Hiei and Kuwabara: Saga of the Dark World
Chapter 21: The Gates of Darkness
.o.o.o.
Ansul's power flared up dramatically and Hiei sensed it go into Shera, lashing out at her soul and shattering it.
The Ice Master lost grip of the human female and fell to the ground. Hiei caught Shera, just in time to hear Ansul's parting words.
"Suffer and endure."
Hiei looked down at her, his face unreadable as he looked into her distant gaze. "I'm sorry, it should have been me." He told her as held her.
His eyes widened as she looked upwards, attempting to see him as her vision grew fuzzy. "No, you must live," She spoke weakly and she placed a hand up on his cheek. "There are still others who need you, in this world and your own."
The others moved around them, but it seemed meaningless as they both now seemed to exist in their own world.
Shera looked up at him and smiled. "Thank you for making me feel happy, even if only for a little while." She spoke. "Everything we've had has meant so much and you must see that there is goodness in you."
Hiei trembled and sighed. "I promise I'll stop Darkon, somehow." He spoke, feigning calmness.
"Thank you." Shera smiled at him and her eyes closed. He noted that her hair had come undone and hung down loosely. He pulled his own headband off and tide up her hair with it. He then reached down and took her light blue ribbon and rapped it around the scabbard of his sword.
"No! No!" Lin screamed hysterically.
Kuwabara grabbed hold of her by the wrist and restrained her by pulling her against him. "Garland, get Rain out of here!" Kuwabara exclaimed. "He doesn't need to see any more of this!"
Garland nodded and easily scoped up his diminutive brother up and left with him
"Hiei?" Kuwabara asked gravely.
The small demon turned to face him, cradling Shera's body in his arms. All three of his eyes seemed to stare into the human's soul. "Soon." He replied and walked away.
Kuwabara lead Lin back into the house.
.o.o.o.
Hiei left the room where he had placed Shera's body. With some reluctance, he joined the others in the front of the house.
"Hiei?" Kuwabara began, the others shifted their glanced towards the small fire demon as well.
"I'm going outside, I want to be alone." He announced simply, and left the others.
Kuwabara watched him vanish, while Lin sunk her head between her shoulders.
Garland leaned against the wall, looking off to the side, while Rain simply sat down on a chair and stared at the floor.
"What do we do now?" Garland asked.
"I don't know," Kuwabara answered. "We have a lot to worry about now, we should probably burry—" He cut himself off, before finishing the sentence.
Lin trembled at the words.
"Kuwabara."
The human looked up to see the Forest Elder looking at him. "We must make our move soon, I hope you understand."
Kuwabara nodded.
"This night will be the last chance we will have to rest before we embark upon the great battle that lies ahead of us." The Elder explained.
.o.o.o.
Thorn watched the soldiers carry the body into the chamber and set it down across the stone slab. He pulled back the shroud. "Ansul. . ."
Thorn then looked at the far wall. "The wheels are in motion now and they cannot be stopped."
.o.o.o.
"I should have known he would do that." Marth remarked. "He's gone and brought them upon us." He complained. "But I am not afraid. Let the humans come and give us their worst!"
He then turned to look out into the horizon, as if expecting the enemy to appear at any moment. He smiled evilly in anticipation.
.o.o.o.
Hiei sat up on the roof of the house, looking off into the horizon. He sense the approach of a familiar energy. "What do you want, Kuwabara?" Hiei asked.
Kuwabara sat down beside him. "It all happened so fast, but I am sorry." He spoke. The demon made no move to respond. "I know what it's like to loose someone important to you, my dad died when I was a little kid. . . It was really hard for me."
"I never even got to see if I did care for her or not." Hiei replied suddenly. "I think I did in a way. But fate has conspired against me, yet again."
The demon then turned to look Kuwabara in the eyes. "Kuwabara, would you give your life for these people- strangers you hardly even know?"
The human looked at him seriously. "This world is full of evil, and I know that somehow, what will happen here is bigger then any one person- even any single world." Kuwabara answered. "And I know that I will not allow these people to go one suffering, so yes, I would give my life for them if I knew that it could make things better."
