Holding a shadow

After Jack yawned, Ikra said, "I'll take first watch. You go sleep."

Jack nodded before he laid down, closed his eyes, and began to snore.

Ikra's smile briefly turned into a glare as they quietly muttered, "It would be so easy to kill you now, Samurai... But your despair will be worth it."

You smiled. This is one of the few moments in that dimension's timeline where Aku would be the most ****.You had a crystal prison, one that would protect whoever inside from any Time travel effects.

You also had a note ready, one that would prevent Jack from looking for Ikra.

In your hand was a black collar necklace with a red gem. it was the keystone, as it would protect Ikra from being killed as a paradox, enforce Ikra to obey you, and a few other magical things that don't need to be mentioned at the moment.

Even if Aku refused, you could always put it on a fragment of Aku. It wouldn't have his experience, but the fragment would grow into a pure Ikra who'd be totally loyal to you.

Ikra threw another log into the fire, right before a portal appeared under her. She fell into it. A goblin magically disguised as Ikra crawled out of the portal, put a note under the rock, and leapt on Ikra's horse.

As the goblin rode away, they cried out , "Yah! Yah!", causing Jack to wake up.

Seeing Ikra ride off, Jack was ready to follow after until he spotted the note.

'Jack, I apologize, but I received a note from a messenger bird about a magic hammer of winter that could free my father from the wheel of fire. I am afraid I cannot assist you for now. Please continue your quest and do not follow after me. Your mission to rid the world of Aku is more important than me or my father. Ikra.'

Jack frowned but nodded for a moment before storing the note in his Gi.

You chuckled as you watched Jack hide himself away from any possible danger before sleeping. Looking over at your crystal prison, Ikra was fast asleep in amgic slumber.

"Only when the Samurai defeats your past self, will you be free, Aku," You said. Your eyes glowed as you added, "Free to be my right hand, that is."

Ikra slowly woke up, muttering, "Eugh... What... What..."Upon realizing that they were no longer in a desert, nor was the samurai near them, they quickly stood up and brandished their sword, eyes alert for any enemies.

Upon realizing they were in a crystal prison in a throne room with a large pool of water in the middle and seeing a obviously evil person dressed in armor, Ikra raised an eyebrow. The armored person said, "Good morning... Aku."

Not wanting to blow their cover in case Jack was nearby, Ikra said, "I am not Aku. Jack will free me and we will defeat you."

You chuckled before snapping your fingers. Some water flowed upwards and formed a portal. Within the portal showed Jack reaching the Oasis where the magic crystal was.

"No!" Ikra said in a voice that partially had Aku's voice in it. They threw themselves at the side of the prison, trying to break it. Within moments, they threw off the disguise and formed into a demonic ram, trying to headbutt their way out. Then when Jack used the crystal to create a portal to the past and stepped through it, Aku yelled, "NOOOO!!!"

Aku then glared at you and said, "My future might be undone, but I will not go alone! I will take you with me, wizard!"

Aku then changed his arms into pile bunkers and began attack the crystal's walls.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. That prison is keeping you alive in a timeline where you don't exist anymore," You said. "But I'll be nice and let you be able to leave your crystal..."

You snapped your fingers and the crystal's color changed a little. Aku grinned and threw an arm at you...

Only to retract his hand the moment he tried to leave, screaming in pain. The moment his hand had left the boundaries of the crystal prison, his hand had begun to vanish.

You held out the collar necklace and said, "This will allow you to exist outside the crystal prison, but is only made for your Ikra form. However, nothing is free."

Technically, it was true. Once on, the collar necklace would merge with Ikra. Afterwords, she'd be able to shapeshift, but the necklace's effects would remain.

You snapped your fingers and a goblin brought a stack of papers. As the goblin handed the papers to the trapped Aku and the shogun of shadows took the papers to read them, you continued.

"As a demon, you very well know about contracts and deals," You said. "If you agree to work for me and sign the papers, then I'll give you the necklace. I do promise that if you help me, then I can help you get **** on the Samurai, if you desire it."

Aku scratched his fire beard as he read the contract.