Disclaimer: I do not own any of Yuu Watase's work.
Chapter Two
It was already midday when Uruki, Inami and Hagasu arrived at the front door of a modest-looking home. They were still within the borders of the capital city of Touran.
Hatsui's house was located on top of a hill, overlooking vast lands of green plants and herbs. Uruki knocked on the wooden door and a few moments later, it opened to reveal a teenage boy standing by the doorway.
"U-uruki!" Hatsui exclaimed in delight, and without hesitation he went over to embrace his fellow warrior. Uruki broke into a hearty laugh and gripped onto Hatsui in show of comfort.
"You've really grown, Hatsui!" Uruki remarked as he appraised the youthful boy before him. Hatsui had definitely matured; his face was not as chubby and round as it used to be. He had grown taller and his healthy body complemented his age of thirteen. But what remained the same was the child-like innocence that seemed to emanate from his wide and eager eyes.
"Are you ready to go?" Uruki asked and Hatsui nodded fervently.
"I'll g-go get Namame f-first, okay!"
"Oh, Namame's here as well?" Inami asked from behind.
"Yes, the two of them have been inseparable lately," Hagasu responded, leaning casually against the doorway. "Tegu has been rather close to them as well."
"Since Tegu has been feeling a little ill, maybe we can get Hatsui to recommend some herbs for the boy," Inami replied, a tinge of concern in her tone.
Minutes later, Hatsui appeared from the hallway with the living miniature creature that was Namame. The being made of divine rock stood on the young boy's shoulder. It hopped excitedly upon seeing its companions smiling down at it and stretched its minuscule arms in welcome.
"It's nice to see you too, Namame," Inami said, patting the rock creature on its head. "All right then. Since everyone's here, let's –"
Inami stopped short, her senses picking something up from the sudden twitch in atmosphere. Apparently, she was not the only one who felt it, for the rest of her companions stood stock still as well, observing their quiet surroundings. Initially, it was vague, but then, the strange sensation slowly became more profound. Now, it seemed to soar through the air, like a siren, piercing everything in its wake.
"Is that … crying?" Uruki asked in puzzlement.
He, Inami, Hatsui and Namame turned in unison to look at Hagasu.
"That is not Tegu," he said in a quiet voice. "I would've been able to recognize it if it was him."
"Then, who's making that sound?" Inami asked, her face showing slight agitation.
Nobody seemed capable of responding. Uruki's solemn face had turned into one of extreme anxiety, as he continued to wonder. It sounded almost child-like — that mysterious voice in the air. Under normal circumstances, Uruki would have told everyone to leave immediately, but there was something about the nature of this peculiar cry that astounded him, like an invisible force petrifying him to the ground. It was intimidating, yet so alluring at the same time. He was certain the rest of his companions felt the same way he did.
"Wait! It's stopped!" Inami said.
True enough, the crying had ceased. The ambience that had been so unnerving and ominous just seconds ago returned to its normal state.
"Wh-what in the w-world was th-that?" Hatsui asked. "D'you th-think we're the o-only ones who h-heard it?"
"I don't see any of the other villagers panicked," Hagasu replied, looking out of the door. "They're going about their business as though nothing happened. Our horses don't seem to be acting weird either."
"Maybe it was just an illusion," Inami tried to reason, she then tossed her hair aside and looked around at her fellow warriors. "Well, I say we just forget about it. Let's just proceed with what we came to do. They should be waiting for us by now."
Uruki broke into a wry smile, agreeing with her words. "You're right. We wouldn't want to keep them waiting for long now, would we? Tomite, spirit or not, always did have a short temper."
Hidden in the high mountains situated to the north of Touran was a gargantuan cave, its walls as black as the eyes of a raven. It stood enveloped in a layer of deep snow, and gigantic double doors made from the thickest of oak trees sealed the mouth of its cave. Here, only a select few could ever be granted safe passage within, for it was solidly guarded by two of the most loyal warriors of the Genbu eight.
The weather looking out over the sierra was rather forgiving that day, with its subtle wind and scattered clouds. Uruki and his companions stopped before the mouth of the black cave and got off their horses.
