First update after the first week of school. Thank you to all of those who reviewed this story.

Thank you to:

Bar-Ohki: They are very close, ain't they?

Visitor-to-the-Echoside: You'll find out about Eli soon. Plus, thank you for putting me on your favorites list.

Gekidoku no Hitokiri: You won't be confused for long.

ShatteredSoul56: Glad you liked the story.

BloodMistress: Glad you liked the change of Eli; shoot, I'm happy everyone liked the change of Eli.

Agent Dark Moose: It might be confusing; but it won't be so confusing if you keep reading. Glad you like the story.

Thank you again to all who updated; on with the story!!!

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Chapter 9

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Eli was looking into the mirror in shock.

"How could this happen?" He asked.

"We don't know." Snow said. "Before I thought that it was going to be impossible for you to be any cuter, but when this happened."

Eli flushed a little.

"Hey, I think we better get back to the others." Kuwabara said.

"Okay..." Snow said. "Let's go Eli."

Eli followed Kuwabara and Snow back to the others.

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Yusuke and Kurama came back to the others.

"You owe me ten dollars Touya." Jin said. "I told you that Yusuke was going to come back in one piece."

Touya huffed.

"Where are Eli, Kuwabara, and Snow?" Kurama asked.

"Snow went with Eli so they could find a mirror and Kuwabara followed." Genkai said.

"And we're back." Snow said as he walked up to Genkai. "Ready to go?"

Genkai nodded and so did the others.

"Hey look, the gem is pointing again." Eli said.

"We have to follow it I guess." Kurama said.

Everyone went in the direction the gem was pointing; until it came to another door.

"Yusuke, do you care to do the honors?" Snow asked.

Yusuke stepped up to the door and put the key into the hole. The key disappeared and left the gem behind; then the door opened.

"Let's go..." Yusuke said.

Everyone followed through the door; when everyone was in that part of the house, the door closed behind them.

"Look, the blue gem is pointing." Yusuke said.

Yusuke began walking in the direction the gem was pointing and everyone followed.

Soon the gem started glowing and everyone looked a head. They saw three wooden boxes with floral designs on them. Kurama walked up to them.

"What are the boxes about?" Yusuke asked himself.

When Kurama got close enough, he found a little scroll; so he picked it up, unrolled it and read it.

The scroll read:

One of these boxes has the last and final key that you'll need. Choose carefully, because the ones that don't hold the key come with harsh consequences.

Kurama didn't like the sound of that one bit; he put down the scroll and looked at the boxes.

Yusuke walked up behind him.

"So..." Yusuke said.

"One of these boxes has the last key." Kurama said. "I have to choose the right one."

"What happens if you choose the wrong one?" Yusuke asked.

"I don't want to know..." Kurama mumbled.

Kurama closed his eyes and thought for a moment.

'All of the boxes look the same. How will I choose the right one; none of them look suspicious.' Kurama thought.

Kurama opened his eyes and looked at the boxes. He brushed all of them with his finger tips; but one of them felt warm when he brushed it, while the others felt cold.

"I know which one it is." Kurama whispered.

Eli walked over and held Kurama's hand and held onto Yusuke's hand.

Yusuke and Kurama smiled down at Eli. Kurama brushed his fingers over the boxes again and when he felt that warm sense, he picked up the middle box.

When he did that the other two boxes disappeared. Kurama placed that box on the table and opened it.

"Yes, it's the key!" Kurama cheered.

Everyone cheered and came to go see the key. This one had a green gem in it.

When the key glowed; up ahead was what seemed like an endless hall, had a door in its path all of a sudden.

Kurama picked up the key and put it into the hole. The key disappeared leaving the gem; the door opened.

"Let's go get Hiei." Kurama said.

Eli griped onto Yusuke and Kurama's hand as everyone walked in.

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This place was different than any other door they went through. It was a foggy place; very hard to see, couldn't really see anything so everyone held hands.

"What's that up ahead?" Genkai asked.

Everyone looked up and saw glowing lights; one red, one blue, and one green.

"Maybe that's where Hiei is." Kurama said.

They all hurried up to the lights and saw that it was another door.

"We don't have a key to open this one." Eli said.

"I don't think we need a key for this one." Kurama said. "There's no keyhole."

"I think I know what to do." Yusuke said. He took out his gem and put it into the blue light; that light turned off. Kurama put his gem into the green light and that light turned off. Finally, Eli put his gem into the red light and that light turn off.

The door swung opened for everyone.

"I can feel Hiei." Yusuke said.

"I can feel him too." Kurama said. "But just barely."

