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Chapter 19

Touya closed his eyes and bowed his head, biting his lip. Emotions that he had long ago closed himself off to bombarded his spirit relentlessly. The girl in his arms was now lifeless, but he couldn't find it within himself to believe that, at least not fully.

"Touya…" Jin wasn't sure what to say or do as he hoverd in front of the ice master. He couldn't form any kind of reassuring words in his head as he too mourned for the water maiden.

The ice master opened his eyes and looked up slowly, revealing pain and even fear in his light blue eyes. He took a step forward and realized there was a very steep underwater cliff when his toes hung over nothingness.

With one last glance down at the water maiden in his arms he slowly let her go. He watched as the water curled around her lifeless body as she sank into the oblivion that was the lake. His eyes closed once more and a line of liquid slid down his face before crystallizing and falling into the water with a 'plunk'.

Jin signed in dismay, "'ou should 'et out Touya." He didn't know what to say, but he knew that the water was cold even for the ice master and that he should not linger in it.

With a small nod the ice master turned and walked from the lake.

By now Yusuke was conscious, but seemed very dazed. He had woken to hear the ice master's scream and knew from the mournful aura's of his friends what had happened, but didn't know why at first. Somehow Kurama had been able to explain it, not even he was sure how he'd been able to muster his voice.

Several moments passed without anyone saying anything, but with Koenma's appearance the silence was broken. The Rekai prince was now in teenage form, he wore the same kind of cloths as his toddler form, but without the hat.

"Koenma, what are supposed to do?" Botan asked with a quavering voice.

The prince sighed, "I don't know to be completely honest. Van-Gareth seems to know of Era's passing and celebrated by destroying Ensuren in a matter of moment.

"Goodness!" Botan cried in horror and dismay.

"All Era's tired to do is dyin' in vain," Jin said sadly.

Touya clenched his fists, "Don't say that! It's not over yet!"

Suzuka sighed, "Look Touya, we all know that you were closest to Era, but we all cared for her too. The events are most unfortunate for everyone, not just our band. We have to accept the fact that without her Van-Gareth will continue to roam, now completely unchecked." Even he did not want to believe the words coming from his mouth, even if he knew the words were true.

"No!" Touya yelled, tears threatening to fall, but an angered expression was clearly seen in his eyes. "I refused to accept that everything Era tried to do will now collapse. We have to try and finished what she started."

"What can we possibly do?" Shishiwakamaru asked.

"What we set out to do," Hiei told him and the rest of the group, "We set out for that forest, so we might as well finish our journey there like originally planed."

Touya nodded, "Those were Era's last words, for the most part. She wanted us to go to Eralasea. She said- she said she'd- meet us." A crestfallen expression further pushed his spirits down.

Koenma grabbed all their attention, "Touya and Hiei are right in what they say. Era, regardless of what her last words were, wouldn't have wanted us to stop in the middle of the quest now. However, everyone is too deep in their own grief to amount to any use." What he spoke of was true, even for him as he fought to keep his voice level. "It's gotten late, all of you should rest for the night and in the morning continue on with what you are supposed to."

vvvv

Van-Gareth sat happily in the middle of the ruins that had once been the glorious city of Ensuren. His biggest adversary was disposed of, so now he could lounge around and wreak chaos and destruction without having to watch his back.

His goal was completed and now a new goal had resurfaced from where it had lain dormant for millennia's. The Makai was now his for the taking since no one was left to oppose him and after this world was his the other two worlds would quickly fall under his reign.

There was something in the back of his mind warning him though. As he thought about it he realized just what it was that was bothering him ever so slightly and knew he would have to dispose of it soon enough.

The shrine of Eralasea. It was a strange thing to worry about, but he knew what potential it had to bring about his down fall. That was if it was ever uncovered however.

He smirked and shrugged the idea off. No one alive knew where the shrine was, as he knew the Rekai had been scrambling to find its location not long ago. He would worry about it when he was done gloating over his success.

vvvv

The group sat around a fire, the lake not a few feet away. No one cared to speak at the moment as no one was sure what they could speak about. Everyone just took comfort in their friends company, but still mourned the one friend they were missing. A friend, a comrade and a blazing fire of hope had been extinguished by a demon with only hated in his soul.

Touya's eyes had been fixed on the fire for some time until be finally closed them and put his face in his knees, which were up to his chest. He did not know what to do. He wanted to head of the forest of Era's goddess, but he knew Koenma had spoken truth when he had said their grief would only get them into trouble. Even now his mind was lingering on the water maiden's final moments; her words, expressions, face, movements, everything that was now engraved in his mind.

