The beautiful phantom took me by the hand. The scene before us vanished in an instant. Raizen and the rest disappeared, and in their place stood three other menears, each as beautiful as the other, yet unique in every way. I looked around at a beautiful garden which stretched as far as the eye could see. Everywhere I gazed, there were children; running, playing, or simply sitting under one of the trees' shade. I was still inspecting the place when the menear who took me touched my shoulder.

"Fera," she said in her sweet enchanting voice. "This is the temple of the gods." she smiled at me as she stretched out her hand before us. "This will be your home for now on."

"Temple of the gods..." I repeated, still mesmerized by the beautiful paradise.

"Yes, Fera. We as menears stand guard here by the garden and make sure that no one disturbs the gods in their slumber." The menear walked towards the others. "My name is Izumi, the first of the menears. The rest are Kudari, Shiori and Jinsei." Shiori pointed out the rest. "From now on, we shall be one family."

Upon saying this, a child of about 3 years tugged the robe she was wearing. Izumi leaned over and took the child in her arms.

"Ningen." I wispered aloud.

"Yes," said Shiori with a warm smile, "They are the first born of humans, left in the shrine in shinoko yama."

"Foolish humans think they will have more children if they feed their first born to ravaging youki." finished Kudari.

"You're raising them up as food?" I asked as I followed a plump one with my eyes.

"Heavens, no!" replied the one called Jinsei, "We raise them up as our own, they are all part of the family."

"But..." I tried to reason out, "with all this plump morsels around..."

"We do not feed on humans here, Fera," said Izumi, still carrying the little girl. "as expected, the outside world have placed wrong believes in your head."

"But ever since I tasted human flesh, I couldn't seem to take anything else!" said I.

"Don't worry, child," said Shiori, "When we first came here we couldn't take anything in either, but I'm sure you'll find a replacement soon enough." She smiled at me and reached out a hand. I took it as she led me to the midst of the garden, the rest following behind us.

We walked on through beautiful trees full of fruits, bushes full of fragrant flowers, and innocent children playing all around. They shouted with glee as we passed, most of which approached Shiori and handed her different kinds of flowers. Some of them approached me too, giving me colorful flowers and some fruits, not knowing how I tried to keep my stomach from growling. From the distance, I could see an ancient tree, towering from the middle of the garden. Soon, we came to the foot of the tree. Its trunk was so thick, that it would take a hundred people to measure its circumference. It was so high that the top was lost in the clouds. Its branches were full of round red fruit, the color of fresh blood. The thought made me hungrier.

Izumi stopped beneath it and reached out for one of the fruits. She took another and handed it to me. I looked at the huge red fruit and back at her.

"Go on, taste it." said Izumi with a smile. The others were all watching me. I looked at the fruit again and raised it to my face. It smelled sweet and looked so delicious that I finally took a bite. I was surprised when red, coppery juice flowed from it. It tasted so much like blood that I looked down at the fruit to make sure it wasn't human flesh.

"What..." said I. I heard Kudari laugh beside me, while Jinsei reached out for a fruit and took a big bite.

"I knew you'd like it." said Jinsei, "First time I got here, I ate so much, my stomach almost exploded!"

I took another bite. Kudari and the rest joined me, sitting beneath the huge tree. Together we were like one happy family, watching the children as they played happily around us.

Is this where I belong? I asked myself, looking at the beautiful phantom whose wisdom is evident of the countless years she had lived. I looked at the others who have welcomed me as if I was merely a long lost sister who have found her way back home. They all looked back at me. A stranger, yet something tells me I've known them forever. That they have looked after me all my life. They gave me a smile, a welcoming smile. I smiled back at them. My family. I know now that I am finally home.

"Oh, great gods of Shinoko Yama, accept our offering, our first born..." the foolish ningen said as he placed the little boy on the sacrificial stone.

"Take him and do as you wish, for he rightfully belongs to you..." said the child's mother. I could tell she didn't mean a word she said. She tried hard not to let her tears fall.

"Come now, wife, let us leave and let kami-sama take the child.

"My baby..." said the woman.

"Come, you should never shed tears in front of the altar, least the gods grant us with no child at all!"

