Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ One Last Wish ❯ Training Day ( Chapter 9 )

One Last Wish

Chapter 9: Training Day

Heaven Sent Tenshi

 

Warning: Violence and Disturbing Images

Ending contains some graphic descriptions. It isn't too terribly bad, but the squeamish are now fore-warned.

 

Night blanketed the Earth. Shadows lingered in a thick fog, shrouding the scenery. Dark clouds hovered in the inky sky, caressing the moon as she casted borrowed light upon the grounds of Genkai. Stars flickered around the moon, pinpoints of lost light, shining desperately and futilely against the cloud cover. A soft breeze had picked up, rattling the green leaves, some spiraling down to the grass. Trees hummed a soft lullaby in the wind.

 

Genkai's home was silent. No single light flickered in the darkness. The rhythmic sounds of sleep floated from the buildings in which its occupants dozed. But just outside the grounds, one figure stood; a solitary sentry. Red eyes burned in the night, fixed upon one of the buildings.

 

The breeze tossed his cloak around, his hair swaying. His arms were folded over his chest, a frown lining his face.

 

"Babysitting," Hiei hissed, eyeing the energy signal that burned dimly in the building. The energy pattern was strange; black, nearly corrupt. He never did like Miryn's energy pattern much, and the girl, Myleen, had been correct in saying that it made her stick out like a sore thumb.

 

Hiei sat himself down on the branch he stood upon. The limb groaned, but was under little strain. He sighed.

 

That idiot, Koenma... How dare he give me the soul task of teaching her something she obviously won't be able to control...? Just because she inhabits Miryn's body doesn't mean she can understand or control her abilities. We don't even know for sure if it's Miryn's body. Perhaps she has merely taken on her form. Hiei's usual frown deepened, as he rose to his feet once more. I'm quite sure tomorrow will prove to be an annoyance…

 

He leapt backward suddenly, his cloak billowing forward just before he disappeared in the on-rushing night.

