I've decided to put Crossroads on hold for a while. This will be the sequel to Those Beautiful Green Eyes, but since I will need to shift between two groups of characters, this one will be written in third person. Hope you all enjoy.
Disclaimer: Saiyuki is not mine. The story is fictional and all similarities to people and events in real life are coincidences.
Breaking the Darkness
Prologue
Crack.
There it was again! This time, it was louder and more ominous. Every time he heard that sound, he knew he was literally millimeters away from losing himself. His breathing was already ragged. He had been running for days, now. From what and for what reason, he didn't really know. His throat was rough and dry from lack of water and his legs burned from all the strain he had forced on them, but there was one singular goal in his mind.
He had to get away.
Away...
He slowed for a moment as his train of thought brought back memories he did not like remembering, but kept close at hand so he would never forget. I killed them… I killed my friends. I killed Gyumaoh and Ririn, then I killed Sanzo…
His hand strayed to the jade bauble dangling from his ear.
...And then I killed Hakkai…
It, and its twin on his other ear, was a meager green light in the darkness that surrounded him in the desolate desert. They were the limiters Hakkai had given him. 1 But Hakkai was not powerful enough. Rather, the human in Hakkai was no longer powerful enough to contain Goku's powers. Youki could not effectively contain youki the same way yin could not be overcome by yin. It was a system of check and balance, equilibrium was only found by equal amounts of opposing forces harmonizing. Fire and water, light and dark, yin and yang... 2
... Dark was fast overcoming him.
There was no moon and all the stars were hiding behind the dark clouds. It was fitting that he should lose himself that night.
Crack!
I'm sorry, Hakkai, I broke your limiters again. Gojyo, I'm sorry for being so weak. And Sanzo…
The shrill scream of the shattering jade was deafening to the young man's ears. His golden eyes went wild with panic.
Not yet! Not yet!
He felt the strain on his scalp and cuticles as his hair and nails began to grow at unimaginable rates. Pain wracked his entire body as his life force, his ki, was unleashed, threatening to break free of his thin frame.
No more! I can't become that monster again!
He fought and fought hard though he knew the fight would not last long. It never did. His eternal battle was always lost in a few moments of transformation into the Seiten Taisen. And as he felt himself slip away, he shouted to the uncaring night sky his death cry:
"SANZO!"
The brown-haired man pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and looked around the room, somewhat startled. His raven-haired companion did not miss this sudden change of mood. It was quite rare that something jerked his dear friend away from a book like that.
"What's up, Ten?"
Tenpou Gensui's delicate brow knitted. "Didn't you hear that, Taisho?"
Kenren Taisho frowned at the use of his title instead of a more affectionate moniker or even a casual 'Kenren'. "It's probably just rats. This inn you chose isn't exactly the most sanitary."
"Konzen?" the marshal glanced at the blonde who had taken a liking to the window. It was raining hard outside that night and while rain had always bothered the reincarnation Genjo Sanzo, he had to wonder how such a downpour affected the deity.
Konzen's violet eyes stared at the nothingness beyond the glass. "I heard it. Someone calling out to me."
Author's Notes:
Here we go! A few points that need to be clarified, especially if you didn't read my other fic.
1. In Those Beautiful Green Eyes, Hakkai died while giving Goku his limiters, which came in the form of jade earrings. Ah, but the other fic isn't exactly required reading for you to understand the rest of this story.
2. That's just my theory as to why only Sanzo and Kanzeon Bosatsu, despite Hakkai and Gojyo's considerable strength, can actually produce a limiter that can keep the Seiten Taisen at bay. I just thought chalking things up to divine power was less fun.
Finals' week ends next Tuesday so I should have a lot more time to write. Who knew I'd miss this so much? Reviews will always be much appreciated.
Thanks for reading!
- paris