I watched as the two of them left; the woman leaned on her husband's shoulder as they left for the small village at the foot of the mountain. Slowly, I went down from the ancient tree where I sat hidden from the humans' gaze and was about to approach the baby when I felt the presence of a lower demon.

"Kudari..." I called to my companion.

"Shhh..." he wispered.

We watched as a youki with the face of a salamander and the body of an ape approached the child. He smacked his lips at the sight of the plump baby gurgling before him, like a meal served in a silver platter. Kudari waited 'till the demon was about to touch the baby before giving me the signal. With the blink of an eye, I was between it and the little ningen child. A long sword of pure black fire emerged from thin air and sliced the yuuki in half. The baby lay safely in my arms, smiling up at me as the youki's body fell to the ground.

"Perfect!" said Kudari, "You're one heck of a student, Fera."

"I owe it all to you, Kudari, you are a great instructor."

"But it would take a great student as well to master all the spells and attacks I've taught you in such a short period of time." replied Kudari, "In fact, it took me more than a year to teach Jinsei a single spell!"

Kudari laughed as he took the child from my arms.

"He's so beautiful," I said, keeping my eyes on the little ningen.

"I guess we have a new member to add to our family." said Kudari, "So, tell me, how do you like Ningenkai so far?"

"I love it! It's so beautiful and peaceful around here, just like our home."

"When you get used to the where-abouts and beat me on a fight, I'll let you go anywhere you wish." said he. I looked at him wide-eyed with delight.

"You promise?!?" I asked.

"Of course! But as for now, you have to stay with me whenever we enter ningenkai, Okay?"

Kudari looked at me with a grin, the baby still cradled in his arms. I returned the grin and hugged him as hard as I could.

"Okay!" I replied. "Arigatou, Kudari!" I said happily.

"Come now, I don't think there would be any other foolish ningen to come here today. We better head home and feed this little one."

Kudari led the way back home with me trailing behind. The little child looked sleepily at me from my arms. I looked at kudari. He was the one assigned to guard the shrine in Shinoko yama. He was well built and very strong, making him the best one for the job since there are numerous youki running loose in these parts of the mountain. He once told me that he came from a family of warriors and was thus, raised as one. That's why he's so strong and brave.

We finally got home and were greeted by the innocent faces of the children. I learned eventually that the children were fed with the red fruit when they reach the age of 4 to 5 years, thus, they never get any older. They have been granted life eternal in paradise -- an innocence that would last forever. The children crowded around the new comer in my arms and exclaimed how cute he was. Jinsei soon arrived and took the child from me to give it some milk. A trail of children followed her.

Jinsei was the big sister in the family. It was to her that I run to when I am confronted with problems. She always has a good suggestion or two. She said she came from a big family, the eldest in a family of fifteen. She told me that she misses them dearly but her new family are enough to keep her happy.

"Children, it is time to return home now." said a gentle voice from behind me. I turned around and saw Shiori standing by the entrance of the temple we stayed in.

Her long long black hair tied in a neat braid, her golden eyes sparkling with life. The perfect mother image. Like me, she lost her parents too, and was brought up in an orphanage on the outskirts of Makai. She was the only one among us who have never tasted ningen flesh. Behind her stood the wise and beautiful phantom of the night. My savior. She smiled at me as I passed and placed a hand on my shoulder reassuringly.

"How was your trip with Kudari to the Ningenkai?" she asked in her soft voice.

"It was great, Izumi! Kudari let me fight off a lower demon this time!" I replied excitedly.

"Sounds interesting," replied Izumi, "since I told him not to let you get into any harm."

"Oh, c'mon, Izumi, Fera is a born fighter!" said Kudari from behind us, "Fera can take care of herself, right Fera?" he asked with a grin.

"Right!" I replied.

That night, as I lay on my bed, I reminisced about when I was younger. About Tou-san, my animal companions, Raizen... I realized that none of them could compare with the happiness I feel right now. I know I could never find another teacher such as Izumi, a mother like Shiori, a brother like Kudari, nor a sister and friend like Jinsei. There is nothing in this world that would ever make me turn my back on them.