Author's Note: I'd like to thank Aalyrial for her wonderful support and for being a loyal reviewer. It is always a pleasure to see the heartwarming reviews from you and I am so glad you enjoy this story.

Disclaimer: I do not own Tom Riddle, the world of harry potter, or Koh the Face Stealer. The first two belong to J.K. Rowling while the last one belongs to the creators of Avatar the last airbender. I'm merely borrowing him for this story.

Song of the chapter: Village of the Doomed by Chris Vrenna from the American Mcgee's Alice soundtrack


Here she was, yet again in the darkness that was home to the spirit known as the Face Stealer. "So you've returned" came the seductive voice she knew belonged to the spirit. Clicking and movement rapidly approached her, but she held her ground with her features held in an emotionless mask. "Please show yourself" she spoke tonelessly. "Now if I were to do that our little game would end? So why is it you have come to seek me out?" asked the voice. She could tell that the voice as a male. "Tell me your name please" she asked.

"Well that is a request I can abide by. My name is Koh, surely you remember me?" Koh asked, a taunting smirk present in his voice. The sound of screaming and bones being crushed as pools of blood splattered around the rocky ground filled her head. Before her she saw the shadow of a woman being entwined by a large centipede as the sounds of the tearing of flesh met her ears. She felt sick and stumbled over, Koh rapidly turning around with the malicious hope that she showed some form of emotion. But alas, she succeeded in keeping her mask up.

"What did you see? I do hope it was a clue" he said as she felt him move behind her. "I can not tell" she muttered. He chuckled darkly as he moved about the darkness, staying out of her sight so she could not see him. "I will make you a deal" Koh said smoothly. "Wake up and do some research and when you sleep, return to me. Repeat to me what you find out and then I shall show myself to you" he said. An inner conflict tore apart as she got the feeling that what Koh said would be a trick. But what choice did she have? "Very well Koh. I shall return" she said and with that, the dream ended.

She opened her eyes to see she was in the hospital wing. "Oh my goodness child! You've finally awoken!" cried the healer. "How long have I been out?" Auxiliadora asked. "You've been out for several months now. Your body has taken quiet a beating from some dark magic, but what bothers me is how you could've succumbed to that" said the healer. "I do not know myself Madam. But I need to go to the library if that is alright with you. Please, it's important" she pleaded. The nurse sighed and then allowed her to go. Stumbling as she rose to her feet, she tried to steady herself before heading towards the library. It must have been during class hours for the halls were deserted and she was lucky to have made it to the library where just a few students resided.

"Excuse me, but do you have a book on foreign spirits?" Auxiliadora asked the librarian politely. "Yes, in the supernatural section of the Muggle area of the library" she said, not looking up from her work. With a nod, she headed towards the Muggle area and proceeded further to find the supernatural. She practically beamed when she found a book titled "Foreign Spirits and their Meanings". Grabbing it, she sat down and flipped through the book. It took her some time but she finally managed to find Koh listed.

'Koh, also known as the Face Stealer

Koh is a malicious entity that prays upon those who show emotion in his midst. Living inside the Village of the Doomed, he lurks in the shadows to await those who are foolish enough to cross him. He is one of the oldest spirits and because of this holds knowledge of many things. Those who look for him often try to use his knowledge for their own gain, but pay the price.

However, there have been accounts where Koh has shown himself to someone through their dreams. In instances like this, he acts as the manifestation of ones guilt and darkest fears. Praying upon their weaknesses, he tries to get them to lower their guard. If one was to be unlucky enough to encounter him in their dreams, they are advised to show no emotion. Koh will not leave a person be until he has gotten an addition to his "collection" of faces.

Rachael Anne Liddell was the first known person to document her encounters with Koh before her unfortunate demise. Written below are her experiences with this malicious spirit:

He was dangerous, that much I could tell from just glancing at his centipede form. His face was that of a Japanese Noh mask, his ruby red lips turned up in a smirk. Those obsidian eyes...how they haunt me to this day. They glistened with malicious intent and spoke of his power. His voice was soft and smooth like velvet, it calmed the senses and dulled the mind. It was his way of luring you into his cavern that way you would be away from the exit...so if he lured you far enough there'd be no escape.

Koh can change his face from a sad young man, to a beautiful woman, to a blue and white ogre mask, to a baboon, an owl, an old man, and finally back to his original Noh mask. Be wary of his words, for what Koh says and what Koh knows are two different things. He will toy with you, manipulate you and try to warp your mind to have you believe foolish words. He also has a habit of changing faces rapidly and is especially fond of the ogre mask in times of rage.

Despite all this, he is a fountain of information and so long as you can withstand speaking to him with no emotion, not the slightest expression, you should be able to obtain the knowledge you seek. But for those that whose grief and darkness he embodies, he is the sign of bad things to come. He is an omen that warns of grave danger, fragments of sorrow if it were. He is a guardian as well, always appearing in times of grave strife.

So to all those out there who run into him: proceed with caution and if you feel your control on your mask slipping, leave immediately'

Auxiliadora stared at shock at her great-great-great-great-great grandmothers words. She had written this only a few days before her death. The image of a woman being devoured by the spirit named Koh. She rushed to put the book back and then ran back to the hospital wing. Upon arrival, she saw that there was her sketchbook placed by her bed. 'What? but...how?' she thought as she picked it up and thumbed through the pages. There on the last page was a drawing she hadn't seen before. It was an intricate black design that formed a serpent eating its tail. Gently tracing it with her fingers, she saw words scribbled underneath it.

'The cycle of the serpent is never ending, for upon death one is reborn. With the power of equivalent exchange one shall maintain the cycle, but without greater or equal value it shall cause disastrous effects'

"Lia!" came a relieved cry as she turned to see Penelope rushing towards her. Auxiliadora beamed and hugged her friend, tears evident in her eyes. "We thought you'd never wake" she said as she cried into Auxiliadora's shoulder. Ashley and Isabella soon joined. Ashley looked tense and her eyes scanned the room, looking for a sign of someone else. "Who are you looking for Ashley?" asked Isabella. "No one" she said curtly as she smiled at Auxiliadora. "Its good see you up" she said. "So what caused you so much pain Lia?" asked Isabella. Wondering if she should ask them the question that had been bothering her since the nightmares began, she glanced at all their expressions. With a sigh, she glanced at her hands.

"Do you believe in past lives?"


Author's Note: thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!