Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Homeward ❯ And So Shall Fire Take you ( Chapter 3 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. In no way to I lay claim to the characters or plot from this anime. However all original characters are of my own creation and are not to be copied without my permission.

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“Speech” `thoughts' /telepathy/

Flashbacks ***dreams*** Narration

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Rating: R for language, light gore, and some situations, which are inappropriate for children.

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Homeward

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Summary: “Life's a voyage that's homeward bound.” - Herman Melville

The path to war is winding. The path to victory is long. They carry you far from home. Yet the ReikaiTantei must face the roads' winding if they are to save the three worlds from civil war and collapse. Rising tides draw lines across the Makai, awakening rifts between clans. The human world turns to their weapons. Spirit World faces King Enma's wrath. Peace is far off and gone yet tangible even as the end draws ever nearer.

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Chapter 3:And So Shall Fire Take you

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Kurama, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Hiei all stood in the Spirit World palace, waiting.

Yusuke shifted his weight, irritated at having to wait. Granted he was standing in King Enma's audience room and this was the God-King of all of Spirit World…but still…'Come on…'

After another long moment two large red doors opened at the end of the chamber. King Enma, standing some 7 or 8 feet tall strode in. Dressed in typical Spirit World regalia he was an imposing figure…or certainly would be. However the god appeared heart broken. He strode heavily towards his throne, climbing the three steps and sitting heavily, his posture slightly stooped.

Dark brown eyes landed on the four, jaw setting under the heavy beard. “Yusuke Urameshi. Kurama. Kazuma Kuwabara. Hiei…what do you want? My son is hurt, gravely injured by some damn demon. I've refused to see anyone.” Enma tightened his hands into fists resting on the armrests of his chair.

Yusuke opened his mouth to speak but stopped for a moment. Enma's face was lined with grief, carry and worry etched in the forehead and around the eyes. Yusuke sighed. “We're to help.”

“Help.” A large breath came and was exhaled, turning into a small wind from the god. “Help? How? How can you help Ko-Enma? How can help any of this? You are four very strong fighters, and have given aid to Spirit World so many times…yet how can you help? This is beyond even a god's power.”

Kurama stepped forward, glancing at Yusuke. “Agreed. This matter of both Ko-Enma's condition as well as the current state of the three worlds, even if not linked, would take a great deal of time to rectify. Who's to know if such an endeavor could even be accomplished?”

Enma looked at him warily, sitting taller. “Am I too assume, Youko, that you know what is wrong? Do you know why the winds have changed?”

Now it was Kuwabara's turn to speak and shook his head slightly, preparing him self. He was after all speaking to a god…however silly Ko-Enma was, this was a whole `nother matter. This was King Enma! “Sir, uh…the elements are out of balance. You see, someone told us exactly what we could do to fix everything.”

Brown eyes larger than Kuwabara's head rested on him skeptically. “And who would know such things? The ogres, record keepers, even spirits which Spirit World keeps as council do not know what is wrong and certainly do not know how to go about `fixing everything'.”

Kurama again leapt speak. “A Spirit came to Kuwabara. He is a sensitive, and spirits can easily communicate with him. This particular spirit is female, and has given us a tremendous amount of information-”

Enma cut him off with a wave of his hand. “What is her name? I will bring her here immediately. If some rogue spirit has eluded her afterlife so be it. If she knows of some method to rectifying this mess she had best speak with me.”

Kurama nodded deeply. “Asurha of the Inari.”

The god-king froze, looking at Kurama first with confusion and then with annoyance. “You joke. An Inari hasn't been heard from in 5,000 years or more. They are all dead and faded away by now. They're spirits aren't even in circulation any more.”

Yusuke rocked on his heals and inwardly groaned. “White hair, purple eyes, short kimono, pale skin? Sound like an Inari? Or what about the fact she's about Hiei's height here? Oh and there's the fact she's powerful enough to flit back and forth between the worlds as she pleases? Which, I think, should be impossible?” The dark-haired teen glared back defiantly. “We know who we spoke to.”

The air around them all seemed heavier suddenly, stifling and oppressive. Enma sighed, wiping his brow and muttering darkly. “Fine. If you claim to have spoken to her so be it. I'll call, and see if she is truly of the Inari.”

