Chapter 5
Yusuke and his team returned to the Reikai. After handing over Genma Botan was called to look at Hiei.
The blue-haired ferry girl entered the room with a smile which left her face as soon as she saw the Koorime boy. She ran over to Hiei.
"Botan, do you know what's wrong with him?" asked Yusuke.
Botan's lips trembled. She gently took hold of Hiei's head and looked straight into his blank eyes. "His soul is gone," she said quietly.
"Soul's gone, but he's still alive!" shouted Kuwabara.
Botan reached up and closed Hiei's sightless eyes. "You can't be alive without a soul, Kuwabara," she said in a shaky voice. "Hiei's soul has been ripped from his body and unless we get it back he'll simply be a living corpse. We have to hurry, too, like when Yusuke was killed and given a chance to return. If Hiei's soul stays too long out of his body it will die."
"How long do we have?" asked Yusuke.
"I'm not sure. It's different for different kinds of beings. For Hiei I'd say one month."
"That's plenty of time to kick that tiger demon's tail and get Hiei's soul back. Don't worry," said Yusuke.
"We should get going to the Crystal Caverns to find Korin than," said Kuwabara.
"The Crystal Caverns!" shouted Botan. "You're not really planning to going 'there' are you?! You certainly can't go tonight, you'll freeze to death!"
"What?!" shouted Kuwabara.
"The Crystal Caverns are located at the Makai's North Pole, the coldest place in all of the Makai. You'd have to be an ice demon or a really powerful fire demon to go there at night."
"Great," growled Yusuke. "Just what we need... more delays. Are you telling us there is no way to survive the temperatures there at night?"
Botan nodded her head.
"Great, just when the shrimp would have been most useful," growled Kuwabara. The silence that followed was uncomfortable. "I'm sorry," said Kuwabara lowering his head.
"You'd better get some rest then," said Koenma. "I'll arrange for the supplies you'll need. You can leave in the morning."
Kurama lowered his face so that his red bangs covered it. There was no way of going after Korin till the morning, but what if the demon was already at the Crystal Caverns? What was he planning on doing with Hiei's soul? "Oh god," said Kurama.
"What? What is it, Kurama?" asked Yusuke fearing the fox would lapse into another one of his visions.
"I understand now what he's going to do. He's going to bring Suoh Ryu back by giving it back its soul; Hiei's soul."
"No! Is that possible?!" shouted Kuwabara. "I mean, if Hiei can't survive without his soul for over a month then how can Suoh survive without it for thousands of years?!"
"As I said Kuwabara, it's different for different beings," said Botan. "Although, thousands of years does seem a little far fetched."
"A little!" shouted Kuwabara.
"I guess it depends on what kind of seal was placed on Suoh Ryu. I can only think of one powerful enough to keep something alive for that long without a soul."
"What kind of seal?" asked Kurama.
"Enma-Daiou's seal. Only the King of the Dead can suspend a being's body for so long without a soul."
"Are you saying that Enma himself sealed Suoh Ryu?" asked Kuwabara.
Botan nodded. "Probably."
"And that Korin and his cronies are going to wake him up?!" shouted Kuwabara. "We'll all be dragon's chow!"
"Calm down, Kuwabara. This is Hiei were talking about," said Yusuke.
"Hiei! Hiei hates my guts! What do you think a Hiei dragon's going to do to me?!" Above Kuwabara's head, an image of a big black dragon with Hiei's head walked up to a chibi Kuwabara and breathed fire on him. The chibi Kuwabara blinked twice before turning to a pile of ash. The Hiei dragon smiled and held up two fingers in the victory sign. "We're doooooooooommmed!"
"Kuwabara!" shouted Yusuke grabbing him by the collar and slapping him across the face. "That's not going to happen! We're going to stop Korin before he gets anywhere near that dragon. You got that?!"
Kuwabara nodded his head. "Yes, I get ya, Yusuke."
"Good, now lets all get some rest. We'll need it for tomorrow. Come on, Kuwabara," said Yusuke, grabbing the carrot-top and dragging him out of the room.
