Hana's POV:

The icy feel of his makeshift skin burned through my own, territory bright but not focusing on healing. It slithered on the ground slowly searching as I held Darkness's gaze as he still had me by the neck, back pressed against the cold surface of the ground. I knew where I was, it was the same area he kept me in, but now it was all alive, under his command.

Trees spread their branches, Yomi's body being dragged away from us. He wasn't dead, but the attack latched one of those tentacles monsters on his soul. It was an upgrade, it didn't need time, it just encompassed his soul as fast as possible, probably before his body even hit the ground. But it was acting differently, it just surrounded his soul like a cage, enabling his use of power, but wasn't drilling into his soul.

Why?

"You should have not treated me like a villain if you wished for a different outcome." I didn't, I didn't even know. Tentacles worked on his body, as if stitching a certain part together. The boys must have managed to hit him, hurt him.

Lifting my hand to what I could only guess was his shoulder, he recoiled from my touch as if I was made of fire, his grasp loosening. As air properly filled my lungs, I finally spoke "You're hurt." The hallows of his eyes turned to dangerous slits, like daggers ready to pierce me, but I didn't care. Getting up, I didn't dare let my territory touch him, but I tried once more to approach.

Slowly, always looking at him, arm extended ahead of time so he would understand what I was getting at. My mind felt like it was splitting apart, trying to divide my attention between the moment happening in front of my eyes and also my territory as if finally stopped following Yomi. Those tentacle like branches latched onto him, stringing him like an ornament to a tree, several other bodies accompanying him.

I froze in my attempt to advance, mind recognizing all the souls my territory was seeing, unwelcomed tears spilling as I at least worked on healing broken and bruised flesh, thankfully not a lot of damage. Biting down on my lower lip in order to keep it from quivering, I didn't know how to deal with everything. A part of me panicked, there was no way I could get so many of those off them, I couldn't possibly save them all. A different part hated him, sentiment more than likely being picked up by Darkness as I kept myself from screaming, tender flesh breaking under the force of my teeth, blood staining them, entering my mouth. And then, somewhere in the middle of all the chaos that my soul represented, I was grateful in a way, grateful he didn't kill them.

Darkness kept on silently watching me, analyzing the changes on my face. A shaky hand dropped to my side, head bowed as I tried to come up with something, anything. One move and they would cease to exist just like the scouts sent here to their doom.

Everything around me stirred, more alive than ever before as I lifted my eyes once more, closing the space between us. He had nothing to fear from me, my abilities were nothing compared to how he controlled every single living thing in his perimeter. Everything down here is built to accommodate his needs. Last time they were all so still, probably in an attempt not to scare me further.

Even the souls were acting differently, moves chaotic, not calming in their dance. Did they actually fear him? Or did they know how this will all play out? Maybe they have seen this happening countless times before.

A low rumble resonated through the silence when my fingertips touched him, powers already working on healing the damage done to him. Is he in pain, can he even feel it anymore?

"Why do you insist on touching me if it hurts you?" good question? What is exactly about broken beaten creatures with fractured souls that draws my powers out? Ever since I developed this powers, I was attracted to them, wishing to heal. In the end that was the reason why Kurama found out about me having powers.

"Why do you insist on hurting me when I'm not doing it to you?" as I spoke, he took a step back, not allowing for the interaction to take place anymore, the light shining through his eyes sockets focusing on my hand. His chest heaved, a sickening sound of bones breaking and shattering reached my ears, a muffled gurgling sound leaving his mouth as if he was choking on blood. I couldn't react, I didn't know what I was witnessing, his body bending in the most impossible ways "Stop it." Covering my ears, not even my territory could save me "Fucking stop it, what are you doing?"

Never in my life could have I imagined a certain sound could express pure horror, but it was happening now to me. My concentration almost faltered, but the boys were safe, there was no change in their state except for one, fear. Which meant they were conscious, at least a part of them by how everything manifested.

I snapped back to the actual danger in front of me, Darkness crashing to his knees, body shuddering as he tried to catch his breath. Slowly, I approached him, eyes widening. From within what I knew morphed what I could possibly classify as close to human. Still a mountain of a man as he stood up, straightening in all his glory, dark orbs taking me in as he dipped his chin to take a proper good look at me. The light of his soul still shinned through, however now I could at least witness his anatomy.

"Is this how you used to look like?"

His voice was unchanged when he spoke again, holding the same intensity as before "What I remember, it is but a distant memory, one of many I chose to forget." He offered me his hand, hesitation making me consider my options before I deciding to play his game. It was cold, but in the sense of staying outside on a winter day cold. He wasn't hurting me anymore and I couldn't understand for the life of me why "You did not know of their plan. Humans and demons working on protecting the Light, how fitting."

