“WHY?” Seph shouted, slamming his fists against the hard, cold, stone wall, “HOW COULD I LOSE HER?”

“Knock it off, you’re not the only living thing here you know.”

Seph turned around, to find himself starting into the face of a white haired girl. She had dog-ears, a tail, and hot pink eyes, nails so long they resembled a dogs sharp claws, and pink fire clothes. She cocked her head like a curious dog and studied him.

“You’re a pretty scrawny human,” She said at last.

“W-w-w-w-WHAT ARE YOU?” Seph stammered.

“Well that’s rude, ya’ know, you don’t just yell at someone you don’t know.” The mysterious dog girl replied.

“I don’t know what, or who you are, so just run away you dumb mutt!” Seph said, “ Hey didn’t you hear me? I said… uh-oh.”

“You did not just say those words to me,” the dog girl’s eyes were glowing, suddenly scorching hot pink flames shot up from the ground and circled her. After the flames died down, the girl took a step forward. Seph, terrified, started running to the only exit of the chamber. The girl gave a mere flick of her hand, thus sending a pink flame in Seph’s path. She had Seph trapped!

“I’m sorry! I just lost my little sister, Renee. I can’t find her! “, Seph pleaded, “PLEASE DON’T KILL ME!”

Her eyes stopped glowing, she cocked her head again and stared at him for a long time. The 15-year-old boy was in the feeble position shuddering in fear; she walked up to him and flicked her hand again.

Seph flinched and kept his eyes closed for a while. After realizing she was not going to hurt him, he turned around. The pink flames of death, blocking his exit, were gone, not even a scorch mark was left.

“ My name is Ikumi, what’s yours?” the girl said, “How did you lose your sister?”

“Oh, um… I’m Seph. Renee and I stumbled upon this cave, dungeon thing, and she was separated from me.” Seph explained, brushing himself off, “I guess she took the opposite path when that fork in the cave came.”

Ikumi was silent for a while; she cocked her head as though thinking. She turned the other way and stared at the wall. Seph sat down, knowing how hopeless this situation was.

Finally he gained enough courage to ask “What are you exactly, Ikumi?”

“Hmm? Oh, yeah the ears are probably freaking you out huh?” Ikumi said, “I’m the fire-dog-demon. I’m sorry about earlier. When I’m angry, I lose all control over my powers. Kind of pathetic huh?”

Seph just stared for a while; honestly he thought she was kind of cute. Not puppy, cute but girl cute. He always had been able to talk to girls well; actually most of his friends were girls.

“Do you have anything of your sister’s?” Ikumi asked, “ I might be able to track her down fast enough before…”

“Before what?”

“He finds her”

“Who?”

“Alpha,” Ikumi explained, “He posses the key to Paradise, he has been waiting for some fool to run by him and enter Paradise with him. But, once they enter, they cannot come out. And Paradise can only last a while before it becomes a living hell.”

Seph shuffled through his pockets and pulled out Renee’s old locket.

“She gave it to me after father died, she always tried to make me happy before she was.” Seph said.

Ikumi took it and inhaled it scents, then sniffed the air; like a hunting dog. She started walking through the exit of the chamber. Seph followed, until they were at the fork that separated Renee and himself. Ikumi turned down the other trail, and stopped. Her eyes became wide, she gasped.

“Oh-no!” She exclaimed, “ Alpha’s smell is heading towards Renee’s!”

Seph panicked, Renee didn’t know of the trouble in Paradise! They had to reach her before Alpha, or he’d never see her again!

“Get on,” Ikumi instructed, “ get on my back now! Hurry!”

Seph was confused, but did as he was told. Ikumi began to run, as fast as 100mph! Faintly, in the distance, Seph began to see a small female figure form, Renee!

“Hurry, Ikumi!”

“Do you have any idea how much you weigh?” Ikumi asked, “ I feel like I’m carrying livestock!”

They were just 20 feet away from Renee, when a male-catlike figure appeared from the darkness. Alpha! He was going to get to Renee first! Ikumi porously dropped Seph and stood her ground; Seph had no idea of what was happening, was Ikumi trying to help Alpha? Ikumi’s eyes began to glow again, but this time… it was different, Ikumi had total control over her powers! Ikumi thrust her hand and out of nowhere a fire- ball appeared, striking the cat figure heading towards Renee.

