Hi everyone! I hope you're all enjoying my story! Please rate and review, and tell me what you think of it! Anyways, here's the fourth chapter. Enjoy!
~Chapter 4~
The sun slowly rose over the horizon, painting the morning sky a beautiful orange and lavender. A gentle breeze blew, softly ruffling the blades of grass and caressing Amara's cheek. She let out a yawn as she trudged towards the meeting place, where Chichiri and Tasuki waited for her. Chichiri looked happy as usual but Tasuki seemed irritated for some reason. He was mumbling indiscernible profanities under his breath and shifting from foot to foot as he held the reigns to two imperial horses. Chichiri looked at him in a scolding manner and talked to him, their voices too low for Amara to hear. The ghosts of Mitsukake, Hotohori, Chiriko, and Nuriko appeared besides the two living seishi. Amara gave them a warm smile as she approached them.
"Hi guys," she greeted.
"Did you sleep well?" Nuriko asked. "You look like you have bags under your eyes."
Amara yawned again. "I was so excited, I barely had a wink of sleep."
"Are you sure you don't need more rest?" Mitsukake asked. "This journey would be long and difficult."
Amara gave him a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine, Mitsukake. Thanks."
He nodded. Hotohori floated up to her. She blinked, looking him in the eye. He smiled warmly and laid a hand on her shoulder. Amara ignored the chill of his insubstantial skin and smiled back.
"Have a safe journey, Amara-san. May Suzaku be with you," he said, his eyes gently probing hers.
Her smile burst into a grin. "Thanks Hotohori! I'll try to keep Tasuki and Chichiri out of trouble too!"
He laughed. Amara could feel Tasuki glare at her. She ignored it and walked until she stood right in front of both him and Chichiri. Tasuki sighed.
"Guess it's time ta go now," he muttered. "Here, you can ride with me."
Tasuki helped her up on the dark brown horse he was holding on to. After she was safely in the saddle, he hopped up behind her. Amara could smell a trace of alcohol in his breath. She raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. After Chichiri mounted his horse, they began their journey to Mt. Taikyoku. Amara waved back to the ghosts that still stood where they were. Nuriko and Chiriko waved back vigorously, while Mitsukake gave a nod and Hotohori gave a small, elegant sweep of his hand.
"Be safe!" Amara heard Chiriko's voice call after them.
Tasuki responded with a suave wave, not looking back. Amara looked back at him and snickered. He was trying to be all cool, when Amara could clearly see that homesickness was already set deep in his eyes. He realized quickly that she was watching him, and he narrowed his eyes at her.
"Whatd'ya want?" he asked.
"Sorry, sorry," was all Amara said as she hurriedly looked away.
They headed out of the palace grounds and into a forest. The morning light filtered through the canopy of trees, bathing patches of ground bright orange and casting shadows everywhere else. Spooky. Amara barely noticed, however, because she felt slightly dizzy being so high up. What if she fell off? What if the horse spooked and bolted, with her clinging on for dear life? She shuddered at the mental image.
'I'm not sure if I can survive the month journey to this 'Mt. Taikyoku', or whatever….' she thought miserably to herself. 'I think this horse will kill me before I make it…. Besides…'
"Umm…why are we going to Mt. Taikyoku?" Amara asked, her voice ringing through the quiet morning air.
Tasuki shifted behind her, so she thought he was going to answer. However, it surprised her when Chichiri responded, maneuvering his horse so he was beside her.
"We're going to see Taiitsukun, no da."
Amara blinked. "Who's that?"
"A senile ol' hag wit' a temper problem," Tasuki muttered.
Chichiri shot him an annoyed look, but ignored him.
"She's the overseer of the universe, no da. The oracle. We're hoping she would know why you were sent here, no da."
"Ah," was all Amara said. 'Should've been wondering that myself….'
Hours passed by uneventfully, bringing with it an uncomfortable silence that blanketed the trio. The rhythmic sound of the horses' hooves, the fluttering of waking birds, and the scurrying of small animals did nothing to ease the atmosphere. Amara licked her lips, her mouth twitching to move, to break this silence that had drifted between them. She shifted in the saddle, heart speeding up a bit when Tasuki subconsciously tightened his grip around her waist. The surprise of it, and the beating heart that jumped to her head, forced her mouth open.
