And the fight begins.

As soon as Yusuke stepped in the portal, he was thrown backwards by a large fist. Boton took Yukina to the edge of the trees where the portal had taken them.

"This isn't Genkai's… WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?" Kuwabara was stunned.

The sky was pitch black, not even the stars or the moon was shining. There were many demons of an assortment of sizes, colors, and ugliness spread out in the clearing in the middle of no where.

Genkai wasted no time asking questions and ran into action. Jin and Touya did much the same, followed by Kurama and Hiei had already jumped ahead in the battle. Every where there was some sort of creature trying to kill one of the protagonists to the upcoming revolution. Sierra and Aftan had proved to be decent in martial arts, and took on the lower demons. Kuwabara was thrown this way and that by a B class jerk with a long, green snakelike tongue and a foul stench.

"I'm going to drain you of all your life energy," the thing hissed to the wide eyed teenager. The spirit sword glowed brightly in Kuwabara's hand and blocked a hit from the demon's whip-like tail.

Lydia and Danika came out of the portal not a minute after all of this had already started.

"It's an ambush!" Lydia glared angrily into the woods.

"Lydia! Take them!" Danika threw a harsh looking dagger to the creation of destruction. That is what Lydia had decided to call herself.

She ran head long into a charging golge demon. The demon belched loudly when she stabbed the dagger into his stomach. He fell over with a loud thud, body bouncing and horrid blood spilling out through the whole in his abdomen. Lydia looked at the dagger curiously. A faint glow faded from around the edges of the red stained metal. The whole inside the demon still burned wider. She looked over to Danika who was busy kicking around a C class demon.

"My, my dear, you must tell me where you got this," Lydia muttered to herself, eyes raking over the blade carefully. She felt something hot press against her.

She turned to the 15 foot tall monster slowly. She stared up at its beady eyes, feet taking baby steps backward while the demon stomped closer. He took out a large club and swatted Lydia off the ground. She flew through the air and made a landing in the tree, having stopped herself by grabbing a branch then swinging over to rest on it. Her right leg still hurt, and now her left side did.

"Damn," she hissed, clutching her ribs, "Shota said the fix was temporary. You're going to open my hardly healed wound!" she hollered at her opponent.

"Hn, target," she smiled confidently. She lifted her hand. The orange lightning screamed by over top the fighters below and cut through the giant being. He still walked ahead, blood spilling and flesh melting along with agonizing pain didn't seem to bother him. "Gosh, why do you have to act like Yusuke?" she complained, remembering his story battling the Saint Beast Suzaku.

A huge eruption of light and energy exploded from the far end of the field. Four beings gracefully walked out of the powerful blast amidst the flying rock and bodies of those unfortunate enough to stand in the way.

"Lydia, that won't be enough," one of the men with black hair spoke to the group. The three majesties beside him smirked at one another.

The noise was far too great and the distance between the newcomers and Lydia wasn't close enough, but she still heard him. She broke her gaze from the coming A class demon and paled at the site of the four. She looked at the ground, frightened.

"No!" she whispered. She looked down to the demon that had just about reached her and the tree. "NO!" she screamed and a white fire erupted from her arm and sucker punched the bastard in that ugly ruddy face of his.

Kurama, Hiei, and Jin looked up at the blast with awestruck expressions.

"Wow, tha's a lot o demon power."

"Lydia!" Kurama exclaimed and took off for her. Two demons came away from their fight with Yusuke and tried to catch Kurama off guard. His narrowed green eyes threw daggers at them.

Kurama cracked his rose whip into one of the demon's eyes. That demon howled in anger while the other suddenly tripped over his own feet where the rose whip had wrapped around his ankles. Hiei somersaulted off their backs and took care of them. Kurama made it safely to the woman who was falling out of the tree. He caught Lydia before she hit the ground. Her face was twisted in pain.

"You're burning up," he noted, sitting her by the tree.

"Yeah," she sighed, squeezing her eyes shut and trying her hardest not to cry out and alert unwanted attention. She opened her eyes and glared in the direction of the four amused and unmoving characters. Kurama followed her eyes, his red brows furrowed.

