"Hold your positions." Suzahara's voice echoed through the dark cave.

"We cannot kill a jiangshi, master." Tamahome called out, as he blasted energy towards the corpses rushing towards the exit.

"There is no such thing as an immortal being." Suzahara barked back. "Hold your position. Find a..."

Suzahara was interrupted by a bright green light from the mouth of the cave. Almost immediately, he heard a girl's voice curse loudly and a loud pitter-patter of running. Suzahara frowned.

"Mei Lin." Suzahara called out to the brown haired girl trying to push back the reanimated corpses. "Bao Shou. Didn't you warn the villagers to stay back until we were done?"

Tamahome landed next to Suzahara, grinning.

"I think you would find Mei Fong's plan of blocking the cave to be more preferable now." Tamahome said, as he sliced the legs of the nearest jiangshi.

-X-X-

What the hell was I thinking? Zakuro thought, as she ran from the zombies chasing her. Coming here unarmed with heels on!

Her shoes slowed her down but she didn't have the time to take them off.

"Damn it!" She cursed, as she swiveled around and faced the zombies, her handbag sliding down her shoulders.

"Of all the places to land." Zakuro muttered darkly as she undid her shoes, keeping a firm grasp on her bag. "I land up in a zombie cave. Thanks a lot, Genbu!"

She could feel the zombies getting closer.

"Come on." She whined in urgency. "Come on!"

She was about to give up and start running again when a decapitated zombie head rolled towards her feet, still snapping the air. Zakuro scrambled back and fell. She looked up and to her horror, all the zombies coming towards her were being decapitated, one after the other. But the heads still kept moaning and snapping the air.

And through the chaos, she saw the sight she had missed for what seemed like centuries.

A head of red hair bobbed up and down towards Zakuro.

"Suzahara..." Zakuro mumbled, smiling.

"SUZAHARA!" She called out as loudly as she could.

Suzahara decapitated the nearest jiangshi, swooped low and picked Zakuro up on his shoulders.

Zakuro watched as Tamahome blasted wave after wave of zombies and three others taking the flank, one not older than ten.

"Where is my sword?" Zakuro asked, as she watched the others struggle to keep up. "I can help."

Suzahara did not respond.

"Oi." Zakuro repeated. "Suzahara. Where is my sword?"

Suzahara and Zakuro emerged out of the cave. Suzahara did not break his pace.

"SEAL THE EXIT!" Suzahara shouted.

"Yes, master." Tamahome replied and blasted the roof.

"WAIT!" Zakuro shouted. "THE OTHERS..."

But even before Zakuro could finish the sentence, the other three jumped out of the cave, barely missing the rubble closing the exit. Suzahara continued running.

After a couple of minutes, Suzahara slowed down. But he was still alert, his sword drawn.

He relaxed a little when he heard the rustling of the others joining them.

"Umm..." Zakuro said, feeling slightly embarrassed.

She wanted Suzahara to put her down before the others got there. Suzahara simply leaned to his right and Zakuro slid of his shoulders. She fell to the ground with a unceremonious thud.

"Ow." Zakuro complained. "What the hell?"

But Suzahara shot her an angry look.

"Suzahara!" The girl with the long brown hair called as she rushed towards him. "Are you hurt?"

Suzahara looked at the girl with a soft expression.

"I'm fine." He said, smiling kindly.

She unbuttoned his shirt and checked the wound on his shoulder.

"You cannot get distracted during battle." She said, close to tears. "If something were to happen to you..."

"I'm fine, Mei Lin." Suzahara said, reassuringly.

Zakuro watched the exchange between the two, still sitting on the ground. She shivered in the cold.

"Ojou-chan." She heard a voice whisper close to her ears.

Zakuro yelped and scrambled back. Tamahome smiled widely at her.

"Welcome back." Tamahome said, his pitch black wings ruffling. Zakuro slowly nodded.

"Hello, Zakuro." A familiarly gorgeous man with dark black hair and green eyes said, smiling.

Zakuro frowned and nodded.

"You probably don't remember me with clothes on..." The man said, his eyes glinting mischievously. "I'm Bao Shou. Let me refresh your memory."

The man started taking off his shirt, before he was hit on the head by Mei Lin.

"Please, pardon his manners." Mei Lin apologized. "So, you're Zakuro... We've heard a lot about you. I'm Mei Lin and this is my younger brother, Mei Fong."

Mei Lin pointed at the only kid caught in the mix, features similar to his sister. Zakuro nodded again. Then she sprung to her feet and bowed respectfully.

