AN: I'm really proud of this fic ^-^ though I only have this chappy up. And get this! It's LONG! ^-^ Almost a full six pages ^-^ Please read and review.

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Kaoru's brow creased with concentration as she eyed the spirit before her. It was big, easily towering over her petit form. It gurgled as it took a step forward.

"Disgusting." Kaoru muttered. It didn't have many features. It looked like a large black blob of tar, with a slit in the middle, which she assumed was its' mouth. It's red eyes narrowed as Kaoru slipped open the pouch containing Ranna. She delicately fingered its' cool metal, and then grabbed the small ball that would ring the bell, had it been free. The spirit backed up, it's claws trying to defend it from the inevitable.

"Now you're scared." Kaoru smirked, and let go of the ball, holding Ranna by the handle. It rang, on its' own; a high, sweet sound that echoed throughout the empty courtyard. The spirit howled, and clawed at where ears would have been had it been a human.

"Sleep." Kaoru commanded. It hunched over, yelping in pain, as the echoes of Ranna seemed to surround only him. It was in too much pain to realize that Kaoru had stopped ringing the bell, and had replaced it back in her bell bandolier. It struggled to keeps its' eyes open, glaring at Kaoru. She ignored it, and withdrew Saraneth. In the same manor as before, she held the ball inside the bell, preventing it temporarily from ringing.

"Go back." She whispered, letting the large bell ring. It howled again as it rang, this one louder and more powerful than the last. Slowly, its' cries faded and it disappeared. Kaoru sighed and replaced Saraneth, careful not to let it ring again. One slip and something disastrous could happen.

"A-Arigatou! Arigatou, Kaoru-sama!" A middle-aged man ran towards the Necromancer, a small tan satchel cradled in his calloused hands.

"It was nothing, really." Kaoru assured him. He shook his head wildly.

"Iie, it was something, Kaoru-sama! If you didn't come, who knows what would have happened to my family." He pointed behind him to the door where his wife and two children stood. One girl and one boy, both shaking and clutching the hem of their mother's dress. Kaoru smiled wistfully and walked towards them. They shrank back instinctively.

"I won't hurt you." Kaoru assured them, crouching down to their level. The boy slowly peeked his head out from behind his mother. His wide, brown eyes stared back at her.

"W-will he come back?" He asked fearfully. Kaoru shook her head, still smiling.

"Iie, he won't bother you again." She gently patted his arm and stood.

"Here, Kaoru-sama, onegai, take this." The man held out the small bag. Kaoru shook her head.

"I have no use for it." Her eyes offered no room for argument, and he nodded, slowly pocketing the silver.

"Ano…are you The Abhorsen?" The young girl, who had remained silent until now, asked. Kaoru froze. This girl knew about The Abhorsen at such a young age? The Abhorsen, a feared being in the spiritual world. As of the present time, Abhorsen was a male. He traveled from town to town, banishing the dead and bringing peace to the people. He was the most powerful, and good, necromancer. She shuddered at the thought of being weighed down by so much responsibility.

"Iie, I am just a humble town necromancer." Kaoru answered, turning around to face her. She looked at the picture before her sadly. The perfect family. What she always wished for.

"Ja na!" She replied with forced happiness before turning again and walking away. Family. Her mother had died giving birth, and her father died in battle against the dead. She clenched her fists tightly at her sides, her muscles tensing. Her father had been a greatly respected necromancer. The bells she wore and the sword at her hip were her fathers'. She could still remember the shock of what happened that day she heard of her father's death.

~*FLASHBACK*~

"Kaoru-chan! Kaoru-chan! Sensei wishes to speak with you!" Sara, one of Kaoru's friends at the orphanage, burst into the room. Kaoru, who was looking out the window at the front gates, turned towards her. Kaoru and Sara were two of the older children there, at the age of twelve.

"I'm waiting for my daddy! He's going to come and take me home." She said, exasperated. Sara frowned and tugged on Kaoru's shirtsleeve. Kaoru was the only one in the orphanage allowed to wear her normal clothes. Everyone else was adorned in shiny blue robes and matching blue slippers. Sensei had given Kaoru special permission.

