The Brisingamen Mystery

written by Kurosu

Bright and sunny was the start of the afternoon. It was cool for a spring day, and even the air was calm. The sky was clear of any clouds, with any chance of precipitation out of sight, at least for a few days. The cerulean blue stretched forever above and clashed below, along the horizon of vibrant earth.

In this particular field, the grass was trimmed low and neat and lined with bushes of colorful flowers and trees of cherry blossoms. The trees were already in full bloom, and a few petals here and there beautifully drifted to the ground. The cherry blossom viewing parties had dispersed many days ago, but that didn't stop a few people to enjoy the scenery.

A single, pink blossom floated in the air as if time had slowed down to enjoy the beauty of such a delicate existence. How strange that a simple flower symbolized grave philosophies on life and death.

The idea was not foreign to him, but it was tragic to hold it with something so beautiful and elegant. The soft petal landed in the palm of his hand, and his deep, green eyes brushed over them with curiosity. In seconds, a small breeze blew it away, and he watched with great intensity, like a spell had washed over him. The tiny object flew from his sight and danced with the rest of her family.

In the moment, he felt inspired, and his voice echoed,

"In this shimmering spring day,

ah, with ever anxious heart,

the blossoms are falling."*

"Loki-sama is poetic today," another commented cheerfully.

The poet was a young man with striking features, from his emerald eyes and short, blonde tresses to thin, enticing lips that playfully beckon women with their smiles. He was a tall man, despite his current position on a rich chocolate stallion, with confidence and nobility about him. He wore a dark European style suit, complete with a burgandy coat, giving him an air of mystery and exoticism.

Anyone passing by would be entranced by the handsome foreigner. Even his companion was dressed in similar attire but appeared more reserved and earthly. He had round glasses and wore his dark, green hair in a ponytail. He was riding on his own horse, a tan-ish colored mare, next to his ethereal friend.

He looked thoughtful for a moment, "Hm, I believe from the Heian era."

Loki chuckled, "Ah, Yamino-kun, when did you brush up on the history?" The young man looked sheepish, rubbing the back of his head, while the blonde continued, "Ki no Tomonori, of the late 9th century."

They continued down the dirt path, conversing about poetry and the current cherry blossom season. Neither noticed a white rabbit popping from the bushes on the side of the road. The frightened rabbit dashed across the road, followed by the barking of a small dog, right on its tail.

The scene caused the horses to yelp in surprise, and Loki had to pull back the reins to control his mount. The puppy, whose hair was dark as night, paused and turned his attention to the strangers. "It's a puppy!" Yamino stated.

"Thanks for stating the obvious," Loki said, glancing slyly at the dark-haired man. He refocused on the dog, now barking and wagging his tail at them, "I wonder who he belongs too. I don't see a house nearby."

"Fen-chan!" shouted a woman's voice. They turned their heads to the west, where the voice was originating from, and from the thick underbrush, a young woman with strangely colored hair popped out. She wore a bright blue kimono with various hues of pink cherry blossoms, and a violet obi secured her elegant fabric in place. Her long, pink hair flowed loosely after her, as she carefully made her way over to the small animal.

Like the cherry blossom petal he was entranced with earlier, Loki could not take his eyes off her. He noticed her deep, ruby eyes, shimmering with joy for black creature. A smile graced her thin lips, glossed with faint red, and a pinkish tint across her cheeks. There was a sweet innocence about her, when she picked up the puppy and held it close to her chest, nuzzling her nose on its head.

"Ah! Fen-chan!" she cried happily, "Why did you run off like that now. You know it's not safe alone."

Loki smirked at her admonishment to her dog when she should be taking her own advice. It was never good when a pretty girl was by herself, especially one who appeared to be from a high class family. The puppy liked its owner's face and then looked back at Loki and started barking again. That was when the young woman finally noticed the two gentlemen.

She stood up, and with a gentle smile, she greeted them with a bow. "I hope Fenrir didn't scare you," she said, petting the puppy's head to calm him down.

"Not at all," Loki answered and dismounted the horse.

Yamino followed suit and stood behind the blonde to take care of the horses while Loki moved forward to the woman. He bowed slightly while she watched him with curious eyes. She had never seen anyone with such blonde hair before and wonderd how soft it was. Her hand reach out, wanting to brush her fingers through them.