 

~~~~~

 

The sun had risen, casting light over the grounds. Long shadows loomed in the dew covered morning, reaching out toward the western horizon. A crisp breeze blew in irregular bursts, rattling leaves as it passed them by. The air smelt of dew and freshness.

 

Hiei's silhouette was a black smudge against the renewed sun. The silhouette faded away, swallowed by the bright rays of sunlight. He reappeared on the ground, approaching the building in which Myleen slumbered.

 

Her shockingly white eyes were shut as she smothered her face in pillows, hiding from the few rays of light that had found their way into the room. She had fallen asleep in the dress she had found herself in the day before.

 

Hiei's short, spiky-haired shadow loomed in the door. He quietly scratched the door aside, casting his elongated shadow on the floorboards.

 

Myleen stirred softly, shying away from the sunlight that poured over her. She murmured her disdain of the sun. The light then parted suddenly, leaving her back in the dark.

 

Suddenly, Hiei punted Myleen's mattress. The girl yelped and blankets flew to the floor, as Hiei announced that it was time to wake up.

 

Myleen spun onto her back (she'd later wonder how she had found herself in this position), grasping her chest as she gasped for air. Her white eyes traveled up to find Hiei standing over her, his blood-red eyes narrowed and unimpressed.

 

“G'morning, Hiei,” she breathed.

 

Hiei grunted at her, turning, appearing suddenly in the doorway. “Get up. Now. Your training starts in ten minutes.”

 

Myleen blinked at him several times before slipping her legs off the bed, gingerly rising to her feet. Something in the back of her mind screamed that this wasn't right, that she shouldn't have been able to survive her fright or be able to stand.

 

“Hurry,” Hiei snapped. Myleen straightened with a start before tossing her blankets over the bed. Hiei disappeared from the doorway before she was able to turn around. She hurried to the door, looking around at the outside world.

 

She looked up, curious as to what time it might be. She could hardly see the sun over the tree line. It was early.

 

“What are you doing?” Myleen turned to find the short fire demon on her right. Before she was able to answer him, he added, “It doesn't matter. Follow me. If you can.” He disappeared again.

 

Something deep in the girl's mind told her to look north-east. She turned to her left, catching movement in the brush. Without thinking, she took off at a jog toward the movement. It was surprisingly easy to travel the distance to the trees. Neither her body nor her dress stopped her, or attempted to.

 

As she became enveloped in shrubbery, she continued to receive silent instructions from her mind. Confused, she followed the “Hiei ghost” through the forest.

 

She ducked tree limbs, waded through bushes, tripped over fallen trunks and narrowly avoided small trees. She could hear the soft sigh and rattle of Hiei landing on tree branches above her. Her bare feet padded along the dry leaves, sticks, dirt, and debris, not at all bothered by their rough, usually uncomfortable textures.

 

Soon, Myleen found herself exchanging the deep shadow of the forest for the bright sun of a clearing. Myleen turned to find Hiei, stopwatch in hand, glaring at her from a tree stump. He clicked the button on the watch.

 

“Nine minutes, fifty eight seconds. You were almost late.”

 

Myleen gaped at him. “Was… was that a test?”

 

“Of course it was.” Hiei rolled his eyes at her, stuffing the watch in a pocket of his cloak.

 

“A test of what?” If I can dodge killer trees?”

 

Hiei paused. What sort of situation had he found himself in? “No, I was testing your ability to track energy.” Myleen opened her mouth to reply, but she wasn't given the chance. “Let me explain something to you.” Hiei lowered himself onto the stump on which he stood, hands on his thighs, leaning forward slightly. “Koenma told you that Miryn was half light, half shadow demon. What he didn't tell you were the advantages of such a rare breed.

 

“Normally, shadow demons track their targets by slipping into the space between this world and the Shadow World, where shadows go to mimic humans and demons. Basically, they follow the shadows of their prey.”

 

Hiei pointed to the ground. His shadow, cast by the sun bearing down on his back, sat dark and silent. “The shadows are mindless servants of their counterpart. They don't know any better.” Hiei pointed to the ground at Myleen's feet. “It's very easy to spot a shadow demon in our worlds. Notice a lack of a shadow.” Myleen looked down. Indeed, he was correct. She had no shadow. “Shadow demons do not employ their brethren.” Myleen's eyes were fixed on the ground. Hiei snapped his fingers, causing her to look up again.

 

“Anyway, light demons track the energy radiating from beings of all types. It isn't the type of energy we fight with, Spirit Energy, though it is a different form of it. What ever the case, you can track it further than we can, but you can't see patterns. All you know is that someone or something is there.”

 

“So, it's stronger, but not specific?” Hiei nodded as Myleen asked this. “Then, that was what kept telling me where to look. I kept sensing you…”

 

Hiei nodded again. “That means you passed your first test. And, you arrived on time. Perhaps you'll prove more competent than I first thought.” Hiei rose to his feet, folding his arms again. “I believe it's time to test a few more things.”

 

He passed Myleen, approaching the trees again. Not another chase, the girl pleaded. “What other things?”

 

“Your connection with the Shadow World.” Hiei turned his back on the dark forest while pointing to it. “Sit here.”

 

Myleen did as she was told, seating herself on the dew-covered moss. She determined her that her dress must be waterproof.

 

“What am I sup-?”

 

Hiei silenced her with a wave of his hand. “Stop thinking.”

 

“But-”

 

“Stop thinking.”

 

Myleen shut her eyes suddenly, squeezing them tight. She attempted to empty her mind. A deep blackness began to seep into her sight. She gasped, opening her eyes. She then screeched.

 

“Stop thinking!”

 

“What's going on?!”

 

Myleen's hands were no more. Her sleeves disappeared into the ground, swallowed by shadow. Her legs were gone, as was a portion of her hair.

 

“You're passing through the portal. Stop thinking, that's the only way for you to pass through. You aren't at a stage where it's a conscious effort. If you continue thinking, you'll never pass through.”

 

“I don't want to, though! I don't know what's on the other side!”

 

“You honestly think I know?”

 

Myleen's eyes, hurt and frightened for the first time in a long time, stared at Hiei as the darkness continued to swallow her. It crept along the skin of her chest, covering her neck, engulfing her face until she was sucked fully into the shadows.

 

Hiei sighed. “Now, I wait until she finds a way back…” He turned, sitting on the stump again. “I suppose the best way to realize her true potential is by learning from the shadows themselves.”

 

