Eternal Damnation

Title: Eternal Damnation
Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho
Theme: 1. Abuse of Power
Author/Artist: Ryukotsusei
Pairing: Eventual Hiei/Koenma
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Yu Yu Hakusho, nor do I make any profit off of this fan fiction. I only borrow the characters for my own twisted amusement.


Summary: Caught up in a war that he cannot possibly win, Hiei must battle to retain his strength and his sanity when his world shatters around him. Fortunately there is another who is willing to stand by his side when all else seems lost.
Warnings: Major Character Deaths, Yaoi in later chapters.

Chapter One


King Enma stared down at the fragile looking woman who knelt down at his feet. No one knew of her arrival and that was the way that he intended to keep it in spite of his son's attempts to learn what transpired when he sealed the throne room doors. After several long moments of silence the woman looked up and him, ready to tell him of what she had learned. "Have you information for me old woman?" When she had first appeared before him he'd been skeptical to say the least but after months of her prophecies coming to pass he'd learned not to dismiss her so easily.

"It is as I feared my lord," Her raspy words were heard clearly, echoing throughout the room and back at her as if in mockery. Uneasily she clutched at her brown robes, knowing he was not going to like what she had to say but it could not be helped. For the past fortnight she'd done nothing but peer into the future, examining every possible outcome of the God's future. Every method proclaimed the same thing, the demise of the mighty King Enma. As skeptical as he might have been even he had to come to the conclusion that the stones did not lie. "Your downfall is imminent your grace. There is naught that you can do to save yourself."

Hearing this Enma's grip on his throne tightened, hard enough that the carved mahogany cracked beneath the force. "Everything can be changed Seer, nothing is set in stone!" There was no way in hell that he was going to just lay down and allow someone to kill him. His reign over the Reikai would exist for many millenium to come and nothing would stand in his way. "Tell me how it will come to pass old woman and leave nothing out." The only way to circumvent such an occurance was to be prepared and to strike first if at all possible.

Knowing that if she left any information out her life was forfeit the Seer complied with little hesitation, "An unholy union will occur, bringing about the end to your time at power. The ties of the blood will mean little when thrown in the face of the passion that they share. One of royal lineage will seek out forbidden pleasure in the arms of a demon and their will combined will bring about your death." As she fell silent she could feel the raw fury coming off of the God but she held firm. Should he attempt to kill her now there was little she could do to stop him.

"Impossible!" Enma snarled at the woman, reaching down to crush her within his fist. Although she trembled the old woman didn't even make an attempt to move out of the way. As she was hauled up into the air he glared down at her, knowing that he could end her life in mere moments. "The only one of the blood is my son Koenma. He would not dare to fornicate with some lowly demon. You spread lies witch!" Despite his words the God couldn't help but have a moment of doubt. Koenma had stood against him with Yusuke, risking execution for his friend. But the Toushin had a mate and was not likely to catch his son's eye anyway.

"I speak nothing but the truth!" She cried out against the pain spreading through her chest as her ribs threatened to break beneath the pressure. If he sought to change her words through pain he'd soon realize that even that would not sway the hands of Fate. "Your son is the key to this all! He is drawn to the path of darkness, this cannot be stopped. Power calls to power and this shall be no exception, together they will be the death of all you stand for!" The only way to put an end to this madness was to kill Koenma, something she knew that his father would not do. A council of the Gods must be called when it came to the death of one of their own and despite the power that Enma held, the possibilities the prophecy spoke of would not be enough to condemn Koenma.

Blood had begun to seep from the woman's mouth but Enma paid it no mind. Being the God of death had it's advantages and this was one of them. She would not die until he allowed her to do so. "You will tell me who this... demon is. Death will come to them quickly and an eternal hell will be their resting place!" The walls shook as he made his proclamation and small pieces of marble began to rain down from a crack that had appeared in the ceiling. He didn't care if it hadn't happened yet, all demons deserved to die in his opinion. This would be one less nuisance that he'd be forced to deal with later.

The pressure on her tortured body relaxed slightly and the Seer drew a shuddering breath though she knew that she was not long for this world. It was just as well, she'd lived a long life and could die secure in the knowledge that this fool would soon die knowing his son was the cause of it all. "The stones did not provide a name but you would be powerless to stop it regardless. The seeds were planted long ago and a trust exists between them that cannot be broken. All of your attempts will be in vain!" Blood flew from her lips as she spoke and as she stared up into his furious eyes she was glad. At least now he'd be sure to end her life quickly in his anger.

