the rain continues. Shizu put his sword away, and goes back into the temple where the others are...

"..so I understand now.." whispers Galford, "so you sayin' that Shizu was the bad guy all along?"
"i knew something was wrong with him." said Hoahmaru, "but i never expect him to be the big bad demon....OUCH!!!"
Charlotte poke his butt with her weapon, "don't say that everyone! Shizu is our friend."
"i'm sorry to say it but.." whispers Kazuki, scratching his head, "that kid had never been friendly to us or anything, always avoiding us. i tried to be nice but...i don't think he cares if we care about him."
"......" Rimururu lowers her head, "...can't be that bad, right? he can't be that bad.."
"c'mon Rimururu. face it! he been avoiding you too since you met him." said Hoahmaru, "AND THE WORST PART IS THAT YOU LOVE...."
"love who?" said a voice
it's Shizumaru. he heard everything. they all freak out
"...NO ONE!!!!!!!!!!" freaks Rimururu, her face turn red, and cover Hoahmaru's mouth, "NO ONE!! RIGHT HOAHMARU??! RIGHT!"
Hoahmaru pushes her away, "...damn, woman."
Shizu didn't say anything. he walks up to the altar, and continues without facing them, "...i thought about it...i have made a decision.."
then he turn around, "...i want to challenge Kojiro."
"????" they all blink
"are you ok, Shizu?" said Hoahmaru
"Kojiro is the heart of all evil.." whispers Jubei, "your powers are only part from him. how can you ever think of defeating him??"
"but...but i want to try." said Shizu, "i know i can do it, Jubei! i know i can defeat him.... even if i have to turn into the demon..."
"going to Kojiro is like kamikaze, dude." said Galford
"..I DON'T CARE ANYMORE ABOUT THAT!" shouts Shizu, "i can feel it..i can feel i'm turning into a monster soon..but before i do control of myself, i want to change destiny. i want to stop Kojiro!! even if i have to die for it..." then he turn to Ukyo, Hoahmaru and the others, "..but i can't do it alone.." then for the first time in his life, he bow his head and whispers,
"....PLEASE...i need your help.."
[silent]
".....Shizumaru.." whispers Rimururu
"...it's going to be dangerous, and there's a chance all of us might die.." whispers Shizu, "but Kojiro is coming. i can feel it...we have to stop him before it's too late... but it's your choice if you want to come with me. arigato for everything else you've all done for me so far..."
he bows again...
"..oh shit. he's nice." whispers Hoahmaru, "...OH WELL!!!! since my job here is done..SAKE TIME!!!!!" he walks away in joy...
Charlotte went after Hoahmaru, and pull him back by his ear, "...N~O..you are NOT.."
"....i'll help you, Shizumaru." smiles Rimururu
"count me in." smiles Galford. Poppy barks, "[BARK!]"
Charlotte smiles while she's pulling Hoahmaru's ear, "me and Hoahmaru will help too. it'll be our pleasure RIGHT HOAHMARU?!"
"....OUCH OUCH OUCH!!! YEA YEA..!!" freaks Hoahmaru
"all this for nothing?" said Ukyo (WOW HE TALKS!) "and i thought the prophet might know where my cure is.... but it's all a wild goose chase."
then he left....
"..........::sighs:: Ukyo-san..he's WAY hotter than Shizu and he's not a demon..." whispers Cella, "WAIT FOR ME!!!" and went after Ukyo
"i'll help! since i got nothing else to do but run from Sogetsu. oh well." said Kazuki
"Ambrosia was controlled by Kojiro... he shall pay for what he have done to my son." said Hanzo
"...he took Akane away from me. even though she's not my real daughter, she was in my heart." said Jubei
"........." Genjuro didn't say a thing. he gets up..and about to leave..
"Genjuro.." said Shizu, "..please, will you help me?"
"......pathetic." whispers Genjuro, didn't even face Shizu, "you're samurai, boy! have you forgotten your pride and honor as a samurai? these people..they are just stupid already especially Hoahmaru who's already out of his mind. but now you too? tsh..and i thought i admired you, boy..."
".......yea.." whispers Shizu
Genjuro walks away....
[BAM] he hits the wall of the temple..
".........?" they all freak out
Genjuro shakes his head, "I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING! i was testing how strong the wall is."
then he continues...
[BOOM]
and tripped down from the stairs...
"...@#$%.." Genjuro murmurs to himself. Shizu didn't say anything. he went up to Genjuro...
and give him a hand...
"here." said Shizu
"........" Genjuro saw his hand, and push it away, "I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP!" then he gets up.... but trips again.
[BOOM]
"DAMNIT! WHAT PLACE IS THIS?!" shouts Genjuro, very pissed off then he gets up again, ignoring Shizu......, "..!!!!!!"
he's tripping..!
[silent] "?"
Shizu caught Genjuro's arm before he fell again...
"everyone needs a hand now and then sometimes." said Shizu, and grins a little, "..including samurai." then he pull Genjuro up.
".........." Genjuro don't know what to say
"something is wrong with your eyes, Genjuro." said Shizu, "you can't fight alone. if you tag along with us, you might be able to learn how i use my senses to fight and defend for yourself.."
"......." Genjuro lowers his head. ok, first he went with these crazy punks to a stupid @#$% journey to find this princess then for the Sacred Sage. what's the point?! he already hates it the first day he join these fools to fight. now if he joins them again..it'll be worse cuz now we got one more nice guy around which totally sucks for him (ya know how Genjuro is, be the big-bad-boy and all)
then he said, "..i didn't say i'm not coming." then Genjuro added, "you'll never survive without me around, kid! but i'll .... ::cough:: HELP ::cough:: this ONCE. after this, you go your way and i go mine. then i shall continue my fight against Hoahmaru..."
"ARIGATO!" grins Shizu, "...Kojiro...he's sealed not very far from here at the North. that's where he will be freed...
" then he lead them..

