"OW!"

Chihiro had landed awkwardly on the ground.

"We're defiantly not at home" she muttered at she got up and looked around.

She appeared to be in a crop field that stretched out as far as her eyes could see. But there was something wrong with this crop field.

"Why are all the crops dead?"

"It's an effect of Darkness" Haku told her.

He was sat calmly on top of a large rock.

"How come I landed all funny on the ground and you are sitting nicely up there?" Chihiro asked playfully.

"Training" Haku answered back, laughing as he jumped off the rock and landed softly on his feet. "We should get straight to Xinagu. He is very eager to meet you."

Haku and Chihiro began walking across the field.

After walking in silence for ten minutes Chihiro spoke. "What's Xinagu like?"

Haku stopped walking and a look of concentration was on his face.

"What is it?" Chihiro asked worriedly.

"MOVE!" Haku yelled as he span round and pushed Chihiro to the floor.

Seconds later a huge ball of fire smashed into where Chihiro had been standing. Haku had not had time to move himself so he was sent flying through the air and landed with a loud thud a few meters away. Chihiro looked up into the sky to see what had thrown the fireball.

"Oh my god."

A dragon flew in circles in the air above, its eyes pin pointed on Chihiro. It looked just like Haku did in dragon form only instead of being white it was dark red. In a flash the dragon began to descend and landed in front of Chihiro, the ground shaking from the impact. It opened its mouth wide and a ball of fire began to grow.

"I'm dead" Chihiro thought as she closed her eyes and waited.

But something grabbed her by the waist and she felt her legs leave the ground for a few moments then land again. When she opened her eyes Haku was standing in front of her, his clothes torn and burnt. She was now standing to the side of the dragon. He had picked her up and flown her out of the way again. The dragon turned its head viciously and growled as Haku stepped in front of Chihiro.

"How about you change out of that form and we talk this over like adults?" Haku asked.

The dragon stood for a few seconds and just stared. But then it began to get smaller and change shape. The figure of a boy, who looked about the same age as Haku, now stood where the mighty dragon had just been. He had a wicked grin on his face and wore all red clothing.

"Haku" he laughed. "Long time no see."

"Dax" Haku answered coldly. "I'm surprised to see you attack me again after what happened last time."

"Well you know what they say. If at first you don't succeed in killing the two-faced piece of trash then try, try again."

"From what I remember you could barley walk after out last encounter."

"From what I remember you weren't in much better shape."

There was silence as the two boys stared at each other. Chihiro gripped onto Haku's arm.

"But for once this isn't about you" Dax said. "Yubaba sensed the human and sent me to investigate. She was very surprised when it turned out to be a former employee. What is her name again...Sen?"

"Her name is Chihiro" Haku said menacingly.

"Oh yeah the whole winning her contract back thing. Anyway Yubaba wants her so I'll be taking her off your hands now. A nice little hottie like that will be good to have around the bath house."

"Don't even try it."

"You gonna stop me?"

"This girl is under the protection of Xinagu."

Dax laughed. "Xinagu?! That old man? You think too highly of him. He's nothing but a washed up has been. His name means nothing anymore. Hell, I could take him down."

"Would you like to test that theory?" said a voice from behind Dax.

"Xinagu!" Dax said once he turned around and saw who was behind him.

Xinagu stood with a wooden staff in one hand and a ball of fire in the other. "I understand that you are just here doing Yubaba's dirty work so this one time I will let you go. But if I ever catch you threatening anyone under my protection again I will not hesitate to turn you into ashes. Do you understand?"

Dax stared at Xinagu and Haku and then at Chihiro, a look of pure anger on his face. "This isn't over."

Dax then shot up into the air and was out of sight in seconds.

"Wh...who was that?" Chihiro asked.

"Yubaba's new henchmen Dax" Haku answered. "Xinagu and Yubaba are long time enemies so naturally me and Dax have crossed paths many times before."

Xinagu stopped looking up at the sky and looked at Chihiro. "So you must be Chihiro" he said smiling. "Welcome to the Spirit world. We have much to discuss."