~~~~~

Myleen opened her eyes, but found little difference in the action.

 

She was surrounded by a thick blackness. A dark fog hovered around her waist, thinning as it reached her head. Slowly, she rose to her feet, above the haze. She could faintly see movement around her. She spun around, apprehensive.

 

“Who's there?” she whispered harshly, eyes shifting rapidly.

 

A hissing laughter tolled in her ear as flittering, slender arms wrapped around Myleen's, trapping them at her side. The girl tensed.

 

`Hum-hum-humph, don't worry…' The voice in her ear was ethereal; as fleeting and impalpable as shadow itself. `I only wish to welcome you… Myleen.'

 

“How do you know my name?” the girl gasped, spinning around, slipping from the ghostly grasp.

 

`What kind of shadow demon would I be to not know the name of my mistress' twin…? The name she repeated again and again near the ending of her own life…?'

 

Myleen, gasping for air, watched the shadow, which had a faint human shape. It quivered, radiating gloom as it approached her; she responded by stepping back.

 

`You may trust me. I served Miryn well and faithfully for a long time, my dear little one. And now, you have come, and brought again her body to this dimension. So now, I shall serve you. I have long awaited the return of my mistress, and by you, I have realized my yearning.'

 

“You… served Miryn…?”

 

`Some called me her minion. She and I agreed that I was her companion. Upon her death, I confirmed this, as she asked her minions, those she summoned, and those you shall summon soon, she asked them to take her to the shadows, to devour my mistress. I did not partake in this. I stayed aside, mourning the loss of Miryn while they took her, and brought her the solace she sought.'

 

“So… what do I do? I mean… Hiei's supposed to teach me about this… but… I don't understand what to do.”

 

The demon recoiled. `Hiei? I've heard that name. Why are you working with him?'

 

“They're helping me. Him and Kurama, Yusuke and Kuwabara, Koenma and Botan… They're going to protect me from that demon… Kargon.”

 

The demon hissed. `Please, Mistress, do not speak that foul name.' His shimmering head looked about; the shadow demons which usually floated around the Shadow World retreated from the area, as though fleeing from the name, though, they had nothing to fear. The Hakaisha had no interest in the Shadow World. The shadow turned to Myleen again. `It was that… that thing that drove my mistress to her death.'

 

“I'm sorry…' Myleen held her hand to her mouth. “But… I still don't understand what I'm supposed to do… Please, demon, I need your help.”

 

The demon nodded. `I will help you, as it is my duty. And if it is easier for you, call me Yotinba.' Myleen nodded. `There isn't much I can teach you, besides the laws of this world, the ones you can't learn from anyone besides those who reside here, as well as how to summon myself or your minions.'

 

Yotinba flittered to Myleen's side, wrapping its seemingly stretchy body around her. It leaned into her ear again. `You are not welcome here. You are not welcome anywhere. You cannot stay in the Human World, for you are a demon. You cannot stay in the Demon World, for that is where your enemies await you. You cannot stay in the Shadow World, for you are half Light Demon. You are not welcome anywhere.'

 

“But I'm staying in the Human World. They don't seem to notice.”

 

`You have allies. People to keep you safe. Miryn did not have these allies, for it was a time before these people you mentioned must have lived. Or, in Hiei's case, a time when things were different. Whatever the case, this is how it was. So you must be very careful where you go. Here, I am your only ally. Because of that, I have a lower rank in this world. I cannot protect you from the shadow demons long, so you cannot stay long. If you could, Miryn would still be alive.

