"Faster, Keisuke." Miaka urged her brother.

"This is as fast as I would go with a pregnant woman in the car." Keisuke said, keeping the speed of the car at a decent 50 mph.

Other cars whizzed by him, adding to Miaka's annoyance.

"At this rate, we'll be too late to help Zakuro." Miaka said, trying to take the control from her brother.

"Oi!" Keisuke exclaimed, as the car swerved.

Keisuke took back the wheel and pushed Miaka.

"I can't believe I still have to say this." Keisuke said, rubbing his temples. "Stay on your side and don't cross the separation line!"

Miaka frowned.

"Suzaku is worried sick." Miaka said, clutching her chest. "When I first saw her, I was filled with a feeling of so much love. A reflection of Suzaku's feelings, of course. But now, all he feels is dread. It's so heart breaking."

"Oi." Keisuke told the road in front of me. "Guardian of the south. Stop worrying so much. It could be bad for my pregnant sister."

Miaka blinked.

"It reduced." Miaka said, confused. "He seems to have calmed down."

Keisuke shook in disgust.

"Does that guy listen in on everything that happens to you?" Keisuke said, an expression of dislike on his face.

Miaka shook her head.

"I think only when it's too much for him to handle, do I get some sort of a sign." Miaka said.

The phone in her hand rang.

"Taka." Miaka said, as soon as she picked up the phone.

-X-X-

'"Miaka." Taka said. "I can't talk too long. Toya and I are just about to leave the park. We're going to Zakuro's place. Toya says her parents won't be home for another couple of hours. We're going to find some sort of connection we can use to communicate with her."

"She's been pulled underground." Toya murmured. "We've got to hurry!"

Toya started jogging. Taka held onto to Zakuro's bag and kept pace with Toya.

"They live nearby." Taka continued on the phone. "I will text you the address."

"Ok." Miaka answered. "I left Hikari at Yui's. Tetsuya is trying to research if something similar happened before. I will see you at Zakuro's house."

Taka disconnected the call. Toya immediately started running.

Taka had told Toya that a person who had a strong bond with Zakuro could communicate with her. Toya had spent the last 15 mins yelling at the book. But she couldn't hear him. Taka later added that a common object could act like an amplifier.

Why can't I reach you? Toya called out to Zakuro.

-X-X-

"Zakuro-chan." Zakuro heard Nuriko call out to her. "Zakuro-chan."

Zakuro slowly opened her eyes.

"Nuriko." Zakuro mumbled.

She opened her eyes. But she couldn't see anything.

"Nuriko." Zakuro repeated, raising her hand.

She felt Nuriko's face.

"Zakuro-chan!" Nuriko repeated, her voice relieved. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah." Zakuro said, getting up slowly. "I landed on something soft."

"That would be me." Grumbled Suzahara's voice from below Zakuro.

Zakuro squealed and faced Suzahara.

"Are you okay?" Zakuro said, feeling in the dark for Suzahara.

"Ow!" Suzahara exclaimed. "That was my eye! Quit fooling around in the dark and get off me! You're heavy."

Zakuro scooted off Suzahara, closer to Nuriko. But she held on to his hand, afraid of letting it go.

"You're heavy." Suzahara exclaimed again.

"I'm off you!" Zakuro grumbled.

"Ummm..." Suzahara said, confused. "That wasn't me."

"I'm off you!" Zakuro's voice repeated.

"Echoes?" Nuriko wondered.

"Where is my bag?" Suzahara asked.

Zakuro could feel him feeling the ground for it.

"Don't tell me you're worried about your precious gold." Zakuro complained and held on tighter to Suzahara.

"You're allowed to make fun of that for exactly 7 more days." Suzahara grumbled as he searched, pulling Zakuro who in turn pulled Nuriko. "After that, I'm going to get angry."

Zakuro smiled.

"I will always have the hot spring." Zakuro said.

"I will always have the hot spring." Zakuro's voice repeated.

"Ok." Zakuro said, backing unto Nuriko. "This is getting creepy."

"Zakuro-chan." Nuriko called out to Zakuro.

"Yeah, Nuriko? Zakuro replied.

"Found it." Suzahara exclaimed.

Zakuro could hear him clicking stones together. Suzahara lit a torch and faced Zakuro.

"Who knew you could be so resourceful?!" Zakuro exclaimed.

But Suzahara stood frozen to the spot, an expression of horror on his face.

"Who knew you could be so resourceful?!" Zakuro's voice repeated.

The voice came from right behind Zakuro. Zakuro turned around.

Though Suzahara's expression seemed like Zakuro shouldn't make any sudden movements, she screamed loudly.

