Let's try this again. It's been a long time my friends and readers. Life has a funny way of catching you off guard and throwing you curveballs. For those of you who didn't know I gave birth to my first son in February and its been crazy since. Things are finally stable and I can write again. I'm a stay at home mom now with free time again (yes, even wit month old running around getting into things lol) so my goal now is to put out a chapter a week, at the least every two. Enjoy this chapter as it marks my return to the world of fanfiction.

Drowning in Flames Ch. 28

The Monster in the Flame

Kurama held Shadows' weakened body in his arms, carefully lifting her and leaving the ring.

"Hang in there, Shadow. I'll have you fixed up in no time." He said softly.

"-cough- No, wait. I wanna stay and watch Hiei." He words were labored. The poison was slowly working its way through her system, fighting to drag her down into its deadly sleep.

"Shadow, don't be ridiculous."

"Please, Kurama. I wanna see him fight. Just give me the antidote here. My wounds are stable for now."

Kurama stared down at her with a look that said he knew she was bullshitting. Her wound wasn't as stable as she wanted him to believe. If she lost consciousness the energy she was using to keep the blood flowing would be cut off and she ran the risk of bleeding out.

She looked up at him with pleading eyes and he sighed.

"Very well. I will give you the antidote but if I feel for any reason that I need to pull you away I will with no questions asked are we clear?"

She smiled, "Yeah, fox."

He walked her over to the arena wall and sat her up against it where she could see Hiei and Enki. Her eyes instantly focused on the two demons. She didn't even notice Kurama reach into his pocket and pull out a vial and barely registered the foul taste as he tipped her head back and forced her to drink. All her focus was on Hiei and keeping her shoulder together.

Hiei stole a glance behind him as he dodged Enkis attack and felt a slight surge of anger at the fox for allowing her to convince him to let her stay.

"Baka Onna! Baka Kitsune! I will deal with the two of them shortly."

He was knocked out of his thoughts by Enkis fist to his face. He had lost himself too deeply in his thought.

Enki laughed, "What's the matter, Hiei? Can't keep your focus?"

Hiei recovered quickly and countered with a blast of flame.

"I don't need a lot of focus to defeat you, old man. I can hear those old bones creaking from over here."

"Lots of talk for someone who at least twice now has tasted his own blood because of my fists."

"Shut up, old man, and lets do this."

Enki laughed as he returned to his stance. The two demons locked eyes before Hiei disappeared in a blur.

Enki closed his eyes for a moment before moving quickly to the left, dodging Hieis sword as it sliced down through the air. His face grew serious as he countered with a heel to his jaw.

Hiei went sailing through the air but regained his composure and flew back towards the ring and began to circle it, dragging his sword along the rings floor, drastically shrinking the available fighting space. Flames rose up from where his sword touched, creating a high wall and trapping Enki inside.

The old demon smirked up at his friend, "Pretty light show, Hiei. Whats next, fire breath?"

Hiei dropped down and landed sword at the ready, "Only I can pass through these flames unharmed. Touch them and they will devour you, burn you until I call them off. I'd like to end this quickly."

He laughed, "Well now I guess that means I'll just have to watch where my fist flies then, huh, Hiei?"

"Enough talk, fool, lets end this!" Hiei flared his energy to peak levels readying himself for his next attack. Enki smiled in agreement and determination as he powered up as well.

The two flew towards each other, their attacks at the ready but they never connected. Between them appeared a man and all was lost in a bright light.

The ring exploded with such force it threw both fighters back against the walls of the arena and engulfed everything in light and heat. The flames licked out towards the crowd, burning and killing many of the lesser demons in the stands.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE IT FOLKS! I'M NOT SURE WHAT JUST HAPPENED BUT IT APPEARS THAT AN EXPLOSION HAS OCCURRED AND KNOCKED BOTH OF OUR COMPETITORS OUT OF THE RING. WHOSE ATTACK DID WHAT I CAN'T TELL BUT IF MY EYES DO NOT MISTAKE ME THERE APPEARS TO BE SOMEONE ELSE IN THE RING-"

"Shout your mouth, cat, before I turn you into a rug for my fire place." A deep voice demanded. Koto eeped and immediately grew quiet.

