✔️Spirited Away by The Light

Chapter 17- No Dreams to be Had

Months later after the dreadful run in with Aku, another five spirts had gone missing.
No trace, no clues. Gone. Like they never existed.

To say I was disturbed would be an understatement.

But as always, he stayed working. Stayed busy. Never faltering and his pace and voice never wavered. He was the light of my life and that dark tunnel those two years ago... was really the tunnel to a brilliant future.

"Love, would you be an amazing woman and help count some of the profits? There is a bag of coins on my desk if you would be a dear and get them started" his beautiful eyes shine with pleasing as he waited for my response. "Only since you asked so nicely" I said giving him a quick peck on the lips. Before I could pull away, he grasped me and pulled me in tighter, deepening the kiss. After a few moments, I had to break it off. "We can continue this tonight, my love" I mumbled. I gave his arm a light squeeze before waltzing away up to the office. His beautiful laugh jingled up the stairs after me as I retreated.

Kiseki, had thankfully managed to make friends with so many of the sprites here. They played all night, abundance's of energy to burn. She was our pride and joy, her gorgeous little features and her beautiful horns gave her an amazing uniqueness, that I thanked the gods for every day.

Up in the office, I sat down in the cushioned chair and began to count the money and profits the house had made. Writing down the expenditures and incomes on slips of paper to keep track. The quill in my hand flying back and forth with the black ink as I scribbled down number after number.

Yubaba, has visited us once. Once and once only. Her pride and joy, this bathhouse, now meant nothing to her. She was more concerned about her sister and her baby who now all dwelled in Zenibas cottage in the marsh with No Face. No one knew where Yubaba had disappeared too, she refused to speak of it. In fact, she paled when we mentioned it. She was afraid of whatever it was that occurred.

I was sure she'd tell us in her own time.

But now, as I stalked another golden coin, a blinding light clouded my eyes. Whiter than the most brilliant white. And a headache, as if somebody had stabbed a dull rock through my skull. I had felt pain before, but this was sadly another level.

I fell from the chair.

I fell under the desk.

A voice. A voice so familiar it scraped along my spine like a dogs claws on gravel. Like chalk being pressed against a chalkboard. Like the high frequency of a dogs whistle.

With every syllable, white hot pain seared my flesh. It felt like they were being wrote along my arms and legs and back and neck.

"Ohhhhhhhh deaaarrrrrr Y/NNNNNN"

She's back.

         It's back.

                               How is she back?  

Why?

"Donnnn'ttttt loook so afraiiiddd dearrrrrr"

Terror gripped my throat as if I was being choked. I gagged, in the pain that made my muscles cease and clench from moving.

"I haaaad to come greeeeet youuuuuu"

This thing that had stalked after me all those months. All those damn months. All those damned months it had plotted against me, and vanished into the shadows of a broken Bathhouse as I was broken and broken again.

I couldn't even speak. I lay in the foetal position beneath his mahogany desk, silent tears streaming down my face. Tears that dropped off my chin and onto this carpet.

Then, something happened.

The voice gained its body.

The shadow that stalked me for months, finally formulated in the blinding light in my eyes. The only thing though, was it burned from the stomach outwards. It's shadow wrinkled away and fell like shredded paper as a floating orb was left in its presence.

"I did tire of talking like a fool. I am so pleased to make your acquaintance. Lady, Y/N"

I hadn't even the energy to speak, or control over my jaw to do so.

"What was that? Your confused? It's a shame really. I never even told you my real name!" Annoyance and fear bubbled into your throat.

"Look at you. Snivelling and cowering like a child. The great dragoness? The river guardians mate?" A shrieky laugh cackled from the orb. "Do not humour me" the orb floated around in a lazy circle, like it had all the time in the world. Pure... evil crawled across my skin in its presence. To think, this had been the womanly spirit that had followed me around for months.

"But, you should know, Y/N. Your killers name after all."

Although it was only a floating orb of light, I could feel the cheek splitting grin that resonated from it.

"I, am the one and only Akujo. Leader of the Hikari army. And your downfall."

The pain increased, now making my body arch back as if I was being exorcised. A silent scream of pain escaped my gaping mouth as I stared upside down at the side of the desk chair. The blinding light began to fade and my heart began to slow and...

He saved me.

He yanked me from under the desk and rushed me to the fires side. A hiss of disbelief and annoyance echoed in my ears as Akujos hold on me was broken. I couldn't move, I could only stay in his arms. In Hakus arms. Safe and sound. I stayed curled into a ball but he would protect me. He would- he would-

He would love me.

The last tendrils of the physical pain and mind control slipped away into the magical abyss and ever so slowly, I turned and I'd my face in my lovers chest. I clutched his kimono and cried. I cried silent tears.

Hours later, I had reduced to sniffles.

Strong arms had never loosened their grip, only tightened. "Love, what happened to you?" he whispered against my neck, sending chills across my skin, despite the situation.

"Akujo. Shin'yu. They are real. I met them. They are real Haku" I clutched onto his kimono tighter as his entire body tensed and stilled. "Hikari. It's the Hikari army. They've taken our people. Akujo and the Hikari Army. I know it. Aku is there to. She has to be"

After the shock wore off, a slow, streaky hand began to rub circles in the small of my back. Comforting and doting like a liver should be.

"Sleep love, sleep." He mumbled, staring into the crackling fire as I drifted off to a world of black slumber.

There were no dreams to be had.

A/N

Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh.

Guess who just FINISHED THEIR SUMMER EXAMS!?!?!

This author right hereeeeeee!

Plus, I went up 20% in my Irish exams!? Like WOW. *insert applause*

Now this chapter is unedited, as I'm just trying to get content out now I'm on summer vacay and give these books some much deserved TLC. Y'all know the drill.

New Bonus Chapter coming Soon on SABTS

-AA

(edited)