"How do crazy people go through the forest?"
Tasuki looked down at the girl, an eyebrow raised in curiosity. "The hell would I know."
"They take the psycho path!" she cried, pointing her index finger in the air in triumph. The silence was beaten!
Tasuki snorted and hit her upside the head. "Idiot."
Amara blushed as her head tumbled forwards. She whirled around to face Tasuki and gave him an angry death glare. She gave him a playful shove, and he gave one back. Chichiri let out a small chuckle at their antics.
There were no more thick, uncomfortable silences for a long while. Tasuki made sure of it. Said that he didn't want nothin' to do with her stupid jokes, but Amara teased him, saying that he secretly liked it, which earned her another smack to the head, which led to more childish bickering. A few hours passed without any unusual circumstances until they reached a wide river, the current just strong enough to not be able to swim across. A single bridge was the only thing, at least as far as Amara could see, that could get them across to the other side.
Amara paled as Tasuki and Chichiri urged their horses towards it. Flashbacks that she didn't want to remember rushed through her mind.
"Amara, you must live, no matter what," her mom said as she unbuckled the seatbelt in the backseat, allowing the young child to escape.
"But Mommy! What about you?" Amara asked, her eyes wide with fright. All the windows in the car were broken, shattered, and they clung to skin and hair. Cuts decorated Amara's skin, spilling crimson down her arms. Tears flowed down from Amara's frightened eyes, intertwining with the crimson droplets that pooled on the seats of the car.
"Don't worry about me! You must live!" her mom ordered as she urged the child out of the car. "No matter what, Amara, you must live!"
"But-"
Her mother gave her a stern look, and after Amara gave her mom a terrified glance, she obediently went out of the car and onto safe ground. The bridge that she stepped onto was sturdy, solid, and deceiving. Who would've known that the rails on the sides of it would break so easily? A simple car accident was all it took to break the rails, all it took to send someone to his death. It was like an execution. Amara didn't want to do it, she didn't want to leave her mother, but the look of confident, but terrified, warning that her mother gave her decided for her. Amara had to obey. Just as Amara's weight lifted from the car, the car groaned, moving forwards. Amara shot her head back, catching a last glimpse of her mother, heard her mother's last scream, as soon as the car disappeared from view and splashed into the river.
"Mommy!" Amara's cry echoed into the night air.
Amara shook her head frantically. Panic washed over her as they made their way to the bridge, her heart beating erratically. She began to break out in a cold sweat, and just a few meters from the bridge. She forced her lips to move, urged her voice to remain calm and collected.
"Stop."
Tasuki stopped, looking down at Amara, annoyed. Chichiri stopped beside them, and looked at Amara worriedly. Tasuki poked her harshly.
"What's the matter?" Tasuki asked gruffly.
"I'm sorry…." Amara said, taking a deep breath. "I can't go on."
"What? Why the hell not?"
Amara didn't answer. Couldn't answer, for that matter. Her mouth went dry as her memories haunted her. Her throat swelled, making it almost impossible to make any sound louder than a soft whimper. Tasuki didn't hear and urged the horse forward. Amara's body began to shake. The bridge was so close she could almost touch it. With a surge of adrenaline, Amara tore herself away from Tasuki's embrace, off of the horse, and onto the ground. She rolled to break her fall, but groaned as her body ached from bruises that were already forming. She had hit the ground hard, and her bones screamed at her for it.
"What the hell? Amara!" Tasuki exclaimed as he jumped off the horse.
Fear clutched Amara's mind in a blinding embrace, pushing her to get up and get going. Amara obliged and stood up from the ground. Without a moment's hesitation, she ran, back towards Konan. Back towards where everything seemed more familiar.
"Amara!" she heard Chichiri cry, but she ignored it.
She had to get away.
Adrenaline pushed her faster as Tasuki abandoned his horse and ran after her. He was faster, that much she could tell as she heard his footsteps gain on her.
"Amara! What's gotten into you?" Tasuki asked, panting slightly as he neared his target.
She pushed herself harder, pushing against the wind that ripped at her hair, pushing against the aching in her muscles from the lack of oxygen. She didn't care, as long as she escaped. As long as she didn't have to get over that bridge. She would do anything to get away.
