Yami no Yuki: Journey of Darkness

Author notes: From here on out the fic starts to take elements from Gensou Maden Saiyuki, just to let you know. Oh for this fic Yamato and Takeru aren't brothers.

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Act One- Storms

Chapter Two

Hikari sat in her chair as the vision came to her. Blood was flowing before her eyes, a boy, perhaps around fifteen was covered in it. He was blonde and had crazed blue eyes. He turned to look at her and smiled. The vision ended and Hikari opened her eyes. "So, this is what happened to him."

"What?"

Hikari turned to look at Istu. "I just had a vision. Could you summon Ruki for me?"

"Sure, be right back." The keyboardist glowed blue and vanished in a flash.

**********

Ruki yawned as she watched birds fly. She sat in a tree with her priest's staff next to her. It's been awhile since I've been in the Wood Realm. She smiled a little, Home sweet home. A blue dragon appeared on the horizon. That's Istu. Hikari-sama must want me to go after someone again.

The dragon glowed and turned into Istu. "Hello Ruki, how are you today?"

"I'm fine Istu." Ruki stood making her staff go into her pocket of hammer space. "Who does Hikari-sama want me to go after today?"

Istu shrugged, "She wants to tell herself."

"Alright, let's go then."

Istu turned into his dragon form and the two of them flew off towards the Crossroads.

They entered the club at around one in the afternoon. Hikari was chatting to handsome blonde happily as they entered.

"Yama, how are you?" Istu said happily and bounded over to him. Yamato rolled his eyes at the dragon.

"Hello Istu."

"What brings you here? Isn't your pack doing something in the Light Realm today, helping them get a new Sorcerer of Light or something?"

The wolf demon/Arcmage of Ice sighed. "Yes, and it's a pain in the ass. Ever since the Miyako incident the Light Realm has been rather uptight. Only Kouji is being helpful. Not to mention the fact that the CCoL doesn't like me. So I had Galew, and Gabu take care of things there."

"Well since you're not busy, do you want to go on a date?" Istu asked hopefully, his hazel eyes shining.

Yamato gave him a sly smile and a wink, "Sorry Istu but you know we can't. Can't mix Business and pleasure you know."

Istu pouted, "Aw."

Hikari giggled, "Ah Yamato, why not just one date? We aren't playing tonight so Istu is free and you hate the CCoL."

Yamato gave a sigh of mock defeat, "Well if the Oracle wants me to I will. Not to mention the fact it would be the perfect excuse not to do any work."

Ruki chuckled a little as Istu cheered and proceeded to glomp the wolf demon.

"Ruki-san," Hikari said as Istu walked out of the room on cloud nine and Yamato left the club, "I have two jobs for you. First I want you to go to the Five Holy Mountains in the Earth Realm. I want you to free the demon Iori who is sealed under the north mountain."

"Iori, you don't mean the Earth Demon Iori?"

Hikari nodded.

"But he went on a rampage over a hundred thousand years ago. He battled against the War Prince Takato and the Lady of Death Juri. He nearly killed them both, and he was the youngest of the five elemental demons. The other four were never caught."

"There is a lot things that were left out of the story, Iori went insane because of something, no one knows expect him, if he remembers." Hikari took a lock of her long brown hair and began to twirl it in her fingers. "Insanity is not a fun thing; it seriously screws with the mind, if I'm correct the last thing he remembers is his rampage across the heavens before his powers were sealed and Takato and Juri put him in his prison."

Ruki still looked uneasy, "Are you sure it's safe to let him out?"

"Yes, we will need his power in the future. And with the other Elemental Demons on the louse with no ties, and war between the Realms coming closer who knows what will happen."

"Even you don't know?"

Hikari smiled at her, "All I know is what will happen if the things keep going the way they are, that is the job of the Oracle. But I can change that by having people go out and do things to prevent or cause what I see. The future is such a fragile thing; the smallest particle out of place can change the future I see."

"So you're shaping the world to how you see fit, and you have me, a Sanzo, Miyako, a sorceress, and your four guardians go out and make what you want to happen, happen."

Hikari nodded. "Yes, and I have the support of the Realms of Ice, Fire, Wind, Darkness, and Wood on my side, plus Ophaniel and Kouji, though the rest of the Light Realm likes to do its own thing, sometimes going against me. And the Metal Realm has said they won't help me at all, the Earth Realm isn't very happy with me, and the Water and Lightning Realms are not sure that the future I want is the best one. But at least they don't actively work against me."

Ruki absorbed what she had just been told. "Alright, I'll go get him."

"Oh, Ruki-san."

Ruji turned as she reached the door, "What?"

"Do be careful, the Holy Mountains are home to many dangerous creatures, I would send Toshiki with you, but that would a red flag for the Earth Realm Leaders letting them know I'm involved."

Ruki smiled in spite of herself, "I'm a Sanzo, I'm used to danger."

*******

The Crossroads, the point where the ten realms and earth were connected by the roads of magic, a place of wonder and magic never before seen by those who have never gone. Or that's what the legend was. Ruki smiled slightly as she recalled the memories one of her predecessors had handed down one Wood Sanzo to the next. She closed her eyes and saw threw his eyes as he watched for the first time he traveled outside his world, one of the first to do so.

"Sanzo-Miko," called a woman in a long white kimono, "You are making many trips, yes? You would like discount rooms at the Crossroads Inn, perhaps?"

Ruki opened her eyes and gazed around her. It was so different now. The Crossroads was now a thriving city, larger than Berlin, New York, Kyoto, and Tokyo combined. She turned to the woman, "Yes a room for two."

"Is good that," the woman said fishing out a coupon and handing it to her.

Ruki thanked her and left for the for the earth realm.

"Ruki-san," a voice called over to her. She turned to Ryo running towards her.

"Hello Ryo, how are you?" she asked as he caught up to him.

"As well as I've been," he said brightly. "So, I heard you're going to the Earth Realm."

"And your point is?"

"I'm just trying to give you some advice."

Ruki gave him a sharp look. "If I need advice from a water demon about the Earth Realm I would ask for it."

"Look," Ryo said grabbing her by the shoulders and bringing her face to face. "The Earth Realm doesn't like Hikari, and while most don't know you work for her, some do. A lot of the leaders in all the realms think she's over stepping her boundaries as Oracle, while some of the Arcmages may like what she's doing, a lot of their underlings don't. A war is brewing and Hikari's the cause of it. So if the Earth Realm finds you, and someone recognizes you as her lapdog their will be hell."

"So I'm a lapdog huh?" Ruki asked coldly, "Ryo I know you're trying to help, but frankly, you're just in the way."

Ryo sighed, "Well, I tried."

He was about of her sight when he called back to her, "The Elemental demons are beginning to resurface, at least that's the rumor."

Ruki watched him go, then turned and continued on her way to the Earth Realm's gate.

*********

Rain. That's all Wallace could see as he ran blindly forward. He tripped over a rock and lay there, refusing to move.

"Hey are you ok?"

He looked up and saw a woman in a jeans and a black t-shirt. Looking up he saw himself looking into kind eyes framed by glasses. Locks of violet hair spilled over her shoulders.

"I'm Miyako," she said kneeling down next to him. Then she let out a gasp, "You're covered in blood! We need to get to the doctor!"

And Wallace saw the world turn black.

End Chapter Two.