He had heard whistling. There was a lot of it going on between Toumaís arrows and the demons seemingly endless supply of spears. He wasnít a very powerful demon; they could defeat him easily if he wasnít so fast. Not to mention all the damn spears. It seemed liked they just came out of nowhere at you. At first they all just blocked the spears with their armor, there was no way a spear would penetrate those, but then the demon started aiming at their faces, or to the cracks in the armor that opened when they moved.

 

Shu had jumped to avoid one such attack and had planned to land the end of his niginata through the demons head. He heard someone yell his name, it might have been Seiji or Touma they sounded alike. Then he felt it. It didnít really hurt at first. The blade was sharp and cut through his flesh easily. He looked down; the spear had hit right where the leg joins the hip. Just as he realized that that was his leg that the spear was sticking out of he started to feel the burn of the cut flesh. He reached down to pull it out, but lost his balance and fell back. He saw something fly over him, more spears probably. Reaching he could just grasp the spear, but it was all sticky with his blood and he couldnít get a good hold on it. He heard his name again, that was Shin. Then again, that time it was Ryo. Then it all went black.

 

-----------

 

When Shu opened his eyes he found himself in a barren valley, white mountains rising on either side of him. In front of him was a lone tree, leafless and seemingly dead.

 

"Ya know, I would have thought the after life would have been a bit different," Shu chuckled a bit, but the only sound was his own echo.

 

"You are not dead yet, Kongo." Shu looked back at the tree. It had not changed, but now the monk Kaosu stood under it.

 

"Iím not?"

 

"No, but you are close to it."

 

"So... this is the waiting room?"

 

"This is a representation of your life, Kongo." Shu noticed a change in Kaosuís voice, it somehow sounded like his mothers as of late. Shu blinked and looked around,

 

"But thereís nothing here."

 

"That is not so," Kaosu turned and tilted his hat toward the tree behind him.

 

"But itís dead."

 

"Not yet, but like you it is close."

 

"AH! I see, that makes sense then. It'll probably die when I do."

 

"NO!" Kaosuís voice echoed sharply through the valley causing even Shu to jump, "This valley is not your life at this moment, but only up to it. Should you die it would stay like this forever, just barely alive." Shu blinked and looked at him blankly.

 

"Remember, youíre talking to Kongo, not the brightest one in the bunch."

 

"OI!" Shu frowned and looked into the shadows of the tree to see who had spoken. Slowly, the armored form of the Oni Masho Shíten walked out from the shadow of the tree. Shu immediately got into a defensive form. "I thought you turned good."

 

"So did I, but you seem to only think of me like this." Shíten shrugged, his kusurigama hanging from his hands.

 

"Kongo, youíre life is filled with fighting." Kaosu interrupted them, "You have not let anything else into your life but that."

 

"What else was I supposed to do? I have Kongo, I use it to protect the world from the evil, and protect the armor from those who should seek itís power. Thatís why we accepted the new yoroi from Suzunagi."

 

"Does Rekka not have a family? Or Korin?" Shíten asked swinging the chain in one hand.

 

"Whatís that got to do with anything?" Shu asked still really confused.

 

"You made a decision fifteen years ago, the day after you five accepted the new yoroi from the spirit Suzunagi," Shíten explained, "What was that decision, Kongo?"

 

"I decided not to get married or to have my own family," Shu frowned, "So what?"

 

"Why?" Kaosuís voice was softer now, not as sharp and angry as before.

 

"Why?! If I had a family theyíd be in constant danger from the demons! Yeah I know my family would help protect them, but what if they were out on their own shopping? What if they were in that building I end up gantessaiing and they end up dead. What if I died and left them alone? I donít want a kid that grows up not knowing her father, or a wife that has no one to support her. I just couldnít do that!"

 

"Yet Rekka and Korin have families." Shíten stated. Shu looked over at him and noticed that he no longer had his weapon or helmet on.

 

"Thatís their decision. If they feel they could do that to them, then thereís no reason I should get involved."

 

"But didnít Rekka believe the same as you at one point?" Kaosu asked.

 

"Yea, but he found someone he loved, and I guess that changed things." Shu pouted and sounded almost as if he were jealous.

 

"Kongo, the reason this valley is barren is because you have shut love out of your heart." Shíten walked over to him, now down to his subarmor, and laid a hand on Shuís shoulder. "This valley was once a beautiful one. Full of flowers, grass, even a small lake."

 

"I havenít shut love out! I love my family! Thatís what I use to keep me going! I have my little brothers and sisters and their families! I spoil them rotten!" Shu brushed Shítenís hand off of his shoulder.

 

"When was the last time you babysat? Or took them out on an outing? To the zoo, or that Disney Land place?" Shíten asked walking back to where Kaosu still stood, his armor back on again.

 

"But what if someone attacked while I had them! How could I protect them and still fight?"

