The Angel of Death

Chapter 13

The Taking

      Poor Shizuru! Not only had she needed to rescue herself form the rubble, she also had to pull out her hapless brother. Wasn't it supposed to be the other way around? And no word of thanks, either. Kuwabara immediately took off calling for Yukina.

      Yukina was rescued by her brother. Yusuke and Keiko were together as well while the others pretty much managed alone.

      Everybody stood up. Luckily, no one was hurt very badly. Just some minor cuts and bruises. And it was luck, wasn't it? The cave literally blew its top off! And quite unmistakable was the unearthly deathly glow of sick green. Mukuro immediately recognized it from her dream and froze on her tracks. So did Hiei who quickly shot a look on her direction. Only Kurama noticed this though. The others were busy surveying the damage.

      And out of the thick billowing clouds came something steadily coming nearer. It's a bird, it's a plane. It's Botan astride her paddle.

      The moment she landed her voice quickly rose in alarm. "Hurry! Don't let the hole get any bigger. It's the armies  of Azrael and Makai . They're fighting it all out. If the portal isn't sealed at once, they'll move here as well and mass destruction will occur. They must not cross the Ningen lines!"

      Yusuke immediately took hold of the situation. "Kuwabara!" he commanded. "Get the girls and ride Puu. Get as far away as you can. "

      "No way, man!" he protested. "I wanna whip some asses."

      "No buts, Kazuma."

      Kuwabara obeyed. Botan flew after them in her oar. The remaining four charged at once to the gaping hole. Soon enough they heard the clashing of arms and various war cries of engaged armies. Makai seems to have fate on their side for Azrael's soldiers are being pushed into a corner.

      No! That's precisely why they have torn open a portal to Ningenkai. So that they'd have space to retreat and reform ranks for a new  wave of attack. And they're just about to slash open the now loose barriers between the two worlds.

      "We have to do something to prevent them from leaving Lethe," shouted Yusuke, making himself heard above the din. "Quick, think of something!"

      "Never mind," Hiei yelled back drawing his sword. "Speed is everything. We'll have to cut them off from this side and trap them in the middle."

      "No," disagreed Mukuro. "We don't have enough men to deploy such a plan. Careful thinking would be better than jumping into their fight headlong."

      "She's right," backed Kurama up. "Actually, you're both right I have an idea. Remember when you fought Hiei you used your ability to slice through space. Then you could perhaps do that to separate the space between Lethe and Ningenkai. Then she can destroy this device that keeps the door way open. Of course, the rift will close sooner or later but it will buy time for the Makai forces to restrain Azrael's or at least until reinforcements could arrive."

      "Yes, that's brilliant," said Mukuro. "I'll go right now."

      "Not another step," declared Hiei. ""I completely disagree to this plan."

      "Doubtless, you would," said Kurama quietly. "But do we have any  other choice?"

      "And what do we do here?" the other demanded. "Watch her get hacked to pieces?'

      "I resent that," said Mukuro. "I can take care of myself. I am much more powerful than you just in case you forgot."

      "You said it yourself. The four of us have no chance in taking on a whole army. What more if you take on them all single handedly."

      "Look, I know what I have to do. You're putting it off will only aggravate the danger I will possibly encounter."

      "She's right," said Yusuke grimly. "We have to strike now before they are able to penetrate the barriers."

      "Not we," said Mukuro. "I go alone. I have to do it from that side."

      "WHAT??" Hiei yelled after her. But she was already well on her way descending down the crevice.

      "Get out of here right now!" she yelled back. And with a swift movement of her hand she slashed the space around the cave, isolating it from the rest of the city. But no. The matter on this side of the door is still being sucked into that vortex as the portal slowly opened. See the concentration of particles in Lethe is much lower than in Ningenkai so the vacuum is naturally being filled up until the amount of particles are equal in both sides or something like that. <Effusion?> Well, she released some energy of her own to propel the others away.

