Author's notes: Well, this is a fan-fiction I've been working on for a little over a year now. I feel I've finally got a story line I can live with. I'd like to acknowledge all of the people who helped inspire many of the characters and events in my story. Authors Raymond E. Feist and David Eddings, whose tales of sorcery and magic have thrilled me since I was a small child. I'd especially like to thank David Eddings for inspiring the creation of the twins Lelldorin and Torasin, who are not that dissimilar from their Eddings counterparts. Authors J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis, whose tales helped shape my imagination into what it is today. Artist Yoshihiro Togashi, for creating such an awesome manga and anime series. Author Elizabeth Haydon, creator of the Rhapsody series, for without her I would not have found the perfect name for my leading lady or the general plot of this story. Her works were the true inspiration behind this story. There are many more people out there whose books or songs inspired many of the battle and romantic scenes in this fan-fiction, but I'm sure you'll be able to pick them out.
But, now, I wish to give you some general information about this story. The guys are now in their twenties (since most of my sources as to the true age of both Kurama and Hiei are a little confused, for the sake of my story they are both somewhere between the ages of 20 and 300). Hiei has also grown a few inches. He is now the same height as Kurama. Koenma has decided to give the guys a home base to work from, so he's moving them to a special estate located on an uncharted island a few leagues off the coast of Japan. It is a special island, concealed by a special veil of spirit energy, keeping many intruders out. This is the home of the Dracari, a special colony of rare demons and half-breeds. The estate is located in a lush, forested valley at the center of the island. The only way for the guys to travel back and forth from the island and wherever they need to be is by a series of well hidden portals scattered around the property. And now, on with the story!
Yu Yu Hakusho: A Guiding Star
Chapter One: Legend of the Dracari
"Welcome to your new home, gentlemen!"
"Wow, Koenma. You've really out-done yourself this time."
Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei found themselves staring in awe at their new home-based headquarters. It was a large property, almost like an old British estate. The house was two stories, all stone, with a slight hint of gothic design here and there. There was a balcony on the second floor at the front of the house; a perfect place to sit and admire the lush gardens surrounding the front of the property. Walking around the house, they found a small screened in porch that wrapped around the southeastern corner of the house. From here they could see into the dining room and the kitchen, which looked quite inviting. Along the side of the back of the house was a small vegetable and herb garden, abundant with everything they could possibly need. On the western side of the property, they found two more balconies on the second floor, facing the large pond and orchards. Then they noticed the guesthouse on the northwestern side of the estate. It seemed the perfect size for all of their friends to stay, with two large bedrooms (each big enough for four people to sleep in), a living room, kitchen, and large bathroom. Finally, they stepped inside their new house and took their time looking it over. They entered into a large foyer, and found an open doorway to their left, leading to a large living room. Another open doorway led back to the hallway, and they wandered towards the open doorway of the dining room. French doors led from the dining room to the screened in porch, and a large doorway to their right led to the kitchen, which reminded them all of the kind found in five-star restaurants. Heading back to the hallway through the dining room, they soon found their way to the largest room on the first floor. It ran the whole length of the western wall. This was to be their training room, which could quickly be disguised as a recreation room in case some unexpected visitors decided to sneak a peek inside.
"Nice! This is the coolest room in the whole house! It's massive!" cried Yusuke.
"Glad you like it, Yusuke. You'll be spending a lot of time in here. In fact, I want you all in here for four hours of training every day. And don't try spending it play around. I'll be keeping surveillance in here to make sure you're not slacking."
Yusuke and Kuwabara fell backwards with dismay. "You've got to be kidding! Why such a lack of faith in us? We've always pulled through for you!"
"I know you two better than you think."
"Let's continue the tour, shall we? I'm sure we'd all like to see where we'll be staying every night."
The guys all followed Kurama's lead and headed up the stairs just outside of the training room. They soon found themselves faces a large hallway, with rooms one all sides. They turned to their right and decided to explore the rooms from the end of the hall back to the stairs. The last room on the left was a large bedroom. This was the room that the balcony out front belonged to. They all agreed this would be Kurama's room, considering Yusuke and Kuwabara didn't want to sit and stare at flowers out on the balcony. There was a large bathroom connecting this room back to the hall and another bedroom. This one was slightly larger than Kurama's, and had a balcony facing the west. Standing out on the balcony, the guys could see the Western Wood beyond the large stone fence surrounding the property.