The god stood stiffly, placing both massive hands before him. He turned his palms down and closed his eyes, humming slightly. The air moved in response, turning suddenly frigid. However light began to form around Enma's outstretched fingertips before engulfing his hands.

A flash of silver sparks answered a few feet in front of the throne, Asurha leaping into view. She stood stiffly, her back straight as a board.

Enma clapped his hands, dismissing the energy before he sat again, looking at the semi-solid form before him and the boys. “I was told you know of how to aid us.”

Purple eyes blinked in answer and she took a step forward, becoming instantly whole. Her skin flashed pale, her hair answering with a glowing pristine white. She nodded once. “The elements are out of balance. Hatred, Rivalries, and Change are tearing your worlds apart. The elements respond…the balance must be restored.”

Enma gravely stroked his beard and looked at her. “The Inari have been dead for thousands of years. I can see their race in you, yet how am I to believe you continue to exist? Your kind is dead, gone from this plane of existence. Why are you here?”

Purple eyes shimmering, her face's skin tinted pink by the light. She tilted her head. “Your salvation is my own.”

Kuwabara blinked, remembering clearly what she had said before in his `dream'. “I see life. I see endless beauty. I see your world. My own is gone…faded from memory. Yet I am still here. I watch and wait, wishing to see my home, my people. I wish to return.”

She continued. “I was left behind, to guide you all. This end, which you are facing, wasn't meant to be. It has been created and does not suit the Plan. I cannot allow it come to fruit. I have called to many, cried out in dreams for ages. Yet none have listened to my warnings. Until now.” She turned on heal, leather sandals noiseless over the tiled floors. She walked before Kuwabara, looking at him intently. “I ask for form, High Enma. I ask for a temporary life in order to aid these who will answer my call.” She settled her eyes on Enma, meeting his gaze evenly despite her size. Lamps beside his throne flickered, light dropping. Yet she glowed. “I can save your son. I can save the worlds. I shall save them all with their help. And so shall I rest. So shall I find my salvation through your own. And so shall I-” She waved a hand before her towards a lantern, causing it to burst into light. “Fine my own way home.”

Enma nodded. “Heal my son, then save these worlds. Or this life I am granting will be of little use to you. I shall make sure you never rejoin the Inari, Asurha, or any other living or dead soul.”

She nodded, bowing and swishing a kimono sleeve to floor.

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Asurha stood at foot of Ko-Enma's bed, starring at his still form. He was by all appearances sleeping, his teenage form's face peaceful. Yet his temple was bruised darkly, his right arm in bandages. He wore a white garment, traditional of a sick room.

The only other figure in the room was Botan, who stood by the door trembling slightly. Ko-Enma in his current state scared her deeply, unsettling the natural balance of her life. A god was not injured…that's not how it worked.

“Botan, that is your name?” Asurha's voice crept across the dimply lit room, waking the Spirit Guide from her thoughts. Botan nodded. “Very well, could you please put out the lights? I only need a candle.”

Botan blinked, rolling her left sleeve up and reaching out to the nearest lamp first, extinguishing it. Then she walked around them room, putting each of the other three lamps out. Then she took a candle from one, handing it to Asurha unlit.

White hair was brushed back roughly, purple eyes glancing from Ko-Enma to the candle. “He is weak…his form is draining him even as he sleeps to recover. He would lay like this until either this world shatters or until he simply fades.” She held the candle out in front of her, closing her eyes. “Botan, please do not look.”

Pink eyes blinked in answer as the blue haired girl opened her eyes to ask why, but a suddenly brilliant flash of light silenced her and closed her eyes. However it was only a flash. Botan blinked in the darkness, trying to let her eyes adjust.

A small hand took her own and guided her to a lamp. “Light it now, please.”

Botan blinked, fumbling to press the button which would light the candles and the wick which rested in oil. After a moment of fumbling a soft yellow light crept across the room. Botan turned instinctively toward Ko-Enma.

He lay unmoved, yet the teenage face which had rested there before now was that of a small child's. Ko-Enma slumbered peacefully. His chest rising and falling. The dark bruise, appearing even harsher on his temple remained however. Asurha spoke softly. “I cannot waste my energy on such superficial wounds. I broke his transformation however. He can rest in this form, regaining his energy until he is well enough to wake.” With that she walked to the wooden door and stroke out, not saying another word.