Amara could sense everything. She could hear the rustle of the grass as she ran. She could smell the scent of the flowers as her panicked feet stomped on them. She could practically feel Tasuki's breath at the nape of her neck. A sixth sense she didn't know she possessed warned her that Tasuki was going to make a move.
Panicked, Amara jumped to the side just as Tasuki reached for her. She glanced back as Tasuki lost his balance and fell in the grass, spluttering curses under his breath. She looked back to where she was going just as Chichiri materialized before her. She ran into him hard, unable to move to avoid him. He grunted from the impact, taking a step back, but wound his arms around her and held her securely to him. Amara thrashed against him in an attempt to escape from his embrace. But he held on, refusing to let go of her. His lips were near her ear as he whispered soothing words to her to calm her down.
"I'm not going to hurt you, Amara-san, no da," he whispered. "Shh…it's okay."
Slowly, Amara relaxed into the embrace. Her body fell limp, supported only by Chichiri's arms, and trembled slightly against him as he still breathed sweet nothingness in her ears. Tears streamed from her eyes, and she couldn't find the strength to break away from the embrace that comforted her. She took a deep, shaky breath, inhaling the scent of morning dew that clung to Chichiri like cologne.
"Are you okay, Amara-san?" Chichiri asked just as Tasuki walked up to him.
Amara could only nod her head, barely preventing sobs from rocking her body. Chichiri slowly let go of her. Amara dropped to the ground, exhausted. Tasuki stood over her, his face demanding answers.
"What happened back there?" he asked, his voice surprisingly soft as he looked down at the shaking girl. "What freaked ya out so bad, Amara?"
Amara shook her head, refusing to look up from the ground. She didn't want them to see her cry. She couldn't let them know she was so weak. So helpless. So vulnerable. Tasuki bent down and cupped her chin, forcing her to look at him. He ignored the tears that still streamed down her face; he was determined to get answers.
"Look at me, damn it!"
Amara slapped his hand away. "Don't touch me!" she cried. "You don't understand, and you never will! So why should I bother telling you?"
Chichiri watched in silence as Tasuki glared at her.
"You don't know that!" Tasuki yelled. "You don't know me, just as I don't know you! We're gonna spend a whole lotta time together, so why don'tcha make our lives a whole lot easier and just tell us what's bothering you?"
"I can't!"
"Why the hell not?"
"Because she's afraid," Chichiri said calmly, seriously, shocking the other two into silence. His voice held a hint of understanding. Then he gave her a reassuring smile, going back to the happy-go-lucky guy Amara first met. "Amara-san is scared of the bridge, no da."
Amara's eyes widened. 'He could tell,' she thought, distressed. 'He figured it out by my actions, didn't he?' She felt as if someone just peered into her soul without permission. Nobody figured out her fears yet, except her foster parents. Nobody has seen her cry after the accident, until she came to this world. She made sure of it. By not going over the damn thing in the first place.
Tasuki looked at Amara. "I…is this true?" he asked.
Amara nodded, defeated. She looked at the ground again, desperately avoiding Tasuki and Chichiri's gazes. "Th-that's why I can't go on. You guys go without me."
"Idiot." Tasuki's voice was flat. "You're the whole reason we're goin' to Mt. Taikyoku. We can't just leave ya here."
"Well then, we'll have to turn back," Amara said stubbornly, her tears finally receding. "There's no way I'm going to cross that bridge."
"Why are you so scared of the bridge, Amara-san?" Chichiri's voice was soft.
Amara refused to look at the monk. A smiling image of her mother flitted through her head, making tears once again spill over. Guilt clamped onto her heart, her body trembling. Tasuki stared in stunned silence as Chichiri waited patiently for her to speak.
"B-because bridges break. Then you fall in and drown in the water," she finally said. " Drowning is one of the worst ways to die. It's always…the most heartbreaking…to watch someone you love drown…to watch someone you love die…when she could've lived. When she should've lived."
