Hey everyone! Like I said before, I started writing this story five years ago...and just now decided to pick it back up. I rewrote the first few chapters. This is the prologue just to give you and idea of what is going on. I'm sure most of you have heard that there is actually a fifth region in the center of the other four. This region is guarded by the yellow dragon and has six constellations surrounding it. This is my explanation of why there wasn't a fifth god in the anime. Please RXR and if you don't like please tell me what you think I can do to improve!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the Fushigi Yuugi Characters. I also add that some concepts for this story were inspired by the anime, Ceres which I do not own either.
NOTES: The prologue is set entirely before the anime. The rest of the chapters will be written after the anime.
(2 centuries before the first priestess was ever summoned to the book)
As the sky turned from gray to black, the calm drizzle that had been slightly annoying before changed to a steady drumming. The sky was filled with lightening, while echoes of thunder shook the ground. Tasuki cursed under his breath. It had been raining like this all damn day. He wondered; did Tenkyoku know what was going to happen? Perhaps even worse…did she know? Tasuki shook his head to clear his mind of such thoughts. He could feel the rain seeping through to his bones now. Looking around the encampment, he grunted. As if the rain could purge this night of its sins.
Hotohori, Mistukake, Chidiko, Chichiri, Nuriko, and Tamahome. They were all there suffering from the rain together with the same purpose and the same heavy hearts. There were no words that could prepare them for the task that lay at hand and so they sat in silence…knowing and waiting.
Then came the signal; beating drums pounded into their heads. Tasuki no sooner got on his feet than the mist encased them. Hours seemed to pass when he knew it to only be seconds, and then there it was, the palace of Tenkyoku, the yellow dragon. Many times had he stood in that same spot waiting permission to enter through the gates and every time an odd sense of calmness had fallen over him that he had never felt anywhere else. Today, they would not wait for permission and the sense of calm was no more. Bodies of the beast gods' soldiers filled the courtyard. There had been a battle here recently and the smell of freshly spilt blood saturated the air. As the corpses became more numerous the closer they got to the palace, Tasuki found himself wishing for the calmness he knew would not come. Normally, battles didn't bother the lone wolf; they even thrilled him to a point, but this was wrong and he felt it to his core.
Slowly the palace doors swung open before them to reveal the moment they had been dreading. There she stood, poised in attack position, her slender hands wrapped around her nodachi, stained with blood. She did not blink but still Tasuki saw it, a slight shift in her balance, a stiffening of her upper body. She had not predicted this night of bloodshed and she definitely had not suspected them. He could feel the pain of the betrayal she hid behind a mask of determination and it burned into his soul. He could take the silence no more and he stepped forward to speak to the unwavering creature before them. Suddenly, Suzaku appeared before them stopping Tasuki in his tracks.
A moment passed before he once again decided to speak, but before he could the creature's voice resonated in the hall. "Suzaku, what is the meaning of this?" She demanded, her stance never changing.
Suzaku looked at the woman expressionlessly then sadly as he spoke. "I am here to banish Tenkyoku. It is the only way to preserve this world as we know it." He moved to go around her but she stopped him with a swing of her nodachi. "I do not wish to harm you, Taishi." He warned.
Fiery eyes met alike fiery eyes and she straightened from her stance as she looked down. "You are wrong, my brother. It did not have to be this way." Quickly, she attacked Suzaku, fire springing from her fingertips and on to her nodachi. Just as quickly, Suzaku used a counter spell that threw her back into arms ready to catch her.
The battle began and ended so quickly that Tasuki saw her standing one minute and the next laying dazed in Tenkyoku's arms. When Tenkyoku had entered Tasuki did not know, but he did know that the day was close to an end one way or another and either way would bring disaster. He watched as Tenkyoku worryingly looked down at the young woman in his arms. Tasuki felt his face grow hot as he watched the scene before him. So the rumors were true, the yellow dragon had fallen in love with the fiery warrior phoenix. He clenched his fists and looked away. He wasn't going to allow his emotions to get the best of him.
As soon as the young woman was able to stand, Tenkyoku turned his attention to Suzaku. "I knew this moment would one day come, but I never would have predicted you would side with them."
