Chapter 5- Back to Life

Hiei and Kiara walked down the short hallway leading out to the shrine.  After her bold statement in front of her Keeper, her fellow Warriors and the Order of the Winds, Kiara had spun around and stormed out of the room. They had descended from the short staircase, and Kiara had completely ignored Yongei in her foul mood.

"Those were bold words you said. I for one am impressed you had the nerve," Hiei commented.

"Well, growing up in a desert tribe with one of the biggest jerks in history for a fiancé can do that to a girl," Kiara said through gritted teeth.

"Can I take a guess? Yongei?" Hiei asked with a smirk.

"Yeah, but I blew it off after the Dark Tournament, after we won that is," Kiara really didn't feel like drudging up ancient history.

"Yongei was on your team?" Hiei was surprised the man was so adamant about fighting.  He seemed to just want to have fun.

"Yongei was the leader. Shi Yongei, leader of team Shi. He was full of himself that week. I could hardly stand it," Kiara tried to leave it at that, but Hiei kept digging in further.

"But, after Kurama left you," Kiara gave Hiei a foul look that would have shut up anyone but him, ", you still had a fling here at the Temple with Yongei. Why?"

"Because he changed, all right!  He came to the Temple before me. I was working for Koenma, and sending money home, and I couldn't just leave and take up a life of righteous service. Yongei learned responsibility and how to work hard, like a good Sabaku man worthy of a girl like me. Kurama had left me, I thought for good, so I went for the next best thing. But, even though I was with a perfectly fine man, I still wanted Kurama, even though I was mad at him. So there, you know everything, happy shrimp?" Kiara leaped out form behind the shrine. She immediately went up to Kurama, and gave him a very heavy kiss on the lips. When she finally released him, she turned to the others, and said, "You may rest here for tonight. But, tomorrow, we leave at dawn to hunt down Karasu,"

"And take him to Koenma to answer some questions," Kuwabara finished.

"No," Kiara said in a dangerous voice. "When I find him, I'm going to kill him."

* * *

"Dinner!" called Donya's voice through the hall leading to the guest rooms.

"Man, they sure eat late here," Yusuke commented.

"We wait until after dark to come home to the Temple," Kiara slipped off her shoes at the door, and stepped onto the tatami mat carrying two futons for Yusuke and Kuwabara, who were sharing a room. "We don't want to risk an invasion from thieves or terrorists.  So, all of us guard the Temple at night, four to a shift, so one of us gets the night off occasionally. Tonight is luckily my night off." Kiara flopped the futons down onto the mat, and smoothed out the comforter and sheets. She went to a small cupboard near the doorway, and took out two plump pillows.

"What would Karasu want with the Flame anyway," Yusuke stretched out on his futon. "I mean, it just holds harmony, and balance. It has no other purpose,"

"Are you sure?" Yongei appeared in the door. After he took off his sandals, he came over and plopped down next to Kuwabara. "It does more than that," he winked at the human boys.

"What does it do? Can it grant wishes?" Kuwabara asked eagerly. "Does it give out gifts?"

"The Flame gives the bearer extraordinary power," Kiara sat down in zazen. She flipped her hair onto one shoulder, and began to braid it. "It grants power, fame, and glory to anyone who is able to use it. I, of course, can't"

"Why not?" Yusuke asked. "Is it some taboo thing for a Warrior to touch the Flame?"

"No, but in order for someone besides the Keeper to get the Flame, or any Sacred Spirit Tool, they must give up something they truly love forever. So, if I were to get the Flame, Kurama would have to die. But, I don't want the Flame, so he's perfectly safe. I'm perfectly happy guarding it."

"Well, you won't be guarding it for long if you four don't hurry up! I called for dinner five minutes ago, so if you all want to live, GET TO THE DINING ROOM RIGHT NOW BEFORE I KILL YOU!" Donya hit each of the latecomers on the head as they rushed out of the room, and across the courtyard.

* * *

"I couldn't get him out of my room," Bonai apologized to Kiara at dinner as he nervously picked on his hands, looking at the ground. "All he does is cry and moan for Amitare,"

"It's all right Bonai," Kiara patted the man on the back. "I'm sure you tried your best,"

"We are all saddened by Amitare's death, well, except for Chiyo, who never met him," Nanaku gestured to the short, brown haired woman sitting near the open window. "But, it's time to move on. Three straight days of mourning is enough,"

"Some of us have had only one day of mourning," Kiara fed herself rice with her chopsticks. "You'll do well to remember that,"

"Yeah, I'll remember what you said tonight at your funeral when your charred remains come back in a matchbox from your manhunt. Feisty little spitfire, aren't you?" Nanaku.