“RENEE!!!!” Seph shouted at the top of his lungs, “RENEE, COME HERE! HURRY, RUN”

Renee looked over, and at the sight of her older brother began running with all her strength. At the time Ikumi was running towards Renee, Renee shrieked at the sight of a human dog. Ikumi scooped up Renee and ran, thus getting to Seph in no time. Seph took Renee and put her back on her feet, giving her time to catch her breath.

“Who’s that?” Renee asked looking towards Ikumi, “ She looks like a dog.”

“Renee, this is Ikumi.” Seph explained to the 11 year old, “She saved your life.”

“How?” Renee pondered.

Seph looked up, surprised to see Ikumi being held by her neck up against the wall, by Alpha. Alpha had a cat tail, cat ears, cat claws, even whiskers, and glowing green eyes. Like cat vs. dog they were battling it out, Ikumi and Alpha. Ikumi kicked with her doggish feet sending Alpha flying. A strange glow surrounded Ikumi, then it got so bright, Seph had to close his eyes. When he opened them, where Ikumi was once standing a huge dog was placed.

“I-Ikumi?” Seph stammered, “Is that you?”

The dog howled and pounced on Alpha, tearing at him with vicious jaws. Alpha yowling, like the cat he was, scratched her with his razor claws. From his belt, that Seph just noticed, he pulled out two sharp daggers, and slashed them at Ikumi. Another bright light, and Ikumi was herself, she pulled out a sword in the shape of a giant dog fang.

“You wanna fight dirty, we’ll fight dirty.” Ikumi growled

Ikumi slammed down her sword, sending fire out of the ground in six directions! Alpha, obviously having the reflexes of a cat, pounced up and threw one of his daggers at Seph. Ikumi thrust her self into the path of the dagger. Seph’s eyes widened as the dagger bounced off of her clothes like steel.

Alpha laughed in a deep yet strong voice.

“Protecting mortals again aren’t we Ikumi?” He mocked, “ You know, one of these days you’ll realize what I realized a long time ago…”

He jumped and threw one of his daggers at Ikumi, doing so adding “THEIR ALL LYING BASTARDS!!!!!”

Ikumi lifted up her sword like a shield and the dagger ricocheted off like a bird and a mirror. Like a boomerang, the daggers returned to Alpha’s hands. He sneered one last time and ran off, disappearing into the darkness of the cave. Ikumi stood for a while and collapsed. Seph rushed to her side to see what was wrong.

He immediately saw what. When that dagger bounced off Ikumi, it didn’t miss. It had cut deep, but so fast when she brushed it away it looked like it bounced off. He tore off a piece of his shirt and wrapped the wound. Renee came up to see what was wrong. She gave a light squeak when she saw the deep cut.

“Will she be okay, Seph?” Renee asked.

Seph didn’t respond not knowing what to say. He wasn’t sure if Renee would understand. He wasn’t sure if Ikumi could make it. He wasn’t sure of many things, but had no time to ponder them. All he did know was that if he was going to help Ikumi, he had to act fast. He began to carry her on his back and started walking in the direction from which they came. Renee followed, wondering why they had come acting like she was on fire.

When they returned to the sight were Seph met Ikumi he set her down, leaning against a wall. What was in Paradise that made it so bad? Why was Alpha so obsessed with having someone go with him? More importantly, how’d they get here? Or better, how do they get out?

After watching Ikumi for several more hours, Seph’s eyes began to feel heavy. He glanced at the already sleeping Renee. Soon he drifted into a deep sleep. Thoughts of Alpha and this strange world troubled him in his sleep. He was troubled enough he could barely catch a wink of sleep, without Alpha’s face coming into his thoughts.

He awoke to see Ikumi sitting next to him. She was awake, but she seemed to be spaced out. He looked around for Renee. She was nowhere in sight! Seph sat up and looked again.

“ She said she knew where to find food.” Ikumi said

Seph was a little startled by her voice. He looked at her and jumped to his feet.

“You let her out on her own?!!” He shouted, “ After Alpha almost taking her your just let her out like that? Do you have any idea what it’s like having a younger sibling?”

Ikumi stood up, “ As a matter of fact I do, Seph. I used to have a younger brother of my own! Why do you think I know all about Paradise and Alpha, huh? It’s because I never let Ash out on his own that he’s dead!”

Seph grew silent. He had no idea that’s what happened. Now he faced guilt. He thought of what she said, Ash is dead, kept replaying in his mind.