"Mou! Fine!" Kaoru stood and walked towards the door, Sara trailing closely behind. They stopped in front of a large oak wood door down the hallway. Kaoru shooed her friend away and smoothed down her shirt, making her appearance at least semi presentable, before knocking.

"Come in."

Kaoru hesitated before pushing the heavy door open and slipping in. The room was large, lavishly furnished with imported furniture and a large oak desk that matched the doors. She chewed nervously on her lower lip as she approached the desk. It wasn't until she felt the lush red carpet between her toes that she realized she had forgotten to put on her shoes in her haste. Frowning, she hurried the rest of the way to her sensei's desk.

"Kaoru-chan? Have a seat." The young woman before her motioned to a chair in front of the desk. Kaoru gulped and hesitantly slid into it, tapping her fingers nervously on the armrest. Kaoru's sensei was beautiful. She had pale, creamy skin and dark brown hair that was currently in a bun on top of her head. She had full red lips and a pair of lively green eyes. Normally, when on duty, she wore a long cream robe that swished at her ankles as she walked. Now, however, she wore a simple white blouse and a long black skirt.

"Sensei?" Kaoru questioned, noticing the frown evident on her face. She had only ever been in this room twice; once when she was first brought to the orphanage and the second time when she got into a fight with another girl.

"Kaoru-chan….You've been here five months." The older woman's voice was soft. Kaoru nodded, confused as to why she was telling her this.

"You see….we got a letter today….and….there is no easy way for me to say this….but….your father isn't coming back."

Kaoru sat in shock. Unconsciously, her nails tore at the plush of the armrest and her toes, which just reached the floor, curled under.

"N-nani?" She finally croaked. Her sensei's eyes were filled with compassion as she stood and went around to Kaoru. She squatted down, and without warning, enveloped Kaoru in a tight hug.

"Gomen, Kaoru-chan. He's dead." She whispered.

"Iie…IIE!!!" Kaoru pushed out of her sensei's embrace and sprinted out of the room and down the hall. Sobs rose in her throat as she threw open the door to her room and collapsed on her bed.

"Kaoru-chan?" Sara hesitantly came in. Kaoru paid no mind to her as she hugged her pillow to her chest.

"What happened?" Sara sat on the bed and soothingly rubbed Kaoru's back.

"He's dead! He's gone!"

"Who?"

"Daddy!" She wailed, burying her head in her arms again. Sara looked at her friend in sympathy and gently pulled Kaoru's hair out of its' ribbon.

"W-what are you…?" Kaoru sniffled and sat up, looking over at her friend. Sara silenced her and moved so she was directly behind her. She took the hair in her hands and quietly began to braid.

"I felt it…"

"Nani? Felt what?"

"I felt…daddy…I felt him die." She whispered brokenly. Sara gasped and quickly finished the braid, tying it with Kaoru's hair ribbon.

"You-you're a-a-"

"Necromancer." Kaoru whispered, ashamed. Her father had practically forced her to become a necromancer. And it pained her to know that in the end, even when she felt that small pang in her chest that told her something died, she couldn't do anything.

"Monster…"

"Sara?" Kaoru turned around, startled by the word her friend whispered. Sara had backed up into a corner, shivering, eyes wide. Kaoru stood.

"Don't come any closer! You, you, you DEMON!!" Sara screamed and jumped up, racing past Kaoru and out of the room. Kaoru stood in shock.

"Demon?"

The word slipped off her tongue. Her hands shook and her chin trembled as a new onslaught of tears came.

"Why!?"

~*END FLASHBACK*~

Kaoru never forgot that day. The day she lost both her father, and her only friend. After that, her orphanage life went by in a blur. Many shunned her, with the exception of her sensei. They believed that necromancers only brought back the dead. They didn't know that they could also put the dead to rest. She didn't tell them. She was fourteen when she left the orphanage. And at sixteen, she had summed up enough courage to venture into death and try to bring her father back, though she knew his spirit had long since passed the last gate. She shuddered at the name as she continued her walk down the street at a brisk pace.