 

`This is only thing you truly need to know and understand. If you find yourself in true danger, come here, and I will protect you as long as I can. But, after that, you must leave. Use this world as transportation, if you must. But not as a permanent hiding place. You may also travel in the space between this world, and the others. But shadow demons will not take kindly to your intrusions. So be careful.'

 

Myleen nodded. “How much longer can I stay here?”

 

`Not much longer. In fact, I must hurry and teach you to summon your minions and myself.

 

`Deep inside you, there is a dark core, radiating with shadow energy. This is your power supply; use it and you will harness your potential. For now, I will only tell you one use of it, but there are more. Hopefully you will learn the other abilities that go along with your power core. I need you, when you are out, to look inside yourself and find the power core. Do not be afraid of it, for it will not harm you; it can only protect you.

 

`Harness the power of the core, embrace the darkness inside of you and you will be able to do what you must with it. Once you have, call out to your minions. They will come. They are loyal and will give their lives to protect you. And that is all you need to do.'

 

“That's it? No summoning ritual or anything?”

 

`No. Just harness your core, and call out to your minions.'

 

Yotinba pulled away from Myleen, searching the area. The movement was drawing closer, the shadows thicker. `It is time you left.' It unwound itself from around the girl, appearing before her. `Sit,' it instructed, offering a hand to the ground. `I will tell you how to go between the worlds and then you must leave.' She nodded. `Think hard on the place you wish to go from here. If not, you will end up in either the Demon or Human Worlds, at random. Think about the place you were. Soon, you will feel the embrace of the shadows and they will return you. If you ever wish to return here, merely think of the shadows as a portal and pass through.'

 

“Hiei said to stop thinking for me to go through…”

 

`He does not know the inner workings of your body. He does not understand. I do. On these matters, I wish you would trust me.'

 

Myleen nodded.

 

`Good. Now go, they are growing restless.' The shadows crept ever closer, closing in on them. Myleen nodded, closed her eyes, and thought of the clearing she had been in before. Yotinba wrapped around her as she began to melt into the darkness, slowly becoming swallowed by the shadows.

 

~~~~~

 

Hiei was sitting on the ground in front of the stump, watching intently the spot Myleen had been sucked into. He frowned. How long would this take? He knew she couldn't stay long in the Shadow World; she wasn't welcome there.

 

Something in the brush stirred. Slowly, he rose to his feet, hand on the hilt of his katana, watching the bushes. The bottom of a bush shook lightly. With a click, he unlatched the sword from the scabbard, ready to pull it out and cut down whatever came toward him.

 

Myleen's black hair and multicolored shine peeked through the bush. She tumbled out suddenly, rolling to a stop at Hiei's feet. He grunted at her, sheathing his sword again.

 

“What took so long?” he murmured.

 

“Long? I wasn't gone that long, was I?”

 

Hiei scoffed at her, turning and sitting on the stump. “What did you learn?”

 

Myleen blinked, sitting up. “I learned a little about Miryn, like how she died. I met a shadow demon who didn't like you much,” Hiei glared at her, “I… uh, I learned that there's a power core in my body and I have to find it in order to use my powers. And Yotinba said I can summon minions when I harness the power inside me. And I'm not welcome anywhere, not even the Shadow World.”

 

Hiei nodded. “Good. You'll find your power core on your own; for now, I'll refresh your body in hand-to-hand combat.”

 

Myleen blinked at him, but not for long. He disappeared from the stump the next moment. She sensed him behind her, which triggered an automatic response: rolling out of the way. Hiei's sword dug into the grass where she once sat. She gaped at it.

 

“Reflexes are working. Good.”

 

He turned, swinging his katana at her head. She ducked, rolled out of the way again.

 

“Are you trying to kill me?!”

 

“No,” Hiei stated flatly, lowering himself a bit and poising his sword beside him, “I'm merely trying to strengthen you.”

 

He lunged at her, attempting to drive his sword into her chest. At the last second, she leapt up, and without thinking, attempted a kick to his head. Hiei dodged as well.

 

And thus began a long day of sparing, much of it all reflexes for Myleen.

 

