Hello! oxynclaire here! :)

It's my first fanfic and I'm so happy to join this community!

This story is the continuation of the anime episodes 40-41. Maybe you guys can watch them before reading my story. The beginning of the story is taken partly from those episodes, though I changed things here and there.

Well, now please read on! I hope you like this story!

Disclaimer: I don't own Kyou Kara Maou (I wish I do).

Stay Strong

Chapter 1: The Beginning

Dark aura surrounded the figure in black cloth, draped over the entire body. An evil smirk crept up as the crystal ball – the only thing there in the cave, glowed and showed an image of a strange red symbol on someone's body. Starting from the centre of the chest, the marking extended to the abdomen. When some chanting is heard, as soft as it might be, the symbol would glow and it seemed to harm the person possessing it.

"Kukuku... Soon, you and your power shall be mine."

"Just wait patiently for me..."

Finally, yes finally, Yuuri would get the answer to the questions that had been bugging his mind. All those sleepless nights of finding the reason why his most trusted person betrayed him would come to an end today. Well, of course he did not find his godfather in the best condition; but that was enough for him. As long as he could talk to him, hear his reassuring pledge of loyalty, and feel that he was safe beside him, that was enough.

"Conrad, this time... you will surely come back, right? To Shin Makoku..." Yuuri said hopefully.

"I can't do that," that was the short reply from Conrart who was lying on his back, energy drained by injuries from Dai Shimaron's arrows.

"Huh?" Yuuri stared wide-eyed at Conrart.

Returning Yuuri's gaze, Conrart looked into Yuuri's eyes with a deep regret, "Not after betraying you, Heika."

"Huh? But no one is going to hold back against you!" Yuuri cut short.

"I'm afraid that I haven't fully completed the task given by Shinou-heika," Conrart continued, directing his brown eyes to the sky above. Ah, this would be a wonderful sunset if only they were here for picnic or some joyful moment.

"Is that why? Is that why you betrayed me, Conrad? That's it, isn't it? Conrad...?" Yuuri could not stop asking. This was the time that he had been longing for days, the day when he could finally go home to Shin Makoku with his loyal protector; no, Conrart is his family whom he truly cares for. So why did all these obstacles still exist and try to prevent his desired reunion with Conrart?

"Besides that... I'm... already..." two lids dropped, covering the kind eyes that Yuuri loves as Conrart's words left his mouth.

"Uh..." Wolfram could only gasp as he witnessed his brother gave in to exhaustion.

"No, don't! You can't die now, you just can't!" Lady Lyla started "Yuuri wants to bring peace into this world! If you really trust him, then isn't it your duty to stay beside him and see all that come into reality?"

"You said it yourself that protecting Yuuri was..."

Voices faded into nothingness and Yuuri's vision was enshrouded with a familiar blue glow. He extended his hand over Conrart's chest, rising and falling slowly as Conrart's breath steadied. Yuuri's palm emitted the blue maryoku and it shone brighter and brighter.

'A bit more. Just a little bit longer until all those wounds are completely healed,' Yuuri spoke to his mind as he kept on giving out his maryoku to make sure that Conrart's life would not be in danger. 'Please hold on, you need to save him now.'

Yuuri started to feel the world spun around him and his head was getting heavier as time passed by. He did not hear anything, did not feel anything as his body swayed, though he was kneeling and using one hand to anchor him to the ground. All he knew was that a single tear rolled down on Conrart's cheek before everything was pitch-black.

'Uhm, warm and soft...' that was the first thing that came into Yuuri's mind as he felt his consciousness coming back. His whole body seemed to be so stiff. He could barely move his limbs, let alone sitting up on likely a bed he was lying on.

'Well, first step is open your eyes.' Yuuri's eyes fluttered for a moment before he could fully open them. 'Green blanket, white bed, a fireplace...' Yuuri took note of the details of his surrounding and even though he felt very weak, he could immediately recognise that this was not Blood Pledge Castle.

A flash of memory came into Yuuri's mind where Conrart was averting his eyes from Yuuri. Realisation dawned on him that Conrart's life might be on the line as he slept peacefully on this so comfortable bed. Without further ado, Yuuri mustered his strength and pushed the blanket aside, getting down from the bed.

He almost stumbled a few times as he ploughed on crossing the large room he was in, towards the silver door at the other end of the room. Opening the door, he hit a sturdy figure wearing all green attire.