"Is that them?"

"Yeah, that's them alright. Don't use the whip on the one in blonde hair," she warned and tried to get up.

"I don't think so," Hiei pushed her back against the tree.

"Hiei?"

He rolled his eyes, he was not going to spend time caring for her when there were more demons to be taken care of, a battle to win.

"If that was your Confessor and Fire Demon side, where's your so called Wizardry?" he left in a black blur. Kurama looked at the injured woman with curiosity. Her pale green eyes sought out a particular situation.

Her eyes locked on Genkai, who hadn't yet notice there was an S class demon sneaking up behind her. Lydia abruptly lifted her hand and jerked it to the left. Genkai was telekinetically lifted off the ground and out of the way of the unknown danger. In turn, Genkai sent a spirit wave over and killed five demons that were going to attack Kurama and Lydia.

"We need to fight," Lydia said bitterly.

"There's not many left, I think they can handle themselves," Kurama stated reluctantly. He looked around. They really had killed the majority. So far, their only casualty was Lydia and that was just because she was ill… so far the only casualty. The fox didn't like that the four were there watching every one, but felt they wouldn't do anything tonight.

"They'll send more," he turned his attention back to Lydia.

"When?"

"I don't know," she exhaled an exasperated sigh.

Sierra and Aftan jogged over to them.

"Lydia, are you alright?" Sierra's worried eyes raked over her body for injuries.

"Nothing to worry about now," Lydia stared at the man with long black hair. He had it tied back in a down pony tail over his dark purple and navy blue attire. Two of the four men turned to leave through a sparkling black portal that had just appeared. The one Lydia was focused on sent her a mental message.

'Take care of yourself. I wouldn't want my creation to get hurt before the big finale.'

He turned to, with a smile, and exited the premises. One of the men had stayed. He wore a long red coat with orange under armor. His hair was light brown and hung shoulder length attractively. He had a flask tucked into his black sash belt.

"Lydia, is he one o tha three princes?" Jin asked carefully, studying the approaching figure.

"Yes," she replied tartly.

The two Confessors stared at the man, and backed away behind the tree. Genkai stepped in front of the girls, "You'll be safe," she told them in her gravely voice. The old woman with faded pink wavy hair weighted her options. In the next minute she weighted the entire group's options.

"Yusuke, protect the Mother Confessor."

"Lydia or Danika?"

"The one who isn't here."

"If she's not here I can't do anything for her, grandma!" Yusuke smacked his forehead in frustration. He looked around for the other woman but found no sign of her.

The light haired man, an imposing threat on Lydia's list of needed dead bodies, advanced in a complacent manner.

Someone shifted where they stood by Lydia. Kurama did his best to remain relaxed. Hiei held his sword tightly in his right hand, just in case. Lydia's eyes didn't shock open like everyone else's when Danika suddenly appeared behind the man.

He spun and looked at her. Before a word was displayed between the two, Danika's hand grabbed the man's throat and he fell to his knees. There was a loud thunder clap, an eerie breeze, following a just as eerie silence. Danika looked down at the kneeling man.

"What is your name?"

"My name is Akio Kumori. It's an honor to serve you, my Lady," he kissed her hand. It fell limply to her side.

"What business do you have with the rising rebellion?" she demanded suspicious, unfazed.

"He's one of the Kumori brothers. There are three, Hayato, Hiroshi, and Akio. They're the Three Princes of Shadows."

"So…" Yusuke snapped out of shock, "Are there two different families of princes we need to worry about or did they just change their title?"

"Princes of Darkness, Princes of Shadows… they're both the same," Lydia breathed, laying her head in Sierra's lap.

"Took the words from my mouth," Akio smiled. He bowed to Danika.

"Get up," she spat out lowly.

"Yes, my love," he complied. Everyone watched the two.

Akio tried to put a hand on Danika's shoulder and she shoved him away. Yusuke stood awkwardly, raised eyebrows, not understanding what was going on. Hiei's crimson eyes followed Akio, his face hiding curiosity.

"This is what would happen, Hiei," Lydia whispered in his favor.