“How’s it your fault?” He asked.

“Ash thought I never trusted him.” Ikumi explained, “So he wandered the caves alone one day and ran into Alpha’s older brother, Knives. It’s Alpha’s family tradition or something to meet in Paradise. Well as you can imagine, Ash wanted to have some fun while showing me I can trust him more. He went with Knives into Paradise.” She choked back a tear and paused.

“But, how do you know he’s dead?” Seph was afraid to ask but managed to choke the words.

“Because,” Ikumi continued, “ I found his mangled corpse outside the door way to Paradise two weeks later.”

Seph said no more. He knew Renee trusted him. But he didn’t want to take any chances. She could feel like Ash. That he’s to over protective. He remembered Ikumi’s wounds.

“Ikumi, take off your shirt.” He said

BAM!!! Seph felt a bump rising on his head!

“WHY’D YOU HIT ME?” Seph whimpered

“YOUR DISGUSTING!!!” Ikumi shouted

“ I didn’t say get naked!” Seph shouted back, tenderly rubbing his head, “ I need to check your wounds! Just lift your shirt up so I can see your wounds!!!”

“No.” Ikumi snorted sternly.

“ I need to check your wounds!” Seph said fiercely.

“NO!” Ikumi shouted

Seph tackled her and they began fighting like two toddlers over a toy truck. Soon Seph was on top of her shouting,

“TAKE OFF YOUR SHIRT!!!”

At that moment Renee walked in. Startled she dropped five fish she carried. As you can imagine, this looks very wrong to an eleven year old.

“ I see you two get along just fine.” She commented.

Seph and Ikumi froze and looked up, only to see Renee looking down at them. Ikumi pushed Seph off her and lifted her shirt up to her rib cage.

“ Don’t you see?” Ikumi said, “ My body’s special.”

Her wounds were gone. Such deep wounds healed over night? She really is amazing. Seph stood up as Ikumi let her shirt drop back down. How’d she do that? Those cuts were so deep!

“They’re all healed?” Seph stammered.

Ikumi snorted, “ Like I said, my body’s special.”

Seph grinned at his stupidity. Renee picked up the fish and handed them to Ikumi. Ikumi flicked her hand and a small fire appeared in the center of the room. She found some sticks and set up the fish to cook. They sat in silence, watching the pink flames cook the raw fish.

The fish had finished cooking by the time Renee had almost fallen asleep. She managed to stay up long enough to manage a fish though. She fell asleep on Ikumi’s lap. In surprise, Ikumi sort of twitched. Seph couldn’t help but smile at Ikumi’s reaction. Ikumi looked at Renee and stroked her hair.

Seph pondered his own thoughts. He looked at Ikumi; she seemed more relaxed in the fires glow. Like the weight of the world was being taken off her shoulders. She was really pretty to him; then he wondered how old she was.

“Ikumi?”

“Hmm?”

“Umm…” Seph wondered if he should ask, “How old are you?”

“154.” Ikumi mumbled.

“WHAT?”

Ikumi giggled, “In dog years moron. I’m fifteen, why?”

“I dunno, you’re the same age as me.”

“Really?” Ikumi said as though she wasn’t surprised. “ Well, according to your weight and smell, I though you were a gorilla at first.”

Seph laughed. He liked her, as a friend that is, but there was another feeling he had inside, something that he couldn’t explain. It wasn’t love, or hate, or happiness. At least he thought it wasn’t love. They just met; he couldn’t say he loved her! But he had some sort of feeling for her.

Two weeks passed by, while they were trying to find a way out of the caves. It was going good. The threesome had become really close. Though their friendship was soon to be tested when Ikumi froze in her tracks.

“What is it, Ikumi?” Renee questioned.

“Alpha,” Ikumi said under her breath.

“What?!” Seph squeaked.

They all froze and listened. Seph heard it, footsteps almost running towards them. But from which direction? No! It couldn’t, could it? It was, it was coming from behind them, and by the sound of it, really fast.

“That mother fucker followed us!” Ikumi groaned.

“ What do we do?” Renee cried.

“ It’s okay, Renee.” Seph said, comfortingly, “ C’mon.”

