STAND STILL by Danielle Winters
Chapter 3: Skeletons in the Closet
"These humans know no love for me." Enma said in despair.
"You did not create them. The gods did."
"I am also a god." Enma argued.
"Your jurisdiction is to pass judge to souls who cross the river Styx."
"Silence!" Enma shouted. The deity he was talking with took a step back. "I am the gatekeeper to the seven doors of eternal life. Humans should learn to love and fear me. I alone can determine whether they'll bask in the warm lights amongst the gods or suffer eternal punishment in the underworld."
"Your highness, I have the most brilliant solution to your dilemma." A wicked smile graced the feature of the deity Enma had just scolded. "We the sacred guardians are at your disposal." He added.
The prison guards fell one by one and the next thing the former Reikai leader heard was the sound of metal hitting the stone floors. His prison cell has been opened and someone had approached the disgraced leader. Enma could not believe his eyes upon seeing his visitor.
"I have come to free you, your highness."
"Satotsu…" Enma breathed. The deity smiled upon hearing his name.
"We, the sacred guards are at your disposal. You can take your thrown again for your son had fallen." Satotsu said as he removed his No mask revealing a handsome face that could rival the gods. In his other hand he showed Enma a golden flame.
"Koenma…"
As the head of the ferry girls, Botan has been bestowed the title deity of death. She has always been dubbed as such even before she was promoted but what set her apart now was that she was granted a divinity status…a goddess to simply out it. It was her goddess status that prevented her from visiting Ningenkai. They were, as much as possible, prevented from meddling in the affairs of both humans and demons, especially in her case.
As the deity of death, her job does not only mean overseeing the other ferry girls but to ensure that the souls who have received their judgment from Koenma will properly be escorted to the gates of judgment. The spirit guards were also at her disposal to ensure that no souls can escape the gates and cross back the river Styx to the realm where they came from.
Sensing something isn't right, Botan bolted right from her chair and ordered one of her ferry girls to get in-touch with the spirit guards. Humans call it intuition and Botan knew better than to trust what her gut is telling her. 'Unusually high number of demons being ferried across the river isn't normal and I suppose Koenma had already noticed it.' She thought. 'What on the three worlds is going on…' She approached the window facing the gates of judgment and the scene before her sent shivers on her spine.
The gates of punishment were opened. The spirit guards' in-charge of guarding the gates were brutally slaughtered. Hovering above the souls coming out from the gates was a being wearing a Shinto priest's attire. The red hair of the being was neatly tied in a bun. 'This can't be!' her thoughts raised and all she could think off was Koenma-sama and the safety of the realms. Botan said an incantation and in a matter of seconds, several spirit guards appeared before her.
"Set-up a kekkai barrier between Ningenkai and Reikai. All ferry girls in duty re-direct them to Genkai's temple. Restore the kekkai barrier between Makai and Ningenkai." She ordered sternly. Without question, the spirit guards left her and do what they were told. Botan then summoned her orb. The least she can do is to put up another barrier around river Styx as the spirit guards attend to her orders. She flew to a huge stone in the middle of the river Styx. Its pristine waters were turning crimson signaling an impending chaos that looms ahead. Botan began to chant as the kekkai barrier materialized. 'Hinageshi, be safe. I hope it's not yet too late.'
Hinageshi flew towards the ferry girls' headquarters as quickly as she can. She was shaken by what she had seen in Koenma's office. Ayame had ordered her to quickly go to Botan and take her away from the river Styx as quickly as possible. Ayame's reiki has been drained already but she stood as she prepared to defend the young ferry girl. Koenma was stone cold on the floor as George tried to put a kekkai barrier around the fallen leader's body. Before Hinageshi flew out, he saw a being clad in a Shinto priest's garb and a sad No mask covering its face. "I hope I'm not yet late!" Hinageshi said to herself she sped towards Botan's office. She saw the roof of their headquarters but nothing prepared her for what she had seen next.
The usually calm and pristine river Styx is now blood red and with swarms of souls trying to pass back towards Ningenkai, Makai and Reikai. The gates of punishment, where all souls both humans and youkai who did atrocities in their life are being punished, has been left open. Her fellow ferry girls are being pulled by the souls in the river while some tried to flee. On the roof of the headquarters stood a being who was wearing the same outfit as the being that attacked Koenma but it's No mask bears a smiling expression. On the shore of the river Styx, across the headquarters stood Botan. She summoned a kekkai barrier to hold-off the souls trying to get to Ningenkai and Reikai.
"Botan-san!" She called out. Botan saw her and she had determined look on her face, however, Hinageshi noticed that she was getting weaker and weaker from holding off the kekkai barrier and she continues, she will eventually drain her reiki and life force.
"Hinageshi leave this place!" Botan shouted back.