"It's nice to meet you." Zakuro murmured. "I'm Kinomoto Zakuro."

Mei Lin smiled kindly. Zakuro's eyes trailed back to Suzahara who had a grumpy expression on his face. He wasn't looking Zakuro in the eye.

Zakuro wanted to march upto Suzahara and demand an apology for his behavior. Wasn't it just a couple of days ago that he chose to complete a God quest rather than save Zakuro? It was at this thought that Zakuro realized something.

"Tamahome." Zakuro called out in a low voice. "How long was I gone for?"

Zakuro watched as Mei Lin dressed Suzahara's wound as Bao Shou and he were deep in conversation.

"I would say about 9 months." Tamahome replied. "Master, should I get lunch ready?"

"Lunch?" Zakuro asked puzzled, looking up at the evening sky.

Suzahara nodded.

"I will come with." Mei Fong offered, sheathing his needle sword.

"Would it be alright if I take Ojou-chan with me?" Tamahome inquired of Suzahara.

"Do what you want." Suzahara replied a few moments later.

Tamahome respectfully offered his elbow to Zakuro.

"Lead the way." Zakuro replied, shaking her head.

Zakuro walked in silence, trying to wrap her head around the fact that Suzahara and she had been separated for 9 months.

Of course he would move on. She thought sadly. How long did you expect him to wait?

Zakuro felt a hand grab her's, snapping her to reality. She looked at the giant tree she was about to walk into.

"Watch out." Mein Fong said dryly.

"Would you like for me to carry you, Ojou-chan?" Tamahome said, his handsome features accentuated by the evening shadow.

Zakuro rolled her eyes. She shivered again in the cold.

"Hmmm.." Tamahome purred in his silky voice. "The cold of Hokkan cannot be good in those clothes."

"Hokkan?" Zakuro repeated, thinking about Li An's homeland.

Tamahome nodded. Mei Fong offered Zakuro a blanket from his bag.

"It's not much." He said tonelessly. "It should stop the frostbite."

Zakuro looked at her blue toes and nodded.

"Thank you." She said, appreciatively, as she wrapped herself in the blanket.

Tamahome raised his finger, signalling the others to quiet down. They spotted a lone deer, grazing quietly in the forest.

"Wow!" Zakuro muttered, having never seen a deer up close.

Before she could fully appreciate it's beauty, blood started pouring from its neck. Zakuro panicked, looking around wildly.

Tamahome leapt from the shadows and drank the first drop of blood before it hit the ground. Zakuro shivered in horror and fell back. Mei Fong looked at the scene impassionately.

"He is a demon after all." Mei Fong commented.

Zakuro pulled Mei Fong back.

"That doesn't mean you subject yourself to such a sight." Zakuro chided, as she hugged Mei Fong tighter putting his head on her shoulder, and watched Tamahome drink the deer clean.

Tamahome frowned for a moment as he licked the last drop from his lips.

"All done." Tamahome called out.

Mei Fong pulled away from Zakuro.

"Hurrah." He said. "You saved my innocence."

He took out a small knife from his shoe and went towards the deer.

"My claws are poisonous." Tamahome commented, as he watched Mei Fong skin the deer.

Zakuro noticed the tiny knives in the deers neck, glinting in the evening sun.

"What's going on?" Zakuro asked, finally giving in to her curiosity.

She wasn't sure if she trusted Tamahome. But he was the only familiar face she had.

"Well..." Tamahome said, as he scratched his chin. "The God told us that you left the plane by your own wish. And..."

"WHAT?" Zakuro shouted, flabbergasted. "The Gods told you what? How do you know that?"

Tamahome chuckled.

"Did you really think that Suzahara would sit around idly just because noble Gods took you?" Tamahome said, smirking. "Even though Chichiri was out of action, yours truly helped his master reach his... destination. Though I couldn't personally go in, Nuriko later told me that they had arrived right after you had departed. Taiitsukun told them that you had left on your own free will before he sealed the mountain."

Zakuro's eyes widened in horror as she clasped her hand over her mouth.

He knows I left him. Zakuro thought, the guilt drilling her heart. He knows I broke my promise and left him.

"I was gone for less than 3 days." Zakuro mumbled, miserably. "It was only 3 days."

Tamahome nodded his head, though it was clear that he was unable to understand the sentiment.

"Would you like for me to carry you?" Tamahome offered.

Zakuro rubbed her temples.

