A/N: I am not dead...really. I lost internet for awhile and I also got a job so I have been waaaaay busy! BUT!! I am motivated to finish this whole story by November and then start on the first story of this series!! So, look forward to that and sorry about the long wait! I will work harder to get the rest of the story out on time!

The phone continued to ring without anyone making a move to pick it up. The phone was the private land line that was designated for their personal use, but it was still connected to the inn none the less. As the fourth ring sounded off, Lin rose and picked up the receiver.

"Yes?" he answered gruffly, his face never changing at the apparent message. He wasted no time in grabbing the base and bringing the whole phone unit to the table where he promptly passed the phone to a curious looking Naru. Lin gave no indication of the message as he took his seat once more.

"Hello," Naru answered in his usual business like manner. He was not sure who could have been calling the land line. If it was important they surely would have called his cell phone directly…"Shibuya speaking."

"Naru!?" Madoka's voice rang loudly from the ear piece of the receiver causing Naru to immediately hold it away from his ear. "It's a curse! A cur-"

There was a crackling noise and the sound of rustling that was interrupting Madoka's loud and excited voice. Naru sighed as he continued to listen to the commotion on the other side of the line. With a simple press of a button the noise filtered through the space and John and Bou-san looked curiously at the speaker phone.

"What's going on over there?" Bou-san asked a little timidly. He could hear the very distinct voice of Madoka…doing…something. "Hello?"

"Oh, ha ha! Yes, righ-" there was a strangling-type noise and the sound of Madoka being pushed aside could faintly be heard.

"Hhm-m" Yasuhara cleared his throat, "Hello!" he said brightly. "Sorry about all that, allow me to explain."

"I suggest you stop wasting my time and say what you have to say." Naru spat impatiently. "Madoka mentioned a curse…"

"Ha, yes. It is a curse tablet. They are commonly found in England…made of a thin sheet of lead, inscribed in Latin…it's definitely a curse tablet." Yasuhara explained straightforwardly.

"A tabulae defixiones…" Naru muttered to himself. He knew that he had recognized the tablet from somewhere; it was from his home. They were quite commonly found in England from ancient times when the territory was under Roman control. Archeologists had found quite a few tablets in a single location a while back, if he recalled correctly, and he had attended the display. There were other artifacts that were being highlighted as well, but he clearly recollected the curse tablets.

Bou-san heard Naru's voice at about the same time Yasuhara began to speak again, though he was surprised to hear that is sounded almost identical. "What did you say?"

"Tabulae defixiones," Naru sighed since he had already spoken aloud despite himself. He had meant to let Yasuhara handle it, less work for him, but the words just came out before he could stop himself…"is what the Romans called these tablets."

"Precisely!" Yasuhara said brightly with Madoka echoing the sentiment in the background. "They are called katadesmoi by the Greeks and were used to invoke the aid of a spirit…like a deity, a demon, or one of the dead, to accomplish their aim which was usually to bring harm to others."

"So this thing is an ancient artifact, uh?" Bou-san was passing the tablet between his hands, "that's pretty neat."

"Were you able to clean the image enough to read it?" John asked.

"Hrm, I was just going to get to tha-"

Yasuhara was cut off and Madoka's voice once again took over the speaker. "Yes! It took quite a bit of work and that is why we didn't call you sooner but we finally got it!" Madoka continued to blab on and on about what work she had Yasuhara had been through to get the information they had, but Naru's tolerance was starting to wear thin.

"What does it say" Naru said sternly causing Madoka to go silent almost immediately.

"Ah, oh right." She cleared her throat, "It had the names of Oizys, Moros, Apate, Momos, Eris, and Nemesis inscribed on it. In most direct translation is invoked the aid of those deities 'to curse the place of crossing for females, who are wanton and unfaithful' is what it said."

"Suffering, doom, deception, blame, strife, and retribution…" Naru said silently as the room fell quiet.

"…what?" Bou-san asked after a moment when no one else made a move to speak. He was already confused and what Naru had just said was not helping.

"Oizys is the Greek deity of misery and woe, distress and suffering…miseria in Latin." Naru said shortly.

"Ah! Miseria is misery. That is the god of misery then." John mused. He had learned this before. He was trained in theology obviously, but he had studied in mythology before as well. It was starting to come back to him. "So the others are the gods of doom, deception, blame, strife, and retribution."

"Exactly!" Yasuhara proclaimed. "Let me see here….ah….here it is." There were sounds of rustling pages before Yasuhara spoke again. "Let me read this passage. It might clear some stuff up for you…"

-x-

"…And Nyx 'Night' bare hateful Moros 'Doom' and black Ker 'Violent Death' and Thanatos 'Death', and she bare Hypnos 'Sleep' and the tribe of Oneiroi 'Dreams'. And again the goddess murky Nyx, though she lay with none, bare Momos and painful Oizys 'Misery', and the Hesperides . . . Also she bare the Moirai 'Fates' and the ruthless avenging Keres 'Death-Fates' . . . Also deadly Nyx bare Nemesis 'Envy' to afflict mortal men, and after her, Apate 'Deceit' and Philotes 'Friendship' and hateful Geras 'Old Age' and hard-hearted Eris 'Strife'."

-x-

"Those all sound pretty bad…" Bou-san commented dryly. "And that tablet invoked those…that can't be good."

"Yes, what are you getting at" Naru didn't care anymore if the irritation could be heard in his voice…things were looking worse by the second.

"I think this is the reason Mai and the others are unconscious." Yasuhara answered softly, "The tablet is cursing women. At least it is something you can go on."

