Chapter 1

"To Live or to Die"

"I don't know what else to do. In all my years I have never come across something like this," she heard a voice say. "You will have to find someone else to heal her."

"Who?" her mother's frantic voice rang out. "There's no one else around here."

"Mother…" Ryoko gasped between breaths. Breathing was both painful and difficult for her. Her fever had risen even more so it felt as if she were engulfed in flames.

"Yes dear?" her mother patiently replied as she tried to help her sit up. "Don't over-do it."

"I won't. I'm fine. I'm strong, and I can do this," she said as she looked at the healer. "Isn't there anything else you can try?"

"I've tried everything I can. I've exorcised demons; I've given you every herb and medicinal tonic I can think of. Nothing's helped…" The healer stopped for a moment and scratched her chin. "You know, there is this monk that lives in a mountain temple not far from here. It is said he can heal anything. Maybe you should go see him…"

"Could you take us there?" Ryoko's father cut in. "Is it far?"

The healer looked at him. "I am too old to make a journey like that. You'll be lucky if Ryoko can make the trip. She's so weak I fear she may not."

"What else are we to do? We've tried everything! Either she dies here because we gave up, or she dies on the way to us trying to save her. She could live!" her dad cried out. "She's my daughter! She's a fighter. Look how long she's fought it off already!"

"Calm down dear. It's up to Ryoko to decide," her mother cut in. "If we go, this journey will most likely strain her and make her weaker than ever."

Ryoko watched the proceedings with a dulled interest. She was growing weaker by the day and the thought of dying terrified her. "I want to go…" she mumbled.

"What?" her father asked, peering down at her in disbelief.

"I want to go… I won't sit here and give up…" she replied, her breath coming in short, strained pants.

"Let me grab some chamomile and mint tea dear. It'll help you breathe," the healer said and quickly left, her feet shuffling across the floor.

"Honey, are you sure about this?" her mother asked while stroking her forehead. "It won't be easy."

"I… don't want to talk anymore, Mother. I've made up my mind…" Ryoko replied and closed her eyes as she tried to control her breathing.

"I'll go get everything packed and get directions from the healer," her father said as he made his way to the door. "I'll also grab some herbs to help you Ryoko. Just get some rest. We'll leave first thing in the morning."

"I'll pack some extra robes and an extra Kimono." Her mother said after a few minutes. "Do you want anything else?"

"Don't pack too much, Mother," Ryoko lightly scolded. "I know how you get. But if you could give brother a hug for me and tell Akihiro I said good bye?"

"I can do that sweetheart…" her mother replied after a moment. "I still don't think-"

"I have your tea ready dear," the healer cut in as she hurried into their hut. "Hurry up and drink. You'll need your rest for tomorrow."

"It's time to rest dear. Good night," her mother said as she kissed her forehead and pulled the blanket up over her. Ryoko nodded and drifted off to sleep.

The next day everyone seemed to be frantic trying to get everything ready to go. Watching them scurry around like frightened mice made Ryoko tired and cranky. People kept checking in on her, trying to get her to take medicines, asking questions, and various other things to make her temper even shorter. By the time the bags were packed and the horses readied, Ryoko almost wished she were dead. She was still contemplating the idea of how she was supposed to ride all the way to the monk's temple on the back of a horse when her father and brother came barreling into her room.

"Brother! I thought you weren't allowed around me," Ryoko exclaimed as he came over and kissed her lightly on the cheek.

"The healer said if Father and Mother hadn't caught what you had by now, you must not be contagious, so they let me come see you…" He paused for a moment. "And I'm coming with you."

"Wha-" Ryoko started.

"Yes. I'm coming with you. I'm riding the horse with you. You can't ride that far by yourself in your condition. You're light and I'm not as built as Father is yet. The horse shouldn't have any problem carrying the two of us," he finished.

"Oh-kay…" Ryoko huffed, too tired to argue.

The door was pulled back and her mother walked in, "Everything's ready. Its time to leave."

Two hours later, Ryoko was sure she was either going to die from the pain in her butt from riding so long, or from her mother's nagging. Every ten minutes she'd make them stop and check on her, take her temperature, or try to feed her some nasty herbs. Finally, she'd had enough, "If you don't leave me alone till we get there, I swear I'll give up on life right now!" Ryoko yelled.

"But I was only trying to-" Her mother started.

"That's enough dear. We're almost there." Her father cut in, saving everyone from a nasty quarrel.

What was maybe an hour later they could see the castle that the monk lived in. It was large and foreboding sitting atop a huge hill. It had a wall around it made of stone and trees, and vines had snaked their way up the side of the walls.

"It looks creepy… are you sure this is it?" Ryoko stammered.

"I'm sure. This is how the healer described it," Was her father's reply.

They were met at the huge door by a young man with dark brown hair and dark red robes. His eyes were an odd shade of brown and he had a hint of a beard growing.

"Welcome," He said, his voice cool and young. "I am the Monk Mineo. What brings you to my temple?"

Ryoko's mother and father paused, then her father spoke up, "It's my daughter. She's been plagued by a terrible illness that sucks the life out of her everyday! We've tried everything! Will you please help us? We've brought everything valuable that we have!" her father cried out and fell at the monk's feet.

The monk looked around them and his eyes pierced into the sea-green color of Ryoko's, "How old is she? How long as this been going on?"

"For about a year, Mineo-sama," her mother replied, kneeling at his feet. "She's almost twenty now."

He glanced at them, pushed open the door to the temple and bade them inside. "I will see what I can do."

With a nod, her mother and father got up and followed him inside to a large sitting area. Ryoko's brother had carried her in and set her down on a bed made of blankets. The monk had disappeared it seemed, for Ryoko couldn't see him anywhere.

"Mother, where did he go?" Ryoko sputtered and started another coughing fit. She rolled onto her side as she coughed up a large amount of blood.

"Ryoko!" her mother cried out and knelt to her side, brushing her daughter's long red hair back and wiping her mouth.

"Let me tend to her," the monk ordered as he appeared, and knelt next to Ryoko with a cup of some type of nasty liquid. "Drink." He pressed the cup to her mouth and it took all her strength to drink it. It tasted of dirt, herbs, and something else she couldn't identify, something almost metallic. She finished the cup and fell back into a deep sleep.

After a week had went by of getting the herbal treatments from Mineo, Ryoko woke one day and she felt strange. Everything was hazy and had lost its color and she couldn't feel her limbs.

"Mother? Mother what's happening?" she called out. Not sure if anyone heard her, for she didn't think she could hear anything now, a sharp pain ripped through her body. Fire exploded in her head and her heart felt as though it would beat out of her chest. Then, the world went black and pain tore her apart and Ryoko screamed.