I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho.

Spring break made me lazy, thus why this is a late update XP Sorry about that. I didn't want finish typing this and re-read it until today… bad idea on my part because I have school tomorrow and haven't touched my homework… hehehe… crud. Oh well XD

Thanks for reviewing:

Ani Mei – Dragons fighting proves for an interesting scene. Lol. I'm not saying XD

RAW17+2 – I agree, who doesn't love them. Lol. And that was one wicked tongue twister O.o try saying your last six lines fast XD

On another note, I do have a good portion of my chair done. Woot! So I haven't been too lazy. Hopefully I'll get that done soon so I can worry about my writing, which is fun to worry about (that sounds strange. Lol) and not the chair…. I'm probably boring you…

On with the tale!


Chapter 25

Touya ran in front of all his friends, save one, Jin, who ran at his side. His fears were mounting to new heights as every moment passed, as did everyone else's, knowing that Van-Gareth could resurface from the water depths at any moment and barge into the ancient palace ahead of them.

Angry creaks, rumbles and roars could be heard all about them as the forest swayed back and forth in a wave like manner. The occasional glimpse of a silver streak could be seen through the trees. What they belonged to the group could only guess.

"Who exactly is this forest angry at?" Rinku asked as he nervously glanced at the tree's about him.

"Both Van-Gareth and us undoubtedly," Kurama responded. "We are treading on sacred soil after all."

Touya and Jin skidded slightly on the ground before the came to an abrupt stop, causing Yusuke, who had been directly behind Jin, to twist and fall to the ground to prevent a collision with the wind master. "You can warn us before you stop short," Yusuke growled from the ground.

Neither the ice nor wind master responded, instead they looked at the sixteen foot dragon before them. Its silver scales seemingly flowed like molten silver as bits of light streaked over them through the hole Van-Gareth had made in the canopy of the forest had created some ways down. Its sliver-blue eyes gazed intently at them, holding a deep sense of guardianship about it at it stood firmly in place.

Zeek let out a small noise from Touya shoulder, causing the larger dragon to turn its gaze to him. After another squeak the larger dragon turned and coolly walked through the forest.

The group looked at one another curiously, only following the dragon as Zeek took off after it. "You think he's taking us to that building?" Shishiwakamaru asked.

"Seems like the general direction," Kurama replied with.

"Zeek wouldn't lead us astray," Touya said without looking over his shoulder at them. "He's far too loyal to Era to do something that was against her wishes."

"We hope," Suzuka added glumly. No one said anything to counter the blonds words, knowing that they held the fears they all shared.

vvvvvv

Van-Gareth thrashed around in the water while in his dragon form as he attempted to regain his bearings. After a few short moments he realized his efforts were futile at his size and hastily changed an ancient aquatic creature that no longer existed. The creature looked much like a manta ray except it was much larger, had three stingers, entirely black body, a pair of smaller fins under its main ones to allow for a forgotten acceleration in speed, and sharp spikes running down its 'spine.'

With the new form he was able to both breathe underwater and gain his bearings with great ease. Now knowing which direction was up he quick made his ascent to the surface.

vvvvvv

"Look at the size of this mote," Kuwabara half yelled.

"I wouldn' be callin' it a mote," Jin said as his eyes ran over the length of the water between them and the palace.

"Ya, I'd call it a lake with an island palace," Yusuke said with a disturbed look. "How are we going to get across?"

The dragon than had led them turned its head to the water and let out a roar, startling some members of the group. The fog based dragon came down to the palace, now looking to be like a Chinese dragon and as long as a football field, if not longer, to curl itself around two of its towers. It gave a roar back to the dragon, as if answering whatever question if had been asked.

Zeek flew to Touya and pulled on his shirt as if hoping to drag the demon forward. The ice master gently took hold of Zeek after his shock upon seeing the fog based dragon vanished. With the wrymling in his hands he took a few uneasy steps forward, stopping when next to the other dragon.

"What did you want me to come forward for?" he asked the baby dragon.

