Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Hell's Conquest ❯ The End of the Journey ( Chapter 11 )

Chapter 11

Hell's Conquest

The End of the Journey

"No!!!" Yumi screamed, burying her face in Shishio's robes.

This was all a nightmare. Too unreal to be happening and yet it was. Yumi closed her eyes as the blast hit flesh…but not her own. In a last effort to save his lover, Shishio had shifted his own body in front of Yumi. He fell forwards, his body instantly limp in Yumi's arms. Using his swordsman spirit he was able to keep control of his body for just one more moment and he looked up at Yumi.

"I'm sorry…" he murmured softly.

"For what?" Yumi asked.

He coughed a little and then whispered a few final words: "for killing you. I promised myself I'd make it up to you. I hope this…" and he fell into unconsciousness, his soul leaving his body.

Kimiko couldn't take one more minute of watching this and she turned to walk off. But before she could, Hoake laid a hand on her shoulder.

"We shouldn't leave them now. I wish there was something we could do." Hoake said, finally coming to the realization that perhaps Tetsumaoliko had been lying to them.

Kimiko nodded sadly.

Then suddenly an idea came to her.

"Wait. There is something I can do. And I think I can because I'm starting to learn how the demon thinks. You've been a good friend." Kimiko said and suddenly kissed Hoake on the cheek.

Tetsumaoliko laughed.

"Huh? I thought he might do that. Which is why I wouldn't feel too guilty taking both of them down with me. HAAAA!!!!"

And he sent the blast back at Yumi…Kimiko shielded it. The girl fell to her knees, clutching her stomach. She was able to hold on for a few seconds and murmured her final words:

"Hey…demon! Your aim…seriously needs help…"

Tetsumaoliko smirked for a second and then painfully realized what he'd just done.

"What? NO! NOOO!!! NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!" The demon screamed and then fell to the ground, panting.

"I shouldn't have…I'm sorry Enma. I failed you. AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!" he screamed one final time before falling into convulsions and exploding in a golden burst of magic.

Yumi smiled. She saw hundreds of silver cloud wisps sailing through the air, flying off in different directions from the explosion. One cloud flew back to where she sat and hovered over Shishio… It dissolved right there. Yumi's eyes widened. His soul had not returned to him. He was gone.

"What? No… he can't be…" Yumi cried, holding his bloody body close.

"Well that was an interesting fight wasn't it?" Enma suddenly walked over and knelt beside Yumi.

"He's not dead you know. His body's just not strong enough to hold his soul yet." Enma assured her.

"What? Will his soul ever go back?" Yumi asked.

"It could…if I made him better. I don't want a second-in-command that can't even hold his own soul." Enma said gently.

"What? You mean…you want him to…work for you?" Yumi implored, wiping a streak of blood from her face.

"Precisely. Just as you'd like him as a lover. Yes?" Enma asked.

Yumi smiled. "How…did you…"

"I've been watching you these past few nights." Enma responded.

Yumi felt a tad embarrassed.

"It's alright. It's not like I need to watch…that for entertainment. I'm more into violence personally." Enma smiled kindly.

He raised his hand above Shishio and a blue light emitted from it.

"I'm putting you both to sleep so when you wake up…this whole thing will just be like a bad dream. And if you'd like…I'll let you go back to earth." Enma offered.

Yumi was stunned.

"Why are you being so kind to me?" she asked.

"Kind? Not really. I'm getting you out of here because I'm no longer entertained. Goodbye then boring woman." Enma said, beginning to walk away.

"Wait! I was wondering if you also wanted to get rid of the children. I would be happy to take them with me." Yumi said, playing along with his game.

"Oh yes. Absolutely. Take them. They're too sad all the time. Now go away!"

And that was the last Yumi heard of Enma.

****The Next Morning****

Yumi awoke to bright sunlight pouring in through a large window beside her. This place looked oddly familiar… She was lying on the floor of a large arena…Yumi gasped as she realized where she was. The palace!!! But how? The palace had burned to the ground. Had…Enma…? Or…had this all been a dream. Everything with Kenshin, and the plans to burn Kyoto…were a dream. Then Yumi looked at the ground a few feet from where she'd been lying. There, before her eyes, was a bloodstained imprint of Shishio. Right beneath where she'd been was an imprint of herself. It hadn't been a dream. Then if Enma had restored the palace for them…had he also recovered Shishio?

"Lord Shishio!!!" Yumi shouted, looking everywhere for him.

"Miss Yumi?" came a voice from behind.

Yumi turned to see Kimiko standing there. The child was staring at the ground sadly.

"Yes Kimiko?" Yumi implored, bending down to her height.

"I'm sorry for…betraying you guys. I…was just scared and stupid. But I didn't want Lord Shishio to die. Really. Please forgive me." Kimiko apologized, bending low in a respectful bow.

"I won't forgive you." Yumi replied, much to Kimiko's horror.

Then Yumi laughed kindly.

"But I will thank you for saving us. It took real courage to do that." Yumi stated, smiling warmly.

Kimiko smiled and then realized something causing her to frown.

"What?" Yumi asked worriedly.

"Miss Yumi…I've already seen Mister Shishio…he still has bandages all over him."

Yumi's smile left her face.

"What?! How could Enma lie to us?"

"He's in the next room over with Hoake and his brothers." Kimiko said and Yumi nodded, running off to find him.

She ran to the room and opened the door.

"Lord Shishio!" she cried when she saw him…still in bandages and hugged him.

"Enma lied to us!!! I can't believe…"

"He didn't lie to us. See?" Shishio said unconcerned, unraveling a few bloody bandages along his forehead.

Yumi couldn't believe what she saw. Long, sleek black hair flowed downward onto his shoulders. Shishio removed more, revealing his face. He looked about the same as Yumi had pictured he would.

"If you're wondering about the bandages…I just hadn't had the time to take them off yet." Shishio reassured her.

"Don't ever worry me like that again." Yumi said to him and he laughed.

"Don't worry. There won't be a need for that. So it looks like I'm back to training children…again." Shishio said, looking around the room at the eager-faced children.

"I'm sure you'll do a good job. But what are you planning to do now that you've recovered? I'm sure you could truly take over Japan now and…" and he kissed her.

"No. I won't do that. I think I've found a few things that mean more to me. But I promise, I'll at least kill my predecessor…and look for Soujiro if you'd like." Shishio said kindly and Yumi nodded.

"Yes. I'd like that very much." Yumi smiled.

"And while I'm at it, I might as well check up on the former Juppon Gatana. See what they've been doing without me." Shishio stated and Yumi smiled.

"That will be most…entertaining."

The End of Hell's Conquest

Hope ya liked it? Want more? I'll be continuing in my series after this so hang tight for the new fic: Return of a Demon