I would have figured the entire Yomi yelling at me scene would have tipped you off but ok, whatever way you want to deal with it.

He guided me through the rough terrain, taking me to their location. Dreed crept up on me like a second mother, smothering me in its embrace. Turning to look at him, I did the only thing I could do "Please, let them go." I was willing to fucking grovel at his feet if that ensured they would be set free. Anything, I'll do anything.

"I don't care for Spirit World accepting demon souls." He turned to me "I want everyone to know what they did. What we did."

"Get your tentacle ass away from her you freak." I jumped looking over at Yusuke as he struggled to set himself free "Your fight's with me, you send her back."

"She called onto me." Of course such a display didn't go unnoticed, but I was feeling like I was coming off a rush which wasn't a good thing. Yusuke kept running his mouth, Darkness growing visibly annoyed at his tone and the avalanche of swears leaving him, as good as they were. I shook my head, telling him not to, yelling at him to just shut his mouth for once in his life "Enough."

The tentacles around his soul started to tighten, me launching in my powers to prevent from it crushing him into oblivion "Yusuke he's going to kill you, you all have those things latched onto your souls." He stilled, Darkness's power pressing against my territory "Stop it, you'll kill him."

"He represents nothing to me, I have enough souls here to use." Darkness casually gestured towards the rest.

Yusuke soon felt the strain, the bubble of his soul gently starting to crack under the pressure, his body trembling uncontrollably. Kuwabara's voice sounded next, making me gasp "Take me you coward, leave Urameshi out of this."

Hiei jumped in next, calling him an idiot "Like your soul would be worth much. Take me you pathetic excuse of a man."

"Hiei, now is not the time to be selfish." Not you too Kurama, please not you. His eyes travelled to me for a second before concentrating back on the main task, annoying the one set on fucking killing them.

As Darkness started putting pressure on all their souls, I felt the strain on my body "If you think you are diving his power by doing this, you are all fucking wrong." As I released the vail of my territory allowing them to see what was actually going on they stopped in their futile attempt of confusing the enemy finally getting that we weren't sitting like idiots in front of them. One was trying to kill, the other was trying to save them. Kido and Kaito were still out of it, alongside Yomi and I hoped they wouldn't get a rude awakening too. Just what the fuck were they thinking?

"You can't save all of them Light, you barely have power for one if that. I sense your little light show cost you." No shit Einstein. At least they knew I was reckless, didn't always think things through.

Glaring over at Darkness, a question crossed my mind, why hasn't he actually stopped me from using my powers. Well, here goes nothing, if there was one thing Darkness hated it was my bright territory.

Expanding it brought me to my knees, Kurama screaming at me to stop. I can't stop, if I do, you all die. Darkness covered his eyes, stopping the progression on their souls as I crawled close to the weird tree keeping all of them captive, back pressed against its hard trunk. Give me time, just fucking give me time. My territory is stronger, it can warren the attention of those things. With enough time and luck on my side.

"You are nothing but a foolish girl." He stumbled into the light, just like always unafraid of my powers. I barely had time to get out of the way, a single kick of his bringing the tree down entirely "I will make an example out of you Light."

All reason be damned at this point. Getting up on my feet, I charged, him chuckling at my attempt to fight as I concentrated my territory around our bodies "How about Ares, mighty God of War, is that a good name?" it caught him off guard, despite the punch landing in my jaw that dislocated it entirely. The pain blinded me for a few moments as I worked, forgetting how to breath properly.

"The God of War? No girl, I do not like it." He slowly walked over to me, foot pressing down on my hand, bones cracking under his force. I screamed like never before in my life, somewhere in the background the boys yelling out something, but I couldn't make it out.

"Then why are you trying to start a war?" he removed his foot, head tilted to the side as my power snapped everything back in its place, piecing together everything "Do you even know what's going on above? Have you even seen the world since you decided to do this to yourself?"

He looked down at his own body at the fragments that once represented him and for the first time I saw confusion. He can see souls, he can manipulate their matter, but he can't see feelings like I can or himself. His eyes snapped back at me once he saw small fiber like veins trying to reach out to one another. I raised my hands in defense, fog riddling my soul "I'm healing you." I screamed, not sure if my mind would not lose itself with another one of his hits.

"Why? What do you know about my pain?"

Looking at him, I didn't dare get up and antagonize him further "I'll stop. I can't pretend I know much, but I want to learn and also show you what all this is." I motioned to my own soul, allowing for everything to surface, for the raw hurt to be there and not heal it "Your power wipes souls out of existence, if you're not the villain then help me." Slowly I extended a trembling hand out to him, the very one he stomped on "Tell me what you want, tell me all the stories, I'll listen, I promise I will."