Zeek made no noise, only looked at the dragon at Touya's side. Before another word could be said the dragon struck Touya in the back with its tail, using just enough force to cause the ice master to take several steps forward to remain on his feet.

Not realizing where he was now positioned the ice master turned around in shock, "What was that for?" It was a question asked on the spur of the moment, thus held little thought to it, for if he had put any thought into it he would have known the dragon could not answer, at least not in a language he understood.

"Touya you be standing on the water!" Jin cried in surprise. Everyone was looking at the ice master in much the same fashion, but Jin had beat them to the forming a proper sentence.

Touya looked down in confusion and saw that he was in fact standing on top of the water. What looked almost like a sheet of glass lay beneath his feet, but closer inspection revealed that it was just the water.

"How can this be? I'm not a water demon," Touya said in surprise as he kept his gaze down at the water as if waiting for it to break apart and send him into the shallows of the lake.

Kurama looked to the dragon that had hit the ice master, "Perhaps they see that we want to aid them."

"Or maybe ice boy has a power he didn't know he had until now and needed a smack to realize it," Hiei said.

Touya was too distracted with finding out how he could stand on water to even notice that the comment had been poking fun at him, "I doubt it. I'm an ice demon and the only way we can do this is to freeze the water."

"'ell 'et's see if its just for 'ou," Jin said as he moved towards his comrade. His foot fell on something solid as soon as it came down on the water, much like Touya's feet had. "Eh? Guess it's na' jus' for 'ou."

"Then what are we waitin' for mates?" Chu asked as he moved forward.

Touya nodded and took a few cautious steps forward to see if the 'path' was as solid as the part he had just moved from. After finding it was just as stable he picked his head up and began walking briskly towards his destination, the others following in tow.

"Jin why don't you just fly?" Yusuke asked after he had his feet on the watery path.

"I don' want ta be gettin' them guardians mad at me for doin' 'at since they gave us 'is path," Jin replied.

"Very sensible of you," Kurama noted as he gazed at his feet, trying to figure out how their ability to walk on the water was possible.

When they were half way across the lake they saw a strange creature fly from the water, heading strait for the palace. Just before it touched the ground it changed form and landed with slightly bent knees.

"Crud!" Yusuke hollered. Touya growled and picked his pace up to a run.

Van-Gareth looked over his shoulder to them and smirked, but the look was wiped from his face as gush of flame fell towards him, causing him to lunge to the side to evade it. The fog based dragon had not moved from its general position, but it had felt the need to rid the shadow demon of his look. His reasons from not diving after him were unknown to the group however.

With a glare up at the dragon Van-Gareth walked to the door and moved through the cracks between them use of his natural ability.

The group stepped onto the ground the palace lay on a moment later and quickly moved to the door with a glace up at the dragon curled around the towers. The dragon gave no sign of harming them as it picked its head up and let out a loud roar into the forest.

Touya cringed slightly at the noise. With a shake of his head he cleared his mind and gazed at the door before him in shock and curiosity. There was no handles on the doors and it seemed only capable of being opened by some long forgotten method. The carvings on the new looking doors seemed as fresh as the doors themselves despite the millennia's it had stood unmanaged. Even the stones that made up the majority of the structure looked virtually new with its unmarred surfaces, only the grayed color of the stone gave away that it had been standing for an extremely long time.

"How does it open?" Rinku asked.

"We were never told," Shishiwakamaru said with an aggravated and slightly depressed tone.

"Damn it," Touya cursed as he slammed he hands on the door and leaned his head against the cool wood. "We've come through all we have to be stopped by a damn door!"

Jin's ears drooped, "Touya…"

A soft click was heard by all those close enough to the door. Not a moment latter did it slowly slide open.

Touya stood amazed for a short moment before he placed his arms back down at his sides. The soft flickering of the torches lining the walls could be seen as they began to ignite from an unknown source, leading all the way to the end of the corridor.

"What just happened?" Kuwabara asked the question playing on everyone's mind.

