A/N: sniffsniff it's almost over!! Hehehehe….this chapter has a surprising little twist at the end….

-- Dark Takeover: Chapter 25 --

- Blood of the Chosen One –

'Hiei….Aklyis…..Raegn…Miya….Tamoro….'

These were the names Aklyis thought as she engraved them down her katana.

"What are you doing?" a voice asked from behind.

Aklyis spun around to find Hiei, looking over her shoulder.

"Engraving our names into this katana…in case we never come back."

"Mm…not a bad idea. But you don't have to worry. I promise I won't let anything happen to you."

And with that, he walked away leaving Aklyis to her thoughts. She stared blankly into the trees. 'He promises to protect me…' the young brunette thought to herself.

"We better get going, it's getting dark." Tamoro's sullen voice echoed through the opening.

Miya nodded, her face paler than usual, her usually bright blue eyes dull. She gulped. "This is it then…"

"This is it. And we're going to live through this." Aklyis' strong voice came from the corner. "I'm not letting anyone leave. I won't lose anyone ever again…" She spoke through clenched teeth, barely above a whisper.

The rest of the group stared, dumbfounded. She actually seemed angry, and determined. Extremely determined. The pain, suffering, and humiliation was beginning to well up inside, and Aklyis obviously wasn't very happy with it. She was going to finish this. Once and for all.

----

Zoran waited anxiously. The storm outside was brewing and it didn't seem too good.

"What in my name are those brats planning?" he mumbled to himself. The sky was turning dark, but a strange defiant force seemed to be gathering in the distance. Defiance was something no evil sorcerer wanted.

8

It was like an endless dark road. A road, leading to death. Who knew what lay before them. It could have been anything. Success, failure, happiness, or disappointment. But what did it matter? It would end soon.

Thunder rolled over the group like an angered parent. Their very thoughts were stirring up the sky. The Gods were either outraged, or anxious to what was happening next. Hiei scowled. He hated the idea of Gods. Anything above him with authority seemed to rouse a feeling of hostility. There really was nothing the cold-blooded fire demon hated more, than authority. The thought of it made him growl in disgust.

When were they going to get there? What would await them once they arrived? It wasn't to late to turn back now. They could still turn around and go home…home…home to what? They had no home. Until this mission was completed, they would be stuck with no home. All they would do is run, and hide. It had to end here and now.

After a good three hours of silent awkward walking, the four arrived at the gates of Zoran's tower. There was no turning back now.

Slowly, but surely the gates opened, allowing the three to calmly walk in, unharmed and unafraid. When the entered the tower they found themselves in the large room where Aklyis and Miya had first been dragged to from their capture. In the middle of the room, an alter was set up. Around the alter were six golden pedestals, the stones of the great sorceresses placed in each one.

Aklyis' eyes widened at the site of the stones and the alter. It brought back so many memories. 'The blood of the one who seeks, shall bring forth the answers, and the gift.' Voices cried all around the brunette. They were high, whispering, eerie voices. Squeezing her eyes shut, Aklyis covered her ears in an attempt to make the voices leave her already troubled mind.

"Welcome."

That voice. It caused all other voice to cease. Even the ones in her head…

"I presume this is what you young children would call, 'the final showdown.'" The voice mocked with an ironic tone.

Hiei growled. "Shut up old man. I wouldn't sound so amused if I were you, because YOU'RE the one who'll be lying in your grave by the end of tonight."

The voice chuckled cynically. "My boy, there is no greater weakness than arrogance."

"You're one to talk…" Miya muttered under her breath, eyeing the old hoot stonily.

Zoran slowly turned his attention to the shorter girl. He narrowed his eyes. He didn't like her attitude. Perhaps…she would be the first to die.

Suddenly, a bird like creature appeared above Zoran, diving down towards Miya.

"ABOVE!!" the raven-haired girl screamed as she pulled out her bow and arrow. Aiming and firing, the arrow shot through the air, piercing the bird like creature through the heart.

'Whew, that was a close one,' Miya thought to herself as she lowered her weapon of choice. "It'll take more than that to take me down you old nincompoop!"

Zoran smirked. "Very well then." He then opened his arms, above him a black and purple portal like form appearing. Thousands of slimy black giant crows began to appear in the portal. "Let's see if you can shoot these little girl…"

Miya gulped. This was NOT going to be pretty. Tamoro stepped up beside his companion, holding his own crossbow. "Listen. Miya and me will create a diversion with these birdies. You and Hiei get to the source of all this, that old bat Zoran, and get rid of him…PLEASE" the blonde whispered to Aklyis, a stern serious look on his face.

The brunette nodded, understanding what she needed to do.

Time seemed to have stopped for a moment. Everyone seemed to look in the opposite direction, staring helplessly at their destination. The other side. Suddenly, the moment had shattered. The crows let out a frightening cry, and swooped down towards the archers. Hiei and Aklyis dived out of the way, making their way towards the old man who had plagued their lives.

Arrows shot through the air, hitting the crows anywhere possible. They fell by the hundreds. It seemed impossible though, as they kept coming back. More and more, out of that ridiculous portal.

The sorcerer stood near the alter now, watching with glee as his minions attacked the two archers. It seemed hopeless, even though their aim was impeccable. He turned to see Aklyis, the valuable girl who had bore the daughter of Hiei jump onto the alter. Unsheathing her katana, Aklyis brought it above her head, and slicing it downwards at Zoran. However, all the old sorcerer needed to do, was raise a finger, stopping the blade in mid-air. The brunette gasped, as she felt something cold and hard penetrate her middle. She looked down to see Zoran's other hand formed into a icicle like shape, stuck through her gut. She let out a small cough, blood escaping her mouth. Her dragons were gone. They had gone to help Miya and Tamoro fight off the crows. It was the only protection she had to offer them, as they were quickly becoming weary. Everything seemed like a blur, even the enraged voice that cried out from behind Zoran. A flash of black was all she saw before Hiei's blade penetrated Zoran's back, coming out through his front side. The sorcerer's eyes widening disgustingly as he looked down. Aklyis, still having her own katana raised above her head, with the last ounce of strength, brought it down over the sorcerer, slicing him right in half. He landed beside the alter, his body shredded, mutilated, and mangled. The portal disappeared, and the minions fled. The storm outside had suddenly gotten worse. But what was worst of all…

Aklyis' lifeless body hit the alter floor with an empty thud.

Crimson spilled…everywhere.

She was dead.

A/N: it's not over…review if you want the end