Chapter 26: A Fallen Flower

Now that Yusuke was tending to Botan that left Kurama and Hiei left to battle Braeden. A wind rushed past, ruffling his dark hair and causing dark locks to fly across his face. No one moved. This was the moment of truth. Who would make the first move? This was not an easy choice to make. With one wrong attack, failure could follow shortly. Neither side, good or bad, wanted that to happen.

"Are you sure you two don't want to just give up? It will save you a great deal of pain." Braeden attempted speaking, wondering what the consequences might be.

"Why don't you just be quiet," Hiei retorted. "Or would you like having your voice box ripped out?"

Braeden chuckled, almost maniacally.

"I believe my companion was being serious," Kurama chimed in. "Trust me. He is not one to be taken lightly."

The demon ceased his laughter. "After all you have witnessed and all I have told you, do you still honestly think that I will be that easily defeated?"

"So, you've admitted that it is a possible task to try and defeat you," Kurama said with a smirk.

"Oh, please. One would have to be either stupid or suicidal." This was his chance. While they were focusing on his words, Braeden would rip them to shreds. He took off, quick as light, towards the two demons. "Which are you?" His voice had turned more malevolent and deeper.

Hiei and Kurama were able to move out of the way, though, before they were hit with his punch. Ramming his fist into the ground, he felt the earth around it fly into the air and near his face. His fist continued deeper and deeper into the ground, creating a larger crater every second.

When his fist was retracted from the ground, a large hole, about forty feet every way, was left. Mouths dropped open in awe. Keiko and Kuwabara took a step backwards. He was finally showing his true powers, although who could say if this was his limit or not? They only hoped it was and that no more surprises would come.

Hiei looked casually down at it. "That's all?" he asked Braeden. "I thought your punch would have been greater then just...that." Wounding his ego. That was one thing demons did not appreciate.

"You think your punch could do better?" Braeden snarled.

"I don't think, I know it can." Hiei smirked. It was getting to him. Either his opponent was going to be distracted by his ego, or, and Hiei hoped this wouldn't happen, he would become stronger and more deadly. "Would you like me to test it on you?"

"Don't make me laugh. The day you are able to lay one hand on me will be the day I finally die."

"And that day has come," Kurama called.

The fox demon had taken advantage of the distracted situation and started towards Braeden, attempting to strike him. He slashed out with his rose whip. Braeden dodged the whip for the most part, but what he didn't call for was getting slashed twice. This man had caught him off guard, which yielded to his advantage.

Kurama stopped meters from Braeden. "What was that about laying a hand on you?" he asked, smirking.

"Bastard," he spat. "At least I don't use a moment of weakness against a person. I fight when they are at their strongest, instead of taking the easy way out...the cowards way out."

He held the newly formed wound that stretched across his chest, while he let the other on his hip bleed slightly. These would slow him down, but only a little. If this was all they had then they were going to be finished shortly. Braeden had something up his sleeve, something saved for the little shrimp with the bandage around his forehead.

Using Kurama's close distance to his advantage, Braeden took off at a fast sprint. If one were to blink at the moment of take off, they would have missed it. Kurama had barely gotten a grasp on what was happening when he suddenly felt a surge of pain enter his shoulder. The force drove him backwards and towards the ground.

He slammed into the dirt hard, causing ripples of pain throughout his spine. The force ramming into his shoulder hadn't ceased yet. It was driving Kurama deeper into the earth. How had everything fallen apart so suddenly? As the force subsided, Kurama slowly opened his eyes to see that he was in a large crater. The one Braeden had created? No, a newly made one. One that he had helped create. He tried to move but his left side cracked against it. Kurama let out a sharp breath of pain. It was most likely broken, maybe in several places.

Amaranta knew this. She knew this part. Slowly, almost as if in slow motion, she saw Braeden turning on Hiei, who was still looking to Kurama.

"Now you die!" she heard Braeden shout. His voice seemed distant, though.

She watched as Hiei slowly turned his head to look at Braeden. This was it. She saw the black glow starting to emanate from her masters fist. Hiei had no way to stop him now, he was too close. But she could do something. She could. It was her destiny. She ran at Hiei as fast as she could. All she was able to see before getting blasted backwards was Hiei's startled and surprised expression.

The blast felt like thousands of knives piercing into her skin at once. No. It felt worse than that. Worse than any pain imaginable. Yes, this was it. His trademark move. Amaranta felt her back smash into something hard, most likely a tree trunk. Then she felt herself sinking towards the ground and landing hard on her stomach. She had never felt more alive then she did now. This was what she wanted, what she had lived her life for. It was the final day of the rest of her life.