"But what in the hell does this have to do with the activity we have seen here. There is no life outside and there are enough spirits in this inn to fill a city. Explain that!" Bou-san said angrily. For a moment it seemed like that might have had a lead and now it seemed they were no closer than they were before.

"And what of the Mara that Mai mentioned?" John looked to Naru and then to Lin. "What do they have to do with this?"

The room fell silent again and it was obvious that everyone was trying to think of an answer. It made no sense…the Mara had nothing to do with Greek deities. But Mai had clearly stated it was the Mara…

"The tablet was to curse women…" Lin started out slowly, as if still thinking it through. "…in which the Mara could have been called upon to accomplice that goal by bringing chaos and nightmares…"

"If that were the case, then why just Mai-san, Matsuzaki-san, and Hara-san?" John looked confused. It was not all that impossible for a curse to use whatever was within its means to fulfill what it was created for, but it didn't make sense that the only women affected were from their team. No one from the inn had fallen ill, so why their women?

"Maybe because they have a higher spiritual sense than probably every other woman here…" Bou-san offered matter-of-factly. It would be logical for the curse to affect those with more awareness first…while it was still gaining strength…rather than afflicting everyone concerned.

"That is certainly a possibility…but more importantly..." Naru paused. Even if that was the case it still didn't help them out at all about how to help Mai and the others…or the inn for that mater. They had finally found pieces to the puzzle, yet the most crucial parts were still missing. It was frustrating to say the least. "How did the tablet get to Japan?"

"That's a good point." Bou-san said bemusedly. "It's of Roman origin and they are usually found in Roman territories like England, correct?"

"That is correct." Yasuhara's voice filtered from the speaker phone. "If I may speculate…"

"You have an idea?" John asked softly.

"I do. According to our research, these tablets were usually buried underground or tossed into wells or lakes. I think that it is possible that this particular tablet was some how transported by merchants until it finally ended up here in Japan where it was ultimately tossed away."

"That is possible…" Lin spoke more to himself than to the room.

"We think it stayed dormant in an underground aquifer all this time." Madoka added seriously. "Aquifers are what feed all the natural springs and inland lakes in this area."

"And finally due to nature and natural effects…and time of course, the tablet surfaced into the spring by the inn." Yasuhara finished.

"Even so…" Naru started, taking in all the speculation. "What caused the curse? What made it come to fruition?"

Again the room fell silent. That was certainly the question on everyone's mind. What made this piece of lead work? What could possibly cause a normally harmless artifact to inflict harm?

-x-

Naru didn't know…his mind was in overdrive and yet with all that he was thinking about he was still drawing a blank. For all the knowledge he possessed, he was helpless in this situation…and it was tearing him up inside. He hated not being able to do anything…not knowing what to do. Of course, that was the charm of his line of work. Naru loved the mystery…the challenge. The more difficult the case, the more exciting and fulfilling the work was.

But not this time…this time Naru only wished for it to be over and solved. In the past he would have relished a case like this; demanding and anything but straightforward. But things were different now…he was no longer self serving and alone. He had Mai. He had a person dear to him that was in danger at the moment that he needed to save…

'Mai…' he whispered softly. His mind started to recall their last case…images of her blood drenched body, pale skin, and tear stricken face consumed his thoughts. It took everything he had not to outwardly tremble where he sat. He recalled the coldness of her lifeless lips, the sterile hospital room, and her unmoving hand that he held for what felt like an eternity. Her tearful and labored confession, her seemingly senseless sacrifice, her sorrowful goodbye…it painfully plagued him worse than any physical harm he could come to.

Naru didn't want to recollect the painful memories of that time. He wanted to think about the case, think of a way to solve it and bring Mai back safe and sound…yet the images wouldn't leave his thoughts. If Mai was suffering like that again…if she was in pain and alone, if she was selfishly trying to handle it by herself…

Naru's mind was in turmoil. The more he thought, the more everything began to take a downward spiral. He was so completely focused on the negative aspects of the situation that he totally forgot of the good things that he gained. He had realized his feelings for Mai and she full heartedly returned them, which he never thought would be possible before. In fact, he was not even aware of just how important Mai was to him before that. He had learned that Gene was helping him and looking out for him in the only way he knew how…and that he seemed happy more or less.

And ultimately, though through a terrible and difficult situation, Naru was able to marry the woman he loved and make her his wife. If only Naru could have known of Mai's thoughts at precisely the same time…

Mai was only thinking of Naru's well being…

And Naru was only thinking of hers…

As if someone knew of his inner turmoil, Naru suddenly felt reassured and comforted. It was like he was being embraced and told everything would be alright. He felt calm and all the frightful and disturbing images in his mind faded away. His thoughts were clear and he was filled with new determination… 'I'll come for you soon…Mai'

-x-

"Naru?" Lin asked worriedly. He had noticed that the boy started to space out in the silence of the last question but he began to worry when Naru looked particularly troubled. It looked like he was recalling some painful memories and Lin knew pretty much their probable content. This case was taxing to everyone that much was clear, but Lin knew that it was particularly taking a toll on Naru….especially due to the close proximity to 'that' case…

"Are you alright?"

Naru blinked, as if trying to bring himself back to this reality. He looked at Lin with tired but expressive eyes before he titled his head downward. "Fine" he said nonchalantly. "Any ideas?" he asked referring to his previous question.

They needed answers and they needed them soon…

A/N: There you go! Sound interesting so far? Thanks go out to my Mythology class and my professor for all the cool things she taught us! Thank you to all my readers as well! Let me know what you think!

-Hesiod, Theogony - Greek Epic C8th-7th B.C.