The Arena was suddenly quiet; more silent that it had probably been for a long time, if ever. The audience which usually cheered for the fighters and gave its acclamation to the winner of a fight was dead silent, and for a moment, it seemed like time itself had stopped.

The fighters - three of them standing, one lying on the ground - were silent for a moment as well. Finally, the youngest of them glanced at his companions then stepped forward. He knelt by their opponent and took his hand, holding it with both his own.

"...Boomerang..."

The demon was badly wounded, but he still managed to smile to the young Dream Chaser. "Just as I thought, Rudy Roughnight..." His voice was silent and pained but determined. "You were the one... I told you, didn't I? You were the one... My perfect prey..."

The Dream Chaser didn't say anything but just stayed there. Jack and Cecilia stepped closer as well. The blond swordsman took one close look at the demon and shook his head; Cecilia knelt by Rudy and closed her eyes for a moment as she cast a healing spell, but she then stood and shook her head as well. Boomerang looked at them and nodded.

"Don't worry about saving me. It's too late anyway..." he whispered. "You all fought well..."

Cecilia leaned closer and placed his hand on Rudy's shoulder. "Come on, Rudy... Let's get him out of here. There's nothing we can do, but at least we can give him a moment of peace..."

The boy nodded then lifted the dying bounty hunter to his arms. Anyone watching them might have thought it strange for someone of Rudy's age to be able to carry a grown man out of the arena, but Rudy surely had the strength. He carried Boomerang out through the door, leaving the quiet fighting arena behind them. Jack picked up the blade Boomerang had dropped; he and Cecilia followed, but they stayed outside in the corridor as Rudy finally entered a room in the inn and placed the demon on a bed.

"Boomerang?" Rudy whispered the demon's name then carefully removed the bounty hunter's helmet. The demon's dark eyes reflected pain, but he smiled at the young Dream Chaser.

"My death is glorious, my perfect prey," Boomerang said quietly. "No one else could have ever defeated me, but you... I told you when I sneaked into your room that night... I told you that it would be the final battle, and only one of us would live..."

Rudy knelt by the bed and raised his hand to touch the demon's face. He managed to smile a little as well although his smile was sad and almost as pained as Boomerang's. "I didn't want to fight you... and I didn't want to kill you, but..."

"I made you do it, didn't I?" Boomerang almost laughed, but he ended up coughing blood. "I hurt you because I needed you... I needed you to come to me..."

"...To kill you...?"

The bounty hunter closed his eyes. "No. To fulfill my deepest desire. My desire has always been to fight. It's not just about shedding blood or killing... Just to fight till the end. You were the perfect prey, and as I said, you were the only one who could have killed me. You... win, my perfect prey. But I'm not sad... This is how I wanted it to end..."

Rudy leaned closer and pressed his face softly against the demon's shoulder. "I didn't. I didn't want to end it like this. You..." He looked at Boomerang's face then moved his hand to stroke the demon's hair. "You could have come with us. You would've gotten to fight that way too. It didn't have to end like this..."

"I'm afraid it did, my perfect little prey..." Boomerang whispered. He managed to smile slightly again. "It's over for the demons. It's time for humans and Guardians and Elws too, I guess, to live as they should... The time to fight is over, so my time is over as well. But Luceid... lives on..."

The boy sighed. "But still..." He trailed off and just looked at the demon for long moment. Boomerang's breathing was fading; it was obvious the demon wasn't going to last much longer. "...At least tell me..." he continued after a moment. "Why... Why did it have to be me? Yes, I know what you said... But why was I the perfect prey? Is it because I'm a Holmcross? Because we defeated you before? Or..."

A small smirk formed on Boomerang's face as he opened his eyes to look at the young Dream Chaser. "Maybe... a bit of that. A bit of the fact that you and your friends provided me with a real battle, a battle I didn't face often... But it was more the fact that you..."

"I... what?" Rudy asked, looking confused. Boomerang took a moment before continuing. "What?"

"You captured my soul... Your spirit, your hope, and your will to live on, and..." The bounty hunter grinned at the look on the boy's face. He had to stop for a moment again as a few ferocious coughs ripped his crippled body. "...Do you remember... how you called me obsessed?"

Rudy blinked then lowered his gaze. "I... did. That's because you acted obsessed..."

"That's because I... am obsessed," the demon whispered. "I wanted you. And I got what I wanted... last night, and today... I guess my desire has changed since we met... I didn't want to fight just anyone after I met you. I wanted you... and remember, my little prey..."

Rudy almost pulled away when Boomerang suddenly reached up and grasped the boy behind the neck. He drew the Dream Chaser's face close to his and kissed him softly and passionately. Rudy could taste the blood from the demon's lips.

Boomerang broke the kiss a moment later. His arm slipped down, and he felt numb, but he still smiled victoriously when looking at Rudy. "Remember that you were mine. You gave me what I needed... and I was yours in the end. And remember... True desire never dies..."

Rudy sat there holding the demon's hand as Boomerang closed his eyes and just slowly vanished a moment later. The young Dream Chaser couldn't stop tears falling from his eyes even though he didn't want to cry. There was no need to cry.

If there was a desire as strong as Boomerang's, then that desire would be fulfilled.

Author's notes:

The lame ending for the "Perfect Prey" trilogy, obviously. Yeah. Hope you're happy now, NK.

- Lady Harken (October, 2004)