Everyone went in and the door closed behind them.

They all looked around and saw that the room was fully lit with blue flamed torches.

"Guys look..." Snow said pointing up.

Up a long case of stairs, everyone saw something that looked like a pile of huge jagged ice.

"Do you think we should check it out?" Kuwabara asked.

"Yeah..." Kurama said.

They went up the stairs and when they got to the top; they all were shocked.

"Hiei!!!" Yusuke and Kurama yelled at the rushed up to the jagged ice coffin.

Everyone else didn't know what to say. They all looked at the changes to Hiei.

"What happened to his third eye?" Kuwabara asked. "And why is he wearing a gown?"

"How are we going to get him out of this?" Kurama asked.

"By heat." Yusuke said. "All of this is made of ice."

"Come on everyone, help out." Kurama said.

With their strongest attacks, they all pelted the ice coffin; smoke was all over the place. When is cleared, they saw that their attacks didn't even make a scratch.

"What do we have to do?!" Kurama yelled.

Just then, the gems came out of nowhere and fell back into their owners hands.

"Where did these come from?" Yusuke asked looking at his crystal.

"These are what we have to use to get Hiei out of that thing." Eli said.

"What are you talking about?" Kurama asked.

"Everyone stand around the coffin." Eli said.

Everyone circled around the coffin.

A moment later the gems began to glow; hard wind kicked up everywhere as the gems glowed.

"What's happening?!" Yusuke yelled.

"Don't worry!!!" Eli yelled. "Focus the power on Hiei!"

Yusuke, Kurama, and Eli used the powers of the crystal to the max; then the coffin broke. Pieces flew everywhere; but none of them hurt anyone.

The gems disappeared again and the glowing stopped. Everyone looked at Hiei's body; the coffin no longer incased him.

Yusuke and Kurama rushed up to Hiei.

"Hiei, oh Hiei, wake up!" Kurama said. "He's so cold!"

"Hiei, can you hear us, wake up." Yusuke said.

"True loves kisses." Eli said.

"What?" Kurama asked.

"True loves kisses will wake him up." Eli said.

Yusuke and Kurama looked at Eli for a moment before they turned to Hiei.

First Yusuke bent down and placed a soft kiss on Hiei's lips; then Kurama did the same thing right after.

A moment later, Hiei's eyes fluttered opened.

"Yusuke, Kurama..." Hiei whispered weakly.

"Oh Hiei!" Kurama cried as he hugged him.

Yusuke hugged both his lovers as tears formed in his eyes.

Then Eli and Snow began to glow.

"What's happening?!!!" Kuwabara yelled.

"I'm sorry Kuwabara, I'm so sorry." Snow said. "But me and Eli are only illusions; created by Hiei."

"But I love you Snow." Kuwabara said.

"I love you too." Snow said as he walked up to Kuwabara and stood on his toes placing a kiss at his lips. "We'll meet again soon, I promise."

Eli walked up to Yusuke, Kurama, and Hiei.

"So you're Hiei." Eli said.

"You're an illusion by me?" Hiei asked in a weak voice.

Eli nodded.

"But me and Snow are projections of people you'll soon meet." Eli said. "We'll meet again."

"We'll miss you." Kurama said.

"Yeah..." Yusuke said.

"I'll miss you guys too." Eli said. "This isn't good bye."

Eli turned and walked back to Snow.

"See you guys later." The both said, then they disappeared.

"We have to get out of here." Genkai said.

"Why-" Jin started to asked, but the castle started to shake and debris started to fall.

"Now!" Yusuke yelled.

Yusuke picked up Hiei into his arms and ran out after everyone. They all rushed as fast as they could through the way they came.

When everyone got outside; they saw that all of the snow seemed to disappear, nothing put green grass and sun was outside. They all rushed away from the castle until they couldn't feel anymore shaking. They all looked back and their eyes widened; Hiei was sound asleep.

"Where did the castle go?" Jin asked. "After all of that, we're supposed to see a pile of debris."

"Remember, everything we saw somehow was only an illusion." Kurama said. "Let's go home; we need to get Hiei some proper help."

"Yeah..." Yusuke said as he looked down at Hiei.

Kurama looked at Hiei and kissed him softly on the lips so he wouldn't wake him, then he kissed Yusuke.

"Okay, quit the lovey-dubby stuff and let's go." Kuwabara grumbled.

Everyone took the journey home; knowing the journey they were just on was one they will never forget.

To be continued...

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Since the search for Hiei is finally over; what will happen next?

Send in at least twelve reviews to find out!!!