"Lord Battousai! The hail and wind is getting too strong! Please cease the hunt!" a giant man whined.

A shorter man with an overpowering aura grunted. "Gohei, men like you must keep your whining mouth shut. And what my lady wants, she shall get," the man growled despite the cold.

"The nine tale fox is the hardest to hunt Battousai, especially in this cold weather," a tall stoic winced at the biting cold.

The shorter man said nothing.

"Oi Battousai I see a small but grand little shelter, in these mountains. Battousai I think we should stop by and rest. If you continue this, our hunting group will not survive another night of this hunting," a tall man with spiky brown hair cheekily spoke up wincing at the proper language he was using in front of the Battousai.

The smallest man of the group was silent once again. Then after a moment he sighed, "very well, since I don't want my men dying a meaningless death."

"Let's go, then, show us the way Sagara, Sanouske" Gohei growled at the cheeky man.

"Whatever follow me," Sanouske muttered as he turned around and walked over to where he spoke about the shelter was, and revealed a character on his back. The character, Aku, evil.

The group followed Sanouske to a beautifully built, but worn out shelter worn out from the weather and environment. Near the entrance of the shrine, was a neat line of vases with fresh flowers- jasmines slowly being frozen to death.

"It looks a bit too beaten up because of this weather, how old do you think this really is, Aoshi?" Battousai asked.

"I'm estimating about one or two years, with the weather and natural causes," Aoshi answered Battousai's question.

"This does kind of look like a shrine…." Sano- Sanouske smirked.

"That's because it is one, baka," Aoshi sneered.

"Well I guess it won't collapse then," Gohei muttered as he tried opening the door.

As he pushed the door with brute strength it just didn't open.

"Damned door," Gohei cursed.

Sano laughed, despite the cold, "Wimp couldn't even open the door!" Sano guffawed. "Let a real man like me open it you geezer," he chuckled.

With one strong hand he tried pushing the door open. It just budged a little bit.

Now it was Aoshi sneering, "says the man who only budged it. Just rip the seal on the door, you idiots," he said as Gohei was laughing at Sano.

"I didn't see that," Sano paled.

As Aoshi tried ripping the seal off of the door, his hand was rebounded off with a clear crystal blue light.

Aoshi's usually stoic face was beginning to show annoyance. He gave the door a kick but it still didn't budge.

This time it was both Gohei and Sano guffawing at Aoshi.

"Some of my pride you three are," Battousai muttered as he kicked the door opened and stomped in. The three men gaped at their Lord then stared at the ground, almost ashamed.

As they entered the shrine, a small voice was heard.

"Did you say something, Aoshi?" Sano asked Aoshi.

"What are you talking about baka tori atama? I thought that little girly voice was you," Aoshi glared.

"If it was me, I'd think it was one of you two," Gohei muttered.

The two men glared at Gohei.

"Actually I think the voice did sound a bit like Gohei's, after all he is like a little ugly woman…" Sano grinned as he checked the door on the shrine. As he was about to step into the shrine,

'Don't you enter, vile men!' Screamed a female voice.

And Gohei, Aoshi, and Sanouske were thrown out of the shrine.

"I'll go investigate…" muttered the annoyed lord as he started walking through the shrine.

Battousai saw many treasures and smelled jasmine everywhere. He couldn't help but become intoxicated with that scent.

The Lord stopped in front of a block of crystal ice. "What's this doing here in this shrine?" he wondered to himself.

"Lord Battousai something wrong?" Gohei's booming voice flooded the shrine's walls.

The Lord ignored the question and placed a hand on the crystal ice. Suddenly a sharp and painful voice filled his head ringing his ears, "LEAVE THIS INSTANT!"

The shrine was beginning to irk him, "damn block of ice," he unsheathed his sword and slashed at the crystal to vent out his annoyance. A loud crack was heard and he stared at his sword which had joined the ice.

"The things I do for a day's worth of shelter," muttered the lord. He grasped the katana and attempted to yank it out from the ice but pausing at the sight. The katana was melting the crystal ice.

"STOP LEAVE ME ALONE," came the voice.

The scent of jasmine was beginning to overpower him at the same time enticing him. "Stupid block of crystal..." then Battousai gave the annoying wall of crystal a powerful punch. Normally a punch would do nothing to a wall of crystal but the punch seemed to shatter the entire crystal wall.

"Are you alright Battousai?" came Aoshi's voice.

"WHY?!"

A hidden room appeared in the place of the crystal ice. Curiosity allowed him to investigate the new room. Battousai stared in the room- a bedroom with a body.

"Have I invaded the dead?" he wondered and went to look upon the body that did not seem to decay yet.

Battousai gazed on the dead maiden's body. Black raven hair pooled around her beautiful body. He stared at her enchanting face, "beautiful; absolutely beautiful," spellbound by the beauty, but paused at the sadness clouding her face. Battousai couldn't help but cup her face in his hands and brush his lips with hers. "Incredibly soft and barely warm skin..." he jolted up. This young maid was still alive but barely!

Battousai stared absolutely horrified at the young maiden. But what was she doing here?!

The eyes of the maiden began to open slowly, "why?" a choked voice full of sadness came from her ruby lips.

"Oi! Battousai, what took you so lo-" Sano paused and gaped at his lord with the maiden who had showed up out of nowhere. "What's a woman doing here?" he asked baffled.

"Why didn't you leave after all those requests I've asked from you all?" repeated the dull sapphire eyed young woman.

TBC

Bows Hello again! Sorry for not updating in like forever! I do hope you forgive me (dodges tomato) Many things are keeping me from this awesome fanfiction life.

It would please me to no end if youwould all stay with me to the end of this FanFiction. Thank you very much for staying with me!

Ja Ne till the next update.

And please oh PLEASE review. (Winks) it'll encourage me to update faster.

Hugs, loves, and kisses,

Serph