At her words words Enma saw red, unleashing his anger upon her fragile body. Raw power slammed into her body, wrenching a heart rending scream from her lips. The sound ended abruptly, her body turning to ash. Still his fury had not been satisfied though and as he allowed the dust to slip through his fingers Enma turned his attention to the old woman's soul who seemed to be watching him carefully. However her expression wasn't one of fear, in fact terror seemed to be the farthest thing she was feeling right then. No, a cold smile now graced the spirit's face. "Laugh now woman for this is the last chance you'll have to do so again." With that Enma began chanting under his breath, causing the soul to glow brightly for several long moments until it shattered. Glowing sparks drifted gently towards the ground before disappearing completely, leaving no trace of what had just occurred.

Finally satisfied for the moment Enma leaned back against his chair, contemplating what his next move should be. Regardless of what the old crone had said he believed that what she had foretold could still be altered. The problem was narrowing down who the demon was that would be at the root of the problem. Koenma had come into contact with so many of the vile creatures since Urameshi had died the first time that Enma could write several books with the number of names they would contain. However not all of them could be considered a close working relationship and that was what would aide him in his quest for names. A slow smile spread over his face then, perhaps this would not be so difficult after all. Enma looked over at a small keypad and pressed a couple of numbers before speaking, "Botan I wish to speak with you immediately."

"Right away sir!" Botan jumped up from the desk she'd been seated at and began rushing towards the throne room. While she was unsure of just what King Enma wanted it wouldn't do to keep him waiting. Fortunately she'd been nearby doing the paperwork of the souls she had ferried that day and she didn't have to worry about her boss becoming too impatient with her. Quickly she walked towards the throne room, barely avoiding being trampled by the masses of ogres that clogged the hallways. Only when she came close to the gold inlayed doors did the crowd then out. Tentatively she knocked on the door to announce her presence and wasn't surprised when the doors slid open to grant her entrance. Slowly she approached King Enma and knelt before him, "You wanted to speak to me sir?

"Yes I did Botan," Enma said calmly as he regarded the woman before him. Whether she realized it or not she was going to be of a great service to him although he had no doubts that should she learn what he had planned the ferry girl would refuse to speak. One of the things he liked about her was that she was loyal to a fault but it was a pity it was directed solely towards his son. Had she not been so efficient at her job he would have replaced her long ago. "Tell me, you are familiar with my son's life? What he does with his personal time?"

Unsure about just why he was asking Botan fidgeted slightly beneath his gaze. 'Has Koenma gotten into some sort of trouble and he hasn't told me about it?' The thought was unsettling. "Sort of sir but he doesn't tell me everything. We're both sort of busy and only see each other occasionally." Nervously her fingers twisted in the edge of her pink kimono while she wished she was anywhere but here at the moment. So help her if Koenma managed to get her in trouble with whatever it was he had done she was going to spank him herself.

It didn't matter to Enma that she seemed to be reluctant to answer his questions. Botan would do so regardless, it was just a matter of how much persuasion he was forced to use on her. Of course if it came down to it then she would have to be dealt with accordingly once they were finished. He couldn't afford to have her rushing off to Koenma to tell him just what he was after. "Relax Botan, I'm just reviewing everything that happened since he spent so much time away from his duties here. If I find he was neglectful in those duties for an insufficient reason I'll be forced to take disciplinary measures so it would be in his best interest if you were as forthcoming as possible."

"Oh no, he'd never be neglectful sir!" It might not have been the complete truth but Botan knew that when it came right down to it Koenma did his best to aid the team by whatever means he could. In fact a great deal of his absence from the Reikai had been for just that purpose. Her expression lightened slightly with her belief that Enma would see the truth in her words. "Everything he did was for the benefit of the Ningenkai sir. Koenma even volunteered to be the fifth fighter when Genkai was killed, just to ensure that no humans were injured."

"By 'the team' I assume you mean Urameshi and those two felons that my son employed while I was gone?" The fact that Koenma would resort to such a thing when they had the SDF available was repulsive but it had been done when he was away. Had he been present he would have put a stop to the foolishness right then and then maybe he wouldn't be having to deal with this problem.

"Kazuma Kuwabara was there as well sir but yes. Yusuke, Kurama and Hiei made up the other members of the team. I don't want to even think about what might have happened if they hadn't have won the tournament," Botan shuddered with the memories. The Toguro's in their quest for power would have done nothing but cause more death and destruction. They had to be stopped even if it had meant their deaths.

Drumming his fingers on the arm of the throne, Enma considered his next question carefully. His most likely suspects would be the two demons in that little ragtag group but he couldn't rule out that it had been someone else Koenma had met in his absence. "Given what occurs at the Dark Tournament I'm assuming that he stayed with those three then?"

