Chapter Nineteen- Welcome to Kamekai

The portal dropped the group into a strange place, full of gray and white light. Asa looked around, being the first one to land – or rather, pause in the middle of nowhere, hanging in a place that didn't seem to have gravity. She realized where they were without quite knowing how. When the others landed – err – paused around her, she told them, "We're going to be passing through the Interverse in a few minutes – that'll be about an hour or so in our world's time, and maybe half a day in Kamekai. The time flows differently there than in our world."

"You know that, how?" Yusuke asked, cocking an eyebrow at her as he glanced about, his voice echoing through the abyss in which they were hanging.

"I'm not sure…but I do know it won't take long for us to get out of here – look down." They did, and below them, some distance below, there was a dark, swirling thing, black and dark gray, like a sea of clouds. "Sakai started out there. As his soul was cleansed, he steadily rose to our level – it's kinda like a purgatory of some sort, only…not."

She was aware that at least Yusuke and Kuwabara were now staring at her like she'd grown a second head, but for some reason, she did know that what she'd said was true. It must be this new full-fledged priestess thing, she decided, feeling her body steadily rise up, and knowing that the others were following her…all but Kasumi and Natsumi.

"Kasu-chan!" Jin called to the younger of the twins, catching Asa's attention. The twins both gave her a questioning look, and her eyes flicked to and fro before she realized why they were being delayed.

"You both were raised in Sakai's home, weren't you?" she asked gently, giving them a thoughtful look as they started to slowly rise after the others.

"Yes, but what's that got to do…" Natsumi's voice trailed off, as she realized what Asa meant.

"You'll get there later than we do. Jin, Touya, the two of you are gonna have to wait for them when we get there. It'll take them another few hours in Kamekai time to get there."

The two friends glanced at each other, then back at her, both nodding. They rose another few feet, the twins only a few inches. "Sakai must've been here for a few days Interverse time. I wonder exactly how he was purified, when the cherubim – " as she said this, she glanced about her warily, " – knew what he was planning?"

"Maybe they're really stupid cherubim," Yusuke suggested humorously. Asa gave him a look. "What?"

"Now is like, so not the time for cracking jokes," she told him exasperatedly, shaking her head. "In the time that we were waiting for my orb to collect fox-boy, he passed through the Interverse. You know what that means, right?"

"He's…in Kamekai?" It was Jin who spoke this time.

"And near Sakai. And last I checked, that asshole did a biiig number on the whole lot of you, remember?"

"And Kurama is really impatient with him," Hiei added.

"So he'll go after him, and that's why you're worried," Touya finished.

"Well, yeah." She crossed her arms over her chest, resting one fist under her chin thoughtfully, her friends exchanging an amused look.

She's really starting to act like him…

The thought was in unison, and they could all almost hear the others thinking it, too. It was true, the potential pair had gained a lot of the other's attributes. It was quite "adorable," as Yusuke had earlier quoted.

"Alright, guys, let's turn to our fearless leader and see if he can make up a plan," she finally announced, turning to Yusuke.

"Well, that was kinda dumb, Asa-chan. You know how stupid he is – …"

"Nobody asked for your opinion, Kuwabara," Yusuke snapped, looking about ready to break his friend's neck. If their souls weren't being cleansed at current moment, Asa was almost sure he would have. After a moment, he said, "Well, once we drop down into Kamekai, I'm sure the first two priorities are finding the gods, and finding Sakai. We need to make sure that the gods are okay, but it'd be nice to know where the shithead is, too."

"We also need to find Kurama," Kuwabara added.

"I'm pretty sure we'll find him once we find Sakai," Hiei intervened, turning back to Yusuke. "Are we splitting up, then?"

"Looks that way. So once we get to Kamekai, while you two," he nodded toward Jin and Touya, "wait for the girls, Asa and the idiot will go to look for the gods, and Hiei and I'll go after Sakai. You guys'll join us once Kasu and Natsu get here," he added to Jin and Touya.

"You're forgetting one thing, though, Yusuke," Asa said. "Remember, the Light and the Shadow? The prophecy? I should go after Sakai with one of you."

"That's true, but we're not risking it just yet. We have to form a better plan before we put you and Sakai together." The concern in Yusuke's voice was touching, but also rather annoying.

Asa sighed, "Alright… Catty and I'll go after the gods and crap, then."

"We'll find him," Yusuke assured her with a smirk. She gave him a small smile in reply, but was already formulating a plan to reverse this little situation. Not that they needed to know that, of course…

The white light grew brighter around the six of them, and Kasumi and Natsumi had to cover their eyes. Realizing what was happening, Jin called to them, "We'll see you girls in a few hours…" His voice died away, and they disappeared. The twins exchanged a look.

