Atomu yelped loudly as a root caught his foot, making him stumble and fall onto his injured side and sending a shockwave of pain throughout his body. Clenching his teeth, he pressed one hand against the wound to try and reduce the bleeding and used the other to try and push himself up, but another sharp sting from the wound returned him to his knees, heavy pants escaping his lips and sweat dripping from his brow as his body trembled. Raising his free hand, he tried to focus his fuzzy mind and summon forth a stone large and sturdy enough to lift him to his feet, but after a few minutes of no success, he gave up and slumped against the base of a nearby tree. Fixing his eyes above on what little sky he could see through the trees, he allowed his thoughts to drift aimlessly while his heartbeat thundered ominously in his ears. One after another, the faces of Nanami, Sakura, Kurama, his father, and his others friends all flashed across his mind before vanishing back into the dark depths of memory, taking with them the warm, cozy sensation they possessed and leaving him feeling even colder and more alone than before.

Sighing, Atomu rested his head against the trunk of the tree behind him and closed his eyes, knowing full well that they might not open again. Swallowing the ball of nerves in his throat, he focused on the sounds of the forest around him, the rustle of the leaves, the soft whisper of the wind, the chirping of the crickets that had somehow remained alive in the fray, all of which he found to be quite soothing for his troubled mind. If he imagined hard enough, he could almost pretend he was back in the courtyards of his father's palace in the mountains, running around barefooted in the cool embrace of the night as his father watched and Sakura sulked on the porch, annoyed that she had been dragged out into the cold against her will. The thought of such times brought the faintest of smiles to the demigod's lips, causing a fragment of peace to blossom in his chest as he laid there in the grass, not knowing whether he would live or die.

"I'm sorry, Father. It seems I could not avenge you after all. I guess it was naive of me to think I would be able to take down the one even you with all your power and wisdom could not stop. I'm sorry I couldn't do anything; I have failed you. If she survives, I wish for Sakura to not spend the rest of her life in revenge's shadow but to be happy and focus on living. I-"

"What the heck are you doing? Reciting your will?"

Atomu jumped slightly as his eyes flew open to behold Ayano towering above him, arms folded over her chest and brows scrunched together into a look of confusion. A blush rose to the demigod's cheeks as he realized that in his moment of weariness, he must have accidentally mumbled his thoughts aloud, and he bashfully looked away from Ayano in attempt to hide his embarrassment. Recognizing that she wasn't going to get an answer from him, Ayano permitted her eyes to drift back to Atomu's side, her nose crinkling up ever so slightly as the scent of blood continued to invade her nose.

"Where's Hirito?" She asked coldly.

Glancing back up at her, Atomu weakly lifted his arm and pointed in the direction from which he had come, his other hand clamped on his side. After a few seconds, the appendage limply dropped back onto the the ground as a new wave of sweat coated the demigod's brow and another shaky huff left his lips. Spinning on her heels, the chameleon, having gained the information she desired, prepared to run off, but when she tried to move, she found her feet remained firmly planted where they were. Confused, she shook herself then tried again, but she was once more held back by some invisible force she hadn't felt in a long time. Sighing loudly, she turned back around and squatted down till she was eye to eye with Atomu, her tail coiling around her feet.

"Can you walk?" she asked.

Atomu shook his head, causing Ayano to groan.

"Can you move?"

Another no. Pressing her lips together into a flat line, Ayano lowered herself even closer to the ground and turned so her back was to the demigod. Realizing her intentions, Atomu allowed his body to fall forward and sloppily draped his arms around the woman's neck while she grabbed his legs and hoisted him onto her back. After wrapping her tail around them both as an extra precaution, Ayano rose with some difficulty and ventured back the way she had come though not without casting a longing glance in the direction Atomu had pointed.

"Those foxes better not mess up." she grunted to herself before shifting her gaze to the road before her and picking up her speed, Atomu's moans of discomfort ringing in her ears with each step.

————————————

"Sakura, watch your left!"

Sakura immediately sprang back to avoid Hirito's skilled swipe at her side, unintentionally colliding with Tomoe in the process.

"Sorry!" She squeaked.

"It's fine! Dive!"

The two foxes leaped apart as Hirito swung at them again, Sakura hurling a ball of fire at him while Tomoe attempt to kick his legs out from under him. This had to do some damage; in order to dodge one he would have to hit the other head on. However, to the duo's shock, Hirito sprang into the air and contorted his body in such a way that it would've made an Olympic gold medal gymnast jealous, dodging both attacks with ease while also hurling a handful of throwing knifes he had stashed up his sleeve. The two foxes immediately hit the ground, though one knife managed to just graze Sakura's cheek while another nicked Tomoe's left ear, and once the air was clear, they sprang back several feet and positioned themselves into a defensive stance, panting tiredly.