"For the most part," Botan replied while trying to remember. The days had flown by so quickly and she hadn't been able to stay with him constantly. George would actually be a better one to ask in this instance, especially since he was with the demigod almost constantly. "I mean, I think he met a couple of the council members at least once to protest their actions but I couldn't be certain. Once the Tournament was over though he returned to the Reikai immediately, he didn't linger in the Makai any longer than he had to."

"I see." It was unfortunate that his son hadn't kept Botan nearby at all times but surely she would have noticed something out of the ordinary. Perhaps the meeting had occurred later, assuming that it wasn't one of the fools he suspected to begin with."And the other times he left his duties? I was told he went to the Makai Tournament and you accompanied him." The idea of the Makai under one ruler was slightly disturbing, he'd prefer a country divided and at war with each other. It would be easier for the Reikai to conquer the Makai in time under those circumstances. A united front always presented more problems to deal with.

Botan frowned slightly at the derision in his voice and she couldn't help but wonder at it. His dislike of demons was common knowledge but there hadn't been any disturbances from that realm in a long time. "Well yes we did go. Koenma said that he had to be sure that Yusuke's plan would work. During the fights he sought out the demons most likely to win the tournament to determine how much of a threat we'd be likely to face. Most seemed to have no desire to go to war with the Reikai and he was satisfied with their answers. In fact most of them seemed to be of the opinion that they would stand behind Yusuke's decisions and since he's so close to Koenma it was deemed not to be a problem. I mean, even Touya and Jin told Koenma that should war break out they would remain neutral out of respect for Yusuke. I guess you could say it extended to Koenma as well since Yusuke and Koenma would back each other up no matter what happened."

"So then it's safe to assume that he spoke with Yomi and Mukuro as well," Enma voice was low toned and he spoke quietly as if in deep thought as his brow furrowed. It wasn't likely that either of those two would be the kind to take his son as a lover but he couldn't completely dismiss it. Those two would most likely end up last on his list of demons to dispose of, he didn't need to seek out trouble of that kind before he had to. The first ones to be dealt with would be those on the team which had been disbanded, then he would seek out this Jin and Touya. Seeing that they knew his son so well they'd be able to give up the names of any others who might have unhealthy ties to Koenma.

Botan nodded firmly, hoping that this would be an end to the questions and then she could get back to her job. Enma's questions were beginning to make her a little uneasy, as if the God standing before her thought she knew more then she did. But there really wasn't anything more that she could contribute to be honest, it wasn't as if she was Koenma's keeper after all. "Yes sir, by the time we left Koenma was satisfied that Yusuke's idea would work and there was no reason for us to stay. Yusuke of course wanted to catch up with his old friends but Koenma decided it was best if we returned."

"Very well Botan," Enma sighed slightly, knowing that he wasn't going to get any further information out of her right now. "You may return to your duties for now. I may call on you again however if I find any discrepancies in the reports I've been given" Most likely there would indeed be more questions but there was no reason to make her suspicious just yet. He had more than enough to work with right now and tracking the mentioned parties down would take time. As the woman bowed before him and then exited the room he turned to the intercom once again, this time contacting the Captain of the SDF. "Captain I have a job for you. Discreetly follow Botan and make a note of everyone she speaks to. If anything strange occurs you are to report it to me immediately."

"Of course sir," the answer came through on the intercom immediately. Now that the issue of Botan had been taken care of for the moment it was time to see about working his way down the list she'd so generously provided.


~In The Ningenkai~


Botan stared at her cooling tea with a look of frustration. The meeting with King Enma continued to bother her and when she asked Koenma about it he seemed as baffled as she did. What bothered the both of them more though was the fact that someone had taken to following her around the palace. It was more than a little unnerving so Koenma had sent her to the Ningenkai just to give her a break while he figured out what the hell was going on. Now she was sitting in front of both Genkai and Yukina while she tried to relax. Even now though she could still feel those eyes burning into her back. Maybe she'd just become paranoid. "This entire situation worries me Genkai. I'm not sure why they're following me when King Enma was asking about Koenma. Why go through me to get information on him?"

"Perhaps things are not as stable between them as they would have us believe," Genkai shrugged her shoulders after a moments thought. It had been a surprise for the ferry girl to show up on her doorstep of all places but she wouldn't turn her away. The woman was looking rather frazzled as it was but there wasn't much that could be done about it. "Koenma did turn on his father after all by taking Yusuke's side. There is a chance that Enma has yet to forgive him for that treachery." It made sense she decided as she held her own cup out to be refilled by Yukina. After all Koenma was supposed to be the heir to all the Reikai. If his loyalty to the Makai was too strong then the Reikai could suffer. "Or maybe Enma is making sure that Koenma is deserving of the responsibility that comes with being the heir to an entire realm."