Loki raised an eyebrow at her action and caught her hand in his, and taking it to his lips, he placed a light kiss on the back of her hand. Her eyes widened in surprised at his gesture. She never had any man do that to her hand before. "May I have the pleasure of knowing your name, Miss?" he inquired, putting on a charming smile.

Her cheeks were flaming hot when he smiled at her, but her voice snapped her out of the daze, and she took her hand back abruptly and rubbed the back of her head. "Ah, I'm sorry," she laughed nervously, "My name's Mayura. Daidouji Mayura."

"Ma-yu-ra," he said slowly, testing out each syllable. It was a pleasant sound to his ears, and he felt his grin grew wider. Yamino noticed and quietly gulped, hoping his companion didn't hear him. "Well Mayura-san, my name is Loki," he said and gestured to the other man, "And this is Yamino."

She bowed again, "Nice to meet you!" Her smile seemed to be brighter than before. She radiated a beautiful aura around her, which made Loki curious about her identity. "You aren't from around here, hm?" she peered at him. He was about eight to nine inches taller than her.

"We're not," he returned her smile, "We're here on business."

The day neared its end, with evening sun barely over the horizon. The skies were ablazed in red and orange hues, and one by one, the lights along the streets lit up. A few people, mainly farmers on the outskirts, were returning to their homes after a day's of work. Though vendors of city remained open for business, well into the night.

The evenings were less troublesome, and the tranquility settled itself in the vast Zen garden of the Kakinouchi estate. The young heir, Kakinouchi Koutaro, sat on the garden veranda in deep contemplation. His profile illuminated against the backdrop of the sunset. His lips pursed in a thin line, seemingly troubled about something.

"Kakinouchi-san," a male servant announced, kneeling behind him. "The item has arrived." The man, with his head still bowed, placed a flat box on the wooden floors and pushed it to his master's side.

Koutaro opened his eyes and looked over to the object. His face was unreadable as he picked it up and opened the box. Laying in plain sight was an extravagant necklace of gold. Several golden pendants--half the size of a ryo** but worth a thousand times as much--dangled from the necklace chains. An unknown feeling crept inside of him when the necklace flashed in the fading sunlight.

"So this is the Brisingamen," he stated and closed the box with a sigh. "Very well. I will give this to her," he paused uncomfortably, "as he wishes."

"Yes, Kakinouchi-san." The man nodded and disappeared.

"Loki-sama," Yamino started, waiting hungrily for his food, "do you think we'll find any jobs here?" The two of them were sitting on the side of the city streets at one of the food vendors that evening. They were famished from their journey, and unfortunately, they were quite low on money. Then again, they did not have much to start with when thrown into the predicament.

"We can only hope so," he sighed, tapping his fingers lightly on the counter. He was partly bored now, after they were able to find a cheap inn with Mayura's help. He wasn't able to find out much about her yet. After realizing how late she was about, she apologized and hurried off.

Loki wondered if he would run into her again. There was a small chance, because after all, Kyoto was a very big city. He remember noting there was a fragrance on her that was a bit unusual for a young woman to wear. The scent of sandalwood was rather strong on her. Women usually prefer something more floral.

His thoughts were interrupted when two bowls of udon was placed before them. "Itadakimasu!" they announced before digging into their meals. Then Loki felt something tug on his pants. He looked down in the middle of chewing his noodles and saw the familiar face. He finished his bite and reached down to pick up the puppy. "Mayura-san's Fenrir, right?" he questioned, holding the black puppy close to examine him.

The puppy barked, with his wagging tail, and licked Loki's cheek. Yamino grinned, "He likes you, Loki-sama."

"He likes to run off."

"I'm sure Mayura-san's worried."

"We can try finding her after we eat," he said and put Fenrir in his lap, so he could eat.

Yamino nodded, "I guess it's somewhat of a job."

During the meal, Loki fed some noodles to Fenrir. He smiled at the puppy's energy. It matched quite well his owner's bright personality. With the soup remaining in the bowl, he let Fenrir slurp the rest up. Even Yamino offered his to the puppy, who didn't hesitate to drink it all. "I think he was more hungry than we were," he remarked.

Loki laughed when Fenrir comfortably settled back in his lap after a full meal. He brushed his hand over the animal's soft coat, thinking how well Mayura took care of him. The two men sipped their hot tea silently, while the bustling of the streets continued. More people were about, eating their quick dinners before heading home.

