Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Kyo Kara Maoh, this is purely fan-made.

Epilogue: A Brilliant New Dawn

(A New Day Has Come by Celine Dion)

A new day

A new day

I was waiting for so long

For a miracle to come.

Everyone told me to me to be strong

Hold on, and don't shed a tear.

Through the darkness and good times

I knew I'd make it through.

And the world thought I had it all

But I was waiting for you.

Hush now

I see a light in the sky

Oh, its almost blinding me

I can't believe

I've been touched by an angel with love.

Let the rain come down and wash

Away my tears.

Let it fill my soul and drown my fears.

Let it shatter the walls for a new sun.

A new day has come.

Where it was dark now there's light.

Where there was pain now there's joy.

Where there was weakness, I found my strength

All in the eyes of a boy.

Hush now

I see a light in the sky

Oh, its almost blinding me

I can't believe

I've been touched by an angel with love.

Let the rain come down and wash

Away my tears.

Let it fill my soul and drown my fears.

Let it shatter the walls for a new sun.

A new day has...

Let the rain come down and wash

Away my tears.

Let it fill my soul and drown my fears.

Let it shatter the walls for a new sun.

A new day has come.

Ohh, a light.

Hush now

I see a light in your eyes

All in the eyes of a boy.

A new day...

I can't believe

I've been touched by an angel with love.

I can't believe

I've been touched by an angel with love.

A new day...

Hush now..

A new day...

Hush now...

A new day...

Again, it turns out that I was unconscious during almost the entire trip back home. And this time, no one dared to leave my side even for a second. Especially Wolfram, who as I learned later on much to my embarrassment, had been cuddled up right next to me while I slept on the ship back to the Great Demon Kingdom.

And surprisingly, he didn't even get seasick at all because he must have been just that worried about me. I guess he had a right to too, since I had developed a pretty bad fever after being exposed to all that rain while my immune system was weak after using up all that magic...

As for the man who kidnapped me, it turns out that he had been killed when the floor gave out beneath him and his body had been discovered by Gwendal along with several others who had fallen with him. A few of them had survived, but at least two others had died later on to on account of their serious injuries. He had died instantly when his back broke from the fall.

Also, the other King we had saved had returned safely to his son's side in his own Kingdom and vowed to repay us for our kindness along with promising not to let anyone know about my amnesia. Because no one knew yet that I had regained my memories, not even Conrad...

After I had told him to call me by my name, Conrad had assumed that I only remembered about him and nothing else. I couldn't wait to let them know that I knew who I was again and that I wasn't in any pain anymore. That horrible pressure on my chest had been lifted and if I hadn't been so sick, I would have felt like dancing.

I felt so light and invigorated!

Everything seemed brighter and richer and the most alive as it had ever been. Even while I was confined to my stationary bed, I smiled as I looked out the window to see the gulls flying beside us and watch as the waves brushed against the prow of the ship. And I wished that I could go out there and just spread my arms and taste the salty spray of the wind. I just wanted to do anything instead of sitting there like a log when I felt so energetic.

Well, most of the time anyway when my fever didn't make me sleepy...

Luckily my fever broke the night that we docked at the port back home and I was able to walk out of the ship with confidence in myself. The others noticed it too but weren't sure how to respond to it. After all, they didn't want to risk reminding me of how much I still had left to remember. But again, that's only because they didn't know yet that I had regained all of my memories again.

Later that night once I got another complete check up from Geisila, I told them all about what had happened to me and about the 'Demon's Bane' drug that they had used on me. Which thankfully, only that guy knew how to harvest and never did pass on the secret before passing away in that tower of his. I still felt guilty that he had died like that but there was no helping it, he had made his choice and there was nothing I could do about it.

"I'm just so glad that you're alright Yu-chan!" Shori cried out, hugging me tightly, "I swear, I'm never letting you out of my sight ever EVER again!"

Grimacing at the mere thought of it, I shoved him away and groaned, "You can't possibly watch me all the time Shori, you have a life too you know."

Flinching because of the guilt he felt from my comment, Shori finally let go of me and said more reasonably, "I know that. Still Yuri, I was scared out of my mind when you fell. I thought I was about to lose you all over again and I couldn't bear it. What was I going to tell mom and dad if you died here? How was I going to forgive myself for not being able to protect you?"

