A small black figure rushed through clumps of trees and bushes, leaving a trail of dead leaves.
        Hiei has his Jagan wide open, its lens having an eerie shade of bright green. His reddish-brown eyes, on the other hand, glowed more intense as he made his way deep into the woods.
        He paused to gaze at a fallen trunk of a giant aspen tree blocking his path. He peered beyond the tree, looking around fiercely as if daring the forest to contradict his plan.
         " Perfect.", he whispered harshly, an evil smile creeping across his face.
        Hiei hauled himself onto the trunk and walk a short distance before extending his hand. The ornate arm bracelet emitted heat as he released a dozen of black dragons. The dragon's cries were loud and oppressive, as if commanding the entire forest. Their long blazing limbs flew in wide circles right in front of him. The trees crackled and a smell of burning wood became very evident. Sparks flew into the air.
        With a swift gesture of Hiei’s hand, the dragons intertwined with one another forming the shape of an old buggy wheel. It positioned itself flat on the clearing.
        Hiei tightened his fist as the ornate arm bracelet shifted its color from fiery red to icy blue.
        Yukina’s power. Nobody but me could possess such strength, he thought proudly. The power of fire . . and . . ice.
        He extended his arm once again toward the dragons. His arm released a cold energy, freezing the dragons in place, their bodies appeared to be crystal beams of an unusual structure.
        Hiei walked towards the center and sat cross-legged. He looked straight ahead. His expression impassive.
        He has the easiest job among the four of them, he knew. But the moment he failed, this whole thing could go to waste. The master was beaten by the power of fire. Only Hiei, who has that kind of power to initiate his release. Him and him alone could create the fortress while the others would make their offering. And together, they would create a new world.
        Hiei clasped his hands. " For every innocent life, for every noble blood, for every pure soul, death shall befall on them." His eyes turning into a frightening shade of bright red. " Evil shall rise!"
        He closed his eyes, feeling the soft breeze as droplets of rain pelted his face. The rain had started to fall and within seconds, it came in torrents. Hiei, however, paid little attention to the deluge as his usually dark features turned darker. More menacing. His body now surrounded by a ghoulish purple mist.
        Almost instantly as it started to pour, the rain ceased. The forest lit up with a strange glow. Four beams of light flashed brilliantly across the darkened sky. Then came a tremendous rush of wind that shook everything in sight. The sky became more overcast and the wind blew stronger by the moment, whipping leaves off the trees.
        The ground started to vibrate as the four beams shone around Hiei. One in the East, the West, to the North and South. It started to form glass capsules, its brightness slowly diminishing as the capsules became more and more solid.
        Instantly, everything went still. The earthquake ceased. The wind stopped blowing.
        Hiei opened his eyes and stared contentedly at his creation. The four glass capsules gleamed. Each attached to one another by the frozen dragon beams. All four have symbols embedded in silver. A Fox. Dragon. Sword-bearer. Phoenix.
        Now, it depends on how the others could do well on their mission, he thought. He ran his fingers through the shiny glass.
         " The power of the three black gems will take their power from the three worlds. The death of innocence, love and justice. All will feed into my master’s soul.", he voiced out, his face gleaming with excitement. " He shall live again!"

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        Koenma slowly entered his father’s room, carrying the scepter. Shizuru trotted beside him, marveling over the spacious highly-decorated bedroom.
         " Papa . . .", Koenma called.
        Enma Daioh stirred. His eyes flew open at the sound of his son’s voice. " Koenma, where’ve you been?"
         "Ningenkai. A lot of strange things had happened recently." , he replied. " But I’m here to ask you about your condition."
         " I’m fine.", the king said. He looked straight at Shizuru. " Its been a long time Akira."
        Both Koenma and Shizuru looked perplexed.
         " Uh . . um . . my name’s not Akira. I’m Kazuma’s brother, Shizuru.", she stuttered.