"I can't! Koenma-sama is down. Ayame-sama is left to defend the Reikai Palace." She yelled as tears streamed out of her eyes. Botan was shaken upon hearing that their new leader has fallen. She closed her eyes and knew she had to hold-off the souls or else chaos will come to Ningenkai and Makai.
"Hinageshi warn Yusuke-san and the others!" She ordered.
"I can't leave you!"
"You must! No one will hold-off these souls. Go! Don't make me repeat myself."
With a heavy heart, Hinageshi flew away but the being standing on the roof of the headquarters was not about to let her leave. Sensing that Hinageshi will be attacked, Botan chanted a spell and a kekkai barrier appeared around Hinageshi. It further drained her reiki but if it means saving Reikai, Ningenkai and Makai, she does not mind losing her life. "I wish I could have…" Botan thought. Hinageshi passed through Botan's kekkai barrier and sped towards Yusuke's ramen shop.
Botan had reached her limit but her strong sense of responsibility kept her going. She held the kekkai with all her might, stopping the souls coming from the gates of punishment from crossing to the other side of the river Styx. She knew that the spirit guards had put up another barrier outside the river Styx but if she could contain the souls in her area, it would give Hinageshi and their last string of hope to prepare for the worst. 'Hinageshi…I hope you're safe.' She thought.
"Botan dearest, give up! Don't throw your immortality just to save this pitiful co-existence that you believe in." Haruko said to her as she removed her No mask. Her golden eyes held no remorse but instead, it held ire of chaos and lust for power. Her hair tied in a neat bun was comparable to the blood now flowing on the river Styx.
"Haruko-sama please stop!" Botan begged. "Enma-sama has been imprisoned and now is a new era of co-existence. The sacred guardians should be helping us in maintaining this peaceful era."
"We are doing our job my dearest student. Co-existence is something ideal and impossible to achieve. We are teaching the humans how dangerous it is to live with demons and thus we're unleashing everyone from the gates of punishment and by instigating a civil unrest in Makai that will drive its inhabitants to Ningenkai."
"Both humans and demons are judged and sent to various gates. Not everyone in the gates of punishment is a demon!" Botan argued.
"Oh my dearest student, you are naïve. Those who experience the tortures in any of the gates of punishment become a demon. Their souls become corrupted and eventually give up the hope of salvation." Haruko explained. "Dearest, I am so sad to see you suffer like this. Let me end your life now so that I may go on my sacred mission." Haruko the summoned scythe on her hand. "After all, I am the original deity of death." She added as she attacked Botan. Helpless and weary, Botan closed her eyes preparing for her soul to be ripped apart from her reikai body.
Botan did not know how long she waited but she did not feel anything. Slowly opening her eyes, Botan saw a petite woman with pinkish hair standing before her, blocking the huge scythe. She then felt a warm aura enveloped her and gust of wind surrounded them.
"Spirit Wave!"
The pink-haired woman looked at Botan. Botan gasped upon recognizing the soul standing in front of her.
"Genkai-san…"
"My how you're powers have grown in the past years." Genkai said. Her soul had returned to its youthful state.
"Genkai, the Great Spirit master….you've been sent to one of the gates of paradise. How come you're here?" Haruko asked incredulous. Genkai snorted as she took a battle stance to defend Botan.
"An imbecile clad in a priest's attire entered the gate and attacked all the demons sent to paradise. Unfortunately, he met his demise when he attacked the lazy anorexic bum who used to be one of Makai's mazoku. The imbecile irritated the former mazoku for chanting 'purification' and 'and all demons are evil'." Genkai answered. "To cut the story short, the gate was left open and we caught wind of the commotion from another priest who was frightened to his wits upon seeing the former mazoku."
"Raizen's in one of the gates of paradise? Enma sent him there?" Haruko asked.
"You got to give credit to him though for starving himself to death and for keeping a semblance of peace in Makai when he was still alive." Genkai commented.
Sensing another presence coming from her back, Haruko teleported back to the top of Botan's former headquarters; Botan's eyes widened upon seeing Toguro otouto. The younger Toguro chose to be given a heavier punishment compared to what Koenma was supposed to give him for he believes that he should atone for his atrocities. Toguro then stood beside Genkai and was preparing himself the deity of death who held the kekkai barrier around the river Styx.
"What's this, the former duo reuniting once more? What a ridiculous sight!" Haruko mocked as she held on to her scythe.
"You have to hold on longer Botan. This can get rough." Genkai warned.
"We'll do everything we can to protect you deity." Toguro added.
"Oh and I've sent the lazy ass over to Koenma's palace to help out. We've heard that this is a simultaneous attack. We have reason to believe that Makai's being attacked as well." Genkai reported.
