Author's Note: Alright, since no one has really been reviewing I'm just drawing this story to a close. This is the second to last chapter, maybe third to last, we'll see.

The Story So Far: They are out to beat the final bad guy.

Hidden

By: Bar-Ohki

Chapter 42: Youichi, Commander from Hell

Kali might have been in agony and she might have been under the influence of a nasty curse, but her trained mind was still taking in information from the world around her. She might have had very little control over her physical self, but her mind still thought and it thought hard. Right now she was observing a change of color in Hiruma's skin. A change of color she typically associated with the consumption of fatal poisons. Whatever he was doing, he had to stop else it would kill himself…..

Now Kali's mind whirred about trying to find a way to communicate this thought. She recalled that there was a mind-reading sensitive somewhere in the party, so Kali decided to try and move her agonized form in that direction. It would take her a minute to cross the room.

Blake on the other hand, had decided to summon more undead. Everyone who had not been fighting recently was now tangling with a vile, undead creature of some kind. Malhavoc had been given five undead to deal with, undead elfin warrors, which was proving to be more than he could handle if his panting was anything to go by. Remarkably Blake left Zork, Zeke, and Kali alone. Instead, the Necromancer walked up and decided to physically engage Hiruma. Not having been expecting a physical confrontation, Hiruma found himself way out classed by his opponent. Blake had several centuries of combat experience and it was not hard for him to knock Akumetsu from Hiruma's hand.

Kali somehow managed to crash into Yukimitsu.

:: Blake is a poison for Hiruma, :: Kali explained, :: Hiruma is a poison for Blake. ::

And then she passed out, her body having given up the fight.

Yukimitsu stared at the woman for a minute then realized what she had meant.

"Hiruma!" Yukimitsu called as he managed to duck under the hands of the zombie. "Shit!"

Blake was standing over Hiruma with a large, bone knife he summoned at some point. Hiruma had a black eye, bloody lip, and looked pretty mauled all things considered.

"Let's fin-" Blake made a guggle noise and crashed to the floor. New zombies arrived in the room, these ones were better clothed and seemed to be less rotted. They attacked Blake's zombies and quickly pined the other creatures to the ground.

Zeke hadn't moved much, he was just smiling. He opened his eyes slowly and looked at Blake's form with a tired smile.

"Like your new shackles?" Zeke asked with a smirk.

"Hiruma!" Yukimitsu rushed over to Hiruma's side. "Kali told me something."

"I'm fucking injured and you want to tell me something the fucking pink haired woman told you." Hiruma was not amused.

"His magic is poisoning you," Yukimitsu whispered so that Blake would hopefully not hear, "and your magic is poison to him."

"What?" Hiruma made a face.

"The Underground is a world of balance." Zeke reminded everyone in the room. "And here is your time to be balanced, Blake."

"Hmm." Hiruma thought about it while he walked over to pick up Akumetsu. He could shoot a bullet of his own magic directly into Blake, like he had done to restore Malhavoc earlier.

Blake, in the mean while, was jerking about, quickly destroying the new chains Zeke had put on him.

"Fucking elf," Hiruma began, "I want to run something by you."

"Be quick." Malhavoc eyed Blake wearily. Hiruma walked over and quickly explained his plan to Malhavoc quietly.

"Warp it in something he'll accept." Malhavoc advised Hiruma as straight forward as he dared knowing that Blake could hear them.

Hiruma frowned a moment before he realized what Malhavoc must have meant. Before he could load his bullet, Blake broke free and destroyed the last of the barrier. Zeke lept to his feet and pulled out his large bell.

"You're exhausted." Blake observed as he summoned several more zombies, this time so quickly and suddenly that everyone had been pinned down by surprise. "And I won't let anyone interfere with our reunion, my teacher."

"Any weaknesses yet?" Malhavoc asked Shin.

"He has less magic, but not much in the way of openings…." Shin muttered. "He's still the most powerful person in this room."

"Like the lot of you could defeat my zombies." Blake rolled his eyebrows and held up his hand to Zeke. "Become your true age!"

Zeke smirked and rang his bell once, making all the zombies in the room turn to ash.

"But I am my own age." Zeke protested as he rang his bell again. "And I'd love to see you counter this one."

Blake winced and fell back, putting his hands to his ears. Malhavoc simply stared at his brother.

"He's just hearing the screams of his victims." Zeke answered, letting out a long breath. "He can't hear us."

"You're exhausted." Malhavoc observed.

"So are you." Zeke snapped back.

"We're all fucking tired and hurt." Hiruma grunted.

"I gave you another opening, use it." Zeke ordered Hiruma flatly.

Hiruma simply held up his weapon and poured his own magic inside, then coated that magic with the magic he ate from Blake. Malhavoc walked over and cut his finger on Escarlaje.

"What are you-!?" Yukimitsu cried when the weapon in Malhavoc's hand began to shift and change shape. It didn't take long, but Escarlaje had turned into a bullet, with the red crystal at the tip. Without any waiting, Malhavoc tipped Akumetsu up and pulled Escarlaje down the barrel.

"Don't miss." Malhavoc told Hiruma simply.

"I see it!" Shin cried. "His magical center!"

"Where?" Hiruma asked, done concentrating and ready to fire.

"His left shoulder." Shin answered.

And Hiruma held up the gun, took aim, and fired.

_=_=_=_=_

And I leave you there.