Chapter 10: Wheel Of Fortune

Hakkai ran off into the cherry groves, his hands holding his head, trying to drive away the burning pain. In the midst of cherry trees he collapsed; the pain intensifying and beginning to fill his body. He struggled to fight back the pain but it was no use, the pain was still there, still feeding on his energy until he couldn't fight back.

Meanwhile, behind Nii's fortune telling booth, the council of immortals gathered.

"He's run off…" Quietus said as he sat on a pile of boxes.

"Looks like the Silver Apocalypse is going to rise now…" Nii smiled.

"That'll be easy. The Silver Apocalypse rises and we destroy it as soon as it comes out." Quietus smiled cheerfully.

"Don't expect it to be that easy, Quietus…" Hibiemi looked darkly at her subordinate, "You don't know what the Silver Apocalypse really is…"

"She's right…" Komyo sighed, "The Silver Apocalypse is a prophesy of doom. According to the files up there in Tenkai, the Silver Apocalypse describes a rising of a power that resides inside the weakest. We first thought the carrier would be a child. We didn't really expect that the power would reside in Hakkai. By the way, how come he's the weakest?"

"Qui, have you noticed any difference between the Cho Hakkai of 600 years ago and Cho Hakkai's reincarnation today?" Hibiemi asked the shape shifting immortal.

"I have. One, he's weaker than he was 600 years ago. Two, he tends to look to the others for protection. He seems to be a total wimp compared to the Hakkai I've faced 600 years ago…" Quietus sighed, "I could have killed him with my bloodsword if I still had it."

"Besides that, I've been looking into Destiny's computers." Nii said, "The database there shows that Gojyo, Goku and Sanzo had expertise in fighting. Hakkai on the other hand has no experience at all and is always hounded by demons. Perhaps that's why Goku and Gojyo are his close companions."

"Ah… Looks like the power coming from the Silver Apocalypse attracts demons, eh?" Hibiemi smiled, "Qui… We should track down Hakkai more often, we could benefit from all the exercise the demons attacking him would give us…"

"True." Quietus hummed as he tapped his chin with his finger.

"Hey, do you sense something?" Hibiemi's head suddenly faced the direction of where Hakkai was.

"Yeah… A high amount of power's surging…" Nii smiled.

"And the demons are headed right for him…" Komyo said with concern.

"No." Quietus stopped the three, "Leave him be. I'm sure he'll be okay without any protection."

Back in the grove, the surge of pain slowly died away in Hakkai's body. He slowly tried to open his eyes. He saw a silvery figure before him.

"Who are you?" He whispered to the figure.

"I am power… Don't you want to stop being protected and pay back all the protection the others have given you?" The figure spoke. It's voice stern yet light and silvery.

"I want to… But how…" Hakkai replied murmuring.

"Let me give you power…" The silvery figure requested.

Hakkai silently complied. Suddenly, he saw blood trickling down a cut in his arm. Slowly, more wounds opened. He looked at himself in horror; he was dying.

"What… What's happening to me?"

"It's your payment to have power. You won't die. You'll just give me some mortal blood. Then, you will have power."

Hakkai squeezed his eyes shut and wished that the horror would disappear soon. Soon, he felt his wounds slowly closing up. He opened his eyes. He felt stronger than he was before. And just at the right time, demons began to surround him. He calmly stood still as they came, he felt confident that he didn't need any help defeating those demons. He got into a fighting stance and suddenly the demons came rushing at him. A ball of pure ki that surrounded the brunette suddenly hit the first few demons surrounding him. Some of the demons ran away from the crowd, scared that they may die like the ones before. The rest were beaten by Hakkai's newfound strength. After a while, all the demons that dared attack Hakkai were destroyed.

Hakkai felt good.

Better than he was before.

He didn't need to be protected anymore.

He could defend himself now.

And that power felt good.

"Iya…" Hibiemi shook her head as the wind relayed what had happened to her, "It can't be…"

"What? What's happened?" Komyo looked at the youngest immortal with concern.

"He's become stronger… More stronger than the old Hakkai ever was… But he's not yet immortal." Hibiemi said in fright, "Once he becomes immortal, the Silver Apocalypse will become reality… This world will be destroyed. We must kill him quickly!"

"What did you say?"

The immortals looked at the source of those words. It was Kouryuu. He stood there with an angry look on his face.

"I won't let you touch him…"

"Kouryuu…" Quietus looked at the blonde monk.

"I know who you all are now…"

"Sou na… The memories of 600 years past have rerisen." Nii shook his head.

"They remember who we are now…" Komyo said looking to the springtime sky.