Warnings: none really.

The Welder of BlackFire:

The Legend Lives Part II-Rose's Renaissance

Chapter One: Discovering a New Enemy

Sour gray stone walls moaned and ached, their foundations shaking as they slowly began to crumble, falling to their knees in utter submission to the force that coursed through them. They fell in a sea of their own dust, their sturdy, ashen, walls shattering for the first time in countless centuries. Nearly three square miles was covered in the rubble's dust, cloaking the trees and other foliage in a grinding, pallid, silk.

A humanoid-seeming creature stood atop a tall hill, overlooking the city that they had just destroyed. They smiled, an evil glint burning in the depths of their blank, demonic eyes. To think that a minor fraction of their power could do such a thing as destroy such a firm-standing city. They turned away, their dark smile gripping stubbornly to their lips.

'And one could just imagine what this power could do to the human world. Finally, we will rule the human and Spirit world, just as we were meant to,' the creature thought, walking away slowly with an extremely smug expression on their face. 'Finally, I have the power I deserve to rule all the worlds, just as we were destined to do.'

"Koenma, please, rethink what you are about to do!" a blue-haired girl said worriedly, her pink eyes pleading as she looked at the toddler-like ruler opposite her. The boy sat on an over-stuffed, red, chair behind a large wooden desk on which sat stacks of papers set aside to make room for ancient-looking books and documents. Scattered about the large room where mountains of carnivorous documents, threatening to topple over at any tremble.

"I have rethought what I am about to do, many times I'm afraid, yet this is the only solution I can come up with. I'm sorry, Botan, but its the only way to destroy this power," the toddler said, crossing his arms and wallowing his blue binky around in his mouth. His dark brown eyes expressed uneasiness, as well as knowing. It was the only way.

"NO!" she cried. "There must be some other way! What if he gets loose again?! What if she decides to release him for good? I can't allow you to do this!"

"Quiet, Botan," Koenma said with a slight snap. "You know that the power they posses is far greater than even Yusuke's. We have no other choice but to find her. If we don't, the human, the demon, and the Spirit World could all be destroyed."

"So what did Koenma say he wanted us for, Kurama?" a short, black-clad demon asked, his dark red eyes looking up at the red-head beside him.

"He didn't, I'm afraid. He just said to come as soon as we could and that he had a new mission for us," Kurama said, his soft green eyes looking straight ahead of him, down the long hall. There was a grunt from beside him.

"Perhaps he has a mission worth my time. All of the ones that he has given us lately have been too easy," the youkai said.

"Hm, yes, but I suppose that, in our case, that can be seen as a good thing, Hiei," the boy said as they walked into a large room filled with a colorful arrangement of ogres that ran to and fro, filling the room with guttural commands.

"Hn," was his answer as they approached two large, double doors. They paused a moment to swing them aside gently, stepping into the spacious room without sound.

The young ruler sat behind his large desk, hardly visible over its surface but for his large hat. He looked up at the sound of the door shutting softly behind the two. His face was worn, his eyes holding a forbidding look in them as he turned back to his papers, setting them aside as the two walked forward.

"Hiei, Kurama, thank you for coming on such short notice," he said, his voice not holding its usual cheeriness nor its seriousness that it gained when a mission was upon them. It was tired, strained, almost unrecognizable to the two, who glanced at each other in question.

"Is something you needed, Koenma?" Kurama asked as the boy sighed and shook his head.

"I need to ask you two to do something for me. I know that it will not be a happy request, but it needs to be done," he said sadly, his shoulders slumping.

"Spit it out, Koenma," Hiei said, lacking the respect that many would expect from him. After all, he was serving royalty. The child sighed, ignoring the rudeness as if it was an every-day occurrence. No doubt it was.

"I need you to go find someone. Someone we all know, but I don't know if the reunion will be a happy one for all. There is only one problem with this request. They might not remember you," Koenma said. The two standing before the desk looked at each other. Hiei, the shorter one of the two, growled under his breath.

"Koenma," Kurama intervened before Hiei had a chance to demand an answer out of the boy. "What's going on? Who is this person you want us to find, and why?"

"You might not have heard, but there is some demon that has been destroying major cities in the demon world. They claim that they have found a way to get to the human world, as well as the Spirit World, and vows to destroy both, letting demons overrun the Ningenkai while they rule from Spirit World. After slaughtering everyone that lives in both those places, of course," Koenma explained, ignoring Kurama's question. Hiei and Kurama looked at each other. They had never faced someone like that before. One who was trying to overtake all the worlds. Most did not dare take on so much. "So we're going to need help. Their power, at least what I know of it, surpasses even Yusuke's powerful Spirit Wave. I know it sounds impossible, but, I fear, its true." His voice grew low and sorrowful.

"Who do you want us to find, not that we need the help," Hiei said in a quiet grunt. Koenma's eyes drooped and he placed his elbows on his desk, holding his head with his hands.

"I need you to go get Thorn," he said.

Authoress' Notes: okay, so this chapter's a little out there on a limb, I know I know. But many promises, its not all like this! Well, the boy's and ladies might make brief appearances down here in my notes, but for the most part they're off partying since its nearly the end. Then I just have my last and final piece, which doesn't include any of them. oh! I don't think I've told ya'll about that. Yes, there will be a side story. Stuff leading up to the first story and everything anyone wants to know about Rose and BlackFire and the creation of Thorn. just because answering all yer questions inspired me! Anyway, reviews from last two chapters are….

Reviews:

Midnightdream51: busy busy! Which is why I haven't started this thing yet. . Horses take up so much time! Lol, I much the same when it comes to not doing things I put off. feather is coolio! And I needed comic relief BADLY, hence the stupidness of the random card game. Shouldn't they of have been training? Lol. Alright, I'm getting road runner soon, so hopefully that means chapter's will be pumped out faster, cuz I'll have it on my comp downstairs w/out time limits. .

Miyako14: I swear, I think my subconscious was/is plotting against me. Sequel here! tankies!

baka-chibi-puffs: [final chapter]lol! well, perhaps the last sentence in this chapter'll calm yer nerves about Hiei seein' Thorn again. And bad kitsune! -scolds Kurama- cheesecake is too good to throw at people!

[Epilogue] sequel is here! Enjoy more mysteriousness. All hail the cheese cake! Lol

Midnightdream51: -tear- no! you can't just leave! it's the SEQUEL! -sigh-

SSSRoaB: no, Rose is not dead. In fact, she got her old life back. Sorta. You'll find out next chappy, promise! . Lol. Here's the sequel, sorry it took so long getting up. I'm waiting for Road Runner to be installed, but knew I'd loose ya'll if I put it off any longer.

J: well now, there ya'll go for now. No teasers yet. Maybe next chapter. Until then!

REVIEWS FEED A STARVING ARTIST LIKE COOKIES!