        Enma smiled knowingly. " Of course, I know that." He didn’t elaborate what he meant the first time. " Are you going to ask me something, my son?"
        Koenma started. His father had never addressed him that way. His father must’ve guessed his agenda. He handed out the scepter to his father.
        Enma narrowed his eyes. " How did you get this?"
         " In the library. George said one of the deities found it in the garden.", he replied. " Do you know wha . . ."
        He was interrupted as the scepter started to fade. Then disappeared into thin air. The two let out a gasp. Enma, however, didn’t show any surprise. He stared out the window, his face looking grim.
         " You had accidentally released it.", Enma murmured.
         " Papa . .", Koenma cast an inquiring look at his father.
        Enma Daioh stared at his son. " Are you ready to listen about my past. My dark past."
        The prince of Reikai stared back at his father. What does he mean ‘dark past’? He mused. He nodded his head, signaling his father to start.
         " When I was your age, about a hundred thousand years ago.", he began. " I was like you. Always wanted to have my way."
        Koenma flinched at that statement.
         " I have a couple of friends, Daigo from Makai and Akira from Ningenkai. They were very good friends of mine and very strong. We would challenge one another to increase our strength. And we would join tournaments to gain more experience. Everything was fine until . . ."
        Enma paused, his expression downcast. Koenma nodded.
         " One of our opponents in a tournament approached us. He told us that if we defeated them, they would give us their power. If not, then we would give them ours. At first we didn’t agree. But Daigo was very persistent. He convinced us that we are more powerful than those strangers and that we could beat them easily. We agreed in the end."
         " D-Did you won the battle, s-sir?", Shizuru asked.
        Enma nodded. " Just like Daigo had predicted, we beat them, almost without any effort. They gave us their powers. I received a necklace. Akira was given the scepter. And Daigo received an arm bracelet and a ring."
        Koenma gasped. " T-those are . . ."
         " Yes, Koenma. Those are the same relics you discovered."
        Enma sighed as he continued his story. " We thought it was great to have new powers. They weren’t new actually. The relics just enhanced our own. But little did we know that the strength was coming from evil. Day by day, as we use our powers, we were being consumed by the relics’ evil intentions. Akira killed a lot of people at that time. She would walk around carrying her sword, finishing off every human she might ran into."
        Enma stared at Shizuru. " When I called you Akira a while ago, its because you are a direct descendant of her. You actually look very much like her."
        Shizuru was stunned.
         " Daigo has the power to control fire. He was able to destroy a huge portion of Makai. If you think why some places were more gloomier than the others, its because Diago had done it. He had killed the most powerful Youkai at that time. He would finish class A and S demons without mercy. He would extinguish the weaker ones with a flick of his hand. The more powerful he killed, the more power will flow onto his relic."
         " I, on the other hand, began sucking the life out of everybody here in Reikai. Imagine, if you’re dead, you can still have your soul but through the necklace, even your soul would be tormented. Banished into unspeakable horror. I would’ve wiped out the entire Reikai population if not the being having the kindest and purest of all souls came forward and offer herself. Her soul would fill in the remaining strength the relic needed. I took her life mercilessly."
        Enma stared at his son intently, tears welling up in his eyes.
        Koenma looked confused at his father’s emotional display. Shizuru, on the other hand looked on, anticipating what he was about to say.
         " That woman, Koenma.", he breathed heavily. " That woman was your mother."
        Koenma sucked in his breath, stunned. He stared at his father. " Y-You’ve got to be kidding . . ."
        Enma closed his eyes. " I wish I was, my son, . . I wish I was."
        Koenma took a step backward. His lips quivering. Tears flooded from his golden eyes. " No . . No . ."
         " Koenma . . .", Shizuru reached out to him but he shrugged her hands away. He turned his back on them and went beside the window.
        Enma looked straight ahead. His expression, unchanging. " I was helpless and weak. I couldn’t control it. Evil had flooded my mind . ."