Some noises stirred down the street, as people whispered to themselves, watching a carriage pulled by horses trotted down the road. Loki and Yamino turned around to watch, and as the carriage passed by, he felt something strong emanating from inside. It was not a good sign at such strength. "I think we just found our first real job," he murmured.

The carriage stopped in front of large gates, towering several meters high. It was the entrance upon sacred land, where a building was sighted in the distance. A pathway was paved in stone that lead to one of the most popular shrine in the city.

The driver stepped down from the carriage and opened the door. Koutaro stepped out, planting his feet on solid ground. He wore a dark kimono with a pair of gray hakama, and over the kimono was a haori with his family crest adorned on the back. He smoothed out his garments as his servant came out of the carriage, carrying several packages.

There was no turning back now. He straightened his posture and began to walk down the stone path, with his servant right behind him.

After that moment, Loki and Yamino walked up to the gates, and the latter was carrying Fenrir in his arms. They looked at the stone sign that read Daidouji Shrine. The blonde smirked, and the puppy jumped to the ground and ran off, wagging his tail. "This is getting interesting."

They immediately followed Fenrir, who didn't bother going into the shrine. He took off to a side path that looped to the back of the large shrine. If one thought the shrine was huge, the residential area of the Daidoujis was bigger. It was twice as large, and Loki's initial assumption was correct, that Mayura was from a high class family, but he had no idea they owned a shrine too.

Meanwhile, Koutaro seated himself in front of the head of the Daidouji Shrine. The older man was in his late thirties, dressed in formal attire that was respectable of a clan head rather than a Shinto priest. He had his arms folded across his chest, tucked to the sleeves. His gaze was steady, scrutinizing the young man.

It wasn't that he didn't like the young Kakinouchi, but he still had to be cautious. He was a good-looking man and well educated and also excelled in physical combat. And being the heir to the his family fortunes was also a plus.

"I'm honor to have you grace your home, Koutaro-san."

"I apologize for the short notice of this visit," he slightly bowed. "I've brought some gifts for Mayura-san." He gestured his hand for his servant to present the packages. "These are from abroad. I do hope she likes them."

"Ah, you are too kind." Daidouji accepted them on his daughter's behalf.

"Not at all. It is my duty to cherish her, my beloved fiancee." His voice held some tender emotions, even though he kept his face even before his future father-in-law. The man seemed to relax as he heard those words. His daughter was very precious to him, and it was rare to find the right husband for her--not only for financially support but also for the emotional and physical compatibility.

A female servant of the household arrived with tea, and while she poured the beverage, Daidouji told her, "Please inform Mayura of our guest and have her present herself." After serving her master and guest, she complied with the order. The two sipped their tea as the woman slipped out of the room.

"Oh! I can't believe this!" Mayura huffed, as she ran about outside in the yard. In the light radiating from the house, she was now in a floral print kimono--rather simple but still exquisite in its own way. Her hair was twisted up into a bun and held together with a golden butterfly ornament.

"Fen-chan, where are you!" she called out, now crawling on all fours, and searched in the bushes. She couldn't believe he ran off again. He needed to stop chasing other cute animals, or he'd be lost forever. She sighed and sat upright, feeling a bit lonely again.

Ever since her mother passed away when she was young, she had always felt lonely. Her father was always working, but he did try to spare some time for her. When he couldn't, Fenrir was there for her. He was a gift from her father.

Recently though, she had Koutaro. He would visit her every now and then and sometimes invited out on little dates. She enjoyed his company, but there was still something missing. She had no idea what it was, but the past two months with her fiancee didn't fill that emptiness.

But how strange that a single encounter earlier that day sparked something in her soul. When she had stared into Loki's green eyes, her body froze at such intensity, and she could feel the beating of her hear increase tenfold. She felt her cheeks flushed at his piercing gaze. At one moment, he reminded her of Koutaro, but his eyes, his lips, his touch... They were completely different, as if he had come from the heavens.

She almost thought she had been dreaming.

"Stop being silly, Mayura!" She bopped her own head at her childish thoughts and resumed searching for her cute pet.

"Mayura-sama," called the servant, "Your father requests your presence."