Death was a place that no one wanted to venture into. Not only because it involved leaving your body in life and letting your spirit go into death, but also because one false move, and you could be stuck there forever. One false move and it could be you passing the ninth gate.

Kaoru dispersed all thoughts as she approached a small house on top of a hill, about a quarter of a mile away from the village. She trudged wearily up the paved stairs and to the door before it opened. Startled, she jumped back.

"Took you long enough." A small gray cat with piercing red eyes replied from its' position on the floor. Kaoru glared at the animal and stepped over it, shutting and bolting the door.

"Quiet, Barra." Kaoru snapped, carefully sliding off her bell bandolier and placing on the small wood table. Barra was not an ordinary cat, as one could tell. Maybe that was because he wasn't a cat. He had been a spirit, very much so like the one Kaoru had sent back to death. Her father had given her a silver ring, a ruby gem in the middle. While she was fighting Barra, the ring on her finger increased in size, until it was large enough to throw on the creatures' head. Which was exactly what she did. Not only did it turn him into a cat, but also it bound him to her permanently, until the collar came off. Even after she died he would serve her.

"Moody." Barra hissed, jumping up onto a windowsill. He turned around a few times before settling down in a small ball and falling fast asleep.

"Stupid cat." Kaoru muttered as she took off her sword and armor. After she finished and was left in gray leggings and a red, wool sweater, she softly padded into the kitchen. Her stomach growled with hunger as she shifted through the cabinets, hunting for something edible. After she found the ingredients to make some miso soup and then got it boiling on the stove, she went back into the main room.

"It's getting darker yet." She murmured to herself. Creatures from death hated two things. Light and water. The spirit she had just vanquished back to where it belonged was just one of the beginners, a spirit that didn't know any better. The more dangerous ones came out when the last ray of sunlight vanished. Everyone in the village had been ordered to be in before sunset with the doors and windows locked. It helped ensure safety.

"Aren't you going to get your soup?" Barra, who was apparently awake the whole time, asked. Kaoru looked towards the cat, unfazed, then quickly jumped up.

"Shoot! I forgot!" She ran into the kitchen, the aroma of burnt vegetables in the air. Barra snickered and began to clean his fur.

"I heard that you little pest!" Kaoru shouted from the kitchen. Barra laughed silently and continued cleaning himself.

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After a slightly charred soup, Kaoru settled down in her chair. Barra lay, curled on her lap, contently purring as she stroked his fur unconsciously. She sighed longing and looked at the bookshelves filled with hundreds of books.

"What I wouldn't give to be a normal woman."

"Woman? You? You're nothing more than a girl!" Barra retorted, standing up and stretching. Kaoru glared at him.

"What are you babbling about? I'm almost eighteen!" She scoffed, throwing her nose into the air.

"You're a child. A necromancer." Barra sat down again, this time sitting upright and looking her in the eye. She shivered under his intense gaze.

"Don't remind me." She leaned against the back of the chair, her head pillowed by her dark hair. She stared at the ceiling and frowned.

"Charter marks. God! They're everywhere!" She threw her hands up, startling Barra. With a hiss, he jumped off her lap.

"Of course they're everywhere." He barked. Kaoru ignored him and continued to study the symbols on her ceiling.

"I guess daddy didn't trust the house by itself. He needed charter spells to protect it." She shook her head, disappointed.

"Do you honestly believe you would be here if the charter marks weren't there? The spirits would have dragged you down with them in a second." Barra responded, jumping up on the chair. Kaoru shrugged and looked back at the bookshelf. Her gaze locked and held on a certain book near the top. Its spine was thicker than the rest, and it was collecting dust. Kaoru didn't know what willed her to take it out, but she reached up and snatched it. Barra watched her through lidded eyes.