while on their way to Kojiro, Rimururu is walking a little behind than usual. Shizu slowed down to talk to her..
"Rimururu, what's wrong?" said Shizu
"?!" she blinks, "GOMEN! i'm sorry i wasn't paying attention i.."
"hey it's ok!" grins Shizu, "is something bothering you?"
"....." she lowers her head. wow, Shizu cares. he never NEVER stopped and asked her that. he never done that to anyone..
"Rimururuuuuuuuuuuu..." said Shizu, waving in front of her
"?! i'm sorry!...i...!!"
"is it cuz...you thought i never cared?"
"......"
"yea...i was acting like a total jerk back then.." said Shizu, "i didn't care anyone but myself...but i want to change that. after Akane was gone..i realized how much i missed out...that i never admit to any of my feelings. if only i admit my feelings earlier.." then he shakes his head, "we're friends right? and i'll never hurt you in any ways."
".....feelings.." she whispers, "..Shizu, i have something to tell you..."
"..me too." said Shizu
"........." she gasps, and blushes. then she continues, "...Shizu, i...i....."
"HOLD IT." said a voice
it's Sogetsu. he's very pissed off.
"aww..not now Sogetsu!!" said Kazuki
"THIS IS IT." said Sogetsu, "IT'S EITHER ME OR YOU, KAZUKI!!!"
"..grrrr.." Shizu wants to help, but Kazuki stops him.
"..it's my battle. i must finish it." said Kazuki, and went up to Sogetsu.
everyone backs off
"[BREATH] KAZUKI..." whispers Sogetsu
"please stop, brother." said Kazuki, "i don't want to fight you.."
"TRAITOR!!! TRAITOR MUST DIE.." said Sogetsu, then he lift his arms high up into the sky, "AAAAAAAAAARGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!"
he slowly turn into Leviathan, the water god.
he's HUGE!!! about 5 times of Kazuki when it stand straight up.
Kazuki gasps..
"holy shit.." whispers Hoahmaru, looking up
"SSSSSSSSSS........" Leviathan softly hisses.....then it calls up its water element attack..
[BRROOOM]
"????!!" Kazuki loses his balance. the ground beneath him shakes more and more..!
[BOOM] [SPLASH]
then in a sudden, the ground breaks and tons of water hits Kazuki REALLY HARD and fast like razors... [SLASH] it cuts his chest and legs...
"KAZUKI!!" shouts Charlotte, but Shizu won't let her go help.
Kazuki falls on his knees...it hurts so much. it's like a HUGE slash went through your chest...
"SSSSSSSSSSSS......" Leviathan raises its head high up...and attacks..!!
Kazuki quickly jumps away before it got him.. and counterattack..
"???? WHAT THE @#$%?!" it won't work! his katana went right through the enemy like liquid..
Leviathan grab Kazuki by the tail, and swing him around crazy, squeezing him REAL tight..
"......!!!!!" Kazuki gasps, "AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH..!!!" he screams in pain. he struggles to get out but can't...
Leviathan squeeze him tighter...
[crack] you can hear some of his bones crack..
"....AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH.....!!!! AAAAAAAHH......!!!!!" screams Kazuki
"..[GASPS] NOOO!!" gasps Rimururu
"GODDAMN IT..!!" shouts Galford, "I'M HELPING HIM!"
"No, Galford!" said Shizu but too late.
"GO POPPY!!" shouts Galford, as he takes his katana out...
"[GROWL]" Poppy run and attacks Leviathan..... [splash] but the dog ran right through it!
"LET HIM GO YOU BASTARD!!" shouts Galford, and start to attack...
[splash] [splash] no use. it all just went through Leviathan's body like liquid.. (hey, it's body is made out of water duh)
Leviathan saw Galford and throw Kazuki at him..!!
[BOOM]
they fall to the ground.. Poppy run to Galford's side and growls
"WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING!!" said Hoahmaru
"...." Shizu watches, he wanted to help too..but he must keep his friend's word to back off from this fight..
Kazuki struggles to get up..there's blood on his chest..and faces Leviathan
"...leave my friends alone..." he whispers..., "..LEAVE ME ALONE, SOGETSU.."
"SSSSSSSSS......" Leviathan swing its tail at Kazuki..
[SLASH]
"SSSSSSSS!!!!!" Leviathan screams in pain..
Kazuki is very pissed off. the fire in his sword and his body burns with anger...
then he attacks Leviathan with his sword..
[SLASH] [SLASH]
the fire in his sword is burning so hot that when it goes through Leviathan's body, it harms the enemy. steam begins to appear more and more...
"............" Kazuki's eyes turn into a fiery rage, and a ball of fire slowly appears and grows bigger and bigger in his hands....
"......GRRAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!" shouts Kazuki, and hits the ground w/ both of his hands...
[BOOOM!!!] the earth crackes and fire and lava aim straight at Leviathan...
"...!!!!!!" Leviathan shakes around like crazy, trying to escape from the heat, but it's so hot, it's too much for it. then it finally collapses to the ground....
[BOOM] Leviathan's body begin to turn into steam and gas...until nothing was left.
"......" Kazuki calms down..
[silent]
everything is back to normal..
"YOU DID IT, KAZUKI!!" smiles Rimururu, and run to his side. Kazuki helps Galford up..
"...so this is the end of Sogetsu.." said Jubei
"YOU WERE GREAT KAZUKI-SAN!" smiles Rimururu, "how did you do that?! wow!" "..i don't know.." whispers Kazuki, "it's like my instinct..my powers just kicked in...and i kinda lost control of what i was doing and killed Leviathan.."
then he whispers, "..kinda like.."
"........like a monster?" said Shizu
"..yea, i guess." said Kazuki, scratching his head
"hmm.." said Hoahmaru, looking at the steam, "...wow..what a way to go, huh?"
"..Kojiro is right pass this hill." said Shizu, "..let's rest here, tomorrow will be big day for us.."

