It was the height of the storm, and Yoh was lying in bed, suffering from a very high fever. Kino and Yohmei watched their grandson grimly as he moaned in pain.

Anna immersed the face towel into the water again and squeezed the excess out. She then placed it back on her fiancé's forehead.

"He's not taking his defeat too easily," said Yohmei. "That fever wasn't caused by the physical wounds alone. What if he never recovers?"

Kino nudged him and gestured to Anna, who was sitting next to Yoh. The grandfather was instantly silenced.

"Yoh will get well," said Anna slowly. "He knows his obligations. He must protect the world."

"Anna, you haven't been sleeping or resting since last night," said Kino gently. "Maybe you better take a break and let Tamao and Horo Horo look after Yoh."

She shook her head, and in a barely audible voice, she said, "It was all my fault."

"Anna, it's an order from your sensei," said Yohmei.

At last, she looked up. "Yes, Master Yohmei, Asakura-sensei."

When she left Yoh's room, she found Tamao, Horo Horo, Manta, Ryu, and Lyserg waiting for her.

"Any progress?" asked Ryu.

She shook her head, then turned to Tamao and Horo. "Will you look after Yoh?" The two immediately nodded.

Lyserg came to her side immediately. "Is it true? Asakura Hao came here yesterday?"

She gave him a curt nod and continued to walk briskly. Lyserg wanted to follow her, but Ryu restrained him.

"Try to understand," said Ryu in a gentle reprimanding voice. "She's heartbroken."

Lyserg clenched his fists, but he decided to let go of her for the time being.

Manta followed Anna with his gaze. He noticed that her steps were determined, as if she intends to go someplace.

"I'm going to check on something," said Ren as Pirika helped him tie the strings of his raincoat. "I heard that Asakura Yoh was severely injured by a certain character. I have to check that out for myself."

"Eh?" She looked concerned. "Do that, and please tell me what happens with your investigation."

"But you must do as I say. After the storm, you must go home already. I don't want your brother to worry about you."

She nodded. "Yes! And um, please check on my brother too. I want to know if he has fully healed already."

He nodded awkwardly, then bowed at her.

Anna secured the bandanna around her neck, then put on her raincoat just as Manta entered her room.

"You forgot to close the door," said Manta.

"Then you should have knocked," she said quietly.

"You're leaving in the middle of a storm?" There was a question in his voice.

"What I will do cannot wait." She started to walk away but Manta stepped in front of her, arms flung to his sides.

"What are you doing?" she asked. "Do you want me to step on you?"

"No, Anna! It's dangerous! If Yoh-kun learns that I know what you are going to do would hurt you, but I didn't do something about it, he'll get mad!" protested Yoh's best friend.

"Then don't make him learn about it." Anna sidestepped the midget and continued walking.

"Anna! Anna, wait! Anna!" called Manta, but to no avail. She left the house already.

As the itako trudged through the heavy pounding of the rain, she silently recalled what Hao told her yesterday.

"I have a proposal to make," said Hao, eyes twinkling. She gave no comment and waited for his offer.

"I have this book where all my powers were derived. Now, if Yoh reads it, I'm sure he'll get much, much stronger," said Hao, glancing at the unconscious Yoh.

"Of course, there's a price to pay," she said evenly.

"Nothing is for free anymore, Anna dear," said Yoh's brother, shrugging. "Besides, all I ask of you is that you leave him and keep me company."

"Very simple indeed," she said sarcastically. "What will you get in case I do agree?"

"Isn't it obvious?" He walked towards her, eyeing her with fascination. "I want you, Anna Kyouyama. Ever since the day I first saw you, I wanted to own you, because you are so elusive." He stopped in front of her, and his hand reached for her chin. With his finger, he tipped it up with surprising gentleness, something she thought he didn't have, basing from what he did to her fiancé.

"I told you before, didn't I? Crushing your high and mighty spirit and taming your wild beauty shall be my delight."

She didn't say anything, although his touch was burning her inside.