         " Don’t give me that bullshit!!!", Koenma’s voice shook as he pointed his finger at Enma.
         " YOU’RE A COWARD! YOU KILLED HER! YOU KILLED MY MOTHER!", Koenma burst out, His handsome features reflecting pure anguish. " You told me she died of a decease. But you lied. YOU LIED TO COVER UP YOUR CRIME!!
         " Son, listen to me . ."
         " YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO CALL ME SON! I WON’T LISTEN TO YOU ANYMORE!!!", Koenma yelled, his face red with anger.
         " I’m still you’re father. LISTEN!!"
         " Oh, THE GREAT ENMA’s angry?! What’re you gonna do? Kill me? Go right ahead! I don’t care! That’s what you’re good at anyway. Killing innocent people!"
         " LISTEN TO ME!!!", Enma shouted.
        Koenma shifted his gaze outside, his shoulders were tense. He was surprised at his own reaction. He had never raised his voice on his father. Not even lift a finger to him. Much less curse him. But he deserved it, he thought angrily.
         " I admit, I was weak. We only have minimal control of ourselves and that is during the morning. My friends knew it too. So we decided to find a way to stop it.", Enma continued.
         " What’s the use of that?! My mother’s already dead!", Koenma muttered.
         " Would you let me finish!", Enma yelled, losing his patience.
         " As I was saying, we were looking for a way to destroy it. Daigo had tricked the master to use his body as shelter while we haven’t finished destroying the three realms yet. Daigo was so convincing, we even thought he had turned worst. Daigo went as far as offering innocent maidens to the master. The moment the master had entered his body, he released his firepower to himself. He told us to kill him. We couldn’t do it, of course. He’s our friend.", Enma paused as he let out huge sigh. Beads of perspiration gracing his forehead.
         " But we knew that if we didn’t do it now, Daigo would be consumed by the master forever.", he continued. " It’s a no win situation."
         " S-She made the first move and killed him . . .", Shizuru whispered, she looked preoccupied. " A-Akira, I mean. Those thoughts I’ve been having . . ."
        Enma nodded. " She must’ve been sending you those messages. You’re right. Akira bravely thrust her sword through Daigo’s chest and I imprisoned his body in a wall of strong energy. I then flung his body in an ornate capsule as Daigo did the last touch. He burned himself to death. His remains and the casket were turned to ashes. . . but the relics . . . were unharmed. Me and Akira buried it along with a golden book that one of the friars had given me. I thought it would stay buried and that the master was already gone. Died. Died with Daigo. But now . . .", Enma hesitated for a moment then spoke. " You see this time its not about your mother anymore, Koenma. I failed on that part, I know. This time we’re talking about your friends. If you can’t stop them then they will kill each other. They will kill like we did. Cruel and merciless. I’m pretty sure that the master will go after the descendants."
        Enma gazed intently at Shizuru. " You’re brother had inherited Akira’s power, Shizuru. The master will definitely use him. He already used Koenma. I was the one who buried the relics. Being my only son, he had been able to open its case again. The master was buried by fire. Daigo happens to be Hiei’s father. He will surely be tasked to unearth the master."
         " What about the others?", Shizuru asked. She was herself again.
         " Yusuke and Kurama are powerful enough to attract even the darkest elements. Both of them having a strong evil side in the deep corner of their consciousness."
         " The evil powers now are much stronger and meaner than before. The technique we used to kill the master may not work anymore. K-koenma . . . uh aughhh . . .", Enma coughed. His face’s showing signs of weariness.
         " King Enma . .", Shizuru looked at the ill king.
         " You m-must think . . of a n-new strategy. Y-you must he. . . lp y-your f-friends . . .T-the g-golden . . b-book w-will . . " Enma was unable to finish his sentence as he lost consciousness. He fell into a deep sleep.
        Koenma briskly walked out of the room without a word. Shizuru followed him after making sure that the king was being taken cared of.
