This chapter was Beta read by akasoeki.

Chapter Nine: The Curse Activates

The Artifacts of the Scarred

Chimeran Crystals: Gemstones created by solidified magical essence, transmutation and spell properties. No two crystals are alike, even if they are made by the same person casting the same properties into the same spell components. Some crystals are made from mundane components, like quartz, transmuted and reconfigured to hold a spell or enchantment. The most common, quartz, is for anything in the Scry Theory class. Some crystals are pulled into existence by spell matter condensed into a corporeal form, like Opal Sapphires, which are a required component for the Sanctuary spell.

Chimeran Crystals are have difficulty ratings similar to the input spell's casting level. The power required is increased by 10% and the spell equation must be adjusted to reflect that. Creation time varies, as some spells do not want corporeality or to be held in stasis. The simplest can take a few minutes, while the most complex can take months, or even years, to finish.

*Special Note: Chimeran Crystals with "Opal" in the title are harder to create because they allow you to attach multiple spell types set into a single crystal. Without this added complexity in its basic make up, the spell memory can only hold one equation and the energy to power it at a time.

Once we made it back to Yusuke's city, we parted ways for just a bit. He had been gone for six months and I didn't want to interrupt any teary eyed reunions with his friends and family. Besides, I needed to get a hotel room for the week and give Sakyo a call. I'm sure he would be interested in the progress I've made. When he didn't answer, I left a quick message on his voice mail and and refilled the empty bottles of water in my bag. Byakko grumbled irritably until I picked him up and put him right in my hoodie pocket. He curled into a contented ball and went to sleep.

After that I explored the city a bit. Since I'd come to Japan I hadn't really gone anywhere populated. I'd traveled across the ocean with Sakyo in his private jet. His place was secluded and secure and from there I'd been taxied straight to Genkai's mountain.

It was odd and kind of exhilarating to be surrounded by such a dense mass of people even when just on a sidewalk. It was like a sensory overload with dozens of different signals and energy readings flying back at me. At first I just leaned against the wall as if resting and let everyone pass by me. When I felt like I could handle the press, I ducked into the crowed and moved with the flow of people.

It had been a while since I had to cover up like this. Genkai's mountain didn't require me to wear a hoodie and sunglasses to cover my "blindness" the way this place did. People started jumping to some strange conclusions when someone could walk unaided, despite having no sense of traditional site. It was easier to cover up and act in ways that didn't draw attention to my differences. Oblivious as most people were on the journeys through town, I don't know why I worried in the first place.

Byakko didn't quite feel the same. He was curled up with claws prickling against my inner shirt and I could feel his mental hiss every time someone managed to jostle me in their careless hurry. When he got irritated enough to growl, I reached in and just pulled him out. You win, I told him and cuddled him between my shoulder and chest. He grumbled a bit more before resting his head on the top of my shoulder and glaring at the people walking too closely behind me. After that he wiggled himself into my hood and stretched out behind my neck like a tiny, purring scarf. The hood hid him from view, my height kept him safe.

I passed by a cellphone store and paused before slipping inside. Yusuke didn't have his own cell and in this day and age, that was just silly. I also knew that it would be hard to check up on the kid when I finally had to leave. It took all of five seconds for me to pick out a "pay as you go" type model. I put Genkai's number in and then my own as well. When I told the cashier to program the name as "Dimwit's Phone", she looked at me like I was crazy, but did as I asked. Before leaving, I called Genkai and told her I was giving the brat a cellphone and relayed his number back in case she wanted to terrorize him. Because I'm a fantastic fake big sister.

After I left I walked around for a bit, just exploring this urban jungle and it's natives. I hadn't gone too far before something skittered across my senses. It felt somehow familiar and different, and not quite human. It was a curious feeling. Stretching out my senses, I began to follow it, making sure to mask my energy and walk with all the stealth Amaru had trained into me.

I was lead into an alley. There were buildings all around me and a wooden fence following along the row of stores and apartments to my left. When I finally turned the corner I saw Botan walking about ten feet ahead of me. I recognized her immediately as the blue haired girl who came to urge Yusuke on during Genkai's tournament. It felt like forever ago since all that had happened.

She had on a dark red leather jacket with a high waist and carried a metal baseball bat. Her outfit was a red...catsuit type thing with elegant white ankle boots. As out of place as it looked, it suited her pretty, but inhuman features. "Hey," I announced, not wanting her to get startled and bludgeon me.