~~~~~

 

Kargon was growing impatient. His fingers tapped on the arm of his throne. He had called for his demon minion and it had yet to show up.

 

Slowly, the demon lord rose from his throne, his face becoming illuminated by the candles of the desk beside his mighty chair.

 

“It's almost time…” he said to himself, eyes shifting over the tabletop. He reached out to the table, taking a picture of Hiei into his hand. He had been debating on whether or not to pay him visit. After all, their contract had yet to expire. “Perhaps I should enlist you again, Hiei? You proved quite the scout… not to mention fighter…”

 

The rustle of the door-flap caused Kargon to turn, tossing Hiei's photograph onto the table again. The hunched demon scurried to its master.

 

“Master! Oh, My Lord, it is done!”

 

“The portal?”

 

“Yes, My Lord, the portal's construction is complete! And on-time, My Lord.” The demon rubbed its grey hands together greedily.

 

“Excellent.” A wicked grin spread across Kargon's lips. He turned to a muscle-bound demon that stood sentry at the door. “You there!” He beckoned the demon to him. Apprehensively, it approached him, kneeling at his feet.

 

“Yes, Master?”

 

“Take him.” Kargon pointed to the grey demon. It looked up, fear in its large black eyes.

 

“Master?”

 

“Take him, and tie him to the Feeding Post.”

 

The large demon nodded, grabbing the scrawny one round the neck.

 

“Master!” It pleaded, scratching at its captor's hands. “You can't do this to me! I created the portal!”

 

“Yes,” Kargon agreed, “that you did. However, I have no further use for you. Merely one less mouth to feed. You understand.” His grin grew larger, bearing the pair of fangs in his mouth.

 

The gaunt demon screamed and struggled as the sentry took him from the tent. Kargon turned, chuckling quietly to himself as he took Hiei's picture into his hands again.

 

“Yes, I do believe I shall track you down and have you fulfill your bargain with me, Hiei. After all I did for you… it's the least you can do.”

 

He tossed the picture down again and stalked out of the tent.

 

Small tents surrounded his, but there was a large space with a tall pole in the middle of the encampment, just outside Kargon's tent. This pole was referred to as the Feeding Post. When a demon had fulfilled its duties and proved itself worthless to him, Kargon had the demon bound to the Feeding Post, where the other demons would dispose of it. This was usually a frenzied time, much like piranha devouring their prey.

 

The grey, gaunt demon, which resembled several of the other demons in the camp, struggled futilely against its bindings. Half the camp had already encircled the Post, licking their lips and clicking their jaws.

 

As Kargon stepped out of his tent, the sentries stood on either side of him, escorting him to a raised platform. The demons knew better than to begin their frenzy before he instructed them to do so.

 

“I wish for all the demons of the camp to be present. Gather them.”

 

Hurriedly, many of the demons scurried away to find those who were not there. Soon, there was a crowd of one hundred-eighty-four demons surrounding the post and the platform. All were salivating and watching the little demon hungrily. It was frightened now.

 

Kargon held up a hand to silence the demons and they all turned to him, prying their eyes away from the pole. “My minions, the completion of the portal has arrived!” he announced, stirring the demons into applause and cries of joy. “The time has come! The chosen few shall enter the portal and bring to us the twin of the sacrifice! We will resurrect the Enslaver! The Human World will be ours!” The roar of the demons was so loud it was deafening. They cheered for four minutes before Kargon raised a hand again. “To mark this day, I offer you a snack. Afterward, we shall feast on human flesh!” Cries rang out again. “Feast my minions! For our day of reckoning is upon us!”

 

The crowd surged. Hungry mouths tore at the demon's skin. Blood gushed over the crowd, and the frenzy began. Kargon stood upon his podium, cackling, as his demon army tore open the demon. It screamed in pain and horror, but the calls fell on deaf ears. All of the demon world could have heard the turbulent cries of the demons and laughter of their master.