I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho.

Sorry for not updating last week! I seriously thought I had --;; Sorry again.

Thank you miyako14 and RAW19 for reviewing!


Chapter 10

A grand stadium stood in the middle the vast city of Ensuren and was surrounded by a large garden. The stadium looked much the same as a Roman coliseum only larger. On both sides of the main entrance stood a statue of a powerful demon, one was covered in armor and the other only had a breast plate for armor.

In the stadium's facing, far above the ground, were detailed carvings depicting different significant battles that had occurred in the Makai's history. Battles such as the Great War between the demon lords of the North and South, the major battle between the first Shinobi master's and a powerful demon lord and even the battle between Era and Van-Gareth was there.

Several yards in front of the main entrance stood a fountain with a mermaid, made of marble, spitting water out of her mouth. Water jets encircled the mermaid sending water swiftly down the three layers.

Within the stadium itself were two entrances for contestants to enter and exit from on either end. The seats for the audience were made of stone, but were padded from comfort. Unlike in the dark tournament there was no stage for the contestants to fight on, but, much like an ancient coliseum, there was a dirt floor that was well raked.

Many fights had taken place in the stadium; the barrier between the contestants and the fighters showed this well. The boundary walls held carvings much the same as the ones on the outside, but most were faded from centuries of abuse and exposer to the elements.

Even though much blood had been spilled and many lives were spent in the arena people still came to fight in the annual contest. It was a place demons could fight with few rules and win prize if they were the champion. Demons thought it better than having to wait for the Dark Tournament to occur, which usually happens every three to four years.

The arena seemed ready for battle, as did most of the contestants. The fights were to begin later in the day, leaving anticipation and anxiety hanging in the air like a plague.

It was here that perhaps the most peaceful demon in the city sat calmly. Era was looking at the faded carvings around the arena's barrier. One in particular caught her attention and she wondered why it had bee carved there; it was of her and nemesis fighting.

Era jumped off the boundary wall, landing in the arena itself. She looked down at her feet and saw that she had shifted the dirt. With a sigh she dismissed it and walked towards the carving she had been looking at.

When she was in front of it she ran her fingers against the image, feeling the details and shapes that had survived the centuries of abuse under her fingers.

"What's so interesting?" A voice asked from above her.

Era looked up and smiled when she was who it was, "Hi Touya."

A small smile played on the ice master's lips, "Hey." He jumped down, landing next to her, and turned to look at what had caught his friends' interest. He raised a brow, "Is that supposed to be you?"

"I think so," Era responded.

Touya ran his hand over the two figures in hope that his sense of touch would aid him more than his sense of sight. However he found that it did little to aid him in finding the answer he wanted.

Era shrugged her curiosity off and looked up, "Uh oh..."

"What?" Touya asked as he looked back up. What he saw made him growl.

A tall demon with short brown hair and green eyes stood on the wall looking down at them, "You contestants in the contest?"

"I am," Era said calmly.

The demon huffed, "A petty child is fighting in it? Ha! You'll die in the first round girl, but it's too late to turn tail and run now."

"Who say's she'll fall," Touya growled, "She's by far your superior."

The demon laughed, "We shall see about that. The name's Kilik, remember it. If you survive long enough we'll meet in the ring." With that said the demon walked away laughed.

Touya growled and tightened his fists, "Why are some demons completely idiotic."

Era looked surprised at the ice master, "Why you mad Touya? He not talking to you."

Touya took a deep breath realizing he had lost his cool, "That's not the point Era. It's how he was acting. I could beat that weak excuse of a demon..." He trailed off as the memory of his last attempt to use his spirit energy came to mind.

"Touya?"

"Don't worry, I was just thinking," Touya said quickly.

"Alrigh'," Era said skeptically.

Touya caught her tone but said nothing since he did not want to explain himself. "I'll help you up," he said as he bent his knees slightly and put his hands together.

Era carefully put her foot in his hand and he hefted her up. When she was half way over the wall she smiled, "Jin!"

The wind master laughed from the entrance and jogged over to her, "'at are you doing 'ere?"