"We are more alike than you know, your powers also having the capability of destruction." Leaning in, his very essence sent chills down my spine "I have watched you. Why would I trust a broken healer?"

"Because you can't have darkness without the light. And yes I might be broken and a child, naïve even, but you still saw me out of the countless lights out there." Forcing a smile on my lips, I reached out further to him, palm of my hand touching his chest "What if a new element can actually make a difference? What if I do have the power to still be the healer I always wanted to be?"

"Then how do you suggest we play this when you are so weak?" this time I didn't look away as he morphed his entire structure, his hand taking another strand of my hair, the colour leaving it. My hand burned on the surface of his chest, but I didn't remove it "You are just like a delicate flower."

"Well I always wanted a makeover, guess I'll start with a new hair colour." A low chuckle vibrated trough out the terrain and as haunting as it was it warmed me under the cold aura he possessed. Taking a hand full of my hair, I pulled it in a ponytail urging him to touch it. I'll probably go bald by the end of this, if I survive it, but there are some nifty wigs out there I can swap around.

"Tell me a story Light." He slowly lifted my chin up, skin burning under his touch.

My mind didn't register the next thing that happened, not even when blood splattered by face, the tip of a sword running through Darkness, before being pulled out, a second attempt making me look around. Yusuke came running, a punch putting some distance between me and him. Strong hands pulled me on my feet, Kurama's hair encompassing my vision as he searched my face, a second being sparred to pulling me in his embrace, his heart fluttering wildly "Take her out of here." pushing me away, I turned to look at Kido and Kaito, pale faces betraying worry and concern.

My hands reached out to Kurama, but he was already out of my grasp, running towards the fight, each using brute forced and nothing more. Yomi took a hit, Kuwabara retaliating the second he dodged "No, no, no." Kido pulled me further as I struggled, urging me to run or else we would never get another chance like the one we had "No, you don't understand." Kaito took hold of my other arm as Darkness's voice rumbled, shaking the earth beneath us.

Hiei's soul started cracking first, the sound deafening to my ears inside my territory. Death always sounded the loudest and he was so close to it, the rest to follow. Kicking Kaito he loosened his grip on me as I managed to wiggle my way out of Kido's hands. Grabbing my shirt he yanked me back "You can't be serious, you'll die." Turning on my heels, I punched him as hard as I could in the nose, making a run for it.

My feet felt as if their weren't working fast enough, territory focusing on Darkness, him turning to snarl my way, eyes squinting. A huff left him as I wrapped my arms around him, pressing my body against his as tight as I could, holding on for dear life. Tears streamed down my face, both from the pain he was causing me and from having to witness the hurt being dealt to my friends. Life energy, my own life energy poured into them, trying to prolong the inevitable, territory also lashing out at Darkness's torn up soul.

"You cannot kill me faster than I am killing them." I knew that, but I couldn't control it, not anymore.

"I can't." I uttered looking up at him "I can't help it, please. Stop."

Kurama struggled to get up, voice breaking as he yelled out "Hana, stop it, you're killing yourself!" I know, I know, but I can't stop. Dark tentacles brought him back down, his soul also taking a critical hit and I didn't know how much he could hold on "Hana!"

"I call upon a treaty." Darkness looked down at me, at the mess that I was as I felt my body as if beginning to melt away, knees giving out. I fell to his feet, him still watching me as my territory started to dim away "I think I finally found a name worthy for you."

"Let me hear it."

I sighed, eyes turning to look over at Kurama. The desperation in his eyes was palpable as I spoke "Only if you let me tell you the story too." He didn't understand what I wanted to do, but it was a last attempt as my territory died out completely "Hades, God of the Underworld." Turning back to look at Darkness, I tried to raise my hand, but failed miserably "The best of all Gods. My treaty is this, me for them, I will accompany you, be your Persephone, tell you the story if you spare them."

They all stilled, holding their breaths as Darkness bent and picked me up, pulling me on my feet "Why this sacrifice?"

"You don't want to be treated like a villain, I'm helping you not act like one." He caught me as I almost stumbled.

Darkness looked around, his voice barely registering for me "You get this chance once, follow me and I kill her." I felt their demon energies increase, Darkness looking at me "I accept your treaty, Hana." Taking me in his arms, my eyelids have never felt as heavy.

Kurama struggled against Hiei and Yusuke, but his words barely register in my mind. I offered him a single smile as I glanced back at everyone "Damn it, take me! I am wiser, I lived my life. Let me go!" Yomi stepped in front of him, some words being exchanged as plants erupted around them, attacking.

Darkness didn't look back, he continued walking with me, taking me away from them. As my eyes finally couldn't even focus the events happening in the distance I wished for one thing. For the earth to open up and swallow me whole.

