After half an hour of unsuccessfully reaching her, Shura decided on the best course of action. He lifted her into his arms securing his cloak tightly around her and exited the room. He would take her to a safe haven whereupon he would lead the other detectives to rescue her. Shura only prayed he would live long enough to see her safe. Quietly he stole down the hallways that were lit only by torches wary of the few followers his brother had would catch him. Shura bit his lower lip deciding to make quick work of any one foolish enough to try and stop him. He figured he wouldn't get much trouble since everyone was preparing for the ceremony however it would not take long before their presences would go undetected. His heart pounded in his chest as hard as it could as he moved gracefully through the winding corridors and smiled in relief as he smelt the Makai air from outside. He was nearly in the clear with only a few more steps to go before he could break into a run.
"Shura." Kamowe's voice resounded and echoed off of the walls making the younger demon freeze at the sound. Shura trembled slightly before turning to glare at his brother.
"Where are you going little brother?" Kamowe asked. Shura took a step back holding Keaka more tightly in his arms.
"Tetsuo informed me to be watchful of you around her however I didn't expect this." Kamowe stated advancing closer to Shura frigidly.
"You have hardly ever spoken a word let alone act so out of line. What has suddenly come over you?" Kamowe asked before reaching Shura and pulling the cloak away from Keaka's face.
"She is quite lovely but I suppose that's part of the reason why you have disobeyed me but they all have been so why is this one any different?" He asked ignoring the growl that Shura emitted.
"You do realize she will only run into the arms of that kitsune youkai do you not?" He asked
"At least I know she will be safe." Shura stated darkly his eyes never leaving Kamowe's.
"Right." Kamowe smiled barely holding in a laugh. He turned around as if too walk away but quickly lashed out at his brother. Shura whom was not as powerful and slightly slower fell victim to the attack and fell to the ground bleeding profusely from several deep gashes on his body. He dropped Keaka and she fell some feet away from him.
"No." He gasped out and raised his hand out to her. Kamowe smirked at this pathetic action and picked Keaka up from the ground.
"The sacrifice will commend as planned. I implore you to join us once more brother if you are still alive in twenty minutes that is." He said and walked away Keaka in his arms.
"No Kesaki, my love…" Shura declared before falling victim to unconsciousness.
"There up ahead!" Hiei shouted as they team continued to run on. Even Hiei had begun to feel the fatigue that he knew Kuwabara and Kurama must have been suffering from after the first couple of hours of their trek.
"Are. are you. sure?" Kurama labored. Hiei nodded his head once.
"Yes that is where she is being held." Hiei answered.
"Hey you guys smell something?" Yusuke asked suddenly sniffing the air.
"It's blood…Yusuke…" Kurama stated. Yusuke opened his mouth to say something but was silenced by Kurama whom only half smiled at him.
"No it is not Keaka's." He said.
"I…if…it…had been….Ku-Kurama would have…stroked over…the minute he…smelled it." Kuwabara said breathing heavily taking a stab at it.
"Yeah no kiddin'." Yusuke replied giggling slightly. Kurama blushed slightly and ignored them. The cavern loomed up ahead and in the entrance laid a motionless figure surrounded by blood. Kurama was the first by the demons side as he turned him over to face him.
"Hey you wake up!" Yusuke yelled.
"Gah! Finally!" Kuwabara declared and fell to the ground exhausted.
"Yusuke please…" Kurama said and produced a leave from wherever it was he kept them in his hair and shredded them force feeding them to the demon he held in his arms. Shura awoke from his forced slumber only to be met with excruciating pain. He winced before opening his eyes to be met by a pair of emerald ones glaring down at him. He turned to see three younger men, one clearly human but the other two possessed demon energy as well as the young man who held him so carefully.
"You must be the Reikai Tantai's. Keaka is deep in my brother's lair but you must hurry or else it will be too late." Shura informed them weakly.
"Why are you helping us?" Kurama asked coldy. Shura smiled and looked away from him up at the sky.
"She…means a great deal to me…as I know she does for you as well. I…just…want her to be ….safe. You must get to her before its too late…before Kamowe…kills her." He choked out coughing up blood and losing consciousness again. Kurama carefully laid him down and broke into a run as did the other three their exhaustion forgotten.
She was dressed in a plain white kimono, as the others had been. She had been bathed in the oils and sacred flowers, as the others had been but there was something wrong about her that Kamowe could not figure out but as the minutes passed he grew more impatient and was desperately eager to feel his mate's presence around him once more. So with a sigh he left the room instructing Kintaro and Tetsuo to bring her to the chamber. Obeying their lord the two placed her upon a large piece of slate that had been made into a stretcher of sorts and carried her to the void where they had been too many times before.
"Where is Shura?" Kintaro whispered fiercely to Tetsuo. Tetsuo shook his head.
"I fear he was foolish and got what he deserved for betraying Lord Kamowe." Kintaro looked back at his brother, the youngest of the four. Did he even remember what life was like before all of this? The answer pained Kintaro as he realized probably not.
"Place her on the alter." Kamowe commanded as they walked to the center of the vast chamber. Torches aligned the walls on either side making it bright but gloomy all the same. Kamowe sat at his throne behind the void never taking his gaze from it as his hands trembled in anticipation. Kintaro and Tetsuo obeyed carefully laying her down upon the table. The two brothers fell into the ranks amongst the others and began to chant softly at first but raising their voices higher as energy swelled around the room. Kamowe stood up from his throne grabbing his dagger bringing it down to Keaka's throat.
"My friend, my love, my wife, my Yumi. I give this gift to you in hopes that you will be pleased." He stated sliding it smoothly across Keaka's throat watching the blood gush out with each beat of her heart.
After the appearance of Shura Keaka had figured her time was running out and decided to go to the park. She sat under a tree in the warm summer sun and was astounded to see cherry blossoms.
"Cherry blossoms? How did this suddenly become a cherry tree? Not only that but it's not the season for the tree to be in bloom." She stated suddenly feeling her throat burn as her breathing ceased. She tried desperately to get a breath but only gagged and choked but on what? She fell to the soft grass with tears pouring down her face as she grasped a handful of blossoms from the ground.
"Kintaro, Tetsuo deliver her." Kamowe said simply. Kintaro and Tetsuo grabbed her roughly and tossed her into the void.
"SPIRIT GUN!"
Oh no they were too late! That sucks but why would I make it happy? Never fear I'm sure they'll figure something out…be sure to catch it on the next installment of Yu-Yu Hakusho!
