✔️Spirited Away by The Light

Chapter 25- I Promise

Haku slithered around the grey wolf. His eyes trained on her as he took notice of Zeniba, floating in front of Aku's jaws. Breathe Haku... breathe.

"It's been a long time since I seen you last." Zeniba smiled, folding her hands in front of her. She studied the wolf through narrowed eyes, wary of what could come. Hakus sister was not a creature to underestimate. In fact, it was wise to think of the worst possible outcome just so nothing else would surprise you.
"And I, you." Aku growled from behind white fangs. Her hackles raised and eyes alight with a fire that would never be tamed. She had always been... a wild spirit. Yet she was menacing, cunning, sometimes Haku preferred to think of her as an overgrown fox.

"What brings you here, Aku?" Haku stared at his sibling, the spirit of streams. She shrugged not even bothering to give him her slightest ounce of attention.
"I have come to relay a message." She glanced around the group to make sure all attention was hers only. "My Mistress is hoping she will get to see you all soon. She asked me to remind you all of the various spirits whom have been stolen from the Aburaya, this is simply a teaser of what is to come."
Aku grinned, her eyes training upon the cottage and straight to the window where Y/N and Kiseki were hiding. It was like she wanted them, not what she was being presented. "Your little miracle shall be short lived, remember that." She grinned, staring down at her brother, yellow eyes crinkling at the shes with evil delight. Haku snarled, his white fangs gleaming in the orange hue of dusks sun. "My mistress wanted me to say one more thing-" Aku looked towards Zeniba, glaring into her eyes. "Yubaba had excellent intel, and we are deeply thankful for her contribution for the greater cause." Aku yawned, now turning her attention from the distraught witch, to the fuming dragon. The sleek white fur on his body seemed to stand on end, as Haku watched with widened eyes. "Lin, has also been an excellent host." Aku nodded towards her sibling, and began to back away. "Mistress warned me to fight no one." She began to turn, "She needs you all alive, after all." With that she bounded back into foliage surrounding the house, her grey mass becoming nothing more but a slight rustle in the trees. Zeniba let loose a sob when the she-wolf has vanished, her hands coming to clasp her mouth shut. The witch's eyes were glazed with tears as she rushed back into her humble abode. Grey pieces of hair became undone from her bun in the rush to get inside. Haku stood four legged in the grass, staring at the direction in which his sister had ran off too. It was obvious his family was in danger, with the threatening of Kiseki. Not only that, but Aku had mentioned Lin and Yubaba.

How was he going to tell Y/N?

She wouldn't be able to handle it- her friend, more like a sister being kidnapped and made do who-knows-what in his own sisters clutches. It was a dire situation, one he should deal with alone. With a nod, he began to take steps towards the forest, ready to fly after the wolf. Just as Haku was taking into the air, his tail leaving the ground, Y/N burst from the black door in the cottage.

"Haku!?" She yelled, sounding desperately in need of his help. His head snapped back towards the love of his life, mouth agape. "It's Kiseki- " Y/N was running through Zenibas back yard, stumbling over loose rocks and drowning herself in puddles. Haku quickly abandoned his idea and rushed to her, stopping just in time as she tripped over a rock. Y/N landed on his shoulder, clutching to his fur as she cried out. "Kiseki- she- she's ill." Y/N was shaking uncontrollably as Haku curled himself around her, his own heart pounding. "I don't know what happened I-" She collapses against him, not able to hold herself up. Haku was close to tears himself but instead, gently guided Y/N back to the yellow lit windows of the house. He shifted back to human, now with a wrapped arm around Y/N's waist. It was mandatory he remained calm, panicking would o my worsen the entire situation.

As the pair stepped inside, the scene was almost enough to make Haku drop to his knees. Kiseki lay on a tatami mat while Zeniba fumbles with cloths soaked in water. The little girl was covered in black, purplish splotches all over her tiny body. Her chest heaving with staggering breaths. Haku sucked in a harsh breath, staring at what was transpiring. Y/N was in pieces, now clutching onto Haku as she buried her face in his side. Haku, wasn't rooted to the spot. His gaze flickering over his daughter, watching her fight against whatever had caused this sickness.

But of course, he knew what had caused it.

Or at least who.

"Y/N, explain what happened. Take your time ok?" He helped his lover sit down, holding her hands in his lap as he waited for her to speak. After a moment of calming her sobs, Y/N spoke.
"I was in the room with Kiseki and No Face, waiting for you to come back inside. We were there in silence and I was standing at the door in case someone tried to come in." She sniffed and rubbed her nose with the sleeve of her tunic. "It happened so fast- it was like a hue appeared at Kiseki's forehead. She fainted onto the floor and No Face caught her." Y/N shook her head staring up at the ceiling, taking another calming breath. "I rushed over to Kiseki, rocking her back and forth while trying to wake her up, and then Zeniba rushed inside. It was like she knew something had happened." She turned her head to watch Zeniba coo over Kiseki, wiping her forehead with the cloth. Her nimble fingers gently working along the rash and putting some herbal paste over each of them. "Then I ran outside to find you, because I didn't know what else to do." She but her lip, trying to hold back the oncoming tears. "I didn't know- I'm so worried about her Haku." She watched Zeniba mash various plants and shrooms to remake that paste, as fresh tears fell from her chin and onto her lap.

Haku pulled the broken woman into his lap, running his hand along her hair as he comforted her. Y/N turned to cry into his chest, her body shaking with the tears. "We will make sure she is alright, I promise Y/N."

Haku looked towards his daughter, now shivering.

"I promise."

A/N

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, the story is so close to ending and it breaks my heart! But I thank you all for the support, it means the world to me.

cookies and cream,

-AA

(unedited)