Micrll- haha... anyway,just.enjoy this chapter!
Velf- thanks so much, I know many people get started on their fics, then they don't even get a quarter done, very pissed with those kind of people, haha.
Kurenoharu- haha, good luck for your exams too!
Kaatan- read your one shot, like the way you put the lyrics in.
2nd last chapter!!! Hope you all like it, this chapter is for all my reviewers, thank you so much!!! Never expected to receive so many reviews.
Chapter 15 in Saving the Spirit World- Fighting for the Wrong Purpose
"You!" Haku gasped as he recognized the Spirit that stared at him with cold eyes. "But why?"
"I lied to you" The spirit replied bluntly. "You were always the naïve one, believing in what most people would say."
"I know that is true... but what do you want with Chihiro?" Haku replied, agitated.
"You know something... when I entrusted you with the task of saving the Spirit World by sealing up the gates to the human world, do you remember my exact words?" Nimokushi asked slyly, a smile breaking across his ancient face.
"You said... you said that I would need her help..." Haku said softly as he struggled to find that memory.
"And help you she did, in many different ways that I never would have expected." He continued, pacing around.
"Yes... I would never have came this far without her help and constant support. Even so... what do you want to do with her now?"
"Silence her. The one human to defile this sacred land of the gods and spirits, this land of pure beauty and magical power." Nimokushi shouted as a flicker of madness crossed his face.
Damnit... Hes gone crazy... I dunno why, he's too strong for me to fight alone, but... I must at least try to get Chihiro out of his grasp. Organizing his thoughts, Haku stood straight and said loudly, his voice rising into the wind and air, "Nimokushi! Let Chihiro go! I still don't know why and what you want to do with her! But if its got anything to do with hurting her, I'm gonna snatch her back from you!"
Hearing Haku's loud outburst, Nimokushi laughed loudly, a loud cackling laugh that did not suit him, "Kohaku... you are not even at the strength level of a god, what makes you think you can snatch Chihiro back from me?"
Biting his lip, Haku remained silent as he pondered over his entire journey, hoping to recall something that would help him. Cold sweat trickled down his cheek as gusts of wind blowed against him, seeping through cracks in his clothe and raising goosebumps on his skin.
What can I do? There is no way I can beat him in magic... Wait.... This wind isn't normal! Realization dawned on Haku as he realized what was happening around him.
"Haku... I expected you to be faster than this." Nimokushi smiled as he shook his head slowly. He snapped his fingers. Suddenly, the small gust of wind turned into a miniature tornado and shot straight at Haku, bracing himself for the impact, Haku raised a water shield and waited for the hit.
After feeling nothing happening after 2 seconds, Haku opened his eyes and looked around. Feeling bewildered as to why Nimokushi stopped the attack, he glanced behind him, trying to make out the figure in the cloudy mist that had suddenly enveloped the entire field.
"Zeniiba... you are not supposed to interfere with their destiny." Nimokushi said loudly.
"Zeniiba-san?" Haku shouted.
"Haku! Calm down!" Zeniiba said, agitation in her voice for the first time.
"How can I be calm?" Haku replied.
"The reason he wants Chihiro is not for any selfish reason, I can assure you of that. Yet... I am here to help you because what he is going to do to Chihiro will kill her." Zeniiba said quietly and calmly.
"Zeniiba... You know you are acting against the rules, the protector cannot interfere directly with the destiny of the chosen one." Nimokushi said angrily.
"I am not interfering, if I do this." Zeniiba said calmly, without a flicker of expression on her face. "Nimokushi... me and Haku challenge you to a magic duel."
"A smart way of bending the rules, Zeniiba, but why bother, the combined strength of you and Kohaku will barely be at the level of a god, and that is not enough to defeat me."
"That means you still do not understand why we keep trying." Zeniiba said expressionlessly. Whispering to Haku, she said, "Watch his movements, do not attack him with me, wait till I fall before attacking, do you understand, if not, Chihiro is lost."
Nodding mutely, Haku stepped back and watched Chihiro anxiously.
"Ah... This is getting interesting... 2 spirits are actually challenging the king of the gods." The god of knowledge looked down smugly at the old witch and god summon their energies. "Eh? The humans have found the entrance to the gate, this is really getting interesting..." He said as he glanced through the magical mirror wall that separated the 2 worlds.
"Here's my first blow." Nimokushi said softly. Summoning an energy ball of the combined elements.
"Ok." Zeniiba replied as she too prepared her attack.
"Start!" Nimokushi roared as he let loose the ball of energy in his hand and summoned a shield instantly to block Zeniiba's attack. However, Zeniiba's age hindered her and she failed to summon her shield, taking the full brunt of the attack and landing heavily on the floor.
"Zeniiba!" Haku cried as he rushed forward to help her up. Before he reached her, she shouted, "No! This is a duel... you know the rules Haku, three strikes and 3 defensive moves, no more, no less and no help from observers."