Seeing Botan shaking her head to the proposed theory Yukina set the teapot down carefully and looked at the ferry girl in concern. "You don't think he'd hurt Koenma do you?" She didn't know him all that well but he'd done what he could to help her and that had to count for something. He'd also earned the loyalty of the others and so many people couldn't be wrong.

"I wish I could say that he wouldn't." Botan set her cup down carefully, not wanting to spill any with how her hands had started to tremble slightly. It was almost as if a feeling of foreboding had come over her and she just knew that something was going to happen. It was just a question of what. None of them would be so foolish as to think that Enma would hesitate in the killing his son if he felt justified in doing so. The only obstacle in his way would be the council, assuming he was to make a charge according to protocol. That didn't mean though that an accident couldn't happen. Koenma's life could very well be ended and no one would be the wiser, save for her and the only evidence she had would be a very ambiguous conversation which wouldn't prove anything.

"That's just horrible that a man could kill his own flesh and blood!" Yukina cried out as she jumped up, anxious to be doing something. But what could they do? It wasn't like she had any extraordinary powers that would be of any use. But that didn't mean that they didn't know of others that did. "Botan you can still contact the others right? I know Yusuke and Kazuma would help! Kurama and Hiei too! We just have to find them." Already she was thinking ahead as to just how the elusive apparition could be found. The other three would be fairly simple to locate but it wouldn't be safe for Botan to venture into the Makai alone in search of Hiei.

"What you need to do is calm down," Despite the seriousness of the situation Genkai knew that they couldn't just rush off with a half assed idea of what was going on. The Koorime looked at her with a stunned expression, clearly not expecting to be snapped at. "Think before you jump the gun here," Genkai gave the girl a stern look as she crossed her arms, willing the girl to calm down. She tended to overreact because of her caring nature and occasionally she needed a firm hand to guide her. "Assuming that the four of them are even willing to become involved in Reikai business again what are you going to tell them? That there's something going on but no one knows what? Botan can't even prove the conversation took place much less that there was anything threatening in it."

Yukina looked as if she were about to protest but Botan stopped her."Genkai is right, what would we say? That I've got a bad feeling and a creep stalking me?" Botan sighed as she imagined just how well that would go over. "Kurama might take us seriously but the others? They'd tell me how stupid I was being for overreacting. Yusuke would be upset we dragged him here for nothing and I don't even want to think about what Hiei would say." Yeah, he'd probably threaten to beat her within an inch of her life if she ever bugged him again.

On the edge of the forest the Captain of the SDF lurked, quietly listening to the conversation that was going on within the temple. It was fortunate that the rice paper walls did little to hinder his abilities to listen in, it would indeed seem as if he'd found one of the demons that could possibly be the one King Enma was looking for. While he couldn't see the women inside he could hear the concern clear as as bell. Once he'd learned that Botan would be returning to the Ningenkai on Koenma's orders he'd gone to speak with the King and received his orders. If a possible target presented itself they were to be eliminated as quickly as possible. Now that one was within his grasp all he needed was a clean shot at her.

Just as the door slid open however another demon appeared, separating away from the shadows and approaching the women who were walking out of the temple. Cursing under his breath, the Captain pressed closer against the tree and silently thanked Enma for providing him with shielding that would prevent anyone from detecting him. When the newcomer was bathed in the light however his eyes widened, realizing just who had made an appearance. Hiei was an easily recognizable demon and while he wasn't sure what the apparition was doing there, he wasn't about to curse his luck in getting a two for one special. Whispering a spell under his breath, the air around him shimmered before cloaking him. Now that he was invisible to them all he could make a move.

Hiei approached the three of them, wanting to ask Botan just what the hell was so important that she would come to visit the temple. Her visits were infrequent enough to be a cause for concern whenever he felt she was near and somehow he got the feeling that this time would be no different. However before he managed to get a word out the slightest whisper of the wind drew his attention, causing him to spin around to meet whatever the threat happened to be. While there was nothing to be seen the apparition knew that appearances could be deceiving. Within seconds his katana was out and he'd dropped into a defensive crouch while he ignored the started gasps coming from two of the women behind him.

Seeing the fire apparition move so suddenly had Yukina taking a step back while her eyes scanned the area for any hint of danger. Unfortunately her senses weren't the best and she knew that she wouldn't have a chance of defending herself against an unseen opponent. Standing next to Genkai seemed to be the best bet as she had no desire to hinder Hiei should he have a need to fight. However before she was able to take another step an unseen force slammed into her, lifting her off of her feet. Frantically she clawed at whatever seemed to be holding her suspended but her fingers met nothing but air. Her efforts along with that of the others were in vain as the pressure increased around her neck, cutting off her ability to breathe.

