They reached the top of the mountain only to see it was more like a volcano. Only inside was like a black-purple mist that steamed up. Rika closed her eyes and fell a few steps back. Hiei caught her, "Whoa whoa whoa! Rika are you alright?" Yusuke asked as they surrounded her. "The energy is increasable........oooooh, my head........" Rika moaned. The energy was affecting only her since Atamis must have directed it toward her in case she came. Hiei picked her up, "It would be best if I would just carry you from here if your being affected that much." She put her arms around his neck and looked up at him. Then sighed and closed her eyes.

They traveled deeper into the 'volcano' and Rika only got worse. She had her eyes close tightly as she tried to hold onto Hiei. He stopped on a small ledge and the others stopped just below him. "Something wrong?" Yusuke asked. Hiei sort of lowered her a bit so the others could see, and she looked in pain. Kurama jumped back up to that ledge and brushed the hair from her face. Yusuke and Kuwabara looked at each other before jumping up to them. Yusuke looked at her, "She doesn't look good at all...." "Yeah, what's wrong with her?" Kuwabara asked. "Stupid, she SAID the ora in here was-" "I KNOW WHAT SHE SAID STUBBY!" Kuwabara yelled. Hiei glared at him and Kuwabaka backed away. "I'll take her back up. You three keep going down." Hiei said and jumped up to the top ledges while the others looked for a moment before jumping down.

Back up at the surface, Rika lied on Hiei's lap as he brushed the hair from her face. She lied there unconscious, though with a peaceful smile. He couldn't help it and smirked a little. Rika had her arms wrapped around his waist and rested peacefully, as though the ora didn't affect her anymore.

Now, back at the bottom of the 'volcano.' Yusuke, Kurama, and Kuwabara reached the bottom. The ora and mist was black mixed with deep purple and was harder to see. As though trying to cut through the darkness of night. Yusuke could see the walls behind him and the floor, but nothing in front, only darkness, "Kurama, can you see anything?" "No, I'm afraid not. But I'm sure you can also sense that energy in front of you." Kurama answered. "Yeah.....and I don't like it." Yusuke said. "Yeah, same here. Uh.......maybe we should just wait here for it to come out." Kuwabara said as the two started to walk forward. "It wants us to come to it." Kurama said, and Kuwabara ran up to them, "Wait for me!"

The halls stayed silent in the rocky walls, and as though a soft, soft, humming from the ora crept along the cavern, was the only thing breaking the silence. The ora, or mist. hovered in the air, creeping along creating a feeling of fear and horror thought out the area. It felt like watching or hearing someone dieing, slowly and painfully. The feeling was horrific and could make someone want to tear apart themselves.

Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama walked through the cave halls. Kuwabara was jumping at every little thing, then Yusuke kicked a rock by accident. "AaAaAaAaAaAaAaAaHhHhHhHhHhHhHhHhHhHh!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT'S HIM!!!!" Kuwabara screamed. "Kuwabara, shut up! You'll ruin our cover." Yusuke said as Kuwabara finally stopped flailing like a baby behind him. Then they heard a loud, BOOM, and the ground shook. "Whoa! What the hell was that!?"

They waited at least 20 minuets and heard something. They heard something. It was foot steeps, behind them. When the person came into view, it was Hiei, carrying Rika. "Hiei? I though you were supposed to stay up there." Yusuke said. "It's no longer safe. another portal opened and came right for us." Hiei answered. "WHAT!?" Yusuke shouted. "The dragon and the fox are taking care of it." Hiei said and started walking past them. They looked at each other and at Rika. Then went along.

After a bit, Rika regained consciousness and was walking on her own. The mist no longer affected her. This puzzled her and created a sense of suspicion, so Hiei stayed close along with the others. They walked, continuing through the mist, sensing the energy growing as they went along. "Rika, how much longer do we have until the clouds hit the city?" Yusuke asked. Rika thought for a moment, "About 5 days or so." "Then we'd better hurry." Kurama said. "Yes." Rika nodded and they began to run, in hopes to find Atamis faster and stop him in time. Rika was plotting a plane in her head to get the orb out of his hands and stop him, but it was very dangerous and risky. It was the only way to do it though.

In a matter of about an hour they reached the end of the long, long hallway of caves, and came into a large caved room with no exits except the ceiling that had a medium sized hole in it. The orb was in the middle of the room on a pedestal and guarded by a powerful shield. It was releasing the dark mist and most of it as being released through the hole, which created the clouds. Rika crossed her arms, closed her eyes, and smirked, "I though as much." "Thought what?" Kuwabara asked. "HE can't handle the power of the orb for long, so he placed it here where he doesn't need to hold it. It just keep creating the Dark that covers the sky while he goes out on his own, hiding like the coward he is." Rika giggled. Then she walked up to the orb and reached out to it, but the shield shocked her hand. She pulled it back and took out her blue ocarina. "What's that?" Kuwabara gazed at it with the others. "Just watch." Rika said and put her mouth over the mouth piece. She blew into it and placed her other fingers over the holes to make a soothing melody. After she stopped, the boys looked kinda hypnotized from the enchanting music, but then heard a rumble. Suddenly, Saremu crashed through the opening in the ceiling with Karisuto on his head. He landed in a circle around the orb and he stared at it. Karisuto jumped down and went to Rika. Then, Saremu lunged at the orb, broke the shield and grasped it in his teeth. but before he could fly away, something punched him hard on the head and he dropped it. Atamis picked up the orb after landing on his feet and struck a black beam at the dragon. With a roar, Saremu shook it off and blasted a breath of black darkness fire right back at Atamis.

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>> Atamis and Saremu

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