 

"There is no answer to that," Kaosu said, "Nor is that a matter at hand. You are right, your family loves Uncle Lei Fuan. But that is all you are. Uncle Lei Fuan."

 

"And whatís wrong with just being Uncle Lei Fuan?" Shu asked.

 

"This," Kaosu gestured at the valley, "This tree witch is bearly living is the love that is left in your heart. The love you have for your family and what little they give to you. Did your encounter with Suzunagi teach you nothing? That child had no love left in her heart. She only had hatred to the yoroi, and look what happened to her!"

 

"This is completely different!"

 

"No itís not!!" Shíten yelled his voice now sharp, sounding almost as it did when they had first met. "Those people you met in the world of the yoroi, those that fought to protect the yoroi. They did it not just because it was what they were supposed to do. They did it for their loved ones. For those that loved them and those that they loved. Suzunagi did not see that because she lost that love. Her mother knew what it took to protect the yoroi, they used the yoroi story to teach others of the love that was needed to wear and protect the yoroi."

 

"So youíre saying I'm weak as I am. That no matter how much I train and dedicate my life to fighting for and with the armor, I will always be weak unless I open my heart to love?"

 

"Finally he understands," Shíten sighed and was suddenly in a simple kimono his hear flowing freely in a sudden breeze. Shu watched the two suspiciously for a moment,

 

"And what do you know of love, Shíten? Youíve been in servius to Arago since you were, what, sixteen or something?"

 

"Unlike these times, it was not uncommon to be married by that age. I was, in fact, married when I went off with Arago. It was an arranged marriage and did not care for her much at the time. However as I understood it she was a bit of a fan of me. There were times when she stopped me from making a mistake in my actions, even though I would have never admitted to it, even now it is hard to say, but it was because of her at times that I was able to be as successful as I was then."

 

"You were married??" Shu blinked and gawked at him.

 

"It's really not that unbelievable, Kongo." Shíten sighed.

 

"But what if..."

 

"You worry too much about others. Look at what you want," Kaosu spoke up, "Did you not at one point want a large family? Did you not want to have a wedding, celebrate birthdays, take your children to amusement parks, see them in their school uniforms on their first day of school?"

 

"Ah... I did. But knowing my luck, Iíd have to go fight on that first day."

 

"There is no guarantee of that. You may make every big event in their lives. And if your wife knows what you do, there would be no arguments as to why you missed them."

 

"But to find a woman who would understand..."

 

"Rekka and Korin did. And I imagine Suiko has too, he just hasnít realized it yet." Shíten smiled and held his hand out to the shadows behind him. A woman in kimono walked out and took it

 

"But you said I was almost dead,"

 

"There is still time. If you can find the strength to keep going, to look for that love that is missing in your life. That is, if you want it bad enough."

 

----------

 

"RYO!" Shin yelled looking around and trying his best to dodge a spear heading right for his shoulder.

 

"Over here! Can you get to Shu?"

 

"No, he keeps driving me farther away!"

 

"Someone needs to get to him! Heís been quiet far to long!" Seiji yelled and then tried his lighting bolt again, only for it once again to be dodged.

 

"Touma!"

 

"Can't! Even if I tried an attack to move the rocks, I may hurt Shu even more than he may already be!"

 

"MWHAHAHA!! Your friend is surly dead by now! Best see if you can save yourselves.... Huh?" It was faint, but the ground had started shaking just a bit. Slowly the shaking grew and then suddenly a mound of rock popped out of the ground under the demon. The demon jumped to get away but another mound had appeared behind him and slammedhim to the ground. Rock then quickly covered the demons body and flattened it when a wet crunch.

 

"W...what was that?" Ryo asked looking at his friends where were all standing with their eyes wide.

 

"Do you think it was Shu?" Shin looked over to the pile of rubble that used to be a building and which now covered the body of Shu Lei Fuan.

 

"We should get him out! Who knows what his condition is in!" Seiji announced jumping over the mound were the demonís lifeless body was now buried. Ryo, Shin, and Touma followed, but before they could even start to move the rocks they started to shake. Then with a muffled boom they exploded into a shower of cherry blossoms. In the center of the shower stood Kongo.

 

"Didn't think I'd leave you guys without backup would you?" Shu smiled and pulled the spear out of his leg.

 

"Shu," Shin sighed. Shu took one step forward and started to fall, his leg not able to hold up his weight. But Ryo was there next to him, to catch him.

 

"Really Shu, you need to stop doing that. It's a really bad habit." Touma scolded him as he took his other arm to help.

 

"I will when you stop drinking too much." Touma stopped, but sighed.

 

"Weíll see what we can do."

 

---------

 

"Do you think heíll do it?" Shíten asked holding onto his wife and looking over at Kaosu. Kaosu was silent for a moment and then looked up at the branches above him. Small buds had appeared on the tips, the start to something new.

 

"Yes, I think he will remember who he once was and find himself again."