"Geez, that place gives me the creeps. What's the deal moving us next to such a freaky place, Koenma?"
"There's nothing wrong with the Western Woods of Dracaria, Kuwabara. I don't have time to explain it today, but we'll talk about it tomorrow before I head back to Spirit World."
They all glanced back towards the woods. Everything surrounding the Western Wood was all bright and green with the early summer sun. But the western woods looked like it was dying, frozen in late fall, and there were storm clouds above it.
"Does it always look so ominous?"
"No, Yusuke. Mostly, it depends on her dreams."
"What?" Kuwabara asked.
"It's nothing, Kuwabara. Let's save it for tomorrow."
"I'll take this room," Hiei announced, startling everyone a bit. He's always so quiet.
"Sure thing, Hiei. Neither of us wants to look at that creepy place first thing in the morning," Yusuke said, Kuwabara nodding in agreement.
They all headed out the bedroom door to check out the other rooms, but Hiei stayed behind, staring out at the woods.
The room next to Hiei's also had a balcony facing west, so Yusuke and Kuwabara opted to take the two adjoining rooms across the hall from Kurama. They were making arrangements for their stuff to be moved in and what paint they needed when they realized Hiei was still out on the balcony.
"Hiei, what is it?" Kurama asked, gently placing his hand on his friend's shoulder.
Hiei actually jumped at this sudden contact, giving everyone an even bigger fright.
"Hiei, what's the matter? You never get startled like that?" Yusuke asked, feeling a little afraid by this strange occurrence. "In fact, I don't think we've ever seen you jump with fright, EVER!"
Hiei just looked at them all, absolutely dumfounded. "You mean you didn't hear it?"
"Hear what? What's going on here, Hiei? Are you just trying to scare us?"
"I guess you didn't see it, either?"
"What are you talking about? Dude, you're really freaking me out with all of this!" Kuwabara cried.
"I wouldn't worry about it so much, gentlemen. I think I have a good idea what Hiei is going on about, but it will have to wait till tomorrow."
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The guys went out onto the screened-in porch to enjoy a light lunch when Botan and the girls arrived.
"Koenma, sir, there's a strange gathering of demons standing out at the front gate." Botan announced rather calmly.
"WHAT! But how come we couldn't sense them?" Yusuke and Kuwabara yelled.
"Hiei and I sensed them, but they didn't seem to be a threat." Kurama said.
"Don't go out there and try to pick a fight, you guys. I don't think it would be a good idea to upset your neighbors on your first meeting." Koenma said while sipping at his tea.
"Neighbors?" Yusuke and Kuwabara looked absolutely dumbfounded.
"Yes, neighbors. They live in an old village at the edge of the Western Wood. I needed their permission to build this estate, considering their location is supposed to be secretive."
"If it's supposed to be a secret, then why place a whole team of Spirit Detectives right next to them?" Yusuke asked.
"Because, Yusuke, they know who you all are and feel that having you live so close by could be beneficial to them. They're in charge of some serious business and need all of the defense that they can get."
"What kind of business?" Hiei asked.
"Not now, Hiei. We must go and great our visitors. Botan, how many are out there?"
"It looked like two wolf demons, an avian, a fox demon, and a spirit human."
"Oh good. Than there's still at least a dozen guarding the village."
The guys knew better than to keep questioning Koenma about it, so they just followed him back around to the front to let their guests in through the gate. When they came to the front, the guys took their time looking over their new neighbors. The spirit human seemed to be the leader of the bunch. He looked to be in his early to mid twenties, with strawberry blonde hair and deep blue eyes. He carried no weapon, but his companions were heavily armed. The two wolf demons appeared to be twins, though one was fair and the other dark. They each had a bow and loaded quiver, and a dagger and rapier, as well. The avian was a beautiful young woman, with ebony hair and deep green eyes. Her wings were as dark as the darkest of nights, and she looked prepared to take to the air if something should sudden happen, a menacing scythe in her hands. The fox demon was the most beautiful creature in the group. Her white blonde hair fell in waves across her shoulders, a few strands barely covering her eyes, which were a captivating teal color, like the shadowy areas of the sea. Unlike the avian, who was dressed in leather and armor from head to toe, the fox demon was wearing a choli, harem pants, and a highly decorated tribal belt. It was a very sensuous sight, and Kurama seemed to be more entranced by this creature than the others. But what made her appearance become more menacing than delectable was the plethora of knives she carried. She had throwing knives on each hip, and then she had braces on her wrists that could produce blades with one quick flick of her wrists. They all had no doubts that these were the only weapons on her.