A few moments passed in silence. Tasuki and Chichiri knew, by the pitifully hopeless and guilty expression on Amara's face, that this wasn't the time, nor the place, to be probing her for details. Chichiri wasn't even sure he wanted to know, seeing this reaction from the girl. He knew exactly how she felt, and it made him feel the pain of Hikou's death all over again. He felt the guilt wash over him again. Chichiri pushed the emotions aside and looked at Tasuki as the bandit suddenly stood up, grabbing Amara's arm and forcing her up with him.
"C'mon," Tasuki grunted as he stomped back towards the direction of Amara's fear.
Amara's eyes widened. "No! Stop!" she cried, struggling in his grip. It was no use. Tasuki was too strong.
All too soon, the bridge was in sight. The horses were grazing nearby, undisturbed as Amara struggled more fervently, digging her heels into the ground and screaming bloody murder. It barely slowed Tasuki down. He just mumbled a few curses and pulled harder. Realizing that her attempts were futile, she stopped screaming and turned back to Chichiri, who was walking a few paces behind them, and gave him a pleading look. Sympathy washed over the monk, and he stopped.
"Tasuki."
Tasuki stopped and looked at the monk. "What? If we don't do somethin' 'bout this fear of 'ers, we'll never get to Mt. Taikyoku. An' right now, I think I need to get m' ear healed."
"I know that, no da. But you can't exactly force someone to overcome their fear. Amara-chan has to do it herself, no da," Chichiri told him.
Tasuki sighed and let go of Amara. She fell to the ground with a plop, panting from exertion. Amara looked up at Chichiri, uncertain if he was helping her, or trying to send her to her death. He smiled innocently.
"Now, Amara, you can do it, no da."
"What?"
"Tasuki's right, no da. We have to get to Mt. Taikyoku. But, we're not leaving you, and we're not going to head back, no da. Either we move forward together, or we don't move at all."
Tasuki clamped a hand on Chichiri's shoulders. He gave the monk a toothy grin.
"Nicely said, Chiri! Couldn't've said it better m'self!"
Amara growled. "You guys are so stubborn!"
Chichiri grinned at her, taking her off guard. "You can overcome your fear, Amara-san, no da. I know you can. But it is your decision, no da, to overcome it and cross, or to stay right here." To prove his point, Chichiri sat down on the grass and crossed his legs. "I don't know what happened in your past, Amara-san, no da. But I promise I'll help in any way I can. And Tasuki will too, no da. But only when you're ready."
With those words said, Chichiri looked up lazily into the sky, watching the clouds that drifted by. Amara growled again, pissed off and touched at the same time.
'How can he have so much faith in me?' she thought bitterly. 'He doesn't even know me! But….'
She tried not to let the monk's words sink in, to no avail. It didn't help that Tasuki nodded in agreement and sat down, crossing his legs too, and set a stubborn expression on his face. He plopped his chin on the palm of his hand and looked away from her, giving her room to think about what Chichiri said. He didn't like it, though. Amara could tell by the annoyed glare in his amber eyes as he stared off into space. But she didn't think too much of it.
"Stubborn idiots," Amara mumbled.
Minutes turned into hours as an uncomfortable silence, that Amara for once had no intention of breaking, hung over the trio. Amara was in too much turmoil with herself to break it. She brought up her legs and hugged them, resting her chin on her knees. Amara took a wary glance over at the bridge. Deep inside, she knew Chichiri was right. It was her decision if she wanted to stop her fear. And she did, she truly did, want to stop it. Her fear was unhealthy. It was practically ruling her life. She knew that she would have to get over it someday. But the way it always made her heart speed up and her palms sweat and made her body lose control…she couldn't do it. At least not on her own. And, because of the suspicious nature she had and cursed, she didn't trust anyone else to help her. She wouldn't let anyone close enough to help her. She was alone with this fear that plagued her heart for so long. But…maybe it didn't have to be that way?
Amara suddenly clenched her fists until her knuckles turned white. She narrowed her eyes at the object of her fear, and took a deep, but somewhat shaky, breath. She wanted to change herself. She hated how she was, hated her weaknesses, hated her flaws. She knew that she couldn't change all of them, but maybe she could change some? A determined expression was set on her face as she turned to look at her two companions. She cleared her throat. Chichiri and Tasuki brought their gazes to her.
"I'll do it," she said quietly. "I'll do it…only if you guys help."