His face inched closer to her. "If you want to strike the deal with me," he whispered. "I'll be waiting in the forest." He then stepped away. "What do you say?"

She remained passive. "I'll think about it."

"Good enough for me."

Anna paused when she saw that she was about to enter the forest. She looked back at the Asakura house and felt overwhelming sadness. It was her home, the only place she belonged to. Even though she was able to stay there only for a short period of time, she had learned to cherish that place in her heart.

She shook her head and reminded herself that what she was going to do was for the good of the young master of that house.

Before she could do something stupid like run back into the house and into the side of her fiancé whom she secretly cares for, she walked into the forest briskly.

"Oh, Master Yoh," whispered Tamao, eyes welling up with tears. After Anna left his side, his fever had worsened.

Horo looked at the thermometer grimly. "Thirty nine degree Celsius."

"That bad, huh?" said Lyserg, clicking his tongue.

Ryu shook his head. "Master Yoh will be fine. He will be the shaman king someday. He's made of stronger stuff."

Tamao nodded tearfully. "Whoever did this to him…he's so cruel!"

"Not to mention frighteningly powerful," added the Ainu boy. "Master Yoh was severely injured. I wonder…"

"Asakura Hao is a menace," hissed Lyserg, his fists clenching.

All heads turned to him.

"He must perish," said the dowser.

"You know the guy who beat up Master Yoh personally?" asked Horo Horo.

Lyserg shrugged. "Why shouldn't I know him? He just murdered my parents, that's all."

Tamao stifled her gasp with her hand, as the boys were rendered speechless.

"If you will excuse me," he mumbled, then stood up. He walked out of the room.

"Asakura Hao," repeated Ren as he listened to the conversation going on in Yoh's room. "He must be a strong fighter then."

He shifted slightly from his crouched position behind the bushes so he could listen more to the conversation.

"Hey you guys, excuse me for a moment," said the blue-haired boy that he recognized as Pirika's brother.

"Where are you going?" asked the pink-haired girl.

"To a no-woman's land," he said, smiling. "Wanna come?"

Ren watched as the girl's fist landed on the boy's face.

"Gee, and Pirika thinks I have beaten up his brother badly already," he remarked.

He paused when he saw him come out of the house, and he was heading straight to his location!

Did he sense my presence? Did he notice me? wondered Ren, sweating nervously even with the rain's presence.

He stopped right in front of him and looked down at the bush. Ren cowered deeper into the grass, hoping that the night sky was enough to cover him. Just please don't let lightning strike.

His thoughts were interrupted when he felt the –psh sound and the sensation of something dripping on him. No, it was too warm for rain. Therefore…

"Aaarrrrrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhhhh!!!!!!"

Tamao was alerted by the shout outside, followed by Horo's own shout. "What was that?"

She and Ryu went outside just as Lyserg came out too. "What happened?" asked the emerald-haired boy.

Tamao raised her lamp. "Hey, Horo?"

Horo Horo was seated on the grass, pointing at the boy who was frantically wiping his pointed hair.

"What the what?!" said Ryu, bewildered.

"I-I was…he was…" mumbled Horo.

"He urinated on me," explained Ren angrily as everyone sweatdropped.

"Um, well, come in," said Tamao nervously. "Welcome to the Asakura house. Why don't you take a bath first?"

"Don't let him in!" yelled Horo, following the sweatdropping people into the house. "He was the one who thrashed me up!"

Tamao shrugged. "Still, he's in the grounds of the Asakura, where the motto is 'helping out the helpless'."

"I'm not helpless, you ignorant woman!" bellowed Ren.

"Don't you dare talk to her that way!" said Horo Horo, stepping in front of Tamao protectively. "Remember, I just showered you."

"Why you moronic blue-haired freak-" He was about to stab him with his spear when he realized that he was talking to Pirika's brother! "I-I mean…um…"

Ryu, trying to hide his smirk, handed Ren a towel and a robe. The latter glared at the former lethally.

