Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Change of Hands ❯ The Spirit Court ( Chapter 4 )

Atheria: Hey yeah it's been forever, but I finally finished my fourth chapter. Thanks to the one reviewer (the other one is my sister… and that doesn't count :P. Well, enjoy and please review it makes my plot bunnies/muses very happy.

 

The Spirit Court

November 14, 1040 AD (Reikai plain)

 

The sun shone brightly, it's light reflecting harshly off the numerous shallow pool dotting the landscape. Shimmering from the waves that rolled off the earth from the light's brilliance, the land was nearly barren, parched from the unforgiving mid-day sun setting its glare on the last of the water in the dying soil. Little moved, or lived, in the near wasteland like conditions befalling the area, surrounding the austere crimson clay exterior of a castle. A proper title, emblazoned in bold white letters against the crimson clay, reflected the midsummer's sun, painful in it's intensity, to the party of men moving sullenly in the oppressive heat of the day.

 

A moment passes in front of the august doors elegantly framing the entrance to the mammoth interior, before the door lunched forward, as if on need of oil, and the party surged forward, desperate to retreat from the summer heat. The group had barely passed over the threshold before the massive doors began their retreat to their initial resting place. The interior had a much cooler atmosphere than the sun beaten earth outside. In fact, the entrance hall was impossibly dark when compared to the blinding glare of the world outside the palace walls. The group moved into the entrance chamber just beyond the hall that led from the doors.

 

It was quiet, with the exception of the click of the traveler's boots and the muffled voices echoing from the chamber beyond. The dim light of the passage sufficed to illuminate the doors to the inner sections of the castle, and a little of the ornate decoration. The group slowed the quick clip of their steps to a slower waltz enjoying the cool and absorbing the décor of the chamber. Though their pace was slower, the circle of men, in burgundy, still looked taut, the bearings of military men on an important mission. The man in the center, robed in black, walked with a self-important air of a commandeer, or that of the obscenely rich. The circle of men stopped in front of the gilded marble doors leading to the inner chamber. The ornate motif carried throughout the preceding hall and chamber culminated into two immense dragons spiraled across the marble doors.

 

The claws of the scaled monstrosities disappeared directly into the marble behind them, as if pressing against the stonewall. Their ruby gem eyes, cold and unmoving, stared glassily to a point impossibly beyond the horizon. Their massive jaws, still armed with knife teeth, stood wide open, the golden doorknocker held captive deep within their reaches. The twin beasts lay affixed, frozen against their unyielding restraints, as if at any moment they would reanimate and take flight from their marble prison. The man robed in black stepped forward from within the circle and placed his hands, palms down, against both of the golden rings.

 

His hands briefly glimmered a insipid fleshy color, before the light transferred into the crevasses between the dragon's scales in each if the heads.. The soft glow spread from within the cavern of the mirror image dragon mouths, up their snake like spines and straight into the recesses and curves of the marble doors. The light crept its way upwards to where the doors met their frames, then it disappeared from sight.

 

Suddenly, all of it flashed at once from within, lighting even the darkest alcoves and rafters of the entrance chamber. The doors rattled like a thing possessed pressing against the bounds of it's frame. The dragon doors hissed as steam poured from their nostrils. With a final burst of steam, the doors leaped forward and opened completely before a single breath had passed from the traveler's lips. The last burst of steam walled the inner castle from view, though the formally muffled voices were now a roar of sound. The group moved as a single unit and vanished into the wall of steam. A few seconds passed in the blurry waved world inside the steam wall, before the traveler's stepped into the other side.

 

The steam dragon doors opened onto a vista of a hustling world. Gems glittered, gold glinted, and silver sparkled, in a rich world bathed and lavished in every expense imaginable. No one noticed the traveler's, the hustlers too engrossed with their own world. Likewise, the traveler's didn't notice the reverberating slam of the doors behind them. Out of no where a group of women, dressed in rags and in obvious service to the lord of the palace, appeared and ushered the traveler's from in front of the entrance. The women scuttled quickly, weaving to and fro inside of the wriggling masses. The ring of men spread out forming more of a line, obtaining a better view of the splendor surrounding them. The whole area looked like a bazaar, the people wheeling and dealing for products or later favors, though no money changed hands.