         " I understand how you feel about your father. But I don’t think we have time for that now. We should concentrate on our friends.", Shizuru said. " What do you think we should do?"
        Silence.
         " My brother has the scepter. Hiei would surely have the bracelet. And you mentioned to me that Yusuke was very interested in the ring when we came here yesterday. Then . .", Shizuru recounted, hoping that Koenma would get on his act.
        She was rewarded as Koenma suddenly paced back and forth, thinking. He rubbed his jaw and said. " If Hiei will built the fortress somewhere. And Kuwabara and Yusuke will take care of Ningenkai and Makai, respectively, then . . .", Koenma let his voice trail as a sickening thought hit him. " Kurama . ."
        He was cut off by loud screams from outside.
        He and Shizuru look out the window and gasped. Hundreds of killer plants were all over the place. Giant black roses lay everywhere, engulfing clusters of thick white smoke. He looked down and saw bodies lay lifeless on the front lawn, on the terraces, on the roofs. Everywhere. Koenma stared hard at the giant roses and blinked. Smoky formations appeared on the rose petals. Shades that seems to form agonized faces, their mouths open in horror.
         " The smoke . .", he said shakily. " T-Those are . . . s-souls."
        Shizuru stared at him with wide eyes. "What are you talking about?"
         " Listen to their cries, Shizuru.", Koenma said. " Just like my father did, Kurama’s taking all the souls here in Reikai!"

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        Dark storm clouds filtered out the sun, casting a wash of eerie yellow over the afternoon sky. The air was heavy, wet and very still. There was no wind to stir the leaves. No wild animals to rustle the thick bushes.
        The silence was nerve-racking. As if the place is holding its breath for something big.
        The edifice stood proudly in the middle of the woods. It has been completed. Hiei now stood inside one of the glass cases. His eyes were closed. His face calm. His small figure relaxed, saving its energy for what was about to come. The opened Jagan graced his forehead, watching in case anybody would disturb his silent incantation.
        The silence was broke off by a loud rumble. A lightning struck, momentarily illuminating the dark clouds.
        One capsule started to glow. A dark green mist appeared, forming an average-sized young man. Yusuke appeared on the case opposite Hiei’s. He closed his eyes and relaxed as the glittering dark gem disengaged itself from his relic then disappeared. It reappeared above the capsule, fitting snugly at the center as it started to radiate energy that seems to have life of its own.
        The wind whistled as a large frame materialized inside the case on the left. Kuwabara’s usually comical face now holds a scary expression as his own black gem placed itself above his capsule.
        Another thunder erupted, red haze thickened.
        Kurama appeared behind the glistening cover of the last case. One could see that his physical features suggests good values and intentions, but there was something about his mouth and eyes which proclaim otherwise.
        A strong gust of wind blew as the last of the four onyxes fit into place. They started to radiate a strong energy, emitting a beam of black-purple light. The energy blasted halfway through the whole circle. The beams converged at the center, creating a ball of dark power. The impact shook the whole structure, sending the entire woods into a series of vibrations. Yusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei and Kurama stood unfazed, engrossed in the importance of their mission. A mission of darkness, profound mastery and unholy domination.
        The earth seems to pulsate as the whole edifice was enveloped in a wave of strong force. One by one, the cases turned an about face. All of them now facing outward. They stood guard as an ornate crystal case bearing a symbol on top, rose from the earth, surpassing the four cases in height and size.
        An intricately crafted huge onyx graced the glass case. Waiting for something to breathe life into it.

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        Keiko breathed heavily. Their feet dragging through the dry earth. Their skirts swishing against the tall blades of grass.
        She peeked at her companion. Botan’s glazed purple eyes cast downward. Color hasn’t returned on her cheeks yet, which means she’s getting worst. They have to look for a shelter as soon as possible.
        Suddenly, the blue-haired deity jerked her head upward. " K-Ko. . . en . . . ma . . ."
        Keiko looked surprised. " Koenma? Did you say Koenma, Botan? Do you feel him? Is he here?"
