Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Life Through a Dragon's Eyes ❯ Chapter Five: Fear ( Chapter 5 )

Chapter Five: Fear

 

 

 

The moment the portal closes behind me I drop to my knees. My stomach is determined to rebel against me. I taste my own blood as it's forced from my stomach into my mouth. Instead of retching, I make myself choke it back down. Any other time, I would've just thrown up. But I can't now. Demons will smell the scent of blood and follow it right to me. I can't afford to fight right now.

 

I get to my feet shakily, and begin walking. I know where to go for some strange reason. I've never met, or even heard of Kushin before, but I know where he is. I don't know how, and I honestly don't care at this point.

 

I can't get Botan's words out of my head. Sasuke cares if I die, even though it's my fault that he died. He's the only one who's ever cared about me. I wish he would just go away though. Knowing that he's been at my side watching me this whole time just burdens me with more guilt.

 

My thoughts are torn away from Sasuke when I sense a powerful aura that is coming towards me. Normally, it is not in my nature to hide from an enemy, but this time I decide to make an exception. I allow my wings to slide out of my back; the rest of my transformation follows quickly. Once finished, I take off and hide in one of the taller trees around me.

 

I see two demons come into view. They don't look very intimidating at first glance, but there's just something about them that seems....formidable. The first is the shorter of the two. He has long dark brown hair and cold, emotionless black eyes, almost like coals. The taller one has short white hair. The two seem almost opposite. But their eyes, they're both the same: cold, emotionless, and blacker than the night.

 

"Lady Armatage, there is no need to conceal yourself from us. We know that you are here, and merely wish to escort you to our master," the shorter one says.

 

I jump down from my hiding place, landing on my feet of course.

 

"Lady Armatage? I figured if Kushin sent someone after me, they'd be ready to drag me to him kicking and screaming,” I reply.

 

"On the contrary, we were told to bring you here without using force. Master Kushin wants only to speak with you peacefully," the taller one says this time.

 

"Aw man and I was so hoping to bust some heads today," I say as I make a show of cracking my knuckles exaggeratedly.

 

“Follow us,” they say in unison.

 

I merely shrug my shoulders and do as they say. After what seems to be like hours of nothing but walking a castle comes in view.

 

“So this is the place huh? Funny, I was thinking Kushin would live in a more mad scientist sort of looking place,” I say sarcastically.

 

“Master Kushin is not mad. He is a misunderstood genius,” the short one says.

 

“Right, I totally believe you,” I answer in a sarcastic tone of course.

 

Another silence follows. One strange thing about me, most of the time I prefer silence to noise. But, since right now I'm probably walking into a death trap, I feel like I actually need to talk. I don't know why, I just do.

 

“So…do you two have names or what?” I ask in an attempt to get a conversation going.

 

“None of Kushin's slaves have actual names, only numbers. I myself am number five,” the tall one replies.

 

“And what's your number?” I ask the shorter one.

 

“Four,” he replies simply.

 

“The lower the number, the stronger the slave,” Five says.

 

“So, that must mean Kushin sent two of his more powerful slaves after me just in case I decided to fight back, right?”

 

“Think what you will,” Four answers.

 

We finally reach the castle. A drawbridge drops to let us in. Old fashioned castle complete with drawbridge, slaves, no way does a mad demon scientist lives in this place, right?

 

A man is already waiting for us when we get inside, or rather, waiting for me. This is Kushin, there's no doubt about it. He looks much different than I thought her would. He could actually be considered…handsome I suppose.

 

Kushin has long, dark blue hair and stunning eyes that are so light blue they could be called transparent.

 

“Welcome to my humble home,” he says in a voice that could be considered taunting. His voice is not too deep, and at the same time no too high. Like I said, he's way different than I thought he would be. (I honestly expected him to be what I believe humans refer to as a “geek.”)

 

“Are you sure you know what humble means? Because from the looks of it, you sure aren't that,” I reply rudely.

 

Four and Five move towards me as if they intend to harm me for speaking to their master in such a way. But for some reason Kushin simply raises his hand and they cease.

 

“You're exactly how I thought you'd be. Rude, angry, but at the same time…beautiful,” Kushin says, as if he didn't even hear my insult.

 

I know I didn't just hear that. He…complimented me? That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. He's the one who made me come here, and yet Kushin's being nice to me? Has the world gone mad or something?

 

“Please, come with me. I'm sure you must be hungry after all you've been through,” he says suddenly, startling me out of my thoughts.

 

I doubt I'll even be able to keep any food in my stomach at this point, but I follow him anyway. At the very least, maybe I can get some questions answered. As we walk he turns to look at me.

 

“You may return to your true form if you wish. You're back in Demon World after all; you don't need to look human here.”