"What are you taking that out for?" He stifled a yawn and watched, half awake, as she sat down with it in a chair opposite him.

"The Book of the Dead." She whispered, running a finger over the cover. The leather front was rough to the feel. She could almost feel the book pulsing under her grip. The Book of the Dead could only be opened and closed by a skilled necromancer, like her father. She had not yet mastered opening it. In a way, she was glad she couldn't. Shuddering, she stuck it back in its' place.

"Come on, Barra. Let's get to…"

A knock on the door startled Kaoru and alerted Barra. Kaoru looked at the door, wide eyed.

"Be careful, Kaoru." He warned, the fur on his back raising. She nodded and slowly made her way towards the door. A knock sounded again, and she jumped.

"One of the dead?" She asked herself as she unlocked the door.

"Kaoru! Are you sure that's wise?" Barra smacked her leg with his paw, claws extended. Kaoru glared at him and nodded, then motioned for him to grab her the sword off the table. He grumbled, and using strength that no ordinary cat would have, he carried it over to her. She unsheathed it, and held it so it was poised and ready to attack. Taking a deep breath, she yanked the door open.

Her eyes widened in shock. Barra growled deep in his throat, his claws extended and digging into the hard wood floor. Before them stood, not a spirit, but a man. He had flaming red hair and an odd cross-shaped scar on his left cheek.

"He could be a spirit in disguise." Barra whispered only loud enough for her to hear. She gave him a fraction of a nod, her eyes never leaving the weary man before them. Being a necromancer, she was able to sense death and spirits. She felt none in this man.

"What is it you want?" Her tone was so harsh it didn't sound like her own. The man looked at her through tired purple eyes.

"Are you, Kamiya Kaoru? The necromancer?" His voice was soft and forced. Kaoru's eyes widened. Nobody had ever called her that. She nodded slowly.

"Hai."

His eyes widened and a small smile played on his lips. He swayed, and Barra ran away from the man, afraid he would get squished.

"At last. Onegai, help me." He mumbled before he pitched forward. Kaoru cried out and grabbed him as he slumped against her.

"A little help would be nice, Barra!" She glanced over her shoulder, but the cat was nowhere to be found. Grumbling under her breath, she dragged the man into the house and shut and bolted the door.

"Now what?" She questioned no one in particular. Barra appeared, and walked up to the man, gently nudging him with his pink nose.

"He's unconscious."

"I know that! What do I do with him?" She asked, pacing nervously around the room. She rarely had contact with people, and when she did, it was only to put the dead to rest. Sighing, she ran a frustrated hand through her hair.

"I guess he's staying for the night." Kaoru commented as she bent down and grabbed him under the arms.

"Barra!"

"Yes?" The cat strolled over at a leisurely pace. Kaoru gestured to the unconscious man on the floor with her shoulders.

"Yes, he's quite attractive for a human." Barra commented, enjoying the look of shock and anger on his mistresses' face.

"Baka! Come here and help me carry him to the bed!"

Barra growled lightly before sliding under the man's legs. Once Kaoru was sure he was set, she lifted him and the two stumbled to the other room with the man. After five minutes of struggling and yelling, Barra and Kaoru managed to hoist the body onto her bed and cover him with blankets. Satisfied, Kaoru nodded and grabbed a spare blanket off the bed and left the room, closing the door behind her.

"What are you doing?" Barra asked from his position on the windowsill.

"I'm going to sleep." She yawned and curled up in one of the chairs in the living room. Barra watched silently as she drew the flimsy blanket over herself and closed her eyes. Within minutes, her breathing slowed, signaling she was asleep. Barra quietly jumped off the windowsill and trotted over to the closed bedroom door. With a bit of effort, he pushed the door open enough for him to slip in. Once in, he hopped on the end of the bed and curled up, eyeing the red headed man.

"I don't trust you." He muttered before falling asleep.

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AN: How was it? It's kinda a whacked out idea I had after being inspired by Garth Nix's book (go read it!). But I wanted to make Kaoru the independent type, so….yeah. ^-^;;