All eyes turned to center ring. Out of the dust appeared the man who with him had brought the flames strong enough to stop Hiei and Enki.

Ashi looked up and meet the eyes he sought and she stared back into his.

"Shadow."

Kurama was in front of her before he finished saying her name, rose whip at the ready and in Yoko form.

"Stay back, Ashi."

He laughed, "Or you'll do what, exactly, Yoko? Prick me with your thorns? How so… cute." He snapped his fingers and Kuramas rose whip instantly turned to flame.

He cried out in shock before realizing Ashi had appeared in front of him. Before he could react he was brutally and quickly put down, knocked unconscious and tossed to the side like a discarded toy.

Ashi looked down at his daughter, still broken and bleeding from his fight with Gesshoku, and smiled.

"Ah, my dear, you look so terrible and yet in your eyes I still see sheer will and fire to kill me. It fills me with pride to see such spirit in my flesh and blood. Those fools thought I was stupid to put so much faith in you and yet here you are; alive and still wishing to fight where they are now dead by your hand. You'll make a fine Princess and future Queen of the 3 worlds."

Shadow could only grimace in response. Her wounds had worsened without the energy to heal properly. She couldn't even attempt to speak let alone fight him off.

Ashi reached his hand down to touch her face but was knocked down and blasted by a barrage of attacks. He quickly regained himself and angrily looked towards his attackers.

Hiei had managed to pull himself out of the rubble he had been buried under and was now standing with sword at the ready between him and Shadow, joined by Yusuke and Kuwabara with Chu and the gang racing to join them. All had weapons and attacks at the ready.

"Touch her and you will die in more agony than planned you worthless animal." Hiei hissed.

Ashi laughed. "You really think you can keep me from my daughter? You? A bastard child of the Ice Maidens? This was nothing more than a lucky shot, a momentary advantage given to you by an accidental let down of my guard."

He glowed a deep red as he raised his power level.

"Hiei…"

"Don't worry, Onna, he won't have you-"

"Let me give you a taste of my true power before I kill you." Ashi grinned sadistically as disappeared and reappeared, closing the distance between him and the gang.

Before anyone could react he had knocked Kuwabara flying across the arena by his sheer force of presence and had both Yusuke and Hiei in his grasp, crushing their windpipes and filling them with his energy, burning them from the inside. Even Hiei, a fire demon, screamed in agony. Ashi just smiled and laughed, like a child playing with fire for the first time and finding its sick pleasures.

Shadow choked out a scream, reaching out to them as best she could.

"Ashi, no! Please stop this!" Blood poured from her mouth as she forced the words, begging for their lives. He paid her no mind.

Flames poured from Ashis body and screams could be heard throughout the arena as lesser demons fled.

Tears fell and formed into gems freely as Shadow dragged herself painfully closer to them, her skin burning with the contact of his flames.

"Ashi, please!..."

"Onna…"

"FATHER! PLEASE I BEG YOU SPARE THEM!"

The flames vanished as Yusuke and Hieis bodies hit the ground, barely alive. Ashi turned and looked down at her, a mixture of emotions in his eyes.

"You called me, 'Father'."

Tears continued to drop from her eyes as she struggled to speak.

"Please, spare them. I'll go with you if you just spare their lives."

"Onna...! No…!" Hiei screamed, his voice more a hoarse whisper than a scream.

Ashi smiled. He leaned down and gathered her into his arms and slowly began to rise into the air.

"You are mine, Shadow. I will not make deals for what is rightfully mine." He laughed as his eyes began to glow and the whole arena erupted in flames.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Shadow screamed as she watched the flames grow, her tear gems falling to the ground as they flew farther away.

"Hiei…." Was her last conscious thought before she blacked out.

Ashi smiled, savoring his victory and carrying his prize. His plan was working out just as intended and now with the Reikai Tantei dead, nothing could stop him. No even King Enma himself.