"Where are Chichiri and Nuriko?" Zakuro inquired.

"Chichiri left the very next day." Tamahome filled Zakuro in. "He said he wanted to find his place in the world. Last month, Nuriko took up a job at the Hokkan Royal Palace, teaching the Princes to wrestle."

"Why would she do that?" Zakuro said, confused. "She agreed to be Suzahara's General."

"It was because of my sister." Mei Fong said, as he lifted the deer around his neck.

Mei Fong's knees bent a little under the weight.

"Help him." Zakuro said, frowning as she caught one end of the deer.

Tamahome nodded and lifted Mei Fong.

"What is with you and carrying people?" Mei Fong said, irritably.

Zakuro felt a tug at the edge of her lips. Mei Fong clambered out of Tamahome's grip.

"I meant lift the deer." Zakuro clarified.

Tamahome nodded and wrapped the deer around his neck.

The three made their way back to the campsite. Zakuro shivered under the control, her feet hurting.

I really should have geared up. Zakuro thought, miserably.

The three arrived at the campsite. Suzahara and Bao Shou didn't seem to have moved from the spot on the tree trunk, still deep in conversation. Mei Lin worked a little further away, clearing out branches and leaves while laying out a place to eat. A fire crackled merrily a little further away.

Tamahome took out some knives from his sleeves and proceeded towards the fire. He began chopping the deer and cooking. Mei Fong settled near the fire, a book near his nose.

Zakuro sighed.

I might as well. She thought before she approached Mei Lin.

"Can I help?" Zakuro offered.

Mei Lin smiled, deep dimples forming on her cheeks. Zakuro stared at her beauty in the evening twilight. Mei Lin pushed a stray strand of hair behind her ears before she answered.

"Sure." Mei Lin replied. "Maybe you could get the pieces of the table over there. You can help me assemble it."

Table? Zakuro thought.

But she nodded nevertheless. She watched Suzahara as she went towards the big cloth bags. Suzahara did not glance up even once. Zakuro found the big plank of wood and four legs easily enough. It took her three trips to carry them all because of the weight.

I should have at least used the time difference to my advantage. Zakuro thought on the last trip. I could have studied so much!

Zakuro was making a conscious effort to not think about Suzahara.

"That looks heavy." Bao Shou commented, helping Zakuro carry the plank.

"Thank you." Zakuro said, gratefully.

Suzahara was standing next to Mei Lin, watching her as she worked. Bao Shou helped Zakuro set the table. Zakuro kept glancing at Suzahara, hoping to catch his eye. But Suzahara's eye brows were set together and he determinedly looked at Mei Lin.

Once the table was set, Tamahome set the venison on the table. Mei Lin sat in between Suzahara and Mei Fong. Zakuro sat on the other side with Bao Shou.

"I don't know how you do it." Bao Shou said, smacking his lips. "How're you able to cook such delicious food without even tasting it!"

Tamahome smiled.

"You're being kind." Tamahome said, bowing a little.

Zakuro looked at the bowl in front of her and started eating.

"Suzahara!" Mei Lin exclaimed.

Zakuro looked up and watched Suzahara taking a bite from Mei Lin's food. This time he looked at Zakuro. Zakuro's heart fell to her stomach. Her eyes started stinging and her palms were suddenly sweaty. But she just smiled weakly at Suzahara.

"Stop taking my food!" Mei Lin exclaimed, playfully punching Suzahara on his arm.

Suzahara looked away from Zakuro and continued eating from his bowl.

"So we move to Plan B." Bao Shou said, his tone serious.

The others looked at Bao Shou as they ate.

"The jiangshi portal will continue to spew out the undead until we find a way to seal it." Bao Shou said, mostly for Zakuro's benifit. "We have managed to warn the nearby villages. But if we don't close the portal, I'm not sure how long a sealed cave would last. There could be other underground exits we don't know about. We have to find a way to the portal."

"But we don't know how to seal the damn thing!" Mei Lin exclaimed, in between bites.

"Portal?" Zakuro murmured confused.

Her world had multitudes of TV programs dedicated to zombies. But she really didn't think a head shot was the answer. At least, she wasn't dense enough to think the others didn't consider it.

"Right to hell." Mei Fong said. "Tiny cracks are opening up everywhere. The Gods are busy at the gates."

Zakuro's eyes widened in horror.

"Well..." Suzahara said, as he drank the last sip of water. "Here's the plan. Bao Shou, Tamahome and I will proceed towards the portal, as per the initial plan. Mei Lin and Mei Fong, stay at the entrance and don't let anything out."

