Yay! Numero dos is out! I think I did a good job on this chapter, except I'm not sure if I spelled Nigenkai right. I'd appreciate it if someone could tell me if that is the correct spelling or not. If you're looking for a disclaimer, its in the first chapter.
Enjoy!
"Hiei?" Demae repeated, looking over at Kurama. Seeing him staring raptly at the spirit, the young Crow woman looked back to the named spirit. The young man was short, though his hair certainly made up for it. Just how did he get it to stand up like that? Shaking her head, she continued on with her study. It was the eyes he had that made him almost unbelievable. No one had eyes of blood.
Hello, Fox.
Fox? Demae gave Kurama a look, but it was obvious the man had not heard Hiei. The spirit seemed to realize this, because a scowl crossed his face, which was soon directed at Demae. She almost took a step back at the fierceness of the expression, but somehow managed to hold still with only a small quiver.
Can you hear me, girl?
Demae nodded. "I shouldn't, but yes."
Hiei seemed to consider her for a moment, arms crossed, his red eyes still narrowed. Fine. We need to get away from here. Head back towards the forest, take Kurama and his kit with you. I will meet you there. Let no one follow you. This is not for outsider ears.
Swallowing, Demae nodded and scurried back towards Kurama and Nikoli as Hiei suddenly disappeared. At Kurama's expectant expression, she sighed slightly. "He said to go into the forest. He will speak with us there." She explained before walking past them and to Kalindos' Crow Woman. "I must speak with the spirit alone. Let no one follow me." At the woman's nod, Demae made her way back into the forest, knowing her two traveling partners were only a step behind her. She wasn't quite sure where to go, but when Hiei flickered into existence, she figured this was the right place, and it even had a few conveniently placed logs for their comfort scattered around. Demae took full advantage, sitting down and crossing her legs, looking at Hiei expectantly as Kurama and Nikoli made themselves comfortable.
I need you to tell Kurama one thing. Tell him that it is time.
Before Demae could ask anymore questions, Hiei disappeared again. Frowning in confusion, Demae looked at Kurama, expecting to see surprise as well. However, he looked as if he had expected it. Well, maybe he had. Nikoli just looked confused. He obviously had no idea what was going on, and it didn't help that he was the only one out of the three of them who could not see Hiei. That thought led Demae to wonder exactly how Kurama could see Hiei, making her curiosity about the man grow.
"Well?"
The question brought Demae from her thoughts. She looked over at Kurama to see him waiting for whatever it was she had to tell him. "It is time."
"You're sure?"
Annoyance crossed Demae's features. "You ask that question like I'm supposed to know. He said 'It is time.' and then left before I could get anything else out of him. So I guess you're the judge of that."
Nodding, Kurama chewed on his bottom lip, green eyes distant. Finally, after a moment, he focused his gaze back on Demae. "What Hiei meant was that it was time to finally reveal why I am here. And for that, I suppose I will need to start at the beginning. Bear with me, for I have never considered myself a great story-teller." He said, giving both Demae and Nikoli a look.
"Now, you both know I don't originate from this land." At their nods, he continued. "I come from a place called Nigenkai, which is the Human World. However, I am not totally human. I have the soul of the fox demon Youko Kurama within me. This allows me to have abilities no normal mortal would have, not even the abilities of your kind, Demae. Because of this, I am in the employ of Prince Koenma Jr., who runs all of Rekai, which is Spirit World. He is the one who makes sure that the inhabitants of Makai, which is the Demon World, don't cross over into Nigenkai.
"Now, about 26 years ago, it was brought to his attention that the caretaker of your world is dying, and that a replacement would soon be born. This caretaker is always aligned with the Spirit Guide Raven and is almost never known to any of your people."
At this point, Demae had to intervene. "That's impossible! Everyone knows that raven chooses no one! Raven is the Creator of the World, the Bringer of Light, the Spirit Above All Others. She never chooses anyone because that one person would be all too powerful. She is no one's because her love belongs to all. It will upset the balance of everything!"
Kurama chuckled lightly. "Yes, but isn't it always said that in extraordinary times when the survival of humans are at stake that the Raven will choose her avatar so that they can go anywhere, inhabit any time, just to save you all?"
Demae frowned. "Well, I suppose…but it hasn't happened as long as anyone can remember. So how can there already be a Raven?"
"It will be explained later. But may I please continue with my story?"
Demae's frown deepened, but she nodded anyway.
"Thank you. Now, this replacement would need to be found and trained, because a threat to your world is hovering on the horizon. There is a powerful demon lord in Makai who had accidentally stumbled upon your world in his dimension hopping. Being the greedy creature he is, he plans to take it over and will use the Descendants to do his work for him. Koenma quickly located the new Raven, who had yet to be born, and picked me to be the Raven's guardian of a sort. So I was sent here, where I was to blend in with the people until I could find the Raven. Once the Raven matured, I was to take it back to my world for training. And Demae…that Raven is you."
Demae fainted dead away, the last words she heard being, "Hmm, I expected a worse reaction than that."
Fog hung everywhere. Why couldn't she see? Demae slogged through the thick stuff, breathing in the moisture-thick air. It was like breathing in water, and had here coughing to expel the liquid from her lungs. The thin dress she had on was completely soaked, as was her hair, and she began to shiver, smoothing the wet ropes of hair away from her face. She stopped walking for a moment to think over her situation. Kurama had just told her that story…and that's all it could be. There was no way it was true.
"Yes, it's a lie." She said aloud to reassure herself.
"Deeeeniaaal!" said a sing-song male voice behind her.
Spinning around, Demae came face to face with the shiny black eyes of Crow. The large, black bird was sitting to the side, head tilted so to see Demae better. "Oh, Crow, you don't know how happy I am to see you. You sure have heard the nonsense Kurama was spouting off and-"
"It's not nonsense, little one. He spoke truth."