"You'd better get some sleep too, Kurama," said Botan. "If you want, I'll watch Hiei for you."
"No," said Kurama shaking his head. "You get some rest, Botan. I'll go to sleep in a little bit. I just want to stay with him a little longer."
Botan stared at Kurama as he petted Hiei's spiky hair. "Just what's going on between you and Hiei anyway, Kurama?" she asked.
"What?" said Kurama feeling like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He looked down at his hand petting the fire demon's hair and laughed nervously.
Botan smiled. "Don't worry, you don't need to tell me. Forget I asked," she said walking out of the room. "Good night," she said shutting the door.
"Damn it, all the cute ones are gay!" Kurama heard a muffled voice say behind the door.
Kurama sweatdropped.
"Hiei would kill me now if he could," said Kurama. The redhead sighed and looked down at the small Koorime. He looked like he was asleep. "Hiei." He leaned down to whisper into the demon's ear. "I just let out our secret to Botan, the motor mouth, of all people. Won't you wake up and threaten to kill me or call me a baka kitsune?"
There was no response from the Koorime boy, only gentle, even breaths.
Kurama's lids dropped sadly. He curled up behind the fire demon, wrapping his arms around the warm body to spoon up against him. "That's okay, you can do it later, when you wake up," murmured Kurama sleepily into the boy's neck. "Good night, love," he said before succumbing to sleep.
* * * * * * * * * * *
It, that which was once Hiei, moved about its round prison. It had no single body, shape, or name. It had been many things throughout time, but always it had the fox. Where was the fox? Dreaming again. It could feel that the sweet redhead was with one of its old bodies now. What was the redhead dreaming of this time? Last time it had been an old life of many years long gone. What had its name been then? Suoh? Yes, it had been Suoh then.
The sphere around it seemed to shrink in size and it became hard to think of anything but that long-ago life. Why that life when there'd been so many happier ones, ones where it had gotten the chance to live till the end with the fox? It didn't want to think about the pain of its first life; a life still not completed. The sphere tightened and the soul took on leathery wings, a tail, sharp clawed hands and feet, and a slender build. It was in this form again, just as it had been forced to do when it first entered the sphere. Of course, it had to take on many other forms before the sphere had found the one it thought it should wear. The soul wondered why. Why this form? The fox wouldn't know it in his form, nor would it know the fox if it completely retook this shape. The fox currently loved that small form that he now held to his chest while he slept not the form that the sphere wanted it to take. The soul fought back against the sphere, trying to make more room, but the sphere was stronger and he was Suoh Ryu once more.
Suoh had the feeling that he had been in this situation before, that the sphere had once held him as it did know.
With the shape came the memories and thinking of Suoh. This wasn't so bad. These memories were nice: he was with loved ones, family, and his fox. Suoh Ryu gave in to the sphere and let it play back that memory. He curled up in the middle of the sphere and wrapped his wings and tail around himself. What would the fox think of this memory Suoh wondered as it consumed him?
* * * * * * * * * * *
Suoh Ryu dumped his armor on the ground and picked up the broken pieces of his mask. "Damn, look what he did to it!" said the ryu running a finger over the broken edges. "It's a piece of junk now," growled the ryu and tossed it over his shoulder.
"Ouch!" shouted a voice behind him. Suoh turned to see Rouin, the other young black ryu rubbing his head. "Suoh, is that anyway to treat your mate?" asked Rouin.
Suoh's white cheeks colored pink and he turned around. "We're not mates, Rouin."
"Yet," said the black ryu with a grin. He walked behind Suoh and knelt down. He wrapped an arm around the smaller ryu's waist and pulled him back against him. "We can change that whenever you're ready," he said licking the smaller ryu's ear.
"Don't Rouin! You know I'm not ready to have cubs yet. I just turned old enough to come to Dragon Springs!" said Suoh pushing against Rouin's chest. "If you want a cub so bad you take a female form and I'll do you the favor."
"What?! No way! You'd look way cuter as a female then I would," said Rouin stroking Suoh's flat stomach.