Zakuro was holding hands with an ink blue demon with large, pointy ears and razor sharp teeth. The demons were not taller that 2ft and were standing on each other, to give the impression that Zakuro was holding Nuriko's hands. The face of the top most demon kept alternating between Nuriko's and the demons.

The middle demon, who was holding Zakuro's hand, pulled her closer. Suzahara swung his sword and cut all the demons in half, slicing right through the middle.

"Are you hurt?" Suzahara asked, studying his surroundings.

But Zakuro was worried about more important things.

"Nuriko!" She called out. "Nuriko! Where are you?"

"Don't start running." Suzahara said, holding her hand.

"She could be in danger." Zakuro said, worried.

A little further away, Zakuro could hear the demons squealing. She wriggled free of Suzahara's grip. She ran in the dark towards the excited squeals and prayed she wouldn't be seeing Nuriko with that blank look in her eyes.

It's all my fault. Zakuro cursed herself. I should have let her leave at the bath. She would have been home sleeping now. Nuriko, please be OK.

"Zakuro!" Suzahara called out.

But Zakuro didn't slow down. She could see a faint light as Suzahara followed him. The squealing got louder. Zakuro unsheathed her sword, ready to stab anything that ran around her ankles.

But the closer she got, the better she could decipher the squeals. They weren't of excitement. The demons seemed to be running from something.

Zakuro stopped. What could be so scary that demons ran away from it? Zakuro took a couple of steps back. Suzahara managed to catch up to her, illuminating the dark tunnel.

Before Zakuro could warn Suzahara of the possibility of a bigger demon, the light from the torch fell on the demons. The demons hissed and ran away. The last demon that scurried was squished by a foot.

Nuriko looked at her friends and smiled.

"I'm so glad you're OK!" Nuriko said, half-crying half-laughing as she ran towards Zakuro. "I got lost and these things came at me. I'm so sorry I couldn't find you earlier."

Zakuro hugged Nuriko, relieved that Nuriko didn't seem hurt at all.

"What the hell are you saying?" Zakuro chided. "I'm the one who should be sorry. Are you okay?"

Nuriko nodded, gently rubbing Zakuro's head. Zakuro didn't realize that she was shaking in fear.

"I'm alright." Nuriko said in a soothing voice.

"Are you sure?" Zakuro demanded.

Nuriko giggled in reply.

"I'm alright." Nuriko's voice repeated from the walls.

Nuriko and Suzahara turned around, putting Zakuro between them.

"They led me away from you guys." Nuriko said, frowning at the darkness. "I thought I was following your voice and they ambushed me in the dark."

"They held hands with Zakuro." Suzahara said, grinning.

Zakuro hit Suzahara on the head.

"Where are we?" Zakuro said, looking up, trying to see the ceiling.

But all she could see was the dark.

"In the labyrinth." Nuriko said, her voice worried. "The river had supposedly cut a series of underground tunnels throughout the town. Tunnels so deep that light can't get in."

Nuriko and Zakuro looked at Suzahara's torch.

"How many of those do you have?" Zakuro asked.

"Enough for a couple of hours." Suzahara said, uncertainly.

"We better find our way out before that." Nuriko said and started leading the way. "We should be able to find our way out if we find the river."

"We should be able to find our way out if we find the river." Nuriko's voice repeated.

All around, Zakuro could swear she saw shadows moving. Creeped out, she clutched Nuriko's hand.

"Can you hear that?" Suzahara said, suddenly stopping.

Nuriko and Zakuro stopped too.

"It's this way." Suzahara said, taking a right.

Zakuro and Nuriko followed. Soon, Zakuro could hear the gushing river. Suzahara, Nuriko and Zakuro entered a dark cave.

"How is that possible?" Zakuro murmured, looking at the empty cave.

But it sounded like they should be standing right next to the river.

"It's a trap!" Nuriko exclaimed, immediately turning around to exit the way they came in.

"Watch out!" Suzahara shouted and pulled Nuriko away as large boulders fell at the exit, trapping them in.

Zakuro stepped back, avoiding the fragments that shot across the cave.

We're trapped. Zakuro thought desperately.

She watched as Suzahara helped Nuriko up. They seemed unhurt.

In the confusion, Zakuro didn't hear the tiny footsteps scurrying towards her.

"Zakuro-chan." Nuriko screamed, as Suzahara ran towards her.

Zakuro turned a little too late. The demon bit her arm. Zakuro stabbed the demon through the head and collapsed to the ground clutching her arm.

Suzahara and Nuriko came to her side almost immediately.