Demae frowned, confused. "But at my bestowing, you were the one who came to me. Raven showed you to me, as She did everyone. She never claimed me!"
Crow shook his head. "Nay, little one. She did. Everyone belongs to Crow, but She only has one Avatar. And the Raven's avatar contains all the gifts of the spirits. I was just the one who took an interest in you. Any of the Guides could have taken you for their own."
Demae looked away, afraid. "But Crow…"
Crow was gone.
Frantic, Demae looked wildly about, but only saw the thick fog. "Crow! Crow, please come back! Don't leave me here!" she shouted, moving quickly through the fog, totally lost.
"Child, do not be afraid."
Demae halted, calm immediately washing over her. She remembered that voice. How could she not? It was the stars flicking in the sky, the pulse of the sun's rays, the wind that shifted the sands of the moon. Turning towards the voice, she once again beheld the Raven for the first time since her Bestowing. It was a large Raven, luminous and iridescent, each feather containing every color as it had at the moment of the world's birth.
"Child, you are mine. Why do you fear so?" At Raven's words, the fog seemed to clear instantly, billowing away from the pair to reveal and calm and quiet field, the sun hazy in the forget-me-not blue sky. A lazy wind blew around them, laughing gaily in Demae's ears. Flowers bloomed around Raven, their natural perfume only adding to the perfection of the scene.
"Crow left me, Mother." Demae whispered.
"No, no, sweet Child. Crow will always be with you, as will all the other Spirits. You are mine, and all will answer your call. You will never be alone again, and I am but a thought away. You must leave with Kurama when he goes. He and his friends will help you learn to use your abilities and help your world."
Seeing that Demae was trembling, Raven held out one wing. "Come, Child. This is a shock to you, but all will be well." As if in a trance, Demae plodded over and knelt beside Raven, wrapped securely in one wing. All her worries just seem to float away, leaving her relaxed and calm. With a deep, content sigh, Demae closed her eyes and drifted off, comforted by Raven's close presence.
When Demae woke up the next morning, she found herself wrapped securely in a blanket and on a bed. Confused, she got up and pulled on the clothes that had been laying out for her. She then washed her face in the bowl of water on a small bedside table and pulled a brush through her tangled auburn hair. Once she thought she was presentable, she poked her head out of the room. The home she was in was empty, and from the looks of it, it was one of the Kalindon tree houses. Walking out on to the surrounding deck, she glanced around. There were people walking below, some who waved when they noticed her, so it couldn't be early. However, with her stomach growling, she descended down the ladder to find the breakfast her stomach was demanding.
She never found breakfast. However, she did find a meeting with the Elders.
Kurama had apparently called a meeting and had explained to them what Demae was. An Owl was there to prove his truthfulness. Once they had been convinced, they had waited for Demae to rise before bringing her into the meeting.
"Demae, this is serious. There has not been a Raven for centuries." Said the elder Hawk of Kalindos.
"You mean you knew about a Raven?" Demae asked, astonished.
"Yes, it is something that is not known outside of the Elders, and it is a story that is passed down so that we may always be prepared. Long ago, there was a major uprising of the Descendants. They nearly whiped us out. However, when things were at its bleakest, a young man suddenly walked out in the middle of the fighting. With one word, everyone was held in place as he made a speech of some kind, the story never mentions what he said. He split the fighters, and then disappeared. When the Descendants returned sometime later, he lent his efforts to our people and so they were able to break the Descendants' army and send them home. Then, the Raven vanished. And people forgot. Now it is only the Elders of all the towns who remember."
Demae took in the information, mulling it over in her mind. After a moment, she looked to Kurama. "We will have to leave, won't we?" she asked quietly. At his nod, she asked another question. "Will I be able to see my family first?"
"No, I'm afraid we must leave today."
At Demae's tragic expression, the Hawk Elder spoke up. "Demae, we can send your family a message so that they know you are safe. However, I think we will keep it a secret that you are a Raven for now."
Demae brightened a little, but before she and Kurama could get up, a defiant voice spoke up. "I'm coming too."
Kurama chuckled as he caught a look at his son's expression. "Yes, of course Nikoli. It's too dangerous to leave you here anyway. Your demonic blood will awaken soon, if it hasn't begun to already. Now, come you two, we need to be going." The man stood, quickly followed by Demae and Nikoli as he walked back into the forest.
Demae was quiet, thinking, blue eyes focused on the back of the man she was following. He seemed excited, and very happy. And why shouldn't he be? He was going home. But she was leaving hers, to go somewhere she had never heard of until yesterday. She wasn't sure if she was happy about this or not.
Kurama stopped walking in the same place Hiei had been yesterday…which reminded her… "Hey, Kurama, is Hiei really a spirit?"
Kurama looked over his shoulder to regard Demae. "No," he said at last, "What you saw was just a telepathic projection of himself. It was the only way he could come here without the hassle of coming physically. Don't worry, he will be very alive once we get where we're going."
Demae shivered. She wasn't sure if she would want to see that glare in person.
A sudden light from her left had her jumping in surprise. However, her surprise only grew when she saw what it was. In the middle of the small clearing was a circle of rotating black, silver, and white light. It was about six feet in height and about four feet in width and was raised off the ground about half a foot. Risking a glance at Nikoli, he saw the look of surprise that she surely shared. Then Kurama turned to the two of them.
"Time to go." He said simply.
Taking a deep breath, Demae walked defiantly forward, trying to ignore the slight shaking of her body. Then, with her face screwed up in preparation for the worst, she stepped in…and dropped screaming into a black hole.
Please review! It makes me feel all warm and toasty inside.