 

“ Where are we?” the man formerly in the center spoke decisively. One of the shabbily dressed women rushed to his side.

 

“It is the ovehku, the main servant's meeting area. Ordinarily, you would be brought through the main entrance, but there is a large shipment of 3,000 de-fils being brought inside. Our master sends his greatest apologies for the inconvenience and the impropriety of your initial welcome, and prays your forgiveness.” the women's soft voice finished her speech with a demeanor even more submissive than when she started. The dark robed man contemplated her words.

 

“If he needs another 3,000 de-fils, the owner must truly live in excess. Honestly, all this decoration spent on slave's quarters! He must do it for intimidation purposes, so they know they're never away from his power and influence. I wonder whom….” as the darkly robed man continued his train of thought, the shabbily clad women turned down and corridor leading away from the slave's bazaar. The air once again took on a cool quality, and the men wiped sweat from their brow they hadn't notice form. The path ahead took on a twisted maze-like quality, forming narrower and closer hallways. The shabby women neither faltered nor slowed their pace, only marched confidently onward.

 

Suddenly, the women were no longer around them. In a flutter of motion, the group changed hands and the shabby women were replaced by young girls in lilac and sky silk and satin. Their new guides moved with padded steps, bare feet mouse quiet against the marble floor, in stark contrast to the near stomps of the shabby women. The group took several successive turns, passing the open door ways to numerous small rooms. The girls kept the blistering pace the women had set, and turned down a final hallway opening into a sizeable chamber. The girls rushed forward, the footsteps sounding like the flutter of a dove's wing, and flung themselves at the substantial doors.

 

With a strength belied in their thin nimble frame, the girls yanked the gates open, and kneeled at the sides of the doorframe waiting for the men to pass. The group passed unimpeded through the gates. The girls, bowed at either side of the door, wore collars that glowed a brilliant indigo. The darkly robed man spared one last glance at the silken robed girls before the doors shut behind them.

 

A group of scarlet silk girls rushed forward to met the group and began guiding them to their unknown destination. These girls wore collars as well, and the gem glowed a constant crimson, barely detectable in the bright salient light of the upper chambers of the palace. The group continued in self imposed silence, each person afraid to violate the pervading stillness. Abruptly, the girls stopped and their arms flew out in a flurry of movement. The wall immediately in front of them began to glow ethereally. The girls began an eerie set of memorized movements, as the wall spread apart in a hiss of steam reminiscent of the doors they had used to enter the castle. The girls stopped and stepped aside to let the men pass. The group continued silently ahead planning for another group to take them further along into the castle. The men spent a few moments inspecting the inner mechanics of the wall. The churning and hissing innards were more like something one would find in a steam ship than the insides of an ancient castle. “ Perhaps someone's been doing a little work?” The darkly robed man mused as he passed through the doorframe and onto the other side. This time no one rushed to greet them or pass them along to another part of the castle. After a quick inspection of the surrounding area, the group realized they were in the main hallway of the castle. “ Apparently, they were just shuffling us along until we reached the central part of the castle. I suppose He assumes I can get to the Throne Room from here. Lazy, arrogant prick.” The darkly robed man thought crossly. “ On the bright side, I can navigate my way from here, but He honestly needs to work on his hospitality.” The darkly robed man and his entourage began walking farther into the castle.

 

The decadent decorations started in the bowels of the castle continued in even greater excess. As the group neared the final set of doors guarding the entrance to the Throne Room the darkly robed man moved from the center of the group to the front. He didn't even bother stopping at the massive doors, but used his momentum to help open the doors. Like many of the inhabitants of the castle he was much stronger than he looked, though his strength didn't lie in the gem collars they all wore. It took a few extra seconds of effort to move the doors by himself before a substantial passage way was opened to the room behind the ingress. The group traversed the threshold only to find the doors close of their own accord.