He took Renee to a safe place near a wall. Ikumi turned around, and drew her sword from the scabbard on her back. She held a fighting stance, and waited. Seph held his breath as the footsteps got louder and louder. Closer and closer. He looked at Renee; she looked as scared as hell. Finally a loud clatter of metal against metal broke the silence. Alpha had arrived within eyeshot.

Ikumi had used her fang as a shield.

“Bitch” Alpha laughed as his dagger returned to him.

“Got a problem with that?” Ikumi retorted.

Alpha laughed maniacally and jumped. He landed on a ledge in the wall. He threw his daggers again. Ikumi swung her blade and sent flames shooting form everywhere! It hit Alpha before he could dodge, catching him by surprise. He was burned all over his arm. He didn’t seem to notice. He got close to Ikumi and the started fighting face to face. He slashed at her with his daggers, while she defended with her fang-blade. This lasted a while.

Renee was beginning to cry. Seph was worried that Alpha would hear her so he covered her mouth. He guessed she was really scarred.

“Screw this!” Ikumi dropped the blade and went right up to Alpha with amazing speed and hit him right in the face. He flew across the room and crashed into the wall. He staggered to get up, holding his face, where he was hit. It was bleeding well. Ikumi ran back to her blade, and got ready to fight again.

Just then, Renee hiccupped. Alpha glanced into her and Seph’s direction. He came running over. Seph pushed Renee out of the way. Alpha jumped right over Seph. Seph closed his eyes and braced himself for death. An image of a blood stained cherry blossom came into his mind. Just then he felt something wet hit his face. He opened his eyes. Ikumi was standing over him with a dagger poking through her abdominal region. Blood. The wet stuff that hit his face was blood. Ikumi’s blood.

“W-w- WHY?” Seph began to cry. To his surprise. “ DAMN IT, IKUMI! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT FOR?” He was crying. Not because he thought he should have died. He was crying out of, love.

“I’ll protect you, Seph” Ikumi gasped, trying to breath. “I’ll protect you… ‘Till-‘till… I’LL PROTECT YOU ‘TILL THE DAY THAT I DIE!”

She turned around and shoved her blade into Alpha’s ribcage. He screamed, like a dying cat. Grabbed his daggers, pulled Ikumi’s blade out of him and ran.

A bloody mess following his every step, Alpha ran out of site. Ikumi collapsed her head hitting Seph’s lap. He sat there for a while, tears still streaming down his face, thinking of what she just said to him. Why’d she say that? Was it out of love, or friendship? Both. Her actions were out of love and friendship.

“I’LL PROTECT YOU ‘TILL THE DAY THAT I DIE!”

Seph awoke near the room he and Renee had dragged Ikumi into. She was still asleep, Ikumi. Seph wanted to check out her wound, but was afraid of her hitting him again. He tenderly rubbed his head where she struck him before. Also, it should have healed right? It did last time, but what if it didn’t? Would she be okay? He glanced over a Renee; she was looking at the walls.

“What is it, Renee?” Seph stretched as he got up.

“ I dunno, the cracks in the walls look almost like a drawing of some sort.” She pointed at a crack in the wall, “See, if you look closely, you can almost see a dog mauling a cat. You remember when Ikumi transformed into a dog?”

Seph nodded.

“Well, maybe Alpha can do that too.” Renee continued moving around tracing her fingers over the cracks. “ This does look like Ikumi when she transformed. And those two are always battling it out, just like this wall.”

Seph was catching on. She had a point, now that he looked, the walls did look like a giant canvas, with that image. Maybe Renee was on to something. She was a smart girl; she wanted to be an archeologist when she grew up.

“So you’ve caught on.”

They both jumped and turned around. Ikumi was also scanning the walls. Seph sighed with relief. She was okay.

“ What do you mean?” Renee asked.

“Each of these rooms has a “depiction of the past” Ikumi said.

Seph and Renee looked at each other. Ikumi sounded like she was still in pain. Maybe her injury didn’t heal! What happened in the past that looked like Ikumi killing a cat? It couldn’t have been Alpha; she was ripping open this cat’s throat and more!

“Their mom.” Ikumi said.

“Oh! I get it.” Renee exclaimed.

Seph looked dumbfounded. “Does anyone wanna start explaining some stuff?”

“I killed their mother.”

“Why?” Seph said a little surprised at Ikumi. “ What did she do to you?”