      "What the hell is she doing?" asked Hiei angrily. He had to shout louder to make himself heard over the din. The forced she released knocked them flying into the air and sent them at least a hundred meters away. The wind was still rampaging and had still not died down. But the dust was slowly clearing away being sucked into that black hole.

      "Quickly," ordered Kurama. "Up to where Puu has alighted. It's safer there"

      They had no trouble at all in reaching the rolling hills. The very explosion of the cave had flattened the dioecious forest surrounding the area.

      Having finally reached it, they waited until the dust settled so that they can see again. But no, it wouldn't till this tornado stops.

      Some distance away, Ebony felt a surge of spiritual energy level in the area which was odd since she never felt any kind since her powers had been sealed. She knew Azrael's forces had torn open a hole and it released that amount of energy. Still there was somebody else's. Please don't let it be her, she silently implored.  

      She finally reached the site. Actually, she was a hundred yards or so away from the others standing in the yonder hill. She was gasping for air and sweating very much. Her glasses are very foggy. She took it of and wiped them on her blouse. She shoved it up the bridge of her nose and squinted.

      No, no! Oh my gosh! They just did it. Why her of all the people? Didn't they know? No, there's still time. So long as the device still hasn't exploded. I have to get there and call her back. I have to haste.

      Ebony ran through the clearing regardless of the branches and trees strewn around her and of the loose stones. She didn't care about scratching herself, scraping her skin and tearing her clothes. By the time she was out of the half devastated forest she was a horrid bloody mess.

      Oh just one more hill. Just one more! She neared the apex, the top. There she could relay her message to the others. But just as she reached the summit a huge explosion rocked the earth. Inside her a bomb of much larger magnitude exploded. She felt as if lightning had strike her, the negatively charged particles of the air sending a bolt of electricity coursing through her body and into the positively charged earth. Her whole body tingled as she felt her muscle give way and her whole self go numb.

      And in her mind's eye she saw. She saw it again. The time worn face of Arawn from her dreams. The King of Lethe turning his back, going to where he now belonged. To the land down under. And I don't mean Australia.

      "Grandpa," mouthed Ebony as she felt her whole being drain with energy. "Oh, Gramps…"

Just simultaneously, the viscous whirling of the wind stopped. The sky retained its lush iron color just as it should have during the nearing of twilight. In that single explosion, the device had been destroyed and the opening resealed.

      The gang let out a cheer. Good for her, she did it. Mukuro actually pulled it off! The dancing Kuwabara turned around just in time to see Ebony fall on her knees and roll on the turf.

      "Princess!"

      All the others rushed to her except for Hiei. He was transfixed in his position as his eyes scanned the area where the cave used to stand. There wasn't any sign of her. I can' feel anything from her at all, he thought.

      He turned to the others and saw Kuwabara kneeling before Ebony, shaking her vigorously. "What's wrong?"

      "Kentrona has fallen."

      Yusuke looked and sounded annoyed. "I thought you said that wouldn't happen until they have the mother?"

      "They already have the mother."

      Silence swept over them. No one reacted. They just stood there letting the news sink in. Perhaps more than one of them had disbelief fluttering in their tummies.

      The whirring sound of a blade being drawn from its sheath was heard above the deafening silence. Everyone looked up and saw Hiei with his sword drawn walking away.

      "Hey!" yelled Kuwabara. "Where are you going?"

      No reply.

      "Hiei," said Ebony, her quiet voice clearly heard above the stillness. "You won't be able to get her that way."

      Hiei kept walking.

      "Hey, come on, Hiei," said Yusuke. "Stop acting up. She can take care of herself. She's just on the other side of the barrier. They'll be other Makai soldiers there."

      No avail.

      " Who is she, anyway?" demanded Kuwabara. Then before Botan could stop him, he continued. "There's been some talk of you two alone last night. Is she your lover or something? I mean, if she was just your former boss you wouldn't be kis---" The rest got muffled when Botan finally leapt on him and clamped his mouth tight.