it's night time.... everyone gather around the camp fire...
"......tomorrow we will meet Kojiro.." whispers Jubei, and throw more fire wood into the fire
"..and most of us might not make it.." said Charlotte
"....." Shizu didn't say anything, just staring at the fire...
"BUT HEY!" smiles Hoahmaru, "don't think like that! we made it so far..we can defeat Kojiro! and after that..." he pull out his sake bag, "..PARTY!!! SAKE FOR EVERYONE!!"
they all laugh, except Shizu..
he just grins a little..

when everyone went to sleep... Shizu is still awake. the only noise he can hear besides crickets are snores from Hoahmaru...
he just lays there, and look at the stars...
this may be the last time he'll see these stars...
"Shizumaru?" whispers a girl voice.
he sits up. it's Rimururu
she sits beside him, "...tomorrow is the last day.."
"..yea.." whispers Shizu, then he continues in a serious tone, "..Rimururu, i want you to promise me something."
she nods.
he continues, "...if i should ever turn into a demon, if i should ever want to kill you or anyone...YOU MUST KILL ME."
"...!!!!! no..!"
"please promise me that." said Shizu, "i..i don't know what will happen..i don't know who i would kill..even my own friends..." he closes his eyes,
"please... i can feel it. i'm going to turn into the demon soon... i don't know when and what will happen next, but i know i will lose control of myself and i might even end up being on Kojiro's side.."
then he whispers, "...i could've saved Akane...but..but i couldn't control myself. my body wants to stay and let the prophet kill her..."
Shizu takes out Akane's pendant....and stare at it...
then he turn to Rimururu, "..I..I CAN'T LET THIS HAPPEN AGAIN! not to the world. these innocent people... but if i shall ever turn into a monster before i can defeat Kojiro... you know what to do."
"........" Rimururu stares at him
"..you're my friend, Rimururu..i trust you." said Shizu, "..and i want you to do that for me no matta what, ALL RIGHT?!"
"......" she lowers her head, "..yea..we're friends...i'll do it.."
"..arigato." whispers Shizu, and continue looking at the stars
Rimururu wanted to cry...but she didn't. she begins to understand now....
Shizu loves Akane. not her. and even after Akane is gone..he's being loyal to her.... who wouldn't be loyal to the one they love?
she sighs, and watch the stars with Shizu together...
but look at the bright side...
she can get close to him for the last night of their lifes...


Chapter 21-----The Underworld