Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ The Iridescent Caress ❯ Shadow Battle ( Chapter 5 )

Chapter 5

Shadow Battle

Syrus cast her eyes over the grounds, watching the shadow sentries make final preparations on the castle. From her position on the turret, she could see over most of the grounds that surrounded the castle. A shadow sentry rushed past her in a cloud of darkness toward the frontal battlements. Without turning, Syrus knew that her guests of honor had arrived.

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Yusuke was blinded by the sudden flash of white light that accompanied the teleportation spell. Blinking away spots, he took in his new surroundings. Before him was a monstrous black castle, looming over the deep forest surrounding it. He and the other seemed to be in a courtyard, standing on a shiny black platform. Gold lines meandered through the stone, tracing out a figure. From where Yusuke was he could see the outline of a clawed foot, like that of a dragon. Carved paths of the same stone, minus the lines, twisted away into the neatly kept gardens. A slightly wider path led through a massive gate and ultimately to the palace itself.

Sensing no imminent danger, he turned is back to the castle and found each of his teammates. Kuwabara was slightly ashen faced, Hiei and Genkai were remote as ever and Kurama was…..fixing his hair. When he noticed Yusuke, he dropped his hands sheepishly. With a sigh, Yusuke looked around for the guide. "Hey, where's that..."

"Shall we?" Anthemia was standing on the wider path, head turned back to them. "We need to get there promptly." With that, she turned and began to make her way up the path again. Yusuke and his team followed, passing though the huge gate. Twin stone dragons were crouched on pillars, defending the gate with sparkling eyes and massive claws. Each had a ruby for eyes, and were about the size of a lion. There wings were unfurled slightly, casting shadows over the gate itself. Yusuke glanced at them apprehensively, they looked like they were ready to come alive and rip them to pieces.

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Anthemia noticed the glances to the guardian dragons. Inwardly, she laughed. Those two were one of the last things they should be worrying about right now. She made her way up the gradual incline of the path, heading strait for the castle. When she reached the main courtyard, she flew into the air and hovered at about head height, waiting for the group behind her to catch up.

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As Kurama made his way up to the patiently waiting dragon, he noticed the stillness in the air. Like the world was holding its breath.

You're just paranoid. I think your human traits are getting to you.

Great. What do you want Youko?

I've been bored cooped up in here. I think it's my turn for a taste of the world.

No. Not here.

Yes.

Kurama crashed to his knees, clutching his head. The others turned abruptly, and rushed back to assist their fallen companion. With a howl, Kurama threw them all back, and his red hair began to bleed white. Claws pushed from his fingers, and ears poked through the red and white striped hair. With a final howl, Kurama's transformation was complete. Youko Kurama stepped from the smoke that accompanied his human side's sudden vacation from the world. "So, what's going on here?"

Youko! Let me out! You're going to endanger everyone and the entire mission!

Quit acting like the spoiled human you are. I'm just going to have a little fun…

.

Anthemia watched the transformation with amusement. She'd heard about the fox demon's periodical inability to control his demon half, and it looked like the human side had just lost. All that much better. Shari would have fun with this one. With that she opened her mouth and let out an ear-piercing screech. Instantaneously, shadow sentries appeared upon the battlements of the castle. "Have at them!" She yelled, and flew up and away as the flood of shadow swept into the courtyard.

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"Oh shit." Yusuke and the others spun to meet the sudden flood of shadow. With the reflexes of a tried and true detective, he raised his right hand and fired. "Spirit Gun!" The blue blast wiped out a good portion of the first wave, but more began to stream from the battlements.

Kuwabara, Hiei and Genkai lined up beside Yusuke, ready for the fight. Both Kuwabara and Hiei had their swords out, and Genkai was glowing something blue in her hand. He would have glanced back to see what Youko was doing, but the wave of shadow sentries was already upon them and everyone was directly focused on battle.

Hiei slashed through hundreds of the shadow's, but thousands more came from the castle to take there place. With relentless anger, he tore through the weak, shadow-stuff bodies. Yusuke was moving much slower, unable to use his Sprit Gun because of the close range of his teammates. Instead, he and Genkai worked back to back, defending themselves in hand to hand combat with the assailants. Kuwabara was in the same predicament as Hiei, but pressed on regardless.