Nodding, Haku stepped back as Zeniiba stood up shakily, ready to face the second blow. Focusing, Zeniiba summoned another element energy to attempt to break Nimokushi's shield.
"You've wasted too much of my time, the humans are coming!" Nimokushi shouted as he shot a beam of fire at Zeniiba, knocking her yet again to the ground, except this time she didn't get up.
"Zeniiba-san..." Haku gasped as he rushed and knelt by her side, tears rolled down his cheek as he saw the damage done to her was not superficial.
"Haku... go, it is your turn, trust in yourself, he will fall at the 3rd stroke..." Zeniiba murmured, her head rolling to the side as her body shut her down in order to heal.
After checking that Zeniiba was only unconscious, Haku stepped up and wiped away his tears. Anger burned beneath him and he glared at Nimokushi, feeling hate at nearly losing another friend.
"Still trying?" Nimokushi taunted.
"Yes." Haku grinded his teeth as he said.
"Come on then, Kohaku." He laughed as he shot a quick volley of flaming balls at Haku.
Feeling anger burn within him, Haku did not even think as he dodged the first four flaming balls and extinguished the last one with his bare hands. "Chihiro! Can you hear me?" he shouted as he realized that he had not fallen at the first attack.
"What the..." Nimokushi murmured as he stared at Haku. His body was encased in a glowing halo of colours that emerged slowly from the ground. "Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi... what did you do?" he asked in disbelief.
"Take this blow, Nimokushi." Haku said coldly as he fired a volley of water bombs in quick succession at him.
Impossible speed... Nimokushi thought as 3 out of the 6 bombs hit him on the shoulder and chest. Collapsing on the floor, Haku moved forward as if in a daze and growled, "Let Chihiro go, now!" Hearing no response, he moved forward and Nimokushi struck, shooting an energy bomb that hit him squarely on the chest and sending him flying backwards.
"Haku!" Chihiro's sudden scream took Nimokushi by surprise and he jumped in shock.
Lying unconscious on the ground, Haku heard a small voice in his ear, Chihiro's voice. The voice reminded him of the times they had shared, both in the bath house in the past and the adventure that they were completing. Struggling to get up, Haku's life flashed past him. A certain memory hoovered in front of him longer than the rest. "Promise?" Chihiro's voice sounded gently in his ear. "I promise, we will meet again..." Feeling energy pour into his body, Haku stood up and took a few shaky steps foward finding his footing.
"Your boyfriend is dead, that was half of my power, theres no way he could have withstood that." Nimokushi smiled as he raised his hands in front of Chihiro and muttered an incarnation, "Water, Earth, Sky and Mountain, seal this gate with the last holy fountain!"
As Chihiro felt herself vanishing, she closed her eyes and a solitary tear dropped down her cheek. Memories of her time spent with Haku passed in front of her eyes, reminding her of the good times she had spent with him, of the times they had almost lost each other, memories of their first kiss... Goodbye... Haku. She thought.
In a flash, a water bomb exploded heavily into Nimokushi's back, stunning him and breaking the great amount of concentration required to continue with the sealing of the gate. Chihiro felt herself solidifying and coming back to the Spirit World. Blinking in surprise, she felt her body lurch as Haku dodged Nimokushi's final shot and jumped high in the air.
"Nimokushi! Why do you want to kill Chihiro! Why!" Haku shouted as his palms collected the remaining energy in his body for his final shot.
"Because! Because she is a human! One of the humans that caused the great unbalance in this world!" Nimokushi roared as he conjured up an elemental shield.
Seeing Nimokushi raise his shield, Haku knew he had no chance of defeating him. As he moved downwards, time seemed to slow as Zeniiba's words floated into his mind, "You absorbed the power of the Lamba Core... the magic there is sacred and not easily obtained..."
Feeling a new confidence within himself, Haku knew that Zeniiba had not been wrong. "Nimokushi! Humans may be evil! But you do not understand Sacrifice!Forgiveness! Love! Or Truth! These are the names of the gates to the human world, now I finally learn their true meaning and ask of them to lend me power!" Creating an energy bomb of immense power, Haku fired it at Nimokushi and immediately felt himself weaken.
"You... you fool!" Nimokushi sputtered as blood spurted from his wounds. "You do not understand that what I am doing is for the Spirit World, my purpose in asking you to bring her to the Spirit World... is to seal one of the gates... This gate, because... she is the last and final keystone in sealing off all contact between the human and Spirit world forever!" Nimokushi cried as he saw a shadow in the tunnel. Tears dripped down his cheek as he lost consciousness.
Turning his head to look at Chihiro, Haku's face was blank from realization, the truth was too much to bear. As tears streamed down slowly, he shook his head and whispered, "No..."
A/N: Hmm... finally, my plot is finished, I dunno if the fighting part sucked, pls tell me if it did, cuz I cant describe fights very well, so sorry... pls RNR though, tell me what ya think abt my plot!