Come on people. I need reviews, if only to tell me who you think should be pared off with who. So I have decided (not that's it will make that much of a difference) that I wont post any more chapters after this one until I get 5 more reviews. So, if you are still sticking with this, enjoy the next chapter (this one is a little bit darker than the other ones)

Disclaimer- I will own shaman king when rabid chibis rule the world.

Chapter 3

Erisa lay sprawled on the floor of the room with the black drapes, a stream of blood running down her face from the deep gash that was just below her hairline. She looked up at him standing over her, with an iron tipped bamboo rod in one hand. Her eyes flicked over to the table where a small mortuary tablet held her guardian ghost prisoner. Her master raised the cane again and brought it crashing down onto her back, where the blood was already soaking through her shirt. She raised herself weakly onto her elbows, only to be forced back onto the floor by another flurry of blows, this time across her face. She cried out as she felt the cruel metal bite into her skin, and the warmth of the blood on her face as it seeped out of many deep wounds and lacerations across her cheeks.

He looked down at the girl, lying helplessly on the floor and sneered at her. " You're pathetic. Useless in fact. How could you have just run away like that?" seeing a look of shock flit across her face, he continued with his tirade of abuse. " Oh yes. Don't think I wasn't watching you. You ran. You were weak and showed compassion for the pathetic fools. What do you have to say for yourself? WELL?" he bellowed the last part, as he had received no answer. Quivering with anger he grabbed a handful of pale lavender hair and yanked it upwards, so he was looking her in the eyes. They were empty, and the spark that had been there a few days previously had vanished. With a smirk, he gave another savage yank on the handful of hair, pulling the girl to her feet. " Since you are being so, unresponsive, today I think we will have to try a different tactic" and with that he began to pull her by her hair towards one of the walls. Pushing a secret panel, located behind the drapes, a section of the wall slid smoothly back to reveal a long, dark stairway stretching out before them.

The passage and his words, stirred Erisa into action, and through the mists of pain that were fogging her mind she began to struggle against the man. However, she was wounded too badly, and her feeble attempts only made him hold on tighter to her arm as well, causing bruises to blossom under his fingers.

He threw her forward so she fell into the passageway, and was pushed to make her go forward. Erisa couldn't see a thing, as was always the case whenever she came down here. She had no choice but to move, slowly inching down, a step at a time. Judging by the pain in her chest she must have broken at least two ribs and the pain was unbearable. He shoved her in the small of her back, making her stumble down the last few steps and falling onto the cold, hard floor. With the small light that was provided by the lantern he carried she could see the four other people chained to the wall. The man moved over to another one of the walls, where a large cat-o-nine tails hung. Turning to the people shackled to the wall, he advanced on the smallest, and, making sure she was watching, raised the whip and brought it across the little boys stomach.

Echoing up from the chamber were the loud screams of a child in pain, and the shouts and sobs of his sister as she was forced to watch him get beaten for her own moment of weakness.

A few days later…

Back at Funbari inn, a worried looking Jun and Tamao were changing an irate Rens bandages. He had suffered multiple wounds to the upper chest and arms, but they were healing cleanly and quickly, like everyone else's cuts and bruises.

Anna had Yoh back at training harder than ever, as Tamao had had another vision, 'the defeated shall return, full of vengeance for the one who inflicted such pain' After a call to Yohs grandfather, they interpreted it as meaning that Erisa and Yanagi would indeed be back, and baying for their blood. After all, they had defeated and injured her.

They were all sitting down to dinner when there was an amazing commotion from outside. Everyone looked out to the back, and saw Erisa standing there with her back turned towards them, the dismembered limbs of Lee Pailong around her. Jun looked furious, and had to be held back by Ryu and Faust.

Yoh looked at her and saw, to his astonishment the hand holding the large iron fan was trembling, and he could see her shoulders shaking slightly, as if she was crying. When she turned her face slightly towards them Yoh saw, that this was indeed the case. Everyone drew closer together, though they were healing pretty well, they weren't healed enough to take her on again. The only people who had a weapon were Yoh, Faust, and Tamao and that was certainly not enough (Manta still had his but he was visiting relatives, therefore he wasn't there). Suddenly, a shockwave rippled through the air, and even as they watched her spirit control extinguished itself suddenly and she collapsed. Yoh was already running to catch her, and when he did he gasped at the sight of her face. "Faust! Get over here! Now, she's badly hurt!" Everyone, up to that point had been rooted to the spot, but were suddenly galvanized into action by Yohs shouting. Faust was the first to reach her side and his eyes widened when he took in the spectacle before him. Her face was a mass of cuts and bruises, most of which were becoming infected, as they could see the pus forming in the scabs. Also, when Yoh moved his to help support her, his hand was already stained red. Lifting her up bridal style, Faust dashed inside quickly followed by his beloved Eliza, to help with his newest patient.

"Why did you do that Yoh?" growled Ren and Anna in unison.

" Yea" complained Horo. "I mean, did you forget that just a few days ago she tried to kill us?"

Yoh looked at them, a serious expression on his face. " You didn't see the look she gave me and Amidamaru. And the state she is in now, she could die. I don't believe that she wanted to do that to us, that she wanted to hurt us. But we'll just have to wait until we can get some answers out of her." And with that he stood up and followed Faust back into the inn.

The others looked uneasily at the large pool of blood that had formed on the ground where she had been lying, before following Yohs example and going back to their dinner.

Well another chapter done. Please tell me what you think of it. Oh and I'd like to thank all of my friends who have bore with me and proof-read all of my chapters. Thank you. And I only torture my characters cos I love 'em