Whoa…more reviews! I'm so happy…

Sugar High: Uhh… (Whistles innocently)

hannami08: Of course I can understand that how can I not I'm Filipino! (Sings along to Noypi) So here it is…

rumia: I'm glad you love it!

Krizty: (2) Stop lying, my fics aren't amazing! (slight pause) Okay, they are amazing! (1) Anou... (Whistles innocently)

pendulumxswing: Oh don't worry…he'll bring her back…

I thank the reviewers again…blah, blah, blah…Don't own Shaman King…blah, blah, blah…Enough of my blabbering…here's the next chapter!

Chapter Three: To the End

A few weeks after staying at the hospital Yoh took his mortuary tablet –Amidamaru was inside- and went to Funbari hill at night. He walked a dirt path that lead to the mausoleums. He searched the mausoleums but could not find the one he was looking for. When he stepped in front of an old-looking mausoleum, his left shoulder burst in white-hot pain. He, without thinking, dropped the tablet and put his hand on his shoulder, Amidamaru coming out of the tablet.

"Are you alright, Yoh-dono?" he asked. At the moment, he couldn't hear his mochirei.

"Yesss Asssakura… come clossser to the black den of the Ssserpent Ssson…" a voice hissed throughout the graveyard. Amidamaru looked around him, looking for the source of the voice as Yoh silently whimpered in pain that came from his shoulder.

After a while the place was devoured by an unsettling silence. Amidamaru then heard the hissing sound again, but this time he could not understand. Confused, he tried consulting Yoh for help but seemed to be out of reach. After a few moments Yoh stopped whimpering and, surprisingly hissed something that sounded like the hissing moments ago. Amidamaru looked at Yoh's eyes and saw that they were blacker than night itself. He then looked at Yoh's left shoulder where Yoh wasn't holding it as securely as before. Amidamaru managed to look closer and saw an upside-down pentagram in blood red that glowed in an eerie black aura. Yoh then slowly walked to the mausoleum. Amidamaru sensed something evil there and tried to pull his master back but could not. When he entered the door shut loudly, making Yoh snap out of his trance-like state. He looked at Amidamaru, confused.

"When the hell did I get in here?" he asked his ghost. Amidamaru looked concerned.

"You entered the mausoleum, Master Yoh. I sensed something evil here so I tried calling your attention but it seemed like you couldn't hear me," he replied.

"Oh…" he mumbled, quickly covering his nose and mouth with his shirt, for he had smelled something foul. The mausoleum was filled with the stench as Yoh started coughing.

"Master Yoh…" Amidamaru said, concerned.

"It's okay, Amidamaru, I can make it," he said taking a few steps forward, taking a look at his surroundings. The mausoleum looked like a worn-down church, the seats chipped. When Yoh looked closer he saw decayed bodies in black tuxedoes and some in white dresses. He took another step forward before hearing a loud crunch. He looked below and saw a small skeleton in a tuxedo, a purple pillow in its broken hands. Yoh hurriedly took a few more steps ahead. He looked forward and saw a door. Yoh looked at Amidamaru for any sense of stopping. Amidamaru sighed and nodded at him. Yoh warily stepped forward and opened the door, revealing a pulley big enough to carry someone.

"Should I, Amidamaru?" Yoh asked.

"Could you?" he answered with a question.

"No harm in trying," Yoh shrugged and carefully stepped onto the platform. He unsteadily reached for the rope and pulled it, slowly bringing him up. Minutes later he stopped for he reached the top of the pulley. He slid open the door and saw that he was on the tenth floor.

"Is this even possible?" he mumbled slowly climbing out. He looked around and saw a swimming pool where there were corpses floating. He looked to his left and saw old, wooden stairs. He found a rock and tossed it on the first stair. After a few seconds both the rock and the stair fell down to what looked like the fires of hell. He looked at Amidamaru worriedly.

"One short step and I'm a goner," he said before quickly jumping to the second step and ran hurriedly up the stairs, each of them falling down seconds after he stepped on them.