Zeek had disappeared as soon as Touya had gotten to shore. Wherever he was the ice master was sure he was mourning the loss of his mistress who had been like that of a mother to the small wrymling.

Jin placed a gentle hand on his friends shoulder and smiled wearily, even though he knew his friend could know see it. He had never seen Touya like this and he had known the ice master for centuries.

Koenma, who had disappeared not long ago to see what Van-Gareth had been up to, appeared quietly before the group. The view before him was like that of what it had been before he left. He knew something needed to be done or grief would devour all of them.

"Van-Gareth is currently still within the ruins of Ensuren and it doesn't look like he'll be moving for a while," he told them, breaking the silence that had lingered for too long. "I know that this is going to go against what I told you a few hours ago, but it needs to be said. You all need to get moving towards that forest now while Van-Gareth is stationary."

"What do you mean Koenma?" Botan asked, "I don't think anyone is ready to go on at this moment."

Koenma sighed, "I know, but it has to be done. I fear that Van-Gareth is going to go after the shrine next and if that happens all hope will truly be lost. We have a head start right now and I doubt he thinks we will continue on for Era, which gives us an open window."

Yusuke got to his feet with a sigh and walked over to the lake in which his friend now rested for eternity in. He gazed across the lake as it glistened merrily from the moon light as if nothing horrible had ever happened. His mind was lost in thoughts that only he really knew, but the others could make logical guesses on.

Touya too stood and gazed over the lake a moment as if trying to get an answer as to what they should do, "If we're going let it be now. I highly doubt Era will think kindly of us if we don't make it to Eralasea's shrine before Van-Gareth." His fists clenched at his sides, "And I have to know why."

"What do 'ou mean?" Jin asked.

"Why Eralasea let Era die," the ice master replied shakily. The group either looked to the ground or the fire. The question was a good one, one that demanded answers.

Jin got to his feet moments later, "I with ya Touya."

"As am I," Koenma said as he took a few steps towards the ice master.

"Don't forget me," Yusuke said as he too came to the ice masters side.

Within moments the entire group was standing. "We'll find out the answer to that question and more on the journey to finish what Era began," Kurama said softly.

"Do we know where the shrine is located?" Hiei asked. It was a question on everyone's mind now.

A moment's pause followed the question before Koenma shook his head, "No."

Touya sighed, "Era never told us the exact location. She just led us in the direction she felt the familiar power coming from."

"I've been trying to find the exact location of the shrine for some time now and I just keep running up blank," Koenma told them, "My latest thought of it was not an hour's walk from here, but I can tell now that I was wrong."

"And if it's much like Era's home than it'll be hard to located," Kurama pointed out, remembering the underground, but very elegant looking, home of the water demons.

"I guess I'll just have to play my little game more often," Yusuke said with a light laugh as he attempted to lighten the mood even a little.

"If you don't break anything this time," Hiei said with a smirk as the memory of the Spirit Detective breaking the arm off a statue in the underground shrine outside the long deserted water demon city.

Koenma gave a weary smile, "I'll head back to the Rekai to look even further for the shrines location."

"I'll help," Botan spoke up, "I'd be better with that than I would be down here helping you guys."

Koenma nodded, "Probably for the best. Hopefully the two of us working on this project can get it done faster so the needle in the haystack can be found quicker."

The two of them disappeared back to the Rekai, leaving the group of males behind to wander off in the direction Era had been leading them. Or at least the hoped it was the same direction.

vvvv

Van-Gareth got to his feet and yelled for no reason in particular. He smirked as birds darted into the sky in fright from the forest not far away. One fact was still clear to him despite the little bit of humor he just had, it had been hours since he had destroyed Ensuren and he was growing bored.

He figured it was about time he got to destroying Eralasea's shrine. After all, what was the point in waiting any longer when no one stood in his way anymore, or at least no one of importance.

The only trouble that stood in his path now was finding the dratted shrine. He had never been there, for obvious reasons, but that did not matter to him. In fact very little mattered to him at this point. He'd take pleasure in hunting it down and destroying it.

He turned into a black dragon and flew leisurely into the night sky.


So the group is heading off to the shrine without Era, but Van-Gareth is also looking for the shrine now. Could anything else go wrong?

Still more chapters to come. With the balance of good and evil about to collapse it's not something you want to miss!

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Thank you.