"Shori..." I whispered, smiling up at him before looking back at the others and saying, "There's no way I would ever let that happen. I still have so much that I want to do, and to see, and to be. And up until now I haven't been able to really appreciate how far I've come-"

Confused by my response, Wolfram asked unsurely, "Yuri, you can't mean that...!"

Smiling even wider I said, "Come on, there's something I want you guys to see."

And without another word, I walked out of the door and made my way to the highest part of the castle and the rest of them followed me with puzzled expressions. They thought that I was acting very strangely and they even seemed a little scared. All of them were, except for Conrad, who was hoping beyond hope that the impression he was getting was right. Hoping that what he felt when I whispered his name before was genuine.

A thin strand of golden sunlight began to form a halo along the horizon when we finally made it all the way to the top. The sky above us was now colored a rich and subtle sapphire with a hint of morning light bleeding into the blue as the sun rose higher and higher. And this...is exactly what I wanted.

No one spoke as I strode over to the edge and the wind tossed my black hair gently across my face, tickling my nose. I even laughed a bit before tilting my head back at them and telling them, "The whole time I was trapped in that tower I believed that everyone would come for me. I didn't need memories to know that because what we've been to each other goes way beyond that. And this whole time I've been trying to remember who I was only because I was scared that who I was becoming wasn't the person that you guys care so much about. But it doesn't matter anymore-"

Concerned, Gwendal inched towards me and asked, "Why doesn't it matter? I thought that you wanted to keep trying to remember no matter how long it took."

Returning my attention to the reddening sky I replied, "I decided that memories are only as precious as we make them out to be. And I was getting so caught up in what I lost that I didn't realize what I still had, all of you."

"Oh Yuri..." Wolfram sniffed, tearing up a bit as I continued-

"All I really need to be happy isn't memories, it's the people I make my memories with. You guys helped me remember lots of things simply by being with me and supporting me. That's all I ever really needed. Or at least it was," I said just as the tip of the sun finally broke through the last remnants of night that clung to the sky and turning around to face them with a smile equally as bright as the rising sun, I finally told them, "There was one thing that I lost in my accident that I never really realized how important it was until I forgot it. My name, because it was the key to everything that I've become and who I am today. And the person who gave me this name is the reason that I'm here and that I got to meet everyone. Without him, there never would have been a 'Yuri Shibuya' in the first place..."

Gasping in awe as the brilliant sunlight flooded the entire Kingdom and shone brightly behind where I stood, they realized what I was trying to tell them. And of course, everyone reacted exactly as I knew they would...

Gunter began sobbing happily with joy and praising me with a long string of carefully picked words; Gwendal simply crossed his arms and graced me with his rarest and most sincere smile; Wolfram was a bit slow at first but once he realized it, his eyes filled with joy and he began scolding me for not remembering sooner; and my dear little Gretta, who had followed us up, clung to me tightly and buried herself in my shirt.

As for Conrad, a look passed between us that I will never forget...

I had never seen them so full of love and admiration as I did that day. We understood each other in ways that no one else here could understand. Conrad really was like a second father to me but also something else, something more. And I'll never be quite sure what because it's hard to describe apart from being comrades like he and Miss Julia had been. Two people that knew each other inside and out without really trying because they cared for each other as much as any two people could.

Grinning from ear to ear once the sun had fully risen, I laughed happily and smiled brightly as I said, "It's a new day, so from this day forward, let's make lots of memories. Because no matter what happens, we'll always have another day and another sunrise. We can't relive any of them, but as long as we're together we can always look forward to the next one, right?"

Note: I usually put the note at the top of a new chapter but since this is the end of this story I wanted to conclude it with a message for my readers. I know I have this bad habit of starting a story and not finishing it but when I'm keeping a promise to someone it makes doing things a bit more worthwhile for me because I know that what I'm doing means something. I know that this is only a fan fiction but writing stories is something that I love to do. And I know that there are stories of mine that don't exactly make the same impact that this one and 'The Ice King' has, however, I'll continue to write them and try to discover what it is about them that touches you-my readers and fellow story writers. Sorry for being all mushy like this but I just wanted to say that before the end of this great year which has been full of changes in my life that have made me ask myself the real reason why I do what I do and what I want to become. So again, have a Happy New Year everyone!

P.S. As I said in the previous chapter, I am open to ideas for future projects and if anyone wants to write a story together with me for KKM I'd love to try it! If not, then at least offer me any suggestions you can come up with.