Suoh snorted and pulled out of Rouin's grip. "You're in heat. It's pointless to try and have a conversation with you."
"Oh, come on, Suoh. You know you're the cute one. Even that silver fox god thought so," said Rouin making little hearts with his fingers in the air.
"Don't you bring that up!" shouted Suoh. "You may be stronger than me, but I can still give you a run for your den of gold."
Rouin laughed. "I bet you could," he said running an eye up Suoh's lean form. "Suoh, I know this match is arranged, but you don't have to be so stubborn."
"I'm not being stubborn," said Suoh sitting down with his arms and legs crossed, a cute pout on his lips. "I just don't felt like being a breeder dragon."
Rouin moved to pull Suoh into another embrace, burying his face into the smaller Ryu's hair. "The elders are going to be disappointed that we didn't consummate our partnership. You know they're trying to keep the black dragon line going."
"They never even asked us," said Suoh. "I can't really think of you as a mate, Rouin. You've been my friend for so long. It just feels weird," said Suoh rubbing against Rouin's chest.
"It might in the beginning, but I'm sure we'll grow to accept and perhaps enjoy ourselves. I do think I will enjoy coupling with you, Suoh," breathed Rouin heavily before biting gently at one of Suoh's long elfish ears, the smaller ryu let a low groan escape his lips at the contact. Rouin trailed his fingertips lightly up and down Suoh's arms before griping them and pushing his betrothed gently onto to the ground. Leaning down he began kissing and nipping up and down the side of the younger ryu's neck.
"Rouin," Suoh groaned through a haze of pleasant sensations spiking up and down his body. Rouin was a very powerful ryu it was surprising sometimes how gentle he could be. Strong hands ran over his flesh in soft caress, making Suoh purr low in his throat. The purr cut off just as suddenly as it as started when those wonderful hands left him, replaced with the sound of rustling fabric; Suoh blinked open deep ruby eyes. The sash around the taller black ryu's waist was undone and his jacket was slipped off his broad shoulders. Rouin moved to press tight to Suoh, who's eyes widened at the feel of bare scales on bare scales. Leaning foreword the taller black's lips moved towards the smaller's.
"Stop!" shouted Suoh twisting his face to the side. "I'm not even in a female form!"
Rouin pulled back, realizes that Suoh was trembling ever so slightly. The small rye's scent held the beginning whiff of arousal, but the rest spoke another tale: Suoh Ryu was afraid. Rouin thought about teasing the other black a bit; after all, it took a lot to make a black show fear, but he decided it really wasn't a laughing matter. "Suoh, sometimes you just make me so... frustrated," said Rouin getting off the smaller ryu.
"Then go cool down. We're at a spring after all," said Suoh.
"That I will," said Rouin. He pulled his jacket all the way off, then stripped off his pants. He took great care in taking off his jewelry, setting it down in a neat pile. Dragons were known for their love of treasure. They knew every piece in their dens and could tell if something was missing from a coin to a crown.
Rouin waded into the spring Suoh had put his armor down by until he came to the deeper part and then dove under. He came up a moment later, his wild spiky hair plastered to his face, neck, and shoulders.
Suoh had to admit to himself that Rouin was a handsome ryu. A bit manly, but quite a well put together piece of dragon meat. Rouin was also probably right about not making a good mother ryu. But, would Suoh? Suoh shook his head, unsure of the answer, besides he still thought of Rouin as a friend and it was no secret that the tall black wanted another.
"You can go to Chi if you want," said Suoh not looking at Rouin.
"Suoh," said Rouin staring a long time at the smaller ryu, water dripping from his hair. "You know I can't. Chi's a red earth dragon. We're not the same color or even the same element."
"But you want to, don't you," said Suoh turning to look at Rouin.
Rouin sighed deeply. "I'll be honest with you, Suoh. Being paired with you feels strange to me too; you're like a younger sibling to me in many ways. But, that will change you'll see. I'll make you my mine and I don't think I'll regret it, but...." The black ryu paused and looked at the sky. "What I feel for is Chi is just so-so- ahhhhh! I can't even describe it! All Chi ever does if beat on me for crying out loud," growled the black ryu messing up his own hair.