She did whirl around with wide eyes and look at me. "Oh, its you!" She walked forward, "I'm Botan. I don't think we were actually properly introduced last time. You're Sarai-san, right?" When I nodded she went on, "I was hoping I'd find you. I have a message for you."

Thinking it was from Yusuke I walked forward, "Cool, what's up?"

We both froze at the same moment. I felt a weak demonic aura drawing near. "Hold on a sec," she put her finger over her lip, silently telling me to shush. She got into a solid batting stance, setting the perfect trap for the demon that was rapidly heading towards us.

As I sent my senses out further, I could feel the demon being chased by Yusuke's very recognizable aura, as well as what I remembered to be Kuwabara's. Well, what are the odds?

A demon in a trench coat ran forward, right into her trap and she let loose a very unsympathetic swing right into its midsection. It let off a resounding crack and sent the demon flying back eight feet through the air.

"Now that is team work," Botan casually rested the bat on her shoulder and smirked at the two dumbstruck boys after they rounded the corner.

"Botan!" Yusuke's startled voice always held more agitation than anyone else's. "And Sarai too?! Are you stalking me?"

"Don't be a moron," I shook my head.

"Hey, its the pretty girl," Kuwabara's face went a little pink and he had the goofiest expression. He wasn't talking about me.

"I've been shadowing that one since he slipped through the barrier two days ago," Botan announced, her pinkish lavender eyes were locked on the unconscious demon.

"So...what is he?" Kuwabara was hunched over slightly as he peered at the demon's patchy green skin.

"He looks like he grew up too close to a nuclear plant," Yusuke mused.

"I'm pretty certain he's a spy sent from the place you'll be going on your next mission."

Yusuke's spine went ramrod straight in an instant, "OKAY BOTAN," he started, "You can stop right there." His eyebrows were drawn down over his intense, angry eyes, "I just got back from Grandma's evil boot camp today. I deserve a vacation." He turned and started walking away, "Why don't you call back in two years..."

My smirk fell with Botan's next words. "Guess you don't mind everyone in the city being turned into a zombie?"

Yusuke paused and looked back over his shoulder, "Does that question have a point?"

"Koenma received a message yesterday. It was sent by an agent, much like the one that we just walloped." She went on to explain that these "Saint Beasts" wanted immediate immigration into Human World. I could feel Takara thrumming through our connection with agitation and worry.

"I don't see what all the fuss is about," Yusuke started, "If Koenma is in charge, why doesn't he just deny the request? And who are these stupid Saint Beasts?"

"They are four of the most notorious criminals in all of the spirit world. The name "saint" was given to them by their followers. Years ago they were chased by a coalition of pursuers and they locked themselves into a booby trapped fortress." She shifted her weight as she continued, "Since then, a whole city has been built at its base, filled with vile crooks that view these beasts like Gods. Its called the City of Ghosts and Apparitions."

She started walking away, back towards where the demon and the boys had come from. I followed behind them, tense and wary. Yusuke called after her, "Hey, aren't you going to finish your story?"

She lead us to a larger alleyway where a bunch of boys with strangely colored skin were sprawled on the ground unconscious. "Why don't you take a look at those boys you knocked out..." she gestured to them with her bat.

"Man, not even a full day and you're already knocking heads in?" my murmur wasn't quiet enough because Yusuke whirled on me.

"Hey! They pulled knives on us...urh!" the end of his rant was cut off when a nasty looking green bug crawled out of the mouth of one of the unconscious boys.

It was on the large size for a bug, being around four or five inches long. It looked like some kind of demonic wasp to me and gave off a strange energy signal.

"Ew, tell me I didn't just see a bug crawl from his throat..." Yusuke sounded as disgusted as I felt. Kuwabara looked like he might puke.

"They're called Makai insects," Botan explained, "Its a parasite from the darker parts of the spirit world." She continued on, despite the "hurking" noise the redhead started making. "They bury themselves under the skin and nurture the primal parts of a human's brain. Minds occupied by this insect develop a need for destruction, physical power, and murder." Her words sent chills down my spine. It was like a real life Dead Rising, only I guess the zombies didn't technically die and rot.

"It will be a disaster," she finished.

"Well, can't we tell people? There's gotta be a cure..." Yusuke questioned.

"There is, but ordinary people can't see the insects. The afflicted will be viewed as merely psychotic and I'm afraid the cure will not be first on the human's minds."

"Wow," my voice was quiet, "so people have no control over their actions and who they hurt...even if we do manage to stop them, some lives will be ruined forever depending on what trouble they get into..."