"Welcome, Tasuki! I trust things are well in your village?" Koenma greeted the leader.
"Yes, everything is quiet and peaceful. We sensed your presence and my friends here wished to meet the great Team Urameshi."
"Excellent! And I must say that you will always be welcome here and that my team shall be available to you should you ever require their aid."
"That's most kind of you, Koenma, thank you. May I introduce you to my friends here? These are my brothers, Lelldorin and Torasin." Tasuki announced, indicating the twin wolves.
"YOU'RE BROTHERS!" Yusuke and Kuwabara asked in shock.
"Yes, they are my brothers. We are Dracari. We carry the blood of many races of humans and demons."
"I plan on explaining all of this to them later, Tasuki. I do not wish to keep you from your duties for too long. Your task is far too important." Koenma interrupted, giving Yusuke and Kuwabara a quick chilling glance.
"Thank you, sir. I appreciate it," Tasuki said, bowing slightly towards Koenma. "As I was saying, these are my brothers. Lelldorin here is one of our best trackers, and is highly skilled in herbology," Tasuki grinned, gently slapping the blonde haired wolf on the shoulder. Lelldorin turned his pale blue eyes on his brother and blushed slightly at his high praise.
"And Torasin is the best hunter in the whole territory. He's also one of our fiercest warriors." Torasin nodded his head in greeting towards the team, his deep blue eyes quietly observing the team through the strands of black hair that fell loose from his ponytail.
"Raven here is our best scout. If someone shady wanders into this forest, she's the first to know." The avian bowed gracefully before the team, retracting her wings as a sign of her approval of them. When she stood straight again, the guys noticed a quick look between Raven and Torasin, and saw Torasin begin to relax. Apparently, he wasn't too sure about the trustworthiness of the team. He must really trust in the young woman's judgment.
"And this young lady at the end is my sister, Minx. She's a fierce fighter and a member of our people's most ancient guild of dancers." Tasuki quickly threw a chilling glance in the direction of the guys, warning them not to pull anything with his sister, although she appeared quite capable of taking care of herself.
"It is a pleasure to meet all of you. I trust that you have approved of my team, Tasuki?"
"Yes, Koenma. They are most welcome in this forest. I believe my people will breathe a large sigh of relief tonight, knowing that these fine young men are close by."
"I am glad. And please, tell your sister-in-law Brigid that if she requires any more supplies that she is welcome to whatever is on stock here."
"Thank you, sir. I believe she'll be pleased to accept the offer. She had wished to come with us today, but I feared to leave my Lady unprotected."
"Yes, I understand. Tell her that she is welcome at anytime she is relieved of her post. And may Ryuu's blessings fall upon your humble village," Koenma said, bowing.
"Of course, sir. Thank you." Tasuki bowed lightly to Koenma, and then turned to the team. The whole group of Dracari bowed to them and bid them farewell. They watched as Tasuki walked into the shadows of the forest, the twins raced off into the trees in their wolf forms, and Raven shifted into the bird she was named for and soared high into the air. Minx then turned for the gate, stopped, gave Kurama a quick glance from over her shoulder, shifted into a beautiful white fox and bounded off onto the forest path.
"Well, I think that that went rather well. Let's say we go back to our lunch and then get started on your rooms," Koenma said, smiling.
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The guys managed to move in all of their furniture and the girls had done an amazing job decorating the downstairs. The place was really beginning to feel like home.
"I'm glad that you managed to have a portal set up for us near the gate, Koenma. It'll really make things easier for us when we need to transport a lot of stuff here. I'd hate to have had to carry all of this stuff through the forest."
"Yes, Yusuke, but I also put it there to guarantee that you wouldn't run late for work," Koenma said, an evil smirk on his face.