The need to defend his sister was strong and desperately Hiei tried to free her from the grasp of their unseen enemy. Rage consumed him seeing her eyes lock onto his, pleading with him to save her somehow and despite his best efforts he was thwarted time and time again. Even now he could see the bruises discoloring the pale skin of her neck as the pressure continued to increase. "Dammit you fucking coward! Come out and face someone who can actually fight back!" Just as the words left his mouth though his world came crashing down around him. The force that had been choking the life out of his sister suddenly vanished for a moment only to return seconds later, violently snapping her head to the side. The light went out of his sister's eyes as her body began to crumple to the ground, her neck broken. Pain consumed Hiei as he caught her limp form, the apparition unwilling to allow her to just drop to the ground like a discarded rag doll.

Botan and Genkai looked on in horror as Hiei momentarily forgot his opponent, too consumed with anger and grief to do anything but stare at Yukina's dead body. With the apparition clearly incapacitated Genkai knew that it would be up to her to fend their enemy off, at least until Hiei came back to his senses. The need for vengeance would be the only thing that kept him from breaking down completely but in the meantime she had to get him to pull it together. "Mourn her later Hiei, get your ass up and fight this bastard!" Genkai's eyes widened seeing the air move slightly and she realized that whoever it was had to be powerful in order to cloak themselves in such a fashion. 'How in the hell is he evading our attacks?' The first blast of power sailed through the air only to disappear into the trees. The slight glimpse she'd gotten of their opponent hadn't lasted long enough to make a difference. Suddenly the answer came to her although she had to wonder if it had come too late to save the rest of them. "The bastard's using the air as his weapon!" Angrily she struck again, hoping to get lucky with a second shot but the end result was the same and a path of destruction was left behind as another part of the forest was decimated.. Before she could even think to strike again, a harsh cry was ripped from Hiei's chest just as he'd begun to get to his feet.

"Hiei!" Botan screamed as his blood exploded from a gaping hole in his chest. The crimson fluid splattered wetly against her kimono, staining the vibrant pink a deep crimson but she was beyond caring. Frantically she tried to catch him as he began to fall forward over Yukina, hoping beyond all reason that somehow she'd be able to heal him. While Genkai was searching for the person who would attack them so viciously she rolled the apparition and examined the gaping hole that had been left behind. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she realized that the demon was beyond help. As she watched his breathing became slow and shallow, leaving little doubt that his time among the living was running out. "Don't go Hiei, please don't go!" Despite knowing that his end was near she still pleaded with him, willing the agony that was plain to see on his face to disappear. What she wouldn't give to turn back time, to undo everything that had just happened. Even though she was used to death how could she sit there and watch someone she cared for die before her very eyes?

A brief flare of power had Genkai cursing under her breath. Their opponent had just up and vanished and she knew it would be highly unlikely that there would be any way to follow him. For whatever reason the two demons had been their target and they'd succeeded in their mission. Kneeling down next to the fallen siblings Genkai placed a hand on Hiei's shoulder, examining the wound. There was no way they could heal something this traumatic. Perhaps Mukuro could given the technology she had at her disposal but it would take far too long to get him there. Hiei would be dead long before they ever arrived and by then it would be too late. Wearily she gazed at Botan who was clutching at the apparition's hand, willing him to hold onto what little life he had. The faint glow revealed the ferry girl was doing what little she could by giving him energy but youki was not compatible with reiki in most instances. All she was doing was buying him a few more seconds of life and in Genkai's mind it wasn't worth it. "Let him go Botan, there is nothing that we can do for him. You're only prolonging his agony."

With a sob Botan allowed her hand to be pulled away. She couldn't bear to gaze at the look of relief that crossed Hiei's face as he gave one last shallow breath and allowed death to claim him. Being what she was, Botan knew the exact moment that the apparition's soul left his body and now both of the siblings were watching her closely. 'This shouldn't have happened!' she wanted to scream but it wouldn't change things. Nor would it absolve her of the responsibility she had of escorting them to the Reikai. Was there a chance that Koenma would be able to resurrect them? She knew that it wasn't likely but she couldn't give up hope just yet. Wiping her eyes with a bloody sleeve, Botan slowly stood and looked towards Genkai, "I have to take them now. Maybe Koenma will know what to do"

Yukina looked about sadly as Botan materialized her oar to take them to the Reikai. How had things gone so terribly wrong? It was gut wrenching to gaze upon their dead bodies but she didn't know what else to do. A sorrowful look at Hiei revealed that he didn't know what to think either. His gaze wasn't trained on his own corpse though, instead he was looking at hers with an expression of guilt. "There was nothing you could have done Hiei, do not blame yourself."