"I'm afraid so," Botan nodded. "That's why we have to try and resolve this quickly. They will continue to multiply and the situation will grow exponentially worse..."

"Then what the hell are we supposed to do?" the younger boy was getting frustrated now.

"The only way to rescue the city is to kill the Makai insects," her gaze was locked directly on Yusuke's face. "The only way to do that is by destroying the whistle. Without the whistle's sustaining frequency, the Makai insects cannot survive outside of spirit world."

Yusuke rested his chin in his fist as he thought. I just stood near Kuwabara, who seemed to have gotten over his sudden bout of nausea. Yusuke then asked, "So how long do we have before these beasts leave their castle and come to Earth themselves?"

"At this point, they can't. For years we've had them trapped inside their city with a barrier wall," Botan supplied.

My interest jumped a little higher. A barrier that big would have to be truly something. I wondered if one person created it or if perhaps several people working together made it. My thoughts were interrupted as Botan went on.

"By orchestrating this insect invasion, they hope to force us into opening the barrier." With her words, the pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together.

"Ah, so they'll give you the whistle if you open up the wall," Yusuke seemed to have understood as well.

"Instead we'll make a small breach in the barrier to let you in. Eventually you'll find them and take the whistle."

"And if I'm not able to beat them?" He questioned her.

"I don't think I have to tell you what would happen if all the demons from that city are unleashed on Earth..." her words definitely left me feeling a little shaky. Byakko nuzzled his face into the side of my neck. His silky kitten fluff tickled over my skin as he tried to comfort me.

"I gotta be honest with you, Botan. This takes the record for confusing." He and the blue haired girl went over a simplified version of the same information once more. Enter hostile territory. Defeat the Beasts. Destroy the whistle. Be home in time for dinner.

"Okay, okay," Yusuke finally groused, "I just can't believe Koenma expects me to take on a whole freakin' city of demons alone." His face was the picture of annoyance and exasperation. "Don't they send teams out for this kind of thing?"

"Oh, you're not going alone!" Botan's eyes leveled on me suddenly. "I've been asked to see if Sarai will join you. Koenma knows you're looking for answers and he's willing to make an appointment with you if you'll help Yusuke avert this disaster."

I cocked my head to the side, "Who is Koenma?"

Botan got a weird look and blurted out her statement just as Yusuke looked like he was going to answer first, "Koenma is in charge. He knows lots of stuff so he can probably answer your questions!" Was this Koenma perhaps who Genkai had been talking about?

"Hmm, give me a second..." I pulled off my backpack and grabbed Takara.

"What about me, Urameshi?" Kuwabara spoke up. The other two seemed to have forgotten about his presence until that moment. As they began to argue about whether or not the redhead should go, I ignored them and flipped open Takara.

It didn't take me long to find the section called The Creature Compendium and after that I just flicked my question at the spellbook. Who are the Saint Beasts? Spidery crimson text appeared on the page just like I'd been expecting it to. Takara had been tense as Botan was talking, she had to know something we didn't.

The Saint Beasts are four very dangerous demons who represent an aspect of one of the Four Heavenly Kings. Arrogant and prideful, they've taken the names of these aspects and believe themselves to be Godlike.

*Genbu- The Stone Golem

*Byakko- The Tiger Demon

*Seiryu- The Ice Dragon

*Suzaku- The Lightning Phoenix

Long ago they were pursued deep into Spirit World by powerful enemies because of their crimes. Among them was the Scarred Daughter Kurenai Nakamura. You can read more about her journey later...

More importantly, if Yusuke is going to defeat them, it will help you heal the sigil. Every soul with an Aspect of one of the Four Kings will release the essence of that aspect back into the life pool to be reborn again. You can capture that essence before it dissipates and use it to reawaken the other three souls in your sigil. It will be difficult and quite dangerous, but I do not think its an opportunity you can pass up if you want to make good on your promise to help the trapped spirits.

My attention bled back into the world around me just as Kuwabara finished an epic statement, "Cause my name's Kuwabara and in case you guys forgot I've got a sword!"

Botan was slouched in defeat, "Well, Yusuke, I guess there's no point in arguing with the eager..." She straightened up and looked over at me, "So, Sarai, what have you decided?"

"I'm going."

With everyone in agreement, Botan lead us to a door. The boys were close behind her and I was further back. When she opened it, a cloud of dust flew out causing Yusuke and Kuwabara to choke and cough. "Watch for dust," she said.

"Gee," Sarcasm dripped from Yusuke's words, "Thanks for the warning."