Pirika was sewing Ren's torn battle clothes when a kyoshin came into the room. "Ms. Pirika, Master En wants to talk to you."

"Huh?" She looked puzzled. "Who's that?"

"Master Ren's father."

"Oh, ok." She placed the clothes on the bed and followed the kyoshin.

Manta entered Yoh's room and found Amidamaru sitting by his master's side, eyes shut in deep contemplation.

"Amidamaru?"

The spirit jerked, then looked at the midget. "Ah, Master Manta!"

"That's unusual," said Manta quietly. "Usually, you can sense my presence even when I'm thirty meters away from you."

"I was thinking…I'm sorry."

"About what?"

Amidamaru looked out at the window. "Have you seen Ms. Anna?"

"She left." Manta was beginning to grow worried when he saw the samurai's forehead crease. "Why?"

"So she did it anyway," said Amidamaru.

"D-Did what?"

The two blinked when they saw Yoh looking at them, eyes barely open, but in his face was the determination to stay awake just to hear what happened to his fiancée.

Amidamaru looked away. "I'm sorry, Master Yoh. I can't tell you."

He forced a grin. "B-But I thought we promised to each other…that we won't keep secrets…from each other?"

"Master Yoh…"

"T-Tell me…what did Anna do?" he asked beggingly.

"She…she went out to find a cure for you," explained the samurai.

"But it's just a fever, right?" asked Manta.

"No, I'm talking about his sadness." Amidamaru exhaled slowly. "Caused by his loss of belief in his abilities."

Yoh looked confused.

"Ma'am Anna is finding a way to make you stronger, so that you won't be defeated again…at the expense of her own life. She agreed to be Hao's slave, in exchange for a book that can give you more powers."
His face was shocked, then all of a sudden, he forced himself to get up.

"Master Yoh!"

"Yoh!"

Amidamaru and Manta tried to pull him back. "You're still sick…and too weak," said Manta, giving the samurai a pleading look.

"Anna…I have to stop Anna…" he whispered hoarsely. "What does she think she's doing?"

"Master Yoh, you have a fever!" said the spirit.

"No, I can still…catch up with her. I have to stop her."

"Yoh, she left hours ago!" said Manta.

He froze. "T-Take me to her then. Take me to Hao! I have to…save…Anna…" His knees gave way, and he weakly landed back to his bed.

"No need."

Their heads turned to the window, and found a tall, lanky man peering at them with a smile. Blond, with purple eye shadow and dressed in white coat resembling a doctor's, he entered the room through the window.

"Hao sent me here to bring you his end of the bargain." He handed them an old, tattered book. "And since he was charitable, he decided to send me as your doctor who will treat you until you're healthy enough to train."

"Who…are you?" asked Yoh, who could feel himself losing temper. "Are you…one of my brother's minions?"

He shook his head. "Of course not! I'm just a traveling doctor who happened to pass by a forest, and I was asked to respond to a call of duty." He bowed. "Faust VIII, at your service."

The three looked at the person before them, deciding whether they should trust him.

"Take the book," said Faust suddenly. "Ms. Anna has sacrificed a lot just to give you this."

Yoh's face turned grim. "Where is Anna?"

"If I were you, I shouldn't worry. He's being taken care of by Hao properly." Faust grinned. "Now, you must get well."

"I have to save Anna," repeated Yoh, and Amidamaru and Manta realized with a sinking heart that the future shaman king was beginning to get very, very angry. 

"You won't be able to save her anyway, when you are currently sick." Faust smiled. "You must be a good patient and rest, or else I'll tell Ms. Anna, and she will be unhappy."

Yoh paused.

"He's got a point, Yoh-dono," whispered Amidamaru.

The boy looked down.

"Let me help you decide." Faust took out a syringe and injected it on Yoh.

The boy fainted at once.

Tsuzuku

( man, this should have been longer, dakedo, I'm going to be late again if I don't wrap the chapter up. Oh well, there's always a tomorrow.)