really know how I’m here talking to you and I don’t know how long I have until I have to leave again, but I want you to know that I still love you, Kazuki.” Tears slid from the woman’s eyes, tears that Kazuki knew to belong to his lost love. “Look, you can’t keep dwelling on my death and I know you are. None of it was your fault, these things happen. What I want you to do is go out and find someone who can make you happy as happy as you’ve made me after all this time. I still love above all else, and if I could come back from the dead to be with you again, I would, but I can’t. I only want you to be happy again, Kazu please, at least do this one thing I ask of you. Find someone again that can make you happy and I’ll be happy wherever it is that I have to stay just knowing that you’re not alone and not depressed over me anymore…”

    The touch to his cheek was gentle, calming… the hand cradling his face in the same way that Emrys would. There was no doubt about it… The psychic was real, and he was being spoken to by his long since passed lover. It pulled deeply at his heart, wringing his emotions all together and flooding his soul as he listened to the words. Move on? How could he ever move on? Emrys had been the only love he’d ever known and he would never be able to replace him. Who would be able to hold him like that ever again? Who could kiss him so softly, make him laugh at the most inappropriate of times, make him cry over the simplest of things? No one… because there would never be another Emrys.

    The body leaned forward, pressing a chaste kiss upon Kazuki’s cheek

    Kazuki’s breath caught when the kiss was pressed against his cheek before the woman slumped forward. Eyes widened in semi-horror. He’d not been able to say one thing to his lover. He hadn’t been able to confess anything. Form shaking slightly, he grabbed onto the revived woman’s shoulders. “Bring him back!” He demanded, voice a low husk as he shook her in half violence. He kept repeating the command until he crumpled into a weeping mass upon the floor. The psychic hushed him and calmed him before announcing that she couldn’t make contact with his spirit again. That he was beyond her reaches now.

    As the days passed, Kazuki realized that by speaking, or being spoken to, with his dead lover didn’t answer any questions at all. It merely begged for him to ask more. It did give him a reason for living, though. He knew that spirits existed now. That they were able to be manipulated, spoken to, and revived… So he poured himself into every library he could find. Scouring the internet for information until he discovered the lost art of necromancy.

    The determined man spent days upon weeks upon months learning everything about the magical art as he could. Speaking with as many people he could who had first hand knowledge of the dark practice. He spent unexplainable amounts of time locking himself up in the basement with corpses of animals. Working at resurrecting the bodies with unyielding prowess. Until, finally, one day he managed to get a small tabby cat to climb to it’s feet and actually live again. That distinct moment sent thrills reeling through the crazed man. If he could get a feline to live… well… then surely he held the power to bring back his lost love, right?

    Necromancy wasn’t so very different from Alchemy. Few rules were instilled, but… the loss was well worth the gain. To everything that is to be gained, something of equal or greater value must be lost. All he wanted back was Emrys’ soul… so he must give up someone else’s.

    Kazuki spent the following weeks prowling clubs and dating, trying to find someone who looked almost exactly like his lost lover. He finally came upon a blond man who could have been the other’s twin if not for the southern American accent he held. So Kazuki wooed the man, won his affection, and tricked him into coming down to the basement with him. Having the set up ready, he tied the other up before going about the motions of trading souls. He set the writhing body in the center of the methodically drawn baphomet, thick text stretched out in a hand as his powerful voice chanted out the appropriate words.

    Raising an ornate dagger, he sliced across his forearm and stepped forward to let the crimson drip over the bound figure, his psyche drawing on near mania as he felt the familiar swarm of power envelope him. This was larger and far more intimidating than when he had drawn that cat from the afterlife. This was dangerous and… exciting.

    It all happened in moments. A bright surge of light, a blood curdling scream, and then… silence.

    Kazuki picked himself up from where he had been launched against a wall, wondering eyes peering at the unbound form laying on the ground. The baphomet had disappeared throughout the transaction, obliterating any connection to the afterlife. His lower lip trembled as he touched his forearm, the wound gone before glancing around the basement. All evidence of his madness was gone. From the instruments of his learned art to the mutilated bodies of animals he had experimented on. The area looked like any average basement once more.

    Stepping closer to the still body, he laid a hand on the shoulder before whispering a gentle, “Emrys…?” His voice soft and breathy; convoluted entirely with hope and awe.





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