"No!" Mei Lin and Zakuro exclaimed at the same time.

"I won't let you go in there without me." Mei Lin protested, looking at Suzahara.

Zakuro shook her head, trying her best to be rational.

"You don't know how to close the portal!" Zakuro exclaimed. "You can't just go in without knowing how! We have to research..."

"We do not have the luxury of time!" Suzahara shot back. "We're in the middle of a war. We've to take risky decisions hoping something would stick. We'll figure out how to close the portal once we get there."

"You're risking the lives of everybody here on a whim." Zakuro protested, feeling her anger rise. "If we must close the portal and that's all that we must do, we can spare a couple of hours. Maybe capture one of these things and see what gets them."

Suzahara quickly rose to his feet.

"We did not ask you for help." Suzahara said, unkindly. "This isn't your world. You can go back to yours and stay there for good."

"Oi!" Bao Shou interjected, rising to his feet as well. "We need all the help we can get. The gates of hell are opening, for fucks sake!"

But the damage was done. Zakuro pushed back her tears and rose too.

"Then give me my fucking sword back." Zakuro growled. "I will..."

Suzahara pushed her sword towards her.

"You will do nothing." Suzahara said, in a low voice. "You will stay here and let us do what we do best. We cannot close a portal and run around rescuing you at the same time."

"I'm not stay..." Zakuro started.

"YOU'RE NOT COMING!" Suzahara shouted. "YOU'RE DEAD WEIGHT!"

Suzahara and Zakuro glared at each other, Zakuro's fists trembling as she thought of an counter argument. But she was blank. Suzahara hurt Zakuro's pride. And he hurt it well. Zakuro broke eye contact and stared at a tree instead.

"Let's go." Suzahara mumbled, a while later.

"We'll be back soon." Tamahome said, brightly.

"Use the spirits." Zakuro said, suddenly. "Use the spirits to close the portal."

Suzahara paused for a moment. Zakuro clenched, wondering he he would turn around and yell at her again. But the party moved on, leaving Zakuro alone in the clearing.

Zakuro stood on the spot for a long time, tears flooding down her cheek.

"Jerk." She mumbled.

She took a hesitant step forward. But she stepped back almost immediately.

He is right, though. Zakuro thought.

Zakuro started cleaning the table, itching to be doing something. She cleaned the camp ground in a good hour. But once she was done, she didn't know what to do.

"Great going, Zakuro." Zakuro mumbled, talking to herself. "You're great help! We're so glad you're back."

"Who are you talking to?" Zakuro heard a familiar voice reply.

Zakuro swung around to the familiar blue haired guy, grinning ear to ear. Zakuro let out a small laugh.

"Chichiri!" She exclaimed, as she ran towards him and jumped into his arms.

"Chichiri!" Zakuro repeated, happily. "I'm so happy to see you."

Chichiri stroked her head.

"I know." He replied.

She pulled back a little.

"How're you?" She asked.

The last time she saw Chichiri, Nuriko was carrying him out of a demon cave.

"Just travelling." Chichiri replied. "It was odd when I sensed your presence. I had to confirm it. Why are you back?"

"I'm not sure anymore." Zakuro said, biting her lips. "But what's up with you? You look... so..."

Zakuro tried to put her finger on it. Chichiri looked the same and even had the same hairstyle. Zakuro looked at the shakujō that he was carrying.

Don't monks have that? Zakuro wondered.

But that wasn't it. Chichiri looked peaceful. Even in the dull twilight, Chichiri seemed serene... almost glowing. And as though to confirm Zakuro's thoughts, a tiny yellow canary settled on Chichiri's head.

"Soryo-sama." Zakuro said, respectfully folding her hands and bowing.

Chichiri chuckled.

"The transformation might seem sudden to you." Chichiri said, his eyes trailing to the scars on Zakuro's neck. "How long have you been gone for?"

"9 months." Zakuro said, sadly.

"No, no." Chichiri said, the canary hopping on his finger. "How long were you in your world?"

Zakuro stretched her finger, trying to pet the canary. But the canary flew away.

"Three days." Zakuro replied, following the canary's path.

"That was short." Chichiri said, smiling. "I'm glad you're back."

Zakuro looked at Chichiri gratefully.

"Really?" Zakuro said, smiling, tears falling down her cheeks again. "Are you really glad that I'm back?"

Chichiri nodded.