"They will pay for what they have done," Hiei intoned softly though there was no mistaking the malice in his voice as he turned from Yukina. While he wasn't sure how yet he would be sure to exact his vengeance upon the person responsible. Guilt weighed down upon his shoulders for having failed Yukina but there was nothing that he could do about it now. His only hope lay in Koenma's hands, maybe the prince could do something to correct this grievous wrong that had been done to them. Botan too looked guilt stricken though he had to wonder what she had to feel remorse for. Perhaps it was over Yukina's death though her reaction to his own left him confused. Shoving those thoughts aside for the moment he approached the ferry girl, resigning himself for a trip he'd rather not make. "Take us to Koenma."

When Botan materialized her oar and steadied it so they could climb on, Yukina looked sadly as the ferry girl. Although no pain remained the fact that she was now on her way to the land of the dead and no longer among the living weighed heavily upon her spirit. The shock that her life had ended was making itself known and she wasn't entirely sure how to deal with it, or if she even could. "Botan?" she whispered quietly as she took her seat behind her friend. "Will Koenma be able to do anything?" If anyone should know it would be the woman in front of her and right now she clung to the hope that the prince of the Reikai would be able to work some sort of miracle to bring the both of them back. A quiet sigh was heard from behind her when Hiei took his seat on the oar but Yukina didn't dare turn to look at him. The apparition had worked closely with Koenma and would likely know the answer to her question but she needed Botan's optimism right now to hold it together.

Somehow Botan managed a watery smile and tried to reassure the Koorime. While the outcome of this situation was by no means certain she wasn't going to be responsible for dashing Yukina's hopes. After everything that Yusuke had been through she was well aware that the circumstances of resurrecting a human tended to vary and most of the time it was extremely difficult. She didn't even want to consider the obstacles that might stand in the way of the two demons behind her. "I'm sure he'll figure something out Yukina, he always does." Satisfied that she'd said the right thing she was about to kick off the ground and begin the journey but after a moments thought she hesitated and turned to look at Genkai. ""Master Genkai I need you to make sure that their bodies stay safe. I'm not sure what all it's going to take but Koenma will need to at least heal those before they could be returned to them."

"Consider it done," Genkai's voice held no small amount of anger and a slight trace of impatience as she gazed at the two spirits she knew was there yet she couldn't see. There was little else that she could do in this instance but it was one task she wouldn't fail at. The others would have to be informed about the deaths as well and then they could get to work finding the bastard who was responsible. One way or another they would catch the guilty party and then they were sure to pay. Right now she wouldn't fall prey to feelings of guilt or grief, there was a good chance this person was still lurking nearby and she would be ready for them should they reappear. "Have a safe journey you three, and Hiei?" she waited until she could feel the weight of his stare upon her. "This will be taken care of, one way or another. You have my word."

"Thank you," the apparition's ethereal voice was like a whisper of wind, but he hoped that Genkai could hear him just before Botan took them up into the sky. The old physic was one of the few people that he knew that he could trust to get something like this done. Of course Yusuke, Kuwabara and Kurama would seek revenge as well which assured him that the job would be done. While the thought of Koenma being able to bring the both of them back was a nice fantasy he wasn't about to hold his breath either. Generally speaking youkai were not given the same consideration that the ningens were. What was a rare occurance for a human was damned near unheard of for one of his kind. Although he had to concede miracles did happen on occasion, if it came down to either him or Yukina he'd give her another chance at life before taking it for himself.

As they soared higher the wind tossed their hair back and caressed their faces. For several long moments Yukina pondered at just how that was possible. They had no physical form to speak of yet it was almost as if there was no difference from when she'd been alive. 'How can I feel the wind when I'm a spirit now? I don't see how it is possible unless we still had some kind of body.' It was nearly enough to make her sigh in frustration since there was so many things she didn't understand. Other questions lingered as well. 'Who will tend to the birds in winter now? Or Genkai when the snows come?' These thoughts threatened to overwhelm her until she felt Hiei moving behind her, his cloak flapping in the breeze and occasionally brushing against her legs. 'It's true, I can still feel. I wonder what else I can still do?'

Botan couldn't help but wonder as they approached the palace if Koenma already knew of what had happened. Somehow she doubted it, the unexpected deaths tended to sneak through until the souls departed from their bodies. Had Koenma known of what was about to happen surely he would have attempted to prevent it from coming to pass. "We're here," she said quietly as the oar hovered gently above the ground. Only once her two passengers had disembarked did Botan allow her oar to dissipate before taking the lead. "Follow me, I'll take you to see Koenma now."