"I don't want your love, you filthy bastard!" Danika huffed.

"I'm sorry you feel that way. I do not want to harm you. I will not hurt your friends either. They seem like nice people, though they wish me and my brothers dead… darling, where are you going?"

"To take care of my best friend!" Danika plopped down beside Lydia.

"What can I do?" her tone changed.

"I'm not sure there's anything you can do. I'm really pretty fine, my body temperature's just acting up it seems," she grimaced.

"You're so cold," Sierra moved the dark hair out of Lydia's face.

"My body temperature usually is, to accommodate the fire demon blood."

"You mentioned your spine being on fire," Kurama murmured.

"Yes," she wiped her forehead, "it hasn't done that since I left school."

"Though you ran away just fine," Touya commented. He turned away so no one would see his small grin.

"I bet she was hard to keep up with," Kuwabara nodded his head, "she's as fast as Hiei!"

"Hn."

"I'm just sayin, man."

"No," Lydia laughed, "I beat him at a race once. Remember when you stumbled and lost me for eight seconds around the bend?"

"That never happened," Hiei denied in a surprisingly friendly tone. Lydia and Kurama just chuckled at him.

"Not to be unfavorable," Hiei smirked at his chosen word, "but shouldn't we be moving?"

"Lydia's ill, and we don't know what is wrong with her. It could be dangerous to move her," Kurama told him.

"Perhaps Koenma will know what to do," Genkai said doubtfully.

"Speaking of which, where'd Boton run off to?" Kuwabara wondered. "Hey! Where's Yukina?!" he worried instantly, pulling out his hair.

"Yeah, that ferry chick and Yukina haven't been seen since we got here," Yusuke's cocky sarcastic voice returned and he crossed his arms. Hiei went stiff.

Someone's cell phone beeped.

Kurama took out his communicator. He opened it and sighed, "No need to worry, Boton and Yukina are with Koenma as we speak," and he turned the screen around for everyone to see.

Hiei glanced at the screen and relaxed against the tree. Lydia patted his black panted leg, knowingly.

"He should have something we can use," Lydia pointed to Akio. He looked happy, now that he had been noticed again. Danika turned to him unwillingly.

"What's in the flask."

"I honestly can't pronounce the name of it," he laughed.

"Do you carry healing potions?"

"I typically do, yes," he answered her, his yellow eyes looking at her dark plant green eyes.

"He's the medicine man out of the bunch," Lydia agreed, with previous knowledge.

"Give it to her," Danika told him. He scrunched up his face.

"I said I wouldn't hurt any of your friends."

"It may be poisonous," Kurama reasoned, ready to take it and find out.

"I'll test it," Danika told him. Under many views of testing, it seemed alright.

"Looks can be deceiving," Akio warned, biting his lip nervously and seemingly uncomfortable with what they were doing.

"You're right, these are demon concoctions," Danika said, still sitting Lydia up to drink it. "Let's hope this stops the burning and weird fevers," she smiled at her.

Akio scratched his head for a long time pacing before he finally turned to them. "My Lady, I don't think you should do that."

"Oh?" Lydia drank what Danika held to her lips. The pain did go away.

"Thanks," Lydia smiled.

"Looks like yer good as new!" Jin patted her on the back. "Quick thinkin girly," he winked at Danika.

"She won't be," Akio whispered to him self and turned away.

"What?" Hiei picked up.

"Yes, what do you mean?" Kurama began second guessing their cure for Lydia's body.

"I wanted to tell you, but they had told me not to. It was part of the plan," he started, clearly upset. Danika got up and looked at him quizzically.

"What was the plan?" she challenged in mock friendliness. Touya offered Lydia his hand to pull her up.

"They gave me one of our virus liquids. They knew some one would get hurt and I was to give it to who ever was unlucky enough to be the casualty. They also knew that one of you would confess me," he backed away from Danika's fury while Kurama started to walk toward him, "I was afraid but told them I would do it. It was for the greater of our desires. Of course now, I don't want to help them anymore, because I love you!" he told Danika while Kurama pulled on one of his arms, "I told you I wouldn't hurt you or your friends, but you did it anyway. I cared for you too much to stay completely silent like I was told to by my brothers and Takashi. I did it for you and I didn't feel this way before, and I know it's the curse that makes it so, but there's no way around it… I love you!"

