I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho
Thanks for reviewing nineteenRAW's (lol. No idea, I'm not a very good speller myself, always have to use online dictionaries and word checkers, but still spell things wrong XP) and n/a (I hadn't been think of that at the time, but alright. Lol. To tell the truth I wasn't thinking about anything when I wrote about them, but when I re-read it I thought more of the Ents from LOTR. Lol. Oh well.)
People might find this chapter a bit confusing… so I'll quickly explain what's going on (no worries, I'm not going to spoil anything). Basically everything in this chapter is going on at about the same time and links within last chapter too. So basically the beginning is happening at the same time as ending of the last chapter. Did I confuse you more? Sorry if I did, but you might understand better when you get reading. Oh and watch out for foreshadowing and symbols, they play a pretty heavy role in this chapter.
On with the tale
Chapter 22
Van-Gareth flew through the air leisurely, still in the form of a black dragon. He felt no need to rush and felt no need to worry about the shrine belonging to Eralasea. He was content with what was happening, as it was going better than he had originally thought.
The forest beneath him was getting thicker the further he flew and in the distance he could see a thick fog covering a great portion of it and it seemed to go on for miles. Nothing was coming up through the trees, leaving any distinction of his destination absent, but this fact did not seem to bother the ancient being in the least.
His flight was boring and being that he did not care for the scenery it made it even worse. The only thing keeping him occupied was the replay of his battles with Era all the way up to the point when he felt her spirit energy cease to exist.
His thoughts were jarred as a loud roar was heard from somewhere in the distance. The noise frightened birds into the air, which attacked if they got close enough, and the forest below him seemed to shift with life for several moments before it calmed back to a state of tranquility.
'Kaia vale teatra gonten?' (what was that about) he wondered to himself for a moment before brushing the thought aside, 'Illeal nade neaden' (it matters not).
vvvv
Firan looked down the river the group of demons and humans had just been knocked into for a moment before looking around at the forest, which swayed in an agitated, yet frightened, fashion. Not for several millennia's had the forest acted in such as way and it was because of it the group had been thrown into the water.
"They're awakening," Firan murmured to himself.
"Yareh farret hinde condrens ,"(They feel him coming) a soft voice said from behind both him and a tree. "Yareh eria farretres tiendren ara sol yareh eria calendi faria la spilendren teatra weren onindi thearen gastru godresianas" (They are feeling threatened and so they are calling for the spirits that were once their great guardians).
Firan smirked, "Tis shalad gi intostavolen. La lastras tressen spilendren wandaled gonten vale favil transavin yaren aguno-" (This should be interesting. The last these spirits wandered about was five thousand years ago-)
"Vande Van-Gareth almeste rantulen undor la shalan," (When Van-Gareth almost stumbled upon the shrine) the hidden person finished, "Illeal haru carehan andara ter umposh-delen,"(It had created quite an uproar).
"Vi. Undalentras tresson eventan haide benga vetra feretresu, malan lea oradantren," (Yes. Unfortunately those events have been long forgotten, much like ourselves) Firan responded as he crossed his arms.
He heard the hidden person shift, "You do realize that by doing this you run a high risk of ceasing to exist," he pointed out in the common tongue of the age.
"Yes," the hidden person replied quick enough to make it known that they knew exactly what they getting themselves into. "Burrar ai mandalen dan illeal," (But I must do it) there was the sound of falling water and Firan knew they were gone.
"Yes you must," Firan said to himself as he looked down the river once again.
vvvv
Zeek flew through the air using his small wings with a mastery that was uncommon for a wrymling his apparent age and size. His small frame allowed his flight to be simple, as he had to dodge less trees and branches. The fog did not seem to bother him either as he flew, in fact it seemed as if he could see strait through it with such ease that barely existed.
Nothing lashed out at him, or tried to hinder his progress in any way as he continued on his journey. The area was free for his travels, free for him to do as he so desired
Some trees rustled slightly when he flew by as if in greeting and he would give a squeak in response. There was an occasional light roar from somewhere not far away, but it could hardly be called threatening. To this he squeaked again with what could be called a gleeful greeting.
He did not stop his travels until he reached an over turned stone with ancient carving on it; the same one Yusuke and the others had found. Upon landing on it he scratched at it in an curious manner and lowered his nose to mere millimeters away from its surface. As air was exhaled bits of dirt flew outward.
Zeek let out a soft squeak and moved forward, nose still close to the stone as he smelled the all too familiar scent of the ice master lingering on it. When his nose hovered over the broken, rusted through, chain he gently clawed at it to bring it into a bunch before locking a good portion of it in his small jaws.
His head went from side to side as he attempted to get a better hold on the item in his mouth. When satisfied that it was secure he lifted his frame off the stone and flew off in the direction he could smell the very scent that lingered on the chain.
