Disclaimer: I still don't own them.
Chapter Fourteen: The Final Battle
She looked unharmed, untouched by Naizen. There wasn't a bruise or scratch anywhere that he could see. He gave a light, almost inaudible sigh as he reached out to touch her.
"Etsuko, wake up." his fingers barely grazed her shoulder when he was flung back forcefully.
"Leave your filthy hands off of her." Naizen knelt next to Etsuko and ran his claws across her bare arm, "You are not worthy to touch such a delicate prize."
"She is not a prize." Hiei growled, unsheathing his katana and starting forward.
"Are you that stupid? You charge at me now and I can easily snap her pretty little neck." Naizen grinned maliciously as Hiei stopped. Naizen ran his hand across the back of Etsuko's neck in a taunting gesture to just how quickly he could kill her, "Stick around. You're not the one I want to fight first. No, this little beauty has a father I have to take care of first. Then I'll gladly take you and your friends on."
"You won't get away with this." Hiei sheathed his katana.
"Is that so?" Naizen rose to his feet. The rest of his guests had arrived, "If I am to die here, which I doubt will happen, I'll just make sure to kill Kyo and his daughter first."
Naizen raised his palm at the group. A burst of hot, strong wind blasted them backwards. With lightning quick movements, Naizen snatched Kyo and dragged him back to where Etsuko was still lying.
"Take a good look at her, Kyo. My little prize, my secret treasure. I'm going to enjoy stealing away her innocence." he sneered as Kyo struggled.
"Let my daughter go, Naizen. You have me. Isn't that enough?" Kyo pleaded, but to no avail.
With a devilish laugh Naizne threw Kyo to the ground. His eyes sparkled playfully as Etsuko stirred and opened her beautiful blue eyes, eyes that filled with confusion when she her father before her, at the feet of who could only be Naizen.
"Oh, you're finally awake, my beautiful prize. Just in time to watch them die while trying to save you." Naizen smirked and addressed the others, "None of you are leaving here alive. The last life I'll take when I'm finished here will be your beautiful wife, Kyo. I'll take her after I force her to watch each of your young offspring get slaughtered."
"Let me go!" Etsuko screamed and pulled against the chains binding her. She could feel her spirit energy being supressed by the chains.
"You heard her, Naizen. Release her, you have no way to escape." Yusuke gave a warning as he stepped closer. Another blast of energy from Naizen's palm sent Yusuke stumbling back.
"Yusuke!" Etsuko Etsuko screamed and pulled harder against her chains.
"Now where was I?" Naizen turned and faced Etsuko and Kyo, "That's right."
Naizen grasped Kyo by the throat and lifted him into the air.
"Put him down!" Etsuko continued to fight against the chains.
"You've grown old and pathetic, Kyo." Naizen tightened his hold on Kyo's throat, his claws just piercing the skin, "You were foolish to let me live. You tricked me last time, Kyo. This time you won't be able to do that. I'll make sure of it."
With that said, Naizen's claws extended and pierced through the flesh of Kyo's throat. Kyo's eyes glanced over to his daughter, her expression frozen from fear, her eyes swelling with tears.
"No!" she wailed as Naizen dropped her father to the floor. She couldn't see his face, but she knew from his chest not moving that he was dead.
"Be patient, my love." He turned from her and faced the others, "I have to dispose of them before I get to you."
"You sick bastard! Release me and fight me you fucking coward!" Etsuko pulled harder and harder, but the chains refused to break.
"Your time will come, my love."
"Stop calling her that." Hiei growled while taking out his katana and clutching it tightly, "You have no right to say that."
"What's your problem, little demon?" Naizen allowed Hiei to get closer, but he was not afraid, "You have such an intense burning in your eyes. You wouldn't happen to care for the human girl?"
Hiei rushed forward, attacking Naizen with his katana. He thrust the sword forward, Naizen dodged it easily. Naizen reached for the fire demon and Hieie jumped back.
"Hiei, be careful." Yusuke gave a warning.
"Hn. Shut up, Yusuke." HIei spat.
The fight between Hiei and Naizen continued. Each of them slashing and clawing at each other, dodging often and at times being injured when they didn't didge fast enough.
Hiei went forth, once again attempting to thrust his katana into Naizen's chest. Naizen dodged and grabbed the unsuspecting fire demon.
"I'm tired of playing games, little one." he forced Hiei to drop his weapon, "You will be the second one to perish."
His claws tore through the flesh and bones of Hiei's chest. He creamed in agony and heard his own anguish echoed by Etsuko's screams. He wished he had never had to hear such pain come from her lips.
