Hey everyone

Hey everyone! Back with more of this wonderful fic for you to read! Thank you so much to Critias and Chichiri's Wanderer for all the reviews and for continuing to read! You guys are the best! You get a plate of celestial warrior cookies! Yay you!! BTW I apologize for the mix up in the last chapter, I said Tokaki and Subaru were genbu warriors when they were Byakko warriors. SORRY!! Anyways, back to the story, and once again WARNING for adukt themes!!

Everywhere she looked there was darkness, and pain. So much pain. It seemed to consume her every fiber. Hikari stood shivering alone in the dark.

"I know you're there. Show yourself!"

"Very good little Priestess. Very good, indeed. Sie thought you were good as well."

Hikari's breath caught in her throat. Had it really happened? Had Sie really raped her? Or was it all just a dream?

"I assure you little Priestess, it was no dream. He served his purpose well. Shall I show you?"

An image fluttered to life in front of Hikari. It was her meeting Sie in the woods. She watched them struggle to the ground, but turned away the moment she saw him touching her, and heard her own screams. She felt dirty, used, like she would never be clean again. Over and over she heard herself screaming for Tasuki.

"Stop it. Just stop!"

"What's the matter little Priestess? Can't you watch your own performance? Or should I say Sie's performance? After all, all you had to do was lay there."

"You bastard. You unimaginable bastard! You made him do this to me, didn't you? Didn't you?! You did this!!"

"It does not matter who did it. It is done. You will never summon your precious Gods now. Feel free to try if you wish. No one will come to a priestess who has been so thoroughly defiled."

"Who are you? Who the hell are you that you think you can do this? Answer me!"

"You may call me Ten'shoue."

"Ten'shoue?"

"Yes. Your mother knew one of my minions very well. A man named Ten'kou. He was a failure. But I will succeed where he failed. I have already managed to defile the precious priestess of Suzaku. I have already won!"

Deep rumbling laughter filled the empty darkness, and Hikari could already feel the tears beginning to fill her eyes. This couldn't be it. She would not let it end this way. He was not going to win. Sie may have taken her last shred of innocence, but she would not let them win. Hikari closed her eyes in a silent prayer to Suzaku, praying to save them all. When Hikari opened her eyes, she was staring up at a line of trees. She blinked in confusion, still hearing that rumbling laughter echoing in her mind. Had it all been a dream? Had she just imagined it? Hikari tried to sit up and nearly doubled over in pain. She looked down at her battered body, and in her mind she was screaming. She was wearing new clothes. Someone had dressed her while she was unconscious, but at least they had taken clothes out of her own bag. Every part of her body hurt.

She took a deep breath to steady her breathing and to keep from screaming and crying. Once she started, she knew she wouldn't be able to stop. It hadn't been a dream. It was a living nightmare. The last thing she remembered was Sie's hands on her body, his face above her. She shuddered with the memory and shook almost violently. It had really happened. Sie had raped her. An overwhelming feeling of disgust began to creep through her. Hikari crawled to the nearby edge of the woods and violently wretched until she was dry heaving. She leaned back against the tree she had been laying under and closed her eyes. How could she face any of them now? How could she tell them she had failed in her duties as Priestess?

"Welcome back."

Hikari's eyes shot open to find Nuriko standing over her, food in hand.

"Hey Nuriko."

"I was hoping you would finally wake up. I brought you some food."

"I'm not really hungry right now, but thank you."

"How are you feeling?" he asked gently as he sat beside her.

"Angry, humiliated, disgusted, used, dirty, abused. Take your pick."

"So it's true?"

Hikari stared at the ground, and didn't reply. But then again, she didn't need to. One look in her eyes was enough, and that look alone nearly tore Nuriko's heart out. He didn't know what to say, so he did the next best thing, he said nothing.

"Does everyone know?"

"Yes. We all came running, but Tasuki got there first. He was the one who found you and Sie."

"Tasuki," Hikari gasped, "He…he saw…"

Tears began to well up in her eyes once more. Dear gods! She hadn't even thought about Tasuki. How was she going to face him now? Would he even still want her after all this? After someone else had laid hands on her? The shaking began anew at the thought of having to see the look of disgust and rejection on his face when he next laid eyes on her. Surely he was not going to want her after what Sie had done to her. Hikari's heart was threatening to fly out of her chest. Why had this happened? Why now? And what were they going to do about summoning the beast gods now? Everyone knew that the priestess had to be a virgin in order to summon the beast gods. Didn't she? Was there even the slightest technicality that she could get past? Even as she thought it she knew it wasn't true.

"What are we going to do now Nuriko?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not a virgin anymore. How are we ever going to be able to summon Suzaku let alone the other beast gods if I was…?"

The sentence died on her lips. She couldn't yet bring herself to say the word. It was too painful, and the wound was too raw.

"I think we should talk to the others and see what they think. Maybe there's still something we could do. There has to be some way to still someone the gods."

"Alright."

With much reluctance Hikari allowed Nuriko to help her stand and approach the others who were all sitting around the fire. Everyone looked up when they approached, but Hikari could not bring herself to meet Tasuki's gaze. She was not ready to be rejected, not yet, not by him.