"Yeah, why did you have to have it transport us to the woods near the park? I used to enjoy the exercise of running to work when I was late," Yusuke said.
"Because it was the most secluded place near the park. I couldn't just let you walk through it and have you come out in the middle of a public area. People aren't supposed to know about Spirit World or anything to do with it, remember?"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah…"
"I hope the girls are okay in the guesthouse," Kuwabara said, dropping himself onto he couch beside Yusuke. "I don't like the idea of them being left alone over there. There's a lot of distance between this place and them. Suppose something should happen to them."
"No need to worry yourself, Kuwabara. George is over there, and I'll be joining them in a little bit. I have a few people set up near the estate for surveillance, and there will always be someone from the office staying with whoever is there. And the Dracari were very kind to offer you there assistance with anything. I'm sure that one of their scouts is roaming around here to keep an eye on things."
"What is this important business of theirs, Koenma? It seems very serious for them to be so heavily armed when they came to meet us."
"Well, I was going to wait till tomorrow to tell you, Kurama, but since you've all been so curious, I guess I can tell you now…
"Many centuries ago, a wicked shadow demon named Thanatos had come traveling through this territory with his clan in search of the perfect base from which to exact his evil schemes. Thanatos loved to 'collect' things, and he'd do so by any means possible. He lived for the thrill of conquest. He had a great fortress built atop the mountain near this forest, and he made plans to raid every village within sight from the tallest tower of his domain. Soon, only the most beautiful or the most skilled inhabitants of the realm were captured by his raiding armies and turned into his slaves. For years, the people of the realm suffered. Those who defied Thanatos were often brutally tortured and then executed in front of his or her fellow slaves, to instill fear into them.
"The slaves began to loose hope, and turned to their god for help. A young seeress was visited by the great Dragon God Ryuu in a dream, and he promised his people that they would soon be free. The seeress spread the news to her companions, and the light of hope began to shine in the eyes of the slaves once more. It wasn't long after the seeress' vision that a young man was thrown into the slave pins in the bowels of the fortress. His name was Dracari, and he was a powerful demon. It is said that his father was, in fact, the Dragon God Ryuu, and that he had fallen in love with a young fire demon and married her. The slaves became fearful. If Thanatos' men had managed to capture the son of their god, what hope did they have of ever being free again? But the slaves soon learned that the young lord had allowed himself to be taken, in order to get closer to the mighty shadow demon. He challenged Thanatos to a duel. If Thanatos won, Dracari's people would swear fealty to him. But if Thanatos lost, all of his men were to disperse and his people be freed. The great lord accepted the challenge and the fierce battle between the two demons quickly took place. The duel went on for a full day, each opponent inflicting as much damage as the other did. But by calling down the stars from the heavens, Dracari finished off the evil shadow demon, and thus freed his people. Thanatos' men fled from the land in terror and the freed slaves threw themselves upon their knees and praised their mighty savior. They quickly tore down the evil fortress and rebuilt their villages. The people elected Dracari as their sovereign lord, and vowed to follow his every wish. He accepted the decision of his people and quickly brought peace back to their forest home.
"For hundreds of years, the Dracari lived in peace and prosperity. Even though many of the slaves from Thanatos' fortress were not of this land, they were welcomed by the Dracari, and lived in peace with them. Soon, the whole population was filled with every race of human and demon imaginable. Many times, a human and demon would marry, and the products of their union turned into some of the most powerful of beings. Soon, outsiders began to learn of the infamous Dracari, and many plotted to destroy them, for they feared their increasing power. And almost forty years ago, the descendants of Thanatos decided to exact revenge on those who had overthrown their great leader, and attacked the Dracari. The battle that waged between the two clans was devastating. Although the Dracari were victorious, they were very nearly wiped out by the attack. Only one of the shadow demons escaped, too much of a coward to fight. Only a few families had survived, and, to the relief of the Dracari, two of the heirs had escaped the carnage. They worked to rebuild their homes, and things slowly began to return to what they had once been…
"However, almost fifteen years ago, they were attacked again. The sole surviving member of Thanatos' clan had been told by an oracle that a direct descendant of Dracari would arise and destroy him and all of his clan, and that the child was more powerful than even Dracari himself. So he sent his minions to destroy the Dracari and to ensure that this child would not live to use his power against him. Only a handful of the Dracari managed to escape. You met most of them today. There are probably only twenty-five of them in total. Tasuki suffered more than his followers, though. He lost six siblings, and six nieces and nephews, along with his parents. But, thankfully, they were able to save the Star Child."