His body became limp. Naizen gave a smug look to Etsuko before tossing Hiei across the room and turning to the others.
"Two down. Who's next?" Naizen was enjoying the pure look of disbelief etched on the faces of his enemies.
Etsuko stared, horrified at Hiei's lifeless body that Naizen had carefully tossed across the room. They were gone. Her father and Hiei. She struggled against the chains again, feeling anger and hatred boiling in her veins. She pulled harder as Naizen stepped towards Genkai, pushing the others away from her as he did.
One cuff holding he right wrist snapped, the left snapping just seconds later. She undid the chain around her neck and then the one connected around her stomach. She stood, glaring at the back of Naizen's head. Her energy flared, what she had lost from her fight with Hiei a couple days before returned to her doubled.
"Your next fight is with me." She charged him and landed a hard kick to the back of his head. Naizen stumbled forward and dropped to his knees from the force.
"You have no patience girl." he rose to his feet, "No matter, I'll take you now then."
"Etsuko, please be careful!" Touya yelled out. She heard him, but made no acknowledgement. Nothing would distract her from getting her revenge.
"You took them from me." she said lowly and angrily, "You had no right."
"I'll allow you to join them then so you won't be so lonely."
"Your fight ends here!" Etsuko yelled, her spirit daggers forming.
"Let's see if Kyo's daughter is more capable of a good fight than her dead father."
"Genkai, is it possible for her to do this? Can she defeat him?" Botan asked quietly.
"I don't think so. His energy is far stronger than hers. She's gonna have to think carefully on this one." Genkai answered.
"The second she starts to falter I'm going in." Touya stated.
"I second that." Kuwabara nodded, agreeing very much with the ice demon.
"You're slow, my love." Naizen blocked another attack Etsuko threw at him and backhanded her. He was toying with her. She could tell. This pissed her off more.
"The first thing I'm going to do when I get my hands on you is castrate you for calling me your love." she rose to her feet and slipped to the side as Naizen threw a punch in her direction, then managed a one-handed back flip to dodge his kick.
"You'll have to get your hands on me first, my love."
"It looks like you're the one having problems getting a grasp, Naizen."
He growled, his beady black eyes turning a bright shade of orange. With a small "eep", Etsuko took a couple steps back. She wasn't expecting Naizen's boost in power.
He fixed his eyes on the human girl. The urge to take her innocence no longer resided in his mind. All he wanted was to taste her blood off his own claws. There was no way he was letting her escape alive.
She moved as quickly as she could when she saw his claws spring forward. She cried out in pain as her shoulder became pinned to the wall.
"I've got you now." he snarled, baring his fangs to her as he leaned forward.
"Etsuko!" Touya yelled and started forward, Kuwabara right behind him.
"Get your damn hands off of her!" he yelled.
"So many males willing to die for you. Why is that? You're nothing but a disgusting human girl." Naizen glanced back at the oncoming trouble.
"Hands off, buddy." Yusuke and Kurama were making their way forward now as well.
"You're all so weak!" Naizen sent out another blast, this one much stronger than before.
"Stop it!" Etsuko screamed. She stabbed her dagger into the clawed hand holding her to the wall. Naizen barely flinched at the pain she caused. He turned his attention back to her and roughly grabbed her face with his free hand.
"Foolish girl." he said calmly, "What do you expect to do with that pitiful weapon?"
She saw the quick blurr of black darting towards them out of the corner of her eye. Her heart leapt and Naizen glared at her.
"I'm not the one who is foolish." she cooed and gave a seductive smile.
"Is that so?"
"Yes, it is." Hiei spoke behind him. As Naizen turned, Hiei sliced his head clean off his shoulders. Naizen's body slumped backwards to the floor, dragging Etsuko with it. She cried out as the claws in her shoulder pushed in more and then again as Hiei lifted her up and into his arms.
She took a few moments to breathe before pulling out of Hiei's warm embrace. She knelt next to her father and rested her head on his chest.
"I'm so sorry, daddy." Tears spilled, but she could care less, "If I had been more careful, you wouldn't have had to comehere. How am I going to tell mom? How can I tell her that you're dead? This is all my fault."
"Don't blame yourself." Genkai knelt next to her, "He knew he might not make it out alive. Misao knew it as well. Whether Naizen took you or not, Kyo was going to have to confront him. Naizen took the coward's way when he had you abducted."
"I can't tell her."
"Then I will." Genkai answered and gave a small smile as Etsuko looked at her, "Why don't you head back to the temple with the boys and I'll have Koenma send Yukina there to heal you?"
"But..."
"You need your rest, Etsuko. Misao will know that."
