Disclaimer: The Dark Warlords, Lady Kayura, Talpa, and the Ronin Warriors are all from the Anime known as Yoroiden Samurai Troopers in Japan. This Anime is under copyright and cannot be used to gain money; it is illegal and you'll pay big time if you do something like write and try to pass the characters for your own. This story of mine is completely untouched from the last time I edited it a year ago. Try to see how much my writing improved. ^_^
Started: April 30, 1998
Finished: May 4, 1998

I stared at my image in the mirror, my arms folded on my chest. A year had passed since my passing into the other realm, a year since my sacrifice for Lady Kayura. Since that fateful episode that was to be my final act in life, I have found myself surrounded by the light scenery that makes up heaven. My eyes, which once glimmered emerald with life, were filled with gloom and flatness. A sigh escaped my breath as I raked a hand through my crimson tendrils, which were long and straight. There was a frown on my face -- I didn't need a mirror to see that. Something within my heart made it impossible for me to rest peacefully, but I just could not tell what that something was.

"Is there something wrong, Anubis?"

I spun around, the mirror dissolving back into nothingness the moment my concentration was shattered. I let out a sigh of relief when I realized it was only Seraph, one of the many tenants of this 'other realm'. "No, Seraph, it's nothing," I replied, my voice betraying my intentions of lying to him.

He simply smiled in understanding. "You're lying," he stated. "It's too obvious; you're no Warlord of Illusion."

At that, I had to smile grimly. "Yes, I guess you're right. Dais does his job very well."

"So I've heard," Seraph said, nodding. He gestured me to walk with him and I followed him. Seraph's blond hair streamed to his elbows unbound, but today it was tied back in a loose ponytail. There was silence as we walked for a while, so I was caught off-guard when he suddenly spoke. "Well . . . what's wrong, Anubis?"

"I. . ." Seraph stopped, his intense blue eyes staring intently into my own. I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. "I just don't know, Seraph. There's just something in me that's telling me that my life wasn't complete."

Seraph shrugged. "Well, since I'm not you, I wouldn't know," he said softly. His thin brow came up. "Why don't you go down to Earth for one day and try to find out what's bothering you?"

My eyes must have snapped on him immediately after he had said that, as I remember his lips hadn't stopped moving yet. "Can I do that?" I queried.

The angel nodded. "Once a year, if I'm not mistaken," he replied.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" I nearly cried in bewilderment.

Again, Seraph shrugged. "I thought you knew."

I sighed and turned away. "I'll see you tomorrow, Seraph," I said, shutting my eyes and teleporting away. With this new information under my belt, I was sure I could finally find out how to reach complete rest.

The first thing I noticed as soon as I reappeared in Toyama was the fact that it was spring. It was apparent, as the sun shone beautifully and the trees around me were filled with birds and life. A smile creased my face as I strode through the park I found myself in, gazing up at the green leaves of trees and flowering cherry blossoms. As I came down on one knee to pick up a blossom that had just freshly fallen, I heard a familiar voice in the heart of the park. Taking the cherry blossom into my hand, I stood up and started towards the voice.

"Bye, Cale, be back by seven," came the sweet voice of a young woman from within the park's core.

"Don't worry, Kayura," came a man's voice, "I won't be late."

I stayed hidden from sight as I neared the heart, my eyebrows rising in surprise at the sight of my former comrades gathered in the clearing. The figure that was heading out of the clearing in the opposite direction of which I was looking into was probably Cale, and the other three were not hard to distinguish. Dais and Kayura were sitting on a bench together, kissing. This was indeed a sight to see; I had never imagined Dais to be the type of person that Kayura would fall in love with. But then again, his kanji was Serenity, something Kayura could easily come to love. Not too far away from them was Sekhmet, sitting cross-legged on the ground, his black eyes on the pond to one side of the clearing. There was silence as I watched them, but it was short-lived, as Sekhmet soon looked up, his eyes narrowing.

"We're being watched," he hissed, getting to his feet. He didn't turn to acknowledge Dais or Kayura. "Be ready, you two."

Dais broke the kiss he and Kayura had been sharing, standing up quickly. His one blue eye was darting around, trying to pinpoint the person or thing that was watching them. I had to sigh. My cover was blown -- Sekhmet's sensitive touch and sight had found me out yet again. When I saw a silver orb appear in Sekhmet's right hand, I had to open my mouth to stop him from calling upon his armor. "Put that away, Sekhmet," I said. "You won't be needing your armor."

There were gasps from Dais and Kayura as I stepped into the clearing. I can understand their shock; I had been dead for over a year and I was only wearing a simple white robe and sandals. Even from where I stood, I could hear Dais suck in his breath.

"Anubis?" he whispered, not believing what he was seeing. "Is it really you?"

I nodded in reply, watching the impression on Kayura's face shift from shock to happiness. "Anubis!" she said breathlessly, striding towards me and wrapping her arms around me. As I looked down at her, I could see tears glistening in her eyes. "My God, you're real. . . You're actually real. . ."

Sekhmet's eyes were still narrowed, but he had put away his armor orb. He frowned as he scrutinized me. "What are you doing here?" he asked softly, his voice almost being carried off by the sweet, gentle breeze.

"I am not at rest in the afterlife," I replied. "I have one day on Earth to find out what is making me feel incomplete."

The next few hours were spent with Dais, Sekhmet, and Kayura. We talked about many things, such as what had happened since I had . . . gone. Dais had been happy to announce that he and Kayura would be marrying in July, the month of his birth. Sekhmet stayed towards the background, rarely speaking unless he was asked a question. I could tell that he was uneasy around me. I don't blame him, though; we had been enemies since the first time we met in the Dynasty. He had been the newcomer to Talpa's forces; I was to be his leader. From the moment I set eyes on him, I knew that he wouldn't warm up to me easily.