"Oh okay," she answered hesitantly. She stood up and walked towards the house. "Saki-san, could you keep searching for Fenrir please. I don't know where he could be. I hope he didn't escape outside." The woman nodded and waited till her mistress entered the house.

Before she started looking, she heard barking and pattering of several footsteps. She walked over to the gates and opened it to suddenly have Fenrir rush through and two young men bowed before her. "Can I help you?"

"Ah yes, my name is Loki. I'm here to see Daidouji Mayura-san," he explained.

She was hesitant at first, but the man gave her such a dazzling smile that she couldn't refuse such a request. And here she thought that the Kakinouchi heir was handsome. She took them to the house, after a soft sigh escaped her lips.

Yamino whispered to his companion, "You have such a way with woman." Loki just grinned and shrugged, as they followed the servant.

After joining her father and Koutaro in the main room, Mayura was surprised at the gifts she was to receive. She was happier to have her fiance come to see her and began chatting with him. Her father was feeling a bit uncomfortable so he excused himself from the room.

Koutaro watched the older man leave, before leaning close to the young woman and whispered, "I have one more surprise for you." He eyes widened in excitement as he reached into his kimono sleeve and pulled out a familiar box.

For some reason, her heart was quickening again. She could hear it echo in her mind as her hand touched the lid and slowly opened it. A golden necklace sparkled in the light, and her slender fingers traced over the designs with care. "It's beautiful, Koutaro-kun," she breathed.

"Not compared to you, Mayura," he smiled. He took the necklace from its encasement and presented it to her in the air. Her deep red-brown eyes gazed at it with admiration.

On his way out to the veranda, Daidouji stopped in the hallway just as Fenrir ran by him. He wondered what the puppy was up. The little thing seemed to be in a hurry. Then he met his servant, escorting with unfamiliar faces. He was receiving powerful auras from the two men. Being a Shinto priest, he was able to pick up on them, but these two... They had such strong spirits, but they were neither evil nor good.

He was certain they were no ordinary people, especially the blonde one. He carefully looked them over, "And these are...?"

"Mayura-sama's friends," she said, "They wanted to speak with her."

He walked over to them, "My name is Daidouji Misao, Mayura's father."

They bowed. "A pleasure to meet you, Daidouji-san. I'm Loki."

"I'm Yamino Ryuusuke."

"Ah. Unfortunately, Mayura is with a guest. Perhaps you can come back tomorrow."

"I see."

Loki wasn't sure how to approach the man about the current situation. He wasn't sure what the problem was, but he felt an immense amount of energy coming from the area in front of him. It was possible Mayura was there, in the same room with that power. "I have no choice, Daidouji-san, but it's very grave," he tried to explain. "It's possible Mayura-san might be in trouble."

He took a few steps forward, but Daidouji stopped him, blocking his path with his arm. He frowned, "I believe you might be the trouble for her. Please leave."

Yamino, not sure what exactly was going on and what caused Loki to act this way, was about to pull him back, but he sensed impatience and anger, which were not good things to come. He watched Loki lash out at the man, "You don't understand! Something powerful in there!" He was pointing in the direction of the main room.

Daidouji was angry at the stranger's outburst and rudeness and refused to listen. He would contend to him physically if that became the case, though he was greatly disturb by the blonde's spirit. It kept increasing, and then suddenly, he saw it!

His eyes were red!

"Loki-sama," Yamino whispered, nervously.

Loki brushed the priest aside and darted towards the inner sanctions of the house. He just hoped he wasn't too late. Yamino was left to apologize to the stunned man. He noticed the man was trembling. Very few people have witnessed that side of Loki, and those who were lucky (or unlucky) ended up dead, having lost their sanity, or forever remain trapped in their minds.

When Loki reached the main room, he saw Mayura beside a young man, who had finished placing the necklace on her. Fenrir was biting and tugging on her kimono. "MAYURA!" he shouted, but it was too late.

The jewelry piece began to glow a radiant golden color, engulfing Mayura within its power. Her eyes glazed over and became vacant. She slowly stood up, and Koutaro kept calling her name. It was the moment that Yamino and Daidouji arrived at the room. They watched the young woman move like she was sleepwalking.

