Hello everyone! :D
I haven't really written anything for Saiyuki's fandom in sooo long that I wanted to post something, so there!
This is a bit of an experiment, because the POV is quite particular and - dare I say - not often used yet I thought it was an interesting take on the numerous attacks the Sanzo ikkou have to endure and the possible uuh, consequences let's say... :P
Disclamer: I don't own Saiyuki
All right, well, I guess that's it otherwise I'd let on too much LOL
Ja ne,
Temari 88
ATTACK
by Temari 88
They had just attacked them. It hadn't worked out the way they had thought, but against that kind of enemies you can never be sure… on the contrary, they could say it went better than what they'd planned; they had been lucky: one of them had already been wounded pretty badly beforehand, so taking him by surprise – once separated from the others – hadn't been too difficult, even if he had put up quite the fight anyway… that surely was a man who didn't give up easily.
All in all, they were quite satisfied with how the things had gone: no fatal wound, no body part left behind to rot and a number of hits getting the target. A little rest was what they needed now.
They had set up camp in a clearing, not too large but not too small either, near the hills surrounding that part of the region with its vast forest of tall, sturdy trees and large variety of undergrowth keeping the temperature under them cool. In the dark of the night, small animals of different kind came out of their nests – after the sun had finally set – to hunt or drink; at the foot of the trees, their small feet interrupted the quiet of the camp where, close to a smallish fire (to keep them from giving out their position), the group was huddled.
After some minutes, a particularly loud cracking of the wood burning in the fire, woke the men who, trained, immediately sit up, senses at the ready. They look around, eyes glued to the many bushes at the edge of the clearing, waiting to catch the smallest movement… but silence reign in the patch of free forest and nothing but the sounds of nature are heard. They are about to lay back down, when from the distance a howl reaches their ears – or is it a shout? – and involuntarily a shudder crawls down their spine.
May it be a wolf? Or some animal? Everyone wonder, looking behind their backs. For some reason they don't think so; what it is then…?
Another demon? Yet it doesn't sound like one.
A second howl – or shout? – echoes and it seems closer than before. A second shudder wrecks them. Is it a good idea to stay there? They are objectively very tired and the thought of moving during the night does not sound good either, so they decide to stay alert – back straight, ears trained on every sound, eyes in constant movement, hands ready to draw the weapons – and wait. The rustling of the leaves grows stronger as a cold wind picks up; above their heads, black clouds gather threateningly, foretelling the arrival of an intense storm. Breathing comes in quicker intakes and it gets difficult to release. Instinct runs a-mile-a-minute, trying to get its master to listen – but they remain there, nailed to the spot.
Get out of here! insists Reason. Another howl is heard, rising from the tops of the trees, even more unsettling under the once starlit sky – just few meters separates them now. Before it's too late!!
But it already is too late and, underneath it all, they can feel it.
The shivers and the cold sweat increase as the minutes go by. Suddenly a violent gust of wind crashes on the small camp, extinguishing the fire as if it was nothing more than a match – darkness; the unexpected lack of light makes them blind… they're an easy prey, to whatever animal or creature that's lurking behind the bushes, not far from them. Their eyes, still not completely used to the dark, cannot stay still and they move about frantically from one point to another – useless. And right now, there really is nothing to do but wait, heart pounding away somewhere in their throat.
The wind blows stronger and the low rumbling sound of a thunder echoes in the air; the clouds take on a brighter color as the lightings inside them disrupt their form.
This storm has something off… A stray thought, coming out of nowhere, just like that. A lightning bolt crashes a few feet from the group – a mere few inches nearer and they would have been one member short. This storm is not normal… mind a whirlwind of thoughts and speculations. Definitely. Their brain tells them to get up and run away the fastest they can, but their body is unable to answer the command it is given.
A second bolt lights up a portion of the clearing and all the eyes fix on that spot. What they see freezes them there, rends them completely still – their breath stuck in their throats, their brain stops functioning from shock – turning them into an even easier prey that before, even more vulnerable; they all know they're done for, they can't stand up to that. The bright almost-white light of the bolt fades away but those eyes which, standing there unmoving, are staring at them with hatred are still painfully recognizable as a low, feral snarl sends terrorized shivers down their spine and their legs that, despite their will, would not be steady enough to support and allow them a try at escaping.
The third bolt of light illuminates the scene and, as one of them falls on the ground lifeless hit by the force of electricity, all the others see is the creature standing with one arm raised. A forth bolt, a second victim. Those eyes full of malice observe them, almost amused, while they try to back away crawling on their elbows… a nasty grin blossoms on those lips and the predator raises his chin a little in challenge, as if to say 'Come on, just try it. Run away… you won't get far'.
The lightnings rain down on the group with an increased frequency and with every crash, a body falls onto the earth with a dull thud of lifelessness – now only half of them is still alive and the corpses of the victims turn into small and eerie separate bon fires, as they slowly burn away illuminating the night and the clearing. A satisfied rumbling sound reaches the ears of the momentary surviving ones (for there is no way of them making out of this): those eyes, one by one they stare them down in deepest despise. With a move impossible to follow, the creature disappears and in a second – literally in the blink of an eye – another four dead bodies are added to the sum.
Who the hell is that? Is the only thought running around their head. No. What is that… he's got something familiar… Those of the group who are still breathing look over at each other for a moment – who will be the next? – but before any of them can do anything, another one falls victim to that frightening creature without a chance of escaping or resisting. They will all die; they will fall under a power, a strength, stronger than theirs – stronger than that of any other living creature they have ever faced in their whole life…
The eyes, merciless, boring into them (the last two remaining) are the epitome of their death sentence… so why then, under the terror and the sense of unchangeable fate, lies a strange feeling of respect for what, ultimately, can be defined as a bloodthirsty 'monster'?
He's not a demon, so what…? thinks one of the next victims.
He's something more… thinks the other.
When the next bolt crashes right behind the somewhat superior creature, the presentiment of the victims gets confirmed: as the light slowly dims, a symbol can be distinguished (almost like a negative) behind his back – the symbol of Chaos: destruction and creation, pure goodness and darkest evil… all and nothing. As this concept steadily is absorbed by the minds of the two still alive, the Earth trembles and rumbles under her dearest son's command who, with a sudden seriousness, stares at them without attacking.
"You should have left us alone. If you hadn't been so stupid as to attack us, none of this would have happened…if you hadn't almost killed him, you wouldn't have had to die. But you did and this is the end you deserve. Farewell."
A blinding gold light gathers on the palms of his hands and, in a quick move, two spheres of powerful chi instantly kills those who had remained alive until the end.
With a last sweeping look at the camp littered in dead bodies, Seiten Taisei closes his eyes and, by the time he opens them again, staring at the sky now painted a beautiful navy color are the eyes of Son Goku who, without sparing a look at what surrounds him, turns around disappearing into the forest and heading back to the camp where his friends are taking care of Sanzo.