This place was filthy. The air was stale and I could sense the whispery touch of cobwebs on my "sight." Botan started crawling around on the dirty floor, knocking the tiles with with her fist. "This is where they were supposed to put the breach in the barrier." She tapped her fist twice on one of the tiles and suddenly a section of the floor popped up slightly, "Bingo."

As she pulled up the section of floor, I felt the creepiest aura emanating from it. It reminded me of the Dark Forest a bit, like there was a miasma clinging to the air that went too close to it. I hitched my backpack up to a more comfortable position. Takara's comforting hum vibrated against my back.

The floor section pulled up to reveal a cavern of mist that glowed green in my senses. It was like looking down into a void for all that I could sense beyond that. "You could give us a rope ladder or something..." Yusuke didn't seem to like the look of the unfathomable drop either.

"No, jumping down should land you safely on the outer bank of the city," she smiled up at Kuwabara after that, "You know that you don't have to go if you don't want to. No one will hold it against you. The same goes for you too, Sarai."

"Oh, okay then. Goodbye!" Yusuke happily turned around and started to walk away.

Botan snaked her foot out and tripped him, "Not you, Yusuke. The spirit detective does not have a choice in this. They do..."

"Don't worry about me, lady. I sort of feel like a spirit detective myself," Kuwabara answered, "And as for detectives there's no turning back." He pumped his fist and jumped fearlessly into the green mist beneath the floor. "Hiyaaa!"

"He really jumped," Botan was more than a little shocked by his sudden action.

"And I already said I was going." I stepped towards the opening and then glanced over at Yusuke, "Don't wuss out, brat." And with that, I hopped down as well.

As it turns out, the portal did not set them safely down on an outer bank of the city. It belched them out of the sky about fifteen feet above the ground. The boys hit the ground hard and fell down. Sarai felt a pulse of energy shudder out beside her left ear as a stored spell was activated; she floated gently and slowly to the ground.

"Ah damn," Yusuke was rubbing his jaw.

"How did you do that, Sarai?" Kuwabara rubbed his lower back where he'd slammed into the rocks.

"Feather Fall, a spell I learned. I put it in a pearl," the woman pulled her hood aside slightly to show the single dangling earring on the left. The pearl was on her earlobe with a white, chap-stick sized feather dangling below it. "It activates automatically if I'm about to fall more than ten feet."

"Neat," the redhead commented as he patted dust out of his hair.

Everyone looked forward to see the castle looming up out of the tree line. It was kind of odd shaped and the architecture was clearly not made for aesthetics. "Well, I guess we're here," Yusuke said as the boys stood up.

Sarai got a sudden, strong feeling of danger and grabbed the symbols for the barrier spell out of fugue without truly knowing why. It was more important to trust the intuition she'd been honing over the last six months than to play guessing games in this place.

Suddenly the ground started shaking. Rocks and dirt moved upwards as demons popped right out of the ground like zombies. Their eyes glowed a menacing yellow as they locked onto the group of humans before them. Their teeth and claws were a sharp gleaming white. "Yes," his raspy, high pitched giggle was more than a little deranged, "we found a treat!"

More demons started popping out of the ground all around them. It was starting to seem like a bit of a trap. Or maybe shitty luck, Sarai thought. Really shitty luck, she amended when even more appeared. They were surrounded by a mob of these filthy, stinking, creatures in tattered robes with their hoods drawn. The demons encircled the three humans, trapping them, and advancing.

"What are those things?" Kuwabara whispered.

"I'm not exactly sure, but they're not friendly," Yusuke didn't take his eyes off the ravenous demons.

Sarai's arms flicked outwards suddenly and blue light enveloped her. "Well, what are you waiting for? Kick some ass!"

"We will eat you!" the demon cackled in glee as he jumped forward, only to have Yusuke slam his fist right into the demon's ugly face.

The boys started fighting off the horde of demons, while Sarai stood watching from the safety of her barrier. These monsters were weak, but they had very favorable numbers on their side. The boys were having trouble fending them off, so Sarai summoned forth an offensive multiple target spell she'd learned and practiced over the last few months, "CHAIN LIGHTNING!" she shouted.

Prismatic lightning shot out of her palm at one of the demons, zapping the shit out of it. Before there was even time for it to fall over dead, the lightning jumped to another demon beside him. The process repeated another eight times, the whole thing taking place over the course of three seconds. The demons it had connected with fell over dead, but there were many more to take their place and harass the boys. "Fall back into the barrier if you have need," she called. The woman couldn't understand what the hell Yusuke was up to, she knew he was stronger and faster than that. Maybe he doesn't react well to ambushes?