“She killed my mom, for loving my father. “Ikumi looked at the wall again, “ We were on the brink of ending this dog and cat war. Their mom loved my dad; we thought he loved her also. A cat loving a dog, and a dog loving a cat would have ended the war. But then he met my mom. Love at first site. It tore Linn up. She couldn’t take it. When I was Renee’s age, my mom was showing me how to transform. I couldn’t get it right.”

Ikumi paused and her fists clenched, “ Then she came out of nowhere with what are now Alpha’s daggers, and slit mom’s throat.” Tears began to run down Ikumi’s face. “I lost control of my powers when she did that. I transformed and started attacking her. I tore open her stomach, ripped off her right arm, and she took off running. Barely even scratched I was left standing in a pool of blood. I turned back to normal and ran to my mom’s side. Blood was gushing out of her still; I wouldn’t accept the fact that she was dead. I just couldn’t.”

Renee and Seph were silent. They glanced back at the wall. You could see the pain in the dog’s eyes. Almost even feel it. So that was the deep secret behind Ikumi’s past. Renee walked towards the wall again, she stopped at a point. She sort of stared.

“What’s this?” Renee asked pointing at a figure cracked into the wall.

Ikumi stared for a while, then her eyes got big. She walked towards the figure and stared. She traced her finger over the cracks. Then Ikumi stepped back.

“Uh… Ikumi?” Renee wondered, “What… uh … what happened to your mom’s body? If you couldn’t accept the fact that she was dead, did you leave her?”

Ikumi gave Renee a strange look. Not anger, or sadness, but a mixture of confusion and knowing.

“ Actually, yes. I think I did.” Ikumi sort of said under her breath. “ In fact, I remember, my mom had… still has…”

Seph was about to ask what when Ikumi thrust her hand into the wall, right onto the figure. The wall shattered, leaving crumbled rock and smoke. Seph began to cough uncontrollably from inhaling the smoke.

“Oh my God…” Renee whispered.

Seph opened his eyes and gasped. He couldn't believe his eyes. All he could do was repeat Renee.

“Oh my God!” Seph exclaimed

There in the middle of the chamber next to them was a mummy, of what looked like a more mature Ikumi. In the mummies hand grasped tightly around a small red stone on what looked like a dagger handle.

“M-m-mom?” Ikumi choked “Mom? Oh my god…MOTHER!”

She bolted towards the mummy and looked at the stone. Renee followed. She examined the stone still tight in the mummy’s hand. Seph went up to Ikumi and held her close to him. She began to sob uncontrollably into his shoulder. He hugged her tighter, suddenly warmth filled his body, and it felt good.

“It’s a key!” Renee announced so suddenly Ikumi about jumped 50 feet in the air. “ This stone is a key…perhaps a key to…paradise?”

Seph looked at Renee who was now trying to pull the key out of the mummy’s hand. He got up grabbed the key and pulled as hard as he could. CRICK.

“What was that?” Seph said

“I think…I hope I’m wrong… but t was the mummy” Renee whispered

Ikumi came and grabbed the key also and together the three of them pulled. CRICK…CRICK…CRACK. They all stopped and stared at the mummy’s hand.

“I-I-I think i-i-it’s hand moved…” Ikumi breathed

She was right. Seph could’ve sworn he saw it grasp tighter around the key. He turned around, startled by what he then saw.

“Uh…guys, where’s the exit and or entrance?”

They all let go of the key and walked up to the wall that Ikumi knocked down.

“My, how you have grown” a scratchy spine tingling voice said from behind them. “Your strength has to have grown much for you to make it this far with that wound.”

Slowly, the three-some turned around. Only to find themselves looking at the fallen mummy staring at them with red stone eyes that matched the keys. “Now Ikumi, it is time for your real test, my daughter. I must also test your friends.”

There was a sudden weight on Seph’s back. He felt a strap appear over his chest. He reached back and felt a long, sharp, blade strapped to his back. He drew it and stared. Engraved right over the hilt was his name. Seph Snitrish. He glanced at Renee who was now holding a whip.

“That was my dad’s fang!” Ikumi exclaimed looking at the sword in Seph’s hand. “And Ash’s whip.” She glanced back at the mummy, still staring through those blood red stones.

The mummy pulled out a double-ended spear and stepped forward. Another mummy stepped through the wall behind the first like a ghost.

“Ash!” Ikumi said alarmed

“Sister how nice to see you…prepare to die by my hands” Ash lunged towards Ikumi and the battle began.