Suoh Ryu laughed softly at the wet ryu. "You must love that red ryu. Chi's nowhere near as powerful as you and yet Chi's always the one beating you up."
"Suoh!" growled Rouin. "Ah, hell! Let's just forget all that and enjoy our time here. We can always figure it out another day," said Rouin. He flapped his large wings splashing water all over the once dry Suoh. "If we're not going to breed then get your tail in the spring, little ryu. Or do I have to come out there and throw you in?"
"Hn!" said Suoh pulling his wet bangs out of his face. "You could have just asked. Didn't even give me a chance to get the rest of my stuff off," grumbled the ryu before pulling off the different pieces of jewelry all over his body. He'd just finished and was about to pull off his green shorts when he looked behind him to see Rouin looming over him.
Rouin made a grab for Suoh, but the smaller Ryu was fast enough to twist out of his reach. "You look 'hot' little fire ryu, I think you're the one who needs to cool off!" laughed Rouin running after the fleeing black ryu.
Several ryus watched in shock as a small black ryu in a pair of green shorts ran by with a taller naked black ryu close behind him.
"Cubs these days. They never take breeding seriously," commented one orange ryu to another.
Suoh turned a corner and looked around for a place to hide, but there weren't many. Dragon Springs was on a rocky mountain with over a hundred large springs scattered all over it. Some of the land was covered in thick patches of plant life, but unfortunately Suoh wasn't at one of those areas.
"Gotcha!" shouted Rouin jumping on the small ryu. With a cry Suoh and Rouin tumbled headfirst into one of the springs. They both came up gasping for breath. Rouin caught his first, then grinned at his gasping partner. Suoh saw the look Rouin was giving him and tried to make a break for it, but he failed to get out of the taller ryu's reach in time. Rouin grabbed Suoh by the horns and pushed him under water. Suoh's arms and wings flailed madly as he tried to escape Rouin's grip.
Rouin laughed, but was suddenly smacked away with a, "Rouin no baka!"
The black ryu skipped across the water to crash into a boulder.
Suoh popped out of the water with a gasp for air. Coughing, he looked over his shoulder at his savior. "Chi!"
"Rouin!" growled Chi marching over to the ryu who was still plastered upside down against the now cracked boulder.
"Oh, hi Chi," said Rouin waving at her. The ryu in female form grabbed Rouin and shook him.
"What's the idea of chasing poor Suoh around like a dog in heat?! If Suoh doesn't want you then you leave him alone!" shouted Chi shaking him with each word.
"I wasn't trying to do anything!" protested Rouin as his head snapped back and forth. "I was just playing. Really!"
"Don't worry, Chi, he understands that I don't want a cub yet," said Suoh. He pulled off his wet shorts and flung them on shore.
Chi looked at the dazed black ryu and with a snort released him to slump against the bolder.
"Suoh," called a gentle voice and Suoh looked over his shoulder to see a naked white ryu in female form. He hair was long and black, pure white feathered wings sprouted from her back.
"Sunoo," said Suoh opening his arms to her. Sunoo giggled and slid off the rock she'd been perched on to embrace him.
"I haven't seen you in so long," said the she-ryu.
"Ahh, twins," said Chi playing with the still dazed Rouin's hair.
Rouin shook his head to clear it. "Twins?" he said looking at the two. "But, they were born to different ryu clans."
"They have the same parents and were born on the same day. Ahh, that's true love, for both partners to give and receive. I want to have cubs," said Chi sighing.
"Wish Suoh over there thought the same. I can't get the little ryu to give it up," said Rouin.
"With you for a mate, I can't blame him," said Chi.
"Ah, you don't really mean that, do you Chi," asked Rouin.
The red ryu stuck her tongue out at Rouin in reply.
Suoh pressed his face into the side of his twin's neck as Sunoo did the same, both inhaled deeply scenting each other. They may have been born from different ryus- he by a black ryu, she by a white one- but they were still twins. Both dragon twins glanced at Chi and Rouin as they began to fight, throwing taunts at each other.