 

I had totally forgotten that I was still in my human form. I take his advice and let my body relax as my wings release themselves from my back. My claws grow under my gloves, and my ears become pointed once again.

 

When he sees that I am finished with my transformation, he doesn't comment about it, but simply continues to walk. I follow of course; a feeling of uneasiness begins to burn within me, the flame growing ever larger with each step.

 

Kushin leads me to what is obviously a banquet hall. A table sits in the middle of the room, holding so much food you'd think that it would collapse under the weight. My mouth waters at the mere sight of it.

 

He takes a seat at one end of the table and motions for me to take the one at the other end. I do so, but do not start eating, though my stomach is practically begging me to. I know it always pays to be cautious. This food may be poisoned, and even if I knew that there was a good chance that I was going to die by coming here, there's no way that I will die such a weak death.

 

Kushin notices my hesitance of course.

 

“Go ahead and eat. I didn't poison any of it,” he says, taking a bite of the food to prove his point.

 

I pick up a piece of food from the table and take a bite. It's delicious, and for once my stomach doesn't try to rebel against me either. I finish what I have and begin to eat a few other things. There is no conversation during the meal. But once I'm done, I'm ready to ask questions.

 

“Why did you do all of this?” I ask.

 

“I've done a lot of things. Be a bit more specific would you?” Kushin answers staring straight into my eyes.

 

“Unleashing a disease on my people, summoning me here without a hint as to why you need me for anything. Pick either, but I would eventually like an answer to both.”

 

“I can answer both of your questions at once. They're both related to the same thing actually,” he replies.

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

Kushin stands and walks to my side of the table.

 

“Do you know what powers I have?” he asks.

 

This question strikes me as being rather odd, but what do I care?

 

“You can make diseases that can kill a certain type of creature without harming any others in the area. Anything else I don't know?”

 

He walks behind so I can't see him.

 

“Well, did you know I'm a shape shifter?” I suddenly hear my own voice say.

 

I turn around and stare into what looks like my own eyes. Then the form changes back into Kushin.

 

“Definitely didn't know that one,” I reply.

 

“You see, because of my ability to shape shift, I have been able to acquire the knowledge on how to create deadly diseases that I have today. But, even then, I still hungered for something more,” Kushin continued, his voice now sounding much more greedy.

 

“And what would that something more be?”

 

“Eternal life and youth; even though demons age much slower than humans, we do still eventually die, as I'm sure you're aware of. But, through years of research I have discovered a potion that will give me exactly what I want. I have all the ingredients I need, except for the final and most important one.”

 

“You…think I have what you need then?” I ask, curious.

 

“I don't simply think you have what I need. I know you do,” he replies.

 

“So what is this final ingredient of yours that I have?”

 

“Fire is what I need. And not just any fire, a dragon's fire,” Kushin whispers in my ear.

 

“That still doesn't explain why you would kill off all the dragons if you need their fire.”

 

“Ah yes, I was just coming to that. When I discovered the final ingredient to my potion, I realized that for it to have the best effect, I would need to steal the fire of the strongest dragon. So, I created my disease to kill all of the dragons, and only leave the one with the highest level of strength and energy. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the one I was looking for was a mere child.”

 

“You have got to be kidding me! There were dragons way stronger than me when everyone started to die!” I yell and stand up, slamming my fists on the table.

 

“True, but that was as strong as they were ever going to get. My disease “sensed” that you had the potential to become stronger than any of them could have ever hoped to be, in a manner of speaking.”

 

“And now you think I'm as strong as you need me to be?”

 

“Precisely,” he answers.

 

“There's a flaw in your plan though Kushin.”

 

“Oh, and what is that?”

 

“It's impossible to take a dragon's fire from them. They have to give it up willingly.”

 

“I haven't forgotten about that little detail, my dear, foolish Armatage,” Kushin says, his voice thick with wickedness.

 

Four and Five enter the room so quickly that I don't know they're there until I feel them grab a hold of my arms tightly. I struggle against them, but they're much stronger than I first thought they were.

 

Kushin moves from his previous position to stand in front of me. His eyes stare directly into mine, and for once I truly feel fear while in his presence. I direct my eyes towards the ground.

 

He grabs my chin and pulls my face upwards so that I cannot avoid his stare. Those eyes…so blue that they're nearly transparent.

 

“When I get through with you,” he whispers, “you will gladly give up your precious fire Armatage. I will make sure of it.”

 

My body begins to shake. I can hear the truth in his words. Kushin truly means to kill me. The reality of this knowledge hits me hard.

 

“Take her to the dungeons. Do your worst,” he commands them.

 

I do not struggle any longer; I only let them drag me away. I am going to die, and I accept that. That is what I came here to do. Pain awaits me, horrible pain I know it will be. But, I will die before I am forced to relinquish my fire. That is what I must do. It is my way; the dragon's way.