"Let's head on in," Uruki said, trudging through the snow-covered ground with the others.
He and Hagasu placed both hands against the smooth surface of the giant double doors and pushed it open. With a creak that seemed to reverberate across the snow, the oak doors swung itself inwards, releasing a wave of cold air. The darkness that greeted them seemed to beckon the warriors into it, and without an ounce of fear or anxiety, the warriors walked in.
As if by automatic, the doors swung shut once everyone had entered, engulfing them in complete blackness — but not for long. In the distance, somewhere ahead of them, an enchanting silver light grew ever stronger, drawing everyone's attention. Finally, Uruki and his friends were able to make out their surroundings and they stared at the two figures standing before them, wreathed in silver flames.
"You two just had to make an entrance," Uruki teased.
"Tsk! Tsk! Jealous, your Highness?" said Tomite, the one with short navy blue hair. He had on him a set of bow and arrows, and he bowed mockingly before Uruki.
"Please! Don't bow, Tomite!" Uruki said. "Grovel!"
"Oh, I'll show you the meaning of 'grovel'. C'mere, you twat!"
"There they go again," the one called Hikitsu said, sighing in frustration. He watched as Tomite chased Uruki through out the cave, the latter having transformed to his female Celestial form in order to use the wind, much to Tomite's displeasure. The silver-haired man then diverted his attention to the rest of his comrades. A warm sensation took over him, a feeling that spirits like him rarely encountered.
"Hello there, my friends," he said with every ounce of sincerity. "Are all of you doing fine?"
"Pretty good," Inami replied, to nods of approval from Hatsui, Hagasu and Namame.
"And you?"
"Same old, same old."
"Hey, Hatsui!" Tomite suddenly called out. "Did you miss me? You better!"
"O-of course I d-did, Tomite!" Hatsui hastily replied. Tomite glared at him.
"Liar! C'mere!"
"AH! Leave me alone, Tomite!"
"ACK! No fair! Namame! Stop pelting rocks at me!"
"He's as lively as ever," Uruki said to Hikitsu; he had finally returned to his original male form. "If I didn't know any better, I'd never have figured he was a spirit."
"Tomite misses his companions dreadfully," Hikitsu explained with a small smile. "I guess he can't help but feel excited right now. Say, how is my sister doing, Uruki?"
"Aira? She's perfectly fine. Living a happy life in Touran. Don't worry, I promised you she'd be looked after, didn't I?"
"Thank you. It means a lot to me."
The two warriors remained silent for a moment, watching with amusement as Tomite continued to chase Hatsui around the cave.
"Uruki, forgive me for being so bold, but I hear that you are still struggling to cope with what happened … a year ago."
Uruki felt his heart skip a beat upon hearing those words.
"What are you talking about, Hikitsu?" he denied. "I'm perfectly fine! I've never been better!"
"I know you better than that, Uruki. Allow me that respect."
The forced smile on Uruki's face slowly vanished. Once again, his close companion had seen right through him. Perhaps their adventures in summoning Genbu had brought every one of them much too close, up till the point where a lie could rarely go unnoticed. He sighed in defeat and looked at Hikitsu.
"I'm sorry," he started in a quiet voice. "You're right; I never have gotten over it. I just … can't."
"If I could, I would've embraced you like a brother right now," Hikitsu responded, much to Uruki's surprise. "But take heart in knowing that I, along with the rest of your companions, are here for you. Take comfort in that."
Uruki could only stare at his dear friend, not knowing how to respond to such sincere brotherly love. He was suddenly reminded of Soruen, and the image of his loyal servant flashed in his mind. He felt a lump in his throat and looked away, determined not to shed tears.
"Well, anybody want to proceed further in?" Tomite asked genially, smiling from ear to ear. The rest of the warriors nodded in agreement and followed him as he led the way through the winding cave.
"The necklace is in perfect condition, by the way! After all, I'm protecting it!" Tomite teased, and he received a small shove at the back of his head from Uruki for good measure. "What? What'd I do?"