"Let's leave them alone," said Sunoo and pulling her twin away. Suoh didn't need any encouragement, not with Chi and Rouin's voices beginning to rise. Quickly he followed after the white ryu in female form till they arrived at a quiet unused spring near the edge of Dragons Springs. Sunoo climbed a tall rock and jumped diving gracefully into the water her long black hair flowing behind her. She hit with almost no splash and moments later rose shaking her glossy black head of hair. "Suoh, come swim with me!" she called.
Suoh smiled and climbed the same rock. He dove close to her causing a massive wave of water to splash over his twin. Sunoo squealed in mock fright which ended in a musical bubble of laughter. Suoh popped back up and grabbed her about the waist. Both ryus laughed and began a water fight, old enough to be called adults, but both still young in mind and body.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Inari frowned as Aresism and Volcanus continued to laugh at him.
"Oh, shut up!" shouted Inari.
"He got you good," said Volcanus.
"That little black ryu is stronger then he looks... or maybe you're weaker then we thought," said Aresism.
Inari growled at them. He was a young god. Younger then Aphrodite, Volcanus, and Aresis, who weren't that old themselves. He had yet to achieve his full power, it would be many years before he did.
With a huff Inari turned and began walking away.
"Where you going?!" called Volcanus.
"Going to watch the pretty ryus have fun together?" said Aresism. He looked over at the purple ryu that has standing silently with head bowed a few steps away.
"I don't take pleasure in such things. Not like you do, Aresism," snapped Inari.
Aresism shrugged and pulled the purple ryu to his chest. "Your loss. Ryus can be very entertaining beasts," said Aresism stroking Raikou's long hair.
Inari looked away with disgust. "I'm just going to get some air," he said before walking away.
Inari left the hall of challenge not even glancing at the breathtaking pieces of artwork that hung on the walls. He couldn't get the image of that poor broken purple ryu out of his head. He was immortal, mortal creatures were supposed to be his playthings. Why then, did he feel so for that purple ryu? His thoughts wandered to the black ryu that had defeated him this morning. What had it called itself? Suoh, that was it. He'd never seen a creature quite like Suoh. "The product of the unity of a white snow dragon and a black fire dragon," said Inari under his breath. That would produce a unique cub.
Inari continued to think about the mysterious black ryu. He replayed their fight again in his head so that he would be better prepared for next time. Next time? What, I'm already planning to challenging Suoh again? The black ryu had defeated him so easily, it would take him many years of training to become strong enough to defeat a dragon as powerful as Suoh.
Inari's eyebrows forked down. What if Aresism challenged Suoh? He may never get his rematch with the ryu if Aresism took a shine to him. The god of war went through dragon mounts like a drunk through wine. Maybe Suoh would be the prefect ryu that Aresism had been looking so long for. The idea of Aresism doing the same things to Suoh as he'd done to the wind ryu, Raikou, seemed wrong to Inari. Suoh had a spirit that burned he could see it in his eyes. He had a feeling the petit ryu would die before he would break as Raikou had.
The silver fox god's ears perked up at the sound of water and laugher. His curiosity got the better of him as he peered through some brush to see a beautiful white ryu sitting on a rock, giggling to herself. The white ryu wore a female shape, obviously, she wished to attract a mate. Inari looked about for the second voice wondering if it was the white ryu's courtier.
Out of the water burst a black ryu, its wings spread out to their full-length. Small streams of water ran from them to rain down on the sculpted body they branched from. Inari swallowed the gasp he'd been about to make: Suoh Ryu! The small black ryu sank back down into the water and swam over to the white ryu.
"Suoh?" asked the white ryu. "Why don't you want any cubs yet?"
Suoh tossed his spiky hair and ran a hand through the longer hairs at the nape of his neck. "I just don't want any yet." He swam over to rocky cliff where a small waterfall beat down. He climbed out of the water and ducked under it letting the water run down his lean form. "I'm not like you, Sunoo. I want to live free with no bindings, no responsibilities. Only my skills and cunning to help me. I want challenge, excitement, danger. Not cubs." he added with disgust.
