I am not the creator of these Characters. Capcom and Yoshihiro Togashi/Shueisha . FUJI TV . FUNimation PIERROT. own the rights to these characters. I dedicate this chapter to my friend Sarah.
Gaurdians
Kuwabara charges the four attempting to make contact only to fail again.The four regrouped to discuss a plan. "So whats the plan?" X asks.
"Apparently Kuwabara is possed. My guess is we knock whatever is in him out." Yusukes says charging. Throwing his right fist forward knocking Kuwabara into the wall. "He should be back to his old weird self now."
"Guess again!" Kuwabara stands quickly and returns the punch. Yusuke is thrown straight into the opposite wall. Yusuke stands amazed at Kuwabara's increased strenght. Kuwabara charges sword aimed at Yusuke. Hiei jumps in between the two blocking Kuwabara's attack and upper cuts him knocking Kuwabara 5ft up and landing hard on the ground.
"Everyone stand back. I'll handle this!" Hiei orders as Kuwabara gets up and prepares himself. Hiei and Kuwabara stare hard at eachother in a stand off. Blades in their hands they set themselves into attack position. The two charge at amazing speed and clash in the center. With lighting quick skills the two swing their blades in hopes of making a critical hit on the opponent. Streams of metal and spirit energy fly through dark as the two heros battle eachother. Hiei slips and takes a slice across his chest. Staggering back Hiei clutches the deep wound. Hiei realizing that with Kuwabaras increased abilities the only way to stop this thing was from the inside. Removing his bandanna Hiei stares straight at Kuwabara with his Jagan eye clearing the darkness with its bright light. Kuwabara and Hiei soon pass out as the temple returns to darkness. Hiei finds himself in a large space and begins to walk around looking for something in perticular. Hiei finds memories many of Kuwabara's, victories and friends. Enter Kuwabara's fantasy section Hiei finds Kuwabara with Yukina. Kuwabara is in a large field running up to Yukina. Confessing his true love and asking her to marry him. Yukina accepts falling into Kuwabara's kissing him passionately. "I'LL KILL HIM!" Hiei shouts.
"Now now, you don't want to do that. You'll miss him to much."
Hiei turns to see a creature covered in flames 5ft tall with eyes black as coal. "Who are you?" Hiei asked in a cold voice.
"I am the first gaurdian. Your friend here made the perfect host to attack you, spacious to. This was my purpose to infect one who came through and use them to eliminate his companions. I must admit I didn't expect anyone to enter the hosts mind. It has been a while since I've had to fight,"The gaurdian said getting ready to attack. The flame figure charges launching fire at Hiei.
Hiei easily dodges each attack. "You want see how to really use fire!" Hiei shouts as a black flame covers his right fist. Hiei charges shouting,"Fist of the mortal flame!" Covered in black flames the gaurdian is thrown back landing hard on the ground. The creature stands eyes wide as Hiei advances, "Double fists of the mortal flame." Hiei through punch after punch hoping to free Kuwabara.
"Enough!" The creature yells surrounding himself around Hiei in an attempt to turn him into ashes. Hiei's Jagan eye beins to glow to shield him from the heat. Gathering spirit energy Hiei punches through the flame wall the tatoo of a black dragon on his left arm begins to come to life.
The black dragon turns into black fire swallowing his arm. Hiei holds his left arm up and shouts, "DRAGON OF THE DARKNESS FLAME!" Out of the fire forms a dragon that collides with with the gaurdian incinerating him. Hiei and Kuwabara wake up surrounded by their friends wearing worried faces. "How is Kuwabara?" Hiei asks looking at him seriously.
Kuwabara looks around with a confused look in his eyes, "Where are we? Where is the temple? Why is it so dark? Why does my jaw hurt?"
"I think Kuwabara is back to his strange self." Yusuke said grinning at his lost companion.
The five were walking down the hall hearing Kuwabara complain about being possed. After Kuwabara was told he had been possed Kuwabara had been complaining non-stop claiming that he would get revenge for the gaurdian using him. Kurama and X did their best to ignore him unlike Yusuke and Hiei who wanted to knock Kuwabara's jaw out. Entering an area with a small bridge they see a figure in the center. "Greetings I am the second gaurdian." Flames lit the area making it better to see. On the bridge stood a spainiard battle suit. Iron black body armor, red pants cutting off at the knees and contiuing down with white socks, black shoes,steel helmet, and brown gloves holding a saber. The armor held everything it need for battle of that time except a soldier. There an empty armor stood ready to fight. "This is a narrow bridge there for only one fighter at a time can come to battle me. Now choose who dies first." The armor asks.