"You know she's not going to let them – "

" – Go after Sakai and find Kurama," Kasumi finished for her sister, with a nod. "Yes, I know."

-

As soon as she could open her eyes, Asa let them focus on what could have been the most beautiful sight she was sure to ever see in her lifetime – scenery wise, of course. Rolling hills were the perfect shade of green, the bright blue sky was cloudless, the sun shone…but dimly. Every tree seemed to be wilting; every green hill seemed covered in a dismal shadow. So, this was Kamekai, affected by Sakai's presence. She realized that the others were looking at her expectantly, and turned to them. "So, I guess I have to find the direction we're going?"

"Yeah, see if you can find Sakai, then the gods and goddesses," Yusuke told her, with a half-smirk of assurance. "Just don't send anyone back to our world, alright, kid?"

"Sure. I can handle that." She furrowed her brow and closed her eyes, concentrating on the darker energy that she knew was Sakai, and the power that was generating strongly from the east came from the gods, she was also sure. Surely enough, as soon as she reconstructed the orb of light that they were growing used to, two rays stretched out far – a dark one, and a light one. Asa held back her smirk, and looked up at the others innocently, trying her hardest to block her mind off from being connected to Hiei's like Kurama had taught her to in the last week. "Well, you guys see your ray. Go get Sakai," she said, trying hard to sound crestfallen.

Apparently, it worked. Yusuke and Hiei went after the dark ray, of course. Asa grabbed Kuwabara by the wrist and dragged him along with her maniacally, appearing rushed to find the gods so that she could get to Kurama more quickly to the others, but they all missed her evil grin. "Bye Jin, later Touya!" she called over her shoulder to the boys, who waved back.

"Asa-chan, slow down, man!"

"Chill out, Catty," she grumbled, letting at least his feet touch the ground so that he wasn't flying behind her as she dragged him. "I hope you don't mind us going the wrong way, buddy," she added under her breath, so that he barely heard her.

"Huh? Whaddaya mean, going the wrong way?"

"I mean, Sakai's soul was cleansed…and his presence here tarnished the souls of everything else, if you hadn't noticed." He gave her a puzzled look. "So, my dear boy, we're following the cleansed soul."

"…Wha…? OH!" His eyes lit up with realization. "You mean we're going to Sakai's!"

After a long pause, he repeated, this time stopping and grabbing her shoulders to turn her to him and stare at her like she was crazy, "WE'RE GOING TO SAKAI'S!"

She gave him an innocent smile, batting her lashes and tilting her head to the side, quite the picture of a little angel. "…Oops?" Before he could get another word in, she turned around, continuing her run toward the white ray's extension, where Sakai – and Kurama – would be waiting for them.

Kuwabara stared after her in bewilderment, then threw up his arms in resignation. "Too late to turn back now, and I can't let her go alone," he said to no one in particular, hurrying after his short friend.

-

Kurama wasn't quite sure where he was. He'd been running through Genkai's gardens a moment before, for Asa's final training session. He could feel her power growing steadily ever since then, and had a good assumption that the vortex that had swallowed him, and the place where he'd been moments before, with bright lights, were Asa's full power, sending him through a portal into the world on whose ground he now stood – he assumed it was Kamekai, since that was the only world to which Asa could open an indirect portal.

But as soon as he'd landed on Kamekai, he'd been aware of a strong, evil presence. He recognized it immediately, and almost on impulse, took off toward it. Sakai was here. So it was Kamekai. He was sure that, back on his world, the others would soon be discovering his absence, and indeed, Asa would be shocked, worried, possibly blaming herself for it. He was sorry for that, but he intended to take care of Sakai before she got here – even if it killed him. Unlike the others would have once they arrived, he was fully aware of what would happen should Asa open the portal and arrive here – the prophecy was still fresh in his mind.

She could be destroyed should he let her get to Sakai. The Light she possessed, no matter what the trigger was, could ultimately dispose of her soul when she used it to defeat the Shadow, Sakai. He could not allow that to happen. Although he had yet to tell her, waiting for her to show to him that the time was right, he loved her too dearly to let anything like that ever happen to her. He would be her rock, her shelter, from this, the one thing that could ultimately undo her, her own power. To do that, however, he'd have to defeat Sakai. He wasn't quite so certain how he was going to accomplish that task, but he was prepared for it. There were plenty of plants in this place capable of being manipulated, as the entire world was considered holy ground, and all of its plants were probably full of spirit energy.

He could almost smell the blood on the air, and knew then that Sakai had already chosen several victims, probably the mortals blessed by the gods to live in Kamekai, the Divinities, as normal mortals had nicknamed them in fairy tales. Asa had told him about them, and about the Shapeshifters, dragons, and such fantastic creatures, all living here. He'd held onto every word, fairly certain he'd be able to use the knowledge later.