"The Star Child?"
"Yes, Hiei. The oracle had referred to Dracari's heir as the Star Child, because he or she will hold power over even the heavens themselves. This child is probably the most powerful being we've ever known. If used for evil, the Star Child's power could destroy entire galaxies. You heard yourself how Dracari called stars down from space to destroy his enemy."
"So where is this Star Child, and how are we supposed to help defend him or her?" Yusuke asked.
"She sealed herself in one of the sacred caves in the Dracari village. Ten years after the destruction of her family, she fled to the caves in despair and asked the great Dragon God Ryuu for aid. She's been lying dormant there for the last five years. That is why so many of her people never leave the village. They do not want there princess to come to harm in her vulnerable state."
"Their princess, huh? But why doesn't she just wake up and fulfill the oracle's prediction? It said that she'd defeat her people's enemy, right?" Kuwabara asked.
"I'm afraid it's not that easy. The spells used to keep her dormant are strong, and it requires certain elements to break them. That is where Hiei's vision from earlier comes in." Koenma looks Hiei straight in the eyes. Everyone looks back and forth between the two of them. Then Koenma continues.
"Who did you see, Hiei?"
"It was a young girl. She said her name was Sora Silvermead, and that she was meant to guide me."
"I see. I figured as much. During my last visit to the Dracari, I met a young healer named Brigid, Lelldorin's wife. She spends more time in the sacred cave than any other Dracari. She knows everything required to revive the princess, and was quite excited when I announced that you four would be coming to live here."
"Why is that, Koenma?" Kurama asked.
"Because a Forbidden Child must revive her."
Again, all eyes move to Hiei, who is looking at Koenma in barely hidden surprise.
"So they need me to wake up their princess?"
"Yes, that is why you were visited by that poor lost soul."
"Who was she?"
"She was the twin sister of the Star Child. That was the one loss that devastated the princess most. Botan tried to help her move on, but she refused to abandon her sister, even if she had died."
The guys all looked down at the floor, feeling sorry for this poor race and their princess. It was horrifying that someone could hate these people so much that they would commit years of genocide in order to wipe them off the slate.
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Hiei, it's almost time. My sister must be awakened. Our enemy has learned that we survived. They'll soon be upon us!
Hiei was getting tired of this little girl's voice popping into his head uninvited. He looked over at the clock on the nightstand. 3:00 AM. This had been going on for weeks, but her words were more frantic this time. He had gone out a few times to speak with Tasuki's band about the awakening ceremony. This meager race of half-breeds seemed hopeful when he asked them about it. He wasn't entirely sure he was willing to help these fools. Why should I help them? What could I benefit from in waking up this Star Child? He got up to go to the bathroom and splash some warm water on his face. As he pulled the hand towel from his face, he sensed movement outside.
He walked slowly to the bathroom window and looked out towards the front gate. Kurama was standing between the gardens and the gate, looking out into the trees. Hiei caught sight of something white dashing through the trees towards the west. I wonder if Tasuki would approve of those two. Then he caught sight of a large raven circling the estate. Ah, yes. We mustn't let our leader's sister go anywhere unescorted, no can we?
Hiei decided to go back to bed, but sleep didn't come easily. That little girl kept appearing, unwelcome, in his dreams. But with the child came visions of a beautiful young woman, lying in a pool of glowing water. She was the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen. He was so hypnotized by this vision of tranquility, that he lashed out at whoever it had been jabbing him in the ribs.
"Geez, Hiei! I don't know what your problem is, but it's almost lunch time. We're supposed to meet the girls and go out for paint supplies and groceries. I suggest you get ready."
Hiei felt a little guilty for attacking his friend, but it served Kurama right for pulling him away from such a pleasant dream. But he got up and decided to take a quick shower. When he finished getting dressed, he decided he should tell them to go on without him. He had a feeling that he should listen to Sora and head straight for the Sacred Cave of Dracaria.