Loki grabbed her hand to stop her from walking away and tried to yank the necklace off, but the cursed item refused to be torn away from its wearer and electrocuted the offender with its lightning. The power flowed through Mayura, causing Loki and Fenrir to release her. Her father tried to tackle his daughter to the floor, tightening her arms around her, but the lightning power was too great and zapped him.

Yamino rushed to his aid and helped him to his feet. No one was able to stop her for more than five seconds, lest they wished to be burnt to a crisp.

"What's going on?!" Daidouji demanded.

"The only thing we can do now is just follow her," Loki announced, and then with his eyes returning to their normal green color, he looked at Koutaro, "Unless you know who is behind this." The young man sat in a speechless state. He had no idea this was going to happen from a simple, foreign gift to the woman he cherished.

"The Brisingamen necklace had been lost for centuries," he stated.

"I-I don't know where it came from," Koutaro said, "It was sent to me. I was told to give it to Mayura as a gift for our wedding."

"Who is it?"

"Lladmieh. He lives west of here."***

"That's probably where she is head," he thought aloud. "Yamino, I want you and," he gestured to Koutaro since he had no time to ask his name, "him to go back to the inn and get it. Daidouji-san will stay here. I'll take Fenrir and follow Mayura, and we'll meet you there."

They scattered before Daidouji could protest, but his servants were already tending to his injuries. He could only pray that they could save his daughter.

By the time, Loki and Fenrir made it down the shrine steps, they caught a glimpse of red from her kimono down the street. They hurried after her, keeping a safe distance, till they reached the end of a block. The neighborhood was dark and gloomy with only a few lights in the streets. The massive gates creeked open and Mayura walked inside.

Her two pursuers quickly followed before the gates shut again.

This estate was completely bigger than the Daidouji shrine and residence, but it felt lifeless. Only a few lanterns were lit, mainly at the entrance way, but the rest of the place could've passed off as an abandoned--and perhaps haunted--house. He lost sight of Mayura and couldn't sense her either. The area was heavily bogged down by a negative energy.

Even Fenrir stayed close to him, and he could see the small animal shaking from the oppressive feeling. Slowly, he moved forward and approached the building with the puppy braving it by his side. They managed to move through the house without any confrontation, but every corner of the place was pitched black.

Not a single being was around. Scratch that, not a single human being was around.

The energy was gradually getting stronger, which meant they were almost there. He wasn't sure if it belong to Mayura and the Brisingamen necklace, or this Lladmieh. The name was more foreign than his own.

Loki could see the end of the hallway, where the light was shining bright. With Fenrir right on his heels, he rushed to the end, which opened into a vast room. Mayura was standing in the center, and a huge circle diagram was drawn on the wooden floorboards. Within the circle was a five-pointed star, and several runic writings have been written too.

He knew the Brisingamen necklace was an artifact of ancient times but didn't know its original purpose, but from the runes on the floor, it was being used to open a doorway to the 'other world'.

He tried to get to Mayura but bounced back by an invisible barrier. Fenrir was barking wildly, but he told the puppy to calm down.

"You have one last chance to turn back now," came a male voice. A figure emerged from the darkness of the room, carrying a long sword in his hand. He stopped on the opposite side of the circle, facing Loki. He wore a black robe that draped to the floor. Dark violet hair fell over his right eye, while the visible one glared at the intruder.

"Or you'll regret having set foot in this place," he growled, "It will be your grave."

"What are you trying to accomplish by opening this portal?"

"That's none of your business!"

"It's my business when you drag innocent people into it!"

Lladmieh ignored him and threw the sword at Mayura's feet.

The blonde man recognized the sword, "Tyrfing..." It was an enchanted sword with a golden hilt, forged to never miss a single stroke, never rust, and even cut through stone and iron.

"You know the sword?" He was slightly impressed but then brushed his audience aside. "Pick it up," he ordered the young woman to pick the weapon up by its hilt.

"MAYURA!" Loki shouted, banging his fists against the barrier. He was powerless to do anything. His only hope was that Yamino would hurry. Well, he wasn't exactly powerless. He had a few spells he could cast, but they won't be as potent.

He mumbled a few words of enchantment, and bursts of fire seared from his hands. The flames rushed at the barrier but didn't destroy it, instead went around it, straight for Lladmieh. The latter was momentarily stunned by the appearance of magical fire and quickly jumped out of the way. The wooden floor flared up in wildfire, eventually consuming the walls and spread madly around the estate.