Zakuro's arm was on fire. Those little critters packed quite a bite. She could feel the wetness engulfing her arm. But she was too afraid to look at it.

"Hey, Suzahara." Zakuro said, her voice ragged. "Is this big enough to be bandaged?"

But Suzahara was already bandaging her shoulders.

"We've to stop the bleeding." Suzahara murmured to Nuriko.

But Nuriko didn't reply.

"Oi!" Suzahara shook Nuriko. "Snap out of it. We've to do something to stop the bleeding."

"Y-y-yes." Nuriko said. "What can we do?"

Nuriko waited for Suzahara to talk.

"We just need to find the way out of here." Zakuro said, after a while.

Her arm was limp and the pain seemed manageable. She leaned on Suzahara for support.

"The chant said something about a golden chalice." Zakuro recollected.

"What chant?" Suzahara asked, confused.

Nuriko recounted the events that led them to the tunnels. Zakuro tried to get to her feet. She felt Nuriko support her.

"Only troubles await thee." Suzahara repeated, laughing.

Zakuro and Nuriko chuckled too.

"Let's get moving." Zakuro said. "Suzahara, can you light another torch?"

Suzahara and Nuriko were quiet for a while.

"The torch is lit, Zakuro." Suzahara said, in a hushed tone.

"The torch is lit, Zakuro." Suzahara's voice repeated.

Zakuro looked confused. Then she started paying attention to what she couldn't see. Earlier in the darkness, she could see dark shapes moving in the dark. Now everything was dark. It was as though she was blind folded.

"Zakuro." Zakuro could hear Nuriko calling out to her.

But Zakuro couldn't tell the difference. Was this a trick? Was she in danger?

"Stay back!" Zakuro said, swinging her sword.

Zakuro felt it connect with something.

"Stay back!" Zakuro said again, as she backed up into the cave.

"Zakuro!" Zakuro heard Suzahara call out to him.

"You're not my friends!" Zakuro shouted at the darkness.

Tears had started streaming down her cheeks. She swung her sword wildly again.

"Stay back!" She shouted.

She turned heel and started running. She could hear voices in the cave all around her.

"Don't come near me!" Zakuro shouted at the cave, waving her sword. "I'm warning you. Stay back!"

Zakuro tripped and fell over, hurting her knees and cutting her lip. She unfastened her hilt. She held the sword in her injured arm and stood up, using the hilt for support.

"Zakuro!" Zakuro could hear Suzahara and Nuriko call out to her.

Their voices were getting closer. She ran the hilt on the ground in front of her, trying to avoid obstacles. She felt something run near her ankles. She swung her sword but only felt air. She raised her hilt to feel the area in front of her and put it back on the ground, running all the while. She swung the sword a couple of times, wondering if there really were demons nearby or if she was just imagining them.

Zakuro almost ran into the wall of the cave and stopped herself at the last moment. She put her back to the wall, got to the ground and started swinging her sword with her good hand.

She wanted to stop crying. She desperately tried to. But it seemed like tears were the only things her eyes were good for and they wanted to do as much as they could.

"Zakuro." Zakuro heard Suzahara call to her.

Zakuro swung her sword in the general direction. She was starting to get tired. Staying still was causing her pain to come back. She started moving along the walls of the cave, desperately looking for a place to hide. She felt a small cave behind a rock and crawled into it. She clutched her sword and cried at the hopeless situation.

-X-X-

"We've to hurry, Sensei." Toya said, running and reading the book. "Zakuro is in danger."

But Toya was already running as fast as he could. The apartment building was in view. The character of the ogre glowed on Taka's head. He lifted Toya and started running faster. They reached Toya's house in record time.

"Oni-chan?" A young girl, with shoulder length dark hair and dark grey eyes like Toya's, opened the door, hearing movement outside.

She was wearing outdoor shoes and seemed to be on her way out.

"Tomoko." Toya said from Taka's arm, as he hid the book.

"What the hell?!" Tomoko exclaimed at the sight of Taka carrying Toya.

The character of the ogre faded from Taka's forehead. Toya coughed.

"You can put me down now." Toya mumbled.

Taka set Toya down.

"Where is Zakuro-ne?" Tomoko asked looking around the corridor.

"I need the keys to Zakuro's house." Toya said, walking in.

Taka and Tomoko followed him.

"What's going on?" Tomoko demanded. "Why did he carry you home? Where is Zakuro-ne? You always come home together."

Toya started looking through the drawers.

"They changed the locks last week, remember?" Tomoko said, stubbornly following her brother through the living room. "We don't have a spare yet. Where is Zakuro-ne? Is she ok?"