Although this wasn't the first time he'd been in the Reikai Hiei couldn't ignore the unease that continued to plague him. The ogres running around were perfectly normal but there were other beings scattered about that weren't. In fact if memory served him correctly these were members of the infamous SDF and the looks they were casting towards Yukina and himself were far from reassuring. "Stay close to me," he whispered to Yukina although he never took his eyes off of the ones watching them. The question remained as to whether or not he'd be able to protect his sister while in spirit form but if it came down to it he'd do his best. The idea that their deaths hadn't been a random act of violence had become a certainty in his mind and now he was certain that they were walking straight into the lion's den.

Their progress was stopped suddenly when a group of three SDF members came to stand right in front of Botan, blocking their progress. "Whats.. going on?" Botan stared at the three men in confusion. Surely Koenma hadn't been the one to send them, these men answered to King Enma only. Though she was of no match for them the ferry girl stood her ground, keeping Hiei and Yukina behind her. In spirit form they were nearly powerless, they'd be helpless against opponents such as the three before her. "I'm not sure what you are wanting with us but we must see Koenma. He's expecting us." It was a small lie but hopefully it would be enough to get them to back down long enough so they could make it to the safety of Koenma's office.

"Any and all instances of dealing with demonic spirits falls under King Enma's jurisdiction. We are here to escort them to the throne room now." The guard's tone brooked no argument. King Enma himself had decreed that these two were to be brought to his chambers immediately to be sentenced and this mere slip of a woman was not going to stand in his way. When it looked like the ferry girl was about to protest he raised an eyebrow. "That is a direct order from his majesty Botan. You are to return to your own duties as of this minute."

Botan scowled at the tall man, clearly unhappy with him attempting to dictate her actions and how she was supposed to do her job. The problem was there was a high likelihood that he spoke the truth and King Enma's orders were to be obeyed without question. As much as she disliked the situation she didn't have much choice. Turning to her two companions she fixed them both with a serious look, "I'm not sure what's going on here but I have to speak with Koenma. Try to be careful until I can get him to speak to his father." It was asking a lot but she could only pray that Hiei wouldn't do something to offend the King. Should Enma decree it not even Koenma would dare go against his orders and resurrect the two demons she'd come to call friends.

A slow feeling of dread settled in the pit of Hiei's stomach, both at the words of the SDF guard and the malicious smirk that had now spread across the man's face. It was tempting to see if they could make a run for it but his senses told him that the other guards who had been lurking around the room had surrounded them. 'If these fools have figured I'm going to be intimidated by them they're in for a surprise.' Outwardly he showed no sign of being disturbed by the danger that lurked all around them although inwardly he was wishing he could wield his sword or the powers he had mastered during his lifetime. But much to his irritation even the dragon was denied to him, the feeling of the beast riding his arm had long ago grown dim and finally faded altogether. Even more telling was how Yukina had noticed the feelings of animosity being directed towards them as well. Unconsciously she moved closer to him, almost pressing against his back in an effort to keep their eyes off of her. Most important in his mind was keeping his sister safe, if only there was a way to send her with Botan. 'As long as he doesn't hurt Yukina I can take whatever comes.' Slightly he nodded his head at Botan's words, reading the woman's hidden plea to keep the peace but kept his eyes on the guard. There was no point in giving them even more of an advantage, "Let's get this shit over with."

"I'll be back as soon as I can!" Botan made her two friends that promise before turning and running towards Koenma's office, her hurried footsteps the only warning anyone got before she roughly pushed past them. Indignant shouts were heard behind her but she was beyond caring just who she'd managed to offend as she rushed down the halls. Now she was almost certain that he had no knowledge of what was happening. If he did then he would have been standing there telling the SDF team they could kiss his ass before escorting them to a safe place to sort out just what the hell was going on.

Now more than ever Yukina wished she would have just stayed behind and allowed Hiei to handle this Reikai business. Now she had no choice in the matter and was forced to follow closely behind the apparition. Lagging just wasn't an option, the guards had seen to that, effectively containing them as they walked down the hallway. The look on Hiei's face wasn't reassuring to her either. His expression was almost completely devoid of emotion except the determined gleam in his piercing claret eyes. That alone was enough to frighten her.

Anticipation coiled around in King Enma's gut as he heard the prisoner's footsteps approaching and settled there. It had been far too easy to provide the Captain with a method to kill demons no matter what class they were and he was almost salivating as he looked forward to this encounter. Only an S class might have posed a problem but since his most trusted guard wasn't attacking directly it would be extremely difficult to counter. When he'd heard about the demoness and her concern over Koenma the choice to eliminate her hadn't been difficult. The fact that Hiei had put in an appearance only made things easier and overall he was pleased. Now that one of the more powerful apparitions was off his list he could turn his attention towards the other members of Koenma's team. When the doors slid open and the two spirits stepped in a slow, pleased smile spread over his face. "Thank you lieutenant, you and your team are dismissed for the time being."