The wrymling fluttered above the raging river when he reached it and looked into the forest on the other side, past where Firan hovered, and then down the river as if he knew exactly what had taken place there but a few moments ago. He inhaled deeply and caught another sent scarcely present over the sprays of fresh water, but it was there none the less. A squeak of what could be taken as a calling escaped him, almost making the chain in his mouth fall into the river below.
"Calm yourself little one," Firan told the wrymling. "Calling will aide in nothing."
Zeek gave out a low noise whining noise without opening his mouth. He looked behind Firan once more and than back down the river and whined once more.
Firan shook his head and sighed, "Matters are as the lady pleases and not even I have been told the outcome. Despair undoubtedly, as it is always the reaction to any such battle."
The wrymling landed on Firan's shoulder, unaffected by the fact that he was all flame. This in itself was very strange because of the fact that he was not a fire dragon, but an ice one. He wriggled his small head around, letting the chain shift about and make noise in the process.
"What is this?" Firan asked as he held out his hand. Once Zeek had dropped the chain in it he brought into clearer view. "Ah, this thing was left her so long. Those friends of your took the charm, very rude of them if you should ask me."
Zeek let out a noise of protest, causing Firan to chuckle, "You only protest because of how much your mistress cared for them. Do you know why this was left here?" Zeek shook his small head.
"That is odd, but I suppose you are a bit young to start learning such things," Firan said to the curious wrymling. "This and that marker back there were place within the forest by the last of the water demons, who were almost completely done with their transformation to ice demons. It was placed there to act as a memorial, but now it is long forgotten and even though your friends found it they have no idea what it means, or the charm they took for that matter."
"Here doth lie a single stone to tell the tale ones being forgotten. We, allies of the water, have lived for thousands of moons and have kept the delicate a balance of nature and life steady. But now demons have turn against us, even after it was one of our kin who save them and this world century ago. The world of demon, as it has been deemed, it turning dark and dismal, yet all those of water that want to still thrive and hold hope of light returning once more are turning to ice.
"As the last of our kin we wish to let our tale of a great hero who sacrificed herself for everyone else and tales of our diminishing culture stay within the world even if it is on but a stone. Our culture lies here, in this very forest. Who we were and who we worshiped is all here, intertwined in water, life and rock. The memory of our great hero lies in the river not far away, which is now know as 'Heriana hota' (hero's hope) where we hope she will flow with the happily with the current forever. The currents are smooth at places and harsh at others, much like how she was in life. She was as kind as our goddess who gave us life and hope, but as fierce as the great guardian of this forest when one's they care about are threatened or unwanted demons wander in."
"May this forest tell our tale to those who wish to hear it and may the world find its light once more."
Firan sighed and looked at the chain, "This was to represent the forest and it guardians, but the symbol was taken that ice master and may never be seen again." He closed his other hand over the one with the broken, rusted, necklace. Hot air floated into the air in waves for several moments before he took his top hand away. The necklace was no longer what it had been moments ago. Instead it looked brand new and glistened in the light given off from his body.
The fire demon handed the chain back to Zeek, who bunched it up once more before locking his jaw around it. "Do as you may with it," he smiled as the wrymling came out in front of him. "You have started a 'domino effect,' as the people now a days would say. Your awaking has made many others follow suit and now, as Van-Gareth comes ever closer to our lady, most are now out of their hibernations."
Zeek gave out an almost please squeak, causing Firan to chuckle once more, "Good luck with what ever in devours lay ahead of you young guardian." Zeek nodded and flew off down the river with parts of the fixed chain dangling out of his mouth.
Firan looked after the small creature until it was out of sight, "Your awakening has done more than you can imagine."
There was a loud roar of a guardian from somewhere not far behind. The fog all around seemed to spin about and take form of an undecipherable shape, as if confused on what it was doing.
"So you are awaking, I was beginning to wonder if you would be the only one left to sleep," he said as he formed a fireball, which hovered just above his hand.
Bits of fog whirled around it almost curiously for several moments before it enclosed around it tightly, freezing it instantly. The ice ball fell into the river below with a loud 'plunk' and sprayed water outward for several feet.
Firan smirked at what had just happened, but quickly became serious, "You have a job to do, now get yourself together." With that he flew off through the trees at a slight angle to the river.
The fog whirled around making various shapes, all dissipating not long after. It seemed as if whatever Firan had been talking to was confused on how to 'get itself together.'
Lots of stuff going on! Van-Gareth nearing his destination, the forest and its guardians awakening after much slumber (yes it was the guardians that had the forest dubbed the "Forest of no Return." The guardians hate being woken up by passing demons who don't care for the culture within it, but they go back to sleep after words, so they didn't 'wander'), and Zeek's a young guardian!
But, who was that person behind the tree? What's within the fog that Firan seems to know about? Is the gang dead or alive? Firan kept gazing down it, as did Zeek and he whined! What's going to happen?
Only what to come can say for sure.
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