A/N: Here are your shout outs to my reviewers, AND, the disclaimer, I don't own any of the characters that are afiliated with Spirited Away, but the original characters are mine. ^-^

Larkabel: *maniacal laughter* I've been told that before about my writing, that it hooks people, but never about a fanfic. ^-^ I'm glad you like it, and I'm glad I got a beta too.

mjjm23: And here's another for you. lol. Don't worry I've never lost sight of my main subject, the death spirit is always lingering in this story, you may not see her, but I do. You'll get to see that too in later chapters. hee hee hee. --PS. I have no idea. I have a feeling it will end when it ends. May even end it somewhere in there and then make a sequel.

Everilde Vernamis: Here it is continued! lol

Chapter 21

Chihiro was still amazed at what had happened in the past few hours. They had had to make due with what they had. Her lower arms and hands were wrapped in white bandages, her entire body still ached and part of her still wondered if it hadn't been Haku who'd closed the rip.

Blink had come back some time while she had been unconscious. He was still arguing with Haku over having tried something of that magnitude, as well as getting her so clearly damaged.

--Flashback--

Shadows darted across the edge of her vision. She turned her head to try and see what it was, but it was gone. Chihiro held all the tighter onto Haku, fear dropping into the bottom of her stomach. It looked like they weren't alone. It wasn't completely black around them, but it kept her from seeing what was surrounding them. Without having said anything, the dragon twisted and moved away from where these shadows seemed thickest.

As Chihiro's eyes adjusted to the dimmness she could see more shadows. These ones had very long hands that reached toward them. Haku growled and flew in erratic patterns, trying to avoid these long, and apparently sharp, fingers. Chihiro whimpered and tried to keep moving with Haku but he was making it difficult. A hand swiped past her, the fingers brushing against her arm. Where Haku had expected her to scream, it was the shadow that did. Its fingers crumbled into ash, and the rest of it followed.

Almost as if enraged by this the shadows began attacking in greater numbers. Slashes appeared on Haku's skin. Moments later, in the same places, they appeared on Chihiro. They were cold and had an almost numbing effect on the skin surrounding them. The dragon roared and Chihiro worked all the harder to hold onto the dragon's horns. "Please don't let go, don't let go, please don't let go." she wimpered. Any of the shadows that struck Chihiro directly would crumble into ash.

She shuddered. "Hang on Haku, it can't be much longer." she whispered. He rumbled and worked to avoid all the shadows as possible. Chihiro looked forward as they broke through a bright light.

Haku slammed into the closest tree, his nails digging into the trunks while panting. He slowly lowered to the ground, letting Chihiro get off. He groaned as he shifted back. "Are you alright?" He grabbed his side staunching the blood flow with a bit of quick magic.

She nodded. "What about you?" She was rubbing her side trying to get feeling back into it; her hands were almost immediately coated in her own blood.

He nodded then looked at the hole. "Give me the band." Chihiro slid the purple elastic off her wrist and tossed it to Haku. He tucked it inside his shirt and stood behind her. "Put a hand on either side of the rip and let magic flow into you, making sure to give it direction."

The human swallowed nervously and put her hands out beside the tear. She thought her hands would simply pass by it, but it had a solid form to its surroundings. She closed her eyes and could feel a tingle running under her hands. "I don't know what to do."

Haku's put his hands on hers. "I'll help you," he whispered in her ear, "Stay calm, and trust me." She took a deep breat, and nodded.

The tingling went down from her hands; another sensation beginning at the base of her spine and at her feet. "I need you to help me." she whispered into the air. She felt a bit strange talking to something she couldn't see, and she closed her eyes even tighter. "This isn't something that should exist. We need to close this. It's hurting the world. Please." The two feelings connected somewhere within her and became another sensation, almost like the beating of a heart. She cringed. "Haku..."

"Give it a purpose." He said softly.

She cringed at each beat of this foreign heart. She opened her eyes and gazed down the rip. "That... it needs to be fixed." She whispered. The flow of energy went up into her chest and from there slammed up her arms. She cried out in pain, her hands curled in slightly. Haku forced them to flatten. Magic came from her fingers, weaving together into a thick substance, almost fabric. It began to wiggle across the surface, reaching into the rip and beginning to stitch it closed. Her arms started shaking in pain; her muscles felt they were on fire. "I can't..."

The magic pulled the tear closed and the solid surface vanished. Chihiro collapsed. She tried to speak to Haku as he slid the hair band back onto her wrist. Her voice didn't want to come out as he picked her up and started yelling for Raz.

Blink shook his head while unwrapping her arms and Haku explained that they would have to move before anything came looking for that power surge. "Not until I fix her arms."

"It's alright Blink." Chihiro stated, "They don't hurt." She thought that was the strangest part of it. She was going to have to change her clothes, and these ones were going to have to be washed and repaired. She looked at the mark on her arm. It hadn't changed again. Of that, she was greatful.

"Of course they don't," He sniped. "The venom from the shadow in the wounds on Haku is affecting your ability to feel pain." He got down the last of the wrappings.

Her arms were covered in massive black bruises; her hands constantly shaking and her fingers refusing to lay flat. The messenger shook his head. "Why didn't this happen to Haku too?"

He sighed, "You used all of his energy,seeing as you did it all by yourself." He slowly rolled her arm. She cringed and flinched as he moved them. "My suggestion is lots and lots of healing, and not doing anything like that ever again." It looked like Blink did have a sense of humor, somewhere.

She smiled, "That I can do." He nodded and began the process of healing her arms. "Um, can we do this and move too?"

"Ride on my back, I will heal you while we go." He stopped the magic and shifted into his giant fox form and lowered his head, "Climb on, young one."

Chihiro climbed on, "Wait what about Raz?" She looked around curiously for any signs of the white haired shaman.

"He'll find us," Haku stated, "He went to see his master and his body."

"He will find me," Blink stated and took off at a run, "He and I have a connection formed by Inari until this mission is complete." He gave a foxy smile. "You are kind to worry for his safety."

Chihiro smiled and nodded as she laid down on his back and almost immediately fell asleep.

Raz opened his eyes for the first time in as far as he knew, years. He groaned and put a hand on his head. "I'm starving."

"I'd expect nothing less."

He sat up and bowed to his master. "I don't have much time, I have to return to the others soon."

"I know, but you need a little more assistance than what you have." His master stated. "But not Zaniba, she has too much heart involved in this fight."

Raz bit his lip, "Then who?"

The master smiled. "I know just the spirit; but it will cost us." Raz already didn't like the sound of that.