      At this, Hiei spun angrily around. "She's my wife, you fool! Are you content? Maybe now you can let me go." Everyone's jaws dropped except for Ebony's and Kurama's.

      "I told you it's not as easy as crossing the barrier," said Ebony softly.

      "What do you mean?"

      "They got her, Hiei. They got her."

      "They want her powers?"

      "No, more than that."

      "What?" Hiei's brows met. He was confused.

      "She's the mother."

      "They'll force her to couple? Or would they extract ovum from her?"

      "That won't be necessary."

      "She's not like that. She's a model of fidelity and faithfulness." <Oh, brother.>

      "Idiot," she said quietly, shaking her head. "You're the father."

      "Well, they haven't got me yet."

      "Don't fool yourself, Hiei."

      "That's preposterous. She never mentioned anything to me."

      "You mean you didn't know?" said Kurama in awe. "I mean, I've been in your house for a night and I knew."

      "Kurama,"  said Hiei huffily. "Had I known, do you actually think I'd let her run around?" Now he was turning red and white alternately.

      "You have to admit you're the type who never shows you care," commented Yusuke.

      Hiei glowered at him. "Damn that woman. Why does she keep on keeping secrets from me. I'll throttle her even if it's the last thing I do."

      Kurama was shaking his head rather helplessly. "You really are dense."

      "What?" Hiei demanded, looking very bewildered.

      "Wasn't that why you fell off the tree when I arrived at your place?"

      "Kurama, you've been spying on me?!?"

      "Not really," he said innocently.

      "Never mind!" Hiei walked off puffing.

      "Hiei," Ebony ordered. "Not another step, please."

      Hiei ignored her.

      "Darest thou defy me?" she said in a low authoritative voice. "I'm afraid we'll have to restrain thee."

      Still no effect.

      "Brother, please," pleaded a timid voice from the background.

      Hiei froze in his tracks. He spun around wildly saying, "Brother?"

      Yukina.

      Immediately, Botan cried out in alarm. "No! I didn't talk . I swear. Please, it wasn't me!" She looked as if betrayed at Shizuru. However she shook her head as if to say she didn't. Keiko looked confused.

      Hiei's fiery eyes shifted to Yusuke and Kurama.

      "We didn't talk either," said Yusuke.

      "MUKURO!" Hiei swore." I'll get you right now and when I do, you'll suffer a worse faith than you will under that sonofabitch Azrael's hands!"

      "She didn't say anything at all!" asserted Yukina, her voice rose to a shout which clearly surprised everyone present. Then in her normal voice she said, "But don't you think it would be dangerous and useless if you go there with out a plan? You'll surely fail then who'll rescue your child? We'll all be doomed."

      "She's right you know," said Ebony. "I'm sorry. I utterly failed. And believe me I had no idea you'd be involved here at all."

      Hiei stopped. His hands shook as he returned his blade to its scabbard. He slowly turned to his sister, face down. "I am sorry, too. Sorry I made you suffer for so long. But I was doing what I thought was best."

      Kuwabara was fuming on the other hand. He got ready to give Hiei a piece of his mind. He stopped, however, when he saw Yukina smile wistfully. "I understand," she said softly. "And I'm sorry, too, about sister-in-law."

      Hiei turned away once again. A mild spasm shook him as he tried to steady the churning of his emotions. Yukina came to him and placed her arms around him in loving comfort. They stayed like that for a while.

      Then he pulled away. His face was strong and determined, his eyes shinning with out a drab of emotion. "She can take care of herself," he said astutely. He turned to Ebony who was still sitting on where she had fallen. "What do we do?"

      "I don't know," she said quietly. "We will await orders from Makai and Reikai."

      Keiko's confused expression was replaced with a crestfallen one. "Does this mean the end of everything?" she asked Yusuke in a small voice, eyes brimming with tears.

      Yusuke didn't say anything. He just pulled her close to him in an embrace. But the girl didn't feel anything coming from him. His arms haven't the warmth and comfort it usually had. She was hoping he would be able to give her some little flicker of hope. But then one cannot give what one doesn't have.