"Pathetic excuse for a flame dancer, aren't you?" Kiara countered, calling Nanaku the spirit world equivalent of an expensive stripper.

"You would know, wouldn't you?" Nanaku savored seeing Kiara's face burn beet red.

"Girls shut it. Some of us are trying to eat their dinner. Umm, this is good," Kuwabara was stuffing his face with a savory brown soup. "What is this, Warrior Donya?"

"Mizo soup. Made from broth, scallops, some noodles, and fish eyes." Donya was finishing off his own soup.

Kuwabara spit every bit of soup that was in his mouth all over Kamma, who looked down at her robe (which was sopping wet with soup) and shrugged, continuing to eat.

"I think it's good," Kurama commented.

"You like everything," Hiei commented as he poked at the small bit of jiggly, green jelly he had just been served. "May I ask what this is before I stick it in my mouth and risk dying of poison?"

"Green tea jelly," Bonai slurped his into his mouth. "It's good for you,"

"I'll be the judge of that," Hiei was about to place a bit of jelly in his mouth, before Yongei suddenly jumped up.

"Kiara," he said urgently, running out the door.

"Yes, I feel it too," Kiara sprang up, and followed Yongei's sprint across the courtyard, followed by Kurama, Hiei, Yusuke, and Kuwabara.

"What is it?" Kurama asked her.

"I feel something really funny. Something's wrong," Kuwabara said.

"Of course something's wrong, baka," Kiara picked up her sprint. "Amitomo's going to kill himself,"

* * *

"At least I'll be able to protect you in the afterlife, little brother," Amitomo shuddered, and placed Donya's ronin sword against his neck, and put just a little bit of pressure on the blade, drawing a faint trickle of blood. "It'll be more than I could do for you while you were alive," The blade was sharp, his death would be quick, and almost painless.

"AMITOMO!" Yongei burst through the door, "NO!"

"FIRE WALL!" Amitomo flung out his left hand, and a wall of red flames burst between him and Yongei. "Leave me, I wish to die alone."

"But you can't die! You just can't!" Yongei muttered counter spells and tried to use some of his own spirit energy to make the fire die down, but none of it worked.

"I depleted my spirit energy on that last attack," Amitomo placed his left hand back on the handle of the ronin sword. "It's the most powerful thing I've ever created. Go, I can't stand you seeing me like this,"

"But, Amitomo! Amitare wouldn't have wanted you to die; he would have wanted you to live on.  You can serve him better alive than dead!" Kiara had finally made it across the large courtyard, followed by the boys.

"He's crazy," Yusuke muttered.

"No, just in pain that he can't handle," Kiara put up her hands, and concentrated her entire energy on making the fire die.

"I already tried that, Kiara," Yongei appeared at her side.

"Let's try it together than. You too, Hiei," Kiara focused her energy again, this time with the help of two other fire demons. The fire at first didn't respond, then got smaller, and smaller until it finally burned out.

"AMITOMO!" Yongei rushed over to the shocked young man, pulled the ronin sword out of his hands, and flung it away. He picked Amitomo up as if he were delicate and breakable, and hugged him tight. "Don't do that again. Please, don't scare me like that ever again!" Tears fell from his eyes, and caught on his lip and nose rings.

"It's just that, Amitare," Amitomo began sobbing uncontrollably again, and buried his head in Yongei's lapel.

Yongei carried Amitomo out of the room. "He'll be staying in my room for the night," he told Kiara.

"That was scary, Amitomo trying to kill himself," Yusuke picked up the ronin sword from where it had flown and landed near the window.

"Amitare was all he had," Kiara had found a rag, and was cleaning up some small blood spots on the floor. "The last of his family died years ago when their desert tribe was attacked by an enemy tribe."

"I'm going to bed," Hiei turned on his heel and walked out the door.

"What's up with him?" Kuwabara asked.

Kurama answered, "He's probably wondering what he would do if his sister, Yukina, ever died. Not a pleasant thing to think about,"

"I agree with Hiei,' said Kiara, straightening up. "I'm going to bed,"

* * *

The morning sun came up late the next day.  Hiei was the first one in the courtyard, and started practicing his sword techniques. He was followed by Yusuke and Kuwabara, who made it no secret that if he had had his choice, he'd still be sleeping. Kurama came next, wearing a worried expression on his face.

"What's wrong?" Yusuke asked, stifling a yawn.

"Kiara, she's not in her room," Kurama sat down on the hard, cold stone.