Sunoo giggled at him. "You are so wild, my twin. And you're right. We 'are' very different. I want to love and be loved back," she said softly stroking her wet hair. "I want to live in peace with my love and raise many cubs. That is why I wear this form," she said looking down at her soft curves. "I desire an end to the fighting and a return to the days of old. Mother ryu told me that when she was young whenever dragons gathered together they blocked out the sun with their bodies. That the sky would be filled with all colors of the rainbow. It must have been so beautiful, so very grand." She lowered her head. "Have we decreased so many in number? Do the gods wish to end our kind with their games?"
Suoh turned his head to look at her over his shoulder, water running down his face looking oddly like tears. "It's not all the gods doing. It's the Meikai too. We fight them just as the gods do and many of us have fallen at their hands."
"Why do we fight them?" she asked still stroking her shiny black hair. "What is the point of war?"
Suoh closed his eyes and leaned against the rocky face of the cliff. "I don't know, Sunoo. Perhaps it's fighting for something you think is worth protecting?"
Sunoo turned and looked at her twin over her shoulder. "And you? What do you fight for, Suoh?"
Suoh frowned. "You are asking me some pretty deep questions, dear sister. I can truly not answer your last one. I will know what it is I fight for when I need to know."
Inari listened as the two powerful voices speak. He closed his eyes hearing the deep rumble of Suoh's voice and the gentle purr of Sunoo's. So they were twins. Aphrodite didn't mention Suoh had a twin. Both dragons were unique in their appearances, very pretty to look at. He found his eyes running up Suoh's lean body, noting the barely contained power of the black ryu's muscles, the shiny black scales that caught the light and threw it back, and pale white under belly and inner thighs. He breathed out a sigh as the black ryu flexed his wings still leaning into the fall's shower.
Suoh's sensitive ears heard the soft breath over the roar of water. He broke off a piece of the rocky cliff he leaned against and threw the rock in the direction the sound had come from.
Inari fell flat on his back as a rock came sailing through the air and smacked him right between the eyes. He rubbed madly at his forehead cursing loudly. Once he pulled back his hands he saw two very wide-eyed ryus staring back at him with confused faces.
Inari felt the heat run to his face. He'd been caught peeking! How very ungod-like of him.
Without a word Suoh grabbed his twin's arm and pulled her to the cliff pointing to tell her she should climb up. She did as he directed, once she was midway up Suoh started after her. He glanced over his shoulder at the embarrassed god and raised an eyebrow at him. Shaking his head Suoh Ryu finished his climb and vanished from Inari's sight.
Alone the fox god slapped himself across the face. He was spending too much time around Aresism. The god of war's perversion was starting to rub off on him.
Inari got up and dusted off his armor. He growled and kicked the rock that Suoh had thrown at him. He was going to make that little ryu pay at the next gathering of challenge!
* * * * * * * * * * *
"Korin-sama!" called Misuki cuddling closer to Yoko as they walked through the icy wind of the Makai's North Pole. "Korin-sama! It's too cold here! We'll freeze to death if we don't find some shelter soon. What if Yoko gets tired!?"
The red Youko did look a little worn both from her earlier fight with Koenma's detectives and from having to generate enough heat to keep him, Misuki, and herself from freezing solid.
"She'll last," said Korin turning to look forward. "We're almost there."
The bunny demon shivered and followed the tiger demon. She had been so excited earlier when Korin had told her they were going to see his ryu. Her excitement had died once she learned where Korin's ryu was. "Yoko-san," said Misuki. "Where is Genma-san? Why didn't he come with us?"
Yoko frowned. Indeed, why hadn't Genmna come with them? And what did Korin do with that little Reikai detective they'd gone through so much trouble to get? She had thought she knew all of Korin's plans, but obviously he hadn't told her everything. She would continue to follow him as she had. She loved Korin and he loved her that was all the truly mattered. And, when they awakened Suoh they would have enough power to conquer the Reikai, Ningenkai, and even perhaps the Makai.