"I am!" Kuwabara yells confidently. "I'm no one's puppet. I won't be controlled again! Spirit Sword!" A glowing orange sword appears from his hand.
"So you were the first gaurdians puppet. My he really must have left a mark on you." The armor said smuggly. Enraged Kuwabara charges swinging his sword. Armor blocks skillfully using a form of various fencing techniques. Everyone else could see that Kuwabara was completely out classed. He was fighting out of anger foolishly making advances and leaving himself open. Kuwabara swings the blade down as the armor backs away then moves in placing his saber on Kuwabaras throat. "Pathetic. I could easily end your sorry life here and now. But it has been so long since I've had a fight so I'll give you another chance." Kuwabaras rage disappears as he stands and watches his opponent carefully. Armor attacks swiftly pushing Kuwabara back.
Kuwabara with a victorious smile quickly moves back and yells "Sword get long!"
The blade stretches out aiming straight for the center of the armor. The Armor moves left as the blade passes. "You missed." The Armor says triumphantly as he charges to end the duel. With his blade inches from Kuwabara the amour stops suddenly. Its helmet tilts down slighlty as if looking down only to find Kuwabara's sword was sticking out of the chest plate. "How, how did you..." The armor ended his sentence unable to finish the question."
"I can manipulate my sword to do many things. So when it missed I made it turn around for a second shot. Looks like it worked and now to finish this." Kuwabara powers up his sword grows as spikes begin to poke out of it. The armor screams in pain as the sword streches out through him. Suddenly Kuwabara puts all his energy into the sword making it explode decimating the armor. The dust settles but the hall returned to it darkness. X uses his night vision and carefully guides everyone across the bridge. Everyone hurries across the bridge at the sound of it cracking. The bridge's cry settled but no one knew how long it would be before it's last cry was heard. Everyone rushed into the next room to handle their next challenge.
Inside the room brown and green vines covered the walls of the entire room from one tall, lush, green tree connected to the far end of the wall. Kurama who was great with plants walks up to the tree and looks at it closely. Kurama was curious at how the tree was staying so green even though it didn't have water or sunlight to give it life. Staring at the tree Kurama notices a face carved at the top of the truck. The face was that of an old man sleeping. Kurama was amazed at the design carved in the tree. The carving held wrinkles under the eyes and cheeks and a long beard reaching halfway down the trunk. The face was so life like Kurama couldn't help but stare. Suddenly the eye's of the face open surprising Kurama making him fall back. "I am the third guardian!" The tree roars in an old heavy voice. "May the one who fights with the mind over power come forth!" Kurama stands not realizing the consequences. "I have a challenger! Tell me your name brave red haired warrior." Kurama realizes that he had volunteered for the challenge by being closer than the others.
"My name is Kurama." He annouces bracing himself for the challenge ahead.
"Come forth!" The tree commands. "On the wall is a code." The tree says removing some branches from a wall. "Fill out this code and the door will open. Know this many have tried to solve this puzzle and many have failed." Kurama confidently walks up the wall and finds the picture that led them here in the first place. Underneath the picture is some writing Kurama didn't understand. Staring at the writing for a few minutes Kurama begins to see it transform into japanese. Kurama reads the passage out loud. "Pheonix heart shot by a warrior ending its flight. To pass throught the wall match the picture to the passage." Kurama stares at the picture wondering what it meant. There the pheonix was drawn into the picture its heart in the center. Kurama places his hand on the left side of the picture to see that the sand is loose. Kurama reads the passage and looks and the picture one more time. Kurama braces himself as takes out a rose from his pocket he draws an arrow in the ruby. As soon as he finishes the ground begins to shake as the wall infront of him opens. "You have passed! May you survive the other challenges!" The tree moans as everyone walks through.
"Two more gaurdians left. I wonder what they will be like?" X ponders. Everyone besides Yusuke and himself have fought a guardian. Who would take the next one and what powers would they posses?
"Well whatever they are like we can handle them." Kuwabara says confidently. X smiles knowing Kuwabara was right. They had dealt with the last three pretty well so whatever the next two were like they could handle them.