Kurama yanked the other man close to him. Akio looked to Kurama with new fright.

"Does he really love her?" Boton didn't completely understand the process. She spoke aloud from Spirit World, looking into the screen with Yukina and Koenma from where Kuwabara held it facing the action. Koenma groaned. Yukina wrung her hands in worry.

"No," Aftan deadpanned, "Like he said, it's the curse talking."

"There's no cure for the Confessor's touch," Sierra spoke softly but audibly, rocking back and forth on her feet.

"I thought I saw a scheme," Lydia admitted. "The only drink you carry with you is Dream Fighter, a bright orange concoction that smells like sugar cookies and heals most anything. It's vital to you and your brothers because every one wants to kill you. This potion was light purple, and should have been drunk."

"Your brothers just sacrificed you to the Confessors?" Kurama interrogated, still holding Akio close and tight. Akio looked down.

"Tell the truth," Danika requested.

"Finally," Aftan snorted, "it's about time you brought out our real job and the meaning for Confession."

Danika spared the blonde a harsh look.

"I was supposed to waste time until the second wave came in."

"Second wave of what, demons?" Yusuke demanded to know. It seems they had to do a lot of demanding now a days.

Akio nodded. Kurama looked to Danika.

"There's nothing I can really think of more to ask him."

No one else said anything. Kurama was too angered to think of anything else either. With one swift jerk he broke Akio's collar bone.

"That's punishment," he told the crying man vehemently, "Stay in the trees, hidden, until the second wave of battle comes and you will help us." Akio nodded weakly.

Kurama walked away from the crawling man. No one said a word to him.

"Now then, I'm sending Yukina back to you as a healer. I'm sorry to be doing this," Koenma said sincerely around his pacifier in his toddler form, "I hope I don't regret it. Boton is staying with me."

"Hey, can some one check on my sis?"

"Of course, I'll get right on that. I'll check on Keiko to!" Boton volunteered.

Yusuke sighed, "Thanks."

"Out of my curiosity, which technique does the Confessed man possess?" Koenma inquired. The little round face looked like it didn't really want to know.

"He uses the shadows to create images of loved ones. He uses it as a guilt weapon in the least. If you so much as touch these shadows, you die instantly. No exceptions," Lydia explained.

"And love turned him into that?" Boton asked quietly.

The screen went dark and they began discussing where to go.

"We shouldn't leave the area if more are coming."

"I know, but we didn't have dinner."

"You're really thinking about food?"

"Come on you have to be hungry to."

"Well yeah, you got me. That's not the point, the point is-"

"None of you are getting the point," that was Hiei, frustrated and keeping an even attitude.

Danika and Kurama worried over Lydia.

"There's no other choice, we have to wait it out," Danika spoke sadly. She really didn't like the outcome of all this.

"I have no idea what is going to happen. We need to keep a close on you. Lydia, you'll tell us if something is wrong."

"Yes, Kurama," she sighed. There always seemed to be something wrong.

A glow appeared behind them. It was a horizontal yellow light, not a portal, but a rip in the world. The light grew brighter and caught every one's attention.

"I think they're coming," Touya created his ice sword in advance.

Those sitting down stood tall. Sierra and Aftan walked to the middle of the group that had quickly dispersed widely. They had their own cross bow with arrows. Where they got them from was a wonder, no one saw them bring them.

"They're going to flood in at once, but watch for the hunters they send to take to the woods. They'll spring on us when we least expect it!" Lydia rushed and gasped on the last couple of words.

Danika's hand pressed into Lydia's back to keep her steady.

"How do you know this?" one asked.

"Because I can feel them!" she drew out in a moan, face pained. She arched her back and fell down over Danika's hand.

"Lydia!"

And they poured through the rip.

The next chapter is very eventful and hopefully won't be too long... but it is a fight chapter. If you have any good advice for writing fight scenes, I'd appreciate it!!