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The human world, the Negenkai, humid and hot. The air was stifling and hard to truly inhale. A storm raged overhead, no rain, only lightning, blistering winds, dark clouds, which blotted out the sky and sun. Thunder rumbled and shook the very earth as it cried out its wrath. The storm raged on, covering the land from one horizon to the next.

As soon as the portal closed, Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei could feel the difference in the air. Each looked at the sky above them, worry lining their faces. Asurha however remained calm, even as the wind whipped her hair about and tugged at her kimono, she stood still. In life her hair and eyes had changed little. Her clothing was darker, more real. And her skin had the tint of life, however faint. Yet she was for all the pulse thrumming in her veins, still every much as otherworldly. She strode through the forest, which the had been dropped into, gracefully and without sound. She left the others to follow.

Yusuke quickly however caught up with her. “Where are we going?”

“Water rests in this world. Guarded by twins of earth.”

“You said that! Where are these `twins' and what are they?” Yusuke had to raise his voice over the wind. She had claimed that fire would destroy the human world. Yet wind raged, which is what she had said would harm the spirit world. Yusuke shook his head, confused.

She stopped, looking back at him first, then leveling her gaze with the other boys. She reached out with her hand, pointing towards two large mountains. “Water rests between the twins of earth. You must release it. Fire shall be quenched.”

Kuwabara furrowed his brow. “What fire?”

As if in answer, lighting lit the world around them, blinding light piercing the darkness of the storm. The bolt traveled downward, erupting into a pillar of fire that rained across the forest south of them. However from where they stood the fire appeared one small red ball. Yet Kurama inhaled. The fire was near the city…and the wind blew forward, stirring the flames to move towards where their homes lay.

Asurha was silent. She simply turned and continued to walk through the undergrowth. Each follow quickly.

After sometime, watching the fire on the horizon grow ever brighter, they came into view of a small building set on a small single paved road. The road wound to the south, leading to this small outpost. Upon reaching the pavement Asurha looked at Kurama. “There's something you all need to hear. Humans' hatred is erupting…check your technology. You will understand.”

Kurama looked towards the single level building, walking towards it and trying to door. Sure enough it was unlocked. No cars rested outside, and upon entering the small room there proved to be no sign of any other people. He wondered for the purpose of the building when his eyes rested on monitors resting on a desk. The gray brick walls were cold, industrial-like. And he soon understood why. “Yusuke, this is a look-out post for watching the dam.”

Yusuke blinked, understanding dawning. “Water…” He turned to Asurha quickly. “We open the dam and the water will keep that damn fire from reaching the city…but what does that have to do-”

The woman nodded. “It will save your homes. But it is not where the Element rests. This is only to show you what must be done.” She gestured toward a radio. “Listen to the voices of humans.”

Kuwabara quickly turned on the machine, turning the dial to what he knew was a news station.

“Peace talks between United Nations today fell apart. The meeting was held in an attempt to ease the stress with the continued presence of America in the middle east. Countries Iran and Syria left peace negotiations, although hope still remains of settling these disputes-” The channel changed. “Forest fires through out North Western United States claim millions of dollars in damages as well as over 100 lives. The fires swept through northern California and are reaching inwards with the aid of high winds.”

Another channel. “Chinese authorities claim that a secret invasion of government controlled news and institutions has led to an uprising by the Chinese people. Gun-fire erupted outside of a large University this morning along with bomb threats permeating the outlying buildings.” Another. “Israeli and Palestinians have declared war over a recent `invasion' by Palestinian rebels. The opposing forces, both equipped with substantial military power, began operations this morning.” Kuwabara pulled his hand away from the radio.

“What's going on?”

Asurha sighed. “Humans' hatred is coming through. Fire shall consume all, whether by nature or by human efforts.” She looked at Kuwabara. “Balance must be restored if your people are to survive.”

Kurama's voice whispered through the room. “Opening the dam, if that is your intention, would cause flood problems throughout the city.”

She shook her head. “The Element will see to that.” She walked just outside the door and gestured to the closer of the two mountains, then to the other. “She rests there.”

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End of chapter 3