Tasuki and Chichiri both grinned at her. Getting up from the ground, the trio made their way to the bridge, Amara chanting under her breath.
"God, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die."
The water beneath the bridge rushed, warning of danger and reminding Amara that she had one last chance. One last chance to break down and stay on the safety of dry land, and not cross the bridge that hovered over the dangerously surging water that could whisk anyone who was misfortunate enough to fall in to his death. Amara's heartbeat raced as she gingerly stepped onto the wooden platform of the bridge. There, she stood frozen. The water whispered death threats in Amara's ears, reminding her of what happened with her mother. Reminding her that everything was her fault, and that it would devour her whenever the chance came. Her breathing quickened until she was on the verge of hyperventilation.
"I can't," she whispered, her eyes wide in fear. "I can't do this."
"You can, Amara-san, no da," Chichiri told her encouragingly from beside her, giving her a cute smile. Amara blushed, but tore her eyes away from him. "You're strong. You can do it, no da."
Amara shook her head and took a step back, back onto the safety of solid ground. "No….I'm not strong. I'm not brave. I'm not anything but a seventeen year old high school senior…who's terrified of bridges. I can't do it, Chichiri. I'm sorry."
Tasuki growled. He ran in front of her, his amber eyes practically glowing with anger.
"So you're just gonna give up?" he cried vehemently. "You're just gonna let your own mind beat you? That's not the Amara I met on the first day! You stood up to that monster that almost killed you! You stood up to me, even when you were about to collapse from loss of blood! You stood up to those scumbags in the village! And you say you're nothing? That you're some kinda coward? Who the hell do you think you're fooling?"
"Tasuki's right, no da," Chichiri piped in. "You did all of that. You are braver than you think, no da. And we'll both protect you. We won't let you fall, no da."
Amara's eyes widened as she looked at the two seishi. Her heart squeezed from the sudden emotions that bubbled up inside of her. Tears stung her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. She took a deep breath, encouraged by their words. Encouraged by Tasuki's enthusiasm and Chichiri's calm support. She stepped onto the bridge, Chichiri and Tasuki on either side of her, and made her way across. It was the first bridge she set foot on in ten years.
Her feet finally made it onto solid ground. Amara let out an exuberant grin as she realized what she just accomplished. She could literally feel a weight being lifted off of her shoulders. She looked at the two seishi, who were leading their horses, and hugged them. Tasuki blushed and quickly looked away. Chichiri's face was smiling as ever, though there was a faint trace of red on his ears that went unnoticed. Tears streamed down Amara's cheeks, but she didn't care.
"I'm sorry," she sobbed. "Thank you so, so much. I'm sorry I was so much trouble. Thank you!"
Tasuki nervously shifted from foot to foot, his face still flushed, and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "Heh heh, no problem. 'Twas nothin' really. "
After the incident which cost the three travelers a few hours, they set off once again towards Mt. Taikyoku. Hours passed, until the sun was setting under the horizon, bidding the day goodbye. The sky was painted by an artist's hand, brushed with orange, lavender, and deep blue. The moon was just beginning to spread her silvery light. But the day wasn't over yet. Before they knew it, Amara, Chichiri, and Tasuki found a village, the candles flickering in the houses in their illuminating dance, as if the village itself was waiting for them. As if it was bidding them to enter. Amara grinned and pointed at it.
"Hey!" Amara cried. "Why don't we spend the night there? I'm sure there's an inn or something."
Chichiri felt nervous. He felt an evil aura surrounding the village, cloaking it in a dark cloud that couldn't be seen with the naked eye. It was as if that same cloud was bidding them to enter, welcoming them with open arms. If Chichiri knew something, it was that they shouldn't go in. There was something horribly wrong with that village.
Chichiri shook his head.
"We shouldn't stay there, no da. It's not safe."
"Why?" Amara asked, not sensing the evil that lurked within.
"I sense an evil presence in that village, no da. We have to get very far from it, if we want to avoid any confrontations."
Suddenly, an old woman staggered towards them, far in the distance but still illuminated by the lights behind her. Her body was full of slashes, bleeding, but not deep enough to threaten her life. Her skin was ashen and bruised, and tears streamed from her elderly eyes. Amara jumped from the horse, ignoring Tasuki's cry of alarm, and ran towards the woman.