"Good," Hiei replied. "I think I understand all of this now." He added. The fire demon then turned to him and smiled evilly. "Now it is time to make them bleed." He finished.
Kuwabara smiled. "Right on."
.o.o.o.
"It has been foreseen that the humans will come for us." Marth explained to the assembled soldiers around him. "Our centuries of isolation within this fortress will soon come to an end."
The demon soldiers watched their superior as he ascended the stone steps and took his place atop the stone platform. "Destiny is upon all of us. We must not let them succeed. It is not just our lives at stake, but our honor and pride as demons!" He exclaimed to the crowd. "We must stand strong against the human scum!"
The gathered soldiers exploded into thunderous applause and cried out in renewed fervor.
.o.o.o.
Rain and Garland looked at the grave marker and stood silent. Kuwabara was also there, along with Hiei and Lin. Bohen was standing and looking at the grave silently.
Kuwabara silently comforted Lin as she cried.
Hiei frowned for a moment. "I promise I'll make them pay." He thought. "You will be honored before this is over."
"I can't believe she's gone." Lin remarked.
The Forest Elder walked up to the grave and laid a wreath of roses across it. "She's never truly gone, as long as you keep her in your heart."
"He's right." Rain remarked. "We can't let her life be in vain, we have to go on and be the best we can be." He spoke while trying to keep composed. He felt his brother place a hand on his shoulder reassuringly.
.o.o.o.
The Forest Elder surveyed the four fighters standing before him.
Kuwabara
Hiei
Rain
Garland
Beside the Elder, stood a nervous looking Cassius.
"All of my research indicates that the barrier will be nullified when Kuwabara and Cassius make contact with it simultaneously." He explained.
"I don't understand any of this." Cassius complained. "I'm no warrior at all, but for some stupid reason, I'm drawn into this." He exclaimed. "No, I won't do it!" He yelled, trying to back away.
"It's time to stop thinking of yourself and see the big picture."
Cassius whipped around to see the small fire demon glaring at him. "What?!" He exclaimed.
Kuwabara noticed him glowing with a strange energy, almost as if it was set off by his fear. "He does have some kind of power!" Kuwabara thought to himself.
"He's right; you have to think of what these demons have done to us, what they've been doing to our people." Garland reassured him. "You have to be brave and find the strength to do this!"
Cassius gulped at the statement. "The demons are ruining our lives, but I don't see how I can help you guys. . ." He paused. "But, I'll try."
Kuwabara was busy thinking about the upcoming battle, when someone spoke his name softly. He turned and saw the tall dark haired girl standing beside him. "Lin?"
"Can I speak to you privately for a moment?"
.o.o.o.
She looked downward as she spoke, her eyes concealed by the shadow of her hair. "Good luck." She told him in a shaky voice and wiped her eyes.
Kuwabara held her for a time. "It's alright, I'm scared too." He told her.
She blinked. "But why would someone as powerful as you be frightened?" She asked.
"Nothing is certain, and I'm not crazy enough to think I'm invincible." He replied. He then let her go and stepped back. He was dressed in his regular pants, but he was wearing the tight black turtleneck that he had worn under his jacket when he got there.
Kuwabara smiled. "But I do have faith."
Lin wiped away her tears after a moment. "Then so do I." She replied with a smile and walked up to him. She surprised him with a quick kiss on the cheek and then left him alone.
.o.o.o.
The group stood before an immense barrier of white energy.
The Forest Elder walked forward and turned around to face the group. "It is time."
Kuwabara and Cassius approached the barrier and extended their hands towards it slowly and methodically.
"On the count of three." The Forest Elder began.
"1- 2- 3!"
A large hole split open on the barrier when the two stuck their hands into it.
And with that, the group descended into the inner depths of Darkon's fortress, painfully aware that they were being watched.
.o.o.o.
-End of Chapter 21-
This is it! From here on out, it's no holds bars. Hiei and Kuwabara will begin their descent into the belly of the beast. What dangers lye ahead of them? Can they successfully defeat the demons once and for all?
Stay tuned for the next chapter: "Swords and Psyches"
-Bojack727