Chapter Eleven

Several weeks have passed since Ash and Asura have started their journey towards the ruin within Nevada. Thanks to Xavier and Ash's sense of direction, the two meisters haven't gone off track.

"Where are we?" Asura whined as he was slung over Ash's shoulder.

"Still under the laughing, scorching sun," Ash answered and read over her grandfather's notes. "Hmm, seems like the entrance is hidden."

"Oh great…"

"You want to hear something amazing?"

"Did you find the entrance?" Asura flipped over Ash's shoulder and fell onto the sand.

"Nope," Ash closed the journal. "I just came to realize that this ruin is going to be a lot harder to find than I believed."

"What!?" Asura jumped to his feet. "What do you mean?"

"Like I mentioned before, the entrance is hidden. But the door is hidden by sand."

"Then how did your grandfather find this damn ruin?"

"Well, he was a wizard who specialized in wind magic. So he must've got annoyed with the sand going in his eyes and snapped. And then, he found his ruin."

"Are we going to try the same thing?"

"Hmm…" Ash rested her chin on her fingers. "We are going to try the same strategy, yes but, neither of us can use wind magic."

"So you plan on using your soul wavelengths?" Xavier finished.

"Yes," Ash smiled. "Glad you're on board friend."

"Alright," Asura brushed off grains of sand. "Just tell me when."

"Not here," Ash walked several more paces forward. "Let's see…" Ash's eyes danced over the endless miles of sand. "That hill," Ash pointed.

"How can you be so sure?" Asura joined her. "Everything looks the same."

"I'll be honest; I'm just guessing."

"So you're walking around aimlessly?"

Ash nodded. "Yes."

Asura stayed silent.

"Huh?" Ash looked at him. "Asura?"

He began to chuckle. Then he began to laugh. "I couldn't have asked for a madder partner," through Xavier, she felt his wavelength increase. "Ash, I would die happy if I were killed right now."

Ash blocked her eyes so then sand wouldn't go into them.

"Amazing wavelength, isn't it?" Xavier asked.

Ash nodded. "I never realized how strong his wavelength would be."

"Well Ash, he is a kishin."

She smiled and had her eyes half-lidded. "Yeah, he's my kishin. And I am his Demon Sword meister."

"Ash, do you see a doorway?" Asura asked.

Ash blinked and looked at the hill. She smiled when she saw a dark blue marble doorway slowly descending into the earth. "I see it Asura, you can stop now."

Asura obeyed.

She stared at Asura with a surprised expression. "Wow, you can close off your wavelength just as quickly?"

"You can do it, why can't I?" Asura asked.

Ash shook her head. "Never mind, let's just go into the ruin."

Asura jumped to the front of the doorway. "Already one step ahead."

Ash chuckled and followed. "Do you always need to be amusing?"

"Only for you," Asura opened the double doors to reveal a staircase going deep underground.

A wave of cool air hit the two meisters.

"Oh that is so refreshing!" Ash sighed in relief as her hood fell off. "Come on Asura, let's go inside!" she grabbed Asura's hand and pulled him inside.

"But it's a little dark, don't you need light?" Asura asked as the doors closed.

"Asura, how many times do I have to say it? I can see clearly in the dark."

"Why does it have to be so dark?" Asura held onto Ash.

"Be careful Asura," Ash paused. "Lean on me anymore and we'll roll down the stairs. Train your eyes if you want to see in the dark. Although, it wouldn't hurt to light some torches," she resumed to walk. "I can't wait to study these markings!"

"I need souls…"

Ash looked at Asura in surprise. "Seriously? We are in the ruin you wanted to explore and all you can think about are souls?"

"No… I think about other subjects."

"Oh really?" Ash placed a hand on her hip. "Like what?"

Asura smiled and quickly pinned Ash against a wall. He made her drop the journal she was carrying.

Ash cocked her head. "That wasn't very nice."

"I don't entirely care," Asura kissed her.

Ash gently moved him away. "Not now," she picked up the journal. "Can we at least get some torches on? So then you can see what I can see?"

Asura nodded. "As you wish."

Death paused when he caught sight of a doorway made of blue marble sticking out of the sand. He also sensed Asura's soul. But where is Ash's? He spent nearly two months tracking them down. He nearly believed that Lady M has sent him on a wild goose chase. For her sake, he's glad he wasn't led astray.

"There's no running now," Death thought as he went to the door. "Did they really believe that they could outrun me?" he pushed the doors open. "This time Asura, I will not hold back."

Asura stared down the hall he and Ash traveled. It was lit with torches so then they were provided light.

"Hey Asura!" Ash called.

He looked down the hall. Ash was in the far distance. "What is it?"

"Come look at what I found."

Asura looked towards the exit then back at where Ash was. Why is he stressed out? The kishin shook his head and joined Ash. He found himself in a giant chamber held up by a series of pillars that was already lit up by chandeliers and torches.

"Are you responsible for this?" Asura asked.

"No, they were already lit when I got here," she answered and looked at her grandfather's notes. "According to this, this room was also lit when my grandfather was here. I wonder… have the candles and torches always been lit? Or maybe someone comes by every once in a while to light up the torches."

"Then how do they get to the chandeliers on the ceiling?"

Ash looked up. "You have a point. Xavier, do you know anything about this?"

"I have heard of this ruin but I don't know about the lights," Xavier answered.

"Oh well," Ash sighed. "I guess we'll solve this mystery ourselves," she laughed. "To the markings on the walls!"

As much as Asura wanted to share Ash's enthusiasm, he couldn't. There was something towards the exit he felt uneasy about. He closed his eyes and focused.

"Right now, I can sense Xavier and Ash," Asura thought. "But there is something, the madness won't allow me to ignore it. Damn it…" he took a deep breath before letting his fears control him again. Then he sensed it. Asura opened his eyes. "Death followed us here? How would he even know where he and Ash would be going?"

"Asura, Xavier told me that you are uneasy," Ash said. "Are you alright?" she touched his shoulder.

"Ash…" Asura whispered.

"Yes, what is it?"

Asura looked towards the exit. "Death is here."