"Are you alright?" Amara asked worriedly as she neared her.
The woman fell to her knees in exhaustion. Amara reached out to her. Her eyes widened when she touched the woman's skin. A chill ran up Amara's spine at the contact, but she shook it off.
'This woman's probably cold because she just got hurt. She's in shock of what just happened. She's scared. That's all it is,' she reasoned.
The elderly woman looked up pleadingly into Amara's hazel orbs.
"Please," the elderly woman rasped. "Please help me."
Tasuki and Chichiri jumped down from their horses and rushed over. Chichiri knelt down to the woman's level and checked her over.
"There's no threat to her life at the moment," he said finally. "The cuts aren't deep enough. Can you tell us what happened?"
"Th-there was a monster," the woman answered, shuddering as memories plagued her. "A horrible monster. I-it killed everyone, even my grandchildren. I managed to escape, with the help of my son just before that horrible creature killed him, too." With that, she burst into tears.
Amara looked at the two warriors, a determined gleam set deep in her eyes. Chichiri looked at her and nodded once, sure of what she would say. He had to help, too. Tasuki grinned at the woman.
"Don't worry, granny. We'll help ya."
"Tasuki!" Amara chided.
He laughed light-heartedly, and mounted his horse.
"Well, what're we waiting for? Let's kick this monster's ass!"
With that, he galloped towards the village. Chichiri didn't waste a second. He helped the elderly woman up, as well as Amara. Chichiri shook his head.
"Tasuki's an idiot, no da."
Amara laughed, but worry crept in her mind. She hoped Tasuki would be alright. She shook herself of the feeling, though. Tasuki was a warrior. One of the seven seishi, just like Chichiri. He would be fine. Chichiri began walking quickly towards the village, leading the horse that carried its two passengers. When they finally got to the village, they found Tasuki standing frozen in place, his eyes wide in shock.
"Tasuki! Why the hell did you leave us?" Amara cried. "You idiot! You're gonna get yourself killed like that!"
Tasuki didn't answer. He just stared at what lay before him, his arms limp at his sides. His horse had long since shied away to God-knows-where. The horse underneath Amara was becoming restless, too. She could almost sense its fear. Chichiri helped the elderly woman off just as Amara jumped off the horse and ran to the flame-haired bandit. No sooner had the weight lifted from the horse did the horse bolt in the opposite direction.
"Hey, Tasu, what's the matter?" Amara asked worriedly as she went up to Tasuki. She followed his eyes to what lay before them all. She stood frozen in horror.
Dead bodies littered the village, mangled, with deep gashes in their skin, limbs torn off and heads decapitated. All of the bodies had chunks ripped out of their skin, teeth marks decorating their bodies. Blood stained the ground and the walls of the buildings, like a deluge of crimson. The buildings themselves were mangled, gaping holes in the walls, destroyed roofs, broken doors. The village was the site of a massacre.
Amara could see the souls of the dead watching her; she could hear their mourning cries, their pleas for help. The song of the dead pierced Amara's ears, echoing in her brain, like a never-ending sea of anguish. She clutched her head, falling to her knees.
"Oh, God," she whimpered. "Please….make it stop."
"Amara-san? Are you alright, no da?" Chichiri asked worriedly.
Amara shook her head. "We have to help them, somehow. We have to set them free."
"Who, Amara-san?"
"The dead. They're trapped here," she answered. She looked up at Chichiri. "We have to find that monster and destroy it."
Chichiri nodded seriously. Tasuki looked back at the elderly woman, finally breaking his horrified trance, and motioned her over to them. The elderly woman walked up to them, shakily. Her wounds have stopped bleeding by that time. She looked at the three in front of her, her eyes full of hope.
"Dears…it is late, though, and I'm sure you're all tired. I own an inn only a little ways from here, with a hot spring in the back. It's a bit out of this village, but it is close. Maybe you would be able to rest a while before you battle that horrible creature. I don't want you to fight him tired. You'll end up getting killed as well."