She smiled into the fur she had wrapped around her mouth. She would have everything she ever desired at her fingertips. No one could defeat the power of an ancient black ryu, at least not any more. Once, long ago, fights among creatures as powerful as Suoh were common, but now most battles didn't come close to the kind of destructive capabilities the beasts of old had. The Ningenkai had all but lost its strength after the Meikai war, the Reikai hoarded most of its power, and the Makai's power was divided. No, there wasn't a force alive today that could with stand an assault by an ancient dragon on the rampage.
"Yoko!" whimpered Misuki at her side. "It's so cold. Where is Genma? I miss him."
"He'll probably join us tomorrow. Have patience, Misuki."
"We're there!" called Korin, standing at the mouth of a cave.
Yoko and Misuki headed over to him and together they entered the Crystal Caverns.
"Wow!" said Misuki in delight as Yoko created a ball of red fire to make some light. The light caused the cave's crystal walls to reflect back a rainbow of colors. "It's so beautiful," she laughed running down the hall. It was still cold inside, but it was tolerable even for a human. Misuki ran down the crystal tunnel and gasped in awe as she came to its end. The tunnel branched off to a temple, with icy pillars and ice statues of dragons and humanoid figures. Crystal grew all over the temple walls. Once Yoko reached the tunnel's opening with her ball of fire the whole place lit up as the light reflected back across the crystals; nothing was in shadow.
The place was actually a large cavern with a temple made of solid ice at its center.
Misuki walked toward the temple as if in a daze. It was all so grand and beautiful. She never would have dreamed of such a place. "It looks like a palace," she breathed.
"No, Misuki. It's a tomb," said Korin walking past her. "Suoh Ryu's icy tomb." He turned to her with a grin. "Did not you wish to see him?"
"Yes!" said Misuki in delight.
Korin grinned. "Yoko, go check the place out make sure nothing is living in here." The red Youko frowned, but did as she was told. Korin turned back to Misuki. He dug in his pocket and pulled out a small mirror. "I'll let you be the first to see Suoh free. All you have to do is this: tomorrow night, when the three moons of the Makai are full, catch the rays of moonlight on this mirror's surface and ask it to release Suoh Ryu from Enma's seal."
Misuki's eyes widened as she took the mirror. "Is this mirror magic?" she asked looking at her reflection in it.
Korin grinned. "Yes it is. It will grant your wish."
Misuki smiled at the mirror. "I will, Korin-sama. Tomorrow night I'll ask the mirror to free your ryu." She turned and bounced away looking excited and pleased with herself.
Korin laughed low to himself at the stupid blond. Of course, she didn't know that it was the Mirror of UtterDark and that it would take her life in exchange for breaking the seal on Suoh. The Mirror was the only thing Korin could think of that would be powerful enough to break Enma's seal, the most powerful seal there was; powerful enough to keep a black dragon alive for thousands of years without its soul.
Korin walked towards the white temple running a hand over one of the smooth white pillars of ice tracing the ancient writing on them. This was the place he had learned the story of the Meikai war and of Suoh Ryu. It was quite a tragic story really, it would have moved him if he had a heart to move. Korin walked down the dark hall of the white temple. The light of Yoko's fire didn't enter the temple as if the seal prevented even outside light from reaching Suoh. Korin pushed open the ice doors of Suoh's tomb and walked in. Light showered down on him. There was no source there was simply light. This room was always bathed in light.
His purple eyes landed on the lone figure of the room, incased in transparent crystal: Suoh Ryu. The black ryu knelt on the floor, chains and shackles ran from his slender limbs to the walls strung all over the chamber. This was Suoh's resting-place.
Korin walked up to the large crystal that contained Suoh and placed a hand on its glassy surface. He could feel the power of Enma's seal run through his body. He removed his shaky hand from the crystal's face.
"Soon, Suoh. Soon you will belong to me," smiled Korin. He raised a hand and stroked the surface of the crystal before Suoh's bowed head.