"I know it must have been terrifying." Chichiri said, kindly. "Being sucked away from your world and being thrust into a world of demons. But you decided to come back in three days. I knew you would because..."

Chichiri cut himself short. Zakuro frowned.

"Because?" Zakuro pressed on.

Chichiri sighed.

"I don't know much." Chichiri said, honestly. "The mortal world is well veiled from the realm of Gods. But I hear whispers. Whispers about you. They are never clear. But the Gods mention you a lot but I don't know why. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm convinced you have a big role to play in this war."

Zakuro heart was throbbing.

He doesn't know. Zakuro thought, pushing away the fear that plagued her when she left.

But it didn't seem so scary anymore, now that Zakuro decided not to die. A part of her laughed. Zakuro shrugged in response.

"I don't want to put pressure on you." Chichiri said, as he observed the grey sky. "I studied this world for 9 months. And of one thing I'm sure. Destiny works in mysterious ways."

Zakuro controlled her giggles. She had met Destiny. She seemed more spoilt than mysterious.

"And destiny is working with you to end this war." Chichiri continued. "And I don't know how I can help but I would like to offer you my services."

"Services?" Zakuro asked, confused.

Chichiri got to his knees.

"Zakuro." He said, politely. "Please allow me to help you win this war. I will protect you with my last breath for I know now of the kindness and generosity humans are capable of. I want to make it my life's work to save them."

Zakuro blinked, confused for a second. Then she burst into laughter. Chichiri looked up at her confused.

"Stand up." She said, wiping a tear from her eyes, as she slowly rose.

"God! I needed that!" Zakuro said, as she calmed down. "You're my friend Chichiri. A friend I drank with. A friend who risked his life to save mine. For that I'm eternally grateful."

Chichiri started to say something. But Zakuro raised her hand stopping him.

"I see you looking at the scars on my neck." Zakuro said, smiling. "You think you owe me or something. But that's what friends do. We help each other. You're not going to help me win this war. We are going to win this war together. I'm not sure if you get the difference. But..."

"I get it." Chichiri said, his expression soft.

"So." Chichiri said, after a while. "Where do we start? And where is Nuriko? I don't sense she is around."

Zakuro didn't answer.

"Nuriko is working at the Hokkan Royal Palace." Zakuro mumbled after a while.

Chichiri frowned but didn't ask any further questions. Zakuro looked back to towards the general direction of the cave.

"Their life forces are strong." Chichiri said, understanding Zakuro's concerns. "Suzahara's, Tamahome's and the other humans with them. Though they are close to the source of the demon portal."

"All of them?" Zakuro asked.

Chichiri nodded.

"Maybe you should help them." Zakuro muttered in a while. "You're strong. You won't get in the way."

Chichiri frowned at Zakuro.

"I will wait here..." Zakuro's voice trailed off.

But Chichiri didn't move.

"If I thought they needed help, I would have gone to them first." Chichiri said, reassuringly. "They're strong. Have faith in them."

And almost immediately, a bright light glowed from the cave's direction.

"Suzahara closed the portal with the help of the kidnapped spirits." Chichiri commented.

Zakuro nodded.

"I want to see Nuriko." Zakuro said, making up her mind almost immediately.

She didn't know if she could stand to be around Suzahara anymore. She ruffled through her bag and took out a notepad. She mustered up all the ancient Chinese she had memorized for the High School entrance exams.

I'm going to find Nuriko. Chichiri is with me. And then the three of us will find a way to close the gates of hell. I'm borrowing the blanket. - Zakuro.

Zakuro reread the note a couple of times. She wanted to add something. She wanted to shout at Suzahara and apologize to him at the same time. But she did neither.

"Let's go." Zakuro said, as she stuck the note in the cloth bags.

"Are you alright?" He asked, concerned. Zakuro nodded, as she wrapped the blanket tighter around herself.

"We're going to have to get you warmer clothes." Chichiri commented, frowning.

"And better shoes." Zakuro added.

The two set off towards the Hokkan Royal Palace, the note fluttering slightly in the breeze.

AN:

Translations:-

Jiangshi- Reanimated corpse.

Shakujo- Monk's staff

-X-X-

So I researched a bit of Chinese supernatural mythology. Just a bit because a lot would give me nightmares! And in honor of the walking dead, the demons of the day is are zombies! :) So now I plan on making Zakuro travel a LOT. It's a good thing that she gave up those shoes. She is going to now actively work towards doing some good and not dying in the process.

Hope you guys like this chapter!

As always, keep reading.