"His injuries aren't slowing him down, that's for sure. We need a plan." Tomoe stated, his eyes fixed unwaveringly on the peacock as he made slow, mocking struts toward them.

"I suspect the boy is close to dead by about now. What do you think, Sakura?" Hirito sneered, all the while tauntingly tossing the handle of his sword back and forth between his hands.

Sakura released an inhuman growl that seemed to each from the deepest caverns of her chest, but before she could launch herself at the peacock, Tomoe threw his arm in front of her.

"Don't." He warned. "He's trying to get under your skin and make you lose your composure. Only a fool rushes blindly into battle."

Sakura grumbled under her breath in protest but she remained where she was, eying Hirito warily. Chuckling, the peacock lunged forward, blade aimed at Tomoe's chest, but the white fox quickly snatched up one of the discarded throwing knives and held it up, the two blades meeting with a loud clang. Before her mind could even register what she was doing, Sakura suddenly jumped up and, using Tomoe's back like a springboard, leaped over her companion's head before delivering a sharp kick directly to Hirito's jaw. As the peacock stumbled, he left himself exposed long enough for Sakura to hurl a decent sized fireball at his back before glancing over her shoulder to she Tomoe staring at her with a look of shock along with a hint of pride. However, the moment was short lived as Hirito rolled and slammed his foot against the side of Sakura's knee, the crunch of breaking bone echoing through the air. Sakura shrieked loudly as he fell to her knees, her hands tightly clasping her injured leg Hirito scrambled to his feet. Clenching her teeth, she rolled out of the way as the peacock swiped at her again but screamed again as her knee hit the dirt ground, sending waves of pain shooting up her leg. Reacting quickly, Tomoe unleashed a wave of flames in Hirito's direction to distract him before scrambling over to Sakura and scooping her into his arms, springing up into a nearby tree and setting her down while she sank her teeth into her trembling bottom lip.

"It hurts. Dirty peacock." She whimpered between strained pants, her eyes squeezing shut as she tried not to cry.

Tomoe's lips curved into a worried frown as he examined her pained expression. Glancing down at her skirt, he ever so gently slid his hand beneath her leg and attempted to move it, but the shrill yelp that rang in his ears told him he wasn't gentle enough.

"You cannot fight like this. You will have to stay up here and out of the way now." He concluded as he rose to his feet.

"What?! No way! This is my fight, Tomoe! I have to finish what he and Atomu started! I have to-" Sakura tried to protested but Tomke quickly cut her off.

"What you have to do is stay alive to honor their sacrifices! Now stay up here where it's safe and I'll get you once this is all over!" He snapped.

Sakura's determined expression began to melt away when she realized Tomoe was being quite serious, leaving her looking quite disappointed and upset. Feeling a little guilty, Tomoe knelt back down and gently caressed her cheek.

"What's the matter?" He asked softly.

"I can't do anything. I worked so hard for this moment and now I can't even finish the fight. I'm still just as pathetic and incompetent as when we met. I haven't grown at all." She mumbled under her breath, a single tear slipping down her cheek as she spoke.

"Nonsense. You've grown a lot since our first encounter. I of all people should know." Tomoe retorted.

"It still wasn't enough though."

Tomoe's eyes softened with understanding as he gently brushed away the tear and pressed his fingers against the bottom of Sakura's chin, forcing her to look at him. "The change you speak of takes much time. You will get there eventually."

"But that doesn't help me now! I have to beat Hirito!"

"Why? To finally feel like you've done something worthwhile, something that would make your father proud of you?"

Sakura immediately drew deathly quiet before answering in a soft whisper. "Maybe."

"You realize he would already be proud of you without you killing Hirito, don't you?"

"What else is there to be proud of exactly?"

"How much you've grown already? How you decided to swallow your own pride and instead sacrifice things for the sake of being able to take care of your brother? How you did what you could to try and honor the promise you made to him?"

"But...But I failed....and Atomu got hurt...."

"But he's still alive, isn't he?"

Sakura nodded slowly.

"Then you've done your job and kept your promise. Now stay up here where it's safe while I finish this so you can live and continue to keep that promise." Tomoe cooed, placing a gentle kiss on Sakura's ear before gracefully descending back to the ground where Hirito was waiting for him. As the clanging of their blades filled the air once more, Sakura lifted her eyes to look up at the sky above her, but to her dismay, the leaves of the tree were blocking her way. However, as she looked closer, she realized she recognized the leaves.

"Are those...they are! That means this wood-"

A light bulb immediately went of in Sakura's brain, causing a smile to grace her lips. She would stay put like Tomoe wanted but she wasn't about to stop fighting.