She was helping him, and she didn't even know it. That fact made him more amazed by her by the second – and his lips curved upward into a smile thinking about the look on her face the night before, when she'd settled in his arms and fallen asleep under his careful watch. If he survived this encounter with Sakai – and he convinced himself that he had to, for her sake – he planned a good many more of those little moments, and the first one would be quite important to them both.

On his way to wherever it was Sakai's energy was leading him, he collected several of the plants from Kamekai's fine selection, and before he knew it, he had reached a strange temple, that strongly reminded him of Sakai's residence, made from black onyx. So, this is where he decided to stay during his short visit here. A pity. The choice of setting for his final moments does not offer a magnificent view of Kamekai. He'll die without seeing it.

Kurama entered. The first hallway was lined with lowly parasitic demons – he took care of those with a few slashes of his Rose Whip. He didn't see the demoness whom they had befriended, Akira, throughout his trek inside the onyx voyage, and was well aware that what he had feared about her death had probably come to pass. He carried his choice weapon wrapped around his forearm protectively, passing through each room and each hallway tactfully, seeking out his enemy but finding only his fledglings, and they were almost too easily dealt with.

Finally, however, he entered the throne room of Sakai's fortress, and faced the Dark Shadow Master himself. Sakai had been leaning his head into his palm, his elbow propped on an arm of his throne. Several of his servants stood around him, looking concerned, but one finally noticed that they had received company, and hissed Kurama's way.

"So, Master Fox," Sakai spoke with contempt, not raising his head. "You've arrived at last. Welcome to my more humble temporary home."

"I see you haven't consumed any gods yet," Kurama answered, raising an eyebrow. "Are you not in a well-enough position to hunt them down yet, I wonder?"

Sakai laughed. "You've seen these servants, they are not the ones you know. I've already hunted down a god, and consumed his soul. Ishi, God of Stone. These demons were his slaves – now they are mine."

"So you are stronger than you were, but still not immortal. That's fortunate."

"Indeed? How so?"

"It means I am still capable of killing you," Kurama answered, a cool threat laced in his words. Sakai's face changed into one of amusement, and he finally met Kurama's gaze. "You look entertained, Sakai. Yet I wasn't jesting."

"You must not remember the last time you tried to kill me. I ripped you apart. Perhaps you should have stayed that way."

"I remember the last time, but you must know, I never make the same mistakes twice." Kurama's eyes darkened and narrowed. "It is not in my nature."

"I've been entertained by this little conversation, so I should consider letting you live…" Sakai's voice trailed off as he gave his servants a thoughtful expression. "No, no, that won't do. Never mind, Master Fox, my servants are going to kill you."

As he spoke, all his demon fledglings turned toward Kurama, eyes bright red. His face turned to one of disgust. "There is no honor in forcing others to fight your battles for you. And these, not even D-Class demons, are naturally not a match for me. You've sacrificed them thinking it will weaken me." He took the handle of his Whip into his hand, and with a single attack, killed all the demons instantly. As several appendages started precipitating to the floor around them ((eww, I feel dirty just writing this)), Kurama glared at their master. "What a pitiful end, for creatures that may have had the chance for redemption. Are you satisfied now? I've killed all your slaves, now there is only you and I."

Sakai slowly stood. "So, you wish to avenge what I did to your precious little priestess? Where is she, by the way?" Kurama didn't answer. Sakai smiled. "Ah, you left her in the safety of your friends' care. You don't want her near me, then, is that it? How disappointing."

"Not in the least. I prefer Asa with her soul un-devoured, thank you." The discussion ceased, as the two glared each other down. Then, in a flash of motion, the beginning of the final battle began.

-

"Damn that brat!" Yusuke snarled, glaring at what lay before him. There were nine of the ten gods in the temple Asa's ray of light had directed he and Hiei toward, and they discovered quickly that Ishi had been consumed by "the great beast that entered through the sky," as Tomoshibi, the goddess of Light, informed them.

They'd been so badly duped by a stinkin' shorter, younger, less experienced girl that it was damn embarrassing.

"Damn her to hell!" Yusuke added for good measure, turning on his heel and taking off. "You jerks all need to stay in this temple!" he told the gods over his shoulder, all the Divinities also gathered around them in the Temple of Protection, a holy place where Sakai would not be able to venture. It had taken them a good while to get there, so they weren't surprised when, by the time they reached the point where Asa had created the orb – where they'd crossed into Kamekai from the Interverse, Kasumi and Natsumi were just emerging from the in-between of the worlds.

"Urameshi!" Jin called, catching Kasumi in one arm as she descended from the light and turning to wave to him with the other. "Ye already beaten the big bad man, then, aye?"