"Ahh, I get it." Kuwabara winked at him. "You were sneaking in for a quickie, weren't you?"

"No, I was just . . ."

"It's all right. Heck, if it was me, I'd have some fun before I left on a dangerous manhunt too," Yusuke elbowed him in the shoulder.

"Like any woman would ever do that with you," Kiara had crept up on the boys. Instead of wearing her usual red and gold, Kiara wore a light, purple piece of cloth that went around her back twice, and instead of a pair of pants, a long skirt that had been slit up to the high part of the thigh, and a gold strip of cloth was tied tightly around her hips and the upper part of her butt. Her nunchaku hung from this strip. Over her outfit she wore a long, hooded and sleeved purple cloak, and in her left hand was a heavily bladed weapon that looked like a glorified version of a dragon headed Kwan Dao.

"Jeez, Kiara!" Yusuke jumped into the air. "What are you doing sneaking up on us? And with THAT!" Yusuke pointed at the odd weapon.

"This is not a 'that'. This is a tsuyoi, traditional weapon of the warriors of the Sabaku. I can behead three men with one swipe of this." Kiara fake swiped at Yusuke's head, who immediately took refuge behind Kuwabara. As if that would help.

"Better believe her. I grew up with the girl," Yongei and Amitomo walked into the courtyard.  Something was going on. Yongei was dressed like he always did, but instead of red and gold, his outfit was blue and purple, and he also wore a purple cloak like Kiara's. Amitomo too looked the same, only he wore all white, and you could see a bandage around his neck through his happi coat's collar. "We're coming too," Yongei announced.

"You have to stay here and protect the Keeper," Kiara said, strapping her tsuyoi onto her back.

"Amitare was my little brother," Amitomo crossed his arms across his chest. "I want vengeance as much as you do,"

"Mameha will be fine. She'll still have six Warriors here with her. And I want to go!" Yongei said impatiently. "PHOENIX WINGS!" Bursts of flame sprang from Yongei's shoulders, and a fine set of wings took form.

"PHOENIX WINGS!" shouted both Kiara and Amitomo, and both sprouted identical wings.

"I'll take the hefty one," Yongei said, pointing to Kuwabara. "You other two can't handle him,"

"Hey!" the insulted human cried.

"It's true," Hiei said as he clambered onto Amitomo's back, carefully avoiding the wings.

"They can't hurt you. They don't burn things," Amitomo winced as Hiei kneed him in the shoulder blades.

"You can also take Yusuke," Kiara told Amitomo. "I'll take Kurama," she smiled at her kitsune.

 "Surprise, surprise," Yusuke commented sourly as Amitomo grasped him around his middle, and flew into the air, followed by Yongei and Kuwabara, and Kiara and Kurama.

"Head for my glade," she told the other flyers. "I have a flying carpet waiting there."  Kiara headed due north, straight towards her glade, Kurama strangely light in her arms. 

"I remember the first time you took me flying," Kurama recollected with a smile.

Kiara smiled as well," Yeah, was that the first time you'd ever kissed a girl in mid air?"

"That was the first time I'd kissed a girl ever," Kurama admitted, blushing slightly.

"Want to revisit that experience?" Kiara's hands began to move up and down Kurama's chest.

"No," Kurama resisted the urge to say yes. "We have work to do,"

"You know, all work and no play makes girls bored," Kiara flipped Kurama over so that he was facing her, and hooked one of her legs around his. "Kiss me, kitsune," she said with a seductive voice, then leaned in and kissed Kurama softly.

"Hey, you two! Knock it off!" Yongei zoomed by with Kuwabara.

"Help me!" Kuwabara yelled. "This guy's a wild flyer!"

"It's almost over," Yongei told him, swooping downward. "Stop squirming!" Yongei nose dived into Kiara's glade, and dropped Kuwabara five feet from the ground. Yongei landed heavily, and let his wings die out

"We'll pick this up later," Kiara kissed Kurama on the forehead, and landed gently on the ground. Her wings faded and soon there was nothing left of them.

"You should have told me the midget was afraid of heights!" Amitomo fumed as his wings vanished. His bandage on his neck was going red fast. "He's reopened my cut!"

"Here," Kurama went over into the woods and came back with a single green leaf. He opened a part of it, and a thick slime poured onto his hand. He took off the bloodstained bandage, and smeared a bit on Amitomo's neck. "Aloe Vera plant. Helps as a disinfectant,"

"Smells like sweat," Amitomo wrinkled his nose as he undid a few of the buttons on his happi coat so that Yongei could put on a new bandage.

"Let's go," Hiei said, climbing onto the floating carpet.