"We need to figure out a way to summon Suzaku," Nuriko said.

"We've all been thinking about that," Chiriko said.

"Any good ideas?" Hikari asked.

"Well, we've come to the conclusion that just because you are no longer the priestess, it doesn't mean we won't be able to summon Suzaku."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Tai Itsukun did say that you were a warrior and a priestess. So just because you're no longer priestess doesn't mean you aren't still a warrior."

"I'm not following Chiriko."

"We think that because of what happened that a new priestess may appear to take your place as priestess. If that happens, we can still summon the beast gods. The only problem is finding her before whoever this new evil is, finds her, no da."

"A new priestess?"

Even saying the words aloud, cut deep into her soul. It was like a piece of her had been cut away by the brutality that she had suffered. It cut more than words could say that a new priestess might take her place. Would they still call her friend if a new priestess came? Or would she cease to matter to any of them all together. And Tasuki….would Tasuki have feelings for the new priestess? It was too much for her to handle.

"That may not necessarily be the case," Shina said.

"What do you mean?" Hotohori asked.

"There is a cave in Hokkan where the Genbu shinzaho was kept. The last seven Genbu warriors hid away a treasure there called the Purity Chalice. If we went there we would definitely know for sure whether or not you can still summon the gods. Only a priestess who is pure can touch the chalice. If you're able to touch it, you can still summon the gods."

"And if I can't? If I can't touch it?"

"Then we'll go with Chiriko's theory."

"Either way, we still have to find the remaining warriors no matter what happens. Finding them is out number one priority, right?" Nuriko said.

"Right."

Hikari walked back to where she had been laying and leaned against the tree she had been under. It was too hard being near them, and she couldn't stand to see those piteous looks in their eyes. She didn't need or want their pity.

"Hey kiddo. Want some company?"

Hikari froze at the sound of Tasuki's voice. She hadn't expected him to try and approach her this soon. Especially after what had happened.

"Actually I was just going to go to sleep. Thanks anyway," Hikari said, laying back down under the covers.

"Alright….G'night Hikari," Tasuki said walking away.

"I'm sorry…..,"Hikari whispered.

The next morning they set off for the city where they would board the ship that would take them to Hokkan. The ship was a giant of a thing, which meant plenty of room for Hikari to avoid Tasuki. She knew it was cowardly to avoid the man she claimed to love so deeply, but it was just too hard to face him. The bruises hadn't even begun to fade from the beating she took. She managed to find numerous excuses not to be around Tasuki or to leave a room on the ship as soon as he came to see her.

"Something's troubling you," Chichiri said, joining Hikari on the deck of the ship.

"It's nothing," Hikari said leaning against the railing.

"It doesn't seem like nothing no da."

"Let me rephrase. It's nothing I care to talk about."

"He's hurting too no da."

"Who?"

"Tasuki. He took it pretty hard when he found out what Sie had done to you. I've never seen him cry like that. He wouldn't leave your side for nearly three days, no da. He thinks you hate him, or that you blame him for not getting there in time."

"I don't hate him Chichiri. It's me I hate. I hate myself for being so naïve. For not telling anyone what was going on. I just figured that it was up to me as Priestess to be responsible for my own actions and to take charge. All I did was mess things up and now I'm not even Priestess anymore. I've really messed things up," Hikari said with a trembling voice.

Chichiri stared at the girl beside him. Gone was the laughing face they had come to know and cherish. Here was a girl who was so much wiser and an ocean sadder. The rape had left a wound so deep that it may never heal.

"We don't blame you for what happened, no da. It wasn't your fault. We had no way of knowing that Sie was a traitor. "

"But I should have! I should have known something was wrong when he suddenly started to pay so much attention to me. I just thought he was being nice. I was so stupid!"

"I will say this once and only once. It was NOT your fault, regardless of what Sie may have said to you. None of us blame you, and no matter what happens we are all going to get through this, no da. You just have to find the courage to keep going, Priestess."

With those parting words Chichiri left Hikari staring open mouthed after him. Courage? Did she still have any left? Could she still go on? It didn't matter, she had to go on. If not for herself, then for her parents. She couldn't let them go un-avenged. Hikari sighed sadly. Nothing her parents had ever said or done had prepared her for any of this. A strong hand suddenly gripped Hikari's arm. Hikari's eyes followed the line of that arm to find Tasuki standing next to her.

"We need to talk, an' I'm not takin' no for an answer."

"I have things to do Tasuki. Can't it wait?"

"No."

Keeping hold of Hikari's arm, Tasuki led her to his room below deck, locking the door behind them. This was it. Even if she hated him, they were going to have this talk, no matter how much it might hurt.

"Why have you been avoidin' me?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't lie to me Hikari! You've been avoidin' me every chance ya get and it's killin' me!"

"I'm not trying to hurt you Tasuki."

"Then why? Are you mad at me? Do you hate me fer not getting' there in time? Because I tried Hikari. I swear to Suzaku I tried ta get there! All I could think of was reachin' you!"

"No. It's not that."

"Then what? Why won't you look me in the eye?"