        Slowly and painfully, Botan raised her arm and pointed one finger ahead.
         " Is that where he is?", Keiko asked. Botan nodded her head. Suddenly she felt her friend starting to go heavy.
        She’s losing consciousness, Keiko thought in panic.
         " Botan! Stay with me!", she said. " We’ll get there. Just hang on."
        Keiko assisted her and walked in the direction that she had indicated. In a few minutes the thick bushes and trees cleared revealing a small hut. Keiko smiled. " Botan, I saw it! I saw a hut!"
        Ahead was a hut about the size of a two-room bungalow and built of heavy wood. She knocked.
        A tall guy of her age, wearing a pacifier on his mouth swung the door open. Relief flooded through her. Help at last! " Koenma!"
         " Keiko!", he cried out in astonishment. He shifted his gaze to the ravaged blue haired girl beside her. " Botan!"
        Without wasting any time, he carried Botan inside.
         " Botan! What happened?", Shizuru exclaimed after seeing her poor condition.
         " She fell unconscious.", Koenma declared. He placed his hand above her. " She’d be okay in a few minutes. Her scratches are just minor. I think she’s in a shock."
         " She was placed in a casket in the old mausoleum within the cemetery not far from here.", Keiko explained.
        The rest gaped at her, horrified.
         " B-Buried alive?!", Shizuru’s mouth hung open. Who would ever thought of doing such thing to anybody?
         " Who did this to her?", Koenma asked. He won’t be surprised if the culprit was one of the spirit detectives.
         " I-I don’t know . . .", Keiko hesitated. " But I did saw a red rose on top of the casket."
         " Kurama.", Koenma said grimly.
         " I-It could be anybody, you know . . .", Keiko murmured. " L-like Y-Yusuke . . or Y-Yukina . . ."
         " Yukina?"
         " What makes you say that?"
         " I saw her . . she was different. Her features became dark. Even her voice had changed and she had a third eye like Hiei’s.", Keiko narrated. Shivering at the thought. " It was scary. She’s ordering Hiei to build something and she’s talking about an evil world rising."
         " Y-Yukina?", Koenma murmured thoughtfully.
         " How does Yukina fit into this, Koenma?", Shizuru asked worriedly. She shifted her gaze to the brown-haired girl. " And what made you think that your boyfriend has anything to do with this?"
        Keiko told them of her experience at the beach. She scrunched up her face looking confused. " What’re you guys talking about? What’s going on?"
        Shizuru filled her in about the relics and their powers. Keiko looked more and more frightened as she listened.
         " What can we do to help?", she asked anxiously after the story has been related to her.
        Both girls looked at Koenma. He had just finished treating Botan’s wounds.
         " If Yukina is the fifth member then what’s her mission?", Koenma wondered. " Sending instructions to the others?"
         " . . or to kill us.", George butt in.
         " . . or control over Hiei.", Keiko suggested.
         " . . or maybe . . . maybe she’s the one.", Shizuru piped in.
        All eyes stared at her. Shivers ran their spines. They too believed she might be the one.
        They all jumped as a loud rumble echoed through the woods. Followed by another. Then another. It seems to be coming from the eastern section.
         " All of you stay here.", Koenma ordered. He felt a strong presence from that direction. " I’ll try to find out what that is."
         " Oh no. you’re not coming alone.", Shizuru protested. " I’ll go with you. My brother may be there."
         " Okay then.", the prince consented. " George. I’ll leave Keiko and Botan to you."
         " Yes sir!", George saluted, raising a bamboo stick in front of him, probably for defense purposes.
        Shizuru and Keiko giggled softly, count on George to lighten up the situation. Koenma, however, looked at him sharply.
        Shizuru tugged on his elbow and smiled. " They’ll be fine."
        Koenma sighed and the two trekked across the grass, through the thicket of bushes and trees. Uncertain of all the danger waiting for them.