 

“ Looks like He even bothered with more Spirit magic here.” the darkly robed man mused. All around them the room's occupants paused for a moment, taking in the new members, before silently deciding to continue with their collective work. Seated directly in front of the group was the master of the castle, and all of Spirit World, King Enma. Imposing in stature, the king of the Spirit World sat with a constant scowl frozen on his features.

 

“ Speak!” The Spirit King said in a thunderous boom of a voice, “ Who are you and what is you purpose here.” He sounded finishing His last thought. The darkly robed man stepped forward from within the group, now easily recognizable as an armored guard.

 

“ I am Lord Bealthezal, the official ambassador for the Shinobi country. I am here on business of my country to investigate accusations of espionage and creating general unrest among the human masses.” Lord Bealthezal finished and removed the hood of his cloak. Midnight hair shone in the glow of the lamps that illuminated the room. After a quick once over in His mind, King Enma recognized the man standing before Him.

 

“ You are Lord Bequial's son, from the Northern state of Everstein in your country correct?” King Enma questioned in a more civil tone. Lord Bealthezal held back a smirk.

“ He certainly knows his geography, though it doesn't earn him much in my book.” Keeping his face in its mask of impassivity, Lord Bealthezal continued, “ I am. I am flattered you would remember such details.” He spoke in a deferential tone. Lord Bealthezal opened his mouth to speak again, but the throne room doors interrupted him.

 

“ Please excuse me, I am afraid you have caught me at a bad time, you see, I have a few new de-fils to take account of. We can continue this conversation later, after I finish with my new inventory.” and with a dismissive wave of the royal hand, a few members of the court entourage ran forward to escort them from the throne room. Lord Bealthezal once again held his emotions in check, as he was promptly escorted from the throne room. After he was sure of Lord Bealthezal's departure, King Enma returned his attention to the throng of people filling into his throne room. Most were in appalling shape, missing limbs or facial features. “It is of no consequence, the castle healer will put them in workable shape again” King Enma thought without an ounce of sympathy. “ They were only slaves, worthless vile creatures whose only purpose is to service my every whim and desire.” King Enma thought with an innate sense of entitlement that only royalty can manage. The mass of shabby creatures, mostly ogres with a few humans mixed in, continued as they were processed and sent into the divisions of the massive palace. The sullen collection continued unabated for several minutes. Suddenly, the orderly procession broke into a frenzy of motion. Looking for the source of the disturbance, King Enma's eyes locked onto the center of the crowd.

 

A fox demon was throwing a fit and disrupting the whole vile parade. With twenty guards struggling with the chains that bound him, the demon was still managing to cause quite a problem. The demon screamed a few accusations in his native language at the Spirit King, before another five guards grabbed onto the chains and began making head way in controlling him. Already annoyed at the practically unannounced arrival of the Shinobian ambassador, the Spirit King had no patience for an unruly subject. With a snap of a finger, the chains on the demon disappeared, and the men formally tugging on them fell backwards from their own momentum. The fox demon had caught the King's movement at the last second, so he was left smirking over his shoulder at the mass of fallen men. The King's usual scowl was replaced with an even sterner mask of anger and revulsion. The Demon turned to face the King and made a gesture of a mock bow.

 

King Enma's patience broke and his world famous temper shone through. After a few quick motions, new chains appeared around the demon locking him to the floor. King Enma's cold eyes stared down at the demon pinned to the floor by a combination of chains spiritual bindings. In a blink of an eye, the guards were standing in a semicircle around the demon.” Take this impudent fool to the dungeon! Perhaps a few months in that hole will teach him some manners. At King Enma's command, the guards walked the bound demon out of a side door. The rest of the unloading continued without consequence, as the masses of shabby creatures marched on towards their inevitable slow death.

 

 

 

Atheria: Alight well that's the end of the chapter. I know it took forever, but that's kinda my readers fault. I don't have many reviews or even views, so I'm a little uninspired. If you want the story to continue then review or better than that tell your friends to read it. So the view counter can go up (that really motivates me!)

 

Yoko: Are we getting to the good part yet?

 

 

Atheria: Yes sir! Here's comes the espionage. And the chapter will probably be like ten thousand words (oh and if you have a problem with chapters that long speak up about it!) Any who R&R please.