Kyouka Ankoku Strenthing Darkness Chapter 5: Start, a yu yu hakusho fanfic

Kyouka Ankoku (Strenthing Darkness)
5 [Start]

Akujin stood ontop of a huge gray boulder. The land before him was covered in mist and silent. Next to him, chained to a rock was Keiko. Akujin looked back at Keiko and just smiled evilly.

"You should be happy." Akujin replied. "After all, not everyone gets to see their loved ones die before their eyes."

"Yusuke will not lose to you! He WILL win!" Keiko shouted as she tried to get free.

"We'll see about that." Akujin answered, facing the gray landscape again.

A crack of lightning was seen in the distance followed by the low rumble of thunder. A wind swept threw the once still landscape causing the bare skeleton trees to sway in the distance. Explosions of red light occured in the clouds, causing both Akujin and Keiko to look up.

"Ah...here they come now." Akujin replied with a smile.

A rod of black lightning struck a boulder, cracking into two. Numata landed first and gracefully rose to her feet. Behind her appeared Botan, Hiei, Kuwabara, Kurama and Yusuke. Akujin smiled as Numata walked over to him. Yusuke looked up and saw Keiko chained to the rock.

"Keiko!" Yusuke shouted, running to her.

"Yusuke!!" Keiko shouted to him.

Akujin waved his hand and the ground beneath Yusuke began to lift. Before he knew what happened, Yusuke was sent flying into the air. Keiko watched in horror as he was sent flying back and hit the rocky ground with a loud thud.

"Yusuke!!" Shouted the other Reikai Tenteis as they ran up to him.

"Yusuke, you okay?" Kuwabara asked, helping him to his feet.

"Yeah." Yusuke replied as he stood up.

"I must say, you disappoint me." Akujin answered as Numata stood by his side. "Anyone who's smart enough would've known something like that was going to happen. But then again, you're not very smart, are you?"

"Why don't you put your money where your mouth is?" Yusuke asked, glaring at Akujin.

"A wise-ass too I see." Akujin replied, his face turning serious. "Very well. If you wish to die now, it's completely up to you."

Akujin lept down from the boulder he stood upon and landed several yards away from Yusuke. He removed the jacket he had been wearing to reveal a sleeveless shirt underneath. Akujin tossed the jacket aside and cracked his knuckles as he took a few steps forward.

"Are you ready?" Akujin asked, looking at Yusuke.

"You bet I am." Yusuke answered, glaring at Akujin.

"Yusuke," Kurama replied, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Yusuke looked back at Kurama a bit confused.

"Let us go first." Kurama answered as Hiei and Kuwabara stood behind him.

"This has nothing to do with you guys! You don't have to go first!" Yusuke replied, facing Kurama.

"Please, just let us go first." Kurama answered.

Yusuke was silent for a while. He looked back at Keiko, then at Akujin, then back at his friends. He nodded slightly and stepped aside. Kurama walked forward first and faced Akujin. He reached behind his neck and removed his trademark red rose.

"What's going on?" Akujin asked, confused.

"There's been a slight change of plans." Kurama replied.

"I see." Akujin answered, looking at Yusuke. "Instead of letting me fight him first, he's letting his friends go before him so they can die...how cowardly."

Kurama's rose stem extended into a whip covered in thorns.

"Kurama...I heard ever since you became human, you've become weaker." Akujin replied, looking at the red-haired boy before him. "What makes you think you'll actually last against me?"

"Luck." Kurama answered, holding his rose whip firmly in his hand.

Kurama and Akujin glare at one another as a fog begins to roll in....