Hello all you readers. This is the last chapter of the story. I know it isn't a long one like many other fanfic writers make it, but I still hope that everyone has enjoyed this one & the others of mine nonetheless. Also, I'd like to thank my loyalist reader most of all. Thanks a bunch Larkfall. I totally appreciate your reviews!^^

Ch: 4

When the explosion occurred, Yoh's friends had cried out to him in fear and panic. It wasn't until a split second after they had shouted out the young Shaman King's name that both of the Shamans that were fighting were sent plummeting towards the ground below. An almost sickening crash was heard from their bodies as they collided with the ground; their weapons clanking onto the ground nearby soon afterwards as Harusame and Demon Scythe reverted back to normal, the ally ghosts of Yoh and Kichi no longer attached to them.

HoroHoro and the others quickly rushed over to their fallen friend's side, hoping and praying that he was alright. That he would survive that horrible explosion and impact. It wasn't until Yoh shifted slightly and grimaced in pain at the slight move that they sighed with utter relief that he was still alive. HoroHoro helped his companion up onto his feet and rested Yoh's arm around his shoulders, using himself as a crutch in a way so that he could keep his balance instead of ending up with his face planted on the ground again. Yoh smiled weakly up at him. "Heheh...Thanks HoroHoro."

After a moment, the sound of pained grunts was heard in front of them and they directed their attention upon the girl before them as she struggled herself up onto her feet. However, she didn't succeed in this as she was too weak to stand so she settled for being in a knelt down position while keeping herself up by leaning against her scythe as her own crutch as she breathed in a raspy manner; almost like she was struggling to breath. "...Damn it...I can't believe I failed to kill you...I tried so hard to avenge him, but I still couldn't succeed."

Yoh stared at Kichi as she spoke, but then he couldn't help but take note on the defeated look on her pained expression along with the tone her voice took. It was a tone that only a defeated warrior with no purpose in their life would possess. "...You held back on that last attack, didn't you?" This actually surprised his friends and they all gave him a shocked look. Even Ren had surprise written all over his features and that wasn't exactly the easiest feat to accomplish. "...You didn't use all of your strength. I noticed when our attacks collided...You pulled back some at the last second and used only about a third of your full power...Even though you wanted to avenge Hao, you weren't able to bring yourself to do so."

Kichi's eyes widened in surprise at Yoh's observation of this. Apparently, he really was smarter than she originally thought and at this, she couldn't help but chuckle sadly. "...You're right...I did pull back on most of my power on the instant just before our weapons made contact. It's just...You look so much like Lord Hao...Too much of him and...I just couldn't do it." The young Shaman was about to say something else, but she was stopped short of this as she quickly covered her mouth with her hand and began coughing up more blood.

Her eyes slowly opened up, stopping at halfway as she pulled her hand back and stared at the blood in her hand with a softened expression on her face. A sharp pain was shooting through her hand that coursed throughout her entire body, but she didn't take note of it...She was just too used to that painful feeling and she had already failed in her revenge that it just didn't matter to her anymore. "...Looks like my time on this plane in finally coming to an end."

This seemed to confuse Yoh as she spoke and the look of pure confusion, but also concern was evident on his features. "What do you mean by that? Are you alright Kichi?" The girl's red orange gaze drifted over towards Yoh and his friends weakly as she smirked lightly despite her condition. "Heh...Only that today is my fifteenth birthday...My people have lived with a horrible curse for hundreds of years. A curse known only as the Dark Shaman Curse Seal." At hearing these words, it only seemed to confuse Yoh even further. "The Dark Shaman Curse Seal?"

Kichi nodded her head and finally shuddered in pain as the skull and crossbone marking on her left palm began to seep dark energy throughout her entire body through her bloodstream. "...Yes...It's a curse that makes you incapable of telling the one you fall in love with how you feel. It's sort of like taboo in a way. No matter how much you wish to speak those three words to the one you love, the curse keeps you from accomplishing that...Instead, the owner of your heart has to figure it out themselves and then return that love to you. If they do, then the curse on that single Dark Shaman is lifted and only the mark remains, seemingly just a birthmark or tattoo."

Yoh's brown eyes softened slightly at this as he watched the girl before him. "...What if they don't return your love though or never figures it out?" The young girl chuckled lightly at this and weakly gazed at him with a smirk on her face. "...This happens...On the day you turn fifteen, the curse releases a dark energy throughout your entire body, acting out as like a sort of poison that will ultimately kill you...It is because of this curse that most of my people died at such a young age...For those who did escape this accursed fate, they lived happy lives and had children, but in the end, those few who didn't die of old age, were killed by other Shamans because they feared us...Sadly, this is why I'm the last of my race, but...not much longer from now, even I'll cease to exist any further."

HoroHoro was finally about to speak on this manner, thinking that this whole curse thing was lame and totally uncool, but it was Anna that stepped up and spoke; rather harshly I might add. "You were in love with Hao, weren't you? But it's because he never loved you back that you're dieing right now. How can you possibly love someone like that and even go so far as to try and seek revenge? If you ask me, you're a fool." Anna gave the younger girl a stern look while a shocked expression fell on most of the others' faces thinking that the Itako was being a bit harsh and blunt with her words though they didn't voice it out since they didn't have a death wish themselves.

Kichi smiled lightly at this and shook her head. "...Lord Hao did me a favor by never telling me that he loved me...I didn't want to live without him...I would've been to-" She suddenly clenched her eyes tightly shut and lifted up her blood stained hand over her chest as she tightly gripped at her cloak, resting her fisted hand right over her heart. The energy had finally made its way to her heart as it began to beat rapidly in her chest, trying desperately in a vain attempt to keep beating and the blood flowing, but even the heart knew that in the end, all its efforts would fail.

"...Heh...Looks like my time has finally come...Hey Yoh?...I still hate you for killing Lord Hao, but...you take care of yourself, kay?...You have a good life here...Something that both your twin and myself wish we had...Heh...It would've been...nice...having a family,...ya know?" Kichi's head tilted down slightly and rested gently against the pole of her weapon as a small smile rested on her lips; her once deep red orange depths, now dull and lifeless. The young Shaman had breathed her last breath giving Yoh that single little message to him.

Yoh didn't know how long he and his friends stood there staring at the girl before them that no longer held any life in her, but when they finally managed to move, they got set on giving the girl a proper burial. It was really the least they could do for the poor girl, but they would do so correctly and give her a burial and headstone deserving of the last of the great and powerful race of Dark Shamans;...deserving of the princess who lived her life to the fullest despite the horrible end she knew would come.

Kichi had been right all along when she had told Cerberus that this would be a battle to remember for a long time to come, but it hadn't been for the reason she had said it would. Instead, Yoh and his friends would pass the story on to their kids, and they would pass it on to their own, and so on for many generations to come.

...The story of Yomi Kichi...and the cursed life she led bravely with her head held high and proud for her race.

END

Well? What'd ya think? Was it good or no? Also, do you think I should actually put an epilogue to the story? Like after she died? Think she should be reunited with Hao? Post your comments on it all in your review. Thank you!