Kurama's POV:

"Get the Hell out of my way Yomi before I finish what I started with you." Yusuke tried to reason with me, pulling my face to stare into his eyes, shaking me.

"Get a grip, we need to go." I shook my head free, Hiei trying to subdue me "I hate this just as much as you do, but we need to get the fuck out of here or else this is for nothing."

Not without her, not WITHOUT her. I felt my powers return as if nothing happened and he haven't been fighting at all prior to him gaining the upper hand. Hana's life energy ran through my veins, hot and heavy as the feelings erupting in my chest.

I know I need to go, I know we will never get such an easy way out, but she was practically giving her out her last breaths "She will not survive, she cannot, not in the state she is in." Yusuke looked away from me, breath hitching as I could no longer see her or Darkness. Running a pair of shaky hands through my hair I felt like I could not get air into my lungs.

Hiei let me go as all fight left my body and even the force threatening to shatter my soul apart was better than this. Clearing his throat, Yusuke spoke again "We'll come up with another plan." no "We'll gather our heads and figure it out." no "She's strong, we need to take this win and go or it will all be for nothing. Don't be stupid now." NO!

It was not a win, we were just spared, allowed to return with our tails between our legs, live another day in order to just bare the weight of such a heavy sacrifice. My mind and body did not register the road back to Gandara. I left the room when Botan started crying, cursing all that exists.

I could not even begin to form the idea of hope and let it settle, especially after returning to the farm.

Keiko ran into Yusuke's arms, tears of happiness and relief streaming down her face. Yukina greeted Kazuma, him pulling her into a soft embrace, being happy to have returned by her side. Hiei delivered the message, relating to everyone the circumstances of our return, while I just hid away in an empty room mind working on the elements that made us lose.

Kazuma opened a riff for us in order to travel and not lose any energy. Kaito extended his territory ensuring no harm could come to us, using his Tabo, morphing the rules in order to benefit us, so we could fight. Kido immediately stepped on his shadow rending him immobilized as Yusuke fired his Spirit Gun. It was then we learned he was not invincible, he felt pain, which in turn caused fear. He was bleeding, he could be hurt just like us which in turn caused us to be a tad too confident.

As Yusuke threw a witty remark his way, Hiei chuckled mentioning what a waste of time this was and that he did not even need to dirty his sword. And then Darkness also mimicked the mocking laughter which meant there was something we did not know, something none of us saw coming.

The entire layer was under his control, the vegetation, souls, creatures that lurked, it was all his, meticulously built over time. He did not even need to lift a finger, those soul crushing monsters came out of nowhere, taking us out one by one. The last thing that my mind recalled was her.

We have failed Hana, all of us, me especially.

A soft knock at the door sounded way too loud in my ears "Go away." However the door still opened. I did not turn around, a pair of warm hands wrapping around me, tears staining my shirt "Mother please, do not weep." I did not turn around, a part of me wishing for her to leave me alone.

Her words still burned through me, how happy she greeted me, telling me Hana brought me home.

"I am so sorry darling." Patting her hand, I had to offer her some reassurance.

"We'll find a way, we always do." However the words leaving my tongue sounded fake and mechanical. Delivered dryly without any real feelings behind them. I will find a way, I will gut Darkness out like a fish, leave his bowels at his feet as he bleeds out before me. I will torture him, bit by bit, piece by piece until there is nothing left of him.

Mother turned me around, her getting a glimpse of the monster within, yet she did not utter a word. Pulling me slowly, I rested my head on her lap like I did when I was but a boy. She gently ran her fingers through my hair, stroking it in an attempt to calm me down.

There is nothing to calm down mother, I am perfectly fine.

We woke up the following morning to the sounds of alarms echoing throughout the sky from Spirit World, all of us running outside to witness the newest attack.

A portal opened on the bright clear sky, Darkness stepping out of it, eyes set above at where Spirit World is. From within the portal countless souls were allowed to return, however the number appeared far grander than what we witnessed being stolen. His voice rumbled like thunder, a single like being delivered "For Hana."

Spirit World was swampped for days to come trying to arrange all the souls, demons included.

A few days after that event we received word from Yomi that scouts were sent to assess the last layer. What they found was nothing. A desolated land, no souls, no vegetation, no Darkness, no Hana.

Yomi soon declared it off limits, in memory of all those who have fallen, never to be seen again.

A graveyard in a sense, one in which I felt my own soul to die.


A/N: Well everyone we have finally reached this part of the story, in a sense the last chapter before the final one which will be the after math. It has been a real journey, with its ups and downs and never have I believed what was originally just a funny one shot, would evolve into a full story, with its good and bad moments. Stay tuned for the last few words that will be shared in chapter 73.

Thank you all for your support and for being a part of this with me.