"I've already ordered the spirit guards to return the kekkai barrier between Ningenkai and Makai. I am praying that they made it in time." Botan reported back.
"You did well Botan. You've grown so much." Genkai complimented her. She smiled at the spirit master weakly.
"The two of you are no match for me. I am Haruko, one of the sacred guardians. Your ki are no match with my seikouki." Haruko declared.
"We don't care who you are." Genkai shouted. "Anyone who threatens to harm others is considered enemies of any of the realms."
Yomi was relieved to see the spirit guards come to his aide. In all honesty, despite the vast reserves of youki he possess, he was running low on energy for setting up the kekkai requires huge amounts of ki; not to mention he had to fight off demons desperately trying to cross to Ningenkai for fear of their own lives. Someone has been on a killing spree and no one was spared. He would not care if the demons killed were in lower spirit classes but most them were already in class B and A, quite powerful already and the likes who would not be killed without a fight. Enki, the present Makai leader was alarmed by the number of demons being killed lately considering that Makai had entered an era of peace.
Their worst fears were confirmed when Mukuro called for assistance. Hiei had been attacked by an unknown being that possessed seikouki, the sacred ki. Only divinities in both Reikai and Makai can achieve seikouki. Simultaneously, there came a civil unrest. Demons feared for their extinction and tried to run off to Ningenkai. Enki fought off the being while he, Mukuro and the injured Hiei quickly made their way to the boarders. Mukuro had to bring Hiei to Ningenkai while Yomi, after Mukuro had crossed began putting up the barrier.
"Reikai is being attacked as well. Our deity ordered us to put up the barrier." The sacred guard told him. "We thank you for putting it up. We will reinforce this barrier to ensure no demon can cross the boarders for the mean time."
"Reikai's under attack? Tell me, who attacked Reikai?" Yomi inquired.
"The sacred guardians attacked Reikai." Yomi could not believe what he has heard. Now, he realized the gravity of their situation. "Let me pass to Ningenkai. I need to warn Kurama." He ordered one of the spirit guards.
A storm was brewing outside as everyone in the Yukimura ramen shop was enveloped in a stony silence. Kurama was trying to calm his raging emotions knowing that Botan was in grave danger. Hiei injuries were attended already and he had been placed inside Keiko's room for the meantime. Mukuro refused to leave his side. The door of the ramen shop slid open as the drenched ladies, Keiko, Yukina, Maya and Shizuru came in. It was Shizuru who noticed the stern look on the faces of Yusuke, Kuwabara and Kurama. Keiko on the other hand noticed Hinageshi.
"Hinageshi-san! What are you doing here?" Keiko inquired. Hinageshi ran to Keiko and embraced her while sobbing.
"Reikai and Makai's under attacked by unknown beings." Kuwabara said. Yukina gasped while Maya was utterly clueless.
"Where's Botan?" Shizuru asked and she feared to hear the answer.
"Keiko, we let Hiei use your room for the mean time. He was badly injured and Mukuro brought him here." Yusuke said. "Botan's holding off a potential disaster coming here in Ningenkai by holding up a kekkai barrier to stop the escaped souls from crossing any of the realms. Koenma has fallen down." Yusuke added. Shizuru closed her eyes and held her hand to her chest. While Keiko embraced Hinageshi tighter.
"Who is she by the way?" Maya inquired despite knowing the tense aura surrounding them.
"Hinageshi is ferry girl…she's a reaper." Kurama answered coldly. Maya's eyes widened and she took a step back. As much as she was surprised to find out that there's soul reaper amidst them, the coldness in Kurama's voice pierced her and sent shivers on her spine. She felt like he was ready to kill anyone at any moment he wanted.
"Kurama…are you…are you…alright?" She nervously asked she approached him. She again took a step back when she noticed the deadly look on his usually calm and serene green eyes. She had never seen him look this…this…serious and deadly.
"We need to know who are these beings attacking Makai and Reikai for us to better prepare if they'll attack Ningenkai." Yusuke said. "We need to send you guys to Genkai's for the meantime. The portal in Mushiyori City may be the possible gateway of these being attacking the two realms.
"We don't mind." Keiko said calmly. "This brewing storm…I guess it's like a warning for us that something's coming up." She added. Maya almost gawked at Keiko.
"But you're wedding's coming in a few weeks?" Maya inquired.
"Maya-san, there are things that you are not yet aware of but when these guys are these serious, it means the world is in peril." Keiko said seriously. "You should take a hint from your boyfriend's tone and look." She added.
The doors of the Yukimura ramen shop slid open again. Lightning struck across the dark sky as the thunders rumbled. To everyone's surprise, a weary Ayame and injured George came in and behind them was the former Mazoku and Yusuke'a ancerstor, Raizen, carrying the lifeless body of Koenma in his teenage form.
TO BE CONTINUED