"The other gods have sent me to banish you, Tenkyoku, and to destroy your celestial warrior, Taishi, in order to prove where my loyalties lye. However, my loyalties still belong to you." Suzaku finished his speech and ended with his knees bent down in front of Tenkyoku, a sight not often seen.
There was silence as Tenkyoku considered the kneeled phoenix before him, but Taishi quickly stepped in between the two. "He lies! He claimed banishment was the only way to save this world. He tries to trick you my lord."
"Is this true Suzaku?" Tenkyoku demanded.
Suzaku slowly stood, his eyes never wavering. "Neither you nor I are strong enough to defeat the other three gods at this point in time. To go up against them would mean devastation for the land. It is true, I must banish you, but I will not destroy Taishi. It is my plan to send her to the spirit world to be born again when the time for your re-awakening is at hand." He looked down. "I know this does not seem like the best solution, but it is the only way. I have thought on this long."
"You are sure of this plan?" Doubt was clear in the yellow dragon's voice. A nod was his only reply and a moment passed before he shook his head in agreement. "Very well, I place the future in your hands, but know that this marks the end of an era. There shall be a clear line between heaven and earth, immortal and mortal. From this moment on all celestial warriors shall be mortal and will die painful deaths only to be reborn and die again. The gods shall be restricted to heaven to wait a summoning by a priestess from another world in times of need. Know this is the fate you have brought upon yourselves." His gaze past upon them all and ended on Taishi. He smiled and gently brushed his hand against her cheek. "Until we meet again my brave phoenix." His whispered words echoed through her mind and she watched as he slowly faded back into the mist of the mountain.
So it was over now. They had just witnessed the end of an era. An era they had helped end. So why didn't he feel different? In fact, he felt nothing. Tasuki looked towards his comrades. Hotohori, Nuriko, and Chichiri hung their heads in prayer. Mistukake attempted to comfort an emotional Chidiko and Tamahome was…looking straight at him? He knew at times he could be paranoid, but there was no mistaking his friend's stare. Tamahome's gaze shifted towards Taishi and then quickly back to Tasuki. He followed his friend's gaze and understood. In her eyes he saw the emptiness he felt. How he wanted to go to her. Just to grab her up in his arms and hold her. But Tasuki would do no such thing, for he feared he would not receive the welcome for which he hoped. Tasuki cursed at himself. The only woman he had ever understood or cared for and he couldn't even summon enough courage to comfort her.
Suzaku placed a gentle hand on Taishi's shoulder. "Taishi, when you are reborn you understand that…" Taishi spun to face him.
"I know what it means!" Anger spurred her words. "And I know what I must do."
Tasuki froze when he saw her come towards him. There was a hint of a smile on her lips as she stood before him, but for Tasuki, the emptiness she still held in her eyes overshadowed all her features. She stretched out her hands towards him and he watched in astonishment as fire burst forth from her palms and slowly vanished to reveal a metal fan. "You befriended me when others could not. I'm grateful for that…and so, this is my gift to you."
Tasuki slowly reached out and touched the hilt of the fan. It felt cool to his touch so he grabbed it firmly in his hand and found himself struggling for breath as fire shot through his arm and began to course through his veins. He looked at Taishi confused, 'What had she done?' But he relaxed as the burning slowly faded to warmth. A warmth that was new and strange to him.
"That fan is made from a part of me that cannot leave this world. I chose that form because it can aid you greatly in battle. It is apart of you now. No matter how many lives you may lead; you will be drawn to it and it shall seek you."
She slowly stepped away from him and looked over at Suzaku. He nodded quickly and she turned back towards Tasuki, a sad smile on her face. "Keep it safe, Tasuki." With those words fire erupted from the floor around her and the Suzaku warriors watched in horror as the flames consumed her. Suddenly a phoenix flew out from the flames and past the warriors heading towards the clearing sky.
Tasuki watched from the doorway as it vanished into the deep red sunset. He looked down at the fan he still grasped tightly in his hand. At least one good thing had come from this day. He was mortal now, which meant someday he would die and this agonizing love would die with him.
Well what did you think? This is just telling you what happened to Tenkyoku in the past. The rest of this story will be about his return. Hope you liked…again let me know what you think!