Toya stopped looking for the key. He put his palm on his forehead.

"No." Toya said, a while later. "She is not OK."

Tomoko swung her brother around.

"What do you mean?" Tomoko demanded. "Should we call Mom and Dad? Should we call her parents? Is she sick?"

Toya suddenly remembered something.

"Tomoko." Toya said, grabbing his sister's shoulders. "Remember that "Make Peace, not War" project you did last year."

Tomoko nodded, confused.

"You made a necklace, a pair of ear-rings and a ring from a single bullet. Remember that?" Toya continued.

"I remember you calling the ring ugly and refusing to accept it." Tomoko mumbled.

"But Zakuro wears that necklace all the time." Toya insisted. "Where is my ring?"

Tomoko looked hurt.

"I gave it to you!" Tomoko exclaimed. "It should be in your room somewhere!"

Toya turned to go to his room around the time Taka reopened the book. Taka read the last couple of lines in horror.

"Where is Zakuro-ne?" Tomoko shouted at Toya. "I want to talk to her!"

-X-X-

Zakuro recognized Tomoko's voice. How could that be? It was impossible for these demons to imitate Tomoko, who was not of this world.

"Tomoko!" Zakuro mumbled, hoping the demons couldn't hear her. "Tomoko! Is that you?"

-X-X-

Zakuro's voice rang through the room. Toya stopped dead on his feet.

"Are you wearing those ear-rings?" Taka asked Tomoko.

Tomoko touched her ear and nodded. Toya grabbed Tomoko's ear and went closer to the book.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow!" Tomoko shouted.

-X-X-

"What's the matter, Tomoko?" Zakuro said, worried. "Are you hurt? Where are you?"

"Where are you?" Zakuro's voice repeated. Zakuro clenched her sword tighter.

-X-X-

Tomoko looked confused.

"Where is her voice coming from, Oni?" Tomoko asked Toya.

"In the book." Toya answered, desperately wanting to pull her out.

-X-X-

"Toya?" Zakuro said. "I can hear you. Where are you guys? I can come get you."

-X-X-

Toya clutched the pages of the book.

"Listen carefully." Taka talked to the book. "You're in a different universe. I want to tell you more, but something is wrong. It says that you're surrounded by those demons and your friends are nowhere close to you. Stand up and fight, Zakuro!"

-X-X-

Zakuro backed up to the wall of the cave. Despair consumed her.

How was she supposed to fight? She didn't know how to use this sword. She couldn't even see. Why was she trying so hard to win a losing battle?

"I can't." Zakuro mumbled, tears streaming down her cheeks.

-X-X-

"What was that?" Toya said angrily. "You can't? Since when do you give up, you stubborn idiot. Listen, if you die in that world, I'm never going to forgive you. You're finding a way to come back to this world so that I can strangle you with my bare hands for putting me through hell."

-X-X-

Zakuro couldn't help but smile.

"Putting you through hell?" Zakuro retorted, glad to be able to talk to Toya again. "I'm the one surrounded by demons. If anything, I should be strangling you for letting me come here in the first place."

"If anything, I should be strangling you for letting me come here in the first place." Zakuro's voice repeated.

It was unnerving how close it sounded.

-X-X-

Toya grinned.

"I would like to see you try." Toya said, his voice softer.

"What's going on?" Tomoko said, as she read the book. "Is the Zakuro in the book Zakuro-ne? Shit! Zakuro-ne, there is something to your left!"

-X-X-

Zakuro turned her sword and stabbed the demon through the head. She rose from her hiding hole.

"Suzahara, the one who thought the hot springs are mixed and Nuriko, the one with the killer wrestling moves." Zakuro shouted at the darkness. "Listen to my voice and find me. But stay really far away from my swords reach because I'm kicking some serious demon ass!"

Zakuro got to her knees and pictured being surrounded. She swung her sword and easily cut through the demons. She didn't relent until she felt only air.

AN:

Translations-

-ne- Tomoko uses this suffix when referring Zakuro. It's the short form for Onee-san (pronounced- o-nay-san) which means "Elder sister"

Oni-san- Tomoko calls Toya this. The actual term for elder brother is Onii-san (pronounced- o-nee-san). Oni actually means demon. I wanted to use this play of words. Tomoko calls her brother Oni (pronounced- oo-ni) calling him a demon.

-X-X-

Dabomb29- Thank you so much for reading the rewrite. I'm really glad you liked it!

-X-X-

Hope you guys liked this chapter. Towards the end, the scene keeps shifting between the past and the present. I used page breaks to signify that. But does it make you lose continuity while reading?

Let me know!

As always, keep reading!