"How many people have tried to take it?" Hagasu asked. "I heard that quite a number of thieves attempted to break in."
"Those scoundrels!" Tomite replied in anger. "Quite a number actually; all of them wanting to trade it for money. Talk about disrespect. After all that we've been through! After all the effort that Takiko -"
Tomite stopped short, suddenly realising where this conversation was headed. He then stole a furtive glance at Uruki who was walking beside him. His companion stared determinedly at the passage ahead of them.
"We're here," Hikitsu said, breaking the awkward silence. The group found themselves standing before another pair of oak doors. The smell of decomposed bodies of thieves and looters was evident at this point, and several of the warriors had to cover their mouths to prevent from inhaling the toxic odour.
Hikitsu and Tomite positioned themselves next to each other and closed their eyes, their sober countenance showing that they were deep in concentration. Moments later, a beam of light cracked its way down the oak doors, splitting them in half. It slowly widened as the doors swung open, revealing the most beautiful room they had ever laid eyes upon.
"It's still as spotless as the last time we came," Inami said, staring down at the immaculately polished floor. She and her fellow warriors walked past the towering row of marble pillars, each one adorned with translucent curtains made of the finest silk. The entire room seemed to sparkle with splendour, and even though they had already been there before, the living warriors could not help but gape in awe at the intense beauty of their surroundings. There, right at the very end of the room, stood a niche. And beyond the curtains that veiled it, was one of the most sacred treasures of Genbu ever borne.
At this point none of the warriors dared to take another step forward, it was as a mark of respect to their priestess. The holy necklace that was bestowed upon her would remain hidden within those silk curtains, under the watchful eyes of the two spirits that had sworn to protect it.
"I m-miss her," Hatsui suddenly said, breaking the silence. "I m-miss the p-priestess."
Upon hearing those words, the remaining warriors turned to look at him. Though no one said anything, they knew: every one of them did. The seven warriors stood in silence, each of them recalling fond memories of their priestess. After a while, Uruki placed a hand on Hatsui's shoulder and smiled.
"We all do," he said. "Takiko … did a lot for us."
"She's an amazing person," Tomite added in, gripping onto his bow tightly. "A legend of her own. Without her, this country would never have found peace …"
"More significantly," Hikitsu said in a quiet tone, looking right at his companion. "Without her, we would never have found peace within ourselves. Protecting the necklace is the least that I can do for her."
"She's proud of you two," Inami joined in. "Hikitsu … Tomite; I'm sure Takiko is –"
"Wait! There it is again!" Hagasu interjected, hushing everyone.
It came, quiet and solitary. Then, it developed into a sound as strong as the roar of a great bear — screaming of desolation. For the second time, the crying wheeled through the air, piercing into the ears of the warriors. At this point, Uruki could no longer stand it. He conjured a force of wind around him, at the same time transforming into a woman.
"I'm going to find the source of this sound. Meet you outside!" he managed to say before disappearing from the sight of his fellow warriors.
The cries could be heard even in the dense thicket of trees. It was distant and yet clear as day. The atmosphere had changed dramatically, and everything stood quiet and still.
Uruki made his way through the forest just off of the mountains, trying as best as he could to source out the crying. He was already breaking into a sweat and breathing deeply. Realising that this method of pursuit was futile, he paused in the middle of a clearing and realigned his flow of energy. He would now rely on the movement of the wind.
Where are you? He thought to himself. Wind, go in my stead, and find who's crying.
Then he smelled it, a waft of strange air. He turned to his left and pushed his way past thick bushes and branches, determined to find what he was searching for. The crying grew stronger with every step, compelling him forward.
Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks, his gaze falling upon a small figure lying before a giant boulder.
"What in the world - ?" he uttered in shock.
Author's note: Please don't kill me because of the cliffhanger. Heh. I will start on chapter 3 NOW! i wanna thank Hikitsulover-818, SerenityLin and Yan Niao for taking the time to read and to review. Means a lot to me. Hope you guys would continue reading this story. Okay, I'm off to start on the next chapter.