The five reach the forth room all stunned at the sight around them. Wall to wall were clean bones of humans and demons. Everyone but Kuwabara walks into the room careful not to step on the bones. X looks around wondering where all these bones came from and why they were here. "Anything?" X shouts.
"Nothing!" Kurama replies.
"Same here!" Yusuke calls.
"Nothing!" Hiei also answers. The four wait for Kuwabara to answer.
Everyone looks to the entrance and find their comrad missing."Now where is Kuwabara?" Yusuke calls out. At that moment Kuwabara is screaming in the air landing in a pile of bones. Everyone runs to Kuwabara checking to see if he was alive. Kurama checks his vitals and nods that he is alive. "What did this to him?" Yusuke ponders. Yusuke get his answer as a giant scorpian made of skeleton bones lands infront of them. Its claws spread out knocking Hiei and Kurama out of the way. Yusuke readies his spirit gun aiming at the creatures head. The scorpian clamps its claws on Yusuke's waist attempting to crush him. Yusuke screams in pain as the thing tightens its grip.
Suddenly a blue energy shot is fired destroying the scorpians left limb. The scorpian turns its head giving X a death glare it eyes glowing red with fury. Throwing Yusuke aside it regenerates its missing limb then claws at X. X jumps back and fires a few shots not doing any good. The creature's tail slams hard on the ground inches from X. X powers up his cannon waiting for the tail to lift. The tail lifts giving X a clear veiw of the scorpians head and fires. The scorpian with amazing speed jumps out of the way clinging to the ceiling. X looks up with shock. "How can it..." X's sentence was cut short as the scorpian detaches itself to the ceiling and thrusts it left claw aiming at X. X move out of the as the claw shatters on impact with the stone floor. Regnerating its claw the creature resumes its attack on X thrusting its claws forward forcing X to move back. X's back reaches the wall of the temple ensuring his capture. The scorpian slowly raises it sharp skeletal tail over X's head savoring the moment. Quickly the tail quickly comes down ready to make its kill. X throws both hand up catching the tail the force of the impact breaks the ground. X struggles with the tail inching towards his face. Looking at the firey eyes of the creature remebering how easily it regenated itself but feared Yusuke's and his blasts to the head. With all his might X lifts the tail with his right arm causing it to cut deep into his hand as chemicals begin to flow down it. X push aside the pain and fires rapidly at the skull shattering it. The Scorpian falls to peices pulling up a cloud dust. From the debrie a firey bird flies out and floats into the next room. X collapses to the ground exhausted from the battle.
"X!" Yuske runs over as fast as he can clutching his sides. "X are you alright?"
X looks up smiling, "Yeah. Yeah I'm alright. How is everyone else?" X asks.
"They're all fine. Kuwabara is a little dazed, Hiei and Kurama had the wind knocked out of them but everyone is fine. There waiting at the door as Kurama heals there wounds." Yusuke lifts X's right are over his shoulder and carries X to the door way. There the five sat resting before their fight with final gaurdian. "So I guess I'll handle the fifth gaurdian." Yusuke says leaning back. "This has been one wild adventure. I have to admit I'd hate to think what would happened it if you weren't here X. You saved Kaiko twice, saved my life..."
"Brought Botan and I together." Hiei cut in.
"You've done alot for all of us. After we get that Ruby and save Koenma I taking us out to celebrate X. The one who went from Maverick Hunter to Spirit Detective." Everyone around X nodded in approval of Yusuke's idea. X smiles lightly at his new friends. His friends were all making a big deal out of how little he had done it almost felt like home.
Looking at all of them X says,"We all have a part in this adventure. Don't give me all the credit. Besides its not over yet." Everyone became serious nodding in agreement.
Everyone stands up rejuvinated from the last battle ready to face the last gaurdian. Hiei takes the first step into the hall. Suddenly the hall begins to light up as firey images appear on the wall. Hiei jumps back in surprise watching as the fire stays on the walls lighting the heroes way. Hiei slowly takes a step forward when a hand grabs his arm. Hiei quickly turns around and finds X's hand connected to his arm. "I'll go. My armor can handle the heat longer than any of you."
Hiei shoves X arm off and states, "You can last longer in fire then any of them but I'm inmmune." Hiei takes in a deep breath and takes a step into the hall. Nothing changes in the hall so Hiei carefully walks deeper in the hall. About halfway through Hiei motions its safe come through. Everyone carefully walks through the hall making sure not to touch the walls. Being in the hall everyone was able to clearly see the images on the wall. Made in fire was a story of a hunter firing and arrow piercing a Pheonix's heart and taking its heart to the tribe giving it great power. Up ahead came the entrance to the fifth and final gaurdian. Cold sweat appeared on Yusuke's brow as he became ready to face whatever was behind that door. Entering the fifth room every stops at a sound they never thought to hear in this place. It was the sound was of a young man crying.