"Because I'm too ashamed that's why! You deserve better than this! Better than me! Better than someone who's damaged!" Hikari screamed, her eyes brimming with tears.

"You listen to me right now," Tasuki said grabbing Hikari by the shoulders," You are NOT damaged! No matter what that bastard did, you will never be damaged! I love you! An' it's killing me to see you like this! It kills me ta know he laid his hands on you and the second I find him again he's gonna pay for what he did to you! I swear it."

"You don't get it do you? You're the only one I ever wanted touching me like that! He took that away from me, from us! I can still see his face over me! His hands touching me! And no matter how hard I scrub my skin, I can't get rid of it! It won't go away!"

"Then we'll make it go away together," Tasuki said leaning in and laying the gentlest of kisses on her lips.

"What are you doing?"

"Kissing it better."

Tasuki kissed his way along Hikari's jaw, kissing the massive bruise Sie's fist had made. His lips made a trail of kisses down the side of her neck, following the line of bruises.

"Tasuki…"

"Shh. It's okay. We'll make it stop hurting together," Tasuki said, unbuttoning the front of her blouse.

Hikari's breath caught in her throat as Tasuki found each of her bruises and kissed his way down her chest and over her stomach, taking extra time on the worst bruises. Hikari threaded her fingers in the fine flames of his, not sure of whether to weep or hug him. He still loved her. He didn't think of her as damaged, and Tasuki still loved her! Tasuki stopped where the bruises trailed below the line of her jeans. Instead he rose up and kissed her again, holding her tightly against him, as if with a kiss he could vanish all her pain.

"I love you Hikari," Tasuki said, his hands resting lightly on her hips.

"I love you Tasuki."

"How far down do the bruises go?"

"Part way down my legs."

Tasuki's hand moved to unbutton her jeans, but Hikari stopped him.

"No. Not yet. Not until after we've found the chalice. If there's even the slightest chance…even the slightest chance that I could still summon the beast gods-"

"I understand. I'm not gonna push you into anything you aren't ready for. But afterward, after all this is over…."

"After it's over...I promise…I love you so much!" Hikari said hugging Tasuki tightly.

"I'm gonna go check on how soon we'll be landin' while you fix yerself," Tasuki said with wink.

Hikari could only smile. Just knowing he still loved and wanted her had helped to take away some of the sting of what had been done to her. She had meant what she said, after all of it was over, she wanted to be with him. Her heart was already his. A short time later they were pulling into port in Hokkan. The trip hadn't been nearly as long as she had thought it would be, and with Tasuki at her side again, the time had flown by. Hikari was still struggling with what had happened and now that they had finally reached Hokkan, she couldn't seem to shake to feeling of dread that had been growing in her gut. It wouldn't be long before they discovered whether or not she would be able to still summon the beast gods.

Everyone made sure to dress warmly before leaving the ship. These lands were cold and prone to random snow fall. They wanted to be prepared. No one wanted to freeze to death.

"How far is it to this cave?" Hikari asked.

"Not far," Shina said, " Do you see that rise in the land over there? Just on the other side is a hill, and atop that hill is the cave holding the chalice."

"We're closer than I thought."

As the warriors trekked toward the hillside that was their destination, Hikari couldn't help but notice how eerily quiet Nuriko had become. He hadn't said a word since they had arrived in Hokkan. When they finally reached the top of the hillside Hikari saw Nuriko go completely pale as he stared down at the ground near the blocked off cave.

"Nuriko, what's wrong? You've been awfully quiet since we arrived in this land," Hikari said.

"This is where it happened," Nuriko said.

"Where what happened?"

"This is where I died."

Nuriko remembered the battle with Ashitare as if it had happened only yesterday. He could still feel those razor sharp claws piercing his skin, tearing him open. He remembered the pain that followed, and the single, determined thought that he had to get that damn boulder out of the way, so the others could get inside. He also remembered thinking that he was going to die alone, until Miaka and Tamahome arrived. He remembered their tears as he lay dying in the snow, his blood making crimson tear drops in the snow. He remembered his own deep sorrow and regret that this was where his life had originally ended, in these frozen lands of purest white. Not far from the cave was a single marker with his name engraved on it.

"This is where I was buried."

None of the other warriors said a word. What could they say? None of them had ever expected to see the place where their previous lives had ended, let alone see where they had been buried.

"I'm sorry Nuriko. I didn't know."

"And if you had?"

"I wouldn't have come here. Especially knowing that it would cause you this much pain."

"Thank you Hikari. Now lets go see about that chalice, huh?"

Hikari smiled at the brave front that Nuriko had put on for her sake, but she could see the sadness in his eyes. Whether he would admit it or not, he missed his old life, and being here had only reminded him of the things he had been forced to leave behind. Deeper back in the freezing cave they found it. The purity chalice was a shining chalice engraved with the image of Genbu and encrusted with a few delicate jewels.

"Now's the moment of truth."

"You can do it, Hikari," Tasuki whispered.

Hikari stepped closer to the chalice, her whole body trembling as she reached for the treasure of the Genbu warriors, terrified of what was to come.

HAHAHAHAHA!! Yep, this is the end of this chapter! If you want to know more you'll just have to read the next chapter!! Please R&R!!