"Whatever it was I'm not going to argue with it," Yusuke quickly said and moved closer to the door to peer into it. "Is that- water?" A look of confusion was plastered on his face. From the torch light it appeared as if the floor of the corridor was flowing like a gentle stream, but not one speck of mold or algae could be seen anywhere.

"I believe so," Touya answered as he took a step forward. Just as when they had moved across the lake the water seemed to solidify enough for them to walk on. How this was possible still evaded everyone mind, but they dared not question it any further than they had already.

"Let's find the shrine before Van-Gareth does," Touya said as he moved forward briskly, not willing to even say the word 'try' because of his will to reach their proper destination before the shadow beast. The still had a chance and he would not doubt it, even if odds were currently against them.

vvvvv

A woman clad in a white dress, only her hands revealed the sight of skin, her face hidden in shadow, sat upon a rich wooden throne. The back of the throne was hidden by both the one sitting in it and shadow, the elegant wooden arms acted as a rest for the woman's arms and the legs were engraved with various images.

The room in which the throne sat was large and rectangular in shape with statues lining the wall in a cut out area in the floor. They stood with their ancient beauty as water ran by them at their feet in a steady stream like manner.

On the walls lay glistening stone like gems. Their positions were neither random nor sloppy, as they created elegant patters while illuminating the room as if the sun was shining through windows, though none existed in the chamber.

The ceiling was high and delicately painted with the legends of what the water goddess had done for her people, all except for the center that was. In that region, painted with breath taking accuracy, was the epic battle between Era and Van-Gareth, a tale everyone knew by heart millennia's ago. There was, however, a very large white area next the epic battle where paint had never before touched, making it stand out greatly against the entire ceiling. It was as if something had never been decided and thus could not be painted, but what it was had been long forgotten by all except for perhaps Eralasea herself.

On the side of the room opposite the sitting figure, stood a pair of elegantly crafted wooden doors that were currently closed. Figures were carved on it from some long deceased master of the art, much like everything else in the large room, with people depicted praying, consulting, and holding peaceful rituals for their goddess.

The stone floor was perhaps the only thing within the room that held little interest, but it too was not left blank. In the very center of the room was a large carving, deep enough to be seen but shallow so as not to trip anyone, of a lush tree with a dragon curled around it, its eyes gazing outward protectively. It glowed a faint blue as water ran through its crevices steadily.

Not a speck of dust, dirt, mold or algae could be found anywhere despite the fact that the room was obviously ancient. Everything seemed as if it had been recently cleaned, yet not once had a hand been raised to do such an action since its creation; it was as if dirt and grime knew better than to fall in such a place.

Everything was calm, but one could tell from looking to the throne that the figure was waiting for something, but seemed to be in no rush either. From the shadows behind the throne Firan stepped out; somehow he had been able to walk through them without his fiery body giving him away. Despite that the figure knew all to well who it was.

"So you have returned," the female said.

"Aye milady," Firan answered as he came to stand at her side arms behind him and under his wings. "All parties are present at this time."

"Good," the shadowed woman replied coolly. "You hear that child?"

From the water that flowed in the carving on the floor came movement. The water spiraled upward to just over five and a half feet where it began to take a form that was undecipherable for a few short moments. While the exact identity was not known it became obvious that the water had taken the form of a person.

As the watery figure stepped away from the carving, where fresh water began to fill it once more from an unknown source, it became clearer and clearer. A slender figure gave the figure away as a female, a soft face came to be seen with hair that came to the middle of her back.

Color was next to arrive with the figure as she knelt down on one knee, one arm across her chest in an old fashion bow like manner. White attire and a fair complexion were first to been seen as the color ran from her feet up. Next came her blue hair that turned into brown several inches up and soft blue eyes.

The shadowed woman's aurora gave off that she was smiling sweetly. "Welcome back Era Waterstrife."


Van-Gareth's and the gang are in the palace. Will they wind up in the shrine? Or will they wind up in the throne room? What is this weapon the gang is looking for? And is Era now capable of defeating Van-Gareth? Or has everything been a false hope?

Find out as the final chapters arrive!

Please review.

Thank you!