After what seemed like hours to Yoh he saw the last stairs. He tripped and fell down, quickly putting his feet on the rickety handrail (How this can happen, you try to imagine 'cause I don't even know if this is possible Oo). He jumped to the concrete floor successfully and saw that he was on the thirteenth floor. Silence and darkness shrouded the floor, deafening and blinding Yoh and his ghost. After a moment he stepped forward, his feet making echoing sounds. A loud hiss shook the ground as glowing red eyes appeared in front of them. The eyes drilled into Yoh's eyes, he himself remembering that this had happened before.

Asssakura…a voice echoed in his head and the room.

"Ramius…" Yoh hissed back. Silence came back. After a few moments he took another step forward.

"Show yourself, Ramius. Or are you afraid of something?" Yoh said.

I fear nothing, Asssakura. I am fear itssself, the fear that liesss in everyone'sss heartsss…even yoursss, Asssakura. He answered, pain shooting up in Yoh's left arm. Yoh clutched his shoulder, the upside-down pentagram glowing. Soon something coiled around his feet, slowly moving upwards. He looked below and saw a black snake with red eyes spiraling around his legs. He couldn't run away but could still use his double medium. As he reached for the Utsu no Metameno Tsurugi when the snake had caught up to his upper body and clamped Yoh's hands to his sides, making him unable to reach for his sword.

As the snake crept up to his arms Yoh stayed calm as Amidamaru helplessly watched the snake slithered up to his master's neck. The snake, without warning, dived down for the cold floor, bringing Yoh down as well. As his head touched the floor, almost knocking Yoh out, the snake used the end of its tail- its body didn't coil Yoh completely- to bring his head to its red eyes. Yoh suddenly cried out in pain, the snake hissing in enjoyment. The snake then started to constrict Yoh with its powerful body, making him cry out even more.

"O…okay, Ramius…you win…let me go now please…" Yoh pleaded. The snake let Yoh go as Yoh barely got up, leaning on the wall.

You have found your way to my mansssion…and you have gotten through my variousss trapsss, Ramius said, slithering to Yoh's east. Yoh's eyes narrowed as he looked at the snake.

When you sssaw me you wanted your love back. Your lifeline disssappeared and I gave you a chance to do my work in order for you to get your love. The tasssk I want you to do is bring me the sssoulsss of one thousand ssshamans. Ramius continued. Yoh's face did not change

There are two conditionsss though: One; the lassst sssoul ssshould be the one who killed your love, and two; along with the thousssand sssouls, you ssshould bring me their heartsss. I am not forcing you to do thisss, Asssakura. You can get the sssoulsss for me, or you can turn back. Thisss isss your choice. Ramius continued. Yoh made his choice; he did not go through the hell hole that Ramius called his mansion for nothing.

"I accept the mission," he said. Ramius sighed for joy for he would finally get someone to do a job.

"But on one condition," Yoh added.

And the condition isss…? He trailed off.

"If I should die, for any reason at all, you bring me back," Yoh said. The snake sighed and reluctantly granted the wish.

Go now Asssakura. But there is a reason I wanted you to bring your ghost, the snake hissed in Yoh's ear. He clutched the mortuary tablet and forcefully put Amidamaru in it. Yoh then threw it to the snake that glowed in black aura. After a few minutes he stopped glowing and gave Yoh the tablet with his tail. Yoh looked at the tablet, wondering what had happened. He then looked at the snake.

"What did you do?" he asked.

You'll find out tomorrow. For now, rest up. He answered, slithering away as a doorway appeared in front of Yoh. Yoh opened it and saw his room. He went through the door and was really in his room. Yoh looked behind him and saw that the door wasn't there anymore. He shrugged it off, too tired to think how it was even there. He fell asleep as soon as his body hit the bed.

Author's Notes: Sorry for the long wait…Probably I'll be updating once a week, depending on some stuff…R&R please!

-LazyShamaness