Amara was worried. Scared. She wanted to help the woman, sure, but she was frightened that this would be the last time she saw Tasuki. Or Chichiri. Images suddenly flashed across her brain, as if she was having a forewarning of what was to come. Tasuki laying mangled on a rooftop, broken bones jutting out of his skin, chunks of his flesh ripped off, blood pouring out of his wounds, trickling onto the ground like summer rain. Chichiri, sprawled out on the ground, dying slowly as he bleeds through a gaping hole in his stomach. Pain engulfing him as the monster slowly eats away at his flesh, unable to do a thing to stop it. She could almost hear his agonized screams. She could almost see his soul leaving his body, almost feel the caress of his hand as his essence touches her face.
The horrible images gave way to a graveyard. Amara's breath hitched, as she saw two mounds of dirt. Two crosses. Chichiri's staff leaned on one, Tasuki's tessen on the other. A little further away from those two, she could see another grave, with Amara's name printed on the cross. She began to break out into a cold sweat.
Tasuki looked at Amara, his amber eyes worried. "Oi," he said, snapping her out of the nightmare she put herself in. "Don't get so worked up. We'll kick the monster's ass and be done with it before sunrise. Got it?"
"Amara-san," Chichiri said, catching her attention. "We won't ever let anything bad happen to you, no da." He grinned innocently at her, but Amara couldn't get the oppressing fear off of her chest. He seemed to take notice. "Don't worry so much, no da. We're part of the Suzaku seven. We're not as weak as you think."
His words did make sense. Amara smiled reluctantly, trying to reassure them that she was okay now. She took a deep breath and tried to calm her heart still pounding in her chest. She hoped what he said was true. She did want to help the woman, but she just didn't want Tasuki or Chichiri to get hurt. She would do anything to protect them. Anything to protect her new friends. Tasuki looked back at the elderly woman.
"That offer of yers sounds great, Granny," he agreed, after a moment's silence. Then he grinned mischievously. "I don't suppose ya serve sake there, do ya?"
Chichiri suddenly knocked him upside the head with his staff. The rings jingled as the golden tip of the staff made contact with the back of Tasuki's skull. Tasuki's eyes bulged from the sudden impact, then he turned to Chichiri angrily, rubbing his bruised head delicately.
"What the? Why the hell'd'ya do that, Chiri!" he yelled furiously. "Damn monk and his trinkets! Don't hit me like that!"
"Don't take advantage of another's hospitality, no da!"
Amara laughed humorlessly. She knew that Chichiri and Tasuki wouldn't joke around in a situation like this. She could tell that they just wanted her to not worry so much.
Then, she turned to the woman, her eyes questioning. Somehow, she could feel the rising suspicion that bubbled in her chest as she remembered how cold her skin felt. She shook her head, though, doing her best to push the feeling away. But she did have a question.
"Since you live out of the village, how did you get those slashes on you?" Amara asked. "And why wouldn't your inn be destroyed, or too full of blood to sleep in comfortably? What really happened?"
The woman smiled sadly. "My family was living in this village. I was the only one running the inn, since none of my children wished to receive the responsibility. They moved here, got married, and had children. I don't get to see them very often, what with my responsibilities and all, so earlier today, I decided to walk over here to see them for a little while. Then, what appeared to be a monster attacked the village. It was hideous, and unmerciful. It slaughtered everyone. As I told you before, my son helped me escape, but the monster killed him as well. I could hear him scream as I made my way out of the village…."
Amara knew this made sense. Tears once again trickled down the woman's face. Amara instantly felt guilty for making the elderly woman relive the tragic casualty of her family. She mentally kicked herself for it. Amara went to her and gave her a hug.
"I'm sorry for being so suspicious of you," she said. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
The woman smiled in her arms, tears still falling, and gave her arm a gentle pat. "It's quite alright, dear. I understand. Now, how about my offer? Your stay is free of charge, of course."
Amara smiled gratefully to the old woman. She nodded and followed as the woman led the way through the village of the dead, and towards her inn. Tasuki and Chichiri followed. The moon shone in all its glory, illuminating the path before them and blanketing the grass they tread on like a silvery rug.
Chichiri let out a silent sigh. He followed behind the others, his masked face hiding his worried frown. He couldn't help the feeling of unease that washed over him, the feeling of a bad premonition.