Cale was back promptly at seven, just as he had promised Kayura. Like the others, he had been utterly shocked to see me. After Kayura explained to him what was going on though, he calmed down. Cale asked me questions for a while, and I was saved by Kayura, who said that we would be going out for dinner. She explained that we would go to the most expensive restaurant in the city to celebrate my one day on Earth. I had to admit that Kayura was a very happy woman now, out of Talpa and Badamon's control. It had been then that I brought up the subject about clothes.

"If we are to go to the most expensive restaurant in the city, won't we need appropriate clothes?" I queried.

Kayura had to only smile in that sweet manner of hers for me to know that she had already thought of that. "Dais," she said simply.

Her lover nodded, grinning ever so slightly at me. With a single flick of his wrist, I found myself in a handsome black Armani suit. I looked at Dais in surprise, blinking as his clothes shifted into a navy blue tuxedo. My eyes scanned over Kayura, Cale, and Sekhmet. Kayura was dressed in a slim satin dress that was as white as the Ancient robes I had once worn. Cale and Sekhmet also wore tuxedoes, black and dark brown respectively.

"Okay. . ." I trailed off for just a moment, waiting for everyone's eyes to be averted to me. I cleared my throat. "Now, does somebody have a car?"

Cale's eyes shone. "I do," he replied. He gestured for us to follow him out of the park. We walked together in silence, the sunset drawing my attention away from the path I walked every now and then. When we arrived in the parking lot, Cale stopped. My green eyes widened in surprise as the sight of Cale's car: a black Testarossa Ferrari.

I let out a whistle. "This must have cost a bundle," I muttered, looking the whole car over.

Cale shrugged, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a key chain. "It's nothing, really," he said modestly, unlocking the car and climbing in. "Everyone in."

The rest of us were quick to comply.

The dinner was quite uneventful, if I remember correctly. There was very little talk as we ate, but we managed to spend about an hour and a half in the restaurant. I have no idea how Dais managed to pay the bill -- it was surely over anything a regular man could afford -- but there were no complaints from anyone. It seemed to me that my former comrades were used to eating at fancy restaurants.

I frowned as I glanced at the clock on Cale's dashboard from the passenger seat. It was nearly ten and I still hadn't figured out why I felt so incomplete. A sigh escaped my lips. Maybe I was never to find out. I glanced behind me to see Sekhmet staring out the window and Kayura leaning against Dais, asleep. A cute couple they made, Dais and Kayura. I wished that I could be there for their wedding, but that was not to be. I would be back in heaven, contrite for a whole year before I would get another chance to search for that small thing that was bugging me.

At Dais' request, we stopped back in the same park where I had first appeared. Carrying Kayura's sleeping form in his arms, Dais prepared to teleport back to the Nether Realm. I looked him in the eye, stopping him before he could begin his concentration. "Take care of her, Dais," I said in a low voice.

Dais' one eye was kind. I was relieved to know that I would have at least patched up that hole between him and me. "I plan to, Anubis," he whispered in reply right before he disappeared.

Cale looked at me after Dais had completely dematerialized. "Where will you be going, Anubis?" he asked.

I shook my head. "I don't know," I replied, walking away from him and Sekhmet. I didn't look back at them; I just didn't know how to say the word `goodbye` to them.

The only noise I could hear as I walked through the park was my footsteps, and I kept my eyes on the ground, wondering about what I would tell Seraph in the morning. I already felt terrible enough leaving my former comrades in the dark about my leaving, but I decided that I would have to live with the terrible feeling. I had only reached my destination, the clearing in which I had seen my former comrades again, when I heard a voice behind me.

"Anubis."

I turned to acknowledge the one who had said my name, and I blinked. There stood the man that had taunted and teased me through my years as a Dark Warlord. He flicked a few strands of green hair in order to look semi-occupied, but I felt his gaze back on me a few moments later. I could hear him clear his throat, and I listened intently to what he had to say.

"You're leaving, aren't you?" he queried, a frown marring his pale visage. The question was very abrupt and short, but as I recall, Sekhmet had always been like that.

"Yes, I am," I replied, nodding. Once again, I turned, prepared to walk away from Sekhmet. I was surprised by Sekhmet's next words.

"Anubis . . . happy birthday."

I stopped barely seven feet away from where I had started. Then, my surprise was overshadowed by both relief and gladness, and I turned to Sekhmet again. A small smile was on his face as I walked back to him and stared at him. In the moonlight, his black eyes shone rather eerily.

All I could manage was, "Thank you."

Sekhmet nodded in understanding and brought his hand up for a farewell shake. I didn't hesitate to meet his hand, and I smiled as I looked back at -- not my former foe and comrade -- but my friend.

"I'll be back next year," I stated after a few long moments.

Sekhmet shook his head as we released at the same time, and looked at each other one final time. "No, you won't," he simply said.

Then, there were beams of light engulfing me, and Sekhmet's face disappeared as I was propelled back into the sky.

On that day, May 5th, Children's Day, I truly left this world, one that I had come to love. Although I had long ago passed away, my spirit was at unease for the longest of time -- as if there was something left unfinished in my life. My life had taken many turns over the time I had lived, from my time of innocence to my time of hate, to that of glory, then betrayal, rebirth, and finally, sacrifice. I have no regrets, as I have long sought this peace. I never did travel back to the Mortal Realm again, but I was forever grateful for that one day on Earth. That one day was spent among friends and former foes, but from all that happened, one thing stands out. I remember Sekhmet's words over all else, and they will never leave me as long as my spirit lives. Because, dear reader, it was his words that truly set me free.