When Kuwabara was overwhelmed he called out, "Urameshi, there's too many of them and I'm not sure, but I think they wanna eat me!" His voice was too deep and raspy to be considered a squeal, really, but there was definite tones of anxiety in it. "Help me!"

Sarai snapped out another chain lightning spell to clear a path to the redhead. "I'm coming!" Yusuke yelled on his way over, but two demons pounced on him. "This is gonna be pretty lame if we die before we get to the stupid castle!"

Oh for crying out loud, Sarai yanked power from deeper within fugue, planning to expand her barrier around her in a torrent of offensive energy. Her barrier glowed brighter suddenly and as it's properties changed from defensive to aggressive, it lost it's blue coloring and shifted to millions of shimmering prisms.

She'd just been about to put the finishing touches on the equation when lightning flashed in the sky and time seemed to stop. She did the one thing that Takara had warned her over and over not to do. She lost the grip on her spell. But there was nothing she could do. He had arrived and the curse momentarily took over her body.

The moment he appeared, I felt a snapping sensation in the curse scar. It was like a rubber band dissolving enough to finally break and with it the spell bound wraps that covered half my face lit into a heat-less black flame. I barely registered it though. My blood felt like it was boiling beneath my skin, which by comparison felt like it had been washed in ice. I'd seen him with my sixth sense and I knew exactly what had happened. My curse was no longer in a dormant state.

When the spell hit full power, I lost myself for a time. The power was too great for my tiny human brain to fathom. Before I had a chance to see with my own eyes, darkness gathered at the edges of my vision and swept over me like the tides. It was freeing, it was painful. Bliss and contentment mixed with the pain, mellowing it to a bittersweet mixture that spoke of the human experience.

The spirits of the two demons coalesced in a tree branch. The flare of their energy, combined with the energy from the opening and closing portal sent the weak demons running in panic. "It seems you could use some help..." a smooth voice observed.

"If those nothings were too much for you we're going to have some serious trouble." Another lightning flash revealed Hiei as the second speaker. Standing beside him was Kurama. They both jumped down in front of the boys. "The fugaki are trash."

"Well, well, well, the thieves," Yusuke's voice sounded pleased.

"Hello," Kurama greeted him politely.

"Well what are you doing here?"

"Even that fool Koenma knew it would take more than human power to kill the Saint Beast," Hiei answered.

"Koenma has assured us we can clean our slates if we help," Kurama expanded.

Yusuke laughed, "I guess Koenma heard me complaining." He turned to his tall friend, "Hey Kuwabara, let me introduce you to these guys." He gestured to the shorter demon, "That's Hiei," then moving to the red headed demon, "And that's Kurama."

"A pleasure," Kurama smiled.

"Oh and that is Sarai...uh..." his voice trailed off when he turned and got a look at the woman behind them.

Her skin was shimmering prismatic, bright enough to bleach any color but what made up her energy. Her hood had fallen down at some point, her shades were a melted mess on the ground, and now the boys could clearly see black flames burning the bandages wrapped around her face. Yusuke's eyes widened.

"Holy crap, her face is on fire!" Kuwabara rushed towards her to put it out.

Before he made it there, a hissing voice called out, "I wouldn't, if I were you." The little silver and gray striped kitten was sitting on a rock at Sarai's feet.

"D-did that kitty just talk?" Kuwabara had a look of awe crossed with horror as he stared at the tiny creature.

The kitten flicked his ears, quite unimpressed, and looked back up at the girl, "Her curse just activated," as it spoke, Yusuke's spine stiffened slightly and he glanced at the two demons who'd just appeared, "She is fighting for control at the moment. Her body might interpret you as a threat while her mind is busy elsewhere."

"Uh, is she going to be okay?" Kuwabara looked up at Sarai. The black fire was slowly eating through the bandages, but didn't seem to be affecting her skin or hair in the same way.

The kitten did not answer, but stared up at the woman. The light shining from her skin pulsed once, then twice. Her palm lifted suddenly, pointing at a boulder about the size of a deep freezer. The light seemed to grow brighter and then a thick cord of raw power shot straight into the rock, blasting it into dust with a crack that could be felt in one's sinuses. The light rapidly began to dim after that, pulsing a few times before diminishing completely.

A/N: Well, well, what do you think? Next time Chapter Ten: The Gate of Betrayal.

Don't forget to review! :)