"Iiye, Asa jipped us. She sent us in the wrong direction – we got to the gods," he responded. "C'mon guys, we need to hurry before she reaches Sakai. You know what'll happen then."

"Aye. The lassie isn't all that bent on seein' her friends hurt, and she's got a wicked stubborn streak in 'er, she does!"

"Aye – err, I mean, aa, she does. Dammit, Jin, now you have me talkin' like you!" Yusuke snarled.

"Amazing what you do when your temper takes over, isn't it?" Touya asked calmly, with a smile toward Natsumi, as they all took off after the white ray of light that Asa had created.

"Whatever."

"Just as long as we reach the ningens and the kitsune in time," Hiei muttered.

-

Asa and Kuwabara reached the onyx temple some time later. "Here we are, Catty!" Asa exclaimed, glancing at him victoriously. They looked up toward the entrance to the temple – only to see that it had been almost totally blocked. Only a half-crushed body near the top held the stone slab from closing – apparently, someone had gone inside the temple, and the door had moved upward to block out any other intruders.

"Yeah, here we are, but how're you planning on getting inside, Ace?" She glared at him for the new nickname, but he didn't seem to notice.

"Well, could you give me a boost?" she asked, playing on his stupidity when it came to thinking about these sorts of things quickly enough to know what she was planning. He nodded, lacing together his fingers and holding them down so that she could step into his hands. She did, and he launched her upward, high enough so that she could grab the edge of the door and climb up into the little hole it allowed. She glanced sidelong at the corpse of one of the demons, trying not to notice all the blood seeping from it, but unable to keep a lump from rising into her throat.

"Asa, what am I supposed to do? I won't be able to squeeze through that gap!" Kuwabara called to her.

She turned herself around so that she could poke her head out to look at him. "I guess you're gonna have to wait here then, aren't you, Catty?" He nodded, then, after a pause, glared.

"Dammit, Asa, you were planning this the whole time!"

"Well, yeah! I wouldn't want to inconvenience poor Yukina with worry over getting you hurt again, now would I?" That said, she pushed herself inside, and dropped down from the top of the door, landing in a crouch and holding her position a moment to let her eyes adjust to the darkness. When she did, she wished she hadn't. Bodies were strewn throughout every room, and as she traveled through the temple, she got the strongest suspicion that maybe Kurama was more than just "impatient" or "displeased" with Sakai. The lump that had formed in her throat tightened, and she had to pause to remember how to breathe around it.

Something was wrong – but not with this around her, or with Sakai's presence…something was wrong with her. A strange feeling was accompanying the knot in her throat, like an illness that had only just now caught up with her. It had to have something to do with that damn prophecy, she decided, and pushed on. Halfway through the temple, following Kurama's trail of carnage, she heard the sounds of fighting, and followed them, into the throne room, where her eyes widened to behold what was happening.

Plants were growing everywhere – obviously weapons of war, Kurama's chosen weapons. There were broken limbs all over the place, too, signs that Sakai hadn't taken very well to almost falling prey to the infamous fox.

But it was the center of the room where her eyes caught onto them – Sakai stood, in half-human, half-demon form, a strange two-legged beast of black flesh and a twisted face, human eyes set in the pantherlike head that he had as a demon, not unscathed. Blood poured from several open wounds on his body, and one above his brow sent the red ooze into his eye, causing it to take on a sickeningly lurid hue.

In his hand, which he held above him, he held the throat of Kurama, who looked worse for the wear. He wasn't quite as bad as he looked after their last battle, but he had blood pouring, too, most of it from a large bruised cut on his arm, which was visible due to Sakai's ripping his sleeve to shreds.

Asa's eyes widened further as Sakai growled, bringing his other hand up, to attack with the claws that decorated it. It would be the fatal blow. To her own ears, when she finally found her voice, it sounded hoarse, and weak, which was unfortunate, because Sakai would know just how afraid she truly was that he would kill Kurama.

"NO!"

-

Okay, I think that's quite far enough for today. (yawn)

All Boys: WHAAAAAAT!

…What?

Yusuke: You can't just stop THERE! That's too much of a cliffhanger!

So?

Yusuke: You're gonna get yourself – and all of us – killed!

By whom?

Yusuke: The readers!

They can't kill me! Then no one will be able to tell them how the story ends!

Yusuke: …Good point. Okay. Going to relax.

Anyway. Umm…So-kun….I'm not sure what to do to cheer you up! SOOOOOOOoooo….

(gives you oodles of 2-D Touya and Kurama stuffs – posters, emails, you name it; and chocolate) I hope that makes up for some of the loss. (cries) I know how loss is; it sucks. But chocolate is the universal cure for any and all problems!

Kurama: She would know, too.

Yup, yup, I really really really would!

Kuwabara: (slaps self in head with Disclaimer sign)