Meanwhile, Tomoe spun out of the path of Hirito's blade and hurled a large ring of fire at him. The peacock sliced through the ring with ease and charged the fox once more, but at the last minute, he changed directions and veered off course, heading for a tree trunk instead. Pressing his feet against the wood, he sprang into the air above Tomoe's head and swipe at his back, leaving a large cut. Tomoe howled loudly and spun around to slash and the peacock with his claws, managing to cut three jagged lines across his collarbone. Hirito smirked.

"Not bad, but not good enough. You are a far more disappointing opponent than I had hoped, fox." he purred.

"If that's the case then how come you haven't beaten me yet, your lordship?" Tomoe spat back before swiping at him again. Hirito, however, anticipated his move and ducked before slashing at Tomoe's stomach followed by attacking his legs. Falling on his front, Tomoe turned around only to find Hirito's blade at his throat.

"You are quite rusty. You've been out of practice for far too long to even stand in the shadow of my skill. Do not worry, though. You fought well enough that I will honor you sending your body to be properly buried after I have taken your head and robes as a trophy." The peacock crowed smugly as he raised his blade to make the final swing. However, just as his sword was about to descend, a loud explosion resounded through the air as something hit the ground near Hirito's feet followed by plumes of foul-smelling smoke, blanketing both of the warriors in darkness till they could barely see their own hands in front of them.

"Tomoe! Do it now!" Sakura's voice shouted from nearby.

Tomoe didn't need to be told twice. Using the smokescreen as cover, he rolled out from under Hirito and sprang to his feet, his ears swiveling this way and that as he listened carefully. Hearing the peacock's muffled coughing, he sprang forward and made a wild grab for the first thing he could reach, which fortunately was the peacock's sword. Wrenching the blade out of his grasp, he spun it around and ran it through his opponent's chest in one fluid motion, not so much as batting an eyelash as Hirito's expression changed from a look of shock to horror and finally defeat.

"Seems she was good for something after all. You foxes would be nothing with your tricks." he spat coldly.

Tomoe's eyes narrowed and he briskly ripped the sword free from the bird's flesh before pushing him to the ground. Sliding the blade into his own belt, he turned around and crossed the clearing as the smoke started to clear. As he met Sakura's gaze from above, he saw a look of relief flood her face but it was quickly chased away.

"Tomoe, behind-!"

With one swift strike, Tomoe tore his nails through Hirito's windpipe as the bird tried to attack him from behind. The bird's eyes immediately glossed over as he tumbled to the ground in a limp heap, his blood staining the dirt. Grimacing as the blood on his hands, Tomoe casually wiped it off on the corpse's clothes before springing back into the tree, where Sakura eagerly waited. As soon as he was in reach, she threw her arms around his neck and squeezed tightly, her head resting on his shoulder.

"It's over....We won...."

"How did you do that? What even was that?" Tomoe asked her as he pulled her into his lap.

"A smoke bomb. I used to make them from the wood of trees like this one when I was surviving on my own." Sakura smiled, a faint blush dusting her cheeks.

"Is that so? How did you know this was the right tree?"

"The leaves. I got pretty good at distinguishing what plants were what when living on my own, though I'm somewhat rusty now-Why are you looking at me like that?"

Tomoe's lips had curved into a broad grin as he had listened to her ramble, his eyes sparkling with the light of adoration. "That seems pretty competent to me."

"Whatever. I still have a lot to learn." Sakura stated, rolling her eyes as her blush darkened. "We should get back to the others and see if they need help picking off Hirito's remaining troops, though they will probably disperse rather quickly once they learn of their leader's death."

"You are in no condition to fight." Tomoe protested.

"Maybe not but using the rest of the wood I harvested, I should be able to at least provide some distractions so long as someone gives me a ride." Sakura interjected, a smug expression on her face.

Now it was Tomoe's turn to roll his eyes. "Stubborn woman. Very well, but if you even feel slightly worn out, you are to stop fighting immediately and get someplace safe, you understand?"

Sakura nodded and wrapped her arms tighter around Tomoe's neck as he picked her up. As he carried her off into the night sky, she found herself looking back at the ground below where Hirito's body lay, the ravens already swarming his corpse and pecking hungrily at his flesh. It was a strange sight for her, not because she was a stranger to death but rather because she had become so used to being hunted and watching her back that the idea of anything else, anything normal, seemed almost alien. As she continued to think about it, a smile graced her lips and she cuddled a little closer to Tomoe's chest, causing him to raise an eyebrow at her.

"What is it?" he asked curiously.

Glancing up at him, Sakura's little smile grew into a full out grin that stretched from ear to ear as she uttered the sweet words she never thought she would hear herself say.

"I'm free, Tomoe. I'm free."