"What are you doing? You should be on your bed," Gwendal said with his usual monotonous voice, walking forward and forcing Yuuri to step back into the room.

"There's no time for that now! Where's Conrad? Is he okay? I want to see him now," Yuuri responded. He could not understand better, why do people seem to be bothered only about him when there is another person dying near them?

Upon getting no answer, Yuuri continued to push on, "What's wrong? Don't tell me he's in danger now. Where is he? He..."

"He's well alive in this castle," Gwendal spoke before Yuuri finished his sentence. At least Gwendal hoped this might relax his little Maou.

"Is that so? I'm glad then," a sense of relief filled Yuuri's chest when he heard Gwendal's answer, "I was so worried..."

"Heika!"

"Yuuri!"

The two protective men quickly got to Yuuri's side and grabbed his arms to balance him before he fell down as the light-headedness returned to him.

"Heika, please get back and rest. It must be so exhausting for you to use a large amount of maryoku in unfamiliar territory," Gunter tried to persuade his ever-persistent Maou.

"It's okay. I'm alright. Anyway, where's Conrad? Who's taking care of him now? Was he really badly hurt?" a train of questions was directed towards whoever has the answers for them.

"Shibuya..." Murata mumbled and Wolfram glanced at him. Both of them knew that the likelihood was that Yuuri did not remember what he had done while he was in the Maou form.

Gunter then explained to Yuuri how Conrart was kept in the separate part of the castle, to which Yuuri demanded the reason for putting Conrart under such a tight guard, as if Conrart was a world-class criminal under a death penalty. Gwendal's remark did not help either. None of the explanations deterred Yuuri from going out to see Conrart for himself. Only when Lady Lyla came into the room and assured Yuuri that such act was done for Conrart's safety as well did he calm down.

Moreover, now that Francia has agreed to ally with Shin Makoku, Yuuri must deal with his duty as a Maou. Well, at least now that Yuuri knew that this was one of the biggest alliances with a human country, one which no demons had ever thought about, he could focus on making his dream into reality – peace in the whole world.

The formality had gone smoothly and at night, Yuuri strolled down the garden with Murata and Wolfram. They were discussing about what would happen to Conrart until Murata muttered something unrelated to their current conversation and Yozak appeared before them.

Yozak informed the three that Conrart had run away from the castle. All Yuuri believed was that Conrart was going to return to Shin Makoku with him and he could not take any more of this separation. All he wanted was Conrart by his side. Just that. He did not mind about Conrart's betrayal. After all, he had already forgiven him and nothing would make him take back his words.

Upon finding Conrart in the forest, Yuuri figured out the reason behind Conrart's persistence of leaving Yuuri. Yuuri refused to let Conrart go and still asked him to come back with him. So did the rest of the people who were with them.

Soon after, Francia soldiers led by Lady Lyla arrived under King Antoine's command. Francia decided that Conrart was exiled from the country. Although exile sounded harsh, it indeed gave benefit to everyone, including Yuuri and Conrart. Conrart would not be put under Francia's arrest and he could finally go home to Shin Makoku with Yuuri as what he had promised his godson.

Just when some problems got resolved, another one of them appeared. White-hot pain suddenly seared through Yuuri's gut, reaching out to his chest. Yuuri gasped and clutched his body. He could not even mutter a single word as his knees buckled. Blurred images and his world ended in darkness. Again.

"Yuuri!" Wolfram shouted when he saw his fiancé suddenly went limp. Good thing he was standing near Yuuri that he could catch Yuuri before that seemingly fragile body hit the ground hard.

"Are you okay?!" Wolfram shook the motionless Maou in his hands. He realised that Yuuri's face signified an extreme pain. Just in a blink of an eye, suddenly Yuuri's temperature shot up and all the healthiness was drained from him together with the colours on his face.

Everyone surrounded the now unconscious Maou and they quickly got themselves each a horse to bring him back to the castle as soon as possible to tend him. Things turned in the most unexpected way and all they could hope was that Yuuri's life would not be at risk.

Well, that's chapter 1 for you! I'm sorry if you might not get a clear idea of where this story is gonna be. But I promise you that starting from the next chapter, you will be able to sort of guess what's on my mind.

Please review too! I would gladly accept any comments and suggestions! Hehe newbie needs some advice for improvements!

Oh and is the length of the chapter too short? I read a lot of fanfictions, but I can't really gauge the just nice length for y'all. So yeah, you can tell me what you prefer.

Until next time! ;)