NOTE TO READERS: I am completely open to criticism; I think it helps me grow as a writer, and I can use all the help I can get. I prefer constructive criticism, but I'm all for freedom of speech. However, if there is a pairing or plot point that you don't like, please make sure the review you leave is not a Guest review so that I have a chance to defend/explain myself. I hope you enjoy the story!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. I own my original characters and some parts of the plot. If you want to know who owns what, just ask. It's safer to assume that I own nothing.

Author's Note: New story! I'm keeping the pairing a secret for now, to make it more fun, but I'd love to hear guesses for who you think it'll be! This chapter is short because it's an introduction and a little of a tease, but the next chapter is much longer to make up for it. This chapter just has the OCs in it, just two so please don't worry, but the entire YYH gang is going to be in this story.

Post Date: 23 July 2017

Word Count: 1390

Chapter One
Start The Countdown

2023 June

"We lost," I say and look out over the destruction. Without the blue sky above me, I wouldn't even be able to tell that I'm standing in the Human World. Buildings have been leveled, streets and sidewalks have been completely destroyed, and the air is full of the stench of decay.

"We lost," Takahiro agrees and looks over at me. His glasses were lost a few days ago, so I'm able to look up into eyes darker than my own. His hand reaches over to grab mine and lace our fingers together, and our skin is torn and tacky with drying blood. I tighten my grip as much as I can despite my rapidly fleeing strength and tilt my head back to look up into dull blue eyes. We've been fighting for so long, and I'm so tired.

Something in my chest breaks open, and I quickly look down to see what's ripped into me this time. There's no claws or any other kind of weapon, and my breath stutters as the pain spreads from the X carved into my chest to the rest of my body. My veins are freezing and losing their warmth. My stomach drops and goes cold as what little energy I have left flees, and that's when it really hits me. I haven't been attacked. Not this time. I gave my energy to another, to him, and now that energy is gone. It's a good thing that I'm already dying, because I'd never be able to survive this. The pain is so intense that I lose track of time, and I don't know if it's been seconds or hours since the pain started as I look down at the burned ground under my feet.

"I can't feel any of them anymore." I expect my voice to crack or for my eyes to fill with tears, but I don't have the strength to cry. To mourn. There's nothing left in me. Next to me, Takahiro drops to his knees. His hand is still gripping mine, and I can see blood streaking down the right side of his chin because he's bitten right through his bottom lip.

"They're gone," Takahiro says quietly. He sounds as empty as I feel, and I tip my head back to look at the sky. Smoke covers the blue expanse, but it might look peaceful if I couldn't hear the screams. The sounds of humans and demons screaming as they die echoes around me, and listening to them is a reminder. We lost, and there's no peace to be found here.

The ground starts to quake under my feet, and Takahiro shouts as a strong energy starts to press down on us. I manage to stay on my feet as my skin splits open under the force of it, because if I'm about to die? I'm going to die standing. It's what he would want. I'm sure that's how he died, fighting and on his feet. The ground under us cracks and tips Takahiro to the side, and I lock my knees as he presses his face against my side. I want to move my other arm around his shoulders and hold him closer, but I lost it a few days ago. My right arm is probably buried in the rubble of a different destroyed city.

"You think we'll have peace in the afterlife?" I ask. The energy is getting closer…it won't be much longer now. Takahiro laughs quietly against my ribs and then hisses as the small movement causes him pain, and I move my thumb across the top of his hand in small circles. It's the only kind of comfort I can give.

"I think we're owed some peace." We really believed that we would win; we believed it recklessly and wholeheartedly, because the good guys always win. That's how it goes, right? Good triumphs over evil. That's the rule. Good suffers through trials but always comes out the other side victorious. Except for this time.

"I fuckin' hate this! You hear me, Koenma?! You said that we would win! You said that we had to win! But they're gone! They're dead! And so are we!" I yell at the sky. I don't even know if Koenma is alive to hear me.

The ground is shaking nonstop now, and my chest heaves from yelling. My right arm is gone, my friends are dead, and I'm next. I joined the fight because it was the right thing to do, and because I really thought that we'd win. That we'd be able to pull it off. I was wrong, clearly, and now I'm going to die for that belief. Fuck! I'm going to die! Even after everything we sacrificed, I'm going to die! None of it was enough.

Takahiro sags suddenly, and he only stays somewhat upright because I'm still holding onto his hand. I can hear him breathing, barely, but he's unconscious. That's good. He doesn't need to be conscious for this. It'll be easier for him this way. I gently lower his body to the ground and release his hand, and I take a moment to look at the clean side of his face. If I use my imagination, I can pretend that we're safe and he's sleeping. (It's like we're in the woods close to our home, lying on the grass under shade trees, and Takahiro's napping.) He looks like he's sleeping anyway and not lying unconscious because of the overwhelmingly strong energy that's coming our way.

"Are you ready?"

The first thing I see is black boots, followed by long jean-clad legs, and then a pristine white shirt stretched over a lean torso and broad shoulders. It's not fair. Takahiro and I are covered in blood, the streets are coated in filth, and this asshole looks flawless. Cold amber eyes quickly sweep over me, and he raises one hand to ruffle the back of his red hair as he takes in my ruined state. Because I am ruined. I've been beaten, and we both know it. He stuffs his hands in his pockets as his eyes finally meet mine, and the force of his energy continually lashes out against me. I'm not going to fall to my knees. I'm going to die standing.

"If I say no, will you walk away?" His head tips back as he laughs, a loud and joyful sound that mixes with the soundtrack from hell, and I don't even have the energy to hate him. How annoying.

"Smarting off in the face of danger, I've always liked that about you. It almost makes me want to spare you. Almost," he emphasizes. Yeah, I know I'm not walking away from this. That's probably a good thing, because it's not like I have the strength to take a single step anyway.

"Good to know. Now can you get on with it? I'm tired of just standin' around and lookin' pretty." Amber eyes narrow, but he can't scare me now. I'm already dead. What's there to be afraid of? His face softens into a look that's a mixture of guilt and pity, and my left hand clenches into a tight fist. I'm not about to let the asshole who murdered the world pity me. "What are you waitin' for?! A written invitation?! I said fuckin' end it!"

"If that's what you want."

Dark red energy, the same color as his hair, wraps around Takahiro and me. I can hear Takahiro screaming as golden sparks light along my skin, but there's no point. His energy is stronger than mine, and there's no fight left in me. I let my head fall back as I scream, from the pain and from anger. It's not fair, but life isn't fair. He told me that once. I should have listened. Blood drains out of me as dark red clouds my vision…and then it all stops. Takahiro has stopped breathing and is lying dead at my feet, and I'm still standing. My heart is beating, barely…one, two, three. It's almost over.

"I'll get you in the next life," I force out. Four, five, six. Black creeps along the edges of my vision, until the only thing I can see is his face. There's so much guilt there, but why does he feel guilty? We're the ones who lost.

"Looking forward to it, Corentine."

Seven, eight…

Ending Note: There's the first chapter! If it's confusing, it's supposed to be. More will be explained as the story progresses, and there will be some familiar faces in the next chapter! If there's any questions, I'd be happy to answer them and I'd love to know your thoughts on this chapter. I'm really excited about this story, so the next update should be out soon.