Timidly Yukina tried to leave Hiei's side although she only got a couple of steps in front of him before the apparition put a hand on her arm. She didn't dare take her eyes off of the giant before her though, not wanting to disrespect him so early into the meeting, if that's indeed what this could be called. She went to her knees and bowed before him, her forehead nearly touching the ground. It didn't escape her that Hiei didn't offer the man such respect though she couldn't be responsible for his actions. "Forgive us for intruding your majesty but I was hoping that you might be able to help us," she said in a reverent whisper. If Koenma had the power to resurrect them then surely his father could do that and so much more.

"Help you?" Enma's tone was mocking as he regarded her with amusement. Even more delightful was the way she cringed ever so slightly when he spoke, clearly this woman wasn't a demon to be feared. "Tell me why I would help you when I went through so much trouble to have you eliminated?" The reaction was just as he had expected. Hiei had jumped in front of his sister while his hand strayed towards a katana he no longer had in his possession. "Your antics amuse me fool, do you really think you can save her, or yourself for that matter? Better yet, don't you wish to know why I had you killed?" This is what the demons got for thinking they were above the Reikai's laws, consorting with beings outside of their own realm and attempting to turn his son against him.

"I could care less you old fool but I promise this will be the last mistake you ever make!" Hiei's words were snarled towards the God, even as he shielded Yukina from Enma's view. He could hear her getting to her feet as well as the gasp of shock that escaped her. Clearly she hadn't expected to hear that they'd been ordered to be executed by the ruler of the Reikai. One of his regrets was believing that something like this wouldn't happen, at least not to her. He was the one that Enma should have a grudge against for aiding Yusuke. "Yukina, get the hell out of here and find Koenma!" Whether or not she'd actually succeed was debatable but one thing was for certain, she wasn't safe here. There was a good chance that he'd be powerless against Enma but if nothing else he'd try to stall him long enough for his sister to escape.

As the Koorime turned to flee Enma laughed, knowing that her attempts were futile. Assuming he even allowed her to make it to the doors she was powerless to open them. "How touching, so you seek to protect your sister a second time? She's already died once because of your incompetence!" The girl's rapid retreat came to a halt as she turned to stare wide eyed at the apparition, clearly stunned by the proclamation. He would leave them no time to come to terms with what he'd just revealed though and there would be no tears of joy shed either. "You two should have never interfered where you had no business. Now you get to watch her death a second time Hiei and this time there will be no hope of ever bringing her back." As he spoke those words the apparition leapt at him, clearly intent on stopping him from finishing the girl off but the effort would be in vain. The incantation was invoked a second time, whispered beneath his breath as he held a hand out to throw Hiei against the far wall with a blast of power. The Koorime though was paralyzed, staring at him helplessly as the spell coiled around her just before her soul shattered into a million pieces. Chuckling maliciously Enma turned his attention to Hiei who was picking himself off the ground. "It's so touching that her last words would be of her love for you, her long lost brother."

If he'd been grieving before it was nothing compared to what Hiei felt now, knowing that his sister had been taken from him permanently. The pain stabbing through his heart overrode all sense of reason. No longer caring about his own fate he climbed to his feet, ready to launch another assault against Enma. The thought ran through his mind that it was likely to grant him the same fate as Yukina had suffered but it didn't matter. Nothing else mattered to him now, his death, Enma's. He just wanted it to be over once and for all. His body trembled with rage as his hand went to the ward that covered the Jagan in the hopes that somehow he'd still have some form of control over it. Before he could make an attempt to use it though he was frozen in place, Enma's mocking laughter filling the room again.

"I know what you are thinking Hiei," Enma stated quietly after his laughter died out. The fact that he'd just killed the Koorime meant nothing to him. She was a demon, hardly anything above scum and certainly not fit for his son's attention. "You wish to die now, like she did because you know that as you are now you are powerless to stop me. You believe that your friends will be enough to avenge your deaths and you can slip into that welcoming oblivion willingly." Had anyone else happened to walk in they might have thought that a pleasant conversation was occurring had it not been for the murderous look upon the apparition's face. Yet Enma didn't worry about anyone barging into the room, nor would anyone care what had happened in here save for his son and his assistant. They too would be powerless to do anything about it though. Knowing his captive audience wasn't going anywhere he continued on, "If I were a generous man I might grant such a request but I am not." His eyes narrowed as he leaned forward in his throne and his voice turned deadly serious, "No one will ever turn my son against me again. Not you, not that hapless female I just rid the world of and certainly not Yusuke or any one of those fools he calls friends. Each of them will perish just as you have for your crimes and they will share in your fate."

End Chapter One.

Updates may or may not be infrequent, hinging on my ability to write. Thank you to everyone who reviews.