"Just who are you?!" an angry Lladmieh demanded.

Loki was about to reply when he heard Yamino's voice, "Loki-sama!" He turned around and saw Yamino throw something through the air. He smiled and caught the staff in his hand. This was what he had been waiting for: Laevateinn. It had a long shaft with the top end connected to a crescent-shaped moon.

"Dammit," Lladmieh cursed. He had to do it now, before they further interrupted the ritual, "Open the gates now!"

At the command, Mayura grasped the sword with both hands, raising it up into the air. The sharp blade was pointed towards her body. Loki smashed the staff against the barrier, and it shattered like broken glass on impact. He then took his weapon and brought the end straight down on the floor, where the runes and drawing were glowing white. Everything within the circle lit up, and the rush of power from the runic symbols created a pillar blasting through the roof.

Mayura's hair clip broke to pieces, letting her hair loose in the vortex. Then Tyrfing jerked out of her hands and was lost in pillar of energy, just as the Brisingamen necklace disinegrated to dust. No longer under the spell, pink-haired girl lost consciousness and was falling, but Loki caught her before she hit the ground. He took a look at her face and smiled at how peaceful she appeared, despite all the trouble around them.

Loki quickly raised Laevateinn to block Lladmieh's attack. His staff clashed with Tyrfing, causing a huge explosion of energy. He held Mayura securely against him as they both flew back a great distance.

His opponent didn't fair any better, crashing into the wall. He clutched his right eye beneath his dark tresses, as blood began to drip down his face. He seemed to wretch in pain, gritting his teeth to prevent losing control of his voice. Climbing to his feet, he glared at the culprit, who caused him to fail his plan, one more time, etching his image deep into his mind, before escaping.

Yamino, holding Fenrir, rushed over to Loki, and with Mayura safely in Loki's arms, and they rushed out of the building in flames. By the time they reached the gates, Koutaro was waiting for them with his carriage. Yamino climbed in and took the unconscious Mayura from Loki, who spared one last glance at the fire slowly consuming the mysterious estate. He jumped into the carriage, and it drove away.

The next morning, Mayura groggily opened her eyes to the bright light. Her body felt so heavy, and she never felt it aching so badly before. She must've had a rough sleep, but then again, she had the strangest dream last night. She remembered speaking with Koutaro and he had given her this gorgeous necklace. She could've sworn she heard Loki's voice for some reason.

Shaking the crazy dream out of her head, she decided to wash up and prepare for the new day. She choose a yellow kimono with purple blossoms to wear, and her servant assisted with tying her crimson obi on. That was when she noticed Fenrir was no where to be found.

She acknowledge breakfast was to be in an hour, before hurrying outside to search for her puppy. She looked around at all of Fenrir's favorite spots to hide and play. The final place he enjoyed was beneath the cherry blossom tree. It had a nice shade that he loved to nap under.

Mayura scurried over there and was surprised to find: not only Fenrir napping but stranger named Loki was resting against the tree. The puppy was curled warmly beside the young man. She leaned down to Loki to get a better look and blushed at how close she was to him. He had one leg bent at the knee with an arm resting on it while the other leg was tucked under him. His other arm lazily fell in his lap.

It was an adorable sight that she refused to disturb, so she quietly sat down to Loki's left side, leaning her back on the tree, and tucked her legs beneath her. She stiffled a yawn and rested her eyes a bit more. It couldn't hurt for another nap. She had time to kill.

It didn't take long for her to zone out. When her breathing became soft and at a steady pace, Loki opened his green eyes and peered over to the left to see Mayura's head resting on his shoulder. He reached his hand over to her hair, taking a few pink strands between his fingers, and twirled it playfully.

"Loki..."

At the whisper of his name, he smiled.

THE END.

* Ki no Tomonori, Kokinshu 57. He was an early Heian waka poet of the court and complied the Kokin Wakashuu.

** Ryo is the currency used back in feudal times. One ryo equals to one koban, which is one big gold coin.

*** Yes yes, I know it's lame to reverse the letters in his name. It still looks cool though, lol. =P

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

It's possible I might right a sequel or a few stories within this storyline, but for now, I'll leave it as it is. I've always wanted to write them in a setting of feudal Japan. This was close enough, lol. I hope you enjoyed it! MayuLoki all the way! Woo~!