An overhead view of the battle ground would show a mass of shadow, and four actively fighting figures in the middle of the mess. Each of the shadows died silently, and simply vanished, but for every one killed another two took its place.

Youko Kurama stood quietly in the middle of all that shadow. Defending himself with a simple wall of Makai plants, he watched the four fight the constant supply of minions.

If your going to take control you might as well help them!

But this is much more entertaining.

With supreme effort, Kurama managed to somewhat regain control, shrinking Youko's ears and tail, and causing his hair to bleed red.

Fine! I'll assist your brainless friends.

With a slightly visible effort, Youko regained control and produced a rose from his hair. With a simple flick, the rose became the ever deadly Rose Whip. The shield around him flowed slowly back into the ground, and the shadow's rushed forward for their newest target. Without blinking, Youko spun and flicked his whip, clearing a good 5 yard circle around him. The shadow's moved forward constantly, but without any exertion, he kept them back.

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Anthemia watched from an upper ledge, clearly enjoying the hopeless predicament below. The shadow sentries Syrus had gained would wear them down beautifully, and then she would unleash there next adversary.

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"Do these things ever end?!" Yusuke threw another punch to the torso of a shadow, and watched the blue light of his spirit energy dissolve the creature.

"If you'd been paying attention instead of mindlessly fighting, you would have noticed that the flood has slowed down!" Genkai landed behind Yusuke, five of the sentries vanishing behind her.

What she said was true. Everywhere the amount of shadows were disintegrating, slowly but surly. With renewed effort, Yusuke dived back into the fray. Around him, the rest of the team also noticed the gradual decline of foes. Hiei and Kuwabara slashed through them with renewed vigor, and even Youko Kurama slowed down his onslaught of attacks.

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Anthemia watched as the shadows slowly dwindled without worry. They would all be exhausted after fighting such an overwhelming force, no matter how weak. Calmly, she rose her wings and alighted from her perch on the battlement. She caught a slow updraft and spiraled slowly above the finishing battle, much like a waiting vulture.

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With a final kick to its head, Yusuke destroyed the final shadow before him. Breathing a bit heavily, he looked around for anymore. Hiei landed silently beside Yusuke, eyes trained to the castle. Kuwabara joined Yusuke's other side, drawing back his Spirit Sword. Behind them, Youko replace his Rose Whip into his hair and began to make his way to the castle.

You are an insufferable problem.

And you think your not?

Your just grumpy because you had to help someone.

Shut up.

Yusuke looked to the sky, and saw the shadow of Anthemia slowly circling above them. "Damned dragon led up strait into a trap."

"I knew we shouldn't have trusted it." Hiei's eyes never left the castle.

"Well, we did and there's nothing we can do about it now." Yusuke looked at the fire demon, who refused to meet his gaze. "Where's Youko?"

"Right here." Said kitsune stopped beside Kuwabara. "I think were missing a member of our party…"

A scream lit the air, but not one of human tongue. Above them, Anthemia was flying at the stone dragons, who were….

"What the hell is going on here?!" Yusuke yelled, staring unbelievably at the two lion sized dragon coming toward them, eyes glowing and claws extended. One broke off and started in a head first dive for the courtyard. Thinking that the stone was just retarded, Yusuke turned his attention to the second one, still heading strait for the four boys.

"Lets see you handle these two!" Anthemia called, flying above them. She could see what the first dragon was aiming for, and did a somersault in midair. Ooo, they were going to be so sad….

The second dragon swooped over the heads of the boys, who dove away from its claws. The wind from its passing blinded all four, and it was a few moments before any of them could see again. A hollow thump echoed from the first dragon. Looking up, Yusuke saw it raise its head and shoot a bout of victory flame into the air, followed by an ear-splitting screech. Beneath the dragon's front claws was a body.

"GENKAI!"

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Is Genkai really dead? You'll have to wait till next chapter to find out. My apologies for such a long wait on this installment, I got really sick. Thanks to peppermint tea, a bottle of Aspirin and lots of rest, I'm feeling a lot better. Till next we meet!

Dragon Warrioress