      It was Ebony who answered her question after a few moments. Her countenance was unreadable. There was nothing to be seen in her eyes and she spoke in a dry emotionless voice. "I hope not," she said. But then there wasn't any trace of hope on her either.

      None had anything particular in their minds. Perhaps because none had quite recovered from the shock. It happened all too fast and unpredictable things happened. But, amazingly, it was Hiei who spoke for the sake of having a conversation.

      "If she didn't talk," he said. "And no one else did, how did you find out?"

      "I figured it out for myself," said Yukina. "Actually, I had the feeling a long time ago. It was only now that I accidentally blurted out my thoughts. Your reaction certainly confirmed my guess."

      "Hn. I wouldn't have reacted that way if not for that woman feeding her self to the enemies." He glared at Kurama and Yusuke. "See, I was right about forbidding her to go alone!"

      "We're sorry, Hiei," said Kurama.

      "How were we to know?" added Yusuke.

      "Yeah, how was I to know," Hiei muttered under his breath.

      "Um," said Yukina. "How long have you known?"

      "Ever since you were rescued from Tarukane."

      "You mean, when I asked you who you are, you already knew I was your sister?"

      "I'm really sorry but I can't.. I can't--"

      ""And you," she turned to the others. "You knew, too?"

      "Yes, but Keiko and Kuwabara didn't," said Yusuke. "We weren't supposed to talk. Sorry."

      "Yes, we're truly sorry," said Kurama.

      Shizuru and Botan murmured their apologies as well.

      "It doesn't matter anymore," said Yukina, shaking her head. "At least, I already found out. Don't feel bad. I understand why you did that. And Hiei, you're never a disappointment to me. I am honored to have a brother like you. Mukuro must be lucky to have you."

      "Lucky!" exclaimed Hiei miserably. "It's my fault she's in this mess."

      "Don't blame yourself, Hiei," said Kurama. "It wasn't your fault."

      Hiei grimaced ferociously. "Yeah. I'm not the only one responsible. If you have told me about Mukuro, then I would have locked her up in the house. And you, Yusuke, if only you had backed me up instead of Mister Wise Guy here then she wouldn't have gone down into that damn hole. And you---"

      "It isn't a question of blame," cut in Ebony. Then in a softer voice she added, "If anybody should be blamed at all, it should be me."

      "Oh no, not you, too!" said Keiko. "Now, stop that this instant."

      But Ebony was miserable. "I just let her slip through my fingers!" She had lost her poise and was currently tugging at her braids.

      "Now, now. We can't help it if we can't figure out the idiot clues," said Yusuke. "Even Kurama here haven't. Have you?"

      "Only now," he said frowning a bit.

      "Stupid idiot me!" Ebony wailed. "I can't believe I can be so--so-- aurghhh! I didn't realize that Azrael could be so superficial. It's not fair. I thought physical appearance doesn't matter."

      "Wait," said Kuwabara. "He said he wouldn't take her until you figure out the clues."

      "Well, I did," she said. "In fact, it suddenly just zoomed in my mind and a few moments later the explosion happened."

      "You mean you figured it all out while being chased by Milikman?" asked Keiko.

      "I really shouldn't have gone to school today. At least, I could have warned you. But no. I wouldn't have figure it out had I not fallen in that blasted hole. Aurghhh!"

      "Would you mind telling us what happened?" said Yusuke. "Tell us the slightest detail."

      And so Ebony gave a full account of her misadventures. She explained how she happened to arrive upon the assumption that Mukuro was indeed the mother and what the relationship of each clue to her.

      "Why on earth can't you just fight that jerk?" asked Yusuke. "Can't you even defend yourself?"

      "I don't believe in violent fighting," said Ebony dourly. "I'm a pacifist."

      "If only your mind could have waited in getting here before you thought it out," said Kuwabara shaking his head.

      "That is not exactly possible," muttered Ebony sighing deeply. "We're hopeless, guys."

      "I strongly disagree," said a voice.

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