"I don't think so," came a cold voice from the trees.

"I know that voice," Kiara said, spinning around. Her worst enemy stared her in the face.

Karasu looked just as he had at the Dark Tournament a year ago. His hair was a bit longer, bit still sleek and dark as night. His eyes were still as cold as stone.

"MURDERER!" Amitomo flung himself at the man, only to be caught and held back by Yongei. "HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO A LITTLE KID? HE WAS THE ONLY FAMILY; WE WERE ALL THE OTHER HAD! HOW COULD YOU?"

"Want me to show you?" Karasu ignited his left hand with black flames. "This is Death Bringer. A gift from the Lord of the Dead to me. Who's first?"

Kiara lowered her tsuyoi, and went into a defensive stance. "I'll be the first,"

Karasu looked at her with a puzzled expression. "I have no wish to kill you, Kiara. I need you," He smiled ruefully. "You'll know how much soon,"

"Then, I'm afraid that I have no choice but to attack you," Kiara swiped with her tsuyoi. "I will not allow you to attack anymore innocent people."

"Ah, to hell with it. SPIRIT GUN!" Yusuke fired a shot directly at Karasu's heart. But, Karasu merely swiped at it with his free hand and the blast went up into the air and out of sight.

"SPIRIT SWORD!" Kuwabara and Hiei both attacked with their swords at one time, but both were unable to even rip even a stitch on Karasu's jacket. Karasu seemed to vanish, then reappear again a few feet away from Amitomo and Yongei.

Yongei took out his miniature ball and chain earrings. "GET BIGGER!" He told them, and the minis became life sized very soon, then the balls burst into flame. He took a swing at Karasu, who merely grabbed the big man by the lapel, and threw him hard against a large tree trunk. He lay on the ground, moaning in pain.

"Yongei! That's it. SEARING SAI!" Amitomo's sai burst into flame in his hands. "You killed my brother, and almost my best friend. So, you're fate is set. You won't escape, because I'll kill you myself!" Amitomo charged at Karasu, only to suffer the same fate as Yongei.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! IT HURTS! IT HURTS. STOP IT!" Kuwabara clutched at his head.

"Kuwabara! What is it?" Yusuke ran over to his friend.

"His spirit energy, it's so much stronger now! About ten times as strong as it was at the Dark Tournament. It's overwhelming." Kuwabara sank to the ground, head in his hands.

"Kurama! Get Yongei and Amitomo out! Yusuke and Hiei help Kuwabara!" Kiara placed her tsuyoi on the ground, and stood upright. She flung off her cloak, and faced Karasu. "You're going to feel a bit of hell," she told him. "HELL'S AIR!" Kiara flung her arms out and was lifted into the air just as the entire glade burst into flame. Kiara looked down at her enemy, who stood, looking up at her, completely unconcerned about what was going to happen to him. She shouted out a spell, "Feel the fire getting hotter, feel it burn your skin. Until you are burned to ashes, and you've paid for your sin," The fire did get hotter, and soon there was such a huge blaze burning that Kiara lost sight of Karasu in the smoke. "Die!" she told the fire, and Karasu.

"I think not," came his voice. Through the clearing smoke, Kiara saw that he was not burned and unharmed. Impossible! " I will make contact with you again, Kiara. Watch for me, for I am back to life!"  Karasu vanished without a trace.

The others immerged from the trees, and Yongei carried an unconscious Amitomo. A large bruise was forming on Yongei's forehead, and a trickle of blood ran from his hairline. "That Karasu," he growled. "What an asshole,"

"We have to get to Koenma as soon as possible, and tell him what's happened," Kurama said.

"Where's the carpet?" Kuwabara asked.

"About the carpet," Yusuke said sheepishly as he held it up, a giant burn mark right in the middle.

"Koenma will kill us," Kuwabara rubbed his head.

"Yup," Hiei agreed.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:  What an exciting chapter!  This was a fun (yet hard) one to write!

About Hiei being afraid of heights, I know it's a bit weird. Okay (Suri gets a scary look from DAY), I know it's very weird, seeing as Hiei can propel himself about thirty feet into the air. However, seeing as he is the one controlling it, it really doesn't affect him much. I mean, why would he be afraid of something he's controlling himself? Put him on something he can't control (like a flying carpet flying just below the clouds; don't know if I ever mentioned altitude in the fic), and he'll get a little creeped out.  At least in my fic, and it's going to become a big part of the story later.

I really don't have anything to say, only that if the reader has any questions about the story (other than what's going to happen), you can send me e-mail, and I'll answer any questions you have.

See yah! Suri- chan out.