Yusuke was the first to step into the room curious at the crying. Walking deeper into the room the wailing became louder when he found an Incan warrior kneeled down crying in front of a gold tower with a large heart shaped ruby at the top. Yusuke takes another step his foot makes a grinding noise in the sandy floor. The warrior turns around revealing its rotting face causing everyone to back away in surprise. The left eye was missing revealing the socket. His right jaw was missing his skin revealing the bone. On the warriors rotting face was what appeared to be smile. "Are you here for the Pheonix heart?" The warrior asks with hope in his voice. Yusuke unable to speak nods yes to the question. The warrior gives out a loud cheer yelling, "At long after two centuries of waiting you have finally come to set me free!"
"What are you taking about?" Yusuke asks with confusion.
The warrior gave Yusuke a serious look. "Long ago I saw firey bird in the sky. Afraid I quickly pull out an arrow shot it out of the sky. The bird screamed in pain as it landed in the field. I ran to the landing site and found the most beautiful bird dying. The bird had red feathers with orange tips. I had realized I shot down a legendary bird known throughout are village. The bird lowered its head giving its final wail before bursting into flames. I covered my eyes to shield it from the light when the fire died down they're was a large ruby the very same before you. I took the ruby back to my tribe and told them of my tale. Upon hearing this I was given a heroes feast and the village treated me like a king." The warrior paused a while as tears began well up again. "But as time went on I found that I could not age nor die. My family went on to the next world but here I was immortal. The wise man at the time claimed that because I had taken a pheonixs immortality I then became immortal. When the Spainards came the ruby was placed in my trust to gaurd it against those who would take it. It was said that along with my duty it was also my punishment for the one who obtains the ruby will end my suffering." The warrior kneels down in front of Yusuke crying tears of joy. "Now after two centuries you and your group have been the only ones to make it this far." The warriors voice changes from joy to viciousness as he says, "So now comes the final battle." The warrior moves his right hand at his side quickly pulling out a stone dagger with a pheonix on it and swings it across Yusuke's chest.
"What the Hell?" Yusuke shouts clutching his wound. The warrior charges the dagger in hand aimed for Yusukes heart. Yusuke grabs his opponents right arm of his attacker and falls back throwing the warrior over his body. Yusuke quickly stands and powers up his spirit gun. Getting a clear shot the blue energy comes from his finger flying straight towards the warrior. The warrior jumps over the blast and falls towards Yusuke's head. Yusuke moves back quickly barely missing the attack. As soon as the warrior stands up Yusuke upper cuts the warrior knocking him seven feet into the air. Just before the warrior falls he thrust his left hand catching his balance. Regaining his stance he charges at Yusuke his dagger aimed at Yusukes throat. Yusukes backs away from the warriors slice and moves in. The two dance around with such speed that dust picking up around them. The dust engulfs the two warriors as each one tries to make a critical hit. After a while of fighting Yusuke realizes that he and his opponent were to equal in fighting and there was only one was to end it. Yusuke pulls back and begins to power up as energy surrounds him pushing all solid objects away. The warrior believing Yusuke is about to shoot his energy at him again charges ready to dodge at any moment. Yusuke waits paitiently for his attacker to get close enough to launch the final blow. The warrior raises his dagger as Yuskes right fist is engulfed in the energy he collected. Both warriors make their move to strike the warriors dagger digs into Yusukes left shoulder as Yusukes fist goes into the warriors stomach. The warrior flies back into a wall as Yusuke collapse to the ground. Everyone to their fallen comrad to see a growing red spot on his shoulder Kurama moves in quickly and begins to heal the wound. Yusuke opens his eyes slowly and asks,"Did I win?"
"Yes you did." A voice calls from behind them. Everyone turns to see the cursed warrior. "I am defeated and the ruby is yours. Thank you all of you for setting me free." With that said the warrior smiles as his body slowly begins turns to dust and falls to the floor. Yusuke stands and everyone lowers their head giving the warrior a moment silence and wish him peace. After paying there respects X grabs the ruby and everyone leaves the temple in peace.