"She's right, Etsuko." Touya knelt on the other side of her.
"Touya..." she hugged him tightly and cried harder.
"It'll be alright, sweetie. You'll see." he stroked her back and glanced up at HIei. Hiei's eyes were focused away from them. Touya nudged her slightly and made a nodding motion towwards the fire demon.
Her eyes widdened. Hiei was alive! He was standing there injured very badly, but alive. She smiled a thank you to Touya before standing. She walked over to Hiei.
"Are you alright?" she stopped before him and touched his cheek with her hand, smudging a bit of her blood across it.
The concern in her eyes made Hiei feel like he was drowning. There was so much emotion radiating in her crystal blue eyes.
"I'm fine." his eyes re-focused onto the floor.
"I'm glad." she smiled and more tears fell. His eyes re-met hers and all he could manage was a short nod, but the expression on his face let everyone know that he was truly relieved to see her safe.
Botan opened a portal allowing Genkai and Touya to go through to see Misao. Touya carrying Kyo's body in his arms.
Shortly after they entered, Etsuko looked around. The room was starting to spin and she knelt down.
"Etsuko?" Hiei knelt next to her.
"I'm alright. Just a little dizzy." she replied. She closed her eyes and took a couple deep breaths. She felt herself being lifted into Kurama's arms, "Thanks, fox."
"Just rest, Etsuko." He said softly and motioned to Botan to proceed.
"You guys go on ahead. I'll go see Koenma and bring Yukina to the temple." Botan said quietly.
"Thank you, Botan." Etsuko gave a soft sigh before slipping into a deep sleep.
"The poor thing." Botan frowned as she opened the portal, "Take good care of her until Yukina and I can get there. The rest of you should get some rest as well."
They entered and Kurama stopped briefly by Botan.
"Be careful and hurry to the temple." he kissed her cheek and smiled as her cheeks went from a faint pink to a fuschia.
"I will." she managed to answer and he nodded before stepping through the portal.
Genkai knocked gently on the door before entering. Misao met her in the hallway.
"Master Genkai, is something wrong? Did something happen?" Misao hurried forward.
"Yes, Misao. You should sit down." Genkai motioned to the chair and Misao sat, looking up as Touya entered with Kyo in his arms.
"Kyo..." his name left her lips just seconds before a sob escaped.
"He suceeded in helping to rescue Etsuko, but Naizen killed him." Genkai explained, "I'm sorry, Misao."
"He knew he wasn't coming back. He just wanted to make sure she was safe." Misao sat next to Kyo's body after Touya had set him down, "Thank you for bringing him home."
"Misao..." Touya looked down at her.
"Etsuko...how is she? Is she okay?"
"She's hurt, but she'll recover from her injuries. She stood up to Naizen for as long as she could."
"Did she kill him?"
"No, Hiei did, but Etsuko had him distracted. We almost thought that we had lost him as well. Naizen hurt him pretty bad when he was trying to save Etsuko."
"But he's alright?"
"Yeah, he'll be fine. He's a demon. He'll heal quickly."
"That's good. I'm sure Etsuko is happy that he is okay."
"I think they're both relieved."
"Thank you, both of you." MIsao bowed her head to them, "Your father shall be returning here soon, Touya. He will help me with any preparations."
"I'll stay with you anyway. To help with the children." Touya smiled softly, "Genkai, please send my love to Etsuko and tell her to get well soon."
"I will, Touya. I'm sure she'll be returning home as soon as she is better." Genkai rose and opened the communicator, "Botan, everything is set here. I'm ready to return home now."
"Right, I'm on my way, Genkai." Botan's voice replied. Genkai turned back to Misao and Touya, "He was a great man, Misao. I will miss him dearly. I'm glad Etsuko has so many of his good traits."
"Me too." Misao nodded and then waved her good-byes to Genkai as she stepped through the portal that appeared behind her.
Genkai returned to her temple. It was very quiet, but the silence did not bother her. She made her way towards her daughter's bedroom and peeked inside. Yukina gave her an encouraging smile and joined Genkia in the hall.
"She's going to be fine. Her wounds aren't serious." Yukina filled her in with the good news.
"That's good to hear. Thank you for taking care of her."
"It's no problem, Master Genkai. I was glad to help her. She is a good friend."
Once the room was silent, Hiei slipped in through the open window. Although Naizen was defeated, he wasn't taking any chances in leaving her alone. He settled in at the end of her bed and began a long night of reflecting back on his newly discovered feelings. He knew how he felt, but she hadn't given him any clue as to how she felt. What if she didn't feel the same way? He groaned and held his head in his hands. This was going to be one long and tiring night.