"Looking," she said as she pulled herself completely over the wall before looking down to Touya. Jin noticed this and jumped down, grabbed Touya and flew back up.

Touya gave Jin a thankful nod. "You lookin' at the sculpture?" Jin asked.

With a nod the ice master said, "The sculptures caught her interest and I joined her. There's one of her down there."

Jin's ears twitched, "She is?" Touya nodded.

Era looked around the arena, "Fights will be soon."

Both Shinobi masters looked at her. "They will, but we'll be out of her soon enough. Hopefully before Van-Gareth gets here," Touya told her.

Era nodded, "I not worried."

"You're not?" Touya questioned, slightly surprised.

Era shook her head, "I can fight him, but not fully."

"Jus' be careful," Jin told her.

"I will," Era said with a smile before walking towards the exit.

Touya looked to his friend and comrade, "She's pretending to be brave. I think she's frightened about fighting Van-Gareth after her last encounter with him."

Jin nodded, "She got 'urt fightin' 'im, but so did 'e."

"She was hurt because of us," Touya said sadly.

"'ey Touya, she's alrigh' and she's not angry."

Era's voice interrupted their conversation, "You coming?"

Jin laughed, causing his ears to twitch, "Common Touya." Jin started jogging towards the exit where the ancient being stood waiting patiently.

'What dangers are we putting her in?' Touya wondered as he followed Jin. All bad thoughts disappeared when he saw her smile and hand him a red lily. He smiled and took the flower, which became crystallized in ice a moment later.

Era giggled, "Everything will me alrigh' Touya."

Touya smiled, "Indeed it will." His powers had returned and things were beginning to look up.

vvvvvvvvv

Van-Gareth looked about himself, but did not see far in the fierce storm. He felt neither wet nor cold in the bad weather, but it was drastically stalling him. It seemed as if the mountain did not want him on it since the storm had been raging ever since he had gotten on it and it only got worse the higher he went.

He growled angrily, he wanted to get to Era quickly but the storm was so incredibly bad that he was forced to take refuge in a small cave he had just found. When he was outside he could barely see six inches in front of him, so flying over the mountain was completely out of the question now (not that he had wanted to in the first place).

He hated being held back from achieving his goals and as of now it was finding and whipping Era from the living plain. After that was done the rest of the Makai would soon follow, then the Ningenkai and the Reikai.

"Van-Gareth," a masculine voice called from outside the cave he was stuck in.

The great shadow demon looked outside from where he sat, not caring enough to get up. He saw nothing but the falling snow outside the entrance.

"Van-Gareth," the voice called again.

The shadow demon let out his hideous chuckle as he leaned against the cave's wall comfortably. He cared little for whatever was calling him.

"Van-Gareth!" The voice boomed, shaking the shadow demon from his revere.

Van-Gareth growled loudly and got to his feet to walk to the entrance of the cave, "Kaia!?" (What?!) He yelled angrily into the storm.

The voice chuckled, annoying Van-Gareth to no end, "Tus shula ziend griez perial inan tus dan neaden fethin tusen pria," (You shall meet great peril if you do not find your prey).

"Galen?" (How?) Van-Garth asked uncaringly. The only one that was a worth opponent to him was Era and even she was proving to be weaker than he had originally thought.

"La una tus segaz es hiselen faria tusen wakasev," (The one you seek is heading for your weakness) the voice told him.

"Ara kaiare teatra?" (and what's that?) Van-Gareth asked not believing the strange voice.

"Tus shalad kalek tusen odala wakasev Van-Gareth," (You should know your own weakness Van-Gareth) the voice said as it faded into the distance.

Van-Gareth laughed. To him the voice had been nothing more than a nuisance; nothing it said could have been true. He could not help but think what it had said however.

"Mis otale wakasev, galenev gaise, es...." (my only weakness, however small, is....)


So what do you think of my stadium? It took me a good while to think of what I wanted to do with it, but in the end I think it came out nicely.

So Van-Gareth is currently stuck... but what's his weakness? And who was speaking to him?!